Disclaimer: well I think you guys get the idea already

Spoilers: It’s set after the BDM so it may reveal things about it (I dunno I’m writing this first)

Rebuilding Haven: Into the Web.

________________________________________________

Serenity approached the moon of Argo un-announced and fast, real fast. River using her superior mathematical skills worked out, with the turn of the moon and the speed of the ship the exact angle needed to enter the Atmosphere, touch down, load the equipment and be ready for take off before the Alliance ships are on to them.

As soon as Serenity was in the atmosphere the console lit up with warnings and messages. A red light started to flash above the steering yoke, warning River of the attempt to track the ship. Mal said to no-one in particular “Show us what you got girl.” Even River with her psychic powers couldn’t tell if he was talking to her or the ship.

Either way it didn’t matter, both needed to be perfect for this plan to work.

* * *

In a control tower planet side orders were being shouted everywhere, type CX-510 ‘Sweepers’ could be seen taking off. And squadrons of Strike fighters could be seen racing to intercept the illegal Firefly class transport.

Commander Mitchell was stationed in the control tower at that time. He had been there for 11 hours; his shift was almost up when the reports came through that a ship had entered the atmosphere at a high velocity, causing major ripples in the atmosphere, damaging the sensor array, now the planet is in almost a total blackout. Any ship could come into the atmosphere and they wouldn’t know anything about it.

The procedure for an event like this was to lockdown all ships form a self imposed blockade on the planet with any ship that remained airborne would be shot down. Mitchell turned to his console to see satellite images of the firefly class ship. Ignoring the flashing panels on his console he became entranced as he watched Serenity race down the lower levels of the sky scraper covered city. Down where his’ pilots ships would dare not go. He was impressed with the flying skills of the pilot of the firefly class transport. Taking 90° turns expertly weaving in and out of the seemingly sporadic placement of buildings. Then he looked up at a rather urgent call from one of his’ officers, and saw 3 incoming missiles from a gunship that no-one had realized was there. Mitchell looked down and gulped knowing his time was up.

* * *

The three missiles hit their marks. The first one hit the broadcasting tower at the top of the control tower, immediately lifting the land lock on all the ships on the planet. The second soared through the windows of the control tower and exploded in the middle of it, Thus destroying the collaboration of all radar stations. The radar was still up, but each one worked separately to each other, it was at the control tower where they were put together for full coverage of the whole planet. The Third shot past the tower that had started to collapse on it-self, and hit the security station that was a small building situated at the base of the tower. The last missile exploded destroying it, thus destroying the remotely linked auto firing turrets that are situated at key locations around the city.

Normally the control tower would have shields, but during the excitement of the moment, no-one bothered to check the status of the shields. That had been disabled just as soon as Serenity had entered the atmosphere.

* * *

Back on Serenity Mal was in his sergeant mindset. It had been years since he had controlled more than one spacecraft.

He had once led a mission against an Alliance Cruiser he was commanding the attack in a bluebird assault craft; he had a small squadron of X-fire fighters. The assault was successful but Mal never got awarded for it. He was called away to hold the Alliance off from taking Serenity Valley.

Zoë was behind him fully armed ready for her mission, even though she was bordering on 5 months pregnant.

River announced that they would be at ‘checkpoint one’ in 90 seconds. Mal walked behind Zoë as she walked towards the shuttle. Simon entered the Cargo bay from the bottom entrance holding a small SMG that Jayne had lent him. Simon fiddled with the extra clips that were sitting in his left pocket. On his back was a small backpack full of medical supplies that might be needed. He rushed up the staircase and boarded the second shuttle looking back at Kaylee who was watching him from the nearest the Infirmary door.

Mal just looked at her and said “Kaylee I need you to go back to the Engine room, now” Kaylee just complied as Simon was already out of her sight. Inara left her shuttle in a combat ready garb. A figure hugging dress that wouldn’t get in her way, she had her weaon in her hands and a smaller pistol strapped to her right thigh. Mal said as she was shutting the door behind her “Be careful”

The second shuttle took off and dived straight down to the lowest levels of the city. Serenity went higher, to draw the alliance pilots’ following them attention.

* * *

“Stay on the Firefly class ship, The Shuttle’s just a diversion…” “Look sir it’s heading towards the industrial district” “We have to destroy this thing before it gets to its destination.” “Form in behind me. Scattered file formation”

The Alliance ships formed into a loose line formation and moved in behind Serenity. River fended them off valiantly by weaving in and out of the towering buildings.

* * *

A group of three ran through the lower levels of a building. One of whom was in a family was once a mediocre family living in a nice 4 bedroom apartment in this same building, but she had to go into hiding, she was a reader, the government wanted to whisk her away into some facility and the family didn’t want that to happen so they had her ‘kidnapped’ by some friends they had who knew some people in the lower levels.

The lower levels were not a place for a 4 year old girl, but her two guardians made the last few months as normal as they possibly could. They tried to arrange an extraction with the people of Haven as soon as they had got her, but Haven had been destroyed.

Now it was in the process of being rebuilt and it was time to get that girl out of the dirty and dangerous place. A 4 year old girl is something of a rarity in those parts and some of the less ‘civilized’ people live there would like to get their hands on one. That is why this trio was running.

Inara, Simon and Zoë were waiting at the end of Corridor 12 E. Where an unused garden has been transformed into an open air landing platform. All the plant life died and it had been upgraded by the outcasts so an anti air turret sat on one part of it, giving the society protection from the Alliance interfering. Conveniently the no-one was stationed at the AA gun when the shuttle landed there. Now Zoë, Inara and Simon waited in some alcoves for their cargo to come, and hopefully to surprise the men chasing them.

The trio rounded the corner into corridor 12 E which sloped upwards into a mezzanine area where the gardens protrude from. There were 10 men who were chasing them and when they rounded the corner they saw the ship and realized the trio’s plan. The group of men wanted the trio alive, but they would take corpses as well.

So the first one pulled his pistol out and aimed at the woman running at the back. He copped a shot from Zoë to the shoulder making him flinch at the last moment, so his shot went wide and scraped the woman’s arm, she screamed in pain but kept running. Inara nailed 2 other men that were in pursuit. The first one took up aim again and fired a tazer battery at the woman. She fell over and convulsed as a few hundred volts went through her body. She wasn’t dead the volts just knocked her out. The man turned around to help his wife. He shot at the band with his machine pistol. The group of 8 men jumped aside out of the way. The man picked up his wife and ran to catch up to the little girl.

The men then re-emerged from their alcoves to continue the chase. Simon was waiting hidden in a doorway further away from the shuttle than, Zoë and Inara were. His job was, when the trio ran by, was to jump out and cover them from the rear giving suppressing fire as he did so forcing them to seek cover.

The trio was 2 doors down from Simon when two things happened. His wife woke up, and in shock and jerked her body away from his and when she landed she didn’t have enough strength to stand so she just hit the floor with a whump. Hearing the noise the little girl looked around at the startled woman. But as the girl was looking behind her she tripped and fell landing face first on the ground. She let out a short scream as the fell. Thus making the man’s predicament; He could save his wife, and forefeit the child’s life. Or he could decide to save the child and loose his wife to a group of men who he knew would take advantage of her.

His mind tried to think of ways that they all could get out alive… Then it hit him, there wasn’t a way. He knew that the three of them would not be leaving on that shuttle. He made his fateful decision. He turned around and opened fire at the group behind them. The little girl got back on her feet and continued to run as she had been instructed by the two adults before they left.

The man’s gun ran dry, seeing that the group was almost on top of his wife he charged at them, fists raised. Knowing that was the end he grabbed the grenade that he always kept in his pocket and jumped into the middle of the group who had already started undressing the woman. He was shot in mid flight and he landed on top of his wife. Looking her in the eye he released his grip on the grenade.

When Simon saw what was happening he jumped out ontop of the girl and covered her ears. Zoë protected her baby by taking cover in a doorway. The explosion ripped apart a small chunk of the building. Some girders fell and some chunks of building materials lay strewn about. The little girl was OK, which was the main thing. Simon picked her up and then ran the rest of the way to the shuttle that Inara had already prepared. Zoë entered just behind him.

The small shuttle took off from the garden. Serenity flew under the shuttle, allowed it to dock then it pulled up. Out of the atmosphere of that small moon. It was a massive exodus, from all the planets and moons in that system flew hundreds of starships all headed elsewhere, somewhere out of the Alliances grip, where the alliance can’t meddle with them. Most of them headed towards Haven, either to stay or just organize somewhere to go from there.

But there was one last hurdle that separated them from their freedom, an Alliance blockade. This Alliance blockade was one of the strongest that they have ever enforced. Hundreds of ships generating an electromagnetic sphere around the planet, disabling any and all ships that pass through the sphere.

Serenity approached the electromagnetic field; the whole crew stared in amazement. “Wu de ma” stated Mal. “Mother of God, Mother of God” translated Polly; River’s new parrot. “The gorram Alliance has set up a ruttin’ blockade around the whole planet.” Jayne stated. “It’s kinda’ pretty” Kaylee said admiring the pinky/purple colour of the sphere “You’re a ‘the glass is half-full kind of person’ aren’t you Kaylee” Simon said “Ai ya women wanle” Zoë said dead pan.

Serenity continued towards the big net, slowing down and finally reaching a stop right next to some other freighters. One Freighter didn’t stop… thinking that he could charge right through the captain sped up and rammed the sphere.

The freighter just lost all momentum and froze. Power from all over the sphere was transferred to that spot creating ‘ripples’ along the surface of the sphere. This gave River an idea…

“The spider’s web is designed to catch the fly. But when there are too many some get away.” River whispered to her self. “What?” Mal asked confused.

Suddenly a ship came out of nowhere and smashed into the sphere, causing more ripples. Then hundreds of ships seemingly coming from nowhere smashed into the sphere all around the planet.

* * *

“Sir they’re ramming the shield. If they continue at this rate the shield won’t have enough power.” “What does that mean?” “The shield will fail and the freighters will be able to escape.” “Well that’s not a possibil… Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh”

A freighter charged towards the main cruiser. The cruiser took immediate evasive action. That cruiser was the epicenter of the shield. As soon as it moved from its position the whole shield failed. The escaping ships immediately took off towards their destinations. There were a few that were shot down by missiles shot by the Alliance cruisers but it was a tiny number in comparison to the whole.

Back on Serenity the crew was asking River about her newfound ability. “So all those ships were just figments of their imaginations?” Mal asked. River just nodded and accepted all the attention. All but one person was interested in River. The other person was Kaylee who was interested in Lucy. She was comforting her on the loss of the two people who had become her family.

~/ Epilogue \~

The crew of Serenity were a big family again. Zoë had a person to care about again… Little Hoban Washbourne Junior. The labor took 6 hours, but Zoë didn’t hold a grudge. Kaylee and Simon were now married, after a ceremony was performed by Shepard Books closest friend in the Abbey. Mal and Inara were together, but they had no plans of getting married. River and Lucy had become close friends, and they didn’t even have to speak a word to each other, but the did anyway. Lucy adopted Mal and Inara as her parents. Even though Mal didn’t like the idea of being called daddy, he liked having Lucy around.

To Lucy they all became known as different names. Kaylee was known as Princess Kaylee because she was the youngest normal girl that she knew. Simon became known as Prince charming behind his back, They once said it in front of him and he was blushing for an hour. Mal was Daddy and Inara, Mummy (Mommy). Wash Junior was baby. (It would become Junior once he was older.) Zoë became Aunty Zoë. Polly the Parrot was known as Polly the Pawwot (only River tried to correct her, the others thought it was cute.)

Lucy and Jayne became inseparable. Mal thought it was because of their equal IQ levels, but then River reminded him that the Alliance wanted Lucy for their special school too. But Jayne stayed Jayne, probably because of Lucy’s respect for him. But even though she respected him, she always loved to play with him (or his mind). So one evening after dinner when the crew were lounging, after looking at Baby she asked Jayne. “Where do babies come frwom?

~~~Fine~~~ Hoped you liked it… this is my last one for a long while, School is starting and I got to focus on getting a good HSC mark. But feedback is still welcome.

-BC

Ai ya women wanle – we’re in big trouble Wu de ma – Damn