Quote:

---

Originally posted by Bytemite:
I kinda agree with Jongsstraw, apparently the message only reached 30 planets out of 70-something (or so Mal says is the range of Mr. Universe's equipment), and would likely have only reached planets in the Rim. I don't think the message will be completely ignored, and surely, out on the Rim, Mal will be finding himself with a lot of new brothers and sisters in anti-Alliance thinking.

I'd say, what I think is most likely, is that except for members of parliament having freak-outs, no one in the Core realizes. But they'll sure feel the effect of the government's increasing anxiety, and the general public would be feeling a vague sense of unease themselves as the Alliance moves more openly towards authoritarianism.

Plus, as far as I know, Blue Sun was never connected to Miranda, and I think it'd take more to topple them anyway, since they seem to have such a hefty government backing. And even if parliament gets nervous about chasing after River after this failure, Blue Sun will still want her, and still be sending Blue Hands and bounty hunters after her. They won't stop, not until something else captures their attention, or they realize that what they've done to River makes her unviable in their continuing experiments.

River can never be fully sane. She'll always have the chance to be overcome by her fears or her own shattered thought processes, because that's the result of the stripped amygdala. Her trauma means that she probably won't ever be able to progress past a teen-aged or child-like state. They can manage her symptoms, but they can't ever go away fully. Medicated River still speaks cryptically, fractured. But she is happier and more in control.

And I don't think Serenity can have it easy, not after the Alliance killed most of their friendly contacts, people willing to shelter them. The criminal world hears about that, they're going to be wary about dealing with the crew. And anyone with two brain cells to rub together might put together the timeline between when the Alliance struck against the friends of the crew, and when the Miranda recording was released... Or see Serenity, towed to the Eavesdown docks, looking like she just came through a war and down two crew members. Granted it won't be widely known, but I think some people will figure it out. And those people will be even more wary about getting involved with the crew. Or, like Badger, play on their desperation.

However, Schism, one of your thoughts about Jayne is one I'm exploring in fanfic form. :) I can imagine them, once in a while, having a windfall, and Jayne might try to strike out on his own (and fail spectacularly. Captaining ain't as easy as it looks!).

And I agree about what you think the rest of the crew will be up to.

---