“I ain’t ridin’ it.” Ru told the captain, her arms folded and her hips to the side as she had a sobered look on her features. “I fly, fly hard 'n fast, I don’t ride.”

“Fella looks ornery.” He told her, his thumbs underneath his suspenders as Jayne was hanging on the side of the hovercraft for balance as his body weaved. “Last time I got on a horse with that look on his long ol’ face I got thrown.”

The white horse twisted his ears back and swished his tail, snorting at Malcolm.

“See? He don’t like me.”

“I’ll do it.” Jayne stumbled over and grabbed the reins. Awkwardly, he clambered on, nearly falling off yet steadying himself. "Better 'en ridin' with her." He growled at Ru. "Startin' ta git the feelin' ya don't fancy me."

"You ain't playin with a full deck are ya?" wiping the sweat from her face as even though they were under a tree canopy and the barn they were outside of was blasting cool air out from the air conditioning inside, it was murderously hot.

“Ok baby,” Zoe looked up anxiously after talking to Wash. “We got trouble.”

“What kind of trouble?” Mal asked quickly.

“Serenity’s land-locked. Wash says an Alliance ship’s comin’ down.”

“Kao e-meng” Ru went over and jumped in a hovercraft. Revving it up she motioned them to jump in.

“Tell him ta hide the prisoner and the Tams, NOW.” Mal told her as he slapped the horse to get it galloping with Jayne on it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Simon raced to River’s room and gathered her up in his arms as she was still asleep.

"Kaylee!" Inara shouted down from the upper deck, tossing a canvas bag to her. "Give that to Simon!"

The mechanic caught it and rushed over with that and his medical bag “Here.” Kaylee put then over his neck and shoulder. “'Nara put food 'n water in the bag along with a pistol. You guys go into the trees and ya don’t come back until we give the signal.”

He nodded his head, wanting to say something to her. Opening his mouth, but the words unable to form.

John let out a wild battle cry from the brig.

“Stay safe.” She led him to the cargo bay while Book was hurrying to get John and let him loose too. However everyone froze as the roar of an engine cut through the sky and the ground itself vibrated to a much larger ship landing. Kaylee grabbed Simon and yanked him back. “New plan.”

“THIS IS THE ALLIANCE!” Someone boomed over a loudspeaker as feds suddenly raced into Serenity. “Stop and put your hands up!”

Kaylee shoved Simon into the passenger dorm area so no one would see him. Freezing, she turned around and faced the soldiers just as Book went over to her.

“Follow my lead.” He told her.

“Where’s the prisoner?” She whispered, mimicking him and putting her hands up. Hands that trembled a bit at the thought of their wanted ones getting caught.

“Still in the brig.” The Shepard took a step in and began to slowly move towards all of the troops lining the cargo bay to await their commander. He appeared, looking all knowing and powerful. That, and something was very amiss to the preacher. “Officer, perhaps we can talk this over.” He said tersely yet respectfully.

The officer looked at the Shepard, then immediately bashed him over the head with his gun, sending book to the floor.

Kaylee jumped and gasped.

He signaled his troops to spread out. “Let’s find them! You see movement, shoot it!”

The officer then went over to Kaylee.

She bolted, found the nearest com and pushed on it to speak. “WASH! GET IN THE BRIDGE AND SEAL I…”

She got shot in the leg.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“SIIIIMOOOON!”

John roared at the top of his lungs as his ears heard the sound of the feds rushing towards the cargo bay doors. Baring his teeth he strained at the restraints, trying to free himself. However, the soldiers boarded, and he heard the sound of scuffling, followed by shouting and gunfire.

He tried a different tactic. “RIIIIVEEER!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Simon was trying to find a decent place to hide when River’s eyes snapped open and she looked horrified.

“They’ll do it.” She whimpered. “They’ll hurt her.”

“Who?”

Kaylee’s cry cut through the air.

Simon turned as white as a sheet.

“Anything to get to the experiments… anything.” River choked as tears streamed down her face, voice rising in pitch. “He thinks she’s pretty… knows the experiments are on the boat… use her to get them…”

“SIIIMOON!”

Hearing John, he bolted to the room where they were holding the prisoner. Several feds saw him and fired, yet he skidded inside and room and shut the door. Gasping he set his sister down who quickly took shelter in a corner. Dropping the bags, fumbling through the one to find the pistol.

“Let me out.” John ordered with his teeth bared. “Everyone will die on this ship if you don’t LET ME OUT!”

The doctor scrambled around for the key “It’s… it’s… not here.”

“GET THE GORRAM KEY!”

Simon looked around, gathered up his courage and bolted out of the brig. He raced into the cargo bay, dodging fire as she skidded to a stop and grabbed Book. Pulling the shepard over behind some crates he found the key.

And suddenly there was a gun pointed at his temple.

“Simon Tam you are bound by….”

Bang.

The bullet went right through the center of the feds skull.

The doctor looked up and saw Inara next to her shuttle’s door with a handgun.

“RUN!” She told him.

He bolted back towards the brig, and went inside to see River crying and John looking like an attack dog wanting to get off of his chain. Taking the key he unlocked everything and stood back.

The taller man rose up to his full height.

River’s eyes widened as her body trembled. “He sees red and he knows it… knows the warm blood like an old friend...” She pressed against the wall, staring at her friend, then shielding her face. “Wants it… wants to devour… skins peeling off on purpose…” Aqua eyes narrowed and flickering a predator as his lips curled back. “As soon as she comes in, lock the door.” His voice was a low guttural noise as he tensed his muscles and waited for a fed to come running down the hall. With a vicious war cry he flew at the man, grabbed his head, yanked and broke his neck. The body dropping to the floor as he bolted towards the frightened whimpers of the mechanic, hitting a patch of feds he rammed on while grabbing another. Slamming the skull into the wall so that it actually concaved he tossed the body at two other feds while breaking one’s back, then throwing one to the ground and shoving his heel into the sternum, crushing the rib cage in like an aluminum can. Roaring he had someone hit him in the back with the butt of a rifle, however he whirled around kicked him in the head, the blow dropping him to the ground and allowing John to knock his hat off, grab him by the hair and slam his head into the wall as well. Taking off, he found his way to the engine room where Kaylee was on her knees, leg bleeding out while the leader of the feds was trying to get her to talk with a gun pressed to her forehead. With an inhuman cry he leapt, knocked the man flat on his back, grabbed one of Kaylee’s screwdrivers and impaled the fed in the heart. Getting up he grabbed her by the arm and gruffly whispered in her ear. “Simon’s in the room I was held in.” Giving her a push out of the engine room he went the opposite direction towards the kitchen where he sensed a dozen more men needed to be exterminated. One rushed towards him to clash, and he sidestepped, pulled the knife out from the sheath at the soldier's hip, grabbed him with the free hand by the back of the neck and ran the knife effortlessly through his throat in one fluid movement. Dropping the knife he ran down the corridor, grabbed the doorframe that led to the kitchen and swung himself into the room, hitting a soldier while landing and breaking his neck.

There they were, trying to break into the bridge where Wash was sealed in.

John grabbed the broom in the corner, broke the head off at the table, twirled it and snarled.

They all turned and aimed at him.

“John Woolf, drop the weapon and put your hands in the air as you are bound by law.” One of them commanded.

His head was tilted down, eyes menacing as his growl got louder and he prowled over like a large cat on the hunt.

The feds cocked their guns.

“You’re just making it more fun for me.” He told them in a callous tone.

They fired.

In that instant, he jumped on the table, sprang off of it, and in mid air raised the broom over his head and brought it down like he was wielding an ax.

It impact left splinters embedded in his victim’s scull.

*****

*****

*****

***** TRANSLATION

*Kao e-meng: f***ing nightmare