Note: I thought of this when I was running one morning. I decided to write it because it could be fun. :)

****

Serenity: The last Firefly

Chapter One: Something New

****

It was three years since the release of Miranda to the galaxy. The alliance receded to the inner planets trying to avoid the inevitable backlash of the worlds. Deep inside an Alliance complex on the planet Scorpion 9 was the location of the secret parliament. The metallic, bland walls gave the perfect atmosphere feeling for the suit-clad persons. A gloom spread across the parliament as the members convened for an important meeting. The twelve elitists sat quietly, each one making up a decision and scenario in their heads. One man sat at the very head of the oval tablet. He spoke first breaking the debilitating silence.

“We seem to continually come across dilemmas.” In that short sentence he grabbed the attention of the other eleven members. “We may be stalled for the time being; however we still control the inner planets.” A grin flashed across his grotesque face. “I see an opportunity for the Alliance.”

Whispers were thrown across the room. Thoughts and ideas were shot back and forth rapidly as the twelve members discussed what this ‘opportunity’ might just be. A parliament member at the end of the oval table leaned back in his chair. “Miranda is still closed to the ‘public.’ The reavers still surround the dead planet like a plague.” He cracked his knuckles so loudly that it echoed in the meeting room. “We can play this. Three years has been long enough for hiding. The New Alliance armada has grown nicely. I propose, as Mr. Reven has done subliminally, to re-take control.”

“The outer planets are in a state of growing somewhat.” Another member began, “Weak, pathetic and vulnerable. We must be a little gentle this time. Another ‘Serenity Valley’ is not something that would look too good. Of course, we do have a few… ‘obstacles’ to remove from our path before proceeding.”

A cough was heard from across the table. “Obstacles and trash more like. However, obstacles can be overcome, and trash can be disposed of.” The attendee leaned back in her chair and waved her hands about in a fleeting gesture. “We’ve never been stopped there before. What’s a bunch of fools to us?”

“Point made.” Said another. “Everything can be fixed. It’s merely a stain on our carpet. We can just ‘remove’ it as easily as it was set there.”

The frowning member of the parliament sighed and spoke, “Stain, yes. However this stain is because of our own miscalculation and absurdity. This isn’t like a late night drink that tumbled onto our carpet. This is the downhill slide of our parliament. Such an analogy is a waste of oxygen.”

“Calm down Mr. Exon. An analogy is but an analogy. And it is as Ms. Sarra said, everything made mistake of can be fixed.” Said the leading member.“This is a game my brothers and sisters. The opponent holds the most pieces, yet we hold the winning moves. They can no longer defeat us in the traditional manner. Strategy, strategy, strategy.”

The leading member smiled, “We already have the upper hand. We’ve had the upper hand since the ‘Alliance’ fell to the hands of veterans of a long-lost war. Now, listen to this new strategy of ours. Mr. Gorden, please tell us of your new project.”

The tall, skinny parliament member stepped forth from the shadows. He pulled out a seat and sat with a robotic grace. He scooted in and adjusted his tie which wasn’t even crooked. He smirked to his fellow members of Parliament. Reaching out from under the table he put his blue-gloved hands on the table. Between his fingers he held an odd looking bolt that’s normally used for advanced alliance machinery.

“Where shall I begin?”

****

The students stared intently at their learning screen built into their desks. Each one rapidly writing away on their desks as the day drew on. Warm sunlight enveloped around the class, everyone began to slow down. A young girl in the back frowned wondering what was going to happen. Each young face turned to star at her. Eyes riddled with anger and confusion. Gentle hands grabbed the young girl’s face and made her look away from her peers.

“River…” The other said. “River, this place wants to change you. Don’t ever let them change you.” She reached to the young woman who was grasping her face. River felt a tear slip down her cheek before the young woman spoke again. “They’re coming to get you.” River felt the other woman torn from her, and needles closed in on her view…

River Tam woke with a start in her bunk. She looked around and wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand. I thought these dreams were to stop. She reflected. They were supposed to stop. River sat up in her bed and sighed. Glancing across her room to take a peek at her clock she noted it was almost morning. She cracked her neck before getting up to get some water. Her wavy, brunet hair stuck was glued to her face with sweat.

The kitchen was cool, it gave a comforting feeling. She raised her eyebrows at the mass amount of weapons littering the table. Loud snoring erupted from under the table. Jayne slept peacefully between chairs with a large grin across his face. His arms and legs wrapped around one of his guns that looked larger than him. River wondered silently if he ever shot himself in his sleep. She shrugged and went back to her little mission of retrieving a glass of water.

She could feel Serenity beneath her. The ship drifted in space gently and hummed a small lullaby. The Firefly class space ship had always been there for River, even when her brother wasn’t. It was a home and protection to every rebel within its hull. And every time danger stalked at the crew’s heels, Serenity was always the one giving haven and protection.

Silent were her steps as River walked towards the bridge. She sipped her cold water as she continued. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Zoe, sitting in the pilot seat with a dark green blanket wrapped around her. The tall woman was awake and staring off into the night sky. Quietly, as always, River padded over to the seat at the opposite side. She sat down and drew her knees up to her chest. Setting the glass down she wrapped her arms around her shins and settled down to watch the stars. Zoe acknowledged River with a nod before turning her head to stare back at the darkness.

Space was a peaceful thought to the crew. It was danger and safety at the same time. River stared out at all the little glowing stars she could see; some brighter than others. In her mind she searched for a meaning to it all. Every time she fell asleep whilst imprisoned within the Alliance school she would find a way out, through dreams. She closed her eyes for a moment, thinking of the previous day and of three years ago.

The previous day before was the third anniversary of Wash’s death. Zoe’s husband died shortly after landing the crew of Serenity safely on Mr. Universe’s runway during a reaver battle. That whole day was quiet; no one talked much, no celebration for freedom from the Alliance, just peace and quiet. Even though Zoe told captain Mal that she was fine, everyone knew that inside the warrior woman was still battling her inner thoughts of ‘what if.’ Under her warm blanket River could sense that Zoe was holding onto one of Wash’s plastic toy dinosaurs. Usually the woman would carry it around with her in the side pocket of her holster. If Jayne knew, he’d probably make a fuss of how the toy wasn’t a weapon. It mattered not to Zoe, it was what she wanted to do. Hold on just a little bit, not to let go just yet.

A yelp erupted from the kitchen. “What in the gorram ‘verse are you doing under the table!?” A pained groan swept through the ship.

“You bastard! You stepped on my head!” Instantly Zoe and River knew it was Jayne waking with a bruised head and ego. Zoe pushed the blanket off of her and trudged to the kitchen. River caught a glance of the dinosaur in Zoe’s grip before the dark woman tucked it away. River smiled.

Mal rubbed his head in annoyance before giving the chair to the table a swift kick in Jayne’s general direction. He mumbled some obscenities before getting back into an argument with Jayne. “Look at this mess! You have a bunk, a bunk. And it belongs to you. Why are all your toys on the gorram table?” Jayne crawled out from under the table and frowned. Drool was dripping off his chin and one of his eyes was opened farther than the other.

He pointed at Mal and opened his mouth to speak. “Because I don’t have anywhere else to put them!”

“No where else to put them!?” Mal threw his hands up in the air, “Alright, fine then!” Mal grabbed a trash bag, and threw two pistols into the bag. “Two down, fifteen more to go!” He almost sung it to piss of Jayne. Mal swept the weaponry off of the table and into the garbage bag.

Jayne almost wet himself. “Wait! What the hell you think you’ doin’!?” He reached across the table and grabbed as many pistols as he could. “I like my guns!” His face sagged a little in sadness. “You can’t throw them away!”

With one swoop of his hand, Mal trashed three more pistols and a load of bullets. “IF you can’t be responsible and keep your crap in your room, then I will throw it away!”

Tears welled up in the big man’s eyes. “Okay, okay!! I will be good, I will find a place to put them!”

“Good!” Mal roared across the small kitchen space. Frustration boiled and his ears turned red as he threw the bag of guns onto the ground. “Now clean it up!”

Jayne grimaced, “Wha- Me!?”

All the while the early morning bickering took place, Simon and Kaylee arrived and walked to the boiler for hot water. She looked at Simon and asked, “Tea?” He smiled sleepily and nodded. Over the three years since the battle for River the couple had become closer and closer. Simon finally relaxed his position on constantly being River’s guardian. He gave her the space every maturing adult needs. He most recently deducted that River had made an almost complete recovery; however, her quirks and uncalled for comments still lingered a little.

Jayne and Mal’s bickering continued relentlessly in front of the crew. Kaylee and Simon each sipped their tea while watching the bickering. Zoe stood in the far corner with a glass of water, and Inara had shown up dressed for a ball as usual. Everyone was woken rather brutally that day.

River sat in the cockpit and listened to the noise of the crew speaking, bickering and sighing. Suddenly, like a stabbing pain in the back of her neck, she knew something was wrong. She tapped on the monitors and turned on the speaker system. With her free hand she held onto the microphone the other she held herself steady as she peered out the windows of Serenity… waiting.

“Mal, everybody, come quick.” She spoke quick and calm like she usually did. Her heart pounded in her chest at the sight before her. Serenity approached the object in the distance quickly, even if they were just drifting.

They all arrived simultaneously and stared out of the windows. Mal was the first to speak even though his breath was caught in his throat. “Well, that’s something new…”