Written by CallMeSerenity, PsychicRiver, Mai, TheRealMe, Safeat2nd and Needy

BATTLE ON BOROS

Prologue - LOST SOULS

The Sereni-Tree had been created prior to the Alliance Wars. Unlike most craft, the ship was made partly of living matter, fuelled by a combination of natural resources, whether internal or external.

From the outside, it looked like a bizarre malformed tree, with roots springing off in several directions. But in reality, The Tree was a spaceship housing thousands of passengers from all walks of life. People that had shunned the worlds and their kingdoms and had chosen to live as free people on the edges of space. Scientists, soldiers, teachers, politicians, laborers, companions, even entire families had abandoned their old lives to find some peace elsewhere. Some Serenity.

Led by the original engineer and designer of the craft, Dr Me, the occupants got to experience a new way of life in a spaceship that had been grown to the size of a city. It was a city for tomorrow, where many of the new advances in science were embraced instead of feared. Meanwhile, this natural wonder provided its inhabitants with all the necessary sustenance needed for survival, so much so that there wasn’t any need for them ever to step foot on solid ground ever again.

But as hard as people may try to cut themselves off, there’s always something that drags them back, whether it was familial obligations or the responsibility to aid those that are in need.

It was a home for lost souls. But currently, they were one Soul down…

----

Serenity gazed up at the Firefly Class ship, her face in awe.

“You really bought this…” she said.

“Why do you sound so sceptical?” Soul answered

“I’m not,” she said with a smile. “Just surprised you’ve actually done it is all.”

The man smiled warmly at her, he had been her comrade, her friend and now he would be her captain, and later so much more. “About time we got out there, did our bit to help,” he said.

“She have a name?” Serenity asked.

“Destiny,” he said proudly.

“A bit on the nose…” she said, with a half laugh. Then, not wanting to offend him, nods in agreement. “It’s perfect.”

“Need a crew,” Soul said. “I’m hoping I can count on you.”

“Always,” the woman answered. As she does so, the whole situation started to ring a familiar tune. She’d been here before. This wasn’t now… this was a memory. With that realisation, she found herself transported to a different place.

Elsewhere.

Everywhere…

Serenity travels the deserts of her mind. She walks a path between the living and the dead. She is exhausted, her journey has been long and hard, but still she pushes herself forward. Mile after dusty mile she travels, haunted by visions and dreams that tumble over her like so many ocean waves.

Suddenly she sees something on the path ahead of her. A figure stands out starkly in the torn and twisted landscape.

“Soul.”

She begins to run but stumbles. There is a hand reaching to help her up and then she is in his arms.

An eternity passes, or just a few minutes, and neither says a word. Then Soul stirs, reaches a hand up to brush the hair off her face and kisses her forehead. “You have to go back now,” he tells her.

“I don't want to go back. I want to stay with you.”

“You have to go back. They need you.”

“I know,” she replies and turns her head away. It hurts to look at him. A single tear runs down her cheek and he wipes it away with his thumb and turns her face back to his.

They kiss. One last, sweet, kiss farewell.

“I will love you forever.”

And with that he is torn from her arms. She screams his name, reaching for him as the wind howls around her.

“SOUL!!”

Serenity sits straight up in the bed in the med lab. PsychicRiver is at her side, trying to force her to lay back down. She grabs his arm, her eyes wild as she takes in her surroundings. Finally, her breathing calms and she lays back down.

“How are you doing?” PR asks tentatively after a few silent minutes.

“It hurts all over. And I'm very thirsty,” she admits.

PR brings her a glass of water and she sips at it before putting it down. PR fidgets for a bit and then clears his throat.

“Serenity, there's something I have to tell you. Soul...”

“I know,” she interrupts him. “I already know.” Serenity turns on her side, her back to her friend, her face to the wall.

“I'm so sorry,” PR tells her

A few seconds silence pass, and she doesn't answer. She doesn't move.

“You...uh, you broke your wing,” he said. “Dr Me fixed you up, but it'll take a few weeks to heal properly.”

Silence.

“Can I... get you anything?

“No thank you,” Serenity answers finally

“I-I have something, for you,” PR tells her. He wasn't sure if this was the right time to give it to her, but he felt that she needed something of his. Something to do hold onto.

She turned around slowly to face PR.

He reached down to the floor and picked up Soul's bow and quiver. He extended them to Serenity. “He would have wanted you to keep it.”

Serenity takes the bow and quiver just as Mai appears in the doorway.

Her friend slowly walks towards her. “Can I…” she falters. “I wish that…” Unable to put together any proper comforting words, Mai simply leans over and gives her a hug

Serenity lets Mai hug her, and as Mai pulls away, Serenity sits herself up again.

“Thank you, both of you. But I really want to be alone right now.”

She stands up, painfully, and shrugging off their attempts to help, begins making her way back to her room, clutching the bow and quiver to her as if her life depended on it.

PR wandered off from the two, and into the common room. He made his way to his own bed. After what felt like an hour of not being able to sleep, PR got up from his bed, only wearing his PJ shorts, and grabbed a sleeping bag and left his room. He could still hear some voices down by the bar, as he made his way up through the ship. PR pushed open the door to the observatory lounge. The room was small and had a dome-like feel to it. And most of the walls, were wide glass windows. It made PR feel like he was the snowman in a very small snow-globe. PR looked out at the stars and whispered a few words for the departed soul.

“Now you belong to heaven, and the stars spell out your name.”

He knew that he would be able to find peace enough to sleep up here, so he rolled out his sleeping bag.

“And I'll make my bed, with the stars above my head...”

In the Common Room of the Sereni-Tree, Me clears his throat and holds his glass high.

“To Soul of Serenity, who sacrificed himself for the good of his friends!” Me drains the glass in one gulp, then sets it down on a nearby table. He sighs heavily.

“I first met Soul on the ski resort planet of Black Diamond, during the time a group of us was trying to recapture the dangerous FemaleReaver. Soul appeared out of nowhere in the mountains of the icy north to offer his aid to our small band. He was so helpful and of such impeccable character that I later made him the Sereni-Tree’s Security Chief…”

Seth “Safe” Franklin wanders the corridors of Sereni-TREE lost in thought. Firing his guns in combat has long since lost it's impact on him. It had become second nature. A thought that had disturbed him at one time. He had had a harder time dealing with casualties of combat. He had always blamed himself for the losses. That's why he preferred working by himself.

Jack didn't count. He was a kindred spirit and could take care of himself. He knew the risks. Jack was less of a partner, more of another weapon in Safe’s arsenal. As impersonal as that may seem, it was the only way Safe could insulate himself. What Safe couldn't shake, was the connection he was starting to feel to the band of people he had just fought with. The loss of the man named Soul had affected him more than he was willing to admit. While it wasn't as bad as what he had seen behind the grim face of the Gunslinger and on the naked faces of the rest of the crew of this boat, it was there none the less.

Safe's wandering brings him to the lounge. He spots Jack, Jazaf & Deuce sitting at a table quietly sharing a drink. He pulls out a chair and slumps into it.

Jack slides the bottle over to him. Safe catches the bottle, and pours two glasses. One glass he places in the centre of the table , the other he holds up and is joined by Jack, Jazaf and Deuce in a wordless toast. All four toss back the harsh liquid and lower their glasses.

The bottle is passed around and all glasses are refilled, the fifth glass remains full and un-touched in the centre of the table. The wordless toast is repeated and the glasses are again drained.

Pretty soon, this silent ritual has gained the attention of the rest of the occupants of the lounge and it is not long before all join in with their beverage of choice.

TWO WEEKS LATER

An announcement rang out in the halls of the Sereni-Tree and TheRealMe’s voice beckoned all who would listen. “…anybody who wants to board the Destiny's Shadow and depart from our company should do so now. The Head of Succatash is about to undock and take its ship to pick up some cargo on Boros.”

"Well...” Safe thinks. “if Destiny's Shadow in joining up with the TREE later, Jack and I could use some more supplies. Plus we have "business" on Boros.”

--

Hours pass and Safe and Jack sit and wait while a crowd of people mill in and out of Destiny's Shadow, a ship once owned by the departed Soul.

Jack abruptly stops drumming his fingers and slams his fist down on his knee. "I've had enough gorram waitin', Safe! Can't you just fly this ship outta here NOW??"

"Jack, it ain't my ship and I can do nothing to hurry this up. Our business will just have to wait."

A gleam of an idea lights up Jacks eyes. "Why don't we just "borrow" a shuttle? We can be to Boros and back before this circus finally becomes organized. No one will be the wiser..."

Safe considers Jack's suggestion. He shrugs his shoulders, "What the hell, can't see as how anyone would notice...". He stands up and slings his rucksack over his shoulder.

Safe and Jack arrive at the docking bay in time to see the several people waiting for the Nelson to dock.

The two men nonchalantly board the General Grant, and Safe pilots it out as the Nelson lands.

"That worked well", Jacks says.

Safe raises an eyebrow,"How do you figure?"

"I thought I was going to have to blow a hole in the bay door to get out" Jack says with a grin.

Safe shakes his head and turns the Grant towards Boros.

-

After safely landing at the space port at Boros’ capital city, Safe and Jack disembark the Grant. Walking through the terminal, their debate on large caliber versus small caliber is interrupted by an unkempt, burly, bald man and his two cronies. Sneering, he puts his hand on Safes chest to stop him. Safe stops and slowly looks down at the offending hand and back up at the offender.

“You planning on donating your fingers to science” Safe says quietly. “’Cause I’d be mor’n happy to do it for you if you don’t move it”.

Jack rests his right hand on his gun, the other still holding his rucksack over his left shoulder.

The brute takes in Safe’s steely look and Jack’s apparent ease, and lowers his hand. “That your shuttle?” He gestures toward the Grant.

“Depends on who’s askin’” drawls Jacks, never taking his hand off his gun.

“Word has it the Grant is from the Sereni-Tree.” The brute sneers again. It’s at this point Safe notices a scar running from the man’s chin to his ear.

“What’s it to ya?” Jack drawls again.

“I got me some...“business” with one of the crew.” The brute snarls, absently rubbing the scar. “An’ I recon yer gonna help me find her.”

“And if we feel less than inclined to help “gentlemen” such as yourselves?” Safe says as he quickly glances over at Jack.

The brute smirks back at his two hulking cronies, “Well then, Hugo and Gordo here will have to persuade you real ungentle like.” As if on cue, the two grin and crack their knuckles.

“Hey Safe, isn’t there a leash law in this town?” Jack jerks a thumb towards Hugo and Gordo. He turns to the bald man. “Remember, a conscientious pet owner stoops and scoops.”

The two thugs growl and take a step forward. The bald man puts out his arms holding the men behind him. Safe chooses this moment to act. He lashes out. His boot catching the bald man square in the chest, knocking him backwards into the two thugs.

Safe turns and grabs Jack, who is in the middle of drawing his gun, by the shoulder. “Not now Jack, too many people”. The two run, weaving their way through the crowd.

“Safe, isn’t this running away?”

“No, it’s strategic maneuvering… now just shut up and run Jack.”

By the time the goons regain their balance, Safe and Jack have put a goodly distance between them and the chase is over almost before it began. Hugo raises his gun, intending to fire off a shot to clear the crowds when the bald man grabs his gun arm and hisses “not now you idiot”. The bald man nods his head in the direction of two passing Alliance soldiers. -

Safe and Jack skid out of the terminal onto the dusty streets of Boros. The city resembles an eclectic mix of ramshackle rundown buildings and high tech new skyscrapers. The overall impression of the city is that the new is rising out of the old.

Jack looks back into the terminal, “I think we lost ‘em”.

Safe starts walking down the narrow dusty street, “Still not a good idea the wait around for 'em to catch-up.”

Safe and Jack step to the side as a bicycle drawn rickshaw rattles past. “Who do you think he was referring to when he said her? And why’s he lookin’ for her?” Jack asks as he falls back in step with Safe.

“Judging by the way he was fondling that scar, I say our mystery woman gave it to him. I wonder if she gave him any others.”

Jack snickers, “Well I sure ain’t volunteering to look fer ‘em”. “How are we gonna figure out who she is?”

“Lets look at what we know. She obviously gave him at least one scar that we know of. The scar is clean, not jagged so that rules out a bullet, dagger or fingernails. In fact, the scar is too clean, almost... precise.” says Safe.

Jack stops walking. “Katanas?”

“That would fit the bill...” Safe stops and looks at Jack thoughtfully. “That narrows it down to Deuce or our winged warrior…”

“Butterfly Girl?” Jack interrupts.

“Serenity, I think it was,” Safe says. “That’s where my money lies. I’m pretty certain Deuce wouldn’t have left chubby alive. Then again, the Sereni-Tree is a big ship, an’ who knows how many other women on board wield katanas.”

“C’mon, lets keep movin’. We’ve still got business to attend to.”