This is a short one, but the next and final one should tie everything up nicely.

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pt 01,pt 02,pt 03,pt 04,pt 05,pt 06,pt 07,pt 08

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The lone commando noticed Serenity approaching, though he could do nothing to speed up his escape process. The net contained a very strong current, and once it was grounded it took a gradual decrease to release the connection to the land. He started the de-activation sequence, attempting to force it to move faster by increasing the power to the engines. As he felt the ship slowly begin to pull away from the ground, he realized too late what the approaching vessel planned to do. Releasing his restraining harness, he bolted for the side door, grabbing a parachute pack and breathing mask before throwing himself out of it.

Wash continued to fly Serenity over the smaller ship as he saw the man jump out from the side of it, turning the side thrusters downward toward it. The expulsion from the thrusters forced the ship downward, the resulting tangent with the fading net pulling it forward. The ship continued downward on a parabolic collision course with the ground five yards away from the parked Alliance patrol boat, causing the two guards stationed there to dive for cover.

Wash expertly landed Serenity on the opposite side of the other Firefly from the patrol ship moments later, with Mal, Zoe, and Jayne at the sides of the cargo bay ramp, guns drawn as they scanned for the guards outside of both ships.

“Gorramit, they all got real guns this time,” Jayne half-whispered, dropping the binoculars from his eyes. “Gotta take ‘em down fast.”

Mal nodded to him, signaling him to move out of the front door toward a medium-sized rock for cover. Several shots ricocheted