I would like to thank, all the shiny browncoats who helped me produce this fanfic. My hat's off to you guys and gals, couldn't do it without you.

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The long dusty road unrolled ahead of her, the clouds of red clay swirling in her wake. Ahead of her the path she had chosen to follow. Behind her the road she vowed never to travel again.

A gentle breeze picked up, moving auburn locks of hair across her face, like barriers blocking the path of her future. The sun beat down on her back, burning its way through her shirt, to the scars that laid beneath. All the signs of this man-made world cried out, in an attempt to keep her from changing the future.

Her eyes glanced upward toward the light blue sky, a few clouds were in sight. A firefly class vessel appeared from the horizon, venturing towards her. Its hull glistening in the sunlight. Slowing down, it hovered for a moment above Dashdown Docks before making a steep descent and disappearing out of view.

*****

“Everyone strap in. We’re coming in to land,” Mal ordered over the com to the crew. Pushing a few buttons, he helped River prepare Serenity for docking. She had sucessfully proven to him that she was a capable pilot, but had yet to prove her skill to dock the ship.

“She’s all yours,” Mal commented, releasing control of the ship to her. He leaned back into the pilots chair, watching with a careful eye River’s movements.

“No Faith. No Belief. No trust, ” River rambled, gripping the controls and pressing several buttons.

“I believe you can do it,” Mal tried to encourage her, knowing that she knew better than he did, he couldn’t land Serenity in one piece.

“They don’t,” River replied, veering Serenity towards the docks. River maneuvered Serenity with such grace, however her landing technique left much to be desired. She'd gleaned her ability to fly by watching Wash, but had always been ushered off the bridge during the landing sequence.

Serenity began to buck and jump, as River pul