Serenity flew through the canyons as if the devil himself were after her, which for the crew was almost the case. The other ship was close, its pilot almost as good as Hank, who forced the Firefly into ever tighter turns, her artificial gravity fighting the real thing until everyone felt nauseous.

“Hank …” Mal said, pointing out of the window.

“I see it!” Hank pulled Serenity up, away from the sharp jagged spike that would have torn out her belly, then pushed hard on the controls. “Is Freya ready?” he asked, not taking his eyes off the canyon walls zipping past outside.

“Frey? You done?” Mal said into the comlink.

“Ready to go. Open the hold doors when you’re ready.” Freya’s voice came over the link.

“Hank.” Mal looked at his pilot.

“Get ready,” Hank said. Mal stood, hand poised over the door control as Hank fought the bucking ship. “Now!”

Mal slammed down on the control, and the hold doors opened, dropping half a dozen small barrels into the air. Hank pushed forward on the stick, getting that one last spurt of speed from the engine as the barrels seemed to float on their air cushions.

Zoe, watching the rear vid, gazed at the image of the marauding ship coming up fast, its laser cannon being brought to bear. “Sir …” she said.

“Hold on.” Hank threw Serenity into a fast climb, and they all had to grab something to avoid being hurled back across the bridge. Gripping the console, Zoe saw the marauder hit one of the barrels.

The explosion knocked the Firefly down, swatting it like a bug, making Hank swear as he tried to bring her back under control before she tore herself apart on the landscape.

“Hank, now would be a good time to prove you’re not a waste of money,” Mal said, holding onto the back of his chair, watching said landscape swirling crazily past the window.

“Working on it, Mal.” The tendons were standing out on his neck, the muscles bulging in his arms as he tried physically to make Serenity behave, and it was working. Slowly she responded, and slowed in her