Disclaimer: Joss is boss.

Notes: I would just like to thank those of you who reviewed chapter one, your words are a warm and welcome gesture. Another big thank you goes out to my new beta, torikkusuta, whom this chapter I have decided to dedicate to. Thank you for volunteering to put up with my atrocious grammar skills.

No Power in the 'Verse

by

Uhlume

:-:

Chapter 2

2 months.

It had been 2 months since the day that had twisted the ‘verse’s perspective for better or for worse.

The day that ended in bittersweet victory…

The day the crew of a Firefly class transport ship lost not only an ally but two crew members.

Except time was an unrelenting and cruel mistress – all bowed down to her – and thus they had to keep going despite the pain. To grieve on the run… that’s how it was.

The crew of Serenity had been rushed into the infirmary of the nearest surviving Alliance ship along side a prone Operative. Mal had been in the most grievous of conditions that had left Inara terrified for several hours while unable to see him. He’d survived none the less; the Browncoat had yet to find the man who owned the bullet with his name on it. Simon, too, was injured seriously from the bullet wound to his stomach but managed to be stabilised and returned to recover with the others. It was a happier day when they could be taken care of by the Doc on their own territory.

It was a slow start to piecing together their broken boat. At first only Kaylee, River and Inara could set about fixing the old girl up but as the others recovered work progressed more swiftly. It was two weeks worth of constant labour on the part of all Serenity’s crew to finish patching up their home. The funding given by The Operative helped with the work though Mal refused any offer of additional manpower. The endless list of tasks prevented much thought to drift towards their fallen friends and when work did slack, each crewman found something else to pursue.

But soon there was noting left to fix… least nothing on Serenity.

T