Chapter 1

While the Operative shook the hand of Captain Mal Reynolds he smiled. It was the dawning of a new day for this universe, and they both new it. Soon, there wouldn’t be anything left for the Operative to do, but first he had to take care of some business with some old friends. Some old, less than friendly, friends.

He walked back to talk to the soldiers, thinking quickly of a way to explain to them what had just happened. The whole universe needed to understand exactly what this government had done, and he didn’t mind explaining it to them.

When Captain Reynolds had told him the whole story, regarding Miranda and the Reavers, they both understood that Reynolds couldn’t be the one to explain it. It had to be someone who commanded authority. The Operative didn’t command authority, but he knew people who did.

“What’s all this I’m hearing about the Alliance is done?” A Lieutenant asked.

“No, the Alliance isn’t done. Not yet.” The Operative paused wearily, he had a long day ahead of him. “I need to go to Osiris. How quickly can I be there?”

“Tomorrow, sir.”

“I need to be there in eight hours, so let’s get moving.”

The sun was setting on Osiris and Senator Phillip MacArthur III stood in the port. It was undignified for a Senator to stand in a public port, but this was an important event and he wanted to take advantage of it. If that meant standing with ordinary people for fifteen minutes he would pay that price.

When the ship landed, the door hissed open and the Operative stood in front of him he smiled.

“Good evening, sir.” The Operative said in his self-assured, weighty accent.

“Good evening. What’s our mischief this evening.”

“We need to tell the universe about Miranda.”

MacArthur’s eyes widened. “What?”

“Honesty will win you the people.”

“And that’s your plan of attack.”

“It is.”

“Shiny,” the Senator mulled over the idea of another possibility, but he could think of nothing, “when should we move?”

“As soon as possible. If we stir up the chaos now then we manage to catch