This one is coming out fairly rough and unedited. I get kind of wrung out producing this sort of material, and didn't feel particular like going over it too much just yet.

Oh, and sincerest apologies Miss Sarah, but I'm really going to have to claim "Wish I was the Moon Tonight" for Cafferty's song. I think I recall you associating it with Mal in Kaythryn's thread...

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"Here it comes. All cavalry groups, move to support on Perimeter Three." Miloslaw's voice crackled across the line.

Cafferty opened his eyes, having dozed off a few minutes before in the seat of Matthews' hovercar. He had drifted off wondering how much word had gotten around about the massacre at Perimeter Seven. Miloslaw had gambled like crazy that the next area that got hit wouldn't just crumble rather than face fire from their own support. There'd two more probing attacks had hit during the night, neither as large as the first, and they'd managed to hold. Barely, but they'd held. He'd done what he could when Miloslaw had deployed them. The commander himself had entered the field in the last attack, taking his place on the wall with everyone else. There'd been some dangerous looks and muttered threats from the cavalrymen who knew what had happened, but nobody acted on their feelings. Yet.

What Cafferty had come to understand from the way Miloslaw was directing things was that the man wasn't trying to just hold this ground. He wasn't just trying to drive the Reavers off, either. Miloslaw was using every trick in his vast arsenal to kill as many of them as he possibly could. He was trying to destroy the band that had assaulted the town.

Matthews was tired, worn as everyone else. Blood painted the side of his face, from fragments that had sprayed outward when a sand-filled box had exploded next to him. The older man grabbed the comm and pressed the button. "Cavalry acknowledges."

"How long was I out?" Cafferty asked.

"Fifteen minutes." Matthews answered wi