A.N.- also, I wanna know... should I finish Hitchhikers Guide to the 'Verse? If not, I'll just go onto my next project (no clue what THAT is yet, but I have a few ideas). Yeah... ja.

“They’re getting closer!”

“Wash, try a-“

“That won’t work!”

“Try it anyway!”

“They breached the hull!”

“Jayne, hold ‘em off!”

“They’re getting closer!”

“Everyone else, to the infirmary!”

“Jayne’s down!”

“They’re here!”

“Hold ‘em off!”

“River, where’s River?!!?!!”

“If she ain’t here, then we can’t save her!”

“I have to go get her!

“Doc, I swear to you, if you dare jeopardize my crew I will kill you dead.”

“Where is she?”

“There! THERE!!! We have to get her!”

“She’s got Jayne with her!”

“Drag ‘em in!”

“Too ruttin’ close!”

“Simon?”

A single gunshot erupted along the forsaken corridors, filling the mind with dread. Silence echoed among the bodies of the innocents.

***

Dead in the Black she floated.

Shattered Serenity. Shattered serenity.

There is beauty in our failings. But there is no perfection in this fracture. And, inside of this shattered vision lay life.

Eight lost souls; begot to this place by many things. Some by greed. Some by loss. Some by fear. But all had stayed.

The crew of Serenity stood solemnly inside of the infirmary. Mal looked at Wash and Kaylee, who were conversing lowly over a small remote. “Well? What’s the damage?”

“Nothing that can’t be fixed, Cap’n!” Kaylee looked insufferably cheerful, as always. “We lost a few things out there, but all the Reaver’s are gone!” She smiled.

“Good, mei-mei. Shiny. Doc?”

“Jayne’s wounds are all superficial, and there’s no poison, far as I can tell. He’s lucky.”

“Damn right! Thanks ta Crazy over here.” The merc motioned to River, who sat huddled in a corner. Simon kicked him lightly, but couldn’t put much heart in it. He had probably saved them all, with Vera going on full auto. And River had saved his life, too.

“Sure, Jayne. Sure. So, can we close the bay doors?”

“In a minute, Cap’n. Me’n Wash are confirmin’