"Bad Business"

Annie M (trekgirl@blueyonder.co.uk)

Part: 6/6

See part one for disclaimers and summary

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Several seconds after Captain Reynolds had departed, Captain Santos stepped out of the shadows to put a hand on Choi's shoulder.

"You handled that very well, Commander; I'm impressed," he said.

"Just following orders, sir," Choi muttered unhappily.

Santos said mildly, "Orders you weren't willing to entertain twenty-four hours ago."

"I took your advice, and considered my options."

Santos smiled ruefully. "Accepting the truth can sometimes be difficult, Commander Choi, but I'm sure you can see now, that this is for the greater good."

"Yes, sir," Choi replied bleakly.

"Don't ever doubt what we stand for, Commander, and don't ever forget the sacrifices the Alliance have made to get to this point. Your wife and children will sleep better if you bear that in mind."

Choi turned to face Santos. "We can't go on telling everyone that Reavers don't exist, sir; that they're some sort of savage nightmare that colonists and spacers have made up--"

"That's exactly what we'll keep doing," the Hessen's captain interjected. "Out here on the rim; among the core planets; that's exactly what we'll keep telling them."

"But they were our own men! Surely we have a responsibility to put a stop to them? We have to face the truth," Choi demanded.

Groaning, Santos replied, "And let everyone in the Core know that Alliance soldiers couldn't handle the ravages of war? That they went mad and are now terrorising colonists? That truth?"

Choi had no answer.

"You'll do what you've been instructed to do, Commander, and you'll go a lot further if you remember it."

"And Morfan?" Choi asked miserably.

"We'll blow the entire moon back to Earth-that-was if necessary, but nothing that isn't already off the ground is getting out of there now. Serenity's crew aren't a threat, and in time this episode, like so many others, will simply be another campfire story to scare your children with