Disclaimer – Everything either does belong to Joss or it should. I’m just borrowing his shiny ‘verse for a while.

The 21st Lancers belong to the British Army so I’m borrowing them too. I hope they don’t mind.

Thanks to my regular readers for making it worthwhile to continue the story and special thanks to my Proof-Reader Landry.

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Serenity/Granite Gorge – Underway – 2520AD

‘Well how in the nine hells did someone manage to sneak up on us ?’ Zoe wanted to know. ‘I thought we were past this kind of thing.’

Mal sighed. ‘Well for a start River hasn’t been able to sense things properly for a few days.’

Jayne turned and stared at her. ‘You going loony again?’ he asked directly.

The Captain shook his head. ‘No it’s like back on Macau when she was being jammed, cuts down her ability to read something chronic.’

‘Laura,’ Zoe spat. ‘Want me to feed her out the lock?’

River piped up. ‘I’ve shut her in her room but she didn’t do it deliberately. The timing was just a coincidence she was only jamming me because I announced her private thoughts out loud.’

‘You absolutely sure about that?’ Mal asked. ‘Any doubt and she’s spaced.’

River nodded. ‘As sure as I can be, which given that I just read her mind is a reasonably positive conclusion.’

‘So who’s after us? Alliance?’

‘Can’t be sure. I’m only picking up occasional emotions. The pursuing ship is still a decent way out and gaining very slowly. I’m only getting one person though so I think it’s a small ship.’

‘Shadow didn’t pick them up either?’ Zoe asked.

Wash leaned back in his chair. ‘Shadow is running on passive sensors. If he goes active it screams “I’m here” in every direction. Even so we know from our run-in with the Reavers that he can usually pick up ships, even crewed ones before River can.’

‘So?’

‘I’d say it’s gotta be a military vessel to get this close without Shadow seeing it. If it’s got the engine running hot enough to gain on us but it’s still not putting on enough EM to be seen by