A/N: It has been a while since I have posted anything and I have never posted anything as long as this one will be. I hope you all like this one. Comments are very much appreciated, but be nice since I don’t have a beta. Please be aware that some of the scenes happen simultaneously, so the timeline may appear to be slightly off. Happy reading!

Disclaimer: All things belong to Joss.

They had been careful since Miranda. Very careful. No one left the ship without someone else. No one left the ship without a comm unit. No one left the ship without body armor on. Lastly, under no circumstances was anyone allowed off ship that did not have a beacon attached somewhere on their person. By habit, the crew usually wore their beacons even when they were on the ship. Knowing the exact location of each crewmember at all times was crucial in keeping themselves safe.

Cross training of roles on the ship was carried out. Everyone learned to pilot the ship. Everyone knew the bare essentials of the engine room. Everyone got a crash course in medicine. Everyone learned to use a gun. Everyone learned to fight.

Kaylee rigged a security alarm on the ship with a ‘panic’ button in each room. The alarm system was wired to work with the comms. If anyone was out and needed help, the comm alarm could be triggered. If someone on the ship was in danger, the alarm would also broadcast on the comms.

They even had escape routes planned. Nobody, except Mal, knew the complete plan. Everyone knew their parts, but he kept the whole plan a secret from them all so that the entire crew’s safety would not be compromised in the event of a partial capture of the crew. Every possible hidey-hole on board was utilized; even some were created where there were none. These compartments held anything from additional guns to extra space suits.

The Operative had told them that the Alliance regime had been weakened, but they were not gone and they were not forgiving. Mal w