The Return – Part 8

Serenity was in an underground hanger just below the surface of the moon, where some of the survivors of Earth’s once teeming masses remained. From all contact so far, Serenity’s crew had learned that these people were low on supplies and in desperate need of their ship, so desperate that they had captured Mal, Jayne, Simon and Kaylee in a bid to gain control of Serenity. Prepared for a confrontation with Commander Jackson in order to negotiate for the release of her crewmates, Zoe was stunned and overjoyed to find Mal at Serenity’s cargo bay door. Now he was talking about making a deal with these people.

“What kind of deal, sir?” Zoe asked the question on all their minds.

“Not the best I ever made but it will do for now,” Mal began. “I suspect they are listening to every word we’re saying so best keep any plans you all have to yourselves for now and listen for a spell.”

No one said a word so Mal took it they understood what he said. “Good. These people are running out of food and what they grow here won’t last them forever and it’s just a basic fair of fruits and vegetables and some grains I’m guessing. This Jackson fellow sees himself as the new leader of humanity so wants to check on Earth for survivors and see if a return to Earth and a new beginning are possible. Barring that, they want to come with us to our neck of the verse.”

“So it’s possible to send us home? He wasn’t lying about that?” Zoe asked.

“Don’t know and can’t tell. They got a scientist here who says he created this wormhole and can do it again. All I got is his word for that.”

“And the fact that we are here,” Book added.

“Then there’s that,” Mal said, guessing the Shepherd was no longer believing his God brought them here and it wasn’t a point he felt the need to argue about, not now anyways.

“So here’s the deal. Jackson already told you he wants some of his people and some of our people to take Serenity to Earth. In no way does he get control of Serenity. He was a bit not too pleased with that p