Archangel – Chapter Forty

Author owns no rights to Firefly, and no copyright infringement is intended. Fanfic only.

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Mal and the men he’d selected went to work right away. Mal had Zoe work on the rear approach, while he took the right flank himself. With the eastern approaches blocked, at least for a while, by Thomas’ method of falling the buildings into the streets, those were the two most vulnerable places.

Mines were placed, demolitions lain, and earth movers pushed every obstacle they could find into the streets. Anything that would slow down the reavers’ advance.

All too soon the cries of massed reavers could be heard even above the din of their work, and Mal gave the order to fall back into their hastily prepared fighting positions.

Before his own men were in place, he heard Zoe giving the same orders.

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“What are you thinking?” River asked, eyeing Jayne suspiciously.

“What?” Jayne looked at her, startled from his own thoughts.

“What are you thinking?” she repeated. “You are deliberately hiding your thoughts from me.”

“No, just single minded at the moment,” he shook his head. “That’s all.”

“You’re lying,” River accused at once, though there was no heat in her voice. He looked at her for a moment, then smiled.

“Just trust me, mei mei,” he told her finally.

“I do.”

Jayne resumed his observations, while River allowed her mind to wander. She would find out what was going on.

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Monty was pacing again. Time wasn’t passing quick enough to suit him.

“Your pacing will not get us there any faster,” Gerald observed quietly.

“Won’t slow us down, none, either,” Monty shot back. “Just think better when I’m movin’, that’s all.” The other man nodded, in understanding.

“Sir?” the Comm’s officer called. “There’s a wave for Mister Book.” Book rose from his seat and crossed to the screen.

“Sir,” the man on the screen stiffened. “The mission has been accomplished, though not by us.” Book frowned for a moment.

“What has occurr