Chains to Command

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based on the World of Firefly by Joss Whedon

Serenity touched down near the village of Drayden, five miles away from the Academy compound, It was far enough away for them not to be spotted, but close enough for the group to make it on horseback by mid afternoon.

Mal, River, Jayne, Zoe, and 'Ski stood in the cargo bay, each decked with assorted weapons, plus the ones they had loaded on to the mule. Simon, Kaylee, and Inara stood close to them, the companion standing next to Mal.

“Are you sure I won't be needed?” Simon spoke as 'Ski checked his gun for the seventh time to make sure it was loaded completely. He was worried, one about Cat and the other about the visions he'd been having of the Reaver side he was trying to forget.

“Not today, Doc. The way I'm thinkin' you'd be better off here.” Jayne had come to terms with the fact Mal's new/old lover was in fact a monster set on one day killing him, but why they were charging in to stop another one from killing was beyond him. That was before he had found out there might be a child involved.

Jayne might have been a lot of things, greedy and distrusting at times, but he would not stand for a child being hurt. His own childhood had been good, his mom always made sure him and his siblings had food, no matter what the cost. All kids should have that kind of family, not some factory where they were conditioned into weapons before able to walk.

“Please be careful, Mal.” Inara whispered, the scent of the exotic woman filling the bay. She placed a hand on in his arm and Mal squeezed it. “You don't have to do this.”

“Yes, I do. I love her, 'Nara, more than you will ever know. Sometimes I think even more than I know.”He stared into her deep eyes before turning to see a Cat that no one had ever seen before. “Tyen shiao duh....”

Chains, the only word any one of them could think as she dropped down each step. Links lined her body like bones, tracing down her arms and