The proximity alarm dragged Bennett from his sleep, and he flipped onto his side, thumbing the com. “What is it?” he demanded.

“Incoming ship, sir,” Tyzack said, fear making his voice tremble. “Looks like Reavers.”

“ Cao .” He jumped from his bed, dragging his pants back on. “Can we run?”

“Trying, but they’re still gaining.”

“Blow out the damn engines if you have to, but get us away.” He grabbed his gun. “And make sure everyone’s armed.”

“Yes, sir.”

“How far are we from planetfall? Anywhere?”

“Closest is Highgate, but it’s still hours out.”

Bennett swallowed. “Then looks like we don’t have any alternative.” He dragged open his door and hurried towards the bridge.

---

Freya lifted the small ship into the air even as Jayne and Zoe were frantically strapping the ViroStim down. Already they could see figures dropping on lines from the ship overhead, some landing on the hospital itself, others on surrounding buildings. The sound of unearthly cries reached them through the open doorway.

“Jayne, get that closed,” Zoe ordered.

The big man hurried to obey, but paused, leaning out. “Shit,” he whispered, then shouted, “Frey - hard left!”

She didn’t ask why, just yanked on the yoke, the shuttle’s internal gravity having no chance to catch up, and tossing Zoe to the floor.

Something exploded to the right of them, the shuttle pushed up and away, and suddenly she was fighting the controls as the engine all but died. “Hang on,” she yelled, trying to get enough thrust to level out, and knowing they had about a snowball’s chance in hell of landing safely.

A building loomed in the darkness, and using all her strength she managed to force the shuttle to veer slightly, missing it by inches. But there, just beyond, was a small plaza, an open space that she might just be able to pancake the shuttle into, if they could only reach it.

“We’re going down!”

Jayne grabbed hold of Zoe and wrapped his arm through one of the webbing nets on the wall, holding on with all his m