Blue Sun Room FICTION - GENERAL

The Return Home - Part 22

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Many goodbyes are said as the crew comes to some life changing decisions.

CATEGORY: FICTION    TIMES READ: 2960    RATING: 9.0 (PG)    SERIES: FIREFLY

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The Return Home - Part 22

Lulled into a false sense of security by their recent pardons from the Prime Minister, Serenity and its crew were now surrounded by Alliance troops on the ground and in the air above the spaceport of Coppermine on Haven. The Alliance objective was the Kovalev Drive and Kaylee Frye and her father. Mal, Jayne and River were off ship, trying to avoid the Alliance troopers looking for them. Mal was stunned by the turn of events, none more than his little Kaylee refusing a direct order. As soon as they had spotted the Alliance soldiers and four gunships in the air Mal had ordered the Kovalev Drive destroyed. But now Kaylee was refusing to do so and had barricaded herself in the engine room and disconnected the intercom. Fearing for the loss of anymore crew after the recent death of Shepherd Book, Mal had just ordered Zoe to surrender the ship.

Zoe sat in the co-pilot’s chair on the bridge of Serenity, unable to reply to her Captain’s order. She looked to Wash to see his reaction and she was not happy at all. He seemed actually glad that Mal wanted them to give up the ship. Wash let out a long sigh and then took his hands away from the control column and leaned back in his chair. Zoe saw the relief flooding his face and for an instant she felt like doing violence to her husband. But just for an instant and she knew why he had reacted that way. Surrender was better than death.

Surrender! Zoe had surrendered once before, and Mal had been the one to give the order that time, too. It cost her six months in an Alliance prison camp on Hera, with near starvation rations, and the added burden of doing heavy labor every day to clean up the remains of the Battle of Serenity Valley.

“Zoe? Did you understand?” came Mal’s voice through the comms. For some reason they could still communicate on the low band local communicators, which the Alliance was failing to jam like they were jamming the main comms and Cortex connections. Before she could answer the Alliance called again.

“You have ten m

Comments
Thursday, 09 October 2008 15:22
Please tell me you have more!!!!!!
Thursday, 09 October 2008 21:16
Have to say I was annoyed at Kaylee turning off the com and barricading herself in the engine room and not destroying the Kovalev drive. While fearing for herself and her daddy if that happened it is not as if she created it, she didn't, even if you have her telling Zoe she built it. And trying to build a completely new one from scratch would have been a hell of a job and not necessarily doable. All the time spent trying would be more time the thing was out of Alliance hands. I do however like the idea of levelling the playing field and putting the details on the cortex for everyone to go and make their own though the over simplification implies any engineer could do it which I really doubt. Like Zoe I was not happy with Wash practically cheering at losing Serenity. Even if he really feels that way I would not expect him to be crass enough or insensitive enough to say so when to the Captain and crew they are losing not only their ship but their much loved home. I never can imagine Wash being that uncaring. The other thing that felt wrong was Inara telling Zoe that Mal had it in mind to buy a ranch and settle down when that is for him to say not her.

Apart from that this has been a good story but there seems a long way to go yet especially as the way you left it sounds as if Mal has a sneaky plan up his sleeve and I can't wait to find out what it is. I'm guessing none of the crew will be expecting it when it comes. Ali D :~)
You can't take the sky from me
Thursday, 09 October 2008 22:44
Yes, there will be more, a least two or three more parts. I have tried to finish the story but threads keep popping up that need to be resolved. As for the comments made, Kaylee's intentions are that she is trying to save herself and her father and more importantly the crew from any more pain. Book has died and this has changed the view of what they are trying to do. The view of Mal's plan was only what River read from him and in no way reflects how easy it is or isn't to build an FTL drive. Obviously, it's extremely difficult or it would have been done already. Kaylee sees no point in destroying the one they have, thinking the Alliance will never leave them be no matter what. And they are all tired of running. Getting the theory and plans to everyone is the idea but will it work? Will Kaylee even be able to recreate it with all the resources of the Alliance? After all, she did it with Gregori and Tanya's help. Wash's reaction is again related to Book's death. And there are many hints in the show and comics that he is not happy on Serenity and only stays because of Zoe. He clearly doesn't like being ordered around by Mal. Jayne definitely doesn't like that. Inara told Zoe about their plans because she is trying to get her to see Wash's side of things, that there is a life after Serenity, that, even though the ship is home, even Mal was thinking it's time to move on. Zoe is pissed because Wash is "too" happy. But you saw at the end how he was worried about the Alliance pilots and their flying skills. He's not that uncaring about the ship and he feels some guilt, which will be explored in the next section. All in good time. Thanks for all comments by the way. Hope this clears the air a little.
Friday, 10 October 2008 02:01
Loved the on the spot plan of Mal's to save them all - it might actually work and was a whole lot better than other alternatives. Hope Wash doesn't remain such a jerk - he was better after War Stories, remember? Looking forward to more.

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