Disclaimer: Joss, Fox, Universal Own em’. (Except for Allan. He's mine) I’m just playing. No money being made.

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This story takes place nearly four years after Serenity (BDM) and has the established couples of Simon/Kaylee, Mal/Inara, Zoë/Allan and Jayne/River. Follows after Big Blue.

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A/N: Warning for some four letter words... Swearing if you will.

Thanks again Chris for the Beta.

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Birthday

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Chapter Six

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With a solid jolt, Niska's life pod struck the hard ground. The gangster opened the hatch and promptly vomited. His stomach hadn't liked the ride under a wildly swinging parachute.

After rinsing his mouth with some of the water in the survival pack, the old man stood, shielding his eyes against the harsh sunlight on this mostly desert world.

The vista was sand, sand and more sand. Punctuated by the odd outcropping of rock. Shedding his suit coat in the heat, Niska sat down on the hull of the pod to collect his thoughts and weigh his options.

There was a settlement visible in the far distance, perhaps eight miles away. He had seen it through the small view port during his decent. If he waited for nightfall, it would be cool enough to try and reach it. Niska was smart enough to know that traveling any distance on this world was suicide in daylight.

Niska had disabled the homing beacon on the pod during his decent. To find him, the Alliance would have to do it the hard way... look.

Pulling out some of the survival supplies, Niska set up a sun shelter, undid his tie and settled himself in to wait. It was only five hours until nightfall. Then he could make his move. He was a patient man when he needed to be.

For entertainment, Niska reviewed in his mind all the things he would do to Malcolm Reynolds when he got his hands on him again.

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Mal and Zoe gently set Allan on the exam bed in Serenity's infirmary. With Zoe's help, Simon removed the shirt Allan had thrown on hastily. Clucking his tongue, the young doctor ran the new scanner Alla