Phoenix Feathers, Part III, Chapter 0 (Teaser)

Disclaimer: Joss is Boss, and everything I write, I write because he drove me to. Otherwise I have no outlet for the sheer awesomeness that I take in every time I think about Firefly/Serenity.

The following is a short prelude to the (extremely overdue) continuation to the Phoenix Feathers series. It takes place during and shortly after the events of the BDM, as Phoenix, an Academy escapee, and his allies aboard the Goliath-class freighter Stallion struggle to elude the increasingly factional Alliance forces that are pursuing him.

INTERIOR- SHADOW- TERRAFORMING STATION 334 EQUATORIAL- ROOM

A badly-lit room. Figures hide from the light and from each other, wary of foul play. A business deal of the shady variety. No music, just the occasional sound of machinery or booted feet moving about just outside. The camera is steady, picking out small details, often uncomfortably close.

CLOSE ON: A brief handshake.

JOKAERO: “…Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. And this is the man who I want you to meet. Captain Patrick Montgomery, of the independent freighter Ulysses .”

MONTY, master of the STALLION, steps into the light and nods. He stands free of the shadows, obviously a little uncomfortable being under scrutiny. Max Jokaero, a small-time facilitator, stands next to him in somewhat opulent robes that don’t quite mesh with the tense atmosphere of the meeting.

(Note: Monty’s ship goes by several names as it changes identities to avoid entanglements with law enforcement, but it will always be referred to in the story as the Stallion .)

EMPLOYER: “Ah, yes. Captain Montgomery, a pleasure to meet you at last. You have questions for us, perhaps?”

MONTY: Not too many. Just the particulars. When, where, and so forth.

EMPLOYER: “Then you will not object if I ask some questions of you.”

Monty shrugs.

EMPLOYER: “Why are you here, Captain?”

MONTY: “Got word of a job. Came lookin’.”

EMPLOYER: “The job, yes. But it is interesting that you