Firefly

Season 2 Pilot: Unlikely Bedfellows

I feel I have to apologise for what I’m going to do to Mal in this fic. But the idea just crept up on me while I was writing, and I couldn’t resist it. I’m evil. Shoot me.

Prologue

The Parliamentary Chamber on Londinium was in session, and had been for nearly a day (25.4 hours, by the standard of Earth-That-Was). All was gleaming silver and blue, cameras and sensors everywhere, watchful guards at every entrance. The Parliament was, for once, in full session, every one of the dozens of seats occupied. A member leaned forward to address the

holopickup: “Point of order, Madam Speaker.”

“The Member for Ariel has the floor,” the Speaker announced. She was, she felt, rapidly losing the will to live, praying that someone would be sensible and ask the right questions so they could all go home. She was dying for a shower, a little fresh fruit and some hot sex with her husband and wife, not necessarily in that order...or separately, for that matter.

The Member stood, as did her enlarged holographic image projected into the centre of the Chamber. “Madam Speaker, there have been demands for Parliament to be recalled, and it may be that the idea has a degree of merit. However, I feel it is pointless to blame the many for the actions of the few. I therefore call for an independent committee to investigate these terrible allegations and to determine, above all, the truth . Who recommended the use of the Pax? Was it fully tested before use, and how was this done? Was there not an alternative?

“And why was it done? Was this perhaps a pernicious example of the very notion over which the Independents went to war, namely that it is not possible to change human nature by coercion, legislation or chemistry, however much some might wish it so? Is it possible that the Independents were, in fact, right? And on those planets which have always been, shall

we say, uneasy under Alliance rule, the question their people are asking is: are we next? ”