One To Many- chap 5

------------- Suits -------------

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It wasn’t a bird of prey, it was a scavenger. Perched high atop a rocky outcropping it viewed the entire rugged landscape with binocular vision. It noticed the trespassers of it’s territory down below. It spread it’s feathers wide.

From expanded wingtip to wingtip, it seemed to be measuring the vastness of it’s abode. It screeched a warning to the invaders, “This is my territory! You have no reason for being here unless you be a corpse, or about to become one!”

The men in dark suits standing in the rocky sand below barely gave the screams of the scavenger bird notice. Their mission more important than any distraction of some desert dweller. They were working on finalizing the details on what they would do next.

“ So, you head to the Alliance compound at Fort Oliver to secure the remainder of Serenity’s crew, while I head into the void and await your arrival. After the rendezvous we will make contact with our superiors and await instructions on our next move.”

The shorter of the two looked at the taller man.

“ What if things go wrong?”

The taller suited fellow wearing blue gloves looked at his companion,

“ Nothing will.”

“ And the others, Riley and his crew?” The shorter questioned.

“ We do what we always do. Out here in the desert is a fine place, don’t you think?” He looked over to the big boulder on which the big, dark scavenger bird was sitting , “ He’s hungry. The creatures on the rim need to be fed just as the ones who rule the universe. We do what we can. ”

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Malcolm Reynolds awoke with a jolt. For some reason he had lost consciousness while tied to the bulkhead of the Alliance shuttle he and his fellow captives were being transported in. He looked over at Zoe and Jayne. They had been out cold also, but were now regaining their senses.

“ Captain, where are we?” Zoe questioned while rubbing her