Disclaimer – Everything either does belong to Joss or it should. I’m just borrowing his shiny ‘verse for a while.

The 21st Lancers belong to the British Army so I’m borrowing them too. I hope they don’t mind

* * *

Transport Ship Serenity – Lynx Orbit – 2520AD

Wash joined the group ‘I’ve radioed the town and told them we’re sorting out some engine trouble but will be landing within the hour. They seemed to buy it.’

‘Probably sounded like the truth. People always underestimate Firefly’s’ Kaylee offered.

‘People seem to underestimate us on a regular basis too for that matter’ Wash commented ‘that’s why we keep winning’

Zoe moved over to him ‘Don’t get cocky now’ she chided then kissed him on the cheek. ‘We’re good but we ain’t invincible’

River was reassembling her Carbine. She actually found it easier with her eyes closed just letting her hands do the work automatically without trying to think about it.

Mal was thinking ‘River you said these guys were chaotic and undisciplined if we hit then hard enough at the start do you think they’ll cut and run or surrender?’

River slid the bolt of her carbine into place and snapped the mechanism closed ‘I think we could but we’d have to do something spectacular’

‘How about a grenade salvo from the Brimstone?’ Zoe asked ‘That tends to leave an impression’

‘Yes and that impression tends to be in the form of a load of craters. It would look good if I blew a series of holes in the surrounding countryside but they might realise that if we want to rescue the locals we aren’t going to level the town and kill everyone in it’ Steven interjected.

‘Land snipers and pick them off?’ Jayne asked.

Simon decided to offer his thoughts on that one ‘Take too long. Anyway if I was them I’d use the locals as hostages and start killing them one by one’

Everyone looked at him.

‘I said if I was them. I never said I’d do it myself’ Simon continued.

‘You’re spending too much time with Jayne’ Mal told him ‘but you’re right anyway’