(Memory)

The road was bumpy and a might unfavorable to the five brown-coats that were riding in the rust-bucket of a jeep. The battle of Du-Khang was over and had cost the Independance a great deal of good folk. However, it wasn't the battle that weighed heavy on Mal's mind, it was more the single assault by that Shadow that kept his attention drawn else-where.

"Sir.. Sir.. SIR!" Zoe shouted at Mal. She was sitting across from him and had been watching him stare into the black like a man who just saw a two-headed cow split down the middle.

"It don't make no sense Zoe. It seems like everytime we sprout our heads, the Alliance is right there; waitin' to pick us. So why do you reckon they needed this.....thing.... to do it for'em?" Mal said as he turned his deep thoughtful glare towards Zoe.

Zoe just sat there, quiet. For the first time ever she had no answer, nor a whimsicle guess to give the Sgt. . "Sir, we have to stay focused. None of this seems right, but we can't stray off course." Zoe was finally able to coast the words from her mouth.

"We're almost to the Ship-Site." The driver hollerd back to the other's.

One of the Privates' in the rust-bucket looked over to Mal and Zoe. "Good. Can't wait to get off this'er gorram *diyu* of a **********"

The Privates' words were cut drastically short as the left front tire of the jeep rolled over a Searring Land-mine. The explosion sent the jeep spinning twelve-feet across into the air, and barrelling down a small holler. The five inside were tossed all wich ways. Mal looked over to Zoe, and Zoe to him. As their eyes locked, the roof of the jeep slammed onto the base of the holler; it was a crash that echoed throughout the pitch black night.

****** (Present)

Back on Serenity Inara, Kaylee, and a very beaten and battered Jayne, remained tied to one of the posts in the main hanger. Six out of the seven Alliance soilder's walked around the hanger; almost as if they seemed to own the boat the