Serenity - Yesteryear

Chapter One

Wash languished alone on Serenity's bridge with only his carved toys for company. He fought his desire to sleep by searching the stars for signs of life. There were none, but he knew they were out there. How can we be the only life in this 'verse with all those stars warming all those planets? Deep thoughts for a mere ship's pilot, he mused, but perhaps that's how philosophers are born. He tried to imagine what type of creatures the stars might be cultivating. Would they ever hitch a ride aboard Serenity? Would they be friendly? He hoped he'd still be aboard if they did.

He had little time to wait for his wish to come true. His lack of vigilance had allowed a dark ship to settle in their wake. A small runabout had brought two equally dark shapes close enough to board without raising any alarm. One dark figure slithered up the stairs to the bridge while the other took up watch over the passageway leading to the crew's quarters. The first figure reached the bridge and tossed a pebble causing a rattle that drew Wash's head around. He stood to inspect the noise.

"Rats", he speculated, "We've got gorram rats again".

His movement covered any sound of the dark figure's bare feet approaching his back. He never saw the padded sap raised over his head, nor heard the sickening crack as it crushed against his skull. The attacker bent to insure Wash was in dreamland, and then reached for the lantern over the helm. He struck a match and lit the lamp, bringing the flame up to bright. By the light, his features became visible. A red head scarf gathered his greasy mane of black hair, and a long scar drew along his cheek. His waist sash held both a cutlass and a pistol. But his cruel grin revealed all, a pirate!

The brigand swung the lantern back and forth in a signal for the ship riding to the stern. It was returned by their own light, after which the pirate lowered the flame. He padded forward and loosened the mainsail's line, allowing the weight of the huge canvas to collapse