Jade hummed a soft tune to herself as she walked. Her eyes never stayed too long in one place as she looked around; admiring all that was around her. If she had more time, she would go exploring but she had some where to be and the shinnies would have to wait. Assuming that she ever came back (no, stay on target, you have a potential job, don't ruin your chances by going off to explore) but there was so much to look at (no, no, focus!)Trying to get her mind off looking around, she sped up and tried to remember what Sam had told her about his previous crew mates.

"Tell ya about the crew? Yeah, I reckon I c'n do that," Dash grinned at Jade from behind his glass of whiskey, "Ain't like ya got nothin' to worry 'bout from none of 'em, get me?" He took a slug of the liquor and the grin evaporated as his eyes skimmed the bar before returning to the woman across the table from him. �Folk like you an� me can�t afford ta walk inta nothin� blind, though, can we?�
Just as she was about to worry that she had gotten the wrong direction, Jade spotted the meeting place and smiled in relief. Now the only question was to figure out whom Mr. Sung and Ms. Takahara was and give them Mr. Dash�s letter, as there were still some of the other pilot candidates standing around. Hmmm�Start with Mr. Sung, how had Mr. Dash described him?

The pilot�s jaw tightened as he stared into his glass and chewed on his thoughts for a minute and, when he looked up, again, the grin had returned, this time with a rather nostalgic turn to it. �Wyatt,� he said, then, �Good ol� Wyungsung� heh� he�ll be Rocinante�s cap�n� an� most like th� best friend as I ever had in th� Verse. I�d be the jia huo as tends ta run off at th� mouth where Cap�n Sung�d be more like ta stare a hole through yer gorram brainpan as waste a word er two. That ain�t ta say he don�t talk, get me? He jus� don� tend ta suck as much atmo when he does talk as might a more verbose fella. That�d be Wyatt all �round� Quiet� Dead calm� Kinda like th� deep Black, y�know? Intense-like. Talks like that� walks like that� Hell, th� man even ruttin� flies like that. Just like th� Black, though, tha� quiet an� calm c�n turn inta a storm o� goh suh real gorram quick.�
Jade translate that in her head to Mr. Sung was the serious and quiet type�though that would described a couple of different men in the room. Okay, new strategy, Mr. Dash had described Ms. Takahara as incredible beautiful and the one who did all the talking, so let�s assume that the two were standing near each other�Aha! Jade spotted a serious man with an very pretty woman talking to each other, looking somewhat frustrated. Jade eagerly approached them; mentally hoping she wasn�t budding in line, but hey no one else was talking to them so she was going to make her move.

�Excuse me, would you two happen to be Captain Sung and Ms. Takahara?�

(OOC: Assuming they give her a confirmation)

�Howdy! My name is Jade Storm, it�s a pleasure to meet�cha� she said with a smile and offered her hand to shake. (If someone takes her hand, Jade will happily shake their hand. If they both ignore her, she will put her hand down without seeming fazed)

�I heard you were looking for a pilot so I was hoping to apply! I have my resume right here so you can see it,� she said carefully pulling her resume out of her messenger bag and handing it over. She waited a few minutes for them to read, before carefully whispering, �I also have something else for you, but you will want to read it somewhere private. Can we go somewhere else?�

Once they were out of ear range and in a separate room, Jade handed over the letter that Mr. Dash had given her and waited. Once they were done reading, Jade dug out a lighter and offered it to them with a simple explanation of �Ya might want this.�

When Asher woke Jenette had already gone, only the smell of her perfume lingered on the pillow. When he looked at the chronometer it was past noon, no wonder the marshal was gone. Rolling out of the bed the kid saw a light flashing by the video comm. Pressing the buttom a picture of an attractive young lady dressed in white appeared on the screen. In a professional tone and meter she spoke into the screen, “ Mr. Talhone, I am Nurse Ratchet, Nancy Ratchet, I am on staff here at the hotel. To ensure your comfort I would like to check your wounds and perhaps redo your bandages. If you simply press the button again I will up shortly.” Ash smiled and pressed the button. The picture winked out and he stretched. He made his way to the shower, the hot water felt really comforting and the stream eased his soreness.

Asher shut off the water, the glass walls were frosted over. The kid stepped out on to the marble floor, a warm, soft plush towel was handed to him.

“Excuse me, would you two happen to be Captain Sung and Ms. Takahara?”

Exhaustion usually wasn't something someone staying in a luxury hotel could claim to feel, but all of the social gatherings, the pleasantries, the need to be around all of those high-society types; that wasn't Captain Sung's cup of tea. Rather than feeling relaxed and refreshed he felt haggard and worn. The conversation that the young woman interrupted was essentially Willow trying to help Wyatt spread that patience a little further in the whole process of playing at Party Favor while they tried to fill the pilot's seat.

Turning his gaze from his trusted companion's worried expression and quickly assessed the woman standing before them. Short, slightly tousled black hair, an infectious smile, with Indian blood...

"Yup," Captain Sung acknowledges rather simply. He is so very tired of playing this game of meet n' greet only to have even more disappointment.

“Howdy! My name is Jade Storm, it’s a pleasure to meet’cha” she says with a smile and offers her hand to shake.

Wyatt extends his hand half-heartedly and takes Ms. Storm's in a firm, but gentle grip.

“I heard you were looking for a pilot so I was hoping to apply! I have my resume right here so you can see it,” she carefully pulls her resume out of her messenger bag and hands it over.

Her resume is impressive and she seems clean except for a need of an inhaler once in awhile due to a lung infection. Once Wyatt finishes reading the list of accomplishments over he hands the paper to Willow and quietly resumes a study of the applicant while the Doc reads through the bullet points.

As Willow finishes, and before either the beautiful doctor, or the solemn captain, can say anything; Jade carefully whispers, “I also have something else for you, but you will want to read it somewhere private. Can we go somewhere else?”

Once they were out of ear range and in a separate room, Jade hands over the letter that Mr. Dash had given her and waits.

Heya, Wyung-sung! is written on the envelope and it is Sam Dash's handwriting.

Wyatt's stomach decides to perform a triple backflip and to stick it with flare. Sam... Wo Bu Shin Wo Dah Yan Jing! The twitchy Huen Dahn's still alive! True to form, Wyatt remained unchanged on the exterior despite the craziness and sudden outpouring of emotion that was roiling about inside. Snails would have been clocked at a faster speed that it takes Sung to withdraw the letter inside the envelope. Part of him was terrified that the letter was a death notice, Sam Dash's Last Will & Testament, or some other macabre attempt from Sam as a letter of release, or notification, that he was no longer among them.

Long time, no see, puhn yoh! I’d’ve shot ya a wave but, things bein’ as they are with all them hidden eyeballs on me an’ such, I conjured scrawlin’ a note on a piece of paper’d be a damn-sight safer, get me? I’m hopin’ that this here dispatch finds its way to ya without too ruttin many complications.

Anyhoo…Just cuz I ain’t seen ya in a spell don’t mean I ain’t been payin’ attention, though. Fact o’ the matter is, a li’l fairy told me as you an’ Roc’re in the way of needin’ a new driver… which brings us to why, exactly, yer gettin’ this note passed to ya by this whip of a woman… (and, Wyatt, if anyone but a good lookin’ gal with dark hair and darker twinklin’ eyes ain’t the party passin’ ya this note, shoot ‘em down, now, an’ burn atmo! On t’other hand, if she’s what I’m sayin’, keep readin.)… The bao bei standin’ front of ya’s Jade Storm an’, aside from my own ruttin’ self, I cotton she’s one of the best pilots in the Verse… Don’t tell her as I said that, though, as she’s like ta get all wheezy on ya as her head gets ta swellin’ and you’ll need ta make sure she gets a knock on that puffer of hers… Like I says, puhn yoh, girl’s a jing chai pilot an’ ain’t to shabby on the technical side, neither. Just like a bunch of us, though, she’s got her hitches but, given what I’ve come ta know bout her (an’ I could fill ya in, but I figure she’d be best to do that), I reckon she’d be right ta home amongst you folks. I’d consider it a kindness if you’d take her in and give her a shot, brother… I don’t reckon she’s like to let ya down, none.

Gotta fly, Wyatt. Atmo here’s gettin’ a might thick an’ them gorram hounds’re still nippin’ my heels… Just figured I’d send a wheel-wizard yer way and drop ya a line as ta let ya know that ol’ Sam’s still out here and still suckin’ air. Give the crew my regards (y’know… kiss Ma on the cheek and give Miss Wil a smack on th’ keester, fer me) an’, Good fuzzy Lord willin’, we’ll cross paths again ‘fore too much of a spell.

Keep a keen peelin’ on yer six and stay frosty, puhn yoh,
Sam

P.S. Get rid of this once yer done, get me? Burn it, eat it, everwhat ya gotta do…. S
Belly dancers would have been jealous of the action going on in Wyatt's stomach as he read the missive from his best friend. The news isn't dire, the request adds a whole different level of credence to Jade Storm's credentials, but the fact that Sam is still MIA is like a sinkstone on Sung's heart as he hands the letter to Willow.

As the good doctor reads Dash's only communication in--How long has it been?--Wyatt contemplates the meaning behind his friend's disappearance once more. He wanted to drop everything and pursue Sam. He wanted to beat the obstinance out of Sam for bailing on them instead of relying on them for help. Then, once Willow was through with him in the infirmary, he'd do it again for good measure just to make certain Sam didn't get it in his thick head to duck out a second time. Buddha save me, but I miss that Ai Chr jze Se Duh Fohn Diang Gho.
Jade dug out a lighter and offered it to them with a simple explanation of “Ya might want this," drawing Wyatt from his thoughts and making him realize that Willow had finished. He wants to lean forward and intently begin grilling Jade on Sam's whereabouts, but at the same time, he knows he needs to respect his friend's privacy. Eden's voice in his head keeps whispering that Sam will find them when he can. It's not as comforting as it usually is.

"When can you be ready to fly?" is all Wyatt says as he accepts the lighter and takes the letter from Willow, setting it ablaze at the bottom left corner.

With Wolf freed and re-united with the crew, Willow began meeting with Wyatt to begin the unwelcome task of finding a new pilot. Remembering the ordeal of last time, Willow steeled her nerves as best she could and ordered black tea to chase away fatigue from the night's activities. (The invitations from the cruise ship's passengers had abated as they returned to their lives, but the hotel was full of lonely people. Willow's evenings and nights were rarely unoccupied)

Alas, the hotel's lush surroundings (and extensive security) served to discourage the more criminally minded or fringe candidates, but those that persisted to meet with Wyatt and Willow were still a sorry lot. They met more commercial pilots this time than they'd before, but if a pilot was willing to consider switching to a little Firefly class ship, there was often a less than appealing reason. Willow had just finished saying as much quietly to Wyatt when a young woman approached them with an energy that fairly crackled the air.

"Howdy! My name is Jade Storm, it's a pleasure to meet'cha," she said with a smile and offered her hand to shake. Wyatt did so, his expression neutral as always, so Willow smiled warmly enough for both of them as she shook hands with the young woman. Palm dry, skin neither too hot nor cold, no drug tremor and skin looks hydrated....a good start.
"I heard you were looking for a pilot so I was hoping to apply! I have my resume right here so you can see it," Jade continued, handing it to Wyatt.

Willow put a gentle hand on Wyatt's shoulder and leaned in close to read the document as he did, though she was pretty certain they each looked for different things. Wyatt finished reading more quickly and handed it to her to finish on her own. Jade waited politely, confidently, and when the eyes of Captain and doctor raised together to return to her, she whispers, "I also have something else for you, but you will want to read it somewhere private. Can we go somewhere else?"

Willow had noted a small alcove with a wave terminal and padded bench off to the side of the hotel lobby, and she led Wyatt and Jade there, seating herself on the bench and patting the spot beside her for someone to join her on the bench. Jade was focused on handing over another letter, and Willow let Wyatt read this one on his own.

It took a trained observer like Willow to notice the ripple of tension across his shoulders as he read the envelope, and even then, Willow may have missed it if she hadn't known her Captain so well. She fought the urge to rip the paper from his hands, and waited with all seeming patience as he took forever to open the envelope and read the letter within. Eyes hooded, Wyatt finished his perusal and handed the letter to Willow, who, to her credit, did not snatch it from him. She looked down at it almost fearfully and felt her heart slam painfully into her throat as she read the first words.

The hand not holding the letter rose to cover her mouth, slender fingers stilling the trembling of her lips. As she continued to read, the same hand returned to the letter to stroke it softly, as if she could touch Sam himself. She smiled a bit at the idea of Wyatt smacking her bottom for Sam, but soon enough, the letter was done and there was still no hint of whether Sam would ever come home. She blinked away tears as Wyatt took the letter from her and lit it with the lighter proffered by Jade.

"When can you be ready to fly?" Wyatt asked quietly, and Willow looked up at the hint of roughness in his voice. He hurts, too. Perhaps more than you do.
"Well, I guess that's settled, then," Willow smiled, standing up and opening her arms to invite Jade into a hug. "Welcome aboard, dear."

So in the days waiting for the ship to be repaired, Tess leaves you to go back to her Destiny and the Captain picks a young lady named Jade Storm to be the new pilot. She is a cheerful sort, with a winning smile and a willingness to do work.

Baron Winter invites Wolf, Asher and Jade to be part of the repairs to the ship. He is doing more than just replacing parts, he is putting in a whole new engine system - the one that is going into the new series 4 Firefly. A bit smaller, with more power, Wolf, Asher and Jade are able to learn about the engines and the new controls. The baron replaced the 2 Blue Sun 6V4-178-B31 Trace Compression Block with 36 RCS thrusters along with the Standard radion/accelerator core Drive (4 Cruise and 4 hard Burn) with 4 Blue Sun EVT29-4000-A90 pulse-feedback generators with 48 RCS thrusters and an Enhanced graviton accelerator core Drive (5 cruise and 7 hard Burn). He also installed more backup systems at critical sections. Two brand new shuttles have been added as well. Best of all, a new fuel system that will give you 800 hours of flight on the 60 ton fuel tank. (Game terms Willpower is now d4, Asset: Fuel Efficient)

The days pass in the luxury of the hotel and the social scene but the "celebration" is slowly ending and the people you rescued have moved back into their own routines. Once you are told that Rocinante is ready, you are eager to get out of this high class world and back to your world. Not that some of you didn't keep a few towels and bathrobe though, they were free right?

You move back into the ship and into your rooms. Jade takes the bunk that Tess had vacated. You take Rocinante out for a quick shake down flight. Jade handles the ship like a pro and soon come the time that you move to hard burn. Some of you wondering if the quirk of the ship will be gone now due to the new engines. But sure as the sun rising, as you push the engines, the sound of a lone horse galloping at full speed comes back and moves from stern to bow.

But time for more somber issues. Wyatt receives a communication from Sanders that the body of Havelock awaits at the Lu'Weng spaceport and you are confirmed to land. Time to take the old captain back to Hera.

You land and drop the cargo bay. You are a bit surprised to see Sanders, Hicks, Hudson and Vasques are there in full dress uniforms to carry to the casket onto your ship. As well, there is a young lady, small and dressed in black with a veil across her face standing by the casket. She has a wooden box under her arm and a rolled piece of cloth.

The Marshalls help you place the casket in the cargo bay and secure it firmly. Sanders shakes Wyatt hand and hands over a keycard, "This is the authorization you need to have Captain Havelock buried with his men. you will need to go to Serenity View and see a man named Virgil Morningstar. He ain't the mayor and there is no sheriff but he owns most of the town so he is the closest thing to a mayor they got. I have sent him a wave to let him know you are coming."

(assuming some response, maybe a question or two)

The lady in black approaches Wyatt as he finishes with Sanders. "Excuse me sir, Are you Captain Wyatt Sung?"

(Assuming a yes)

"I'm Lily, and Captain Havelock was my Grandfather." She pulls back the veil and you see she is a young lady, a lot younger than you expected. "My momma wasn't interested in coming but I wanted to pay respects to my Granddad. He drank a lot and told a lot of stories and well, I don't see why either would make me love him less. I hear a lot of things on the news, that my Granddad was a hero and he saved alot of people - is that true? Captain would you tell me how my Granddad meet his end? Honest now, I may be young but I don't cotton to lies and I am made of stronger stuff than you suppose."

(Assuming you tell her. Even trying to give it to her gently, there is something about her eyes that draw the truth from you. Her eyes are much older than she is and they are Havelock's.)

Once the story is told, Lily nods appreciatively. "Thank you sir. It is a kindness to know that he found his redemption. I would thank you for being there for him and the part you played in letting him find his way. To know he died sober and as a soldier, well, it means a world to me. I know that this burial are his last wishes and i abide by them but I think my granddad would want you to have this." She hands the wooden box to Wyatt, "It ain't much good to me and my momma doesn't want it in the house."

Inside the box is an Independence Service revolver in a felt lined holder. It is well care for but has nicks and scuffs that speak of being a weapon used in to war, not a commemorative piece.

"I have to get back to the farm. Momma can;t kept the books straight and the farm hands will walk all over her if I ain't there." Lily says, "Good luck Captain and godspeed on your journey."

Once the Casket was secure, Vasquez and Hudson disappeared and then came back with a foot locker marked ‘Secured Evidence' between them. They brought it to Asher and Wolf, Hudson beaming a mischievous grin. "We gotcha a present. We figured that no one would notice if it went missing."

Vasques opened the locker up to show you inside are the weapons that were confiscated from you during the arrest. They were stripped down and roughly tossed inside but all the guns that Asher and Wolf were using during the battle were there. "We tried to get you the Gauss but the family insisted they were heirloom or something. But I figure better than having to restock again."

Sanders walked by and looked at what you were doing and quickly turned around, "I did not see anything people. Let's keep it that way."

(This brings you back to where you were on guns before the battle. Your ammo is somewhat depleted and you are down a lot of grenades but you won't be able to restock on a core planet)


Somewhere in the Verse
Black Bart sat in a chair with his hands cuffed behind his back and a black bag over his head - but he wasn't worried. With all the contacts he had and the knowledge he possessed, the military was going to treat him real right. Of course they had to pretend to take him as a prisoner, but soon he would be up to his hips in credits and XXX so they could use his knowledge. Once he gave them some tidbits, he'd leverage some payback against the crew of that ship that interfered with his business. Oh yeah. They were dead and if they had family they were dead and if they had pets they were dead too.

Suddenly, the bag was taken off his head and he blinked at the sudden onrush of light. He was in storage room of some sort and there was a oriental man standing over him. "Where the hell am I?' He looked around to see a table with a number of implements on it and a gas fed brazier alit with blue flames.

"The question is not so much where you are Good sir but what you are, and what you are is a man with very little options."

"Really?" Bart laughed, "If you want what I know, then you better give me options."

"Oh, I do not want to know anything about you/" the man said and he went over to the table and picked up a iron pole about 3 feet long up and showed the end to Bart, "Do you know this emblem?"

"No. Should I?"

"It is the family crest of the Borgia-Chan. You may have heard of them." He said and put the crest end of the rod into the brazier of fire.

"Yay. Some rich family. Why do I care?" Bart answered nervously watching the fire.

"Yes. Well they had two sons that were killed by a man under your command on LV-426."

Bart started to worry, "Yeah.Okay. So why aren't you talking to that guy?"

"Unfortunately, he was slain in battle. However, it is important to note that he was acting on your orders. The Borgia-Chans wish to make sure that everyone knows what happens when you hurt a member of their family."

"But I..."

"Please. Do not plead. It makes me lose my concentration." The man said firmly as he picked up the handle of the iron rod and placed the hot end on Bart's chest. The mercenary screamed in pain for the full minute that the hot metal was on the skin. "There now, screaming I can handle. Feel free to scream as much as you want. I have been asked to make sure you live for three days before you can be killed outright, and I never break a promise."




LV-426
Mark brought his ship into a landing outside the atmo processor on LV-426 that was sending the signal. After the dustup on this rock between the Feds and them criminals, Mark wasn't surprised the company wanted him to check it out but when the maintenance alarms went off days after everyone cleared out, they asked Mark to check it out.

He opened the door to the AP and turned on his flashlight. To his surprise, there was a young lady lying on the floor near the doorway. He rushed over to her and felt her arm for a pulse. Yep, she was alive by barely. How did she get here? Did they miss a passenger? Mark wasn't sure how that was possible but he picked her up and carried her to his ship. Since he was often on his own, Mark had installed an auto-doc in his medbay. He put her on the infirmary bed and activated the scan function.

She was suffering mostly from borderline mal-nutrition. Poor girl must have been out her on her own for awhile. She also had a genetic defect as well - no larynx. The girl was mute. Would explain how she got missed, she couldn't call for help.

Mark grabbed some food packs form his stores and instructed the auto-doc to give her a mild stimulant. Her eyes fluttered open and he smiled at her and said, "Hey there. My name is Mark. I found you here. You need to eat so I brought you some food."

The girl smiled back and accepted the food quickly. She pointed to her throat and shook her head. "Yeah, I got that from the auto-doc. You can't talk. I will get you some paper to write on." He turned around and started to look around for paper and pen. He finally found them and handed them to her. "So why don't start with your name?"

She took the paper and pen and smiled. Then she drove the tip of the pen into Marks neck as hard as she could. He was caught completely by surprise and died quickly as the pen cut through his jugular.

Miko wiped the blood off her hands with the bottom of the dead man's shirt. She now had food and a ship. Time to start making a plan.

Ever since Nora had given in and started to show Asher more about the ship he had a thirst to learn more. He knew he would never be an engineer but it was fascinating and maybe someday it would save his friends. So when the Baron invited him to be part of the crew to repair Roc he jumped at it. Although he wasn't sure what it all meant when the Baron tell them ,"I've replaced the 2 Blue Sun 6V4-178-B31 Trace Compression Block with 36 RCS thrusters along with the Standard radion/accelerator core Drive, 4 Cruise and 4 hard Burn, with 4 Blue Sun EVT29-4000-A90 pulse-feedback generators with 48 RCS thrusters and an Enhanced graviton accelerator core Drive." The kid thought that it just sounded so good.

----------------------

While he was on board Ash check his gun vaults, he was glad he'd left them open, from the way they had been tossed the Feds they would have torched them open. The empty flash bangs cases and other item were inside so he felt that the Barons men must found them out near the shuttle doors and the cargo bay. Too bad the Baron hadn't been able to refill them. Well maybe Wyatt would need to stop over for something before they reached Hera, with his share of the reward money he might be able to get'em filled hisself.

-----------------------

Time went quickly and before long the Roc was ready and even a new pilot had been hired. She seemed nice enough and there was something about the way Wyatt and Willow treated her that,. Well there was something more ,.

---------------

The day came when it was time to return Havelock to Serenity Valley. While Wyatt took care of receiving the old warrior's body the kid saw Lt. Vasquez and Hudson show up carrying a footlocker. Jenette motioned to Asher and Wolf. Hudson beaming a mischievous grin, "We gotcha a present. We figured that no one would notice if it went missing."
Asher heart lept as Vasques opened the locker up. Inside were the weapons that were confiscated during the arrest. They were stripped down and roughly tossed inside but all the guns that they were using during the battle were in there. "We tried to get you the Gauss but the family insisted they were heirloom or something. But I figure better than having to restock again."
The kid had to chuckle as Col. Sanders walked by and looked at what his people were doing. He quickly turned around, "I did not see anything people. Let's keep it that way."
Asher and Wolf extend hands and shook Hudson and Vasques ‘s hands in thanks. When the kid bent over to pick up the footlocker and felt a firm pinch on his bottom. He smiled broadly as he heard Vasques laugh followed by the sounds of her boots clicking down the cargo ramp.

The following days found Asher spending hours in his cabin cleaning, polishing and reassembling the content of the footlocker. Anyone walking by could hear him talking softly and lovingly, only the new pilot would have thought he had a girl in there.

Rocinante is visible through the porthole of the attached airlock arm that Wyatt stands in wearing his brown service coat, boots, new red shirt with the cross-over collar, and tan waist-waders pants. His weapons are temporarily stowed in the ruddy brown bag he has slung over his left shoulder, the weight a comforting bit of gravity in a world that had gone topsy turvy. Captain Sung eyes the familiar contours of his beloved ship and allows a little smile to press his lips. He has already spent time looking over the manifesto that detailed the improvements a grateful community had provided, and he is eager to put them to the test. It isn't long before the crew is traipsing by in staggered groups and he is drawn inside to investigate the work from a closer perspective.

There's righting to be done amongst the cabins and living areas, nicknacks to put back in their place, and some of the broken items to replace when the time is right for it, but the familiar air of the trusted ship is peaceable and contentful. Wyatt makes a quick pass through the whole of Roc's interior before dropping down the ladder to his bunk and tossing the bag on his bed. A once over and he is satisfied that his things--what things there are--are in place. Drawing in a deep breath, Sung notices the flashing red light on Roc's cortex monitor and accesses the private messaging system.

Sanders' message is that the body of Havelock awaits at the Lu'Weng spaceport and Sung has receiving docking permissions and time. "All right, ya ol' warhorse," Wyatt mutters as he types in a quick reply indicating receipt. "Time t' take you back to Hera."

As the screen flickers dry and dead, Captain Sung is already climbing the ladder to the foredeck and on to the bridge. He isn't surprised to find Jade already familiarizing herself with the pilot's chair. A moment of pain shoots through Sung's chest as he envisions Sam turning about with a snide remark, but he is quick to stow it.

"Take us on t' Lu'Weng Spaceport," Wyatt instructs. "We got ourselves a passenger t' pick up." Taking the ship's intercom mic in hand, the captain informs everyone that they are about to get underway and to lock up tight.

By the time they land and drop the cargo bay door Wyatt is waiting near the entrance with his Colt strapped and his shotgun over his shoulder. He's a bit surprised to see Sanders, Hicks, Hudson and Vasques there in full dress uniforms to carry to the casket into Roc's belly. And when his pale gaze falls on a young lady--small and dressed in black with a veil across her face--standing by the casket he throws Willow a single raised eyebrow look before stepping down the ramp to greet them.

"Sanders," Wyatt intones and offers his hand in a friendly gesture. He's no reason to do anything else considering all that these people did for them.

The Marshalls help place the casket in the cargo bay and secure it firmly. Sanders shakes Wyatt's hand once again and hands over a keycard, "This is the authorization you need to have Captain Havelock buried with his men. You will need to go to Serenity View and see a man named Virgil Morningstar. He ain't the mayor and there is no sheriff but he owns most of the town so he is the closest thing to a mayor they got. I have sent him a wave to let him know you are coming."

"I appreciate that, Colonel," Wyatt dips his head a bit to accentuate his gratitude. "Would there be any reason t' expect trouble of any kind once there? I wasn't expectin' authorization needed, or needin' t' talk at no one in particular other than a mortician maybe." Sung has not paid much mind to the Alliance doings concerning Wartime provincials, so he is completely unsure of what he should have been expecting.
(OOC: Some kind of explanation is given, I'd imagine.)

"Fair enough," factual and straight, that's how Wyatt preferred to play it.

The lady in black approaches Wyatt as he finishes with Sanders: "Excuse me sir, Are you Captain Wyatt Sung?"

"Unless I've been duped my whole life, I suppose that's me."

"I'm Lily, and Captain Havelock was my Grandfather." She pulls back the veil to reveal a much younger lady than Wyatt was expecting. "My momma wasn't interested in coming but I wanted to pay respects to my Granddad. He drank a lot and told a lot of stories and well, I don't see why either would make me love him less. I hear a lot of things on the news, that my Granddad was a hero and he saved alot of people--is that true? Captain would you tell me how my Granddad meet his end? Honest now, I may be young but I don't cotton to lies and I am made of stronger stuff than you suppose."

"That's good Miss Lily, ‘cause I ain't the type t' give anything other than the facts where yer granddad's concerned." Respect called for a head bereft of a hat during the telling, so Wyatt removed his and held it in front of him ignoring his mussed black hair for the time. "Captain Havelock may've had his faults the same as any man, Miss Lily. I ain't one t' judge an' I won't speak on his life before we happened on the cruiser. What I can speak on is that he stepped t' the front when a leader was needed amongst them that were frightened, and it was largely in part to his leadership abilities that more weren't hurt during that whole escapade. He was a tough ol' warhorse too, Miss. I've not seen a man take as much abuse as Captain Havelock an' keep on keepin' on, but he did. And he saved my life with that mule-headed courage of his too. Sacrificed his own t' bring down a drugged up heavy on the other side when that fellow was about t' cave in my skull--not t' be too graphic, Miss."

Wyatt paused uncomfortably. He wasn't keen on speaking a lot, and especially not about emotional things. His pause is taken for being finished; something he immediately thanked Buddha for.

Lily nods appreciatively, "Thank you sir. It is a kindness to know that he found his redemption. I would thank you for being there for him and the part you played in letting him find his way. To know he died sober and as a soldier, well, it means a world to me. I know that this burial are his last wishes and I abide by them but I think my granddad would want you to have this." She hands the wooden box to Wyatt, "It ain't much good to me and my momma doesn't want it in the house."

Inside the box is an Independence Service revolver in a felt lined holder. It is well care for but has nicks and scuffs that speak of being a weapon used in to war, not a commemorative piece.

"I have to get back to the farm. Momma can't kept the books straight and the farm hands will walk all over her if I ain't there." Lily says, "Good luck Captain and godspeed on your journey."

"And to you Miss Lily," the captain offers up as he tucks the box under his arm and replaces the hat on his head. Surveying the airlock in which they all stood, Sung caught Willow's eye and gave a brief nod indicating it was time to take to the Black once more. With a final tip of the hat to Miss Lily and a nod to Colonel Sanders and his people, Wyatt Sung turns and strides up the loading door into the cargo bay.

Roc's cold belly is nigh to empty but for that lone cryo-coffin strapped center in a place of honor. Related to the openness of the rest of the bay it looks small and alone, not unlike the way Wyatt imagines that Havelock felt after being forced to leave so many behind in Serenity Valley.

"Well," he mutters in a rare position of sentimentality. "Yer gonna be in good company in a few days Lao Buhn. Ain't no rest for the likes o' us ‘cept in the ground."

"I appreciate that, Colonel," Wyatt dips his head a bit to accentuate his gratitude. "Would there be any reason t' expect trouble of any kind once there? I wasn't expectin' authorization needed, or needin' t' talk at no one in particular other than a mortician maybe." Sung has not paid much mind to the Alliance doings concerning Wartime provincials, so he is completely unsure of what he should have been expecting.

Sanders shrugged, "I always expect trouble Captain; it is sorta of an occupational habit. Serenity valley is considered a historical landmark so no one is allowed to mess with it without authorization. As well, there is a lot of unexploded ordinance, landmines and munitions left behind and no one wants to take the responsibility of clearing it out. Now this Mr. Morningstar has maps and charts of the area and has been working to clear the dangers away but it is not a fast process as I am sure you can well understand. Don't be surprised if you have to wait a day or two to bury Captain Havelock.

"Now Serenity Views is going through a real boom lately - there's lots of construction and building. As I understand it, Mr Morningstar bought up a lot of the land surrounding the original town when the war ended. Now that there is development, he is sitting pretty off the land he bought so cheap.

"I don't like any town without a sheriff. Alliance military is fine but they really don't tend to understand the grey areas of the law and you end up with good people arrested or no one arrested at all if you catch my meaning. But I'm bias and I'll admit that. Commander there is Sally Wu, a real by the book type from a family with heavy ties to the military. Frankly, I don't know why she stays there with the political pull her family has but as I understand it, if she has a person or group in her sights, not much will stop her from getting them.

"You don't need any mortician, just deactivate the cryo-controls and he will thaw and ... well... pass like anyone else in the ground. Frankly, you may want to remove the cryo control unit completely, your Doc may have use for it later and we certainly don't."

OOC: Serenity Views is the city on top of the cliffs that edge Serenity Valley. It was created at the end of the war to temporarily house the wounded and the soldiers before they could be repatriated to their homes. The town went from temporary to permanent structures but was not that big - only a few hundred people after a year from the war. If you look it up on the cortex now it has a few thousand and is considered a tourist destination.

The first few days after his release from the threat of death was, in one word, boring. His attempt at catching Sandra Wong's attentions a failure all he had was time and for a man without a ship time was a very bad thing.

As the days drifted for what seemed like forever finally he found himself along with the new pilot, Jade, Asher and Baron Winter at the Rocinante. True to the Baron's words Wolf watched as the promised new parts were delivered. Almost at once Wolf could see that Winter was doing more than just replacing parts.

First to Wolf's astonishment a whole new engine system - the same type going into the new series 4 Firefly. A bit smaller, with more power, a lot more power after I get done modifying it Wolf thought to himself. As he continued to listen and learn about the engines the wheels inside his head were already on the mods to be used. The list of equipment changes went on,

The 2 Blue Sun 6V4-178-B31 Trace Compression Block changed out for 2 36 RCS thrusters along with the Standard radion/accelerator core Drive.

4 Blue Sun EVT29-4000-A90 pulse-feedback generators with 48 RCS thrusters and an Enhanced graviton accelerator core Drive.

The Baron went on to also install more backup systems at critical sections and added two brand new shuttles. However the final upgrade to Wolf was the best, a new fuel system that would give the ship 800 hours of flight on the 60 ton fuel tank. Wolf had to admit the old Roc was gone, but what was in her place like a phoenix from the ashes, was a new ship with a loving crew and many more adventures ahead..................

Moving back onto Rocinante truly felt like going home, at least it did for Willow. She'd had rooms and servants as a child, and certainly her accommodations at the Companion Guild House had been comfortable (though not lavish, as befitted a noviate), Willow never felt so "at home" as she did on Rocinante. She carried her new belongings into her room, one hand trailing affectionately along the bulkhead as she did so, and even the disarray from the soldiers' search couldn't dismay her. She hummed happily as she set things to rights in first her room then in the dispensary, where the restocked supplies prompted a full out rendition of a popular Bollyvid song, dance number included.

Just as Sung let her know that Havelock's casket was awaiting them, Jade let her know she had a confidential wave coming in. Willow thanked the pilot and went to one of the shuttles for a little privacy, especially once she realized the wave was from "The" Companion Guild House in Lu'Weng.

She settled herself comfortably in the pilot's chair of the shuttle and opened the wave to be greeted by a handsome older man with craggy features and dark curly hair (picture Ian Mcshane). Although she only knew him by reputation, Willow immediately recognized him as Javelin, the head of the guild's unofficial security team.

They exchanged polite courtesies and engaged in small talk for a time. Willow was unsurprised that he was hard to read, but he seemed concerned about something and not sure of himself. Then he explained that he had heard through the channels that she was heading to Serenity valley and would like to ask a favour of her as a former companion.

Javelin went on to tell her that a companion, Jennifer Lim, had discovered that her older brother (Abraham) did not die in the battle of Serenity Valley as reported but was living in a slum of Serenity Views, apparently missed along with many men who were suffering from mental issues after the war. Jennifer had hired a Private Investigator who found her brother and then she went to get him so he could get the help he needed.

"Except," he continued in a gravelly voice that had broken many a novitiate's heart, "that was a month ago and she's not returned nor checked in. Now, she never said when she was coming back and she is not required to check in but I'm concerned,my instincts are that something's wrong. Would you be able to ask for her while there? I don't want any heroics and you aren't to put yourself in any danger, mind.

If you can't find her or she is in danger, you contact me and I'll get a team out. If you think the situation is putting you in danger and you need immediate help but don't want to alert anyone listening, just send me the phrase: "Everything is just peachy"

He explained that he considered sending his own investigator but he is stretched thin right now and couldn't justify a hunch to the guild.

"I'm willing to pay you for your time, or if you'd prefer to hold a favour from me one day, I'm willing to be of service. Think on it and let me know."

Willow was pleased to think she concealed her own surprise at the tale, and her delight at being owed a favour by someone with such connections, both open and covert. She bowed her head gracefully and responded that she'd have to speak with her captain, being discreet with details, of course, but she thought that it would be no problem to combine their trip with an unofficial request from the Guild. He smiled his appreciation of her understanding, and closed the wave with a bow.

At the Lu'Weng spaceport, Willow hung back and let the Captain deal with first Sanders and then young Lily. Sanders disquieted her and Willow had never met someone as self-possessed as Lily Havelock, and felt somewhat frivolous and silly in comparison. When the young woman stated flatly that the farmhands would walk all over her mother without Lily around, Willow was grateful for her fan to hide a smile.

As their visitors left and the crew made ready to leave, Willow pulled Wyatt aside and told him about the request to look up and find Jennifer Lim in Serenity Views. She trusted Wyatt's discretion utterly, so she left no details out (other than her small heart flutter when Javelin smiled at her).

Jade didn't have much in the way of processions, only enough to fill her messenger bag and the small suitcase she often carried on her. She didn't spend much time on her room, only hanging a dream catcher by the door and made the bed comfortable with some sheets, blankets and a pillow. Her next move was to find every single little hiding spot in her room, trying to figure out which one was best. She finally found one loose grating just behind her bed, which was dark, dry and dusty. Perfect, dust meant it wasn't a well-known hiding spot and dry meant she could put what she wanted in there without fear of mold.

There were only two things that Jade carried on her that meant something to her. One was her Personal Assistant Digital Device, which carried her music, her books and her many pictures of her family and her late husband Arthur. The other was the only thing that she had left of Arthurs that hadn't been taken by the Alliance as ‘evidence,' safely stored in a New Tech security box that would only open with her DNA, handprint and her body heat (Arthur had always been rather paranoid, Jade was starting to understand why). She carefully put the box in behind the loose grate and shoved her bed against the grate, hiding it to the best of her ability. Now done, Jade left her room to go meet the rest of the crew

Baron Winter invited Wolf, Asher and Jade to be part of the repairs to the ship. He is doing more than just replacing parts; he was putting in a whole new engine system - the one that is going into the new series 4 Firefly. A bit smaller, with more power, Wolf, Asher and Jade were to learn about the engines and the new controls. The baron replaced the 2 Blue Sun 6V4-178-B31 Trace Compression Block with 36 RCS thrusters along with the Standard radian/accelerator core Drive with 4 Blue Sun EVT29-4000-A90 pulse-feedback generators with 48 RCS thrusters and an Enhanced graviton accelerator core drive which completely flew over Jade's head. While she may know some engineering, she knew the basics and this was not the basics.

"I think I would be more useful flying the ship, see what the controls are like than in here. Why don't I do a simple test flight, no hard burn or anything too fancy, that way I can see what the controls are like and you can see how the engine works in action?" Jade offered after spending some time with the two men in the engine room. Wolf struck her as the more silent type, so even though she wanted to ask hundreds of questions about how did the old engines compare to the new, what were the quirks of the ship were, why had the engines needed replacing, why Baron Winter had been the one to replace it, she kept her questions to a minimum.

Wolf agreed and Jade eagerly went to the bridge. For Jade, flying a new felt like trying on a new pair of wings, it was an extension of yourself that was different and you could only learn from experience. A textbook might tell you that a firefly and arrowhead fly differently, but until you flew both you really didn't know how truly different each were. Jade sat down in the chair, thumbed the comm link open, gripped the controls and asked "Ready?" to both herself and to Wolf in the engine room. When she got the all clear, Jade let Rocinante take flight.

The controls glided in her hands and Jade could almost feel the sensation of her wings moving in flight. The controls weren't too sensitive nor were they slow to respond, it almost felt like the ship already knew her expectations and was just playing along with her caution. The ship felt stronger than any other firefly she had flown, and it took every turn and increase of speed with ease. Jade would every once in a while ask Wolf how everything was going in the engine room but somehow she knew that the ship could handle whatever she could do. The wings felt strong and familiar but no need to run wild or race at high, like a work horse that had recovered from injury and was just waiting for it to prove it was still capable.

"They certainly gave you the right symbol," commented Jade when they landed. She gave the dash a gentle pat, feeling like it was somehow appropriate, before heading back to engine room to see how Wolf felt about the flight.

(Later on Jade got to experience the ship at hard burn and got to hear the sound of a galloping horse, she couldn't decide if this was her own imagination at work or just the universe making one of own kind of jokes)

With crew onboard and your passenger onboard, the cargo bay is closed up and Rocinante once more heads into the black. The engine runs a bit quieter but the feel of the ship and your home is still there.

The trip to Hera is only two days, and it could be less with the new engines but there was no need to push it and for many members of the crew, it was two days needed away from civilization and fancy hotel rooms. There was a lot to do as well, with everyone having to set up their rooms again and put away things. Baron Winters's men did try to keep thing organized but they did not know everyone system or preferences.

As well, for Wolf, Asher and Jade there was a lot to do on the ship. Sure, there were a lot of bright and shiny new parts but unfortunately with them came "safety" controls and "power delimiters" that the dock workers had to put in by law but out in the black, only worked against you if you needed to tweak the engines. Furthermore, Jade found the presence of some "New and improved" alliance software in the navcom which would make it easy for anyone to remotely access your flight data. Wolf and Asher had to rewire the pulse beacon so it could be shut off and turn down the range that it broadcasted. All things the dock workers and mechanics would have to put in by law but everyone stripped out later.

Ma was quite please to see the pantry had been stocked with many dry goods and protein pastes without a word from Baron Winter. As well, the galley had a water purification system added to the kitchen sink so that the engine "taste" was gone from the water.

So the two days pass by quickly with activity and re-bonding of the crew. Jade is a good pilot with an easy smile and a cheerful manner that makes working with her easy.

(Feel free to fill in the two days with conversation or activity. Nothing happens on the journey and you arrive at Hera without incident. Willow shares her "mission" with Wyatt but please let me know if you share it with the rest of the crew. If you wish to look up anyone or anything on the cortex before you get there, let me know. As well decide how you wish to go about getting Havelock buried).

Day 1, Entering Hera's Atmo, 5:30 PM PT
Coming up on Hera, Jade let everyone know they would be entering atmo soon. There was some traffic and a lot of chatter on the cortex, Jade was actually given a spot in a queue for landing and had to spend some time explaining what their purpose was for landing. Seems that bringing a dead man did not fit into the tix boxes of "entertainment" or "building supplies", but once she sent the clearance codes from the stick that Sanders gave you, everything fell into order.

Serenity Views was once an internment camp for the soldiers that came out of the valley but it was bigger now, bigger and full of construction and new shiny buildings. The spaceport had two landing areas, one for tourist shuttles and one for cargo loaders. You were sent to the Cargo port where you were ordered to land between a Beowulf class transport and a huge Titan class hauler.

Directly across from where Rocinante lands is a giant billboard with a picture of two kids, a blond girl with pigtails and a brown haired boy. They are in a cart of a hover-coaster and all smiles. The boy wears a shirt that read I "heart" alliance. The billboard reads:

"COMING SOON: The Serenity Valley Theme Park and Resort. Ride the largest hover-coaster in the Verse - The Flight of the Angels. You too can be a brave Alliance pilot flying through the dangers of wartime Serenity Valley!"

Day 1 (-2)...

Generosity is never lost on Wyatt. He knows what it is like to be surrounded by enemies and has learned the benefits of being surrounded by friends. He has also learned that to overstay one's welcome is never a good thing and though these Law-Types were being cordial, he wasn't eager to test their welcoming presence any further. Once they have the go-ahead, he is determined to break atmo.

Long strides took him up the gangplank to the dangling control box. Taking it in his right hand, Sung puts his thumb over the worn green button and presses. Flashing lights in the cargo bay alert the crew that the captain is ready to get a move on and as soon as the last of them is on the ramp making their way into the belly of the ship, he hits the button a second time starting the ramp to lifting.

The others drift immediately towards their various preferences, but the beautiful and serene Willow draws up near him instead of making her way to her quarters, or off to help Ma, as was her usual habit. The story she shares with him is intriguing. Why would a security officer want an ex-companion to look in on someone when he could just as easily find some merc to do the deed? If someone from the Guild hadn't checked in and they weren't scheduled to, why raise the alarm? It seems more than a little fishy to the bù bèn captain, but Wyatt didn't express his concerns then. He had a couple of days to think on it and not act on gut instinct.

"If'n that's what ya need t' do Mei-Mei, then I'll back yer play," he answered in his slow drawl. "Though I ain't keen on you being about it all a lonesome, so I'd appreciate it if'n you'd give some thought towards doing this thing after we lay Havelock t' rest, an' allowin' me t' accompany you."

Day 1 (-1)...

"There's no place like home," Wyatt mutters as he descends into his room with the soft lullaby of the new engines inviting him to retire for the night. He pulls the latch-door closed as his boot rings on the steps of the ladder and as he drops to the cushioned welcome matt the satisfying suctioning sound of the hatch fully sealing overhead emanates.

Surveying the room he allows a shallow smile to perpertrate his lips. It feels wonderful to be away from the hubbub and in the Black once more, and for a moment the captain of Rocinante is nearly in a giddy state. The elation is chased off by the phantoms of those whom they lost planetside. John was a pompous fellow at times, and Wyatt had found himself leaving the room on occasion when the tech had sauntered in just to avoid interacting, but he was loyal to the crew and the ship right up to the point where he had given up his life to protect them. That held a heavy load of water in Wyatt's book. The two bodyguards had been good men. Wyatt doesn't remember much about them other than they were willing to jump into a fight that wasn't theirs, and they had paid with their lives. That showed character that Sung couldn't dismiss no matter what role they had played prior. Then there was Havelock. The old warhorse had wanted nothing more than to atone for his personal sins in Serenity Valley--perceived, no doubt, by the soldier alone, but Wyatt knew that didn't make the sins any less real in the old man's eyes.

Wyatt walked to the pull-out chair in the wall beneath the hidden writing desk and dropped heavily into it so that he could proceed with removing his worn, dirt brown boots from his aching feet. He owed his life to Havelock. The whole crew owed their lives to Havelock as much as to the Law that came thundering down at such an opportune moment. There hadn't been a night since they left that mudball in the wake of the Alliance ships that he hadn't dreamt the events over and over again; watching Havelock die, seeing that tophat-wearing woman,

Shivering through the memory of that supernatural encounter, Sung pulled the suspenders from his shoulders and rose up from the chair.

"Death waits fer no man," he mutters awash with the surreal vision of the woman who should not have been there. "But I'll see to it tha' yer planted firm with those ya fought t' redeem yerself too, old man. I'll see to it."

Wyatt Sung half walked, half stumbled, to his cot, and within seconds of putting his head to the pillow he was sleeping a deep slumber the likes of which he hadn't since he'd been clubbed in the head by the butt of that Alliance soldier's gun. It was good to be of purpose once again.

Day 1, Entering Hera's Atmo, 5:30 PM PT

Hera is not a place of fond memories for Captain Sung. The Unification War was a defining moment in Wyatt's life, and a good portion of it took place on Hera. Blues and greens filled his vision as much as the memories of the War that Was filled his mind when Jade's announcement that they were nearing the planet brought him to the cockpit and he laid eyes on it for the first time since the conflict. Wyatt stands center in the cockpit, booted feet shoulder width apart, arms folded across his chest, pale eyes staring out the windows at the ball of earth that grew in size before them. He says not a word as the new pilot--a quick one to earn the trust of the crew and to fall right into the mix as though she'd always been there--went through the motions of the landing sequence. Sung let Jade do what she was hired for, never having been one to micromanage.

Turmoil soup was served in his soul and mixed emotions made up the ingredients. The old anger at the Alliance stirred--this was the planet where the War had ended for him. This was the planet where many a good soldier had been abandoned by the brass before the Treaty had been signed.

Wyatt had been on the Celestial Diva when word came across the Cortex that the War was over. It had been him behind the controls with a belly full of much needed munitions, foodstuffs, and some medical equipment. Perry Unca had been in the co-pilot's chair and Davis Oneida had been in the cargo bay with the greenhorn Elvis Shackleton. They were mid-flight, just about to bear down on the anti-aircraft and zero-grav mine belt that was the first line of the barricade that the Alliance had set up to stop the supply line and starve the Browncoats out. It hadn't been near Serenity Valley, but Wyatt had heard what had happened there once he'd returned to base.

Jade experienced a little difficulty with the jokers manning the air traffic control, but Wyatt was confident in the codes they had been given and returned to his memories while she resolved the situation.

"That can't be true," Perry had turned his gaunt face towards Wyatt in dismay when orders came through to surrender. Sung distinctly remembered being confused for a moment before making up his mind.

"Don' matter if'n it is true Puhn yoh. There're many a hungry an' hurtin' ally down in those trenches an' we're gonna see that they get relief before we allow them Purple Bellies t' treat us all t' a long walk with our hands over our heads."

That decision haunts Wyatt to this day. Had he just turned the Celestial Diva around when that call came in Perry, Davis, and Elvis might've still been alive today.

Crackling permission to land at the Cargo Port confirmed that Jade had wrangled the right scissors to cut the red tape. Sung stepped to the left and picked up the mic, activating the intercom system for the ship.

"Serenity Views is moments away," he intoned. "Get yourselves ready people."

Wyatt replaced the mic and seated himself in the co-pilot's chair to strap in for the roughness that was coming their way on reentry. A tickling on the inside of his belly brought him back to the memory of his last days on Hera some while back.

Celestial Diva handled well close to the ground, and Wyatt ran her as close as he could muster to avoid detection, but the problem was that the sensors on board the old girl weren't the best, and sometimes they didn't pick up on enemy movements until they were seeing the light of the missile fire streaming behind the anti-aircraft launchers, or the tracers that accompanied the heavy guns being fired there way. Towards the end there, intel hadn't been much more than practically non-existent so they were running blind as often as not to begin with. A couple of flips of the switches overhead and Wyatt had Celestial Diva running as quiet as she could, but it hadn't been enough as they swept over the ridges and canyons of the Tianna Range. Before they had even come within fifty klicks of the last reported position for the enemy line the crew of Celestial Diva found themselves straining against their seatbelts as Wyatt attempted to avoid being riddled by heavy artillery.

Flames rode over Rocinante's nose and climbed up across the angular cockpit windows in a furious embrace. Jade had the ship pointed in steady as a rock and the atmosphere was protesting something fierce.

A shell exploded just to the right and front of the Celestial Diva giving Wyatt cause to veer sharply to the left.

"It's all good," Perry barked. "I don't need t' keep my breakfast down anyways."

The sky was lighting up with airborne beacons and ground to air weapons fire was making Wyatt's sky mighty full of illuminated tracer rounds. "You wanna drive?" he growled in response as he darted the Celestial Diva down underneath a cliff outcropping upon which sat a mean-looking trailer tripod .50 caliber gun that was spitting lead their way.

"Naw," Unca chuckled good-naturedly. "I don't wanna make you look bad in front o' the greenhorn."

"Gracious of you," Sung replied sarcastically.

Jade leveled off the descent and brought Rocinante into a casual glide towards the bustling growth of Serenity Views. The console in front of Captain Sung was lit up with directions that she had received as to where to put the ship down.

"We're hit!"

The call came over the intercom just moments after Wyatt had felt the impact rattle him through and though. Rolling his eyes towards Unca he was about to make a snide comment about Davis's obvious call from the back when suddenly there was another tremendous rending noise and cold air blasted Wyatt's face. Perry Unca and the entire left side of the cockpit were gone.

"Shensheng de gaowan," Wyatt cursed. The throttle twisted from his grip and the G-forces began to push him back into the captain's chair as the Celestial Diva juked sharply to the right and rolled to her side.

Another explosion rocked the already dying Firefly and Wyatt felt her roll to her back while still twisting about, somersaulting in the air like an awkward gymnast. Straining with everything he had in him, Wyatt reached out for the trembling stick. He knew that he had to right the ship or they were all dead, but for the life of him, he couldn't think of how that was possible.

The Cargo Port came up quickly, all oil and grease-stained concrete with a hundred different machines to handle crates and large shipments, and fifty times that in dock hands and officials. Their port of call put them right between a box that shouldn't by any right be able to fly and a monstrous whale of a cargo ship that made Rocinante look like a toy by comparison. Jade was handling her with skill and ease that relieved Wyatt of having to do anything other than recollect.

Even with the stick in hand he didn't have the strength, and Celestial Diva didn't have the will, to come about. Wyatt knew that they were done for. The black face of a solid rock wall scraped the starboard lacell clean off in a brilliant display of sparks and a cacophony of screaming demonic noises, and then the cockpit was dragged right into the very same wall.

Straining his neck, Sung was able to turn his head just enough to witness the stone tear away the remaining fortifications of the hull to expose the interior, and then, as though disgusted by what it saw within, the cliff flung Celestial Diva away from it in a wickedly accelerating spin. The G-forces expanded to an unbearable amount and Wyatt blacked out.

A cushioning, settling landing was emphasized by the beeping of a system message indicating that they'd set down. Jade immediate set about shutting down the engines, and Wyatt unbuckled and pushed off of the chair. "Well done," he acknowledged giving the back of the pilot's chair a quick pat as was his way before making his way to the hall beyond. He had already armed himself with his new service revolver and was proudly wearing his brown service coat, hat, and practically every other amenity that he could pull from his personal stores that marked him a Browncoat soldier, so there was no need to swing by his bunk on the way out. Just as he reaches the steel grating of the hall's flooring, he pauses and turns to look out the cockpit windows once more.

"Taikong suoyou de xingqiu saijin wo de pigu!" he exclaims at the site of the billboard before them. Spinning on his heel, Wyatt calls down the hall loud enough so that his voice carries throughout the ship, "Ma! You got that old Browncoat regimental flag I can wear as a gorram cape?"

Asher had gotten himself ready to join Wyatt to gather information to take Havelock to his final rest. This place was an Alliance outpost so Ash figured it would be awash with Purple bellies. The kid's two older brothers had gone to the war in support of the Independents.

Emerging from his cabin Asher saw Wyatt storming off the bridge. He had already armed himself with his new service revolver and was proudly wearing his brown service coat, hat, and practically every other amenity that he could pull from his personal stores that marked him a Browncoat soldier. Just as he reaches the steel grating of the hall's flooring, he pauses and turns to look out the cockpit windows once more. "Taikong suoyou de xingqiu saijin wo de pigu!" he exclaims. Spinning on his heel, Wyatt calls down the hall loud enough so that his voice carries throughout the ship, "Ma! You got that old Browncoat regimental flag I can wear as a gorram cape?"
Ash wonder what Wyatt had seen so he hot footed it to the bridge. The kid pulled up short as he saw the billboard across the landing bay.

"COMING SOON: The Serenity Valley Theme Park and Resort. Ride the largest hover-coaster in the Verse - The Flight of the Angels. You too can be a brave Alliance pilot flying through the dangers of wartime Serenity Valley!"
A darkness crossed Asher's face as the memory of Alliance ships appearing over their farm on Ezra came back to him. There was the explosions of rockets that destroyed their home and killed grandfather and his mother. A growl rolled out,"They weren't never no flight of angels."

He headed back to his cabin and opened the small foot locker he kept under his bed. There neatly folded the only thing he had left from older brother Matt.

The kid knew he'd never fought in the war but that don't mean he didn't remember. He made his way to the cargo bay to join Wyatt and Willow. Wyatt stood with his back to Asher as approached. The kid had his rig secured holding his peacekeepers to his chest and his Pythons strapped to his thighs. The bandoleers crisscrossed his heart to carry enough rounds to keep his companions safe. The combat knife was secure in his boot and the brass knuckles nestled in the pocket of his black duster, which hung open for easy access to the guns. When Wyatt turned to him Asher nodded, "I'm ready Capt'n". From the collar of the kid's duster a familiar ruddy red scarf shown plainly.