N/A: I own nothing

Authors note: This story takes place after Ariel.

2510

Union of Allied planets Special Forces High Command

Londinium

Lieutenant Jonathan Stryker Stood in attention as the balding colonel looked over his service record. John looked like a recruitment poster for the Alliance military in his crisp dark grey uniform, close cut hair, and shining medals. The Strong jaw, dark hair, and ice blue eyes made him more striking than handsome. He was the kind of man that was instantly noticed when he walked into a room, his six feet three inches and wide chest made him almost impossible to miss.

His sheer size made people assume that he was just mindless muscle, which was a mistake few lived to regret. With an IQ of 215, he had graduated from Sihnon College with two degrees by the time he was sixteen. It was his inherent metal prowess is what had allowed him to climb the ranks quickly and show significant promise.

Looking up from the folder the balding man looked at the young soldier "You see there's just one thing I don't understand about you, boy," said the man dropping the folder onto his desk "With your brains you could have a job anywhere with no trouble what so ever." Looking the young man in front of him in the eyes, he asked, "Why would you willingly join the army? And, then when you graduated at the top of your class and were offered a spot in the officer's academy you turned it down, to join SpecForce?"

John looked the man in front of him for a moment, thinking of the best way to word his response. "Everything has come easy to me, any thing I even half tried to do I figured out with no effort. I started to attend College at an age when most people are playing with toys and other children that was my entire life one academic achievement after another. I have studied my whole life, but I've never acted. I decided to join the army, because I was tired of watching history I wanted to be part of it. I didn't go to the academy because in three months, I would have finished and I would have been assigned to some desk job, were I would never be part of history I would again be recording it, sir."

The older man stared at the man in front of him and nodded. "Haven't you already accomplished in making history?" he said again looking at the file, "You were involved in the battle for Athens your team rescued the governor there. Your commander said that you performed exceedingly well while under fire. You received the Soldiers Cross for that mission; you got the prisoner of war medallion and the Badge of Courage when you where captured in Parth. The list goes on every officer you have worked under has given you commendation after commendation. Haven't you done enough?" John blinked at the question "No, sir there's always more to do."

"Do you know what this job will mean?" asked the colonel the gravity could not to be mistaken with anything else. "It will mean I'll finally be acting, sir. I'll be helping to shape history for generations to come." The older man smiled at the John. He stood and extended his hand "I don't know whether to congratulate you or pity you, son, Welcome to the shadow teams. A transport will pick you up in the morning to take you to your new home"

A huge smile split John's face as he took the colonel hand and shook it hardily. "Thank you, sir, I won't let you down. I promise sir." the man laughed and shook his head "I'm sure you won't."

With a smile, still gracing his face John walked out of the colonel's office and to the exit. John Stryker had again done what others thought impossible at eighteen years old John had joined the elite Shadow teams. Blinking under the bright sun over head, he walked to the sidewalk and signaled for a taxi. He was sure that this new position would provide exactly what he needed, a new life, a chance to do some good for the Alliance.

Now that he was a member of the shadow teams there is no going back he was now of the Alliance's counter intelligence community. It was a place of danger and change. John expected to excel in his new position. He never expected that his choice to join this new world would change everything he ever believed in, and held dear.

2517

Eaves down Docks

Persephone

John walked down to the slums of Persephone his long black jacket fluttered in the wind as he stopped in front of his destination. John was hopping get help from an old acquaintance a man by the name of Badger. The man was more than a little annoying, a former resident of Dyton until he was banished for his criminal activities he set up shop in Persephone and thought him self a business man. In fact, the man was far from that, he was nothing more than e petty crook playing at legitimacy. In his previous dealing with the man, John had found him more than willing to give up his associates for so monetary compensation. John was counting on the man's fear of him to help him get the results that he wanted.

John walked into the Badgers "office" a collection of heavy containers he had fused together to create a group of waterproof rooms. John walked past Badger's secretary and right into the man's inner sanctum. John stood strait his uncut hair messy and his chin covered with a three day old beard, even in this unkempt state his mere presence made badger pale noticeably. Badgers guards stiffened at the man's presence but didn't have the courage to point their weapons at the man. "G-good day, John, how can old Badger help you today?" said the man in a trembling voice. John looked at the quivering man "I need you to make contact with a firefly class transport ship the Serenity,under the command of one Captain Malcolm Reynolds. Tell him that you have a lucrative job for him, and need him to be here as soon as possible."

Badger blinked at the request "Why do you want with that, lot, their just small time smugglers, of no interest for a man like yourself?" he instantly regretted the question as he saw john walking closer. John lowered his head until Badger was forced to stare into his cold, emotionless eyes. "Remember who you're talking to Badger, if you want to keep breathing." Badger nodded at the other man's words, fear starting to over whelm his mind.

Badger new that john didn't make idle threats, when he said he would kill you he did and never thought twice about it. What really scared him where those eyes of his, they were pale blue almost to the point of being unnatural, some might have found them beautiful if they weren't so cold and intense. Badger had a reputation for holding his ground against anyone who tried to muscle him, but John was different not only did he represent Alliance black ops but the man just plain a cold blooded killer. A good one at that he had seen this man do things he would have never thought possible o a human being

"Sorry, boss, I'll contact them and let them know." John smiled "Good, you can contact me in the usual manner." He turned and started to walk out the door without turning around John called over his shoulder "And Badger, if you warn them I'm here I will make sure your mother doesn't have a body to morn over." With that, the man left. Badger let out a long deep sigh and reached for the bottle of whisky he kept in his drawer.

Pouring him, self a shot that he downed it in one go. He always need a drink after dealing with that man their where not many things that he was afraid of but John Stryker was on the top of that short list. He genuinely felt sorry for the crew of Serenity; they would soon have to deal with one of the verse's best killers, no matter how bad he felt he was not willing to cross the assassin himself so he steeled him self for what had to be done. With a deep breath, contact the Serenity.

2517

On rote to Boros

Serenity

The crew of the serenity was flush with there resent success at Ariel and were ready to spend there well earned money. Wash was in his usual place on the bridge steering them towards a possible buyer on Boros.

Sitting back and allowing the autopilot to take over he sighed. The last few days had been good, the job had gone almost seamlessly expect for Simon, River, and Jayne getting pinched by the feds, but they got away well enough. They had a cargo hold full of goods that would keep them in the air and comfortable for months to come, plus they were all alive, over all a good few days.

A beeping from their communications roused Wash from his mussing. Looking down at the console, he recognized Badgers id. He reached over to the button on the wall and called the captains quarters "Captain we've got a wave from Badger you may wanna come up here."

In his quarters, Captain Malcolm Reynolds scrambled up the ladder to the hallway leading to the bridge. Reaching his destination Mal sat in front of the communications array looked over to his pilot. "Ok, Wash patch it through." Wash nodded and pressed the right buttons so that an image of Badger came up on the small screen. "Hello Badger. Its been a while. How can me and my crew help you." The image of Badger ginned at Mal "Well I've got a large shipment or construction materials headed for Newhall, and I was thinking who could help he transport it, and naturally thought of my friends on board the Serenity." Looking at the screen Mal had a strange feeling about the call but was unwilling to let that ruin a possible business opportunity "Ok, well we can be there in a week, we've got some other business to attend to." Badger seemed to panic at the Captains words "That won't do Mal, they want these goods fast there willing to add a thousand bit bonus if you get it there with in the week."

The feeling in Mal's stomach retuned but he again ignored it. "Ok Badger, tell your contacts we can do it." Mal ended that transmission. Again looking at Wash, he directed him to set course for Persephone. Leaving the bridge Mal tried to pinpoint why he had such a bad feeling about this job.

Heading to the mess, he prepared himself a cup of coffee, or more accurately, the coffee like substance that had all the flavor of mud, they currently had. Sitting at the table, Mal sipped his coffee, making a note to himself to buy real coffee the first chance they got. When River walked in and sat opposite the Captain. "Little things get missed, then chomp it eats your head, and its black all over. No more trouble no more serenity just teeth chewing on your head." Looking at the girl Mal nodded "That's what I'm afraid of little one that's, what I'm afraid of." River cocked her head to the side and stared at the captain "Danger there like dirt over a grave and your screaming for some one to let you out." Mal just stared at the young woman in front of him "You know, River, you're a might morbid at times."

River never answered she just stood up and walked away. Standing himself Mal washed the cup he had emptied and replaced it on the cupboard. There was something strange going on. So strange, it had even penetrated Rivers madness, and that scared Mal more than anything he'd seen during the battle of serenity.

Authors note: Hope you like this so far more hopefully to come soon. Please give me you honest opinions and please give me any ideas who know I may just add them.