This is an AU, where we'll find out just who Jayne Cobb really is, what he did before he joined the crew of Serenity, and why he didn't fight in the Unification War. Once we get aboard Serenity you'll see all the familiar situations, but who does what (or what gets done to whom) may differ significantly from canon. Before we get stuck firmly in the Firefly (Alternate) Universe, we'll start by meshing the Navy SEAL movie universe of 1990 into our favorite 'Verse.
There are spoilers here for the series and for The Big Damn Movie, if you're here surely you've seen them. Otherwise, be warned.
Disclaimer: Joss is Firefly, and Firefly is Joss. Navy SEALs belongs to Orion Pictures. Don't sue me guys, I'm poor, ok?
Prelude:
The Union of Allied Planets. Most folks just call it The Alliance. It's often not used as a term of endearment, but of despair, especially on The Rim.
It wasn't always like this. Very few governments start with the notion of being all things to all people, of controlling their every waking hour, of creating fear and repression. The Union of Allied Planets was no different.
What started as a noble effort to bring together all planets of the 'Verse, so that all could benefit, over the years turned into an "us versus them" environment, where the Core Worlds with their mega corporations truly prospered, while most people of The Rim lived in abject poverty. Border Worlds contained elements of both, perhaps, and their worlds showed the conundrums of The Alliance.
Worst of all, The Alliance bureaucracy moved out with the expansion, their only real interest, it seems, is to get what they can, by whatever means, fair or foul – and as more time goes by it seemed to be that the latter is true more often that not.
Not every man and woman was content with letting things be. They didn't need to remake the Alliance, they just wanted to be left to go their own way. The Government of the Alliance, the Parliament, based on the Core World of Londinium, feared losing control, not only of the Border and Rim worlds, but of the Core Worlds themselves.
Something had to be done. War was not the answer. At least not now, and certainly not in The Core. Too much money was at stake. War is not generally good business for everyone.
So what to do to quell current and potential future unrest? To even stop it before it starts?
Science has the answer, G-23 Paxilon Hydrochlorate.
Parliament has a perfect place to test it, a showcase colony, a piece of The Core on The Rim. A planet called Miranda.