Disclaimer: I don't own Firefly, Serenity, or any of the characters.
The man awoke. There was nothing sluggish about the way he did it; indeed, not even a yawn. Truth be told, he didn't need sleep all that often. The drugs, the augmentations given to him made it so his body could go without sleep for days without decreased effectiveness. The same went for his metabolism, his reflexes, his strength. All these and more were improved at The Academy. They made him who he was. They took him in when he was nothing, fed him, clothed him, cared for him, and all they asked in return was his loyalty. His absolute obedience. So it was that he began a new life, one as an Operative. A spy. A soldier. An assassin, if need be. And a murderer. A monster. He would have no place in the utopia that he himself helped to create.
As the man made his way to the small kitchen on his ship, he set to making coffee. Again, unnecessary. Unnecessary, but a small pleasure in his life. All men needed some small pleasures. As the coffee brewed, he reviewed his notes. The dossiers on the crew of Serenity, and his targets. Simon and River Tam. Simon was little threat, he knew that by now, as was the mechanic Kaylee, and the pilot Washington. The others, however, would be a complication. Two of them veterans, and one a common thug, untrained, but deadly in his own way, not to be underestimated. The other a Companion. Not a serious threat, but accounted for nonetheless. The largest obstacle to overcome, however, was the target herself. Trained at the same place he was, River Tam spurned their gifts, instead opting to flee. His mission was to bring her back, using whatever means necessary. His other objective was to neutralize Simon. Whether through assassination, capture, or otherwise, Simon Tam could not be allowed to escape.
After a quick review, and taking his coffee, the man walked over to the helm of the ship. If he was correct, he was on a interception course with Serenity, ETA two days. He already had a plan of action; neutralizing the most dangerous enemies first, cowing the others. If they could not be cowed, he would kill them. He would try to take Simon alive; that was what his handler would prefer. the man was a doctor, not trained in combat. Taken alive, he could avoid a confrontation with his sister, and his mission would be so much simpler.
If forced to kill Simon, however, River would never come with him willfully. He would have to neutralize her; a daunting prospect, even for him. The reports on her said she was a psychic, and a brutal fighter besides. Killing her would be hard enough. Capturing her...
As he went over his plan, he sharpened his sword. An archaic weapon, and some may argue impractical, but that was it's greatest strength. Not many were trained in swordplay, and in the cramped corridors of a spacecraft, swords and knives were much more viable weapons. When he finished sharpening, he inspected the edge. The blade was honed to an unnatural sharpness, one that most blades could not hold for long before dulling. Satisfied, he put away his sword and he prepared for his daily antigravity excersises.
He would return River Tam to the Academy; that was his duty, after all. And the Operative was nothing if not dutiful.