Chapter 8

Author's Note: Finally the last chapter.

Serenity appeared at the other end of the asteroid belt. She was mostly intact and everyone was alive. Onboard Serenity, Mike was proud of his handiwork.

"Yes!" he yelled loudly as he stuck his arms in the air. Mal was visibly impressed.

"Well," Mal began, "I'm glad I hired you and I'll definitely want to keep you."

"Thank you, sir," Mike replied. Zoë stepped towards Mike.

"You're pretty good," Zoë stated. "You're almost as good as Wash." Zoë turned around and left the bridge. Mal grabbed the radio.

"Kaylee, everything okay down there," Mal requested. A familiar moan came over the radio. River giggled. Mike's head dropped onto the console.

"Warum Gott?" Mike pleaded with the divine.

" I guess it is," Mal commented. "I'll take care of it, and they and me are gonna have a personal chat." Mike lifted his head up.

"I'd appreciate that," Mike replied. Mal approached the entrance of the bridge but then faced Mike.

"In her defense," Mal began to explain. "She went on a year …. and ain't had nothin' twixt her…. nethers that weren't run…. I can't say it."

"Good, I'd rather not hear it," Mike responded. Mal walked out of the bridge and down the hall. River faced Mike.

"You did well," River commented.

"Danke, River," Mike thanked her.

"We're going to work well together," River stated and smiled.

"Yeah, I think that too," Mike replied. He lit another cigarette and took a drag.

After their personal chat, Mal had recruited Simon and Kaylee to examine the drone that Mike shot and killed. After awhile, Mal and Jayne entered the infirmary where they the drone was on the table covered by a blanket. Simon and Kaylee were standing before it.

"So, what you find?" Mal asked.

"Well," Simon began, "This man was not killed by Mike's shot."

"Really," Jayne added, "What did then?"

"He couldn't have been killed," Simon claimed, "because this man was never technically alive."

"How's that possible?" Mal retorted.

"This," Simon hesitated, "man is so enhanced with machines that you have to consider him more machine than human. You know the two clips shot into him. Well, I found them, embedded in a quarter-inch steel plate surrounding his rib cage. Kaylee had to cut through it with a blowtorch." Kaylee nodded. "That's why you couldn't shoot him in the chest."

"What about his head?" Mal asked.

"There was less protection in his head. The bones of the skull were replaced by steel plates that were thin enough to be penetrated by a pistol. As for his brain, there wasn't much to protect. He was lobotomized and there was a computer implanted in its place. His eyes and ears were enhanced with scanners, which explained the red color of the eyes. His gastro-intestinal system was removed and replaced by a large battery. His body was enhanced with servo-motors that increased his strength exponentially and allowed for the blades to be inserted in his wrists. His heart was mechanical and his blood cells had been replaced with oxygen-carrying nanobots. A man like this would be the perfect soldier. He just needed a thicker skull." Mal looked disturbed.

"When will the Alliance learn they can't make people better," Mal added and left the infirmary.

Agent Hob stood in a darkened room on the Star Destroyer, facing a large video screen. The Controller was onscreen.

"Can you explain to me why the drone failed?" the Controller demanded.

"After reviewing its schematics," Hob reported, "I determined that it was most likely due to an insufficiency of armor in the skull. It should be taken into account."

"It will," the Controller stated. "River Tam must be returned to the Academy," the Controller began. "The Alliance depends on it." The screen deactivated. Hob knew one thing now: next time, he could not fail.

Warum Gott: German "Why God?"

Danke: German "Thank you"