Author's Notes
I like allusions to popular culture so I included some in the story and will always include them in other stories. Here is a complete list of them:
This person, the Controller, looked sternly at him in a black suit and tie. – The Controller was the title of the villain in the book "Deception Point."
Plan Si- Si is the Chinese word for "four". This is the Alliance's fourth plan to try to capture Simon and River. The first was in the episode "Serenity", the second in "Objects in Space", and the third the movie Serenity. The episode "Ariel" doesn't count because Jayne approached the Alliance, rather than vice versa. Si is also the Chinese word for "death."
"One by one, not two by two."- based on a line from Rihanna's song "Pon de Replay". It is also a play on River's chant: "Two by two, the hands of blue." There is only one Hand of Blue in this instance.
It was a mostly harmless box of cigarettes. - In the "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" books, Earth is described as "mostly harmless."
"Haven't you people ever heard of closing the gorram door!"…. "I'm just trying to handle this thing with a sense of poise and rationality."- based on two lines from the Panic! At The Disco song "I Write Sins Not Tragedies".
"Sheng go-se," Mal cried shocked. - Sheng go-se is Chinese for "Holy cr9p", which is Frank Barone's catch phrase on Everybody Loves Raymond.
Instead of blood, a black fluid bled from the drone's wound.- The DC Comics super hero Cyborg also bled a black fluid.
Agent Hob stood at the bridge of the Alliance ship IAV Star Destroyer. – Star Destroyer is a class of ship in Star Wars.
"My name is not important."- based on a quote from the film The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.