NOTE: This work of fan fiction takes place after 'Serenity'. It may contain new characters and new locations not previously created by Joss Whedon. This work contains Chinese phrases which may need research to understand.

DISCLAIMER: This work should be considered a work of fan fiction only. The author is not affiliated with Joss Whedon, Universal Studios, News Corportation Limited, Fox Entertainment, or any other person or company affiliated with the above. The author is not affliated with the television show 'Firefly' or the motion picture 'Serenity'.

maelstrom /mayl-strum/ n. 1 great whirlpool. 2 state of confusion. Dutch

The Australian Pocket Oxford Dictionary, Fourth Edition

"The Commander stands for the virtues of wisdom, sincerity, benevolence, courage and strictness."

Tsun Tzu's Art Of War

Chapter One

Arms of the Vortex

"Gorram it, Mal, Persephone ain't three days travel from here. Why do we have to go to this rock for?"

Mal looked up from the pistol he was cleaning. "Jayne, you don't get it, do you?"

"You're damn right I don't get it." Jayne stood from his chair, shoulders taught with anger. "I mean, surely there's some Alliance round here can take care of that?"

"You don't think I checked, Jayne?" Mal stood, dropping the pistol on the table and meeting Jayne's eyes.

Jayne was steady. "No, I think you got River to check."

"Yeah…well, she needed to learn." Mal looked away from Jayne, taking a step back. "Listen, Jayne, we can't afford not to check out this distress signal. What if they're rich?"

"Mal, money ain't everything…"

"You don't believe that."

"No, you're right. When do you want me ready?"

"Twenty minutes."

"Yessir, Cap'n."

Mal nodded and returned to his pistol, taking the cloth and rubbing the barrel. He smiled gently to himself. He knew what was on the ship that was sending out the distress signal. River had told him – money. Lots of it. Enough to set him up for years on board Serenity.

- - - -

River regarded the glowing panels of Serenity's navigation system carefully. Noting the small flashing dot on the panel she carefully pulled on the steering. She felt the movement as keenly as if she was the ship. River closed her eyes.

- - - -

Mal walked into the engine room, and spied Kaylee in her hammock, book in hand. "Hey there, mei-mei," he said, looking around, "How's my girl?"

Kaylee didn't even stir. "Ship's fine, Captain. Repairs seem to be holding. Ain't nothing wrong."

"Good." Mal walked to the engine, and watched as the machine turned. "I can't thank you enough, Kaylee," he said. "You managed to repair my ship after the beating she got. Couldn't ask for any more."

Kaylee sighed. "She's as much mine as she is yours, sir," she said.

"Yeah. I know." Mal turned and looked at the hammock. "Inara wanted to see you."

"Why?"

"I don't know. She never tells me anything."

Kaylee threw the book onto the metal floor, and jumped out of the hammock. "You know, Captain, if you just opened up to her…"

"Kaylee." The mechanic stopped as Mal held her gaze. "Don't be talking to me about Inara. They're my feelings, not yours. I'll express them when I need to. Dong ma?"

Kaylee looked down at her book. "Yes, sir." Then she turned, and smiled.

Mal once again studied the engine. "Oh, and Kaylee," he said. Kaylee paused and looked over her shoulder at the captain. "Don't share this with Inara, either."

Kaylee nearly laughed. "Captain, I'm not going to tell her anything she don't already know." The mechanic continued walking as Mal looked up, startled.

The ship gave a sudden lurch to the right.

Mal picked himself up from the floor where he'd been thrown. Cursing under his breath, he steadied himself before crying out, "River!"

- - - -

River, eyes still closed, though only of the distress signal. She could hear it, almost, winking in and out in her head. She had no need of the navigation systems now – River Tam needed only feel Serenity in her grip and her mind.

She was becoming attuned to the ship, and she knew it. In fact, she had allowed it: it was something to dull the other sounds in her head. She was safe on Serenity, she knew, and the ship knew that too –

"River!"

Her eyes snapped open.

"River, what in the name of Jesus are you doing?" Mal braced himself against the door frame before stumbling into the bridge. "You trying to turn our innards into your brother's soup?"

River simply met Mal's gaze. "I'm following the distress beacon," she said.

"River, distress beacons don't move like that."

Pointing at the windscreen, River said, "That one does."

Mal looked up, then instantly turned back to River, his eyes wild with rage. "Damn it, girl, that's Alliance! Go! Evasive measures!"

She almost didn't comprehend what Mal was saying. Alliance? she thought, But the voices said…

Then her eyes unfogged, and the distressed vehicle she had been following became a huge Alliance battle cruiser. Instantly her reflexes kicked in, and Serenity bucked upwards in response.

Mal reached for the radio. "Attention, this is the Captain. Strap yourselves in there folks, the pilot's gone a little crazy. Don't worry, I'm sure the Alliance battle cruiser ahead of us will help us out sometime soon, enjoy your flight." He replaced the radio. "Damn it, girl," he said to River, "I hope you can fly like Wash."

River smiled. "I learned all I know from him, and he didn't even know it." The ship turned on its side in response to River's controls.

Mal looked away from River and watched the cruiser as it sprung to life. "I hope you can dodge that ship there better than he did those Reavers…"

- - - -

Zoe stumbled into the dining hall. "What the hell is going on?" she said to no one in particular.

It was Jayne that answered. "No idea, but the Captain said something about the psychic going crazy." He pulled the strap on the chair around him, buckling it. "Damn girl's gonna make me loose my lunch."

Simon grimaced. "I already have," he said.

Zoe stumbled as the ship moved to the left, throwing plates of the dining table. Moving quickly, she went to the chair closest to her when –

"Hell! That was a hit!" Jayne looked wildly around the room, finally settling on Zoe's face. "They really have it in for us, don't they?"

"They sure do." Zoe strapped herself in.

Kaylee choose that moment to stumble into the room. "Zoe, their hurting Serenity!" she said. "Explosion took out the communications array."

"Can we still talk to the Captain?"

"Internals are still up."

Zoe unbuckled her belt. "Good," she said to Kaylee. She had to stop herself yelling into the radio. "Captain, communications array has been wiped."

Mal swore. "Damn Alliance won't quit when they're beaten…"

"Mal, get us out of here…"

"We're working on it."

- - - -

River didn't even seem to be pulling a sweat, despite the turret fire blazing all around Serenity. Mal couldn't help noting this even as his own beads of sweat cascaded down his forehead. Girl sure can fly, he thought.

Suddenly River pulled on the controls, hard, and Serenity responded by pulling her nose up, and spinning, thrusters kicking in at the crucial moment to level the ship out and direct her away from the turret fire. "Go!" said Mal, and River complied.

Mal felt the familiar tug as Serenity pulled away from the Alliance cruiser. He looked at River. "Put her on auto. Come on down to the dining hall. We need to talk."

- - - -

"What in the hell just happened?" Mal asked River.

"I'm unsure," came the reply.

"What does that mean?" asked Jayne, disbelief clear on his face.

River shrugged. "I would venture to say that an Alliance cruiser interfered with my cognitive processes, but you probably wouldn't understand that."

Simon stood up, and went to River. "What did you say?"

"What did she say?" said Jayne.

"I said: I would venture to say that…"

"Yes, I heard you," said Simon, "I'm just trying to work it out."

Mal looked at Simon. "Well, please, share your thoughts with us. Because we'd all like to understand what just happened to my ship."

"Mal, I think what River is trying to say," said Simon, slowly, "Is that the Alliance got into River's mind."

"Like at the lab?" asked Zoe.

"No," Simon replied, "This is different. River, what exactly happened?"

"I thought I saw a distress beacon, but Mal come up and he yelled, and then there was an Alliance cruiser right there…"

"Wait." Mal put his hand up. "Are you telling me…are you saying they made you see that?"