Chapter Four: Goodbye Serenity Valley

It was early morning two days later when Serenity set down on Hera and Mal still hadn't told anyone why they were there or what they had gotten from Hale.

Zoë was still sleeping when Mal let himself into her and Wash's room, or so he had thought when he entered. But as his eyes had adjusted to the dark, he could see that she was sitting at the edge of the bed, her legs hanging over. She was staring at something in her lap and it was obvious that she hadn't heard him.

"Zoë," Mal said quietly, not wishing to startle her, but despite his efforts, Zoë jumped up, slipping whatever she had held under her pillow.

"Sir," Zoë said, immediately standing erect. He thought he could see tears on her face, but he didn't say so.

"We landed," he said and she nodded.

"I thought so." There was an awkward moment of silence before Zoë finally asked the question that had been on her mind since they had landed on New Hall. "Sir, what are we doing on Hera? We haven't been back here since… Since the war."

"Since the Battle of Serenity Valley… I know." He walked further into the room and Zoë reached to her nightstand and a dim light filled the small cabin. "We got business here, Zoë," he said quietly.

"Business never brought us here before, Mal, and there have been plenty opportunities," she replied and Mal smiled.

"The rest of the crew is still sleeping," Mal stated randomly, but Zoë knew what he said wasn't random.

"Are we going somewhere captain?" she asked and Mal nodded. "Has something to do with Hale's package?" Mal nodded again. "Yes, sir," was all she said as she reached to the hook on the wall to grab a jacket.

"Thanks," he said before turning and climbing back up the ladder.

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Twenty minutes later they were planetside walking on land they hadn't walked on in nearly eight years.

It had still been dark when they stepped of the ship, but now, dawn had arrived and the sky was filled with purple and red light that cast an eerie glow on the landscape before them.

All at once, Zoë recognized where they were and stopped Mal, forcing him to face her. "For the first time, you make a trade of goods instead of money, you don't tell anyone, even me, what the hell they traded for those meds, and you land us right on Serenity Valley?" Zoë crossed her arms over her chest, but she was more worried than angry. "Can I speak freely, sir?" she asked.

"Always," he replied.

"I'm confused," she said, a disturbed look on her face. "I ain't ever had cause to be confused by you, captain. Everything you ever did, always made sense for one reason or another and I don't think that this time's any different, but in order for me to understand it, you're gonna have to tell me." She paused, taking a deep breath. "Tell me why we're in this sullied place."

Mal looked down at his feet. "Over six million people died just so's the Alliance could take over," he began, his voice filled with strain. "Twenty-three thousand of them died here—right here where we're standing." He looked up to see Zoë nod. Reaching inside his coat, retrieved a small bundle wrapped in cloth and held it out to her. "I traded the meds for the sixty seven medals they withheld from our platoon. Sixty seven out of the hundreds that were deserved."

"Captain," Zoë said quietly as she unwrapped the parcel and looked at the bundle of ribbon and metal. "What are we going to do with sixty seven medals?"

"Lay our men to rest with the honors they deserve—the one's we can anyway," Mal replied, his voice hardening. "I think it's time to finally say goodbye to Serenity Valley, Zoë. For good…" his gaze roamed the valley floor for a silent moment before he spoke again. " This rock ain't hanging over my head for the rest of my life."

Zoë was silent, unable to speak. This place held too much pain for discussion. "The others don't know we're gone?" Zoë asked and Mal shook his head. Zoë looked back down at the medals and silently nodded to herself.

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"Where were you both this morning?" was the first question Inara asked when she found them sitting at the table in the mess hall eating a late breakfast. Mal looked at Zoë then looked back to Inara and they both shrugged.

"Where's River?" Mal asked, taking a sip of juice from his cup and Inara shrugged.

"I'd ask Simon, but I haven't seen him or Kaylee this morning," Inara replied.

"And Jayne?" Zoë asked.

"He's been stumbling around groaning since about the time you got back," River answered, stepping into the room from the cargo bay. Mal gave her a questioning glance and she smiled. "What? You weren't exactly stealthy… I heard you leave and I heard you come back."

"Where is Simon at?" Inara asked.

"With Kaylee in the engine room," River replied, taking her own seat at the table. "She's trying to show him how the engine works," she answered their questioning looks.

"Have we concluded our business on Hera, Mal?" Inara asked and Mal nodded.

"Jiangyin then?" River looked at Mal as if searching for the answer in his face, which he managed to keep emotionless as he nodded.

All of the sudden, Kaylee and Simon burst into the room laughing and hanging on one another.

"Kaylee," Mal greeted and she looked at him, her smile only widening. "I'm assuming you found the engine room well?"

"'Course Cap'n," she replied, looking at Simon. "Everything's shiny."

"Good…" Mal said. "River got us those coordinates on Jiangyin and landing is going to be a mite tricky."

"We're doing it?" Simon asked incredulously then, taking a deep breath he nodded. "We're doing it."

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Sorry it took so long to update and that it's so short. I was in a terrible car accident this month and I've had a hard time writing and keeping things straight. I thought it was acceptable to have a chapter this short considering it really is just a transitional one. Thanks for your reviews and chapter five will be up in better time.