War and Serenity

By Michael Weyer

Going to Ground

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"Let me see if I have this straight," Simon said with an actual expression of bewilderment on his face. "Book is a Jedi?"

"Yep," Jayne said, wincing a bit as the doctor adjusted the bandage around his arm where he'd dislocated it after being slammed aside. "Old guy was putting up a damn good fight too."

Simon shook his head. "Incredible. I never suspected…"

"Guess that was the point," Kaylee said from her spot nearby as she laced up her boots. She had already been examined by Simon who found no injuries to her but still seemed tense. "Sure the Captain is getting answers out of him now."

"If I know Mal, he's beating the answers out of him," Jayne remarked.

"I suspect even Reynolds doesn't have that loss of self-preservation to attack a JedI," Simon remarked. He looked over at Kaylee. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"I'm fine, Simon," Kaylee said as she stood up. "I gotta check on the engines, make sure the repair job on them worked ok."

"I'd prefer to…."

"I said, I'm fine!" Simon and Jayne were both taken aback to hear Kaylee snap at them. She took a breath before moving away. "Sorry, I gotta go." She exited as the two men exchanged baffled looks.

"When Kaylee's the one getting antsy," Jayne remarked. "I think it's time to start sweating."

"For once, you actually raise a good point," Simon noted as he gazed at the door.

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Book sat at a table watching as Mal paced back and forth in the dining cabin of the ship. The captain's face was tight with anger as he shot glares at Book. He opened his mouth, then shut it as he paced a few steps. He stopped, turned to Book with his mouth open then shut it. He opened again but then proceeded to pace more.

"Are you going to speak or are you just enjoying the exercise?" Inara asked from her place in the corner of the room. Book appeared as calm and collected as ever sitting at the table, his light saber placed before him. Mal threw the Companion a look before staring back at Book, mouth opening and then closing once more.

"I know this is unsettling, Captain," Book began. "I don't expect you to understand my reasons…"

"Oh, I understand," Mal finally spoke up. "You don't wanna go broadcasting being a JedI, especially round a bunch like us. I get that, Preacher, I do." His eyes narrowed. "What I don't appreciate is putting me and mine in harm's way."

Book sighed. "I am sorry for that, Captain. I had no intention of putting anyone in danger. It's been a long time since I even used my abilities this way."

"What happened?" Inara asked without venom. "To you, I mean. Is Book even your real name?"

The man made a soft smile at her. "It's actually Derrial Bookua. I shortened and changed it a bit when I went into hiding." He crossed his legs. "I was stationed at a small planet at the Outer Rim when the attacks on the JedI happened. I managed to escape my clone troopers and make my way to a nearby system where I heard of the new order being imposed. Naturally, hiding who I was made a lot of sense."

"Naturally," Mal drawled. "And the holy man thing just draws attention away from all that."

A small smile came to Book's face. "Actually, being connected to the Force does allow me to feel a bit spiritual. And from what I can tell, the people on this ship can use whatever guidance I can give them."

"Putting aside your analysis of our mental health," Mal said, crossing his arms. "Leaves the question of what we do now. I don't mind you too much, preacher. In fact, I kinda like you which isn't an easy thing for me to do." His eyes narrowed. "But we've got enough heat on us as is. The last thing we want is to be having a human-sized target side on our boat everywhere we go."

"Wait a minute, Mal," Inara spoke up. "We can't just dump him on some planet and take off on our merry way!"

"I'm game for the challenge," Mal threw at her. "Or would you like to imagine how your business is gonna suffer with Imperials on our necks and interrupting your fine private times?"

As Inara flushed, Book coughed. "Captain…I'd prefer to stay but if the crew does decide I should go…"

"It's decided."

Book raised an eyebrow. "You haven't even talked to them yet."

"I am exercising my all-too-rarely used command authority as Captain," Mal responded. "No offense to you, Preacher but you survived on your own for years, sure you can get by once again. We're coming up at Parsey's Place in a bit, we can lay low for a time and you can go your way, we go ours and hopefully trouble is avoided."

"Captain?" Zoe stuck her head into the room.

Mal sighed. "There goes that alarm in my head again," he muttered. He turned to see his first officer's face drawn. "What is it?"

Zoe swallowed. "Better come up and see, sir."

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Parsey's Place was a small space platform orbiting an equally small moon. It wasn't lavish by any means but had a few shops, a diner/casino and several docks, making it a perfect stop for smugglers and even honest space shippers as well.

At the moment, however, it resembled little more than a burned-out husk of what had once been a station. The main body, once resembling a sphere with a protruding arm, was shattered, debris scattered about. Fires still roared in a few places where there had once been shops and the wreckage of ships floated around, along with the bodies of those who had been unfortunate enough to be around when the attack happened.

Mal had seen death and destruction more times than a sane man deserved to but he still shivered inwardly at the view before him. He looked to Wash, happy the man was keeping calm at all this as he kept Serenity floating just before the destruction. "How long?"

Wash shrugged. "Stuff still burning so it must not have been that long ago. I'd say there were about five ships in dock when it all went down, can't quite figure sizes or number of people."

"This ain't right, Mal," Jayne muttered. He was standing behind them looking out the view screen with Inara and Book next to him, the Companion looking stricken.

"Ain't no arguing that point, Jayne," Mal replied. "Parsey was a good sort, didn't stick his neck out and handled honest business too. Man didn't deserve this."

Jayne shook his head. "Ain't what I meant." Everyone looked at him in confusion as Jayne waved a hand at the outside. "If this was the Imps, why hit so hard first? Why didn't they wait for us if they knew we were coming here?"

For once, the crew found themselves actually weighing a question Jayne brought up. Zoe's eyes widened as her mind clicked on the answer. "They didn't attack this place because they thought we would come here…They hit it because they thought we might."

Her words echoed and it took a few moments for everyone to grasp the horror of what she was saying. Mal whirled on Wash, his face tight. "Get on the horn to the Sanchez brothers, Li Shen, anyone and everyone who ever gave us a place to hide out, who got us work, who fixed us up, hell, who gave us a meal. Tell them to get the hell out now!"

Wash was quick on the communicator as Mal turned to Book. The elder man's face was filled with regret and guilt, a look Mal knew all too well. The look of a man who felt the deaths of others and wished it wasn't his fault. His anger toward the JedI dissipated as Mal reflected on how much they had in common.

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On the bridge of the Star Destroyer Executor, Darth Vader stared out the window at the stars before him, watching the occasional TIE fighter fly by. He was aware of the figure standing behind him, waiting patiently at attention until Vader spoke, knowing interrupting the Dark Lord when he was in contemplation was an often fatal move.

"What is it, Captain?" Vader finally spoke up.

Captain Firmus Piett cleared his throat. "We have reports of the first attacks on the locations you provided, Lord Vader. There is no sign of Reynolds or any of his crew at any of them and what prisoners have been taken are not being forthcoming."

"Continue to send the coordinates to ships, Captain," Vader ordered. "This is not about collecting prisoners but to destroy any haven they find."

"Yes, my Lord," Piett said. "Also, sir, the…person you wanted has arrived. He is awaiting you."

Vader turned and stalked past Piett, the man letting out a breath of relief he didn't know he was holding in. The armored man walked over to a conference room at the side of the bridge. It was empty except for a lone figure who stood at the end of the table, his armored helmet placed before him and his expression calm as he gazed at Vader.

Vader stopped at the other end of the table as the doors slid shut behind him. He studied the other man for a few moments before speaking. "Your reputation as a tracker and bounty hunter is excellent," he intoned.

"I do what I can," the bounty hunter replied. "I believe my task is a higher calling, not just the material gains."

"Your reasons matter not to me," Vader stated. "What matters is that you find the ship I want. You may do what you wish what the crew. But the girl known as River Tam and Master Bookau are to be brought to me alive." He leaned forward. "Can you do this?"

A smile came to the black-skinned face of the hunter. "I can find anyone I want to and bring them back in whatever shape I want. If you want them brought to you, I can do it without much fuss."

Vader's eyes narrowed behind his mask. "Do not fail me, Jubal Early."

Early smiled wider. "Failure is not an option I endorse. Therefore, for me, it does not exist."

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Simon couldn't help but steel himself as he stepped into the engine room of the ship. He'd always been mocked as a child for his rather fastidious ways. It wasn't that he hated being unclean, as a doctor, he'd grown used to getting messy if he had to. He just preferred not having to if he could possibly avoid it. Thus, coming into the room filled with oils and fluids and whose humidity made him sweat through his fine shirt was uncomfortable to say the least.

As expected, Kaylee was working at the engines, oil and sweat marring her pretty features which for once didn't carry a smile. Her coveralls were dirty yet still fit well on her frame and Simon felt oddly intrigued by the picture she gave off. He settled himself as he spoke up. "Kaylee?"

"Little busy, Doc," she said as she adjusted a piece on the hyper drive. "Those Cloud City guys did their best but still got a few kinks in."

"I'm seeing how you're feeling," Simon said, ducking his head under a large pipe.

"Thought you gave me a clean bill," she replied, not looking at him.

"I just needed to itemize it."

"Don't be cute, Simon."

"I can try, but it's not always up to me."

Kaylee had to look back at the rare show of humor. Simon's lips were turned upward as he continued. "Physically, you're fine. But I do worry about how you might feel…otherwise."

Kaylee turned back to the engine. "Nothing to talk about."

Simon bit his lip as he stepped forward. "Kaylee…"

"I'm fine, all right!" she snapped, glaring at him. "It happened, just…Let it go, all right?" She shook her head. "Not like you ever been interested in how my feelings lie."

"My job is to care for every member of this ship."

Kaylee snorted. "Figures." She tightened the wrench on a socket. "All we are is bodies for you to fix up or carve up."

Simon frowned. "That's a rather harsh assessment. Kaylee, I know what you went through…"

"Nope, you don't," Kaylee responded. "You can't and tryin' to pretend you do is truly insulting, Simon. So how's about you butting out right now?"

Simon was about to speak when the loudspeakers crackled. "Folks, this is the Captain. I want everyone assembled in the mess as soon as possible."

Simon and Kaylee stared at each other, their argument lost as they heard the worry in the voice of the usually confident captain.

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"All of them?" Kaylee gasped, her face drawn. She was sitting at the main table of the mess hall, her eyes wide in shock. The same shock was on the faces of Simon, Inara and Jayne. Wash, Zoe and Book seemed subdued while Mal stood at the end of the table, his face grim.

"Every place we tried so far," he answered. "Every place that ever knew us, it's gone silent or shown images I'd rather not have burned into my brain. I pretty much figure it's open season on anyone who's given us aid and I'd rather stay out of it as much as I can."

"Damn," Jayne muttered. "I know the Empire loves putting the 'over' in 'overkill' but this is taking it big."

Book pursed his lips. "When your enemy tries to go to ground…give him no ground to go to."

"Can do without the philosophy, preacher," Mal snapped. "Specially seeing as how you're the main reason we're in this mess."

"All this for one JedI?" Zoe mused. "It does seem extreme, Captain."

"Reasons why ain't important now," Mal intoned. "What matters is that we are being hunted. And not like we normally are, either. By this point, you can be sure the word is out on us so we've got every Imperial ship and spy in the sector looking out for us. And after what's happened, no way anyone's gonna risk themselves giving us some shelter."

"Could try the Rebellion," Wash suggested.

"Oh, yeah, cause we ain't hunted enough, might as well fasten the noose tight," Jayne snorted.

"We just can't keep flying forever," Wash fired back. "I know you don't like plans much, Mal, but I think this is a pretty good time to break with tradition."

"He knows."

Everyone turned to where River sat cross-legged in the corner. Her eyes were fixed on Book as she softly spoke. "He knows where the shadows don't linger. He knows the one who can aid him and I. The little giant whose silence must be broken."

Mal slowly turned his face from her to Book. "Preacher," he began. "On the off chance you might actually glean something from that rambling…"

Book bit his lip before slowly nodding. "I think I know who she means, Mal. And I think he can help us."

Jayne leaned in to Zoe. "Just me or you getting a crawling up the spine at this?"

The fact this was the second time today Jayne had asked an actually logical question scared Zoe to no end.

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The sight of the planet did little to soothe Mal's worries a few hours later. He couldn't make out any land masses at all through the thick cloud cover and the sight of the place gave him a shiver. "Wash?"

The pilot checked his readings. "Can't get any readings, captain, some sort of interference."

"Jamming?"

"Looks natural but can't tell for sure."

"Can you land us?"

Wash gave him a look as if Mal had asked him if he knew how to walk. Mal smiled at him and nodded. "Take us in." The pilot turned back to the controls and brought the ship into the planet's atmosphere. Mal steeled himself for the regular bumping and shaking but was jarred as the ship rocked unexpectedly. "Wash!"

The pilot was wrestling with the controls. "Trying to keep it steady!" he exclaimed. "Might want to buckle back for an emergency landing!"

"Is that code for crash landing?"

"I'm an optimist, sue me!"

Mal grabbed the comlink. "Folks, this is the captain. Please settle down and buckle in as we may be…emergency crashing soon." He hung up and braced himself against the walls, staring forward. He could see the clouds parting but a thick mist surrounding the sky still, a fog that even Serenity's lights couldn't cut through. Wash was fighting with the control every step of the way. "Come on, baby…come on…don't let daddy down…don't let daddy down…"

"Should I warn Zoe of your belief in parenting skills?" Mal asked.

Wash ignored him as he tightened his grip and pulled back on the main wheel. Without warning, the turbulence ceased as the sky before them cleared to show a wide patch of land aside a huge bog. Wash wasted no time pulling the controls back as he cut back on the engines. There was a loud screeching from the engines as they howled in protest at the sudden move, a howl Mal was sure would be echoed by Kaylee later. In one smooth movement, Wash hit the button to let down the landing gear and fired the retro-engines with the other. There was a bump that nearly knocked Mal loose from his spot and then a shaking before the ship finally settled into the muddy surface.

Wash sat back from the controls and let out a long breath. "I am a leaf," he whispered to himself.

Mal swallowed before slapping a hand on the man's back. "Indeed you are." He grabbed the communicator. "All right, folks, we've landed relatively safe and sound. I'll ask you all to gather up what you need and prepare to disembark but be ready to re-embark should we run into trouble which we all know can be likely."

He sighed as he hung it up and looked out the windows again. Ten seconds and already Dagobah was his least favorite planet in the galaxy.

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"Gods, this stinks," Simon sniffed as he wiped his nose with a handkerchief.

"No one asked you to come outside, Doc," Mal noted. He was at the head of the expedition, his gun in his hand. Zoe and Jayne were similarly armed and keeping a close eye around them. The rest of the crew followed behind them, although Inara appeared as annoyed as Simon at the mud and dirt caking her boots.

"Oh, yeah, stay alone in the ship in the dark and dank swamp full of who knows what," Wash sardonically noted. "I've seen enough holovids to know how that ends up, Mal."

Simon scowled as his boot slid into a mud patch. "Are we certain this is the right place?"

"If a fellow wanted to hide, good spot to do it," Mal noted. He looked over his shoulder to Book. "This friend of yours close by, preacher?"

Book smiled. "Closer than you'd think, Captain."

"I prefer knowing over thinking, Book."

"Preferred, knowledge is," a gravely voice cut through the air. "Although wise to keep to your thinking, it is."

Mal, Zoe and Jayne spun around, their guns raised at the figure who seemed to have appeared before them. It took a moment for them to adjust their aim as the creature stood less than three feet tall. He was thin with green leathery skin, his face lined with wrinkles and his wide pointed ears drooping a bit. He was clad in a dark tan robe and leaned on a small walking stick. Yet looking at him, Mal could sense some power and experience far greater than the small package he saw.

Simon became aware of River drawing back and moved to her. "River? What is it?"

River hissed as she rubbed her head. "He…he's so…so much. So much to see….so much to hear…" Simon held her as she shook in his arms.

Book moved forward to stand before the figure and bowed. "Master Yoda."

"Master Bookua." A small smile came to the gnome's face. "Good it is to see you alive, old friend."

"And you, Master." Book motioned to Mal. "May I present Captain Malcom Reynolds and his crew."

"Howdy," Mal said in greetings. "No offense to you, sir, but we're kinda pressed here in terms of needing a place to stay." He looked around the bog. "And don't seem like your accommodations can be to our fitting."

"Make do with it, I do," Yoda said. "Come. To my home to talk we will. Feed you as well."

"Great," Wash muttered. "Fried worms on the menu without a doubt."

"Aw, leave him be," Kaylee said, her smile returning. "I kinda like him, he's a cute little guy."

Book had to fight to suppress a laugh at the idea of the revered JedI referred to as "cute." Yoda himself gave Kaylee a look that made her smile disappear. Then the lips of the wizened face turned upward before he began to walk once more and lead the way.

Mal looked over his shoulder at Inara, who was lifting as much of her dress as she could off the ground. "Sure you don't want dinner served to your cabin?" he asked.

She gave him a cool glance. "Since I'm tied up with the rest of you, I might as well find out what the situation is, Captain."

"No skin off my nose," Mal shrugged as he turned back just in time for a branch Jayne had pushed aside to whack him in the face. He stopped in place and wondered yet again why the universe constantly pressed its irony on him.

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For those wondering, I got Book's first name from the original screen play for Serenity which had a scene between him and the Operative. Thanks for waiting, all comments welcomed.