Hello. Iverik here. Just a reminder: This story uses characters created by someone other than me.
Facing the Black
"Gorram it, Wash, what are you doing here?"
"Zhufu Ni, Zoe." Wash's grin could probably power a small ship.
"Who are you, shah gua?" Killer approached in all his bulk.
"Her husband," Wash replied meekly, putting his arm around Zoe. Killer arched an eyebrow.
"And what are you doing down here, husband? Shouldn't you be over in the flyboy section?"
"I suppose so."
"Leave," Killer growled, half-smiling.
"Just saying so long," Wash complained.
"Nee Yow Wuo Kai Chiung?" Killer snarled, "LEAVE!"
"'ts no call for that," Mal snapped.
"Uh, actually, I will be going." Wash started for the door, then leaned backwards and kissed his wife on the mouth. "Nice fellow," he muttered under his breath, and sprinted out the door.
"Well, now that that's all settled, how's about we watch this holo like we're supposed to?" Mal asked, mercifully distracting Killer.
"Sure," Paul interjected. Killer gave him an annoyed glare. "Hey, I don't want to get in trouble with the Captain. Do you?"
"Paul's right," Aria remarked. Killer calmed down. Zoe arched an eyebrow at Mal; the message was clear. Mal leaned back as the holo started, thinking up all the ways Killer could live up to his nickname and not liking how many he found.
The holo was gun footage from an Alliance assault rifle. The first shots were fired as a series of pods came in, burning brown trails into the dull sky. The unknown soldier weilding the rifle/camera maneuvered out of the way.
What happened next was sudden. The pods landed, rolled, and burst open. A torrent of bullets and men tumbled out, fierce enough to force the Alliance to duck. A series of grenades made short work of the defenders.
The assault rifle was scooped up by an enemy soldier. What came next was horrific. In scene after scene, the soldier went from door to door through the Alliance complex. Whoever he came across was shot. Alliance personnel. Frightened civilians. An unlucky child.
Mal's grip tightened on the metal foot of his bed until his knuckles turned white. The knowledge that Mr. Universe had independently verified this footage made it ten times worse. He forced himself to look beyond the horror, to tease out the habits of the enemy. Training kicked in.
Aria involuntarily cried out. Mal looked. The latest victim had a vague resemblance to Aria. A family member? Maybe, maybe not. But there was no mistaking the emerald fire in her eyes, amplified by unshed tears. The fists she was making were unmistakeable as well. Mal made a note to try to get Aria on his side.
The most chilling scene came shortly before the recovery of the rifle by Alliance operative commandos. The soldiers had reassembled. A holoscreen had been set up.
Maximillian Zenga, head of the Autodemcracy appeared in great fanfare. The soldiers cheered. "Good work my soldiers," he said in Spanish (the Alliance thoughtfully provided subtitles; Mal didn't need them- he already knew what was going to be said). Applause. "In order for the Autodemcracy to be established, you must do this many more times. This Alliance, and all its people, must give way to ours. Extermination," he roared, "is our only chance at survival!"
It was one thing to hear it from Mr. Universe. It was quite another to hear it firsthand. Mal's eyes flashed. The Alliance may be no friend of his, but he had friends in this verse. If these... autodemons? wanted to exterminate them, they would have to go through him first.