Starlight Chapter Five

By J.D. FarnWorth

  (082911) All rights belong to that of Joss Whedon, Fox and whoever else would lay claim to the Firefly and Serenity Verse. Don't copy or use this material without the permission of myself AND someone holding the copyright. It is for entertainment use only.

  Also, if you see a spelling error or any other issue, feel free to send me a note as many have in the past week. I will update with corrections so future readers will enjoy the story more and more. You can friend me on Facebook and follow me here. Search for Serenity Lost and you should find me easy enough. Also if you do have a Facebook account please Share my links with your friends. In the end it is all about keeping the ‘verse alive.

Starlight station, Module one, Deck 3, July 12^th, 2504, 14:03

The Caf-Deck was strangely quiet. If it wasn’t for the sound of the occasional spoon to bowl, there would be no sound at all. The crew with their heads hung low sipped their soup and drank of their tea.

Gabe raised his bowl and slurped its remains. He had never cared about what people had thought of him. After all was said and done, they were just passing through.

 

Gabe’s story was like many others, he left the planets of the Core because he was tired of floundering in a pond full of sharks. He bought a ticket on a passenger star-cruiser out of Osiris to Persephone.

He enjoyed peace, for once, on that beautiful planet. It was industrialized, yet kept that friendly feeling, until he had a run in with a small man with an accent.

From Persephone he boarded a Firefly and worked his way to the Vegas sector and then Starlight. They needed their communication system rewired and he needed the ride.

He had always been a gambler and had earned money doing so, but on the Starlight he made his mark. He found his riches in the casino, and his love in a night club. Veronica, she was an artist when it came to dancing and an artist at taking him for his wealth. By the time she was finish he had nothing.

He often wondered if it was all some sort of plan; she took his credits and the casino just happened have an opening for a communication officer.

That was almost ten years, and over 50 kg ago. Since his arrival he hadn’t stepped foot off this station and he was sure he never would. He looked around the table as he always did and told himself, “Yeah, this bunch is just passing through.”

“Excuse me,” Gabe said, clearing his throat and motioning for the rest of the soup. No one complained and he poured the remains of the soup into his bowl.

“Anything going on, in there?” Judy had only asked what was on everyone’s mind. This fact was made clear when everyone leaned in closer to listen.

“They seem to be setting up for some kind of action, the guardsmen are wearing riot gear,” he answered. Lifting the serving bowl above his and tapping to get the last drop. He adjusted his girth and dug his spoon into his second helping.

“You, you think they are going to come after us?” asked Judy, sounding a bit unsure of herself. The rest of the crew looked on not willing to admit that they were also scared.

“No, tight pants came up with that too. If they wanted to kill us they wouldn’t have welded us into this corridor,” he answered, with his mouth full of food. A noodle made its escape down his hairy chin and onto his lap.

“Yep, he is right, they just want us out of the way,” stated the captain. He watched the noodle fall to the floor; he glanced up meeting Gabe’s smile.

“But for what, captain?” asked Marty, losing his temper and throwing his empty bowl across the room. He had always been a hot headed little man. The crew seemed to ignore his random out- bursts, everyone, except his brother, who would always pickup after him.

“Hey, get in here, something is happening,” yelled Jenny from the cabin. Her voice was a bit emotional as if she had been crying.

They ran from the Caf-Deck and into Gabe’s cabin. The monitors were moved in from the head.

“What you go’n do?” Gabe asked.

“I moved them. It was getting uncomfortable sitting on the crapper.” She pointed back into the cramped room.

“It was convenient.”

“For who?”

“Bizui!” exclaimed Zack, clearing his throat. He hadn't spoken for almost an hour and no one had given it much thought.

They took their seats on the available bunk and the floor. The monitors showed the zombie like men and women walking to the arena.

The arena once the crown of the Starlight held shows from all over the ‘verse. Rock stars and Bards alike came to perform for audiences of the uber rich.

“So the guardsmen are over by the stage and the zombies are entering the ramp. Wait, they are going to fight?” asked Jenny, looking round the room at the knowing faces. “You knew!”

“No, not for sure, but it did cross my mind. I have seen the Alliance do many things for progress and the good of the common. Things you wouldn’t do to a farm animal,” answered Adam.

“But why?” asked Jenny, sounding, as though, she was becoming disillusioned about her belief’s.  

“They can, and they will, do what they want for the whim of the powers that be,” laughed Gabe, sounding cynical, even for him.

“Where did you hear that?” asked Adam.

“That show I watch, the Rufflesteins, they got a little too political and the Alliance canceled them. They would have run for seasons but NOOOO!”  

“But that’s just a show, they won’t fight them,” Jenny whispered, looking back to the monitor, and not believing in what she was both saying and seeing.

“Yeah, well they did mention something about stun sticks,” said Adam sitting next to Jenny.

“So, they aren’t planning on kill’n the zombies,” announced Judy, making an awkward expression as she made the statement.

“Okay, everyone lets stop calling them zombies,” demanded Adam, holding his hands up to get everyone’s attention.

“What do you want us to call them?” asked Judy, looking around the room at each of the crew.

“Guests, yeah, no, we should call them visitors,” answered Zack, sounding a little too happy. His eyes were a little too red and his head was damp with sweat.

“Okay, I see where you are going with that and we can call the guardsmen the visitors and the zombies are home team,” stated the captain.

They sat there for a few minutes watching the sides ready themselves.

“I have 10 credits on the home team,” laughed Zack.

“You okay,” whispered Jenny, she had given him a bottle of sedatives to calm him, but she had the feeling he taken way too many.

“What, you think the underdogs are going to take on the guardsmen?” asked Adam.

“I will take that bet, I got ten on the purple bellies,” answered Marty.

“Zombies always win.”

Everyone looked back to Zack and noticed his blood shot eyes, his sweaty looks, and the nervousness.

He smiled.

* * *

Starlight station, Module two, Casino Floor, July 12^th, 2504, 14:21

In the arena the guardsman watched as the Walkers came in from the opposite end of the large room.

“Master Chief, they can barely walk let alone, fight. How are they going to have a chance against us?” asked Jackson.

“They’re not going to put up much a fight,” answered the Master Chief, looking up to the camera and monitor mounted on the wall as the channel clears with a crackle.

Dr. Ryan’s image appeared in the monitor and he waited for the channel to clear. “Be extra careful not to kill my test subjects.”

The Master Chief glanced over Jackson and nodded, telling him that no one believed the Walkers stood a chance.

Hanson leaned over to the Master Chief, asking, “Why are we so concerned about not killin’ them.”

“They’re programming is not meant to be used in this way,” answered Dr. Ryan.

“Yes, doctor,” answered the Master Chief, glaring over at Hanson. He had been with these men since he recruited them out of the ranks of the Alliance’s many services. Each had their abilities, but their closeness made them talk when they should listen.

“My computer program is an AI adaptive game program. It will learn as we teach it, but if you kill the Walkers before it learns how to fight, at the end of the day, it will have learned nothing. Dohn ma?” asked Dr. Ryan.

“So what are we supposed to do, just push them around,” asked Hanson, sarcastically.

“Yes, that would be alright.” He hadn’t recognized the sarcasm. He nodded to some one off camera and looked closer at the monitor, until his image became mostly forehead from the soldier’s point of view.

As if someone had simply thrown a switch the men and women started toward the soldiers. They stepped, shuffling their feet at first, as they walked they gained strength and moved more naturally.

“Okay, here they come,” said the Master Chief, casually.

The soldiers stood and readied their stun sticks; the smell of Ozone permeated the arena.   

As the soldiers zoned out all distractions other than the advancing horde of Walkers, Dr. Ryan’s voice was heard saying, “Okay, let’s not hurt them.”

* * *

Starlight station, Module one, Deck 1, July 12^th, 2504, 14:32

Mr. Black and Mr. Blue stood in the freshly cleaned command center. The Petty Officer had seen to the clearing of the food containers and grime himself. It sickened him the lack of maintenance that the station had since the border outcasts had taken over, every system had been neglected.

The monitor flickered and Mr. Black walked over and tapped it on the side asking, “Why is the image so fuzzy?”

“Weak signal sir,” answered Mr. Blue, he turned back to his control board and adjusted the signal again with no change to the image.

“Try to get me a better one,” he ordered, walking over to look at the action on the larger monitor.

The Walkers approached the line of guardsmen.  Just as they were within striking range and they surprised everyone by backing away. Then three of them turned and charged the group of guardsmen. They were brought down quickly, each earning a set of cuffs for their trouble.

“What was that?!” yelled Mr. Black, his anger overwhelmed his patience.

The Walkers mulled around a while before trying again. This time, six walkers sprinted across the room and ran face first into denial. The guardsmen stood in a half circle and defended their position. They dropped the attacking men and cuffed them to each other.

“Turn those Walkers down so they stop struggling against their restraints,” ordered Dr. Ryan over an open channel.  

“Sure thing,” answered an orderly.  

“Okay, here come the rest,” said Dr. Ryan nonchalantly.

Ten Walkers ran at the guardsman and matched blows, neither side making any headway. The Walkers moved away, back to their starting position on the ramp.

“What are they doing? Tell the doctors, I want one of their asses up here to tell me what is going on, gorram it”

“Wait, I only count ten, sir,” answered Mr. Blue pointing to the group of remaining Walkers.

“What are you talking about?” asked Mr. Black.

“There are nine on the ground and ten standing. The AI isn’t finished, there they go again.”

The Home team charged once more into the group of Visitors. They beat back the chargers with ease, cuffing them easily. No one noticed the single Walker coming from behind and hitting the Master Chief in the head with his own stun stick that had been leaning against the back wall. The guardsmen turned to beat the man.

“Don’t! I am sorry, please, for the love of God!” screamed the colonist, as he awoke from the hold of the computer.

* * *

Back in the cabin the crew of the Starlight watched the man's body grow limp and his face once again lost all expression.

“Hold on! Did you hear that, the zombie, I mean the man was pleading for his life!” exclaimed Jenny, pulling at Adam’s baggy ship suit.  

On the monitor the guardsmen beat the lump of a man until he stopped moving. The orderly, who had ran to the aid of the Home team member pulled at the soldiers.

On the other monitor, Mr. Black looked on with interest, even smiling as the man died at the extension of his will.

“Why didn’t he stop them? All he has to say is stop,” yelled Adam.

“They don’t care about these people; they are just test subjects,” answered the captain.

They stepped away from the test subject, his body jerked and began to reanimate. Rising to the horror of the crew of the Starlight, the man fell back and remain still.

“For a second there I thought we were in a zombie wave,” laughed Gabe. Everyone noticed he was just as affected as the rest of them by what they were witnessing.

Back at the stage the orderly checked the man’s vitals. The soldiers stood around watching the man bleed to death. They showed no remorse at what they had done. They even laughed as the subject moved. 

“Is he dead?” asked Mr. Black.

The orderly glance up and nodded.

“Yeah, your men saw to that,” answered Dr. Ryan. He seemed disturbed at what he had just witnessed.

“That is unfortunate, have the body incinerated, at once,” said Mr. Black, flatly.

“Why didn’t you stop them?!” demanded Dr. Ryan, pulling his glasses off his face and leaning into the camera his image again filled the monitor.

“Because, doctor, I wanted to know if they would continue to walk even if they were dead.”

“They won’t! I told you that, so you just terminated one of my test subjects on a whim!”

“Doctor, if there is a problem; we can just pick off another settler ship or use one of the Starlight's crew. It is not like they are ever going to be missed.”

“That is not the point, I only have so many harnesses.”

The crew of the Starlight leaned back, each one of them was having their own internal conversation. On the monitors, everyone went about clearing the deck of the wounded and slain.

Jenny broke the silence, “They are more concerned with the equipment than us. I mean them. I mean...”

The captain touched her on the shoulder and said, “Gabe, please tell me you are getting this.”

 “Yeah, I have been recording since they revived them in the casino,” he answered, patting the EC unit sitting next to him.

“That’s what you needed my EC for?” asked Adam.

“Sure, it is just a little security we have just in case they try to bully us around.” answered the captain, letting Jenny go as she ran from the cabin.

“They space one of us, all we have to do is upload to the array and bam everyone will know about it,” said Gabe, slapping his hands together and waking the rest of the crew from their shock.

“As long as I am not the one that gets spaced, it sounds like a plan,” responded Adam, he was joking, but no one was laughing. They crew just stared at the monitors.

“Say, can we hook into the Starlight’s mainframe,” asked Dr. Ryan, looking into the camera.

“Why?” asked Mr. Black.

“If you noticed, the AI, used a battle strategy and made progress,” answered Dr. Ryan.

“You saying we might be able to get these Walkers running better?” asked Mr. Black.

“Yes, that is what I am suggesting.”

The monitors flickered and the captain pulled at Gabe’s shoulder. “Gabe, would it work? You know the Starlight’s capabilities better than anyone.”

“The Starlight isn’t a sophisticated computer but it does have the ability to make billions of calculation a second, the only reason they didn’t take the gorram thing with them, is the computer takes up half a deck on the bottom level. It is just a gaming computer that acts a server for thousands of mother boards in the video machines.”

“So what happens when they hook up to their program?” asked Judy.

“The Walkers will learn to run,” answered Gabe.

“Then won’t that leave a trace in the Starlight’s computer?” asked Adam.

“Oh my,” answered Gabe, going over the implications of what they were getting at.

“What are you saying?” asked Judy, rising to stretch her legs.

“They aren't going to let us live,” whispered Zack, sounding as creep-afying as ever.

“The Starlight will be a witness and they won’t let her survive either. Now, that I think about it. Won’t the images and waves be recorded somewhere?” questioned Adam.

“Yep.”

“This is our tomb,” Adam whispered.

Zack began to giggle.

Starlight Chapter Four

By J.D. FarnWorth

  (072111) All rights belong to that of Joss Whedon, Fox and whoever else would lay claim to the Firefly and Serenity Verse. Don't copy or use this material without the permission of myself AND someone holding the copyright. It is for entertainment use only.

  Also, if you see a spelling error or any other issue, feel free to send me a note as many have in the past week. I will update with corrections so future readers will enjoy the story more and more. You can friend me on Facebook and follow me here. Search for Serenity Lost chapter one and you should find me easy enough. Also if you do have a Facebook account please Share my links with your friends. In the end it is all about keeping the verse alive.

Starlight station, Module one, Deck 3, July 12^th, 2504, 13:12

The crew sat at the table playing poker as Adam entered the Caf-deck. They continued to joke and looked rather happy, at least to the purple bellies observing them from the station’s control room. Their conversation, however, was more dark than humorous.

“It is okay, they aren’t watching,” Adam announced as he walked over and poured hot water into his cup. He then filled the small copper colored basket with coffee and dropped it in letting it brew a bit.

“Good, if I laugh at one more of Marty’s jokes, I am liable to volunteer for one of those space walks Commander Black was offering,” said Jenny as she nudged Marty with her elbow.

“So, what are they up to?” asked Marty, pulling the cards closer for another deal.

“They have docked a Firefly transport with Blue Sun markings. I believe it is named the Betty. Has anyone heard of her?”

“It’s familiar. Oh wait, that is my ex-wife's name,” answered the captain, looking around with his crazy eye for a response.

Everyone shook their heads, they didn't get out much and the last supply drop was almost a year ago.

“What else did you see?” asked Judy.

“Captain, you might want to go take a look for yourself,” said Adam, looking gravely at the man.

“What!” demanded Judy, standing to her full height and towering over Adam.

Feeling bullied, he answered, “Bodies, maybe 20 or so, they brought them off the Betty and wheeled them into the main casino. They have even repaired the little gravity problem in Modular 4. I wouldn’t have thought that they would have been able to repair the busted board. They have a doctor and orderlies doing most of the work. They have gurneys lined up against the gaming machines,” answered Adam stopping as he noticed the looks from the crew.

“What, come on? Bai Too’oh?” asked Jenny sounding as though she was on the verge of a breakdown.

Adam noted something else, she had always been a mystery but her eyes relayed something different. She was confident and in control. Her eyes betrayed her bubbly blond exterior. He turned away avoiding her gaze.

“No way!” exclaimed Judy starting for the hatch. “You got to be joking?”

Rod and Marty followed Judy into the corridor leaving Jenny and Adam alone in the Caf-Deck, normally Adam would have been happy to spend time with the beautiful woman. Those eyes, she was hiding something.

“It looks like they turned the floor of the casino into a morgue of sorts,” he muttered.

“Well, I am going to have a look,” said Jenny, sounding calm and collected. She had dropped the frightened school girl routine.

“Jenny, you might check on Zack. He is looking like he has seen better days,” said Adam, he tried not to look directly at her,  unfortunately he betrayed something of himself.

“Why me?” asked Jenny, once again more confident.

“You are listed as medic on the crew roaster. Aren't you, sunshine?” asked Adam, watching her make up her mind.

“You would be surprise what little training. I have in that department,” she answered, as she headed for the hatch.

“No, I wouldn't,” he chuckled, he had no real clue why she was on board other than as a place holder for a crew member without a real purpose. “There is a lot more to you than meets the eye. You are from the Core, but not a colonist, you have formal education and that means you are from money. Training in comp…”

She stopped and turned just before reaching the hatch, her eyes bore through him. He had struck a nerve.

“Company Relations,” he said, in the most formal Core Accent he could muster.  “Are you a counselor for Blue Sun? Where you sent her to spy on us?” he asked, his mouth scowled. His father was a constable and he had watched him work his craft on his brother and sisters for years. This gave him an edge getting information when he wanted.

She smiled and relaxed, “You got me, I was sent here to down size this operation.”

He noted the change and went with his other thought, “To bad, you would have made a great Companion.”

Her hand grabbed the frame of the door so hard paint chips fell making the sound of rain. “I know,” she answered, sounding soft and less calm than before.

Their moment was gone and her hand slid across the frame and disappeared out of view.

Adam turned from the table towards the counter and looked for the promised food, he understood that he had been let in on her secret.  “Great, I was hoping someone started something to eat,” he said aloud. He believed she wanted to tell someone, she had enough training in the Companion house to have mentally wrestled with him all day. One of his sisters was a Companion or at least, had been one the last time they talked.

His stomach grumbled, pushing him to look at what could be made rather then that quick snack he had failed to find.

* * *

Jenny walked down the corridor where Zack sat like a bag of onions. She could see on his face that he felt pain. His eyes were red and his chin was pushed into the crook of his arm. He looks as if he were holding himself.

“You okay, hon?” she asked in her soft voice.

“Yeah, I just want to be left alone,” he groaned, with a little effort.

When she reached him, she sat down leaning against the welded door. She stretched her legs and reached out with her hands to touch her toes. Her back needed a good stretch. With her hands she reached  up and looked back meeting the young man's eyes.

“You are sure prudy,” said Zack.

“Thank you,” she answered. She normally would have met his remark, any remark about her looks with an insult. But she felt he needed more from her.

“You’re going to be alright?” she asked, reaching out and drying his eyes with the cuff of her jumpsuit pulled over her hand.

“I don't like closed in places,” he whispered.

“You mean you’re claustrophobic? Why in the hell would you want to be a spacer?” she exclaimed.

He motioned with his hand to keep it down. “I only wanted to be a spacer to get my brother off Regina; he would be dead by now if we hadn't sold everything and bought two tickets to Persephone. We got ourselves into environmental engineering school. Most of our credits went to the school.”

“Still, why did you become a spacer?” she asked, smiling at his pain.

“By the time, I found out about the claustrophobia, I was already a crew member on the Basure, When Rod and Marty were offered the Starlight assignment. I tagged along. I figured a nice empty space station was as good as it would get for guy like me. Until they sealed us in here,” he answered, popping his head back and hitting the door.

It was then she noticed the little red spot on the door frame. “You need to come to my cabin and let me look at that head of yours,” she said standing and holding her hand out.

Finding the courage, or maybe he just thought he had a shot at the hottest girl in town; he reached out and stood up. She placed her arm around him and walked him to her cabin. She could feel warm liquid on the back of his uniform. He was bleeding and would need stitches. She wasn’t good at stitches, but would give it a go, after all she was the only medic they had.

“I will get you all fixed up.”

* * *

The head in Gabe’s cabin was crowded but half of the crew pushed their way in anyway. It smelled and they gave Gabe strange looks.

“I should have put the monitors out in the cabin,” said Gabe, looking rather embarrassed at the stench he had just created.

“Yeah, why did you put them in the head anyway?” asked Judy, leaning over the captain.

“Ah, I was trying to hide them,” Gabe said, snapping back.

“Well then, you better pull them out into the cabin because I don't think anyone is looking to come in here,” said Marty who had pressed between Gabe and the sink.

“I will later, for now you guys better see this,” answered Gabe, pointing to a man in the docking area. “He has been inserting something into bodies.”

With the loading ramp of the Firefly as a back drop the monitor zoomed in on an orderly who leaned over one of the corpses and drew a mark on the poor fellow’s leg.

“What are they doing to those poor colonists?” asked Judy, leaning over the captain to get a better look.

“I want to go home,” complained Marty, leaving the group and heading to his cabin.

Without complaint from the corpse, the man in the lab coat shot a gun looking instrument into the womand knee, injecting a large black dot. He looked up at the camera, asking, “How does it look?”

“It looks fine,” answered the doctor.

Mr. Black appeared on the main screen and asked, “Okay, how long will it take to get them up?”

“Not long, the paralytic is wearing off,” answered the doctor.

The crew of the Starlight watched the center monitor as it shifted to the wide angle view of the twenty corpses. Judy gasped as the corpses came back to life, one after the other, they stirred under the sheets.

“What the hell!” exclaimed Gabe!

They turned to Gabe and back to the monitors.

The doctor turned from the camera and asked, “How are they feeling?”

“Heart rates are okay, most are in the normal range,” answered the orderly, from somewhere out of camera range.

Gabe pointed at the multi-camera monitor and you could just make out the image of the orderly the doctor was speaking with.

The Starlight crew stood motionless. Judy found herself holding onto the captain as they watched the bodies continue to stir under the sheets.

One by one the sheets fell to the floor and the men and the women still dressed in the civilian clothes began to sit up. Their faces were emotionless.

The Starlight crew watched as the people rose from the gurneys and stood up. They all looked to be colonist. They could have been friends and families of most of the crew.

“Zombies?” Gabe muttered the question.

“No, dumbass, zombies don’t have heart rates,” answered Judy.

“No such thing as zombies,” stated the captain, going to one knee from the weight of Judy pushing down upon his shoulders.

“So they have heart rates and they aren’t undead, what are they?” asked Gabe.

Up on the monitors the scientist ran them through several drills, starting with the use of a broom. Ten or so stood at one end of the casino and then slowly walked toward the other end sweeping the floor, pushing the purple wall hangings and banners along with the other debris.

“Zombies that clean up after themselves?” responded Judy, almost in laughter.

“Look! That one is cleaning your favorite poker machine,” said Gabe, slapping his leg and looking over at Judy.

It was the same machine Judy played and the one she sat at just this morning harassing Adam.

“I may never play video poker again,” she said, as she answered his laughter with a deadly stare she reserved for the Airlock Inn back home in Freemont. It made most drunkards shy away.

“Why are they forcing them to do this?” asked Gabe, feeling the need to change the subject, from the poker machines back to the walking dead.

“They’re us.” answered the captain.

“What are you talking about?” asked Gabe.

“Inject anyone with whatever that stuff was and they have a crew that will do whatever they want,” the captain answered, dropping to his second knee and only remaining upright from sure will.

“Mind control,” whispered Judy.

“But! What would a bunch of people walking around like, for the lack of a better word, zombies, do?” Gabe asked.

“Well for starters, if there was an environmental breach they could still have people to fix a problem,” answered the captain.

“Nope, they still breathe,” answered Judy, stepping back from the captain.

“Then what?” asked Gabe.

“They probably work for a common goal until the task is done or they are dead,” answered the captain, rising to his feet and forcing his way back into the main cabin.

“That would make them slave labor,” said Judy mournfully.

They turned at the sound of Adam clearing his throat in the open hatchway, wearing an apron that was three sizes to big. He smiled announcing, “Lunch is on the table.”

“Hey! That’s my job,” complained Judy, laughing as she moved passed him. She couldn't help herself from slapping him on the rump. When she slipped into the corridor the smile dropped from her face as she thought of the implication of what she had just witnessed.

* * *

The captain and Gabe watched the monitors as things unfolded. They could hear the crew in the Caf-deck enjoying their lunch, which was a great contrast to the images of the colonist.

Mr. Black filled the left monitor, looking as charming as ever, asking, “Doctor Ryan, how long are you going to have them walking around like half drunken spacers?”

“I am working on it. The computer is having a little trouble controlling so many subjects,” said Dr. Ryan, whose image now filled the right side monitor.

“You promised me that you could control 50 units, with the Walker programming,” stated Mr. Black.

“I know what I said, it will just take a little while to get them running correctly. The subjects are fighting the wetware that I installed just this morning. As the wetware comes online the body’s nerve endings will forget the old path ways and respond to my programming,” answered Dr. Ryan, who while speaking with Mr. Black took the time to remove his glasses and clean them.

“I really don’t care how you do it, just get it done,” ordered Mr. Black turning and moving out of view of the monitor.

“Yes, Commander,” answered Dr. Ryan, he turned away from the monitor and called for his assistant. “Peter, get in here.”

“Sir?” answered Peter.

“Oh, I thought you had left,” said Dr. Ryan.

“No, sir, what is it, doctor?” asked Peter moving with in the view of the monitor.

“Have the soldiers readied; tell them that they will need only their stun sticks.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Oh, and Peter, tell the men to go easy on the subjects, at least with the first few trials,” ordered Dr. Ryan, turning his attention back to the camera.

Mr. Black filled the main monitor once again. “Doctor, how much longer?” he asked, who by the tone in his voice had found his patience once more.

“Give me just a few minutes and we can get started,” answered Dr. Ryan.

Gabe leaned back from the monitor and looked around, asking, “What, what are you going to do to these people, now?” He grabbed the center monitor and shook the image of Mr. Black.

“Some sort of test,” whispered the captain.

“Yeah, but I can’t make out what sort of test. There is a lot of traffic coming and going from the Betty and at the top of the screen you can just make out the guardsmen and I think they are getting ready for a fight.”

“They’re not coming here are they?” asked Jenny as she entered the cabin.

“No, we would hear them cutting through the door long before that and besides why would they seal us in here if they were just going to send someone into kill us? The people aren't dead, they were just sleeping, but the doctor installed wetware or something to control them, making them some sort of human slave labor. Other than that we have no idea what they are up to,” answered the captain now out of breath from the long update.

“I am sure their plan will unfold soon enough. Now go get some food, while I keep watch for a while,” she said with force and pointed towards the door.

“Sounds good, just don’t touch anything,” answered Gabe, pushing himself through the hatch.

“And call me if anything happens,” said the captain, following Gabe as he waddled out into the corridor.

“Will do,” Jenny said, making herself at home and taking the only seat in the head. Little Jenny, exercising most days as if she were running from someone, the truth was she was running from herself, more precisely her thoughts. She closed her eyes and just made out her father’s face.

She was very young when she left her home planet of Londinium for Sihnon. She had been chosen to spend a life as a Companion. He father’s idea of a status boost that would have worked if he had lived to watch her graduate.

When she left for New Melbourne only her mother came to see her off. They held each other briefly and only spoke a minimal amount of words. Her mother disappeared into the crowded and she walked up into the passenger ship.

As part of her training she was directed to spend a full year in an off-world Companion House. She hadn’t minded putting the distance between her and her family. She had thought a year would be to short and she knew one day she would be forced to return to her family and the company.

Her training house had selected her to work out of the Red Dragon on New Melbourne. It was a resort for the rich tourist from the Core that wanted to go somewhere exotic. Border planets were less crowed and the help were ordered around like slaves and very disposable.

Her status as a Companion training was almost complete by the time the New Year rolled around. Her last client was just about to take his leave to join the celebration of the passing of another year.

Earth was still out there, somewhere in the distant expanse of space, and once a year people gathered to celebrate another of Earth’s trips around Sol. 

She heard the gun fire and the shouts of anger. She hid in her armoire pulling her expensive gowns over her head. The men entered the House and started killing Companions and clients alike. They were dressed in black and used weighted pipes to kill everyone that they came upon.

She flinched as one of the men screamed, “Whore!” and killed her servant girl within a few feet of her hiding place. She watched through a crack in the door as the man pulled the heavy pipe from Jenny’s skull, where he had imbedded it with a single blow.

Cecilla closed her eyes, falling into mediation. Like music on the wind, she escaped the Red Dragon’s Companion house before it was her turn. When she awoke, some time had passed and no noise could be heard. Total silence, telling her it was early morning and it was finished. Her friends lay dead, their servants lay dead and all evidence of the clients were gone, removed by someone unknown.

Cecilla quietly walked about the House as a ballerina might; with precession and practice. She gathered her things quietly and moved to her servant’s body. Where her face once was there was nothingness, the man had seen to that. She had never given much thought into the life of her servant.

She calmly dressed Jenny in her purple formal gown; befitting the little princess that lay at the foot of her hiding place. She had died for her.

She would take her identity, she would never be known as Cecilla again, she would become Jenny Horn a simple resort servant. The thought woke her up from the shock and a new plan formed.

She pulled the cash from her hiding place under the stairs, then from each of the other Companions that lay quietly throughout the house. They all knew were the credits were hidden. All the stashes were there but except for the new red head’s. “What was her name?” she asked aloud. “Well, it couldn’t have been much?” She looked around at the unidentifiable bodies and decided it wasn’t important.

The credits that she found would buy her way off planet and into another life, away in the black.

Cecilla felt trapped, again. 

Starlight Chapter Three

By J.D. FarnWorth

  (072111) All rights belong to that of Joss Whedon, Fox and whoever else would lay claim to the Firefly and Serenity Verse. Don't copy or use this material without the permission of myself AND someone holding the copyright. It is for entertainment use only.

   Also, if you see a spelling error or any other issue, feel free to send me a note as many have in the past week. I will update with corrections so future readers will enjoy the story more and more. You can friend me on Facebook and follow me here. Search for Serenity Lost chapter one and you should find me easy enough. Also if you do have a Facebook account please Share my links with your friends. In the end it is all about keeping the verse alive.

Starlight station, Module one, Deck 3, July 12^th, 2504, 12:31

  Up until a few hours ago, Starlight had felt like home. Now the station felt more like a prison. Air passed through the vents as it always had, but the freedom to walk the emptiness was gone.

  Zack sat against the freshly welded door listening to the sound of boots hitting the deck. He felt closed in, more so than anyone else, he also had answered an advertisement and left a past behind. It had taken him days to talk his twin brother into the spacer’s life.

 

  They had grown up on Regina, a mining world. Where their father had staked a claim and became wealthy compared to the poor folk living in tents just down the road from their home.

  When his mother was pregnant, she became sick with what was later called, Bowden's Malady. It is a degenerative disease that affects the muscles and organs of its victims. It didn't matter that she had never been in the mine. She was stricken just the same.

  When they were born, they suffered from the same aliment.  He ended up with chronic bronchitis that is mostly controlled with an expensive medication called Pascaline. His brother wasn't so fortunate, stunted growth showed more and more as the years went on. Halfling, Space Dwarf, Minor Shrimp were just a few of the names called out by the groups of children that teased his brother.

   After ten years of suffering, their mother died and their father lost all hope and reason. The man they called father lifted them into an iron trolley and pushed the boys deep into the mine. They had always wanted to go see the mine that brought their family so much wealth. It should have been a great occasion, but at the end of the line they saw their mother's body under her imported thousand count sheet set. Before they could even scream their father pushed down on the plunger with both hands. With a violent rumble, he dropped the ceiling on his family, killing him instantly.

  If it wasn't for his brother's small size, they would have had little chance. Marty climbed to the surface to find help. Days went by before Zack was freed. He had been alone in the dark with what was left of his mother and father.

 

  Zack slammed his head against the freshly welded door, again and again. Starlight was a safe haven, but now he was trapped once more. 

* * *

  The crew gathered around the large table in the Caf-Deck. Everyone looked to the captain for what to do next.

  “Adam, do you have your EC unit?” asked the captain, pulling at his fresh uniform.

  “Sure,” answered Adam, pulling it from its holster and warming it up. The screen lit up and an Alliance symbol formed.

  “Give it to Gabe, and everyone else, lets relax and play some poker, and maybe have a snack,” said the captain, sounding a little like he was unsure of what to do next.

  Judy moved away from Gabe and onto the business side of the counter, saying cheerfully, “I am sure I can whip up something.”

  Gabe took the Electronic Clipboard from Adam and logged into the device.

  “That isn’t going to get me bound, is it?” asked Adam, looking confused.

  “No, but, you might get to make your first space walk,” answered Gabe, jokingly. He looked over to the captain's facial expression and refrained from laughing further. Without another word Gabe headed off to his cabin.

  The captain reflected, “I think I am starting to get the hang of the evil look.”

  “Oh, Cap! You have always looked evil,” said Judy looking around the room for support.

  Everyone laughed in the Caf-Deck as they relaxed for the first time since their uninvited guest had arrived. Judy rattled the pots around and started to prepare lunch for her captive audience.

  Jenny appeared through the open hatch, asking. “What is so funny?”

  “Judy was just telling us a joke, so we laughed. You know that the microphones on this deck have been malfunctioning for the last hour or so and if anyone is watching they might be a little more relaxed if we just seemed to be a happy go lucky crew,” stated the captain, once again trying out his evil look.

  “So, Gabe fixed, well, rather broke all of the cams or just this one?” asked Adam, smiling, trying not to look directly into the camera or at the captain who looked like he had a facial twitch.

  “There are three, one here, one in the corridor and one in the storage room. The have eyes on us, but no ears. So, if they see us sneaking around, they might start to think we are up to something,” answered the captain, slapping the table and laughing like a mad hatter.

  “And, are we sir, up to something, sir?” Adam asked, as he also laughed at the captain's antics.

  “Yes, that is the point of the laughter. Now does anyone know any jokes?” asked the captain. “Or am I going to have to use my evil look as well as my evil laugh.” He looked around the room at his crew with one eye closed and the other rolled back in his skull.

  Everyone chuckled including Adam. He was sure he was laughing for an entirely different reason and wondered if a strange gas had been pumped into the deck.

  Someone tapped on the wall and the captain started towards the hatch.

  “Not without me,” yelled Adam, standing as soon as he saw the captain rise from the table.

  “Are you sure you want to follow me?” asked the captain.

  “No, but I want to know what is going on and why Gabe took my EC unit.”

  “Very well, follow me and Judy you might want to put a hold on lunch,” said the captain.

  “That was what I was thinking, Cap,” she answered heading over to the table to play some poker.

* * *

  They entered the cabin and Gabe was nowhere to be found. The room already looked like the command center. It had debris on the floor and clothing spread from one side of the room to the other.

  “Gabe, you in here?” ask the captain.

  “Yeah, I'm in the head, come in,” he answered, sounding muffled from the closed hatch.

  “Hmm,” Adam muttered, looking towards the door nervously.

  The captain pulled at the latch and door popped open. He looked back at Adam for support. He decided he would run if Adam took flight.

  Gabe had been very busy setting up his equipment in the cramped compartment. He had taped three monitors to the railing, pulled in a power supply from the cabin and even mounted the EC unit on the sink.

  Gabe frantically typed on the keyboard linking each monitor to the station’s Prowler system.

  “So, what are you up to?” asked Adam.

  “We are finding out what those Moon-brains are up to,” answered the captain.

  “Can we get caught? I believe someone mentioned a space walk with suit optional?” Adam asked, nervously looking at the large man in the tiny room.

  “We won't get caught. These monitors are cloned to the three monitors on the control console. They only think that they are running things. I know my system better than anyone else. That is why I asked who was going to be running my station in the control room. The man they have up there has no idea what he is doing with the system that is in place on Starlight, it is a station computer as well as an interactive gaming computer,” answered Gabe.

  “So what does that give us?” asked Adam, waving his hand about. “I am just trying to catch up with the disobedience.”

  “Well, if you were up there, wouldn’t you be interested in what is going on and focus on the main events with the only three working monitors?” answered Gabe, pausing and looking up at the monitor.

  “Yes, but...” answered Adam, stopping to watch as he noticed the image flicker back and forth.

  The center monitor flashed to the hallway and then back to the Caf-Deck. The Prowler program identified each crew member in the Caf-deck and even Zack sitting alone at the end of the corridor.

 

  “They are looking for someone,” stated Gabe, looking to the captain.

  “Me? You think they are wondering if I'm up to something.” The   captain looking almost hurt by the mere thought.

  “Well, aren't you up to something, Cap?” asked Adam.

  “Well, yeah, but they don't know that!” Rod leaned back into the head to get a better look at the monitors.

  “You might want to slip back to the group. We will keep you posted,” stated Gabe, continuing to tap commands on the keyboard of the EC.

  The captain waited at the open hatchway leading to the corridor, “Let me know when they are looking back at the Caf-Deck and I will time my entrance.”

  “Good idea, be ready,” answered Gabe raising his hand up and dropping it to signal the captain.

 

  Up on the monitor, the view switched from the Caf-deck to the corridor. The captain appeared in mid stride walking down the hallway. The Prowler system identified him and followed him into the Caf-Deck. The Prowler program held and framed the captain relaxing at the table.

 

  Adam and Gabe watched for a few seconds before focusing on the right monitor.

  “Where’s that?” asked Adam, pointing with his out stretched hand.

  “That is where Marty and Zack fought, earlier,” answered Gabe, slapping his balled up fist into his hand.

  “And where is this other monitor focusing?” asked Adam, leaning closer to Gabe to get a better look.

  “One of the lower docking bays. Not far from Reception,” answered Gabe, leaning a bit closer to the monitor.

  On the monitor, they could see men moving light cargo from a vessel and walking out of view. They were dressed as orderlies from a Core Hospital. Light blue, with white skull caps, other than that, they heralded no other information of their purpose or where they had come from.

  “They work quickly, that is in Modular 4, where just this morning the captain 'fixed' the gravity. They must have a good engineer. Can you zoom in on that Cargo door?” asked Adam, pointing to the edge of the screen and a small tag mounted on the vessel.

  “Yes, but if they change the cameras even the shee-niou they got at my station would be able to detect our tampering,” answered Gabe, pulling his fat finger across his neck.

  “Do it and jump back out,” ordered Adam.

  The camera moved in close enough to see the ship’s identification tag; ‘The Betty, Firefly Class‘.

 

“Now back out!” barked Adam.

  The screen flickered once and jumped back to its previous magnification. On the screen, an orderly walked back up the ramp presumably to retrieve more cargo.

 

  Adam look on as Gabe continued to enter code into the Electronic Clipboard.

  “I think we are okay,” said Gabe.

  “Okay, what are they doing with a transport vessel?” asked Adam, moving away from the opened Hatch and closer to the bunks. He glanced at the lower and noted that it looked slept in even though this wasn't Gabe assigned cabin.

  “Ship that size could carry almost anything. It might even be armed to the teeth. If I had full use of the computer, I could figure out what kind of Firefly we are talking about.” Gabe leaned back and relaxed on the only stool in the little room.

  Adam mulled it over and said, “I would guess it is the an ex-military, it‘s markings are...”

  “Wuh duh ma huh tah duh fong kwong huh wai shung! Bodies!” Gabe interrupted Adam's thought and pointed to the monitor.

  Adam ran back almost sitting on Gabe's lap exclaiming, “What?”

  “Bodies! I see dead people!” shouted Gabe.

  On the center monitor, the orderlies pushed what looked to be bodies under white sheets down the cargo ramp of the Firefly and onto the loading dock, pausing to confer with another older man in glasses before pushing the gurneys off camera completely.

 

  “Maybe some kind of cover up?” asked Gabe.

  He was known by everyone on the station to be a conspiracy theorist.   This time he might be right. It was a thought that worried Adam, not the fact that there were bodies being wheeled onto the deck of the Starlight, but the fact that Gabe might be right.

  “Maybe,” whispered Adam, feeling a lump forming in his throat.

  The center screen flickered as the one of the casino cams auto focused on the banks of gaming machines, then panned out to show the whole casino, where gurneys lined up with a whole row of one armed bandits.

  “What in the hell?” whispered Gabe, sounding like he was going to hyperventilate, as he took shorter and shorter breaths.

  The right screen changed to a view of the other end of the casino.

  The left moved to an open station view that contained nine images of different points of view of the station. Each image changed as the operator updated the desired camera angles.

  With a squelch, a channel opened. Mr. Black filled the top right image.

  “Doctor Ryan, How many more?” asked Mr. Black.

  The scientist looking fellow wearing a white lab coat and dark glasses filled the top left frame of the multi-camera view, answered, “We have just three more and then we can begin.” The image panned out and he moved from body to body, examining each subject.

  Adam leaned back from Gabe asking, “Begin what?”

  “Your guess is as good as mine,” answered Gabe, not taking his eyes from the action unfolding in front of him.

  “I am going to inform the captain and see what he thinks,” said Adam, pausing at the hatch as he had watched the captain do a few minutes before.

  “It should be safe, I think that they’re more interested in what is going on in the casino,” Gabe answered, giving Adam the signal as he had the captain.

  Adam disappeared into the corridor leaving Gabe with his equipment.  Gabe reached out and pulled the hatch closed, letting out an evil laugh and saying, “After all it is a head.”