Firefly: Trinity

Chapter One: Serenity Part I

In Serenity Valley, soldiers yell and run as they dodge gunfire and explosions.

Mal hits the dirt as he runs for cover, face dirty and breathing heavily. He rejoins his company in a makeshift foxhole.

"Sergeant, Command says air support is holding till they can assess our status." A soldier tells him.

"Our status is that we need some gorram air support. Now get back on line and tell 'em to get in here." He says.

"That skiff is shredding us, sir." Zoe says.

The soldier looks up from the radio. "They won't move without a lieutenant's authorization code, sir."

Angry, Mal walks over and rips off the badge from a dead Lieutenant's uniform and gives it to the soldier. "Here, here's your code. You're Lieutenant Baker. Congratulations on your promotion. Now get me some air support!" He turns to Zoe. "Pull back, just enough to wedge 'em in here. Get your squad to high ground, start picking 'em off."

"High ground is death with that skiff in the air." She says.

"That's our problem. Thanks for volunteering." He turns to another soldier. "Bendis, give us some cover fire. We're going duck hunting." Just then, the foxhole is rocked by a huge explosion. Mal's group of soldiers look ahead fearfully. "Just focus!" He tells them, seeing the looks on their faces. "The Alliance said they were gonna waltz through Serenity Valley and we choked 'em with those words. We've done the impossible and that makes us mighty. Just a little while longer, our angels are gonna be soaring overhead raining fire on those arrogant cod, so you hold!" He yells. "You hold! Go!" His soldiers take up their positions to lay down cover fire while Mal and Zoe prepare to take down the skiff.

"His soldiers take up their positions to lay down cover fire while Mal and Zoe prepare to take down the skiff." She asks.

"Do you even need to ask?" Mal pulls a necklace out from under his shirt and kisses the cross. "Ready?"

"Always." She watches Mal take off and prepares to follow but sees that no one's covering him. "Bendis? Bendis!" She sees Bendis huddled across from her, scared stiff. "Rut it." She grunts angrily and stands up, laying cover fire for Mal as he moves down the hill. After a moment, she follows Mal down the hill, taking cover with him behind some boulders. Mal fires into the bushes, causing the soldier guarding a large gun to move out of his cover and return fire. Mal shoots him dead. He activates the gun's targeting system while Zoe covers him. Mal locks a target on the skiff that's been killing them in the battle and fires.

He makes a direct hit and stands from the gun. "Yeah!" He shouts only to realize that the skiff is out of control and heading straight for him. "Zoe!" He calls and they run as the skiff hits the ground and plows past them, exploding. They hit the ground, flat on their backs. Mal starts laughing.

Zoe sighs as they enter the foxhole. "Nice cover fire." She tells Bendis, sarcastically.

"Did you see that? Green, what's our status on..." Mal trails of when he sees that the soldier operation the radio is badly wounded. "Zoe." She looks up and he points to the soldier. She moves to check on him. Mal sits near Bendis. "Hey, listen to me. Bendis, look at me! Listen, we're holding this valley no matter what."

"We're gonna die." He says, devoid of hope.

"We're not gonna die. We can't die, Bendis. You know why?" He asks. "Because we are so very pretty. We are just too pretty for God to let us die. Huh? Look at that chiseled jaw. Huh? C'mon." The foxhole roars from the sound of battle. Zoe is listening to the radio. "If you won't listen to me, listen to that. Those are our angels coming to blow the Alliance to the hot place." He turns to Zoe. "Zoe, tell the 82nd-"