Beyond - Legends 48 ABY Star Wars: Serenity - Crossover between Firefly and Star Wars! - Chapter Seven posted!

Prologue

'Earth-that-was. A quasi-religion that has become prevalent among humans throughout the Galaxy, the original Earth-that-was has been lost to history. Experts in the field usually associate it with the humans of Coruscant, though in contemporary times it has been associated with Corellia. The belief has become the unofficial religion of the Galactic Alliance, especially with the withdrawl of nonhuman species from the galactic community since the Unification War of 40 ABY.'

The man with no name and no title set down the datapad, smoothing his chin with his hand. This was an encyclopedia entry that had been hidden away beneath layers of passwords and encryption. He estimated not more a million people had access to it in the Galaxy.

A small minority of those being the Members of Parliament, and the rest being owned by high-level agents running tongue-in-cheek bazaar stands touting stories about aliens that 'didn't exist'. Of course, many knew that non-humans did exist, but the propaganda and Humans Only belief of the Galactic Alliance meant that not many acknowledged it.

The Yuuzhan Vong war had broken down alot of the groupings that had been prevalent during the Galactic Civil War, and even further moreso the Unification War had been seen as a humans-only affair, especially with celebrity human familes from Corellia split down the center. At least as far as he understood it.

The man with no name and no title had lost those memories, and he had been almost thirty before the Unification War even started. Voluntarily, he believed. But, that was the point - he no longer believed. All he did was see.

Bitterness accompanied that thought, and he smothered it. Once upon a time it would have been impossible to get him angry. Now he found he was angry all the time. Especially as he knew the truth.

* * *

Its been eight years since the Unification War ended, and the Independants were defeated. The Galaxy is slowly dying. Jacen Solo is dead, and his Sith master Lumiya with him. After four galactic wars, trade has been destroyed, and whole worlds devastated.

Nonhumans are a rarity now, when once they had been commonplace. The majority withdrew to their homeworlds for safety, for fear of becoming the next Caamas, Ithor or Kashyyyk. Thus the Galactic Alliance has become a predominantly human one.

The Blue Sun organisation has risen to fill some of the void created by the economic collapse, and has since became the major trading power of the era, a contemporary version of the Trade Federation that is under Alliance control and strictly held. Since the war the Galactic Alliance has adopted a Parliament, distancing itself from the failed concept of the Senate.

However, while also throwing the economy and harmony of the Galaxy away, the recent century has seen many worlds drop into the Galactic Alliance's version of the Old Republic Dark Age - with technology on many worlds dropping to pre-Republic levels. Worlds are relying upon projectile based weapons, and more technology is on simple transports than entire worlds, in most cases.

The Core has continued, for the most part, but, to make things even more dire for the Outer Rim worlds, hyperdrive production was crippled during the latest war, forcing the Alliance to create a new, cheaper and less complex stardrive. Less powerful but just as hardy, the design serves the abbreviated community well.

However, the rot that has set into the Alliance has been accelerated dramatically by what has become known as the Battle of Miranda. A Galactic Alliance fleet was destroyed, and the secret of the Reavers - a cannabilistic nomadic people that had ravaged the Rim - was revealed; the Alliance created them. The Galaxy has turned on the Alliance, and the Alliance is now seeking the dark undercurrent behind the crisis: a small Firefly-class ship named Serenity.

 

There's always a chance Hapes will pop up, SilSolo. A given, actually. I need to use Tenal Ka character for her reaction to the war and as a foil to Malcolm and Inara.

*smiles*

Yep, I needed to make some decisions about the main characters of LotF, and Jacen had to be dead for this to work.

I'm intending to be notoriously vague about the how, at least until LotF reveals more. Ditto the war.

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Chapter 1
Persephone, Arkanis Sector, Outer Rim Territories


Looking up from the desk and blinking a few times, Malcolm Reynolds said, "You owe us?"

Bowler hat firmly in place, and feet propped ip on his desk, Badger grunned, "Course I do, Mal."

"What for?" said Jayne Cobb, his hand firmly on Vera, his favourite gun. Last time they'd visited Badger in his office, the moment Jayne had gone anywhere near his holster, Badger's entire crew had pointed their guns at him. Thus, in typical logic, Jayne simply walked in holding the gun.

It had worked for the sheer fact that the last batch of grunts Badger had hired had all been killed by Mal's crew - and this new bunch all knew it. Which was why Mal, knowing very well that Badger would be considerably put out for being dropped in the middle of nowhere on Peserphon, had agreed - he had that little bundle of leverage now.

Zoe Alleyne, however, caught on quicker than the others, and had her hand far away from her holster. "Because we dumped you rather than killin' you outright?"

Badger's smile, if at all possible, widened with superiority. "Exactly that, miss. Cause you dumped me I wasn't in town when the Alliance killed the rest of your buddies. I heard the twins died pretty painfully."

Mal had heard that too. He'd also seen the warrants for the Serenity and her crew, and this was why he'd been forced to go back to Badger - leverage or not. The other groups on the Rim were scared of the Alliance, and though the Battle of Miranda had broken their hold on dozens of sectors, they weren't willing to go that far against them.

Badger was the only person willing to hire them, simply.

"Shiny," said Mal, standing up, taking attention to himself rather than Badger, whom had controlled the discussion since dropping his little hammer of thanks on them all. "So how are you gonna pay us back?"

Badger stood, smoothing down his suit a few times and looking thoughtful for a second. "How about I get you in good stead with my boss, like?"

Mal blinked. His boss? Badger had a boss? This was a little too much to handle, even for him. Serenity Valley wasn't exactly shiny, but in standards of how much it had turned his world upside down, Miranda was doing a pretty good job of coming up second.

Zoe spoke for Mal, cutting to the real point. "What do we need to do?"

Badger flexed his fingers, and a datachip appeared in his fingers, similar to the one that he'd given them that had led them into a trap with Agent Dobson at Sturges, an Inner Rim world. "Take one of my small cargoes from here to Hapes, and you'll meet everyone you need there - the paperwork will get you through the customs people."

"No drop-off point?" said Mal, suspicion knitting his brow.

"Someone will meet you there."

"And our comission for this little jaunt?"

Badger paused. Jayne had asked the question, and Badger knew that Jayne was the trigger-happy one of the bunch. His eyes darted over to Mal, who now had a similarly hard expression, and he spoke again, opening a drawer in his desk. "The fuel'll be paid for before you leave, no problem."

Mal nodded at that. "Good." Catching a bag tossed by Badger, he strode out.

* * *

As they walked to the ship, heads lowered beneath various headwear and bodies swathed in robes, Zoe looked at her old commanding officer. "Trap?"

"I don't think so. He genuinely wants us to go see his friends on Hapes, and I think he was afraid of not meeting that commitment."

"Badger, afraid? Now I'm afraid." Jayne paused for a moment. "I don't like being afraid." He of course had begged to Mal to let him wear his knitted hat, but Mal had flat-out refused. They needed to keep a low profile or the Alliance may start tracking them down, and that multi-colour affair was not low profile in Mal's book. Or anyones, at that.

"Stow it, we need this job as much as any. We'll let his men stow this 'legitimate' cargo on-board and then we can get going. Comm the ship and get someone to pick up Simon and Kaylee from their 'date'.

 

Nice start. Always enjoy a good Firefly crossover.

Nice little details, litle about Jayne's hat and Zoe's reaction to Mals's comment about a 'date'.

Might I be added to the PM list?

 

Chapter Two
Osiris, Osiris Sector, Core Worlds

Prime Minister Valorum stood in the presence of his latest guests. Just like any other he'd recieved today, they were representatives of a point of view, another pressing voice on his day and thoughts. One more element to balance against the backdrop of certain chaos. Valorum was the great-grandson of Chancellor Valorum of the Old Republic, and the Prime Minister of the Galactic Alliance Parliament was damned if the Galaxy was going to slip back into that again.

Yes, he was well aware that the Galaxy had died, and the Galactic Alliance was limping along away from that death. It had made him the hard man the Galaxy needed, the sentient that could save the Galaxy by sheer willpower. This was something his ancestor had lacked, but Imhell had vast stocks of.

Thankfully, so did his visitor. Grandmaster Luke Skywalker. Nearing seventy and slightly older than the Prime Minister himself, the Jedi Master and his Order had led the withdrawl of the Jedi from galactic affairs, and now the Order had evolved into a quiet secret service of sorts, stamping down problems quietly all throughout the Alliance.

The similarities to the old Galactic Alliance Guard aside, the Jedi Order, similarly unwilling to be involved in any of the genocides that had affected the nonhuman races - memories now, at Valorum's bidding - had accepted that seclusion for that price. In the eight years since the war, the Order had effectively quelled insurrections on a dozen worlds, all without a hint entering the massive propaganda machine dubbed the Cortex.

Valorum nodded as Luke bowed, and so did his companions. Jaina Solo and Luke's son, Ben Skywalker. Both had been instrumental in ending the war, and the Prime Minister had become used to seeing them come to his office, especially the young Ben, now in his early twenties and determined to hold onto his memories of the Galaxy before the war.

"Master Skywalker," Valorum said, smiling. "It is a pleasure."

Luke looked up at the Prime Minister and Valorum restrained the urge he'd always had in the Grandmasters presence to step away and run in the opposite direction. Firstly, that would be unseemingly, and secondly falling through the window wasn't on the top of Valorum's list of things to experience in his life. The Jedi Masters eyes were haggard, weary even, with the weight of a Galaxy inside them. Shadow seemed to be draped over the mans face without fail, regardless of the lights around him.

Jaina Solo was grim, at least, but not, and Valorum was at a loss to find another word, dark. Ben was simply determined in a youthful manner, fuelled by something Valorum had never been able to fathom - Luke had limited his son's access to Valorum purposely, wishing to avoid any recurrence of Jacen Solo or Anakin Skywalker - respectively, Cha Niathal and Palpatine. Valorum let Luke have that sense of protection, in exchange for several unspoken points; Valorum was in-charge, and Luke had to accept it.

"Yes, it is," spoke Luke, quietly. The Jedi Master, without instruction, sat down in a plush chair, and folded his arms over his chest. His two fellow Jedi remained standing, more respectful than him. "I would like a mission."

"A mission?" said the Prime Minister, blinking. In his minds-eye a hundred dozen trouble spots arose - riots on Bakura, a petty despot on Whitefall, the clean-up around Sturges that had gone astray because pirates had set up shop in the debris ring, a demonstration on Commenor by 'non-conformists', Reavers, scattered by the Battle of Miranda, marching up the Hydian. However, none of those problems couldn't be solved with a strong application of the military, like always. The military just had to get there - something even more difficult with the casualties the Operative had caused them.

Luke nodded. "I wish to apprehend the Serenity, if I may."

"I told you by wave, Luke - the ship will be apprehended by Alliance vessels, and the trial will be an Alliance one. Not one of those secret mome

 

Of course I can, Armada. I was about to edit the last post with comments, but I'll do it here, now.

Who indeed will be on Hapes, I wonder, Ant, Armada?

Leona, you really can't have Jayne without his hat. Its...Jayne!

I'm hoping I have the Firefly characters correct, myself. I seem to, I think. The SW characters will make more sense later, I promise.

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the Jedi Master and his Order had led the withdrawl of the Jedi from galactic affairs, and now the Order had evolved into a quiet secret service of sorts, stamping down problems quietly all throughout the Alliance.


Hmmm, not a good thing if the Jedi Order has once again become pawn to the reigning goverments.

The Jedi Masters eyes were haggard, weary even, with the weight of a Galaxy inside them. Shadow seemed to be draped over the mans face without fail, regardless of the lights around him.

Fabulous description here.

Interesting dynamics betwee the Prime Minister and Luke.

 

Chapter Three
Serenity, somewhere between Tarhassan and Sturges

River stared forward, into the void between stars and planets, seemingly completely still, if not a corpse. She swayed almsot as if she was going to fall at any moment, but none of this was particularly stunning - it was normal River behavior, something she was slowly climbing out of.

What was most disturbing, Zoe decided, was that her eyes were closed. Of course there wasn't a lot out here, but you still didn't fly with them shut. At least not for the full thirty minutes River had. Even then, Zoe couldn't decide if she'd even had them open before she walked in.

Everyone else was asleep, and Zoe, her bed now far too large, and her room far too empty, only found solace in the cockpit, where her husband had practically lived. Mal sometimes flew the ship so the couple could have some time together, and even Inara could fly the ship if she'd wanted, but the cockpit was definately Wash's home.

To make matters worse, the heart of the ship had seemingly moved on from her. Mal and Inara were having lunch on her shuttle, and Kaylee was in Simon's room. Thus Jayne was the only one in their actual room, and Zoe simply wasn't ready to talk to him. She would've preferred her Captain, but he was busy and she wasn't going to intrude.

So, here Zoe was, leaning on the door frame, watching a child fly the ship, sitting in her husbands place. Zoe had cried, too much, and now all these emotions were behind the steel face she'd carved for them. Her sarcasm had been burnt away, her heart, torn apart, and all she had left was the cold little hole the war had left in its place. Wash had become her world, and her life, and now that was gone.

Belly! Not yours. Not hers. Hers!

Zoe jumped. That was River's voice in her head. Zoe gritted her teeth. She'd not interacted with River a great deal, probably less than any other member of the crew, and she was not having her mind violated. "Get out."

River didn't say a word. All she did was slowly raise her hand from the control board, and point a long finger at Zoe. Or more specifically, Zoe's stomach.

"Yours."

Zoe blinked away tears she could not explain, and suddenly she knew what River knew. Turning away from the cockpit, she fled.

* * *

Mal waved his arm about, trying to put out the flames. "Gorram incense! Told you this would happen!"

Inara was beside him, patting at his coat, trying as hard as she could to not giggle like Kaylee. "Just calm down and let me but it out." Predictably Mal waved his arm a bit more.

Sighing, Inara sat down on a cushion, and slowly poured some fresh water into a cup. Mal simply waved his arm a bit more, swearing in various languages until she spoke again. "Mal?"

The Captain, startled by the softness of her command, paused, and that was when Inara threw the cup at him. The fire was dowsed, but a fair amount simply splashed over his face. Water dribbling from his fringe, Mal sighed. "Couldn't you have done that in the first place?"

Righting the candle before it burnt anything else, Inara smiled. "Stop complaining and sit down."

"Yes, your Highness."

Inara became genuinely irritated at him, and her eyes reflected it. Mal raised his gloved hands and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, okay?"

"You better be."

"Come on, I could be worse." Mal flashed his most sincere grin, the one he thought made him look fine pretty.

Inara smiled back. His smile reflected a more innocent side of him, and that was the side she liked. The side that had reminded her that he'd volunteered to join the Independents for an idea, that he'd fought for her against all Atherton Wing, and that he'd turned the entire Alliance upside down because he had been righeously furious about Miranda.

That smile was the ideal Mal. Of course he was still a braggart, and a con man, and had the morality of an alley cat. Those aspects she cherished just as much, though she did wish some of them would calm down a little bit. He was the independant mo

 

Everyone else was asleep, and Zoe, her bed now far too large, and her room far too empty, only found solace in the cockpit, where her husband had practically lived. Mal sometimes flew the ship so the couple could have some time together, and even Inara could fly the ship if she'd wanted, but the cockpit was definately Wash's home.


Oh, that so hurts my heart. Poor Zoe.

River didn't say a word. All she did was slowly raise her hand from the control board, and point a long finger at Zoe. Or more specifically, Zoe's stomach.

"Yours."

Is she...? That would be wonderful, and sad, but wonderful.

Love how you get into River's head. Hmm, what's in the box? Is it a good something or a bad something?

Stellar post.

 

Certainly, TigerofRobare. Thank you for the comments.

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JediAnt: You're welcome for the PM, and take your time. For some of my less interesting pieces, what you just wrote was a review. So I'm content either way.

JadeSolo:

Prologue - Nice way of combining the two fandom histories. And it's a handy post to refer back to in case I forget what's going on.

You don't know how difficult it was to wrap some of them around each other. 'Earth-that-was', anyone? Darn difficult. The technology and other pieces - nonhumans, mainly - weren't too difficult, surprisingly.

Well, isn't that interesting...With the mention of Emperor Fel and the Falcon, you've got a lot of interesting details in this story.

Yep, Emperor Fel. Who, though? I like to think that a reconstituted Empire, in a Galaxy where humans now rule, would have a very strong clout within it. Thus the Imperial tendencies the Alliance has.

Such a sad line, since Kaylee herself is like the soul of the ship. I hope she's okay.

Here I remembered Han's reaction to the Falcon being rebuilt in the Black Fleet Crisis trilogy - he really didn't like it, and was loud about it. Kaylee is more in-tune with her ship than Han, by virtue of being more obviously emotional, but the comparison worked.

Healer_Leona

Love how you get into River's head. Hmm, what's in the box? Is it a good something or a bad something?

River is probably more difficult than any character we have. Inara is full of complexities, yes, but River is complex. Very different personalities.