Finding Serenity
A Firefly story
Chapter 1
by 
TurinTurambar
As you hear the cargo door close with a loud noise, you know your old life is behind you.
You look around in your room. It's small, by your standards, but comfortable enough. A bed, a few storage containers, a sliding door. A few of the other dorms are occupied too, while the crew has their quarters in the upper part of the ship.
This is it. You are now hitchhiking on a dubious private vessel somewhere in the outer regions instead of living your peaceful and wealthy life on the core. You could have had anything, a big house, a stable job, but you live in a time where political activism can get you in all sorts of trouble. A government that is not quite oppressive enough to start an open rebellion, but powerful enough to destroy your life.
You have never killed or harmed anyone, never stolen or destroyed anything. You were only blogging, voicing your opinion on the Cortex, pointing out how an all-powerful government, even if seemingly benevolent, will inevitabely lead to full-blown fascism.
But that was enough to get you intro trouble, enough to **** you to leave your home. If they catch you, you'll be locked up, no doubt. So now you are here, on this ship. Firefly class. "Serenity", they call it. You certainly could use some serenity right now.
The captain, Malcolm Reynolds, doesn't seem to like you, but he's the sort of man you respect and even admire, a natural leader, alpha without being arrogant. His second in command, whose name you haven't yet learned, a hard woman who apparently doesn't smile a lot. Then there's the mercenary, who scares you a bit. The mechanic, a bubbly farm girl named Kaylee. The pilot, called Wash, very easygoing. And a Companion they have as well, Inara Serra, a good-looking black-haired woman of maybe 25 years. You wonder whether she serves passengers of the ship. You still have enough money with you, maybe it would do you good?
The Shepard seems to be part of the crew as well, even though he's just a passenger. And then there are two others you haven't met yet, but who are in the rooms right next to you.