Take the Stars

ONE WINGED ANGEL

My name is Captain Aurora Reynolds, and my ship is Serenity. My father used to say she ain't much to look at... and she still ain't. But she's stayed in the sky since before I was born, and when my father died, he passed it on to me. I took it-I took and ran, right off the convent where I'd been placed since before I can remember.
The ship ain't much to look at... but she means to me what she meant to my dad. Freedom. Chance to see the universe before the Alliance closes us all up. I keep an authorizied job, so I can afford to slip around in the little holes the bureacracy still has left for us naughty folk... but I suppose it was only a matter of time before they tried to take Serenity from me.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. My dad used to say the beginning ain't always the best place to start so, so I'll try real hard to start out where things started going bumpy... en route to the very last place I'd ever know freedom.

~
"Captain! CAPTAIN!"
I sat shot straight up in bed, hair in tangles and staring into darkness. "Was-amatter?" I demanded drowsily," We hit Galger?"
"Aye, Captain, and I think you better get up here-fast!"
I scrambled from bed and tugged on my bibs... still wet with the machine oil I'd spilled all over em that morning. Ignoring the slick black running between my toes, I heaved myself up the ladder onto the main bridge to find my first mate, Will, waiting.
"What's the problem?"
"Alliance inspector, Captain, and it don't look good!"
I hurriedly followed him down into the depths of the ship, towards the dock," Where's he now?"
"Talking with Rebecca... I s'pect she's got him well-occupied," even near-panic, Will couldn't keep the bitterness from his voice.
"Come off it, Will... what's the problem? All's our papers in order!"
"I dunno... he said something bout our engine not being regulation..."
"Bull!" I cried at the moment we emerged into the loading dock... to find my mechnic verbally dueling with a ruffled-shirt bureacrat with a brain no doubt smaller than my little finger. But he turned to me with a superior air and sniffed," Finally, the Captain! Maybe now I can get some answers!"
Scowling unpleasantly, Rebecca stalked off to join Will in the shadows.
I quickly scrubbed my hands on my pants and offered on to the Inspector," Howdy, sir. What can I do ya for?"
"Captain Reynolds... according to our records, you launched from Ariel without proper permission."
I shrugged," Guess I figured there was no reason for it, sir. My crew's all clean, my cargo's been inspected, and we ain't hittin any planets near the outer rim."
"But your engine," the Inspector sniffed," Your engine is performing at only 42 mega rims a second, and as I was telling your charming mechanic here, regulation demands that it be performing at-and ONLY at-35 mega rims a second."
"Tis a Firefly, sir," I tried to sound nonchalant," Anything below 38, and she starts gets a mit queasy round the wings, if ya get my drift."
"That is not my concern. The regulation is 35..."
"Begging my pardon, Inspector," I cut in coldly, my patience quickly wearing thin," But I'd run this vessel at 42 mega rims plenty a times, and the Alliance has never seen fit to interfer before."
"You are carrying sensitive Alliance goods," the Inspector replied brusquely," We have every right to ensure that our investment is protected..."
"Bull," I said calmly," This cargo's from a private investor, and you know full well it's the first job we've seen in a good two months... what is this really about?"
The Inspector clearly his throat hurriedly," I don't quite like the tone of your voice, Captain..."
"And I don't like how bugged-eyed you are, Inspector," I calmly motioned to Rebecca and Will, who came forward and stood on either side of me, staring down at the lizard-like little man," Now you're gonna tell me what you're playing at, Inspector, or we're all gonna go for a nice ride to the Outer Rims and use you for entertainment 'til we get there."
The Inspector went beat-red in the face at my words," You... you brazen Outsider! Governor Orblacs-"
"So!" I cried in triumphant," THAT'S what this is about! So what's the deal, Inspector, the good Governor givin you a little on the side to come be a pain in my ass? Tell me, what is the goin' rate to be his Grace's lap dog these days?"
The Alliance Inspector puffed out like a little horny toad," How dare you!-"
"Whatdaya think, Will?" I ignored the Inspector mouthing in shock at me," Think the Governor means to try to make a trade again?"
"Wouldn't be the first time," Rebecca stared at distaste at the Inspector," He's been after us for months."
I sighed dramatically," And here I was hopin' he'd found some little painted play thing here on Galger to keep himself entertained. Obviously not, if this foul-smelling little wart is the best bed partner he can find..."
The Inspector finally found his voice."Madam, that is quite enough!" Straightening his tie, he briskly pulled a notice from inside his pocket and handed it to us," This notice hereby decrees that you shall appear before his illustrious Grace, Governor Orblacs, this evening at 1700 hours, so he may determine whether you may remain in possession of your vessel-"
"He can't touch me!" I threw the notice back in the Inspector's face," This ship is my birthright, and he ain't never gonna see anything but the back end of it, so long as I live!"
The Inspector drew himself to full height and said, in what I'm sure he thought was a threatening tone," Then you best die before this evening." With that, he turned and waddled as fast as he could from my ship, pieces of flying debris following him all the way to the street.