Jayne

In a world governed by reality, the laws of nature and man do not always apply and such was the case for this man they called Jayne. A mercenary, he was called by some, and a thief, by others. And still others called him a loyal soldier. He had arrived on our planet the previous day in a Firefly class trade vessel, and as he left the ship I overheard him tell the captain that he was "off to do some adventurin'", as he called it. His manner was strange and he walked with a stride as if he had survived more obstacles than any man could know. My caravan was just about to set off to the city of Andual on a trade expedition when he strode over to our group and asked to join us. The men were anxious to leave and were suspicious of this stranger. I gladly accepted his request, for I knew the perils of the trip and would need as many able-bodied men as I could get. The threat of danger did not seem to phase him, and he was more than willing to obey the directive that he pack lightly. The only concession that he ask for in return, noticing that my men and I bore swords, was to bring his modified gun, which, for reasons unknown to me, he named Vera. Jayne holstered his gun and we set off.

          The trek began like any other, passing distant mountains to the left and expansive forests on the right. The path wound in and out through large grassy valleys and near-barren hills. A half day into our journey we breaked at a lightly wooded travelers outpost. While the other men watered our horses, I tried to question our new companion. He was discreet in his answers, but I learned much about the goings on off world, of which I knew little about to begin with. He told me that the crew of his trade vessel had had a run in with a pack of Reavers a week prior and were lucky to be alive. I asked him what manner of men these Reavers were. He replied, "Reavers ain't men. Or they forgot how to be. Now they're just nothing. They got out to the edge of the galaxy, to that place of nothing, and that's what they became." I was fascinated with these unusual creatures, but Jayne was reluctant to tell more. He talked of other things, which I could little comprehend, but listened intently anyway.

         Our band rested for another hour before we made ready to go again. I had just finished fastening the straps of my pack to my horses saddle, when I heard the nearby sound of movement in the woods. I assumed it was one of my party, but when I looked around all were present. Then I saw a flash of brown and blue jet by followed by the sound of gunshots. I whirled around, blade drawn, and barely deflected a bullet before it hit me. Before me I saw a whole battalion of blue-handed men, guns drawn and with a look in their eyes of intent to kill. "What do you want?" I called to them. "We mean you no harm," said one, "we are only here for the girl." Girl? What girl? I looked around behind me to see a girl of no more than eighteen cowering against a tree. So that is what had run by in haste only moments before. "Gorramit, River, dont you have enough common sense to stay with the ship?" said Jayne. I could hear the girl nearly inaudibly whispering repeatedly,  "Two by two. Hands of blue." I asked the apparent leader of the blue-handed men what they wanted with her, but only received a no doubt half-truth about her being an escaped mental patient and their only desire was to return her. I do not comply with those who lie to me. "And if I refuse to let you take her into your custody?" I asked. "We will take her by any means necessary," the leader replied. I tensed as they let off a volley of bullets, but it was only a warning shot. I was not intimidated by the guns, nor were any of those with me, so I held to my affirmation to protect the girl.

The blue-handed men charged, guns blazing. My men and I raised our swords to deflect any bullets that we could, and charged forward to meet this assault. As I ran, I noticed Jayne stride over to the leader the leader of our new enemy, who was now standing off to the side and out of harms way. I could not tell what they were saying, but I knew Jayne had betrayed us in some way, or at least the girl. I focused on my attackers, taking out many. I hewed the sword right and left, receiving minor cuts from numerous bullets only grazing me.

At last the final blue-hand went down, they were obviously poorly trained and werent accustomed to being attacked by those used to going up against bullets with swords. I realized that my group had also suffered several losses, but more importantly the blue-hand leader was no longer in sight and Jayne was sprawled unconscious on the grass. I turned to look for the girl, River, and came face to face with the leader pointing a fallen comrade's sword at me. "You should have stayed out of it", he roared as he swung the sword with all his might at my neck. I reacted with an instantaneous speed, blocking the blow before it could connect. I parried in an attempt to go on an offensive, but he sidestepped and slashed me across the face. The pain was incredible but I endured. He went for my head again as I was caught off guard by the slash across the face. I ducked at the last second and struck again as a last effort. It felt as if an eternity had passed before I got up the courage to look. I could see the point of the sword sticking through the leaders back, and blood trickling from his massive wound. I pulled the sword form his now lifeless body, and wearily walked over to Jane, who was just now sitting up. "Gorram, traitor. I oughtta-" he said as he noticed my sword pointed at his neck. "I know you did something to influence this, all I want to know is why," I said to him as he surveyed the scene. "You heard stuff about me right?" "And?" "The money was too good. He wanted the girl and was willing to pay.  But the traitor stiffed me." "Get out of here," I told him, "I never want to see you again." I assigned some of my still-standing comrades to escort the mercenary and the girl back to town, and inform Jayne's captain of his actions. The girl, who had been found hiding behind the same tree shed been near before, was gladly led off in a daze. I do not know what prompted all these events, but I knew that I never wanted to see that mans face again. He had caused the trade expedition to be a failure, and my men and I would have to stop at the closest town for medical aide and the purchase of more horses and supplies, the loss of which caused by the horses being scared off when the shooting started.

I sheathed my sword, and went to tend to those of my group still left alive, hoping that no more adventure would follow.