Serenity by Keith R. A. DeCandido

Author:Keith R. A. DeCandido
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pocket Books

HAVEN

Mal first came across Haven shortly after he acquired Serenity. He’d heard tell that a couple of his and Zoë’s fellow Browncoats who’d disappeared wound up on that rock, and Mal had followed them to find out what happened. Turned out that the mining community thereabouts were willing to harbor the occasional fugitive for a small price. Since Mal had himself a boat, he offered to provide them with a ferry service on those occasions when it was required.

A few months back, they’d waved him, telling him that a thief was tired of running from the Alliance and wanted to settle down and do some honest work. Of course, thieving could be right honest work—it was all a question of who was being thieved—but Mal was willing to pick the young man up and bring him to Haven.

It was the first time they’d traveled yonder since Shepherd Book came on board. When they were fixing to depart, Book—who had announced his intention to depart Serenity—said that he’d be staying behind. Plenty of the miners were right spiritual folk, and welcomed the notion of a preacher in their midst. Though Book had proven to be much more than the passenger he’d signed on as, Mal couldn’t conjure a good reason to not let him stay, especially since the locals were so keen on him. And, truth be known, Mal wouldn’t miss Book’s praying overmuch. He’d has his fill of such foolishness, and left it behind on Hera.

Haven was pretty much a big mine and a small town. The mine looked like every other mine in the ’verse—big cave, lots of heavy equipment. Sadly, the town proved a powerful reminder to Mal of Lilac—several shacks, not as ramshackle as on the other moon, but indicative of the same hard living. They also had a church, which got more use nowadays, and a small vegetable patch, which was another of Book’s contributions to the community.

One thing they had that Lilac didn’t—and could rightly have used—was a large cannon, salvaged off a warship some years back. It was the main thing that kept Haven living up to its name.

Dozens of townsfolk came out to greet them, including Doane, who had cannon duty today. He jumped down from the chair that had been attached to the cannon and gave Mal a hearty handshake. Little Hiroko ran toward them at top speed, yelling “Aun’ Kaylee! Aun’ Kaylee!” at the top of his little lungs and crashing right into Kaylee’s legs, giving them a fierce hug. Bernabe, one of the other Independents, gave Zoë a big hug that got Wash all fake-jealous.

And then there was Book.

Mal had little use for the preacher when he first signed on. He paid his way with some cash, and also with some fruits and vegetables he’d taken with him when he departed Southdown Abbey and decided to, as he had put it, walk the world awhile. Seeing as Serenity’s crew lived most times on reconstituted protein, it endeared the shepherd to the crew something considerable.

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