Serenity

SERENITY VALLEY, HERA

Sergeant Malcolm Reynolds's life had reduced itself to the critical imperative of running.

He pumped his legs as fast as he could through the uneven ground of Serenity Valley, his boots slamming down onto the rocks and dirt. With a determination born of faith and righteousness, he ignored the aching muscles, the fingers that desperately wanted to relinquish their grip on his weapon, and the bodies of so many of his fellow soldiers as he dashed back to base camp. Not to mention the mortar fire lighting up the night sky all around him.

"Base camp" was probably a more highfalutin name than the pile of sandbags in the dirt deserved, but that was what they had. The tattered remains of the Independent defense was headquartered there.

For five weeks, they had held the valley. Serenity Valley was the key to Hera, and Hera was the key to the war. Whoever controlled this particular ball of rock would be in position to do considerable damage to the other side.

Doing damage was a notion Mal Reynolds could surely get behind.

He stumbled up the incline that led to base camp, throwing his arms down at the last minute ... read full excerpt from Serenity ebook