AN: Running off on a bit of a tangent. I thought I'd mash up my favorite captain in some of the usual trouble he finds himself in with my favorite Colonel and some unusual trouble for him. This is part ONE and there will be at least a second and possibly a third story. As per usual my series name will match the first title even if I set something prior to the first story (in this case that's unlikely)

Scattered Leaves – Part 1

This story will be more of a novella than a short story. It will be a three part series that I will submit as a single document though I will begin release of each part as it's finished regardless if the next part is or not. In light of our current world condition, we could be closer to this situation than any of us realizes but perhaps without lifeboats or a Stargate to rescue us. I'll try not to get too heavy handed or preachy though.

The primary focus of the story is to tie these universes together in a plausible way. I hope I have succeeded in doing so and making all of it as fun as possible while I did so. Any continuity mistakes of either universe are my own. This might make for a fun fan comic adaptation if anyone is interested in doing so. Drop me a line if you are.

Chapter 1 - Prologue

Mal looked down at the salt and pepper haired man prone on the ground. "Would have been a lot easier to bring you in dead." He said to the unconscious man who had fought valiantly to avoid capture. "Jayne, put him in the hold."

"All right." Jayne said noncommittally and threw the older man over his shoulder. His quarry groaned something that made Jayne stop. "What?" he demanded.

The older man croaked out something too soft for Mal to hear in the wind blowing across the grassy meadow he taken to ground in and Jayne set him down with a thump. "Mal, we got a problem."

"What now?"

"Our bounty has a wife."

"So?" Mal asked in disinterest.

"Our client has her. The bounty is to get her cooperation."

"Go tsao de liars. They told me he was wanted for murder." The man didn't correct Mal that being wanted for murder probably wasn't unlikely as he had probably killed a few people to escape.

"Yah, well, do you suppose his wife is worth some money to him?"

The tall grey haired man who was dressed in a black t-shirt, a brown leather overcoat and green cargo pants scrubbed his hands through his hair. "I can get you money if you can get us home. She's a national treasure." He said with a pained look.

"How much money?" Mal drawled.

"We've been missing for almost two years by her calculations. They would pay a lot to get her back. She's one of our top scientists."

"Mal, why are you standing out here chatting with the prisoner?" Kaylee demanded from the rear bay door.

"Looks like we got a better offer." He told her.

"Well, you better get inside before the Alliance shows up or we'll have a lot more to deal with than flipped bounty."

"Girl's got a point." Jayne pointed out.

"Fine, grab him. Let's go." Mal said with a sweep of his shoulder.

"I can walk" the older man muttered as Jayne hauled him up.

Ten minutes later, Mal stood against the wall of the small eating area, Sheppard Book behind him, Jayne sat across from the unknown older man, arms crossed against his chest, his brows lowered. Kaylee sat in the corner and River and Simon sat in the other.

The older man sat, his hands on the table where everyone could see them and appraised the motley collection of characters before him. There had been a pilot and navigator too but they had chosen to remain in the cockpit.

"So," Mal said casually. "Why don't you tell me what happened to you and your wife."

"Sam and I were on a routine diplomatic trip, you know, kiss some hands, shake some babies…"