In the year 2518, Alexander Corvinus watched live video feed, as the Cleaners surveyed the damage from the latest skirmish on the planet Persephone. The official war between vampires and lycans ended five hundred years ago with the deaths of Lucian and Viktor, but that did not stop the die-hards. Immortals on both sides still spilled each other’s blood for old time’s sake in this new universe.
The first immortal became transfixed at the sight through Samuel’s helmet-cam. A lovely, petite human girl walked directly toward the men, holding a transformed lycan toddler in her arms. She looked like a cross between Shakespeare’s Ophelia and a Degas ballerina. She spoke to Samuel, sending shivers down the patriarch’s spine: “This little one’s mother and father died back there. Please take her to her grandfather.”
“Bring them to me,” ordered Corvinus.
“Yes, Sir,” replied Samuel. “This way, Miss.”
“My name is River Tam,” offered the girl. “I’d give you my rank and serial number, too, but they didn’t assign me any at the Academy.”
River Tam was brought into his presence, screaming: “Too many memories! Too many memories! They’re blood red bat wings; the white wolf’s a Reaver!”
Corvinus consulted the covert file one of his hackers accessed for him – River Tam, daughter of Gabriel and Regan Corvin Tam, sister of Dr. Simon Tam. Her DNA and blood work were included in the file. He could recite the sequences from memory. River was a direct descendant through her maternal line – a descendant who had her limbic system scraped away. The Academy was not content with a beautiful, brilliant child. They wanted a psychic assassin.
“They dressed me up like a goram doll, and made me look at death!,” confirmed River. In time, she calmed, reading his thoughts. “I understand, Grandfather. Focus like an Elder, and organize your memories in straight lines.”
“My memories,” thought Corvinus bitterly. “I had hoped that one branch of my family would be free of my memories”
In response, River approached her grandfather and embraced him tenderly. For the first time in the 1800 years since he lost his wife, someone hugged him. “I’m never free of anyone’s memories,” said River. “It’s soothing to rest my head on your shoulder for a bit.”
After a time, the intercom from the Sancta Helena’s infirmary interrupted grandfather and granddaughter: “Sir, We have a problem. The little lycan is not reverting.”
Corvinus brought River with him to see the child, as she knew what was going on. “She’s in shock,” said River. “She lost her parents and lost herself.” River began to dance with the toddler in her arms, humming “Musetta’s Waltz.” After several minutes, the girl reverted to human form and began to cry piteously. “There you are, Musetta. You’re pretty, and you have very soft fur.”
Corvinus and the human doctor looked perplexed. “Her parents were Puccini fans,” River explained. “Her thoughts weren’t coherent in wolf form. The music came through, though, and it’s meaning was clear once Musetta reverted.”
Corvinus had a flash of inspiration, “If you could help the girl this way,” he began.
“Perhaps, I can help William, as well,” River concluded. “I’d be happy to try, but I’ll have to get permission from Captain Reynolds, first.”
Corvinus watched the exchange between River Tam and the modern pirate, Malcolm Reynolds. “So, that brings us to now,” said his granddaughter.
“Werewolves, vampires, and immortal kin,” summarized Reynolds. “Huh, don’t that beat all.”
“Can I go?,” asked River.
“You’ll be paid,” said Corvinus. “In for a penny, in for a pound.” The immortal met Reynolds’ blank expression and mentally noted another adage that did not survive Earth that was.
“And you’ll pay extra, Grandpa,” replied the captain, “for us having to witness the throbbing vein in Simon’s neck when he finds out his baby sister’s gone off with monsters.”
Reynolds was not fooling anyone. The captain of the Firefly-class Serenity was obviously worried sick. “Don’t fret, Mal,” assured River. “I’ve survived having Miranda and Reavers in my head. William is no worse that what I already live with.”
“But, no better, Little Albatross,” replied Reynolds. “You’ve got to make your own way in this ‘verse, though. Just make sure you make your own way back…with the money.”
The refit Firefly-class Sancta Helena docked on Corvinus’ private world, also called Sancta Helena. The first immortal learned that maintaining the delicate balance between change and continuity was the key to facing eternity. Everything that he could name, therefore, he named after her, his late wife and mother of his children. Until River, only those who lived on the planet knew of its name or existence. Corvinus bribed those he had to bribe, hacked those he had to hack, to keep his home out of various databases.
“Hello, Uncle,” said River.
“Hello, Niece,” responded Marcus Corvinus, who had been fully briefed prior to their arrival. He had taken on the were-bat form that he bequeathed to the vampire race.
“You’re beautiful,” said River. “May I see your aerie?”
“Of course,” answered Marcus. “This way.”
The aerie always made Corvinus happy. Built into the highest cliff on the planet, it gave the vampires and werewolves, who journeyed with him from Earth that was, a place to fly, to frolic, and to be at peace. “Yes,” thought Corvinus, “losing our native world was the best thing that ever happened.”
He watched as his fearless human granddaughter glided on Marcus’ back, her psychic abilities allowing her to feel all the vampires’ joy in flight. River laughed like the child she had not been allowed to be, as she and Marcus zigzagged through the air. “Faster, Uncle,” she yelled.
Marcus and River landed a couple of hours later, and the first vampire spoke with his father. “We should keep her and Simon,” asserted Marcus. “We’re the only family they have since their fool of a father disowned them.”
Corvinus did not have to be a telepath to understand his son’s motives. Marcus was undoubtedly thinking back to their estrangement on Earth that was. They fell out over William, just as Simon and Gabriel Tam fell out over River. Simon went to the edge of the universe, sacrificing every external measure of a man to save his sister. Marcus also sacrificed every external measure of a man and had to watch as William’s universe shrunk to the size of a silver tomb. Both sons could not understand why their fathers would not make it stop. Gabriel Tam worried about position and perception. Corvinus worried about containing a plague carried by his son.
“Not true,” countered Corvinus. “They also have the crew of Serenity.”
“Then, a compromise must be reached Father,” Marcus insisted. “Particularly, if she is able to help William.”
He and Marcus reconciled after Corvinus and his descendants were forced to abandon their home world. Father and son joined forces to safely transport William to Sancta Helena. When Marcus saw that his brother would have more than a tomb on their new planet, he faked his death with Kraven’s help and left him in charge of the covens. Who cared if the decadent traitor got what he wanted. William was all that mattered.
There were two large continents on Sancta Helena. Corvinus and his contingent lived on one; William lived on the other. The first werewolf had free reign of S.H. Alpha. It was forested like medieval Hungary had been, and the Cleaners released livestock for him to hunt and kill. His only visitors were his father and brother, until now. “We’ve transported cattle before,” said River. “Maybe, Serenity could bring William his food sometimes.”
“A possibility,” replied Corvinus, as he landed one of his shuttles in a clearing. “Quietly, now.” The instruction had been instinctive, but unnecessary, the immortal realized. River had already psychically located William and moved with graceful stealth that he had not thought mortals capable of.
Suddenly, his other son was in front of them. His granddaughter dropped to her knees, lowering her head to the ground, debris from the forest floor in her long, brown hair.
“Submissive posture,” thought Corvinus. “She is establishing William’s dominance. Marcus and I still think of William as a man, but she knows he is a wolf.”
River’s next actions shocked all three of her ancestors. She cut her left palm with an antique letter opener that she took from Corvinus’ desk, and stayed as still as a statue, while William lapped the blood from her upturned hand. His niece’s gesture reached William’s feral psyche, as his wolf brain processed something of her kinship through the blood. Corvinus and Marcus watched, dumbstruck, as William began to groom her. The alpha wolf welcomed her to his pack, welcomed her home.
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