the battle number around 500,000 , but exact figures are hard to come by due to missing Independent records .
Sergeant Malcolm Reynolds was one of the few surviving Independent officers and , over the course of the battle , came to command over 2000 soldiers . He fought fiercely , often alongside Corporal Zoë Alleyne . By the end of the battle , only 150 of those soldiers remained , with Reynolds and Alleyne being the only two survivors of the 57th Overlanders .
Alliance victory was attributed to the strategic command of General Richard Wilkins , who effectively used the Alliance ’ s far superior numbers and equipment to force a surrender from Independent High Command .
The Independents never recovered after their loss and the war was over later that year .
POST-WAR Things didn ’ t improve significantly for most Border Planets . Many former Browncoats turned to mercenary work or smuggling . Settlers headed to the rim often pack their families into small , overcrowded ships that do not pass safety regulations . Others pay for their journeys with indentured servitude , like those in the Canton factory settlement on Higgins ’ Moon . Supplies remain sparse on these worlds and illegal trade in stolen medicine runs rampant .
There have also been rumors about the Alliance colluding with the
Blue Sun Corporation for human experimentation , but these are largely dismissed as fiction , likely spurred on by conspiracy theorists and independent manufacturing agencies trying to compete with Blue Sun .
What can ’ t be dismissed , however , are the increasing instances of bandit attacks in deep space . Hundreds of lives are being lost each year and that number is rising . On the border worlds , these attacks are attributed to “ Reavers ,” organized groups of homicidal psychotics . The Alliance government assures everyone that there is no such thing , and that these attacks are perpetrated by former Browncoats turned brigand . Regardless , they claim to be stepping up patrols in all affected areas .
Mal and Zoë , no longer soldiers , went on to purchase a Firefly-class ship , taking odd transport jobs with a small crew . They named their vessel “ Serenity .” When asked why , Mal said that no one leaves Serenity , “ You just learn to live there .”
Reynolds ’ crew is an eclectic group . “ Public Relations Officer ” Jayne Cobb claims he didn ’ t fight for either side in the war . A registered companion , Inara Serra , says she supported unification . Their mechanic , Kaylee , was too young to fight , while their boisterous pilot , Hoban Washburne — Zoë ’ s husband — gave a rambling explanation about “ shadow puppets ” when questioned about his service .
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