well that explains a few things

As a long-time Browncoat who has watched both Serenity and the entirety of Firefly far too many times (speaking of, I need to break them out again sometime soon), I confess to being somewhat embarassed for not having caught this cross-story tie-in before. Consider this image:

Browncoats like me will identify that image as the targetting heads-up display for an anti-aircraft turret that then-Sergeant Malcolm Reynolds manned during the Battle of Serenity Valley (featured in the appropriately-titled episode, “Serenity“).
Now, keeping the above image in mind, consider this one:

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it would appear as though the mythic Weyland-Yutani Corporation constructed the UA 571-D Ground Sentry anti-aircraft emplacement Mal used.
Oh, and speaking of numbers, the UA 571-C Remote Automated Sentry System was used by the Colonial Marines in Aliens, to great effect against the Xenos.
And as one final bit of correlation, remember the Operative’s words: “We’re making a better world. All of them. Better worlds.” Weyland-Yutani’s slogan is “Building Better Worlds”.
Coincidence? You tell me.
Of course, Joss Whedon did write Alien: Resurrection, and Weyland-Yutani was once listed as a major client of everyone’s favorite law firm, Wolfram and Hart, so this really should not come as a tremendous surprise.
I am still kind of embarassed, though.