Hadn't intended to write more but everyone wanted me to, so here's the next part. Hope you like it.

THE JOB (PART 2)

In a lifetime of difficult tasks, this had been one of the hardest. Asking for the job transporting goods to Shadow had ripped his soul apart. And now that he had the job, two even harder tasks were in front of him. He had to tell the crew and he had to actually land on the damn planet.

Most of the crew didn’t know where he was from. Zoe knew 'cause she was there when the word on the attack on Shadow came. And she was there when he found out his mom’s ranch house was burned to the ground with all the people still inside. And she was there after the war when he went to look for survivors.

But no one else knew unless Zoe had told them. So they wouldn’t even understand why he was so upset about the job. And, God knew, he couldn’t tell them. Maybe Zoe would tell them. Of course that meant he’d have to discuss it with her and she was going to have an absolute fit that he took the gorram job. Especially without talking it over with her first. And Zoe would know why and that would rip her apart because it was her actions that caused them to be so broke. He didn't blame her for spending everything to get Wash back, but he knew she would when she found out the cost to him.

Niska's little adventure in kidnapping had already cost too much. Now the cost would grow exponentially.

Mal’s thoughts were interrupted by Book on the intercom. "Dinner’s ready Captain."

Well best to go make the announcement at dinner. Wouldn’t get any easier for waiting.

As Mal walked into the kitchen, a roll came flying by his face. Followed by a giggling River. Everyone was laughing and relaxed. Everyone, but Mal that is. He didn’t even say anything and the whole room quieted. There was a long pause as he sat down at the table. River’s eyes got really wide and she screamed, "They’re all dead. They can’t all be dead."

In the ruckus that followed that, everyone forgot about Mal. Except Zoe. She recognized the words. She had heard them before. "Everything all right, sir?" she asked.

"I took a job transporting goods to Shadow, " he replied quietly. "So no, everything is not all right."

The others were still crowded around River, trying to calm her down. Zoe sat down shocked. "Sir…." She started to say something, but couldn’t finish. The enormity of what he had said was just too much. There was pain in her eyes now, the pain he couldn’t, wouldn’t ever, express.

"I had to, Zoe. We need the money to buy parts." The pain in her eyes increased as she realized why they didn’t have enough money. "Mal, I…"

He interrupted her, "It’s OK Zoe, you had to. I got no call to complain about that. Just like I ain’t got no complaints about who you picked when you had to choose. You did the right thing."

"No one else knows about Shadow. What are you going to tell them?" She was whispering now, more because of the pain than from any need to keep others from hearing.

"Just what the job is. I was hoping maybe you could tell them the rest. I thought I could do it, but I can’t. ‘Course it seems like River knows." He looked over at the mob around her and smiled weakly.

"Of course, Captain. Would you rather I told them about the job, too?"

"I’d take that as a kindness, Zoe. Thanks. You know, I’m not really hungry. I’ll be in my bunk."

"Night, sir"

Mal left the room. Just as suddenly as she started, River stopped. Everyone sat down again and Zoe started to talk.