“Just droppin’ us off at the most convenient planet would be right nice of ya,” Asha said peering over Wash’s shoulder at the nav console. Wash shifted uncomfortably in his chair, glancing over his shoulder at her, and made a funny face. Asha caught his look, and sighed. “Didn’t ask for this situation, just seemed to fall into my lap, and now I’ve got ta deal wit’ it, and consequently now so do you.” She straightened up, crossing her arms across her chest. “We all got to deal wit’ it,” she muttered, shaking her head. Suddenly Mal’s head poked up besides the nav console. He quickly turned a hard stare at Asha. “What’s this I hear about getting’ off? Thoughts we had a deal here.” Mal crossed his arms across his chest, mimicking Asha’s defiant stance. “Deal’ll be complete, no worries there…you’ll make your money,” she snapped. “Just any old planet’ll do,” she said turning back to Wash. “Don’t forget.” She turned on her heal, storming off to the cargo bay, Mal quick on her heals. “Oh no, uh-uh, ya don’t walk away from me,” Mal called after her. “I do whatever I please, cap’n,” she yelled over her shoulder. For two long weeks, the crew had had to endure these ‘conversations’ between Mal and Asha. None of them had a clue as to what was going on, and had quickly learned to just turn a blind eye to their spats. Inara had at first been pleased that Mal’s snide comments had been turned away from her and now seemed to focus on Asha, but after the first few days it was beginning to grate on her nerves, and her curiosity no matter how much she denied it. None of them was exactly clear on the job they were pulling with Asha and her two men that had popped up. Actually they weren’t even sure they were on a job, or just flying blind on account of what Asha was telling them. The whole deal was so bizarre.

2 weeks ago…

“Jayne I’ve told ya once, and I’m telling ya again…be careful with those gorram crates!” Mal snapped at Jayne who wasn’t really paying attention to what he was doing. “I’ll keep your cut and go celebrate somewhere if’n you ain’t careful!” The crew of Serenity were working as quickly as they could to load in the crates that had been dropped off by their latest employer. “Sir, that should be just ‘bout it,” Zoe said straightening up. She glanced over at the open cargo doors and nodded. “Only couple more crates ta load, and we should be ready ta take off.” “Good, I’m getting itchy all over with this waitin’” Mal muttered. He turned to watch Jayne and make sure he had begun paying attention, when he heard several clicks, that had the suspicious ring of guns being pointed in his direction. “Well, well…what a beautiful ship. Haven’t seen too many Firefly makes left in the ‘verse,” a slightly amused voice said behind him. Mal slowly turned around his arms going up in the air. “Now, there ain’t no need for guns on my ship, we is all friendly folk here.” He faced the open door and saw three figures standing on the edge guns pointed straight at him and his crew. “You might be friendly, but we let our guns do the talking,” a rough male voice spoke up behind the first speaker. “You need help, we be might friendly to help, you don’t have to poke no guns in our faces…just ask friendly like,” Mal said trying to disarm the situation. Jayne scowled and was going to say something when Mal turned and shot him a dirty look. Jayne swallowed his words and just glared at the people pointing guns in their faces. “Didn’t know Independents were friendly like towards Alliance folk,” the first voice snapped. The three strangers stepped forward their faces now coming into the light of the cargo area. All three were dressed in solid black that had the unfortunate look of Alliance intelligence outfits. The leader of the three was obviously the female standing in front of the two males. She had a slight smirk on her face as she studied the crew of Serenity standing before her, caught as it were with their pants down. As if suddenly retracting an unpleasant thought, she pulled her gun back and slipped it into its holster at her hip. Mal noticed with interest that the two men behind her didn’t retract their guns. “Wars over, or hadn’t you heard that one?” Mal said casually, slowly lowering his arms. She cocked an eyebrow and her lips slightly quirked at him. “Well, well what wonderful news, me and my boys can rejoice.” She gave a slight flick of her wrist, signaling for the other two to lower their guns. “Well, me and my boys have found ourselves in this...situation and need a quick ride out of the rat hole. Thoughts mayhpas ya might want some extra money and take a few passengers with ya,” she said folding her arms across her chest and cocking her head to one side. Mal stared at her for a second and then mimicked her position. “Well, seems like my crew just found some entertainment fer a few days. I’d say we could do well wit’ makin’ some extra cash. You help bring up those last crates and we’ll have a deal.” “Sounds perfectly criminal of you, Cap’n Reynolds,” she said suddenly smiling. Softly she added, “Just like normal.” She turned to the two behind her. “Get these crates loaded and bring in our gear. This here is Cap’n Reynolds and ya will do what he says.” “Once your men and ya have everything loaded, Kaylee here can show ya wheres the guest quarters are an’ ya can store your stuff,” Mal said. He turned to Wash, “Get her up ands ready to go.” Wash stared at him for a minute, not really sure what had just happened. He looked to Zoë for help but she just shook her head. “Oh goodie, gun wielding, Alliance passengers, always a hit,” he mumbled, turned and headed for the cockpit. “Sir?” Zoe asked her hand still on her gun in its holster. “What just happened?” “Ya, I’d likes to know too, hows ‘bout you enlighten us,” Jayne said, clearly disgruntled. Mal turned and started blankly at his crew, crossing his arms. “Lady had guns on us, and I thought it be right nice of me to save us all another firefight. I know how Simon hates ta pull bullets out of us all…” “Not all of you,” Simon muttered glaring at Mal and sneaking a glance at Jayne. Jayne threw him a nasty look back. “As I was saying…she had a gun, and I didn’t feel like bustin’ my cargo bay full of holes. Seems like they can be right friendly folk if yous let um. Now lets get off this rock…that’s an order, or do I have ta remind you all that I’m the cap’n of this here fine boat?” “No, sir,” Zoë quickly replied and motioned for the rest to finish their work. “Much better,” Mal muttered then turned back to his newly acquired passengers. “Well, since you know who I am, perhaps you should do me the same privilege and introduce yourself,” Mal said to the woman. She looked over at him, stopping from directing her men where to put the last crates and their stuff. “Asha, names Asha.” “Well, rightly nice to meet ya Asha,” Mal smiled then turned. “Let’s get a move on.” He looked back over at Asha and her men and shook his head. He quickly climbed up the stairs and headed for the cockpit. Almost as an after thought he turned back, and leaning on the railing he looked down at her. “Ya wanna come pick out a nice rock to be dropped off at?” She looked up at him and smiled coyly. “That’d be right nice of you, cap’n,” she turned to her men, “get this stuff finished, settle in your quarters and head to the mess area, and play nicely wit’ ta crew.” She winked at Jayne, who scowled at her. She turned and quickly went up the stairs to Mal. “Lead the way,” she pointed towards the door and quirkily smiled. Mal smiled back and shook his head again. After they had left, Jayne turned towards Zoë. “What in the gorramitt hell just happen’d? I thought we weren’t taken on no passengers for a while, since we have…” he jerked his thumb towards Simon. Zoë looked up harshly at him. “The cap’ns made a decision and we do as he says.” She looked over at Kaylee. “You might as well show these gentlemen their rooms, then take ‘um to the dinin’ room.” “Yes ‘um,” Kaylee said, putting down one of her random engine parts and turned towards the guys. She smiled brightly at them, not wanting to trip over the wrong foot since they had already had a rocky start to begin with. “You guys follow me, and I’ll show ya wheres you can store yur stuff.” She smiled again and gestured for them to follow her to the guest quarters.

“And this here is the crew’s quarters,” Mal reached out and pushed the button to open his door. “This here is my berth.” He looked over at Asha and raised an eyebrow. She curtly nodded in agreement. Mal headed down, with Asha quickly following. Once they were down, and his door was shut up tight again he turned towards her – studying her. “I thought that you was dead. Killed in some Alliance purge or something,” his voice seemed to catch in his throat. Asha took a step back suddenly and averted her eyes from his. “I hope this plan will work Captain Reynolds. I would hate to have to explain what would happen to your crew and ship if this fails.” There was a dangerous undercurrent to her words that took Mal back. He crossed his arms and gave a slight harrumph. “The plan will work.” “Good.” Asha raised her eyes and gazed at him with a cold, calculating look. “I have a nice rock all picked out for us to be dropped on. Shouldn’t be no problem. Once me and my boys are dropped off, there’ll be a nice sizeable package for you to take aboard. Once delivered to the specified coordinates, you and your…talented crew’ll be rewarded nicely.” Mal’s posture was rigid by the time she was finished and his tone matched hers. “There’ll be no problems. We is all manners of accomplished at what we do.” “I hope so Cap’n, for the sake of you and your crew. No if’n there be nothin’ else, I think I’d better check in on my boys, make sure they’re all playin’ nicely like I asked.” Mal quickly got in front of her and opened the hatch, he stood there rigid as stone watching her quickly climb up and out. Things were beginning to spin out of reach for Mal and the reality of what he had done began to set in. He stood there for quite a long time, contemplating what would happen if his crew made a mistake on this job. For once in his life Mal felt a twinge of self-doubt about their being able to carry everything out to the letter of the matter.