Present…

Mal stormed after Asha. “A deal is a deal, there ain’t no goin’ back on it. Me and my crew have staked our lives on this!” Mal was furious at the sudden double dealing Asha was doing. “I told you, Cap’n. You’ll get your pay. Have no fear of not makin’ any precious money from this little side trip.” Asha’s eyes blazed with anger and cold malicious intentions, which Mal could plainly read. He knew that something fishy and extremely rotten was going on and he wasn’t going to sit down like a lame puppy and wait for it to hit him. “I don’t like bein’ left out in the cold like. Ain’t no proper way to conduct a deal betweens us’n. If’n there be a change in your plans, I need to know it.” Mal stopped just short of running into her, and crossed his arms, ready to defend his ground. Asha stared at him and suddenly the rigidity left her stance, and a deadly calm came over her. “If you don’t like being left out of the information loop as Cap’n, well then, I think I can solve this little problem of yours.” She snapped her fingers, and the two men who always seemed to show up at the most uncomfortable of times, stepped out of the shadows from behind her. Their hands rested lightly on their guns, still holstered at their hips. “If bein’ a Cap’n of a little ol’ transport ship is such a burden upon you, I think I’ll give you the rare opportunity for a little ol’ vacation. From now on you are no longer Cap’n of this here fine ship…I am.” Her words rang out through the ship with a horrible metallic coldness. Mal’s face went shock white as he realized what he had done by pushing her into a corner, but at the same time he wasn’t going to let some stuffed Alliance puppet push him around. “What the sphincter hell you thinkin’ you can pull on me? This ain’t some gorram Alliance ship were you got authority. This here my ship and mine alone. You ain’t got the right to do this.” His eyes blazed with an anger that he rarely let control of. “You might be right that this ain’t some fancy dancy Alliance ship, but I think at this point, I do have authority or else you can have the unfortunate pleasure of watchin’ your crew suffer one by one.” Another snap of her fingers and the two men quickly drew their guns. “Right now, I think it would be right best of you to let your crew know there has been a change in authority around here.” Mal wasn’t going to let her get away with this, but at this point he knew that there wasn’t anything else he could do. Shoulders slumped forward he slowly nodded his head, and turned to head back to where his crew would be busily working. “Oh, and Mal just in case…” she let her voice trail off, as Mal noticed one of her men walk forward, gun still pointed at his back. “Don’t try anything stupid.” Mal clenched his jaw in another sudden flare of anger, but didn’t say anything. He realized that he had pushed her, and that she was more than capable of pushing back. Losing control of his ship, albeit horribly annoying, wasn’t anything compared to losing members of his crew, or even losing his ship forever. And Mal knew that more heads to think and formulate some daring plan would be better, then his one hot headed temper landing him in more trouble. Slowly and deliberately he walked back to the cockpit where Wash and Zoe were conversing in hushed tones. Zoe looked up, her face impassive, and her mind already clicking ahead with the information that Wash had provided her. She quickly sized up Mal and the man walking behind him and slowly came to stand at attention. “Sir?” She quietly asked. Mal looked over at her, unspoken words quickly passing between them. “Been a rather interestin’ change in plans lately. Seems here that Asha is going to play Cap’n fors awhile. We ta let her take charge wit’ out any fuss, seems like.” Mal’s eyes held Zoe as they both understood the dangerous position they were now placed in. “Huh? What exactly do you mean?” Wash swiveled around and glanced from Mal to Zoe. “Any more details?” “Nope.” Mal gave a rather angry grin towards Wash. “Nuttin’ more. Simple as can be. Follow her orders, plain and no trickery.” He gave a quick glance behind him, and inwardly sighed as he knew anything planned towards the silent, gun-wielding man wouldn’t work. “Zoe, mind trotting through the ship with me and makes sures we get all the crew informed?” “Not at all sir, I was ‘bout ready for a stroll anyways.” Zoe stood and made a slow deliberate stretch. “Wash, honey, I’ll be back in a bit.” Zoe nodded towards Mal and followed him on. Walking through the dining area Mal noticed Book, Inara and River. Ducking in he cleared his throat, quickly taking stock of them. Again he inwardly sighed, realizing that doing anything was getting harder and harder. No one had any idea what they were dealing with, and Mal wasn’t too sure he wanted to enlighten them either. Mayhaps this had better be one tricky event they just ride out. “Gots me a quick announcement, listen up,” Mal tried to sound non-chalant, but couldn’t quite get there. “Been a slight change in plans, seems that our wonderful guests would like to take a spell and get to understand the workings of space pirating a little more intimate like. Asha has taken command of the ship, and you’re all supposed ta…” Mal never got to finish his announcement as cold dread suddenly ran through the ship. Three gun shots, evenly placed rang throughout, the suddenly very cold, and very unfriendly metal. Mal wasn’t sure if he should react or if he should stay put, but as his mind kicked into gear from the sudden wash of fear, he noticed the man bolt from the room and head to the cargo bay. Suddenly everything was chaos as they tried to make their way to the cargo bay. Mal and Zoe jostled their way to the front and quickly made it to the cargo bay only to be greeting by more chaos. Mal gripped the rails and quickly took in the scene before him. The two men stood with the guns aimed squarely on a profusely bleeding Jayne. Simon was just steps behind him, stopped as if in mid-step. Kaylee was just another few steps behind Simon, very pale and very scared. But what Mal took in with the biggest weight suddenly upon him, was the form laid out oddly on the cargo floor just behind the two men. He saw the crimson stain upon her cold, black uniform. Creating a very odd contrast, and he knew in an instant what had probably taken place. But now Mal had to move in order to find out if what he had feared for so many years had finally taken place. His mind didn’t quite know how to deal with it all, it was all happening so fast. All he could do was stand there and hope that was he was seeing wasn’t real, but the cold reality slowly took hold. And then suddenly it all snapped, people were moving, voices raised, and Mal was running down to the cargo floor to see if his biggest fear had finally come true.