"That's just great!" Mal growled."Well, we can discuss this after we deliver the package, and get paid. Last time I checked, we all still like to eat."

Mal turned away from Zoe and looked out the flight windows. The lights of St. Lucy's could just be seen, on the skyline, so the world was Ariel, one of many places where the crew of Serenity stepped lightly. The list of such places just kept getting longer, but you had to work, and get paid, to keep flying.

Another mouth to feed, another person to fail. Mal glanced at Shepherd Book's bible, which lay on the copilot's console where River had been rereading and annotating it, for "logistical and other errors." He turned to the pilot's console, on the left, port, side of the bridge, where one of Wash’s dinosaurs stared accusingly at him. He swatted it and it soared across the bridge. Zoe caught it neatly, one-handed, and held it gently.

Embarrassed, Mal added, peevishly, "When was she going to tell me? You know, the captain, her boss?"

"Sir, she only just found out. Simon's probably double checking as we speak-"

"Playing doctor's what got her into trouble!"

"-but River seems to think that she is," Zoe finished smoothly.

"Hunh."

'That's my captain,' Zoe thought, 'very expressive with a monosyllable.'

"Kaylee thinks that you'll put her off..." As Mal started to protest, she added, "and so do I."

Mal glared at her and started to pace. "You know, a body ought to be allowed to make up his own mind, and not just do whatever everyone else thinks that he's going to do," He said tightly.

"I imagine that's so, sir."

Mal stopped pacing and turned to Zoe in amazement. "You're trying to get me to decide one way, before I've even had a chance to think on it! Zoe, do you want a kid on this boat?"

"As a matter of fact, I did. Mine and Wash’s."

Mal stared, mouth gaping.

"Girl or boy, I would like to have met that child. We would have made a strong, beautiful little person." The smooth planes of her face trembled, like the precursor shocks of a seismic event.

"Sorry, sir. It won't happen again."

Zoe turned on her heel and marched away from him.

"Zoe!?"

"I'll tell Jayne to prep the package, and we'll be ready to go when you are."

Zoe did not flee. She simply advanced, down the stairs, to the rear.