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Malcolm Reynolds sat in front of Badger The weaselly little hun dan was trying to cheat them, as usual.

"All I'm saying is," Badger reasoned, "'t'would be better for me if I has some kind of collateral. A reasonable businessman such as meself doesn't let cargo this valuable go without an insurance policy."

Mal smiled innocently, belying the danger in his eyes, "So, being the reasonable businessman you are, you expect us to carry your cargo... to Whitefall no less, and pay you for the opportunity."

Badger grinned. "A penny for the brilliant Captain Reynolds."

Mal shook his head. "What's wrong with simply receiving your cut in your account, same time as we get paid? 'Cause I see a big problem with the deal you're offerin' us."

"What sort of problem?"

"Hell, I shouldn't have to answer that. But hey, just to be nice, I'll have Jayne answer your question. Jayne? Why don't you explain to this fancy businessman why we won't accept his offer?"

Jayne grunted, "Simple 'nuf. We're the only crew that's Reaver-shit-crazy enough ta take on Alliance branded cargo on purpose, and deliver it to a woman that tried ta shoot the Cap twice. Yeah, we're desperate enough ta take the job, but not enough ta pay you for it in advance."

Mal turned back to Badger, putting on his most sarcastic grin. "As my ever intelligent and poetical merc so eloquently put it: simple 'nuf."

Mal got up, and Zoe and Jayne followed suit. Badger held up a hand. "Now wait just a moment, Reynolds."

Badger paused for a moment before he finally caved in. "Alright. But I want to see that money. I'd hate for the Alliance to know about some of your previous dealings."

"Dealings that you were no doubt connected to yourself, Badger." Mal scoffed. "But don't worry your pretty little hat over it. I wanna see that shiny, cold cash as much as you do."

Badger grinned ferociously. "I wager you do."

Outside Badger's den, Mal and Zoe conferred as Jayne and a couple of Badger's men loaded the Mule as quickly as possible.

Zoe was protesting. "I still think it's a gorram bad idea, Sir. Patience did try to kill you twice."

"Uhuh, that's why we're gonna have to drop the goods and get paid without her knowing it's us, and give her a very good reason to pay up without any trouble."

"And just how're we gonna do *that*, Sir?"

"I'll think of something..."

"Right. Fabulous. If you die, I'm keeping the ship."

"That's a given."

Just then, Mal's radio crackled to life.

"Cap'n? CAP'N?"

Mal made a grab for the device. "Somethin' wrong li'l Kaylee?"

"Cap'n! River got attacked. She's fine, though she kinda threw up. Simon thinks the Feds'll be comin' by soon."

Mal and Zoe exchanged worried glances, then looked at the Mule. Jayne had just loaded up the last box.

Mal jammed the com button down. "Just you hold on, ya hear? We'll be there in two."

"Ain't the ride back to Serenity 'bout ten minutes?" Asked Jayne as he scrambled into the back seat.

"We'll just have to drive faster." Responded Zoe as she got into the driver's seat.

Mal and Jayne held on for dear life as Zoe brought the Mule tearing through the streets.

********

Kaylee looked over at Simon, River, and the boy(?!). River finally broke off her embrace, and Simon pulled out a kerchief with which she wiped her mouth.

Kaylee said, "Cap'n says they'll be here soon."

Looking at no one in particular, River muttered, "Feds too."

With that, she sprang to her feet and ran for the bridge.

Kaylee and Simon watched her go. Kaylee turned to Foreman. How'd ya do that? Ya know, you didn't look... the same... before.

Without responding, Foreman bolted up the stairs after River

Simon started forward to catch up with them both, but Kaylee caught his arm.

"Stay here. The Cap'n will want an explanation, and I gotta prep the engine." She nodded towards the bridge and added, "She'll be fine."

Simon wanted to know who in hell this dangerous-looking young man was, but Kaylee was right. The Captain *would* want an explanation.

"Hell," he realized, as he watched Kaylee run towards the engine room, "so do I."

He didn't have long to wait, however. Within moments, Zoe brought the Mule flying into the cargo bay, pulling on the brakes just in time, resulting in the crew members having to pick themselves up off the dashboard, or in Jayne's case, the floor.

"Gorramit, Zoe, didja have ta do that?"

"Stow it, Jayne."

Just then, the cargo bay began to close, and Simon walked over to the Captain, who was dropping heavily out of the Mule. The cargo bay door and the airlock both closed completely, and Serenity began her ascent into space.

Mal was the first to comment. "So, Doc. What did River pull this time?"

Simon bristled at the comment, but managed a civil reply. "I actually don't know, Captain. I assume the four bodies that were across the street from Serenity had something to do with it."

"Bodies? I didn't see no bodies.", commented Jayne.

"We were going pretty fast," Zoe admitted, "but I saw'em."

"Looked pretty dead too." Mal affirmed.

"I don;t know much," said Simon, "but according to Kaylee, they were after River. They used the safe word, but a boy came along and stopped them. He also apparently knew a behavioral trigger meant to wake River up..."

Mal was curious. "Wouldn't happen to know who the said boy was, wouldja?"

"No." said Simon hesitantly, "but you're likely to meet him. He's with River right now..."

Simon's voice trailed off as Mal strode toward the stairs. But before he could reach them, River's voice came over the calm, in an eerie repeat of the morning's earlier performance.

"Stay there. Will explain everything soon. Waved 'Nara already."

Mal shuddered. "Hate it when she does that."

River spoke again, "Just... stay there."

In a few minutes, they broke atmo. River came down the stairs soon after, with Foreman in tow.

"Well, Albatross," Mal began, "hows about a li'l explanation?"

River smiled eerily. "Blue Sun came for me. Alliance doesn't care anymore, but Blue Sun wants their gun back. Bang."

Eyes widened all over the room. Saffron, hidden in a corner, realized that there was so much more to this crew than met the eye.

Mal commented, "Huh. Well then, who's this?"

River stood to the side, exposing Foreman so she could make the introductions. "Captain, Zoe, Simon, you all know my friend as Foreman. I call him Bob. Kaylee, Jayne, this is Bob. Bob, these people are the crew of Serenity. You are to regard their safety as highly as my own."

Foreman nodded to River, and then to the rest of the crew.

Silence ensued. Finally, Zoe cocked an eyebrow. "Of all the questions I could, and probably should be asking at this point: why *Bob*?"

River grinned. "I like Bob."

Simon was next. "I... ah... was under the... distinct impression that Fore... ah ... Bob... was dead."

As that, "Bob"'s mouth twitched, and he decided to answer this question on his own. "Reports of my demise have been greatly... exaggerated."

Mal finally managed to bring his jaw back into working order. "Literary *and* ironical. I like'im already. But what are we s'posed to *do* with him?"

Again, Foreman/Bob responded. "I would like to sign on as a passenger. I can pay."

Mal smiled and put his thumbs in his belt loops. "Well ain't that convenient. Where ya headed?"

Foreman/Bob motioned towards River. "Wherever she's going."

Jayne grunted. "Might be around a while."

Mal gave him an irritated look that said *let me handle this*, and turned back to the newcomer. "We'll have to talk on that a mite, but we'll worry about that later. River, I take it you read my mind and plotted out a course to Whitefall?"

River nodded.

Mal sighed. "I'll let it slide, just this once. Jayne, Simon, unload. River, show our new friend to the guest quarters. Zoe..."

"Captain Daddy..." River interrupted.

"Got somethin' to say, Albatross?"

"There's another surprise." River pointed in the direction of Saffron.

Saffron, seeing that there would be no more hiding, stepped into the light.

Mal's jaw dropped, Zoe and Jayne both drew their guns. Simon looked stricken. Mal yelled, "Ta ma de!"

Mal crossed the floor in less than the time it took Saffron to say, "Mal, I can explain..."

He grabbed one of her outstretched arms and twisted it behind her, and began dragging her toward the airlock. "I dunno what you're doin' on my boat again, Darlin', but I ain't waitin' to find out."

Saffron struggled and pleaded, but Zoe came and began to help Mal. Kaylee, having heard the yelling, came out of the engine room and stood on the catwalk above.

"CAP'N!" she shrieked.

"Jus' a little busy right now. Gotta space a snake." Mal yelled back angrily.

"Cap'n, WAIT! You can't throw her off now!"

Mal stopped in his tracks, and whirled to face Kaylee, who was coming down the stairs as fast as she could. "And why the good gorram hell not? Got any special reasons?"

Kaylee reached the bottom of the stairs. "She helped save River!" Kaylee panted breathlessly.

Zoe raised an eyebrow.

Mal scoffed, "Huh." and looked over at River, who gave her confirmation. He looked back at Saffron with a false smile. "Well aren't we all friendly-like now? Let me see, I'd say that makes up for the time you left me stranded, and naked, I might add, on Bellarophon."

Saffron held her breath, not daring to answer.

Mal continued, "But then there's still the time you tried to kill us all. Out you go."

He and Zoe began dragging her towards the airlock again. River got in the way.

"Captain," she began in her most lecturing tone, "play nice. She's not here to hurt anyone."

"I highly doubt that."

"Doubt it all you like," River said brattily, "but you'll have to fly."

Catching up with them, Kaylee said, "I'm with River on this one. Our reader says she ain't here to hurt nobody, wouldn't be right to space her. Do it, and you'll have to find another mechanic."

Mal growled. "I just might."

This time, when River spoke, it cut Mal to the core. "Don't space anyone you don't have to."

It was what Book had said. Had it really been book. At any rate, Mal knew he had to give in.

Simon recovered his voice. "Umm, if I may raise some points here..."

Jayne sneered, "Oh sure."

Mal put them back in their places with a look. "I got plenty of points my own self, thank you. But..." he looked at River's and Kaylee's unrelenting faces, "what options do I have. Zoe?"

Zoe looked livid, but she was the ever logical, practical one. "Gotta say I don't like it, but after a couple of your landings, Sir, we'd be needing both the girls back somethin' fierce."

Mal growled, "Well thanks for the vote of confidence." He looked back at River and Kaylee. "She's gonna need lookin' after."

"I'll do it!" Jayne volunteered eagerly.

Mal brightened. Letting Jayne look after Saffron could possibly be a harsher punishment than spacing her. "Done."

No one argued the point. Saffron even let out a meek "Thank you." as Mal pushed her in Jayne's direction.

"Jayne, you're in charge of her." Then, dragging Zoe aside, he whispered, "Zoe, you're in charge of Jayne. Make sure he ain't none too nice."

"Don't think we'll have to worry 'bout that, Sir." Zoe replied.

Mal straightened up. "Alright, everybody get to work. There're things to be done." He spared a long, hard glance for Kaylee and River. "We're gonna have a long talk 'bout how this is my boat, and what I say goes, later on." Then he shook his head. Those two were probably the only people in the verse who could have gotten away with what they had just done. Well, maybe 'Nara too...

With that, River headed back to the bridge, her graceful movements giving off no sound. Kaylee trudged off to her engine room, with Simon following, and Mal went to his bunk. That left Jayne, Saffron, and Zoe in the cargo hold.

To her credit, Saffron said nothing, and even obeyed when Jayne told her to help with the unloading. Zoe began to help too, when she heard the clunk that signaled Inara's return.

Zoe had to smile when Inara stepped out of her shuttle, only to pull a small pistol out of nowhere and take aim at Saffron. Only then did the Companion permit herself to let out a string of Chinese that impressed Zoe.

"Yep." thought the first mate, "Ruttin fabulous."