Mal sighed to himself. It wasn’t what he wanted to hear. He had been really hoping to make it to Lanai by evening at the latest. The last thing he wanted was to miss that drop off. Gorram! Except for the pipes bursting and the thermostat coil needing replaced, it really had been an uneventful trip, just the kind he liked. No complications. “We have to do it, Mal” Wash said to him, picking up on his captain’s blatant discontent. “If the Alliance were to stop us for a routine check…,” Wash began, his voice trailing off, his face scrunching up at the mere thought of it. “I know…I know…” Mal replied quickly. “None of us will be seein’ sunlight anytime soon.” “That loot…it ain’t exactly legal…someone’s missing their precious antiques very much, I’m sure.” Wash replied. Mal nodded his head in agreement. The view in front of him was magnificent. So many times, when the rest of the crew were fast asleep, Mal would come and sit, just to gaze out, letting the serene calm wash through him, and cleanse his inner most thoughts. He was home. Watching those celestial beings of gas, shining their energy so bright, and peering out into the open vastness that would never be controlled and conquered was something Mal never grew tired of. Never. It was true. There was no other place he wanted to be… “You’re sure Alliance radar will pick us up?” “I’m positive, Mal. I checked the scans today and the whole outer area around Lanai is hot...but if we go the long way,” Wash explained, pointing to a lit up screen in front of him with a long pointer on it. “If we circle around instead of taking a direct path, we’ll avoid them…and the headaches.” “How long?” Mal asked. Wash shrugged. Pushing a few calculations into the system, he waited until he heard the sharp beep, beep sound that meant the calculations were finished. “Two days.” Wash said. “Those thermostat coils have to be replaced…anywhere close we can land tonight?” Mal asked then. Pushing more figures quickly into the system, Wash nodded. “Looks like the only thing in the near vicinity is Canyon Run.” He pointed to the screen again. “Right here.” Mal frowned some. “Doesn’t look like much does it?” “Well it’s either that or we sail on to Lanai and wait for the pipes to break…honestly, Cap’n…it’s getting kind of chilly in here.” Mal nodded then. “Alright, we’ll land on Canyon Run and then…” Hearing a noise behind him, Mal turned around and strained his eyes down a ways, stopping in mid sentence. Looking down the corridor from where he was standing on the bridge, he saw the door to Jayne’s bunk opening up. Seeing Mal’s sudden fascination with whatever he was seeing, Wash got up and stood next to him, both watching in baffled amazement as Jayne and Sonja emerged, laughing and smiling brightly. “Well, I’ll be…,” Wash said, bewildered. He rubbed his eyes and then did another double take. “That’s something you don’t see every morning.” “Ya don’t say?” Mal replied, genuinely intrigued, trying to keep his jaw from dropping to the floor anymore than what it already was doing. * * * * * * Sitting down at the table, Jayne sipped his coffee happily, a shit faced grin on him. It was already starting off to be a fine morning…waking up…seeing Sonja lying in his bunk…her breaths soft and peaceful…her smile reaching him the deepest places he swore no one could reach… Hearing footsteps, Jayne turned around, hoping it was Sonja coming back down from getting herself refreshed. His smile quickly faded as he saw it was only Mal and Wash. Why they lookin at me all cockeyed like that? Jayne wondered. He didn’t like their looks, not one bit. Had something happened in the night that meant they weren’t getting paid after all? “Whaddya both givin’ those looks for? Somethin’ puttin’ a wrench in our dropoff?” Jayne said then, sitting his mug down. Mal put his arms across his chest and leaned his body against the chair next to Jayne casually. “No Jayne…everything’s shiny…real shiny…wouldn’t ya say, Wash?” “Oh shiny indeed.” Wash agreed. Jayne eyed the both of them suspiciously. What were they up to? And what were they trying to pull with him now? “So…how was your night, Jayne?” Mal asked innocently. “Was it cold for you?” Jayne froze as his eyes stared down at the table, his cheeks becoming flushed and filling with a warm magenta glow. “Uh…,” Jayne stammered. “I just slept is all…you know…slept like usual…like every night…took care of Vera…and then…slept.” “You mean took care of something else, right Jayne?” Wash joked then. “Jayne, do you have a girlfriend we don’t know nuthin’ bout’?” Mal asked him and then turning to Wash said quickly, “I think Jayne is kinda sweet on someone on this boat.” “Really?” Wash replied, trying to act surprised, raising his eyebrows. “I would’ve never guessed!” “Hey, stop it you two!” Jayne finally burst out. “This ain’t right…Sonja…she’s not my girlfriend…I…well…she ain’t my…I don’t know what she is…but…,” Jayne stammered, trying to ignore Mal and Wash’s inquisitive stares. “Jayne…it’s okay…you’re allowed to have feelings.” Mal told him then, smiling, patting Jayne on the back. “It’s called being human.” “Yeah, Jayne…ain’t nothing wrong with being in love with a beautiful woman…trust me, I know.” Wash added. “What’s even better is being in love with a beautiful woman who can kick the daylights out of you and have you enjoy it…now that’s a woman!” “Well here’s some good news for ya, Jayne…we’re not hitting Lanai for another two days…sensors picked up a lot of Alliance around the outer area…we’ll be sitting down on Canyon Run for tonight and then we’ll be back on course tomorrow.” Mal informed him then, his face returning to it’s normal stoic captain ness. “No that you wanna spend anymore time on this here boat, right Jayne? I mean ain’t nuthin’ on here to be keepin’ ya occupied, right?” Mal replied, slapping Jayne on the back before heading back out with Wash to the bridge. Jayne sat quietly, sipping his mug, hearing Mal and Wash’s laughter echo through the corridor. Forget them…what did he care what they thought? Sonja…his girl? Was that how it was? Could be really get away with calling her that? Putting the mug down, Jayne finally decided to get up and head after them. Had he not been so flustered by Mal’s invasive line of questioning, he would’ve had his head on straight to ask why Alliance was crawling around Lanai and just how long was their little sight seeing adventure going to last…because…because…he wanted to get paid…that was it…it had nothing to do with Sonja…nothing at all. “What are you doing?” Jayne turned, hearing a sharp voice behind him. Inara’s voice. “Usually Nara…when someone’s gettin’ up and havin’ their legs move, it’s called walkin’…” Jayne shot back. Rolling her eyes at him, Inara flashed Jayne a heated glance. “That’s not what I mean…I’m talking about Sonja…what are you trying to pull with her?” A hurt stance took over Jayne. What was he trying to pull with her? What the hell was Inara talking about? “You just can’t discard her Jayne…when you get bored with her…you can’t just trade her in.” Inara replied, her voice grave and thin. Taking a deep breath in, Inara’s face softened, her eyes narrowing some. Softly, gently, Inara said, “She’s fragile, Jayne. You aren’t going to be able to give her what she needs.” “Well I can certainly try, now can’t I? Hell, I know she’s fragile…I know bout’ it…Sonja…she told me…bout’…him…and what he did…” Jayne shot back then, his patience coming to a very quick unhappy end. Stunned, Inara, stood, speechless. “I ain’t never treated her like no whore, Nara…never…I”, Jayne stopped then as he saw a shadow appear in the doorway. Sonja…her face…stoic…her eyes fixed on Jayne’s. And before Jayne could utter another syllable, Sonja had turned around, heading to the cargo bay. “Sonja!” Jayne called out to her, following her as quick as he could. “I didn’t…hey…I didn’t…that’s not what I meant.” Jayne called after her. Finally catching up to her at the entrance of Inara’s shuttle, Sonja turned around, her eyes a blazed with hurt swirling wildly in them. “You know what he told me every time he went to do what he wanted to me, Jayne?” Sonja fired at him. “He said “you’re nothing but a fiflthy whore and that filfthy whores needed to be treated as that, as dirt.” Sonja finished. Why couldn’t he have been given the gift of putting speech together more thoughtfully? Why did it have to be that he always had to be saying something that someone took the wrong way? Jayne put his hand out to Sonja, to try and calm her since his words were failing him at the present moment. He didn’t know how well he could deal with that…that was the last thing he wanted…Sonja angry at him. Sonja pulled away from him, taking a step back. “You’re the last person I thought would ever say something like that, Jayne.” Sonja said softly and then turned to head to Inara’s shuttle. * * * * * The music coming from the banjo was a catchy, finger tappin’ kind of tune. The upbeat rhythm had everyone up in a roar as people took the floor, twirlin’ here and movin’ there. All through the little dive, an air of simplicity and carefree idealism rode through the smoky air causing quite the stir. Serenity had finally hit ground an hour before that on Canyon Run and from judging from the overly dubious grins of Kaylee, Simon, and River’s, it was decided that the round about course they had taken was appreciated after all. Sitting at a far table nestled comfortably in the corner, Mal sat back with Zoe, Wash, and Jayne. Even Book had given up his bible preachings (for this evening at least) to join everyone for a little R&R. “So tell me again, Mal,” Wash began, his fingers making imaginary calculations on the table. “Why don’t we stop and live life more often?” Wash asked innocently. Mal shot a quick glance over to Inara, Kaylee, and Sonja trying to start some new dance move that looked more or less like they were in some sort of pain. Smiling then, Mal turned back to Wash and replied, “Cuz we’re always gettin’ our asses tied up some way or another.” “Yeah, but not with this one, right, Cap’n?” Zoe inquired then. “Everything’s still set, right? With the dropoff?” Mal nodded. “Far’s I know…I hailed Costa earlier this afternoon…he said he would meet us tomorrow.” “I still say it ain’t right, how’s he’s gonna be set for life with us givin’ him that cargo.” Jayne piped up then. “Isn’t Costa Neever one of the biggest black market dealers on Lanai?” Book asked as if he really didn’t want to know the full story. “Neever deals in things, yes, preacher.” Mal replied, holding Book’s cautious gaze. “But he’s also offered us a killin’ for deliverin’ his goods…what he does with em’ afterwards has no weight on us.” “Well isn’t that a joy to remember then, Mal.” Book replied offhandedly. * * * * * “Are you relieved?” Sonja looked at Kaylee and nodded. “A little…but I’m kind of a little saddened too.” Her, Inara, Kaylee, Simon, and River were all standing at the bar across the way from Mal. “Why?” Kaylee asked, not following. Sonja smiled at Inara and then to River. “Everyone has been so nice to me…it’s been wonderful being with all of you.” Inara squeezed Sonja’s hand with an affectionate gaze on her. “Aww! That’s so sweet, Sonja!” Kaylee exlclaimed and then added, “But I think Jayne ‘ll be the one to really miss ya! I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so happy…like happy, happy…where he’s not using his fists…or doin’ stuff like that.” Sonja sat still. “Yes…Jayne…he has been very…good to me.” Playfully, Kaylee hit Sonja in the arm, giggling, her eyes bright with mischief. “He really likes you Sonja…really, really likes…you can tell cuz he always just stands there when you’re around…anyone else and he…,” “Says non nice things that make people want to gouge his eyes out?” Simon added happily. He shrugged then at everyone’s stares, adding sheepishly, “Not…that…I would…know…from first hand experience…or anything.” Hearing the music pick up again, Kaylee jumped up, grabbing River and Sonja’s hands, heading out to the middle of the floor. And before the three of them knew it, they had worked themselves into the crowd, dancing and laughing. Inara and Simon watched as the three of them circled and turned with the bluegrass beat, clearly enjoying themselves, forgetting any troubles for the time being. Noticing the three of them out there, several different men joined in, dancing with them, smiles and good spirits all around. When the song ended, Kaylee along with River, had to catch their breaths from all the gyrating they had just done, their hair messily out of place and their cheeks rosy from the fun. Heading back over to Simon, they started to walk when one of the men who had danced with them, blocked their path. Rugged and worn looking from his thick black beard on his face and a stern glaze, the man eyed Sonja greedily. “My, my you are a looker!” He said to her, whistling. He grabbed her hand then, trying to pull her close to him. “How bout’ another twirl darlin’?” “Oh no, thank you…honestly…” Sonja replied softly, smiling politely, pulling her arm away from his grip. He licked his lips as his eyes ran down her body from her neck down to her hips that were hiding behind the green silk floor length skirt she had on. Grabbing Sonja’s hand protectively, Kaylee started to walk with River in front of them. “Come on, Sonja.” But the man was not about to give up just yet. He stepped closer to Sonja, invading every inch of her private space, his breath hot with stale intoxicants that were befuddling his brain. Grabbing her wrists forcefully, he pulled her next to him. “Now, come on…just one little twirl.” He said to her. “Get your hands off me!” Sonja spat at him, trying to push him as best she could with her one arm. * * * * * “Lanai has always held a large interest in…” Book started, trying to give Wash a background on the one of the largest provinces. Ignoring the conversation, Jayne looked in Sonja’s direction. He had seen it. Getting to his feet, he quickly walked to where Sonja was seeing the grip the man had on her and her struggling to break free. “I think the lady here doesn’t care for ya.” Jayne said to him, his voice gruffer than usual. “And I really don’t quite care much what you think, stranger.” The man replied. “Jayne…don’t.” Sonja pleaded. “Everything’s fine.” “See, ain’t no wrong doin’ here, stranger.” He told Jayne then and then nudging him in the arm, added in a more casual tone, “Besides, if you wanna share and let me have at her, I’d….” Quick. Second nature. Without even a blink. A tornado touching down to whip apart everything in it’s path. Hands around throat, body being slammed viciously into the wall. Putting his face near his, Jayne grabbed the knife he had with him and shoved it into the man’s neck, the blade knicking his delicate skin. “You wanna die?” Jayne growled at him ignoring the hushed silence that fell over the little bar. “Hey, I…” the man whimpered pathetically as he saw the fire burning in Jayne’s eyes, a fire he knew could consume him without remorse or guilt. “How bout’ I take that arm of yours and feed it to the swine out back?” Jayne seethed at him, pressing the knife further into the man’s neck. Suddenly, Jayne saw Mal come up beside him, putting his hands up. “Jayne here doesn’t get out much…so you know how it gets…you’re all couped up on some old boat for weeks at a time…nothing to do…cept’ maybe usin’ your hands to do somethin’ else entertainin’ for yourself…ya never know…but bein’ couped up will do stuff to a man…get’s em’ all wrong in the head…ain’t that right, Jayne?” Mal said, his voice chipper and wrongfully delighted. “Damn straight, Mal.” Jayne nodded. Pulling Jayne back a bit from his temporary loss of motor control, Mal sighed and shook his head at the man. “Better be thankful you caught him on a good day…cuz Jayne here was bein’ nice even have you make it to that wall.” Walking back to their table, Zoe smiled at the both of them. “Always gotta be gettin’ our asses tied up somehow huh, Cap’n?” she laughed. * * * * * When Jayne finally rolled onto the ship, he was exhausted. From scurrying around to find the replacement thermostat coil that was clear on the other side of where they had landed and from the commotion that had occurred in town, all Jayne wanted was to hit the hay. Hitting the switch to close the cargo bay door for the night, he watched as everyone else, tired and ragged as well, went off to their respective bunks to retire for the night. Standing alone as he heard the door close tight behind him, Jayne opened his coat and grabbed them from his inside pocket. He had seen them a few yards from the ship and after he heard Kaylee get all excited over seeing them, Jayne figured they were okay. Walking to the stairs to head up towards Inara’s shuttle, he saw River appear in the doorway, staring at him, a calmness emitting from her youthful face. She was reading him, Jayne was sure of it. “She’ll like those…she’ll like those a lot.” River said softly, taking care to stay where she was. Jayne stared at what he had in his hands: a red and yellow flower, their petals wide and full. “She’s not mad…not at you…she just hurts.” River completed before turning around and hurrying off to her bunk. Walking up to the entrance way, Jayne stood in front of the door. Stepping backwards, he knelt down, setting the two flowers gently down. Standing up, he sighed to himself. Heading back down the stairs, Jayne walked quietly. He needed the sleep. Boy did he ever.

TO BE CONTINUED…