“Ho, Hayden, how are things planet side?” Mal asked in his cheeriest of voices.

“Not good, Mal, not good. The town crops almost completely failed this season, but that’s not why I hailed ya. Let’s talk trade.” Hayden’s sun weathered face broke into a grin. “By the way, how’s that brigand of your’s Jayne doin’? He recovered yet from our last meetin’? Maybe fancy another round of eatin’ floor?”

“Well, you know Jayne, never could turn down a drinkin’ contest.” Mal smiled guardedly. “Back to business. You willin’ to trade then?”

“Might do, might do. I heard tell that the goods got a might damaged durin’ an al-ter-ca-tion,” he sounded out the word slowly, “after they were left in your care though.”

“Just a tad. Nothin’ worth lowerin’ they’re value to you over.” Mal responded candidly.

“I’m sendin’ ya the coordinants for the meetin’ place now. My people’ll take a look and we’ll see if we can deal. Fair ‘nuf?” For all his jovial manner the look on his face told Mal it better be.

“Sure, Hayden, no problem.” The screen went blank and Mal straightened. “Perfect, just perfect.” He muttered.

“Problem, sir?” Zoe asked, arms crossed. “Hayden’s never dealt us wrong before.”

“Yeah I know, and that’s the only reason we’re settin’ down at all.” Mal turned and gazed out the cockpit window, murmuring softly to no one in particular. “Somethin’ sure does smell off though.”

~

Mal cornered Zoe later that evening in the dark hallway for some advice.

“Zoe, you’re a woman, right?”

“Last time I checked, sir.”

“I got this problem, see--”

“River or Inara this time?”

“Well, both actually.”

“Uh-huh. I see.”

Mal blanched at her matter-of-fact tone but continued. “River went and blurted some mighty disconcertin’ stuff I think Inara and I both would have liked to keep more or less from gettin’ blurted out.”

“Ah, the fact that you want each other.”

“Dammit, Zoe, stop being a woman for one sec and help me out here.”

“Sir, were I , not to mention the rest of the crew, a blind man I would be able to tell that you and Inara wanted each other.”

Mal paused. “Is it really that obvious? The fact that the psychic knew ain’t that surprisin’, but . . . ev’rybody? Even Jayne?”

“Yes, Cap’n, ev’rybody. Even Jayne.”

“Gorram it.” He slapped his palm on the wall in frustration.

“Sir, if I might venture a suggestion: talk to Inara. You two are both adults maybe it’s time you start actin’ like it.”

“Sure, yeah.” He turned abruptly to leave. “After the job.”

~