Kaylee wiped sweat from her brow with a grease-smudged hand as she came to her feet beside Serenity’s power plant. A good, relaxed, no-pressure tuneup always put her in a good mood. Her cheer was increased further as she felt Simon’s hands slip around her waist from behind, and she grinned. “Hey,” she greeted. “Hey,” Simon murmured in her ear, kissing her cheek. “What’re you working on?” Kaylee slipped from his embrace, half-turning toward him as she gestured to the engine. “Well, currently... Remember that time the compression coil blew, an’ we were stranded in the middle of noplace?” Simon nodded. *Of course he remembers,* she thought. *How could anyone forget that li’l adventure?* “Well, anyway, it blew outta the catalyzer, so I rerouted the pressure flow through this...” and with that, she pointed to a particular component that was new. “See how the double-steel weave hose runs right back into the exhaust feed? I got the okay from the captain to buy a fancy compression relief valve. Next time the coil decides to blow, which, hopefully, will be never, the excess pressure’ll shoot right out the exhaust, ‘steada...” She trailed off, looking to Simon. “You don’t follow a word I’m sayin’, do ya?” Simon grinned sheepishly. “No,” he admitted. “But since you’re saying it, I’m still interested in hearing it.” Kaylee leaned forward to kiss Simon, then rested her head on his shoulder for a moment as they embraced. “You’re a very sweet man,” she told him. “When you’re not bein’ awkward, that is.” Simon laughed as she pulled away, kneeling down to ensure the hose running from the relief valve was snug, but not overtightened. Standing again, she turned back to Simon. “Well, I s’pose I...” She trailed off as Inara hurried into the room. “Gabriel’s practicing his combat routine,” the Companion announced. “I thought you might want to see this.” They all rushed eagerly from the room, hoping for some excitement. ************************************************

Gabriel stood at the edge of a junkyard near their landing site. He had positioned twelve large, metal drums, or tanks of some sort, spaced unevenly in a circular pattern. *Oh, in Buddha’s name,* Inara thought, *I hope he isn’t about to do what I think he is...* Gabriel reached for a small, portable music player, the origin of which Inara had not a clue. Either he’d stolen it, or he’d gotten hold of some money and purchased it, but Inara hadn’t seen one on the Rim in a good long while. Pressing a button on the device, he set it on the rusted shell of a truck bed and moved into position in the center of his rough circle. “What’s he doin’?” Kaylee inquired worriedly. “Preparing to attack some poor, defenseless, yet quietly formidable, metal tanks?” Simon guessed. “He is preparing,” River’s voice startlingly sounded from behind them. She stepped up between Simon and Inara. “He’s doing it wrong.” The music player started with a soft guitar beat, and Gabriel stretched his arms. Suddenly, fast, lively bagpipe music began blaring from the device, and Gabriel sprang into action, twisting and turning as he pounded each drum like a punching bag. As lightning-quick and powerfully brutal as his motions were, they lacked the fluidity and grace that River had shown in the past. *I suppose that matters less when you can crush someone’s skull with one punch,* Inara observed, winching as Gabriel’s blows dented the metal further with each. *But why bagpipes?* As the barrels fell, he would swiftly flip them back up from time to time with a flourish of a foot, then attack a different barrel. As the song came to an end, and Gabriel flexed his bleeding hands, River broke the line, strolling over to him. “You’re doing it wrong,” she informed him. Sweat beading on his forehead, Gabriel frowned at her. “I’m doing it wrong,” he repeated. “I conjure the barrels would say different.” A different tune began playing, this one slower and softer with a lute. “You have incredible strength and speed with your blows, but no accuracy, no finesse, and no speed with your body movements,” she explained. “Lightning can destroy a house, but that doesn’t mean it will *hit* the house.” She held her hands out before her invitingly. “Dance with me?” “Oh, no,” Simon muttered, and smiling, Kaylee took his hand. Gabriel stared at her as if she’d just asked him to vote her into Parliament. “Do *what* with *who*?!” he exclaimed. “With whom,” River corrected him. “Dance with me.” Still frowning, but with eyes wide, Gabriel shook his head. “Girl, sorry to disappoint, but I don’t dance. I *can’t* dance...” “Yes you can. I’ll lead,” River declared, grabbing one of his bloody hands, placing his other on her waist, and settling her other on his shoulder. Her voice stated that the situation had already been decided, and there was no room for argument. “There’s no better way to learn what you need than through dancing.” “No, I... Uh... I’m...” Looking completely helpless, Gabriel was pulled into the rhythm of the music, and Inara couldn’t decide whether to laugh or hide. Everything, from Gabriel’s exercise, to his bleeding hands, to River now forcefully dancing with him, was so contradictory of an ordinary situation that she wasn’t sure *how* to feel. The young man’s plight was definitely amusing, however. “No, wait,” Simon muttered. “I take back everything I’ve ever said. *This* is most definitely what it feels like to go mad.” ***********************************************

“I’m telling you,” Mal stressed as he turned the mule onto a road leading back toward their landing site, “if we don’t get work, an’ *soon*, we may never again leave this hunk of rock.” “I’m quite aware of that, Sir,” Zoe informed him. “But we can’t just *force* the jobs to appear.” “Jayne mentioned once that his father had told him, ‘Anyone who can’t find work ain’t lookin’ hard enough’,” Mal replied. “An’ I’m inclined to agree with him. There’s work, we just ain’t found it yet.” They’d been parked for two days already since Jayne’s introduction of his daughter to his mother. Mal had taken a liking to Darcy Cobb; she was a sensible woman, which baffled Mal all the more as to how Jayne had turned out as... well, Jayne. Kaylee and Simon were standing in the cargo bay as Mal pulled the mule up the ramp and into its parking position. “Welcome back!” Kaylee greeted. “Anything interesting happen in the past few hours?” Mal inquired, clambering down from the mule and running a hand through his wind-swept hair. “Oh, nothing too unexpected,” Simon informed them. “I got the mod into place on the engine,” Kaylee explained, “an’ then Gabriel got in a fight with some big barrels an’ had a dance lesson from River.” She shrugged. “Nothin’ *too* exciting.” Mal froze, blinked, and Zoe placed a hand on his shoulder. “Best not to ask questions, Sir,” she reminded him. “I’ll wager that’s a decent recommendation,” Mal agreed. He looked up as Inara descended the stairs from her shuttle. “Trouble findin’ work this planet?” he inquired. “Not an uncommon problem on this ship these days,” Inara replied. “I decided it best not to look into future appointment possibilities until we know where we’re going next.” Mal shrugged. “You could always give up your life of decency and join us on the petty thievery side of life,” he suggested. Inara smiled, reaching the bottom of the stairs. “I think I’ll take a rain check on that one, but thank you.” Mal turned to Kaylee. “Any passenger proposals?” he asked. “I know this ain’t the busiest of towns, but...” Kaylee pressed her lips together and shook her head. “Nothin’ yet, Captain. Not a lot of ships parked in the city right now to choose from, so I put out a wave on the ad station, an’ hopefully, we’ll get a bite.” Mal nodded. “Good. That’s why I love ya, Kaylee.” He squeezed her shoulder. “Always thinkin’ ahead.” Kaylee grinned as Mal turned to Simon. “Where’s our little warriors?” he queried. Simon tried to hide a smile. “I believe Gabriel is in the act of hiding. Seems my sister is intent on teaching him how to dance.” His attempts failed as a grin spread across his face. “‘Of course, I had to bandage his hands; silly kid probably didn’t even think about the repercussions of striking metal objects unprotected. I’d think it would be hard to hide from a psychic, though, so she must not be looking *too* hard, or she’s already found him.” “Right,” Mal responded. “I think I’m quite content *not* knowin’ the story behind that one.” He turned to head toward the upper deck. “I’m gonna get cleaned up, an’ then I think it’s a good time for chow. Anyone else hungry?” “I’m hungry,” River said, startling the group. She appeared in the doorway to the lounge area outside the infirmary below. “Well, hello, Li’l Albatross,” Mal greeted. He still called her that, occasionally; it was like his pet nickname for her since his conversation with The Operative in Inara’s Companion training house. “Where’s this aspiring student I’ve heard so much about?” “Pretending to use the bathroom,” River replied. “He’s being a boob, as usual.” “Supper,” Zoe reminded him. “Right,” Mal intoned. “Yeah. If our young Gab wants food, he’ll have to come out an’ get it.” He began ascending the stairs. “I’ll put in another couple calls after; try an’ get us some work *someplace*.” ************************************************

“Sir,” Vance reported, “we just located a bulletin from the Serenity requesting two passengers. Destination unlisted.” Damian Ritter turned to the young, yet formidable man. “They’ve been here for two days now,” he stated. “We move in mid-day tomorrow. You and Bridger will pose as a married couple under your alias of William Allman. She can use the assumed first name of Clarice. No destination set for the ship, so use the ‘hard-on-your-luck and searching-for-new-ventures’ back-story. You’re well-versed in it.” Bridger had appeared, having heard him mention her name, to listen to the short brief, so Damian addressed both of them. “Tull, Hayze, Addams, and myself will be awaiting at the extraction point to assist in the transport of the goods.” He turned to eye everyone in the room. “If we hump this one, the job goes to Dante. No matter the cost, we must avoid complications. I want everyone dead but Davin. Understood?” A chorus of ‘Yes, Sir!’s were his answer. Damian nodded. “We are the best of the best. If not, we’d still be serving with the pathetic Alliance. Keep that in mind.” He turned to a nearby display to read River Tam’s profile once again. Her factor still worried him. “We do not fail,” he declared. “We never fail.” *************************************************

“Nothin’ of a whole mess of use here,” Kaylee called in Gabriel’s direction. “Whole junkyard is just full of *old* stuff. Most of it ain’t even in good enough shape to work no more, an’ what I’ve found is for ground and air crafts, not for spaceships.” “Better luck next time, then, huh?” Gabriel replied, kicking at an automatic transmission housing for a ground car. Kaylee sighed as she recalled her earlier conversation with Simon, the previous days’ moment that led to this particular expedition. ***“*I just can’t help it,*” Kaylee had confided, sitting on her bed in front of Simon as he massaged her shoulders. “*I mean, it’s great that he’s gettin’ so much attention from River, but...*” She sighed at that point. “*Gabriel still just seems so... *lonely*...*” “*Maybe you should take him out with you to look for parts,*” Simon had suggested, kneading the knots from her muscles. “*Let him know that he really is a part of the crew now.*”*** Kaylee had thought it a superb idea at the time, but this morning, as they trudged through the junkyard aimlessly, she thought that maybe Gabriel was beyond reaching. He’d been quiet, yet observant throughout the entire search for useful scrap or parts, but despite her efforts at conversation, he remained distant from her. *Maybe I just ain’t tryin’ hard enough,* Kaylee thought as she stepped into a clearing. *Nobody’s beyond reachin’...* There was no ground; nothing but open air lay beneath her feet, and Kaylee felt herself beginning to fall. It did not register in her mind until later, so startled was she, but Gabriel, having been ten meters away, was suddenly and impossibly there quickly enough to catch her arm. With the jarring halt, Kaylee’s mind was given enough slack to realize that she was suspended within a crumbling hole. *Sinkhole, or somethin’...* Standing with his feet planted firmly in the dirt above, Gabriel began to pull her upward, but because he was holding onto nothing above and all of their combined weight was focused on his feet, the ground below him gave as well. The darkness swallowed the pair, and Kaylee had plenty of time to fully realize that she was falling before she hit rock and all turned to black. ************************************************

River screamed, kicking and toppling her chair over backwards. Simon and Inara leapt to their feet and dashed around the table. “River!!” Simon exclaimed, kneeling over his sister. “What is it?” Her eyes wide, yet focused on something otherworldly, River hissed, “Falling.” “Yes, you fell,” Simon confirmed. “Did you-” “No,” River interrupted, now looking directly at him. “Kaylee. Gabriel. They’re in darkness now. Can’t feel them...” The girl looked terrified, and her lip began to tremble. Simon shot Inara an intense look. “Get the captain and Zoe now! Catch them before they leave!” Turning, Inara rushed from the room. Gently grasping his sister’s face with both hands, Simon tried his best to calm her. “River, look into my eyes. Focus on me. I’m sure they’re fine.” “You don’t believe that,” River insisted, tears welling in her eyes. A moment later, Inara returned, leading a tense Mal and Zoe. “What happened?” Mal inquired, his commanding captain voice betraying his seriousness and urgency. “Something’s happened to Kaylee and Gabriel,” Simon informed him. “I can’t feel them,” River whined, trembling all over. “They’re either unconscious, or...” “Zoe, prep the other shuttle,” Mal ordered, unwilling to allow River to finish that train of thought. Kneeling next to Simon, he put his arms around River’s shoulders and helped her to her feet. “River,” he spoke, his voice much softer and gentler, “you’ve gotta pull yourself together, Bao bei. We’re gonna need ya to help us find our missing men.” He gripped her upper arms gently but firmly. “Conjure you can do that for me?” Simon could tell by his demeanor that Mal was fully aware of River’s emotional condition, and that she was incapable of suppressing her feelings. As a doctor, Simon suspected that the effects of the Alliance experiments in that regard were irreversible. To her credit, however, the teen choked back a sob and nodded. “That’s a good girl,” Mal stated, flashing a small, tight-lipped smile. He then redirected his stone-sober gaze to Simon. “You an’ Inara keep this ship secure. We’ll be back when we’ve found them.” Taking River’s hand, Mal hurried away in the direction in which Zoe had departed. Collapsing into a chair, Simon ran both hands across his face, inhaled sharply, and blew the air back out. Inara moved to place a hand comfortingly on his shoulder. “Mal will be back soon, don’t worry. She’ll be fine.” *Doesn’t that sound familiar?* Simon thought, looking up at the woman. “You don’t believe that,” he replied. *So did that...* *************************************************

*Well,* Jayne thought as he eyed the crummy apartment building, *this must be it.* His mother had given him the address of his brother, Matt, the apartment where the man had been living for some time now. Jayne heaved a sigh. *Let’s get this crap over with...* Walking up the stairs and into the ill-kept halls, he ascended to the second floor and located room forty four. He knocked, and after a moment without answer, he pounded harder. “Mattie?” he called. “Mattie, it’s Jayne. Open up.” There was still no answer, and so, shaking his head, Jayne turned to leave. He found himself face-to-face with his brother, who was grinning from ear to ear. “Jayne!” he exclaimed, moving forward to hug his brother. “Gorrammit, it’s great to see ya.” “Sure is, Mattie,” Jayne replied, stepping away and grinning himself. “You look just as ugly as ever. Healthy, though; letter I got from Ma while back said ya was powerful sick.” Matt nodded. “Yeah, unfortunate business involvin’ poison.” When Jayne arched an eyebrow, Matt was quick to change the subject. “Come on in; I got beer in the fridge.” He moved to unlock the door, and they entered. The place was a mess, and considering Jayne’s own lax housekeeping skills, that was saying something. Grabbing a jug of liquid from the fridge, Matt poured two mugs, moved some rumpled clothing from his sofa to clear a place for Jayne to sit, and found himself a chair. Jayne sat, sampled his beer, winced, and took another drink. *Man don’t even have decent beer.* “So, how long ya stayin’ for?” Matt inquired, propping his feet up on a crate. “Few more days, more’n like,” Jayne responded. “Gotta go where there’s work, an’ that ain’t here.” He eyed his brother carefully. “Sounds like that ain’t a problem for you.” Matt rolled his eyes. “Jayne, don’t start in on this again. I sell drugs; you steal stuff. We’re both criminals, an’ both jobs are highly dangerous.” “Yeah, but the difference is, I move around,” Jayne insisted. “I make enemies, an’ I go someplace else. Ever hear the sayin’, ‘Don’t make enemies in yer backyard’, or somethin’ like that? Ya got people all over this gorram world out to slice yer throat, an ya stay *here.*” Matt raised his eyebrows, holding his hands out to the sides with his palms up as he shrugged. “This’s where my connections are, not to mention my sources. Whaddaya want me to do, Jayne? Whaddaya want from me?” Jayne shook his head, staring into his mug. “Ya gotta get out, Mattie, or yer gonna die. Yer thirty six years old, an’ I’m havin’ trouble figurin’ out why you ain’t dead already. Me, I’m prob’ly gonna die myself, but yers is a certainty, an’ that’s a fact.” Matt shrugged. “Well, we all gotta go sometime, Bro.” He chugged the remains of his mug, pulled a cigar and match from his front shirt pocket, and lit it. “Come on, Jayne. I haven’t seen ya in years, an’ yer leavin’ again here real soon. Let’s talk about somethin’ else.” No, Jayne thought. *We’ll talk about this. Just not right now...* Finally, he nodded. “Yeah... it’s good to see ya, though, Li’l Bro.” Matt poured himself another glass and raised it in a toast. “Hell yes. Good ta see ya, too.”