Zoë let the crate thud down onto the floor of the ship yet another menial job was under way

Zoë let the crate thud down onto the floor of the ship yet another menial job was under way. She had to pile on yet more food for their often-long jaunts out into space, which were always so much longer, whether it was the fact that the Captain was now left to fly the ship or the fact that Wash was no longer around, she was quite sure of the answer though. Times were so hard without him or his devious smile around to make her day complete. She moved around and picked up another crate off the floor and heaved back against it using her knees and back to put more strength into it. She placed it next to the other crate with a sigh of strain and let herself collapse onto the crate.

She pivoted around on it and sat on it wiping the sweat off her brow. She looked out of the back into the market area of Persephone.

There were many people walking around the area many of them just simple towns folk who were doing there usual shopping or trying to get themselves work. It was quite easy to tell the difference between the citizens and the ones looking for work, they wore guns on their hips, their armour was a definite give away as well.

Zoë took a moment to enjoy the smiling faces those of people struggling to make ends meet, ones waiting to be reunited with loved ones, just people suffering but still they found their happiness in this corner of the galaxy.

She wondered how long it would be even after six months that he'd gone that she'd be truly happy again. She found every job she could for now to keep her mind occupied. It was the nights that were the hardest, where she had no one but herself to keep company. She'd taken to drinking a lot to try and numb the emptiness but that just made the mornings so much harder to bear with.

She was about to stand up and get back to work when Mal appeared at the side of the entrance.

"Here she is," he said tapping the side of Serenity, "Fastest and safest firefly around"

,what do you think? We're still looking for a proper pilot to fly this bug but she's got the best engineer from here to earth." Mal said talking up the ship.

The people he was showing were two people. A man and a woman, the man appeared quite young and still had the look of a youth about him. The woman appeared to be the same age. Both of them were huddled up in long black coats covering what they were wearing underneath. The man was wearing a pair of boots; they were quite worn down and looked as though they'd endured a hell of a lot. Zoë was instantly suspicious after all who wore big coats when it was hot out?

The woman appeared to be very tired her shortish hair was dangling in front of her face and was really greasy and looked as though she'd been on a long run and was exhausted.

The man had average hair, for a man, he looked as though he'd tried to style it but he also looked extremely tired and his hair was in probably worse shape then his companions.

"You're looking for a pilot?" the man asked.

"Sure am, you happen to know any?" Mal replied

"No sorry," The man said giving a shy glance to his companion.

"Well what do you say, we're a friendly bunch and we get along with almost any one, 'cept those alliance types." Mal let out a laugh when he finished.

The man gave another shy glance to his companion and the two laughed sheepishly almost as though their laughter was forced.

Mal stepped aside and spread his right arm wide in an arch beckoning the two onto the ship. They needed more money, and people wanting to go places were often prepared to pay a lot. Mal had taken a policy of not asking why people wanted to move around he merely told people as long as it didn't bring him trouble he wouldn't care much.

The two didn't appear to have any bags with them; Zoë thought they must have been escaping in a hurry from somebody if they couldn't afford to bring belongings with them. The man gave her a passing glance and then put his arm around his companion and whispered something to her.

"There's a spare room for guests, you'll be just opposite the doctor's room." Mal shouted to them.

"There's a doctor on board?" the woman eventually spoke. She had a voice that suggested some sort of inner strength that if it weren't for her tired state she'd be a force to be reckoned with.

The two disappeared up the stairs towards the rooms.

"Zoë?" Mal asked, she'd been staring at the door that they'd left through.

She looked across at him but didn't speak she just raised her eyebrows in a questioning manner.

"Could you show them to their rooms?" he asked his face looking as cheery as ever.

Zoë smiled and nodded, "Sure thing Cap" she got up to leave but then paused to speak to him again.

"Cap?"

"Yup?"

"Don't you think it's strange that they don't have anything with them, they don't seem particularly keen to talk either?"

"Do care, just want their money Zoë" Mal replied smiling.

Zoë nodded acceptingly and followed after the quiet pair.

Mal continued to do the work that Zoë had started and moved down to the outside where their supplies had been dropped and he bent down to pick up the nearest crate and haul it into the ship.

He picked up the crate and turned round struggling at it and saw Keighley, Simon and River approaching through the market. River was clutching a large bit of machinery close to her chest and skipped along in front of Keighley and Simon who were walking along holding hands. Admittedly Simon looked uncomfortable showing any signs of affection in public. However the Doc had always been a bit of a weird man.

He stood there a moment and watched the happy trio approach.

"How are we all, enjoying ourselves?" he asked

"Yes, although they be a little slow here I think, something a little strange about them." River responded although she looked at Mal as though he wasn't even there again. She had a habit of doing that however that was just how it was with her. Nothing especially weird about that for her.

"How are things with Serenity Cap?" Keighley asked her smile revisiting her face as she spoke about one of the passions in her life her precious Serenity.

"They're fine as a matter of fact, found ourselves a little profit on the way, picked up some passengers to give us a small profit should keep us going a while." Mal explained.

"Shiny!" she exclaimed and led Simon into the ship by his hand.

"Shiny!" River repeated and followed after them.

"Shiny" Mal said under his breath shaking his head.

He then took the crate on board into the cargo area.

He spent the next fifteen minutes taking the boxes on. Only one more crewmember to wait for.

Jayne.

Whatever he was doing Mal expected it had something to do with drinking, guns or women. Or knowing Jayne all three Mal mused how humours it would be if Jayne gave up chasing all three, what would the big oaf have left in his life?

Mal let out a silent chuckle as he placed the last crate down and looked down the ramp into the ship and he could see people looking down at the street. Mal confused wondered what they were looking at and then as if he was cursed he heard shouting and screams coming from down the street. He knew exactly what was causing the disturbance.

He placed the last box down on the floor almost throwing it there. He half ran and walked to the edge of the ship and peered round. Sure enough as though he could see the future there was Jayne running as fast as he could three men in quick pursuit of him. Jayne clutched to his chest a collection of things and he kept glancing over his shoulder at the oncoming men.

Mal reacted quickly he slammed the button down for the door to close and then began to run for the cockpit he figured he'd need to make a quick get away.

He bounded up the steps looking at the closing door to see Jayne running under it as quick as possible and he glanced back and let out a laugh as the men were stuck on the outside yelling curses and abuse at him.

Jayne returned the curses with his own abuse.

"Yeeha! That's another one for me" he joyfully yelled. He pulled form under the bundle that he was carrying a gun a rather big one at that. Yet another one to add to the collection no doubt.

Mal had no time to comment he just ran through past Keighley who'd appeared to see what all the fuss was about.

"What's hap-" she began.

"No time" Mal cut her off running for the cockpit as fast as he could.

Zoë was already there in the cockpit she was simply sat in the co-pilot seat configuring one of the consoles. As Mal hurried in and dived into the pilot's seat she turned round to look at him. He quickly flicked all the necessary switches and then gripped the main controls.

"What's going on?" Zoë asked as Keighley appeared at the door behind Mal.

"That's what I'd like to know" she joined in.

"JAYNE!" Mal yelled over his shoulder down the ship. Jayne then made a hurried entrance almost knocking Keighley out of the way. He was grinning like a small child and was out of breath like one.

"What in dong ma are you doing now?" He asked as he struggled to get Serenity airborne as quickly as possible.

"Got myself into a game, Mal that's all, some people can't take losing especially when it comes to this." Jayne defended then held out his prize a large handgun that seemed to glow in the sunlight that slipped in through the cockpit windows.

Mal looked at it for a moment.

"You stole it didn't you?" he asked looking back to his task in hand.

"No I won it at cards, dammit Mal why do you always think I'm stealing things." Jayne said sounding almost hurt at the comment.

"You cheated then didn't you? That's the same as stealing you know" Mal said not looking away from his current task.

"Well…I…er…well…I…may have….okay I cheated, but look at it Mal it was worth it." Jayne stammered, again holding it out as though the very thing could cure all diseases on it's own.

"It's only a gun Jayne…some day you might realise that." Mal said struggling to get the ship out of the atmosphere. The ship began to shake and then after a few precarious moments they were clear of the planet.

Mal sighed and then let go of the controls, he then span the seat round to face the somewhat renegade member of their crew.

"When are you going to get it into that thick skull of yours we need all the friends we can get, and we can't afford any more enemies in Persephone." Mal explained as though some one would to a small child.

"Awh well…I got it that's what matters" Jayne said running out of arguments back.

"You know I said my days of not taking you seriously were coming to a middle?" Mal asked.

"Yes?"

"Well they just slipped back to the beginning." He added standing up and left the room.