Serenity's engines rumbled softly as she landed on the barren waste land below. The planet was nearly all desert, with few trees and large populations surrounding every water hole available. Captain Malcolm Reynolds stood in the docking bay with Jayne and Zoë as the ramp was slowly lowered and they stepped out into the blazing light of midday. Zoë tightened her grip on the shotgun as she realized that nobody was there to great them like the message said there would be.
"I don't like this one bit sir," She exclaimed as Jayne took a defensive position and started scouting the immediate area for possible threats. "Even the job is a little shiftier then we're used to."
"I know Zoë but it's the only work we got. So if Badger wants us to cart an 'alien' across the 'verse to Persephone then that's just what we will do, for a price," Mal replied swiftly. Even he would admit that this job was a might shady. The pickup was unusual this far out in the 'verse and the cargo was just plain weird. An 'alien' for cargo was a first.
"Do you believe that they have a real live alien in cryo-stasis, sir?"
"Nope, not one bit," Mal answered with certainty as he looked for his clients. Dust was kicking up in the horizon, several vehicles were the cause. The jeeps were headed straight for Serenity. "Looks like their here," He announced loud enough for Jayne to hear.
The mercenary went back inside the Firefly to retrieve the Mule. Nobody was getting on Captain Reynolds ship again, not after the whole Adelei Niska incident. Jayne drove the mule down the ramp slowly and parked it next to his boss. Malcolm ran the position of his crew through his head once more incase of a problem. Kaylee was in the engine room, Wash was in the cockpit with Sheppard Book, and River was with her brother Simon in the infirmary. Everybody was set and in place in case this deal was shot to hell.
Mal took a calming breath as the jeeps parked 15 feet in front of them and a rather fat man stepped out of the passenger seat. "Mr. Stoker, I presume," Mal's voice was even and calm as he stepped forward to shake hands.
"Captain Reynolds," Mr. Stoker shook his hand vigorously and painted a large grin on his face that he believed was charming, but Mal just found it creepy. "Sorry for the hold up, we had a problem with the cargo," gesturing to the large cryo chamber that was being unloaded from the back and being placed on the Mule. "He didn't want to go to sleep so we had to give him twice the gas then normal."
Malcolm tried to keep his face from contorting in disbelief. "I'm sure you did."
Mr. Stoker just gave him an understanding smile in return. "The 'aliens' affects are in the small brown crate. They are both to be transported to Persephone as quickly as possible. Here you go," He handed Mal a duffel bag full of credits, "half now, half after the drop off," Mal grabbed the bag but Stoker did not let go. Mal looked up at the man who was jolly just a second ago; his face was drawn straight in seriousness. "Do not open the cryo chamber, what ever you do, don't open it. That 'alien', that man, whatever you want to call him, is not human. He is very dangerous." Stoker graced Mal with one more look before he released the money.
Mal nodded his head once, before he turned and followed Zoë and the Mule up the ramp. He didn't breathe a sigh of relief until they broke atmo.