"Cap'n, do we have a destination?"

Malcolm Reynolds had learned to be wary when Jayne Cobb asked these questions. The last time had been him asking if they could take on a new crew mate. Her name had been Brandy and her only assets were a decent rack. Of course, after the Miranda incident jobs were hard to come by. Apparently Badger was there only surviving employer after the Operative killed so many of their connections.

"What of it?" Mal asked as he calibrated the navigation system.
"I have a pal. A Colonel in the RDA corporation." Jayne stated.
"What?" Mal looked up.
"The Resources Development Administration. They're the people in charge of whats left of Earth that Was. Right now they're mining somethin' called unobtanium on Pandora. I think it's in the Alpha Centauri star system. They're looking for some help in all manner of fields." Jayne stated.
"I heard about that." Mal waved his hand. "You have a pal?"
"Har de Har Har." Jayne rolled his eyes, folding his arms. "Colonel Miles Quaritch. He helped me get off Earth That Was, so I could get money for ma." He explained.
"What fields of work are available there?" Mal knew his crew getting antsy was bad.
"Grouchy natives. Inara's good with people. Failing that, Me, you, and Zoe can fight 'em off. Otherwise we can be body guards. They use a lot of machines-robotic exoskeletons, loading machines, plains. Kaylee will be in Heaven."
"What do we do with the Doc and his sis?" Mal did not like the idea of River unattended around everything Jayne had just described. She'd been sleeping a lot lately-now that it seemed her nightmares weren't as bad. The psychic genius had also been acting slightly more sane. One time in ten Mal could understand what she was saying. The other nine-well he wasn't sure if she was crazy or being brainy.
"There's some sort of science thing the Doc can help in, possibly with lil crazy's help on her good days."
"You still call her lil' crazy."
"Can we cap'n?" Jayne pleaded. "Free room and board and decent pay!"
"We should consult the crew." Mal stated. "Or just Zoe-"
"I need planet side sir." Zoe had stepped into the cockpit. "For a little while, at least."
"I don't know..." Mal was still wary of leaving the ship that long.
"Sir, I will be going to Pandora. I heard about it on my own. They offer medical treatment for their workers and their families, if they don't have to pay for their transport."
"You don't have any family." Mal pointed out.
"Not yet sir, but it's on it's way."

Zoe was so expressionless and her voice so dead pan it took Mal a minute to realize what she was saying. And Jayne walking over, dropping to his knees, and hugging her stomach.

"Part of the little man lives!"
"I would like to state there will be no tummy touching." Zoe stated. "And you're in a position I could snap your neck from."
"Five more minutes."

Mal's eyes were wide. For one he hadn't realized that Jayne actually liked Wash. Two, Jayne honestly didn't look at Zoe as a woman (one too many threats to little Jayne) and so it wasn't a perverted gesture. Three, Jayne was happy that Zoe was pregnant with her dead husband's child. Mal was still too startled to sort out how he felt about the situation. He exhaled and shook his head.
"I'll see a course for Alpha Centauri."
"Already did."

Malcolm jumped when River spoke. She hadn't quit being a silent sneaker who liked to play in the vents.
"Haven't I told you not to do that?"
"I was keeping an eye on Zoe."
"She was the first to know. Before me even." Zoe stated as she twisted Jayne's arm so he'd let go.
"Me arm!"
"Right. River, what's your take?" Mal asked.

River frowned and looked into empty space.
"Man opened Pandora's box and let out all the evils of the world. Only hope remained. Man hasn't learned."