I am back with a vengeance, I just got back from out of town but I'm leaving again later this week so I'm in a mad, desperate dash to finish this. Also, I'm afraid maybe I added too many elements to this story because cons/time travel/Alliance/Badger/Sterling stuff so I want to know if you think I bit off a little more than I can chew.

The journey to Hera passed more or less peacefully, that is to say no one died.

With the Leverage team on the ship, Parker felt and acted much more comfortable with Serenity's crew members. She and Kaylee became close in a matter of minutes. Hardison, however, was still a little bitter about flying with the people who tied and gagged his girlfriend and tried to be within spitting distance of her nearly the entire time but often found himself being shooed away by the girl he was trying to protect.

Jayne, Simon, and Zoe were just as suspicious as Hardison. They kept a close eye on their new guests and cargo while Jayne often complained that with Nate on board, they'd run out of booze before they reached Hera. Simon was concerned there would be another Dobson-like episode on the ship and, although Zoe knew Eliot pretty well, her friendship didn't extend to the strangers on board no matter how much the hitter vouched for them.

In the day and a half it took to arrive at their destination, the Leverage team was used to sideways glances from some and warm grins from others. Of all the crew members, however, none bothered them as much as River and her silent patrols, watching eyes, and uncanny ability to say the creepiest things. Actually, the only two people on the ship who didn't seem disturbed by River was Simon because they're related and Parker because she seemed to appreciate knowing someone just as weird as herself.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Eliot turned out of the kitchen and into the cargo bay when he ran into River, again. It must've been the third or fourth time that day.

"Well, if I didn't know any better I'd say you were doing this on purpose." The hitter flashed her a lady-killing smile.

She stared up at him unblinking and replied, "You reek of testosterone, just like Jayne."

"Okaaaay then, excuse m-"

"NO!"

Eliot blinked, "Sorry, I just-"

"No, no, no, no, no, NO! Why? He'll just make things worse! You need to leave!"

At this point, the hitter had no idea who she was talking to or about. "No need for that," he began softly. "It's okay, I was just leaving."

"River? Are you alright?" Simon asked, turning into the cargo bay. His expression hardened the moment he laid eyes on Eliot. "River, what's going on?"

"I don't know," the hitter admitted uneasily. After his awkward encounter with Wash, he didn't want to piss off anyone else on the ship. "One minute we were having a friendly conversation and the next she was screaming about making things worse."

"Uh, huh."

"Eliot!" Nate called from the kitchen, "you're going to want to see this."

Saved by the bell, the hitter thought as he retreated hastily. "What is…oh."

"Looks like he snuck in here for a little midnight snack," the mastermind explained.

Eliot growled. "What do you want, Sterling?"

"What do I want? Hmm, what a question. I was thinking, oh well, I don't know, possibly a way to get back home!" His venom and volume increased with every word.

"And just where exactly did you think we were headed?" Nate demanded, matching the other man's sarcasm.

"I don't know, Nate, you left me on some pigsty planet!"

"What's with all the shout….ing," Jayne walked in. "Aw hell, there's more of them. Mal! You better get your ass in here, there's a bit of a situation."

Word spread like the plague in the crowded ship about the stowaway and soon both the Leverage and Serenity crew was in the kitchen.

"Another mouth to feed and another ass to haul," Zoe commented from her corner of the room.

"Eliot," Mal said, "I'm doing my best to get you to Hera without any trouble but you're making this really difficult."

"I know, and I'm grateful of what you're doing; I really am, but I swear, I had no idea Sterling was even here," the hitter responded.

The captain sighed, "Wash, how far to Hera?"

"Two hours, give or take," replied the pilot.

"Great, step on it. And you," Mal turned to Sterling, "better not cause any trouble on my ship, am I clear?"

"Crystal," The prideful man briefly replied with a slight pause.

"Better not be any more surprises, Eliot."

XXXXXXXXX

In about two hours (give or take) Serenity landed on Hera and Mal, Zoe, Eliot, and Nate were loading into the mule while Kaylee and Sophie were going to try to get their hands on more food. Originally, Simon and Kaylee were going to go but he was a fugitive and Eliot insisted that running errands was the least they could do to help reimburse them for the ride.

"Here we are," Mal announced after pulling up in front of a rickety house right outside the city they'd landed in.

"Hey, Mal," a black man with a warm smile and a stocky build greeted. "What brings you here?"

"Hey yourself, Lazaro. Listen, I wish this were a social visit but I need to ask you something."

"Ask away, friend."

"Last time I was here, I left you something, do you remember?"

Lazaro raised his eyebrows and licked his lips, "I remember, why?"

This isn't good, Nate thought.

"Well this man," the captain gestured to the hitter, "owns said property and came around looking to reclaim it."

"Well you see-"

"Save your breath," Nate snapped, "just tell us where it is."

The man licked his lips again, "I sold it to this man, Jorden Stacks. He sells hover cars to rich kids on Sihnon. Some kind of a collector, you know?"

Eliot took an intimidating step forward, "And why did that happen?"

Lazaro looked to Mal for support but only saw the same cold look on the hitter's face. "Listen, I-I needed cash and I heard Niska was looking for you, plus this guy had some friends, scary friends."

"Mind being a little more specific on that point?" demanded the captain.

"He's friends with Aden Yang, okay? I thought maybe if I give this guy what he wants, I won't get arrested, or worse."

The four of them turned and walked back to the mule.

Zoe sighed, "So what now? We got them to Hera like we promised and we don't have time to go on a treasure hunt or get wrapped into Yang's business."

"Yeah, Zoe, I know but we can't just kick them to the curb."

"Just 'cause he's a friend don't mean we can lug them from planet to planet."

"I'm still thinking, Zoe, still thinking."