The two captains glared at each other across the table, hands folded neatly before them. Su stood behind Mari, arms crossed, lip quirked in a sneer as she looked across to Jayne, who's own glare was aimed at the fuzzy hat sitting a top Su's head.

"Miss Mari, I-"

"Captain." Mal huffed as Mari cut him off.

"Captain. I believe we find ourselves at an impasse." Mari smiled grimly at the man.

"I think not, my dear Captain Reynolds. Y'see, you called us in for help in capturing this fearsome bandit what stole your goods. But you never told us he had a bounty on his head. Now, my first mate and I, we gotta eat. We got your goods back, it's only fair we take the man in for the bounty. And as he's neatly locked up in the Genrou right now... " she shrugged carelessly, "I don't see where the impasse lies."

"We paid you fair for your services!"

"Pay that's only a quarter of the bounty on his head." Mari tsked, "I hardly call that fair, Captain." Mal growled in frustration.

"Kewu de lao baojun... You know we're not turning him in for the bounty! Now stop talkin' in gorram circles at me and hand the man over!"

"Yeah," added Jayne, "and give me back my damn hat!"

Three days prior...

Su and Mari walked up the cargo hold doors into the Serenity, cautiously eyeing the shadows that surrounded them, wary at the unusual silence aboard the vessel.

"Cap'n Reynolds?" tried Mari, "Zoe? Wash?"

"Ain't no use, Miss Mari. They're all out after that bandit what stole our cargo." Kaylee's voice came in a twang from a side hallway, her boots clanging on the metal as she hopped into the cargo hold.

"Kaylee!" Su zoomed toward the girl, scooping her up around the waist and attempting to swing her in a circle, but tumbling them both to the floor instead in a giggling mess of limbs and welding goggles.

"Su! How's Genrou runnin'?" Kaylee punched the girl's shoulder as they untangled themselves.

"As best as can be expected what with the tightwad over there making me jury-rig everything. How's Serenity? Cap'n Reynolds spring for the sub-ether drives yet?"

"No. The Cap'n keeps saying that's not for folk like us, it'll call too much attention." Kaylee rolled her eyes, "Just cause Wash can't-" Mari cleared her throat, drawing the attention of the two mechanics before they got too wrapped up in their shop talk and grousing.

"I hate to interrupt, but when can we expect Mal and friends back?" Kaylee gave Mari a lopsided smile and a shrug.

"I 'spect roun' sunset, Miss-"

"Captain."

"Cap'n Mari. Sorry I can't be of much more help." She pursed her lips. "Mal was right pissed when you sassed him on the comm. Said he didn't need no damn help and then run off with Zoe and Jayne after the bastards." Mari only shrugged.

"Not my fault I ain't keen to land on Whitefall. Mal know's Patience and I aren't the best of friends."

"Dunno how." Su grinned, "You both have such sparkling personalities." Mari pressed her lips together, dryly eyeing the girl.

"Well, Kaylee, I guess Su and I will go wait back on Genrou. Get us on the comm when the gangs all here?" Kaylee's eyes suddenly lit up , and Mari guessed it had nothing to do with the thought of the crew coming back.

"Miss - Cap'n Mari, you got any fruit in season on your ship?" Mari suppressed a grin at the mechanic's suddenly eager face.

"Just some strawberries. Why?" She couldn't fight it and grinned at the girl wiggling in excitement before her, "You want some, Kaylee?"

"That would be mighty shiny of you, Cap'n..."

The girl had been right; Mal, Zoe, Jayne and Wash all crested over the horizon as the sun set behind them, tired, dusty, and spoiling for a fight. Seeing the two women they had summoned from the Genrou didn't do much to improve their morale. The mood in the mess was tight, even as Su and Kaylee brought food touched by the light hand of Mari's intergalactic gardening to the table. Mal glared at a space on the wall, jaw tight. Zoe and Wash whispered quietly, agitated, at the far corner. Jayne just snarled at his plate, spearing food as if he had some personal vendetta against anything that wasn't the mush they normally consumed on Thursdays.

"Alright." Mari finally broke the silence. "I'll bite, Mal. What's goin' on?" The captain sighed, throwing down his fork as he leaned back in his chair.

"We took on this goucaode hundan to help us with some grunt work around the ship while we were here on Whitefall. Nice enough boy, eager to help out. Says he wants to learn about space commerce, wants his own ship someday, the whole rigamarole." Mal's face twisted in self-deprecation. "Only it seems this boy ain't quite what he seems. Seems he don't need his own ship cause he's got his own damn gang. They swept in here first thing this morning, taking the cargo we'd just picked up at gunpoint and leaving little else. We might as well stay on here and become Patience's personal pets we don't get that cargo back." Mari nodded slowly.

"That big, huh?"

"That big." She leaned back in her chair, chewing on her thumbnail a she regarded him carefully. There was something he wasn't telling her. She could see it written all over his face.

"What's the cut?"

"We can see to throwing you 'bout third of what the cargo will bring in, plus expenses. Ammo... guns if you need them." Zoe provided. Mari and Su's keen eyes didn't miss the flinch that went round Serenity's dining table as the first mate spoke. "Not gonna' lie to you, times been lean. We can't spare much. This one hit us harder than expected."

"And all you need is a hand getting back what's yours? That's it?"

"That's it." Mal nodded, looking her in the eye for the first time since they sat to dinner. She stared him right back, eyes narrowing. "That sound like a fair deal to you, Miss Mari?"

"Captain." Mari sighed, looking around the table. "Tell you what? You stay here and enjoy this fine offering Su and I saw fit to share, and let me and my first mate have a small chat about this back 'board our ship. We'll see to getting you your answer within the hour, all goes well."

"And if all doesn't, Miss Mari?" Mari cast a glance at the shepherd. She had never trusted the man. No one in the 'verse should be that calm.

"Captain!" she sighed loudly, a touch past her tolerance at this point. "Why does that word seem to be so hard for you lot?"

"Go well, I mean. Captain." Book leaned back in his chair, lowering his fork and giving Mari what she could only ever describe as his best 'Christ Almighty' face.

"Wo de ma, Shepherd! You're killin' me here." Mari frowned. "Throw in a quivering lip an' you'd make a right fine woman." Mari snorted, getting to her feet and lacing her arm through Su's, pulling her toward the door. "Within the hour, Mal." She glanced over her shoulder at him, watching him avoid her gaze and spear at the vegetables on his plate.

They could hear voices erupt behind them as soon as they left the kitchen for the hold, and they didn't sound favorable.

Music: The Ballad of Serenity – Sonny Rhodes