Captain Malcolm Reynolds sat quietly on the bridge. It felt as though he had been there for hours, even though it had only been a short time.
How did Wash do this? Sitting here, with nothing to look at but... space?
Absentmindedly, the Captain ran a large calloused hand over the back of a toy tyrannosaurus rex. Ahh yes, he thought, Wash was never truly alone up here.
Mal picked the orphaned dinosaur up and turned it over slowly. Unfortunately, the small toy didn't afford the Captain the same comfort it had for Serenity's previous pilot.
"They'll always be here for you, old friend," Mal muttered to himself as he placed the figure back on the console. Nothing would change in this place, it had become a tribute to Wash.
Glancing at the time, he reached over and flipped the ship's com switch.
"River to the bridge please." Well maybe one thing had changed.
Mal smiled softly; he never would have thought when he first laid eyes on the tormented girl that he'd one day be calling for her over the com, let alone to come to the bridge and pilot his ship. But of course when your first image of some one is naked, frozen and in a box your mind doesn't automatically jump to job placement. Surely, River would say she had seen it all along.
He didn't have to wait long for the young woman to pad, barefooted, across the metal grating towards him.
"Albatross, reporting." She spoke calmly, only a hint of her previous self remained in her tone and in her eyes. Mal turned towards her and eyed her cautiously. She had grown, that was certain. No longer a little girl in need of his protection. Oh no, Malcolm Reynolds and the rest of Serenity's crew knew only to well how River could handle her self. And ever since they had been to Miranda, River had been calmer, more lucid. Yet, as the Captain regarded her there on the bridge, he couldn't decide which was more creepifying, the old "crazy" River, or this new strong woman who looked at you as if she knew all your most horrifying secrets.
Mal cleared his throat uncomfortably and pushed himself up from the pilots seat. "Take us into Persephone, we got a job to do."
"The Albatross can do that Captain," River said as she replaced him at the helm. Mal smiled to himself again. She had taken to his nickname of her readily. Frankly, he was surprised she hadn't changed her name to Albatross legally and insist that everyone call her by that. Shaking his head quickly to focus his attention towards the job at hand, he hit the com switch for a second time.
"This is the Captain. All crew report to the mess for job briefing."
He turned just as River was getting out of the pilots chair. "Exceptin' you, of course. You just concentrate on gettin' us on the ground." River gave him a joking half-salute and turned back to the ships console.
Mal walked down the metal stairs into the mess, and given his close proximity from the bridge and the fact that he had already been up for hours, he was the first to arrive. He took his usually seat at the head of the table and folded his arms over his chest as he waited for his crew to take their places.
First to join him was Jayne. He had changed too, Mal observed silently. Sure he was still a loud mouth wang ba dan, but the Captain wasn't always looking over his shoulder, waiting for Jayne to double cross him anymore. No, Jayne had proved his loyalty to Serenity when he stood with them against the Reavers on Mr. Universe's estate. They nodded at each other in greeting and Jayne took his seat.
Next to enter was Kaylee, covered in grease as usual, and with a smile on her face as usual. Her smile was, however, not for the Captain. She was turned around, and practically walking backwards into the mess, trying to listen to what the gorram Doc was saying. Now this was a complication Mal didn't need. Shipboard romances and all that. But it made Kaylee happy, and despite what he might admit, the Captain enjoyed watching her this way. If anyone deserved a little happiness, Mal thought, it was his young mechanic.
"Good mornin' Captain!" Kaylee said brightly as she sat at the table. Simon sat next to her and put her hand in his.
"Captain, Jayne." Simon stared at them defiantly, daring them to say something about this small display of affection. The corners of Mal's mouth curled up as he observed the young doctor.
Simon had changed for the better, in Mal's opinion. Sure he was still the same reserved young man they had picked up on Persephone all that time ago, but now he had seen the 'verse a bit, and he had grown stronger than the Captain would have thought possible.
Mal was shaken from his silent reverie by his first mates entrance. Zoe had always been stoic, but now thanks to the loss of her husband, one of the few men who could truly loosen her up, she was positively scary. I don't think I've seen her cry once, Mal thought. He had noticed that lately on the job she was becoming rather careless. Her draw was slower, as was her over all reaction to almost everything. He sighed quietly as he contemplated her. She was his oldest friend and he had absolutely no idea what he could do for her.
Looking up from Zoe, it startled him to realize this was it. There were four empty chairs at their table now. One, next to Simon, belonged to River who was currently breaking atmo over Persephone. Another, next to Zoe, had been Wash's. And there it would stay. Mal's eyes settled on the empty stool next to Jayne and he felt a twinge of guilt. There was no denying it; Shepherd Book had died because of Mal, or so the Captain believed. And he would let no one tell him differently. Mal had lately found himself missing the quiet, strong voice of reason Shepherd would bring to the mix. He would be able to give Mal advice as to Zoe at the very least. He may have almost welcomed a sermon, if it were said by the fallen priest. Well, almost. Mal turned slightly to regard the last empty chair, directly to his left. Inara. They had tried. They really had tried to make a go of it. He remembered the words they shared as they were ready to lift off after the Reaver attack: You ready to get off this heap and back to a civilized life? I... I don't know. Good Answer. It gave him a headache to think on it now. But at the time, upon hearing those words, he had been so happy for a brief moment. But in the end they both knew, it wouldn't work. He wasn't the sort of man to go halves. If he was to have her, he would gorramit have all of her. All of her, however, was something she wasn't willing to give. She was a Companion, not by trade, she said, but inside. That's what I get for falling in love with a whore, he had said to her. He immediately regretted it and tried to apologize but the damage had been done, and in the end, she had gone back to her girls at the training house. Kaylee, who was still in contact with Inara, was livid with Mal for weeks after this, but she had gradually warmed up to him again. It helped that Simon was there to distract her from his constant sour attitude.
"Mal?"
"Hmm?" He looked up suddenly, a mite embarrassed that he had been caught staring at Inara's chair. It had been Jayne that had roused him, a curious look upon his face. "So.. uh, you gonna tell us about this job or what?" the mercenary asked.
"Right. Got a wave from Badger not to long back. A fellow by the name of Bryce Rawley needs some stuff transported off of Persephone right quick."
Zoe looked up quickly. "Bryce Rawley, the Bryce Rawley of Rawley Enterprises?" She asked.
Mal nodded, "The same, you've heard of him I take it?"
"I have," she stated bluntly, and Mal could tell she wasn't happy about it.
Jayne glanced warily at Zoe, "What's got you all bent out of shape? Who is this Rawley guy anyway?"
"He's Alliance. And I mean that in the worst possible way," She began. "He started Rawley Enterprises during the war."
"What kind of company is it?" Simon asked.
Mal glanced at Zoe and took over the explanation. "It started out as a small time munitions firm. They built arms for the Alliance. And as more and more Independents were captured by the Alliance, they started sending them out there to work as slaves. We had our own gorram people making weapons that were used against us. I think that's the problem Zoe is having here."
"You're not wrong sir."
"If he's Alliance," Simon began, "why does he need our help getting something off planet? Surely he shouldn't have any problem transporting what ever he wants on an Alliance ship."
"Yea, you'd think that. But I'm guessing life has gotten a mite tougher for the Alliance since our little wave got sent out," Mal smiled.
The table was silent for a moment and then Kaylee spoke, "What does he want transported?"
The Captain pushed a strand of unruly hair off his forehead and leaned back in his chair. "I'm not rightly sure. When we land, Zoe and I'll take the shuttle to go meet with Rawley. In the mean time," he turned to Jayne, "I want you and Kaylee to see to any supplies we need, I think we got just enough left to get a few things. And," he turned to Simon, "I want you and River to stay on the ship. We don't know what the Alliance is doing about you two yet, probably shouldn't be running around right in front of them for the time being." Simon nodded.
They heard the buzz of the intercom and then River's voice came through, sounding tinny and far away, "Docking in five."
Mal stood up and started towards the bridge. "Zoe get the shuttle ready to go. Kaylee go take an inventory and see what we're out of." Mal was half way to the bridge when he heard steps behind him.
"Sir?"
He turned slowly to find Zoe a few feet behind him. "Zoe?"
She looked uncomfortable, but began anyway. "I don't feel right, meeting with this man, knowing what he did to our men during the war."
Mal walked towards her and lowered his voice, "We need this job Zoe. Rawley is one of the wealthiest men on Persephone, he's gonna pay well."
"It just don't feel right."
Mal made an exasperated sound, "It don't feel right? You know what feels right to me Zoe? Feeding my crew! This is the first job to come around in a good long while and I'll be gorramed if I'm gonna let feelings get in the way of it. Now, go get that shuttle ready to go!" She turned to go quietly.
"Zoe wait I," regretting his choice of words with his oldest friend, he tried to stop her.
"No sir. You're right, peoples gotta eat." And with that he watched her walk away.
They arrived at the Rawley estate right on time for their meeting. Mal wanted to make this as quick as possible. Go in, figure out the cargo and the payment, and get out relatively unscathed. Zoe seemed to have calmed down on the ride over, which Mal took as a kindness. He didn't want her recent destructive behavior to make Rawley think they couldn't be trusted. The house was large, in fact Mal wasn't sure, but it might have been called a mansion. They were met at the gate by a servant and taken down a few long corridors. They finally stopped in front of a large pair of double doors.
"Wait here please," the servant said before entering the doors and shutting them firmly behind him.
Zoe turned to Mal and gave him one of her patented "what the hell are we doing here looks." Mal smiled at her and shrugged. After a few minutes the door opened and they were allowed in. A tall man, with brown hair graying at the temples rose from a desk in the far corner to greet them.
"You must be Mr. Rawley?" Mal asked extending his hand.
"I am, I am," the man said as he returned Mal's handshake. "And you must be Captain Reynolds. And this beautiful lady is?" Zoe scowled at Rawley.
"My first mate Zoe," Mal answered quickly. "So what's this cargo you want us to transport?"
"Straight to business, I like that." Zoe's scowl deepened. "Well, a few months ago I happened to come upon some, oh you might say, illegal artifacts and certain individuals are trying to claim them for their own."
"So... you stole some stuff that's worth a lot of money, you ain't got the papers to prove you own any of it, and now the people you stole it from are trying to get it back?" Mal interpreted.
"That's it in a nut shell," Rawley laughed, "I'm impressed Captain. I assume none of this will be a problem however."
Mal shook his head, "No, not a problem. Makes the payment go up though."
"Naturally."
"And where's it going?"
"To a small holding facility I own on Acorus. Do you know the moon?"
"I do," Mal shifted uncomfortably, "pretty far away. That makes the payment go up to."
"Naturally," Rawley said as he walked towards his desk. "I'm willing to offer you 6,000 credits to do the job."
"Ehm." Mal turned to Zoe as she stifled a surprised cough at the amount offered. "I think you got yourself a ship Mr. Rawley. Have your cargo at the Eavesdown docks as soon as you can."
Rawley stuck his hand out to shake again. "Thank you Captain. I'll have it there very soon."
Mal leaned against the railing of the catwalk as he watched Rawley's men bring five large crates into the cargo bay of Serenity. Jayne and Kaylee walked up the ramp then too, a few small parcels in their arms.
"This our cargo then Captain?" Kaylee yelled up to Mal.
Mal nodded and watched as the last of Rawley's men exited the ship. "Close her up Kaylee."
Kaylee walked to the hatch and pressed the button to close the doors just as Jayne came around the corner with a crow bar in his hand.
"Should we open em up Captain?"
"Jayne you read my mind." Ever since Zoe and Mal had almost stolen much needed medicine from the good people of Paradiso, the crew hadn't transported anything that they didn't know what is was. Jayne began on the first box as Zoe and Mal watched from the catwalk.
"Just some ugly antique pi hua in this first one. And... ugh... more pi hua in this one." Jayne moved to the third as Mal reached for the com.
"River, take us out of the world." He heard the engines fire up as the began to take flight. Jayne, grunting, removed the lid on the third.
"Holy cao! Mal come here, quick!" Mal and Zoe hurried down to where Jayne was standing over the third box and peeked inside. A young girl maybe a woman, it was hard to tell with her unconscious and dressed in baggy rags, hair matted to her head, lay at the bottom of the crate.
Mal gasped, "Whoa... deja vu."