Authors Note: And here's chapter three - I apologise about the short chapters they will get longer and juicier I promise.
Chapter three
The blonde made her way through the crawl ways to above the engine room. She lay there looking through the grill as Kaylee went about her daily work of looking after the engines and other systems in the ship. Meanwhile, the brunette was making her way through the ship's corridors, avoiding Inara's shuttle. She finally arrived at the location she was looking for – Malcolm Reynolds' room. She pulled out a small black cube and opened the top of it which revealed two metal pins. Inserting these into the locking mechanism she stood back and watched with satisfaction as the door unlocked itself. She picked up the lock pick and made her way down the ladder. Once in, the woman re-locked the door and made herself at home by lying, on her stomach, on his bed facing the ladder. Now all she had to do was wait for him to come find her.
Kaylee was making her way to the cargo room to see the others when something caught her eye; two spacesuits had just been dumped on the floor by the side of the corridor.
"Why do people just leave things where they like on this ship?" she asked herself before putting them in the storage closet down the hall.
Once she had put them away with care she finished making her way to the cargo room. She had heard from Wash that there had been nothing on the planet and that had got her interest. If there had been the weapons cache, that they had been told was down there, that would have made enough money for Kaylee to go on a small shopping spree at the next market town or heavily populated planet they found. But no, she would have to wait a little longer for that small luxury.
The six who were on the planet were now back onboard and made their way, along with Kaylee and Inara to the bridge to discuss what had happened. They stood in the small room waiting for Mal to say something. Eventually he did; "shit!"
"What happened?" Inara asked her curiosity aroused.
"There was nothing there," Zoë replied. "Absolutely nothing".
There was a long pause as everyone took in the fact that yet again they would not be making a business deal and money was running low.
"It was a god-damn set up," Jayne said after a while.
"You watch who you're damning," Book said.
Jayne pulled a face and carried on talking, "probably wanted to kill us".
"Who?" Kaylee asked looking concerned that this might be somebody who would search for them without giving up till everyone was dead.
"The other ship," Wash said. "There was nobody aboard it. Don't know when it got here but it was after us. They must have gone down to the planet to find you".
Mal nodded. "Right, Wash make sure we're not being followed. Kaylee, keep an eye on the engines. Someone get me when we reach civilisation and no-one disturb me before then".
With that short speech Mal walked out of the room and to his own. Unbeknownst to him a female figure was following him.
To Be Continued...