"He'll be wantin' us to do what?" Kaylee exclaimed. Her eyes filled with shock and her mouth fixed to disgust, as if she tasted something unsavory.
'Dang-ran she'dda be the first one to raise hell.'
Mal had put an immediate stop to the waltzing as soon as River whispered into his ear. But ever since he just couldn't stop touching it, rubbing it, as if he still felt her warm breath on his ear. Now he had the crew around the table in the galley.
"Dig up a body" The captain replied louder to make sure the girl heard him correctly. He forced his hand down from his ear and stole a frustrated glance at the young reader.
'Ai ya reader'
"Am I the only one that sees a prob'm with this?"
"No, you're not." Simon spoke up.
'Jen dao mei'
"Then ya'll have a problem with gettin' paid" Mal announced. "At some time we'd be needin' food and fuel, an' in order to get either of those we need to get our hands on some money. Dong ma?"
"An' it ain't like any of us neva been 'round the dead before. What's the big deal?" Jayne asked. He sat across the opposed forces drinking lan-dan jiang from a ceramic mug. "We lie, steal, cheat. Why not add grave robbin' to our list of accomplishments?"
"Zoe, what's ye'r say on it?" Mal asked.
"I dislike the idea of botherin' a grave" She couldn't help but to grind her teeth when imagining someone disrespecting Wash's memorial site. "But I dislike the idea of starvin' and dyin' out in the Black more."
"There" Mal rested his hands flat on the table and leaned forward, as if daring someone to challenge his final say. "It's settled. We'll be takin' the job."
"But capt'n - " The engineer exclaimed again.
"Kaylee," He exhaled noisily. "I said it's settled. Three against two, you lose this game."
"What 'bout River?" She asked boldly.
"Crazy's vote don't count. She ain't in her right mind to make a real decision."
"She ain't ever'n her right mind." Jayne grumbled looking over at the girl next to him.
River squinted her dark beady eyes and glared at him. A look sharp enough to pierce the tough merc's shallow soul.
"I said it before an' I'll say a'gain; We're takin' the gorram job." Mal announced. He turned and marched out from the dinning area to the bridge, grumbling the all along the way.
The captain put out a wave to a member of the lowlife society. One whose allegiance was determined by the amount of money he was offered at the time. This "man" was known as Badger. Badger has carried out numerous shady dealings behind the backs of the Alliance for years. So, naturally, Badger frequented the use of Mal and his crew.
The man's round face and dirty black bowler hat filled Serenity's wave screen.
"'Ello Mal." He smiled a toothy grin.
'Jus the very sound'o his voice rubs me the wrong way.'
"Badger." Mal replied curtly. His jaw clenched tightly. He never really liked doing these jobs for the weasely little man.
"Have you an' your 'lil so-called-crew made ah decision yet?" Badger's accented voice emanated from the speakers.
"We'll take it." The captain stated bluntly.
"Good, good!" The round little face laughed heartily. "When will ya be landin'?"
"We ain't. That'd be a waste o'my time an' energy. An' not to mention that I like not havin' to smell ya, ya wang bao dahn. Send us the coordinates of where we be needin' to go and a picture of a land map marked with where the graveyard' ll be."
"Is 'at all?" Badger put on a pretend playful voice as he raised his eyebrows. "Or is there anythin' else I can get fer ya, m'good man?"
Mal ignored the man's tone and stayed focus on his task at hand. "Iffin' there'd be anything else I'd be need to know, such as any dangers we should be keepin' watch on, then you'd best'a shed some light on it when you send me everythin' else. It'd be in ya' best interest to not skimp on anythin'."
"Ai ya, Mal. It's almost as if yer don' trust me" Badger put a frown on his face and feigned to be hurt "it pains me heart, really it does."
"That's kinda hard to believe seein' as that ya don't have a heart. At least not a beatin' heart of ya own. Ya prob'bly had one torn outta someone else, though. That I can believe."
"Oh, yer know me too well." He smiled his toothy grin once more. "I'll send ya want ya'll need."
"Good, then that signals the end'o this connection." Mal closed the wave hastily so that Badger couldn't get another word in edgewise.
Even though Mal was positive that this job was a necessity to the livelihood for him and his crew, he still felt uneasy, about something. He couldn't put his finger on it exactly, but there was something he just couldn't grasp.
The captain smelled her, the aroma of wild flowers that clung to her long dark locks, and felt her presence, quiet and reserved, before he could hear her bare feet softly pattering on the hard cold floor. He turned to see her creep her way around the threshold and into the bridge.
"What'd ya want, lil' one?" He asked.
"Everything is settled." River spoke softly.
"Yea, everythin's settled." The captain sat in the threadbare pilot's seat and faced the Black.
"No," She corrected "That was not a question."
"But the question that was asked still ain't been answered."
"I've come to assist you in your latest expedition." She moved stealthily towards him. "I concur, I am of the same mind as you. Money and fuel are a necessity if we expect to keep floating around out here for much longer."
"Well, ya feelin' better now tha'cha had yer say?" He asked gruffly.
River leaned over Mal's shoulder to reach for one of the plastic dinosaurs that sat on the ship's console. The scent of her hair flooded over him and made him feel intoxicated. Her arm brushed his, sending a jolt of electricity all throughout his body.
River paused for a moment. She turned her small face towards the captain.
'Did she feel that too? Lao-tyen boo, no.'
They watched each other. Each of their eyes focused, glued, to the other's face.
Mal allowed his eyes to marvel at her own large dark brown eyes. To relish the slight suggestion of pink that adorned her cheeks and to outline the curve of her supple lips.
I wish I could jus once kiss them lips..."
He couldn't stop himself from noticing that she slightly pursed her lips and narrow her eyes to return a dark, smoldering look.
'No, no, no.'
River leaned towards him even more, invading whatever personal space he had left. She searched his face, freely letting her eyes wander all over.
Their bodies, at least Mal's, were tense.
"Sh ah" The young girl spoke first.
The captain blinked. "Shumma?" He asked genuinely confused.
She fixed her lips into a wide smile that brightened the whole room.
"I win" She announced happily "You lose this game."
"Huh?" He replied. Mal shook his head to free himself from his thoughts.
"You blinked first, you lose this game." The young girl explained.
"I don' be havin time fer ya child-like amusements, little one. It's best ya get outta here."
River's smile faded to a slightly curved line and she straightened her back. She stared into his eyes. Her countenance held no signs of playfulness, but seriousness and sincerity.
Mal turned from her and tried to busy himself with the switched and knobs of the lit up control panels. He could still feel her staring at him.
She reached out to touch his face. Mal instantly grabbed her hand. The jolt of electricity raced through him again. He was almost positive that she felt it this time. He looked up at her. A smile graced her face again.
"I wish I could just once kiss them lips." The young reader recited.
"What'd I'd tell 'ya 'bout screwin' 'round in my head?" He growled, putting on an angry front looking, once more, into her face. "Off limits". He couldn't truly be mad at her, at least not when he held her soft little warm hand in his large palm.
"I often wondered what it would be like to kiss you." She said as if she hadn't heard his question. Her large eyes continued to looked down on him.
"River, I told you to stop bothering the captain." Simon scolded his sister.
The two hadn't heard him approaching.
"I just wanted something to play with." She smirked deviously.
"He's not your toy." Her brother continued.
"And that's why I came for one of these." She held Wash's plastic tyrannosaurus rex in her free hand.
"What's going on here?" Simon looked at Mal's hand holding onto his sister's
"Nothin' more than usual, doc." Mal released her hand and watched it fall sadly to her side. He felt the tension and excitement in his body subside.
Simon didn't look convinced.
"Let us go, Simon." River said quietly as she languidly retreated from the captain's side. "The captain has a expedition to plan. He does not need us here."
Simon departed first from the bridge with River not-so-close on his heels.
"Hey," Mal called to her.
She stopped immediately, as if she expected this of him.
"If ya really wanna help with th'job, I'm sure I can find ya sumthin' to busy yerself with."
"Anything to help you..." She replied over her shoulder, holding the plastic toy tightly to her chest. "Captain."
Translations:
Dang-ran: Of course
Ai ya: Damn
Jen dao mei: Just our luck
Dong ma: do you understand?
Lan-dan jiang: weak booze
Wang bao dahn: Dirty bastard
Lao-tyen boo: Oh, Lord!
Sh ah: Yes
Shumma: What?