A/N: There's a "Better Days" spoiler in this chapter, for those of you familiar with the comics.

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"Honey, men can be scum." Inara said condolingly, embracing Kaylee as they sat on her bed. "It's a known fact."

"How," Kaylee stifled a sob. "How can you say that? You service them."

"Most of the time. Anyhow, remember Atherton Wing?"

"Was he the guy Mal hit?"

"Yes. Anyhow, are you sure about what you saw?"

"Well, Yes… I mean, kinda. She was hikin' her pants up."

"Kaylee?" Came Zoe's voice from the cargo hold. "Kaylee, hon, where are you?"

"I'm in Inara's shuttle."

"Look Kaylee, I'm sorry you saw what you think you saw, but the fact is that… well, I've been having some 'woman problems' that only Simon could handle."

"You mean like," Kaylee made the hand gesture for vomiting.

"Something like that."

"Butterflies." The three all turned their heads in the direction of the voice. River was sitting Indian style on the upper landing right outside of Inara's hatch. Looking at her feet, she went on. "Nine little butterflies all heading right for the net, but only two see it. A few volunteer to go, so some of the others follow, but they don't notice the net until it's too late." Looking up she added, "There's more people in here than there seems to be."

Mal's voice came over the intercom: "This is the Captain; I'm calling an emergency meeting in the galley. Anyone who doesn't like unpleasant surprises in your breakfast cereal will want to attend."

Mal looked up from the head of the table as the rest of the crew filed in. "Captain, is something the matter?" Simon queried.

"Yeah, what's going on?" Kaylee also wondered.

"What's goin' on is that we landed on a bug, or rather, a bug landed on us."

"Sir, what are you talking about?" Zoe asked.

"Saffron."

"I thought we'd dealt with her." Kaylee piped up

"We did, thanks in no small part to Inara."

"So how'd she get back to us?"

"More important is why you let her on the ruttin' ship in the first place." Jayne demanded.

"It's a yo-yo." Stated River dreamily as she made up-and-down movements with her hand. "Throw it away, it comes right back."

"Uh-huh," Mal bemusedly replied. "Anyway, she let herself on. Fuel ain't cheap, so we ain't turnin' 'round. 'Stead, we're gonna leave her on the next rock possible. 'Til then, we've got ourselves a new chef."

"You trust her not to poison our food?" Zoe queried.

"I trust our food not to be poisonous. 'Sides, Jayne and I worked up a system."

"Did you check her?"

"Uh… Jayne? Did you check her?"

"Nope. Wouldn't let me."

"Ok. In that case, Doc, when we're done here, I got a job for you."

"Back to the "dumpin'-her-off thing: can't we just let her off now?"

"No. We'll leave her off at some settlement, let some sheriff or summat deal with her."

"What if she breaks out between here and there?" Pondered Zoe.

"Fat chance. Even if she does, it's a small ship. 'Sides... system."

"Well, I can't see any faults with this plan." She sarcastically replied, her face and voice as deadpan as could be.

The next morning, Jayne, Saffron, and Vera, were all occupying the galley. "Cap' says you're s'posed to be makin' breakfast right 'bout now."

"I am. For myself." She cracked some eggs over a pan.

"I think the cap' meant otherwise."

"I can only imagine the headache you must be having." She quipped as she retrieved seven clay bowls, a box of cereal, and a gallon of milk. With all the grace of a Higgins' Moon mudder, she made their breakfast. She tipped her eggs onto her plate. Leaving rest of the dishes where they lay, she sachet-ed over, sliding his bowl across the table to him. Eyeing Vera, she added, "Mighty big gun. You know what they say about guys with mighty big guns."

"Yeah, well, I ain't one of those guys."

Running her index finger around the tip of the barrel, she stated, "I can tell." Continuing her little walk, she knelt behind him, her chest to his back. "I'm wondering, what's a big, strong man like you doin' on a little bitty boat like this?" By now she was caressing his chest. "A giant hunk of a man like you deserves his own cruiser, people obeying his commands, companions fulfilling his every desire." She added as, her first hand on his chest, she cradled his cheek, pulling his lips closer to her own. Just as their lips were about to make contact, he suddenly pulled away.

"Money wasn't good enough. Was once, but something happened to it."

Disappointed in her failed ploy, she decided to change her tack. "You know, Mal's got some street smarts, but not that many. You, however, I bet there's been many a time when you've come up with a great plan."

"One time, we was workin' for that Niska guy, an' Mal an' Wash, our pilot, got 'emselves cornered. Anyhow…"

"Niska? Wow. I can only imagine what that must have been like. I'm getting pumped just thinking about it. Sounds almost as exciting as that work I got lined up ."

"Go on."