"Damnit, Captain, at least let me take a look at her head!" The Doctor protested, following Mal down the corridor and toward the cockpit where Zoe was standing behind Wash's chair and looking out into the black.
"That damn woman is insufferable. She don't deserve no doctor and she ain't our guest!" Malcolm explained sternly, moving to sit down in the co-pilot seat before asking, "Wash, ETA?"
"About twenty minutes, Mal, give or take." Wash responded, flicking at a couple of switches and Mal nodded.
"We received a Wave?" He queried and Wash shook his head.
"Not yet, sir. We should be in range shortly." He explained and Mal nodded again.
"Alrighty then. We get the location, we do the drop and we get this bird back in the sky within the hour, dong ma?" He ordered.
"Yes, sir." Zoe said, turning to watch her Captain closely. Behind him, Simon was standing in a huff, looking about ready to punch something.
"How's our prisoner?" She added and Mal rolled his eyes.
"That woman's gonna be the death of me!" He stated, irritated.
"He won't even let me patch up her head! It's been three days, Mal. You haven't fed her or let her sleep. Let alone use the bathroom!" Simon said angrily, obviously unable to watch an injured, ill treated person suffer, even if they did hold them at gun point.
"You let her soil herself, sir?" Zoe queried, confused by her Captain's cold manner. This was harsh, even for him.
"Has anyone forgotten why she's on this here boat!" Mal retorted, angered by his crew being so caring of this batshit crazy woman. She was driving him insane and even if her story were true, she was still grating on him and still refused to bide by his orders. And that just wasn't on.
"Sir, you said it yourself. Badger stole from her to begin with. If she's tellin' the truth then she was only doing what she had to." Zoe tried to explain and Mal sighed in irritation.
"Ya'll just love gangin' up on me, don't ya?" He replied, rubbing a hand over his face tiredly before muttering under his breath, "Damn crazy broad."
"Alright, fine. Simon, fetch Jayne and get him to escort our 'guest' to the infirmary. Get her all cleaned up like and ready for when we land." Mal ordered and Simon let a victorious smirk lift up his mouth before nodding and exiting the cockpit.
"You have something in mind, sir?" Zoe queried, staring up at her Captain.
"Don't I always?"
They exited the ship, leaving the cargo hatch open and waited. The drop time had been and gone before their contact finally showed. They glanced at the three warily, Jayne holding Vera protectively at his side, Zoe with her arms crossed but ready for action and Mal, his expression stern and Captain like.
"You got the goods?" One of them asked, the leader, a fat short man with a greasy looking goatee and rotten teeth.
"You got our cut?" Mal replied, his gaze steely and unwavering. The leader lifted his chin slightly and one of his men threw a bag that clinked with the sound of coin as it fell into Mal's hand. He peeked inside and nodded before opening one of the crates. The leader stepped forward slightly and peeked over the rim before turning to Mal and nodding.
"C'mon ya slack jawed sissies! Let's load up the goods!" The leader ranted angrily and the men sprung forward, lifting the heavy crates into their hands before Mal cleared his throat, getting the leader's attention again.
"Bring the girl." Mal stated simply and Jayne stepped back into the cargo bay before pulling the reluctant prisoner out into the sun as she protested angrily.
"You gorram pile of cow dung. Let go of me!" Kali yelled, struggling against him. The leader let a wide, pleased grin lift up his mouth before licking his lips.
"Well, ello. Who do we 'ave here?" He said, moving closer toward her.
"A trade, if you're interested. She's ornery and loud mouthed but with the right discipline, I think she'd make an a-grade droxy, don't ya think?" Mal explained, his tone cold and harsh and Kali shivered and her eyes went wide in fear.
"Lio Coh Jwei Ji Neong Hur Ho Deh Yung Duh Buhn Jah J'wohn!" Kali hissed angrily, turning on Mal before she noticed the leader's aroused expression and he licked his lips again. Kali knew that face, that sick twisted face and that pleased smirk. And she knew what she would become if Mal let her go. He must have really hated her to even consider what he was doing.
"Ello Kali, remember me, sweet 'art?" The leader finally spoke, his evil grin splitting his face unattractively.
"Graegarn, you sher toh!" Kali bit out in rage but her voice was shaking and for once in a very long time, she was frightened.
"Ain't you happy to see me, poppet? How them scars healin' for ya?" Graegarn teased and Kali's blood ran cold and her face went white. She instantly remembered how she had double crossed Graegarn and had barely escaped with her life. He had cut into her back with a surgical blade, almost hitting bone, carving "traitor" into her skin until she could no longer scream, her voice gone and her spirit broken. If she went back, if Mal let her go, she would be as good as dead. Even out of the corner of her eye though, she saw his expression change and his hand clutched tightly around Kali's wrist possessively. She turned on him then, clutching the front of his shirt in her hands and forced him to look at her.
"Mal, please, don't." Kali choked and when Mal stared back into her eyes, he saw a fear he had never seen before.
"And how'd you suppose we get out of this here mess?" Mal asked in a quiet voice.
"With guns blazin' and the like, ain't that the Malcolm Reynolds way?" Kali retorted and Mal cocked his head.
"So ya have heard of me?" He teased and she rolled her eyes.
"Little hard to ignore the chatter." Was all she said before the situation grew serious again.
"Alright, lil' lady. I've gotta plan but your gonna have to trust me." Mal said quietly and Kali snorted.
"Great. What's the plan then, Cap'n?" She retorted teasingly.
"There's a pistol 'neath my shirt you're gonna grab for then on ma signal we shoot everyone and get the hell off this here rock." Mal explained and Kali rolled her eyes again.
"Solid plan ya got there." Kali teased.
"I'm shocked my own self." He replied and she smirked before reaching behind him and beneath his shirt.
"Alright, enough with this touchin' moment n' all but I'll take this 'ere wench, if ya not too attached to 'er that is." Graegarn said impatiently and Kali turned back around to glare at him steadily. Mal moseying toward him, still holding on to Kali's wrist and considered, stroking his chin.
"But she does have an oddness to her. I hardly know if I wanna give her up. What you offerin'?" Mal asked, quick on his feet as he tried to stall Graegarn as Kali kept her arm slung around Malcolm's waist, gun in hand.
"Fifteen gold coin for the sheila." Graegarn stated, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I dunno, she's mighty pretty..." Mal said, as if still making up his mind.
"Didn' think of ya as the sentimental type, Cap'n Reynolds. Nor is Kali ever a willin' slave. Ya gotta cut that stubbornness from 'er, teach 'er some respect." Graegarn explained, as if offering up the reasons why it would be too much hassle for Captain Reynolds to keep her for himself. Kali stiffened against him, a low growl escaping her throat.
"You think you can straighten' her out? Make her lady like and all that?" Mal queried of him and he smiled wicked.
"Done it once. Can do it again." Graegarn responded.
"Well in that case," Mal began, before pulling his gun out, cocking it and aiming it at Graegarn's head, "I'm gonna shoot ya."
Before Mal could pull the trigger, he had been shot between the eyes and he side glanced at Kali who had his pistol raised, smoke still streaming from the barrel.
"Kai Huo!" Mal roared as they shot down his remaining men. Bullets ricocheted around them and they realised they were not alone.
"Let's get this bird in the air, people!" Mal ordered as they all raised toward the cargo bay and closed the door behind them. The Captain reached for the comms, yelling into them "Let's moon 'em, Wash!"
They took off and had broken atmosphere within minutes, retreating into the black.