Jayne and Kaylee were well passed worried, As Griphook was. Their families were long passed over due. It was a mark of great shame, to the Goblin nation, that they had failed to fulfill such a simple request, for their allies.
... The Goblins didn't wish to worry them, but it was possible, the Alliance captured the ship they sent. Griphook sighed, the ship hadn't answered any of their hails. And now there was talk of sending a fleet.
Based on the Data Mal handed over, this "Alliance" was made up of the worst sort of Muggles. Everything the wizards feared, of muggles discovering magic, was embodied by that government. Right down to experimentation on Magicals.
Mal didn't even know half the Horrors, his native government had done, but it was right there. Buried deep in the Signal Wave. It included top secret, and encrypted data... but the Goblins had easily unearthed the knowledge, through transfering it into book form.
The scholars, who studied them, had given a debriefing to the Elders, themselves... and warned against any interaction with the Alliance.
So the Overseer agreed, it was best to leave them to their own devices... but if they had spilt Goblin blood. The full wait of the Goblin kingdom was honor bound to retaliate.
They were currently constructing War Ships, for that very purpose. Although there was hope it was unnecessary. Goblins may be proud warriors... but what was the point of violence for the sake of Violence.
If they did remove the Alliance, they would have to establish a new government. Hand over relief funds, while giving the Alliance humans a complete re-education. A process that could take decades... and unfortunately necessary, to ensure these humans didn't come back, looking for revenge.
The best thing to do, after crushing an opposing government, is to make the people love you, rely on you... or else they would turn on you, stronger then before.
The Goblin nation wasn't sure, if they're new Region was stable enough to take on such a responsibility... or if they would even want to.
Harry got into a routine.
The Weekends were usually spent mining asteroids. Which they found while flying as far away from the moon as possible. Just sailing the black, looking at the stars, occasionally getting close to rogue stars, or flying through nebulas.
They would leave Friday afternoons, after school. Then return Sunday night, after Harry was put to bed. That "Recall" button, would instantly return the ship to the New London docks. No matter how far away they got.
Then, during the week, the crew would handle their Day Jobs, while Harry was at school. After School, for about 3 hours, Harry would spend his time in the children's rec-center, until he was picked up, by the crew, complete with ship.
Then, the ship would fly out the port, and go through a different port, of the Moons surface. To one of the safari zones. Where Magical forest, to deserts, were filled with free range beast.
From there, The Crew would go monster hunting. Which Harry was actually able to help with. Not in fighting, but with tracking. By using "Point Me" spells, he learned in school this year, Harry could direct the Crew to where the monsters were.
Then Harry was supposed to use a port key, to return to the ship with the other non-combatants.
The one time Harry tried to help with the fight... the crew got distracted, and Jayne got hurt. Not badly. Just a broken leg. Which was fixed over night, thanks to Some potions on hand.
Regardless, Mal had not been happy...
That night, as Jayne recovered in the infirmary... Harry was crying... over Mal's lap... with his pants around his ankles.
The punishment hadn't been nearly as bad as what Uncle Vernon put him through... but strangely that made it worse.
Harry just got a handful of slaps, just barely enough to turn his hide pink... but it wasn't until Mal said it was over that the boy cried. Mal hugged him, and rubbed comforting circles on his back, as the boy cried...
Because he was allowed to, because in that moment... with Mal soothing him... he realized. He was more then a burden to this man... Mal, despite not being the best at showing it... cared about him.
The man even begged, BEGGED, Harry not to scare him like that again. He was more worried about what could have happened to Harry, then what did happen to Jayne... Mal... loved him. Loved him like a father should...