This take place after Objects in Space and after Book and Inara leave the ship. It’s more of a “What if…” It’s kinda bad. I’m still not used to the fan fic writing. It was just an idea I wanted to play with.

I don’t own these characters…I just like to use them for my own amusement. :)

*************************

“Captain, there is a message coming in for you,” Wash, the pilot’s voice sounded over the intercom.

Mal was cleaning out Inara’s old shuttle so he asked to take it in there. He turned on the screen to see a girl, about the same age as River with darker features,brown hair and big brown eyes. She had a familiar face but he had never met her before.

“Captain Malcolm Reynolds?” the girl said.

“This is he. How can I help ya, darlin’?” She cleared her throat.

“Mal, I know you’re on your way to Lilac to do that job for Fanty and Mingo, but don’t. Please, don’t.”

Mal was bewildered as to how a young girl he’d never met knew exactly what they were doing. “I’m sorry?”

“Please, Mal, don’t do it. I beg you.”

“I don’t even know who you are,” Mal stated calmly.

“That’s not important right now. I just need you to do this for me, please.”

“Fanty and Mingo won’t be so kind when I tell them that a teenage girl told me not to do the job they wanted me to do. Now, what’s the deal? Why don’t you want us to do this job?”

“Captain, if I tell you something will you promise not to tell the rest of your crew?”

“I can’t make such promises, but let me hear what you have to say.”

“This will sound crazy, but I know everything about all of you. I know you and Zoë fought in the war together, I know Jayne’s favorite gun is named Vera, I know your pilot like to play with toy dinosaurs, I know you’re in love with Inara…”

“Whoa, hold on just a second, anyone could have told you that stuff, are you friends with Inara? Are you a whor…I mean companion too?”

“I know the Tams are on your ship and that they are wanted by the Alliance.”

Mal’s heart stopped beating for a split second. Was she another bounty hunter? “What do you want?”

“I already told what I want Captain.” The girl was serious. For some reason she really didn’t want them to do that job.

*********

“Who was the message from?” Zoë asked Wash.

“I don’t know. Some girl. She talked like they were friends or something. She was real friendly though. Late teens, brown hair…pretty girl, you know in a kid way.”

“Mal doesn’t have any friends that I don’t know, especially none that young. I wonder what she wants.”

“She seemed nice enough.”

“So did Saffron.”

“No, Saffron was crazy.”

“You didn’t act like that until after she kicked you in head.”

“Whatever, this girl didn’t seem crazy though.”

“It just doesn’t sit well with me,” Zoë said as she walked away.

Wash went back and sat by himself in his chair looking out at the stars. He loved the stars. Even though he grew up never seeing them, he couldn’t imagine his life with out them now. Just like how he felt toward Zoë. He couldn’t even believe that there was a time when he didn’t get to see her beautiful face.

**********

“Are you a bounty hunter?” Mal asked the young girl.

“Aww, hell no Captain. I was trying to prove the point that I know you guys, all of you…well, most of you. There’s only one person I don’t know on your ship and I want to be sure that someday I will know him.”

“Would ya quit beating around the bush?!?!?! Just tell me who you are!”

“My name is Ella. Ella Washburne.”

“So are you related to Wash, like a sister or a cousin or something?”

“Yes and no. I’m his daughter.”

“Ai ya, hwai luh!”

“Don’t tell anyone. I don’t think I should have even told you. I just need your help. If you finish that job, he’ll die!”

“Who will die?”

“Wash.”

“So where or when you came from Wash is dead? “

“Yes.”

“Where are you right now?”

“Not too far from you actually. I’m on Hera.”

“We’ll come and get you,” he stopped and thought for a few seconds, “The ‘verse won’t explode or anything if you’re with us, will it?”

“Not to my knowledge.”

“Okay we’ll be there in a few hours.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Don’t be thanking me just yet, we have a lot more to talk about.”

“I understand.”

Mal turned off the screen and went to the bridge. Wash was sitting there by himself looking at the stars.

“Hey Captain, what’s happening? We’re still on course to Lilac, shouldn’t be but a few days.”

“We’re not going to Lilac anymore. We’re stopping at Hera.”

“Why the change of plans, sir?”

“We’re picking up a passenger for a while.”

“Who is she?”

“Just a friend’s kid. She needs somewhere to stay for awhile. And she can cook, so I told her that was enough to get her on board.”

“I’ll say it is,” Wash replied. They hadn’t had any real food since the Shepard left and a cook would be nice.

Good enough story, Mal thought. He couldn’t tell anyone the real reason why they couldn’t do the job. It didn’t matter though. He’d make something else up. But how did he even know if the girl was telling the truth? She did know a lot. There was only one person who would know if she were telling the truth.

************

“River, I need you to get off at Hera with me.” River, who was quietly drawing looked up at the captain. “You need me?” she asked smiling.

“Sure do,” Mal replied.

End…let me know what you think, please???

**************** Ai ya, hwai luh- sh** on my head