Entering the pub, all three of them saw hardly anything due to the smoke and dust. It was barely lit and has a moderate crowd inside. When they stepped inside the entrance, a long set of stairs lead down into the drinking area. Tables were spread out, and the bar was full. A couple women walked around serving drinks on flat trays, and a man on a stool in the corner played a guitar.

Looking for Niska, Kane spotted a well-dressed man in the corner on the far side of the bar. Another set of stairs are at the back of the bar, and it looked as if it went into rooms they could rent for the night.

Niska stood up as Kane entered and waved him over. As Kane came near, he smiled. "Ah, Captain Kane, I am very pleased to see a man of such good reputation in person. I am so glad you take job, now I can get rid of chickens. Will you be wanting the help on board, or can you handle it?" he brought out his money purse and clanked it, showing he had the platinum.

Kane indicated to his companions to sit and then took a seat as well, directly across from Niska.

"Well, I believe my crew is fully capable of carrying your birds, but I am curious: what you are do in such a colorful location? Not exactly your style, is it?"

Kane waved to a waitress to get their and order drinks for himself and his party.

Kane was measuring up Niska and his intentions. He had heard things about Niska and was not going to enter arrangements with him lightly. Even something as mundane and simple as moving chickens from point A to point B.

He waited for Niska to respond.

Niska grinned. "Oh, so untrusting, Captain. That is good; I like that. It shows you have more brains than some." He shrugged.

"I have a reputation to keep as well. If some...organizations found I was moving some chickens from Higgins' Moon, then they might not like me, and my reputation would go down. I cannot have that happen, you see. That is why I choose such a small, unsignificant planet to do my legitimate business transactions."

The waiter came with the drinks and set them in front of Kane, Wash, and Jade, then walked away.

Niska waited until she was out of earshot before continuing. "I have many different styles, and the best part about my style is that I have no style. I have reputation. That is all that matters to me. And I would not like to hear of you losing your reputation, no?"

XXXXXX

While Niska had been talking to the Captain, Wash had been looking around him. He didn't like being away from his ship for too long, he got nervous at the thought of her just sitting out there all alone. He had finished his drink, and decided to go get a refill, since the waiter had not come back.

"I'm going to get a drink," he whispered to Jade, letting her know where he was going.

Walking up to the bar, he put some money on the counter and asked for a refill. The bartender grinned and slammed a cup down with clear liquid which sloshed over the side. Wash looked at him strange, and reached for what he thought was water.

He found out different when he actually tasted it. The first sip he took, he instantly spat back out. The back of his throat burned, and he coughed.

"Je shr shuh muh lan dong shi?!" He said, looking at the barkeeper, who was laughing. A man that was sitting beside Wash looked at him.

"That's called "mudder's milk"," he said, slapping his hand onto Wash's shoulder. "It's what a real man drinks around here."

The man was tall, about 6"4, and had brown hair. His yellow shirt was dusty, but not mud-ridden like the rest of the people here. He also had a customized rifle strapped to his shoulder. Wash gulped, and the man smirked.

"So, whad'ya say, little man, want to see if you can keep up with me in a drinkin' contest?" He said, turning to face the pilot.

Wash shrugged. "No, I don't think so. I'm not good with--"

"Bring us some milk!" The man said, and there was a chorus of agreement around them. Wash tried to say something, but the man stuck out his hand.

"Name's Jayne," he said.

Wash reached out tentatively and shook the man's hand. "I'm Wash. But I really don't want to--"

"Now, come on, you've got to at least have one drink with me." Jayne grinned. Wash sighed and eyed the rifle strapped across the man's chest.

"Fine. Since you won't let me go, just one drink." Wash said painfully. What have I gotten myself into?

XXXXXX

Kane completed negotiations with Niska and settled on the price. As they were finishing the deal, he realized Wash had not come back yet. This made Kane nervous as he was not interested in any additional adventures...his hands were full enough.

While Niska was saying something to one of his associates, Kane leaned over to Jade and said, "Where is Wash?"

Jade looked around the bar. Arching a delicate eyebrow, she pointed discreetly to the bar area across the room. "Well, unless my eyes decieve me, I think that is him standing over there with a very large individual. It seems to me both of them are drinking with reckless abandon, and *what* is Wash wearing on his head??"

Kane looked in the direction indicated by Jade and then, turning around lowered his chin and shook his head to himself. It's going to be a long day he thought to himself before looking back up at Niska and smiling a forced smile.

The horrible off-key voice of his pilot's singing reached his ears. He remembered that Wash once told him he only sang when he was good and drunk. It seemed this was one of those times. The man that sat across from him also seemed to be singing with him. They were both wearing paper hats that someone had made for them.

Suddenly, the man with the guitar started a new song. The whole bar cheered as soon as he struck the first chord.

"Jayne...the man they call Ja-yne!" The man sung out.

Kane saw the man across Wash getting more attention, and deduced that that must be the man called Jayne. And when he looked closer, he could see a mighty fine resemblance to the statue outside.

"He robbed from the rich and he, gave to the poor. Stood up to the man and..gave him what for. Our love for him now, ain't hard to explain. The Hero of Canton...the man they call Jayne!"

The whole bar joined in on the last line.

Kane, knew that he probably didn’t want this type of attention to his party. Niska looked at him strange.

"Isn't he with you?" Niska was getting nervous. "I don't want to draw attention to my business transaction. Do you think you can quiet him down?"

Kane, letting out a quiet sigh, said to Niska,"Well, you know where my ship is. We're ready to take on the cargo whenever you want. The sooner we get it, the sooner we'll get it to it's destination.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to attend to my, um, some other business."

With that, Kane rose, but avoided shaking hands with Niska. He would do a job for him, but he did not want there to be any misconception as to their relationship.

Jade and Kane moved across the bar to Wash's side, pushing through the gathering mob. He leaned next to Wash and over the entire population of the bar, which had begun to sing with the song the man with the guitar started, said into his ear, "Sorry to interrupt your hero worship or male bonding or time of brotherhood or whatever, but we need to be going, Wash. Your ship is waiting."

He grabbed Wash's arm--part to stabilize him, but also to impart the Kane's authority and Wash's need to comply.