(I'm not sure the various ages of the crew when the war started, so hopefully it makes sense.)

Mal stood expressionless. The heat from the fire was making him sweat, but he didn’t wipe his brow. The sweat trickled down slowly. “You didn’t have to do this.” An older man said. Mal didn’t respond. He looked at the man. “Yeah, I did.” He handed him the reigns to a colt. “Mal, I can’t. You need him more than I do. Mary and me we’ll be ok. Maybe you can sell him to the Yengs.” Mal put the reigns in his hands. “I won’t need him where I’m going. Besides, I owe you.” The man took a deep breath. Smoke filled his lungs and he coughed a bit. “All you owe me is coming back home alive.” Mal smiled. “Yes sir.” The man cleared his throat. “You should get going. They’ll be looking for you son.” The man turned to leave, but he hesitated. “Mal.” “Yeah.” “One other thing. Kill a couple of those sons of bitches for me.” Mal smiled. “That’s the plan.” The man left with the horse. Mal stood there a moment longer and watched the fire. “That’s the plan.” He kissed the silver cross around his neck and picked up his bags. “That’s the plan.”

**** “You don’t have anything to prove by doing this. I called Madame Marie, she said you can come back if you want…” Zoë ignored the older woman talking to her. She was in the mist of packing. “I watched my father, my husband and sons walk out that door and not return, I’ll be damn if I’ll do the same for you. If you walk out that door, don’t bother coming back. They’ll be nothing for you.” Zoë kissed the older woman on the cheek. A stream of tears ran down the woman’s face. Zoë stood at the doorway and stared at the fragile woman before her. “The difference between me and them is that I don’t plan to come back.” Zoë paused. “I love you.” She turned and walked out the door. *****

“I don’t git it. Ain’t no money in it.” “Everything ain’t about money.” Jayne paused a moment to that about the words that were just spoken to him. “Yeah it is.” The younger man chuckled. “Didn’t you ever want to be apart of something that was bigger than yourself. This can change things.” Jayne leaned back in his chair. He took a sip of his alcohol. “Nope. If there ain’t no profit, then I don’t see the point of doing it.” He other man picked up his bags. He kissed Jayne on the top of the head. “You’ll never change.” He headed for the door. “Anything you want me to tell ‘em?” Jayne asked. “Tell ‘em I love ‘em.” The man shifted the bag on his shoulders. “Try not to get into too much trouble while I’m gone. Where I’m going I can’t bail you out.” Jayne smiled. “Trouble my middle name…. Just don’t git yourself dead.” The younger boy laughed. “Same to you.” Jayne watched him leave. “Damn fool.” ****

Inara took another sip of her wine. She was bored of this conversation of the Unification War. But, when your client was a young Captain in the Alliance conversation tended to lean in that direction. “Inara, where do companions stand on the Unification War?” The young captain asked. “Yes…please tell us Ms. Serra.” Another dinner companion chimed. Inara smiled. “Well I can’t speak for all companions, but I’m for the war. I believe that people on the boarder planets can benefit from the technologies that the Allied Planets have to offer. I’ve heard that the boarder planets are pretty rudimentary.” “You’ve never been to the boarder worlds Ms. Serra?” The man sitting across from her asked. “No.” “Well you haven’t missed anything. A woman of your statue shouldn’t have to see the monstrosities that are the border worlds. Those people are nothing more than backbirths.” There was unison of laughter. “And the Independents…what do they call themselves?” “Browncoats. After those hideous coats they wear. I believe that they are actually made with real cow hide.” “Ridiculous…this whole war is ridiculous the Independent army is nothing but a bunch of inbred backbirth with guns.” The young captain smiled warmly at Inara. He took her hand and kissed it softly. “Gentlemen we’re probably boring Ms. Serra with our talks of war. I say a change of subject is due. Ms. Serra you said that you trained on Sihnon?” A subject that Inara was fond of, Sihnon. “I was born there.” “Yes Sihnon is a lovely planet. Especially in the spring. My wife and I vacation there quite often.” One of the men at the table added. “Yes, it’s very lovely.” *****

“Father have you read the latest papers. The Independent armies are growing.” Simon handed his father the paper. He glanced at the paper and tossed it aside. “Nothing for you to worry about. All you need to do is to focus on your education.” Simon fiddled with the pencil in his hand. “Why are they fighting? You would think that they would be grateful for the Alliance and all its technologies. I mean…” “Simon…” His father interrupted. “Some people enjoy living in the dark. Don’t you have some work to get to? You can’t become Osiris brightest doctor if you focus all your attention to this silly war.” “Yes sir.” Simon turned his attentions back to his work. In the corner River sat listening to the whole conversation. “People don’t like to be meddled with. We meddle.” She whispered quietly to herself. *****

Kaylee's father dragged her by the arm. “If I catch you in the shipyard with another boy Kaywinnit Lee Frye I’m gonna take a switch to your hind quarters young lady.” Kaylee blushed. “Sorry, Poppa. I just wanted to say good bye to Chaz. You remember Chaz.” Kaylee’s father stopped. “You mean Chaz, 18 year old Chaz?” “Yep that would be him.” She said meekly. Kaylee’s father gave her a stern look. “He’s too old for you.” Kaylee smiled. “I know, but he was going off to fight and Miss Ana said we need to support our boys. So that’s what I was doing.” “By kissing.” “She said help anyway you can. And well…that was the only way I could think of.” Kaylee’s father laughed. “What am I gonna do with you?” Kaylee kissed him on the cheek and linked her arm around his. “I bet Momma baked a pie.” “Pie you say.” “Yep.”

****

“Ouch…Wash gorramnit can you please keep your toys off of the floor.” A young man said. He picked up the offending toy and threw it at his sleeping roommate. “How can you sleep?” Wash woke up when the dinosaur hit him in the head. “Easy I close my eyes like this and then preceded to snore. Let me demonstrate.” Wash’s roommate kicked off his boots. “You know that they posted the standings.” Wash opened one eye. “And?” His roommate plopped down on his bunk. “Why do you care? You’re sleeping.” Wash jumped up and put on his shoes. He ran to the door when his roommate stopped him. “Wash!” “What?” “Pants.” “Huh?” “You might want to put on pants. You know before you leave the room.” Wash looked down and noticed his lack of pants. “Pants are for pansies, like you. Real pilots don’t need pants. In fact I fly better without pants.” His roommate threw a pair of pants at him. “Remind me never to fly with you. But, do us all a favor by putting on pants, cause no one wants to see your skinny milky white legs.” Wash tossed the pants back. “What do you mean by skinny milky white legs. I have the legs of a dancer.” He pirouetted out the room. He went to the main hall to check the standings. Another student was looking at the posting. Wash cleared his throat. The student looked at him funny and got out of his way. “Yes make way for number…who the hell is…. and why is he number 1 and I’m number 2.” “Maybe because he wears pants Washburn.” Wash turned a saluted. “Sir.” “I have an assignment for you.” The Sergeant handed him a folder. “Your orders are in there. You leave in two hours.” “Yes, sir.” “And Washburn put on some pants no one wants to see your skinny milky white legs.” The Sergeant turned to leave. “Yes, sir. Pants I’ll get right on it.” Wash checked the list again. “Right before I kick the ass of…” *****

“You sure you want to sell her son?” The barker asked. “No I’m not sir. But the Alliance is making it harder for men like me to fly about.” The barker glance at the rusty looking ship. “She ain’t much. Kinda looks like she’s gonna fall apart if a good wind came through.” The other man smiled. “She’ll fool ya that way. But you find a buyer who’ll treat her right, well she’ll keep flying long after you and me are dead.” The man gazed lovingly at the firefly. “It’s killing me that I got to sell her to you. But, I can’t afford to keep her in repair.” “I’ll give ya 23,000 for her.” “She’s worth more than that.” “Son, that’s a deal. It’ll cost me more than to keep her here on my lot with taxes and all. She’s an eyesore. I’ll be lucky if anyone buy her….” The barker saw the hurt expression on the man’s face. “Times are tough son. Take the money.” The barker wrote a check and handed to the man. He looked at the check as if it was crawling with snakes. “Thanks.” He turned to leave, but without taking one more look at his beloved firefly.