All the usual disclaimers. No harm, no foul, no money. It's just because I want to play, too.

******

“We ready to fly? Nobody’s left any hankies hanging on the line? We got all we came with?” Mal’s voice came over the com from the bridge. “All right, then, we’re gone.”

As soon as they left atmo Mal went to look for Kaylee. He found her and River playing Crazy Eights in the mess.

“Kaylee, we need to think about that whistler of Atherton Wing’s. You thought it might on a timer – can you stop from payin’ off until we want it to?”

“Sure, that’s easy. It’d be harder to rework it so it went off automatic, the way it’s supposed to, but I c’n disconnect it now and just reconnect it when we want it,” Kaylee said.

“Here it is. You keep it from going off, and when we’re ready to call those bastards you make it whistle,” Mal said. “And here’s the other thing we need to do. You got any ideas about some kinda substitute nav beacon? Seein’ as how we left Serenity’s out with all that Alliance junk?”

“I been thinkin’ ‘bout that, Cap’n. I think I c’n rig one a the shuttles’ nav beacon to say that this is the Firefly transport Serenity. Won’t be perfect, but it’ll show we’re willin’ to identify ourselves, maybe that’ll be enough if we run across some Alliance bully out here.”

“If it says this is Serenity, why isn’t it perfect?” Mal asked.

“Cause it won’t sound right. It’ll be the shuttle’s frequency but sayin’ something else.”

“Could I have some captain dummy talk here?”

“It will be like you singing soprano,” River said.

“What?”

“Right words, wrong sound.”

“Fine. Just make it sing a tune that’ll show we ain’t got nothin’ to hide.” Mal walked off, shaking his head.

The crew quickly settled into the routine of transit: Mal and River taking care of the horses – River having developed an infatuation for all things equine – “might be the first normal thing that girl’s ever done,” Mal allowed; everybody playing cards and squabbling about whose turn it was to do dishes; Zoe working hard to get her strength back; Gowan trying his best to fit into the crew, which resulted in his doing more than his fair share of dishes.

***

Four days out from Halcion, Kaylee went up to Inara’s shuttle to ask her whether she preferred soup or protein mush for dinner. It was Kaylee’s turn to cook and it wasn’t the cooking as such that was irritating her, it was making the decision about what to cook.

“’Nara? I gotta question for you,” Kaylee called.

“Yes, mei-mei,” Inara answered. She came to the door, most unusually not inviting Kaylee in. But even from the door Kaylee could see that the shuttle had been stripped of Inara’s belongings. In place of her fabric hangings and beautiful objects there was the steel hull and strapped-up crates.

“Inara! Why’s every thing packed up? What’s wrong?” Kaylee asked.

“I’m going, Kaylee. I’m going back to the training house – it’s time.” Inara answered.

“Why? Can’t you stay and work from here? I thought you liked flying and being away from all that.” Kaylee’s voice was a near-wail.

“I can’t explain. It’s just time. I need to go –“

“Why? When did you decide to go?”

“After Nandi –“

“That weren’t Mal’s fault,” Kaylee said.

“What wasn’t Mal’s fault?”

“Nandi getting’ killed. You know it tore him all up,” Kaylee said. “He’s been grumpier and gloomier than usual ever since that happened. Haven’t you noticed? “

“Yes. I suppose I have noticed.” Inara shivered, ever so slightly. “What did you need, Kaylee? You came to ask me something?”

“Doesn’t matter now, Inara.” Kaylee’s eyes filled with tears. “What will we do without you?”

“Oh, you’ll find a new ‘ambassador,’ I’m sure. Oh, sweet, don’t cry, don’t cry. Someone else will take the shuttle.”

“But they won’t be you –“ Kaylee turned and ran, headed toward the engine room. As she turned the corner she almost barreled into Mal.

“Hey, there, no running. You’ll break somethin’ and I’ll haveta replace it,” Mal said.

“You don’t really care – Inara’s leavin’ and you won’t stop her. You gotta stop her,” Kaylee disappeared into the engine room.

Mal walked on towards the shuttle. Inara still stood in the doorway. Mal looked in and saw the same thing Kaylee had seen. He stood stock still and closed his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his right hand, his left against the door frame, almost as though he needed the physical support.

“All packed up?”

Inara nodded. “There didn’t seem to be any point in putting things back after I took everything off for cleaning. If I’m going I’ve got to pack, so – did you want something?”

“No, I don’t reckon so. Came to look for Kaylee, see if she was startin’ dinner. Somehow I think dinner’s slipped her mind, tonight. She’s takin’ this hard, ‘Nara.” Mal looked away from Inara. What was he going to say, after all? The one time he had tried to talk truth to her she had cut him off and told him she was leaving. That wasn’t a conversation he meant ever to revisit. “You plannin’ to let everybody else know?”

“Yes. I’ll tell everyone at dinner – I’ll come get it started, maybe Kaylee will help me. Maybe that –“

“Maybe what? You’ve made your decision, don’t start worryin’ now about how people are gonna feel about it. You’ve got work to do, money to make which you can’t be makin’ out at the edge of nowhere, as you’ve told me more’n once. You got an important life to live – valuable whorin’ to do. Get busy, woman, don’t worry ‘bout us.” Mal turned on his heel and strode off.

Inara stood in the doorway, watching him go, sure that he would not turn and look, sure enough that she let the tears stream down her face as she watched his departure, her mouth a square of silent misery.

Inara didn’t offer to help Kaylee with dinner, she simply made it herself. She thought perhaps time alone would be the best answer for Kaylee. When dinner was ready, Inara called the crew. Kaylee came in last, and did not speak to anyone. Book looked from Inara to Mal, Inara to Kaylee, but kept his own counsel. Simon started to ask a question but River cut him off with a comment about one of the horses. Jayne kept his head down and ate. Wash looked around the table.

“Did I ever tell you about –“

“Hush, husband,” Zoe said. “Save it for a rainy day.”

“Oh. Oh, okay,” Wash answered, and addressed his dinner.

“Good grub,” Jayne grunted.

“Don’t get used to it,” Mal said. “Probably the last meal you’ll eat cooked by those valuable hands.”

“Wha – what valuable hands?” Jayne said.

“Miss Serra, would now be a good time?” Mal asked.

“I’m leaving Serenity as soon as I can find a transport headed toward the core.” Inara made a bald announcement, not looking anyone in the eye.

Mal stood abruptly, and started away from the table.

“Hey, cap, don’t stomp off, you might get lucky now. Maybe now the rule about no crew servicin’ ‘ll be ree-laxed,” Jayne said just as Mal passed his chair. Without breaking his stride, Mal pushed Jayne’s right shoulder away from the table with his left hand and hit Jayne squarely in the face with his right fist. Amid the swearing and gasps, Mal kept right on walking.

“Gorramit, Mal, that was dirty,” bellowed Jayne.

“Not as dirty as you,” Kaylee said.

*** Mal walked onto the bridge, where Wash was watching Halcion become a brighter dot in the sky, Zoe leaning over the pilot’s chair.

“We in wave distance yet?” Mal asked.

“Should be in an hour or so,” Wash answered. “What’s the drill, out here?”

“Halcion’s got no Alliance presence to speak of, but because it’s agricultural they’re pretty careful about lettin’ people land if they’re carryin’ livestock. This cargo’s arrivin’ all clear and legal, so we need to let ‘em know we’re comin’ in, so’s they c’n send somebody out to inspect, make sure we’re not bringing hoof and mouth or brucellosis or any other damn plague. Zoe, how’re you feelin’? We all right to meet Wing’s little welcomin’ committee? We’re eight or nine days late, now, so who knows whether they’re payin’ attention or have gone and gotten distracted. I won’t have Kaylee start the whistler ‘til we’ve cleared inspection and had a minute to catch our breath. ‘Course, if they’re paying attention, we may have ‘em down on us as soon as we land, but I doubt it. I don’t expect ‘em ‘til they think we’re like to be asleep.”

“’S long as I don’t have to run ‘em down, I’ll be fine. Just a little short of breath, sir.”

“Glad to hear it. Wash, go ahead and wave the dockmaster quick as you can. I’ll go finish cleanin’ up those horses; I want ‘em lookin’ good when we get inspected. Oh, and the dockmaster may require the owner to accept the cargo before they let us leave the port. Could be a problem, since we’re so late comin’ in. Let me know what he says, dong ma?” Mal turned to leave the bridge.

“Who would that be, sir?” Zoe asked. “Who would have to accept the cargo?”

“Warrick’s ranch manager, I expect. It’s his ma-in-law’s place and he said somethin’ about his daughter runnin’ it, but I don’t imagine she does the day to day managin’,” Mal answered.

***

“Captain, wave for you,” Wash called over the com into the cargo bay.

Mal came quickly up to the bridge, sat down and faced the cortex screen. A pleasant looking middle-aged man faced him back.

“Morning, Captain Reynolds, I’m John Aldershot, dockmaster for the port of Edgarton, Halcion. I understand you’re wantin’ to land a mob of horses for Alice Steele’s place, Elysium.”

“If that’s Lord Warrick’s ma-in-law, yes, I am.”

“I’ve been expecting you. Miss Warrick has been a little anxious, you might say. She seemed to think you’d be here more’n a week ago. Been a little upsetting to her,” Aldershot said.

“We were unavoidably delayed.”

“Um-hmm. Well, first thing is I need to come out and take a look at your cargo. We don’t allow anyone to land livestock without an inspection. Tell your pilot to fly a shallow holding pattern and we’ll be up in a little while. Look forward to seeing these animals,” Aldershot nodded crisply and signed off.

Mal returned to the cargo bay but he had not been there long when Wash’s voice came out of the com.

“Captain, wave for you. Again.”

Back on the bridge, Mal sat down and opened the link. Aldershot’s image looked back, this time looking distinctly harassed.

“Captain, I’m going to be bringing the owner along with me, to inspect. It’s not our usual practice to do it this way, we usually have them –“

“Get out of the way, Aldershot and let me talk to him.” A woman’s voice over-rode Aldershot, and a hand appeared on his shoulder, pushing him out of the chair. Aldershot disappeared and a woman’s face appeared on the screen. Reddish hair scraped straight back off her face; high, flat cheekbones – she was Warrick’s daughter, all right. Where she deviated from her father’s pattern was the eyes: dark as coffee beans with long dark lashes and definite dark brows. The brows were currently drawn tight together in a look of extreme displeasure and irritation. Wide mouth, nose coming straight down from her forehead like an ancient Greek statue. Not a pretty girl; hard to say whether she might not be a handsome woman when she wasn’t in a temper.

“What in the name of all that’s holy is your explanation for sloping in here more than a week late, with never a with your leave nor a by your leave? This is shipping season and spending a week going into Edgarton and back out to the ranch every day was not part of the plan. I will see you and my horses in exactly 60 minutes, Captain Reynolds, and they had better be in perfect condition. My father had great faith in your abilities to deliver this cargo; I do not expect to be disappointed.”

“Miss Warrick, I am sorry. We had some little difficulties along the way, which I’ll be glad to discuss with you.” Mal was doing his best to sound ingratiating and humble. It was working about as well as it ever did, which was to say not very.

“I’m not discussing anything with you now, Captain Reynolds. I’ll ‘discuss’ with you in exactly 58 minutes.” The woman’s face disappeared.

“Wow.” Wash looked over at Mal. “Maybe we should sweep the front steps, before she gets here.”

“Maybe.” Mal rose and left the bridge.

*End of part 13*