These characters do not belong to me; I'm just borrowing them for a little bit. It doesn't do to let them stand in the stable and eat their heads off. They need work.

*****

By unspoken agreement, Mal and Isabel shared their last embrace on the hilltop, looking down at Elysium. As they stepped away from each other, Mal used his thumbs to wipe the tears standing in Isabel’s eyes. He put his hands on her shoulders and gave her a little shake.

“All right, Miss Warrick?”

“All right, Captain. I think we have beef to ship.”

“I think we do.”

***

Mal took the horses into the barn, while Isabel went straight to the house to let Alice know they were home.

“Did you have a nice time, up on Gilead?” Alice asked.

“Wonderful.”

“Good. Both of you needed that – I suspect Malcolm Reynolds of not taking proper care of himself. And I know you drive yourself too hard.”

“Care was taken, Grandmamma. All the care in the world.”

Alice nodded at Isabel. “That’s wonderful.”

*** “Mal.” River called to Mal from the door of the barn.

“Hey there, you. You didn’t sneak up on me – how ‘bout that.”

“It is wrong to sneak up on a horse. They are prey and we are predators. It is unfair to startle them and they have every right to kick if we do,” River said.

“That’s so. Sounds like you learned a lot this week. Have a good time?”

“It was wonderful. Shall I help you groom?” River asked.

“I’d appreciate it. I need to clean myself up before dinner, too.”

As they worked Mal began to sing.

“That’s a true song,” River said.

“What’s a true song?”

“The. One. You. Were. Singing.” River said patiently.

At Mal’s blank look, as he tried to remember what he had been singing before River interrupted him, she shook her head and began to sing herself.

“*There is a balm in Gilead, to make the wounded whole; There is a balm in Gilead, to heal the sin-sick soul.*”

“Could be, little one. I reckon it could be." ***

The last night’s dinner conversation was full of gratitude for all Elysium’s gifts.

“Isabel, thank you so much. Wash and I have never had this much time together in this much comfort,” Zoe said.

“It was wonderful,” Wash said. “I don’t think she’s had her clothes on except for meals for a week. Because of the water, you know, because of the hot springs. She was in the water all the time--”

“—Wash. I can still –“

“ – the springs in these parts are phenomenal,” Mal said. “Gilead was beautiful.”

“With the cow-calf pairs?” Jayne asked.

“With the cow-calf pairs,” Isabel spoke up. “Captain Reynolds taught me a very ingenious way of enticing the cows to come close enough so you can tally them. They didn’t teach that in ag college; I was grateful for his help with my cattle, Mr. Cobb.”

Jayne had the grace to look abashed.

***

Serenity’s departure from Elysium was smooth and swift. Kaylee had everything in good trim, Zoe had supervised the clearing out of the cargo hold, Ellie had overseen the stocking of the pantry.

First thing the next morning they lifted off. A short stop to load the cryochambers of beef, another to fuel up at Edgarton and there was nothing between them and Persephone but fourteen days of cardplaying and moderate boredom.

About ten days out of Persephone, Mal went to talk to Zoe.

“I been thinkin’ about Atherton.”

“Happy to hear it, sir. Come to any conclusion?”

“Yes, I have. I think we need to have a little prayer meetin’ with old Ath. What was the name of the place where he was gonna run me through with a sword?”

“The parade grounds, I think. Why?”

“I think we need to invite him to a meetin’ at the parade grounds. Make him think he’s gonna get what he sent all the way to Halcion for. Here’s what we’re gonna do: we’re gonna send him a message from Bothney and Gerard, sayin’ to come to the parade ground at dawn the day before we get into Persephone. I lay down in the middle of the field, with something that might be Inara beside me, you and Jayne cover me. Ath and me have our little talk and –“

“—And then what? We let him walk away?”

“I doubt it’ll come to that.”

“Is there any reason we don’t just go shoot him at home, sir?”

“I like bein’ able to go into Persephone. We shoot Atherton in a way that can be tied to us and that’s another place we can’t go. Let’s try this, instead. I’m gonna go talk to Mr. Universe, see can he send our message for us.”

Mr. Universe, master of all things signal-related, was indeed able to send the message. It summoned Atherton Wing to the parade ground in eleven days time to collect a package from Halcion.

*End of part 22*