After Miranda, Zoe had been to see Simon; feeling ill, throwing up frequently, and fainting. She knew what it was, but Mal had insisted, and Simon confirmed it. She was going to be a Mum. A baby. Wash’s baby. The thing was, she wasn’t sure how she felt, and no-one else could help her come to terms with it.

After a few weeks, Zoe had gone on a job, with the continually oblivious Mal, and Zoe had decided it was time to be a Mum. They had been watching children playing in the park, and it that pushed Zoe’s buttons. Then that Hundan shot her. In the stomach. She lost her Daughter. What was worse, after the surgery to fix the gunshot wound, Simon told her she couldn’t ever conceive again. Zoe nodded, and calmly told Simon to do what he must. It took her months to mend, she hated feeling so crippled, so started to search the cortex for an answer. There, she saw it. Her future. Zoe saw a new class of transport ship, a new boat to be flown. She had some Coin saved, but not quite enough. A lot of her Coin was tied up in Serenity. After a few months, and a fair few Jobs, Zoe had almost completely paid for her new Ship. Her Boat. She contacted the ship-yard, and asked for one to be built to her specifications. It took a lot more Coin than she thought, so she drew in her breathe, and went to see Mal. “I need out of this Boat, Mal” She said. “We’ll set down soon, got us some work. Take a week off while we’re dirt-side if’n you want” He said, not looking up. “No, Mal. I need my share of the Boat, the Coin I put in at the beginning. I need off this Boat” She said. “Why, Zoe? Why do you want to leave?” Mal said, looking up. “We’re your family.” “I have buried my Husband and lost his Baby in the space of a few short months on this Boat. I can’t stay. It hurts me here.” River walked through the Galley at that point, and looked at the two of them. She stared Mal in the eye, and her voice in his head came through. “I’ll buy her out” Mal nodded, and watched the tortured teen-ager bounce out of the Galley, and into the cock-pit. “Zoe, I can’t pay you the Coin you gave me when we started out, maybehaps someone else can.” “Can’t Mal, gotta be you. Wouldn’t want to sell what we share.” “That don’t make sense, Zoe. Wouldn’t suggest ‘Nara, she comes and goes as she pleases, and Jayne would shoot me in my sleep if’n you asked him. But I’d conjure River, Simon or Kaylee would take the offer kindly.” “If that’s what you want Cap’n, then I’ll ask. I’d feel a mite happier if t’were you.” ******************************************************************************* That life-time ago, over a year now, and here she was. On her Boat. River and Mal had found the Coin to buy her share of Serenity, and she had her Boat. Hoban. Zoe had spent weeks searching for her new crew, and had set up a few meetings, with potential Pilots, Mechanics, and a few choice Mercenaries. None had yet stood up to what she was looking for, and she had been forced to dispatch a few of Mercenaries, for their views when she turned them down. Then came a request to meet someone that she could not turn down. Ben had requested a meeting. Wash had never talked much about his family, and Zoe had never met any of them. But now, this promising young pilot named Ben Washburn had applied for a job. Considering the position had been advertised by Captain Alleyne, and not any way to connect the Wife of Hoban, it was obvious this was a coincidence. Sitting in the bar on Osiris, the spitting image of her dead husband walks in, and she does a double take. “Cap’n Alleyne?” He says. “You must be Ben. Call me Zoe” She replies. “I gather you’re looking for a pilot? I’m second best in the Verse, looking for a ship to ride til I find the Best.” “You aren’t selling yourself very well, Ben, but who is it you are looking for?” “My brother, set sail on a Firefly a few years ago. Hoban Washburn. He’s best in this Verse. Wishing to find him, since he sent word of his Marriage. Only just heard the good news.” Zoe stared. Speechless for a moment, she shook herself together. “Might just have space for you on my boat, young Ben. But first, tell me more of this Brother.” “Always looked up to him, Ma’am, Hoban is a great man, tho I conjure when you meet him, you’ll show me the airlock and take him for your pilot.” Zoe looked at him again, she was unsure of how next to proceed. How do you tell the brother of your dead husband the truth. “I’ll show you to the ship, and your bunk.”