Mal gave a closed off look that hid his suspicion. “Reader?” He scoffed. “Virg I thought you knew better than to believe in those folk tales, better have Pike check your head, make sure you’re not sufferin’ from the long term effects of thin air from those cockpits.”

“I got Emma from Sihnon.” Virgil explained, non-plussed before taking another drink. “We had docked to deal and found her lookin’ for work. She wasn’t much ta look at, robes all torn, living offa scraps. Wanted to see the galaxy, leave her temple and find her place in the 'verse, but had walked half the gorram world ta get to the privately owned docks.” He gestured to the elder monk who was helping River with something, what, they didn’t know as Emma had River’s face cupped in her hands and was staring into her eyes as if she was giving mental instruction. “Fiyero’s actually from your motherworld, Shadow pup.” He tilted his head to the boy. “We hid on Dogpatch Island when a squadron was itchin’ to shoot us down and make an example outta us. Whole island was raw land, damp, and green like New Arklow with craters where all the ranches had been bombed out and skeletons bein’ lost ta the moss. We tucked into a grove of trees for a few days, lived off of kokanee salmon and rabbits. When we did some hikin’ Vieve, Em and I found one of the few remaining ranches. Vieve and I went in ta pick out whatever heirlooms were left, seen as Dogpatch was only home ta wild ponies, dogs, rabbits n’ cats; no one was gonna miss out. We came out with a sackful of goods, Em came out with ‘Yero. Boy had been living on his own since the last purple bellies pulled off the island when the war had ended. He was jumpy for the first year, but he’s sturdy, bit of a mouth on 'im.” He turned and gave a serious look to the other captain. “Em’s also taught him how ta sense another reader’s neural wake half a mile away and block them out.” He held out his cup in an offer of a drink.

“Huh.” Mal watched the two readers thoughtfully, and said nothing more. He shook his head to the alcohol.

There was more for him as he sipped some. “Em told me that girl’s Alliance hardware, I had Sterling connect his optic output to my boat’s mainframe. She and your doctor have old void warrants for stealing government property and multiple acts of terrorism. They got priors that out criminalize you and Zoe. So, how’d you get her.” Virgil quizzed seriously.

“Well,” Mal let out a heavy sigh, giving Meilin a finger to hold in her sleep. “I suppose I could give a tale of woe and adventure, how they started out rich and Core prosperous and ended up amongst us brigands…” He gave a cheeky smile to Virgil. “But I don’t spill my crew’s sensitive personals. Good to know there’s more readers out there though. Somehow it makes you psychic monk less odd and killin’ ya in your sleep creepy.”

Virgil nodded in understanding. “Can I ask how ranch life is?”

“Must say, as a man who thought there was no way he’d kiss the dirt, ain’t bad. Gotta decent patcha ground.” He noted proudly with a slight smirk on the curve of his lips. “Decent kinda house, good livestock, a few wily pets I’d get stretched over if I got rid of, hardworking group of ranch hands that get along for the most part. Really ain’t that bada slice of life at all. Miss the stars, but it keeps me in good prospects. Theivery ain’t what it once was.”

“It’s gettin’ back to it.” Virgil caught his attention. “The government’s all out of sorts, scramblin’ ta hush naysayers up but only making it worse in their popularity polls. They got the feds stretched thin, Hai-daos ain’t priority what with all the discourse.” He licked his lips, the old browncoat gleam in his eye flickering.

“The riots?” He probed, Shadow was it's own bubble, the damage done removing it from the galaxy's hubub as it tried to recover.

“People are talkin’ Mal, another war, another shot at what we fought for. Osiris is even talking about pulling away, becoming it’s own separate country. Osiris, a core stronghold is pondering o’r to restart the war and side with the disgruntled rim worlds.” He let out a laugh, a wicked laugh towards the Alliance and their so called unity. “Hell, Persephone and the moons of Londinium feel the same way, everyone’s afraid of the Parliament overreaching, trying stuff like that Pax on planets, micro chipping everyone, stripping away complete freedom. The war’s gonna come again, Mal. May not be this year, but before that babe of yours reaches five I’ll garauntee our colors’ll flyin’ and clashin with the purple and grey.”

“Sounds like you’ve been in touch with some old war hawks.” Mal rocked his arm with his daughter on it.

“Serefina has the Altair.”

Mal, gawked. “Serefina? How the hell did she make out with an entire aircraft carrier?”

“When the brass told her to lay down arms, she did, she just didn’t return the hardware.” East said cooly. “Let those who wanted to leave, leave, but kept on Flyin’. Way station to those that need to rest if ya know about her, one of the driving forces of the new movement.”

“Ain’t that somethin’.” Mal mused. “S’pose if anything ever comes of a new movement I might join the thick of it.”

“Might?” East was puzzled at a respose of a man that used to be so gung-ho.

“Ain’t some green young buck anymore, jump into the fray without much thought. Got priorities now, Buddha help me, got responsibilities.” Mal gestured to the small child on his arm. “I ain’t that good with responsibilities, still learnin’ about that. But I reckon somethin’ that big warrants some mulling over.”

Meilin yawned, and nuzzled his arm.

“Speaking of mulling over," East shifted his weight in his seat "you gotta plan for getting’ to this Badger? Seems he’s the squirrelly kind. All the more incentive for me to squish him like a bug under my boot.”

“Never thought you’d ask.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In two days, Simon couldn’t sleep.

Their crew was getting along well enough with the other crew for two days. They had adjusted to the time and were all functioning together. It was midnight, the second day becoming the third, and in the morning the plan would come into fruitation and they would get the needed Zygramithol.

Kaylee knew he had left their hammock.

She got up, tired but concerned, and padded off to where she suspected he would be.

And Simon Tam was in the infirmary, staring blankly at a cortex screen that was on and on the Wave function, but no longer in use.

He was bloodshot, hair askew and in need of a brush, and his face carried the weight of guilt. Hearing light footsteps, he gazed up and saw her. “Oh, hi…”

“Honey what’s wrong?” She asked, going over and putting her hands on his shoulders, massaging them as he looked as tense as a clock over wound ten times too many.

“It’s.. nothing.” He turned off the screen and gave a sigh as Kaylee leaned down and cupped his face, giving him a comforting kiss.

“Gotta be something to have you up at this hour.” She spoke kindly, soothingly “You wanna tell me or am I gonna have to be a snoop?”

Simon closed his eyes as she continued to caress his face. He swallowed thickly, the cool blue light of the room making him seem even more distraught as Zoe lay in a coma not too far away. “I got a wave from Colter.” He whispered, for his voice was too ached to speak above it. His eyes opened to show tears. “A quarter of Prior’s been buried.”

“Simon…”

“There isn’t a doctor around.” He pained. “I’m… I need to be there.”

She saw what was burdening him so. His drive to help the people on their world, to save people, friends they had made that were suffering. And his inability to do so as they were far away from the epidemic. “Simon, you’re gonna get the meds ‘n bring them home. You’re gonna be there.”

Simon looked up, still hurt yet comforted.

Kaylee ran her fingers through her lover’s thick, dark hair. “You just got way too much heart.” She kissed his forehead, walking around and taking a seat in his lap.

“I can’t help it.” He wrapped her up and gave the mechanic a hug, burying his nose into her auburn tresses.

“That’s why I love ya so much.” Kaylee kissed his nose, getting a little smile out of him. “Come on, let’s go ta bed.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day, Mal smelled pancakes.

He groaned, and rolled over to feel the rise of Inara on the bed. Opening his eyes after a hearty yawn, he looked up to find her seated and holding Meilin with an empty bottle not too far from arm's length. “I uh.. you fed her already?”

“And you didn’t wake, the wonders of too much saki.” She told him as Meilin was wide awake after her meal and stretching.

He recalled the warm saki shots with Wren, Jovie, Pike, Genevieve and Virgil; a night of old war stories as the others listened. “Yeah, that was somethin’, wasn't it.”

“Meilin and I enjoyed the one where you single handedly orchestrated a plan where everyone broke out of Fort Powell to have a night of wild debauchery.” Inara said ironically. “You really do enjoy the end result being you without clothes now don’t you?”

“What can I say,” he sat up with a grunt “may be puritanical about the ways of intimacy, but I don’t give much when it comes ta me and my body and lack of covering.” Mal looked down into her arms and at the round, bright eyes of Meilin. “Of course I shouldn’t be talkin’ about such things in fronta little lady.” Scooting back, his spine rested against the wall as he brushed Inara with a kiss to the ear and gazed back down at his daughter. “Look at this one, all round gazed and fulla energy.”

Meilin let out a coo, waving her arms at him.

“Hey Xiao Xiong-mao.” He wiggled his fingers at her in play before talking to Inara. “How’s the day already?”

“Uneventful.” She reported “Sterling’s appalled at the notion of us subsisting on protein while on this ship.”

“Oh really.”

“Apparently Virgil feels a crew works best on real food.” Inara watched as Meilin chewed and sucked on her father’s fingers, grumbling and making happy noises as she watched them talk.

“Well ain’t that a kick in the pants.” He said in a miffed manner, mildly insulted due to the remarks of his crews rations. "You know that stuff's expensive, we could have been eatin' worse, there's such a thing called MREs.."

“I had a feeling you’d say that, injuring your delicate captain ego..”

“Hey.” His voice hit a high pitch.

Inra rolled her eyes. “Which is why I suggested buttermilk pancakes, eggs and bacon for breakfast.”

“Oh.” Mal’s face relaxed, and he wrapped his free arm about her waist. “Well… thanks." He patted her svelte side. "Sweet of you to suggest my favorite breakfast, but if you’re not careful I’m gonna start thinking you love me or something to the effect.” His tone warned in mock seriousnes.

“What a horrible thing to assume.” She replied with playful sarcasm and a smile to match it.

“Terrifying, cause then I’d have ta say I love you back and things would just get all twisted and nerve wracking and blown outta proportion.” Giving her a kiss, and wriggling his finger against the tip of Meilin’s nose to get her to coo, Mal slid out of bed to get ready for the day. Stripping off his night pants, he fit on his underwear, then his socks and pants.

Inara sat Meilin up in her lap, the baby focusing on her and talking in her infant jabber. “I saw Virgil this morning.”

“Really.” Mal pulled up his tan pants. “And what did that pistol whippin’ peacock have ta say?”

“That apparently I have a part in your plan?” She bounced Meilin lightly, a well defined brow arched in question.

“Well I figured as you handled yourself well in our sloppy brawl you could do your part.” He found his red shirt and slipped it on. “Kaylee can watch the Little Bit seein’ as she and Jovie are gonna man the ship while you do your very special part.”

“A very special part then?” Inara looked her daughter in the eye. “Did you here that? It seems I have something important to offer.”

Meilin opened her mouth and squawked cheerily.

Mal smirked at his daughter’s talking, fingers buttoning up his shirt. “It is mighty important. Figgured you’d be up to the task since you can apparently seduce as well as knife throw. Quite the repertoire.”

Inara got out of bed with a coy look, patting Meilin’s diapered bottom as she went over to a bag. “Well, the academy taught me to do more than bat my eyes.”

“That it did.” He smirked. “Frightens me to think what you’re like when you’re scorned.”

“I don’t even have to be scorned.” She grinned.

“That a fact.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The entire group ate their hearty breakfast.

Kaylee had already had her fill, so she babysat as Inara sat down and had a small portion of the food, opposite of Mal who took an ample heap of everything. Simon was the last person to join the table as he sandwiched himself between Kaylee and Fiyero.

“Well look at that, you’re usually the bright and early type Doc,” Mal said after gulping a mouthful of syrup covered pancake down “felt the urge ta sleep in?”

"Didn't get no trim last night 'or else we would heard Kaylee's noises all through the boat." Jayne observed, not as lewd as usual for he had a good meal in front of him.

"Pity, good screw before a job clears the mind." Roxy suggested, making Jovie's mouth form a small, satisfied smile in regards to their night before.

“I didn’t sleep well.” Simon confessed after shooting daggers to Jayne, looking across the table to see River and the suspicious look on her features. Then he looked across to see she was sitting across from the Rising Sun boy.

When he looked back to her, River grinned innocently (too innocently for his liking) and passed a tin plate she and Kaylee had already prepared and saved for him. “Big day.”

“So I’ve heard.” He sighed, taking the plate, the smell made his stomach growl. “Thank you River.” Turning, he gaze Kaylee a quick peck. “Good morning,” he looked down and ruffled Meilin’s curls as she sat in her pink onesie. “ladies.”

Meilin garbled happily, she was in a good mood, and being in a good mood meant she was an irresistible ray of sunshine as Kaylee lifted her up higher so Simon could give her a kiss on the cheek. When he did, Meilin grabbed his nose and patted his face.

Simon pulled away from Meilin with a newfound smile. “So, what’s the plan?”

“We’re gonna kill folk.” East announced simply.

“Killing folk… sounds about right.” Simon replied, sarcastic as he took a bite out of his bacon.

"We ain't just gonna kill people." Kaylee voice in her gentle manner. "We're gonna get the medicine too." She hugged her niece, kissing the dark curls.

“Actually I talked to a few friends, people still in the business.” Mal wiped his mouth with his napkin. “Seems Badger’s moved up in the world, what with all the supply and demand and illegal trade of things. Bought himself a restaurant, some apartments he gouges, got some big dreams too. Including making it into high society, which means he’s tryin’ ta attract a Companion to get himself there.”

Jayne choked on his eggs, trying not to waste good food by spraying it out in laughter. He giggled with a mouth full, thinking of the greasy little rat trying to talk pretty and hook up with one of them fancy Core Companions.

Zoe gave an amused look.

Everyone else turned to Inara.

Meilin crowed, as if excited about the plan.

Inara, wide eyed, looked to Mal.

*** *** ***

TRANSLATIONS/DFINITIONS

Hai-dao: Pirate

Xiao Xiong-Mao: Little Panda

****As always, the writer appreciates all comments whether they be positive, negative, or suggestions.**