Xiăo Guĭ: Little Devils, an affectionate term for children.

***

“It’s a cargo container, drop off crew left it there, week ago give or take. It was supposed to be picked up immediately, but the ship makin’ the pick up got into some trouble with the Feds and it’s just sittin’ there.”

“Just sittin’ there? No protection of the sort?”

“Simply in a grove, sealed up tight. Ain’t no one breakin’ into it unless they got themselves a hull cutting torch.”

“Alright.”

“You gonna ask what’s inside?”

“The less I know the about the cargo the smoother things tend to run, so no.”

“Good call Captain Reynolds.”

“How much is this little pick up job pay?”

“Five hundred, Platinum.”

“Wŏ cào. Five hundred? You accidentally add a zero?”

“No my boy, And that’s just half upfront. You get the other half when I get my container. A full one thousand.”

“Wà... Lotta coin for such a little job.”

“All I ask is I get in two days time at the latest, and you don’t jostle it too much. Got some breakable cargo in there and it’s expiration date’s a comin’ up. So Captain, we gotta deal?”

Mal’s eyes snapped open.

He drew in a lungful of air, wincing some as he lifted himself up off of his bunk. Landing on his feet, he grabbed his shirt and carefully slid it on, stepped into his boots, grabbed his sling, then climbed up the latter and left his quarters. Buttoning his shirt, he made his way to the helm.

“How are we doin’?” He asked, tucking the shirt in.

“We’re okay, we gotta stop though and fix the left turbine.” The pilot swiveled the chair towards him.

“How bad?” Suspenders were gingerly pulled up onto his shoulders.

“No planet side landing until it’s fixed. Kaylee went outside and took a look, might be totaled.”

He rubbed his hand across his stubble, letting out a deep breath as he put on the sling Simon had given him. “How much is this gonna cost us?” Tucking his arm into the sling, he used his free hand to smooth out his hair.

“Probably what we took when you shot Keller’s face/cranium region into lots of gross little bits.”

Hearing the sheepishness in her voice, he fixated on her, worried features and all. “Josie.”

“Captain, for the record I’m okay with not getting paid, again. The crew’s nice, I like the ship and only Jayne smells. And you know I do fine on small rations...” She sputtered frantically.

“Josie, I ain’t firing ya.” He reassured with a sniff, seeing the relief wash over her fair face. “You don’t eat that much, you don’t smell and you’re pretty good with Serenity.”

“Oh. Thanks.” her shoulders slackened some “That’s really reassuring.” She told him “Sorry I got like that... It’s just ... I’ve been left on a station before because I was low man on the totem pole and cash was strapped.”

He studied her. Slim, red headed, doe eyed thing that stuck out like a sore thumb on the rough side of the rim. “I’d never leave ya, Jo.” He squeezed her shoulder as reassurance, but couldn’t bring himself to smile. “Any news on our survivors?”

Her spirits sank. “Well, I heard the baby’s mother passed. Jayne and Zoe did her last rights and spaced her like the others.”

Mal shut his eyes for a moment, his chest tightening. “So all we got is the two now?”

“The Doctor says they need the medications he’s mentioned or else we won’t have them either.” Josie rolled her lips into her mouth, her face all screwed up to show her own worry. “He had me send out some waves though. Skyplex where we’re headed has them.”

“Expensive?”

“Yeah.” She sighed.

He furrowed his brow, which only made him look angry. “Anything else happen?”

“Inara came back, she didn’t want to wait to meet us at the Skyplex. So she’s here, infirmary I think.”

“How long till the Skyplex?”

“Hour, hopefully.”

“Hopefully?”

“Well, we’re missing the turbine so.” she crossed fingers on both hands and held them up.

He gave half a head nod, patted her on the shoulder, and left the helm. His boots clacked along. Through the galley, down the stairs, to the common room and finally to the infirmary.

Mal lingered in the doorway. It wasn’t Simon tending to their little rescues, but Inara. She was at the chair, cleaning the girl off with a wet cloth. Bracing his hand on the arch of the door frame, he allowed himself to watch her. The way she talked in a low, reassuring voice, fingers gentle, face full of attentiveness. She was all love to the body in the chair that was more skeleton with skin stretched across it then teenage girl. Not once did she brush a tube or wire, never did she allow herself to show sorrow, only compassion.

His boot creaking finally gave him away. Her lean neck craned his way, and her eyes fluttered for a moment. “Captain.”

“Where’s the Doc?” Stepping forward, he stole a look at the monitors as if he knew what all the squiggles meant.

“He was spent, I thought it was the least I could do.”

“Good of you, don’t think he’s slept at all since this happened.”

“You don’t look like you’ve slept either.” she pointed out as he moseyed in.

“Happens.” He shrugged. “Feel bad for him though. Took it hard, tried ta save ‘em all. Now it’s just these two.”

“I don’t think he’s the only one that’s taken it hard.” She gingerly combed her fingers through the child’s hair.

“Maybe so.” he studied the girl’s jaundiced features. As yellow as a lemon she was, tubes spraying out of her like she was more machine than flesh. “I’ve seen alota things, but never somethin’ quite like this. Keller,” he breathed out tensely “cào nĭ zŭzōng shíbā dài.”

“I heard the baby’s mother just passed.” She lovingly untangled a knot.

“Mother was sixteen,” he grunted, distantly. “Someone’s Pleasure Girl. They got bored with her, sold her off to the terra forming crew Keller was running.”

“She talked?”

“For a spell, she was doin’ okay the first day, more worried about the babe.“ Their was a plastic cargo crate next to the chair. Lined with quilts, surrounded by equipment as tubes and wires poured out from the side. “Started sliding though, fast.”

“Has Hannah talked?” Gesturing to the girl.

The captain gave a rueful expression. “Didn’t know she had a name.”

“Simon found the cargo list, he matched her name to the chip in her wrist.”

“Huh.”

There was quiet that came upon them. The two watched the victim that lay before them. There was a darkness to him, a hope to her.

“I remember comin’ in here last night” Mal shifted his weight. “Simon lost his composure, figurin’ out she was River’s age, the mother was younger than that.”

“I don’t blame him.” Inara responded, giving away the pain and anger she had been keeping to herself. “She should be healthy and pink, not a corpse.” Her lip quivered, and she had to breath deep to keep the tears at bay. “She’s beautiful and young, and someone just took her and let her waste away.”

He didn’t say anything, he just watched the rise and fall of the girl named Hannah’s chest. Swallowing thickly, he watched how Inara took Hannah’s thin, fragile looking hand and kissed her fingertips.

“It wasn’t your fault.” She finally broke the silence. “If anything, it was you taking the job that saved them.”

“Not going to see it that way.” He replied distantly.

Inara looked at him from the corner of her eye. “Simon said the medication they both needed was expensive.”

“Yeah, big one’s gotta condition, inherited. Needs it every day.”

“I’ve decided to pay for it.”

Mal gave her a bewildered look.

“I know money is tight, the ship was just heavily damaged and I don’t expect you to be able to afford to pay for their medical expenses.” Inara explained, rubbing her thumb across Hannah’s knuckles. “But I can’t bare to think of them just being forced to waste away.”

“I’m not disagreeing, but what do we do when they’re all patched and need someone to raise them and make them their own?” He asked, quietly.

“I’ve thought of that.” She retrained her eyes on Hannah, whose breathing was steady and aided. “I don’t see why I couldn’t take them in.”

Mal furrowed his brows. “Excuse me?”

“I practically raised girls when I was at the training house on Sihnon. It’s something that I actually do take joy in.” She said, softly. “It requires a certain amount of patience and love, and Buddha knows I have time seeing I have weeks between clients.”

He didn’t quite know how to process it all. Inara was a woman of mystery. Though she was one of the more nurturing ones on Serenity he didn’t know if he could see her with two little ones underfoot. “What about that babe?” Mal sounded more gruff than he would have liked to as he folded his arm against his chest. “You Companions know how ta care for a little suckling like that?”

“Many orphaned infant girls are raised at a Companion House.” She dismissed his negative tone easily, for she wasn’t going to raise her voice. “I never worked in the nursery, but it’s a new experience I think I can handle.” Inara cast a glance to the cargo box the infant was lying in.

“Hm.”

“Is that all you have to say about my announcement?” She asked, somewhat stunned.

“Your affairs our your own, my opinion, if it were negative wouldn’t change a damn thing.” He said, distantly, turning to exit the room he talked over his shoulder. “Xiăo guĭ shì xíngyùn yŏu nín mŭqīn de.”

*** *** *** TRANSLATIONS/DEFINITIONS

Wŏ cào.: Holy fuck. Wà...: Wow cào nĭ zŭzōng shíbā dài: fuck your ancestors to the eighteenth generation. Xiăo guĭ shì xíngyùn yŏu nín mŭqīn de.: Little Devils are fortunate to have you for a mother.

A/N: honest feedback is appreciated.