"Niska? Gorram it to hell. When I get my hands on that filthy little...." Jayne steamed.

"Watch your mouth around the baby." Kaylee was fast to chastise, her hand sliding protectively around her swollen stomach.

"Ain't been born yet."

"Don't mean he ain't gonna hear you." She frowned and waddled off, a smile creasing Cat's face before turning back to the discussion at hand.

"Well, we said it was a bad idea." Zoe spoke as Mal sighed heavily. "You're not seriously thinking..."

"Lot of innocent people will die we don't go. Planet suffered once because of us and Patience just barely made it through that scrap alive. She's rebuilt it and I for one. ain't gonna let it get all blown up again on my account." He ran a hand through his soft brown hair, it dripping a little from sweat.

Cat was quiet. She had heard stories about Niska from both Mal and others through out the galaxy, but had never had the pleasure of working for him. Ski had warned her before to stay away, mostly though because she was his perfect minion. Able to heal and a bit of a monster....okay, a lot of a monster. Only good thing about her was...the monster was on the outside for everyone to see.

"Man tried to kill you, Mal. In fact, he actually got a piece of you had we not gotten it back." Jayne used his knife to motion to his ear lobe.

"He didn't and we got the advantage since we know he'll be there." Still, the captain rubbed his ear. It wasn't something he wanted repeated either. There was enough things in his life to have nightmares about, then to start those all over again.

"Badger will tell him. Warn him." Zoe spoke and Cat perked up.

"No, he won't. Niska might scare Badger, but not as much as betraying me does."

"Afraid of what you'll do to him." Jayne smiled, but she shook her head.

"Not me, he's worried about." She didn't hint as to whom, but none of them needed translation when Cat spoke of her former partner. Ski.

"I still don't like trusting him." Zoe stood as a shadow darkened the bay.

"Trusting who?" Badger smiled and tipped his hat at the few members standing, a look passing between he and Cat that none could read.

"Badger, Cat tells me we're heading into a spot of trouble thanks to you." Mal slid around Cat, his hand finding a place to rest on the small of her back.

"Woman likes to talk alot." He spoke harshly, casting a look over his shoulder as a large man came up behind him. "Hawk, why don't you go get Reynolds his cargo?"

A grumble escaped the man's lips and he turned walking back down the ramp. Once out of range, Badger whispered. "Ain't nice saying that around him. Niska's making sure I keep this deal. This is my home and I ain't gonna be chased out of it."

"You think I should continue doing business with a man who always tries to get me killed."

"Please, Mal. You live for rushes like this one. Reminds you of being a solider in the war, I suspect." Something in the way he said it caused Cat to clear her throat. "Meant no offense."

"Seems to me, you and Cat go back a ways."

"Use to try and get her killed as well. Funny, you have that in common. Hard to kill." The little man tossed a look at both as Jayne could be heard laughing a little.

"I try to draw the line at crazed mad men."

"Really?" Badger raised an eyebrow. "Way I see it, you're fraternizing with the wife of one." Mal's hand fell to his gun at Badger's crack, but stopped walking past her to get in the little man's face.

"Don't think you're in the position to be a smart ass. Badger. I say no and you're stuck holding the bomb."

"You won't let Whitefall go like that. Ain't your way."

"How do you know my way? You've never taken the time enough to find out because of your notion to screw me on every deal. Besides, ain't like I can’t travel to Whitefall and save the day without the goods. Would actually play to my advantage since Niska wouldn't know I was coming."

Badger's eyes widened. "You can't do that to me. Mal. He'll tear me apart."

"You're right, he will."

"Don't make me beg."

"Now, that would be a sight." He tilted his head in thought for a second. "Honorable men don't usually stoop to those levels."

"Ain't sure you're very honorable, Sir." Zoe added with a smile on her face, finally watching as Badger got a bit of what he deserved.

"That is true. Not been honorable since well, we lost the war. Kind of been mostly a mean old man. Now, mean old men, they would make you beg."

"He ain't worth it." Cat spoke finally and Badger smiled slightly. "He ain't worth you risking your lives to save."

"Hey now. What I ever do to you?" The little man cast a look over Mal's shoulder and then put up a finger. "Don't answer that."

"But, you and I both know that if NIska would take out Whitefall, he wouldn't stop there at hunting us down. He wants a face-off. Give him one. No one should have to die to prove just how much of an evil bastard he is. Way you all describe him, he's just a big time Reaver that ain't got his PAX yet."

"Well said. Cat." Simon stated from the catwalk above. "And I agree with her. Kaylee's going to have a baby and I for one don't want him growing up in a life spent running from some mad man. Alliance is bad enough."

“You’ll take the cargo, right?” Badger could care less whether they went after Niska or not, but he wanted to be rid of the damning evidence.

Mal looked to Cat before addressing him. “Still good cargo and you are still gonna pay us?”

“Patience said she’d take it if you didn’t get your ass killed saving her.”

“If it were my ship, I’d have the Sad Little King come with. After all, man was gonna lead you into a trap.” Cat smiled, shining her nails on her shirt.

“I don’t travel well.”

“Cat has a point. If we do this run and Patience don’t buy, it’s not very profitable, but if you are there to negotiate, as we all know you’re so good at, then I am assured my payment.”

“And if she don’t buy, we can leave your gritty ass back on the planet.” Jayne added chewing on a piece of grass he must of found outside in the square.

“What about Hawk? He ain’t gonna let me leave.” He spoke of the man who had left earlier and for a moment, no one moved. The sound of popping joints could be hear behind and Cat smiled.

“Come on, Jayne. We both are experienced at cutting off the wings of birds.”

The big merc smiled before following her down the ramp. “I just love having her around.”