Mal awoke to the incessant beep of his alarm around seven thirty in the morning, groggy. Altering the watch last night had him getting up a few hours earlier than he was used to. Rough dreams had plagued his sleep, too, but he could not recall them now. Getting dressed, he splashed some water on his face to shake out the cobwebs. He gave himself a once-over in the tiny, grungy square of a mirror. He looked tired. A good cup of tea was in order, but he was captain and there were things to be done first. With a sigh, he resigned himself to fighting the fatigue and climbed out of his bunk. He decided to look in on the bridge first. “Zoe.” “Mornin’ sir.” “What’s the report?” “We’ll be in the Heinlein system in less than an hour. Should be at Paquin not much after that.” “And Ving? Heard from him yet?” “Got a wave about two hours ago. He was askin’ about you. Don’t know if that’s a good or a bad thing.” “Well, at least he remembers. Got a few things to take care of before I relieve you,” he changed the subject. “Can you handle it for a few more minutes?” “Not a problem, sir.” “Thanks,” he clapped her on the shoulder. He descended from the bridge and strode through the foredeck. At River’s door, he paused. It was open. Oddly enough, the smell of paint struck his nostrils. He reached out to knock. “Come in,” River called before he could. He dropped his hand, miffed. He was still adapting to her being able to pick up those things. They all were. “I’m gonna have to institute a rule that you can only read my mind when we’re face to face,” he called as he clambered down. “Why does it smell like paint in he…” As he stepped off the last rung, he saw why and stood agape. The entire place was covered in flowers. He rotated his gaze around room. They were everywhere. Roses curled up over the ceiling on spiral vines. Daisies decorated the walls. Flowers in every color of the rainbow filled every blank space. Mal’s jaw snapped shut as he found River, smudged with paint, kneeling on her mattress and calmly touching up the wall at her bedside. “Di yu du biaozi du ma , what the…” he couldn’t finish, just stared around the room again. River paused in her work to take in the room as well. “You want to explain yourself?” Mal demanded, finding his voice. “I wanted to make it as marvelous as it could be,” she said placidly. “Colorful. Cover all the cracks.” “What cracks?” “Should have done it a long time ago,” she took no note of Mal’s question. Her voice softened, like she was talking to herself more than Mal. “Keep it warm and sheltering. Replace the smoke and distrust. It should help me remember, if the colors change again.” She looked at Mal as if he had a clue what she was talking about. “Yeah, that’s great.” He laughed to cover his annoyance, scratching his forehead at the same time. “Look, we need to discuss last night…” “I’m fine,” she set down her brush and the tray she was using as a palette. “You sure ‘bout that?” “Yes.” “’Cause it weren’t no pleasure bein’ scared up like that.” “I’m sorry.” Her head drooped. “If you’re gonna be my pilot, I gotta know you ain’t gonna lose focus or go all crazy,” -she twitched at that word- “on me when we got trouble on our tail. I gotta know I can trust you. Doc says you’re okay, but I wanna hear it from the source.” He eyed her beneath arched brows. She met his gaze and nodded. “Good. Don’t think it don’t please me to see you actin’ more normal-like, but I will have the Doc put you back on the meds, or take you off the watch, if I can’t trust you to make that call yourself. Also, just ‘cause you’re on the crew now don’t mean you can do as you please with your bunk. Next time you want to do somethin’ like this to my ship,” he waved about the room, “ask first.” She nodded. “I got nothin’ against you decoratin’ the place a bit, but… where’d you get the paint from anyhow?” “Kaylee had some stored from the repairs.” “Of course,” he muttered, rolling his eyes at the ceiling. “So, are we clear on everything? “Yes, sir.” “Shiny. File this conversation under ‘Things I Have To Do To Keep The Captain Happy’.” She nodded again. Mal felt like a bit of a heel for lecturing the girl after seeing her condition last night, but she had to know her position was probationary. He would absolutely not jeopardize the ship’s safety, regardless of how he felt towards her. She had a job to do, and if she could not do it, she was out. That was that. He started climbing the ladder. “Captain?” she stopped him. He swung back down. “Can I go with you on the job?” He was a taken aback that she actually asked. “Well I don’t rightly know…” “You were thinking of taking me already.” Mal flushed slightly. “Well, I suppose I was,” he admitted, leaning against the wall. “After last night, though…” She pleaded at him with her eyes. He ruminated on it. She would be a boon if trouble came calling, no question. On the other hand, he did not delude himself into thinking the Alliance was no longer interested in her. But it was unlikely the Alliance would be where they were going, and there had not been a bulletin on the Cortex for almost six months. Besides, Captain or no, he was a gorram sucker for puppy-dog faces like that. “Fine, you can come.” A genuine smile lit up her features. “It’s just a meet with our contact to find out what’s available in the means of work. Nothin’ ‘specially dangerous.” “You don’t need to reassure me, Captain. It’s my brother who will need convincing.” “Reckon you’re right about that. What say you let me deal with him.” He smiled conspiratorially, and she returned it. He started to climb when she called him back again. He groaned, jumping back down. “What?” he asked, slightly annoyed. “Can I pilot us in?” “Now that I will have to think on.” Her shoulders drooped in resignation, but she did not protest. “Anything else?” She shook her head. “Good. Now get this cleaned up. No more.” He gave her the serious eye and climbed out. River watched him, her face breaking into a smile that gradually grew until she was holding a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing. Mal met Jayne heading towards his bunk as he exited River’s. “Whew! Stinks to high heaven! What the hell’s she doin’ down there? She get into some a’ Inara’s stuff?” Mal shook his head without comment as he passed. “Uh, Mal?” “What?” he whirled on Jayne, starting to feel a little cranky. Jayne looked taken aback for an instant. “Nuthin’,” he gave a little innocent shake of his head. Mal threw up his hands in exasperation and headed down the forward stairwell. Jayne grinned, chuckling lightly as he watched Mal leave. Then he climbed down into his bunk. Mal was cranky now. The Doc was not in the infirmary as usual, nor was he in his room. He was not in the mess when he glanced in on his way downstairs. He thought for a second. He was not in River’s room, obviously, and Kaylee’s bunk was open. That left only one place, and only one reason to be there. “Oh, I warned that hu li jing …” he shook his head, taking the rear stairwell two steps at a time. His suspicions were confirmed when he saw the engine room door. It was closed. It was never closed. He sidled up to it and peered through the window, then looked away swiftly. “Yep.” He rapped loudly on the metal. “Is there a doctor in the house?” Scuffles and hushed voices. The door cracked and a sliver of Kaylee appeared. Her hair was a little more mussed than usual. At least she was clothed, or what he could see of her was. “Hey Cap’n,” Kaylee greeted. “Hey Kaylee,” he matched her cheerfulness. “I’m lookin’ for Simon but I ain’t found him anywhere. You wouldn’t happen to know where he might be?” he asked innocently. He saw Kaylee contemplate the lie before she even said it. He smiled internally. She knew she was caught, and she was a terrible liar, but he had to admire her spirit for trying. “Umm, nope. Haven’t seen him.” “Really? ‘Cause I’m sure I looked everywhere else, and this here’s the only place I haven’t been. Thought maybe he’d come up here to give you a quick check-up.” Simon’s embarrassed face appeared a ways behind Kaylee. “Hi, Captain.” “Well, how ‘bout that! Guess he was here. I was right after all.” Kaylee lowered her eyes sheepishly. “Kaylee, I believe we’ve had this discussion before,” Mal dropped the sarcasm for his Captain’s voice. “What you do on your own time, in your bunk, with whomever ain’t none o’ my business. But when you’re in the engine room, you’re on my time and it is my business. Don’t make me tell you again- no fornicatin’ while on duty! Dong ma ?” “Yes, Cap’n. Sorry.” “Now tell the Doctor to stow it. I wanna have a chat with him.” “Yessir,” Kaylee nodded. “Next time I’m sending Jayne with a vid-capture,” he shouted as he walked away. “Uh, Cap’n?” Kaylee asked. Mal stopped, slouched his shoulders in defeat, and turned slowly. “What?” “Umm, why do you got flowers on your… behind?” “What?” “You got flowers on your rear.” She twirled her finger for him to turn around. “They look like… pansies.” Horror dawned on him. “Oh, no…” He wiped at the seat of his pants and pastel paint smeared his hand. A torrent of curses poured from his mouth. He twisted furiously in a circle, trying to see behind him. Kaylee started giggling. Simon peered around her and started laughing as well. Mal glared at them with fury. “It ain’t funny!” They laughed harder. “This is your fault!” he jabbed a finger at Kaylee. “How’s it my fault?” Kaylee protested through her laughing. “You gave her the paint! It’s your fault, too,” Mal rounded on Simon. “What did I do?” “She’s your sister.” “Of course. So it’s automatically my fault.” “Damn right! You’re supposed to be keepin’ an eye on her, not jiao pei with my mechanic!” Their laughter redoubled as Mal stormed toward the foredeck. “River!!” he shouted, almost running over Inara who had to press herself against the wall to avoid him. “Excuse me!” she threw him a dirty look as he shoved past. Then she noticed the flowers. “Mal, why do you...” “Don’t… start!” he yelled back without looking. Inara turned, confused, to Simon and Kaylee who were beside themselves. “River!!” he shouted down her ladder. “You’re on laundry duty for a month! And if you can’t get these gorram flowers off my ass, I’m takin’ a new pair o’ pants outta your pay!” He stomped to his cabin, swung down, and slammed the hatch behind him.

Di yu du biaozi du ma- "Whores in hell" hu li jing- seductress Dong ma?- "Understand?" jiao pei- mating; copulating