In the black, a rusty, old, dirty, and slightly delapidated spaceship, now with a small winding scar up its port extender made its way slowly to Ariel, a core world. They only had a small mission there, drop off a passenger. Then its was on the Beaumonde to drop off another passenger and run some guns.

Serenity glided past a crushed and destroyed planet. Alliance's efforts at terraforming hadn't gotten any better since the last time Mal had flown out here. With everyone else asleep, Mal had no problems taking the helm. Behind him, he heard, or felt,rather, a silent footstep.

"You still up, Shepherd?"

Shepherd Book stepped onto the bridge, bible in hand.

"As are you, Captain. Can't sleep?"

"Someone has to fly this rig."

"There is an autopilot." Book said.

"Yeah, but she's as testy as the regular pilot sometimes."

The two men stared at the ruined planet in the distance.

"God loves. Man kills." Book said.

Mal cut his eyes towards the Shepherd, but said nothing.

"You know, Captain, there seems to be an abundance of luck on your side just lately."

Mal sighed. "Yeah, my boat got her wing clipped, everyone got stabbed or shot or beaten, and Inara..."

He trailed off, not trusting himself to conceal his emotions in regards to the Companion.

"But, everyone's alive. And Serenity flys again."

"That she does. So, why can't you sleep? More recollections you'd rather not recollect?"

Book said nothing.

"Sooner or later, your going to have to tell me."

Book said nothing.

"That's all right, Shepherd. If I had done something to have that Shang character after me, I might not want people to know what it was either." Mal said, looking off again.

"Shang is insane, and bent on destroying me one way or another. Does it really matter what I did to deserve his ire?" Book said, quietly.

"More than likely, Shang is dead. Niska made it though. Did you see that Cortex dispatch?"

"Yes, I did. I doubt he'll be around to give you any more trouble."

"Yeah...but.." Mal trailed off, toubled.

"In the time I've been on this ship, Captain, I've seen strange wondrous, even evil things. There's nothing this crew can't handle, just as there's nothing that can break their spirits. I truly hope that in time, things stay status quo."

"You and me both, Shepherd, but I'm not going to hold my breath for it."

Mal reached over, yawned, and engaged the autopilot. Serenity chugged happily along her way to Ariel. Mal would have to remind Simon and River to stay on the boat, but they wouldn't be there long. Inara had a client, and they had a passenger to drop off.

Book opened his bible and began reading. Mal rose.

"I think I'll head off. Need my beauty sleep, don't I?" Mal said. He even mouthed the next words that came out of the Shepherd's mouth.

"Yes, you do." Book said, not looking up.