Chapter 6

Once dressed, Mal goes up to the bridge. “Setting down in Eavesdown docks in fifteen minutes, cap’n.” Zoë is standing behind Wash. “So, who’s going on this little adventure then, sir? Not sure that you’d be a good idea, considering Atherton would be only too willing to shoot you on sight.” “Well, Zoë, thanks for volunteering, take Jayne with you. You know the drill. Don’t trust him, and if he tries to take over, let Juliet loose on him. And try not to let him shoot everything in sight.” He gives Zoë a sarcastic grin. “However, if he shoots Atherton in the leg, I’d take it as a kindness.” “Right you are, sir.” Without smiling, Zoë exits the bridge. “I’ll get shuttle two prepped then,” she calls back. “You go do that!” Mal smiles, turning back to Wash. “Ok, you wanna take Kaylee, find us a new compression coil?” “Sure, cap’n. She’ll love that.” “Oh, I’m counting on it.”

~*~*~

Just over ten minutes later, Wash gives Zoë and Inara the atmo call and the shuttles detach, Inara bound for a client, Zoë flying shuttle two to Juliet’s rendezvous point. Jayne is polishing Vera, slightly puffy eyes concentrating on the rag as it cleans out the big gun. Juliet sits cross-legged on the floor, watching him run over the scene with Kaylee in his head again and again. “Jayne,” she says to him. “Yup,” he replies gruffly, not lifting his eyes. “He wouldn’t throw you out. Not really.” “What?” Jayne snaps, looking up at her. “Gorram moon brain,” he mutters. “Reavers affect us all profoundly. Make us remember the things that hurt us. He was feeling protective, making up for the people he couldn’t look after. Kaylee needs someone. She needs a hero.” We all do, she thinks. “Will you stow it!” He gets up, pacing around. “Donno what you’re talkin’ ‘bout anyways.” Juliet shrugs. “Suit yourself.”

~*~*~ They touch down perfectly and walk out into a deserted dock. “So where is this shima lakkoren anyhows?” asks Zoë, looking round. A gun cocks at her temple. “Ah. There.” “Language, little girl, really,” comes the crisp accent of Atherton Wing as he walks around the side of the shuttle with ten other tough guys behind him. “I thought you said he’d be friendly ‘bout this,” Zoë says testily to Juliet. Jayne has his hands up, what with the gun at his ear. “I thought that too. Hey, how come he ain’t?” Juliet smiles at Atherton, ignoring her companions. “Got my money?” “Ah, well, you see, it’s rather a lot of money. And I never planned on giving it to you.” “Oh, Ath – can I call you Ath? Can’t we be reasonable about this?” “No, you little whore, we can’t. Because I have guns to all your heads, and you have something I want. Besides, I don’t much like you anyway.” “Now, now. We wouldn’t want you to get hurt.” One of his cronies hands him Juliet’s gun. “You’re unarmed and far outnumbered. Why should I even be worried?” “Because you called me whore. And you know I don’t like that.” She smiles sweetly at him before grabbing the gun at her temple and spinning it lightning fast to shoot Atherton’s men. In the space of a breath, eleven men are lying on the ground, yelling in pain, wounded in their gun arms. Even the left handed one. “B-b-b-b-but…” “Eleven. Important number, prime number. One goes into the house of eleven eleven times but always comes out one.” When everyone stares at her, Juliet shakes her head, trying to rid River’s thought from it. She points the gun at Atherton. “Right. Now can I get my money?” Lower lip trembling, he slowly puts down the little gun and pulls a leather wallet stuffed with credits out of his pocket. “See, knew you’d have the cash, just in case everything screwed up.” She takes it off him, pulls out the necklace, drops it in his hand, gives him another smile and shoots him in the leg. “Thanks so much, Ath.” Zoë shakes her head at her as they turn around. “You know, you didn’t have to shoot that man.” “Yeah I know,” Juliet says with a sigh. “It was just funny.”

~*~*~

Back on the ship, Mal, Zoë and Wash watch with wide-open mouths as Juliet counts out half the huge wad of credits. Before handing it to Mal, Juliet raises an eyebrow at him. He knows what she means. He has to talk to Jayne. He counts out Zoë and Wash’s share before leaving the bridge to find Jayne. Eventually he finds him, lying on the workout bench, but not doing anything. “Jayne!” he calls and the big man sits up. “Got your share. And I want a word.” “I didn’t do it!” Jayne jumps up, looking very defensive. “Good. Here.” Jayne takes the notes and pockets them, keeping his eyes on Mal. “Right. ‘Bout what I said yesterday. Didn’t mean it. Not really.” “Huh?” “I ain’t got no say over what Kaylee does. Now, you know my policy over shipboard romance. Don’t much like it. Complicates things. You ever have a problem, you work it out quiet like. An’ if’n you hurt her badly, I will throw you of the ship. Probably on a planet though. Anyway. Go, stop her gorram well cryin’.” Jayne’s mouth has fallen open and he’s staring at Mal as though he reckons he’s gone crazy. “You mean…” “Go, for cryin’ out loud, go! ‘Fore I change m’mind.” In a smooth motion, Jayne leaps from the bench and sprints out of the cargo bay, knocking into Simon on his way out. Juliet is standing in the doorway to the engine room when Jayne comes striding along the corridor. Seeing him, she grins, backing away to give him a clear route. Kaylee is finishing up putting the shiny new compression coil in place, tightening bolts and the like, as Jayne comes in. She looks up smiling bashfully. “Oh, um, hey there, Jayne,” she says, a slight break in her voice. “Kaylee, I,” He pauses, looking round to see Juliet shutting the door and winking at him. Was there no privacy on this boat? He turns back to Kaylee, moving towards her as she stands up. “Wh- what…” “There’s summin I should’ve done last night and I’m sorry I didn’t…” He’s very close now. “Uh huh…” Bending down, Jayne kisses her on the lips

~*~*~

“Never kiss ‘em on the mouth, Jayne? You big liar.” Juliet giggles as she walks back along to the dining area. She meets Mal there. “How’s…” he asks, not needing to finish. “Let’s just say the engine room is off limits for a little while.” “Huh, only a little while?” “Well ok, a few hours.” “Sounds better.” “Sure you’re ok with this?” “No… but maybe I should just give up all pretence that my opinion matters round here.” “Would be fun.” He glares at her. They walk downstairs, deciding to go shopping with some of their large pools of money. River is sitting in the cargo bay, looking in the direction of the engine room. “Simon won’t be happy,” she says, regret in her voice. “But if it’s unavoidable, he’ll find his way.” “River…” Mal begins, but river simply turns to him, a bright smile on her face. “Kaylee burn bright. Very, very happy.” “That’s somewhat unsettlin’.”