I neither own nor hold any claim to any characters or associated articles of Firefly. Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy do that. I am just a humble fan who is very scared of lawyers and can only dream of, one day, being as brilliant as Lord God Whedon.

* p.s. Feedback is shiny in the nth degree and received with open arms and a big mug of hot chocolate.

*

After collecting her duffel of belongings from the passenger dorm and transferring it to the empty berth in the crew quarters (“Best we keep you an’ the doc far apart as rightly possible,” Mal explained), Jaine was given the guided tour of Serenity by Kaylee. She memorised every detail of the ship’s layout as they walked, Kaylee chattering away happily about Serenity and the adventures of her crew. Jaine found her pleasant enough, more so than the rest of the motley bunch anyway. She found herself grinning and joking with the enthusiastic young mechanic. “So, how’dya know Zoë an’ the cap’n anyhow?” she asked. “Joined the Independents few years afore Serenity Valley.” The girl stopped and looked at her, eyes wide. “You was a Browncoat?” she asked in awe. “Not 'fficially, no. Just kinda joined ‘em one day an’ nobody said nothin’ ‘bout it.” Kaylee looked like she was going to say something else, so she decided to change the subject. “How’d you know Reynolds an’ Zoë?” Kaylee’s cheeks flushed and she began fiddling with a patch on the leg of her jumpsuit. “Um, well, me’n th’old mechanic, Bester, we was, um, well we...an’ the cap’n, he...” She looked up at her with a sheepish expression. “Cap’n walked in on me’n Bester, y’know...” she gestured with her hands and widened her eyes meaningfully. “Ah,” Jaine replied understandingly. “You were y’knowin’, huh? Yeah, Mal did that t’me once, walked in on me’n Tracey y’knowin’...gotta habit’a that, ain’t he?” “You knew Tracey?” she asked with a frown. “Yep, take it ya met ‘im, then?” “Kinda, he...” she trailed off, looking unsure. Jaine looked across at the other woman. “He did somethin’ stupid an’ got himself killed, right?” The mechanic nodded sadly. She sighed. “Never was too smart. Cute, but not too smart.” The women sighed in unison and got lost in their thoughts for a moment. Then, by an unspoken agreement, they began to walk again. “So, who’s in the shuttle?” Jaine asked, nodding to shuttle one. “Inara,” Kaylee smiled fondly. “Mal calls her Ambassador, kinda like a nickname for’er, I guess.” “So, she’s a whore, then?” Kaylee looked shocked and slightly hurt. “She ain’t a whore, she’s a Companion,” she said reproachfully. “Sorry, Companion then.” She stared at her a moment longer, then her expression softened. “’S’alright, ya don’t know her. She’s real nice.” They carried on along the catwalk and were in the back hall when Simon suddenly appeared from the side stairwell. Jaine scanned the mental map she had built up from the tour and deduced that he had come up from the common area. Kaylee’s smile split her face. The doctor, on the other hand, looked like a rabbit caught in a trap before turning and heading back the way he had come. Jaine watched as her smile faded and her face fell. “Fang xin, ain’t you he’s runnin’ from,” she reassured her. “If it ain’t me, then what?” she sighed. “Me.” She looked at her with a frown. “What? Why for?” “Tried to kill each other, made him lil’ shy.” She arched an eyebrow. “Can’t think why...” This brought a grin to the mechanic’s face. That and the fact that they had arrived at the engine room. “Hey, what d’ya know ‘bout converters?”

*

Serenity, 1800 hrs

Jayne’s belly rumbled, telling him it was time to eat. He moved from his bed and climbed up the ladder, shutting the door after him. As he turned along the corridor to the kitchen, he found he was walking behind Jaine. Remembering how easily she’d cuffed him earlier, he rubbed his wrist absently. “Keep doin’ that, it’ll fall off,” she called back. She hadn’ even looked at him. How’d she...? Gorram woman! he thought. Thinks she knows it all. He considered her. Good lookin’ though. He swept his eyes over her back. Good legs. Jumpsuit hid a lot, but some things ya could just tell. Hips like a real woman, kind enjoyed a burger whenever she felt like it. Bit wide, he’d thought earlier, but he guessed it was just cause’a the (many) holsters she was wearin’. Taken ‘em off now an’ rolled the top half of her jumpsuit down. She moved real graceful-like, kinda like a dancer, he supposed. Her hair was all pulled up into a bun like Kaylee’s, even had lil’ bits hangin’ down her neck. He traced the outline of her muscles and her spine under her top. Watched her hips rock as she climbed the steps. She paused in the doorway and turned to look directly at him. “You gonna stand an’ stare at my ass all night, or are ya gonna eat? ‘Cause if you pass out, I ain’t catchin’ ya,” she grinned. He scowled at her and pushed past into the kitchen, avoiding Mal and Zoë’s murderous glares and Wash’s raised eyebrows. Jaine took the chair next to Kaylee, leavin’ him to sit next t’the moon-brain. Great. Dropping heavily into his seat, he pulled his plate towards him and began loading it with food. Settling down to eat, he let the chatter wash over him. Wash and Zoë were murmuring to one another while the Shepherd tried to engage Simon in a conversation about River’s health and failing as the doctor kept shooting apprehensive glances at Jaine. Mal, meanwhile, was talking to Kaylee and Jaine about the work they had been doing on the consoles and engine. “It’s the thermal cap again, y’know, with the drive feeds? Fix up we did’s comin’ loose, might need t’get it replaced next time we’re planetside.” Mal grunted in response. “Seen how the coin goes.” Jayne’s gaze flicked lazily around the table, coming to rest on Jaine. She was listening intently to Kaylee try to convince Mal to buy a new thermal cap. He guessed she looked kinda pretty with the light makin’ her skin glow like that an’ catchin’ her hair, showin’ up red bits where there weren’t none before. Her eyes were shinin’ like lil’ brown chips. Nah, not quite brown, kinda hazel colour. Had a nice mouth kinda soft lookin’, like it might be nice to...he shook himself. Nah, he didn’ do that sorta thing, an’ even if he did, Mal an’ Zoë’d throw him out the airlock. If she didn’ finish him first. Still, if she was a whore, he'd be on her so fast... Reaching absently for his plate, his hand met empty air. Frowning, he looked down. It was empty. He didn’t remember eating all that food, and there’d been a lot. He suddenly became aware River’s wasn’t eating. Turning his head slightly, he looked at her. She was licking her fingers. She saw him watching her and froze, eyes wide, index finger hovering at her chin. Muttering under his breath, he turned back, grabbing a handful of coloured protein bits from her plate as he did so. “That weren't nice,” a voice admonished him. Raising his head, he found Jaine grinning at him. He scowled. Gorram woman! he thought for the second time that night. She looked a moment longer, but Mal chose that moment to clear his throat and address the table as a whole. They looked at him expectantly. “Now, y’all know Jaine here says she’s gotta job for us. I don’t rightly know what that might be, so I’m hopin’ she’ll be kind enough to explain for us.” He looked across at her.

*

She looked around at the curious faces for a moment before beginning. “Ain’t much of a job, t’be truthful. Just a lil’ transportin’ job, not exactly legal, but not much on the wrong side of the law. An’ maybe a ride home...?” She looked glanced at Mal. Seeing he was interested, she pressed on. “’Course y’all’ll be paid. Mightn’t be coin, but it’ll be somethin’ ya can use.” She looked at the crew and then to Mal and Zoë again. They studied her for a moment and glanced at each other. Zoë gave an almost imperceptible nod. She watched Mal’s face for some kind of signal. His gaze shifted back to meet hers. “Well, we got stuff of our own t'sort first, so might be awhile, but...” He paused and looked at the crew and then back to her again. “I think we can deal.” She nodded her thanks to him. Then his face turned serious. “You gotta earn your keep though, you can do a job, you’ll be doin’ it. You’ll be pitchin’ in with chores, helpin’ Kaylee any way you can, an’ you’ll be joinin’ me, Zoë and Jayne on jobs. Need the extra muscle.” She nodded again and made to stand. “But on no account are you to hit, kick, shoot or otherwise mangle Simon or Jayne.” He seemed to rethink what he’d just said. “'Less they deserve it,” he amended. “Got it.” Then she looked up. “Can I make ‘em uncomfortable-like?” He considered this for a moment. “Don’t s’pose I can stop ya...” She looked at Jayne and Simon and grinned, the seriousness of the moment before lightened. “Good.”

*

fang xin – don’t worry