“What happened?” Zoë asked a somewhat bewildered Mal.

“He passed out.”

Zoë made her way over to the pilot and pressed her hand to his head.

“Fever’s back.”

”I figured,” Mal said still fuming.

“What else happened?”

Mal said nothing and continued pacing. Zoë chose to ignore it for the time being and shifted her focus back to Wash.

“We can’t move him out of here. I don’t know how Kaylee and him managed it in the first place.”

No response.

“We’re getting close to atmo; you’re going to need to be at the helm.”

Mal nodded but he wasn’t really hearing her.

“Captain,” Zoë said sharply effectively stopping his movement, “what happened here?”

“I’m not sure you want to know.”

Zoë said nothing but looked concerned.

“Then again,” Mal tacked on, “you may already know.”

Zoë was about to protest when they were interrupted.

“You want me to land this thing or what?” Jayne’s voice boomed over the comm.

Mal and Zoë exchanged looks. Each acknowledged silently that this conversation wasn’t over.

“No,” Mal replied back into the intercom, “I’m on my way.”

Within seconds he was gone. Zoë didn’t have time to think on it, she had to tend to Wash.

It didn’t make sense. They’d gotten that damn dredge out already. The only thing she could think of was that maybe the site had gotten infected. That could cause a high fever, but she wasn’t positive. Laying Wash back on his bed, Mal hadn’t even bothered to move him, as gently as possible she moved him onto his side so she could check his back.

“Zoë,” the comm came alive again, this time with Mal’s voice, “I’m sending Kaylee down with supplies. Prepare for landing.”

Zoë didn’t hear it.

A slight gasp from behind finally got Zoë’s attention.

“How?” was all Kaylee managed to get out.

“I don’t know,” Zoë finally said shaking her head.

The black web had returned.

“Stay here,” she said to Kaylee as she shot up the ladder and down the hall in record time.

She got to the infirmary and heard the familiar buzz of an incoming transmission. They had just landed and no doubt it was Dr. Kellerman, but Zoë didn’t have time for him now. They’d see him soon enough.

Zoë picked up the jar containing the parasite they’d pulled from Wash and held it up for examination. Dr. Kellerman had been adamant that the entire bug be removed and Zoë had been confident she had done just that. Confident until she saw the poison lines again.

Head. Two antennas. Body in three segments, all there. Legs. Four on the left. Four on the right. Two pinchers, both intact.

“Damn,” she muttered. She’d been so sure. She counted again.

“What’s going on?” Jayne asked.

“Poison’s back,” Zoë said never taking her eyes off the jar, “Kellerman said it could happen if we missed a piece.” She counted again.

Jayne looked at the jar with her.

“Right there,” he said pointing.

Zoë squinted but still couldn’t see where he meant.

“The last leg on the left,” he clarified, “end of it’s missing.”

Zoë put the jar down and shook her head.

“Where’s Mal?” she asked after a beat.

“Think he went down to check on Wash.”

Zoë nodded and began to make her way there as well when a loud bang was heard on the bay door.

“Probably Eden Station,” Zoë said over her shoulder.

“Want I should let them in?” Jayne asked.

“Yeah, if Kellerman’s with them send him down,” Zoë answered.

She was halfway down the corridor as she heard Jayne opening the hatch. There was less then a second to react. As soon as the door was open a dozen or so men rushed in. All wearing hazard suites and all armed. The first thing they did was to throw Jayne to the floor and place an armed guard on him. They got lucky. Not expecting trouble, Jayne hadn’t brought Vera with him.

Having heard the commotion Zoë had doubled back and Inara had left her shuttle. They arrived at roughly the same time. Inara was never armed and did not resist, but the same could not be said for Zoë. Sheer instinct drove Zoë to reach for her sidepiece only to find it gone. As soon as her hand got to her hip she remembered that it was in the infirmary. She’d taken it off during Wash’s procedure and hadn’t put it back on. Reluctantly, she put up her hands.

“Three down,” the man who appeared to be in charge said into a hand-held radio as he motioned Zoë, Inara, and Jayne up against the far wall of the bay and motioned for them to sit.

Five men stayed behind to watch them, guns ready to fire. If Inara was scared, she covered it well. Jayne checked each of them out and then looked to Zoë. Zoë had been looking only in one direction, the corridor that lead to Wash’s bunk.

Kaylee and Mal had heard most of the goings on but it hadn’t bothered them much. The noise and commotion was dim from the back of Serenity and to the two of them it sounded like nothing more then the mule being unloaded, so they paid it little mind. Then it got closer.

Mal motioned Kaylee to be still and headed towards the ladder. As quiet and quickly as he could make his way up. Peeking his head out he first looked left down the empty passage. Turning to scan the other direction he had just enough time to recognize that a boot was flying towards him and no more.

Mal fell hard down the ladder and Kaylee screamed. In the bay Jayne shot to his feet at the sound and strained his eyes down the path. All of the guards readied their weapons on him. He hadn’t realized he’d moved until he felt Zoë’s hand tugging on his arm holding him back. Reluctantly he stayed put.

The noise had been enough to rouse Wash, but not very effectively. He began to speak but no one really took notice. Two men landed in the room and made no haste in disarming Mal and hauling him out. Kaylee was next. She proved much more difficult. She’d stopped screaming but was still terrified and fought hard. Mal had begun to come round as they dragged him down the hall. Immediately he began to resist which only made Kaylee fight harder.

“Settle down sir,” a sterile voice said from behind the garb, “no one’s going to be hurt.”

“What in the hell is going on?” Mal bellowed.

He wasn’t answered.

Two more men arrived, this time carrying a gurney. Mal and Kaylee now found themselves pushed against the wall.

In the front of the ship things were getting tenser. The gurney arriving marked the beginning of Jayne’s pacing. He looked like a caged tiger. Zoë found herself standing as well. She had an idea that it might be for Wash. Taking another look at Jayne she almost hoped it was. Jayne looked as if he was fixing to do something foolish.

A few moments later Mal and Kaylee were led to join the group up front. The same man as before indicated over his handheld that the ship was secure and all were accounted for.

Mal looked pissed. He sat down and held his head in his left hand. He was going to have a nasty bump.

“How’d this happen?” he directed at Jayne and Zoë.

“Jumped me at the door,” Jayne said, visibly more relaxed since the others arrived.

“Left my sidearm in the infirmary,” Zoë said flatly.

“Malcolm Reynolds?” a familiar voice asked.

“Dr. Kellerman I presume,” Mal answered not bothering to get up.

“Yes, well,” the man seemed embarrassed but continued anyway, “sorry about this. Precaution.”

”From what?”

”The outbreak. We can’t have you in town. It’s really for your own good. We’ll transport you all to Eden Station for checkups. Your pilot, of course, we’ll cure as best we can. Once done you can all go. Really.”

“Outbreak?” Inara asked, “I thought it was just Wash and that woman.”

“Well,” Kellerman said somewhat doggedly, “it was. At first.”

He quickly lost his audience as they all turned to watch the men carry Wash and the crate off the ship.

“Shouldn’t take more then a few hours. We’ll have you out of here soon. Really.”