Mal swallowed the last drop of his drink and placed it on the bar. “Jen said he had blonde hair and tattoo on his face.” He said as he turns around looking at Zoë, as usually she was casing the place. She wasn’t much for drinking, clouded the mind. Zoë scanned the bar looking for their engineer to be. “Yep, Jen said this guy was a real jen duh sh tyen tsai when it comes to enginenie stuff.” Mal ordered another drink. “Sir, if this guy is such a jen duh sh tyen tsai as Jen said then why did she throw him off her boat?” “Don’t know, all Jen said is that they had difference of opinions.” “Difference of opinions, Shiny.” Zoë turned back facing the bar. They had been waiting for this genius for an hour. So, she decided to order herself a shot, anything to take her mind of her captain’s decent into lunacy. Mal scanned the bar once more. He looks at a table of four young men, clearly drunk. He sees them whisper to another and pointing to Zoë. Mal wonder which one of them was actually bold enough to actually come over. Mal had his sights on the big one. “Go in Les, go talk to her!” said the smallest and clearly the drunkest. The big one stood up quite purposefully, he straightens his clothes and walk over. “Be gentle Zoë, he’s nyen ching dud.” Mal whispered, as he sipped his drink. The young men at the table were cheering them on. Les looked back at his friends pointing at Zoë’s bottom. His friends gave him the thumbs up in approval. Les look at Mal as to ask if Zoë was with him. Mal nodded no. He was dying of laughter in the inside. Mal saw the young man hand cock back into the air, “Oh no, don’t do boy, for the love of tyen sho-doh don’t do it!” Mal said to himself. Les swatted Zoë on her butt. “Hey ba …” Before the boy could finish his statement Zoë had him on the floor with her boot on his chest and gun pointed at his face. Mal stood there laughing. Looking down at the boy. “Now, son is that anyway to treat a lady? I think you should apologize to her?” Les friends at the table stood up as if they where going to do something. Zoë cut her eyes at them. They quietly sat back down in their seats. “There’s our boy.”

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Mal remembers the first day he met his first mate Zoë. He had just been promoted to sergeant in the Independent army. He went up the ranks rather quickly from scrud the lowest form of officer in the army to sergeant in a matter of years. He was to get a squad of 20 scruds underneath him. Mal had known most of the men who were under his command, all but one. A fellow name Alleyne. All Mal heard about Alleyne was that he was the best scrud to come threw ranks. Alleyene had even beaten all of Mal records back when he was in training camp. Mal had to meet the man who broke all his records, and by him a drink. Alleyne was from the west company from Merth. Merth was the training camp on the other side of Lassiter, the crap moon Mal was station on. He heard his mans at Lance’s a small tavern outside of camp. Mal walk in, the tavern smells like shiong mao niao. He gave the place a once over and tired to guess who this fellow was. There were only five people in the bar besides the barkeep. Four men and one incredible beautiful woman. Who Mal thought he might get to know after he found his man. Mal looked at one guy, at the bar and decided that couldn’t be Alleyene, to fat and ugly. Another fellow, look like a good wind could blow him over. Mal look at the women again. She was beautiful. Long legs, long hair, hell long everything. Mal watched her as she walk to the bar and order a drink. He noticed her butt as she walked. It sent Mal into a trance. She smiled at him, or so, he thought when some more men walked it. Mal figured she was the girlfriend of some scrud. Damn lucky hwood dahn. “Malcolm Reynolds? You ugly ching-wah tsao duh liou mahng, what are you doing here?” Mal turned around it was Monty. He had gone through basic training with Monty when he first signed up. “Monteeee” Monty gave him the biggest bear hug. Mal hated when Monty hugged him, because he always got a mouth full of his face wig. “I heard you got yourself promoted.” “Yeah I got myself a whole squad of men waiting to follow my every word, but I got one more fellow to pick up, a scrud by the name of Alleyne? You know him?” Monty had a confused look on his face. “Who?” “I guy name Alleyne. Someone said he be here?” Monty got a big smile on his face and said loudly. “OOOOhhhh Alleyne, yeah I know HIM. Good fellow, Good fellow. Helluva a man, that Alleyene.” The beautiful women look up, and waved at Monty and walk over to the table with the rest of Monty’s crew. “Monty how an ugly sasquatch like you knows a girl like that?” Monty smiles, “Hey why don’t you buy her a drink.” Monty pats Mal on the back, thrusting Mal forward. Monty was the only man Mal knew that could knock him off his feet without trying. He goes to the bar keep and orders, a drink, the barkeep hands him some pink looking drink. “She loves it.” He says laughing. Mal fails to see the joke. He walks over the woman who is talking to one of Monty’s boys. Normally Mal wouldn’t do this, his mother had taught him better, but this woman had a mighty fine backside, and he had to touch it. Before he had a good grasp of ass, Mal found himself on his back with a boot on his chest, a gun pointed at him, and a fruity smelling liquid all over him. All Mal heard was Monty’s riotous laughs and everyone else. “I fail to see what is funny, here! Monty can you help me out.” Still laughing, “Zoë Alleyne I want you to meet Sergeant Malcolm Reynolds. Mal, this is Zoë Alleyne.” Monty is at the point of tears. “She’s your man, Mal.” At this point Monty is out of breath. “Sir?” Zoë said looking up at Monty. Still laughing Monty puts his hands on Zoë’s back. “Zo, oh, oooh, let him up, let him up, that your new saarrgemt.” “Oh, sorry Sir.” She takes her foot off of Mal chest and helps him up. Monty hands Mal a napkin to wipe, the pink drink all over him.

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Mal steps over the boy who was still on the floor under Zoë’s boot. “Aaah memories, stop flirting with that boy Zo, we got work to do.” As Mal chucked to himself as he walk to his mark. Bester was definitely a pretty boy. Almost too pretty Mal thought. “Bester?” Mal ask, but he already the answer. By looking at the boy Mal knew Bester’s and Jen’s difference of opinion. The three of them sat down. Bester had this dumb grin on his face as he look at Zoë. “You’re late.” Zoë said trying to figure out if she should take Mal to see a head doctor, because he has gone completely off his rocker. First he buys that deathtrap, and now he wants to hire this, surfer boy as a mechanic. This was not the first time Mal didn’t listen to Zoë’s words.

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Zoë didn’t have a good first impression of her new sergeant. In fact she really didn’t like him. He was much smaller than she thought. Not much to look at really. Feelings aside he was her sergeant and she had to follow orders. Their first job was pretty easy. All they had to do is deliver some supplies to the 42nd regiment on Ives. Simple enough. Ives was a small moon, but it was very fertile. Ives was know for there rainforest. The 42nd had been station there for a few months and were running out or rations. They were a more scientific regiment then anything. Testing biochemical’s of the sorts. There trip was rather uneventful. Zoë tried her best to stay out of the way of her Sergeant. She really didn’t like him, he talked too much, and he had a way about him that rubs her the wrong way. But despite her best efforts she couldn’t get away from him. She was their navigator and pilot of their small transport. “How much longer Zo?” Mal ask as walked into the cockpit. She hated when he called her “Zo”. “Zo” was reserved for friends and family, not sergeants, too informal. “Better prepare for landing, Sir, we’re….” She stopped mid sentence. She looked at her screen. “Zoë, qwai-gwai long duh dong going on?” Zoë started flicking switches like crazy. Mal had a hard time reading her, the woman was like stone. “Zoë!” Mal was getting a little peeved off, he had apologize for the “mix up” as he like to call it, but… “Sir, I’m not getting any readings, there nothing coming from the scans?” Mal looked at the scanner; there was no type of life coming from Ives. “Don’t worry about it, remember Ives is a science stations, so it must be something sciencey about why were not getting any readings. Just land us.” Mal hoped he had sounded reassuring to his plot. Zoë took them into atomo. Mal kept looking at the readings nothing had change. There were no life readings on the screen, not human, not animal not nothing. Mal didn’t have a good feeling. “Just put her down, Zoë.” Mal order as he walked out. He hoped he had sounded reassuring. Zoë join the rest of her squad in the cargo bay. They were busy getting things together. “Sir, Can I talk to you?” Zoë said, pulling Mal aside. “Sir, I got was able to dig out a distress signal, it’s a couple of days old, Sir, they were hit by Reavers.” They look at each other for a while. Mal had only heard stories of Reavers, men who went out to the edge of space, and well they didn’t come back men. “Sir?” Zoë look at her sergeant, he was paler than before. “We do the job. Like I said maybe they were doing some experiment…” “Sir.” she said cutting him off. “We do the job.” Mal said standing firm, making sure that his subordinate knew he was boss. But Zoë held her ground. “Sir, have you ever seen Reavers? Do you know what they do to a man?” She looked him dead in the eyes. “Linc, ready the mules, we got a job to do.” Mal was the first one to break their deadlock. “Zoë you got a job to do, see to that.” The doors open to the ship rather slowly. It was gone, everything was gone. The place was burn to the ground, the stench of burnt flesh, hit Mal and men’s noses hard. “Sir, wuh de tyein, ah what happened?” Linc ask as he stood beside Mal. Mal look back at the faces of the rest of his men. They had the same dumb look as Linc had. “Ha, those science geeks probably went and blown themselves up. Let’s do the job boys and go home.” Mal walked down the ramp and the others followed with the good behind. They reached the research lab. There had been a struggle here. “Sarg what happen here? Where’s the 42nd?” Linc look to his Sergeant for answers. Answers Mal didn’t have. “Let’s go.” Mal proceeded to go forward. A dark shadow passes quickly in the corner of the building. Mal went for his gun. “We gotta go.” Mal back up slowly, “But Sarg, what about the supplies?’ Linc ask. “Ma shong! private, leave the supplies.” Mal’s pace started to pick up when he heard a scream. Reavers. Mal stood in shock. He had heard stories, he thought they weren’t real. Zoë was right. Damn. Mal pulled his gun. Bullets and blood started spraying everywhere. The men had lost their heads, it was totally chaos. Mal had lost his head. Then like a light of mercy, came blasting threw. It was Zoë. She came a blazing. Mal had never seen any one move like that before. “Sir, we need to get off this rock, Ma shong.” Mal was not going to argue with her. He followed her lead. Two Reavers had Linc in his grasp, he was screaming. Without wincing Zoë shot Linc in-between the eyes. “Zoë….Linc…” “Keep moving Sir, Linc was dead before I shot him.” Ang and Johnston were outside waiting for them. They where holding up Simmons and Locklin. They made it back to the ship. A bloody mess, but they made it back. As the door was shutting on the ship a harpoon made it throw taking Ang’s head. The rest just stood there. Zoë went to the bridge and got them the hell out of there. Luckily the Reavers didn’t follow. As soon as they were in the black Zoë put the ship on auto pilot and check on her squad. They were still in the cargo bay. Shell shocked. They had come to Ives, a squad of 21, now there were 5. Mal was tending to Locklin’s wounds, his hands where trembling, Locklin had a blank stare on his face. “Let me do that.” Zoë took the rag away from Mal. He stood up and looked at her. He looked around they where gone. It was his fault his first squad and he had leads them to their deaths. “Sir, you’re hurt.” Zoë sat Mal down on one of the crates. She took a clean rag and started cleaning his wounds. As she was wiping his face their eyes meet. Mal started to open his mouth, but Zoë cut him off. “It’s not your fault.” They did not say anything else to each other. They reached Lassiter safely. They were greeted with lots of officials. There were a lot of things talked about what happen on Ives. There where two days worth of talks about what happened there. By the end everyone thought Mal to be the hero. They even had this big fancy dinner in his honor. He got the Purple Heart for courage under fire. Locklin was the one to pin it on him. It all seem meaningless to him. He had lead those men to their deaths. If he had listened to Zoë, and then maybe they would have been alive. Mal looked around the ceremony Zoë wasn’t there. She should have been there. She was the real hero not him. Mal left the ceremony early he didn’t feel much like talking. He walked around a bit. He found himself at the docks of Merth. Merth actually had lakes, real lakes not those bio luminance man made crap that they have on the core planets, but real lakes. That is where he found Zoë sitting. She looked like a little girl in the moonlight. She had saved his life. Zoë is the one that deserved the accolades not him. Mal went and sat beside her. He took off his boots and rolled up his pants and put them in the water. “It was a pretty fine shindig, you’re missing. Yeah food’s not bad, have a caterer….” Mal paused, he slashed the water form his foot. “It should have been you up there not me….I should have listen….you where right.” Mal turned to Zoë. She looked up to him. There eyes had meet. This time there was no standoff. They stared for a while. “Thanks for saying, Sir.” She stood up and started to put her boots on. “Apples?” “Shah muh?” “Apples? Sir, did they have apples?” Mal looked at her with a puzzled looked. “Haven’t had apples in a while.” She extended her hand to help Mal up. He took it. They walked back to the ceremony, not saying a word.

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“Drink?” Mal ask Bester. “Naw, I’m shiny.” Bester winked at Zoë. Zoë gave Mal a “are you serious” look. Mal look right back with, “a yeah what’s wrong with him” look. “Well let’s get to business then. I’m offering you a good opportunity to fly with us. A chance to be free.” Bester didn’t seem interested in what Mal had to say. A beautiful red head walked into the bar and held all of Bester attention. Mal spoke a bit louder, “A chance to be free. I have a firefly, name Serenity, she ain’t much to look at but, she’s solid. You’ll get your own bunk, full run of the kitchen, and your fare share of our profits from jobs. All you have to do is keep her flying…” Mal had lost Bester to a beautiful woman, there was no hope. “So.” Mal stood up. “You want to check her out?” “Huh? Yeah? Check her out.” Bester said with a grin as he stared at the girl. “Serenity, check HER, out.” Mal put his money on the table and walked to the door. Zoë walking behind him. Bester stood not breaking eye contact with the girl. The girl looked back at Bester and smiled. He started to walk in her direction when Zoë grab the back of his shirt jerking him back. “Serenity, lover boy.” “Rough I like that.” Bester said smiling at Zoë. “Not if you were the last man in this verse. Let’s go.” She said as she walked out the door in front of Mal and Bester. “Shiny” Bester said as he starred at Zoë’s butt as she walked away with a grin. “That’s not part of the deal, son. Besides you don’t want that, she’ll kill you. Really, kill you dead.” Mal looked at Bester who still wasn’t listening to a word. His focus was on Zoë. “Shiny.” Bester followed them along. They went to the ship yard where Serenity was parked. “That’s her?” Bester said as he walked over to the ship. “Yep, that’s Serenity.” Mal said loving as he pointed her to him. Bester mumbled something under his breath as he walked into the ship. Mal showed him around the engine room. “So, what do you think? What the job?” Mal asked him. “Sure, sounds fun enough, I got one request.” Bester trying to sound as serious as possible. “If its Zoë. I can’t give her to you. She’ll kill me and then you. Anything else we can talk.” Bester cleared his throat. “I just need a couple of days a month, land leave, with no questions asked.” Mal gave him a look. “I think I can handle that.” “Shiny, then I can handle this.” Bester said with a grin. “Splendid.” They shook on there deal. “Zoë!” No answer “Hey Zo!” Mal walked in front of the engine room door. “Zo” He was cut off by her coming around the corner. Mal was taken back a bit. “Zoë, why don’t you give Bester the grand tour here, and show him his bunk. I gotta go see about getting us a pilot.” Mal padded her on the back and walk away. “Play nice, I don’t want to see our engineer on the floor when I get back.” “I always play nice, Sir.” Zoë said with a grin as looked at Bester. Bester felt a chill go up his spine. She showed him around the ship. The last stop on there tour were the bunks. “So, which one is yours?” Bester asked with a grin on his face. “That one and that one’s the captains.” Zoë said with a very serious look on her face, which turned Bester grin to a not so happy grin. “I’ll be in the cargo bay.” Zoë walked off but not too far. “Oh, wuh da ma what is that smell!” Bester came out of one of the bunks covering his nose. “I think I’m going to be sick.” Zoë stood laughing. “Yeah you may not want that one. I think something die in there.” “That’s not funny, wuh da ma.” Bester ran down the steps to the cargo bay and tried to smell up all the fresh air that came through the open door. Zoë thought it was damn funny and not too many things made Zoë laugh.

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“I don’t get it Sir.” “What don’t you get, the dog said quack!” Mal said laughing. They had been walking for what seem like weeks, through all types of rain. They were station on Peerist a small planet where it seems like it was always raining. “Ok tell me again why did the dog, quack?” “Zo, you have no since of humor.” “I laugh when it’s funny, Sir.” Mal stop in his tracks and look back at his regiment. They all looked tried and beaten. “Camp here and we can continue in the morning.” “Here? Sir do you really think that this is a good spot?” Zoë said as she looked around. “Yeah its good enough, the men are tired and so am I.” “There’s no cover, Sir.” “There no nothing around here. We’re the only people here, in this gorram rain.” Mal turned to his tired men. “We camp here.” Zoë began unpacking her bag. “Ok I got another one.” Zoë gave him a look. “Where do you find a dog with no legs?” Zoë took a deep breathe. “Where, Sir.” Cracking up “Right where, right where you left him.” Mal was now in tears. Zoë wasn’t amused. As usual she took a mental picture of there surrounds. “Hey, Keri, Zoë didn’t get your joke about the dog, quacking.” Keri was a large man, but he had the small head for a guy his size. Mal always found that funny about him. “Did you tell it right Sarg?” “Yeah….Zoë just don’t have no sense of humor.” “No, no she doesn’t Sarg.” Keri sat his bag next to Mal. The men made camp. There was no fire, because it never stopped raining. They were all huddled up, eating and telling dirty jokes. “Hey Zo, you tell a joke.” Melton was a wisp of a man, but strong for a guy his size. “Awe, Melt Zoë don’t know any jokes, she too much of a shiong-tsan sha-sho for jokes and such.” Chen sat by her and handed her some beans. She shook her head no. Chen had a crush on Zoë and she knew it. Any man with a pulse had a crush on Zoë, but she always made herself clear, no fraternizing with the regiment while they were enlisted. Made things complicated, split loyalties. And there was nothing Zoë hated more was complications.

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Mal found Zoë and Bester in the cargo bay playing cards. “Glad to see you still breathing.” Mal looked a Bester, who was trying to peer down Zoë’s shirt as she lean over to play her card. “Any luck, Sir?” Zoë slapped Bester in the forehead for looking down her shirt. “No, I talked to one guy, but he was an idiot.” Mal laughed as Bester rubbed his aching forehead. “Good to see you all are getting along.” It had been almost a month they were parked on the planet. It was harder than Mal had thought to find a pilot who could fly a firefly. Bester was working out fine, he got the engine turning, and she was ready to fly, but no pilot. “Why don’t you try Paqueo?” Zoë said as she sat down on the crates they had in the kitchen serving for chairs. “Paqueo went and got himself married and got a bunch of critters.” Mal said with a mouth full of food. “Belle, she’s good.” “Didn’t she get shot?” “Yeah, but she not dead.” “I think she’s dead Zo, she got shot in the head.” “Oh…well there always Bodie” “Tsai boo shr there is never Bodie; I rather have monkeys fly Serenity than Bodie.” Mal got up and went to the stove to get seconds. Bester walked in. “I know a chick that can fly, Mal.” “No” Mal and Zoë said together. “Fine, just trying to help,” Bester helped himself to some chow. “What about Locke?” “Locke, Sir? Do we really want Locke; with us in space, Sir, Serenity a pretty big boat but not that big.” “True. What is that?” “I think that how he smells, Sir.” Zoë shifted on her crate. They sat for a while thinking. Zoë got up and put her plate in the sink. “Did Tanaka ever respond to your wave?” Zoë said as she started to clean her plate. “Yeah, he gave me a name of a guy, practically gushing over this guy. If I didn’t know Tanaka was a married man I swear he was sweet on this guy.” Mal handed Zoë his plate. She looked at him. “Sheh-sheh, Zoë.” Mal kissed her on her check, but she wipes it off. Bester also handed Zoë his empty plate, and tried to kiss her but all he got was the palm off her hand. “Hoban.” “Sir?” “Hoban, Tanaka’s man, Hoban. He is supposed to be some flying ace and he has experience flying firefly.” Mal walked in the cargo bay where Zoë was trying taking inventory of the cargo they had secured for a job. She didn’t like the idea of getting a job off planet with out a pilot to fly Serenity. “He’s meeting us here; Tanaka said he should be here in an hour or two.” “Here? I’m not sure that’s a good idea, we have some illegal items on the ship…” Mal cutting her off, “Zoë, do you have to question everything gorram thing I do.” “Well, yes, Sir, especially when that gorram thing could get his pinched by the feds.” “Nobody getting pinched by the Feds. You worry too much.” Mal padded her on her head. Zoë rolled her eyes, “Shiny.” She put down her clip board and walked towards the door. Mal turned around and there standing in the door way was the funny little man. Mal went to great him. “Malcolm Reynolds…” Zoë cut his introduction off by throwing the little man against the frame of the ship and frisking him. “…And that is my First Mate Zoë…That’s how they say hello where she’s from.” Mal said looking at the funny looking man with almost an embarrassing look. “Wash.” He said looking down at Zoë as she got to his crotch area where she stopped and looked up. “Oh, sorry, that’s not what you think, it’s a…” he pulls out a plastic dinosaur from his pocket. “Rex.” Zoë continues her frisk. Wash jumps and giggles a bit. “Now that is, all Wash.” He says in a high pitched voice. Zoë taken back a bit stops frisking him. “He’s clean, Sir.” She said as she gather herself and stood beside Mal. “Good to know, no plastic toys will be killing us all today. Come aboard Wash I’ll show you around.” Mal lead Wash up the stair to the cock pit. “Coming, Zoë.” “Yes, Sir.” “She’s shy our little Zoë.” Mal said to Wash as they went up the stairs.

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Mal loved to see Zoë relaxed. This was few and far between. She always seem like she was on the look out for something to attack them. That was a good thing most of the time, because most of the time something was attacking them. They rarely got Leave when the war started. And when they did, it was spent sleeping. But it was Chen’s birthday. Chen had transferred to another regiment a year ago after Peerist and he and his regiment was station on the same planet as Mal and Zoë. “We gotta go, Zo, its Chen’s birthday. It’s not everyday a man turns 25.” “I don’t want to go.” “Is it because, you have nothing to wear? Women make such a fuss.” Mal said as he pranced around the room. Zoë laughed a bit. “I just don’t want to go, Sir.” “Well If I order you to go, you have to go then.” Mal said matter of fact. “Sir.” Mal walked over to her and took her by the shoulders and starred into her eyes. “Private Zoë Alleyne I am ordering you to come with me to Chen’s birthday. I order you to have a drink and some fun.” Mal had a way of about him that it was hard to say no. “Sir, I am not going.” It was hard to say no, but that never stopped Zoë from saying it. There was a knock at the door. Mal went to open it. It was Chen and he was on crutches, he had lost a leg. Mal stood there with his mouth open. “Howya doing there Sarg.” Chen gave Mal a pat on the back as he hobbled in the room. “Bao bay, you look good.” She tired not to stare, but she couldn’t help it. This was not the same cocky sunnabitch Chen that she knew a year ago. The same guy who at every chance try to get to her to notice him. “Chen, happy birthday, man.” Mal had to break the tension. “Sheh-sheh, Sarg I heard that you and Zoë where here and I had to make sure that the lovely Zoë would be coming out with us tonight to celebrate this auspicious occasion.” He said as he looked up and down. She was wrong he was still cocky. “I glad you’re here maybe you can talk her into going, I order her to go, but she a stubborn one, our Zoë.” A large man came into the room. “Hey, Mal, Zoë.” It was Monty bigger, uglier, hairier, and louder than ever. Apparently he had already started the party. “It seems that we have ourselves a reunion of sorts.” Mal went over and hug his comrade. Monty of course gave Mal a big bear hug almost crushing him. Monty went over and kissed Zoë on the cheek. “What about me, I’m the birthday boy.” Chen said as he tired to stand up as straight as he could. Monty went over and picked him up and planted a big wet one on the lips. “Happy birthday Danny! Now there’s drinking to be done. Mal!” Monty and Mal left the room singing the Browncoat Anthem. Zoë and Chen were in the room alone. They stood there in silence for a while. “It happen about 8 months ago. I stepped on a gorram land mine, and lost my leg. Didn’t have you watching my back.” Chen hobbled over to a chair and sat down. “Now they got me doing paper work in the offices. Once a Browncoat always a Browncoat.” He had a small smile on his face. Zoë sat in a chair beside him. She just looked at him. “I wrote you, almost everyday. I know that you had to of gotten some of them.” Zoë was feeling a bit uncomfortable at the moment. She had gotten his letters but never wrote him back. It was too hard for her. She didn’t want to admit it but she did have a slight crush on Chen. “Zoë.” He said grabbing her hand. “I laid up in that hospital for days. It gave me a chance to think.” “Don’t” Zoë stood up and walk to the other side of the room. “Don’t what Zoë, don’t feel, and don’t tell you that I laid up in that hospital for days thinking about you. Thinking about when we win this war, that maybe we could have a life together.” His voice sounded shaky. Zoë didn’t say anything she didn’t have anything to say. Complicated. She hated complications. Chen got up and headed for the door defeated. Zoë followed behind him grabbing turning him slightly so that they were looking eye to eye. He seemed different to her at the moment. Not the cocky soldier, but someone she cared about and someone who cared about her. She froze. Zoë’s head was telling her one thing and her heart another. She didn’t know what to listen to her. Chen made the choice for her. He kissed her. At first she didn’t kiss him back, but then she let go. Let go of everything and let the moment happen. “Excuse me.” Zoë pulled away. It was Mal. “I’m so, so, so, sorry, but Zoë we gotta go. Just got orders that we have to pull out.” Mal felt guilty for depriving Zoë of her pleasure. Zoë didn’t say anything and went to start packing. “15 minutes Zo, then we gotta leave.” Mal said as he walked away. He looked at Chen standing at the doorway. “Make it 25.” Chen hobbled over to Zoë. She was busy packing. “Hey, Zoë slow down. You’re not leaving now.” She ignored him and continued packing. “Zoë.” His voice was stern. She stopped and looked up at him. “This time write me ok.” He bent down and kiss her on the head and went to the door. “Danny” “Yeah.” “Happy Birthday.” Chen hopped out the door with a big grin on his face. He gave Mal a hug. “Happy Birthday, Danny.” Mal said with a boyish grin on his face. “Thanks, Mal.” He paused a moment. “Mal, take care of our Zoë.” “Zoë doesn’t need me to take care of her.” “Yeah she does.” Mal headed back to Zoë’s bunk. Then Chen yelled. “Don’t tell her I said so, she’ll chop my other leg off.” “I ain’t a fool man.” Mal shouted back. He walked back to Zoë’s bunk. She was all packed up. She looked different to Mal. “You ok?” “Yeah, fine sir.” “Good. Zoë and Danny sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N…” Zoë punched Mal in the arm. “Ouch” Mal rubbed his arm. “G. First comes love then comes marriage then comes the baby in the baby carriage.” She hit him a gain, harder. Mal just rubbed his arm and laughed. Zoë laughed too. “You wear it well.” “Sir? Wear what well” “Happiness. You should do it more often. That’s an order Private.”

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Mal and the new pilot join Zoë in the cargo bay. She is taking inventory of their cargo. “Zoë why don’t you give Wash the grand tour. I got some business in town.” “Sir, me? I have other things to do.” “Wasn’t askin’ Zo.” Mal smiles as he walks off of the ship. She takes a deep breathe and looks at their new pilot. Mal has lost it, she thought to herself. “Follow me.” She motions her hands for him to go with him. He has a stupid grin on his face. They walk through the cargo bay into the common area and passenger bunks. “Common area, extra bunks over there.” They walk over to the infirmary. “Infirmary.” She takes him upstairs to the engine room. “Bester.” She points down to the mechanic who is on his back fixing something. He hops ups to meet the new crewmember. “Bester….Wash the pilot” They shake hands. Wash thought the he didn’t look like much of a mechanic. “Hey anything you need, man just let me know.” Bester said as he went back to work. “Don’t have too much fun without me Zo.” He shouted as they walked out the engine room. Zoë took another deep breathe. She showed him the shuttles. “Shuttle one, Shuttle two.” “You’re a woman of many words huh?” Wash asks as he followed her back towards the bridge. “You can take that bunk there.” Zoë points down to the same bunk she tried to give Bester when he came aboard. “Shiny.” Zoë started to walk away. “Flat feet.” “Shah muh?” “Flat feet, that’s why I didn’t fight in the war, I have I have flat feet.” Zoë just looked at him. “Oh don’t worry, my lack of arches don’t hinder my flying ability. Nope feet are good when it comes to flying.” Zoë tried to walk away again. “Serenity. Didn’t the Browncoats loose at Serenity?” Zoë cut her eyes at him. “Sore subject? Sorry.” He paused a moment and followed her down to the cargo bay. He just stood around like a lost child while Zoë worked. Mal walked back in. “How many times you going check that Zo?” he walked over to them. “Til' we make the drop. Got everything straight.” “Yeah, just gotta wave, Lennox and tell him we’ll have his cargo to him in a couple of days.” Mal saw the pilot looking a bit out of place. “Zoë been nice, showed you around?” “Yes, we’ve just been chatting it up like a couple of school girls, haven’t we Zo?” Wash smiled as he turns looking at Zoë. Mal chucked. “Good, we take off in a day. So if you have anything else off ship to get, now would be the time.” “Yeah, I got a couple of loose ends to tie up here in town.” Wash walks towards the door backwards. “Capitan Reynolds, First Mate Zoë, I will see you two in a few.” He salutes them and walks out. “We’ve going to get along fine with that one.” Mal wraps his arm around Zoë. “Yep, you, me, Bester, and the new pilot. Just going to get along fine. Real good crew.” “Yes, Sir one big happy family.” “Glad you see it that way.” Mal walks towards the stairs and Zoë follows him to the bunks. “Really, Sir, he was the best you could find.” “I thought we had this discussion already.” “Sir, he seems…” “Seems what Zo, Seems what? Look he got the credentials and he willin’ to fly with us.” “He bothers me.” “Tzao-goa Zoë who in the verse don’t bother you?” sounding a bit irritated. Mal turns to go down his bunk. “Ok, the Lennox job will be a test run. We’ll see how he does after the job. If he still bothers you we can renegotiate then. Until then, Ima gonna sleep.” “But, Capitan.” “Sleep, Zoë, Sleep.” Mal went down to his bunk and closed the door. Mal and Zoë didn’t always see eye to eye. She wasn’t afraid to tell him so either, but somehow they always found a middle ground.

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The men where used to hearing Mal and Zoë fight. But this time it was different. They were actually afraid that they were going to kill each other. “Sarg, we got orders to move on from command, what do you want us to do?” asked Reese the communication officer his voice was shaky. He stood there in fear, waiting for the Sergeant’s response. “We hold.” Mal said not breaking eye contact with Zoë. She still was eyeing Mal down. They stood there a few moments eyeing each other when a whistling sound came through the air. Mal looked up and it was a missile coming there way. “Get down.” He pushed Zoë and Reese to the ground. The others followed suit. The Alliance was attacking them. “Reese, get on comm and tell them we’re under fire.” “Yes, sir.” Another whistling sound came soaring through the sky. “We hold. You hear me! We hold. Can’t loose this ground.” Mal ran up the hill to see what they were facing. “First line. Shoot what ever is moving. Second line, back up first line. Zoë, you’re with me.” They moved over to the other side to get a better look at what they were up against. “What do you think?” Mal asking Zoë. “There’s a lot more of them, than us Sir.” “I like them odds.” “They won’t be expecting us to put up much of a fight.” “So, what do you think we should do, Zoë?” “Haven’t used my grenades in a while.” “That’s my girl.” Mal’s regiment held for two days before another regiment was able to come and lend a hand. “Look, who came out to play,” Zoë said smirkly as she shoots off her gun. The 54th came in guns a blazing. “Nice of you to join us, Will.” Mal slapping hands with Will St. John. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world, Mal.” There was about another hour of fighting before the Alliance soldiers pulled out. The dust began to settle. “Don’t think that you can walk away from this Zoë, just because a few hundred men tried to kill us.” “Wouldn’t think of it, Sir.” Mal and Zoë circle around each other. “What’s going on between them?” Will ask Reese the comm. officer. “Don’t know Sir, they were fighting before the Alliance came, Sir.” Will walks over to Mal and Zoë who are in a heated debate. “Mal, Zoë what in the name of Tyen shiao-duh is going on over here? You got your men thinking that ya’ll are going to kill each other. And by the looks of things I think Zoë might win.” “Just settling a disagreement. Maybe you can help us Will” “Anything.” “Well you tell my second in command that if the tall card isn’t claimed the dealer has to take the tall card.” “Shah muh?” Will has a puzzled look on his face. “Sergeant, the person with the lowest hand claims the tall card.” They both look a Will to settle their disagreement. “You two are fighting about Tall Card.” “Yeah.” Mal answered. “So, Sergeant St. John whose right me or Zoë?” “I’m confused.” Will shake his head. “Mal’s right.” “Ha, told you.” Mal makes a funny face at Zoë. She rolls his eyes. “I get your beans. Hand ‘em over.”

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It wasn’t long before the pilot came back. Zoë was on the bridge sending a wave to Lennox that they were going to be on Eros in a day of two when he walked in. “I think you’re in my chair.” Wash said smiling. Zoë just shook her head and left the room. She banged on Mal’s bunk’s door. “Your pilot’s here.” Wash was making is way to down his bunk when the odor hit him. “Wuh de teyn, ah. Did something die in here?” “Problem.” Zoë shouted down the bunk. “Umm…no everything’s shiny.” Wash screamed again. He sounded like a girl. Mal came out his bunk a bit irritated. “Zo, did you give him the stinky bunk?” “No, Sir, I gave him the bunk closer to bridge.” “The stinky bunk.” “Logistics, Sir” Zoë walked down to the cargo bay. Mal made himself down into Wash’s bunk. He took small breathes. “You can umm, take another bunk if you want. Don’t really know…” Mal jumps as something scampers across the floor. “Don’t really know, but I think something died in here.” “I like a challenge.” “It’s not a challenge, its suicide.” “All the same, I’ll stay.” Wash looks around his room. It really, really smelled bad, but he wasn’t about to show any signs of weakness if he was going to impress the First Mate. “Your nose.” Mal climb out of the bunk gasping for air and went to have a talk with his First Mate. “He’s staying.” “Really, Sir.” Zoë said laughing. “You reach Lennox.” “Yeah I told him that we reach Eros in a couple of days.” “Good. Its good to have cargo and a crew wouldn’t you say Zo.” “Shiny.” They reached Eros a few hours early than they had originally planed. The pilot was pretty good. Mal and Zoë went to go deal with there client leaving Bester and Wash to tend to Serenity. Something else blew in the engine room and Wash went down to help Bester out. “So what’s the deal with the Capitan and the First Mate…are they a couple?” Wash handed Bester a tool. “Naw, Mal was Zoë’s sergeant in the war.” Bester tinkered with something else. Wash saw that he was doing it wrong, but didn’t want to say anything. “So, is she always like that?” “Like what.” Bester knew what he was going to say, because he thought the same thing, but he wanted to hear someone else say it. “Like a shiong-tsan sha-sho.” Bester laughed at this. Wash was tired of the mechanic and decided to go to the bridge and work on some stuff. The bridge was pretty dull. He had to make it his own. Wash went to his bunk, which still smelled. And pulled out his favorite dinosaurs and some plastic trees and headed back to the bridge. He scattered the dinos and trees around the console. “Shiny.” He was quite please with his handy work. Now that was done. He decided to tweak the console a bit, to get some more movement out of Serenity. Wash like to sing when he worked. “Now, sometimes baby just can't understand. The mud on my boots and the grease on my hands. I try to explain how it makes me feel. The awesome power of my hands on the wheel. If I can't find the words to set things right. I just scoot over and I let my baby drive - she likes big boy toys, motors and lights knobs and switches and space shi...” Wash was cut off my Mal on the comm “Wash take us out, ma shong.” Wash jump up and started Serenity up. Once they where in the black Wash went to go find Mal and talk about some parts he wanted for the bridge. He looks in Mal’s usual hang outs the cargo bay and the kitchen. So, he checked the infirmary. “Hey Mal, I…” Wash stopped speaking. Zoë was lying on the table Mal sitting besides her holding her hand. Her shoulder was wrapped up with gauze. “What happened?” Wash walked in quietly. She looked so frail, not the same women who frisked him when they first met, or ignored him the past few days. Mal looked up. “Ambushed. Killed Lennox and his men. They wanted the goods. We got caught in the cross fire. She took one in the shoulder.” “She gonna be ok?” “Zoë’s rock solid, it’s going to take more than a bullet to the shoulder to do, her in.” Mal smiled as he looked down on his friend. “She’s just doped up.” Mal placed her hand back on her belly and got up. “She needs to rest. She gonna be pretty pissed off when she wakes up.” Mal closed the infirmary door. “Pretty fine flying, getting us out of here like you did.” Wash forced a smile “I aim to please.” He couldn’t take his eyes off of Zoë. When he signed up for this job he really didn’t think about what types of jobs Mal and Zoë did. He thought it would be fun. “She’s gonna be fine. She had worst.” Mal lead the pilot away from the infirmary.

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“Zo, Zoë?” Mal looked around. He didn’t know where he was, his sight was still kind of blurry. “Ssshh, try not to talk.” Mal didn’t recognize the woman’s voice. “Where am I?” You’re in a hospital on Mauritius. Your platoon was hit hard. Medics had to airlift you got. It’s a miracle that you survived.” The woman had a nice enough voice, but Mal still was confused. “Zoë?” Mal tried to sit up, his chest hurt like hell. “Lay back down you need to rest.” The nurse tried to lay Mal back down but, he got up anyway. “Zoë!” He pulled out his IV and started running through the hospital ward shouting Zoë’s name. He checked behind, curtain after curtain, but still no, Zoë. Two orderlies tried to hold back Mal, but he was too strong for them despite his weaken state. “Zoë, gorrammit, Answer Me!” Mal was in tears, his memory started to come back. The last thing he remembered about Zoë was that she told them they were to lay down arms. “Son, you need to calm down. Laurie, honey, get him a wheelchair.” Mal despite his best efforts sat down in the chair. The doctor shined a flashlight in both his eyes and checked his pulse. “Still a bit weak. Son do you know where you are?” Mal was feeling tired. “Hospital.” “Do you know what happen to you?” “Dead, they’re all dead.” “Yes, they’re all dead and the war is over.” The doctor patted Mal on the shoulder. “You where out there over a week while the big boys where discussing a truce.” “Did we win?” “Its war, nobody wins, son.” The doctor took the handles of Mal wheelchair and began to push Mal back to his bed. But, his feet stood fast to the floor. “Zoë?” “She’s not here.” Mal’s face dropped to the floor. The doctor realizing what he just said. “I’m sorry, Son, I misspoke, your friend is not on this floor. She’s in ICU.” There was a small glimmer of hope in Mal eyes. “I want to see her.” Mal tried to get up, but his legs wouldn’t let him. “Sit, back down, Boy. I’ll take you to her.” The doctor pushed Mal through the hallways. Mal hated hospitals, too sterile for his taste. After what seem like forever, they reach the ICU. “Wait here, I’ll go check on your friend.” The doctor walked over to another group of doctors and the whispers started. Mal’s doctor pointed at him and looked back at the others. Mal had waited enough; he had to see if she was still alive. He made himself stand up and walk through those doors. “This boy is one of the most stubborn patients I have ever seen.” Mal stumbled a bit. His doctors help him steady himself. “She’s over here.” He took him to her. It was his Zoë. She looked so beautiful and peaceful. He almost didn’t want to touch her, but he had too to make sure that she was real. “She’s as stubborn as you are. She should be dead by now.” Mal took her hand. “Had a really bad chest wound. We thought she was dead. Until she grab one of the field’s docs legs, scared the poor boy to death. She went into septic shock. The wound had gotten infected. Her hart stopped twice. She held on.” Mal held on to her hand even tighter. She was the only one to survive. Mal lead a thousand, men just to loose them all. The numbers dwindled down. Zoë was the only one to survive. They thought that were going to just take Serenity Valley from them. But they showed them, he and Zoë had showed them. The held their own for six weeks before they got the word to stand down. And then they waited at the gates of hell before they got any type of help. It was all coming back to him now. The bloodshed, the pain, the failure. Mal felt like he died that moment he looked over that hill. Everything that he believed in was died that day in Serenity Valley, almost. The only thing Mal had left was Zoë. She had been there for him since day one, saved his life more times than he could count. Mal leaned over to Zoë’s ear and whispered, “We lost Zo, we lost.” “You need to rest, Son. Laurie takes him back to his bed.” “I’ll stay here if it’s all the same.” Mal didn’t take his eyes off of her. “Fine, Laurie, why don’t you bring a bed over here so the Sergeant can be next to his friend.” Laurie brought a bed over next to Zoë and helped Mal into it. Mal couldn’t sleep. He would get up in the middle of the night and put his hand under Zoë’s nose to make sure that she was still breathing. He never left her side. They were in ICU for two weeks before Zoë showed any signs of improvement. “Sir, what are you doing?” Zoë said. She was still weak. “Checking to see if you’re still breathing.” “Well, stop it you’re creeping me out.”

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Zoë woke up with a sharp pain in her shoulder. “Wahg-ba dan duh biao-tze.” “She awakes.” Wash was sitting on the counter next to her. Zoë gets up slowly. “Shouldn’t you be flying the ship?” Wash smiles. “I just wanted to see what it was like.” “What’s like?” “You being nice?” “I was asleep.” “Exactly. You should try it more.” Wash hops ups. “Well I guess I should go and fly this thing.” “Try not to fly us into a meter.” “I’ll try my hardest. Yao noo First Mate Zoë.” Wash takes a bow before he leaves. Mal passes Wash on his way to the infirmary to check on Zoë. “Lovely lady, that one. Gotta try not to fly us into a Meter.” Mal looked at his pilot funny. “Call me if you do.” “Yes, sir Capitan.” Wash was a smart ass, but Mal liked that. He walked in the infirmary. “So when’s the wedding? Are you going to wear white?” Mal laughing. Zoë just looked at him. “He’s a good pilot, Zo. Got us off Eros real quick like.” She didn’t say anything as she gathered up her bloody shirt. “Just bothers me.” Zoë left Mal in the infirmary and headed to her bunk. Her shoulder hurt like hell. She was about to go down the stairs of her bunk when she heard singing, it was that silly little pilot. “Big boy toys, motors and lights. Knobs and switches and spaceships. Flying in sky or space. And when they broke down, I jack them up. Pull out my tools, my pride and joy. Man, you gotta love them big boy toys.” Zoë laugh a bit and headed down to her bunk and rested. “What was that?” Mal yelled as he ran back into the engine room. There was black smoke. “Bester what is going on?” Bester was running around like a chicken with his head cut off. “Secondary grav boot's shot.” Mal was getting a little tired of things falling about on his boat. This jing-tzang mei young-duh mechanic was not worth as much as he thought. “Gotta land Cap.” Zoë came in the engine room shortly after. “We blowing up, Sir?” “Not yet, go tell that pilot that we got to land. Bester broke the ship again.” “I didn’t break nothing.” Zoë went running to the bridge. Wash was in his pilot chair playing with his plastic dinosaurs. “No, No, don’t kill me.” In another voice. “Begging for your life is…” Zoë interrupted him. “We gotta park, now.” Wash jump up. Zoë rolled her eyes, “We need to park, now, Secondary grav boot's shot.” Wash flipped a couple of switches. “Where do you want to park?” Zoë went over to the console to find a safe place to land. “Here.” She pointed to a small moon. “Shin...” the ship started to shake hard. Knocking Zoë into his lap. Their eyes meet. “We ain’t got time for flirting.” Zoë jumped up off of the pilots lap. She looked a little embarrassed. “Where landing on Peros.” “See to that.” Mal left in a fit back to the engine room. Serenity started to shake even worst. But Wash seem to keep his cool as they broke atomo. Zoë was amazed how he could fly Serenity. It was like the Pilot and Serenity where one. She couldn’t take her eyes off the Pilot as he landed Serenity. He didn’t even break a sweat; he was cool, calm, and collective. The total opposite of what he was most of the time. Always joking. Serenity jolted as Wash hit land. This broke Zoë out of her trance. “Ha, that was fun.” Wash said as started flipping switches, cutting Serenity down. Zoë looked away at the pilot, hoping that he didn’t notice that she was staring at him. “Umm, I should go check on the Captain.” Zoë jumped up and left the cock pit. Wash sat in the pilot’s chair pleased with himself. He was wearing her down. He let out an evil laugh as he followed her out to see the damage on the engine room. “How long till we can get back in the black?” Mal asks as takes a look at the damage. Bester lets out a breath. “Umm, a couple of days.” Bester couple of days until into four, which turn into a week Mal was loosing his patience with the mechanic. Meanwhile Wash was enjoying his downtime. He was working on his master plan to woo Zoë. Wash went to the kitchen to get something to nibble on, it made a man hungry thinking about wooing a woman, especially a women like Zoë. She was sitting on the crates, they called chairs in the kitchen eating rice that she had made. Wash walked over to the stove. “May I?” pointing to rice pot. “Help yourself.” She didn’t look up. Wash came and sat right beside her with his bowl. “What kind of name is Wash?” Zoë ask as she went to get herself a second helping of rice. “Sort for Washborne. Hoban Washborne.” “Hoban?” The sound of her name made her laugh. “Hoban, is a fine name thank you very much. I was named after my grandfather.” “If it’s such a fine name, why go by Wash.” “ It’s a long story.” “I’ve got time.” She sat back down next too him. Wash grinned from ear to ear. “Well, it’s not as long as you think. Believe it or not, in flight school there was two other Hoban, so I went by Washborne, which got shorten to Wash. So, does the Yao noo First Mate Zoë have a last name?” His diabolical plan to woo Zoë was working. This was the first conversation since he got on Serenity that didn’t have to do with Mal or a job. “Alleyne.” “Gotta a middle name?” “Yes, but if I tell you I would have to kill you. Captain would be pretty mad if I did that.” “I think I would take offense, if you killed me too.” She smiled. Wash loved it when she smile. Mal had walked back into the room. A young girl followed behind him. “Wash, Zoë this is Kaylee she’s going to be our new mechanic.” Kaylee smiled and waved. “Hiya.” “Sir.” “Bester and I had a difference of opinion so, he had to go.” “Ahh, difference of opinion.” Zoë laughed and got up to shake Kaylee’s hand. “Zoë why don’t you take Kaylee to her bunk and help get her settled, and Wash take us off this rock.” Zoë put down her bowl and lead Kaylee to her bunk. Damn Mal for ruining his moment with Zoë. Wash didn’t know when the next time he could get her alone. Wash decided that it was a conspiracy, that Mal didn’t want him wooing her, because Mal had a secret burning desire for his woman. His woman, Wash liked that idea. He took his bowl to the cockpit and prepared for take off.

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It had come up once or twice about the nature of Mal’s and Zoë’s relationship. Whenever Mal would hook up with a woman she always had a problem with Zoë always hanging around. Same problem with Zoë. Her relationship with Mal was the reason that her and Danny weren’t together anymore. She had tried to make it work, but he would get so jealous. “The war’s over, Zo. Why are you still hanging around him.” Danny was pissed that Zoë had stood him up once again, because Mal had a problem. Zoë was sitting down, tapping her fingers on the table. She was waiting for him to calm down. “Would you stopped that gorram tapping, Zo. It’s getting me a headache.” Danny and Zoë had been dating for about a year. He came to visit her in the hospital and he never left her side, neither did Mal. They all went back to Merth. It was hard to find a job, especially if you where a Browncoat. So they took jobs whenever they could didn’t matter what. At the moment Zoë and Mal where working as farm hands. “I mean, you see him all day at work. Don’t you two ever get tried of each other. I know I get tired of you two. It’s like I’m dating two people here.” Danny had made plans for there one year anniversary. He had got a reservation for a nice restaurant for the two of them. He waited there for an hour before he gave up and went back home to find her with Mal. He had gotten into a scuffle with some people at a bar and showed up at her door bleeding and drunk. Zoë took care of his wounds when Danny walked in on them, the same moment she was taking off his shirt. “I like Mal well enough….” Danny stopped pacing. He rubbed his fake leg, sometimes it itch where they had the joint connected. “It’s him or me Zo. I love you, but I can’t do this anymore. You have to choose.” He was dead serious as he looked down at her. Danny did love her, wanted to marry her. He asked her once before, but she said no, it wasn’t the right time. Mal had been in a dark place since the war ended and it just didn’t feel right leaving him. Danny sat beside her and took her hand. “Zo, I love you.” He reached in his pocket and took out a ring. “I want to marry you. But, I can’t” She stopped him. She looked at the ring. “Danny.” He knew what she was going to say so he got up. Tears were in his eyes. “Fine.” Zoë watched as Danny packed his things and left their tiny apartment that they shared. They didn’t speak. He walked out the door not looking back. She just sat there for a moment. She got up and went into the bedroom with Mal and laid down. She woke him up. Mal took her hand and kissed it. “He, left.” “Yes.” “Sorry, Zoë.” They laid there in silence. That night Mal decided that he had to start living again, if not for himself but for her. He knew as long as he was in his funk, she wouldn’t allow herself to be happy. There was nothing in this verse that he wanted more. Finally they both drifted off to sleep with Mal holding her.

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It had been only a few months since Kaylee join the crew, but it felt like she been there from the start. She thought that the ship look drab, had no color no life. So, when ever they were land side long enough she would buy things to make Serenity feel more like a home than a space ship. “No peeping Captain.” Kaylee said as she lead Mal, Wash, and Zoë to the kitchen. “I don’t care for not knowing where I’m going Kaylee.” “Stop being such a baby Captain we’re just going to the kitchen I gotta surprise.” “Is it a pony? Kaylee did you go and sneak a pony on board.” Wash said as he felt around to gain his bearings. “Kaylee did you bring a pony on board without my permission? Zoë did you know about this insubordination.” “Yes, Kaylee and I planned a mutiny to throw you off ship, the pony is our new captain now.” Zoë hated surprises. She liked to know what was coming to her. “Shiny, Captain Pony.” Wash said as he bumped into Zoë. “Sorry.” He wasn’t really. It gave him a chance to feel her up. They finally made it to the kitchen. Mal tripped on the step. “Kaylee can I open my eyes before I trip and kill myself.” “Ok, open your eyes.” They all looked. Kaylee had painted the whole kitchen yellow with little flowers. She even found a table and chairs. Noted none of them matched. The kitchen looked like a real kitchen. “It’s real nice, Kaylee.” Zoë said as she hug the mechanic. Mal looked around. This was the first time that Serenity actually felt like a real home and not a ship. He looked at his crew, they were family now, not just a bunch of strangers working on a ship together. “I think you made the Captain cry Kaylee.” Wash said as he handed Mal a hanky to wipe his eyes. “Awe Captain.” She went over and kiss him on the check. Mal made crying noises. They all sat down in their new kitchen and ate dinner together. Zoë found herself going to the cockpit more and more lately. She just go and sit with the pilot. Not really saying anything, because he talked enough for the both of them. “So, Yao noo First Mate Zoë what do I owe the honor of your presence today?” “Just getting a little stir crazy in the black I guess.” “We’ll be plant side soon enough.” They sat in silence for a while. Zoë notice that Wash had a small scar on the side of his head, you couldn’t really see it only if you looked hard enough. Mal interrupted her looking at the Pilot. “How much longer til’ we reach Persephone?” “Another day.” “Any trouble?” “Nope, we’re flying under the radar as you request.” “Good, I want to drop these good off quick as possible.” Mal looked at Zoë who was still looking at the pilot. “Zo, you ok? Look a little moon brain over there.” “Fine.” She looked a bit startled. Mal left the two of them alone. Zoë couldn’t help looking at the pilot. He was cute in an odd sense, he made her laugh, carefree, he had a hideous mustache, and he was everything Mal wasn’t. Untouched by the horrors of war. And, that is what made her like him even more. “No, Zoë can’t be falling for the pilot. It would just be complicating things.” She said to herself. Some days she wanted to beat him over the head with his stupid dinosaurs other days she just wanted to drag him down her bunk and have wild monkey sex. She wouldn’t loose her cool. She jumped up all of a sudden. “I need water.” And quickly ran out the room. “Was it something a said? Do I smell?” Wash looked at his dinosaurs and sniffed his armpit. Mal was in the kitchen eating on leftovers from the other night. “You alright, there Zo? Looking a little flushed.” She went to the sink to get some water to splash on her face. “Fine, Captain.” She snapped back. “Hey don’t get snippy with me because you getting all moon brain over the pilot.” “Moon brain, Sir? I don’t get moon brain. Especially over the pilot.” She gave Mal a look as to drop the subject. “I’m just saying shipboard romances tend to complicate things.” Mal strolled out whistling to himself and laughing at the idea of the pilot and his first mate hooking up. Zoë stood at the sink thinking. Mal was right shipboard romances complicate things. Damn. She hated when he was right, he made this dumb face when he was right. Wash came into the kitchen in his normal cheery way. Damn. He walked over to the cabinets behind her. Zoë thinking to herself. “Don’t loose your cool Zoë, his not right for you. He sings stupid songs, he plays with dinosaurs, he wears aloha shirts, and he has a mustache…” Wash turning to her, “Hey, do we have any more…” “Oh hell forget it.” She kisses him. Wash is taking back, but then he gets into it. They are kissing pretty passionately, when Kaylee walks in. “Oh, God, I’m sorry…I’m sorry you guys.” She runs out the room covering her eyes. Zoë pulls away. “Umm, wow.” Wash says in amazement. Wash moves in to make the next move, but she pushes away and leaves leaving him alone and confused. Kaylee comes back into the kitchen this time covering her eyes. “Is it safe to come in?” “Yeah, be warned mei mei I tend to scare pretty ladies away.” “I’m sorry for walking in on you guys kissin’ I just wanted.” She pauses. “Wait, ya’ll were kissing.” She playfully punching Wash in the shoulder. “So, tell me what happen. Who kissed who first? Oh my God are ya’ll sweaties?” Kaylee’s voice went up 5 octaves when she spoke. “Not so much.” He runs his fingers through his hair. “I’m lost to what just happen.” “Oh” Kaylee sounded a bit disappointed. Wash head back to the bridge when Mal ran into him. “What you do to Zoë cause she’s in a pissy mood.” “ Da-shiong boa-jah-shr dun la doo-tze what I did?” “Yeah, she was happy as a clam when I left her and now not so much.” Wash and Mal where at a stand still. “Now what could I have of possible done to upset Zoë? Did I smile too hard, or laugh too loud, have too much fun oh I know, I was breathing the same air as she was.” “Nee tzaoss-ma? Nee-yow wuh-kai chang?” “What you gonna shoot me?” “I might.” “Well I appreciated if you don’t.” “Fine.” “Fine.” Wash storms back to the bridge and starts fiddling with the switches. Mal walks down to the cargo bay where Zoë is sitting on a crate. “Don’t worry I’m not going to say it.” “I would take that as a kindness.” “I told you shipboard romances complicates things.” “I thought you weren’t going to say anything.” “I change my mind.” Mal sits down beside her. “See now things are complicated. I got a pilot who I might shoot later and a first mate whose all pissy.” “You shoot him for me, Sir?” “Zoë you know I’ll shoot anybody for you.” He wraps his arms around her. “Thanks, Sir.” They sat there for a moment. “So, you gonna tell me what happen?” Mal asked. “No.” Zoë then got up and headed for the bridge. “Glad you got that off your chest.”

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After the “Danny fiasco” Mal and Zoë moved around a lot taking jobs when they could. Some of them where legal others not so much. They found themselves getting further and further out to the boarder planets. They had landed in a holding cell on Jaylen. They had gotten themselves bound for getting in a bar fight with some locals. Mal had broken the jaw of the deputy’s son and Zoë shot a couple of people in the leg. “Ahh Unification Day, don’t you love it Zo.” Mal said as he doodled in dirt in there tiny cell that they shared. Zoë was looking out the small window. “Its my favorite time of the year, Sir.” Mal stopped drawing and stood by Zoë and looked out the window. “We gotta get ourselves a ship.” “A ship, Sir?” “Yeah, a ship. Get ourselves self a ship and make our own rules, Zo. Take the jobs we want. Don’t have to live under the foot of no one.” “Sounds nice, Sir.” Mal went over the cot and laid down putting his arms behind his head daydreaming. The guard shoved in what was supposed to be food through the slot of the cell. Mal went to go pick it up. “Hmmm protein. Want some?” Mal waved it under her nose. Zoë made a face. “More for me then.” Mal took a bite of the moldy protein bar.

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You could cut the tension with a knife on board. Zoë and Wash were on the outs which made everything bumpy. Mal was getting sick of it. He wanted to throw the both off his ship and just find a new pilot and first mate. Just be done with it. “Kaylee, do you know what in the gorram hell is going on here between Wash and Zoë, cause I’m in the dark.” Kaylee was in here hammock in the engine room this was the only place she could be alone away from the star crossed lovers. “Nope. Ask Wash or Zoë.” Mal got on the comm “Zo, Wash I need you down in the cargo bay, now!” Kaylee jumped out of her hammock. “Captain, what are you doing?” “Taking your advice and asking them.” Zoë was already in the cargo bay when Mal gave the orders. Wash was coming down the steps. “Did you ask him how high?” “Shah muh?” “Did you ask him how high before you jump?” Zoë didn’t say anything, but she was reaching for her gun when Mal walked in. “Zoë, there will no shooting of pilots today.” Mal walked over to the two of them and stood in the middle. “There has been a lot of tension on my boat for a while and to tell you the truth I’m getting tired of it. If you two don’t work out your differences like adults I’m going to tether you together until you can get along.” “Sir.” “Zoë, I’m serious. Work it out.” With that said Mal walked out. Wash went back to the bridge. Zoë just stood there for a moment and headed to the bridge. “So, the Captain tells you to talk to me and you do. But when I try to talk to you, you have nothing to say.” Wash turn around in his chair looking at her. Zoë stood at the door with her arms crossed. It had been weeks since Zoë kissed Wash and she hadn’t talked to him since. Wash tried, but she always found a way out of talking to him. “Zoë I’m all kinds of confused here. I thought we where going somewhere or was I crazy for thinking that?” Zoë just looked at the pilot as he spoke. She never meant to hurt him, but she did. She knew the only way to push back her feelings was to just ignore him completely. “Gao yang jong duh goo yang, Zo it takes two people to have a conversation.” Forget get it, she went in and kissed him. They started kissing of the bridge, which let to the hall, which led to his bunk’s door. “Wait.” Zoë said as she pushed away. Wash made some strange noise out of frustration. “Does it still smell down there?” Wash smiled as he threw her against the wall of the hallway and kissed her. “Not so much.” They went down to his bunk. She didn’t feel the least bit guilty about what she just done with the pilot. It felt right. For the first time in a long while it felt right. His plan had worked it had taken longer than it expected but his plan worked to woo the beautiful first mate. And woo her he did, a couple of times. They laid there in silence neither of them wanted to ruin what had just happen by talking. Wash enjoying the view of body as he rub his hands around the curves of her body. He stopped when he came to a scar on her back. He traced it with his figures. It felt smooth. He wonder what had happen. He wanted to ask, but he was afraid to go there. She had never talked about the war to him, he just figured it was a mute point. Zoë could feel him touching her scar on her back. She wanted to tell him, but the scares where reminders of the past that she wanted to forget. She wanted to look forward to the future and being happy. She was happy with Wash, she felt safe with him. She could be just Zoë. She turned to face him when something stuck her. “Ouch.” She finds a plastic dinosaur in between the sheets. “Ok what is the deal with the dinosaurs?” Wash grab the toy from her and looked at it affectionately. It’s a Pterosaur.” Zoë had a puzzled look on her face. “A Ptero-what?” “A Pterosaur, back on the earth that was it was the first vertebrates to fly. At first scientist thought that they were too weak to fly, that they just glided through the air, but later on they found out that they where excellent flyers, and weren’t no evolutionary fluke. They lived about 140 million years.” Wash flew the thing around in the air. Zoë laugh. “How you know all this stuff, Pilot?” “If I told you I would have to kill you.” They talked and laughed all night until they fell asleep in each other’s arm. The next morning Zoë got up early and tired to get out of bed with out waking Wash. “Whereya going?” He mumbled. “We’ll be landing soon gotta get the cargo ready.” Wash grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back. “Cargo can wait.” He began kissing her. “No, it can’t. Captain…” Wash let out a big sigh and let go of her. She finish getting dress and left. As she was coming out of Wash’s bunk, she bumped into Mal. He was a bit taken back. “So, you and the pilot getting along then?” “Yes, Sir.” “Good.” “Good.”

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Once again one of Mal’s brilliant plans had gone south and Mal and Zoë found themselves out number and out gunned. “Jing-tsai, plan Sir.” “Thank you, Zoë.” “I particularly like the part where the guns are pointing at our heads.” “Mine two.” A rather large man and his four cronies held Mal and Zoë up. They had got caught stealing from them. “Hoo-tsuh you too, or I’ll shoot ya.” The large man spit on the ground next to Zoë’s boot. She made a face of disgust. “Ya’ll thought ya’ll was pretty smart sneakin’ in and stealing our stuff and trying to sellit back to us.” “I thought so.” Mal said smartly. As he held his hands up. “Shut it you.” The large one said. “What should we do with ‘em?” The large one talked it over with his cronies. “I think we can take them.” Mal whisper to Zoë. “There’s five of them and two of us.” “So.” “So, we’re out number.” “When has that stopped us before? And besides we’re much smarter than they are.” “I disagree Sir, they are the ones you have the guns pointed at our heads and they figure out your well laid out plan.” “Awe Zoë, this was all apart of my plan.” Mal whipped out his guns and started shooting. Zoë followed suit. There was a slue of bullets and swears, before it was all over and the large man and his cronies laid dead on the ground. “See, all part of the plan.” After there ordeal Mal and Zoë went for drinks. Mal drank and Zoë kept look out, she wanted her mind clear in case the large ones had people who wanted revenge. “Zo, have a drink. Ain’t nobody coming after us.” He took another gulp of his drink. He looked at the woman sitting across from him. He really looked at her for the first time. Then he got all serious. “Why you stay, Zo?” She gave him a puzzled look. “I mean, the war was over and you stayed with me. You even chose me over Danny. I mean I love you company and all. But why you stay with me?” Zoë took Mal’s drink away from him. “Your drunk, Sir.” “Ain’t drunk. Takes more than a couple of shots of whiskey to get me drunk.” “Your drunk, if you have to ask me that question.” She motions for the waitress to come over to their table and ask her for some water. The waitress brings them two glasses and Zoë hands one to Mal. “Didn’t answer my question.” He looked dead in her eyes. He swears to this day that he saw her soul. “You remember the first time that our unit got pinned up?” “Yeah.” “We were out number and out gunned. It seem hopeless. The men were about to give up, walk away. You remember what you said to us, to me… You talked about during a war on earth that was between a young nation fighting to be free from a government that wanted to control them. Much like the Alliance trying to control the boarder planets. You quoted a man. You remember what you said?” Mal sat up a spoke barely above a whisper. “ ‘There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave… Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!’ Patrick Henry. You remember that?” “Yes, It change me, it change the men. You made us believe that we could win this war that what we were fighting for something much bigger than ourselves.” “We lost the war.” She took his hand. “Did we? Mal, that day we took on 1300 Alliance soldiers, us a platoon of 275, sent them running for the hills. You made us believe. You made me believe.” “You’re getting all smushie on me.” “I guess I am Sir.”

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Mal walked into the dress shop. He felt like a fish out of water. A sales clerk came up to him. “Can I help you, Sir?” Mal looked around to see if he knew any one and spoke a little above a whisper. “I need a dress.” The woman looked puzzled. “You are going to speak up Sir.” “I need a wedding dress.” “For your fiancée?” Mal’s face turned red. “For my what?” “Your fiancée, your intended, the woman your going to marry.” “Marry?” Mal felt uncomfortable. “its for my First Mate.” “Ok, what ever you want to call her. Her size?” “What?” “Her size Sir what size dress does your First Mate wear?” Mal didn’t think Zoë had a “size”. He didn’t like the idea of thinking of Zoë as a woman. Gave him a funny feeling in his belly. Mal made Zoë’s figure in the air with his hands. “I guess she’s this big.” “You don’t know Sir.” The sales woman was getting irritated. She motion for the models to come over. “Now, which one is the same size as your First Mate.” Mal looked the women over. None of them looked like Zoë. They where all pale and delicate. Nothing like his Zoë. “That one.” Mal pointed to the more healthier girl. “Good, Tandra come with me.” Tandra model several wedding dresses for Mal, but none of them seemed right. Mal was growing tired of his search. Zoë would be happy with a new gun Mal thought. Then he looked in the corner of the store, there was a white dress hanging. It was beautiful. Simple, no frills, with a little color. “That one” Mal pointed at the dress. The sales woman walks over to get it. “No need to try it on, its perfect.” “Sir, we should really try it own, to see…” “Nope its perfect.” Mal walked out the store pleased with himself he bought Zoë a dress. When he got back to Serenity Zoë was in the kitchen going over some last minute things for the wedding. Mal threw the box on the table. “Happy Wedding.” And left. Zoë looked at the box a bit puzzled. “Whatcha got Zo?” Kaylee asked as she came in. Kaylee was having more fun preparing for the wedding than Zoë was. “Captain just gave it to me and left.” It was a rather large box with a red ribbon around it. Zoë studied it. “Are you gonna open it or stare at it.” Kaylee loved surprises. Zoë open the box it was a dress. Not just a dress the most beautiful dress Zoë had ever seen. Kaylee was in tears. “Oh, Zo its perfect, go try it on!” She got up, “Wait!” Zoë stopped. “Can’t try it on in your bunk Wash might see. Bad luck if the groom sees the bride in her wedding dress.” “Don’t believe in luck.” Kaylee just gave her a look and Zoë headed to the passenger bunks. Meanwhile Wash on the bridge going over his vows in his head when Mal walked in. “I don’t have to tell, you if you hurt in any fashion. I’ll be forced to stand by and watch her shoot you.” Wash turned around and looked at Mal. “I love her Mal.” “I saying, I’ll be sad for a while cause I’ll be out a good pilot.” Mal smiled as he left the bridge. His Zoë was going to be married. Mal wasn’t too keen on the idea at first. Not because Zoë was getting married it was because it was to his pilot. Wash was one helluva a pilot, but Mal wasn’t sure if he was good enough for his Zoë. But he saw how happy she was, and he let it go. He was going to his bunk to get some rest after his exhausting day when Kaylee ran over and gave him a big hug. “It’s beautiful Captain. You gotta see her in it. She looks like a fairy princess.” Kaylee took his hand and lead him to the passenger bunks where Zoë was. Mal knocked on the door. “Kaylee I’m not going to twirl around anymore more for you.” “It’s me.” Mal slowly open the door. He couldn’t believe his eyes. She was the most stunning thing he had ever seen. There were actual tears in his eyes. “Zo, you look…” for the first time Mal was actually a lost for words. “Thank you.” She looked at herself in the mirror. Mal just stared at the stunning creature before him. “Mal.” “Yeah Zoë.” “Your going walk me down the isle right and give me away?” “Don’t think, I can.” “Why?” Zoë sounded a little disappointed. “Too hard.” Mal walked over to her and stood behind her. She turned to him looking him in the eyes. She swears that day she could see his soul. “You got me this far, Mal. I just need you to take me a little bit further.” “What if I can’t do, it when the time comes?” “You’ll find the strength.” “I’m not as strong as you think I am.” “Yes you are.” They both had tears in their eyes at this moment. Kaylee stood at the doorway sobbing. “Oh Captain, Zoë.” “I better go and do some Captain like stuff, before Kaylee drowns us all with her tears.” Mal left wiping his face. Wash lay in bed excited about the day ahead. “Mr. and Mrs. Hoban Washborune. Mr. and Mrs. Zoë Alleynne.” He couldn’t sleep he was like a kid before Christmas. He tossed and turn until finally he got up and went into Zoë’s bunk. Zoë was awake also. She could never sleep before a big job and this was the biggest job of her life. She heard her bunk door open and someone coming down. She knew it was Wash. “Sweet-cakes you can’t see the bride before the wedding.” “I’ll keep my eyes closed, Snuggems.” Wash made his way to the bed, tripping over something. “You ok?” Zoë laughed. He pulled the covers up and snuggled up to her. “I am now.” “Hey Zoë.” “Yeah Wash.” “Guess what?” “What, Wash.” “We’re getting married in the morning.” He said it in his sing songie way. Zoë just laughed. “Hey Zoë.” “Yeah Wash.” “Guess what?” “What, Wash.” “We’re getting married in the morning.” He slapped her on butt this time when he said it. There was a time in Zoë’s life if a man slapped her on the butt, he would have a boot in his chest and a gun to his face, but she liked it when Wash did it. “Hey Zoë.” “Wash, Ima going to kick you out of here.” He was quiet for a moment. He turned her around so she was facing him. “I told you the groom shouldn’t see the bride before the wedding.” She could tell he was serious by the look on his face. “Why you say, yes?” “What?” “Why you say, too me?” “Now I really going to have to kick you out if you have to ask me that question.” Zoë was a bit upset. “I’m serious baby, why you say yes.” She took a deep breath. “Because you didn’t ask me to choose.” “I would never do that.” “I know.” He just laid there looking at his beautiful bride to be. He couldn’t believe how lucky he was. He would never make her choose. He knew she loved him, but in the back of his mind, he thought if he made her choose, she would choose Mal over him. He couldn’t deal with that, so he decided to share her with Mal. “Hey Zoë.” He starred deep into her eyes. She took a deep breath. “Yeah, Wash.” “Guess what?” “What, Wash.” “We’re getting married.” “Yeah we are.” He pulled her closer to him so he could feel her heart beating. They just laid there in the quiet, waiting until morning when they were to get married.

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“Get up.” Mal pulled the covers off the sleeping Zoë. She just grumbled and pulled them back on her. “Get up, I want to show you something.” Zoë just turned the other direction, and pulled the covers over her head. “Zoë get up!” Mal tipped the cot over throwing her on the floor. “Gorramit.” Zoë got up and rubbed her aching side. “I told you to get up didn’t I. Get dress.” Zoë grumbled and went to get dress. “What is it? It better be good.” Mal had a huge grin on his face. “Oh it is Zo, oh it is.” She followed Mal as he lead her down the street and around the corner. “Where are we going, Sir.” Zoë’s stomach growled she hated getting up early if she didn’t have to. “Patience.” They finally stopped at a ship yard. “We’re here!” Mal open the gate. There were a bunch of space ships on the lot. “Sir?” She thought it was the concussion talking when Mal said he wanted to buy a space ship. He must have had more head trauma than I thought. She said to herself. They walked by a few ships until they got to the ship Mal had bought. “There she is.” He pointed to the ugliest ship in the yard. Zoë just shook her head. He had gone completely off his rocker if he spent money of that ship. “That one, Sir?” He turned and smile at her. She hadn’t seen him this happy or proud in years. “That’s it, Zo, that’s our freedom.” She followed him as he open the door. “Well?” “You paid money for this... On purpose?” They walking into the cargo bay the ship. Mal extended his arms. “Come on, Zoë. Serious. Whaddya think?” She looks at him. “Honestly, sir. I think you were robbed.” He gives her look puzzlement. “Robbed? What, no. What do you mean?” “Sir, it's a piece of fei-oo.” “fei-oo Okay. So she won't win any beauty contests, that's true enough. But she's solid. Ship like this, be with ya 'til the day you die.” “Yessir. Because it's a deathtrap.” “That's not... you are very much lacking in imagination.” “I imagine that's so, sir.” “C'mon. You ain't even seen most of it. I'll show you the rest. Try to see past what she is, on to what she can be.” “What's that, sir?” She grabs his arm and points to something on the floor. “Freedom, is what.” She points again and he looks down. “No, I meant -- what's that?” “Oh. Just step around it. I think something must've been living in here. I tell ya, Zoë, we find ourselves a mechanic, get her running again. Hire on a good pilot. Maybe even a cook. Live like people. Small crew, them as feel the need to be free. Take jobs as they come -- and we'll never be under the heel of nobody ever again. No matter how long the arm of the Alliance might get... we'll just get us a little further.” “Get her running again?” “Yeah.” “Sooo... not running now?” “Not so much. But she will. I even know what I'm gonna call her. Got a named all picked out...”

************************************************** That's it folks. Tell me what you think, good or bad. Oh yeah the song tha wash is singing is Big Boy Toys - Aaron Tippin, i just changed the words a bit :) the chinese I got from browncoats.com the quote mal said is from Patrick Henry's give me liberty of give me death speach, and of course the last dialogue, is straight from "Out of Gas" my fav. ep.