It was love at first sight. She just took my breath away. She was so… beautiful! I knew that this was it, the start of something. I didn’t really need any persuading to take the job, though I liked to make them think I did. She was just such a beautiful boat. She had an air about her. I slumped into the pilots seat and felt like I was home.

“So you’ll take the job then?”

The captain seemed anxious to impress so I shrugged. “Might do, might do.” He was a tall, straight kind of guy with a honourable quality to him. Next to him in the cockpit door stood his First Mate who I judged within an instant did not like me. I tried a winning smile but the result was a glare of utter disgust.

They left to discuss me while I got a feel for the ship, a Firefly. I had never sailed one before, in fact to be honest I didn’t know they still were sailed. Still, she seemed a steady vessel and I knew I could fix her up good.

~

I could not explain why he bothered me. He seemed so laid back and not a little bit cocky. He wore a stupid Hawaiian shirt, not to mention the ridiculous moustache. Still, the Captain said he was the best so I went with it. If he was as good as they said then we could certainly use him. I couldn’t shake it from my mind though. I could not shake him from my mind. More than anything that annoyed me. He was such… an idiot!

~

A few weeks and a change of mechanic later, we were sat around the table in the kitchen.

“What happened to the moustache?”

“I thought I looked more suave and manly without it,” I explained.

“You were wrong,” came Zoë’s sharp reply.

“Ouch! Mal, this woman’s words are spears and each one stabs!”

“Just be thankful she hasn’t got her guns.”

Zoë stood up sharply and I involuntarily flinched. She caught my eye and a flicker of a smile glanced across her lips.

“I think it looks lovely, Wash!” Kaylee interjected. “Much sweeter, don’t you think Zoë?”

Zoë shrugged as she walked away from the table.

“Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence,” I said loudly, finishing my meal.

Mal rolled his eyes to heaven. “Zoë, I need a talk.” She followed him obediently from the kitchen. I didn’t know why but it annoyed me how she just unquestionably abided by his every command. Sometimes it just plain seemed like she didn’t have a mind of her own.

“I think she likes you.” It was Kaylee.

“Shen me?” I laughed, “How did you work that one out?”

“Why else would she act like she does?”

“Oh I don’t know, maybe because she hates my gorram guts?”

Kaylee just grinned knowingly and waltzed away. “Just think about it!”

Obviously I’d thought about it. She’s a hell of a woman! I mean could she wear anything sexier? I think badass is the only possible way to describe her personality and that was a major turn-on for me. But I never seriously considered that she could…

~

“What’s it with you two? Why can’t you just be friends? I mean ain’t he a nice guy?”

The bridge was dark but for the flickering controls and switches. “He’s a nice guy, sir, but I can’t stand him.”

“Well you have to stand him! He’s the pilot and a ruttin’ good one!”

“I know, Sir!”

“Then can’t you try?”

I am trying. Keeping him at arms length is the only way.

“Yes.”

Mal nodded in content. “We’ll be landin’ in a few hours. I’d get some sleep.”

He left me to my thoughts in the dark, the stars winking at me knowingly. He was right of course. We should be friends. But I was scared that –

“Beautiful, eh?”

“What?” I spun around to face Wash. “Oh yes, I suppose.”

“Hey, you ok?” There seemed genuine concern in his voice, “You don't seem as spiteful as usual.”

I smiled. “Yeah, shiny. Just tired.”

Wash reached out and touched my arm gently. “Sleep.” I repressed a shiver. Tired and emotional. I left him.

~

I sat in the dark, staring up at the stars. Before entering flight school I hadn’t seen a one of them. Maybe that was the reason they were so dear to me. No one else seemed to get it; they were stars and that was it. I was still taken aback every time I looked into the wondrous black, the whole ‘verse before me.

~

The job had been done with not the smallest of hiccups. That was something to celebrate, it happened so rarely. The bar was incredibly noisy and full of fat, rowdy men with too much facial hair. I knew it would take a miracle to get through the evening without Mal getting us into a brawl. Wash was manning the ship. I felt slightly guilty leaving him behind but suspected this wouldn’t be his idea of fun anyway.

Inara seemed out of place, a butterfly among moths, but if she’d noticed you couldn’t tell. She and Kaylee were lounged against the bar, giggling to each other. They were being given a pretty wide berth for such a packed bar and they rose more than a few eyebrows. It crossed my mind that most men here may not have been this close to a woman in a long while.

“They seem to get on well,” said Mal, breaking my thoughts.

“Yes,” I agreed. “She seems very… nice.”

As we watched, a bloated man stumbled towards them, a pint swinging from his hand. He must have been the foulest man alive. His boots were caked in mud and his stomach had burst from beneath his shirt and hung over his trousers grossly. He was covered in sweat and an ugly grin spread across his face in a way that screamed trouble.

Mal abruptly got to his feet, swaying slightly.

“Mal, be careful,” I cautioned, but he wasn’t listening. I watched helplessly.

“Wei!”

“Now that's my kinda celebration!” Mal laughed, wiping his cut carelessly with a damp rag.

“Cap’ain, you’re drunk!” Kaylee giggled.

“I’d be inclined to agree, little Kaylee.”

I left them.

~

“Hey! How was the bar? I assume you found some hun dan to beat the gou shi out of?”

Zoë stepped onto the bridge looking beat. “Incidentally, yes.”

“Oh you kids, always going out without me and havin’ a riot. Anyone get killed?” She looked beautiful. Tired, but beautiful.

“No one who’ll be missed.”

“No! Not the Captain!”

Zoë grinned, seemingly without being conscious of it, then winced, bringing her hand up to a cut running down her cheekbone.

“You’re hurt!” I sprang to my feet.

“No! I’m fine,” Zoë insisted backing off slightly.

The sound of Mal’s boots came as a welcome interruption and he stumbled onto the bridge. “Wash, you need a drink! Come on Zo! Festivities only just startin’!”

A while later I found myself in the kitchen, a drink in my hand and a slur in my tone.

“You know what I think?” I said to Zoë more loudly than it sounded in my head. Inara had retired and Kaylee was trying to get Mal to dance with her.

“Not very much?” she suggested, grinning slightly with drink.

“See! About that, there. You are so cruel because you think I’ve a crush on you and want to repress my manly impulses.” My head was cloudy, but I was still in control.

“What?”

“Now, I do understand it. You must be used to every guy in the ‘verse trying it on, so I’d just like to say now I don't want to seduce you. If it’s alright, I’ll just be your friend. ‘K?”

“My friend?”

“If that’s alright. I can be a good friend. Look, I’ll start by getting’ you ‘nother drink.” I grabbed the jug of sake. “To a great friendship?”

Zoë hesitated but then lifted her mug. “A great friendship.”

“To Serenity!”

“To Serenity.”

“To sake!”

“Sake.”

“To -”

“Stop now.”

“Ok.”

Mal finally gave in and jumped up, swinging Kaylee around until she shrieked in delight.