The nature of life:

Captain. It still had a funny ring to it, as he surveyed the console of his ship. HIS ship, a newer model GenDy 401. He took a moment sitting in the cockpit, feeling his controls, the controls for his ship. And smiled.

“Captain?” came a tiny voice from the hatchway. The Captain turned and faced the freckled face kid, barely 16, and the two adults behind him. Wiping her greasy hands on a rag, “she’s got a few minor nits that need tending to, but nothing to keep us grounded. Nothing to keep us out of the sky.”

“Us?” the captain barked back, trying to look angry, more for the benefit of the adults than the kid.

The kid looked down at his feet. “Well, you will be needing a mechanic, and mom’s taught me all she knows. I’ll work hard and won’t eat much.”

The graying gentleman behind him smiled at the girl. “Its all she’s been talking about since you told us about this. Her mother is not that pleased about it though, said I should talk to you first.” The woman standing next to the gentleman elbowed him in the ribs, swept past him and surveyed the cockpit next to the Captain.

Captain eyed the child, looked at her father, then over at his own wife. “What does Auntie have to say about it.”

The lady grin mischievously. “It’s the Captain’s ship. His decision. But Auntie thinks it’s a good one.” She plopped down in the captain’s lap.

“Have you checked all the systems? Or just the engine room.”

The young girl’s eye got a kind of look, like she had forgotten something important, and not sure how it would affect her job interview. “Um… I will right away.”

“You do that, while I talk to your Pa a minute. Check the laundry and the galley, make sure they all work.”

The girl left at a run. And once gone, Captain looked up at the graying gentleman. He sat in the other seat, facing the captain and his wife, sighing.

The Captain started, “Look, Tracey is a great kid, and I know she knows how to turn a wrench. I could,” looking at his wife, “we could, really use her. But if you say no, then its no.”

The gentleman smiled. “Its her mother. She’s going to miss Tracey. And she is going to worry no matter what happens. She has grown up so fast.”

“Hell, I’d take good care of her. Like she was my own family.” The Captain’s wife laughed.

“She is silly.”

“You know what I mean.” And gave her a light peck on the lips.

“Look, its going to take us some time to find a pilot anyway, and then some cargo, and jobs, and we will see each other every once in a while, contact over the Cortex, and such. And I will look after her good and proper.”

“Its just so big a…”

The lady got up and moved to in front of her brother. She looked him steady in the eyes, “It is the nature of life. Life means change. Things change, living systems grow, replicate and move on. Even out here in the black, things, living things, grow, and move. It’ll be okay.”

“Besides, you think I let anything happen to my favorite niece? Or I could even get away with it if’n I did? Her Aunt here would kill me seven ways to Sunday.” The Captain replied, smiling.

Simon looked in River’s eyes for a long time. “Kaylee is not going to like it.” He said finally.

“Hide her tools first,” came the voice from the hatchway. All turned and the large man leapt up out of his chair, “Request permission to come aboard, Captain Cobb.”

The larger man grabbed Malcolm by the hand and yanked him in. Beaming like a child, he threw one arm over his shoulder and waved the other hand expansively around the cockpit. “Well, of course, Captain Reynolds. Whadaya think of MY ship? She ain’t Serenity, but I think she has a certain charm.”

“Its very, very… it’s a piece of feyu.” The three men and the lady laughed. “Have you thought about what you are gonna call her yet?”

Cobb pulled back and scratched his beard. It was fuller, covering more of his face than in days of old, and much grayer. Glancing at his wife and looking sheepishly, “Well, its been suggested we call her ‘Ariel’.” Jayne glanced at up at Malcolm, hesitantly.

Malcolm Reynolds just nodded, looking around the equipment, the displays and controls of this newer vessel. Slowly it dawned on him the significance. My how things had changed.

“She ain’t a Firefly, but she is a nice ship. And Tracey’s a fine mechanic, I can vouch for her.”

“Hell, Mal, I know that. But even if I didn’t, your word is good enough for me.” All eyes turned to the doctor. He scrunched his eyes.

“I just got to tell her mother now, I guess.” This started them all laughing joyously.

The nature of life is change. Things, living things, grow and move on. Sometimes far, far away. Sometimes, not so much.