Second chapter in my series. Thanks to Arcadia, Tayeatra, and Joy for beta-testing.

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Jayne was sittin’ just inside the open hatch, holding Vera, and he was itchin’ for some action. It’d been awhile since he’d gotten a chance to take Vera out. One of her firing pins had broken a few months back, and he’d had a hard time finding a good replacement, what with the custom job and all.

“Capn’s given us a real good opportunity, Vera. He and that little crazy girl gone and started somethin’, an’ soon’s they get stuck somewhere, we get to perform some thrillin’ heroics.”

Two shots rang out from the corridor Serenity was attached to, but before Jayne could swing around to get a bead on the shooter, River burst through the door with Mal right on her heels.

Not wanting to be outdone, Jayne fired two shots out the hatch, just to discourage anyone from tryin' anything, and closed the door.

Mal hit the com button. “Zoe, get us outta’ here.”

“Already done, Sir.”

Hearing the locking clamps disengage, Mal turned to Jayne. “What the hell was that?!”

“Ah, com’on, Mal. Vera ain’t seen the light a’day in months! I can’t deny her the right when things start goin’ wooly.”

“And just what would you have done if one of those bullets had pierced the hull? Coulda' killed us all, Jayne.”

Jayne was spared from having to make a reply, as Simon and Kaylee came running from the direction of the infirmary. Simon seemed to be in a fair state of rage, not that Mal could really blame him, especially considering the last time he’d promised to take care of River.

“What did you do this time, Captain Reynolds?”

“It wasn’t me. Some hwoon dahn started a fight with your little sister,” swinging his arm to point back towards the station.

Jayne snorted. “Now what kind of an idiot would do that?”

Kaylee looked around the cargo bay. “Hey, where is River anyway?”

Before any of them could give a thought as to where she had disappeared to, Zoe’s voice came over the com.