“A kid?” Jayne sat back in his chair and stared at Mal.

“That’s what they said.” Mal Reynolds glared at his crew member. “You care to shed any light on this eventuality?”

“I ain't got no kids.”

“That you know of,” Hank put in. “Hell, Jayne, you’ve been sleeping your way across the system from one side to the other." He grinned. "There must be a whole passel of little Cobbs out there by now.”

“Well, there ain't!” Jayne growled. “I’m always careful.”

“You?” Hank couldn’t believe his ears. “You’re careful?”

“Sure I am. Don’t want no woman coming after me demanding money to look after no kid.”

“Well, it doesn’t look like you were careful enough this time,” Mal pointed out, his arms crossed, radiating contained irritation. “Wants to meet you.”

“Meet me?” Jayne looked stunned, like he’d been hit between the eyes with a cattle prod. “You mean it ain’t a baby?”

“Apparently not. From the sounds of it, he’s about fourteen.” Mal shook his head. “We going to have more of these turning up, do you think?”

“I … I don’t know, Mal,” Jayne stammered. “I’d’a said there weren’t a snowball’s chance in hell of there being even one out there –“

“Why? You firing blanks?” Hank asked.

Jayne started to get up. “You wanna take it outside, little man?” he growled.

“No,” Mal said. Just one word, but the tone of his voice had Jayne sitting back in his chair.

“I can check,” Simon suggested diffidently. “If you like. A DNA test would prove if this boy is Jayne’s son.”

“Son?” Jayne said. “A boy?”

“That’s what they said,” Mal confirmed.

A different look spread across Jayne’s face. “Never thought I’d have me a son.”

“How easy is it, doc?” Mal asked. “This test.”

“DNA? I only need a sample from each and it’s … just a few minutes.”

Mal nodded. “Right. Well, the boy’s on Jangyin, so it’s not that far out of our way.” He looked at Hank. “Appears we’ll be taking a slight detour on our way to Greenleaf. Best let Zoe know we’ll be late picking them up.”

“Yes sir.