Arrowheads & Crosses

By

BAW

Disclaimer: This is a piece of "fanfiction" in the world of "Firefly", which belongs to Joss

Wheldon and other persons and entities; per counsel's opinion, my use of the milieu of that

series falls within either 'fair use' or the 'parody exception' (or both), as this is an exercise in

literary composition and is not for material gain.

Notes: My first attempt in this fandom. Be gentle, please. Lawrence81@iwon.com This is to

be imagined as occurring after the series as made, including the unbroadcast episodes. Slight

spoilers--perhaps--for Ariel. There are some references to things that happened after the

series-as-made and before the beginning of this story, which may be fleshed out later in

another story. This is basically gen, although there are a couple of bits that could--if you have

that kind of mind--be taken as pre-slash.

Thanks to Pen, DeEngi, and others for beta work.

Archive: Wherever; just tell me first.

"Captain."

Mal Reynolds looked up from the table in the mess hall, where he had laid out the ship's

account books, unsurprised to see Dr. Simon Tam standing on the other side, looking

unpleasantly like a defendant allocuting to a particularly revolting crime.

"Yes, Doc?"

"This can't go on."

"What can't?" asked Mal, leaning back in his chair with a sigh while fixing a flinty gaze on the

young doctor.

"All of this. Me; River; the ship; us as part of the crew. We almost got you killed. Or worse.

Not to mention every one else. When Jayne and Zo‰ came crashing through the door, it was

like the Holy Archangels coming to release lost souls from Hell, but matters could have gone

the other way just as easily."

"And your point is?"

"I want you to let us off at the next major port."

"And by 'us' you mean?" asked Mal, knowing full whom what the younger man meant, but

needing to hear him say it.

"My sister and me. I'm very grateful for all you have done for us, really, I am. But it can't go