Cool air filtered in as the ramp lowered, the lights inside illuminating a short distance.

“Think they’re here yet, sir?”

At that a woman stepped, rather tentatively, into the light. “Hello?” she called.

“Ma’am?” Mal answered, stepping down onto the dust of Shadow.

“Mal. I don’t believe it!” The woman ran to him, throwing her arms about him.

“What the …” He pushed her back a little to look into her face, then put his arms around her waist and swung her up. “Maddy!” Mal was grinning from ear to ear. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Meeting a ship. Something called Serenity.”

Freya stood back, her eyebrows raised.

Mal stopped and put her down. “That’s this ship. My … Are you –“

“We’re your cargo. You’re taking us to Whitefall. Got a place ready there for us.”

“No-one said it was people.”

“Did you ask?”

“No,” he admitted. He became aware of the others standing behind him. “Oh, hey, Maddy, this is my first mate, Zoe.”

“Hello,” Maddy smiled, and Zoe nodded.

“And that’s Freya.”

“Hi.”

Freya stepped down the ramp. “Hi. So you’re an old friend of Mal’s?”

“We grew up together. My daddy worked on his momma’s ranch. We were inseparable.” She looked across at Mal, something more than mere affection in her gaze. “Went everywhere together.”

“Well, nearly,” Mal amended. “‘Til I left.”

“And you didn’t come back.” Maddy put her hands on her hips, almost accusing him of something. “How come?”

“It’s … a long story.” He smiled again. “And we’ll have time to catch up properly.” He looked across at the pile of boxes and sundries. “How many of there are you?” he asked.

“Eight. Me and my kids and another family.”

“Kids? You got kids?” He looked so surprised Maddy laughed.

“Well, I couldn’t wait around for you any longer.” She twinkled at him. “Two. A boy and a girl.”

“And your husband? Where’s he?”

Her face darkened a little. “Six feet under. We buried him last spring. A sickness took him off in only a week.”

“Hey, I'm sor