CHAPTER 5

Throwing caution to the wind, Zoë limped to the comm box, switched it to the frequency of the Captain’s walkie talkie, and sent a few beeps. If he was safe, he would respond. If he wasn’t safe, she may have inadvertently given away his position to the enemy… or worse. Zoë often had to remind herself that, despite the quirks of her job, she was no longer fighting a war.

“Go ahead, Zoë,” Mal’s voice responded a half a minute later. She could hear the buzz of people in the background, and wondered if he might be in the commercial district already heading back.

“Captain, we are running hot,” she said simply, keeping to code. Her eyes resting heavily on the cargo. Mal was silent a moment, letting the information sink in.

“Zoë, take the ship, get off the world.” She was surprised by the urgency in his voice, but also the straight-forward talk. That confirmed he was currently safe, but the tone of his voice belied imminent danger. He was asking her to leave them behind.

“Understood, sir. We’re still looking for Jayne.”

“No time. We’ll find him and meet you at the rendezvous. You have about five minutes. Prio’s goons are coming.”

“We’re good as gone, sir.” She hung up the comm and turned to Kaylee. “Kaylee, lock us up. We’re leaving.”

“What about the others?”

“They’ll find their own way to Persephone.” Zoë hoped they’d been paid well for the Lassiter. With the right money, they could book passage easily enough. Using the railing as a crutch, she sped toward the cockpit two steps at a time.

“Wash, take us out of the world, now.”

Wash fired up the engine.

“What about Inara?” Kaylee persisted, following Zoë into the cockpit.

“Captain will contact her.”

“He sounded like he needed help himself. How can you just leave?”

Zoë turned giving Kaylee her full attention and stopping the engineer dead in her tracks. Irritated, Zoë explained tersely, “Captain says leave, we leave.”

“We’re not abandoning him,” Wash interjected, realizing that Zoë had given all the explanation she cared to. “It