Jayne couldn't have been any prouder of that pool table if it was a blue-prize-winning hog. Mal, on the other hand, didn't get the point. "It's a piece of go se, serving no purpose other than to take up space in my cargo bay! Why in the name of creation didya have to haul it back here?"

"Aww, c'mon Mal," Jayne protested. "It was practically theft anyway at the price Chan was askin', and it don't take up much room. I'll fix her up all pretty. Besides, it'll give us something to do other'n play hoopball."

Mal sighed. Some days, it just wasn't worth the trouble. "OK, just keep it over in the corner somewhere, outta the way." And with that, he climbed up the catwalk stairs, muttering about a waste of good coin.

Jayne was good on his word and re-covered the table, and stripped and re-varnished the wood. Mal had to admit, it played like a dream. The crew quickly learned never to let money exchange hands if River was playing, because none of them could compete with her mathematical genius at guessing the best shot to make. Simon, naturally, was horrified at the thought of his kid sister hustling pool - except perhaps when she hustled Jayne, because he fell for it every time.

Mal had actually taken to playing by himself, late at night. Gave him time to think.

One night, Inara couldn't sleep and saw him below, lining up a shot. "You're pretty good at that. Where did you pick it up?"

Mal stood, leaning on the pool cue. "My first sarge taught me. I had a knack for it, I guess, though nothing compared to our resident teen genius." He looked a bit abashed. "I...uhh...used to hustle pool myself a bit for extra coin when we were on leave. Did pretty well until I came up against a large barn door by name of Sanchez who didn't take kindly to being cheated out of his money by a punk kid."

Inara laughed. "The righteous Malcolm Reynolds hustling pool? I thought I'd heard it all!"

"Very funny. How about you and me have a friendly game?"

"Mal, I...I don't know how to play."

He smirked. "Well now, that sho