“What is going on here?” Mal turned on Wash. “What ship was that?”

“The Ulaang. Positioned near the outer-rim. Oh my God…” Wash froze.

“They’re destroying their own fleet to contain the infection….”

“So the Alliance agree with the disease theory? How would a disease travel between ships?”

Wash looked at Zoë. “I don’t know…But it somehow seems to be doing just that…”

*

Jayne looked around the Naneman.. It was a ghost ship floating in space. The ship had fallen prey to the ‘virus’; but the captain had decided that they needed what was on board. And so, despite Jayne’s worries, they had come aboard and found three hundred bodies all dead from lack of oxygen.

Or at least, that was what Jayne hoped they had died off. How did Mal know that the humans couldn’t fall pray, the same way the ships did? How did Mal even know that there would be anything of value on the ship? But somehow he did, and somehow, there was. And now they had come aboard. In suits. How ruttin ridiculous was that, to come aboard a ship that had suffered mechanical failure, and be wearing a suit who’s technology was the only thing that would keep him alive? Captain and Zoë could risk their lives like that, but why should he have to?

*

Kaylee began digging through the engine. “A Capison 38 …” she muttered. “This thing was just waiting to die; it’s a wonder she lasted this long…” She hated working in these suits, but they were needed.

“Kaylee!” Wash’s voice came down her radio. “Have you found anything wrong with the engine?”

“Well, asides from the crappy quality parts they got buried in this pile of junk, there ain’t nothing wrong with the engine…”

“Yeah, I’m getting the same thing with the on-board computer up here. Its as though the engine just…stopped working!”

“Any chance of fixing the thing?” Mal’s voice interrupted the conversation. “We sure could use the money a ship like this would bring?”

“Cap’in, to be honest, this ship is in perfect working order already. It just don’ work is’ll.” Kaylee’s confusion was clear in her voic