Mal, Kaylee and Wash were looking about the other ships. Wash was in a mood. He was obviously feeling guilty for something, but Kaylee didn't know what it could be. She had been with him most of the afternoon, and she hadn't seen anything. As for Mal, he was trying not to rush to judgement. He didn't like seeing Zoe with her feelings hurt, now that she finally had some. She had opened up to Wash more than anyone else he had ever seen, and he didn't think Wash understood what a gift that truly was.

They had been warned away from a number of ships, and Mal understood this. He knew Zoe was doing the same right now. He realized too late after leaving the ship that he had not made clear to Jayne that the doctor and his sister could leave the ship. He realized it because Kaylee pointed it out. For someone so good with machines, she was clearly the most humanistic of the group. But, since he hadn't told Jayne that they could leave the ship, he was certain Jayne was making them stay there.

He would deal with that later. Of all things, the Contessa was unguarded. Raydor seemed to be getting stupid with old age. Mal was about to lay a hand on the side of the ship when he heard the unmistakable sound of a lever action carbine being cocked. He slowly raised his hands in the air and turned to see Fiona Raydor leveling a gun at him. She looked past him to Wash, smiled, and lowered the gun.

"Twice in one day, Wash...trying to tell me something?"

Wash tried to smile, but evidently whatever Zoe had said to him had made sense. He mumbled a greeting and tried to walk off. Fiona called after him.

"Wash, honey, what's wrong? We always got on well in flight school. What's the matter. Did I upset your wife? She seemed very nice. A little stoic. Actually, not your type at all. But then again, most people don't get Zilan and me either."

"Fiona, I have to go. It was nice talking to you again."

Kaylee and Mal took that moment, while Fiona was distracted, to put a homi