6. Blue Harvest

Somewhere about sky level, there is bickering going on.

“He’s ‘near the mountains’. You didn‘t think to get co-ordinates?”

“They’re mountains, River. Kinda hard to miss.”

“Should hope so. Lucky I’m flying.” Scornful glance. “We’ll find one man in a desert, no problem.”

“What am I supposed to do? Swoop down and ask a passing motorist for directions?”

“You’re a man. Unlikely.”

“Can’t you...” Waves hands helplessly. “Sense him?”

An incredulous look.

“Little brain, big world.”

“Guess that’s a ‘no‘, then. Kaylee, you had any luck tracin’ that wave back?”

“Not a one, Cap’n. Went through the central city transmitter...you din’t think to ask him where he was?”

Mal cuts the comm.

0000

“There’s only one place between here and the mountains he could have got a wave out.” G puts his finger on the map. “Doesn’t even have a name.”

At this point, Serenity looms up in the rear mirror. River has taken the logical approach and is following the road.

Even Rik’s usual imperturbable calm receives a severe jolt, as he fights the wheel in the backwash.

“What the f....”

G holds his hat on with one hand, steadies Honey with the other.

“Follow that firefly!”

0000

“Need to get a horn fitted. Road-hogs.”

0000

Jayne wipes the last of the gravy with a biscuit, sighs. World looks a whole lot brighter when you got yourself wrapped around a plate of breakfast and some coffee.

Peace is broken by the noise of engines. And memory roars back in a tide of petrol and cordite.

“You got any guns? Trouble’s coming.”

“We don’t want no shootin’ here...”

“Hell, ain’t nobody wants shootin’. But I reckon it’s what you’re gonna get.” Looks about. Coupla dirt farmers passing through at breakfast time, one scared owner and his whimpering wife, and one fry-cook. It ain’t anything to be working with.

They got a handful of chop-shop specials and a souped-up skiff, ranging out behind Ma