It was Mal that immediately took control of the situation. Karl’s resemblance to Wash was hideously uncanny. He went walked straight up to him so that his face was but a few inches from Karl’s.

“This would be where you have some explainin’ to do, but now is not the time, as the Feds are likely to check docked ships first. Get in the smugglers panel.” Bane was still looking around confused as to why Zoe had called the name of her dead husband. But there were other pressing concerns now. She touched Mal’s sleeve so that his attention was diverted from Karl.

“They managed to get a good look at me too, Captain. If any of those prison guards are on the searches I might be humped.”

“In you go too then,” he replied without sympathy. “It’ll be cramped in there.” Bane crawled in first, followed by Karl and then Mitchell. Mal fixed the panel behind them. “Zoe. Zoe! Go up to the cockpit and monitor the cortex. See what’s been flagged. Jayne, go to Jian Li Street. I give you permission to ogle the dancers and whores as long as you keep an ear out to what is going on.” The three of them heard the cargo bay grow empty and silent. Bane wanted more than anything to know what the gorram hell was going on. Karl sensed it in the darkness.

“Leave it, Bane, now’s not the time. Let’s just get some sleep, shall we?” She would not have kept quiet at his say-so, had it not been for the emotion she heard in his voice.

“Who can sleep in this rat trap,” muttered Mitchell in response. There was just enough space for him to lie alongside Karl with Bane curled up at the end. She rubbed her wrist and flexed her fingers and then tried to find a comfortable position in which to sleep. Karl was the only one who did not manage any sleep that night.

~ * ~

Serenity left atmo a day and a half later. The ship had been searched by Feds from the prison and they had not found anything, nor had they been hunting particularly hard. Fortunately three of the prisoners had been recovered which accounted for their lack of