Mal looked scathingly on the two that lay draped all over eachother in their respective bunks.

Oh, yes, and the fact that they were both naked except for the thin blanket covering them had absolutely nothing to do with his venting. And the stars were really just Gods' nightlights.

"Gorramit, you two! I try to run a ruttin' ship here, and ya'll go on and rutt about like there's no tomorrow!! I mean, come on !!! Its bad enough, Doc, that you're sis is still all crazy; and, Kaylee, I can personally see that the engine is starting to go on the fritz. When I am the one to see it first, you've obviously not been there to see it to begin with!!! Bad enough that you decided to bed; but must it stop my ship from flyin'? Xiao tian de, how many times must I say it? Work first, play later . Dong ma?"

Kaylee hung her head a bit in shame; everything he had said was true. "Sorry, Cap'n. I'll fix th' engine." She slowly dragged herself out of the bed, letting Mal turn away. Simon sighed, then went about getting dressed as well. Mal had stopped them pre-... well, pre-sexin', so they could afford to wait.

Out of his perephial, Mal saw Inara coming at him, a look of anger barely concealed beneath her false porcelain mask of a face.

" Mal ," she hissed at him. "You had no right to tell them that!! Why must you be so harsh on them?"

"If I ain't harsh, 'Nara, then Serenity suffers for it. Serenity keens and no one answers, well then... we're all in a bit of a bind, dong ma?"

"But, still... Mal, they're only young and in love once..."

Mal looked strangely at her, so much so that she took a step back.

Then, he exploded at her. " In love ?!!? Gorramit, what right do you have to speak to ME about 'Love'? You are a fucking whore !!! You do not love, you please some folk who's Daddy has got deep enough pockets. You have never loved anyone in the 'Verse. Bedded a good portion of the richer ones, but never, never did it but once c