Mal motioned soberly towards the bridge, and Harper followed him in. His face lightened when he spotted Wash sitting at the bridge, a jaunty line of the dinosaurs he’d brought to the cabin the previous night arranged neatly along the top of the flight control console.

Wash gave a welcoming smile as he waved Harper over. “Know anything about how this stuff works?”

“Probably more than you do,” said Harper, regretting his words when he saw the slightly hurt expression on the pilot’s face. “Sorry. I forgot you weren’t Mal.” He glared back at the beleaguered captain.

Wash looked questioningly at Mal, who rolled his eyes. “Mind keeping an eye on our stowaway?” asked Mal.

Wash nodded, and Harper sank gratefully into the co-pilot’s seat and glared after the captain as he retreated from the bridge. He relaxed visibly as Wash spoke. “Let me guess, tired of being pushed around by the captain?”

“Sounds like that required a real stretch of the imagination, there,” said Harper sarcastically. “Let me guess, small stowaways aren’t the only people he drags around the ship and threatens, I’ll bet it’s the favorite part of the day. When’s your turn?”

Wash grinned. “He doesn’t keep a schedule, it’s more of a hobby he indulges in every so often. Ever heard of the good cop-bad cop routine, Harper?”

“Of course,” said Harper a little indignantly. “I consider myself rather the expert in it.”

“Mal’s letting me be the good cop,” said Wash gently, his tone serious.

Harper thought on that for a moment, finally nodding as it made sense to him. “If I dare ask – what’s the goal of this little manipulation?”

“Nothing sinister,” said Wash. “You – are an unknown element, you know. Mal’s being the bad cop. He gets to make dastardly threats, I get to play with dinosaurs. It works well with our respective talents,” added Wash with a little grin.

Harper sighed, looking away. “For the record, I like you as a good cop. It suits you.”

“Thanks,” said Wash with a smile. “Nice to know there’s someth