Chapter 5

The uneasy truce the survivors had forged came crashing down around their heads when Mal stood up at dinner one night and announced that he was leaving.

Arguments broke out around the table and if it hadn’t been for Inara and Zoe, fists would have flown as quickly as the words.

But Mal wouldn’t budge, no matter who tried to convince him otherwise. He had things needing done and they couldn’t wait any longer.

“Thought you didn’t want to get involved.” Zoe stood back later that evening, watching Mal stuff what few possessions he now owned into a canvas pack. She could see the exhaustion in his features; verbal sparring with Simon, not to mention everyone else, had taken a lot out of him. But he’d brought it upon himself and for the way it was done, she pitied him not a jot.

“Don’t see as we got any choice now.”

“Always have a choice, sir.”

“Didn’t get involved to protect my crew. See how well that worked out.” His jaw was set and Zoe knew not to argue when he’d made up his mind.

“You do this. I’m going with you.”

Mal’s back went rigid and he slowly turned to face his former first mate. “Ain’t askin’ for that.”

“Ain’t offerin’. I’m tellin’.”

Mal clasped Zoe’s forearm and squeezed, unspoken gratitude flickering in his eyes.

“Got a promise to keep first,” Zoe said, carefully gauging his reaction.

Mal stepped away with a shake of his head. “Minds made up. I’ll take care of it later.”

Zoe sighed. He was running and it was up to her to make sure he didn’t run into something that didn’t give as much as Simon’s face had for Jayne’s fist. It wasn’t the first time she’d seen this kind of reaction to something that he just couldn’t, or didn’t want to, deal with. He’d come to his senses eventually. In the meantime, she’d have to make sure he was still alive when the idiocy of his behavior hit him squarely upside the head.

Knowing the attempt would be in vain, she tried again. “It shouldn’t wait, sir.” She knew the promise he’d made to Simon. She’d overheard him