Part I

New Melbourne. Stopover point for all the major planets that side of the system.

New Melbourne. Home to some of the most beautiful ocean views and pristine sandy beaches.

New Melbourne. Where every single inhabitant on the planet was involved in fish or fish-related activities.

And as soon as Serenity settled into her docking bay for a two day layover giving Kaylee a chance to buy and install a new – or rather secondhand – air scrubber, everyone knew why New Melbourne was a place people visited, not moved to. Not unless they had lost their sense of smell …

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Jayne was bored. Everyone else, it seemed, had found something to do off-ship, but he didn’t have the money to go drinking, nor the inclination any more to go whoring, so he volunteered to stay behind.

River looked at him. “I thought we could just go for a walk,” she said.

Her eyes made him feel lost again. “Maybe later, darlin’,” he said, pulling her into his arms as they stood in the cargo bay. “You come back for me. ‘Sides, stinks of fish.”

“It’s New Melbourne. What did you think it would smell like?”

“You know what I think of fish.” His eyes narrowed as he glanced at Hank. “And you ain't to even consider it.”

The pilot gave him an aggrieved look, but didn’t comment.

River smiled. “I only have a few things to do. Some pretties to buy.” Her smile grew wider, and he knew exactly what pretties she was talking about. He remembered the last ones he’d virtually shredded in his haste to make love to her. He grinned.

“’Kay.”

“Well, if’n you do, make sure the ship’s locked up,” Mal ordered. “Don’t want to come back and find everything gone.”

“What’d anyone want to steal on board this?” Jayne asked, waving his hand around.

Mal ignored him. He knew the big man was bored, not having had anything to shoot at for a while, so was just trying to make an argument. He clapped his hands together instead. “So, we all ready?”

Hank nodded. “Zoe’n me are taking the little one here to the bea