Mal left the bar, smiling. It had been a good meet, and he’d got the next job lined up. Paying well, too, with half up front. Keep everyone flying for a while longer. He didn’t want to rely on Inara’s charity, even though he knew she was more than willing to give them a home whenever they needed it. Trouble was, in the past few weeks jobs seemed hard to come by, and what there was tended to be things he’d like to avoid, even if he would have taken them in the past. But now, with kids on board … anyway, at least there was something to look forward to.

And the fact that he’d been propositioned hadn’t done his ego any harm at all.

He wouldn’t normally have gone to the meet on his own, although Barrick had insisted. Still, he cheated a little and had Jayne get to the bar half an hour beforehand. He looked like a fixture by the time Mal arrived and headed into the small back room.

“It’s a pick up on Beylix, delivering to a private address on Hammond,” Barrick said, nervously running his fingers around his collar.

Mal would normally have taken this as a sign that something was about to go wrong, but Barrick was notorious. “You know, you should seriously consider finding yourself a new line of business,” Mal said conversationally. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you ain't heading to give yourself an ulcer.”

Barrick grimaced, pressing one hand to his stomach. “Too late,” he said.

“Then why don’t you get out of the work?”

“Someone has to broker these deals.” Barrick swallowed hastily. “And I make a good living.”

“It ain't worth it if you ain't got your health.”

“I’m fine.” He pulled a box from his pocket and fished a flat white tablet out. Popping it into his mouth he washed it down with the whisky in front of him.

“Then you need to see a doctor,” Mal advised.

“I do. Often.” Barrick sat up a little. “So you can do this? Only there’s a deadline. Beylix in four days, Hammond before the month’s out.”

Mal nodded. “We can do it.”

Barrick visibly relaxed. He put a small l