Chapter 10

There was only one chair in the holding area and Mal had appropriated it, sitting with his back slouched and his arms crossed over his chest as he brooded in the wall’s general direction. The fingers of one hand repetitively tapped the other arm, but other than that he did not move. Jayne was sitting slumped on the floor, flicking the little bits he had found on the floor, while Zoe leaned up against the wall.

“How long’s it been?” asked Jayne in a low voice.

“Half hour or so,” answered Zoe.

“What are they doing, exactly?” asked Jayne again.

“They’ve sent for the feds already,” answered Zoe, having, after all, nothing else to do. “They’ll probably send some to the ship, and send out a message back to Boros for confirmation. We’ll probably be questioned as well.”

“That ain’t so bad,” said Jayne. “Why’s Mal all wrung up?”

“Because, Jayne,” said Zoe, losing some of the patience in her tone, “they’re going to search Serenity.”

“We ain’t got anymore goods than this load,” said Jayne comfortably.

“No,” said Zoe. “Just fugitives.”

“Tzao-gao,” Jayne growled under his breath.

“The doctor’s got brains—there’s a chance he’ll see it coming.”

“Brains ain’t everything, I know that,” countered Jayne. “We’re humped.”

“A little caution can make up for general survival skills,” said Zoe.

Jayne sighed and flicked another wood chip. “We’re humped.”

~*~*~*~*~

River was plucking at the sofa cushion again, though she no longer talked of it as surgery. In fact, she was not speaking at all. Simon had found the cushion’s state too hard to take, and had gone for a needle and thread; one practical use for surgical skills discovered.

“Found your calling on this ship as a seamster?” came an amused voice from behind him. Simon looked up and saw Book smiling down on him, Bible in hand.

“Ah, no,” he answered, “it’s just, well—”

“It was broken,” said River, breaking her silence.

“Irritating,” amended Simon. “I can’t stand things in disrepair.”

“No surprise that you have a g