Chapter 21: The jig is up.

Even though she had been shot by the Captain, she was still under his employ. And she still had work left to be done. She started on dinner; there wasn’t much in the kitchen so she would try her best to make the protein. It was green. It didn’t look edible-yet it was. She felt that there was something in the air she just couldn’t shake. She didn’t like it. It was a feeling of helpless and partial terror.

Zoë came in with River and Kaylee.

“Ok, what did you say?” Zoë said, with much interest.

“Well, I didn’t say a word to the hun-dun.” Maria said bluntly. They were puzzled. She rolled her eyes-they hadn’t meant Jayne.

Something..in.. the..air.

“To Inara- I told her I would handle it. And I smacked Mal again-hence the reason why he shot me.”She said limping over to get some dried (i.e petrified) rosmary.

All three women looked at her in shock.

“He called her a whore again,” she said, quietly. She felt her pulse quicken, she didn’t understand why.

“NO!” Kaylee exclaimed.

“He’s probably apologizin’ to her as we speak,” River said.

“Makes sense,” Zoë added. “I wouldn’t try to hit him again.” She said, a stern look crossing her face.

“Noted,” Maria said, searching for a pot.

Just then Jayne sauntered in.

“Ain’t gonna last,” he said, approaching his food locker for a snack.

“Jayne, I think you should mind your own business,” Zoë, warned.

“Or what? I don’t go messin’ in the gossip of lady folk but I wanted to be real about it.” He said shrugging. “He don’t know how to treat a lady like that,” he added.

Maria got annoyed: “As opposed to what?” she said raising her voice then charged at him “You wound’t know a lady if she walked up and smacked you in the face,” she said, going toe to toe with him.Emotions were running high.

“Enough Jayne,” Zoë said,and then turned to Maria “Back away Maria.”

Maria backed away and went back to preparing dinner

Jayne however had one thing he had to say:

“I don’t think you know what a real man is eithe