Long Road Home – Chapter Sixteen

Owns no rights, etc etc etc.

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Disposing of Jenkins’ remains took two minutes. Jayne simply hefted him over behind the crates stacked to the side, and that was that. Mal looked at his assembled crew.

“I’ve had enough of this,” he said quietly. “I aim to end this once and for all. Jenkins’ ship is here somewhere, and likely his crew. I don’t know that they’ll leave without him, but I doubt they’ll go back to Argo. And there’s no reason to keep after us if they ain’t gettin’ paid.” He looked to Kaylee.

“Mei-mei, see to Serenity. I want to be off planet the minute we can be. I’ll see the Dockmaster, see to having the Companion refueled. Then we head home. When we get there, we’ll see to Withe, and Ball. And that Sheriff if needs be.”

“Mister Tarrant? Want that job?” Tarrant looked at Mal for a moment, then studied the assembled crew. His eyes came lastly to Zoe, who watched him, her face expressionless. Her eyes, though, were not. He looked back to Mal.

“I’ll give it a shot,” he nodded.

“Go with Kaylee, then,” Mal ordered. “No one in the ‘verse can get you trained up on a Firefly quicker than she can.” Kaylee beamed at that, and Tarrant nodded. Followed by Hollins, the mechanics set off.

“Jayne, River, keep an eye on the ships, and an eye out for the others. Zoe, you’re with me.”

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“How’d you do that?” Jayne asked, as he and River followed the engineering trio back to the ship.

“Do what?” River asked, though she knew what he meant.

“Talk to me that way. In my mind, I mean.”

“I don’t know, exactly,” she admitted finally. “I never have, before. With anyone. Don’t think I can with anyone else.”

“Makes me kinda special, huh?” Jayne grinned. She stopped and stood on her toes to kiss him lightly.

“Very special, Zhang fu,” she whispered, eyes shining. “So very special.”

Jayne smiled at her, the real smile that he used only for her. The one where his face was alight, and his eyes shone so bright