A Firefly didn’t carry weapons. Transport ships rarely did, in case it attracted scavengers and pirates. It was something certain lower levels of society thought humorous, but ship’s captains were a superstitious lot, even if they never admitted to it. Mostly they considered that if they couldn’t run from danger, or at least talk their way out of it, having a big gun attached to the front of the boat was just asking for trouble.

In this instance, though, Mal almost wished he had something huge to take out the ship hanging darkly in front of them.

“You sure this is gonna work?” he asked Kaylee for the eighteenth time.

“Positive,” she said, looking up from where she was making the final adjustments to the timing mechanism.

“And it ain't gonna be able to take it over? Turn it back on us?”

She shook her head. “That’s why this is mechanical. No electronic parts at all.” She stood up. “Kinda feels old fashioned, but that’s worked for us before.”

“Okay,” he said, still not quite believing her.

She grinned. “Cap’n, these barrels are full of V59.” She patted one of the metal containers, trying not to laugh when he winced visibly. “Mix it right with the catalyst and it makes a pretty bang.”

“So Dillon said.”

“I'm surprised he could get his hands on it, and so much,” Kaylee mused. “Being as how he’s such a law-abiding person ‘n’all.”

“I’ll have to tell Dillon that you said that,” Freya laughed, coming out of the common area towards them, Jesse sitting on her hip. “He’d love to know someone called him law-abiding.”

“You mean he ain’t?” Kaylee feigned shock. “And him that little girl’s godfather at that.”

“There are tales in Dillon’s past that would take your breath away.” She smiled as she remembered. “And definitely outdo any of Hank’s books.” She sighed. “Ah, happy days.”

Mal snorted. “You keep saying that, but you never tell me any.”

“I'm keeping them for when we’re old and grey and need something new to talk about.”

“You mean like next week?”

Her smile w