“Main water pump’s gone down,” Kaylee said succinctly as everyone gathered for breakfast.

“That why I ain't getting anything here?” Jayne asked at the sink, turning the taps back and forth.

“Yep.” Kaylee sat down.

“Then how come I could make coffee?” Zoe asked, glancing down into her mug.

“You probably had what was left in the pipes, but that’ll be it ‘til I can get up and take a look.”

“Is it gonna cause problems?” Mal asked, settling Jesse into the high chair.

“No, not really. The auxiliary pumps’re still going, so the toilets’ll flush, and infirmary’s got water, but that’s about it.”

“How did you find out?”

Kaylee giggled, hastily suppressed at the glare from her husband. “Simon was trying to take a shower this morning, and it ran out halfway through him rinsing his hair. You don’t wanna know where I had to get the water from so he could finish.”

“She didn’t tell me I could have used the infirmary sink,” Simon explained wearily.

“Well, didn’t want you trailing suds all through the corridors, now did I?”

Mal tried to hide the smile, not all that successfully. He looked at his mechanic. “Well, you got around seven hours ‘til we land. You gonna be able to fix it by then?”

“Won’t know ‘til I take a look. Might be something real simple, or it might mean a whole new pump.”

Mal winced. “And I’m guessing that’s gonna be expensive.”

“And it might just be a valve.” She smiled at him. “No looking on the dark side ‘til we have to, okay?”

“Do you have to be that cheerful so early in the morning?” he complained.

“Well, I could be an old grump like you, but where would that get us?”

“That’s Captain Grump to you.” He raised his eyebrow at her.

“I love my captain.”

“That don’t always work.”

“Course it does.” She grinned widely.

---

As breakfast broke up, Ethan looked up. “Mama, can I come sit with you while you fly?”

“I won’t be doing much,” Freya said, smiling at her son. “Just making sure we don’t hit anything.”

“You can teach me st