One good day

By Charlotte Summers

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Chapter three

‘Secrets’

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Mal looked better than he’d done in weeks. “Ladies and gentlemen: we got ourselves a job.”

That morning Serenity had arrived at Beylix. Mal, Zoe and Jayne, the regular trio, had gone out to find themselves a job. The crew had hoped desperately this time it was with luck – and Wash had gone a little further in his prayers and hoped they’d find a job that would pay well .

And that, they had. Not only had they found some crime to commit, there was a fair pay attached to it as well. The crew discussed it, gathered in the dining area.

“We’re transporting some stolen goods need be smuggled to the buyer in New Dunsmuir, Beaumonde,” Mal told the crew. “Can get a bit risky, but the pay’ll make up for it.”

“Wait,” Wash said confused. “You say got this assignment from one of the buyer’s little minions. Why don’t they fly this stuff to their boss themselves?”

“Well, that’s what makes it risky,” Mal explained, catching the eye of Bela who was looking at him with a slight frown, seemingly deep in thought. “Buyer – fellow called Dumar – had a slight run-in with some Alliance feds a little while ago.”

At this, Simon rolled his eyes. “Oh, yes, I am shocked.”

Mal ignored him. “Any ship of Dumar or his men that comes is being thoroughly checked by those tah mah de, and as a result they need a third party to bring in the goods. So the Alliance won’t know it’s for him.”

Simon carefully spoke up. “Captain. I know we need the money, but working right under the noses of the Alliance? Don’t you think this job is a little too risky?”

“It’s a simple job, doc,” Mal disagreed. He was standing at the head of the table, and rolled up both sleeves of his shirt up to his elbows before he went to leaning on the table with both hands. “We just take the goods, fly ‘em to Beaumonde, drop ‘em there, get paid. Alliance’ll never even know. And we’ll stay low.”

“Yes, because that part of the plan never fails on us,” Simon re