Mal sat in the back of shuttle two, handcuffs loosely around his wrists and ankles, trying not to show how nervous he was about this plan. Simon, in the pilots seat, where he had become relatively competent since his sister had become a pilot, was the very air of confidence. The doc had come a long way since he had first stepped aboard Serenity, but the cold, aloof way that he had held himself when Mal had first laid eyes upon him was very much in place now. Jayne lounged in the other chair, a pistol on each side of his belt and a wide-barrelled shotgun in his hand. And that was only his visible weapons. If Mal knew Jayne, the man had at least a couple of knives and a another gun or two hidden on him somewhere. Simon only carried two weapons, a pistol all silver and engraved; a present from Inara and a Stunner, a weapon that was attached to his wrist and could shock a man into unconsciousness with a touch. Today, Simon would be playing the part of a cold and merciless Bounty Hunter and Jayne his dumb muscle. Mal knew that with Simon’s lack of facial expressions and Jayne’s staggering ability as dumb muscle, the two of them would make a convincing pair. There was a risk that the owners of the Erebos slam would want to arrest Jayne or Simon, if either of them were recognised, but it was slim. It was not good business to betray the Bounty Hunters, soon they stopped coming and you were out of business. Besides, there was enough flags on Mal’s file to pick up a decent enough bounty. Simon had been well drilled on what was to be expected of him and he was a quick study. Simon had the look of a hunter in his eyes; the same determination to keep River safe was frighteningly similar to the look that a man who hunted people down for money soon acquired.

And he’d taken the news about Kaylee’s brother, Jeremiah, almost as badly as Kaylee had. And that sure hadn’t been well, the girl hadn’t been able to stop crying. Mal guessed, rightly so, that Simon knew exactly how she felt. A beloved sibling once thought safe suddenly fo