Episode 5: The Training Job

Prologue

"What do you mean it's in an Alliance hangar?" Mal growled.

"Just what I said, mate," Badger said. "Alliance has got it holed up with a slough of other wrecks. What, ain't you grateful to know?"

Mal had to bite his lip and grab his right hand to keep himself from cursing and pulling out his gun.

Personally, just the thought of Serenity made me itch with excitement. Not a prettier ship in the 'verse I could put my hands on. Hearing Badger tell us he knew where she was just made me want to take Simon back to our bunk to celebrate.

I asked, "Why didn't you just tell us that earlier?"

All of us sat at a table, Badger at the head.

Simon and River sat at the far end. River held close to Simon. Every now and then she grumbled at his constricting embrace, but he was her loving, older brother. Made my heart happy to think if we ever had some cute little ones brought into the world he would be so protective.

On the right side, Wash sat between the Operative and Jayne. He looked uncomfortable as hell. Suppose comin' back from the dead leaves a person feeling a little awkward. That and having two big, mean men watching your every move.

Badger glanced at River and smirked. Tale'd come out that he'd gotten a little kiss from River on their date. Simon pulled her a little closer.

"Couldn't waste my last card," Badger said. "What if she'd said no?"

"Then we'd all sleep a lot quieter," Simon said.

"Seems your bit of intelligence leaves out a bit of important information, though," Zoe said. "You know what base. But you don't know what hangar."

"Oh, it's a little bitty base, setup on the far side'a Persephone. 'Ardly worth calling a base. Couldn't be more than..." He looked up at the ceiling, imagining a number. "Twenty, thirty different hangers."

Mal asked the Operative, "Any chance you could use some old connections to narrow the search down?"

The Operative shook his head. "Part of the beauty of being an unknown