Okay....Dude. I'm a full week and a half behind schedule, I know. Had a really bad time a couple of weeks ago before a very happy development in my personal life turned things around 180 degrees. But meanwhile I have to post this in like four different places today to get it back on track (no pun intended). FFF first!

AMDOBELL, thank you for a very encouraging note. I myself worried like *diyu* about too much tech-y stuff before I realised that it was going to come in very very useful in this post.

PhyreLight, don't worry, I got the joke. Sorta. Unless there was an ulterior meaning. ;)

Jane0904, thanks so much! I don't know if I'll be able to pace the rest of the story quite like that, but, well....I leave that up to you.

Katesfriend, indeed about Wash! He needs more leaf-on-the-wind, big-damn-heroical moments and I was happy to oblige him. Sorry for taking so long to update. Also sorry to say that I'm sort of the Cliffhanger King when a story approaches its climax, and this post is no exception. ;)

Angellemarcs, thank you, thank you, thank you. Wacky site provided a double dose of commentage....hehe! I was a little fretsome about that shuttle jump and whether it came off well. Thank you for putting those fears to rest.

By the by, I thought some of you might like a visual reference, and this is as good as it gets:

http://www.fireflyfans.net/bluesun.aspx?bid=20724>Part 13

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Every muscle in the cab froze, every head snapped in Mal's direction and every eye bored into him. None had heard him spit Carabella's name over the bellow of the hard-working engine, but his harsh curse had made the name unnecessary. Kaylee's face was a mask of terror as she looked at the shuttle, parallel to the train and pacing, now a hostile craft with Kay