* * *

God, I pray also for our first mate, Zoe, and pilot Wash. I praise you for them individually and as a couple. I thank you for endowing Zoe with the greatest of all virtues, Loyalty, as well as courage and strength. And Wash, I thank you for giving him a sense of humor, a child-like outlook. They are a blessing to the ship, the backbone and the funnybone, the strength and the heart. Lord, please bless them, keep Zoe out of harms way, keep Wash’s skills quick and sure. But most of all Lord, I pray, bless their marriage. Let it be an inspiration to all who look upon it in this time of trial and uncertainty. Love, no matter it’s form, glorifies you, the Lord of Love, so I praise you for their love, and I pray their love may increase, as your love increases towards your bride, the church.

* * *

“She’s not a racer, but she’s dependable,” Mal said. “An’ she ain’t never failed to do a job. Now, to Flagstone would take about two weeks, give or take a day.”

“Why give or take?” Michele “Puffer” Newvack said, taking a deep drag of his cigarette. “Why not exactly?”

“I just ain’t sure ‘bout asteroids, other ships, that sort of thing. No reason to suspect we’d get there in any more’in Fourteen days.” Mal said, realizing that he’d never seen a man with more yellowed teeth. “That a problem?”

“No,” Newvack said, shaking his head. “Seems reasonable. Now, you know, tobacco is outlawed on Flagstone.” He let out a long puff of curling white smoke. “Say it’s bad for the health.”

“Do they?” Mal said, forcing himself not to cough.

“Yeah, that won’t be a problem, will it?”

“Why should it be?”

“Jus’ if you were to get boarded by customs at Flagstone you might have a hard time explaining yourself.”

“For starters,” Mal said very clearly, “There ain’t no call to insult my crew by insinuating we might get caught with our proverbial pants down by some customs officers. We’ve had valuable cargo before an’ been boarded by an official Alliance raiding party in cold space. They looked everywhere for it, even under the gorramn pla