AFTERMATH

This story incorporates the omitted scenes from an earlier cut of “Serenity,” regarding the aftermath of the Battle of Serenity Valley. It also takes place not only after “War Stories,” “Heart of Gold,” “The Message” and “Objects in Space,” but shortly after the events of Tara O’Shea’s remarkable story, “Lex Talionis.” References are with the gracious permission of its author. If you haven’t read “Lex Talionis,” go read it now since it’s so damned good. If you just have to read this first, then you need to know that “LT” unfolds around a brutal attack on Kaylee, as part of Niska’s elaborately plotted revenge against Mal for having twice made Niska look a fool. Thanks also to Tara for her Mandarin translations, without which—well, I wouldn’t have any Mandarin in this story!

Oh, and by the way, I guess this story is rated PG-13 for some sexual content.

The metal crate hit the cargo bay floor with a bang.

“Dammit, Jayne, will you be careful with those?”

“Hey, it ain’t like they’s breakable,” Jayne answered. “Bunch of ruttin’ horseshoes—weigh a ton, worth a whole hell of a lot less than they weigh.”

“A job’s a job,” Mal shot back, shoving crates into line along the starboard wall. “New Sweden is a metals-poor planet; they’ll take their iron where they can get it.”

“New Sweden is a money-poor planet too. We’ll be lucky not to spend more on fuel than we make movin’ these things. And I’ll have nothin’ but an ache in my back to show for my share.”

Behind him, Jayne heard a crate slam down hard.

“Tamade chùsheng xai-jiao de xiang huo.” Mal stood, arms folded, sweat beaded on his forehead. “I’ve had about enough of you and your griping. Just shut up and move the damned crates like you’re told.”

Jayne turned to lift another crate. “You want me to stop complainin’, you’d better pay me more. Ten percent gets you work; it don’t get you silence.”

The next thing he knew, he was slammed against the bulkhead, Mal’s fingers digging into his shoulders. Jayne wa