Chapter 3

As they approach town Jayne gets out his communicator and calls the ship “Get the doors open Zoë we’re heading in.”

“Where the hell you two been and where is the Captain?”

“Better have the Doc standing by, Captain got himself shot again.”

There were Alliance all around town. Jayne hunkered down next to Maggie and whispered “Better be quiet Captain, there’s Feds everywhere.”

“I don’t believe it, there’s Marco. Jayne, which ship is yours?”

“The one on the end.” Into the communicator he whispered “Zoë we got company.”

Maggie urged Sadie up the ramp and Jayne jumped down to close the door behind them blocking the view of the watching Feds.

“Jayne did you have to hit every rutten hole in the road?” Mal muttered as he climbed out of the wagon.

“Don’t look at me, Maggie was driving.” .

“Sorry Captain, not much choice on these roads.”

“Captain, Jayne said you got shot?” Simon comes running up with his little red bag.

“Not now Doc, Maggie took care of it. Wash we ready to fly.”

“Not until we fuel up. We get paid?”

“Yeah, how soon can we refuel?”

“Not til morning.”

“I can’t go home until then anyway, have to pass that roadblock again.” Maggie states while looking around at everyone. “I need to get Sadie outside and feed her. Is it safe to open the doors now.”

“Kaylee! Run and get me a clean shirt. Need to be respectable when we open the doors.”

“It will take more then a clean shirt.” Kaylee replied with a gleam in her eye as she ran up to the crew quarters.

“Who is the lady with Jayne? There’s two words I thought I would never say in the same sentence. Lady and Jayne.” Wash remarked as Jayne glared at him.

“This here is Maggie, we had to hide out in her house while we waited for the Alliance to ride by. Then she offered to drive us to town past the roadblocks.” Mal explained as he put on the clean shirt Kaylee brought him.

“How’d she get Jayne past the roadblock?” Kaylee asked.

“She married him…” replied Mal as a loud pounding on the doors interrupted him.

“We got Alliance