Time period: Just before ‘The Message’

Warnings: Altered timeline from 'Ariel', implied Mal/Simon slash-one sided, Mister Universe/lovebot

Thanks to lvs2read for the great beta and thunder_nari for the great beta and spurring me on.

~

“So you figure I can find who took this boy of yours?” Mister Universe is grinning at Mal through the wave screen, shaking his head slightly. “Mal, Mal, Mal, when are you going to learn the true depths of my talents?”

“Guessin’ that means you got another offer in mind?” Mal hates playing games, wants to get right to the point, but Mister Universe is one you have to keep sweet. Touch of flirting, few mentions of a reasonable amount of coin, and he usually takes interest.

“Well, the money you're offering is decent enough, but I figure maybe a touch more and I can find you not only who took him, but where they took him, too.” Mister Universe is looking smug, fingers tracing across the computer screen.

“Ain’t got much more’n that in all fairness, got to keep the crew flyin’.” And his offer’s a generous one, more so than the bounty on Simon to be sure Mr. Universe wouldn’t start playing them about, letting the wrong people know.

“Hmmm, well that is a problem.” Mister Universe looks thoughtful for a moment, as he considers it. He looks over his list of worlds that he can get messages to, the signals he can interrupt. “Okay, how about this. You do me a job on top of it, one I know your crew are more than capable of pulling.”

Well this is interesting. Mal’s known folks to do trade with Mister Universe before, but it’s been coin or parts he’s been offered, not something he’s agreed firsthand. Could be right for them to do a job, give them some more time to find a buyer. Wash’s heard noise over the cortex about a bazaar not too far from their position, one that’s sure to be covering a meeting place of various people Mal’s sure he can fence it to. “Now you got me listenin’, what kind of job?”

Mister universe grins, leaning forward to dance fingers over his