As Mal began to explain to Freya the discovery of the two coins, Zoe came in and he paused.

“Is this a council of war, sir?” she asked, smiling.

“Something like,” Hank said, quickly getting up to pour her a coffee. “Hungry?”

“Not particularly. I grabbed a sandwich at the house.” She sat down. “So what are we discussing?”

“Where’s Riv?” Jayne interrupted.

“Coming. She said she had something to do when we left Jolene.”

Jayne chuckled. “Matty still in one piece?”

“Barely. I think he’s going for the sympathy vote right now.”

“Well, the Cobbs have been known for being able to make with the puppy dog eyes, ever since we came over from Earth-that-was. Just ask moonbrain.”

Simon made a face. “Do we have to?” He got up from the table and crossed to the alcove, smiling at the children before picking up the small portable Cortex screen Freya used for teaching.

Zoe took the coffee from her husband and said, “Anyway, I’d still like to know what’s going on.”

Mal picked up one of the coins. “Well, it started with –“

“What did I miss?” River asked, jumping down into the kitchen and landing silently.

“Mal was about to tell us what’s going on,” Freya said. “Eventually.” She gave him a look then leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms.

“I've been trying for the last five minutes!” the man in question blustered.

“Well, hurry up.”

He glared at her, then gave a surprisingly concise account of their discoveries.

“So two coins,” Freya said, rolling one of the coins over in her fingers. “And Ingleby brought this one back in from the desert.”

“Or maybe it was that one,” Hank admitted, pointing to the second coin. “’Cause they look identical to me.”

“They are,” Mal agreed. “And no way of knowing how long it’s been out there. That’s the trouble with gold,” he added. “Can’t tell how old it is.”

“Feels like gold.” Freya tossed it from hand to hand.

“I think that’s pretty sure to be the –“

“ Cao .” Simon’s voice stopped all the others, not l