So here is us, on the raggedy edge. – Captain Mal Reynolds

Serenity hummed happily beneath him and all was right in the ‘Verse. Well, nearly all was right. Well, truth be told, nothing much was ever right in the ‘Verse, but Mal had learned to be content regardless. Well, nearly content. Well, truth be told –

“Captain.”

Shook from his thoughts, Mal turned to find a very agitated Dr. Tam standing on the walkway behind him. Beneath them, in the cargo bay, there was a loud crash followed by some creative cursing by way of Jayne.

“Jayne,” Mal called over the railing “Mind the goods or yer goin’ back out into the wet and mud to get more, dong ma?”

Jayne growled deep in his throat and kicked a crate across the floor, all the while staring at Mal to let him know it wasn’t the crate he was thinking about while he was kicking it.

“Ya hardly got a speck of mud on ya,” Jane groused “Neither does the doc, though that could be from the sissified way he tiptoed through the streets. Seems to me the only one what got dirty is me-”

“Not true,” Zoe chimed in, shaking mud from the hem of her pants “I’m all dirty.”

“I’ve got grease,” Kaylee called as she pushed a crate into one of Serenity’s many hiding spaces “Does grease count?”

“Sure does, Kaylee-bear,” Mal assured.

Jayne gave them a dirty look and continued stowing cargo.

“Well, I got powerful dirty and nearly broke my back gettin’ us out of there as quick as you were wantin’. I hope Badger knows he’ll be buyin’ me new boots, cos as I see it, these are shot. And he can pitch in fer…

Mal let Jayne go on. He could complain all he wanted, so long as he was working on their side and, well….working. He turned back to Simon, who seemed to be even more agitated.

“Yes, doc, what’s on your mind?”

Simon drew a breath and eyed Mal for a minute, trying to figure out if the Captain’s interest was genuine or if he was just being placated.

“Well,” Simon started cautiously “I was told I could acquire supplies on

Tawaret if I helped wi