Still Flying - Part II

Disclaimer: Firefly, Serenity, and all related characters are copyright 2002-2005 Mutant Enemy, Inc., Universal Pictures, and 20th Century Fox. This is a work of fanfiction. No copyright infringement is intended.

***

Lilah set Serenity down a few miles away from the town where the Mendel boys had specified. Mal had said that the Mendel boys would be at the drop point to unload their cargo. He didn’t expect any trouble from them; he’d done business with them before, he said. He also mentioned that he, Zoe, and Jayne would be going into the town with the Mendel boys afterwards for a drink. Apparently that was how jobs for them always went: delivering cargo, then town for a drink.

“We’re good to go, Captain.”

“Thank you Lilah. Now we play the waiting game.” Mal’s voice echoed through the com.

She reclined back into the chair, yawning, before turning and reaching down next to the chair, pulling a large bulk of a deep blue yarn and needles out of the bag she always brought with her to the bridge. Clearing her mind, she picked up where she had left off, working the rows until Mal commed to tell her that she was needed in the cargo bay.

***

The Mendel boys arrived on schedule, as they were wont to do. One tall and one short, the Mendel boys were good to do business with. Kyle and Lyle were simple folk and lived simple lives and wanted to get along in their world with as little trouble as possible. They treated their contacts well and passed along a good word for them as did good work and a less-than-good word for them as skimped and slacked off. They were simple – not stupid.

They liked doing business with Malcolm Reynolds and his crew. Mal and his people amused them to an extent and they respected anyone who could keep a crew together for as long as he had. And seeing the pretty first mate and pretty mechanic and the pretty Companion was a plus as well.

They called their greeting to Mal and his crew who were waiting in the c