“Here.” Bethie held out a half dozen slips of paper.

They were sitting in the common area outside the infirmary, while Simon busied himself inside, occasionally poking his head around the door just to make sure one or other hadn’t wandered off.

“What are they?” Ethan asked, eyeing them suspiciously.

“This is a ‘lection, so these are your ballot papers.”

“What are we electing?”

“A leader.” She puffed out her chest.

“Why?”

“Someone has to be.”

“Why?”

“’Cause.”

“That’s not a reason.”

Bethie had explained, as well as she could, but obviously had not been able to get her point across. “Uncle Mal is in charge of Serenity, right?”

“My Daddy, yes.”

“And my Daddy is in charge of the ‘firmary, right?”

“Yes.”

“And my Momma is in charge of the engine room, right?”

“Okay.”

“So that means I’ve got two people in charge of things on my side, right?”

“So you think that means you’re more in charge of us because you’ve got two on your side?” Ethan asked, trying to get it clear.

“No, course not.” Truthfully that had been in the back of her mind, although torture and being sent to bed early for a month wasn’t going to pry it out of her.

“Only Ben’s Momma is First Mate, and his Daddy is pilot, so maybe that makes him next. After my Daddy of course. Being Captain.” He rubbed it in, just a little.

She didn’t let the annoyance show. “And that’s why we have to have a ‘lection. ‘Cause it’s not clear.”

Ben and Ethan looked at each other, and the young Reynolds rolled his eyes. “Fine,” he said. “Go on then.”

Bethie beamed and handed out the slips, quickly having to stop Cal putting his in his mouth.

“There’s only two names,” Ben pointed out, reading it carefully. Luckily, Bethie had written it very big.

“That’s right. Ethan and me. They’re the nominations.”

“Why?”

She was beginning to get really fed up with that word. “Because Caleb’s too young, so’s Jesse, and Hope ain't interested, and neither are –”

“I am.” He looked at her, his grey eyes sh