“Okay.” Mal clapped his hands together, getting everyone’s attention. Well, nearly everyone. The children were gathered together, still discussing what they were going to do. Mal coughed. Twice.

“Sorry, Mal,” Hank said, laughing. “A visit to Wayborn’s far more interesting than listening to you.”

The rest of the crew, gathered as they were in the cargo bay ready to disembark at the Skyplex, appeared to concur.

“Fine,” Mal said. “Only it means they ain’t going.”

There was sudden silence as every person under four feet tall stared at him.

“Uncle Mal?” Ben asked.

“Daddy?” Ethan put in.

“He doesn’t mean it,” Bethie said, then glanced up at her mother.

“Cap’n, don’t tease,” Kaylee said, feeling her daughter’s hand creep into hers. “You know you ain’t gonna stop ‘em going to that new playing level.”

“Maybe I will, and maybe I won’t. ‘Less they listen to what I’ve got to say, we won’t know for sure.”

“We’re listening, Daddy,” Ethan said, hitching his thumbs in his own tiny suspenders.

As always Mal felt a swell of pride fill his chest, not only at being Daddy in the first place, but seeing the miniature version of himself standing there in front of him. It was like looking in a mirror that showed the long ago past.

Freya chuckled lightly, and he knew he’d been caught out. Tossing her the look that said you shouldn’t be peeking , he continued with what he had planned to say.

“We’ve got but a day here, and chores to be done first before anyone plays. And I mean anyone.” He glared at the kids, but they just grinned back. “I know there’s replacement shoes and the like to get, so just bear that in mind. And no running off. Jayne, River, don’t spend what you don’t have to on ammo. I know we’ve got some cash ready for a rainy day, but I don’t want to hear the thunder rollin’ quite yet. And that means no Protolluvial rounds.” River pouted but he ignored it. “Zoe, you’re helping Kaylee with those couple of parts we need – although why we need ‘em is a mystery