Chapter 3: Change in Plans

Wash sat in serious contemplation of the task before him. He’d gotten them this far, to the spot they’d leave Serenity at, but now he had to plot out the rest of the course. They’d leave soon and he still didn’t feel comfortable with the plan. He’d have to fly them in close to the crash site, coordinates which had been entered into the computer. Close enough for walking, which had to be done in pressure suits since Perseis had no atmosphere to speak of. Looking over the schematics for the umpteenth time, he thought it was possible, but there would be no telling until they got there.

“Were you going to tell me?”

Wash didn’t bother turning around. By the tone in her voice he knew what she meant.

“Well?” she persisted.

“I didn’t know I had too,” was his answer.

“Damn it Wash,” Zoe said in frustration, coming around to make him face her. “What is your problem? I thought we’d be okay with this. I knew it would take some time, but…”

Wash said nothing. He didn’t know what he should say and he had no defense.

“You’re right, I should have…”

”Yes. You should have,” she cut in, “First that little episode in the common and now this?”

“I wanted to…”

”What? Protect me?”

“No,” he said reflexively, not fully understanding her meaning. “I’m leaving because I just have too.”

“I don’t need you…” she started and then stopped.

“You’re leaving?” she asked.

“That wasn’t what we were talking about, was it?” he asked in turn.

“I’ll come back later,” Kaylee squeaked from the doorway. Neither had given much notice to her sudden arrival or departure.

“No,” she said stone still.

”I was going to tell you.”

”And now you have.”

Wash ran his hand through the hair on the nape of his neck, not sure what else he should be doing.

“Zoe,” he said as steadily as he could, “I wanted to tell you. I wanted to tell you so many things and I, we just don’t seem to know how to talk to each other anymore.”

“So you’re just going to run away?”

“I’m n