A little more than thirty hours later, Serenity was ready to leave Persephone, to start on their way back to Lazarus. There had been leavetakings, promises to meet soon, to keep in more regular contact.

“And I’ll let you know if we find one.”

Freya narrowed her eyes at Breed. “Find one what?”

Her oldest friend laughed, a little shame-facedly. “Well, Dillon’s got some feelers out on the possibility of a used Firefly.”

“I told you not to let Bethie –”

“It wasn’t her. It was Ben.”

“Maybe he was the cats-paw, but I’d bet good money on little Miss Tam being behind it.”

“I don’t think I’d take that bet.” Breed shook his head. “Don’t worry, Dillon won’t get something just for the sake of it. And we’ve been saying for a long time that we should get a ship of our own – we can’t keep asking Alex.”

“He doesn’t mind.”

“He didn’t look too happy that River stole Katya.”

“She apologised.” Freya chuckled. “Just.”

“I’ll keep Dillon from buying a junker,” Breed promised.

“You’d be better off buying something new. It’s not like you can’t afford it.”

“Actually, Dillon doesn’t want something new. He’s thinks it might not be safe.”

Freya didn’t speak for a long moment, then nodded. “I understand. Then if you do find something let Kaylee take a look at it before you pay anything.”

“Wouldn’t she mind?”

“Pass up the chance to dig over another Firefly? What do you think?”

They both laughed.

---

In the infirmary another conversation was going on, a variant of one already held more than once.

“I’m half a man, Zoe.”

Zoe looked down at her husband. “Well, technically you’re nine tenths of a man.”

Hank’s jaw dropped. “You worked it out?”

“River did.”

Hank lay back on the medbed. “Right.”

“She went down to twenty decimal places.”

“Ah.”

“She offered to do it to fifty, but Mal offered to show her the air-lock.”

“Good.”

“She was being helpful.”

“Like coming in to tell me about all those gorram prosthetic sites she’s found on the Cortex?