Simon knew that he made the right decision getting River away from the Blue Hands and the Alliance Company. He had quickly given up his solo career along with selling everything including his keyboard just to get them to Persephone.

Simon had gone to his father when he had started hearing allegations of drug abuse. But his parents were still happy that she had been picked from her whole class for the Blue Hands.

On the bridge Zoe and Mal were talking.

"Who's going with you tomorrow to met Badger?" Zoe asked.

"Jayne," Mal answered leaning against a railing. "Badger gets twitchy when Jayne's around."

The next morning Mal and Jayne were walking through the dusty streets of Persephone.

They reached Badger's place and went into a dimly lit, cluttered store front.

"Well, well, well Captain Mal. Thought you'd forgotten 'bout ol'Badger," Badger said from his seat behind his round table.

"No, not forgotten. Jus' had to straighten out somethings," Mal said looking around the place. Thought he saw some music sheets but he wasn't sure because of the dust on them.

"Heard that you'd jesu Bester," Badger said with a smirk. "So, where are the rest of your "Browncoats"?"

"What's the gig Badger?" asked Jayne starting to lean forward over and above Badger.

"Alright, alright. No need to get tetchy," said the smaller man. "It's a gig on Greenleaf. A celebration of some sort but since you're missing a member, I'll cut my share down to 45%."

"I was thinkin' 25%," Mal said.

"Mal, Mal. I could 'ave given this gig to any of my other clients but I thought of you and your crew first," said Badger in his accented English.

"Still thinkin' 25% even with a new member," Mal said.

"Good on you," Badger said. "I'm sure he'll be more reliable than Bester was."

Mal thought a