Saffron wove through the back streets of New Peking, looking for the berth in which Serenity was docked. It was early morning and few people were about. Those that were had their own problems to worry about and hardly turned an eye to the woman in their midst, never mind that that her dress was somewhat spattered with dry blood.

Saffron couldn’t quite believe what had just happened. Of course, she didn’t rightly care if Captain Malcolm Reynolds were alive or dead, but she was feeling a little remorseful and confounded that he’d died at her hand. Still, once she obtained the Lassiter and was on her way, she was pretty sure the wedge of platinum she’d be getting when she fenced it would make up for her killer’s remorse.

Nevertheless, it felt a little off centre to have been instrumental in the death of someone you kind of knew. She wondered how long it would take the rest of the crew to find the body. Not long, if she knew them. They were a tight knit bunch, always looking out for each other. She felt a stab of envy and that led to annoyance. Their “do for each other” attitude put her teeth on edge. Well, this would show them where that kind of investment in others got you. Nowhere but the grave!

She had reached Serenity and slipped inside the small inner bay door, which was standing unlocked. She’d reckoned on having a bit of time to find the Lassiter, after all it was the middle of the night, well, early morning, surely nobody would be up. But, as she crept through the cargo bay, she was startled by the sound of many feet running along the catwalks. She ducked swiftly behind the mule, which was handily placed for spying and watched as pretty much every crewmember issued from the living quarters upstairs into the bay.

Zoë was the first down, strapping on a gun belt and barking orders at the others behind her.

“Jayne, Wash, you’re with me, we’ll head out, have a little scout around, my guess is Saffron won’t’ve gone too far from that bar. She’ll stick to places she knows, places