It was a hot planet- set a little too close to the sun for Kaylee’s comfort and she had stripped her coveralls down to pool at her waist. The bright green tank top she wore underneath was cooler but she was still too hot. She gathered her hair up and twisted it around before groping in her pockets for something to keep it in place with. Her hand closed around a chopstick that for the life of her she couldn’t remember the origins of- but she didn’t care. She stuck it roughly through the bun and smiled at the relief the cool breeze on her neck provided.

Kaylee’s eyes flicked over to where Jayne was examining a part with a confused look on his face, like he was trying to determine what possible purpose it could serve. She watched him turn it over and shake it- as though that would tell him anything about what it did. With an amused shake of her head she walked over and gently took the part from him, “It’s a port exhaust manifold.” She explained setting it down on the table. “Not the right size for Serenity, though.”

“I knew that.” He said gruffly.

Kaylee laughed, “’Course ya, did. Maybe you should be the ship’s mechanic and I’ll be the muscle.” The suggestion was light- just a joke but as she said it Kaylee stopped laughing. She remembered Niska’s station and just recently Jubal Early. She looked down at the part, frowning as she picked at a flaw in the metal. As though she would ever be anything but the weakest link, she thought.

Jayne was watching her intently, though she didn’t see it. His voice roused her from her thoughts and when she looked back up at him his expression was his usual scowl, “You just want a bigger cut, s’all.”

That made her smile a little, “Who says I don’t get a bigger cut than you now?” She asked teasingly.

“What?!” His outrage had her laughing outright, as they moved on to the next parts stall. Mal had sent them out looking for a part Kaylee had warned him might need replacing soon, as well as some other necessaries. This world, called Radiance (though there was nothi