“Are you sure about this, Mal?” Zoe asked Mal.

Mal adjusted his wide-brimmed hat. “Even on the Inner Worlds, they've got to get vegetables to market. And I doubt the fine alliance federals are paid so badly they need to shake down citizens for onions.”

“I suppose you're right,” she said. “Although we all look ridiculous in these beat-up clothes.”

“You saw the fellow we bought these onions off. Did he look any better?” Mal asked. “Now shh, we're getting to the Eavesdown Docks now, that's where they'll be waiting for us.”

Zoe lapsed into silence, fixing her veil and glancing at the back of the truck, where Jayne pretended to doze on top of the bags onions, beneath which were their main armaments. Sure enough, the first patrol of federals just waved them past. The second insisted on opening a few bags, but gave it up quickly and moved away, holding their noses. “Like they never smelled dirt before,” Mal muttered.

“We do stink,” drawled Jayne from the back. “I thought that was part of the plan.”

“Alright,” said Mal, steering the truck into an alley. “Here's the back of Badger's. We go in, find out what he wants, then truck back on out the other side of town, where Serenity will come pick us up.”

“I've been meaning to ask, Mal,” Zoe said. “Should we be looking for another pilot, or have you decided to trust our lives to River?”

“Do you have any complaints so far?” Mal replied.

“She did fine today,” Jayne pitched in, “But you never know when she's going to see something and freak out, and that day will be a da-shiong bao-jah-shr duh la doo-tze.”

“Look,” Mal whispered, looking around as he parked the truck. “She's a member of my crew, just like the rest of you, and I decide who does what.”

“Well, not quite like the rest of us,” Zoe shot back. “For one thing--”

“And if you think that's why I let her fly Serenity, you didn't learn much about me in the last 11 years. I would not risk my ship and my crew for something like that.”

“Oh, come out and say it, Mal,” Zoe said. “Beca