The engines of the firefly roared, parting the pervading dust of the air just enough to reveal one of persephone's crimson sunsets blossoming into view as Wash briskly battled the fierce winds emanating from the south.

"Well, ain't that jus' the prettiest thing you ever saw, Wash?" Mal's lightly sarcastic tones echoed up the corridor just seconds before the captain himself strode into the cockpit.

"Landing's gonna be a little rough," the laconic pilot grunted before turning back to wrestling the controls. "Sandstorms." He managed to add as a particularly violent tremor almost knocked over his dinosaurs. "Well," continued Mal, "you tell me if we crash an' die, or somethin', cos I didn't come all this way to have to clear up someone's blood off my ship, got it?" The captain left, readying the officer's pistol he still carried in his belt. Wash grappled harder with the thrusters as he eventually managed to roughly scrape the dilapidated hulk into a clearing outside of a small settlement, sighing with contented relief as he did so. "She's got a few adventures in her left." Small figures entered the cockpit's range of vision, originating from the cargo bay. Wash recognised them as Mal, his wife Zoe, and Jayne heading off in the direction of the settlement. Maybe someday they'd take him with them. He could do with some fresh air. He could handle firefights. Well, he could handle being fired.

"What's the mission then, captain?"

"Jayne, do you not already know? Sir, why does Jayne not know where we're going?"

Mal looked behind him at Jayne and Zoe, a few yards behind him. He stopped and turned.

"I thought you were gonna tell him, Zoe."

"Tell me what, Gorramit? We're not stoppin' off at Canton again after this are we?"

Mal laughed. "No, but that's not a bad idea. Just goin' to set up a few contacts is all. Big shipment of weapons headed round these parts that's in good need of stealin'. Need to know where it is."

"Then why'd I have to bring Vera?"

"Did you not here a word jus' came out of my mouth? I recall