They hit atmo’ even before Mal had predicted.

He tended to fly faster than Wash had.

Jayne was wrapping one of his guns up in a shirt. He set it down real careful in the bottom of his bag and piled a few more shirts on top of it.

“What’s that fer?”

Kaylee’s head was sticking over the edge of the hatch.

Jayne looked at her and shrugged. “Never know when yer gonna need to shoot someone.”

Kaylee lifted her eyebrows and disappeared for a moment, then reappeared, sashaying down the ladder. Jayne watched her hips sway. Let her see him lookin’ before he turned back to his bag.

“Packing grenades too? Bet you have ‘em folded up real cozy in a stack of unders.”

Jayne looked at her and grinned. “Don’t got no unders to fold ‘em in.”

Kaylee laughed.

“Cap’n wanted me to let you know we hit atmo. Won’t be long ‘fore we land.” She picked a pair of socks off of the bed and folded them together.

Jayne watched her. “Yeah. I could feel it. Mal ain’t as good at flyin’ as Wash was.”

Kaylee set the socks in his bag. “No, he ain’t. But he ain’t the one flyin’. River is.”

“River? That girl’ll kill us all. Likely to freak out and crash us into somethin’. Mal really think that’s a good idea?”

Kaylee was lookin’ at him hard. “River ain’t gonna hurt us. She’s a real smart girl. At least she has somethin’ to do now, stead a wanderin’ around the ship all ghost-like. You should be nicer to her, ya know? Give the poor girl a chance.” She threw another pair of socks into the bag and turned toward the hatch.

Ai ya.

“Kaylee, I didn’t mean no harm by it. I’m just sayin’ is all.”

Kaylee paused halfway up the ladder. “She’s a real nice girl, Jayne. Give ‘er a chance to show ya.”

Jayne watched her disappear through the hatch.

He picked up the rest of his socks and threw them into his bag.

“Ain’t no good gonna come from that.”

***

“There’s a field right over there.” Zoe leaned over River and pointed. “Should be empty this time of year. We can set down there.