Serenity was a week out from New Canaan and headed for Whitefall- the long way through quiet empty space, just how Mal liked it. Their last job had ended a little rough but they had their coin and supplies, nobody was actively chasin’ them, and nothing horrific had happened in days. Everyone should have been happy. But the atmosphere on the ship was strange and tense. Kaylee, usually their own little spot of bright in the black was tense and edgy and bound to drive everyone to distraction with her unending hunt for some elusive mechanical problem she was positive existed but nobody could find.

Mal had spoken to her about it, tried to make her see sense and convince her nothing was wrong but he had finally given up in defeat. He decided it was a touch of the space madness from being cooped up and he determined to make sure she got off the ship and saw a little fun on Whitefall, such as was available on that rock. They had five days to go ‘till planetfall, baring any of the usual disasters that seemed to be their crapfest destiny. Until then the captain consoled himself with the knowledge that she might be driving everyone crazy but at least she was keeping busy and making any number of little improvements and repairs that needed doin’.

Jayne was also troubled. Somethin’ was nagging at him, irritating him, eluding him. This was not good. Jayne was not built for solving puzzles or cogitatin’ on things. It was what made him good muscle- the ability to react without having to think. Throw a punch, fire a shot, snatch the loot- not because you decided to do it but because that was what you did. A man who slowed down enough to think was dead.

But something was wrong.

Kaylee was upset. She wandered around the ship like an agitated ghost- hammering on this, unscrewing that, opening up panels and examining wires only to close them again. She wasn’t eating much and if the circles under her eyes were any indication she wasn’t sleepin’ much either. And every time he tried to talk to her about it, the gor