TITLE: Violent Heart (Chpt. 1 of 6)

AUTHOR: DesertDragon

Rated R

Kaylee/Jayne

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Disclaimer: Mutant Enemy & Joss Whedon own all; all's I got is this shiny bottle of scotch.

CHAPTER ONE: THE SLAUGHTERED LAMB

Prolog: [Present day - 2517]

Heat is a hard element to control. Especially in a confined space. Like Serenity. No windows on a ship. You can walk down the metal corridors and literally see and smell the air burning. Shimmering on steel. Creeping into your brain. Making you loopy. Kaylee was deep in the engine room, her palms so slippery, she kept dropping the wrench. It clattered to the grate a fourth time before she realized it was time to take a break. Too unbearable. A week ago the temperature stabilizers went crazy on ship, but thanks to the Captain (and the stop they made on Outpost 10) she now had the parts to repair her.

Should've stayed on 10, Kaylee rambled to herself. At least then we'd still have some fresh air to escape into.

But as it always went on this side of the 'verse, you fix one thing and something else goes wonky. Or make that some one else.

Case in point:

Jayne was sitting at the dinner table, one long leg propped up on a corner, the other stretched under the table, both shoe-less. He was pushed languidly back in his chair, grinning like a wildcat, a set of cards in one hand, and wiggling a sock-clad toe in the direction of Wash.

He, Wash and Zoe were hoarding the kitchen, playing a game of Strip Poker. Playing for coin as well as clothes, not to mention ventilation. As usual, Wash was loosing.

"Ain't no amount of cards gonna help you this time, Red. Just cough it up."

"I feel so violated," Wash mocked, and slid off his shirt.

Truth be told, Jayne wasn't much better off. Kaylee got an eye full of his boxers as she managed to slink past t