Freedom’s cry

Spoilers- up to Objects in Space, no movie spoilers.

Disclaimer- characters don’t belong to us, except Rae, kinda.

xxx

Chapter 1

Meal time on Serenity.

Weren’t nothin’ better than sittin’ down to a meal after a big job. Sure the meal ain’t nothin’ to be proud of, basically a whole lotta protein dressed up nice so’s it looks like food, but it gave Mal time to sit with his crew, to see how they were. Even if watching Jayne eat was akin to a Reaver attack, the man had no clue about manners and a strange inclination to make his own symphony of gorram chewing sounds. Mal woulda asked him to keep his mouth closed but he tended to shy away from being sprayed with food. Jayne liked to talk with his mouth full more often than not.

“Sure is a fine meal, lil’ Kaylee.” Mal said, gesturing to the plate in front of him.

“Ain’t nothin’,” Kaylee replied with her usual sweet smile. “Just a bunch of protein.”

“Well, we get to share it with each other and that makes for a fine meal.”

A loud noise echoed through the dining room and for a moment everyone thought there had been an explosion aboard Serenity. Turned out to be Jayne releasing one of his unwelcomed belches.

“Jayne, you’ve reached rock bottom.” Mal told the burly mercenary. Jayne simply glanced at Mal and belched again. “And now you’re startin’ to dig. Next time you do that, you’re excused from this table.”

Jayne didn’t look at Mal and that meant he knew he was serious. Mal tolerated Jayne to a certain extent but he always drew the line at one point or another. This was one of those times. Weren’t nothin’ gonna interrupt this meal again.

“Mal.”

The crackling voice over the comm shattered the silence and with it any hope of an uninterrupted dinner. Mal got off his chair still chewing the bite of food he’d just taken. He walked over to the comm terminal against the wall and pushed a button.

“Yeah, Wash.”

“Mal, you got a wave.”

“Patch it through to here.”

“Righty-o captain.”

Mal fiddled with the controls and