On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me eleven pipers piping

Jayne stood watch while Kaylee worked on the conduit. He was standin’ concealed in the bushes while she was out in the open crouched by the fence. He didn’t like it. But it had to be done, they needed to get to the port and grab a ship. Once out of atmo and in the black they could send a wave to Serenity.

He knew the captain would be lookin’ for Kaylee, wouldn’t have given up yet. It was his job to get her to a spot where the captain could find her.

Before she started workin’ he’d done a bit of scoutin’ and been dismayed to find so many guards posted round the perimeter.

He was too big to be standin’ out in the open; although they was facin’ the other way, any of the guards alongside the fence perimeter might see him, open fire, alert security. Kaylee in contrast was hardly visible, layin flat on the ground to work, her brownish clothes givin’ her natural camouflage. But he worried ‘bout her, wanted to be with her, constantly.

Watchin’ her now he could see that she looked real tired, neither of them had slept much the previous night. Jayne was feeling too sick to sleep well and beside he couldn’t keep his eyes off Kaylee.

Kaylee would drift off then wake again shakin and upset. Dreamin’ again. He tried to keep her close, give her comfort. Kept checking she was there. He didn’t think he’d ever be able to let her out of his sight again. So he sat there and watched her sleep.

Now he was watchin’ her work and hopin’ that they’d be leavin’ this rock today.

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The captain had waved first thing this morning to tell them to be ready at a moments notice; he had a plan half-way worked out. So Wash was staving of boredom by walkin’ round the boat checking her readiness. He hoped that for once the plan would work, that Zoë and the others would be alright, and that Kaylee and Jayne would be rescued and they would all return to Serenity.

The boat was as ready as it could be, so he turned to h