"Scary, mama," Hannah sobbed.

"It's okay, baby," Kate soothed. "Uncle Simon's just tearing Uncle Mal a new one, sweetie."

The common room, which had only minute ago been filled with the calm quiet following an exhausting holiday, was now buzzing with anger.

"She's my wife, Mal," Simon shouted. "She's pregnant, for Christ's sake."

"She ain't quite showin' yet," Mal said reasonably. "Outfit should still fit her fine."

"Sending her out on a job could be as good as murder, don't you see?" Simon threw his hands up in the air. "Sometimes I wonder whether you have respect for any human life that's not your own."

"I got respect," Mal said. "I also got respect for the fact that this boat has to keep flyin', an' we can't make that happen 'less we keep workin'."

"Mal, we could live on the sale of the stones for a long while," Wash pointed out. "There's no reason we have to take on another job so soon. We could relax, take it easy for once."

"I ain't lettin' you dress my River up like no common whore," Jayne said darkly. "She ain't common and she sure as hell ain't no whore."

"They ain't gonna be whores," Mal said patiently. "They're gonna be showgirls. 'Nara's already ordered the costumes an' everything."

"Showgirls, huh?" Wash said thoughtfully. "That's, uh, that's quite the mental picture." He cleared his throat. "So, when is this going down?"

"Listen to Daddy defend my honor out there, kiddo," Kate said dryly. "He's really quite the champion, ain't he?"

"Inara is behind you on this?" Simon said, shocked. "I can't believe -"

"It was her idea to head for New Vegas," Mal said smugly. "She's got a friend - former colleague - who's gonna help us with the details, for a cut, but otherwise, this is our job. We ain't workin' for nobody on this. It's all us."

"If anything happens to Kaylee or the baby," Simon warned.

"Will there be a spoon involved?" Mal smirked.

~*~

New Vegas was one of two moons that orbited Isis. The moons, called Orleans and New Vegas, were referred to by Isi