Chapter 2

Most everyone was sitting around the table in the common area talking about the day, how Mal “lost” his wallet, and the woman who wanted to ship a box to Boros, when Inara glided in.

“Mal, the cargo you picked up is thumping. Is it supposed to do that?”

“Uh, no; it’s just some dresses and other pretties for someone on Boros.” Commented Mal as he shoved his chair back from the table and headed quickly towards the cargo area with everyone thundering after him.

Wash took up the rear and rather thought that they resembled a small herd of stampeding dinosaurs. Shepard Book was a brontosaurus; a large spirit, gentle except when directly threatened. Jayne was apaeotosaurus, a deceptive lizard. Kaylee was a quetzalcoatus, a birdlike creature soaring high above chaos. “Wuh de tyen ah! That box really is thumping.” Exclaimed Wash watching the crate thump back and forth as though someone or something was trying to get out “I hope it’s a beagle. I like beagles.”

“Ten, eleven. Five, six.” muttered River as she rushed out of the cargo bay heading someplace that was of great importance that only she could discern. “Not beagles…” They would have all heard if they had been listening; but, they were staring raptly at the box that was thumping quite rhythmically.

“Cap’n; be careful…said Kaylee quite concernedly as she stood next to Simon watching Mal approach the crate. Reaching the crate, Mal watching it for a minute and then popped the single latch and watched in amazement as the front fell open and a small dirty child fell out clutching a ragged stuffed horse under one arm and a small vicious looking knife in it’s left hand. Kaylee rushed forward to try and comfort or just to do something for the snarling child. Mal grabbed her arm as she tried to kneel down and get close to the child. “Ni hao.” she said gently shaking off Mal’s arm and kneeling down to be at eye level with the child. “Are you ok?”

“Is that a boy or a girl?” whispered Jayne to Wash.

”My name is Kaylee. What’s y