Jayne was in his bunk, polishing Vera. It was going to be several days before they got to the next landfall and he needed something to do. He'd done physical workout - several times a day - completed his share of the chores and now there wasn't much of anything to do until supper time. He closed his eyes and his mouth drifted into a slow smile as he remembered...

***

The planet Beltane. Red dust, cactus. A relatively small habitable landmass, about the size of Australia-that-was, set in a huge emerald sea sprinkled with coral atolls and two ice caps at the poles. Pretty in a starkly beautful way, with luxuriously painted deserts, a giant waterfall that made Niagara look like a trickle, fierce lightning storms. And one major settlement called Hine Moa. Jayne had gone there on the promise of gems in the desert and been caught red-handed, digging where it was taboo. He was pretty big by most guys' standards, but the two dark-skinned fellas who dragged him into town were bigger. Turned out they were descended from Maori warriors, way back. He caught muttered threats of punishment and wondered who the Mr Big was round here. Firm hands flung him in the dust.

Jayne saw shoes first. Black, suede, feminine,with a heel. His eyebrows flicked slightly, then rose even higher when he saw the black fishnet stockings. Especially as they were on a fine pair of pale female legs. Not that having women in charge was that unusual, he just hadn't expected it here. His gaze rose higher to a dark red bustle, black and dark red corset, very fine curves and the face, currently mostly in shadow. Right on the decolletage - and it was a lovely one, he had to tell himself - a sheriff's badge twinkled. He also heard the unmistakeable sound of several guns and rifles being cocked and stayed very still.

He tried for charm, "Ma'am?"

"Jayne Cobb?"

Jayne bit back a groan of lust. There was something in the crisp schoolmarm tones that went right from his ears to his libido. Her being built like a dream on legs didn't