As Rachel and Dex slid the first crate into the oblong smuggling compartment near the stairs, Saul cracked open the other box and ran his fingers across the barrel of one of the sleek weapons. Unprofessional as it might have been, he finally couldn't resist lifting one of the rifles out, just to test its balance and feel its weight in his hands. As she looked up from the compartment, Rachel smiled in spite of herself and nudged Dex. He grinned.

"Should we leave you two alone?"

Saul remembered himself and, with an embarrassed grunt, lowered the gun to his waist. "Think the buyer'd let me keep one o' these?"

Rachel shrugged. "Not on your salary."

Saul nodded, then glanced down at the gun longingly. "Can I have a raise?"

Rachel smiled. His first few months had been awkward, but Saul was finally starting to fit in. He even lifted weights with Dex during their downtime. "Wo men jiang chou. Just get it stowed. I'd rather not have to…" Rachel heard a tap at the door frame behind her and cursed under her breath. Too late.

Sir Anderson straightened out his coat as he stopped dead in the door between the lounge and the cargo bay, Leo trying in vain to get out from behind him. "I apologize, Captain, I don't mean to interrupt, I was just wondering…" He stopped wondering. Despite Dex's attempts to sidle between it and Sir Anderson, it was clear he could see the pentagonal hole in the wall, to say nothing of the terribly expensive-looking weapon the cook was holding. His face twisted into a knowing scowl. "I didn't realize we were taking on cargo at Persephone."

Rachel cleared her throat. "Sir, I…I realize what this must look like, but—"

"Oh, really, Captain? And what exactly does it look like?" Leo tried to restrain his uncle with a look and a touch on the shoulder, but the old man jerked free of his nephew's hand and strided into the cargo bay. "Because to me it looks like my understanding that this was a legitimate transport vessel was less than accurate."

Rachel sighed. This was exactly what she did not need. "Loo