Part One

River stared inquisitively at a pot of lip shine, decoding the list of ingredients.  "Illogical--formulated to dry the skin, make it crack.  Who would buy this?" she demanded.  She and Kaylee had taken advantage of the crew's early arrival on Boros to spend some time shopping.  River seldom wanted to buy anything, but she liked to look.

Kaylee looked over her shoulder.  "Well, it's a pretty color...guess maybe they didn't know it does that?"

River shook her head.  "Couldn't not.  Planned to ensure that the naked lips would be ugly.  Do all cosmetics do that? Ruin as they enhance?" she asked Kaylee.

"Don't altogether know, sweetie." She sighed a little. "I've never really been much for makin' myself up. Never could get it to look quite right. 'Nara tried a few times, but I just looked like someone had painted my face real thick, not pretty and elegant like she did." She eyed the pot of gloss. "That'd be a nice color on you, though," she said mischievously.

River wrinkled her nose a little. "Too red. Wicked and sinful."

"If you say so," Kaylee replied. Her eyes grew wide as she spotted a rack of dresses on the other side of the store.

River laughed.  "Go well with your shoes," she teased.  She'd lost interest in her own pilfered shoes not long after the heist, and had given them to Kaylee. 

"Have to make sure the cap'n didn't see me," Kaylee giggled, then sobered.  "Hope he's okay."

They were interrupted as a rather chunky, fair man with sideburns leaned in between them to pick up a pair of stockings.  "Hey, Jessie, baby, how about these? These are just...so you," he said, running a hand over the smoothness of them.

Kaylee looked at River and mouthed, "Wash," even as she glanced around interestedly to see whom the man was with.

A tall, brunette woman stood beside the man, a grim expression on her face. Her hair was pulled back into a tight braid, and her arms were folded across her chest. "I haven't worn stockings like that in years, Billy," she pointed out. "I'm certainly not about to start now."

Billy rolled his eyes and took his hand away. "Well, what did you plan on spending your money on? Enlighten me."

River watched the exchange with interest. They were almost Zoe and Wash, but something was… off about them.

"This isn't exactly the time to be lavish.  We're here to find work, remember? Not spend the proceeds of it," she said, turning away to look at some nail varnish that promised a "steel-hard lacquer."

Billy shrugged, pushing the stockings discreetly into his pocket and glancing around.

"Bad man," River said firmly, glaring at him.  It was a small shop, just hanging on in the seedy neighborhood of the Maidenhead.  It wasn't the kind of place Serenity's crew pilfered from.

Jessie turned, her face set in anger.  "You say something to my husband, young lady?" Her teeth were gritted.

Kaylee hastened to stand beside River. "It's nothin', ma'am," she told them hurriedly. "We don't want any trouble, do we?" She gazed imploringly at her friend and squeezed her hand, willing her to let the subject drop.

River eyed Billy's pocket. "You should put them back. Upsetting the balance. People will find out what you did."

"Is that so?" Billy drawled, tilting his head to one side and studying River. "You've got a mouth on you, don't you? Not altogether right."

"For folk that aren't looking for trouble, you sure seem to be asking some," Jessie added, hand roaming to rest ever-so-casually on her holstered weapon.

Kaylee let out a tiny squeak.

"No touching guns," River whispered, staring.

Jessie laughed bitterly.  "You trying to tell me what to do, little girl? Someone sure oughta teach you some manners."

"Don't think that'll be you," came a soft voice from behind her.  Zoe had arrived.  "Kaylee, River." In her voice was an unmistakable command, and the two girls obeyed it, hurrying to her side.  "Any trouble here?" she asked, her tone neutral.

Billy gave a low wolf-whistle, and Jessie turned, eyes narrowed, just sizing up this intruder and the very long gun tucked in her holster.  "Kids these days.  No manners," she said, smiling thinly.

"Funny how things o' that nature take a backseat when loaded guns are involved," Zoe responded coolly, standing a little taller.

"You look a little young to be their mother," Billy observed, looking her up and down with a grin.

"Nobody's mother," Zoe said evenly, refusing to be rattled. "Just crew."

"Crew, huh?" Jessie snorted. "Lookin' for work on Boros?"

"Can't see how that's any o' your business, really," Zoe answered, turning to River and Kaylee. "You done shopping?"

Kaylee nodded hurriedly, moving away from Jessie and Billy.  "What's happenin'? Are you...d'you need us to come with you, since Cap ain't...?"

Zoe shook her head.  "No.  You girls get back to the ship on the double.  Jayne and I will handle things, and we're takin' Wash."

"Captain said stay close," River said, looking a bit put out.  "Gave orders."

"Yeah, well, he didn't giver orders for you to get yourself pinched.  You'll stay on the ship till we know where we are."

"But Zoe, I was gonna try on some of the dresses!" Kaylee protested, but wilted a bit at one of Zoe's looks.  "C'mon, River.  Let's go."

Zoe caught River's wrist briefly and pressed a comm device into her hand.  "Any trouble, you let me know immediately.  You got that?"

"I understand," River said firmly. "Eyes and ears."

"Exactly." Zoe watched as they hurried away, Kaylee already talking non-stop.  Then, giving Jessie and Billy one last hard stare, she spun on her heel and followed the girls out.

"Went and checked out the place like you said," Jayne said, idly scratching his stomach.  "Some real tasty ladies there."

Zoe sighed.  "Don't suppose you noticed anything more useful than that, since I certainly ain't lookin' for pretty ladies, and my husband better not be."

Wash held up his hands.  "Got my own, don't need another." For that, he received a kiss.

"Oh.  Well, they make you check your guns at the door.  An' there's lots of folk about.  Be a bad place for either side to try anything."

Zoe nodded.  "All right, then.  Should be a peaceful discussion."

"If I had a coin for every time I've heard that 'fore a job…" Jayne murmured.

"... you'd be a rich man and we'd likely be rid of you. Everybody wins," Wash finished, grinning.

Jayne glared at their pilot and opened his mouth to speak, but Zoe cut him off. "We ain't got time for squabblin'."

He grumbled something under his breath in reply.

"Here's how this'll be done," Zoe continued. She faced the mercenary. "Jayne. No talking."

Turning to her husband, she added, "And no joking from you. No smiling. And no patting my ass… Okay, just no talking from you, either."

"Who'd have thought Mal was the nice boss?" Wash wondered.

"Anyone who ever tried to grab Zoe's..." Jayne trailed off at the look both were giving him.  "Well, it's true!"

Zoe shook her head.  "Come on.  Practice that no-talking thing," she said, squaring her shoulders and leading them towards the Maidenhead bar.

It became apparent quickly that they weren't the only people expecting to see Fanty and Mingo, and somehow, Zoe wasn't nearly as surprised as she wished she could be to see Jessie and Billy there with their crew, captained by a man whose not-so-covert grins at Serenity's crew made Zoe itch to put a bullet in him just on principle.

As well as the couple River and Kaylee had encountered at the store, Zoe noticed a muscular black man standing with his arms folded, scowling mightily. A quick glance up and down revealed that he was carrying not only guns, but grenades and knives, weapons that could be whipped out without so much as a thought.

Standing beside him was a young man, tall and lean. He was watching everyone and everything carefully, clearly on the alert for danger. His brown hair was cut short and he was dressed simply, a single long-range pistol attached to his hip. His back was to the last member of the group, a pale blonde girl who looked younger than the rest. Her clothes were covered with grime and she was twisting her fingers nervously.

Zoe only knew of Fanty and Mingo by reputation, and was shocked to discover that the two businessmen looked exactly alike, completely identical down to the laces of their shoes.

"You must be Zoe," one of the men greeted her, face breaking into a wide smile. Fanty, perhaps? Or was it Mingo? Oh, hell. "Captain Reynolds' second-in-command."

"Speaking of, we were expecting the Captain to join us," the other twin said, smiling that same smile. "Keen to do a bit of business with us, I'd wager. Will he be along soon?"

"Captain had to be elsewhere.  Contacts from our last job asked him to stay on a day to train their people, as the job went so well.  He agreed and sent us in his place," Zoe said stonily.

"Must not be too eager for the job," said the grinning captain.  He swept Zoe a mock bow.  "Beg pardon, we haven't been introduced.  Captain Jack Scott.  This is my crew: Jessie, Billy, Rafe, Stern and Sarah," he said, indicating the two Zoe had met before, the big man with the weapons, the thin young man, and the girl.  "Guess yours'll be introduced a little faster."

"I'm Zoe," she said shortly.  "These're Wash and Jayne." She turned back to Fanty and Mingo, irritated.  "Captain trusts his crew to negotiate for him.  He knows we can be counted on.  Now, you, on the other hand...didn't tell me we'd be meeting up with another crew."

"Yeah, we might have neglected to mention that little detail," Mingo (or was it Fanty?) conceded. "Won't be too much of a problem though, will it?" He chuckled low in his throat.

"And if it is?" she asked sharply.

The twins laughed again, this time in unison, and moved away from the group to sit at a table. They leaned back in their respective chairs, their hands behind their heads. "Then you can take your skills elsewhere. My brother and I didn't get where we were by being stupid," one of the men began, meeting her gaze. "We've had crews come and go, some better than others. Some that betrayed us. Way we see it, we'll save ourselves a lot of grief if we pick two crews. Doesn't leave any room for... mistakes."

Jayne, having forgotten his earlier orders of staying quiet, or else, cut in. "You decide which one you like best. That's how it works, ain't it?"

Fanty pointed a finger at him.  "Bright lad," he said, his voice sarcastic.  He leaned forward.  "Here's how it works.  We've had a contact, munitions makers, asking us about copper.  Us, we bought a copper mine cheap.  Skilled miners, though, those are expensive."

"As if hauling out chunks of rock were so delicate," Mingo murmured.

"So.  Two mines on Paradiso.  Three days.  Whichever of you has extracted the most ore gets paid for the job, and gets the next one--"

"A good deal more lucrative and criminal," Mingo interposed.

"As well.  That seems fair, doesn't it?" Fanty demanded slyly.

"No," Wash said, his face twisted up in confusion.  "Fair would be giving us a job, and...you know, paying us for it."

"Don't think these two are much for playin' fair, Wash," Zoe pointed out, having given up all hopes of enforcing the no-talking rule.

"Guilty as charged," Mingo replied sunnily.

"So both crews go to Paradiso, muck 'round in the mines and try to come out with the most copper," Jayne repeated dubiously.

"I told you he was a clever one," Fanty pointed out to his brother.

"You always were an excellent judge of character," Mingo replied, winking.

"I have another question," Wash interjected.

"Of course." Fanty waited expectantly.

"A copper mine." The pilot looked incredulous.

"What about it?" Mingo answered tetchily.

"It's - I mean, that's the job. You're shady businessmen, involved in all manner of nefarious doings, and you're getting us to work in a copper mine. A copper mine. That's what you came up with." Wash spread his hands wide. "I mean, are you serious?"

The twins shifted in their seats, annoyed. "Listen, does your crew want this job or not?"

Captain Scott stepped forward.  "If not, I can assure you that my crew will be glad to take on the job, with or without the competition."

"We'll take it," Zoe said flatly.  "Our crew works hard, and we've done all manner of jobs.  We're flexible."

Fanty and Mingo clapped.  "Excellent!" Fanty exclaimed.  He slid a data chip towards Zoe and Captain Scott.  "Map of the mines is on there, each labeled.  Now, no funny business mind.  Honest labor!" The brothers burst into uproarious laughter.

"Yeah," Wash muttered, looking at the other crew, most of whom were grinning.  "Honest."

Zoe stood up.  "We'll look to see you in three days then, Fanty," she said haphazardly.

"I'm Fanty," the other one interjected. 

Jayne gave a little nod to himself and began sidling around Fanty, pulling a piece of twine from his pocket.  Job was weird enough without being able to tell which was which.  He couldn't get access to anything more than the ear, though, but that'd do real well...  He tied it on quickly, pleased.  F for Fanty and S for string...well, F and S rhymed, anyway.

"Jayne!" Zoe exclaimed. He trudged back over to her and Wash, pleased.  That would surely come in handy.

"You don't think he's gonna notice within the next few days that he's got a piece o' string around his ear?!" Zoe hissed

Jayne considered this for a moment. "Well, I wouldn't," he pointed out.

"We know you wouldn't," she murmured, exasperated.

Turning back to the twins, Jayne tried to laugh off the odd behaviour and furtive whispers. "So," he said loudly, cheerily. "Bit o'mining, huh? Shouldn't be too hard." He paused as a sudden thought occurred to him. "Lucky I ain't sick, like - "

Zoe cut him short with a sharp elbow to the ribs.  "We'll be on our way, then," she said briefly.  "See you in three days.  We look forward to doing business with you." She nodded at Jayne and Wash, who both rose.

Captain Scott settled himself at the table with Fanty and Mingo and began speaking in a low voice, "So how close together would these mines be...?"

Simon took the thermometer from Mal's mouth a little reluctantly, sorry to end the temporary silence that had reigned for that brief period. Mal coughed, shifting onto his side. Finally, when he could speak again, he said, "There some reason why we have to be quarantined in the same room? Said yourself we can't do anything but ride it out."

"My room will have to be disinfected after this--and that's a good deal of work. There's no sense in doubling it." Simon looked at the thermometer. Mal's temperature was beginning to be alarmingly high. He turned his face into his arm, facing another coughing fit of his own. His coughs were powerful and painful enough to bring involuntary tears to his eyes.

"Hey now," Mal croaked, worried. "You okay?"

"I don't think that's the word I'd use, exactly," Simon replied with difficulty. His words was becoming steadily more hoarse, and his chest was aching. "But I think I'll struggle on, at least. Don't worry too much about it. You need to focus on getting better yourself."

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm worried," Mal said, his voice rising. "Not only are you not feelin' a hundred percent, I think I can say with some degree o' certainty that I ain't felt this sick in a long time. And you don't seem to be doin' a whole lot about it!"

"Look," Simon pointed out, irritated. "This is not my fault, okay?"

Mal coughed at length in response. "You're the doctor, ain't you? I get sick, it's your fault."

Simon glared and opened up his med kit. "Here," he said, taking out a packet of pills. "These will ease your symptoms some." They were really just glorified cold medicine, but they'd suppress the cough a little and hopefully put Mal to sleep. If Mal slept, Simon could rest, and Simon needed rest.

Mal looked at the pills for a moment, then took the two Simon had given him with a swallow of water. "Don't see what medical science is doin', if they can't treat a simple virus." This followed the lengthy explanation Simon had given three times already about the differences between viruses and bacteria.

"Having naked toga parties," Simon said wearily, sipping at a cup of thin protein milk.

"How're they toga parties if you're--"

"You need a medical degree to understand."

"I'll take your word for that," Mal grunted, leaning back onto his pillow.

"Simon?" Zoe's voice crackled over the intercom.

Replacing the pill bottle, Simon picked up the comm Wash had left him. "Zoe?"

"How's the captain?"

"Just wonderful," Simon answered dryly. "He's just had his meds."

"Well, Fanty and Mingo are wantin' us to head to Paradiso. I thought I'd check with you about grabbin' some meds and the like from the infirmary." Zoe's voice echoed around the room.

"Of course," Simon exhaled. "Well, I'd recommend taking some hydrozapam with you, just to be on the safe side, and you'll need to bring some ivoprovalyn-"

She cut him off. "Doc, that sounds all well and good, but I ain't got a clue what those things are."

"Well, there's not a lot I can do then, is there?" Simon said, exasperated. "I can't leave this room."

"Hold on." The comm clicked off and he waited, puzzled.

"Simon?"

"Yes?" he perked, bringing the comm to his mouth again.

"I'm in the infirmary now. Just describe what you want me to grab. What the bottles look like and such."

"All right, then," he nodded, even though she couldn't see him. "Okay. Hydrozapam. It's in a small vial with a red label - "

" --And the blue writing?"

"No!" Simon exclaimed, horrified. "Not that one. That's propoxin. You - you don't want to know what that's for."

"Oh, is it the one with the pink lid?"

"No, not that one, either," Simon sighed.

There was a pause. "Maybe I'll just leave it. We can take our chances, buy some stuff on Paradiso."

"That might be best," Simon agreed, relieved.

"Is the captain there? Think I should let him know what's what with this job Fanty and Mingo are givin' us."

Simon looked over at the captain, who was beginning to look more than a bit glazed. "Captain? Zoe wants to speak with you."

"Yup," Mal grunted, swinging his legs off the bed and making his way over to the comm.. "Hey, Zoe. How you feelin'?"

"Just fine, sir," Zoe replied, lifting an eyebrow. "And you?"

"Yeah, I'm okay. I um...Simon gave me some pills." Mal glanced over his shoulder. "Ain't so bad."

"Well, that's good. Wanted to let you know--Fanty and Mingo had a funny setup going. Had us there and another crew. They uh--they want us to mine copper ore so they can decide which crew they want to work their next job," Zoe said, cringing slightly.

"Copper, huh? You know, my ma had some nice copper tins she used to make cakes and such in. Nice and shiny," Mal said reflectively.

"I'm...sure they were," she answered, a little bemused. She hesitated. "Sir, you don't, uh - don't find anything odd about us working in the mines? Never much thought of us as the laborin' type. You sure it's all okay?"

"It's all shiny, Zoe," Mal told her firmly. "You just keep…" He trailed off. "Just keep doin' what you're doin', while I'm nappin'," he finished. Then he giggled.

"Oh, God," Zoe groaned. "You're giggling. Simon, what in the hell did you give him? You drugging the captain now?"

"Hey," Simon said defensively. "Have you ever dealt with him sick?"

"Wish I could say I hadn't," Zoe sighed. "You don't want to know what he's like with a case of trenchfoot."

"All right," Zoe said seriously. "We're facin' a pretty big challenge here, 'specially as their crew seems to be a bit longer on muscle than ours right now. This ain't precisely the kind of work this crew was put together to handle, after all."

Jayne jerked his head at River. "Yeah, she ain't gonna be much good."

"Small frame," River said firmly. "Good for enclosed spaces that get ape-men into trouble."

Zoe nodded. "That's about the size of it. We'll need to learn the layout of the mine fast, and River and Kaylee will both be useful there. Plus, moving barrows of ore don't take too much muscle, just application. They'll both have enough work to keep 'em busy."

"We can take the canary in, check for gases," Kaylee pointed out helpfully.

Zoe paused. "I don't know about that. Don't want the two of you findin' yourselves in too much danger, River in particular. Simon'll have my head."

"Not sure how I'd cope with a headless wife," Wash observed, winking at her. "You'd still be pretty, of course, but I'd feel like something was missing."

"But we don't the Cap'n to be cranky when he wakes up," Kaylee protested. "Want him to see we've done well. That means all hands on deck."

"I suppose you're right," Zoe relented. "But I want Jayne keeping his eyes on the both of you at all times, okay? I don't trust the folk in that crew."

Jayne nodded. "Shifty bunch o' characters, if y'ask me."

"But who's gonna watch over me?" Wash said, mock-plaintively.

Zoe snorted. "You and a pick-axe? Babe, I ain't lettin' you out of my sight, else I'll have me a husband with a wooden leg or some such."

"Mmm...I'm starting to like this mining idea," Wash laughed, putting his arm around her.

"Pretty sure that won't last," Jayne grumbled. "'s rough work."

"Yeah, well," Zoe sighed. "It kinda always is."

"Isn't..." Mal muttered, tossing in his fitful sleep. "Isn't...it was in the trunk."

Simon lifted his head up from his knees. Most of the lights in the room were dim, as the glare hurt his eyes. "Captain?" he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. He'd been coughing himself sick non-stop. He hadn't allowed himself to take the same medication he'd given to Mal, wanting to remain lucid so he could care for the captain.

Getting to his feet, Simon stepped over and looked down at the captain. He was very pale, save for two spots of fever on his cheeks. Simon wondered if the drugs had in fact done anything at all. They certainly didn't seem to be helping the pain, if Mal's persistent groans and grunts were any indication.

Lifting Mal's wrist to check his pulse, Simon glanced at his watch. One hundred, one hundred and one, one hundred and two-

His counting was interrupted when Mal again rolled over suddenly, seized by another fit of coughing. Gasping and wheezing, he lifted watery eyes to Simon, but there was little recognition there.

"River," Mal said hoarsely. "Gotta...she's. Ain't safe...she said, and we gotta..." He began struggling to get out of bed.

"Captain, no," Simon muttered, pushing him back down under the covers. River would always hold the record for worst patient he'd ever had, but Mal wasn't precisely winning any good-conduct prizes.

"Here," he said softly, lifting a cup of barely-heated soup to Mal's lips. He watched as Mal swallowed. "Everything's all right. Zoe and Kaylee promised to watch River. She won't hurt anything." Simon hoped that was true, anyway. He didn't really like the thought of his mei mei down a mineshaft, or what could happen if she had a bad spell.

Mal turned his face away. "Ain't safe," he muttered, closing his eyes. "And it ain't right."

It never failed to surprise Kaylee how easily she could lose River on the ship. One moment their little genius would be standing beside her, the next she would be gone, having spirited off to explore more of Serenity's many nooks and crannies. Kaylee was the mechanic and the ship was her baby, but even she was certain there were places only River could squeeze herself into.

"River!" she called, moving down the steps into the passenger quarters. "Where are you sweetie? Want to show you something I made for us!"

Tucking a lock of hair behind one ear, she glanced into the empty rooms. River sometimes hid under the bed, then dissolved into giggles when Kaylee managed to find her, then tickle her out of hiding. But the crawlspaces beneath both beds were empty.

Stepping out, she moved further along the corridor. "River!"

Kaylee heard a small sniffle.

River was huddled in the passenger lounge, her long hair hiding her face, her whole posture one of despair. Kaylee came closer. "River, sweetie. You know we ain't supposed to be 'round here. Simon said--"

"Simon hurts," River whispered. "And he'll hurt more before it's over." She bit her lip. "He would. Wouldn't listen to quarantine, if I hurt. He would come in and make me better. But he won't let me..."

"Hey!" Kaylee crouched down to face her as best she could. "You know your brother's a genius 'n' all, and he'll take good care of hisself and the cap'n both."

"Captain is confused," River said obstinately. "And it hurts them both, and I don't know why."

"Ain't your job to know why, baby," Kaylee pointed out softly. "Might be this is one o' those things someone else can't fix."

"Hurts me, too," River whispered. "Can't stop thinking, and there's nothing else to take its place."

"Cap'n always says work is always the best way to take your mind off your troubles," Kaylee said firmly. "So that's what we need to do. Zoe's countin' on us to help out with the job. Can you imagine if she only had Jayne to rely on?"

"Scary," River offered, peeking out a little from underneath her sheet of hair.

"Exactly," Kaylee laughed, sitting down opposite River, legs crossed. "It'd be very scary indeed."

Shaking her hair out of her eyes, River peered at what Kaylee held in her hands. "What's that?"

"It's a miner's lamp, for when we're in the mine," Kaylee said proudly. "Just took some innards outta one of the flashlights, rigged it up to a safety helmet, an' look what we got here!" She plopped the hat on River's head, where it sat ridiculously askew, giving River a rather cock-eyed look.

"It ain't that big," Kaylee chuckled, taking it off of River. "I'll add some padding so's it sits better, though.

River sighed, looking towards Simon's room again. "He's getting lost. And there's no Inara to make a path for him."

"No," Kaylee said, a little sadly. Then she sat up, more briskly. "Come on. You help me find some stuff to pad the helmet. We'll have a perfect custom fit by the time we're through." She held her hand out to River, who took it, rising and following docilely.

The lost would just have to find their own paths.

The mule was well laden down with equipment as they approached the mine, Zoe reading the map while Wash drove. River and Kaylee sitting in the back with the canary they'd bought in town, along with prophylactics against Bowden's Disease that would keep them safe as long as their visit wasn't unduly prolonged.

"Kaylee, did you check the fire extinguishers?" Wash called over his shoulder.

"Not since the last time you asked," Kaylee laughed. "Honestly, Wash, copper ain't real flammable anyway, is it?"

He shook his head seriously. "It's the gases in the mines. I mean, yeah, I've heard of coal mines on Earth-That-Was burning for decades, but this is just as dangerous in the short term."

"They're fine," Kaylee said, a little chastened. "We'll be real careful."

"And now...should be just straight ahead, base of that hill," Zoe said, peering forwards.

"There's a lot of dust kicked up," Wash said, surprised. "Looks like someone may have..." He stopped short as they saw another mule parked just in front of the entrance to the mine.

"Oh, hell," Jayne swore. "Looks like we got company already."

"Kaylee, River, you two stick close to Jayne, y'hear?" Zoe instructed. The girls nodded, eyes wide.

Wash braked and swerved, moving to park their mule at a safe distance from that of the other crew. "Everybody off," he called.

Zoe hopped down, a grim expression on her face. "Looks like they've gotten started already," she observed, shouldering her pack.

Wash moved further forward, peering closely at the other crew, who were clustered around one mine. "Wait a second, what are they - ?"

Jayne had his gun out already. "Oh, they are not." He moved forward at a run, not even waiting for Zoe's orders. The others followed.

The other crew broke and scattered some as he approached, but the damage had been done. A lit fuse was burning its way merrily towards a nice little pile of dynamite. In another minute, the explosion would probably be sufficient to collapse the entrance to the mine and render it unworkable.

"Kaylee! Fire extinguisher!" Zoe shouted, and Kaylee handed it off to her. "Jayne, cover 'em." With that, she rushed into the mine, fire extinguisher out.

"Zoe!" Kaylee called after her, voice panicked. "Oh, God..."

A minute passed, and no explosion was forthcoming. Wash was just beginning to grow anxious when Zoe emerged, dynamite in hand, now covered in the discharge from the fire extinguisher. "Nice trick," she said in a tight voice, dropping the explosives and drawing her gun.

The other crew automatically glanced to their captain, who just moved back towards her and shot them all a lazy grin. "Impressed?"

"Not exactly the word I'd use," Zoe spat. "Me, I'm thinkin' 'sabotage' would be more appropriate."

Captain Scott let out a short, sharp laugh. "Tough break, ain't it? But that's the way of the world, missy, in case you hadn't noticed. We need this job. So we plan on doin' whatever it takes to get it. Can't tell me you wouldn't have done the same."

Zoe raised her weapon and pointed it directly at him, twitching with anger. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't just shoot you all where you stand," she said.

Jayne stepped to stand beside her, his own weapon raised. She glanced sideways at him and he gave her a nod.

"Hey!" Wash blurted out, hurrying forward. "Let's not be too hasty with the violence, huh?" He put a hand on Zoe's shoulder. "You wanted to do this right, remember?" he murmured to his wife. "They aren't worth it, and you know it."

"Me, I'm thinkin' they're pretty worth it," Jayne shot back, not lowering his gun.

Zoe stood still for a long moment, but Wash's eyes were intent on her, his hand squeezing her shoulder, grounding her. She didn't want to do this in front of him. Finally, she lowered her gun. "Get out of here, and stay the hell away from our mine, or I'll rethink the decision that I just made, and you won't have time to rethink yours."

Captain Scott stepped back. "Advantage of surprise is gone now anyway," he shrugged. He gestured to his people. "Come on, let's get to work now."

They followed, grumbling, the large black man named Rafe giving Jayne a particularly ugly look before he stepped away to follow.

Wash let out a sigh of relief. "There, see? No violence needed. They went, and now we just have to...get ore out of this mine," he said, some of his cheerfulness ebbing at that.

Kaylee came closer to Zoe and began wiping the grime from the fire extinguisher from her clothes and hair. "I can't believe they did that to us," she glowered, her pretty face twisted into a scowl. "I mean, it's just… just so mean," she finished, dusting her hands off on her overalls.

"Think that was the idea, Kaylee," Zoe pointed out.

"I know," Kaylee agreed. "But it was really mean. Don't y'think, River?"

River, who was stepping delicately around the mine and bending down to sniff at the remaining sulphur, just shrugged her shoulders.

"Yeah, she's real upset," Jayne said sarcastically.

Kaylee paused, as if something had just occurred to her. "What if they try again?"

"We'll just have to make sure that doesn't happen," Zoe replied. "Might have to have one of us guard it at night."

"I ain't doin' it," Jayne grumbled. "Need my beauty rest."

"And that'll take a while," Wash pointed out. "Years, even."

Zoe lifted a weary hand. "Don't start, you two." She glanced at River, who was still poking around. "Maybe River could keep an eye out?"

River looked stricken. "Not allowed," she said brusquely. "Captain's orders. No weapons, remember?" Her voice was more unsure than her words, and her eyes pleaded with Zoe.

Zoe nodded. "That's so," she said, a little ashamed. River was queer about such things. Lord knew the girl could outshoot and outwit near anyone, but she kept clear of it much as she could, and that was how Mal wanted it.

"I...I ain't real good with...I mean, I could sit up an' all, but I don't know..." Kaylee twisted her fingers together nervously.

"All right," Zoe said quietly. "Wash'll keep watch during the day when we're working. Kaylee, that means you'll be workin' even harder, carryin' the axes and movin' the ore. River, you'll explore the shafts and do whatever else is needed. Jayne an' I'll do the heavy labor, and Wash, Jayne and I will take shifts at night. Four hour shifts."

"Oh, don't that sound like fun," Jayne said sarcastically. "Nice long day o' mining, and then I get to sit on my ass in the cold while the rest're in bed."

"Brought lots of wool," River offered. "I can make things for warmth."

Jayne rolled his eyes. "Fine. Might distract you from actin' all creepifyin' for once."

River studiously ignored him, choosing instead to stand beside Kaylee and wait for further instructions from Zoe.

"All right, then," Zoe said. "I think we'd best be getting started, 'fore something else goes wrong."

Continue to Part Two