Catching Fireflies (Doctor who)

Badgers Betrayal

Mal, Zoe and Jayne were now walking through the riff raff of Persephone's' docks with a defeated look on their faces. Badger realised there was Alliance tracking on the goods and wouldn't pay them. They really needed the money this time.

"I don't understand why we didn't leave that son of a bitch in the pool of his own blood." Jayne said looking around with daggers in his eyes.

"We'd be dead. Can't get payed if your dead." Mal said still looking forward. He just wanted to get back to Serenity and leave as quickly as possible.

"Can't get payed if you crawl away like a bitty little bug neither, gotta share in this job. Ten percent of nothin' is..." He paused. "Let me do the math here. Nothin', and then nothin'."

"So we'll find another buyer on Boros." Zoe said cutting off Jayne. "There's gotta be-"

"Boros is too big. It's crawlin' with Alliance, they could just be waiting for us." Mal said.

"You really think Badger would really sell us out to the feds?" Zoe asked.

"If he hasn't already." Mal said looking at one of the soldiers they passed as they walked back to the ship.

"Alliance catches us with government goods we'll lose the ship." Zoe said matter of factly.

"That's never gonna happen." Mal said.

"Sir." Zoe sighed. "We could just dump the cargo."

Jayne butted in. "No ruttin' way. We ain't had a job in weeks. I didn't sign on this crew to take in the sights. We need ta-"

"Jayne." Mal cut in sternly. "Your mouth is talkin', you might wanna look into that."

"I'm ready to stop talking when you-"

"Buito." Mal said. "We've got nothin' saved." Now talking to Zoe. "Takin' on passengers wont be near enough. We don't get payed for this cargo we don't have enough money to fuel the ship. Let alone keep her in repair. She'd be dead in the water."

"So you do like Badger said. The border planets?" Zoe asked.

"I'm thinkin' Whitefall, maybe talk to Patience."

"Sir we don't wanna deal with Patience again."

"Why not."

"She shot you." Zoe said dead faced.

"Well, yeah she did a bit. Still-"

"So we find somebody else." Zoe said. "Borewitz." She offered.

"He couldn't afford it."

"Holdenboys."

"He wouldn't touch it. You wanna go through the list? Capshaws a brain blown. Grovicks dead."

"He's dead?"

"his town got hit by reavers. Burned it right down." A sickening look passed all of their faces.

"I ain't goin' anywhere near reaver territory." Jayne said. "Them people ain't-"

"Whitefall is the safest and the closest. Been a long time since Patience shot me, and that was due to perfect legitimate conflict of interest. I got no grudge. She owns half that damn moon now. She can afford what we got and she might just need it."

"I still don't think the old lady's the way." Zoe told him.

"I'm not sayin' it wont be tricky. We got no kind of choice." They were now back at the ship and saw a grungy man start to board Serenity.

"Welcome aboard Mr..." Kaylee trailed off.

"Dobson." The man said.

Mal turned to talk to Zoe."We just got to keep our heads down, do the job 'n pray there wont be more surprises." Mal then joined Kaylee taking off the gloves he had on. He noticed a man in a very nice suit with tinted circle glasses. This made Mal a little uncomfortable.

"Please be careful with that." The man said as Wash pulled a large crate onto serenity.

"Mal." Kaylee started. "This is Simon. Simon, this is our captain." Simon nodded his head.

"Captain Reynolds." Simon said.

"Welcome aboard." Mal returned. Mal thought the man was strange. Way too proper for the places he was headed. Mal then turned to walk into the cargo bay. "This all we got?" Mal asked directing the question to Kaylee. She nodded turning to smile at Simon.

Everyone was in the cargo bay now, unpacking what they needed for the night. Mal and Zoe stood together by the stairs.

"Now we have a boat full of citizens right on top of our stolen cargo." Zoe mumbled to Mal. "That's a fun mix."

"Ain't no way in the 'verse they can find that compartment." Mal said. "Even if they were looking for it."

"Why not?" Zoe asked while Mal looked around.

"'Cause."

"Oh yeh. This is gonna go great."

"Anyone gets nosey. Just," Mal started up the steps. "shoot 'em."

"Shoot 'em?" Zoe asked.

"Shoot 'em politely." Zoe tried hard not to roll her eyes.