When this all started, Mal expected Jayne to lie or beg or something. He didn't expect for the man to stop him with a question about what he would tell the others. The next words are even more of a surprise.
"Don't tell 'em what I done. Make somethin' up."
Jayne looks pathetic and desperate behind the small pane of plexiglass. He looks like a man who would say anything at this point. It doesn't suit him.
Behind him, Mal can just see the open edge of the hatch. Being sucked through that little hole, stretched out and bloodied, that ain't a way for no person to die. He wonders if River might have words on if Jayne would already be dead by the time he got pulled through the gap. Maybe of shock or some such.
Sucked thin and squeezed outta a little gap ain't a decent way to die, even for folks who betray. Better to either just give Jayne another chance, or open the hatch all the way and get it over with fast. He thinks about it for a few seconds. Then, reaching down, Mal hits the button and walks away.
At dinner that night, everyone's in high spirits. Simon 's happier than Mal's ever seen him, even if he's still a mite twitchy from adrenaline. River's certainly calm, and there're no cryptic remarks at the table. Wash, Zoe and Kaylee are practically dancing with happiness at the thought of the take they'll get after selling the medicine. Hell, Wash even does a little shimmy when he stands to make some coffee. It makes Kaylee laugh, and Zoe gets that look in her eye, the one that says she'll never stop thanking the stars that she's got Wash as her husband.
Inara seems pleased at the general lightheartedness, and Mal's gotta agree that it's nice for once not to be too worried about finding a job. They'll be set for weeks after they sell the medicine. He's already got a line out on some buyers. And word of this job might get them a few employment offers.
It's Kaylee who asks the question. He ain't surprised. He figured that it would either be her or Simon.
"Where's Jayne?"
He's chewing a mouthful of protein and rice when she asks it. He takes his time swallowing, all the time looking steadily at Kaylee's bright face. After he's had some water, he says, "He's dead."
There's a pause, like it takes everyone a few moments to get caught up. Faces turn to stare at him, and Kaylee laughs, her faith in him unshaken. "Dead tired?"
"No."
Zoe tenses, and Wash looks surprised. It's Simon who speaks next, just like Mal knew he would.
"How?" He's calm, but working himself up to angry if he don't like the answer Mal gives him.
"I blew him out the airlock."
"Cap!" Kaylee's face is shocked, horrified. Simon reaches out to touch her hand, even as he half rises.
"Is there any particular reason you did something so reprehensible, captain?"
Mal expected babble from the others. He thought it might be like when Simon and River came on board, and everyone had an opinion on what should happen to them. He thought Wash would start shooting his mouth off and whispering at Zoe. He expected an indignant 'Mal!' from Inara.
Instead, there's silence after Simon's overly formal question. They're all still watching him, waiting for an explanation.
"Jayne brought the Feds into the hospital."
"What?" Simon sits back down.
"He just got pinched by 'em too. The Feds probably figured they'd keep the reward for themselves."
"And you know this how?"
Mal shrugs. "I ain't stupid. Weren't no reason for him to be around the back of the hospital."
"And so you," Simon pauses, disgust on his face, "just blew him out the airlock."
"I ain't real pleased when someone goes and puts my crew in danger, doc." Inara is looking at him intently, and it makes him itch. He turns away from her when Simon starts talking again.
"Hmm. Forgive me, captain, but I think it's more than that. I think you saw this as a personal betrayal. And I suspect you lost control in response."
Simon says his piece real cool, but Mal can feel the tension in the room get higher. Kaylee's stopped looking like she might cry, and instead is looking back and forth between him and Simon. Zoe's back straightens a little, and Inara, well, Inara looks like she'd come to the same conclusion as Simon, only a little faster.
Mal doesn't reply to Simon, just stares at him. Eventually, Simon says, "I see," and pushes away from the table. He stands, holds his hand out to River, and they walk out of the room.
Mal's left with the others, until Kaylee, then Inara leaves. Wash finally mutters something about checking to see how far out they are from picking up the preacher. It's just him and Zoe left, and after a while, she says,
"There'll be trouble."
He's not prepared for the form the trouble takes. He figured it would be reproachful looks from Kaylee, and lectures from the preacher. Simon, he expected, would get over it when he realised Jayne was no good for any of them. Wash would follow Zoe's lead, the way he eventually always did. Inara would do what she usually did in times of crisis: briefly involve herself in the matters of the crew, then slowly drift away so that she could rebuild the barrier between herself and the others.
He didn't expect Inara to announce that she was leaving. Later, he confronted her about it, and she just looked him up and down, her face somber. "My career depends on people with self-control."
That was all. When Inara left, Kaylee's reproachful looks became ones of betrayal.
And now this. Simon is leaving as well. He listens to Simon's decision that he and River will get off at Beaumonde, and it don't make much sense. He says as much. "I solved the problem. There's a million Jaynes out there, all itching to get their hands on someone like you."
Simon's expression is the haughty one Mal remembers from the very first day they met. "Be that as it may, captain, I'm not convinced that remaining here is any safer."
"Why not?"
There's a long pause, like Simon's trying to find the words. "My primary concern is protecting River. In doing so I can't guarantee that I won't have to take actions that you may interpret as a personal betrayal. I'm not willing to risk my sister's safety because you are unable to control yourself."
Mal considers the fact that he doesn't punch Simon in the mouth an act of supreme self control. Instead, he watches with regret as Simon walks away. He's aware the preacher has been watching the conversation, and he isn't surprised when the man moves out of the shadows.
"I'll be going with them."
Mal nods. "We'll be at Beaumonde in 28 hours."
The preacher nods back, and walks away. All Mal can think is that Kaylee is going to kill him.
She doesn't kill him. Instead, she hugs Simon and River, hands a wrapped up package to the preacher, giving him a meaningful look, and then watches as they walk down the ramp and out of the ship. It's dark outside, Simon and the preacher having figured that would be the best time to slip away. Mal doesn't know their plans. He didn't want to be told. He won't be surprised if, a few months down the line, he finds a report on the cortex about wanted fugitives being caught.
Stupid, he thinks. They're just being stupid. They'll need more help than that of a preacher, even if Mal has long thought Book was more than just the average man of God.
Eventually, Kaylee turns around and sees him standing there. Her expression is harder than he's ever seen. Little Kaylee, not cheerful. It bodes bad times. He tries to smile at her, but he feels it slide right off his face.
"They couldn't trust you."
He shrugs. "What about you?"
She looks uncomfortable. "Don't know. You never done wrong by me, cap. Maybe Jayne was pulling dirty tricks, I don't know. Maybe there was another way. Could be he'd learned his lesson." She shrugs. "Now we'll never know."
"Men like Jayne don't change, Kaylee."
She shakes her head a little. "He weren't all bad. Not all the time." There's a pause, and she says, "He just got mad easy. River cut him up, he was the type who would act back in kind."
Kaylee would see good in everyone, possibly even Niska and his type. Mal has to be more pragmatic.
He doubts she'll leave. She cares too much for Serenity, and besides, she'd be unlikely to find another crew that would treat her this good. Zoe'll stay too, and if Zoe stays, so will Wash. It's a small crew, but they'll be fine. It means a bigger share of the medicine profits too.
Maybe, once they've sold it all, he'll let Wash convince him that it's time for a vacation. That is, if Wash ever gets back to speaking to him in the easy way he used to have.
Turning away from the cargo hatch, Mal seals the doors. They've got the last of the medicine to sell. They know the buyers, so he figures there won't be problems, but they won't wait if Serenity's late. He hits the comm and tells Wash to head for the drop point.
He walks past the infirmary, through the kitchen and common area. The ship's quiet, but that ain't bad. Mal's lived through worse.
FEEDBACK Ana