AU - between series and film.

[likeswifesoup]

There were advantages to being the pilot. Being able to sit and watch the world go by out of the cargo bay was one of them. Mal, Zoe and Jayne were off on some deal, Simon and River were... somewhere, and Kaylee had gone to visit a friend of hers on this rock. It wasn't a great planet, their jobs had become harder and harder to get, having to hide

Comments

[bigdamnherosir]

Zoe hates this planet. She decided it before they ever landed, and her gut feelings were usually right. Even when their deal is going smoothly - not totally smooth because that'd be too easy, but smoother than she'd assumed it would - she's tense, just ready to get the hell out of there.

She's driving the mule and makes Jayne sit in the back as she heads back toward Serenity. There's Wash's chair, sans Wash, and she parks the mule inside, hitting the comm. "We're back," she announces, then waits, but gets nothing in return. "Bao bei, we're here." Still nothing

[makesusmighty]

As much as he didn't really like it, he knew Zoe and her instincts regarding Wash were usually spot on. "Jayne, find Kaylee, an' our wandering siblings. See if they know anythin'," he said. No need to panic just yet, but time to get the troops all together. "Find Book as well. He likely went to pray at that Abbey here."

Jayne opened his mouth to protest, but one look from Mal stopped that, and he headed up to the bridge to use the comm there.

[bigdamnherosir]

Zoe looks right at Mal as soon as Jayne's gone.

"Think the deal was a distraction'? Get us away from the boat, someone comes and picks up their brand new pilot?"

[makesusmighty]

Mal pulled a face. "Surely ain't gonna surprise me if that's the case," he said, looking around, seeing if there was anything that gave him any idea where his errant pilot had gone.

He bent down, picking a book up and showing it to Zoe's. "Wash tidies up after himself," he noted.