The Pickup.
Just because Mal’s father says that there’s nothing to worry about, just because the plan seems beyond basic - simple pickup from point A, drop off at point B. Pick up payment from both ends. Easy breezey lemon squeezey, as Mal overheard someone in Milliways say once.
Nope. And he really needs to stop eavesdropping in the bar. It affects his speech patterns too much.
Jayne is with the mule, moving three crates to the small tow-wagon that has never really been replaced even when they went all out for new equipment a couple years back. Zoe is at Mal’s side now, waiting for the man with the shoulder-length curly hair to finish counting platinum in his drawstring purse like an old lady. After about the third or fourth glance of Is this asshole for real? that moves between the two of them, a spiked “Ah ha!” draws their attention back.
“I just had to check; you understand.” Mal doesn’t, since he hasn’t really been listening to the contact’s words so much as his actions - the only action he cares about is the man dropping the double-checked purse into Mal’s hand. Regardless, Mal gives the man a rigid smile just so he can move business along.
Jayne is less than helpful in this attempt. “Mal!” he bellows; Zoe goes to Jayne first while Mal glares at the pudgy businessman to see if he has tried to pull something. Pudgy looks far too nervous now to truly try anything nefarious so Mal meets Jayne.
“There’s damage” is all Jayne gets out before Mal can see the jagged tear through the last crate and he flies immediately back to Pudgy with a scowl and Pudgy is already defending himself, running to the crate and lifting off the lid to assure all involved that the goods are still in pristine condition.
“See? All’s shiny in the ‘verse. Look for yourself.”
So Mal looks. And so does Jayne and Zoe. For good measure, so does Pudgy.
“At least their heads don’t wobble,” Zoe deadpans.
Pudgy’s face lights up. “I didn’t even think of that! Perhaps the next round.”
Mal groans and jumps in the mule to drive back to Serenity.
Nope. And he really needs to stop eavesdropping in the bar. It affects his speech patterns too much.
Jayne is with the mule, moving three crates to the small tow-wagon that has never really been replaced even when they went all out for new equipment a couple years back. Zoe is at Mal’s side now, waiting for the man with the shoulder-length curly hair to finish counting platinum in his drawstring purse like an old lady. After about the third or fourth glance of Is this asshole for real? that moves between the two of them, a spiked “Ah ha!” draws their attention back.
“I just had to check; you understand.” Mal doesn’t, since he hasn’t really been listening to the contact’s words so much as his actions - the only action he cares about is the man dropping the double-checked purse into Mal’s hand. Regardless, Mal gives the man a rigid smile just so he can move business along.
Jayne is less than helpful in this attempt. “Mal!” he bellows; Zoe goes to Jayne first while Mal glares at the pudgy businessman to see if he has tried to pull something. Pudgy looks far too nervous now to truly try anything nefarious so Mal meets Jayne.
“There’s damage” is all Jayne gets out before Mal can see the jagged tear through the last crate and he flies immediately back to Pudgy with a scowl and Pudgy is already defending himself, running to the crate and lifting off the lid to assure all involved that the goods are still in pristine condition.
“See? All’s shiny in the ‘verse. Look for yourself.”
So Mal looks. And so does Jayne and Zoe. For good measure, so does Pudgy.
“At least their heads don’t wobble,” Zoe deadpans.
Pudgy’s face lights up. “I didn’t even think of that! Perhaps the next round.”
Mal groans and jumps in the mule to drive back to Serenity.