Life on this boat. A Firefly story. #fanfic

Meanwhile on Serenity.

Right. Let's see if I can pull off a chapter without Lou in it. She will be mentioned, but not present. Hopefully I get all the "voices" right.
Also... I realise I have screwed up somewhat. Badger is actually on Persephone, not Pandora. My idea was Pandora and her box of trouble is where everything starts in Firefly. But it is actually Persephone, named for the goddess of spring and new beginnings, which also makes sense.
Joss Wheedon, you are a very clever man!
But I will leave it as is for now. It might get fixed at some point.

Once the transport had taken Book and Lou out of the way, Mal gathered the remaining crew for a brief of the plan.
"Here's how it is. I have promised Lou to help find her kids. So far we have had very little idea about where to find them. Badger has given us a name on Demeter, Zoe and Simon have been looking at adoption agencies with no result. Inara? Anything in the area of domestics?"
"No. And my friends at the academies have waved messages back with negative results as well," Inara said.
"So far, adding it all up with the information we got from Duggar, the contact on Demeter is most likely to lead us to the mines on Briseis," Zoe added.
"We need to get the location confirmed, but I would be surprised if they are anywhere else," Mal said.
"But Briseis is a high security rock," Wash stated.
"Yeah, that's just the trouble. To get to the mines, we need something to trade. They don't let anyone near the mines without a very good reason." Mal said and looked around the room.
"Why don't we just go in and get them by force?" Jayne asked.
"Because it's the platinum mines of Briseis. Platinum, Jayne! Security and alliance army," Wash said.
"I know. I'm just thinking we could get them and run," Jayne mumbled.
"We're not going to be able to do this guns blazing. These are little girls, not boxes of stolen goods. We need a reason," Mal said. "This is why Lou is not here! She'd get the first shuttle out there and get herself arrested or dumped into the mines."
"So what's the plan, captain," Kaylee asked.
"We need trade. Something they need at the mines. And we need a plan of how to get the girls into Serenity," Mal said.
"Platinum is a collusion of six metals occuring close to eachother in the periodic table. In the 1500s spanish miners in central America threw it out as a contaminant in silver. It occurs as a chemical byproduct of nickel, copper and gold production once purified has valuable properties in computers, watches and as jewellery," River said counting her fingers.
"Will you be quiet?" Jayne muttered.
"Actually... she might have a point," Simon smiled.
"How so?" Mal asked.
"Platinum in itself is a byproduct of copper, but on Briseis, the copper is the byproduct that needs to be taken away. Copper has metal value as an electric conductor and is valuable in industry," Simon explained.
"So if we find a buyer who wants copper, we have ourselves half a reason for going there?" Mal asked.
"I think I know who to ask," Inara smiled.
"Who?" Mal asked.
"Sir Warwick Harrow," she said.
"The guy with the cows? From that fancy shindig?" Mal asked.
"Yes," Inara said.
"I got stabbed last time we had dealings with him," Mal said.
"That was not on account of him. You were in a duel," Inara reminded him.
"Yeah. I still have the scar! Wanna see?" Mal said.
"I was there. I saw it being made. I don't need a reminder," Inara smiled.
"He owns big industry right?" Mal asked.
"Yes. Quite a respected and successful man," Inara said.
"Huh... you are getting good at this, Inara. I think we might make a decent criminal out of you yet," Mal grinned at her.
"Bad influences will do that to a girl," she replied with a smile.
"Will you set up a meeting?" Mal asked Inara.

Some time later, Mal and Zoe were in a brightly lit room with colourful wallpapers and multiple chandeliers. They were sat in soft chairs oposite Harrow who having heard their plan with attention.
"These children. Who's are they and why are they important?" He asked.
"They are my brother's children," Mal admitted, finding an odd sense of pride in saying it out loud.
"And your brother?" Harrow asked.
"He was murdered by the same people that took the children," Zoe said.
"That sounds like a damned shame," the businesses man said.
He thought for a moment.
"If I am to help you out, I need guarantees that you will actually get me the copper. And I have a job I need done first to prove your honesty. I saw your courage and honor last time we had dealings, but this sounds like more than just hurt pride," he said before describing a job involving shifting some crates out of a warehouse and into his factories on Demeter.
"What's the risk?" Mal asked.
"The warehouse is guarded. Nothing you can't get past," he said.
"Sounds like trouble, sir," Zoe mumbled.
"If you can do this little moving job for me, I will not only buy whatever copper you get hold of. I will message a business contact on Briseis and set up your copper deal for you. The children, however, you will have to find a way to liberate on your own," Harrow offered.

Inara found Jayne sitting in the common room sharpening his knife halfheartedly.
"Are you okay," she asked him.
"Yeah, just waitin for something to happen," he said.
"Oh I am quite sure Mal has something lined up," she said.
Jayne nodded.
"Can I sit down for a moment?" Inara asked.
"Ain't nobody here to stop you," he said.
Inara studied him for a moment.
"What are your feelings for Lou?" She asked, having decided on a direct approach.
Jayne shrugged.
"She might be tough on the outside, but you need to understand that she is also vulnerable and insecure," Inara said.
"Yea," he muttered.
"I have never met anyone with such a capacity for love. That is so rare in a person," Inara smiled.
He said nothing.
"But there is a special part of her heart that she keeps closed off. I think there is a chance for you to open that part," Inara said.
He looked at her suspiciously.
"I just want to ask you to take things a bit easy. If you care about her, know that there are other ways of showing her. You don't have to rush her to your cabin to prove your feelings for her," she told him.
"Then what..?" He asked.
"Let her set the pace. It might be slower than you want, but it will be worth your patience. She will love you even more if she trusts you," Inara advised.
He looked confused.
"You'll figure it out," Inara smiled.

A short while later, Mal had Zoe and Jayne all ready for a trip around town. Zoe was driving the mule down to the warehouse dropping Jayne at a side entrance muttering something about not getting a profit out of little children.
Once the mule was parked, Mal and Zoe dressed in overalls ready to pose as safety inspectors.
They knocked on the door and a suspicious looking man opened the door.
"Hello. We are here from the electric inspection company to check your wiring. Mind if we come in?" Mal said in his most polite manner. The man slammed the door shut and Zoe got a gun out trained on the lock. When the door did not open again Zoe shot it open and they entered.
"I guess they did mind," Mal said  looking around at five armed guards surrounding them.
"Jayne! Now!" Mal ordered into his com resulting in a series of automatic gun shots to the side door and the sound of the door slamming open. Three of the five guards ran to the side door to investigate.
"I'm in," Jayne reported.
"We noticed," Mal stated calmly.
The two guards remaining aimed at Zoe and Mal,  but were rewarded with having guns pointed back towards them.
A couple of shots later, Mal and Zoe were heading into the warehouse searching for the crates to be transported.
Suddenly they heard a burst of swearing and shooting before Jayne came running out from behind a set of shelves lugging a hand trolley loaded with crates.
"I think we'd better go, boss. I might have pissed them off," he said speeding past. Behind him, the three guards came running followed by another five, all armed and aiming for Jayne.
"Take cover," Mal said and crouched behind a crate on the floor before shooting at the first two. Within a couple of minutes they had fired more bullets than they wanted and were on the mule going back. Zoe had received a bullet to the arm but they were otherwise unharmed.
They drove back to Serenity without followers.

Once inside, Mal waved Harrow to tell him they had his goods and was given the name of a contact on Demeter who would grant access to Briseis.
"Expect trouble. Demetrians are famous for not trusting outsiders," Harrow warned.

Up in the kitchen, Kaylee was cooking.
"I think I might have to get Lou to give me classes on this," she said stirring protein into a stew.
"What you cook is edible enough though," Simon replied.
"Yes, but she makes it seem so simple," Kaylee complained.
Simon walked over and dipped a finger into the pot to taste.
"It might need some seasoning," he agreed.
"It does?" Kaylee asked looking disappointed.
"Just salt... or herbs," Simon smiled at her.
"Oh... yeah..." Kaylee smiled.
"You are a fine cook. It's just a sorry lack of ingredients that hinders you," he said.
"Are you two still just moon-eyeing eachother," Jayne grinned from the doorway, watching the subtle flirting.
"What do you mean?" Simon asked.
"Just that some of us have got a way with the ladies and you obviously don't, fancy pants," Jayne teased and left them.
"I've been waiting for that," Simon said trying not to be offended.