Title: For a Good Cause
Fandom: : Firefly
Rating: G
Length: 352 Words
Content notes: Pre-Canon, (just before the crew meets Jayne ;))
Summary: The crew discusses their day over the breakfast table.


"Where are we heading today?" Zoe asked over their breakfast of watery protein gruel.

"Got a wave from Korren on Demeter," Mal replied cheerfully. "Seems there's a bit of a bandit problem she could use a little help with."

"Not that I'm looking to turn down a friend in need, but Demeter's practically a Core planet," Zoe replied blandly. "Why don't she call the local alliance unit?"

Mal grinned. Normally he and Zoe both tried to stay out of the Core as much as possible, but when an old friend needed them… "Well, the cargo she's cartin' ain't exactly legal, it seems. Turns out there was a bit of a scuffle with the Mayor's son, and now there's a ban on any kind of strong spirits."

"She's a bootlegger?" Wash asked, surprised. While neither an opponent nor a supporter of unification, Wash was significantly more invested in what was legal than the rest of the crew. But, he was the best out there. And Mal didn't intend for all or even most of their jobs to be on the wrong side of the law. It just happened that this one was.

"It's for a good cause!" Mal replied.

"She still got all them kids to feed?" Zoe asked, a softer than usual expression on her face.

"Wha? Kids?" Wash looked between them questioningly.

Mal grinned. "Korren's taken in a mess of kids made orphans through one means or t'other," he explained. "Equipment accidents, bandits, Alliance action, and the like. Farmin's pretty much all they do on Demeter, and she does a good deal of that too, but with all the kids, she still needs a little here and there to make ends meet."

"Sounds like we go take care of a few bandits," Zoe replied decisively.

Bester wanted into the kitchen just then and immediately grabbed a bowl of the gruel. Plunking himself down at the table he grinned. "So, what are we doing today, Cap?"

"We're going to Demeter," Wash said firmly.

Mal and Zoe exchanged glances, amused at his turnaround. "You heard the man," Mal said cheerfully. "Get us there!"