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Movie Night on Serenity

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"So what was our take, sir?" Zoe's tone was sardonic as she stared at the slim case in the captain's hand, their only payment for many hours’ worth of dangerous work. The bullet hole in Mal's leg could testify to that.

The captain only frowned. "Some kind of Wave from Earth-That-Was," was all he answered before dropping it on the table and heading for the bridge. Zoe followed with a snicker and neither noticed the slim, dark-haired girl who crept out from behind the kitchen's counter and picked up the case with a smile.

xXx

"It looks like it's encrypted onto it," Kaylee muttered as she turned the disc over in her hands. River watched curiously, wondering if the minutes long inspection had yielded anything else. Or, more to the point, if it had yielded anything River hadn't already figured out for herself.

"Can you play it? The captain said it was supposed to be similar to a Wave," she asked as Kaylee fiddled a moment longer.

The perky girl smiled. "Oh sure, I can rig something up right away."

xXx

"What in hell is going on in here?" Mal demanded as he headed for the dining area in search of food. "Kaylee, is this your doin'?"

Kaylee and River both looked up from the connections they had just finished soldering. "We want to watch the Wave, Captain," River said, then frowned. "They didn't have Waves on Earth-That-Was outside of oceans."

Mal scrubbed a hand across his face and sighed. There went a peaceful dinner.

xXx

"This is the story of how I died."

"Who's dyin'?" Jayne asked as he stuck his head into the dark dining area. "Can I help?"

Kaylee laughed and Zoe threw a cushion at the mercenary. "It's a Wave from Earth-That-Was," River supplied. "You should come watch it with us."

Jayne looked over the gathered company and shook his head. Everyone down to the Doc and Inara were there, and the Doc and Kaylee were smuggled a mite too close. "Don't mind if I do," he agreed and proceeded to plop himself down between Simon and Kaylee.

xXx

"What in ruttin' hell are we watching?" Jayne almost shouted.

"Shhh," were the answers from all around.

"She's got hair that glows!" he added.

"SHHH!"

xXx

Mal snorted at the frog. Weren't no animals with that kind of sense. Zoe snickered at him as she glanced over. "The things my man would say, Captain."

He agreed.

xXx

"Ya know, that horse kind of looks like River does when we don't listen to her," Jayne commented.

He didn't have a chance to duck before the cushion hit him in the face.

xXx

"I don't think that was a proper Wave."

"If I recall correctly," Inara supplied, "Earth-That-Was had Waves that were created solely for viewing entertainment."

River speculated for a moment. "We have things like that now. But not like this."

Kaylee just laughed. "Who cares? It was wonderful!"

xXx

It wasn't till much later that Jayne headed for the shower, never noticing as he passed River on the way. She just smirked as she held up a Wave capture and followed him.

"Tanned and rested and alone," the big man muttered softly somewhat on tune. "Surrounded by enormous piles of money." He smiled lecherously at the thought and disappeared through a door.

River smiled maliciously, fiddled with the capture for a moment, then hit send.