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Never let it be said that Mal Reynolds was a man who wouldn't get his hands dirty, literally or otherwise. Smuggling and transportation weren't the only jobs that Mal took; they were just the most lucrative. He'd been known to take honest work if the money was good enough.
Fruitful was an agricultural planet and it lived up to its name. During the growing season, the planet's population tended the fields, but come harvest time, they needed extra hands to bring in the crops. Considering that Fruitful's farmers tended to pay cash and also give bonuses in fresh produce, Mal tried to time it so that Serenity was in the vicinity at the right time of year.
Wash was exempt from the harvest work, partially because of the need to have someone stay behind who was able to get the ship flying at a moment's notice and partially because of his allergies. Inara, of course, wasn't really a crew member and couldn't be expected to get dirt under her fingernails. Everyone else, though, was drafted for the fields. Even River Tam, although Mal couldn't bring himself to put her down on the list as a paid harvester; the girl was too unreliable for that. Even so, she might be able to help as long as she wasn't too bad of a distraction. Fruitful was a backwater planet even by the Black's standards, so he had no concerns over the Tams being recognized.
"All right, listen up, grubs." The overseer addressed Mal's crew and the other temporary crop workers. "You get paid by the pound, so the more you eat, the less money you make. We see anybody eating more than working, you're gone. We see anybody bein' careless with the crop, you're gone. We see anybody pissing or shitting on the plants, you're gone. Am I clear?"
Mal stepped on Jayne's foot before the big man could say anything.
The overseer nodded in approval when no one voiced a question. "Good. Now, grab a basket and get moving. I see you slacking and what happens?
A dozen voices replied in unison. "We're gone."
"And don't you forget it." He glared at them all. "Now what are you grubs waiting around for, sunlight's wasting. Get moving!"
Mal waited before the overseer moved away before addressing his group. "You heard the man, keep the snacking to a minimum and, Jayne, keep it in your pants."
"But Mal," Jayne whined. "You know I have a small bladder."
"I don't care." Mal was implacable. "Hold it until your eyes turn yellow."
They spread out amongst the available rows. Mal was tempted to take one next to Simon, but figured he'd be too distracted by watching the young man's backside as he bent over to pick the green beans they'd be harvesting. Instead, Mal took the row on the end of his group, with Zoe taking the far end on the other side. That way, his crew was sandwiched between the two most reliable of their group and would as protected as Mal could manage. Jayne was next to Mal, with the others in no particular order.
At the outset, Mal kept an eye on his people, mostly to make sure that Jayne wasn't doing what he oughtn't. Mal did notice that River seemed to be darting between Simon and Kaylee's rows, but since she wasn't doing any damage that Mal could see, he didn't protest.
Harvesting had a rhythm all its own and it was almost hypnotic. His fingers found the beans and twisted them off the stem almost of their own accord. The sun beat down and Mal could feel his skin drinking it in. He loved Serenity, but nothing could beat natural sunlight. The rays warmed the earth up and it made Mal think of his childhood, smelling the scent coming up from the ground. He was in his own little world, at the moment responsible to no one and nothing but the land. Outside of Simon's arms, it was the closest to peace that Mal had found in a long time.
Which, of course, meant that it couldn't last.
"Captain!" The urgency in Zoe's voice brought Mal out of his reverie.
"What?" Mal knocked over his bucket of beans as he stood and gorram take it if that counted as being careless with the crop.
Zoe gestured him over. "It's Simon."
Fear sharpened in Mal's belly as he trotted over. "What is it?"
As he approached, he could see that Simon was on the ground. All of the others except for Jayne hovered over him.
It was Book who answered Mal's question. "I think he got too much sun."
The sun which had seemed so welcome to Mal earlier radiated down on them and Mal realized how hot it actually was. The sun was also lower in the sky than he expected, Mal had lost more time picking beans than he thought. As he dropped to his knees, Mal realized that Simon's eye were closed and his skin was unusually pink.
"Baobei, where's your hat?" Mal patted Simon's cheek, trying to get the younger man's attention. He noticed that Simon's skin was dry – not a good sign.
"He gave it to River." Kaylee's voice trembled. "She lost hers."
"Tzao-gao, he knows better than that," Mal growled. "He's a doctor."
"What's going on here," the overseer sauntered over. "You grubs having a party?"
"The boy's got a case of sunstroke," Book told him. Mal was grateful to the shepherd for jumping. He would have throttled the overseer, which wouldn't have helped Simon and would have lost them their wages.
"Heh. Imagine that." The overseer looked more amused than concerned. "Boy looks like more suited to work in a bed than roll in the dirt. Not that there's much difference."
Zoe stepped in and put a hand on Mal's shoulder, keeping him from rising and wiping the leer off the overseer's face. "Do you have a place where we can cool him down?"
Given her deadpan delivery, Mal wasn't sure if she was referring cooling Simon down or Mal's temper.
"Aid station over there," the overseer pointed to a ramshackle building nearby. "But the longer you take tending to your sweetie, the less time you have for picking."
"Don't worry, this won't take long." Mal got his arms under Simon and carefully lifted the young man over his shoulder. He was torn, he couldn't leave Simon, but they also needed to pick as much of the crop as they could to maximize their pay. "Get back to work."
"But Simon. . . " Kaylee protested. She wasn't still sweet on Simon, not since he and Mal had become lovers, but she was tenderhearted about all of the crew, even Jayne.
"Zoe, radio Inara to come sit with him," Mal explained. His second in command nodded and step aside to put his order in action. Mal started towards the aide station, but River stepped in front of him. He was about to snap at the girl, but stopped when he saw the look on her face as she stroked her brother's hair.
"The sun wanted to kiss me, but the hat got in the way." River explained softly. "Ge ge doesn't think I'm old enough for kisses, so he made me wear his. I'm sorry."
Mal smiled and kissed her on the top of her head. ""That's okay, mei-mei. Next time you'll know to keep the hat on. If you want to make it up to him, though, you could try picking some of Simon's beans."
River looked uncertain. "But the baby beans cry; they don't want to be separated from the mother plant."
Simon was smaller than Mal, but still heavy. He shifted the young man on his shoulder and thought fast. "Yes, but just think of the adventure they're going on. They'll never get to experience being bean salad if they never leave home."
Jayne snickered and even Zoe, who was done with her communication, seemed amused at hearing her hardened captain saying something so absurd. River, though, took Mal's words to heart.
"Adventures are good," she said solemnly. She knelt where Simon had left off and Mal was pleased to see that her delicate hands were graceful as they rapidly picked beans.
Mal gave Zoe another nod as he walked away, silently transferring oversight of their crew to her. They'd done it hundreds of times and she just calmly nodded back. Relieved that he at least wouldn't have to worry about his people, he hoofed it to the aide building.
The inside of the small wooden structure was pretty barren, consisting of a few cots and a large sink in the back. Mal gently settled Simon on the cot furthest away from the door and therefore beyond the reach of the sun. He quickly made a beeline to the sink. There were basins stacked near it, along with some cloths that looked clean. Despite the overseer's attitude, apparently they were prepared for workers overheating. Mal quickly pumped until he got the water going, then kept at it until the water that flowed was nice and cool. Once that happened, he filled a basin and grabbed a handful of cloths before heading back to Simon
With a gentleness he rarely showed to anyone but the Tams, Mal wet a cloth and carefully ran it over Simon's face. When it didn't drip with moisture anymore, Mal repeated the action, only going lower for the next swipe. By the time Simon started stirring, Mal had opened the younger man's shirt and was wiping down his bare chest.
"Mmal?" Simon opened his eyes, although they still too glazed for Mal's peace of mind.
"Right here, baobei," Mal leaned over so that Simon could see him. "You're gonna be fine."
His pronouncement got him a small smile from Simon. "You're a doctor now?"
Mal smiled, glad of the teasing, as weak as it was. "Well, I'm a sure sight smarter than you, harvesting beans without a hat and getting fried and all."
Simon closed his eyes. "River lost hers."
"Hey," Mal lightly tapped Simon's cheek. "Don't fall asleep on me just yet, baobei, I have got a whole lecture to give yet."
"Let me summarize," Simon said, his eyes still closed. "I was stupid."
It sounded awful coming from Simon, so Mal temporized. "I wouldn't say stupid. Maybe a little overprotective. . . ."
"Stupid," Simon opened his eyes and turned his head to look steadily at Mal. "But I'd do it again. River doesn't know what she's doing and she needed a hat."
Mal rolled his eyes. "Your sister's brains are addled enough without adding sunstroke to it. Of course she needed a hat. Just next time, Simon, get a replacement one. That way, nobody gets heat stroke."
Simon's smile was wan. "All right."
"Oooh, maybe I got too much sun." Mal put a hand to his forehead for dramatic effect. "Did I just hear you admit that I was right?"
It wasn't Simon that responded to him. "Don't torture him, Mal, you know what you heard."
Inara walked more fully into the building. "Although since he made an outlandish statement like you were correct, the sun must have gotten to him more than you even said."
Mal grinned, more from the fact that Simon was awake and talking than from any enjoyment from the banter. "It is brutal out there."
"Sunstroke can affect brain function." Simon said helpfully. "I'm sure that accounts for my lapse."
Inara smiled at him. "I'm sure you're right."
"Okay." Mal handed Inara the cloth he'd been using to wipe Simon down. "See what you can do to cool him down. Only, just don't look or anything. He's spoken for."
"I'm a professional," Inara assured him, a twinkle in her eye. Mal was glad yet again that they'd never managed to have sex; Inara was a much better friend than she would have been lover.
"Mal?" Despite Simon's teasing earlier, his voice trembled as Mal turned to leave.
"It's okay, baobei," Mal came back and brushed Simon's sweaty hair off of his forehead before leaning over to kiss him. "Just rest."
Simon didn't look overly comforted. "I'm sorry."
"Nothin' to be sorry for," Mal reassured him. "You were lookin' after your sister; no one blames you for that." He thought for a moment. "Cept maybe Jayne."
His last comment made Simon grimace. "Jayne."
Mal laughed. "Don't worry, I'll make him pick so many beans that he'll be too tired to give you any sass."
"Just make sure he's hosed down before he comes back aboard," Simon pleaded.
"I think I can manage that," Mal promised.
"And we'll all thank you," Inara murmurrd.
Mal took one last look at the two of them and forced himself to leave. He headed back to the bean field with grim determination. He'd pick the gorram beans, get the gorram money, and then leave Fruitful and its incessant sunshine behind.
~the end~