Q'Thalas

3 - The Past In the center of the noisy departure terminal in Serenity's orbital spaceport, Lee Carter and Jo Schmidt stood as an island of purposeful calmness amidst a sea of civilian chaos, color, and movement.

"So‌ why are we waiting here?" asked Jo, doing her best not to get dragged away by the tide of hurrying tourists washing around them. "I've got things to do, you know."

"I just wanted to say goodbye in person before he gets on the starliner. You and me are getting reassigned, and Max, Sam, Alex, and Dexter are already gone. Banshee Squadron is over so he's taking a long leave. We'll probably never see him again."

Jo thought about it for a few seconds. "Yeah, you're right. I'm sure it's got nothing to do with the fact that you've had the hots for him ever since the Black Gate."

Carter snorted at the sheer absurdity of the notion and paused in her search of all the passing heads long enough to favor her friend with a sour face. "I do not have the hots for Matthew Cross!"

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