Sadly, there’s no Mango on Firefly…

Wash sighed and guided Serenity in to land on the planet.

“I am a leaf on the wind,” he muttered as the atmosphere buffeted the spacecraft.

Mal threw a look at Zoe: “We ready for this job?”

Zoe nodded: “We are. Jayne is locked and loaded in the cargo bay with the cargo, and Badger’s at the rendezvous point waiting for the goods.”

Mal sighed: “Let’s make it quick. There have been recent sightings of Reavers in this solar system and we don’t want to be stuck on the surface if they attack.”

Wash hummed and replied: “Wouldn’t it be amazing if Badger and his boys used that new early warning system the Outer Rim Council is recommending? Health and safety has never been Badger’s thing, though, has it?”

Mal laughed: “Nope. Don’t see him doing any risk assessments or coming up with detailed plans for communication if something does happen. Too worried the Alliance might catch on to the fact he’s been smuggling medicines for years.”

Wash sighed: “Been reading about the Earth that was a lot lately. They had a thing called Martyn’s Law that gave public venues legal duties to help prevent attacks. Where people gathered like at concert halls or clubs or sports grounds or hotels or resorts or shopping malls…”

Zoe coughed: “We get the picture, darlin’. Who was Martyn? And what’s a shopping mall?”

Wash pulled up a holographic record: “He was one of the innocent victims of the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017, and his mother campaigned for the new law. A shopping mall was a place where you could buy anything you wanted.”

Zoe shrugged: “So, a market? Or the dive bar on Hera where Kaylee bought that turbo pump…”

Wash added: “They used Mango to manage it all.”

Mal said: “Mangoes? Haven’t seen one in the Outer Rim for years. That’s a Core planet fruit…”

“No,” Wash said. “Online compliance software called Mango. Stored all the documents they needed. Like training records, risk assessments, all that stuff. Pre-holographic storage, though, obviously.”

Mal said: “Five hundred years ago…of course it was pre-holographic. But some things in the Verse still haven’t changed near enough. Innocent people are still going to festivals and getting attacked, like what happened on Persephone last year.”

Zoe sighed and patted Wash’s shoulder. Their friend Fanty had been injured in the attack.

Serenity touched down and Mal saw Badger’s distinctive bowler hat in front of the view screen.

“Here we go. Reckon he’s forgotten about that time on Whitefall?” he asked with a glint in his eye.

Zoe laughed: “More chance of Jayne joining Shepherd Book’s seminary!”

Wash smiled to himself at the thought of bearded, gigantic Jayne dressed as a shepherd.

“Now I’d pay to see that! If we all survive this, of course…” Wash said.

• Find out how Mango’s online compliance software could help your business comply with Martyn’s Law. Book a free demonstration which will be delivered via Zoom. We can help you with a Martyn’s Law assessment, too. Call Penarth Management on 029 2070 3328 or email info@penarth.co.uk

• Need information on Martyn’s Law? Take a look at the programme of free seminars from our sister company The Protect Alliance: Events | The Protect Alliance (UK)