[Truthfully, Mal hadn't thought of it that way until now. She really hasn't been taking this place seriously. It's been a grand adventure, really, the way she just showed up with knowledge she could never have comprehended until now, the way Polly showed up with her; like destiny.]

[She doesn't really believe in destiny. But for a few days, she could pretend as though she did. Now, with the way Cassandra is speaking, with the way she's looking at her, Mal feels a bit foolish, as though she's missed something huge right in front of her. There are people here in danger, just as there are at home.]

[She isn't, yet, as dedicated to the cause of the fleet as she is to the cause of home. But she can see Cassandra's point, all the same, and straightens up a bit as a result.]

You make a good point. I've been focusing on getting home. There are . . . people who need me there. But in the meantime . . .

[She shrugs.]

Well, why not follow your shining example and keep busy?