Oh, but if Serenity were with him on Taxon, whether there's no way to fly her or not, Mal would be a lot less grouchy. But as it stands, she's not here, so Kaylee's going to have to deal with Mal and all of his grouchiness. "Well, these hamsters sure have thought of it all. Even took the sky away from us flyin' types."

If she asked him, Mal wouldn't lie. It feels strange to be in this position, but Kaylee has the advantage of having been in Taxon longer than he has, and she knows the people and the situation better, so until he gets his bearings, he's going to be asking her a lot of questions. "Whatever you need, I'm more than happy to help. Did you say hatchin' supplies?" Not the strangest thing he's ever heard, but still...

"Place I grew up on... The ranch on Shadow." He looks away from the tablet, staring down at the floor while he scuffs his boot against it. "Don't think this is funny, but those hamsters are probably somewhere laughin' fit to burst."