Serenity had spent three days in space going from Persephone to Orlican to transport goods that a client of Badger was shipping. So far, there journy had been a slow and langerous one but for some reason, on that particular day, Mal felt uneasy. River wasn't helping his mood much. She had been walking silently threw the ship, just like a blue ghost, coming into rooms when you least expected her, making a soul a might' twitchy. At that particular moment all Mal wanted was a quiet cup of Saki and some small time to think. He was just about to sit down in the dinning area when river walked in and said

« Be careful, your mother doesn't like it when you drink. » Mal jumped a little in his chair, spilling some of his beverage on his trousers.

« Why is it that you seem to have a driving need to scare the crap out of people and make then spill there drinks? »

said Mal trying to clean the Saki of his pants.

« Worlds can't harm, only actions can. »

« Thanks for that lil' tidbit. » grumbled Mal. River calmly and walked out of the dinning area. Mal muttered to himself and stood to get another cup of Saki when the doctor and Kaylee walked in. Kaylee took one look at the captains wet pants and started to laugh.

«Taint' funny, Kaylee. »

Kaylee tried to calm her expretion.

« Your right captain taint' funny, you're perdy tight pants got all wet you poor thing. Go change, I might be able to clean the stain out. How did they get all covered in.... what is that anyways, is it Saki? »

The captain looked a little sheepish.

« Yes it is, I was just bout' to settle down for a nice quiet drink when lil' River comes in and startles the hell out of me. »

Mal turned to the doctor.

« Is it impossible for you to keep a eye on her, Doc? She's every where! »

« I know, captain » said Simon « I'll try and keep a closer eye on her, it's just she seems to be doing so well, and she loves walking around the ship and seeing what everyone is doing. »

« I have no problem with her walking and seeing, but the sneaking is just a little irksum »

« I'll talk to her, captain » « see that you do. » ***

River was having bad dreams again. She dreamed that she was walking down a road that had been devastated by war. The ground was dry and the land all around it was a orange/brown color. Nothing grew exempt some small weeds. To each side of the road were trenches. River looked into one of those trenches and saw many dead bodies, some old, some young, some newly dead and some almost totally decayed but all with the same terrible expression of surprise and fear in there dull eyes.

« Why are you dead? Get up. Get up! » River said as she started to cry. She looked away from the bodies and saw a butterfly on the ground near her. It was still alive but badly hurt, its wing bent out of shape. She went to pick it up and everything around her shifted. The dried land turned into a dark, rain sleeked alley and the butterfly turned into a dying man. He was bleeding from his mouth and his chest.

« Please, Please. » he gasped

« Afraid its to late for the beggin' ,doc. » said another voice. River looked up from the dying man and saw Jayne Cobb standing a little way off with Vira in his hand. He put his favorite gun away and took out a large knife. Jayne started to walk over to the man in the alley.

« You've cussed me nothin' but troubles since we met and I ain't willin' to make it more. » said Jayne

He stopped next the the dying man and knelled down next to him.

« This might hurt a bit » said Jayne as he dug the knife into the man's already bleeding chest.

« but it'll make the rest of the pain go away. » The man in the alley gasped one last breath and died. At that moment River woke up. ***

Simon walked into his sister's room to find her sitting up, with her hands over her ears crying. He quickly went over and hugged her. « ssshhhhhh it's okay. What's wrong mei mei? » « Bad dreams. » said River shacking her head. « What was it about? asked Simon

River just shook her head more violently. « was is about the academy? »

« No, it was... »

she couldn't finish

« what was it ,River. » persisted Simon.

River looked at Simon with fear in her eyes « It was death. »

« River, whose death? »

« I don't know, a doctor, I think. »

Simon looked worried

« Is it me? »

River shook her head

« I don't know anymore. The sun came out and I was happy and I was fine but now I don't know. »

Simon stroked River's head

« Don't worry mei mei, it was just a dream, nothing more. »

After a while River started to relax. Simon got up and walked out the door. River closed her eyes once more, she was heavy with sleep. Before she went under she whispered,

« Nothing more, for him.»

TO BE CONTINUED