Simon is reading on the sofa outside the infirmary when Wash descends from the bridge. “What are you up to?” the pilot asks, sounding unusually grave. Simon looks up from his book, wondering if the man is joking. “I'm reading,” he replies. Wash sits down on one of the other chairs, realising Simon is in no mood to talk and not really caring. He needs distracting, and Simon and River are the only people left on this boat who he can speak to. “How's River?” he asks after a minute of silence, prepared to seek her out if Simon remains sullenly uncommunicative, so much is his need for any kind of conversation. “She's asleep,” Simon answers shortly. Utterly defeated Wash sighs. “Right.” He stands up and - Creeeeak It's barely a noise at all and if the ship was in flight it would certainly have been inaudible under the noise of the engines. Wash frowns, listening closely in case the noise should come again. “Did you hear that?” he whispers. “Hear what?” Cree-eeak “That.” “What is it?” Wash thinks for a moment. “It sounds like-” He's cut off by a dull thud of boots making contact with the floor. Simon's on his feet now, realisation dawning. “The top hatch being opened,” they say in unison. “Go. Hide. Take River,” Wash says, sounding much braver than he feels. Simon slips away into his sister's room as Wash searches for anything that can remotely serve as a weapon. He cautiously edges towards the stairs, keeping his back against the wall as he climbs. Whoever has just dropped through the top hatch obviously thinks Serenity is empty, because they aren't troubling to keep their noise down now they're inside. The hatch clangs shut as Wash crosses the kitchen, grabbing the nearest heavy object he can see. The pilot peers round the door frame and sees the dark-haired figure looking away from him – towards to the bridge. The intruder takes a step forward- -and the frying pan rebounds off his skull with a dull thud. He drops like a stone, unconscious. Wash kneels beside him and checks his pulse. He lets out the breath he's been holding, satisfied he hasn't killed the man. Simon appears with shocking suddenness from the kitchen, carrying a pistol. Wash just about suppresses his yelp of surprise, fighting the irrational urge to put his hands up. “I got him,” he says, not liking the expression on the young doctor's face one little bit. Simon relaxes, pointing the pistol in a less threatening direction. Wash puts down the frying-pan and turns the stranger over. He's about Wash's age, early thirties maybe, with a scraggly moustache and greasy black hair. “I know him,” Simon says softly, “He worked with Michael, for the people that helped me find River. Called himself Daniel.” Wash stands. “Let's get him to the infirmary,” he says, “Does this make any sense to you?” Simon shakes his head and Wash sighs. “Me neither. Maybe when he wakes up, he can answer some questions.” *

Wash is waiting for Zoe in the cargo bay when she returns from her shopping trip, the look on his face telling her straight away it's not for any good reason. “What's happened?” she asks. “Where do you want me to start?” he says, “The Captain's been gone for two hours with Bill, some kind of associates' meeting. And a man tried to crawl in through the top-hatch about half an hour ago. Apparently, his name's Daniel and he works for the underground movement that helped Simon free River.” Zoe pinches the bridge of her nose. “Wonder what a simple life is like?” she says ruefully, following her husband to the infirmary. “He's still unconscious,” Simon says as they enter. The pistol is on the counter near his hand, lest their guest should wake and prove to be uncooperative. Zoe takes a good look at the man on the bed and does something of a double take. “You know him?” she checks and Simon nods the affirmative. “Me too,” she says, quietly, “He fought with me in the war.” “Shun-sheng duh gao-wahn,” Wash exclaims, sitting on the spare bed. “This keeps getting weirder and weirder.” “He called himself Danny back then,” she says, “Didn't know he was still alive. He was taken prisoner during the winter campaign on Du-Khang.” “Yes, he was introduced to me as Daniel,” Simon offers, “He was Michael's associate... The man from the Hugo,” he adds, in case they have forgotten. “Where's Kaylee?” asks Wash after a moment of contemplative silence, noting her absence for the first time. “We bumped into Book and Jayne,” Zoe explains, “She's takin' 'em both to see a flicker-show.” She sits down next to her husband, shoulder slumping. “The mind boggles,” says Wash drily, smiling slightly at the mental picture of the three most unlikely cinema-going companions in the 'verse. “They won't be back for a couple of hours,” Zoe says, not sharing his amusement. “I should've said for them to come back...” Wash lays a comforting hand on her arm. “You didn't know, dear,” he says softly. She sighs, accepting his words but not feeling much better about her decision. Daniel's eyelids flicker, ending her moment of self-doubt. “Danny,” she says sharply, “You got a reason to be sneaking aboard my ship?” The man's eyes snap open, his head turning sharply towards the sound of her voice. He blinks at her. “Corporal?” he breathes, obviously unable to believe his eyes. “It's me Danny,” Zoe says levelly, as the man continues to goggle, “You gonna answer my question?” “I didn't know she was your ship,” he says carefully, pushing himself up into something resembling a sitting position. “I would've knocked on the door.” To her surprise, he seems relieved rather than spooked by her presence now. “Thank God it's you... I know we can trust....” He pauses for a moment, as if he's suddenly remembered something. “Is Mal with you?” “He's around,” she replies evasively. “Spill the beans.” Danny nods, glancing at Wash and Simon and jumping in surprise again. “Doctor Tam?” he exclaims. “This is... That must mean-” “Danny,” Zoe repeats sternly, “Tell your story.” The man opens and closes his mouth a few times and then finally responds to the voice of pissed-off authority. “I know you're the first ship that came across the Hugo. A friend of mine died on that Boat and I have reason to believe he might have left something for me there, something you might have picked up. A recording...?” Zoe purses her lips as she considers her answer for a moment. “What are you doing out here? How're you wrapped up in all of this?” “I've been working for an anti-government movement since I got out of the camp,” Danny says, with another glance at Simon. “That's how I met Doctor Tam here.” “You're a terrorist?” Zoe clarifies, bluntly. Danny's mouth twists into something resembling a smile, though there's no humour there. “I prefer the term 'freedom-fighter,'” he replies, “But yeah. I'm here to find out what the Hell they're doing on this rock, and who they're doing it to. And the we intend to put a stop to it.” “We?” asks Wash. “There are several operatives here,” Danny answers, apparently happy to trust those that Zoe does, “We've infiltrated various crews and even the construction sites as workers. That recording, if you have it, represents months of work... and Michael died for it.” Zoe's expression is inscrutable and Danny's smile almost warms for a moment. “Still unreadable as ever, Corp,” he adds with a hint of admiration in his voice, “But you have to understand – the company that you're working for is wrapped up in shady government dealings beyond your darkest nightmares...” His eyes drift over to the silent Simon. “Although, perhaps you already do. I assume River is here?” No one answers, but they don't need to. It's confirmation enough for Danny when Wash's eyes drop to the floor, in the flush of colour that rises in Simon's pale cheeks. He's always been good at reading people. “How does your head feel?” Simon asks after a lengthy moment of awkward silence. “Like someone hit it pretty gorram hard,” Danny dead-pans, eliciting a somewhat shameful grin from Wash. Zoe files the piece of information for use in a later interrogation of her husband. The man sits still as the doctor flashes a pen-light in his eyes. “You don't appear to be permanently damaged,” Simon says quietly, “I can give you something for the pain...?” Daniel shakes his head, and winces. “No. No drugs.” There's an edge to his voice that's somewhat out of place and Zoe tries not to think of all the rumours she's heard over the years since the war ended, about what happened in the prisoner camps. It'd be too easy to trust this man, she thinks. He's the perfect set-up: the best candidate they could have dug up in the whole 'verse to get the recording off them, hear them confess they know what happened on the Hugo. It's just too neat; something in her gut tells her Danny isn't quite on the level. Danny apparently realises this too. He sighs. “I ain't going to be able to convince you I'm truthsome just by spilling my guts to you, am I?” he says, “Some things never change, Alleyne.” “Some things do,” she returns quickly, voice soft rather than sharp in deference to the fact she's once or twice trusted her life to this man. But enough time can alter everything, and Danny won't be the first to succumb to torture and turn on his former comrades. “It's just Zoe now,” she adds, with just a twitch of a smile, “Not Corporal. I ain't Alleyne any more either.” Danny blinks in surprise. “You're right then,” he says, “About changing. Never had you pegged for the marrying type... Just, tell me it ain't the Sarge?” “It ain't,” she confirms, just a touch of amusement in her voice now. “You just-” “Hello Danny-boy,” interrupts a soft voice. River is standing in the infirmary doorway, smiling serenely. Zoe is instantly on her feet, fingers curled around her gun and tense as a bow-string, as Danny returns the girl's greeting. This situation has the potential to go so very bad, so very quickly. Simon's mouth is still hanging open as his sister enters the infirmary, only hesitating a moment before she steps over the threshold. “I heard your pipes, calling me,” she jokes. “I haven't heard that one before,” Danny replies wryly, “I thought you were here.” She nods sagely. “Yes. You were counting on it.” “будет временем сыграть,” Danny replies. Zoe hasn't even had time to frown over the apparent nonsense emerging from his mouth when River spins, her booted foot making contact with Zoe's temple. It's a textbook blow – not even Jayne could switch someone off with such precision – and the first mate hits the floor. Wash isn't fully on his feet when River's punch catches him under the chin. There's a power to the blow he wouldn't have thought possible, given River's slender frame. He reels for a moment, flinging his arms up in a half-hearted attempt at blocking her next punch that is easily thwarted. She hits him three times, each blow straight to the head, knocking him sick. He can hear Simon shouting as he crumples forward, the world over-bright and blurred, and he knows he's going to lose consciousness... “I'm afraid you have to be the princess,” River says matter-of-factly, turning to her horrified brother. He has the pistol in his hand but he can't bring himself to raise it, not to River. “N-” he manages, as Danny's elbow swings out, catching him in the stomach and again in the face as he collapses, winded. There's a click – his nose breaking, he realises – and then blood spurting everywhere, blinding him and it -hurts, oh God- it's more painful than he imagined it could be... Bo-oi-ing. The bed pan Danny brings down on his head reverberates, making an inappropriately humorous noise. “Let's go,” says the soldier, grabbing the dropped pistol. River follows him without a word.