CHAPTER 3

Mal and Zoë rushed to the bridge, Mal slipping into the empty pilot’s seat and silencing the alarm, Zoë bending over the console to see what triggered it. Zoë determined that “proximity” had become a relative term in her absence, as the Qian Chung cruiser was still a long ways off. From this distance, it looked like a pitchfork, but only if that pitchfork were drawn by Picasso in his cubism phase. “You think they know about Simon?” she asked. Mal waited for the instruments to get a fair read on the heading. “They’re not coming toward us.” “Maybe there’s some place we can hide before that changes.” “Maybe,” Mal agreed, furrowing his brow at the screen. He looked out the window, in confusion. “Where the gou cao de are we? Find River!” Zoë trotted out of the bridge, and through the dining hall again. “Mommy,” Jackson called, standing up as she went by. “Stay here, baby.” She headed quickly past the galley towards River’s room, but fortunately didn’t have to go that far. River lay on the catwalk, her ear to the floor. “River!” Zoë called, but the girl didn’t lift her head. Zoë came down the stairs, calling again, but something about the scene struck her as off. This was too much like the old River she’d left on Serenity eight years ago, not the young woman she’d been getting to know over the past two weeks. “River?” Zoë asked slowly, coming onto the catwalk, and noticing the fresh scrape on River’s toe. Slowly, uncertainly, she knelt beside River’s head and placed a hand on her back. The girl’s eyes were closed, red from dried up tears. “River, are you hurt?” “Color of frond.” It was then that she noticed the unnatural purple bruising on River’s wrist and trembling muscles. That along with River’s continued non-responsiveness gave Zoë a sinking feeling. She ran to the nearest comm box and called the bridge. “Captain, River’s out. You’re on your own.” Returning to River, Zoë asked her again if she was hurt, and whatever her answer, Zoë could not make it out. Gingerly, she pulled River to sitting and placed an arm around her shoulder. “Come on, honey,” she coached, helping River to stand. The ship rocked as Mal engaged the engine, and River’s knees gave out. Zoë held firm, picking the girl up and tottering downstairs toward the Infirmary. “I didn’t think you’d come,” River whimpered, her voice finally reaching an audible level. “Uh-huh,” Zoë grunted with effort, making her way through the narrow hallways. “Honey, when you fall and hurt yourself, you call for help. Not all of us are mind readers.”

*~*

Later, she’d said. It would hit her later! Well, River had picked a hell of a time to have Cappy’s death hit her. He briefly wondered what Zoë meant in saying River was ‘out.’ He’d been worried that her not eating might be affecting her meds. Was Zoë coming back? Was River even conscious, because he’d sure like to ask about this gou shi course she had set! It zigged and zagged in all the wrong places, turning them about until Mal hardly had his bearings. What’s worse, the computer was telling him there were plenty of moons to hide on, but his eyes were telling him different. The Qian Chung ship changed course taking up pursuit, and Mal rolled Serenity about, trying to get a three-sixty on their bearings. He decided to answer the Qian Chung hail, if only to stall them while he came up with a better plan. “Transport ship, Serenity, this is the Qian Chung scout Talisman. What brings you to our space?” they opened diplomatically. This! This was where he needed Cappy, alive and well, in ambassador mode. Maybe he should call Inara. “Just passing through on the way to Persephone,” Mal answered. “Doesn’t look like you’re headed for Persephone,” the Talisman answered. “Don’t I know it,” Mal muttered in agreement, then raised his voice to answer. “Perhaps I got turned about. Where does it look like I’m headed?” The Talisman was slow to answer, probably trying to gauge the intention of the question, but Mal didn’t care. Any clue was better than none. He’d found two planets and a moon within spitting distance and needed a clue. “Deliver the You Qian wan nao,” they answered, assuming a different tactic. “He’s a mite slippery and I’m short-staffed,” Mal answered. “Perhaps we can do this exchange planet-side?” “On Deadwood, then. Baker’s Hill, just north of Seven Oak city, half a day’s time.” Deadwood! Mal squinted at the two planets and moon in recognition. He knew exactly where he was! With a gleam of adventure entering his spirit, he lined Serenity behind Deadwood until the Talisman eclipsed from view. Once free from their sensors, he made a hard burn away from Deadwood, headed for the opposite planet in view – Shadow. You don’t mess with a man on his home turf.

*~* Go to Chapter 4