"Using links channel." They sit staring at me waiting for me to continue. I am tired, though, I have never felt this tired since, well, since a very long time. Amazing, how my body just aches to lay down. There is a couch right outside the infirmary. The sooner I get this done the sooner I can lie down. I give a deep sigh… "Links: Linkage Interconnection through Neuron Kinetic energy System" I say as I look at them." It means that the we can give off a message through the neurons in our body. The kinetic energy is what sends the message to the other link. There goal is to have an army that can send messages during a battle simultaneously, in order to gain higher ground and win." "That's what you did," Mal states referring to my escape. "Yes. It can be compared to getting a wave. Except instead of it appearing on the screen it appears at any time in your mind." "That must be irritating." Kaylee mentions softly. "It can be. However, we get used to it. It's harder when we are surrounded by people, because their thoughts and feelings are in the way." "So, you can see my thoughts?" Jayne asked unsetteled. "Cap'n, I dunno if I like this." "Yes, but I try not to. I try not to read any of you, although at times it is harder because your thoughts and feelings are louder. It just depends." I try to say reassuringly. "And River?" Simon asks. "River can feel everything you can." I respond, stretching. "Why are you here? Why seek us out?" Mal asks in a threatening voice. At least, it's meant to be threatening but makes me give a little smirk. "I'm here because River was the only friend I had. I had already been in the Academy for 6 months. There was two divisions in the Academy. One was where the developing took place. The other is where the modifications were made. Every student had to pass a certain amount of tests in order to be part of the "special" division. We had no idea what took place there, but whoever was chosen, we never heard from again." "I have a hard time believing that my sister would befriend…" Simon started as he looked at me. "Simon!" Kaylee exclaimed, "It's not her fault that this happened." He looked warily at Kaylee and shrugged it off. "You're right. Even at a young age I was intimidating. I was taller than anyone in my class and just happened to scare them all the time. I was in the studio practicing a dance that we had just learned when River appeared." I scoffed as I remembered the way she looked. This skinny girl with brown long hair entering this big room. She wasn't afraid, not even of me. No, instead she looked at me and smiled. "I was to teach her the dance." I say continuing with the story. "It was a ballet and she learned it just as easily as I had. After a few years, they came for us. They said, 'we were ready, and have achieved status to join the "special division.'" We were so happy. We thought that this meant we could perform on stage and dance to our hearts content. Sadly, we were mistaken of what type of dance they expected." I stand up and lean against the wall as I continue, "We were placed in cells with white plastic walls. Only one wall could you see out of. They would experiment on one subject at a time. The others were to learn fighting techniques of a variety of sorts. They would always test us to see how much can be achieved with one subject that they operated on, when they failed they would have one of the stronger experiments kill them." Kaylee gasped as I said this and Simon looked pale as he looked down. Jayne sat with his mouth opened, while Zoe looked at me with pity, sadness, and sternness all at the same time. Mal looked down and raised his eyes back to mine. "One day it was River's turn. I watched as they pulled her out of her room. I screamed, begged, and pounded on the walls as hard as I could. So hard my fingers were dripping with blood and severely dislocated, but they would just knock me unconscious. I saw her changing daily. Skinner, more afraid, I even saw her put an amazing fight against them, but to no avail. Then one day, as I'm huddled in my corner after a day of "training," I hear the sirens. Employees and security are running to and fro, and I never see her again." "Ahhhhhhh!" Rivers screams can be heard in the dining room. Everyone rushes out as Mal tugs me along. Standing in the corridor is Derek with his daughters clinging to his side in fear. "What's happening?" he asks. "Go back in your room," Mal says as he pushes into River's room. I look at her laying on the bed with fear in her eyes. I shrink back and try to hide myself behind Jayne. Mal acknowledges this and lets go of my arm. "River?" Simon asks as he kneels by her bed. He places a hand on her forehead and strokes it. What does that do? What does it feel like? "I can't…" she starts mumbling, "I hurt her….I left her….it's all my fault Simon. Dad's mad and it's all my fault." "Mei-mei, it's alright. Dad isn't here." Simon says reassuring her. No he isn't here, but that's not who she meant, is it River? "It's my fault," I say softly, as they turn to me, except River. Her eyes still never resting on me. "I didn't shield your minds from her. She saw the memories by what you heard." "Meaning she read our minds." Zoe says in acknowledgment. "She can't help it, none of us can, but we are at least able to hide it she, she cannot." River starts calming down and I start slowly backing out of the room. It's too soon. I turn to see Derek and his daughters looking at me through their door. I walk to the couch and lay down with my arm covering my eyes. You knew. You knew and still you came. Idiot! Everyone has now made their way to where I am, except River and the family of passengers. I start to move to get up when Kaylee gasps. I know what she saw. I look at her despairingly as I pull down my shirt. "From your escape?" Mal asks, although I don't know why. He knows it's from my escape. "Doc, see if you can fix her up. Kaylee?" "Yes, Cap'n?" "That's the last time I let you find passengers. I thought I said no 'psycho-mind-reading-alliance affiliated-moonbrains', but rather decent passengers?" "At least I don't have a doctor for a brother. One out of two, that's good." I said lightly. Mal scoffs as he waits for me to get off the couch; trying to wrap his head around everything. Kaylee smiles at me and follows me as I follow Simon into the infirmary. He doesn't want to help me. Why does he do it then? Is he a dog that does what his master says? I used to be a bitch, what am I now? "Jayne, why don't you get her bag?" Kaylee suggests to Jayne and tells him where I put it. I start stripping off what's left of my clothing, and even Simon can't hide his repulsion as he see my black and blue skin. Ribs, dislodge looking under the bandages. Blood seeping through the other dressings on my side. Zoe watched with Mal silently from the doorway. "Lao pung yo, nee can chi lai hun yo jing shen." Jayne says sarcastically as he appraises my body. Mal hits him across the back of his head before turning to head for the bridge. "What I'do?" The rest of them glare at him as I just smile and lay down.