“You’re a gorram fugitive,” Mal accused. The astonished man stared back, frozen by Mal’s intrusion. He knelt next to Anna, a vial and a full syringe in his hands. Mal took those details in for a fraction of a second, then grabbed him by the collar and flung him bodily out the door. He stumbled into Zoe who thrust him towards Jayne. Jayne shoved him to the ground. He crawled back on his hands as Mal menaced him again. “After all you done, you got the gaowan to sneak on my ship, terrify that poor girl into attackin’ you, and then murder your wife to make it look like she did it? You are one sick son-of-a-bitch. I oughta shuffle you off right now.” The steel in his voice was matched with the click of the hammer as he pressed the gun to Wray’s forehead. Wray stared past the barrel with desperate eyes. “Captain, you’re making a mistake.” “What, that ain’t really your wife? Zoe, get the doc,” Mal said, his sights never wavering. “Mal, what are you doing!?” Inara demanded, the voices drawing her from her room. “He’s wanted by the Alliance. Saw the bulletin myself. So how does a man get a million credit bounty on his head? Steal Academy secret weapons?” “What?” “Did you say a million credits?” Jayne asked. Zoe hustled down the stairs with Simon in tow, and Kaylee right behind him. Simon skidded to a halt. “What’s going on?” “River was right. Check on Mrs. Shen. He was about to stick her with somethin’,” Mal jerked his head towards the room. Simon stared at Wray for a moment, eyes hardening, before darting into the room. “Captain, please listen. I’m not who you think I am. I’ve never met the girl before.” “Funny, she seems to know you pretty well. Why don’t we just bring her on down here and you two can have a little chat.” “She’s still sleeping as far as I can tell,” Simon called from within the room. “Her vitals seem fine. I don’t think he got a chance to inject her. It was as shot of Pescaline-D.” He emerged, holding the vial and syringe, mildly confused. Mal eyed him from the corner of his vision. “He could have overdosed her on that, though. Right?” “You can overdose on anything. But I would have chosen something other than Pescaline.” “Please,” Wray urged. “She’s got Bowdens. I was giving her daily dose to her. She needs it after today.” Doubt crept in on the edges of Mal’s outrage. “It’s true I’m a fugitive, but I’m not who you think I am,” Wray pressed his case again. “Why would I book passage on a ship that was carrying an Alliance assassin?” “Wray?” Anna drowsily called from the room and wandered right into the thick of the gathering. She stopped cold when she saw Mal’s gun trained on her husband. “What’re you doing?” she demanded, taking a step back. “Anna.” It was a cautionary sound, and something passed between them in their expressions. “Only one way to figure all this out. Doc, go get your sister.” “Captain, I don’t think she’s going to be up to facing…” “I don’t care. I wanna know what’s goin’ on here. That’s an order!” Simon obeyed, but his reluctance was evident. He headed up the stairs. The knock startled River from her meditation. Her sheltering garden melted back into the recesses of her imagination. The hatch unlocked and swung open. “River,” her brother called down. “The captain wants you.” She blinked up at him. Something was going on. His apprehension sung across her nerves like a bow on a string. “He… he thinks you were right about the passenger.” Cold fear filled her stomach and swiftly overwhelmed any sense of vindication she might have had. “Come on,” Simon extended a hand. She knew what the captain wanted without him even being there to read his mind. It was the only reason he would call her. She was not sure she could do it, though. Somehow, thankfully, she had no memory of what she might have seen from the doctor’s mind when she attacked him. She did not want to get inside that twisted head. Still, she swallowed bravely and crawled from her room. Simon took her hand, squeezing it tight, and she felt his silent support. Despite his presence, though, as she neared the stairs she felt her strength failing. She forced Simon to halt. “I can’t do it,” she whispered, eyes saucer-wide. “River…” “No. Please don’t make me. I can’t. I can’t.” She broke away towards the dining area. Simon grabbed her arm to stop her. “I know it’s hard…” “No! You don’t know. You can’t know,” she cut him off harshly, though her voice was only a hoarse whisper. She hid in the galley, facing the storage cubbies. To see things with eyes not hers, to think thoughts that were not her own, how could he know? He could sympathize, he could imagine, but he would never know. “River,” Simon gently turned her. “If you do this, it might be what you need to start healing, putting the nightmares behind you. You have to confront him.” She shook her head, lips pursed, staring at the kettle on the stove. He was taking a stab, hoping to convince her. “We’ll all be there. Me and the captain and Kaylee and Zoe. Even Jayne. We’ll protect you. He won’t hurt you again. I promise.” She finally raised her eyes to his. Despite any real knowledge of what would happen, he was feeding her his strength, his love. He honestly believed confrontation would help her. Her heart quailed a little bit less. She searched him with a scrunched brow. “I promise,” he tilted her chin with a finger, almost reading her thoughts himself. She nodded ever so slightly. She took the stairs one step at a time. Simon walked behind her, one hand resting on her shoulder for support. She clasped her fingers over his, gripping so tight she realized she was hurting him a little. She closed her eyes, steeling herself for the unpredictable. In her bare feet, no one heard her coming down the stairs. Wray looked up first. Mal turned and watched River intently as she paused on the stairs. The tension was so heavy for a few seconds that no one could speak or move. “Well?” Mal finally cracked it. She was afraid to open her eyes. Because she did not remember the incident, she had no recollection of his face. However, the memories from the Academy were crystal clear. She would recognize him as soon as she saw. She opened her eyes. She did not even realize she was holding her breath until she heard it loudly escaping. Both blessed relief and confusion tumbled through her. The face she looked upon did not match the memories. She grabbed the railing and felt Simon’s hand grip her tighter at the same time. “It’s not him,” she breathed. All the outrage drained from Mal’s posture, leaving him dumbfounded and staring. Zoe hissed a release of her own breath. Wray closed his eyes in thankfulness. When he opened them, River was staring at him with that curious tilt of her head she took on when she was trying to puzzle something out. He met her eyes. She was trying to sort through the tumultuous thoughts and emotions and only concentrate on Wray’s. A name popped clearly into her mind. “Matthias Harder,” she repeated it aloud. “That’s his real name.” “We knew that from the bulletin,” Zoe said impatiently, lowering her gun. “His first name is Matthias, not his last name.” “So, he’s not the same doctor from the Academy?” Mal asked for clarification. She shook her head, but kept staring at Wray. He was letting her read him, and his thoughts were coming through with much more clarity than she had experienced from anyone before. It was almost like he was sending them directly to her. She flinched as she saw him in a hospital as a ragged young man, probably near her own age, in what looked like a mental ward. The image swirled away and he was a few years older, now confident, smiling, and professional. She felt love, saw a woman and a child, though the woman was not Anna. Then, terrible sadness and loss. And violence. She saw the war, just brief glimpses, but enough that she did not want to see more. She saw the Academy, looking like the boarding school she first took it for. There was nothing of the insidious underbelly where she spent most of her time. It was a happy place, at first. Gradually, that happiness was replaced by fear and paranoia, anger and betrayal. Then it was gone and she caught only whirling glimpses of a dozen different places on any number of worlds. The last thing she saw was Anna’s face in his mind. Her eyes widened in sudden understanding. She flicked her gaze to Anna. The same clarity rang through her senses. Anna, however, had no memories of the Academy. Instead she saw a rustic world, dirty workers trudging in and out of underground tunnels. She saw a child who must have been Anna as a little girl, scratching out a simple, hesitant tune on a fiddle. She saw an older Anna, hugging a couple in a tearful goodbye. As with Wray, the last image she saw was her husband. Behind it all there was pain, but of a different kind. Physical, not mental. And there was something else, but she could not name what it was. She fell out of the memories, a little disoriented. They were so vibrant it was like she had actually lived through them and not experienced them second hand. She looked around, realizing everyone else was staring at her, waiting. “They’re readers,” she said. “What?” Mal asked. “They’re readers,” River repeated. “He’s from the Academy.” She let the lingering impressions direct her words. “He was a doctor there. But… they hurt him, too.” She looked at him with pity, and Wray offered a sad smile in return. “She wasn’t at the Academy,” River turned to Anna. “But she’s a reader.” “So now we got three mind-readers ‘board this ship. Mal,” Jayne turned to the captain, “you got some kinda magnetic attraction to loonies?” Mal shook his head. “This true?” he turned to the man he knew as Wray. “Yes. My real name is Matthias Harder. I haven’t used that name for years. I was a neuropsychiatrist at a school for children with… special gifts.” He smiled a little. “Readers, as you say.” “And you ain’t the Dr. Matthias she was talkin’ about?” “No. As I said, I’ve never met her before today. Though, there was a Dr. Matthias at the Academy while I was there. He replaced me as head when I… resigned unexpectedly.” Bitterness darkened his face as he recalled. River gasped a little. She saw the face in his mind, and it was the same one that haunted her nightmares. Matthias sighed, a deep, sad sound. “That was almost six years ago.” “You’ve been on the run for six years?” Simon asked. Matthias nodded. “So, we know he’s the hun dan on the bulletin. Can we turn him in now and get that million credit reward you was talkin’ about?” Jayne asked, impatient. “No,” River insisted with a very hard look for Jayne. “Why not?” “They’ll hurt him again. They’ll hurt her,” she pointed to Anna. “It’s true,” Matthias agreed. “I don’t think they know about her, but once they find out…” he slipped a fearful gaze towards his wife. “She really your wife?” Mal asked. “Yes. I met her five years ago when I came to Paquin. She’s… very special,” he reserved another tender look for her. “Special how? As in reader?” Zoe asked. “Yes, but…” Matthias sighed, apparently mulling over how to explain something. “This is going to sound unbelievable…” “As if this day could get any more,” Mal mumbled beneath his breath. “… but Anna is slightly telekinetic.” No one spoke. After a while, Jayne’s face lit up. “Ha! I was right. I told you one a’ them was teleophonic.” He grinned in self-congratulation at his apparent foresight. Everyone ignored him. “So, you’re saying she can move objects with just her mind?” Simon was skeptical. “Yes,” Matthias nodded slowly. “Like… what?” “Like…” “Like the wind,” Mal interrupted, reaching his own conclusion quickly. “Exactly, Captain,” Matthias said. Understanding dawned on everyone else. “I… I’m sorry about that,” Anna apologized, reminding them that she was still present. “I didn’t mean to hurt anyone. I just wanted to stop…” Everyone except Matthias and River gave her wary glances and she looked down. “Sir,” Zoe spoke up. “What are we gonna do about this?” It was a right confusing question, and Mal was stumped. He could not provide an answer. “I gotta think on it.” “Great. While you ‘think on it,’ our reward’s gonna slip right on by.” “Jayne,” Kaylee chided him this time. “We ain’t turnin’ ‘em in. You wouldn’t turn River in, would you?” Jayne scowled, but he did not refute her question. A slight gasp issued from Anna and she leaned heavily against the door frame, wincing. Matthias hurried to her side. “She needs her injection.” Mal nodded. “Doc,” he spoke to Simon. “Take the… doc and his wife to the infirmary. Help ‘em out.” Simon nodded. He squeezed River’s shoulder and gave her a smile of pride and admiration as he stepped around. “What should the rest of us do?” Kaylee asked. “Do… whatever. You got chores,” he waved. “I need to think. Things is getting’ way too complicated to be flyin’ by the seat of our britches. Zoe, watch the helm.” He started to leave. “Sir, Chrysabel’s gonna be callin’ back. What do we tell her?” “Don’t tell her nothin’. Don’t even answer,” Mal ordered as he climbed the stairs. “Not until I know what we’re gonna do first.” Zoe fumed, not the least bit enthused by this turn of events. She climbed up the stairs after Mal. Major General Daniel Kriegel shut his office door and dropped into his desk chair. He was a middle-aged man, balding and with a slight paunch from years of more desk work than drills. His face was permanently blotched with redness, giving the appearance of always being angry, or of having just eaten something extremely spicy. However, his aura was one of solid, steady authority. He was used to giving orders and being obeyed. He sighed, leaning back and opening up a desk drawer to reveal a bottle of bourbon and a tumbler. He poured himself a glass and replaced the liquor. He logged into his com station while taking a sip. A myriad of messages flooded his screen, and he gave each subject line only a second’s glance over the rim of his glass. His eyes stopped roving when he came across a particular message. It was from the Fugitive Task Force command center. He opened it. Alert: Report submitted on possible whereabouts of known fugitive: Harder, Matthias. Date: 2519/03/14 Location: Paquin. Reliability: Credible. Report transmitted to regional commander for further investigation. His excitement built as he read the message. He flipped to the Cortex and searched for the wave code for the regional commander over Paquin. He signaled the wave to transmit and waited for a response. “Heinlein Regional Command,” a secretary answered. “This is Major General Daniel Kriegel. I need to speak to Commander Babcock right away please.” “The commander is out in the field, sir. If you’ll wait, I’ll attempt to connect you.” “Thank you.” Kriegel waited, tapping his fingers on his desk. He downed the last mouthful of bourbon and put the glass back in its drawer. “Sir,” Commander Babcock’s face popped up on his screen. “Commander, I received a message from the Fugitive Task Force about a lead on Matthias Harder.” “Yes, sir. I’m following up on that now.” “What is the status?” “We lead a raid on a group of traveling musicians based on a tip from a local casino owner. We believe the fugitive was hiding among them, and were able to confirm that upon interviewing the musicians afterward.” “But…” “But the fugitive managed to escape. He booked passage on a ship bound for New Melbourne according to statements from the musicians. Left this morning right before the raid.” “Was he tipped?” “We don’t know, sir. It’s interesting. The ship was a transport hired out by the very same casino owner who called in the report.” Kriegel frowned. That did not make sense. “Did you find the ship?” “We’re trying to track it down. We have a name. Serenity. Firefly class transport.” “What?” “Serenity, sir. Captained by a Malcolm Reynolds. Small time runner, probably doing some smuggling for the casino owner.” Kriegel stared off into space. This was not possible. “Sir?” “Have you put out a system-wide bulletin?” Kriegel returned to reality. “I haven’t yet, but I will be. I’ve been in touch with the New Melbourne command as well. We’re coordinating efforts to track down this ship.” “Good. Keep me in the loop. I don’t think I have to remind you that this is the most wanted fugitive in the entire Alliance. He was a SWoRD scientist, and he may be privy to a large amount of classified information. There have been no credible leads on him since Beylix five years ago. We need to get him back, Commander, especially after this Miranda incident. Do that, and you’ll have made your career.” “Yes, sir.” The commander issued a nervous smile before the wave ended. That was a lot of pressure to put on a Border region commander. But, if Matthias Harder really was out there, and if he had been picked up by Serenity, they had to capture him as quick as possible. There was no telling what might happen otherwise. Kriegel typed in another code. “Ni hao,” Representative Chu-yu’s dark face answered the wave. “Soong,” Kriegel greeted. “We need to talk.” Simon had Anna lying on the exam chair in the infirmary. He gave her a cursory examination. She was a little weak and pale, probably from the pain she was experiencing. He gave her the injection Matthias had prepared. It would make it go away soon. “Thank you, Doctor.” “Please call me Simon,” Simon told him. “Simon. Thank you.” Simon checked Anna’s pulse while Matthias clasped her hand between his. “You have a lot of questions,” he said, looking expectantly at Simon. “Yes, I do,” Simon confirmed. “You also don’t trust me.” “No,” Simon confirmed again. Matthias heaved a long, shuddering sigh. “I don’t take offense. Why should you? All you know is that I came from the Academy.” He went silent a moment. “What did they do to your sister?” “I was hoping you could tell me,” Simon leaned back against the counter, folding his arms. “I can only see what they did physically. You can see what’s happening in her mind.” Matthias shook his head. “I didn’t read her.” “What?” “I didn’t read her,” Matthias reiterated. “I didn’t know you could stop it.” “I’ve built up my control with practice over the years. Anna is disciplined as well. We’re pretty good at giving people their privacy,” he smiled faintly and patted Anna’s hand. “You’re still better at it than I am,” Anna responded. Simon frowned at both of them. “River can’t control it.” “What do you mean?” asked Matthias. “She can’t not read people, can’t not hear their thoughts and feel their emotions. They took that away from her.” “What?” Matthias was aghast. “They went into her brain and physically removed her ability to block it out.” “That’s… that’s…” Matthias spluttered, caught between shock and outrage. “How do you know?” “I was able to do a scan with a neuroimager once. You can see the scars.” “Do you have it still?” “Yes.” “Show me,” Matthias demanded. Simon went to the infirmary computer and pulled up the stored images of the scan he had taken on Ariel. Matthias walked over to the screen and examined them. He frowned at first, paging through and rotating the images. Gradually it turned to shock and disbelief, and finally anger. “Those… chi mei ! Barbarians!” “What is it?” Anna asked, concerned. “He’s right, they did it. They burned out her filter. She can’t block it. She can’t control it. She has to see.” A sinking, disgusted expression took over Anna’s face. “Can bu ren du ,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry,” Matthias turned to Simon, full of regret. “I didn’t know they would go that far. I saw where they were headed, but I didn’t think they would get to this point. I wish I could have done more to stop them,” he hung his head. “So you tried to stop them?” Simon asked, but the implication in his voice was clear. “God, yes!” Matthias uttered, face going distraught. “Simon, please understand, I founded the Academy to do good things.” “You founded it?” it was Simon’s turn for surprise. “Yes. I didn’t want other people with the same abilities to go through what I went through. I spent my childhood on Athens in and out of bughouses until I was well into my teens. When you say you hear voices and thoughts of other people in your head, well, what else are people going to think? But I learned to control it. It took a lot of discipline, but I learned. It helped that I was smart. I read all I could on psychology and the physiology of the brain. I picked up a few tricks. By the time I was eighteen, I knew what I wanted to do with my life. I wanted to help those like me. But first I had to prove that my ability even existed. I went to the University of Athens. I pursued some research, published some papers, and I started getting a little attention, building a career. I even got married and had a daughter.” He smiled wistfully, but it quickly vanished. “Then the War came.” His face sunk, voice dropping. “My wife and daughter were killed in the Independents’ capture of Athens in 2508.” Anna reached out and placed a comforting hand in his. His pain was evident on her face. “I was devastated,” he went on. “I was angry at the Independents. I wanted revenge. So I offered my services to the Alliance. I took them my research. Needless to say, they were intrigued. I spent the rest of the War on Osiris, doing…” he trailed away. “Doing some things I’m rather not proud of.” Simon saw the anguish in the man’s eyes. He could not help but feel some pity. “When the war was over, I was glad. I thought I could get on with my research, put those dark days behind me. Ha! Foolish,” he spat. “The Alliance funded me, gave me money to set up the Academy and hired the most talented staff. I thought I was finally going to fulfill my dream. They were just using me. I could see it, but I lied to myself. I thought as long as I was in charge, I could keep them in check.” He shook his head heavily. “The Academy was barely opened a year when I noticed things getting out of hand. Doctors doing experiments and using disturbing techniques. I started seeing more military around, and even some parliamentarians. I was one man,” Matthias held up his hands in defeat. “I couldn’t hold them all back. Finally, one day this Alliance general barges into my office and tells me the whole thing is being taken over by the military’s Special Weapons Research and Development division- SWoRD. They gave me a choice. I could work for them and do what they told me to do, or I could spend the rest of my life on a prison colony. I was afraid. I was afraid of losing my status, of losing the Academy, and, yes, afraid of the repercussions if I said no. So I said yes. I signed my life, my soul, away to them,” Matthias croaked, choking on the words. Simon saw the full extent of the man’s torment on open display now. Unshed tears glistened in his eyes. He could see the self-loathing there. It was frightening. There was a long, painful silence. Matthias hung his head between his knees, while Anna stroked his back, not speaking, but lending her silent support instead. “Fortunately,” Matthias recovered, “I only lasted about two more months before I finally got the courage to admit that it was lost. By then, there was nothing I could do. So I ran. That was December of 2512.” Simon now understood what River meant when she said the Academy hurt Matthias as well. It was his dream, and it had been corrupted and twisted into an evil thing. They made a mockery of his life’s work, used him, and had been hunting him down for six years. It was not the same in literal terms to what they had done to River, but it was certainly in the same spirit with which the Alliance had behaved. His fury at them grew to new levels. “I’m sorry, Simon,” Matthias apologized. “I didn’t mean to give you my autobiography. I just wanted you to know that I’m sorry for the part I played in what happened to your sister.” “It’s okay,” Simon tried to assure him. “You didn’t do it to her.” “No, but I created the institution and methods that allowed it to be done. And I could have stopped it. I should have. I wish there was more I could do.” “I think maybe there is. You’re a reader and a neuropsychiatrist. I’m neither of those things. I’ve been doing what I can to help her heal, but there’s really very little I can do from both a practical and medical standpoint. Maybe you can help.” “I’d certainly be willing to try,” Matthias agreed. Simon smiled a little. “Now, I have one question for you? How did your sister get out? I never knew the Academy to release a subject unless they were so far gone…” Simon shrugged. He did not see any point in hiding it. They were both fugitives, after all. “I broke her out.” “You what?” Matthias was shocked. “How?” “She sent me letters, coded. Our parents thought I was paranoid or overreacting,” he smiled, but there was pain behind it. “They thought I was jeopardizing my position at the hospital.” He shook his head. “When I figured out what they were doing to her, I did everything I could. I used up all my money, made every contact I could think of. I don’t know if it was luck, or… but somehow I got in and we escaped. I brought us on board Serenity, and we’ve been out here ever since. That was nearly two years ago, for us.” Matthias regarded him with something akin to admiration. “You are a very brave man,” he said. Evening was pressing on into night by the standard clock, and as exhausted as Mal was, he could not rest. His mind ran through his options and the sheer incomprehensibility of the situation over and over again, and still could not come up with any answers. Now he had two pairs of Alliance fugitives, and a full three of the four were readers. Then there was Chrysabel, who had been trying to wave him incessantly, and most likely the Alliance to contend with. He shook his head, resting it against his hand as he leaned on the control console. Jayne was right. Something about him must attract all the crazies in ‘verse. He rose from the helm and wandered towards the mess. He needed a drink to calm his mind and his nerves. He found the whiskey Jayne kept around and poured himself a glass. A rustle of clothing caught his attention, and River was there at the door, hanging on the bulkhead. She was dressed in an old floral shirt and sweatpants that were cast-offs of Kaylee’s. Despite Kaylee’s small stature, the clothes were still far too large for River’s willowy frame. “Evenin’,” he greeted. River hung there, just watching him. He moved to the table with his drink, bringing the flask with him. He sat facing her, but tried not to look at her. She remained, silent and observant. Mal finished one drink and was nursing another before she finally spoke. “May I join you, Captain?” He paused amidst lifting the cup to his lips. “’Course,” he finished taking a sip and motioned for her to sit. She did so silently, still. Meanwhile, her apparent calm raised the tension in him. He fidgeted. He wanted to say something to her, felt he should, but could not figure out the right words. Finally, he folded his hands together and made to speak. “You don’t need to apologize, Captain,” she said just as his mouth opened. “You were just trying to protect everyone. Including me.” He snapped it shut and looked at his lap. “Don’t make me feel much better about doin’ it.” “No. But it was the right thing to do. I’m still dangerous.” He looked up and met her eyes. They were big and limpid and clear, with that blunt, sometimes distant honesty that occasionally affected her. “Something’s still not right inside.” “Maybe so. But we all got our own demons to contend with. Yours are just a little different than most.” “They’re afraid.” “Who is?” “You. The crew. Everyone. Saw what I did. Even though it wasn’t me,” she looked down at her lap, dark hair covering her face. In those oversized clothes, it made her look very small and vulnerable. Mal sighed and drained his cup again. He wished he could feel differently, at least so she would not have to know. But there was no changing it. “May I have a drink, Captain?” she looked at him between strands of her hair. “Don’t know if that’s such a good idea.” “It helps calm the demons. And right now I don’t think I can stand to listen to them anymore.” There was a tremor in her voice- just a hint- that told Mal everything she was feeling. Even though his better instincts told him not to, he’d been to that place before. He filled his cup and slid it over to her. “Thank you,” she murmured and took a sip, eyes still half-hidden in her hair. Mal gave her a tiny smile. He got up and went to the galley, came back with another cup, and filled it up. They drank together, enjoying each other’s company in silence.

gaowan- testicles hun dan- bastard chi mei- demons Can bu ren du- "Too horrible to look at."