“Oh for the days when our passengers weren’t scary little girls. Ouch!” Wash exclaimed as Zoë punched him on the shoulder, nodding over at River who was hovering on the threshold. “Present company excluded!” “Ain’t no way we can do it Captain.” Zoë said flatly. “Flying over an Alliance core planet…” “I know. Makes no kinda sense. That’s why we ain’t doin’ it.” Book cleared his throat. “Now Captain, I’m as upset over what has transpired today as you are but…” “Shepherd, I find that hard to believe. We can’t be takin’ this apparition’s word for anythin’. If she’s involved with the same people that done messed up River I want nothin’ to do with it.” Taking his cue from Mal, Wash flicked three switches and brought up the coordinates for Persephone. “Back to business as usual?” “And rightly so.” Mal moved past Book and Zoe, back towards River and to the rest of the crew who had congregated at the foot of the stairs. “We’re headed to Persephone, plain and simple. Jumpin’ headlong into what could be very nasty dealin’ with the Alliance isn't an option right now." He said unflinchingly, his gaze holding Darcie’s. “I’m sorry,” he added after a moment. Truth was that he was sorry, but he couldn’t save every lost girl out there, there were just too many monsters. The crew shifted uncomfortably. “If you all have jobs, go do them” Jayne hooked Vera onto his shoulder and, without looking at Darcie, slid down his ladder and disappeared from view. Kaylee followed the mercenary’s lead and looked down as she turned around. Briefly however, she allowed her gaze to flitter up and look at Darcie. Her stomach turned as, in that brief instant, all her insecurities flooded back. Jubal Early returned to her, his words, his smile, the touch of his cold hands on her skin. A familiar fear gripped her and, overwhelmed, she dashed past Darcie. Simon glanced from River to Inara, then, with an encouraging nod, quickly moved after Kaylee. Away from the prying eyes of the group Kaylee allowed herself to break down, but as tears cascaded down her face she felt Simon wrap his arms around her. And, in that instant, she lost herself in him. “I won’t leave this ship.” Darcie said flatly. “You can’t force me off, I won’t leave you until you turn Serenity around!” She was bluffing and, as the ship went to hard burn and moved further away from Sihnon, her vision began to swim. “Patchwork girl.” Darcie glared irritably at River who had broken away from Inara’s grip. “Sewn up again and again, but you didn’t fit with the other toys anymore so they put you at the back, in the dark, in the dust.” She said softly. Darcie bared her teeth slightly, her calm disposition cracking. “You have no idea what you are carrying Mal, she’s dangerous, she’ll bring you nothing but strife!” Mal’s patience was waning rapidly. He stepped down from his platform and stood toe to toe with Darcie, whose face paled. “Get off my gorram boat, I ain’t gonna ask you again.” River circled Darcie and allowed her mind to look deeper into her, past the manifestation that wavered before them. Hot, salty tears began to roll down her cheeks. Sadness and distress were coming off her in waves. “It’s so easy for you. You are real, you can cry and laugh and dance and sing,” Darcie shouted, her eyes were clouding over. “You have no idea! But soon you will, they’ll come for you all and then you’ll understand. I’m just the first, there are more like me!” River gasped as Darcie’s hand reached out, something cold gripping her tightly on her face. The familiar sting of needles began to prick her body, her temples throbbed and she tasted blood. “You’re going to remember everything River.” Darcie uttered maliciously, “next time you aren’t going to see us coming.” She lent forward and brought her lips right up to River’s ear. “School’s out…” Her form rapidly melted into the air, leaving River standing, shivering and shaking. Inara dashed over to her, cradling her head against her chest. “Doc!” Mal was immediately at the door of the living area, his voice boomed down the empty corridor. Simon emerged from the engine room, Kaylee not far behind. River had now sunk to her knees, her body shaking more and more violently. “She’s seizing, we need something to put under her head!” Inara felt Simon at her side and helped lower River down onto the metal grate. Amidst the cluster of worried faces and noise River felt as if she were falling; the arms supporting her had given away and now she plunging into the black. Darcie had removed everything that had kept all those memories, thoughts and feelings pertaining to her past in check and River’s mind now flooded with everything she had tried so desperately hard to block out. But now there was too much, too much noise and confusion. River shut down. Simon’s voice had risen to an urgent shout, yelling directions at the rest of the crew. His sister’s heart had stopped.

***

Darcie’s eyes rolled in their sockets; a soundless laugh racked her body. A man hovered over her form and, after emitting a soft sigh, pressed a console next to him. The girl’s chest began to rise and fall irregularly, her head shaking. “It was to be expected, the mental strain was too much.” “The other three are showing vast improvement but we need to get them closer.” Another male voice emanated from the dark. He nodded and watched blood drip from the subject’s nose. She had flat lined. “I want them ready to fight their way through to her if they have to.” His colleague came alongside and glanced down disdainfully. “What did she do before she terminated her connection with the subject? I observed the readings jump up momentarily.” The first Hand of Blue grimaced. “I do not know.”