Firefly: "Fathers and Sons--Part 1"

Disclaimer: If I weren't just a poor college student and could finance the series myself, I would, but I can't. So all I can do is just play around in Joss Whedon's 'verse. Also, I don't know a lick of Chinese so I haven't bothered to put the translations because they're probably horribly wrong. If it were Japanese or Latin, well, that'd be another story...

Episode five of my second season of Firefly: A reunion between Simon and his parents leads to an uncomfortable atmosphere on Serenity, marring what should be one of Simon's happiest days. River's not doing any better either, as she comes down with the flu. Part one of two.

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"Mr. Tam," said a pleasantly pitched, genial voice from the shadows that startled Gabriel Tam. He turned from the window where he'd been watching the rain fall and spied a figure emerging from the hall. He was tall, with a dark, round face and short hair. In contrast to his dark skin, the man wore a loose, white tunic and trousers, and his wing-tipped shoes made no sound as he stalked across the carpet.

"Who--"

"Who I am is of little importance, Mr. Tam," said the man pleasantly; his eyes roaming around the den lit only by the dying fireplace. "The reason for my calling is. I know of your plight, Mr. Tam; ostracized by your so-called peers; losing the high-profile cases your firm would usually take. I know of what the Alliance has done to exploit your situation, all for the promise of returning things to normal once your children are captured. And, I know of your recent change of heart."

"It seems you know many things," coughed Gabriel, who'd been thoroughly nonplussed at the man's appearance.

Gabriel didn't like the smile the man gave. It was too polite. No one should be so polite. "Knowledge is my business, Mr. Tam, and it just so happens that my knowledge might be service to you."

"Really?" asked Gabriel. He smoothed out his fine, silk robe and narrowed his eyes to scrutinize the stranger.

"A few months ago, you were arrested in a blackout zone. You were attempting to find someone willing to track down your children, and take both you and your wife to them. That was not your first foray into a blackout zone, and I do not believe it will be the last," said the man with a hint of amusement. The man looked towards the mantle, where a capture of a young Simon and River were playing out in the yard. "Your intentions are admirable, Mr. Tam. I can see where Simon got his single-mindedness."

"You've met Simon? River?" Gabriel interjected suddenly, and had taken two footsteps involuntarily towards the stranger.

"After a fashion," smiled the stranger in a queer, ironic way. There was some underlying hostility that Gabriel had managed to pick up, and that stopped him from approaching the man any further. "But that was in the past. Like you, Miranda has opened my eyes. With those eyes, I'm sure you've seen that there's little hope for a future here in the Core. The jobs will trickle to nothing, and then all you'll have left is your savings, and even that will dwindle and dwindle. Your wife doesn't yet see that, but she will when the Rawlings' party invitation is mysteriously lost in the mail. The Rawlings, of course, being your last, true friends."

"What do you want?" sighed Gabriel defeatedly, knowing--or at least, suspecting--that what the man had said was true. "You risked being detected by the Federal surveillance for a reason. What is it?"

"A partnership, Mr. Tam," said the man genially, straightening his back like a man actually setting himself up for a business presentation. "A very profitable partnership."

*****

Captain Malcolm Reynolds watched the small bag of money, only about the size of his palm, fall onto the table. He looked up from the pitiful bag to the man who'd thrown it. Chuckles--the short, fat man dressed in a white, sweat-stained suit that only emphasized his size--gazed out through one of the square windows of the nearly empty diner. He seemed completely unconcerned with the tense, paint-peeling glare that Mal was giving him, and simply continued to fan himself.

Chuckles was the sort of contact that Mal hated going to. Fanty, Mingo, Patience, and Badger were scum, of that there was no doubt, but they were profitable scum. More than that, there was a certain manner of reliability on each of them--it wasn't always a good sort of reliability, but reliable was reliable. Chuckles wasn't reliable in the slightest, nor was his pay worth the trouble. The sack sitting in front of Mal was indicative of his dealings with Chuckles.

"Now, Chuckles, I'm willin' to pass this off as a joke on account of your name, but if you don't show me the real money I'm gonna have to break your nose some, and that won't be much fun for neither of us," Mal told Chuckles with a false smile.

"I might find some fun in it," said Jayne Cobb from behind Mal's left. The big mercenary gave a shrug, causing his rifle strapped across his shoulder to jostle against the dual pistols strapped at his hips.

"Shen-me?" asked Chuckles, tipping up his white fedora some to squint at Mal with his beady eyes.

"Chuckles, I been 'round this 'verse some six times in my life, and I ain't never seen no currency big 'nough to fit five-thousand platnium in that bitty bag," said Mal, losing his smile as he placed his hands on the edge of the roughly hewn table and leaned over.

"C'mon, Mal," Chuckles chuckled nervously, which forced his third chin to wobble in an unattractive way, "you know it's there. Ain't never steered you wrong before."

"No, you ain't, but then I seem to remember that bobble-head geisha doll escapade," replied a not so amused Mal. Chuckles gave a meager squeek of a laugh while he patted his sweaty neck with a cloth handkerchief. Mal would've taken it as a tell, if Chuckles didn't have the tendency to sweat on a continuous basis.

"Trick," said River Tam, fugitive, Reader, and resident good-luck charm on Serenity. Given her fugitive status--and the whole mess of trouble she might bring down on them if she were identified--they'd taken to fashion a sort of costume for River to wear off ship. Instead of her flowy, floral dresses and barefeet, River wore a beat-up, leather jacket over one of Zoe Washburne's brown vests and combat boots. Strapped to her hip was one of Jayne's pistols, as they hadn't had proper time to get her proper gear--not that she needed it. The important thing, however, were the goggles that distorted her eyes to ridiculous proportions. Mal could hardly recognizer her himself in that get up.

"Now, honey, I know I'm dressed all nicely, but that don't mean I'm a magician," said Chuckles as sweetly as he could manage. "Ain't gonna listen to her, are you, Mal? Money's there, I promise."

"Well, now, my little Albatross ain't steered me wrong in the past," said Mal, giving the girl a quick glance. "And that surely don't look like five-thousand in platnium, now does it, Zoe?"

"No, sir," said Zoe Washburne, Mal's second-in-command, with her sawn-off rifle pointed down at the floor. Her steely eyes hadn't left the small, five man posse behind Chuckles since they'd entered his diner.

In a smooth, methodical motion, Mal drew his pistol and used its barrel to open the bag; giving Chuckles a mild heart attack in the process. Mal tipped that bag towards him, and spread it open just enough to peak inside. What Mal saw confounded him, and momentarily robbed him of his anger.

"Chuckles? D'you mind explainin' why I got a multitude of your faces grinnin' at me?" asked a thoroughly bemused Mal.

"It's my currency," shrugged the man meekly. "Printed it up myself. Started circulating it 'round the town, since I practically own this dirt-water hole."

"That's one damn ugly currency," said Jayne with a very disapproving look on his face. "Ain't even look like you!"

"Sure it does--"

"Ain't really interested in this," Mal cut off Chuckles before he could strike a pose. "Now, what you say you put the funny money out for the kids, and bring out the real stuff."

"Well, that's the thing, Mal," coughed Chuckles uncomfortably. "Don't got any real money on me no more. Put everything I got into my own money."

"Findin' that hard to believe, Chuckles, seein' as how you'd be needin' to deal with people who ain't so charmed by your quaint town," said Mal, glaring right into the beady eyes of the large man.

"I swear it, Mal," quivered the man, who seemed to be taking laborous breaths.

Mal tore his eyes away from Chuckles to look at River. The girl surreptitiously indicated over to the large statue of a shaggy dog off in the corner. Mal frowned skeptically at River, who nodded back in a way that read "I'm the genius. Don't question me." With a half-shrug, Mal cocked his pistol, aimed it at the dog, and fired a bullet right through its neck. The ceramic dog shattered like rain and released copious amount of platnium.

"I'll be damned if that ain't the biggest piggy bank I ever saw," whistled Jayne appreciatively.

Chuckles deflated with a pathetic whimper when Mal turned his attention back to the man. A half hour, and some angry words later, Mal and company strode out of Chuckles establishment with the correct amount of money, plus some compensation. He made a mental check on his little list, and shifted Chuckles down beside Niska and Badger.

"Well, that wasn't so bad," said Mal, recounting the money cheerfully on their way back to Serenity. Zoe shook her head slightly while Jayne just outright rolled his eyes. Zoe, as much as she'd like to, couldn't make much of a dry, sarcastic comment. In terms of how bad their jobs usually went, this one did turn out all right. "Reckon River made the right choice in taggin' 'long with us, no matter how much the Doc complained. What d'you say, little Albatross?"

The sound of retching answered for him. Everyone turned around to spy River throwing up on the dusty lane. Her long, wavy dark hair hid her face from view, but there was no hiding the colorful mess that stood out against the bleak, tan dirt. Judging from her pale face and shaking knees, she looked really sick in Mal's eyes.

"Huh," he frowned.

"Least she did it on the road 'n' not over me," commented Jayne, who continued walking like nothing was wrong.

*****

"So what's the diagnosis, Doc?" asked Mal from his spot against the door of Serenity's infirmary. Simon Tam had been staring at an image of River's brain for the last twenty minutes--something that Mal didn't think was necessary for a girl who'd only thrown up.

Simon unfolded his arms and finally tore his gaze away from the monitor to look at Mal. "She's sick," he summarized.

"Yeah, I got that when she spilled her lunch on that dust ball moon," said Mal, hooking his thumbs into his gunbelt and giving Simon a slight smirk. "I'm lookin' for somethin' a mite specific."

"Elevated temperature, nausea, slight chills," sighed Simon, somewhat helplessly. "It seems like River has the flu."

"The flu?" frowned Mal, which wasn't the answer Mal had been expecting.

"The flu," confirmed Simon, who seemed equally bewildered.

"Well, that don't seem hardly serious," commented Mal glibly, ready to turn and leave the infirmary.

"That shouldn't be possible," said Simon, mostly to himself, and Mal found himself pausing at the door. "I gave her an inoculation last week when she...decided"--and here Simon's face twisted into one of distaste--"to go planetside with all of you. More to the point, I don't think I've ever seen River sick since she was six."

"What's that mean, Doc?" asked Mal, twisting his torso around to look at Simon.

"Nothing, I guess," was Simon's uninspired answer. Mal frowned as he examined Simon closely, who'd just resumed observing the image of River's mind.

"She gonna be fine?" which happened to be Mal's greatest concern as captain.

"I gave her a shot of antibiotics," said Simon distractedly. "If it is the flu, she should be better by tomorrow."

"Well, all right then," said Mal, wondering if anything had really been settled.

Mal walked up the short flight of stairs that led to the cargo bay, just as Jonah Hex, their resident cook, came down the long flight of stairs from the mess bearing a tray of soup in his hands; it was the jangle of his spurs that gave him away. Mal's stomach growled violently under the spell of rich spices, and he paused to address the scarred albino. "Is that what's for lunch? More importanly, is that mine?"

"You have two able legs, Captain," said Hex in an amused, gravelly voice. "This here is for our young River, who I understand isn't feeling too well."

"Well, now that you mention it, Hex, I'm feelin' a mite feverous," grinned Mal good-naturedly.

"Nice try, Captain," said Hex; his face twisted into a horrifying grin thanks to the long, jagged scar that ran from his hairline to the top of his upper lip on the left side of his face. Mal chuckled as he watched Hex turn towards River's passenger bunk near the back. Once he entered into River's dorm, Mal decided to head towards the mess instead of the bridge like he'd originally planned.

Unsurprisingly, the mess was full of every able-bodied person. Hex's cooking had been a fast favorite among the crew, and Mal wondered how he'd ever forgotten to hire on a cook. Somehow the man had the ability to make every meal seem like a home-cooked meal in spite of their often bare necessities. Considering their often dangerous line of work, where any meal could be their last, Jayne, Mal, Kyo and Zoe all appreciated each one. Years of surviving solely on protein packs and other nutritional suppliments had that affect as well.

"Did you make out in your caper?" inquired Inara with an easy smile. It was a not so subtle reference to their heated arguement in her shuttle, shortly before he decided to scam Saffron out of the Lassiter job. Despite the fact her opinion of him as a "petty crook" had hurt him then, somehow he managed to hear the fondness in it this time around.

"It's not much, but it's enough to keep flyin'," Mal promised to everyone and the ship. "We're gonna have to line ourselves up a new job after we refuel. Speakin' of which..."

"We're on course," said Kyo Nagiama from the corner lounge. Even though he'd now been a part of the crew for months, and more importantly was Mal and Zoe's friend from the war, he still had an aversion to the long table. Of course, Mal kept assuming it was an old habit of his since he kept wearing his gunbelt at all time over his black flightsuit. The crew lounge in the corner had a better vantage point to defend in the event of invasion. "Should be stoppin' at Station Thirty inside of noon tomorrow."

"Good," nodded Mal as he scooped up a ladle full of soup for himself. "Reckon it's about time we picked up our mail too. We've been overdue for what, two weeks? Reckon we should get somethin' interestin'."

"As long as it's not another body again," said Jayne pointedly. Mal and Zoe nodded simultaneously, both not wanting to dwell over Tracey too long.

Kyo looked up, as it was a story he hadn't yet heard, but noticing Mal and Zoe's expressions, he decided to file that question away for later. Besides, that wasn't his main concern at the moment. He was far more concerned with River's apparent flu, while trying not appear overly concerned through their connection--which wasn't an easy task in the slightest. Mostly, it involved shutting the knobless, keyless door that kept most of his mind shielded; something River had picked up immediately and was displeased about.

He didn't want to worry or alarm her though. After all, it could just be a simple flu.

"I've been thinkin' 'bout the sleepin' arrangements, sir," said Zoe in a very controlled manner that invited the attention from everyone.

"'S'that so?" said Mal thoughtfully while he sat down at the head of the table.

"It is, sir. I've been thinkin' my room's a little too big these days, and that a change of scenery wouldn't be unwanted," she said slowly, her hand automatically reaching up to the promise necklace wound tightly around her neck. Instinctively, Inara grasped her other hand while Kaylee shifted closer towards Zoe for support.

"Go on," said Mal neutrally, but his steel blue eyes were locked on Zoe; his soup all but forgotten.

Zoe stared down at her soup, and even that was a bittersweet reminder of her departed husband. She could still hear him say "Mmm, wife soup," in her ears and felt like giving out a sobbing smile. It was the feeling she felt everytime she descended those stairs to their bunk, or woke up in the morning and expected him to be there in that vacant spot on their bed. She appreciated the support she was getting from Inara and Kaylee, but at the same time she hated to show weakness like this. In truth, she felt as uncomfortable as Jayne looked. Mostly, she was grateful for Mal and Kyo's impassive, businesslike looks.

"I'd like to take Kaylee's bunk, sir, and have Simon and Kaylee move into mine," said Zoe, looking over to their bright, genius mechanic for approval.

"I wouldn't mind none," said Kaylee with an encouraging smile.

"Not to throw a wrench in your carefully crafted plans," interrupted a hesitant Kyo, "but I was thinkin' of movin' into one of the crew bunks. Seems kinda silly for the pilot to be in the passenger dorms, not that I overly mind none."

"No," said Mal, who seemed to be chewing over the decision with a mouthful of soup. "Kyo's gotta point. 'Sides, thinkin' it'd be best to keep Simon near the infirmary."

"Well, Simon's room is awful comfy," conceded Kaylee with a sly grin. Mal gave an embarassed cough that plainly said it was something he didn't need, nor want to, know about. "Plus, it ain't no difference for me to get to the engine room from either spot."

"All right then," nodded Mal to indicate the matter closed. "I'd like everythin' squared after we refuel, dong-ma?"

"Shouldn't Simon be included in this discussion?" inquired a somewhat bemused Inara.

"I'm the captain, it's my boat, he oughta sleep in the airlock if I say it so," shrugged Mal gruffly, but there were traces of humor in it. "'Sides, if our boy has a problem with it, Kaylee can just take over Kyo's room." Inara had opened her mouth to reply, but shut it as she realized it was actually a nice compromise. She lifted her eyebrows and conveyed how impressed she was at Mal's foresight. "Contrary to popular opinion, I do have a good idea on occassion."

Everyone let out a chuckle at that, Mal included, before Jayne leaned over to ask Kyo, "Hey, wanna trade? I mean, Zoe's bunk's a bit too big for you, ain't it? I've been thinkin' 'bout expandin' my gun collection and could use the room."

"Yeah, whatever," shrugged Kyo in an unconcerned manner, but truthfully he'd been looking forward to having Zoe's bunk from the moment she suggested it. Mostly because of the fact that River had the tendency to slip unnoticed into his bunk, and he didn't think Jayne's would be quite suited for that. Not that they'd done anything but just sleep--despite River's continuous, and insistant attempts at trying. He still wanted to take things slow with her; not because she was younger than him, but because this was really the first relationship for the pair of them.

"But, really, how many guns are you plannin' on ownin'?" Kyo had to ask.

"Can't never have too many," grinned Jayne boyishly in reply.

*****

Simon turned from the diagnostic screen that'd began to blend together into one gray blob. There wasn't anything else for him to do. River had the flu; that's all there was to it. He wondered if there was any of Hex's soup left, but then he spotted the time on his watch and realized that it was nearly dinner. Simon frowned; he'd spent hours staring at an image of his sister's brain. Maybe he really did need to relax more often.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Kaylee bounding down the stairs with a box in her hands. He smiled at first, thinking that he'd found his ultimate source of relaxation, but frowned when he saw Kaylee head straight for his room. Wondering just what Kaylee would be doing with a box in his room, Simon immediately tip-toed out to spy on her.

Watching didn't illuminate anything for Simon, as it appeared that Kaylee had dropped three boxes of her own things into his spacious, orange room.

"Are you looking for some extra closet space?" remarked Simon lightly to dampen his confusion.

Kaylee turned her head at the sound of Simon's voice and gave him one of her sun-bright smiles to put him at ease. "No, silly, I'm movin' in."

"Ah, I see. You're what?" said a thoroughly nonplussed Simon.

"Movin' in," repeated Kaylee a little more slowly while retaining all of her radiance. "Didn't reckon you'd mind, what with the gift you still haven't given me 'n' all."

Instinctively Simon's hand fell onto his right pocket and grasped onto the box that weighed it down. Not knowing if Kaylee had actually discovered his surprise, Simon decided to play dumb--something that didn't require an awful lot of concentration on his part where speaking with Kaylee was concerned.

"What gift?"

"The ring in your pocket, Simon," said Kaylee in exasperation, finally getting up from the box of her clothes to round on him. "You're holdin' onto it right now!"

Simon gaped for a moment, feeling like Serenity had opened up underneath him and had thrown him out into the black. He was crushed that Kaylee had found out his surprise, especially when he hadn't found the right opportunity to ask her. He was so disappointed that he didn't realize she'd already given him an answer just by moving in--not that the answer to the question was ever in doubt.

"Did--did you talk to River?" Simon had to ask, remembering their conversation weeks ago.

"No," laughed Kaylee as she began to hang up her coveralls in his closet. "Don't need a Reader to know that! Thinkin' your top three percent forgot that you ain't the only one who handles your pants these days."

A crimson flush crept up Simon's neck and ears, but he did his best to keep it off his face. That had certainly been an oversight on his part.

"So?" prompted Kaylee when Simon had fallen silent. "Why ain't'cha ever asked?"

Simon gave a sigh and extracted the small, felt covered box from his box. "I was waiting for the right moment. I wanted it to be romantic," he explained slowly as he turned the box around in his hands. "Like say a beach, or a fancy dinner on the next planet we landed on--the next good planet."

"Have you seen where y'are, honey?" Kaylee grinned in that patronizing way when she turned from his closet. "Stops like Ambrosia are 'bout as rare as me findin' a B-39 polarizer in the next scrapshop we run 'cross. And we ain't 'xactly welcome in the Core or on the border worlds for very long. Ain't Miranda teach you none? The right moment's one where we're breathin'."

"Miranda taught me a lot, believe me," said Simon finally entering his room and taking a seat on the edge of his bed. "It's just... I wanted it to be special, because you're special, bao-bei."

"And you're sweet for sayin', hun," beamed Kaylee before she leaned down to give him a brief kiss. "Y'ever hear how Wash 'n' Zoe got married?"

"No," admitted Simon, thinking he could've used Wash's advice at this particular juncture, "but I could guess. They eloped, right?"

"Yup. The Cap'n 'n' Zoe had some mighty fierce words 'bout shipboard relationships, 'n' Zoe got so mad that the next time Serenity set down, she dragged Wash off the ship and they eloped!"

"So it was a marriage out of spite?" said Simon with a frown.

"No, silly!" exclaimed Kaylee with a playful slap onto Simon's shoulder. "Did it look like a marriage of spite? Zoe just knew a good thing when she saw one, and was smart 'nough to grab on when she had the chance. Reckon she was a mite sad the Cap'n didn't perform the ceremony. He can, y'know, since he's a captain 'n' all."

"So, you don't want romance, or any of it?" Simon asked as he tried to get things straight.

"I didn't say that," drawled Kaylee coyly before sobering up. "It'd be nice 'n' all, sure, but it ain't what's important. What's important's what we got, 'n' that's each other 'n' the crew."

"What about your parents?"

"Oh, we'll send 'em a wave, sure! Maybe we'll stop by the next time we're in the system, but we're on a ship, Simon, 'n' we all got jobs to do. My Pa knows that, bein' a mechanic 'n' all by the docks. So?"

Simon thought it over in his mind, and realized that Kaylee was right--as she often was in these subjects. He never thought about a wedding much, but he always assumed, at the very least, it'd be something like the one his parents had. In fact, Simon could say he took that assumption for granted. A small ceremony with a ragtag crew would've never entered his mind back on Osiris; back then, he would've thought someone crazy for even suggesting it. Love really was the important thing to Simon, and Miranda had taught him that. Not for the first time, he found himself stumbling over his assumptions and upbringings.

Smiling at her--and simultaneously envisioning funny things like an uncomfortable Jayne dressed up in fancy clothes, or River as a flower girl--Simon grabbed her hands in his, and together they opened the box. Simon tried not to laugh aloud as Kaylee's eyes practically bulged out of her sockets at the sight of the ring. He'd stared at the ring for so long since buying it Ambrosia that he knew it by heart. It was a simple, gold band with a continuous line of infinity symbols etched along it; circles within circles.

Taking her trembling hand in his own, he extracted the ring from the box and tilted it so Kaylee could read the engraving.

"To Kaylee: Forever the brightest thing in my life, love Simon," Kaylee read with a quivering voice. Simon slipped the ring onto Kaylee's finger, but before he could get on his knee to properly ask her, he found himself bowled over onto his back with Kaylee's lips firmly planted on his own. It was, perhaps, the most passionate kiss she'd ever given him in his life. All top three percent of his genius intellect became no firmer than the mud in Canton, and proceeded to move somewhere south on his body.

"C'mon!" exclaimed Kaylee, once they'd broken apart with their chests heaving for oxygen. "We have to tell everyone! Maybe we can get the Cap'n to marry us when we pull in to refuel!"

"Oh, very special," said Simon dryly, but not being serious in his criticism. The smile on his face told Kaylee that he was all right with her decision, and that only made her tug him along at a faster pace. By the time they'd climbed up the long flight of stairs to the aft corridor, Simon thought Kaylee might've wrenched his shoulder out of its socket.

"Dragged the Doc out for some dinner, huh?" remarked Mal absently over the wonderful smell of fresh lasagna. Kaylee almost whimpered at the scent of spicy sauce and hot food, but the piece of metal around her finger snapped her out of it.

"Mei-mei? What is it?" asked Inara, who'd instantly registered the shift in Kaylee's dynamic. The girl was practically radiating happiness a happiness so fierce that she could probably fuel Serenity on her lonesome, and Inara could hardly believe that everyone was so engrossed with the lasagna--as good as it was--rather than feeling Kaylee's joy. At the very least, Inara's question forced everyone to stare at the couple, and she couldn't help but notice Zoe give Kaylee a strange double-take.

"Simon's made an honest woman outta me!" giggled Kaylee, showcasing the ring off to everyone. Inara and Zoe beamed proudly at Kaylee after the pronouncement. They slid out from the table simultaneously and gave the energetic engineer a large, sisterly embrace. Simon then embraced them after, smiling shyly under everyone's scrutiny.

"Congratulations you two," said Hex with a grin of his own. "Guessing that I'm going to have to cook up something really special once we refuel. Have to admit, I haven't been privy to many marriages on a ship, but I'll think of something."

"Aw, no need to go out of your way on account of us, Hex," said Kaylee, giving him a grandfatherly kiss on his cheek--a joke, considering he wasn't more than a few years older than Mal.

"Dunno know why you wanna go off 'n' get hitched, Doc," mumbled Jayne unconcernedly around a mouthful of lasagna. "I wouldn't'a done it." Of course, Simon knew, Jayne also didn't kiss girls on the lips--which was only the tip of intimate things that "Simon didn't want to know, but did" about the mercenary.

Simon had expected as much from Jayne, and just let the comment slip off his back, but it was Mal's reaction that Simon was waiting for. After their announcement, Mal had simply resumed eating as if this was just an ordinary dinner; the same had been for Kyo, tucked away in the corner lounge. Once everything had settled down some, everyone began to look expectantly at Mal for his reaction. Zoe and Inara had a sort of hesitant, but warning look directed at Mal; Kaylee just beamed hopefully; Simon was naturally apprehensive about everything; Kyo and Hex just watched the events impassively, and Jayne helped himself to another serving of lasagna.

"We on time for Station Thirty?" Mal asked of Kyo once he'd polished off his plate.

"Noon tomorrow," repeated Kyo evenly.

"Then I guess we're havin' ourselves a weddin' at noon tomorrow," Mal deadpanned while wiping his mouth with a napkin.

"That's it?" said Inara skeptically, inclining one a brow at Mal. Even Zoe seemed to be a little wary of Mal's decision. Simon had to agree with Inara somewhat. He'd been expecting an explosive, stubborn arguement from Mal, not casual acceptance.

"There anythin' else I need to be aware of?" frowned Mal as he looked back at Inara. Everyone shook their heads almost in unison. "Well then, I ain't seein' a problem."

"I love my Captain," grinned Kaylee before planting a kiss on his cheek. Mal tried to make a sour face at Kaylee, but he was unable to suppress the twinkle in his blue eyes as he looked fondly down at the engineer.

"Now, Simon, you hurt her and, well, reckon we'll have to be pickin' your body parts out of the engines once Kaylee's through with you," said Mal lightly, yet Simon had no doubt that Kaylee would have no reservations in pushing him through Serenity's engines if that ever happened. Mal clasped his hand on Simon's shoulder and gave him something of an apologetic smile.

"Come on, mei-mei, I think I can find something special for you to wear," beckoned Inara sweetly with a delicate hand.

"You'll marry us, won't you, Cap'n?" said Kaylee, looking back over her shoulder towards Mal just as she took Inara's hand.

"D'you even gotta ask, mei-mei?" said Mal earnestly, with a truly fond smile on his face.

Just as Kaylee, Inara and Zoe were about to leave the mess hall, River bounded in with an over-stuffed shoulder bag and a box in her hands. Everyone stopped to look at her bright smile and packed things, wondering just what reason she had for being in the mess hall like that. Immediately, River moved to kiss Kaylee's cheek around the box jutting out from her front.

"Took him long enough," commented River, earning a chuckle from everyone and did a lot to put them at ease. "I'm happy for you."

"Thanks, sweetie," said Kaylee, giving the younger girl an overt wink.

"Mei-mei, why are you all packed?" asked Simon gently.

"Yeah, she leavin'?" said Jayne, simultaneously confused and hopeful. Hex gave the mercenary a baleful look from his right, pink eye, and exercised his right as cook to remove the plate from under Jayne.

"Moving day," said River happily as she rocked back on her heels the best she could manage.

"River, honey, some of us are shufflin' 'round, but not you," said Zoe consolingly.

"Want to," countered River with a slight frown. "Kyo wants to share."

Aside from the coughing, sputtering, spit-take from Kyo, everyone remained so silent that each individual water drop that hit the metal plating of the floor could be heard. For the most part, everyone's faces reflected amusement and surprise; Kaylee, Zoe, Inara, and Mal all looked on the verge of laughing, while Simon looked to be on the verge of some murderous intent.

Before Simon could act on his rapidly reddening face, Mal decided to ask Kyo squarely, "You know anythin' 'bout this?"

"This is the first I've heard of it," said Kyo tightly while still trying to clear his vapor ridden lungs. He shot River a tense, accusatory look, to which River leveled a cool, challenging glare in return.

"I forbid it!" hissed Simon angrily, glaring back and forth between Kyo and River.

"Simon," said Kaylee sharply, rounding on Simon with a hard glare of her own.

"She's a girl!" Simon almost shouted in alarm.

"Member of the crew," said River softly, but firmly, stepping right up so that she was toe-to-toe with her older brother. Her eyes never wavered from Simon's, and there was a firm, mature look in her large eyes that rarely appeared. That look alone softened Simon's ire somewhat, but he was much too stubborn to back down completely. "Crew sleeps in the crew bunks."

"You're not moving in with Kyo," repeated Simon. River's suggestion had blossomed a whole wealth of images in his imagination that he'd tried not to think about, ever since he'd seen River on Kyo's arm back on Ambrosia. She was his little sister, after all. What was he supposed to do? Sit back, smile, and think this was all fine? She might be capable of handling herself in a battle, but it was Simon's opinion that she was far from stable emotionally; even after Miranda.

"Seems to me that I'm the captain on this ship, Doc," said Mal authoritatively as he stepped up between River and Simon. "And I seem to recall that we reached a consensus on this here matter. Your sister makes her own choices on the ship, Doc, and she's got a fair point 'bout crew sleepin' in the crew bunks."

"She's--"

"Simon," said Hex in a calm voice, restraining the doctor with a firm hand on his shoulder. "Your announcement made us all happy, so I think it's best not to spoil the moment any further. Now, nobody's moving anywhere tonight, and I suggest we all just sleep on this. It's clear that River's suggestion is a surprise to us all, and I'm sure we'll have a better idea of what to do in the morning."

"Now that there's a fine suggestion, Hex," said Mal as he folded his arms across his chest. His tone brokered no further discussion, and Simon had no choice but to go along with it. Shooting one last angry glare at Kyo, he stormed off down the aft corridor having forgotten dinner.

"I'll just get him a plate," said Kaylee apologetically, but with a fair amount of distaste at what had transpired.

"You go," said Hex kindly, which never ceased to amaze everyone when juxtaposed with his hideous scar and gravelly voice. "I'll fix the two of you a plate with something special."

"Thanks, Hex," Kaylee sighed before storming off after her new fiance.

"I--ah--think I'll spend some time on the bridge," stuttered Kyo somewhat uncomfortably. "Got some--uh--piloty things to do."

"I'll join--"

"NO!" said Kyo loudly over River. "No, just...no." Through their connection, he could feel her hurt on a multitude of levels, especially since he hadn't done anything to defend her request, but in all honesty, he hadn't been consciously aware of River's plan. It'd came as a surprise to him, just like everyone else--even though it shouldn't have considering he'd thought it earlier in the day--but the part that nettled him most of all was River's timing. She could've waited until after they docked at Station Thirty, or after Simon and Kaylee married, anything but stomping over their announcement. Surely River had to know how badly that would've irritated her brother--she couldn't not know for crying out loud.

"Come on, River, we can go back to my shuttle," said Inara gently, leading her by the elbow towards the forward corridor. "We need to pick out what you're going to wear at Simon's wedding. Maybe we'll find something for Kaylee while we're at it."

Kyo averted his eyes from River, in admittedly a cowardly fashion, until River was out of sight completely. Hex had just finished preparing two dishes of lasagna, along with a small box that no one had seen before, and left shortly after them. Silence reigned even after he left to deliever food for the second time of the day. Jayne, apparently finding the amusement over, pushed back loudly from the worn table and made his way to his bunk.

"This mean we ain't tradin'?" Jayne asked Kyo while picking his teeth with his pinky.

"Jayne," said Mal firmly, his arms still crossed, "tomorrow?"

"Fine, fine," grumbled the mercenary.

"That was...interestin'," said Kyo slowly, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably.

"Weren't your fault, Kyo," said Zoe consolingly. "Everyone knew 'bout you and River. Thinkin' there's just maybe too much change happenin' too fast."

"'Preciate you sayin', Zo," Kyo laughed vacantly, "but River and I ain't 'xactly done anythin' noteworthy. Certainly not as much as the things we've all walked in on Simon and Kaylee doin'. Guessin' it just came as a mighty big shock to Simon."

"Shock is right," chuckled Mal fondly while he poured himself a cup of coffee. "Thought that boy was ready to pop his head off. Wouldn't that've been messy?"

"You're really okay with Simon and Kaylee, sir?" asked Zoe, somewhat skeptically.

"Well, now, seems to me we went through this discussion once too," said Mal in a resigned voice after taking a satisfying sip of his coffee. "Ain't gonna lie and say it sat right with me in the beginnin', but I came to the conclusion that it ain't my place to stop 'em. They got lives, same as any, and how they conduct their personal lives ain't no concern of mine so long as everyone gets the job done."

"That sounded pretty profound," smirked Kyo, regaining some of his humor. "You ever wed two people?"

"Can't say that I've got much practical experience in the matter," admitted Mal with a smirk of his own. "You?"

"Corporal Chase and Private Freeman," said Kyo in fond rememberance. "Thinkin' it was downtime in Ratwater or some such. They wanted it, there weren't no chaplain in sight, and I was happy to oblige 'em. Don't know if that sorta captain's eligible to do that sorta thing, but don't think it mattered much to them."

"I remember them," nodded Mal reverently. "Found Freeman's tags out on Serentiy Valley. Wonder if Chase ever got 'em."

"I'm sure she did, sir," said Zoe tightly. "I'm sure she did."

The three Browncoat veterans stood in the bright, yellow mess hall for some time with only the mellow hum of Serenity's engines to keep up the conversation. As it always seemed to happen, the ghosts appeared at night when there was nothing left to distract. This time, on the heels of Simon and Kaylee's happy news, each of them were wrapped up in their own melancholy thoughts of wartime relations they'd seen forged in the heart of battle. Each of them were forced to weigh those thoughts of companionship against their own, relatively empty and solitary lives. For Zoe, this was more of a retrospective, and she was doubly happy she decided to switch rooms.

*****

Warm shores, cool breezes, and rolling waves slowly faded into the cold, artificial air of Serenity and the dull throb of her pulsating life through the bulkheads. There were few things Kyo hated more than sleeping. He found the whole ritual jarring; one moment he's conscious and the next it's like he's dead. He knew it was necessary of course, if only to retain some semblance of sanity, but the whole thing never ceased to freak him out.

Speaking of freaking him out, Kyo also became aware of River's warm body curled up against his her left side. Considering what had happened earlier in the day, he was surprised to find her sleeping beside him. He would've thought she'd avoid him at the very least--at worst, she could always kill him. He glanced down to find River's head lying on his chest, right over his steady heart. Her silky hair was fanned out over his bare chest, and one of her graceful hands lay curled by his collarbone.

"Four hours," she murmured against his chest, startling him slightly.

"What?" he asked; his voice thick and husky from waking. Nudging open their connection slightly, he found that she was indeed awake, and, judging from her mental activity, it didn't seem like she'd went to sleep at all.

"That's how long you've been sleeping," she informed him without opening her eyes. "Timed you. You never sleep less than four hours, or more than five. Average is four hours, twenty-seven minutes, and fifteen seconds."

"You'd be right," Kyo sighed, reaching up with his right hand to grasp the hand on his chest, while slipping his left arm around her body. "You should be sleeping, lai."

"Can't tell me what to do," said River petulantly, and Kyo felt her tense up physically and emotionally.

"I'm not Simon, lai," Kyo pointed out. "I'm not telling you what you should do."

"But you are," River protested and pulled herself out of his embrace. Kyo hissed at the sensation of her hair dragging across his bare chest and bit back a groan. Through their connection, he felt River's irritation melt for a moment, only to be replaced with a flighty, knowing giggle. "You tell me things all the time. You want me in Zoe's room, but you didn't say so in the mess."

"It's thought and word," explained Kyo as he covered his face with his hands. It was too late for this discussion--or too early. "It's also timing, lai. Yes, I'd like you to move in permanently, but you know that no one else knows that you sneak in here at night. Everyone knows that we're together, but everyone also thinks it's just...early in the relationship. They don't know that I'm..."

"Unique," smiled River. "Like a snowflake."

"All right, unique'll do," said Kyo wryly. "People, especially your brother, need some time to get used to this. And it didn't help that you picked a bad time to say it."

"Joke," explained River, somewhat remorsefully. "Semi-joke," she amended. "Needed support, but she found herself bereft."

Kyo gave another sigh, really not wanting to look at River's face and see her disappointed look, but unfortunately he could still feel it over their link. It made him feel worse than the disposal unit on Serenity smelled.

"Would it help if I said 'sorry?'" Kyo asked, peeking through his fingers to see River looking downcast at his torso. Her eyes stood out vividly against the shadow cast by her bowed head and long hair. He felt her intentions before she even moved, and was suddenly on the defensive. River slinked down from her stradled position across his thighs like a snake; her shoulders rolled sensuously while her moist lips parted.

"Show me you're sorry," she whispered against his ear breathily, which elicted an irrepressible shiver from his body.

"River," he groaned almost pleadingly and fastened his hands onto her shoulders, which was covered by a spare shirt of his. She knew, gorramit, that he wanted to take things slows and deliberate. An honest relationship was new territory for the both of them, and it wouldn't do either of them good to rush into things.

"Takes two to make a couple," stated River as her lips found a very sensitive spot near his Adam's apple. Oh how Kyo found this to be completely unfair. "Equal weights balance out the scale."

"You're sick," begged off Kyo, though his resistance was slipping under the combined ministrations of River's lips and fingers, along with the sheer passion and tenderness that radiated off of her through their connection. "You should be sleeping, lai."

"Feel better," murmured River; her hands tracing the very defined muscles of his body. Jayne was built like a strong man, Mal had the physique of someone who'd earned his strength through farm labor, and Simon had the cut of a gymnast. Kyo, by contrast, had the wiry muscles of a swimmer, which complimented well against the dancer's body of River.

"Oh merciful Buddha," sighed Kyo while River trailed her lips down the deep groove that cut down his chest. "All right, fine! Next time I'll support you. I won't ever leave your side."

With that rational thought, he regained enough control to grasp her by the upper arms, and drag her back up so that they were eye-to-eye. Fear creapt in as he stared into her eyes, which showed him, like a window, all of her desires and wants. It wasn't fear of her, but a fear for her--a fear of losing her. It was a fear that'd been growing ever since she came back sick.

"Feel fine," River insisted, picking up on his thoughts. "Not going anywhere."

"Me neither, lai," he promised, wrapping his arms around her to give a gentle kiss on her lips. "Me neither."

******

"I assure you, Mr. Prime Minister, that the Blue Sun Corporation had nothing to do with the missing children," said Mr. Khan with the most apologetic of congenial smiles on his face. "May I remind the Prime Minister, that this is not the first time one of the children have been stolen? A Mr. Simon Tam managed to extract his sister from the facility with assistance from a clandestine group. Perhaps that very same group has joined with the Rebels. I shudder to think of the possibilities with the Rebels owning not only Charon's command codes, but now the Academy's survivors."

Through the flatscreen on the desk monitor, the Prime Minister of Parliament scowled at Mr. Khan openly. His short, steel wool gray hair bristled at the overt politeness of Blue Sun's C.E.O. "A war would be very profitable to Blue Sun, wouldn't it, Mr. Khan?"

"My dear Prime Minister, the whole 'verse is profitable to Blue Sun," said Mr. Khan diplomatically.

"War is not profitable for the Alliance, Mr. Khan," said the Prime Minister coldly. "It wasn't profitable seven years ago, and it won't be profitable today. The war is over for all of us. I'll deal with the Rebellion, but in the future, Mr. Khan, might I suggest you keep a tighter reign on your company's secrets?"

"Of course, Mr. Prime Minister," was Mr. Khan's gracious reply, complete with a very curt nod. Without so much as a proper farewell, the Prime Minister terminated the wave. Mr. Khan's smile slipped off his face as he stared into the light blue menu screen of the Telfonix network until it seemed unnaturally blank.

"I may just have to kill that man," Mr. Khan commented lightly, but meaning every word, while he called up the Cortex's menu on the touch screen.

"The children are gone?" asked the man seated across from Mr. Khan's rich, oak desk in a timid voice. Mr. Khan spared the nervous, gaunt scientist a small smile before returning to his work.

"Not at all, Dr. Leeds," said Mr. Khan pleasantly. "The children are exactly where we want them to be. In the meanwhile, I want you to prep the lab."

"For what?" wondered Dr. Leeds, adjusting his half-moon, wire framed glasses.

"To begin Phase Three of Project Gilgamesh, my dear Doctor," said Mr. Khan while he pivoted the screen towards the man with a feathery touch. "River Tam will be subject."

"Shen-me?" exclaimed a winded Dr. Leeds.

"Ah, Dr. Mathias never informed you of Phase Three. Then, might I suggest you acquaint yourself with the original version of Project Gilgamesh? The one where Dr. Mathias was the chief assistant to one Dr. Hikari. It might prove enlightening."

*****

"Well y'all, we're gathered here to make an honest woman outta our li'l Kaylee, and dirty-up the Doc some," said Mal cheerfully in the cargo bay of Serenity. A light wave of chuckles came from the crew who were standing near the rear of the cargo bay. Even Simon gave a light chuckle, though his eyes were firmly locked onto the ever smiling face of Kaylee.

She was dressed in a sea green gown that Inara had managed to fit around Kaylee, and it did a lot to accent her sparkling eyes. He had dragged out his most expensive, black, three-piece suit that he hadn't worn since that first day he'd laid eyes on her. Inara, Zoe and River were all dressed up in fine dresses, though Zoe's and River's were on the slinky side--River's a little more slinky than Simon might've liked. Mal was dressed in what appeared to be his only suit, and stood right before Serenity's bay doors. There was no Bible in his folded hands, but no one expected there to be.

In the back of the cargo bay, ranging between standing in the shadows or sitting on the mesh stairs, were Hex, Jayne and Kyo--Kyo in particular was withdrawn the most into the shadows. Hex stood furthest out from those three in the back, but even he seemed somewhat reserved. Jayne was just sitting on his press bench, looking rather uncomfortable himself at a wedding--even an elopement like this. In fact, if Mal had to guess, he'd assume that Jayne would rather face down a pack of Reavers than sit through a wedding.

"Seriously, it's high time the two of 'em made it official-like," said Mal, trying and failing to act every bit as sanctimonious as a holy man would in his position. "Can't think of any other gentle, pretty, talented boy more worthy of our Kaylee. Maybe he might keep her from floatin' off as she's wont to do. And I can't think of anyone else who can put up with our moody doctor more than our ray of sunshine. Here's hopin' she might loosen him up some."

"Mal," warned Inara with a gentle smile. Zoe suppressed a watery chuckle, feeling that she'd dodged a bullet when she'd yanked Wash away to elope. She could only imagine the comments Mal might've made if he'd been the one to marry them.

"Either of you got anythin' you wanna add?" smirked Mal as he rocked back on his heels, thoroughly enjoying himself. "One that don't involve doin' your business in front of us all, as the pair of you are wont to do."

"Oh, hey, now that's a weddin'!" grinned Jayne from his bench, and Kyo buried his face in his hands to hide his own laughter.

"No, Cap'n, we're shiny," said Kaylee, who'd never stopped grinning throughout the ceremony.

"She knows how I feel," whispered Simon, purposefully twisting the engraved wedding band on her finger.

"Well, 'fore we all start gettin' sick on the sugary sweetness of the sap, lemme just ask proper; Simon Tam, d'you take Kaylee to be your wife 'n' all it implies?"

"I do," said Simon reverently.

"Kaywinnit Lee Frye, d'you take Simon here to be your husband 'n' all that implies?"

"I surely do, Cap'n," beamed Kaylee.

"So, 'less anyone here's got any objections--" at Mal's pause in his speech, everyone turned their heads to look at a very bored Jayne, who just stared blankly and mildly put-off at everyone in return "--with me bein' the captain, and this here 'parently fallin' under one of my captainy duties, I pronounce the pair of you husband and wife. Don't seem like I need to give you permission to kiss the bride, Doc, but go ahead and do it anyway."

A small round of cheers errupted when Simon bent down to kiss Kaylee. Even Jayne, when everyone was no longer watching him, broke out into a slight grin and applauded quietlike. Handmade streamers and confetti were thrown gaily by River as she gave a casual dance around them. Of course, that was just an excuse for her to move back to Kyo, who seemed to perk up some at her proximity.

Just as Kaylee and Simon began to get really engrossed in their kiss, Mal clapped his hands loudly to garner the attention of everyone, and in a businesslike tone ordered, "All right people, we got a ship that needs resupplyin' and refuelin'. Get to work, jin-kuai! Ship don't fly itself!"

To emphasize his point, Mal slapped the control panel of Serenity and opened up the cargo bay doors. Behind the relative tranquil quietness of Serenity's cargo bay was the loud and raucous open port of Station Thirty--a modest, resupply space station drifting out in the black as a waystation between moons and planets.

Inara rolled her eyes at Mal's crassness, but he didn't take any notice as he was already undoing his bow tie on his way up the stairs. Jayne had already leapt up from the bench excitedly, clearly ready to do something normal. She gave a sigh and an apologetic look towards Kaylee, who was curled up by Simon's side, but the new bride could only beam right back at Inara a look that said "It's all right."

For one glittering moment, something special had happened on Serenity, and in a blink of an eye it became business as usual. Only out in the black could something like this happen.

*****

Jayne cast a wary look over his shoulder at River, who'd insisted on accompanying him for the ammo resupply. Girl couldn't go out unarmed, and Jayne above all people knew that, but that didn't mean he felt safe hanging around the girl. Girl'd slashed him once, and beat him unconscious twice, and that made him all kinds of nervous around her.

"Whyn't Kyo come babysit you for this?" grumbled Jayne while he pushed the cart loaded up with crates of ammo. River had yet to pick up a gun that suited her fancy, and had been trailing behind him all this time. "Oh, hey, you sellin' them at a discount?" Jayne called out, stopping at a rickety booth.

A dirtied, emaciated man in rags behind the counter turned to look over his shoulder at the crates of automatic rifle ammunition. He gave Jayne an appraising look before nodding curtly.

"Gimme two crates for fifty," demanded Jayne casually as he began to fish through his belt for the bag. The clerk merely tapped on a sign hanging near the crates that clearly read: One crate for forty. Jayne just smirked at the man and slipped his big hand onto the pommel of his hunting knife. He straightened up his massive frame at the man and reiterated, "Two crates for fifty platnium sounds mighty fair to me. Don't need to be goin' all greedy now, 'specially for what I'd guess as hot merchandise."

"Two for fifty," coughed the man in agreement.

"And these," said River lightly, reaching over the counter to remove a pair of short swords. Jayne, just out of reflexes, tightened his grip on his own knife as he stared at the blades River removed. They were slender with a gradual curve and each about the length of her forearm. She handled them delicately and gracefully as only she could, testing the balance and weight of them.

River slapped them down onto the counter and pulled off a holster from the post of the booth. Jayne looked on the girl warily when she reached over the again, but then bent her elbow to reach under. His eyes narrowed on the clerk who deflated; torn between stopping the girl, but fearful of the way she'd just handled the swords. To Jayne's utmost amazement, he watched the girl remove a Peacemaker just like Kyo's. The only thing he could think--aside from his own rotten luck at not having one--was how obscenely huge it appeared in her hand.

"It's just an object," River told Jayne pointedly while hefting the cannon in her slender fingers. "I can make it smaller--more efficient."

"T-t-that's not for..."

The clerk's stammering trailed off from just a sharp glare from River, who was holding a loaded and very powerful gun in her hands. Something that Jayne became simultaneously aware of as he took a step back from the booth.

"Going to need it," said River loftily, running her fingers around the mechanisms. "Trouble's here."

"Trouble?" hissed Jayne uncomfortably as he loaded up the cart with the new ammo. "What sorta trouble?"

River couldn't answer because she found herself doubled-over and clutching her stomach. She leaned against the counter for some support, but Jayne could already see the makings of a cold sweat breaking out along her wide forehead.

"Aw, hell, girl, don't'chu dare be gettin' sick all over me!" warned Jayne, but nevertheless he picked her up along with her purchases and set her atop the cart. "Best get you back to the Doc."

*****

A goofy, dreamy grin remained plastered on Simon's face throughout his journey in Station Thirty. It didn't matter much that he needed to spend twenty minutes haggling down a price for a box of weaves that he could've found at a discount in the Core--he was married! Kaylee had certainly been right on how little ceremony really mattered out in the black. Serenity and her crew might not've been his ideal place for a wedding to occur, but she and her crew fit them perfectly. Even Mal's inability to take the ceremony seriously only reinforced how little a big gala that his parents might've enforced was necessary. They all knew he and Kaylee were married just by how they acted. It was already a forgone conclusion to everyone. He didn't have to prove anything to anyone.

Simon felt at peace for one thrilling moment as it all sunk in. He couldn't have asked for a better life in spite of all its inherant difficulties. River and Kyo were another matter entirely--one that Simon wasn't ready to give up without a fight. She was only eighteen--nearly nineteen--and moreover given the three years of abuse the Academy had put her through, he didn't feel it was even close to all right for the two of them to move in together. It'd been hard enough to even accept them being...friendly.

Making a conscious effort not to let that dampen his day any further, Simon picked up his cloth bag of supplies and slipped them into his satchel. In the process, it jostled against the sidearm he kept holstered under his left arm. That was Kyo's doing, of course, and he'd quite a few more opportunities to get in some practice with it. Simon wondered darkly, as he patted the pistol under his sports coat, how much of an irony it'd be if he accidentally ended up shooting Kyo with it. Wouldn't that be biting the hand that fed you?

Not that he'd ever do such a thing, of course.

Simon turned around--tired of his resupplying and maybe hoping to squeeze some sort of honeymoon with Kaylee--when he bumped into someone. "I'm sorry."

"Oh--ah--it's--ah--quite all right," said an uncomfortable voice that sounded like it didn't belong any where near the space station. Simon recognized the tone easily, as it was one that used to be his for the majority of his time on Serenity. Intrigued, he looked up only to find himself face-to-face with his father; a sight he hadn't expected to find in a million years.

"Wo tian shi-ming," exclaimed a dumbfounded Simon Tam. "Dad?"

"Simon?" said an equally dumbfounded Gabriel Tam from under a wide-brimmed bamboo hat. He was dressed so shabbily in a traveling cloak, frayed flannel shirt and patched trousers that Simon could hardly recognize him. But the face--that hard, stern, somewhat unforgiving face--and short, peppered hair gave him away immediately to Simon.

"Dad, what're you doing out here?" asked Simon, who, remembering his own fugitive status, immediately found himself on the defensive. He began to slide his hand under the lapel of his jacket while pretending to adjust the strap of his bag. Simultaneously he looked around for signs of any Operatives of Feds.

"Looking for you," said Gabriel; his face warmed into a kind smile that Simon hadn't seen since he was twelve. "Oh, my son."

"Looking for me?" wondered Simon, completely bemused by this seemingly absurd turn of events. In fact, this wasn't at all dissimilar to Canton when he saw a statue erected to Jayne.

"Yes," said an elated Gabriel; his hands clutching tightly onto Simon's shoulders almost painfully. "Your mother and I left, Simon. We've become fugitives, not unlike yourself."

"Mom?" gaped Simon, looking around to see if he might spot his mother.

"Oh, she's back with the ship," explained Gabriel. "In fact, we'll go and fetch her right now. We've got some cargo to unload since we found you. Are you living...here?" The distasteful look that flitted over Gabriel's face looked more like the Gabriel Tam that Simon remembered, and it did a lot to ground him somewhat.

"No," said a much more alert Simon as he drew back from his father. "No, I work on a ship. We're only here to refuel and resupply. And I think maybe I should speak with my captain before we go pick up Mom and your cargo."

If Gabriel heard the distrust in Simon's tone and proposition, he didn't let it show when he said, "Of course, of course."

*****

"I wasn't aware we were taking on passengers," remarked Inara from the catwalk that lead past her shuttle.

"We're not," admitted Simon, but then looked over at his father and felt very confused on the matter. "Or, at least, I don't think we are. I can certainly tell you that I'm not sure. Where is everyone?"

Inara smiled kindly at Simon's confusion as she stepped down onto the cargo bay floor. "Mal thought he might find a buyer for the Lass--for a gun. Zoe and Kyo are busy finalizing the musical bunks, but everyone else has returned. I think Jayne was looking for you."

"Jayne?" Simon blanched some.

"Oh, hey, there y'are, Doc," said Jayne, as arriving at the mere mention of his name. Simon's brow knotted at the lurid green and yellow, hand-knitted sweater that Jayne was sporting. He wondered if, perhaps, Jayne's mother was losing her vision somewhat. "Your sister was lookin' a little, y'know, greenish. Thought you might wanna look her over again."

"That's actually pretty considerate of you," said Simon in disbelief, quite incapable of tearing his eyes away from the blinding colors before him.

"Yeah, well, don't be wantin' her to make messes on people. Like me, for instance," commented Jayne absently before he retreated back down the passenger stairs.

"With that sweater, how could you tell?" said Simon, and he could even swear it was illuminating the passenger lounge. Inara smiled demurely in agreement, hiding it behind a delicate hand.

"I think it's sweet," came Kaylee's cheerful voice as she descended down the stairs. That alone made Simon smile, and the smile grew larger when he saw her dressed in the teddy bear-patched coveralls, a layer of engine grease smeared across her face, and her hair pulled back into a ponytail. "Not as cunnin' as the hat, but it's sweet. Always nice to get mail from the folks! Speakin' of which, I sent mine a letter."

"Oh! That--um--I'd like you to meet my father," said Simon, gesturing meekly to the man standing beside him. Inara arched a brow as the only exterior tell of her surprise, while Kaylee outright gasped. "Dad, this is Inara Serra, and Kaylee--my wife."

"Your...wife?" exclaimed a completely overwhelmed Gabriel while he shook Kaylee's hand tentatively. If Simon was to introduce anyone as a wife, he would've assumed to be Inara. All he could see of Kaylee was the engine grease and her tattered clothing. Even after he drew away his hand, he felt like his hand had been contaminated, and he tried his best to wipe it surreptitiously on his costume.

"Nice to meet you Mr. Tam, or Dad, I'm guessin' I should be callin' you," laughed Kaylee nervously but excitedly. "Simon never told me what a xiu min nan-ren you are!"

"Charmed," chuckled Gabriel weakly, shifting his feet uncomfortably and clearly demanding an explaination from Simon through his look. Inara didn't miss that look in the slightest, and neither did Simon. Kaylee, who could only see an elderly gentleman dressed in rags, chalked his reaction to the shock of meeting his son's new bride.

"Come, mei-mei, let's help Hex put things away. Or maybe Zoe might need help in moving her things into your old room," said Inara, and with a gentle hand she steered Kaylee away and back up the stairs to the forward corridor. Inara sent a look back over her shoulder to see if Simon would be all right on his own, to which Simon replied with a curt nod. If anyone knew how to best deal with his father, it was Simon.

"Not that I'm displeased with your surprising visit, Dad, but what are you doing here?" asked Simon once Kaylee was out of ear shot.

"I came--that is, I wanted to apologize, Simon," said Gabriel earnestly, and Simon thought for a moment that he was looking at a far different man from the one he'd left at a Federal station. "You were right about River. You did what I should've done, and I had no right to be angry with you."

"That means a lot, Dad, thank you," said Simon, though less enthusiastically than Gabriel might've liked. An uncomfortable silence lapsed between the two men, who had split apart and now stood across from each other. The mesh grating that opened up to reveal the lower doors could've been a chasm for all the intimacy these two men had left for each other.

"So, you're married now?" ventured Gabriel once the quiet lingered a little too long.

"And forever, hopefully," replied Simon with a ghost of a smile. "You--ah--just missed the wedding by a few hours."

"I see," was Gabriel could manage to say, though the disapproval rang loudly in Simon's ears.

"You don't approve," Simon voiced wearily.

"Of course I don't approve," thundered Gabriel in an undertone. "You were a brilliant surgeon and destined to become the youngest Medical Elect in Capital City! And now you're...here! On this chuai, ji juan-tao, dirty piece of go-se! And married? Forgive me, young man, but that girl, Inara? Girls like that were throwing themselves at you on Osiris!"

"Don't ever, Dad," warned Simon, standing toe-to-toe with his father. "Don't ever insult Serenity. She's not much, I know that, but she's home and more importantly Kaylee loves her. And those girls, like Inara, back on Osiris? Kaylee can outshine any of them. Oh, and for the record? Inara's a Companion. They wouldn't have thrown themselves at me for anything!"

"Have you seen yourself? Have you heard yourself?" hissed Gabriel, leaning in close to Simon. "You're living with pirates, Simon. Now, I might not know much about life out here, but I know that. Is--is this the life you want to be leading? Is this the--the example you want to set for River? I can only say I'm glad your mother and I decided to come and find the both of you. You are in some sore need of structure in your life, young man."

Understanding dawned in Simon's eyes while he gaped like a fish before his father. He didn't know whether to laugh at his father's stupidity or to hit him square across the cheek. Either reaction, in his opinion, would be justified by all Simon had lived through since severing ties with his family. To think that his father could come back into his life, and, after everything that'd been said between the two men, think that he could lord over Simon's life just because he felt bad was at the height of arrogance.

Before Simon could lend voice to the tirade going on between his ears, Mal strode into the cargo bay. From the grimace set on his face, Simon knew immediately that Mal hadn't any luck in unloading the Lassiter they'd all swindled out of Saffron.

"What is this?" asked Mal tetchily, putting his arms akimbo as he stared down Simon and Gabriel.

"Captain? Meet my father," said Simon just as tetchily, to Mal's surprise. "I'm sure you two can talk business of some kind, since no doubt a fellow fugitive such as himself can't be staying long. I need to check on River."

And with that, Simon stormed off towards the infirmary with nary a look over his shoulder.

*****

With everything that'd happened just recently, Kyo thought he was immensely lucky to be pilot. It was just about the only quiet and peaceful place left on Serenity what with Simon storming around in a huff right alongside their two new passengers. Hex had managed to hold his own against Regan Tam in regards towards the ship's menu, but Jayne was still mighty cross about the cargo bay being crammed with the Tams' luggage. Kaylee was a mite ornery herself about being unable to score some honeymoon time with her husband, and neither she nor Simon appeared to be in much of an accomodating mood. Just about the only quiet places were people's individual rooms; the shuttle; or the flight deck.

"We on course?" asked Mal suddenly, interrupting Kyo's quiet time.

"Wasn't aware we had one," remarked Kyo, turning his head over his shoulder to see a very tense expression on Mal's face. "They payin'?"

"They are," nodded Mal, who immediately began to scour maps for a viable planet to set down on. "Got their whole gorram life savings in platnium. Thought I'd keep that little fact tucked 'way from Jayne. Those kong-dong tou, huang-jin bo bai-chi are gonna find themselves kissin' the bottom of a mine by the end of the week!"

"Greenleaf might be doable," suggested Kyo after he'd set the control yoke to idle against the panel. "It's got an average balance of civilization and lawlessness."

"Yeah, there's that," agreed Mal absently while scrolling through planets. "Persephone's a maybe. Don't gotta set down on Eavesdown, but Badger worries me. His grubby paw stretches a mite too tightly 'round that world for me."

"Gotta admit, I'm surprised," said Kyo as he reclined in the pilot's chair. "Did you know the last job I got offered 'fore I came workin' for you was made by one Gabriel Tam?"

"No, I did not," said Mal, finally turning his attention from the screen to look over at Kyo.

"It was," chuckled Kyo. "Wanted me to track down Simon and River for him, then take him to them. He wanted to apologize to them and make amends."

"I'm guessin' you didn't take it."

"Couldn't," confirmed Kyo with a nod. "Told him that it was a big 'verse, with a lotta planets and moons. Plenty of room for two people to get lost in. Told him I'd keep an eye out, though, and I set up a method for them to meet if I were ever successful. Got a soft spot for reconcilin' families. And the plan was one of my more brilliant ideas, if I do say so, 'course the dumbass had to go and get himself ruttin' arrested. That spoiled the plan quick. Any idea why he's out here anyway?"

"No," said Mal tersely. "'Side from apologizin' to Simon 'n' River, I ain't got a clue. Ain't no reason to be abandonin' all you got left neither, which is why I'm anxious to dump them on the nearest rock we come 'cross."

"That would be Persephone," pointed out Kyo.

"Well, it'd be the decent thing to give 'em a sportin' chance and the like," smirked Mal. The smirk was wiped from his face when he returned his attention to the screen. "I hate playin' ferryman to these rich folk. Gotta act like lords over everythin', even what ain't theirs. Just like the war."

"Yeah, well, you think transportin' them in a Firefly's a pain, imagine what I had to go through in the Wolfhound," retorted Kyo.

"What'd you do 'bout 'em?" wondered Mal, sneaking a glance over his arm.

"Oh...a little turbulence here and there," smirked Kyo impishly.

"Maybe we can make do with a rough landin'," said Mal, who was now grinning from ear to ear.

*****

River knelt at the edge of her bed with an olive, army-issue blanket sprawled out in front of her. Her recently acquired Peacemaker was lying on top of it in pieces. To her immediate left was a small, red piece of cloth with tools lined on it. She laid her head down on her right arm while she fiddled around with the fine mechanisms of the firearm. It was too heavy for her, and the recoil would severly limit her firing rate. Energy needed to be expended and distributed evenly. It was a puzzle, and River loved puzzles.

She knew the presence before the door even slid open, and she didn't bother to lift her head to greet her mother. Pity radiated from her mother, and River tried not to wince at it. Regan's voice was crowding her mind; made it hard to concentrate.

"Oh, my precious, precious, girl," breathed Regan painfully as she knelt down beside River. "Don't play with the dirty gun, dear."

River frowned and tugged the sheets away from her mother's tentative pinch. The metal components jangled and made a slight mess of the order she had them like dried leaves rustling in the wind. Immediately, her mind returned to her problem; she'd need more spare parts. Didn't mean she couldn't sketch her plans out in her mind, however.

"What did they did they do to you, baby?" whimpered Regan while she stroked River's hair.

"Broke me," said River in an unconcerned manner as she fiddled with a pin. "Opened my eyes to see, but the truth was too bright. They sewed them open so I couldn't shut them. All I can do is see, and not everything is pretty."

"Honey, I don't understand," frowned Regan, tilting River's head away from the gun so that she could examine her closely.

"Never did," sighed River, giving Regan an almost pitying, patronizing stare while cupping her cheek. "Never heard words that weren't dipped in gold, and never saw anything that didn't sparkle like diamonds."

"Well, it doesn't matter," said Regan as she grasped River's hands with her own. She put on what she believed to be a confident smile and added--slowly, like a person would speak to a baby or animal, "Your father and I are here now, River. We'll be a family again. We'll take you from this...place, and set ourselves up somewhere nice. You can dance again, and we'll clean you up, and teach you everything you should've known."

"Love you, Mom," River told Regan and embraced her surprised mother quickly before standing up. "Not needed, but still loved. Have to make your own path through the forest; make a new nest in the bough and hope it won't break."

"River, honey, please. Can't you speak plainly? My poor baby, what did they do?" winced Regan, who'd stood up to hold onto her daughter.

"She speaks, but you won't hear." River frowned and cocked her head to the side. A wave of nausea washed through her belly and forced her to grab onto Regan. "Noisy. Too noisy. Can't think. Can't--can't--"

"River?" said a frightened Regan, but before she could act, River had dashed out from the room. "River! River, come back! River, what's wrong?"

*****

"Simon, do the right thing for yourself and your sister," pleaded Gabriel in the cargo hold of Serenity.

"Do the right thing?" balked Simon incredulously. "I did the right thing, Dad, when I broke River out of that place."

"I know, and I'm grateful that you did," said Gabriel hurriedly, grasping onto Simon's shoulders tightly. "Believe me, Simon, I'm grateful. But you don't need to take care of River anymore. Your parents are here now, and we can take care of her. We can be a family like we used to be!"

"You'll forgive me if I doubt your credibility in that regard," said Simon scathingly. He shook free from Gabriel's grip, just as his father pulled away like he'd been burned.

"How dare you?" hissed Gabriel; his eyes were burning with a righteous fire. "How dare you speak to me like that?"

"How dare you leave your own daughter in the hands of those monsters?" Simon shot right back. "Back in the Core, Dad, you might've been the best attorney on Osiris; you might've been powerful, and rich, and important; you might've known all the rules there were to know, but this is the Rim. I've lived here, and I've survived here while taking care of River! These people are good people, and I love Kaylee more than anything else in this 'verse! There is no power that will make me leave. None."

"Simon, be reasonable--"

"No, Dad," said Simon quietly. "It won't take you long to see how reasonable I'm being. When we drop you off on a planet, and you're going to have to live there, you'll see how fortunate I am. I don't know why you gave everything up, but you shouldn't have."

"You want to know why I gave everything up? I'll tell you why, Simon," said a very agitated Gabriel, who strode to the port side of Serenity where his things had been stored. "You think you're so smart. You think you know everything, Simon. You always did. Well tell me, Simon, did you know that the Alliance was ready to send the only five, sane students from the Academy after River?"

Simon gaped as his father tugged off a black tarp to reveal a long platform that held five, white containers that Simon recognized very easily. They were the same cryo-sleep containers that he'd used to transport River to Persephone; the crate that Mal had kicked open to awaken her to Serenity. Five more people like River were sleeping in those things, and that grave thought stole Simon's breath right out of his lungs.

"This is the reason," explained Gabriel, laying his hand on the nearest box. "I heard that they wanted River, and they were going to send them, so I had to do something. I used the same men that you did, and it made me a fugitive."

"What exactly were you planning to do with them?" sputtered Simon, still unable to quite shut his jaw.

"The main thing was to keep them safe," said Gabriel. "Once we found you and got settled, we were supposed to send word to a representative who was going to pick them up."

"Dad, I--"

"Well ran dry," said a very agitated River, who was leaning against the bulkhead of the aft door. Simon frowned worriedly at her because it'd been months since he'd seen a spell so bad. "Well ran dry, so they had to pick up and leave, but the well wasn't dry; just not as deep as they liked. Tried following--following to our well, but it's an aquired taste."

"Mei-mei, are you all right?" asked a concerned Simon. Both he and Gabriel ran up to her, just as Regan approached from behind. "What's wrong?"

"Voices," cried out River, almost in tears. "Too loud. Speaking, but not being heard. Whispering, shouting, gesturing, they won't stop! They won't stop, Simon, they won't!"

"River! River, it's all right," said Simon as he embraced his sister in a hug. "It's all right."

Things went deathly silent in River's mind for one terrible moment. A blaring white noise blotting out all other thoughts like a makeshift blanket of plastic. It was too much like the Maidenhead on Beaumonde, and her fear was like an ice dagger being stabbed straight across her connection to Kyo.

"No," whispered River while a solitary tear fell from her eye. "It won't be all right."

Before Simon could say anything, River flung him and their father into the lower deck. As they tried to scramble back up into the cargo bay, all the while calling out her name, River simply slid the door shut in their faces. Holding the door closed in her left hand, she reached out the nearest, heavy container and jammed it against the door handle.

"River? What're you doing? River!" shouted Simon, emphasizing his words by banging on the thick door. It was then that Simon got a good look over River's shoulder through the porthole. The cryo-sleep containers had hissed open, like there'd been a hidden switch on the interior, and all five of River's classmates began to emerge from the fog. Unlike River, who'd been naked when she awoke, they were fully clothed in the same gray, scaly outfit that River'd worn when Simon broke her out.

Simon, thinking quickly and realizing the situation, was about to run straight to the infirmary's intercom and speak the subliminal safeword to make them all sleep, but had underestimated the children greatly. They were all Readers, and they had all picked up on Simon's thought. The one closest to the cargo doors--a girl--produced a knife from no where and slung it at the intercom. It fried instantly, and with it went Simon's hope of a quick end to it all. Still, it didn't mean he couldn't warn the others.

*****

She remembered the names and faces, but they blurred together between clean and unclean; tortured and happy. The tall one in front of her, with the blonde hair and cool smile, was once Tyler, wasn't he? Jack, the little one to his right had been his friend and good at maths, right? And jealous Marla, standing by the door with her messy hair, she'd loved Tyler, didn't she? The other two were just faces and traits to her. No names. None to recall. They were empty now, infused with the sole purpose of capturing her.

"Come, River," said Tyler pleasantly, though his blue eyes were vacant and dull. "Come back with us. Don't make me put you to sleep, darling."

"No," said River even though her mind felt like it was shaking apart. "No! I'm not going back! Not going--no more! Hands of blue..."

"That's right, hands of blue," said Tyler, whose smile never wavered as he took another step towards her. He extended his hand out towards her, but River only backed away fearfully. "Those hands care for us, River. They love us."

"Hurt us!" shouted River, but that only exacerbated the pain swelling in her head and forced her to her knees.

"What's wrong with her?" asked Jack, his gaunt face trying to meld into something of concern.

"Nothing," said Tyler authoritatively. "It's just a trick. You know our River. What a great little actress she was. Such an active imagination."

"Lun shang-di gang ao-dong, River wasn't great at anything!" snapped Marla angrily.

"Language, Marla!" remonstrated an offended Jack.

"Oh, grow up," hissed Marla while she stalked towards the whimpering River. "You always were a nothing, River. Just a baby crying for brother! How pathetic."

River shot out before anyone could react. Her fist smashed into Marla's gut while so spoke, which effectively knocked her breathless. She popped her elbow up into Marla's face, nearly breaking the girl's nose. Marla stumbled back in pain, trying desperately to regain her breath through a damaged nose, while River got to her shaky feet.

"Klaatu barada nikto!" Tyler shouted at River. There was a quiet moment for everyone to wait for River's eyes to roll back and her body to crumble like a puppet with its strings cut. They waited, but nothing happened. River still stood, and before any of the five could try again, her foot lashed out against Tyler's throat.

*****

To say that Kyo was agitated by the turbulent mental state of River was an understatement. It was an all too familiar pattern, and one that Kyo'd prayed never to encounter again. He could do little to soothe her mind now, especially with the five others on board. What Kyo could do, however, was make River deaf to subliminal commands through their link. That would at least buy River some time, though in her weakened condition, Kyo didn't know how much time he'd actually bought. He hoped it was enough as he stepped into the forward corridor, and yanked down the ladder to the airlock.

*****

"'Nara, stay in your shuttle," warned Mal into the com. "We've got ourselves a situation in the cargo hold of the dangerous weapon variety."

"Any ideas, sir?" asked Zoe once she was through checking her sidearms.

"They won't be any good," said Simon, whose face was pressed firmly against the thick porthole of the door. "They're Readers, just like River. I was going to make them all sleep over the intercom, but then they destroyed the receiver on their end the moment I started to run to the infirmary's."

"Don't see why we're gettin' ourselves all worked up," said Jayne from the passenger lounge. "Girl can take care of herself."

"There's five of 'em," said Kaylee to Jayne. "Five of 'em just like her!"

"So?" shrugged a completely unconcerned Jayne. "I killed six men, not unlike me--well, maybe I was more handsomer--and got me Vera. Girl took down a pack of Reavers, and a whole mess of friendlies and unfriendlies in the Maidenhead--myself included. I'm thinkin' the moon-brain can handle them others."

"Yes, but none of the people you mentioned were surgically engineered assassins!" countered Simon. Turning to address Mal, he added, "If I could speak the safeword, it'd be quickest."

Zoe nudged Simon aside to look through the porthole. "Looks like they got someone standin' watch on the catwalk," she reported. "Don't seem like they picked through our gun locker, though. Not armed."

"The girl had a knife," said Simon, looking between Mal and Zoe while Kaylee came up to lay a hand on him in reassurance. "She threw it at the com."

"All right," nodded Mal tensely. "Stands to reason the rest'll be similarly armed. Girl's got some fancy footwork, so I'm guessin' they prefer blades to guns. We arm up 'n' we take 'em down by the numbers. We keep distance, we should have ourselves a chance."

"Assumin' they don't move to intercept us once we get ourselves armed, sir," Zoe pointed out.

"Yeah, well, we'll deal with that when we get there," grimaced Mal. "Hex? I want you stayin' down here. Keep an eye on everyone. Doc? Kaylee? You too."

"Captain, I--"

"I remember them words," Mal cut off Simon's interruption. "Eta kooram nas mech, right? 'Sides, we'll probably be needin' a doctor when this is done."

"Captain's right, boy," said Hex gruffly once Mal, Zoe and a reluctant Jayne raced up towards the upper deck. He pulled back his shoulder-length hair into a ponytail and removed a small, snub-nosed revolver from his spurred boots. "This one ain't gonna be settled without bloodshed."

"I'm just hoping it's not River's," said Simon softly, grasping onto Kaylee's hand for reassurance.

*****

River had battled off everyone admirably as the only one of the six Academy students to get in real combat experience. Still, their healthy five against her sickly one were odds that even she couldn't beat. Though the four standing on the cargo bay floor were bruised and bleeding, it was the relatively unscathed River who was leaning for support against the stairs. Her vision was blurring, and with the painful burning of her mind, she was all but blinded. Her mouth was as dry as cotton balls, and her tongue felt three times its normal weight. Finally, River began to believe she wasn't just suffering from the flu.

"There's something seriously wrong with her," said Jack, wiping away some blood with the back of his hand.

"There's nothing wrong," snapped Marla as she strolled up to River. "We don't get sick! They made that impossible! River's just a weakling." To emphasize her point, Marla kicked the prone River in the gut. River cried out before collapsing onto the metal floor in a fetal position.

"That's enough," warned Tyler sharply. Marla whirled her head around to give Tyler a wicked glare. "Jack, pick her up. We'll use the other shuttle to escape and contact Blue Sun."

Tyler turned his head back up towards the catwalk where Ba was standing. A wave of mental thoughts and ideas passed between them before she nodded. She'd continue to watch their rear until they got the shuttle set. No matter what that crew was planning, it wouldn't work. They were no match for any of them, even if they all ganged up on just one. With River sick and hardly proving to be a challenge, Tyler thought it wasn't worthy of their first assignment in the least.

He trudged up the stairs towards the second level of the cargo bay, with Jack leading River right behind him, Marla behind them, and Amos bringing up the rear. Tyler paused at the door while Jack set River down against the corner. His irritation at the relative ease of this job was broadcasting loudly over their open minds, and he felt the feeling reciprocated by Marla. Well, that was her surface feeling anyway. Below, Tyler could hear her irritation at being bested by an even sickly River. It amused him greatly.

So it was with a smile that he opened the door to shuttle two, and found himself staring down the barrel of a large gun, attached to a man half-dressed in a space suit.

"Say 'goodnight,'" said the man with dark hair and gray eyes--a man that Tyler found himself utterly unable to Read, and wondered if he was a ghost--before he pulled the trigger.

The report was like the thunders of hell in the confined space, and before Tyler could even acknowledge that a shot'd been fired, he found himself staring at the ceiling of Serenity's cargo hold. There were no breaths, no pain, and the lights were becoming darker by the millisecond. He felt the screams--the anguish, not his own but Marla's--but wondered why he couldn't hear the screams. All he could hear was this rushing of pressure against his ears. All he could feel was cold.

"Son of a--" shouted Amos before he charged at the shuttle. "Must've got automated turrets! Why didn't we pick up the automated turrets on their minds?"

"That's 'cause we don't got 'em," said Kyo before he fired off a second shot from his Peacemaker. Just like Tyler, the large caliber bullet struck the heart, and blew out a cantaloupe-sized hole out the back. He stepped out of the shuttle with his Peacemaker out and pointed straight at Marla, just as Amos's body landed on top of Tyler's. His eyes, however, were pinned to Jack. "I'd step away now, boy. And since I've got your undivided attention, might I add: Eta kooram nas mech."

*****

Mal reacted on the gunshot and broke cover from around the corner of the forward stairs. He spotted a young girl on the catwalk just outside of Inara's shuttle, who turned the moment Mal appeared. He opened his mouth to speak the words when the girl bolted towards him. Despite that, Mal stubbornly held his ground.

"Eta koo--"

Jayne popped up right besides Mal with a shotgun trained right at Ba. Mal was disarmed momentarily, but found himself focusing on the determined girl who was rapidly approaching him. There wasn't time to get out any more of the safeword, or reach for his piece, but Jayne was free to squeeze off a shot from the shotgun. The force of the spreadshot sent the girl sailing back from them and over the railing.

"Jayne, just what in the--"

"Figured we'd give the girl a choice," shrugged Jayne, stepping down the stairs with his shotgun trained. "Puttin' her to sleep for a spell, or puttin' her to sleep forever. Reckon'd she couldn't take us both out, not with me comin' up with this on the fly. Guess she made her choice, huh."

Mal clenched his jaw as he stepped down to the catwalk. Couldn't fault Jayne's logic much; girl could've either disarmed Jayne, and then be susceptible to the safeword, or she could've done what she did and try to disarm Mal, which left her vulnerable to Jayne's shotgun. Death over sleep.

"'Course," Jayne amended as he looked over the railing, "I could've just taken her by surprise."

Mal nodded grimly before looking down to the opposite end of the bay. There were what appeared to be four bodies on the ground, and River propped up against the intersection. Kyo was helping her up, partially dressed in an enviro-suit, and the helmet sitting on the floor of shuttle two told Mal how he'd arrived there.

"Take a bit of a walk, did you?" said Mal while he made his way towards Kyo and River.

"Oh, y'know, weather seemed fine, and I just loved to get dressed up," returned Kyo lightly; his eyes never straying from River's alarmingly pale face. "Two're dead. The other two are sleepin'. I suggest the Doc keeps 'em that way."

"Jayne got the other," said Mal. "How's River?"

"Bad," whimpered River shortly before her eyes rolled back into her skull and her whole body went limp.

"River?" shouted Kyo as he scrambled to catch her. "River?!"

To Be Continued

------

Author's Notes, Justifications, and...well...Excuses:

Oh. Sweet. Jesus. I must've rewritten this whole episode three times, and I'm still not wholly satisfied with the outcome (I'm sure there're typos and grammatical errors a plenty, aside from the content itself). There's just too much that happens too fast, and the bad thing is that I actually did plan all these things to come to a head in this episode. I needed the marriage to happen early, because I wanted Simon to have solidified his choice of being a part of Serenity. I needed that, because I didn't want his reunion with his parents to be one of those angsty "Oh is he going to leave or not?" episodes. I needed the bunks to be rearranged because Simon and Kaylee were going to be marrying.

I did try to make Gabriel as complex as possible. In my eyes he's not evil or cruel so much as he's misguided by his life in the Core. Therefore, he did want to apologize, but his reasons for reuniting aren't as altrusitic as he initially tells Simon. There are very selfish reasons attached to it. And of course, he loves Simon and River, but his love's a misguided/selfish sort of love. He's changed, but then again, he hasn't. And I have no justification for making Gabriel a lawyer. I just did because so many other fanfics have him something political, and I just wanted to be different. And Regan gets so little "air time" because, well, she only has one scene in Safe, and it's only been a year since Simon ran away, so I couldn't justify killing her off...

The marriage I can completely justify! Have you seen Our Mrs. Reynolds? If the Triumph settlers can have a ceremony that just involves laying a wreath on someone's head, giving them booze, and having a dance, then what the hell? Anything's fair game! Plus, in War Stories, Wash said that Zoe never promised to obey him, so I figured traditional vows were out of the question. However, Mal, obviously being raised Christian, would stick to something like that formula if he had to preside over the ceremony. Of course, as captain of a transport vessel which is not only a home, but a workplace, it's not like he could give everyone the day off. It was more like...a lunch break cause they had things to do. Besides, I think I kinda went overboard on the fluff with the ring... Probably too much sap.

Yes, the Operative is making a return appearance here, if you didn't notice. Only, no longer working for the Alliance these days. Azrael is the name of the replacement Batman during the Knightfall storyline. I just love the name. I try to fit it every fanfic I can.

I got the words to the safeword off IMDB because it shows up as Chinese on the DVD's subtitle for some reason. My rationale was that the words Simon used were a blanket word for all children of the Academy, but the words Tyler uses were specific for River. Really, though, I just wanted an excuse to stick "Klaatu barada nikto" into a sci-fi piece, haha. Any sci-fi/fantasy fan can name a list of movies a mile long where those words pop up in reference, but foremost they're from The Day the Earth Stood Still.

Tyler, Jack and Marla are a reference to Fight Club. Do not ask me why, I just needed names, and they fit. Of course, in a strange way, you could also compare them to Zod, Ursa and Non from Superman II. Assuming you make River into Superman...

Whew... I'm sure none of this was necessary, but that's why this comes at the end.