I always think starting at the beginning is good, so if you haven't been keeping up with me: First off, shame on you! Second here are all of the chapters from the beginning: Chapter 1-4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, and Chapter 12. And thirdly, and probably most importantly thank you to ManicGiraffe for letting me use Steggy and Lucy; and ever better writing their story! And also thank you to Mal4Prez for beta reading and daryl313 for keeping me in a good mood!

================================================= "Are we there yet, Steggy?"

"Curses, Lucy! As Monroe told you not three minutes ago, we are not!" Steggy's patience was wearing thin. This latest plan required utmost secrecy and timing. Steggy had been forced to hold back vital information from his troops, including the timetable and specifics of their landing point. Unlike the human leader, Steggy disliked leaving his army in the dark, but the delicate nature of this mission required it.

Unfortunately, Lucy was proving denser than usual when attempting to grasp this concept.

"Oh." Lucy was quiet a moment, her shrewd mind turning over all the information at her disposal before she spoke again. "So....how about now?"

"No, Lucy."

"I see!" Lucy thought some more. "So when will we be there?"

"Soon, Lucy! And then we will rule the universe! The plan is unstoppable!"

"Tell me about the plan, Steggy! Is it glorious?"

"Indeed, Lucy, it is! But, alas, due to the covert nature of this mission, only Julia may know the full details until we arrive! But I assure you, it will be marvelous once unveiled!"

Lucy cheered briefly, before lapsing into silence again. This plan was so glorious, that Steggy couldn't even put it into words. What a great time to be a saurian. She had only one more question.

"Are we there yet?"

“No.”

There was a long pause, and a companionable silence filled the air; but, only for a moment. “How about now?”

“No.”

“When?”

“Soon.”

“When is soon?”

“Longer then a second; and less then a long time.”

Caroline stared out at the black hoping to catch a glimpse of something other then stars. She held one of Wash’s dinosaurs in her hand, Lucy. Wash had said her name was Lucy. She liked the stories he told about the dinosaurs and their grand plans. Dino tales he called them Plan M was her favorite. It was a lot of fun to play with them. Wash’s stories were even better then the cartoons she sometimes got to watch on the cortex. Cap’n; she was supposed to call him that now -- not ba’ -- let her watch them when she did good at her lessons with Shepard Book. If she was really good Miss. Inara would let her watch them in her shuttle sitting on her bed. Cap’n called her the Ambassador; but, said she needed to call her Miss Inara.

Wash was turning Steggy over in his hands and thinking about the rewiring job that they’d done on the holo-imager. He hoped it was good enough to pass muster. Mal wasn’t letting anyone in on the whole of his plan; everyone just had bits and pieces. Zoë was making noises about having a child again, said with Caroline on board and how well she was doing it couldn’t be a bad place to bring up a child. She’d grown up on a ship and hadn’t turned out too bad, especially her legs. Her legs had turned out really well, and that spot just above where her legs met her back. Yep, she was his woman, his warrior woman. This job was paying really well; after it they could afford to go someplace for a few days. Just them, no interruptions, no Zoë getting shot at, no worrying about Zoë getting shot at. Quiet time, just the two of them, wild passionate monkey sex.

“What cha thinking about, Wash?”

“Space monkeys.”

“The space monkeys that Captain Daddy talks about? The ones that get into ‘Renity’s engine. Or the ones that Jayne talks about having sex? Something about wild passionate monkey sex? What is that? Do monkeys have sex?”

Wash just about choked on his own tongue “Did I say that aloud?”

“What? Less then a long time.”

“Uh, no.” The thought of someone polluting the ears of the dinos, Steggy and Lucy, Wash stood awkwardly up and looked longingly at the hatch hoping someone, anyone would come through now. Now. NOW! “I’d better uh go check with Kaylee and uh make sure that we’re ready.”

Wash backed out of the hatch almost tripping over his feet; he absolutely did not want to talk about sex with a seven year old! Although given her upbringing she probably knew more about sex then he did. Maybe even more then Jayne, although that might not be possible. Could a person know more about sex then Jayne?

“Wash.”

Wash looked up and saw Shepard Book standing in the corridor.

“Shepard.”

“You look a little bothered, is there something I can help with?”

“Um uh uh. Caroline.” Wash kind of pointed in the direction of the bridge looking a lot like a fish opening and closing his mouth. “Space Monkeys.”

Book looked up towards the bridge, and then at Wash. Wash kept on going, looking like he was heading towards his and Zoë’s bunk.

Book took a step towards the bridge figuring he should check on Caroline. She could easily get herself in a lot of trouble up there alone.

“Born with wings of light and a sword of faith, this heavenly incarnation embodies both fury and purity.”

At the sound of River’s/B’andra’s voice he looked back over his shoulder and saw B’andra making the grand announcement. “Yes, what are you talking about?”

“Avenging angels try to guide and protect.”

Somewhat confused by where this was coming from he just nodded. Book turned back towards the bridge only to be almost bowled over by Caroline running full tilt down from the bridge. Seeing her leave he figured he didn’t need to check up on her anymore. He watched her aim like a guided missile at River.

“Rrr… B’andra. B’andra. I don’t got to do lessons today, let’s go play. Will you read to me? From the book. Just for a little while. Cap’n Daddy said we’d get there soon. I can’t wait till we get there.” Caroline was talking a hundred miles an hour, her words spilling over themselves in their eagerness to get out.

Book watched the two tromp off down the corridor to the castle; he really should go check on Kaylee. She hadn’t quite been herself since yesterday morning. Every time she looked at Caroline, River, or Zoë it appeared that Kaylee was going to start crying. No she was not acting like herself. Paraphrasing Jayne and Mal ‘Lil’ Kaylee was usually so g#@@*% cheerful you sometimes just wanted to duct tape her mouth shut.’

Shepard Book arrived at Kaylee’s hatch. The usually cheerful Christmas lights were off. The hatch was closed. There was a low buzzing sound coming from inside; the sound gave the Shepard pause for a moment. He raised his hand to knock; but, heard a low moan from within, and decided that discretion right now might be good. He’d talk with Kaylee later, it sounded like she’d found something that would relive stress at least for the moment.

Daily rounds. The Captain made his to make sure that everything was ship-shape. Shepard Book made his to make sure that everyone’s soul was ship-shape. Mostly he was able to talk with everyone over the course of the day without anyone thinking he was checking up on them. Ministering to the fuzzy-wuzzies as the Captain would call it.

Book figured that he should tell someone about Caroline being alone on the bridge. He turned and walked up to the bridge. Didn’t look like anything was wrong; but, then again this was newer then the one he’d been on. Book left to continue his rounds. Supposed he should go and talk with Simon; he hadn’t talked to him in while.

The infirmary; Simon could usually be found in the infirmary. Often cleaning up messes made by Caroline, Jayne, and River. They could create quite a mess;

Book walked towards the infirmary, and stood in the doorway watching Simon organize what was already organized and cleaning what already appeared to be clean. Boy had almost an obsession with clean; Book supposed that the infirmary in all of its sterility was Simon’s link to what he viewed as normality. Keeping the infirmary clean gave the boy a sense of saneness in all of the chaos that was Serenity.

“Simon.”

Simon looked up. “It’s Dr. Mengle. Merle to my friends and fellow crew members.”

Book did a double-take; it was very peculiar seeing a non-perfectly groomed Doctor Tam. Inara must have completed his make-up and disguise. Dr. Mengle looked very much like a mostly disreputable rim physician who traveled constantly to keep the law from catching up on his mistakes.

“I apologize for my mistake. Dr. Mengle. How are you doing today?”

“I’m fine. Be glad when this thing is over.”

“I think we all will be Dr. Mengle.” Shepard responded rolling the name around on his tongue. “Have you spoken with Kaylee today or yesterday? She seems to be upset about something.”

“No, I think she’s been fixing things and checking things on the ship. Trying to make sure nothing breaks down.”

“Merle, I think something is bothering her. She seems unhappy. I was wondering if you knew why?”

“No, I’m sorry. I’ve been a little distracted for the last few days. I’ll talk to her.”

“Thank you. How are you doing?”

“Ok, a little nervous.” Book was the one person on the ship Simon felt that he could open up to about his nervousness about this job. “I’m hoping this is easier and goes better then when I was a mud buyer.

“You’ll do fine. You are Dr. Merle Mengle; you have a lot of familiarity with the medical field.”

“I hope so.”

“Be confident. If you need anything, just come and look for me.”

“Thank you Shepard.” Simon turned back to organizing and cleaning his already spotless infirmary. Book supposed that he was working on making it look like a bare bones infirmary as opposed to the ‘full infirmary’ in shuttle one. He walked out and continued his rounds. Wash would be with Zoë and with the sounds coming out of their bunk marital happiness was not an issue at the moment. He hoped that they’d worked out the whole child thing, come to an agreement that they were both happy with. Maybe they were making friends with the space monkeys? Or whatever Wash had been talking about.

Book started humming to himself from psalms; it made him feel inner peace. Serenity actually, kind of ironic considering all that had happened at Serenity Valley, this crew, and their captain.

Shepard Book walked through the corridors of Serenity. It was very quiet, not a peaceful quiet, more of a tense silence. As he neared the cargo bay he could hear Jayne grunting. It sounded like Mal was spotting him; he could hear him counting repetitions. The preacher padded softly across the catwalk, not trying to avoid the pair; but, seeking not to disturb them.

“Preacher.” Jayne grunted, as he exhaled and pushed the weighted bar up over his head.

The mercenary had ears liked that of a dog; very sharp. That was why he was such a good tracker. “Jayne, Mal.” Book looked over the railing. “I hope that you both are doing fine today.”

Mal grunted an assent. Jayne kept pushing the heavy bar up and down, and Shepard Book walked to the door of Inara’s shuttle and knock.

“Come in Shepard. I’ve been expecting you.”

“How did you know it was me?”

Inara smiled, the knowing smile of a trained companion. The smile of a woman enjoying a bit of knowledge that she alone knows. “Shepard, you come and visit every day around this time. Like a doctor completing rounds, Simon takes care of our physical beings; you, Shepard, take care of our spiritual being. You knocked, almost no one on Serenity knocks; they just barge in. You take that moment to knock. I appreciate that.”

“A doctor completing rounds, I hadn’t realized that I had become that predictable. Should I leave you alone?”

“Predictable yes, unwelcome Shepard, you, never. Would you care for a cup of tea?”

“I would love one. Thank you.”

Inara began setting out the tea service. She enjoyed the ritual of formal tea. The time that it gave her to think. Shepard sat down in his usual place in the shuttle; Inara knelt before him laying out the tea service.

“I greatly enjoy our discussions, Shepard. What would you like to talk about today?”

“I’m worried about Kaylee; she has seemed out of sorts for the last couple of days.”

“Yes, I spoke with her yesterday.” Inara replied, taking a delicate sip of tea. “She was quite upset. Apparently River and Caroline were talking over breakfast.” She took another sip of tea. “She didn’t realize just how sheltered a life she’s had.”

Nodding his head in agreement, Book concurred. “Yes, they both have led interesting lives.” He took a drink of the fragrant green tea that Inara had brewed. It reminded him of simpler times; the wafting odor brought back memories of his childhood, memories of the abbey, and memories of other discussions with Inara. Memories of his first time in Inara’s shuttle, when she thought he was here to lecture her on the evils of her ways.

“I didn’t know that Caroline had used drugs? She seems very young to have tried them.”

“The docks on Persephone can be very rough. At the abbey we children as young as four and five coming in that were using inhalants. They used them to ward off hunger. Gave them problems with their lungs; you could always tell the kids using Aurolac they had a wheeze.”

“Oh, that’s horrible.”

“It is a great tragedy.” They both sat in silence sipping at their tea, lost in their own thoughts. Inara was worrying about Mal and wondering what kind of trouble they were going to get into on Pythagoras. Book was thinking about Pythagoras and if he was going to minister to anyone other then the crew of Serenity. The silence was companionable, and very peaceful. A few minutes of peace was very hard to come by on Serenity. There was usually something happening that interrupted whatever peace and silence a person could find.

“I want everyone in the cargo bay ASAP!” Mal’s voice cracked over the comm. system.

“Gorram – Damn