Chapter 1: Frozen Flame

It had been three days since they left the Heart of Gold yet the entire crew was still very subdued. An atmosphere of mourning hung over the ship, mostly due to Malcolm’s pointed silence but also due to Inara’s lack of appearance. She had hardly come out of her shuttle since then left the moon and whenever she did she hardly said a word, not even to Kaylee. The whole crew knew that something was wrong besides the loss of Nandi, but nobody dared ask. The crew had tried to lighten the mood on numerous occasions but even Wash couldn’t get Captain to laugh and Kaylee seemed the only person who could manage to make him produce a smile, and even that seemed superficial. None of the crew were particularly itching for adventure after the events that has just taken place, except perhaps Jayne, but all this uncomfortable silence had made them restless. Of course, there was always River.

“Fire”

“What was that mei-mei?” Asked Simon. They were all sitting down for yet another awkward dinner and this was the first word that River had said since this morning.

“Fire” She repeated “It’s almost like fire”

“What fire?” Asked Jayne, sounding slightly worried. They could all remember the last time there had been a fire on the ship and it wasn’t something they wanted to experience again.

“Is your sister saying there’s a fire on my boat?” Mal looked at Simon sternly Because if she is –“

“It like she’s burning” River interrupted

“Now who’s burning, ‘cause as far as I can see, none of my crew have burst into flames as of late?” Asked Mal, slightly impatiently. The crew had all become accustomed to Rover’s strange remarks but he wasn’t in the mood for deciphering them right now.

“It’s a secret” Said River, eyeing Mal cryptically.

“Well then” Said Mal as he picked up his fork to continue eating “Why don’t you keep your secrets to yourself and let us all finish our meals?”

Inara opened her mouth as if to say something, but stopped herself. The rest of the meal was spent in silence until one by one the crew cleared their plates away and retired to their separate quarters, leaving only River. She had watched each crew member leave with a uncharacteristic indifference. Normally she might have followed one of them, usually Mal, or perhaps Wash and Zoë but this time she stayed seated, seemingly content with staring at her empty plate. She had told Simon she wanted to stay with the food and as she seemed to be getting better, he hadn’t argued and had gone back to the infirmary alone to continue his research.

Kaylee had gone to the engine room, as usual, to see if playing with Serenity could take her mind of her loneliness. Normally this worked, but it proving so what unsuccessful today. “You'd really lie with someone being paid for it?” “Well, it's not like anyone else is lining up to, you know, examine me...” She had said before giving Simon a pointed look, but as always he has rushed off to deal with his patience’s and hadn’t even seemed to register her comment.

“hwoon dahn” Muttered Kaylee under her breath, unaware the Simon was lurking in the engine room doorway. He flinched, assuming she was directing the comment at him and turned and walked back to the infirmary. Kaylee heard his footsteps and turned around just in time to seem his head disappear around the corner.

“Gos se!” She exclaimed, sitting back on her heals and wiping seat from her brow. “Nothing like a good healthy insult to make a boy fall head over heels for ya!”

TRANSLATIONS:

Hwoon dahn = Bastard Gos se = Crap