The day after they set down at the derelict docks on the dark side of K'uei-Hsing, Simon cleared Leung to join them for dinner.  Leung had lucid periods now, several minutes at a stretch when he could articulate himself.  The first thing he'd said that made any sense at all was that he was sorry to have put them all to such trouble on his account.  Simon couldn't help but wonder what the man had been like before, and what could have reduced him to such a state.

The infirmary certainly didn't have the equipment to perform sophisticated tests on Leung, but the man had been physically brutalized.  Both legs had been broken more than once, along with several ribs.  His right hand had been damaged and then neglected, rendering it nearly useless for all but the most brute tasks.  And his reaction to certain stimuli suggested post-traumatic stress disorder.

All told, Leung was not the picture of physical or mental health.  But his appetite seemed to return with his lucidity, and Simon thought a gradual reintroduction to human interaction would help Leung's recovery.

Mal, however, had emphatically not been in favor of Simon's plan.  The Captain reluctantly agreed once River stepped into the argument and said it was only proper to dine with their guest.  Mal had cursed under his breath and walked away, and that evening, River led Henry to the table by one hand, murmuring encouragement.

Still breathing a little heavily, Leung settled awkwardly into a chair between River and Simon.  "Good evening," he offered in a strained voice.

"Evenin', Specialist," Zoe answered, handing off a plate of rice.  

Simon watched carefully, ready to assist Leung with the plate, but he brought it to the table with his good hand, then clumsily scooped some rice onto his plate.  Inara slid the rolls over to Leung, thoughtfully making sure they were near his good hand.

"How are you feeling?" Kaylee asked, smiling kindly at Leung.  Simon felt a strange, dull jealousy to see her natural cheeriness directed at someone else.

Leung kept his gaze on his plate.  "Better, thank you."

Jayne half-stood and leaned over the table, plucking a piece of bread from the breadbasket beside Leung's plate.  "Good, then you ain't gonna send no crazy spy brainwaves to the Alliance, are you?"

"Jayne," Mal snapped.  "Leave him alone."

Leung had frozen, his hands flat on the table beside his plate, his head bowed in the face of Jayne's open hostility.  River pushed her chair back and leaned gracefully across the table until her face was mere inches from Jayne's.  "Play nice," she told him, "or I'll hurt you."

Jayne's eyes widened and he didn't seem to know what to do.  He held his ground, staring back at River.  "Just makin' sure he ain't still working for them purplebellies," Jayne said finally, straightening up to tower over River before settling back in his chair, the picture of insolence as he tore open the roll he'd pilfered and reached for the butter.  But Simon could tell from the nervous twitch of Jayne's jaw that he still harbored more than a little fear of River.  Jayne slouched low in his seat, eating his roll and glaring at Leung.

"I'm not a spy," Leung said quietly.

Zoe and Mal exchanged impassive looks.  "You were a spy when you were in my unit," Mal noted evenly.

"Not on purpose," Leung answered, tapping his index finger against his temple.  "The cockroaches, they cut my brain."

Simon held up a hand, warning Mal off.  "Henry, maybe now isn't a good time to get into this.  Let's all eat and--"

"They cut my brain and put it back together wrong," Leung said, his gaze locking with Mal's.  "Sarge, I swear, I didn't want to leave the unit."

Mal looked sour, but jerked a nod.  "Fair enough.  Eat up, Specialist.  You need to get your strength up."

Simon glanced at his sister, who gracefully dropped back into her seat.  "Mal," she said, folding her hands on the table before her, "I think Henry should help us blow up the Academy."

Simon jerked around to face his little sister.  "River, what--?"

"Not going to happen," Mal interrupted, gritting his teeth in an attempt to keep calm.  "And I'd appreciate it if we could enjoy one gorram meal in peace."

Simon watched Leung as he sat, complacent, while the others argued around him.  River's suggestion hadn't startled Leung, which meant either he'd disassociated from the conversation entirely, or she'd told him of their plans.  Plans that Simon only knew of in the most general sense, since Mal and Zoe had kept everything very hush-hush.

Leung turned his head and met Simon's curious gaze.  "River told me of the plans," he said, answering Simon's unasked question.

A sick feeling gnawed at Simon's gut as Mal slammed a fist down onto the table for silence.  Glancing back and forth between Leung and River, Mal said, "Excuse me?"

River placed a calming hand over Leung's mangled hand.  "I told him," River said, chin lifted in defiance.  "It's a good plan, and we can help."

Mal shook his head, spluttering a bit, as Zoe narrowed her eyes and asked, "How do you know what the plan is, assuming we have a plan?"

River gave Zoe a withering look.  "Inara stole the blueprints from the Administrator who likes to be tied up with silk and then called names like--"

"River!" Inara interrupted.  Mal closed his eyes briefly.

River merely shrugged.  "The blueprints are from six months ago.  Things may have been altered in the meantime, but it's a good start.  Better than the whispers of disgruntled, underpaid purplebellies."

Simon felt like he should say something, maybe stop his sister from speaking, or defend her from the anger he could see building in Mal.  But his brain didn't seem to be working properly at the moment, so he sat and watched his sister explain in detail the plans that Mal and Zoe had, to the best of Simon's knowledge, worked up in secret.

He certainly hadn't known anything about the plastique explosives stored on board, and quite frankly, the thought of being out in the black with something that could breach the hull at any time made him a bit queasy.  One wrong jostle leaving atmo, and they'd-- the ship would simply--  

Simon felt a little bit lightheaded; he inhaled sharply through his nose.

River barely glanced at him as she said, "Plastique is a relatively stable form of explosive material."

River couldn't possibly read minds.  The idea was absurd.  The other possibility, of course, was nearly as upsetting -- that she'd deliberately eavesdropped and sifted through their private wave accounts to access the information Mal and Zoe had gathered, then pieced the plan together on her own.  And if she could only do that sort of reconnaissance, it only stood to reason that she was-- that she had been trained to be--

No.  She wasn't.  She couldn't be.

Simon sat stock still as River turned a hurt expression his way.  "I'm not a spy."

"River, no," Simon stuttered.  "No, I know you're not a spy."

"I didn't eavesdrop," she said.  "Mal thinks too loudly."  She gave the captain an apologetic look.  "Zoe's much quieter."

"Okay," Mal erupted, "Leung, you stay here with Simon and finish your dinner.  River--"

"Sarge," Leung interrupted, his voice shaking a bit, "I can help."

"With River's fantasy demolition plan?" Mal scoffed. "No, thank you."

Jayne frowned.  "Wait -- Fantasy?  I thought you said we was blowing it up?"

Mal closed his eyes for a moment.  "Jayne?"

"Yeah, Mal?"

"Bì zui."

"I'm a munitions expert," Leung said.

"I'm not discussing this," Mal answered, standing to leave.  Zoe hastily rose as well, watching Leung closely.

"You need all the mice--" He stopped, shook his head a bit, blinked like he was having trouble focusing on Mal.  "All the soldiers you can get, Sarge," Leung said.  "I got a stake in this."

Simon looked back and forth between Mal and Leung, ready to intervene if necessary.  But Mal simply shook his head and turned to River.  "You," he ordered, "come with me."

"Mal," Simon said.  "I really don't--"

"I need to speak to your sister," Mal interrupted, his tone fierce.  "Do your job.  Take care of Leung."

Mal and Zoe headed up to the bridge, River gliding after them.  Simon watched, impotent, not realizing he was muttering curses until Kaylee touched his hand.

"Come on," Kaylee murmured.  "Cap'n just wants to talk to her."

"'Bout her moonbrain friend here," Jayne muttered, stabbing at his protein bar.

"Jayne," Kaylee snapped.  "Didn't your mama teach you better manners?"

To Simon's surprise, Jayne muttered something that might have been an apology.  He didn't have much time to contemplate this turn of events, however, as Leung lurched to his feet and looked around, eyes wild.

"Can't let the cockroaches win," he said, turning vacant eyes to Simon, who leaped up and caught Leung's arm when the man swayed precariously.

"Kaylee, help me get him to the infirmary," he ordered.  Definitely PTSD, Simon thought grimly.  Too much stimulation, too many reminders of the Alliance and the Academy, and Leung was right back there, reliving the horrors in his mind.

Perhaps Simon had overestimated the pace of Leung's recovery.

*****

Zoe stood in the doorway of the bridge, her back to the closed hatch, arms crossed.  River and Mal stood five feet apart, staring at each other with equally determined expressions in place.  She hated to admit it, but Zoe was near convinced that if it came down to it, River would win any sort of tussle.

"I would win," River said, not even glancing in Zoe's direction.  "Mal, you used me before to--"

"I'm not using you," Mal spat, looking pained.

"You let me help on Lilac," River countered.  "You know I can help keep everyone safe."

"And Leung?" Mal demanded.  "He's unstable, besides which he can't lay charges with the damage to his hand."

"He is me," River said.  "He feels things, too."

"River--"

"You want to destroy the Academy and keep everyone safe."

"Yes," Mal agreed, "but--"

"There are guards and electrified fences and partially constructed brick walls between you and the school.  Henry and I can keep track of the guards while you take care of the rest."

Didn't sound like a terrible idea to Zoe, but she knew Mal would need more convincing.

"We have binoculars for that," Mal answered flatly.

"My way," River interrupted, "is safer.  Băi wú yī shī.  You can concentrate on laying the explosives and we'll keep watch."

Frowning, Mal glanced at Zoe to get her take.  Zoe simply lifted an eyebrow in response.  Girl made some good points, and the more people watching their back, the better.  Last thing Zoe wanted was more time in an Alliance prison.

Mal grimaced in reply, then turned his attention back to River.  "If I decide to let you help, you are not coming anywhere near the school," Mal decided.  "And Leung is nowhere near stable enough to come at all."

"He is stable," River countered, eyes narrowing.  "Feels guilty about what he's done, and sometimes that's too much for him to think about."  She dipped her chin, her hair shadowing her face.  "Only way to escape is to--" With a near-imperceptible shake of her head, she lowered her voice-- "Disassociate."

Zoe's gut twisted, and she reached out to lay a gentle hand on River's shoulder.  River shifted away and Zoe let River pass, turning to watch the girl stomp down the stairs and disappear.  Slowly, Zoe turned back to Mal.  "That went well."

Mal waved off the subject and paced in a small circle.  "I'm still not sure we're doing right," he admitted, his voice low.

Zoe watched him silently, unable to put her thoughts into words just yet.

He stopped, hands on his hips, back to her.  "Feels a little bit like we're running full tilt into the warm embrace of a scorpion."

"We're not."

Mal turned, questioning her with a look.

"Some things are worth fighting for," Zoe explained.  "Power corrupts.  Miranda, it was stupid and not ill-intentioned, but they did it because they could.  This is willful torture of kids can't fight back, and they're doing it because they think they can.  This is worth taking a stand."  She closed her eyes, picturing Wash's smiling face.  "This is worth the risk"

Her words hung in the air a moment as Mal considered 'em.  "Is it taking a stand?" he wondered.  "We ain't telling the 'verse like Miranda.  If it all goes right, we escape to the black and the Alliance mentions a construction accident on Kuei-Hsing.  Won't stop 'em."

"Might," Zoe countered.  "Dă căo jīng shéi."

Mal stared at her.  "This kind of snake don't scare easy."

Zoe nodded, accepting his point.  They wouldn't win the war by blowing up one school.  Might have four others already up and running.  But they could win one battle.  "At the very least, we'll slow them down.  Academy won't open on schedule, and these girls won't be tortured next month.  We can't save the 'verse, Mal.  We just do what we can."

Mal stared down at the floor.  "And that's enough?" he muttered.

Zoe headed for the hatch, touching his elbow as she passed.  "Has to be."

Simon perched nervously just outside the shuttle, watching through slightly unfocused binoculars for any sign of trouble.  Inara was in the shuttle, waiting to take them back to Serenity as soon as the others returned.  Beside him on the rocky ground crouched River and Leung, trying to sense trouble.  Simon couldn't think about that.  It made him uncomfortable, this idea that his sister was psychic--

"Simon," River chided.  "Concentrate."

He spared her an annoyed look and went back to his observations.  Mal, Zoe, and Jayne were somewhere in the dimly lit construction zone laying explosives on the grounds of what was slated to be another Academy of Torture.  Even through binoculars, Simon could see nothing.  He checked his watch.  They could all be captured and carted off by now, and he wouldn't have the first idea.

"They're not captured," River whispered.  "Jayne got a little tangled up in the charge wire, but Mal and Zoe are nearly done.  They'll be back soon."

Simon's mouth tightened, but he didn't reply.  Mal and Zoe had nixed his suggestion of radios, pointing out that the Alliance security measures at the building site would likely include something to detect radiowaves.  Simon had countered by suggesting the security would also include something to detect people sneaking in to lay plastique explosives, too, but that didn't seem to be stopping them from doing that.

"There," River said, pointing to the left side of the hulking structure.

Simon followed her direction, scanning the area through binoculars until he caught a flash of movement.  After a moment, he could see all three moving back, Zoe then Jayne then Mal, unwinding the charge wire as he retreated.  They eased through the small tear in the electrified fence -- shorted out by the same small EMP that had knocked out videowave surveillance -- and drew closer.

Starting to breathe a bit easier, Simon eased backwards on trembling legs, fumbling for the detonator.  

Zoe reached them and fell in line, patting River on the shoulder as she sank silently to the ground.  "No trouble?" she breathed.  River shook her head.

Jayne scrambled over a small boulder, dropping beside Simon with a small grunt of exertion.  "Ruttin' Alliance builders," he muttered, picking pebbles out of a gash on his arm.

Simon frowned, reaching for Jayne's arm.  "Let me see."

"Ain't nothin'," Jayne answered, shaking him off as Mal took the ignition switch from Simon's other hand.

"Would you just let me see it?" Simon argued.  He could smell the thick copper of blood, which meant Jayne had already bled quite a bit.

"Mal," Jayne whined, "get the doctor off my ass."

"Wŏ jì méi yŏu shíjìan yēméi yŏu jīnglī gēntā zhēnglùn," Mal snapped, still twisting the charge wires into place.  "Time?"

"Going on seventeen minutes," Zoe answered.  "We've got three minutes, tops, before a patrol gets here to investigate the power loss."

Nodding, Mal carefully set the detonator, giving them sixty seconds until the first of 23 charges started off the chain reaction that would, if their calculations were correct, leave naught but a pile of rubble in its wake.  "We're in the air before the first explosion.  Inara?" he asked.

"Ready, Mal," she called back.

Mal glanced at each of them in turn.  "Go?"

Simon sat there, still and scared, while River and Jayne nodded.  Zoe answered, "It's a go, sir."

"Good," Mal said, and pressed the button.  A small green bulb blinked to life, and Mal placed the activated detonator on the ground.  "Let's go."

Simon stood on shaky legs and reached for his sister, handing her onto the shuttle.  Just as she stepped aboard, she stiffened and whirled around.  "Henry!"  She lunged past Simon, leaving him grasping at air as she launched herself back toward the Academy.  Mal and Jayne tackled River, and Simon caught a glimpse of a figure scrambling back toward the Academy.  

Leung.  Dammit.

"Gorram it," Jayne yelled, holding River about the waist.  "Doc, take her," he demanded, struggling to hold her still while Mal and Zoe grabbed her arms and one leg.  "Quit it, girl.  I'll go after him."

Panicked now, Simon wrapped his arms tight around his sister's struggling body as Jayne let go.

"Jayne," Mal shouted, his hands full of angry River.  "Bié dòng."

But Jayne jumped the boulder and took off in pursuit of Leung.  Simon couldn't follow his progress, because his sister was so incensed it took all three of them to drag her back toward the shuttle.  Simon cursed, regretting that he hadn't protested Leung's inclusion in this ridiculous caper.

And then River sagged, going limp and throwing Simon off balance.  She keened, low and mournful, and moments later, the first explosion rocked the shuttle.

"Chùsheng xai-jiao de xiang huo," Mal cursed, his face pale in the bright orange light of the exploding Academy.  He stood in the doorway and watched through narrowed eyes as the walls imploded.

Simon still had his arms around River, but couldn't tear his gaze from the grim beauty of explosions.  Finally, the night dimmed, leaving bright reflections spotting his vision as he blinked.  The silence was broken only by his sister's sniffles and the faint wail of sirens.

Mal turned, dropping to one knee in front of River and taking her by the shoulders.  "River."  He shook her.  "River!"

"Mal," Simon warned, noting her wide, unfocused eyes.  "She's in shock."

Mal ignored him.  "We need to go.  Where are they?"

"Mollymawk," she answered, her voice trembling.  "Mollymawk's gone."

Mal dropped his head and whispered something too low for Simon to make it out.

Zoe leaned closer.  "And Jayne?"

"Red," River answered.  "Red and hot.  The ground is wet."  She shut her eyes briefly, then locked gazes with Simon.  "Go.  He needs your help."

"Where is he?" Simon asked, ignoring the chills her unnatural knowledge still gave him.  It didn't take psychic ability to predict that a man running headlong toward a series of explosions would need medical attention, but she said things with such an eerie certainty -- he didn't have time for that.

"Straight up the middle, but not all the way there."  She winced.  "Near the fence.  Hurry."

"You'll stay here?" Simon demanded.

Inara appeared in the doorway, stepping down and wrapping her arms around River.  "I've got her."

River nodded, unresisting, and curling into a ball.  "Simon, go."

Simon stood and looked to Mal and Zoe, who had already jumped down from the shuttle.  Mal gestured impatiently.  "Come on if you're coming.  Scoop and run.  We need to get gone."

They ran toward the rubble three abreast, not bothering to attempt stealth.  The sirens grew louder, and Simon had a leaden feeling in his gut as they pressed on toward the heat of the smoldering buildings, toward the acrid scent of destruction.

Zoe found Jayne and dropped to her knees beside his crumpled form, splayed across the rubble of what had been part of the outer wall.  Simon mirrored Zoe on Jayne's other side, running his hands quickly over Jayne's body in search of broken bones, noting serious blood loss from a large gash in his right leg.  His eyes were closed, breathing regular, though his heartbeat was a little fast for Simon's liking.

"We don't have time," Mal shouted over the wail of the approaching sirens.  He unfolded a sheet of canvas with a quick snap of his wrists.

"If he's badly injured, jostling him could kill or paralyze him," Simon shot back.  Flashes of indigo and red crept closer.

Mal and Zoe worked quickly, ignoring him as they shifted Jayne to slide the canvas beneath him. "Trust me," Zoe said, her tone grim, "Jayne would rather be paralyzed in the black than healthy in an Alliance prison, and I can't say as I disagree.  Now let's go."

Simon grabbed hold of the canvas and tried not to think of all the possible damage they were doing as they staggered back to the shuttle, alarms and sirens growing louder and louder behind them.

*****

Kaylee hadn't ever been one to embrace the more dangerous side of life on a transport moonlighting in moving not-so-legal cargo, and she ain't never had the urge to carry a gun and face down bad guys.  Miranda and the aftermath only reinforced Kaylee's belief that she wanted no part of violence if she could help it.

Still, sitting on her hands while Simon and Mal and Jayne and Zoe and 'Nara and River and even Leung were off layin' bombs on Alliance property -- it just didn't feel right.

Cap'n told her to keep Serenity ready to go, so she worked off some of her nervous energy by pacing in the small confines of the bridge.  She paced and rambled aloud, spilling her thoughts to Serenity, who weren't answerin' back.

Waited.

Paced.

Waited some more.

Double-checked the comms, 'cause what if they were S.O.S.-ing and she didn't know?  Comms were fine.

"Shiny," she told Serenity.  "I'm sure everything's shiny."

Paced.

Waited.

Twisted her hands together, picturing all kinds of horrible possibilities.

Then -- finally -- she heard the familiar sound of Inara's shuttle docking and Serenity's muted sigh of contentment.  "Good girl," Kaylee praised.  "Let's get ready."  She powered up Serenity and got her to ready-one before Mal came bursting onto the bridge looking grim.

"We set?" he asked.

"Yes.  Is everyone--?"

"I'll get us off the ground," he answered, dropping into the pilot's seat.

Kaylee froze, her hands clasped together in prayer.  What if Simon was dead?  What if River did that scary fighting again, but didn't do quite as well this time 'round?  Why didn't the Cap'n answer her question?  Her voice shook when she said, "Cap'n?"

He grimaced, easing Serenity off the ground.  "Leung's gone.  Jayne's hurt."

Kaylee blinked.  "Gone?"  Cap'n couldn't possibly mean--

"Died."  He looked over when she didn't answer, raising his voice and ordering brusquely, "Go see if Simon needs any help."

Stung, Kaylee retreated, trying to remind herself that the Cap'n was upset, not mad at her.  Still hurt bearing the brunt, but she could handle it.  She took the stairs two at a time, clomping her way down to the infirmary, her heart racin' in panic.

Inara stood outside the infirmary, watching through the window with a grim look on her face.  She barely glanced up as Kaylee clambered down the staircase.  Kaylee touched Inara's shoulder on her way past, stunned to a stop in the infirmary doorway when she saw blood all over Simon.

"Simon," she blurted, "are you hurt?"  Kaylee was standing beside him without realizing she'd moved.

He met her gaze for the briefest of moments, not quite managing a smile as he explained, "It's Jayne's blood."  Simon wasn't even in a sterile gown, just blood-covered latex gloves and his dark blue shirt stained red.

Kaylee looked down at Jayne, unconscious on the table, and bit her lip.  Didn't hardly look like him, goatee only partially grown back, skin frighteningly pale under the lights.  "Oh, my God, is he going to be okay?"

Must've been her imagination, but Simon sounded irritated when he said, "Should be fine if I can get this bleeding under control."

Wide-eyed, Kaylee stared at the gash in Jayne's leg.  She moved back a bit, trying to stay out of the way.

Across the table, Zoe dug out an instrument for Simon and handed it over.  "Want me to clean out the lac on his arm?" she asked, waiting for Simon's nod before she reached for the iodine.

"He's fighting," River said from her perch on the bench lining the wall.  She had her arms wrapped around her knees, and blood smeared along the back of her hand.  Closing her eyes, she laid her forehead against her kneecaps.

Feeling helpless, Kaylee patted the toe of Jayne's boot.  "Can I help?" she asked.

Grimacing, Simon didn't answer, simply leaning closer to the gash in Jayne's leg, using the tong-looking things Zoe had handed him to dig in the wound.  Kaylee felt a bit lightheaded and stepped back, but she couldn't quite block out the horrible, squishy noises.  She reached back to brace herself against the countertop.

After a moment, Simon finished whatever horrible thing he was doing to Jayne's leg and handed the tongs back to Zoe.  He glanced back at Kaylee and mustered a smile.  "Could you do me a favor?"

"Of course."  Kaylee pushed away, swaying a bit on her feet.  "You're really okay?" she couldn't help asking.

"I'm not hurt," Simon told her, and he was looking at her the way he used to, like she was important.  "I need to irrigate the wound and close it up," he explained.  "Jayne should be fine, but this will take a while.  Zoe's going to help."  Simon glanced at his sister.  "Would you -- would you maybe take care of River for me?" he asked, and Kaylee could tell from the tremor in his voice that it wasn't easy for him.  "Help her get cleaned up, keep her warm.  She's in shock."

Kaylee felt warm again, like someone had finally turned the heat back on inside of her chest.  She took a shaky breath.  "Sure, I can do that."  She hesitated for a moment, then stepped up to his side, placing her hand on his shoulder and leaning up to kiss him quickly.  He looked back at her with wide, surprised eyes, but she just smiled.  Before he could come up with a response, Kaylee pulled out a sterile gown and unwrapped it, holding it out for him.

Simon stripped the bloody gloves off and moved forward, putting his arms through the sleeves before kissing her on the forehead.  "Thank you," he murmured.

Kaylee rounded the table, squeezing the toe of Jayne's boot as she passed, and moved to River's side.  "River?"

Slowly, River lifted her head from her knees and dully met Kaylee's gaze.  "Mollymawk's dead."

"I know, mèimei, and I'm sorry."  She rubbed River's back.  "Let's go get cleaned up, let your brother fix up Jayne."

River moved slowly and without her normal grace as she slid down from the counter.  "Mèimei," she echoed.

"That's right," Kaylee soothed, and as she ushered River out of the infirmary, Simon glanced at the two of them with an expression that Kaylee didn't recognize.

*****

Gorram son of a whore.

Fire creepin' up his leg, throbbin' in his arm, and a headache like a damn.  Mouth dry, like the worst kinda hangover, tongue fuzzy and thick.

Hand on his arm.

Jayne reached up and grabbed it, trapped it tight.  Opened his eyes, squintin' against the bright.  "Lemme go."

"You're safe."

Gorram pretty boy doctor.  "Gimme drugs," Jayne demanded, squeezing Doc's hand.  "What the ruttin' hell you do to me?"

"Simon saved you."  Kaylee now.  She stepped closer so's he could see her, and he felt a tiny hand slip into his.  "You were real brave, Jayne."

Jayne grumbled something would've been an insult if he could concentrate on anythin' but the blistering agony in his leg.  Arm hurt, too.  "Drugs," he said, tossing Doc's hand aside and grippin' the edge of the mattress.

"In a minute," Doc answered, leaning over until he loomed over Jayne, who closed his eyes in protest.  "Look at me."

Jayne did his best to glower without opening his eyes.  "Cào nî zûxiān shí bâ dai."

"Sounds like Jayne," Mal said, from somewhere behind Jayne.

"Mal, tell him to give me some drugs."

"Jayne," Doc said, pulling his eyelids up on at a time and shining a gorram spotlight in 'em, "I need to make sure you haven't sustained any head trauma--"

"I'll show you head trauma, boy," Jayne gritted, swatting at the hands touching his face.  Moving made the pain ten times worse, and he spit out a string of curses, muscles clenched until he started to shake with the effort to stay still.

"What year did the Alliance unify the 'verse?" Simon asked.

Mal's voice was like ice.  "Ask him something he might actually know."

"Jayne."  Kaylee now.  "What year did you come to Serenity?"

White hot pulse of pain shot up his leg.  "Year I found out Marco was stiffin' me."  He tried to relax his muscles, but doin' anything hurt like blisterin' hell.  "Mal?"

"He's fine, Simon," Mal said.  "Give him something."

Stickpin in his neck, then a flood of tingly goodness.  Jayne felt his muscles go slack, and his eyes drifted shut.  The pain drowned under a wave of drugs, and he near fell back to sleep.  Driftin', pain all locked up far away.

Little Sister still had her hand tucked in his.

It occurred to him to ask what had happened.  "How'd my..."  Jayne stopped, unable to come up with the word for what was hurt.

"The Academy," Kaylee prompted.  "You blew it up."

Explosions.  Orange and hot and loud and painful.  He was... running toward the Academy?

"Yes, you were."  Little Sister floated into view and Jayne tried hard to keep his eyes open.  She smiled at him.  "You tried to save Henry."

Tried?

"Henry wanted to die," River answered.  "He knew they'd concentrate on him instead of tracking us."

Jayne tried to nod.  Anyone else hurt?

"Just you," River said.  "Everyone else is fine."

Good.  Jayne wanted to stay awake, wanted to find out more 'bout what happened, but he couldn't seem to open his eyes.

"The Academy is rubble.  You saved the mice."  River's voice soothed him.  "Thank you."

"Welcome," he mumbled, feeling something feather-light brush across his cheek.

*****

The sheep weren't sheep, and they weren't meals, either.

Conundrum.

River crouched in the cargo bay, studying their flat eyes and their nervous stillness, wondering why they couldn't remember what they were.  Suspended animation, waiting for something to change.  Waiting like Simon.

Abandoning the not-sheep, River made her way to the passenger cabins to look in on her brother again.  He was still shut up in his pen thinking dark, confused thoughts.

"She misses you," River told him, feeling Kaylee's presence, warm, like Serenity's heart, pulsating with life and color and heat.  And a purple streak of sadness.

Simon looked up at River with blank eyes, thinking with a taste of bitterness, How would you know?

River simply shrugged, because hard as she tried to explain, no one ever really understood.  She knew Kaylee was okay, or she would taste wrong, like a scream, like she did on Niska's space station holding cold, black death in her hands, unable to move.  Simon just stared at her some more, so River retreated.

In the infirmary, Jayne was sleeping, sweet dreams of naked women keeping him sound and healing.  River peeked in to feel his leg stitching itself back together slowly, slowly, slowly, but without the orange-flash stink of infection.

She wondered if women were really that flexible.  

She doubted Jayne would answer her if she asked.

River moved on, up the stairs, pausing in the hallway, steadying herself against metal walls that hummed.  Sorrow still too white hot for Zoe to look at directly, but somewhere underneath it like an aftertaste, the cool bee sting of tears.

River stepped up onto the bridge.  Thoughts weren't much brighter up here.

"Little albatross," Mal greeted, not turning to look.  Need to keep her safe.  He sounded warm, like sunshine, and fuzzy like the fur on a puppy's belly.  She wanted to lie down beside him with her head in his lap, innocent and warm and safe like when she was a girl.

But she wasn't a girl.

"She is safe," River said.  She wanted him to feel the truth of it, even though he lived his whole life doubting any truth unless he could bang his head against it and come away bloody and convinced.  "I am safe."  She smiled, letting the knowledge ripple though her muscles.  "I am safety."

Mal glanced over at her.  "I do believe you just might be," he admitted.  God help us all.  Dark thoughts, again.  Futility.  Horrible sound of dying comrades.  Bitter taste of Zoe screaming for Wash.  Leung taken by the fires--

River blinked.  She moved, settling into the copilot's chair, letting her fingers dance across the controls, letting Mal's prayers for the dead slip past her and out into the black.

Mal still believed in his God, his symbol, though he told himself he didn't.  Mal told himself a lot of things that weren't true, and then he tucked his cross away with Book's leather hair tie, and touched the box reverently morning and night.  Pretended not to care, not to feel, then kept a capture of Inara hidden between the covers of his family Bible, nestled next to the fading ink of the handwritten Reynolds family tree.  Every once in a while, he dug out an old letter from home, and read the ending over and over with tears stinging his eyes.

Come home soon, dear boy,
Mama

"Something on your mind?" Mal asked, awash in nervousness, worried she might feel his secrets.

"Something's on yours," River answered, looking out into the black.

"I owe you an apology," Mal said, his tone gruff.  For not trusting her.  River actually laughed, earning herself a puzzled look and a flash of irritation.  "What's so funny?"

"You don't trust anyone but Zoe," River explained.

Mal shifted, uncomfortable with her perception.  "I trust you.  I just don't trust what those tāmāde húndàn did to your brain."

River let his words stand.  She used to be a smart girl who loved to dance.  Then she was altered by the cockroaches, and she could never be separate from what they did.

River was.

Simple and impossible.

Mal knew it, too, but wouldn't ever admit that he couldn't trust her.  Too gentlemanly.  She hid her smile by bringing her knees up to her chin.  Engines burning low, inertia doing its part to propel them through space.  A glance at the console gave her their position and velocity, and she let the numbers dance into alignment.  Seven-point-three-eight-four-six hours from the Georgia System.  She asked him anyway.  "How much longer?"

Mal glanced at her.  "'Bout seven hours, give or take."  Restless, anxious, and beneath it all, anger.  At himself, for putting them all in danger, for not saving Leung.  At Inara for being who she was, and for being what she was.  At Kaylee, at Jayne, at Simon.  At River, for starting all of this.

River stared down at her hands, delicate, deadly fingers, and wished she could manipulate Joseph Larmor 's theory of time dilation and go back to before.  Before Miranda and save Wash and Book; before Persephone and save Mal's hero complex; before the Academy and save Simon the trouble.

Before she left for school, and save the River she used to be.

"What happens next?" River asked, letting her eyes close.  She saw a dozen scenarios bubbling through his mind, variations on the past.  Serenity Valley, not a bloodbath but a turning point in the war.  Finding perfect strangers to run his ship, not becoming attached to anyone and not caring if his crew left or died.  Leaving well enough alone, leaving them all on Haven among the dead, not bringing them into danger, not losing Book and Wash.

Darker.

Doubts.

Too late, always too late, and there are torn, crumpled, bleeding bodies in the hallway of Mr. Universe's compound.  Too stupid, and Kaylee sneaks away and gets killed trying to play the wrong purplebelly for information.  Too soft, and Inara gets caught up in the Alliance net trying to get intell on the Academy.  Too slow, and Jayne bleeds to death alongside Leung.  

Nothing he did was ever enough to save River.

River blinked.

"I don't need saving anymore," she declared, earning herself a sharp look from Mal.  She met his gaze, unapologetic.  Not like she could help it when he was bleeding thoughts like that.

"Next," Mal answered in a tight voice, ignoring everything but the question she'd asked, "we set back to Persephone and scrounge up some more work.  Keep our noses clean.  See what happens."

Nodding, River subsided.  It wasn't much of a plan.  

But soon, the sheep would be sheep again.

*****

THE END

*****

Author's Note: River quotes (and misquotes) passages from Sun Tze's Art of War throughout this story, sometimes recognized by the narrative character, but sometimes not.  All epigrams are also Sun Tze.  Planet names are taken from Chinese mythology, and all the Chinese (mis)used throughout is from various Chinese-English dictionaries and phrasebooks, most notably Langschneidt's.  All mistakes are mine.

Zoe took night watch, since she didn't sleep much anyway.  Kaylee bunked down in the engine room, locking the door behind her, and Zoe made one circuit of the ship before she slipped into the copilot seat up top.

Couldn't quite bring herself to sit in Wash's seat.  She didn't believe in ghosts, but he'd died there.  Cut her to the quick every time she saw someone sitting there wasn't him.

Up here on the bridge, alone with Wash's absence, the night passed slowly.  Zoe stared out at the starscape, letting her thoughts wander.  Remembering her parents, her home planet.  Remembering the war.  Remembering the P.O.W. camp and the reeducation.  Remembering how dark and desolate her life was before Wash, and trying not to compare it to how alone she felt now.  Eyes painfully dry, Zoe stared at a distant star until it blurred.

Soft footsteps sounded on the stairs, and Zoe swiveled her chair around.  Inara slipped onto the bridge.  "Morning," she greeted.

Surprised, Zoe asked, "Is it?"

"Just barely," Inara admitted, a self-conscious smile on her lips.  "May I join you?"

"Please," Zoe invited, steeling herself against Inara taking Wash's seat.

"Do you really think River might be a spy?" she asked, moving closer, her gaze trained on Zoe.  Inara hesitated almost imperceptibly, then altered course and settled herself at the top of the staircase leading down to the manual backup systems.  She tucked her silken robe around her feet and leaned against the railing.

"I don't know," Zoe answered belatedly.  "But the Maidenhead..." She trailed off, unable to put her doubts into words.

Inara sighed, wrapping her arms around her knees.  "I know.  But it seems like something would've happened before now.  Simon and River have been with us for over a year."

"True," Zoe answered.  "'Cept we just started makin' mischief for the Alliance six weeks ago."  Six weeks.  Felt like six years sometimes.

Inara didn't answer right away, her brow furrowing as she considered Zoe's point.  "I just worry sometimes," she confessed in hushed tones.  "Mal gets so paranoid."

"It's not paranoia," Zoe answered, thankful to be back on familiar ground.  Alliance really was out to get them in some form or another, and Zoe wouldn't put it past them to use River's burned up brain as an advantage if they could.

Inara blew out a frustrated breath.  "I know the Alliance wouldn't mind putting us all through an airlock.  But half the time, Mal wears that as a badge of honor, and the other half, he's keeping us hiding among the border planets convinced one of us will do him in, either maliciously or unwittingly."

Zoe felt herself bristling and tried to modulate her tone.  "Inara, you don't understand what he's been through--"

Inara turned to sit sideways, meeting Zoe's gaze, her expression determined.  "And at some point, that doesn't work as an excuse anymore."

"It's not an excuse," Zoe snapped on a flood of cold anger.

Shaking her head, Inara pushed herself upright, pacing the bridge in small, tight circles.  "You're misunderstanding what I'm trying to say," she explained.  "I'll never know what happened in Serenity Valley, or in any of the other battles you fought.  I've heard descriptions, but I'll never really know."

"No, you won't," Zoe agreed, blocking out the darkest of her memories.  She resisted the urge to tell some of her stories to Inara since she was ultimately right -- Zoe could explain how it felt to lie among her dead comrades, she could describe the smell of it, and it wouldn't matter.  Inara would never know, and Zoe would never forget.

"I know the war won't ever be over for either of you, not all the way.  But--"  Inara shrugged helplessly.  "It is over."

"Not as long as the Alliance is after us, it's not," Zoe countered, arms crossed.  Since Miranda, she almost relished this thought -- long as the Alliance kept after 'em, they'd have opportunities to strike back, get some small measure of justice for Shepherd Book, and for Wash.

Wouldn't ever be enough, but something was better than nothing.

"That's exactly what I mean," Inara said, moving closer and dropping to her knees to be more on a level with Zoe.  "The war for independence is over.  What's going on now -- it's not you and Mal against the world.  This is happening to all of us, even spoiled, selfish me," she explained, and from the bitterness in her tone, Zoe knew Inara was quoting Mal.

"I don't see your distinction," Zoe answered.

"You do," Inara argued, eyes beseeching.  "You thought Mal should've let Kaylee help.  You let me go in after Jayne when you know Mal wouldn't have.  You let me go because you knew that it was the best tactical move, and because I'm in this as deeply as you.  I'm in this," she repeated fiercely.

"Inara--"

"I'm not asking you to be disloyal," Inara interrupted.  "But you know Mal doesn't listen when I try to talk to him.  Whatever's coming -- we're all a part of it."

Zoe held Inara's steady gaze for a moment.  Seemed like Inara was making the same point Zoe'd already made to Mal.  She dipped her chin.  "I know."

Inara let that stand for a moment, then asked quietly, "Does Mal know?"  But that was further than Zoe could go.  Whatever counsel she gave Mal -- wanted or unwanted -- was between them.  Much as she'd like to reassure Inara that Mal already got an earful on this particular subject, she wouldn't betray her captain.  She simply stared back at Inara, her expression blank.  

Inara nodded once and rose gracefully to her feet.  "Fair enough," she said.  "I'm going to try to get a little sleep."

Zoe accepted this without comment, simply swiveling her chair back to face the starscape, listening as Inara slid the door shut behind her.  Mal hadn't said much to her outside of direct orders, but Zoe wasn't about to force another conversation Mal didn't want to have.

Unless she had to.

*****

Mal dragged the last of the provisions into the cargo bay and paused to catch his breath. Sector 6834 boasted a decent waystation, but he still hated to be anywhere with so many wavescreens.  Not just for River's sake -- for certain most of the crew were on wanted screens somewhere with a price on their heads.

It was safer to barter for fuel on the border planets, but Jean-Paul hadn't exactly been the picture of rationality.  He'd figured getting off Beaumonde in one piece was probably the wisest course, regardless of the ship being low on pesky things like fuel and provisions.

Which brought them to the 6834 waystation, which was, it didn't escape his notice, about halfway to K'uei-Hsing.  From the looks Zoe was shooting his way, didn't escape hers, either.  He flashed her an unspoken warning and turned to Kaylee, "We all set?"

"Yessir, Cap'n," she answered.

With a nod, Mal climbed up to the bridge, disappointed not to find River sitting in the copilot's chair.  She'd taken to avoiding him, and it bothered him more than he wanted to admit that he'd managed to disappoint her.

Mal powered Serenity up and took them off the waystation, firing the engines and turning toward Osiris.  Or, if someone were to be picky about it, toward K'uei-Hsing.  He programmed the course heading and scanned for other ships.  Finding nothing but black, he stood and stretched.

Half his crew was 'round the table, eating quietly, and Jayne was over in the lounge -- Mal squinted -- was he reading?  That couldn't be right.  River drifted closer to Jayne and curled up in the chair next to him, resting her chin in her hands.  "Lovely fable," she commented.

"Fable?" Jayne echoed, brow furrowed.  "What're you on about, girl?"

"The mother goddess kills the young god-king to save all mankind," River answered.  "The young god-king is Osiris and Dionysus and Jesus."

Jayne looked aghast.  "The sweet virgin Mary didn't kill her boy."

River shrugged one shoulder.  "Variations on a theme."

Mal glanced at Zoe, who shrugged.  "He's reading Shepherd's Bible."

Simon grimaced.  "I wasn't aware he could read," he commented, cutting his protein bar into perfect squares.

"Hey!" Jayne shouted, glaring in their direction.  "I read good."

Wincing, Simon muttered, "Intimately familiar with grammar, too."

"What'd you say about my grandmama?" Jayne thundered, pushing himself to his feet.

River tugged at his sleeve and urged him to sit.  "Read me your favorite story from Shepherd's book."

"Ain't stories," Jayne told her eventually, still glowering in Simon's direction as he dropped back into his seat.  "My favorite?" he echoed, looking a bit flustered as he paged through the good Book.

Mal felt a twinge watching the scene unfold, an ache that he didn't want to contemplate, so he turned away.  "Little Kaylee, what'd you whip up for us menfolk to eat?"

Kaylee rolled her eyes at him.  "Zoe fried some rice and Simon warmed the protein bars."

Sliding into his customary seat, Mal reached for the platter of rice.  "Yum."

"Hey.  I added spices tonight," Zoe told him, her tone almost playful.

It'd been quite a while since he'd heard levity from her, and Mal grinned in response.  "Spices, huh?"

Inara slid a teapot in his direction, and he accepted with a nod of thanks.  "How's Leung?" he asked, pitching his voice low.  Last thing he needed was another round of Let's Attack the Alliance from River.

Simon glanced over at his sister before answering.  "Fine.  Asleep right now.  He's still showing signs of psychosis, but physically he's stabilizing."

Mal nodded, chewing a tasteless hunk of protein.  "Doc, I need you to think back to when your sister left for the Academy and tell me everything you remember.  Everything about the school, everything about the adwaves -- every last thing you can remember."

Zoe stilled beside him.  "Sir?"

"Just getting the facts," he answered.  "Don't go getting any excitable ideas," he added for Kaylee's sake.  "Simon?"

The good doctor was still staring at him, mouth ajar.  He gathered himself, primly placing his fork down on the edge of his dented metal plate.  "The Academy," he said, nodding slowly.  "Just -- Give me a second."

"Fair enough," Mal said.  "Kaylee, you gonna eat that orange slice."

Kaylee all but folded herself in half to shelter her coveted fruit from his lecherous gaze.  "Yes, I am," she answered, then popped the slice into her mouth.  "Mmmmmm..." she moaned in a near obscene fashion.

Across the table, Inara laughed.  "Try not to distract Simon."

Kaylee's eyes flicked over to the doctor, who was watching her with more than a bit of lust in his gaze.  'Least they could do was keep from gettin' all moon-eyed at the dinner table.  To Mal's surprise, Kaylee looked flustered, her cheeks flushing as she turned her gaze down to the near empty plate before her.  Guess she and the good doctor were still quarrelin'.  

Damn shipboard romances.  Irritably, Mal tapped his fork against his protein bar.  "Doc?"

"Yes," Simon answered, bit flustered.  "Well, my parents collected several adwaves for schools for River.  I'd already graduated Osiris Prep, and they'd intended to send River there as well, but she tested off the charts.  I mean literally off the charts -- perfect scores on written examinations, and her brainwave and skills tests were unprecedented.  Immeasurable with the standard equipment."

Mal idly wondered whether speaking in low tones did a thing to keep their conversation from River.  He checked, but she was still watching Jayne as he read haltingly from the Bible.  Sight Mal never imagined he'd see.

"The Academy sent a direct wave to our house, from their Director of Admissions.  She said she'd learned of River's results and wanted to give River the opportunity to attend a new kind of Academy."

Kaylee muttered something under her breath and stabbed at her rice.

Simon shook his head.  "I didn't want my sister to go so far away, but she was so excited by the opportunity, and my parents were adamant.  Eventually I said my goodbyes and..."  Simon looked pained, "I turned my attention to my own studies.  I only started researching the Academy once her messages started to make me suspicious."

Mal glanced at Zoe, who dipped her chin once and took over the line of questioning.  "You were there to break her out -- what were the buildings like?"

"Buildings?" Simon echoed, his eyes a bit unfocused as he conjured up his memories.  "It was a large campus.  Bucolic, even though it was only 75 or so kilometers from Capital City.  There was one main building that housed the classrooms; it had a large courtyard in the middle, too, with desks and wavescreens for outdoor classes.  I think there were three, maybe four small dormitory buildings, plus a faculty facility around back.  The buildings were clustered together, and there were acres and acres of land surrounding the Academy.  And then," he added, his mouth tightening, "the walls.  Double walls, guarded from the inside, supposedly to keep the students safe from intruders."

Mal and Zoe exchanged looks.  Basics didn't sound too different from their P.O.W. camp.  They had guards to keep out intruders, too, whenever the higher ups stopped by.  Guards who passed their shifts beating and harassing the prisoners.  Zoe and Mal had spent hours contemplating various escape plans -- routes, makeshift weapons, safehouses on the outside -- but they were unceremoniously dumped planetside before they ever hatched a plan with any shot of working.  "Anything else you can remember might be useful?" Mal pressed.

Simon turned a suspicious gaze his way.  "Useful how?  You're not actually planning--"

"Ain't planning anything," Mal cut in.  "Just trying to figure whether Leung's telling the truth or totally untethered."

Simon looked dubious.  After a moment, he shrugged.  "Nothing else useful I can think of."

"This might be useful," Jayne announced, standing suddenly at the end of the table, expression grim.  River stood beside him, her arms wrapped around her midsection, her expression inscrutable.

"What might be useful?" Mal asked.

Jayne tapped a small card against his palm, then tossed it onto the table in front of Mal.  Shepherd Book's unsmiling face stared up at them from an ident card.  "If I recollect," Jayne said, "that card opened some doors wouldn't have opened for any one of us here."

The crew 'round the table stared at the card in silence.  Mal remembered the way those hostile Alliance soldiers' backs straightened, the way they hustled Book off for proper care after a simple look at this very ident card.  "Where did you--?"

"Book," Jayne answered, holding the Shepherd's Bible closer to his chest.  "Was tucked in the pages."

Mal had half a mind to ask which pages, which psalm, which story.  Because Book had a way about him, a certain manner of getting his message across regardless of whether anyone wanted to hear it.  Wouldn't surprise Mal to learn the good Shepherd had sent them some kind of message from the grave.

River looked up, locking gazes with him.  "Psalm 72:4," she answered his unspoken question.

He will defend the afflicted among the people
  and save the children of the needy;
   he will crush the oppressor.

Huh.

Kaylee nested down for the night in her hammock beside Serenity's heart, the engine room door closed tight and locked so only Mal could get in without her entering the code.  Simon always asked how she could sleep comfortable in a hammock, explaining that it couldn't possibly support her back properly.  Well, Simon always used to ask, back when they were speaking.

They weren't not speaking.  Not exactly.  It was just that Kaylee couldn't come up with anything worthwhile to say to him.  Just looking at him made her feel guilty for agreeing to guard Serenity from River.

At least havin' to spend nights in with Serenity gave her an easy excuse for not bedding with Simon.  Not that he'd asked, of course.  She tried to remind herself that he was painful shy about sex, and that he had a few more important things going on right now, but it didn't work.  His disinterest hurt.  That plus the way he stuttered 'round her the way he did before they'd had sex -- well, it was easier not to see him much, even if not seeing him made her heart ache.

The door lock released and Kaylee jerked upright, half-expecting River to be standing in the doorframe with that pretty, vacant smile.

It was Mal instead.  "Evenin'."

"Hey, Cap'n," Kaylee greeted, swinging her legs over the side of her hammock and reaching for her boots.  "Something wrong?"

"Nope.  How's my girl?"  Mal wandered closer to the glowing heart of Serenity, running a gentle hand 'long her casing.  "Any more troubles?"

"She's been fine," Kaylee answered.  "Better than."  Mal nodded, but didn't say anything further.  Kaylee struggled for a moment to put her jumbled thoughts into words.  "River ain't a spy, I don't think."

Mal regarded her with a skeptical expression.  "You sure about that, little Kaylee?"

"Asked Serenity three times," she answered, jumping down from her hammock, her boots ringing against the grated floor loud as gunshots.  She glanced guiltily down the hall, hoping she hadn't woken anyone on the darkened ship.

"I meant," Cap'n explained, his expression grim, "River might not have done it on purpose."  

"Huh?"  Kaylee scrunched up her nose.  "I thought you thought she was a spy might've tossed scrap metal into Serenity's compressor on purpose."

"Didn't think she was a spy," Mal clarified, "thought she might be.  And you don't take my meaning.  River may not be acting of her own free will.  She didn't kill those men at the Maidenhead on purpose, in the strictest sense."

Kaylee frowned, considering the Cap'n's point.  He weren't wrong.  She touched a hand to Serenity's heart, let her heat warm away Kaylee's sudden chill.  She hadn't even thought of that.  But on Niska's space station and again with the Reavers, when River took to killin', she seemed... different.  Far away, somehow.  Maybe she really wasn't River when she was fighting.  "I don't know," she admitted in a near whisper.

Mal nodded, turning his attention back to Serenity's engine.  "Are you comfortable with Leung?"

"Leung?" Kaylee echoed, confused.  She'd never so much as interacted with the poor man; closest she'd come was listening to his broken explanations from the doorway of the medbay.  "Ain't scared of him if that's what you're asking."

"Zoe and I have an appointment tomorrow, and we may take Jayne for muscle.  Won't, though, unless you're comfortable keeping charge of the others while we're gone."

Kaylee felt a sharp stab of sadness.  It should be Wash staying back and keeping charge of Serenity, not a scared mechanic couldn't shoot a gun proper.

"Appointment?" asked a voice from the doorway.  Mal and Kaylee turned to find Inara watching them.  "On K'uei-Hsing?"  She raised an eyebrow at the Cap'n.

"Yes.  Appointment," Mal answered, crossing his arms.  "What's it to you?"

Inara lifted her chin.  "I have a suggestion for getting the information you need on the new Academy."

Kaylee turned wide eyes to Mal, who spluttered for a moment, an incredulous look on his face.  "Information on the Academy?" he echoed.

"You're not a mystery, Mal," Inara informed him, stepping down into the engine room.  "The thought of a hundred girls being tortured the way that River was tortured has been eating at you for weeks.  I'm only mildly surprised it took you this long to make up your mind to destroy the Academy before it opens."  She paused, and gave him a smug look.  "That is the plan, right?"

"You're crazy," Mal told her, but even Kaylee could tell he weren't bein' truthful.

"Cap'n," Kaylee said, feeling proud and exhilarated and scared all at the same time.  "We're going to bring it down?"

"No," Mal answered, glowering now.  "We're not doing anything.  Zoe and Jayne and I--"

"Mal," Inara interrupted, her tone cold and sharp as diamonds.  "Stop.  I can get you the information quickly, and not word-of-mouth accounts from underpaid, disgruntled Alliance soldiers.  Accurate information, from the Alliance itself."

"You can?" Kaylee asked, impressed.  She was still pretty new to the more violent parts of thievin', but she knew already that accurate information helped keep people safe.  "Shiny."

"No, not shiny," Mal protested, pointing at Kaylee, then Inara.  "And not happening."

Inara lifted her chin in defiance.  "An occasional client of mine works on K'uei-Hsing.  He's an upper administrator in the Education Ministry.  I've already waved him for an appointment."

"You what?" Mal exploded.

"He thinks I want a letter of introduction for potential clients out toward the border planets," Inara continued evenly, ignoring Mal's mounting irritation.  "I need two things from you."

"Well, please," Mal answered sarcastically, "do tell."

Kaylee elbowed him.  "Be nice."

"Thank you," Inara told Kaylee, favoring her with a small smile.  Then she turned to Mal.  "I need you to call in some sort of distraction once I'm inside his quarters, and I need Shepherd Book's ident card."

"Absolutely not," Mal answered.

Kaylee's eyebrows lifted.  "Oh," she said, understanding what Inara was proposing.  "You're going to use Book's card to access your client's system--"

"And infochip what we need, yes," Inara confirmed, "which would make any plans to destroy the school a lot less risky in turn."

Mal was shaking his head, pacing in short little bursts beside the engine.  "We don't know anything about Book's ident card.  There must be layers of security--"

"Shepherd Book was more than a simple Shepherd, Mal," Inara countered.  "I don't know exactly what his ident card says about him, but you saw how the Alliance reacted to it.  No effort was spared to save his life.  Do you really think his ident card wouldn't allow me access to the Alliance's plans if used on their own network?"

"Awful lot of assumptions there, Inara," Mal snapped.  "Maybe you'd best leave the planning to us career criminal types."

"And just what is your plan, Mal?" Inara demanded, stepping forward in her anger until they were toe to toe, glaring at each other.  "Ask twenty or thirty of your closest friends if they've heard anything about a secret Alliance Academy for gifted children?  How many of the people you're planning to ask would sell you out for a few credits?  All of them, or is there maybe one in there you can actually trust?"

Kaylee shrank back against Serenity's beating heart, hating conflict as always.  They were both making good arguments, only she wished they could just talk civil-like.  She watched them argue, her gaze shifting back and forth, her opinion on Inara's and Mal's respective plans changing with every point made.

"I don't trust anyone," Mal answered.  "And I plan to get information from purplebelly turncoats.  Believe me, there are enough of them."

"Are you so sure you won't run into a double agent?"

"Are you so sure Book's ident card isn't flagged in the Alliance system?"

"Why would it be?" Inara answered, her tone subdued.  "We buried him ourselves.  The Alliance likely doesn't know he's dead."  Her voice caught, and she ducked her head.

Mal turned away, his breathing ragged in the sudden quiet.

"Cap'n?" Kaylee asked when the silence started to feel uncomfortable.  The Cap'n looked to Kaylee, but didn't speak.  She decided to take that as an invitation to voice her opinion on the subject.  "I'm no expert on this type thing," Kaylee ventured, "but Inara's plan sounds less..." Kaylee shrugged, "risky."

"But it's risking her," Mal shot back, his tone haggard.  He looked to Inara; they stared at each other so long and so intense that Kaylee thought maybe she should leave 'em alone.

"Mal," Inara said finally, "I worry just as much about you when you put yourself in danger--"

"I don't willfully put myself in danger, is the difference," Mal interrupted, his jaw tight with anger and fear.

Kaylee snorted, then regretted it when the Cap'n turned an irritable glare her way.  "You made all of us stay back while you went by yourself to broadcast the Miranda wave," Kaylee reminded him.

Mal's eyes nearly bugged right out of his face.  "I left you with a shipful of Reavers!"

"And a door that was s'posed to hold them off," Kaylee shot back.

"You have no idea the hell I was in on that elevator, dreading the door opening 'cause I knew I would find you all torn to pieces--" He stopped, turned away, his jaw clenched.

Inara touched his arm.  "Mal--"

"Tāmāde!"  Mal shrugged her off and turned toward the door.  "I can't have this argument right now."

"I can do this," Inara said, moving to block his exit.

"I don't doubt your ability," Mal admitted.  "But this is a mighty big step to be taking."

"Mal--"

"I'm serious, Inara.  We're already criminals; after this, we'll be labeled traitors and terrorists.  You'd be risking your reputation--" his jaw tightened-- "your livelihood."

"My livelihood," Inara repeated with a humorless little laugh.  "Mal, my association with bitter Browncoats is already common knowledge.  I wasn't having much luck as Companion to petty border lords before this."  She paused, letting her words sink in.  "I understand what I'm risking."

Kaylee stared at Mal, wondering what he would do.  Inara'd said all the right things, and she was right about her plan probably bein' the best so far.  But the Cap'n weren't one to see sense when it came to women riskin' themselves.  'Cept Zoe, of course, but she was a soldier in Mal's eyes.

Mal grumbled something under his breath and turned away, walking in a short circle before stopping near back where he started.  He glanced at Kaylee, then sighed and turned to Inara.  "Let me think on it," he said.  "Get some sleep, the both of you."

With that, he loped up the stairs, down the corridor and disappeared up onto the bridge.  Stunned, Kaylee looked over at Inara, who looked just as shocked.

Inara pointed in the direction Mal'd disappeared and asked, "Did he just...?"

"Sorta agree to your plan?" Kaylee said.  "I think so."

*****

Mal heard the sounds of dinner -- plates clanging, Kaylee laughing, Jayne complaining he didn't have enough food -- but stayed up on the bridge by himself.  The Kuei-Hsing docks weren't lit up much at night; the familiar starscape was almost enough to lull him into believing they were safe out in the black, 'stead of parked planetside contemplating an attack could get 'em all killed or pinched.

Still hadn't come to a final decision about the Academy.  

In truth, he wanted to take out every last one of them purple bastards, but, hell, a whole army hadn't been enough to overthrow the Alliance.  Tried to deny it, but Mal still burned with bitterness and anger and regret 'bout the failure of the Independents.  He'd carved out a good life along the edges -- surrounded himself with good people, and did jobs that sometimes had the happy side effect of tweaking the Alliance.

'Fore Miranda, he thought he could be happy living out his life this way.  But Miranda woke up all that anger, all that righteous indignation he'd thought a year in the P.O.W. prison camp had starved and beaten out of him.  Any government that would gas its own people with a tranquilizing drug then turn tail and let the marauding killers they'd created roam unchecked deserved to be overthrown.

Turned out to be a yūchŭn notion, but Mal had thought exposing the Alliance for what it was would've sparked something among his fellow Browncoats and sympathizers.  Mayhap it had, but Mal hadn't heard much, just some coordinated protests on the central planets and one mealy-mouthed apology from the Alliance.  Millions dead by their hand, and all they could muster was one gorram apology.

And then -- nothing.

Thirty million people on Miranda and Wash and Book and Mr. Universe and even Patience, all dead, and for what?  A small wave of outrage too soon forgot.

Mal took that worse than Miranda, truth be told.  He expected corruption and thoughtless evil from the Alliance, but he'd expected more from the rest of the 'verse.  Zoe had called him an idealist during the war.  Āi bīng bì shèng, he used to tell her.  Didn't think of it as idealism, though -- he used to think that God was on their side.

Didn't have God anymore, and Mal thought he was cynical as hell these days, but Zoe had always been the person could rein him in when he got too excitable over something.  Zoe, now, had lost the most important person in her life, and Mal suspected that nowadays she burned with the same kind of unquenchable anger as he did.  

Weren't that he didn't think this particular mission was worth the risk.  Every day he saw the aftermath of those torture academies walking barefoot 'round his ship, eyes troubled.  He knew all of 'em on board would die to save River's kind from torture, even Jayne.

But what would become of his crew if the Kuei-Hsing plan led to another, and another, until all Mal did was plot against the Alliance?  Asymmetrical warfare.  Seven against millions -- unlikely they'd get very far, and martyrdom had never been his aim.  He was willing to die for what's right, for fairness and justice and all that, but he'd much rather be around to enjoy it when it came.

So question was, could Mal be satisfied knocking over a school meant to torture little girls, or would that just be the beginning?

"Hey, Mal," Jayne said, his boots thumping on the stairs as he stepped up onto the bridge.  "Kaylee saved you some grub, but I ain't above wrasslin' her for it if you ain't eatin'."

Mal turned the pilot's chair partway around.  Jayne was leaning against the weapons cabinet, arms crossed, a mean-looking hunting knife lashed to his thigh.

"You expecting a woolly mammoth?" Mal asked, gesturing at the knife.

Jayne grimaced.  "Leung ain't right in the head."

"You think he's going to attack us?"

"Maybe, maybe not," Jayne answered.  "But I didn't expect Little Sister to take out a barful o' thugs, so I figure I oughtta be prepared long as there are moonbrains on board."

Mal considered correcting his use of the pejorative.  But Jayne was Jayne, and sometimes it was easier to let him be. "You think he's wrong about the Academy?" Mal asked.  One good thing about Jayne, he rarely bothered to lie.

"Naw," Jayne answered, pulling an unwrapped piece of protein from his pants pocket and gnawing off the corner.  "Nobody should torture kids."

"Just kids?"

Jayne grinned.  "Men what are responsible for their own actions," he answered with a half-shrug, "sometimes they deserve a little torture.  Teach 'em a lesson."

Mal couldn't help but shake his head.  "Right."  He tapped one hand against the console.  "You think we should bring Leung along?"

Jayne grimaced.  "Moonbrain ain't like to be much help.  Still, rather have him close than leave him here with Kaylee," he reasoned, "case he goes juānhuàile while we're gone."

Hell of a point.  Mal was a mite disturbed he hadn't thought of that his own self.  What else had he missed?  "And if we bring him along, what do we do with him?"

Jayne chewed his protein square thoughtfully.  "Prob'ly leave him with Little Sister."

"Leave him with the shuttle?" Mal clarified, considering.  Inara and Simon weren't much in the way of fighters, but they'd have guns and they'd have River with them.  Probably a better solution than bringing Leung into the compound.

" Seems Leung wants to do right," Jayne answered.  "But his brain's been rewired wrong.  River'll take care of him if he gets out of hand."

Mal didn't want to contemplate the possibilities.

Jayne pushed himself away from the cabinet.  "You eatin' or what?"

"Yeah," Mal answered, rising to his feet.  "I'm eating."

"Damn," Jayne muttered, turning and stomping his way down the stairs.  "Really wanted that fruit."

Mal followed him down into the dining area, realizing he'd made his decision during their conversation.

River was right -- war wasn't over.  Odds weren't in their favor, but they might could win this particular battle.

*****

Inara docked her shuttle with hands that were still trembling.

The flight from her client's lush home to the derelict docks on the dark side of K'uei-Hsing where Serenity waited was relatively short, less than an hour.  Her covert mission had gone as well as possible -- her radiowave to Mal hadn't been a lie.  But for some reason, she had a knot in her stomach and a nervous tremor that would not be easily soothed.

As soon as the air lock was properly connected, her shuttle door burst open and Mal stumbled in, his gaze sweeping her form in search of injuries.  "Inara?"

"I'm fine, Mal," she snapped, pushing herself out of the pilot's seat with an annoyed flip of her silken wrap.  Chin held high, she swept toward him, not allowing herself to dwell on his obvious concern, and especially not paying any attention to the way he was drinking her in.  Instead, she pulled the small infochip from the leather rope around her neck and held it out toward Mal.

"Any trouble?" he pressed, accepting the chip and folding it securely in his palm, all without taking his eyes off of her.  "Anything at all out of the ordinary?"

"It wasn't that kind of appointment," Inara answered briskly.  Her irritation with him was doing wonders for her composure.  She wasn't quite sure why she was suddenly so frustrated by his concern, but it wasn't a subject that needed serious reflection just now.  She folded her arms beneath her breasts and raised an eyebrow.  "Shouldn't you be off analyzing that information?"

"In a minute," he answered, starting to look a mite irritated himself  "He didn't watch you suspiciously or say anything even slightly unusual?   There were no cameras in his office--?"

"We weren't in his office," Inara interrupted sweetly, knowing the implication would slither its way under Mal's skin.  "And it wouldn't surprise me if he did have cameras set up, but why would he check up on me?"

Mal looked aghast.  "Inara."

"When he went to attend to your manufactured emergency, I asked permission to use his terminal, telling him I was awaiting an important wave related to the job.  Remember?" she prodded.  "My cover story?"

"And he left you alone?"  He sounded incredulous.

"Not everyone is as mistrustful as you," Inara answered, her tone haughty.  She wasn't angry with him, not really, and she tried to modify her tone and explain what had happened.  "If he watches surveillance footage, he'll only see me use my ident card to logon and look through some files.  I was very careful to conceal the infochip while I loaded the information."

Mal's face was pale and he looked like he was regretting letting her embark on her mission of espionage.  "Inara."  He shook his head.

"I'm not in the mood for a lecture," she warned, scaling back the hostility.  He didn't deserve to be yelled at when he'd done nothing wrong -- it was his nature to worry, and he'd barely brought himself to agree to her plan.  That he hadn't forbidden it at the last moment was a large concession on his part, and the last thing she should do was punish him for her own insecurities.

He swallowed, glanced down at the chip in his hand, then met her gaze once more.  "Thank you," he said, dipping his chin once.  Then he turned and left her alone in her shuttle.

She felt a strange combination of disappointment and relief, and moved to her tea set, quelling the bizarre urge to run after him and ask him to stay.  Maybe a third cup of tea would help calm her nerves.  Carefully, she heated the water and chose a soothing combination of herbs.  As she poured the steaming water into her teacup, she realized her hands were shaking once more.

Her reaction was silly -- nothing had happened.  She'd raised not even the slightest suspicion in Heilbronner.  She knew that.  But she still felt slightly panicked, as if the other shoe were teetering precariously above her head.

"There are no shoes," River announced, startling Inara into dropping her delicate teacup.  It crashed into the floor and shattered as Inara whirled around to find River standing a good distance inside the shuttle.

"River," Inara said, hand pressed to her chest.  "I didn't hear you come in."

"I'm sorry," River apologized, inching back towards the shuttle door.

"Please stay," Inara said, holding one hand out toward River.  Inara took a slow, deep breath and tried to smile.

River nodded and moved closer, kneeling on the floor.  "Let me," she said, her small hands capturing shards of glass and placing them on the edge of Inara's tea tray.  "I'm sorry," she apologized again.

"I shouldn't have been so startled," Inara answered, pulling a rag from the cupboard and joining River on the floor.  She mopped up the tea, feeling the rag warm beneath her fingers as the liquid soaked in.

"There are no shoes," River said again, her focus seemingly fixed on picking every last piece of shattered china from the floor.  "No one suspects you.  No one watched the video of you on his terminal.  No one checked for an infochip imprint.  You did well."

Inara knelt, unmoving, and stared at River.  "How can you be sure."

River glanced up, one long ringlet falling forward to bisect her cheek, and smiled.  "I'm sure."

Somehow, River's mysterious declaration calmed her in a way the tea couldn't.  She nodded.  "Thank you."

"Mal worries," River continued, holding a small piece of the teacup and tracing the sharp edges with one finger.  "He worries that you will die like Wash and he will be Zoe."

Inara's breath caught, and she couldn't seem to find the words to reply.

"Simon worries that I will disappear."  River pressed the pad of her finger against the sharp tip of shattered china.  "He worries that Kaylee will get impatient and leave him."  She very carefully placed the shard with the rest and met Inara's gaze.  "Simon shouldn't be stuck with a crazy fugitive sister."

Inara settled more comfortably on the floor and placed a hand on River's knee.  "Your brother loves you, and he wants to make sure you stay safe."

"I am safe."  River smiled down at her hands.  "Mal keeps me safe, too.  Simon should be helping people.  He should be a real doctor again and not stuck out here with me."

"Simon is happy here," Inara countered.  "Happy to be somewhere where you are safe and well, and happy to be with Kaylee."

River's smile faded.  "He should be with Kaylee.  But Simon won't listen to me when I talk.  Anything he doesn't understand he thinks is torturetalk."  Inara opened her mouth, then closed it again, but River's sly smile seemed to acknowledge the question Inara couldn't seem to ask.  "Torturetalk," the girl repeated.  "River talking crazy because her brain was cut up."  River leaned closer and lowered her voice to a conspiratorial tone.  "He hates it when I refer to myself in the third person."

"He worries," Inara answers.

"I worry about him."  River sat there on the floor of Inara's shuttle, her hands clasped in her lap, and Inara could see the little girl she'd been.  Before.

River nodded.  "Before," she said, meeting Inara's gaze with eyes far too careworn for a girl her age.  "I miss before."

Inara thought about Wash, about Shepherd Book, about the hell Mal had been through, even just since she'd known him, and found she agreed with River.  "I miss before, too," Inara admitted.  She let their commiseration linger in silence for a long moment, then reached up and tucked River's hair behind her ear.  "Come," she said, shifting to the balls of her feet and pushing herself upright.  "Let me make you some tea."

*****

The crew settled uneasily in the dining area.  Simon took a seat between Kaylee, who wouldn't look at him, and River, who wouldn't look away from Mal.  Were he less literal-minded, he might have considered the metaphorical significance.

The rest of the crew settled in around the dining room table to discuss Leung, who was sedated and dozing quietly in the infirmary.  Simon had left the comm link open to hear his patient's first stirrings; before that happened, he wanted someone to damn well explain to him what connection River had to an Alliance spy whom Mal and Zoe had known during the war.  River was a just a little girl during the war -- a beloved, protected girl on the central planets who knew of the war only from the nightly newswave and an occasional discussion around the dinner table.

Mal seemed reluctant to discuss the subject, pacing in small loops near the head of the table.

Arms crossed, Zoe leaned back in her chair.  "Sir?"

"Huh?"  Mal glanced around the table, grimaced, and crossed his arm, girding himself for the discussion.  "Leung was assigned to one of the brigades in Yeng-Wang-Yeh that lost a commander.  Wasn't as bad as -- some other battles," Mal edited, even though everyone at the table knew he was referring to Serenity Valley, "but I ended up in command of a couple extra brigades."

Hands wrapped around a warm cup of tea, Inara tapped her fingernails against the ceramic and asked, "So you know this man and River knows him.  How is that possible?"

"Small 'verse," Kaylee murmured, drawing Simon's attention, but she kept that wide-eyed gaze trained on Mal, and Simon wasn't sure whether she hadn't noticed his look or was purposefully ignoring him.

Simon glanced over at River, who had a half-smile on her face.  "I don't know him," she explained, seemingly lucid.  She nodded at her brother, the movement strangely encouraging, as if she were simply bucking up his confidence at one of his Academy grassball matches.  "I know of him.  He is me."

"Yeah, yeah, he is me," Jayne snapped, setting his jug of liquor down with more force than strictly necessary.  "What the ruttin' hell does that mean?"

"Leung went to the Academy," Zoe answered, her voice low.  "Just like River.  And I'm guessing they did things to him, just like River."

"That right, little albatross?" Mal asked, moving closer to River.  His tone was surprisingly gentle, which irked Simon.  He should be the one asking his sister the questions, not Mal.  Mal had no training, no experience dealing with fragile psyches, and he certainly didn't care for River as much as Simon did.

River just nodded at Mal, that strange half-smile still in place.  "They took his mind apart and reassembled it until he soared not-free."

Frowning, Mal asked, "Not free?"

"They put him on a leash," River answered, her tone pugnacious in a way Simon remembered from their childhood.  "Like a dog."

"A flying dog?" Jayne sneered.

Straightening in her seat, Kaylee glared across the table at him.  "Jayne."  He shrugged insolently, but subsided.

None of which distracted Simon from what his sister had said.  He turned his attention to Mal.  "You said Leung was an Alliance spy."

Mal nodded, his mouth tight, and Zoe rounded on him, looking incredulous.  "You knew this?  Back then?"

"Suspected.  Gave him some false information," Mal explained, gaze trained on Zoe, "seemed like the Alliance kept turning up where I told Leung we'd be.  Knew it when he got lifted."

Zoe looked a bit miffed.  "Shél yĕ bú gāosu wŏ rènhé shìqing."

"You didn't need to know," Mal answered.  "Can't swing a dead cat during a war without hitting three spies.  We had ours in their camp, too."

"We did?" Zoe asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"Sure."

Zoe considered for a moment.  "Impressive," she decided.  "Never thought our side had many who could play at bein' a purplebelly without setting the real purplebellies to laughing."

Kaylee tilted her head in Jayne's direction.  "Jayne convinced the Alliance he was a loyal guard," she noted.  Her obvious pride in his accomplishment slithered under Simon's skin, irritating him further.

"Fair point," Zoe conceded, half-smiling at Jayne.  "You're gonna grow that back, right?" she asked, pointing to his bare chin and scrunching her nose a bit in distaste.

"'Nara didn't seem to mind me cleanshaven," Jayne shot back, aiming a leer at Inara.

Inara reached for an apple and tossed it at his head, while Mal, stiff and suspicious, asked, "'Scuse me?"

"I said," Jayne answered, polishing the apple on his filthy t-shirt, "that--"

"Can we possibly," Simon interrupted, unable to abide their levity under the circumstances, "get back to the alleged spy in the infirmary and what possible connection he has to my sister?"

Jayne shrugged and took a loud bite of the apple, staring at Simon with an insolent smirk as he chewed.

Mal answered in clipped tones, still staring at Inara with narrowed eyes, "I think the Alliance sent Leung in to spy during the war, and I think they did it without his consent."

Jayne paused mid-chew, looking puzzled.  Kaylee shook her head and asked, "Without his consent?"  Frowning, she glanced to Zoe for clarification.  "But how could they do that?"

Simon went very still, hating the implications.  Disbelieving the implications because they were so repulsive.  "You're saying--"

"The Alliance twisted his mind until they could control him.  And then they sent him in," Mal confirmed, looking none too pleased himself.

"Mind control?" Zoe asked, leaning forward a bit, her hands folded together on the tabletop.  "Sir, that's--"

"Crazy," Inara supplied.

"You've seen it with your own eyes," Mal answered Zoe, ignoring Inara's outburst entirely.  "They programmed River with an on/off switch.  She didn't kill those people in the Maidenhead of her own free will."

Reflexively, Simon glanced at his sister, who ducked her chin.  Her hair hid her face, but she pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them, shrinking into herself.  The sight tightened Simon's gut.  He wasn't sure whether whisking her away from any discussion about the Maidenhead would be protective or damaging.

"That's different."  Inara shook her head, speaking animatedly now.  "There's no way to turn humans into mindless drones serving the will of their master.  Not the way you're suggesting."

"You're so sure of that?" Mal challenged.  "Because we got a former Alliance spy in there talking gibberish after getting pinched for some political crime.  Pieces don't add up right."

"That doesn't mean you change from base-10 to base-47 and try again," Simon interjected, his tone irritable.  Of course, no one in the room except his sister understood his admittedly poor metaphor, and she didn't seem to be paying attention, so Simon pressed on, willing himself to remain calm.  "Just because the pieces don't add up with what limited information we have now doesn't mean you can assume an implausible premise to be true just because it happens to fit into your paranoid world view."

"Paranoid world view?" Mal sputtered, taking two steps and leaning forward to place his palms flat on the tabletop.  "'Case you haven't noticed, we've been two steps from prison since Miranda.  Ain't my fondest wish to believe the Alliance is capable of something like this, but I don't have the luxury of ignoring explanations don't cast your sister in the best light."

"Mal," Inara implored.  "Maybe we should discuss this later."

Simon stood, his chair scraping loudly along the floor.  "My sister--"

"--brought us here," Mal interrupted loudly, his words echoing in the sudden quiet.  "Just like she brought us to Miranda.  We already know they tweaked her brain at that Academy, and you yourself know there are things she can do need a safe word to snap her out.  You telling me that ain't enough to start linking coincidences together?"

Simon couldn't muster the words to argue.  He could feel the curious gazes of the others looking twixt he and his sister.  He wanted to bundle River onto the extra shuttle and take her away from this place, but no matter how much he rejected the thought, there were too many coincidences for him to walk away.  Not if walking away would take River from the safest place she'd been since she left home.

"If the Alliance was able to program Leung so completely fifteen years ago," Zoe said slowly. Her gaze shifted to River and she didn't finish the thought.  She didn't need to.

Simon watched, burning with anger, as every person in the room turned wary gazes to River.  His sister slowly lifted her head, staring back at Zoe with a blank expression on her face.  She didn't say a word in her own defense.  Simon, noting the way she simply sat there with her unruly locks and her fragile expression, couldn't understand how anyone could suspect her of anything sinister.

Simon placed his hand on River's shoulder.  "She's not a spy," he spat, furious.

Mal and Zoe exchanged a significant look, then the Captain met Simon's gaze and said, "Not willingly."  Mal turned his attention to River.  "But maybe you don't even know it's happening."

"That's it," Simon snapped, urging his sister to rise.  "We're done here."

*****

Kaylee watched, torn, as Simon bundled his sister in a blanket and ushered her out of the kitchen, glancing back to favor 'em all with a withering look.  Kaylee ducked her chin guiltily.  

Weren't fair, suspecting River of who knows what.  Still, Kaylee remembered all too clear the dread she'd felt when River killed three o' Niska's men without blinking.  Add that to the Maidenhead and the Reavers, well...  River had special powers, no doubt.  But a spy?  Working for the Alliance?  Kaylee didn't want to believe that.

At the head of the table, Mal pulled a chair out and plopped down into it.  "That went well," he commented, catching Zoe's eye.

Zoe only lifted an eyebrow and asked, "Who were our spies?"

Gesturing at Kaylee, Jayne, and Inara, Mal asked, "Do you really think it's a good idea to go listing our spies?"

With the slightest hint of smile, Zoe nodded  "You'll tell me later."

"No, I won't," Mal answered, turning his gaze on Kaylee.  "I need you to think about something, little Kaylee."

Kaylee still wasn't sure what Cap'n intended to do 'bout her spying mission down on Eunomia.  Jayne said Mal was madder than a wet hen, but they hadn't really had time to say more 'n two words to each other, seeing as how she got back to Serenity right before he and Simon headed for the prison.  "Think about something?" she echoed, proud her voice didn't shake.

"That piece of metal in the engine," Mal said, and Kaylee instinctively folded her healing fingertips into her palms.  "Did you ever identify it?"

"The burnt metal?" Kaylee asked, shaking her head a bit.  "No, but when I fixed up the engine, she told me it weren't hers.  Guess it must've been space trash."

Inara sat up straighter, glaring at Mal.  "You can't be serious."

Frowning, Jayne looked between Inara and Mal.  "What?"

Mal ignored the others, holding Kaylee's gaze.  "You ever seen space trash end up in a compressor before?"

"Well... no," she answered slowly, starting to see where he was going with this and not likin' it one tiny bit.  He couldn't be right 'bout River.  She was just a troubled girl, mind all twisted up with torture and bein' turned into a fightin' machine.  "But there must be quite a bit of space trash out there," Kaylee said, gesturing toward the ceiling to indicate open space above them.  "Chances are it's happened before," Kaylee concluded, shrugging.

"What's happened?" Jayne repeated, frustrated.

"Mal," Inara implored.

"Ain't asking your opinion," Mal snapped back, not looking at Inara.  "Kaylee, could someone have put that metal in the engine?"

Kaylee reflexively wanted to say no, River couldn't have done it.  But she made herself consider the question.  She'd climbed halfway into the thruster to drag the chunk of charred metal out of Serenity's compressor.  Stood to reason someone could've done the same to jam the piece in there in the first place.   Someone small, 'cause Kaylee'd had a devil of a time slithering her way into position.

"Guess so," she answered quietly

Jayne sneered, dropping the half-eaten apple onto the tabletop.  "Who'd disable the ship on purpose out in the black?" he scoffed.  "Ain't the kind of prank you walk away from."

Mal ignored him.  "Kaylee?" he pressed.

She looked around for help, but Zoe was simply looking right back all placid-like.  Kaylee didn't want to answer, but she owed the Cap'n the truth.  "Would have to be someone small 'nough to fit in the hatch," she admitted.

"Why would River sabotage the ship?" Inara demanded angrily.  "Mal, you know she would never do such a thing."

"River?" Jayne echoed, eyes wide.  "You think Little Sister--"

"I don't know," Mal interrupted.  "Could've been space trash.  I just need to consider all the possibilities.  Zoe, we got anything in the works?"

"Jobs, sir?"

"Something real legal-like would be good about now."

"Jean-Paul waved," Zoe answered.  "Needs something fetched to Beaumonde."

Mal groaned.  "Define 'something.'"

"Dunno, sir.  Thought it best not to ask."

"Is the something far away from here?"

Zoe nodded.  "Pickup's on Newhall.  Solid three days' journey."

Mal considered their options, then sighed.  "Let's head out that way.  Kaylee, I want you to keep a good eye on Serenity."

She agreed.  "Yes, Cap'n."  He couldn't be right about River, and Kaylee figured keeping a close eye on Serenity would be one way to prove it.

"And," he added, holding her in her seat with a real ferocious look, "the next time you get some huāngmiù idea like playing whore to spy on the Alliance, I drop you back at home and find Serenity a new mechanic.  We clear?"

Kaylee knew she should agree meekly, but her momma didn't call her a stubborn fool for nothing.  "Weren't huāngmiù," she answered quietly.  "I helped."

"By putting yourself in danger without any backup," Mal answered, gettin' louder.

"Only because you wouldn't agree," Kaylee shot back.

"Hú shuō bā dào," Mal said, exasperated.  "This ain't a democracy, little Kaylee, and when I say no, I mean no.  I won't have you risking your neck--"

"Weren't her neck she was risking," Jayne muttered.

"--in some dangerous scheme like that, and," Mal added, rounding on Jayne.  "I don't remember asking for your opinion on the subject."

"Seems you're just mad 'cause Kaylee here got the information you needed for your little jailbreak," Jayne argued.  "She weren't hardly in danger.  Girl blended in like none o' the rest of us coulda, and this ain't a democracy, but mayhap you should listen to someone other than yourself once in a while."  Jayne shoved back his chair and stormed out, leaving Kaylee staring openmouthed at the empty doorway.

"This day keeps getting better and better."  Mal stood abruptly, looking hard at each of them in turn.  "I'm done with this conversation.  We're heading to Beaumonde by way of Newhall, and I want everyone watching River and Leung while we're in the black.  Dong ma?"

Kaylee still wasn't sure she agreed with him, but she nodded.  "Dong ma."

Jayne weren't one to care much 'bout hurt feelings and pouting, 'less it got in his way.  Far as he could tell, Kaylee was mad at Simon, who was mad at Mal, who was mad at Inara, all 'bout something different.  And weren't none of 'em on board trusted Little Sister 'cept the Doc.  

So far, all that bad blood weren't getting' in his way none, so Jayne just went about his business -- took his turn watchin' the moonbrain, showed up to dinner, ate his fill, admired 'Nara and Kaylee a bit, then cleaned his guns 'fore climbing into bed with his girlie screens.  Not a bad way to pass the trip to Whitefall.

Should'a known it wouldn't last.  Right in the middle of dinner, no less.  Nearly jumped outta his skin when Little Sister leaned through the doorway all of a sudden, eyes wide, and pointed at Mal.  "You," she said, turning her finger 'round to beckon.  "Henry's coming around."

Like clockwork, everyone else jumped up and skedaddled after her, but Jayne's momma didn't raise no fool.  He surveyed the plates on the table, took an untouched potato, drippin' hot with butter, and pocketed the protein bar on Doc's plate before sauntering off toward the medbay.

Jayne stopped just outside the door, parking himself right up next to Kaylee to watch the freak show.  He didn't want to be any closer than necessary, just in case.  If the Alliance could control that spy from far away, he weren't about to trust that there weren't some crazy sort of transmitter in his noggin, too, reportin' back that one Jayne Cobb, wanted felon, were on this boat.

Mal was standing near the spy's head, arms crossed, face scrunched up into that Captain Tightass look he got at the most annoyin' times.  Doc was a half-step back, hovering 'bout his sister like she were like to burst into flames and he needed to be close enough to smother 'em out.  Zoe and Inara were leanin' against the far cabinets, quiet and observant.

"Why ain't you gone in?" Jayne asked Kaylee, sparin' her a quick glance.

She looked troubled, arms tucked right up under her breasts, brow furrowed.  "Didn't want to crowd him."

"The spy or pretty boy?" Jayne muttered, ignoring the tiny fist barely made an impression on his biceps.  "He talkin' sense yet?"

"Guess so," Kaylee answered, but she didn't sound real sure.  "Keeps saying the cockroaches are gatherin' at the K'uei-Hsing."

Jayne frowned, trying to place that name.  "Ain't that near Osiris?"

"Think so."

The spy's voice rose, and when Jayne turned back to the scene in the medbay, the moonbrain seemed agitated, eyes wide and staring at Little Sister.

"Tell them," he insisted, clamping his fingers 'round River's wrist.  "Tell them the cockroaches are crawling in--"

"Let her go," Doc interrupted, grabbing at the spy, who cringed and let go, bringing his hands up to protect his head.  Jayne's eyes narrowed.  Moonbrain was tortured at some point, never got proper training to resist.  Any self-respectin' thief could get through the Alliance torture chambers without so much as a peep 'bout nothin' real.  Spinnin' stories was the key, and Jayne found out the hard way he had a knack for tellin' tales.  Probably helped that Jayne weren't a moonbrain to start.

Combination of crazy and tortured made Jayne suspect this particular moonbrain couldn't tell the truth even if he wanted to, 'specially with Simon looming over him looking 'bout as fierce as he was able.  Weren't very fierce, to be sure, but Mal intervened anyway, one hand flat in the middle of Simon's chest to push him back a step.  "Simon," he warned.

Doc didn't relent 'till Little Sis turned those mooneyes on him and said, "Simon, stop."  She turned her attention back to her mollymawk, patting his shoulder like he were a kid with nightmares.  "Henry, tell me more about the cockroaches.  Tell me about the girls and the mice."  She turned her hand over, clasping Leung's in both of hers.  The spy met her gaze, and they stared at each other for a long while, silent.

Jayne frowned, not trustin' the way Little Sister was so friendly with a crazy Alliance puppet.  'Course, argument could be made that River was a crazy Alliance puppet, too.  Jayne edged closer, glancin' at Mal to make sure he was keepin' control of the situation.  Moonbrain looked sickly and weak, but Jayne wouldn't have expected a tiny girl like River to be able to take out twenty Reavers by herself, neither.

Leung nodded, starin' at River like she was salvation.  "Cockroaches.  Mice in dresses--" He stopped, shook his head.  "Girls in dresses.  Can't kill all the cockroaches."  He relented a bit, fell back against the chair and let his eyes half-close.  

River leaned closer, nodding, and said, "We can kill some of the cockroaches, Henry.  We'll keep the girls safe."

"River?" Mal prompted, eyebrows lifted expectantly.  "Care to translate?"

Little Sister glanced over at Doc, still pouting in the corner, then looked to Mal and said, "The Alliance built another Academy for gifted children."  Behind her, Doc stiffened, but River ignored him.  "It's on K'uei-Hsing, outside the capital."

Tilting his head just a touch, Mal said, "Excuse me?"

Zoe looked near as skeptical.  "You got that from his story about cockroaches and mice?"

Look on Little Sister's face was downright scary, and Jayne made sure to keep well back.  Girl said she could kill with her mind, and Jayne weren't stupid enough to test her.  River turned her attention back to the moonbrain.  "How close, Henry?"

Mal asked Simon, "What's she talking about?"

Simon glared at Mal, stepping closer to River and drawing a sharp look from his sister.

But the spy was rambling again, all kinds of nonsense about mice and K'uei-Hsing and metal; grated on Jayne's nerves enough that he had half a mind to leave.  Moonbrain weren't makin' sense, and who could trust River to translate proper?

"Not translating," River said, pinning Jayne with a fierce look.  "Henry's just getting some words mixed up."

"That or you're mixin' 'em up for him," Jayne suggested, defiant.  Probably foolish, too, but he weren't one to weigh his actions.  Stepping through the medbay door, he focused on Mal.  "Moonbrain's talkin' nonsense 'bout critters and vermin, and you're set to trust our own brainwashed assassin to explain what he means?"

"She's not an assassin," Simon snapped, stepping around River and bristling for a fight Jayne was more than happy to provide.

"Simon," Mal warned.  "Jayne--"

"I'm not brainwashed," Little Sister declared, prim as can be standin' there next to her mollymawk like she didn't cut his chest open when her head was on crooked.

"Care to tell that to my qìúxī?" Jayne demanded, grabbing his crotch.  "Think I'm still bruised from your little adventure at the Maidenhead."

"Jayne," Zoe admonished.  "Watch your tongue."

Jayne looked at her, openmouthed.  "Girl killed roomful o' Reavers and you're worried about her sensibilities?"

"The cockroaches will break the mice," Leung shouted, pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes.

"No, they won't," Little Sister said in the sudden quiet.  "The cockroaches won't get a chance."  She patted Henry's shoulder and turned to stare at Mal.  "We're going to shut the Academy down before it opens."

Jayne, mouth dropping open, shook his head wildly.  "No ruttin' way," he said, turning away from River for backup.  "Mal, tell her we ain't doing no such thing."

*****

The tension aboard Serenity was beginning to affect Inara's ability to sleep.  She had always been hypersensitive to others' feelings; it was part of what made her such an effective Companion.  But the lingering resentments among the crew were wearing her down.

Jayne wanted to put Henry through an airlock and forget the information River had translated.  Simon wanted to wrap his defiant sister in cotton and hide her away for all time.  Kaylee wanted to help everyone, including Henry and the potential victims of a rebuilt Academy.  Mal wanted them all to simmer down and stay safe out in the black, though underneath it all he burned with anger at the Alliance for torturing children.  Zoe was quiet, which suggested to Inara that she didn't completely agree with Mal's flat refusal to discuss Henry's information.

Thankfully, Mal and Zoe and Jayne were (and she hated to use the word, considering their particular line of work) professional enough to leave their mistrust aside when they put down at Beaumonde.  Jean-Paul wasn't an easy person to deal with, but aside from a minor firefight, the transaction appeared to have gone off without a hitch; they reappeared at the agreed upon time, a sack of coins tucked in Mal's pocket.

"Let's go," Mal ordered shortly, climbing up the ramp and slamming the button that set the hatch to closing.  "I want us clearing atmo in five minutes."

Zoe and Jayne wordlessly headed off in opposite directions, and Mal spared Inara a brief glance.  "Any waves?"

"No," she answered, following him up toward the bridge.  She could tell from the stiffness in his frame that he was in no mood to talk, so she settled herself in the lounge with a book.  She stared at the pages as Serenity lifted off, but the delicate characters blurred into illegibility as her stormy thoughts kept her from concentrating.

As she suspected, once the ship cleared Beaumonde's atmosphere, Mal left the bridge to rustle in the galley cupboards for something to eat.  Inara didn't move until he dropped into his customary seat at the table with a tired sigh.  She considered letting him be, but knew she couldn't leave the lounge unnoticed anyway.  Might as well make it worth her while.

She stood, drawing his attention immediately, and moved toward the cupboard to fix herself a saucer of tea.  Mal didn't speak as she heated the water, and Inara knew any conversation would be an uphill battle.  She carried her tea to the table and sat a few seats down from him, trying not to crowd him.  "Where are we headed?" she asked.

Mal huffed a laugh.  "Not beating around the bush today, eh?"

"No reason to," Inara admitted.  "We're done with the Beaumonde job.  No immediate obligations.  What's next is a fair question."

"Same as always," Mal answered, keeping his focus on the plate of food in front of him.  "'Nother job."

She let his answer stand for a moment, debating whether to admit what she'd been doing during the journey to Beaumonde.  With a fortifying sip of tea, she fixed her gaze on him.  "I did a little poking around--"

Mal shot her an irritable look.  "Inara."

"--and found quite a bit to suggest that Henry's information about an Academy on K'uei-Hsing is correct."  That he didn't immediately stand up and leave the room was as close as Inara figured he would ever get to Why, thank you for your research, please do continue, Inara from him.  "The Alliance dedicated money to a 'research facility' on K'uei-Hsing about a year ago, and construction is scheduled to finish up next month.  It's hard to find much about any possible recruitment, but I did find this adwave.  It ran for about a week out on Persephone."  Inara pulled a scrap of paper from her pocket and flattened it against the tabletop before sliding it over to him.

Mal didn't touch it, but he did lean closer and read the words Inara had already memorized.

Does your child need a more challenging learning environment? The Alliance is proud to announce a new educational opportunity designed to aid the most gifted students achieve more than they dreamed.  Wave the Zhuang-Lun Wang Academy for more information.

"Zhuang-Lun-Wang Academy," he muttered irritably.  "That could be legitimate," Mal said, but he didn't sound convinced.

"The timing is suspicious at the very least," Inara pointed out.

"I won't risk lives on the basis of suspicious timing and an adwave out on a border planet," he sniped, stabbing at his block of protein with a fork.

"Mal--"

"Not right now, Inara," he interrupted, strain evident in his voice.  "I--"   He broke off, looking past her, and Inara turned to see River standing silent in the doorway.

"Hello," River greeted quietly, stepping down into the dining area and drifting toward the table.  Her hair was tucked behind one ear, her feet bare, but she looked more substantial, somehow, than she had in weeks.  More focused.  "Are we heading for K'uei-Hsing?"

Mal dropped his chin for a moment, shaking his head almost imperceptibly.  "No," he answered, his tone regretful.  "We can't risk it right now, River."

The smile River gave him was stunning in its joy, and more than a little disturbing in its incongruity.  River primly took a seat at the head of the table and held Mal's gaze, all but ignoring Inara.  "All warfare is based on deception."

Working his jaw for a moment, Mal gave a grudging nod.  "Yes, but this ain't warfare.  This," he said, gesturing at the ship around them, "is commerce."

"When able to attack, we must seem unable," River countered.  "When near, we must make them believe we are far away."

Inara could tell from the singsong quality of River's voice that she was quoting something, but didn't recognize the source.  Inara's education, after all, hadn't placed much emphasis on game theory or warfare.  A glance at Mal convinced her that he couldn't place the recitation either.

"River, I know what Leung said upsets you--"

"I'm not upset," River interrupted, that serene smile crumbling along with her composure, "because we're going to make sure that Academy doesn't open."  She leaned closer, eyes wide.  "Hold out bait to entice the enemy.  Feign disorder and crush him.  Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant."

"No need to pretend, River, we are weak," Mal pointed out.  "I wish we had the forces to take out the Academy, River, but we're down a man, two if you count the Shepherd as a fighting man--" Pain tightened his features at this mention of their dead-- "and this isn't a platoon under the best of circumstances."

"Time moves in one direction," River lamented, sorrow bowing her shoulders.  "I want to go back and bring them with us."

Mal's jaw tightened.  "Can't go back.  Just live and learn from your mistakes."

"Wasn't a mistake," River countered, straightening once more and meeting Mal's gaze with fierce assurance despite the tears sparkling in her eyes.  "Wash agrees."

Inara stared at River.  She couldn't possibly--

Mal thumped his fist against the table.  "We fight when we got no other choice," he said, tone grim, "but a tactical assault?  We're not trained for that."

Inara took mental stock of the crew -- two soldiers, a mercenary, a doctor, a Companion, a mechanic, and a trained assassin -- and tended to agree with Mal.  Could they really expect to take on the Alliance again and walk away mostly intact?  She closed her eyes for a moment and conjured up Wash's familiar face.  Would this be worth River's life?  Kaylee's?  Mal's?

"Yes," River answered, and when Inara looked over, she was startled to find the girl looking straight at her, eyes wide and desperate.  "It is worth risking our lives.  You don't understand what they'll do to these girls."

Shame pooled in Inara's gut.  "River--"

"Needles and scalpels and simulations that don't ever seem like they'll end," River continued, her voice shrill.  "They manipulate your mind until you don't know what's real and what's not, until you'll do horrible things to stop the pain, because what you're doing isn't real anyway.  Nothing's real.  Only it is."  She sucked in a breath.  "And then you've killed people, real people, without knowing it or wanting it or meaning it, and nothing I ever do will bring them back."

"River," Mal said, low and soothing.  "That's not your fault--"

"I did it," she interrupted, tears shimmering in her eyes.  "I didn't want to stab him with a pen.  Too much blood, no air, too much suffering.  I didn't want to kill anyone, but I did, and it doesn't matter why anymore, because time moves in one direction and I can't undo it."  Regret radiated from River until Inara ached for the girl.  River turned to Inara and nodded, "You can feel it, but only a little.  It doesn't ever stop."

"I've killed, too," Mal said quietly.  "It ain't ever fun, and that feeling won't go away.  But getting the rest of my crew, getting your brother killed in some sort of revenge–"

"It's not revenge," River protested, her tone vehement.  "I can't ever get the men who did this to me -- Dr. Mathias is dead already.  But I can keep them from doing it to someone else."  River leaned closer, pinning Mal with her gaze.  "Băi chuān guī hăi.  I know you want to save me.  I don't need saving anymore, but you can save the next River."  She paused to let her words sink in.  "Time moves in one direction."

Mal looked grim.  "I'm sorry.  We can't.  I won't risk my crew."

"Attack him where he is unprepared," River said, her tone desperate now as she stood, her pleading gaze still fixed on Mal.  "Appear where you are not expected."   She stepped back.  "You risk your crew for coin.  You risked Wash for what's right.  This is why you joined up."  She shook her head, pressed her trembling lips together.  She shrugged.  "War's not over, Mal."

Inara flinched, expecting an explosion from Mal as River turned on her heel and left.  But Mal's only response was a desolate silence.  When Inara looked over at him, she could tell River's implicit accusation of cowardice had cut him to the quick.  "She's wrong," Inara told him quietly.

"Is she now?" Mal asked bitterly.  His chair skidded backwards and he carried his half-eaten meal to the trash, dumping it, then tossing his metal plate and fork into the sink.

"The war is over, Mal.  River is--"

"Not now, Inara," he snapped, his boots clomping up the stairway to the bridge.  Inara wanted nothing better than to follow him, but knew he would accept no comfort from her.  And he wasn't in the frame of mind to listen to reason.

*****

Kaylee's hands trembled a bit as she scanned the guards lining the bar.  They were knocking back liquor and eyeing the girls with varying degrees of lust.  Her stomach in knots, Kaylee zeroed in on a likely customer -- tall but not too tall, medium build, short brown hair, skittish expression on his face as he stole sidelong glances at the half-dressed women strutting around the saloon.  Didn't look like he did this often, which would probably be for the best, since she didn't really do this often, either.

She liked sex lots, but she'd never really learned the arts of seduction.  She was far too straightforward for work like this, preferring plain talk to hints and double entendres.  The other girls draped themselves on the guards, usin' their hair and their scent and their whispered words to seduce 'em 'till they didn't know nothin' but their need to bed someone, sooner than later.  Kaylee knew she wouldn't be able to pull that sort of thing off, no matter how many times she'd seen 'Nara do it.

Kaylee hoped her approach wouldn't spook a man embarrassed to be in a whorehouse, watching as the shy young guard nearly dropped his mug of shaoxing jui.

Steeling herself, Kaylee pushed away from the wall and moved toward him, still a little uncertain on the heels Xi He had given her.  She felt her hips sway, exaggerated-like, and made herself smile when her mark noticed her approach.  Inhaling slowly to calm her nerves, Kaylee reached his side and linked her arm through his.  "First time here?"

"Ye--yes," he answered, eyes wide.  Shy as he was, his gaze kept dropping to her cleavage, and Kaylee knew she had him.  She felt an odd sense of power, of confidence, and let herself embrace her role.

Leaning up, she murmured in his ear, "I'll be gentle with you."  Kaylee let her breath dance across his neck until he shivered.  "Unless you want me to be rough."

He choked, coughing into his fist for a moment.  "Excuse me," he said, his eyes on the floor, his arm stiff under her hands.  Kaylee stuck to him like a burr, trailing her fingers down his biceps.  After a long moment, he stole a glance at her face, and she nodded encouragement.

Awkwardly, he shoved his free hand in his pocket and came up with three silver coins.  Kaylee accepted payment with a smile, tucking the coins into her top before ushering him across the room.  She glanced at the bar, where Xi He was giving her a look of maternal pride that turned Kaylee's stomach.

Pushing that aside, she showed her shy client into her room and asked, "What's your name?"

"Ted Huang," he answered, his voice still shaky as he stared at the bed, eyes wide.

Kaylee nodded, running her hands over his chest, feeling the rectangle of his ident card tucked into his pocket.  "Nice to meetcha, Ted.  You can call me Kate," she answered, her voice low and throaty.  

"Kate," he repeated, still a bit dazed.  He stood stock still, letting her caress him without even reaching for her.  Kaylee decided he needed to be put at his ease for this to work.

"You work down here on Eunomia?" she asked, her tone conversational as she smiled up at him.  No reason she couldn't get useful information while she worked him.

Huang nodded emphati