Wash gaped as she continued on. “Fortunately, you came right during the height of tourist season.”

“Yeah, when’s that?” Jayne grumbled.

“Remeber that hour when it wasn’t raining?”

Yeah?” He eyed her suspiciously.

“That was it.” She pushed herself off from the wall. “Where are my manners? I’m Jesminda…Jes.”

Mal introduced the rest of the crew. She motioned for them to follow her. “Let’s find your little bird for you.”

She entered a building with several hospital beds in rows. Each bed was occupied, including one by the prone form of Simon Tam, who was gently snoring, still in his surgical scrubs.

Jes reached out and smacked him on the rear with the clipboard she was carrying, eliciting a stifled giggle from Kaylee. “Hey, Osirus! That bed’s a precious commodity. Reserved for sick and injured people.”

Simon let out a yelp and shot up in the bed. “Hey! What was that for?”

“See! Can’t be that sick or injured if you can yelp like that. Trust me, I’m a doctor.”

Mal shook his head and whispered at Zoe, “Well, that’s one helluva bedside manner she’s got.”

Simon groaned as he stood. “I feel like I’ve been run over by a steamroller.”

Jes grinned. “Yep. First spring thaw’ll do that to ya. Kinda like your first time having sex.”

Kaylee had to stifle another giggle.

By now, Jes had disappeared through a set of swinging doors, calling out “Through here!”

The crew shrugged at each other and followed her through to a storeroom where River was busily organizing boxes of medical supplies on the shelves.

“Simon,” she happily called out. “You found me!”

“You’re OK, mei-mei?”

She nodded. “Yup. Just getting to catch up with our older sister.”

“Mei-mei, we don’t have an older…”

“Actually, in a way, she does.” For the first time since they’d met her, Jes sounded a bit subdued.

“Yeah, well I’m sure it’s a fascinatin’ tale of thrills and excitement, but we’re on a schedule,” Mal cut in. “So we got our little runaway, here’s your tea, and we’ll be on our way.”

He set the box of tea down on the shelf.

“Captain,” Jes said in a very serious tone. “You didn’t think that the Alliance got lucky on their first go round with her, did you?”

“How’s that?”

“Your little bird. She’s the end product of a long line of prototypes, you know. Years of setbacks and failures.”

“And you know this how?”

“Because I’m one of those failures.”