Notes: Takes place post-Serenity film.

Disclaimer: Characters mentioned are used without permission and are trademarks of Fox/Joss Wheadon. I do not own them and am simply borrowing for my purposes. Please don't sue.

Zoe doesn't hesitate (much) at the door to the cockpit anymore but stalls in surprise once she sees whose inside. River is sitting cross-legged in the pilot's seat, humming softly. She doesn't think Mal would willingly leave the less-crazy-but-still-not-entirely-sane genius reader by her lonesome here but he's done crazier things, so she pretends it isn't as worrisome as it is.

"Everything shiny here, River?" Zoe greets, coming up beside the girl to subtly checking their course heading. (It looks alright to her; she decides to ask Inara to drop in if she sees the companion-turned-pilot all the same.)

After a moment of critical observation, River pushes one of the dinosaurs that no one has, as of yet, been willing to move elsewhere forward a few centimeters as if it makes a difference somehow. "We wade blind in our pond but so do they." She peers up at Zoe around a curtain of hair and smiles impishly. "What is the relative value of shininess?"

Zoe blinks and nods. "Right. Well, let's keep wading on course, then." She doesn't bother trying to answer the question posed-- she's pretty sure it was asked for the sake of asking. Instead, she decides to return to her previous task of searching out Mal, resolving to discuss the leaving-River-alone-in-the-cockpit issue when she finds him. (Along with a few others like when are they going to have another job? And will they be able to eat actual food this month? Little things like that.) "Be seein' you, River."

There's an absent wave from the girl whose attention is already on the dinosaurs again. Zoe shakes her head as she steps out of the room.

Inside the cockpit, River waits until Zoe's out of earshot before rolling her eyes dramatically. "Fei hua, she's not ready yet."

She picks up a brontosaurus and peers at it curiously. "If I told her it's what you want she would only think me fong luh." She tuts softly. "More than she already does, then. And that wouldn't serve your purpose, either."

There's a short pause, then: "Go hwong-tong. Teach me more about piloting now." She tilts her head and considers the toys spread before her. "I still don't understand the significance of the dinosaur variable. Explain it to me again?"

River smiles as she settles back into the pilot's chair.

translations: Fei hua. = Nonsense. fong luh = loopy in the head Go hwong-tong. = Enough of this nonsense.