“Any idea how far we walked?” Kaylee inquired, gritting her teeth as a sudden rise in the floor jostled her broken arm. “Calculatin’ our varied rate of travel with the amount of time, bein’ five hours, that we’ve been movin’,” Gabriel replied, “ I’d say somewhereabouts sixteen dekameters, or one point six klicks.” Kaylee’s suddenly slack jaw had trouble moving in a fashion that could produce words. “You... Um...” *Just when I think this kid can’t surprise me no more...* “So... bein’ as you’re so smart an’ all, does that tell you anything about if’n we’re headed in the right direction?” “Not a clue,” came Gabriel’s immediate response. “That’s River’s brain’s department, an’ she ain’t here.” Although Kaylee could see nothing, she could feel a shift in his body ahead of her that let her know he glanced over his shoulder toward her. “I keep tellin’ ya, I ain’t all that smart. I just... read a lot.” Kaylee had a bit of trouble with believing that. “You need to stop for a minute?” Gabriel queried. Although he could not see her, Kaylee reflexively shook her head. “Little over a kilometer and a half, even with a broken arm, ain’t nothin’ at this speed,” she responded. “I’m a bit more worried about your head.” “My head’s fine,” Gabriel insisted. “We pulled a heist on Boros ‘bout seven months ago,” Kaylee began, “ an’ Jayne ended up gettin’ clocked over the head pretty hard by an old woman with a fish club. I remember Simon examining him after, an’ he told me that blood in the ear canal was a better sign than clear fluid.” “Clear fluid means cerebrospinal, which means I’d be dead, more’n like, or at least unconscious, by now. An’ since you insist on havin’ such worry over it, I’m woozy, dizzy, an’ havin’ trouble thinkin’ straight.” Kaylee sighed. “I thought you said you weren’t a doctor.” Gabriel was silent for several seconds. “I read a lot,” he stated, an excuse that already was becoming rather worn. There were several more long minutes of silent travel before Kaylee gave in and asked, “Are you plannin’ on walkin’ this whole trip without sayin’ anything?” “Don’t got nothin’ to talk about,” Gabriel replied. “Don’t got nothin’, or got somethin’, an’ don’t wanna talk about it?” Gabriel made a small, throaty noise. “Pick one.” Kaylee pressed her lips together and remained silent. *He is beyond reachin’,* she thought. *He’s just a hopeless, crude tah mah de.* Ten minutes of silence ensued. “How did you finally get Simon to admit his feelings for you?” Kaylee was taken aback for just a moment, then barked a laugh. “We were on Miranda, an’ about ready to *die*. That’s what it took.” “I see,” Gabriel intoned without comment. “Why?” Kaylee inquired. “You askin’ ‘cuz it’s gonna take death to get you to admit to River how you feel?” Gabriel paused. “I hope not.” Kaylee wasn’t sure if he was going to say more, but after a moment, he did. “Regardless of the feelings yer talkin’ about that I may have for River, I don’t think anyone truly understands how much I *appreciate* her. Y’all know she went up to bat for me on Persephone after Niska took me; she put her ass on the line for me, goin’ up against the captain.” He took a breath. “What you don’t realize is that she’s doin’ it again, goin’ up to bat for me, only this is a whole hell of a lot bigger.” Kaylee tilted her head in deep curiosity. “What’s goin’ on?” “Better if you don’t know yet,” Gabriel assured her. “Please trust me on that one.” Kaylee paused. “Perhaps you realize this, and perhaps you haven’t, but I’m sure the captain has. Me, Simon, an’ River are all joined at the hip on Serenity. Yes, I love the ship to death, an’ she’s my whole life, but if River does somethin’ to get kicked off the ship, Simon’s goin’ with her. An’ if Simon goes, then I go with him. “The point I’m makin’ is that Mal can afford to lose one of us, maybe even two of us if he got really, *really* pissed, but I think he knows he can’t afford to lose all three of us.” Gabriel was silent for a moment. “What if it’s me who gets kicked off the ship?” Kaylee didn’t have an answer for him, and Gabriel halted their black progression once again. “Kaylee, I know River is emotionally fragile because of the Academy, but I don’t know exactly *how* fragile. if I get the boot, or I hafta leave for some reason, you can’t let her go. Tell her anything that you have to, *anything*, but don’t let her leave on my account.” He gave her hand a small squeeze. “It’s very important.” Kaylee took a deep breath. Her heart fluttered with conflict and worry. “I’ll do everything I can,” she promised. “Ya got my word.” “Thanks,” Gabriel told her with complete sincerity, and Kaylee could imagine his slight smile. *************************************************

“Okay, so what we’re lookin’ at is where they’re stuck?” Mal confirmed, studying the display. The standard-equipment sonar reading imager showed a 3-D map of the subterranean territory of the area, and what Mal was intently studying was a network of tunnels that spanned nearly eighteen kilometers. Pointing at the image, but not touching the screen, Zoe traced her finger along the larger, central corridor. “That’s the main artery. If they’ve got any wits about them, they’ll stick to that, an it looks like their nearest entrance...” Abruptly finishing for her, Mal pointed to a particular portion of the map. “Little over five kilometers to this hub. Three branches... Long as they take the large, central one, they’re good to go.” “Pretty convenient, don’t you think, Sir?” Mal considered. “I conjure these were more’n like man-made. Natural formations are never this tidy.” He turned from the display. “Let’s get to these coordinates an’ try an’ meet ‘em, just in case they decide to leave the main artery.” They moved the shuttle as near the appropriate area as was possible and disembarked. As boot hit ground, River suddenly exclaimed, “I have it!” Mal and Zoe stopped in their tracks. “What?” Mal urged intently. “Whatta ya got?” River suddenly began her lost look. “I... It... It was there...” There were several sentences in rapid Chinese mumbled beneath her breath. “Sorry, River,” Zoe mentioned. “What did you say? I didn’t catch-” River then appeared extremely frustrated. “March of the ants! They march on every approach! They’re-” “River,” Zoe interjected, grabbing the girl gently by both shoulders. “Honey, you have to slow down. What’s the matter?” River looked more frustrated than Mal had seen her in quite awhile. She gritted her teeth and glowered. “Interception from multiple angles. Don’t know where to guard... I had it, I did! It was right there, and then it was gone! Tip of the tongue thought from several viable sources, and still...” From behind her, Mal placed a hand comfortingly on River’s shoulder, right next to one of Zoe’s hands. It took a decent amount of will to hide his own growing frustration. “All right, Albatross, we don’t understand what you’re sayin’. What did you lose?” River tensed every muscle in her body and began to quiver. “*There’s trouble,*” she whispered. After a pause, Zoe finally voiced, “I’m getting that.” For some reason, the phrase sounded too much to Mal like something Zoe had heard before, and with which she was familiar. River collapsed to her knees, shivering from head to toe. “I’m sorry, Malcolm,” she mumbled, and he was suddenly taken aback by her use of his full name. “I’m sorry. I’m not perfect, and I can’t acquire a firm grasp on every idea that passes through my consciousness.” Her head sank to her chest in regret. “I’m trying to help, but...” Moving to her side, Mal crouched on the dirt. “River,” he soothed, “yer doin’ a great job. We would never have known they were even underground if not for you, an’ now we got a map to get to ‘em.” He squeezed softly on her shoulder. “Believe me, you’re vital to this search.” River’s jaw noticeably tensed. “Gabriel and Kaylee are not our only concern anymore.” she revealed. Mal and Zoe exchanged soldier-like glances. “What do you mean?” Mal prodded. “What else should we worry about?” Pulling from his grip, River rounded on him. “Don’t you get it?!” she declared. “That’s what I lost. Jayne’s brother is in trouble, but we aren’t concerned, and there’s an old man being robbed in an alley on Third Avenue South, but we aren’t concerned.” She stared at him intently, eyes glistening, as if she were intensely willing him to understand her. “There’s something else, and it’s trouble to *us*, but I lost it!” She somehow seemed to sink deeper into herself as her eyes settled, once again, on the ground. “*They’re on the main artery,*” she whispered somberly. “*We’ll intercept them as long as we continue.*” Mal had no idea how to react to his youngest crewmember’s latest outburst, but running several fingers affectionately across her left temple, he stood. “Then we better keep movin’,” he decided. “One problem at a time, whatever other problems we may have.” Zoe suddenly gasped, placing both hands tightly to the sides of her head. Mal quickly stepped up beside her. “Zoe?” he inquired. “You okay?” Zoe, eyes shut and fingers applying pressure to her temples, managed, “Yes.” “You sure?” Mal proceeded. “Ya don’t look so good.” Taking a breath, Zoe dropped her hands, opened her eyes, and made eye contact. “I’m fine, Captain,” she assured him. “Just a headache, is all.” Mal studied her for a moment. “All right,” he finally conceded. “Let’s keep movin’, then.” *************************************************

Daniel Vance, a.k.a William Allman, glanced at his partner, Janice Bridger, a.k.a. Clarice Allman, with a look of suspicion. “You call that acting?” he muttered to her quietly. “I thought you were trained in deception.” Bridger stared back at him. “I’m trained in interrogation,” she corrected him. “And *you* want to talk about acting?” Vance shrugged. “I’m a killer, not a thespian. And obviously, I’m very good at what I *can* do.” Bridger eyed the doorway conspicuously. “They know,” she stated. Vance didn’t bother glancing at the door. “They suspect,” he corrected. “That doesn’t mean they know fei-oo for certain.” Bridger raised her eyebrows at her partner. “Suspicion is incriminating in our line of work.” Vance reached into his coat and withdrew a custom, silenced 9x27 millimeter pistol. “I know,” he spoke. “They die.” At that instant, Doctor Tam reappeared in the doorway. Spying the gun, he immediately dove to the side just before Vance’s bullet whizzed through where the man’s head had been. “Huh choo-shang tza-jiao duh tzang-huo!” Vance strafed to the left wall, gun trained on the doorway. Bridger automatically moved to the right to cover his other quarter. “I knew I had reason not to trust you!” Tam yelled from beyond the doorway. “Yeah?” Vance replied. “Well, that distrust is what just signed your death warrant.”

Jayne was awakened to the sound of a knocking on the front door. He rolled over and glanced at his clock. *One thirty...* He heard his mother’s bedroom door open after the third booming knock, and climbing out of bed, he moved to the door to listen. “*What’re you doin’, Jaynie?*” his little brother hissed from his own bed. “*Shh,*” Jayne hissed back. “*Someone’s at the door.*” “Evenin’, Officer,” Jayne’s mother spoke from the other side of the door. “Can I help you?” “Yes, Ma’am,” a man’s voice replied. “I hate to hafta tell ya this, but...” There was a pause. “There’s been an accident at yer husband’s factory.” Jayne heard his mother gasp. “Wu de tyen ah. What happened?” “Turbine disintegrated in one of the machines,” the officer told her. “Blew shrapnel everywhere.” There was another pause, and Jayne thought he heard a sigh. “I’m terrible sorry, Miss, but your husband’s passed.” Jayne was so shocked he didn’t even hear his mother beginning to sob. Turning from the door, he pressed his back to the wood and slid down it to the floor. “*Jayne,*” Mattie whispered. “*What’s goin’ on?*” Jayne awakened so abruptly that he sat up in bed. Grunting, he ran a hand across his forehead, then itched at his goatee. He looked over at the clock and smirked. *One thirty... What’re the ruttin’ odds?* He lay back onto the bed and stared at the dark ceiling. I*s what I always hate ‘bout visitin’ home.* He tried to shake the remnants of the dream from his mind so he could calm and get back to sleep. *The memories that are waitin’ here for me...*

“I play guitar, too,” Gabriel mentioned. Kaylee’s jaw dropped. “Do ya really?” Gabriel grunted. “Least, I useta ‘fore the Alliance got their grubby mitts on me. I assume it’s like ridin’ a bike.” Kaylee frowned at the darkness in front of her. “Ridin’ a bike?” There was a pause. “Yeah. Ya never heard that sayin’ before?” “Huh uh,” Kaylee responded. “Jayne plays guitar some, too.” “Yeah?” Gabriel chuckled. “He any good?” Kaylee shrugged. “He is pretty decent, actually.” They shuffled along the wall in silence for another several minutes. “Think Cappy’ll decide to get a new pilot?” Kaylee was confused. “Why? River’s been pilotin’ for a spell now, an’ she’s doin’ great.” She smiled a little. “I’ve seen her do things that ain’t nobody but Wash coulda pulled off.” “Tactics, Sister,” Gabriel explained. “River’s a great pilot, but on the ground, she’s a gorram lightning bolt on a leash. Ya could tie her hands behind her back, an’ she’d still mop the floor with *my* face without even bustin’ a sweat.” “Well, I dunno,” Kaylee voiced. “I never actually seen ya fight with my own eyes, but from what the others say...” Gabriel laughed. “River had more on her mind than just lookin’ for an excuse to dance with me. She’d hafta try her ass off to hit me hard enough to incapacitate me, but I doubt I could even land a blow of my own. She was tryin’ to teach me just a little bit of style, though I doubt it’s gonna take with a brute like me. Point bein’, tactically speakin’, I’d think the captain’d rather have her on jobs.” Kaylee had to concede to his point. “Knowin’ the captain, I’m sure he’s thought on it, but he ain’t never said nothin’ of the like.” “I could fly.” Kaylee stared into the place where she’d normally see Gabriel. “Wow, ya can fly, too?” Gabriel chuckled. “Well... I can make the ship go *forward*. Now takeoffs, landings, maneuvers... Let’s just say we wouldn’t be in the sky for long.” He paused for a moment. “Sorry, I don’t seem to have an abundance of humor. That’s about the best I can conjure far as jokin’.” He was silent for a minute. “Why is Simon...” He paused. “I ain’t even sure how to word it.” Kaylee gave him another moment. “Well, can ya try?” They came to another side tunnel, and as before, Gabriel led them past it and continued along the wall they were on. Gabriel cleared his throat a moment later. “What’s Simon... say about me?” “Say about you?” Kaylee repeated. “Um... I dunno. I mean, I don’t think he’s against you an’ River, if that’s what you-” Gabriel’s snort interrupted her. “Oh, he’s against it. Of course he would be; she’s his psychologically disadvantaged, although intellectually advanced, little sister, an’ I apparently have an issue or two of my own.” Kaylee shrugged. “Then I got nothin’ for ya. He don’t act like he’s against it, but hey, yer the... empath? Or whatever you call it.” She thought for a moment. “Well, he ain’t afraid of ya, despite the fact that he’s seen how good ya kill.” “Yeah?” Gabriel commented. “Well, considerin’ he’s gotten used to the fact that his sister’s better at it than even I am, yeah, that’s expected. No...” He trailed off. “There was somethin’ else. When he first met me, there was... I’m not sure what to call it. A touch of recognition? Not of me, but of somethin’ to do with me.” “I really don’t think I can help ya,” Kaylee admitted. Then, a thought popped into her head, and she laughed. “Ohh...” “What is it?” Gabriel inquired. Kaylee choked back her giggling. “Gabriel,” she said. Gabriel waited a moment. “Yeah?” “No, that’s it!” Kaylee explained. “Gabriel’s the name of Simon’s and River’s father.” Gabriel stopped. “That a fact?” he confirmed. “Well, it can’t be, ‘cuz it’s *my* name.” Kaylee laughed again. “Dear, I’m fair sure he beat ya to it by a few years.” Gabriel continued the trek, leading Kaylee around a largish rock on the tunnel floor. “Well, then I took it, an’ I ain’t givin’ it back.”