A pale foot lowered itself over the short but thick bronze metal rim of the doorframe, the owner's hands placing themselves on the rim itself, slowly but carefully pulling the young girl inside. River Tam had nearly been frightened when she extended her senses to the vast ancient derelict, fully expecting something of any kind, any single thought, any single whisper. What she felt instead, however, was an impossible silence.
The ship had flown itself towards them, correcting it's course slightly in order to match up with their own. No autopilot in the alliance could do such a thing without prompting from a live human being. The only possible explanation was that someone was somewhere within the ship, sending commands to the navigation, but River sensed nobody. That is, until she made her way through the airlock.
River collapsed onto her hands and knees, gasping for air, suddenly feeling the influx of memories. Not just current thoughts from people walking through the ship, memories. The very air of the ship teemed with remnants of the past. The reader grabbed at the circular handle of the bulkhead door, gathering her own breath, as she felt her brother immediately run to her side.
"River" he said calmly, albeit a tone of nervousness in his voice, "what's wrong? Are you all-"
"I'm fine, Simon" River cut him off, closing her eyes, now fully steadied against the door.
Simon paused, "is something here?" He asked, the worry disappearing somewhat from his voice, only slightly remaining, as he remembered the derelict they had explored that harbored a man turned reaver onboard, who turned out to be a man no more. "Is there someone else onboard?"
River slowly but surely opened her eyes, "so much, so small, yet holding so much." She sighed, her mind bit by bit adjusting to the emotions in the air. Serenity had always had emotional traces, but not as strong as this, never as strong as this. For all River could tell, the completely alien ship could very well be alive.
Simon blinked, obviously confused at his sister's vague words, "River, is there anything here with us?"
River smiled, straightening herself as if nothing had happened, causing Simon to repeat his question. "Of course" she said casually, "we're not alone, we're never alone here." The psychic ran her hand horizontally across a wall, her fingers dragging lightly as she slowly stepped onwards. "Are we?" she spoke to thin air, "I thought not"
Her brother could only stare as River addressed some non-corporeal being, "River, who are you talking to?"
River could only smile, "Destiny" was the only word she spoke before the girl turned and disappeared before her brother knew it, down through the semi-lit hallway, her brown hair following shortly behind.
**SGU opening montage, but with the letters SGF instead of SGU**
