Simon stared at the wall in front of him for a moment, trying to process it. "This is everything?" he asked as he pointed ahead.

"No," Russell answered shortly. "Show us the web, code: overlord," he demanded of the room, a moment later the dots began scaling back and coalescing into a massive web, there had been hundreds of them, now there were exponentially more. Before they'd been a quarter of an inch wide and covered a wall, now they were like periods covering the wall in dots of green and red and blue and black.

"That's all of it?" Simon asked when it had stopped.

"Look around you, all of it is," Russell answered. Simon turned around the room, all of the walls, the ceiling… even the floor were covered in dots.

"Unfathomable," Simon muttered as he spun around, trying to grasp what he was being told.

"Somethin' this big… can't be taken down," Mal told him.

"Earth-that-was had a game, goal a the game was ta build a tower up high as ya could, but in order ta build the tower up higher ya had ta remove pieces from lower in the tower, destabilizin' it, 'til eventually a player would pull the piece out that caused the tower ta collapse… same thought, pull the right thread and eventually the whole web will come unraveled. Tough part is knowin' which is the right thread," he explained.

"How do you know all of this?" Simon asked him.

"I'm good with computers, can't stop the signal, 'member?" Russell shrugged.

"No… even with your skill, you'd have to be glued to the cortex almost constantly to keep track of this," Simon clarified.

"Yeah, I coded a program, it tracks folk and money digitally, watches for certain numbers, keeps track of transfers, an' watches for patterns, from that it collates the data an' makes reasonable assumptions," he explained.

"And none of them know?" Simon asked, disbelief plain on his face.

"Most of 'em don't, some of 'em are too 'distracted' to worry 'bout it," Russell answered as he brought up a small portion, he was past the show and tell portion now, he was checking in on what had changed.

"What could possibly keep them distracted from that?" Simon asked.

"You'd be s'prised what a time sink bein' dead can be," Russell told him with a grin. Simon was slightly distressed at his casual attitude in reference to taking a life.

"You feast on the beast as you slay it," River said as she watched the sea of dots, one of them changed from red to green before her eyes.

"Well, fighin' a conspiracy that spans the 'Verse is dangerous and expensive work, that an' if they got so much they don' notice when some goes missin' it's their fault," he answered her.

"Wait… how did you know that?" Simon asked River.

"Color implies meaning," she answered distractedly as she watched the dots in front of her.

"What do the colors mean?" Zoe asked him, following the thread of River's statement.

"Red dots are flagged as… 'distracted', black means they're operatin' and I'm locked out for now, Green means I'm either siphonin' from 'em or I've completely taken 'em over, and blue means I'm trackin' transfers to new accounts from 'em, handy little system," Russell explained.

"Anybody else feelin' a touch outta their depth here?" Jayne asked.

"Bring up the portion from my workstation," Russell commented off-hand. His computer raced to obey his orders as the dots grew larger while a vast majority of them jumped off the screen. "They jus' finished buildin' a new complex, funny... says it's a warehouse," he explained as it brought up the bill of purchase from a land-grab.

"What makes this stand out?" Zoe asked him.

"Well, if they're really buildin' a warehouse, why did this one cost 500,000 credits more'n the other one they already got on Boros?" he asked her.

"Warehouses are large, usually distant from residential areas, rarely visited by outside parties, allow for easy access to bulk shipping... and cheaper per capita refuse disposal," River commented. Russell just touched his finger to his nose as he pointed to River. He stood up after a moment, carrying a tablet with him.

"Where are we going?" Simon asked him.

"Kitchen," Russell answered as he continued tapping away at the tablet in his hand.

"Why?" Mal asked.

"I'm a-thinkin' it's 'bout time I started preparin' dinner for y'all, proper duties of a host an' all. If ya call up an' tell the others I'll use one a my shortcuts ta fetch 'em 'fore we start," he told the captain as he began rummaging through the cabinets and pulled out some pans. "I'm thinkin' maybe gumbo. Little okra, some sausage, Andouille or Venison, can't go wrong either way, maybe both, shrimp, rice too a course, few other things," he suggested. The captain's face took on a particular shade of red as he looked at the young man.

"Here and I thought he only made that face with Inara," Zoe mentioned to one side.

"We are NOT staying for dinner!" Mal stated pointedly at Russell as his frustrations came to a head.

"I dunno Mal, gumbo does sound mighty temptin' 'bout now," Jayne told him, Mal turned with a disbelieving look on his face, the color starting to drain out of him. Their gaze was intent, Jayne wasn't sure what was happening, but the captain was mad. The silence passing between them was causing the air to grow heavy, and just when it seemed tensions couldn't climb any higher… Mal's stomach grumbled loudly. The others all rushed to stifle laughs and conceal smiles behind hands, not wanting to draw the captain's wrath.

"Don't let that go underminin' me," Mal told them as he tried to salvage some dignity from the situation. Russell plucked the top from a pot sitting on the stove, a delectable steam rising off the pot, he wafted the lid so the smell of the dish could permeate the room. When the captain caught the aroma in the air his resolve weakened noticeably. He looked conflicted for a moment, he was weighing his options. "Fine! We stay… but only 'cause it's Jayne's night to cook," he qualified in the end. The crew relaxed slightly, most of them trading glances of relief.

Russell looked at each of them in turn, but one of them was trying for his attention. WE NEED TO TALK! Simon practically shouted at him when their eyes met, both of their glances jumped to River, then back to one another.

He's gotta bit a understandin' for how this works, waited 'til we made eye contact, strengthening the connection and keepin' it private… he don' want River knowin' 'bout whatever this is gunna be. "I'll go fetch the others for ya. Doc, mind helpin' me out?" Russell told the others as he turned to Simon.

"It would be my pleasure," the doctor answered as he moved toward the young man.

Russell and River shared a passing glance as he turned to show the doctor the way, it was only for an instant, but there was an understanding achieved, something was happening. She got sharp eyes. Took me a week ta get that far! he marveled to himself as he turned to lead the doctor away.

Russell took him ahead, quickly and quietly, they followed the hall for about thirty meters, then he took a left, followed by a right, then two more lefts, two rights, a left… and about there Simon found himself completely turned about, ten minutes after that Russell stopped and turned to him impatiently.

"Doc… I'm runnin' outta detours ta make this trip longer 'thout recrossin' our steps," he told him.

"I was assuming you'd tell me when we lost her," Simon answered him.

"She didn' follow… I gave 'er the glance," Russell explained.

"I don't know what that means, but I'll just have to trust you," Simon confided to him.

"Ask your question," Russell pressed him. Simon could tell he already knew what was coming, which meant Simon saying it was supposed to help him make a point.

"Why are you better?" Simon asked him after a moment of consideration.

"Better'n who, better at what?" Russell feigned ignorance. He wanted Simon to vocalize it all, that meant there were things hidden in what he hadn't said that the doctor hadn't considered.

"Why aren't you broken like River?" Simon asked firmly.

"There'd be a few problems with that statement. First off, diff'rent folks react ta things diff'rently, ya can't go assumin' she an' me'd react the same way ta the same situation cause we're diff'rent people. Next, who's ta say River's broke?" the other countered him with a question of his own.

"I knew my sister before they did… whatever they did to her, she isn't the same!" Simon told him irritably as he clenched his jaw, he was tired of playing this boy's games, he wanted him to get to the point and explain it to him.

"Diff'rent ain't broke," Russell reminded him cryptically. Simon's reserve of patience wavered and he grasped the boy about the collar, shoving him back against the wall before drawing his face in close.

"HOW DO I FIX HER?!" he demanded desperately of the young man. He wasn't prone to violent outbursts like this, it was bothering him, but he had the feeling that was Russell's intent, to off-balance him, but why?

"SHE AIN'T BROKE!" Russell shouted back at him forcefully, this was the point, he'd been arching toward, relying on the shock-value of the statement to get his point through. "All a this now… it's on you!" Russell pressed on.

"What did I do? Was it the wrong medication?" Simon pleaded with Russell as he struggled to grasp what Russell had told him, he released the young man and brought his hands to his head as he began frantically trying to retrace all he'd given River since the escape.

He could tell Simon didn't understand."Alright, think a it this way, you the same as you was back then?" Russell asked him.

"How could I be after what they did to her?" Simon asked him as he stepped back, his voice was frustrated.

"EXACTLY! They did it ta her, an' you can't never be the same, but there you sit, lookin' at her an' thinkin' a the girl ya 'member from childhood, 'bout how she ain't right no more! Ya sit there lookin' at her like she's broke so much she's startin' ta b'lieve it. She's almost healed, but 'cause a you she thinks she's pretendin' ta be better so you'll think she ain't broke no more. Doc, the girl ya knew as a kid is dead, but your sister's still 'live an' kickin', an' cause a you she ain't never alone, all ya gotta do is 'mind her a that," he finally started to make his point clear.

"How?" Simon asked him as he struggled to process what had been said.

"All she thinks 'bout is all ya left behind on accounta her, an' ya can't keep denyin' that ya did, but ya gotta let 'er see what ya got in return. Ya met your mechanic, ya found a new family, a new home, and ya gotta keep your Mei-mei, let 'er see that ya got a diff'rent life, but it ain't no worse than what ya mighta had… diff'rent ain't broke… let 'er see ya be happy once in a while," he outlined it for Simon. The doctor began to have this sinking feeling that Russell was right, that perhaps all of River's troubles might stem from him. "Ya ain't got no time ta go spiralin' down inta depression over what's been done. Your sister needs ya, doc, get it together!" Russell told him sympathetically.

Simon took a moment to collect himself before they continued on, he gathered his thoughts and reflected on what they'd said. "Something you said strikes a chord," he mentioned to Russell.

"What's that?" the other asked him dismissively.

"You told me because of me she's never been alone, like that should mean something," he pointed it out.

"Ya risked everything ya had, everything ya mighta been, which was a lot, there was big plans in the works for ya, all on accounta your sister, 'cause ya loved her more'n all a that. Love like that, trust me… it means something," Russell answered him as he tried to push on, but Simon remained firm.

"You've been sizing us up, not just River, all of us, since the moment you met us, putting us through all of these trials and games… why?" he demanded suddenly.

"I told ya, my war," he deflected.

"No… there's more to it than that. I want to know," Simon insisted.

"Alright… ya got me, River wern't the only one I wanted ta meet. Maybe the only one I had ta, the only one that was an eventuality, but I wanted ta meet the rest a ya… you most of all doc," he admitted with a sigh.

"Me?" Simon asked, confused.

"I had ta take the measure a ya. I mean… what kinda fellah throws away all ya had for a girl, had ta see what made her so special, what made you so gorram diff'rent than any a the other family members a kids at the academy. Why outta all a them, did you drop everything ta go chasin' after your sister, then go trampin' 'bout the rim with 'er." He explained.

"And then, after that, you had to know what kind of people would know all they do about a girl they've never met before and still choose to welcome her into their fold; travel with her?" Simon inferred. Russell touched his nose as he pointed to Simon. The doctor found himself confused by the implications, but he was beginning to understand that understanding Russell Raynes was not going to be an easy task, simply put the boy wasn't used to confiding in others, he was too used to being alone.

"Satisfied?" Russell asked him stoically.

"I've got more questions than ever," Simon shook his head.

"They're gunna hafta wait, we don't bring those ladies back soon the others're gunna notice," Russell assured him as he headed forward once more, this time Simon followed him. ~

About an hour later the seven crew members of Serenity sat around the young man's table, each patting full bellies and considering another helping.

"Where'd ya learn ta cook like that, boy?" Jayne asked of him as he sat back in his chair.

"Strong flavors mask poisons," River muttered softly. Jayne sat up in alarm almost immediately, River cracked a smile as she looked at him, a subtle gesture, but a moment later the rest of the table followed suit.

"When'd crazy learn 'bout jokin'?" Jayne asked Simon irritably.

"She's always enjoyed pranks," Simon shrugged.

"If'n y'all ain't gotta go runnin' off no place, y'all're welcome ta stay the night here, ain't got much in the way a beds, but it should be a mite nicer'n your bunks," Russell told them after a few quiet moments.

"I already stayed longer than I planned," Mal answered him, there wasn't the same hostility in the air now… he was starting to soften.

"Mal… maybe we could stick around for a few hours?" Simon asked politely. The captain took a moment to think it over.

"We can't stay the night, but nothin' says we gotta leave straight off," Mal relented.

"Besides, it's poor manners to leave immediately following a meal," Inara chimed in.

"Y'know we can't be havin' that," Mal said with a sarcastic smirk. This wasn't the same as all the other bits of banter, it was light-hearted.

"Jus' curious, do they ever stop fightin'?" Russell asked as an aside to Kaylee.

"Awww, those two, they're real sweet on each other… kinda like you an' River," Kaylee mentioned to him.

"Why d'ya keep sayin' that?" Russell asked her.

"Cause it's the only thing makes sense. Just cuz you don't wanna see it don't mean it ain't there," she told him with a slight wag of her head. For a moment he just stared at her, then he let out a soft snort and a smile.

"I ain't never gunna convince you otherwise, am I?" he asked her after a moment.

"Nope," she said sweetly as she turned away from him. Russell didn't understand, he usually found somebody with her naivete and sunny disposition to be trying, but despite all of that instead he found her refreshing. That girl's gunna swallow the doc whole he thought to himself.

"I can help y'all out a bit with your plans for tomorrow, if'n ya don't mind," Russell said to Mal.

"And how's that?" the captain asked him.

"Well, I got a whole mess a supplies in this place, an' I ain't never gunna be here again. How 'bout I just give 'em all ta y'all?" Russell suggested.

"It's not in Mal's nature to take charity," Inara told him, but she was walked over by Mal's response.

"Whatcha got?" he asked.

"Well… for those a ya inclined ta look at 'em, I gotta armory chock full a guns an' ammo y'all can help yourselves ta whatever ya want. I also got me a nice little infirmary I keep stocked with all kinds a medicines I ain't gunna be needin'. Then I gotta room full of tools an' parts ta keep a ship in the sky for Kaylee ta go pickin' through. Last, there's all sortsa food an' things can make a ship start ta feel like home," Russell offered.

"Nothing for me," River commented softly. He glanced at her knowingly for a moment.

"What's the catch?" Mal asked, distrust coloring his voice.

"I jus' wanna play a game with River," he answered simply. He could feel he'd piqued her interest. Mal looked to Simon, who in turn looked to River, she gave him a pleading look, after a moment Simon looked to Russell, then he turned back to Mal and nodded simply. Before an answer could be given Russell jumped to his feet and ran into the next room, holding the door for the others to follow them. Inside was a small library two chairs sat opposite a table, and in the middle a chessboard was set up.

"You're going to regret that," Simon commented confidently at River's side before he took a seat at one of the couches that had been moved to make way for the table at the center of the room. Inara followed him in, she seemed somewhat eager to watch what proceeded, Kaylee took a spot close to Simon and whispered something… she was looking to him for an explanation of the rules, and perhaps a play-by-play when the game started. Jayne and Mal looked bored, but they decided to sit for this, mostly to avoid being left out, but Zoe, she was different, she stood passively displaying a tone of indifference, but her atmosphere tasted of intrigue.

"You any good at this, kitten?" Russell asked River. She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Who… me?" she asked coyly, a voice of feigned innocence ringing in the air between them. It transformed into the grin of a feral hunter before she stepped forward gracefully to take a seat at the table. Russell eyed her carefully before he moved to follow her. She seated herself behind the white, claiming first movement. "There is no documented evidence to support the idea that between experienced players of the game, a smarter player wins," River told him as he sat down opposite her.

"Good, 'cause ain't no way I'm anywhere near smart as you," he answered as she made the first move. The opening was pretty standard, and Simon was just starting to feel some tension on the third move when River lulled her head to the side, Russell narrowed his eyes at her and… they just sat there for ten minutes, then Russell grunted irritably as he knocked over his king. "Two outta three," he grumbled. They reset the board, trading positions. This time Russell moved a Knight out first.

River adjusted her usual open to try and compensate, but two minutes later she mashed up her face in frustration while Russell sat back confidently in his seat. "Two out of three," she reminded him sullenly as she kicked her king over and reset the board, again reversing positions.

"This is strikingly less entertaining than I had assumed it would be," Simon told Kaylee.

"Not me," Kaylee told him with a roll of her eyes as she slid closer to him. The third game they didn't even move their pieces, they just stared at one another. "Ya think maybe they're… sexin' each other up in their heads?" Kaylee asked him with a bubbly smile. The color drained out of Simon's face, then a noticeable blush creeped into his cheeks as he turned to watch them once again, his mouth pressed into a firm line. Kaylee giggled softly.

"Not funny," he mumbled softly.

"Gotta admit it was a little," she whispered teasingly in his ear.

A moment later Russell snarled savagely as he scooped the wooden chessboard up in one hand and sent it careening into the wall, where it shattered. He stood there seething angrily for a moment before stalking from the room without a word. "I take it he lost?" Simon smirked after him.

"Draw," she River him, she was just sitting there, staring dazedly at where Russell had been sitting.

"What's got him so mad?" Kaylee asked her.

"He should have won… he blundered," River answered she was moving her head along one of the walls, like she was tracking his movements down the adjacent hall, when her gaze stopped they heard a soft pattern coming from somewhere. 'Thwack-thwack THWACK' in rapid succession, the first two were almost simultaneous, but the third was just after the other two, but definitely louder… harder.

"What is that?" Simon asked.

"Workin' off his frustration," Jayne answered. They sat there quietly for a moment.

"Jayne," Mal said softly before jerking his head toward the door Russell had taken. The merc shoved his way up from the couch and loped after the younger man, grumbling about nannies the whole way. The room was quiet for a moment.

"I think our young friend might have anger problems," Inara stated.

"Ya think?" Zoe deadpanned.

"His frustration is understandable, the next mistake might cost him dearly," River interrupted them as she kept staring through the wall.

"Coulda been worse," Mal shrugged after a few minutes. The rest of them just looked at him quizzically. "We know he's got guns," the captain elaborated simply. The way he'd said it suggested it was a joke, most of the others shot him a look saying it wasn't funny, but River just made a little 'hmph' noise like it had caused her to consider something new.