Meanwhile,
Simon and River were sitting at the dining room table. River was staring intensely at the chess pieces between her and her brother. She was the White, and he the Black. She had beaten her brother in every game they had ever played. He was no challenge for her, an easy mark. Someone she could twist in the right way to get what she needed.
Her dark eyes turned towards his blue ones and she tried to find her way inside his mind, but he was resisting. All she could see was a small figurine of a swan. A picture of an almost swan. She narrowed her eyes. He couldn't hide his smug smile, he could not hide the fact he knew she knew she was having trouble finding her way into his mind.
"It's your move." He said happily. River slid her remaining bishop across the board, her eyes never leaving Simon's face. He chuckled as her fingers pulled away and returned to their place on the table. She watched his expression put on a fake look of concentration. She tried again to figure out his next move, but his thoughts were still hidden. He slid his Queen and stole her last Bishop. Her face remained blank but the surprise registered in her eyes and Simon could see.
He was winning. Her fallen pieces lay beside the board like tiny trophies of brilliance. He continued to keep his mind upon the swan figurine. Inara had taught him how to keep it in front of his thoughts during his hangover, protecting himself from Rivers continual adventures into his mind. She would not anticipate his moves, she would not know them as he thought them; she would only get an image of a swan. Her surprise at the loss of another piece made him confident.
Her fingers slipped around the queen side castle. Her eyes moved from Simons face to the board. She saw every possible move she could make. She knew all of his moves, but there was no pattern to his game. He seemed to be taking no prisoners; he was the alliance, and she a tiny brown coat. She was going to lose and that thought frightened her. If there was ever a constant in the whole universe, it was that she could always beat Simon. If that was no longer constant, then everything she knew could be wrong. She would have to win another way. She expanded her thought to rest of the ship, to the other members of the crew, and something she saw would only take a few moments of patience before Simon would be distracted enough to lower his guard.
"It's your move River." He said leaning back in his chair and putting his hands behind his head. River slid the castle to a place where he could take it. When she let it go he laughed openly and stole her piece with a pawn. She was not surprised though her eyes went wide and her mouth fell open. He was rolling in the smell of victory. River quickly shifted a pawn to be taken by his Queen.
"Check!" Simon yelled ecstatically leaping to his feet.
Then as she anticipated hurried footsteps sounded from the passage leading from the infirmary. Then there was a loud thud, and Simon and River turned towards the sound. Simon's mouth dropped open as Jayne had Kaylee against the wall, her arms were wrapped around his neck and they were kissing more passionately than he had ever been with her. Simon stood up and watched them in disbelief.
They stumbled into the dining room Kaylee pushed Jayne into the kitchen counter, her leg lifting to try and wrap around him. While trying to balance on one leg she slipped and lost her balance, breaking apart their kiss. Jayne caught her with one arm and lifted her up and flung her over his shoulder. She was laughing as he grabbed her backside and gave it a squeeze. As he carried her towards the bunks he saw Simon and River staring at them and he grinned.
"We'll be in my Bunk." He said before disappearing through the doorway. Simon in shock then turned back to the chessboard where he saw all the pieces save two scattered across the table. The two kings were the only pieces remaining on the board. Rivers' King stood next to his own which had been laid down on its side.
"Checkmate." River said grinning widely. Simon dropped into his seat with a thud, defeated.