Chapter 3

Previously…"Hey Wash, how likely is it we'll have to pull out of here in a hurry?"

"Depending on what mischief Mal and Jayne have gotten into, it's either highly likely or absolutely certain," Wash's good humor was showing. "I'll get the engines warmed up. Kaylee—"

His voice was cut off as he closed the comms and Riddick chuckled as he heard Kaylee run towards the engine room. A quick leap over the catwalk railing and he was near the airlock controls, opening the ship up.

It wasn't five minutes later all three of the R&R enthusiasts came hurrying towards the boat, Mal surprised to find it open while Inara and Jayne were simply grateful as Riddick closed it behind them and hit the comms, "Wash they're on."

"Headed into the Black now," Wash came back. "Hang onto something."

They did, as Mal suggested, have time between Santo and Persephone to consider the problem of River's implants.

"The scanner is good, very good actually," Simon nodded his recognition to Kaylee as she'd been the one to fix it up. "But unfortunately, I still can't tell what they are," He sighed. "If they were trackers the Alliance would have been on us long before we reached Persephone."

"Was I deceived, or did a sable cloud turn forth her silver lining on the night?" River remarked.

Mal got it as fast as he did and nodded as Riddick smirked; he wasn't the only one who (out of boredom, interest, or possibly an educational requirement) had read poetry, "Yeah that is the bright side to all this." The Captain agreed.

"One might be something to keep her reproductive cycle in line," Inara had joined them at Simon's request. She had more experience with Alliance tech than the rest of them. "Or to prevent her from maturing."

"She does look more like a child than a seventeen-year-old," Zoë commented in her even way.

"O woman! lovely woman! Nature made thee to temper man: we had been brutes without you. Angels are painted fair, to look like you," River murmured and her hand sought Riddick's forearm, chilled fingertips a shock to his warm skin.

"You think that's it?" He covered her hand with his and took deep breaths. Her touch could ignite the Wrath faster than anything else, though the feel of it was different than his near outburst in the galley after Jayne had been such an ass.

"The Child is father of the Man," She returned, and he took that as confirmation.

"Playing with her brain," Book was mulling something over. "That's what you said the folk who helped you get her out told you."

"Yes," Simon nodded. "And I don't doubt they have…but without more advanced equipment I'm not sure I'll ever figure out what the goal was, or what exactly they did."

"Wàng zǐ chéng lóng. Augmentation, change and improvement," River told them in a solemn voice.

Riddick looked at Book and wondered if the old man was thinking what he was. Part of why he'd been so successful as a soldier, as a ranger, had been his youth. He'd only been fourteen when he'd gone to the Strikeforce academy. The younger you were the more thoroughly you absorbed training. The more instinctive it became. They'd gotten River when she was fourteen.

Book's next words weren't entirely unexpected, and they did echo Riddick's own thoughts, "I suspect that River looking so young is no accident. The young are more easily taught. Muscle memory is more thorough, the mind more malleable, more adaptive. And no one suspects a child, a pretty young girl. In most situations children are the ones overlooked."

"He's right," Riddick nodded. "Don't know what they had in mind for her, but kids learn things easier. Even mercs tend to think of them as harmless."

"Her training would be unfinished then," Inara murmured. "That could…partially, explain why she's so disoriented."

"You're thinking of programming," Zoë wasn't asking a question and Inara nodded along with Book and Riddick.

"Get a brilliant child and brainwash them," Riddick looked at Mal and Simon, the two least likely to believe, because what he was about to say was pretty damn fucked up. Mal wouldn't want think people could do something like this and Simon wouldn't want to think it had happened to his sister. "Scrub their brains the best you can and train them. Erase as much of their personal identity as possible and put your own programming in place. You've got whatever type of tool you need for the job. The more intelligent the child, the more difficult it is, but once it's done, the results…"

"Conditioning her…" Simon frowned unhappily, his voice a murmur lost in thoughts or memories "All our subjects are conditioned for combat..." He looked around the table, "I don't have any idea how to counter that."

"I've got some ideas," Riddick looked at River. "Won't be easy. Might hurt."

Her dark eyes were inscrutable, her scent and face unreadable as Serenity's hull. "He would replace their training with his own. Teach her and overwrite their commands," She tilted her head and he could almost hear her brain clicking away. "The ants would crawl out and erase all his work. They come out at night and crawl through her brain. We are such stuff as dreams are made on and our little life is rounded with a sleep."

"So, we can't do much until we get those implants out of her. Whichever one it is that keeps the programming going," Riddick surmised. "If the one in her hip does mess with her development that can work for us."

"Backward, turn backward, O time in thy flight make me a child again, just for tonight," River was staring at him now. "He thinks to confound them with their own tech."

"Keep her young, a child, and retrain her?" Inara sounded disturbed, as well she might. It was a fucked-up thing to consider.

"I know how it feels," He shrugged and met Mal's eyes. "I was only fourteen when I went to that military school. And the 'teachings' there were damn close to programming. I know how to break out of that cycle. And I can teach her. But the longer that…program sits in her brain and works, the harder it is to get out. Keeping her young, the way they wanted so they could train her, might be the only way to…uproot what they did. Make it work for us. To help her be who and what she chooses once her thoughts are her own again. She might never be exactly as she was, but at least who she is will be her choice."

River nodded thoughtfully, "Therefore, since the world has still much good, but much less good than ill, and while the sun and moon endure luck's a chance, but trouble's sure, I'd face it as a wise man would, and train for ill and not for good." Riddick glanced at her, he thought she agreed with him but he couldn't be sure.

Mal, didn't pay much attention to the girl in question as he thought on it, his brow furrowed and scent worried, "Inara, you have contacts on Persephone. Might be you know someone with a machine…could help extract those things out of River's leg and hip and…whatever else they're in?"

"I can send some discreet waves," Inara nodded. "The Guild has a healing house on Persephone. They should have the sort of equipment we need. Identifying the implants would be the first step." She looked at Simon, "It's a risk. But it might be worth taking."

"If we could go in your shuttle," Simon replied slowly. "I dislike asking, we don't want to jeopardize your career or safety… However, law enforcement is usually reluctant to interfere in a Companion's business."

"It'd be much appreciated," Mal was genuine in his thanks and that seemed to surprise Inara more than anything else. "But I think the doc'd agree with me when I say we don't want you to take any risks. Your livelihood depends on your good standing with the Guild."

"The House Matron is an old friend. She's also…" Inara smiled. "A closet Independent. To stick a finger in the eye of the Alliance would tickle her fancy."

"That's helpful," Zoë's even voice commented. "Sir, there's still the matter of acquiring some sort of job while we're dirtside."

"If you'll excuse me," Inara stood and Simon automatically stood with her. "I'll start with my friend. If she can't help us she may have some ideas as to who might."

"Thank you," Simon bowed to her gratefully and she dipped a curtsey, smiling as she withdrew.

Kaylee was smiling at the doctor, "You're so gorram mannerly. It's a little confounding."

Simon smiled at her gently, "I was raised to treat ladies properly. Regardless of their station or dress. I'm afraid it's a difficult habit to break."

The conversation turned to other things and Riddick patted River's cold hand with his, her palm still resting on his forearm. "We'll figure it out," He told her quietly. "Just give us time."

He enjoyed sitting on the bridge. Wash tended to chatter but he didn't mind monosyllabic responses in return. The man could occupy himself for hours with his dinosaurs; he had a helluva an imagination. Zoë had come up behind him and Wash remarked humorously, "Seem to you we cleared out of Santo in a hurry?"

Zoë's tone was lighter than normal, but it tended towards that when she was talking with her husband. Riddick took that as one of the best indicators of sincere affection. She wasn't even that relaxed with the Captain, "Seems we do that a lot. Heard tell though, we're going to stay a while on Persephone."

Wash grinned over at Riddick, "Shiny."

His wife seemed a little surprised, "Yeah? Thought you'd get land crazy that long in port."

Wash nodded solemnly, eyes dancing, "Probably, but I've been sane a long while now, and change is good."

Riddick chuckled, "This is you sane?" He looked at Zoë, "And you married the man? Crazy, both of you."

"I liked him a lot better once he shaved off his mustache," Zoë unbent enough to quirk her lips in an approximation of a smile.

Mal walked onto the bridge just as Riddick was pulling his goggles down. "Well, ain't that a joyful sight?"

Wash nodded, "Gotta love a sunset." He glanced at Riddick, "Well mostly."

Riddick shrugged back at him, "'S fine. Just a bit bright for me these days."

Zoë was continuing the conversation with Mal, "Starting to get familiar too, like a second home."

Reynolds, apparently, had gotten in something of a tetchy mood, "Persephone ain't home. Too many people we got to avoid. Re-supply, look for work, move along. Sniff the air, we don't kiss the dirt."

Riddick smirked at Zoë's coy reply, "Wasn't planning on the dirt-kissing, sir."

"Like to avoid belly crawls if possible," Riddick agreed.

"Besides, I wouldn't stand for it anyway, Captain, jealous man like me." Wash remarked as an alarm sounded from the console. "Closing in." Riddick grinned and got on his side of the controls to give him a hand. This he could deal with. Small talk he wasn't the best at but a crisis…yeah that was normal.

"Planet's coming up a mite fast." Zoë's voice was the same unwavering calm, her only concession to the situation one hand on the overhead beams.

"That's just 'cause, I'm going down too quick. Likely crash and kill us all." Wash replied. "Uh Rick…"

"Yeah I got it," Shaving the vector helped and another set of arms to hold Serenity steady helped the pilot a bit more.

Mal had obviously been through this before, his voice was remarkably relaxed, "Well, that happens, let me know."

Riddick rolled his eyes, "Pretty sure you'll notice." He called at Mal's back as the Captain left the bridge.

"Okay. Whoa." Wash was a touch nervous but as Serenity's descent slowed his nerves eased, "No, we're good, we're good. It's okay."

Riddick reached over and began to manually sequence Serenity into her landing mode, "Think we blew a circuit or something. The console's acting like it needs twice the power."

"Kaylee'll look at it once we're on the ground. Assuming there's something left of us," Wash agreed.

"Oh, there'll be plenty left," Riddick grinned at him. "Just won't be recognizable."

"T'is not the fallin' but the landin' that'll alter social standin'," River's soft voice remarked from behind them. He didn't jump but damned if River didn't confound even his senses with that deft way she had of moving without sound. Be fuckin' sexy if she wasn't fourteen years old (and brainwashed).

"Thanks River, that's helpful," Wash retorted. "I needed the reminder."

"He is welcome." Quick as a wink she was gone again.

"Swear the girl could be Furyan she's so damn quiet when she moves," Riddick muttered as they muscled Serenity into the correct angle.

Once they got Serenity straightened out Wash took over the landing while Riddick went in search of River. He wasn't entirely certain if she understood what they were planning and going over it again wouldn't be a bad thing. He'd noticed that when she smelt tired she seemed to have trouble comprehending abstract concepts.

Finding her in Inara's shuttle entrance while the Captain knocked wasn't exactly what he was expecting but he could work with it. Though saying Mal knocked exaggerated the situation slightly.

"Good afternoon, Captain," She turned to greet him and tilted her head in inquiry as she saw River and Riddick both behind him.

"Morning. We're downing, and local time's going to be in the a.m., ten or so." Mal explained unnecessarily as if Inara couldn't read a chronometer.

"Yes, I saw that," Inara offered River a smile and the slender girl slipped past the Captain. Riddick followed her when Inara gave him a nod and did his best to not inhale too much incense.

Mal was still being nosy, "Makin' plans? 'Atherton Wing'. He's a regular, ain't he?"

Inara nodded coolly, "I've seen him before."

Riddick rolled his eyes as Mal continued to act like an idiot, "Oh, I never did. Not what I pictured… young. Must be rich too, to afford your rates."

Her tone was quelling, "I suppose. He has engaged me for several days."

"Days!? Boy must have stamina." There went Mal again, digging himself in deeper.

"He does." The Companion's voice polite but repressive.

Now the Captain was reduced to blustering, "Well...fine. Is he letting you out at all?"

"Actually, we're attending a ball tomorrow night," She looked at Riddick and River. "I'm not engaged until tomorrow morning, so we'll be able to visit my friend today."

Riddick nodded, "Figured as much when you said you had a date. Good policy, keeps people from looking too close at what you're doing if you're working."

"Tell me, do all the men there pay for their dates, or just the young rich ones with stamina?" Mal couldn't seem to stop himself.

"Most of the women in there will not be Companions, if that's what you're asking. Perhaps the other men couldn't attract one." Inara was all that was polite, but from her scent Reynolds was starting to irritate her a bit.

"Hmm. It's sounds like the finest party I can imagine getting paid to go to." Reynolds remarked.

River frowned at him and then looked at Inara, "I might not show respect to your job, but he didn't respect you. That's the difference. He doesn't even see you." Her voice held Mal's cadence while her gaze turned towards the drapery which hid the screen and Atherton Wing's face.

Riddick looked at her, "River? Got something poking in your head?"

"Be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny," River looked at Inara solemnly. "O swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon, that monthly changes in her circled orb, lest that thy love prove likewise variable."

"Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet," Inara murmured. "River, sweetheart can you tell me anything else?"

"He's mad that trusts in the tameness of a wolf, a horse's health, a boy's love, or a whore's oath," River remarked.

Riddick frowned thoughtfully, "Get the feeling River doesn't care for the fellow who's engaged you."

Mal blinked, "We ain't got any right to tell Inara who she can and can't do business with."

"Thank you," Inara nodded, her scent still slightly disturbed by River's words. "We should go over what you can expect at the House."

Mal nodded, "I'll send the Doc on up to you."

He'd never been in a Companion's House. Apparently, they weren't, as most folks in the Outer Systems believed, like brothels. The House was where they trained, lived, unless like Inara they traveled. Like any Guild, certain Houses were associated with certain talents. House Nightingale was known for Healing. Of all sorts. Sex might come into play or it might not.

Inara had given him a crash course in the rules of her Guild and he had to admit that if men and women were going to sell themselves better that they be protected doing it. Choosing their own clients, setting their own prices and parameters for their 'dates' as well as a host of other things. They were educated, beautiful, exotic and… when it came down to it he still couldn't help thinking of them as whores. Courtesans might be a better name. Or Geisha. But it boiled down to the same thing as far as he was concerned. When sex involved an exchange of goods you could dress it up all you wanted but it was still a sale.

He wasn't dumb enough to say that to Inara, though if pressed he'd admit to it. He was willing to bet she understood exactly how he felt and she might even understand his reasoning. He doubted she'd agree since from everything he'd heard she was adamant that a Companion was not a whore. But he could respect her enough to not say anything like that to her face. It was her choice. And it wasn't like she didn't earn her money the same as anyone else. Or because she made her living that way she wasn't worthy of respect. One had nothing to do with the other after all. Her ways just weren't his.

Simon had smiled when Riddick began taking notes and simply handed him an encyclopedia he could use. He guessed River and Simon had grown up knowing all this. Companions were a big part of the Core after all.

River hadn't kicked up any sort of fuss when Inara had flown them to the House. Simon had been worried she might. Instead she'd pressed against Riddick's side and put her palm on his mark. The Wrath fluttered under her fingers, teasing blue flames around her palms but he could tell this wasn't the full fury of whatever the hell the Wrath was. Something in River just…interested the Wrath, or Shirah maybe, who knew?

He doubted he'd ever really find out. It wasn't as if he could go looking. He wasn't even sure what the Wrath was, or what being Furyan meant. Freakishly strong, able to survive nearly anything, senses so acute they could be painful, and impossible to order around.

The little Seer next to him murmured, likely in reaction to his thoughts, "And this gray spirit yearning in desire to follow knowledge like a sinking star, beyond the utmost bound of human thought."

"Yeah, but you need a starting point or you're just back where you began," He told her with a shrug. "Don't know much about my people or home planet."

"Defiant until the end," River said suddenly and smiled at him.

"Yeah, pretty much," He agreed. For Simon's benefit he added, "It's what someone said about my race once, according to some of the stuff I've learned. Of course, other people use different words. Mule stubborn. Intractable. Incorrigible."

"Funny, they've said similar about me," Simon chuckled. He was wearing some sort of masking specs, with tint to the lenses. Just in case, he'd said quietly. River had a hat on her head. Kaylee had plopped it on over her dark hair and told her to keep it on so she wouldn't burn. He doubted anyone in this part of the 'verse would recognize him on sight, but it wasn't as if there was much he could do to change his looks. His hooded coat and goggles would have to do.

"Can't imagine why," Riddick grinned at him. Simon had shared the story of how he'd had to go in to take River out of the Academy. It had taken serious balls on his part and not a small amount of cash. He got the impression Mal and the rest of the crew didn't know the half of it.

"No idea," Simon grinned back. The Doc really wasn't as prissy as Mal and Jayne thought. He had a wicked sense of humor and a brilliant mind. He was just so out of his element on Serenity and worried about his sister that he was rarely able to show either. If nothing else Riddick hoped getting rid of these implants would help River enough that her big brother wasn't worried to death.

The shuttle slowed then, and they all stiffened up as it lowered to the ground. They were almost at the point of no return.

"Nanites?" Riddick repeated what Simon had said. "River's ants are nanites?"

"Yes and no," Simon rubbed his forehead.

"No," River said at the same time. "My troublous dreams this night doth make me sad."

"They really aren't the problem though." Simon continued.

"What is the problem," He wasn't sure what was worse than millions of tiny robots roaming around River's body and doing who knew what.

"All they do is keep her body in repair. Keep her functioning, because the Academy essentially halted her growth with the hip implant, stalled her maturation, the nanites keep her from…developing physical problems." Simon began to explain.

Inara wore an absolutely horrified expression and he could tell that she whatever she'd been expecting it hadn't been this. "Then what's the implant in her collarbone for?"

"That is… the source of the programming," Simon sighed. "It seems to work mostly in subliminal commands. While she's asleep. When I got her out she'd been put under and they were monitoring her brain activity. Probably they were adding programming at that point. The subliminals are River's ants I think."

"What happens if you take it out?" Riddick looked at River. She was wrapped in a silk robe, a cup of tea in her hands and looking slightly more clear-eyed than usual.

"Presumably her programming begins to degrade," Simon shook his head. "I don't know for certain. But I can't leave it in her."

"No," Inara shook her head. "No, you certainly can't. If Rick's plan is to have a chance of success…"

"For in that sleep of death what dreams may come," River looked up and her eyes met his. "To be, or not to be: that is the question: whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them?"

He moved towards her without thinking, "You've been fighting off the programming every day. But at night all your work is undone when you have to sleep." He remembered the one time he'd seen Simon give her a smoother, helped her sleep because she'd been manic with energy and refused to rest. It had taken three days before she seemed like herself again, or the approximation of herself that he'd first met, "And it's worse with the drugs because they keep you under. Like they did."

Simon had realized the same thing and shook his head. "No more of that, not unless it's an emergency and definitely not while it's inside you. I'm sorry I didn't understand mèi mei. I can give you a local when I take it out. It'll hurt some but better that than you lose yourself again."

Inara stood, "I'll let Liana know that we'll only be another couple hours." She gave them a half smile, "She's having the time of her life just knowing that you're working against the Alliance in some way."

"Why's she so against the Alliance?" Riddick found himself giving into his curiosity with the question, "Most Companions and other Guild members don't have much problem with it."

"Liana is from Shadow," Inara offered quietly. "She has, had, family there, before it was bombed into a black rock. Publicly she's a member of the Guild in good standing. Privately, she despises the way the 'verse is being run. I think if she got the chance she'd poison every member of Parliament and smile doing it."

"Can't say that I blame her," Riddick grinned. "She ever wants some help with that, I'll be happy to serve the tea."

River giggled softly, "He is deadly with all instruments."

Riddick's gaze snapped to River. He'd been recalling one of the times he'd used a plate as a weapon. So if she heard his thoughts, which was looking more and more likely…he looked at Simon, "Doc, just out of curiosity. What would it take to figure out what they did to River's brain?"

Simon was busily preparing for the surgery and his answer was somewhat absent minded, "Most likely a three-dimensional Neuro imager. I'd be able to see exactly what they did." He looked up, "Why?"

"Just wanted to know what we should keep our eyes open for," Riddick made a mental note and moved to wrap an arm around River's slender shoulders. Poor kid. Seer, psychic, reader… didn't matter what name they labeled her with, until she learned to control it, and hold other people's thoughts out, she was going to have a hell of a time of it. Nobody else seemed to notice, and maybe he wouldn't have if he hadn't had visions of Shirah and more than a few intuitive leaps himself. It had taken him a while and seeing a helluva lot in prison but now he knew a psychic (or a Seer) when he met one. And having his mind and all the attendant horrors therein in close proximity couldn't be enjoyable.

"Control," River murmured. "Augmented and changed. Made more. Except our own thoughts, there is nothing absolutely in our power."

That last he understood. Controlling her thoughts was difficult for her with the programming invading her brain. And if she heard everyone else… no wonder she didn't seem like she was all there half the time.

Inara had dropped them back at Serenity with admonishments to wave her if they needed anything. She could always cut her time with her client short if they required her help. Riddick doubted they would, but it was a nice offer, sincerely meant, and thus appreciated. For all her airs and spats with the Captain she did care for Serenity's crew.

Simon didn't want to put River on too many painkillers since most of them would react with the chemical cocktail she was being dosed with through the hip implant. Riddick had carried her down to the passenger dorms and Simon helped her get into a comfortable pair of leggings and a thick soft sweater that likely had belonged to her brother at one point. Hopefully she'd sleep off the local and a good portion of the pain for the rest of the afternoon.

He'd been doing a couple sets of sit ups and pull ups while he waited. Once she was awake he'd go over the plan again, do some preliminary work. A shock of fluff caught his eye and he blinked as Kaylee came down the stairs to the lounge, "I didn't hear ya'll come back. Did it go all right? Is River okay?"

"Wow," Riddick blinked again and pushed his goggles back. "Those are some fancy togs Kaylee. Got a party to go to?"

"Me an' the Captain, we got a meet, but it's at this fancy do," Kaylee explained. "I'm s'posed to make him look respectable."

Simon had one arm around River's waist, supporting her as they came into the lounge. Their progress was slow but steady and he could see River's eyes clearing a bit more as the scent of the local anesthetic left her scent. "Oh my," Simon exclaimed.

"D'ya like it?" Kaylee twirled. "I'm gonna keep it forever."

"You look wonderful," Simon bowed properly as he and River reached Riddick and his sister latched onto the taller man's arm for support. "I wish I could go so we could have a dance."

"Aww… thanks," Kaylee grinned at him happily. "Maybe after the party we can put some music on here and you can teach me some Core dances?"

"I'd like that," Simon nodded. His eyes widened as Mal came stomping down the steps. "Oh. Oh my..."

"Very handsome," River intoned solemnly.

Riddick grinned at her. Mal was wearing the tightest pair of breeches he'd ever seen and a fancy coat and shirt. His boots were polished up and he had an honest to heavens cravat around his neck.

"I feel like an idiot," Mal groused.

"He must not resort to fisticuffs," River admonished.

"What?" The Captain looked at her as if she'd lost her mind. "Why'd I wanna go and do that?"

"Inara," River retorted succinctly.

"Oh…oh dear," Simon seemed to realize something. "Captain, she's right. If you're attending a formal function…"

"Yeah it is," Mal showed him the invitations.

"You really can't punch anyone," Simon told him. "If you do, it's a challenge."

"Duel of honor, meet at dawn. Fight to the death," River nodded her agreement.

"S'what?" Mal stared at the two siblings as if he wasn't sure who was loonier.

"If you punch someone, they'll take it as a challenge," Simon began to explain as if to a slow-witted child. Or Jayne. "A challenge means a duel. It means you'll be put in a secure hotel so you can't run away. And in the morning, you'll be given a sword or perhaps some other gentlemen's weapon, depending on the choice of whomever you've challenged, and you'll have to fight for your life and honor. Swords are very popular in the Core."

"You know how to use a sword Mal?" Riddick asked with a smirk.

"Knife, guns, fists, bayonet," Mal ticked them off on his fingers. "Gun turret, cannons…" He shook his head, "Nope. Never got taught the use of swords while I served."

"Then don't hit anyone, at the very least don't start any fights," Simon advised. "And if Inara is there…she'll be with her escort."

"Yeah? And?" Mal wasn't getting it.

"Mal, there are two types of men who take a Companion to a formal event. The first type wants a witty, elegant, beautiful guest who can converse with anyone, so they have a good evening. Sometimes they don't even want sex. Just someone who is at ease in any situation. To help with business occasionally, even." Simon's voice hardened, "The other type is the sort who want all that, but they also want to show that they can afford a Companion, parade her about like a trophy. As if they'd won her. As if she'd deign to give the man the time of day were his true motives known."

"Which do you think Atherton Wing is?" Riddick slanted a glance at Simon.

"I don't know," Simon shrugged. "If he's the first, Inara would likely make the first move, introduce the two of you. If he's the second, you'd have to approach her. I suggest you don't. Let her deal with him in her way. She'll know how to handle him."

"Captain is the more interesting of the two," River murmured. "Wing will not make a favorable comparison. Stings his pride."

"So, no fist fights," Mal took a deep breath. "Right."

"Kaylee, don't leave him alone," Simon told the girl seriously. "If you're on his arm, he's taken. Find your contact, try to do business, then dance and eat, have fun after. But let Inara come to you. If Wing's the second type he'll be jealous of anyone taking Inara's time but him."

"Don't sound like Inara'll be having too much fun," Kaylee seemed glum at the thought.

"She's working," Riddick reminded her. "She gets to be all fancied up and see folks she knows, so it's nice, but it's still a job." That got through to her and she nodded.

"Yeah, an' she don't horn in on our jobs when we're workin'," Kaylee reminded her Captain. "Be mean of us to mess with her work."

"Yeah," Mal nodded. "Yeah, you're right." He offered her his arm. "Well, shall we go an' get us a job?"

"Let's do," Kaylee grinned at him.

Riddick sat in the observation lounge and concentrated on the game of chess he and River were playing. Evaluating her abilities and giving her more time to shake off the local anesthesia. He could tell he'd likely lose; it had been a long time since he'd played, and he'd gotten rusty. River seemed to be enjoying herself though. He had half an ear on the card game being played at the table. Simon, Book and Jayne made for a strange trio, none of them seemed to have much in common, although Book bridged the gap between the other two pretty well. But they were playing for chores with every evidence of enjoying themselves.

"Ante up, gentlemen. Dishes." Simon's elegant voice sounded relaxed. He'd obviously played cards often in his life before Serenity.

Book seemed just as content, "Dishes. Could do with less of them."

Jayne's tone, in comparison, came out relatively harsh, though he was as relaxed as he'd get with Riddick and River in the room. "Garbage."

He could hear the card turn over, rattling it's stiff thickness against Simon's fingers, "Tall card... plum. Plums are tall."

"I'll take... two," Book had a smile in his voice.

Simon dealt him the cards, "Two. No tall card claim."

"Speaking of garbage, I'll take three," Jayne grunted.

"Three." Simon continued, "Dealer forced to claim the tall."

Riddick moved one of his rooks finally and River looked up from her drawing with a grin, "He has moved. The girl will consider all possible outcomes."

While she stared thoughtfully at the board Book mused, "What do you suppose the Captain and Kaylee are doing now? Septic vat."

Jayne sounded annoyed, as he usually did by someone else's good fortune when it exceeded his own, "Eating steaks off of plates made of solid money, like as anything. I fold."

Simon was throwing his cards in, "Me too. Tall card's around my neck like a weight. Take it Shepherd."

Book was smiling from the sound it, "That's a nice pile of things I don't have to do."

Riddick grinned as River moved one of her knights and stood, stretching and turning gently on her toes. He didn't recognize the tune she was humming though Simon seemed to as the Doc turned to watch. River's arms arched gracefully as she swept them through the air, her feet nearly fluttering over the deck. Her movement and Simon's caught Book's eye and he looked over with a slight gasp of surprise. River was bending, a willow in the wind, her fingertips near sweeping the floor as she swayed and spun again slow as down on the breeze.

Jayne, predictably enough, broke the pleasant mood, his tones surly and matter of fact, "You better see to her. Bad habit for a fugitive. She's going to do that in public and get herself hauled off." Riddick noticed he wasn't too proud to steal a few scraps of paper from Book and Simon's piles while their attention was away from the game. River ignored him, dancing to the music she heard until she reached the end of her tune.

The merc probably having had enough of doing nothing when he could be busy winning chores groused to Book and Simon, "So we gonna play cards, or screw around?"

The other two turned back to the game and Simon's eyes narrowed at the merc, carefully going through his little scraps of paper. Noticing that, Book did the same and both of them regarded the bigger man with identical expressions of annoyance.

Riddick chuckled as he moved another piece and River grinned at him, nearly maneuvering her Queen into position, "He is in check."

"Damn," He shook his head seeing no way out of the predicament his king was in. "You win this one." He tipped his king over in concession.

"Losin' to a loony, guess ya ain't so bright as ya think," Jayne smirked.

"The man with a girl's name has to cheat to win, better to lose a game honestly," River remarked to Riddick.

"Never saw the point in cheating myself," He agreed. "Never learn anything that way." He began to put the chess set away and she pouted at him. "We'll play again tomorrow. But getting trounced three times in a row is enough for one day. Let's go down to the bay, we'll get started on some of the basics your brother wanted me to show you."

Simon looked up in concern at that, "Rick she's still recovering…"

"Nothing too hard," Riddick assured him. "I'll be able to tell if she's in pain." Her scent had cleared some. Best to give her something to think about for a while, besides chess and her tiptoe dancing.

Simon nodded his agreement and River grinned happily.

River was going over the basics of the footwork he planned to teach her. He didn't want to put too much strain on her collarbone until it was healed completely but she could use her legs. Unless she'd been drugged he'd never seen her clumsy and that dancing she'd done argued for the same grace and agility when he taught her to fight. He didn't know what kind of training she'd had, though the way she moved was a hint that she'd been schooled in some form of combat. Simon had said the doctor told him as much when he'd gotten her out. 'Conditioned', he'd said, 'conditioned for combat' and his face had been disgusted in a way that surpassed his dislike of Serenity's food or Cobb's behavior.

In this part of the 'verse she'd likely been schooled in some martial arts. What he'd learned at the Strikeforce Academy had been more like Krav Maga, a fighting style that was based on adaptability and taking pieces from every other style of fighting in order to make up the whole. Her dancing had answered the question of whether or not she could physically handle the training. Her legs were strong enough when he'd had her test them against his hands, pushing against him from the bench while he pressed back.

He doubted Jayne would let them use his weights, but he could get her in shape with resistance training, simple exercises and eventually sparring with him until they could get some of their own. It was the simplest way he knew to break down one program and get her back to basics, to her own personality and her own choices. That genius brain of hers would help the whole process along, that much was a certainty. The trick would be to keep her busy. Too much downtime was the enemy of any soldier. And the last thing she needed was time to dwell on what had happened or everything she heard.

He'd decided to occupy himself with pullups when someone started pounding on the airlock door. Dropping to the deck he looked over at River, "Best play least in sight. Tell your brother we've got company. And then go get Zoë."

"Shì," River took off at a run while he approached the door. There was a short semi grimy looking fellow with a pork pie hat and a gold tooth standing there. No way in hell was he opening the ship to anyone the crew didn't know so he headed up to the galley after River.

She ran faster than he'd thought, Zoë was climbing out of her bunk her shirt still half unbuttoned. Simon and River were nowhere in sight.

"Sent 'em down to your bunk," Zoë explained. "Until we know who it is."

"Short fellow, pork pie hat, gold tooth and only a passing acquaintance with water and soap," Riddick told her. "I'll be around but I'm going to stay out of sight. He and I have never met and if he's up to no good, you might want the element of surprise."

Zoë nodded, heading for the galley, with what could only be a curse muttered under her breath, "Qīngwā cāo de liúmáng…We'll let Badger in, but only as far as the cargo hold." Wash climbed up the bunk ladder looking a little tousled and from the smell of the married couple they'd been indulging in some married behavior while they had the chance.

"What's the what?" Wash greeted him with a half grin.

"Some guy named Badger at the door," Riddick told him. "Zoë'll fill you in."

"This cannot be good," Wash sighed.

Riddick kept out of sight, in the dark doorway near the entrance to the water reclamation units on the mid deck. Perched up on the railing of the catwalk he could hear just fine.

"The captain's gone and gotten himself in trouble." Badger was telling them. Simon had shown himself but kept his sister out of sight. Zoë had simply taken that in stride and Badger had pretty much ignored the doctor. Jayne was lurking somewhere else apparently.

"A duel?" Book blinked in astonishment.

Wash looked similarly amazed, "With swords?"

Simon looked at Zoë, "He's a good fighter…maybe he could…"

"I think he knows which end to hold," Zoë told him dryly.

"I told him not to start anything," Simon sighed. "So, what happened?"

"Appears he was talkin' to our man Harrow an' someone took exception to him," Badger shrugged. "Or to the young lady. Details are fuzzy."

"Did he start it or did they?" Simon pressed.

"Mixed opinions on that," The grimy man didn't seem certain. "Both parties are bein' held until dawn. One can apologize or they fight."

"All right, so we just need to figure out how to get him out of there," Wash said as if it were obvious.

Book was looking at Badger, "We have until the morning, correct? Do you know what lodging he's in?"

The grimy man shook his head, "This is embarrassing. Some of you seem to be misapprehending my purpose in being here."

Zoë's voice was resigned, "You're here to make sure that we don't do what these men are keen on doing."

"Penny for the smart lady," Badger nodded. "Persephone's my home. I got to do business with the people here. I don't want it known I brought someone in caused this kind of ruckus. We'll just settle in, 'til this blows over, one way or the other."

Jayne's very quiet entrance from the opposite catwalk had gone unnoticed by all of them but Riddick, but the sound of a rifle being cocked drew everyone's attention as Jayne aimed it straight at Badger's head.

Zoë smiled slightly, resigned, "Jayne, I wouldn't."

The merc sounded belligerent, as if he'd just been waiting for the chance to shoot someone, which likely he had been, "Why not?"

The First Mate indicated the airlock where some thugs had just come in with Kaylee. Most probably thugs in Badger's employment. Kaylee still wore her pretty dress for the ball, but she looked deeply unhappy as she greeted them, "Hi."

River's voice was soft enough that only he could have heard it, "Captain did not start the fight." She told him as she moved through the darkness towards his position in the doorway. "Gave Inara a polite nod. Ignored the provocation from Wing. Jerked around by the shoulder, hands laid upon him, tolerates that from no one. Punched the man who grabbed him."

"Anybody witness it," Riddick asked in a low voice. "Rules change when he's the one challenged right?" He remembered that much from his long-ago schooling. And River's perceptions had proved uncannily accurate. She seemed to have gained some clarity, time would tell if it was temporary or otherwise. Likely she'd rested some between now and their practicing; when she was better rested she got more clear in her speech. Assuming she hadn't slept deeply enough for the subliminals to mess with her. Not perfect but more understandable to regular folks who couldn't scent her emotions or hear her heartbeat, or (ins Simon's case) known her most of her life. But now that she'd had that implant removed, rest would actually be helpful.

"The right to choose weapons," River nodded. "But he does not know this."

"Can you suss out where he's being held?" Riddick looked at her carefully. "Get it out of Badger's mind, maybe?" If she could, and if eventually she could control those abilities, that would be damn handy. But he'd have to keep an eye on her, keep her focused.

"Have to get closer," River nodded. "She will return in a moment."

Below him the crew was playing cards and talking quietly. They were attempting to plan an escape and rescue, though they were severely hampered by their lack of arms. They'd gotten as far in their plans as trying to lure some of the henchman into the infirmary before they went for Badger when River made her appearance.

Book had been standing off to the side of the crew, reading his bible, it was he who noticed River first, laying a hand on Simon's shoulder. Simon looked up, startled and Riddick could smell his alarm across the bay as River approached Badger. He stood, probably to try an intercept his sister when Badger noticed her. "Who's that then? Here, look at me. What's your story, love?"

Simon did his best to come up with an explanation, "She's ... just a... just a passenger."

"Yeah? Why ain't she talking," Badger asked. "She got a secret?" On his face suspicion warred with typical male enjoyment of a pretty girl.

What happened next was a thing of beauty. River got right up in Badger's face and talked back to him in his own accent. "Sure, I got a secret." She tilted her head at him, "More than one. Don't seem likely I'd tell 'em to you now, do it? Anyone off Dyton Colony knows better than to talk to strangers."

Her attention appeared to be caught by the shiny pin on Badger's lapel, nearly touching it but instead she ran a finger down his lapel before pulling back, "You're talking loud enough for the both of us though, ain'tcha?" She gave a shake of her head as if exasperated, "I've known a dozen like you. Skipped off home early, running graft jobs here and there. Spent some time in the lock down," She nodded, as if conceding something and countered it as she continued, "but less than you claim."

She drew herself up, regal as a queen, "And you're what? Petty thief with delusions of standing? Sad, little king of a sad, little hill."

Even funnier than Badger's reaction, the expressions on the crew's faces. None of them had a clue River had this in her.

Badger recovered from his shock first, "Nice to see someone from the old homestead." He smiled engagingly.

River turned, bored now, and dismissed him, "Not really." She looked at her brother before she strode out again, "Call me if anyone interesting shows up."

Badger grinned at one of his henchmen, "I like her."

Riddick had to give Jayne credit for stating the obvious in a low discreet voice, "That there? Exactly the kind of diversion we could've used."

It didn't take five minutes for River to get back to him with a grin. "She knows where the Captain is."

"You going to be all right," He couldn't be sure just how stable she was at the moment. She didn't seem overly tired, but she was technically recovering from surgery still. And Seers could take odd turns depending on their surroundings and energy levels.

"Concentration on a task, a goal, she focuses, and distractions fall away," She tilted her head and added a concession. "Until fatigue erodes her control. Rest will be required come morning. Words move strangely without strength of will to guide them." Made sense, and meshed with what he'd been thinking earlier. Keep her focused as much as he could.

"Well let's go and get Mal some information," Riddick smiled back at her. He was pretty sure he could handle her if she started to have trouble. And if he couldn't trust her to evaluate her own abilities and resources he'd have to rethink a lot of her training. So far what she said and what he observed fell into line pretty well.

He considered their options for transport as they retreated from the catwalk. They wouldn't be able to take the second shuttle without someone hearing them, but they could 'borrow' a mule so they didn't waste time walking. Leaving the boat might require a trick or two though.

Author's Note: Sooo… we've got a plan. We'll see how well things go. Though I expect some situations will be vastly improved with Riddick involved. What do we think of the different implants?

Chinese Translations:

Wàng zǐ chéng lóng (lit. to hope one's son becomes a dragon (idiom); fig. to long for one' s child to succeed in life / to have great hopes for one's offspring / to give one's child the best education as a career investment)

mèi mei (little sister)

Shì (is / are / am / yes / to be)

Qīngwā cāo de liúmáng (frog fucking hooligans)

Quote Sources:

Was I deceived, or did a sable cloud turn forth her silver lining on the night?- Comus – John Milton

O woman! lovely woman! Nature made thee to temper man: we had been brutes without you. Angels are painted fair, to look like you - Venice Preserv'd – Thomas Otway

The Child is father of the Man – My Heart Leaps Up – William Wordsworth

We are such stuff as dreams are made on and our little life is rounded with a sleep – The Tempest – William Shakespeare

Backward, turn backward, O time in thy flight make me a child again, just for tonight - Rock Me To Sleep – Elizabeth Akers Allen

Therefore, since the world has still much good, but much less good than ill, and while the sun and moon endure luck's a chance, but trouble's sure, I'd face it as a wise man would, and train for ill and not for good. - A Shropshire Lad - A. E. Housman

Be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny – Hamlet – William Shakespeare

O swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon, that monthly changes in her circled orb, lest that thy love prove likewise variable – Romeo and Juliet – William Shakespeare

He's mad that trusts in the tameness of a wolf, a horse's health, a boy's love, or a whore's oath – King Lear – William Shakespeare

And this gray spirit yearning in desire to follow knowledge like a sinking star, beyond the utmost bound of human thought. – Ulysses – Alfred, Lord Tennyson

My troublous dreams this night doth make me sad. – King Lear – William Shakespeare

For in that sleep of death what dreams may come – Hamlet – William Shakespeare

To be, or not to be: that is the question: whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them? – Hamlet – William Shakespeare

Except our own thoughts, there is nothing absolutely in our power - René Descartes