Chapter 16

tabula rasa [ˈˌtäb(y)o͝olə ˈräzə]

NOUN

-an absence of preconceived ideas or predetermined goals; a clean slate.

-the human mind, especially at birth, viewed as having no innate ideas.

Osiris…pretty much the same as it had always been. Though Regan Tam had been thrilled to meet 'Richard's adopted daughter/ward'. River had explained Ziza's origins more quickly and easily than he could. Regan had immediately begun to make plans to take Ziza shopping.

Simon didn't seem much changed, though his entire demeanor was slightly more relaxed and happy. Riddick guessed that knowing the girl he was in love with wanted the same things would shorten the stick up the man's ass. Simon had been polite to Ziza and openly adored River and Regan. He'd also bought a lot of cargo space in order to bring updated medical equipment out for the infirmary River had said was on Serenity.

As far as personal belongings went Simon had limited himself to a trunk of clothing which he'd assured River was more appropriate to the Border and Rim. River explained in a quiet voice to Riddick and Ziza that Simon had worn his core clothing on Serenity and it had made him stick out like a sore thumb whenever they hit dirt outside White Sun.

Where they'd house Simon on the boat had been a bit problematic since River had one passenger dorm and Ziza had the other. River couldn't move her belongings into Riddick's room and live with him, at least not according to her upbringing. Not without completely scandalizing her sibling.

River's room would have held them both, especially with the extra bed he'd added that could be raised and lowered according to need. But Simon was a grown man and River an adult woman. It wouldn't work. Which left them with the conundrum of where to house Simon, or where to move River's belongings.

It finally took some shuffling around, but they moved River's Blackbox onto the bridge and connected it to the cortex there. Her books, sketch pads and other more portable cortex equipment moved to newly installed shelves over the small couch in the common area. And her clothing moved into Ziza's room where River would sleep when she wasn't in Riddick's bed. It was weird and part of him wanted very badly to say screw custom and move her in with him. But it turned out to be a good thing he didn't.

River's brother had been nothing but polite to Ziza and Riddick, though on occasion he still eyed Riddick as if he were an attack dog without a leash. The afternoon before they were due to leave Riddick overheard why and nearly burst out laughing.

"River, you can't tell me that you haven't noticed the resemblance," Simon's voice reached his ears.

"She's not his daughter Simon," River was obviously laughing at her brother.

"Their skin is very similar, and their features," Simon retorted.

"Because Ziza's father was an Imam, and from the pictures I've seen, very dark skinned. Darker than Zoë even. Her mother had paler skin," River countered with actual facts as opposed to supposition.

"How do you know that she wasn't simply their adopted child," Now her brother was stretching things a bit far towards the ridiculous.

"Because if Richard had been having a relationship with Ziza's mother Lajunn I would have noticed. The woman did not like him, not one bit," River sighed.

"That could be because he left her," Simon argued. "You can't know for certain."

"Can't I?" Riddick could just picture that cool arch of one eyebrow, the slight tilt of her head, a visual prompt to remind her brother of just what she was. Simon didn't stutter or fumble, but his silence was as good as a shout of capitulation. River's quiet voice continued, "If there is one thing I know with absolute certainty, it is that Richard is not Ziza's birth father. She's nothing like him for one. Second, and more importantly, he would never abandon his child. Ever."

"How can you be so certain of that, if he doesn't have a child," The doctor was like a dog with a bone.

"Because the minute Ziza waved, with tears on her face, his only thought was to get to her, the daughter of his lost friend. To keep her from the fate that befell another child he knew," His lover's voice was passionate but somehow still calm. "She's not his blood, but she's the closest he has to family. If he had a child of his own blood…I don't think he'd ever be able to leave it with others."

"You sound very certain," Simon seemed to be switching tactics.

"Simon, exactly what are you trying to ask, or accuse him of," River sounded tired all of the sudden and he wondered just how stressful she found it, all the restrictions, rules, written and unwritten, everything that went with being on a Core planet.

"I'm trying to get an impression of him," Her brother's voice lowered. "Because I know he's not an Operative. If he was he's not anymore. And Mother isn't a bèn dàn. She knows you're sleeping with him."

"Yes, she does," River's voice had gone steely. "And she gave me a reminder of what was appropriate and what isn't. I am abiding by the customs of our culture Simon. If Mother approves of him, and she does, wholeheartedly, who are you to say otherwise?"

"He's just…very…demonstrative, with you, correct but he seems…possessive rather than loving," The doctor sighed. "He's nothing like anyone you've been close to. He's not even similar to Mal or Jayne or Wash. He's certainly as unlike the Companions as he could be."

"Did you ever think that maybe, despite all outward appearances, he is what I need?" Steel frozen in hydrogen, dropping in shards of metal to the ground gave a warmer impression than his lover's voice. "You're not the only one in this family who has desires out of the norm Simon. How would you feel if I spoke like this to Kaylee?"

"But you're not courting him, not marrying him, you haven't—" Riddick judged it a good time to interrupt before River got even more irritated, rounding the corner at a good stride as if seeking them out.

"Doctor Tam, your mother was looking for you," He informed the man. "River, could you and I go over the bunks one more time, make sure everything is in place? Your mother offered to have your housekeeper launder the bedding which was nice but none of the beds are made up now."

"The maids could—" Her brother began and River cut him off.

"No, if you aren't crew or a passenger, you don't come on the boat, very few exceptions to the rule and all for good reason," She shook her head. "Richard and I are perfectly capable of making beds."

"Bounce a plat piece off 'em when we're done," Riddick smirked at her.

"Military brainwashing," She teased gently and his smirk widened to a grin.

"Damn right," He agreed.

Once aboard The Cutter Simon's manner eased somewhat, as if simply being in the Black reminded him that he could enjoy certain freedoms. He didn't seem at all surprised by River's manners, or the occasional teasing remark and familiar smile she gave Riddick and Ziza. Riddick wondered if this was what River had been like before the Academy. A lady to the manner born. But kind with it.

It was funny, but as Simon relaxed, River's behavior became more formal. He hadn't realized until it stopped, the easy smiles and conversation. The teasing and sweetness in words if not touch. How she'd lean into him when he touched her, like a cat craving attention. Now if he ran a hand up her spine she turned her face up to his and smiled but she didn't lean against his side anymore.

Ziza looked at him in confusion at one point and he'd shrugged his own mystification back at her. Hopefully once they'd delivered her brother to their old boat River would go back to normal.

The best thing about having her brother on the boat was River staying most of the night in his room. She'd get up a couple hours before the 'morning' cycle was about to begin and go across the hall to Ziza's room. His 'ward' liked the novelty of the top bunk so River could slip into bed without waking her.

He'd usually get up soon after (like he could sleep when she wasn't there and he was Not thinking about that and what it meant damnit) and go to his office to do some work on the weapons he customized. River would knock to let him know breakfast was ready. Usually he was the only one awake until River came out to cook and then it was only the two of them.

This morning though, he heard Simon speaking with his sister in the galley/common area. "You're not spending entire nights with him are you mèi mei?"

"That has rarely occurred," River seemed to be defending herself. "And I always follow the proper forms the morning after."

"How did this even begin," Her brother truly seemed worried for his sister. And for once it wasn't because he'd figured out who 'Richard' really was. He knew; he wasn't an idiot and it had only taken Ziza one slip for him to catch on. It was odd, someone like Doctor Simon Tam, totally unconcerned that his sister was fucking a convict (minus the actual conviction). He seemed more concerned with her behavior not Riddick's. "Will you explain that to me?"

"I…found him very attractive, from the first," River was cooking, he could hear her working. "He liked my looks, agreed to take me as a passenger… and then… well… it took a while. I took the chance of informing him of my attraction." He had to wonder what face her brother had made that she hastened on, "But I didn't ask him for anything. I promise. I went to my room. He came in past the doorway… touched my cheek, rubbed his thumb over my mouth."

"And," Simon's voice had gone iron hard.

"I took his thumb into my mouth," River admitted. "That was all. I didn't touch him in any intimate way until he began to touch me and made it certain that my interest was reciprocated. I promise Simon, there was no coercion. I wouldn't do that to him."

"And he hadn't been drinking or anything?" Simon clarified.

"I've never seen him drunk," River clarified that point. "A little tipsy now and then. He hadn't had anything."

"Yuàn Fótuó réncí," Her brother sighed. "He's a very strong-willed individual. Which is needful if he's dealing with you my beautiful genius sister. But you're lucky he responded as he did. That was a very tricky position to put him in."

"I know," Her voice had quieted. "But I made certain to maintain the proper forms with him outside the bedroom. I've been very careful. I couldn't bear it if I hurt him somehow…with all he's been through… he doesn't deserve that."

"I know," Simon had a smile in his voice and was much closer to the wall now. "I love you mèi mei. I want you to be happy."

"Xiè xie, Simon," Moisture. Salt. That choked quality to her voice. He hadn't seen her cry often but he knew the scent of it.

Hitting the control to stop the machine and vacuum up any shavings took half a second and he waited impatiently for the cycle to finish so he could leave the room. When the door finally slid open he took in the sight of River's brother hugging her tightly and kissing the top of her head. And the glare he aimed at Riddick…Not many had the nerve.

"Riddick, you're early," River turned her head to look at him, a welcoming smile on her lips. "Are you hungry?"

"Smelt your tears," He told her quietly. "Wanted to be sure you were all right."

"I'll be fine, chéngméng guān zhào," She nodded.

He shook his head, "Bùyòngkè qi." He looked at them a moment longer and wondered exactly what it was that Simon had been so worried River had done.

Nearly to New Kasmir, and Simon was laughing with Ziza over some math equation on the cortex their mother had bought for the girl. "I swear to you, it takes at least a month and a half, four and a half weeks if you go full burn, to get to Helion Prime on a ship like this," Simon told her with a smile.

"No," Ziza was giggling like a girl who knew the answer would shock and amaze him. "It took River an' Riddick two days," She shook her head.

Simon blinked at her, looked at Riddick and then River before shaking his head, "How did you manage that? River, in your off hours, did you invent a time machine?"

"That's nothing, it only took one and a half to get back," Ziza grinned at him.

"Cryo," Simon blinked and looked at the Captain and his sister for confirmation. "Somehow you've managed to turn your ship into a cryo capable boat."

"Takes a bit of work," Riddick smiled wickedly. "And someone who knows what they're doing."

"And you do," Funny to see Simon realize that he'd been underestimating Riddick from the start. River shook her head at her brother. Had he really thought she'd be interested in someone without intelligence?

"We said I'd been through Strikeforce, Operative training," Riddick shrugged at him, that evil smirk still on his face. "I can do a bit of everything, but my specialties are flying, killing and mechanics."

"Not necessarily in that order," River added with a smile. "Not bad at husking either."

"Not bad, but I can't make a cortex hop on its corners and dance the way you can, you're just as good a mechanic and nearly as good at piloting. And you deal death like it's an art form," He countered and she smiled wider. It was a constant delight to her how much Riddick enjoyed her skills. He never gave a false compliment.

"You, somehow against everything an engineer is taught, set the ship to cryo, go to sleep and the autopilot follows your course," Her brother murmured.

"Pretty much," Ziza giggled at him. "The cuffs are even safe for kids to use."

"Safe for pretty much everyone," Riddick agreed. "Instead of getting frozen, the drugs buffer you against the rigors of the energy needed for that much acceleration. The ship has to be reinforced from the hull inward or it'll shake itself apart."

"Fixed the ship up himself," River explained proudly.

"It must have taken a while," Simon shook his head in amazement. "Kaylee would flip over the possibilities."

"I'm just glad Riddick got soundproofing for the other bunks," Ziza rolled her eyes. River shook her head, feeling herself turn pink. It was one thing to know (in theory) that it was possible Ziza had heard she and Riddick before the soundproofing had been installed. Another entirely to hear it from the girl's lips.

"Ziza," Riddick tilted his head at her.

"What?" The younger girl shook her head. "For all that you keep telling me I'm too young to be thinking on dating or whatever, you seem to forget that I was getting an earful before and after cryo."

River sighed and shook her head, "Ziza."

"You two are just lucky I actually know more than I talk about or I'd be traumatized for life," Brown curls bounced as she shook her head again. "I might've thought she was being murdered in there."

It was just not possible to melt into a puddle and sink through the deck in embarrassment, River reminded herself. Impractical and impossible to become incorporeal and one with the ship. Thankfully Riddick was unembarrassed by Ziza's pronouncements though she could see he was getting irked with the girl.

"Ziza," Riddick put a growl into her name. "Change the subject."

"Why," She honestly didn't understand. It was clear as day in her mind. "The Companion said sex was nothing to be embarrassed about. It's a natural act."

"She's right," River forced her emotions back and took refuge in the tranquil manner she'd learned from her mother. "It is. And were you asking questions in order to educate yourself, or teasing Riddick or I, about our activities or proclivities, that would be fine. But you are also speaking of my sex life to my older brother."

"How'd you like me to start asking you questions about your female cycle and anything you need for it in front of Simon? Even if he is a doctor?" Riddick asked pointedly. That got through to her at least.

"Just…before you think to tease us, consider if you would say the same things in front of your mother or father," River suggested. "In addition to making me uncomfortable, Simon is…unused to my…activities being discussed…in the open, as it were."

"Oh…" Ziza frowned. "It seems like a lot of different rules."

Simon gave her a sympathetic smile, "Out of the Core, even in parts of Persephone, there are less. You have difficulty with the structure you perceive." He spread his hands, "For me it's the opposite. There are so many less restrictions…it's difficult to know what to do. How to behave. I insulted Kaylee several times unintentionally because I didn't understand the rules of her society."

"Or lack thereof," River added dryly. She'd almost lost count of the many times Simon had embarrassed himself or his sweetheart.

"Very true," Simon shook his head.

"What did you do?" Ziza's curiosity reared its head again and Riddick looked interested as well. Well he had mentioned curiosity being one of his besetting sins. Funny how she found it endearing in him when in others it could be an annoyance.

"Well… once we were in a bar, and we were a bit tipsy," Simon recalled his gaffe on Higgin's Moon. "And we ended up sleeping in a booth in the bar. Nothing happened and when Mal came to wake us up, I said as much, that I wouldn't, not with Kaylee…and she found that insulting."

"Uh…" Riddick rubbed the back of his neck. "Kinda see her point."

"Well I do too, now," Simon shook his head. "At the time, I meant that I would never dishonor her like that. Never make advances when she was the worse for drink. On Osiris its considered coercion, which is one of the most heinous blanket offenses you can make. It's right below murder honestly."

"Coercion," Ziza shook her head. "But you wouldn't have been forcing her into anything."

"No, not by her standards," River shrugged as she moved to cabinets and began pulling down cans for the meal. "But on Osiris, to make advances to someone when they are impaired… she wouldn't have been able to fully consent. It's a little more muddled when both parties are intoxicated but still... Coercion can cover everything from harassment to rape. And does. It's very strictly guarded against."

"That's the reason for all those rules you were telling me about," Ziza looked at River. "About what you've got to do before you can marry somebody ain't from the same…background?"

"Pretty much," River nodded. "It's also the reason for a lot of the etiquette we learn as children and young adults. For instance, Simon would bow to you, upon making your acquaintance, but until you offer your hand, he shouldn't touch you. If you'd offered your hand, knuckles and back facing him, he would bow over it and kiss your fingers. If you offered a simple handshake he would return the gesture. You being younger it is his responsibility to guard your safety and innocence. And not push you past the boundaries set."

"I'm getting a better understanding of the hell you went through when you realized what they were doing to River in the Academy," Riddick remarked to her brother.

"And it was worse because my father thought I was making up nonsense and my mother had been assured by both my father and River that everything was fine," Simon sighed. "I don't blame Mother. She had no way of knowing that she was being lied to. But Father…"

"Yeah he didn't want to know," Riddick nodded. He definitely had her father's measure. "Didn't want to mess up his nice life."

"Willfully blind," Simon agreed. "Like the three monkeys, see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil."

River chuckled, "Oh to have a capture of you calling Father a monkey." Simon grinned at her. "And don't forget when you were trying to compliment Kaylee on the space station and inadvertently said you were dating her because she was the only available single female who wasn't related or a professional."

"You weren't even there…" Simon shook his head as he realized what he was saying. "Right. I'm a boob."

"I told you then," She shook her head at him. "Half the ship thought you'd choke on your boot heels before you got it together enough to ask her out. When Jayne began looking at you like you needed help… Yuàn Fótuó réncí."

"What else did he do," Riddick asked with a grin.

"Well, he was angry because I was crazy and Mal had made us both go take a walk away from his disreputable men and business," River recalled, returning his grin. "And when Kaylee tried to be nice to him he was sarcastic and unkind. And I didn't like how either of them felt so I left and went to the festival dance. It was fun."

"Until the kidnapping hillfolk decided they wanted a doctor," Simon sighed. "That wouldn't have been too bad because Serenity would have come back for us eventually. But Book got shot, they had to take off for medical help and River had followed me. So, she was with me."

"Surrounded by ignorant bible worshipers who wouldn't understand a metaphor if it bit them in the pì gu," River added. "And I didn't have any control over what I heard. Barely could control what I said half the time."

"Uh oh," Riddick was clearly imagining how that would have gone over with a bunch of idiot religious folks. Not slow on the uptake was Riddick.

"Understatement," Simon pointed at him with a half-smile. "Massive understatement."

"What happened," Ziza didn't know all the details of River's life but River had told her flat out that she was a Reader. She'd been turned into one by the school she'd gone to and it had hurt. Badly.

"They decided she was a witch," Her brother shook his head.

"This girl reads minds and spins falsehoods." River imitated the Patron, "She's a witch and we must burn the devil from her. With fire." She shook her head, "As opposed to burning the devil from me with something else, like water or ice."

"They were not very bright," Simon groaned.

"The ignorance was painful," She agreed as she diced chicken protein and tossed it with spices. "They built themselves a nice little pyre and a post to tie me up. And Simon lost his mind." She smiled at her big brother over her shoulder. "Punched the two men who grabbed me. Yelled at them. And climbed up with me. Wouldn't leave me."

Riddick was eyeing her brother with new respect and Simon blushed, "I wasn't going to let them kill her. If they wanted to kill her they'd have to kill me too, their brand-new doctor." He shook his head, "Unfortunately, they were determined and it wouldn't have stopped them. We were lucky Serenity showed up when they did."

"Did have a good sense of timing," River agreed.

"Big damn heroes," Simon quipped. "And of course, Mal had to make a smart remark about my talent for making friends."

"Gotta say doctor your talent for alienatin' folks is near miraculous," River responded in Mal's accent.

"And then Mal endeared himself to me for at least a week and a half," Simon chuckled. "By pointing his gun straight at the Patron and telling him that River was Serenity's witch so cut her down."

"He sounds funny," Ziza grinned. "Is he always like that?"

"Sometimes," Simon shook his head. "He's…complex. Not easily understood. And heaven help you if you try to harm or take his crew. His crew and his ship are all he has left in the 'verse and he's lost too many people to be easy about people leaving. Unless he's driven them off himself."

"Contradictory," River agreed with a tilt of her head, remembering Fanty and Mingo's words. "You're unpredictable, Mal. Which is the single worst thing to be in this business. Mingo and me, we's greedy. Could set your watch by our greed; it wavers never. But you... you run when you oughta fight, fight when you oughta deal. Makes a businessperson twitchy."

Simon chuckled, "You remember how every time he got a wave from them he'd rant about double-crossing lǎo píao and how he'd fly Serenity straight to White Sun before he'd do another job for them?"

She laughed recalling some of Mal's more colorful rants. "You remember some of the names he called Badger?"

"I don't think we can repeat them in front of a young lady," Simon grinned and gave Ziza a wink.

"He doesn't like Badger? If I don't end up wanting to kill him, we just might get along," Riddick laughed.

River shook her head, smiling and began to work on the rice and bao. "Badger has the same problem with Mal. Or similar enough. He doesn't like Mal's superior attitude."

"Or the way Mal does business, walks, talks, flies," Simon added humorously.

"Pretty much everything," River agreed.

Simon chuckled, "What's funny is that on the surface, I can see why Badger doesn't like him." He spread his hands as if helpless, "Mal has a way of rubbing people wrong, sometimes on purpose."

"Like the way he pushed and pushed you until you actually hit him and quit," River recalled.

"Like that," Her brother nodded. "Of course, Jayne would do the same thing, poke and poke, mostly just to get a rise out of you."

"Remember how Wash would make fun of them both?" The thought of Wash made her smile wider. "He wanted to know how Jayne was capable of human speech."

"Or when Mal married Saffron when she was conning him," Simon laughed, shaking his head. "She snuck aboard the boat. Having never met the woman in his life Wash says: 'We always hoped you two kids would get together', waits a breath and asks, 'Who is she?' I thought Mal would burst a blood vessel."

"One of the best men on the boat," River nodded and looked at Riddick. "He taught me to fly."

"Tell us more about them," Ziza urged.

"River," Simon's expression hadn't changed but she could feel his urgency, his worry.

"Not here," She shook her head and stood up from the galley table. "Your room." He frowned in confusion but nodded, following her in and waiting while she shut the door. "Riddick's hearing is very good." She explained softly. "The passenger quarters, as Ziza said, have soundproofing but it isn't proof against Furyan ears unless we speak in a very low volume."

"I see," Simon nodded slowly, his voice matching hers. "River…if you and he… and you went into cryo…before or after…"

"I know," River sighed. "I know." She sat down in the chair with a sigh.

"Did you know it could happen?" Her brother crouched in front of her and took her hands. "That cryo would interfere with other medications?"

"The frozen form of cryo didn't," She reminded him. "The med center assured me that the type of medication they gave me would not stop working. I had no reason to doubt them. It wasn't anything I'd ever had to research or even ask about out of curiosity. Riddick has so much experience with cryo, he sets up the cuffs and everything."

"River, it is…very unlike you to not know this was a possibility," He seemed to be thinking something through, and nodded as he decided to speak. "Are you certain that you didn't…subconsciously want something like this? Not to bind him but because of your feelings for him?"

"It's very possible," River nodded with a sigh. "I truly didn't know but neither did I take any steps to find out. I didn't research the drugs. I trusted him to know what he was doing with cryo. He did. He does."

"I'm actually a bit surprised the Riddick wouldn't have known or thought about the possibility," Simon remarked thoughtfully.

"From what I understand of his life before I came aboard, he never had anyone share his bed for so long. Has never gone into cryo with someone beside him. He didn't even have the cryo cuffs set up for the passenger dorms," River explained quietly. "He sailed to the outer systems alone."

Her brother nodded his understanding of that. "So, he might not have realized…And is it likely that there'll be consequences?" He tugged her off the chair and over to the bed so he could wrap his arm around her shoulders.

"Very," She whispered. "Extremely."

"How sure are you," The dark eyes that had been her constant for so long, more than half of her life, were steady and kind.

"As sure as I can be," She admitted softly.

"How…"

She didn't need him to finish the question, "Four days…that doesn't happen unless..."

"You need to tell him," Simon told her gently.

"How can I," River shook her head. "It's the worst form of coercion. It would be forcing myself into his life whether he wants me there or not. He hasn't even asked me to live with him. Not that I'd be able to—but he hasn't indicated that this is anything more than sex. I've already…pushed… telling him I was attracted to him. If he wants me… If he wants me in his life he has to want me without knowing."

"And with his training you can't Read him to find out the truth, not unless he lets you, or gets so rattled that his guard is down," Her brother realized. "You said the more focused and controlled a person is the less obvious their thoughts were."

"Essentially, yes," She nodded. "When we first met…he was irritated…" She half smiled, "He doesn't like being dirtside, no more than Mal or I." When he nodded she shrugged, "Some of his thoughts came through more clearly."

"What do you think you'll do?" Simon might not have any solutions but he was very good at listening to her.

"I'd started talking about getting my own boat, the way I'd planned when I first came aboard," River explained her plan to make her lover want her to stay, or at least give her an indication of what he wanted. "When I pointed one out at Eavesdown not long ago he said he'd miss me if I left. Do you think that's promising?" It seemed ridiculous but she suddenly desperately needed her brother's reassurance.

"It's a good start," Simon nodded. "You know him better than I do, but does he seem a bit on edge? Compared to when I first met him?"

"He does," River nodded slowly. "I wonder if it's because we're finally meeting up with Serenity? When I first came aboard I told him I was looking for them. And I've asked after them in nearly every port of call."

"If he doesn't want you to leave, he might take your interest in Serenity as an indication that you want to rejoin their crew," Her brother considered. "And quite frankly, if he doesn't want you, or—well, any future with you, you'd have to make arrangements to leave anyway."

"I know. I'll have to talk with Mal about it, if they want another pilot or gunhand," She sighed. "Simon…"

"You're in love with him aren't you," Those steady eyes met hers.

"Yes," River sighed again, shaking her head.

"Oh, mèi mei," Simon's lips pressed to her forehead. "You do make things hard for yourself don't you."

"If I'd waited for him to make the first move…this might not be quite so difficult," She admitted. "I boxed myself in."

"The one time you weren't thinking about the long-term implications," He sighed. "Well…at least I know for certain now that you're not perfect."

His dry tone made her laugh and she shook her head. "Good night gē ge."

New Kasmir. He hadn't ever hated the sight of a planet more. The Aksai Docks had an open berth two down from Serenity and he'd settled The Cutter in there despite his impulse to take another open space clear across the docks from the other boat. Out on the Rim dock services ran to basics, not like Eavesdown where you could find just about anything from dress shops to dentistry to guns and optometrists. But Aksai still had fuel, laundry services, waste and water conduits and supply shops. Space going folks needed to eat and, on the docks, it was a seller's market.

"You want to just walk over there or wave 'em first, make sure someone's home," He asked River and hoped he wasn't coming off too annoyed by the entire situation. But he couldn't get it out of his mind, the question that had lingered ever since the first time he'd had her. Was he just some form of practice and tension relief until she could meet up with her old boat? Did she plan to drop him like a bad habit and go after her Captain Reynolds? She'd admitted to having a crush on the man. Did she still?

She'd been on the boat for a while (he'd deliberately refused to think of exactly how long) and apart from making inquiries about Serenity hadn't made a move to leave. And part of him hoped she didn't intend to do so. But she hadn't said she'd stay either.

A woman like River, strong, smart and fierce, independent like no one he'd ever met. Hard to tell what she needed without asking outright. He'd done some research on Osiris culture and traditions, the twists and turns of society were mind-boggling, even to him. The concept of coercion she'd talked about…she hadn't been joking. The highest levels of the offence were right up there with murder. One definition compared it to the deliberate destruction of the soul, the death of personal choice.

He'd have to be careful he wasn't pushing her into anything she didn't want. Part of why he'd waited so long to do anything about that attraction he'd felt. He'd smelled flashes of want from her but nothing definitive and he'd never been interested in going where he wasn't welcome, not when it came to women. And rejection of any kind had never been something he was eager to court.

But damned if he didn't want her to stay.

River had mentioned Serenity was a Firefly transport. An ought three from all appearances. Some of the hull metal looked newer than the rest as did the port side engine and part of the extender. The landing gear looked newer than the rest of the boat too. Made sense when he recalled River's description of the crash landing the ship had made in order to get the Miranda wave out.

She hadn't gone into specifics but he guessed there wasn't much need. The Alliance had done something heinous on Miranda, turned his home world into a mass grave for the second time in its existence. And created Reavers on top of it. Talk about a colossal amount of idiocy. Idiocracy, he'd heard someone call the Parliament once and he couldn't agree more.

The Firefly's bay doors had been lowered, forming a ramp similar to The Cutter's, and a tall man in a long coat was directing the unloading and loading of various crates. A dark woman and another tall man, this one with a goatee, were working in tandem with the first man. She was pointing out crates to be taken while the goateed fellow directed where the new ones should be placed.

"Permission to come aboard?" River called as the odd little dance of cargo concluded.

"River girl," The goatee man grinned openly and didn't wait for anyone else, hurrying down the ramp and scooping the slender woman up in a hug that swung her around.

"How are you Jayne," She smiled as he finally set her down.

"Oh, you know, trying to keep from getting shot," A big hand rubbed the back of his neck.

"And are you successful in your endeavors," Riddick watched as she smiled affectionately.

"Fair to middlin'," The man could only be the gunhand she'd told him about. The one who'd sparred with her and became a friend. Riddick glanced at Simon wondering how he'd take the hug but River's brother didn't seem concerned. Maybe he finally believed his sister when she said Jayne was only a friend.

"Li'l Albatross, didn't know we were expectin' you," The first man, with the long coat came down the ramp. "Doctor," He nodded at Simon. "You didn't say you were bringing River back with you."

"Because I didn't," Simon shook his head. "River sails with Rick and they brought me."

"Well why don't ya'll come aboard and we'll introduce ourselves 'round," The same man invited. This had to be River's old Captain, Malcolm Reynolds.

Riddick wanted to gut him on general principal.

Author's Note: And what do we think? At least River has admitted she's in love with Riddick. So now only one of them is living on river front property in Egypt.

Chinese Translations:

bèn dàn (fool / idiot)

mèi mei (little sister)

Yuàn Fótuó réncí (May Buddha be merciful / May the Buddha be merciful)

Xiè xie (to thank / thanks / thank you)

chéngméng guān zhào (to be indebted to sb for care / thank you for looking after me)

Bùyòngkè qi (you're welcome / don't mention it / no need to stand on ceremony)

pì gu (butt)

lǎo píao (literally, old frequenter of prostitutes)

gē ge (big brother)