New Age Fox Trot
Simon found River at her favorite haunting place on the catwalk, long hair dangling down through the slots in the metal and one hand dancing through the air beside her. He knelt beside her and stroked her hair tenderly. "Hold still, River." She didn't react to the needle in her arm but it wasn't a surprise; she never did. He wondered if it was because she was too used to being poked and prodded. "How are you feeling?"
She stared up at him through splayed fingers. "The drugs make the ship spin end over end and then I sleep. Not tired but I sleep."
"Some drowsiness is to be expected."
"Captain is still mad at you, wonders why I let the crocodile out." She rolled over and stared out over the cargo hold where Jayne and their new passenger were rearranging the crates to give them more room. The prisoner named Riddick had produced a pair of black goggles that had become a permanent fixture over the past week. Simon had seen his eyes and they were unlike anything he'd encountered.
"If it had been a real crocodile, you would have been in danger."
She looked up at him and pulled a face. "Knew it wasn't, Simon. Heard it whispering."
He looked away when he realized the prisoner was watching them from down below. "River. Tell me why you're not afraid of him."
"Didn't put him in the box, didn't throw him out with the trash. No reason to want my blood in his teeth. Peas in a pod, we are."
"River, listen to me, this is a dangerous man and I need you to be very careful around him." Simon brushed her hair out of her eyes and smiled kindly even though she was missing the obvious fact that serial killers didn't always need a reason. "Will you promise me that you'll be careful?"
"Don't need promises, need truth." Her eyelashes fluttered and she curled up on her side. "Too much night. Can't see out here in the black."
Simon returned the syringe to his medicine bag, making sure that the needle was safely capped and wouldn't bounce around as he walked. In Ariel, he had never thought about the keeping of needles. There were always more to be had once one was used and he never asked where they came from. The sound of boots scraping over metal startled him and he looked up to see Riddick lifting River off of the catwalk.
"Put her down!"
Riddick didn't respond, merely cradled River tighter against his chest and walked away.
"Where are you taking her?" Simon followed after him.
"You want her sleeping up here?" Riddick asked over his shoulder. "Hard drop to the floor if she rolls."
"I can take care of her."
The big man stopped at the foot of the stairs and faced Simon. "Never said you couldn't but the Captain says I'm to make myself useful. Which room's hers?"
"On the right." Simon blinked, unsure of what to do other than follow. He watched like a hawk as Riddick carried River into her room and laid her down on the bed. She never stirred or gave any indication that she was aware of being moved. He reached down and smoothed her hair with unexpected gentleness before turning to leave, finally allowing Simon to move to her side. "She's only seventeen, you know."
Riddick stopped in the doorway and looked back over his shoulder. "You say that like it means something."
"Are your…I don't know what your intentions are."
His jaw tightened visibly and even with his eyes hidden from view, there was unmistakable hostility in his manner. "Another time and place, I'd slit you open for less than what you just said."
"What did I say?" Simon asked, knowing full well what had been insinuated but deciding the pretense of ignorance had suddenly become a survival skill.
"I got no business with your sister other than her letting me out of that box. I repay my debts, good or bad. Remember that." He stalked out of the room and the sound of his boots faded away.
Simon took a deep breath, looking down at his sister and wondering if he was ever going to understand her. He wanted to believe that she'd let Riddick out of the box for more than curiosity's sake; maybe she had felt or recognized that he wasn't as dangerous as he seemed or as the ancient broadcast wave reported.
It had been Wash who followed up on the history of the new passenger by making contact with Mr. Universe; who saw every wave, every transmission, that passed through Alliance territory and maybe even beyond. Communication between neighboring star systems was scarce at best and an alert about one escaped prisoner would be significant. This Riddick, Mr. Universe said, was wanted for more than half a dozen murders and for escaping several maximum-security prisons. There seemed to be no real count of how many people he'd killed.
The price on his head had Jayne going bug eyed and grumbling behind Mal's back. It was Simon's guess that if Mal could find a way to collect the reward without either going to the Alliance or traveling out of the system, he would. Jobs that bordered on legal were getting further apart and harder to come by so they needed the money.
He stayed with River as she slept through a good part of the day. These blank days of deep space travel were all the peace and quiet that their jobs usually weren't. It gave him time to think and for some reason, their passenger's unusual eyes came to mind. There was something vaguely familiar about them. He'd heard about a procedure of chemical coating along the retina but had dismissed it as a myth.
Every question seemed to lead to more questions and Simon wondered if it was even possible for someone without secrets to set foot on Serenity. Still lost in thought, he almost missed the call for food.
"No more secrets," River mumbled, coming awake as the initial results of the medications wore off right on schedule.
"Time to eat, River." He rubbed her arm gently and smiled when her eyes open.
"How are you feeling?"
"Fine," she answered, stifling a yawn.
"I think the medication is helping."
She sat up and swung her legs off the bed. "Can't undo what they did or patch up the stitches in my brain. Never going to be a normal girl with perfume and lace on her ankles." Her toes wiggled and made her smile.
"You're going to be fine, River. I promise. Let's go eat."
He kept his hand hovering over her back as they walked to the kitchen. She'd managed to slip away from him twice and he was beginning to wonder if he had any control over her at all. They arrived to find the rest of the crew already there, Mal and Inara embroiled in another one of their arguments.
"You let that bounty hunter sit at our table," Inara insisted.
"He was a paying passenger not a prisoner on the run for killin' people." Mal tried to step around her but she merely followed him.
"That's ridiculous. He's not the only one on this ship who's killed people and you know it. At the very least, you could show him a little human decency."
"Not lookin' for humanity where there ain't none to be found. Thought knowing what a man was capable of was part of your job?" Mal stepped around her again and took his seat. "You worried about the health and comfort of an escaped murderer, you can always take your meal in your shuttle."
River giggled and poked Simon. "Crocodile bites, told you he would."
He wasn't sure precisely what she meant, as usual, and led her to her seat at the table. She studied the utensils before picking them up and using them to prod her food experimentally.
"You know, Mal. 'Nara might be on to somethin'," Jayne said through a mouth of food.
"Aiya, not you too."
"Only time we ain't watching him is when we're all here eatin'. Ain't the smartest plan if'n you know what I mean."
Mal considered that for a moment, looking between Jayne and Inara with an annoyed expression. "I reckon he's got a point. Man could get into a lot of mischief with our backs turned." Inara smiled tightly and left the room, her skirt making the familiar swish of silk on silk and her slippers completely silent against the metal floor.
"Have we flown into some alternate universe where Jayne is right?" Wash glanced around with exaggerated concern.
"Thinks like a crocodile even though he's a bear. Claws and teeth all the same, only difference is the fur." River stabbed at a chunk of potato, holding it up on the end of her fork for inspection. "Knows weapons, guns and knives. Crocodile fought the war like Mal. Lost the battle in the valley, running now. Always running."
"She sayin' this Riddick's a browncoat?" Jayne nearly choked on his stew.
"Could be any number of wars, Jayne. Probably a different star system even." Zoe was watching Mal carefully.
"Made him a monster once the war was buried and hid away in the dust. He didn't have a ship could save him." River bit the potato off of her fork and chewed it slowly. "Should be nicer to crocodile, Mal. Won't be long now, you'll see teeth and scales when you look in the mirror."
"Is it just me or is she getting creepier?" Wash whispered.
"Just might be. River, honey, do you like your stew?" Zoe pushed the plate of bicuits toward River with a taut smile.
The room fell into awkward silence broken only by Jayne's slurping and the clink of metal against ceramic. Book appeared to be absorbed in some form of mediation, his eyes focused steadily on the Bible in front of him. It was impossible not to hear the tread of heavy boots in the corridor leading to the kitchen but everyone tried to feign ignorance as Inara led Riddick into the kitchen.
"The extra chair is a little rickety so be careful with the legs." She motioned toward the chair. "Please join us."
When Riddick gave no sign of sitting down, her smile faltered and she moved to her own chair. He was surprisingly fast for such a large man, reaching out to pull the chair away from the table for her. A muscle in Mal's jaw twitched but he said nothing.
"Thank you. I'm afraid chivalry isn't something I see much of on this ship." Inara sat down gracefully. He didn't answer but moved to the extra chair and sat down. The food circulated slowly, with Inara single-handedly ensuring that the plates reached Riddick.
Mal spoke up suddenly, "Show some respect if you plan on eating at this table. I prefer to look a man in the eye." Riddick reached up and slowly lifted the goggles onto his forehead, silver eyes meeting Mal's.
"I still say that's a neat trick," Jayne said into his bowl.
"Mind sharin' just how it is you got those eyes." Mal had stopped eating, turning the chunk of processed bread over in his hands repeatedly.
"Depends on who's asking," Riddick answered.
"It's a chemical shine, isn't it?" Simon looked up from his soup, avoiding both Mal's and Riddick's gaze. "I thought it was just a story made up to scare the first year residents. The procedure is illegal and less than one percent of the surgeries are successful. Most of the people who have it done end up blind or die of infection."
"What's the reason a man would do that to hisself?" Jayne eyed Riddick with newfound interest.
"I heard that it allows them to see in the dark." Simon finally looked at Riddick and saw no visible emotion on his face. "The chemical coating on the retina increases sensitivity to light. I'm assuming that's why you wear the goggles."
"Do it hurt?" Jayne asked.
Riddick finally spoke. "Ain't pleasant."
"Crocodile remembers the sun on his face. Can't see it now, hasn't seen it for a very long time. Has to hide in darkness, no more rainbows." River was smiling brightly and dragging her spoon along an imaginary rainbow. Her words didn't seem to bother Riddick and he continued eating without giving any indication that he had even heard her.
"Why'd you get it done?" Kaylee asked shyly.
"No daylight slam." Riddick shrugged, not bothering to look up from his stew. "Staying alive is a lot easier when you can see who's trying to kill you."
"Was it painful? I mean, that's gotta hurt…having somethin' put in your eyes." Kaylee looked around the table for support. "Don't everybody think it'd hurt?"
"Ain't pleasant," he repeated with nearly clinical detachment.
"Might come in handy, having eyes like that." Mal finally bit into his bread, chewing deliberately and keeping his eyes on Riddick. "Bet it makes killin' people easier too."
"Mal." Inara glared at him
"Am I the only one on this boat ain't forgot what he is? You all saw the wave, how do we know he won't kill us in our sleep?"
"Ask her." Riddick looked straight at River. "Go ahead. Ask her if I plan on killing any of you."
"Why would I do that?" Mal's eyes narrowed.
"She's the psychic. You tellin' me you haven't noticed? Should pay more attention to what she says, might learn something." Riddick finished his soup and set the spoon lightly in the bowl.
"You don't find it creepifying? Her being in your head like that." Jayne shuddered a little.
Riddick didn't answer the question, still watching River as she pushed one of her carrots around in circles at the bottom of her bowl. The rest of the group took turns staring at eat other, silent questions that weren't spoken out loud passing back and forth between.
"Doesn't want me to see the darkness." River was staring into her bowl with rapt attention. "Doesn't want me to see it, doesn't want me to see. There's so much blood. Simon, it's everywhere."
"River?" Simon reached out to put his hand on her shoulder.
"Leave," Mal ordered Riddick as he stood up. "I won't have you filling her head with the evil you done." Riddick stood up without protest and left the room, his boots sounding in the corridor almost until he reached the cargo hold.
"River, honey. You all right?" Zoe reached out to touch River's hand.
"You gonna ask her what she saw?" Jayne whispered too loudly to Mal. "Could be it was our blood. Wouldn't mind a bit of warning."
"Hard to know whose blood it could be if the wave's anything to go by. I do know that he don't belong on this ship and I'm keen to be rid of him." Mal collected his bowl and utensils, returning them to the kitchen area. "We'll be on Santo in another couple days, maybe sooner. Might want to think about locking your doors at night."
"Mal, he hasn't tried to harm any of us. Don't you think you're being a little judgmental?" Inara tried to reason with him.
Mal leaned against the back of his chair, jaw clenched as he stared her down. "Thought you said you weren't open to anyone on this ship. That was part of the deal, wasn't it? Might affect our agreement if'n that's changed."
She stood up very slowly, dark eyes flashing the only sign of anger. "Nothing has changed."
"Escaped murderer holding your chair for you, you defending him when it's obvious to everyone else he's dangerous. Forgive me for wondering if maybe you're wantin' him around for some other reason than human decency," Mal continued to goad her, just as angry.
"That escaped murderer has shown me more respect than you ever have, Malcolm Reynolds. And the agreement was for you and your crew. I gave no conditions concerning passengers on this ship."
"Not sure which part of that is funnier. The part where you think I ain't respected you or the part where you let him touch you." Mal stood up and crossed his arms, glaring at her coldly. "I'll be glad to be rid of your kind, ain't been nothing but trouble for me and mine." He stalked off toward the bridge, leaving the room in stunned silence.
"And I was never yours," Inara said softly after he was gone, turning her face away from the rest of the crew.
Kaylee moved to Inara's side quickly. "Cap'n don't mean that, Inara. He's just cranky bein' on this ship too long. You know how he is."
"It was partly true." Inara's smile was weak and strained. "I am leaving. He's been generous enough not to tell you but I intend to leave Serenity at New Melbourne. I'm sorry I didn't tell you all sooner."
Kaylee looked shattered. "Is it because of the Cap'n?"
"No, of course not. It's just time for me to move on." Inara hugged Kaylee tightly, stroking her hair. "And it was a very hard decision for me to make. I will miss you all terribly."
"We'll miss you, Inara." Zoe pulled closer to Wash.
"Who else will keep us civilized and remind us how to use those magical things called forks?" It was meant to be a joke but even Wash seemed genuinely distressed by the idea.
Jayne stared at her with a furrowed brow. "How'd shine job afford what you charge, 'Nara?"
She sighed patiently and reached out to gently pat his hand. "He saved my life, Jayne."
"Hell, I saved your life a-plenty. You ain't never," he stopped as he saw the others begin to smile. "Oh. So Cap'n was only right about the leavin' part, not about the part where you…"
"Exactly."
"Good. Don't want to be left out…if'n there's a chance."
"Not in this lifetime." Inara gave them all a bright smile. "If you don't mind, I'm going to return to my shuttle. I guess it's time I started packing my things."
Once Inara was gone, Kaylee sat down and stared at the table dejectedly. "This is awful. What're we gonna do? We gotta convince her to stay and give the Cap'n another chance. You know he can't really want her off the ship, y'all seen the way he looks at her."
"Maybe it's just time for her to go. She'll be fine, Kaylee. Ain't no problem for a registered Companion to find work," Zoe assured her.
"On New Melbourne? Ain't nothing there but fish."
"And a lot of folk passing through. Bound to be a ship headed for the Core." She took stock of the table and stood up. "Everybody put a hand in for cleaning up and let's get back to our jobs."
Simon stayed close to River as they gathered up the empty plates and bowls. She had a tendency to forget what she was doing and leave a chore half finished. It helped to be beside her, gently reminding her of what she'd been doing before distraction caught her eye. Her eyes had that far away look that meant her mind was somewhere else and he took extra care to make sure she didn't drop any of the dishes.
"He hurt her, Simon," she told him as she dried a mug.
"I'm sure she's used to it by now." He took the mug when she was done and placed it back in the storage bin.
"Afraid he pushed her away but doesn't know how to keep her."
Kaylee finished drying her mug and put it away next to River's. "Don't s'pose any of us knows how to do that or she wouldn't be wantin' rid of us."
"I'm sure it's not us, well, not us personally." Wash glanced toward the bridge. "Do you think Mal really believes she…you know…with the big, scary, bald guy? Or was that just another one of their domestic disputes?"
"Seems plenty mad about something. Could be that she's leaving, could be something else," Zoe answered thoughtfully as she stowed the rest of the plates. "Best let him be. The Captain will work it out."
"Before or after he makes this place a gorram hell?" Jayne rattled the forks as he put them away. "Don't fancy him takin' his frustration out on me."
"Has anyone thought to ask Inara what happened in her shuttle?" The sound of Book's voice startled them. They'd forgotten he was still in the room.
"Bad guy killed the other bad guy. Thank goodness only one of them had any hair or we might not have been able to tell them apart." Wash snatched the last biscuit before Zoe whisked it away.
"Don't reckon there's much more to it than that, Shepherd," Zoe said.
"Inara is not an unreasonable woman nor is she unintelligent. If she believes this man is worth befriending then there must be a reason."
"Could be she's just being nice and all," Kaylee offered helpfully.
"Might be trying to save our necks," Jayne pointed out with his usual gleeful anticipation of violence. "Bein' nice might be part of her using her feminine wiles to keep him distracted. Makin' deals with the devil."
"It never hurts to be nice to the dangerous criminal, maybe he'll choose not to slit our throats." Wash checked the bridge with trepidation, resigned to having to occupy the same space as the Captain. "Then again, if something important happened, wouldn't Inara tell us?"
"Could be he threatened her?" Jayne fingered his knife.
"Jayne." Zoe shook her head. "There'll be no killing on this ship."
"I can take him, Zoe. You know I can."
"No sense you dyin' just to please the Captain. Shepherd's got a point, knowing the truth ain't never been wrong. We got two more days of this, best for all to keep the peace and go our way." Zoe held up a hand to stave off any argument. "We all got jobs to fill."
They drifted out of the dining area toward their respective posts. Jayne continued to grumble about nothing in particular and Kaylee announced that she was going to see Inara. With no immediate injuries to tend to, Simon returned to the medical bay to continue sorting and reorganizing his supplies. Imposing order in the midst of chaos gave his hands something to do while his mind spun in circles. River never accompanied him and she seemed to be fascinated with the walls of the ship for the moment. The way she cocked her head reminded him of a bird listening for worms beneath the dirt. Maybe she was listening to whatever went on behind the walls.
He started counting bandages and dressings, glancing up to check on River occasionally. She had discovered a length of hollow metal pipe about four feet long and was peering through it at the floor. It brought back memories of the games they used to play and that made him smile. She had always wanted to be the pirate sailing away with treasure and hiding it on an island where no one could touch it. His part had been the noble sea captain chasing after her to put an end to her lawless ways. He could remember the way her hair shone in the sunlight as she raced away from him with her treasure. Usually it was a music box or a statue that their mother had given her, something she wasn't too worried about breaking but precious enough to be worthy of a pirate.
Always smiling. The River he'd grown up with had been a happy child fascinated with all that was and all that could be. Questions tumbled out of her mouth about everything her senses discovered. The sun, the stars, the ground beneath her feet. Nothing was too far away for her to reach and she hungered for knowledge.
The clang of metal against metal broke his train of thought but he didn't think much of it. Either River had dropped her piece of pipe or Jayne was rearranging the cargo again. When there wasn't anything else to do, the chunren had to keep busy somehow. It wasn't until he heard a series of unusual thumps and crashing sounds that he wondered what was going on.
"Simon!" Kaylee's cry sent his heart racing and he left what he was doing to run toward her voice. She was on the catwalk crossing the cargo hold, pointing to the crates and waving for him to hurry. Rushing up the stairs, he reached Kaylee at the same time as Inara and stared out over the cargo in horror.
Metal swooped and spun, River's hair flying as she twisted around to swing the pipe at Riddick's chest. He rolled left, came back to his feet and caught the pipe with one hand, yanking it to the side and trying to pull River off balance. With glee, she let go and sped across the top of the crates toward the catwalk. She leapt into the air, hands catching the metal supports and swapping positions. Feet swinging around, she landed a kick dead center in Riddick's chest and knocked him back. The big man was down for barely an instant before she was off and running with him a short step behind her. She scrambled onto the catwalk at the far end of the cargo hold. Strong hands swung Riddick up onto the walk ahead of her, blocking her path.
Beside Simon, Kaylee jumped as Riddick lunged toward River, gripping Simon's arm painfully as River danced out of harm's way. Dark hair fluttered like ribbon as she took hold of a support rod, using it to swing herself around and catapult off of the catwalk to land on the crates. Riddick was a second behind her, the sound of his heavy boots on the top of crates resounding through the hold. He caught her this time, a large arm snaking around her waist and lifting her up.
"No!" Simon shouted as he hurried around to the side where he could be closer to her. "Let her go! River!"
Riddick let go her immediately and River laughed as she darted away. "I'm dancing, Simon! Come dance with me!"
"River, get down from the crates. Go over to the edge and I'll help you down, all right?"
"You're not fun." River frowned but moved toward the edge of the crate as he asked. Before Simon could get down to floor level, Riddick dropped over the side like a cat and reached up to help her to the floor.
"What do you think you're doing?" Simon moved himself protectively between River and Riddick.
"Dancing apparently." Riddick's attention was fixed on the crate beside him.
"Dancing? You were chasing my sister!"
"Seemed to me she was enjoying it." Riddick turned his head toward Simon and lifted his goggles away from his eyes.
"That's ridiculous. Why would she want to be chased by someone who's probably trying to slit her throat?" As he said it, he knew it could be true and prayed that Riddick wouldn't see through the lie. She couldn't have understood that it was more than just a game played with a wolf.
"Someone want to tell me what's going on?" Mal demanded as he entered the cargo bay with Zoe and Jayne not far behind. "And why ain't I surprised to find our new guest at the center of the trouble."
"He was chasin' River round the crates." Kaylee waved at the cargo.
"Fox trot." River spun around slowly, lost in her own world. "Slow, slow, quick, quick. Keep up, don't step on toes."
"She thought they were dancin'," Kaylee added in River's defense. "It's kinda like dancin', I s'pose. I mean, you gotta move your feet and all."
"There some reason you need to be chasin' her about?" Mal asked Riddick coldly. Riddick only shrugged in response, meeting Mal's furious stare with controlled calm.
"Sir?" Zoe was staring intently at the crate next to Riddick.
"Read my mind, Zoe. Think you got something strong enough to hold this guy? Other than a bullet, that is. Don't care too much for blood all over my ship."
"Sir? The crate." She pointed to a crack along the corner.
"You damaged the cargo?" Mal shoved past Riddick to inspect a widening gap between two of the sides. His frown deepened as he pulled out a wrapped packaged that had been cut open by the metal's edge. A single lavender flower had slipped through the gap and unfurled an array of heart shaped petals.
"I think we got ourselves a problem, sir." Zoe checked the next crate for damage. "These ain't wheat. Orchids maybe, outta Greenleaf. Settlers ain't got no need for orchids, sir."
"They could be meant for medicines," Simon suggested. "There is a black market for tropical plants that produce cures."
"Or for makin' drops and black wine, sir." Zoe waited a beat, "It is Santo we're goin' to. Ain't known for its medicine."
"More known for anythin' that'd turn a man blind," Jayne said with a grin. "That black wine's s'posed to make a man nigh unkillable."
"Before it liquefies your internal organs. There's a reason the Alliance executes anyone caught synthesizing it," Simon paused, his eyes widening as he looked out over the crates filling the cargo hold. "Or transporting it."
Riddick stepped away from the crate. "And here I thought I was the criminal on this ship."
"Ain't nothin' but innocent flowers now." Mal pulled out three more packages that had been torn and set them gently to the side. "Not all our cargo is strictly legal. See what you can do to repair these crates, Kaylee. Have this gan ni niang help you since he's the one responsible. Doc, you know something that could stitch these up?"
"You want me to sew up bags of flowers?" Simon blinked at him.
"Ain't that what I just said? See if you can do it so it can't be seen. They think we've damaged the merchandise and we got ourselves a problem."
"I have silk thread in my shuttle." Inara hurried to get it.
"Cargo better be shiny before we dock." Mal came face to face with Riddick. "I got no problem tossing you out land or no land. I understand the black ain't too friendly to a man."
Riddick merely blinked his silver eyes once before turning away from Mal. "You, Kaylee. Got anything to weld this shut?"
"I got a torch should do. Don't worry none, Cap'n, it'll be good as new!" Kaylee's ponytail bounced as she ran for her tools.
Mal looked like he wanted to say something more but kept his mouth shut and stomped out of the cargo bay. A few seconds later the com buzzed and Wash's voice echoed through the room. "What's going on? Zoe? Why do you guys always leave me out of loop? I need loop here."
"Everything's fine." Zoe buzzed back. She took another long look at the crate and at Riddick. "You ain't done us wrong, Riddick. Don't mean you won't and that worries me some."
"Just passing through," Riddick said quietly.
"Cap'n wants you off at the next port, can't say I don't agree with him. Might want some insurance you won't turn on us 'tween now and then." She met his gaze levelly. "Understand it ain't nothin' personal."
"Never is." Very slowly, he reached up, slid the goggles off of his head, and held them out to her. "Can't take a step off this ship without them. Being blind ain't what it's cracked up to be."
Zoe took the goggles and nodded. "Once the payload is delivered they'll be returned to you, you have my word."
Kaylee returned breathless from her run. "Got the torch and primer cord."
"That's good, Kaylee. Let the Captain know soon as you finish. Jayne, stick around case you're needed." Zoe left them to their own devices.
"Simon," Inara called from the catwalk, dropping the spool of silk thread down to him. "It was the closest I could find to a match. Be careful."
"Thanks." Simon motioned to for River to come with him. He found a tray meant for surgical tools and very carefully laid the damaged packages of dirt and flowers on top so he could carry them into the surgery bay. Using the smallest needle he could find, he began the painstaking process of sewing the plastic packaging closed.