Serenity: Deep Space

"He does have a queerness about him, there's no question of that, but at the price he's paying a man can have himself all manner of oddness." Mal leaned back in the pilot's chair.

"It's not the oddness, sir. I can take oddness," Zoe said, "but he's hiding something."

"That's so. This Doctor keeps his cards close to his chest. He ain't said much in the way of truth."

"He's not a doctor," Simon said stepping onto the bridge. "At least not a medical one." He turned to Mal. "I don't trust him, but River likes him."

"So I noticed and it's a powerful comfort. Not many that can fool our River."

"Still doesn't add up, sir. There's too many mysteries for my liking."

"That's a fact," Mal agreed.

"Talking about me," the Doctor stood leaning against the bulkhead. "how quaint."

"I recollect saying passengers weren't allowed on the bridge."

"So you said," the Doctor agreed. "but as you can see I am not on the bridge. Might I have a word, Captain?"

"Surely can," Mal said standing. As they headed out, Simon's voice called out.

"What exactly are you a doctor of?"

The Doctor turned and fixed his eyes on Simon. There was something unnerving about that gaze. Simon felt as though he were being dissected under a microscope. Then the moment was gone and the Doctor's eyes were sparkling with mischief. "Metaphysico-theologico-cosmologo-nigology," he deadpanned.

Icarus: The Edge of Reaver Territory

Ace sat down. The room was cold, empty and cold. She watched her guards exit, leaving her alone. Suddenly a yawn erupted across her face. Tap-tap, tap-tap her fingers went on the table. The waiting game…she hated the waiting game. Nothing to do. This was almost worse then whatever torture they were preparing.

"I spy with my little eye something that begins with C," Ace murmured. Then she twisted around in her seat and waved at the hidden camera. She repressed the urge to giggle. Ace never giggled.

The door slid open. Sefton walked in. He smiled softly at Ace.

"Comfortable Ms. Ace," he asked.

"Not really."

"Good, I would not like you to think you were my guest…"

"If you treated your guests like this, you'd never have any visitors."

"You are my prisoner, Ms. Ace," he ignored her interruption. "you have only the rights I give you. You speak when I say speak, you stand when I say stand. You shit when I say shit. Do you understand me?"

"But I can't go when people are watching."

"I see you have inherited the Doctor's flippancy. I may just have to cure you of that."

"You're not half as scary as a dalek." Ace laughed.

Sefton frowned. This young woman annoyed him. "Perhaps you think the Doctor can rescue you. Let me assure you that nothing can enter this system without my knowledge. If your friend shows up, I'll blow him out of the sky."

"What makes you think I need to be rescued?"

Serenity

"Understand Captain, Sefton is very dangerous. If we do this correctly, he'll never know we were there. If we don't…" the Doctor trailed off.

"That ain't exactly simple, Doc," Mal said.

"No, it isn't," the Doctor nodded. "When we get there, you and your crew will go for the box."

"What'll you be doing?"

"I have other business planet-side."

"Is that a fact," Mal crossed his arms and glared down angrily at the Doctor. The little man just smiled. "I'm trusting you a far ways more than I should. You might consider giving me some answers."

"Answers are meaningless without the right questions. I once knew a computer that knew the answer to life."

"Smart computer," Mal said.

"Unfortunately no one knew what the question was."

"You might have just said no," Mal muttered. "You're hiding something more than your name Doc, and I don't much are for secrets on my boat."

"Secrets are my stock and trade, Captain Reynolds." The Doctor shrugged apologetically. "It's how I was raised." The Doctor turned and made his way towards the engine room. "Incidentally, Captain," he called over his shoulder. "No one calls me Doc."

Icarus

Ace fidgeted slightly under his gaze. It was not quite the reaction he had been hoping for. Sefton could make men tremble at a glance, but not her. Still, she wasn't quite as nonchalant as she seemed. Sefton reached into his coat pocket. Clang! He tossed the box onto the table. It sat there innocently, a perfect shining cube. Unopened, but not untouched. He had tried lasers and bombs, hammers and chisels. Nothing worked.

"Open it," he ordered.

Ace glanced down at the box. She had been there when the Doctor closed it. She knew what she'd have put inside if it were up to her, Nitro 9, but the Doctor had other plans.

"Can't," she said.

"Then you're useless," Sefton said. "You have no purpose. What's to stop me from killing you now?" Ace didn't answer. "Brave girl," he said. Then he flicked a switch and all Ace knew, was pain.