"So that's what became of you."
Shepard Book didn't start, his senses had warned him the bunk wasn't empty before he walked in. He turned up the lights and there was Margot curled up easy on his bed.
"For five years we couldn't stick our noses outside atmo without you showing up," she continued, "then - suddenly you're gone." she shrugged. "I thought maybe you'd been killed. Django said we couldn't be that lucky."
Shepard cracked a smile as he perched himself on the little shelf of the wash-station. "He would. Where is he by the way?"
"Home, seeing to business." she answered. "We're still partners if that's what you're asking but he's not much use on my anthro expeditions."
"I wasn't asking. I assume your little 'family' is still intact." that wasn't a question either.
"Healthy and happy and making mischief." she answered, and smiled. "Mother Huma got to you did she?"
Book grimaced. "She started me thinking."
"She excels at that - gorram her." Margot laughed. "She'll make a theist of Django yet."
"He doesn't have as far to go as he thinks." Shepard said seriously.
"No he doesn't." she agreed. Her head tilted. "So - tell me about the Tams."
"Just the Tams?" he asked.
"The others are pretty self explanatory. But what brings two younglings of the Center elite onto this boat?"
"Seems the Alliance has got a special school for children like our River. Very special. The curriculum includes operating on their brains - God knows why."
"More like the devil." Margot said grimly. "I've heard rumors of such a thing. Her brother got her out?"
"With help from an 'underground movement' you can probably find out who."
"I will." Margot promised. "Sounds like something I should mix into."
Book cracked a smile. "Gratis?"
"Maybe. We'll see." she answered. "I'm guessing that's what crazed our poor little River?"
Shepard nodded. "Her brother's been working on her for months now. There's been some improvement, but not much."
"Maybe he's going at the problem the wrong way.." Margot mused, then snapped back to the here and now. "I take it you'd rather I didn't give out the details of our previous acquaintance?"
"No." Book said baldly.
She gathered herself up to leave and gave him a smile. "You know I don't tell other folk's secrets."
He smiled back. "Do I not!"
She came over and gave him the pax, a light kiss on the mouth. "Peace be with you."
"And with your spirit." he responded.
...
"Sir, have a look at this."
Mal roused from his doze and climbed out of the pilot's seat to look over Zoe's shoulder into the scope. Serenity showed bright and clear in the middle riding the line drawn between Comanchero and their first fueling stop on Moab. Cloudy shapes shimmered here and there, cosmic dust and debris and the like, then suddenly something flared briefly silhouetted against such a cloud and paralleling Serenity.
Mal's face hardened. "Looks like we got company, company that don't want to be seen."
"Could be an echo." Zoe offered but by her voice she believed it no more than he.
Mal didn't even bother to answer. He reached for the 'phone. "Wash? Get up here. Now."
Wash was in the dining area, sitting at the table opposite Kaylee, both watching Shepard and Margot play Go, when the call came. The tension in Mal's voice got him to his feet and heading for the bridge double time.
A look of alarm flashed briefly over Kaylee's face as well. Mumbling some kind of excuse she hurried back to her engines.
Book and Margot's eyes met briefly in a silent exchange before returning to the board. "Your move." said the Shepard.
Mal's order was brief and to the point. "See that? Lose him."
"Could be an echo." Wash offered. Zoe and Mal just looked. "Right. I'll lose him."
Mal spoke into the 'phone'. "This is the Captain. You folks might want to grab a hold of something as we're planning on doing some maneuvering here." then followed his own advice, bracing himself between the two pilots' seats.
Wash nudged the controls sending Serenity spiraling starboard to the nadir. A couple of dinosaurs fell off his consol as the deck heeled.
In the dining room the go stones stayed snug in their sockets and Margot kept the board from sliding off as she moved.
In the engine room Kaylee braced herself against the console, watching her dials.
On the passenger dorm sofa an apprehensive Simon tightened his hold on his sister. River patted the hand on her shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile.
Lying on the bed in her shuttle Inara winced as her tea table tumbled across the room spilling cups and pot. Tea stained rugs and cushions but nothing broke.
Sitting on the steps in the cargo hold, hanging on to the railings, Jayne relieved his feelings with a string of colorful English, Chinese and Tagalog oaths.
On the scope the elusive ship-sign solidified and tracked Serenity's descent. "Yup. They're after us all right." said Zoe.
"How I do hate being right." said Mal.
"I need to get us some distance here." said Wash, intent.
Mal spoke into the 'phone': "Kaylee? we need some extra power up here, sweet thing."
Engine noise amped up. "That's my girl!"
The deck heeled again as Wash threw Serenity into sharp port climb to zenith. Metal groaned in protest.
"Uh, sir. Our company has company."
Mal craned his neck to see over Zoe's head. Yup. Two more blips had appeared, all converging on Serenity. "Looks like we got a problem. Armed?"
"Too far yet to see." Zoe answered.
"Keep 'em that way." Mal told Wash.
"Doing my best." he answered. Another jolt as he shifted Serenity into a level forward drive.
"Coming in from three sides and closing." Zoe reported.
Stomachs tried to climb up esophaguses as the boat dropped and Mal was too busy hanging on to answer.
Kaylee clutched at her board, wide eyed and biting her lip.
Simon wrapped both arms around River in a tight hug.
Inara's hands dug into the coverlet and down matress beneath as pillows slid from under her head.
Jayne hung on, wishing to god he hadn't eaten that gorram stew...
In the dining room the Shepard hauled his chair back to the table and made his move.
Margot studied it. "This boat armed?" she asked casually.
"We're a freighter." Book reminded her.
She smiled.
"No."
"Pity" she considered the board and picked up a stone.
"Sir? Three more at five o'clock and closing." Zoe reported.
"Uh, hate to say it, Cap'n but I'm running out of openings here." said Wash.
"There's gotta be a way...gotta be a way..." Mal muttered to himself eyes darting around the space outside the canopy looking for it. He unloosed a hand to point. "That what I think that is?"
"Ice and rock," Zoe reported. "If you think it's a comet you're right."
Mal swung himself over to a side board, careful to keep a hold of something as Wash was still maneuvering, and started hitting switches as he talked. "Wash, when I give the word make a straight burn into the nuke of that comet and cut everything - I mean everything!"
"Whatever you say but they'll know where we've gone." the pilot answered.
"No they won't." Mal answered, still working. "Zoe, get on the phone, tell Kaylee to be ready to cut off everything but minimal life support. And the others to keep quiet as little mice when all goes dark."
"Yessir."
"Now, Wash!"
Serenity drove straight and hot into the knot of rocks and ice balls that were the comet head and something drove out the other side.
"Clever sir." Zoe said, hushed and admiring in the dim lit bridge.
"Lost us a shuttle." Wash observed.
"Just so I haven't lost my boat." said Mal.
Inara sat up cautiously. When the deck showed no signs of moving she swung her legs off the big bed and went to pick up her tea things.
Jayne wiped his mouth and pulled himself up the stair towards his bunk.
Simon released his sister. She looked at him, eyes shining in the bluish emergency lighting, a finger to her lips. "Shhhhhh..." He nodded.
Kaylee sat down cross-legged on the engine room floor, listening to the silence.
"Running silent." Margot murmured appreciatively. "Clever."
"Mal's quite the strategist when he troubles to think." Book answered, looked at the board. "Damn - there's another game you won!"
"Language, Shepherd," Margot grinned, "remember you're a man of God."