Hello. Iverik here. Just a reminder: This story uses characters created by someone other than me.
Facing the Black
Kaylee was in a singing mood the next morning. Simon Tam had kissed her, actually kissed her! And then they had talked and talked and talked... with Simon doing at least half of it! Maybe it was an enchanted flower.
Suddenly, River was there, giving her the "you are such a boob" look.
"What?" Kaylee asked, completely perplexed.
"You know what."
"Thought you were supposed to be able to read minds there genius," Kaylee reminded her.
River stared hard at Kaylee for a long two seconds, then she sighed deeply.
"So, uh, are you going to tell me what that was all about?"
"You didn't listen to Inar-a," River said in a sing-song voice.
Kaylee blinked and stared.
"About what?" Kaylee struggled to follow River's thought process. It could be difficult sometimes.
"Huawang Tien," River replied.
"River..."
River threw up her hands. "Look it up on the cortex," she fumed, and stalked out, completely exasperated.
Kaylee frowned, and went back to her work. As soon as she had finished (a matter of hours), she hurried over to her bunk and drew out her datapad. She punched in the words "Huawang Tien". An article promptly came up. She scrolled down. She read. She scrolled some more- and then it occurred to her to add "Osiris" to her search.
Kaylee's face paled. "Oh goseh..." she gasped, her eyes wide.
River looked up as Kaylee came onto the bridge- read her mind- immediately vacated the bridge. Kaylee was grateful that River didn't feel like saying "I told you so". She hoped Inara was the same way.
In a trice, she had sent the wave. It was a short wait.
"Kaylee? What the guay are you thinking, mei-mei?" Inara glanced at her instruments, futilely checking for any invisible enemy ships.
"Inara-" Kaylee's voice trembled. There was a long pause.
"Go on, mei-mei. Spit it out."
"I didn't check on the flower." Kaylee sounded intensely scared.
Inara's training barely kept her from laughing in relief- and then scowling. "You put the ship into danger over a flower?"
"The Huawang Tien... it, uh... well... on Osiris it, uh..." Kaylee hesitated, then blurted out: "I accidentally proposed to Simon."
Inara was speechless.