"Oh, God! Cap'n! You're all tore up!" Kaylee ran to the open cargo bay door to Mal, who was dripping blood on the cold metal floor. His nose was broken, and he had several deep slashes along his torso and arms.

Zoe was also wounded fairly badly. Simon noticed her limping as she walked off the mule, her hip obviously dislocated, while her torso sported roughly the same damage Mal's had.

River was still curled up on the cargo bay floor, completely oblivious to the activity going on around her. She had no tears left, and was simply rocking back and forth, whispering strange words to herself.

Simon looked around nervously. "Where's Jayne?"

Mal looked over at Simon, his face fierce with anger at what they had just gone through. "Jayne got took. There was about ten men near the bog we got lost at. Two was in fancy suits." He looked over at River quickly before looking back at Simon. "Blue gloves."

"Two by two! I told you. I explained all the math, all the math in the 'Verse, and I said . I said blue." River looked around frantically. "Two times two is four , times blue... times..."

Simon looked nervously at River, then back at Mal. "Why don't you and Zoe wait for me in the infirmary?"

Mal nodded, tight-lipped and turned to Zoe to help her.

"Mei mei, let Kaylee take you to your bunk so you can rest okay?" Simon leaned down to lift his sister from the floor as Kaylee walked toward them, but instead River flinched and stood up suddenly.

"No! We go now. They're going to hurt him. Bits and pieces lying on an operating table while his body comes back. Now! I need Jayne, now!" River started toward the mule, expecting everyone to follow. Instead, Mal stopped her gently, resting his strong hands on her shoulders while looking River in the eye.

"Listen to me, lil 'Tross. We need a plan. You know what happens when we go off all half-cocked. We end up gettin' hurt, and there's always a chance we fail, and Jayne gets hurt even worse." Mal wiped the single tear that rand