Chapter 10

All the animals back in place, Mal was on the catwalk yet again taking inventory.

“Twenty seven, twenty eight, twenty nine. No!”

He did another quick head count. Twenty-nine.

“River.” he mumbled to himself. “I need River.”

Mal barreled into the infirmary where Simon was putting an IV in a mildly sedated Jayne. "Doc, can your sister read animals?”

”What?”

“Can she read animals, like she does people?”

“No idea why?”

“Because we’re missing a goat and I could use some help finding it. Quickly.”

“We’re in space,” Simon reminded him. “It could not have gone too far.”

“Okay, next person who reminds me we’re in space is going to get to go swimmin’ in it.”

Simon turned around and rolled his eyes.

“Next question, where is your sister?”

“Probably in her room.”

“No she’s not,” offered Kaylee who had walked in from the common area, “I just walked by and her doors wide open.”

“Missing teenaged girl and a missing goat. Don’t need to be a reader to figure out those two are connected” mumbled Jayne, causing Simon to dope him a little more.

“There’s a million places on this boat where they could be.” sighed Mal.

“But only one place I am, “ said River entering the infirmary carrying the gray instigator goat.

“River,” started Simon, moving away from Jayne. “Mei-mei, we thought you were asleep.”

“Couldn’t sleep, too much going on.”

“That’s the goatthatahurt…” slurred off Jayne.

“Well, you couldn’t sleep then you should have been helping with this,” said Mal, struggling to look stern when he really wanted to laugh at Jayne.

“I was helping, this little one was scared. I call her Muriel,” River said, smiling.

“Could have been helping us,” Mal sighed. “Well, she’s back now, put her with the others.”

“She’s special, “said River looking proud of Muriel, “she knocked out Jayne. She deserves special treatment.”

Muriel bleated as River walked he