"Why the slowing down? I don't understand, Zoe?" Wash said.

"Walt's holding back. He let the little bit of information about how two Alliance officers were taken in broad daylight slip. He didn't really mean to let us know that. I just wonder what else he's holding onto. And, the Captain's acting strange."

"So? That's nothing new. This is the same man that didn't think twice about ending a caper with absolutely no clothes on...Remember?" Wash said.

"There's something else here. And, the more he holds back from us, the more dangerous it's like to be. He's done this to us before, and while I trust him, I need to know what's going on. Especially if I'm running this deal solo." Zoe answered.

Wash flipped three switches and turned back to his wife. That something was amiss was obvious. Just what though? Zoe probably wasn't going to tell, and Wash knew better than to ask. He throttled back to a slower cruising speed just as Zoe had asked him to earlier. Zoe squeezed his shoulder once, and left him to talk to Mal.

* * *

In Mal's quarters, an impromptu discussion on the state of River Tam's mind was going down.

"No, no, and no! There's nothing wrong with her that can't be fixed by medicine, and any supposition otherwise is ludicrous!" Simon said, advancing on Jayne Cobb a step.

Jayne eyed the much smaller doctor up and down and stifled a laugh.

"There's nothin' wrong with the girl that can't be fixed with this!" Jayne said, drawing his eight shooter.

Simon's eyes slitted, and he advanced another step. Mal sighed and stepped inbetween the two men. Jayne was already in a mood today. That was nothing new. The odd thing was the hostility the doctor was displaying. Then again, Mal supposed having the sibling that he'd fought so hard to protect suddenly threatened by a caveman like Jayne Cobb was bound to make the Doc testy.

"Why do you keep saying that she's asleep, Simon? We can plainly see her moving and ta