“It don’t look no different to any other moon,” Kaylee said, watching the image of Tetris as they slid on by.

“That’s terraforming for you,” Freya replied. “Makes everything look the same. Just like the Alliance. It’s only in the little details that you can spot the differences.”

“Like the mines being lethal to women.”

“Like that.”

“So how’re we gonna do this?”

“Well, I'm hoping these scans will give me some ideas, but right now I intend swinging Serenity in a wide arc and parking on the far side of that other moon.” She tapped an irregularly shaped rock on the screen. “There’s gullies big enough to hide her in. Then I take the shuttle.”

“You take?” Kaylee looked at her friend sharply. “What do you mean – you take?”

“I’m going in alone, Kaylee. I thought that was understood.”

“No, it ain’t. I'm coming with you.”

“No, you’re not. You’re staying with Serenity.”

“To do what? Worry myself to death? Freya, they’re my family too. I'm not staying here.”

“You are. Kaylee, we’ve already had this conversation. I'm not putting you in harm’s way, and that’s a fact.” She put on her lieutenant’s voice, but this time it didn’t work.

“You’re not my captain!” Kaylee shouted. “You can’t order me around!” Her face was flushed.

“Kaylee, calm down,” Freya said, putting her hand on the young woman’s arm, mindful that this wasn’t doing her any good at all. “In your condition –“

Kaylee pulled her arm away. “My condition? I'm pregnant, Freya, not broken.” A tear slipped down her cheek. “You need me. You need my help. And I won’t just sit here.”

“Kaylee, listen to me –“

“No.” She radiated stubbornness. “And don’t think you can sneak onto the shuttle and take off without me knowing.” Freya started guiltily. “I'm coming with you. We need to bring them home together.”

---

Freya checked the drip running into Zoe’s arm, and ran her eye over the makeshift connections. She’d done the best she could, linking several bags of saline and vitamins to hang from the ceili