"Hey Doc?" Mal stood in the doorway to the infirmary. "Just wanted to let you know we'll be hitting atmo in about ten minutes, and your sister's at the controls, so brace yourself."

"I heard that." River said over the comm.

Mal shuddered. "I hate when she does that. What you got there?"

"X-rays." Simon replied. "I wanted to take a look at Penny's lungs and make sure they weren't affected by the attack. They don't appear to have been."

"That's good." Mal said. He stepped fully into the room. "Pretty girl. What was it she'd been up to since you saw her last?"

"Her sister told me she took over as the local midwife after their aunt died about a year ago. That didn't surprise me too much, her interest in medicine always seemed genuine." Simon replied.

"So, she was pretty tough, huh?" Mal observed. "Back when she was a honey trap, I mean. Hope she remembers enough of that training to teach that husband of hers a lesson when she gets home."

Simon chuckled at the thought. Michel was about the same size as Jayne, but he had no doubt that Penny could drop him easily. "I'm fairly surprised she hasn't already..." He trailed off and looked closer at the x-ray he was holding up. " Ai-ya tyen-ah. "

"Something wrong?" Mal asked.

"She's got three broken ribs, here, here, and here." Simon said, pointing. "These two have already started to heal. And right here, this one appears to have fully healed. These are old fractures, they didn't happen in the attack."

"Her husband?" Mal looked as disturbed as Simon was feeling.

Simon shook his head. "I don't know what else they could be from. But it doesn't make any sense, the Penny I knew wouldn't have let a man who raised a hand to her live, let alone hit her more than once."

"People can change." Mal pointed out. "Not always for the better."

"I just can't imagine..." Simon stopped himself again. "Listen to me, talking about her like I really know her. I'm not sure she even really knows herself."

____________________

An hour after