CHAPTER 9

Book walked carefully through the halls of Serenity, balancing a tray with the last plate of cold noodles and two sloshing cups of vegetable soup. While fresh food was nice, its tendency to spoil quickly had put a moratorium on any thought of rationing.

Jayne had not shown up for dinner and Book wanted to know why. As he rounded the corner, he could see movement through the Infirmary window. Elle rummaged through drawers and cabinets moving about the room. A blue and gold robe hung open over her hospital gown. Both drooped loosely on her body and Book could not decide if she were malnourished or merely petite.

Suddenly the girl stopped and met his inquisitive gaze with a steely one of her own. She did not seem frightened or concerned about being caught rummaging. Rather, she appeared annoyed, her look prompting him to give reason for his presence. Book’s eyes dropped and he realized he had stopped walking. The girl didn’t wait for him to move again, but resumed her searching, standing on tip-toe to probe the top shelf. From there, she retrieved a white tube and returned to the bed. She then squeezed a clear gel from the tube and rubbed it on a large scrape on her leg.

“Hello,” Book said, finally walking through the doorway. She gave a curt nod to him, then started tending to other scrapes on her arms and legs. It looked as though she had been dragged behind a horse.

As he searched for a place to set the tray down, Book noticed Jayne passed out on a table on the side of the room. Somewhat alarmed, he sidled over. Jayne seemed to be breathing normally, but Book’s suspicion of the girl peaked.

He looked to her again. With a slight cock of the head and rising of the eyebrows, she managed a silent, What? Even without a voice, Book sensed her perturbation.

“I thought you might like something to eat,” Book said politely. “The doctor thought you could handle some soup.”

Nodding, Elle put the white tube back in the cabinet, washed her hands in the sink, and accepted the cup from Book. Returning t