A/N: Thanks, as usual, to Neroli for her beta work. Thanks to everyone else whose commented on the story so far.

Chapter 10: Action

Chinese Glossary

Jiuming-help

Mashang-immediately

Da ge – big brother

During the approach on the Academy complex, Simon attempted to keep his nerves under control. The feel of the pistol in his hand combined with the weight of the ammunition and two grenades on his belt only reinforced his nausea. Simon felt like his world had ground to a halt since Mal had announced the time of their departure.

Despite evidence to the contrary, he could not convince himself that the outcome of this maneuver would aid his sister at all. And what if he were injured, or worse? What would happen to her then? What chance would she have of reclaiming any fragment of her former self if he was not there to remind and treat her?

A nagging voice in his head (which sounded suspiciously like Jayne) kept asking him what Mal and his friends would gain out of this attack. Could the entire strategy simply be an elaborate plot to restage their war? Every minute since Sal's intelligence had catapulted them onto this path, Simon felt like he had been manipulated and bullied into agreeing to a single course of action. Alternatives dismissed and arguments ignored, he found himself beginning to doubt the objective on the eve of its completion.

The knowledge that he was expected to stand by and watch a massacre only increased his agitation as he waited for the coming battle. Granted, he would gladly kill the men who had condemned River to her fate, but Simon doubted that the lackeys present at the Academy were the ones in control. His oath as a doctor went against withholding treatment even from an individual like Jayne. And now he was expected to stand by while strangers doing their jobs were slaughtered.

Simon took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He missed his sister. Even i