“Whoa, there,” Mal said, holding the young doctor up. “Let’s get you into the infirmary.”

“What … Simon, what is it?” Kaylee’s anger had turned to utter concern.

“I'm okay.” He tried to smile for her as Mal helped him through the common area. “Just feeling a little weak.”

“Oh, Simon.” She opened the infirmary door and the captain half carried him to the medbed.

“What do I do?” he asked.

“Sensors.”

Mal nodded, fixing the various bits of equipment to Simon’s finger, his chest. Kaylee held his other hand.

“Honey?” she said, trying not to cry.

“It’s okay,” Simon assured her. “I think it’s just … I haven’t eaten today, and what with the nausea …” He glanced at the screen, and released the breath he’d been holding. “It’s okay.”

“You ain’t having a heart attack?” Mal asked.

“It appears not.”

“Shiny.” He stepped closer. “Now, do you think you could enlighten me as to why you’re taking poison?”

“It’s not poison.”

“Kaylee said –“

“Kaylee over-reacted.”

“I did not!” The young mechanic was outraged.

“It’s not poison,” Simon said again. “It just has a few … unfortunate side effects.”

“Yeah, like a heart attack, stroke, and –“

“Kaylee, please.” He put his head back on the bed.

“I think you need to be a bit more specific here,” Mal said. “What drug?”

“I picked up an infection on Corvus. At least, I presume it was there. It causes … well, sterility.”

“Infection?” Mal’s thoughts immediately went to the rest of the crew, his wife, his son.

“It’s all right. I haven’t passed it on to anyone. The infection is gone, although the effects do seem to linger.”

“Sterility. That’s why Kaylee ain't getting pregnant.”

“That’s right.” Simon closed his eyes. “There is a treatment, but it has a few side effects.”

“And you didn’t discuss this with Kaylee before you started dosing yourself up?”

“No, he didn’t,” the woman in question said.

“Can’t help feeling you might have made something of a mistake there, doc,” Mal said, shaking his head.

“