The Past is Always Two Steps Behind

The kitchen of Serenity, normally a lively place during the past week, was now silent. Kaylee sat wringing her hands next to Book. Knees drawn up to her chest, River sat in a corner not fully comprehending what was troubling the crew so much. Kaylee’ s head whipped around at the sound of footsteps in the corridor. Simon walked in and surveyed the faces before him.

“I don’t see what’s bothering everyone so much,” Simon chimed in, “Ian saved us. All of us.”

Book looked up, “No one’s doubting he saved us. What’s disturbing is how. I mean, a man who can single-handedly wipe out a ship full of reavers without any weapons but knives could certainly take us out.”

“He wouldn’t hurt a fly,” Kaylee said, as if thinking out loud, “I know he wouldn’t. Not us preacher.”

“That may be,” Book responded kindly, “but it makes the captain nervous. Kinda surprised me too.”

“He walks ahead of all of us,” River said. “We don’t see his footsteps behind him, he’s dusted them over. He’s like a warm blanket though…soft…fuzzy. Safe.”

Kaylee smiled in River’s direction. Simon drew his eyebrows down as he usually did when River said something cryptic.

Book smiled at her, “Child, I am sure there is nothing wrong with him. We just need to know what and who he is.”

“Is he ok Simon,” River asked.

Simon sighed and nodded, “Apart from some bruising on his hands, he’s physically fine. He seems to be very withdrawn and remote though. He wouldn’t talk to me at all though he was compliant during my examination. How much longer are the others going to be?”

Book looked at a clock on the wall of the kitchen, “Shouldn’t be much longer now.”

Inara sat on a crate in the cargo bay, her heart racing. She knew Mal was not happy about the situation. He had gone into the reaver ship with Zoe, Wash and Jayne. The smell of the horrible ship wafting through the airlock was nauseating and made Inara reel. Now she waited for their return anxiously though she was not at all sure if she wanted Ian’s story