“Watch your back!” Kaylee cried.

Simon spun about, bringing his weapon to bear. He lunged for the attack but soon found himself retreating again. His assailant suddenly went on the offensive, launching a barrage of tittering chirps and devastating rodent chatter. “Kaylee!” he exclaimed. “I need that window open!”

“Listen, Buster,” Kaylee protested, “I ain’t leavin’ the safety of this bed!” The squirrel leaped onto the bed and, squealing, Kaylee scampered to the window and flung it open. Simon swiped with the toilet plunger once again, missing, and the squirrel jumped from the bed to the window sill and out the window to the nearest tree branch.

Collapsing to the ground, both Kaylee and Simon burst into uncontrollable fits of laughter. Tears streamed down their faces as Kaylee crawled over to hug Simon with one arm and clutch her stomach with the other.

“That...” Simon heaved, amidst bouts of guffawing, “...was fun.”

“I need a shower now,” Kaylee professed as soon as she’d calmed down enough to do so. “I think that counted as a full-fledged exercise routine.” She climbed to her feet.

“Mind if I join you?” Simon inquired, a sparkle in his eye.

Kaylee grinned. “Not a bit, Doctor.”

************************************************************************

As soon as The Operative, hands held openly visible and a leather-bound portfolio tucked under one arm, stepped through the airlock and into Serenity’s cargo hold, his expression changed from one of expectancy to one of amusement. “I see no guns trained on me,” he observed cheerfully, “although, of course, you are all armed.” He clasped his hands behind his back. “I’m glad to see that we are developing more of a trusting relationship, Captain.”

Mal smirked as Gabriel and River flanked the newcomer. “If a terrible need came about, why would we need to waste the bullets?”

The Operative glanced from the psychic to the superhuman. “Point taken,” he conceded. He moved his hands, pulling the portfolio from his armpit and holding it up. “As I can see