Author’s Note:

This story takes place immediately after the previous story, Shan Yu I Bite My Thumb at You. Initially, it is set in three locations, eventually crossing over with each other; on Serenity, on board the Rosalyn, and the events taking place back on Deutschland.

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THE ROSALYN:

Stan Togashi, pilot of the Rosalyn, tried to bury the intoxicating thoughts he was having about River Tam, because sometimes there were physical consequences. Were it not for the fact that he was on watch, he would go to his newly private bunk and relieve the tension. The other women he had met in various ports and planets were now pale whispers compared to River, who was completely enthralling. Stan took his hand off the controls to brush back his long fringe. He was glad that the Rosalyn had blood ties to Serenity , as it meant that he would see her again sooner or later around the ‘Verse, just like they had on Deutschland. The ‘Verse may be big, but family ties were stronger, especially now they were setting up a homestead there.

He didn’t share the same warm and fluffy view towards Captain Reynolds, since he kicked him off his ship like he was ten years old, back last September. But that first time together had been an amazing couple of days, kidnapping River and driving her out in the middle of nowhere. He hadn’t expected her to be so forward, but she seemed to know everything he wanted, even though he knew she had never slept with any man before.

At one point, during that time on Newhall, they had thought someone had come to fetch them, but the mule Bane had been driving rode right past them.

“It’s okay,” he had said, turning back around to find River stripped naked to the waist. “ Shang yang ru-fang !” he exclaimed. River looked down at her pert nipples.

“Not sheep breasts,” she replied, hiding a smirk at his exclamation. Stan stammered.

“No, I meant…” River smiled cheekily.

“You meant you’re lost for words.” He nodded and River shifte