The heat hadn’t dissipated on Aegis, and Mal vaguely wondered why he thought it might have. His shirt was already sticking to his back, and as the small group of men made their way down the path towards the mouth of the gorge of all of them only River looked at all comfortable. But that young woman would look comfortable in the middle of hell, Mal considered. He caught her smiling at him, something rather disconcerting in a situation like this.

I have a plan.

Oh, good . He waited for her to elaborate but she didn’t, and Cody jabbed him in the back with Vera to urge him forwards.

Prater was sweating profusely, feeling the wound in his chest nagging with every wrong footfall on the uneven ground. “Couldn’t you have landed us closer?” he complained.

Cody wiped his face on his sleeve. “There isn’t anywhere flatter close enough.”

“You could always have stayed behind,” Mal said lightly. “I’d have brought the statue to you.”

“Yeah, right.” Prater’s tone would have withered the Garden of Eden.

“What, don’t you trust me?”

“Not in a million years. You might have an arsenal hidden in that temple.”

Mal shook his head. “Terrible thing, to lose trust in your fellow man.” He stumbled over a loose rock and barely managed to right himself in time. “Be easier with my hands free,” he commented.

“Just keep going.” Prater skidded on some scree himself, and drew a sharp breath, wincing.

“You should have let Simon take a look at that,” Mal said. “He’s actually a pretty good doctor for a traitor.”

“Then he’ll fetch a high price. Terraforming ships are always looking for medics.”

“Then you’re not planning on letting him and the others go?”

“I’m still considering it.”

“Course you are.”

River had been staring at Cody, and as they finally reached the coolness of the gorge, she began to mutter to herself. Only one word in ten made sense, but those Prater heard drew his attention.

“… sister … betrayal … theft … blood … ship … run …”

“What’s she going on about?” Prater