Chapter two: In The Maybe World

Zoë hears her husband's voice - far off and muzzy - calling her name, concerned and urgent but - the damnedest thing - for the life of her, she cannot work out where it’s coming from.

I'm concussed she realises. Also, I’m upside down. She draws a deep breath, filling her powerful chest with it - lets it go again, real slow and easy. No, the ship's upside down... she corrects herself.

But then... something’s really wrong... Serenity can't be upside down - there is no upside down - not out in space. Moving with utmost caution Zoë begins to inch her way along what used to be ceiling but now poses as the floor. Hearing the hull give out another groan, Zoë sure hopes the ceiling won't drop the pretence any time soon.

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Further along from Zoë and off at angle even crazier than usual, River Tam's cabin is in serious disarray. The siblings having been flung - and violently - off the bed and hard into the walls. Worse yet, Simon has smacked clean into a cupboard door and mirror. There is blood now on the glass - blood too in his eyes. That would be why I’m having trouble keeping them open he thinks... no, says the calm Doctor inside him - that is because you have head trauma and shock. Through his sticky lashes, he can see the tumbled form of his sister crawling slowly towards him, her features hidden behind two dark wings of hair. Her breathing is pained, winded. Then her head comes up - and for a second the face is not one he recognises, so calm - supernaturally, almost. Simon fights a rising panic.

"River?" he asks stupidly - and then watches as the cabin, the face of his sister - everything - telescopes away into the far horizon and disappears. His head hits the plating with a nasty thunk.

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The exo-platform has spun 180 degrees and then imbedded itself in whatever has hit them. Soft creaking sounds from the metal walls and flooring. Mal collects his w