“Kaylee?”

“What?”

“Can I come in?”

“If you want.”

River ducked her head under the doorway and walked into the engine room. Kaylee was sitting in her hammock, her legs drawn up under her, staring at a piece of the metal she‘d brought back from the remains of Road Runner. Her work bench was strewn with more bits, engine parts that had been eviscerated and damaged beyond almost all recognition.

“Are you sure?” the young psychic said.

“’Bout what?”

“That it was an accident.”

“Ain't said yet.” She sniffed hard, wiping at her nose with the back of her hand and leaving a stain of grease on her skin.

“But you’re going to.”

Kaylee’s eyes narrowed. She knew, like the rest of them, that her sister-in-law’s abilities weren't up to full strength because of the measles she’d had, but this … “You reading me?”

River shook her head. “Not really. But there’s a shape to the fog, edges, and I can guess at its meaning.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You’re going to tell Mal it was an accident,” River said softly.

“Nothing to say otherwise, least that I can see.” She didn’t have any more tears left to cry, but that didn’t stop the lump in her throat. “There ain't enough left of anything to work with, that’d tell me anything at all, so … Just a big old explosion that tore her apart.”

“Are you sure?” River took the object from Kaylee’s unresisting fingers, and gasped at the shock that ran up her arms like electricity, tightening her jaw, splitting into her brain.

“River?” Kaylee looked up in alarm.

“I … Kaylee, are you sure?”

“No, I ain't sure!” She felt a flash of anger burn through her. “But don’t you think I’d say if I thought it was deliberate?”

“I …” River couldn’t speak, the blood draining from her face. Images, piling one on another: Burton on the bridge, Yuki in the galley, Terry, Brogan, McFee … on and on and all screaming soundlessly.

“Are you okay?”

“I … no …” She held out the lump of metal, not physically capable of letting go, feeling the phantom he