“ Huo Yan Shan .”

“Where in the sphincter of hell is that?” Mal turned in the pilot’s seat where he’d been alone, taking a last look at Serenity’s readouts before heading for his bunk, and stared at the young psychic standing in the bridge doorway.

“It isn’t in the sphincter of hell, Captain,” River said, just a hint of disapproval in her tone as she combed her long hair with her fingers. It was some kind of displacement activity, and Mal wondered what the rest of her brain was thinking about. “Logically there can be no such place, since Hell doesn’t have a –“

“River.”

“And you shouldn’t swear. Not with children on board.”

Mal smiled slightly. “I have the feeling they know a lot worse than that already.”

“Don’t feel proud.” She found a knot and frowned deeply at it.

“You wanna tell me about this Huo Yan place?” Mal prompted.

She let her hands drop. “It’s a very large rock formation some distance from town. It means –“

“I conjure I know what it means. Mountain of Flames or some such.”

“That’s where Jayne found the coin.”

“He wasn’t any more precise?”

“It was a small cave. He didn’t go in very far – it was dark and cold.”

Mal chuckled. “You mean he was scared.”

Her glare was almost hot enough to melt carbonised steel. “He was nine.”

“Then I’ll let him off. ‘Though I always figured Jayne came fully-formed outta someone’s skull.”

River shook her head, at the same time appreciating the classical reference. “He’s not a Greek god.” She paused. “Although –“

“You just stop right there. And it was a goddess, if I recall correctly. But seeing as Jayne is a girl’s –“

“Don’t. Otherwise I’d be forced to hurt you.”

He grinned. “Nah. Not my albatross.” He swivelled back to the console. “So where’d you head off to after leaving Jolene’s? Zoe said something about you having something to do.”

She wafted up behind him. “I was visiting.”

Mal didn’t look up. “Jayne’s ma?”

“I took flowers.”

“That’s nice.”

“I’ll go back again befo