The big glowy thing was talking again. It was saying words, but the words were muffled, like she was underwater, which didn't make any sense because if she was under the water, she shouldn't be able to breathe. Also, the words were behind her...and they sounded so familiar...maybe the big glowy thing was talking through cotton - crates and crates of it. If that were true, though, there should be a warehouse of cotton around her, and that wasn't quite it, either. She felt confined, but the fabric wasn't cottonish...it was just...heavy. And if she were in a warehouse, then the balcony should have overlooked crates and barrels and warehousey things...not men in silver-blue jumpsuits.

Maybe she was underwater, River thought again. And those weren't men in jumpsuits, but minnows. Maybe this was how minnows saw the world around them. But if that was the case, why was the big glowy thing talking to her?

And why did it sound like Mal swearing?

Something was off...River shook her head once more to try to clear the cottony water from her head... Jayne was watching the big glowy thing, too, his thoughts slow like molasses...River wanted pancakes suddenly, and turned to tell Mal, but saw Simon rambling with the barest of coherence at a slightly confused man in a blue-black suit that glinted weirdly in the light. Confusions were spilling out of his ears and River suddenly knew there was something wrong again. She could still hear Mal swearing, but when she looked at him, his mouth was closed tight. He glanced at her, his eyes widened and all his curses became one, very focused word, followed by a clarity of mind so sharp River was certain he would cut himself with it.

"Doctor, I'm sure your discussion of these cases are all quite fascinatin'," Mal said out loud, clearing some of the fog in River's head. "But we have our schedule to keep. Wouldn't want Belix to get to wonderin'. They don't have such a fancy set up to ease worries and the like."

"Of course, you're right," Simon replied hastily. "And I can send a