Freya could hear a rushing in her ears, and Simon’s voice seemed to come from a long way off.

“His heart’s stopped.”

No. This couldn’t be happening. Not this. Not now.

Everything slowed, the light photons losing their impetus, and taking an age to reach her. Simon was putting the defibrillator paddles on Mal’s chest, making sure everyone was clear, then pressing the buttons.

Mal lifted from the bed slowly, as if he was about to overcome gravity and float towards the ceiling, but he fell back, bouncing a little.

“Again.” The word was slurred, spread out, not seeming to come from Simon’s mouth, but hanging in the air independently, each letter neon and empty smoke.

Mal jerked, reminding her inexorably of the time back with Niska, as the Quicksilver infiltrated between the molecules of his skin … Her knees threatened to buckle.

“Got it.”

Sound thundered back, a wave that threatened to deafen her as the beeping of the heart monitor registered, not particularly steady, but there.

“Simon?” she managed to say, her mouth dry.

“We’ve got him back.”

She could feel it. The words he hadn’t said. “But …”

River was busy collecting equipment, laying it on one of the small steel tables, her pace measured, but fast.

“We can’t wait.” Simon turned to his sister. “Can you –“

“What you need. Before you ask.”

“I don’t have –“

“I know where they are.” She ran out of the infirmary.

“What are you saying?” Zoe asked, certain she knew but nevertheless needing to hear the words.

“I have to operate. There’s no choice now.”

“Can’t it wait? I mean, we’ll be on Boros in –“

“And Mal will be dead. I'm sorry, but that’s the bottom line. I can’t keep doing what I just did, it will damage the cardiac muscles.” Even as he spoke he’d filled a hypogun with a measured amount of anaesthetic, injecting it into Mal’s neck. “He won’t make it, Zoe.”

She gazed at him, then nodded curtly. “What can we do?”

“Nothing. River will assist. Just try and keep whoever they are out o