"You're looking better."

Zoe gazed up, plainly watching the woman who was studying her with a portable scanner as she had a mask that covered her nose and mouth. Sitting on her bed as the two doctors had rigged a portable treatment mask because she did not need to go outside in the cold to access the treatment equipment on Serenity. The mask, was hooked to a whirring box that had an assortment of buttons and a vial of something bluish. "Thanks." She talked awkwardly through the mask. "Thanks for the advice, drier climate and all. Particularly the going into space part."

"You're welcome" She tapped the scanner's buttons. "Believe it or not I know what it's like to be grounded for a few years."

"And?"

"If you're a vessel born kid, being down on the ground isn't always healthy." She admitted.

"Then why are you down here?"

"To badger a cantankerous ranch foreman." She announced with a dry tone but a slight smirk. "Few other things too."

"Pretty good at the badgering part."

"Thanks, had a lot of practice."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The day was on the horizon.

The bitter air of St. Albans was black, the great darkness before dawn. As the ice hung in sheets from the great temple of the Ice Dragon, as the caribou rose up from sleep and tossed the snow from their fur, the shining steal ships had surrounded the safe haven.

All marked with the seal of the Alliance of Unified Planets.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Why won't you talk to me?"

Kaylee scrubbed Liam under his armpits as the set of three year olds were both set in the tub, bubbles galore surrounding the two preschoolers as Liam sat there easily, and Dakota was trying to create a tsunami as well as escape. "Who said I ain't talkin' to you? I might be usin' improper english 'cause I'm not educated, but I'll talk."

Liam was splashed, however he kept clinging to a little wooden boat as he was pressed up against the far side of the tub. Staring at Dakota as if he wouldn't put it past her trying to shove his head under the water