Down in the lower levels of the Empress of Sihnon, Kaylee stopped outside a half-open door.

“You go on back,” she said to Zoe. “I’ll be fine now.”

“Ain’t gonna happen.” Serenity’s first mate shook her head.

“They need you back upstairs.” Kaylee looked at her friend. “There ain’t a thing you can do down here to help.”

“Kaylee ...”

“My turf now,” the young woman said. “And you gotta go do what you do.”

Zoe took a deep breath. “Fine. And you can explain to Freya if I find you’ve wandered off.”

“Not gonna do that,” Kaylee assured her. “Got the feeling there’s too much to be done.” She disappeared into the engine room.

Zoe watched her go, a slight smile on her lips as she yet again admired the hidden steel inside the young woman. Then she turned and headed back towards the stairs.

---

“I don’t get it,” Jayne said, but doing what River asked.

“We may need it.”

“How?”

She looked at him, her dark eyes seeming to see a lot further than the edges of the cargo bay, and they probably were, but it was more than usual. “I don’t know,” she admitted, her brow furrowing.

“But you think we will.”

“Yes.”

“Good enough for me, moonbrain.” He continued shovelling ore.

River glanced at the children clustered in the doorway to the common area. Bethie was at the front, Hope’s hand held tightly in hers. Ben was next to them, but looking no less scared, holding onto Hope’s other hand. Just behind was Ethan, Jesse at his side, her little arms wrapped around his waist, her eyes huge.

“Can’t you make ‘em go and sit someplace?” Jayne breathed, not stopping working, sweat staining his t-shirt a darker brown.

“Their mamas,” she whispered.

He understood, knowing that Bethie and Ethan wouldn’t be able to keep their worries to themselves, even if the other children hadn’t already picked up on the tension on board ship. “We’ll get ‘em back.” He didn’t speak any louder than she did, but it must have carried.

“Is that a promise?” Bethie asked, her little voice filling the