Chapter 24

The shuttle had just taken off for the skyplex and Lien could feel Simon's nervous energy as she reached over and squeezed his hand. Simon never was any good with heights or space travel. It was a wonder he retained most of his sanity after spending the better part of a year out in the Black. Despite this apparent fear, Simon was very adamant on accompanying Lien to this secret meeting. That man will do anything for his little sister, Lien thought to herself. She found it both infuriating and adorable. It was obvious Simon was interested in the technology that could find his sister. Perhaps the demonstration will calm his nerves, Lien thought. Once Simon was assured his sister would be found and attended to, he would be able to focus on starting his own life with her and all would be right in the universe.

***

Malcolm Reynolds flipped a few switches on the pilot's console and all but slammed the wheel back into its neutral position. They were now within five miles of the skyplex Simon had boarded. He turned to have River and asked irritably, "Happy?"

"Not happy." Mal's jaw dropped in disbelief and he was about to voice his frustrations before River cut him off and continued, "However, I am satisfied."

"Always gotta be so gorram literal… what are you doing?"

River's hands flew over the communications console she had connected to some jerry-rigged device. Without looking up from her work she informed the captain, "I am working on my brother's escape plan, since he was too lazy to come up with his own."

"Are you hacking? You better not be hacking. I did not give you permission to start hacking."

River's hands suddenly stopped and she said calmly, "I am not hacking at the moment."

River may have been a genius, but she was still a little sister and Mal had years of experience reading little sisters. River was not any better at lying than Kaylee in that respect. "And you weren't hacking just a moment ago?" Mal pressed.

"You may assume as much."

"That don't 'xactly answer my q