+++

Jayne paced the common room like a caged animal. "I ain’t sittin’ here waitin’ to get shot! Now I jus’ told ya they know where we are!"

"They won’t come at night," Zoe answered calmly. "That’s not Patience’s style."

The rest of Serenity’s crew silently weighed this while Jayne continued to pace and mutter. "Layin’ in a bunk while they surround us don’t sound too restful to me."

"There’s nothing else we can do tonight," Zoe replied. "And if we don’t get some rest before morning, we’re dead in the water."

"Except - you know - in the desert," Wash added.

"Stop helping, honey," Zoe smiled.

"What about captain and the others?" Jayne blurted out. "They’re our ticket off this rock, Wash said so hi’self. We find them-"

"I tend to agree with Jayne," Simon said.

"If I want your opinion, you go se -" Jayne started. "I mean... yeah."

Wash did a double take. "Could we back up to the part where Simon turns into someone who agrees with Jayne? I think I missed that the first time."

The doctor raised his eyes from the floor. "It’s not just the captain out there. There’s the shepherd and... and Kaylee."

As Simon continued, River, who had been curled in a corner, slowly stood and leveled a lowered, piercing stare at Jayne.

The mercenary looked as though he’d just tried Mudder’s Milk for the first time. He shifted, fidgeted, and eventually interrupted Simon just to get his mind off the girl. "Doc’s right. We don’t find Kaylee, don’t none o’ this matter noway." As he finished, still warily watching River, he started moving his head left and right to try to break her visual death grip. She swayed with him.

Then she spoke, distantly, never breaking the connection. "The answer’s there." All eyes turned to her, following her gaze across the room to Jayne. "Just have to show them. That’s how it works."

Silence.

Jayne left the room, muttering to Zoe as he passed. "At least somebody’s bein’ sensible."

---

Hooves thundered against rock, and the chill wind of the badlands swept p