Mel found himself meandering a bit on the market street in Whitfall’s main town. Kaylee and Simon were searching for supplies for Serenity and Zoë was with River on provision duty. Jayne was on watch and Mel found himself with a bit more time on his hands than he was used to. Just for once things had gone smoothly with his delivery to Patience, probably since he had met her here in town and she seemed glad to get whatever was in the three crates – for all he knew it was feminine frippery, if it had been ammunition he might have been shot again. He stopped in front of a whatnot dealer and began to flip through a pile of prints of places in the ‘verse. He picked up one and let out a low curse. “Ding gow ….”

He was staring at an aerial photograph of “Skylar Ranch – Shadow” He tossed the price to the merchant and walked off with a tiny bit of his past under his arm.

Zoë and River brought in the boxes of provisions and began to unpack them in the galley – they didn’t even notice Mel in the seating area, lost in thought at he stared at the photograph until River dropped a can that rolled over to his chair. She peered over his shoulder and then studied the captain as she retrieved the tin of peaches.

“It’s not right, it’s not like that”

“Hey little albatross, I didn’t hear you come in. Zoë, you here too?” He called over to the galley.

Zoë stepped over toward the far end of the table “Here sir, we got a few fine fixing’s for supper and – hey, what have you there?”

“A rare antique –a true an actual view of my past.” He stood and walked to the galley.

“Sir, I didn’t think that really existed.”

“Zoë, I did come from somewhere you know – not that it exists anymore and I never knew this view was captured.” He set the print on the table. “River’s right – that place ceased to be close to the beginning of the war.” Zoë and River took a long look at the print – a blue lake stretching out and meeting the sky – a picturesque main house, outbuildings and fencing down the side of the mountain, almost