River stood in the corridor watching for Jayne “better now?”

“For awhile” he agreed and went on to his bunk as River carried on to her sleeping quarters.

Of course she had known the answer already, his armour had been renewed and she was not hearing his thoughts any longer.

River wondered what the Alliance would think if they knew that their reader, their marvellous weapon couldn’t read the brain of a mercenary from a backworld planet who had not been to school since he was nine. Would they think it as ironic as she did?

Because most times she heard nothing from Jayne’s mind. Occasionally chinks appeared in the armour and River caught his thoughts. For example after Ariel when she had read what he had done, but for the most part he was silent. Not until the battle on Mr Universe’s planet had she known of his feelings for Kaylee.

Overwhelmed by the minds of the Reavers and her friends fear, she had been useless at the beginning of the battle. When Kaylee had been wounded she had woken up, her brother’s fright and horror had mingled with the sheer terror in Jayne’s mind to pierce straight through all the other thoughts. Seeing Simon, remembering all he had done for her, his and Jayne’s anxiety for Kaylee had been the impetus which sent her through the door to do battle with the monsters. After the battle Jayne had been able to carry Kaylee to the infirmary and assured that she would survive, the armour was raised again and River had sensed nothing from him, until three days ago when the craving had started.

She had a new appreciation for Simon’s efforts on her behalf after trying to keep Jayne from doing something inappropriate over the last few days. Of course Jayne at least was relatively sane and was cooperating with her. He was treating her more as a friend than an enemy these days and she was grateful for that. Since the battle the other crew were regarding her warily. But he who had always been wary of her was accepting now. He regarded her as a weapon, more like a human version of Vera.

Slow b