Simon Says: Chapter II: Jiangyi

Thank you for all the constructive feedback. Some people (correctly) point out that the last chapter seemed too much like an episode script. That was actually done on purpose. I wanted to setup the same scenarios but with a slightly different POV to show how the situation might conceivably be completely different from what is expected. To me that is actually more frightening to take something you thought you knew for granted and twist it around. Anyway I'll try to be a little more "original" in the next installments. Thanks again for all the feedback!

-Karl

We continue to explore an alternative POV where River might not be the crazy one in the family.

* * * * *

Mal walked down the walkway into the storage area of the ship. He almost gasped at the stench of the cows in the cargo bay. The sooner he made made this shipment off Jiangyi the better. As Mal walked in he saw some of his crew milling around. Jayne was cleaning his favorite rifle, Kaylee was fiddling with some machinery in the wall and Shepherd Book seemed to be chatting with them. It was a little suprising how well his crew got along with the new passengers, almost as if they all somehow belonged gother. The Shepherd noticed Mal approaching.

"Captain! How's the girl?"

"Just a little whimsical in the brainpan. Seems calm enough though."

As if on cue they could hear River letting out another blood startling scream that they've all been too accustomed in hearing.

"That young man's very brave." Book looked thoughtful before continuing. "Gave up everything to free his sister from that place. Go from being a doctor on the Central Planets to hiding on the fringes of the system. There's not many would do that."

"You going somewhere with this Shepherd?", Mal asked impatiently.

"What's the young doctor up to now?"

"I think he mentioned he was spending the morning cleaning up his sister. Rearing a 'lil girl all by yourself is a lot of work."

"Ya mean he's giving her