Mal found River in the co-pilots chair, looking sick. He looked at her worriedly, as she was the only one who could make a landing that wouldn't send to a painful grave, he handeling space ships like a flight traing-less monkey who has ADD. Jayne was only good at guns an' whores, and Zoe was only able to land them if you had no problem with picking up the ships pieces afterwards. Maybe Inara, but a shuttles a bit different from a Firefly, and Simon and Kaylee were...well...best leave those thoughts for...never...

Either way, he went and put a hand on Rivers tiny shoulder. She looked up alarmedly but relaxed when she saw that it was him. Funny, she was a reader...shoulda known it was him. "River, darlin', whays wrong with ya? An', why ain't ya in the pilots seat?"

She looked evenmore sick when she met his eyes. "Hes hurting. Inside. Can't fix him like he fixed me. And he wants to feel the ship again, feel what its like to be in control of her again. Least I can do, he saved us all."

"River, who you talkin' 'bout?"

"I-"

Just then, Simon barged in. He took a look at the pilots seat, and yelled as if he'd seen a ghost. Crazy is as crazy does. He reached out a hand for River, but she shied away. He tried again, she spun the chair around and got up. Again, and she ran out of the cockpit. Mal forestalled him from going on by throwing his arm out and nearly bowling the doctor over.

"No time to be lookin' for your crazy sis. Now, get ta the Dinin' Room, I gotta call an assembly. Now, get goin'!"

Simon obediantly yet sullenly went in the opposite direction of his sister. Scowling at the docs back, Mal made the call. Wash continued to play at being a pilot again.

***

Everyone was there, 'cept for River. Simon kept a-fidgeting, on account a him not being able to hunt down his crazy moonbrain sibling. Mal held up his hands to forestall the non-existant muttering. "'Kay, its time we get down ta buisness. We ain't but a smidgeon away from Ariel, and we have