”Kaylee! Oh, Kaylee, yes, it’s me, I’m here. Gǎnxiè suǒyǒu céngjīng shì fú – are you all right? Is Serenity…?”

”No, no we ain’t on Serenity, sorry to have to say… We’re in your shuttle as a matter of fact, River and me. We got caught out on our shopping trip when the Reavers came.” She told her, her voice sounding delicate and thoughtful. ”Wasn’t time to get back. Last we saw Serenity, she was breaking through the clouds in our rearview, us heading in for a crash landing.” As she spoke, it almost felt like if she said these things too loud she might wake up and find she’d still been dreaming.

”That sounds terrible. You’re both alright I hope?” Inara asked.

Kaylee looked over to the bed and saw River sitting up, blinking the sleep from her eyes.

Their eyes met.

”We’re fine.” Kaylee replied, her voice unconsciously warming a little with the affection River so easily seemed to bring out in her now a’days. ”River got us down safe. I had some cracked ribs to begin with, but I’m fine now.” [I had a good doctor.] She thought.

”I’m relieved… but… what… what about Mal, and the others? They didn’t come back for you, you haven’t had news?” Inara questioned. It was clear she was worried about everyone, but, Kaylee thought, probably the captain in particular, if she was to guess. What it was between Mal and Inara was fair on hard to guess at exactly, but it weren’t hard to guess there definitely was somethin’.

”No… no news, haven’t heard a peep.” Kaylee replied as River came over to her and wrapped them in a bed sheet to keep them warm, sitting down next to her on the couch.

”Oh, I see…” Inara replied.

”’Nara, where are you anyways?” Kaylee asked softly.

”She’s under the mountain.” River answered for her. ”Keeps her safe.”

”She’s… right.” Inara replied back. ”River? How could you…?” Her voice trailed off though, the question left incomplete.

”…The wind whispers it’s secrets to her.” Kaylee replied when River simply laid her head on her shoulder and closed her eyes sleepily. ”That’s all I can figure. What does that mean ’xactly though, under a mountain?”

”…Poor James, the governor, as it turns out he had a bunker built inside the mountain under his home, for emergencies. Though he wasn’t so considerate as to have them built for the other residences in his colony, I’m afraid.” Inara explained, only somewhat bitterly. ”I’m down here with him, his family, and a couple of his staff. The bunker has kept us safe enough, but, you see… when the Reavers couldn’t get in, I believe they blockaded the door somehow so that we couldn’t get out either.”