And it's there, thinking about plants and oxygen and growth and death, that Zoe finally realizes the thing that grief had kept her from noticing. The huge thing. The hugest thing that ever she and Wash had disagreed on, suddenly shouting for attention.

"We're border-born. Grew up working ranches and engines. Wasn't about power or alliances or propriety – was just about surviving. All grew up knowin' if we lived a little better off than our ma and daddy did, we were doing pretty damn well."

Let’s go, lots more to see. That was an example of one of our support groups, of course. Werewolves. Terrible, terrible, especially living in crowded populations like those three, pain on the nose, from what I hear.

The wave from 'Unseen University' had been somewhat alarming, Mal had to admit. After all, it wasn’t every day one encountered an orangutan capable of operating this kind of communications technology.

As it turns out, the "citizen" is one Merlin Emrys, a former Lance Corporal for the Independents and a wanted criminal.

"Miss Tam," he says, and he is polite though his face is radiating excitement when she turns and he sees-- yes-- she cannot be more than fourteen or fifteen. "Excuse me, but I am very interested to know-- how is it you are coming to be in this class?" Her face doesn't change, though surprise and interest flicker in her eyes, and he adds quickly, "They told me I was the youngest one here."

"There's never any glory in dying," says the girl, and she sounds surprisingly sober. "People get that wrong. Glory's more my jurisdiction." She shrugs, and snuggles up next to him with her back to the boulder and her arm looped through his. "Well – and my brother's. Mostly his."

In which Captain Malcolm Reynolds, formerly of His Majesty's Navy, finds himself with a stowaway aboard the sailing vessel "Serenity."

All for the want of a horseshoe nail.

It’s the theory of evolution. Only the strongest survive.

Growing up, Malcolm Reynolds never had much use for the stars.

Inara misses the wind, the feel of cool air stroking her face. The air inside Serenity is still and stagnant. It is one more thing she has never become accustomed to here in the black.

Zoe makes River want to be a star.

There are seven cups on the tray. Green tea, for Inara, strawberry for Kaylee, lemon for Jayne, Earl Grey for Simon and River, ordinary leaves for Mal. Zoë's is rosehip, and she drinks it with one hand on her hip, where her gun used to be. Kaylee counts, and looks worried.

Sometimes, a geeky fanboy has to do what a geeky fanboy has to do.

"Right here, right now? I want to stop you from cancelling Firefly."