What The Thunder Said

River studied the grains of sand and then stuck her finger in them and drew the lines connecting the universe. That's what she said when Mal asked her what she was doing too.

"Connecting the universe."

"In the sand, little albatross?"

"Can't do it with the clouds."

Mal smiled and dropped a hand to her hair, "No, I don't suppose you can." He looked out to where Simon and Kaylee where lounging outside by the cargo bay. Simon looked to say something and Kaylee laughed bright and shiny and kissed his cheek.

He turned at the tug on his hand and River smiled up at him, "He didn't propose. Not yet." She drew something in the sand, and Mal couldn't follow it, "The right moment. He's looking for it."

"And any chance you can tell me when he's going to find it?"

River moved her finger and added something to her connections of the universe, "Not soon, not far." She titled her head up at him and Mal could tell she was being teasing on purpose. He shook his head, "Really, River, you need to warn me, lest I get a heart attack at the pure shout of joy Kaylee will give. We need to be ready, prepared. Can't be going deaf."

River grinned and stood, taking the hand Mal offered, "Kaylee is the sun in the shape of a girl, can't stop the joy."

"We can try."

"It would be wrong, Captain." She grinned sharply and extended her toes to finish her lines in the sand.

Mal looked down at the lines, making out some numbers and maybe maths symbols, but the wind was already blowing at what the young girl had drawn, written, away. "Now really what was that?"

River looked around, picked up a stick and began writing again, "What the thunder said."

"I thought it was 'connecting the universe'?"

"They are the same thing. Expansion of air and space, shock waves and supernovas, pressure and threads." River dropped the stick and then turned to the sound of Zoe returning with the mule and grinned, "Good news." She gave him one quick smile and headed of back to the ship

Mal looked back down to the ground to see what River had been doodling with the stick, but the wind had washed most of the sand away leaving only the faint traces of a P, Mal thought. He watched as River and Kaylee smiled at the returning group and wiped the last of River's connections with his foot and headed to his crew.

He liked good news.