Simon and the Hill People. Simon tells some woman how to keep her bandages clean. River, meanwhile, has taken to staring at a young girl. Butterfly McHillwoman wisely observes that River's not quite right in the head. Simon says that's true, but lies that River is recovering. Butterfly explains that River won't have much luck communicating with the little girl, whose name is Ruby. Ruby's mute. She stopped talking two years ago. Butterfly McHillwoman decides to lay down some mystical black wisdom by suggesting to Simon that River might be better off here in hidden hills. She explains that they'd be safe here, and that they all take care of each other. Simon responds, "Yes. It does seem like a lovely little community of kidnappers." Butterfly quotes the part in the Bible about not judging. Yeah, but then the Bible goes around and judges everybody. And, you know, Irony is over here snickering in the corner. Irony loves the Bible. He gets a lot of work through that book. Simon's not moved by Butterfly's Bible quotes. She says that sometimes life takes you unexpected places. Simon points out that "life" didn't take them here -- three burly woodsmen did. Butterfly points out that Simon and River were on a transport ship, heading somewhere. She says, in her experience, life takes you places blah blah blah mystical hill person wisdom blah blah blah home is where you make it. Did the hill people get a copy of the script or something? That would explain how they know Simon's a doctor. Simon insists that this isn't his home, as he treats a bedridden patient. Butterfly Mystical Hillwoman says, "If it isn't here, then where is it?" Because he was on a transport ship, that means that he's some sort of space drifter? Shut up, Nosy McHillWisdom.

On the Alliance ship, Jayne sniffs around and worries because he's in the clutches of The Man. And there's something mysterious about Book. Zoe, Mal, and Jayne are watching Book's surgery through a window. Zoe asks Mal if he thinks Book has some sort of connection with the Alliance. Mal says it may look like that, but it would surprise Mal if he did. Jayne mutters that this is why he doesn't like to pick up tourists: "They ain't never what they claim to be." Mal does agree that everybody seems to have a "tale to tell." Well, yes -- that's why they put them on the ship that has all the television cameras and writers.