"Well, no," Simon said. "We weren't ... always on the ship. There were jobs, and supply runs, and other ... we stopped on different planets, for different things. Plenty of outside time and changes of scenery." And kidnappings and rescues and bullet holes ... plenty of things. "Plus, River, my sister, she ... kept me on my toes. Never a dull moment with her around."
He didn't think anyone had ever referred to him as precious before. Not while he was grown, at any rate, and he grinned a little awkwardly. "It would be nice, if ... some of my friends showed up," he confessed. Not that he wanted to trap them here, but if they were going to be pulled in anyway it would be nice to have them around.