For a moment, caught off guard by the reasoning which makes him sound like a logical and normal person very nearly, Mal gives a tiny nod and looks almost... not quite impressed, that's not it, but certainly like he's giving it due consideration.
Though figures he wouldn't have too much difficulty shooting River under the right circumstances. Not that he would, mostly on account of him getting himself unsensible attached to the poor girl. Partly because, well, even though the good doctor has never proved himself to be much of the fighting type Mal's not sure he'd want to see how far he'd go taken to that extreme. Boy has some darkness in him, you can see it under his buttoned up and proper surface, and Mal wouldn't want to be the one on the receiving end when it can boiling over.
"Well, to be honest, would depend a lot on how rational and clear your head was at the time, I suppose. Just 'cause your a reader don't mean you can chase down every single thought and see out into all possible futures... Least that's what I'm guess," Mal adds, so that, yeah, now it don't sound at all like he's got another one of the Alliance's little experiments hidden away on his ship. That should keep the sent well off if they do happen to be watching or catch up with this guy.
That's the conundrum right there. Say this stranger did come from the same laboratory where they unmade River. Wouldn't be at all wise to let the Alliance go getting their hands on him, and he might do so good for River depending on how much of the process he recalls and just how far gone his mind is. Then again, be a huge risk trying to take him with Mal back to the ship.
Not too mention he seems awful sure of the whole not being the psychic type. Now Mal can easily picture River lying or denying such things or going into one of her states where she can't seem to handle thinking about whatever it is they did to her, but the point is more that she never does sound too certain about very much. That's the big difference here, far as Mal could tell.
Plus the fact that the man's a total ass. Hell, hard to even get too upset about the government mind-torturing him and what have you seeing as, well, much as it's upsetting to have to agree with those guys with this one Mal can really understand where they were coming from.
"Also!" Mal glares at the man, snapping somewhat back to attention and pointing and accessory finger again. "For the last gorramn time, èrbī I didn't shoot at YOU." Ain't that hard to understand is it! Well surely he ain't psychic, Mal decides, he ain't even halfway smart.
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Though figures he wouldn't have too much difficulty shooting River under the right circumstances. Not that he would, mostly on account of him getting himself unsensible attached to the poor girl. Partly because, well, even though the good doctor has never proved himself to be much of the fighting type Mal's not sure he'd want to see how far he'd go taken to that extreme. Boy has some darkness in him, you can see it under his buttoned up and proper surface, and Mal wouldn't want to be the one on the receiving end when it can boiling over.
"Well, to be honest, would depend a lot on how rational and clear your head was at the time, I suppose. Just 'cause your a reader don't mean you can chase down every single thought and see out into all possible futures... Least that's what I'm guess," Mal adds, so that, yeah, now it don't sound at all like he's got another one of the Alliance's little experiments hidden away on his ship. That should keep the sent well off if they do happen to be watching or catch up with this guy.
That's the conundrum right there. Say this stranger did come from the same laboratory where they unmade River. Wouldn't be at all wise to let the Alliance go getting their hands on him, and he might do so good for River depending on how much of the process he recalls and just how far gone his mind is. Then again, be a huge risk trying to take him with Mal back to the ship.
Not too mention he seems awful sure of the whole not being the psychic type. Now Mal can easily picture River lying or denying such things or going into one of her states where she can't seem to handle thinking about whatever it is they did to her, but the point is more that she never does sound too certain about very much. That's the big difference here, far as Mal could tell.
Plus the fact that the man's a total ass. Hell, hard to even get too upset about the government mind-torturing him and what have you seeing as, well, much as it's upsetting to have to agree with those guys with this one Mal can really understand where they were coming from.
"Also!" Mal glares at the man, snapping somewhat back to attention and pointing and accessory finger again. "For the last gorramn time, èrbī I didn't shoot at YOU." Ain't that hard to understand is it! Well surely he ain't psychic, Mal decides, he ain't even halfway smart.