Joon-mei sipped her tea placidly. Or as placidly as she could in the curate's company. It was a strange feeling disliking someone almost from the moment she met him. And strangely enough, it wasn't because she had her usual senses telling her this man was not to be trusted. No, there was something else about this man that made her senses tingle in a way they've never tingled before. She didn't like it, therefore she didn't like him.

“More tea, Miss Joon-mei?” he offered her.

“No, thank you,” she said tightly. “And it's just Joon-mei, not Miss Joon-mei.”

He offered her a polite smile over his teacup. “Forgive me, I am somewhat forgetful. Not to mention, I find it hard to believe that one such as yourself would not insist on a title when you serve someone as high as Lady Vera Colbert-Jiangyin.”

“And I find it hard to believe that you are at all forgetful. It takes a lot of discipline and study to reach where you are today at such a young age.” Joon-mei snapped nearly losing control of her patience.

Again, all he gave her was a polite smile and a strange glint about his eyes. Joon-mei shivered. She wasn't sure if she liked that look. Deciding it was best to change the subject, she asked after his mother.

“She's in a lot of pain, I must admit. The doctor has given us some medication that will help but... this isn't the Core where there are readily available remedies to ease the pain largely.”

“Why hasn't your family accepted my lady's offer of the services she can acquire for her? There is a ship not too far from here equipped with facilities that can—”

“Do you not think I've already looked into that?” he demanded actually losing his patience. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples.

“Forgive me, Mi— Joon-mei. This has been very a very trying situation on our family,” he cleared his throat. “I contacted the ship you arrived in and spoke to their doctor. Apparently they haven't traveled anywhere near a facility that has such remedies. They are only equipped for minor injuries and such. Lady Vera offered to get in contact with an Alliance Cruiser, but the closest one is six days away. By then...”

He let his voice trail off ans shook his head.

“Is your father all right? I haven't seen him since he went for a bit of fresh air,” she inquired.

“Pa's always going for walks,” he said in a distinct Rim accent. Joon-mei smiled tentatively. You could take the boy out of the Rim but you couldn't take the Rim out of the boy.

“He does seem to enjoy the outdoors. Is your mother the same?”

“Yes. Ma was always one to get her house chores done in a pinch in order to spend as much time in the garden as she could. Jayne was the same, he always wanted to be out exploring the nearby fields. I expect that's why he enjoys traveling so much,” he tripped right back into his fine accent.

“And you Curate Matthew?”

“I? I've always been a bit sickly. I tend to avoid the outdoors. I'm allergic to one thing or another. When I left for the seminary, I was careless and forgot to get vaccinated for any airborne maladies I might encounter when I returned. Needless to say, I became ill with the damp lung less then a week after I returned,” he sighed.

“The what?”

“Oh forgive me, I meant tuberculosis. If Jayne hadn't sent some credits in time, I would have been very ill indeed. Of course, by then Ma had known she was very sick as well. She just decided that my health was more important than hers,” his face became drawn.

Joon-mei opened her mouth to console him some, but was interrupted by the sounds of Lady Vera descending the stairs. She entered the sitting room looking very pale. Both Curate Matthew and Joon-mei jumped to their feet.

“My Lady?”

“I... that was very difficult. To see such a good woman waiting for death like this... I am to blame for this,” she sat down smartly in a chair.

“How in the 'verse did you figure that?” Curate Matthew asked.

“If I would have just been responsible and never sent your parents away... she could have had the best medical help in the Core...” she gave a little sob and pressed a hand to her lips.

“My lady...” Joon-mei squated down and took her other hand in hers.

“If it helps... our parents used to say that while their previous masters were very generous, they would have never traded anything for the gift you gave them in their freedom. Ma's lived a good life. The good Lord is calling her home,” he said softly.

Joon-mei whirled around to him. “How can you be so cold? Your mother is laying up there taking her last breaths and all you can speak of is this so called Lord of yours that causes her nothing but suffering! Aren't you angry or saddened in the least bit?”

“Joon-mei!” Lady Vera admonished.

Curate Matthew's face darkened. His jaw clenched. “You are mistaken Miss Joon-mei. I am very angry, furious that God would deem it now the time to take my mother from me. But what good would it do me to hold on to such rage and hate? It would do me more harm than anything. The only thing that helps me each day is the fact that His taking of her can only mean that He believes I am strong enough to overcome this and continue on with my life after she is gone. To know He believes I have such great capacity of strength as to survive my mother's premature death, Miss Joon-mei, that indeed is a compliment. Excuse me, I think I hear a vehicle approaching.”

He left the room abruptly.

Lady Vera turned to her bodyguard. “Joon-mei... I... well I've never been so disappointed in you in my entire life.”

It was more the tone of her voice than anything that truly made her feel shame. But a distraction in the form of a shout pushed these thoughts away from her. Joon-mei shot to her feet.

“What in the 'verse—”

“Stay here, my lady. I—”

She didn't finish her sentence. A large towering man, followed by two other strange men entered the house. If the curate and his father hadn't entered just then, smiling, Joon-mei would have attacked first and asked questions later.