Rubbing my thumb into my palm as I waited for the ship to arrive. It wouldn't be long now. I wonder what will happen. How will I be received by them…her? I sit in the shadows waiting for it to come as I cut the apple that I stole from a merchant. The price he asked for this bloody apple was theft. It wasn't even completely ripe, but no matter it was still juicy if not tart. I slowly munch on it as I feel the ships presence, it just hit atmo and should be docking in the next 20 minutes. I lean my head back unto the wall that I'm slouched against and look up to the sky. We shall soon met again…. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> "Kaylee," "Yes, Cap'n?" "Find some passengers," Mal said as he walked through the cargo. When he arrived at the ramp he turned, "decent passengers, not psycho-mind-reading-alliance affiliated-moonbrains with doctors as brothers. I would take it as a personal kindness." "Sure thing Cap'n" said Kaylee with a big smile. Mal, Zoe, Jayne, and River mounted the hover craft to get to their job. River still wearing Jayne's goggles and her brother reminding her to leave them behind if anything goes amiss. River just makes a face at him and pulls the goggles down over her eyes. Simon and Kaylee watch as they leave. "Don't worry, they'll…" "I know, but remember what happened last time?" Simon answered giving Kaylee a worried smile. Then he pulls her toward her and gives her a hug before leaving to the infirmary. Kaylee smiles after him and hums as she gets her chair and umbrella to invite passengers on board…. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> This is way too easy. Why would they leave this girl behind? Not much on defense tactics, are they? Oh, well, easier job for me. I scoot in as the girl known as Kaylee hums. I watch her fascinated and a bit perplexed at the fact that she doesn't even know I'm right behind her on a bunch of crates. How could she not have heard me? I made sure to make noise as I walked. She's thinking about Simon and engine thrusters, obscure combination. She starts turning around… "Ahhh…um, hi, I…wha…who…Hi, I'm Kaylee." She extends her hand to me and I still cannot believe that she is this friendly. I mean to see it in person is really astonishing. I could kill her in so many different ways and she is completely oblivious. Naïve, is what she is defined as. A bit crude in her ponderings of Simon, but still naïve fits her best. I hold my knee to my chest and extend my free hand as I tilt my head to gaze at her. "You really are fascinating." I say as we shake hands. I realize a little too late that I shook her hand to hard as she rubs her hand and smiles. "Thank you." she says "Are you looking for a ride? We're going to…" "It really doesn't matter where you go, I am looking for a ride to anywhere and everywhere." I say as carefree as possible, maybe I wasn't convincing because she just stares at me dumbfounded. "I don't believe that I have introduced myself properly. I'm Dustee." "Dustee?" she asks. Why she asks I haven't a clue. Do I not look like a Dustee? If anything I can't imagine anything more dusty than me as I look at my dirty and tattered black clothing. She's scared of me, I muse to myself as I look back up at her. It was only to be expected. "I have money to pay," I reassure her before she has time to ask the question. "Oh, well, um, okay, do you have anything to bring?" she notices I come empty handed. "Just my duffel, I'll go get it." I hop off the crates as I sense she is getting more relaxed at my departure. Now I need to find a duffel bag with clothes that will fit me. I keep walking looking at the people around me to see which bag I should snag. Too manly….too girly….too…. what are you a man or a girl, ah a man, no thank you… ahhh perfect this will do. I walk pass this women in black and snatch her duffel by her legs. People really do baffle me. I believe the expression is 'it's like taking candy from a ba….' "Hey, my bag…it's gone! Where di…Hey stop that girl she has my bag!" Ninny, I think to myself. Pride really is before a crash. I run faster and hop onto some crates and pull myself up the roof of a building and start jumping from roof to roof as I get farther and farther away. Freedom, it never felt so good. I hadn't realized how long it had been since I simply ran like this. I didn't have to run this fast, I knew they wouldn't have pursued me once I was on the first roof, but it was hard to stop once the adrenaline was pumping through my veins. There she is….Serenity. I flip off the roof top, landing bent knee, I feel her eyes on me. I look up and nonchalantly walk up to her. "I'm back with my bag," Dummy, she knows your back and she obviously can see the bag she's not that dim-witted. She just looks at me in wonder as a man and a woman approach at the same time. I move to the side and put "my bag" behind some crates, just as a precaution. I know they have stopped looking for me. I stand leaning against the side of the ship as I watch Kaylee telling them where we are headed and how much. "That much to fly to Beumonde? That's ridiculous, especially for this piece of go-se!" says the woman. I glare at her. That's practically a free ride. Kaylee's hurt and looks down trying to think of something to say. "Then you will not be joining us. There is another ship that is leaving to Beumonde. Just walk straight ahead. I'm sure they will have room for Wahg-ba DAN duh biao-tze." I say glaring at her with a hint of a smirk on my lips. She is terrified of me as Kaylee just smiles at me in disbelief. She turns to leave in a huff. "I can't stand ignorant people." I reply simply and smile at Kaylee. "I would like to ride here there is myself and my two daughters." The man says as two small children come walking up to him. "Oh, well," Kaylee looks at me and turns back to the man before starting again. "The thing is we only have roo…" "It's okay. I don't need one. The two girls can share one and I will simply lay wherever I find some comfort. I don't sleep much anyway." I give her the best reassuring smile I can muster, although smiling has not come naturally to me for the last 10 years. "Are you sure?" the man asks. I know his story. I know he needs to get away. "I'm sure." I said "You might want to show them to there rooms." "Right, let me just put this stuff away," she picks up her chair and umbrella and puts them in a corner. The family follows her as she shows them to there quarters. I go to sit on the crates when…. "AHHHHHH!!!!" I know that voice. I turn to see the hover craft coming in and River screaming. Simon rushes out, not caring to be seen by anyone that might report him, and runs to his sister. "What happened?" he asks accusingly to Mal. "What? She was fine an' then al' a sudden she starts scremin'. How the hell am I supposed to know what's wrong with your ruttin' sister?" Mal responds, irritated. I know Zoe is looking at me and so is Jayne when hops of the hover craft as he tries to restrain River. "YOU!!!" River says to me. "Two by two hands of Blue. Two by two hands of Blue. You've come to take me…to take me away. I won't GO!!!" River shouts at me as she tries to steady herself. I look at her in disbelief. "River…" I start but now Mal has a gun pointed right between my eyes. I close my eyes as I feel the steel against my skin. Ready for death. I have always been ready. I know he will not pull the trigger, though. I open my eyes and look at him. Slowly I move my hands and place them around the gun and press it harder against my skin. "Do it." I whisper. Kaylee walks in and stops in her tracks. By the hover craft is Jayne eyeing me down suspiciously as he hands River to her brother and reaching for his gun, Zoe with gun in her hand and ready to fire, Simon now clutching River to him trying to calm her down and eyeing me cautiously. "What's goin' on?" Kaylee asks in a shaky voice. "You know River?" Simon asks "Who sent you?" Zoe asks Mal clenches his jaw and drops the gun to his side. "Who are you?" "Wrong question. You should be asking, what am I?"