Not my ‘verse, I stole it. Not my story, I stole it to. Just wanted to tweak things my way for fun. I believe the only original line is “Simon says”.

You can take the boy out of Hera…

By: Jailbird

Chapter Thirteen: “A Shiny New Gadget?”

Mal now turns his attention to River. “What exactly are you doing?”

Rivers replies without stopping. “Wiring in the holo-imager.”

Mal ask only hoping for an answer. “Do you have some desperate need to play pool?”

“No Captain.” As she steps down. ”Serenity activate Book program.”

The Shepard appears, chair and all, seated at the table.

“Unfortunately I only had memory for this one program of Book.” River adds with remorse.

Mal doesn’t see the point to a fake Book. “And what dose he do?”

“What you wouldn’t let him.” River retorts. “Serenity run Book program.”

“Let us pray.” Book says as he bows his head a places his hands together. “Blesses our lord this daily bread we are about to receive through thy bounty through Christ our Lord. Amen.”

“Cute really cute.” Mal says without enthusiasm.

Simon interrogates his sister. “How much did all this cost?”

“5500 credits.” River states with a shrug.

“Whoa, where did you get 5500 credits?” Simon questions as he looks to Inara. Inara says with a little protest. “I was only to fetch them.”

River states. “Well daddy of course. I accessed one of his accounts on the cortex and placed the order. Even sent mom a letter from the Guild thank her for her generosity.”

Mal is wondering just what she has done to his ship. “Why? Won’t he miss it?”

“Serenity needs a pilot…” River states frankly. “…and no daddy won’t miss it.”

Mal is not sure how to handle this turn of events. “Isn’t that your job now?”

River informs the Captain with sarcasm at the end. “Well yes, however if we ever wanted to dock some where decent we will need a pilot with a stardrive license. I can’t take the test. You can’t pass it.”

Mal can’t wrap his mind around all today’s excitement. “So how does a praying Shepard help with that?”

River replies coolly. “He doesn’t. Serenity activate auto-pilot to the galley.”

As the computer generates the Wash program, “Yes, I am back for some wacky fun. So what does a sly cowboy feed his horse?”

As Wash looks around the table, everyone was just stunned.

“Haaaaay.” He says with a limp flick of his wrist. Mal asked as he pulls River to the side. “How real is he?”

River replies quietly. “Close…I still can’t get his cheeks quite right.”

“His cheeks?” Mal looks at her inquisitively.

“Yeah, how they are all puffy in the morning.” River says as she leaves for the bridge

No one notice Zoë slipping out after her.

*** (Inset Commercial Here)

TBC