Ouch, I thought as I tumbled to the ground from the strong blow of Malcolm Reynolds shoulder against mine. My bag had slipped off my shoulder and fell open, revealing all of my equipment, it was everywhere. I quickly moved to pick up all of it from the bar floor, I would be dead if I broke any of it. The Captain of Serenity didn't even acknowledge me! Although I suppose, why should he? He can't trust anyone and he has no time to waste I bet.

I started packing all my stuff up, then zipped my bag tight. When, to my surprise, I stood back up, I stood back up to him, standing big and bold, towering over in front of me, I had to strain my neck to see past his large torso! My... he is quite the something.

"Hey, what is with all the tech equipment?" his voice was hard and firm, and took me off guard from my thoughts.

"Urr, it's mine, I have a hobby I guess..." I whispered, I've heard many things from him, I don't want to get in his way.

"Yeah right, I know the world we live in, no-one these days can afford that much and that kind of equipment, who are you? A spy?" His eyes burned into me, I tried to look anywhere but his face.

"No! No way, I am not a spy! ... I just... urr..." I paused and continued in a whisper, confessing as if it were a sin, "I'm a hacker, I know everything about the ins and outs of computers and electronic devices" He stared at me with a furrowed brow, as if considering something...

"What's your name?"

"Piper, Piper Hugh" I smiled.

"Well Piper, what are you doing in a bar like this with all that equipment? Your very vulnerable."

Is he implying i'm weak? Even though it is true, how rude! He was probably trying to be considerate... I told him a brief of why I'm here, I'm not going to tell him my whole life story because, 1. Why would he even want to know? And 2. I've only just met him, how can I be sure to trust him with this information, I can't tell him about why I'm really here anyway, that wouldn't go down very well most likely. So, I told him parts of the truth… By now his face had changed into an almost annoyed searching look, trying to find answers.

"Oh right, yeah, well, basically I've just got fired so this is all my luggage from my job and this was the closest place to drop by and plan what I'm to do next..." I paused and took in an intake of breath, I hope he doesn't try to dig any deeper.

"Oh? So your free? A set of skills like that are very valuable and we could use a girl like you on the ship."

"Are you requesting I join your crew?" I stood gobsmacked. Did he just ask me to join his ship!?

"What else would I be requesting, I'm certainly not asking you to sit around wasting my time for one thing!"

He had a point... "Fair point." I said and so I replied with the only right answer.

"Sure!" I grinned but before I had even finished talking he was already walking away, obviously expecting me to follow, so I did. Little Piper Hugh, the computer geek, trailing behind Captain Malcolm Reynolds...