He stepped into the cargo bay, one bag slung over his shoulder and two in his hands, cigar stuck between his teeth. He glanced around a little, making sure he was in the right place.
"Jayne."
He glanced up at where the voice had came from to see the captain standing up on the catwalk.
He gave a nod. "Cap'n." He tossed the cigar back outside behind him.
"You got everything you need?" Mal asked, making his way down the stairs to where Jayne stood.
"All set."
"Well, let me show you around."
"This right here will be your bunk," Mal said, pushing open the door and climbing down the ladder. Jayne was surprised at the set-up of the bunks, but quickly followed him down.
"It's pretty much empty in here right now," Mal commented, motioning to the space. "It used to be Wash's bunk, he's our pilot, but then he married Zoe, who you met, and moved into hers. So it's yours, now, and you can do with it what you want. Decoratin'-wise, I mean."
Jayne dropped his bags and looked around the room, in a little bit of awe. "Really?"
Mal gave him a funny look. "Ain't you ever had your own bunk before?"
Jayne didn't answer, he'd made his way to the bed and was testing it. "This is a nice room."
"Bathroom's over here," Mal pointed. "And you can get settled in a bit. Let me show you the rest of the ship."
They climbed out of Jayne's quarters and he noticed the door across the hall from him with a large sign that said "Kaylee's Room" on it.
Mal pointed past the room up the stairs. "This way's the bridge…"
"This is the kitchen. Food's mostly protein and the like, but you can use it whenever you want. We have sit-down meals, mainly for dinner. That'll be in a couple hours." Mal gestured to where Zoe was sitting at the table with a beautiful exotic woman. "You know Zoe and this is Inara. She rents one of the shuttles. She's our respectability. Inara, this is Jayne. He's the new muscle."
Inara stood and held out a hand. "Jayne, gaxing jiandao ni."
Jayne shook the proffered hand, but looked at Mal when he asked, "Respectability?"
"She's a–"
"Registered Companion," Inara and Zoe cut in.
Jayne's eyes went wide. "Really?" he asked, turning his head back to Inara, a certain glint in his eye.
Mal strode over and clapped him on the back. "Don't get any ideas. She won't service the crew."
"Gorrammit," Jayne muttered under his breath.
"Come see the engine room," Mal intervened, nudging him past the women and up the stairs. "That way goes back downstairs," he pointed. "We'll go that way in a minute. And this is the engine room, and here's our lovely genius mechanic, Kaylee."
Jayne looked into the room to a see a girl, who couldn't have been more than twenty, in coveralls and a flowered t-shirt. Her hair was in braids and there was a big smudge of engine grease across her nose.
She stood up from where she was sitting by the engine. "This our new guy, Cap'n?" she asked, giving Jayne the once-over.
"Kaylee, this is Jayne. Jayne, this is Kaylee."
Kaylee stuck out a greasy hand, which he shook firmly. "Nice to meetcha," she grinned. "Welcome aboard Serenity."
Mal elbowed him. "Kaylee likes to meet new people."
"Well, they're just so interesting, is all," she explained.
"Just wait till we get passengers," Mal added.
Kaylee pushed at him. "Don't be such a chunren," she scolded. "Now, go away, so I can get to know Jayne." She smiled flirtatiously at the big mercenary. "So where're you from?"
Jayne grinned.
Mal jumped between them. "No," he exclaimed at Kaylee. "No," he warned Jayne."Kaylee, get back to work. Jayne, let me show you where the infirmary is," he said, practically dragging the larger man out of the room. "Kaylee is off-limits, dong ma?" he whispered fiercely in his ear.
Jayne looked back to the engine room, where Kaylee still stood, smiling at the captain's antics. And meeting his eye, she gave him a wink.
