NOTE: I, Nuns N' Bagels, do not own any base I use for a story. In this case, I do not own Firefly the series or Serenity the movie or any of their rights. This and all my other stories are written for my own enjoyment and the enjoyment of others.
As always, this is dedicated to ThreeBooksInTheFire.
Along For the RideChapter 1:
Old Friends
A figure pulled a trunk along the dirt, stirring up dust as she went along the seemingly endless amount of ships, crowds, and vendors boasting about their goods as if they were the ones who invented them right next to another who did the same. She liked the ships far more, she decided, after one too many overpriced items of no value was shoved under her nose and one too many members of the crowd tripped over her very obvious trunk and glared at her as if it were her fault. The --
To see the ships is worth it, though, she thought contentedly as she went on her way, gritting her teeth to bear the item shoving and the trunk tripping. Instead, she focused on the ships around her.
Some were squeaky clean and unexciting as they were obviously a reflection of the crew who stood outside, tempting crowd members to fly on their vessel. Others were scummy and untrustworthy if you judged them by their crew. Mom and pop ships, too innocent. New ships, too pricey. Alliance-loyal ships were treason in her book, the –
Ah-ha. An engineer sat outside a rustic Firefly model. It was easy to tell her position on her ship because of the oil and engine grease spattering on her overalls. The figure looked the woman up and down from a distance. A smile was on her face as she sat beneath a shade umbrella on a low hanging fold-out chair as people came to ogle the ship she worked so hard to maintain. This was obviously a hard-working gal who had to represent the best in her crew and captain. Perfect.
Said engineer stood, twirling her umbrella over one shoulder as she stood to meet the woman with the trunk, smiling friendly-like. "She's a thing of beauty," the ship-less one commented, staring in to the ship's cargo hold and exterior.
"I keep 'er up there," the engineer smiled again, extending her hand without a second thought. "Kaylee. Nice to meet you, miss…" Kaylee trailed off, allowing the mysterious traveler to name herself.
Should I? The engineer –Kaylee- certainly seemed friendly enough. If I want to get off this rock today, she thought, this is by far the best choice. "The name's Eden Adams. Friends call me Eden. Enemies call me something not to be said in good company"
"Eden, then," Kaylee smiled even more when Eden took her hand… "Oh!" I've still got oil on my hands, the engineer remembered suddenly. "I am so –so-sorry Miss Eden! I – I-," Kaylee sputtered comically as 'Miss' Eden looked down at her palms, now slicked with a slippery substance.
It was Eden's turn to smile. "Nothing to apologize 'bout," Adams replied to the quick and plentiful apologies. She wiped her hands on her britches. "Is this why people say not to shake hands with an engineer?" Eden laughed.
"Well, again, I'm real sorry," Kaylee said sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck before wiping it on her stained overalls. "So, uh," she changed the subject, "wherever you're headed, we can get you there," she said helpfully, hopefully. Business was going downhill lately and transport, while not as exciting as other jobs, was safer and more preferred. Maybe I'll get that part finally…
"Well," Eden hesitated, rubbing the back of her head, " it's a bit of an odd request-"
A voice said from the dark, unseen shadows of the ship's interior, "They always are with you, Eden." Zoe stepped down the ramp to see the acquaintance more clearly. "It's been –what now? How many years and you still manage to keep your hide out of trouble?" Zoe stepped closer, about a foot from Adams.
Eden laughed, embracing Zoe. "Too many years, Zoe! Too many years!"
Kaylee couldn't help but interrupt what was a picture-perfect reunion with a, "You two know each other?" and an incredulous look.
"Yeah," Eden admitted. "From the Unification," she spat the word out, as if it had caused a bad taste in her mouth. She did actually spit on the dirt, making the only puddle in a mile. "Alliance scum-sucking –,"
Another voice laughed from within the hold. "Who's this?" it asked. "A new friend?"
Eden tried to peer into the ship before walking up the ramp into the hold to see if it was who she thought it was. "Malcolm Reynolds, if I remember correctly," Eden stepped into the dark, leaving her positions behind. "And, if I remember correctly," her voice echoed slightly in the empty space. "I'm an old friend."