After a long talk of River and Simon's past the crew all sat around the dinning table along with Ben and Katy, who were sat at one end next to each other.
"I'd heard of such projects in the 'verse but I thought it was political speculation" Katy said from her end of the table.
"Well it's fact we've been on the run for some time now." Simon said, "used a lot of money and friends to find this girl" he said putting his hand on Rivers head affectionately and he smiled.
Keighley was smiling at the pair, her closeness to Simon gave her a reason to smile most of the time but she was a sister figure to River and for the first time in a while she was truly happy on Serenity. Even after the horrors were Wash and Book had lost their lives. She tried so hard not to think about it but sometimes it got the better of her and she cried. However today was not one of those days.
Jayne was sat with his legs up on the table he was munching his way, rather noisily through an apple.
Mal sat with a cup of water in his hand and had been sipping at it as his crew had told their stories.
"So what have you got planned for us now Captain Reynolds?" Ben asked giving Katy a quick glance.
"Not much." He replied and took a sip from his cup of water.
"I see, we'll understand get out of your hair at the next port." Ben said. Starting to think of another plan to get him and Katy further out of the Alliances reach. "I was thinking a border planet would be the best option stay out of the Alliances way, some border planet where they think the brown coats will rise again, the Alliance don't have much influence on those planets." Ben suggested, as though he wanted some advice on his plan.
"No need." Mal said taking another sip from the cup and he took a quick glance at Zoë's questioning face.
"What do you mean?" Katy asked.
"Like I said, we're looking for a new pilot and I'm sure you would be useful on ship with your knowledge in science. Besides the best way to avoid the Alliance is to stay on the move all the time and we're always on the move…so" he said then looked at Zoë's face. Who seemed unmoved by the idea.
"You want us to stay?" Ben asked.
"Might as well." Mal said standing up and taking his cup to the sink to wash it.
"Is that okay with everyone?" Ben asked to the group.
"Yo'll seem alright to me," Jayne said glancing across.
"Sure that'd be shiny." Keighley agreed.
"I can't see a problem with it." Simon added.
"No one ever stays they always move along…at some point. Likes leaves" River added philosophically. Jayne looked at her with one eyebrow raised.
Zoë merely nodded.
"Well that's settled then, I guess you guys are part of the family now." Mal said, "All that goes on this boat…I'm not questioned" he said looking at Jayne, who ignored the comment and continued to eat. "Everyone gets ten percent of the profit, the rest goes to keeping us afloat."
Ben nodded and smiled as did Katy.
"Well I guess I better see how far we are away from the nearest planet." Ben said standing up.
"Thank you all." He said as he began to walk off and Katy began to follow after him. "Out of curiosity, where'd you learn to fly like that?" Keighley asked from her seat next to Simon.
"Every pilot in the Alliance has to do freight carrying for a year. I flew a Firefly Mark II, not as good as this one but still it was my first boat, not a lot I don't know about these little bugs" Ben said looking around the ship nostalgically.
"Well well, that's good for Serenity then." Keighley said beaming.
Ben and Katy left the room and headed to the cockpit.
"At least we've found somewhere to hide now." Ben said as he entered the cockpit.
"They all seem nice." Katy agreed.
Ben slumped down into the pilot seat and Katy moved over to the co-pilot seat and sat down and the two looked at each other across the gap.
"I just hope we fit in that's all." Ben said, "Never any good at meeting new people."
"Yeah well…it's nice to know we haven't got to avoid eye contact with others for a change, at least we've found others like us."
"True…how are you any way, I left you sleeping earlier before the Alliance turned up?"
"I'm okay now, I just need a wash and more rest I think," she reached up and touched a hair. "My hair needs a wash it's nasty."
Ben shook his head and smiled, "You always say that"
"It's true," she protested.
Ben grinned at her and turned to look out into space.
"I really hope we fit." He repeated more to himself then her.
Katy laughed, and he glanced across at her.
"What?"
"You…you make me laugh" she said grinning at him.
Mal and Zoë sat in the dinning room again.
Jayne had left to go to his room and probably was going to clean his other guns or get up to whatever Jayne did in his spare time when there weren't any women or alcohol close to hand.
Keighley had gone back to her burrow in the engine room, Mal was sure that she loved Serenity more then Simon.
Simon had taken River down to the cargo bay and was playing a game of basketball with her.
A long silence had passed between Zoë and Mal before either of them decided to speak.
Eventually it was Mal who spoke.
"So…how…do you feel…about…" he wasn't sure how to end it and was going to let his voice drift of into silence but Zoë spoke out for him.
"Ben? He's nice and very good at what he does" she replied not looking at Mal but continued to look at the wall in front of her.
"We need another pilot Zoë…I can't keep flying this old diamond for long." Mal said knowing that his decision had upset her.
"I know…it's just…I can still see Wash sitting in that chair…it's going to take me a while to adjust to Ben that's all." Zoë said. Her eyes were welling with tears she hadn't cried in a while but now it seemed like she was about to again.
"Look," Mal began placing a hand on her shoulder, "We need ourselves a good pilot if we've any hope of getting back at them Alliance. We need to get ourselves through that Reaver strip again. Ben's the best for the job…after all he knows and believes on our cause."
Zoë closed her eyes and held back the tears, "just don't expect me to like him that's all."
Mal laughed, "I never asked you to like him, just accept him."