Angel had been warned there would probably be hostility and the cold shoulder when he was introduced and the beginning was going to be a bit rough with the Companion leaving so abruptly. He expected a lot of things but a riot of wavy brown hair and piercing brown eyes that he thought he vividly imagine were not one of them.
"Hi." he said lamely, unable to figure a safe way to break the ice with seven people all staring at him like he was under a microscope.
"What's he gonna be doing in Nara's shuttle? Jayne asked crudely, clearly acting like the man didn't exist.
"Private investigations" Mal answered stiffly, hoping his merc wouldn't make this a big deal but all the hoping in the 'verse wouldn't change Jayne.
"Ain't stuff like that done better planet side?" He questioned skeptically, surveying the newcomer again with a look that told everyone Angel had come even shorter the second time.
"Only if you want to leave a paper trail." He finally answered for himself and he caught everyone's worried look. He congratulated himself on saying probably the exact wrong thing for his first sentence.
"Great hiding more fugitives." Jayne muttered his distrust evident and deep. Angel knew he already had to walk wisely around him.
"His record's clean, Jayne. His reasons for taking over the shuttle really ain't none of your gorram business. Same goes for the rest of you. I want no undue fussing about this. Decision's been made." Mal stated, his voice more flinty and edged than anyone could remember.
Everyone stood, ready to take their leave but a grease smudged female stepped forward extending her matching hand.
"I'm Kaylee, the mechanic. You won't find a ship in the sky as safe as Serenity," She said, pride evident in her cheerful eyes. Her grip was firm and little rough but Angel could still the softness in it.
"'Cept when something blows up and we end almost freezing to death." Jayne chimed in, killing the friendly mood.
"Wrong. Captain almost froze to death, you complained about incense." River pointed out smugly. Jayne returned with an acidic sneer before he stomped away without his introduction, didn't seem to make a difference to anyone.
"Don't mind him, he'll get used to ya." He didn't know if he like the thought of the big man getting used to him in any context of the word. "This here is Simon and his sister River." The mechanic continued cheerily, knowing Simon would have just made everything awkward and stiff. She figured the new guy had suffered enough.
"I'm the doctor. Don't hesitate to ask for anything." Simon blurted out, his lack of skill with small talk obvious. Angel nodded, not bothering to tell him it probably wasn't going to be an issue.
"No wings and broken halo," River said shyly, standing next to Kaylee. The vampire knew he couldn't keep the curiosity off of his face as he stared at the young girl and he didn't want to go raising any alarms right away. Simon cast a worried glance between the two when he got the feeling Angel understood her.
He felt like her dark eyes were looking right past his soul and into what he really was, if that was the case there would need to be an understanding between them. He got the creepy feeling nothing was going to get past her.
"Empty shuttles, empty souls. You'll fit in quite nicely." If that was her odd way of welcoming him, he knew nothing was about to get easier.
The rest of the crew introduced themselves properly, a little coldly but it was expected, he just hoped it wouldn't last.
He was a bit anxious about this particular place to do business. A steely captain, a genius mechanic, a warrior woman, a pilot extraordinaire, an overbearing doctor, the dangerous mercenary and one strange little girl was quite a crew, but the moment he recognized River he knew The Powers That Be were about to go screwing around with his life again. For good or bad he didn't know yet, but he knew the girl was the key and it put him right where he needed to be.
