Chapter five

Angeni stood leaning against the food counter and surveyed the people around her. To her very left was Kaylee; who has been the most welcoming to her. So far she'd been very interested in her clothing and how she could survive being alone for so long. Standing just further on from Kaylee was Inara, the companion, who seemed to be watching everyone just like Angeni. Inara hadn't really spoken to her and it seemed that she wasn't likely to anyway; almost like she was jealous of something. Sheppard Book was sitting down on a chair with his back towards them. It was obvious he disapproved of an occupation where to get payment one had to kill; then again he had chosen to stay onboard with 'criminals'. Sitting next to him was River, a wild child who needed control but a brilliant fighter when she wanted to be. Angeni knew this but she didn't want to really talk to her. All she could talk about were her experiences and they would most likely set the poor girl off. Next to her was her brother. Simon was loyal; Angeni gave him credit for that but she knew that he was misguided and his unresolved feelings for Kaylee would put him in jeopardy one day soon. Now, Wash and Zoe knew how to play it. They could fight people and get the job done even if they were thinking about each other. They were sitting to Angeni's right and it was obvious that they loved each other but they still had everything around them under control, unlike Simon. Her eyes then connected to the brown ones of Jayne. He had been looking at her since she had flattened him. She didn't know if it was out of respect or admiration that she had been able to flatten him or that he just wanted her to pay for it and satisfy his lust. Angeni winked at him with a beautiful hazel eye before looking at the man standing at the head of the table facing towards the crew; Captain Malcolm Reynolds. Now, he was someone that she wouldn't mind satisfying. He had the commanding presence, good legs, decent enough muscles and the face just topped it off. But she wasn't here for that. She had a job to do and she hoped that the crew of Serenity would help her. She sighed and walked to sit on Mal's right; no way I'm going to sit with Jayne she thought.

"Right then," Mal started. "We know that what we found on the planet ain't right and when we left this woman appeared among us".

Angeni smiled at everyone in the room before crossing her legs and looking back at Mal.

"I don't need to listen to this!" Inara suddenly stated. She thinks she can waltz in here and get Mal to do what she wants. Well he doesn't listen to me a lot of the time so why is he going to listen to her? Stupid bitch! She stormed off back to her shuttle. A shadow followed her to the shuttle and when the doors opened Inara found herself flat on the floor.

"Sorry," the voice above her said. "I normally have respect for companions."

Inara felt a large swell of pain and entered into the blackness. She was thrown out of the doorway and the blonde woman started up the engines before making her way away from the ship.

"No," River said before grabbing the side of her head. "Pain, awful pain," she pushed back from the table, knocking over the chair, and pushing the people away from her. After about half a minute Simon calmed her down and looking at the Captain, who was still standing at the head of the table, walked out with River.

"I'm going to make sure she's alright," Kaylee said before falling the doctor and his sister. Wash, Zoe and Sheppard all sat down again, Book giving a pointed look at Jayne, who like the Captain and Angeni, hadn't moved during River's outburst.

"Gorram it," Jayne said. "What the cao was that about?"

"I don't know but let's continue." Mal turned to Angeni, "so what is so vitally important that you need to stowaway on my boat for?"

Angeni re-crossed her legs and began to inform them of what she did…

...Begin flashback...

She was running. She wasn't sure what from exactly but she knew she had to run. Then it hit her; the Alliance were doing this. They were destroying people's homes, ripping apart families and spreading fear. The only fear this teenage girl had experienced was hearing stories about the Reavers. It was at this point that two men joined her in running; she knew she could trust them. She didn't know where this trust came from but she just knew she should go with them. She ran with them till they reached a cave where they slowed down and Angeni followed them cautiously into the dark tunnel lit only by occasional torches. The tunnel opened out into a large cavern where just around a dozen more people were sitting on the sandy floor. They were forming a band of people; freedom fighters. They taught her how to survive alone and how to find work and payment from people who would want particular alliance operatives dead. Once she was taught that killing alliance members wasn't morally evil it started to come naturally to her. She was almost a natural born killer.

...End flashback...

…"and they taught me about the secret agents the alliance have whose job it is to stop people like us from surviving; the best of which I am tracking at the moment. My payment is large if I can deliver the body; I found her with plans to destroy you and your ship. I thought we could work together seen as you dislike the alliance."

Angeni looked across at Jayne who she knew had been staring at her through her long speech.

"So you are basically a bounty hunter?" Wash asked.

"Yes," she replied not taking her eyes off of Jayne.

"Cool, is the pay better than what we do? OW!" Wash exclaimed at the punch to his arm by Zoe.

"How do we know that we can trust you?" Mal asked.

Angeni turned her head and looked straight into his eyes, "you don't".

Mal nodded, "fine. You do what you need to do and we'll help, but step one toe out of line or do anything I think is a threat to me or my crew and I'll shoot you".

Angeni smiled and sighed letting out the breath she hadn't realised that she had been holding in.

At least I have his approval, which will make things a lot easier

To Be Continued...