All disclaimers apply
Ch.8- The New Guy
River and Jayne were putting the finishing touches on the platter as Simon was setting the last plate on the mess hall table for dinner. She sprinkled a handful of chopped scallions over the protein-meat and smiled up at Jayne.
"Garnish, like the restaurant!" she explained proudly.
Jayne grinned back. "Well, okay, but just make sure that around here ya 'garnish' using whats we're gonna eat, we don't got no extras to get all fancy and such."
She nodded vigorously. Simon paused to watch them. It had taken him more than a half hour to set the table; he was playing his version of the not-too-subtle observation game again. Seemed he was doing that more and more lately. He was sure Jayne knew why he was hanging around, but for some reason the big man chose to not give the Doc a hard time about it. Seemed almost like he relished showing that he was capable of behaving properly. Kaylee had been trying to talk Simon into letting them be, reasoning with him that if Jayne did get out of hand that River could easily, if painfully, reprimand him. Simon was trying to not be an overbearing brother, but a volatile, whoring, mercenary isn't exactly what every man dreams his little sister will bring home. Course, with the life they were living, wasn't like they were going to be able to throw her a cotillion either.
Jayne felt Simon's eyes on him and took a small step back from River. He certainly wasn't afraid of the doctor, but his recent feelings for River had him thinking differently. Like he wanted to do this right. And try not to piss anybody off in the process. It wasn't so much that Jayne cared what the doctor thought, as he cared about what River thought, and the siblings were close. Simon's opinion would matter to her; therefore it mattered to Jayne. He sighed. All this bein' careful was exhaustin'.
"Will be worth it, I think," River whispered as she turned back to the sink to wash her hands. She glanced up to catch Jayne's eye and winked. Jayne couldn't help the slow grin that spread across his face.
"What's that, mei-mei?" Simon interrupted, oblivious that it wasn't a public conversation.
"The dinner is worthy of a tasty garnish, Simon," River covered. She moved into Jayne's side as he followed her over to wash his hands. He looked down at her as she bumped into his side, and squeaked. Side by side meant he was looking straight down at her, and the way her dress was loose at the top, meant straight down the top of her dress. As she leaned ever so slightly forward he caught a glimpse of lace. His eyebrow started to rise.
"Garnish," she whispered. "I'll try to remember to use the right ingredients." She pulled her hands out of the water and shook them off causing the lace to move a little. Jayne was shocked at her boldness. She was openly flirting with him, and in front of her brother no less! Maybe she wasn't as innocent as he and Mal had supposed. Or maybe she and Kaylee should be banned from those movies they kept downloading. There had been entirely too much giggling going on when those two got together.
"Ahem," Simon intervened. Jayne stepped back quickly, splashing water all over the front of Simon's vest. Why he still wore those things nobody had the faintest.
Jayne mumbled an apology and stepped back out of the way so Simon could get to the sink.
Kaylee chose that moment (thank goodness for the distraction! thought Jayne) to come bouncing into the mess followed by their new client.
"Simon, this here is Mr. Janek, he's going to be traveling with us for a while," Kaylee announced coyly. "Simon is our doctor. He's from the Core too."
"Just David, Doc," said Mr.Janek, extending his hand. "It's a real pleasure to meet you. Had the pleasure of meeting your sister earlier." He threw a smile towards River, who unhesitatingly smiled back. Jayne, standing off to the side, was not pleased.
"And this is Jayne," Kaylee continued, "our, ah…"
"Security?" David offered.
"Yeah," replied Jayne, stepping forward to shake David's hand, purposely towering overhead and almost crushing his fingers. David took a step back, rubbing his hand.
Simon, meanwhile, was having a choking fit at the fact that this man knew without being told that River was his sister. Which meant that he must know…
"Simon, it's okay," River reassured him while pushing him aside to stand next to David. "He has Mal's mind."
Both Simon and Jayne snorted. "I doubt that mei-mei," Simon started as Mal walked in.
"At some point I may just have you explain that comment, l'il one, but for now let's see what you cooked today. Mr. Janek, you can sit right over here."
"Please, no need for formalities, everyone. You can call me David, or actually I am more commonly known by my nickname, Cosmo."
Wash and Zoe had entered the mess as David was speaking. Wash went over to shake David's hand.
"Cosmo, huh? I'm Wash. Maybe together we can clean up this 'verse, eh?" Wash looked around to see who was laughing at his horrible joke, but there were only groans.
"What, don't you guys get it? Wash? Cosmo?" Wash looked pleadingly around for at least one supporter.
"Honey, sit down and eat. I think you just lost the right to speak at the dinner table tonight," Zoe chided her husband.
"So, Cosmo, where'd you get a nickname like that?" Mal asked.
Everyone settled around the table and started passing plates. "Well, actually, Mr. Universe was taken, so I had to go with Cosmo. We're both in the communications business after all."
Dead silence hit the table. Everyone froze and looked at each other, except River who kept right on eating. But before anyone could speak, David piped in again, looking around at each of them as he spoke, eyes finally coming to rest on River.
"Yes, I know who you all are. And I wouldn't have it any other way. You did what you had to do, so I'm sure you can appreciate my situation. Way things are right now, Parliament's not too keen on the education of anyone who might be considered disgruntled. Believe it or not, those simple computer components you're transporting for me are on the watch list for repossession at every legit port in the 'verse. They don't want anyone advancing beyond the point where they might be able to aim an abacus at someone in power."
Mal recovered first. "And you're just trying to do your humanitarian duty here and help out those less fortunate than yourself."
"Now, Captain, I wouldn't dream of trying to bullshit you. These people we're delivering to, they are paying customers. Wouldn't want to mess with the economics of the 'verse. You start giving away stuff for free and people ask questions. But if you simply redirect funds, well then everyone wins. For example, the proceeds of this sale are going to make me an investor in a shiny new manufacturing company these same people are starting up."
"Well, that's real nice a ya and all, but don'tcha need any money to live on?" Kaylee piped in. Simon looked at her carefully, tipped off by her tone. She had the same look on her face that she had had the first night they had all had dinner together. Except this time it wasn't directed at him. Huh.
Jayne had started smirking at Simon until he looked over to elbow River at Simon's jealousy, and saw that she was also staring and smiling at 'Cosmo'. Huh. Jayne looked down at his plate. Was there something in the food?
"Living expenses are not a problem for me," Cosmo started to explain.
"Thief," River stated matter-of-factly.
"River!" Kaylee tried to cover for her friend. "I'm sure she didn't mean it the way it sounded, she's always being all meta-phor-i-cal and such." She was beaming at David now.
"Actually, she's right, I am a thief." Forks and chopsticks were lowered. "I am a professional anti-encryptionist."
"A what?" Jayne asked. The only part of that he had understood was the word crypt- was this guy some sort of fancy high-priced funeral director?
"A hacker," Wash chipped in. "You're just making sound fancy."
"True enough," David laughed. "Alright then, a hacker it is. It's convenient for hotel reservations and restaurant credits. Also allows me freedom of movement. Well, actually, demands movement."
"Meaning?" Zoe prompted.
"Well, unlike Mr. U did, I don't have a home base. My operations are best kept moving."
"In other words, you're on the run," Mal said.
Cosmo smiled. "I like to think of myself as a multi-national corporation. Always moving towards a better future. It's useful in the communications industry to be one up on the competition."
"And who would that be?" Simon asked.
David looked down at his plate and smiled to himself. "I guess right now, that would be the Alliance. This is the best moo-shi I have ever had. You make this River?"