"Had I known we were taking on a passenger, I would have made something better," the shepherd said, placing a plate in front of Dinah.
"It wasn't planned, shepherd. Just happened," Mal said before Dinah could answer. She watched the captain as he ate his food. Where did he get the right to interrupt her? She looked at the plate before her. Squiggly canned vegetable were crammed among meat, parsley sprinkled over it for a little flavor and a touch of elegance. That made her smile.
"This'll do just fine," Dinah said, scoopin' some into her mouth. It was pretty damn good for packaged travel food. "I like the parsley."
That made the shepherd's face light up in a smile. "I'm glad you noticed. A man- or a woman for that matter, can live on packaged food for months as long as he, or she, has spices-"
"Ahh, Shepherd, don't go on about your herbs again," Zoe complained from across the table, her fingers entwined with the colorful-shirt-wearing pilot, Wash. They seemed so different. She was quiet, strong, and gorgeous with her dark eyes. And he...well he wasn't. Goofy, kind of loud, and definitely not much of a fighter. In some strange way maybe they suited each other. Dinah ate more of the food, quietly thinking.
"Do you pray, child?" The Shepherd asked out of the blue.
"What?" Dinah coughed, choking on the vegetables in her throat. A large heavy hand slapped her back and Dinah jerked forward against the table, rattling the silverware. She gulped some water before answering.
"Thanks," she sputtered, as she swallowed. Jayne just grunted as he continued to shovel food into his mouth.
"I didn't mean to insult you," The Shepherd responded, his voice warm and kind.
"Oh no. its not that. I am Jewish." the silence that followed made Dinah itch.
"You're disease-ridden? Why the hell did you board my ship then? I don't need you getting all of my crew sick!" Mal demanded, staring suspiciously at Dinah. She stared back. Jayne moved slightly away from her as if he didn't want to catch her "Jewishness".
"isn't that kind of like bough only less salty?" wash asked.
"No, dear. Its not a food," Zoe said with a slightly smirk on her lips.
"Hey! Judaism isn't a disease. Or a dish. Its a religion. Like Christianity. Same god. Different messiah. Ai ya!" Dinah shouted in frutation. Jayne inched his chair back to its original place.
"Oh," the captain said, a look of puzzlement etched on his face. "well then- just- sorry about- carry on!"
"What's Judaism like?" Kaylee asked from across the table, curiosity lighting up her face.
"Oh, well. It's kind of like- hm- well its- its like Christianity. Jews just don't believe that Jesus was the messiah."
"That's it?"
"Well, yeah. But, there is a whole set dietary laws which can be kind of annoying. Say there isn't any pig or rabbit in this, is there?" Dinah asked, fearfully.
"Oh nope. We don't get a whole lot of meat around here and when we do, its only beef," Kaylee said, a brilliant smile lighting up her face.
"Wait. So that means you can't eat pig? No pork? Bacon? Cooked pig spleen?" Jayne said amazed by Dinah's odd diet. She nodded.
"Jayne! Why would you want to eat that!"Kaylee exclaimed, her nose wrinkled in disgust.
"What? Its food. Taste pretty gorram good if you cook it right," Jayne argued. "A little spleen, with bacon pieces. Fry it up and you'll eat it quicker than you could spit."
"As interesting as your mama's cooking is, I think everyone here to keep their meal down tonight," Zoe said, ending that topic. Everyone chuckled including Dinah, as Jayne's expression turned sour. Dinah hadn't felt this good in awhile. Maybe it was the ship, or the parsley, or the misfit crew but, Dinah felt safe. If only she knew if that was a good thing.
FIREFLY***FIREFLY***FIREFLY***FIREFLY***FIREFLY***FIREFLY***FIREFLY***
"you don't need to help with the dishes," Shepherd Book said as Dinah and Kaylee the brought him the plates.
"Its better than sitting in an empty cabin for the rest of the night,"Dinah said. the Shepherd nodded at her answer. Kaylee chattered on and on about the ship, as they cleaned up.
"...And even after all this ship has been through, she keeps going on. You ever fly in a firefly before, Dinah?" Kaylee asked, giving Shepherd Book the last plate.
"I can't say I have," Dinah replied, pushing the last chair in. They walked out of the kitchen and into the medical area. Outside of it, there were couches and Kaylee plopped down, motioning for near Dinah to join her.
"This boat's a good ride, ain't she? I know, she ain't much on the out side but, her insides just kind of speak to you, at least if you're me. If you're me then theengine speak to you," Kaylee clarified, a bright smile on her face. Dinah gaze a small grin. It was a great boat. Tried and true, if the jumbled parts and pieces showed anything. It was the kind of ship that you chose because it spoke to you.
"I just love Serenity. And all the-"
"Serenity?"
"Its the ship's name." Serenity. The boats name was Serenity.
"That's kind of a silly name for a boat like this. Serenity," was all Dinah could manage to say. Inside her, she was a flurry of emotions. Serenity. The name dredged up bad memories she wished would stay down. She was reminded why she was on the outer most rim planets. Serenity. Dinah wasn't sure she'd ever achieve it.
"The captain named her. It was the name of some- Simon! Hi! I didn't see ya at supper. Shepherd cooked. It was mighty fine," Kaylee caroled to the doctor, as he walked in from the storage area of the ship. River followed behind him, stepping with easy grace. Dinah found the young girl intriguing. She was so distant, vague and put Dinah at ease.
"Oh, I was talking to River. Trying to get some information out of her. I wasn't that hungry. River, are you hungry?" River looked at her brother. There was so much caring and sincerity in Simon's eyes. it almost broke your heart to see own River's blank stare.
"Why do you do that? Pretend we don't exist?" River asked at her brother. The young doctor looked so confused and lost. He was trying to decipher the crazy girl's speech.
"We do exist. Same plane. Same time. Same blood. Its all the same but, you want to make it different. Why?" the doctor gave no answer.
"I take it, she's not hungry," Dinah interpreted. Simon just glanced at the new passenger before herding his little sister into the medical room. Kaylee gave Simon one last bright smile, which he returned with a little grin. The door closed with a hiss.
"You sweet on him?" Dinah asked once the brother and sister were effectively out of earshot.
"Like honey. But, he don't seem so interested in me."
"Oh that's just because he's got his sister. If he didn't have to take so much care of her maybe-"
"He'd probably be on some core planet, saving lives, being fed by servants, beautiful debutantes and companions flockin' to him," Kaylee said sadly, looking at her own unflattering jumpsuit. They were quiet for a little bit.
"He'd definitely cute, though," Dinah said.
"Oof, he's so gorram swai! Sometimes I just wanna kiss him. But, then the captain says somethin' or River acts up or the engines in need of some fixin' and poof!" Kaylee said with a dramatic flourish of her hand.
"Poof?"
"Moment's gone. And there I am, lonely little old Kaylee. All by her self." Kaylee asked sadly.
"Why don't you tell him?" Dinah said honestly. Kaylee gave Dinah a look.
"I would its just, he's so gorram-"
"Kaylee! I'm sorry to interrupt," Simon said, opening the medical room's door. "Could you get some food for River, please? Just a protein bar or something"
"I'll get it. This way, you and Kaylee can...talk," Dinah said, quickly standing up. "So talk to each other." Dinah gave Kaylee a very pointed glance.
Walking into the kitchen, Dinah opened a cabinet hoping to find a protein bar. It was empty. She searched the next but, just found cans, some with the labels ripped off. She continued to search the cabinets for a protein bar.
"You should try the drawers." Dinah quickly turned around to see a beautifully dressed women there. Her dark curly hair was perfectly made and her clothes were elegant; she looked out of place on such a ragtag ship like this. The woman just smiled. Dinah pulled one of the drawers out and sure enough she found a protein bar.
"Xei-xei. I'm Dinah-"
"Oh, so I see you two are getting' acquainted," the captain said, entering the kitchen, effectively interrupting Dinah. Again.
"yes, we were till you so rudely interrupted your new passenger," the woman said with total calm. However there was a kind of teasing in her eyes.
"Dinah, this is our resident whore, Inara Serra. Inara, this is our, passenger Dinah-"
"Meltzer. Dinah Meltzer," she said, extending her hand to Inara. Inara took it graciously.
"And I am a companion, not a whore."
"Details. Details," Mal said.
"Really? And you travel on this ship?" Dinah exclaimed in surprise. "I was under the impression, companions traveled on nicer-"
"Nicer what? Ain't Serenity good enough for a whore?" Mal asked, staring down on Dinah, effectively putting himself in between her and Inara. She twitched at the name Serenity. And the fact that he called Inara a whore. And the fact that he interrupted her.
"Mal, don't torment a passenger, especially one who is paying you to take her somewhere," Inara said, capturing Mal's attention.
"and I am sure you'd know all about that, right? Paying customers?"
"okay, I see you two got a thing here so, I am gonna go," Dinah said, slowly leaving the kitchen.
"Hey, wait! Whatcha got there?" Mal called, spotting the protein bar in her hand. "Didn't ya eat enough at dinner? On this boat, we don't tolerate food stealin-"
"Oh no! It wasn't like that! S-Simon asked me to get River some food so, I came up here to get some," Dinah quickly answered, coloring deeply. She knew that food was precious when you're in space and she didn't want to be seen ignorant.
"Please don't toss me out the are lock," Dinah said in a moment of weakness. Inara laughed at that and even Mal seemed amused.
"W ain't gonna toss you out the air lock. We ain't bad people," Mal said. Now, Dinah felt really stupid. She had been on her own for 3 years and suddenly she was worried about being killed over a protein bar.
"Right, because stealin' and harboring fugitives having nothin' to do with moral standards."
"Oh, you'd be surprised."