so this part is basically going on during 'our mrs. reynolds'. some of the dialogue is the same. review please! and i'll try to answer any questions you have
This was a strange ship, full of fugitive doctors, priests, mercenaries and Browncoats. Yep, that was Dinah's cup of tea. When she had first gotten on, she had been convinced they were thieves who appreciated the worth of good money. Then she was served dinner by a priest and discovered the 'thieves' were protecting fugitives from the alliance. Now they were on some wayward moon, Triumph or other, helping some helpless bunch of settlers with a bandit problem. Honorable thieves. She had no idea what to make of that.
Sighing she walked into the kitchen, heading straight for the boiling pot of coffee some had already started. Quickly she poured herself a cup, gulping down the hot liquid. It was bad, really bad. not even coffee. coffee substitute. She grimaced as she stared into the black coffee-sub. Something was wrong with the synthesizer. Too gorram coppery for her taste. However, Wash had told her they'd be on their way off in a short while, once the settlers stopped packing all the food into the cargo bay so, that was good. Now that the caffeine had fully awaken her, Dinah realized she wasn't alone.
"So what did you do to the Alliance?" Dinah asked as she watched the good doctor cautiously chew some protein at the dining table. You could tell that he was from the core planets. Nice clothes, good skin, eats nutrient bars like a pansy. Simon looked up at Dinah, probably deciding whether her question had any merit.
"I didn't do anything to the Alliance," Simon finally said, swallowing the protein. He gave Dinah another odd look.
"Ah. So you are pretending to be a fugitive? And you are now traveling with a caravan of thieves instead of making a million platinum as a brain surgeon?" Dinah teased, hopping up onto the kitchen counter. Only then did Dinah realized that she was drinking coffee out of an empty produce can. She hadn't realized how tired she was.
"Yes, actually. You'd be surprised that life isn't always easy on the core planets," Simon said, his eyes narrowing a little. "You should also know that no one on this boat really cares for the Alliance, so if you're thinking of turning my sister and I over for a reward, you'll find that some people won't take to that-"
"Hey! No need to get all menacing and threatenin' here. I ain't lookin' for a reward. I don't want anything to do with the Alliance." Dinah was surprised by how much those words actually reflected her life. She wanted nothing more than to leave the Alliance behind. Even the word left bitter taste in her mouth and while she teased Simon, Dinah felt her nails dig into her palm. Maybe this was just the boat for her. She slowly poured the coffee-sub down the drain, watching it swirl away. Goodbye, Shu ma nyaow.
"What brought you to this ship, then?"
"Last place any would look for us. It was old and cheap," Simon replied.
"Not for me. And your sister? What's her deal, then? She's not all there, is she?"
"Its not her fault," Simon said, standing up. "the Alliance they- why am I even telling you this?"
"because you we're makin' conversation and I honestly wanna know."
With a tired sigh, Simon sat back down. He rubbed his forehead and Dinah took the chair across from him.
"My sister, she's kind of a genius. I mean, I am smart. Not even smart. I was the best in all my classes. I became a doctor in 5 years. My intelligence is exceptional. River was- is beyond that. She is so intelligent that nothing limits her. My family sent her to an Alliance-based academy for the expectational. But this school didn't think of her best interest-"
"Did they not teach her or somethin'?"
"If only. They- well, in essence they experimented on her. They played with her brain, altered her perception of reality, emotions, and some of her instinctual reactions. She's scarred and traumatized and all because some scientists thought her brain was so perfect, it had to be defiled." his hand was a fist, clenched tightly and his knuckles were white. Simon cared for his sister and was willing to fight for her. It was familial love. Dinah could relate.
"I like her."
"Who?" Simon said absently.
"River. She's just so serene, kind of like a dancer, you know? like she's in the same room as you but, in a whole another world."
"Shi. She loves to dance. It comes to her so easily, like everything else," Simon said, smiling as if he remembered a particularly fond memory. "You caught her on a good day."
"She get kind of crazy sometimes?"
"Not...crazy. She's was tortured by the government. At least from the little I can discern. Some days, the trauma is too much for her and she get kind of-"
"I understand," Dinah said, suddenly seeing the doctor in new light. He wasn't such a light weight as Dinah had originally thought. They sat in silence for a while. Dinah's gaze wandered around the kitchen. It wasn't half bad. Nice little prep area, small accessible stove top, good design.
"So, what do you think of Kaylee?"
"This is Zoe. We need all personell in the cargo bay," Zoe called over the intercom, effectively restricting Simon from answering Dinah's question.
"Does that include me?" Dinah asked Simon.
"You might as well come. I don't think anyone would mind."
Walking into the cargo bay, Dinah immediately noticed a young woman standing next to Zoe. She looked naive and submissive, with her eyes lowered. Every once and a while, she'd glance up at Mal, looking for something. Approval? Her strawberry blonde hair was choppily cut and her clothes weren't that special. But, there was something about her, a kind of feeling.
"Who's the new recruit?" Shepherd book asked.
"Everybody, I want you all to meet Mrs. Reynolds," Zoe said with a grin.
"I didn't know Mal had a wife," Dinah automatically spit out. Every head snapped in her direction. "Just sayin'. I didn't know."
"He doesn't," Inara said.
"You got married?" Kaylee gasped, covering her mouth. Her face was bright with happiness.
"Wow. Well that's- congratulations," Simon said, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"We always hoped you two crazy kids would get together. Who is she?" wash asked.
"She's no one," Mal announced. Then the Mrs. Reynolds began to tear up.
"Cap'n!" Kaylee said accusingly.
"Would you stop that?" Mal harshly asked to the woman. She softly whispered: 'I'm sorry'.
"You brute!"
"Oh come here, sweetie," Kaylee said embracing the girl. "He makes everybody cry. He's a monster."
"I'm not a monster! She's the one who got on the boat and-" the woman let out a loud heart wrenching sob.
"Okay, is this whole thing making some sense I don't understand?" Dinah asked no one in particular.
"the only sense you know won't equate. Different factors. Not the same constants. But pots and pans will work jut fine," River said, suddenly sliding up next to Dinah. She instantly stiffened as the strange girl gazed complacently at the floor. Damn, this girl seemed to come out of the walls. Dinah wasn't very fond of people sneaking up on her.
"Wash! Turn the ship around!"
"Can't."
"Why not?"
"We're already out of orbit. And there's a warrant out for the murder of a prefect's nephew. Seems one of our bandits has family ties. The Alliance touched down as soon as we left. So unless you want to walk right into-"
"Fine! We'll set course for Beaumont," Mal angrily decided, looking a lot like a caged animal, pacing back and forth.
"Hey! Calm down. You should enjoy your honeymoon," Wash said, obviously amused by the whole ordeal. Zoe barely suppressed a chuckle. Dinah resisted the urge to smile. It was funny. From the little she knew of the captain he didn't seem the marrying kind. He must have gotten really drunk last night.
"This isn't happening. And could you stop sobbin' for a little while?" Mal demanded. The girl looked up at him with fearful eyes.
"For God sakes' Mal! Could you be a human being for 30 seconds," Inara demanded.
"I am! Its just-"
"As one married man to another-"
"I am not married! I just- look you seem like a real nice girl its just that, I never married you. Hell, I ain't never seen ya before," Mal said to his bride.
"I believe you did," Shepherd called from the stairs. "Last night." they all turned to look at the sheperd on the stairs with an encyclopedia in his hands.
"Here its says that the woman shall place the wreath upon the head of her intended which did take place and which represents his sovereignty. And he shall drink from her wine and there will be a dance of clasped hands which I do recall. The marriage ritual of the triumph settlers. You two are legally married."
"Mazel tov," Dinah offered the newlyweds.
"whadya call him?" Jayne asked, confused.
"Jewish thing. A blessing on your home. May it never know poverty or scarcity," Dinah said, with a dramatic flourish of her hand. From there she took her leave and headed for the kitchen hoping to make a decent cup of coffee-sub. The whole ordeal was getting a little too silly for Dinah's taste.