17) It's Feeling Just Like Every Other Morning Before
Kowlonshi wasn't the prettiest planet she'd ever seen. Carolyn made sure her hat was firmly on her head against the harsh wind that slapped dust in her face. No wonder Kaylee had freckles. Between the sun and the wind Carolyn would be lucky she didn't burn.
"Gotta toughen up that spacer skin," Riddick teased as he carried a crate down the ramp.
"Says the man who shrugs off hundred-degree heat," She rolled her eyes. "Though I envy you the goggles today."
"Got a couple sets if you need Caro," Mal offered as he followed Riddick with another crate. "Use 'em when we're driving the mule at high speeds."
River had walked silently behind them and offered Carolyn a long scarf to help keep the dust and sun off her face. She had one of her own which she'd threaded around the band of her hat and down between the straw weave wrapping the long ends around her face and neck. The look was similar to the Imam's and Carolyn took her hat off to do the same. It wasn't as easy as it looked though, and she was getting more than a little frustrated when River took the hat and scarf and did it for her. "Spacer skin is white and soft," She winked at Carolyn. "No doubt he would enjoy smoothing aloe over reddened flesh, but they both would dislike the pain of the burn. No fun to be had with sunstroke."
Riddick had chuckled wickedly as he walked back up the ramp past them, "She ain't wrong. Now if you want sunscreen rubbed all over you, I'm your man. I can be real thorough."
"I'll keep that in mind," She'd wrapped the scarf around her face and neck and immediately felt better now that she wasn't breathing dust.
Kaylee came down the ramp with Simon, holding his hand, both of them similarly equipped. "Wind only picks up like this 'fore a storm," She explained cheerfully. "Once it rains the dust'll all turn to mud."
"Sounds like fun," Zoë commented dryly.
"Growin' season's short here," Kaylee shrugged. "Part of why Daddy's got the junk yard and repair shop."
"Speakin' of that," Mal was lugging another crate. "You and Simon go on to see your Daddy, ask about those parts he said he's got."
"We'll resupply," River patted her pocket with its jingling bag of coin.
"Jack, you an' Zoë supervise," The Captain nodded at his First Mate and the slender girl next to her. "Me an' Rick're just about set here."
"See ya in a while," Kaylee's eyes crinkled in one of her most cheerful smiles, tugging Simon along with her and pointing out the various landmarks (such as they were) of her hometown.
Carolyn regarded Mal and Riddick as they brought the last of the crates out of the ship, "You're sure you don't need us to stick around?"
"What, we don't look intimidating enough," Mal straightened up and dusted off his coat, gesturing to Riddick at the same time.
"Well, now that you mention it," Carolyn glanced at her lover/friend. "But it's not a shortage of the intimidation factor I was concerned with."
River nodded beside her, "Large muscular men, very intimidating. Perhaps too much so."
"Well, that's why I figured on Zoë and Jack supervisin'," The Captain pointed out.
"Stressful," River murmured with a look at Zoë who was trying to unobtrusively lean against the ramp's lowering mechanism.
That got Mal's attention right quick, and he turned to look at his First Mate, "Zoë, didn't the Doc tell you to take it easy?"
"He did," Zoë nodded. "Didn't tell me I wasn't allowed to stand though."
Carolyn frowned, "Maybe you could supervise from a chair?"
"Jack, go get Kaylee's foldin' chair from under the steps," Mal ordered. Jack ran for the chair. She might still question when Carolyn told her to do something but when Mal said it, Jack snapped to. Something to be said for being in charge of the boat.
"How big a show were you lookin' to put on Mal," Riddick asked in that low growl of thunder voice. "These people who understand violence and little else or would they prefer a pretty set of eyes?" He moved to take the chair from Jack and set it just inside of the bay, out of the worst of the wind and dust.
"We've done business with 'em before," The Captain rubbed his chin. "They're a bit skittish, hence the setup on the docks instead of the bay."
"So why don't Zoë sit with her mares leg at the ready," Jack suggested. "You an' Caro do business, River stays here with you an' Rick an' me'll go get the supplies?"
"An optimal use of resources," River's voice had an approving tone. "But Jack and Rick do not know everything we need. And it is not written down. Adjustments made depending on prices and bargains gained or lost."
Carolyn chuckled as Jack's expression went from hopeful to confused and Riddick tilted his head trying to parse out her meaning completely. "She means she'll be figuring out what we can get by with depending on the prices and what we get will be adjusted up or down because of that."
"Does math in her head," River shrugged.
Carolyn looked at Mal, "I don't mind staying if you think it's a better use for me."
"Gotta admit, Rick is a helluva lot more intimidating than Jayne was, and they were plenty intimidated by Jayne," Zoë reminded her Captain.
"Okay, Rick, you an' Lil Albatross go on and resupply, Caro, you're with me, Jack an' Zoë," Mal nodded.
Carolyn grinned and passed Riddick the pouch of coin she'd been carrying, "If you see a good deal on anything we need." She told him. "Jack's sprouting now that she's getting good meals."
"Got it," Riddick nodded and moved over to stand near River. "Ready?"
Carolyn chuckled and wrapped her arm around Jack's slender shoulders, "Got no doubt you'll be sent on all manner of errands once we're on the boat a bit longer."
Mal nodded his agreement, "Jack's got a good head on her shoulders. We train you up good Jack, you an' Kaylee'll be draggin' Rick out to get the scary man and pretty girls discount."
That had Jack's eyes lighting up and Carolyn wasn't sure if it was the implication that she'd be pretty or the idea of being on Riddick's arm that excited the girl. Riddick kept putting her in the little sister slot and she kept trying to slip out of it.
He hadn't figured on escorting River to the market, had thought he'd be at the ship mostly, so he hadn't put on any sort of overcoat or hat, just his goggles to deal with the sun and the dust. "Give me half a minute," He told the tiny pilot.
"Should find a hat and something to cover his mouth," She advised. "Breathing dust is unhealthy."
"That why Zoë's lookin' a little pale?" He hadn't expected her to follow him back to the passenger quarters, but she did, going into her brother's room and coming out again with a dark brown scarf. She handed it off to him and went to the crates behind the infirmary, pushing the lid off of one and shaking her head before doing the same to another and pulling out a jacket of khaki green that would hang to her ankles if she wore it.
"Does not help," River handed him the coat. "Try for size?"
"Yeah sure," He pulled the thing on and moved his arms to see how tight it would be in the shoulders, but the thing actually fit a bit loosely. "Where'd you get this?"
"Salvage that has not been sold to secondhand shops," She shrugged, evaluating the coat as he moved. "Good fit. Should more clothing be required beneath, it will not become uncomfortable."
"No, it feels good," He nodded and realized there was a hood. "Think I can get away with the hood without getting weird looks."
"Would be given stranger glances should he not wear the hood up," River half smiled as he wound the loose scarf around his neck the lower half of his face, pulling the hood over his head. "Locals wear similar when the dust and wind rise."
"Then we're good," He made sure he could reach the gun on his hip and the one in the shoulder holster, then checked his shivs.
"All weapons are placed optimally?" River began to walk towards the cargo bay doors, stopped and diverted to her brother's room, emerging with a pitcher and a glass, filling the pitcher in the passenger head and bringing everything to the bay ramp. The glass was filled with water and handed to Zoë, "Hydration is important." She told the woman solemnly.
"I'll remember," Zoë smiled at the girl. "Better hurry before the market starts to close down for the rain."
Jack had been displeased when they left even though Carolyn was staying behind. Riddick frowned as he recalled Carolyn's theory again. He had to keep Jack in the little sister zone as firmly as possible. River glanced at him, "Next time, perhaps Jack might accompany us, when a storm is not coming."
"Yeah, I need to look for a good coat for her," Riddick agreed as they approached the market. "So is the budget for the parts Kaylee's dad is holdin' for us or that's separate?"
"Separate," River told him promptly. "Get the best price possible already. Kaylee has the funds." She tilted her head, like she was thinking something over. "Kowlonshi does not have the best secondhand market. Better off on Pelorum or Persephone for such things, anywhere bordering White Sun. But we may have suitable things crated on Serenity. Can look when we get back."
"Mal won't mind?" He hadn't met many Captains who wouldn't have a problem with quasi-crew using goods intended for sale.
"No," River shook her head. "Not the first time they've been needed." With that mysterious remark she gestured towards the right side of the market. "Foodstuffs first, then odds and ends."
"Wouldn't be better to survey the odds and ends, in case we find somethin' there we need, and know how much we can try to scrounge from the food budget?" He wasn't sure of her reasoning for the food first, habit, or knowing that this market wasn't much for other goods.
"Can do so if he wishes," She nodded and turned towards the left-hand side of the market.
"Carolyn and Jack…they don't have a lot of girly stuff," He explained quietly. "Like to just check it over, use some of our wages to make sure they've got everything they need."
"Zoë will have need of baby clothes as well," River nodded. "Mal intends for part of each job to be portioned towards Serenity and the baby."
"Zoë means a lot to him huh," He'd gotten that impression, but it'd be nice to have it confirmed. "She's how far along now?"
"Two and a half months," River shook her head. "Her mister didn't know about the baby before he was killed. Zoë did not know either, or Mal would have hidden them both and flown himself. Reavers do not care about gestation or marital bonds."
Shit that sucked balls and swallowed; Riddick frowned. "Well clothes a kid outgrows fast, but diapers, diaper pins, bottles and stuff, that we can stockpile."
"Will need to look into jobs with salvage, look for protein bars. Genuine grade A foodstuffs," River half smiled. "But he has a very good thought." She patted her front pocket, "Brought her own money along as well. In case of grand bargains that the Captain will reimburse her for." She glanced at him, "Would do the same for you." The tiny pilot seemed to consider him for a moment and added, "Zoë was a corporal in the Fifty Seventh Overlanders, Balls and Bayonets Brigade. Mal was a Sergeant. Made it all the way through the war, held Serenity Valley. Until the high command surrendered."
Damn, something else that really sucked, no wonder Mal and Zoë were tight. He looked at the sky, noting that it was darkening a bit, the winds picking up, "We'd better make this fast."
"Slogging through the mud has no appeal," River agreed.
Author's Note: So I have a reason for them setting down here. And let's face it Serenity needs any job it can get.
