After announcing that is was time to eat, the asian gentleman took his leave, as did Red Veil, though no one actually saw him leave. He requested that everyone meet him back there in two hours. Shepherd Book was conspicuously absent, having left before the asian gentleman did.

Mal ordered everyone to gather some food and take it back to the ship. There were several cries of protest at this, mostly from Jayne and Kaylee. Simon was having a hard time balancing two plates and asking River what she wanted. River seemed to be in a daze since they stepped off the ship. Without a word, she took the plate from Simon, put a few more cursory things on it, and wandered off towards Kaylee, who was loading her plate with sliced apples and a bit of melon, but no real staple foods. Simon watched her go perplexedly. He shrugged and turned back to the table and almost ran into a tall blonde woman wearing a skintight jumpsuit and more guns than Jayne.

"You look familiar to me. Have we met before."

Simon goggled for a bit. Women as a rule didn't approach him. At least not out here, and it had been a long time at any rate. He started to put up his guard, but he was taken with how beautiful the woman was. He slowly turned to see what Kaylee and River were doing. River was watching him, or so it appeared. On closer inspection, she was watching the new arrival. Simon immediately turned back to her.

"No, I don't think so. I don't get out to Pegasus much."

"No, I don't suppose you would" she said, running a finger down Simon's vest.

And, of course, Kaylee turned just in time to see this.

"My name is Sepia. What's yours?"

Simon was stuck. When he had tried to play at lying in the whole before, it was an utter failure. He hoped he didn't come off sounding like a schoolboy.

"Mine's Jason. If you don't mind, I have to get back to the ship."

"Which ship is that? If you don't mind my asking?"

Simon acted like he didn't hear, and continued over to River