All the usual disclaimers. Just keeping these characters busy, know they're not mine.

***

It was a cheerful meal that night. Kaylee cooked, with Book’s provisions and his help, and between them they produced something close to home-cooking. The market had provided fresh greens, which they simmered with a little salt pork and onions, some new slaughtered chickens, fresh peaches, and butter just in from the farm.

They were all at the table, all but the stableboy Warrick had sent.

“Where’s whats-his-name, Gowan?” Wash asked.

“Said he didn’t want no supper. I reckon he’s maybe a little sickish from leaving atmo for the first time,” Kaylee answered. “I offered to fix him a plate, if he was just feeling shy-like, but he said he wasn’t hungry. I ‘spect he turned in early. Big day, first time off planet.”

Even Inara and Mal managed to be more than civil under the influence of the meal.

“This must be a good job, Mal,” Inara remarked calmly. “I can’t remember when I last saw you sit at the table after the meal.”

“You’re still here, too, I notice, and it’s something I haven’t seen you do lately, neither,” Mal’s voice was just as neutral as Inara’s.

“Well, I ..”

“It’s all right – folks like to have you here. You don’t need to apologize for your charm.”

Inara looked up quickly at Mal’s remark about charm, but it seemed not to be meant rudely.

“Speaking of charm,” she offered, “those are very charming passengers you booked for us. I can’t remember when I saw animals so beautiful.”

“They are that, aren’t they. Smart, too. These are the cream of Warrick’s string of eventing horses. He’s sending them out Halcion to improve the stock out there,” Mal replied.

“Eventing horses?” Kaylee asked.

“Yeah, it’s a kinda game rich people like to play with horses. The horses have to do exactly what they’re asked to do without the judge tellin’ how the riders get ‘em to do it and then they run fast and jump over things outside in a field and then they haveta jump over big walls in an arena. I’