“Where’s Mal?” Inara asked after everyone had gotten settled in their chairs in the mess and looked to her expectantly.

“The Captain’s busy at the moment and won’t be able to make it.” Zoe responded easily as Inara struggled to keep her hands from fidgeting nervously. She had already grown attached to Lil’ Cap’n, as she preferred to call him, and was almost afraid Mal would kick the puppy off Serenity the moment he found out it was there.

“Has anyone seen River?” Simon asked, looking around the room anxiously.

“She’ll be along in a moment.” Inara replied, apprehensive and relieved at the same time that Mal was absent for this little meeting. “As it happens, River is part of the reason for this conference.’’ She cleared her throat. “River? Come in, mei-mei.”

Every head around the table turned to face the door as River entered the mess hall her hands behind her back and her head down, her hair veiling her face.

“River, what’s wrong?’ Simon asked, looking from her to Inara and back again.

“River, honey, what do you have behind your back?” Zoe stood up slowly keeping her eyes on the girl. River gradually raised her head and looked around the room then without a word brought the puppy out from behind her back.

“A puppy!” Kaylee squealed in delight and rushed River her face lit up. “Iz’it a boy or a girl? What’s his name? Can I hold him?”

River smiled at Kaylee’s reaction and silently handed the pup over who made quick work of giving Kaylee’s face a thorough tongue washing.

Zoe looked at Inara, “Where’d it come from?”

“It would seem that River adopted him on the last planet we landed on.”

“Really?” Zoe looked back at the happy scene of River and Kaylee with the dog. “Captain’s not gonna like this one bit.” She muttered crossing her arms over her chest, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

“What’s all this fuss for over some flea-bitten mutt?” Jayne asked annoyed, getting up from his seat. He smirked, “Cap’n’s gonna flip his lid over this.” Shaking his head he left.

“Jayne ain’