Grey Skies: Chapter One, part two

So that's my prologue. As I write this, River is looking over my shoulder. Kaylee WAS looking over my shoulder too, but she got pissed off as soon as I called Serenity a piece of shit.

She didn't even care that I also said the boat was elegant, oh no! She didn't care about the rest of my description, either. All she did was latch on to three little words and that's it. Women.

Heh, that little rant was worth it. Now River is giving me dirty looks as she lithely and purposefully steps from the room. Not even mentally broadcasting my sincere appreciation of her legs is bringing her back.

So much work for a little peace and quiet while I write. I'm going to catch hell for this later. Totally worth it.

I guess I should tell you a bit more about myself. I'm Caucasian, five feet and eleven inches tall while standing, and I have dark green eyes that rest a bit further back into my head than most people's. It makes me look intelligent and mysterious.

Or at least, that's what I tell myself every morning.

I have a small beard-thing that I keep restricted to my chin. This makes my chin look a bit more squared, and more importantly, makes me look a bit older than I am, which is never a bad thing when you're only twenty-one.

So, back to River, Kaylee and the rest. The introductions that day were interesting.

Once I had let my employers know that I was leaving, and gone into town to retrieve the goods that I was to deliver, Zoe gave me a tour of the ship.

First, while heading towards the galley, we crossed paths with Inara Serra. I pegged her for upper-crust material the moment I saw her. She seemed to be trying to hide it a bit, wearing plain, serviceable clothing, and using small words, but her breeding and training were all too obvious.

Also, although her clothing was plain, it was too well-cared for, and she was just too clean.

I thought I understood the reason for her presence when we went to the infirmary and I met the doctor. Simon Tam had that same p