The package

[Lovely]

it started with century's two sisters contacting her.. that was an interesting convo.. anyway they are all excited that she finally got her big strong 'dream man' not knowing anything about jayne 'not being married'. they want to send her something so she asks -where could i have it sent to pick up? She was told -persephone..

badger was there in persephone. he saw century and asked who she was.. offered her a place with an upstanding businessman -in front of Jayne -he didn't know they 'weren't married' either. pretty girl like her -find a place with a respectable businessman like himself instead of on a ship with a bunch of commoners that she has no ties to..

she ain't got no ties to a businessman neither

doesn't hurt to ask, not often someone so pretty crosses badger's circle, besides, he laughs.. what does Jayne care if he makes her an offer?

may not be official or nuthin, but she is part of the crew...

oh well.. you ever want to do business .. I'd be happy to make her part of my crew.. could buy her out from the capt or just a good trade

"That's not the kinda business we're here for."

Doesn't hurt to ask.. I always keep my eye out for a good deal, hmm.. anyway...

"A good deal? A good deal?! This here woman ain't no second rate rent-out. Ain't no rent-out at all. She's... she's mine."

"She's..? She's what? Yours.. oh now you're just pulling my leg." *laughs, thinking Jayne is just teasing him*

*seethes and grumbles a long insulting slur under his breath* "Sure. If you insist. You still got one left you can drag yourself off with. You heard me... she's with me."

"Why.. you're serious? Well.. I'll be.. she's with you.. what all does that mean?" Takes a step back and looks between the girl and Jayne. "How'd you end up with such a lovely lady?"

"Guess I earned it," he said, snorting and snarling proudly, not looking at the man or he'd knock him into the next sector. "Her daddy even approved."

Shocked, laughs a bit, looks at the girl and Jayne again. "Her daddy approved...?" He is at a loss, a bit of respect for Jayne forming. "You mean she's your....?" He cant even make the words to say it he's so surprised. "Well that's right respectable.."

"...wife," he muttered in a coughed breath. "Thinkin' you better just leave well enough alone." The warning was anything but empty. The hard fire in his glare was likely going to jeopardize their entire trip otherwise. Good thing he'd left Vera on the ship.

"Wi.. wife.." He clears his throat and takes off his hat, tipping his head toward Jayne and then to Century. "Well congratulations!.. We should have a drink, a toast to you and you're lovely wife. Janye, you are a very lucky man. And .. my apologies missus.. Jayne.. I thought you were unattached. I retract my previous offer in light of this information." Looks at Jayne and laughs. "Why didn't you just say so? You wanted me to step out of line?"

[Lovely]

"No drinks. We need to be gettin' back to the ship." There was going to be (chinese slang for 7th level of hell) to pay for this when they got back to Serenity. "We got what all we needed since you don't have anything else worth nothin'."

"Aww my feelings are hurt." Laughs more loudly now and scoffs, going back to his usual demeanor. "G'day now.. missus.." Tips his hat.

"Still got that leg I could rip off. Might make me feel better," Jayne muttered as Badger slithered away and he turned to get Century out of the 'office'. "After you..."

She eyes him a bit unsure but slides by to go ahead of him a couple steps. "You're associates... are colorful.." She commented quietly, not sure what to say or if he was angry or about to be with her for what had happened or if he was just cross with the 'little' man with the funny accent.

"Be more colorful in a good coat of dark red," he fussed, looking around for the rest of the team that wanted to go 'shoppin'. People around here knew him enough and the crew enough, there was gonna be talk and with Badger, there would be a lot of it.

"Mmm You're upset? Because of me.. you told him I was.. your wife... is that why you're disturbed?" She looked around and sighed, once again she'd caused him a fuss and he was never going to like her at this rate. "Maybe I should go try to find Inara, she was looking into the package that my sisters wanted to send us.."

"I told him so he wouldn't try to sell you off like rations to the hungriest bidder." He was upset at that more. Even he didn't stoop that low, not with women, though he'd bid on a few in his time for an hour here and there. This was different. He shook his head. "Us? You. What kinda package?" Speaking of rations, if it was anything like what her daddy had given them.. "Where was she lookin'?"

"That's the only reason you told him..?" She didn't look at him and shrugged looking around at the people milling. "I'm not sure.. where would one have a package sent here.. Inara relayed the information to my sisters for me.. and yes it was meant for us, but since there is no us, I guess just me."

His stomach was churning at the prospect of rations and hefty fine ones at that as his memory took over. The way she reacted made it churn more. "Maybe not the only reason... So, they're probably not using a regular drop station," mumbled one topic to the next, trying to determine where to start.

"It wasn't?" She turned to look at him for a moment a flash of hope in her eyes and a small smile before she went on to his next comment. "Well where would Inara have something delivered.. it could be a drop station."

"Hidin' in plain sight? Huh.. s'pose it could work even for one of us," he considered, looking off toward a hovel by a docking pad that had a lengthy line of what could be customers looking for their packages, or someone else's if things came in and were left too long. "You see her in there?"

She reached over, brushing the backs of his fingers with the back of hers but not taking his hand. "Does that mean, maybe I might be one of you?" It was hard to feel like she belonged when she didn't know for sure where she stood with any of them. "Oh.. over there.. is that her?" She pointed past his shoulder, taking a step closer to him as she did.

[Lovely]

His hand flicked briefly like a spider was crawling over him. Realizing it was her hand, he flicked again to catch her fingers a moment. He didn't mean to give the impression of pushing her away or striking her, especially not here. None of them needed to start a scene. He could have said his thoughts until she pointed toward a few people who could have been Inara. He forgot to let go and started off toward where she'd pointed.

"Hmm I don't think it is." She squinted and leaned against him a little as she looked. Century realized his fingers held hers and she felt the corners of her lips twitch up and her thumb brushed over his hand though she didn't dare look down and call attention to her noticing.

"Don't matter. Can't stand still either. Keep looking," he sighed, stopping and starting another direction. There were a few eyes watching them in the meanwhile... standing still was definitely not an option now. He headed more to the thick part of the crowds.

He held onto her hand and she was tugged along with him, though it wasn't a rough annoyed grip, it was more like he actually wanted to keep her close even if he was focused on something else. She got bumped a few times as they moved into the thicker part of the crowd and it made her 'toughen' up herself a bit as she had to push back to get through and keep up with Jayne's quick strides. She tugged on his arm as they stopped for a moment again and she turned to see Inara clearly. "Jayne." She came up against his back and pointed out the other girl.

She tugged back and he stopped, having her run up his side, not that he minded so much. "What now?" He was preoccupied not just looking for Inara but looking out for trouble that might close in on them before they picked up their delivery. It wasn't like they were picking up a med stash from a moving train, just a letter from home as far as he knew for sure.

"Over there. Inara.. for sure this time." She was close enough that she didn't have to yell, but spoke closer to his ear and leaned against him a little, pointing to the woman again.

He let go and ushered her around in front of himself. "What's it look like she's doin'? Is she negotiatin' or ... nevermind, guess she don't do that in public."

She turned over her shoulder to give him a look, with a blush and a soft chuckle. "Jayne!" She whispered, more of a surprised gasp than a scolding. "It looks like she's speaking to someone.. she's upset..?" The look on Inara's face wat not like one she'd seen the beautiful woman have before. "C'mon." She tugged Jayne's arm but let go as she ducked, darted, and slipped her way through the crowd to get closer.

Having the advantage of seeing over many of the heads in the crowd, he kept up right behind her with only a few slips of smaller creatures darting between them before getting close enough to see what was going on. His hand lurched out to her shoulder. "Hold on up," he cautioned. If Inara was visibly upset, either something was wrong, or someone had done something wrong and she was setting it right. Only this time it didn't look like Mal had a thing to do with it.

He was strong without even trying and his hand grasped her shoulder, bringing her to a less than graceful halt. She stumbled back a step to find him solidly behind her, which she didn't mind at all if he thought there was something wrong. She turned her head a moment to glance at Jayne and then back toward Inara who appeared to be speaking or rather being spoken to by a finely dressed gentleman who appeared angry.

Jayne leaned to talk quietly. "Don't get the idea that he's trying to buy her services. Something ain't right with her getting a talking to. She look like she's carrying a package?" He was concerned about Inara well enough. It was fair that he was concerned about the delivery too. Especially if any word got out about her not being his wife, though Badger would be quite happy to set that record straight with any nay-sayer... for the right price of course. Jayne hadn't shown any proof and the warnings Century gave about what her daddy would do... He nudged her gently toward Inara, following close behind. "If she don't like the conversation, maybe we should help get her away... now."

[Lovely]

Century nodded, swallowing as she watched Inara's face carefully. "She's scared of him.. it's not in her face, the way she's twisting her hands in her shawl." She told him quietly as they moved forward, she stayed close to him, but then stepped a little further away as they came closer to Inara. "Inara.. there you are." She made her own pressence known in an effort to send off the man Inara was speaking with.

Atherton Wing was not a happy man and since Inara had given him a black mark in the companion books, he hadn't been able to acquire any companion's service. He'd threatened her at their last meeting and planned to make good on his threat now. At the sound of the other girl's voice he looked at her and chuckled. "An apprentice Inara.. perhaps I should have her pay for your error as well. Too bad your precious captain isn't here to witness it.. though I'm sure you wouldn't hide your face from him when I'm done would you.. would he still think you were worth defending?"

Inara looked at Atherton only, she didn't look at Century, afraid to take her eyes of the man and give him an opening to attack her. There were plenty of places he could get lost in the crowd and she didn't want to chance it. "She not my.. not that it's your business. She is the wife of one of the crew on the ship. Leave her out of this." She didn't see Jayne, but used the 'title' of wife to hopefully disuade Atherton from going after her too.

Jayne's eyes rolled but only so far to focus on the man that held Inara's attention so solidly. Pulling Century back from the conversation wasn't an option now. He followed into the thick of it instead. "Cen-...," he actually stopped himself from giving the man her name and more to go on. "... since we seem to have gotten in the middle, maybe we should just be going now?" He glared at Atherton as he came up closer and turned a nod to Inara if she wanted him to get between them or escort this man to the nearest docking pad, preferrably under a lander.

Inara heard Jayne's voice and sighed inward with relief, though she wasn't letting her guard down. She gave a nod to Atherton as if to dismiss him and took a cautious step back. "Thank you. I found what I needed to and we should get back to the ship." As she stepped back Atherton lunged and pulled his dagger out, aiming at Inara's face.

Century saw the blade and sprang into action before she could stop herself, she managed to grab his hand so instead of slashing Inara's face he only nicked it. The two of them now wrestled for the dagger as he turned his anger on Century and she fought back. They tangled and the blade was turned in on her, sinking into her abdomen, but she held his hand from getting deeper and slammed her fist into the side of his jaw, making him stumble back, bloody dagger in hand as Century doubled over somewhat.