"Perhaps you've read one of my cookbooks?" asked Jiraiya/Jeri.
"THAT Jeri?" asked the rough fellow. "Name's Mal. This here's my freighter, Serenity."
"Jeri Sinefell the wandering chef?" asked a VERY rough looking fellow with an oversized crossbow.
"Nice to be recognized," said Jeri. "This is my niece and apprentice, Naruko."
"Heya," said Naruko.
"So you DO have the money for passage?" asked the rough guy.
"Yes, Captain Mal Reynolds, I have money for passage," said Jeri.
"You gonna cook anythin' while you're aboard?" asked the rougher and still unidentified guy.
"Just call me 'Mal' or 'Captain' - either's good. That there is Jayne Cobb, he's a bit abrupt," said Mal. "And slow. And uncultured."
"Oh, that's fine," said Jeri. "We're used to that straightforward attitude."
A hatch opened up and a woman half-crawled out. "Jeri Sinefeld? The wandering gourmet author?"
"That's me," identified Jeri/Jiraiya. "We're on our way to Carson City and I heard you're taking passengers."
"Well, at least they're a good deal cleaner and less shifty-looking than the usual sort we get," grumbled Jayne.
Naruko stared. "You know how to cook?"
"Ah, but what is cooking?" asked Jeri. "Isn't it like everything else - a matter of timing and finding the right things to put together to make them all work cooperatively? Whether one is a Hokage, a genin, a wandering chef, or even just a skilled pervert - timing is the most important thing."
"This is..." Naruko sniffed. "It actually smells good."
"You act surprised at your old Uncle Jeri being able to cook," said Jiraiya. "Even here, surrounded by strangers, it isn't too surprising."
"Nobody's around," complained Naruko.
"This is a ship, there's always someone around," said Jeri. "Am I right, young lady?"
"Ain't no lady," said Naruko.
"No, you're a tomboy, I was referring to..." Jeri let his voice trail off.
"You are very perceptive for a wandering chef," said a female voice.
"You have very good stealth for an urchin aboard an independent freighter," said Jeri.
"Smells good at least," said the urchin.
"Ah," said Jeri, dicing up mushrooms with quick economical strokes. "You're familiar with the dish?"
"No," admitted the girl, letting herself dangle out of an overhead air vent.
"It's a dish from one of the countries to the far West," said Jeri. "Mind you, I'm making a few substitutions for things not on hand."
"Oh, there you are... River?" asked another woman as she entered. "Uhm. Am I interrupting?"
"Nope," said River, shimmying back up the vent.
"So, you've heard of me - Jeri Sinefell, comic artist and wandering chef," said Jiraiya before stirring a pot and sniffing at it.
"Right, I'm Kaylee," said the woman. "I keep the old engine on this ship going."
"You must be quite skilled then," said Jeri. "If I'm not mistaken, the engine on this ship is one of the old steam-types. Most larger ships use sails."
"That's right," said Kaylee. "You do know there may be rakers, right?"
"'Rakers'?" asked Naruko.
"Pirate rakers," said Jeri. "Ninja from one of a couple of villages, but more often missing-nin or even just bandits who operate a ship. The more successful ones have special ships designed for pirating."
"Right, mostly we don't bother them and they don't bother us," said Kaylee. "We're a small ship by their standards, and if they go after the free traders then everyone will just up anchor and go elsewhere. They mainly go after corporate ships like the Gato Corporation used to use. Nowadays I think they mainly hit those from Sanchez Shipping and Hayabusa Zaibatsu."
"They go after the big fish and leave the little fish alone," said Jeri to Naruko as way of explanation. "The big fish provide a bigger fight - but more profit to make the risk worth it."
"Just in case, can you two fight at all?" asked Kaylee. Who then paused and stared at an air vent. "Did River just giggle?"
"Just got some dust up my nose," said a voice from the air vent.
"Oh, I've picked up a few skills here and there, but I think I'm a much better lover than a fighter," said Jeri.
"Oh, puh-leeze," grumbled Naruko.
Jeri shrugged. "Incurable tomboy. Doesn't know the first thing about being feminine. Sad that I can't find anyone to instruct her."
"Oh?" asked Kaylee. "I'll check. Maybe Inara can help!"
"Wha?" asked Naruko, who was suddenly getting a strong sense of imminent danger.
Jeri looked at his niece in a way that seemed to convey a promise of something unpleasant. "I'll keep that in mind."
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(Posted Thu, 13 Jun 2013 16:51)
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