Myra laid in her bunk, but she wasn’t sleeping. Her mind was on other things, mostly the fact that the whole crew now knew about the bounty on her head. She would have to leave this ship at the first opportunity, a concept that made her feel more stressed and tired.

The sliding door opened and a young girl stepped in quietly. Myra looked up at her quizzically, sure she was there to tell her it was time to eat but the girl said nothing. Her hair was long and draped around her shoulders.

“Can I help…?” Myra started to say but the girl began to speak.

“The sun was shining that day and sky was blue, but for some reason it was as unsettling like a big grey cloud.”

“River?” A young man not much older than the girl appeared behind her. “River, you shouldn’t be in here.” he said more to the girl as he also entered the small room.

“She was.” River answered and motioned to Myra on the bed.

“Im sorry.” The young man said. “I’m Simon, ship medic, and this is my sister, River. She seems to be curious about you. You were from Dusken, right? Word on this ship travels fast.” he added at Myra’s inquisitive look.

“Yes, Dusken.” she repeated, troubled to hear how fast “word’ was traveling.

“Its one of the nicer of the mid-planets.” Simon said, but was distracted by his sister and trying to make her leave the room.

“A benefit of being close to the core, I imagine.” Myra managed as she watched the spectacle. “Unlike that dung heap of a planet I just left.”

“It wasn’t the planet you hated.” River said loudly. “…Those on it you despise, and for good reason. What he did to you. What no man should do to a woman, and if it aint a man, it’s a monster.”

“River, stop.” Simon tried to control his sister but it was too late. She had said it.

“Time for chow-get upstairs.” It was the Captain. He stuck his head in the door. He had heard every word River had said., and was more than sure most of it had been true by the look now on Myra’s face.

“I’m sorry.” Simon said again as he collected his sister. Myra stood there wondering how the girl had known all that. It was more than she could’ve given away unintentionally. Those words had been plucked from her thoughts and been spoken aloud.

“Chow.” The captain said again and motioned for her to come.

She stood and walked toward him. He put his arm across the door way to stop her before she fully exited the room.

“That true? What she said….was he a monster?” Malcolm leaned in close and whispered the question. “You can tell me to mind my own damn business too, if you’d rather.”

“Let’s just leave it be, Captain.” Myra said, finally. “I’m off his damn planet, and I ain’t ever goin’ back.”

Mal nodded and dropped his arm, then followed her up to the dining room.

They were all seated around the table. No one was saying much as they had begun to stuff their faces and were still a bit quiet at the new person at the table. Kaylee scooped more potatoes on her plate with a bit of attitude. Inara wasn’t present and River wasn’t eating. She was staring at Myra, who didn’t feel much like eating either.

“River, you need to eat something,” Simon said trying to focus her attention on her plate.

“I know it aint the best supper I ever made but y’all could at least pretend to eat it.” Kaylee said finally breaking some of the tension.

“Food’s good.” Mal said and took a big bite of food.

“Then am I missin’ something?” Kaylee asked.

“You took his money and you were happy.” River said boldly to Myra.

“River, no.” Simon tried.

“After he’d taken so much from you. It tipped the scales a bit-but now you’ve spent most of it getting away from him and what he did to you creeps back up and gets in your throat and you cant swallow it down.” A tear began to stream down River’s face.

Myra felt as though the most secret page of her diary had been ripped out and passed around the room. They all sat staring at her, judging her. Except for the Sheppard who had the decency to look down at his plate.

“May I be excused, Captain.” Myra asked holding back her tears.

“No.” the Captain said firmly with a bit more emphasis that was needed. “Doctor, I think it best you take your sister elsewhere to finish her meal.”

“Yes, I agree.” Simon said and led River out of the room.

“I-um…” Myra began trying to find something to say.

“You don’t owe us no explanations.” Captain cut her off and took a few more bites before standing and heading off in the direction Simon and River had went. He found them in the chairs near the infirmary.

“Captain.” Simon said when he saw Mal descending the stair case. “I know what you’re thinking.”

“I don’t think you do.” Mal said. Simon made to speak again but the Captain didn’t let him. “River’s little outbursts are wreaking havoc with our new guests emotions.”

“I don’t think River meant to hurt h…”

“Didn’t say she did, but that don’t change the fact its happenin’. Now, Miss…Graves, or Davis,” the Captain seemed unsure of what to call her… “…will be getting off in no time-a-tall. So try and keep your sister away from her. Dong-ma?”

“Yes, Captain.” he nodded.

--

Myra emptied her plate into the trash, shyness was not usually part of her personality but she couldn’t bring herself to say anything.

“This may be a bit un solicited.” Sheppard Book said softly to her as he also cleaned his plate. “But if you ever need to talk, I am a Sheppard.”

“Thank you.” she smiled, truly thankful for the offer. “But I…”

“Just think on it.” he smiled kindly and gave her a knowing look.

“Well, I aint no Sheppard.” Jayne interjected as he grabbed the garbage and hoisted it up. “But you can talk to me too-possibly more than talk.”

“Jayne.” The Captain reentered the room. He was about to lecture Jayne on the fact he had specifically told Myra to take care of trash duty. when the alarm went off. Everyone looked up at the alert.

“Captain. I need you on the bridge.” came Wash’s voice over the voice comm. “We’ve got trouble.”

Mal motioned for Zoë to follow him and made a b-line for the bridge.

“What’s going on?” Myra asked Book and Jayne, but neither answered. They only looked forward and waited to hear from the captain.

--

“What is it, Wash?” Mal asked as he came onto the bridge.

“Its bad Mal. Ship just out of range…no core containment.”

“Reaver ship?” Zoë asked, coming in.

“Looks to be.” Wash answered, his brown furrowed, his tone somber.. “And, Mal…it’s a big one.”

Mal let out a few Chinese slurs as he reached for the comm. “Listen up, This is the Captain. We got ourselves a peck of trouble. I need Jayne to the bride. The rest of you…find yourselves a place to strap in.”

--

Myra’s eyes widened. She hadn’t ever been on a space ship before, other than the trip from Dusken and all of that trip she spent drugged and stored in a crate. She wasn’t exactly sure what a ‘peck of trouble’ meant out here in the black, but from the tone of the captains voice she was sure it was bad.