Life on this boat. A Firefly story. #fanfic

Life on this Boat

Lou looked around the Boros spaceport, heaving her backpack into a better position on her back. All she owned was now in that pack. With no family, no friends left and not much of a future ahead, she figured her best option would be to hitch a ride with the next freighter off this desolate rock.
At the far end, a young woman sat in a deckchair twirling a faded parasol and looking more at the people than at the book in her lap. Nodding and smiling at passers by she put Lou in a good mood just by being there.
The ship she was sitting next to was a shabby old firefly type that certainly looked like it had seen better days.
The young woman looked at Lou with a smile.
"Howdy there. Looking for a ride somewhere? Can I interest you in taking a turn in this lovely shiny vessel of ours?" She said hopefully.
Lou looked at the firefly.
"Does it hold?" She asked doubtfully.
"Yep. Just overhauled the engine myself this morning and replaced the condensator and transfusers, so this bird will take you anywhere you want to go," the young woman chirped, before getting a doubtful facial expression and continuing: "unless you want to go to the central planets... I doubt the captain will take you there."
Lou laughed, her at the central planets? That would never happen.
"I don't need central planets... I just want to get off this one and in general I like fireflies," Lou said smiling at the friendly girl in front of her. "But I don't have much in ways of money, so if some of the journey could be paid in work, I might be able to get away, and I am able to get some fresh foods in at a reduced cost if you have had enough of that protein junk."
The young woman smiled brightly. "Can you get strawberries?" She asked and reminded Lou of a small child in her enthusiasm.
"Sure thing. And I can get real beef too. And eggs." Lou said, hoping the fresh foods would gain her way towards a ride.
"How soon can you get it? We fly in an hour and I don't want to promise anything untill the captain aproves" the young woman asked.
"What does the captain approve of?" A deep male asked behind Lou. She turned to see a determined, strict but friendly looking man standing behind her. Immediately understanding that this man had authority and assuming by what he had said that this was the captain, Lou grinned widely and reached her hand out for a handshake.
"Lou Sepia at your service, sir. I was just offering a supply of fresh foods and my services onboard in exchange for a lift off this planet." She stated professionally.
Looking at the man in front of her, she noticed a millitary stance and certain items of clothing looked like rebel army uniform. Experience had taught Lou a fair share of observational skills when it came to people and she was rarely wrong. This man was obviously a former officer or some leader during the war and Lou acted with due respect.
"What services do you offer? We allready have a companion, although you don't seem to be in that line of trade, and even if you were we have no need for those kinds of servies onboard." The captain said with a smile.
"I can cook, sir. And I mend clothes and knit." Lou told him, knowing that on most ships, the crew were suffering from boring diets and shabby clothing.
"And she can get fresh strawberries, Mal! Real strawberries!" The young woman was bouncing with exitement, making the captain smile.
Suddenly he turned to Lou, studying her intently with a serious face.
"What is your relationship with the Alliance?" He asked and Lou could tell he wanted a serious answer.
"Alliance killed my father and my brother in the war, sir. I avoid them as far as it can be done. They have no issues with me, and I have no reason to get to know them." Lou explained looking directly at him.
He nodded.
"Right then. I will give you board untill we reach Dorian, if you haven't given us food poisoning by then, I will take your services as payment." He stated.
Lou was happy with that. She could easily get a weeks worth of supplies in.
"Sure thing captain. Any food not cooked will also fetch a pretty penny on Dorian," She nodded her agreement.
The captain nodded.
"We lift off in an hour. Kaylee can go with you to get the supplies as long as she doesn't eat all the strawberries on the way." He said grinning at the young woman.
Lou nodded and took a step up into the cargo hold where she dumped her luggage before heading to the market. She immediately liked both Mal, the captain and Kaylee, the enthusiastic woman skipping at her side.
Kaylee grabbed a cargo trolley from inside the ship and the two women headed out.
On the way, Kaylee told her about the rest of the crew, letting her know there was both a medic, a shepherd and a mercenary onboard in addition to the companion, the pilot, second mate and Kaylee the mechanic.
"Oh, and then we have River," Kaylee said without elaborating, giving Lou the impression there was a child onboard. She straight away decided to knit a jumper for the girl in her spare time, hoping a week would give her time to finish it.
Following the back alleys behind the great food market, Lou stopped and knocked on a warehouse door. When it opened, Kaylee saw it was a cold storage, and the man at the door was greeting Lou with a big grin.
"Lou, m'dear! Long time,no see! Where in the 'verse have you been hiding?" He grinned clapping a hand the size of a ham on Lou's shoulder.
Lou smiled back at him seemingly thrilled to see him to, although Kaylee could see that she was holding back.
"Not been so far, Fred. Been stuck on this rock for longer than I care to remember," she said, hiding an undertone of distaste in her voice.
The man scratched his head guiltily.
"Yeah, hmm.. sorry about that, my old bird. That freighter cap'n kinda just left a bit soon, huh?" He grinned stupidly.
"Well, Freddy. He took everything I owned, my fare and took off, so to replace my belongings I suggest you make it up to me and we can call it even." Lou said confidently.
"Now, now, Lou.. that is none of my fault if he took your gear..." the man tried to defend himself while moving to close the door.
With a swift movement Lou opened the door wider and stepped inside the cold storage, surveiling the shelves with her hands firmly planted on her hips before turning an icy stare towards Fred.
"Considering that my gear and my savings went towards paying your debts, I have a notion that most of the eats in here belong to me." Lou said determined, giving Kaylee a hand up into the room with the trolley placed to keep the door open.
Quickly, Lou grabbed fresh meats, dairy and vegetables off the shelves, putting them into the trolley where Kaylee was watching big-eyed at all the foods Lou loaded up. Any time Fred made a move to stop her or started to speak, Lou shot him a look while patting a pocket of her overcoat to indicate the presence of a weapon.
Within a few minutes, the trolley was loaded up and Lou tied a tarpaulin across it to secure and hide the cargo.
She handed a paper bag full of strawerries to Kaylee before they headed off
"These are just for you." She winked.
"You won't see me again Fred, but if you do, consider your debt to me paid." Lou shouted over her shoulder as they left. Kaylee was holding her strawberries with the tenderness of a mother holding a newborn baby all the way back to the ship.