Reynolds sat bolt upright, his hand already stabbing his pistol into the darkness. As his eyes adjusted to the light, he scanned the semi-darkness for any signs of movement, but there were none. Glancing up quickly, he was relieved to see that his door was still closed and he sniffed the air tentatively.
It took months for Captain Malcom Reynolds to get used to the creaking noises that Serenity made as she surfed the black. Every ship had its own personality and Serenity had it in spades. He was so intimate with the ship nowadays, only when she was in real danger would Reynolds truly sense it.
Again, his bunk shifted violently beneath him as a deafening rumble rattled his bones. He dressed quickly in the cold light of his quarters, swearing under his breath. "What the hell is Wash doing to my ship," he complained quietly as he climbed the rung ladder unto the deck.
Reynolds pulled the door to his quarters shut and looked about. He spied Wash at the controls, tapping the buttons and looking from monitor to monitor furtively. In the engine room, he saw Kaylee's foot hanging out from her hammock, dangling a shoe half-off her toes. "At least I can know the engine's not explodin' if Kaylee's relaxin'," he half-grinned, turning on his heel, heading for the bridge.
"Good morning Captain," a deep voice rumbled in his ear.
Reynolds whirled about, hand on his pistol, and came virtually nose-to-nose with Shepherd Book who, though his eyes widened at Reynolds sudden movement, still smirked.
"'Mornin' Shepherd," Reynolds breathed, relaxing slightly. "The walkin' of a righteous man is as silent as ever."
"You could say that," Book replied. "Although I've always thought that it's an occupied mind that can miss even the loudest of footsteps."
"I've a right to have an occupied mind," Reynold said, rubbing his neck. "That last job was none too profitable and Wash seems bound and determined to rattle any loose nuts and bolts off my boat."
"I've heard it said that it's love that keeps a ship in the air," Book said as he glanced at the Bible he held, his thumb caressing its leather binding. "But I imagine a fair amount of faith is what keeps her in one piece."
Reynolds grinned, turning back on his heel, and headed for the bridge. "I'd say it's a healthy bit of both, preacher. I'll see you at breakfast after I've had a word with the man at the wheel."
Book turned and headed for the mess hall; he could still hear Wash and the Captain discussing the finer points on the stability of Serenity and the profitability of the next job. Curling his hand into a tight fist, he smacked his chest in a quick movement and cursed softly. "Dammit... I need to remember to make more noise when I walk. Stealth is not part of THIS job and it's going to get me shot if I'm not careful."
As Book made his way to the mess hall, his mind drifted to that other life that seemed so long ago...
Act II
