Clothes and plans to be made

A couple of days later. Lou had settled on Serenity and found a routine that suited the crew's rhythm. Most of them had just finished their breakfast. Simon and River were last to arrive but Jayne was last to finish as he sat there making sure not a crumb was left. "I'd take that as a complement," Simon said to Lou nodding towards the glutton at the table."I'll have to watch it with this one," Lou laughed."What! Can't a man have his grub in peace?" Jayne muttered with his mouth full of food.Lou smiled at his childish mix of greed and enjoyment. She turned to River studying her."Now, young lady. There seems to be a lack of clothing in your size on this vessel so I have decided to stich you up a pair of trousers. If you will let me measure you up, I can get that done first before fixing the captain's coat and Kaylee's dungarees," she said.River nodded solemnly as Lou pulled a measuring tape out of her pocket."I can make you some dungarees or would you prefer jeans?" She asked."She wouldnt know the difference," Jayne mumbled.Simon tensed up and made as if to speak. Lou touched his arm and shook her head."Ignore him," she said."I'll show you ignorin'. Ruttin snobs," Jayne said getting up from the table grabbing the last bread roll as he went for the door."You forgot your dishes, good sir," Lou told him with poorly hidden sarcasm."Not forgotten. Just assumin that the kitchen skivvy freeloder actually does a job for the ride," Jayne said approaching Lou threateningly.Lou sighed deeply."I have some clothes to mend and your next meal to cook so you had better get them dishes cleared," Lou told him firmly."They say you are Danny Karruthers' wife. Don' t think that will give you any privileges," Jayne said."Why should Danny give me any privileges when he's dead? I am here on my own terms, and if you have any issues with that I suggest you stay out of my way," Lou told him, not willing to back down.Jayne flared his nostrils at her."Besides. What do you know about Danny?" Lou asked."I was on Duggar's crew with Danny and I know he was a damned fine mercenary. Never bowed down to anybody, and certainly not to some woman," Jayne explained."You're damn right he never bowed down, but he married me none the less and was a wonderful husband and father," Lou said."Firstly, I am having trouble believing that Danny married. Secondly, if he married, why would he marry some farmer trollop like you? And thirdly, he was doing some damned sucessful trade as a mercenary so why would he suddenly settle down as a farmhand? What I say is I don't trust you," Jayne said staring at Lou."Congratulations! You can count to three. Now get out of my face, clear them dishes and scram!" Lou told him."Gorram womenfolk thinkin' they own the ship!" Jayne muttered under his breath leaving the dining area.Lou took a deep breath and moved the dishes to be cleaned while trying to calm herself.In the corner, River started laughing. Simon looked at Lou with a smile."He doesn't trust anyone or anything that one," Simon said."He can count to three," River laughed."He can forget eating anything but protein and I am not touching his clothes!" Lou said, feelig slightly angry. Picking up the measuring tape again she looked at River."Now then girlie. Let's measure you up," she said waving River to her.River stood still while Lou noted the numbers she needed."Now then. Jeans or dungarees?" She asked."Jeans. With pockets," River said."Sure thing," Lou said and went to get her roll of canvas. The dining table was the only place large enough to be used as a workplace so she spread out the fabric and swiftly cut out the pieces before sitting down to sew them by hand.Later, as she was sitting there swearing at having stung her finger, Inara came in."Are you doing all your sewing by hand?" Inara exclaimed."Got no other way of sewing," Lou smiled."But surely a seamstress needs a sewing machine?" Inara asked. "Yep. Would make my work faster and my fingertips a mite less sore," Lou smiled."So why are you travelling without one?" Inara asked."It was with all my stuff that Fred skeeved me out of," Lou shrugged.Inara studied Lou for a moment."Come with me," she said and headed for the door. Hesitantly, Lou laid down her sewing and followed Inara into her rented shuttle. Lou was speechless by the oppulence of the room."I am sorry about the mess. We are so far from any civilisation that I haven't thought about receiving visitors," Inara."It is beautiful in here," Lou said in awe."Thank you, but it is just a simple room," Inara blushed modestly.Inara walked over to a curtained area, pulling the curtain away to reveal a small sewing machine on a table."I use it for simple repairs on occasion, but I suspect you have more skill to make use of it's full potential," Inara said. "That would certainly be helpful," Lou nodded."Good. I will ask Mal to bring it into the common area for your use," Inara said. "What will Mal bring into the common area?" Mal asked with a grin from Inara's doorway."This sewing machine. Lou will make better use of it than I can. How many times do you have to be told to knock  before entering?" Inara smiled at Mal. "I will knock when it is no longer my ship and my shuttle," Mal continued teasing."I am renting the shuttle, hence it is -for he time being - mine," Inara smiled. "I swear you will drive me from my mind one day." "I am looking forward to that," Mal said with a cheeky grin."Did you want something, or are you just loitering?" Inara asked."Actually I need to speak with Lou for a moment if you will excuse her," Mal said."Of course," Inara nodded.Mal nodded his head at Lou, indicating for her to follow him. "I will get that sewing machine later, just leave it for now," he said as Lou threw a look in the direction of the curtained area.They walked back down to the dining area where Mal poured two cups of coffee out and set one in front of Lou before sitting down across from her."Now then. I have had some thinking to do. I have decided to believe that you are telling the truth and that you are my brother's widow. I have also been talking to Zoe and she means there should be a steady place for you on Serenity as you've seen action and your cooking will keep the rest of the crew happy. A new set of clothing sure won't hurt either. I'm not so sure how much I can help in getting your daughters back tho. Slave traders generally want pay and Serenity ain't exactly hauling gold barres these days so what I want to know is: how do you plan to get your girls out of the trader's grip?" Mal asked.Lou looked at Mal with tears in her eyes. "Thank you!" She whispered."So have you got a plan?" Mal asked, impatient with her tears but with a smile."Well.... first I need a lead as to where they are," she said."You mentioned Demeter?" Mal said."Yeah, but they could be on Titan or any other planet," Lou said."Unlikely if Duggar was trading them, but go on," Mal said."If I find them and get a price I need the cash. If I can get a ship to freight some stuff to trade, I have a buyer who said he'll pay a fair price for any stuff I get hold of. He's back on Pandora. Goes by the name of Badger," Lou explained.Mal laughed out loud."I know Badger. He'll trick you three ways and leave you with pittance.," he smiled."Oh... well.. there are other traders too I suppose," Lou shrugged."There are," Mal agreed. "So what stuff you got that needs shifting?""You'll tell me I'm crazy, but I have a very profitable plan," Lou told him."Go on," Mal urged.