Kitchen duty

As Lou and Shepherd Book were loading food into the cold storage, not talking much. Lou was busy taking in her surroundings and trying to find her way around the small ship galley kitchen. The shepherd probably had questions, but seeing Lou trying to orient herself, he chose to be patient. Just as they had finished storing the cold foods, they heard a set of heavy footstep walk into the kitchen and Lou observed a bear of a man enter."What's this I hear about fresh food?" The man asked reaching out for a fresh apple Lou had left on the counter. With a swift movement Lou swiped the apple just as he was about to stab his knife into it."Hey, no snatching my cargo," she said looking him straight in the eye."You must be the freeloader," the man said eying her in what was probably meant to be a hateful manner, but to Lou looked more like scare tactics."Excuse me? Does a load of fresh eats sound free to you?" Lou set her hands on her hips."It sure ain't pay," the burly man said."For the next week I am the ships cook, so be nice or you'll be stuck on protein while the rest of them get real food," Lou admonished, not willing to be bullied by anybody. Her cooking was her ticket and she was not ready to let anybody jeopardize her place on the ship by thinking they could walk all over her.Besides, it wouldn't hurt to put herself in respect from the start.The burly man mumbled something about not getting his fair cut while giving Lou a suspicious look. Lou smiled at him. If he thought a simple mercenary tactic would intimidate her, he had another think coming. She knew his sort and in the back of her mind made a mental note to stay on his sweet side."Oh, behave Jayne," she heard Kaylee say from the doorway. "She brought strawberries." "You and your damned strawberries," Jayne muttered and left the kitchen."Don't mind him. He is just like a big guard dog. Keep him fed and watered and he is mostly friendly," Kaylee smiled."Just don't let him scare you," Book said. "He barks more than he bites."Lou smiled. There was nothing new to her, having to deal with tough-guys. She already felt she would be happy onboard once she got to know everybody.In no time, the food was stored away and Book was leading her to the cabins. On her back was her overloaded backpack and she lugged the roll of canvas under her arm. Sheperd Book had grabbed the sack of knitting wool on the way and helped her stash it on a shelf in her cabin."I see by this fabric and wool that you learnt your mother's trade," the sheperd commented."Not so much a trade as what I discovered to be a useful skill on the road," Lou answered, dragging the canvas into a corner.Suddenly she remembered something and put a hand onto the backpack still sat on the floor waiting to be unpacked. She grabbed a soft bundle from a side pocket and pulled out a few pairs of home knit socks. Looking quickly through them she picked out a pair which she handed to the shepherd."These are for you. I hope they will fit," she said handing Book the socks."Oh, thank you, but I don't think I am the right receiver of gifts, child," Book answered trying to hand them back."Don't worry about that. I seem to remember you being partial to some home knits, so those are for you. Besides, I have missed seeing a familiar face," Lou said sincerely.The shepherd was about to say something when somebody knocked on the door and Zoe entered.Lou immediately grabbed another two pairs of socks laying them ready. Something told her she needed to prove her worth to the second mate, and socks may as well be a logical start."Captain wants to know what time you would like us to sit down for chow," Zoe asked."Just about to get started, Ma'm. Just need a quick wash-up," Lou replied respectfully."Good. We are out of the atmosphere and I suspect the crew are hungry," Zoe said."Sure thing," Lou gave Zoe a friendly smile.Zoe eyed the pile of socks and the canvas curiously before moving to leave."If you don't mind, Ma'm... I would like you and your husband to have a present each. Just for having me onboard," Lou said grabbing the two pairs of socks and handing them to Zoe.Zoe looked surprised but nodded."Oh, thank you," she mumbled and hurried out of the cabin."You sure caught her off guard," Book chuckled."Was that a mistake?" Lou asked, suddenly frightened that she may have overstepped some boundary."Nope, she just doesn't much go for surprises or gifts that one," Book assured her.Lou lifted her backpack into a corner, to be unpacked later and glanced at the remaining socks. Quickly she grabbed a smaller canvas bag out of her backpack and headed out of the cabin."Hopefully she forgives my suddenness," Lou said as she waited for Book to come through the door.Book nodded at her."I am sure you did a good thing there. She will come around," he assured her."I hope so," Lou said. "Now, which way was the kitchen?"Book pointed her to the stairs and told her he'd be up in a while  to help her before heading to his own cabin to safely tidy away the socks he was still holding.Lou quickly stopped in the communal bathroom wash her hands and face before going up to the kitchen. She wanted to make something tasty for her first meal onboard to prove her worth and made a mental note of what foods she had managed to bring on board.As she stood chopping vegetables and waiting for the water to boil she giggled a bit to herself at her own actions in Fred's storage house. Unlike anything she had done before she had actually got away with it. She smiled at having ended up on the same ship as Sheperd Book as well. Despite itching to know how he'd ended up with such a rag-tag crew, she had reminded herself of Books habit of privacy and resisted the urge to ask. She knew he had questions as well, but he had wisely not asked, presumably leaving her to find her footings before reminiscing.The galley was small, but well stocked and clean enough. Lou hummed quietly to herself as she prepared the meal. Suddenly a head full of tangled hair popped around the corner and Lou heard her own humming being sung back at her.Remembering Kaylee had alluded to there being a child onboard, Lou continued her work, pouring rice into the boiling water while mentally preparing for a game of peek-a-boo. The child was obviously older than Lou had imagined, but going with her impression of the voice, she would assume that the person was rather playful and innocent.Lou thought she would have to keep her away from the boiling water somehow."That water is hot. You might scald yourself" the voice said, and a teenage girl, unkempt and rail thin emerged into the kitchen."You are quite right. The water is hot," Lou said, giving the girl a friendly smile.The girl looked at Lou, studying her intensely."Have you ever been in a room so white it hurts your eyes?" The girl asked while slowly twirling."Can't say I have," Lou replied."It is full of sharp needles and knives," the girl muttered."I will make sure I don't go there then," Lou said wondering what evil experiences this girl must have had to bring up such a horrific memory so casually."I am sure there are no such places on this ship," Lou said.The girl studied Lou intently."You are not like the others," she said enigmatically."I am not? What makes me different?" Lou asked intrigued as to what this girl meant."You see people," the girl said before skipping out of the kitchen.Well... not quite a child, but absolutely not an adult, Lou thought, hoping she could ease the poor girls mind somehow during her stay.