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[center][h1]The Captain and the Companion Pt. 1[/h1][/center]
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Quill found the banter between the Captain and Yuri enjoyable, cute even. As Yuri left to tend to whatever he needed (and pick up his tongue on the way) the Captain sought to seal their deal.

As he worked on the clipboard, he mentioned someone named Buck Cassidy. It took her back a second, because she had never encountered someone who shared their last name apart from her family members. Was this person a distant relative? She let that thought slide over as the Captain continued to speak. At the Captain’s words about her never leaving the Core, she smirked. “I would caution you on assuming Captain. Looks can be….deceiving, after all.” 

She wasn’t thrilled to hear that they would not be leaving soon, but at least shade would be going to Pelorum, as intended. “Cred is fine.” She was looking forward to seeing where she would be staying.

"Apologies," his eyes met that smirk of hers before adding, "looks certainly can, but there's a slimmer chance of that happenin' when someone what looks like you do rides a Firefly over a luxury liner." He offered his own smirk in return while he dropped his cigarette and ground it under his boot.

He held out the clipboard for Ms. Cassidy to peruse the fine print and sign her name. "Fare's standard for a double; we don't have no room service, but the galley's open and our cook is happy to oblige. Man's a wonder with a bit of dough, or a cut of meat. Name's Hook, if you're keen."

After collecting payment, Cal deposited the clipboard on the lawn chair for Yuri and led Quill up the ramp.

"This here's the cargo bay, fulla all sorts of things off limits to passengers. If you need somethin' from in here, flag a member of the crew and we'll accompany you."

“And tell me Captain, what *do* I look like?” she asked, hand placed on her hip. She took the clipboard and looked it over. It was standard procedure by the looks of it so she signed it. “There’s plenty of reasons why someone would choose a Firefly over a luxury liner. I mean, have you tried the hors d'oeuvres on one of those ships? Shameful.”

The Captain chuckled, "High class, I'd wager if I were a bettin' man. Like money, right down to them perfectly clean fingernails. But, hey, cred is cred, so I don't look a gift horse in the mouth," he flashed a contented smile as she scrawled her John Hancock. "No offense," he added at her answering look.

"And we ain't got no whores on board, with or without derves, least not that I'm aware."

She handed the clipboard back over to him as she explained some of the inner workings of the ship. It wasn’t as if she was expecting first class lodgings. She didn’t expect to stay any longer than she needed so whatever this ‘Hook’ could cook up would do. “Any other members of the crew I should know? Might be nice to know who I am traveling with, yourself included. And your first mate. You know, the one who needed to pick his tongue back off the ground?”

"Well, you met Yuri--charmin' fella--plucked him outta a shipwreck in New Melbourne. Then there's Abigail. Come to think of it, she thought I was fixin' to hire her on as a whore. Given she's seventeen at the time the thought didn't even cross my mind." He met her eyes for a moment, "She's a whiz with a mop, though, so there's that."

She followed the Captain on the ship. It seemed as if there would be parts out of reach to her. She wondered why the cargo bay would be off limits, what if she had cargo? But then she imagined that a ship like this must transport a bunch of merchandise for paying parties. “Do not go into the Cargo Bay. Noted. Afraid I might uncover some of your secrets?” she joked. The man was not an easy read and she often prided herself on her ability to read others.

Focus Quill. She was not here on business or pleasure. She had work.

Her casual comment about secrets prompted the Captain to square up with his would-be passenger for a second look-over, pushing the brim of his hat back for a better view. His gaze measured the lines in her face, the poise of her posture, the unnamed whispers of numerous gut-feelings. She didn't come up Alliance. Nor Browncoat, former or current. Could be a politician, a body who sold secrets, or a snoop. Conclusions drawn, Captain Strand removed his hat and donned a smile.

"I'm an open book, Ms. Cassidy. I find secrets keep me up at night, don't you?" hat in his hand, the Captain's posture made it plain that the tour was on hold.