Good news, Gill - You're no longer 1 on the 2 List

"Riley, just a few questions."

*Some of my least favorite words strung together,*the pilot thought bitterly, letting out an exasperated sigh. The hair on the back of her neck bristled.

“What is it, Devron?” She asked in a flat tone while picking up her clipboard. Knowing the mechanic and his penchant for asking questions rapid fire, she prepared to scribble notes.

"Has he given any thought as to how the crew will treat Henry? Yes he is a paying customer but, there may be resentment from a few of them. Also, he doesn't want any weapons on Shuttle number 1. Now, I'm no expert but, our contracts could take us to dangerous areas and without some way to defend ourselves, we could get into some major trouble especially if Reavers show up. I know who really runs the ship and I would like your opinion. And lastly, I know stragglers are unwelcome on this ship. Gill seems to have taken over as a Deckhand and that leaves Haddie as an unpaying passenger. Out of my pay, I am going to hire her as an assistant. She can help me clean the engine room, organize and inventory parts. I will teach her the basics of logging system readings.
That will first, keep the Brother and sister together and second, free me up to repair and upgrade all our systems.”

Riley nodded as she finished jotting on the clipboard, tapping the pen emphatically when she was finished. She then took a moment to look over what was written.

“Point by point.” Riley said with militaristic curtness.

“First? I don’t know what the Captain has or has not given thought to as I’m not privy to the inner workings of the man’s brain. But I do know this, this is a ship, not a church social, and I don’t give a rut who likes who. Hen-Leo paid, Captain accepted his fare, we get him to NK. If his feelings get hurt along the way, as long as I don’t have to hear about it, do something about it, or deal with it, I don’t care. If he gets physically hurt along the way, as long as I don’t have to hear about it, do something about it, or deal with it, I don’t care. If he, however, hurts someone on my ship, I’ll personally airlock him. Next—“ She checked the first question off and moved down the line on the clipboard.

“The ‘gunship.’ Well, you’re right. You’re no expert. I’ll put aside the fact that Reaver activity is on the decline since The Universe Battle, but for argument’s sake, say that isn’t true. You think those tiny guns can do jack shit against Reavers? All arming us will do is declare hunting season on us for the alliance, who last I check, we run into more often than Reavers. The fact is that we’d be dangerously under weaponized to go up against a Reaver ship, and dangerously weaponized if the alliance comes calling again. The Firefly series 4 isn’t meant to be an attack ship. Hanging two pea shooters on one shuttle ain’t gonna make it an attack ship, and the worst part of this is that the Captain - the person actually in charge - told me to get rid of the ruttin’ weapons before some moon brains decided we should be armed, and now I’m going to have to hear it.” She crossed the second item from the question list.

“And last….. ah. Yeah. I know you haven’t been with us all that long, but let’s make something clear. I do the hiring, not you. You don’t subcontract work unless I say you subcontract work. In case this isn’t obvious, you do not give orders, and you especially do not do so to me, because I won’t react well to it. So request denied, for no other reason than I don’t like your smug ass attitude. And I’ll also be sure to let the Captain know you think he’s the sort of prick who would split up the brother/sister team he’s found reason to keep on this ship since Persephone because that’s the inference I just got from you. So while I can appreciate your attempt to be altruistic, congrats, you just made the crew chief’s shit list.” The pilot turned about to leave but stop and spun around to face Devron again, a thought clearly coming to her.

“Oh— And last thing, you know what a chest burster punch is? No? It’s what happens when you tell me how to run this ship, turn your back on me and I punch my fist through your Gorram spine and ribcage. Anything else?”