Serenity: Deception

Chapter Three: Part 2

Mal sat on the other side of a desk from a man that was a mere half the size of him. Mal was shown into the room earlier to wait for the man. When the man entered, he sat with his hands clasped in front of him. Mal's employer was Joseph Hill, the owner of a fish cannery. Despite his modest stature, Joseph Hill was a commanding presence in the room upon his tall, high-back throne. He wore a suit of the finest quality and looked across the desk at Mal over his square eyeglasses. He ran his hands through his thinning grey hair and motioned to his assistant. His assistant, an awkward and meagre young man, promptly crossed the room and poured two tumbler glasses half-full of a caramel coloured alcoholic beverage.

Hanging on the wall behind him was a portrait of Joseph with his wife, a tall, bony, and severe looking woman, upon a white horse. On another wall was a large shelf, displaying an array of objects including several trophies, certificates, and a long sword with a gold hilt and silvery blade that when stood up on its end was taller than its owner. The desk was dark stained wood and extremely tidy, only a picture of Joseph's wife in the corner. Unbeknownst to Mal, Joseph kept a loaded, gold plated revolver in the desk drawer next to a box of his best cigars and a bottle of heart medication.

"So you're the infamous Captain Malcolm Reynolds?" Joseph Hill said, taking one of the tumblers from his assistant.

"I don't know if I'd say infamous but yes sir, I am Malcolm Reynolds," Mal took the other glass from the assistant.

"I thought you'd be taller," Joseph said, dismissing his assistant with a wave.

"Why's that?"

"Heard tales of Captain Malcolm Reynolds, the giant. Seven-feet-tall with hands the size of bear paws, a man that will not be defeated, a warrior until death like a great Norse god or with a mythology as grand as one at very least," Joseph said. "Loyal, I've heard this also but reckless too."

"Every man's got his shortcomings," Mal replied, taking a drink of the strong liquor.

"You've agreed to my terms?" Joseph asked.

"Yes. You're terms are," Mal searched for the correct word, "agreeable," he finally said.

"Good. Half the money up front and the remaining half upon delivery," Joseph said. "You know, Sir Warwick Harrow speaks quite highly of you."

"He's a good man," Mal said.

"He's my cousin. From my mother's side of the family, they have the tendency to become affluent, bloated aristocrats, all of them are quite impressed with their own social status," Joseph Hill replied.

"He is that, very touchy about his red sash."

"Are you talking ill about my kin, Captain Reynolds?" Joseph asked, sitting up straight and staring into Mal's eyes.

"What? No. No, I'm not."

"Good. Let's meet your family," Joseph said, standing up from his desk.

"My family?"

"Your crew," Joseph replied.

Joseph led Mal out of his office into a large waiting area where half the crew of Serenity waited for him. They all stood up when Mal and Joseph got closer. Mal introduced them all briefly and Joseph stood back to look at the group of smugglers he had just hired, his hands on his hips.

"The crew of Captain Malcolm Reynolds," Joseph said, "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers."

"Yes sir, my crews been through the bog with me and back," Mal said.

"Good. Nothing impresses me more than a man that can attain the loyalty of those he commands," Joseph said.

When Mal and the others returned to the ship, River was lying on the catwalk above the cargo bay. Nate looked up at her, his eyes for a split second filled with unwarranted malice before he smiled at her and waved. As he made his way through the cargo bay, a shadow obscured his face partially. This is when River felt the first concrete emotion, dark and vile, emanate from him. He was a miraculous liar, a remarkable deceiver but not even he could have hidden the villainy teeming beneath the surface from River. Even the smallest thought, the tiniest impulse could reveal a person's true character to her.