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Karen was still a little nervous around Kang, and quiet, even after spending a couple of days with him, and he couldn't really blame her. At least she wasn't terrified of him anymore, and she wasn't all that difficult to watch over. He'd even managed to find a few things to help keep her entertained in Possessions (the Fairplay memories were definitely coming in handy in this case; he wouldn't have known what type of things human children typically liked to do otherwise).

He had duties at the tavern, though, and decided to bring her along with him. She'd offered to help him out, but there really wasn't anything a child as young as her could do, so he'd handed her some paper and crayons and set her up at a table next to the bar, asking her to draw some pictures for the tavern. That way, she was occupied and out of the way, and still felt that she was doing something to help.

He made sure to keep an eye on her as he went about his usual business, checking up on her every now and then to make sure she wasn't bored.

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"Nice to meet you, Zam!" She tilted her head as the woman picked up the crayons.

"Um, well, Aftran has been, but right now she says I need to stay with Kang..." Karen wasn't exactly the best at security or secrecy. "Kang's kind of scary, though..."

"He's a bit, ah, different, isn't he," Zam said, eying the lizard-like bar owner. "But I'm sure he's nice when you get to know him."

She started scribbling away, occasionally turning to look at Karen and flash her a small smile whenever she looked up. Typical open-ness and friendliness a cop used with kids.

"That said, if you're not the most comfortable with him, it'd be okay to stay with someone else. Do you have anyone else you'd rather stay with? Another grown up?"

"I don't know too many people... Tom has some friends he introduced me to," she said, "but Aftran says I need to stay with someone from Security." She frowned. Sam and Dean had seemed pretty nice. She wouldn't mind staying with them. Even Bobby had been a nice dog, once she'd gotten to know him.

"It's not a bad plan," Zam said. "This ship isn't the safest place for a kid and someone on security would be best at keeping you safe, at knowing who you should stay away from."

She scribbled away.

"I'm a member of Security myself."

Zam paused for a moment.

"I know you don't know me any better than Kang, kiddo, but you ever decide you want someone else to stay with I'd take you in. Or I could help you find someone else on Security you were more comfortable with. I hate to see you staying with someone that weirds you out a little--not the most homey situation, after all."

Wow, what a nice person. Karen knew she shouldn't talk to strangers, but a member of Security was different. She'd ask to see proof before going anywhere alone with Zam, of course, but... well, she was in such an important position for a reason, right?

"Thanks," she said, brightening a little. "I don't think it's gonna be too much longer, but that's really nice of you!"

"Eh, it's nothing. I just feel like you kids should all be as comfortable as you can be, with people you're comfortable with. Everyone deserves a chance to feel like they're home if they can," Zam said, still scribbling away. "Whoever you're staying with should be someone that makes things feel like you're home. I think I could be that person for one of you kids if you needed it--kept an eye on a few cousins of mine over the years and half-raised 'em, so I'm used to doing it. But even if not me, I just want to make sure you find that person or those people. Shoving you off randomly on someone rather than letting you talk to people until you're comfortable with somebody doesn't seem like the best method to me. You're old enough to take part in that kinda decision."

At least someone understood her. "I guess they just want me to be safe. I do wish they asked me, though..." she said regretfully. "It was never dangerous like this back home."

"Want me to talk to 'em about it? Is there someone else you'd rather stay with?"

Well, if it couldn't be Aftran or Tom... "Um, my friend Tom's friends Sam and Dean are really nice. I haven't gotten to ask them if they'd want me to stay there, though."

"If you want, I could talk to them and then talk to Kang about it. Would you like me to do that for you?"

"Um--" Karen looked down shyly. "But you're on the Security team... aren't you really busy?"

"Our job is to help people, sweetheart. Sometimes that job's making sure kids go places where they're safe and happy if we can. So this is just part of my job, just like everything else I do," she said. "And aside from that, I just wanna do it. You ever just wanna do something 'cause you know it's nice? It would only take a few messages, anyway--I don't mind doing it at all."

That convinced her. She nodded, then, and replied, "Um-- well, okay, then. Thank you very much!" Yes, she still had her manners. "I 'ppreciate it."

"No prob, kid. I'll talk to 'em and let you know how it goes. You ever need anything else, you let me know, okay?"

She slid the paper over to her in the meantime. Crude figures much like Karen's own were there, though slightly neater. It was drawn more like someone drawing something crude on purpose when they were more than capable of drawing with accuracy.

It was of a boy, sleeping in what looked like blue grass, with a woman nearby, smiling. Very cute. A picture of family, maybe. Though they weren't colored in, their outlines where their skin was supposed to be were green, as if their skin was meant to be that color.

"It's supposed to be a mom singing a lullaby, you know? You wanna dress this one up and make it prettier, maybe? I think it could use your touch. I'm not the best at art."

It was like a weight had been lifted off the girl's shoulders. She sat up straight and smiled more easily, now.

When Zam slid the paper over to her, she looked down. Her smile faltered a little; a mother and son? Now that she thought about it, her own mother was still in the pods... she hoped. "O-okay. I'll make it really pretty." She looked back up. "It looks good, though."

"Thanks, kiddo. I'm gonna go see about hunting down this Sam and Dean for you, okay?" she said, getting up and flashing her a big warm smile. "I'll see ya' around."

"Bye, Zam!" Karen waved and grinned, then as soon as the woman had left set to work filling in the picture. She colored the skin in pink, and wondered why Zam had outlined it in green instead of black.