Mal was ecstatic. He seemed at last to be getting along swimmingly with this beautiful lady. It lifted his heart and made him feel like the biggest BDH in the galaxy. He wanted desperately for Inara to continue her story. He soon got his wish. Inara seemed to compose herself and stared inwardly into the past. “You don’t realize all the hard work and determination that goes into being a Companion. It’s about being entertaining and desirable, but never attainable. It’s about not being bound to one man’s wishes to the exclusion of everyone else.” Mal got up and paced. He was quickly becoming VERY angry. “So what you’re saying is that your goal is to drive men crazy with what they can’t have.” He glared at her. “That’s what you’ve been doing to me. It was…oh, God, it was INTENTIONAL.” “Mal! Just listen to me for two minutes! It’s about ownership. You don’t own me, I don’t own you.” Mal remained inconsolable. “I would bet 50 cred that Zoe would say the same thing about her and Wash. She didn’t own him…she wasn’t owned. She just knew she belonged with him.” Inara’s voice lowered to a wistful sigh. “That’s what I thought I had with Geoffrey. He made me feel as though my life was enriched with him in it. As soon as he had “had” me, though, everything changed. He was always trying to get me to be his Companion for the evening. If I didn’t choose him as my client, he would come to the event and try to ruin the mood of the event. He began to get jealous of my time and attentions. When I would let him into my rooms, the sight of other clients’ gifts to me would send him into a destructive frenzy. He started trying to tell me how to act, what to wear….it just became so tedious.” Mal looked at her amazedly. “You don’t strike me as the kind of woman who would put up with that.” Inara flashed a dark, dangerous glare. “I wasn’t. But I didn’t have the same self-possession that I have now. I didn’t know what avenues were open to me, and in the meantime, he ruined my reputation as a Companion. He even told people that I let him….you know…without paying because he “owned” me. Finally, I told my House Priestess what he was doing. She was furious. He was blacklisted, but it was too late. No one of import on Sihnon would have anything to do with a Companion they saw to be against the societal norms. I had to leave.” Mal finally got his voice together. “Why are you telling me this? It doesn’t have anything to do with what’s wrong with us.” Inara lifted a contradictory finger. “But it does. Just because he was blacklisted, that didn’t keep him from following me from world to world. As long as I used the Guild services, he could check the cortex and see where I was going. He would arrive on a world I was going to, sometimes ahead of me, but no more than a week behind me. He would verbally and physically exert his influence to deny me clients until I had no choice but to escape again. When I got to Osiris, I saw your ad for a shuttle rental, took my savings, and came to where you were docked. The rest you know.” Mal sat, bewildered. “So you came on my ship to escape from this jealous hu-dang….why didn’t you tell me so in the first place? We woulda left faster to get you out of his reach.” Inara shook her head morosely. “I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of knowing how difficult he was making my life. Besides, I think he’s dead now. I saw his last name in an obit on the cortex about six months ago. That’s why I want to settle down here, maybe finally have the life I always should have led but didn’t have the guts to take.” Mal shook his head. “I feel like I’m talking to Saffron again. You got a right to your own life. Whatever you do with it, that’s up to you. You shoulda killed the asshole. Hell, if he’s not dead, you should let Jayne have a shot at him.” “How dare you compare me to that …that STRUMPET?” “I ain’t sayin’ you’re like her character-wise! But when she was playin’ all innocent, it was all I could do to convince her that she shouldn’t let herself get stomped on. Don’t go changing the subject! I hate it when you get me all turned around.” “I get YOU turned around? How do you think I feel, Mal? You’ve got power over me. I gave it to you, damn it. If you were anything like Geoffrey, you would’ve held your ability to deny me clients over my head…and I feel like that’s exactly what you’ve done!” “What? I ain’t done nothin’ of the sort! I’m just trying to survive out here!” “But you go about it all the wrong way! There’s nothing wrong with taking legal work. You just like the idea of going behind the Alliance’s back and getting away with doing something bad. You’re just like the little boy who took the golden goose from the giant. The giant has every right to try and get his prize back, but you hold that it’s your right to have it just as much as his.” “At least I don’t sell myself to anyone with the coin to pay me! At least I have principles!” “But we do the same thing, Mal! You choose who’s gonna pay you and have ownership over your time and ship. And you don’t take into account that there are other people who are affected by your decisions!” “You gotta be kidding me! You make it sound like I’m a greedy, no-good ho-tze de pigu whose only concern is whether or not I’m still standing after the job!” Inara was yelling by now. “And how is that far from the truth? I know you don’t want me doing MY job, that’s for sure!” “And why should I? I should encourage you to sell your intimacy, your knowledge, your soul for money? Inara, I may sell my time and abilities, but I still got full hold of my soul!” “And I don’t?” “Sure don’t seem like it would be likely after all the men you’ve given yourself to. You’re just gonna keep giving yourself away again and again…and one day, there’ll be nothing left to give. What will you do then? What good will all your experience be?” “At least I’ll have something good to look back on! The way you’re headed, you’re going to end up floating in the black all by your lonesome because you won’t let anyone in! It’s like you won’t trust anyone who didn’t go through the war with you!” She slapped him soundly. “Well there! Now we’ve fought physically. We’ve been through a war. TRUST ME!” Mal grabbed her hand before she could slap him again. He spoke quietly, calmly. “How can I trust someone who doesn’t trust me? You gotta give as good as you get. Now tell me Geoffrey’s last name. Let me find out if this ghost of the past is gone.” “It wouldn’t do any good. He’s too damn powerful.” “Go-se! Inara, tell me this guy’s name, or so help me….” “Mainsbleu.” Mal stopped where he stood. His jaw dropped open and he collapsed onto the cot. “Inara…please…if ever you was to tweak my rudder…” Inara replied solemnly. “I swear before Buddha, Mal. I’m telling you the truth.” “He ain’t dead.” “What?” panicked, Inara clutched at the shabby blankets on the cot. “Mal, how do you know?” “Because it was his dad that died and left little Lord Bastard in charge of the Secret Security Forces. It’s been all over the cortex since before that idiot Operative killed off all our contacts.” “Oh no. Do you know what that means, Mal? Now not only does he know that this is where I’ve been, but he also knows about River.” “Da-shiong bao-jah-shr duh la doo-tze. I gotta get Zoe back here pronto…why didn’t that woman leave a com link up?” … Zoe sat in the sun, shading her eyes with a flat hand as River traipsed across the countryside. Jayne looked sullen- probably because there hadn’t been any “Companioning” forthcoming, and Simon and Kaylee were off…er…enjoying themselves. The House Priestess, Sheydra, sat comfortably next to her. “So she’s ok?” the woman inquired genially. “Oh, yeah, no worries. They may get all nasty verbally, but Cap’n wouldn’t hurt Inara for the world. It’s been a few hours, so I’ll bet they’re ready to kick my ass from here to Quong-jin. I’ll be looking forward to the lack of tension on the ship, though.” Sheydra nodded. “Will she stay?” Zoe gave her a look. “I don’t rightly know, either way. I know what she intended. But, as I’ve said before- plans don’t always have a way of working out the way ya want.” She laughed. “Isn’t that the truth! Well, you are welcome to stay in the Training House, if you wish.” Zoe snorted, pointed at Jayne. “You want THAT in your house? He ain’t likely to take ‘no’ for an answer if he’s surrounded by all those beautiful girls. Also, if we get to go and he don’t, I’ll never hear the end of it from him or the Captain. We’ll sleep in Serenity, and hope that Mal and ‘Nara don’t keep us awake all night with their squabbling.” River twirled by, chasing a butterfly. “Little rainbow, dancing in the sun….Zoe, is it time?” Zoe took a measuring glance at the sky. “Yeah, might as well head back. By the time we get dinner and get settled, it’ll be full dark. Please stay here with Sheydra and Jayne. I’m gonna go find those crazy kids.” Sheydra cleared her throat. “I wouldn’t mention it normally…but should we offer to help the young man?” A chuckle burst from Zoe unwittingly. “He could sure use all the help he could get, but if I know Kaylee, no matter how innocent the encounter is, she would be shooting off sparks if Simon was alone with a Companion.” A pause. “I’m gone now.” River watched her go and shook her head. “I feel sorry for her.” “What happened?” “Her heart is buried under too many feelings. She can’t open herself up for fear that she’ll be consumed.” “There’s more to it than that.” “Yes, but she doesn’t know…or hasn’t paid attention. Here they come. I better not say. She might get mad.” Zoe came leading Kaylee and Simon, who held hands and seemed to float along the ground as though the very air belonged to them. Upon seeing them, Jayne levered himself up and lumbered after them. “Say, Priestess-lady. Is there any way you could see your way clear ta givin’ me hope of some trim?” Sheydra didn’t flinch. “Sure. Just change your character and leave the weapons at home.” “Hell. I’ll be in my bunk.” The crew crept cautiously into the Cargo Bay. An eerie silence shrouded Serenity, and it was easy to imagine a tumbleweed rolling across the grid floor. They surreptitiously avoided the shuttle area and progressed to the kitchen, except for Zoe, who pressed an ear against the impassable iron. Once in the kitchen, Kaylee seemed to come out of her daze and went over to prepare the protein for the evening meal. The rest of the crew helped as they could, supplementing the tasteless necessity with wild vegetables growing on the moon. Soon, the table was filled with the meal. “Hey, Zoe! Get your keester in here before we devour all this veggy goodness!” Zoe entered, smelled the food…and promptly tossed her cookies all over the floor.