~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~ C H A P T E R 1 ~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~

Wash watched mesmerized as the Alliance cruiser sailed soundlessy past the Serenity. It wasn't the fact that a cruiser nearly brushed the tips of Serenity's athmospheric jet intakes - that had be done more than once. What really caught the attention of Wash and the remaining crew was the fact this cruiser wasn't alone. The cruiser was following suit two Alliance battleships and a couple Transports. One could think the War had resumed Zoe had breathed, and Mal had nodded.

If not for a break in the stabilizer exchange, requesting to shut down of the whole engine room, the Firefly would have been sensed by scanner logs. As it was, the four hours repair time had cooled the thermal signature way below scanner alarms. For the Alliance crews the Serenity was nothing more than one more lifeless asteroid between which Wash had parked the Firefly.

"Captain" a hushed voice came from the cockpit hatch. Mal turned around and saw a sweating Kaylee standing in the doorway. A grease stripe across her face showed where she had rubbed her arm across her forehead. Her eyes darted to the window, noticing the last Cruiser passing by, before settling on Mal again.

-"She's good as she will be." -"I thought you had no transversal spare aboard."

Kaylee made a face while cleaning her hands on a tainted rag.

-"I didn't. I had to dissassemble the mule and because I had to do some welding, we won't be able to use the mule again." -"And how are we to drag the boxes through the spaceport ?" Jayne scoffed -"Do we perchance strap them on your back? Or mine, huh?!"

-"Jayne, that's enough" Mal said. "We will look for various spare parts right after we get our Money at Port Payan. Wash, are the Alliance ships out of scanner range?" -"Out of active range, yes. But they can still get us on passive and.." -"No need to worry. The flew right past us, why should they scan again? Kaylee, get her running. Wash, bring us out. Zoe you come with me."

Both of them went down to the cargo bay and looked at the mess Kaylee had made with the mule. A minute later a low rumbling told them the Serenity's engine had engaged.

-"Nope" Zoe glanced at the various parts lying around. "I don't think you can do more than sell the mule for scrap parts." -"You could try to rig a handcart out of the pieces."

Both Zoe and her captain turned around and gave Simon a look. The young doctor gulped but held his position.

-"No really, Use whatever straight part you have, weld them together and the tires underneath and you can , if nothing else, use the whole to drag the boxes to destination."

Mal lifted a finger to reply forcefully, but then he turned his attention to the heavy four boxes making up his current cargo.

-"You're right" he finally admited. "Perhaps we should do as you suggested."

He turned around and found himself shoulder-to-face with a beaming Kaylee.

-"You know" she grinned in his face "that is the first time you said Simon did something right."

She tiptoed and pecked him lightly on the cheek. "I just plainly love my captain."

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Laugher was faintly pouring through the open hatch and filled Inara's Shuttle with welcoming backgound noise. A soft smile played her lips when she heard Book's deep voice telling some joke. Not that she understood the wordplay, but the reactions from Kaylee and the remaining crew suggested it had been a memorable one.

She continued brushing her hair when a soft chime floated in the air. Without even thinking about it she gracefully stood up from where she had knelt, and closed the hatch before engaging the cortex.

Already a suite of applicants had started to fill in her screen. She could look at the stills, a mere ten seconds on continous loop , so she could assemble a picture of her potential clients. The other side of the wave would only find a very glorious 3D Vid from the Temple and her Name stenciled in neat ideograms while playing some soft music from Inara's own Guzheng.

The companion didn't really like putting her clients on wait, but one of the creeds of her temple had been the purity of mind achieved through layering defenses being mental, spiritual and physical.

A few of the clients she knew. Her finger almost touched the facestill of Ormee, a bright bubbling youth from Santerey which whom she had had much fun. He still had that lost boy look on his face and a mysterious smile played her lips.

Another face was the one of Planetary governor Marianna DeMaize, whose cool blond looks almost chilled the screen. Inara remembered Marianna... and was a bit surprised to find her on her list again. With pinched lips and a light frown Inara pessed a button and Marianna's picture dissolved from the screen.

Over the next couple of minutes a lot of pictures followed Marianna's suite. Some Inara deleted because -like Marianna- she had bad recollections, others she removed because the fee offered where ridiculous. And then there where those whose physical appearances and manners quickly and effectively dissolved any chance they might have had to get a licensed companion in their quarter.

Like the Mine Owner from Boros who continually burped into the cortex while scratching his ...erm... testicles... through his pants. Finally only four pictures remained, ironically two males and two females. Inara knew both females and one of the men already. It was the other man who caught her interest.

The man was a little on the older side, his hair already thinning, a slight beer belly which he wasn't afraid to show.The room behind the man showed antiques from Terra to Persephone, from Ariel to Port Payan. And the offer he had made her -for a whole day, night and following day- were more than reasonable. In fact he had offered such suspiciously high rates Inara couldn't help but think about a catch somewhere. The pay was high enough to keep the whole Firefly aloft for the next four months.

-"Good Morning Sir Gerald" Inara said with a smile "I do hope you are in good health this morning." -"Reasonably yes. Some aches here and there but not something which might not be removable." -"How so?" Inara asked friendly. Sir Gerald eyes filled with mirth -"Ah, dear Lady, just by looking at you I already feel pain and aches fading away." Inara's smile increased a notch. -"You do like to charm, don't you?"

Soft laugher came as answer and Inara liked the tone of the other's chuckles. A little rauque, baritone but cultured at the same time. When his laugher faded though Inara knew the banter was over and business would follow next.

-"Please tell me, My Lady, do you perchance know the Initiation Rites of the Warrior Women of Vinaer?" Inara's smile became a bit sad. -"Yes I do" she breathed. "I seldomly get asked for them, but I do know them."

Sir Gerald briskly nodded -"I would be overjoyed if you would perform the rites for me...for us, but do understand if you rather would not accept."

For a moment Inara didn't reply but finally she noded once. -"I will give you my definite answer when we reach Port Payan. In about 30 hours I think."[*i] -"That is already more than I hoped for." Sir Gerald said "I thank you for that and will await your answer. A good day to you Inara Serra." -"Sir Gerald" Inara replied. But the link had already been broken.

For some time Inara sat in front of her screen, not aware of her surroundings, her mind a turmoil of emotions. Only when Wash repeatedly asked her name over then interphone did she move again. A bit startled she noticed the wet trails over her cheeks. She blinked a few times to get her eyes free of tears again and answered his call.

-"Yes, Wash. What is it?" -"Ah..Port Payan just radioed in to ask if you would need a separate landing Pad or if the shuttle remains in the Serenity." -"Please tell them that a separate Pad isn't necessary, but that I will need some clearances over Port Space." -"Will do. Say Inara, does the portside rudder still go whacky?"

Inara's smile turned into a grin.

-"Of course it is, as Kaylee can't find a mechanical error." -"Okay, I see if I can get you a MarkVIII update for the steering software." "You do that."

Inara grinned and turned the interphone off.

to be continued...

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Excerpt chapter 2 ...Book eyed the piece curiousely, but couldn't imagine what the thing was for. To him it almost looked like a waterpipe used for washing his hands. But what would such a thing do inside an engine compartment?

-"Erm..." he wasn't really sure to show his ignorance about starcraft engines, but wasn't afraid enough not to ask. "what do we need that pipe for?"

-"What,.. oh, this?" Kaylee looked up at him and then at the pipe again. "We don't need it."

Without looking she threw the piece behind her.

-"What we need is THIS..." She slammed a foot against the housing and with a booming sound the lower part of the housing crashed on the ground.

-"Isn't it pretty?" She asked with dreamy eyes. ...