Chapter 1 and 2: http://www.fireflyfans.net/bluesun.aspx?bid=14567

Chapter 3: http://www.fireflyfans.net/bluesun.aspx?bid=14577

Chapter 4: http://www.fireflyfans.net/bluesun.aspx?bid=14593

Chapter 5: http://www.fireflyfans.net/bluesun.aspx?bid=14621

Chapter 6: http://www.fireflyfans.net/bluesun.aspx?bid=14721

*****

Chapter 7

Xing Bayou had sent Mal a nice jacket, saying that he “needed it to look respectable.” Mal like to think that he looked respectable enough, but he wasn’t going to say that to Xing. He spent so time trying to remember how exactly he was supposed to tie that damn tie. He was feeling a little bit to arrogant to ask someone, but he was beginning to get desperate. He did his best and went to the kitchen. Inara was standing there in a red dress that made Mal drool a little bit. “Damn,” he though to himself, “I wish I could afford to be one of her clients.” Inara turned and looked up to him and laughed a little bit. “Mal,” she said, shaking her head. She quickly, gracefully, moved across the floor and retied his tie. “Are you ready to go?” “Yes.” She looked at him. “Are you?” Mal nodded and he opened the door to the hallway, gesturing, exaggeratedly, that Inara walk in front of him. Mal offered her his arm and she took it. Whether it was affection or simply procedure, Mal didn’t really care. He was too enamored to say something witty. When they got down to the cargo bay Mal looked briefly in the window of the medical bay. He saw Kaylee and Simon looking, well, the way that a young couple should look. Mal resisted the urge to shout, “please, not on the clean equipment.” But he decided to let them have their fun. When they reached the ground, Mal looked at Inara and worked up the balls to say what he’d been thinking in the kitchen. “You look incredible.” Inara looked up at him and tilted her head a little bit, as though questioning her own ears slightly. “Thank you, Mal. You look good, too.” “You think so, I’m thinking that I should dress nice more often.” He flicked the collar of the coat. “I just like it when you shower.” Mal tried to brush it off as good fun. Apparently his flirting wasn’t as good as he thought it was, perhaps it was too good.

*****

Xing Bayou was glad to see Malcolm Reynolds at the party, and he instantly took notice of the beautiful creature that had accompanied him. Xing made a point of walking straight up to Mal. “Good evening, Mal.” He said, smiling. “I wasn’t even aware that you knew people this beautiful. Frankly, I wasn’t sure that such people existed.” Inara smiled up at him. “Inara Serra.” “Ah,” Xing said, making a sudden connection, “you are a companion. I have heard wonderful things about you. My name is Xing.” “Well,” Mal cut in, “why don’t we let you get back to chatting with the fuzzy wuzzies. We should sit down.”

*****

Inara didn’t really understand why Mal stopped her conversation with Xing so quickly, but she was sure he had a reason. To be entirely honest, she had found Xing’s appearance slightly bothersome. Inara always thought of Mal as a tall man, but Xing stood a full head and shoulders taller than him and his teeth and breath seemed like rotting compost. Perhaps the most disturbing thing was the so blatant and clear contrast with his smile. It was twisted, sadistic and dark. If Inara had not been in complete control of herself, she would have visibly shivered. Mal pulled out her chair for her, trying to be as gentlemanly as possible. She smiled and sat down. Mal sat next to her and conversed a little bit with the man and woman across from them, both legal representatives. Inara never knew that Mal could carry a civilized conversation without threatening anyone, but he managed very well, trying to hide his offworlder’s accent.

It never sat well with Mal, trying to be something that he wasn’t, but he did it because Xing had asked that he look respectable, and that had nothing to do with the coat. Still, Mal was knew that this was an important night, for the ‘verse, but also for him. It was his chance to do all of the things he had wanted to do, and finally he had the man-meat to do it.