Read: Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7

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Book paused as he stepped into the shuttle, giving his eyes a moment to adjust to the darker interior. Inara was seated crosslegged in front of her writing desk, her brush gracefully tracing the rhythmic strokes of a long-forgotten caoshu script. River was seated beside her, intent on her own parchment. Book noted River’s calligraphy was every bit as flowing and beautiful as Inara’s.

Except she was writing it upside-down.

Book cocked his head.

And mirror-imaged.

River looked up from her calligraphy. “Is Simon home?”

“River…your brother – ” Book trailed off as Inara’s eyes narrowed in warning. “No, sweetheart…Simon’s not home.”

“Don’t forget that your brother is a doctor, River…he stays very busy taking care of people,” added Inara. River pouted slightly, but returned to her own calligraphy.

Inara set down her brush and stood, leading Book away from the table. “Any luck?”

“There aren’t many reputable transports going back to the core, but I’ve managed to secure passage with some families making a pilgrimage to Al Mahdyr. I’ve asked them to drop us off at Santo; we’ll have to make our way as best we can from there.”

“It shouldn’t be too difficult to find passage from there to Persephone.”

“Yes, although I had hoped we wouldn’t have to return; those searching for River have no doubt already traced the lawman to Ser…to the Eavesdown Docks.”

Inara smiled at his attempt to spare her feelings. “Well, I suppose we should get packed.” She knelt to open the lacquered chest at the foot of her bed.

“There’s one other thing…the folk we are travelling with don’t permit unmarried men and women to share a cabin…so I’ve told them we are both missionaries escorting an orphaned child to distant relatives in Ariel.”

Inara looked from the delicate sari she was folding to the satin gowns in her chest. “Missionaries?”

“It was either that or tell them you two were my wife and daughter.”

Inara had no response.

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Continue to Part 9