A/N - Continuation of part 8... I think there's going to be a third installment to this part... Thanks go out to everyone who's reading and encouraging me to keep writing this tale... I originally started just wanting to write up one little scene, and look where I am now... I think I'm on the verge of turning this into a much larger story, much much larger than I ever anticipated... And since I'm having a ball writin' it, I guess I don't mean to stop anytime soon! And ya' all are responsible for that, with your shiny words, so thank-you. You inspire me to be more than I was... Go back and read the Other Parts: 1 2 3A 3B 4 5 6 7 8A

Choices - Part 8 B by 2x2

Mal waited, watching as the ramp slowly revealed the four men, marking their positions and what they were carrying. Three of the men were indeed armed heavy, but there was no mistakin’ who was in charge. Mal directed his gaze at the apparent Lawman, trying to size the man up as he stared back.

The three men with guns raised their weapons warily at the sight of Jayne and Zoe, and Mal held his hands up in an appealing manner in an attempt to keep everyone at their ease.

“Easy now,” said Mal stepping forward. “Ain’t no call to come upon us aimin’ to shoot.”

The Lawman also held up a hand, holding off his men. “No need for violence. ’Only come to talk, Captain,” he agreed, recognizing with equal obviousness that Mal was the man in charge of this crew. “’Jus’ have some questions I need answers to.”

“That why you brought your posse?” asked Mal, nodding at the three armed men. “To talk?”

“Didn’t know what kind of reception to expect. Point in case,” the man said, motioning toward Jayne and Zoe who still held their guns in a semi-threatening manner. “’Body can get right tetchy when he’s cornered in his ship. ‘Specially if he’s got reason to hide.”

“A body can also get a might tetchy when he’s lookin’ down the barrel of a gun without cause,” Zoe replied, her voice hard and her hands easy and ready on her weapon.

High above them, Kaylee and Inara stood watching in concern as the tense situation unfolded below them.

“They think he did it,” said River, suddenly beside them and staring down at Mal with a bird-like tilt of her head. “Wore disguises. Took pains to be seen. Recognized. Brown leather and fire,” she continued, tilting her head to stare at Inara. “Death visited.”

The Companion paled, not sure what River’s cryptic words meant, but familiar enough with the way they worked to know that this was a warning, and one she wasn’t about to ignore.

“What d’they think he done? River?” asked Kaylee but the girl gave no answer. Inara went back into her shuttle and dressed as quickly as possible, applying minimal make-up and jewelry, just enough to denote her stature, and then rushed out and quickly but gracefully descended the stairs toward the cargo bay below.

“They’ll see him swing for it,” River said, smiling a humourless smile at Kaylee. The young mechanic clutched the railing in her hands, knuckles turning white as she watched anxiously.

“Like I said, I ain’t got no reason to hide,” Mal was saying. “So why don’t you get to askin’ what it is you’re wantin’ to ask.”

The Lawman regarded him shrewdly. “Browncoat, ain’tcha?”

Mal blinked, his hands dropping to rest on his gun belt. “Was once. Long time ago now. That a problem?”

“Well, I got folk sayin’ they seen themselves a Browncoat at a little establishment called The Love Chapel yesterday evenin’.”

Mal nodded. “Well, I can justly say that is the truth. Spent a few hours there, takin’ my ease, nothin’ more.”

“That ain’t quite what I hear tell. Heard you had a mix up with a couple a’ patrons, ended up drawin’ your sidearm, makin’ threats like, ‘fore you run off with their whore.”

Mal stiffened, his face clouding with anger as his hand fell to the butt of his pistol. “She’s no whore,” he said dangerously. “And she sure as hell ain’t theirs.”

Inara paused her descent in apprehension, surprised by the vehemence in Mal’s voice. She’d seen before how well he’d reacted to an implied insult to her honour, recalling once again that whole duel incident with her former client Atherton Wing, but now,… In light of their recent activities, she didn’t doubt for a moment that Mal would shoot this man dead if he persisted, and that would be a world of trouble they didn’t need.

“But it was over a woman?” the Lawman pressed.

“Captain Reynolds came to my aid,” Inara said before Mal could answer, descending the last few stairs with all the grace and poise of her training. All eyes save Jayne’s and Zoe’s turned to watch as she walked toward them elegantly, her beauty not lost on them.

“Ma’am,” the Lawman nodded to Inara as she reached their tableau. “And you would be the…,” his eyes flicked to Mal briefly, “… the woman that left the brothel with the Captain then?”

“I would,” she said, her eyes darting to Mal’s for an instant before handing the man her Guild Certified identification papers. The man’s eyes widened slightly as he stared at the information in his hands, lingering on the gold embossed seal of the Companion’s Guild. He cleared his throat.

“Well Miss—Companion—Serra,” he corrected. “That certainly answers that question. ‘Reports made it sound like the woman, ah, you, were one of the house who—er, ah—”

“Please, call me Inara,” she said, touching his arm lightly and giving him a disarming smile as she moved closer, engendering a more intimate feel in the space between them. She affected a look of demure innocence. “I do hope you aren’t here to… arrest me?” she said, her voice carefully modulated, a suggestive pause added to lead his thoughts in the direction she wanted.

Mal watched Inara work, feeling himself responding to her despite the situation, having rarely been witness to any of her Companion-y wiles in action. He also realized he was feeling more than a little bit of jealousy directed at the Lawman, and it was only the fact that he knew Inara was doing this on purpose that kept him silent and still, trusting in her ability to diffuse the situation without it all falling to violence. At least, he was pretty sure she was…

The Lawman’s face flushed and he swallowed convulsively. “Ah, no, no. Of course not. I just need to know Captain Reynolds’ whereabouts after he left the, uh… ” Inara gave him a conspiring smile, looking at him coyly from under heavy lashes. “Uh…” the Lawman stumbled, losing his train of thought.

“I can answer your question then, Lawman--?” she trailed off expectantly.

“Williams. Donegal Williams.”

“Donegal,” Inara said, rolling the name around on her tongue with a breathy voice. “Captain Reynolds was in my… company last night. In fact, your arrival was most inopportune,” she pouted and then flashed her conspiratorial smile again. “I was about to take him to places he’s never imagined,” she whispered huskily. Donegal spared a glance at Mal, his eyes wide with imagining and envy and the Captain shifted uncomfortably, his pants suddenly tighter, not immune to the seduction playing out in front of him. “And your interruption left him a tad… frustrated,” she concluded, with a suggestive grin.

Zoe glanced at Mal with a smirk, and Jayne gave him a confused, dubious eyebrow. Mal closed his eyes briefly, vowing to get Inara back for her little reversal of the way things had gone down. He cleared his throat. “Right. Well, now that that’s cleared up,” he started and moved next to Inara, breaking the spell. The Lawman shook his head and blinked, missing the annoyed glare the Companion shot at Mal for interrupting.

“Uh, not quite, uh… There’s, well, beggin’ the lady’s pardon,” Williams said apologetically, “there ain’t no proof beyond your word that that’s so. And I’m afraid I need more n’ just your word…”

“Why? What exactly’s this all about?” asked Mal, growing impatient and about ready to see these men on their way.

“Arson, Captain. ‘Chapel of Love was burnt square to the ground last night,” Williams said grimly.

“What?!” Inara gasped, losing her poise at the shocking news as Mal stared open-mouthed at the Lawman.

“’Fraid so. And, I got witnesses ready to swear on the Good Book they seen a Browncoat do it. Which brings me to you,” Donegal said, turning back to Reynolds.

“Gorram qing wa cao de liu mang, it’s that hun dan Whelt and his pal!” Mal yelled, turning away, his hands grasping at empty air in fury. “Set me up! Ta ma de, I knew he was gonna be trouble. Could see it…”

“What’s this?” asked the Lawman.

“The altercation, in the saloon… Two men accosted me, wanted to… forcibly employ my services,” Inara explained, describing the incident far more charitably than it deserved. “This man Whelt was one of them. Mal – Captain Reynolds came to my aid before they could do more than give me a few bruises.” Mal turned back to her, furious with himself for not previously noticing the obvious discoloration she pointed out on her upper arms as she lifted her sleeves. “The Captain assisted the owner of the establishment, a woman by the name of Gabr’elle, in removing the two men from the premises. He thought Whelt might bring trouble down on the house, but Gabr’elle said she could handle him and… Is she all right?” Inara asked, unable to hold off asking the question any longer. “And the women…”

“Can’t rightly say,” said Williams with a sympathetic shake of his head. “Haven’t found her as yet. There’re bodies…”

Distressed, Inara turned to Mal who was standing in barely contained rage, his jaw clenched tight, lips pressed hard together, breaths coming through his nose in rapid huffs. “It’s my fault,” she said, anguished. “Lao tian ye, Mal—” He cut her off with an abrupt shake of his head.

“No it ain’t,” he refuted her. “Don’t do that to yourself, ‘Nara. This ain’t no one’s fault but his.”

“Well, it’s plain to me this ain’t your work, Captain,” said the Lawman, easily recognizing that Mal and Inara’s anger and shock were genuine. He sighed wearily. “This feller Whelt ain’t unknown to me. Wouldn’t have wasted my morning or yours had I known he was involved. Seems my ‘witnesses’ left out some vital information in their statements,” he stressed, giving his men a significant look. “If’n its all the same to you, I’d like ya’ all to stay planet side, get your statements down right. It’d be a big help.”

Mal took the hand the man offered him, shaking it firm. He drew in an angry breath and nodded. “We’ll be here to see this through,” he said, looking from Williams back to Inara. A look passed between them and Inara gave him the barest inclination of her head. Mal answered with a firm nod and turned back to the Lawman and spoke again, his voice deadly serious.

“I guarantee it.”

* * * * *

Chinese Translations: Ta ma de = fuck qing wa cao de liu mang = frog humping sonofabitch hun dan = bastard Lao tian ye = Jesus

Go to Part 8C