Chapter 8

Mal and Zoe twisted off their helmets and Jayne bumped into Simon none too gently as he pushed past him to put up his suit, eager for solitary. “Wash, time to go.” Mal directed at Wash, who was walking through the door. “Ten Four Captain. Any particular course?” Wash’s voice echoed throughout the room. “Somewhere…not here, for now.” Mal pursed his lips together and looked over at Simon sorting through the medicines. “Our fuel cells won’t hold out much longer. Maybe got two, three days max long as we don’t push her too hard.” At the Captain’s nod, he turned and headed back up for the bridge. Mal turned to Simon and said, “Doc, you take what you need and then let me know what we got. Zoe, send a WAVE to Brennert, see if he’s got a mind to deal.” “Yes sir.” Zoe stowed her suit and then left the cargo bay. Mal put his suit away and left Simon to his task at hand. As he moved to enter the common area River stood in the doorway unmoving and stared up at Mal. He huffed and opened his mouth to ask her to move when she piped up. “The lights on the tree went out. They’re dim now.” Mal turned his face up into a comical uh huh and then she continued very seriously, as if she were consoling him, “Don’t worry, the light will come back. It just got too hot.” Mal stood unblinking at her for the span of several seconds before nodding and adding, “Good to know.” He moved closer to the doorway and River stepped aside to let him pass through. She watched him as he walked past the infirmary.

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Inara gently switched off the monitor and pulled the fabric back over her cortex screen slowly; her mind racing. “I could just leave.” She thought to herself. “I could leave and then they wouldn’t have to deal with…they wouldn’t have to know. I could spare them.” She stood and turned around to see River sitting calmly on her bed. “River. Sweetie?” River sat with her hands in her lap and her head bent to the left with a far away look in her eyes. Inara noticed something almost like longing in them. The companion went to River’s side and sat down beside her, taking one of her hands in between her own. River, unmoving, said just above a whisper, “The rational consequence is not always without complications.” Inara sat for a moment to let this sink in, when River’s head turned to look straight into her eyes. It seemed as if River were counseling her. To which, Inara wanted to make light of, but River spoke again. “Doing the right thing isn’t always easy.” A pause fell between the two of them before River stood grabbing Inara’s hand and leading her out of the shuttle. “I’ll show you.”

As River pulled Inara into the infirmary, the companion looked around confused. “Why isn’t anyone in here with Kaylee? Shouldn’t someone-” Before Inara could finish out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kaylee’s eyes flutter open. River smiled as Inara dropped her hand and hurried to the mechanic’s side. “Oh, mei mei. Kaylee.” Inara couldn’t continue for the lump that had risen up in her throat. Kaylee opened her eyes a bit wider and gave Inara a very groggy smile. “Nara.” Her voice escaped in scratchy, dry whisper, but Inara thought she had never heard anything more beautiful. A tear made it’s way down Inara’s cheek and she stroked Kaylee’s face lovingly. “What happened?” Kaylee looked more confused and vulnerable than the companion had ever thought possible. The older woman’s thoughts raced while she mentally impugned herself. “Nara?” Kaylee’s voice pulled at Inara’s heart from within her chest. She quickly and expertly pulled herself together, smiling at Kaylee and holding her hand. “We’ve all been so worried, sweetie. How do you feel? Are you alright? What happened to you after we separated?” “Just one at a time, kay Nara.” The young mechanic tried to sit up but quickly laid back down holding her head. “Ooooh. Not good.” River walked over to Kaylee and smiled sweetly. “Back awake.” Kaylee’s mouth was poised to speak, but Wash walked into the infirmary, Zoe close on his heels, and the hugest grin appeared on his face. “Look who’s awake!” At hearing Wash’s voice, Mal stuck his head through the doorway to the common area and simultaneously felt his heart rise up to his throat and sink down to the pit of his stomach. The Captain quickly made his way into the infirmary and stood across from Inara at Kaylee’s side, grasping her other hand. “Well, hey there little lady. S’bout time you woke up.” Mal gave her the most tender smile as he held onto her hand and smirked. “We was just about to hire a new mechanic. Got interviews lined up ‘n all.” Wash joined in, “Yeah, good thing. That last one stunk to high heaven. Don’t think we couldda put up with that smell for long…course we did keep Jayne.” Everyone chuckled lighly as the merc, as if on cue, entered the room and narrowed his eyes, asking “What?” As the moment passed Zoe scrutinized Jayne, noticing a faint but strong expression pass over his face ever so briefly. Relief? Ease? “What’s all the commotion about?” Book said as he helped Simon carry supplies into the infirmary. Upon seeing Kaylee, Books expression softened and Simon, whose arms were completely and awkwardly full of supplies, let his limbs go slightly slack as some of the vials and containers tumbled to the floor. Everyone looked to the Doctor as he hurriedly slung the load onto the counter and tripped over himself trying to get to Kaylee’s side. Simon fussed over Kaylee, checking vitals, pulling back her eyelids to examine her pupils, and began to question her as to how she felt. Throughout all this, Inara had begun to fade back towards the entrance. She thought to herself, ‘If only…this is my fault. This can’t happen again. It can’t. It won’t. I won’t let this happen again. I can keep her safe…by leaving.’ Inara slipped, unnoticed or so she thought, from the room.

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“Can you feel this?” Simon pressed with his fingertips and Kaylee nodded her head. “And this?” Again, she nodded. By now the rest of the crew had learned that when Simon had doctor’n to do, they were to stay back and keep quiet. Mal stood by the door with his arms crossed and after a moment and a quick sweep of the room, he left to find Inara.

“Kaylee,“ Simon began, “Can you tell me exactly what happened to you before you lost consciousness?” The mechanic’s face looked to be puzzled and perturbed all in one. “S’all really…fuzzy. I member goin’ to town with Nara. Then I went to the ‘chinist’s shop ta get that interface for the starboard converter. Lotts ‘o shiny parts. He even had a-.” Kaylee stopped herself, realizing that she was rambling. “After that it gits real cloudy.” She put a hand to her head and massaged at her forehead. “Don’t force it.” Simon swallowed and his face held a momentary look of vulnerability, but he quickly masked it and went completely professional.

Mal caught up to Inara at the foot of the stairs in the cargo bay. “Running off?” His voice has both softness and steel in it as he spoke to her. “I just thought…thought that perhaps Kaylee needed some space. Mal eyed her warily and spoke a little softer, “What’s goin’ on with you, Inara?” She shook her head side to side in quick small movements. “Nothing, Mal.” “You ain’t got the best way ‘o-” The companion let out an exasperated sigh. “Why must you always assume the worst Mal?” “Cause that’s what tends to hitch itself to my coattails.” “Rest assured Mal, I want nothing to do with your coattails.” Inara abruptly whipped away from him and took the stairs quickly. Mal clenched his teeth together tightly and when Inara was out of sight he opened his mouth to speak and then closed it again. And then opened it again. And then snapped it shut.

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Mal halted in the doorway and spoke brusquely, “Wash. Git on up to the bridge, we got to get to the third moon off’a Santo. Zoe, d’you get word from Brennert?” “Yes sir. Said he’s willin’ to deal. Seemed a mite anxious though.” “Well he’s not the only one. I wanna git this cargo off my boat.” Then he directed his attention at Simon and Kaylee, smiling faintly he added, “After we unload this cargo we’re gonna disappear for spell. Git you runnin’ full swing again.” Simon barely paid him any attention as he continued fussing over his patient.

“Sir.” Zoe talked as she followed Mal to the bridge. “What’s the plan?” “Gonna git Brennert to take as much of this off our hands as we can. That’s the plan.” “Brennert’s been kinda tetchy since he dropped Ellison. Think he’s up for a fence this size?” Zoe perched herself on the console as Wash came up behind her and sat in his chair, spinning and flipping switches with precision. “Should hit Santo in about two hours.” Wash adjusted the lever on the main panel and looked up at Mal. “Let me know before we hit atmo.”

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Serenity touched down on Santo’s third moon with grace and agility. The ramp hissed and made a mechanical whiz as it lowered to the dusty ground. Mal, Zoe and Jayne stood in the cargo bay as they waited for the ramp to descend. Just as they were about to make their way off the ship, Simon called to Mal from the common area. “Yeah, yeah Doctor. Be right there.” Mal sounded irritated as he threw a comment to Zoe. “Boy chafes me. Takes more tendin’ to than a baby.” He yelled back to them as he walked, “Get a sample for Brennert. Better off givin’ him a taste, mite make him more obliging.” Zoe smirked and turned to Jayne. “Let’s get to it.” “Ya think he’s not gonna deal smooth?” Jayne walked over to the compartment and squeezed the panels as he pulled up and out. “When does anyone ever deal anyway but abrasive?” She leaned over with Jayne to pull out the crate.

As they were both leaned into the compartment, Inara passed quietly and gingerly through the cargo bay. She held one small suitcase in her right hand and as she delicately hurried down the ramp, she turned her head back to Serenity and allowed herself one last look.

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Look for chapter 9 guys. I’m writing as fast as the story is coming to me.