Chapter six.
"How much longer until we get to Hera, mama?" Mal asked.
"Three days," Zoe told him. "Maybe four. There's not too much trouble you can get into between now and then."
"I don't go looking for trouble," Mal said quickly. "That's not what being a captain means."
"You're quite right about that," Zoe said, nodding.
"What's on Hera?"
"We're stocking, and got some food that needs to be transported to one of the outer planets. That little farm that we were just parked by, they can sustain their little town, but once you get farther out it can be harder for folk to have balanced meals. They're having a festival on Friday. We're hoping to land Thursday night to pick up the goods after they harvest."
"But we might land Friday?" Mal asked.
"Well, we couldn't take off without our pilot and I had to fetch him from that dumpster that you and your father left him in," Zoe said. "That delayed us a bit since he had to eat up before we could fly."
Mal smirked. "Oops."
Zoe raised an eyebrow at him. "Don't ever leave a man behind, Malcolm."
Mal nodded solemnly. "Can we play cards?"
"Not right now, baby boy. I'm working on some star charts for your father. We'll need them to navigate beyond Hera."
Mal slumped over. "Okay."
"Why don't you go see what Inara's up to?" Zoe said. "Or go talk to Tian?"
"Tian's asleep and Inara's in her dance lesson," Mal said.
"Maybe Nandi can teach you to dance."
"I don't want to learn how to dance," Mal said.
"Well I suppose that's as good a reason as any to not learn," Zoe said with some amusement. "Now you go off and find something to do, you understand?"
Mal nodded.
"Mal! Come on in," Nandi said kindly from the bed. She was sitting on the edge, hands in her lap, watching her daughter. Inara was in front of her, performing what seemed to Mal like the most intricate dance routine he'd ever seen, but was probably child's play compared to what a trained companion could do.
She smiled when she saw him. "Hi Mal!" came her enthusiastic greeting as she glided past him. Nandi patted the bed, and Mal jumped up next to her.
Inara planted a foot, and then hesitated for a moment. Her eyes narrowed, and then she put her arms out to the sides and twirled.
"Inara," Nandi said, looking amused, "that's not it."
"I know," she said, coming to a stop. "But it's better than just standing there looking confused, yes?"
"I suppose."
Inara lowered herself to the ground gathering her skirt around her appropriately. "When will we land on Hera?"
"Thursday," Nandi said. "I'm seeing a client Friday who has a daughter near your age. Would you two like to come? He has a pool."
"An actual real pool?" Mal said. "Outside of the core? How about that?"
"I'd love to go," Inara said, nodding enthusiastically.
"Well then I will let him know," she said, smiling.
"I'm surprised you like pools," Inara said to Mal, "considering that Patience held you under that one other time we got to play in one."
"Patience held you under the water?" Nandi asked.
Mal shrugged. "Well, yeah, she did a bit." He grinned at Nandi. "My mother had to resuscitate me."
Inara rolled her eyes. "She slapped you on the back and said 'breathe, dammit'!"
"Inara, language."
"I'm just repeating what Madam Zoe said." Inara shrugged. "And that hardly qualifies as resuscitation."
"Do you think we'll pick up more kids on Hera?" Mal asked. "With the harvest being over, maybe folk would like to travel with their families?"
"I suppose it's possible," Nandi said. "Your mother and father would know more than I do. Hera's not the richest planet, however. I'm not sure how many-a them can afford to travel. Perhaps if the harvest was plentiful."
"If we had more kids," Mal said. "We could play cards without needing the adults to play with us. Seems all the good games need at least three."
"The cook plays with you sometimes, doesn't she?" Nandi asked.
"Yes," Mal said. "But she always wins."
Nandi chuckled. "One day you'll beat her, I'm sure."