Chapter 4: In which River does something wrong and Genie starts doing things right

SATERDAY

River's favorite time of every night was when everyone was asleep, when the din of everyone's voices became little more than the murmur of dreams. If Simon knew that's how she felt, he'd probably be worried. If he knew she made a habit of wondering around Serenity late at night when no one was awake he'd probably try to find a way to lock her door. If he knew she planed to do the same now that they were planetside, he'd probably try to stay awake for seven days straight to insure she was never able to wander off. But there were a lot of things Simon didn't know, and a lot of things he couldn't bring himself to remember. It wasn't his fault, River thought, he had a lot of pain and, trying to protect her, he kept it all to himself. Eventually, that dark ball River could feel growing in him would kill him, if something didn't stop it. River wished she knew what possibly could.

It took a long time for everyone to tumble into sleep on this particular night, with the party and the excitement. Most of the attendants didn't go to bed until very, very early in the morning. Thankfully, River was told to sleep in a room with six other girls, all of whom were far too tired to notice when their guest got up, climbed out the open window, down a tree, and headed for the empty Serenity.

River padded through the town, watching it wake up, the baker and the milk man had already started working, the cooks and workers in the taverns and inns had all started cooking breakfast and many a farmer was out milking a cow. The world was clearly alive; River felt that life pulsing through her.

When she reached Serenity, the first rays of sunlight were starting to creep across the horizon. She wouldn't have long, she knew. She crept up the still open hatch, used all her strength to open the airlock door once she'd overridden its locks. She made no noise as she padded, barefoot, up the stairs in the cargo bay and told the doors to Inara's shuttle to hush as she opened them. Thankfully, the companion was so exhausted from her own -- reasonably conservative -- revelry, that she didn't notice the girl enter. She didn't notice the girl hack into her shuttles computer and program a very unusual set of commands into the shuttle's small transmitters. She didn't even hear River's soft giggles of excitement from the thrill of doing something wonderfully naughty. The young girl was doing to Simon, more or less, what Captain Reynolds had done to Kaylee. Simon would be mad when he discovered her activities, which he would have to if her plan worked, but he'd be so happy it wouldn't matter.

River crept out of the shuttle and skipped almost the entire way back to the room with the six girls in it. When she reached her pile of blankets, she sighed happily and curled up. Simon would be so very happy, she thought, hopefully that thought and the warm autumn sunlight streaming in from the window would be enough to hold nightmares at bay.

* * *

Inara set her shuttle down on the roof of the largest villa on the top of the large hill overlooking the bustling city of Du Cheng. It was an exciting city, growing by the day. As the long arm of the Alliance reached out further and further into the darkness of space, civilization itself seemed to sprout out of nothing. Four years ago, Du Cheng had barely existed, now it was considered an up-and-coming city. A place where energetic and resourceful young men and women could go and make a fortune, a world of opportunity. Kaylee had left this little world barely two years earlier, and in that time the city's population had doubled.

This was, in no small part, Inara imagined, due to the good management of her client, Reginald Comworth. He was the planet's Governor, she'd learned last night. According to Kaylee's many relations, he was a good man, fair and just. No one much minded having the pushy Alliance assign them a leader if they kept assigning men like him.

His granddaughter was well-known, and generally liked. It was said that she was a Newhope child through and through, adventurous, rambunctious, not pinned down by convention and tradition. Inara chose not to disclose that she'd been hired to culture the young girl, weed some of the adventurousness and rambunctiousness out of her while teaching her the importance of convention and tradition. She had a feeling that wouldn't go over too well with the citizens of Sweet Well.

When she exited her shuttle she was immediately greeted by the heavenly aroma of a well-kept rose garden. It was the most wonderful smell Inara could imagine, so she didn't even have to try to smile as she introduced herself to the older man with bright, sad, blue eyes and his pretty young granddaughter.

"Governor Comworth," Inara said, extending her hand, "It is a pleasure to meet you."

"And you, Lady Inara," the governor said before kissing her hand cordially. "I can not tell you how pleased I was when you accepted my invitation."

"It truly is my pleasure," Inara said, then turning to the girl. "And you must be Regina."

"Yeah," the girl said, sticking out her hand as if for a very masculine handshake. "Call me Genie."

"Genie," Inara said, taking the girls hand delicately by the side and squeezing it in a far more feminine version of a hand shake. "It's such a pleasure to meet you. I do hope we'll be able to be friends."

"Right," the girl said, looking at the companion as if she was insane.

Inara smiled pleasantly at the girl and then back up to her grandfather. "When do you think we should start the lessons?"

"Genie is ready," the Governor said, putting his wrinkled hand on his granddaughter's shoulder affectionately. "But we don't want to stress you, Lady Inara."

"I'm quite ready," Inara said. "If it's all right, I think it'd be best to start in the rose garden. Genie and I can walk around and get to know each other a little better."

"I think that would be just fine," Gov. Comworth said, obviously pleased with how this was going. "Genie, show Lady Inara to the garden, would you? And remember to be on you best behavior."

"Yes, Papa," the girl sighed, "You can follow me, ma'am."

"You can just call me 'Inara'," the companion said. "I was serious when I said I hope'd we'd be friends."

"Fine, Inara," The girl said. "Please, follow me."

Genie slouched a little as she led the companion through the villa's beautiful marble hallways covered with holographic representations of classical works of art. Her grandfather fell in step with Inara, so that they could talk softly.

"You have a marvelous home, Governor," Inara said. "I can't remember the last time I saw anyplace so beautiful."

"I try," Gov. Comworth said, smiling a little. "When I was sent to this planet six years ago it seemed to me to be nothing but a ball of mud. I wanted to bring all the comforts of home."

"Do you have a different view of the planet now?"

"Now the planet is home," he said with a smile. "These are just a reminder of where we came from, not the core planets, so much, as where humanity came from."

"It's nice to be able to remember," Inara said, her eyes resting on Degas' "Place de la Concord"

"Indeed," he said. "But, I must know, what do you think of Regina?"

"I think," Inara said causally, "That she has the adoration of this planet's citizens because she is, as I was told 'A daughter of the soil.'"

"That will get her nowhere in polite society, I'm afraid," the Governor said.

"The trick will be refining the gold and removing the dross," Inara said. "I don't want to change your granddaughter, not an iota. I want her to be able to present herself in such a way that even the most close-minded, arrogant, self-important snob will see the wonderful girl that all of Newhope knows."

Governor Comworth smiled and laughed, "I am so glad you chose to come here," he said. "So very, very glad."

"Hey," Genie said, turning her head, "What you guys talkin' about?"

"You," Inara said honestly.

"Oh," the girl said, blushing a little and returning her attention to where she was going. "Well, then, I don't want to interrupt you."

Inara laughed, "I can tell that this is one job I am going to thoroughly enjoy."

* * *

Mal woke up with a horrible headache. As he stumbled down stairs he didn't remember stumbling up last night, he tried to recall who'd sent him off to bed.

The house he was in was large. Not large enough to get lost in, but large enough to feel big. As Mal passed through it he could hear noises on the other side of most of the doors, not loud or intriguing noises, but the soft pad of bare feat on wooden floors, the creek of opening a drawer, mummers of two voices quietly talking, the chainsaw like snore of someone who hadn't woken up yet. Whatever house he was in, he could defiantly say it was alive.

When he finally wound his way to the kitchen, he discovered his hostess and the first of his crew. "Mornin' Cap'n," Kaylee said brightly, looking up for a very large bowl which she'd been put to work stirring. "Didn't expect ta see you up so early."

"Why?" Mal said, scanning the intolerably bright room for a coffee pot. "What time is it?"

"Nearly ten," Nora said, mercifully providing Mal with a ceramic mug filled with hot black coffee. "But you were mighty drunk last night."

"Was I?" Mal asked, not really wanting to know the answer and hear its proofs.

"Daddy had ta practically drag ya up ta bed," Kaylee laughed. "Course, he weren't much more sober then you."

Mal grunted a sort of laugh and nodded, then winced as the slight movement sent lightning bolts of pain streaking behind his eyes. Kaylee giggled at her captain's expression. Mal was sorely tempted to be upset with her, but her chuckles were so bright and cheery that he ended up laughing with her. "I must admit, Nora, you here know how ta throw a party."

"We do what we can," Kaylee's mother said. She was frying a lot of bacon in a very large pan. Mal was starting to realize he was very hungry. "Ain't every day our little girl comes home. It's so kind of ya, Cap'n, ta bring her back."

"Yeah, well, don't think ya kin keep 'er," Mal said, smiling as he walked over to the large platter of finished bacon. "We need her up on Serenity, she's the only one can keep us in the air." He reached tentatively for a slice of bacon, glancing at Mrs. Frye to see if she was going to whack his hand away with the spatula. She smiled and nodded, giving him clear leave to steal as much bacon as he wanted.

"Oh, no amount a mother's lecturing could keep her planetside," Nora chuckled. "My girl's got a free spirit."

"Speekin' of," Mal said, turning back to the blushing Kaylee. "How'd it go with Simon last night? Well?"

The girl laughed and shook her head, "Not so much as other times," she finally said. "But better then usual."

"Well," Mal sighed, "I guess that's somethin'."

Kaylee smiled and blushed and turned back to her mixing.

"Don't suppose you know where the good doctor is this morning," Mal asked the kitchen in general. "An' the rest of my crew for that matter?"

"Why, ya need 'em?" Kaylee asked.

"Naw, just like to keep tabs," Mal explained. "It's a captain thing."

"Well," Nora said. "If ya kin wait another twenty minutes everybody's supposed ta come over fer a nice large brunch."

"Ah, hence the bacon."

"Yep," Kaylee said. "'Course Nara won't be commin' she left fer that job early this mornin'."

"Right," Mal said. "Over in Du Cheng."

"Shame she won't be around," Nora said. "I'd of loved ta talked to her a might."

"She'll be back," Mal clipped, "She's only workin' five days, we're set ta be here seven."

"True 'nuff, I suppose," Nora sighed.

"How 'bout Jayne?" Mal asked, longing to talk about anyone but Inara. "Know where he is?"

"Who'd he go off with last night, Ma?" Kaylee asked. "Was it Janice Forbot?"

"It was," Nora said nodding. "So's there's no tellin' where he slept. Behind a barn in a haystack like as not. Wouldn't 'spect ta see him fer brunch if he was with her."

"Ah, well," Mal said causally, "He's a big boy, can take care a his self. I'm sure he'll find his way back here eventually. How 'bout the others?"

"Well," Kaylee said, getting up from the table, her mixing finally done. "Zoë and Wash are stayin' with my brother Collin and his wife, they live jus' down the street."

"They'll be over fer brunch," Nora said.

"An' Shepherd Book's stayin' with my sister Jackie and her family," Kaylee continued, she'd reached the stove and was starting to ladle pancake batter out of the large bowl she'd been stirring onto a skillet. "And River's with Uncle Hubert and Aunt Tammy and their girls. Simon was supposed ta stay with Doc Garland, but he got all panicky 'bout River stayin' alone."

Mal laughed, "I imagine he did."

"So he's over there too, with Jack. And I think that's everyone."

"Seems ta be," Mal nodded. "And you say they'll all be here in a matter a minutes?"

"Good Lord yes," Nora said, "Thank god for sunny days, gotta set the table outside and all the places, should be 'bout twenty people fer breakfast, and Tammy promised ta bring enough milk fer everyone ta have some but if I know her she'll forget 'bout half the people so's we ought'a go and fetch some from the barn, and some butter from the cool box wouldn't go amiss. Don't suppose you could lead me a hand, Cap'n?"

"Be my pleasure, Ma'am," Mal said, "Just tell me what to do."

* * *

"The trick to being a lady," Inara explained as she had tea with Genie in the Comworth's beautiful rose garden, "Is beauty."

"So what?" the girl asked. "Yer gonna teach me what dresses are in fashion and how to do my makeup."

"Well, yes," Inara admitted. "But that's not really what I mean. You can be very attractive and still not be beautiful."

"Are you going to tell me that real beauty is within, because if so . . ."

"No," Inara laughed pleasantly. "And yes."

"Do you even know what you're going to teach me?"

"Well, I hope to teach you how to make every action beautiful."

Genie guffawed at the very idea.

"You see," Inara said. "That's not very beautiful. Is there a way for you to laugh without making a snorting noise like a pig?"

"Whatever," Genie muttered.

Inara sighed, consciously letting her composure slip a little, "You don't want to do this, do you?"

"No," Genie said.

"Well, I don't want to fight with you about it."

"You don't?" the girl was obviously aware that the companion was trying to pull something, she just couldn't figure out what.

"No, I don't," Inara said, picking up the napkin in her lap and folding it in what seemed like an absentminded mannor. "It's only my second day here, I'm sure I'll be able to find more work before I leave. And even if I can't, my ship is docked in the most charming little town imaginable. I wouldn't mind some time in a peaceful country inn, eating some good frontier home-cooking, and enjoying the wilderness."

"Sounds great," Genie said. "Go with my blessing."

"Of course, just because I leave, that doesn't mean your grandfather will quit trying to find someone to coach you."

"He can try aplenty," Genie said, smiling sweetly. "No one else wants the job."

"In that case, Dearie," Inara said, putting her napkin, folded into an elegant fan shape, down on the table in front of her. "I'm really very sorry."

"Because I'll stand out like a sore thumb in 'polite society'?" This was obviously a threat Genie didn't take too seriously.

"Exactly," Inara said sharply. "You are a clever, sweet, remarkable young woman, I can see that. What I can't see is why you knowingly are heading for the worst possible torture I can imagine."

"It can't possibly be so –"

"It is a thousand times worse," Inara said sharply. "Think of hundreds of people smiling at you to your face and laughing at you behind your back; young women who have nearly endless financial resources and hours of spare time amassing all of their energies to humiliate you for fun; every young man you know being your friend, but none of them wanting to be anything more. And imagine all your social faux pas are broadcast over the Cortex as headlines on the society waves. Is that what you want?"

Genie didn't blink, which was to Inara's advantage, because there was sheer terror in the young girl's eyes. "I don't want to change, pretend to be what I'm not."

"You don't have to," Inara said, laughing comfortingly and putting back on her soft, amiable countenance. "You just have to be aware of yourself. You have to want to show people how beautiful you can be, how beautifully you can speak, how beautifully you can act, how beautifully you can move. No ones asking you to change, we just want you to be the most beautiful you you can be."

"Fine," Genie said, sitting up a little straighter and pulling her elbows off the table. "I'll stop being a brat."

"Thank you," Inara said pleasantly.

Genie smiled back sarcastically, "My pleasure, I'm sure."

"Not quite right," Inara commented as she pored them both a cup of tea. "But a marked improvement."

To Be Continued . . .