"If you'll just give me a moment with my crew," Mal said haughtily.
"That wouldn't be wise. Shutting of communications wo-" The woman onscreen was cut off as Mal shut the monitor off.
"Sir?" Zoë asked seeing Malcolm's expression. His eyes blazed with a kind of fury she had not seen in awhile.
"We got two, count 'em, -One! Two! - Alliance cruisers on our either side! Monitors didn't even see 'em coming. I'd say we pull a rabbit, but we got two feds keepin' us still," Mal spat angrily. "How'd the whoo dahn feds do that? Anyone?"
The crew remained silent. The mood swing would pass and all would be forgotten as soon as the Alliance was out of the picture. It always happened that way.
"Kaylee!" he hollered, just to vent some anger, "You were fixin' that coil, you didn't screw sensors up did you?"
"Shuh mu?" Kaylee hollered disbelieving. "Cap'n," Kaylee continued, calming down. "You know I didn't. Them sensors are as old as any the rest of the ship." Her face held an innocent confusion.
The lights flickered. Serenity made a few clanks and tried to hold on to life, but everyone was left in darkness after a few short seconds.
"What happened?" Simon asked, looking around.
"Power's gone," Kaylee said, rushing off the bridge quickly.
Wash and Mal immediately exchanged places as everyone shuffled to their battle stations. Kaylee had already left for the engine room and Wash was taking up residence in his pilot's chair. A kind of cool, relaxed mood settled over him as soon as his hands clutched the steering controls.
"Captain?" Simon asked, wondering what to do.
"Take her and duck. Don't want too see your tails 'til I come 'n get 'em. Dong ma?" Mal replied hurriedly, bending over Wash.
Book ushered Simon and River out of the room, taking them to cover. "I'll find our new friends. They'll need guidance as well."
"New friends?" Jayne scoffed. "They're the ones that brought the feds here in the first place."
"I wouldn't be so sure," Inara said softly. "It just as easily could be Simon and River, or any one of Mal's many exploits."
"Those exploits," Mal snarled, "are what kept us afloat as long as we did. Don't you be blamin' me for bringing them here."
"It's them new folk," Jayne said hotly. "How many other times we get flanked like this by the gorram feds? They ain't that smart."
"Jayne's right," Confirmed Mal. "Inara, I want you to do the talkin'. Seems they like respectable people more than your average Joe." There was a slight sneer to Mal's tone as he spoke to Inara. "Zoë, see if Kaylee needs any help getting the power up and running."
"Yes, Sir," Zoë replied turning and heading off the bridge to join Kaylee in the engine room.
"Malcolm Reynolds," Inara began seriously, an underlying tone of anger hidden in her voice, "What you've been doing is wrong. You know that."
"How's it wrong?" He replied, "I take on jobs to keep my crew fed and happy. I don't see you donatin' any of your funds to give us a leg up."
"That's dirty money, Mal."
"An' yours isn't?" Mal sneered. Inara's jaw set in a straight line.
She drew in a deep breath and turned around. "That's not what I meant," she said softly, her head hanging low. Inara walked of the bridge.
Mal watched her figure fade into the shadows of the hallway.
"You gonna let her talk to you like that?" Jayne asked incredulously.
"Why's it matter? She's not staying. We land on Aphrodite not long after tomorrow," Mal's voice had suddenly changed. It wasn't angry anymore. It wasn't anything. There was no emotion to his words but silent contemplation.
"You're not about to kick her off the ship! Mal, think about what you're doing," Wash nearly demanded. "That's Inara. Not only is she a certified companion, but she's a part of this crew."
"You or me talked to him like that, we'd be walkin' a fine line. She's lucky she gets a landing, on Aphrodite, too. Nice planet there." Jayne nodded.
"I'll do what's right by me," Mal said deeply. "Nobody's to question what I do, nor when or why I do it."
As Mal finished his statement, the lights began to flicker on. Wash shuddered. It was like the lightning from a storm giving way at the climax of a story. Mal walked to meet the Alliance at the air lock. No doubt the lights returning meant their arrival.
He didn't want Inara to go. But it didn't matter how much he told himself what he wanted, he went ahead and let his pride take control. Mal would never kick anyone of his crew off the ship. He wouldn't let a single person know that though. They'd stay in line if they thought he was rough. However, there was a time when he didn't have to be so rough. Sometime, along the way, he'd lost authority.
"She's really quite a beautiful ship," Mal heard Inara say with a smile.
As Mal turned the corner he saw a female officer holding her hat between her hands. It was the same fed that had hailed Mal earlier. "Be that as it may, I am really here on an important call. I need to speak with the ship's captain immediately. There can be no time for delays, I am sure you understand," The officer said with a softer voice Mal expected from her look.
Inara nodded, "Of course. He should be here to greet you momentarily."
"Captain," Mal said in way of greeting as he entered the room. "Sorry about the confusion, my ship lost power in the middle of the transmission."
"I'm sure it did," the Alliance officer replied with a harsh edge. "I am Captain Charlotte Grain."
"Captain Malcolm Reynolds," Mal responded, keeping mild in spite of the officer's reproving tones.
"Captain Reynolds has so graciously offered to fly my ship for me. I've acquired somewhat of a small crew of my own here," Inara smiled as she explained this to Grain. As much as she knew Mal wanted to explain that this was his ship and his crew, she knew he wouldn't. And as much as she wanted him to take control of this situation she knew he couldn't. People didn't question companions. It just wasn't done.
"Miss Serra-" Captain Grain began.
"Inara, please," Inara interjected, smiling.
"Inara," Grain corrected, with a slight bounce in her voice. "We know the current news behind the Firefly Serenity. It's nothing new. If you wouldn't try to insult my intelligence it would be greatly appreciated.
Inara's face fell. "You've done you homework," Inara said approvingly.
"More than you know," Grain said smiling mischievously, "You should have done yours."
"What do you mean?" Mal asked almost angry.
"Your new friend." Grain said in the same tone.
"Told you," Jayne said from a shadowed corner. "It was 'bout them."
"Wish people would stop calling them my friends," Mal growled.
"There's more than one?" Grain asked cautiously.