Chapter 2

The Truth

It was dinnertime on Serenity. Usually that meant fun stories. Tonight, however, everyone was silent—not out of respect for Inara, but out of fear that Mal might suspect them of killing her if they looked like they were enjoying themselves too much in her absence. Shepherd Book glanced around, then bowed his head and closed his eyes in prayer. Everyone else followed his example except for Mal, who rolled his eyes and started eating.

There was a sudden clattering noise. Everyone opened their eyes and stared at the Shepherd's plate. On it, a ring set with a red ruby had just fallen. Shepherd Book, his head still bowed, stared at it.

"That's one of Inara's rings," Kaylee said.

Everyone stared at Shepherd Book. He, however, turned his eyes upward. There was a ventilation shaft right above them.

Mal was the first to get up. "Jayne, Zoe, come with me. Rest of you head over to anywhere that connects with the ventilation."

Everyone started scrambling. Mal, Zoe, and Jayne went over to a large shaft opening.

"I'm going in," Mal said. "You two go over to the other main entrance."

Mal went in and crawled through the shaft. He had only done this once before, when forced to hide from an intruder. It was very tight, but he was able to do it. When he reached the place above the kitchen, it was empty.

"Inara!" he shouted. "I know you're in here somewhere!"

There was no answer. Mal angrily continued along, planning on exiting through the other main entrance to the ventilation, where Zoe and Jayne would be waiting. As he continued crawling, however, he suddenly heard a scream. It sounded like Kaylee.

Mal couldn't tell where exactly he was, but he knew he was above one of the cabins.

Mal hurriedly continued crawling, coming out through the other entrance right next to the cockpit. Jayne, Zoe, and Wash were all there. "Did you find her?" Zoe asked.

"I think Kaylee might be in trouble," Mal said, running out.

Simon was standing in the hallway. "You seen Kaylee?" Mal asked him.

"She went off with Book…"

Mal ran for Book's room and opened the hatch, jumping in.

He screamed.

Book was standing in the center of the room. His hair tie was off, and his hair was clumped in a giant ball on top of his head, a ball so large it brushed the ceiling. It was swelling. Kaylee's arm was sticking out of it.

"What the hell!" Mal said, hardly believing his eyes.

"It needs to feed!" Book said. "You don't understand…it said it would hurt me if I didn't feed it soon…"

"Kill them!" a booming voice erupted from the hair.

Book, suddenly transformed, ran forward to attack Mal. Jayne and Zoe both had their guns out, but Mal cautioned them not to fire. Instead, he tackled Shepherd Book.

"NO!" the hair cried, as Mal beat Book senseless. Then he grabbed Kaylee's arm as it was being sucked in.

"Help me!" Mal shouted to Jayne and Zoe.

They all grabbed Kaylee's arm. Slowly, they pulled Kaylee out. Mal plunged his hand back into the hair and connected with something as Simon, finally arriving, examined Kaylee.

Mal winced as the hair tried to trap him, but, holding on to what he knew could only be Inara, he pulled. With the help of Zoe and Jayne, Inara was freed from the hair. By now, Wash and River had both entered the room.

"No more waiting," River said, shaking her head. "But it won't be there…not any more."

River produced some scissors from her pocket and proceeded to cutting Book's hair.

"NNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" the hair screeched, but it died down as the Shepherd's hair was reduced to almost nothing.

Kaylee came to first. "Captain?" she said drowsily. "What…I just remember…hair…"

"You're safe now," Zoe said, putting her hand on Kaylee's shoulder. "The hair is gone. It's been destroyed."

Inara quickly became conscious. "Mally!" she said when she saw the Captain. "You're back…"

Everyone in the room started shouting at her at once. Mal made them all quiet down. "I assume you haven't regained any of your intelligence after that experience," Mal said.

"No! And there's nothing you can do about it!" Inara said, cackling with delight.

"Is that so?" Mal said. "Well…I think maybe there is."

"What are you going to do to me?" Inara asked challengingly.

"Oh, I think that's pretty clear," Mal said, looking at all the faces.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah." He paused and smiled. "Let's just say you're going the way of the dinosaurs."

Inara frowned, then glanced at Wash. Realization dawned on her.

Fifteen minutes later, the crew of Serenity, including a bald Shepherd Book, waved goodbye to Inara before Mal pushed the eject button on the airlock.

THE END