When Jordona rolled over she realized that Mal must have been aware that she had rolled back into bed late so he'd let her sleep She sighed and rubbed at her eyes still trying to figure out how to break her news, direct and fast seemed the best way. She got out of bed and started to get dressed. She was just finishing braiding her hair when she heard Mal yell down to her.
"You up yet sleepin' beauty?"
"Yeah Mal, commin;."
When she got to the top of the ladder, she found him waiting for her, "Mornin." He said leaning in for a kiss. She let him pull her in and hugged him tightly. She knew it was what must have tipped him to the fact that something was wrong because when he pulled back he looked at her closely. "What's up?"
She gave him a tight smile, "I think that it's best if both you and Zoe hear this together. Is there anyone left in the dining are?"
"No…everyone's done. Meet you there in five with Zoe in toe." He said letting her go. She nodded and watched him head for the bridge. "Great…" she muttered.
She was just taking a sip of hot tea when he and Zoe both came through the door. She took in a slow breath and let it out. "Morning Zoe."
"Hey…What's going on?" She asked looking between Jordona and Mal. Jo watched him shrug as he answered, "Ask my wife…"
Jo sighed and coming over took a seat next to Mal and across from Zoe as she started to explain, "Last night when Inara introduced everyone to Autumn, I had a feeling I'd seen her before and I kept looking at her over dinner because I couldn't shake that feeling. I let it go but after everyone went to bed, I couldn't sleep and her face just kept coming up in my head. I got up and spent maybe three hours surfing the cortex…I finally found it. She's on a missing person's list. There's a reward for her safe return."
Mal was watching her, "Okay, that we can deal with…but why do I get the feelin' that you're still not tellin' us everything?"
Jo put her mug down on the table but left her hands wrapped around it, the heat felt good, as her hands had suddenly grown cold. She felt a shiver run the length of her spine and felt the comforting warmth of one of Mal's hands on her lower back.
"Tell us…"
She nodded and looked at him, "Have either of you ever heard the name Adelai Niska?" She wasn't imaging the fact that both her husband and Zoe went still at the name. She took a deep breath, "Yeah…most know about him." She said with a cold laugh, "I just happen to have come a little closer to that flame then most."
Mal was looking at her, "You've dealt with Niska?" He asked her.
She looked at him closely because his voice held a hint of anxiety…not something she was used to hearing, "Yeah, a few years ago I did a job for him…when the job was done I found out exactly what I'd transported…needless to say that I never wanted to deal with him again. So when he offered me another job I turned it down. He wasn't happy…and he made it clear that saying no wasn't something he was used to hearing. I was lucky that I got away with my life, my partner on the job wasn't so lucky. He beat me to within an inch of my life and tortured my partner to death in front of me, he told me that he would use me as an example to anyone else who said no to him…you know him, don't you?" She asked looking at Mal then Zoe.
"We've had dealings with him in the past…" Mal said fingering his left ear.
"What's Autumn have to do with Niska?" Zoe asked her.
"Autumn is Niska's niece, or at least that's what it says on the cortex flash. She must be important to him no matter how you slice it because the sum he's offering for her reward comes close to what we just earned all together on that last job. My problem is…I don't buy the relative status, I know him, he'd kill his mother if it meant saving a buck. She's somebody important though…" Jo finished sipping at her tea in hopes that it would help heat her up. She shivered as she said, "I'd hoped never to have to deal with that monster again…"
"You won't be, none of us will if we can help it…" Mal told her rubbing her back lightly.
"I'm sorry I had to be the one to tell you this, I'm more upset with the fact that you both trust Inara but she never mentioned this to anyone when she boarded."
"Could be she doesn't know…" Mal said quietly. He realized that both Zoe and Jo where staring at him…their looks where almost identical. He sighed in frustration, "Yeah I know…she knew when she got on the ship."
Jo watched as he got up and started to pace, she heard him mutter, "Tee wuh duh pee-goo."
"Mal I'm so sorry, I feel terrible having to even tell you, I debated just going to Inara and confronting her with it…but I…" She stopped and shook her head.
She felt him by her side and looked up; he pulled her out of the chair and into a hug. He kissed the top of her head as he said, "This isn't your fault and I'm grateful you told me. Now we at least know who we're dealing with. Would you wait here with me while I have Zoe go get Inara and Autumn…I want this in the open…now." He said looking down at her.
She nodded and kissed him, "I'm sorry." She told him again.
"Don't be, it's not your fault." With that, he looked at Zoe, "Do me a favor, go get Inara and Autumn and bring them up here?"
"Yes sir." Zoe said leaving the room.
"I feel like a traitor somehow…" Jo said quietly taking her tea back and pouring it out. She rinsed her mug and stood, hands flat on the metal counter separating the dining area and the kitchen and waited for Zoe to return. Mal moved across the room and put his hands on top of hers. "You ok."
She shook her head, "I keep seeing him kill her…he just sliced her like she was some animal for slaughter." She shivered and glanced up at him, "Sorry…this is just the last part of my life I would have wanted to revisit."
"No problem." He said stroking her face. They heard footfalls and they watched the door together as first Zoe, then Inara and Autumn came through it.
Inara looked at them and said automatically, "What's wrong?"
Mal let go of Jo's hands and turned to face her full on. "How do you know Autumn?"
"I'm sorry?" She asked.
"How do you know her?" He said pointing to a nervous looking Autumn.
"I've already told you Mal, she's in training…"
He shook his head, "You didn't answer my question …how do you know her? Where did you first meet?"
"Why are you asking me all these questions…what's wrong with you?"
"Inara…" Autumn finally said, "She recognized me…I told you she would."
Inara's gaze moved to where Jordona stood. The two women stared at each other, Jo's gaze never wavered, Inara's did. She finally looked away, her face one of regret and guilt. "I'm sorry…I should have told you."
"YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT YOU SHOULD HAVE! YOU KNEW WHAT A DANGER SHE WOULD BE! YOU KNEW HOW I FELT ABOUT NISKA!" Mal yelled.
She flinched, as did Autumn at his words. "You can drop us at the next nearest port; we'll find further transport from there." She said wrapping a protective arm around Autumn's shoulders. The young girl was crying quietly.
"Mal…" Jo said to her husband. She watched him glance at her then back to Inara and Autumn angrily, his jaw muscles working frantically as he fought to bite back his anger
"Mal, it's not her fault…" Jo said quietly. "Autumn, are you Adelai Niska's niece?" Jo asked.
.Autumn shook her head no.
"Then who are you? And why are you so important to him that he'd offer a very sizeable bounty for your return?" Mal bit out.
"She's his Companion Mal." Inara said steering the girl to chair and making her sit down. "She was being abused…she got word to us and I went to get her back and bring her to safety. As I said before I'm sorry I involved you or the crew…I just couldn't think of anyone else at the moment to call…I just figured a few days and we'd be to safety and you and the crew would be on your way…and neither you nor Niska would be any the wiser."
"Until I came along…" Jo finished the unspoken thought.
