Sue rustled into the galley to find Aces and Eights' crew preparing for an outing of their own. Everybody was in chameleon suits; baggy grayish coveralls spangled with shiny light sensors like giant sequins. Fiber-optic wiring showed here and there and a hump on the back contained a small processing computer. Rawhide and Ramona were picking and choosing from the array of lethal objects spread out on the table while the Captain stood frowning flexing his prosthetic hand as Joe made some last minute adjustments.
Sue eased closer to the goodies on the table. "Mind if I take a couple of those flash-bangs?"
That got her a sharp look from Captain Maxx. "You expecting trouble?"
"Hwa is."
And Hwa Ling's hunches were as good as platinum. The Captain looked seriously conflicted for a moment, then visibly reminded himself that Hwa was the best there was and Jack and the other girls not exactly helpless - and besides he had his own troubles. "Sure, take whatever you want."
Sue tucked the flash-bangs into the hidden pockets of her bouffant skirts as Jack came in resplendent in purple velvet cut-away and gold brocade cummerbund. Nyota was radiant on his arm and Hwa stalking grimly behind and all three were loaded for trouble. Sue couldn't see the pair of gold plated derringers tucked into the cummerbund under Jack's coattails or the fighting knife strapped to his shin but she knew they were there. He was also carrying his rifle stick with the carved ivory handle and silver ferrule. Nyota'd done her hair up high and adorned it with a pair of jewel knobbed pins whose six inch steel tongues made very respectable stilettos and undoubtedly had her garter gun on under her skirt. And Hwa Ling was a walking armory; her short black bob adorned with no less than five jeweled flash-bang 'barrettes', a glittering collar of diamond studded throwing stars around her neck, an apparently ornamental dagger strapped to her visible thigh which was actually a pistol, not to mention all the nasty little surprises tucked away in her evening bag.
"Hear you may be walking in to something," Maxx remarked a little too casually to his employer. "Think you're going to need back up?"
Jack flashed his most devilish grin. "I have all the back-up I need right here." he answered, meaning the girls. "You look out for yourself, Williams. God knows what kind of replacement crew I'd get on this rock."
Maxx returned the grin. "Don't worry, we got it covered." his back was turned so he didn't see Rawhide share an eye roll with Ramona.
Sue didn't blame them. The Captain was smart and mean but he had the damnedest luck . Granted things almost always worked out at the last, but not without some rocky spots along the way. Which, come to think of it, applied just as much to Jack Leland as it did to Maxx Williams.
...
Inara hadn't intended to accept any of the offers she'd received on Muir. It was a conversation with Margot that had changed her mind.
"So you're leaving Serenity?" the older woman said after taking the first ritual sip of tea.
Inara blinked. "How -?"
"River and I were under the catwalk when you had your little exchange with Captain Reynolds. Would I be wrong in assuming he has something to do with your decision?"
"No," Inara rose abruptly and began to pace the carpeted deck. "I've been very foolish. I've let myself become attached."
"It happens," Margot agreed.
"I didn't realize how bad it'd become until very recently," Inara continued jerkily, hands working. "An old friend of mine, Nandi - she'd left the Guild to run an unlicensed house out here - she needed help, the kind with guns. The night before... she and Mal... I shut myself up and bawled my eyes out. I was - I was jealous!" she spat the last word with disgust.
"Well, Little Sister, Companions are human," Margot said calmly. "Training or no. Sometimes we do fall in love."
"I know. I know. The only thing to do is leave."
"Not the only thing," Margot corrected. "But the best thing if you want to go on being a Companion."
Inara came to a dead stop to stare at her. "Of course I want to - I'd never leave the Guild! A Companion is who I am. It's is all I've ever wanted to be."
Margot put down her cup. "A whore takes, a Companion gives," she said didactically. "That is the difference between us. But there comes a time when there's no more to give, when one's own needs become paramount."
Terror welled, nearly choking Inara. "Burnout?" she managed to wheeze after a long moment. Then more strongly. "No! No. Impossible. I'm too young."
"There's no set age, Little Sister."
Burnout. The end of her career. The end of her life. She shook her head fiercely, denying: "I'm not burned out. I love my work. I love it. I've just let myself lose focus, become attached..."
"That's the most likely answer," Margot agreed soothingly.
Inara set the final flower and fruit arrangement in place and stepped back to admire the overall effect of silver and crystal, gilt and colored glass. Her client, Sir Geoffrey BonTriumph, required a hostess for his formal dinner party, an escort for the ball afterwards - and consolation.
"I know when I'm outclassed," he'd told her, smiling wryly. "But one must be sporting - and it's not as if I can't afford to lose another few thousand, but I'm going to need a soft shoulder to cry on afterwards."
She'd given him her best, slow, intimate smile. "I'll do my best to dry your tears, Geoffrey."
He smiled back. "That gives me something to look forward to."
BonTriumph wasn't quite her type but he had humor and charm and Inara was determined to enjoy herself. To prove to the small, fearful doubt niggling at the back of her mind that her work was as fulfilling and pleasurable as it had ever been. That she wasn't burned out, that nothing was wrong with her. Nothing at all...
...
At first glance there seemed to be nobody waiting at the tunnel to the Ser Toh's estate then a section of wall rippled and a body was standing there in baggy gray all over pushing back a sort of hood to show a young face adorned with a pair of heavy rimmed glasses.
Kaylee was impressed, and unlike Jayne not at all shy about showing it. "That a chameleon suit? Gao guhn (seriously awesome)!"
The guy in it blushed to his hairline and looked at Jayne as he answered. "That's right."
The merc snorted a little to show he was not at all impressed. "Could come in handy."
"The name's Joe Henderson, I'm Captain Maxx's mechanic."
"Kaylee Fries, mechanic on Serenity. and this is Jayne." She stuck out a hand.
Joe took it gingerly, still not looking at her, and fished in a pocket for a big and bulky eyeglass case. "These're for you. I got all the specs we'll need uploaded."
"An eyetap?" Kaylee's enthusiasm broke new ground. " Oh my God, wu bu shinwo dah yan jing ! (I don't believe my eyes). How jing chai ku (brilliant cool)! I've seen these things on the cortex but I never thought I'd hold a pair in my hands!" That made him look at her, even smile.
Jayne grunted. "Lot of fancy equipment you got."
"Cap'n Maxx has got connections," Joe said almost apologetically.
"Well if your'n finished with the gift givin' let's get on with it," said Jayne.
...
The rest of the two crews rendevoused at one of the locks giving out onto the still unlivable surface. Mal Reynolds wasn't all that impressed with the chameleon suits, too bulky and constricting for his taste, but he looked on the Aces and Eights' crew's hover mule with more than a glint o' green in his eye.
"You remember Zoe," he said as he and Williams shared a shake. "And this here's her husband Hoban Washburn who'll do the driving."
Wash delighted at being included in a job for a change, beamed impartially upon all and sundry.
Maxx Williams nodded greeting and hooked a casual thumb back at his own crew; "Nice to meet you, Hoban. Tall one's Rawhide and the little one's Devil - watch out for her."
Mal pulled his breathing mask into place and peered through the thick goggles at his fellow captain. "Shall we dance?"
Maxx grinned broadly. "My pleasure, Reynolds."
The surface outside the dome was broken and rocky and floating mist reduced visibility some but instruments showed them the way to go. The lesser dome of the Ser Toh's estate was little more than a Klick away as the mule drove but as they crested the ridge and got their first look at their target both Wash and Rawhide hit the brakes without needing any order. The little dome was busy as a boiling pot with fliers issuing from three or four different locks.
"Well that gwai ma jeow (throws a monkey wrench)," said Maxx through his filter.
Mal sighed. "How w'rin bu lai whai w'rin bu jwo (Good Luck don't come, Bad Luck don't leave)."