Chapter 6

Saffron huffed out a sigh of disgust. After twenty minutes, she had the dolt of a guard eating out of the palm of her hand. Her success didn't make him any less revolting though. But with a name like Paddy Chow-Pickens, what else could you expect? She shuddered again.

Putting on her game face, she said, "Paddy, this is so exciting! Taking me into the Skyplex… You must be real important!" Saffron gushed, taking his hand as the guard escorted her past the security checkpoint in the foyer. Paddy and one of his colleagues exchanged a few hushed words. The other guard - undressing her with his eyes she was sure – stared at her for a while before slapping Paddy on the back and letting them through. No one attempted to verify anything.

"Oh Brynn, it's nothin' really. But a pretty girl like you, you must know plenty blokes who could show you great places like this."

"Oh no, no Paddy. This is the fanciest place I've ever been." She looked around her in wonder and batted her lashes, "Not many guys find me at all attractive. Red hair an all," she said modestly.

"But you're beautiful," he said with reverence.

Saffron smiled the sweetest smile and tugged at his sweaty hand. "So, are you going to give me the grand tour?"

Paddy looked a little uneasy. "Well, I can't really show you everything see-"

Saffron pouted and kissed his cheek, "you have access don't you? I mean, bein' so important an all," she said hopefully.

He was a goner. Paddy gulped. He couldn't believe his luck. "I'm sure I can arrange something Brynn." He sniggered nervously. "What would you like to see first? I can show you our virtual lounges, they have the coolest-"

While he chatting on incessantly, Saffron rolled her eyes when he looked away. Interrupting, she moved closer to him, looked deep into his eyes and said softly, "I've always wanted to see the private rooms on the top floors I've heard so much about the dangerous things that happen there-"

"I don't think that will be possib-"

"-and afterwards, we could find a quiet place to talk… and you know…?" she rubbed her hands up his arms to his shoulders. Paddy's eyed glazed over in delight.

"Oh… uhm… ok. But you have to be quiet," he warned. "Those are Mr. Niska's private rooms. I know he's in a meeting today, so we can take a quick peek." he giggled nervously, "then I know the perfect place we can be alone."

Saffron feigned excitement. She jumped excitedly and hugged Paddy, "You're so great!"

He blushed.

Saffron tugged on his hand, "maybe we get started? Sooner we finish our tour, we can get to that talkin'."

Paddy took Saffron up in one of the private elevators. She noted all the access codes he used, as well as the card he used to open the doors.

The elevator doors opened to a deserted corridor. "Oh Paddy, this looks so dangerous," she whispered conspiratorially. She moved closer to him, hanging onto his arm like a flaky girlfriend.

Paddy's chest puffed out. "Stay close to me Brynn. I'll show you some of the really dangerous stuff up here."

Saffron looked up at him in wide-eyed wonder, "Really?"

He nodded excitedly and led her down the corridor.

"This here is where Mr. Niska has really secret meetings with members of the Nien Mohn or trade partners," he whispered. He pointed to access controlled glass doors. The room was deserted. Walking further along they passed various other rooms before taking a turn to the right.

The corridor looked different. Instead of well-lit passages, the lights were dimmed and rooms with small windows at the top lined the hallway. Bingo, she thought.

"What's down here Paddy?" she clung a little tighter and stared adoringly at him.

"Not supposed to be there at all-" but at her doting look said, "but a quick look won't hurt."

Saffron nodded vigorously. "You're so brave!"

"Mr Niska usually keeps people here he wants to," he dropped his voice, "bring round to his way of thinkin'."

Saffron gave a fake gasp.

"But don't be afraid. Maybe we should go…"

"No, no, could you show me someone…? Like a prisoner? It would be so exciting!"

Paddy looked indecisive. "I don't know…"

"Just a look. Then we can go," she said sweetly.

At her tender stare, he caved. "Ok, come on. I'll show you a Companion who was brought in a couple days ago. A real Companion. You ever see one?" Saffron shook her head in the negative. "She's really somethin'," he said before hastily adding, "but she has nothin' to you Brynn."

He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it adoringly before pulling her further along the corridor. A few doors down he paused and signalled for her to look through the window.

Saffron prayed luck was on her side and peeked through the window. She didn't mean to, but an involuntary gasp of shock slipped past her lips.

Wou Duh Tian Ah, she thought. What had been done to her?

"You ok?" Paddy asked concerned. "Don't let her looks concern you. She's a bad person Brynn. Probably a thief who stole from Mr. Niska," he said vehemently, his face twisted in disgust. The first signs of Paddy's true nature emerging. Interesting, thought Saffron.

Saffron didn't waste another moment; she turned around fast and pushed him against the wall. He hit the side of his head, and was out cold.

"Sorry Paddy Dear," she whispered before taking the access card from his top pocket.

Swiping the card, the door hissed and swung open.

Saffron was hit by the smell first. Burn. The air smelt like burnt flesh. Inara was in a bad way. The Companion, from what she remembered, was a beauty - well put together, and good at her trade. But the person who slumped limply against the pole in the centre of the room resembled nothing of what she remembered Inara to be. Arms bound, blindfolded, clothes soaked in her blood, caked with dirt and sweat.

Saffron knew there wasn't much time to be wasting. Entering the room, she immediately went to Inara's side.

"Inara?" she asked forcefully. Inara jolted at her touch and moaned. "Inara?" she said more urgently while she loosened the blindfold and worked the bonds on her wrists. She had been scarred in her face. Surface scratches with a blade most likely. She also had dried tear marks running down her cheeks.

Saffron shivered. And it wasn't because she was cold. It was fear.

Inara moaned again but seemed to have regained consciousness. "Saffron? What-?"

"No time for explaining," she said briskly. "Can you walk?"

"Where's Mal? Is he here?" Inara's voice broke, "he should not have come," Inara said, and Saffron detected a mixture of hope and dread in her tone at the same time. Inara's whole body ached. She was so tired. "You're not getting me out so you can sell me to the highest bidder are you?"

Saffron shrugged in annoyance. So much for gratitude. First thing out of her mouth had to be about Mal? "Relax Princess. I'm here because Mal wanted me here." At Inara's look of sluggish surprise – and hurt – Saffron was perversely delighted. "Questions later. We need to get out of here. "

Taking Inara firmly by the waist, she steered her towards the exit. Peering out the corridor, Saffron saw no movement. She led Inara out of the room and left her to lean against the wall for support as she dragged Paddy into the room and locked the door behind her.

Huffing a little from the exertion, she again took hold of Inara and started leading her down the corridor. They were making slow progress. The Companion could barely move.

"You didn't kill him did you?" asked Inara, referring to Paddy's unconscious form.

"No, but he's surely dumb enough to appreciate being put down permanently. Would be doing him a favour." Turning on her microphone, she said, "Kaylee? Kaylee? Can you hear me?"

There was some static before Kaylee came through, "Saffron? I hear ya. You have Inara?" she asked, unable to mask the hope in her voice.

"Yes, heading for the extraction point."

"Is she ok? Saffron, is she ok?"

"Well enough. No time to chat. Should be there in ten minutes."

Inara looked at Saffron as they painstakingly hurried along the corridor. "Why are you here? What are you doing on Serenity?"

Saffron ignored her, "I'm where I'm needed."

"Needed?" Inara scoffed. "How long have you been with them?" Her body was in danger of crumbling. She breathed deep as wave after wave of pain jolted through her body with every step she took. Her head began to swim. Inara swayed.

"A while," she said noncommittally, leaving Inara to draw her own conclusions.

Changing her grip, Saffron moved her hands to better aid Inara and noticed her hand was covered in blood. Inara was bleeding from her mid-section somewhere. And there seemed to be lots of blood.

They needed to hurry. "Come on, no more talk."

Speaking into the microphone, Saffron whispered, "Kaylee, best to get the Doc back onboard Serenity and on standby," before switching off the unit to avoid any more questions.

--

Kaylee looked at Wash. "She has Inara."

"Sheh Sheh, Sheh Sheh," he said. "Get Book then Jayne, they gotta get out of there soon. Won't be long before they know Inara 'aint where she ought to be."

Tuning in to Book's frequency, Kaylee said, "Book, Saffron has Inara. Time for that diversion."

"Gotcha Kaylee. Diversion in five."

"And Book, get back to Serenity as soon as you can. We gonna need Simon." She swallowed the lump in her throat and just added, "Inara."

Switching channels, "Jayne? Jayne?"

Kaylee got nothing but a cough followed by a grunt. "Saffron has Inara. Diversion in five."

Another cough.

Kaylee turned to Wash, "Time to fire up Serenity," she said before bouncing off her chair and heading for the engine room.

"Heading for the Skyplex," said Wash.

Glossary:

Nien Mohn: Allience

Wou Duh Tian Ah: Oh my God

Sheh Sheh: Thank you