Mal muttered a long string of curses to himself as Zoe drove the mule through the fancy streets of a rather rich residential section reserved for Persephone's gentry. The last time Mal had been in Landsdown, he had hired a cab to take Kaylee and himself to a ball. That time he ended up with a sword in his side and a hold full of cows. This time they were riding on the back of a shabby hovercraft and hoping for a better outcome.
Standing out, however, was the least of Mal's worries. The Doctor and Jayne were still missing, Serenity was on port lockdown and Inara was in some kind on unspecified trouble that River could not identify more precisely than a persistent whining mantra of 'She should come home now. Tell her to come home.' Retrieving Inara had taken on the highest priority.
As expected her Com unit was not on. Mal was finding this to be an irritating yet repeating theme for the day. Still, following Kaylee's directions through the Landsdown port was bringing them closer to what he was sure would be an embarrassing moment. He had never directly interfered with Inara's business before, but he could think of no better time to start.
Inara was probably fine out here with her high-class folks, but Mal had to at least confirm that. He would put up with her wrath for a day or two just for the comfort of knowing she was safe. After confirming that, he could secretly stake out her shuttle from a safe distance for the rest of the night. She wouldn't have to know.
Mal sat next to his first officer questioning his own motives. 'Secret stake out?' Was he really here to check on the safety of a crewmember or was he purposely butting his nose into Inara's affairs. He was lying to himself if he said it didn't bother him. It did, and since Blue Star it did a lot. He didn't know how it would work, but he wanted her to be more than just safe.
"Sir, we're here. Sir?"
"Right." Mal wrestled himself back from his thoughts. "Let's go."
River sat in the pilot's chair on the bridge, hugging her knees and digging her toes into its thick woolly covering. She looked at Wash, sitting all ghostly on the console. They both sat in silence and just stared at each other for the longest time, River wiggling her toes and Wash fidgeting with his fingers and cracking his knuckles.
River cocked her head to the side and scrunched up her face. A ghost cracking his knuckles emitted no sound, making it fairly useless. Which was exactly how River felt. Useless.
"Never could over-ride a lockdown." Wash mused.
"She should come home." River mumbled.
The flicker of candlelight danced on the veiled walls of Inara's shuttle while thin wisps of incense infused with the smells of citrus and flowers curled their way to the metal ceiling. Carefully draped curtains separated the cockpit and entry from the bedchamber, keeping the fading light of the sunset and the beeps and flashes of the console from tainting the skillfully architected atmosphere. Inara's quiet rhythmic cooing produced a soft, low song of pleasure for her lover's ears as it filled the darkened room. She pulled him closer. He caressed her, gently stroking her hair as they made love, attentive to her voice, her breathing, her movement, drawing as much pleasure from her pleasure as from his own.
Visions of her friend Nandy had let her alone since dinner. Inara had managed not to let it distract her from her work, or the good time they were having. Had it been Mal's face and voice invading her thoughts she would have been better prepared. She had learned long ago how to get him out of her mind when she was working. He had supplied her with ample instances of insensitivity to draw from over the past years.
Perhaps it was the events of the previous day, or just returning Serenity in general that had her on edge. Things were not the same on Serenity, not since Blue Star. No matter how hard Mal tried, no matter how hard she tried, things were just different.
Only now, back in her shuttle after a wonderful dinner and a sunset walk alone the Landsdown heights with a wonderful man, did she relax. She was in her sanctuary, and she refused to let old memories bother her any further. She refused to let Nandy or Mal or any of Mal's problems bother her. Inara finally let herself go.
Looking into Tyler's eyes she could see, this was a good man, a gentle man. She could feel it in his touch, in the soft crooning in his voice, in the firm strength of his muscles. She felt safe in his embrace. As he filled her, her troubles faded, the danger diminished, the visions dissipated. There was only she and he in the cushions of her shuttle, sheltered from the rest of the world; away from what ever it was Nandy was tying to tell her.
Still, slowly, quietly the feeling crept back into her mind. Something was missing. She couldn't put her finger on it. Somehow she needed more. Bringing pleasure was not enough for her. Nor was being pleasured, no matter how pleasurable this was. There was something missing that should be there – or something there that should not have been. She felt odd, like they were being watched. Like…
Tyler's body abruptly tensed and fell to hers, pressing heavily down, slumped and limp. This was not right. The warm moistness of his chest against her was not that of passionate sweat but the fast oozing of blood. A sharp pain pricked at her ribs as the point of a blade protruded from his chest.
"Ty…?"
Inara's eyes widened with horror as she tried to move, but her lover's dead weight made it hard to even breath. A pair of leather gloved hands clenched quickly around her slender throat, squelching any scream she might make at its source. The peace and tranquility of Landsdown would not be disturbed by her death.
"Shhh." A soft voice cooed.
The voice was deep, comforting as his victim squirmed and flailed wildly in his iron grip. She tried to scratch her assailant's eyes, but could not reach around her dead lover. The assassin studied her carefully as he tightened his grasp. Her face flushed red and eyes bulged, slowly beginning to roll. He was filled with an inexplicable delight, smiling broadly behind his black facemask. His eyes would be the last things hers would ever see and it tickled him.
"Shhh, mei guan xi xao mei mei. It is all for the greater good. You will see. One day we will all be dead."
"Some sooner than others." Mal's said from behind.
The assassin wheeled around pulling the blade from Tyler's back. In the glee of his imminent kill he had made a fatal mistake. The blast from Mal's gun sent the assassins blood spraying over Inara and another dead body collapsed on the gasping Companion.
Mal snatched up Inara naked body without thinking, hugging her gently, but tight and close. She was shivering uncontrollably, in shock in more ways than Mal could know. Being naked in a man's arms was a common occurrence for Inara. As a professional Companion it was part of the job description. But she had never felt so naked, so helpless as she did now, in Mal's arms. It was what she had wanted most for nearly a year now, but the last thing she wanted now. She shrank away.
For Mal, Inara had always seemed tall, regal and confident to him. Now, as she trembled in his arms she felt small and fragile, coughing and sputtering in his embrace. She feared Mal's touch; he could feel it, almost as much as he feared breaking her. But it was the look in her eyes that revealed her inner tumult. He had seen it before in young soldiers after their first action.
No man had ever died on her account and no man had ever touched her with intent to kill. She could not fathom either and yet both were there, palpable and real their blood still covering her naked body. And now Mal was there and this was all wrong. It was too much.
Inara wanted Mal right now, but hated him for being there at the same time. She wanted him to hold her closer, but writhed in his embrace. She wrapped her arms around him tightly, hugged him like he was life itself, but then started hitting him repeatedly at the same time.
"Zoe, can you…" The captain said calmly. "While I get us out of here."
"Yes Sir." She confirmed. Zoe took hold of Inara, as she collapsed sobbing in her arms. This was not the situation they had expected. Mal wasn't prepared to handle this and Zoe suspected Inara felt the same way. Zoe tried to wrap the trembling woman in a lush gold robe, but Inara suddenly fought her.
"No! no. Not that one." She croaked the words out desperately while trying to curl up into a small ball and disappear.
Zoe understood, dropping the men's robe and finding the frilly silk robe they were accustom to seeing her in. She held Inara firmly trying to control her shaking, as she cleaned the blood of both men from her face.
Mal dragged both lifeless bodies from the shuttle. Gathering up the rest of the poor businessman's things Mal dropped them in a pile by the two. He came back holding a single business card eying it curiously.
"Mule's ready to go." He barked, as he re-entered the shuttle.
"What – about – Tyler?" Inara struggled to get the words out.
"Nothing you can do for him now."
"Sir, Downs not used to this kind of goings on. Could be trouble we leave." Zoe looked concerned, but Mal wasn't wasting the time handling this with the authorities.
"I left a note. Now get strapped in, Ma Shong!" He took the controls and pulled the shuttle into the air, then headed for home.
4