Chapter 8
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After what feels like a second the glow disappears and they are in a whole new time, seeing where they are Mal gets a smile on his face "I'm home." He mutters to himself.
"Where are we?" Ryan asks.
"Serenity's cargo bay, I'll give you tour." Mal tells the people who don't know their way around Serenity. Even though Mal only planed the tour for those new to Serenity it looks like everyone is going to join in.
Before anyone can go anyway the need to be detached from each other, Simon goes around and does this and collects the devices.
"Leave all your gear here, get it when I've shown you what's what." Mal tells the people from the past.
"Through there's the air lock and the way off Serenity" Mal says pointing to the outer door, then climbs up to the platform, above the cargo bay "That's the spare shuttle that we usually use for jobs, and that's Inara's shuttle which y'all go to ask before entering." Mal tells everyone, those who know how often Mal barges into that shuttle look surprised at that.
"You're telling everyone to do something that you yourself don't do." Inara says to Mal surprised and suspicious about why he is doing that.
"You're used to me just barging in, you may not like it but your used to it. If everyone else does it you're goin to come to me to complain and I really don't want to have to deal with that." Mal tells Inara.
"So you're not doing it for me but yourself." Inara realises not really surprised but notices that that may not be the whole story and puts it in the back of her mind to bring up later.
"Exactly." Mal says as he leads everyone else down the stairs into the infirmary/Passenger door area as Inara heads upstairs into her shuttle "Through there is the infirmary, Lanie, Jenny. Simon will show you what's what there later." Mal says before they walk to where the passenger dorms are. "Here are the passenger bunks, the three on you bottom right are Rivers, Simons, and Shepard Book. Jim, Mother you two can have the two on the left bottom, Kate, Lanie you guys can take the ones above them, Ryan and Jenny and Esposito, you guys have the bunks on the top right. Alexis you're goin to have the empty crew bunk which I'll show you in a minute." Mal tells everyone.
Mal turns and everyone follows up the stairs then through the corridor. "Through there is the engine room." He says pointing to the entrance then turns the other way to head to the living dining area.
"This is the dinning, kitchen area, I'm goanna go get a new table for in here soon, we all chip in with cooking and food like fresh fruit is rare." Mal tells everyone.
"through here is the crew bunks, mine, Kaylee's, Zoe/Wash, Jayne and Alexis that empty one is going to be yours,." Mal says as they walk into the crew quarters area pointing to each bunk when he says who it belongs to. "Up there is the bridge" Mal says to everyone pointing to where it is.
"Why don't y'all get settled why Zoe and I go get a table. Then we'll talk about a few things y'all need to know." Mal says, everyone nods then walk back to the cargo area. Zoe and Mal leave why everyone else collects there stuff.
"I'll show you how to get the hatch down for your room." Kaylee says walking over to Alexis as she noticed that the captain didn't tell her.
"Thanks."
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Mal and Zoe manage to find a table that wasn't too expensive and large enough to fit everyone so they bring it on board Serenity and put it in the dining area as they break the old one and store it in the cargo bay just in case they ever need wood.
"We'll go see Badger once I explain a few things." Mal tells Zoe. "Everyone to the dining area." Mal says over the intercom.
Everyone arrives at the dining area and the first thing Mal does is hand Ryan, Esposito and Kate each a weapon "These are the most like the gun's you currently use here's some amo an there's more in a kept in the cargo bay." He explains to them then addresses the group "Zoe, Jayne and I are goin to go see Badger see if he has work for us, Nara it may not be worth making any appointments till we know. If he does we'll most likely be getting out of here soon. Kaylee, Wash, River Serenity up for a long trip if needed?" Mal asks.
"She's all ready to go Capt." Kaylee tells him.
"Ok, Zoe, Jayne lets go." Mal tells them.
"Wait Rick aren't we coming?" Kate asks referring to her and the boys.
"Not on this one Kate, you guys need to get use to some things first. Badger may be a crook and an idiot but one thing he can do is tell wen someone isn meant to be here, at the moment he'll be able to tell, spend some time getting to know Serenity." Mal says kissing Kate on the cheek before they leave and everyone can tell that Kate isn't too happy about it.
Alexis hugs her dad goodbye and whispers "Be careful."
Mal smiles at his daughter as he Zoe and Jayne leave. Everyone else head in their own directions except for Kate, Inara and Lanie.
"You may not like it but he knows what he's doing when it comes to things like that." Inara tells Kate.
"He hasn't been here for a long time he may need more help than he used to have." Kate shots back, and Inara realises that Mal must have told her about their history and maybe what he wanted to tell her.
"With how much you stick out at the moment you will be more of a hindrance, Mal knows that you've got to trust him, you won't last two weeks on Serenity if you don't." Inara tells Kate before walking to her shuttle.
"What was that about?" Lanie asks completely confused about the irritation between the two when they have known each other a day.
"I'll tell you in your room. " Kate tells Lanie.
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Alexis spends some time walking around Serenity before arriving at the platform above the cargo bay where she just looks at the door.
"Hey." Kaylee says walking up and standing next to her "Do you still want me to show you what's what in the engine room?" She asks.
"Is it ok if we wait to Dad gets back?" Alexis asks.
"You're worried" Kaylee realises.
"I worried when he went on cases with Kate but this is different, I want to wait here for a while make sure he's gonna be ok." Alexis tells Kaylee.
Kaylee who realises it's what Alexis needs to do at the moment and it may be best to leave her alone puts her hand on top of Alexis's give it a little squeeze before she says "Come find me when he's back." Then she walks of
"Kaylee." Alexis says stoping her "Thanks for understanding."
"It's Shinny Alexis, we all do things in our own way"
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Lanie and Kate arrive back in the passenger bunk area and climb up the latter to get to Lanie's bunk.
"So what's with the tension between you and Inara?" Lanie asks.
"He loves her." Kate tells Lanie as they both sit on Lanie's bed.
"Who loves her?" Lanie asks confused.
"Rick."
"Are you sure from what I have seen they mostly fight and they don't seem like they can stand each other I mean yes he did name Alexis after he so there must be something between them, but love do you really think so?." Lanie asks Kate.
"Rick told me she's himself, she's his best friend and he will always love her." Kate explains.
"WHAT, when did he tell you that?" Lanie asks wanting all the details.
"The night they arrived when we went for our walk. He told me that Inara is his best friend and that he will always love her but I'm the one who he feels he belongs with that he loves me," Kate explains.
Lanie sits in shock about what she just herd not really sure what to say but does make a self-note to watch Mal and Inara carefully when they are together.
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Alexis continues to just stand on the platform waiting for her Dad to come back. After a little while of her standing there Inara comes out of her shuttle and walks over to Alexis.
"You ok Alexis?" She asks but doesn't get a responds "How about you come into my shuttle have a cup of tea, I owe you one." Inara says trying to get to talk.
"I'm waiting for dad." Alexis responds.
"From my shuttle you will be able to hear the second her gets back." Inara tells her.
"Promise?" Alexis asks.
"Promise." Inara says and Alexis follow Inara into her shuttle.
"Take a seat." Inara says pointing to the couch as she makes the tea.
"You're worried about your Dad." Inara realises as she sits down on the couch and hands Alexis her tea.
"Getting jobs is usually safe I don't think there has ever been a time where he has gotten hurt." Inara tells her then says "Oh hang on." She says remembering the duel.
"What, what happened?" Alexis asks worried
"There was once that he got hurt but it was kind of my fault to." Inara says quickly feeling like she may not be doing a great job of reassuring her she was trying to make Alexis feel better not worse.
"What happened?" Alexis asks once again.
"I'm not sure I should tell you." Inara tells her worried about how Alexis will feel when she tells her that story and wonders if it is going to make her worry more.
"You've already got me worried please Inara." Alexis begs wanting to know the story so that she knows how worried to be in the future.
"Ok" Inara says reluctantly not being able to stand the look of worry that Alexis has on her face "We were right her on Persephone, I was going to a ball with a client and I got quite a shock when Mal and Kaylee showed up, see Mal was there to get a job, long story short Mal and I danced and the client I was with said some things about me that Mal didn't like so he punched him, which was a challenge to and old fashion duel with swords." Inara explains to Alexis.
"Well that's good, Dad taught me how to fence and I was on the team at school, he's good." Alexis says to Inara allowing some of her worry to disappear.
Inara smiles "Back then he wasn't I had to teach him." Inara explains.
"So you taught Dad and then he taught me." Alexis realizes which for some reason makes her smile to.
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Meanwhile Mal, Zoe and Jayne arrive at Badgers, they are shown in right away.
"Well, well Malcolm Reynolds good to see you have again, word was you were gone for good." Badger tells Mal.
"You know me Badger nothing can make me stay gone." Mal tells him.
"Your right there what brings you to see me." Badger asks.
"What always brings me to see you coin, got any jobs that a man like you can't do on his ownsem?" Mal asks.
"Well there is one thing I got to have done but you aint interested." Badger tells Mal.
"When have you ever known me to refuse a job?" Mal asks.
"It involves collecting and smuggling something off Herra." Badger tells Mal simply.
Mal looks at Zoe "Give us a minute"
Mal and Zoe walk outside why Jayne stays inside "Zoe could you do this?" Mal asks.
"We need to coin Sir, we got to. What you thinking." Zoe asks.
"That your right, we need to coin." Mal agrees and the pair walk back in.
"We'll take it what do you need." Mal says as they walk back in.
"Collect some merchandise from a Kyle Chang, has a shop outside of town get it off bring it here." Badger tells him "Usually terms." Badger tells him.
"Good doing business with you." Mal says as the three leave.
Together Zoe, Mal and Jayne walk back to Serenity. Stopping to stock up on things they're going to need on the 2 week trip to Herra. When they arrive back everyone but Alexis and Inara are in the cargo bay.
"Wash, River plot a course for Herra." Mal tells them when they walk in.
"Herra, Malcolm ?" Martha asks surprised, as Zoe goes and gives her husband a hug.
"Badger has a job there we need the coin." Mal says giving Kate a hug as he answers. "Where's Alexis?" Mal asks as at the moment the thing he needs most is a hug from his daughter.
"She was waiting up there for you to get back Cap, maybe Inara came and saw her so there up somewhere talking." Kaylee guesses.
"I'll see." Mal says as he walks up.
Mal enters Inara's shuttle to see Alexis and Inara talking and smiling, when she see her Dad Alexis goes running into his arms giving him a hug "Dad" she says as she does it.
Inara smiles at the two, when she breaks away from her Dad she goes and gives Inara a hug "Thank you, you made me forget I was so worried and scared, thank you." Alexis tells her.
"You're welcome Alexis, you're always welcome here." Inara tells her.
"Why is my daughter always welcome when I'm not?" Mal asks.
"Because your daughter is pleasant to be around." Inara informs him.
"You guys getting into a fight is my cue to go, I promised Kaylee I would hang out with her when you got back." Alexis tells her father and Inara as she leaves.
"What's wrong Mal?" Inara asks as she can tell Mal seems a bit different form how he was when he left to go see Badger, she can see that something is bothering him.
"The job Badger has for us is on Herra." Mal answers simply.
"Oh Mal." Inara tells him "Is there anything I can do?" She asks.
"Act like you normally do Nara, act like you normally do." Mal tells her.
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On her way to the engine room to see Kaylee Alexis runs into Kate.
"Hey Alexis, you Dad was looking for you." Kate tells her.
"I know I've already seen him." Alexis tells Kate.
"Where were you?" Kate asks curious.
"With Inara, we were talking she made me forget how worried I was about Dad." Alexis answers then looks around and notices that Kate is alone "Where is everyone?" she asks.
"Dad, Shepard Book and your grandmother are all in the dining area talking, Zoe is with Wash and River in the bridge, Simon is showing Lanie and Jenny how things in the infirmary work, Jayne is showing Ryan and Esposito his weapons and Kaylee is in the engine room." Kate answers as she herself was just walking around Serenity allowing herself to get a feel for the new environment.
"Where you heading?" Kate asks.
"Kaylee's I promised I would go see her when Dad got back." She tells Kate.
"Don't let me keep you."
Just as Alexis arrives in the engine room Mal's voice comes over the intercom.
"We are about to take off we will be arriving in Herra in approximately 2 weeks."
At that firefly takes off heading to the place where 2 members of the crew can never leave, the place that still haunts their nightmares.
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