He stood outside the shuttle doorway, his usual confidence sadly lacking. This ain't the way to do things, Malcolm, he said to himself. You ain't been like this since you went to ask Cally to the box social. Even though she slapped you right across the face. He had to smile a little. Should never’ve tried to kiss her too.

“Captain?” Kaylee called from down in the bay.

He glanced down. “Yeah?”

“You okay?”

“Shiny.”

“Only you been standing there a long time.”

“Didn’t realise anyone was timing me.”

“She’s in there.”

“Who?”

“Inara.”

“Who said I was –“

“Captain.”

He shrugged. “Well, maybe I was. Ain't you got some work to be getting on with?”

“Been doing it.” She smiled. “You’d better knock.” She waved at him, just the fingers of one hand, then wandered towards the infirmary.

Prob’ly gonna go sex up the doc, the thought ran through his mind. And tell him the captain’s standing like a fool outside his own shuttle.

He knocked.

“ Ching gin .” Her voice, always surprising him with its lightness, wafted from inside the small vessel and did something to his ears.

He stepped inside. “Inara?”

She turned from the small Cortex screen set into the bulkhead, pulling the hanging across it as she did so. For once he didn’t feel odd that she was setting up clients and didn‘t want him to see, not if what River had said was true. It was just a natural action for her, covering over anything that intruded into the careful setting she had created.

“What can I do for you, Captain?” she asked, her chin lifting slightly, as if she was just waiting for him to say something unnecessarily harsh.

“I … ah … just thought you’d like to know we’ll be landing on Boros in about three hours.”

“Yes.”

“Plenty of time for you to make some plans. Pick up a few new acquaintances.”

“I … yes, I could.”

He looked at her, her dark hair spilling over her shoulders, her dress low and fitted. Only woman on board don’t mind showing so