The Last Spartan – Chapter Twenty-Two

Author owns no rights to Firefly or any of it’s related characters, and makes no money for his efforts.

----------------------

Malcolm Reynolds had worked all his life to show nonchalance at the wealth of others. He prided himself, in fact, on being underwhelmed, at least on the surface, of anything.

But Jayne’s home was overwhelming. As he wandered the estate grounds around the house, and then entered the house itself, he couldn’t help but stare a little. There were antiquities sitting nearly everywhere on the ground floor. Any one of which, Mal was sure, would fuel Serenity for a year, and leave money for any part that Kaylee could manage to find.

But more than that were the people scurrying about the place. Not haggard, frantic or worried servants, aware of their master’s return, but happy people. Mal realized that the servants were actually delighted that Jayne had returned, and where not trying to avoid his displeasure, but instead were working to please him. Not because they were afraid, but because they wanted to.

Trying to get his head around that took some doing. He just couldn’t see Jayne as anything but a money hungry mercenary.

“Hello, Mal,” Inara said quietly, and Mal turned to see her standing in the hallway.

“‘Nara,” he nodded, unsure of himself. “Nice place,” he commented.

“It’s immaculate,” Inara nodded. “I’ve never seen it’s like, anywhere.”

“Never?” Mal asked. He knew she’d been to some of the ritziest places in the ‘verse in her years as a Companion.

“Never,” she affirmed. “It’s breathtaking.”

“So it seems,” Mal agreed. He felt like something was coming, but he didn’t want to think on it. He had a sneaking suspicion already that he wasn’t going to like it.

“Mal, I need to tell you something,” Inara confirmed that feeling. “I don’t want you to find out. . .” She broke off as a maid appeared.

“Your pardon, my Lady Inara,” the maid said quietly. “Dinner is being set now.”

“Thank you, Alisa,” Inara nodded graciously. The maid curt