Inferno – Chapter Seventeen

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Serenity left the ground gracefully, Inara guiding the transport out of atmosphere and into the black. Once on course for Astra, Inara set the auto-pilot and left the bridge, walking to the galley.

There she found John, already hard at work, scrubbing the galley floor.

“Miss Inara,” he nodded, smiling. “Gettin’ things in order.”

“You’re doing fine,” she smiled in return. “I appreciate you three being willing to come back aboard.”

“Our pleasure, ma’am,” John assured her. “Make’s a might rough on the home life, I guess, but it’s only temporary. Much as you folks has been out, doin’ fer us, seemed like the least we could do.” He smiled again suddenly.

“Side’s, Mister Harwell’s paying us straight through for the time on the ship. Right here at Christmas, too.” Inara chuckled.

“Good timing on my part, then,” she said, and John nodded.

“Right good timing, ma’am,” he laughed.

“Well, carry on then, being as you’re on the clock,” Inara laughed lightly.

Willie and Pete were in the cargo bay, when she walked out onto the catwalk.

“We’re good, Miss Inara,” Willie called. “Everything’s in good shape, and we’re almost done with the clean-up.”

“Okay, Willie,” Inara smiled. “What I like the hear. And thank you both for agreeing to come back on board. I was just telling John how much I appreciate it.”

“We appreciate it too, ma’am,” Pete called, grinning sheepishly. “We’re making good time, and it gives us a chance to kick up our heels a bit, too.”

“I’m glad I could be of service to you,” Inara laughed. She seemed to be doing a lot of that, she noted, going back into the galley. She nodded again to John, on her way back to the bridge.

Things weren’t going badly, she admitted. She wasn’t nearly as nervous as she had been the first time. She didn’t know if it was because the three men were no longer unknown entities, or it was the fact that she’d made the trip once, already, on her o