Inferno – Chapter Twenty-two

Author claims no rights to Firefly, and intends no infringement on those who do. All stories are written strictly as fan entertainment.

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Serenity glided through the black, on her way home to Argo. Inara had kept a sharp eye on the sensors, and had added John Hagey to the watch roster. The man was familiar enough with the sensors to see to it they weren’t surprised, and it allowed Inara and Holly to get a bit more rest.

There had been no sign of the pirates, as yet, but they were only now entering the area where the attack had occurred. Inara had set the watch so that she would be on duty when the ship went through that region, so she would be awake and alert if she needed to take any evasive actions.

As she sat in the pilot’s chair, sipping on her cup of tea, she wondered how Companion had fared. If all had went well, they should be on their way home, by now. She considered waving Mal, to see if he had heard from them, but decided against it. He was likely busy, and they would be back soon, anyway.

She’d find out first hand, then.

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Mal was, in fact, rather busy, but would have welcomed the distraction. Harmon Fuller had once again decided to pay a visit to the Sheriff’s office.

“Sheriff, these headlines are starting to bother me,” Fuller declared without preamble, flinging the latest addition of the News down on Mal’s desk. Mal glanced at the headlines, and chuckled. Sheriff Refuses Comment on Recent Slayings.

“I don’t find this amusing, Sheriff Reynolds!” Fuller snapped. Mal eyed the man.

“I don’t neither, Mister Fuller,” his voice was icy. “And, like I told you before, she just basically makes up what she want’s as she goes along. I can’t stop her from doin’ that.”

“I spoke to Miss Jackson earlier, Sheriff,” Fuller scowled. “She assured me that every word of her stories are true.”

“She can assure you all she likes,” Mal shot back. “That don’t make it so. And I got no control over what she writes. She has a remarkable tale