Set six months after the BDM, with standard pairings: Simon and Kaylee, Mal and Inara angst.

If you haven’t read from the start, I would recommend going back to chapter 1 - http://www.fireflyfans.net/bluesun.aspx?bid=19146

Of course - Its Joss’s world and his characters, but I sure enjoy playing with them.

I need to give many rounds of thanks to Mal4prez for the wonderful beta type advice.

My thanks also to all the folks who took the time to leave me all the fluffy comments.

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Chapter 9

“What do you mean you haven’t found him yet?” Mrs. Cassandra Tam-Osan demanded of the head of central security of the Cottonwoods resort. “It’s been two hours since I reported his presence to you. I know that you have called in the extra support of central enforcement, because not only did I see them arrive, but I have already been questioned. Yet, somehow Simon Tam is still not in your custody. Explain!”

Sergeant Jeffery Simmons, retired from the central enforcement agency and now chief of the Cottonwoods Security Department, chose to examine the bank of monitors along the northern wall of the room rather than look directly at the woman currently scolding him. Days like this made him suspect that he should have listened to his wife and actually retired when he left central rather than work security in the private sector. On the other hand, if he stayed at home his wife would probably annoy him just as much as this lady.

“Ma’am,” Sergeant Simmons answered as he called up yet another set of images on the left-most monitor and pointed them out to his assistant. “Your information was that Dr. Tam was skiing. On that information, we have had our entire staff plus half of central enforcement manning the lifts, and yet Dr. Tam has not showed his face anywhere on the mountain.

“I am now switching strategies, trying to determine where and with whom he was with earlier today. If we cannot get Dr. Tam directly, perhaps we can get to him through one of his friends. There are over four thousa