She looked in the mirror and winced as she touched the cold cloth to the swollen flesh of her bruised lip. Wiping away the tears that sat in the corners of her eyes she slid open the bathroom door and walked almost straight into the captain.

“Ai ya! Alana, watch where you’re goin’! Hey, what’s happen to your mouth?”

She hung her head and tried to gulp back the lump that was forming in her throat again, she almost won the fight when a sob pushed its way past her defences and she dissolved into tears. Mal was taken aback but put his arms round the shaking frame of the young woman and held her tightly.

“Hush now… Shush mei mei… Come on through to my room where we can talk and you can tell me what’s wrong…”

He led her gently to his cabin and helped her down the ladder and to sit on the edge of his bed. By this time Alana had regained control of herself and sat sniffing quietly. Mal crouched down in front of where she sat and lifted her chin so he could see the ugly lump forming on her split lip.

“You have to tell me who did this to you! You have to tell me who it was!”

“I can’t… I mustn’t say…”

“Alana… Were you ‘working’ when you got this?”

She nodded her head almost imperceptibly, too ashamed to do anything else.

“But I thought you’d given that all up when you came on board. And, for that matter, when have you had time to go off ship? You’ve been busier than a bee in springtime since we landed! Or did they visit you on ship?”

“Well, sir, I have given it up, or at least had. I haven’t been off ship but I have serviced a client earlier this morning but I can’t tell you who ‘cos I don’t want him to get in trouble…”

“Trouble?! I thought if something like this was reported the John would never see another licensed companion for the rest of his days! Any man who hits a woman needs a punishin’! And I thought I told you afore, ain’t no one on this ship without my say so!”

“That’s just it sir, he is on this ship… God, I can’t believe I’m gonna tell you this… It was the doctor…”

“What?! Simon?! He raised a hand t