Dear Folks At The Southdown Abby,

I write with heavy heart that one of your own, Derriel Book, has passed on. It has been near four months since his death, and I thought that it was only proper to alert his monastery. I can't say much, but he died doing good works and protecting his flock....

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Zoe looked up from the all too familiar handwriting and grabbed the com on her belt. Hitting the button, she spoke in a calm that was soft yet held tension. "Kaylee, I think I need you back over here."

"Why?" her voice buzzed over the end.

"Because there's a bunch of preachers standin' next to me holdin' a letter with your handwriting?"

"Oh."

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Inara lay Meilin down for a nap.

She drew the little curtain over the mouth of the bassinet shut to keep the babe in darkness. It had been an eventful day for such a little baby, and Meilin needed to recover. They were already up in the air, a process that had been effortless for the ship and soundless for their cabin.

Mal sidled up and wrapped his arms around her from the back, his hands resting gingerly on her flat torso as his nose took a minute to admire her scalp and it’s perfumed scent. “Hey.”

Inara listened to his low whisper, closed her eyes at how his lips brushed against her ear. Smiling fondly, she put a hand on his arm and rocked her body back against his. “What’s on your mind?”

“Nothin’…”

“Xingbie?”

Mal grinned mischieviously, though he tried earnestly to act stunned and slightly appalled. “You have a very salacious mind…”

“Well I’m sorry. I assumed you weren’t thinking of any of my other talents…”

“Got me there.” He kissed her shoulder and neck. “We haven’t had any alone time for a few weeks, she’s out likea light, and there’s this overly swanky suite with all these rather… curious surfaces…”

Inara smiled, turning around she placed her arms over his shoulders and around his neck. Staring at his eyes. “Quite the amazing concept, love making in the midd