“Mal, we’re coming up on Lazarus. Be about fifteen minutes to touchdown.”

Sitting at the old wooden table in the kitchen, Mal heard an odd echo as Hank’s voice came over the com, then a split later wandering down the corridor from the bridge. He smiled a little, then turned his attention back to the information scrolling slowly on the portable Cortex link Freya used for lessons.

‘Come join the Empress of Sihnon in her signature cruise! Taking in the Winter Festival on her home world, the Empress also voyages through the darkest of nights to the ruins of Ling Miao on Aegis, where a son et lumiere presentation brings the ancient temple to life! Then it’s on to Londinium, and who can resist the call of the premiere Opera House, an exact replica of La Scala from Earth-that-was? And no trip to the Core would be complete without visiting Osiris, Ariel, and just a hint of the untamed with a visit to Persephone and Beaumonde … why, there’s so much we might not be able to fit it all in! And that’s without even mentioning all the activities going on aboard the Empress herself … you won’t want to leave!'

He always distrusted anything that had that many exclamation marks. And Ling Miao? Why would anyone want to go there? He shuddered slightly, just the thought of that place bringing back memories of wooden plaques, spikes, curses, and 40th birthday parties. Oh, and balloons. He still hadn’t forgiven Jayne for that.

Hands snaked down his chest, and someone breathed in his ear, “I love you.”

“What for?”

“Doing what you said you’d do and look at the cruise brochure.”

“I still think it’s a bad idea.” He moved enough to look over his shoulder at his wife. “You know there ain’t any prices on this.”

Freya laughed lightly. “Of course there isn’t, Mal. If you have to ask the price you can’t afford it.”

“Then –”

“Valentia and Phoebe are very wealthy young women. You saw Kilbrook’s last estimate. They could buy a dozen tickets and not feel the pinch.”

“That ain't the probl