Inara could hear voices, but it was so easy to stay in the darkness, even though she thought she recognised them. Movement of the air on her face … or maybe it was someone else’s face, she couldn’t be sure … being picked up, perhaps … not that it mattered. She wasn’t about to wake up.

“Inara?”

Simon ran his portable scanner over her as she lay on the couch, his face carefully impassive. “Her blood pressure is low, she has a temperature, but I …”

“Her skin’s icy.” Freya moved Inara’s short hair away from her face. “But she’s wringing wet.”

“Yes.” Simon took another small machine from his bag.

“She’s really sick.”

“I think she might be.” He was staring at the tiny instrument.

“What’s that?”

“I … Inara hasn’t been to see me, not as a doctor. I don’t even have a recent sample of her blood. Not since …”

“Since what? Sam demanded.

“Since she asked me to find out why she wasn’t getting pregnant.”

Sam felt ashamed. “Yes. I suppose … And is that what that’s for?” He nodded at the small machine.

Simon nodded. “I have the feeling whatever’s wrong with her is more than just a physical examination would show.” He sighed and went to put the blood extractor back in his bag.

“Take the blood now.” Freya spoke firmly.

His head whipped up. “What?”

“While she’s still out. Take a blood sample now.”

“I can’t. That would be unethical.”

“And if you don’t I can guarantee when she wakes up she won’t let you.”

“Without her permission I can’t –”

“Simon, take it.” Sam spoke, his normally olive face pale and drawn. “Permission be damned. I need to know.”

For a long moment Simon gazed at him, then he nodded once and flipped out the needle on the small device.

The door slammed back and Mal entered. “Frey, we gotta … is she okay?” He was staring at Inara.

“Just exhausted.”

“You sure about that?”

Simon stood up. “I am.”

Mal was about to argue, to say he knew something else was up, but shrugged instead and said, “Frey. Sun’s gonna be coming up real