Mal is walking down a wide, elegant hallway toward an equally wide and elegant entrance to a humongous and beautiful ballroom. He turns the corner and gazes upon a throng of finely-dressed men and women at Persephone's annual ball. He stops a few steps into the room, waiting for his partner.

Emcee (on microphone, sound echoing throughout the room): "Captain Malcolm Reynolds and Inara Serra."

Mal holds out his hand and turns to see the beautiful companion entering the room and reaching for his hand. They join and pass into the main part of the room, huge floating chandelier descending from the ceiling. Mal and Inara stop at the edge of the dance floor.

Inara (smiling slightly): "Shall we?"

Mal (returning her smile): "We shall."

The room is empty except for Inara, Mal and the music. They dance, bodies close, for what seems to Mal like an eternity - an eternity he could certainly live with. The song ends, and the two separate and step away from each other - Inara curtseys, Mal bows his torso slightly and his head fully so he is facing the ground. When he arises, Inara is gone.

With a sudden jerk, Mal awakens, sitting on his bed with his back against the wall. His hands are in his lap holding Simon's encyclopedia which has accessed information, however little, on the planet Sedalia. Mal begins to read where he left off, but stops and looks away from the hand-held screen.

Mal (in his mind): "Deep breath ..." He takes a few slow, deep breaths ... "... back to work."

Mal rises from his bed and proceeds up the ladder and out of his room. As he walks (head down, reading) toward the dining room, Shepherd Book rounds the corner, walking slowly and reading his Bible. Neither in a hurry or noticing the other, they collide and drop what they're holding.

Book (startled): "Captain! My apologies, I wasn't looking where I was going."

Mal (bending over to pick up the encyclopedia): "Neither was I." Hunched over, Mal takes a step past Book before standing up completely.

Book (straight, masking his concer