Author’s Note: This story is a sequel to “Serenity Waits”. It follows the crew of Serenity three years after we last saw them. Serenity is on Persephone, and they’re about to make a deal with Badger. Inara took off to see her client without telling Mal, and that irritated him. Shepard Book was called away by a friend of his from the abbey. River has recovered to the point where Mal has begun having her go on deals with him using her psychic abilities. That is all you really need to know.

“Just a Few Small Gorram Details”

They were coming for a job; it was all they came for – their raison d’être. Mal, Jayne, and River had few thoughts about how complicated their meeting with Badger might turn out to be. Their attention as they were walking along the city streets was elsewhere.

“Hey, what time is the Shepard due back?” Jayne asked Mal.

“His friend is lettin’ him stay at his hotel room for the night. We can expect him back sometime within the next couple of days.”

“God, it’s beyond me what Shepards take so much time doing.”

“Book doesn’t know,” said River. Mal and Jayne both gave inquisitive looks to her. “His friend has something planned for him.”

“That makes sense,” said Mal. “Holmes wants to recruit Book for setting up some mission somewhere. Book told me that’s the kind of thing he does.”

“Book keeps findin’ some reason to take a leave of absence,” Jayne added.

With those words, Mal could only think of Inara, because she frequently did the same. Mal had been silently thinking of her since he had returned to Serenity to find her gone without any word. Of course, as they walked, Mal would never acknowledge it to his two companions. He was quite certain, however, that River was fully aware of it.

As usual, Mal led the way to Badger’s office or his den – as he liked to call it. The pathway looked like the same place they were used to seeing. The office was hidden to the public behind unattractive narrow halls. The faces of the guards were reco