Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon, except for Rosemarie Velaine, who is mine. Mainly because I haven't the courage to stick in a Mary Sue. Also because Joss is awesome. Will continue to live vicariously through Mal.

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Note: Diplomatic Immunity, plus Our Co-Pilot Tam, is now my NanoWrimo submission.

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This is Chapter 9 of the story that began here:

and continued here:

and is a continuation of Our Co-Pilot Tam, which can be found

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Mal paced, listening to Inara fill him in on the events, his eyes fixed on Alexandra and Rose. Rose was watching him warily, while Alexandra kept her knife point fixed on Rose's jaw. “So you brought her old student and rival, hit her, and brought her up here in the hopes she'd be glad of the rescue?” he asked, as Inara finished.

“It seemed a better idea at the time,” Inara explained.

“She didn't expect any former Companion would leave the life willingly,” Alexandra added. “Least of all for this.”

“Sadly, that's true,” Inara added.

“And what about you?” Mal asked Alexandra. “Seems to me you had to have had as big a part in this as anyone else.”

Alexandra shrugged. “I planned to kill Carter Lang. For some strange reason, he would never dance with me.”

“I wonder why,” Mal shot back. “Question is