Spoiler warning: I'm operating under the assumption that the refit Serenity undergoes at the end of the BDM takes, at minimum, one month. This story takes place immediately after that layover, simultaneously with "The Visit-Zoë's Tale", on this very site.

This is the seventh story in the Tales series. The rest can be found here:

River, Wash, Mal, Kaylee, Zoë, Simon, Jayne, Book

Rated PG for some mild language and sexuality.

Thanks go out to my much appreciated beta-ers.

Dohn-ma=Understand

Jien Huo=Cheap floozy

How Shi Sung Chung=Happy development

Buhn Dahn=Idiot

*****

Inara Serra was serene.

To someone who didn’t know her well, Inara probably seemed to be always serene. Obviously, no woman could ever be calm at all times, and she became angry and depressed as much as anyone. Inara had simply learned to hide those emotions behind a veil of placidity that she could draw down when she felt the need. That serenity was a valued trait for a companion, because it was the best way to ensure that the client was not put off by her manner.

She had serviced a great number of both men and women, and as individuals did, they all responded differently. Some people simply didn’t respond well to excessive passion, and a calm, gentle demeanor helped to put them at ease. Some needed her to be calm, due to their own nervousness. Inara had never experienced it, but she understood that the first time one met a companion could be daunting. Others viewed time with a companion as a right of privilege, one that they had earned by simple dint of being able to afford it. To them, a companion who was too forward would be seen as a waste of funds and unworthy of their time. For the rest, who simply wished to spend some enjo