"Cold." The soft ad elegant voice of the boats companion quietly whispered out. She sat in the dining room of Serenity, wrapped tightly in a thick burgendy afghan blanket. Her raven black hair fell against her face as her curls smoothly nudged her cheeks. She took another sip of her coffee, that she was drinking in a deep soup cup that had paintings of flowers on it with the name -Kaylee- written in three different colors. Inara could hear the sound of a rain shower beating against the top of the boat. She looked up for a second; the sky, she could see, was a solid grey. Even in the night the sky was visible here on Jiangyin. "Rain rain....go..away........pleeaassee...." Inara's whispered words trailed off as she placed down the mug and put her head into her hands and began to sob. ***Earlier that same Day*** -!!BOOM!!- An explosion against the starboard engine knocks Serenity, and her crew, for a complete loop.. "What the living HELL was that?!? RIVER!!" Mal shouted as he scrambeled from the dinning room towards the bridge.. "Everything isn't shiny Mal." River claimed as he attempted to re-adjust and gain control of the boat.. "Ok.........then tell me river..." Mal's voiced became calm for a second. "What's GOIN' ON!? My boat is on FIRE! And I'd kinda like to know what that is.." "An explosion on the staboard engine." River turned her head to the left to face Mal. "Did you give Taber all the money you owed him for messin' up the job?" River asked. She couldn't help a slight sarcastic know-it-all grin adorning her face. "Ye...yeah... sure....I reckon I did...... Oh for the love mai buien xiajongu!" Mal hurringly darted out of the bridge.. He was making his way to the engine room when he saw Jayne. "Jayne! Get everyone and start lookin' fer any other bombs, explosives, or fire friggin' knick-knacks that may be on this boat." Jayne looked at Mal for a second. "Does that mean the new Pillar Grenades I just got. 'Cause I ain't leavin' them here Mal." Mal took a second to comprehend the words that just came out of Jaynes mouth. He leaped up and smacked Jayne upside the head. "GO!" He shouted as he made his way to the engine room. "Kaylee. My boat ain't shiny, fix it!" Kaylee fell backward and was slamed into the casing of the main engine. Mal rushed to help her up. "Sorry Capn'.. There ain't nothin' I can do for her. The injector's shot. That explosion wasn't enough to blow'er up, but we've got to land. We're leaking carbon gas into the Boat." Mal stared at Kaylee. "So we have how long?" Kaylee sighed, closed her eyes then opened them looking right at Mal. "If we don't land in the next couple hours, we'll sufficate; and probally die pukin' on ourselve n'such." "Lovely." Exclaimed Mal as he left the engine room. "Captain!" Shouted Zoe as she descended down from the bridge. "What's the word sir?" Zoe asked before bein' shakin' about as Serenity bgan to loose shake. "Tell River to find a rock and land on it. If it's got air, we'll be peachy." Zoe nodded and ran back up to tell River. "Mal!" Jayne shouted as he ran up to Mal. He seemed to be carrying a small box. "Ohhhhh.. Tell me that ain't what I think it is." Said Mal. "I found this near the airlock. It's a dud, but, if it had gone off all our stuff been floatin' out by now." Mal shook his head. "And how did you not see this? Ehh. I don't like people messin' with my boat! Alright, get everyone to the...." Mal was interrupted by Simon shouting out his name. "Mal. That smell.. There's Carbon Gas flooding all through here, we need to get....out...and I have a feeling you already know this..." "Yes doc, I do." exclaimed Mal. "I want you and Jayne to get everyone onto the shuttles. If River can't find us a decent rock to land on, we're gonna have to flee ourselves out of here. " Simon nodded as he and Jayne made their way preparing the shuttles. Mal ran back up to teh bridge. "River, I need some good words." River nodded. "A word is a thought.....and a penny for thought is not a lot, but a nickle for your dreams will be all it seems." Zoe and Mal looked at eachother for a second. "Ok." "Well, Mal, you wanted good words." River chuckled as she pointed out on the map Screen. "You wanted a rock. I've got a rock." She was pointing out the planet Jiangyin. Not a planet to be very fond of. River had been kidnapped there once, and was almost burnt at the stake while her brother was forced to give medical help to the locals. "Well, this day keeps'a gettin' better and better. Alright, take us in little-bit." Mal and Zoe ran through the rest of the ship, checking and making sure everything was good to go incase they had to flee from the ship. Mal made his way into Inara's shuttle. She had posted herself at the helm while Simon had his med-kit spraled out over her bed checking to make sure he had all he needed. "Inara. I want you to have this......" Inara turned to look at him. "Mal. I know.. Don't worry.. we're not going to leave you behind this time. Come the worst of this, we're forcing you with us." She smiled a bit before returning to what she was doing. "Attention everyyyyooonnneeee" River's voice came over the intercome. "Entering atmo of Jiangyin.............HOLD ON!" The ship hit the atmo like a man jump off of a twenty-story building then belly flopping right into a large pool of water. The crew was jolted hard, and the tossed about as Serenity began to tail-spin. Luckily River was able to gain control and glide the boat to a small clearing in a dense forest. The landing gear was let down as River tried to use the thruster's to gain some more control. Zoe was in the other cockpit trying to help as best she could. "Just a little more... A little more..." River said as the boat began to touch the surface. A hard crash was heard as one of the landing gear legs was snapped off. Serenity began to come to a hassend hault as a thrusters were fire foward slowing their momentum. Once the excitement had finally settled as Serenity came to a hault. "Pheww.... " River wiped the sweat off her forehead then looked over to Zoe. "Wanna go again?" All hatches and doors were opened to vent out any carbon gas; along with the engines being completly shut off. Mal looked around, Zoe came up behind him. "Well Sir." She said. "I reckon we need to hold here. River says there should be a settelment nearby we could get some help there." Mal took in a deep breath. "yeahhhh.. Just make sure no one gets kidnapped this time." Mal gathered everyone into the loading bay. Everyone seemed to be fine, Jayne had sustained a busted nose from falling against the floor of one of the shuttles when he should've been buckled in. So, everyone was A-ok. "Listen up. This is home for a spell. Not sure how long. Jayne and River are gonna come with me; hopefully we can find something worth helpin' us on this...." Mal wrapped his arms around his chest. The winter season was upon the Northern region that they had landed in, and Mal had just become aware of that. "Lian wu shuin meyai.. Great. Now it's freezin'. And, we will have NO heat... So......Shiny." Everyone had their assignments and began to do as they were told. Jayne, River, and Mal headed for the nearest town on the mule; the other's tended to the interior of the ship. ***Now that's out of the way, back to Inara :D ***

Inara wiped her face, stood up, and began to make her way back to her shuttle. She didn't want anyone to hear her crying. She finished her coffee and returned to her bed. She wrapped herself in her blankets; with the afghan still on. She looked up at the cieling of her shuttle. She stared at the red-drape she had hung up. "HELP MEEE!!!! PLEASE!!! SOMEON......... " She shook her head as images of the past began to flash in her mind. "why.......why? leave me.." She whispered to herself as he memories began to get clearer. She looked up one last time as her memories came back into full focus.

***Memories*** "Inara... congradulations.. I am so proud of you." The voice of the schools mistress spoke out to Inara via-video. "Thank you." She replied with a bright red-lipped smile. Inara was on a transport ship to Osiris. A CEO of a technology buisness had just been promoted and was being thrown a large party in his honor. Inara and five other, veteran, companions had been sought out. This was Inara's first job as a full fledged companion. "How do you feel?" The mistress asked Inara. "Fine.. I'm ready.. oh god I am so nervouse." Inara wiped some sweat from her brow. "hehehe" The mistriss chuckled. "You'll do just fine my dear. Now, good luck and show them what you can do." The two ended their conversation and Inara caught some rest before arrivng at Osiris. "Ladies ladies." The six companion's were met by the company's chauffer service and were escorted to their suite. That night the Companion's served their school proud. They danced, they delighted, and they showed all a good time. The ladies were ripe with gittyness as they made their way back to their suite. "Hurry Sarah, open the door. I want to contact the Mistress.." One of the companion's said. "Oh? Why just you, I think I should." Replied another. The six teased eachother about who would contact the school first to deliver the news of their very succesful night. "Ok, got it. Ladies, shall we?" Valeryie, a three year Companion, said as she opened the door and rushed in the room with the other's behind her. The lady's excitement was cut abruptly short as they saw three men standing in their room. The men were dressed in black suits with black shirts and ties with white lace running along the ties. Their faces where colored in solide black with white circles rounding their eyes and their heads had been shaved bald. "Oh please......... Ladies, don't stop on our account. Continue with you excitement." The man in the middle spoke, his voice was suprisingly light with a slight lisp to his speech. "Who are you?" Valeryie had asked as she stepped back with the other's. "Now now now. I can't tell you that. All I can tell you is that you and your friends have been hangin' out with the wrong crowed. The men you entertained tonight belong to a high ranking company. They each have high HIGH insurance plans on them. Insurance plans that our employer is able to colect on should these men die. Now." The man looked up at the grandfather's clock that was sitting in the corner in the living room of the suite. "By now the gas has taken it's effect and the men are dead. And laides, I'm afraid the same goes for you. Sadly, We're out of gas." The three men pulled out their pistols. Each had a silencer attached to the barrel. "Sorry ladies." The man said with a smirk on his face as he opened fire. Sarah and Valerie were the first to take the bullets. The other four rushed out the door as fast they could. They ran down the hallway. Aileena was the next to fall followed by Deadra. The assasins didn't care if the bodies laid about, the only thing that mattered was the job itself. "Inara! We need to get to th..........." Xiao Jing grabbed her chest as two bullets ripped through her back, and lungs and exited through her front. Inara stood there, splatters of blood lay across her face. She ran. She made her way through the laundry room and towards the fire-escape door. She found herself in the side-alley of the building. She began to run to the main street. But he was there, blocking her way; lighting began to flash through the sky, illuminating his painted face. She turned and ran. The night was cold, it was winter, and a heavy storm had just rolled in. A down-pour of December rain began to fall heavly over the well-to-do-town and Inara was soaked. Yet, she continued to try and flee her pursuers. She had become lost in the labrinth of back alleys. All the doors she tried knocking on were locked and bared for the night. Holo-Advertisement was the only thing that provided light of any kind. Eventually she found her way behind a dumpster. She slid behind and crouched herself down. She was soaked in rain, colored with her friends' blood, and frozen to the core. "She's around here......FIND HER!" The man's voice had grown harsh, and irritated. The three men searched but found nothing. "Damnit! If she gets out that we killed them....... Just Find her!" Inara breathed easy for a second. She thought that she might be able to get away. **Bright light** "Oh!! When you feel at your worst, grab some nector, and Quinch that thirst!! That's right, sports fanatic. when you feel like you've had the Quian-Ji just wiped right out of you, grab some Nector, and boost right back up!" A Holo-Advertisement had poped up on the wall next to the dumpster. The three men turned around in suprise. Inara had no idea that the bright light was flashing against her gold-evening gown and was giving her away. "Wait a minute here... What did I tell ya boys... If you try hard enough." The man violently wheeled back the dumpster. "You always get what you want." Inara just sat there, fetus posotion. She couldn't move, she was struck with absolute fear. The three men moved in. "You've caused us a headache, and a scare. Look at me. My make-up's running, my suit is ruined. I deserve some atoinment.." He grabbed Inara and pinned her against the wall. The other two took sides and held her there tighter. The man walked over and ripped open Inara's gown, exposing her breasts. "Now, where's my atoinment." The man began to make his way down her torosoe and to her vagina with his right hand. Inara kicked and screamed. And when he went to silence her with his left hand, she bit as hard as she could. "You little bitch!" He went to smack her when he suddenly turned around. "Who's there?" He shouted. His two companions turned to look as well. "Boss, you're hearin' things." One of them spoke. "No no no.. I heard something." He replied. A shadow began to creep along the alleyway. "HEY! Hey you! Go! Mind your own buisness!" The man shouted. But the shadowey figure continued towards them. "Christ. Kill him!" The assasin ordered. "We're out! Our clips had to be small, remember? This was suppose to be a ten-minute job." One of the three said. The lead man pulled out his pistol. "Ah bloody hell. I'll do it. I warned you buddy." The gun went off. The figure could've only been a matter of ten-yards away; but, some how he seemed to just step around the bullet. Two more shots were fired. One more was dodged, but another was taken in the left shoulder. The assasin went to fire more but soon realized he was empty. "Ehhh!!" He shouted in frustration as he began to run at the stranger, with the intent of just killing him where he stood. The figured watched and remained still. Suddenly, right before he was in reach of the stranger, a double edge blade was drawn and the man was stabbed directly in the chest. He held onto the blade with his hands as his eyes stared up at the shadowey figure. He tried to speak but was soon kicked off the blade by the strangers left boot. Lightening streaked across the stormy sky, illuminating the chrome blade. The stranger began to make his way towards the other two. Holo-Advertisments began to light up along the walls. The stranger was dressed in a torn and tathered grey over-coat with filth covered clothes. He boots looked to be worn to the souls as the metal peices where showgin along the tip of his faded brown boots. His hair was long and seemed almost clumped together with filth. He lifted his head up and pointed his blade at the other two. His face seemed covered with a thick and nappy looking beard, but his blue eyes were sharp and almost seemed illuminecent and bright. The two men dropped Inara and tried to find a way to escape. But, it was too late. As they hurridly tried to bust down a door, the filthy stranger quickly cut the two men down by their knee caps, and then decapitated them with the swifted of skill. He sheathed his blade and placed it under his filth ridden trench coat. He made his way over to Inara. Her fear had still taken her. "No... pl...pleas..please.." She kicked the stranger in the left shin, he stepped back. He removed his trench coat and let it fall on her. She looked up. "We must get you out of here. Can you walk?" The stranger's voice was light, a british accent. It was calm, and oddly warm. She lifted up her right hand and took his hand. She fell back a bit, the stranger was there to catch her. "Come.... This rain is too hard.. Let's get you safe....."