"From my experience, people tend to believe things they're use to, things that are familiar. The unknown disrupts the normalicy of their lives, and in turn it's just easier to fear and shun all unknown and not understood." She smiled though, one full of understanding. She'd met plenty of cynics before, and so Nova's outlook was nothing that shocked or even disturbed her. Though it was intresting to Inara that she was able to understand Nova, and yet Mal was a complete mystery to her still. "It's alright, sometimes life leads us down that path. It is understandable."

Her smile brightened for a moment. The way Nova was describing the city made her want to go and explore it more than she had before. She'd only seen pictures of the great monuments and structures from The-Earth-That-Was. It would be fascinating to see them in person, to actually be able to reach out and touch them, to experience something that her ancestors had. "You make it sound like something truly amazing. I'll definately need to experience the city for myself then."

Her smile melted away though, and the look she now had was one of sadness and even pity. "It seems to me that you've only managed to find yourself surrounded by those of wicked hearts. Not everyone is like that, Nova. Some are full of life, of love, compassion." She reached out and gently touched Nova's knee with her fingertips. "Perhaps if you'd found those types of people before, your outlook on life would be completely different."

Drawing back, Inara shrugged her shoulders before waving a hand in dismissal. "Don't worry about it, Nova. Life leads us down different paths, and yours seems to have been one of sadness and much pain to have developed such an outlook on things."

She looked down at her hands for a moment. What was she doing? Why was she trying to council this woman? She barely knew her and yet she was telling her things she had no business saying. "I'm sorry, if anything I've said has upset you at all - please accept my deepest apology."