trans_9 | Silence [open]

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Silence [open]

She'd been met by silence. Silence so loud that it hurt.

That's all there seemed to be.

It was eerie walking around Serenity and not running into Zöe or Wash, strange not seeing Simon in the infirmary, and it felt wrong not seeing Shepard Book studying his bible at the table. It was even strange not running into a leering Jayne.

Inara was finding that she missed them all. Missed the cheeriness that at most times could not only be found, but felt aboard Serenity.

That's part of the reason she found herself standing beside the ship, her hand resting lightly on the hull and staring up at it - her eyes wide and dark. Her fingers brush slowly against the cool metal and she shook her head. It wasn't right not having the whole crew there.

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"Destroyed. They'll no bother us further." Jamie clearly believes this, judging by the look on his face. Still - there's something else there that he hasn't quite made up his mind on if he wants to tell or not.

He doesn't want to upset her, but it's not fair if she doesn't know. He fidgets a little as he tries to decide.

"Well that's a relief," Inara replied, though watching the hesitation in Jamie's expression, she couldn't help but wonder what he was hesitating over.

"What is it?" she asked finally, her tone soft as she continued to watch him.

"It's..." He runs a hand through his hair, and says, "Normally, I wouldna want to be the bearer of bad news. But ye should know that the zombies infected some of the people still in the pods before they were destroyed."

He also knows from talking to Kaylee that not everyone from Serenity's crew is awake, and the look he gives Inara is a sympathetic one.

"There's a list of the crew that were lost. Ye...ye may want to check it."

Her face paled, and she stood there perfectly still. There was a possibilty that Zöe, Wash, Shepard Book and even Jayne had been infected by the zombies? Inara's eyes fluttered shut and she mouthed a quick prayer to Buddha - hoping that he had indeed kept her friends - those she considered her family safe.

Slowly her eyes opened and she managed to offer him a weak smile and a small nod. "Thank you, I'll have to do that..."

Jamie rubs at his forehead, his expression clearly unhappy. "I...maybe I shouldna have said anything." He's feeling suddenly very small, indeed. He clears his throat, and tries to see if he can fix the situation.

"None of the names were anyone we knew. I think there's a good chance your friends won't be there." Jamie's not sure, of course, but maybe it might help. His pessimistic side rears its head again, though, and he's thinking it probably hasn't.

He takes a deep breath, mentally cursing himself for being a fool. "I've messed things up for ye. I'm sorry. I...I should go."

"No, it's alright," Inara assured him softly. "I'd much rather be told the truth about what's going on than be shielded from it." It was true though, not matter how painful truth might be, she'd much rather be told it - even though she herself didn't exactly do so in return.

"Please, it's really alright. I just needed a second to process what you told me. You don't have to leave, truly."

Jamie isn't at all positive that it is all right. If he were in her place, he's pretty sure he'd wouldn't react quite the same way.

"If ye're sure..." he says, uncertainly. He's thinking, though, that talking about something else might not be a bad plan.

"So...why did ye decide to rent the shuttle? Why not save up and buy a ship of your own?" It's not his best attempt at changing the subject, but he's trying.

She didn't mind the change of subject at all. Thoughts of the possibility of her friends having been infected by zombies were not pleasant ones at all.

"For business," Inara explained, remainly slightly cryptic about her actual profession - though not because she was embarrassed by it, but rather he just hadn't asked.

"I could have, and I probably had enough to buy a ship of my own... But what would I need a whole ship for? It's much more practical to rent the shuttle and let someone else worry about the everyday runnings of the larger ship."

"Oh, aye?" Jamie asks curiously. "What kind of a business is that, then? Do ye fly people back and forth who ask?"

He strokes his chin thoughtfully. "I suppose ye could do that with a ship too, but ye have a point. It's easier if there's someone else to run the main ship and ye can just deal with the shuttle."

"No, nothing like that," Inara chuckled. "I'm a Licensed Companion in my world and I use the shuttle to transport myself to my clients."

She nodded her head slightly, still smiling. "It is much easier, I assure you." Though sometimes, it was more difficult actually dealing with certain someones who ran Serenity than she'd like to admit, but that was beside the point.

"A..." The look Jamie gives Inara is quite, quite confused. "Why would ye need a license? I mean, I'm a companion to the Doctor and I never needed a license. He just invited me to travel with him in the TARDIS."

Jamie's definition of 'companion' means something rather different than Inara's, apparently.

He scratches his head. "And why would ye have clients if ye were a companion anyway?"

"Oh dear," Inara murmured, trying to hid her amusement. "Um, Jamie, I don't think your idea of a Companion and what I do... Exactly match." She cleared her throat before offering him a soft smile.

"As a Companion I've been trained to offer comfort both physically and emotionally, to listen, to entertain, to soothe, and even to offer advice." She studied him for a moment before continuing on. "My profession can be compared to that of the Courtesans from the Renaissance times of The-Earth-That-Was."

Edited 2010-02-03 07:48 (UTC)

After Inara says that, Jamie is wondering what she means, so he listens to her description carefully. Even he can tell that there's some differences, just from the way she says things. The word 'training' is certainly a large one.

The word 'courtesan' doesn't immediately ring any bells, and there's a faint frown on his face even as he pretends he knows what she's talking about. "Oh, aye, that."

But how do you offer physical comfort? He figures there could be hugging, or maybe kissing. And then something clicks in his head and he gives Inara an incredulous look.

"Wait, what?"

"I assure you, that my profession doesn't merely entail what you might think. In my world Companions are well-educated and well-respected members of society," she said trying to make him understand.

She continued on, "The beauty, elegance, and skills of Companions have earned us the highest respect in social circles. There is no shame when one brings a Companion to a party, as in doing so proves that one has both money and the ability to impress the Companions Guild."

Edited 2010-02-03 09:35 (UTC)

"Ye mean ye are a..." He breaks off as she continues - although the look on his face speaks volumes as to where that sentence was going to end. It lingers until she's able to describe it in a little more detail.

Jamie purses his lips thoughtfully, considering what's been said. It's certainly more than simple prostitution - and the fact that it's apparently a respected profession does help steer him away from thinking of it as such.

Looking at Inara helps as well - she is certainly beautiful and elegant. He may not see her in quite the same light as before, but he thinks he might understand.

"Aye, well," he says finally. "I guess it is a different meaning of the word."

"A whore?" Inara offered, her voice oddly flat - the first time it's happened since she'd started talking to Jamie. "No, I am not a whore. As I have explained, I am licensed with the Guild, I pick my clients and sex is not the only service I offer, if anything it is a small part of a bigger package - whereas a whore takes whatever is offered to her and rarely if ever offers anything other than sex."

Her chin lifts a bit and she takes a deep breath, focusing on regaining the calm and composure. "I am sorry if you are offended by my profession, but I will not apologize for what I do."

Jamie's lips thin slightly. "I was going to say a madam. Even I know ye wouldna be a common whore. I know it's not much better, but I have no idea what that corte-whatever you said is."

The problem with Jamie is that if he's not familiar with something, he has to find something to associate it with in order to understand. At the same time, though, once he does understand, he tends to accept whatever it is fairly easily. He lifts his shoulders in a shrug.

"Why would ye need to apologize for that? I'm not offended. It just wasna what I was expecting."

She studied Jamie silently, her gaze intense as she tried to figure out if he was indeed being honest. After a moment, she nodded her head, figuring he was indeed telling the truth.

"I apologize then for my outburst. But what was it you expected exactly?"

"I...I don't know," Jamie admits after a moment. "I thought ye might be royalty, maybe. There's a few princes and the like roaming around the ship."

And Inara certainly carries herself in a manner befitting someone with royal blood.

"All I know is I thought ye were verra beautiful," he adds, a little shyly. "I still do."

Her expression softened considerably and a hint of a smile began to form on her lips. Despite the misunderstanding, Inara couldn't help but think that Jamie was indeed a very sweet young man.

She leaned in and pressed a kiss against his cheek. "That's very kind of you to say, Jamie." Her smile grew as she drew back. "Thank you very much."

Jamie makes a small, pleased noise in the back of his throat - even though the tips of his ears turn a touch pink. "Och," he says, gruffly. "You're welcome."

And despite learning what he has about Inara, that kiss is still leaving him a bit flustered. And perhaps it's better if he goes before he says or does something else he thinks is stupid.

"I...ah. I should really get going. But I'm glad to have met ye, Inara."

She casts him another warm smiled and lifts her hand in a farewell wave. "And I too am glad to have met you. Take care." She was glad to have met him, regardless. He seemed like a very sweet young man.

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