For some reason I never finished reading this. Lots of excitement. And then there's what you've hinted that happened to Inara, which was handled with subtlety an dignity.

I'm assuming the old physical trauma Simon was eluding to is that that guy had been hurting Inara? Poor Mal, having caused that shipwreck, that would be so hard on him on anyone really. Very sad ending.

Riona

Concluded but not final, with the window open for your next story arc. They all survived, and they're still flying. That's all Mal asks for, but I'm thinking he's starting to want a little bit more than just that. I hope that your next arc will address Inara's secret. Thanks for a great story!

i loved the last section especially- using an outsider to comment on the scene made a really refreshing change (not that i'm tired of mal and inara pov, but it's still cool to have a random perspective). plus the sweet/no-nonsense side of mal is so cool- i love seeing bits of mal's sergeant protective side. and of course jayne being jayne :) you're doing such a great job- i can't wait to read the next chapter! update soon!

(*relief*) I was so worried that it was Mal who would be shot. Or Jayne. Inara's in shock, something's wrong beyond the obvious. In a desperate situation, Mal really rises to the occasion. You can see why he was a good sergeant in the war. "She wasn't here. She wasn't her." - love this turn of phrase. More of those near-rhymes, in the style of Wilfred Owen's "Exposure". Hair-raising escape from the crashing space yacht, tension as Mal struggles to stay conscious and fly the shuttle. Good description of the bleak crash site. Looking for more soon.

Will be unpatiently waiting for the next chapter of this story. Well writen, engaging, true to characters, and a REALLY good story!

Curses! Yet another cliffhanger! I wish to know more, so update soon please.

Definitely curious where this is headed...I like how you go back and forth between the characters. Keep it up!

Oh no, cliffhanger! Will Mal and Jayne get out alive with Inara?I'm enjoying this. Don't stop!

love this story- just caught up. you really captured the characterizations of each crew member. i especially love what you did for river: chaos is so hard to embody, especially when you didn't create it in the first place. but you were brilliant. i hope mal and zoe get to talk, just because, as ooc as it seems, it also feels warranted. keep it up!

Good chapter! I've been very curious about Inara's backstory, and you've filled in a lot of the gaps while leaving a few tantalizing details out of reach still. Like just who is shooting whom, exactly? Can't wait for the next chapter, some explanations of what is really going on, and (I hope) some chance that our BDH's will get out of this dire situation somehow.

The opening line was great, fantastic start. You did a great job bringing us to the scene shown in the prologue and now we know, partly, how we got there though some of it is still a mystery. I think Inara is being forced to go with this guy, some sort of blackmail maybe. We'll find out soon I expect. The only thing in this chapter that seemed a little off is that Mal and Jayne are joking while stormingthe ship. Normally this would be common enough but this isn't just any old job, this is serious to save Inara so they might not be kidding about a rough start etc. the way they normally would. Looking forward to more, I imagine there are a couple more chapters.

Riona

You write from all the crew's points of view well, they're all on target. I can't figure out why Kaylee and Simon still aren't speaking after Simon's fancy dinner attempt, maybe I missed something? I'm glad that River was able to show Mal what she meant about Inara not going back to Cinnon and Mal did good at being able to listen and understand. Again all your charactors were written well, including Mal's frustration with trying to understand River but he still got it in the end. I'll be interested to see what happens in the next chapter, if they'll save Inara from this guy.

Riona

I just wanted to say you're doing a great job with this story. I'm anxiously awaiting the next chapter! Thanks for writing!

I'm hoping either someone from the crew (and I've got a good idea who) snuck up on a guard who was sneaking up on Mal. Or, that seeing Mal in some mortal peril might prompt Inara to explain what's going on.