Malcolm Reynolds Part 17: Serenity: Better Days #2 (April, 2008)

Mal discovers a relationship brewing between Inara and another member of his crew.

I have this issue in the Serenity Better Days Trade Paperback.

Mal listens as Jayne tells everyone his plans for spending his share of the money they took in Better Days #1. Wash tells them his plan, and then Zoe gives Mal his turn. He declines to answer and tells Wash it’s time to land as they’ve arrived at their vacation location. He makes his way to Inara’s shuttle to let her know they’re landing and asks her what her spending plans consist of but she changes the subject by asking what a “dust devil” is. He tells her that they’re strong minded people who continued to fight the Alliance after the war ended.

After checking in, Mal gives the hotel room a once over. At a thousand credits a night it looks it, but Mal makes it clear that fancy things tend to make people forget themselves. Later on, Mal’s having a meal with Zoe, Wash and Jayne at a fancy restaurant when the festivities get interrupted by thievery. The captain and his crew disrupt the event and are cheered by their fellow diners.

Afterwards, Mal mentions to Zoe that he saw an Alliance ship land just far enough away to cause concern. She tells him Wash checked it and it belongs to Ephraim Sanda, most likely a member of Alliance Special Ops, and was seen headed towards Inara’s shuttle. Mal tells her Sanda’s presence could be about dust devils and decides to stakeout the shuttle.

Hoping he doesn’t find Sanda leaving her shuttle, Mal instead sees Simon coming out. But before he can react, Mal gets knocked unconscious from behind.

Notes of Interest:

1) Mal knows a thing or two about dust devils, and doesn’t seem to mind them.

2) He’s obviously uncomfortable with Inara “working” during their R-n-R.

3) He also knows a thing or two about weapons…beyond his own gun, Vera and that cannon he fired in “Serenity”.

4) Living the good life doesn’t seem to sit too well with him…

5) …in fact, Mal looks happiest before they even land; when he’s watching his crew at the table in the mess hall.

WTF? Moment: I can understand his issues with luxury, being raised on a farm and fighting in trenches for independence and all, but you gotta wonder what Mal does to unwind. There’s got to be more to him than just playing horseshoes and sticking it to the Alliance, right?