Inara is a professional, Alliance regulated companion (or as Captain Mal Reynolds likes to taunt, a whore). Schooled in a training center at house Midrassa on Xenon, that is religiously based to a slight degree (she prays before a Buddha-like statue and lights incense in a ritual manner). She was a trainer and very high ranking member (with potiential to become 'House Priestess') at the training school and order, when, for unknown reasons she left, taking up residence in a rented shuttle on Captain Reynolds' ship, Serenity, which became her new base of operation. She claims she wanted to get out and see the universe (she also once said we're all running from something ), but there is reason to feel there was more to her decision to set out on her own than just that simplistic one.She is highly educated, refined, articulate and skilled to some degree in a bit of Martial Arts, swords, the long bow and cross bow. Her ways of work include formal tea ceremonies, foot washing and love making to the men and women of her own choosing on a professional contracted level.She rents her space (which gets invaded by Reynolds all the time) at 75% of what Mal asked for, because she brings respectability to a ship and crew that are, well, a bit rough around the bits and pieces that are falling apart as they take off and land. She's also become deeply in love with Mal Reynolds (who is also in love with her, but ticked off at her choice of job and not too thrilled about the fact she supported Unification, which he fought against in a bloody war), but tries not to show it and keeps him at arms length (while secretly praying he'll come back alive from his various adventures). In fact, the two of them constantly do this Gavotte ( I know this dance, says Mal in the Shindig episode of Firefly) around each other, often spouting at the mouth in anger while making love to each other with their eyes. Inara is the only one who can get away with bossing the great Captain Reynolds around on his own ship. She, like Serenity pilot Wash, is a voice of reason on the ship. The ship--she fell in love with the moment she saw it. Show less «