About
Though earning Mal's disfavor initially by stating that she supported unification of the Alliance and the Independents (in flashback in the episode "Out of Gas"), Inara and Mal have developed an unacknowledged attraction to each other which they resist, ostensibly for business reasons, which is expressed in the form of jesting and sometimes hurtful bickering. Mal constantly insults her career, but strangely takes offense when others do so, going so far as to punch a client who did so; when questioned by Inara, Mal simply replies, "I may not respect your job, but he didn't respect you. That's the difference."
