Blue Sun Room FICTION - GENERAL

The Losing Side, Chapter 38

Friday, March 2, 2007

Ghosts from the past come back to haunt Mal as he's brutally attacked by one of the guards in the cafeteria.

CATEGORY: FICTION    TIMES READ: 3082    RATING: 9.0 (PG13)    SERIES: FIREFLY

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New: I now have all chapters to date of The Losing Side archived on my website for easy reading (black font on light text, easy navigation, etc.) at http://www.serenityverse.com/fffanfic; - the best place to go if you missed a chapter (or just started reading) or want to re-read stuff.

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“Not – that I was aware of,” said Mal, his grip tightening on the chopstick in his right hand. The guard noticed the movement and slammed the side of his fist down on Mal’s hand, smashing it into the table and shattering the flimsy chopstick. Mal grunted in pain, glaring up at his attacker.

“Now that was plain uncalled for,” said Mal. “I was just gonna offer you some delicious-“

“Shut up,” snapped the guard, twisting Mal’s wrist painfully and keeping him bent forward over the table. “Now, back to you bein’ dead.”

“Not – my most beloved topic of conversation,” said Mal.

This time the guard was too busy formulating his menacing speech to retaliate. “You killed a friend of mine, got some others banished into a little place we’ll call hell. A Browncoat prisoner murders two guards and he’s sitting here as casual as you please eating dinner? Something wrong with that picture, if you ask me.”

“I’m okay with it,” said Mal. “Or – I would be if I knew what you were talkin’ about, that is,” he added hurriedly, acutely aware of the concerned stares of his fellow prisoners and the questioning looks they were sending his way.

“What do you take me for, an idiot?” asked the guard. “I was there, I pretty much know what you look like.” With his free hand he hit Mal under the chin, forcing his head up and studying him. “I like you better when you’re screaming. Missed my chance before, what with tryin’ to keep my best friend alive despite all the bullets you put in his chest. You ever watched a friend die, scumbag?”

Mal’s eyes went dark as he replied, “More often than in your worst nightmares. By Alliance fire, I might mention. And wasn’t one of them tr

Comments
Friday, 02 March 2007 10:26
Good gorram, this was painful but entirely imaginable. So vivid I almost felt the blows my own self. Very happy that viscious pyschotic guard got stopped and arrested and that Mal is going to be treatment for his wounds. I just hope he is treated properly and not beaten on again once they have him away from the eyes of the other prisoners. And Wash, dear sweet Wash, hope they take the cuffs off him. Really proud of him for trying to stop his friend being slaughtered. Ali D :~)
You can't take the sky from me
Friday, 02 March 2007 12:19
I'm reminded of a particular Mal quote. "I didn't come here lookin' for a fight. Always do seem to find one, though." Mal is just a veritable black hole of bad luck.

Hell, if Mal beat on every man who'd killed one of his friends, he wouldn't sleep for a year. Nicely handled. I'm glad our favorite "large, semi-muscular man" stepped in before Mal's face was rearranged further. Keep up the good work.


Rob O.
Saturday, 03 March 2007 05:31
I'm so glad you're continuing this series, jetflair. I like how you're exploring the idea of mental trauma being even more severe than physical trauma in a person who is made powerless. I'm still dying to know where you are going with the list from Chapter 36 though. Keep it coming!
Saturday, 03 March 2007 18:02
Ohh...this was just all kinds of brilliant, jetflair! Between the vicious beating and the surprisingly humane treatment Mal got...my ticker was getting tugged every which way;D

Gotta wonder how this episode will spin later, cuz I get the feeling that Mal and Wash will be needing to testify to someone like Lee about their version of what happened. And that's not gonna be easy...

BEB
NBZ
Saturday, 10 March 2007 22:56
Brilliant!

Thanks for sticking to your guns. I know I wanted a more violent Mal, but as you have shown, I would have been wrong. Can't have a dead Mal can we? ;)

Is that a reverse emotional breakdown I am sensing?

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