The Last Straw - Ch 2
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Very sad drama. Jayne-centric plot. Inara-centric sub-plot. Post-series, Post-comic, pre-BDM. Ch 2: We find out why Jayne is freaking out and Inara starts to get some help.
CATEGORY: FICTION TIMES READ: 2695 RATING: 9.0 (G) SERIES: FIREFLY
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CHAPTER 2
Zoë had been sleeping when she heard the ruckus, but immediately sprang from bed, pulling on whatever clothing was near, and listening for gunshots before climbing out of the bunk. Wash and Kaylee peeked curious heads into the hallway, and Mal was at the door to Jayne’s bunk, trying to signal the override on the door locks.
“H-3-5-7,” Kaylee called and within seconds Mal had kicked open the hatch and was peering hesitantly down the ladder. Jayne was hollering a storm, pounding a chair against the outside wall, denting the hull plate, causing pieces of the chair to go flying. Zoë and Mal hardly exchanged a glance before springing into action. Zoë went in first, yanking the chair free of Jayne’s grasp while Mal caught him from behind, pulling him into a choke hold and shouting his name. Jayne rammed Mal into the wall, then shoved him sideways and Zoë went in again, catching Jayne in the side, causing him to double over. Turning his attack to Zoë, Mal was able to get behind the distraught man and trapped him with a debilitating hit to a cluster of nerves near the small of his back.
Zoë caught Jayne as he pitched forward and lowered him onto the bed. The bed, as it happened, was nearby, having been ripped off the wall and tossed unceremoniously into the middle of the room. Seething through a black eye, Mal knelt beside Jayne and glared.
“What has gotten into you?” Mal demanded.
Jayne’s eyes clouded again, looking at the wall. Zoë wasn’t sure he could talk even if he wanted to.
“Ain’t no excuse for this kind of behavior,” Mal growled. “You are getting off at the next stop.”
“I can finish the job,” Jayne panted, his eyes meeting Mal’s desperately.
“There’s no place for a loose cannon on this job. Ain’t no excuse for this.”
Zoë watched, stunned, as Mal turned and climbed up the ladder, leaving Jayne and the room in disarray. She heard him order the others back to sleep, and turned to Jayn
My heart is breaking for Inara here. When exactly will Mal find out what happened? I really like the back story you gave Mal regarding his mother - it makes things very poignant.
However, I think you need to make a note of the fact that Zoe's letter is not your own work. Give Mark Schultz his credit.
You can't take the sky from me
Gotta say I am glad it was Simon who noticed Inara sneaking about and who followed her back to her shuttle (or was it River giving Simon a helping hand? Hmmm...) Other than Zoe, I think Simon is the only one who could be dispassionate enough to deal with Inara's physical injuries without trying to dredge up the much more painful emotional ones. In a morbid way, I can't wait to see how Mal finds out and reacts...will be quite the sight to read about;)
And I KNEW it was something relating to Jayne's ma! Ok...so it wasn't his whole family that died, but I was partially right! Still...I can just imagine Adam Baldwin and Jewel Staite doing this scene all kinds of justice:D
BEB
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