Blue Sun Room FICTION - DRAMA
Dagger of the Mind, chapter 8
Friday, March 19, 2010
Mal and Jayne raid the asylum while Zoe revisits an unpleasant past
CATEGORY: FICTION TIMES READ: 2278 RATING: 9.0 (PG13) SERIES: FIREFLY
Shakespeare References: Henry V Act III Scene 2; Macbeth Act II Scene 2; Macbeth Act III Scene 1
"Not you, Kaylee," Mal said sternly as she started to dismount the mule. It was dark now, but the lights from the abandoned hospital blazed out like laid-off workers ignoring their pink-slips. Kaylee looked determined, so Mal shook his head again. "You get back to Serenity." He stopped. And do what? He started again. "Lock up good and tight, you hear? Cortex is broke, so you can get busy fixing that. I want it working properly when we get back." Mal was almost pleased with himself for breaking the fei-oo thing. Tinkering would give her something positive to do, keep her from feeling helpless.
Go on, Reynolds, his conscience prodded. Gotta keep least one of your crew safe through this. Gripping Kaylee by the shoulders, Mal looked hard at her as he said firmly, "We don't come back in a day or so,
Comments
Saturday, 20 March 2010 12:51
Wow. Lot to digest here in this part.
And how did Callum get Kaylee? I hope she wasn't foolish enough to come back, though I'm suspecting maybe she was...
And how did Callum get Kaylee? I hope she wasn't foolish enough to come back, though I'm suspecting maybe she was...
Saturday, 20 March 2010 13:30
I like the truth-telling between Wash and Zoe - it could not have been uncomplicated, them finding their way to each other. Throughout, I like how you are showing us how and why Wash knows what he knows about Zoe.
And oh, Kaylee!
Also, I did smile at the little detail of Mal not wanting to have to explain to Kaylee's dad that he upset her :)
And oh, Kaylee!
Also, I did smile at the little detail of Mal not wanting to have to explain to Kaylee's dad that he upset her :)
Saturday, 20 March 2010 15:32
Wow, interesting post engagement Serenity Valley scenario for Mal and Zoe, enjoying this series and your use of Kaylee.
And, IMHO it's not that Wash and Kaylee are better suited for each other because they have similar dispositions, but Zoe needs Wash, more than Kaylee does, because he is able to see the woman behind the soldier, something that Mal is not wanting to do with anyone because he is in protection mode 24/7 in his Captain role on that ship, until Inara boards, humps things up for him and leaves him wanting more.
Just my take on the little romantic interplay in the show and the challenges it creates for the characters.
Good read do you have anymore?
And, IMHO it's not that Wash and Kaylee are better suited for each other because they have similar dispositions, but Zoe needs Wash, more than Kaylee does, because he is able to see the woman behind the soldier, something that Mal is not wanting to do with anyone because he is in protection mode 24/7 in his Captain role on that ship, until Inara boards, humps things up for him and leaves him wanting more.
Just my take on the little romantic interplay in the show and the challenges it creates for the characters.
Good read do you have anymore?
Saturday, 20 March 2010 15:52
Knowing that you're taking this off of the pilot episode, and the scene where Mal's talking about spacing Simon (or even just kicking him off at Whitefall, also a death sentence), I can see the justification for this.
Saturday, 20 March 2010 16:13
Well, I think it over arcs Mal’s character throughout the series and BDM rather well.
But, yeah, I questioned Mal's actions, too, but remember Mal is that monster in command, here, so it works for me, although it is a hard thing to come to terms with about him...then again, he does warn Inara in the BDM about what he is capable of and what he becomes when leadership calls. And maybe that’s why he pushes her away at times, to protect her, from himself, kinda thing. I wish you were elsewhere, so I don’t have to be reminded about all the bad things I do or have done in the past, because the monster inside me could never touch something as beautiful as you, nor would I want it to.
ELLAGREGGS
Saturday, 20 March 2010 19:50
The cut scene between Zoe and Simon is a critical element in the premise of my Mal and Zoe characters here. She basically says she'll shoot Simon, no questions asked, if Mal tells her to. As I wrote in the Prologue notes, I'm riffing off those two cut scenes. Zoe tells Simon she'll shoot him, no questions asked, if the Captain orders it. And she describes Mal as having left "forgiveness, trust and mercy" behind. And them both as emotionally/spiritually living in Serenity Valley. But in addition to the second cut scene (Zoe and Simon) that I put in the prologue, there is that moment in the pilot movie when Wash says they should "maybe vote on the whole murdering people issue." Mal shuts him down. Wash turns to Zoe, saying "Tell him we're going to talk this through." And Zoe just sets her jaw and won't even look at her husband, indicating she is going to back Mal no matter what he decides.
Working on chapter 10 now, and hope to post shortly. This may be my one and only Firefly fan fic (unless inspiration strikes again), so I'm very glad everyone is enjoyng the story so far!
Working on chapter 10 now, and hope to post shortly. This may be my one and only Firefly fan fic (unless inspiration strikes again), so I'm very glad everyone is enjoyng the story so far!
Wednesday, 24 March 2010 11:39
Entirely plausible to me that Mal acted like this in wartime; and that, sharing this experience would drive Mal and Zoe to stay away from each other for ever after, or be similarly drawn to each other. He ordered her to do it; somehow this creates her present loyalty towards him - my loyalty to him justifies what I did so my loyalty to him is everything. Backs up everything in canon.
ELLAGREGGS
Wednesday, 24 March 2010 13:43
Great points!
Wednesday, 24 March 2010 20:14
Been thinking about the grenade-apples story from War Stories. That kind of thing, plus the context you describe here, would make someone order what Mal ordered. Otherwise he would be a war criminal, don't you think?
ELLAGREGGS
Friday, 26 March 2010 09:51
I've thought about another scene that supports Mal doing this. Remember in the movie when they've returned to Haven to find Shepherd Book dead. An alliance soldier in the background is struggling to get out of a crashed ship while Mal outlines his plan to reach Mr. Universe's array. Mal just turns and shoots the Alliance soldier when he's almost made it out of the ship. Okay, we see that Mal is an exceptional shotk, but THAT'S callous.
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