Back Stories Book III, Chapter 16.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Zoë tells of her soiree with terrorists on Oeneus.
CATEGORY: FICTION TIMES READ: 4728 RATING: 9.0 (G) SERIES: FIREFLY
Chapter 16.
It belongs to Joss and all those business people. I'm just playing.
Links:
, , , BS Book II, BS Book III, Chapter 1. Timing, pairings, and canon blurbs are in my . Many thanks to desertgirl for the beta read.
Simon slid the door shut on his sister, leaving her asleep in the quiet, peaceful shadows of her dorm room. He didn’t go far; after two steps he stopped to stare into the brightly lit bunk across the hall. Inside, a woman was tightly bound to a narrow chair. Though Simon didn’t trust Ginger, and though he feared what she might do if she knew who he and his sister were, he felt no particular resentment toward her. He felt no need to take vengeance, or to treat her with contempt.
Unlike Jayne. The mercenary’s bile towards the captured Alliance agent had been clear from the moment the man woke up on the ferry. Jayne was carrying a chip big enough to make Simon worry, given the merc’s tendency to act out his resentments through brute force. Simon stepped into the room to find that his fears had not been unfounded; as he’d suspected, Ginger’s hands were already a dark purple-red, circulation nearly cut off by the tight knots Jayne had tied in the cords.
“I can loosen these,” Simon offered cautiously, “but only if you don’t
I'm posting in a hurry, so I hope I didn't miss too many details. Also - I know some science types read this. I know I pushed a few things here. Psittacosis is a real bacteria that (I think?) could be weaponized, but not at all like I use it here. Hey, it's all in the interest of getting past this ugly knot of plottiness and moving on, so please be kind!
And if that is still young Malcolm, then Kaylee's advice might only end up throwing yet more confusion into the Mal/River/Inara subplot. I sense that isn't all resolved yet. Sneaky sneaky you!
I like the parallel moments of storytelling (and all the Wash snark!), and the apparent truce between Zoe and Inara. Will it last?
But to me this chapter is at its strongest at the end when Kaylee shines. It's amazing how at this stage in Mal's condition she is the one person who knows how best to get through to him, with her youth and her particular brand of strength. Mal's strangely blurred self-awareness is fascinating. He seems to be slipping back and forth between old and new without even realizing it.
Also, interesting how Mal phrases his intimate moment with River. "Got hit on", eh? Coupled with Kaylee's foreboding last line, I think this will get a lot more interesting. Especially since River's confusion with Will's vile hatred and Mal's feelings is now bound to be over. If Inara finds out, I wonder how she'll take it, how capable she'll be of rational calm, mired in guilt and trauma as she is.
You are setting things up to be verrry interesting!
Other than that, you're gorgeous, off the charts intelligent, talented in only positively productive happenstance, and a helluva writer.
I've nothing else positive to add.
Okay, there was a typo in Chapter 15, an "of" that should have been an "off", but that's just like the blemish that sets off the perfection.
Post as you can, this fic is worth waiting for, no worries.
Squee, etc.
Thanks for this hella fine entertainment.
Post Your Comments
You must log in to post comments.