Eidolon (Chapter 22)
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Time sped back up with them, glowing red bolts tracking them as they went, through dewy fans of leaves and blossoms that seemed to burst into mist as they passed. (Run)
CATEGORY: FICTION TIMES READ: 3956 RATING: 10.0 (PG13) SERIES: FIREFLY
The first indication Inara had that she was still alive was the ringing in her ears, or rather, not just her ears. Jumping through a window with a passenger to evade a grenade, only to be thrown to the floor of an outdoor arcade around the second story, she had a new and interesting insight on how every particle of metal in a gong might feel. Her skin stung from the sandstone, her side was sore where she had cushioned their impact, her thoughts were dizzy and sluggish. As she stirred, shivering from the night chill, her eyes could barely focus and had to adjust to the diffuse and dancing moonlight.
Her pulse quickened; somehow they had survived. She hugged the tiny frame of the former slave girl closer in short lived relief.
As her mind caught up, she raised herself on one arm, alarmed, wincing at the pain. There was not a sound from the room they had escaped from, nothing of the boy who had saved them. She looked back into the room, then quickly looked away.
The girl, was she all right? Inara smoothed her hand over the child's forehead, who was fighting to stay conscious, beautiful black skin smeared with blood and smoke. On the surface, the companion was trying to remain calm and soothing. In her heart, a desperate instinct that sounded like her mother was trying not to panic. "You're safe now, sweetie, stay with me," she pleaded.
Inara set the girl down and began to tear strips of flimsy fabric from her skirts - gauze , she thought, slightly hysterical. She had seen entirely too much injury of late, back on Serenity nearly every week was another surgery or bullet removal, and she knew first aid so well that the motions were now almost automatic from repetition. It's not enough , she realized as her patient continued to wane, and gathered up the tiny limp form again, struggled to her feet, one hand buried in the short frizz at the back of the child's head. She needs a doctor .
She stumbled from column to column, passing through dark then silver until sh
"You can't take the sky from me!"
If they just left a trail of bodies wherever they went, civilian and military, it would raise suspicions. Also, supposedly they on occasion work with military or law enforcement. They have a license to kill anyone who could compromise them or their investigations, but that doesn't mean it's wise to ALWAYS kill.
When I wrote the councilor, I wanted someone that had very real motivations for why she does what she does, but even though they're understandable, her actions are not forgivable. She's not really a villain, not compared to some of the other people in this story and relative to customs on Ezra, but she's part of a social structure that allows villains like the slavers, Blue Sun, corrupt elements of the Alliance and so on.
Her characterization was inspired by the unfilmed parts of the shooting script in War Stories - Inara goes to the councilor for help, and the councilor makes it very clear that she's only willing to look out for herself and her family. Even when Niska isn't as much of an issue, she barely is willing to help Inara so far as to offer the chance to use a dermal mender to fix Mal's ear. She very rudely almost throws Inara out, because she's married, because Inara is a companion, because, the councilor suggests, it's improper for a companion to go ask their client for help. Inara believes that what she has with her clients is meaningful, but every now and then we see her with clients that don't reciprocate the kind of care she offers and deserves. She trusts people, and sometimes. They cheapen her and what she offers, they disappoint her, or even betray her.
The little girl ended up being a favourite of a lot of readers. The crew actually does end up making things better for her and the other slaves.
The elephant ties in to the Little Clay Cart that the actors were performing - in the second act of that play an elephant goes rogue.
The Hands of Blue made a brief appearance in an earlier chapter. I have a lot of separate threads going on, and it can be easy to lose track of little things I've mentioned - which is good for me, because that means people will forget about them when I reintroduce them in more important/dangerous circumstances.
:)
What do you think?
She gets better! Not right away though...
Post Your Comments
You must log in to post comments.