Delia Cycle # 6- Desperate Times
Thursday, June 9, 2005
After a risky job for Patience, Serenity is shattered by news from Europa.
CATEGORY: FICTION TIMES READ: 3974 RATING: 8.0 (PG) SERIES: FIREFLY
Desperate Times ( Delia Cycle # 6)
by Maura F.
( Standard infringement disclaimers apply...I write for love, not profit. Of course, Delia would disapprove! )
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"I've got some bad news."
Mal looked up from the handheld computer before him. The Mess had been quiet, until Wash and Zoe had arrived. He had been shopping the Cortex for something for Delia. He wanted to get her something special, to celebrate two years together.
"What's going on?"
"We got a wave...from Patience." Zoe said.
Mal's shoulders sagged as his head dropped toward the table. That was bad news. Patience was a powerful woman nearly running all commerce on Whitefall. The last two times he had dealt with her, he had gotten shot during a post transaction scuffle. Anything Patience wanted with Serenity was bound to be bad news.
"What does she want from us?" Mal asked warily.
"Water."
"Huh?"
"Whitefall's in drought time. She's having trouble gettin' or makin' enough water to cover the crop she' growin'. Wants us to bring water to her." Wash said.
"The crop? Let me guess...Patience has illegal tobacco growin'. She's gotta be awful desperate to ask me to do somethin' for her. Thirsty tobacco would do it. " Mal said.
"She stands to profit well if she can get it to the outer rim. If it makes it to maturity." Zoe observed wryly.
"Hold it. Water? We ain't a tanker transport. How she expect us to haul water to her?"
"Well, she mentioned gettin't from St. Alban's." Wash said.
"Ahhh...water. Solid water." Mal said.
St. Alban's was one of the coldest terra formed moons. It was cold year round, always covered with ice and snow.
"Whad'ya want me to wave her?" Wash asked.
Mal thought about it for a minute. If they helped Patience out, it could help repair the shaky bond he now had with Patience and her considerable sphere of influence. But, he could get shot again. Or worse. If they chose to ignore Patience's wave, he could probably count on a peaceful time of it...without many pros
You can't take the sky from me
-Maura
20 gauge which is a small game one
16 gauge also typicall a hunting one
12 gauge is the common size used by the police and military
final a 10 gauge which is huge and not rightly sure what they use them for as they are huge.
Anyways just thought I would share since you mentioned Delia's shotgun being a .44
bugchicklv
I can appreciate your comments. I hope you read my blog "Thanks for the Warm Fuzzies"
I've definitely acknowledged the Mary-Sue factor, but I really made a point of keeping myself out of Delia. I saw that the woman who held Mal's attention would have to be well liked by the crew, as they are his family. She's strong, too. My friend said Delia is "Betty Crocker with laser sights." That made me laugh, but I don't think she's perfect. She is flawed, just as damaged by the war as Mal is. Funny, everyone presented by the show has been damaged by the war...except for Zoe.
The overwhelmingly positive feedback I've gotten from this series has been great...but I want to nod to the occasional negative, too. Don't think "methinks the lady doth protest too much"
I can see what you are seeing.
But hell...you liked the series enough to read all six! That says something.
Fav part: Mal, Jayne & Zoe in Delia's house, and also in the theater. I could see the scenes in my mind's eye like it was a movie.
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