Little Albatross

Spoilers- Series and movie.

Disclaimer- not mine.

Note- Poem quoted is ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, it’s the poem referred to in the movie and the one quoted in the novelisation of the film.

Translations:

Ai ya- damn

yu ben de- stupid, foolish, silly

Qin aide wo de ma- dear mother of god

sa gua- idiot

feng kuag- crazy, insane.

xxx

Mal cursed as Serenity pitched to the right, taking him with it. He scrambled to his feet and brushed the dirt off his shirt.

“River!”

The hatch to Jayne’s bunk opened. The man stomped up the ladder rungs.

“What, in the gorram, is that girl doin’?” he muttered to himself. “Mal was ruttin’ crazy to put her- Mal!” Jayne recovered quickly when he saw Mal. “What’s that girl think she’s doin’? She’s likely to get us all killed or somethin’. Wash never wouldn’ta had so much trouble with atmo re-entry.”

Mal glanced over at Zoë’s bunk, it was locked up tight, but with Zoë you never could quite tell. “Well, Wash ain’t here. And that’s still a mite touchy subject. Might be best for you to keep that mouth of yours shut about it. River’s doin’ fine.”

“Ha!”

Mal pushed past the human mountain that was Jayne. “I want you and Zoë to get the stuff ready. Those Alliance credit certificates are burning a hole in my cargo bay. Makin’ me a mite itchy. This is gonna be a tight drop off. In and out. Stay outta the way of any one who looks like a fed. Don’t want causalities. Not today. Should reach the village in five minutes.”

Mal kept walking. Quietly, out earshot of Jayne, he said, “if that feng kuag girl don’t shake us outta the air before then.”

Mal bounded up the stairs and into the bridge.

River was at the controls. Happily, she sung to herself.

“Take my love, take my land,

Take me where I cannot stand.

I don’t care cause I’m still free,

You can’t take the sky from me.”

Bemused, Mal watched her for a moment. With a shake of his head he snapped out of it. “Not that I don’t appreciate fine music, specia