Blue Sun Room FICTION - GENERAL

The Fish Job: Chapter 14

Friday, January 27, 2006

The rescue finishes up, but does Mal make it back?

CATEGORY: FICTION    TIMES READ: 5128    RATING: 9.0 (PG)    SERIES: FIREFLY

Tweet

.

Back to .

* * * * *

Zoe was used to high stress situations. As she’d smugly reminded her husband, she’d been through a war. She’d faced down gun barrels and 300 pound thugs, torture minded gangsters and missile carrying tanks, inevitable defeat and angels raining down fire out of a black sky. Still, Wash’s suggestions as to how to get through this particular mission were more useful than she cared to admit.

The line at the requisition department stretched around the corner and down the hall.

* * *

Jayne stepped out of the stall in an out of the way men’s bathroom to check himself in the mirror. Kaylee had looped the surveillance camera feed; he had privacy for his first costume change. The businessman’s outfit was expertly tailored, and when turned inside out not a bit of the plum silk showed around the Alliance uniform. He took his ID and an Alliance issue handgun and holster out of the little black briefcase, then dropped the briefcase in the trash.

Jayne did a final check, smoothing out the wrinkles in his uniform and pinning on his ID. He realized he hadn’t had a chance to share his opinion of his assumed name with Kaylee, so he turned to the surveillance camera with a sneer, tapped the ID a few times, and gave the camera the finger.

His first task was to find a spot near a window where Wash’s signal would be sure to reach the receiver in his ear. Jayne took a casual stroll through the cafeteria, sternly keeping a serious look on his face as he perused the menu. His self control was in top form. Still, he figured he better blend in. He bought a meatball sub and settled at an empty table by a window to munch on it as slowly as he could. The need to pass time while impersonating an officer on an Alliance base was one of few things that could make Jayne Cobb eat slow.

It was a good hour before Wash spoke up in his ear: Kaylee had spot

Comments
Friday, 27 January 2006 18:22
Is there a limit to the number of times I can say "poor Mal?" The part at the viewing port-that-wasn't just about broke my heart. Hope it isn't all for naught.
How 'bout instead I say thanks for the shiny ride! It'll be tough to wait til Wednesday but I'll try to manage. This has been a super read. Loved Jayne the hero, and I'm very pleased with Zoe's errand. Mal needs his talisman.
Friday, 27 January 2006 18:27
Wow Mal!
As always I love everything you write, can't think of anything more constructive to say except thank-you for keeping Mal and the others in one piece.
I couldn't take another cliff-hanger ending.
Friday, 27 January 2006 18:30
First tocomment... yay! I really like your Mal/Jayne scene. “You think Alliance would sign me up?" and, “Plum silk, Mal. I had to walk onto a gorram Fed base wearin’ plum silk. You think I’d do this to get you out after I turned you in? Doc’ll never let me hear the end of it” Could here Jayne saying them in my head. Keep writing and Ill do my best not to go crazy waiting for the next chapter
Friday, 27 January 2006 18:30
well. I take the first part back, heh. Never the less a great read
Friday, 27 January 2006 18:37
Oh yeah, I haven't read it yet but I wanted to post a huge "thank you" to you. This series has been so much fun!
Friday, 27 January 2006 18:50
"I'll be a good sheep. Baa"

So funny!
I like the way it's so uncertain even though they've got Mal, not the happiest of resolutions. Next bit soon!
ANONYMOUS
Friday, 27 January 2006 19:34
I'm confused. I think.

I thought you said somewhere that this story runs to 20 chapters (or maybe I'm confused about that, too)? Where are you taking it from here?

If I'm not wrong about the chapters thing, I'm eager to see what can possibly go wrong from here (as things inevitably do, for there to be a story).

As for Wednesday - blerg! Surely your adoring readership rates higher than work deadlines?

Errbrr
Friday, 27 January 2006 20:09
Okay - finished now - even bigger YEAH - thank you for not putting on a cliff-hanger before the weekend. This was a fine chapter! Thank you, Mal4prez - you have my vote.
ANONYMOUS
Friday, 27 January 2006 21:15
Poor Mal! All confused and sad and not understanding!

*wibble*

He'll get straightened out. Right?

Rinny
Friday, 27 January 2006 23:02
Hope Wednesday comes quickly
Saturday, 28 January 2006 03:43
tian xiaode, this is a great line! hope the next one comes quickly!
Saturday, 28 January 2006 11:57
Another great installment.

I love Jayne's part in the rescue, especially the tapioca.

Roll on Wednesday
Saturday, 28 January 2006 17:31
Oh wow, I wanted to weep at the end for our poor Captain. I hope River can convince him he is safe now and will let Simon help put him back together again. Messing with the mind is tons more creepifying than physical torture because you can't see what they've done. Excellent story! Ali D :~)
You can't take the sky from me
Sunday, 29 January 2006 02:47
You weave an interesting yarn. Sorry I can't write a better review, I'm really not very good with words.
ANONYMOUS
Sunday, 29 January 2006 20:21
The Jayne rescue was so perfect, I could not stop grinning madly, even when Mal's growing disconnect made me whimper.

So so so so good! Mal's back and forth between lucid and looney, so subtle and seamless! And then that moment where he hallucinates finding Inara's remains (to put it kindly) and we are only told how he freaks out... perfect equivalent to the creepy fade to black.

And now he doesn't trust anything...

Edge Of Seat and I are getting mighty chummy these days.

Tell me there will be a new part on Monday!!
Sunday, 29 January 2006 20:22
Gah. That last comment? Me.
ANONYMOUS
Monday, 30 January 2006 03:48
Oh, I love love love this story, but this part in particular really got to me. I adored Jayne's practical treatment of Mal's 'crazies', and adore this line in particular:

“This ain’t no time for the crazies.” Jayne checked his watch again, “We gotta go.” He looked back up at Mal. “You got your head on straight?”

“Not too sure. Appears my rescue involves the all important step of Jayne Cobb eatin’ tapioca. I’m thinkin’ maybe something ain’t quite right.”

*dies laughing* Even in the face of heartbreak and chaos, I adore Mal's sense of humor.

Having him live out his worst fears and then find them to have not happened (joins other reviewers in *wibbles*) - I can't wait to see where you take this, and must confess to much weeping and gnashing of teeth to realize I'll have to wait until Wednesday! ;-)

Fabulous work. I can't wait to see what happens next. Thank you!
ANONYMOUS
Monday, 30 January 2006 11:10
I'm not sure I can contribute something new to your praise, let me just say: thank you!
I have become more and more obsessed with the FishJob, checking for new chapters twice a day (a lot for me) and I really love the way you handle the characters-
All the best for your work-thing, can't wait for wednesday
ANONYMOUS
Friday, 24 February 2006 08:22
*Poor Mal*

I just love how River is his only anchor - the 'crazy girl' is the only one he can trust to define reality.

So scary for everyone...

Also, “Not too sure. Appears my rescue involves the all important step of Jayne Cobb eatin’ tapioca. I’m thinkin’ maybe something ain’t quite right.”
Spot on hi-larity. So in character and so funny.

Thank you.
Wednesday, 12 July 2006 18:01
I like the expertly tailored suit that was reversible, nice one, and giving Kaylee the finger through the camera was classic Jayne.

“You sayin’ you outrank me, Jayne?”
BWAHAHAHA !!!

“Not too sure. Appears my rescue involves the all important step of Jayne Cobb eatin’ tapioca. I’m thinkin’ maybe something ain’t quite right.”
BWAHAHAHAHAHA x 2

Mmmmm, time for some angsty recovery and retribution on Kamath, if it is warranted.

Post Your Comments

You must log in to post comments.