GR RP "Adventures in Gunrunning" ACT 24
POSTED BY: CapnRahn
UPDATED: Thursday, December 23, 2004 18:03
VIEWED: 21598
PAGE 2 of 10
Inara's move
LOCATION: Aft corridor/Galley
When her personal com device beeps softly in Inara's pocket, the companion withdraws it, expecting a summons from her client. He'd obviously not heard Mal's summons to the galley, she thinks, and pushes the little button on the side to open the com line.
"This is Ina--" Her voice is cut off by the prerecorded message from Thorne. She listens to him, stunned, unaware or uncaring -- for now -- that his voice filters quite audibly through into the busy Galley.
Quote:
"INARA. I'm sorry, my sweet, but something has come up which I must attend to in person. It is not more important than my promise to you, but is a life or death matter, and more immediate. If I'm not back by the time you are ready to go to Ariel for treatment, call the comm code attached to this message. Everything will have been arranged for your passage and cure, and all you will have to do is get well and stay beautiful.
I enjoyed our time together, brief though it was, more than I can express. You are very dear to me, and I wish you every happiness. I hope that one day the scales will fall from your captain's eyes, and he will see the great treasure which he alone can have. Adeiu, sweetling."
"Shénme?" she murmurs to herself, just standing there, utterly thrown. "Bù kê néng..."
She tries waving Thorne, to no avail. He's long gone.
"Huh," she breathes, confused, saddened and -- in a horrible, private little place inside that cares nothing for propriety or the dignity befitting a companion; the place where her resentment of all her clients sits -- a little relief. Immediately she berates herself for that tiny shard of relief, it's not applicable here, and slips quietly into the small lounge by the kitchen, sitting down on one of the armchairs to regroup.
EOM
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River
LOCATION - GALLEY
River watches Rowan and Merz preparing the glaze for the bao with great fascination. When they finish, she reaches over and dips a finger in the glaze and sticks it in her mouth. She smiles up at Rowan.
"It's ready."
Quote:
"INARA. I'm sorry, my sweet, but something has come up which I must attend to in person. It is not more important than my promise to you, but is a life or death matter, and more immediate. If I'm not back by the time you are ready to go to Ariel for treatment, call the comm code attached to this message. Everything will have been arranged for your passage and cure, and all you will have to do is get well and stay beautiful.
I enjoyed our time together, brief though it was, more than I can express. You are very dear to me, and I wish you every happiness. I hope that one day the scales will fall from your captain's eyes, and he will see the great treasure which he alone can have. Adeiu, sweetling."
River looks over to see Inara entering the galley, a mixtire of emotions crossing her face as she sits down in the lounge. Promptly forgetting about the bao and glaze, River picks up the prepared tray of tea that had been abandoned in the scuffle with Damon and walks over to Inara. She sets the tray down on the table in front of her, pours a cup and offers it to the companion with a saddened smile.
I'm not broken, in my dream I win...
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MERZ move
LOCATION - MINDSCAPE
Wanting to concentrate on ROWAN, the command voice in the back of her head is an unwelcome intrusion. She fights not to respond to it. But that cannot be. What ‘he’ says is relevant and should be considered. Briefly.
~ You have your back to the room. You have your back to a civilian. Have you forgotten all of your training? ~
~ I forget nothing. I choose. ~
~ You have not turned your back on me since we were eight. ~
~ You betrayed me when we were eight. When she betrays me, I will recompute. ~
~ and if you die, proving your ‘trust’? … ~
~ then none of you need worry about me again … nor I, you … ~
She pulls her mind back to the job at hand …
EOM
If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress
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Rowan's Move
LOCATION - GALLEY
MERZ: “Ma bujhnu. Show me.”
Rowan steps back a little to accommodate the smaller woman. Once Merz is in front of her, Rowan lifts her hands, intending to rest them on Merz's but pauses as Merz takes a long breath of air and visibly relaxes. Well-toned as her musculature is, there's always some ridge of flesh showing somewhere, even when she's at rest. Now smooth and pliable, one could almost get the notion that she was in a position to be taken advantage of. Knowing far better than to make that manner of assumption, Rowan puts her hands over Merz's and lifts them slowly up.
ROWAN: "We'll finish the sauce first, then move into the glazing. Ready?"
At Merz's succinct nod, Rowan begins. It's a little like operating a marionette, only with a verbal interface. Rowan tells her which ingredient to pick up and once she does she carefully instructs her how to add it to the sauce. Using the appropriate amounts of pressure, she indicates to Merz what a dash entails and the difference between blending and mixing. There is a little pause in the midst of it, as if Merz is hesitant to continue, but before Rowan can ask what's wrong, she's back on track. The process is completed relatively quickly and in no time a savory aroma rises from the dark orange sauce.
River watches Rowan and Merz preparing the glaze for the bao with great fascination. When they finish, she reaches over and dips a finger in the glaze and sticks it in her mouth. She smiles up at Rowan.
RIVER: "It's ready."
Smiling back at the girl, Rowan takes a taste herself and encourages Merz to do the same. Seeing the pleasure alighting in her eyes - and intriguing eyes they surely are - Rowan smiles.
ROWAN: "Now we'll cook the protein and start glazing. We need to shift over to the wok."
Releasing her hands, Rowan and Merz both move to the stove with precise steps, almost like a dance. Merz brings the sauce bowl with her while Rowan takes up the protein. They move into their individual positions, then become one again as Rowan takes Merz's hands. She guides Merz through the motions of prepping the protein in the wok first. Then when it's ready, she adds a word of caution.
ROWAN: "Glazing actually happens pretty quick, just to warn you."
Glancing up to where Jayne is standing and staring at them, Rowan figures if he needs to keep watch he might as well make himself useful.
ROWAN: "That offer to help still stand?"
EOM
Fans come and fans go...but zealots are with you until the bitter black end.
I draw...therefore I am.
http://www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=7922
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Book's Move
Location: Book's Room
Book sits on the edge of his bed, and holds out one of the glasses for Mal to pour a drink into. "Damon... again? That's surprising." Book cocks his head to one side and takes a slightly knowing look. "Who threatened him this time?"
Mal and Book share a grin at the quip and Mal pours Book a small drink. Silence follows for an uncomfortable moment and Book watches as Mal pours himself a rather large drink and gulps most of it down. Looking into his own glass and sniffing the contents, Book winces a little as his nostril hairs feel like they're getting somewhat singed. "198, eh? Why do I get the feeling that you want to prepare me for something?"
EM
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LOCATION - BOOKs DORM
As ...
BOOK
"Damon... again? That's surprising."
...Book cocks his head to one side and takes a slightly knowing look...
"Who threatened him this time?"
...Book inhales the vapor distorting the air above his cup. He grimaces slightly as Mal slugs down his double...
"198, eh? Why do I get the feeling that you want to prepare me for something?"
Again, the intercom crackles to life.
WASH
... Over intercomm...
"He took off at 20:30. I didn't know because the airlock alarm seems to be disabled, probably when we were boarded by Early... and you told me to disable both shuttles a few minutes ago, to prevent escaping your wrath, sir."
MAL
... To Wash on comm ...
"Understood. We need to track down as much of the 'hands on' Early may have perpetrated on Serenity. We don't need no more surprises. Mal out."
Mal turns back to Book, a look of indecision flashes across his features.
Mal
... with irony...
"Demons, padre ...shadow demons threatened ole Damon. He's got some pretty deep rifts in his past an' apparently some real horror-shows are still crawlin' out of it."
...Mal pours another double and swirls the fluid into a mini-tornado within the glass ...
"Yeah, 198 proof..."
... with a wave of his hand he indicates the sports bottle...
"Its mostly for Jayne ... to soften the counseling session I had with him.
...at Book's cocked eyebrow...
" T'was about gettin' all twisty with conspiracy theories. He was thinkin' that Mz. Rowan was of YoSafBridge's stripe."
EOM™
"Remember, there is only ONE absolute - There ARE NO absolutes!!!"
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MERZ move
LOCATION – GALLEY As ...
ROWAN moves carefully behind MERZ, warm breath caressing the back of her neck. MERZ has to admit to herself there is unease in this position … it is against all of her training and inclination. All the more reason to learn, to try, to … deviate. She controls herself, willingly remaining completely dependent on ROWANs directions.
ROWAN
“We’ll finish the sauce first, then move into the glazing. Ready?”
As she learns soy sauce from sesame seed oil, from molasses, from vinegar – the best way to mix the liquids and blend in the garlic and the scallions, there is a dichotomy at work. Rowans warm hands on hers are a comfort. But the presence at her back is disquieting and her unease grows.
MERZ halts for a fraction of time, searching for the problem. And in time, in a pause, she understands – she can see ROWAN in the hands before her, but can only feel CORVAIR behind. And that … spoils … her enjoyment. A false impression, she knows this but inescapable nonetheless. Briefly she closes her eyes, tunes out the scents of their sauce and breathes in ROWAN, feels her warmth, and firmly sets in her mind just who is with her. The moment passes. And then ROWAN stops.
RIVER, who has been unobtrusively watching from the side, comes close and reaches a finger into the bowl. Tasting the sticky liquid she smiles up at them.
RIVER
"It's ready."
ROWAN gently moves both her hand and MERZ’ towards the sauce and dips her own finger in. Merz follows and lifts it to her own mouth. She has no words to describe this taste/sensation/experience. She just looks at ROWAN awestruck.
~ I did this? ~
~ don’t be ignorant. She accomplished this. ~
He cannot spoil it for her. Not this time – she did learn and all the parts she witnessed she can do again. And again, and again until she has it right!
ROWAN
"Now we'll cook the protein and start glazing. We need to shift over to the wok."
In a strange way, she and ROWAN are both together and separate as they move the protein and the sauce to the cooking surface and the waiting pan, ~ wok ~ she tells herself. Taking up their positions, again, one before the other the protein is made ready to ‘glaze’. Before they begin, ROWAN cautions her that it is a quick process and MERZ prepares her attention to be ready for it.
When ROWAN speaks to JAYNE before they begin, a flash of emotion rocks MERZ. It passes quickly, but she chases the feeling down. It is nothing she is familiar with, and it leaves a bad taste in her mind. Searching frantically through the databank she decides … jealousy? Did she resent ROWANs attention being turned to another? How strange.
MERZ waits for the rest of the lesson, both eager and troubled.
EOM
If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress
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Inara's move.
LOCATION - GALLEY
It was... silly of her to be upset, to have this quiet sense of abandonment creeping over her like a chill. Inara knew that. Inara knew better than that. This had absolutely nothing to do with her. And she had absolutely no real claim on Rosie. He wasn't her father or her lover: he was a client. A warm, kind, generous and charming client to be sure, a gentleman with proper Core manners who treated her with the courtesy she was due as a Companion... someone who had, for a little while, made her feel less alone. But, fundamentally, a client.
And, yes, he'd caused some interesting problems, too -- not the least this new rift with Mal... His empathy and insight had been quite uncomfortable for her at times: she was too used to her veils and masks.
His generosity was still overwhelming, and Inara fervently hoped that Thorne was truly as genuinely kind as her instincts said he was. The prospect of her cure was tantalising, but the thought of losing her hard-won autonomy for it... disquieting.
Wherever he was, she wished him well. Even if she never saw the man again, she knew she'd remember. And that was all there was to it. There was no sense in feeling sad or abandoned.
When she looks up, River is there, with the tea-tray. The girl sets the tray down on the table in front of her, pours a cup and offers it to the companion with a saddened smile.
"Xie-xie, mei-mei," Inara murmurs, sipping the jasmine tea. It's warm, soothing, and quite strong. It hits the spot nicely, and helps Inara pull back into herself. Her dark eyes still have a quiet melancholy in them, but she's bouncing back. Companions are not emotionally self-indulgent or masochistic. She wasn't in love with him. She'll get over this.
"Rowan, baobei, is there anything I can assist with?" She rises, sipping her tea, ready to be useful. To push Rosie's exit and the tension with Mal out of her mind.
EOM
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Book's Move
His Room
"Demons indeed." Preparing his stomach, Book swallows down some of the firewater and then proceeds to cough for twenty or thirty seconds. When he composes himself, he remains looking down at his glass. "Thorne had them too. He attacked me you know, while we were near Serenity Valley." Book glances up to see the effect of his words. "I don't think he knew what he was doing... but he was unstable, especially there. Earlier... tonight, he wanted to know about Simon. He asked me straight out and I wouldn't tell him. He knew why... and now he's gone."
Breathing deeply twice, Book closes his eyes and downs the remainder of his glass. He waits for the steam to shoot from his ears, and after what seems like a few moments pass, he opens his eyes to find himself staring at his ceiling. "Curious."
EM
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LOCATION - BOOKs DORM
As ...
BOOK
"Demons indeed."
Book shoots back nearly half the glassful in one gulp. An eternity passes before Books lungs spasm at the reflexive clench that follows a good shot of hi-proof. Book's coughing is mild, but seems to last a bit of time.
Mal decides it has been quite a while since the Shepherd had a snootful. While Book composes himself, Mal slugs down another double. In shifting his weight Mal notices he is starting to get that tingly numbness in his legs. A numbness he knew that signified the alcohol was starting to give him his 'sea legs'. He had better slow down, the hip flask was already half depleted.
Book has settled after his fit of coughing. His eyes, remain glued to his now half-full glass.
BOOK
...sadly, with a hint of charitable wistfulness...
"Thorne had them too. He attacked me you know, while we were near Serenity Valley."
Mal tries to keep his face neutral while considering this shock. Thorny jumped Book?!... he is not entirely successful at playing out a poker-face, as if finding out a dandy like Thorne had a human side had taken Mal totally off guard. Not quite true, but the revelation did still unsettle Mal. Damned coot had more layers than a moldering onion.
BOOK
...after a short pause...
"I don't think he knew what he was doing ... but he was unstable, especially there. Earlier ... tonight, he wanted to know about Simon. He asked me straight out and I wouldn't tell him. He knew why ... and now he's gone."
Mal ponders this new bit of information, scattershot thoughts fire across his mind ... could Thorne have had some intricate and insidious plot to secure the Tams for the bounty? ... No, it couldn't be, ole 'Rosie' left River - the most valuable of the two ... Or was Simon really the least valuable ... things did go REAL screwy when that poofta stepped on board ... could be the Academy NOW wanted the genius Doc brother ...
Inhaling twice as if to prepare himself, Book slams back the remainder of the hootch in his glass. His eyes remained closed for so long, Mal begins to worry that the old boy had shuffled off due to alcohol shock.
During that brief quiet, Mal continued to let thoughts roam. ... Nup, one thing at a time ... gots lots to deal with in the here-n-now ... might make things a tad smoother with Thorne gone ... riiiiight ... as Mal laughs silent at himself, Book shifts.
BOOK
...opens his eyes to stare at his ceiling...
"Curious."
Mal
... irony heavy in his voice...
"Yep, first Early and Niska hijack and board us; While we is on hire by an uppity old geezer of a client who can't show any respect to those he needs to rely on; We get a buncha hitchhikers we dint need - A pool playing sharp that asks bunches of questions; an ex-something-er-other that is a nearly a complete spaz-ist, a tetchy twisty superhuman reader - this time with blood-eyes. "And the last: a short ex-solider, purty much OK - cept she has the personality of a nav-computer. Inar .. er the crews actin' all weird and out of true.
... he pauses for a second closing his eyes. Suddenly snapping them up he says...
"Oh yeah, I fergot - Niska escapes us and our Doc flips out nutters and starts a space chase after those who done them un-need cuttin's on his sis."
... his disgust is very evident when he hits the words 'un-needed cuttin's". Mal then sighs loudly in a near bellow while offering the flask to Book...
"Yep, real curious. Makes River look REAL normal-like."
EOM® "Remember, there is only ONE absolute - There ARE NO absolutes!!!"
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