GR RP "Adventures in Gunrunning" ACT 24

POSTED BY: CapnRahn
UPDATED: Thursday, December 23, 2004 18:03
VIEWED: 21598
PAGE 6 of 10

Xiang's Move:
LOCATION - ORBOROS: Tantalus Shipping Nexus

Xiang took another long drag, considering the contradictions.

Quote:

---

FLASHBACK

He had spent his first life working with young people. His goal had been to show them their past so they might have a better reference point for defining their future. Yet for a young man like Damon, whose personal past presented nothing but strife and the absolute worst aspects of the human condition, what relevance would the ancient past hold? His immediate past was the issue, as was Xiang's own.

Getting him to lie still had become something of an exercise in futility. For Damon, inactivity was a privilege, not a simple basic right. As a consequence, the boy really never stopped moving. Even at rest, his nerves were always active, hypersensitive to any and all possible avenues of escape. Freedom as a privilege was also a new concept for him, whether he chose to admit it or not. He had not been born a slave, as Xiang had not, but he had lived as a slave long enough to be well and completely conditioned toward it. Living free was another condition he would have to grow accustomed to.

Xiang hoped it would be soon. Before he accidentally killed the boy out of frustration, trying to get him to stay still.

Xiang watched the boy laugh in sheer hysterics. How long had it been since he had felt so much pure joy?

“I wish… I wish I could have seen his face… when he found out…”

END FLASHBACK

---

Yes. To see his face. Not Trihn's, but Damon's. To be able to look the boy in the eye and tell him no one else would suffer as he had. To be able to tell him Crofton Trihn had paid the ultimate price for his actions. To see that light of understanding in Damon's eyes and know this time it would stay.

Xiang stamped out the cigarette and turned to prepare for work.

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

NOTIFY: Y  | REPLY  | REPLY WITH QUOTE  | PERMALINK  | TOP  | HOME

Jayne's Move

Jayne starts sniffing at the air. What is that? He glimpses behind him to see the cask and box that Kaylee had placed on the counter near the pantry. He flips the box top open and has to really pause and think the last time he'd seen one of these - a candy bar. Lots of them! Well, not enough that one or two missing would go unnoticed, but a good amount.

His mouth instantly waters. Jayne still tastes fish in his mouth, and hocks into the sink to remove the conflicting taste; now his mouth better matched his eyes and nose.

The bars are battered a little, and have a strong smell. He picks up the box and holds it up to his face so he can breath it in deeply while still watching Rowan. "Mmm" he grumbles, then mutters "oh, yeah, that's really good."

NOTIFY: N  | REPLY  | REPLY WITH QUOTE  | PERMALINK  | TOP  | HOME

Inara's move

LOCATION - GALLEY

Quote:

---

"Mr. Thorne has left the ship."

---

Rowan blinks. "Left the ship? How do mean - left? As in…Left? Did we get planet-side and nobody said anything?" Rowan looks as shocked as Inara feels. She turns to Jayne, lifts an eyebrow. "Or did you figure he was plotting against the ship and crew too and just toss him out into the black?"

"I try not to kill the passengers", Jayne says slowly as he and Rowan stare each other down. "Ain't that right, 'Nara?"

"Right." Jayne's been kind to her lately: helping her when she needed it, keeping her secret. Inara will back him up on that point, at least. "And we do appreciate it."

Rowan scoffs back at him, finding the statement entirely too erroneous for words. "Wouldn't be the first time I've seen it done. I've seen hired men toss passengers into the black just for their shoes. Granted, there was about three million in diamonds in the heels of those shoes, but that doesn't make it any less the case."

"I worked with fellers what'd shoot ya fer fun. Don't mean I dumped no one."

Inara shakes her head a little. "This isn't that sort of disreputable ship, Rowan. Killing tends to be a last resort around here." Usually. "Mal and the crew understand that life isn't cheap."

At the news, Kaylee moves towards Inara with a gentle smile. “Aw, ‘Nara, I’m sorry. Did he say why? Oh, never mind that, are you OK?”

"I don't know why he left, and I don't know how," Inara admits, wrapping an arm around Kaylee and accepting a hug -- which is truly welcome, tzoo-foo nee, mei-mei, she thinks. The Companion keeps her eyes on the building confrontation between Jayne and Rowan, though. "I'm fine," warm smile, "truly I am." Her hands have bao-fixings on them so she manages the hug with arms and body-contact rather than hands.

Rowan tips her head curiously, and then seems to back down, moving to test the bao. For a moment, Inara thinks Rowan has backed down, that the situation has been averted. Apparently the other woman can't resist getting the last word, though.

"Three more minutes, tops. Then I'll need a taste-tester." Rowan meets Jayne's eyes again. "Wouldn't want the captain getting a mouthful of bad bao, now would we da jia huo?"

"You gotta taste tester, standin' right there in yer boots. Seems like yer the only one'd know if it tastes right er not."

River looks up at Jayne: "You are being utterly ridiculous, you know that? But if you want to be that way then maybe you don't need any bao. I'm sure everyone else will be able to enjoy it for you."

"Yes, ma'am."

A splash and hiss near Jayne quickly pull his attention back to the pot of boiling coffee. He pulls on a thick baby blue oven mit with a white floral pattern and removes the pot from the heater. "Pardon, 'Nara" he apologises after bumping her with an elbow, his eyes always on the bao making activities.

Small smile, and she touches his upper arm briefly, acknowledging the apology.

The room tension seems to dissipate after River intervenes -- Inara smiles at the young girl, grateful to her for defusing the situation.

"So, yes, Thorne's gone. Somehow. Something came up, apparently. That's all I know." She gives Kaylee another warm smile and squeeze before letting the younger woman go, turning to wash her hands.

Jayne then decides to relieve himself of some phlegm -- Inara almost flinches, and imagines how Simo

NOTIFY: Y  | REPLY  | REPLY WITH QUOTE  | PERMALINK  | TOP  | HOME

KAYLEEs move

LOCATION - GALLEY

Inara responds warmly to her overtures, accepting and returning a gentle hug.

INARA
"I don't know why he left, and I don't know how. I'm fine, truly I am."

KAYLEE is not sure what to say, thinking about it she decides that for now, maybe the hug will be enough. She stays by Inara’s side for a time, just listing to the talk. Seems things is darn near as tense in here as it was on the bridge… now JAYNE and ROWAN are faced off like turkey cocks ready to battle over the same hen. She sighs. It’s just sad, really. ‘Specially since she don’t really understand what is between those two. Ain’t seen nuthin’ that should cause that kind of heat.

JAYNEs making coffee, tryin’ to watch ROWAN and MERZ at the same time, and manages to bump INARA in passing. He apologizes without ever shifting his gaze. He’s gonna hurt someone if he is not careful. But when Inara speaks again, Kaylee’s attention is diverted once again.

INARA
"So, yes, Thorne's gone. Somehow. Something came up, apparently. That's all I know." She gives Kaylee another gentle squeeze before turning away to approach the sink and wash the evidence of cooking from her hands.

At nearly the same time Jayne takes it into his head to spit into the sink. Watching him once more she sees him take up the box of chocolate bars and bury his nose in it happily. “Mmm, ‘oh yeah, that’s really good.” He’s almost visibly droolin’. Why that Jing tzahng mei yong duh piece of fei-oo merc is scopin’ out her treat.

With a command voice that might have brought a smile to MALs face, KAYLEE takes that situation in hand.

KAYLEE
“JAYNE You drop that. NOW! That is for the party, and you just stay away from it! You get your share with everyone else.”

EOM



Jing tzahng mei yong duh = frequently useless
Fei-oo = junk


If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

NOTIFY: Y  | REPLY  | REPLY WITH QUOTE  | PERMALINK  | TOP  | HOME

MERZ move

She lets the conversations and the tensions pass over her while she concentrates on the bao and the song. She does not know if the song is important, cannot see that it has anything to do with the process at all. But if it is a concentration aid, she is all for it.

MERZ finishes up another plate of the bao and moves it over to ROWAN, who is too preoccupied to notice. Uncertain if she should make more, or wait for further instructions she approaches INARA washing her hands at the sink. Leaning in to wash her own, Merz looks at the woman who has been so understanding to her today and decides to ask her one more question. What JAYNE said earlier that had puzzled MERZ it may be that INARA understood and would be willing to explain to her. As INARA dries her hands, MERZ broaches the subject.

MERZ Inara, can you explain something to me? Jayne said something I do not comprehend. I would like to ask you for an explanation. I understood ‘closed doors’ easily enough. But when he said (as she shifts once more into another voice ) ’Cap'n got lucky with you?’ … I do not know what that means. I cannot answer his question. Can you assist me”?

EOM


If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

NOTIFY: Y  | REPLY  | REPLY WITH QUOTE  | PERMALINK  | TOP  | HOME

Rowan's Move
LOCATION - Galley

INARA: "This isn't that sort of disreputable ship, Rowan. Killing tends to be a last resort around here. Mal and the crew understand that life isn't cheap."

Well, there's a first time for everything isn't there? A captain who might actually care about his crew isn't necessarily so rare. Some ships drifting around the black were generational--owned and operated by the same family, sometimes since the Great Migration from Earth That Was. But a companion defending the hired thug? Now that was something worth noting.

JAYNE: "You gotta taste tester, standin' right there in yer boots. Seems like yer the only one'd know if it tastes right er not."

River nearly bites his handsome off with her little tirade, snipping at Jayne like a Chinese harpy. Surprisingly enough, Jayne even seems to listen, offering a respectful, "Yes ma'am" as if it had been his grandmother giving him what for. Watching him watch her watch him put on that girlish oven mitt, and apologize politely to Inara, Rowan can't help thinking Jayne might be the only person on the boat who doesn't have a hidden agenda. At the very least he certainly isn't very good at hiding it. There's a certain large amount of allure to that manner of sheer earnestness. Somehow he manages to keep an eye on what the women are doing and not burn himself with the coffee at the same time. She was right the first time then--he does have good hands.

Rowan gives a shrug, not too upset about his refusal, nor all that surprised.

ROWAN: "Means all the more for the rest of us then.

Using the tongs, she removes cooked bao from the steamer and arranges them on a platter. Once the first dozen is out, she sets them aside to cool and is about to turn back for another plate when she discovers one sitting right next to the steamer. The little buns are perfectly formed and arranged. She can't even tell one woman's handiwork from the other. Grinning, she looks over her shoulder.

ROWAN: "Nice work ladies. This might be the best batch I've ever made."

Then Jayne spots the box Kaylee left behind and opens it. Whatever manner of treasure she left behind must be something to cause him to all but bury his head in the cardboard. The tone of his voice as he lifts the box and take a deep breath is more akin to a man watching a beautiful woman perform a striptease. The fact that his eyes are on her at the time might be purely incidental. It doesn't take long for the aroma to make it over to her, Rowan feels her muscles go completely lucid in utter pleasure.

ROWAN: "Tianna - is that what I think it is?"

Moving over to him, she stands up on tip-toe and leans over the box herself. Taking a long, deep breath of her own, her exhale comes out with the moan of a woman who has been truly satisfied.

KAYLEE: “JAYNE You drop that. NOW! That is for the party, and you just stay away from it! You get your share with everyone else.”

Rowan opens her eyes to stare at the girl, startled by the uncharacteristic sharpness of her tone. She doesn't seem at all the type - could be she's channeling River's most current mood, could be there's something else amiss. Turning back toward the box, Rowan and spots the note.

ROWAN: "Everybody gets half, do they?"

Turning to Kaylee, she raises an eyebrow at the girl. Getting only a stoic look in return, she determines the little mechanic definitely means what she says. Half a decent chocolate bar would be half again more than Rowan has had since she left the core. Judging by the label, this isn't any Blue Sun lièzhì substitute either. All the more reason to be frugal. Rowan can respect that.

Tipping her head back to look Jayne in the eye, she grins wickedly.

ROWAN: "Wanna split one, da jia huo[/i

NOTIFY: Y  | REPLY  | REPLY WITH QUOTE  | PERMALINK  | TOP  | HOME