GR RP "Adventures in Gunrunning" ACT 24
POSTED BY: CapnRahn
UPDATED: Thursday, December 23, 2004 18:03
VIEWED: 21598
PAGE 10 of 10
MERZ move
LOCATION - GALLEY
ROWAN
“Don't try to over-analyze, yo mei mei. If it's done right, bao is meant for pure enjoyment.”
Merz wonders if it would do any good to tell Rowan that she does not comprehend enjoyment … perhaps not just now.
When Rowan reaches out to her, to run one gentle hand down her right arm, Merz controls the need/urge to flinch away. Such a gesture is foreign to her (for the most part) and she has never gotten used to the casual way civilians touch one another. She has tried to learn the rules of such encounters, but always ends up wondering if there are any.
"Ladies, I believe our work is done here. I don't know about you, but I'm definitely ready for a drink."
Her saathi seems to be somewhat distracted. Rowan moves quickly off when Kaylee announces the “cabinet is open” whatever that means. Merz watches her toss back the drink with interest. She can smell the alcohol from where she is and is not entirely sure she likes it. Not as … good? … as bao anyway. This she will try too. In a little bit.
For the moment she holds, still tasting bao and feeling … something.
EOM
If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress
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INARA's move. (Yes, finally.)
LOCATION - GALLEY
"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 ’Cap'n got lucky with you?’ … I do not know what that means. I cannot answer his question. Can you assist me”?"
Merz's question throws Inara quite dramatically. On one hand, if she's ignorant, well, then, it's even less likely that anything ...untoward occured. On the other hand, she cannot help remembering Saffron and Nandi and how utterly lost she'd felt at the (very real) prospects of losing him, of having to see him turn his eyes and attention onto someone else...
Something occurs to Merz and she leaves the kitchen, leaving Inara to brood a while...
*
Rowan takes another bao from the plate and cuts that one in half as well. Turning around, she holds one half out to Merz, and one to Inara.
"For my intrepid assistants."
"Xie-xie, dear," Inara smiles, taking a careful bite of the bao, managing to avoid letting the sauce run down her chin. Her mouth waters and she smiles genuinely. "Absolutely delicious," is the Companion's verdict.
After trying her piece, Merz slowly opens her eyes, to find Rowan and River watching her. Merz just looks at them motionless and expressionless, utterly at a loss for words.
"Don't try to over-analyze, yo mei mei. If it's done right, bao is meant for pure enjoyment." Rowan smiles and looks over the kitchen for a moment, before speaking again. "Ladies, I believe our work is done here. I don't know about you, but I'm definitely ready for a drink."
"It's very strong, be warned," Inara remarks good naturedly. "But a drink would really hit the spot, I think."
Kaylee goes through drawers and cabinets, fetching the spigot and glasses. She sets up the cask of moonshine and arranges the shot glasses around it.
Turning and looking at all in the room, she announces - "The cabinet is officially open. Ya drink this stuff at your own risk. Let the shindig begin!”
Smiling fondly at her mei-mei, Inara gathers up some of the mess in the kitchen, taking care of it as the others head for the moonshine. She ponders how best to phrase the answer to Merz's question...
EOM
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Book's Move
Location: His Quarters
Book holds the object in his hands close to his face, peering intently. The blue glimmer of light deep within the facets of the crystal finally fading away to nothingness, signifying that the preliminary sequence did not lead to the actual initiation of the device. He sighs, relieved. So many possibilities... who has it... how did they come to have it... what are they planning to do with it, if they even know how?
Suddenly realizing that he's been ignoring Mal's reaction to his almost insane behavior, Book catches his breath. A sudden intake of air, his eyes shift worriedly from side to side and large lump appears in his throat. He swallows it down audibly, not looking up from his position, and speaks to Mal. "I'm sorry, Captain. My actions must no doubt seem very odd to you, but please, let me explain."
Book pauses, realizing that he's suddenly ready to tell Mal. To tell him. "Years ago, I... I wasn't always... I'm sorry it's taken me so long to be able to talk to you about my past. I know it's worn on your mind... but not as much as it's worn on mine. I need forgiveness, Captain... Mal. I need your forgiveness." Book begins to weep. The tears sliding slowly down his cheeks and catching on the corners of his mouth. The salt taste poignant and memorable. Still looking down at the now somewhat blurry crystal in his hands, he is overcome. Waiting for some encouragement to continue, he glances to his left to find Mal softly snoring, the container of alcohol completely drained and a smile hanging from his satisfied lips.
EM
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MERZ move
LOCATION - GALLEY
Merz picks up the abandoned plate of bao and moves it to the table where people are beginning to gather. It seemed to be the logical choice of location. She hoped Rowan remembers the second batch that is steaming; Merz received no instructions on that part and does not know how to proceed, should it become necessary.
Now that the cooking seems to be done, Merz is ready, perhaps, to try something new. A ‘drink’, with ‘friends.’ Something normally done when work is finished. She approaches the barrel with a certain amount of trepidation and carefully takes the full shot glass that Rowan turns and hands her. She sniffs gently and carefully at the colorless fluid and then looks up at Rowan, head tilted to one side, as if to request information on how to proceed.
Rowan is quick on the uptake and demonstrates how to toss back the shot. It looks like the second one goes down easier.
Merz, still not speaking, follows suit. The result rather catches her by surprise. The liquid is cold in the glass, or at least the same ambient temperature as the room. But in her mouth, esophagus and stomach it burns with an unexpected intensity. Passing thoughts chase through her mind, should she have sipped it first? Is it going to stay in place? She gulps a breath, and looks at Rowan, a bit wide-eyed herself.
MERZ
"Is it" , she coughed gently, "supposed to do that?"
EOM
If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress
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Rowan's Move
LOCATION: The Galley
Even after knocking back her third, Rowan can still feel the effects of Kaylee's powerful concoction. Might take a bit more than she figured initially to alleviate the burning. Hopefully before any damage was done to her stomach lining. Judging by the cacophony of reactions that barely show on Merz's features - her eyes even go wide, which is a first - Rowan determines that the fact that Merz is showing her surprise at all indicates the hooch could have the potential to blind the unsuspecting.
ROWAN (raspy): "Oh yeah - this is definitely not for the young."
MERZ: "Is it," she coughed gently, "supposed to do that?"
Rowan can only nod. She's had varying degrees of shipboard hooch before. One was so strong that she actually had to stop after five drinks when her teeth went numb. This isn't quite that far and has a nice spicy turn to it...no, wait, that's the bao.
Bao... there's still bao in the steamer!
ROWAN: "Lashî!"
Setting the shot glass down quickly, she darts into the kitchen and lifts the cover on the steamer to find a dozen fully cooked gems waiting to be plucked free from the heat.
Rowan sends up a silent wish of thanks to the Almighty and all the ancestors who just saved her from a hellish visit from the spirit of the craziest grandmother in the 'verse. Setting the cover down, she takes the tongs and starts removing the last of the bao.
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
Minnesota Meetup - join us! http://firefly.meetup.com/45/
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DAMON’s move
LOCATION – SPARE DORM
In darkness, and deep in thought, Damon continues to remember …
DAMON
“Did you ever think about what you would do if you were free?”
Xiang spoke, of his past, of what he was beginning to remember. Of the one he was starting to remember again. And finally …
XIANG
"I am not quite free yet. But when I am, I will find the one who gave this to me and hope I will not end up dead when I do."
Back in the present, Damon muses. Xiang had a purpose beyond escape, something to be free for. ~ What do I have? When I am finally free - what then?~ Somehow he had never really thought that far into the future. What was he going to do when he is free? When this mark is no longer on him and no one seeks him, what comes next?
Lying on his back, hands behind his head, Damon ponders the future. Starting from when he gets out of this room. Or starting with the talk he is going to have to submit to from Captain Reynolds. ~… just let me get through that, and then I will try to see the next step …~
EOM
If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress
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KAYLEE’S move
LOCATION - DINING ROOM As ...
ROWAN (rather breathlessly)
"Smooth."
Kaylee grinned at her as she filled her up again, appreciating her response. Yup, that is a good batch. She filled up a few more of the glasses and left them around the barrel. As she watched Merz drink she lifted one up herself and took a taste. Whoosh, that was harsh. She stifled her grin behind a hand as Merz commented “Is it supposed to do that?” Why, you’d think she never had a belt before.
She finishes up her drink and sets down the glass. Jayne is contemplating the barrel and the beer in his hand, apparently weighing possibilities. Rowan has dashed back into the Galley to rescue whatever she was cookin’, Bao by the look of the plate on the table. Merz is motionless, staring intently at her empty glass like she’s stunned er sumpthin’. River is watching Rowan, maybe pickin’ up some cooking techniques, who knows with her.
For the moment, no one is paying any attention to Kaylee, and that suits her just fine. She sneaks a piece of bao off of the plate and heads for the door. Time to head back to the cargo area and finish the one last chore. Don’t need no help either, by the time they’s done with their shindig, she’s gonna have that box all rigged and ready to go.
She slips out the door without a backward glance. She’ll party later, when Simon has returned.
EOM
If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress
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Book's Move
Location: His Quarters
Wiping his eyes, Book turns away from a snoozing Mal, and begins to turn the crystal device over and over in his hands. Book stands and walks uneasily to small counter under his mirror, and opens a small box. Inside his past springs out to meet him... many of the things he'd worn on his uniform, the medals and commendations received while fighting for a cause he never wanted to be a part of.
Glancing at Mal again quickly, he listens to the slow measured breaths that signify sleep. It doesn't matter though, does it? Whether he sleeps or he's awake. A heavy sigh, long and drawn out, then the time had come. "I used to be a part of the Alliance. I did unspeakable things. Things which I am sure may lead me to Hell. I want to tell you why. I need to..." As he speaks, Book paces the room quietly. When he stops and takes his seat again on his hard cot, Mal's eyes are open again, and a look of confusion masks his face.
EM
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IDEA HOLDER
Mal wakes up from an old nightmare of him crawling through a crow-feild - but the memory has a twist. It started off back before the end of the war. It was on some godforsaken hell hole called Anubis or some such. The dream turns bad as Mal finds himself crawling over the dead and decaying bodies with not only Zoe, but all of the folks that were now on Serenity. The dream takes its twist into unreality as a panicked crewmember screams and freaks out. It starts off as Tracy, but melds into Damon. The screaming and thrashing alerts the brigade of hunting Purplebellies to their presence. Worse yet - the noise actually wakes the dead. As the dead claw and tear at his crew and passengers Mal is paralyzed with indecision. Every putrefied and decaying face on the mobile dead is one that Mal has burned into his memory -- those he has had to shuffle off this mortal coil.
With a huff he wakes up -- and sees Book with the remnants of tears on his cheeks. Mal is mortally sober now - at least mind-wise, his body is still trying to catch up and does not function at 100%
Mal stands unsteady and clasps Book on both his shoulders, his hands unconsciously digging into the muscles in Book's upper arms.
MAL
... voice deep with emotion and steady in its meter and timbre...
"Past is past - are you with ME now? I need you with me, the crew needs you."
His words drift off as his sharp and unglazed focus drives deep into Book's eyes.
EOIH
OOC : Hope that helps ... got more to say, but this will have to do...
"Remember, there is only ONE absolute - There ARE NO absolutes!!!"
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NEW ACT THREAD!!!!
ACT 25: http://fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=17&t=8331 "Remember, there is only ONE absolute - There ARE NO absolutes!!!"
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