'Firefly: Sidere' A Take Turns Writing Thread
POSTED BY: SoulOfSerenity
UPDATED: Tuesday, April 4, 2006 21:01
VIEWED: 17509
PAGE 2 of 5
"You're kidding me, right?" Teela glared at Soul. "We are not taking this job."
"Well, we need the money, and the pay is pretty good," Soul replied. "What's the problem?"
Teela shook her head. "Well, the problem might consist of the fact that transporting dead bodies without the proper permits is very illegal."
Soul grinned. "Like anyone's gonna know. We'll hide 'em good, and it's only gonna take a few days to get to Shadow. It's not like they'll be on board for very long."
Teela glared at him. After a long pause, she reluctantly nodded. "Fine, but if we get caught, I'm pining it all on you."
______________________
Soul, Security Chief of the Sereni-Tree, Captain of Destiny.
Mantichorus: "So is there a reason they call you 'Soul'?"
Soul (after a long pause): "Yeah. Because I have one."
http://havenofsouls.blogspot.com/
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"This is a nice pub." Mantichorus said, taking a sip from his drink.
Glico glanced at the man slumped in the corner. "Why did you hit him anyway?"
Mantichorus slid his empty glass towards the bartender, with a 'thanks' in Mandarin. "He liked my wallet. There was a slight disagreement as to whether it should stay in my possession or not."
"You won the argument, I take it?" Soul asked, as he and Teela entered the bar.
"Yeah." Mantichorus nodded. "Any joy in finding some work? Preferably of the paying kind..."
"We're...transporting something to Shadow." Teela said, giving Soul a glare as she said 'transporting'.
Mantichorus stared blankly for a second or two. "...Shadow..." He muttered under his breath. None of the others heard him. "Suppose we best find where Jazaf and Ebo got to then." He said, getting up. The assembled crew all filed out of the bar. But there was only one thought in Alias Mantichorus's head...
'I'm goin' home...'
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"If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs, it's just possible you haven't grasped the situation." Jean Kerr.
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OOC: Longtime fan of the site. Got my own account because I saw the thread and wanted to play!
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IC:
Carla sat in the pub, sipping a hard cider, eyes scanning the other occupants over the top of her book. Gorram it! She'd been stranded on this planet for two months since that junky piece of go-se she'd boarded broke down halfway on its trip to Shadow. Then got impounded. Then sold for scrap.
Sure, she could have found a transport by now, but most of the ship captains she'd seen around here were all kinds of unsavory. They'd probably charge her extra for passage and then rob her in her sleep. She had that kind of unease about her, and truth be told she was more comfortable behind the podium of a university lecture hall than she was in the company of thieves. But she was eating through her credits and needed to find passage soon.
From over near the bar she heard snatches of conversation, and at the words "...transporting something to Shadow" her heart stopped. She scanned the group more closely and decided that now was probably her best chance. She followed behind them as the left the bar.
"Excuse me," she said. The group turned to look at her. "I couldn't help but overhear that you were heading off to Shadow...I've got business out that way too, and I was wondering if you could take me along as a passenger."
She began to get nervous as the woman in the middle, who she assumed was the captain, looked her up and down, smiling bemusedly, and the heavily-armed man to her right could bore a hole in her skull with that stare.
"I don't have much in the way of cash...but I do have this," she said fishing an object out of her pack. "'Don Quixote', one of the last editions printed on Earth-That-Was. Published by a house that was a precursor to the Blue Sun Media Company. It's worth a pretty penny."
She smiled shyly. "So...may I join you."
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OOC: Welcome aboard, Carla! 
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IC:
Mantichorus gave the girl who'd approached them a once over. She seemed to have a scholarly air about her, which made him wonder what she was doing out these backwaters.
Teela butted in on his thoughts. "I've heard of that book...OK, sure, what the hell. The more the merrier. What's your name?"
"Clara." She replied, glancing at Mantichorus, Soul and Glico nervosuly.
"Well, I'm Teela, the captain of Sidere. This here is Glico, Manti and Soul. Got two more crew members somewhere in town." Teela said, completing the introductions.
"How come you're out this end of the 'verse?" Mantichorus asked, deciding to quench his curiosity. "You look like you're used to... slightly more cosier surroundings, if you don't mind me saying so."
Soul elbowed him slightly in the gut and whispered into his ear: "Careful, else she may ask you what you're doing out here."
Mantichorus sighed in agreement. "Sorry for being rude, Carla. You don't have to answer that. It's none of my business, anyway."
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"If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs, it's just possible you haven't grasped the situation." Jean Kerr.
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"It's okay, Manti," she said as they headed back to find the others. "I have nothing to hide. Although I doubt you'll find the story very interesting."
"Go on," Manti said, encouraging her.
"You were right when you said that I looked like I was from cosier surroundings. I'm a Core-worlder. From Corazon, to be precise, one of Londinum's moons. It's a little moon, not much to it but headquarters for a few terraforming companies and a college town. I taught history at the university there until that little private school started going into debt. Then the Alliance government bought the school from the dean and fired all the untenured professors, myself included.
I tried to find another teaching job in the Core, but there weren't many vacancies. Sure, a friend of mine found a job on Ariel, but he was one of the few. My sister told me to settle down and find another career, but then one of my colleagues on Shadow contacted me about a job there.
The school on Shadow is mostly vocational, teaching useful skills like veterinary science and mechanical repair. But a few years ago my colleague contacted me about writing up a plan for a political science department for the school. And, since I helped establish the department, I have the privilege to join the department any time I want. I just got stranded here on the way."
"Somehow I can't imagine fancy Core-world education on Shadow," Manti commented.
"Well the way I see it, the Alliance has been looking to expand into the Outer Rim worlds for some time now. It's best that those worlds have some politically savvy citizens to handle the Alliance when that time comes."
By now the crew had walked to a marketplace in the town plaza. Teela spotted a wayward crew member over near one of the kiosks. "Ebo! We're almost ready to head out!" She called.
An excitable-looking girl ran over. "Already, cap? And I was just about to find the greatest bargain on some music bootlegs, too. Who's the new girl?" Ebo said.
"Professor Carla Zane," Carla said, shaking Ebo's hand.
"We're taking her as a passenger to Shadow, and once we find Jazaf and load up our cargo we can get off this rock." Teela added.
"I'm right here." A voice behind them said. They turned around. The man--Jazaf--looked dusty and disheveled, and a cut on his forehead was bleeding. But he was smiling, and the jingling sound when he moved suggested a pocketful of newly acquired platinum coins.
"Ai ya! What happened to you?" Glico excalimed.
"Oh, nothing, just found a job on the side while the rest of you were looking for work. I'll tell you about it later." Jazaf said. "I see you found another passenger," he added, nodding to Carla in acknowlegement.
Once the introductions were made again and Ebo tired of examining the bootlegged music on the market, it was time to return to Sidere, meet their client, and load the cargo.
"Okay," Teela called out in her Captainy Voice of Authority, "Manti, you show Carla where the passenger dorm is. Jazaf, you get cleaned up and start fixing supper. Ebo, you program the flight plan to Shadow and wait for my order to lift off. Glico and Soul, you'll load the cargo with me. Everyone got that? Good. All right crew, let's get to work!"
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Jazaf sighs as he looks at what he has to work with, 'Not my favorite thing to do, but it has to be done!' Jazaf cracks fingers then sets to work.
Gradually, a mouth-watering aroma wafts through the ship it grabs the attention of all the crew. As they make their way to the dining table Jazaf just finishes putting out the eating ware.
'That smells really good Jazaf.' Ebo says salivating.
'You didn't tell us you were a good cook.' Soul pipes in.
'Heh, there's lot's of stuff I don't tell you guys.'
'Care to tell us something now?' Teela pries.
'No' Jazaf says before sitting down and starts to eat his meal.
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OOC: I have no clue what fantastic meal I just made.......
I couldn't think of one.
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Mystery Man on the Sereni-Tree 
Navigator on Destiny 
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Carla took a bite of the mysterious-looking meal Jazaf created and moaned in pleasure. There was no way that a spaceship's protien rations could ever taste this good, and yet sitting before her was the best meal she'd seen in months. Carla decided that it was best if she concentrated on the food rather than the conversation--if she ate fast enough, she'd have more of a chance at a second helping.
Jazaf passed the cooking pot across the table and grinned, "I'm glad to see that everyone appreciates my cooking," he said.
"Hey, Jazaf! Pass that here too! We've got children starving at this end of the table!" Ebo called, gesturing at herself and Glico.
The dining area was full of laughter and noise, and although Manti had told her that the crew was still new, Carla was surprised to see how comfortable the crew was with each other. Glico was bragging to Soul about the gun Manti bought planetside, while Soul stroked his chin and mused about the capabilities of a firearm from Earth-That-Was compared to some of the weapons in his own arsenal. Manti countered that it could hold its own against any modern weapon. In a side conversation, Ebo and Teela made plans to play Go in the common room once each was done with their respective duties. Even though she was just a passenger, Carla too felt like part of the group. She and Jazaf, being the "new kids" on the boat, managed to strike up a conversation.
"So Jazaf, where are you headed?" Carla asked.
"Don't rightly know," he replied, "I think I'll just keep on moving until I can't pay my way anymore."
Carla wasn't sure how to respond to that. To her, not knowing the destination or goal was the quickest way for someone to lose control over life, and control was something she valued a lot, especially after losing her job.
Jazaf continued, his eyes beginning to look distant, "Besides, on the move like this, there's a good chance that he'll never find me."
"Who?"
"Adelai Niska."
Carla was about to ask who that was when Teela stood up and issued orders for the evening. Carla offered to clear the table and do dishes.
As Carla scraped the pots and pans, she wondered who this Niska character was to frighten Jazaf so.
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"You gotta thing for antiques?" Soul asked, as he and Mantichorus secured the cargo.
"Will you BEE-jwey about the ruttin' gun already?!" Mantichorus chuckled, shaking his head. "Anyway, you got any idea what it is we're transportin' here?"
Soul glanced away slightly. "Uhh..."
Mantichorus frowned. "Soul...this cargo ain't too illegit, is it? You better not be bringin' trouble to Shadow."
Soul looked at him amusedly. "OK; what's Shadow to you? You be acting a bit strangely ever since it was mentioned."
Mantichorus grimaced. This place...it meant everything to him. When he'd left it was only meant to be for a few months. But then... the Blue Sun had forced him to change his plans. He hated the thought of them on Shadow. It was like sacrilage to him. Especially with...
"I was raised there. My older brother and his wife still live there, as far as I know." Mantichorus looked at Soul coldly. "Blue Sun better not link me with my real identity, for their sakes. Rather die than that happen."
Soul nodded slowly. "Explains a lot... you gonna tell the others?"
This had been on his mind a lot. It had always seemed likely that they might go to Shadow at some point. "...No. I'll disappear while we're there. Check on my friends and family. I need to see them, know they're doing all right."
Shadow meant everything. It was worth fighting for.
"...Soul. If anyone while we're down there mentions the name Kade or Kaden, let me know. Especially if they say they've seen him." Mantichorus paused. "And if anyone has any info on Del or Delvin, or Eileen, the same."
"Your brother and his wife." Soul surmised.
Mantichorus nodded in reply. Suddenly, Sidere bucked. Mantichorus and Soul were thrown from their feet.
"What the go se?!" Soul shouted, sprung to his feet, and bounded towards the cockpit. Mantichorus winced, pulled himself up and followed.
Everyone was in the cockpit, staring out uncomprehendingly in front of them. Soul shot Mantichorus a look. It said more than words could about their current situation. Mantichorus looked out at the wreck in front of them. The ship had been strip-mined, and bodies were floating around it. He swallowed.
"What the hell...?" Ebo muttered, aghast.
"Reavers." Soul breathed.
"...End of the line." Mantichorus sighed.
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"There's a lot of stunt men around. That's always a bad sign..." --Chris Buchanan, on the Maidenhead bar scene in Serenity.
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Carla's eyes widened as she stared out at the ship--nothing but a skeleton really--floating dead in the Black and accompanied by corpses bloated by change of pressure as they had been flushed out into the vacuum. She shook uncontrollably and gripped the back of the co-pilot's chair to stay upright.
"Oh dear God in Heav--" she said, snapping her mouth shut once she realized what she was saying. No, she thought to herself, I'm not the kind of person who becomes a convert once her life's in danger. I don't believe in God!--her thoughts began to become hysteric. Just like I don't believe in the tooth fairy, Prince Charming...
...or Reavers?
She began shaking harder now, forcing herself not to start crying. It's okay Carla, you'll live through this. Don't regret leaving the Core, it was the best thing for you. You'll make it to Shadow in one piece and continue doing the work you love. Once you settle down, you can even wave home and your daughter will come and live with you, and all shall be well. You aren't going to die here. You aren't going to be one of those corpses, inflated like a balloon, skin purple where the capillaries burst, in rigor mortis, as the Reavers paint their ship with your blood, patch their vests with your scalp, and use your ears as a coin purse...
Carla's knees gave out and she collapsed on the floor. Colored dots swam before her eyes as she weakly staggered up, swayed against the wall of the bridge and back into whoever stood beside her, ran into the kitchen, and vomited into the sink.
The dishes, thankfully, had already been done and put away.
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'Wuh duh ma huh ta duh fung-kwong duh wai-shung doh. I've only heard of Reavers in those Faux News waves. But to see their work in person....' Jazaf's voice drifts off.
Soul's ear twitches and he turns his head to Jazaf with a disturbed look on his face.
'You face mirrors my emotions Soul. This is a disturbing and horrifying sight.'
Soul looks back to the scene before him as he thinks on what he heard Jazaf say. Was that.....Awe in Jazaf's voice? He turns and looks at Jazaf a second time, noticing that his face is as frightened as the others Soul shrugs off his previous notion.
One of the lifeless bodies floating in the black bumped into Sidere's Co-Pilot side window and stuck there. The crew fixed their eyes on the corpse and the eyes of the corpse were fixed on them. Teela shuddered, 'Ebo, how about you move my ship so we can get this eerie Peeping-Tom off!'
'Don't have to tell me twice.' Ebo said.
She jerked the controls and shook the corpse free, however it had left a ghastly smudge on the window.
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Mystery Man on the Sereni-Tree
Navigator on Destiny
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