RP: "Adventures in Gunrunning" - Act 12
POSTED BY: FrauDirektor
UPDATED: Tuesday, March 23, 2004 21:45
VIEWED: 19241
PAGE 4 of 11
Inara's turn, supplemental
*slight flashback*
Inara stands in the corner of the galley, memory stick in hand, looking after Book in a very confused manner. Her gaze travels from the stick to Book and back again. She's not sure she WANTS to see what's on it.
Seeing Damon try to stand, she forgets the stick for a moment, nestling it snugly in a hidden pocket in the front of her dress.
Stepping forward and adding her hands to Book's on Damon's shoulder, Inara urges the man back down into the chair.
"Rowan will be back soon with supplies, and after we fix you up again, you can wander the halls tearing stitches all you want. Until then, please stay put."
Damon glares up at she and Book warily, and Inara slides to her knees by Book, picking up the towel and finishing the cleanup he had started before Damon's escape attempt.
Suddenly, Serenity gives a hard spin, making Inara feel as if gravity has been suspended for a moment. Inara finds herself on her back near Damon's chair, covered in beer and with the crunch of broken glass under her shoulders. Something else is amiss...Inara can't decide what it is. Her eyes regain focus and she realizes hers aren't the only eyes in the vicinity....she looks up into Shepherd Book's suprised face--he's pressing her into the deck plating, their bodies touching from breast to foot.
Book jumps to his feet and pulls Inara up after him.
**letting Maniac take Books side of this if he wants**
End Inara's turn
Just a humble supplicant in service to all things Joss
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Rowan’s Move
LOCATION: INFIRMARY
Dragging herself off the deck, she braces herself on hands and knees and manages to force air back into her lungs.
------------------------------
FLASHBACK
He moved too fast to be seen, catching her behind the knees and effortlessly yanking her right off her feet. Striking the floor on her back, she felt the air knocked out of her lungs and had a hard time pulling it back. He moved down to her, setting the bo staff aside before lifting her head onto his lap and stroking her hair.
“I’m sorry, “ he said softly. “I didn’t mean to catch you off guard.”
He had always caught her off guard, and if she could breathe, she would have told him so. It might be overly sentimental - all right, it would be downright sappy, but nothing could be more true. When he was merely her professor she found herself interested in words and topics that had bored her to tears in the past. When they were colleagues, his overwhelming presence and quiet charisma affected her long before their eyes met in a timeless moment and her heart leapt for joy.
But since she couldn’t speak, she glared up at him and managed to rasp in Chinese. “You will get yours.”
Only he saw the look in her eyes and wasn’t the least bit fooled. With a smile curving his lips, he bent down to press a kiss to her brow.
------------------------------
Rowan shook her head violently, dispelling another tender memory. Seven years of trying not to think about him and now she can’t stop?
ROWAN (muttering): "Wode tìan - what next?"
Scrambling to her feet, she gathers up the bag that she had managed to hold onto, and heads out. Dragging herself back up the aft stairs, she makes her way back to the galley.
EOM
We have art so as not to die of truth ~ Neitzsche
http://www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=7922
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Damon's turn:
LOCATION - DINING ROOM
"Rowan will be back soon with supplies, and after we fix you up again, you can wander the halls tearing stitches all you want. Until then, please stay put."
Damon turns his attention back to River, who is now staring at him again. He stares back, not sure what to expect.
How much more did she know? That worried him more than anything. He hadn't been entirely truthful to the captain about why he was on the run and he didn't think that the captain would like that if he found out.
River breaks their gaze as she looks toward the bridge with another one of her creepy looks.
"Turning backwards. Don't fall," she says to no in particular and sits herself down on the floor.
Before Damon has a chance to wonder what she was talking about, the ship lurches out from under them. Damon gets thrown out of his chair and hits the deck with a hard thud. Pots and pans, water kettles, tea cups, cooking utensils and food items rain down from the kitchen counters. The ship moves again, rolling Damon across the floor until he meets the wall with another thud.
He lays there for a moment, pulling breaths in short pained gasps. His eyes are closed, but he can still feel the room spinning around him. When his head clears enough to pull his thoughts back together, he opens his eyes and finds himself laying face down on the kitchen floor. River kneels beside him, watching him silently.
Come on, Damon, get up.
His arms move but they refuse to lift him off of the floor.
Get up.
Again nothing. He closes his eyes, letting his mind drift toward unconsciousness.
Quote:
It hurt. More than just physical pain. They tore you down. But you kept building yourself up. But every time they tore you down a little more. And it got harder to rebuild.
Crofton's voice whispers in his ear, "Are you ready to give up yet?"
Damon's eyes snap open. He turns over and swings at someone that isn't there, his pain and injuries forgotten in a wave of fury and adrenaline. He pushes himself back against the wall and stands up. Looking around, he recognizes Book and Inara tangled together on the floor.
River stands up next to him, beaming up at him. "Not broken."
He looks away from her. "No nothing's broken," he says, though he knows that wasn't what she was reffering to.
OOC: Teela, hope you don't mind my minor River lines. I can change it if you want. I thought River forseeing the Crazy Ivan would be appropriate though.
I'm not broken, in my dream I win...
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Book's Move
Location: Galley
A sudden wavering, a twist in the air, and Book wobbles, spins and catches something on his way to the floor. When the room stops twirling, and the ship lurches back into normal gravity, Book lets out a soft grunt and finds himself on the floor, pressed deep into Inara's body.
Immediately aware of her entire body, Book pulls himself hastily off of Inara, and hears the captain's voice over the intercom asking him and Jayne to gather the crew together in the galley. Helping Inara to her feet, Book offers her an apology and goes quickly to the rear door of the galley. Pausing next to River, he says, "Stay here, alright River?"
Not waiting for an answer, he goes out through the doorway and calls down the hall to the engine room.
"Kaylee, come on down to the galley"
Book turns and walks slowly down the aft stairs, thinking hopelessly how he should tell the crew that Simon is gone.
EM
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LOCATION – LEFT BEHIND, IN SERENITY VALLEY
Hidden under Hlastoni’s fighter, in Serenity Valley, there are two new objects. It is not likely they should have ended in this odd location by accident.
One is a unit patch, torn from a uniform jacket. It has been not only removed, but also mutilated. It can’t be read but you can still see A.*** L. across the top.
The other is a square of thin metal about the size of a book page. It has been carefully etched, polished and then coated against tarnish. The etching is language – and it reads:
Maro: I am in need of an explanation.
Hlas: I always gave you the same answer; perhaps it is time to ask the question again.
Veila: You taught me the meaning of comfort food. Is the galley still open?
Heropa: I think I’ve broken it beyond all hope of repair.
Milla: It always did gave me a headache trying to keep up with you.
Kara: So many things I have to show you . . . and build with you
Gigi: and you too, if you will just stop and sit with me awhile
I am looking for you.
Find me, please.
***********************************************
How long before the dust covers the message?
Does anyone come here anymore?
Time will tell.
If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress
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MERZ’s Move
LOCATION - BRIDGE
to HALLWAY TO DINING ROOM
Quote:
THORNE: "Stand down. We're well away now, thanks to you. I'd fly with you people any day. WASH, pass that on to KAYLEE too, if you'd please.
MERZ accepts the hand on her shoulder, it is brief enough and as celebrations go, it could be worse. She closes her eyes and concentrates on flushing the rest of the adrenalin out of her system before standing. slow down mercedes, nice and easy now, its all over She rubs her right knee where it is hidden under the console. slowin’ down old girl. you better put in some hard time training just as soon as you get the chance. MERZ stands and puts weight on the leg, deciding it should only be a bruise. Before leaving the console, she locks down the firing controls.
She has hung back until everyone else has left the bridge, before following. Now comes the part she dreads. Now there will be questions. maybe i should have left with Brink? A pointless exercise in speculation. For better or worse she is here now and it is time to follow the Captains orders and assemble. Captain . . .Captain what? Merz has not caught his name.
i never wanted to do that again. so why does it come back so easily? i just can’t fight what i am; what I was made. can it be enough to also be something else, when i can?
She reaches the dining area and settles down, hopefully out of sight, out of mind leaning on the wall just barely inside the door. From here she can hear everything, but maybe they will forget about her for a while.
Dining room. Yes, fuel would be welcome.
MERZ listens.
EOM
{edited to correct MERZ location}
If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress
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Rowan's Move
LOCATION - AFT STAIRS AND PASSAGEWAY to DINING ROOM
She's on the landing and more than halfway up when she hears the Shepherd's voice and looks up to see him standing at the top of the aft stairs.
BOOK: "Kaylee, come on down to the galley."
He turns then and starts a slow descent, looking as if he's carrying the weight of the 'verse on his shoulders. The ship's aspect seems to have leveled off and smoothed out. Rowan can't even hear gunfire anymore, which poses the question - when all is calm, what could possibly be bad enough to send a Shepherd to worrying?
ROWAN: "Hey, Shepherd. I think I have everything we need. As soon as we locate Simon, I'll be happy to assist putting xiâo dì dì back together."
EOM
We have art so as not to die of truth ~ Neitzsche
http://www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=7922
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Mal's Move:
Location: Galley
[Folk are starting to assemble in the galley, but there's still a few coming. MAL sees MERZ sitting alone in a corner, and walks over to her.]
MAL:"That was some mighty fancy shootin' back there. I'd guess this wasn't your first fight. Hate to seem ungrateful after what you did, but I gotta ask. What were you doing out in that God-forsaken valley, anyway?"
"Keep the Shiny side up"
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LOCATION - GALLEY
i can’t catch a break
It does not take long for the Captain to notice her and approach.
Quote:He still has that ‘I’m gonna be obeyed’ tone in his voice. aye aye, sir
MAL:"That was some mighty fancy shootin' back there. I'd guess this wasn't your first fight. Hate to seem ungrateful after what you did, but I gotta ask. What were you doing out in that God-forsaken valley, anyway?"
MERZ speaks after a brief pause. There is no inflection, no life in her voice. It might as well be a machine speaking. “I am searching for . . . friends I have not seen in many years. It is important that I find them, important to me at least. There was a possibility that a clue to where they have gone might have been there. I was there to search. I appear to have been mistaken.”
She stops there. It is all the answer she has.
EOM
If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress
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ZOE'S MOVE:
LOCATION - BRIDGE to DINING ROOM
ZOE follows MAL from the bridge to the galley, and finds herself a spot against the wall. From here, she knows she has the best vantage point to watch everyone arrive, and will have a good view of everyone once they're gathered. ZOE sees RIVER leaning over DAMON, sprawled on the floor, and watches quietly as MAL walks to MERZ, who has taken up a spot in the corner, looking like she hopes to go unnoticed.
MAL: "That was some mighty fancy shootin' back there. I'd guess this wasn't your first fight. Hate to seem ungrateful after what you did, but I gotta ask. What were you doing out in that God-forsaken valley, anyway?"
ZOE (to herself): "That's somethin' I'd like to know. I wonder where she learned to shoot like that?"
Taking in MERZ's response, ZOE settles herself a little more comfortably against the wall and watches as BOOK enters looking forlorn with ROWAN on his heels. As the passengers and crew assembles, ZOE keeps track of who's still missing and where they might be. Just this once, she'd like to be wrong, like to see the doctor come sauntering into the galley looking for all the world like nothing was the matter. Unfortunately, the longer she stands there - and the more folks come to be accounted for - the less likely her hope becomes.
End Move.
~A~
...I'm still free,
You can't take the sky from me.
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