GR RP "Adventures in Gunrunning" ACT 21

POSTED BY: CapnRahn
UPDATED: Thursday, October 14, 2004 13:08
VIEWED: 20054
PAGE 7 of 10

Damon’s turn:
LOCATION - CARGO BAY or CATWALKS

JAYNE
"Yeah, her an' me both. I'll be back in half a shake, gotta go bleed the lizard an' find some more bars." Jayne pulls himself back to his feet and turns to leave.

Damon can’t help but give a slight smile. Jayne’s becoming more and more comfortable to be around, being so familiar to the kind of men Damon spent the previous eight years living with- though many had mouths that would probably make even Jayne blush.

Returning to his work, Damon sets his mind on figuring out the best way to tie these cords to the container. He doesn’t get far before Merz breaks the silence.

MERZ: OK, Damon. You have questions. Please ask them, if you would care to. If I can answer, I will.

Questions?

Damon has to backtrack for a moment. Remembering what they had been talking about- him asking what bhaai means- brings some of the questions back to mind. How did she know? He frowns, wondering for a brief moment if she’s a reader like River. But he dismisses the idea- if she could read minds, she’d understand more than she does about… well, the weird stuff most people seem to get, like wearing clothes or how to show gratitude or the concepts of freedom and liberty.

No, not a reader, just… very observant. He remembers her list of smells. Very observant. Shi, I gotta watch how I breathe and what I think on this boat.

Questions… He hates questions; they tend to lead to answers and then more questions. He repeats her words over in his mind, not even sure if they were a request or a demand. There are so many questions he has- some of which he is saving for Mal- but the ones concerning Merz? There are a lot of those too, but like all the other questions he doesn’t ask, they aren’t important. Just questions that fill in gaps of curiosity mostly- the kind of questions you ask yourself, not expecting to ever get an answer, if there even is one. But more importantly, most of them are questions he would dread answering himself. She has already bared so much of herself to him, and the fact that he is unwilling to do the same makes asking questions seem… unfair and hypocritical.

He is silent for several seconds as this tumbles through his mind. Finally, he decides he’d be ok to give the family topic a try. His pride has taken beatings far worse than alcoholic parents and if he’s ever going to get comfortable with talking about any of his past, he might as well start with the easy stuff.

He pauses his work to give her a sincere smile, if not a little nervous. He can’t help but feel like he’s setting himself up to be shot, but then, she probably feels the same way. “So will I, if you have questions I mean. Jus let me know if I cross a line and I’ll do the same. Deal?”




I'm not broken, in my dream I win...

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

Rowan’s Move
LOCATION: BRIDGE

Rowan has the diagnostic running even before she leans back in the chair.

SERENITY (in Rowan's earpiece): "Diagnostic of primary and secondary systems engaged."

Watching the on-screen display, Rowan watches Serenity's systematic self-diagnostic of all her internal systems, starting oldest to newest. A few notations appear along the way, documenting Kaylee's modifications, but all in all it goes about as she hoped. With the strange bunch of folk they've hand on board of late, it wouldn't surprise her to see something strange appear. Happily, it seems no one had any mischief planned toward the ship. At least, not yet.

Glancing at Wash and feeling Zoe behind her, Rowan finds some interest in a pair who seem as different as night and day and just happen to be husband and wife.

ROWAN: "He's a colorful fella, that husband of yours."

Then she hears Book's voice from somewhere in the rear.

BOOK: "What are we doing?"

ROWAN: "The diagnostic is running. Anything special I should be keeping an eye out for?"

EOM

I draw...therefore I am.
http://www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=7922

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

Book's Move
Location: Bridge


A proud smile appearing on his face, Book steps forward and looks at the monitor with the diagnostic information zipping by. "Not likely, unless the newly installed gun has caused some undue stress on the secondary power relays. Something like that won't show up on this diagnostic, only the implication of it. We'll see. Someone small may need to crawl into the belly of our beast and make a visual inspection."

Turning around to survey the damage of his words on the mood of the crew, Book laughs. "But like I said, unlikely, very unlikely. Especially since..." he turns to Kaylee with a sly grin. "the Captain has ordered the opening of the cabinet. Tonight." Turning back to include the rest of the crew and getting slightly dramatic. "By popular demand, we shall all be fortunate enough to swell ourselves with our own Kaylee's recipe. Spoken of before usually only in hushed tones, delighting travellers, lovers and preachers (ahem) the verse over, the finest inter-engine brandy to ever fill a snifter."

EM

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

JAYNE'S move
LOCATION – COMMON AREA

Jayne stalks into the common area, pausing at the landing to toss his shirt into the laundry machine, but - someone's closed the door. Jayne's stature slumps a little out of disappointment, but after a moment he hoists the sweaty, balled-up shirt to eye level and launches it.

The shirt lands with a splatter of moisture, slides across the laundry machine and wedges between it and the wall. Jayne gives an approving grunt. If helpin' out was always this much fun, I'd do more of it.

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

LOCATION - MALs DORM
As ...

Mal sits up abruptly in the dark. Realizing that he is beginning to wallow, he vows to get back to basics. To focus on the current, the future will have to sort itself out when it gets here. Still in the dark, he moves towards the ladder and ascends. The hatch opens on his approach and the harsh light of the front hall pours down, stinging his eyes.

Quietly climbing up to the deck, he notices laughter and Book's bass story telling voice rolling down the stairs. Unconsciously smiling a tiny smile at the mood Book can generate, Mal closes his hatch and seals it. Even more unconsciously, he heads down the fore starboard gangway.

Passing near Inara's shuttle, he resolutely refuses to look at the tightly shut portal. That fish will have to be fried later. ...None'o my business... that very thought nearly shatters his newly shored up resolve. Too many blocked shut doors had been broken into these past few days. ...Gettin' my priorities confused... Mal chews that idea over slowly.

Fighting this setback, Mal meanders over the upper transverse catwalk, from below he hears Damon's voice drift upwards ...

DAMON
“So will I, if you have questions I mean. Jus let me know if I cross a line and I’ll do the same. Deal?”

These words piquing his curiosity, Mal steps back out of view from those below. He settles his rump on the top rail and hooks his left bootheel over the mid-rail. Quietly he balances on the deck with his right leg. Mal settles in and gets comfortable. He then focuses on listening to the voices from down below in the bay.

EOM

"Remember, there is only ONE absolute - There ARE NO absolutes!!!"

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

Rowan’s Move
LOCATION: BRIDGE

BOOK: "Not likely, unless the newly installed gun has caused some undue stress on the secondary power relays. Something like that won't show up on this diagnostic, only the implication of it. We'll see. Someone small may need to crawl into the belly of our beast and make a visual inspection."

Wishing there was an audio interface, Rowan hastily keys in a search parameter and adds it to the diagnostic.

SERENITY (in Rowan's earpiece): "Addition of parameter acknowledged. Resuming diagnostic of primary and secondary systems."

BOOK: "But like I said, unlikely, very unlikely."

Of that, Rowan has no doubt. Kaylee kept a tight ship.

ROWAN to Book: "Thanks Shepherd. I'll keep an eye out."

BOOK: "the Captain has ordered the opening of the cabinet. Tonight." Turning back to include the rest of the crew and getting slightly dramatic. "By popular demand, we shall all be fortunate enough to swell ourselves with our own Kaylee's recipe. Spoken of before usually only in hushed tones, delighting travelers, lovers and preachers (ahem) the verse over, the finest inter-engine brandy to ever fill a snifter."

Still watching the display on the source pad, Rowan grins, as much over the shepherd's delivery than the prospect of getting to taste Kaylee's special brew. Maybe she'll get some sleep tonight after all. Seems the only way to do that these days--without dreaming--is through over-consumption of alcohol.

FLASHBACK

She was tipsy - was that the word? No, not quite. What did Walker used to say? Hammered--yes, that was the word. Only if she really was, would she be aware that she was?

"Madame, you should probably take it easy."

After her fourth long drink of the scotch--which Li had surrendered after taking his fill to numb the pain in his side--Rowan wiped her mouth with the back of her hand as she glared at him and shook her head.

She put a hand over her heart, where the ache was the worst. In her mind was the last thing she'd seen when Li took her out of Revolution control--those beautiful eyes, laden with sorrow and determination. He'd planned it all along. He had said that they would face whatever came together, but in the end he had her taken away. Now she was supposed to face the reality of life without him?

Tamade húndàn. How dare he?

"Not yet," she said. "I can still feel something."

"Madame." Li's eyes were looking sluggish. "He wanted...he wanted me to take you to Osiris. To your parents."

"He wanted--who gives a holy hump what he wanted. HE isn't here, is he?"

"Madame. The bleeding...it isn't going to stop."

He started to topple over, and just like that, she was sober again. "Li!"

He fell gracefully to the deck and landed with a thud. Other passengers in the compartment with them took note that something was amiss, but not a single one came forward. They were content to only stare and quietly comment amongst themselves

Li was a giant of a man, and she had a hard time getting him turned over, which is why she had blood all over her hands and clothes once she did manage it. Holding him in his arms, cradling his close-shaven head against her breast, she put her hand down over the bandage he'd manufactured after the got out of the compound. It was soaking wet. "Li?"

He stared up at her, his eyes already growing dim, and swallowed with some difficulty. "Never...in all my life...have I seen such love as he had...for you."

And even as the last remaining life went out of his eyes, she felt her heart torn asunder. The tears that refused to come before crashed forward. She was still sobbing when the conductor tore her from him.

END FLASHBACK

Rowan swallowed hard and fought to keep her eyes open. Her head twitched involuntarily as the pain arched through her head again. She

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

Blended post for Damon and Merz:
LOCATION - CARGO BAY or CATWALKS

Quote:

---

He pauses his work to give her a sincere smile, if not a little nervous. He can't help but feel like he's setting himself up to be shot, but then, she probably feels the same way. So will I, if you have questions I mean. Just let me know if I cross a line and I'll do the same. Deal?

---

Merz nods. “Acceptable.”

Damon takes a moment to formulate his first question, the most obvious in his mind. "Why do you call me bhaai?"

"I ... am not sure. I have been thinking about that. Does it offend you?”

He shakes his head. "No, it's just... surprising I guess."

"I have left my team; my family. I have never been … alone before. It is new, and I think perhaps I do not care for it."

"And I remind you of your brother?"

Merz almost smiled at that. . “You are nothing like Corvair. I think that is a point in your favor."

"What was he like?"

Merz sighs. Almost she does not speak. But what can it hurt now. They can do no more damage to her than she has already earned. “He is large. He is the largest of us as I am the smallest. My size has been an issue with him, I am despised for being … substandard. He is smarter than I am, and stronger. I am faster. He cannot trail me efficiently. This disturbs him that I should excel at anything. He is my leader." … he is coming …
" You are more like Ben-Wa. I ... miss him."

"Who is he?"

Her face is vacant. He is also family, he is Or'Sha's scout, as I am Corvair's. If we could be said to have friends, Ben'Wa is my friend. She looks at Damon curiously. “Query? How many persons are in a family?”

"How many? Depends I guess. Some families live together as parents and children, other families also live with grandparents and uncles... I'd say three minimal: mother, father, child."

"What is it like, knowing a mother, a father? Do you have … parents?”

Tzao gao, there it is: the inescapable result of indulging in conversation. He lets out a humorless chuckle and sighs, letting the seconds pass as he carefully forms a response. "Yeah, I have parents, technically at least, but I wouldn't base your opinion of anything on the general scale off of my answer cuz..." He swallows, obviously having a hard time getting the words out. His face reddens, though no clear emotion can be read. "Well, my parents weren't normal, they... drank. He got drunk and violent and she drank some more and let it happen..." He pauses before continuing, speaking a little softer. "I was just caught in the middle... an accident. I don't think she ever intended to get pregnant but..."

That is a lot for Merz to digest. Quite a lot is just words … drunk … accident … pregnant. She places the entire speech in the databank for later consideration. Damon is clearly tense and upset. What would a sister do? One hand starts to extend and then halts before any true movement can be detected. No, that is not right.

She cannot comfort him as she did River. She begins to understand that different situations require different reactions. But what is correct here?

Damon takes a slow breath, keeping himself focused on his work. But that doesn't work too well when Merz stops braiding. He waits a second and then raises his gaze to meet hers.

“Damon, I am sorry … That was intruding.”

He shakes his head and picks up the cords again, already starting to calm down. "Told you I'd let you know if you crossed a

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