GR RP "Adventures in Gunrunning" ACT 24
POSTED BY: CapnRahn
UPDATED: Thursday, December 23, 2004 18:03
VIEWED: 21598
PAGE 3 of 10
Book's Move
Location: Book's Room
Trying to focus his eyes on Mal, who's holding out a flask, Book feels his stomach rumbling and decides it would probably have been a better idea to wait for the cabinet hooch, which he's dealt with before, rather than what he's decided is most likely the devil's own brand of mouthwash. "River seems to be gaining more control of herself every day... certain people seem to bring out things in her, help her to hold on to reality." Book gives Mal a look, and Mal responds by pouring Book another small shot, and quickly pouring and downing another large belt.
"Simon's motives are inexplicable to me. I used to think he was going off to find a scientist... a woman with special knowledge to help River, but now... he's changed. I don't know what to expect from him." Books waits and thinks for a moment as Mal pours himself yet another drink. "I do know that if and when he meets us at the rendezvous point, we will need to be very wary."
Trying to ignore his drink, Book continues to speak. "As for the passengers and the crew acting odd, I think this upcoming holiday on New Hokkaido is exactly what's needed."
EM
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Rowan's Move
LOCATION - Galley
Jayne stares blankly back at Rowan, neither acknowledging nor denying her request, and moves to the refrigerator. With a quick move, he takes out a can with Blue Sun clearly emblazoned on the brushed silver and cracks it open one-handed while closing the refrigerator door with the other. He moves out to the dining area again and lifts one hip up on the table. Taking a swig of the Blue Sun brew, he winces after swallowing, all the while keeping his eyes on her.
Suddenly feeling like a bug under a microscope, Rowan scowls at him. Apparently he means it. Whatever interaction they may have had is done, but she knows fully well he's not going to let her out of his sight for long. It's looking more and more like he's the one who tossed her quarters earlier, although the list of suspects was slim to begin with. He seems to be harboring some pretty odd notions about her reasons for being on board, and it looks like he'll continue to, since he obviously didn't believe a word she just said.
INARA: "Rowan, baobei, is there anything I can assist with?"
Hearing the tea cup being set delicately back into its matching saucer, Rowan turns to the companion.
ROWAN: "If you don't mind getting your hands a little dirty, we'll need help putting the bao together once the glazing's done.
Returning her attention to Merz, Rowan sees the heat rising from the wok and gets her mind focused back on the bao.
ROWAN: "Okay, here goes."
Taking Merz's hands again, she finds them a bit more tense than before and feels a tiny flash of alarm. Glancing around the galley curiously, the only thing that seems to be out there is Jayne who wouldn't pose even a moment's threat. Wondering about it, Rowan moves on ahead and together she and Merz pour the sauce over the protein on one side while stirring and turning the protein on the other. The aroma is overwhelming, harkening Rowan back to the kitchen at her parents' house and the time Ru led the great pineapple cake raid when they were little. That was the last time the three of them went on one of Ru's "missions" together, and Rowan can't remember when those cakes had ever tasted sweeter.
Sniffing the air, Rowan realizes the protein is as done as it's going to get. Releasing Merz's hands, she takes the wok of the stove herself and turns down the flame. Stepping away from the smaller woman, she brings the pan over to the counter where the "bun" squares have cooled.
ROWAN: "All right ladies. Inara, if you'll fill these, then Merz, you watch her and copy what she does - same pressure level used for blending. I'll see if there's something here that will work as a steamer."
Turning around again, she finds a double boiler hanging overhead and reaches up to take the pans down. Looking across the room, she catches Jayne's stare again just as he finishes another long drink from the can. How in the 'verse can he drink that swill and still be worried about being poisoned by her?
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
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KAYLEEs move
LOCATION – OUTSIDE MERZ DORM
KAYLEE stands there for a while, making sure her little device is going to work, watching ZOË contemplate the closed door. She is not even sure how long she just waited there with her mind almost disconnected. But having things that need to be done, once she is aware again and sure she is no longer needed Kaylee heads back off down to the Cargo Bay, to retrieve the cask and the box and move them off to the dining area for tonight’s shindig.
Walking back up the catwalk, balancing everything carefully, she can smell more cooking coming from the Galley area and it is just – marvelous. She vows to snatch a couple mouthfuls of whatever that is, and take it back down to the cargo area later when it is ready – she still has work to do tonight and really don’t want to party. But that smells too good to give up.
When she reaches the galley there is quite a bustle of activity. Rowan and Merz are in the kitchen, doin’ whatever smells sa good, with River watching from one side. Jayne is perched on the edge of the table with a beer, also watchin’ the proceedings. Inara is just settin’ her cup back in its saucer, and it looks like she’s gonna help too.
Well that’s just about as many people as that little kitchen can hold unless they’s really, REALLY good friends, so there’s no need for her to put her two cents in. Let them cook this time, and she will probably do a share tomorrow when the other folk’s are busy.
Sneaking in behind Jayne she sets her burden down on the table. The spigot is somewhere in the kitchen, reckon either she or Book can find and pound it in later. For right now, she just leaves it there in plain sight. Taking a pencil out of her pocket she marks on the box – Everybody gets ½ of one. Please set one aside for me and Simon for later. K
Done, she turns to go back to the Cargo bay and the rest of her chores.
END LOCATION - GALLEY
EOM
Sometimes chocolate is the only comfort ...
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Malachi's Move
Location: Slight's ship
Malachi squints his eyes tighter, taking in every measure of this man/monster. "First things first. Who are you?" He says gruffly, his words echoing with a tinny sound off the metallic inner plating, like nails being shaken in a metal drum.
Malachi reaches into a breast pocket, his intentions obvious, and pulls out a slim off-white card with a magnetic stripe on one side and some indented symbols on the other. He holds it up and looks Slight in the eyes, or what he thinks are eyes. "...and why did you have this?"
EM
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MERZ move
LOCATION – GALLEY
ROWAN releases her hands and steps back, ready to go on to the next step. MERZ breathes deeply once, and settles her muscles back into a more normal state, and stands ready for the next step. She moves aside, out of everyone's way and faces the Dining room once again, her back to the counter.
With one eye on ROWAN so she does not miss a step and one on INARA to see when she is ready, Merz holds for proper instructions; the rest of her attention divided among the other three persons inhabiting the room. Normal procedure – to be aware of potential enemies at all times.
She almost stops the danger scan. But does not, she is not ready to concede that there is NO danger here.
EOM
If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress
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Rowan's Move
LOCATION - Galley
Then suddenly it's the hair on the back of her neck that draws her attention back. Glancing around behind, she sees only Merz standing there, but with a very uniquely studious expression. Almost like a hunter, watching several different things at once. Rowan can remember seeing Li doing that and wondered what went through a body guard's mind.
Hearing footsteps from the direction of the entry way, she turns back in time to see Kaylee come in carrying a box that looks like one of the ones from the cargo bay. With the same look of perpetual cheerfulness, the girl takes in all the activity in the room and rightly surmises that something must be up with Jayne. Or at least the way she creeps up behind him to drop off her package certainly indicates that. Otherwise she would have given him a cheerful greeting and engaged in the usual playful banter. Her just being in the room makes the place feel lighter somehow.
As Kaylee turns to leave, Rowan's gaze turns back up toward the hallway leading to the bridge. No sign of the captain yet, or Zoe, or Damon either for that matter. Damon's time out would likely last the night, but there's a good chance he could have hurt himself during the tussle with Merz. Rowan makes a note to have a word with whoever she has to in order to get in and check his stitches.
Generally, life on board a cargo ship doesn't get quite this... hectic.
As the steamer warms up, Rowan reflects back on that song and absent-mindly begins to hum.
Like a circle in a spiral
Like a wheel within a wheel
Never ending or beginning,
On an ever spinning wheel
As the images unwind
Like the circle that you find
In the windmills of your mind
Pictures hanging in a hallway
And the fragment of this song
Half remembered names and faces
But to whom do they belong
When you knew that it was over
Were you suddenly aware
That the autumn leaves were turning
To the color of her hair
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
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MERZ move (supplemental)
Attention on other things, and blissfully unaware, Merz hums along.
EOM
If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress
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Damon's turn:
LOCATION - SPARE DORM
Brief recap:
Leaning against the bed, arms folded on his raised knees, he tries to swallow the lump in his throat.
“Ai, I wish you were here, Xiang… I need you…
I need help…”
He hangs his head, letting his thoughts wander…
Quote:
Damon’s body hits the floor as soon as the guards release it. He winces slightly as the impact sends a jolt of pain through his wounds and broken bones but otherwise doesn’t move. He hears the guards say something but doesn’t bother give meaning to their words. He doesn’t care. Lying there motionless, his breaths come slow, shallow, reluctant. Fresh blood trickles down onto his lower back from the handcuffs cutting into his wrists but he doesn’t feel any of it any more, numb to everything but the unending pain, the agony of existing. He breathes only because he doesn’t know how not to.
He hears a familiar voice approach and respond to the guards, and opens his good eye to stare blankly at the floor before him. The guards close the door, leaving the two fo them alone, and Damon listens to the silence pass for a few years before he musters up his failing energy and will to speak.
“I can’t do this anymore…”
I'm not broken, in my dream I win...
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LOCATION - BOOKs DORM
8:47 PM / 2047hrs
As ...
Book has a tight lipped near grimace on his face. Mal, now feeling a tad warm doesn't even try to guess what the shepherd had on his mind.
BOOK
"River seems to be gaining more control of herself every day... certain people seem to bring out things in her, help her to hold on to reality."
Books look is one of questioning, however Mal has no answers - only deeper questions. Mal inadvertently shakes his head once and refills Book's glass. He remains silent, keeping his eyes on the tumbler he hands back to Book.
BOOK
"Simon's motives are inexplicable to me. I used to think he was going off to find a scientist... a woman with special knowledge to help River, but now... he's changed. I don't know what to expect from him."
Mal dumps the last of his flasks contents into his glass. Book's mention of Simon's motives nearly dried up all the liquid happiness he had already imbibed.
... ha! Dunno what ta expect from a body carrying a purple-belly comm ... but here I am ...
Tossing the last draught of nova-fire down he studies Book through a squint. After it is apparent that Mal isn't going to pick up the thread, Book continues.
BOOK
"I do know that if and when he meets us at the rendezvous point, we will need to be very wary."
MAL
...patting his holster and a mite bleary...
"You know me Shepherd, I am a very cautious man - when't's re'qui'r'd. One step at a time..."
Book nods, as Mal's comment seems to slip him by for the moment.
BOOK
... while NOT looking at the tumbler he rotates in the palm of his left hand...
"As for the passengers and the crew acting odd, I think this upcoming holiday on New Hokkaido is exactly what's needed."
MAL
... smacking the small table hard enough to make it jump a few centimeters up from the floor, the sports bottle twirls merrily until it seems that it will tip over, but with a tiny 'thunk' it settles back on its bottom...
"Gorram key-rect Shepherd! We'z gots to get this bleedin' box of shooters to the next victim in this gunrunnin' version of a bucket brigade. The sooner the better."
Mal stands - too rapidly for his semi-inebriated state. He wobbles on one boot-heel for a second then steadies himself with one hand up on a bulkhead brace. He takes three attempts to slip the now empty flask into his rear pocket.
"Gotta let loose some pressure or another fracas like ole Demon ... uh mean ... Damon ... did ... an sumbody, most likely the boy, is gonna have ta be shoved inta a bodybag."
...Mal suddenly looks very haggard and drawn...and in a near whisper...
"An' 'm tir'd of alwaz havin' ta do up the zip"
EOM®
"Remember, there is only ONE absolute - There ARE NO absolutes!!!"
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JAYNE's move - GALLEY
With a mule-like streak of stubbornness, Jayne keeps his eyes peeled on Rowan as she shows Merz how to make bao. He's finally located the coffee and has a pot of water set to boil, but now he decides he needs to look more nonchalant. He's entirely too... chalant. What did that mean anyhow? Didn't Rowan use some of those in the bao?
Jayne snatches a can from the cupboard, just holding it to make him look more at ease. When Kaylee comes in, he wants to turn and greet her. It's been a while since he'd joked around with her, and now with Simon gone, she looked like she could use cheering up for a change. But... he can't. He has a job to do. Secure the ship. And if that meant sleeping outside of Rowan's room, well...
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