Wings of Wax, Part III
Jul. 3rd, 2006 10:42 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
browncoatrebel.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
firefly_fanfic
Title: Wings of Wax, Part II (working title)
Author: Sara (![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
browncoatrebel)
Fandom: Firefly
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Serenity is molting with interesting cargo onboard.
Part I: http://browncoatrebel.livejournal.com/5867.html#cutid1
Part II: http://browncoatrebel.livejournal.com/5867.html#cutid1
(Much love to any HTML-savvy person who wants to tell me the code I use to put my own text in those links. Can't find it in the FAQ.)
Inara was pacing the catwalk above the cargo bay. Not for the first time, her shuttle felt claustrophobic and airless. She needed space, and the cargo bay was Serenity’s largest open area.
She felt as though Sihnon was pulling her in, a moth to the light. She wanted so badly to go back, to see the places she’d loved, to drink tea and reminisce with old friends. She knew better, though. She’d been taught to sing the siren’s song, so she knew better than to fall for it. She reckoned Sihnon must be visible by now, its image growing larger every minute. She stayed away from the windows.
“You ain’t been back, have you?”
nara looked down. Kaylee was in the cargo bay below her, digging through a crate of salvaged engine parts.
“No, I haven’t.”
Kaylee bounded up the stairs, cradling the pieces of machinery in her arms like most women would hold a baby. “Why not? Don’tcha ever miss it?”
“Sometimes.” Inara inspected Kaylee’s engine parts; they were old and well-used. “Has something broken down again?”
“Oh, nothin’ much. Rotor’s just getting’ awful worn, and some of the gears are getting’ ground down.”
“Are we going to explode?” Inara smiled.
“Oh, nah, nothin’ like that.” Kaylee grinned. “She just needs a little love to keep her goin’.” She looked at Inara. “You wanna come help me?” I could use a hand keepin’ up with all the screws and bolts and all.”
Inara recognized the diversion for what it was, and she loved Kaylee all the more for it. “Yes. I’d like that.”
Kaylee called out the names of tools, and Inara handed them to her. Occasionally Inara had to ask for a description of a tool, but she was familiar with most of them.
“Whatcha gonna do when we get there?”
“I’m not sure.” Inara answered honestly; she wouldn’t lie to Kaylee, not about this. “Hide, probably.”
“Won’t be long,” Kaylee said. “Should be enterin’ atmo in about 15 minutes.”
Inara nodded, but Kaylee was under the engine and didn’t see.
***
Simon stood between his sister and the organs. River was asleep on one of the beds, and the improvised cryo/life-support unit occupied the other.
He watched the lungs inflate and deflate, rhythmically, until he realized his breathing matched the machine’s. He watched the heart pumping saline solution through plastic tubing. It didn’t know there were no veins and no blood. The heart knows nothing.
He watched River sleeping. She was dreaming, he knew. Her eyes darted back and forth under almost-translucent eyelids, and her lips moved like she was trying to speak but had forgotten how.
The ship jerked violently, throwing River out of bed and tossing Simon across the infirmary. River was too drugged to scream, but she murmured the same words over and over.
“Icarus, molting.”
“Tama de!” Mal grabbed a comm. unit microphone. “Wash, Kaylee, what in the name of gou cao de Laotian ye just happened?”
“It’s all shiny, Cap’n.”
“Hate to alarm anybody, but I think we’re ‘bout to die again.”
The whole ship was shuddering. Mal ran to the bridge. “What’s happenin’ to my boat?”
“No idea, Captain, but blowin’ up might happen in the near future.”
“Don’t crash her.” He hurried to the engine room, hollering all the way. “Kaylee! Kaylee, why’s my ship gonna blow?”
“Dunno, Cap’n, but I think I saw a chunk of wing go flyin’ a minute ago.” Kaylee was holding an engine part, looking bewildered.
Mal looked out the starboard window. Debris was floating in the engine’s trail. Lots of debris. “Kao.”
A large piece of wing tore loose and banged against the window before flying off into the black. The ship jerked again, then rolled several times. Mal smashed his head on the wall and passed out. Kaylee threw up. Book prayed, Simon swore and tried to keep the organs safe, Wash hit his head, Jayne grabbed the closest guns, and Inara tried to steady herself. Zoe and River both hurried to the bridge, followed by everyone else who was still conscious.
River sat down in the pilot’s seat, closed her eyes, and grasped the controls. “I’m a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar.”
Book stood behind River. His head was bowed, but he knew how to be reverent and watchful at the same time. “Pater noster, qui est in caelis….”
***
Tama de: "Fuck me blind"
gou cao de Laotian ye: "dog-humping Jesus"
kao: "fuck"
Author: Sara (
browncoatrebel)Fandom: Firefly
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Serenity is molting with interesting cargo onboard.
Part I: http://browncoatrebel.livejournal.com/5867.html#cutid1
Part II: http://browncoatrebel.livejournal.com/5867.html#cutid1
(Much love to any HTML-savvy person who wants to tell me the code I use to put my own text in those links. Can't find it in the FAQ.)
Inara was pacing the catwalk above the cargo bay. Not for the first time, her shuttle felt claustrophobic and airless. She needed space, and the cargo bay was Serenity’s largest open area.
She felt as though Sihnon was pulling her in, a moth to the light. She wanted so badly to go back, to see the places she’d loved, to drink tea and reminisce with old friends. She knew better, though. She’d been taught to sing the siren’s song, so she knew better than to fall for it. She reckoned Sihnon must be visible by now, its image growing larger every minute. She stayed away from the windows.
“You ain’t been back, have you?”
nara looked down. Kaylee was in the cargo bay below her, digging through a crate of salvaged engine parts.
“No, I haven’t.”
Kaylee bounded up the stairs, cradling the pieces of machinery in her arms like most women would hold a baby. “Why not? Don’tcha ever miss it?”
“Sometimes.” Inara inspected Kaylee’s engine parts; they were old and well-used. “Has something broken down again?”
“Oh, nothin’ much. Rotor’s just getting’ awful worn, and some of the gears are getting’ ground down.”
“Are we going to explode?” Inara smiled.
“Oh, nah, nothin’ like that.” Kaylee grinned. “She just needs a little love to keep her goin’.” She looked at Inara. “You wanna come help me?” I could use a hand keepin’ up with all the screws and bolts and all.”
Inara recognized the diversion for what it was, and she loved Kaylee all the more for it. “Yes. I’d like that.”
Kaylee called out the names of tools, and Inara handed them to her. Occasionally Inara had to ask for a description of a tool, but she was familiar with most of them.
“Whatcha gonna do when we get there?”
“I’m not sure.” Inara answered honestly; she wouldn’t lie to Kaylee, not about this. “Hide, probably.”
“Won’t be long,” Kaylee said. “Should be enterin’ atmo in about 15 minutes.”
Inara nodded, but Kaylee was under the engine and didn’t see.
***
Simon stood between his sister and the organs. River was asleep on one of the beds, and the improvised cryo/life-support unit occupied the other.
He watched the lungs inflate and deflate, rhythmically, until he realized his breathing matched the machine’s. He watched the heart pumping saline solution through plastic tubing. It didn’t know there were no veins and no blood. The heart knows nothing.
He watched River sleeping. She was dreaming, he knew. Her eyes darted back and forth under almost-translucent eyelids, and her lips moved like she was trying to speak but had forgotten how.
The ship jerked violently, throwing River out of bed and tossing Simon across the infirmary. River was too drugged to scream, but she murmured the same words over and over.
“Icarus, molting.”
“Tama de!” Mal grabbed a comm. unit microphone. “Wash, Kaylee, what in the name of gou cao de Laotian ye just happened?”
“It’s all shiny, Cap’n.”
“Hate to alarm anybody, but I think we’re ‘bout to die again.”
The whole ship was shuddering. Mal ran to the bridge. “What’s happenin’ to my boat?”
“No idea, Captain, but blowin’ up might happen in the near future.”
“Don’t crash her.” He hurried to the engine room, hollering all the way. “Kaylee! Kaylee, why’s my ship gonna blow?”
“Dunno, Cap’n, but I think I saw a chunk of wing go flyin’ a minute ago.” Kaylee was holding an engine part, looking bewildered.
Mal looked out the starboard window. Debris was floating in the engine’s trail. Lots of debris. “Kao.”
A large piece of wing tore loose and banged against the window before flying off into the black. The ship jerked again, then rolled several times. Mal smashed his head on the wall and passed out. Kaylee threw up. Book prayed, Simon swore and tried to keep the organs safe, Wash hit his head, Jayne grabbed the closest guns, and Inara tried to steady herself. Zoe and River both hurried to the bridge, followed by everyone else who was still conscious.
River sat down in the pilot’s seat, closed her eyes, and grasped the controls. “I’m a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar.”
Book stood behind River. His head was bowed, but he knew how to be reverent and watchful at the same time. “Pater noster, qui est in caelis….”
***
Tama de: "Fuck me blind"
gou cao de Laotian ye: "dog-humping Jesus"
kao: "fuck"
(no subject)
Date: 2006-07-03 03:59 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-07-03 04:32 pm (UTC)Sara
(no subject)
Date: 2006-07-03 04:13 pm (UTC)BTW, the link for Chapter 2 actually links back to Chapter 1. Thought you'd like to know. *g*
(no subject)
Date: 2006-07-03 04:33 pm (UTC)Sara
(no subject)
Date: 2006-07-03 05:09 pm (UTC)