What Gives
Aug. 30th, 2006 01:34 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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firefly_fanficIt's a new chapter of 'Here In Spirit'! I've been lazy/low on time, but it'll be going fairly regularly now. If you're new to this or have forgotten, I've linked to the other chapters.
Title: Here In Spirt(Part 8)
Author: GateHobbit
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Everyone
Pairing: Canon
Summary: Mal's plans have the usual, but unexpected, results.
Warnings: MAJOR BDM spoilers.
Disclaimer: Like action figures. Not the real thing, but fun to play with.
Cross-posted to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
washfic and zoe_wash
Earlier Chapters: Dead of Night, Two Butterflies, Joyful Noise, Dinosuar Soup, Being Honest, Seeking Comfort, and New Recruits
Erikk sat in a spare passenger dorm, fidgeting nervously. The captain had sent a man in a business-like black vest that looked entirely out of place on the banged-up cargo ship to fetch the crew to a meeting. He had sent Erikk to the dorms. That had been two hours ago, and he wasn’t feeling at all comfortable with that situation. Especially since he knew that slight but eerie girl in combat boots who had confronted them earlier was in that meeting- with the gun-toting ye shou he had seen her whispering with on his way to his room. Neither of them looked very approving of his presence.
----------
Mal had sent Simon to gather the crew in the galley. They had probably been and gone though- he had run into Zoe on the way and figured he owed it to her to talk to her first.
She was coming from the engine room, a few strands of hair falling into her eyes. Her fingers were stained with grease, some of which had made it onto her already-dark face.
“Startin’ to look like Kaylee.” Mal attempted a joke, but Zoe had figured who Mal’s contact was, seen the boy, and put two and two together. She was glaring fit to freeze fire.
“What in the gui is this, Sir?” Zoe demanded, emphasizing ‘Sir’ as if it were a curse.
“Now, Zoe, hear me out,” Mal pleaded. She merely narrowed her eyes. “River can’t fly the ship forever. She’s better than she was, but she still ain’t stable. Need to be able to rely on our pilot.”
“That’s the one thing you don’t seem to be able to do.”
“Zoe, people don’t come back from that. Doc…”
“Doc doesn’t wanna believe this is happenin’ to his mei-mei all over again,” Zoe said tersely. “He wants to think that Miranda’s done with and everything’s fixed. You were there, sir; you believed that girl could hear voices when you saw fit to fly this ship and everyone in it through Reaver space.”
Mal stood in the corridor, stunned. She was right. She was always right. His boots suddenly became very interesting. They stood for a few moments in silence. He finally got up the nerve to look his first mate in the eye.
“Well… he’s gotta stay ‘til we can drop him someplace.”
“I’d say Dresden’s a fair bet,” Zoe remarked, “Only two hours out.”
“Well, I’d love to return the kid, but I lost my receipt.”
Zoe shot him a look of disdain.
“And we’ve got a deadline to make- Fujimoto wants us on Cerberus yesterday. ‘Sides, he’ll get in some real experience ‘fore he goes lookin’ for a new job.”
----------
“Chu fei wo si le!” Jayne exclaimed as River explained her plan.
“Scare the boy. You can be very intimidating, Jayne Cobb.” River was shamelessly playing up to Jayne’s ego, trying to get him to go along with her devious little plan.
“Yeah, I am that,” Jayne conceded. “…But ain’t a lot of folks ever seen as that’s a good thing a’fore now.” He looked at River suspiciously.
In response, River made her best puppy eyes at Jayne. She held on to his arm and looked up at him with huge, brown eyes that looked as if they would melt if he said no.
Gorramit! Jayne thought. Figures the little moonbrain would know my one weakness. Can’t stand for womenfolk to be lookin’ at me like that. Like little pups ain’t seen enough of the world to know it’s rotten. Now whores, whores won’t look at ya all innocent-like, make ya want to do somethin’ to make it up to ‘em. Jayne sighed heavily as River laid her cheek against his arm, still looking up at him.
“You done twisted my… you hit me over the head with a can’a peaches! Why should I be helpin’ you?”
“You want a little yin xing boy who doesn’t even have his voice yet to get the bunk across from yours?” River asked matter-of-factly.
“Jian ta de gui!” Jayne growled. “Just like Mal ta bring a kid aboard ain’t barely weaned off his mama’s… Ow!” Jayne rubbed his arm where River had fiercely pinched it. “Now you just watch yerself, if’n you want my help, Crazy!”
“Watch your mouth and I’ll watch my nails,” she replied nonchalantly, flashing him a grin. “The auto-pilot needs looking after,” she suddenly announced. She whirled around, her brown skirt whirling around her knees, and skipped from the room.
“Liao bu qi!” Wash exclaimed in admiration. “Jayne barely even listens to Mal, but you just flash him those puppy eyes and he does whatever you want. How’d you do it?”
“Kaylee calls it flirting,” River replied, “And it doesn’t work on Zoe because Inara says women are immune to it. And men are no good at it.”
“So… you were flirting with Jayne?!”
----------
Erikk relaxed a little behind the controls of the Firefly as he set a course for Cerberus. But only a little. The girl, River the captain had said, was staring at him from the co-pilot’s seat where she sat with her knees drawn up to her chest. He tried to focus on the console, not looking at the deep, brown eyes that were fixed on him from under a screen of black hair. He nervously familiarized himself with the switches and buttons.
“A Reaver’s pike pinned his torso to that very seat,” she informed him, “Inara did a nice job of sewing a patch over the blood stains.” Her nonchalance was more unsettling than raw anger would have been. Even raw anger like the kind he saw in Jayne’s eyes as he stomped through the ship behind Erikk like River’s bodyguard, caressing a rather unfriendly-looking object he called Vera. He could block out the image of the big man in his mind when his back was to him, as it was now as Jayne leaned against the door frame. The girl, however, seemed to be in his head. He couldn’t see her or even hear her breathing, but he could sense her presence as she watched him. Only two days to Cerberus- he was counting the seconds.
----------
Inara frowned and set down her xun as she heard the sound of stomping boots on the catwalk. They were the manly, impulsive kind of sounds that usually resulted in the captain barging into her shuttle, and she had been glad not to hear them since Miranda. Sure enough, Mal soon stormed in, looking upset.
“What gives?!” he exclaimed, a hand on his holster in a defensive stance.
“I had hoped we wouldn’t be meeting like this anymore,” she replied, though it wasn’t an answer to his question. She honestly didn’t know how to answer, anyway.
“We’ll see about an apology when you own up to that wu yong advice you gave me.”
“Whatever advice you’re referring to,” Inara retorted defensively, “I’m sure it was your interpretation of it that was worthless.”
“Well, it don’t rightly matter now because Zoe’s pissed and I’m a worthless crew member heavy!”
Inara raised a sculpted eyebrow. “A crew member? Mal, what did you do?”
“I followed your le se advice an’ tried to get her to move on!”
“What did you do, Mal?”
“Hired us a new pilot.” He looked like he was trying to decide between feeling sheepish or defensive. In light of his distress, Inara tried to be gentle with him.
“I suppose that could be one way of helping her to move on,” she cautiously conceded.
“But?”
“But that throws into stark relief what she’s lost, Mal. To Zoe it may seem like you’re trying to finalize something that she’s not ready to accept yet; to replace someone who, for her, can’t be replaced.”
“I was just tryin’ to get things back to normal ‘round here,” he explained.
“Mal,” Inara playfully reproached, “Has anything about this ship ever been normal?” He opened his mouth to protest and she folded her arms, looking at him pointedly. “There was the girl in a box, dinosaurs, our happy-go-lucky mechanic making love to our fussy Core doctor…”
“What… Gives?! Mal exclaimed again in abject shock, and maybe horror.
It was Inara’s turn to look sheepish. “You, ah, didn’t know about that?”
“Like hell I did! My entire gorram crew is goin’ ruttin’ nuts!”
“Even the new one?”
“Well, if he weren’t before… I figured s’best not to tell him ‘bout River right off; kid’s got no warnin’ at all. Should maybe go check on things.” With that excuse, he pivoted and headed for the door. “And Nara? Thanks. And, um, sorry.”
----------
Mal sidestepped Jayne to get into the cockpit. “Why’s Vera out and loaded?” he asked forcefully.
“Never know who could be trouble,” Jayne replied, “So far you picked up fugees, purple-bellies, Reaver-bait…”
“Maybe so, but I’m more worried ‘bout you and that gun right now.”
“Protectin’ the crew. S’what you pay me for, ain’t it?” Jayne asked belligerently.
Mal looked at Jayne warily. “Anyhow, supper’s ready.”
Chinese:
Ye shou- beast
Gui- hell
Mei mei- little sister
Chu fei wo si le- Over my dead body
Yin xing- feminine
Jian ta de gui- go to hell
Liao bu qi- wow, amazing
Xun- A small, Chinese ocarina-like instrument (Click to hear a sample)
Wu yong- worthless
Title: Here In Spirt(Part 8)
Author: GateHobbit
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Everyone
Pairing: Canon
Summary: Mal's plans have the usual, but unexpected, results.
Warnings: MAJOR BDM spoilers.
Disclaimer: Like action figures. Not the real thing, but fun to play with.
Cross-posted to
washfic and zoe_washEarlier Chapters: Dead of Night, Two Butterflies, Joyful Noise, Dinosuar Soup, Being Honest, Seeking Comfort, and New Recruits
Erikk sat in a spare passenger dorm, fidgeting nervously. The captain had sent a man in a business-like black vest that looked entirely out of place on the banged-up cargo ship to fetch the crew to a meeting. He had sent Erikk to the dorms. That had been two hours ago, and he wasn’t feeling at all comfortable with that situation. Especially since he knew that slight but eerie girl in combat boots who had confronted them earlier was in that meeting- with the gun-toting ye shou he had seen her whispering with on his way to his room. Neither of them looked very approving of his presence.
----------
Mal had sent Simon to gather the crew in the galley. They had probably been and gone though- he had run into Zoe on the way and figured he owed it to her to talk to her first.
She was coming from the engine room, a few strands of hair falling into her eyes. Her fingers were stained with grease, some of which had made it onto her already-dark face.
“Startin’ to look like Kaylee.” Mal attempted a joke, but Zoe had figured who Mal’s contact was, seen the boy, and put two and two together. She was glaring fit to freeze fire.
“What in the gui is this, Sir?” Zoe demanded, emphasizing ‘Sir’ as if it were a curse.
“Now, Zoe, hear me out,” Mal pleaded. She merely narrowed her eyes. “River can’t fly the ship forever. She’s better than she was, but she still ain’t stable. Need to be able to rely on our pilot.”
“That’s the one thing you don’t seem to be able to do.”
“Zoe, people don’t come back from that. Doc…”
“Doc doesn’t wanna believe this is happenin’ to his mei-mei all over again,” Zoe said tersely. “He wants to think that Miranda’s done with and everything’s fixed. You were there, sir; you believed that girl could hear voices when you saw fit to fly this ship and everyone in it through Reaver space.”
Mal stood in the corridor, stunned. She was right. She was always right. His boots suddenly became very interesting. They stood for a few moments in silence. He finally got up the nerve to look his first mate in the eye.
“Well… he’s gotta stay ‘til we can drop him someplace.”
“I’d say Dresden’s a fair bet,” Zoe remarked, “Only two hours out.”
“Well, I’d love to return the kid, but I lost my receipt.”
Zoe shot him a look of disdain.
“And we’ve got a deadline to make- Fujimoto wants us on Cerberus yesterday. ‘Sides, he’ll get in some real experience ‘fore he goes lookin’ for a new job.”
----------
“Chu fei wo si le!” Jayne exclaimed as River explained her plan.
“Scare the boy. You can be very intimidating, Jayne Cobb.” River was shamelessly playing up to Jayne’s ego, trying to get him to go along with her devious little plan.
“Yeah, I am that,” Jayne conceded. “…But ain’t a lot of folks ever seen as that’s a good thing a’fore now.” He looked at River suspiciously.
In response, River made her best puppy eyes at Jayne. She held on to his arm and looked up at him with huge, brown eyes that looked as if they would melt if he said no.
Gorramit! Jayne thought. Figures the little moonbrain would know my one weakness. Can’t stand for womenfolk to be lookin’ at me like that. Like little pups ain’t seen enough of the world to know it’s rotten. Now whores, whores won’t look at ya all innocent-like, make ya want to do somethin’ to make it up to ‘em. Jayne sighed heavily as River laid her cheek against his arm, still looking up at him.
“You done twisted my… you hit me over the head with a can’a peaches! Why should I be helpin’ you?”
“You want a little yin xing boy who doesn’t even have his voice yet to get the bunk across from yours?” River asked matter-of-factly.
“Jian ta de gui!” Jayne growled. “Just like Mal ta bring a kid aboard ain’t barely weaned off his mama’s… Ow!” Jayne rubbed his arm where River had fiercely pinched it. “Now you just watch yerself, if’n you want my help, Crazy!”
“Watch your mouth and I’ll watch my nails,” she replied nonchalantly, flashing him a grin. “The auto-pilot needs looking after,” she suddenly announced. She whirled around, her brown skirt whirling around her knees, and skipped from the room.
“Liao bu qi!” Wash exclaimed in admiration. “Jayne barely even listens to Mal, but you just flash him those puppy eyes and he does whatever you want. How’d you do it?”
“Kaylee calls it flirting,” River replied, “And it doesn’t work on Zoe because Inara says women are immune to it. And men are no good at it.”
“So… you were flirting with Jayne?!”
----------
Erikk relaxed a little behind the controls of the Firefly as he set a course for Cerberus. But only a little. The girl, River the captain had said, was staring at him from the co-pilot’s seat where she sat with her knees drawn up to her chest. He tried to focus on the console, not looking at the deep, brown eyes that were fixed on him from under a screen of black hair. He nervously familiarized himself with the switches and buttons.
“A Reaver’s pike pinned his torso to that very seat,” she informed him, “Inara did a nice job of sewing a patch over the blood stains.” Her nonchalance was more unsettling than raw anger would have been. Even raw anger like the kind he saw in Jayne’s eyes as he stomped through the ship behind Erikk like River’s bodyguard, caressing a rather unfriendly-looking object he called Vera. He could block out the image of the big man in his mind when his back was to him, as it was now as Jayne leaned against the door frame. The girl, however, seemed to be in his head. He couldn’t see her or even hear her breathing, but he could sense her presence as she watched him. Only two days to Cerberus- he was counting the seconds.
----------
Inara frowned and set down her xun as she heard the sound of stomping boots on the catwalk. They were the manly, impulsive kind of sounds that usually resulted in the captain barging into her shuttle, and she had been glad not to hear them since Miranda. Sure enough, Mal soon stormed in, looking upset.
“What gives?!” he exclaimed, a hand on his holster in a defensive stance.
“I had hoped we wouldn’t be meeting like this anymore,” she replied, though it wasn’t an answer to his question. She honestly didn’t know how to answer, anyway.
“We’ll see about an apology when you own up to that wu yong advice you gave me.”
“Whatever advice you’re referring to,” Inara retorted defensively, “I’m sure it was your interpretation of it that was worthless.”
“Well, it don’t rightly matter now because Zoe’s pissed and I’m a worthless crew member heavy!”
Inara raised a sculpted eyebrow. “A crew member? Mal, what did you do?”
“I followed your le se advice an’ tried to get her to move on!”
“What did you do, Mal?”
“Hired us a new pilot.” He looked like he was trying to decide between feeling sheepish or defensive. In light of his distress, Inara tried to be gentle with him.
“I suppose that could be one way of helping her to move on,” she cautiously conceded.
“But?”
“But that throws into stark relief what she’s lost, Mal. To Zoe it may seem like you’re trying to finalize something that she’s not ready to accept yet; to replace someone who, for her, can’t be replaced.”
“I was just tryin’ to get things back to normal ‘round here,” he explained.
“Mal,” Inara playfully reproached, “Has anything about this ship ever been normal?” He opened his mouth to protest and she folded her arms, looking at him pointedly. “There was the girl in a box, dinosaurs, our happy-go-lucky mechanic making love to our fussy Core doctor…”
“What… Gives?! Mal exclaimed again in abject shock, and maybe horror.
It was Inara’s turn to look sheepish. “You, ah, didn’t know about that?”
“Like hell I did! My entire gorram crew is goin’ ruttin’ nuts!”
“Even the new one?”
“Well, if he weren’t before… I figured s’best not to tell him ‘bout River right off; kid’s got no warnin’ at all. Should maybe go check on things.” With that excuse, he pivoted and headed for the door. “And Nara? Thanks. And, um, sorry.”
----------
Mal sidestepped Jayne to get into the cockpit. “Why’s Vera out and loaded?” he asked forcefully.
“Never know who could be trouble,” Jayne replied, “So far you picked up fugees, purple-bellies, Reaver-bait…”
“Maybe so, but I’m more worried ‘bout you and that gun right now.”
“Protectin’ the crew. S’what you pay me for, ain’t it?” Jayne asked belligerently.
Mal looked at Jayne warily. “Anyhow, supper’s ready.”
Chinese:
Ye shou- beast
Gui- hell
Mei mei- little sister
Chu fei wo si le- Over my dead body
Yin xing- feminine
Jian ta de gui- go to hell
Liao bu qi- wow, amazing
Xun- A small, Chinese ocarina-like instrument (Click to hear a sample)
Wu yong- worthless