GR RP "Adventures in GunRunning" ACT 19

POSTED BY: CapnRahn
UPDATED: Thursday, August 19, 2004 18:38
VIEWED: 25691
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CAPNRAHN

Tuesday, July 27, 2004 2:10 AM

PREVIOUSLY ON FIREFLY:
ACT 18: http://fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=17&t=5931

CREDITS & BIOS:
http://fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=17&t=3498

RPing TOOLS:
Tools and tricks for the hip RPer.
http://fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=17&t=4266

GREEN ROOM:
Storyline work and a place for the acKtors to hang out.
OOC 19 http://fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=17&t=6448

ARCHIVE:
Includes episode synopses and links to all the threads for prior acts
http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=17&t=3681

DIRECTORIAL STAFF:
Guest DireKtor - DragonflyDireKtor { CapnRahn@aol.com AIM, MSN }
Guest Asst. DireKtor - MercedesTroy { tampa.cyberose@verizon.net AIM}
GameMaster - Geezer { fireflygeezer@cox.net }
Co-Director - FrauDirektor { htempe@hotmail.com, MSN, AIM: MissAstriana, Yahoo!: MissAstriana, ICQ: 9592266}
Co-Director - Channain { channain@yahoo.com; AIM}
Minion - DirektorsSmeagol { DirektorsSmeagol@aol.com } , MSN, AIM)

STUDIO OWNER & RP DISTRIBUTION:
FireflyFans.net produced by Haken

GENERAL POST GUIDELINES
None have been established yet. Each player has a unique style for posting a move that is consistent within itself. You'll catch on!

ACRONYM DEFINITIONS & TERMS
EOM = End of Move
OOC = Out Of Character
POV = Point Of View

Last but not least, the Gunrunners would like to extend a big THANK YOU to Joss Whedon for creating a whole new 'verse for us to play in, and to Haken for giving us a bright, shiny new sandbox theater!

JossGunrunners
HakenGunrunners

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

DRAGONFLYDIRECTOR

Tuesday, July 27, 2004 2:12 AM

WHERE ARE THEY NOW >>>
Somewhen between 4:15 and 4:45 AMT

MAL & INARA - Her Shuttle, gettign wino'd.

WASH - Bridge, cleaning chicken out of the Nav console.

ZOE - In her and Wash's bunk - dreaming a little dreammmmmm.

BOOK, ROWAN, RIVER - Galley, washing dishes.

THORNE - Heading down the connect 'tween the Bridge and Galley, wondering if he has wandered into an Insane Asylum called Serenity.

JAYNE, MERZ, DAMON - In the Big Black, on the hull of Serenity.

KAYLEE - In the Engine Room.

JONAS HEXX - In New Hokkaido, casing the villa of The Shop

SIMON, CORVAIR, SLIGHT - Still in the GryFalcon hatching nefarious plans.

FROST - Still on ice.

NISKA - Hera (?) Working his way to the city - PO'd that Corvair's special wave-unit is not sending a conformation signal.

EARLY - Tied to a Reavers 'Kings Cross' and awaiting his Ceremony.

SAFFRON - Trying to hide from the same Reavers.

OR'SHA - Waiting for Hexx.

XIANG - Oroboros, beginning to feel the 'pressure' of the coup happening to the Enclave.

BOOMER - Selling leather-goods at the Uchigatana ReinAct Faire - unaware of her impending meeting with Nicoallez after the Faire closes

NICOALLEZ - Taking a break from telling stories at the entrance of the ReinAct Faire on New Hokkaido and checking out the Faire grounds.

OK - too many arcs fer me to remember! Back later to compensate.

CAPNRAHN

Tuesday, July 27, 2004 2:16 AM

COMMERCIAL POST HOLDER ...

COMMENCE RPing!!!!

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

MERCEDESTROY

Tuesday, July 27, 2004 2:29 AM

MERZ move

LOCATION - THE BLACK

DAMON
Makes everything worthwhile doesn’t it?

He is grinning at her, she can see it even through his faceplate. It is as carefree as he has looked since she first saw him. Merz has no idea why. His good humor and the reason for it are as foreign to her as, well … pretty … which this view probably is too. … i wonder how long it will take, before i understand how he feels?

Not really knowing what she is saying, only that it is probably appropriate MERZ tries to return his grin. Glad you like it. She sighs, quietly. Hopefully too quietly for the comm to pick up. Someday she may understand ….

Putting aside such pointless thoughts, MERZ returns to the job at hand.

MERZ
OK DAMON, I do not know what is going on here, but that gun’s motion does not seem particularly directed. I think we can stop it. Why don’t you step up to the right side, and I will circle around to the left. Just do not step in front of it. When we get one either side we can try to stop the motion. If no one is directing it, we should be able to stabilize it. Then we can un-bolt the rail assembly and walk the whole unit forward directly under the bow.

She goes to point and is suddenly aware of the cover in her hand. On second though. Let’s get this gorram cover installed first and then walk it forward. It is too awkward to walk around with and too difficult to set down.

She starts for the left hand side of the cannon.

EOM

If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

SQUEE

Tuesday, July 27, 2004 3:53 AM

Damon's turn:
LOCATION - THE BLACK

On second though. Let’s get this gorram cover installed first and then walk it forward. It is too awkward to walk around with and too difficult to set down.

Damon steps up to the right side of the cannnon, looking down at it thoughtfully.

"I think it would be a good idea to stop the motion before we try to put the cover on. I can disconnect the controls from here if you want and then reconnect them after we've moved the cannon."

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

MERCEDESTROY

Tuesday, July 27, 2004 10:40 AM

MERZ move

LOCATION - THE BLACK

DAMON
I think it would be a good idea to stop the motion before we try to put the cover on. I can disconnect the controls from here if you want and then reconnect them after we've moved the cannon.

MERZ carefully approaches the left of the cannon, and reaches out with her free hand. Under her firm grasp, the motion of the gun ceases. She holds it still. As she suspected there is no real resistance, it was not being controlled. MERZ thinks about this – there was no one on the bridge before she went down to cargo. But JAYNE got a response from Wash, before they went out, and now no one speaks and the gun controls are unlocked.

MERZ
Go ahead. I will keep it steady until you have it disconnected. That way we get no surprises. Help yourself to whatever tool you need.

MERZ is not easy with the situation. She has a vague … is hope the word? … that someone is merely playing a joke on the work crew. JAYNE, can you tell what is going on yet?

EOM

If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

GEEZER

Tuesday, July 27, 2004 12:09 PM

Thorne's Move

Location: Bridge/Port shuttle

At Thorne's question about the comm, Wash rolls over and responds...

WASH: “I’m kinda in the middle of a lot of things, please use the comm on the spare shuttle, ok.”

...then rolls back and apparently begins to genuflect to the bottom of the helm console. Thorne sees the reddish splotches on the back of his shirt and wonders if self-flagellation is part of the ritual. 'Never question other folks beliefs.' he reminds himself, as he slowly walks back down the stairs.

He's almost to the shuttle when his mind finally registers the sight of the plastic dino rocking back and forth on the laser controls. 'Nah,' he thinks, 'Nobody'd let that happen unless he'd already locked the panel.' Thorne enters the shuttle and makes his call.

EOM

"Keep the Shiny side up"

SAINT JAYNE

Tuesday, July 27, 2004 2:47 PM

Jayne's turn:
LOCATION - THE BLACK

Jayne edges his head up to look into the corner of the view port. In the dim light of the bridge he sees Thorne's back quickly disappear into the corridor.

Lying there, partly obscured under the command console, is the body of Wash. His legs gently twitch. The ground is splattered with pieces and flesh, bone, and fluids. Not blood - wrong colour - but perhaps mixed up with brain and cerebrospinal fluid.

Jayne lets a half-strangled, shuddering gasp escape before he can switch off his radio. In space, no one can here him swear.

High calibre hand weapon, fired into the top of the head at point blank range, he sputters his reconstruction of the events. Shoulda eaten the poison, Wash, woulda been easier to clean up.

JAYNE
He flicks his radio back on to the suit-only channel. "I'm headin' in to check on Wash."

He leaves it at that, turning it off again. If Merz was trying to seperate the crew, she might alert those inside. She might even come after him herself. If she has a gun palmed in her suit, she could really ruin his day then patch up the hole with all those slap patches she brought. "Never go out without them", she said... Yeah, not when yer plannin' on icing us.

JAYNE
"Jayne to River", he calls out as he finishes his climb to the top of the ship. "Jayne to River, If'n you can hear me, yer in real danger of the I-ain't-kidding variety. Keep away from Thorne and Rowan, but tell the cap'n that they're takin' over the ship."

CHANNAIN

Tuesday, July 27, 2004 8:57 PM

Rowan’s Move
LOCATION - GALLEY

BOOK (with a chuckle) "Shepherding people is part of the job description."

As he starts drying the pans and putting them away, Rowan breathes a small sigh of contentment. Nothing more charming to a woman than a man who isn't afraid to touch freshly clean dishes. She figures there might even be a special level of heaven that those deserving fellas end up in, but she still has to find confirmation on that point.

Listening to Book speak, she hands off the next pan.

BOOK: "I don't doubt your ability to take care of yourself…but the verse takes everyone eventually, whether by accident or design."

FLASHBACK:
He was irritated about something that came with his mother's weekly wave that morning. Stomping around their apartment like a bull, snapping at everyone, and generally in a cranky mood.

When he turned and said something snippy to her about her turnaround time for the next Revolution broadcast, all she had to do was give him the withering stare. He stopped and blinked once, then rolled his eyes. Standing with his hands on his hips, he stared at the floor for a full minute before he looked up with an apologetic gaze.

"Care to enlighten me?" she asked. "What has the rat-lady done this time?"

He shook his head in a helpless gesture and took a long, deep breath. "It is not what she has done. It is what she does not do. She still refuses to recognize our relationship--insists it is temporary, referring to you as my 'passing fling'."

She giggled--couldn't help it, really. It could be the way it sounded, or but more likely it was picturing his perfect high society old money mother saying those two words that did it. And then once she started, she couldn't stop. Plus, he looked so cute when he was pouty.

"I would not consider this funny," he said.

"Oh I know," she replied. "Your mother just makes me laugh with her old-world ideals. You'd think she'd be happy you married a girl with ancient earth bloodlines, never mind that Dad's stock went through the roof when Azure Station opened. I thought she might have noticed that by now."

It made him stop and think for a moment. "So I should just ignore her and stop wishing the 'verse will swallow her whole?"

"I wish you would." Standing, she put the system on hold before going to him and pressed close as his arms folded around her automatically. "You have bigger things to concern yourself with now than whether or not your mother approves of anything you do. Besides, I thought you gave up on that years ago."

He smiled warmly at her, his eyes roaming her face and focusing on her lips. "I suppose it is impossible to wish everyone to regard you as highly as I do."

She snorted at that. "I'm not sleeping with everyone else, am I?"

He grazed his mouth over hers as he pressed the length of her against him. He was warm, solid muscle, unyielding and oh so inviting. His hands slipped inside her jacket, still teasing her with his mouth. Robert had been walking on them like that a lot lately. She half expected him to now.

"If you married me," he whispered, "Then at least she would have to stop calling you a passing fling."

She smiled against him, disinclined to pull away at that moment, or ever again. "So I'd just be a fling?"

She loved his laughter, ever amazed how such a little-boy sound could erupt from such a stern-looking grown man.

END FLASHBACK

She closed her eyes and winced at the ache in her chest, biting her lips together to hold back the gasp. Fully aware the Shepherd had just seen the whole thing, she cracked one eye open at him and saw his look of concern. She managed to swallow back the lump in her throat, but couldn't quite get the roughness out of her voice before she spoke.

ROWAN (nodding): "That it does, Shepherd."

EOM

We have art so as not to die of truth ~ Neitzsche
http://www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=7922

SQUEE

Wednesday, July 28, 2004 12:55 AM

OOC: Edited a couple times but it's done now

Damon's turn:
LOCATION - THE BLACK

Damon reaches over and pulls a couple tools from Merz's belt, holding them firmly in one hand as he pulls himself down to the base of the cannon. His work is interrupted by a gasp from Jayne who suddenly cuts his com for a moment.

"What's wrong, Jayne?"

JAYNE: "I'm headin' in to check on Wash."

Damon frowns as Jayne turns to go back inside, but decides that he might as well keep working. He finishes with the first tool and, forgetting about his helmet, smacks the glass with the tool trying to put it between his teeth. He blinks, shakes his head and returns to work. After a few more minutes of tinkering, the cannon powers down.

"There."

He releases the tools to be pulled in by Merz's belt and stands up.

"You ready to put the cover on?"

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

MERCEDESTROY

Wednesday, July 28, 2004 1:39 AM

MERZ move,

LOCATION - THE BLACK

MERZ continues to hold the gun still while DAMON disconnects it from the power and motion controls. He appears to have forgotten he was wearing the helmet and struck himself in the faceplate with a wrench. She was at the right angle to see his face pretty well; he had his mouth open when it happened. MERZ nods, remembering how many times tools ended up in her mouth when hands are full.

JAYNE
I'm headin' in to check on Wash.

JAYNE’s rather terse reply, coming on the heels of a quickly covered sound – a little difficult to interpret over the radio but not … what? She does not know what. Does not feel right, that’s all. And then, dead air after his last remark. Had he merely stubbed his toe, she doubted he would have turned off the radio. Puzzling. And nothing she can address at this time either.

It takes little time to disconnect the control leads and DAMON is soon done. There. He releases her tools and stands up again. You ready to put the cover on?

MERZ
Yes. Would you give me a hand with this? She reaches the cover over the top of the gun, into DAMON’s waiting hands and together they lower it carefully into place – matching up the connection points. Good DAMON, that has got it. Hold it steady and I will fasten it down.

She pulls the bag of bolts from her arm pocket and the correct wrench. Happily enough this is a deep space setup and the bolts are magnetic and in a zero-g pouch. She inserts the wrench into the bag and snags one bolt at a time, sticking to the wrench and eased out of the sphincter opening. Working quickly and surely she moves around the gun, fastening the two pieces together. Once, kneeling near DAMON she speaks. I neglected to mention something, you can remember it for future use. She motions to indicate a small stud on the outside of her suit, matching one on his. Two in fact, there is one near the outer middle of each leg. … for kneeling on the hull, she presses the right hand stud and kneels on one leg. She has less difficulty than he had on the slippery hull and weightless. The switch activates the knee magnets. I did not think to tell you. *pause* Sorry.

The cover is soon in place. At no time did MERZ step in front of the cannon. No need to beg or borrow trouble.

MERZ
That is that. Now to move it forward. How are you doing DAMON? Enjoying the experience? Tired? Dizzy?

Still in the back of her mind - where is JAYNE and what is happening on the Bridge?

EOM

If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

MANIACNUMBERONE

Wednesday, July 28, 2004 4:05 AM

Book's Move
Location: Galley

After hastily drying his hands, Book sets the half-dried pot on the counter and touches Rowan
on the shoulder. "What's wrong, child? I don't think I've gotten you so emotional with what I've been saying... but I'm glad to see an effect, regardless."

Getting no immediate answer, he turns back to the pot, picks it up and looks into the water droplets clinging to the sides... he is astonished as his reflection briefly turns into Rowan in a wide, dusty chamber, shooting pool with a seedy, untrustworthy crowd surrounding her. With a sharp intake of breath, he blinks his eyes and turns to Rowan. "I'd like to go with you to your match."

Book pauses and takes a moment to look at Rowan's dubious expression. "I have other outfits I can wear..." He says with a smile. "No one needs to know I am a Shepherd... for a little while."

EM

CHANNAIN

Wednesday, July 28, 2004 5:38 AM

Rowan’s Move
LOCATION - GALLEY

BOOK (with an enigmatic smile): "I have other outfits I can wear..." He says with a smile. "No one needs to know I am a Shepherd... for a little while."

Thinking of the way by which he so effortlessly dispatched the boss back on Hera, Rowan figures she would be a fool to turn down such a generous offer.

ROWAN: "I wouldn't want to put you into the den of temptation, Shepherd. Regardless, I'd appreciate a strong arm watching my back. Thorne might profess that he would serve in the same capacity, but frankly any and all former browncoats make me a little twingy. They have a tendency to be more than a little passionate about things, and not always right in the head, if you get my meaning."

Watching River move from meticulously scrubbing the counter tops to the stove, Rowan decides there probably isn't much she could hide from the girl anyway.

ROWAN: "As to the other, well. It wasn't what you said so much as what your words pulled out of my mind. Ever since that surgery I had, it seems like every tenth word makes me think about my past. The memories are pleasant, by and large, but the end results have managed to twist them bitter sweet for me. It wasn't just you either - I've had it happen all over the ship. You think that doctor kept any manner of records? I'd like to see what it was he gave me.

Suddenly the handcomp's vibration feature went off, stinging the sensitive skin at her lower back. Rowan squealed and jumped before her hand went to it. Her face changed to disbelief, since there was only one thing that would cause that. Someone from the neo-cortex had just tried to ping her. That hadn't happened in months. There was a time when she and Thal were on the same wavelength. Maybe they still were.

FLASHBACK

"I don't like it."

She stared up at him. "Don't like what?"

"Him, is what. How he demands your time at any moment of the day, the way he says 'Exile,' as if you are some morsel of chocolate in his mouth."

She was shocked to say the least. "You can't tell me you're jealous of a man I haven't even seen in the flesh - who, by the way, is using an image filter, so I can't even be sure he is a man."

"I still don't like it," he declared. "If I thought you would listen, I would ask you to end your association with him."

She smiled up at him. "Good thing you know better then, huh?"

END FLASHBACK

The pain is less, so she's able to hide it better. At the same time she pulls out the handcomp, and swiftly accesses the microlink wave signal from her sourcepad. Keyed specifically to show only code, she deciphers it easily and stares in surprise.

Hastily tucking the handcomp away again, she resumes washing. Wouldn't do well to let anyone else on board know she had access to the neo-cortex. Clandestine incidents of any sort weren't exactly tolerated on board Serenity.

ROWAN: "So, Shepherd. You have the wardrobe to make yourself into a gentleman, or a bouncer?"

EOM

OOC: Might be time to start a thread on Gunrunner and Hitcher terminology, huh?

We have art so as not to die of truth ~ Neitzsche
http://www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=7922

SQUEE

Wednesday, July 28, 2004 3:41 PM

Damon's turn:
LOCATION - THE BLACK

MERZ: That is that. Now to move it forward. How are you doing, Damon? Enjoying the experience? Tired? Dizzy?

Damon rights himself and looks back 'up' at the stars with another grin. "Are you kidding? This is the best gorram job I've ever done." He nods at the cannon. "Lets get this thing moved. I'll start disconnecting it from this side, you start on the other."

He watches Merz move into position, noticing that she is still avoiding the front of the cannon.

"You don't have to worry about the cannon any more- it's compltetely powered down, power and all. It'd have to grow batteries to do twitch like that again- and a few dozen more to fire anything."

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

SAINT JAYNE

Wednesday, July 28, 2004 5:17 PM

Jayne's turn:
LOCATION - THE BLACK

Jayne finishes a combination hike/sprint in the clumsy magboots to the dorsal airlock. There's only so much weaving and bobbing you can do in a spacesuit, so if Merz is one of the Shanghaiers he's completely go tsao duh.

He steps around to see if anything is coming up behind him. Nothing but the silent motionless of space. Even in the contained environment of the suit, Jayne's senses flare and grope for information. Every crinkle of the material heralds a potential enemy since he ears can hear nothing else. Touch and smell are completed muted; even though, his nostrels flare and his tongue presses forward to sense the air. His vision is a narrow arc in front of his body. The whole thing is very frustrating and only serves to aggrevate Jayne.

He turns back to the airlock and starts the entrance procedure.

SAINT JAYNE

Wednesday, July 28, 2004 9:51 PM

Jayne's turn:
LOCATION - FORE PASSAGE

The small tube-like chamber of the dorsal airlock is bathed in a red glow. Jayne waits impatiently, mind improvising plans and scenarios. The red light goes out, accompanied by a soft ping. He hoists the helmet and gloves off and begins to wriggle out of the spacesuit in the tight confines of the secondary airlock.

Finally free of the suit, which has claimed both of his boots, Jayne unholsters his sidearm from its holster, takes off the safety, and cocks it.

-----

The inner hatch slides open, letting a slight breeze come into the airlock from the corridor below. The helmet of a spacesuit emerges past the threshold and surveys the corridor carefully. It retracts back into the airlock suddenly and is replaced by Jayne's actual head. The corridor is clear. Jayne hears a mixture of sounds coming from the mess hall.

Something's not right here. No smell of gunplay. Jayne wonders what kind of weaponry he is up against.

He waits for a moment and listens.

MERCEDESTROY

Wednesday, July 28, 2004 10:57 PM

MERZ move

LOCATION - THE BLACK

DAMON
You don't have to worry about the cannon any more - it's compltetely powered down, power and all. It'd have to grow batteries to do twitch like that again- and a few dozen more to fire anything.

MERZ lets him rattle on, while positioning herself for the move. First step, she attaches her secondary tether to a new ring near her current position – lest she run out of slack on the first one, and only when the second is in place does she unhook the first and attach it to the same ring. Second step is to attach an empty hook from her belt to a convenient snap ring on the gun itself, tethering it also. Once DAMON stops speaking, she looks at him, over the disguised cannon.

MERZ
The gun is safe. I can see that for myself. But I have not lived as long as I have, by placing my back in front of any weapon, if I can help it. I have heard that if one is careless with a firearm it will know it, and load itself to teach you a lesson. I do not believe this. But I take no chances anyway. I trust you at my back, but not that cannon.

She kneels again by the cannon, preparing to disconnect the entire assembly. Can you find you secondary tether? Reconnect with that one, set the first one in the same hook. Then you will be sure to have enough slack to get where we are going, and your homeward tether is secure. {softly} I don’t want to lose you to the big empty out here.

Once they are both re-secured, DAMON reaches for a tool. MERZ hands him the appropriate wrench and they begin dismounting the gun.

EOM

If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

SAINT JAYNE

Friday, July 30, 2004 12:46 AM

Jayne's turn:
LOCATION - FORE PASSAGE

Jayne climbs silently to the floor of the passage. His bare hands and feet make no noise over the droning of the ship. He seals the airlock portal and sneaks to the edge of the intersection where anyone in the galley or bridge could get a good look at him. He needs to be careful here. Nice and slowly Jayne edges his head forward to take a look into the galley. No one sits at the dining table, and the rest of the galley doesn't have a clear view up into the passageway.

Now er never he thinks, and sneaks up the corridor to his bunk. At the door, another quick glance around lets him know he has not been seen. Jayne slowly pushes it open, enters his room and locks the door behind him.

DECOY

Friday, July 30, 2004 5:08 AM

Wash's Move
Location - Bridge

(Wash gets up from scrubbing the floor, groaning... and then looks around to Rex, and says): "Oho, you've been getting me in trouble, haven't you? (He picks up the toy dinosaur, and cuddles it) We'd better call the team outside, and make shure everything's all right." Wash cuts the power to the laser cannon, and sits down in his helm chair, flips on the comm, and says): "Wash to Mercedies, How's the cover covering comming along? Who all went out there with you? Over." Wash leaves the comm open, and he walks over to the viewports at the front of the bridge, in hopes of seeing the space-suted cannon mechanics.

Time is 5:00 pm

EOM

[I will go back and re-format this post, as soon as I find my template. :) ]

Decoy, they make me go first.

MERCEDESTROY

Friday, July 30, 2004 12:34 PM

MERZ move

LOCATION - THE BLACK

Dismounting the support rails for the cannon/sensor array takes very little time, it is a fairly simple bolt and latch arrangement that locks down but remains attached to the rails, thereby insuring that nothing gets ‘lost’ accidentally during this type of maneuver.

They have it completely free of the hull and are standing with the cumbersome array, when WASH’s voice crackles over the comm.

WASH
"Wash to Merzedes, How's the cover covering coming along? Who all went out there with you? Over."

MERZ
Well, it’s about time MERZ comments on the suit comm, before switching to multi-freq, so DAMON (and JAYNE) can hear her also. MERZ here WASH. Currently EVA myself, DAMON and JAYNE. Damon is with me and we are in the process of shifting the cannon. Cover is successfully installed. JAYNE left us; he went up top to check on you when you did not answer an earlier hail. He has not reported for a few minutes. Are you OK?

EOM

If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

SQUEE

Friday, July 30, 2004 4:53 PM

Damon's turn:
LOCATION - THE BLACK

Damon follow's Merz's lead and lifts the cannon from the hull. He moves slowly to make sure he doesn't loose control of the big, weightless object.

He hears Wash over the com and Merz replies.

"Why weren't you at your post? and where's Jayne?"

Switching his com back to the suit frequency and looks at Merz. "You ready to move this thing?"

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

RAISTLYNNE

Friday, July 30, 2004 6:13 PM

HEXX'S TURN.

Having kept a close surveillance on the villa for a few days, Hexx is relatively confident of a successful recovery of Bank property, with the added bonus of getting out of the ordeal with his skin mostly intact.

The plan is to hit them at night. Tomorrow night to be precise. A frontal attack is out of the question. There is an old waste line coming out of the cellar of the place, probably doubled as an escape route for the previous unsavories that occupied the manse. Just big enough for me to squeeze into. Once inside the villa proper, waste the two ex-Alliance big hitters first. Then nail down the Troys with gas and motion-activated mini-mines. Perish the Traders with extreme prejudice being sure to recover the goods, ALL the goods, prior to their departure from this reality.

Now, here I have my dilemma. What to do with the Buyers? Do I negotiate a Transaction with them? Extract information? Say f--k it, and just make it quick and clean? Well, I guess "talking" to them couldn't hurt now could it? I'd better be sure to bring some of my "socializing" equipment.

Hexx proceeds to line up the tools and equipment needed for the foray. He then goes over the plan of attack in his head, rehearsing it over and over. He then goes over contingency plans in case all does not go well.

After all is made ready and Hexx has got his mind right, his thoughts drift to Eveningstar. Memories of their intimate moments push their way back to the surface. The feel of her soft, smooth skin, her flowing red hair intoxicating with the scent of roses. The look of rapture on her beautiful face as he brings her to a blissful satisfaction. The feeling of happiness he has when near her, watching her sleep in the darkness.

Hexx, in an almost semi-hypnotic lull while thinking of Sarah Eveningstar, fails to notice himself entering one of his psychotic episodes! Breaking out of his stupor, Hexx, with pounding heart and trembling hands fumbles for the the control pad to disable the self destruct device on the Black Box in order to get his meds in time to allay his ensuing episode. He finally gets his injector which is already loaded up with his dope and shoots a dose into his neck this time. He drops the injector and falls to the floor, curling into a ball, hands clutching his head, as he writhes in pain. A low moaning escapes his lips as his world unravels and spins out of control. Order and sanity are gone. Oblivion is the rule of the day now.

OOC:Hexx, too late in his response with the medication, and the point of no return having been reached, is now in the throes of a full-blown psychosis. Ultraviolence is the master of his soul now.

EOT.

MANIACNUMBERONE

Friday, July 30, 2004 10:22 PM

Book's Move
Galley

"I'm certain the doctor kept records regarding anything he gave you, he is quite meticulous. But as to whether you can access them... I don't know. Perhaps River could be of some help decoding her brother's files. She does have a special insight into his mind."
Looking down at his Shepherd's outfit for a moment, Book thinks of how best to disguise himself and smiles. "As to the other, I think I'll surprise you."

EM

MERCEDESTROY

Saturday, July 31, 2004 11:33 PM

MERZ move

LOCATION - THE BLACK

DAMON
You ready to move this thing?

MERZ
Yes.

They start forward slowly. The cannon is weightless here, and would not be a large burden for two people under weight, however it retains it’s mass and must be handled with a certain amount of care if they don’t want to crack or damage the disguise.

While working their way forward, MERZ keys in her comm again, still on multi-frequency channel.

MERZ
Wash, JAYNE has been away for some minutes now, and did say he was heading in to check on you – for reasons he did not specify. Have you seen him yet?

They move on while awaiting a reply. Reaching the point that MERZ wants to re-install the cannon, they locate a locking assembly identical to the one they removed it from, lower the cannon into place, and begin fastening it back into it’s new home.

EOM

If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

MERCEDESTROY

Sunday, August 1, 2004 2:18 AM

Wash's Move
Location - Bridge

(Wash hears Merz's voice over the comm link, asking about Jayne...)
(Wash to Merz:) "I haven't heard from him, let me call him on the intercom... (click, click) Jayne, where the gorram are you, and why are you there, instead of where you gorram oughta." (Over the internal intercom and outside radio.)

Time is: On a watch somewhere, where it is supposed to be.

EOM

If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

CAPNRAHN

Monday, August 2, 2004 6:27 PM

Inara & Mal's Move

LOCATION - Inara's Shuttle
Shortly after the Meeting in the Galley
As ...
Inara and Mal arrive at her shuttle--she graciously invites him in and prepares glasses and wine.

Mal settles himself into Inara's plush (and much-used as of late) couch and watches the woman flit about the cabin, arranging and rearranging, He notices she's intent on everything but him. Mal starts off abruptly after Inara reenters the room bearing a lacquered tray with a unique bottle and French Suzann croissant's.

"We always seem to have unfinished business between you and I," Mal quickly realizes his slip and tries to cover it. "But this is no the time to discuss that. What I need now," he winces slightly at the word 'need', "I would like to know yer assessment of our patron and the hitchers."

"I've only recently been able to observe them, Mal...they seem friendly, dangerous if crossed, all of them ... but friendly nonetheless. Rowan has in her a bright fire--it fuels her, keeps her ready and alert...but I can see it could consume her given the right kindling. Mercedes...she's as different from Rowan as night from ... is a calmness in that woman...an eerie silence that is more deafening and more frightening to me than any blaze," She shakes her and continues. "Damon is a lost child, but he seems to have a fearful dark shadow staining his soul. He must have been treated like garbage at a young age," Her voice tightens and quavers as she imagines the depredations that the child, that would grow up to be come Damon, had fell victim to. "That makes him both predictable and still not predictable. I'd advise we be careful with them all ... hold them close, and make it worthwhile for them to keep us close as well." Inara realizes that she is trying to sideslip the issue of Roosevelt. In an attempt to skirt this issue of him further, she pours the Sapporo wine and lightly and with a touch of sass says, "What has you so concerned about them, Mal? You didn't consult anyone when you let them stay aboard, has something new occurred?"

Mal frowns at Inara's shift to a light attitude, "I don't want ta sound like I am whinge'n on, but current events have got my reflux ... refluxin'," He stops with a middling grimace of pain looking akin to a heartburn attack. "I am just trying to make sense of this caper. First off we got this ancient old geezer of a Client sprayin' his testerostone around my boat like it was on sale - cheap," Inara visibly winces at this. Mal, caught up in his rant, is oblivious of her discomfort as he continues, "Our cargo and destination is not smellin right. Too widgy of a deal," Mal shakes his head in short negative arcs as he tries to sort out the conflicting evidence. After a second of this, he snaps out of it and elaborates further, "And we seemed to have found a buncha new friends in a very short time. Makes me paranoid that the heavy end of the hammer is gonna come down on our heads soon. I just got a real cold ball of worms nesting in my gut concern'n our ..." He glances over to Inara and quickly averts his eyes when he notices she is looking directly at him, " ... future."

Inara's nose wrinkles at bit at the "cold ball of worms" analogy--her tact has slipped a teense due to the wine ... she interrupts briefly. "You never could stand a good thing, could you, Mal? Give you a sunny day, a glass of wine, or a good woman ..." Inara flinches yet again, "... and you'll try to decide if there's rainclouds on the horizon, bugs in your glass, or deceit in your woman's ..." She decides she

SQUEE

Monday, August 2, 2004 6:28 PM

Damon's turn:
LOCATION - THE BLACK

Damon fastens the last bolt into place and locks it down.

"There. We can tell Wash to tell Jayne that there's no point in him coming back out."

He releases the last of Merz's tools and looks down the front of Serenity at the black with another smile.

"So, any windows need washing while we're out here?"

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

MERCEDESTROY

Monday, August 2, 2004 11:39 PM

MERZ move

LOCATION - THE BLACK

DAMON fastens down the last bolt, and releases the tool, to reel itself back.

DAMON
There. We can tell Wash to tell Jayne that there's no point in him coming back out.

He takes a glance around with a contented look on his face, apparently just savoring the moment. So, any windows need washing while we're out here?

MERZ lets him alone with his enjoyment for a time, while gathering the leads for the gun, which need to be walked back to the input jacks. She grabs the wiring armor too, to unreel at the same time.

MERZ
WASH, let JAYNE know we are all but done here. If he has gone back inside, no need for him to trot back out. We can finish just fine on our own.

Before speaking again, she cuts Serenity out of the comm circuit. She starts back towards their starting point, trailing wires and such, letting DAMON amble amiably at her side.

MERZ
Engineers don’t wash windows, that is a job for Detailers. You are not ready to go back yet, are you? Still into the wonder of the black. She sighs, audibly this time. I don’t understand what you are feeling. I never did. I do not know that I ever will.

They reach the old location of the gun, and pause there to reset the tethers again, carefully coiling and reattaching the secondary tether once the primary is back in place. MERZ looks around like DAMON has been, for the first time since they came out.

MERZ
I saw this the first time when I was four years old. I was never taught it was wonderful or fun or beautiful. I was taught it was dangerous. I learned how to stay alive and how to move correctly. I would … like to be able to see it with your eyes. Just once.

EOM

If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

SQUEE

Tuesday, August 3, 2004 12:17 AM

Damon's turn:
LOCATION - THE BLACK

Damon takes a moment to think about Merz's word as he helps finish up.

"Maybe it takes 26 years of hope and anticipation. But the way I see it, out here is everything those other places aren't." He looks at Merz willing her to understand what he's trying to explain. "It's liberating cuz I know all the shit I left behind can't follow me out here. As soon as we step back into the ship, there's stuff to worry about but as long as we're here, nothing matters."

He hands her his coiled secondary tether and watches for a response.

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

MERCEDESTROY

Tuesday, August 3, 2004 12:58 AM

MERZ move

LOCATION - THE BLACK

MERZ considers his words carefully, very carefully. Once she has taken the tether he holds out to her, she stands unmoving, unspeaking, until DAMON shows signs of worry or impatience. Still she ponders his words, excluding all other input for the moment.

Finally she looks directly at his face, cold dead eyes boring into his. Her voice is flat and as cold as her eyes.

MERZ
What is liberty?

She fastens the tether he handed her onto her belt and once again moves off, to complete the installation. She does not look at him again.

EOM

If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

SQUEE

Tuesday, August 3, 2004 1:33 AM

Damon's turn:
LOCATION - THE BLACK

MERZ
What is liberty?

Damon gives her a puzzeled look and then realizes that she is being serious. He thinks about it a moment, trying to define liberty.

"I guess it's something like freedom, but it's also a feeling- like happiness. When you busted up that crate, it probably felt liberating." He gives a small smile. "It's a very good feeling, satisfying. Filling an empty stomach with warm food is liberating. If you are liberated, something bad has been replaced by something good." He pauses for a moment, following Merz. "It's hard to define, but I hope that helps."

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

MERCEDESTROY

Tuesday, August 3, 2004 11:26 AM

MERZ move

LOCATION - THE BLACK

There is more silence. They reach the spot where the wires jack back into the hull, and MERZ kneels to set them back into place. One by one she holds them up to her face, examining the leads, and then carefully replaces them back into the correct conduits. While doing this, she finally speaks again, in the same voice.

MERZ
Liberty: personal freedom from servitude, or confinement or oppression. Freedom: the condition of being free; the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraints. Happiness: a state of well being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. Joy: something or someone that provides pleasure; a source of happiness.

She pauses, eyes still downward. MERZ does not want to see his eyes, to see the effect of her words. She is speaking for herself now, not from the database, not from observation of correct or appropriate behavior. And this mode always, always, always results in conflict or confusion. It is so easy for you. You hear these words and you comprehend their meaning. I know only their definitions and how to simulate the appearance of an appropriate emotional response. It cannot matter to me where I am – inside, outside all the same. Filling an empty belly is fuel, and food is not there to be enjoyed. There is no satisfaction in a job well done; one is expected to have done it well. Happiness is an emotion, and emotion … She trails off into silence.

emotion is deviant behavior and merits punishment. and now as i try to learn what has been kept from me, i wait because i know they come. there is nowhere i can go that they cannot track me. i will take the time i have, this ‘freedom’ i have given myself and i will learn and teach myself comprehension of as many concepts as i am allowed. i will learn from these civilians all that they can show me, until i am one with them, however long it may take. maybe then, those who follow will lose me. when i am no longer … me …

Finished with the job at hand, she straightens the wire armor, tightening it up to the hull and stands. I shame myself: destroying that crate was … rage. Not at you DAMON. There was a certain amount of something gained from that lapse, I think. I am not certain what definition I would put on it. It was however, inappropriate of me to demolish it. {pause} You are generous, explaining this to me. I do thank you. As she speaks on, there is a return of a small amount of animation to her voice. Well, I think we are done here. Take your last look at the view, bhaai, it’s time to go back inside before we miss something.

… as long as my team exists. as long as what i fled from remains, there will be no freedom, no liberty for me. it is only a matter of time …

EOM

bhaai = younger brother (Nepali)

If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

SQUEE

Tuesday, August 3, 2004 7:16 PM

Damon's turn:
LOCATION - THE BLACK

Damon's good mood withers as Merz speaks and by the time she finishes he's left with nothing but that emptiness that he is all too familiar with. Only this time, it's not his dispair, it's hers. He wishes there was something he could say- something he could do to help- but suddenly feels inadequate. It won't make much difference anyway.

Quote:

Damon shoved his drawer closed and glared down at his mother. “WHY? WHY NOT? Why can’t you leave? Why couldn’t you leave twelve years ago and get me the hell out of here? Or, forget me, my upbringing doesn’t matter, why couldn’t you leave sixteen years ago? Shit, it’s a miracle I even made it to term!”

She started to open the bottle in her hands, but Damon snatched it from her and chucked it out the window. “Answer the question.”

She hung her head, letting tears fall from her face. “He doesn’t mean to hurt me, he just…”

Damon waited for her to finish but she didn’t. He turned back to his duffel bag and stuffed a handful of clothes in it.

“Damon, you can’t go,” she cried, “Please don’t go.”

He spun around and glared at her angrily. “Don’t you dare start with that! I’ve had it! I’ve had enough of this bullshit! I’m leaving and neither of you are going to stop me this time. You can come with me or you can stay here with him, but I’m not staying here a day longer.” He let that sink in for a moment before he spoke again. “So what’s it going to be?”

She hung her head again.
He waited.
He prayed.

She shook her head. "I can't..."

Damon clenched his teeth, looking out the window. He longed to be out there but he couldn't. He couldn't leave her here alone with him- he only wished she had an equally good reason. He picked up his bag and threw it against the wall with a scream of rage and stormed out of the room.

Damon quickly shakes himself of the memory but he can't do it without wondering if she's okay. He sighs and looks over to see Merz heading inside. Time to go. He looks 'up' at the black as he heads toward the door, letting it lift his spirits as much as it can but the phrase 'all good things must come to an end' comes to mind, bringing it to a stop.
He reaches the air lock bummed that his space walk is over but happy to be back on board. He feels safe on this ship and he hopes that if there is one exception to the 'all good things coming to an end' rule, it would be Serenity.

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

MERCEDESTROY

Tuesday, August 3, 2004 11:07 PM

MERZ move

LOCATION - THE BLACK

MERZ cannot help herself. As DAMON turns back from his last look at the stars, she in inside the lock, looking toward where his face will be, steeled against the disgust at her that she is sure will be in his eyes.

And as he turns and sees her she backs slowly away, letting him inside. There is no hint of disapproval in his face. She is not sure what she sees, but nothing … troubling. She turns away once more, disturbed by her own need for approval from this … civilian. Almost he begins to taste like family.

They wait in the lock for a couple of minutes while MERZ closes the outer lock and recycles so they can re-enter Serenity. Once more, she breaks the silence.

MERZ
To be unclothed is a choice, not vulnerability. Now you have seen me naked.

EOM

If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

SQUEE

Tuesday, August 3, 2004 11:36 PM

Damon's turn:
LOCATION - AIR LOCK

MERZ
To be unclothed is a choice, not vulnerability. Now you have seen me naked.

Damon's not sure he agrees with that but he doesn't say anything. He's not in the mood to talk at the moment. He gives her a faint smile so she doesn't think he's ignoring her and waits for the cargo bay doors to open.

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

DECOY

Wednesday, August 4, 2004 12:43 AM

Wash's Move:
Location - Bridge

(Wash walks back from the window, to the open door to the rest of Serenity… He can see that the door to Jayne’s Dorm is closed, but then again, it always is. He sits back down at his console, ready to call Jayne’s dorm, when…)

(Over the comm. from Merz): ”WASH, let JAYNE know we are all but done here. If he has gone back inside, no need for him to trot back out. We can finish just fine on our own.”

(Wash opens a direct intercom line to Jayne’s dorm): “Jayne, you in there, Don’t go back outside, everything’s all finished out there, Merz said so.”

(Wash sits, and scrubs the console some more… A strange smell rises into the air… a sent of… Burning protein?

(The antique analog clock which is set behind the small fence of chrome bars, high up on the wall over the door of the well-padded cell currently reads: 17:05 AMT with a small digital display built into it: (05:05pm) (This cell, currently unoccupied, was the former living space of Serenity’s theoretical security officer… Who might just end up there again, if he keeps seeing twisted, non-existing plots to take over ships he serves on… weather they are or not…)

- EOM -

Decoy, they make me go first.

RAISTLYNNE

Wednesday, August 4, 2004 1:08 AM

HEXX'S TURN:

Same day, just after dusk.

Hexx is lying in a dark and filthy alley. He comes to consciousness slowly. Eyes blurry and head pounding, he slowly rises to a sitting position after shoving several heavy objects off his torso and legs.

Realizing what must have occurred, he gets a jolt of adrenaline and a sudden painfully tingling in his toes and finger tips. The usual heralds of bad happenings he was unknowingly the cause of.

"Christ, what the Hell did I do this time?" Hexx mutters to no one in particular. His night vision adjusting to the dim light, Hexx gives his surroundings a once-over. The "heavy objects" are dead bodies, three to be precise. Wait, one is still moving. Hexx crawls over to this person, and ends their activities in a permanent manner. It's for the best, Hexx thinks, wouldn't do to leave something I started unfinished. UNPROFESSIONAL.

Hexx gives the alley a thorough examination to erase any traces that he was ever there. Picking up the bodies, he places them into a nearby dumpster and sets it ablaze with refuse and a half-empty bottle of rot-gut booze.

He picks up a discarded old blanket and rubs dirt on his hands and face. Portraying the part of a vagabond bum. Stooping and coughing, muttering nonsense to himself. He exits the alley and notices a great deal of activity down the road, the local yokel law dogs are busy tonight.

Thinking: I'll have a look-see and admire what's most likely to be my handiwork. Hexx proceeds to the scene of the commotion, hears talk of a bad string of homicides and no survivors.He pisses on a wall of a nearby store and stumbles off into the darkness, in the general direction of his lodgings.

Passing by the Post Office, he checks out the Most Wanted boards. Never knowing when or where opportunities will present themselves, he memorizes the features of the two with the largest dollar signs on their heads. RIVER and SIMON TAMM. Fugitives. Wanted ALIVE!!!

"Alive," Hexx swears to himself. "That IS disheartening! Oh, well, it'll give me a chance to hone my people skills. Didn't say anything about missing body parts now did it?" Rubbing his jaw and smiling a sneering/smirking little smile, Hexx continues on his way.

EOT.

MERCEDESTROY

Wednesday, August 4, 2004 1:21 AM

KAYLEE’s move

LOCATION - ENGINE ROOM

KAYLEE sits cross-legged, on the floor of Serenity’s engine room, communing with her beloved engine. There is a small, cold and lonely place in the back of her mind, but she is able to think around it now. She is still angry and confused, however other things begin to come back into focus. She is what she is, and neither anger nor despair are feelings she can sustain full blown for very long.

As her mind slowly comes back into focus, she remembers:

WASH
"Mornin', Kaylee. Sleep well last night? Port afterburner seems to be rattling like Jayne's stick. Think you could take a look for me?

That had entirely slipped her mind. And now that she thinks about it, down here in Serenity’s heart, she can hear the faint rattle. She stands now, talking softly to herself.

KAYLEE
Here I sit feelin’ sorry for myself, and my poor girl been speakin’ to me an bein’ ignored. Well, I gotta look into this, pronto.

Still half drifting but more purposeful that she has felt in some time, KAYLEE digs in her tools for what she needs, and strides back to engage the port afterburner in a bit of a chat. A return to her routine will be a comfort.

She thinks to herself, That Simon, he’s got a heap of explaining to do. I just hope he gets the chance.

Here stands KAYLEE, at one with Serenity,

EOM

If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

GEEZER

Wednesday, August 4, 2004 12:18 PM

Thorne's Move

Location: Port Shuttle/catwalk

His call to New Hokkaido over, and arrangements for the sting as complete as possible, THORNE is in a good mood as he stands in the door of the shuttle. The mood doesn't last as he sees MAL close INARA's door and stand silent on the starbord walkway, radiating misery like an un-shielded reactor.

'Conflicted', THORNE thinks. 'That man is a dictionary example of conflicted. Knows he could have a good thing there, but can't let go of the doom-and-gloom of his past to take it. What a schlemiel.' He shakes his head sadly.

Stepping back into the shadow of the door, THORNE waits until MAL moves away, and heads aft.

"Keep the Shiny side up"

SAINT JAYNE

Wednesday, August 4, 2004 2:37 PM

Jayne's turn:
LOCATION - FORE PASSAGE

The door to Jayne's quarters groans open. The point of a hunting knife, tipped with a small concave mirror, emerges and scans the corridor.

Just because he heard Wash's voice on the intercomm didn't mean anything. That could have been synthesized in an effort to lure him out.

The knife retracts from view and Jayne stalks up the ladder from his room. He craddles one of his favourite pistols in his right hand, and has a variety of small arms, flash grenades and knives placed around his person. He doesn't need anything larger for a small arena like Serenity.

There are sounds coming from everywhere, including the bridge. Jayne decides to start there. Things could still go horribly wrong - the smell of burning flesh was now making its way from the front of the ship.

CIARA

Thursday, August 5, 2004 1:18 AM

Inara's turn

Inara jerks the curtain down separating her from Malcom's retreating back. She folds her arms tight under her breasts and leans against the wall, tears pricking the corners of her eyes... "So, you got a Whor ..." echoes in her head...over and over and over...but beyond the din, She hears a hard exhalation of breath, and a loud pop--followed by a string of murmured syllables. She almost turns to lift the curtain, to face him again, to say the things she knows she should...but as her hand begins to traverse the long distance between her side and the curtain, she hears the soft click of the door being gently shut, and her lips begin to tremble.

Inara puts both palms flat on her cheeks, and presses her fingertips into her damp lashes....her breath comes in hitching gasps, and she battles the need to sob. Inara straightens after a moment, dark rivulets running down her cheeks, and black smudges on her fingertips. She checks her timepiece....he'll be here soon. She removes her enamelled basin from the cupboard, fills it, and disrobes. Lighting three candles in a small holder on her table, Inara kneels before it, and begins to bathe. Slow, sure strokes of the sponge, the soft scent of flowers and spice....

END Inara's turn

Just a humble supplicant in service to all things Joss

MERCEDESTROY

Thursday, August 5, 2004 1:45 AM

KAYLEE’s move

LOCATION - ENGINE ROOM

Tools in hand, KAYLEE halts herself.

KAYLEE
Won’t do to go digging into that afterburner all powered up. WASH would take it as a kindness if I let him know I am taking her offline.

She moves purposefully over to the comm station, and mashes down the control to the bridge.

KAYLEE
WASH, I am gonna take a look at that port afterburner. Prolly shook somethin’ loose durin’ the Ivan. Matter of fact, gonna offline both burners and have a look-see. I’ll let you know when I power up again. Ya need em before then, gimme a call. She turns away from the comm and then turns back. Oh, and could’ya send someone down here with some lemonade and a protein bar. I need to work on this, but feelin’ a bit peckish. Thanks.

She powers the burners off soon as she breaks comm, and heads back to open up the left side afterburner. Must have bent a little, she has to apply a little percussive maintenance to get the access hatch off. Once open, she digs in, looking for the problem.

EOM

If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

DECOY

Thursday, August 5, 2004 4:04 AM

Wash's Move:
Location - Bridge to Location - Front Hall to Location - Galley to Location - Catwalks

(Wash knows he might be in trouble, as dinner is now mostly off of the helm console, and floor… just a little bit of sauce must have leaked down into the console. Maybe Kaylee could help him clean the inside of the console… Just then):

(Over the comm. from Kaylee): ”WASH, I am gonna take a look at that port afterburner. Prolly shook somethin’ loose durin’ the Ivan. Matter of fact, gonna offline both burners and have a look-see. I’ll let you know when I power up again. Ya need em before then, gimme a call…. Oh, and could’ya send someone down here with some lemonade and a protein bar. I need to work on this, but feelin’ a bit peckish. Thanks.”

(Wash powers down the helm, and then turns off the bridge lights, as they are just about the only thing left powered on… He turns and steps out of the bridge hatch, and there lurking towards the bridge is a fully armed Jayne. Wash says): “I’ve powered down the bridge, so don’t go in there, oh, and by the way, Merz called in, and you don’t have to go back outside, ok.” Wash walks away, and goes to the galley, leaving Jayne by the bridge.)
(In the galley, Wash scrounges up a Blue Sun Pro Grade Protein bar and a can of Blue Sun Lemon flavored carbonated hydrogen-oxygen compound #4, and then as Rowan, Book, and River are all at the sink, washing dishes, tells Rowan that the food was great, nods friendly to Book and River, leaves the Galley, and trots down the stairs to the Cargo Bay, and spots Mal. He says to Mal): “Just taking our lady engineer a small offering so she can bless the port engine so we can have totally perfect run tomorrow. I’ve got everything powered down on the bridge… you know, you don’t look so good, maybe you need to park it, and relax for a while… go find Jayne and work out or something, ok?” Maybe you could carry the other half of his arsenal, and work up some sweat, ok.” (He ducks down into the small hatchway that accesses the port thruster wing, and calls for “Lady Serenity”)

(In Jubil Early’s slowly spinning, derelict one-man scout ship, the power is still on, as seen from the large clear front windows, a headshot of River is still laying on the console, and a small digital display shining thru it reads: 17:09 AMT (05:05pm)

- EOM -

Decoy, they make me go first.

SAINT JAYNE

Thursday, August 5, 2004 5:08 AM

Jayne's turn:
LOCATION - FORE PASSAGE

Various taps and clicks are heard from the bridge. There's someone in there. Jayne prowls forward, ready to spring like a cat on the hunt. Suddenly the lights go out ahead of him; the noises stop; footsteps approach. Jayne clenches the pistol in front of him, his free hand edging towards his belt for whatever backup weaponry he might need.

Wash turns and steps out of the bridge hatch, and there lurking towards the bridge is a fully armed Jayne.

WASH
"I've powered down the bridge, so don’t go in there, oh, and by the way, Merz called in, and you don't have to go back outside, ok."

Jayne stands frozen, staring at Wash standing just in front of his psitol. He blinks twice as Wash walks past him and down to the galley, furrows his brow and glances left and right.

Gotta be some... somethin' left of Wash's brains here, Jayne tries to reason. There's nothing there on the floor where the grey matter had been sprayed 15 minutes earlier. Just that fading smell of charred meat. Don't make no... What'd I see? Maybe body snatchers vapourized Wash 'n took his place!. Jayne isn't even particularly impressed by that one.

Jayne leans up against the back wall of the bridge in the dark. What was happening to him? Maybe these things weren't really happening. Maybe no one was out to get him, and his imagination was just playing this elaborate hoax on him. Heh, that's just paranoid. Jayne shakes the crazy out of his head and heads back to his bunk.

MERCEDESTROY

Thursday, August 5, 2004 12:16 PM

Merz move

LOCATION - MAIN AIRLOCK to LOCATION - CARGO BAY

DMON smiles a bit at her, but his mind appears to be on other things. MERZ gives him a bit of a lip twitch in return, but her thoughts are also pretty far away from the present. Cycling the lock takes little time, and they emerge back into the warmth and light of the ship.

MERZ wastes little time getting off the helmet and peeling the suit off. Being that much out of touch with her surroundings always gives her a prickly feeling between her shoulder blades, and she is glad to feel air on her bare arms again. She sniffs a bit, while checking that the air feed is turned off and hanging the suit back in its locker. Smells a bit like … burning dinner. Odd, it was already cooked, why scorch it? She shakes her head and leaves it alone – almost nothing these civilians do makes all that much sense to her.

There are people about, she can hear and smell them. But something DAMON said is giving her a new thought. Serenity may not be home; she has no home now, but she … feels … welcome here. A far cry from the ship she reached Hera in. The people around her are all safe?, friends? MERZ does not know, except that nothing makes her conscious of danger and that in and of itself, is a new and interesting situation.

She stretches, rolling her neck and arching her back, working out the tingles from returning to gravity. Turning to DAMON she speaks, still rather distracted and flat-voiced.

MERZ
Any ideas what next?

EOM

If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

SQUEE

Friday, August 6, 2004 12:29 AM

Damon's turn:
LOCATION - MAIN AIRLOCK to LOCATION - CARGO BAY

Damon follows Merz out of the air lock, feeling tired and heavy from the sudden return of gravity. The dull ache of his wounds also returns with a vengeance. He pulls off his helmet for some fresh air and sets it on a crate. Getting the suit off is easier than figuring out how to put it on and it's not long before he's watching Merz for how to fold it up.

Movement on the catwalks catches his attention and he looks up to see Thorne closing the door of the spare shuttle. His mind jumps to his stuff that's still stored under the bunk but after a few seconds he decides a rich guy like Thorne wouldn't be interested in his junk. A moment later, Mal comes out of Inara's shuttle looking... upset.

MERZ
Any ideas what next?

Merz's question brings his thoughts back to what needs to be done. "Uhh..." He sighs, running a hand through his hair and sets his suit back in it's locker. Next on his list was worrying about his gun and cortex access but for now taking a breather sounds like the best idea.

"Guess I should head for the infirmery for some clean bandage things... Rapiheal or something like that. If tomorrow gets interesting I'd prefer not to have to worry about tearing stitches." He gives a faint smile. "Just don't tell Rowan."

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

MERCEDESTROY

Friday, August 6, 2004 12:51 AM

MERZ move

LOCATION - CARGO BAY

DAMON
Just don't tell Rowan.

don’t be silly MERZ thinks to herself, i will most certainly tell ROWAN if she needs to know, bhaai. didi will take care of you whether you choose it or not. didi will take care of all of you.

MERZ
Go ahead DAMON, and take care of yourself. If you require assistance, I am trained for such duties. She looks around the bay. I think, I have time for some … her eyes fall on the weight bench, training.

She moves slowly off, still deep in thought, leaving DAMON to go to the infirmary alone. If he takes more than 20 minutes, she can go check on him.

EOM

bhaai = little brother (Nepali)
didi = elder sister (Nepali)

If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

MERCEDESTROY

Friday, August 6, 2004 1:48 AM

KAYLEE’s move

She hears a voice calling down the access hatch, Lady Serenity?

He bring me that his own self? She thinks as she stands. Well, that was nice of him.

KAYLEE stretches a little and heads back up to the hatchway. WASH is standing there holding one of those nasty Blue Sun protein bars and a can of, well, call it lemonade. Beggars can’t be choosers and right now, she has work to do. This is enough; Serenity needs her.

KAYLEE
Thanks WASH, I appreciate it. You shook a fitting loose in the port thruster, easy enough to fix. I’m gonna check the other thruster and then give the artificial gravity generator a once and maybe twice over ‘for bedtime. I’ll have our girl all ship shape before you go shakin’ us around.

She takes the food and drink from WASH’s hand, and almost absently turns back to her work again, leaving him standing in the doorway.

EOM

If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

RAISTLYNNE

Friday, August 6, 2004 2:55 AM

HEXX'S TURN:

Hexx, having made it back to the room he's currently haunting, discards his soiled clothing and heads to the latrine to get cleaned up. Jumping into the shower, he begins to lather up.

"Dammit!", he shouts aloud. Coming across a multitude of abrasions to what look like bite marks and stab wounds on various parts on his body. Not having noticed being hurt until the hot water and soap made contact.

Jonas finishes his shower and as he dries off, retrieves a med kit from the Box. Sewing up the deeper cuts and suturing the rest takes care of the worst of his troubles. Still feeling out of sorts after his little excursion into "crazy-land", Hexx shoots up for good measure.

"Well, guess I could go for some fish and noodles right about now. I'll order out, low profile time for me." Nodding as though agreeing with an unseen presence occupying the room with him, Hexx calls up a boy to get him his edibles.

He then takes out his "pocket-watch" and dials the Bank for information on the last known whereabouts of the Tamms.

EOT.

SAINT JAYNE

Friday, August 6, 2004 5:19 AM

Jayne's turn:
LOCATION - GALLEY

Jayne looks more like himself now, stripped of his weapons and warfaring mentality. He walks down to the galley to see who's around. Maybe have a normal conversation with someone to help him piece together his scattered thoughts.

His stomach cries out in its usual, overly dramatic way. It had been a long time since breakfast, and those protein puffs only delayed the inevitable feeding frenzy that was to come.

Jayne steps into the galley and plainly says "hey" to those present.

SQUEE

Friday, August 6, 2004 8:45 AM

Damon's turn:
LOCATION - CARGO BAY to INFIRMARY

Resisting the urge to first check on his possessions, Damon turns to head for the infirmery. He slows when he spots the rails and tools on the cargo bay floor. Apparently his space walk made him forget about his previous task. He glances around for Jayne but once again the man is not in sight.

Looks like it can wait.

He steps over the equipment and heads for the infirmery. A few Rapiheal patches find their way into a pocket along with a clean rag. He moves through drawers and cabinets for some disinfectant and stops short when he comes across some medical tools in a drawer.

He frowns, puzzeled by the sudden deja vu with an unsettling negitive vibe. He turns, still eyeing the scalpel for a moment before closing the drawer. Strange... Quickly shaking it off, he finds the disinfectant and heads for the door. The severed hand cuffs on the counter catch his eye, still sitting there from when Book took them off him. He grabs them on his way out, gives the drawer another quizical look and then makes his way up to his room.

On the way up the stairs he calls to Merz: "Hey, Merz, if Jayne asks for me, tell him I'm in the shuttle."

He closes the door behind him and drops the cuffs and bottle of disinfectant on the bed. Reaching into his pockets his pulls out the patches, cloth, his pocket knife and... a bottle of pills? He looks down at the small bottle. No lable or anything.

What the diyu is this and how the diyu did it get in my pocket?

He opens it and sniffs the contents but doesn't get anything conclusive. Knowing better than to do anything more with them, he closes the bottle and drops it on the bed to be ignored or dealt with later.

He reaches under the bed and pulls out his bag. After confirming that everything is still accounted for, specifically his money, he pulls off his shirt and sits down on the bed to look at his injuries.

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

CHANNAIN

Saturday, August 7, 2004 6:23 PM

OOC: I think we've all been doing dishes long enough. Rowan's hands are getting pruney.

Rowan's Move
LOCATION: Galley

BOOK: "I'm certain the doctor kept records regarding anything he gave you, he is quite meticulous. But as to whether you can access them... I don't know. Perhaps River could be of some help decoding her brother's files. She does have a special insight into his mind."

An insight is it? Glancing over at the girl, Rowan watches her smile shyly and thinks the Shepherd has a bit of insight to his own credit. Handy thing for a preacher to have.

BOOK: "As to the other, I think I'll surprise you."

Rowan looks at him and smiles. He's a handsome fella, distinguished is the word for someone of his years, but there's a charm to him as well. It gives cause to speculate on what manner of man he was before putting that collar on. Some men are said to be born to be men of God, but in her experience not a one ever starts out that way. As for Book, she could see him in a gentleman's finery, or a soldier's buttoned down uniform. Could go either way.

ROWAN: "All right then, Shepherd. I'll keep my eye out for you."

Voices in the corridor advent the arrival of Wash who walks in with a companionable grin. Moving into the kitchen, he complements her again on the dinner, to which she gives him an equally appreciative nod. He nabs a Blue Sun Pro Grade Protein bar--aka "wrapped crap"--and moves on to open the refrigerator to grab a can of Blue Sun Lemon flavored carbonated hydrogen oxygen compound #4--better known in some parts as "yellow swill"--before heading out toward the engine room. Rowan frowns after him, appalled that he would consider bringing Blue Sun food stuffs to Kaylee. She could have sworn they were friends, after all. Isn't that just like a man?

Shaking her head, she makes a note to put a plate together for the girl as they finish up the evenings dishes. Water and soap swirl away into the ship's reclamation unit, to be cleaned and reprocessed accordingly. Drying her hands and she notes the redness of her skin, and attributes it to the gorram Blue Sun detergent that could melt the finish off her titanium cue stick. Suddenly she wishes she had more of her mother's special skin cream, but her supply of that ran out ages ago.

EOM

OOC: To be continued as a post to SJ. it was getting a bit lengthy, as it always does when I'm gone too long.

We have art so as not to die of truth ~ Neitzsche
http://www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=7922

CHANNAIN

Saturday, August 7, 2004 6:24 PM

Rowan's Move
LOCATION: Galley

The Shepherd's agreeing smile is truly a thing to behold as he hands her the freshly dried plate he just finished. Pulling the leftovers out, Rowan just has the cover removed when Jayne walks in, looking somewhat sheepish.

JAYNE: "Hey."

ROWAN (smiling): "Hey, shuai nan hai. Back from the black in one piece?"

And still a delicious looking piece. Tall, broad and ready for anything.

FLASHBACK
It was getting harder to pay attention to her work, with him around all the time. Easy on the eyes, he moved like an artisan, which she learned was natural for someone who had as much interest in the martial arts as he did. He smelled good too, and as always, there was that voice and that smile that he flashed oh so sparingly.

There was no weakness at all about him; that much she knew. He was too confident for it to be otherwise. Always keeping his strength hidden, using only a few words to vocalize large ideas.

What would his kiss taste like?

"Having trouble with my writing?"

She jumped a bit, realizing he was standing right beside her. He had been talking with Robert about something. Robert was the flamboyant one, the outspoken one, the one who would shoot first and question later. She couldn't help wondering how two men so very different in temperament could be such close friends.

"Um. No." Nervously, she shuffled papers that didn't need shuffling and set them back on the copy stand. His handwriting was actually flawless, each character perfectly executed to show off his years of formal training. "I just...I got distracted for a second, I guess. It's been a long day."

"Hm. I thought maybe this one was the problem." He reached past her to point out the character, his arm passing right over the keyboard and throwing his scent right up into her senses.

Closing her eyes to taking a long breath of it, Rowan gave up. She'd always sworn never to get involved with anyone she worked with. Then again, she never met anyone like him either. "Tianna, wenqilai hen haowen."

She turned her head to him before she opened her eyes and saw him staring down at her. He looked puzzled and even a little shocked, indicating his extreme level of surprise that she was attracted to him. Letting her lips curve into a smile, she didn't turn her gaze away, and saw amazement dawn in his eyes.

END FLASHBACK

Rowan winced when the pain hit her head harder this time and swore inwardly at that doctor. She could have taken care of the wound herself, after all. Just letting him do whatever he wanted probably hadn't been the wisest course, in hindsight. Then again, she was pretty out of it, and pretty damn tired. Wouldn't have been a good idea to go poking around her own eye when her perception wasn't that steady, particularly this close to the tournament. Damned if she did, damned if she didn't. Same song, same verse, over and over and over again. When in the name of heaven, hell and the 'verse itself was it going to stop?

ROWAN (to Jayne): "Didn't see you eat much before. Hungry?"

EOM

shuai nan hai - pretty boy
Tianna, wenqilai hen haowen - God, you smell nice.

We have art so as not to die of truth ~ Neitzsche
http://www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=7922

MERCEDESTROY

Monday, August 9, 2004 12:42 PM

MERZ move

LOCATION - CARGO BAY

DAMON
Hey, Merz, if Jayne asks for me, tell him I'm in the shuttle.

Roger, DAMON. MERZ says absently. Her thoughts are chaos, once again overwhelmed by the conflict between what she is, and what she would be. Learning to fight is a far sight easier than learning to feel. Fighting she understands.

She loads up the bar with all the weights she can find, and settles herself on the bench. Yeah, there may be other things to do, but DAMON needs a bit of rest and JAYNE has vanished. If she stays here and works out, when he comes back she can assist him with the rails – whatever they are doing with them.

For this moment, going to take a breather, and just exercise. Going from a life that is all training, to one that is all confusion is so … well she just does not know. Just going to take a few minutes off and … not think. (Or at least not think so much).

She starts lifting, one, two, three ….

EOM

If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

SAINT JAYNE

Monday, August 9, 2004 4:59 PM

Jayne's turn:
LOCATION - GALLEY

Jayne's confusion and thoughtfulness intermingle on his face, making him look like he is either annoyed or moping.

ROWAN
"Hey, shuai nan hai. Back from the black in one piece?"

Jayne stops abruptly and looks at Rowan's smiling face with wide eyes. She looks sincere enough. Jayne was about to spit back, "surprised?" but decides instead to bite his tongue. But what to say?

JAYNE
"Yeah, I had a problem with m' suit. Couldn't go back out right away. Wash was messin' around. We oughta lock him in the bridge so's he doesn't keep wanderin' on the ship." Jayne spit out each sentence in turn, and realizing it didn't make much sense by itself, followed up with another. Finally happy with his explanation, he turns to a cupboard on the side of the pantry. "Pardon me, Shepherd."

After a pause, Rowan speaks again.

ROWAN
"Didn't see you eat much before. Hungry?"

JAYNE
"I ate plenty", Jayne mutters thoughtlessly, pulling a handful of vita-paks and protein bars out from two cupboard units. Hey, try thinkin' before you yammer', he chastizes. "But all that running around builds up a hunger." As if in agreement, a miserable wail arises from Jayne's stomach.

CAPNRAHN

Monday, August 9, 2004 6:13 PM

LOCATION - UPPER TRANSVERSE CATWALK
As ...

Mal leans on the rail and looks down on the cargo bay. Out of the corner of his eye he notices Thorne step back into the shadow of the port shuttle hatch. Mal sighs and puts a boot up on the rail as well.

'Let the gilded* flannel mouth* play his superspy games. Types like that always seemed to end up shufflin' off the in hardest way.' Mal muses to himself. Feeling a little more in control he says to no-one in particular.

"He can wait."

Mal settles his elbows down on the top rail and lets his eyes unfocus. He lets the sounds, smells and vibration of Serenity quiet the insanely spinning carousel of thought and raw emotion. After it settles down, he begins to think over the past few days.

Mal knows hasn't been acting like himself for those several days. The last encounter with Inara proved that. Mal knows he has thrown a rein on calling or even inferring that Inara is a whore. He should not have let it slip -- no matter the perceived provocation. She never deserved that title.

A sudden change in ambient sound alerts Mal to the opening of the airlock inner door. Without glancing towards Thorne's hiding place, Mal turns back towards Inara's shuttle and with only a tiny hesitation, moves forward. At the intersection, he turns left and heads up the gangway to the forward passage -- he is heading for his bunk. Unconsciously, he avoids anyone else on his way.

EOM

*gilded: Gold plated, considered cheap.
*flannel mouth: An overly smooth or fancy talker, especially politicians or salesmen. "I swear that man is a flannel-mouthed liar."

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

MERCEDESTROY

Tuesday, August 10, 2004 12:15 AM

KAYLEE’s’ move

LOCATION - ENGINE ROOM – PORT SIDE THRUSTER POD ACCESS

Even with a snack in one hand, it is a simple matter to tighten the loose fitting, and check to make sure the rest are tight. Once all is ship-shape KAYLEE carefully bends the access plate back and locks it down. Won’t have to bang it, next time, she thinks to herself. Now, time for the other side.

She drains the can of drink while crossing over, and accessing the interior of the starboard thruster. This one sounds good and looks better. Most of the strain must have been on the other side. Best tell WASH to alternate directions, to avoid over-straining one thruster on the next Ivan. As if he’d listen.

Now for the one she dreads. KAYLEE gets into her supply locker, and digs around setting necessary supplies out, muttering spool of 10-gauge wire, spool of 14-gauge wire, spool of 18-gauge wire, why can’t they build these things with only one gauge wire? Where is my spool of 16-gauge wire, just in case? There she is. Gathering a double armful of wires, tools and clamps, she approaches the gravity generator with less than complete eagerness. Tricky, very tricky.

Once inside, the main generator looks flawless – and should. KAYLEE is careful with this. However the wiring on the secondaries and boosters looks a bit tatty, and some of the connections require some fresh solder. She shunts around the secondary, leaving the booster in place for now (just in case), and starts the re-wiring job.

Deep in the recesses of her mind, odd thoughts come and go; strange impressions lurk. But here she sits, smudges on her cheeks, at one with Serenity, letting the strangeness be.

EOM

If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

DIREKTORSSMEAGELLE

Tuesday, August 10, 2004 1:18 AM

WASH move

KAYLEE
… I’ll have our girl all ship shape before you go shakin’ us around.

WASH watches her walk away, lemonade dropped carelessly into a pocket, opening the Protein bar. If that’s what she wants to eat, well, won’t stop her. But I may fix ‘er up some leftovers, later.

Time to go back to work he thinks, and turns. Even as he meanders his way back to the bridge, he is back to his mental maneuvering. Once seated again, before his contour map, someone close to him would be able to hear him muttering left, left, left, HARD left, up, right, …

EOM

RAVENWHYTEWING

Tuesday, August 10, 2004 5:07 AM

Slights move (so good to be back):

Slight finally comes to. He's been daydreaming far too long.
He rises from the seat on the catwalk. Suddenly, the cold wind blows past his shoulder, and he can feel it. . .somethings wrong. . .

You see I cannot be forsaken/Because I'm not the only one.

MANIACNUMBERONE

Tuesday, August 10, 2004 11:37 PM

Book's Move
Location: Galley to Book's quarters

"I wouldn't be surprised if I passed your notice completely." Book says enigmatically. Drying off his hands after handling dishes, he takes note of the newly aqcuired familiarity between Jayne and Rowan. wouldn't marvel if Jayne showed up at the game too. He thinks as he sets down the towel and starts to make his way to the rear galley doorway. "Please excuse me. I have something I need to attend to."

As he leaves the galley, Book thinks about the time. I should have been contacted by now. I don't want to contact them again. Down the aft stairs, stopping for a moment at the bottom to glance into the infirmary. So long since Simon was there to look at and converse with. Sighing, he continues through the common area into his room and closes the door. He walks to a closeted area and removes his large trunk. Sliding it out of the closet and across the floor, he hefts the mainly empty chest onto his bed, unlocks it and looks inside. Empty... good. Reaching into the chest, he removes a hidden panel in the bottom and stares numbly at the container within.

EM

CHANNAIN

Wednesday, August 11, 2004 4:54 AM

Rowan's Move
LOCATION: Galley

BOOK: "I wouldn't be surprised if I passed your notice completely."

Even without that collar, he would be a hard fella to miss. Rowan has to admit to a measure of intrigue, though. Should be interesting to see what happens. As the Shepherd leaves, Rowan checks on Jayne out of the corner of her eye. She figures he must have some manner of addiction to the Blue Sun fare he keeps pulling out from everywhere. She's heard one or two theories in her day, about how chemicals are mixed up with the various products--narcotics that encourage the consumer to come sailing back for more. Could be some truth to that nonsense too, if Jayne's anything to go by.

Despite his insistence that he ate plenty, when Jayne's stomach gives a mighty roar that could have been heard down in the engine room, Rowan just shakes her head as she covers the chicken again and puts it back into the refrigeration unit.

ROWAN: "Sounds like you and your stomach might be having a difference of opinion on that. Suit yourself. There's plenty left over."

Turning back, she takes two plates of sesame chicken-ized protein with white rice into the neutrowave, one for herself and one for Kaylee. After setting it up for a three-minute cycle, Rowan takes a long, exaggerated breath, well aware how it has the effect of bringing attention to her breasts, as the rich aroma begins to permeate the kitchen again.

Looking at him out of the corner of her eye, she challenges Jayne's resolve.

ROWAN: "Big fella like you must have an awfully hearty...appetite."

EOM

We have art so as not to die of truth ~ Neitzsche
http://www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=7922

MERCEDESTROY

Thursday, August 12, 2004 1:12 AM

MERZ move

LOCATION - CARGO BAY – JAYNE’s WEIGHT BENCH

MERZ
… sixty-two, sixty-three, sixty-four, sixty-five, sixty-six …

EOM

If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

CHANNAIN

Thursday, August 12, 2004 4:54 PM

Rowan's Move
LOCATION: Galley

The way he's looking at her, how his eyes perform that slow blink motion of a male caught off his guard, Rowan can't quite tell if he's taking her seriously or not. Reynolds certainly has unusual criteria for picking his crewmen. Seems like every captain has a teensy little blind spot when it comes to that. Big? Check. Tough? Check. Got Weapons? Check. Weapons knowledge? Check. Smarts? Well, maybe not so much.

The neutrowave squeals cheerfully and Rowan takes a pair of hot pads to pull both plates out. Setting them on the counter, she moves to the drawer where the chopsticks are kept - closer to Jayne - and selects two sets of stainless steel. Angling her gaze at Jayne, she gives him a demure look before going back to pick up a couple of cloth napkins - brown, naturally - and takes both plates with her as she moves out of the galley, she calls over her shoulder.

ROWAN: "I'll be back for that cue stick. If it goes missing, I'll know where to find it."

She climbs the steps and heads down the hall to the engine room.

EOM

We have art so as not to die of truth ~ Neitzsche
http://www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=7922

SAINT JAYNE

Friday, August 13, 2004 4:02 PM

Jayne's turn:
LOCATION - GALLEY

ROWAN
"Sounds like you and your stomach might be having a difference of opinion on that. Suit yourself. There's plenty left over."

JAYNE
"Hey, this don't mean I don't like yer cookin'." Jayne is still sorting things through in his head. Suddenly an old adage pops into mind: Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer. But what is Rowan?

Jayne pockets a half dozen small packets. He keeps watching Rowan. Maybe this is what he should be doing. Spending time with her. Watching her.

ROWAN
Looking at him out of the corner of her eye, she challenges Jayne's resolve.

"Big fella like you must have an awfully hearty...appetite."

Was that a...? Is she flirting again? Jayne's eyes snap to the dangling front of her shirt, then to her face. He brings up a sealed pack of vita-minis in one hand, engulfing the entire thing and squeezing to strain the muscles of his exposed arm. After a brief moment, the packet pops.

JAYNE
"You know it."

He leans back, holds the packet over his mouth, and lets the bonbons rain in. The neutrowave squeals cheerfully and Rowan takes a pair of hot pads to pull both plates out.

ROWAN
"I'll be back for that cue stick. If it goes missing, I'll know where to find it."

JAYNE
He shouts at Rowan's back as she moves away, "You don't need an excuse to come see me."

Information... information. Maybe some of the others have noticed something funny. Jayne give Rowan a minute to disappear, then makes his way to Book's room.

MERCEDESTROY

Friday, August 13, 2004 7:41 PM

MERZ move

LOCATION - CARGO BAY - JAYNE's WEIGHT BENCH

MERZ
... hundred-sixteen, hundred-seventeen, hundred-eighteen, hundred-ninteen, hundred-twenty ...

EOM

If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

MERCEDESTROY

Friday, August 13, 2004 7:49 PM

KAYLEE’s move

LOCATION - ENGINE ROOM

The grav secondary re-wire goes quickly and without any particular problem. Once finished with that, KAYLEE re-shunts around that, to tackle the booster system. This is the last fail-safe if the primary fails or the compensator secondary fails.

She starts going over this one, inch by inch, a careful examination of every juncture, join, wire and connection. Not trusting to a cursory glance, she brings out a magnifier and light arrangement and bends to her work. Gonna take a while, She thinks, but it’s not like I got anything more pressing to do today.

Finding a loose connection she wipes sweat out of her eyes, reaches for her soldering iron, and bends once again to her job.

EOM

If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

DECOY

Saturday, August 14, 2004 2:48 AM

Wash's Move:
Location - Bridge

(Wash is sitting at the helm, staring at the contour map of New Hokkiado's moon... in a weak voice, some naviagation terminology is heard...):
"Right, left, slow left, dip down right, hard left, wall... ok, again... Right, left, slow left..."

(OOC): Using a friend's machine...

Decoy, they make me go first.

SQUEE

Saturday, August 14, 2004 6:25 AM

Damon's turn:
LOCATION- SPARE SHUTTLE

Damon sits shirtless on his bed and carefully removes the bandages on his gut and arm. He is surprised to find that his arm wound is almost completely healed and his stitched gut is not far behind. Another day or two and he should be stitch free.

After dropping his pants and removing the patch on his leg wound- which is also well on it's way to being good as new- he soaks his rag in disinfectant and cleans all three wounds. Once satisfied, he patches them up again and redresses. Despite the fact that he's never needed to worry about tending wounds- or really given the chance to- he's quickly learning that taking a couple short breaks in the day is well worth the time.

He gathers up the used bandages and empty wrappers, disposing of them in the trash receptacle and returns to the bed. Handcuffs get dropped in his bag for future dismantling and inspection, his pocket knife and bottle of pills are returned to his pocket, his bag goes back under the bad and the rag and disinfectant are gathered in a hand to be returned to the infirmery.

He takes one last look around and heads out of the room.

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

CHANNAIN

Saturday, August 14, 2004 2:15 PM

Rowan's Move
LOCATION: Galley
ooc: whoops, no, wait. Been in the galley so long... let's see... ah!
LOCATION - BACK HALL en route to LOCATION - ENGINE ROOM
ooc: Pretty colors!

JAYNE: He shouts at Rowan's back as she moves away, "You don't need an excuse to come see me."

Not the most charming of invitations, still an invitation all the same. And if charm was what she was after, she certainly wouldn't be looking to Jayne for it. Promising herself to make good on it - and inspect those muscles of his more throughly - she steps inside the engine room. She's about to announce her presence when she hears absent-minded humming coming from the rear of the engine. The girl's hard at work, it seems. Likely getting some fine tuning done before the captain's grand plan goes into action.

ROWAN: "Kaylee? I don't mean to interrupt, but I brought some dinner. Figured you'd need something to take the taste of those protein bars away. I'll just leave it here by the door. Keyi?"

Crouching down, she puts the plate on the deck near the hammock and drapes the napkin over it before she straightens.

ROWAN: "You ever need anything, gimme a shout."

EOM

Keyi - "Okay", from my Oxford Chinese dictionary

We have art so as not to die of truth ~ Neitzsche
http://www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=7922

MERCEDESTROY

Saturday, August 14, 2004 4:36 PM

MERZ move

LOCATION - CARGO BAY -JAYNE’s WEIGHT BENCH

… two hundred seventy-eight, two hundred seventy-nine, two hundred eighty, two hundred eighty-one, two hundred eighty-two …

EOM

If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

MERCEDESTROY

Saturday, August 14, 2004 5:07 PM

KAYLEE’s move

LOCATION - ENGINE ROOM

ROWAN
Kaylee? I don't mean to interrupt, but I brought some dinner. Figured you'd need something to take the taste of those protein bars away. I'll just leave it here by the door. Keyi? {pause} You ever need anything, gimme a shout."

KAYLEE surfaced at the sound of another voice and the smell of something rather, well nice! She recognized her, one of the new folk. ROWAN? she calls back, but there is no answer. Musta been on her way somewhere else. But something smells, um well, maybe I can stop for just a minute.

She puts down her tools and gets to her feet. There is a plate near her hammock, covered in a napkin. Lifting the cover shows her some sticky Chinese concoction with a chickeny smell, and a pair of Wash’s stainless steel chopsticks. Yummy, she thinks, and settles on the bunk, plate in hand to savor the food.

Hope Simon got some o’ this, this is nice. crosses her mind first, before remembering. How could she forget? Where is he? What is going on? How could he just leave and why, why is he actin' so very strange. Just not like himself a'tall.

The food loses its savor. All she can think is that her Simon is in trouble, and the last thing she said to him was so cold. Will he ever have the chance to understand why? Will she have the opportunity to be sorry. It was necessary, but she is still very sorry.

After a while she finishes off her cold plate; Daddy taught her never to waste anything, and goes back to the job at hand.

EOM
Keyi = Okay (Chinese)

OOC: edited 4th paragraph - did not feel correct.

If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

SAINT JAYNE

Sunday, August 15, 2004 3:28 PM

Jayne's turn:
LOCATION - PASSENGER DORMS

Jayne raps softly on Shepherd Book's door. Just in case Book is busy "diverting his energies" after his time with Rowan, he leans into the door and loudly whispers:

JAYNE
"Hey Preacher, I need ta talk. You busy?"

He waits for a response and listens to rythmic sounds of the weight bench being used in the cargo bay.

SQUEE

Sunday, August 15, 2004 6:18 PM

Damon's turn:
LOCATION - INFIRMARY to CARGO BAY

Damon returns to the cargo bay after dropping off the disinfectant in the infirmery. He passes Jayne on the way, who knocks on Book's door. Damon lets him firgure his own schedule out and doesn't say anything.

He spots Merz working out on the bench drenched in sweat and still plowing along as if lifting foam. To say that Damon is impressed would be an understatment. He's seen a lot of very well built men in his day but he has a feeling that Merz exceeds their capabilities in more ways than one. He smiles but doesn't want to interrupt.

Deciding to just wait for Jayne- or perhaps a brilliant idea for what else he could do to fall from the stars- he seats himself on the floor, leaning against a crate of tequila.

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

MANIACNUMBERONE

Sunday, August 15, 2004 9:15 PM

Book's Move
Location: Book's Room

The whisper from his door breaks Book's reverie over the contents of the hidden box. Deftly returning a few items to the box, Book softly closes the lid of his large trunk and turns to his door panel. He can see Jayne's large frame outlined against the thin material of his door. "My door is open, Jayne. Come in."

EM

DECOY

Sunday, August 15, 2004 10:58 PM

Wash’s and Zoe’s move:
LOCATION - BRIDGE

(Wash is memorizing his chosen course… as if his life depended on it… no, better, as if the passengers and crew were counting on it… no, harder, as if Zoe’s life was depending on it. He has a sudden thought, after crashing his Serenity for the umpteenth time: better log in the fake survey run, as to be more legitimate, and therefore more believable. Wash plays with the cortex for a minute, turning away from his helm console, typing in his message, and then getting his automated reply. Wash turns back to the helm, mind cleared and blanked, ready to study the course again, when…)

Meanwhile, nearby, in the dorm shared by Wash and Zoe, Zoe has been sleeping… vague, and restless… having bad dreams. She sees many bad things happening, but is powerless to stop them. Then, some clarity, as she and Mal, teamed up as usual, going out to make another deal… the negotiations get ugly as they mostly do… and gunplay ensues… they are pinned down, as usual, but this time is different… her weapon does not fire. When she checks her magazine, the ammo somehow spills out all over the ground, useless. Mal leaps up to defend her, and is slowly being shot to pieces… She is powerless to save him. As he falls… a lone figure steps out of the cover, and begins walking over to her, readying his weapon… Niska, the one who hurt her best friend and lover… She finally gets the partially filled magazine into her gun, and sprays fire wildly at him… at the identical instant that Niska’s first shot rings out… they both hit Wash, who has leaped in totally unexpected, as usual, to try to save her from Niska’s bullet… Wash crumples riddled by Zoe’s attack, as Niska laughs, and slowly turns to walk away… Zoe cradles Wash’s body, and screams at Niska… WHY? Why them, not me? Niska turns back, and… MECHANICALLY SCREAMS WHILE HIS HEAD ERUPTS IN AN UNHOLY LITE REDDISH LIGHT…

(The abused Helm console explodes in Wash’s face… The chicken flavored whatever had shorted out the lights under the helm, puffing black soot all over Wash’s face. Wash’s hands, without thought, bump the control yoke as he reaches for his face and eyes… Serenity jerks once, then the autopilot takes back over control. When he finished wiping out his watering eyes, wonder of wonders… the jammed shut helm console top, had neatly swung open on it’s up to now frozen shut lid.) “Kaylee’s gonna love that,” (Wash says to Rex, safely on top of the gunnery console) “that lid’s been stuck on there for months, we’ve had to crawl under the console and stick our hands way up in there to fix whatever… Good.” He then notices… Serenity’s at… Pink Alert?

(Zoe leaps up out of bed, drenched in sweat, fully clothed and armed, as she pulls her weapon of choice out from under her flattened, soaked pillow. She hears the electronic alarm going off, and is not aware of Serenity’s calm voice stating “Battle stations” over and over…)

(Wash is sitting, covered in a fine black powder, staring at the nearest pulsating pink light.) “I didn’t know we had a battle stations button, (Wash swings the lid down, and sees the red tell-tail button lit) “No, that’s not right, I can’t have a pink alert on my bridge, not as long as I’m the pilot! This must be Kaylee’s fault, I’m not gonna wanna be around when Mal sees this.” (Wash presses the lit button, which, up to now, no one on board knew what it had been for; Kaylee had traced the wire back to a small box, which was wired into Serenity’s intercom. He desperately punches it several times.) “Oops, that didn’t work, I’d better call Kaylee up here to turn this off… pink light bad, and the volume is murder.”

(The digital stick on clock which was on the top of the helm, which tried it’s best to go sailing out into the black, was stopped just short by smashing into the fore starboard viewport, and then raining down to the floor in a few hundred pieces, it’s last helpless thought: 17:20 AMT (05:20pm)… Gorram chicken flavore … .

EOM

Decoy, they make me g

MERCEDESTROY

Sunday, August 15, 2004 11:01 PM

MERZ move

LOCATION - CARGO BAY to BRIDGE AND ALL POINTS BETWEEN

MERZ … seven hundred thirty-seven, seven hundred thirty-eight, seven hundred thirty-nine …

She is a bit startled when the white lights in the bay drop, replaced by flashing lite reddish illumination. A pleasant female voice begins chanting, battle stations, battle stations.

No thought required. MERZ knows where her place is. The weight bar is snapped upwards in order to give her room to bolt upright off of the bench, once standing she snatches the falling weight out of the air one-handed and drops it back onto its cradle. Serenity shakes. Then she is running full tilt for the stairs, across the catwalk, through the dining room, into and through the front hall, up the stairs and is throwing herself into the gunnery station chair.

When she finally glances at WASH, while fastening the fighting straps, he looks … smudged. Not concerned, not anxious, just dirty. MERZ tilts her head at him. Is there something you want to tell me?

WASH just stares at her with water running from his eyes. Ouch?

EOM

If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

SQUEE

Monday, August 16, 2004 5:58 AM

Damon's turn:
LOCATION - CARGO BAY to BRIDGE

Damon had only just settled down when the ship's com comes to life. Battle stations, battle stations. Confusion quickly turns to alarm when he hears Merz jump to her feet on the other side of the room. He draws a breath and opens his mouth to ask her a question but she is already running up the stairs before he can get it fully formed.

Battle stations, battle stations.

No questions needed. He doesn't know if he has a battle station or where it would be, but he knows answers are on the bridge and runs up the stairs. His brain instinctively starts bringing any and all possible exits and assests to his attention, no matter how insignificant.

Two shuttles, space suits near the cargo bay air lock, likely at least one other air lock that could be found. There's a gun in my bag, don't have one on me, knife in my boot. Pocketknife, lighter, unidentified pills, bits of wire and a couple paperclips in my pocket. Twelve people on board- Mal, Zoe, Jayne, Merz and possibly Book look to be good fighters. Rest are maybes at best. Jayne's like to have the best gun's, tequila should be flamable, lots of useful stuff in the engine room and infirmery. If all else fails, I'm fit to throw some punches.

Battle stations, battle stations.

He steps onto the bridge not long after Merz and takes in the scene. Wash seems mostly calm and unworried. Merz looks like she's waiting for orders or answers. The consoles are smoking and the air smells like burnt food. Pink lights flash but a glance out the window show's no sign of anything but stars.

"What's goin on?"

OOC: there's probably more little things in Damon's pockets that he's thought of over the years to carry around that I couldn't think of in less than 30 minutes. if anyone comes up with any, let me know

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

CAPNRAHN

Monday, August 16, 2004 10:06 AM

LOCATION MAL's Bunk
Mal is shaken from his dark reverie by the voice chanting 'Battle Stations'. He hits the intercom with a tad more force than necessary.

"Wash - What the gorram hell is goin' on!!!"

EOM

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

SAINT JAYNE

Monday, August 16, 2004 2:52 PM

Jayne's turn:
LOCATION - PASSENGER DORMS and there abouts

Maybe Book is on the weights then? Jayne walks into the common area when warning lights and repeated warnings of "Battle stations" start.

This is getting taxing. Jayne stalks back to the stairs and up to the top level at high speed. His pistol has once again found a place in his hand. Jayne pauses at the intersection and curses himself for letting Rowan into the engine room. If Kaylee was hurt, he couldn't live with himself. Well, maybe that's a little strong. But he certainly couldn't live with Rowan!

Jayne whips around the corner, pistol aimed down the hall, and walks with speed and stealth to the engine room.

MERCEDESTROY

Monday, August 16, 2004 10:47 PM

KAYLEE’s move

LOCATION - ENGINE ROOM

KAYLEE never makes it all the way back to the artificial gravity genny. When the lights dim and then come back flashing pink, and the comm starts spouting “battle stations, battle stations” in Serenity’s calmest voice, KAYLEE scowls. Now, just how the guay did WASH manage to set that off? I thought I had that completely disabled. If he’s been messin’ ‘round under his console again I’m gonna’ … Oh, shiong mao niao, anyway.

She slams a couple of tools in her pocket and heads for the door to the engine room. Gonna go up to the bridge and straighten this out. And maybe straighten that gorram pilot at the same time.

She glances up at the flashing lights, and smiles to herself. nice color, pretty

EOM

guay = hell
shiong mao niao = panda piss

If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

MANIACNUMBERONE

Tuesday, August 17, 2004 8:15 AM

Book's Move
Location: Book's Room

Book stops himself on a chair as the ship lurches, then rights itself again. In the lapse of time, Jayne's shadow no longer covers the door screen when Book looks back up. what? Moving quickly, but a little unsteadily to his door, he throws it open to reveal the nothing he expected to find. With "battle stations" repeating over and again, a sense of urgency grips him. He leaves the door to his room open behind him and runs to the bridge... heedless of the secrets left somewhat unguarded in the trunk on his bed.

EM

SAINT JAYNE

Tuesday, August 17, 2004 2:09 PM

Jayne's turn:
LOCATION - ENGINE ROOM

Jayne slips into the engine room, sweeping from right to left with the business end of his side arm.

TEELABROWN

Tuesday, August 17, 2004 2:16 PM

Very small River turn. So sorry I haven't posted in a loooooooong while.
_____
River hears the "Battle Stations" ring out, but just sort of sits there. She says:

"Crying wolf are we now?"
_____
OOC: Okay, I, uh...yeah. I can change this if it's wrong. Can't remember right now.

_____________
"Freedom is the Freedom to say that 2 plus 2 make 4. If that is granted, all else follows"-Winston, 1984
Teela Brown, keeper of the delete key.
"No one reads these things any way."- Bart on Blackboard

CHANNAIN

Tuesday, August 17, 2004 3:36 PM

Rowan's Move
LOCATION: Rear hallway, nearly back to the galley.

Serenity jerks suddenly - as if someone just pushed all her buttons at the same time - tossing Rowan sharply against the bulkhead. Caught by surprise, she loses her grip on the plate and watches as it drops away, flipping rather gracefully to send sesame chicken flying just about everywhere before the ceramic impacts on the metal steps and smashes into a million pieces.

ROWAN: "Great. Another mess to clean up. Might as well get my Intergalactic Sanitation Union card at this rate."

Then all the overhead lights go out in the hall, leaving her in total darkness for a split second. Illumination returns quickly, but in a more rosy hue more reminiscent of mood lighting for a nightclub. Then she hears the same voice that had spoken to her during the weapons installation, calmly and almost cheerfully ordering everyone to battle stations.

ROWAN (in Chinese): "What in all that is holy?"

With quick instincts and quicker reflexes, she starts forward again, intent on the bridge. She's pretty sure they haven't been fired on, or are near any obstacles of any sort. Chances are somebody would have mentioned something of the sort if they were. Hopefully Serenity isn't too badly injured. Kaylee will be in a state, were that the case.

Hopping down the steps from the hallway to the galley, she sprints across it and hops up through the hatchway into the forward hall. Halfway to the bridge, she takes out her handheld and pulls up the interface that is still connected to the sourcepad back in her bunk. Tapping the screen quickly, she accesses the ship's status.

EOM

OOC: edited due to the fact that Rowan was in the wrong hall!

We have art so as not to die of truth ~ Neitzsche
http://www.mnartists.org/artistHome.do?rid=7922

MERCEDESTROY

Tuesday, August 17, 2004 11:08 PM

KAYLEE’s move

LOCATION - ENGINE ROOM

Half of her mind on what could be causing the alert, half admiring her lovely lighting (a much more restful and calming color than red) and half deciding on Wash’s upcoming and undoubtedly deserved punishment should there be no actual reason for this alert, KAYLEE is not watching where she is going particularly. After all she is alone in the room and could navigate her way to the door in a dead coma.

So when she runs headlong into JAYNE as he has just slid into the room and is scanning for heaven-only-knows what, she is startled at the very least. When she backs up and notices the extended pistol, she is no longer quite so certain that the alert is accidental.

KAYLEE
Oof! Oh, sorry Jayne, didn’t see ya. Aaah, what’s with the gun? Do you know sumthin’ I don’t about this alarm we seem ta be havin’?

EOM

If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

DECOY

Wednesday, August 18, 2004 12:17 AM

Wash's Move:
Location - Bridge

(Wash looks around at the pink-lit bridge, and turns in his chair to look down the front hallway, which is also lit in a soft pink light... he slamms his hand down on the general intercom): "Kaylee! You'd better make up a good one as to why my ship is at pink alert! It's supposed to be a RED ALERT! I didn't know we had a red alert... Captain, everything's just fine, no problems at all..."

Decoy, they make me go first.

MERCEDESTROY

Wednesday, August 18, 2004 9:30 AM

MERZ move

LOCATION - BRIDGE to LOCATION – MERZ DORM

WASH
… Captain, everything's just fine, no problems at all.

MERZ stares at WASH for a moment. No alert. No problem. Fine. She unbuckles the straps and stands up.

MERZ
If you do not need me then, there are things I need to take care of.

Pushing past DAMON and anyone else who has decided to check out this false alarm she heads for the door muttering With saathiharu like this, who needs shatruharu. I heard that from someone before, now I believe I understand.

Leaving the bridge she stalks back to her own dorm and slides inside. Once again, all of her clothing is not fit wear, she must acquire more as soon as possible. But for right now, MERZ snatches her shipsuit and the blanket off of her bunk, and arms full, walks towards the laundry room.

EOM

saathiharu = friends (Nepali)
shatruharu = enemies (Nepali)

If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

TEELABROWN

Wednesday, August 18, 2004 1:07 PM

_______
LOCATION: OUTSIDE RIVER'S DORM
_______

_____________
"Freedom is the Freedom to say that 2 plus 2 make 4. If that is granted, all else follows"-Winston, 1984
Teela Brown, keeper of the delete key.
"No one reads these things any way."- Bart on Blackboard

SAINT JAYNE

Wednesday, August 18, 2004 2:13 PM

Jayne's turn:
LOCATION - ENGINE ROOM

When she backs up and notices the extended pistol, she is no longer quite so certain that the alert is accidental. Jayne moves with her, one arm lowered down and silently herding her into a corner. His attentions are focused on the interior of the engine room.

KAYLEE
"Do you know sumthin' I don't about this alarm we seem ta be havin'?"

JAYNE
"Not rightly sure. Could be a hijacking, or an attack based off Hera. Or..."

WASH
"Kaylee! You'd better make up a good one as to why my ship is at pink alert! It's supposed to be a RED ALERT! I didn't know we had a red alert... Captain, everything's just fine, no problems at all..."

JAYNE
He relaxes and looks down at Kaylee with a cross face, "Or it could be Wash messing 'round again."

GEEZER

Wednesday, August 18, 2004 7:31 PM

Thorne's Move

Location: Port catwalk

As the pink(!)lights start to flash and Serenity begins to chant "Battle Stations! Battle Stations!" in a sultry contralto voice, THORNE's first instinct is to head for the bridge. After a couple of steps, though, he pulls up.

THORNE:(to himself) "Guess I better let Commander Chaos handle this one. I show up on the bridge tryin' to run things again he may get a mite touchy. If he needs me he'll call...I hope."

Turning back towards the stern, he heads for his quarters, hoping that the normal lights will be on by the time he gets there.

"Keep the Shiny side up"

MERCEDESTROY

Wednesday, August 18, 2004 10:51 PM

KAYLEE’s move

JAYNE follows her as she backs away to look at him. Eyes shifting nervously, he is scanning the room even as he lowers the gun slightly and carefully but firmly maneuvers her into a corner. She looks up at him rather fondly, even though he won’t see it. Why the big lug's protectin’ me. Ain’t that some sweet though? she thinks to herself. Wonder what he thinks from?

JAYNE
Not rightly sure. Could be a hijacking, or an attack based off Hera. Or..."

She never finds out … or… what. The internal comm sounds again, a bit hard to hear over the continued chanting of Serenity’s voice.

WASH
Kaylee! You'd better make up a good one as to why my ship is at pink alert! It's supposed to be a RED ALERT! I didn't know we had a red alert... Captain, everything's just fine, no problems at all...

JAYNE settles down a bit and looks down at her. KAYLEE is still grinning up at him. Or it could be Wash messing 'round again. He looks less than pleased with the situation.

KAYLEE pokes him in the chest with a pair of needle-nosed pliers she has in her left hand. I am gonna mess him around in a minute. Lemme outa here so’s I can give him a bit of instruction. We can’t have this alert unless someone has done something under his station and I didn’t. So, unless one o’ our new folks has been messing around where they shouldn’t oughta, then WASH and me are goin’ to have a bit of a chat. D’ya mind?

She tries to push past him. Besides, I think it is about time I turned that noisy thing off, don’t you?

EOM

If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

DECOY

Wednesday, August 18, 2004 11:47 PM

Wash's Move:
Location - In A Pounding Headache on the Softly PINK lit Bridge

(Wash is still sitting at the helm, autopilot safely on, all sensors showing clear blackness around them...) "Thank the gorram gods that nobody's actually around here to see this... I'd be embarrased all over if some Reavers, or Early, or our old pal Niska saw us like this... Pink alert!" (Wash says to the forward viewports, not noticing Zoe's barly concieled reactin to "Niska".)

(Wash turns to Damon): "Whatcha doing up here? Wanna try out the helm?"

(All the while, Serenity's calm voice keeps repeating:) "Battle Stations".

Decoy, they make me go first.

DECOY

Thursday, August 19, 2004 12:04 AM

Zoe's Move:
Location - Bridge

(Zoe leaps up the ladder from the dorm she shares with Wash, and runs to the bridge... where she hears the name "Niska", and the terror washes over her, and she stiffens... She looks around, and sees... nothing amiss. Ah, wash again, she thinks, and then notices the shiny pink lights... that match Kaylee's dancing dress. She sits down at the gunnery console, and waits to see what Mal will do to Wash...

Decoy, they make me go first.

ASTRIANA

Thursday, August 19, 2004 12:59 AM

ZOE'S MOVE, Supplemental:
LOCATION - BRIDGE

As she sits at the console to await MAL's arrival on the bridge, ZOE gives herself a mental shake and reminds herself that it was all just a dream...

ZOE calmly rises from the gunnery chair - Just ain't comfortable - and positions herself near WASH's right hand, perching against the panels as usual.

ZOE (to WASH): "Think you'll probably wanna be workin' up a good explanation, dear..."

A smile comes unbidden to her lips as she props herself against the console, hand on her left hip, and reaches out for his shoulder with her right.

ZOE (to WASH): "'Sides, I can't wait to see KAYLEE's reaction to this... Might even be more fun than MAL askin' why his bridge is all pink and flashy...

END MOVE.

OOC: Ho-o-o-ney, I'm h-o-o-me!

~Astriana~

~Long-Winded Goddess of Inter-Board Communication and Diplomacy~

~El Jefe Magnifico's Mistress... of Communications and Harems... ~

and

~Prodigal Daughter Returned Home ~

...I'm still free,
You can't take the sky from me.

SQUEE

Thursday, August 19, 2004 1:27 AM

Damon's turn:
LOCATION - BRIDGE

Quote:
Originally posted by Decoy:
… Captain, everything's just fine, no problems at all.

Damon steps aside as Merz nearly storms out of the room. He gives Wash a confused frown as he realizes that there really isn't anything wrong. He breathes a quiet sigh of relief and runs a hand through his hair as he leans against a locker.

Quote:
"Thank the gorram gods that nobody's actually around here to see this... I'd be embarrased all over if some Reavers, or Early, or our old pal Niska saw us like this... Pink alert!"

(Wash turns to Damon): "Whatcha doing up here? Wanna try out the helm?"

(All the while, Serenity's calm voice keeps repeating:) "Battle Stations".

Not sure which question to answer first, and getting very tired of hearing the alert, he steps up to the console.

"How about we turn this off first?" Kneeling down, he locates the wire responsible for the pink alert and finds a burned piece of protein lodged in the circuits. He reaches for it but quickly pulls his hand back when it touches the hot food and wires.

"Tt... tzao gao, gorram piece of yu bun duh fei-oo.."

He shakes his hand for a second before grabbing his pocketknife from his pocket. Opening the knife, he uses it to pull out the burned piece of food and carefully scrape away anything left behind. He lets out another sigh as the ship goes quiet. "That's better." He pulls out the hot protein from under the console with the toe of his boot. " Looks like some food got stuck up in there, activated the alarm system."

He stands up next to Wash and looks down at Serenity's helm. His piloting skills are limited but he's managed to get around in simple shuttles when quick get aways were necessary. He doesn't think that now would be the best time to give it a try but he's eager to learn as much as he can.

"She fly anything like a class B shuttle?"

OOC: ok, just made class B up. just a simple shuttle

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

SAINT JAYNE

Thursday, August 19, 2004 2:17 AM

Jayne's turn:
LOCATION - ENGINE ROOM

KAYLEE
"So, unless one o’ our new folks has been messing around where they shouldn’t oughta, then WASH and me are goin’ to have a bit of a chat. D’ya mind?

Well, that doesn't settle Jayne down much. Jayne follows Kaylee out of the engine room. His gun is still out, but held inoffensively at his side.

JAYNE
"You need ta be on the bridge to set off that alarm?"

The pink light is really getting to him. Not that the rest of his day wasn't, but that light was just nasty. It reminded him of this one place he went to enjoy himself on Paquin. The girls there acted like they were doing work or something.

MERCEDESTROY

Thursday, August 19, 2004 3:04 AM

KAYLEE’s move

LOCATION - ENGINE ROOM

JAYNE lets her slide past, and then falls in line behind her as she heads for the Bridge in what might be described as a mighty spirited mosey. He breaks the silence first.

JAYNE You need ta be on the bridge to set off that alarm?

KAYLEE Yeah. It is just wired to the helm console. It don’t run anywhere else in Serenity. It’s also not standard – belonged to a prior owner for who-knows why. Too much trouble to remove it so I broke the connection and left it.

They reach the stairs leading up to the bridge. There are a few people standing around, but nothing that seems either amiss or wrong. She looks up at JAYNE brightly See, it wasn’t anything but a false alarm.

Reaching the top of the stairs she sees DAMON with his hands under the console. Before she can speak, the alarm chops off mid-word as he says, … like some food got stuck up in there, activated the alarm system.

Ching-wah tsao de liou mahng!

KAYLEE is moving faster now, sprinting up to the stairs and onto the Bridge. DAMON stands there looking down at the helm and questioning WASH like there is nothing wrong in this world. Well, he can just dump that notion right now.

KAYLEE
WASH Warren, je shr shuh muh lan dong shi? She reaches across the helm console to his side and runs a finger around the bottom edge nearest the chair. You unwashed, brain-dead excuse for a lunatic. You promised, never, never, ever to bring a plate of food onto this bridge again. She holds up one unmistakably sticky finger. And if you say REX did it …

She whirls on DAMON. And you … She sighs and grins. Thanks for killing that alarm for me, was distracting for sure. I doubt you could’a done any more harm than HE did.

She motions towards WASH. Now, you just leave here for awhile and let me take care of this. I want to see what else might be fixin’ ta go up in smoke.

As WASH moves away from his chair, ZOË close behind, KAYLEE turns once again to DAMON. I think I have been takin’ some of my mad at someone else out on you. Don’t mean you can take liberties on my ship, but still I coulda been more understandin’.

She steps in front of WASH’s seat and goes to climb under the helm controls, as usual when WASH pauses on his way out of the room. Uh, KAYLEE, may I show you something? Without waiting for a reply but as soon as he catches her eye, WASH carefully reaches over and demonstrates that the console can now be accessed from the top. This might make things a bit easier.

As she glares at him, rising to her feet, he flees the bridge, at least as far as just on the other side of the door.

KAYLEE raises the top console access and groans. There is evidence of spillage everywhere. Nothing critical maybe, but it really needs to be cleaned up and soon. More work than she wants to consider, with the grav genny still in disarray.

EOM

Ching-wah tsao de liou mahng = Bastard who is humped by frogs!

Je shr shuh muh lan dong shi = What kind of rotten thing is this?

If Justice is the dish, then I am your waitress

SAINT JAYNE

Thursday, August 19, 2004 4:51 AM

Jayne's turn:
LOCATION - PASSENGER DORMS

Jayne is somewhat settled by Kaylee's upbeat explanation. He slides his pistol yet again into its holster. Bah. Wash would have his hands full with the rest of the crew right about now, so Jayne decides to bug him about it later.

Jayne tromps back down to the passenger dorms. Ah, Book's door is open.

JAYNE
Jayne walks up and sticks his head in. "Preacher?" Nobody is here. Just a big ol' trunk on the preacher's bed. Wonder what holy smut is like, Jayne thinks half jokingly, half hopefully, and edges into the room, leaning forward and craning his neck to see...

MANIACNUMBERONE

Thursday, August 19, 2004 5:43 AM

Book's Move
Location: Running to bridge

Book pulls up short as he hears Wash's voice call out over the comm that all is well. Unconvinced, but less hurried than before, he continues up to the bridge to assess the situation. Arriving just as Kaylee is ordering Wash from the bridge with a disapproving look, Book waits at the top of the short flight of steps outside the bridge door.

EM

SQUEE

Thursday, August 19, 2004 9:28 AM

Damon's turn:
LOCATION - BRIDGE

Quote:
Originally posted by MercedesTroy:
Ching-wah tsao de liou mahng!

Tzao gao, here we go again... He steps away from the computer and remains quiet.

Quote:
KAYLEE
WASH Warren, je shr shuh muh lan dong shi? She reaches across the helm console to his side and runs a finger around the bottom edge nearest the chair. You unwashed, brain-dead excuse for a lunatic. You promised, never, never, ever to bring a plate of food onto this bridge again. She holds up one unmistakably sticky finger. And if you say REX did it …

She whirls on DAMON. And you … She sighs and grins. Thanks for killing that alarm for me, was distracting for sure. I doubt you could’a done any more harm than HE did.

Damon's surprised that he's not getting railed on for touching her computer but Kaylee turns back to dismiss Wash before he has a chance to say anything.

Quote:
As WASH moves away from his chair, ZOË close behind, KAYLEE turns once again to DAMON. I think I have been takin’ some of my mad at someone else out on you. Don’t mean you can take liberties on my ship, but still I coulda been more understandin’.

Damon folds his knife closed and puts it back in his pocket. "Like I said, I'm just tryin to help- just been doin whatever Mal says needs doin." He motions to the computer. "Except for turnin that off. Figured that needed doin on my own."

He watches Wash back out of the room and notices Book standing in the doorway. Damon's gaze drops to Book's pocket and darkens at the memory of that disaster.

What you get for being careless...

He turns back to Kaylee who is already working at the console.

"Hey, you need any tools from the engine room 'fore I go down?"

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

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