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tamingthemuseTitle: Missing Persons Report
Fandom: Firefly
Prompt: Cadence
Warnings:
Rating: G (so far)
Word Count: 637
Summary: The crew is making new friends and taking new jobs.
A military band played too loudly.
Booted feet kept time with drums and horns, watching crowds cheered for faceless soldiers in purple suits. Banners strung across the street fluttered in the wind, their bright letters screamed a welcome to the newly established Alliance outpost on Cadence.
Mal had a wide grin pasted on his face. To the security squads scanning the faces, he looked like any other celebrating townie. To the crew strategically positioned nearby, he looked like he had swallowed poison-tipped needles that were on the way back up.
“Thought we were supposed to be blendin’ in, Captain?” Zoe’s voice came through the ear bud loud and clear. “You look a mite… pained.”
Mal was about to answer when he saw one of the undercover security forces looking in his direction. Instead, he widened his grin until his cheeks hurt and waved the flag that Kaylee had pressed into his hand as he left the ship. The guard’s eyes passed over him without stopping, so it must have worked.
“Never intended to tread the boards. Not enough time to make an artiste out of him.” River’s sense of humour was finally developing, or perhaps just more understandable, since Miranda. Unfortunately for Mal, it had taken a decidedly sarcastic turn, and he was frequently the butt of her dry comments.
His only comfort was that Simon was even more of a target than Mal was.
The band had finally passed out of earshot, and the throng was starting to disperse, heading for bars, restaurants and homes to enjoy the rest of the day off. “Keep your eyes peeled, people. Now that folks are on the move, our contact will be heading this way.”
“Still don’t think it should take all of us to look after the Doc just for a meeting,” Jayne grumbled. “This town’s real well known for its brew. Takes a lot of cashy money to buy a bottle off-planet.”
“As far as you’re concerned, every town is ‘real well known’ for some drink or other,” Simon said scornfully. “Don’t know how you can taste anything, given how you’ve killed your tastebuds with... oh, I’m sorry. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, N-“
Mal tensed as Simon greeted the contact. They’d never worked with this contact before, and his few Waves prior to this meet were clearly paranoid. There was no video, so they didn’t know what he looked like. He’d altered his voice in the recording and the return Cortex number was nothing but a drop box. Mal really hated not knowing what he was walking into.
“No names!” The contact’s low voice was easily audible over Simon’s earpiece. Mal could only see the back of the contact’s head from his position. Much as he wanted to move to get a better view, he contented himself with keeping an eye on the people still milling around. It was River and Zoe’s job to get a good picture of the guy and Jayne’s to make sure no one was drawing a bead on any of them. “The whole point of meeting out on the edge of nowhere was not being noticed.”
“My apologies, sir. How can I be of service?” Simon had been doubtful of his part in this meetup, but the contact had requested him specifically. Mal was impressed with how smoothly Simon was handling the man’s fears and anxiety.
“Trembling on the inside, just like when he operates. Hides it well. Could have been a fine actor.” River murmured quietly from beside him. “Got the scans, heading back to the ship.”
“You telling me this won’t take long?”
“Need to make up guest quarters,” she shot back as she disappeared.
“Niu shi.” He hated it when she did that.
“I need you to help me get back my son. He’s been kidnapped.”
To be continued…
Fandom: Firefly
Prompt: Cadence
Warnings:
Rating: G (so far)
Word Count: 637
Summary: The crew is making new friends and taking new jobs.
A military band played too loudly.
Booted feet kept time with drums and horns, watching crowds cheered for faceless soldiers in purple suits. Banners strung across the street fluttered in the wind, their bright letters screamed a welcome to the newly established Alliance outpost on Cadence.
Mal had a wide grin pasted on his face. To the security squads scanning the faces, he looked like any other celebrating townie. To the crew strategically positioned nearby, he looked like he had swallowed poison-tipped needles that were on the way back up.
“Thought we were supposed to be blendin’ in, Captain?” Zoe’s voice came through the ear bud loud and clear. “You look a mite… pained.”
Mal was about to answer when he saw one of the undercover security forces looking in his direction. Instead, he widened his grin until his cheeks hurt and waved the flag that Kaylee had pressed into his hand as he left the ship. The guard’s eyes passed over him without stopping, so it must have worked.
“Never intended to tread the boards. Not enough time to make an artiste out of him.” River’s sense of humour was finally developing, or perhaps just more understandable, since Miranda. Unfortunately for Mal, it had taken a decidedly sarcastic turn, and he was frequently the butt of her dry comments.
His only comfort was that Simon was even more of a target than Mal was.
The band had finally passed out of earshot, and the throng was starting to disperse, heading for bars, restaurants and homes to enjoy the rest of the day off. “Keep your eyes peeled, people. Now that folks are on the move, our contact will be heading this way.”
“Still don’t think it should take all of us to look after the Doc just for a meeting,” Jayne grumbled. “This town’s real well known for its brew. Takes a lot of cashy money to buy a bottle off-planet.”
“As far as you’re concerned, every town is ‘real well known’ for some drink or other,” Simon said scornfully. “Don’t know how you can taste anything, given how you’ve killed your tastebuds with... oh, I’m sorry. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, N-“
Mal tensed as Simon greeted the contact. They’d never worked with this contact before, and his few Waves prior to this meet were clearly paranoid. There was no video, so they didn’t know what he looked like. He’d altered his voice in the recording and the return Cortex number was nothing but a drop box. Mal really hated not knowing what he was walking into.
“No names!” The contact’s low voice was easily audible over Simon’s earpiece. Mal could only see the back of the contact’s head from his position. Much as he wanted to move to get a better view, he contented himself with keeping an eye on the people still milling around. It was River and Zoe’s job to get a good picture of the guy and Jayne’s to make sure no one was drawing a bead on any of them. “The whole point of meeting out on the edge of nowhere was not being noticed.”
“My apologies, sir. How can I be of service?” Simon had been doubtful of his part in this meetup, but the contact had requested him specifically. Mal was impressed with how smoothly Simon was handling the man’s fears and anxiety.
“Trembling on the inside, just like when he operates. Hides it well. Could have been a fine actor.” River murmured quietly from beside him. “Got the scans, heading back to the ship.”
“You telling me this won’t take long?”
“Need to make up guest quarters,” she shot back as she disappeared.
“Niu shi.” He hated it when she did that.
“I need you to help me get back my son. He’s been kidnapped.”
To be continued…
