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tamingthemuse2009-05-02 11:11 pm
garnigal.livejournal.com) wrote in tamingthemuse2009-05-02 11:11 pm
Entry tags:
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Title: Missing Persons Report
Fandom: Firefly
Prompt: Imbroglio
Warnings:
Rating: G (so far)
Word Count: 570
Summary: The crew is making new friends and taking new jobs.
“They took my son four years ago, and I’ve been looking for him ever since. I’ve come close a few times, but he was always in a well-guarded facility. They’ve finally moved him somewhere more accessible, but I need some people with the expertise to get me in and out.”
Mal’s brow wrinkled. Something in Norton’s story was niggling at him.
“Why?”
Mal was annoyed that Jayne’s question broke his train of thought. He’d never figure out what was nagging at him now.
“What do you mean ‘why’? You don’t have an iota of sympathy in your body. Most people care about their families, Jayne, and want to keep them safe.” Inara was in fine form, with sarcasm dripping from her words like the jewels at her ears and throat. Flashy, obvious and blinding.
“I care for my family. My ma worries something fierce ‘bout me, and I’m always thinking on them that’s still at home.” Jayne sounded… hurt. “I mean, why’d they put him somewhere’s we can get to him, after all these years.”
That’s what had been bothering Mal. And now he’d be up all night-cycle, worrying that Jayne figured it out first.
“Well, it’s clear, isn’t it?” Zoe said. She’d sat nearly motionless through Norton’s story. She’d been so still that Mal had stopped watching her to gauge reaction. He’d been more caught up in River’s and Simon’s little drama. “Issac’s been fully trained.”
It took a moment of silence for that to sink in. As usual, Jayne spoke first. “Well, ai chr jze se duh fohn diang gou.”
“That about sums it up,” Zoe said.
Norton’s brow is wrinkled. “I don’t understand. Trained to do what?”
And they all start talking at once.
Mal can see Norton’s confusion isn’t cleared up by the cacophony. He can understand why, once he stops talking and starts listening to the imbroglio. He only hears about one in every ten words, and none of them are from the same person.
“Crazy girl.”
“Stripped her amygdala.”
“Graceful but deadly.”
“Shot ‘em without even looking.”
“Slashed me right across the chest!”
“Witch.”
It took a minute, but he finally got them all quiet. “You and me, Norton. We need to have a real, in depth talk about exactly what’s been done to your boy. But it can wait ‘til morning. We’ve all had a busy day, and it’s been quite the show in here tonight.”
‘Nice to see everyone doing as I say for once,’ Mal thought as they all trailed out to their various before sleep-cycle duties and habits. He turned to head to his own bunk, only to trip over River.
“Almost everyone.”
Mal mock glared. “Stop reading my mind, witchy girl.”
“Used to it now. Be all awkward if I waited for you to tell me what to do.”
“Still, makes a fellow feel manly to give orders.”
River rolled her eyes.
“What did you need, ‘tross?”
“Need to talk to Norton with you tomorrow. Need to be the one to explain what Isaac is now. But,” her face screwed up like she was about to cry, “can’t say it right. Get caught up in it again and frightened and start to go back.”
“And nobody likes it when you ain’t yourself. I see your point, River. But don’t Simon usually act as your anchor in situations like this.”
“Don’t need an anchor this time. Need steering, navigation, piloting. Need a captain.”
Fandom: Firefly
Prompt: Imbroglio
Warnings:
Rating: G (so far)
Word Count: 570
Summary: The crew is making new friends and taking new jobs.
“They took my son four years ago, and I’ve been looking for him ever since. I’ve come close a few times, but he was always in a well-guarded facility. They’ve finally moved him somewhere more accessible, but I need some people with the expertise to get me in and out.”
Mal’s brow wrinkled. Something in Norton’s story was niggling at him.
“Why?”
Mal was annoyed that Jayne’s question broke his train of thought. He’d never figure out what was nagging at him now.
“What do you mean ‘why’? You don’t have an iota of sympathy in your body. Most people care about their families, Jayne, and want to keep them safe.” Inara was in fine form, with sarcasm dripping from her words like the jewels at her ears and throat. Flashy, obvious and blinding.
“I care for my family. My ma worries something fierce ‘bout me, and I’m always thinking on them that’s still at home.” Jayne sounded… hurt. “I mean, why’d they put him somewhere’s we can get to him, after all these years.”
That’s what had been bothering Mal. And now he’d be up all night-cycle, worrying that Jayne figured it out first.
“Well, it’s clear, isn’t it?” Zoe said. She’d sat nearly motionless through Norton’s story. She’d been so still that Mal had stopped watching her to gauge reaction. He’d been more caught up in River’s and Simon’s little drama. “Issac’s been fully trained.”
It took a moment of silence for that to sink in. As usual, Jayne spoke first. “Well, ai chr jze se duh fohn diang gou.”
“That about sums it up,” Zoe said.
Norton’s brow is wrinkled. “I don’t understand. Trained to do what?”
And they all start talking at once.
Mal can see Norton’s confusion isn’t cleared up by the cacophony. He can understand why, once he stops talking and starts listening to the imbroglio. He only hears about one in every ten words, and none of them are from the same person.
“Crazy girl.”
“Stripped her amygdala.”
“Graceful but deadly.”
“Shot ‘em without even looking.”
“Slashed me right across the chest!”
“Witch.”
It took a minute, but he finally got them all quiet. “You and me, Norton. We need to have a real, in depth talk about exactly what’s been done to your boy. But it can wait ‘til morning. We’ve all had a busy day, and it’s been quite the show in here tonight.”
‘Nice to see everyone doing as I say for once,’ Mal thought as they all trailed out to their various before sleep-cycle duties and habits. He turned to head to his own bunk, only to trip over River.
“Almost everyone.”
Mal mock glared. “Stop reading my mind, witchy girl.”
“Used to it now. Be all awkward if I waited for you to tell me what to do.”
“Still, makes a fellow feel manly to give orders.”
River rolled her eyes.
“What did you need, ‘tross?”
“Need to talk to Norton with you tomorrow. Need to be the one to explain what Isaac is now. But,” her face screwed up like she was about to cry, “can’t say it right. Get caught up in it again and frightened and start to go back.”
“And nobody likes it when you ain’t yourself. I see your point, River. But don’t Simon usually act as your anchor in situations like this.”
“Don’t need an anchor this time. Need steering, navigation, piloting. Need a captain.”