Voice Test [x-post to dear_player]

[brownish]

All right. I think it's time you and I had a little chat. And by "about time", I guess I mean "right away".

Look, I don't know what you plan on doing with me, but let me make one thing perfectly transparent with you: I am not happy. I am not happy with being off my ship, or being away from my crew. The Alliance? I could do without them for a spell, so if I'm going to thank you for anything, I guess it should be that.

But it looks like I'm not going anywhere for a while. Great.

So why now? You've known me for years now, and you're only just now deciding that I'm worth doing something with? The other folks I've seen don't give you the best vote of confidence, now, so excuse my cynicism. I'm a realistic-sort of man, you understand. Nothin' personal, just not overly-fond of big hopes and dreams and crazy plans being dashed without even so much as a foot forward.

So you keep me around, keep Alliance off me, maybe we can make this work. Capisce?

Good. I'm glad we could get that settled, then.

Comments

[meddledwith]

People come and go. [She looks beyond him for half a second before returning her attention to him.]

I came and went. Now I'm here. Because of you.

[brownish]

Well it ain't just me, you know. That brother of yours should get most of that credit. All's I've done is give you three squares and a bunk to rest your heads.

[n7shepard_spectre]

Word of advice: if your trying to hide from the Alliance, I wouldn't go around saying so.

On the other hand, as a member of the Alliance, is there something I should know? Or is this another of those odd, parallel weird multiverse things going on?

[brownish]

Not unless you've got a problem with good law-abiding citizens just going about their day. Or... is that something you're branching out into? No disrespect, but a man's gotta know which of his rights aren't his anymore.

[n7shepard_spectre]

Absolutely not. I prefer nice, law abiding citizens. Makes a nice change from saving the galaxy from Reapers.

Cmde Shepard, Alliance Navy N7, and council Spectre.

[brownish]

Commander? Well, now. This is a special occasion, isn't it?

Captain Malcolm Reynolds, Captain of Firefly-class transport ship Serenity and hard-working, law-abiding citizen. Nice to see you folk finally acknowledging Reavers in your own way.

[n7shepard_spectre]

My pleasure, Captain.

[talkingaintdoin]

Well, sir, can't say I disagree with your assessment. We've been in worse situations. Can name a few off the top of my head. Some have definitely been better though.

[She lets a tiny smile catch at the corner of her lips.]

Gotta say you're a sight for sore eyes.

[brownish]

Many been better, many been worse. Long as I don't have to kill nobody today, I'd rank this high on the list of "things been worse".

[ He smiles, too, not at all embarrassed for it. ]

And you, Zoe. Not that I've been worried 'bout you or nothin'. If anyone's gonna be taking care of themselves well enough on my crew, I always figured it'd be you.

[talkingaintdoin]

Haven't had to kill anyone where I've been...enlisted. [And boy does she sound happy about that. Especially since there's the unsaid 'yet' attached to that statement.]

Well, Wash can handle himself, Cap'n. Not the same way as you and I, but he's a grown up all the same.

[brownish]

Are you serious? He can help himself behind a wall to hide if that's what you mean. Nothin' against him of course, but I'd rather him flying than fighting.

You enlisted? Fighting some cause, I hope? Now you wouldn't be going off and getting yourself into trouble, would you? You know I can't lose my best first mate.

[lottawork]

I'm not happy with being off from my ship either, but that didn't seem to factor into process of deciding what to do with me.

If nothing else, you can be grateful you ended up with a name that isn't based off some derogatory, biased conception of your nature.

[shinyoptimist]

I dunno, Cap'n, some places around here ain't so bad. Like you said, no Alliance.

And maybe your mun picked you up now because they decided they liked your winnin' personality.

[A little playful sarcasm from Kaylee, perhaps?]

[brownish]

Finally, someone who sees reason. Ain't right keepin' a captain from his one true love. What kind of lunatic does that?

If I'd had any say in the matter, I'd have picked something a little more worthy of a war hero. War... participant. Don't matter whether I'm a hero or ain't, somethin' with a little more class woulda been nice.

[lottawork]

It's my understanding that our writers more or less do as they please, regardless of our preference. Though I can't say I see the appeal in a name that radiates some sort of compensatory military machismo.

[brownish]

Any sky with no alliance is a sky I wouldn't mind bein' under for a spell. Find some good honest work... I'll miss bein' in my sky though.

Thank you, Kaylee. See, more people need to think like you, Learn it's not good to distrust folk.

[brownish]

Machismo? It ain't about ma- It's about fightin' for a cause. For what's right. For people to live their lives without someone breathin' down their neck tellin' em what to do without their best interests at heart. Somethin' I'm proud to have fought for.

[lottawork]

Yes, yes, you've made your point.

[Don't mind the dismissive tone. He doesn't think very highly of military types. Or anyone.]

A rather aggressively Panglossian goal, don't you think? [Can't help but adding somewhat snidely -] Did you succeed?

[brownish]

...

That ain't the point. Point is, I ain't dead yet and s'long as there's a beatin' heart in me, I ain't ever truly done fightin'. And I don't think I like that attitude of yours judgin' me like that. You comfortable up on that cushy saddle of yours? Thing about high horses is that it hurts like hell when they fall on you.

[lottawork]

[So. That'd be a 'no' then. That's all right, Rush is pretty well-acquainted with the feeling of failure. Which is precisely why he's not gonna risk pushing that point. Wouldn't do to look incompetent when he's just indirectly mocked you for the very same.]

Yes, well, I agree with your pragmatism there. Moral compromise just doesn't quite compare to death, and I know which I find preferable.

[Buuut he doesn't appreciate the 'high horse' comment, and his expression closes accordingly.]

I wouldn't presume that 'judgment' necessarily equates to a sense of moral or intellectual superiority.

[Especially since he only really has the latter.]

[brownish]

Oh, now I know for a fact that it don't. Judges can be wrong too. They can also be a Tah mah duh hwoon dahn, but that's really fair to insult those who can't properly defend themselves.

[ He gives a tight, sarcastic sort of smile. ]

Thing is, everyone's against all the fightin' until there's somethin' they need protectin' from. Then they need someone to come and fight for em, cos Lord knows not everyone can. Takes a certain sort of person to say yes. Takes another to sit, watch, and judge.

[lottawork]

...And now you're using Chinese as a qualifier. Odd, but I don't imagine it's unheard of. [Dead fucking brilliant. Does he look like a linguist?]

I never said I was disinclined towards violence. I simply find it a rather tired and oft-deferred-to solution set, and frequently overused.

[I mean, yeah, he'll fight if he has to. He's just not very GOOD at it.]

[brownish]

Everyone speaks a mix of it where I'm from. Fairly normal.

Not overly-fond of those who would resort to violence first thing. A certain level of diplomacy needs to be met first, I think. Once it's apparent that talkin's not doing more than wastin' perfectly good air, then it's time for violence. Best to keep the violent types in a non-leadership position. They're scarier that way, all menacing-like.

[lottawork]

Hmm. Fair amount of disparity between our separate branes, I'd imagine.

That is quite possibly the most intelligent thing I've ever heard anyone remotely militarian say. Well. We're in agreement there.

[talkingaintdoin]

I seem to remember Wash being the first man to volunteer to help me get you back from Niska, Sir.

And not like I enlisted by choice. [She scoffs, not happy with anything.] Woke up in a pod, naked as I was born and in a pile of blue goop. It's on a ship in stars I've never seen.