do you have to talk so much, Mal.

[realparticular]

Well, I got no fancy for repeating myself, so listen close. First off, I ain't cargo. That puts me and all my baggage off-limits to pawin', jawin', and any kind of clapper-clawin'. Second, seeing as how you look to be low on ways to pay up, I'm thinkin' we won't be doing any other business anytime soon.

Third, it may be touching your mind that an arrangement like that cuts both ways. You'd be wrong. I will be settin' the conditions here. On account of my pretty face and 'cause I said so. Ni dong ma?







—now you hold it right there, what's wrong with my Chinese?

Comments

[theambassador]

If only it were that simple.

Still pretending you're in charge, Mal? [ said with a teasing sort of smile. ]

[problematical]

People aren't cargo except when they're sleeping.

... Don't be made to sleep. Someone has to fly.

[realparticular]

I'm gonna need me a check-up one of these weeks, 'cause you're makin' more and more sense to me every day.

[realparticular]

Hey. I ain't got a need to pretend.

You sayin' their kind can't handle simple? Thought you were supposed to be good with that diplomacy stuff.

[problematical]

Simon can help with that.

[realparticular]

The thought hadn't eluded me.

[ meanwhile, he's fry... squinting... ]

Nothin' you wanna say about... flying octopuses or—trees that ain't trees today? Really?

[schooledinlies]

You would be absolutely horrified to find out just how wrong you can be, I think. There is a stunning array of torments out there, just waiting for unsuspecting people to stumble into them.

One might almost admire their creativity, if they weren't so often the ones trapped.

[Her smile quirks and turns wry]

Also hello Mal. Guò​ dé ​qù?*

(* How are you getting by/How's life?)

[problematical]

[ Have a look tipped in your direction, Captain. She's not crazy 110% of the time, okok... only like 95% of it. ]

About your pretty face?

[ you really wanna go there? ]

[realparticular]

Now I know there's no octopus there.

[ bring it, smallest crazy paying passenger. ]

[realparticular]

Right. Well, good thing about keeping suspicious company, unsuspecting ain't like to apply to us.

[ the gentlest brow-raising. ]

We takin' to formalities now?

[schooledinlies]

Well. It's been some time since I last saw you, from my point of view at least. Mark it up to yet another quirk of the anomalies of torment. I thought it only polite to check in.

[Hello, Inara's sarcastic little smile. It's been a while]

I assure you that no matter how cautious you are, if the powers that be decide to toy with you, you will be toyed with. Tossed about into new universes with the oddest requirements for survival, like something out of a tóng​ huà​ gù ​shì.

[A beat]

One of the particularly sadistic ones, where people are consumed whole by ghosts on a distressingly regular basis.

[thatsmygirl]

You know, if there was ever a somebody that could tell these fancy writers what t'do and make 'em listen, it'd be you, Cap'n. Pretty face an' all.

[realparticular]

Well, I'm not seeing any call to take 'em too serious yet. Just gotta speak sharp and walk fast, same as usual.

[ mal, you're dumb as hell and your chinese pronunciation sucks. ]

—hey.

[realparticular]

You know, I figured there was a reason I always stuck to the funny ones.

There something you wanna tell me? 'Cause that's sounding powerfully like personal experience.

[ malcolm reynolds' patented expression of super-smooth concern #979 ]

[thatsmygirl]

Keep 'em on their toes, I gotcha.

Oh, don't listen to them. You ain't the dumbest thing out there. I've met plenty of people dumber'n you, and not one of 'ems ever had a face like yours, neither.

[ Totally not saying anything on his pronunciation, though. ]

[schooledinlies]

[Her eyes are full of I-don't-especially-want-to-discuss-this]

The place that I've been stuck in for going on five years now has very particular requirements for survival, and a mad goddess in control.

It is, from what I hear around places like this, rather common. Mad gods, scientific experiments, magical experiments, dystopian cities, prisons, ships, ships that are prisons...

Do you have a notion of where it is that you might end up?

[problematical]

[ you're on, best captain snarky. ]

Just a game, best at bluffing, two truths and a lie. If you guess the lie you get it right, win a prize. Guess a truth and it's over, might not play again.

THIS IS LAME, but I needed facetwin shenanigans.

[costeffective]

[look! It's Jayne! The man they call Jayne! Except he is...considerably cleaner. Considerably better dressed.]

Smart. Decisive. [He grins. He even sounds better He sounds amused.] I like that.

[theambassador]

Not in the least. In fact, they seem to prefer to make things complicated. They're much like the Alliance in that way.

I assure you, I've got my mun well in hand. You have to negotiate certain conditions, Captain.

1/2 - not at all!

[realparticular]

[ what

in the verse

is he even looking at ]

[realparticular]

Yeah—I do get that a lot.

[ still staring ]

Nice suit.

[realparticular]

And that's all good and tempting—but for the notion I got that it's only half what it sounds like.

[ which isn't a no, but - ]

Where's your brother?

[realparticular]

I'll keep that in mind next time we get a beauty contest running onboard.

[realparticular]

[ a beat, before he whistles, low and quick. ]

Goddess or not, she must be runnin' up a hell of a tab with that guild of yours.

Me? I'm not hurrying to find someplace I can't get out of again real quick.

[realparticular]

[ warmth... sinking a little... ]

Oh, I believe it. Shame we can't all good for a round of negotiating or two.

[costeffective]

[Marcus examines his tie, expression sly.] Isn't it though? It's Alexander McQueen. Specially designed. I bought his soul in a faustian deal at a knock down price and in exchange he...dresses me for all eternity.


[He beams]

[schooledinlies]

Well, you never were one to stay to a place for very long if you could help it. I'm not sure if it's better or worse having Serenity here sometimes...it gives one the illusion of flight, but not the reality of it.

[Her head tilts and the corners of her lips twitch with nostalgic amusement]

...if only the Guild did have the reach to enforce their policy here. I think that the mental picture of the Goddess going up against their legal team will carry me over for a while, though.

[theambassador]

Perhaps you need a liaison.