"Evolution" Chapter 6, section 2
Firefly a little more of "Evolution" 6
Rayne
“This is the blanket my Ma made for ya, ain’t it?”
River nodded. “Yes. “ She pulled it a little tighter around her shoulders. “It is very warm.”
“O’ course,” he said with a frown, “you think she’d be sendin’ you somethin’ shoddy?”
“Would never accuse her of such,” River assured him. She knew, perhaps better than Jayne, just how much time and effort had been put into the present; since the subject of payment had been closed quickly and definitively, River had insisted on thanking her benefactor personally. Jayne - more forced than willing - had reluctantly agreed to wave his mother, and after a little light coercion on River’s part, had agreed to let the two converse. It had been formal and brief, but very satisfying. Mary Cobb was a delightful woman; it was a pity, in River’s opinion, that she had to have such a rough, untamable son. “I could not have been more pleased.”
She pulled the blanket out of Jayne’s hand, swaddling herself in it further and rubbing her cheek against the fold of fluffed Rim yarn at her neck.
Jayne watched her. “Well good,” he said gruffly. “I know ‘er knittin’ an’ there ain’t no way you got any cause to complain.”
They sat silently for several minutes more. River had the murmurings in her head to occupy her, and Jayne had his coffee. He took the last long draught, tipping back his head and gulping down the remainder of his drink. He let out a contented sigh, resting his mug on his knee. He looked over at River. “Hey. You know how long we’re set to stay in the Black?”
She shook her head. “Still waiting to hear from the contact. Captain does not yet know where we will be setting down.”
“Hmm.” He stood, smacking his lips a little. River’s attention was drawn and she stared at the swatch of bristly hair above them. Though he had no problem with dirt and grime on his clothes or body, Jayne always seemed to keep his hair - that on his scalp and his face - clean and neatly trimmed. He was not the ape that he’d been branded; secretly, River felt his mother was right. If Simon intimated again that Jayne was just an ape, a punch would certainly be appropriate enough to discourage him. She was against violence towards Simon as a rule, but verbal sparring would leave Jayne slashed to ribbons. “See you later, ni zi,” he said absently, walking off. “An’ don’t tell Mal I’m the one that drank his coffee.”
The pounding in her head was getting worse. She quirked a smile at the mercenary’s broad, retreating back. “As long as he does not ask.”
After her conversation with Jayne, River felt her day’s social quota had been filled. She didn’t want to deal with Simon’s petting, and if he noticed she wasn’t feeling her best - which he inevitably would - then there was certain to be petting and worrying. She lay down on the bed in the passenger dorm that had become her bunk, pulling the thick yellow blanket over her head. There were the faint echoes of voices along with the pounding, and River felt nauseated at the pain she felt in them. Whatever it was had been getting louder and closer, and she wasn’t sure what she would do if she had to meet that chaos she felt.
Serenity was trying to calm her, but River still felt too close to out-of-control. None of the crew noticed her distress; she hadn’t said anything, and it was her custom to occasionally hide away from everyone for hours at a time.
A little before the evening meal was planned, Mal came looking for her. “Albatross,” he called, “you in there?” There was a taint of annoyance in his voice; they’d had some turbulence, and it was River’s duty as acting pilot to steer them through safely. Mal had not appreciated having to leave Inara’s side to go and do River’s job. “Got somethin’ I need to say.”
From inside the dorm there was a whimper. Mal paused mid-knock, his anger dissipating a little. “River?” There was still no answer, and with a sigh he shook his head and turned. It seemed to be a bit less simple than the mere shirking of responsibilities. The best course of action would be to find Simon.
So Mal left, heading towards the infirmary to see if he could find the doctor. River was left alone once again.
~~~
And that's all for now! I'm steadily working on this chapter, so I should have a completed beta version of it up soon. I'm going to revise it pretty heavily, I think, so don't be surprised if it changes. I love "Evolution" so much - I want it to be ultra excellent! Hee.
Rayne
“This is the blanket my Ma made for ya, ain’t it?”
River nodded. “Yes. “ She pulled it a little tighter around her shoulders. “It is very warm.”
“O’ course,” he said with a frown, “you think she’d be sendin’ you somethin’ shoddy?”
“Would never accuse her of such,” River assured him. She knew, perhaps better than Jayne, just how much time and effort had been put into the present; since the subject of payment had been closed quickly and definitively, River had insisted on thanking her benefactor personally. Jayne - more forced than willing - had reluctantly agreed to wave his mother, and after a little light coercion on River’s part, had agreed to let the two converse. It had been formal and brief, but very satisfying. Mary Cobb was a delightful woman; it was a pity, in River’s opinion, that she had to have such a rough, untamable son. “I could not have been more pleased.”
She pulled the blanket out of Jayne’s hand, swaddling herself in it further and rubbing her cheek against the fold of fluffed Rim yarn at her neck.
Jayne watched her. “Well good,” he said gruffly. “I know ‘er knittin’ an’ there ain’t no way you got any cause to complain.”
They sat silently for several minutes more. River had the murmurings in her head to occupy her, and Jayne had his coffee. He took the last long draught, tipping back his head and gulping down the remainder of his drink. He let out a contented sigh, resting his mug on his knee. He looked over at River. “Hey. You know how long we’re set to stay in the Black?”
She shook her head. “Still waiting to hear from the contact. Captain does not yet know where we will be setting down.”
“Hmm.” He stood, smacking his lips a little. River’s attention was drawn and she stared at the swatch of bristly hair above them. Though he had no problem with dirt and grime on his clothes or body, Jayne always seemed to keep his hair - that on his scalp and his face - clean and neatly trimmed. He was not the ape that he’d been branded; secretly, River felt his mother was right. If Simon intimated again that Jayne was just an ape, a punch would certainly be appropriate enough to discourage him. She was against violence towards Simon as a rule, but verbal sparring would leave Jayne slashed to ribbons. “See you later, ni zi,” he said absently, walking off. “An’ don’t tell Mal I’m the one that drank his coffee.”
The pounding in her head was getting worse. She quirked a smile at the mercenary’s broad, retreating back. “As long as he does not ask.”
After her conversation with Jayne, River felt her day’s social quota had been filled. She didn’t want to deal with Simon’s petting, and if he noticed she wasn’t feeling her best - which he inevitably would - then there was certain to be petting and worrying. She lay down on the bed in the passenger dorm that had become her bunk, pulling the thick yellow blanket over her head. There were the faint echoes of voices along with the pounding, and River felt nauseated at the pain she felt in them. Whatever it was had been getting louder and closer, and she wasn’t sure what she would do if she had to meet that chaos she felt.
Serenity was trying to calm her, but River still felt too close to out-of-control. None of the crew noticed her distress; she hadn’t said anything, and it was her custom to occasionally hide away from everyone for hours at a time.
A little before the evening meal was planned, Mal came looking for her. “Albatross,” he called, “you in there?” There was a taint of annoyance in his voice; they’d had some turbulence, and it was River’s duty as acting pilot to steer them through safely. Mal had not appreciated having to leave Inara’s side to go and do River’s job. “Got somethin’ I need to say.”
From inside the dorm there was a whimper. Mal paused mid-knock, his anger dissipating a little. “River?” There was still no answer, and with a sigh he shook his head and turned. It seemed to be a bit less simple than the mere shirking of responsibilities. The best course of action would be to find Simon.
So Mal left, heading towards the infirmary to see if he could find the doctor. River was left alone once again.
~~~
And that's all for now! I'm steadily working on this chapter, so I should have a completed beta version of it up soon. I'm going to revise it pretty heavily, I think, so don't be surprised if it changes. I love "Evolution" so much - I want it to be ultra excellent! Hee.