Boundless Chapter 1
Title: Boundless, Chapter 1
Characters: gen, all crew
Rating: PG
Timeline: post-BDM
Boundless Org Post
I am so late with this, and I apologize. *flagellates self* But here it is, the first chapter of Boundless. Hope it doesnt suck.
Mal stomped down the ramp, Jayne following behind lugging a wooden crate. He approached the three men standing several yards away from the ship. “Mr. McCormack?” he asked cautiously.
“Aye, Cap’n Reynolds,” the man in the center replied. “I be James McCormack.” Mal stopped just far enough away from the men to be out of reach to shake hands, and the older man quirked a wry smile. “You’re early, I see.”
“We aim to please that way,” said Mal as Jayne noisily dropped the crate next to him and pulled out a crowbar. “Care to inspect the merchandise?”
All three men nodded; Jayne popped the lid with practiced ease, and Mal took a step back as a terrible stench wafted towards him. The settlers moved closer as he staggered back and choked, “Tzao gao!” Soon all five men were coughing and wiping watering eyes at the putrid smell.
McCormack peered inside the crate, covering his mouth and nose with a kerchief. “Rotten! The blasted stuff is completely rotted away!” The settler turned a stunned gaze on the captain. “Is the whole shipment like this?” he asked incredulously.
“Hold on a mo.” Mal and Jayne jogged back into the bay and brought back two more crates. Each was opened to reveal the same thing; decayed, moldy seeds, completely unusable and stinking to high heaven.
One of the other men covered his face with his hands. “This was gonna be our entire crop this season. We’re ruined!”
McCormack looked furious; Mal could see his jaw clenching spasmodically as he stared at the crate. Suddenly moving so quickly Jayne jumped and reached for his gun, McCormack pulled out a bag of coins. “Believe the agreed on price was twenty plat a crate, Cap’n?” he grated out.
Mal made no move to take the proffered money. “Don’t reckon you owe us anything, seein’ as how we brought defective merchandise.”
“Mal!” Jayne hissed. “Take the money! Ain’t our fault stuff’s bad.” Mal ignored him, his eyes never leaving McCormack.
The older man sighed heavily and shook his head. “Yer man’s right, Cap’n. Appreciate th’ offer, but you did yer job. Aint yer fault our supplier’s a bunch a’ qingwa cao de liumang.”
Jayne’s heart sank as he watched Mal scowl at the offending crate. “I know that look, Mal. What lame-ass idea’s rollin’ around in that head a’ yours now?”
Still ignoring the merc, Mal glanced up at the colonist. “Who’s your supplier?”
“Harrison Agri Ltd., but we order through a travelin’ rep that comes by three times a year. Scheduled to stop by day after tomorrow, matter of fact. Always comes when the shipment does to take next season’s order.” McCormack’s eyes narrowed. “You got somethin’ in mind, Cap’n Reynolds?”
Mal smirked. “I’m thinkin’ a friendly chat with the company man might be in order.”
One of the other men snorted derisively. “Won’t do no good. Same thing happened two season’s back, but he refused to replace it; said contract we signed ‘didn’t guarantee usability’. Showed us a copy, everythin’ was signed right an’ proper. We was just lucky only two crates were rotten then, not the whole shipment.”
“Oh, I reckon I can make him see reason.”
you're next wildannuette!
Characters: gen, all crew
Rating: PG
Timeline: post-BDM
Boundless Org Post
I am so late with this, and I apologize. *flagellates self* But here it is, the first chapter of Boundless. Hope it doesnt suck.
Mal stomped down the ramp, Jayne following behind lugging a wooden crate. He approached the three men standing several yards away from the ship. “Mr. McCormack?” he asked cautiously.
“Aye, Cap’n Reynolds,” the man in the center replied. “I be James McCormack.” Mal stopped just far enough away from the men to be out of reach to shake hands, and the older man quirked a wry smile. “You’re early, I see.”
“We aim to please that way,” said Mal as Jayne noisily dropped the crate next to him and pulled out a crowbar. “Care to inspect the merchandise?”
All three men nodded; Jayne popped the lid with practiced ease, and Mal took a step back as a terrible stench wafted towards him. The settlers moved closer as he staggered back and choked, “Tzao gao!” Soon all five men were coughing and wiping watering eyes at the putrid smell.
McCormack peered inside the crate, covering his mouth and nose with a kerchief. “Rotten! The blasted stuff is completely rotted away!” The settler turned a stunned gaze on the captain. “Is the whole shipment like this?” he asked incredulously.
“Hold on a mo.” Mal and Jayne jogged back into the bay and brought back two more crates. Each was opened to reveal the same thing; decayed, moldy seeds, completely unusable and stinking to high heaven.
One of the other men covered his face with his hands. “This was gonna be our entire crop this season. We’re ruined!”
McCormack looked furious; Mal could see his jaw clenching spasmodically as he stared at the crate. Suddenly moving so quickly Jayne jumped and reached for his gun, McCormack pulled out a bag of coins. “Believe the agreed on price was twenty plat a crate, Cap’n?” he grated out.
Mal made no move to take the proffered money. “Don’t reckon you owe us anything, seein’ as how we brought defective merchandise.”
“Mal!” Jayne hissed. “Take the money! Ain’t our fault stuff’s bad.” Mal ignored him, his eyes never leaving McCormack.
The older man sighed heavily and shook his head. “Yer man’s right, Cap’n. Appreciate th’ offer, but you did yer job. Aint yer fault our supplier’s a bunch a’ qingwa cao de liumang.”
Jayne’s heart sank as he watched Mal scowl at the offending crate. “I know that look, Mal. What lame-ass idea’s rollin’ around in that head a’ yours now?”
Still ignoring the merc, Mal glanced up at the colonist. “Who’s your supplier?”
“Harrison Agri Ltd., but we order through a travelin’ rep that comes by three times a year. Scheduled to stop by day after tomorrow, matter of fact. Always comes when the shipment does to take next season’s order.” McCormack’s eyes narrowed. “You got somethin’ in mind, Cap’n Reynolds?”
Mal smirked. “I’m thinkin’ a friendly chat with the company man might be in order.”
One of the other men snorted derisively. “Won’t do no good. Same thing happened two season’s back, but he refused to replace it; said contract we signed ‘didn’t guarantee usability’. Showed us a copy, everythin’ was signed right an’ proper. We was just lucky only two crates were rotten then, not the whole shipment.”
“Oh, I reckon I can make him see reason.”
you're next wildannuette!