366/Bullets and Bickering

Bullets and Bickering
Date of Scene:	08 August 2014
Location:	Serenity
Synopsis:	After a rough job, Serenity's crew (plus Nasrin) unwind in the ship's cargo bay.
Cast of Characters:	273, 400, 521

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Malcolm Reynolds (273) has posed:
    Gunfire. Lots and lots of gunfire. Serenity wasn't parked too far away from the drop site, so the distant crack of firearms would be easily audible to those members of the crew remaining on the ship, under the captain's direct orders. They were only to stay here as long as it took to make the deal, and with the combination of the gloomy city's rainy weather and the general sense of ill tidings, the captain's orders wouldn't be too badly received, either.

    That's not to say that the deal itself probably shouldn't have happened; but Jasper was the only one on this side of the Astroidia offering payment for the cargo, and Serenity hadn't had the fuel to get anywhere else. And so, Jayne, Zoe, and Mal took the Mule to the drop site.

    "Wash!" comes the captain's voice, over the radio. "Turn on my spaceship!" he calls. The whine of the Mule's engines can be heard, first over the radio, and then within earshot, as the speeder heads for the open cargo door.

Nasrin (400) has posed:
    Their little boarder, on the other hand, had slipped out with the mule when the heavy hitters had gone to the drop zone with a bundle under her arm. She came back in much the same condition.

    Nasrin, her head down and a bundle tucked under her arm, slips in alongside the mule, breathing hard. She had some scrapes from broken glass along one arm, but other than that, the teenager stayed relatively unscathed. A few strands of sweat-soaked hair had escaped her headwrap and were plastered to her face. She huffs a few minutes for breath, before dodging around a barrel to try and get to her quarters before anyone had time to question her return.

    She figured someone might have questions. And Jayne tended to shoot first and ask questions later, she found.

    Not the easiest man to talk to.

Kaylee Frye (521) has posed:
Kaylee Frye helps start the engine spinning as the ship warms up. She runs down from the engine room down the stairs tool kit in hand, ready to get started on mule repairs when the hovercraft inevitably comes sliding into the cargo bay again. Once near the open door the sounds of gunshots over the roaring engine "Qing Wa Cao De Liu Mang..." she swears under her breath as she waits, prepared for trouble of the worst variety.
     "Warmed up and ready to go." Calls Wash over the radio. "Can't help causing trouble that one." He says, pulling the communicator away too late.

Malcolm Reynolds (273) has posed:
    And slide in it does. The Mule comes in over the loading ramp, and skids to a halt without hitting anything (or anybody) too important. Mal's the first to hop down, while Zoe powers down the hovercraft. He slams the airlock button, and the large hydraulic doors begin to winch shut.

    "Alright Wash, let's get some distance from this rock.." he radios up, before tossing his communicator aside.

    Jayne hops down, next, with his usual assortment of guns slung over his shoulders, neck, and really anywhere else one can sling or holster a firearm.

    "Where the black did crazy-sword-girl go?" the large, gruntish man asks.

Nasrin (400) has posed:
    Definately not back to her room where she can hide. Actually, she's leaning against a wall, huffing a moment and holding an arm over her stomach with a pained expression on her face, looking all the world like she's about to be motionsick, before stumbling back to the passenger dorms. Nasrin gives a bit of a stumble before she rights herself, and begins to walk deliberately away from the voices in the hold.

Kaylee Frye (521) has posed:
     An annoyed frown crosses Kaylee's face as the massive hunk of metal dangerously slides into Serenity's belly. She moves in the opposite direction of Mal and Zoe on her way to pop of one of the metal panels protecting the inner workings of the Mule. "Could'a been more gentle on her captain." She says passive aggressively.
     Wash pulls back on the controls, jerking the ship up to the proper exit vector, and bringing her up to speed. The engines whir, and Serenity moves off.
     River watches Nasrin from the couch, curled up into the fetal position sitting very very still in an orange sweater that almost makes her look like part of the couch, save for her wide, white staring eyes. "You where running." she observes innocently.

Malcolm Reynolds (273) has posed:
    "Wasn't the one shootin' at it, Kaylee.." Mal replies to his mechanic, flashing her a quick grin. " 'Sides, got you to fix 'er up, don't I?"

    As Serenity's engines shudder and the ships begins to gain altitude, Jayne spots Nasrin heading over towards the aft section of the ship, thanks to River's comment.

    "Ship's hardly got 'nough room for one crazy as it is..." he mutters, setting down his weapons on an empty rack, and walking quickly on over. "Hey!" he says. "What in the -black- was that??" the man demands.

    There's a hand quickly on Jayne's shoulder. Mal steps up behind the man, then steps over. "Jayne. I got this."

    "What in the black -was- that?" the captain asks, looking over curiously to Nasrin.

Nasrin (400) has posed:
    Nasrin pauses as she looks to River, and that was her mistake. She was about to comment that yes, she was running -- when Jayne makes his approach. Nasrin braces herself for a blow, one hand forming a loose fist... but then Mal interrupts. She relaxes. Slightly.

    And then he asks the same thing.

    Her eyes go wide, and she glances to the bundle beneath her arms, and then sets it down -- cautiously putting herself between it and River Tam.

    "That," she begins, "... was me using my skills to make sure the crew came out unscathed." she replies. Her stomach is still cramping, and it makes her face twitch slightly.

Kaylee Frye (521) has posed:
Kaylee Frye eyes the captain "Meant Serenity." she says quietly before turning back to the panel. She removes it with an electric screw driver, and takes a look at the patchwork of wires within. Carefully she prods them, producing a few sparks. She seems to take this as a good sign, as she replaces the panel and moves around to the other side, carefully covering up the bullet holes with patch tape of the same color as the paint as a quick fix. She tests the controls and once she thinks the Mule is workable, abandons it and moves behind the captain, waiting by the door of the hold.

     River's eyes swivel towards Mal and Jayne, never ever blinking.

Malcolm Reynolds (273) has posed:
    "Well.....yeah," the captain replies, with a confused look there for about half a second. "But...see, now, jumping through the air and going stab-happy on folk trying to put holes in me? That, I've got no problem with," he says.

    "Encourage it, actually. But the voice-thing... Well, that's a rare sort of particular talent, I'd say. Don't recall you mentioning that sort of thing, and I know they don't teach that at assasin-academy..." the captain replies, as though knowing for sure that they actually don't teach that at whereever Nasrin picked up her toolbox of skills.

Nasrin (400) has posed:
    "You'd be surprised." was Nasrin's reply. She exhales evenly.

    But he mentioned assassin-academy. She grips her hand into a palm, and she can feel her temper rising.

    And she forces it down. She exhales, and she tilts her head back. "That skill I picked up on my own." she explains. "It's a... talent."

Kaylee Frye (521) has posed:
Kaylee Frye waits by the door, idly playing with a pair of pliers in her hand while she listens in to the conversation, a mixture of concern and annoyance marring her face.

     River plays with her hair as she bobs her head to the side face frozen in silent contemplation. "You were running." she reiterates looking at the spot on the wall behind Nasrin's shoulder. "Always moving, and moving and running and running, and you can't stop to breath. Like a fish who'll drown if they stop. Eaten by a shark. Chomp!" Her eyes slide to meet Nasrin's "Or a bird. Flapping so she won't plummet. Can't look up, can't look back."

     "Who's the prey?"

Malcolm Reynolds (273) has posed:
    Mal's a bit too preoccupied with his space assasin to notice his mechanic fiddling with the pliers. Or he's just hoping she's not disgruntled enough to try and smack him upside the head with them.

    Look.." the captain says. He's about to continue making his point, when River interrupts, talking about fish and sharks, and birds, and whatnot. Mal's head rotates over to eye the girl, almost in slow motion.

    "See, now I've already got my fair dosage of crazy on this boat.." he says, snapping back to reality, and looking back to Nasrin as he thumbs over at River. "And up until now, you've been right valuable. Hell, I'd be a bit more full of holes tonight if you weren't out there. But if you're bringing some more on board besides just a fair hand with those blades of yours, I need to know. Not keen on having surprises. Not on my boat."

Nasrin (400) has posed:
    Nasrin is giving a curious look to the other teenager. The running comment had her attention... but the birds meant something. She stretches her fingers a moment, and breathes out. Calm down.

    "I'm a keen mimic; I can pick up on voices and accents. Nothing supernatural about that one." she explains, and then she straightens up. "I freerun. I move over buildings easily; I climb the sides of buildings... I was a theif. I am an assassin. And I am on the run."

Kaylee Frye (521) has posed:
Kaylee Frye stows the pliers in the belt loop on her jumpsuit. She inches forwards from the door towards Mal. "Captain..." she says, trying to gently prod his interest. Clearly she isn't disgruntled enough to smack him. Yet. "She ain't done anything bad to us."

     River lolls her head onto the couch, apparently lost in some fantasy or another. "Dad's mad." She ponders outloud, before descending into a spontaneous giggle.

Malcolm Reynolds (273) has posed:
That's a big YET.

    Mal turns back towards his mechanic, as she steps up and enters into the conversation. Where he might not with other members of the crew *cough* Jayne *cough*, he quiets, and hears the girl out, glancing once from her to River, then back to Nasrin once more.

    "I know that.." he says, sort of confirming Kaylee's words. "And like I said, what you've done here's been a kindness so far. Ain't got any issue with lettin' you do your thing when the time comes, an' Zoe and I sure's hell appreciate the help when we're making a drop."

    Jayne starts to protest, but Mal raises a hand in his direction, and cuts him off.


    "Again. No issue with the building-jumpin', or the blade-swingin', or any of that other handy skillset you've picked up. Just...took me by surprise, is all."

Nasrin (400) has posed:
    "My father abandoned me." Her father figure on the other hand... Nasrin turns from River back to Mal. "I already told you I would never intentionally place you, or anyone on this crew in danger. However, if you feel like you cannot handle the occasional surprise... I can see myself off on the next port. It's against my creed to harm any innocent." and she gives a look to Kaylee, and then back to Mal.

    "And if you prefer, I could always imitate Inara."

Kaylee Frye (521) has posed:
"Well it ain't like you wasn't takin a chance with the doctor and river. And we get lotsa surprises no matter what we do. She ain't a bad person." She pokes her thumb over her shoulder towards the Mule "She also doesn't crash as much." She says with a little bit of lurking venom. "This comes a normal thing, we'll haveta fix the bay for speed landings. You'll hurt Serenity."

     "Mal, you ain't thinkin of letting this broad on board are you?" Jayne says just as confrontational as always. "We don't know a gorram thing about her. We just got away from the alliance, and now you're gonna put whatever followin her on us?"

Malcolm Reynolds (273) has posed:
    Mal nods his head, as though thoughtful, to Kaylee's comments about Simon and River. Nasrin would surely know she's part of the crew; one of his. But, if there's one thing the good captain hates, it's surprises. Good thing he's about the most un-lucky sort in the entire Multiverse.

    "You're not harmin' any innocent by bein' on board here.." he starts, as Nasrin speaks. "And I wouldn't st-HEY!" he says, eyes widening to that last bit.

    "What in the gorram hell is that about?" he demands.

Nasrin (400) has posed:
    "I figured if it bothered you hearing your own voice, perhaps hers would be easier." Nasrin points out, and she leans back, her weight on one foot as she turns her gaze to Jayne. "As long as I keep myself to myself and no one broadcasts my presence, a single fifteen-year-old girl is of little concern. If I had not assassinated two of the snipers, your position would have gone up in a fine red mist."

Kaylee Frye (521) has posed:
Kaylee Frye shifts away from Mal a little upset with the mention of assassination and death. "I don't know if 'Nara would like that." She says, starting to reconsider her original argument.

     Jayne goes on. "And what happens when she decides to assassinate us, huh? Don't like sleepin near another little death trap."

     Kaylee looks back to Mal "Could be she stays a day or two, then we see what's what when we get to port? She needs a home for a bit. Shouldn't be hurtin' people bein so young and all."

Malcolm Reynolds (273) has posed:
    Mal's expression is uncertain, to say the least. He's so sure she's poking purposefully at the whole...Inara situation. So sure of it. But, for now, he continues just eyeing Nasrin for a moment or two. Then he flicks his gaze to Jayne, as though longing for a distraction.

    "Keep it up, Jayne, and I'll be payin' her to off you next," the captain returns, over at his hired gun.

    To Kaylee, he nods a bit. "She's been with us so far, and she's right," he says, looking back to Nasrin, then. "Zoe and I would be a pair of particularly good-lookin' pink splotches right now if she hadn't've come in the way you did," he says.

    "Birds always have to go south for the winter..." says the voice of the still-staring River, perched atop that couch. Where on earth-that-was did she get that awful sweater, anyway.

    "Plus, I think River's taken a liking to her," the captain adds. "Would hate to split that up."

Nasrin (400) has posed:
    Nasrin's expression goes blank. Hiding emotion deep inside of herself, burying the concern of losing the little room on this ship. But when Mal speaks again, her shoulders visibly loosen, and she straightens up, and gives a nod.

    But at the idea of River liking her, Nasrin's eyebrows rise up, and her lips purse slightly.

    "That is unsurprising." she replies, but she gives a small smile to River.

    "If the inquiery is finished, I must tend to my... wound."