Fragment for Charlie / work in progress

[wytchcroft]

Objects in Space. Funny how many things in life come down to that.
Given the chance Inara Serra might have reflected ruefully on the truth of it.
But time was a luxury she was frequently forced to for-go, and so this is the story of a bar stool, a head -
and if not star-crossed love... then certainly crossed eyes seeing stars.

Anyhow the story goes something like this.

Woman walks into a bar -

No wait, I'll back it up some.


Inara Serra's shuttle tucked itself like a chick under the protective wing of its mother as it slipped into place on the starboard side of Serenity.
It had been a while.
"That you keeping me steady, Zoe?" Inara's voice was edged with brightness put there like lip-stick, but she was sure the pilot would understand. Hell, with Serenity pitched up here on a moon that even Mother Buddha would have overlooked, the arrival of her shuttle must be something of a pleasant distraction at least.

Inara was taken aback when she heard an unfamiliar voice and a male one.
"You must be the Ambassador we've been expecting."

She sucked in a breath.
"That's not a title I chose for myself," in fact it's old - can we just not go there please, "but yes - this is Inara."
"Welcome back to Serenity."
Inara had done the math. "You must be Shepherd Face," she said neutrally.
"That would be me, uh-huh."
"I've been looking forward to meeting you," she lied smoothy. It wasn't malicious, just... damn if Book's death didn't still...
But she closed that off. That was for her to think on privately. She began to gather up her loose things from the dash of the shuttle, luggage could wait.

In case you change your mind Inara?

She closed that off too, only in a less becoming manner.
"Wish I could say I've heard all about you," the Shepherd continued as she moved to the door, "but fact, what I know? Just that no/one will talk about you."

Oh? Fine. Just fine.

The Shepherd must have realised his lack of tact because she heard his tongue click even over the wire and he said somewhat hurriedly,
"No, I mean, the not talking is a BIG not talking. Like they don't mention you? You aint gone. Am I making ANY sense? 'Case you don't know - I spar some with Zoe and River, my lack of social skills can maybe be put down to the seven bells or more they've hammered out of me."
Inara had to smile a little at that. Good for them.
"And they would be where now?"
Ai ya! Ten seconds back on the boat and you're talking like HIM all over again.
"You know," echoed the voice from the cockpit, the man who wasn't Book or Wash, "it's strange, everyone's planet side. The Captain - he said he had business, Zoe too. Kaylee wanted to stretch her legs, Jayne said he had to go help the Captain and why is it that I'm only starting to get this now..."
"They can be very... winning." Inara said to the air. "You think they were avoiding me?"
"No, I think they were NOT avoiding something else."
Inara sighed. So, after everything and she was going to have to go trailing in his wake - or wait on him. Some choice.
She made up her mind and quick. Going would be kinder to her nails. And Mal had a way of spotting things like that - a chipped nail, he'd be on her like a -
And again with the cutting off.
"Ok, Shepherd," she said, too forcefully? Maybe. L'il bit. "You open a door for a Lady?"
She turned outside of the shuttle now, and walked the familiar winding way down to Serenity's bay doors.
"Pleasure ma'am," said the Shepherd, and with a wrenching sound the doors came up. Inara could see almost directly ahead, a small dwelling, not much more than a hut, and she could hear the inebriated sounds of an off kilter violin and a chorus of ragged voices.
So that was his business? Getting drunk?
Meh. Not again, surely something must have changed by now.
Clamping her fists toegther tight and keeping her face and figure posied, Inara Serra went to go give Captain Malcolm Reynolds a piece of her mind.

................................... to be continued..................
(just to show i'm a wytch of my word:))

Comments

[stoshagownozad.livejournal.com]

anyway.. I am a kind of writer too and I also know what it is to post parts of untreated... just ideas sometimes... so we probably share the same things ^)
that is why I know that feedback is so... important? maybe.
I just still need time to read in live English, 'cause I am a technical translator, it;s absolutely different thing - live English, live speech, etc. So i need time to get in there :)))
Would it be in Russian, you probaby might have almost immediate feedback from me - at least for the things related to Firely 6) whcih is very fresh for me.

[wytchcroft.livejournal.com]

"Would it be in Russian, " I wish it were:)
And you are right of course about feedback
and it's very kind of you:):)

and now - like you, I have to go chase my day!

[stoshagownozad.livejournal.com]

have a good one then!