001 ✫ Video

[useofaswhat]

Afternoon, folks. – Evenin', now. [The man on screen clears his throat and nods in greeting, a little awkwardly. (And no, he's not actually wearing a floral bonnet. Today.)] This Admiral fella wanted a handful o' help and thought I was the man to give it so wǒ zài zhèlǐ. Name's Captain Reynolds, Mal if you ain't one to stand on ceremony. I'm sure it's fine to meet you all, and if it ain't, you go ahead an' let me know. [There's a smile purely for the sake of decorum, which drops off his face almost immediately as his eyes rake over something off-screen, as if reading.]

Let's see what we got here, then... Prison ship, eight levels and two additional restricted areas, complete with library, common rooms, medbay, an' my personal favorite, fully stocked kitchen. Probably serves better'n protein too. Laundry services, showers, art therapy facilities, and gardens included. Now that don't sound like any prison I ever been to. Hell, y'all even got a bar? Got quite a slick operation here, real nice 'n cozy.

But it still ain't as good as my boat.

Comments

[useofaswhat]

They just go 'round givin' out sharks if folk ask for 'em?

Voice

[useofaswhat]

My crew's been on here? First I heard of that. Who was it?

[yeahscience]

That depends on who's asking, 'cause I'm pretty sure Admiral Asshole plays favorites.

[Warden Filter]

[useofaswhat]

...Ah. [Great. Brilliant, Mal.

Still, he plays it cool, managing a small but friendly smile.] What force you with, then? I'm gonna assume you're not a fed.

[Video]

[slayage]

[Buffy's suspicious and cautious attitude fades pretty quickly when he starts to show his personality more. How much it differs from the misogynistic evil priest that worshiped The First Evil. It relaxes her. A little confused at first, but before long she's smiling, genuine.]

Earth-That-Was, huh? I kinda like that. It's pretty. ..Still much with the is for me, of course.

[A pause.] Doubtful. He was an evil priest who hated women. [A semi-awkward beat.] ...So probably no kids.

[persuadeyou]

Maybe I'm stereotyping, but I wouldn't have pegged you as fluent in Chinese.

Voice

[breakingmyheart]

Inara.

[Sorry Mal, she'll recover soon but right now we're down to flat monosyllables because there are too many emotions trying to escape.]

[useofaswhat]

Why wouldn't I be? Aren't you?

[useofaswhat]

You wouldn't've, comin' from that year. Alliance is a fair shade newer'n that.

[persuadeyou]

[Yes. :|] I know a little. Just enough to greet and thank corporate share holders, really.

[Video]

[useofaswhat]

Hell, you're just livin' history, ain't you?

[At least she's easier going on him. He starts to wonder what this lookalike of his did to her, and – welp, that would about do it.]

I'm hopin' not, then. Any man hates a woman that much, he won't make much of a father.

[useofaswhat]

'Course he does, he's an Admiral. No one gets that high up the chain o' command without playin' a crooked hand.

Voice

[useofaswhat]

Oh.

[He sighs and his voice softens a little.] No surprise there. Inara keeps to herself, she ain't really one for sharin' her business.

[useofaswhat]

What'd they do, hold you back in school? Ain't gonna get too far with that.

[Video]

[slayage]

Yeah, I guess I am. [:]] The last time I was home, it was 2003.

[It's even more than that, Mal. So much more than that. :|]

Well he's dead now. If that's comforting. ... Face-twins aside and all. [Ahem.] Anyway. If you have any questions about anything, I'm your girl.

[Video]

[useofaswhat]

2003? Shèng tā mā de... You're old.

Long's you don't feel like seein' me go the same way, we'll call it a relief.

[Half-smiles.] Thanks, but I think I got it. – Oh wait! Why've you got a shark?

[Video]

[slayage]

[WIDE EYES.] Old? N-No, not old. Young. Very y- Not very young- [....] I'm twenty two, er, three if you count barge-years. Just from the past, not- [Buffy gives up with a sigh.]

[Little shrug.] So far you aren't inspiring violent feelings. [A teasing smirk.] I think you're safe.

The shark belonged to a guy that used to be here. I think it was his pet or something.

[Warden Filter]

[scentbombed]

Ankh-Morpork City Watch, as meaningless as that will be to you. [And she's wondering why he speaks like he's from the Counterweight Continent... although in return, he may be wondering why she sounds vaguely like a more upscale Badger.]

Voice

[breakingmyheart]

I remember that about her.

[And now to desperately claw back some vague sense of professionalism.]

...sorry about....that. My name's Toshiko Sato. I work in the engine room here, and I've been a Warden for two years, on and off. Welcome to the Barge, Captain.

[Video]

[useofaswhat]

Twenty-three or not, you're from 2003. Had to've been born in 1980, right? You're old.

[He smirks back, just a little.] I'll aim to keep it that way.

An' it just stayed? No one made soup outta it?

[yeahscience]

Yeah. [Thinking of the people he knows who've been high up the chain? Oh yeah.] But the shark's cool, and it's mostly okay on the warden end of things [maybe?] once you get past the floods and all.

Voice

[useofaswhat]

Sounds like you knew her pretty well, or 's well as anyone knows Inara. [Even Nandi didn't seem to completely understand her, and she was the closest friend of Inara's he knows of.]

Ain't nothin' to be sorry for, it's good t'meet another warden. You mind if I call you Toshiko?

[Warden Filter]

[useofaswhat]

[Policewoman with an odd accent aside, she has one thing going for her: she's not Alliance. He just hopes the fact that they're both wardens is enough to keep her from sniffing too closely around him, no pun intended.] Uh, yeah, got no proper idea what that means. Where's Ankh-Morpork?

[Video]

[slayage]

Hey. Maybe from where you're standing, future-man. But I am young and full of pep.

[Blink.]

Nope. We generally don't.. kill animals here. Potentially tasty or not. Especially if they're pets... And the shark's cool.

[useofaswhat]

[The people who get to the top usually claw their way up there. Occasionally you get someone like Mal who earned C.O. rank due to everyone higher up dying, but outside of the Browncoats he doesn't see that too much.] Floods? Don't tell me a fancy ship like this got faulty plumbing.