Pirate Tale
My first Firefly fic.
A legend, a bedtime story, perhaps a bit of truth for good measure.
Mal and Inara. Spoilers for Serenity.
“ I'm not the one who had a torrid affair with a pirate.”
“A who? With a what?”
“It's the talk of the House. The girls all trade stories in the dorms at night.”
“I didn't ... have a pirate.”
“In one of the stories you make love in a burning temple. I think that's my favorite.”
- deleted scene from Serenity
“…And so, she was trapped. Trapped by the cruel cleverness of the Alliance Operative, who had tracked her down after discovering her value to the man he hunted. As he approached her, ascending the great stone steps of the training house, she felt the mantle of dread wrap around her. He would ask her to do his terrible bidding, or he would threaten the lives of every person in the house, down to the last innocent trainee. A single shared look told her the threats he made were not idle. He would kill them all if she did not do whatever he asked…”
A fitful rustle of silk pillow revealed an uncomfortable listener. Intuitively, almost imperceptibly, she shifted her tone to ease her audience while picking up the breathless pace of the narrative.
“Her mind raced as he made his merciless intentions known. She must either betray the man she loved… or cause the deaths of her students. She pictured the bright faces of the girls she trained every day, shining with promise, longing for adventure, eager for life. The Companion knew she could let no harm come to them. And he would understand--- he would have to. In her heart, she knew he would make the same choice. Her beautiful face was a picture of calm as she faced this destiny, yet her mind was feverishly seeking a solution, frantically struggling for a way to let him know that a trap was being laid, even as she was being given the lethal instructions.
“Finally, she could stall no longer. She was made to contact the legendary pirate, to wav him with a story that would bring him to the Companion house, where the Operative waited. And suddenly the Captain was there, on her screen, only half-awake. ”
“And half-dressed.”
“And half-dressed.”
“Did she swoon?”
“Swoon?”
“Yes. She saw him half-dressed. Was there swooning?”
“No. She had entrapment on her mind. She did not swoon.”
“That’s disappointing.”
“Clearing her head, and with no swooning, she concentrated on her mission. Cunningly, she wove half-truths, dropping hints in the manner of her speech and bearing. As her lips bore one meaning, her raven eyes conveyed the opposite. Desperately she hoped he would see that her spoken message was false. Even more desperately, she hoped he would not be mule-headed enough to fly to her side once he realized that it was a trap. For he was notoriously stubborn and mule-headed. ”
“You can’t call him names, he’s the hero.”
“Shh. She’s the hero. And stop interrupting if you want me to finish this story. ”
“I thought the dashing space pirate was the hero.”
“You are obviously not paying full attention to the story. Perhaps I will not continue.”
“No - please do. Continue.”
“Very well then.”
“With their communication ended, there was little she could do other than pray to the Buddha that the Captain and crew might be safe, and that the Operative would realize he had made a mistake and miscalculated the Captain’s priorities.
“But alas, she would enjoy no such good fortune. The very next day, as she knelt in just such a prayer, a familiar voice joined in beside her. Her heart at once leapt for joy in hearing that voice, and sank to the very depths of despair as she turned to see that the Captain, her Captain, had stealthily made his way to her chamber. Wearing the insolent smile she remembered so well. And a fringed shawl. A beaded, fringed shawl. ”
“I’ll bet he looked dashing, just the same.”
“His appearance was…graceful.”
“But there were other matters at hand besides his roguish appearance. Frantically, Inara tried to warn him of the danger that awaited, tried to show him his folly in taking the bait.
‘You should not have come’ she admonished him. ‘Did you not realize it was a trap?’
‘All I realized is that you needed my help,’ he said huskily, his eyes locked onto hers. ‘ I had to come, no matter the risk. I had to come for you, my love.’ ”
“My love?”
“Shhh. This is the good part.”
“Having been long parted, the pair reveled wordlessly in the heady sense of each other’s presence. Yet too soon their idyll was broken, as the ornate double doors that led to the hallway parted to reveal the sinister figure of the Alliance Operative.
“He stalked in from the shadows, and Inara watched helplessly as he and her brave Captain took measure of each other. There would be a fight - she would not be able to prevent it. Quickly she knelt at her altar, drawing out and lighting a fresh stick of incense. Finishing her prayer, she stood to see the two men circling each other warily as they spoke, each probing for the other’s weakness as they feigned negotiation. Even as she feared for her pirate, Inara could not help noticing the way he placed himself between her and the enemy, always shielding and protecting her. The air fairly crackled with the imminence of bloodletting--- ”
“That sounds somewhat messy.”
“For the last time…”
“---of bloodletting, the Operative making demands the Captain would not meet. He wanted an innocent to be handed over to horrible torture, and Inara knew the Captain was too noble to ever let such a thing happen. ”
“Hmm. Too noble.”
“Without question.”
“Just when Inara thought she could stand the tension no longer, the Captain drew his pistol and fired at the Operative. Quickly he grasped his love’s hand and rushed her out of the door toward safety - only to be pulled back by his adversary’s arm around his throat. Inara spun in horror to see the Captain captive in a chokehold, struggling for breath. The vile opponent’s body armor had protected him from the Captain’s bullet.
Now it was Inara’s turn to protect her love.
“Without thought for herself, she leapt at the assassin. Her heart was strong, but even her Companion skills were no match for this monster. He parried her advance, and the force of his blow threw her against the wall, momentarily stunned. But her sacrifice was enough - in that moment the Captain freed himself, and the two men fought viciously, hand to hand. But the simple brawling of a pirate stood no chance against the fighting mastery of a trained assassin. Brave as he might be, the Captain was beaten back time and again by punishing blows. Finally, dazed and bleeding, he was unable to lift himself from the floor. Inara watched with tears in her eyes as he strained with trembling hand to reach the trusty gun that lay just out of his reach. Quietly she willed him to stay down and avoid further pain, until she could save him. The tang of a sword being unsheathed grabbed her attention. ‘Merciful Buddha,’ she prayed,‘ grant me time!’”
“Did Merciful Buddha listen?”
“And merciful Buddha listened, as the Operative walked slowly forward, shining sword deadly in his hand, to where the Captain lay. With each step Inara’s heart beat more painfully for her beloved. But merciful Buddha listened. Because the Operative talked, and therein lay his undoing that day.
“He addressed his words to the Companion as she held herself against the wall, trying to regain her strength. He spoke as a man already assured of his victory - a flaw of his pride.
“ ‘Nothing here is what it seems,’ the stranger told her. He indicated the Captain, still struggling to rise. ‘He’s not the plucky hero. The Alliance isn’t some evil empire. This isn’t the grand arena.’
“Here the brave Companion smiled, and her smile unnerved the Operative. Because she knew what was coming next, and he did not.
‘And that,’ she declared triumphantly, ‘ is not incense.’
“As her concealed flash bomb exploded, the Operative was knocked to the ground, insensate. Quickly Inara gathered all of her strength and pulled the Captain to his feet and out of the room. So great was the strength of her love, she barely noticed the burden as she half carried him to the safety of the gardens surrounding the House, where his space shuttle lay hidden among the vines. Inara effortlessly piloted them away from the pursuing troops, making good their escape, then turning to assess her lover’s injuries once they were on safely en route to his waiting ship.
‘You saved me,’ he whispered gratefully, still groggy from the fight and the explosion.
‘Of course I saved you,’ she answered, leaning in, at last, to gently kiss him. ‘ I love you.’
“And that is the true tale of Inara and the Pirate.”
A richly contented sigh rewarded her for a tale well told.
“Saved me.” The voice was slurred with fatigue.
“Yes.”
“ Love me.”
“Yes.”
She leaned over and kissed the man who was now sleeping on the pillow in her lap. His mouth smiled reflexively under hers, but his eyes remained closed. Lightly she traced the new bruise on his jaw, the new cut over his eyebrow, before returning to the absentminded stroking of his hair that had soothed him to sleep. Another fight for another day’s pay. Another job, with all the fascinating choices of new wrinkles, awaited his planning tomorrow. Meanwhile there was this quiet time in the black, this brief respite in sleep.
“Saved me.”
“Yes.”
“ Love me.”
“Yes.” She leaned over to kiss him again, drinking in the rare beauty of his face in repose. Merciful Buddha had indeed listened. “Oh yes.”
“ I'm not the one who had a torrid affair with a pirate.”
“A who? With a what?”
“It's the talk of the House. The girls all trade stories in the dorms at night.”
“I didn't ... have a pirate.”
“In one of the stories you make love in a burning temple. I think that's my favorite.”
- deleted scene from Serenity
“…And so, she was trapped. Trapped by the cruel cleverness of the Alliance Operative, who had tracked her down after discovering her value to the man he hunted. As he approached her, ascending the great stone steps of the training house, she felt the mantle of dread wrap around her. He would ask her to do his terrible bidding, or he would threaten the lives of every person in the house, down to the last innocent trainee. A single shared look told her the threats he made were not idle. He would kill them all if she did not do whatever he asked…”
A fitful rustle of silk pillow revealed an uncomfortable listener. Intuitively, almost imperceptibly, she shifted her tone to ease her audience while picking up the breathless pace of the narrative.
“Her mind raced as he made his merciless intentions known. She must either betray the man she loved… or cause the deaths of her students. She pictured the bright faces of the girls she trained every day, shining with promise, longing for adventure, eager for life. The Companion knew she could let no harm come to them. And he would understand--- he would have to. In her heart, she knew he would make the same choice. Her beautiful face was a picture of calm as she faced this destiny, yet her mind was feverishly seeking a solution, frantically struggling for a way to let him know that a trap was being laid, even as she was being given the lethal instructions.
“Finally, she could stall no longer. She was made to contact the legendary pirate, to wav him with a story that would bring him to the Companion house, where the Operative waited. And suddenly the Captain was there, on her screen, only half-awake. ”
“And half-dressed.”
“And half-dressed.”
“Did she swoon?”
“Swoon?”
“Yes. She saw him half-dressed. Was there swooning?”
“No. She had entrapment on her mind. She did not swoon.”
“That’s disappointing.”
“Clearing her head, and with no swooning, she concentrated on her mission. Cunningly, she wove half-truths, dropping hints in the manner of her speech and bearing. As her lips bore one meaning, her raven eyes conveyed the opposite. Desperately she hoped he would see that her spoken message was false. Even more desperately, she hoped he would not be mule-headed enough to fly to her side once he realized that it was a trap. For he was notoriously stubborn and mule-headed. ”
“You can’t call him names, he’s the hero.”
“Shh. She’s the hero. And stop interrupting if you want me to finish this story. ”
“I thought the dashing space pirate was the hero.”
“You are obviously not paying full attention to the story. Perhaps I will not continue.”
“No - please do. Continue.”
“Very well then.”
“With their communication ended, there was little she could do other than pray to the Buddha that the Captain and crew might be safe, and that the Operative would realize he had made a mistake and miscalculated the Captain’s priorities.
“But alas, she would enjoy no such good fortune. The very next day, as she knelt in just such a prayer, a familiar voice joined in beside her. Her heart at once leapt for joy in hearing that voice, and sank to the very depths of despair as she turned to see that the Captain, her Captain, had stealthily made his way to her chamber. Wearing the insolent smile she remembered so well. And a fringed shawl. A beaded, fringed shawl. ”
“I’ll bet he looked dashing, just the same.”
“His appearance was…graceful.”
“But there were other matters at hand besides his roguish appearance. Frantically, Inara tried to warn him of the danger that awaited, tried to show him his folly in taking the bait.
‘You should not have come’ she admonished him. ‘Did you not realize it was a trap?’
‘All I realized is that you needed my help,’ he said huskily, his eyes locked onto hers. ‘ I had to come, no matter the risk. I had to come for you, my love.’ ”
“My love?”
“Shhh. This is the good part.”
“Having been long parted, the pair reveled wordlessly in the heady sense of each other’s presence. Yet too soon their idyll was broken, as the ornate double doors that led to the hallway parted to reveal the sinister figure of the Alliance Operative.
“He stalked in from the shadows, and Inara watched helplessly as he and her brave Captain took measure of each other. There would be a fight - she would not be able to prevent it. Quickly she knelt at her altar, drawing out and lighting a fresh stick of incense. Finishing her prayer, she stood to see the two men circling each other warily as they spoke, each probing for the other’s weakness as they feigned negotiation. Even as she feared for her pirate, Inara could not help noticing the way he placed himself between her and the enemy, always shielding and protecting her. The air fairly crackled with the imminence of bloodletting--- ”
“That sounds somewhat messy.”
“For the last time…”
“---of bloodletting, the Operative making demands the Captain would not meet. He wanted an innocent to be handed over to horrible torture, and Inara knew the Captain was too noble to ever let such a thing happen. ”
“Hmm. Too noble.”
“Without question.”
“Just when Inara thought she could stand the tension no longer, the Captain drew his pistol and fired at the Operative. Quickly he grasped his love’s hand and rushed her out of the door toward safety - only to be pulled back by his adversary’s arm around his throat. Inara spun in horror to see the Captain captive in a chokehold, struggling for breath. The vile opponent’s body armor had protected him from the Captain’s bullet.
Now it was Inara’s turn to protect her love.
“Without thought for herself, she leapt at the assassin. Her heart was strong, but even her Companion skills were no match for this monster. He parried her advance, and the force of his blow threw her against the wall, momentarily stunned. But her sacrifice was enough - in that moment the Captain freed himself, and the two men fought viciously, hand to hand. But the simple brawling of a pirate stood no chance against the fighting mastery of a trained assassin. Brave as he might be, the Captain was beaten back time and again by punishing blows. Finally, dazed and bleeding, he was unable to lift himself from the floor. Inara watched with tears in her eyes as he strained with trembling hand to reach the trusty gun that lay just out of his reach. Quietly she willed him to stay down and avoid further pain, until she could save him. The tang of a sword being unsheathed grabbed her attention. ‘Merciful Buddha,’ she prayed,‘ grant me time!’”
“Did Merciful Buddha listen?”
“And merciful Buddha listened, as the Operative walked slowly forward, shining sword deadly in his hand, to where the Captain lay. With each step Inara’s heart beat more painfully for her beloved. But merciful Buddha listened. Because the Operative talked, and therein lay his undoing that day.
“He addressed his words to the Companion as she held herself against the wall, trying to regain her strength. He spoke as a man already assured of his victory - a flaw of his pride.
“ ‘Nothing here is what it seems,’ the stranger told her. He indicated the Captain, still struggling to rise. ‘He’s not the plucky hero. The Alliance isn’t some evil empire. This isn’t the grand arena.’
“Here the brave Companion smiled, and her smile unnerved the Operative. Because she knew what was coming next, and he did not.
‘And that,’ she declared triumphantly, ‘ is not incense.’
“As her concealed flash bomb exploded, the Operative was knocked to the ground, insensate. Quickly Inara gathered all of her strength and pulled the Captain to his feet and out of the room. So great was the strength of her love, she barely noticed the burden as she half carried him to the safety of the gardens surrounding the House, where his space shuttle lay hidden among the vines. Inara effortlessly piloted them away from the pursuing troops, making good their escape, then turning to assess her lover’s injuries once they were on safely en route to his waiting ship.
‘You saved me,’ he whispered gratefully, still groggy from the fight and the explosion.
‘Of course I saved you,’ she answered, leaning in, at last, to gently kiss him. ‘ I love you.’
“And that is the true tale of Inara and the Pirate.”
A richly contented sigh rewarded her for a tale well told.
“Saved me.” The voice was slurred with fatigue.
“Yes.”
“ Love me.”
“Yes.”
She leaned over and kissed the man who was now sleeping on the pillow in her lap. His mouth smiled reflexively under hers, but his eyes remained closed. Lightly she traced the new bruise on his jaw, the new cut over his eyebrow, before returning to the absentminded stroking of his hair that had soothed him to sleep. Another fight for another day’s pay. Another job, with all the fascinating choices of new wrinkles, awaited his planning tomorrow. Meanwhile there was this quiet time in the black, this brief respite in sleep.
“Saved me.”
“Yes.”
“ Love me.”
“Yes.” She leaned over to kiss him again, drinking in the rare beauty of his face in repose. Merciful Buddha had indeed listened. “Oh yes.”