Not a Campfire Story
Title: Not a Campfire Story
Author*: quiesce
Rating: R
Warnings: Reavers and all that that entails
Disclaimer: Belongs to Joss
Word Count: 1000 Words
Notes: Many thanks to skripka for the beta.
* originally posted under a different author name
Kieran shook his head quickly in an attempt to keep himself from nodding off. This long stretch back to Shadow was always the most difficult because it was so easy and uneventful. Many a ship had gotten lost in this region, never to be found again. Reavers, the folklore told, but Kieran wasn't one for myths and campfire stories. Probably the pilots fell asleep with the lack of visual landmarks to keep them occupied and they wandered so far off course that they didn't have enough gas to get back. Not that that was a pleasant way to go, but it was a lot more palatable than the tales children boasted of and adults whispered.
Children. Kieran wondered if his son would enjoy listening to reaver stories in wide-eyed wonder or if he'd be a practical boy, more like himself. Too early to tell, he supposed. He wasn't even walking yet, or, at least, he hadn't been when Kieran'd had to leave. I might've already missed his first step, he thought wistfully. He increased his speed a little in the hopes that it might make the difference in getting there in time.
He grabbed the picture of his family propped up against one of the monitors, kissing Maggie's forehead and making a motion that would've tousled the boy's hair had he actually been there instead of just an image. Kieran set the picture back down and smiled to himself.
---
something's close feel it near good need this too long been too long hungry must have soon soon closer quiet and slow need it must stay quiet and slow can't lose it need it now but must wait need need need hungry now but must be slow
---
Pushing the picture to the side, Kieran examined the monitor it had been partially blocking. Nothing. He could've sworn he'd seen a blip of something on it, but the screen was all clear.
Mind's playing tricks on me, he thought. That was another danger of solo flights like this: you get so bored and lonely, you started imagining things just so you'll have something to do. He adjusted the environmental controls for the bridge, dropping the temperature a few degrees in the hope it would help him stay alert.
---
wait wait almost scared it away hungry but wait can't lose it no not just hungry pain pain it hurts must have must have must have need need need stop hunger stop pain must get it wait slow hungry pain need hurts must get now go now
---
Three different proximity sensors were tripped within seconds of each other and started up a deafening claxon. Kieran reached in one direction to shut off the alarms and looked in another at the array of monitors and displays in front of him.
A ship. Spinning wildly out of control and heading right for him.
Kieran began setting up evasive maneuvers but quickly realized he wouldn't be able to get out of the way. He strapped himself in and started running a mental inventory of where all the medical supplies were stashed so he could tend to himself and any survivors of the other ship if they weren't all killed instantly in the imminent crash.
The impact came sooner than he expected, but it shook his ship less that he would've thought. The quiet rush of positive air pressure that came as he was unstrapping himself from the pilot's chair told him the reason; he wasn't hit, he was being boarded.
---
so close almost there run run run go yes got it bite bite so hungry so good push yes harder harder again more need taste more so good bite chew tear screaming good pretty music still more still need bite and push push and bite good yes
---
Kieran Reynold's second-to-last thought was that the stories didn't even know the half of it. His last was of the son that he'd never see grow up.
---
yes so good worth waiting another bite another no wait it's stopped save this piece so perfect keep it can go here rip carefully don't ruin it sew in place here yes good now can always touch it and remember so good tasty so pure yes perfect
---
Epilogue
Maggie Reynolds dropped unceremoniously onto one of the kitchen chairs. The day had left her exhausted, dirty and sweat-drenched, and she still had to ready something to feed her son before sending him off to bed. This time of year was always busiest for cattle ranches and with only a dozen hands helping out, she was extremely understaffed. She figured she need to double that number soon and, if things kept moving the way they had been, hire even more in the upcoming years.
This time of year... the thought had jogged a memory and Maggie turned to look at the calendar console, freezing when she saw the date. It was exactly one year today.
There were any number of dangers that could delay a flight, not to mention any number of women that could delay a man, so people learned not to be overly concerned if loved ones were a couple days, weeks, or even months late in returning home. But it was the one year mark; pretenses could no longer be maintained.
Her mother had warned her that Kieran would stray but Maggie had believed that he would stay true. Foolishly, apparently. He was probably living worry free with some whore or companion without a second thought for the ranch or Maggie or Malcolm.
The least she could do was continue to run the ranch the best she knew how and make sure that her son was raised right. He would know what his father had done. He would know that whores and companions were only after one thing and they didn't care if they stepped on good honest folk to get it.
Reenergized by her anger, Maggie started to prepare dinner.
Author*: quiesce
Rating: R
Warnings: Reavers and all that that entails
Disclaimer: Belongs to Joss
Word Count: 1000 Words
Notes: Many thanks to skripka for the beta.
* originally posted under a different author name
Kieran shook his head quickly in an attempt to keep himself from nodding off. This long stretch back to Shadow was always the most difficult because it was so easy and uneventful. Many a ship had gotten lost in this region, never to be found again. Reavers, the folklore told, but Kieran wasn't one for myths and campfire stories. Probably the pilots fell asleep with the lack of visual landmarks to keep them occupied and they wandered so far off course that they didn't have enough gas to get back. Not that that was a pleasant way to go, but it was a lot more palatable than the tales children boasted of and adults whispered.
Children. Kieran wondered if his son would enjoy listening to reaver stories in wide-eyed wonder or if he'd be a practical boy, more like himself. Too early to tell, he supposed. He wasn't even walking yet, or, at least, he hadn't been when Kieran'd had to leave. I might've already missed his first step, he thought wistfully. He increased his speed a little in the hopes that it might make the difference in getting there in time.
He grabbed the picture of his family propped up against one of the monitors, kissing Maggie's forehead and making a motion that would've tousled the boy's hair had he actually been there instead of just an image. Kieran set the picture back down and smiled to himself.
---
something's close feel it near good need this too long been too long hungry must have soon soon closer quiet and slow need it must stay quiet and slow can't lose it need it now but must wait need need need hungry now but must be slow
---
Pushing the picture to the side, Kieran examined the monitor it had been partially blocking. Nothing. He could've sworn he'd seen a blip of something on it, but the screen was all clear.
Mind's playing tricks on me, he thought. That was another danger of solo flights like this: you get so bored and lonely, you started imagining things just so you'll have something to do. He adjusted the environmental controls for the bridge, dropping the temperature a few degrees in the hope it would help him stay alert.
---
wait wait almost scared it away hungry but wait can't lose it no not just hungry pain pain it hurts must have must have must have need need need stop hunger stop pain must get it wait slow hungry pain need hurts must get now go now
---
Three different proximity sensors were tripped within seconds of each other and started up a deafening claxon. Kieran reached in one direction to shut off the alarms and looked in another at the array of monitors and displays in front of him.
A ship. Spinning wildly out of control and heading right for him.
Kieran began setting up evasive maneuvers but quickly realized he wouldn't be able to get out of the way. He strapped himself in and started running a mental inventory of where all the medical supplies were stashed so he could tend to himself and any survivors of the other ship if they weren't all killed instantly in the imminent crash.
The impact came sooner than he expected, but it shook his ship less that he would've thought. The quiet rush of positive air pressure that came as he was unstrapping himself from the pilot's chair told him the reason; he wasn't hit, he was being boarded.
---
so close almost there run run run go yes got it bite bite so hungry so good push yes harder harder again more need taste more so good bite chew tear screaming good pretty music still more still need bite and push push and bite good yes
---
Kieran Reynold's second-to-last thought was that the stories didn't even know the half of it. His last was of the son that he'd never see grow up.
---
yes so good worth waiting another bite another no wait it's stopped save this piece so perfect keep it can go here rip carefully don't ruin it sew in place here yes good now can always touch it and remember so good tasty so pure yes perfect
---
Epilogue
Maggie Reynolds dropped unceremoniously onto one of the kitchen chairs. The day had left her exhausted, dirty and sweat-drenched, and she still had to ready something to feed her son before sending him off to bed. This time of year was always busiest for cattle ranches and with only a dozen hands helping out, she was extremely understaffed. She figured she need to double that number soon and, if things kept moving the way they had been, hire even more in the upcoming years.
This time of year... the thought had jogged a memory and Maggie turned to look at the calendar console, freezing when she saw the date. It was exactly one year today.
There were any number of dangers that could delay a flight, not to mention any number of women that could delay a man, so people learned not to be overly concerned if loved ones were a couple days, weeks, or even months late in returning home. But it was the one year mark; pretenses could no longer be maintained.
Her mother had warned her that Kieran would stray but Maggie had believed that he would stay true. Foolishly, apparently. He was probably living worry free with some whore or companion without a second thought for the ranch or Maggie or Malcolm.
The least she could do was continue to run the ranch the best she knew how and make sure that her son was raised right. He would know what his father had done. He would know that whores and companions were only after one thing and they didn't care if they stepped on good honest folk to get it.
Reenergized by her anger, Maggie started to prepare dinner.