1st Shot || Video

[be_in_my_bunk]

[ Okay, so he's not wearing a shirt. But he's got his pants and gun belt on, weapons all secure so there's that at least. And he's pissed as he glares at the damn device. ]

This ain't mine.

[ Pause. Shrug. The device is tucked into his pocket. ]

Takin' the gorram thing anyway. If folks're gonna be dumb enough ta leave their things with mine, I ain't lookin' ta give it back. Nice lookin' anyhow. Sell it fer somethin'.

[ Pause. There's shuffling as he puts on his shirt. ]

Right. Got 'em all.

[ Pause. ]

Now where's the gorram ship?

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[Video]

[be_in_my_bunk]

[ Jayne looks around first before realizing the voice is coming from his communicator. Again. God he really wasn't ever going to get use to this, was he? But that pretty girl on the other side - he could get use to that. ]

Who's ship? Ain't no gorram Alliance, is it?

[iwanttosettheworldonfire]

[While the word Alliance is so vague it could mean anything, it has a weight that matches the way she says Enclave.]

Nnnope. Really long story if you're up for it. Oh, and don't try and shoot anybody unless they give you a good reason for now. We're all in the same shit.

[He looks like he might need the advice, and she's never really lived down the pointing a gun at fellow ship-folk incident. Incidents. Whatever.]

[be_in_my_bunk]

[ Eyes narrowing on that little advice right there. Even the best advice he doesn't take the kindest. ]

Same side? I ain't on no side that don't pay.

[iwanttosettheworldonfire]

[That's always seemed like an impractical attitude to her. Sometimes no side is paying, or the sides choose for you, after all. But arguing philosophy probably isn't the best thing to try.]

But we're so cute. And know how to not get eaten by the local predator species. I mean... mostly.

[be_in_my_bunk]

[ Pause. He smiles a bit. ]

Y'are cute. [ Then he gets serious again. ] Predator? Them things that're gonna attack me? They ain't Reavers are they? Them things aren't human.

[iwanttosettheworldonfire]

[She was being facetious, but she'll ignore that for the time being while she covers the more important issue of what's likely to eat you.]

Reavers? No... Assuming you and I mean anything like the same thing by reaver. We're all brought here from, uh, very distant places sometimes.

[She's thinking of her least favorite kind of feral ghoul. Which would be easy enough to explain, but many worlds theory... less so. At least if she wants to be pithy.]

[be_in_my_bunk]

Good. Ain't nothin' right 'bout them Reavers. Rapin' and skinnin' and killin' like that - ain't normal. Don't matter what them videos said 'bout 'em bein' human 'fore. They ain't.

[ He's not happy about them, alright? He's got a few issues. ]

[iwanttosettheworldonfire]

[Killing, sure, but skinning seems elaborate for them and she's pretty sure raping is well beyond the complexity that ferals can manage.]

Yup, what you're calling Reavers isn't what I'm calling Reavers.

[She didn't really think he was from home, but he did have sort of a Wasteland attitude. Too bad.]

I think I'm glad I haven't met yours. See, the ship you're on picks people up from different, uh, worlds, I guess. We've got space aliens, people from unexploded earth...

[be_in_my_bunk]

Good. Ain't no reason for you ta be dealin' with 'em things.

[ Not because you're a woman. Because they're nasty.

Pause. ]

Wait... earth? Ain't possible. Been gone to gorram long anyway. 's why we went out to the 'verse.

[iwanttosettheworldonfire]

[She's heard something close to that before, but it's not so distinctive it makes her think of conversations with Kaylee. To her mind, a screwed-up earth with any good days in the distant past is a default.]

And where I'm from, the sky burned two hundred years ago, but there's still people living there, because we don't exactly have any better options. People wind up here from all kinds of...

[She leans to set down the gun she was cleaning while searching for the right word. A huge, ugly, scarred dog takes the opportunity to jump in her lap.]

Dogmeat, get off. Possibilities! That's what I was thinking. Anything you can imagine, there's someone here from it.

[be_in_my_bunk]

[ The dog doesn't deter from the conversation. He's seen uglier on people. Seems nice enough anyway.

But he's quiet for a moment anyway. ]

That don't make no sense. Where all them folks comin' from if they ain't from the same 'verse. Ain't too many 'verses, are there?

[iwanttosettheworldonfire]

[Dogmeat does not get off. It's just not his way.]

Uh, yeah, there's an essentially infinite number, from what I understand? All that's possible... is. Somewhere. Probably. Anything that goes one way in one world goes another someplace else. And that's how you get... all of us weirdos.

[be_in_my_bunk]

[ Silence. Then he looks confused. ]

Ain't heard'a no infinite number before, but I ain't arguin'. Knowin' the 'verse ain't much'a what I'm good at.

[ Pause. ]

That yer dog?

[iwanttosettheworldonfire]

Yup, came along with me from the world I started out in and everything.

[She ruffles his scruffy ears and gets licked on the cheek for it. It's pretty clear he doesn't take admonitions to get off very seriously.]

When we met he was shredding the raiders who must have offed his first master, poor bastard. We've been buds ever since.

[be_in_my_bunk]

This rock got anymore of 'em 'round? Or something similar? Looks like a tough guy.

[ He would seriously consider getting one. Once he had the money to care for it of course. ]

[iwanttosettheworldonfire]

They have dogs around here, sure, and some of 'em are pretty mean, the local wildlife being as charming as it is.

[They won't, of course, be mildly irradiated angry fluff-monsters, but she doesn't mind having the only one of those.]

[be_in_my_bunk]

Ain't lookin' fer nice. I'll treat it right but I ain't needin' it ta like anyone else.

[ What'd be the point of that? ]

[iwanttosettheworldonfire]

Go too far in that direction and he'll be breaking teeth trying to kill power armor and robots for you.

[She gives Dogmeat a vigorous ear rub, during which his tongue lolls out lazily. He doesn't look very scary at the moment.]

Who's mama's dumb li'l angel? Who doesn't understand what armor is? You!

[be_in_my_bunk]

[ Jayne frowned. ]

Ain't wantin' that. Better be teachin' it only to attack when I tell it. Ain't gonna be that hard.