simon_doctor | (no subject)

(no subject)

He's been hoping to encounter Jayne somewhere in the public area of the ship, ideally with no one else around. The idea of visiting Jayne's bunk is ... well, distasteful is probably too mild a word.

So he's pleased, for once, to enter the kitchen and find the mercenary there.

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*Jayne's making lunch.

He's, surprisingly, rather good at cooking.

It does not smell like crotch.*

Simon moves to the pantry and roots around inside for a moment.

"You don't think much of this plan, do you."

*Jayne's engrossed in... protein.

Which, for most people, doesn't take too much engrossing, but it's Jayne.*

Eh?

"To attack the Academy."

Simon's still apparently engrossed in the pantry.

...Oh.

*He stirs the... stuff.*

Sayin' I don't think much of it's like sayin' the Alliance don't think much of us.

So I guess your answer'd be yeah.

"And if the captain decides to do it?"

Hey look, crackers.

Then I guess it depends on what I get out of it, don't it?

*Huh. Stuff's lumpy. He pokes at it.*

And what's this behind the crackers? Why, it's a can of preserved peaches. Fascinating.

"Yes, I ... suppose 'the continued existence of the universe' is a little hard to spend."

*Jayne blinks.

He totally didn't take that in during the palaver.*

Whut?

Simon straightens, and turns to look at Jayne directly.

"That's apparently what they're trying to do at the Academy. End the universe. All the universes."

...Why the gorram hell'd they wanna do that for?

*He doesn't believe, because the very idea's too much for him to take in.*

Simon shrugs. "Why do people do destructive things? I don't know. But the gunslingers say --"

Oh, yeah, the gunslingers say this, Roland says that, ain't we all so pretty all curled up in bed together like a bunch of pigs in a pen!

*He snorts*

Don't trust 'em as far as I can shoot 'em, and from what you tell I can't do that worth a ruttin' fèifèi de pìyăn.

There's a pause. He's tempted to just call the conversation over, and walk away.

But there's the memory of Jayne fighting the Feds on Ariel, all but unhampered by the restraints on his wrists. Of the red targeting-spot of Jayne's rifle centered on the throat of the Jiangyin village's patron, barely wavering at all, even at that distance.

He didn't want to be there, either ... but he came.

"All right. Leave that aside.

"I can tell you one good reason why you want the Academy taken down."

*Another snort*

Oh?

And what's that?

Simon closes the pantry door and leans sideways against it.

"You're afraid of my sister."

*Jayne flushes bright red and drops his wooden spoon, whirling to face Simon.*

I ain't afraid of no gorram Crazy Jane little--

Simon's voice is level, and quite calm. Almost grim.

"You're not the only one."

He straightens, and takes a step forward.

"Imagine hundreds of kids just like her. Or more so. All working for the Alliance."

*That stops him.*

Bunch of kids like her? Knowin' things that ain't natural for them to know?

"And shoot to kill with their eyes closed."

He's hardened his gut and heart to iron for this tactic. Or tried to. And it still hurts.

"And that's assuming their abilities don't reinforce each other. We only know what River can do alone. Three or four of them together ..."

*Jayne's pale.

He's scared.

Which means he's nasty.*

Well.

Maybe rescuin's not what's called for, then.

Very, very evenly: "Maybe not. Maybe it's too late for that.

"But rescue them or not -- if the Academy still stands, they'll just make more of them."

A pause, and Simon picks up the packet of crackers from the countertop.

"Enjoy your lunch."

And he turns to head back to his quarters.

Where he will find a certain note.

*Jayne glares after him, and turns back to his protein.

It's scorched.

He snarls and pokes at it ineffectually.

He's got a lot to think about. Not that he will.*

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