trans_9 | Sooo...Meet-y

OK, that last comment was almost enough to make Jo hit him a good one - but the thought of being smacked around by Stacy made her think better of it. Instead he gets another glare.

"You seriously think that?" Jo demanded, shaking her head. "No matter how dumb people are, they don't deserve to die. Hell, back in my world the town I live in is FULL of brilliant idiotic scientists, who one a regular basis mess up and almost destroy the town and on occassion the world, but... They're MY people and I'm gonna do everything in my power to ensure that things get turned back so they're OK!"

She continued to scowl at him. "You need to get over whatever it is you're wangsting over and pull yourself together."

Somewhere underneath all his cynicism regarding saving lives, Mal knew Jo was right. It wasn't people Mal had an issue with; it was systems of government run by people who thought they had the ability to fix everything and make everything better, even when their efforts meant causing harm (financial, social, economic, you name it) to people. He'd seen it many times over, every time he traveled from the central planets to the outer planets. The facts were there; governments meant trouble, if they weren't run by the right people.

But Mal didn't say any of that to Jo. He figured she didn't want to hear it, and part of him really didn't want to go down that path again. There was a reason why he never talked about this kind of thing with anyone; the reaction that typically arose was never pleasant.

So, Mal dragged himself out of his internal monologue, and tackled Jo's arguments. "All right, Jo. I don't really think that, but I also ain't convinced either. There's some good people out in the 'verse, but there's also corrupt ones. They're the ones I don't think are worth bein' saved. But it ain't possible to be choosin' who gets saved and who doesn't, which is why I still got some hope that maybe people'll turn themselves around. What I don't believe so easy is the idea that governments who think they can make everythin' right, but don't stop to count the consequences, can change."

Mal shook his head, and sighed. "Seen enough damage caused by people like that, and it ain't pretty. And far as my 'wangsting' is concerned, hate to say it, but it ain't gonna go away just 'cause you want it to." Though, even as he said that, Mal thought he felt some of his cynicism starting to disappear.

He knew exactly why that was, also. It was because of the person he was with; Jo was beginning to represent something to Mal... Her personality represented some facet of his own that had been lost through disappointments and just being knocked around by life. Though he couldn't make himself believe entirely in the good of the human race, Jo's stubbornness made up for what he was lacking.

Jo herself had seen the ugly side of what corrupt goverments could do to a country. She had seen first hand what happened in wars, and how it affected everyone involved, and even those who weren't. She wasn't naive enough to think that Governments should always be followed and she certainly wasn't naive enough to think that all governments were infallable.

She knew better.

But she also knew that there were enough good people in the world that there should always be hope for something better, for hope that things could and would get better. Perhaps she was stupid to think so, but she truly believed that.

Jo crossed her arms and shook her head. "That might be so, but I don't think every world that was effected by the Ohm are like that. And even if they were, everybody here deserves a chance to go back to their own worlds, not matter how messed up they are... Because believe it or not - things can alwys get better."

"Guess we're gonna have to agree to disagree, Jo," Mal said with a hint of a smile. "But who knows, maybe someday I'll be able to believe that, 'cause anything's possible."

After a moment, Mal thought up something else he wanted to ask her. "So I've told you about what things're like where I'm from, but aside from me guessin' a few things, I'm not entirely sure what your world's like."

She nodded her head. "I suppose we are. But wouldn't hurt you to try to have faith in people, ya know?"

She was quiet for a moment before shrugging her shoulders. "OK, well... What do you want to know exactly? I mean, I'm from Earth, and there's still plenty of resources. So, I guess what I tell you depends on what you want to know."

Mal looked down at his hands, avoiding Jo's eyes. This conversation was affecting him more than he cared to admit. "I know that, but it ain't gonna happen in a day. Stuff like that takes time."

"Nothin' much, really. You got any family there?"

Jo reached out and rested her hand lightly on his arm in a reassuring manner. "Well who knows? Maybe that's one reason you were brought here."

"I do," She smiled, sropping her hand from his arm. "I have three older brothers. Growing up they kinda made sure I didn't turn into what they called a girlie-girl. Which I guess kinda worked."

"Maybe it is. And maybe meetin' you has got some purpose neither of us knows yet." He didn't come straight out and say it, but what he meant was, he was glad to have Jo around.

"Havin' family's usually a good thing. Gives you someplace to go, and people to help you out if you need it." Mal couldn't help smirking as he added, "And they sure did a good job. A girly-girl's the last thing I'd call you."

"Maybe," JO replied with an almost lazy smile. "Could be I'm meant to whip you into shape or something." She was teasing, but she probably could if he really wanted her to.

She laughed. "Well I think my brothers would be proud to know that their years of trying to use me as a human football worked wonders." She shook her head chuckling. "You know, maybe sometime I can show you where I live. We have this place called the Sensoriums and it's able to recreate places. I mean it's a hologram of sorts, but pretty realistic."

"You think it's gonna be that easy, do you?" Mal raised an eyebrow and grinned at Jo, very much amused. "You ever want to try that, let me know. Might put you in the Med Bay awhile..." He paused for a second, and looked her over, as though sizing her up. "Might put both of us in there, now I think about it."

He laughed too, at her comment about being a human football. "I think I'd like that... Gettin' to see where you live, I mean. And while we're at it, maybe I could see about showin' you Serenity."

"Hey I might be small, but I'm fiesty," She beamed. "I've been known to take down a guy or two in my time so I'm sure you'd be pretty easy." She winked, letting him know she was only teasing... Well at least partly.

"Serenity? What's that?"

"Well, we'll see just how feisty, if we ever get to that point," Mal said jokingly. "Same goes for me. More than a guy or two, so you might be a bit in over your head." He laughed though, enjoying the banter, even though he, like Jo, was partly serious.

"Guess I ain't mentioned her yet. Serenity's my ship, the one I'm captain of."

"Well I don't know about that," Jo said shaking her head in amusement. "We're just gonna have to find out some day. Maybe a little bit of friendly sparring?"

She shook her head. "No you haven't mention Serenity before... But she's your ship? What kind?"

"Sounds good to me. Just set the time and place, and I'll be there." Mal was equally amused, and the thought that maybe he was the one over his head never occurred to him.

"She's an 03-K64 Firefly, or somethin' like that... I've never been great at remembering her code number. Anyway, she's a transport vessel, and I use her for carryin' cargo to different places."

"Once you're all settled we can set somethin' up." Jo's actually looking forward to this. She hadn't had a sparring partner in a while. It could turn out to be a lot of fun.

"Oh.. Well before now I've never been in a space ship... So yeah, I'd like to see your Serentiy." And sometimes bein' on Stacy wasn't all that great... ANd half the time it wasn't even like being in a space ship.

"Works for me. Seems settling down shouldn't take too much long, 'cause I ain't got a lot to put down," Mal replied, smirking. It wasn't a bad thing at all; Mal was used to not having a lot anyway, as that kind of came along with his job.

"Really? Never been on one?" Mal raised his eyebrows. He found this unacceptable. "Well, that's gotta change. Ain't nothin' like flying through the 'verse, with nothin' and nobody holding you back." There was a brief pause, and the ship's captain added with a dry laugh, "Well, nothin' except occasional engine trouble. But that's what good mechanics are for."

"Awesome," Jo grinned. "I suppose we can look for some quarters for you while we're out, ya know.. So you're more settled and then you won't be able to use that against me when I'm kicking your ass." So maybe she was a tad bit arrogant with her fighting moves, but... Whatever.

"Nope, not once." She smiled. "Well I think that sounds like it could be a lotta fun. You gonna teach me how to fly it? Or would be it be called driving it?"

"Might not be a bad idea." That little detail had slipped Mal's mind, with all the other things he was thinking about. "I don't make excuses, not when it comes to things like this. I like fair fights, not underhanded ones." Mal couldn't help giving Jo a rather huge smirk, not exactly mentioning that sometimes underhanded methods could be necessary.

"Well, that's too bad. Sure, I'd take you up in Serenity, teach you how to fly her, but the problem is, Serenity ain't here."

"Well, I have to agree with you there," Jo as she studied him rather thoughtfully. "But you know if you like fair fights, maybe we shouldn't. I mean, I'd hate to embarass you." She grinned broadly and continued down the hall.

She glanced at him over her shoulder. "Well she might not be here, but it doesn't mean you can't show me. Remember that sensorium thing I mentioned earlier?"

"What are you sayin', Jo? Gettin' a bit overconfident, now?" Mal couldn't help the smirk that crossed his face, while walking after her.

"The thing that puts up projections? Well, I'm guessin' it can't compare to the real thing, but it'll do for now."

"Overconfident?" Her eyebrows arched a bit. "That word isn't even in my vocabulary... Well not when it comes to me." She grinned again.

"It won't be the same, but it's close enough. It's very realistic. A lot of the crew use it for training simulations, or even to help out a bit with being homesick," she explained, glancing over at him.

Sooo...Meet-y

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blah, sorry for the tl;dr

Re: blah, sorry for the tl;dr

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Just so you know, the mods decided Serenity's actually on Stacy after all.

Re: Just so you know, the mods decided Serenity's actually on Stacy after all.