01 - [ Visual ]

[captbrowncoat.livejournal.com]

Mal slowly opens his eyes, only to be greeted by a blurred mess of metallic colors. No exciting colors, no outstanding landmarks. His vision clears, and he sees that he’s in a circular chamber. Only problem is, he’s never seen this chamber before before. He sits up in a rush, and wildly looks around him, taking in the plain, undecorated room.

His hand instinctively goes to his waist, where he gropes around in a fruitless search for his gun. But it’s not there, and he shivers involuntarily, not liking being unarmed. He glances at his wrist, where there’s a bracelet that’s been fused to his arm. How did that get there? It wasn’t there before…

Something doesn’t feel right about this – his normal clothes are gone, his weapon is nowhere to be found, and he has no idea where in the ruttin’ universe he is. He thinks maybe a job went wrong, and he ended up stranded somewhere, but that doesn’t explain the foggy quality of his memories.

Suddenly, his confused train of thought is interrupted by the unexpected sound of voices coming from nowhere, which causes him to jump. He does a half turn, and reaches over in the direction the voices came from.

...

It’s some form of communication device. That’s the best that he can tell, just from looking at it. A string of jumbled Chinese curse words leaves his mouth as he pokes at some of the buttons and the screen on the object. He pulls his hand away slowly, deciding that the object is harmless enough. “Well, ain’t this a nice development,” he grumbles. “I’m gonna have to find out who put this bracelet on me and make them take them off. I don’t need jewelry, I need to find out where I am and how to get back to my ship.”

That being said, Mal stands up and looks around him for a few seconds. He sees nothing worth commenting on, except for the device and the occasional odd pillar. This place doesn’t look too out of the ordinary, though he’s definitely never seen it before. There might be a secret to it or something. He moves over to sit down with his back against the nearest wall, and waits for someone to come along and explain exactly what’s going on.

Comments

[ Visual ]

[gotcouplings.livejournal.com]

Kaylee has not been so excited to see a new arrival since... Alright, honestly she can't remember when she's been this excited to see a new arrival BUT hello Mal!! Have a grinning and apparently very excited to see you mechanic popping up on your screen.

"You're back! Hope you know, you're a sight for sore eyes, Cap'n. I could kiss ya."

[ Visual ]

[captbrowncoat.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Kaylee's excitement just leaps off the screen. Mal just stares blankly at the screen for a moment or two, asking himself whether he should believe that the figure on the screen is really his mechanic or not.

Could be that it's a strange form of a wave, but it isn't like anything he's ever seen before. "What do you mean, 'I'm back'? Ain't never seen this place before, Kaylee."

Of course, that cheerfulness is unmistakable. It's the same cheerfulness that caused him to joke about duct-taping her mouth and locking her up somewhere. "Save your kissin' for later. What's goin' on here?"

[ Visual ]

[gotcouplings.livejournal.com]

No worries, Mal, this is most definitely Kaylee, and she's as real as real can be.

"Don't remember it?" The smile loses the smallest bit of excitement, but she recovers quick. "S'alright, I didn't remember it either when I first got back, and it has been some time since you've been here, so I ain't sure how well you would've recognized it anyhow..."

Explanations, yes. Those would be nice. "Basically? This is Taxon, we've all been kidnapped by aliens, and we're stuck in this city with no way home." She doesn't sound all that bothered by it as she should, especially since she's had some time to get used to it. And then the reluctant reveal of, "It's only you, me, 'n River here, though."

[ Visual ]

[captbrowncoat.livejournal.com]

That's real good, though until he sees her in person, he's still going to retain some misgivings. The mention of River's name brings to mind something, and Mal knows he has to ask Kaylee about it.

"Talked a little with River. She said somethin' about Serenity bein' lost. That true, Kaylee?" Mal crosses his arms, his brow furrowed. He doesn't quite want to hear what Kaylee might say, especially if it involves his ship being gone, but not knowing would be worse, so he waits to see what her response will be.

"Aliens... Seems a little far-fetched. But we've seen some strange things in our time, haven't we, meimei?" An odd expression crosses Mal's face then. "No way of gettin' home... what's home anyway? Aside from Serenity, we don't got much in the way of homes to return to." Mal allows himself all of a few seconds to stew on that thought for a bit before he comes back to reality.

Kaylee and River being the only ones here means someone's got to look after them. Kaylee might insist that she doesn't need looking after, but Mal being who he is, intends to do so anyway. And as for River, Mal knows he's not Simon, but he'll do his best, regardless. "Where're you and River stayin', Kaylee? Got a house or somethin', I hope."

[ Visual ]

[gotcouplings.livejournal.com]

She doesn't want to tell him any more than he wants to hear it, and that much is obvious as soon as the sheepish little smile crawls over her face. "She was here, yeah, but she disappeared when Simon did. Hopefully went back home...." And she means both of them there.

"They're aliens whether you think it could be or not. Didn't believe it myself at first, and then I saw 'em. Really, they just appeared like big ol' hamsters, but they were there nonetheless, and talkin' to boot."

The little mechanic has already been doing her part in keeping an eye on River, though she'll be might glad if Mal wants to step in and help. When he asks where they're staying, it's just a few steps outside, and she turns her tablet so he can see the whole of the ranch--house, shop, all of it. Look familiar, Mal? "Got a whole ranch. All it's missin' is my folks, really."

[ visual ]

[bigbad]

Spike's sitting in the Hyperion Hotel when he gets the transmission. He recognizes that voice and that face. Caleb. Apparently the people coming back from the dead bit isn't always a blessing.

"Thought Buffy cut you in half."

He looks over at Angel and motions him over.

[ visual ]

[undoing.livejournal.com]

Because the creeper preacher who flocked after The First and tried to kill Buffy (and hit him with a vase) is the last thing they need right now. And is making him think twice about this ghost nonsense and what the big fuzzies upstairs have got cooking. Whatever it is, it can't be good, whether this guy is Caleb or not.

"She did," Angel confirms. There'd been two halves o' preacher at his feet and blood on his shoes after she did that. He'd been very much dead in a not getting back up ever again way.

[ visual ]

[captbrowncoat.livejournal.com]

Uh. Well, don't this sound like an intriguing conversation. Mal wonders if these two have got the wrong man. "Never been cut in half, at least not that I can remember."

He eyes the screen, and the two men who are showing up on it, wariness plain in his expression. But there's also a bit of laughter, because part of Mal thinks maybe these to aren't in their right minds. "Don't know anyone named Buffy either."

[ visual ]

[bigbad]

Well, that's unexpected. Spike doesn't know if this is Caleb before he came to Sunnydale or another trick the First is playing. Or if this is fake-Hamilton all over again. So instead of even addressing Caleb, he addresses Angel, though he doesn't turn away.

"You busy, Angel?"

[ visual ]

[undoing.livejournal.com]

Angel was already at the weapon's cabinet, pulling out a sword and tossing it to Spike. "I'm about to be."

[voice]

[greenballadeer.livejournal.com]

If you can convince this guy to sing for me, I can let you know for sure whether he is whoever you think he is.

[ visual ]

[biverbam.livejournal.com]

"Captain."

River looks cautions, but really she's very happy to see him. The happy just happens to reside predominantly on the inside. There's just this one small little detail that didn't pop up with him that worries her...

"Lost the ship."

[ visual ]

[captbrowncoat.livejournal.com]

"River?" Mal doesn't sound hopeful, not exactly, but he sounds like something. "The doc must be around somewhere. He wouldn't leave you alone too long." Not that he really wants to see the young doctor, but the more of his crew that are here and safe, the better.

But then what she said next catches his attention, and not in a good way. "What do you mean, you lost the ship?"

[ visual ]

[biverbam.livejournal.com]

"Structure lost form. Fell away. There's nothing left when they take," she says, followed by a thoughtful pause. "Welcome back."

It should be noted that River is not the best at introducing people to the city. Ever.

[ visual ]

[captbrowncoat.livejournal.com]

Speak plainly, River, or you'll just end up with a very annoyed captain without a ship. "Some gŏu cào de húndàn took Serenity?" Well, that's wonderful, and not the best greeting Mal's ever heard.

"Who did it, and how can I get back at them?"

[visual]

[ironshodboots]

And here is someone who doesn't recognize him (or think she does), but responds anyway. "If I had a solari for every thing about this place that I didn't need..." Nazca shakes her head, adjusting her glasses. "Your ship may be here, though; they choose one place or object at random to give to you, so you might check."

[visual]

[captbrowncoat.livejournal.com]

Mal doesn't recognize her either, but he figures, in a place like this, there's going to be a lot of people he won't know. And hopefully none of them will be interested in pulling a gun on him. Kind of an occupational hazard, what with the line of work he's in.

"And how would I go about tellin' if my ship's here or not, miss?" He figures it has something to do with this odd communication device, which he'll be poking around with as soon as he's settled in some.

[visual]

[ironshodboots]

"On the device we're using to speak, there's a map function. Most major landmarks are indicated there." Nazca's been here long enough she can act like it's a matter of course, at this point. Though she wouldn't lord it over any abductee; she doesn't see the point in being disliked under the circumstances. "If not, the city is large, but not gigantic. You could just explore."

[visual]

[captbrowncoat.livejournal.com]

"I'm more the exploring person, myself. Though I suppose a map's a good place to start," Mal says as he pokes at the tablet until he finds what he's looking for. He gives the map a good once-over, noting the major landmarks and any places that sound interesting enough to check out later.

"So, what's this thing that's blinking?" He's looking at the area of the map that's referred to as Osten.

[visual]

[ironshodboots]

"You'll have to be a bit more specific. Can you describe where it is, or any labels it may have?"

Nazca, while adept at guessing and reading clues, is not psychic.

[Visual]

[notabuymoron.livejournal.com]

The use of mandarin phrases has gotten Casey's attention. He peers at the person on the other end of the tablet. Sounds American but is cussing in Chinese. Might be a person of interest.

"Getting nabbed and put into a strange city slash prison isn't what I'd call a nice development. You in the navy or something?"

[Visual] - oh, this is going to go over very well. XD

[captbrowncoat.livejournal.com]

"Ever hear of a little thing called sarcasm?" Mal frowns at the tablet. "Ain't nothin' but a person tryin' to stay out of everybody's way, unless there's some benefit in it for me. And the Alliance ain't high up on that list."

Not that he expects this man to know who the Alliance is and why he wants to avoid them. But that's not important; what is important is why Casey looks so familiar... Mal blinks a few times while staring at the screen, wondering if his mind's playing tricks on him.

[Visual] Hee, yeah! Sorry missed this notif somehow!

[notabuymoron.livejournal.com]

"Sure. We go way back." He leans forward a little, peering at the new guy. "And what alliance would that be?" He's trying to trip him up, maybe expose his possible communist ties.

[Visual] - No worries! It happens.

[captbrowncoat.livejournal.com]

A real wise-cracker, this one. Mal notices Casey's efforts to scrutinize him, but he keeps a straight face. Whatever he hopes to find out, it won't be that simple. "The Union of Allied Planets is its official name. Most people just call it the Alliance to save time and breath. Don't expect you've heard of it."

Mal's been in too many situations like this to not realize what's going on. He's not going to be tripped up that easily. "Ain't never been with them. I don't agree with their ideas, their methods, none of it."

[Visual]

[notabuymoron.livejournal.com]

"The Union of Allied Planets? Now you're just yanking my chain." Casey scoffs, reaching for a cup of coffee out of frame. "Only planet that's populated is earth. Unless you know something I don't."