Spaceball.

[badinlatin]

It takes Mal a minute or two to winch up the rim on a chain in the center of the cargo bay.

It takes Mal even longer to arrange a carefully-placed stepladder of boxes along one side of the playing field.

The arena has been set.

Walking over to the shipboard comm, Mal calls:

"This is the captain. I need all personnel in the cargo bay."

Mal stands in the center of the field of battle and waits. Grinning.

Comments

[gonna_live]

"Nothin' doin' -- "

Kaylee laughs as she blocks, spinning quickly, standing just to the front of his left shoulder.

And then, because the element of surprise is important, Kaylee leans up, putting a hand on his shoulder, and kisses Simon.

With great passion and skill.

[ff-ambassador.livejournal.com]

Maybe Inara really should go up and get changed, then she could pull something like that against Mal.

Inara wolf-whistles uncharacteristically, a fingertip to each corner of her mouth to cheer on Kaylee.

Kaylee knows what she's doing.

[simon_doctor]

She really does.

To the point where it takes Simon over two seconds after the kiss breaks to realize that she's stolen the ball.

[swinging-cod.livejournal.com]

Jayne's furious.

"Doc, you bèn tiānshēng de yìduī ròu, gorram it!"

Jayne moves to steal it back.

Kinda like a bull in a Ming china shop, this one.

[gonna_live]

But alas, it is too late for the Hero of Canton, for lo, the Great Mechanic Equal to Heaven has thrown the ball up to Wash, and now she is turning to Simon with only the very vaguest hint of apology.

...maybe there's not any apology at all, come to think of it.

"Anything goes, ai ren." She slides her arm around his waist for a moment.

[flybywash]

He's still laughing so hard that he almost misses the catch.

But there's a satisfying slap anyway as the ball hits his hands, and Wash hooks it toward the hoop. Ain't the cleanest shot ever, but --

Point two!

He punches both fists in the air and whoops.

[river_meimei]

The theme of the game is, apparently, River laughing.

Her face is alight, and she looks... just happy. Nineteen and untroubled.

[badinlatin]

Over top of River's laughing is a strong cackle at Simon and Kaylee.

Kaylee knows what she's doing.

"Nice going, Kaylee." Mal marches over to Zoe, still beaming.

"Two to zero, eh?"

[righthandwoman.livejournal.com]

Zoe doesn't answer.

At least, not right away.

This is because she is lunging past Mal to grab the ball as it comes down, then spinning and shooting it over his head.

She might also be 'accidentally' stepping on his foot in the process. Oops?

The ball hits the inner rim of the hoop, but falls through on the right side, and Zoe glances back at Mal.

"What was that, sir?"

[badinlatin]

Mal purses his lips and makes a face. "Nothing."

[swinging-cod.livejournal.com]

And Jayne's there before anyone, ball tucked into his gut like a football. He frantically looks around for someone to pass it to and--

[river_meimei]

And, look, he doesn't have the ball any more.

River ducks under her brother's arm, and spins to throw the ball unerringly at Wash.

[swinging-cod.livejournal.com]

And Jayne's skittering away, clutching his crotch defensively.

"Gorram it, Doc, tell Punchy McCheaterson my man-parts is off-limits!"

[flybywash]

Cackling, Wash puts it through the hoop for a third point.

Yep. Still not getting old.

It's possible that River just became his new favorite person of the week.

[simon_doctor]

Words cannot express how much Simon didn't need to hear that.

He gives up on trying to respond, and goes for the ball instead.

[river_meimei]

It's a friendly game! River wouldn't have hit him!

...Feinting, however, is totally fair.

That is a definite snicker, from the little brat in the corner. The one exchanging a high five with Kaylee.