badinlatin | Mal-Kaylee, outside.

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kaylee tam

Mal-Kaylee, outside.

Caspian is around...Mal thinks, anyway. The thought is enough - and a filled flask that is easily tucked away - for Mal to head out to the stables and not just to the paddock where some of the horses were out for the morning. A dry swallow, and the door is slid open to the stable, and the interior of the building is traversed quickly - Tequila's tack has even been cleaned, thanks probably to a meticulous stablemaster.

"Sorry I got...lazy on you, Halo," Mal says absently. Tequila does not forgive Mal until the carrots come into view.

Saddle pad, saddle and bridle and reins are fetched and harnessed quickly, and Mal walks his horse to a flat area just in front of the paddock gate. He can't decide if he wants to ride for speed or tricks today, and Tequila isn't helping - antsy for action, the horse gives a loud snort.

Of course, that may be in recognition of hearing someone else in the vicinity.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Maybe he's one of them travel writers."

"Oh, of course. I can see it on the Cortex now. 'Visions from the Rim', by one Jayne Cobb, mercenary and general thief slash pirate.

"Actually I think I'd read that."

"Yep." Cheerfully. "See what I mean?"

"Point. Still imagine he's sending coin home to his mother, but I think most of us do that anyhow."

"Ma keeps asking after the lot o' you."

"Yeah? Is she still comin' in the bar? Can't believe I ain't run into her yet."

"Yeah, but mostly she comes in to teach Gavroche and Ingress the piano, then heads back home. Lot of work to keep up on, y'know. Plus she's got a houseguest at the moment -- don't know if you heard 'bout Ennis at all. He's stayin' with Ma."

Mal is...not quite sure what he thinks about that, but he influences Sallie's decisions about as much as she influences his anymore.

"I manage to catch her sometimes when I come in early on in the day."

"Ennis -- what about him?"

Kaylee is suddenly a hell of a lot more serious.

"Got into somethin' with Jack Twist - Jack went back to their 'verse, 'n Ennis is stayin' with Ma, helpin' her out with ranchwork. Don't know many more details than that.

"Suppose you can try 'n get ahold of Ma if you want to get in touch with him."

"Son of a whore."

"Captain -- Jack's dead, where Ennis comes from."

Mal curses quietly, and says nothing for a long moment.

dead friends

"Suppose it's good that Ma could be around, in her way."

Kaylee nods, and says quietly, "I'll see if I can find her. Ennis and me -- we talked the other night."

Mal and the concept of Ennis carrying a substantial conversation doesn't seem to mesh, so he waits to see if Kaylee might explain a bit further.

"Bout anythin'...in particular?"

Even more quietly:

"About what he might could do. If...if Jack's gone for good."

An immediate response follows:

"Do I need to be waving my mother right now, Kaylee?"

Kaylee shakes her head. "No. Just -- makin' sure he knew about the Endless. 'Cause they'd know whether -- whether Jack's gone for good or not."

Mal had totally translated Kaylee's meaning differently.

Mal exhales, "Good plan. I'm sure that they'd...help where they should."

Quiet: "If they can."

If they want to.

Tequila can stay outside until Caspian brings all animals inside.

Mal's done enough for one day.

"You know," Mal starts, much more awkwardly than normal, making his way out of the building on the path toward the bar, "I finished a blanket for Naomi."

[ooc:internet went out all night.]

This...elicits a small smile that tilts toward soft. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," Mal repeats.

"I manage to come up with appropriate giftin' on occasion. Don't spread it around, though - ruin my reputation as evil and uncaring."