Lafayette: Musings of an old bounty hunter in the ‘verse

The young doc here in town told me I ought to keep a journal. When I asked him why, he said because writing in a journal can help an old guy like me keep a handle on what’s going on for a while longer. I thought about reaching across the wooden desk he had and slapping him until his eyeballs clanked together, but decided not to. I might need to be patched up sometime before I leave this gorram planet. I pondered his words some when I got back to my hotel room and decided I would do a journal for a while. Give me something to do, if I can find the right ship.

Since this is my first entry in this here journal, maybe I’d best introduce myself. I’m Lafayette Summersville Devereaux, known in the bounty-hunting trade as Lafe. I’ve also got the rep as being a mean motor-scooter. I’m careful to keep that rep, too, as sometimes folks I’m after will just give up peaceable-like upon hearing my name. Well, I’m also gettin’ on the yonder side of 70 and slowin’ down a bit. But folks will still take a look at my 6’4”, 200 pound frame and figure that white hair or no, I’m still no johnny to screw with.

I’ve been bountying for damned near 50 years out here on the Frontier, and there’s only one thing I ain’t seen. I’ve heard a lot about “The Black”, the huge void at the edge of known space and how some folks go mad on seein’ it. I aim to see if I’m one of those. If that means I’m retiring, I guess so. I ain’t got the fire in my belly now that I did when I first came out from the civilized worlds, so maybe it’s time. The desk clerk told me, when I came in, that there was an old freighter that just landed at that little patch of bare concrete they call a spaceport here and they might be taking passengers. More than likely a smuggler, but can’t say as I mind. Most of them know how to keep their mouths shut, and most will leave other folks alone. My kind of people.

Tags: 'verse, bounty hunter, fanfiction, firefly, journal, the black