I felt the need for some exercise after having them Reavers pass so close to us yesterday. I headed down to the mess, where I spotted the Captain. He was chatting with the Shepherd, Zoe and the pilot, and it sure looked like they were having a good time about something, just laughing and all. I waited until Mal noticed me, then asked if he minded me in the cargo bay doin’ some exercise. Before the captain could say anything, the Shepard spoke up and said that he needed to go there to do some lifting and would be glad to accompany me. Mal, he scratched his chin for a moment, then nodded.
The Shepherd, on our way to the cargo bay, stopped and stuck out a hand. He said his name was Shepherd Book. I shook it, and said my name was Lafe. Book chuckled and allowed as how he already knew that. I grinned at that and we proceeded down the stairs to the bay. There were a bunch of cargo boxes and crates in the back and a folded up cargo handler to one side. I thought it looked like a pretty efficient setup, too. Book showed me where the weight bench was, then told me he wasn’t trying to tell me my business, but this sure looked to him like a poor place to bounty hunt. I repeated to him that I was retired, but he did look like he wasn’t quite sure about that.
I took my shirt off and proceeded through my normal exercises. I start with some tai chi, just to warm up a bit and stretch my muscles some, then I slip into my kata. I surely do like to do that, as I find it relaxes and clears my mind. Old Chiun helped me put the kata together, must be 30 years ago. He said it combines elements of a lot of different fighting styles. Reckon that’s so, as it seems like I can whip many folks even now by just figuring out what kinda thing works best against whatever they’re trying to do to me. Not braggin’ any, just stating a fact. It sure doesn’t mean I can’t get whupped, just increases the odds some. Then I finish with a little more tai chi, just cooling down a little.
Book, he watched me go through all that, from the tai chi to the kicks, punches, blocks, and whatnot of the kata, then cocked his head to one side as I went through the slow-motion ‘dance’ of tai chi again. He told me, as he was spotting for me on the weight bench, that it almost looked like ballet. Big Jayne came up about then and laughed. He said that ballet was just for sissies. Book chuckled and said he knowed a dancer that had such long legs she coulda kicked the big man right under the chin. Jayne leered at that and said that he likes his women to have long legs. I can see where talking with him could get real limitin’ real fast.
Tags: 'verse, bounty hunter, captain, fanfiction, firefly, Jayne, journal, serenity, Shepherd
February 29, 2008 at 3:02 am |
Ahh, martial arts–now you are really peeking my interest.