Round 2 Challenge 1

[frodolyn.livejournal.com]

Title: He Was A Pilot
Author:frodolyn
Character: Wash
rating: PG
Challenge: Who did you look up to most as a child and do you still admire them?
A/N: I feel very late, but I was having trouble with my Wash voice. *smiles pretty*

            My childhood huh?

 

            Now this one’s going to take some serious consideration. If you’re not careful I might start getting all depressing and reminiscent - maybe even a little nostalgic. Could be sickening. Not used to this at all, no one talks much about their pasts on Serenity. Not to say I’m particularly secretive, have you talked to Mal yet? Now that man enjoys being an enigma, he probably revels in it. Something to do with his captainy aura. You’ve felt it haven’t you? It radiates off him, its power will double a man over and cause whole planets to implode. Course that could just be his plans going awry - leading to a bar fight and a large explosion.

 

            The only person I can really talk to about my childhood is Zoë and it only came up that one time before we got married; she wanted to know if some of my more interesting traits would be genetic. What’s that? Ya, I’m perfectly aware that I’m stalling but this question of yours warrants deep concentration and if you’re not gonna talk I have to. Quiet Makes me all manner of nervous. People tend to sneak up behind you and yell boo when you’re quiet. Trust me. I live with River remember?

           

            Ok, I got it. My childhood.

 

            Who did I look up to? His name was Sergeant William Hutch. And he was a pilot. 

            I grew up on the planet Demetra – In case you’ve never been there – the peculiar grey color is not purely for esthetics. And it is not a semi-permeable blanket spread by the Alliance to keep the sun from ruining your milky tan either. 

 

            One day I was sitting on the docks staring up as these huge ships break through the smog and he came up to me. “Ever been up?” he asked and I told him no, but we got to talking about ships, planets, worlds, anything and everything except how pitiful our lives were. He stayed a week in port and came to find me everyday. Took me up in his bird, huge unwieldy Alliance beast, let me hold the clutch, flick a few switches. It was the first time I sat in a pilot’s seat; I would say I developed a taste for it. After that, I practically worshiped the guy.  

             

            He paid for a good chunk of my flight school, got me a scholarship. If it hadn’t been for him – well I would still be just as miserable as I was when he met me. And that wouldn’t do at all. My brother, he died without ever seeing the stars. Now that just aint right.  

 

            Do I still admire him? Well maybe not in the same way. I met him now we would be on two different sides. Funny how life throws you. I heard he flew quite a few turns over Serenity Valley. Zoë’s got this shrapnel scar right below her right ribs and every time I see it I can’t help but think-

 

            No matter.

 

             That’s why I don't much like killing. Never know who the other man used to be. Hell, I used to be an angry kid wanted to fly for the Alliance, kill some Browncoats. Now I’m married to one and flying for petty criminal types. Ended up much better don't you think?

 

 

Comments

[lvs2read.livejournal.com]

Very nice! It was worth the wait! I love how he stalled by talking about Mal and absolutely adore this line: It radiates off him, its power will double a man over and cause whole planets to implode. LOL So true! And the end? Perfect.

[frodolyn.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much! I was all manner of nervous. Turns out writing snippets of sarcastic dialog is much easier than monologuing in it. Thanks again!

[rabid-x.livejournal.com]

Serious consideration - not something people think about when they think Wash but that little man could be deep. Very deep. (and I use 'little' in a Jayneian sense not reality. Alan's got some nice arms on him) You struck the balance of nervous nelly Wash and the deeper core he lets through every so often. Good job.

[frodolyn.livejournal.com]

mmmmm *alan arms* Thanks so much! I figure Wash would have to hunker down and answer questions truthfully so - lol, thanks so much!