Entry in Vila's diary
Am in Darkling Zone!
Avon's idea of course. Thought could nip in to get away from Servalan after annoying her at Teal-Vandor thing, because no one would chase us in, though frankly think A just wants to find out why people don't come out. Do not think all knowledge valuable myself, esp. if likely to kill you. Or me in partic.
Found system full of humans living on gas giant moons. Might stay, but always said would hate to be eaten by something stupid and haven't changed mind.
One weird thing: all people here swear in Chinese, and there aren't any. A says is because ancestors left Earth after old war China won and never came back because planet on last legs. Only that was before domes.
Other weird thing: all talk like cowboys in western vid when not swearing in Chinese because of where most came from. You'd think A would be snide re this but no, face all lit up like kid on Fed. Day. Might have known, have seen A practising quick-drawing Liberator handgun in front of mirror, doing strange hand-thing when shoots, as if gun full of powder or cartridges. Hey ho Avon.
Think will be here a while.
Came across one of slow little ships that take weeks to get between moons. As full of nutters & rebels as Lib IMO: Mal AKA Captain Tight-pants (which A treating as a challenge), resident doc Simon, strange sister River with eyes looking at things not there, pretty engineer Kaylee, tall woman called Zoe as tough as Dayna and with legs going all way to bum (but already taken by great friend Wash), Inara who is beautiful lady of night (or anytime really if have enough cash) and followed around by Tarrant making sheep's eyes, huge lout called Jayne (note to self: do not mention name or knitted hat anywhere nearby), and a shepherd called Book. Has one too I think.
And Wash of course; really nice bloke, W. Likes me too which v. rare these days.
***
"Nice shirt!"
"Why thank you! I can see you're a man of taste."
Well, not exactly. Vila wondered how Avon would react to the sight of him in something that garish and grinned at the thought; he'd probably ram a probe right through the circuit board in his latest gadget. He looked around the cockpit with interest. "Dinosaurs!"
"Yup. They're my lucky charms."
"They work?"
"So far."
Vila dropped into the co-pilot's seat and reached into a breast pocket, then held his hand out to show Wash four little plastic figures. "Tarsian warg, warg strangler, Kairoan spider, wolf-snake."
"Shiny!" Wash stroked the spider's egg-sac admiringly.
Vila pointed to each one in turn. "Fred, Tarrant, Brian, and Whippy. D'you name yours?"
Wash grinned at him, delighted. "Y'know, no one's bothered to ask me that before?" He touched a finger to each dinosaur in turn. "OK, this is Susie, and Wilbur, and Millicent, and this here big 'un's Jayne."
Vila snorted. "Looks like him." He looked sideways at Wash. "Want a game?"
"Hell, yeah!"
***
Entry in Wash's diary
Plain amazin talkin 2 Vila about where he's been—all over the galaxy and even a ways out of it. That ship they got, the Liberator, sure is a strange 1 with its 4 huge prongs and huge pulsing green ass, but it still looks as purty and fine as my Zoe by planetlight.
Odd crew though. That Avon guy gonna get his big nose flattened if he gets his hands on Jayne's Vera like he's fixin 2. Cally, she can talk 2 River without she says anything and I think River's getting mighty fond of her. I even saw her smile. Tarrant, he's all over Inara like mud on a hog, and that Dayna sure ain't impressed.
Vila's a right nice guy, and the best thief in the galaxy accordin 2 him. Now u put that 2gether with the fastest ship in the galaxy and it seems to me u have a winnin combo.
And I'm thinkin hard about that.
***
"You keep a diary too?"
"Sure!" Wash snapped it closed and slipped it under his seat. "Case somethin' happens to me, then Zoe'd have it to remember me by."
"Ah. Right. I suppose I write mine in the hopes someone might care enough one day to read it, even if it's just some historian who wants to know what it's like." Vila thought about this briefly and couldn't decide what was worse: having no one to write for, or having someone to lose. Or to lose him.
"Bein' a rebel?"
"Yep." Vila cheered up. "We're quite well known back there. Blake's 7, they call us."
"Big damn heroes, huh?"
"Depends which side you're on, to be frank."
"So, tell me, why're you still rebellin' when you could be pulling' heists and gettin' away so fast it makes me dizzy to think about it?"
Vila thought about this. "We're not really. Just sort of drifting about letting things happen, though I'd rather most of them didn't." He brightened. "Mind you, if Avon stays here, we could do what we like."
"That Tarrant's thinkin' on it too. Inara says he'd make a fine Companion."
Not so's I'd notice, thought Vila. Friends don't sell friends to nutters with huge laser cannons.
"And Jayne's in his bunk," Wash added obscurely. "So you could fly your ship without him?"
"Of course! It's not that hard. Look, I even backed us out of a tight parking place on Ultraworld, but did I get any thanks for it?" Vila said resentfully. "Just 'get back to your station, Vila'. Usual story."
"Not that appreciative, huh?" Wash narrowed his eyes. "Hey, they're all over here right now. What say we take that ship of yours for a spin?"
Vila grinned and rubbed his hands. "Why not? Just local, mind. Just round a couple of systems before anyone realises we've gone."
Wash was briefly lost for words. "Just round..." He shook his head. "Why, lead on, my friend!"
***
Entry in Wash's diary
Oh man! I cd cut thru the big black out there like a hot knife thru butter in that thing!
No one cd touch us!
***
"They couldn't touch us here," said Avon.
"Reavers could, though." Vila shuddered. "I'll take my chances with the Federation, thanks all the same. They might play with my brain if they catch me, but at least they'd keep it in my head."
Avon hesitated, and Vila gave him a curious and teasing look. "Going to miss me?"
"Not if I use this." Avon stroked the wooden stock of the rifle cradled lovingly in his lap. "A beautiful piece, isn't she?"
"Oh, yes." Vila's eyes followed Kaylee as she went to the coffee machine.
"What about you?" Avon's dark eyes were unreadable. "You won't have a chess partner to exercise what little brain you possess."
"Yes, I will! Zen's making me and Wash a set of dinosaurs versus monsters."
***
Entry in Vila's diary
Have had personal personell crew swap. A
staying with Serenity and happy as cow in clover as W says, even has the hat. A
also keeping Orac so can call us back to get him if gets bored. Not for long
while if am lucky what with them picking up cattle on next run and A planning to
take down blue sun corp with Orac. Tarrant also staying as says has found true
metiay (sp?).
Wash and Z coming with us! Asked Kaylee but she said no fun if liddle iddy-biddy robots do all repair work, besides can see has eye on Simon. Pity.
Dayna in bit of snit re Tarrant but cheered up when said would make Servalan first priority.
After that? Who knows, but something new and fun!
As my mum always said, never know luck in big galaxy. W says best saying ever.
The end