"Sic transit gloria mundi"
Poem by Emily Dickinson [xjaymanx's notes in brackets]
"Sic transit gloria mundi," [So the glory of this world passes away.]
"How doth the busy bee," [Or the Firefly, haha!]
"Dum vivimus vivamus," [While we live, let us live.]
I stay mine enemy!
Oh "veni, vidi, vici!" [I came, I saw, I conquered.]
Oh caput cap-a-pie! [From head to foot.]
And oh "memento mori" [Reminder of death; death photography.]
When I am far from thee!
Hurrah for Peter Parley!
Hurrah for Daniel Boone!
Three cheers, sir, for the gentleman
Who first observed the moon!
Peter, put up the sunshine;
Patti, arrange the stars;
Tell Luna, tea is waiting,
And call your brother Mars!
Put down the apple, Adam,
And come away with me,
So shalt thou have a pippin
From off my father's tree!
I climb the "Hill of Science,"
I "view the landscape o'er;"
Such transcendental prospect,
I ne'er beheld before!
Unto the Legislature
My country bids me go;
I'll take my india rubbers,
In case the wind should blow!
During my education,
It was announced to me
That gravitation, stumbling,
Fell from an apple tree!
The earth upon an axis
Was once supposed to turn,
By way of a gymnastic
In honor of the sun!
It was the brave Columbus,
A sailing o'er the tide,
Who notified the nations
Of where I would reside!
Mortality is fatal --
Gentility is fine,
Rascality, heroic,
Insolvency, sublime!
Our Fathers being weary,
Laid down on Bunker Hill;
And tho' full many a morning,
Yet they are sleeping still, --
The trumpet, sir, shall wake them,
In dreams I see them rise,
Each with a solemn musket
A marching to the skies!
A coward will remain, Sir,
Until the fight is done;
But an immortal hero
Will take his hat, and run!
Good bye, Sir, I am going;
My country calleth me;
Allow me, Sir, at parting,
To wipe my weeping e'e.
In token of our friendship
Accept this "Bonnie Doon,"
And when the hand that plucked it
Hath passed beyond the moon,
The memory of my ashes
Will consolation be;
Then, farewell, Tuscarora,
And farewell, Sir, to thee!
Year 2517 - Seven years after the "Battle of Du Khang" and six years after the "Battle of Serenity Valley"...
~1a~
Another mudball town on another dirtball moon.
As the hard-edged sunlight sliced through the dust-spewn saloon, the weary crew-in-one Jayman lifted and refastened his old-style black-and-beaten baseball cap to let some sweat evaporate from his shaven-but-stubbly scalp. Part Chinese, part Japanese, maybe Filipino, and Australian, he narrowed his sharp slender eyes over the condensed glass of alcohol-based fluid, and took another cool sip.
His eyes. Yeah, the naturally brown right eye and the green bio-mechanical duplicate to replace the left. Years ago when he was slightly quicker, slightly stronger. Yet he never saw that blinding stab coming. And today...
"Gos se," he cursed under his accented breath. His fake eye was acting up again, registering dizzying flickers like a staticky-bad TV reception in a gorram house of mirrors. How was he ever gonna snag a strong arm, a mechanic, or a pilot if he couldn't even see straight?
He took another sip. And the smiling, dancing and chattering spectrum of colorful browns, light-browns, dark-browns and splashes of bright primaries began to flicker-flicker and meld together...
~1b~
"Rubick! Good'a see ya," squeaked the little man, as he tried his best to smile.
Zacharias Rubick didn't flinch, sitting there in the darkest corner of the saloon he was able to find, his tanned skin blending into the brown wall behind him. He stared down at the liquid in his mug and looked past it to a river, from another time and place. He watched the water flow across the rocks and out into the lake. Then he grabbed up the glass and downed its contents into a single gulp, motioning for the other one to sit. He looked across the table and slowly grinned, which he knew would twist the three vertical scars under his right eye in just the right fashion to scare the rutting hell out of the little bastard.
"Sure it is." He kept smiling as he stared the man down. Hefting a package from the seat next to him he placed it on the table. "Got the money?"
"Shor I do," he said scrambling to toss over a pouch of coins. He turned his eyes to the black beret on Rubick's head, "Nice 'at."
Zacharias rolled his eyes and took the pouch, spilling it out on the table. "And the rest?"
"The.... the rest?"
"The rest of the money, you ching-wah tsao duh liou mahng. We agreed on forty, not twenty-five."
"Right.... Well, Mr. Williams decided that twenty-five was a fair price for the job and -"
"Mr. Williams decided, did he?" Zacharias slowly stood up from the table and pulled the flunky along with him, drawing himself up to his full six feet three inches and allowing a good view of the necklace he wore over his black shirt, which the little man had heard was made of human teeth. His hunting knife was in his hand so fast, the smaller man was against the wall with the blade at his throat before he knew what happened. "You can tell Mr. Williams that i'm running out of patience for his two-bit chiang-bao hoe-tze duh business and if I don't get my money in two hours, i'm going to take his little package, light it on fire, and shove it up his nose. Dong-ma?"
"Dong-ma! Dong-ma! I'll tell him!"
Zacharias let him up and grinned bringing his smile right next to the little man's face, his two green eyes piercing through the flunkies already nonexistant confidence.
"Shiny," he said and watched as the rutting idiot shot out the door.
~2a~
Jayman stumbled back into consciousness at the sudden sound of boots quickly slapping on wood. Squinting and focussing his green bio-mechanical eye at the blur of movement before him, he followed the odd little man as he scurried like a gutter rat, weaving among the customers and out of the saloon.
Instinctively, the Asian bounty hunter traced the rat's steps back to their origin, and found a huge silhouette looming above a shadowy corner table. As the large figure stood there, he caught the brief glint of a hunting blade in the sharp sunlight.
"Well-well," Jayman muttered with his Aussie accent and his slanted smile. "Me smells some potentiality."
Taking one more sip of his alcohol, he kept both eyes on the large stranger and waited for him to sit back down. Assuming he wasn't gonna leave. And if his gorram (God damn) eye didn't give him any more f'ing flickering migraines, he might just pay the stranger a little visit.
~2b~
Zacharias sat back down and sheathed his knife, still smiling over Williams' whipping boy. He leaned back in the shadows and thought about Shenandoah and his old spot by the Silver River, but quickly regretted it as another, less pleasant memory followed. He snapped his eyes open and leaned forward, so an observer could just see two green orbs floating just behind the light, like a cat stalking prey. Then he realized he was being watched.
He slowly scanned the saloon and noticed a rather drunk asian staring at him from the bar. He took the opportunity to stare back and subtlely moved his hand to the hilt of his knife, just in case. Then he moved his face into the light and smiled, as if daring the other man to do something.
~3a~
As the imposing silhouette lowered his large frame back down into his chair, Jayman kept his mismatched eyes on him. Waiting for some of the townfolk to clear out, the Asian captain forced one final sip of fluid as if saying a final farewell to an old friend.
At last, the captain wiped his stubbly goatee, pulled his old black cap tighter to his just-as-stubbly scalp and rose from his table. With another glance at the stranger, he found himself briefly mesmerized by the twin emerald lasers that pierced at him from the shadows. The captain welcomed the silent overture as well as the opportunity. A potential right-hand man.
Like two ol' junkyard dawgs, Jayman thought with a grin. Dunno if he'll scratch yer back or scratch out yer ruttin' eye.
As customers passed back and forth, the captain sent a slight nod to the stranger. But suddenly, before he could read a response, a loud clatter distracted him, and spinning his head, his flickering eye spotted the waitress in the flowery-red dress tripping and falling with a full tray towards him.
"Tzao gao! (Crap!)" he blurted as he tried to spin out of the way.
Instead, the waitress, trying desperately to keep her balance, grabbed his dusty thigh-length black-leather jacket, tore a larger rip in it and pulled him down anyway -- Thud! Crash! -- the wasted drinks splattering on both of them like a stinging summer rain.
"Gos se," Jayman muttered, sitting in the cool puddle of alcohol.
~3b~
Zacharias continued staring at the man at the bar, studying him. In truth the two of them appeared very different. Where the stranger put forth an easy sense of informality with his unshorn chin and baseball cap, Zacharias seemed to have an air of almost military efficiency, probably lent to by his beret and his much less hairy face. Where the other man had a rather obvious biomech implant in his eye, Zacharias was all-natural. Where he had a great mix of asian genes, Zacharias was one of those few people who had almost none at all. Most distinctly, however, where Zacharias was focused and cool, the stranger was getting drunker by the second, so it seemed almost appropriate that when he finally gave up the staring match and got up he walked right into the path of a runaway waitress. Zacharias had to fight the urge to laugh out loud, which was something he hadn't need do in a long time.
Finally, he decided he'd made this one work long enough and he may as well endeavor to find out what he wanted, so he stood back up and ventured forth from the darkness in the corner, immediately catching the eye of many who hadn't even noticed his presence. He walked up to the bar and stood towering over the fallen man as the waitress was scrambling to clean up the mess, apologizing profusely.
She looked up, sensing his arrival. And looked up farther, and then just a little bit more before gasping out "Run-tse duh fwo-tzoo" and immediately excusing herself back to the kitchen.
Zacharias turned his attention to the man on the floor and offered him his hand.
~4a~
As Jayman did his best to sweep away the splatter from his faded brown pants and black leather jacket, he caught the waitress' gasp -- translated "Merciful Buddha!" -- and noticed the pair of black boots before him. Raising his squinting gaze, he noted the long black coat, the black pants, and then the open hand being offered to him. Further up, he recognized the twin beams of emerald green staring back down at him from what seemed like seven feet high. And like one of those odd moments in the history of mankind, it felt like a banjo string was being plucked and split apart in the midst of a really flat note.
And Jayman laughed. As the bystanders returned to their drinks and chats, the Asian captain tilted his head back, laughed out loud, and took the stranger's hand. "I 'preciates the kindness, big fella..." But as he pulled himself up, he leapt, spun around the stranger, lifted the man's glinting hunting blade from behind, and held its sunlit razor edge up against his huge throat. "... I 'preciates it a lot. Fact is, I 'preciates it so much, I'm a willin' ta offer ya somethin'. Dong ma?"
The captain didn't want to lose this opportunity. But if he had to drop it, he had to drop it. And if he had to kill it, he had to kill it. He hoped he didn't have to.
"So whattaya say? Gonna 'ear me out?"
~4b~
Zacharias knew the moment he spoke that there was more to this man than a drunken barhopper, a realization that was only confirmed when the stranger was suddenly behind him with his own knife at his throat, requesting an audience.
"You have a unique manner of doing business. However," he said as a small gun appeared from inside his sleeve and jammed itself in the stranger's stomach, "one would hope that in these modern times business could be conducted without so much violence. Such displays don't make a man especially sanguine in regards to the future. As per your offer, it would likely seem more inviting if you weren't holding a knife to my throat."
~5a~
With the man-in-black's "gun in the gut" response, the captain thought he heard -- Ploink! -- another banjo string break. He glanced around at the few drinkers who actually gave a damn about this little ruckus. He shot a slanted grin back at them and returned his attention back to the large man under the knife.
Finding the obvious humor in the situation, Jayman chuckled in his Aussie twang, "Lookee like we gots us a li'l impasse, eh, big fella?" Just like he thought, Two ol' junkyard dawgs.
"But I likes ya style," the captain twanged. "A li'l stiff, but there be ways 'round that... Now if ya willin', 'cuz I'm a willin', we let loose, no tricks, on a count o' three. Dong ma?"
~5b~
Zacharias listened to the asian's proposal with minimal interest, since he already figured that's what the man would do. For a few seconds he feigned consideration but then spoke up, saying "The count of three. Dong ma. Just remember, if you try to slit my throat while I put down the gun, I know a dozen different ways to kill you before I hit the ground." Then he smiled, just in case the other man was able to see it. Even if he wasn't, however, the few people who were watching the little event suddenly decided they had better things to do.
~6a~
Lao tyen yeh (Jesus), Jayman thought with a slight shake of his head. Nobody says that luh-suh (garbage).
Telling a stranger the number of ways you can kill him never worked. It might work in the entertainment vids, but not out here on the frontier. The captain's late partner Kan-chiang might've known dozens or hundreds of ways to kill and die. But a man can only die once. I can kill ya a hundr'd diff'rent ways! Ya 'fraid o' me now? It sounded ridiculous. Kan-chiang never uttered anything like that. Correction. Except to impress the ladies.
This man-in-black was definitely stiff and really needed to loosen up. Nevertheless, the new captain needed to build himself a new crew. After all, he'd come this far and this guy was the best prospect thus far. Huge, seemed strong, with a particular military style about him. Could be very useful.
"Right," Jayman nodded and began the count. "1...."
No change. "2...."
Still no change then... "3."
And smoothly, the captain released his hold, stepped back and gestured to the table. "Now, big fella, 'ave a seat?"
~6b~
Zacharias waited for the asian's reaction to his statement. He realized most people would never say anything like it, but he'd always had a rather odd sense of humor. The stranger apparently either didn't get it or didn't care as he gave no outward sign excepting the three-count. As they slowly extricated themselves from the unpleasantness of the moment the man invited him to take a seat, but he shook his head, instead he held out his hand and said. "I don't do business without my knife."
~6c~
Dr. Andrew Lun-kuai observed the entanglement with amusement from his seat in a quiet corner of the bar. It looked like someone was recruiting, for what, he couldn't tell, but it looked interesting, and a place where his skills might be of more use than that local Alliance hospital, so bound by rules, regulations and limitations, not to mention lawsuits...
He decided to wait awhile until the two antagonists had quietened down somewhat, then follow them back to wherever they were going. If he was spotted, then fine, if not, then they were obviously a liability.
Sitting back in his chair, Andrew adjusted his long dark green coat, and continued to watch.
~7a~
The captain looked down at his hand and the nicely-balanced razor-edged blade in its grasp.
"Nice blade, fella," Jayman smiled as he handed it back to the man-in-black. His biomech left eye acting up again, he began to lean back in lightheaded dizziness, but quickly found the chair behind him and sat down with a grunt. Regaining his composure, he revealed himself, "My name's Jayman. And I'm an hones' t' badness bounty hunter."
~7b~
Zacharias nodded in ackowledgement to the compliment as he took it back and sat down. He studied the blade rather casually as the man introduced himself then set it down in front of him and turned his gaze back to the bounty hunter. He glanced at his newly ripped coat and introduced himself.
"Rubick, mercenary for hire. I 'magine you've a business proposition?"
~7c~
The two men untangled themselves warily, looking all the 'verse like two cats circling each other. The quick flash of steel showed that both these cats had claws... Hmm, looks like the smaller one has a mechanical eye, an old one too, or quickly fitted, judging by the way the owner kept on swaying slightly.
The two had sat down and were talking. With the few snatches of converstion that drifted over his way, and a few lucky guesses with lipreading, Andrew managed to pick out the phrases "hones' t' badness bounty..." - either a reference to the smaller man's proffesion, or an upcoming job, "Rubick..." - either a hobby or a name, and some other dribs of the converstion.
Deciding to stay the right side of that knife he'd seen earlier, the Doc withdrew furthur into the shadows of the booth, sliding around slightly to give him a better view...
~8a~
Lifting his banged-up cap for a moment to scratch his scalp, Jayman nodded, "Ya 'magine rightly, Rubick. Like I 'forementioned, I'm a willin' ta offer ya somethin'. Somethin' better 'an that gutter rat ya scared off. I thinks I 'sume rightly that th' smugglin' and messengerin' biz ain't yer cup o' tea neither. An' the biz ain't wha' it used t' be on this side of th' 'lliance, eh?"
He surveyed the bustle that surrounded the table. Card players here. Chatty waitresses over there. The slanted streams of sunlight sliced at a flatter dimmer angle across the far walls.
The Asian captain continued. "How's abouts ya join me crew? Two hunters workin' togeth'r are surely better 'an two hunters workin' 'gainst each oth'r. Tha's what me ol' partner used t' say. Less'r competition. Bigg'r payoffs. Sound a pleasin' so far?"
~8b~
Zacharias listened as Jayman made his proposal, then he spoke.
"You make a good argument. Anybody else would probably jump on it. Myself, it makes little difference the kind of work or the size of the paycheck, just so long as there's something. So it must be your lucky day that 'something' is a thing this jing-chang mei yong duh (consistently useless) moon doesn't have. So, for now I may as well go along with you, as there certainly ain't anything better to do. So, since there's nothing here we will have to be elsewheres and for that one needs a ship, which i'm hoping you've got. Are we set for business, Jayman?"
~9a~
"Hmmm," Jayman leaned back in his creaky chair and tilted the bill of his cap back. "Li'l diff'rence, eh? So if ya don't need this biz, an' ya jus' need som'thin' t' do, why should I pay ya? Bett'r yet, why should I trus' ya with my life? Sounds like I gets th' short end o' th' stick, don't it?"
~9b~
Zacharias smiled at the man's question. "You should pay because if you don't, I don't work for you. As for trusting, I don't see where that's any problem of mine. You'd be an idiot to trust me with your life based on my say-so and you'd be almost as dumb to trust me at all until working with me for a while. After that its entirely up to you, as it really makes no difference to me. At the very least you walk out right now, I collect what's due me from my last job and move on."
~10a~
The captain scratched his stubbly chin in quiet thought. Gos se.
This Rubick was a mass of contradictions. To Rubick, the size of the paycheck made little difference, yet he wanted to be paid something. How much was "something" if it made little difference? To Rubick, Jayman would be an idiot to trust him with his life, yet if he believed that, then he would be an idiot to trust Jayman with his own life. So why even discuss a business arrangement at all? For a paycheck that made little difference? Why all the trouble to play these gun-and-blade games?
Jayman knew his own reasons for sitting down with the stranger. But he couldn't figure out Rubick's conflicting replies. Something wasn't adding up. Maybe it was best to move on.
"Dahng rahn (Of course)," the captain nodded, pushed his chair back, and rose with a slight wobble. "Nah may gwon-shee. (That'll be fine.) Grateful for th' chat, Rubick. G' day. Such as it is."
Pulling the bill of his old cap back down over his mismatched gaze, Jayman turned, and his black boots hitting the wooden floor with an almost-limping gait, he strode towards the sunlit front entrance and beyond its dusty swinging doors.
~10b~
Zacharias could tell the other man didn't quite understand his point of view, which really didn't bother him all that much. It tended to be a hard concept for most of his would-be employers, that he should not care about the size of the paycheck, yet insist on having one out of respect for the fact that he is doing a job. Or that he did not believe in trusting anyone unless they had proven they were trustworthy, but still did not generally act distrustful towards anybody. They rarely comprehended that he didn't really care what he got into because he had the utmost confidence in his ability to get out if necessary; and if he couldn't, well the afterlife was no kuh-oo duh lao bao-jun to a fatalist.
He nodded to the man as he got up and left, then glanced around the room, letting his gaze linger for a moment on another man dressed largely in black, sitting in a dark corner. Then he stood up and moved to leave as well when several large men darkened the door with their eyes locked directly onto him. He stopped in his tracks and his hunting knife was immediately in his hand.
The first goon stepped forward, "Mr. Williams sent us to eduficate you in showin' proper respect to his people."
Zacharias seemed to ponder that for a moment. "And why does Mr. Williams think that you illiterate shee-niou hwoon-dahns have any rutting chance in guay of teaching anybody anything? Has he gone fong-luh?"
The thugs nearly exploded and were about to charge when Zacharias smiled. They all hesitated for a moment and it was more than he needed. Before they knew what happened the first thug was on the ground gasping in pain and clutching his eyes. Zacharias advanced on the second while he was still staring at the first, so the man didn't even try to block Rubick's kick, which sent him flying back into the two behind him. The fifth stood frozen in the doorway staring at Zacharias.