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Author	Topic: Blue Sun Down: A SW/Firefly XO--Winner, Best Crossover, 2008 Fanfic Awards
snowspeeder_gunner Registered: Apr '07	Date Posted: 3/9 8:24am Subject: RE: Blue Sun Down: A Star Wars/Firefly Crossover --Updated 3/3/2008
	Great update! These just keep getting better. Vos and River's friendship is done really well, and you've done an awesome job getting the humor and the banter between the crew right. Keep up the good work! -----signature----- "You can't give a Dementor the old one-two!"
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Darth_Marrs Registered: Feb '06	Date Posted: 3/10 11:09am Subject: RE: Blue Sun Down: A Star Wars/Firefly Crossover --Updated 3/3/2008
	Golden_Jedi—Thank you. And Mal’s mom is a hoot. Cggunnersmate—Thank you. I can say that Cain is not a character from GFFA. Won’t say much else. And yes, it was Fanty and Mingo. Funny how I messed their names up. And believe it or not, I’m actually envisioning Patience from Whitefal as the model for his mom. I’m glad you’re enjoying the story! Dianethx—That’s why this story called out to me. The Alliance changed her into something else. What, and why? That’s what the whole story is about. Kevin_Solo—I adhered to the idea of a “Long time ago in a Galaxy far far away,” for Gods of Dark and Light and Heaven Falls. I throw it out the window for this one. And you’re right about suspicions. Kaylee just has a very open view of relationships. Even if Vos and River were a couple, she would not mind so long as he didn’t hurt her. Simon, on the other hand, would probably faint. Independence1776—“Why is it always the mother figure?”—I thought it would be a nice juxtaposition to concentrate on the females in this story since in SW the women are often relegated to damsel in distress, or a breeding vehicle. (I did not like how Padme was treated in Episode III. George cut out all of the scenes that would have made her character a real person). LadyLunas—Loose Jedi do not easily go back into captivity. As for River’s vision, think back to the very beginning. Everything she sees is a possible future. And no doubt Vos suffers in this story. That makes his connection to River even more interesting. VaderLVR64—As always, thank you so much for reading! Callista_gseran—I’m no Tom Cruise, but I have no doubt a lot of the over-prescribing of medicines has more to do with the companies selling them than the patients needing them. But that’s just me. Glad you’re enjoying! The_Face—I won’t lie—bad things happen in this fic. Not everyone is going to survive. But hopefully the end will make it worth it for those of you reading! Thumper09—Cain is an OC. And he’s not good for anyone’s health. The crew is definitely in the deep end, and going to ground is the best thing they can do. Laine_Snowtrekker—Thank you so much for reading. TigerofRobare—You know it. Consider it done. Snowspeeder_gunner—Thank you, I’m glad you’re enjoying it. I'm glad everyone is enjoying the story so far. Thank you all for reading and reviewing! Chapter Eleven: Flying Into Shadow Day #1 en route Shadow “It’s all wrong,” River said sobbing. “All wrong. Things move through me. Red eyes, hands of blue. Blue, blue! They’re everywhere. Everywhere!” The two sat in a corner of the cargo room. Others on the ship wandered by either on the gantry at the top of the cargo bay, or along the floor. None appeared to be purposefully trying to eavesdrop, but on such a small ship everyone knew what was happening. The withdrawal symptoms were much worse than Simon predicted. After almost a year on a cocktail of psychotropic drugs, River had formed a definite dependency. As he wandered by at the top of the cargo bay and looked down at his hurting sister, Simon felt a wave of guilt and self-hatred. He knew it would be bad, and he knew that cutting her off cold-turkey was cruel. The honest part of his soul knew he did it in the hopes she would fail not to hurt her, but to shame Vos. But seeing her suffer was quickly cracking open that selfish shell inside him. On the floor, Vos felt the conflicted feelings of the doctor above, but dismissed them. He sat cross-legged across from her. “Try, River. Close your eyes. Let the Force flow through you. Let it soothe your pain. Let it ease your memories.” “It’s so hard,” River said, wiping her eyes on the back of her hand. “Two by two, hands of blue. They’re coming. The monsters.” She sat up, eyes wide. “The monsters are coming! They’re going to kill us all! Tentacles reaching. Monsters laughing. Blood.” She looked down at her hands which shook convulsively. “There’s blood everywhere!” Vos edged closer and grabbed her shaking shoulders with two large hands. He leaned forward until he caught her feral eyes in his. “I see a saw,” she whispered. “It’s coming down on my head. They’re cutting my head! I can feel it. I’m screaming but they keep cutting!” Her voice was becoming hysterical again. He reached up and cupped her face in his hands. She instantly went still and stared back at him. “There is no emotion,” he told her. “There is peace.” “But there is emotion,” she said back, suddenly calm. “I feel it in you. You loved her and she’s gone.’ Vos lowered his head and stared at the floor, but did not drop his hands from her cheeks. “We must learn to let go that which we fear to lose,” he said, quoting another Jedi Master. “It is a hard lesson to learn, even for Masters.” All shaking stopped. The storm passed quickly. She spoke now with a low, powerful calm. “I need help too, then,” she said. “I love you.” At last Vos dropped his hands. “Dear child, you don’t even know me. You’re in love with an idea. A mixture of memories and thoughts from Lorana and your own loneliness. That is not love. It is intoxication.” “It is a vision,” River whispered. “I saw that I would love you. All the worlds will die, but I will love you. In a time of bitterness and hardship, we will have a child, and that child will help change the galaxy.” The Jedi Master became very still. “Do you have visions like this often?” River nodded, the throbbing in her head forgotten. “I’ve had such terrible dreams. Something bad is coming. Something terrible. Monsters. Blood. And it’s coming soon. I’m frightened.” “All the more reason to learn the Force,” Vos said. “You touched it just now, did you feel it? When you remembered your vision. I felt it flowing within you. The pain is better now, isn’t it?” Amazed, River nodded. “Meditate with me,” Vos urged. “There are many wonders I can show you. Forget your fear, at least for this moment.” The two of them stayed in their sitting position for the next hour. Up above, the crew came and went, always pausing to look. By the time Simon came back from Wash’s check-up on the command deck, Jayne was leaning over the rail staring down at them and muttering to himself. The mercenary straightened when he saw the doctor walking in. “What?” he said. Simon said nothing and continued toward the galley. Jayne continued his muttering, of which Simon got just a hint. “Ain’t so tough.” Simon continued on his way, terrified of the thought that somehow Jayne might actually be jealous of Quinlan Vos over River. Day #2 en route to Shadow River and Vos swung baseball bats at each other with all the zealousness of a deranged baseball fan on Sihnon, where the game was considered a planetary past time. The sound of wood cracking on wood echoed through the whole ship and drew a crowd at the gantry between the command deck and the galley. “That’s very impressive,” Inara said to Mal. “That’s a word for it,” Mal said. “Another word for it is freakishly frightening,” Wash said. “That’s two words, dear,” Zoe said. “What if I put a hyphen in between?” Wash asked. “Don’t seem so hard,” Jayne muttered. All four of the others leaned over and stared at him. Jayne looked up and shrugged. “Anyone can swing a bat.” Below, River somehow launched into a twelve-foot high double-twisting somersault that put her out of the corner Vos had pushed her into and into the middle of the floor. “Well done!” the Jedi called. Even from the top of the gantry, they could see how the girl beamed with the praise. “She has it bad,” Inara said. “Ruttin’ moon-brain,” Jayne muttered. The rest chose not to say anything. Just then Afolabi walked onto the gantry beside Book. The rest of the crew looked upon the pair with hesitant acceptance that the two seemed to hit it off so well. Other than Inara, who still could make the preacher uncomfortable, Afolabi was the only other person on the ship as well read as Book himself. The two were seen comparing literature and philosophy at all hours of the day. Now, however, they stopped when they heard the cracking of bats and looked down at the sparring match. “That is simply remarkable,” Afolabi said after a moment. “I do believe in a sword fight she would defeat me.” “Wasn’t so hard,” Mal said. He did let his lips twitch. Afolabi smiled. “Indeed. And we both know you walked away with ‘nary a mark.” “Nary a one,” Mal confirmed. “Then what have you been showing off to me for the past month?” Inara said with a sly smile. Below, a used cargo bin lifted off the floor of the bay itself and soared across the room. River danced easily away from it. “That just gives me goosebumps,” Wash said. “That is so unnatural.” Suddenly a smaller bin lifted off the floor and hurtled directly at Vos. Below on the floor, the Jedi caught it in one hand, then lowered his bat and stared at River. “Incredible,” he said. “Most Padawans study for years before they can move an object during a sparring match.” River paused, then dropped the bat and fell to her knees. “It wasn’t me!” she howled. Hearing his sister’s voice, Simon rushed onto the gantry only to see Vos kneeling beside River down below, comforting her. “Is everything okay?” the doctor said. “She’s just busy moving things about with her brain,” Mal said. “Nothing to be concerned about.” “I’m sure,” Simon whispered. On the floor below, River took a deep breath as she centered herself in the Force as Vos was teaching her. It took much longer than it would have for a fully trained Jedi, but after several deep breaths she reached her center. Vos’s hand on hers helped more than she could say. “I’m sorry,” she said with a sad smile. “I remembered moving something and did it, but it wasn’t my memory.” “Perhaps not,” Quinlan said gently. “But it was your power. Do not be ashamed of your pain or ability, River. You are an extraordinary person, and the fact we are here discussing your abilities is proof of it.” She smiled shyly, then glanced up at the gantry and the eyes she felt there. She saw Wash, Zoe, Mal, Inara, Jayne, Book, Afolabi and her brother watching her. The only one not there was…no, Kaylee had just joined them. “They’re afraid of us,” she said. “They think you’re going to hurt me. That we’re going to hurt them. But we’re going to save them.” Her whole expression suddenly changed. The sad, shy, wounded girl disappeared before a mischievous smile and a twinkling pair of eyes. “Levitate me to them!” she said. Vos leaned back and very carefully schooled his expression. “Showing off is not an appropriate use of the Force.” She leaned forward until her breath washed across his face, and sotto voce, whispered, “Please?” Above, Simon leaned forward and gripped the rail so hard his knuckles turned white. “Easy there, Doc,” Mal said. “It’s a bit of a drop there.” Below, what looked like a pending kiss ended abruptly as River stood and brightly started walking toward the gantry. Suddenly she lifted off the ground with a sparkling laugh and rose up through the air until she floated before the stunned expressions of her eyes. “Don’t worry, Simon,” she said and she leaned over and daintily kissed her brother’s cheek. “I’m in very safe hands.” She grabbed the rail and leaped over it to land by Kaylee, and then started walking toward the galley. “I’m hungry.” When she was gone, the entire crew of Serenity stared down at Vos. The Jedi master shrugged. “Force or not, you try saying no when she looks at you like that,” he called up to them. Day #3 en route to Shadow “The lightsaber is a unique weapon even in the larger galaxy,” Quinlan explained the next morning. He and River once again sat cross-legged across from each other in the main cargo area. “It is almost exclusively the weapon of both the Jedi and Sith. In the hands of a master, it is as lethal as a blaster. As a friend of mine would say, it is an elegant weapon. But it is also dangerous. It could easily take off your own foot or hand with even just the merest second of distraction.” River sat staring up at him with wide eyes, watching every move. The Jedi Master realized she was not listening to a word he said. “River?” She blinked and smiled. “I could easily take off my foot or hand,” she said. “Yes, Master Vos.” “You weren’t listening.” “But I heard,” she said, not bothering to deny anything. “I like watching you move.” Vos cleared his throat. “River, try to dismiss your feelings for me, if only when we are training. Lightsaber training is very dangerous, especially since we don’t have training blades available.” She dimmed her brilliant smile. “Okay.” She stood and activated the blue blade, letting the snap-hiss and hum reverberate through the ship. “The blade is weightless,” she noted. “But the handle has a gyroscopic effect to help counter that,” Vos pointed out. He activated one of his own sabers, a green one, and moved to stand opposite her. “Now, open your mind to me, River. Let yourself feel my movements. Anticipate them.” Very slowly, Vos swung his lightsaber toward her. She mirrored his movements until blue and green crossed with a crackle of energy. Vos disengaged and did the same to the opposite side, again only to have River counter his move. In the galley, once again the sound of training attracted a crowd. “Those are the coolest sword thingies I have ever seen,” Wash announced. He turned to Zoe. “Honey, could I have one?” “No dear,” Zoe said. “You’d cut your arm off.” “Or something important,” Mal added. “Am I the only one who thinks this is wrong?” “No,” Jayne and Simon both said. The two men shared a look, then quickly broke eye contact as if in disgust that they agreed on anything. Below, the flashing of the blades grew more rapid as River seemed to fall once more into that dangerous flow of moment that allowed her to defend them all against the Reavers. Vos was more than a match, however. Soon, what started as a simple training exercise turned into a full-blown sparring match. “Captain,” Simon said. “Something’s wrong.” “Yeah, I got an alien and a crazy girl swinging laser swords in the hold of my ship,” Mal said. “No, with River. Look at her eyes.” Mal looked, and he saw it—that wild, lost, feral look she had in the bar where she laid half the occupants flat and would have happily killed Mal. Below, Vos seemed to sense it as well, but did nothing to stop the suddenly vicious attacks. River moved with stunning speed and grace for someone not born to the Force. But as they sparred, something inside the girl seemed to click off, as if her soul was either turned off or caged away. In its place was a ruthless machine. Below, Vos remembered something she had said. They wanted a weapon. Rather than end the fight, Vos continued to defend himself while reaching with the Force into her mind. He knew the others of the crew sensed something was off, but he did not dare distract himself. Her skills were sufficient to be dangerous even to him if he did not bring most of his abilities to bear. She arched her back and spun around in a particularly artful combination of sword and foot that, had Vos not back-flipped away from, would easily have removed his head. She sauntered forward with deadly feline grace. It was at that moment, looking at the way she moved, that he whispered in his own native Basic, “You are beautiful.” The glaze suddenly left her eyes and she came to a sudden stop. In the same language, which her people somehow spoke and called Corlingua, she whispered, “It wasn’t me.” She deactivated the lightsaber and let it drop. Vos deactivated his own and hooked it to his belt. He stepped to her and glanced up at her waiting friends. He simply nodded to let them know the danger was past. Seeing the show was over, they broke up and went their own ways. He looked back down at River. “There is a trigger inside your mind,” he said. “It is conditioning, not physical. I can remove it, but it would be painful.” She nodded, and then leaned into him, leaving him little practical choice but to hug her. “Someday you’re going to leave me,” she whispered. “You’re going to go back to your home and the one you love. She’s waiting for you. I know it. And I’ll be alone.” Vos looked into the far corners of the ship, remembering. “I don’t dare hope for it.” “You will see her again,” River whispered. She looked up with tears in her eyes. “And you’re going to be with her for many years. And I’ll only have a few months. It’s not fair.” “River….” She had to jump to accomplish it, but before Vos realized what was happening her arms were around his neck and her lips were on his. Her lithe body pressed against him and he felt intense heat from both their bodies and the Force itself flood into him. An eternity of three heart beats later, she let go and slid back to her feet. “I want an orange,” she suddenly announced with a quizzical expression before she turned and walked away. -----signature----- "Spock!" "Yes Captain!" "Be one with the horse." "Yes, Captain." Gods of Dark and Light Legacy of the Red Sun Heaven Falls: A Jedi On Earth Blue Sun Down
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Independence1776 Registered: Feb '06	Date Posted: 3/10 1:06pm Subject: RE: Blue Sun Down: A Star Wars/Firefly Crossover --Updated 3/10/2008
	(I did not like how Padme was treated in Episode III. George cut out all of the scenes that would have made her character a real person). I disagree somewhat, but the rebellion-planning scenes should definitely have been in RotS. Vos edged closer and grabbed her shaking shoulders with two large hands. He leaned forward until he caught her feral eyes in his. “I see a saw,” she whispered. “It’s coming down on my head. They’re cutting my head! I can feel it. I’m screaming but they keep cutting!” Oh, River! Her voice was becoming hysterical again. He reached up and cupped her face in his hands. She instantly went still and stared back at him. “There is no emotion,” he told her. “There is peace.” “But there is emotion,” she said back, suddenly calm. “I feel it in you. You loved her and she’s gone.’ Vos lowered his head and stared at the floor, but did not drop his hands from her cheeks. “We must learn to let go that which we fear to lose,” he said, quoting another Jedi Master. “It is a hard lesson to learn, even for Masters.” Yes.... At last Vos dropped his hands. “Dear child, you don’t even know me. You’re in love with an idea. A mixture of memories and thoughts from Lorana and your own loneliness. That is not love. It is intoxication.” I tend more to agree with Vos here. “It is a vision,” River whispered. “I saw that I would love you. All the worlds will die, but I will love you. In a time of bitterness and hardship, we will have a child, and that child will help change the galaxy.” But is it a certain vision or a possible one? That's the real question. “All the more reason to learn the Force,” Vos said. “You touched it just now, did you feel it? When you remembered your vision. I felt it flowing within you. The pain is better now, isn’t it?” Amazed, River nodded. “Meditate with me,” Vos urged. “There are many wonders I can show you. Forget your fear, at least for this moment.” At least he's helping somewhat. Simon said nothing and continued toward the galley. Jayne continued his muttering, of which Simon got just a hint. “Ain’t so tough.” Simon continued on his way, terrified of the thought that somehow Jayne might actually be jealous of Quinlan Vos over River. I'm terrified as well. (I've only read one River/Jayne that I liked.) “Another word for it is freakishly frightening,” Wash said. All four of the others leaned over and stared at him. Jayne looked up and shrugged. “Anyone can swing a bat.” Below, River somehow launched into a twelve-foot high double-twisting somersault that put her out of the corner Vos had pushed her into and into the middle of the floor. “Well done!” the Jedi called. Even from the top of the gantry, they could see how the girl beamed with the praise. But not everyone can do that. “That is simply remarkable,” Afolabi said after a moment. “I do believe in a sword fight she would defeat me.” Yeah... I think that's the general idea. “Wasn’t so hard,” Mal said. He did let his lips twitch. Afolabi smiled. “Indeed. And we both know you walked away with ‘nary a mark.” “Nary a one,” Mal confirmed. “Then what have you been showing off to me for the past month?” Inara said with a sly smile. River paused, then dropped the bat and fell to her knees. “It wasn’t me!” she howled. On the floor below, River took a deep breath as she centered herself in the Force as Vos was teaching her. It took much longer than it would have for a fully trained Jedi, but after several deep breaths she reached her center. Vos’s hand on hers helped more than she could say. “I’m sorry,” she said with a sad smile. “I remembered moving something and did it, but it wasn’t my memory.” “Perhaps not,” Quinlan said gently. “But it was your power. Do not be ashamed of your pain or ability, River. You are an extraordinary person, and the fact we are here discussing your abilities is proof of it.” nods River definitely has problems, and she had to rebuild her entire person from what happened to her. In no way is that an easy process, and it most certainly is not helped by the fact that she has to learn how to use the Force while she's doing it. “They’re afraid of us,” she said. “They think you’re going to hurt me. That we’re going to hurt them. But we’re going to save them.” I don't blame them for being afraid, but at the same time, it's hard not to. Her whole expression suddenly changed. The sad, shy, wounded girl disappeared before a mischievous smile and a twinkling pair of eyes. “Levitate me to them!” she said. Vos leaned back and very carefully schooled his expression. “Showing off is not an appropriate use of the Force.” She leaned forward until her breath washed across his face, and sotto voce, whispered, “Please?” River vs. Jedi, round River. When she was gone, the entire crew of Serenity stared down at Vos. The Jedi master shrugged. “Force or not, you try saying no when she looks at you like that,” he called up to them. None of them can either! Vos cleared his throat. “River, try to dismiss your feelings for me, if only when we are training. Lightsaber training is very dangerous, especially since we don’t have training blades available.” Eep! Yeah, that would be a problem. Yes, River, please listen to Vos! “Those are the coolest sword thingies I have ever seen,” Wash announced. He turned to Zoe. “Honey, could I have one?” “No dear,” Zoe said. “You’d cut your arm off.” “Or something important,” Mal added. Mal! “Am I the only one who thinks this is wrong?” “No,” Jayne and Simon both said. The two men shared a look, then quickly broke eye contact as if in disgust that they agreed on anything. Them agreeing on anything... Mal looked, and he saw it—that wild, lost, feral look she had in the bar where she laid half the occupants flat and would have happily killed Mal. Uh-oh. Below, Vos remembered something she had said. They wanted a weapon. And they got one. It was at that moment, looking at the way she moved, that he whispered in his own native Basic, “You are beautiful.” Uh-oh. He looked back down at River. “There is a trigger inside your mind,” he said. “It is conditioning, not physical. I can remove it, but it would be painful.” Please do! She needs any little amount of control she can get. She nodded, and then leaned into him, leaving him little practical choice but to hug her. “Someday you’re going to leave me,” she whispered. “You’re going to go back to your home and the one you love. She’s waiting for you. I know it. And I’ll be alone.” Oh, River. “You will see her again,” River whispered. She looked up with tears in her eyes. “And you’re going to be with her for many years. And I’ll only have a few months. It’s not fair.” “River….” Vos says it perfectly. She had to jump to accomplish it, but before Vos realized what was happening her arms were around his neck and her lips were on his. Her lithe body pressed against him and he felt intense heat from both their bodies and the Force itself flood into him. Eep! Well, does the Force itself want this? Hmm.... An eternity of three heart beats later, she let go and slid back to her feet. “I want an orange,” she suddenly announced with a quizzical expression before she turned and walked away. Classic River! This was a wonderful, humorous, heart-rending chapter. You capture the characters so well. -----signature----- "Independence forever." John Adams Padawan to Luna_Nightshade Fics in bio Ever wondered what would happen if some normal students came to the Temple? Come find out: http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/27996678
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Laine_Snowtrekker Registered: Jul '03	Date Posted: 3/10 5:13pm Subject: RE: Blue Sun Down: A Star Wars/Firefly Crossover --Updated 3/10/2008
	Great post, especially the end where she goes from kissing Vos ( ) to wanting an orange. Perfect River! -----signature----- Stealth and subtlety work well, but for making lasting impressions, a blaster does just fine. -Han Room full of gold and jewels, and Dr. Daniel Jackson finds the one book. -Cam Palso's #1 Fan JO: RS1, Admiral Fanfic link in bio (esp. 08 Diary Challenge)
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LadyLunas Registered: Aug '05	Date Posted: 3/10 8:00pm Subject: RE: Blue Sun Down: A Star Wars/Firefly Crossover --Updated 3/10/2008
	Oh, poor River. The withdrawal, it seems, is only heightening the visions and she has no real way of controlling them. At least until she learns to connect to the Force better, of course. Simon continued on his way, terrified of the thought that somehow Jayne might actually be jealous of Quinlan Vos over River. Oh dear. But is it really River he's jealous of, or of some stranger seeming to become the "muscle" of the ship? When she was gone, the entire crew of Serenity stared down at Vos. The Jedi master shrugged. “Force or not, you try saying no when she looks at you like that,” he called up to them. As if they can resist, either. Oh dear. River really seems to have fallen for Vos. But at least she had a vision that told of a future where he does go back to his lover. It's part of life- loving and losing what you hold dear. The conclusion with the orange is lovely, mercurial River. -----signature----- Darth Real Life hates me. Therefore, I battle him constantly. Currently, he's winning. See profile for fics. Padawan of SakuraTsukikage.
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Golden_Jedi Registered: Jun '05	Date Posted: 3/11 7:02am Subject: RE: Blue Sun Down: A Star Wars/Firefly Crossover --Updated 3/10/2008
	Wow. Just wow. So many emotions covered! “I see a saw,” she whispered. “It’s coming down on my head. They’re cutting my head! I can feel it. I’m screaming but they keep cutting!” That was so chilling! No wonder the poor girl is more than half crazy. -----signature----- The country is that place where chickens walk around uncooked - Julio Cortázar Unexpected Blossom http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28693266 Sailing Little Boats http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28747916
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VaderLVR64 Title: Fan Fic Manager Buried Under Boxes Registered: Feb '04	Date Posted: 3/11 7:25am Subject: RE: Blue Sun Down: A Star Wars/Firefly Crossover --Updated 3/10/2008
	All shaking stopped. The storm passed quickly. She spoke now with a low, powerful calm. “I need help too, then,” she said. “I love you.” At last Vos dropped his hands. “Dear child, you don’t even know me. You’re in love with an idea. A mixture of memories and thoughts from Lorana and your own loneliness. That is not love. It is intoxication.” “It is a vision,” River whispered. “I saw that I would love you. All the worlds will die, but I will love you. In a time of bitterness and hardship, we will have a child, and that child will help change the galaxy.” The Jedi Master became very still. “Do you have visions like this often?” Loved that! And I have to that your portrayal of this wide variety of characters is spot on! Superb job! -----signature----- If you have to choose between tears and laughter, remember that laughter burns more calories. They call me NANA Vader. At least she doesn't lack confidence...
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dianethx Registered: Mar '02	Date Posted: 3/11 9:21am Subject: RE: Blue Sun Down: A Star Wars/Firefly Crossover --Updated 3/10/2008
	I love the way River bounces around from topic to topic in both the series and your story. You've got her down so well. I also liked that she is fixated on Vos but also knows that he will leave her and go back home. The lightsaber duel was great, especially since Vos recognized that she was a weapon at that time. Great job. -----signature----- Betrayal - http://boards.theforce.net/s/b1/10935143 updated 6/28/08 Fragments of Illusion- http://boards.theforce.net/bts/b10475/28456473 updated 8/16/08 Freeze frame - http://boards.theforce.net/s/b10476/27820434 Master to jedidas3 Impeach Bush!
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cggunnersmate Registered: Jul '07	Date Posted: 3/11 10:14am Subject: RE: Blue Sun Down: A Star Wars/Firefly Crossover --Updated 3/10/2008
	WOW! Awesome update! Again I laugh at everything Wash says. He can defuse just about any situation with those off-hand remarks of his. I'm amazed at how well you write River and her, psychosis, I guess you could call it or should I be frightened? lol j/k. You do write her very well, the way she can pull a, I was going to say 180 degree turn in her thought process but I wouldn't go that far. She pulls more of a 57 and a quarter degree turn. Figures Afolabi and Book would get along. Though they never said it in the show or movie, Book's knowledge of things like the Operative etc. always made me think that he was a retired Opertaive or something similar. At least Afolabi is getting along with Mal (kind of). I could almost see them becoming friends, kinda like the Odd Couple or Grumpier Old Men. All they do is insult each other but their still friends. Oh and Inara's line about what Mal has been showing her for the last month! Way to go Mal! lol -----signature----- "I got him! I got him!" Chris Griffin as Luke Skywalker "Great Kid! Don't get penisy!" Peter Griffin as Han Solo (Blue Harvest)
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TigerofRobare Registered: Jan '06	Date Posted: 3/12 10:00am Subject: RE: Blue Sun Down: A Star Wars/Firefly Crossover --Updated 3/10/2008
	River just keeps rolling along. She learned pretty quickly. -----signature----- Darth Hipster--Vader becomes a hippie!: http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=27316525&brd=10476 Tu ne cede malis--Do not give in to evil, but procede against it ever more boldly. UMass-Amherst class of 2011!
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Amidolee Registered: Jan '00	Date Posted: 3/12 4:04pm Subject: RE: Blue Sun Down: A Star Wars/Firefly Crossover --Updated 3/10/2008
	Of course proper Firefly fics are full of quotey goodness like the show, but I especially loved the moment where Jayne and Simon agreed, then were disgusted by it. -----signature----- Mar. 1 - One Prick to Bleed: http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/20423905/p1 "You're like a walking encyclopedia of weirdness." Dean to Sam in Roadkill.
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Blue_Milkshake Registered: Nov '05	Date Posted: 3/13 9:58am Subject: RE: Blue Sun Down: A Star Wars/Firefly Crossover --Updated 3/10/2008
	I'm all caught up now on your wonderful, fabulous crossover fic. My husband and I just watched all of Firefly the beginning of this winter. Haven't watched the movie, though, because we're not ready for closure yet. Your characterizations are sooooo yummy! Vos leaned back and very carefully schooled his expression. “Showing off is not an appropriate use of the Force.” She leaned forward until her breath washed across his face, and sotto voce, whispered, “Please?” Above, Simon leaned forward and gripped the rail so hard his knuckles turned white. … When she was gone, the entire crew of Serenity stared down at Vos. The Jedi master shrugged. “Force or not, you try saying no when she looks at you like that,” he called up to them. -----signature----- Friendship... is not something you learn in school. But if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned anything. --Muhammad Ali
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Thumper09 Registered: Dec '01	Date Posted: 3/16 6:44pm Subject: RE: Blue Sun Down: A Star Wars/Firefly Crossover --Updated 3/10/2008
	I thought it was pretty cool how River could access Force powers through the memories of the other Jedi in her. Vos leaned back and very carefully schooled his expression. “Showing off is not an appropriate use of the Force.” heh, great line. Classic Jedi Master there. I liked how watching the "freakishly frightening" (LOL) training quickly became a pasttime for the crew. Their various reactions to everything that took place were great, especially when they could tell River shifted from the little girl to the killing machine during the lightsaber sparring. Vos held everything together well during that time, and I'm glad he was able to snap her out of it. Great update! -Thumper -----signature----- "Like anything worth writing, it came inexplicably and without method." -Karen Eiffel The Way--Imperial pilot OCs, OT: http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/28104637 OC X-wing fics: http://www.coronasquadron.com/corona.html
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Darth_Marrs Registered: Feb '06	Date Posted: 3/17 6:28am Subject: RE: Blue Sun Down: A Star Wars/Firefly Crossover --Updated 3/10/2008
	Independence1776—I know I’ve gotten myself into hot water with my views on Padme. I guess part of my issue is that I’m an OT fan. I liked Leia’s character. Even when they made her a damsel in distress in ROTJ, she still killed Jabba. Padme of course was not an action character, although they tried in AOTC. She was a politician, so for me the scenes that would have shown her at her best were the scenes Georgie cut. Still, ROTS was the best of the prequels. Laine_Snowtrekker—And yet it does make sense. She feels safe around him, like home. Home to her smells like Apples, but because she doesn’t like apples it translates to a desire for an orange. Perfectly logical in River world. LadyLunas—Those visions of hers are pretty terrifying—both the memories of the past, and the memories of a future yet to come. And she definitely has it for Vos. Golden_Jedi—It was an important chapter because I had to address 1) her dependency on Simon and his drugs; 2) her residual Force memories from Lorana; and 3) the beginning of her Force training and her affection for Vos. I’m glad it worked for you. VaderLVR64—Thank you as always! Dianethx—I started channeling the bar scene and climax from Serenity. That was the very first time I believe that we saw her just lay it all out, and she had a dead, mechanical look in her eyes that I was hoping to capture. I appreciate the kind review! Cggunnersmate—During my first version of this story, I followed cannon and realized that most of the humor was gone. The story is going to be dark enough—I needed Wash back in for relief. And Book definitely has some interesting secrets. TigerofRobare—She’s learning so quickly because of her Force memories from Lorana Jinzler. She’s almost been created as a Jedi, rather than trained. Amidolee—I liked that part too. I never quite ship Jayne and River, but I’ve seen it done with some effectiveness and I can see it. And it’s obvious that he pays a little too much attention to her in the series. Blue_Milkshake—Glad to have you aboard! The movie has good points and bad. River’s development in the movie is great. The character deaths stink. Thank you for reading! Thumper09—I figured I could cheat a little. If she’s having visions of Lorana’s memories, then she should have episodes of her abilities. And throughout this chapter, I had in my head the whole cast lined up on the gantry, staring down at the training and talking. It was so real for me it felt at times as if I were remembering an episode. It made that chapter surprisingly easy to write. Well, as always I really appreciate all the kind reviews and words. We at last get to meet Mal’s mother and family, and see just what the people of Shadow have been doing. I hope you enjoy! Chapter Twelve: Guess Who’s Coming For Dinner The evening before Serenity was to make orbit over Shadow, the captain felt a need to show off his scars to Inara once more. This had become somewhat of a tradition since Mr. Universe. He would remove his clothes to show her his scars, and she would remove hers in order to better comfort him, and they would have a generally good time. Neither of them mentioned the word love. What they had was too fragile and to precious to risk it. However, on this particular evening as he arrived at the door of the shuttle she still paid him rent for, her heard two voices. He stepped quietly around the door, and to his surprise he found little River laying with her head in Inara’s lap, staring at the Companion’s jewelry box. “I always loved that necklace,” River was saying. Inara was very gently combing the young girl’s hair. “It is zhen yu. A gift from Mal. It has meant a lot to me.” “He loves you.” “I know,” Inara said. “You are going to have two boys and a girl,” River said. “You’ll own a ranch on a beautiful world with waves of green grass, waterfalls like tapestries and a sky so blue it seems that it could not be real.” “That sounds nice,” Inara wistfully. “It will be very nice,” River said. “How do I seduce a man?” Mal fought very hard not to cough and turned to leave when Inara answered. “Seduction can buy you a night,” she said, “but love can buy you a lifetime.” “I can’t see my lifetime,” she said. “I can’t even see the coming year. I love him, though. I must love him.” Inara simply continued to comfort River by combing her hair. A moment later, River sat up. “Captain wants to show you his scars,” she said without smiling. “His turn.” Mal didn’t even try to move. He simply knocked on the door. “Am I interrupting anything?” Inara opened her mouth to speak, but River shook her head. “No, you were very quiet and did not interrupt. Thank you.” She turned and left. “That is one strange girl,” Mal said. “She carries more pain than all of us,” Inara said. “Speaking of, didn’t you come to show me something?” “Why yes, I believe I did.” And fun was had by all. * * * Shadow was once an outlying agricultural world with a small colony of fiercely independence ranchers. It was, in many aspects, like most of the other worlds in the Independence movement. After the Battle of San Jin Hill, in which a group of five hundred browncoats held off an army of five thousand Alliance troopers for almost a month, the Alliance subjected the whole planet to orbital bombardment and then left the world for dead. When Serenity finally made orbit in the afternoon of the fourth day in flight, the crew got their very first look at the cradle of Malcolm Reynold’s birth. “Looks like a giant piece of dung,” Jayne said with characteristic tact. “Ain’t a spec ‘o water on the whole planet. No body could live there.” “You never met my mother,” Mal muttered. He sat in the co-pilot’s seat across from Wash, while the rest of the crew stood on the command deck behind them. “No point in calling down. They wouldn’t answer anyway. Let’s just go.” The trip into the atmosphere was bumpy even with grav compensators. Once in the air, the ship was buffeted by high winds that, according to ship’s scans, still contained trace radiation. Mal just shrugged and continued piloting the ship over the barren, cold landscape of Shadow. Finally, they arrived at a line of rocks that at least broke up some of the monotony. “Okay, Wash, we’re here,” the captain said, releasing the controls. “See that flat spot over there? Put us down there.” “Aye aye, Captain,” Wash said. “Putting us down over there. On that flat spot. I’m landing the ship. It’s going to land and be real smooth. Yes, siree. A leaf on the wind.” “Honey,” Zoe said gently, “shut up.” “Right.” Serenity landed so gently those inside could not even feel the transition from motion to stillness. As the engines whined down, they could all hear the harsh screams of wind blowing through the rocks. “So when do we go meet mom?” Wash asked. “After she decides whether to blow us to smithereens or not.” He pointed to one of the rocks directly in front of them and they all became aware of the very large barrel pointed at them. “Is that a…Mal, is that a rail gun?” Wash stammered. “I believe it is,” Mal said. “Picked it up from the hull of a downed Alliance fighter before the bombardment. This is the best place to land, so she keeps it covered.” Their wave screens danced static as an audio-only signal came through. “Who are you and whad’ya want?” The voice was harsh and barely recognizable as female. Mal’s lips twitched with a humorless smile. “It’s your prodigal son returning for a feast,” Mal answered. “Only son I got is with me,” voice came back. “Others died with the rest of them angels at Serenity Valley.” “Must ‘a got better, Mom, ‘cause it’s Mal.” “Fei hua!” the woman snapped back. “Mal’s dead. And if he ain’t, then he damn well should be.” Simon leaned over. “Not quite the happy reunion,” he said. Mal glared bullets. “Mama, this wind finally drive you fong luh? Would I park my boat right in front of your very large gun if I weren’t your son?” “Way I see it,” the woman snapped back, “only some one who wasn’t my son it’d be fool enough to do that.” “She doesn’t know you very well any more, does she?” Zoe said. The audio signal crackled. “Was that Zoe? Zoe Alleyne?” “It’s Washburn now, Kat, but yeah, it’s me,” Zoe said. “Married?” “Yes, ma’am.” “He a good fella?” “I try,” Wash said. “Better’n Mal’s Pa, I reckon,” Kat Reynolds said. “All right. Door’s to the right of your ship. Come in single-file. If I don’t like what I see, I’m gonna kill the whole lot of you.” “Love you too, Mama,” Mal said. “I’ll shoot you first you ungrateful little brat,” Kat said. “Now get your butts in here.” When the ramp dropped, cold air blasted into the ship. Mal buttoned his brown coat up and led the way across the thirty meters of the landing field to what looked like a metal door bored directly into the granite of a rocky cliff. Inside the door was a long, narrow hall with a three-inch hole carved out of the ceiling. As they entered, the barrel of an assault rifle poked down. “Came on in and spread out,” she said from the hole, still unseen. “Mama,” Mal grunted. “Will you just let us in? It’s cold.” “Whose that big fella?” “Quinlan Vos,” the big fella in question answered. “Why do you got that line on your face?” “To look pretty,” Vos said. They heard a harsh chuckle and the barrel of the gun pulled up out of sight. A few moments later the far door cracked open and a short, heavy-set woman wearing a dusty collection of old clothes that clung like trash bags stepped in. She walked straight up to Mal and grabbed both shoulders. “You look more like that sonuvabitch father of yours than ever,” she said. She did not hug him, and he did not appear to expect a hug. She then roughly pushed him aside and wrapped Zoe in a very tight hug. “You, on the other hand, look as beautiful as ever.” “I think so,” Wash said. Kat Reynolds turned dark brown eyes and stripped Wash to the bone with her gaze. “Bit scrawny, ain’t he?” “He makes me laugh,” Zoe said. “With ‘em or at ‘em.” “Yes,” Zoe said. Kat laughed and turned to lead them out of the narrow tunnel into trolley lift. It was a tight squeeze, but everybody fit in. “Keep your hands in if you wanna keep ‘em on,” she said. She pulled lever, and the lift dropped abruptly into the rock. “How’s the group?” Mal asked as they dropped. “Doin’ just find,” Kat said absently. She pulled the lever back and the lift slowed its descent until they came to an abrupt and painful halt before a stone arch that looked natural. Around a bend of rock came a hint of light. She led them through a brief maze of stone until they arrived in a massive cavern easily as large as the largest Alliance cruiser. The entire roof of the cavern was covered in omni-spectrum lighting that gave the illusion of natural sunlight. Much of the cavern floor was covered in verdant growing plant life, carefully cultivated into neat rows. Along the rounded edges of the cavern the crew could see metal and stone houses crafted carefully into the cave wall, with a little grassy area that even had a few trees. Wash whistled. “Wow. No wonder the Alliance couldn’t get you.” Kat snorted. “Son, this is what happened after the Alliance got us. We got hurt bad. Had to come down here to find potable water. There are dozens of these caves. Now we’re doin’ just fine. We got wind mills up in the rocks catching that pleasant breeze of ours. Unlimited energy. We’re just fine.” As they cleared the entrance to the cavern they spotted other people, ranging in ages from seniors like Kat to young children. The children especially stared at the newcomers. “So what brings you here, Mal?” Kat said. “Needed a place to lay low,” Mal said. “Shadow’s ‘bout as low as you can get,” Kat said. She peered sideways at her son. “This ain’t about Miranda, is it?” From the back of the crew, Samhael coughed. “You have wave access?” the former Operative asked. “We live in a cave, not under a rock,” Kat snarled. “We got fifty thousand strong just waitin’ for the Alliance to trip up. The Movement’s not dead, boys and girls. It’s just laying low.” She led them through fields of geneered corn, and wheat, and soy, past pens holding chickens and goats, and toward the first row of houses. A man a little older than Mal was waiting for them. “It was him, I reckon,” the man said. Mal looked the man over. He wore old, home-spun pants and a shirt, cinched with a span of rope. “Jeb. Thought you were dead.” “Mal. Thought you were too.” His bearded face split when he saw Zoe. “Zoe Alleyne, come here, darlin’!” Zoe exchanged yet another hug. “Jeb, shave that bush off!” she said. “Never. My wife likes it.” “How is Dayna doing?” His smile faded. “Radiation poisoning. Went scavenging in Shadow Town. Died few years back. Got me a pretty young thing now.” His eyes moved on to Inara. “Course, not as pretty as what my wayward brother brought in, but pretty enough for us ‘round here.” The whole bunch looked first at Mal, then Jeb. “What?” Mal muttered. “I have a brother. So what?” Room was made in one of the three-story houses along the edge of the canyon. Each floor was basically a large room with open plumbing in the corner. The crew split up, four to a room on folding cots. Inara, Kaylee, River and Zoe shared one room, while the men were bedded together separate. The evening meal consisted of a plain salted porridge mixed with a conservative amount of chicken, with a cup of very strong, home-brewed whiskey. “This stuff is great,” Wash said after a sip and a coughing fit. “You can drink it, and if you have any left over, we can use it to fuel the ship.” That elicited a grunt from Kat and a laugh from Jeb, who slapped Wash on the back so hard he nearly popped a stitch. “Zoe married her a comedian!” “They live longer than soldiers,” Zoe said quietly. Zeb raised a cup. “I’ll toast to that.” He looked at Mal. “To soldiers. To Pa, and Dink, and Sam, and Mitty, and Dan, and Wendy Bird. The Reynolds gone to warn God about us!” “Here here,” Mal said, suddenly morose. “Wendy was at Serenity Valley with my unit,” he said. “Got hit by a strafing run early on,” Zoe said. “Our birds never showed up,” Mal said, his voice flat, his eyes distant. “War is hell.” “Here here,” Quinlan said. Kat leaned forward and captured the Jedi in another harsh glare. “Which side did you fight for, boy?” Vos smiled. “The losing one.” “But not the wrong one,” Jeb said, misunderstanding. “We lost, but we were in the right.” Vos chose not to respond. * * * Night arrived with the flick of a switch. The lights blanketing the ceiling of the cavern went dark, and a new light, silver-white in color, came on. It gave the illusion of a moon-lit night. Within the hour the whole crew of the Serenity was fast asleep, save Quinlan Vos. The Jedi stood, and with dexterity that would surprise someone judging him solely by size, he slipped out of the open window of the house and easily climbed onto the flat roof. He sensed only a few people awake, mainly in a security room near the entrance equipped with cameras on the surface. He sat cross legged, rested his hands on his legs, and centered himself. The discussion of lost family resonated in his mind, and brought images of all those dead Jedi stored in the Academy. His family. His friends. Then he thought of her. Khaleen Hentz. His love for her throbbed inside him, pulling him. He was willing to quit the Jedi for her. He was willing to die for her. He knew their son was growing within her when last they met. Before Kashyyk. How long ago was that? That was the frustrating thing. He had no idea how long it had been since the war. Was it mere days, months? Was his son a grown man now? Were they even alive? Try as he might, he could not pierce the veil of darkness that seemed to hang over the system. The only thing he felt this evening was the bright spark of River Tam slowly climbing up the wall, until she stood next to him. She sat down without saying a word, wearing only a sleeping shirt. The way she sat, with her feet tucked under her, her hands resting on he knees and her large eyes studying him so intently, she reminded him of Aayla. He fought the wave of affection that came with those memories. “What was her name?” River asked softly, sensing Vos’s thoughts. “Khaleen,” he said. “What was she like?” “A thief and a spy. A killer and a lover. She was strong when I was weak, and weak when I needed to protect her. She’s saved my life, and I hers. I was going to leave the Order for her.” River nodded and stared out over the dimly lit cavern. “What does is feel like, to make love?” she asked. He turned and looked, but her face was open and her eyes bright. “You should not allow yourself to love me, child,” Quinlan said gently. “Even if I were free to do so, it would not be wise.” “A writer of Earth-that-was once said ‘We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future.’” She took his hand and lifted it to her lips, where she gently kissed his palm. Quin tensed, but for reasons not even he could say, he did not pull his hand away from her. She looked back up and smiled sadly. “I know I can’t have you forever. I know I can’t even have you for a while. Our lives are moments broken by time.” She pulled herself to her knees, and with a shrug had the sleeping shirt off. She wore nothing underneath. Her lithe body flexed under the distant silver light, her skin reflected it like an olive-toned mirror. She was so thin, so fragile in her beauty. And yet she moved with all the grace of a Cathar with twice the lethality. In that one moment, as she stared naked at him, she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. “Give me his moment,” she said as she lifted his hand to her chest and pulled her lips to his. “Please give me this one moment.” -----signature----- "Spock!" "Yes Captain!" "Be one with the horse." "Yes, Captain." Gods of Dark and Light Legacy of the Red Sun Heaven Falls: A Jedi On Earth Blue Sun Down
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TigerofRobare Registered: Jan '06	Date Posted: 3/17 7:21am Subject: RE: Blue Sun Down: A Star Wars/Firefly Crossover --Updated 3/17/2008
	Does he fall asleep like Wash? Great update. -----signature----- Darth Hipster--Vader becomes a hippie!: http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=27316525&brd=10476 Tu ne cede malis--Do not give in to evil, but procede against it ever more boldly. UMass-Amherst class of 2011!
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