fandom_muses: Topic 20 - Passions

[big_damn_hero]

It ain’t no secret that our eldest Tam can sometimes get to talkin’, and most times I don’t pay him no heed. Only exception I can recall was a night ‘round the dinner table he got to talkin’ about the history of Earth-That-Was and he made mention of some ol’ relic of a constitution I was only a mite familiar with. Never was much of an intellectual man and all. Still, I knew this one ‘cause it was part of some rebellion in a place called America...and the line that made me take note was a bit about men bein’ entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

It’s them three things I make myself about...always have made myself about.

I take my right to live quite seriously, for starters. Way I see it, a man’s life is absolutely sacred, and ought not to be meddled in by anybody he don’t fight, drink, share blood nor a bed with. What’s more, it ought not to be taken from him ‘less he’s abusin’ the privelege by tryin’ to deprive another man of the same, dong ma? That’s why I ain’t got much trouble puttin’ a bullet between someone’s eyes if they’re tryin’ to take my life...or try and take it in a heap of other ways.

I reckon that’s where my love of liberty comes in...freedom I take just as serious as I do life, bein’ that in most cases, they’re one and the same. You try to rule a man completely, you deny him a real life at all. The Alliance? They’re all about control...freedom’s the last thing on their minds, and anyone with a gorram thing ‘twixt their ears knows it. Human beings gotta be free if they’re to be human beings...you take that? You got machines in meat suits...nice, quiet little trained animals, least ‘til they bust their reins and tear you apart like...well, like a Reaver.

But the pursuit of happiness? I know more ‘bout that than most...that’s something everyone needs. The ability to find yourself a little slice of the ‘verse for your own...that’s what can rebuild a person’s spirit.

{locked to the crew of SERENITY}

I know it ‘cause I ain’t just experience it, I’ve seen it with my own eyes. When I found SERENITY, she done patched me up but good, and Zoe? Well, without this boat she’d never have found her mister, and as bad as I know she hurts now, the way she looks sometimes...she’s better for havin’ loved him.

And River...I watched this boat built that little albatross from a screamin’ addlepated lunatic into a girl...a troubled, crazy, sometimes screamin’ girl, but a girl on any count.

And Inara...well, I know she found her own kind of happiness in that little rented shuttle. Reason why it tore me up so when she left. It’s a ruttin’ crime when a body runs away from the things they got a right to...the things they *need* to live.

{/locked}

For me and my crew? Happiness is SERENITY...what’s more, she’s also our life and our liberty. She ain’t much, but she’s beautiful to us, and the most important thing in any of our lives. And I tell you this, it’s the reason I ain’t ever gonna let her go...’cause this little ship? She makes us all livin’, breathin’ folks.

It’s like little Kaylee says sometimes...SERENITY’s our home, and I guess if ya think on it like that? Makes us all family.

Muse: Malcolm Reynolds
Fandom: Firefly/Serenity
Words: 589