as the turn of the worlds

book one: objects in space
postlude: forward

"Storm's getting worse."
"We'll pass through it soon enough."
-River Tam and Malcolm Reynolds, Serenity

postlude
(on freedom, leaving atmo on st. albans)

"So," the voice said, and he turned. Mai was standing calmly in the hallway. Katara was curled up in the no-longer-spare shuttle with the prince, on the bed she'd snatched from her old home in the Water Tribe; Aang and Haru were in the Infirmary with Toph; Pipsqueak, the Duke, and Bee were all playing poker, waiting for Longshot to get them into the black before he joined them; Suki, Sokka, and Ty Lee were all taking much-deserved rests - it was as normal as his home ever got.

It still felt somehow diminished without the old man making tea, but he supposed that he'd get over that soon enough.

"So," he repeated, arms crossed. "I stand corrected," he said with a reasonable facsimile of cheer, "about ladies and war. You and your secret Companion lover proved me wrong."

"Jet? Admitting defeat?" she asked, amusement in her voice. "This truly is a momentous occasion."

"Yeah, yeah, memorize the feeling," he said, "'cause it ain't ever happening again."

She laughed a little, and then a strangely comfortable silence fell for a moment. "That was kind of you," she said finally, and he raised an eyebrow. "Iroh. Going back for him."

Jet shrugged. "Least I could do."

"And being a pallbearer," she added, something indiscernible in her tone. "That's generally reserved for family and close friends."

He made a face at her, knowing where she was going with this line of thinking. "Toph woulda done it, but she was still injured."

"You volunteered," she said lightly.

"Yeah," he conceded, "I did."

She fell quiet again, and the serene look on her face changed. "So, what now?" she asked, and he looked at her. She was looking away from him, at the bridge and the stars just visible from this angle. She really was beautiful - he'd noticed it plenty of times before, but it was especially striking today.

"Now?" he said, and leaned against the wall. "Now, we go forward."

end of book one.

TRANSLATIONS (Mandarin Chinese unless otherwise stated)

dong (le) ma - "are we clear (here)?"
le-se - "garbage"
chòu biaozi - "stinking whore"
gāi si - "damn it!"
bàojúhuā - "fuck me in the ass" (lit. "explode the chrysanthemum")
tā māde niao - "goddamn it" (lit. "his mother's dick")
campa (Nauhatl) - "where"
si pì yan - "damned asshole"
néih hóu (Cantonese) - "Hello"
ngo hài bīndouh? Néih giu māt'yéh mèhng a? (Cantonese) - "Where am I? Who are you?"
ngóh m`h'mìhng baak! Appa! Yáuh bīndouh Appa! (Cantonese) - "I don't understand! Appa! Where is Appa?"
fong sam (Cantonese) - "don't worry"
xiao tàitai - "mistress" (lit. "little wife")
cào - "fuck"
nayaafabaa (Inuit) - "hello"
pablan (Inuit) - "welcome"
fàng pì - "bullshit"
gou niáng yang de - "son of a bitch" (lit. "raised by a dog mother")
cào ni mā - "fuck your mother"
wo de tian a - "oh dear god"
bao bèi - "baby" (lit. "treasured object," term of endearment)
xiao hóuzi - "little monkey"