TITLE: "EXTREME MEASURES"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "FIREFLY"

PAIRING: RIVER/MAL.

RATING: PG-13.

STATUS: New. SEQUEL to "DESCENT INTO HELL".

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed.

EMAIL: AlisonMDobell@aol.com

WEBSITE: http://carlajane.50megs.com/Ali00.html

SUMMARY: "River is frantic to get to Mal but first they have to get Zoe and the others back to the ship. Pepper has more immediate concerns such as how to keep Mal alive long enough

for any of it to matter."

The usual disclaimers apply. The characters and 'Firefly' are the property and gift of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.

No infringement of copyright is intended.

"EXTREME MEASURES"

A "Firefly" story

Written by Alison M. DOBELL

* * * * *

Sheriff Martin Bowman at last broke the stunned and stricken silence as they gazed across the Black at the field of destruction. "Take a good look boys. This is what hell looks like."

Deputy Andy Crowther turned his head slowly, hardly daring to believe that all that was left of the fledgling rebellion was a gorram debris field. Tyrone Garvin was sitting on the floor, head in his hands, feeling as if his whole gorram 'verse had been torn into itty bitty little pieces. Why hadn't he found help sooner? Why hadn't he got a warning to them in time? Now they were dead. All of them. Friends and comrades. The last of the true believers. Heroes one and all. They filled his soul with the bitter ache of not being among them. Not being with them when it mattered the most. To live or die beside them, win or lose, was more glory and honour than a man would find in a 'verse without them. Thousands of loyal brave browncoats slaughtered because of his brother-in-law's duplicity. He slowly raised a tearstained face and stared unseeing at the Sheriff, as if the man in whom he had placed his trust had just lost all command of his senses.

"Now Peter, turn her round and take a slow sweep."

Ty drove himse