TITLE: "MACHINATIONS"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "FIREFLY"

PAIRING: No specific pairing.

RATING: G.

STATUS: SEQUEL to "HITTING THE FAN"

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed.

EMAIL: AlisonMDobell@aol.com

WEBSITE: http://unilelu.net/Alison/Ali00.html

SUMMARY: "With the crew fighting for their lives Inara can

only look on in horror. The outcome though is not what any

of them expect."

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.

"MACHINATIONS"

"Firefly" story

Written by Alison M. DOBELL

* * * * *

He was dying. No other explanation made sense. Vision blurring the Shepherd could almost feel his lungs collapsing in on themselves, his body a trembling mass of fire and agony. Then a pain the like of which he had never felt before pierced his head, made him cry out even though he had no breath to carry the sound of his distress further than the notion of it in his fragmenting mind.

Out of it now, his eyes were beginning to glaze over. His ability to fight what was happening to him flagging, memory trembling like an indistinct echo trying to form images that would help him back to his sanity. But sanity only mattered to the living and Book was fast coming to the notion that he would not be among that category for much longer. Darkness. Sweet, unyielding, non judgemental. A blanket of nothing to cool and block out the pain of sensation, the surge of regret, the sorrow of knowledge learned long ago and forcibly reawakened. He had been a different man then. Had he moisture to spare he would have wept. Eyes closing he felt deeper tremors shudder beneath him as if the very 'verse was breaking up. He did not stir. The darkness clothing him, binding wounds too deep for the touch of a surgeon's skill. As the tremors increased he finally let go, not caring whether