TITLE: "HELP UNLOOKED FOR"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "FIREFLY"

PAIRING: No specific pairing.

RATING: G.

STATUS: SEQUEL to "SYMMETRY"

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed.

EMAIL: AlisonMDobell@aol.com

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

SUMMARY: "In the aftermath of the Dreadnought's destruction

Inara is surprised to find help closer at hand than she dreamt.

Meanwhile Book suggests a solution to the Captain that is all

manner of creepifying."

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.

"HELP UNLOOKED FOR"

"Firefly" story

Written by Alison M. DOBELL

* * * * *

Senator William Lang stared at the impossible made flesh. Not a word escaped the strangled barely articulate gurgle of emotion. He looked distraught, frozen in shock. Inara made herself turn her head and look at the screen. Her eyes widened, surprised and stunned by what she was seeing. It was the last thing she had expected and had her heart leaping in her breast, a cry of triumphant joy smothered by sheer force of will. To lose her composure now would be an error she might not survive.

The plume of debris as the flash flared across the Black was like a sheet of lightening but far more powerful and no longer than a fraction of a second in duration. The flash doused by vacuum almost the instant it had formed. A brief taste of hellfire yet it wrought such terrible destruction in its' wake. Their vessel rocked then the lights flickered and went out as if it was a candle with the wick snuffed. That quick. The men scrambled in their frantic efforts to bring their equipment back on line. Nothing worked. But at least the small sleek ship was still intact albeit without power. The huge blocky presence of the Alliance dreadnought had shielded them but there was nothing so benign to shie