TITLE: "DEADLY GAME"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "FIREFLY"

PAIRING: RIVER/MAL.

RATING: PG-13.

STATUS: New. SEQUEL to "SECRETS AND LIES".

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed.

EMAIL: AlisonMDobell@aol.com

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

SUMMARY: "The tables turn yet again on the Captain when

he is surprised by an unwelcome guest. Jayne discovers first

hand exactly what the Alliance intelligence corps is up to."

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.

"DEADLY GAME"

A "Firefly" story

Written by Alison M. DOBELL

* * * * *

The mercenary could not quite wrap his head around the numbers. The Captain had told them something of what had gone down on Shadow and then the disastrous battle that followed when the Alliance closed the net. Hitting most of them as they were trying to take off then picking off those that had managed to do so and were trying to scatter before the choke-hold prevented even the illusion of escape. So how come so gorram many of them were on Hera? The way Pepper had pitched it to him he expected stragglers, a remnant, the ragged odds and sods of survivors making it by a wing and a prayer to the hell-hole of the bloodiest battle of the war-that-was. He blinked. Lost count at eight hundred. *Wode tianna*, more seemed to be massing behind those that filled his sight. What the good gorram was going on?

Pepper Rawlings enjoyed the stunned look on the mercenary's face. Puffed up with pride he had one more surprise for the big man. Should be enough to solidify his commitment to the cause. If not, well, a man could always use more meat in his protein bar. "I'd like ya to meet our quartermaster, Jayne."

The big man turned to give him a quizzical look. Quartermaster? Pepper jerked his head to his right and Jayne obediently looked in tha