TITLE: "ONLY THE DEPTH THAT VARIES"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "FIREFLY"

PAIRING: Canon pairings

RATING: G.

STATUS: SEQUEL to "NEVER TRUST AN HONEST MAN"

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed.

EMAIL: AlisonMDobell@aol.com

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

SUMMARY: "Serenity lands on Barclay. Mal and Jayne go to

meet their buyer."

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.

"ONLY THE DEPTH THAT VARIES"

"Firefly" story

Written by Alison M. DOBELL

* * * * *

Barclay was a nondescript little planet, not quite on the Rim but far enough away from the Core that the folks who went there on purpose were either brain damaged or desperate. Sometimes it was a combination of both. Wash had told Mal that it wasn't that bad. They didn't have geese but the beer was drinkable and the whores weren't fussy. Not that the Captain was looking for a whore. As the cargo bay door opened to a world of dust, grime and spiteful winds the Captain saw that they were expected. A big blocky man in his mid thirties stepped forward, the men behind him trying to act casual and bored and pulling off neither. Mal knew without checking that Jayne was on high alert. If any of those men so much as twitched wrong they would be dead. As far as Mal was concerned it was a good thing to know.

"Where's the plant?"

Jayne frowned. "Plant? We ain't horti-ruttin-culturists."

The big blocky man tensed. Mal spoke before it could all go to *diyu*. "An' who might you be?"

The man's look was a touch below a glare. "Brody."

"Captain Malcolm Reynolds."

Brody nodded. When no further conversation was forthcoming the Captain tried to prompt him.

"This is the part where you hand over the rest of the payment an' take these gorram huge agricultural things off our hands,