TITLE: "POWER CORRUPTS"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "FIREFLY"

PAIRING: Zoe/Wash. Kaylee/Simon. Mal/Inara.

RATING: G.

STATUS: Sequel to "LESSER EVILS".

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed.

EMAIL: AlisonMDobell@aol.com

WEBSITE: None. All Firefly stories archived at Fireflyfans.net

SUMMARY: "Simon faces up to a past he would rather forget.

Captain Foster takes the ashes to Commander Shair's widow.

Meanwhile someone is actively trying to put two and two together."

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.

"POWER CORRUPTS"

"Firefly" story

Written by Alison M. DOBELL

* * * * *

"They did things to me."

Kaylee's eyes went round as saucers. "What kind'a things?"

"*Wo bu zhidao* but I think River knows."

"*Weishenme*?"

He hesitated. "It's just a feeling." Simon shuddered.

As much as Kaylee liked Simon coming to her bunk in the middle of the night there were plenty of things she would rather do with him than talk but he seemed to need this. She didn't have the heart to send him away. "Simon, what d'ya think they did?"

"River says I can kill people with my brain."

The mechanic stared at him for a moment without blinking, tempted to laugh outright at the very idea, but Simon was serious. His face paler than usual, the words whispered as if saying them any louder would give them power. Kaylee sat up and patted the bed for Simon to sit. Seeing him all tense and worried made her heart ache in a way she couldn't bear. She waited until he sat beside her. "Can people really do that?"

He shrugged. "I didn't think it was possible but River says..."

"River doesn't know everythin', Simon. Maybe she's wrong."

"Kaylee, my sister is gifted in ways I can barely understand. She might play around, tease and have fun but she doesn'