TITLE: "CLOSURE"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "FIREFLY"

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

RATING: PG-13.

STATUS: Sequel to "LEGACY". **CONCLUSION**

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed.

EMAIL: AlisonMDobell@aol.com

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

SUMMARY: "Badger discovers something he didn't expect.

Gabriel decides it is time to disappear. Meanwhile Inara springs

her surprise on Serenity's crew just before the other shoe drops

for the Captain."

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.

"CLOSURE"

"Firefly" story

Written by Alison M. DOBELL

* * * * *

A long time ago this had been a lush green land. Rich grasslands, a few rolling hills, valleys, rivers and somesuch. A thriving rural community made up of ranches and farms with towns dotted wherever there was access to clean water and convenient distance between homesteads. At War's End the Alliance - in a fit of spite - had razed the buildings, trees and crops to the ground. Many folk going up like Roman candles when they retreated to their own houses, thinking bricks and mortar would save them where burning woods wouldn't. The ash had been greasy and more than ankle deep. Not nothing worth saving when the hot dust and thick palls of smoke had settled. The Alliance were nothing if not thorough, reducing the whole world to a ball of smoking ash and ruin. Not no one left alive on it, those captured placed in some distant *jianyu* simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. When they were eventually released they found themselves exiled from their homeworld

Badger stared, eyes wide and trying to comprehend. On the journey he had scoured the cortex for every last fact he could find on Shadow and what he saw and read had sickened him. All of a su