TITLE: "PHASE ONE"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "FIREFLY"

PAIRING: None.

RATING: PG-13.

STATUS: Sequel to "LAST STRAW".

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed.

EMAIL: AlisonMDobell@aol.com

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

SUMMARY: "Shepherd Book helps Monty. The Captain

meets a new enemy up close and personal. Discovering that

Mal is missing Zoe finds herself trusting in River to help find him."

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.

"PHASE ONE"

"Firefly" story

Written by Alison M. DOBELL

* * * * *

It hurt, more than it should. For a few minutes the muzziness in his head seemed to hold his body in thrall as the pain came back. Sharp, insistent and tripping along his nervous system sparking off small muscle spasms and creepy sensations he could not control. It was as if his gorram body no longer belonged to him. What the *diyu*?

"Ah, you are waking. *Hen hao*."

Mal wanted to shake his head, loosen the unknown voice from his brainpan, sure that in his addled state he was imagining things. Somehow the thought never made it to action. How about that? Was he dreaming?

"Open your eyes."

He did not want to. For some odd reason he figured that if he kept them closed he would not have to acknowledge that this was real. Whatever *this* was.

"*Wangu chunrun*," the voice muttered softly but without rancour "but then I really expected no less."

Before Mal could process what he heard a fresh wave of pain rolled through his body sparking off spasm after spasm progressing from his feet all the way up to his head. When it lodged behind his eyes the scream was ripped from his throat before he could stop himself. Seconds only it lasted but each one felt like a lifetime. A world of hurt that vanished in the nex