TITLE: "ENEMY HANDS"

SERIES: THE DEVIL'S CRADLE

CHAPTER: 52. Sequel to "CANNON FODDER"

FANDOM: "FIREFLY"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

PAIRING: Zoe/Wash Kaylee/Simon Mal/Inara

RATING: PG-13

SUMMARY: "Things get more than a mite uncomfortable

for the Captain and Badger. Meanwhile Zoe and Monty get

ready to mount a rescue. Left behind with a drifing ship,

Inara does her best to help."

"ENEMY HANDS"

A "Firefly" Story

Written by Alison M. DOBELL

* * * * *

Badger was concerned and more than a little angry though he knew

better than to actually lose his temper with Red Pole.

"What you doin'? Want him alive, *dong ma*?"

Magnus didn't bare his teeth but the sentiment was etched into his face anyway. "He's still alive."

Badger noticed they had stopped calling him *laoban* once Serenity had been left drifting which made him think his part in all this was already over. Not that he would let on he knew as much. "Need a medic, *mashang*."

The huge man looked amused as he slowly wound his whip back up, taking care to clean off the blood where he had cut into the flesh on the Captain's back. Badger might not be bossom pals with Malcolm Reynolds but he didn't hold with cruelty for the sake of it and on a man manacled to a wall and unable to defend himself. Just wasn't right. Didn't help that he could see himself hanging in his place if the man died.

"Don't have a doctor."

"Must have medical supplies, *dui*?"

Something flickered in Red Pole's eyes. "He isn't long for this world anyway, why're you so concerned?"

"Ain't that. The Lady gave me a task to do, see? Part o' that is deliverin' him alive."

For a moment the big man didn't say anything and Badger wondered whether he had pushed his luck