TITLE: "FALLOUT"

SERIES: THE DEVIL'S CRADLE"

CHAPTER: 59. Sequel to "ANOTHER DOOR CLOSES"

FANDOM: "FIREFLY"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

PAIRING: Zoe/Wash Kaylee/Simon Mal/Inara

RATING: PG-13

SUMMARY: "Jayne discovers that the freighter crashing

is not the worst news. Meanwhile Monty and his crew are

hurrying to come to their aid unaware that several sets of

unfriendly eyes are monitoring their every move."

"FALLOUT"

A "Firefly" story

Written by Alison M. DOBELL

* * * * *

The first thing Jayne became aware of was a weird shrieking sound. Not a cry as such, more like something not human dying. Not sure where he was or what in *diyu* had happened the mercenary opened a wary eye and found himself peering through a thick pall of smoke. A sound close to his left ear had him instinctively turning a body that ached in places he had forgotten he even had towards it. That movement probably saved his gorram life as a big hunk of metal landed where his head had been. The shudder as it landed kicked up a flurry of debris that jolted his memory and squeezed a groan of pain out of him.

"Don't try to move, Jayne. You've been injured, *dong ma*?"

The big man wanted to laugh. Injured? He had a feeling all of them would be sporting injuries every bit as colourful as his own but he was still breathing and able to move even if it was a mite painful. He called that a win. "Where in the nine hells you been?"

Simon was carefully checking him over and didn't seem too happy with Jayne's left leg or a wound on his right shoulder that was bleeding freely. Quickly the doctor began to pad and bandage the shoulder as he answered, his hands expertly flying through the task through years of experience. "In case you've forgotten this ship has a great many injured on board."

"Bet it hasn'