TITLE: "NOT WHAT IT SEEMS"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "FIREFLY"

PAIRING: Jayne. Zoe/Wash. Mal. Simon/Kaylee. Book.

RATING: PG-13.

STATUS: SEQUEL to "FOOD FOR THE SOUL"

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed.

EMAIL: AlisonMDobell@aol.com

WEBSITE: http://carlajane.50megs.com/Ali00.html

SUMMARY: "Zoe has misgivings. River gives Jayne some

sound advice then does the same for the Captain. Book

discovers his earlier presentiment of doom was accurate."

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.

"NOT WHAT IT SEEMS"

"Firefly" story

Written by Alison M. DOBELL

* * * * *

Zoe had been uptight and uncommunicative ever since the two men had come aboard. Only when Armstrong had nodded to the Captain and been welcomed aboard did her tension find a useful direction in which to flow. Instead of being all bottled up it was now aimed in all deadly earnest at her long time friend and Captain. The only courtesy she gave him was to wait until the Shepherd took the men on a tour of the ship to see if it would meet with their requirements. Once they were well out of earshot she didn't hold back. "I don't like it, sir."

Though her voice was not raised and was as even as a gorram spirit level her disapproval hung like a gibbet between them. For a moment Mal looked at her in shock. "*Tianna*, they're friends of Chung-li, Zoe. What's not to like?"

"Never said they were friends, sir. An' that cargo they said we'd be transportin'? What kind of cargo would that be?" Her response was short, bitten off and filled with rancour. Her expression enough to sour new milk. A look with not an inch of give in it.

"Zoe..."

"We know nothin' about them, got no call to believe a gorram word they say."

"That phrase..."

"Is common, Mal. Don't mean a thing."

The