TITLE: "CUTTING THE STRINGS"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "FIREFLY"

PAIRING: No specific pairing.

RATING: G.

STATUS: SEQUEL to "DESPERATE MEASURES"

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed.

EMAIL: AlisonMDobell@aol.com

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

SUMMARY: "You can fool all the people some of the time

and some of the people all of the time, but you can't fool all

of the people all the time."

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.

"CUTTING THE STRINGS"

"Firefly" story

Written by Alison M. DOBELL

* * * * *

The Director had passed puzzlement and non-comprehension hours ago. Now he was working through disbelief and well on his way to rage. Gabriel Tam sat quietly in his chair, no expression on his face. At last the man stopped pacing and turned to face him. "What do you mean she just *left*? Your wife is a Councillor, Gabriel. A member of this Parliament, *dong ma*?"

"*Wo dong* but you must understand my wife is..." He paused, just shy of theatrical. "Passionate about her children."

*Her* children. The wording was not lost on the Director. He cooled his anger so that he could think dispassionately, his beady eyes boring critical holes into Gabriel Tam. "Why do I think you had some hand in this?"

Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "The only arguments I have ever had with my wife," He said calmly. "Is over the children." He paused and shrugged, his nonchalence beginning to set off a deeper irritation in the Director but then Gabriel Tam had always affected him that way. "She no longer listens to anything I have to say about them or their welfare."

The Director's eyes narrowed like twin lasers. "Meaning?"

"She is acting on her own. Certainly the matter was never discussed with me beyond a barely coherent ranting and raving