TITLE: "BENEATH THE MASK"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "FIREFLY"

PAIRING: RIVER/MAL.

RATING: PG-13.

STATUS: New. SEQUEL to "TRUTH AND LIES"

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed.

EMAIL: AlisonMDobell@aol.com

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

SUMMARY: "The Captain wants answers, so does Inara.

Simon is distraught with worry and everyone is wondering

what the *diyu* happened to River."

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.

"BENEATH THE MASK"

A "Firefly" story

Written by Alison M. DOBELL

* * * * *

Mal had known the moment he met Inara and she confessed she had supported Unification that she was a spy. Didn't matter a good gorram that the war was over. She was all kinds of subtle about it but watching for his reaction all the same and that was his first clue. Not sure even now that she realised it for what it was. That however improbable it seemed she was putting him on notice. Probably thought he was too rutting *jiandan* to realise it. She certainly seemed by turns to be amused then disparaging. He had liked her assertion that he would rent the shuttle to her and for a quarter less than his asking price. Her confident audacity had impressed him and it did not hurt that she was a mighty fine looking woman. Not that Inara was not all aware of that fact, her being a Companion and all. He could have played out the fiction that he had been given a better offer and just not rented the shuttle to her but he remembered an old saying from Earth-that-was. 'Keep your friends close but your enemies closer'. Plus he was more than a mite curious to find out what the *diyu* she was up to and why she wanted to be on his boat in the first place. Fine woman like that could have her pick of the luxury yachts and cruisers plying their trade in the black. Tempted by the cha