The Teaser Pony

By Mikelesq

Concept: The crew of Serenity provides passage for horse with an unusual talent, and a woman from Simon’s past.

Rating: R

Feedback: Please. E-mail Mikelesq@aol.com

Spoilers: For all episodes, including the three unaired episodes. Do NOT read if you’re remaining spoiler free until the DVDs. Takes place approximately three weeks after “Objects in Space,” and presumes that “OiS” was the final episode chronologically.

Legal disclaimers: "Firefly” characters and situations are owned by Joss Whedon and the producers of the show. The story is entirely fiction. Distribute if you like.

Part II

At first, Kaylee thought that the woman approaching on the loading ramp could not have been the same Dr. Brakestone she’d seen at the clinic. Simon had described her accurately. With her hair loose, it did fall to her shoulders, and her skin was quite fair with the grime of the dirt floor clinic washed from her face. She wore a simple white cotton dress, belted with a bright blue silk sash.

“Damn,” Jayne muttered to Kaylee, who stood between him and Wash, as Zoe, Mal, and Inara waited closer to the entrance. “Way you described her, I expected her to be some lou bi. But lookin’ at her...damn!”

“She was all messed up before,” Kaylee sighed. “She must’ve cleaned up for travelling. I guess there are some women who can do a day’s work, then just fluff up and be beautiful.”

“She’s a fine thing if ever there was one,” Jayne said. “And with the doctor stowed below decks, I guess that means any one of us is fair game to get a piece.”

Kaylee’s eyes dropped.

“Hey, Jayne,” Wash said. “Why don’t you go tell the lady doctor that, in just those words? I’ll bet she’ll melt like butter, at such a poetical expression of your admiration.”

“Ain’t you funny,” Jayne mumbled. “Still, someone should carry her bags.”

Jayne trotted over to wait with the Captain.

“Don’t mind him,” Wash told Kaylee. “When he says stupid things, it’s just because he’s a stupid man.”

“He ain’t so dumb,” Kaylee said. “He’s right about her. She’s something. Any guy’d be a fool not to want her. She’s beautiful. And she’s a doctor, so she must be smart and rich and all that. Heck, you have a woman like that on your arm for a spell, nothing else is ever gonna measure up. Ou duan su lian.”

“That’s not true,” Wash argued.

“Yeah, it is,” Kaylee said. “I mean, every time I get inside an arm’s length of Simon, he pulls back like I’ve got plague. Ain’t no other reason, except ‘cause I ain’t on the same level as what he’s had before.”

“Kaylee,” Wash said. “If that’s what’s going through the doctor’s head, then he’s dumber than Jayne. What are the odds of that?”

“I’m open to other explanations,” Kaylee said. “But that just seems to be the way it is.”

At the top of the loading ramp, Mal extended a hand toward Dr. Brakestone.

“Doctor,” Mal said, shaking her hand. “I’m Malcolm Reynolds, Captain of Serenity. This is my first mate, Zoe, and this is....”

“I’m Jayne Cobb,” Jayne said, grabbing the bag from Dr. Brakestone’s hands. “I’ll just take this to the room we got set up for ya. Anything you need, I’m your man. Anything at all.”

“Um, thank you,” Dr. Brakestone replied.

“Yep,” Jayne continued. “You name it. Just holler ‘Jayne,’ and I’ll do whatever....”

“Jayne,” Mal said gravely.

“Oh, right,” Jayne said. “I’ll just get your bag stowed. Hey, see! It works!”

Jayne took a last look at Dr. Brakestone, then hurried off to the catwalk.

“You have your own baggage handler?” Dr. Brakestone asked.

“As of ten minutes ago, apparently,” Mal replied. “Anyway, as I was saying, this is Zoe.”

“Pleasure, Doctor,” Zoe chimed in.

“Please,” Dr. Brakestone said. “Call me Amelia. There’s no need for formality.”

“Oh, and this is Inara,” Mal said. “She’s a companion, rents from us. You’ll be staying in her shuttle for the trip. Figured you’d be a little more comfortable there.”

“Oh, I’d hate to put you out,” Amelia said.

“Oh, not at all,” Inara responded. “I’ll be staying in the crew’s quarters.”

“I really don’t require special accommodations,” Amelia argued.

“Oh, it’s more practical,” Mal said. “The lower decks are full with cargo.”

“I noticed I’m not the only passenger,” Amelia said, gesturing toward Barney’s pen.

“Yeah,” Mal said. “We got ourselves a horse. I thought Kaylee mentioned it.”

“She did say we might be stopping before we reach Iocasta,” Amelia replied. “She was very informative.”

Amelia spied Kaylee standing by the pen next to Wash. Amelia waved to Kaylee, who sighed, then weakly waved back.

“Still,” Amelia continued. “I really don’t mind staying below. I’m sure I can make room for myself.”

“Oh, you don’t want to stay down there,” Inara said. “The cargo is somewhat...well, Mal, you tell her.”

“Um,” Mal said. “Well, it’s...that is, there’s a lot of...you know....”

“Please, Captain Reynolds,” Inara said. “There’s no need to be embarrassed. It’s respectable work. After all, what would the farmers on Atreus do, without the manure you’re bringing to fertilize their crops?”

“Manure,” Mal repeated.

“Manure?” Amelia asked.

“Oh, tons of it,” Inara said. “The lower decks have been outfitted especially for the transport of manure. It’s Captain Reynolds’ specialty.”

“I don’t know that I’d go so far as to say it’s my specialty,” Mal shot back.

“Oh, Captain, don’t be modest,” Inara said. “Mal’s moved more manure between planets than anyone. There are some that have taken to calling him ‘Manure Malcolm.’”

“Not more than once,” Mal growled.

“Well, I can see why you’d need to make, um, adjustments,” Amelia said.

“We are primarily a cargo ship,” Mal said. “If you’d prefer to wait for the next boat to come, we’d understand.”

“That will be unnecessary,” Amelia said. “I’m sure the accommodations will be fine.”

“There’d be no hard feelings,” Mal said. “In fact, given our timetable, it might be best for all concerned if you....”

“I’m afraid I must insist, Captain,” Amelia interrupted. “I’m due for my next rotation on Iocasta within two weeks. I couldn’t possibly take the chance that another ship wouldn’t arrive before then. If I miss the start of my rotation, I’d have to justify that to the Board, and they would of course insist that I report the matter to the Federal authorities.”

“No need for that,” Mal said. “Just presenting options. We’ll be set to take off inside of twenty minutes. Zoe, if you wouldn’t mind showing the doctor to her room.”

“Follow me,” Zoe said.

Zoe walked toward the catwalk, with Amelia trailing close behind.

“Manure?” Mal asked, once Amelia was out of earshot.

“It seemed to fit,” Inara said. “And it seemed a more credible cover story than anything you were about to stammer.”

Before Mal could come up with a reply, Wash and Kaylee walked over to them.

“She buy it?” Wash asked.

“Every word,” Mal answered. “But no sense pushing our luck. Can you get us to Iocasta first, then swing us to Atreus without losing time?”

“We’ll be pushing it,” Wash said. “Burning fuel faster than we’d like. But we can do it.”

“The profit on Barney’s worth a little extra on the overhead,” Mal said. “Kaylee, can the engine run hot awhile?”

“I’ll pat Serenity down with a cold cloth if it’ll get Dr. Brakestone off the ship a half day sooner,” Kaylee responded. “Um, I mean, if it’ll get the deal done right.”

“Alright, let’s get to that,” Mal said. “Kaylee, do what you got to do with the engine. Wash, take us out of the world.”

Wash walked toward the catwalk, and Kaylee headed back to the engine room.

“So we’ll be on Iocasta first?” Inara asked.

“Yep,” Mal said. “We’ll get there in about two days time, then head to Atreus.”

“You’ll have to pick me up on Iocasta after you deliver the horse,” Inara said. “I...I have work.”

“Oh,” Mal said. “Uh, yeah. Well, that shouldn’t be a problem.”

“It’s only for a half day,” Inara said.

“Not a problem,” Mal said. “I’m just surprised you found a client, this far out on the Rim.”

“He owns the plastics mill,” Inara explained. “He must be parting with a month’s profit.”

“Yeah, well, wouldn’t want to disappoint him,” Mal said, turning and walking away.

“Mal,” Inara called.

Mal stopped, but did not turn to face Inara.

“Look,” Inara said. “If it’s too much trouble for you to come back, I can cancel the....”

“No trouble,” Mal muttered. “Just a short leg on a long trip. Besides, you won’t be troubling us much longer, now, will you?”

Mal waited for Inara to answer. When she didn’t, he continued walking toward the stairs.

-----------------------

“She’s got it in her head that there’s a load of manure down here,” Jayne said, dropping a box of food packets in the corner of the room. “That’ll keep her from wandering below decks.”

“Sounds like we’ll be safe,” Simon said, pacing the floor in front of the bed where River sat up, rifling through the box that Kaylee had brought back to Serenity.

“These don’t belong together,” River mumbled, pulling a locket from the box. “Mrs. Cole’s necklace cannot be with Mr. Pender’s collar stays. Mr. Pender becomes furious when women prattle about the weather and such nonsense.”

“I’d keep her quiet,” Jayne warned. “Manure don’t send crazy talk echoing through the vents.”

“She’ll be fine,” Simon said. “Mela won’t ever know....Jayne?”

“What?”

“How...how did she look?” Simon asked.

“Ruttin’ amazing,” Jayne replied. “A little skinny for my tastes, but still a gorram fine woman if there ever was one. She ain’t fat or wrinkled or nothin’, if that’s your question.”

“You might find this hard to believe, but it wasn’t,” Simon sighed. “What I meant was, did she look...happy?”

“Can’t speak on that,” Jayne said. “Course, fine lady like that can’t be too pleased out here. Speaking of which, let me ask you a question. This lady of yours, well, she ain’t no more, is she?”

“What?”

“Ain’t yours,” Jayne said. “You took off, so I figure all’s fair, if another fella were to find a window of opportunity, if, you know, the fella...took it.”

Simon closed his eyes, and shook is head.

“Jayne,” Simon said. “Do you have a deck of cards?”

“Why?”

“From past experience, I thought it best to ask before I reacted to your incredible lack of anything resembling decorum!”

“Whatever,” Jayne said. “Normally I’d tell you what a prissy little...priss...you are, but I must admit, Doctor, you have risen some in my estimation. Seein’ the tail you used to score back when you were all rich and respectable like, heck, makes me wonder if I should have taken a crack at some book learnin’ my own self.”

“Ugh,” Simon groaned. “You are...she wasn’t just...it wasn’t like that!”

“Huh?” Jayne grunted. “What you mean? You ain’t sayin’ you never tapped that barrel? ‘Cause then my estimation would fall right back down.”

“Of course we...I’m not discussing this with you!”

“They had plans,” River said, her voice low, her eyes cast into the box on her lap. “This is a box full of plans. There’s a trade in plans and dreams and intentions. The exchange is seldom favorable. The prettiest, shiniest plans...sometimes you get nothing but a bed on a ship to nowhere.”

“River,” Simon said. “It’s not...you can’t blame yourself for....”

“Merely observations,” River replied. “Just impressions, still unclear. When I know more, I’ll share.”

River’s attention returned to the box in her lap. Simon swallowed, searching for words. None came.

“Anyways,” Jayne said. “Going back to what we were talking about before, let’s say, next couple of days, the lady starts to feel a little lonesome out here in the black, and....”

“Will you please just leave?” Simon groaned.

“Fine,” Jayne said, sliding the door open. “Just seemed reasonable to me. Ain’t that much opportunity out here for a guy to get his play. If it was some woman that had me hiding out down here, I’d tell you to have a xing jie chu if you had a clear shot.”

“It wasn’t like that,” Simon said, forcing his tone to stay low as Jayne walked out of the room and slid the door closed.

Simon drew a deep breath and leaned against the far wall of the room. River was still sitting on the bed, engrossed in the box of trinkets. There was only one bed, and Simon wasn’t tired. The packaged food was even less appetizing than the mush in the galley, and Simon wasn’t hungry.

And, of course, Jayne had forgotten to leave a deck of cards.

Simon sighed, then whispered to no one:

“It wasn’t like that at all.”

----------------------

Osiris, Unification Day, 2515

“And here we are,” Amelia said, opening the door to the hotel suite and touching the pad on the wall that turned on the lights.

“Very nice,” Simon said, following Amelia into the room, and casually wrapping his arm around her waist.

“It should be,” Amelia replied. “It costs my father a fortune to keep this room rented for clients.”

“I suppose the sixth largest shipping magnate in the ‘verse can well afford it,” Simon observed.

“Fifth,” Amelia corrected. “Horatio Pandrake got caught shipping pistol ammunition out to the Rim without papers. He lost half of his trading permits.”

“Unbelievable,” Simon said. “Taking all that risk to move contraband. Can you believe what some people will do for a little money?”

“Simon,” Amelia said, pulling away. “Your righteous moral outrage is usually one of your more attractive features. However, tonight we have attended one of the most extravagant parties in the history of this planet. The wine, the music, and the fireworks were all exquisite, and you never smiled once. And now we’re able to enjoy absolute privacy, without the prying eyes of my father, your father, or anyone’s father for that matter. The least you could do is mention my dress.”

Amelia opened her arms and quickly spun around, a silent wave of green gossamer and white silk spinning with her.

“Very nice,” Simon said.

“Nice,” Amelia repeated. “Nice. Just what a girl wants to hear. You’re lucky that your talent for understatement is also among your more attractive qualities.”

“I’m sorry,” Simon said. “I’ve just been a little preoccupied lately.”

“Of course you are,” Amelia said, walking to Simon and encircling his waist with her arms. “I know it’s hard. But your residency is nearly over, and the hours will become much more....”

“It’s not that,” Simon said, reaching his own arms around Amelia. “I’ve just been, I don’t know....”

“Well, Doctor,” Amelia said, pulling an arm away from Simon’s waist and reaching up to loosen his tie. “I may only be a lowly internal medicine student who took the normal two years to finish her internship, but why don’t we see if there’s anything Doctor Brakestone can do to make you feel better?”

“Well, Mela, I guess I’m your patient,” Simon whispered, his mouth spreading into a gentle smile.

“Don’t call me that,” she said, giving Simon’s tie a playful tug. “It makes me sound like I’m a child. You know I hate it when you call me that.”

“Maybe I just want a reaction, Mela?” Simon teased, lowering his head toward Amelia’s lips.

“You may not like the one you get,” Amelia warned, a sly grin crossing her face.

“I’ll take my chances,” Simon murmured.

Amelia released her hand from Simon’s tie, reached around to the back of his neck, and pulled him closer for a kiss....

...as a small plastic disc in Simon’s jacket pocket began to chirp.

“Bu fang bian,” Simon groaned.

“You’d better check it,” Amelia said, pulling away. “It may be the hospital.”

“They have three other surgeons on call,” Simon grumbled, pulling the disc from his pocket and walking over to the computer on the desk against the wall. “At least your clinic doesn’t page you on holidays.”

“Oh, they still might,” Amelia said. “There’s been a horrible outbreak of Bistayne’s Disease in the fringe district.”

“Do you still think medicine can save humanity?” Simon said, inserting the disc into the computer’s data slot and waiting for the text to load.

“Doctors can save humanity,” Amelia replied. “One patient at a time. You taught me that.”

“Really?” Simon said, grinning. “Do I sound that sanctimonious? Because if I....”

Simon’s voice trailed off as he read the text that had appeared on the screen.

“Well?” Amelia asked.

“I’ve received a Post delivery,” Simon said. “It’s from River. It will be delivered to my parents’ home tomorrow.”

“A Post? Since when does the Post Service send private pages?”

“Since I paid the Post Officer at the Delivery Center twenty credits,” Simon answered.

“Simon!” Amelia gasped. “That’s...I mean, isn’t that...illegal?”

“It’s a favor,” Simon said, his eyes still fixed on the screen. “Nothing will come of it.”

“But, why?”

“Amelia, I haven’t heard from River in almost a year. I’ve sent her letter after letter, with no reply, and I’ve been sending waves to the Academy for months. I was starting to think....”

“Think what?” Amelia asked.

“I don’t know what to think,” Simon said. “I just want to know that she’s all right.”

“She’s probably just engrossed in her studies,” Amelia replied.

“Which makes it all the more suspect,” Simon said. “Trust me, every piece of knowledge that River gains is another opportunity for her to show off her intelligence, and to tell me, ‘Simon, you’re a dummy.’ You know what a brat she can be about that sort of thing.”

“She’s sixteen,” Amelia said. “Maybe she’s homesick, or smitten with some boy, or in some kind of trouble at school. But if there was anything seriously wrong, you would have heard something.”

“Something seriously wrong is the only reason not to hear.”

“And now you have heard,” Amelia said. “So everything must be fine.”

Amelia raised her eyebrows, and cocked her head to one side.

“I suppose that makes sense,” Simon admitted.

“Of course it does,” Amelia said. “Look, you’ve got a letter waiting for you. It will be there in the morning. You’ll read it. You’ll feel better. You’ll write her back with admissions of your foolish concerns. She’ll write you back to tell you, yet again, that you’re a dummy. And all will be right in the ‘verse.”

Simon bit his lip, shook his head, and smiled.

“You’re right,” Simon sighed.

“Of course I’m right,” Amelia said. “Kun huo, Simon, you’re really something. Here we are on Unification Day, celebrating four years of justice and peace and prosperity for all mankind. And you’re so distracted, because your sister’s too busy to be a pest, that you haven’t even take the time to make proper love to me.”

Simon smirked, and walked over to Amelia.

“I suppose I have been neglecting you,” Simon said, cupping Amelia’s cheek in one hand, and unfastening a button on the side of her gown with the other.

“I’ll bet you haven’t even thought of my birthday,” Amelia purred, reaching for the buckle of Simon’s belt.

“Two weeks from Thursday,” Simon whispered, releasing another button, then sliding a hand underneath the silk of Amelia’s dress.

“Still haven’t bought me anything, I’m sure,” Amelia breathed, as Simon’s thumb traced tiny circles on her bottom lip.

“I was thinking of a new cryoscope,” Simon mumbled, undoing the final button that sent Amelia’s gown slithering to the floor.

"Ai ya, Simon,” Amelia grunted, grasping Simon’s shirt and pulling him down to the floor. “I’m your fiance, not your lab partner. Get me something pretty.”

“Whatever you say, Mela,” Simon replied, lowering his head to kiss the nape of her neck.

Amelia shuddered as she felt the warmth of Simon’s lips on her skin, and moaned:

“Don’t call me that....”

----------------------

“Don’t you call me that!” Marsh yelled, poking the barrel of his rifle out of the ranch house window and firing two shots. “Damn you, Frank Stallings, you call me that again and I’ll put a hole in you that’ll...!”

Marsh was cut off by two shots that struck the window frame. He crouched for cover.

“Johnny Marsh, I called you a coward and a crook!” Stallings shouted to the window, as he knelt behind the corner of the corral. “And this tin star on my chest says I can call you what I gorram well please while I shoot at your crooked, coward ass!”

Marsh quickly checked his ammunition, then looked toward Dusty and Eddie as they crouched at the window on the opposite wall, and asked:

“How many you figure?”

“Counting Sheriff Stallings, I count six,” Dusty replied.

“Figures he’d bring a posse,” Eddie mumbled.

“Who you think tipped him off?” Dusty asked.

“Don’t know, don’t care,” Marsh said, springing up long enough to fire two quick shots, then dropping fast enough to avoid the volley of gunfire that followed. “The pony’s airborne, and I wasn’t planning to stay on this rock longer than it took for the deal to go down.”

“Hang on,” Eddie said, squinting out the window. He waited a moment, then lifted his rifle and fired a single shot. An instant later, he fell and screamed as a bullet caught his arm.

“Eddie!” Dusty howled, as his brother clutched his wounded arm.

“I’m alright,” Eddie groaned. “Just a graze. I saw Wally Morgan tryin’ to steal his way to the side door. I more’n grazed him, and judgin’ by his fall, I’d say he’s stayin’ down.”

Marsh and Dusty exchanged solemn looks. A line had been crossed. A man with a badge was dead.

“Perfect,” Marsh grumbled. “Just perfect. What the hell else can go wrong?”

At that moment, the comm rod in Marsh’s pocket chirped.

“Hell,” Marsh growled, dropping his rifle, pulling his pistol from its holster with his right hand, and fishing the comm out of his jacket with his left. After a burst of gunfire shattered the glass of the window, he lifted the comm to his ear and shouted:

“What?”

“It’s me,” a voice from the comm replied. “We’ve got a problem.”

“Pritchard!” Marsh hollered. “I’ve got a lawman’s blood on my dirt, and there’s five more just like him lookin’ to put lead under my skin! Your problem can wait!”

“It’s Serenity,” Pritchard calmly continued. “She’s off course.”

“She’s what!?” Marsh exclaimed, as a shot passed over his head and shattered a vase that rested on the mantle of the fireplace.

“Hang on,” Marsh sighed, as he stood up, thrust his pistol out the window, and fired five rapid shots into the side of the corral, sending a cluster of splinters flying from the wooden wall. A careful sixth shot tore through the damaged wall, striking Frank Stallings and sending him to the ground.

Marsh pivoted away from the window, stood flat against the wall, and said:

“Dusty, I just evened the odds a piece. Take that no-account brother of yours outside and finish this.”

“What?” Dusty cried. “Are you touched? There’s still four lawmen out there!”

“And I’m in here,” Marsh said as raised his pistol, pointing it at the two men. “And I’ll conclude your journey through this ‘verse if you don’t get your tails out there and get this done. Figure the odds, and I think you’ll see clear to do what I say.”

Dusty took a moment, figuring the odds. Marsh had the drop on them, and Eddie was nursing an arm graze on top of that. Even if they got lucky with Marsh, they’d still have to deal with the posse outside, and with one deputy killed, surrender was not an option.

Dusty looked over to his brother, who shrugged. Dusty set his jaw, then kicked open the back door and ran out into the open. Eddie followed close behind.

“Now what’s this about that gorram ship?” Marsh shouted over the hail of gunfire erupting outside.

“We’ve got it on the scope,” Pritchard said. “It’s not on its way to Atreus. Looks like it’s headed toward Iocasta. Think that Reynolds fella caught on?”

“Doubt it,” Marsh said, walking over to the far wall and taking a quick peek out the window. Eddie’s corpse was sprawled on the ground, but judging from the two bodies by the hay bales, he’d managed to give worse than he got before he went down. Dusty crouched by the hitching post, trading shots with two deputies behind the water pump.

“He probably found another buyer,” Marsh continued, walking back to open the front door. “Can’t have that.”

“We could hail him,” Pritchard said. “Let him know the real cargo. Give him a cut.”

“He’d never go for it,” Marsh said, walking out of the door toward Sheriff Stallings, who was weakly crawling toward the pistol that had fallen from his holster. “He’s got a streak of nobility that can be strong and problematical. Can you beat him to Iocasta?”

“Not as hard as they’re burning,” Pritchard said.

“Hold a spell,” Marsh said into the comm, as he stood over Stallings and observed the man’s struggle. Marsh’s bullet had pierced the Sheriff’s chest and exited through his back, but Stallings continued his vain attempt to reach his gun.

“Well, ain’t you tough,” Marsh observed, as he aimed his pistol at Stalling’s head. “Still in all, you should have stuck to chasin’ strays.”

Marsh pulled the trigger, and Stalling’s body slumped to the ground. Marsh turned and lifted the comm back to his ear.

“Drop back,” Marsh instructed, walking back to the house. “Get in their wake so they don’t spot you. If they land on Iocasta, scare up some local talent and get the horse back. No sense taking heed of appearances at this point.”

“Pony’s no good full of holes,” Pritchard argued.

“Then be sure that you don’t put any holes in the pony,” Marsh said, as he walked inside. “Just in anyone that stands in your way of him.”

“Even Reynolds?”

“Especially Reynolds. Mix in revengeful with noble, strong, and problematical, and you got a man I have no inclination to see again. Take care of it.”

“On it,” Pritchard said, cutting the transmission.

Marsh shoved the comm rod back into his pocket, then took a peek out the back window. Another deputy lay dead on the ground. Dusty was wounded in both legs and his left shoulder, but he was still trading shots with the final deputy crouched at the well.

Marsh walked out of the back door. Both Dusty and the deputy froze for a moment as he emerged. That moment was enough time for Marsh to level his pistol and fire a single shot into the lawman’s neck. As the deputy fell, Dusty heaved a sigh of relief, then grimaced as the silence allowed him to become aware of the pain from his wounds.

“Well, that’s done,” Marsh said. “Now, if we can just get that ruttin’ pony on the way to where it’s supposed to go, we’ll be just fine.”

“The pony?” Dusty gasped, grabbing the wooden rail of the hitching post and struggling to his feet. “What happened?”

“A complication,” Marsh grumbled. “I hate complications. You know the one thing I hate worse than complications?”

“What’s that?” Dusty mumbled.

“Loose ends,” Marsh replied, as he lifted his pistol and fired a bullet into Dusty’s chest. The force of the shot sent Dusty reeling over the rail.

Marsh stepped over Dusty’s corpse as he made his way to the storm cellar. Under the cellar’s floor boards, in three pieces, was a single-man shuttle-skiff that could be assembled in under an hour. It was old and uncomfortable, designed only for use as an escape vehicle on orbital platforms. However, with the fuel Marsh had concealed among the pesticide canisters, it could break out of the atmosphere and get to the refuelling station at Vespa. From there, the craft could easily reach Atreus in time to close the deal on the horse.

END PART II

a/n: "Ou duan su lian” is a Chinese idiom, meaning that the past affects the present. The literal translation: "The plant is plucked, but the roots hold."