"Can we go, captain? Please, please, pretty please?"

"Kaylee, you know, we work before we play."

"But it's practically on the way. And we don't make the pickup 'till Tuesday. It's a weekend thing, see?"

Mal looked at the paper. It was a printed flyer headed " A Swarm of Fireflies." Various subheads and balloons popped out on it. "Owners." "Operators." "Buyers, Sellers." "Parts vendors." "Engineers and Service Techs." "Custom ships and Open Houses." "Food. Drink. Entertainement." "Veterans groups."

They had made a mail pickup, and this had come for Kaylee, from Monte's boat. It had circulated around the ship all day, capturing his attention as it moved from hand to hand, but, until now, at the dinner table, he hadn't gotten a look at it.

"Zoe, what do you think? Veterans groups?"

"Yeah, Mal, a chance to see your old war buddies."

"The Oberlanders are gonna be there. And the 76th."

"Dunno, sir, don't know as I want to be reminded of the things about the war I've managed to forget."

"Captain, look, Monte's gonna be there."

"Huh? His boat ain't even a firefly. What would he be doin' there?"

"Maybe he likes ships. Some people juggle geese."

Mal thought. If Monte was gonna be there, something underground was going on. Maybe a chance to acquire some legal

cargo. Or better, some profitable, illegal cargo.

"Tell ya what. We'll drop by Friday night, see what's going on. Enough fun or entertainment, we'll stay awhile. See

how it goes. But Kaylee-- "

"Yes?"

"This costs me a bunch of coin for the boat, fees and such, it comes outta your share on the next job."

"Shiny, Captain."

********

So they found themselves circling this barren but terraformed asteriod called Calburba. There were bunches of

fireflies, and other ships in parking orbits, and shuttles everywhere. Traffic control was talking to Mal and Wash, as Kaylee

hung around the bridge. On the wave viewscreen was a young man, under a sign that read "This ruttin'job is not that ru