Easy job. Just dropping off some supplies to a few outlying farms from where they’d parked Serenity, Mal had split the crew to make the job simpler. River and Jayne took the hover to the furthest homestead, while Zoe and Hank were delegated the closest, within walking distance.

“Aw, Mal, why don’t we just take the shuttle?” Jayne complained. “Be a hell of a lot quicker.”

“You don’t want the opportunity to spend some quality time together away from the ship?” Mal asked, a twinkle in his eye.

River put her hand on the big man’s arm and he quietened down as it occurred to him that maybe the captain was right. He grinned as his woman dropped a thought into his brain.

“Yeah, well, maybe could be fun,” he said, and laughed throatily.

“What about the Conrad place?” Zoe asked, studiously ignoring him.

“Oh, Frey and me’ll take that one. Use the old mule. It’s a nice day for a ride.”

And it was easy. The Conrads were pleased with the delivery, and insisted Mal and Freya stay for a meal, and it was getting on in the afternoon by the time they started back.

Freya looked into the sky and raised her eyebrows. “Looks like it’s going to rain.” Clouds were gathering on the horizon.

“We’ll be fine,” Mal said, smiling at her as he negotiated a pothole.

“Only they’re coming along really quickly.” She pulled her jacket closer around herself as a cool wind began to play with her hair.

“Don’t worry.” He patted her knee.

Five minutes later the mule stuttered to a halt.

“Well?”

Mal tried starting the engine again, adjusted the fuel mix, and tried once more. There was nothing, not even a whisper of noise.

“Huh.”

“That’s not exactly the word I’d use.”

“We … uh, seem to have run out of gas.”

“Really.”

“Not quite sure how that happened. Permaybehaps we’ve got a leak.”

“More than likely.”

The tone of her voice made him glare at her. “You suggesting I did this deliberate?”

“Would I do that?”

“Sure sounds like it.”

“Well, you’d better call Serenity and get us