Author's Note: This story takes place about three years after we last saw Serenity and her crew. I welcome feedback.

“The Tall”

The card table had claimed its territory and had become unapproachable. The players would only acknowledge the game in front of them. The surroundings in the saloon were obscured by blackness.

Dr. Simon Tam had the deal. He felt comfortable knowing, in unfamiliar territory, that he was sitting nearly perpendicular to the joint’s front door. Jayne and Wash, his fellow partners, knew the drill and sat to his left. The three had arrived at the saloon separately. No one there had ever met them before, and they each claimed to be individual wanderers passing through town. Few people would play with them otherwise – especially if they mentioned Serenity .

They had two opponents – both sitting to Simon’s right. Tector Bradley was one of their names. He was quiet and thoughtful; hence a very good card player. The other fellow’s name was Durango Hammond; he looked well built and intimidating.

They played five-card stud; a name adopted from an earlier version of the game that was popular on the Earth that was. Roses were tall. Wash would go through every betting interval without dropping. The first card showing for Wash was a rose, then a black, a sea, and another rose.

Durango’s hand looked promising. His first two cards showing were a pair of plums, then came a lemon, and the last card was a plum. Durango appeared to have the best chance of winning with three of a kind showing. Tector, Simon, and Jayne folded upon seeing Durango’s last card. Durango placed his bet in the final interval believing he would take the pot.

His confidence level lowered when Wash saw Durango’s bet and raised it three chips. Wash had a pair of tall cards showing. Durango knew that if Wash’s facedown card was a rose, Wash would take the pot. Three tall cards beat three lesser cards, but three of a kind is too good of a hand to fold unless it is certain to l