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.

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Prologue

“It’s gone!?”

“Couldn’t be helped, Mal,” Johnny Marsh said, grabbing the reins of a mare in his large, rough hands and leading it out of its stall.

“How figure?” Mal argued, trailing behind Marsh as he led the mare out of the stables to the corral. “The gorram stud didn’t break into a hard gallop and jump to Xanthus!”

“Another ship came in two days ago,” Marsh replied. “About the time you were supposed to. You were late. They were here. So I gave them the job.”

“Alright,” Mal said. “First, I’m not late. I said I’d be here in four days, all conditions permitting. Conditions did not permit, due to no misstep or neglect on my part. I said I’d be here in six days on the outside, and that’s today. I went a good bit out of my way to get here, just to hit orbit and hear that the deal’s no good. So now I’ve got my crew beating the bush in town to scrape up cargo and passengers just to cover our fuel costs, and you’re telling me that it’s because you hired the first ren yi ship that came along to ferry your prize stallion to Xanthus!?”

“Will you calm yourself?” Marsh sighed, removing the bridle from the mare. “I wanted to use you. We go back, and you do good work. But with two thousand platinum coming from the sale of that stud, I couldn’t afford to let sentiment and goodwill get in the way of opportunity and c