Wash…Marriage had changed him in a good way but deep down he was the same old 12 year old he’d always been. Wash was right…this place as noisy filthy and smelly as it was really was a vacation spot for the likes of them. She tugged on a mech cap tight and headed off into the streets of filled with stalls and shops for parts vendors. If it had engine and a part that could fall off, rust or be shot off this was the place were it could be found, bought and fixed. She had a long list the recent train job and sabotage by Mal’s nefarious wife had left the serenity hurting. So many times as she had been patching the Serenity she had promised the ship the bright and shiny parts she was going to retool her with if only she held on a little longer. She cursed herself how much longer could she afford to patch Serenity’s hurts with promises and hope. Mal would need to find them a bigger score soon if they wanted to have a ship to do shipping jobs. Funds have been so short that lately Mal, Wash and Kaylee had all forgone their shares in order barely refit the essentials. Only the 3 of them really new what kind of trouble they could be in for if they encountered any trouble in the future. Stress cracks were starting to find their way into some of the strongest part of the ship. Welding plates over them aren’t going to keep working they needed replacement. This was not that kind of run this was strictly a tubes and wire run. But she was always on the look out for a bargain at the very least to talk a dealer into holding a part for her until she could get the money. Had her worries not gotten the best of her she may have noticed that someone was tailing her.

The door of the bar had swung wide as Wash stepped through exclaiming “There is no mistaking a bar like Lonigans!!!”

“’Cept this ain’t Lonigans no more.” Grumbled the stout man behind the bar as he chawed his cigar.

“Pardon me? Its been Lonigans bar for nearly 9 years…I been coming here even before I was allowed to be I n this bar. “Lonnigans” is a name of history…why I ran from my first fight in this bar!” railed Wash

“Well, like I said it’s not Lonigans…He lost it in a poker game. The place is called ‘Smileys’ now. “the man behind the bar seem to grow more irritated by Wash’s behavior.

“Smileys!!!??? Smileys? What a dumb name for a bar…” the bar keeps brow furrowed even more as Wash realized…”unless your name…is…Smiley. Oh…crap”.

Chapter 3

The man tailing Kaylee was good. She hadn’t noticed him at all until the flat nub of his revolver dug into her side as he took a firm hold of her arm. “You’ll want to come along quietly with me. I’m sure you would rather not attract any alliance attention.” She already knew before he had to look. Bounty hunter. They were more abundant here than any other planet in the system. Many times they were captains doing whatever they could to fund a repair on ship so they could get off this rock. It was the dirty secret of this place many of the mechs and pilots were nearly indentured servants here. Doing whatever they could to pay off their docking fees for ships that would never leave the planet at least not under their command. They would slowly trade off parts until they would finally take a loan off some underworld boss…then they would try to slip out under the cover of night and usually be killed in the process. It was almost a math equation. So that’s who this guy was most likely. Some down on his luck captain. She found it hard to hate him for it…but the gun in her side helped. She could easily see Mal, Wash and her all in a similar situation. Maybe that’s what scared her even more than the gun. But above all…he was right she’d rather take her chances with him than some Alliance major who’d be out to make a name by busting part of the Mal’s crew and grabbing their ship. Oh god…if they grab the ship. Oh god…Oh god. Might as well shoot me now because Mal would certainly do it if he lost that ship. Luckily…her captor had made his move in a fairly public place and with her hand already in her pocket. Her communicator. Wash. Pray that he’s sober. She began tapping the “alert” button.

Meanwhile across the depot. Wash’s communicator began to flash. This would have been all well and good if it was on him. In fact it was slung over the back his chair at a poker table covered with all sorts of denominations of cash, several parts receipts and in one small blue folder supposedly the radio frequency of the command circle of the alliance. Wash tilted back in his chair…savoring his cigar. Smiley…well, Smiley was sweating if his luck kept up the bars name would be “Wash’s” soon. Smiley made his play…3 queens. Wash’s eyes flashed with surprise. A wide grin spread across Smileys sparse toothed mouth. “OH…that beats my 2 pair. But did I happen to mention they were 2 pair of Aces! That’s right 4 Aces…Good night!” He stood and reached for his vest and immediately saw it flashing. Oh no…how long had it been going off? Kaylee…was in trouble. He was on the streak of his life and Kaylee could be hurt…kidnapped. Anything. He began scooping up his winnings he’d knew he’d need them if there was one thing that was better than a gun here it was cash he stuffed a pile of receipts in his pocket. These prepaid items could be picked up later. He zipped the frequency book in his pocket. He doubted the codes would work but they passed a few outposts on the way here and it would be good for a joke on the way home. He cursed himself and hurried past a flustered Smiley who sat spitting out a stream of obscenities and protestations about cheating. Wash pushed past him and out into the smoky streets. Dawn was coming. What should he do? He rubbed his hand through his greasy, red, mop hair. What should he do? Try to pick up a lead from one of the stores Kaylee was supposed to stop at. Should he get back and check on the ship and try to get a message to Mal. Or should he try contacting some of the shadier types of this town and hope to buy some information or even hire a gun. Lets face it. Wash was a pilot. Mal, Zoe and Jayne they were the action types, he was the fly in and get the hell out type. He thought that he should get back to the ship and try to get a message to Mal. He had a few pilot friends that were headed in Mal’s direction and they could get word to them. He could figure out the rest after that.