The Price Paid—Chapter 5

All rights and customary disclaimers in favor of Mutant Enemy. Once again, please critique as liberally as your conscience allows, it won’t hurt my feelings and might make the story better. Please do not archive without permission

This is the next chapter in the story of how they got from Serenity Valley into the black. Finally, a bar fight and lots of baths, even a meal with some real food in it! Thanks again to Archer for his valuable editorial contribution.

Chinese Glossary

Ni bu gan kai ni de hwang chiang [You must not talk so nastily]

Nah mei guan sh [That has nothing to do with it]

Wo de tien ah [Dear God in Heaven]

Dong ma [understand]

pofu [bitch]

Qu ni de [up yours]

ho-tze de pigu [monkey’s ass]

húndàn [asshole/bastard]

Bi zui [shut up]Shenme [What?]

CHAPTER 5—ALL IN CAGES

PRESENT DAY

It was getting on for supper when, shopping done, they headed to the doss. The streets and alleys, never savory, were taking on a distinctly threatening aspect. Zoe was glad they had already strapped on the weapons. They found The Pilot’s Wife, it was a small hostel that catered to the quieter space crews, a small bar and café with clean quiet rooms above. If you wanted to raise hell you were expected to do it elsewhere. They checked in at the desk to find Mike and Rafe had dropped their bags and gone out again. Zoe saw Mal lean across the counter to drop a quiet word in the clerk’s ear but couldn’t hear what he said before accepting the key.

They were on the third story. There was no lift so they walked up. As they entered Zoe realized what Mal must have been asking the desk clerk. Her lips curled into a smile as she saw that the room had separate beds and its own bath, with an honest to God tub, deep enough to actually soak in!

There was mischief in her smile as she said “Separate beds and a tub, If I didn’t know better I’d say you were trying to tell me somet