Previous chapters include:

Honest Run: Din

Honest Run: Detail

Honest Run: Detachment

Honest Run: Diagnosis

Honest Run: Dance

Honest Run: Dignity

Honest Run

“Wash Warren,” the pilot offered his hand, which the stranger shook quickly…

“Bobby. Who’s this?” the stranger asked, indicating Zoe with a nodding gesture.

Instead, Wash looked at his dinosaur that lay on the cockpit console, also behind him, “Oh, that’s Brutus…”

Zoe smacked him on the shoulder.

“Oh,” Wash smiled widely, “Hehe. That’s my wife, Zoe…”

“Your wife always armed?” One of the strangers noticed.

“Well, as a matter of fact,” Wash thought for a moment, “Yes, usually, she is…” he stepped back, “Brought her own shotgun to the wedding, if you can believe it...” he remembered fondly, “A vision in white… Fully armed…”

“Made for a handy item to confront the objectors,” Zoe said nonplussed.

The man that shook Wash’s hand was a big fella with an easy grin and gray eyes. If he was intimidated by Zoe’s silently violent stance, he showed it none.

“I imagine. Ain’t no need to be overly picky about the security,” he indicated Zoe’s armament, “Keeps people thinking in the right direction of good business instead of bad.”

“You ain’t one of us, Denton,” a weaselly fellow replied from behind him, “I don’t see how you get to speak to us about ‘business.’”

“What about our guns?” the other asked.

“You’re right, Yang,” Bobby addressed the weaselly man, “I’m only here f