The two Brown-coats picked their way through the crowd of silk vendors, caged animals and vegetable carts that made up the central avenue of Persephone's Eavesdown shopping district near the spaceport. Dust kicked up all around them as patrons shuffled from stall to stall looking for goods to buy, sell or trade. The air was dry and the sun hot, but a constant breeze off the northern slopes made the day bearable.
The spaceport itself was situated along a cliff edge overlooking a high dessert to the south. The market surrounded the port to the north and west. Goods came here from off world to the market and came to the market from all around to be shipped off world. By itself this market made Persephone an economic crossroads connecting the resources of the outer rim to the core.
A small city of shipping containers sprung up around the port, making the shantytown of Eavesdown to the west. Just down the dusty road was the borough of Southdown with its olive groves, small low shaker buildings and Abbey, while up the road to the north the structures became more sturdy and permanent. This is where the business district was, with its high-rise metal and glass structures, the hospital's antiseptic white composite and the municipal center. Beyond that was a commercial section, the Tarrydown parklands and the posh residential houses of Landsdown sprawling north to the foothills.
The Landsdown spaceport stood at the far end with its towering antiseptic launch pads and richly appointed ships. The two sides of the Downs could not be more different, a testament to the dichotomy that was Persephone. The rich on one side, Inara's world, and the struggling on the other. This was the world Mal found himself in, the world he felt more comfortable in.
"Tao zi! Tao zi! Dan Dan!" A vendor's cries drifted above the general crowd noise. "Peaches, Eggs"
Zoe and Mal talked casually as they wove their way through the market, occasionally stopping to look at a random trinket and make sure they were not being followed. A raucous puppet show entertained some children two stalls down, just across from a vendor selling fresh dog meat and some kind of fried bugs. All part of the carnival of this shantytown. Mal liked it here. He could fit in, get lost, but more than that. He liked the chaos of life. It seemed more like – living.
"What about Zhou?" Mal asked, examining an apple carefully.
"Dead Sir."
"Dead? When did that happen? He tossed the apple back on the pile.
"Ka li ji, Ka, Ma-ling-shu," called another vendor as he tried to get Mal's attention. He held out a ladle full of something that was supposed to be curry chicken with potatoes, but Mal doubted it was really chicken. He just waved his hands and shook his head. He had a mild aversion to eating someone's former pet.
"Last year," Zoe answered scanning the crowd, "Could this be Niska?" She suggested in turn. "I think he might still be harboring a grudge."
The two turned down a small alley, no more than a gap between two buildings made up of several stacked shipping containers. This was the way to Badger's place and it was usually adorned with a few large men with large weapons. Today, however, it was unoccupied. Perhaps they were later than Mal thought, later than Badger was willing to wait.
"Niska's in Lundium laying low I heard." Mal pointed out, casing the alley suspiciously. "And this is not Niska's style. He'd want to look in my eyes while I twisted."
"What about Atherton Wig?" Zoe continued. "You didn't exactly part on the best of terms."
"Didn't know we were coming and even if he did, no local would have followed River down to the moon like that. Less he was crazy. It had to be an off-worlder, someone that didn't know."
"Sanistas?" Zoe offered.
"That was their kindda crazy." Mal admitted.
As they reached the weathered door at the end of the alley the din of the bustling market faded behind them diminishing to a dull murmur. The two looked back up the empty alley cautiously. No one was following them.
"Perhaps Badger can shed some light on this." Mal said.
"Sir." Zoe stood firm and tall, as she always did when challenging the captain's train of thought. "We shouldn't rule out that the G8 was Alliance. Federal."
"Not aware that I had." He replied. "I'm sure there are thems that still hold a grudge."
Mal stopped mid knock, looking at a notice posted on the door. The large yellow and red sign, written in Chinese, read 'building of poor quality and off limits' and was accompanied by standard municipal barrier tape of the same colors.
"Condemned?" He half laughed.
"Condemned, Sir." Zoe confirmed.
Mal stared in a cross taped window, wiping a small circle in the grime to make it clear enough to see through. A desk and chairs were still in the places he remembered and the door to the inner office stood ajar. The shadow of a ceiling fan turned inside, flashing across the floor just visible through the gap in the portal, telling him that Badger's office was still in use, but currently empty.
"Now what is that slimy bastard up to?" Mal muttered as he tested the knob. "He knew we were coming."
As they stood outside the abandoned building a small metal sphere bounced down the alley and came to rest at their feet. The flashing green light had just turned to yellow, reflecting in Zoe's big brown eyes. Solid red would be the next stage, she knew that for sure, but neither wanted to be around for that. Zoe grabbed the captain by the coat and pushed. The two crashed through the window and into the abandoned room moments before the fiery explosion blew the remaining glass into the chamber around them.
"Wah de ma tee wuh duh pee-goo!" Mal yelled in a growing rumble.
"Grenade." Zoe announced, explaining the obvious.
"Badger!"
The two soldiers rose from the debris, shaking glass out of their hair and brushing rubble from their cloths. The rules of war came back to them quickly. As the ringing in their ears slowly subsided they made for the inner office looking for cover. Weapons in hand, they came into the room low. Zoe covered back and left, Mal cleared forward and right, but the room was empty.
"Clear." Mal said, moving to the desk.
The office desk lamp was on and the surface covered with the papers of Badger's dealings, but Badger was nowhere to be seen. The back door stood open in a way that indicated the occupants had left in a hurry. It was most unlike Badger to leave his office in such a state, unguarded and unlocked unless there was a pressing and imminent reason.
Top most on the pile of random work papers and forged contracts was a small black box. The lid had been dropped to the floor and it lay open. Inside was a single folded paper flower, black as the box itself. A lotus. The two brown-shirts looked at each other, neither understanding.
"He's obviously not comfortable being around us." Mal said, pointing to the door.
"Can't imagine why, sir." Zoe picked another piece of glass from her hair. "Seein as we're so popular and all."
On the end of the table was scrawled small sheet with the words. 'MANDY'S, Dinner, 16:82.' Mal held the paper up for Zoe to see.
"Early dinner?" Mal suggested.
"We best be going, sir. Folks are starting to take notice." She pointed to the alley they'd come from. "Back way might be best."
"Seein as we're so popular and all." He agreed.
3