Passengers

You're gonna come with us!

Cast · Intro · Act 1 · Act 2 · Act 3 · Act 4 · Act 5 · Act 6 · Epilogue

 

Guest Cast

 

Intro

Cry, Baby Cry!

Transcribed:	Shrift
Written:	Joss Whedon
Directed:	Joss Whedon
Aired:	December 20, 2002

EXT. SERENITY VALLEY - NIGHT

We come into the middle of a battle. Soldiers are yelling and running, gunfire everywhere, stuff blowing up but good.

Camera focuses on a soldier in the silhouette of an explosion, running and dodging fire. He hits the dirt for cover. We PUSH IN and see that it's Mal. His face is dirty and he's breathing hard.

Mal's up again and running to rejoin his company in a makeshift foxhole.

RADIO OPERATOR

Sergeant, Command says air support is holding till they can assess our status.

MAL

Our status is that we need some gorram air support. Now get back on line and tell 'em to get in here.

ZOE

That skiff is shredding us, sir.

RADIO OPERATOR

They won't move without a lieutenant's authorization code, sir.

Angry, Mal walks over and rips off the badge from a dead Lieutenant's uniform and gives it to the Radio Operator.

MAL

Here, here's your code. You're Lieutenant Baker. Congratulations on your promotion. Now get me some air support!

(to Zoe)

Pull back, just enough to wedge 'em in here. Get your squad to high ground, start picking 'em off.

ZOE

High ground is death with that skiff in the air.

MAL

That's our problem. Thanks for volunteering.

(to Bendis)

Bendis, give us some cover fire. We're going duck hunting.

The foxhole is rocked by a huge explosion. Mal's group of soldiers are looking pretty young and scared. Time for a morale boost:

MAL

Just focus!

(beat)

The Alliance said they were gonna waltz through Serenity Valley and we choked 'em with those words. We've done the impossible and that makes us mighty. Just a little while longer, our angels are gonna be soaring overhead raining fire on those arrogant Khang, so you hold!

(yelling)

You hold! Go!

His soldiers take up their positions to lay down cover fire while Mal and Zoe prepare to take down the skiff.

ZOE

Really think we can bring her down, sir?

MAL

Do you even need to ask?

Mal pulls a necklace out from under his shirt and kisses the cross.

MAL

Ready?

ZOE

Always.

Mal takes off. Zoe prepares to follow, sees that no one's covering Mal.

ZOE

Bendis? Bendis!

She sees Bendis huddled across from her, scared stiff.

ZOE (angrily)

Rut it.

Zoe grunts and stands up, laying cover fire for Mal as he moves down the hill. After a moment, she follows Mal down the hill, taking cover with him behind some boulders. Mal fires into the bushes, causing the soldier guarding a big-ass gun to move out of his cover and return fire. Mal shoots him dead.

Mal activates the big-ass gun's targeting system while Zoe covers him. Mal locks a target on the skiff that's been killing them in the battle and fires. He makes a direct hit and stands back from the bigass gun.

MAL (manly grunt)

Yeah!

Then Mal realizes that the skiff is outta control... and headed right for him. Oh, shit. Mal starts running.

MAL

Zoe!

Mal and Zoe run as the skiff hits the ground and plows past them, exploding. Mal and Zoe hit the ground flat on their backs. Mal starts laughing. Zoe looks long-suffering.

ZOE (entering foxhole, to Bendis)

Nice cover fire.

MAL

Did you see that? Green, what's our status on...

Mal trails off as he realizes Green is pretty damn wounded, possibly deader than a dead thing.

MAL

Zoe.

She looks up. Mal points. Zoe moves to check Green. Mal moves to sit near Bendis.

MAL

Hey, listen to me. Bendis, look at me! Listen, we're holding this valley no matter what.

BENDIS

We're gonna die.

MAL

We're not gonna die. We can't die, Bendis. You know why?

(beat)

Because we are so very pretty. We are just too pretty for God to let us die. Huh? Look at that chiseled jaw. Huh? C'mon.

There's a roaring sound overhead. Zoe is listening on the radio.

MAL (cont'd)

If you won't listen to me, listen to that. Those are our angels coming to blow the Alliance to the hot place.

(to Zoe)

Zoe, tell the 82nd --

ZOE (stunned)

They're not coming.

(beat)

Command says it's too hot. They're pulling out. We're to lay down arms.

Mal's stunned, in denial. He looks at Bendis.

MAL

But what's...

Slowly, Mal stands and peeks over the top of the foxhole. His face is lit from their air support rising and retreating. Bendis stands next to him. Mal's in shock, watching his last hope pull out of the fight.

Beside him, Bendis is hit by enemy fire and falls. Mal doesn't notice.

PUSH IN on Mal's bloody face. On the disbelief.

INT. BLOWN-OUT SHIP - NIGHT

We are in some kind of burnt out wreck - all we see is twisted black metal, a few stars visible through breaches in the hull.

From top of frame, Mal floats upside-down into a close up. He is in a space suit. The title reads

SIX YEARS LATER

MAL

The vault's sealed.

(beat)

Okay. I'm gonna boil it. Jayne, give me the sticky.

WIDEN to see Zoe and Jayne also suited up. They are in zero gravity, floating by a big iron door.

Jayne hands Mal an object that looks like a glue gun. Mal squeezes the trigger and clear gel comes out with a line running through it. He paints a line around the outside of the door.

ANGLE: THE GEL

as it eats through the door.

MAL

Okay. We get the goods, we're off this wreck and back on the ship. No worries.

PULL BACK rapidly through the burnt out ship to REVEAL Serenity.

INT. SERENITY - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS

Wash sits in the pilot's seat. He's concentrating intensely.

WASH

Everything looks good from here...

(beat)

Yes. Yes, this is a fertile land, and we will thrive.

He's playing with little plastic dinosaurs. He holds a Stegosaurus and a T-Rex.
The dinosaurs look out over his dash/console, toward the window.

WASH (as Stegosaurus)

We will rule over all this land, and we will call it... "This Land."

(as T-Rex)

I think we should call it "your grave!"

(Stegosaurus)

Ah, curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!

(T-Rex)

Ha ha HA! Mine is an evil laugh! Now die!

(Stegosaurus)

Oh, no, God! Oh, dear God in heaven!

He makes them fight. As he does, a light near him flashes red.

He stops fighting, looks, then looks at a sort of radar screen.

ANGLE: THE RADAR SCREEN
has got three other dinosaurs on it. He sweeps them off as a blip appears in the upper right quadrant, closing fast.

WASH

Oh, motherless son of a b--

INT. BLOWN-OUT SHIP - CONTINUING

A piece of metal goes flying past Jayne.

ZOE

Full pressure. The goods must be intact.

ANGLE: INSIDE THE CHAMBER

Three crates, roughly the size of hay bales, sit in the dark.

MAL

Okay. Looking good.

A voice sounds simultaneously in all three headsets: Wash.

WASH (O.S.)

Captain, we got incoming! Alliance cruiser, bearing right down on us!

MAL

Ta ma de! 他妈的
Damn it! Have they spotted us?

WASH

I can't tell if --

MAL

Have they hailed us?

JAYNE

If they're here for the salvage, we're humped.

ZOE

If they find us at all, we're humped. Thievin' ain't exactly --

JAYNE

I don't like this.

MAL

Bizui! 闭嘴
Shut up! Wash, shut it down, Wash. Everything but the air.

INT. SERENITY - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS

WASH

Shutting down.

He is flipping switches, we hear engines running down, lights go off - he hits the com:

WASH

Kaylee! KAYLEE!

INT. ENGINE ROOM - CONTINUOUS

KAYLEE's running into frame toward the engine room. She gets inside and hits the com:

WASH

Go to black out! We're being buzzed!

She hits the com --

KAYLEE

Shi! 是
Affirmative Going dark --

and keeps moving, hitting switches. She climbs up on the engine to flip the last switch. Everything goes pretty damn black.

KAYLEE

Okay. Now I can't get down.

EXT. SPACE - CONTINUING

An Alliance Cruiser. Sleek and huge. The I.A.V. DORTMUNDER.

CAPTAIN (O.S.)

So what am I looking at?

INT. DORTMUNDER BRIDGE - CONTINUING

ENSIGN

It's a carrier, blew out a few months back. Lost all hands, but it was only run by a skeleton crew anyway.

CAPTAIN

Damn shame. No point in checking for survivors...?

INT. BLOWN-OUT SHIP - CONTINUING

MAL

Wash, they slowing down?

INTERCUT WITH:

INT. BRIDGE - CONTINUING

WASH

That's a neg. Don't think they're interested in us. We should be eating wake in a minute or two.

INT. BLOWN-OUT SHIP - CONTINUING

Mal waits as through a piece of ripped out wall behind him, the ship, impossibly huge and dangerously close, passes by.

ANGLE: MAL'S FACE

As the reflection of the passing ship plays across his faceplate.
He is silent. So are the others.

EXT. BLOWN-OUT SHIP - CONTINUING
As the cruiser passes by, leaving the ship behind, all clear...

INT. DORTMUNDER BRIDGE - CONTINUING

A MAN seated at a screen suddenly looks concerned.

MAN

Sir, there is a reading on that thing. Some residual heat...

CAPTAIN

Do a sweep.

INT. SERENITY - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
An alarm sounds, lights blink.

WASH

Aiya! Huaile. 哎呀！坏了
Ah!, Damn! Captain! We're humped!

INT. BLOWN-OUT SHIP - CONTINUING

MAL (to Wash over the comm)

Prep the ship now.

(to the others)

We move these in, double-time.

They float to the crates, start dragging them.

INT. SERENITY - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS

Hitting buttons.

WASH

Kaylee, fire it up.

INT. DORTMUNDER BRIDGE - CONTINUING

The captain is watching the screen.

MAN

It's a transport ship. Firefly class.

ENSIGN

They still make those?

CAPTAIN

Illegal salvage.

INT. BLOWN-OUT SHIP
Continue conversation over Mal, Zoe, and Jayne retrieving the cargo:

CAPTAIN

Lowlife vultures picking the flesh off the dead.

ENSIGN

Should we deploy gunships and bring her in?

CAPTAIN

Do it.

INT. BLOWN-OUT SHIP
Mal, Zoe and Jayne all float their crates past the twisted wreckage.

MAL

Cry, Baby, Cry.

WASH

Make your mother sigh. Engaging the crybaby.

EXT. SPACE - CONTINUING

Behind some little moon, we see a tiny jet-propelled satellite thingy, beeping out its distress signal. It's small and rough, and has written on a piece of tape: "Crybaby #6".

INT. DORTMUNDER BRIDGE - CONTINUING

MAN

Captain, I am picking up a distress signal thirteen clicks ahead from a ... it sounds like a personnel carrier...

INT. BLOWN-OUT SHIP/AIRLOCK OF SERENITY - CONTINUING
Mal, Zoe and Jayne all float their crates past the twisted wreckage and into the airlock.

EXT. SPACE - CONTINUING
The crybaby beeps.

INT. DORTMUNDER BRIDGE - CONTINUING

MAN

Definitely a big ship, sir, and she is without power.

INT. AIRLOCK OF SERENITY - CONTINUINGS
Mal hits the button and the airlock door shuts. Hits another and gravity hits, the three of them landing on their feet, crates dropping, as air rushes in.

Mal hits the com.

MAL

Wash! We're on. Go!

EXT. BLOWN-OUT SHIP - CONTINUING
Serenity begins to disengage from the wreck, rear end flaring.

INT. SERENITY - BRIDGE - CONTINUING
Wash is seated, all business now.

WASH

Hang on, travelers...

INT. AIRLOCK - CONTINUING
Everyone grabs something, as Jayne pulls off his helmet.

JAYNE

Let's moon 'em.

EXT. SERENITY - CONTINUING
As the ship turns away from us, the back lights up -- the entire bulbous back end glowing beneath a metal grid.
The ship fires away from us.

INT. DORTMUNDER BRIDGE - CONTINUING

MAN

They're rabbiting, sir. Should we continue deployment?

CAPTAIN (considering)

Our gunships'd never get back to us in time. All right, let's go help these people.

(to the ensign)

But put out a bulletin on the Cortex, and flag Interpol: a Firefly with possibly stolen goods onboard. Maybe somebody'll step on those roaches.

INT. SERENITY - CARGO HOLD - CONTINUING

WASH (O.S.)

We look shiny, Captain. They are not repeat not coming about.

ZOE

Close one.

JAYNE

Any one you walk away from, right? Long as we got the goods, I call this a win.

MAL

Right.

He turns and walks away..

MAL (to himself)

We win.

BLACK OUT.

 

Act 1

Wheel never stops turning, Badger

INT. SERENITY - CARGO HOLD - LATER

A crate is jimmied open. It is Jayne with the crowbar, Mal who pulls the top off, looking in. Zoe, Wash and Kaylee are also about.

MAL

Well that sure enough don't hurt to see.

ANGLE: IN THE CRATE are bars that looks a lot like gold.

KAYLEE (excited)

They're awfully pretty...

WASH

I'd say worth a little risk.

JAYNE

Yeah, that was some pretty risky sittin' you did there.

WASH

That's right, of course, 'cause they wouldn't arrest me if we got boarded, I'm just the pilot. I can always say I was flying the ship by accident. You know, that pretty --

MAL (harshly)

Bizui. 闭嘴
Shut up.

He has a bar in his hand, is looking at it up close.

ZOE

Problem, sir?

Clearly, yep, there is. But Mal tries to cover.

MAL(after a moment)

Couldn't say.

(tosses the bar back)

But we'd best be gettin' rid of these before we run into another Alliance patrol.

JAYNE

What the hell they doin' out this far, anyhow?

KAYLEE

Shining the light of civilization.

JAYNE

Doesn't do us any good...

KAYLEE

Well, we're uncivilized.

As they talk, Mal approaches Wash, talking over them.

MAL

How long 'til we reach Persephone?

WASH

Three or four hours.

MAL

Can we shave that?

WASH (shakes his head)

We're down to the wire on fuel cells. We run hot, we might not even make it.

MAL

'kay. Play it as close as you can. This catch is burning a hole in my hull.

ZOE

Think that cruiser could've I.D.'d us?

MAL

Let's hope not. Contact Badger, tell him the job's done. Don't go to mentioning the cruiser, though. Keep it simple.

ZOE

Sir, we're sure there's nothing wrong with the carg --

MAL

It's fine. I just wanna get paid.

They head up the ladder as Mal turns his attention to:

MAL (cont'd)

All right, let's get these crates stowed. I don't want any tourists stumbling over them.

KAYLEE

We're taking on passengers at Persephone?

MAL

Yeah, that's the notion. We could use a little respectability on the way to Boros. Not to mention the money.

JAYNE

Pain in the ass...

KAYLEE

No, it's shiny! I like to meet new people. They've all got stories...

JAYNE

Captain, can you stop her from bein' cheerful, please?

MAL

I don't believe there is a power in the 'verse that can stop Kaylee from being cheerful.

He smiles at her, never stopping working.

MAL (cont'd)

Sometimes you just wanna duct tape her mouth and dump her in the hold for a month.

She grins and kisses his cheek.

KAYLEE

I love my captain.

INT. SERENITY - UPPER CORRIDOR/BRIDGE - CONTINUING

As Wash and Zoe crest the ladder and head to their positions, talking.

ZOE

I know something ain't right.

WASH

Sweetie, we're crooks. If everything were right, we'd be in jail.

ZOE

It's just that the Captain's so tense...

WASH

The man needs a break. In fact, we could all use a couple days' leave.

ZOE

We still gotta drop the goods.

WASH

And when we do, we fly off to Boros rich and prosperous. Well, less poor. But with enough to find some sweet little getaway.

They enter the bridge. He moves closer, wrapping her in his arms.

ZOE

Oh, wouldn't mind a real bath...

WASH

Yeah, and a meal that included some sort of food.

ZOE

Ooh.

WASH

Just a couple of days lying around, you with the bathing. Me with the watching you bathe.

They're closer now.

ZOE (definitely interested)

If the captain says it's all right...

Wrong. Wash shuts his eyes a moment, rests his head on hers, quietly pissed. He breaks apart.

WASH

What if we just told Mal we needed a few days, 'stead of asking him?

ZOE

He's the captain, Wash.

WASH

Right. I'm just the husband.

ZOE

Look, I'll ask him.

WASH (sitting)

Don't forget to call him 'sir'. He likes that.

MAL

Who likes what?

Instinctively, Zoe's demeanor changes as Mal enters, her bearing more erect, military.

ZOE

It's nothing, Sir.

MAL

Has the Ambassador checked in yet?

WASH

Naw, I think she had a pretty full docket.

MAL (to Zoe)

Well, after you talk to Badger, let her know we may be leaving Persephone in a hurry.

ZOE

Inara knows our timetable. I'm sure she'll be checking in soon.

WASH

Well, I can tell her to cut it short, meet us at the docks.

MAL

No, no. Don't want to get in her way if we don't have to.

(leaving)

Somebody on this boat has to make an honest living.

INT. INARA'S CHAMBER - NIGHT

Artful tapestries. The sound of heavy panting.

We pan down to see that Inara is being made love to by an eager young man. She is beneath him, his face buried in her neck.

INARA

Oh... Oh.... oh my god... oh...

He tightens, relaxes, becomes still. She runs her hand through is hair and he pulls from her neck, looks at her with sweaty insecurity. She smiles.

INT. SAME - LATER

They are seated on cushions, close to each other, sipping tea from small cups. She is wearing a robe.

INARA

Sihnon isn't that different from this planet. More crowded, obviously, and I guess more complicated. The great city itself is... pictures can't capture it. It's like an ocean of light.

THE YOUNG MAN

Is that where you studied? To be a Companion?

INARA

I was born there.

THE YOUNG MAN

I can't imagine ever leaving.

FLASH CUT to Inara looking pensive, staring off into the distance.

CUT BACK to the scene in progress.

INARA

Well, I wanted to see the universe.

He looks down at his cup a moment.

THE YOUNG MAN

Do you really have to leave? I mean... I, my father is very influential, we could... I could arrange for you to be...

She smiles sweetly and looks down. He doesn't continue.

INT. INARA'S CHAMBER - LATER

The young man is dressed and on his way out.

THE YOUNG MAN

Experience has been more than -- it was very good. Thank you.

INARA

The time went too quickly.

THE YOUNG MAN

Your clock's probably rigged to speed up and cheat us out of our fun.

The smile vanishes from her face. He looks guilty, then ducks out of the chamber.

She takes a moment, then she moves across the room and pulls aside a tapestry that conceals the cockpit. Gets in the pilot's seat and hits a switch and continues hitting them as she talks.

INARA

Serenity, this is Shuttle One, what's your ETA?

WASH (O.S.)

Inara, hey. We're touching down at the Eavesdown docks in about ten minutes.

INARA

I'll join you there, thanks.

WASH (O.S.)

Looking forward to it. We missed you out here.

INARA (softly)

Yeah. Me too.

She punches a few buttons, rides the joystick, and the cockpit begins to shake slightly as we CUT TO:

EXT. CITY - DAY

The outside of the shuttle, which rises slowly into the air. The shuttle is exiting from one of the many huge skyscrapers, joining the heavy air traffic. It flies off.

EXT. EAVESDOWN DOCKS - DAY

We see Serenity as she touches down at the Eavesdown docks. It's a bustling bazaar, ships lined up next to each other, each one advertising passage or selling goods.

This district is much poorer than the gleaming city where we just saw Inara.

The airlock opens, the ramp coming down and our gang piling out.

MAL (to Kaylee)

This shouldn't take long. Put us down for departure in about three hours.

(to Wash)

Grab any supplies we're low on. Fuel her up.

Kaylee moves to a computerized placard in front of their 'parking space', starts entering data.

KAYLEE

I'd sure love to find a brand new compression coil for the steamer.

MAL

And I'd like to be king of all Londinum and wear a shiny hat. Just get us some passengers. Them as can pay, all right?

KAYLEE

Compression coil busts, we're drifting...

MAL

Best not bust, then.

Wash comes down the ramp driving the mule. Zoe, Jayne and Mal start off. Wash stops the mule and calls out:

WASH

Zoe. Zhu tamin ya min. Zhu yi. 真他妈要命。注意
This is damn dangerous. Watch your back.

ZOE

We will.

EXT. EAVESDOWN DOCKS - DAY

We're in the middle of the bazaar. We see a sign that advertises: Good DOGS! We see a griddle, with some suspicious looking cuts of meat sizzling on it. A man works the griddle.

We see, passing through the frame, Shepherd BOOK. He drags a few boxes and suitcases on a sort of wheeled papoose, carries another suitcase in his hand. As he moves on, looking about him, he is approached by MAN, who's in his face a bit.

MAN #2

You going on a trip, grandpa? Need safe passage? We're cheap. We're cheap. We're clean.

(pointing)

The BRUTUS, the best ship in the 'verse. What's your des, grandpa? We're hitting the outer rings.

BOOK

I never married.

MAN #2

What?

BOOK

I'm not a grandpa.

EXT. ALLEY - DAY

Mal, Jayne, and Zoe walk down a dim alley and enter:

INT. BADGER'S OFFICE - DAY
Mal, Jayne and Zoe come down the alley, halted by a thug.

The office is dim and dingy. The ceiling has grates over it -- we can hear the traffic above, and every now and then the bright white of a vehicle spills through the grate. On one side are stairs leading up to ground level and a door beside, at the other end an oversized, beat up desk and a way into the back through a curtain.

Badger's busy inspecting a young woman.

BADGER

Let me see your teeth.

She gives him a big smile. He pulls her lip up.

BADGER (cont'd)

Yes.

She is shoved behind the curtain. As she is, yet another thug leads Mal, Zoe and Jayne down the stairs. Badger doesn't look at them, heading for his desk and sitting down.

BADGER (cont'd)

You're late.

MAL

You're lying.

BADGER

What did you just say to me?

MAL

You're well aware we landed two hours 'fore we planned to, with all the goods you sent us after intact, ready to roll. So your decision to get tetchy, say we're late, means you're looking to put us on the defensive right up front. Which means something'sgone wrong. It didn't go wrong on ourend, so why don't we start again with you tellin' us what's up?

A beat. A mean little smile from Badger.

BADGER

You're later than I'd like.

MAL

Well I am sorry to hear that.

Badger briefly holds up what appears to be digital paper: a clear, pliable piece of plastic with words and images running across it, constantly changing.

BADGER

If you'd gotten here sooner, you might've beaten the bulletin that came up sayin' a rogue vessel, classification 'Firefly', was spotted pulling illegal salvage on a derelict transport.

MAL

Didn't ID us. Doesn't lead to you.

BADGER

No, it doesn't. But a government stamp on every molecule of the cargo just maybe might.

Zoe looks at Mal -- that's what he didn't say when he examined the bars.

BADGER (cont'd)

Oh, you noticed that. You were gonna hand over imprinted goods and just let me twist, is that the case?

MAL

We didn't pick the cargo.

BADGER

And I didn't flash my ass at the gorram law. There's no deal.

ZOE

That ain't fair.

BADGER

Crime and politics, little girl: the situation is always... fluid.

JAYNE

Only fluid I see here is the puddle of piss refusing to pay us our wage.

Badger stands up angrily and all his thugs draw their weapons.

Mal glares at Jayne until he puts his gun back in his holster, then Mal steps forward, smiling.

MAL

It doesn't have to go this way. You know you can still unload those goods. So I can't help thinking there's something else at work here.

BADGER

What were you in the war, that big war you failed to win? You were a Sergeant, yeah? Sergeant Malcolm Reynolds, 'Balls and Bayonets Brigade'. Big tough veteran. Now you got yourself a ship and you're a captain. Only I think you're still a Sergeant, see. Still a soldier, man of honor in a den of thieves.

(in his face)

Well this is my gorram den, and I don't like the way you look down on me. I'm above you. Better than. I'm a businessman, see? Roots in the community. You're just a scavenger.

MAL

Well, maybe I'm not a fancy gentleman like you with your... very fine hat... but I do business. We're here for business.

BADGER

Try one of the border planets -- they're a lot more desperate there. Of course, they might kill you, but you stay here and I just know the Alliance'll track you down. I have that feeling.

Beat. Mal's pissed. Jayne's itching for a fight.

But Mal turns to go. As he's leaving, he says:

MAL

Wheel never stops turning, Badger.

BADGER

That only matter to the people on the rim.

EXT. EAVESDOWN DOCKS - LATER

Book moves on to Serenity, Kaylee sits outside it in a lawn chair, holding a rainbow-striped parasol. He looks at the ship, never stopping, 'til Kaylee says, smiling:

KAYLEE

You're gonna come with us.

BOOK

Excuse me?

KAYLEE

You like ships. You don't seem to be looking at the destinations. What you care about is the ships, and mine's the nicest.

He does stop, gives the ship a look-over.

BOOK

She don't look like much.

KAYLEE

Well, she'll fool ya'. You ever sail in a Firefly?

BOOK

Long before you were crawling. Not an aught three, though. Didn't have the extenders, tended to shake.

Kaylee gets up from her lawn chair, walks over to Book, twirling her parasol.

KAYLEE

So, uh, how come you don't care where you're going?

BOOK

'Cause how you get there is the worthier part.

KAYLEE

Are you a missionary?

BOOK

I guess... I'm a Shepherd, from the Southdown Abbey. Book, I'm called Book. Been out of the world for a spell. Like to walk it a while, maybe bring the word to them as need it told.

KAYLEE

Well, I'm Kaylee. This is Serenity, and she's the smoothest ride from here to Boros for anyone who can pay.)

(beat, worried)

Can you pay, or... ?

BOOK

Well, I've got a little cash, and, uh...

He picks up a small wooden box from his luggage. Shows her the contents. She goes a little bit wide-eyed, eyeing the contents lustfully.

KAYLEE

Ooh, grampa...

BOOK

I never married.

EXT. EAVESDOWN DOCKS - LATER

We are now following Mal, Zoe and Jayne back to the ship.

JAYNE

I don't understand why we didn't leave that sumbitch in a pool of his own blood.

MAL

We'd be dead. Can't get paid if you're dead.

JAYNE

Can't get paid if you crawl away like a bitty little bug, neither. We gotta share this job. Ten percent of nothing is -- let me do the math here -- nothing into nothing, carry the --

ZOE

So we'll find a buyer on Boros. There's gotta be a --

MAL

Boros is too big. It's crawling with Alliance, they could just be waiting for us.

ZOE

You really think Badger'll sell us out to the Feds?

MAL

If he hasn't already.

PAN LEFT to reveal a couple of Alliance soldiers standing in the street, watching our group as they walk past.

ZOE

Alliance catches us with government goods, we'll lose the ship.

MAL

That's never gonna happen.

ZOE

Sir, we could just dump the cargo.

JAYNE

No ruttin' way. We ain't had a job in weeks. I didn't sign on with this crew to take in the sights. We need coin.

MAL

Jayne, your mouth is talking. You might wanna look to that.

JAYNE

Oh, I'm ready to stop talkin' --

MAL

You're right, though. The last two jobs we had were weak tea. We got nothing saved, takin' on passengers won't help near enough.

(beat)

We don't get paid for this cargo, we don't have enough money to fuel the ship, let alone keep her in repair. She'll be dead in the water.

ZOE

So we do like Badger said? The border planets?

MAL

I'm thinkin' Whitefall, maybe talk to Patience...

ZOE

Sir, we don't want to deal with Patience again.

MAL

Why?

ZOE

She shot you.

MAL

Well, yeah, she did a bit... still --

ZOE

So we find somebody else. Horowitz.

MAL

He can't afford it.

ZOE

Holden boys.

MAL

They wouldn't touch it. Do you want me to go through the list? Capshaw's are brain-blown. Gruvick's dead --

ZOE

He's dead?

MAL

Town got hit by Reavers. Burned it right down.

JAYNE

I ain't goin' nowhere near Reaver territory. Them people ain't human.

MAL

Whitefall is the safest and the closest. Been a long time since Patience shot me and that was due to a perfectly legitimate conflict of interest. I got no grudge. She owns half that damn moon now. She can afford what we got and she just might need it.

ZOE

I still don't think the old lady's the way.

ANGLE: Wash on the mule, about to pull a big blue box up the ramp into Serenity's cargo hold.

MAL (O.S.)

I'm not sayin' it won't be tricky, but we got no kind of choice.

MAL'S POV: still looking Serenity, he sees Kaylee welcoming another passenger, introducing himself as:

KAYLEE

Welcome aboard, Mr...

DOBSON

Dobson.

KAYLEE

Dobson!

DOBSON

Thank you.

ANGLE: Back to Mal, Zoe, and Jayne approaching the ship.

MAL

We just gotta keep our heads down, do the job, pray there ain't no more surprises.

ANGLE: A BOX. Being loaded on by Wash on the mule.

The box clears frame to reveal SIMON, a young, clearly affluent man. He wears a dark suit and round glasses. He seems to be looking directly at Mal, then glances over to the box.

SIMON (to Wash)

Please be careful with that.

KAYLEE

Mal, this is Simon. Simon, this is our captain

Both men size each other up.

SIMON

Captain Reynolds.

MAL

Welcome aboard.

(to Kaylee)

This all we got?

ANGLE: IN THE CARGO BAY

We see Zoe talking to Mal, the rest of the passengers milling around and loading up their luggage.

ZOE

Now we have a boatful of citizens right on top of our... stolen cargo.

(beat)

That's a fun mix.

MAL

Ain't no way in the 'verse they could find that compartment, even--

(stops talking as Dobson walks past)

Even if they were lookin' for it.

ZOE

Why not?

Mal is thrown by the question.

MAL

'Cause... ?

ZOE

Oh yeah, this is gonna go great.

MAL

If anyone gets nosy, just, you know...shoot 'em.

ZOE

Shoot 'em?

MAL

Politely.

EXT. EAVESDOWN DOCKS - CONTINUING

Inara's shuttle is nearing Serenity.

WASH (O.S.)

Inara. You're just in time.

INARA (O.S.)

Let me guess.

INT. INARA'S SHUTTLE - CONTINUING

INARA

We're in a hurry.

INT. SERENITY - BRIDGE - CONTINUING
Wash is prepping her for take off, sees a signal, flips a switch.

WASH

Looks like. Port hatch green for docking.

INT. INARA'S SHUTTLE - CONTINUING

INARA

Locked in five. Four.

EXT. SERENITY - CONTINUOUS
As Inara's flying shuttle locks onto a side of the still-parked ship.

INT. INARA'S SHUTTLE - CONTINUOUS
As she feels the lurch of lock. She doesn't leave the pilot's seat.

INT. SERENITY - BRIDGE - CONTINUING
Wash turns, calls back:

WASH

The Ambassador has returned!

He is talking to Zoe, who moves to the

INT. SERENITY - CARGO BAY/AIRLOCK - CONTINUING
And calls down to Mal, who is stowing cargo with Jayne:

ZOE

We got a full house, Captain.

He turns to the airlock:

MAL

Kaylee, I'm locking it up!

EXT. AIRLOCK - CONTINUING
Kaylee looks around once....

KAYLEE (softly)

All aboard...

Kaylee hits the automatic door lock, grabs her lawn chair, and slips in as the door closes on the hold.

ANGLE: SIMON
Looking around the cargo hold.

BLACK OUT.

 

Act 2

Protein in all the colors of the rainbow

EXT. SPACE - LATER

Serenity moves silently through.

INT. SERENITY - PASSENGER'S SECTION/DINING ROOM - LATER

Crew and passengers are gathered in the dining area. Mal's giving 'em the welcome speech.

MAL

Meals are taken up here in the dining area, the kitchen is pretty much self explanatory, you're welcome to eat what there is any time, what there is is pretty standard fare, I guess, protein in all the colors of the rainbow. We do have sit-down meals, the next one being at about 1800.

KAYLEE

I think Shepherd Book has offered to help me prepare something.

MAL (to Book)

You're a Shepherd?

BOOK

Thought the outfit gave it away. Is it a problem?

KAYLEE

Of course not! (to Mal) It's no problem, 'cause it's not.

MAL

No.

(to the group) As I said, you're welcome to visit the dining area any time. Apart from that, I have to ask you to stay in the passenger dorm while we're in the air. The bridge, the engine room, cargo bay -- they're all off limits without an escort.

SIMON

Some of my personal effects are in
the cargo bay.

MAL

I figure you all got luggage you're gonna
need to get into. Soon as we're done
here we'll be happy to fetch 'em with
you. Now I have to tell you all one
other thing and I apologize in
advance for the inconvenience.
Unfortunately, we've been ordered by
the Alliance to drop some medical
supplies off on Whitefall. It's the
fourth moon on Athens, a little out of
our way, but we should have you on
Boros no more than a day off schedule.

SIMON

What medical supplies?

MAL

I honestly didn't ask.

ZOE

Probably plasma, insulin, whatever
they ain't got enough of on the
border moons.

MAL

Alliance says jump...

SIMON

All right.

MAL

Zoe, you wanna take 'em to the
cargo bay?

ZOE

Yes, Sir.

MAL

Anything else you need, just...
ask. We, uh, we're here to serve.

Crew and passengers exit the dining error through one door, while Mal and Wash turn around and walk toward the other door leading to the bridge.

MAL

Did you send word to Patience?

WASH

Ain't heard back yet. Didn't she
shoot you one time?

MAL

(baffled)
Everybody's makin' a fuss.

INT. SERENITY - CARGO BAY - LATER

People are getting the luggage they need. Simon is placing things into an elegant little valise -- all while eyeing his special blue box. Dobson walks up behind Simon and stumbles into him.

DOBSON

Oops! I'm sorry.

Zoe walks down the steps and nods at Book, who walks past her with a bag and a small box. Book climbs up the stairs to where Mal and Kaylee are standing on the catwalk. Book hands his bag and box to Kaylee, who beams at him.

ANGLE: THE SECOND SHUTTLE HATCH

opens, showing Inara's shuttle. She steps out of it, in a simple but elegant dress. She descends stairs as the group notices her.

MAL

Ah, the Ambassador graces us with her
presence.

Book looks up.

MAL

Hello, Mal. I see we have some new
faces.

KAYLEE

Hey you.

INARA

Hey you.

MAL

Ambassador, this is Shepherd Book.

INARA

I'd have to say this is the first
time we've had a preacher on board.

BOOK

Well, I wasn't expecting to see a
state official, either.
(takes her hand, bows
slightly)
Ambassador.

Mal laughs. Inara glowers at him.

BOOK (cont'd)
I'm missing something funny.

KAYLEE

(glaring at Mal)
Not so funny.

INARA

"Ambassador" is Mal's way of --

MAL

She's a whore, Shepherd.

Book's clearly a little thrown.

KAYLEE

(annoyed)
The term is "Companion".

MAL

Yeah, I always get those mixed up.
(to Inara)
How's business?

INARA

None of yours.

MAL

(to Book)
She is pretty much our ambassador.
There's plenty of planets won't even
let you dock without a decent
Companion on board. This... this
isn't a problem for you, is it,
Shepherd?

BOOK

Well, I... I certainly...

INARA

(turns to go)
It's all right. I mostly keep to
myself.
(passing Mal)
When I'm not whoring.

MAL

Don't you wanna meet the rest of the
bunch?

INARA

Why don't you make sure they want to
meet me first?

Inara and Kaylee head out together.

KAYLEE

So how many fell madly in love with
you and wanted to take you away from
all this?

INARA

Just the one. I think I'm slipping.

INT. SERENITY - DINING ROOM - CONTINUING

Kaylee has made her way up with the box, lays it on the counter. Quietly excited, she opens it, looks in. A beat, then she pulls out a strawberry. She smells it, slowly puts it in her mouth, eyes closing.

Kaylee's having herself an Herbal Essences shampoo moment with this strawberry.

INT. SERENITY - DINING ROOM - LATER

Book and Kaylee have made dinner. People are gathering, sitting, helping themselves to things -- everybody's moving and talking over each other and everyone's there save Wash and Inara.

ZOE

Oh, this is incredible.

BOOK

It's not much -- I had a garden at
the Abbey, thought I should bring
what I could.

SIMON

It's very kind of you to share with
all of us.

ZOE

I'm gonna make a plate for Wash...

BOOK

(to Simon)
Well, it won't last, and they're
never the same when they're frozen.
The important thing is the spices.
A man can live on packaged food from
here 'til Judgment Day if he's got
enough rosemary.

DOBSON

(over this, to Jayne)
Can you pass me the tomatoes?

He does, after taking several slices. People settle.

BOOK

Captain, you mind if I say grace?

MAL

Only if you say it out loud.

A beat -- Mal has broken the mood. He starts eating, others follow. Book lowers his head a moment, as do Kaylee, Dobson, and Jayne, then they eat as well.

SIMON

So, does it happen a lot? Government
commandeering your ship, telling you
where to go?

MAL

That's what governments are for --
get in a man's way.

DOBSON

Well, it's good, if the supplies are
needed.

JAYNE

We're just happy to be doing good works.

DOBSON

I hear a lot of the border moons are
in bad shape. Plagues, and famine...

ZOE

Well, some of that's exaggerated, and
some of it ain't. All those moons --
just like the central planets,
they're as close to Earth-That-Was as
we could make 'em: gravity, atmosphere,
and such, but...

MAL

Once they're terraformed, they'll
dump settlers on there with nothing
but blankets, hatchets, maybe a herd.
Some of them make it, some of them...

SIMON

Then I guess it's good we're helping.

KAYLEE

(to Simon)
You're a Doctor, right?

SIMON

Oh. Uh, yes. Yes, I was a trauma
surgeon on Osiris, in Capital City.

MAL

Long way from here.

KAYLEE

(to Simon)
You seem so young. To be a doctor.

SIMON

(changing the subject)
Yeah. You're pretty young to be a ship's
mechanic.

KAYLEE

No how. Machines just got workings,
and they talk to me.

BOOK

That's a rare gift.

KAYLEE

Oh, not like being a doctor. Helping fix
people, that's important.

JAYNE

Little Kaylee here just wishes you was a
gynecologist.

Jayne cackles. Kaylee, visibly humiliated, looks down.

MAL

(hard)
Jayne. You'll keep a civil tongue in
that mouth or I will sew it shut, is
there an understanding between us?

JAYNE

You don't pay me to talk pretty. Just
because Kaylee gets lubed-up over some
big city dandy --

MAL

Walk away from this table. Right now.

A beat. Jayne doesn't believe it, but Mal's expression is stony. Jayne goes, grabbing a bunch of food as he does. Everyone is silent a moment.

SIMON

What do you pay him for?

MAL

What?

SIMON

I was just wondering what his job is.
On the ship.

Mal stares a moment.

MAL

Public relations.

INT. INARA'S CHAMBER - LATER

Inara is kneeling, robe pooled at her waist. She is giving herself a sponge bath. And so the camera holds on her bathing for a good, long while. Someone KNOCKS on the door.

INARA

(in Chinese)
["Ging jin." -- Come in.]

Book enters. She is facing mostly away from him, but she sees it's him. She continues to bathe herself.

BOOK

If I'm intruding...

INARA

Not at all. I expected you.

She pulls her robe up, in no great hurry, as she turns to him.

BOOK

Couldn't really say the same.

INARA

So. Would you like to lecture me
the wickedness of my ways?

BOOK

I brought you some supper, but if
you'd prefer a lecture, I've a
few very catchy ones prepped. Sin and
hellfire... one has lepers.

INARA

I think I'll pass.
(taking the tray
of food)
I thank you for this.

BOOK

The Captain said you might like it.
I was surprised at his concern.

INARA

For a lowly whore?

BOOK

It was unjust of him to say that.

INARA

Believe me, I've called him worse.
Anyway, I suspect he has more
interest in making you
uncomfortable than me.

BOOK

He's not wildly interested in
ingratiating himself with anyone,
yet he seems very protective of
his crew.
(beat)
It's odd.

INARA

Why are you so fascinated by him?

BOOK

Because he's something of a mystery.
(beat)
Why are you?

Beat. Inara smiles softly.

INARA

Because so few men are.

INT. SERENITY - MAL'S ROOM - CONTINUING

Mal the Mystery is in the act of doing up his trousers as we find him. There's a kind of metal drawer that hinges open to knee level. It's the toilet, and Mal kicks it shut, causing a flushing sound not unlike an airplane toilet. Above it is another metal drawer. He pulls it open and it's a small sink. He runs a little water on his hands, splashes his face, when the com sounds.

WASH (O.S.)

Mal, you might wanna get up here...

Mal's up the ladder in a flash.

INT. SERENITY - FOREDECK HALL - CONTINUING

Mal climbs up. He moves through the hall to:

INT. SERENITY - BRIDGE - CONTINUING

Where Wash is studying a screen.

MAL

What is it?

WASH

Signal. Somebody went on the Cortex,
hailed the nearest Alliance Cruiser.

MAL

Tell me you scrambled it.

WASH

All to hell, but I don't know how
much got through. Alliance got a pin
in us for sure.

MAL

(Chinese)
[Ni ta ma de. Tianxia suoyoude ren. Dou
gaisi. -- "Fuck everyone in the universe
to death."]

WASH

We got a mole on board.

Mal's face hardens as he works it out...

INT. SERENITY - CARGO BAY - MOMENTS LATER

Simon is checking on his box.

He turns and Mal is standing before him.

MAL

Forget your toothpaste?

Mal SLUGS him, sends him sprawling.

SIMON

Are you out of your mind?

MAL

Yeah, just about. What'd you tell them?

SIMON

(standing)
Tell who?

Mal draws his gun, puts it in Simon's face.

MAL

I have exactly no time for games.
What do they know?

SIMON

You're a lunatic.

MAL

And you're a gorram fed.

BOOK

Hate to say it, Captain, but you've
got the wrong man.

Both men turn to him. A beat, and both Mal and Simon realize Book is looking behind them. Slowly, they turn the other way, and understand Book's meaning.

Dobson holds a gun on Mal.

MAL

(defeated)
Son of a bitch.

DOBSON

Drop that firearm, Captain Reynolds.

A beat, and Mal does.

MAL

This is not my best day ever.

Dobson moves the gun to point it at Simon.

DOBSON

Simon Tam, you are bound by law to
stand down.

Mal takes a moment to realize the man is after Simon.

MAL

What -- the doctor? Oh.
(indignant at Simon)
Hey!
(hopeful, to Dobson)
Is there-is there a reward?

Dobson is ignoring Mal, focusing on Simon. This bumbling businessman is now a very intense, tightly wound cop.

DOBSON

(to Simon)
Get on the ground. Get on the ground!

SIMON

Lawman, you are making a mistake.

MAL

I think you best get on the ground, son.
The man seems a mite twitchy.

BOOK

I think everybody could stand to calm
down a bit.

He is moving slowly towards Dobson.

DOBSON

This isn't your business, Shepherd.

BOOK

The boy's not going anywhere, lawman.
As I understand it, it's pretty cold
outside.

Mal moves casually for his gun.

MAL

Not to worry. Put Lord Fauntleroy
here in a passenger cell -- won't
make a peep 'til you hand him over to --

DOBSON

(pointing the gun at
Mal again)
Get the hell away from that weapon!
You think I'm a complete backbirth?
You're carrying a fugitive across
interplanetary borders, and you
think I actually believe you're
bringing medical supplies to
Whitefall? As far as I care,
everyone on this ship is culpable.

MAL

Well now. That has an effect on the
landscape.

BOOK

Please, we're very close to true
stupidity here --

DOBSON

I got a cruiser en route for
intercept, so talk all you want. You
got about twenty minutes.

MAL

Might have less than that.

DOBSON

Yeah, threaten me..

BOOK

(still moving)
For God's sake --

DOBSON

You think I wouldn't shoot a
Shepherd? Back off!

Mal grabs Simon -- and everybody's shouting --

MAL

Just take the kid!

SIMON

Get your hands off me --

DOBSON

Stand the hell down --

BOOK

Everybody just stop it! Stop it!

KAYLEE

(entering)
Why's everybody --

Dobson spins and FIRES.

Kaylee stumbles backwards, slamming into the wall --

KAYLEE (cont'd)
What...

She puts her hands to her belly. Blood runs over it.

A lot of things happen. Kaylee slumps to the ground as Simon rushes to her, Mal dives for his weapon, Jayne draws his, Dobson swings to fire at Mal --

-- and Book is in Dobson's face, a brutal jab in the throat as he grabs his gun-hand whip-quick, twists and pulls the gun out, cracking Dobson across the face with it in the same motion and Dobson is down. In seconds.

INARA

Kaylee!

She is on the upper level, having come out of her shuttle at the sound of the shot. She races to Kaylee, as does Mal, seeing that Dobson is no longer a threat.

ANGLE: KAYLEE AND THE OTHERS

Simon lays Kaylee back as Mal scrambles to her other side.

SIMON

How do you feel?

KAYLEE

A little odd...

ANGLE: JAYNE AND BOOK

Jayne comes toward Dobson with a purpose, gun in hand, and Book turns to face him.

JAYNE

Outta the way.

BOOK

You're not killing this man.

JAYNE

Not right away...

BOOK

He's no threat.

ANGLE: KAYLEE AND OTHERS

Kaylee is whimpering.

KAYLEE

Why did he...?

Simon opens Kaylee's jumpsuit, examines the wound. It's not pretty.

MAL

(to Kaylee)
Oh, well, that ain't hardly a mosquito
bite.

KAYLEE

Big mosquito...

Inara rushes over, joining them. Inara pulls off her robe (she is dressed beneath) and bunches it under Kaylee's head, as,

ANGLE: JAYNE AND BOOK

JAYNE

Move.

BOOK

Not gonna happen.

JAYNE

(raising his gun)
I ain't joking with you, Preacher.

ZOE

Jayne!

She's got her gun out, pointed at Jayne.

ZOE (cont'd)
Just tie him up. Do it.

A moment, and Jayne holsters his piece, moves to get some duct tape.

ANGLE: KAYLEE AND OTHERS, OVER THIS

SIMON

Can you move your feet? Kaylee. Stay
with me. Can you move your feet?

KAYLEE

Are you asking me to dance...?

Her eyes start to roll back --

SIMON

She's going into shock.

INARA

Kaylee, [mei-mei -- "little sister"],
you have to focus.

ANGLE: BOOK STANDING OVER DOBSON

Zoe approaches him.

ZOE

The gun, Shepherd. Please.

Book hands her Dobson's gun.

ANGLE: KAYLEE AND THE OTHERS

Simon pushes Kaylee's stomach and she screams.

SIMON

(to Mal)
The infirmary working?

MAL

Yeah, we got it stocked.

They move to pick her up --

WASH (O.S.)

(on the com)
Captain, we've been hailed by a
Cruiser. Ordered to stay on course
and dock for prisoner transfer.

Mal and Simon look at each other.

Simon rises, steps away from Kaylee. He is tense, but surprisingly calm.

SIMON

Change course. Run.

MAL

Hell with you. You brought this down
on us, I'm dumping you with the law.

INARA

Mal...

SIMON

She's dying.

MAL

You're not gonna let her.

SIMON

Yes, I am.

MAL

No, you can't.

ZOE

No way the Feds'll let us walk.

MAL

Then we dump him in the shuttle and
leave him for them.

KAYLEE

(delirious)
Everybody's so mad...

INARA

It's okay, baby.

SIMON

Do you know what a stomach wound does to
a person?

MAL

I surely do.

SIMON

Then you know how crucial the next
few minutes are.

ZOE

(to Simon)
You let her die, you'll never make it
to the Feds.

SIMON

She'll still be dead.

MAL

You rich kids, you think your lives
are the only thing that matters.
What'd you do? Kill your folks for
the family fortune?

SIMON

I don't kill people!

MAL

Then do your job!

SIMON

Turn the ship around!

INARA

Enough! Mal, do it.

MAL

Don't ever tell me what to do on my --

Kaylee screams again.

Mal and Simon stare at each other.

MAL (cont'd)
(eyes on Simon)
Zoe. Change course.

SIMON

Help me get her up.

Mal and Inara hoist with Simon.

ZOE

(hits the com)
Wash, change course and go for hard
burn. We're runnin'.

EXT. SPACE - CONTINUING

As the ship turns and the back lights up all shiny bright -- and she shoots off.

INT. INFIRMARY - MOMENTS LATER

The three of them burst in, lay Kaylee on the table. It's small and not wildly sterile here, but it is clearly functional.

SIMON

You have an extractor?

MAL

Got a laser law.

SIMON

That's not good enough.
(to Inara)
Uh, my room, red bag.

Inara goes. Simon raids the cupboards, finds a hypo-gun and vials.

MAL

This is over, you and me are gonna
have a personal chat.

SIMON

Won't that be fun.
(tosses Mal the hypo)
Dope her.

FADE TO BLACK

INT. INFIRMARY - CONTINUING

We see, over time, VARIOUS ANGLES of Simon operating. Simon is confident and good at his job. Mal and Inara assist -- mostly Mal, who has the most field experience. Among the images are:

-- Simon using the extractor to find and pull out the bullet shards.

-- Inara looking at Mal while he helps Simon

-- Inara holding a breathing mask over Kaylee's face, looking at instruments indicating her vitals.

-- Jayne crouched outside the infirmary, peering in through a window, worried, almost hugging himself.

INT. INFIRMARY - LATER

Simon washes off his hands. He turns to Mal, pulling off his apron.

SIMON

I can't do anything more until she
stabilizes.

MAL

Will she?

SIMON

I can't say yet.

INARA

I want know what's going on here.

MAL

Well then why don't we find out?

He moves quickly from the room.

SIMON

What are you... no! No!

Simon follows, as do we, back into

INT. CARGO BAY - CONTINUING

SIMON

Stay away from that! Aah!

He moves toward Mal -- but is grabbed and easily held by Jayne.

MAL

(calmly, to Jayne)
Where's the Fed?

JAYNE

Secure. Shepherd's with him. Seems
to think he's not safe alone with me.

SIMON

Don't!

Mal turns some dials on Simon's blue box and pulls a release lever. There is much flashing of lights and four latches twist automatically at the corners. The top comes slightly up with a hydraulic whoosh, dry ice pouring out the sides. Wash and Zoe enter; Inara's there, too.

MAL

Well, let's see what a man like you would kill for.

SIMON

No, don't!

Mal kicks off the top of the box. It flies off, clattering to the floor as the smoke clears from over what's inside.

Mal steps forward, looks.

ANGLE: ABOVE THE BOX

Curled inside is a naked, unconscious teenage girl.

The box is clearly a cryo-chamber of some sort, perfectly conformed to her body, a sleep metallic womb.

Mal looks at the girl. At Simon. At the girl.

MAL

Huh.

 

Act 3

Way it is is the way it is

ACT THREE

INT. CARGO BAY - CONTINUOUS

Simon tries to wrest himself free of Jayne, who's just holding his arms now.

SIMON

I need to check her vitals.

MAL

Oh, is that what they call it?

SIMON

She's not supposed to wake up for
another week! The shock --

MAL

The shock of what? Waking up?
Finding out she's been sold to some
borderworld baron? Or, I'm sorry --
was this one for you? Is it true
love? Because you do seem a little--

She SCREAMS as she lurches out of the box behind Mal. He actually gives a little yelp himself as he turns, startled.

She keeps screaming, and for a moment no one does anything.

She spills out of the box, crawling backwards, breathing hard and looking around her, wild-eyed.

Simon finally pulls himself free of Jayne -- who's now more interested in the naked girl than him -- and comes to her. Inara pulls off her robe again, ready to cover her with it.

SIMON

River?

She screams at his touch -- Inara instinctively moves forward -- but he holds onto her, tries to get her to look in his eyes.

SIMON (cont'd)
River. It's okay. It's okay. It's
okay. It's okay, I'm here.

Finally she looks at him, trying to focus, still breathing hard.

She looks about, at everyone, then back at him.

SIMON (cont'd)
River...

RIVER

(whispering)
Simon...?

And she realizes, begins to cry.

RIVER (cont'd)
Simon... They-they talk to me, they want
me-they want me to talk...

SIMON

They're gone... they're gone. We're safe
now. We're safe. we're safe, I'm here.

Everyone in the room can tell this is not what Mal thought. There is a kind of respect in their silence. Well, until:

MAL

What the hell is this?

Simon, River clinging to him and crying, looks over at Mal defiantly.

SIMON

This is my sister.

INT. DINING ROOM - LATER

Everyone is gathered, save Kaylee and River herself, to hear Simon speak. As he does, the camera will periodically INTERCUT to him taking care of River in the infirmary.

For a moment, they all just wait.

INT. INFIRMARY - EARLIER

River is brought -- wrapped in the robe Inara used for Kaylee's pillow -- into the infirmary. She sees the unconscious Kaylee, the operating room, and she freaks. Starts screaming again, struggling to get out of Simon's grip.

SIMON (O.S.)

I am very smart. I went to the
best Medacad in Osiris, top
three percent of my class,
finished my internship in eight
months.

INT. DINING ROOM - CONTINUING

SIMON

"Gifted" is the term. So when I
tell you that my little sister
makes me look like an idiot child,
I want you to understand my full
meaning.

INT. INFIRMARY - EARLIER

Simon has calmed her down, she's sitting on the table now, looking at him with fresh tears. He prepares a hypo with a sedative. Her look of distrust at the hypo is comically grumpy -- a little child's. Her eyes wander as he injects her, she mutters something to no one -- this girl is gone.

INT. DINING ROOM - CONTINUING

SIMON

River was more than gifted. She...
she was a gift. Everything she did,
music, math, theoretical physics --
even-even dance -- there was nothing
that didn't come as naturally to her
as breathing does to us.
(smiles, remembering)
She could be a real... brat about it,
too. I mean, she used to --

Simon trails off for a moment. Jayne stands, going to refill his mug. At his movement, Simon collects himself.

SIMON (cont'd)
There was a... a school... a, uh, a
government-sponsored academy, we had
never even heard of it but it had the
most exciting program, the most
challenging. We could have sent her
anywhere, we had the money, but she
wanted to go. She wanted to learn.
She was fourteen.
(long beat)
I...

A moment of bitter emotion, then he pulls it together.

SIMON (cont'd)
I got a few letters at first, and then I
didn't hear for months. Finally I
got a letter that made no sense. She-she
talked about things that never
happened, jokes we never... it was
code. It just said...
(beat)
"They're hurting us. Get me out."

INT. INFIRMARY - EARLIER

River drifts off to sleep. Simon's holding her hand.

INT. DINING ROOM - CONTINUING

ZOE

How did you do it?

SIMON

Money. And, and luck. For two years,
I couldn't get near her. Then I was
contacted by some men, some underground
movement. They-they said she was
in danger, that-that the government was...
playing with her brain. If I funded
them they could sneak her out in cryo.
Get her to Persephone, and from there,
I could take her... wherever.

INARA

Will she be all right?

SIMON

I don't know if she'll be all right.
I don't know what they did to her, or
why. I-I just have to keep her safe.

INT. INFIRMARY - EARLIER

River is asleep.

INT. DINING ROOM - CONTINUING

There is a moment.

BOOK

That's... quite a story, son.

MAL

Yeah, it's a tale of woe. Very
stirring, but in the meantime, you've
heaped a world of trouble on me and
mine.

SIMON

I never thought --

MAL

No, I don't imagine you thought.
In consequence of which we got a
kidnapped federal officer on board,
we got the Alliance hard on our trail,
and Kaylee...

He doesn't say it.

ZOE

(to Wash)
How much does the Alliance know?

WASH

I can't say. I killed the message
pretty quick, so they might just have
had our position.

MAL

Or they might have personal profiles
on each and every one of us. 'Til
that fed wakes up, we won't know.

JAYNE

So what do we do?

A moment as he thinks, looking at his crew. Looks at Inara.

MAL

The job. We finish the job. I got
word from Patience, she's waiting for
us. We circle 'round to Whitefall,
make the deal, get out. Keep flying.

SIMON

What about us?

Mal looks at him a moment.

MAL

Kaylee comes through, you and your
sister'll get off at Whitefall.

SIMON

If she doesn't come through?

MAL

Then you're gettin' off a mite sooner.

BOOK

That'd be murder.

MAL

Boy made a decision.

INARA

He didn't shoot her.

JAYNE

No, but somebody on this boat did and I'm
scratching my head as to why we ain't
dealt with him.

And now the room gets louder, people start talking over each other...

ZOE

Kill a Fed? Can you think of a
stupider thing to do?

JAYNE

He can I.D. us all.

SIMON

You wanna throw me out the airlock,
fine, but River's not a part of this.

WASH

Can we maybe vote on the whole
murdering people issue?

MAL

We don't vote on my ship because my
ship is not the rutting town hall!

INARA

This is insanity. Mal...

WASH

I happen to think we're a ways beyond
that now, sir.
(to Zoe)
Come on, we're gonna talk this
through, yeah?

Zoe doesn't answer. Wash is truly pissed.

BOOK

I'll not sit by while there's killing
here.

JAYNE

(smiling)
Shepherd's got a mean streak. We'd
best walk soft.

MAL

[Nimen de bizui! -- "Everybody shut
the hell up!"]
(they do)
Way it is is the way it is. We got
to deal with what's in front of us.

INARA

Mal, you know those two wouldn't
survive a day in Whitefall anyway.
You throw them out, I'm leaving too.

Mal looks at her, angry at being confronted publicly and upset by the thought of her leaving, but suppressing both.

MAL

It might be best you do. You ain't a
part of this business.

He exits toward the back. She looks startled, then resigned.

INT. AFT HALL - CONTINUING

Simon follows him.

SIMON

What business is that, exactly?

Mal turns and gives him a murderous look, but Simon doesn't back down.

SIMON (cont'd)
I'm a dead man, I can't know? Is it
gold? Drugs? Pirate treasure? What
is it that makes you so afraid of the
Alliance?

MAL

You don't wanna go down this road
with me, boy.

SIMON

Oh, you're not afraid of them? I already
know you'd sell me out to them for a
pat on the head. Hell, you should
probably be working for them. You
certainly fit the profile --

Mal decks him. He goes tumbling. Mal looks down at him, looks back to see:

ANGLE: THE DINING ROOM

The rest are looking at him, Jayne in the foreground.

JAYNE

(smugly)
Saw that comin'.

EXT. SPACE - CONTINUING

Serenity, still flying.

INT. DOBSON'S ROOM - LATER

Jayne and Mal are in the room with the tied and gagged cop. Mal pulls the duct tape off and Dobson grunts in pain.

MAL

I'm in a tricky position, I guess you
know. Got me a boatload of terribly
strange folk making my life a little
more interesting than I generally like,
chief among them an Alliance mole.
Likes to shoot at girls when he's
nervous. Now I got to know how
close the Alliance is, exactly how
much you told them before Wash
scrambled your call. So...
I've given Jayne here the job of
finding out.

Jayne pulls out a big-ass knife.

JAYNE

(to Dobson)
He was non-specific as to how.

Mal says to Jayne, very quietly:

MAL

Now you only gotta scare him.

JAYNE

(grinning at Dobson)
Pain is scary...

MAL

Just do it right.

Mal exits, shutting Jayne in with Dobson.

DOBSON

Do you have any idea how much trouble
you're in?

Jayne sits down on a chair across from Dobson.

JAYNE

Gee, I never been in trouble with the
law before...

DOBSON

Not like this you haven't. You think
this is just a smuggling rap? The
package that boy is carrying --

JAYNE

It's a girl. She's cute, too, but I don't
think she's all there, y'know?
(ugly grin)
'Course, not all of her has to be...

DOBSON

That girl is a precious commodity.
They'll come after her. Long after
you bury me they'll be coming.

JAYNE

Oh, I'm not gonna kill you, Dobson --
what's your first name?

DOBSON

(reluctantly)
Laurence.

JAYNE

Laurence. No, I'm just gonna cut on ya'
'til you tell me how much they know.

DOBSON

They know everything. They know every name,
every record -- they know how many
nosehairs you've got.

JAYNE

(genuinely
disappointed)
Ah, see -- they don't know a damn
thing. It's all over your face,
I ain't even... Was gonna get me
a ear, too. Aren't you an officer of the
law? Well, don't they teach you how to
withstand interrogation? Can't even tell
a damn lie.

DOBSON

Okay. I can see you're not an idiot.

JAYNE

Wish I could say the same, Laurence,
but... this is disappointing as hell.

DOBSON

Let me speak the language you will
understand. Money. This girl is
worth a lot of money. I mean a lot.
You kill me, there's nothing. But if
you help me out, you'll have enough
to buy your own ship. A better one
than this piece of crap.

JAYNE

Does helping you out mean turning on
the Captain?

DOBSON

Yes, it does.

Jayne thinks on it a moment.

INT. BRIDGE - CONTINUING

Mal arrives on the bridge, moving fast. It's dark, chaotic. Wash is watching a screen, very apprehensive.

MAL

How the Hell did they find us? I
thought you said we could get around
'em.

WASH

It's not Alliance.

MAL

You're sure?

WASH

It's a smaller vessel.

MAL

Commercial?

WASH

Uh, yeah, I read it as an older
model Trans-U.

MAL

I didn't think Trans-U still operated.

WASH

They don't.

MAL

Get me a visual.

WASH

They're still too far out to --

MAL

Get me something!

WASH

I'm picking up a lot of radiation...
they're operating without core
containment. Well, that's [ chinese - "nuts"],
that's suicide...

He looks at Mal, getting it.

MAL

Reavers.

Mal looks out toward a tiny speck that approaches them.

EXT. SPACE - CONTINUING

Where we see, for the first time, the ship. Once it was a commercial spaceliner, now it's a war machine. Tricked out, ornament and painted, with giant torpedo-looking tubes jerry-rigged near the front. Everything about this vessel says 'savage'.

INT. BRIDGE - CONTINUING

Where Mal continues to stare ahead, and Wash repeats softly:

WASH

Oh god.
(beat)
Oh god, oh god, oh god...

 

Act 4

Why don't we shoot her first?

ACT FOUR

INT. INFIRMARY - CONTINUING

We see the two girls laid out, unconscious. Book is quietly standing at the foot of Kaylee's bed, bible folded in his hands. Mal's voice comes over the com:

MAL (O.S.)

This is the captain.

INT. JAYNE'S ROOM - CONTINUING

Jayne stands in the middle of his room, holding a big gun.

INT. PASSENGER DORM HALL - CONTINUING

Zoe is standing outside Simon's room, she has stopped to listen. Simon steps out of his room, listening as well.

MAL (O.S.)

We're passing another ship. Looks to
be Reavers. From the size, probably
a raiding party.

INT. INARA'S CHAMBER - CONTINUING

She listens, too. Gravely.

MAL (O.S.)

Could be they're headed somewhere
particular, could be they've already
hit someone and they're full up. So
everyone stay calm.

INT. JAYNE'S ROOM - CONTINUING

Jayne pulls down a decorative blanket to reveal an arsenal on his wall. He his silent and serious.

MAL (O.S.)

We try to run, they'll have to chase us.
It's their way. We're holding course.
We should be passing 'em in a minute, so
we'll see what they do.

INT. BRIDGE - CONTINUING

MAL

Zoe, you come on up to the bridge.

INT. PASSENGER DORM HALL - CONTINUING

Zoe is going as Simon stops her with:

SIMON

Wait -- I-I don't understand.

ZOE

You've never heard of Reavers?

SIMON

Well... campfire stories... Men gone savage
on the edge of space, killing, and...

ZOE

They're not stories.

SIMON

What happens if they board us?

ZOE

If they take the ship, they'll rape
us to death, eat our flesh and sew
our skins into their clothing and if
we're very very lucky, they'll do it
in that order.

She exits. Simon moves quickly to:

INT. INFIRMARY - CONTINUING

Where he moves near River. He and Book look at each other.

EXT. SPACE - CONTINUING

We see the ships nearing each other. Slowly and silently.

INT. INARA'S CHAMBER - CONTINUING

Inara digs out a small, hidden box. She opens it. Inside is a modern syringe gun, smaller than the one Simon used on River, and a vial of black liquid. Unmarked.

She stares into the box.

INT. JAYNE'S ROOM - CONTINUING

Jayne is loading bullets the size of D batteries into a big-ass rifle. His hands are shaking slightly.

EXT. SPACE - CONTINUING

The ships are almost upon one another. The reaver ship is nearly twice the size of the Firefly.

INT. BRIDGE - CONTINUING

Zoe enters, says nothing. She stands behind Wash, slips her hand onto his shoulder. He covers it with his own.

Wash looks out the window at the ship, sees the attachments on the front. Also speaks softly.

WASH

There's a magnetic grappler. They get ahold
of us with that...

MAL

Just tell me if they alter course.

They wait.

Everybody waits.

EXT. SPACE - CONTINUING

The ships pass silently. The reaver ship comes close enough to cast a shadow on the smaller ship.

But it passes.

EXT. BRIDGE - CONTINUING

After a few long seconds...

WASH

They're holding course.

Mal lets out a long breath. Looks at the other two.

WASH (cont'd)
I guess they weren't hungry. Didn't
expect to see them here...

ZOE

They're pushing out further every
year, too.

MAL

Gettin' awful crowded in my sky.

INT. INFIRMARY - LATER

Mal is looking at River, silent.

KAYLEE

Hey, Captain.

He turns. She has woken, is woozy and quiet.

MAL

Hey... Hey little Kaylee, what's the
news?

KAYLEE

I'm shiny, Captain. A-okay. And I can't
feel much below my belly, though. It's
gettin' cold.

Mal moves to get her another blanket, lays it on her -- all the whole hiding his feelings at hearing that.

MAL

Well, you just gotta rest. Something's
gonna break down on this boat real
soon. Who else I got to fix it?

KAYLEE

Well, don't you worry none. Doc fixed me
up pretty. He's nice.

MAL

Don't go working too hard on that
crush, [xiao mei-mei - "little sister"]. Doc
won't be with us for long.

KAYLEE

You're nice, too.

MAL

No, I'm not. I'm a mean old man.

KAYLEE

He wasn't gonna let me die. He was
just trying to... It's nobody's fault.
Okay? Just promise me you'll
remember that?

MAL

(takes her hand)
I'll keep it in mind.

KAYLEE

You are a nice man, Captain. You
always looking after us. You just
gotta have faith in people.

He says nothing, just holds her hand.

Her eyes drift to River, still sleeping.

KAYLEE (cont'd)
She is a real beauty, isn't she?

She smiles... and her eyes gently close.

Her hand slips from Mal's.

INT. INARA'S CHAMBER - LATER

Simon is there, as Inara hands him a couple of packets.

SIMON

Thank you.

INARA

This is just standard Companion
immunization package. I'm not sure
it'll help in this --

SIMON

It won't hurt. Supplies down
there are pretty rudimentary.

INARA

Is there anything else I can do?

SIMON

I don't think so. But I appreciate
it.

INARA

Kaylee's very dear. To all of us.

SIMON

I... I'm sorry. For my part in what
happened. See... I've never... I mean,
I don't know how to --

INARA

You're lost in the woods. We all
are. Even the captain. The only
difference is, he likes it that way.

MAL

(entering)
No. No, the difference is, the woods are
the only place I can see a clear path.
(to Simon)
What's your business here?

INARA

It's my business. The usual. I gave
the boy a free thrust, since he's not
long for this world. What are you
doing in my shuttle?

MAL

It's my shuttle. You rent it.

INARA

Then when I'm behind on the rent, you
can enter unasked.

Simon elbows his way out. Mal and Inara look at each other a moment.

MAL

Thought you were leaving, anyhow.

INARA

Well I guess that depends on you.

Mal turns and goes.

INT. CARGO BAY - CONTINUOUS

Simon is walking away, but Mal stops him:

MAL

You'll ruin her, too, you know.

Simon turns.

MAL (cont'd)
This is the thing I see you're
uncomprehending on. Everyone on this
ship, even a 'legitimate businesswoman'
like her, their lives can be snatched
away because of that Fed. You got a
solution for that? You got a way round?

SIMON

I don't.

MAL

Comes time, someone's gonna have to
deal with him. That should be you,
but I don't think you got the guts.
(beat)
And I know you don't have the time.

SIMON

What do you mean?

MAL

Kaylee's dead.

He is steely, contained. Simon is shocked, quietly devastated.

Mal turns and walks toward the bridge. A moment, and Simon starts in a daze for the infirmary, running, unable to accept it as he enters:

INT. INFIRMARY - CONTINUING

To find Kaylee sitting up a bit, talking weakly but happily with Book. Simon turns and looks out where Mal left, true shock in his eyes.

SIMON

(panting)
That man's psychotic.

INT. BRIDGE - MOMENTS LATER

Mal, Wash, Jayne and Zoe are all laughing.

WASH

You are psychotic.

MAL

No, but you should have seen his
face... Oh... I'm a bad man.

ZOE

And Kaylee's really okay?

MAL

Yeah. Tell the truth, I didn't
expect her to heal this quick.
Doctor knows his trade, I'll give
him that.

There is a noise from a console. Wash checks it out.

WASH

We're being hailed.

MAL

That'd be Patience. We're close enough
for vid. Put her up.

We briefly see an image on a screen, a weathered, pioneer-looking woman of about fifty.

PATIENCE

Malcolm Reynolds?

MAL

Hello, Patience.

PATIENCE

I have to say I didn't look to be
hearing from you anytime soon.

MAL

Well, we may not have parted on
the best of terms. I realize
certain words were exchanged.
Also, certain... bullets. But
that's air through the engine.
It's past. We're business people.
Besides, your days of fightin'
over salvage rights are long
behind you, what I hear. What
are you, mayor now?

PATIENCE

Just about. You telling the truth
about that cargo? 'Cause your
asking price is a bit too
reasonable for that much
treasure.

MAL

It's imprinted -- Alliance -- hence
the discount.

PATIENCE

Oh, government goods, huh?

MAL

That doesn't work for ya, no harm.
Just thought you could use --

PATIENCE

Alliance don't scare me. Just
collating data, as they say.
I like that you're up front about
it. We can deal. I'll upload
coordinates for a rendezvous
point outside of town.

MAL

See you in the world.

He hits a button, ending the talk. He stares down at the console for a long beat.

MAL (cont'd)
I believe that woman's planning to
shoot me again.

JAYNE

She meant to pay you, she'd'a haggled
you down some.

WASH

Just a little effort to hide it
would've been --

Mal shuts everybody up by knocking something off the counter. It hits the ground with a loud clang.

Oh, he's mighty pissed.

ZOE

Sir, we don't have to deal with her.

MAL

Yes, we do.

JAYNE

Here's a little concept I been workin'
on. Why don't we shoot her first?

WASH

It is her turn.

MAL

That doesn't get us what we need, either.

ZOE

There's moons on this boat we ain't seen.
We could try our luck --

MAL

(angrily)
Our luck?
(beat)
You notice anything particular about our
luck these past few days? Any kind of
pattern?
(beat)
You depend on luck, you end up on the
drift -- no fuel, no prospects....
beggin' for Alliance make-work.
And towed out to the scrap belt.
That ain't us. Not ever. Patience
has got the money to pay, and she will,
one way or another. There's obstacles
in our path, and we're gonna deal with
them. One by one.

INT. DOBSON'S ROOM - CONTINUING

We see Dobson sawing away at his bonds with a tiny, jagged piece of metal.

MAL (O.S.)

We'll get through this. We will.

 

Act 5

Nice place for an ambush

ACT FIVE

EXT. WHITEFALL

We're on the surface -- rocks and sagebrush jutting out of low hills. Serenity touches down, the airlock door beginning to open.

EXT. SERENITY - CARGO BAY - CONTINUOUS

Zoe and Mal down the ramp. Jayne zooms past them on the mule.

EXT. DESERT - DAY - LATER

We see a small valley, dotted with brush.. Pan slowly to discover Mal and Zoe walking down into it.

ZOE

Nice place for an ambush.

MAL

That it is.

Pan across the valley, then REVERSE camera to REVEAL Mal and Zoe staring at the valley.

Behind them, Jayne arrives at a decent clip. He hands one bar from the crate to Mal.

JAYNE

I buried 'em good. The equipment's back
on the boat.
(into comm)
Testing. Testing, Captain, can you
hear me?

MAL

(deadpan)
I'm standing right here.

JAYNE

(into comm)
You're coming through good and loud.

MAL

'Cause I'm standing right here.

JAYNE

Yeah, well... but the transmitter's...

Mal steps forward as Jayne trails off, looking about him, the wheels in his head turning.

MAL

All right. Patience is gonna figure we
buried the cargo. Which means means
putting us to our ease 'fore there's
any action. She'll come at us from
the east, talk the location out of us.
She'll have the coin to show us first.
We get it, give the location, snipers
hit us from....
(points)
There. And there.

JAYNE

You figure they're in place yet?

MAL

Should be. Feel like taking a walk
around the park?

JAYNE

(grinning)
Sure you don't just wanna piss
yourself and back down like you did
with Badger?

Mal stares at him 'til he stops smiling.

MAL

Walk soft. I want Patience thinking
they're still in place. Don't kill
anyone if you don't have to. We're
here to make a deal.

Jayne takes off. Zoe and Mal look over the meeting place some more.

ZOE

Don't think it's a good spot, sir.
She still has the advantage over us.

MAL

Everyone always does.
(turns back to her,
smiling)
That's what makes us special.

INT. PASSENGER DORM HALL/DOBSON'S ROOM - CONTINUING

Book is there, wrestling with his conscience. He looks toward the infirmary, looks toward Dobson's room. After a moment, he heads toward the latter, stops at the door. Knocks.

BOOK

Lawman, it's Shepherd Book.

He opens the door --

BOOK (cont'd)
I believe you're in more danger
than --

Dobson slams the Shepherd in the face with something, sending him flying back into the hall.

Dobson is on him in a second with a makeshift truncheon, hits him in the head viciously twice more. Now this? This is a bad man.

Book slumps, unconscious. Dobson looks out to make sure no one heard. Starts dragging Book into his room.

EXT. DESERT - DAY

We are high and wide above Mal and Zoe, watching them walk across the valley. Them small, landscape big.

Closer in, we track with them, moving slow. They keep their eyes peeled all ways, hands near their holsters.

A ways more, and they are nearing a rise -- Over which appear:

ANGLE: PATIENCE and her crew of six -- as they crest the hill on horseback -- all but one, who drives a vehicle not unlike the one on Serenity. They're maybe twenty yards from our two.

Patience is in a weatherbeaten duster, grey hair flyblown about her face. Her men are a hodgepodge of old and modern clothes -- not quite Road Warrior, but eclectic and raggedy. One wears a shiny black top hat.

PATIENCE

Ah!
(chuckles)
Mal! How you doin', boy?

MAL

Walkin' and talkin'.

PATIENCE

(squinting)
Is that Zoe? You still sailin' with
this old bum?

ZOE

Awful lot of men to haul three crates.

PATIENCE

Yeah, well, I couldn't be sure my Mal
here wouldn't be lookin' for some kinda
payback. You understand.

MAL

We're just on the job, Patience. Not
interested in surprises.

EXT. RIDGE OVERLOOKING THE MEETING PLACE - CONTINUING

A sniper is set to take a bead on Mal. Jayne gets the drop on him, knocks him unconscious. Grabs his rifle and takes his position. He finds a mark, smiles.

ANGLE: IN HIS SIGHTS:

Is Mal.

Jayne smiles, wicked-like.

INT. ANOTHER DORM ROOM - CONTINUING

As Dobson busts in, moves to his suitcase. He opens it, digs in and grabs his tiny computer, turns it on. The screen has icons on it, including CONNECT TO CENTRAL CORTEX. He hits it, waits. It comes up: INTERFERENCE: UNABLE TO CONNECT. Furious, he hurls the computer against the wall, smashing it. Reaches into the bottom of his suitcase.

He pulls out another gun. And another.

EXT. DESERT - CONTINUING

The exchange continues.

PATIENCE

I don't see my cargo anywhere...

MAL

And you're not gonna, 'til I'm holding
two hundred in platinum.

PATIENCE

Oh, come on, Reynolds. I'm supposed
to take it on faith you've got the
goods?

Mal pulls out the bar from the crate. He tosses it to Patience. She rips the foil off to reveal what looks like one of those awful energy bars, which, by the by, is what it is. She sniffs it.

MAL

It's pure, Patience. Genuine A-grade
foodstuffs. Protein, vitamins,
immunization supplements. One of
those'll feed a family for a month.
Longer, if they don't like their kids
too well.

She takes a tiny nibble.

PATIENCE

Yeah, that's the stuff.

She pulls a small bag from her pocket, tosses it to Mal.

PATIENCE (cont'd)
So where's the rest?

INT. INFIRMARY - CONTINUING

River wakes, sits up abruptly. True fear is on her face.

RIVER

Simon...

KAYLEE

What's wrong, sweetie?

River doesn't answer -- she moves to the door -- where Dobson GRABS her, sticks a gun to her head.

DOBSON

Look at you, all woke up.

Kaylee starts to move -- he pulls out the other gun, points it at her.

DOBSON (cont'd)
(to Kaylee)
Oh, I'm sorry about what happened before.
But make so much as a sound, the next
one goes through your throat.

She looks at him with genuine horror. He pulls River back toward the dorm.

EXT. DESERT - CONTINUING

MAL

Then east half a mile, bottom of the
first hill. You'll see where it's
been dug.

PATIENCE

I reckon I will.

MAL

Well then.

PATIENCE

Yep.

Nobody moves.

MAL

I'd appreciate it y'all turn around
and ride out first.

PATIENCE

Well, you see, there's a kind of hitch.

MAL

Both made out on this deal. Don't
complicate things.

PATIENCE

I got a rule. I never let go of money I
don't have to. Which is maybe why I'm
running this little world and you're still on
that dinky old boat, sniffing for scraps.

ANGLE: JAYNE'S POV, through the sights of the gun. Still on Mal, they now swing over to Patience and her gang as Mal tosses the money to her.

MAL

Got the money back. There's no need
for killin'.

ZOE

We're just gonna walk away, sir?

MAL

Guess that's up to Patience here.
(to Patience)
Could be messy.

PATIENCE

Not terribly.
(chuckles)
Mal, you just ain't very bright, are you?

Mal steps forward, nodding at one of her men.

MAL

That's quite a rifle. Boy must be your
best shot to carry that.

PATIENCE

He's called Two-Fry. Always makes it
quick and clean.

Two-Fry smiles. He is scruffy and mean, and wears the shiny top hat.

MAL

Two-Fry. Nice hat.

Two-Fry is BLOWN off his horse by a shot from the unseen Jayne.

And then a lot of things happen at once, people shootin' and yellin'.

Mal draws and nails a second man, Zoe a third (the one on the mule) -- as the gang opens up, a forth man blasts his shotgun, nailing Zoe right in the chest.

She goes flying back -- as Mal hits shotgun man, moving, diving behind some brush cover as Patience and the remaining two fire at him, their horses rearing in panic, one of them drops off his, comes up firing, Mal and he can't really find each other through the dust at this point --

INT. BRIDGE - CONTINUING

Simon and Wash are there, talking.

WASH

You should think about asking the
captain to drop you somewhere else.
Whitefall ain't exactly civilization
in the strictest sense.

SIMON

You don't have to worry about me.

WASH

Zoe's out on a deal, I always worry.
So... it's not out of my way --

Kaylee's voice comes over the com, weak and whispered...

KAYLEE

He took her... He took River...

Simon bolts out of the room. Wash is about to as well, but there is a beeping -- a proximity warning.

He stops, looks at his screen.

WASH

Oh, don't. Don't you dare.

EXT. DESERT - CONTINUING

Mal's up and firing. Jayne's picking people off from the hill. Patience's men know by now they've got a sniper on 'em but they can't see where he's at.

INT. CARGO BAY - CONTINUING

Simon runs out, sees Dobson with River below, his grip on her loose right now as he looks around him, heading for the closed airlock. He hits the release button and the cargo bay doors start opening --

Simon JUMPS right down on top of him -- two men go tumbling, two guns go flying -- and both men lie there in extreme ouchiness, unable to get up and get the guns.

River backs into a corner, wild with terror.

EXT. DESERT - CONTINUING

ANGLE: JAYNE

Still picking off Patience's men. He takes a shot and misses, looking up for a second to say,

JAYNE

[Hwin dan! - "Asshole!"]

The last man on his horse starts to ride away in panic --

ANGLE: ZOE

Still flat on her back. Raises her gun and shoots him in the back. He falls off the still moving horse.

Now it's just Patience and the one other. He fires and clips Mal in the arm -- Mal returns in kind, blasting his hip. The other guy goes down, screaming in pain.

Patience has her shotgun propped on the saddle, using her horse for cover.

Mal stands, no longer moving or hiding.

MAL

(grunting in pain)
Zoe?

ZOE

(grunting, also
in pain)
Armor's dented.

She pulls at her shirt -- there is a beat up kind of thin Kevlar underneath.

MAL

Well, you were right about this
being a bad idea.

ZOE

Thanks for sayin', sir.

PATIENCE

Mal, don't you take another step --

Mal fires. Her horse rears, falls half on top of her. Mal stalks forward, shoves his gun right up in Patience's face.

MAL

Now I did a job. I got nothing but
trouble since I did it, not to
mention more than a few unkind words
as regard to my character so let me
make this abundantly clear. I do the
job.

He takes the money back.

MAL (cont'd)
And then I get paid.

He moves his gun from her face.

MAL (cont'd)
Go run your little world.

Jayne runs up to him and Zoe, panicky and out of breath.

JAYNE

Mal! It's Wash! We got a ship
coming in. They followed us. The
gorram Reavers followed us!

Everyone still alive looks scared.

EXT. SPACE - CONTINUING

As the Reaver ship whips past camera, heading towards Whitefall.

 

Act 6

We're good, people

ACT SIX

INT. CARGO BAY - MOMENTS LATER

Dobson lunges for his gun -- and Simon throws himself on top of him. They can both barely stand from their crash before. They struggle in ugly fashion, until Dobson gets an elbow free and jerks it into Simon's face.

He gets free enough to crawl for the weapon, but Simon rolls around and grabs the other one, points it:

SIMON

No, don't! Don't move!

WASH (O.S.)

(on the com)
Reavers! Reavers incoming and headed
straight for us. We are in the air
in one minute.

INT. BRIDGE - CONTINUING

WASH

(to himself)
I guess they got hungry again.

He starts warming the ship up.

INT. CARGO BAY - CONTINUING

Simon holds the gun on Dobson. His hand shakes.

DOBSON

You gonna do that? You gonna kill a
lawman in cold blood. I know what
you did for your sister. I understand.
It doesn't make you a killer.

A barely conscious Book comes to the entrance, holding onto it to stay up.

DOBSON (cont'd)
I don't wanna hurt anybody. I have
a job to do. To uphold the law --
that's what we're talking about here.

EXT. SPACE - CONTINUING

The Reaver ship breaks into atmo, headed down to the planet.

INT. BRIDGE - CONTINUING

Wash is getting more and more freaked --

WASH

Come on, come on....
(into walkie)
Where the hell are you guys?!?

EXT. DESERT - CONTINUING

As we see Mal, Zoe and Jayne RIDE into frame on horseback, moving just as fast as they can.

INT. CARGO BAY - CONTINUING

Dobson, still on the floor with Simon holding a gun on him.

DOBSON

There's nowhere you can take her the
law won't find. Nobody is going to
hurt her. Unless you hurt me.

He tries to stand. Simon panics.

SIMON

No, I said -- I said don't-don't move!

DOBSON

It's your call.

Simon doesn't know what to do. He looks over at River.

EXT. DESERT - CONTINUING

Mal, Zoe, and Jayne ride up to the ship.

INT. CARGO BAY/AIRLOCK - CONTINUING

The airlock starts to open, the noise and motion distracting Simon long enough for Dobson to grab his gun and fire --

-- missing but sending Simon diving for cover. Inara comes out of her shuttle, seeing the trouble below --

-- as Dobson grabs River and puts himself behind her, gun to her head.

DOBSON

I'm not playing anymore.

EXT. SERENITY - CONTINUING

The three pull up on their horses, jump off, Mal striding in as the others shoo the horses off.

INT. CARGO BAY/AIRLOCK - CONTINUING

Mal walks in behind Simon --

DOBSON

Anybody makes so much as a --

-- and shoots Dobson without a word. He flies back, letting go of River and dead before he lands. Tilt up from him to see Book, unable to move. Mal stalks toward the body, crouching over him to make sure he's dead.

Zoe and Jayne appear behind him, walking up the ramp.

MAL

Jayne!

Grinning, Jayne jogs up beside Mal.

Simon finally lowers his gun and moves to River, shocked and silent. River makes panicky, frightened noises.

ZOE

(into comm)
Wash! We're on!

Zoe hits the button and the cargo bay starts to close.

Mal and Jayne pick up Dobson like a rag doll, running him across the cargo bay and tossing him off the closing ramp. Jayne and Mal run back in, narrowly missing the closing airlock doors.

EXT. SERENITY - CONTINUING

The hatch is still closing as the ship takes off.

INT. BRIDGE - MOMENTS LATER

Mal and Zoe come up to Wash, Jayne close behind.

MAL

How close are they?

WASH

About twenty seconds from spitting
distance.

JAYNE

Well, lose 'em!

MAL

(to Zoe)
Give me rear vid.

She punches it up. ON THE SCREEN, we see the ship approaching from behind.

ZOE

[Ai ya, women wanle. - "We're in big
trouble."]

MAL

(to Wash)
How close do they need to be to fire
those grapples?

JAYNE

C'mon, Wash, you dumbass, dodge 'em!

WASH

If everybody could just be quiet a
moment...

He's incredibly calm. He veers hard.

EXT. DESERT - CONTINUING

-- the hills, where we see the ship moving fast -- but the reavers right on them.

INT. BRIDGE/FOREDECK HALL - CONTINUING

Wash continues to pilot with serene expertise.

WASH

I need Kaylee in the engine room
please.

ZOE

Can she even --

MAL

(to Jayne)
Get her in there. Now.

Jayne goes, passing Inara in the hall.

INT. FOREDECK HALL - CONTINUING

ANGLE: MAL AND INARA

MAL

I want you to get in your shuttle.
Get the civilians, be ready to go.

INARA

We can't just leave you here.

MAL

Thought that was the plan.

INARA

Mal, don't do this --

MAL

We get boarded, you take off, head
for town. We might be able to stop
them from following.

INARA

They'll kill you.

MAL

Inara.

Just saying her name says more than he probably ever meant to. He puts his hand on her shoulder.

And pushes her gently away.

MAL (cont'd)
Go.

He turns back to the bridge. She is going as well, throws a look back.

INT. BRIDGE - CONTINUING

Mal moves back to Wash's side, puts a hand on his shoulder.

MAL

How we doing?

WASH

(droll)
I don't mean to alarm anybody... but
I think... we're being followed.

EXT. DESERT - CONTINUING

The reaver ship is hard on Serenity's heels.

INT. INFIRMARY - CONTINUING

Jayne is carrying Kaylee out as Inara enters. She speaks to Simon, River and Book:

INARA

You three. Come with me.

BOOK

I think I can help Kaylee out.

SIMON

Should I --

BOOK

(re: River)
Take her. Keep her safe.

Book and Inara share a glance before they go their separate ways.

INT. BRIDGE - MOMENTS LATER

Wash flies.

MAL

Can't keep this up, they get a bead,
they're gonna lock us down.

WASH

(into com)
Kaylee, how we doing?

INT. ENGINE ROOM - CONTINUING

Kaylee is propped up in a corner, Jayne and Book at the ready.

WASH (O.S.)

Gonna need a little push here.

KAYLEE

You want me to go for full burn?

WASH (O.S.)

Not just yet, but set it up.

KAYLEE

(to Book)
You know where the press regulator is?

He looks about, heads to a part of the engine, points at a panel. Kaylee smiles.

KAYLEE (cont'd)
Head of the class.

She coughs, wincing in pain.

INT. INARA'S SHUTTLE - CONTINUING

Inara is settling into the pilot's seat, Simon and River behind her.

KAYLEE (O.S.)

We're ready for full burn on your mark.

INT. BRIDGE - CONTINUING

ZOE

Full burn in atmo? That won't cause
a blowback? Burn us out?

MAL

Even if it doesn't, they can push
just as hard, keep right on us.
(beat)
Wash, you gotta give me an Ivan.

WASH

I'll see what I can do.
(into com)
Kaylee, how would you feel about
pulling a Crazy Ivan?

INT. ENGINE ROOM - CONTINUING

KAYLEE

Always wanted to try one. Jayne.
Open the port jet control. Cut the
hydraulics.

JAYNE

Where the hell is --

KAYLEE

Look. Look! Look where I'm pointing.

He does, opens a panel near the floor.

KAYLEE (cont'd)
Okay. Now it's real simple.

ANGLE: JAYNE'S POV: A tangle mess of cables.

Yeah. Real simple.

EXT. DESERT - CONTINUING

The reaver ship has Serenity locked in. The magnetic grappler warms up, latches flying off.

INT. BRIDGE - CONTINUING

Zoe watches the Reaver ship out of a porthole.

ZOE

They're on us.

WASH

(into com)
Kaylee...?

EXT. DESERT - CONTINUING

The reaver ship has black smoke billowing out the back, closing in on Serenity.

INT. BRIDGE - CONTINUING

Mal and Zoe are real tense, Wash still preternaturally calm.

MAL

(muttering)
C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon...

No answer from Kaylee. Then:

KAYLEE (O.S.)

Okay.

WASH

Everybody hold on to something.
(softly, to the
reavers)
Here's something you can't do...

He SLAMS down a lever and

EXT. DESERT - CONTINUING

Serenity's port jet flips the other way and the ship LURCHES into a perfect one-eighty, spinning on a dime, the jet flips back and it's headed straight for the reaver ship, which dodges at the last second --

INT. BRIDGE - CONTINUING

WASH

(into com)
NOW!

INT. ENGINE ROOM - CONTINUING

Book hits a button, Jayne pulls on a lever, and suddenly the engine turns faster, glows real bright.

EXT. DESERT - CONTINUING

As the ass-end of serenity lights up, sending ripples of fire bursting into the atmosphere as the ship blasts out of there fast, gradually arcing up toward space...

INT. BRIDGE - CONTINUING

Wash is pulling up at the controls with all his might. Finally he eases off, quietly pleased.

Mal and Zoe are kind of amazed.

MAL

Knew I hired you for somethin'.

INT. ENGINE ROOM - CONTINUING

Jayne looks around, pumps his fist in the air.

JAYNE

Whoo! Woo-hoo!

INT. BRIDGE - CONTINUING

Zoe leans over the back of Wash's chair.

ZOE

Ain't no way we they can come around
in time to follow us now.

Mal hits the com:

MAL

We're good, people.

INT. INARA'S SHUTTLE - CONTINUING

Extreme, solemn relief.

MAL (O.S.)

We're out of the woods.

INT. ENGINE ROOM - CONTINUING

Jayne whoops with delight. Even Book smiles.

Kaylee runs her hand along the hull.

JAYNE

Woo-hoo-hoo! Yeah!

KAYLEE

That's my girl... That's my good
girl.

She looks at the boys and beams.

INT. BRIDGE - CONTINUING

WASH

(to Mal)
We should have just enough left in us
to hit a fuel station. We'll need to
do some patching up. I hope we got
paid today.

MAL

We did.

Zoe exchanges a look with Wash.

ZOE

Sir? I'd like you to take the helm,
please.
(re: Wash)
I need this man to tear all my
clothes off.

Mal says nothing, just smiles and indicates the way out. Wash climbs out of the chair and exits with Zoe...

WASH

Work, work, work...

And Mal throws himself down into the pilot's seat. Lets out a breath he's been holding for, oh, about two days. And starts flying.

 

Epilogue

We're still flyin'

EXT. SPACE - LATER

As Serenity breaks out of atmosphere into the deep silence of space.

INT. INARA'S CHAMBER - LATER

Book sits as Inara takes a cloth from a bowl and dabs his head. He is sitting, she stands before him.

INARA

You should really have the young
doctor look at this.

BOOK

It's not so bad.

INARA

Well, I'm sure you'll be fine.

BOOK

I didn't say that.

He looks up at her and she sees how upset he is, how lost.

BOOK (cont'd)
Is this what life is, out here?

INARA

Sometimes.

BOOK

I've been out of the abbey two days,
I've beaten a lawman senseless, I've
fallen in with criminals. I watched
the captain shoot the man I swore to
protect.
(beat)
And I'm not even sure if I think he
was wrong.

INARA

Shepherd...

He is shaking a bit, tearing up.

BOOK

I believe I just...
(a pained smile)
I think I'm on the wrong ship.

INARA

Maybe. Or maybe you're exactly where
you ought to be.

He lowers his head. She puts her hand on it, a kind of benediction. We hold on them a second.

INT. SIMON'S ROOM - LATER

He is tucking River into bed.

SIMON

The shot I gave you will help you sleep.

RIVER

I slept for so long...

SIMON

Just a little while. Then we'll find
a place. We'll find a safe place.

He's not convinced, but he smiles at her anyway. She looks suddenly terribly sad.

RIVER

I didn't think you'd come for me.

SIMON

(welling up)
Well, you're a dummy.

He takes her in his arms, holds her tight.

JAYNE (PRE-LAP)

The girl's a problem.

INT. BRIDGE - LATER

Mal is still at the helm as Jayne speaks to him.

JAYNE

The lawman said they'd keep looking
for her. Something about her brain
being all special. Important to the
Alliance brass. Sooner we dump them
two, the better.

MAL

Suppose so.

Jayne gets up to leave.

MAL (cont'd)
Funny how the lawman got out of his
room. You having tied him up so well
and all.

JAYNE

I didn't have nothing to do with that.
Anyway it all turned out just fine.
Buzzards're the only ones gonna find
him...

MAL

But he did try to make a deal with
you, right?

He looks at Jayne, who says nothing.

MAL (cont'd)
How come you didn't turn on me, Jayne?

JAYNE

Money wasn't good enough.

MAL

What happens when it is?

JAYNE

(smiling)
Well... that'll be an interesting day.

MAL

Imagine it will.

Jayne leaves, rudely bumping into Simon, who is on his way in. Simon comes up next to Mal. He sees Mal's arm is a bit bloody.

SIMON

You need me to look at that?

MAL

Just a graze.

SIMON

(a beat, then)
So, where do you plan on dumping us?

MAL

There's places you might be safe.
You want the truth, though, you're
probably safer on the move.
(turns to him)
And we never stop moving.

SIMON

I'm confused. No wait, I -- I think
maybe you're confused.

MAL

It may have become apparent to you
that the ship could use a medic. You
ain't weak. I don't know how bright
you are, top three percent, but you
ain't weak and that's not nothing.
You live by my rule, you keep your
sister from doing anything crazy,
you could maybe find a place here.
'Til you find a better.

SIMON

I'm trying to put this as delicately
as I can... How do I know you won't
kill me in my sleep?

MAL

You don't know me, son. So let me
explain this to you once: If I ever
kill you, you'll be awake, you'll be
facing me, and you'll be armed.

SIMON

(smiles)
Are you always this sentimental?

MAL

Had a good day.

SIMON

You had the Alliance on you, criminals
and savages... half the people on the
ship have been shot or wounded
including yourself, and you're
harboring known fugitives.

Mal looks out at the black sky.

MAL

We're still flying.

SIMON

That's not much.

Mal answers, almost to himself:

MAL

It's enough.

A beat, then Simon goes. Mal just keeps looking ahead.

END OF SHOW