The Message

It will haunt your dreams and harrow -- YES -- your very soul.

Cast  ·  Intro  ·  Act 1  ·  Act 2  ·  Act 3  ·  Act 4

 

Guest Cast

 

Intro

What'd you all order a dead guy for?

Transcribed:	Russ Madden
Written:	Joss Whedon & Tim Minear
Directed:	Tim Minear
Aired:	Never aired

EXT. SPACE BAZAAR - DAY

 

(Black, space-y day.) Ships land and take off from this decrepit but inviting old structure, clearly clapped together from several different ships and stations. We hold on it, silent but for a bit of intro music and a sudden, booming voice:

 

BARKER (O.S.)

We are not alone!

 

INT. BAZAAR - CONTINUING

 

It's a giant flea market/ food court/ carnival/ bar/ post office/ whatever the hell anybody needs out here station. We see the scope of the place as we push in (low angle) towards a BARKER, standing in front of a small, curtained off space. He's talking from the top, very fast, selling hard.

 

(NOTE: This is not a large build -- it's the size of a large closet, curtained off on all sides, with but one display.)

 

BARKER

Forget what you think you know.

Forget what your mother told you when

she tucked you in at night, forget

the lies of our oppressive,

cabalistic Allied governments!

Behind this curtain is the very

secret they do not want you to see --

the most astounding scientific find

in the history of humanity. Proof!

Of Alien life. That's right, go ahead and

laugh, sir, but what you see inside

this room will change your life

forever! It will haunt your dreams

and harrow -- YES -- your very soul.

 

INT. BARKER'S BOOTH - CONTINUING

 

Hold a still frame on Simon and Kaylee, staring intently at something in a big jar that we can't see very well. Wait a beat.

 

SIMON

Yep. It's a cow fetus.

 

KAYLEE

Guess so... Does seem to have an

awful lot of limbs...

But cow? How do you figure?

 

SIMON

It's upside down.

 

She cranes her head upside down, looks. Nods, sagely...

 

KAYLEE

Oh, Yeah. Cow.

 

SIMON

Yup. And I'm out twelve bits. I really

know how to show a girl a...

disgusting time.

 

KAYLEE

Oh, it's sweet. Poor little thing

never even saw the light of day, now

it's in show business!

 

He looks at her, admiringly.

 

SIMON

You manage to find the bright side of

every single thing.

 

KAYLEE

(coming closer)

Also, we've got this booth to ourselves

for five whole minutes...

 

SIMON

(glances at jar)

We're not alone, remember?

 

KAYLEE

(taking his hands)

He's not gonna squawk. Tell me more good

stuff about me.

 

SIMON

(smiles)

Ah... Well, you're a, a kind of a genius when it

comes to machines... you always say

what you mean, and your eyes are...

 

KAYLEE

Yeah? Eyes, yeah?

 

SIMON

And, um... I don't know how to, um...

(joking)

Plus, every other girl I know is

either married, professional, or

closely related to me, so you're

more or less, you are literally the only girl

in the world.

 

Those famous eyes of her darken considerably. She draws back.

 

KAYLEE

Mm. That's a hell of a thing to say.

 

SIMON

I was joking...

 

KAYLEE

No, no, I get it. I do. Back on Osiris you

probably had nurses and debutantes

crawling all over you. But down here

at the bottom of the barrel, it's

just me.

 

SIMON

No, that's, that's, that's not even --

 

KAYLEE

Well, I'm glad I rated higher than

dead bessie here. < Why don't you tell

the cow about its beautiful eyes? >

[Nee GAO-soo NA niou, TA yo shwong

mei-moo?]

 

She is storming out just as Wash and Zoe are coming in. Simon watches Kaylee despairingly.

 

WASH

Oh my god, he's grotesque! Oh, and

there's something in a jar.

 

He ogles the fetus as Zoe come up to Simon.

 

ZOE

Scare her away again, did you?

 

SIMON

This may come as a shock, but I'm

actually not very good at, at talking to

girls.

 

ZOE

(not unkindly)

Why, is there someone you ARE good at

talking to?

 

WASH

(in the background,

to the jar)

Do not fear me. Ours is a peaceful

race, and we must live in harmony...

 

INT. BAZAAR - CONTINUING

 

Mal and Inara walk through, talking.

 

INARA

Struck out again, did you?

 

MAL

It's like something out of a fable!

I've got this priceless artifact, the

biggest score of my unseemly career,

and no one will touch it.

 

INARA

The Lassiter's universally known.

Fencing it is like...

fencing the Mona Lisa.

 

MAL

Well...

(nonchalantly snags an urchin picking his pocket

and retrieves his property)

Mona Who?

 

INARA

You're out of your league. You

should consider my offer --

 

MAL

I done thinking about that, and you ought to

stay clear.

 

INARA

I know people in the highest ranks of --

 

MAL

Jabber jabber jabber. I ain't listening.

Just 'cause you helped out on the job

don't make you a crook. I will not

have you jeopardizing your career

over this.

 

INARA

The career you abhor and look down on?

 

MAL

I just don't want you in the way a'

trouble. Just take it as you like.

(calling out)

Amnon, How you been?

 

They have reached a more official looking section of the bazaar, with a sign reading: POST, FREIGHT and HOLDING.

 

AMNON DUUL, the postman, wears a sort of combination of a postal uniform and hasidic wear. He is decent and more or less unflappable, and happy to see Mal.

 

AMNON

(shaking his hand)

Malcolm, an old friend's face is a

balm in this age.

 

MAL

I read your wave. You're holding

some post for me?

 

AMNON

Yeah. Got yourself quite a haul. You

can sign for everyone, right?

 

MAL

Sure.

 

AMNON

Very good.

 

Amnon goes into a back room as Mal starts filling out a form.

 

Book arrives, with River in tow. They both hold short sticks that dangle strings off the end. Each string runs through the middle of a ball of ice cream that is supported by a bowl shaped cookie attached (under the ice cream) to the string. They're sort of like little mace and chains, and eating them is not altogether convenient, since they swing a bit.

 

BOOK

Any packages for me?

 

MAL

Don't know yet.

 

RIVER

My food is problematic.

 

Jayne arrives, toting a couple boxes of ammo.

 

JAYNE

Girl's a mind-readin' genius, can't even

figure out how to eat a ice-planet.

 

MAL

Did you get everything?

 

JAYNE

Yeah. They didn't have no rounds for the

Buhnder, but we're ammoed up pretty

good. Got a good discount on

account of my intimidating manner --

 

Jayne gives Mal his change. Mal looks at the paltry amount. As though just remembering, Jayne digs out more money and hands it to Mal.

 

Amnon returns, wheeling in a man-sized crate. He tosses a couple of smaller package on the counter.

 

AMNON

This one's addressed to you and Zoe, Mal.

 

MAL

I don't remember ordering any parts...

 

He signs some forms.

 

AMNON

The little one's for Cobb.

 

Jayne hurried puts the ammo on the counter and takes the small package.

 

JAYNE

I got post?

 

BOOK

Might we all want to step a few

paces back before he opens that?

 

JAYNE

Haw haw. It's from my mother.

 

During this, Inara sees Kaylee arrive, looking glum.

 

INARA

(to Kaylee)

So, do aliens live among us?

 

KAYLEE

Yeah. One of them's a doctor.

 

Jayne tears open his package and pulls out a letter.

 

Zoe and Wash wander up with Simon trailing behind as Jayne reads, with the classic toneless hesitation of a slow reader:

 

JAYNE

"My dear boy. I hope you are well

and that you get this soon in your

travels." Travels.

 

Inara puts her arm around Kaylee, Kaylee putting her head on Inara's shoulder.

 

AS JAYNE CONTINUES: Mal motions for Zoe to help him.

 

MAL

Did you order any equipment?

 

ZOE

No sir.

 

JAYNE

"Thank you for the credits you

forwarded, they have helped as Matty

is still sick with the Damp-lung. I made you the

enclosed" --

 

As Zoe and Mal inspect the grate, Jayne digs in the box --

 

JAYNE (cont'd)

Ooh! Enclosed!

 

He reaches in and pulls out a woolly knitted hat with earflaps and a pom pom. He is clearly moved. He puts it on, continues reading.

 

JAYNE (cont'd)

-- "enclosed to keep you warm in

your travels. Hope to hear from you

soon, love, your mother."

 

He closes the letter, proudly adjusting his hat.

 

JAYNE (cont'd)

How's it sit? Pretty cunning,

don'tchya think?

 

It's faintly ridiculous, but are you gonna tell him that? Anyway, Kaylee likes it, wistful as she is.

 

KAYLEE

I think it's the sweetest hat ever.

 

WASH

Man walks down the street in that

hat, people know he's not afraid of

anything.

 

JAYNE

Damn straight.

 

Mal and Zoe are just finishing unlocking the crate, trying to pry it open.

 

MAL

Well, let's hope we get

some funny hats, too.

 

As he's saying it, they pry the lid off, and we see a coffin. Then they open the coffin, and we see the corpse of a young man lying, arms folded, inside.

 

Mal and Zoe look at him with somber recognition. Everyone goes very quiet, looking inside.

 

The last to bother is Jayne, who cranes his head into frame, hat still perched proudly, looking quizzically at the body.

 

JAYNE

What'd you all order a dead guy for?

 

As Mal and Zoe look at each other:

 

Act 1

I got nothin'

On the screen, we read:

BATTLE OF DU-KHANG

SEVEN YEARS EARLIER

 

INT. /EXT. BUDDIST TEMPLE - NIGHT

 

A firefight is going full blazes outside. Soldiers battle fiercely.

 

Just inside the temple we see TRACEY, who is a green but gutsy private. Right now he's sweaty and tense. He looks out over the remains of a wall slowly, looking for enemies.

 

Light from the occasional explosion or far away burst of gunfire gives us a better view of the place -- it's being held by about six Independents, all looking out in different directions.

 

Tracey sees nothing. He takes a moment and lays down his weapon. Reaches into his bag and pulls out a can of beans. As he does, mumbling to himself about beans, we see an Alliance Soldier creeping towards him from the other side of the wall. Tracey doesn't see --

 

-- Till the guy's foot hits a rock -- Tracey moves, scrambling for his rifle -- too late as the Alliance Soldier raises his --

 

CLOSE ON: The Alliance Solder -- as Zoe calmly appears behind him and draws a knife across his throat.

 

Angle on: Tracey -- as a few blood splatters hit his face.

 

Zoe drops the soldier and enters, taking the extra rifle.

 

TRACEY

Thanks. I didn't know you were out there.

 

ZOE

(stone cold)

Sort of the point. Stealth,

you may have heard of it.

 

TRACEY

I don't think they covered that in

basic.

 

ZOE

Well, at least they covered 'Dropping

your weapon so you can eat beans and

get yourself shot'.

 

TRACEY

Yeah, I got a badge in that.

(off her look)

Won't happen again.

 

ZOE

It does, I'm just gonna watch.

 

TRACEY

Anything interesting out there, you

don't mind my asking?

 

ZOE

(indicating)

'Bout 30 troops behind those

buildings. Mortars, no rollers

yet. I expect they plan to pick at

us a spell before they charge. They

had two scouts sniffin, but I took 'em down.

 

TRACEY

(impressed)

Why, I didn't hear a single thing.

 

ZOE

First rule of battle, little one.

Don't ever let them know where you are.

 

Mal runs in, screaming and firing behind him, and dives over a wall for cover, lands nearby, bullets zinging over his head.

 

MAL

I'm right here! I'm right here! Come on!

 

Mal continues to taunt the enemy.

 

ZOE

'Course, there are other schools of

thought...

 

Mal scrambles over to them, laughing.

 

MAL

Ha! That was bracing. They don't

like it when you shoot at them. I

worked that out myself.

 

ZOE

Did you find Vitelli?

 

MAL

Vitelli's out of it. That bumblebee

laid down arms at the first sign of

inevitable crushing defeat. Can you

imagine such a cowardly creature?

 

TRACEY

Southwest corridor's open, huh?

 

MAL

Tracey. Ain't you dead yet?

 

TRACEY

(looking sheepishly

at Zoe)

Through no fault of my own.

 

MAL

(disappointed)

I really wanted your beans.

 

ZOE

They're gonna come right through

here. They got rollers?

 

MAL

Oh, they got every damn thing. How's the

lieutenant?

 

TRACEY

He started screaming. All of a

sudden, about his arms, where's his

arms, we hadda go back and find 'em.

 

ZOE

What the hell happened?

 

TRACEY

He ain't even hurt! Got ten pretty

fingers on his hands like the most of men, but

he's screaming like they're gone, crying.

He ain't said a word in two

hours.

 

MAL

(mournful anger)

These kids...

 

ZOE

Sir. Do we hold?

 

TRACEY

(breaking a bit)

I don't want to die here. Forgive me

saying, this rock ain't worth it.

Not our lives.

 

MAL

Everybody dies, Tracey. Someone's

carrying a bullet for you right now,

doesn't even know it.

(smiles)

The trick is, die of old age before

it finds you.

 

ZOE

We can still cut through to the 22nd

at the school system. Make a decent

stand there.

 

MAL

Well, we can't do any good here. I

sure as hell ain't going to lay down arms.

Zoe, you heard the Lieutenant give

the order to join up with the 22nd?

 

ZOE

I did.

 

MAL

Round 'em up, then.

(to Tracey)

And you also heard the lieutenant, too.

 

TRACEY

Hey, I ain't gonna rat you out, Sarge, hell

I --

 

MAL

Ain't me I'm worried on. Lieutenant ever gets

his mind back together, this shouldn't

go on his record. Ain't his

fault he couldn't take it.

 

TRACEY

More than he'd probably do --

 

Mal raises a hand, intense, for quiet. Tracey doesn't get it, doesn't hear the growing whine of --

 

ZOE

SEEKER!

 

Things happen very quickly. Zoe dives for cover as Mal pulls a flare from his belt that activates the moment he touches it, hurls it above his head --

 

-- and a tiny missile zooms at the group, suddenly turning up, hitting the flair 30 feet up --

 

The explosion lights up the air, Mal also diving over Tracey as shrapnel rains down --

 

TRACEY

AAGH!

 

Mal is hit in the back and arm. He rolls off Tracey, who's taken it in the leg pretty badly.

 

TRACEY (cont'd)

Is it bad? Is it bad?

 

MAL

(ignoring his own

wounds)

It's glorious.

(calls out)

Come on! We gotta move!

 

TRACEY

I can't...

 

Explosions and gunfire continue.

 

MAL

You got to run!

(to Zoe)

Zoe! Get the Lieutenant!

 

TRACEY

(in pain)

Sarge, really...

 

MAL

You know the old saying...

 

He hoists Tracey over his shoulder and runs just as a tank bursts through the wall --

 

SMASH CUT TO:

 

INT. BAZAAR - CONTINUING (PRESENT DAY)

 

Close up of that same Tracey, all stiff and dead and blue.

 

After a moment, Mal slides the lid back over him.

 

MAL

Why, it don't make any kind of sense.

Zoe?

 

ZOE

I got nothing. But it's definitely

Tracey.

 

WASH

You know this guy?

 

INARA

Is this a warning of some kind?

 

AMNON

(quietly)

Listen, Mal, you gotta get this thing

out of my station.

(Mal starts to object)

No, no, no, no. Human transport on a postal route is

very very illegal. If anyone even

knows I took a corpse in, I'll lose

my franchise.

 

MAL

Well who sent it?

 

AMNON

I don't know. There's no return.

 

ZOE

How long has it been here?

 

AMNON

Near a week, that's why I waved you.

This can't stay here.

 

JAYNE

He don't smell.

 

MAL

I know. Ben decently preserved.

(to Zoe)

Give me a hand.

 

JAYNE

We're taking him on board?

 

MAL

We are.

 

JAYNE

Don't know if I see the percentage in that.

 

MAL

Well, don't strain your brain trying.

Might break something.

 

Mal and Zoe haul the box up, start walking. Book moves to help --

 

ZOE

(stony)

We got it.

 

They cart him off, the others folding in behind, quietlike. Simon approaches, oblivious, hoping to win Kaylee into a conversation.

 

SIMON

What's going on? Did we get

something fun?

 

A glare for Simon. River passes him, ice cream swinging --

 

RIVER

You are such a boob.

 

INT. CARGO BAY - A BIT LATER

 

The box is open again. Everyone is about.

 

JAYNE

How do we know he ain't plague-ridden

or some such?

 

ZOE

We know.

 

WASH

We don't, actually. I mean, I

respect you guys have a history,

but... What are you doing?

 

Zoe is reaching in, pulling something from the corpses folded hands.

 

SIMON

(to Mal)

If you want me to do a proper

autopsy --

 

KAYLEE

Cut him up?

 

MAL

Not just yet, thank you doctor.

 

KAYLEE

(muttering)

Robot.

 

Zoe produces a FUTURISTIC DEVICE! That is a tape recorder -- of the FUTURE!

 

MAL

What do you got?

 

She turns it on. The voice stops them all. It is hesitant at first, and weak, as though the talker were straining for breath, But soon settles into a rhythm...

 

TRACEY (V.O.)

Uh. Okay. Um, recording... Hi, I

guess. This is a

message for Zoe, and for Malcolm

Reynolds, and I really hope you all

are the ones listening to it.

 

We move over everyone as they listen, soberly.

 

TRACEY

I'll spare you the boring details,

falling in with untrustworthy folk,

making a bunch of bad calls... All

that matters is I expect to be

shuffled off, and you two are the

only people I trust to get me where

I'm going. Which is home. I'd like

my body to be with my folks on St.

Albans. We got the family plot

there, and my Mom and dad, well, they deserve to

know I died. You know, it's

funny. We went to the war never looking

to come back, but it's the real world

I couldn't survive. You two carried

me through that war. Now I need you

to carry me just a little bit

further. If you can. Tell my folks I wanted to do

right by them and

that I'm at peace and all. Ah. When you

can't run anymore, you crawl, and

when you can't do that... well, yeah, you

know the rest. Thanks, both of you.

Oh. Yeah. And, uh... Make sure my eyes is

closed, will you?

 

A moment, and the tape ends. Everyone is quiet.

 

Wash rises, heads to the stairs --

 

MAL

Wash?

 

Wash turns back.

 

WASH

St. Albans ain't but a two day ride, we burn hard

enough.

 

A moment, and Mal nods. Wash continues up and Mal turns to replace the lid again, says to Inara:

 

MAL

That might make your schedule a

little --

 

INARA

It's all right.

 

He nods again, not much with the verbal thank you's right at this moment. He and Zoe lift the top together --

 

ANGLE: FROM INSIDE THE BOX as they cover it.

 

EXT. SPACE BAZAAR - MOMENTS LATER

 

Silent but for music, we see Serenity gently lifting off. It passes another ship -- a slightly larger, ALLIANCE SHORT RANGE ENFORCEMENT VESSEL. It's basically an oversized, beat up squad car. As it lands right near where Serenity took off, the music changes to indicate this might be not wonderful.

 

INT. BAZAAR - MOMENTS LATER

 

We TRACK BEHIND three men as they stride through the Bazaar. If they're cops, they're detectives, since they have no uniforms to speak of. The man in the middle is called WOMACK. He's been around the block, and likely beaten up everybody on it. The other two, FENDRIS and SKUNK, aren't much different, but they clearly defer to Womack.

 

They make their way through the place with purposeful indifference. Pass the barker:

 

BARKER

That's right, gentlemen, you have been

told tales all your life, but Alien

races exist among us, the proof is

right inside, you'll be amazed and

astounded...

 

Womack and his men enter the postal center,.

 

Amnon is going through papers, behind his counter. He arranges them carefully --

 

Womack holds up his badge.

 

Amnon looks up to see Womack standing right in front of him. Amnon hesitates, and before anything can happen Skunk is already going in his back room to search. Fendris is behind Womack, checking his rather large pistol and watching out for pain-in-the-ass innocent bystanders.

 

AMNON

Can I help you...?

 

WOMACK

You are an ugly looking little quim,

you know that?

 

AMNON

Look, there's a problem, you know, I can --

 

WOMACK

(wanders about the room, snooping,

circling like a shark around its prey)

So you might to be asking yourself,

ugly as you are, how repulsive

looking the guy that's going to make you his

little woman is gonna be. Hmm? I mean,

prison is a lonely place, and you

sure as a hundred moons ain't gonna

be pitching. So what kind of sorry

ass troll is gonna get blue enough to

grapple with you? Shudder to think.

 

AMNON

I've broken no law.

 

WOMACK

Transportation of human cargo --

especially dead cargo --

(thumps Amnon on the forehead)

through the

Allied postal system is punishable by

five to ten years on a penal moon.

Plus, you don't know this yet, but

you resisted arrest.

(off Amnon's terror)

Where's my body?

 

AMNON

I, I... I don't know. I, I...

 

WOMACK

The dead guy. He got shipped here.

 

Skunk comes out, shakes his head no.

 

WOMACK (cont'd)

And shipped back out, I guess. Where?

 

AMNON

I never saw a body.

(Womack starts to turn ahead)

But, but wait, there was a, there was a,

there was a crate big enough for one, I mean, I mean, I did hand

that over just a little while ago.

 

WOMACK

Lovely. Who got it?

 

Amnon hands over the register, points to a name.

 

WOMACK (cont'd)

Malcolm Reynolds. Where do

you suppose he's off to?

 

AMNON

He, he captain's a firefly,

you-you should be able to capture him if

you leave now.

 

WOMACK

Are you telling me to leave?

 

AMNON

Well, no, no, I didn't, I...

 

WOMACK

Relax, you've been great. And I was just

bluffing with that stuff about

arresting you, I mean, who needs that kind of

paperwork? Skunk. Light him on fire.

 

AMNON

No! I-I-I-I.

 

Skunk sprays Amnon with lighter fluid he keeps in a cool container in his jacket.

 

AMNON

I, I told you. I told you what I know!

What? What? I --

 

With swift graceful motion, Skunk holds up a suddenly lit match. Amnon backs into a huddle in the corner, utterly terrified.

 

Womack stands next to skunk, over the cowering postman.

 

WOMACK (cont'd)

Tell anyone we were here, warn

(looks at the register)

"Captain Reynolds" that we're coming, and

you'll wish that we'd burned you.

< understand? > [Dong ma?]

 

Amnon nods frantically.

 

WOMACK (cont'd)

Boys... let's go find us a corpse.

 

He blows out Skunk's match.

 

Act 2

Big walrussy thing, all waxed up...

Serenity in space.

 

INT. ENGINE ROOM - NIGHT

 

Kaylee lies in her hammock, listening to the recording of Tracey's voice. She clearly has been doing this for a while, and has gotten awful misty about the lad.

 

TRACEY (V.O.)

I really hope you all

are the ones listening to it.

I'll spare you the boring details,

falling in with untrustworthy folk,

making a bunch of bad calls... All

that matters is I expect to be

shuffled off, and you two are the

only people I trust to get me where

I'm going. Which is home. I'd like

my body to be with my folks on St.

Albans. We got the family plot

there, and my Mom and dad, well, they deserve to

know I died. You know, it's

funny. We went to the war never looking

to come back, but it's the real world

I couldn't survive.

 

INT. AFT HALL - CONTINUING

 

Simon comes up, looking for Kaylee. He stops outside the engine room door. Sees her, hears the recording...

 

Simon slowly slips away, realizing with regret he is unwanted.

 

INT. CARGO BAY - CONTINUING

 

Book stands at the head of the crate/coffin, bible in hand, head bowed. WIDEN to see that during his little silent service, Jayne is busily lifting weights. Jayne replaces the barbell in its holder, the metal noisily clattering. Book looks around.

 

JAYNE

Oh, sorry, Preacher. Am I makin' too

much noise?

 

BOOK

No, no, I was just.... saying a few

words. Don't know the boy's

denomination, but...

 

JAYNE

Oh, no. It's good. The Lord should oughta

look after the dead.

 

Over the following, Jayne pats himself down with a towel -- he's quite sweaty. Really been going at it.

 

JAYNE (cont'd)

You wanna do a set? I'll spot you.

 

BOOK

Not so terribly in the mood.

 

JAYNE

Yeah. Most people is pretty quiet about now.

Me, I see a stiff -- one I didn't

have to kill myself -- I just get the urge to,

you know, do stuff. Work

out or run around, maybe get some trim if

there's a willin' woman about... not

that I get flush from corpses or

anything. I ain't crazy.

 

BOOK

Makes sense. Looking to feel alive,

I would venture.

 

JAYNE

For psychology, that don't sound half dumb.

My kind of life don't last long, Preacher.

So I expect I'm invested in making

good sport of it whilst I can.

 

He puts on his hat as he says it.

 

As they continue talking, we come around to see River in the background, crawling gracefully onto the coffin. She stretches, catlike, moving her head about in odd fashion, as though listening, then lies flat on her belly, arms out to her sides.

 

JAYNE (cont'd)

You gonna read over me when I get taken

down, Shepherd?

 

BOOK

Oh, I suspect you'll be around long

after we're all --

 

JAYNE

(noticing River)

(What the hell is she: in Chinese)

(at River)

-- what the hell are you doing?

 

BOOK

Oh. River, that might not be the

best place to...

 

RIVER

I'm very comfortable.

 

They consider pulling her off... hesitate...

 

BOOK

(to Jayne)

I guess we do all have different

reactions to death.

 

CUT TO:

 

INT. DINING ROOM - CONTINUING

 

Mal and Zoe are laughing their asses off. We widen to see Inara is with them, laughing as well. They've all had a few drinks, and continue to drink as they talk:

 

MAL

I thought I was gonna die.

 

INARA

How could he possibly have even...

 

MAL

Oh, the colonel was dead drunk. Three

hours pissing on about the enlisted

men, uh, they're scum, uh, they're not

fighters -- and, uh, and then he passed right out.

Boom.

 

ZOE

We couldn't even move him. So, uh, Tracey

just snipped it right off his face.

 

MAL

And you never seen a man more proud

of his mustache than Colonel Orbrin.

In all my life I will never love a

woman the way this officer loved that

lip ferret.

 

ZOE

Big walrussy thing, all waxed up...

 

INARA

Did he find out?

 

Another burst of laughter from Mal and Zoe.

 

MAL

Oh! The next morning, he wakes up,

it's gone, and he is furious, but he

can't just say, you know,

"someone stole my mustache." So he, uh,

calls together all the platoons --

 

ZOE

We thought he was gonna shoot us --

 

MAL

And, uh, oh, he's eyeballing all the men something

fierce, not a word, and he comes up to

Tracey... and Tracey's wearing the

gorram thing on his face.

 

ZOE

He had glued it on.

 

MAL

Staring the old man down, wearing his

own damn mustache. Huh. Uh. Oh god...

 

The laughter falters, Mal looking into his drink a moment. Inara looks at him sympathetically, tries to jump start the conversation again:

 

INARA

Well, the colonel must have said

SOME --

 

The SHIP ROCKS with force of an explosion. They all start out of their chairs.

 

ZOE

We hit?

 

MAL

That's too damn close --

 

And they are racing to the

 

INT. BRIDGE - CONTINUING

 

Where Wash is piloting intently.

 

WASH

They're behind us. Fired over the

port bow.

 

MAL

Warning shot?

 

WASH

They coulda hit us...

 

ZOE

Feds.

 

The screen comes to life, Womack's face on it.

 

WOMACK

This is Lieutenant Womack of Allied

Enforcement. You are in possession

of stolen goods and are ordered to

cut thrust and prepare for docking.

 

MAL

The Lassiter.

 

ZOE

That was quick.

 

INARA

Think Saffron tipped them off?

 

Mal hits the screen com:

 

MAL

This is captain Reynolds, I think

there's been a mistake.

 

WOMACK

There's been a lot of mistakes,

Captain. The latest of which is you

taking that crate.

 

He looks at the others. 'Crate?'

 

MAL

(to Womack)

Um. We took in a lot of inventory today.

If something got mixed in, we'll be sure

hand it back, but I don't think we're

your men. Let me check through the

cargo -- is it marked at all?

 

WOMACK

I'd think twice about

playing games with me there, mister. I will blow

you to pieces.

 

MAL

Ah, you do that, your precious crate

gonna be in bitty shards.

Now I got deliveries to make,

officer, so you just lock onto my

trajectory, and I'll take a look here, see if there's

anything here matches your description.

 

He turns off the screen.

 

WASH

Police procedure has changed since I

was little.

 

MAL

He calls back, you keep him

occupied.

 

WASH

What do I do, shadow puppets?

 

BOOK

We'll take care of it.

 

ZOE

I don't get this. They're after

Tracey?

 

MAL

Or there's something else in that box.

 

INT. CARGO BAY - MOMENTS LATER

 

Tracey's body lies on the floor as Mal, Zoe and Jayne go through both the crate and the box, looking for something. The others including Simon, Inara and River (minus Wash and Book) look on.

 

MAL

Anything?

 

JAYNE

(smashing planks)

Not unless this crate's made a'

magical wish-granting planks.

 

MAL

(to Zoe)

Check his pockets.

 

KAYLEE

That ain't right...

 

MAL

Neither's being blowd up. There's

nothing about this sits right with me.

 

ZOE

Empty.

 

MAL

Well, they want this body for

something, and I'm guessing it ain't

a proper burial.

 

Looks around. No option. Looks to Simon:

 

MAL (cont'd)

Well, doctor... I guess you are doing

an autopsy.

 

INT. INFIRMARY - LATER

 

Mal, Zoe and Jayne watch as Simon prepares to open up the now naked (but sheet covered) body.

 

ZOE

You really think there's something in

there.

 

MAL

Using corpses for smuggling is a time-

honored repulsive custom.

 

JAYNE

Maybe it's gold!

 

ZOE

And maybe he was a friend of ours,

and you need to show a little respect.

 

JAYNE

I got respect. I'm just

saying... gold...

 

SIMON

He's been opened before.

 

MAL

How's that?

 

SIMON

It's, uh... It's good work. The scar's nearly

invisible, but...

 

He traces his finger all the way down the chest.

 

MAL

Well, let's see what's in there.

 

He looks at Zoe, hating this. A tense moment. Simon takes his scalpel and starts cutting.

 

And Tracey SCREAMS.

 

Act 3

That's good! People making a life for each other.

INT. SERENITY - INFIRMARY

 

Where we left off. Everyone backing away from the SCREAMING Lazarus. Tracey looks with horror to his bleeding chest, then to the man who holds the scalpel -- Simon. Simon sees the blood, makes an instinctive move to see to the wound. All Tracey sees is the knife. He gives a PRIMAL CRY as he lunges off the table at Simon. They struggle, knocking shit over. Mal and Zoe jump into the fray. Mal calling to Jayne:

 

MAL

Get a hold of him!

 

JAYNE

Spry for a dead fella!

 

Mal pins him to the floor, ends up sitting on top of him.

 

MAL

Settle down! SETTLE! That's enough!

 

TRACEY

He was cuttin' on me, Sarge!

 

MAL

I know it! I told him to!

 

TRACEY

You told him to! What for?!

 

MAL

You were dead!

 

TRACEY

(coming back to him)

Hunh? Oh. Right. I know, I suppose I was.

(sees Zoe)

Hey there, Zoe.

 

ZOE

Private.

 

MAL

You feeling a mite calmer now?

 

TRACEY

Yes, Sarge.

(then)

Um. Sarge?

 

MAL

Yeah?

 

TRACEY

I think I'm nekked.

 

A beat. Mal's straddling a naked man.

 

Tracey rises. Looks a bit sheepish. Pulls the sheet up around his waist as he sits on the edge of the table. As Simon starts to tend to the wound:

 

TRACEY

Sorry for jumping on you the way I

did. I was a little confounded.

 

SIMON

Emerging from that state can be

disorienting. Was it byphodine?

(casually, to Jayne)

Will you bring that pan, please.

 

Jayne, not knowing why, brings a bedpan over. Simon positions Jayne's hand with pan in front of Tracey without explanation, then moves to his med supplies.

 

SIMON (cont'd)

(clarifying)

The drug you took to make it appear

as though you were dead. Do you

remember what it was called?

 

TRACEY

Never did ask.

Guy who sold it to me said I'd be under

a week or so. He told me I

wouldn't dream. But I did. I dreamt

of my family.

 

Simon has moved back to his patient, reaches out, repositions the bedpan as Tracey suddenly HEAVES forward. Jayne reacts. Simon doesn't, was expecting it. Gives Tracey a shot:

 

SIMON

(to grossed-out Jayne)

You can take that.

 

Simon goes about checking Tracey's vitals, hooking him up tothe scanners and reading the monitor in the b.g.

 

MAL

All right. You want to explain to me exactly

why you got yourself all

corpseified and mailed to me?

What're you running from?

 

TRACEY

Running to, not from. I just wanted to

get home is all. That's all I ever

wanted. 'cept there's them that take

exception to that. To me leaving...

while I was in possession of their

property...

 

MAL

What'd you boost, Tracey?

 

JAYNE

(eagerly)

Was it gold?

 

MAL

More importantly, who'd you boost it from?

 

TRACEY

Well...

 

SIMON

Captain, I don't mean

to... We may have a medical

emergency here...

 

They all look at him; he's looking at the monitor.

 

SIMON (cont'd)

This man appears to be in

cardiac arrest...

 

MAL

What? Tracey, you having a heart attack?

(to Simon)

Don't look like he's having a heart attack...

 

TRACEY

(laughs)

Don't pay any attention to your

machines, doc. They'll fib to ya.

Heart's just fine. Better'n fine.

Just runs a little hotter'n usual, that's all.

 

SIMON

(off, monitors)

My god... it's not just the heart

muscle... it's everything...

 

TRACEY

All the movin' parts. That's what I

took, Mal. That's what they want

back.

 

MAL

Tracey -- you going to tell me what in

the < name of all that's sacred > [TYEN

shiao-duh] you're talking about?

 

TRACEY

(distracted)

Sure, Sarge... sure...

 

Now the MONITOR really starts to go nuts, Tracey's heartbeating ever faster. The others look from the monitor to him, then follow his gaze to...

 

KAYLEE stands in the doorway, staring at the man come back to life. They hold the look between them.

 

INT. SERENITY - COMMON AREA - (SHORT TIME) LATER

 

Mal, Zoe, Jayne, Simon, Kaylee and Tracey. Kaylee brings Tracey some water. They will have silent connection throughout the following.

 

TRACEY

Thank you.

 

She smiles at him, takes a seat.

 

MAL

So your innards... ain't your innards?

 

TRACEY

They got scooped out, replaced

every bit.

 

JAYNE

Why'd you wanna go and do that?

 

TRACEY

For the money. They're paying me to

transport what they stuck in.

 

ZOE

You're smuggling human organs?

 

TRACEY

They're grown in a lab.

The only way they can move them is in a

person. Not sure why.

 

SIMON

Because the technology's not ready.

The blastomeres are unapproved.

Likely unstable. You're not just a

carrier -- you're an incubator.

 

TRACEY

I was supposed

to be at the drop spot two weeks ago.

A clinic in Ariel. They were to open

me up, take out the goods and put my

own workings back.

 

MAL

So what happened?

 

TRACEY

Better offer. Another buyer was

willing to go three times the going

rate. It's enough so I could get my folks

off that rock they've been forced to

live on, set them up someplace better,

someplace warm.

 

KAYLEE

That's real nice.

 

MAL

But your '"better offer" went south...

 

TRACEY

Yeah, I got myself into a little bit of a pickle,

Sarge. The folks I was working

for musta got wind of what I had

planned. I, uh, showed up... my new

buyer was dead. And there were some men,

waitin' for me.

 

KAYLEE

But you got away.

 

TRACEY

Only just. I knew they'd never stop

looking for me so long as I was

alive. Thought my chances'd be

better if I weren't.

 

MAL

So you "died" and figured they'd

stop looking for you.

 

TRACEY

Yupper.

 

A SUDDEN BLAST from outside. The ship ROCKS with the impact.

 

Tracey reacts with fear.

 

MAL

I think maybe you figured wrong.

 

EXT. SPACE - CONTINUING

 

The Police Cruiser is behind Serenity, pacing. It lets loose with another ELECTRONIC BLAST.

 

INT. SERENITY - BRIDGE - CONTINUING

 

Wash and Book on the bridge. As Mal and Zoe and Jayne enter behind them:

 

WASH

I think they're 'about done being

stalled -- Ah! Yeow!

 

He's just laid eyes on Tracey, who stands in the doorway with Kaylee. Book takes in the sight with interest.

 

WASH (cont'd)

Mal! Your dead army buddy's on the

bridge!

 

ZOE

He ain't dead.

 

WASH

Oh.

 

MAL

How far are we to St.

Albans?

 

WASH

Five minutes from atmo.

 

MAL

Bring up the terrain specs. Kaylee,

get him out of here. And strap in.

 

Wash brings up terrain maps on the nav monitor. Mal grabs the radio mic, speaks.

 

MAL (cont'd)

This is Captain Reynolds.

 

WOMACK (ON VID)

Reynolds. I'm a dangerous-minded man on a ship loaded with hurt.

Now why you got me chatting with your peons?

 

MAL

(off mic)

Tracey. You go on down below. We'll handle this.

(on mic)

Ah. Oo, ah. Well. We're just

seeing to some technical difficulties, officer.

 

WOMACK (ON VID)

Not interested, Captain.

I stepped over a lot of bodies to get

to that one you got in your hold.

You play this right, and yours won't

have to be among them.

 

TRACEY

(scared)

Sarge...

 

ZOE

The Captain ordered you off

the bridge.

 

KAYLEE

Come on.

 

She starts to lead him away. Mal pages through maps.

 

MAL

Uh. We'd love to let you boys dock, but

that last pop you gave us knocked out

our fore-couple, so we're gonna have to

park it if you want the tour.

 

WOMACK (ON VID)

All right, Captain. We can do this on

the ground just as easy.

(signs off)

 

MAL

Yeah. Easy.

(points to map)

(to Wash)

There. Think you can do it?

 

WASH

Watch me.

 

Mal clicks over the feed on the mic, now when he speaks it's an internal SHIP PA.

 

MAL (AMPLIFIED)

Attention, crew. This is the captain. Sit down and

hang on to something...

 

EXT. SPACE/ATMO - CONTINUING

 

As Serenity, followed by cops, dips down, heads for a PLANET. Breaking atmo, speeding up, taking a dive, as...

 

INT. SERENITY - KAYLEE'S BUNK - CONTINUING

 

Kaylee is coming down the ladder into her room. As the ship heads into the dive, she is sent into Tracey's arms. He catches her. Holds her. They look at each other as.

 

TRACEY.

Uh. You okay?

 

Kaylee nods

 

TRACEY (cont'd)

So, I, I can let go of you now.

 

KAYLEE

Oh, you can.

 

TRACEY

Yeah.

 

KAYLEE

(sits on her bunk)

All this hard bankin', when the gravity drive and actual

gravity start working against each other, it tosses

the lunch about a bit.

 

TRACEY

Pilot's pretty wild.

 

KAYLEE

Oh, he can thread a need with this bird. He's the best.

 

TRACEY

(still standing, hanging on with one hand)

That's good to know.

 

Kaylee smiles, nods.

 

TRACEY (cont'd)

(hesitantly)

So, are you and he, uh...

 

KAYLEE

Sweeties?

(laughs)

Oh, hell no! He's married to Zoe.

 

TRACEY

(incredulous)

Zoe got married?

 

KAYLEE

Yeah.

 

TRACEY

(laughs)

Yeah, next you'll be telling me she smiles --

(he sits, comfortable now)

-- has emotions.

 

KAYLEE

She must have been such a stone-cold

<shion tse sha sho> during the war.

 

TRACEY

I think the Sarge was even a little bit afraid of her. Now she's married.

That's good! People making a life for each other.

 

EXT. ST. ALBANS

Serenity dives into mountains followed by the police ship.

 

INT. SERENITY - BRIDGE - CONTINUING

 

WOMACK (ON VID)

Had enough of this goose run.

Don't need no attitude on this ice cube.

Now let's park it!

 

WASH

Just, uh, looking for a good spot, officer.

 

WOMACK

You got thirty seconds to set it down.

 

Zoe comes up to Book.

 

ZOE

What is it?

 

BOOK

It's just a little strange. There's a defense

station right here, but our friends haven't made a transmission

since they broke atmo.

 

EXT. ICE CANYONS - CONTINUING

 

Serenity dives through snowy canyons. Serenity thrillingly zooms among the twisty canyons.

 

INT. SERENITY - KAYLEE'S BUNK - CONTINUING

 

KAYLEE

So what about you?

 

TRACEY

Oh, you know, mostly just --

 

Serenity rocks violently. Tracey wangs the back of his head.

Kaylee, sympathetic, reaches towards him, almost but not quite

daring to touch him.

 

TRACEY (cont'd)

Stuff like this. Just finding myself in one scrape or another.

Sorry to drag you all into this.

 

KAYLEE

(blase)

Oh! Danger's pretty much our business.

 

TRACEY

Still. If you got put in a bad spot at all, Kaylee, I...

I'd be real unhappy.

 

Kaylee beams her pleasure at his sweet concern.

 

INT. SERENITY - BRIDGE - CONTINUING

 

Wash pilots.

 

WASH

Get ready for hard burn --

(leans on controls)

They'd be crazy to follow us in here.

 

EXT. ICE CANYONS - CONTINUING

 

The police Cruiser paces them.

 

INT. SERENITY - BRIDGE - CONTINUING

 

WASH (cont'd)

They're not behind us anymore.

 

Wash glances up through the top of the bridge windows...

 

WASH (cont'd)

(sees the police ship)

I didn't think of that...

 

EXT. ICE CANYONS - CONTINUING

 

Cops follow placidly just above the canyon, pacing. BELOW, Serenity is having a tougher time of it as it maneuvers through the ever more precarious canyons.

 

Police ship shoots at Serenity, blasts a mountain side free.

Serenity is tossed about. Everyone hangs on for dear life. Wash

frantically maneuvers to evade the cascading wall of debris.

 

INT. SERENITY - BRIDGE - CONTINUING

 

WASH

Wow! 'Kay! Ah! This kind of flying

really wakes a guy up.

 

MAL

(hanging tightly to Serenity)

Awake helps.

 

EXT. ICE CANYONS - CONTINUING

 

Serenity goes behind a curve, disappears for an instant, Reappears, then disappears again... then doesn't re-appear. The Police Cruiser circles, looking. No sign.

 

EXT. /INT. ICE CANYONS/CAVE - CONTINUING

 

As Serenity backs into ice cave.

 

INT. SERENITY - BRIDGE - CONTINUING

 

WASH

There. Now. I shut down the main power.

They might not read our auxillary under all this.

 

MAL

What if they come down, try to get a visual?

 

WASH

Mal, she's not a small ship.

 

INT. SERENITY - KAYLEE'S BUNK - CONTINUING

 

TRACEY

We're not moving. Why aren't we moving?

 

KAYLEE

Probably part of some genius plan to give the feds the slip.

 

TRACEY

(not believing it)

Yeah. Probably.

 

A DEEP BOOMING from somewhere. Lights flicker on and off.

 

TRACEY (cont'd)

What was that?

 

INT. SERENITY - BRIDGE - CONTINUING

 

ZOE

It sounds like <wuo duh> mag drops.

 

WASH

I think they picked up a little triangulation in cop school.

 

EXT. ICE CANYONS - CONTINUING

 

Where WE SEE Police Cruiser dropping magnetic depth charges.

 

INT. SERENITY - HOLD

 

River is sitting on stairs, holding on. Simon walks up.

 

RIVER

A thousand one. A thousand two...

 

SIMON

River...?

 

RIVER

Shh... I'm counting between lightning and thunder

to see if the storm's coming or going.

Thousand five.

 

INT. SERENITY - BRIDGE - CONTINUING

 

MAL

Options?

 

WASH

Well, we're only as good as long as the roof hold out.

Direct hit above us, ship's electricals'll be fried.

We'll have to climb out.

 

JAYNE

Yeah. Get dug out.

 

ZOE

Getting closer.

 

BOOK

Captain, there is another way.

 

INT. SERENITY - KAYLEE'S BUNK - CONTINUING

 

Tracey starts towards the ladder.

 

KAYLEE

Uh. Captain said to stay put.

 

TRACEY

(opens door)

I just want to see what's happening.

 

INT. BRIDGE - CONTINUING

 

BOOK

(to Mal, face-to-face, close)

We're cornered, outgunned, and it's only a matter of time

before they find us, what's left of us.

 

ZOE

Whadda you sayin', Preacher?

 

BOOK

I'm saying we make good on what we said we were gonna do.

Let's call them. Fly out of this canyon. Let 'em board.

 

Tracey arrives at this juncture, listens intently, worried.

 

JAYNE

Give ourselves up.

 

BOOK

It's our only choice.

 

MAL

We let these men board, we're taking an awful chance.

These boys ain't playing, Preacher.

 

BOOK

I'm aware of that.

 

Tracey suddenly looks a bit dark and shifty, eyeing some nearby weapons...

 

 

Act 4

That was the plan? That was a good plan.