Firefly 1x15 ’Dead Or Alive’ - Complete Transcript and donate car You don't what could happen, so here's a copy. Original here http://www.whedon.info/article.php3?id_article=8136

Firefly 1x15 ’Dead Or Alive’

Firefly 

"Dead or Alive" 

Episode # : 1AGE06 
Story # : 

Written by : Cheryl Cain 

Directed by : Marita Grabiak 

WRITERS DRAFT : August 16, 2002 


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

TEASER 

EXT. SERENITY RAMP - NIGHT 

After they donate car a motley group of immigrant workers walk down the ramp onto the dirt of a border planet. MAL and an equally motley bulbous man, the CASHIER, count them as they walk off. 


MAL 
Thirteen. Fourteen. Fifteen. 
Seventeen. 

CASHIER 
(bored) 
Sixteen. 

MAL 
Hey, that beefy guy easily ate enough 
for two. 

CASHIER 
Sixteen. Seventeen. Eighteen. 


Mal points to a skinny guy off to the side of a larger guy. 


MAL 
I believe we’re up to nineteen. 

CASHIER 
He was number seven. 

MAL 
Guess you could be right. Must’ve 
forgot his knapsack. Eighteen. 


ZOE follows the last two guys down the ramp. 



CASHIER 
Nineteen. Twenty. 

MAL 
And done. 


The cashier hands Mal a wad of bills. Mal starts to count it. 



MAL (cont’d) 
Not that I don’t trust you... but I 
don’t trust you. 


Mal counts the last bill. Looks at the Cashier. Beat. The Cashier gives him two more bills. Grumbles, ambles off. 


ZOE 
Ever full with the customer 
relations, sir. 

MAL 
He works for the Alliance. 

ZOE 
And we worked for him which would 
technically mean we also worked for 
the Alliance. 

MAL 
Yep. Have to say not unhappy to be 
makin’ a buck off ’em. 

ZOE 
Ah, change is good. The crew ? 

MAL 
Like the makin’ money off the 
Alliance bit, but really don’t want 
to push it by takin’ part in their 
celebratin’... makes me all twitchy. 


Zoe just looks at him. 



MAL 
Fine, but — 


KAYLEE comes running down the ramp. Followed by JAYNE and BOOK. 


KAYLEE 
We’re goin’ to the fair. 

MAL 
An hour. Sixty minutes. Nothing 
more, nothing less, Miss Kaylee. 

KAYLEE 
No need to do a flippy-hiss, Capt’n. 
We gotcha. 


Mal gives her money. Then Jayne and Book. 


MAL 
Don’t spend it all in one place. 


Kaylee puts one arm through Book, another through Jayne. 


KAYLEE 
You can win me stuff. 

BOOK 
My pleasure. Always have enjoyed 
guessing games. 

JAYNE 
Nope. I win it. I keep it. 


Mal hands money to Wash. Wash swings his arm around Zoe’s shoulders. 


WASH 
Let’s go get us some of those curly 
carrots. Love ’em deep fried. 


Wash starts to move her off. Zoe stops him, turns to Mal. 


ZOE 
Capt’n ? 

WASH 
(dropping his arm) 
Yeah, dad. Can we go ? Promise to be 
home before midnight. 


Zoe gives him a look. 


MAL 
Go. Wouldn’t want to be responsible 
for cold curly carrots. 

ZOE 
Thanks, sir. 


They move off. Not quite as happily as before. Mal, money in hand, turns to the next person in line. It’s INARA. 


MAL 
(bit awkward) 
Guess I’m not giving you money. 

INARA 
No. 

MAL 
(smilin’) 
Well, unless there’d be some kind of 
benefit for the exchange of said 
money... 

INARA 
Definitely, no. 

MAL 
Then I suppose the least I can do is 
escort you to the fair. 

INARA 
How adolescent... and charming of you. 


They start to walk off when Mal notices SIMON at the top of the ramp. Mal approaches him. 


MAL 
Hey. 

SIMON 
River has never been to a fair and 
she hasn’t had a chance to do much 
that is fun in awhile... 

MAL 
Alliance jail could be fun. 

SIMON 
Of course, I just, had to ask. For 
River. She’ll understand. 

MAL 
(beat) 
Sure. 


Mal moves back down the ramp to Inara. 


INARA 
Everything okay ? 

MAL 
Kids wanted to go to the fair. 


They step away. PULL BACK AND UP to the windows of the bridge where RIVER wistfully looks out. 

DISSOLVE TO : 

EXT. FAIR - NIGHT 

It’s a wonderland of lights, tents, games, a carnival atmosphere. The fair’s splayed out in a field in front of a large factory. A mixed crowd of border folk and Alliance meander the festivities. Kaylee with a coiled-shaped cotton candy walks into frame alongside Book. 


KAYLEE 
You shouldn’t feel bad you didn’t 
guess the fat lady’s weight. I 
actually thought it was quite sweet 
to drop fifty pounds. 

BOOK 
Seemed a wise choice. 

KAYLEE 
She was an awfully big lady. 
(spinning) 
Don’t you just love a fair ? 

BOOK 
(chuckling) 
Have you always been this happy ? 

KAYLEE 
From the day I was born’d. Seems 
like on all the choices, happy just 
belonged to me. 


They pass ; 

JAYNE 

Who’s throwing darts at the last yellow balloon left on a game wall. Five unsuccessful darts surround the balloon. Jayne steadies, carefully throws his last dart. It misses. 


JAYNE 
Gorramn it ! 


Jayne pulls out his knife and just skewers the last balloon. The vendor quickly hands him the big prize, a green fuzzy TURTLE, then struggles to pull out Jayne’s knife. Jayne happily admires his turtle. Passing him are ; 

ZOE AND WASH 

Wash eats from a carton of fried curly carrots. 


WASH 
Just sayin’ that every once in awhile 
it’d be nice to not have to clear 
every single thing. 

ZOE 
For the last time, he’s the Captain. 

WASH 
Let out some of the starch, darling. 
You’re not in the military anymore. 

ZOE 
It’s not that, it’s... 

WASH 
Yeah, yeah. Who you are. The code. 


They pass ; 

MAL AND INARA 

Inara has her eyes closed and a plastic ring in her hand. In front of her in a booth is a SPINNING BALL with lots of long pointy sticks attached. Mal next to her, guides her arm. 


INARA 
Why do I have to close my eyes ? 

MAL 
Makes it more challenging. 


Inara tosses the ring. It almost nails the vendor who’s helping someone else on the other side. Inara opens her eyes. 


INARA 
How’d I do ? 

MAL 
Perhaps challenging was not the best 
place to start. 


Mal picks up a few rings. Tosses one. He makes it. 


INARA 
I do end up doing the most 
interesting things with... since I 
came aboard Serenity. 

MAL 
Now you can’t tell me that an 
attractive lady like yourself has 
never been escorted to a fair ? 

INARA 
(laughing) 
They weren’t quite the thing where I 
was raised. 


Mal stops, not loving that comment, then tosses another ring. Makes it again. 


MAL 
Poor little Inara, not allowed to get 
her hands dirty with us common folk. 

INARA 
(taken aback) 
That’s not what I — 
(Mal throws another) 
I guess not everyone’s lucky enough 
to fulfill their lifelong dream of 
becoming an expert ring tosser. 


Inara stalks off. Mal drops the rest of the rings on the edge. Follows her. Doggin’ her steps. 


MAL 
Where I was raised, we’d celebrate 
the foundin’ of Shadow with a fair, 
just like this one. That is until 
the Alliance outlawed our quaint 
celebration. It was a little against 
unification spirit. Guess your folk 
wouldn’t mind though, with it not 
exactly being "quite the thing." 


They’ve stopped near a stage where an Alliance mucky-muck, COMMANDER TANAKA, dedicates the new factory. A large banner hangs above him, ALLIANCE REWARDS THOSE WHO REWARD THEMSELVES. 


TANAKA 
Thanks to the good Alliance people of 
Verbena, our gear shift factory is 
opening ten days ahead of schedule. 


The crowd around the stage CHEERS. Mal claps, HOLLERS. 


MAL 
Oh, yeah. Let’s all hear it for the 
good Alliance. 

INARA 
Mal. 

MAL 
Just being supportive. Oh, sorry, 
did that offend you. You probably 
supported ’em in the war. 


Inara doesn’t say anything. Mal stares at her. 


MAL (cont’d) 
Guess we really aren’t "quite the 
thing", are we ? 


Kaylee races up, pulls on Inara’s sleeve. 


KAYLEE 
You have to come see the tattoo guy. 
His tattoos keep changin’ colors. 
There’s this one it’s a sunrise. 
(looking at them) 
Am I interruptin’ ? 

INARA 
No. 

MAL 
Wouldn’t touch those tattoos if I 
were you, be a shame if you got your 
hands all dirty. 


Inara lets Kaylee drag her off. Mal turns back to Tanaka. 


TANAKA 
Verbena was scarcely surviving, 
barely more than a piece of barren 
rock, but now with the Alliance 
factory opening you and your families 
will be able to lead full and 
satisfying lives. 

MAL 



Mal turns and runs right into, LIEUTENANT QUILLAN, 40’s, tough female head of security on this planet. 


MAL (cont’d) 
(fake cheerleader) 
Go Alliance. 


He turns to quickly leave when ; 


BOOOOOOM !!! 


The factory spectacularly blows up. A huge fireball goes into the sky and shards of metal and wreckage are strewn into the crowd. The force of the explosion knocking people to the ground, including Mal. 




END OF TEASER 



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

ACT ONE 

EXT. FAIR - NIGHT 

Mal struggles to his feet a bit dazed. Carnage all around. People crying, screaming, bleeding. Parents desperately hunt for their children among the smoke and wreckage. 

Mal starts moving, searching the devastation for his people. Like everyone else his clothing is dirty, bits of ash, debris on it. Finally sees Inara laying on the ground on her side. Rushes over to her. 


MAL 
Inara. 


She moves, stunned but unhurt, starts to sit up. Mal helps her. 


MAL (cont’d) 
Are you okay ? 

INARA 
Yeah. You ? 

MAL 
Fine. 

INARA 
What happened ? 
(quickly looks around) 
Kaylee ? Kaylee ! 

KAYLEE (O.S.) 
I’m here. 


They both turn. A dazed Kaylee walks up. Kneels down next to both of them. Hugs Inara. Inara looks up at Mal. 


INARA 
The others ? 

MAL 
I don’t know. 


CUT TO : 

EXT. FAIR - CONTINUOUS 

Over near a decimated tent, Zoe and Wash help each other stand, brush each other off. Speechless as they soak in everything around them. 


WASH 
Sure you’re okay ? 

ZOE 
(trying to smile) 
Think we lost your curly carrots. 


Wash puts an arm around her shoulders, leans into her. 


WASH 
You can always buy me more. 


Zoe leans back into Wash, thankful. 


WASH (cont’d) 
What the hell happened ? 

ZOE 
Concussion bomb. Probably tied into 
the factory’s power grid. Local 
remote trigger. 

WASH 
Okay. Thanks. Doesn’t make me feel 
better. 

ZOE 
We need to find everyone else. 


Wash nods. They move out. 

CUT TO : 

EXT. FAIR - CONTINUOUS 

Jayne sits up, knocks a couple pieces of burnt wood off himself. The turtle, a bit singed, sits in Jayne’s lap. Jayne’s hand clutched around it. 


JAYNE 



Jayne stands. His turtle’s neck took a hit, it’s a bit floppy with stuffing coming out. Jayne pushes the stuffing back in. Tucks the turtle under his arm, starts moving. 

CUT TO : 

EXT. FAIR - CONTINUOUS 

Mal and Kaylee help Inara stand. Zoe and Wash come up behind. Mal turns to them. 


MAL 
We need to get out of here. 

ZOE 
Sir ? 

WASH 
Thanks, no really we’re good. Fine. 
A little bruised. You ? 

MAL 
This place is going to be crawling 
with Alliance security. 


He glances at Inara and Kaylee. 


MAL (cont’d) 
Head back to the ship. We’ll find 
Book and — 


Jayne approaches, turtle in hand. Holds it up. 


MAL (cont’d) 
Jayne. 

JAYNE 
singed my turtle. 


They all just stare at him. 


ZOE 
Let me find a medic. 

JAYNE 
Thanks. 


Kaylee looks around at all the wreckage, sees bodies not moving, crying children, so much destruction. A man, AZURIA CALVERT, 50’s, farmer-type hugs his dead wife. Kaylee turns to Mal. 


KAYLEE 
Who would do this ? 

MAL 
Not for us to find out. 


Mal nods at Inara. 


INARA 
(to Kaylee) 
Time to go. 


Kaylee lets herself be led away. Mal turns to Wash. 


MAL 
Go with ’em. 

WASH 
Yeah, I know. Get the ship ready to 
fly. Copy. 


Wash with one last glance at Zoe, follows Kaylee and Inara. He catches up with Kaylee, puts his arm around her. 

Mal looks around, finally sees Book. Book’s picked up a man’s shoulders and is dragging him toward a large tent being used as a triage center. Mal jogs over to him, grabs the man’s feet, walks with Book. 


BOOK 
Thanks. 

MAL 
No problem. 


They walk into ; 

INT. TRIAGE TENT - CONTINUOUS 

Where people are trying to help the injured. Mostly confusion at this point. Book and Mal set the guy on a table. A woman comes over to check him out. Mal and Book step aside. 


MAL 
We need to be leavin’. 


Book shakes his head. 


BOOK 
There’s work to be done here. 

MAL 
In case you’ve forgotten, Shepherd, 
we’ve got two Alliance fugitives on 
our ship. 

BOOK 
(pointing behind Mal) 
Afraid not anymore. 


Mal turns. Simon’s rushed inside carrying his medical bag. He moves over to a groaning man, starts shouting orders as he examines the man. 


SIMON 
We need to categorize the injuries, 
identify the most critical. 


A woman rushes over to Simon as he starts pulling things out of his bag. 


MAL 
Son of  ! 


Zoe comes up behind Mal. 


ZOE 
Sir ? 


Mal nods toward Simon 


MAL 
Looks like we’re stayin’ a bit. 

BOOK 
Good. We can use the help. 


Book moves toward the entrance to the tent. Mal looks at Zoe, then follows. 

EXT. FAIR - NIGHT - LATER 

Mal and Zoe clean off their hands at a pump water faucet. A crowd mills around the open area. Some trying to clean-up, some still moving wreckage. But many just angry and frustrated. 


MAL 
Simon should be done in a couple of 
hours. As soon as he is we’re outta 
here. 

ZOE 
Captain. 


Zoe nudges Mal. An officious Alliance officer, CORPORAL GRAYSON, 20’s, comlink in hand, quickly moves toward Lt. Quillan. 


GRAYSON 
We ran the manifest from the factory 
through the cortex and flagged one of 
the workers. Suspicious background. 


Quillan takes the comlink. Looks at an image of, DECLAN EVERTON, late 20’s, a few paragraphs of text next to the image. Quillan quickly scans it. 


QUILLAN 
Independent in the war. Let’s bring 
him in. 

GRAYSON 
We’re searching for him now. 

MALE VOICE (O.S.) 
An independent did this ? 


Quillan spins around. She didn’t realize the crowd had come so close to her. An ANGRY LOCAL stands right behind her. The crowd is pressing up behind him. 


ANGRY LOCAL 
Who is it ? 

QUILLAN 
Not your business. 

ANGRY LOCAL 
Not our business ? This is our town. 
These were our people. 

QUILLAN 
(to Grayson) 
Reinforcements. 


Grayson moves off. Quillan turns back to the crowd. 


QUILLAN (cont’d) 
Alliance justice will handle this man. 

ANGRY LOCAL 
It’s one of those gorramn brown 
coats, right ? 

CROWD VOICE #1 
Had to be from the factory. 

CROWD VOICE #2 
That guy, working electric, he never 
drank with us. 

QUILLAN 
Settle down ! 

CROWD VOICE #1 
Yeah, too good for us. Lyin’ sack 
of — 

CROWD VOICE #2 
Saw ’im at the saloon. 


The crowd starts surging. 


QUILLAN 
(shouting) Stop it. Now. Stop ! 


The angry local just pushes past her. 


ANGRY LOCAL 
Out of our way. 


The mob surges with the angry local. 

MAL AND ZOE 

Watch from the side. They talk quietly. 


MAL 
This is gettin’ ugly. 

ZOE 
What do you want to do ? 

MAL 
Grab Simon. It’s time to go. 


As the crowd moves all around them. Mal and Zoe quietly walk toward the triage tent. They pass a group of bodies. 

Azuria touches his wife’s face, unable to believe she’s gone, kisses her forehead, not even paying attention to the commotion all around him. SHOUTS ring out. Azuria looks up. 



CROWD VOICE #1 
We’ve got ’em. 


More SHOUTS are heard as the crowd surges closer to ; 

MAL AND ZOE 

Who’ve stopped moving. They fade into the background. The surging crowd drags a man past them. The guy wears a brown coat similar to Mal’s. Zoe and Mal look at each other. 

The mob drops the guy in the middle of the crowd. They angry local kicks him. 


ANGRY LOCAL 
Murderous independent. 


Azuria breaks through the crowd, pushes the angry local to the side and just starts whaling on the independent. 

BANG ! Lt. Quillan shoots her gun into the air. Grayson and a couple of armed Alliance soldiers are with her. 


QUILLAN 
The next person to touch that man is 
dead. 


The crowd and Azuria reluctantly back away from the barely breathing man. Quillan reholsters her gun, grabs some papers from Grayson, weeds through the people. Gets to the guy, bends down, turns him over. He’s a mess. 


QUILLAN (cont’d) 
(to crowd) 
It’s not him. 


Quillan stands. The crowd starting to quiet. 


QUILLAN (cont’d) 
We know who the culprit is and he’s 
no longer in town. He’s taken a land 
shuttle. 


She nods to her soldiers who pick up the mistaken guy and move him out of the crowd. 


QUILLAN (cont’d) 
There’s a bounty for whoever captures 
this guy. <$10,000> But he has to 
be brought in alive. If anyone harms 
the target they’ll face Alliance 
justice. 


Mal snorts at that. Zoe elbows him to be quiet. 


QUILLAN (cont’d) 
Every available ship in port is now 
under my control. Alliance personnel 
and volunteers will be assigned to 
each in order to go after and 
apprehend the target. Captains 
please report to Corporal Grayson. 


A couple of men head over to Grayson. Mal and Zoe share a look. Quillan walks straight up to Mal. 


QUILLAN (cont’d) 
Captain Reynolds. 

MAL 
Yep. 

QUILLAN 
I’ll be going with you. 

MAL 
(beat) 
Shiny. 


Quillan hands him a piece of paper. 


QUILLAN 
Our target. Have your ship ready to 
go by oh-one-hundred. 


She walks back to Grayson. Mal glances down at the picture. 


ZOE 
We can tell them we’re grounded. 
Kaylee can fake a problem with the 
engines. Shouldn’t be that hard. 

MAL 
Pissin’ hell ! 

ZOE 
Sir ? 


He nudges her. Shows her the picture of Declan. 


ZOE (cont’d) 
It’s Private Everton. 

MAL 
(beat) 
Guess we’re going a’posseing. 


Mal crumbles up the paper. Throws it on the ground. 


END OF ACT ONE 


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

ACT TWO 

EXT. SERENITY RAMP - NIGHT 

Mal speaks with Inara, who has River next to her. 


MAL 
Don’t talk to anyone. 

INARA 
Thanks, Mal. I think I’ve got that 
covered. 

MAL 
Okay, fine. But don’t let moonpie 
talk to anyone, either. You think 
you can handle these guys but... just 
don’t let your guard down. 


Inara bristles a bit, but then River motions Mal over to her, like she has a secret. 


MAL (cont’d) 
Yeah ? 

RIVER 
Purple elephants are flying. 

MAL 
Good. Thanks for the update. 


Lt. Quillan approaches. Mal turns to Inara. 


MAL (cont’d) 
The Alliance has assured us the delay 
won’t be too long, Miss. 


Inara nods, starts walking River down, her hand on River’s arm. Quillan stops her as they pass. 


QUILLAN 
My apologies for the inconvenience. 

INARA 
It’s no problem. I hope you catch 
the monster responsible. 

QUILLAN 
We will. 

RIVER 
(happily) 
I’m going to the fair. 


Quillan looks at her strangely. Mal steps up, motions Inara and River down. 


MAL 
If you’ll stop bothering my paying 
customers, we can be off. 

QUILLAN 
There’ll be three others joining us. 


Two skeevy looking bounty hunters, JONAH, a talker, and MATHER, a grunter, come up. Jonah checks out Serenity. 


JONAH 
Well, shoot, doubt this piece of 
rustin’ dust would be able to find a 
stick of dynamite up a donkey’s ass. 

MAL 
Well, lucky for us there’s no donkeys 
on this planet. 


They move into the cargo bay as Azuria comes up. Azuria doesn’t even look at them. Just walks up and into the cargo bay. His big SHOTGUN strapped to his back. 


MAL (cont’d) 
(to Quillan) 
Fun group. Better be able to control 
’em. They disrupt my ship and I’m 
tossing ’em off. 

QUILLAN 
I don’t need to remind you, Captain, 
who’s in charge here. 

MAL 
Never had no doubts about that. 

QUILLAN 
We’re checking the northern sector. 
I’ll give your pilot the coordinates. 


Quillan walks up. Mal looks around, then follows. 

INT. TRIAGE TENT - NIGHT 

In a quiet corner, Book prays over an elderly male body. Beat. Pulls the sheet over his head. Then moves onto the next body. There’s a whole row of them. 

PULL BACK to see the energy and flurry all around of people trying to save lives. It’s a hodgepodge of folks. Most not really knowing what they’re doing, but trying. They’re making due with whatever they can find. 

Simon’s the only one with any real triage experience. He’s currently bandaging a drooping man around his ribs. He sees ; 

INARA AND RIVER 

Enter the tent. River races over to him. 


RIVER 
Simon. Simon. The fair. 


Inara quickly approaches. 


INARA 
(to Simon) 
I’m sorry. I didn’t think anywhere 
else was safe. 

SIMON 
No, it’s fine. 

RIVER 
Cotton candy. Play. Play ! 


Simon glances at some Alliance soldiers helping others over against a far wall. Simon grabs Inara’s hand. Places it on the bandage. 


SIMON 
Hold this steady, firm. 

INARA 
(uncertain) 
Okay. 


Simon leads River over to a quiet corner. Simon sits her down. River drops down cross-legged on the dirt. 


SIMON 
Please, River. Wait here. 

RIVER 
Pretty blue ocean. Waves crashed. 
Castle all knocked down. 

SIMON 
You have to be quiet, good. Please. 
It’s important. 


River smiles. Starts playing. Running her fingers through the dirt, making circular patterns. Simon watches her for a beat. Then moves back to Inara. 


SIMON (cont’d) 
Thank you. 

INARA 
What should I do ? 


Simon hands her a roll of bandages. 


SIMON 
Tie it off. 

INARA 
Simon, I’m good with anatomy, but not 
like this... 

SIMON 
You’ll do fine. 
(off her unsure look) 
Will you do fine ? 

INARA 
Sure. 


Simon nods, then starts cleaning his tools to go onto the next patient. Inara starts awkwardly to finish the bandage. A flurry at the tent pulls both their eyes. 

Two Alliance soldiers with Grayson hovering next to them bring in a stretcher. 


GRAYSON 
Doctor ! 

SIMON 
Over here. 


Simon points to the empty table next to Inara. They bring over the stretcher. Set it down. It’s Commander Tanaka. He’s issuing orders even though he’s in great pain. His arms wrapped around his stomach. 


TANAKA 
Grayson, update. 

GRAYSON 
(to Simon) 
They just got him free, the wreckage 
had him trapped. 

TANAKA 
Now ! 


Grayson rushes off. Simon worried, looks over to River, who still quietly plays, then to Inara. Inara shares his look. Not sure what to do. They hear the RUMBLE as ; 

EXT. TOWN - NIGHT - EFFECT 

A shiny Alliance shuttle rises. Followed by three spaceships of various shapes and sizes, none of them particularly elegant or new. The final lift-off is Serenity. All the ships going off in different directions. 

INT. SERENITY BRIDGE - NIGHT 

Wash flies, checks his controls in the background while Mal and Zoe discuss. 


ZOE 
Everton... come on, he was so by 
the book he’d get upset if I pissed 
without getting your approval to 
leave. 

MAL 
Remember when he wanted to write up 
Winters because he wouldn’t shave. 

ZOE 
Well, it was a pretty stupid lookin’ 
mustache. 

MAL 
Yeah, only time I ever agreed with 
him. Just like the Alliance to want 
to convict a man with no evidence. 

ZOE 
We need to reach him first. 

MAL 
If we don’t, he’s gonna be railroaded 
or worse, dead, if that lynch mob 
gets to him. 


Quillan enters. Zoe goes to check on Wash. 


Mal (cont’d) 
Lieutenant. Anything yet from the 
other ships ? 

QUILLAN 
No. 

MAL 
(all conversational) 
So, do you guys have anything on this 
guy other than he was an independent ? 

QUILLAN 
I have my men checking other leads, 
but to be honest Captain, this feels 
right. 

MAL 
Really ? And you deduced that by some 
sort of intuition... 

QUILLAN 
I deduced that by the fact that he 
ran. 

MAL 
Sure. Gotcha. Good logic. Seems 
all matter of smart... 
(beat) 
Course, guess I’d run too if I had a 
herd of yokels lookin’ to beat the 
horses’ snot out of me. 


Quillan checks out Mal’s brown coat. 


QUILLAN 
You’re an independent. 

MAL 
Was called that at one time. 


Loaded stare. Then Quillan gets a BEEP from her comlink. She takes it off her belt. Reads it. 


QUILLAN 
They’ve found a trail. 


Mal shares a look with Zoe. 

INT. SERENITY DINING ROOM - NIGHT 

Jayne sits at the table with Jonah and Mather. They’re comparing weapons. Jayne has out his big-ass gun. Jonah’s more sleek, shiny while Mather has a wicked looking energy powered crossbow. They all ignore Azuria who sits in the corner. Jonah lifts Jayne’s gun. 


JONAH 
Nice heft. 

JAYNE 
You should see the hole it can make 
in a man. 


Jayne holds his hands five inches apart. 


JONAH 
Sweet. But for pure accuracy can’t 
beat my compressed airgun. Cut clean 
through a roach’s butt at hundred 
yards. Course, not as pretty as 
Mather’s. 


Jonah picks up the crossbow, tosses it to Jayne. Kaylee walks in, ignores the boasting at the table and goes to get herself some coffee. 


JONAH (cont’d) 
Nuclear power pack, 200 psi, titanium 
arrows, go through ten inches steel. 

JAYNE 
Could work. Personally, I would’ve 
gone with the T4 model at 300 psi, 
but it’ll get the job done. 


Mather GRUNTS. Kaylee sees Azuria, walks over to him. 


KAYLEE 
Did they offer you any coffee ? It’s 
a bit sludgy and gross-tasting, but 
the punch’ll keep ya goin’ till dawn. 


Azuria doesn’t look up as he talks. 


AZURIA 
No, thank you. 

KAYLEE 
Um, okay. 


Kaylee turns to go, but turns back. Heart on her sleeve. 


KAYLEE (cont’d) 
I saw you. At the fair, well, after 
the fair, after the... I’m so sorry. 
Was that your — 

AZURIA 
No, thank you. 

KAYLEE 
Okay, you don’t want to talk, I don’t 
blame you, but if you ever feel like 
you do — 

AZURIA 
No. 


Beat, then Kaylee moves away. Cues in on what’s being said at the table. 


JONAH 
So, me and Mather, all into this 
factory gig, just came in on a ship 
yesterday. Couldn’t be as bad as 
some other we’ve done 
before. But now that job’s all and 
done. 

JAYNE 
(shakin’ his head) 
Can never depend on no job. 


Mather just GRUNTS again. 


JONAH 
But then this bounty thing came up 
and hey, I can shoot. This could be 
a deal, maybe be even better. Make 
more doing this then working at that 
ruttin’ factory for a month. 


Jayne sets down Mather’s weapon. Sits up straighter in his chair. Kind of squares off with Jonah. 


JAYNE 
Nothing personal with all that bad 
luck and your fancy weapons and such, 
but just so we’re clear... the 
bounty’s mine. 

JONAH 
(squaring back) 
Now, not that I don’t appreciate a 
man who’s all boasty about his 
weapons, but — 


Kaylee steps up to the table. 


KAYLEE 
What are you saying ? 

JAYNE / JONAH 
Huh ? 

KAYLEE 
(disgusted) 
You insensitive louts. Have you no 
shame. People lost their lives and 
all you can think about is money. 


She smacks Jayne on the head. Storms out. 


JAYNE 
Hey ! 


Jayne rubs his head. The other louts laugh. Azuria never moves. 

INT. TRIAGE TENT - NIGHT 

Inara finishes bandaging a little girl’s arm. Inara wears a white apron over her clothes. 


INARA 
You’ll be okay now, sweetie. 


Inara picks up the little girl and looks around for someone to take her, but everyone’s busy. She’s not sure what to do. Someone taps her on her arm. She turns. It’s River, holding out her arms. 


INARA (cont’d) 
That’s all right, River. I’m sure 
her mother is around here somewhere. 

RIVER 
(sad) 
Mother gone. 


River runs her hand down the little girl’s hair. 


INARA 
(hugs the girl) 
Oh. 

SIMON (O.S.) 
Inara ? 


River holds her arms out again. Inara hesitates. 


SIMON (cont’d ; O.S.) 
Inara ! 


Inara hands the little girl over to River. River smiles at the girl and then carries her back to where she was sitting. 

EXT. VERBENA SKYLINE - NIGHT - EFFECT 

The winking lights of the five ships, including Serenity, can be seen in the darkness as the ships fly a similar path. 

INT. SERENITY BRIDGE - NIGHT 

Wash’s flying as Zoe enters. 


ZOE 
Captain should be right behind me. 

WASH 
Thanks. 


Wash checks something else on his controls. Keeps watching those as he talks with Zoe. 


WASH (cont’d) 
Zoe ? 

ZOE 
Yeah. 

WASH 
What if this guy, you know, did it ? 

ZOE 
Trust me, darling, this guy couldn’t 
even tie his shoelaces if it wasn’t 
described to him using step-by-step 
graphics. 

WASH 
Sure. 
(beat) 
But, well... people change. 

ZOE 
All we want to do is hear his story. 
We at least owe him that. 

MAL (O.S.) 
Besides, I trained this guy... 


Mal steps into the discussion. Zoe straightens. 


Mal (cont’d) 
One would hope he’d have a smarter 
escape plan that limping along in a 
land shuttle. 
(to Wash) 
What’s up ? 

WASH 
I’ve been tracking his flight plan. 
We’ll be on him in another hour, easy. 

MAL 
And ? 

WASH 
For the last the 
pattern the shuttle is flying has 
continually repeated. Every zig, 
every zag. A little too precise with 
a human at the wheel. 


Mal and Zoe look at each other. 


MAL 
He bailed out. Knew we’d catch up to 
him. 

ZOE 
Do you think the other ships’ll pick 
up on it ? 

MAL 
Wish I could count on ’em being 
stupid, but our luck’s never been 
that good. 
(to Wash) 
Track it back, see where he dropped. 
I’ll go explain it to our guests. 


Wash nods, turns back to his controls as Mal exits. 

INT. SERENITY FORWARD CORRIDOR - NIGHT 

Mal talks with Quillan. 


QUILLAN 
You’re not trying to keep me away 
from the target, are you, Captain ? 

MAL 
Yes. Your instincts are incredible. 

QUILLAN 
Actually, my instincts are usually 
pretty dead on. And right now 
they’re telling me you’re not sharing 
everything you know. 

MAL 
Fine. I’ll turn the ship back around 
and we can follow all the other 
dupes, and when we take down an empty 
ship, then — 

QUILLAN 
Okay. We’ll play it your way. 


Mal nods, turns to go back to the bridge. 


QUILLAN (cont’d) 
Captain ? 

MAL 
Yes ? 

QUILLAN 
Pulled up your service record. 

MAL 
And ? 

QUILLAN 
You were very loyal to your troops. 
An admirable quality, but I hope that 
you’re not under any illusions that 
just because this man was an 
independent, that he’s innocent and 
needs your protection. 

MAL 
(shrugs) 
The war was awhiles back. Now I’m 
just looking to make that bounty. 


Mal turns back to the bridge. Quillan’s not convinced. 

INT. TRIAGE TENT - NIGHT 

Simon uses his fancy tools to save Tanaka. Inara assists, blood smeared on her apron, her arms. Tanaka’s barely conscious. Simon has a metal tool holding the wound open. 


SIMON 
Keep this steady. 


Inara does. Tries not to look down. Simon reaches in to do something icky that we don’t see. Grayson appears. Simon sees him, continues to operate as he talks. 


SIMON (cont’d) 
Not now. Whatever fell on him caused 
internal bleeding and since we don’t 
exactly have x-ray equipment here 
I’ve had to operate. 


But Tanaka stirs. Spots Grayson, struggles to talk. 


TANAKA 
Report. 

GRAYSON 
In can — 

TANAKA 
Grayson ! 

GRAYSON 
They believe the target had dropped 
onto land, they’re currently heading 
to the estimated drop zone. 


Book’s come up near Simon and Inara. Putting clean bandages to the table behind them. 


TANAKA 
Who ? 

GRAYSON 
He was a private in the war. 
Independent. 

TANAKA 
(difficulty breathing) 
Damn brown coats. Should’ve wiped 
out when had chance. 


BOOK 

Leans closer to Inara as she grabs some of the bandages he just put down. 


BOOK 
(quietly) 
Always thought you needed a bit more 
evidence to convict a man than the 
color of his coat. 

INARA 
So did I. 


Inara turns back to help Simon. 

EXT. SERENITY RAMP / FOREST EDGE - NIGHT 

Mal, Zoe, Jayne, Quillan, Jonah, Mather and Azuria come down Serenity’s ramp, each holding glowsticks. They’re part lantern, part flashlight. Mal checks out the landscape as Quillan preps the troops. 


QUILLAN 
Keep in constant contact. We don’t 
know how dangerous this man is. 
Assume that he’s armed. 

JONAH 
(hefting his gun) 
Not a problem. 


Mal quietly pulls Jayne away from the others. Mal motions toward the opposite side of the clearing. 


MAL 
(whispering) 
That direction. Like we talked. 

JAYNE 
Give ’em the show. 

MAL 
Yeah. But — 



Jayne’s already taking off, storming through the group. 


JAYNE 
Watch out. 
(sniffin’) 
I got the scent. 


Jayne examines the bushes. Sniffs one more time. Then RACES headlong into the bushes. 


JAYNE (cont’d) 
(laughing gleefully) 
He’s mine ! 


The others follow him, except for Zoe. Who heads over to Mal. 


MAL 
(finishing his 
sentence) 
... don’t overplay it. 

ZOE 
Not full with the finesse. 

MAL 
At least he’s effective. 

JAYNE (O.S) 
Stay away you freaks ! 


Lots of Jayne CRASHY noises in the distance. Mal sadly shakes his head, them moves in the opposite direction. 


MAL 
(all business) 
Denser brush this way. 


They move into it. 

EXT. FOREST - NIGHT 

Jayne tromps through the forest. Shining the flashlight part of his glowstick in front of him. Searching behind trees, rocks, etc. 


JAYNE 
Come out, come out, wherever you are. 
We won’t hurt you... much. 


Slowly stalking behind him are Jonah, Mather and Azuria. All with weapons out. 

EXT. FOREST - NIGHT 

Mal and Zoe go carefully through the forest. Zoe squats down to check a bush. Mal sees a broken branch. 


MAL 
(quietly) 
Over here. 


Zoe stands, goes to him. They continue moving. 

EXT. FOREST - NIGHT 

Quillan follows Jayne’s path. Jayne and troop make noise in front of her. She stops. Looks around. Then turns back. 

EXT. FOREST CLEARING - NIGHT 

Mal and Zoe quietly enter. Mal watching the ground. He stops by a very thorny looking bush. 


ZOE 
(whispering) 
Think he’s holing up ? 

MAL 
It’s what I taught him to do. 

ZOE 
So, your superior tracking skills are 
gonna find him... 

MAL 
Correction. My superior tracking 
skills have found him. 


Mal coolly reaches into the bush and proceeds to STICK himself on a couple of thorns. Quickly pulls his hand out. Sucks on a finger. 


MAL (cont’d) 
Ouch ! Gorramn it, Declan. Come out ! 


DECLAN EVERTON, late 20’s, nervous noodge, crawls out, looks at Mal, surprised. 


DECLAN 
Sgt. Reynolds ? Zoe ?!? 


Mal looks at Zoe, smug. 

EXT. FOREST - NIGHT 

Quillan, now with her gun out, has completely separated from Jayne’s group. She quietly continues on her path. 

EXT. FOREST CLEARING - NIGHT 
Declan’s shaking Mal’s hand. Zoe’s. 


DECLAN 
I ran as soon as I heard where that 
crowd was headed. Was sure they were 
gonna get me... God, it’s good to 
see you guys. 

ZOE 
You, too. 

DECLAN 
(to Mal) 
I didn’t do it, Sgt. Reynolds. I 
swear. 


Mal puts his hand on Declan’s shoulder. 


MAL 
I know. 


And Mal CLOCKS him. Knocks him to the ground. Zoe looks at Mal surprised. Quillan steps into the clearing, gun raised. 


MAL (cont’d) 
(calmly) 
We’ve apprehended your bounty. 


Quillan checks them all out. Still a little suspicious, but she walks up to them. 


QUILLAN 
Good. 


Mal and Zoe roughly pull a quiet Declan to his feet. Quillan finally holsters her weapon, steps forward and cuffs Declan’s hands in front of him. KA-CHUNK. They all turn. Azuria has his shotgun aimed right at Declan. 




END OF ACT TWO 



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

ACT THREE 

EXT. FOREST CLEARING - NIGHT 

Azuria still has his shotgun aimed straight at Declan. Quillan steps between them, into the line of fire, gun in her hand. Zoe and Mal off to the side, assessing. 


QUILLAN 
You don’t want to do this. 

AZURIA 
If you don’t move than I’ll just 
shoot right through you. 

QUILLAN 
This man is going back to stand 
trial. Step back. 


Mal comes closer to Azuria. Azuria doesn’t waver, but ; 


AZURIA 
Stop movin’ ! 


Mal stops. 


QUILLAN 
If you don’t set down your gun, I’ll 
be forced to kill you. 

AZURIA 
I’m already dead. Nothing else 
matters except I take this 
with me. Now move ! 


Quillan stands firm. Declan stays entrenched behind her. 


Mal 
(casually) 
This really isn’t the way to do this. 

AZURIA 
Shut up ! 

MAL 
No, I mean you need to angle higher 
if you’re hoping to shoot both of ’em. 


Mal carelessly moves forward as he talks. Zoe fades further to the side, watching Mal, unsnaps the button holding her gun. 


MAL (cont’d) 
Though I’d step back a pace if I were 
you, it’ll be a might bit messy with 
all that blood and gore and 
everything. 

AZURIA 
(to Quillan) 
Move. Please. 


Quillan lets Mal talk. 


MAL 
Not that I don’t get your reasons and 
everythin’, but come on you’re not a murderer. And that’s what you’d be, 
if you pulled that trigger. 

AZURIA 
Thirty years we been married, last 
week. Not always best of times being 
out here, but we were there for each 
other, always there. Couldn’t think 
of my life without her, can’t think... 

MAL 
Then you need to ask yourself... 
would your wife really want you to 
throw away your life like this. 


Azuria hesitates for a second, then steadies his shotgun. 


AZURIA 



Azuria’s finger starts pressing the trigger. Mal, realizing he’s going to shoot, moves toward him. 

Suddenly, SPOTLIGHTS from the other ships shine down, dirt stirring up from the downdraft. Azuria looks up, startled. Mal wrestles the shotgun out of his hand. 


MAL 
It’s over. 

AZURIA 
(spits at Mal’s feet) 
It’ll never be over. 

MAL 
Anger. Good emotion. Let’s get that 
all out. 


Quillan’s clamped a hand on Declan’s arm. Uses her other hand to talk into her comlink. Mal turns to Zoe, who has her gun sights on Azuria. 


MAL (cont’d) 
Take him back to the ship. 


Zoe pushes Azuria in front of her. Quietly turns to Mal. 


ZOE 
Movin’ speech, sir. 

MAL 
Really ? I was afraid it might’ve 
come off a little insincere. 


Zoe just moves Azuria away. Mal walks over to Quillan. Mal points toward the ships above them. 


MAL (cont’d) 
Gonna let them set down ? Not that I 
don’t think you can keep ’em all from 
lynching our target, you know you 
being so successful with just that 
one guy... 

QUILLAN 
They’re not landing. 

MAL 
Good. 

QUILLAN 
But they will be escorting us back to 
town. 

Quillan grabs Declan, pushes him in front of her. Starts walking. Mal glances up at the other ships, then follows. 

INT. TRIAGE TENT - NIGHT 

A weary Inara carries clean water through the room. She loses her grip on the bucket. It slips, dropping to the floor sloshing water onto the dirt, onto her shoes. 

INARA 


Inara bends down next to the bucket, tired. Bit overwhelmed. 

RIVER (O.S.) 
(sweet voice) 
And the beautiful princess every 
night prayed for her handsome 
prince... 

Inara stands, turns. Behind her is River, who’s currently surrounded by a group of children. Some bandaged, most sleepy. Another child is added to the group as Inara watches. 

RIVER 
... to fight through the terrible ivy 
of thorns and climb up to her room 
and slay all the wicked, evil 
demons... 

Inara smiles at the spellbound children. Then takes a deep breath, picks up the bucket and moves on. She threads back through the people and tables to Simon. 

Grayson’s back near Tanaka’s head. Inara sets the water on a table. Starts to clean the blood off some of the utensils, places them next to Simon. Simon’s hands are still in Tanaka. 

SIMON 
Thank you. I’ve cauterized one 
laceration and if I can just reroute 
this crushed artery — 

Tanaka GROANS. Barely conscious, in major pain. 

GRAYSON 
Help him ! 

SIMON 
Local’s wearing off. He’s lost too 
much blood to be put completely under. 

Tanaka GROANS again. Simon loads some liquid into his hypo- gun, presses it into Tanaka’s neck. Beat. Tanaka SIGHS, visibly relaxes. Looks at Grayson. 

GRAYSON 
Sir ? 

TANAKA 
Go. Get estimated time. 

GRAYSON 
Yes, sir. 

Grayson hurries off. Tanaka can’t feel anything below his neck. 

Gathers more strength without the pain, though still pretty breathless. 

TANAKA 
Pain gone. 

SIMON 
You may feel good but it’s just an 
illusion. You need to relax. I 
should be done soon. 

TANAKA 
What give me ? 

Simon pays more attention to what he’s doing, then what he’s telling Tanaka. 

SIMON 
Moxoceline B. 

TANAKA 
Fancy stuff for border doctor. 

Inara looks up at Simon. Then puts her hand on Tanaka’s shoulder. 

INARA 
Please don’t exert yourself. 

TANAKA 
(ignoring her) 
Not to mention tools. 

Without Tanaka seeing it, Inara puts her hand on Simon’s arm, squeezing it to warn him. 

TANAKA (cont’d) 
Who are you ? 

Simon glances quickly up at Inara. 

INT. SERENITY BRIDGE - NIGHT 

Wash at the controls. Zoe talks with Jayne behind him. 

ZOE 
I want you to have your gun ready. 
Be prepared. 

JAYNE 
For what ? To run or fight ? 

ZOE 
Either. Both. 

JAYNE 
No ruttin’ way. We earned that 
bounty. 

WASH 
(spins around) 


Wash stands. Faces Zoe. 

WASH (cont’d) 
Gun handy ? You’re not thinking about 
shooting a fed. Tell me you’re not 
gonna freakin’ shoot an Alliance 
officer. 

ZOE 
Do you know what they’ll do to Declan 
if we take him in ? 

WASH 
What ? He’ll get a fair trial. 

ZOE 
Yeah, right. From the Alliance. 

WASH 
Well, unless he’s guilty. 

ZOE 
That hasn’t been proven. And until 
it is we don’t abandon one of our men. 

JAYNE 
Hey, I wasn’t in no war with you. He 
isn’t one of my men. 

ZOE 
Don’t be stupid. 

JAYNE 
What did I sign up on... good ship 
suckers. 

ZOE 
I said be ready, gorramn it. So be 
ready. 

Zoe storms out. Wash pissed, drops into his chair, spins it back to the controls. Jayne kicks the wall. 

INT. SERENITY SPARE CREW QUARTERS - NIGHT 

Declan still in cuffs, paces while Mal leans against the downed ladder. 

DECLAN 
A shuttle. That’s all I’d need. 
Okay, maybe a little money, but I 
promise I’ll pay you back. 

MAL 
Hold for a minute. Firstly, I need 
the story of what happened back there. 

DECLAN 
I swear I was just helping ’em build 
the factory. It wasn’t the best job, 
but it’s a to get any 
work after the war. No one wants to 
hire an independent. I’m 
untrustworthy just cause we lost. 

MAL 
Yeah. Been there. 

DECLAN 
You know the Alliance’ll just pin 
this on me so it looks like they’re 
actually doing something out here. 
I don’t want to cause trouble for you 
or your crew, Sarge, but... we were 
on the same side, you’ve got to get 
me outta here. 

Boots THUNK above Mal’s head. He looks at Declan. Puts his finger over his lips. Quillan comes down. 

MAL 
Lieutenant. 

Quillan waits until she’s down and facing Mal to show she overheard. Declan sits on the bed, let’s them fight it out. 

QUILLAN 
You served with this man. 

MAL 
I was his sergeant. 

QUILLAN 
And you didn’t tell me. 

MAL 
Seemed wise at the time. 

QUILLAN 
Sure. 
(beat, then pissed) 
Gorramn it, Captain, how do you think 
this makes you look ? 

MAL 
Why don’t you tell me. 

QUILLAN 
Like you helped him. Like I’m a 
sucker for trusting you. God, did 
you not see all those people dead. 
All those lives destroyed. 

MAL 
(icy) 
I was there. 

QUILLAN 
Obviously not, if you’re helping this 
murderer. 

MAL 
There’s been no proof that he is or 
that we’re involved, but hey, if your 
intuition’s goin’ then how can the 
facts compare to that. 


Beat. 

QUILLAN 
We know who you are. Your ship, your 
crew. There’s nowhere you could run. 

MAL 
Now you’re threatening me. 

QUILLAN 
Not threatening, warning. Now get 
out. No one is allowed access to the 
prisoner from this point on. 

Off Mal, pissed. 

INT. SERENITY PASSENGER QUARTERS - NIGHT 

Kaylee steps in from the corridor. She’s carrying a tray of mushy food for Azuria. 

KAYLEE 
Thought you might be a bit hungry. 

Azuria doesn’t even respond. He’s sitting on the bed. She sets the food on a table next to him. 

KAYLEE (cont’d) 
It’s not that good, but supposedly 
nutritious. Isn’t it amazin’ 
that the things that are so good for 
ya, always taste the worse. 

No response, so Kaylee starts moving back to the door. Azuria raises his bloodshot eyes to Kaylee. 

AZURIA 
(quietly) 
You ever love anyone so much that you 
couldn’t imagine taking a breath 
without ’em being there to hear it ? 
To share it. 

KAYLEE 
(stuck) 
No. 
(beat) 
But if I did, maybe I’d want to make 
sure the person responsible for 
’em dying would also end up just as 
dead. 

Kaylee exits into ; 

INT. SERENITY PASSENGER HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS 

Kaylee rests against the side, upset. She pushes herself up, turns to go and almost runs right into Jayne. Jayne’s got his turtle under his arm. 

JAYNE 
Hey ! 

KAYLEE 
Sorry. 

JAYNE 
Got any thread ? 

Jayne holds up the turtle, neck is almost gone. 

JAYNE (cont’d) 
His floppy neck’s makin’ me sad. 

KAYLEE 
No. 

Kaylee moves to go around him. Jayne checks her out. 

JAYNE 
That ruttin’ yokel didn’t pester you 
or anythin’ ? 

KAYLEE 
No. I’m okay. 

JAYNE 
Don’t look it. 

KAYLEE 
Come on, Jayne silly, you know me... 
I’m always okay. 

Kaylee goes past him. Jayne watchin’ her. Jayne looks at his turtle, glances in the direction that Kaylee went, looks at his turtle, like he just might give it to her. 

JAYNE 
Nah. 

He tucks the turtle back under his arm. Walks on. 

INT. TRIAGE TENT - NIGHT 

Simon’s been fielding Tanaka’s questions, and the strain is showing. Inara’s next to him. Simon never looks up from the surgery as he talks. 

TANAKA 
From where ? 

INARA 
Please, you need to conserve your 
strength. 

TANAKA 
Answer. 

SIMON 
I told you the core. 

TANAKA 
Why here ? 

INARA 
Commander. 

SIMON 
I’d never been off-planet before last 
year. I just wanted a chance to 
see more of the universe. To travel. 

TANAKA 
Persphone ? 

SIMON 
I’ve visited many different worlds 
since then, Persephone might have 
been one of them. 

TANAKA 
(beat) 
You’re a liar, bad one. Will find 
out why. 

SIMON 
(looks right at him) 
If you continue to talk and keep your 
adrenaline levels high, then it won’t 
matter what you find out because 
you’re going to bleed out and be dead. 

Simon turns back to the surgery. But not before glancing over at River. 

PUSH IN 

On River telling her story to the children. She’s smiling, enjoying herself. 

RIVER 
(sweetly sing-songy) 
And then the beautiful princess got 
tired of waiting for her handsome 
prince and tried to escape, but they 
found her and to punish her they 
locked her in a smelly, white, cold 
room where the evil blue demons 
strapped electrodes to her face and 
started to shock her. Zap, zap, zap, 
until she couldn’t stop screaming. 
Only no one could hear. 

River’s still smiling, the kids not so much. In fact, they’re just a little bit freaked out by the story and by the freaky lady telling it. 

INT. SERENITY CARGO BAY - NIGHT 

Mal and Zoe finish checking a weapons stash that’s hidden in one of the secret compartments. 

MAL 
No one’s gonna tell me what to do on 
my ship before I figure out what I’m 
gonna do. 

ZOE 
Then you know what you’re gonna do ? 

They close up the compartment, stand up. Start walking toward the door. 

MAL 
No. 
(beat) 
But if we run we’ll be flagged in the 
cortex and become sittin’ ducks for 
any Alliance cruiser sailin’ by. 

They walk through the door into ; 

INT. SERENITY PASSENGER LOUNGE - CONTINUOUS 

They continue to talk as they pass the infirmary. 

ZOE 
Okay, then we don’t run, which means 
we don’t fight. 

MAL 
Yep. 

ZOE 
(bit frustrated) 
Then we sit on our butts and let 
Declan fry ? He’s one of ours. 

MAL 
Thank you, Queen of the not helpful, 
I know that. 

ZOE 
Well, time’s short and not that I 
don’t enjoy watching you mull over a 
brilliant plan, sir, but — 

MAL (cont’d) 
Hey, if you — 

Mal stops. Looks at the door where they were keeping Azuria. It’s wide open. He and Zoe look at each other. 

MAL (cont’d) 


And start running up the stairs. Both pulling out their guns as they go. They end up in the ; 

INT. SERENITY REAR CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS 

Mal and Zoe race through that into ; 

INT. SERENITY DINING ROOM - CONTINUOUS 

And stop quickly as they almost trip over an unconscious Jonah. Zoe bends down, examines him. 

ZOE 
Alive. But his gun’s missing. 

They stand, continue through the dining room into ; 

INT. SERENITY FORWARD CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS 

Mal and Zoe step by the open hatch where Declan is being held. The ladder is down. Mal, gun in his hand, slides down the ladder into ; 

INT. SERENITY SPARE CREW QUARTERS - CONTINUOUS 

Mal lands, turns. But all is quiet. Zoe drops down behind him. Azuria’s on the ground, eyes staring, neck broken, dead. 

MAL 
What ?!? 

A GROAN behind Mal. In the corner is Quillan, knocked out, starting to come around. 

ZOE 
Declan ? 

MAL 
He’s going for a shuttle. Check on 
Quillan. Tell Jayne to find the 
other yokel and sit on him. 

Mal starts climbing. 

INT. SERENITY FORWARD CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS 

Mal jumps up onto the foredeck, gun still out, races into the forward stairwell leading into ; 

INT. SERENITY CARGO BAY - CONTINUOUS 

And is HIT in the jaw right as he enters. He goes end over end down the stairwell, ending with a THUMP on the catwalk. His gun goes flying over the edge. 

Mal stumbles to his feet. Above him Declan closes and LOCKS the door. Declan turns, has Jonah’s gun at his side. Starts coming down the stairs. 

DECLAN 
Sorry about that, Sarge. Thought it 
was the fed. 

MAL 
(standing) 
Sure. Not a problem. What the hell 
is going on ? 

DECLAN 
That yokel tried to kill me. 

MAL 
That I can believe. 
(rubbing his jaw) 
Gotten a little better on the punches. 

DECLAN 
I’ve got to get out of here. 

MAL 
You didn’t have to break his neck. 

DECLAN 
It was instinct, I swear. 

MAL 
Sure. 

Mal moves toward Declan. Declan raises his gun a bit. 

DECLAN 
You do believe me, don’t you, Sarge ? 

Mal stops. 

END OF ACT THREE 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

ACT FOUR 

INT. SERENITY CARGO BAY - CONTINUOUS 

Declan still has his gun raised on Mal. Declan starts moving back on the catwalk toward the shuttle. Mal casually follows. 

MAL 
Sure, I believe you. 

DECLAN 
Just let me take the shuttle. You 
can tell the Alliance that I held a 
gun on you. 

MAL 
Which you happen to actually be doing. 

DECLAN 
Not by choice. 

Mal leans back against the railing. 

MAL 
So, you did do it. 

That stops Declan. Declan looks at Mal for a beat. Seems to calm, become stronger, tougher. 

DECLAN 
And if I did ? 

MAL 
It was an Alliance factory. Why 
would I give a 
about that ? 

Declan isn’t completely sold. 

MAL (cont’d) 
Course, am a bit pissed that your 
explosion almost took out my people. 
Hell, almost took out me. 

DECLAN 
Would’ve warned you if I’d known. 

MAL 
No you wouldn’t have. Trained you 
better than that. Never take your 
eyes off the target. 

They hold a look. Declan finally relaxes. 

DECLAN 
God, Sarge. You had me a bit worried 
there. 

Mal laughs, moves a little closer. 

MAL 
Should kick you on your ass for leaving me 
with a knocked out Alliance fed on my 
ship, though. 

DECLAN 
We could solve both our problems, 
drop her out an airlock, make a run 
for it. 

MAL 
That we could. 

Mal casually touches one of the hanging chains. 

MAL (cont’d) 
Or we could not. 

Declan looks at him and Mal SLAMS the chains into his face. Kicks the gun out of his hand. It falls over the side of the catwalk. 

They stand facing each other. The chain swinging between them. 

DECLAN 
Guess this changes things. 

MAL 
Might. 

DECLAN 
You turnin’ me in ? 

MAL 
Thinkin’ about it... 

Declan starts inching toward the shuttle. Mal keeps pace. 

DECLAN 
It was an Alliance factory. Those 
gears are an essential part of a new 
line of military skiffs. You do 
remember what those skiffs did to our 
men on the field ? 

MAL 
But they’re not using those skiffs on 
us anymore. 

DECLAN 
For now. But the next time a planet 
decides that maybe it would like to 
celebrate one of their own holidays, 
what do you think is going to happen ? 
That the Alliance is going to say go 
ahead ? Hey, we’ll all bring cake. 

MAL 
But it wasn’t just the factory you 
blew up. 

DECLAN 
Commander Tanaka is the top-ranking 
official in this sector. 

MAL 
And all those people, children ? 

DECLAN 
This is war. Acceptable casualties. 
You remember that, don’t you, Sarge ? 

MAL 
Isn’t war when they’re not shootin’ 
at you. Then it’s just plain murder. 

Declan launches at Mal and Mal’s only too happy to throw down with this guy. Mal takes a punch and then throws one. 

They grapple on the catwalk. Slip to the ground. Rolling one way then the other, almost going over the sides. 

DOWN BELOW 

Zoe and Quillan race in though the door by the infirmary. Quillan pulls out her gun. Puts her sights on Declan. Zoe pushes Quillan’s gun down. 

ZOE 
He needs to do this. 

Quillan gets it, nods. 

DECLAN 

head butts Mal. Mal grabs Declan by the shirt, tosses him over his head. 

They both slowly stand, never taking eyes off each other. 

DECLAN 
What happened to the great Sgt. 
Reynolds who had a cause, who 
believed in one ? 

MAL 
The war ended. We lost. 

Mal and Declan launch again. It’s nasty and messy. Declan lands a pretty vicious right hook and Mal stumbles back. 

Mal grabs the hanging chains and pushing off the railing, he swings, kicks Declan in the chest. 

Declan sails over the side of the railing. Lands on a pile of boxes, crushing them. 

Mal looks over the side, Declan slightly stirs, out but alive. Mal wipes the blood off the side of his face. 

INT. TRIAGE TENT - DAY 

TIGHT on Simon’s exhausted face. His freaked out emotions. 

TANAKA (O.S.) 
I can always smell a liar. Trying to 
save your sister, weren’t you ? 

Simon furiously looks around. Seems like all the people are watching him. He keeps spinning back to the Alliance soldiers. They seem to be coming closer, closer. 

TANAKA (cont’d ; O.S.) 
Pathetic ! You can’t help her, you 
can’t even help yourself. 

A hand reaches out, touches Simon on the shoulder, startling him out of his spin. It’s Book. 

BOOK 
Son, you okay ? 

Simon looks down. Tanaka is dead, been dead for awhile. His eyes, lifeless, staring out. Simon takes a breath. 

SIMON 
I thought he was going to make it. 
(beat) 
There must have been another blocked 
artery. It burst. He bled to death. 

Book reaches down. Closes Tanaka’s eyes. 

BOOK 
I’m sure you did everything you 
could, right ? 

But Simon doesn’t answer. Book stares at him, worried. 

BOOK (cont’d) 
Right ? 

Stricken, Simon looks at Book. 

SIMON 
I don’t know. 

Beat. They both look up as the RUMBLE of the ships returning is heard. 

EXT. SERENITY RAMP - DAY 

Mal and Quillan walk a handcuffed Declan down between them. Quillan has a bandage on her forehead. The other two don’t look much better. No one says anything. 

INT. TENT - DAY 

Quillan, Declan and Mal enter. Quillan hands Declan over to a couple of Alliance soldiers, goes over to a table. A solider steps up. Hands her an envelope. She counts the money onto the table. 

QUILLAN 
(to Mal) I believe this is yours. 

Mal comes over, scoops up the money, puts it in a leather pouch. Tucks it into his jacket. Saying nothing, Mal turns to go. Declan steps into his path. 

DECLAN 
We’re fighting the just cause. 
Independent thought, independent 
dreams, independent lives. It’s a 
thing worth dying for. 

Quillan steps over. Declan stares at Mal the whole time. 

QUILLAN 
Thanks. Don’t think we need your 
mission statement. 

DECLAN 
Just repeating the words taught to me 
by the man who trained me. 

Mal takes that dig. Quillan notices. 

QUILLAN 
(to soldiers) 
Get him out of here. 

Declan finally breaks eye contact as they drag him out. Mal turns to Quillan. 

MAL 
No words about you being right ? 

QUILLAN 
Would it help if I did ? Give you a 
reason to hit me, to hit something. 
(beat) 
I was right. 

Mal walks out. 

INT. SERENITY DINING ROOM - DAY 

Jayne sits at the table sewing his turtle’s neck. Zoe gets food from the bar by the kitchen. Kaylee walks in with Book. 

KAYLEE 
Not easy what you did, tellin’ his 
family. 

BOOK 
Least I could do, losing both parents 
like that. It’ll just take time. 

KAYLEE 
(quieter) 
Heals all pain, right ? 

BOOK 
Usually. 

Book touches her on the shoulder, then moves toward the food. Kaylee sees Simon come in. Walks over to him. He’s shaking his head, smiling. 

KAYLEE 
What’s up, smilin’ face ? 

SIMON 
My sister. I haven’t seen her this 
happy in a long time. It’s almost 
like she used to be. 
(shaking his head) 
I guess she really enjoyed telling 
stories to those children. She even 
wanted to go back. 

Kaylee follows him into the kitchen. Where he gets some coffee. 

KAYLEE 
Heard you were pretty amazin’ 

SIMON 
(not looking up) 
Not really. 

KAYLEE 
Doctor, no need to be all bashful and 
such. You should be proud, saving 
those lives. 

Simon looks up, sees Book watching him. Inara steps over near them, getting coffee as well. Simon gleams onto her almost desperately. 

SIMON 
If you want to know amazing... you 
should’ve seen Inara. Stepping in 
with no training. Never flinching. 

INARA 
It was what needed to be done. 

They share a smile that Kaylee notices. Zoe moves past them with two plates of food. Walks toward the bridge. Wash meets her at the doorway. 

WASH 
For me ? 

ZOE 
Yeah. 


Wash takes it. 

WASH 
Thanks. 
(checks Zoe out) 
Everything okay ? 

ZOE 
(maybe not quite so) 
Sure. 


Beat. 

WASH 
You know how I said people change ? 

ZOE 
Yeah ? 

You didn’t, haven’t. You’re still 
about the moment, still about the 
people, your people. Only this time 
your people didn’t deserve you. 

ZOE 
(taking that in) 
And that could’ve gotten the Captain 
killed. 


Wash isn’t sure what to say to that. 

JAYNE (O.S) 
Hey ! Looky who’s here. 


Mal’s walked in on the other end of the kitchen. Jayne, still with turtle, sits up. 

JAYNE 
You get it ? 


Mal pulls out the money pouch. Tosses it to Jayne. 

MAL 
Divide it up. 

JAYNE 
Ruttin’ cool. 


Jayne opens the pouch. Mal keeps on walking. Inara steps up to him, sensing all is not right here. 

INARA 
Mal ? 

MAL 
Don’t let me interrupt dinner. 


He keeps on going. Nods to Zoe and Wash, and exits. Zoe looks at Wash. He motions to her with his head to follow Mal. She does ; 

INT. SERENITY FORWARD CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS 

Zoe walks up right as Mal reaches the entrance to his quarters. 

ZOE 
Captain ? 

MAL 
Yeah. 

ZOE 
You couldn’t have known. Declan 
wasn’t the man we served with. He 
changed. 

MAL 
(not looking up) 
Guess we all have. 


Mal kicks his door. The ladder drops with a THUD. 

END OF SHOW