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Firefly - "Bushwhacked" Written & Directed by: Tim Minear |
| Teaser |
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INT. SERENITY - CARGO BAY BANG! MAL lands hard against a wall. Ouch. He's sweaty, out of breath. We're in the middle of some violence. Now a winded Zoe appears, coming to his aid. We're dead. ZOE MAL ZOE MAL She pulls him back into the fray of a BASKETBALL GAME. Or some raucous, post-modern version of one, anyway. Book joins them as they head back into it -- I think we've got 'em on the run now! MAL The teams are: MAL, ZOE, BOOK versus JAYNE, KAYLEE, WASH. It's a messy free-for-all, with everyone pretty much all over the place. Kaylee has the ball, gets past Mal, passes over to Wash. Wash shoots to a sideways hoop which hangs high, connected to the hoist chain. Scores! Mal goes after the ball, but Jayne barrels through, steals it, drives past Book, past Zoe, passes the ball back to Wash. Wash dribbles, looks for an opening. Somebody cover my wife. JAYNE Jayne moves off. Wash to Kaylee: He's dampening my team spirit. Kaylee has noticed -- -- SIMON appears on the uppermost catwalk level with RIVER. Here to watch. Kaylee sees him, grins. Simon smiles. Gimme the ball. He does. She drives forward, Mal tries to intercept, but she sidesteps him. He goes sprawling. Kaylee, intensely aware of the handsome doctor watching, shoots -- scores! (aside to Zoe) Don't s'pose I could threaten to put her off the boat, she does that again? ZOE MAL The bash and crash of the game resumes. Jayne gets the ball, passes it, but Zoe intercepts. It's keep-away time. INARA emerges from her shuttle. Smiles at the camaraderie. Wash scoops up the ball. Zoe is hot on him. Kaylee clatters to an upper level. Wash passes over Zoe's head, Kaylee catches the ball. Mal tears off after her, coming up the steps, gonna get her from behind. Ah! Jayne! Jayne runs up, gets under Kaylee and she climbs up on his shoulders. She just escapes Mal. As she rides Jayne toward the hoop, she sees -- -- Inara is moving along the catwalk, over to: Hello. Kaylee shoots. Misses. Badly. The rest of the players dive in. The chaos is on again, as above... Inara stands next to Simon. They both watch the game. Who's winning? SIMON INARA She glances over at River who seems delighted with the game unfolding below her, but we can just see that her mouth is moving, muttering to herself... How is she? SIMON INARA SIMON INARA SIMON INARA SIMON INARA SIMON INARA SIMON INARA SIMON INARA He looks at her, curious. She doesn't expound. But her wise smile hints at something. The moment is interrupted by an ELECTRONIC BEEPING, an alert. The game is halted as everyone reacts to the BEEPING. Proximity alert. Must be comin' up on somethin'... WASH He tosses the ball to the others, heads off. Hey, guess that leaves us a man short, don't it? JAYNE Kaylee slugs Jayne in the arm as she calls up to: Say, Doc? Why don't you come on down, play for our side. Inara won't mind. INT. SERENITY - BRIDGE Wash arrives on the bridge, the proximity alert still beeping. Through the cockpit window -- A DERELICT SHIP A vessel about the size of Serenity, eerily rolling in place. Wash slides into the pilot's seat, absently switches off the alert, leans forward peering through the window to get a better look at the... DEAD BODY that lolls into view, directly in front of him. Eyes just black staring sockets in a pruned-up purple face, mouth stretched back in a grimace. Wash recoils with a start, instinctively grabs the controls and banks the ship hard. INT. SERENITY - CARGO BAY Simon is coming down the metal steps as the ship lurches. Simon grabs hold of the rail, manages not to take a tumble. Everyone reacts to the sudden shift -- INT. SERENITY - BRIDGE The entire gang, Mal leading, appears. Wash, you have a stroke or something? WASH ZOE She trails off as they all now see the Derelict Ship. (in Chinese) Mother of god. [Wuh de ma.] MAL WASH MAL WASH SIMON Everyone craning to get a good look now at the dead ship just rolling, rolling... We move past this discussion to find... ...River who has pressed herself tight against the wall in the foredeck hall, just outside the cockpit. From where she is she can't see the ship, and still she says to herself: Ghosts. Off that --
BLACK OUT.
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| Act One |
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INT. SERENITY - BRIDGE Where we left off. Everyone eyeing the DERELICT SHIP silently spinning in the distance. So what do we figure? Transport ship? WASH KAYLEE SIMON WASH ZOE BOOK WASH INARA JAYNE WASH BOOK MAL BOOK JAYNE KAYLEE JAYNE ZOE MAL BOOK JAYNE BOOK MAL JAYNE MAL JAYNE MAL EXT. SPACE Serenity is piloted in close, locks into the spin-cycle of the derelict ship. Ka-chunk -- Serenity's airlock latches onto the other ship's standard matching bulkhead. As it does, WE SEE a web of insect like electronic tentacles attach themselves at the seam. RED LIGHTS within this weird network start blinking... INT. SERENITY - CARGO BAY Simon appears, entering. He's carrying his portable med-kit. He slows and stops as he sees -- SIMON'S POV Over near the airlock, Mal and Zoe suiting up (there are several spacesuits hanging there), going through the checklist as they prepare to board the derelict. Where you think you're headed? Jayne is there, stepping up behind Simon. We see he's loading Zoe's shotgun, prepping weapons. I thought I'd offer my services, in case anyone on board required medical attention. JAYNE Simon's not looking at Jayne, a bit spellbound, watching as Mal and Zoe pull on their helmets. Jayne reads Simon's discomfort at the suits, smiles. Somethin' wrong? SIMON JAYNE Jayne works the pump action on the shotgun. Cha-chunk. He crosses off, toward Mal and Zoe. Off Simon -- INT. SERENITY - CARGO BAY/AIRLOCK Mal's gloved hand hits the airlock control button. WHOOSH. The door opens. Mal and Zoe, fully suited and armed, step into the airlock. The door closes behind them. INT. SERENITY - AIRLOCK Mal speaks to Wash through the com-link in his suit. Okay, Wash. Ask Serenity to knock for us. WASH (O.S.) A light on the derelict's airlock door goes from RED to GREEN. WHOOSH. It opens. A beat. Mal and Zoe fire up their flashlights, enter into -- INT. DERELICT They take a few steps and -- THUNK. The airlock door shuts automatically behind them. The ship is running on emergency power only. Footlights marking the way. Mal and Zoe move with caution, their weapons at the ready. As they go: Emergency power's up. Dashboard light. We move with them as they step carefully down the dark passageways. They pass an abandoned child's TRICYCLE. Share a look, keep moving, to INT. DERELICT - MESS HALL Mal and Zoe enter. They both stop, look to -- -- cafeteria style. Several tables set up. A high chair here and there. Slop counter with sneeze guard. And here's what's weird -- plates of food in various states of being consumed. Big ladles still buried in (gnarly old looking) grub in the tins behind the slop counter. Evidence that folks were in line with trays. Whatever happened here happened quick. Zoe nods. Mal starts moving again. Zoe follows, to -- INT. DERELICT - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS They enter the bridge -- more of the same, basically: a book is open, coffee cup, some board game in mid-play, etc. More personal detail which suggests habitation. But no people. Zoe looks at the controls, computers, etc. Everything was left on... Ship powered down on its own. (continues looking) No sign of struggle. Just -- MAL As Zoe moves to the control panels: (seeing something) Sir. He moves to her. Personal log. Someone was in the middle of an entry -- Her look says "shall I?" Mal nods. Zoe hits the log button -- and the screen BURSTS with EAR PIERCING STATIC. INT. SERENITY - RIVER'S QUARTERS River sits up INTO FRAME, sweaty and freaked -- GASPS. Simon pushes into her room, never far from her. He moves to her bed, kneels down. Shhh. It's okay. I'm here. Bad dreams again? RIVER He looks at her, his sadness for her state right there on his face. Gently: River. There is no screaming. She looks at him, utterly lucid, and says, darkly: There was. He holds her look for a beat. He starts a bit at -- Grab your medkit and let's hoof it. Mal wants us both over there on the double. Jayne is at the door, loading (yet another) weapon. They've found survivors? JAYNE SIMON JAYNE And he exits. Off Simon -- INT. DERELICT The airlock door opens revealing... SIMON. All packed into one of the suits. He loathes this. He looks into the dark, creepy derelict. Hesitates. Finally he steps across the threshold. WHOMP. The door shuts behind him. His breathing becomes more rapid. As he moves, we play a lot of this from his point of view... through the face plate of the helmet... that thin, transparent sliver of life. The building rhythm of his BREATHING practically scoring this sequence. INT. DERELICT - MESS HALL As Simon continues his tense passage. INT. DERELICT - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS Simon comes around a corner, sees -- Mal, Zoe, Jayne and Kaylee. All of them space-suit-and-helmet-less, having a conversation he can't hear. Simon reacts. So do the others. Bemused, Simon clutches at his helmet. It's not coming off. Kaylee runs to him, helps him with it. He's gasping for breath. Before Simon can ask anything -- What are you doing here? (also) And what's with the suit? Simon glances over to Jayne who's trying to stifle his gales of laughter. Simon's furious, humiliated. (glaring at Jayne) Oh, you're hilarious. Sadist. MAL He tosses Simon a canvas loot bag. (Mal and the others also have their portable salvage kits with them now.) Let's do this quick, people. Coupla loads each. No need to be greedy. SIMON MAL They head off. As they go: (re: helmet) You had this on wrong. That's kind of a horrible thought. Simon blanches. Makes Jayne laugh all the harder. Once Mal and Zoe are alone: Sir... I count sixteen families signed on. Lifeboat wouldn't hold a third of that. MAL
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INT. SERENITY - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS Up on the screen, ship schematics. Wash scrolls through. Think I found something pretty well matches that class. Layout looks about right. Seems to me any valuables, if there are any, likely be stored somewhere in C-deck, aft. MAL (O.S.) Wash signs off, leans back/swivels in his chair. Sees Book standing in the doorway behind him. Can't say I much care for this business. WASH BOOK WASH Book smiles unhappily at the attitude. INT. SERENITY - PASSAGEWAYS Inara approaches River's quarters with a tray of food. Knocks. No answer. River? It's Inara. Are you hungry, sweetie? She pushes the door open... I brought you a little... Inara reacts. The room is empty. River? Off the empty room -- INT. DERELICT - AIRLOCK The door opens with a WHOOSH, revealing River. The gust from the door gently blowing her hair. She seems to be in an almost trance-like state. Barefoot, she pads onto the derelict ship. INT. DERELICT - PASSAGEWAYS Mal and Zoe arrive at a storage door. This'd be it. ZOE MAL He brings up a mini-blow torch. Sparks it. INT. DERELICT - ENGINE ROOM Kaylee and Simon going through the engine room. Kaylee examines the machinery. Aren't you the least bit curious? KAYLEE SIMON KAYLEE SIMON KAYLEE SIMON KAYLEE She starts tossing pieces in, as -- INT. DERELICT - MESS HALL Jayne tears the place apart, loading up, and snacking. He pauses, thinks he senses something. Takes out his gun... moves to the door. Nothing. He resumes his work, as -- INT. DERELICT - PASSAGEWAYS River haunts this place like a ghost herself, drifting along, drawn by something -- INT. DERELICT - STORAGE ROOM THUNK. The blow-torched door falls forward. Mal and Zoe enter. Very dim light in here. They use their flashlights. Zoe whips a tarp off some crates, cracks one open. Within, family photo albums, heirlooms, like that. She runs her light along the front of the other crates -- various FAMILY NAMES emblazoned there. All personal stuff. Here -- Zoe joins him. Their FLASHLIGHT BEAMS illuminate stacks of government issue terraforming supplement materials. They are emblazoned with the AngloSino insignia of the Alliance. Gen-seed, protein, crop supplements. Everything a growing family needs for a fresh start on a new world. ZOE MAL ZOE MAL ZOE MAL She turns to see what he's looking at... Standing in the storage room doorway is... RIVER. She seems to not even notice the two of them, her attention is directed above them. Mal turns, aims his flashlight upward, way up, into an overhead shaft. Zoe reacts with disgust... THE BODIES are strung up from the ceiling. Three clumps of twisted flesh. The skin pale, almost luminescent (the bits of it we do see.) There's no blood. Not a drop anywhere... MAL River starts to wander in. (re: River) Keep her out of here. Zoe moves to do that, as -- (into transmitter) Jayne -- INT. DERELICT - MESS HALL Jayne gorges and gathers -- Mal's voice from his transmitter. Jayne -- drop what you're doing and get to the engine room. I want you to take Kaylee and the doctor off this boat. Jayne reaches for it, his mouth is full. He swallows, puts the transmitter to his mouth -- but that's when the attack comes. The THING that ATTACKS him from behind is a BLUR. It comes so fast, so violently, he never had a chance to respond at all. Off his fallen transmitter and Mal's voice: Jayne? Jayne, do you read? Jayne?!
BLACK OUT.
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| Act Two |
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EXT. SPACE Serenity still attached to the rotating derelict, as -- INT. SERENITY - BRIDGE Wash sits up straight in his chair as he hears MUFFLED GUNFIRE over the two-way. He pounds on the mic -- Captain? Captain? (then) Zoe? More GUNFIRE. INT. DERELICT - PASSAGEWAYS Mal and Zoe, who is steering River by the shoulders, emerge. Mal has his gun out. So does Zoe. Came from above, Sir. MAL They start to move but nearly collide with -- SIMON AND KAYLEE coming around the corner, reacting to the gunfire. Kaylee gasps, realizes it's Mal. We heard shootin' -- SIMON RIVER SIMON MAL WASH (O.S.) ZOE She clicks him off. Nods to Mal that she's ready to roll. Together they move off, guns leading the way... INT. DERELICT - MESS HALL Tense beat as Mal enters the mess hall, his gun leading. Evidence of violence, upturned table, gross food on the floor. A noise -- Mal whips around with his gun... and finds himself drawing down on... JAYNE who has his gun pointed right back at Mal. They both relax. Jayne is a bit mussed, but not really hurt. What'd you see? JAYNE Simon has entered with Kaylee and River. You did... Simon points to tell-tale blood droplets. Mal moves to him, notes that the blood droplets lead to a grate in the wall. Mal eases Simon out of the way. Indicates to Zoe to hand him her shotgun. He pushes the grate up with the nose of it. WALL GRATE Mal's face appears. He squints at -- A YOUNG MAN Cowering in the shadows. He's feral, fearful, drawing himself as small as he can. (muttering) Mercy... mercy... no. Mercy. MAL SURVIVOR MAL WHAM!, suddenly Mal comes up and gives the poor bastard the butt of the shotgun right in the kisser. MESS HALL As Mal pulls the unconscious guy out through the hole and lets him drop to the floor, a heap. Not big at all, just average. Practically a kid. (to Jayne) Oh, yes. He's a real beast. It's a wonder you're still alive. JAYNE MAL INT. SERENITY - OUTSIDE INFIRMARY In the common area are Inara, Kaylee, Jayne, Zoe, Wash. Book is there, too, sitting, clutching his Bible. Kaylee and Inara are watching as inside the infirmary Simon can be seen tending to the Survivor, Mal over his shoulder. I wonder how long he'd been living like that? KAYLEE JAYNE KAYLEE ZOE But she doesn't sound as convinced as she might. INT. SERENITY - INFIRMARY Simon has patched up the arm wound. The patient mutters in his delirium. Pulse is rapid, blood pressure's high side of normal. To be expected. SURVIVOR SIMON The patient rises up a bit, tries to focus on the faces outside the glass. This isn't lost on Mal. Cattle. Cattle for the slaughter. MAL SIMON MAL Simon moves to load a syringe. Mal eyes the muttery patient. No mercy... No resistance... Simon leans over him. The man's hand grabs Simon's wrist. Open up. See what's inside. Simon gives him a shot. Pulls away from the man's weak grip. Let's chat. Mal moves to the door. Simon glances at his patient, who is slipping into semi-consciousness. He follows to -- OUTSIDE INFIRMARY DOOR As Simon appears here, he looks to Inara. River? INARA SIMON KAYLEE SIMON BOOK SIMON MAL The others react, surprised. Not a very charitable attitude, Captain. MAL INARA MAL Mal shuts the infirmary door, bolts it from the outside. Nobody goes in there. Nothing more we can do for him now. Not after what he's seen. SIMON MAL Mal turns, heads off. The others don't follow right away as the horror hits them. (fear) Reavers... Wash looks to Zoe who doesn't deny it -- she knows it, too. Crap. [Tzao gao.] Inara glances back into the infirmary, where the man is writhing in his delirium. She knows what this means. INT. SERENITY - DINING ROOM - CONTINUOUS Mal's pouring himself some coffee as the others follow him in. Mal, how can you know? JAYNE Mal sips his coffee. Whatever you say. It was that other fella. The one we run into. It's like I said before -- he went stir crazy, killed the rest, took a walk into space. KAYLEE JAYNE MAL WASH MAL JAYNE MAL BOOK MAL BOOK JAYNE BOOK MAL JAYNE WASH MAL JAYNE ZOE SIMON They all look at him. I've dealt with bodies. They don't worry me. BOOK MAL BOOK MAL JAYNE MAL JAYNE He storms off. Simon follows. Book takes a beat, might say something, decides against it then goes. Kaylee's beaming at her Captain. Inara now moves to Mal. And just when I think I've got you figured out. She holds the look. Might kiss him. Doesn't. Instead she moves off. He watches her go. That was real pretty, Captain. What you said. WASH MAL ZOE
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INT. SERENITY - BRIDGE Mal pulls a visual up on a screen. The tendril like booby trap connected where the two airlocks joined. It's a real burden being right so often. Wash, Zoe and Kaylee at his side, looking at the screen. What is it? MAL WASH MAL WASH ZOE Kaylee's been studying the image on the vid screen. Looks like they've jerry-rigged it with a pressure catch. Only thing that'd work with all these spare parts. Could pro'lly bypass that easy, we get to the DC line. MAL KAYLEE EXT. SPACE Serenity and the derelict, locked together in a death grip. And under the soundlessness of space, MUSIC, carrying us through... INT. DERELICT - STORAGE Simon, Jayne and Book all have paper dust masks on as they lower down the bodies. This is done in an elliptical way, more a suggestion of the carnage than a strict depiction. INT. SERENITY - CARGO BAY The bombay doors are pulled open by Mal. Kaylee climbs in first, then Wash. Mal and Zoe stand topside, nervous. INT. SERENITY - INFIRMARY The tortured delirium of the survivor in his fever sleep. Somehow his distress seems to be affecting... INT. SERENITY - INARA'S SHUTTLE River, who is sleeping in Inara's bed. Her sleep becomes more and more fitful. Nearby, Inara reads a book, not yet noticing River's sleep become more and agitated, as... INT. SERENITY - INNARDS Kaylee has to squeeze in tight to the confined space. She's looking at the seam where the two airlocks meet. The tendrils of booby trap are visible, flashing RED. WASH is in the pit, a bit above her, with a box full of tools. He hands her some wrench-like gadget. She blows a strand of hair out of her eyes, goes to work on the device. INT. DERELICT - STORAGE Jayne dragging crates, slamming them onto a dolly, looking over with some disdain, to -- Book reads from his Bible, saying a few words for the dead. Simon shows respect, bowing his head. INT. SERENITY - INARA'S SHUTTLE Inara reacts now as she sees River's state, growing ever more agitated, as INT. SERENITY - INFIRMARY The patient's eyes SNAP OPEN. INT. SERENITY - CARGO BAY Kaylee working on the booby trap. -- Wash handing her down more tools. -- Mal and Zoe waiting helplessly, nervously, topside. -- Kaylee takes a stab at the booby trap. We see her recoil, nervous. Still here. She really concentrates, goes back at it. Cuts into some of the tubing and a dark OOZE drips out. INT. SERENITY - INARA'S SHUTTLE River's really thrashing now. Inara goes to her, gathers her in her arms, holds her close, tries to soothe her. River starts to clam, but GASPS with a START as... INT. SERENITY - INFIRMARY A drawer of SURGICAL TOOLS hits the floor, and with it returns the SYNCH SOUND. A HAND reaches in, picks up one of the more more evocative and lethal looking surgical tools. INT. SERENITY - CARGO BAY WHOOSH -- the airlock door opens and Jayne rolls in the dolly with the cargo. He reacts as he sees -- -- CLANG. As the bombay doors are dropped shut. Mal, Kaylee, Wash and Zoe look over at him. What's going on? MAL She nods her little greased smudged face. Not a gorram thing. Mal looks to Wash. Nods. Wash nods back, heads off. Looks like a thing to me. Book and Simon enter from the airlock. Mal hits the controls, closing it behind them: Thought we might have had a situation, but it looks to be taken care of. Let's get that stuff stored. Jayne, still not convinced, moves to the smuggling compartments, pops a panel. (into transmitter) Everybody's home, Wash. Let's go. We HEAR the start of the detaching process. EXT. SERENITY As the two ships come apart, harmless remnants of the booby trap tearing away. INT. SERENITY - CARGO BAY Mal looks to Zoe and Kaylee. Now they can really breathe. In the b.g., Simon and Book move to Jayne. Suddenly -- that familiar PROXIMITY WARNING BEEPING. Everyone who was on pins and needles before is right back there -- and Jayne freaks: No, no. Do not say that -- it's the Reavers! Gorram Reavers come back! MAL JAYNE MAL He's running, now. Zoe right behind him. INT. SERENITY - BRIDGE Wash just sits staring straight ahead, hasn't switched off the alert. Mal and Zoe come running up the foredeck hall. Reavers? Wash absently shakes his head "no." A GREEN GLOW starts to overtake the cockpit. They all react as they see -- THROUGH THE COCKPIT WINDOW -- outer space pretty well blotted out by the green glow of an enormous ALLIANCE CRUISER... Over the radio: Firefly class transport, you are ordered to release control of your helm. Prepare to dock and be boarded. MAL EXT. SPACE Serenity dwarfed by the looming Alliance Cruiser. And coming off the Alliance ship: several smaller GUNSHIPS, swarming around Serenity --
BLACK OUT.
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| Act Three |
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INT. ALLIANCE CRUISER COMMANDER HARKEN watches from the bridge as Serenity moves toward us. An ENSIGN approaches. Harken points to Serenity. No mandatory registration markings on the bow. Make sure we cite them for that. What is it, ensign? ENSIGN HARKEN A RADIO OPERATOR sits at a communications station speaks: Didn't we have a flag a while back on a Firefly? HARKEN RADIO OPERATOR HARKEN RADIO OPERATOR HARKEN INT. SERENITY - CARGO BAY Simon helps Jayne and Book finish loading the cargo into the smuggling hold. Mal appears, walking fast, entering the cargo bay. The three look over -- What was it? Was it Reavers? MAL JAYNE MAL JAYNE MAL SIMON Inara emerges from her shuttle. Moves toward Zoe, Wash and Kaylee, who have appeared. Kaylee hangs back, Zoe and Wash head further in, toward the others. What's happening? KAYLEE INARA Zoe and Wash help Book and Jayne with the goods. Simon's in a bit of shock. We've gotta run... MAL SIMON MAL WASH MAL A beat. Simon suddenly becomes suspicious. What? Why? Are you going to put her in "plain sight," too? MAL SIMON JAYNE SIMON BOOK EXT. SPACE As Serenity attaches to the bottom of the Alliance Cruiser, just a little bump now on the big ship. INT. SERENITY - CARGO BAY WHOOSH -- the airlock doors open and a compliment of ALLIANCE SOLDIERS streams on to Serenity, their boots clicking on the hard cargo bay floor. Harken appears, looks at -- -- Mal, Zoe, Jayne, Wash, Kaylee, Inara, Book, lined up. No sign of Simon or River. (we may or may not notice the smuggling compartments have been closed up again.) Harken gives the signal to his lead man. Soldiers move in, start relieving our gang of any weapons. Well now, ain't this a whole lotta fuss. I didn't know better, might think we were dangerous. HARKEN MAL HARKEN MAL Harken nods to a couple of his guys, they head off. (calling back) Straight back, next to the common area. HARKEN INT. SERENITY - INFIRMARY The two Alliance Soldiers force open the infirmary door. The operating table is empty. The place is a wreck. They look over, see something that WE DON'T. One of them turns away, loses his lunch right there. The other one reacts with similar, though less colorful, disgust. Off that -- INT. SERENITY - CARGO BAY Harken eyes the "line up." Looks to me like an illegal salvage operation. MAL HARKEN MAL HARKEN MAL HARKEN MAL HARKEN Now the two Alliance Soldiers return. The not-nauseated one approaches Harken. Whispers something to him. Harken eyes Mal, Mal looks back, wondering what's happened. We'll continue this conversation in a more official capacity. Harken motions to one of his men. Instantly some of the Alliance Men start to hustle our guys toward the door. Harken continues with the order-giving: Every inch of this junker gets tossed. KAYLEE MAL KAYLEE MAL INT. SERENITY - PASSAGEWAYS/VARIOUS A MED TEAM wheels a gurney out with the survivor on it. We don't really get a good look at his current state, under an oxygen mask and sheet and the Med Team members mostly concealing him from us. They're moving fast, we follow them, passing SEARCHING SOLDIERS, and they take us to... INT. SERENITY - CARGO BAY ...MUCH ACTIVITY. DOZENS of SOLDIERS searching Serenity -- tossing it. We PICK UP a particular SOLDIER who moves into... INT. SERENITY - INARA'S SHUTTLE ...Inara's shuttle. Reacting to the lavish difference. You're a Companion. INARA (O.S.) INT. ALLIANCE CRUISER - INTERROGATION ROOM Inara sits in the sterile surroundings. Harken will be doing the grilling. (We'll be INTERCUTTING between INTERROGATIONS and THE SEARCH quite liberally throughout the following) You were based for several years on Sihnon. It's only been in the last year that you've been shipping out with the crew of The Serenity. INARA HARKEN INARA HARKEN
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INT. ALLIANCE CRUISER - INTERROGATION ROOM Zoe sitting rigidly in the interrogation room. I don't see how that's relevant. HARKEN ZOE INT. SERENITY - ZOE AND WASH'S ROOM SOLDIERS moving in here, examining the evidence of Wash and Zoe's private life together... You two met through Captain Reynolds? ZOE (V.O.) INT. ALLIANCE CRUISER - INTERROGATION ROOM You fought with Captain Reynolds in the war. ZOE HARKEN ZOE HARKEN ZOE
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INT. ALLIANCE CRUISER - INTERROGATION ROOM Wash looking much more relaxed in the interrogation. The legs. Oh, yeah. Definitely have to say it was her legs. You can put that down. INT. SERENITY - VARIOUS The search continues, moving into the engine room... INT. ALLIANCE CRUISER - INTERROGATION ROOM Still indignant. ...six Gurstler's crammed right under every cooling drive so that you strain your primary artery function and end up having to recycle secondary exhaust through a bypass system just so's you don't end up pumping it into the main atmo feed and asphyxiating your crew. What < genius > thought up that lame design? Now that's "junk."
TIME CUT TO:
INT. ALLIANCE CRUISER - INTERROGATION ROOM JAYNE just sits there, closed mouthed. Arms crossed. We play the silence for a moment, then -- INT. SERENITY - JAYNE'S ROOM Knives. Guns. Girly magazine (with Chinese markings.) Another knife. INT. ALLIANCE CRUISER - INTERROGATION ROOM Jayne sits silently. Not a word. More shifting. More silence. INT. ALLIANCE CRUISER - INTERROGATION ROOM She ain't "junk." INT. SERENITY - BOOK'S ROOM As the Soldiers toss Book's room: Bible, a cross, etc. Pirates with their own Chaplain. There's an oddity. INT. ALLIANCE CRUISER - INTERROGATION ROOM Not the only oddity this end of space, Commander. Way of things not always so plain as on the central planets. Rules can be a mite fuzzier. HARKEN BOOK HARKEN BOOK HARKEN BOOK HARKEN INT. SERENITY - VARIOUS The swarm of the search team continues. One of the Soldiers looks at the panels of the stash. Moves to it... That a fact? HARKEN (V.O.) He presses -- a panel opens. He calls some others over. They rip the panels up -- empty. INT. ALLIANCE CRUISER - INTERROGATION ROOM Well, Persephone's a big place. HARKEN INT. SERENITY - DINING ROOM The Soldiers are starting to pack up, file out. As the swarm begins to disperse... CAMERA pulls back and up, out past the overhead windows, moving to -- EXT. SERENITY -- the outside of the ship. Where WE FIND SIMON and RIVER both in space suits, clinging to the side of the ship. Simon is just freaking out, his gloved hands the only thing keeping his sweaty palms from losing purchase on the side of the ship. He touches the seam of his helmet, making sure it's connected properly. He looks to River, worried. But he reacts -- River stares off into the limitless void of space, seemingly taking a kind of deep comfort from the vastness of it. She's doing something that we haven't really seen her do... she's smiling. Off Simon, continually amazed by his sister... INT. ALLIANCE CRUISER - INTERROGATION ROOM Mal sits alone in the room. Presently, the door opens. Harken enters, carrying a thick folder. Harken moves to the chair opposite Mal. Harken studies his documents. Won't look at Mal. A calculated move to put Mal on edge. Mal breaks the silence: I figure by now you been over to that derelict. Seen for yourself. HARKEN MAL HARKEN MAL Harken finally looks at Mal. That's a very loyal crew you have there. But then I see by your record you tend to inspire that quality in people -- Sergeant. MAL HARKEN MAL HARKEN MAL HARKEN MAL HARKEN MAL HARKEN MAL HARKEN MAL HARKEN Mal's stunned into silence for a beat, going internal as the full weight of his realization hits him. (to himself) Shoulda known... shoulda seen this comin'... HARKEN MAL Off that -- INT. ALLIANCE SHIP - INFIRMARY Again, we're only seeing bits and pieces of what's become of the survivor. Think Hannibal Lector being worked on in the ambulance. His body lurches and convulses. Team of Alliance medics working to save him. So involved in their good work are they, that they don't see his hand slip off the side of the operating table, dangling there, clutching the sharp, shining surgical tool that comes up now -- slashing.
BLACK OUT.
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| Act Four |
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INT. ALLIANCE CRUISER - INTERROGATION ROOM Harken stares at Mal. Harken's unimpressed as he says: Reavers? MAL HARKEN MAL HARKEN MAL HARKEN MAL HARKEN MAL HARKEN MAL Harken seems to be considering that for a moment, hits a button on the table. The door opens and a SOLDIER appears. Let's have two M.P.s up here to escort Sergeant Reynolds to the brig. MAL HARKEN Off Mal's frustration... INT. SERENITY - FOREDECK HALL A HATCH OPENS and SIMON, still in his spacesuit, climbs down a ladder. He rips off his helmet as River descends down the ladder. He helps her off with her helmet. Let's go again. SIMON RIVER SIMON They move off. Simon never saw the BLOODY FOOTPRINT nearby. They're not alone. INT. ALLIANCE CRUISER - INTERROGATION ROOM The interrogation is over. Harken is off to the side with an M.P. Two more M.P.s are pulling Mal out of his chair, cuffing his hands behind his back. Your ship and its contents will be auctioned. The proceeds of the sale will be applied to the cost of your defense. The Ensign now enters, looking a little pale. He moves close to Harken, whispers his report. Harken reacts. We can guess what's being reported to Harken. So can Mal. (re: Mal) Get him out of here. (to Ensign) Go to full lock down. I want guards on the nursery -- As Mal's hustled toward the door: It won't matter. You won't find him. Harken meets Mal's gaze, a little lost. But I know where he'll go.
CUT TO:
INT. SERENITY - PASSAGEWAYS - CONTINUOUS Simon tries to steer River into the dining room/kitchen area. She whimpers. Will go no further. River. It's okay. They've gone. Come on. But she won't. We don't know how long it's going to be. Once we're settled, I don't think we should move around much. I'll just grab some some food and... He tries to disengage from her, she's holding him back. He lists away, toward the dining room... CAMERA PULLS back... ...past scattered KITCHEN CUTLERY... ...finally REVEALING the FIGURE just two feet from the oblivious Simon who's trying to back yet closer, as... INT. ALLIANCE SHIP - AIRLOCK/DOOR TO SERENITY A DEAD GUARD marks the way of the killer.Mal is there with Harken and armed M.P.s Why would he come back here? MAL HARKEN Harken nods to his men. They ready themselves to enter. Before they can: (to an M.P.) Get him to the brig. MAL HARKEN MAL Harken considers that for a beat, then -- We'll let him go first. MAL Harken is getting set again, Mal makes him pause with: Uh -- ? Mal indicates his hands still cuffed behind his back. Harken takes the key from one of his men, undoes the cuffs himself -- but just as quick pulls Mal's hands around front, recuffs him with his hands now in front of him. Thanks. Now I'll really have the advantage. HARKEN As his men move to do that -- INT. SERENITY - PASSAGEWAYS - CONTINUOUS SIMON AND RIVER She tries to hold him back as he backs close to the unseen (to him) Killer. He absently reaches behind himself, sets his helmet on the dining room table, as -- Simon stops suddenly at the SOUND of the AIRLOCK OPENING in the distance. Someone's coming... The Killer also hears the approach of footsteps... feints out of frame... INT. SERENITY - CARGO BAY - CONTINUOUS Mal leads Harken and his men into the cargo bay. (hushed) We'll split up -- MAL Harken considers, nods. Sighs. Fine. (to his men) Keene, Escobar, you two stay here. Watch the door. Don't need this thing back on my ship. Harken indicates for Mal to lead on. He does. INT. SERENITY - OUTSIDE INFIRMARY MOVING WITH MAL Schmuck bait as he leads the team past the wrecked infirmary. Through the common area, coming up to the steep stairs which lead to the upper levels. INT. SERENITY - ENGINE ROOM Mal leads Harken and his men through the engine room, down into the dining area. Mal notes a space suit helmet sitting on the table. Knows what that means. He steels himself. Mushes on. Mal sees the spilled cutlery. He and Harken share a look. They continue on... Mal steps up into the foredeck hall. Tries not to react as he comes nearly face-to-face with -- SIMON AND RIVER Pressed tight up against a wall just around the corner, hidden by the lip of the passageway. Harken's right on Mal's ass now, a step down in the dining room. Mal turns to him as -- THE KILLER Leaps from out of frame, attacking one of the men just behind Harken. Harken turns. THE KILLER slashes Harken's man. There is blood, splashing across Harken's surprised face. Harken fumbles for his gun, the Killer knocks it away, lunges at Harken, as -- Mal leaps at the guy's back, brings his cuffed hands over his head and around his throat -- HARKEN'S POV Of the HIDEOUS MUTILATED FACE, flesh peeled back, mouth pinned into a grimace by bits of metal. It SNARLS and SNAPS at Harken, trying to get at him. Right the fuck up in his face. Being held at bay only by Mal's strength. It is terrifying. Mal pulls hard. There is a crack. Mal lets the body drop at their feet. ANGLE: THE SURVIVOR Mal uses the tip of his boot to turn the dead man's head slightly... Mutilated flesh. The skin of his mouth remains pulled back and pinned into that hideous grimace. Scarcely human. MAL AND HARKEN As they share a look. Harken's face sullied with blood. A baptism of sorts. There are no words. Off this -- EXT. SPACE Serenity detaches from the Alliance Cruiser, floats down. INT. SERENITY - BRIDGE Mal, Wash, Zoe and Jayne. They watch as the big ship gets smaller. You save his gorram life. And he still takes the cargo. Jerk. [Hwoon dahn.] MAL Mal doesn't stick around. He turns for the door. Wouldn't be civilized. Through the cockpit window, WE SEE the Alliance Ship send out what look like torpedoes. They connect with the spinning Derelict, sending a series of SOUNDLESS EXPLOSIONS through its hull. As the Derelict caves in on itself, glows to embers...
BLACK OUT.
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