Virtual Firefly www.stillflying.net Season 2 Episode 6: Downstream Written & Directed by George W. Krubski Story Consultant: Matt Engstrom

Teaser from 2x06: Downstream ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

EXT. NEW MELBOURNE – DOCKS – DAY – ESTABLISHING The New Melbourne Docks float in the middle of a sea – a vast conglomeration of piers, quays, aerial landing platforms, swinging bridges, and warehouses – and do not appear to be connected to any sort of land mass. The Docks sprawl over an area the size of a large town, with the hustle and bustle the equal of a small city. Boats and ships dock and leave, spaceships land and take off, and FOLK swarm everywhere. EXT. NEW MELBOURNE DOCKS – LANDING PLATFORM – DAY – ESTABLISHING Serenity sits on a large landing platform, flanked by two other ships. One is a small, aging FREIGHTER that makes Serenity looks like a prize vessel, while the other is a big, boxy CARGO HAULER. EXT. SERENITY – DAY MAL REYNOLDS walks down the CARGO RAMP, nodding to a pair of WORKERS dragging a pallet laden with an open CRATE piled high with FISH and ICE. ZOE is at the bottom of the ramp, along with MONTY, a giant bear of a man. Since we last saw him in “Trash,” he’s grown back his beard. MAL: Everything goin’ according to plan, Zoe? ZOE: Everything except the smell, sir. Monty takes a deep breath and gives Zoe a comradely clap on the back. MONTY: Ah, that’s just New Melbourne, girl! You’ll feel better soon’s you take off! ZOE: Cargo we’re hauling, Monty, don’t look to be rid of that smell anytime soon. The three of them begin to walk toward the cargo hauler (MONTY’S SHIP). MAL: Can buy all the roses you want after our nice big payday. We win this race, we get the job with Jorgensen, we’re set. Six months, a year tops, we’ll have enough coin that we can pick and choose jobs as we please. MONTY: Last fella worked as chief runner for Jorgensen, I heard he bought his own moon! ZOE: Last fellow worked as chief runner for Jorgensen, I heard he got pinched during the raid on the Carousel. Which is the whole reason we’re having this crazy race. MAL: Riggs was there on his own business. Jorgensen’s strictly above-the-boards. All the runs are legal. (beat) This is it, Zoe. This is the big brass ring we been waitin’ for. They continue to stroll. Another pair of WORKERS with a PALLET rolls past them toward Serenity. ZOE: If I understand the terms of the race correctly, sir, it’s only a big brass ring for the ship that gets to Jorgensen’s moon first. Everyone else winds up with a cargo hold full of filthy, stinking fish. MONTY: Word is, there’s some sorta consolation prize for the rest. Mal smiles a little at Zoe’s obvious distaste and discomfort. MAL: Oh, and rotting, Zoe. Don’t forget that the fish’ll be rotting. So we need to make sure we get there first. (to Monty) No offense, Monty. MONTY: None taken, Mal. What fun is a race without the racin’ part? By now, the trio has reached: EXT. MONTY’S SHIP – SAME TIME MONTY’S CREW is overseeing CRATES of fish being loaded onto the ship. One of the CREW waves to Monty, indicating that everything is fine. MAL (to Zoe): Lookin’ forward to a simple, straightforward job for once. No Alliance, no bounty hunters— MONTY: No devil women! MAL: —No devil women… (beat) Our resident sibling fugitives safely packed away on Haven, and us carrying legal cargo, this race is ours. (to Monty) Again, no offense. Monty gives a “None taken” shrug. MONTY: Never know what’ll happen, Mal. ZOE: Assuming you’re right, sir, can we trust this Jorgensen to hold up his end of things? Seems to me he’s a bit… eccentric. MONTY: He is a bit mercurial, true enough, but it’s good, honest, easy work. Most folks wouldn’t find a replacement for their most trusted pilot with a race, but… MAL: I’m tellin’ you, Zoe, we win this thing, we’re livin’ the good life. And since Mingo and Fanty get their cut, they grow to love us, too, and things get all the better while we wait for the coin to come rollin’ in. Mal smiles, takes a deep breath – and winces a little at the stench of New Melbourne, but quickly recovers. MAL (cont’d): This is the turning point. Things are finally goin’ our way. He ignores the skeptical look she gives him, looking past her. WASH hustles across the landing platform to join them. He looks a little green as he kisses Zoe, then nods a greeting to Mal and Monty. MAL (cont’d): How’s the competition lookin’, Wash? WASH (pointing down): Can you feel that? I swear I can feel the whole thing moving. (looks around) I don’t think these docks are safe at all. Never thought I’d say this, but I wish to God I had some solid ground under my feet! (beat; no one responds) Oh, right. The competition. Because that’s what Jayne and I have been scouting out for the past two hours. MAL: Speaking of, where is Jayne? WASH: There was a late entry. He went to check it out. ZOE: That doesn’t sound like the best of ideas. MAL: He’s a big boy. He’ll be fine. Mal looks pointedly at Wash, waiting for him to continue. WASH (indicates Monty): Do you want me to…? MAL: Monty’s a friend. Won’t hurt none if we share with him. Right, Monty? MONTY: I wouldn’t try to cheat you or nothin’, Mal. Promise! WASH: Most of the ships I saw can’t burn as hard and as long as Serenity can. They want to keep up, they’re going to have to stop somewhere to refuel. MAL: We ain’t gonna need to do that, right? WASH (shakes his head no): Figure we should just about make it. Which is good, considering our marked lack of coin to pay for more fuel. Mal, Zoe and Wash share an uncomfortable look. MAL: When we win this thing, we ain’t gonna have to worry about coin for a long time to come. WASH: So most of the ships, even Monty here can beat ‘em without much of a problem. (wince) No offense, Monty. MONTY: None taken. Like I was sayin’ t’Mal ‘fore you showed, you never know what’s gonna happen in a race like this. WASH (to Mal): Korso’s here. That could be a problem. And Rourke— MAL (to Monty): Rourke’s in this? You didn’t tell me that! MONTY: Slipped my mind, Mal. Sorry. MAL (to Wash): Rourke’s faster than us, ain’t he? WASH: Well… (beat) Yeah. MAL: Why does nothing ever go my way? WASH: We might need to worry about Elgyn, too. MAL (nodding): That old pirate’ll sit in the middle of the pack, just layin’ back and waitin’, then spring those custom-built thrusters on everyone. MONTY: Heard he burnt those things out pullin’ away from some Feds at Beaumonde. MAL: Still… Rourke. Damn. (to Wash) Anything else you want to spring on me? WASH: Nossir. Rourke, Korso, and Elgyn look to be the real competition. Mal’s COMM UNIT beeps. WASH (cont’d): And maybe the new guy. EXT. NEW MELBOURNE DOCKS – BRIDGE – DAY The BRIDGE, fifteen feet wide and thirty long, is a strap of metal connecting two of the larger PLATFORMS. Its sides are rope handrails, and it sways a bit in the water. The bridge is fairly well-trafficked, with a half-dozen FOLK crossing it in either direction at any given time. Mal, followed by Zoe, Wash, and Monty, pushes through the crowd to meet JAYNE, who is making his way across the bridge. Monty moves a step or two past them, and Mal, Jayne, Zoe, and Wash cluster on the bridge, partially blocking foot-traffic. MAL (to Jayne): What’s so gorram important you had to tell me face-toface? JAYNE (pointed look at Zoe and Wash): Didn’t know you’s gonna bring them, Mal. Wash watches the two men intently, but Zoe is looking past them, past Monty, in the direction Jayne came from. MAL: Well, why wouldn’t I— Zoe, still looking past them, tenses. ZOE: Ott. Mal turns. Wash’s head snaps up. On the far side of the bridge, approaching them, are OTT and his crew: NICO, in her paramilitary leather, GOWE, with his Reaveresque piercings and scarification, and massive CLARENCE, wearing his filthy vest and bowler. OTT: Why, Malcolm, what a pleasant— Before he can finish, Zoe’s gun is in her hand, pointed straight at Ott’s head. In response, Nico draws two guns, aiming one at Zoe and the other at Mal. Mal and Jayne immediately back Zoe’s play, drawing their own weapons and aiming them at Nico. Clarence hauls out his massive rifle, gunning for Jayne. Gowe bounces on his heels and draws a pair of throwing knives, looking like he’s ready to toss them at anyone. Wash, with no gun, takes a step back to stand behind Zoe and Jayne. And Monty stands on the middle of the bridge, looking back and forth at the two groups locked into the Tarantino-style standoff. Beat. MONTY: Gorrammit, Mal! Why does this always happen when you’re around!?!

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