Virtual Firefly www.stillflying.net Season 2 Episode 11: Lilac Written by Katie Fiorino Directed by DC Washington

WARNING: This episode contains graphic scenes with violence that may offend some.

Teaser from 2x11: Lilac ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

INT. SERENITY - KAYLEE’S BUNK All is quiet. KAYLEE lies on her back, snuggled in her sheets, sleeping until— KAYLEE (suddenly jumps up): YeahBuWha—?!? QUICK CUT TO: INT. SERENITY – JAYNE’S BUNK JAYNE jumps up with a loud snort, immediately reaching for his guns. He grabs one, swings it towards the camera. JAYNE: What the— QUICK CUT TO: INT. SERENITY – ZOE AND WASH’S BUNK WASH’s eyes blink rapidly. He awakens, staring, confused, into the camera. WASH (dazed): Five more minutes, honey... He shifts onto his side, putting his pillow over his head. Then he sits up quickly, throwing back the pillow, looking into the camera again. WASH (cont’d): Waitaminute, you’re not— QUICK CUT TO: INT. SERENITY – SIMON’S ROOM EXTREME CLOSE UP: RIVER swoops into frame, grinning widely. RIVER (top of her lungs): MORNING! River smiles at SIMON as he looks around wildly. SIMON (disoriented): Huh? River!? Wha- RIVER (matter-of-fact): You were having a nightmare, Simon. You should thank me. SIMON (still disoriented): Thank you? RIVER: Always a pleasure. QUICK CUT TO: INT. SERENITY – MAL’S BUNK River carefully climbs the ladder down into Mal’s bunk. She crosses the room and stands over him for a moment. Then – RIVER (top of her lungs) MORNING! MAL: Bwah! MAL is startled awake and falls out of the bed, onto the floor with a thud. RIVER: Whoops. Chaos theory. That wasn’t part of the plan. MAL (face down): Mean to say there was a plan in there? Mal sits up, rubs his eyes. Realizes he’s less than covered by the blanket, and whips it back around his waist. MAL (cont’d): How… exactly did you get in here, you mind my asking? RIVER (“obviously”): The door. MAL: Ah. You are getting WAY too at home around here. (beat) And the previously mentioned plan was? RIVER: You wanted to talk to me. I’m here. MAL: I wanted…? RIVER (impatient): About the JOB… We’re going for a ride. MAL: Oh! Right. Well, yes as a matter-o-fact I did. And the fact you already knew that is exactly the ‘why’ I wanted to speak to you on. RIVER: I’ll be ready soon. Need my goggles first. Spent all night looking. Eyewear is very important. (“aha”) But YOU know where they are! Mal raises an eyebrow. MAL: All night? Why aren’t you— RIVER: During sleep the brain shuts down. Brainwaves dissipate as one’s awareness of the external goes away. Dreams begin. Rapid eye movement begins. Muscle paralysis sets in. The brain wakes up, but it doesn’t tell the body its secret. Doesn’t want the dead weight. (beat) Sleep is traumatic. She starts to leave, then turns around.

RIVER (cont’d): Simon won’t be happy. MAL: You let me worry on that. River nods. RIVER: We can talk strategy later. She turns and leaves. Mal promptly flops back onto his bed, and closes his eyes. EXT. SPACE Serenity smoothly approaches a dusty orange MOON. INT. SERENITY – BRIDGE ZOE sits in the co-pilot’s chair, staring out into space at the approaching moon. She’s startled when River runs in, yanks open a locker near the door, and pulls out a pair of GOGGLES. Promptly puts them on her head. RIVER (off Zoe’s look): Eyewear is very important. INT. SERENITY – FOREDECK HALLWAY – LATER Mal – his hair a mess, half his shirt buttons not done, said shirt untucked - climbs out of his bunk, almost tumbling into Zoe – who is leaving the bridge – as Serenity gives a violent JERK. ZOE: Good morning, sir. MAL: Good? (beat) Got a tingly feelin’ says that rockin’ ain’t good. ZOE: Wake up on the wrong side of the bed, didja?

MAL: Could say that. They exit the hallway into: INT. SERENITY – DINING ROOM – CONTINUOUS Walk and talk. ZOE: It’s nothing to worry on. Wash will have it sorted out— Serenity jerks again, sending both crashing forward. MAL: I hope the word you were lookin’ for there was “soon.” Another large jolt. Leftover food flies off the table. MAL (cont’d): Mule prepped? ZOE: Nearly. Thought I’d spend my last moments with my husband. MAL: Don’t distract him. They continue to the AFT HALLWAY and down the stairs to the: INT. SERENITY – CARGO BAY - CONTINUOUS UPPER CATWALK. ZOE: Wasn’t planning on making out, sir. The voices of an argument below ring through the cargo bay as Mal and Zoe look down. KAYLEE, SIMON, and JAYNE circle each other. Jayne has Simon’s arm twisted behind his back. KAYLEE: Jayne! Let him go!

JAYNE: I will when I wanna. SIMON: I know that could take time, considering how long it takes your brain to process… anything, but could you hurry, please? I think my fingers are losing feeling… Simon gasps as Jayne start squeezing his arm even tighter. JAYNE: I don’t much like your tone there, doctor. ANGLE ON: Upper catwalk Mal sees the scrap below, rolls his eyes. He’s about to say something to Zoe when the ship jerks. Again. MAL: Tell our love-sick mechanic that a doctor broken by Jayne is better than a dead doc skewered by flyin’ engine parts. Mal turns around – back up the stairs. Zoe turns to say something, but Mal is already walking away, his back to her. She follows him with her eyes as he disappears from sight. ANGLE ON: Cargo bay floor JAYNE (cont’d): Now, let’s hear that apology. SIMON: Apology!? For WHAT!? JAYNE: Don’t much take to being woken up by a living alarm clock staring me down. Nutball-salad ain’t the best way to start my day. Jayne twists Simon’s arm until he is on the floor, wincing in tight-lipped pain. ZOE (OS) (bored, seen it all before): Don’t make me shoot you, Jayne. Let him loose. Zoe walks down the stairs. Jayne reluctantly lets Simon go, takes a half-step away like he doesn’t care.

JAYNE (mutters): Was getting’ bored, anyhow. Simon clenches his hand into a fist and edges forward. Kaylee steps forward, and grabs Simon’s hand, unrolls the fist, and intertwines his open hand with hers. Zoe reaches the cargo bay floor. ZOE: Kaylee, you’re needed in the engine room. KAYLEE: Ain’t nothin’ wrong with the engine. It’s just— ZOE: All the jerkin’ says otherwise. Look into it. Kaylee nods reluctantly. She turns to Simon, then lets go of his hand, heading for the stairs. River heads for the stairs as well. INT. SERENITY – SHUTTLE ONE The interior of the shuttle is barren. The only sign that anyone once lived there is a simple, modest sized CHEST. Everything is covered with a thin layer of dust, made visible by the soft light pouring in from the open hatch. Mal slowly opens the chest. There is a sense of routine in his actions. He’s opened this chest before. Several times. The chest holds nothing especially remarkable. Sundries, saris, and shoes – lighter items – are on the top, heavier items hidden underneath. Mal pushes the clothing aside to reveal a small, expensive looking GLASS BOTTLE. Mal picks up the bottle, opens it, and takes a tentative sniff. His eyes closed, features relaxing, then— RIVER (OS): Your morning coffee. She leans in the door, not quite entering. Mal looks at the bottle almost guiltily. Sighs, recaps it. MAL: I was just… She forgot this stuff.

RIVER: She didn’t forget. MAL: Yet she managed to leave it here twice. RIVER: She never used it much. MAL: Huh. Makes sense she left it then. You know, she never wore it for her fancy folk, just when she was stuck vesselside with us . I remember this one time— RIVER: It was her favorite. Mal processes that statement. Then, he shakes his head. Beat. River steps inside the shuttle. RIVER: Do you have a plan? MAL: Huh? RIVER (“duh”): For telling Simon. MAL: Told you not to worry on that. Beat. They look at each other for a moment. MAL (cont’d): So, you understand your part in all this, little one? RIVER: Do you? She waits for him to answer. MAL: This is what I do, darlin’.

She gives him a look – “uh-huh” – and leaves the room. Mal watches her go. MAL (cont’d) (weary): This is what I do… ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

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