INT. PALADIN - HANGAR

A standard-sized door slides open, revealing an empty hall. A helmeted head peeks around the corner, then comes fully into view. Echo One gestures for his five teammates to follow him in. Echo Team appears from around the door frame. Their armor is darker than what’s been seen previously, built for stealth. Their helmets are customized, form-fitting and dangerous-looking with full face shields and respirator apparatus. Various pieces of compact equipment are strapped to their chest and thigh plates.

They fan out as they enter the hanger, moving efficiently, covering all angles with their rifles. Serenity is visible about thirty yards away. Echo Team moves in a loose formation toward her, still covering all angles while keeping a close eye on the ship. Techs working on other ships make for the exits as the team passes.

Echo Five and Echo Six reach down to their left legs and remove a small boxy device with a cylindrical attachment. They snap the devices to the undersides of their rifles as they reach the twenty yard point. The Echos aim their rifles high, firing toward the support trusses just beneath the hangar ceiling. The small grapples entangle themselves in the trusses. With a whir from the rifles, the two Echoes are lifted off the deck, swinging gracefully toward Serenity’s roof. They land gently as the other four Echoes reach Serenity’s landing gear, all six men crouching to listen for a beat. The hangar is eerily silent. Echoes Five and Six release their lines and creep over to the topside airlock. Echo Five works the airlock and pops it open as quietly as possible. He quickly aims his rifle down the port then gives the clear sign. In one smooth motion, he drops down the tube into...

INT. SERENITY - FORE HALL

Echo Five lands softly, his rifle at the ready. He steps forward and Echo Six lands behind him. They creep forward, Six turning left toward the Galley, Five toward the Bridge. They pause.

EXT. PALADIN - HANGAR

The remaining Echoes creep up Serenity’s ramp, smoothly checking all angles, including the area directly above the entrance. They enter...

INT. SERENITY - CARGO BAY

Echo One turns to the left and climbs the fore/starboard stairs, Echo Two on his heels. Echoes Three and Four continue through the Cargo bay, continuously covering all angles. Echoes One and Two spot their fallen comrades behind the crates. They pause for a beat, then continue upward to...

INT. SERENITY - FORE HALL

Echoes Five and Six are still standing in the fore hall. As Echoes One and Two crest the stairs, Echo Five nods. Echoes Five and Six break away and head toward the Bridge. Echoes One and Two proceed cautiously into the Galley. Echo One glances through the small window into the ancillary storage. Echo Two nods and inspects the rest of the Galley and sitting area. They’re empty.

The Echoes head down the aft hall to the Engine Room.

INT. SERENITY - INFIRMARY/COMMON AREA

Echoes Three and Four stalk through the common area, taking a brief look into the Infirmary. All clear. They proceed into the passenger wing, silently sliding doors open. Echo Three slithers up a ladder and checks the upper storage areas. Empty. He glides back down and both Echoes head back to the common area stairs.

INT. SERENITY - BRIDGE

Echoes Five and Six creep onto the Bridge, carefully inspecting the storage area. Echo Five runs a hand over the open cryo unit. He shakes his head. He and Echo Six exit the Bridge and begin to kick open the crew’s bunks.

INT. SERENITY - ENGINE ROOM

The engine is turning at its slowest pace. Echoes One and Two search every corner.

INT. PALADIN - BRIDGE

Captain Gibson paces along the middle level, hands clasped behind his back, face intently watching the viewscreens. Madsen stands nearby, looking more frustrated by the minute.

A tech turns to Gibson.

TECH: Sir, Echo Team is requesting another sweep of the ship. So far they’ve seen no sign of River Tam.

GIBSON: Of course. Do it.

The tech’s hands dance across his console. A schematic of Serenity appears on the left viewscreen. A ghostly electronic line sweeps across it. The Echo Team members appear as red silhouettes. As does...

TECH (excited): There she is!

MADSEN: ...Closing the airlock! (slaps intercom on console) Echo Team, you’re being sealed in!

INT. SERENITY - ENGINE ROOM

The room goes dark, dim red emergency lights firing up to illuminate the room instead. Echoes One and Two reach up to their helmets and touch a button built flush into the sides.

Echo Three POV - Engine room lit with Night Vision. Echoes One and Two exit the Engine Room into...

INT. SERENITY - AFT HALL

Echoes Three and Four intersect with One and Two. They all nod and head fore toward the Galley.

INT. SERENITY - JAYNE’S BUNK

Room is dark.

Echo Five POV - Night Vision - heads quickly to ladder, begins to ascend into...

INT. SERENITY - FORE HALL

Echo Five climbs out of Jayne’s bunk as Echo Six ascends from Mal’s. They nod at one another and turn toward the Galley. They meet up with Echoes One through Four in the...

INT. SERENITY - GALLEY

ECHO ONE (cold, professional): She’s in the Cargo Bay. Fan out, teams of three, fore and aft.

Echoes One through Three head to the fore stairs, Four through Six head aft. Their movements are swift and precise.

INT. PALADIN - HALL

Paul is sprinting, eyes focused intently, escrima sticks still in hand. He slows to a halt in front of a door marked Storage. He presses the panel to open it, slipping inside.

INT. PALADIN - BRIDGE

The tech before Gibson and Madsen is working furiously at his console. He doesn’t look up as he addresses the Captain.

TECH: Sir, Echo Team is converging on the cargo bay area. She’s somehow killed the power, but they should have her trapped.

GIBSON: They should assume nothing until she’s in shackles and sedated. Have our other units reached the Brig?

TECH: Bravo Team has arrived and set up a perimeter. Charlie is en route.

GIBSON: Re-emphasize to them the necessity for non-lethal measures.

MADSEN (carefully): Sir, I’m not sure we can stop him by simply throwing more men in his path.

GIBSON (distracted, thinking): I’m aware of that. (beat) If and when Paul reaches the Brig, I want to be notified immediately. And set it up so I can speak to him via intercom when he does.

The tech nods.

MADSEN: More psych games, sir?

GIBSON: No games, Madsen. This will be finished in the next ten minutes, one way or the other.

MADSEN: Permission to oversee his “acquisition,” sir.

Gibson waves his hand dismissively, looks down at the air tight package in his hand. He rests it on a nearby console.

CU of vacuum-sealed device. Foggy fingerprints dissipate from its surface.

Madsen steps up behind Gibson.

MADSEN: I will re-acquire him, sir. You have my word.

Madsen exits the Bridge.

Captain Gibson steps closer to the tech, placing a hand on his shoulder.

GIBSON (privately): Have Karl meet up with Bravo Team. Quietly. Tell him to hang back and only engage if absolutely necessary.

The tech nods.

Click to go to Ch. 50

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