LOST CONVERSATIONS PART II

1. WHERE JAYNE IS RELEASED FROM THE AIR LOCK IN “Ariel”

INT. SERENITY CARGO BAY

Wash walks down the stairs and approaches the air lock. He starts looking at the control panel, a puzzled expression.

JAYNE (O.S.) Wash.

Wash looks around, scared look, wondering if he is alone.

WASH Hello? Anyone here?

JAYNE (O.S.) Gorramn it, Wash!

WASH Jayne? Is that you?

Jayne KNOCKS on the small window of the air lock. Wash turns and sees him.

WASH (CONT’D) AHHH! Jayne, what the hell you doing in the air lock?

Jayne points to the mic Mal left behind. Wash is confused and then sees the mic, walks to it, picks it up.

WASH (CONT’D) What’s going on?

JAYNE Just open the gorramn door!

Wash hits the open button and the doors slid open. Jayne enters with a relieved expression and Wash closes the doors behind him.

WASH How the hell...?

JAYNE Don’t wanna talk about it.

WASH Yeah, but how did you...?

JAYNE It don’t matter. And you start flapping your gums about this, even to your warrior woman, me and you is gonna have a problem. little man?

WASH I came here because my control panel read the door was open until we almost left atmo. I almost turned around. Now if there’s something wrong with the air lock I need to get Kaylee to...

JAYNE Ain’t nothing wrong with the air lock. Don’t need to tell Kaylee nothing. You just forget you ever saw me here and I’ll forget I can break you into bitty pieces.

With this last Jayne walks away, with Wash more mystified than ever.

WASH He’s a pleasant fellow.

2. WHEN ZOE WAKES UP ON SHUTTLE II AND ORDERS WASH BACK TO SERENITY

INT. SHUTTLE II Wash sits at the controls, speaking into a radio. He looks exhausted and more than a little frazzled

WASH Mayday, mayday, mayday, this is Firefly class transport Serenity requesting emergency assistance. We have lost all power and have an injured crew member. Please respond. (beat) Please.

Nothing but static from the radio. He turns and looks at Simon, River, and Zoe on the stretcher.

WASH (CONT’D) Sorry. No one out there.

SIMON Try again in a few minutes. Save your breath.

RIVER It doesn’t matter. No one is out there. Wash gets out of the pilot’s seat and comes and looks at Zoe.

WASH Simon, for whatever its worth, thanks for bringing her back.

SIMON I saved her so she could die.

ZOE (O.S.) (groggy) Who’s gonna die?

Wash’s face fills with joy. Zoe blinks and shakes her head.

WASH (loving) Oh, baby. Are you OK?

She tries to sit up. Simon tries to stop her.

SIMON Take it easy. You’ve had quite a knock on the head.

ZOE Where the hell am I? Wash?

Wash’s face goes grim.

WASH The explosion that knocked you out knocked out Serenity too. We’re on the shuttle.

She looks around sees River.

ZOE Where are the others? Where’s the captain?

Simon and Wash exchange a look.

WASH Inara, Jayne, Kaylee, and Book are on Inara’s shuttle. We separated. Serenity had no life support, we were running out of air and freezing. This was our best chance.

ZOE Where’s the captain? Where’s Mal?

RIVER He stayed.

SIMON He wouldn’t leave Serenity.

WASH He’s hoping for a miracle.

Zoe gets up more.

SIMON You should really...

ZOE Wash, turn around. Head back to Serenity.

WASH But baby, there’s no way we can survive if we go back.

ZOE We ain’t leaving the captain behind. If I have to take him by gunpoint, he’s getting off. Turn around, now!

Wash stands and heads to the controls.

INT. SHUTTLE II ENTRANCE

The door opens and Wash and Simon get out. Simon takes a deep breath.

SIMON There’s air. Lots of oxygen.

WASH It feels warmer too. He got the engine going.

SIMON But where is he? Why didn’t he call us back?

They walk across to the other shuttle entrance and the stairs leading above. Simon looks out and sees the blood on the cargo bay floor.

SIMON (CONT’D) Wash. There’s blood on the floor.

Wash looks.

WASH What happened here?

SIMON You get to the bridge and get the others back before they are too far gone. I’ll follow the blood.

INT. BRIDGE

Mal lies on the floor, blood flowing from under him.

WASH (O.S.) MAL! MAL!

Wash runs onto the bridge, see Mal.

WASH (CONT’D) !

Wash grabs the ship intercom mic.

INT. INFIRMARY

Simon is looking at the blood and mess Mal made when he hears the call.

WASH (O.S.)

SIMON! Get to the bridge! Now!

He races out the door for cargo bay.

INT. BRIDGE

Simon races to Mal, checks his pulse.

SIMON He’s alive. Barely. Help me get him to the infirmary.

WASH Just a second.

Wash reaches over and hits the big red button to call back the other shuttle.

They start to lift Mal, straining under his weight.

INT. INFIRMARY

They lay Mal on the examining table, and take some deep breaths. Simon and Wash are covered in blood. Simon starts cutting off Mal’s shirt, looks at the bandage Mal had put on himself, decides to leave it.

SIMON He’s lost a lot of blood. What type are you?

WASH O negative. I think.

SIMON Perfect. You’re a universal donor.

WASH I am?

SIMON Sit down and take your shirt off.

He starts to take off his shirt as River and Zoe appear at the door, River supporting Zoe.

ZOE He gonna make it?

SIMON Let me work. You need to lie down or I’ll have two patients.

River recoils at the sight of the blood.

RIVER Too much, too much, I can’t...

SIMON River!

She lets go of Zoe and runs toward the passenger dorm. Zoe starts to weave as Wash leaps to her side and holds her up.

WASH There, on the counter.

He helps her to the counter where she lies down.

He then takes a small chair and places it next to where Mal is and he sits, shirt off.

Zoe looks over at Simon.

ZOE Simon...the captain?

SIMON He’s strong and healthy. And stubborn. That’s all I can tell you.

Simon jabs a needle in Mal’s arm.

3. WHERE SIMON TALKS TO RIVER AFTER HE ALMOST KISSES KAYLEE IN THE CORRIDOR FROM “Objects in Space”

INT. RIVER’S ROOM, PASSENGER DORM

River and Simon sit on the bed talking.

SIMON Kaylee told us what happened at Nishka’s skyplex. When you helped her. Did you kill those men?

RIVER It wasn’t me. It was...I don’t know her, that girl, where she came from.

Simon hugs her.

SIMON Sssshhhh. You saved Kaylee’s life, that’s all that matters. It’s OK.

She pulls back from him.

RIVER No, its not. The captain wants me gone.

SIMON If you go, I go too.

RIVER What about Kaylee?

Simon is taken aback.

SIMON Sorry? About Kaylee?

RIVER You almost kissed her.

SIMON How do you...? Oh. Yes. I wanted to. Badly.

RIVER But you were interrupted.

SIMON Book turned the corner and walked right between us. The moment...

RIVER Was gone? Don’t worry, there will be others.

SIMON I hope so. (beat) Ah, the captain said he needed to think on things. I’m sure he won’t kick us off.

She slowly looks up at the ceiling, as if something is attracting her attention. Simon looks puzzled. She looks down quickly, startling him.

RIVER Time for bed.

He smiles and stands.

SIMON OK. Get some rest. Things will look brighter in the morning.

RIVER Now you’re even starting to sound like her.

SIMON Sound like...? Oh, Kaylee.

RIVER Good night big brother.

SIMON Good night.

He exits, closes her door.

INT. PASSENGER DORM

Simon opens his door and goes inside, closes his door. A few moments pass.

River silently opens her door, tiptoes out, looking up at the ceiling. She walks out of the dorm area.

INT. PASSENGER LOUNGE

River walks towards the stairs, looking at the ceiling toward where the engine room is, she walks up the first flight, stops, listens.

JUBAL EARLY (O.S.) There’s nobody can help you. Say it.

KAYLEE (O.S.) (scared) There’s...there’s no one can help me.

River gets down the stairs and quickly walks toward the cargo bay.

INT. CARGO BAY

River crosses the floor to the yellow container with the spacesuits. She opens it and starts to take out a suit.

RIVER (to herself) Time to leave.