LOST CONVERSATION V 1. WHERE RIVER AND SIMON GET SUITED UP AND CLIMB OUTSIDE OF SERENITY IN “Bushwacked” INT. CARGO BAY BOOK Don’t be a fool, son. Do as the man says. Simon stands facing Mal and Book as the others hover nearby as Book’s last words hang in the air. Simon doesn't move. MAL (getting madder) I’m not turning you or your sis’ in. You’re so smart, you think on what the Alliance will do to us for harboring fugitives? SIMON (weakening) I never thought about that. MAL (calming) Don’t suppose you did. We’re all in this together. We’re gonna hide you. Now go get her before I change my mind. Time is not on our side. Simon hesitates, still not trusting Mal. BOOK Have some faith, son. Simon nods, resigned, turns and hurries to the passenger dorm. Mal moves to the yellow box with the space suits, opens it. MAL Jayne, Kaylee, grab two suits, one for the Doc and River. Kaylee and Jayne quickly move to do so as Mal hands them suits. KAYLEE Out the top airlock, Capt’n? MAL That’s the idea. Let’s move. INARA Have they ever been... ‘outside’ before? MAL I reckon not. Kaylee give ‘em a quick lesson but get back here in a hurry. KAYLEE Before you can spit, Capt’n. Kaylee and Jayne have the suits and helmets start toward the upper level as Simon and River appear. MAL Doc, you two follow Jayne and Kaylee. Suit up, get outside, wait till the coast is clear, then lie low in shuttle two. SIMON (gulping) Suit up? INT. TOP AIRLOCK ENTRANCE, FORE HALL Jayne is helping Simon on with his suit as Kaylee helps River, who is all smiles, very excited. RIVER We’re going for a walk! KAYLEE It’s gonna be fun, sweetie. Simon is not liking this one bit. JAYNE Don’t worry, Doc. I’ll make sure it’s good and tight. SIMON I guess I’m worth more to you alive than dead. JAYNE Got that right. KAYLEE Jayne! (to Simon) Ever been outside before? SIMON (nervous) No, first time. You? KAYLEE Few times, fixing things. Don’t worry now, Serenity’s artificial gravity will keep you tight to the ship, less you go jumping or push off. JAYNE Yeah, don’t going screwing around up there. KAYLEE You get in the airlock, wait for the green light, then open the top hatch. Climb out and stay low by the windows. There’s some hand grips there. Grab one and stay away from the windows. You got two hours of air. When you come back in, make sure the top hatch is sealed before you open the inner one. Understand? SIMON Yes, I understand. Green light, stay low, seal the hatch. KAYLEE We ain’t gonna let them take you. OK? She smiles at the two of them. Simon seems to feel a little better. JAYNE Time’s wasting, little Kaylee. RIVER Let’s go! Jayne puts the helmet on Simon as Kaylee does River’s, seals them tight, makes sure they’re breathing, then Kaylee opens the hatch. Simon and River climb up. Kaylee seals it and then she and Jayne run back to the cargo bay. INT. CARGE BAY The other’s are standing around the boxes they took off the derelict. Mal is getting impatient. MAL Come on, Kayle... Just as she and Jayne come running down the stairs. MAL (CONT’D) About time. All set? Kaylee and Jayne move into position. KAYLEE Shiny. MAL Now, nobody say a word except me. ? The main airlock hatch opens and the Alliance soldiers pour in.

2. WHERE WE FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED AT THE END OF THE SKYPLEX BATTLE IN “War Stories” INT. CARGO BAY RAMP RIVER No power in the verse can stop me. She hands Kaylee the gun, turns and walks off without another word, into the ship. Kaylee’s a basket of wild emotions as she looks at River leaving and then the bodies of the three men River just killed. Kaylee slips back to behind the ramp door, looks at the gun in her hand, face full of horror. INT. NISKA’S OFFICE Mal looks at the falling body of Niska’s torturer. He gets up, full of aches, looks at his three big damn heroes. MAL Timely entrance, as usual. Jayne comes to the broken window and helps Mal through. Then he goes and guards the door. Silence in the Skyplex as the fighting has stopped. MAL (CONT’D) Report, Zoe? ZOE Most of Niska’s men dead or wounded, sir. Don’t know how many left. WASH Where’s Niska? Dead, I hope.

Mal looks around. Niska is definitely gone. MAL Missed the chance. JAYNE Lets find that sumbitch and make sure! MAL Anyone hurt? ZOE We took a few but we’re still standing, sir. Don’t know about the others. MAL (surprised) Others? WASH Shepherd, Simon and Kaylee were guarding our backs and the ship. MAL Back to Serenity. Now! He limps as Wash half carries him out the door, Jayne and Zoe leading the way, wary. INT. CORRIDOR, SKYPLEX They come out of the office and are face to face with Book and Simon. BOOK Thank God you found him. ZOE How we faring Shepard? BOOK Seems the battle is over. Simon looks at Mal, he and Book take him from Wash. SIMON Let’s get you back to the infirmary. MAL That’s an idea I can agree to. Jayne is pissed. JAYNE Ain’t you all forgetting that bastard is still somewhere on this Skyplex and he ain’t the forgiving type. I say we waste him and blow this whole gorram place to pieces. ZOE He will come looking for us, sir. JAYNE Damn right he will. Mal looks at them all, Jayne and Zoe bleeding from their minor wounds, Wash still scarred from the torture, the Doctor and Shepherd carrying guns. MAL Been lucky so far. We’re all still standing. Let’s not push it. Back to Serenity. INT. CARGO BAY RAMP They round the corner. Mal sees the Mule all burnt. MAL Get the Mule. Jayne and Wash move to help push the Mule up the ramp as Zoe guards their backs. Kaylee sees them coming and comes out from her hiding place at the top of the ramp. KAYLEE (almost in tears) Oh! Capt’n! She runs down to them, looks like she wants to hug him, but he’s a mess so she doesn’t. MAL (in pain) I’m shiny, little Kaylee. Just had a little tussle, that’s all...help them with the Mule, then lock her up. KAYLEE Right... She still has the gun in her hand, looks awkwardly at it, then Zoe takes it from her as Simon, Book and Mal enter the ship. ZOE (to Kaylee) You did good. Zoe looks at the many dead men in the area. KAYLEE (flustered) It wasn’t me. I didn’t even shoot my gun. ZOE It don’t matter. We got him back, that’s all that matters. Let’s get the Mule and go. Kaylee moves and helps Jayne and Wash manhandle the burnt Mule up the ramp. JAYNE Thing weights a ton. WASH Can it be fixed? KAYLEE Don’t know yet. The Mule is on. Kaylee runs to the ramp controls as Zoe still guards them. Still no one has come from the Skyplex. It’s silent. KAYLEE (CONT’D) Closing her up. Zoe steps back as the inner doors close. Then the ramp comes up.

3. WHERE WE FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO MAL AND KAYLEE AFTER THE CHALLENGE HAS BEEN ISSUED IN “Shindig” INT. BALLROOM - NIGHT Kaylee and Mal stand in the middle of the room as Inara leaves. The crowd disperses and the music starts to play again but no one dances. Several gentlemen stand by, looking at Mal, seemingly waiting for him. Mal takes Kaylee aside, talks in a low voice to her. MAL Kaylee, get back to the ship. KAYLEE Right. I’ll tell them to get ready to... MAL To do nothing. KAYLEE Capt’n! You heard what he said. He killed more than a dozen men with a sword! She looks like she is ready to cry. Mal takes her by the shoulders very gentle. MAL Now, little Kaylee, when have you never know me to not find my way out of a fix? KAYLEE There was that time when Inara had to rescue you and Zoe after the train job. MAL Well, beside that? KAYLEE There was the time on... MAL Alright, point taken. But this is something I gotta do. KAYLEE How come? MAL Just... ‘cause. KAYLEE You don’t gotta fight for her, you know. Mal lets this sink in, not sure what to say. The men approach. GENTLEMAN Captain Reynolds, we will escort you and the young lady to your quarters now. MAL She’s going back to our ship. See she’ makes it safely and I’d be much obliged. GENTLEMAN Of course. Young miss? One of the men is waiting to take her out the door. Kaylee looks at Mal with desperation on her face, thinking it might be the last time she sees him. KAYLEE Capt’n? You...be you. MAL (smiles) That’s best advice anyone ever gave me. Now run along, I’ll be fine. Forlorn, Kaylee turns and lets the man take her out the door. EXT. SERENITY, DOCKING BAY - NIGHT Kaylee approaches the ship alone, her escort exiting left. As she prepares to board, from the shadows slip Badger and his henchmen. Kaylee gives a start. BADGER Evening, Miss Kaylee. That dress does become you. I might even let you keep it. Kaylee is clearly frightened. KAYLEE (scared) What do you want? BADGER (slight anger) Now that’s no way to treat a gent who got you an invite and a dress to the best ball you ever been in your gorram life! KAYLEE (meek) Thanks. BADGER (calmer) That’s better. (beat) You’re captain couldn’t keep his temper long enough for a simple job, could he? Oh yeah, I heard all about his fistacuffs. And you and this gorram lot ain’t going near that place and plannin’ any rescue.

With that Badger grabs a big wrench off one of his henchmen and steps up to Serenity to knock on the airlock door.