LOST CONVERSATION PART IX 1. WHERE WE FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED AFTER SIMON GETS SHOT AND JUBAL EARLY LEAVES SERENITY IN “Objects in Space” INT. SERENITY, PASSENGER DORM Kaylee is trying to help Book stand up when they hear the shot and River’s scream over the comm link. KAYLEE (shocked) SIMON! She tries to leave but Book grabs her arm. BOOK (groggy) Wait! He’s still on board! Kaylee pulls free, Book too weak to stop her. KAYLEE Simon’s hurt! She runs up the stairs next to the infirmary as Book gets to his unsteady feet. INT. DINING AREA Kaylee enters slowly from the aft hall, looking down toward the fore hall, she can just see Early as he kicks Simon and Simon falls on the stairs to the bridge. She stifles a gasp and hides by the side of the door as Early heads for the fore airlock. Kaylee slowly moves forward, willing herself to go, as Simon lays and groans. She reaches the far door, and hears Early open the airlock. She waits a beat, hears the airlock door close and rushes down the fore hall. INT. FORE HALL KAYLEE Simon! He weakly raises his head as Kaylee gets to him. She looks at the blood coming from his leg. SIMON Kaylee! Look out! KAYLEE He’s gone. SIMON But...River! KAYLEE Capt’n’ taking care of him right now. We need to stop this bleeding. She looks around, sees nothing, then quickly pulls off her pink top and presses it to Simon’s leg, starts tieing it. Simon’s eyes widen as he sees Kaylee in nothing but a skimpy pink flowery bra. His face is a mix of pain, shock, and interest. SIMON Kaylee... KAYLEE (unfazed) Now, Doctor Tam, don’t tell me you never seen woman in her undies before? SIMON Yes, but...not you. She gives him a big smile, broken by a BANGING sound. ZOE (O.S.) Kaylee! Get us outta here! Kaylee finishes tieing her shirt to Simon’s leg and rushes back to the control panel, hits buttons opening bunk doors. RIVER (O.S.) Simon! KAYLEE He’s...OK. SIMON I’m alive. Early..? RIVER (O.S.) Gone for a swim in space. Simon sighs and lays back as Zoe and Wash come rushing up their bunk stairs just as Kaylee bends over Simon again. They stop and take in the scene. ZOE Kaylee? You playing nurse here for our good Doctor? KAYLEE He was bleeding...and I had nothin’ else to stop it. WASH Ah, Kaylee... Zoe looks at him. ZOE Eyes front husband. WASH What? No, I’d...hey, is Jayne even awake? Just then a groggy Jayne sticks his head out of his bunk. JAYNE What the gorramn hell is going on? What’s all the banging and..(beat, silly grin) I must be dreaming cause I see Kaylee half nekkid and the Doc looks like he’s been shot. KAYLEE Get Simon to the infirmary and check on Book, he got hurt too. SIMON And Inara. He hit her. Jayne gets out as Kaylee goes to her bunk and goes down. Wash and Zoe pick up Simon. JAYNE What the...who hit Inara? Just then Inara appears at the fore stairs, pulling on a robe. INARA I’m fine. Jayne is totally out of it. ZOE Its a long story. Get Book. SIMON By the infirmary. Jayne and Inara rush off and Wash and Zoe slowly lift Simon and help him toward the stairs going down. INT. INFIRMARY Inara, Jayne and Book are already there, Book sitting in a chair, when Simon, Wash, and Zoe arrive. They lay Simon on the examining table. SIMON Take off the shirt....bandage. Zoe does it slowly, not wanting to hurt him, but she does. SIMON (CONT’D) Careful! ZOE Doc, you need a shot for that pain. SIMON Not till I’m sure everyone is fine, including myself. Get some clotting agent to slow the bleeding. Wash, bottom right drawer...no the other one. The..yes that’s it. WASH (looking at needle) Uh, guys, I’m just a pilot. He hands it to Zoe who takes it off him, gives him a look, and then rips open the package and takes out a medicine full needle, jabs it in Simon’s arm. Simon looks to Book. SIMON How are you? BOOK It’s nothing. I’m fine. SIMON Sit down for a while. INARA You’re getting a bump. BOOK And you’re bleeding. SIMON There’s gauze by the medicine cabinet. Inara puts her finger to her lip, then finds the gauze and holds it. JAYNE Some nut case bounty hunter breaks into the ship and I sleep through it all. I missed all the fun. KAYLEE (O.S.) (quiet) Weren’t that fun. She’s in the doorway, dressed now. They all look at her. SIMON Kaylee, did he hurt you? KAYLEE No...I’m fine. Just...nevermind. (beat, to Simon) You’re one shot. (to Zoe) How’s his leg? ZOE I ain’t a doctor. KAYLEE Simon, can you...operate? SIMON Don’t think so. Bit awkward and...I’m not a masochist. JAYNE A what? WASH He doesn’t like hurting himself. JAYNE Hell, who does? MAL (O.S.) Everyone that ain’t hurt, out! They are both still in their space suits. River rushes in right to Simon’s side. RIVER Simon! SIMON I’m fine, just a little bullet. RIVER You messed up my plan. JAYNE Her plan? Mal sees Inara’s face. MAL (concerned) What happened? INARA (turning away) It’s nothing. And she exits, going to sit in the passenger lounge. Mal sees no one else moving. MAL (looking at Jayne) How come no one’s listening to me no more around here? JAYNE Alright. Least you got to space a guy. Come on Shepherd, you ain’t that bad. Book stands. BOOK I am feeling a touch better. SIMON Book, you should sit a bit. Jayne snorts. JAYNE Be sure take care of that scratch, Doc. Jayne and Book exit. SIMON I guess we better get that bullet out. I’ll talk you through it. Mal looks at Kaylee. MAL You Ok, little Kaylee? KAYLEE (not so shiny) Shiny, Capt’n. MAL (Beat) Why don’t you take River, help her off with her suit, and keep her company while Zoe and Wash take care of Simon, OK? KAYLEE Sure Capt’n. About Simon... ZOE Don’t fret now, he’s in good hands. SIMON (to Kaylee) Sorry about the shirt. KAYLEE You can buy me a new one. SIMON Count on it. MAL Shirt? What shirt? KAYLEE Long story. (to River) Come on sweetie, let's get you outta that suit. Say, you ever play jacks? 2. WHERE SIMON GETS ARRESTED IN A BLACKOUT ZONE ON OSIRIS FROM “Safe’ EXT. STREET, OSIRIS - NIGHT A cool night. A colorful street, full of neon signs, indicating bars, tattoo parlours, and cheap hotels, with many ladies of the night, sexy and scantily clad, walking the streets, hitting on the mostly single men. Futuristic, flashy cars drive by, stopping, words exchange, packages and cash change hands. Simon turns a corner, walking fast, eyes wary. He is dressed as sharp as he usually is, but is collar is turned up, in the semblance of a poor attempt to cover his identity. WHORE 1 Hey cutie! Looking for some fun! Simon is aghast. SIMON Not in the least. WHORE 1 Oh, we got us a fancy pants here, Stella. WHORE 2 Yeah, bet he only likes them fresh faced rich bitches. Whatcha doing here honey? Ain’t a place for likes of you. SIMON I’m looking for Bottoms Up. (beat) It’s a bar. WHORE 2 That ain’t all it is honey! Just over on the corner. SIMON Thank you. WHORE 1 Have a few and come back. Maybe we’ll be your type then. They laugh as Simon walks quickly to the bar. INT. BAR, NIGHT Its smoky and dark. Simon squints, looking for someone, spots him at a corner table, as he waves Simon over. It’s a middle aged man, grey hair going bald, a bit curly, wearing a black overcoat and scarf, wire rim glasses, scholarly looking but with a stubble of a two day old beard. He has a glass of whiskey in front of him. Simon sits. SIMON Good evening, Mr....no one ever told me your name. MAN Then they have followed orders. For you Doctor, I do not have a name. I have information, and that is all that matters. A waiter approaches. WAITER Whaddaya want? Simon looks at the glass. SIMON The same. And another for my friend. The waiter exits. SIMON (CONT’D) Where is she? What’s happened? The Man is silent. Simon waits a beat, then reaches into his coat and pulls out a thick envelop, goes to hand it to the Man. MAN (harsh whisper) Under the table! Simon does and the exchange is complete. The Man take a big drink as the Waiter appears and puts two drinks on the table. Simon hands him a bill. SIMON Keep the change. The Waiter smiles and leaves. The Man grabs his drink and has another sip. Simon waits, doesn't like the Man at all. SIMON (CONT’D) My sister? MAN They have her at a secret location on Athenian Island. It’s a scientific research center. SIMON For what? MAN Human behavior modification. Simon is shocked. SIMON Behavior...modification. MAN We have someone...inside...he said they have been taking teenage subjects and putting them through server psychological testing. Teenagers who have shown remarkable ability at intelligence testing, games, physical agility, and...special mental abilities. SIMON River...is very smart, loves games, is a dancer, but mental abilities..such as? MAN We don’t know. Look, Doctor Tam, we want to help them, get them out, but we are...woefully underfunded and have the Alliance always watching us. Our man took great risks getting this information to us. SIMON I can get you more money. MAN Good. SIMON But I want to get her out of there. MAN That may be difficult. No one could get near the place. SIMON I could. The Man thinks. MAN You look the part. But no... we can do it. SIMON You have enough of my money for that small tidbit you just gave me. From now on I follow my money and see how its spent or there is nothing. Man thinks. MAN How can we trust you? SIMON It’s my sister they have. It’s I who should be worried about trusting you. One week. Same time same place. You have a plan, I’ll have the money, double next time. Simon stands, doesn’t touch his drink, turns and exits. EXT. STREET, OSIRIS -NIGHT The two whores see him coming, approach him on either side. WHORE 1 Hey baby, ready for that bit of fun now? Simon is clearly weary of these two. SIMON Just...go away. WHORE 2 Told ya he thinks he’s too good for us. WHORE 1 I bet he’s just regular folks like us, ain’t ya darling. Just then a SIREN blares and people start running in all directs. Several official looking vehicles pull up and Alliance police get out and start grabbing johns and pros alike. Simon is caught in the glare of the lights and freezes. Two POLICEMEN grab him. POLICEMAN 1 ID? Simon reaches for his ID card. The Policeman takes it, hands it to his partner who puts it in a scanning device. POLICEMAN 2 (surprised) Doctor Tam? SIMON That’s me. POLICEMAN 2 Sir, what are doing here? Simon sees the whores being lead away. SIMON Just...you know...looking for a little fun. POLICEMAN 1 Sir, solicitation of prostitution is a criminal offence. SIMON Yet, being with a Companion is not? POLICEMAN 2 Sir, you know very well that Companions are sanctioned by law. SIMON Well, good thing you got here in time to stop me before I became a criminal. POLICEMAN 1 Sir, this is also a blackout zone, restricted to all citizens after 6 pm. Simon laughs. SIMON (sarcastic) I’m sure someone is making a mint off all this activity in this so called “blackout zone”. POLICEMAN 1 We have to take you in. SIMON Fine. Lead away. They take him toward a van and put him in the back with the others including the two whores. WHORE 1 (to Whore 2) See, told you he’s just folk like us. SIMON Yes, just folk. The van door slams and drives off. 3. WHERE BOOK LEAVES THE ABBEY AND FINDS “SERENITY” FROM “Serenity” INT. ROOM - DAY A small room, mostly bare except for a small desk, chair, bed, and washbasin. Book is here, packing a suitcase. A knock comes to the door. He turns and opens it A man about Book’s age, ABBOT PARSONS, enters the room. BOOK Abbot Parsons. It is good of you to come and say goodbye. The Abbot looks around the room. ABBOT You have been here a long time. Book nods, continues his packing. BOOK Yes. It will be strange to sleep in a different bed tonight. (beat) If I find one. ABBOT I’m sure you will find your feet. Book turns to him, very serious. BOOK Abbot Parsons, when I came here, those many years ago, I thought I had left the world of men for good. I did not want to be part of the evil that men do, no matter what side of the law I was on. I felt safe here, felt comfort for the first time in a long time. ABBOT When I took you in, I saw the anger and pain in your eyes. I do not see that anymore. Book I called you then and Shepherd Book I call you now, you are a man of God. There is only one law and that is the law of God as it is written in the Bible. These laws we hold to be true and just. You have trained these many years to bring that word to those who need to hear it. It is time to go. BOOK My only wish is to find those willing to hear the word. (beat) I’m ready. He picks up his bag and they exit. EXT. GATE, ABBEY - DAY Several other Shepherds are here, ready to say good bye. One of them hands him a canvas bag and a small box. He looks inside and smiles. BOOK Thank you brothers. I’m sure it will come in handy. SHEPHERD 1 A small gift from our gardens. SHEPHERD 2 Actually, I think from your garden Shepherd Book. They have a small laugh. He turns to the Abbot, shakes his hand. ABBOT God be with you Shepherd Book. BOOK And with you Abbot.

Then one by one he shakes hands with the others. SHEPHERD 1 Remember, the Eavesdown Docks. BOOK The Eavesdown Docks, thank you. SHEPHERD 2 Plenty of ships here, take you anywhere you need to go. BOOK Thank you brothers. I will write when I find my place in the ‘verse.

He leaves. EXT. EAVESDOWN DOCKS - DAY Book trudges through the crowds, looking at different ships. KAYLEE (O.S.) You’re gonna come with us. Book turns and sees the sunniest, most honest smile he has seen in a long time. BOOK Excuse me?