LOST CONVERSATIONS XVIII 1. WHERE MAL AND KAYLEE BUY THE NEW MULE SOME TIME AFTER THEY SELL THE LASSITER EXT. SERENITY, DOCKING BAY - DAY Overscene - “Beaumonde” Serenity is parked with the cargo bay ramp down. INT. SERENITY, CARGO BAY - DAY Mal walks up the ramp with a big bag of something which he lays down with a grunt. He sees Kaylee sitting by the burnt out Mule, staring at it, tools all around her. He walks over. MAL Hey, little Kaylee. Others back yet? KAYLEE Wash and Zoe got back few minutes ago. Simon and River upstairs somewhere. We didn’t go far, just so they could get a breath of fresh air. Jayne, not like to see him for while, not with money in his pocket. MAL No, not likely. KAYLEE And that’s everyone.(beat) Now. Mal crouches down next to her. MAL You miss her, don’t you? KAYLEE (quiet) Yup. Book, too. There’s a long pause, Kaylee looking at Mal, his face with a hint of sadness, then he changes the subject MAL (nodding to Mule) What’s the word? KAYLEE (dejected) Broken. She looks very frustrated. MAL Can it be fixed? KAYLEE Engine’s fine, but needs new wiring first. Seat’s gone, throttle controls melted, fused tight, need new brake lines, new tires, new lights. And then she needs a good cleaning and painting. MAL Be easier getting a new one. KAYLEE (more cheerful) Sure would. Mal holds out his hand and she takes it and they stand up. MAL Come on. Let’s go shopping. EXT. VEHICLE LOT - DAY Kaylee and Mal walk around looking at all kinds of three and four wheelers, also some small trucks with small carrying capacity. KAYLEE Some good stuff here. Not too old. The Sendai model’s good one. MAL Yeah. (beat) Which one’s that? KAYLEE Same as we had. MAL Oh, right. They turn a corner and see several hovercraft. Kaylee puts on a big grin and runs up to one. KAYLEE Oh, Capt’n, look at these! Mal puts on a frown and joins her. MAL Kinda big ain’t, it? Fill most of the floor space in the cargo bay. Where’ll we put the cargo? KAYLEE I can rig up an overhead rack and pulley system so we can raise her up and down. She’ll be outta the way for sure. A SALESMAN approaches. SALESMAN Howdy folks. That’s a real beaut right there. MAL (sarcastic) Of course it is. They all are. KAYLEE She’s a Moderati, right? SALESMAN Yes, little lady, you sure know your machines. It’s a late model Moderati, hovercraft, twin engines, seats four, some cargo capacity, run about 80 kph if you push her, fuel for about 150 klicks. MAL Bit slow. SALESMAN Well, what’re you gonna use it for? Robbing banks? And he lets out a big laugh as Kaylee and Mal look at each other knowingly. KAYLEE I can make some adjustments, get her running faster. Mal walks around the machine, his face grim, like he’s not interested. MAL How much? SALESMAN 35,000 credits. Mal looks surprised. MAL Hell, I paid almost same for my spaceship. SALESMAN That’s the latest model, almost brand new. KAYLEE Almost? SALESMAN One previous owner. MAL So it’s used? SALESMAN OK, OK. 30,000. MAL Twenty. SALESMAN Twenty-five. MAL Deal. KAYLEE Wait a minute, Capt’n. We ain’t taken her for a test ride yet. SALESMAN You most certainly can. I’ll just get the keys. He EXITS. MAL You like it? KAYLEE Oh, this a real shiny machine Capt’n. Bit expensive, though. MAL Yeah, I know. But we still got some Lassiter take money and we do need a new Mule. You sure you can make it run faster? KAYLEE Sure. (beat) I think. MAL Let’s make sure. Since our water tower adventure and bare escape, I got a notion to have a getaway vehicle to take on the job with us. One day we just might need to out run someone. 2. WHERE MAL INTRODUCES INARA TO THE REST OF THE CREW FROM SOMETIME BEFORE “Serenity” INT. SERENITY, CARGO BAY - DAY Mal and Zoe stand here as Inara walks up the cargo bay ramp followed by three men carrying several suitcases and boxes. INARA Good day Captain Reynolds. MAL Miss Serra. INARA It’s just Inara, thank you. MAL Fine. Inara this is Zoe Washburne, my first mate. Inara shakes hands with Zoe. INARA A pleasure to meet you. ZOE Likewise. (beat) So you’re a real Companion? MAL Zoe... INARA That’s fine, Captain. Yes, Zoe, I’m a registered Companion. (beat) Captain, is my shuttle clean? MAL Let’s go find out. INT. INARA’S SHUTTLE - DAY Kaylee and Jayne are in here, Kaylee with a cloth wiping down the walls, Jayne with mop scrubbing the floor. She is humming a tune and he is thoroughly pissed off. JAYNE Didn’t sign on with this crew to be no gorramn cleaner. KAYLEE Oh, come on, little manual labor is good for the soul. JAYNE So’s sleeping, and drinking, and getting some lady... MAL (O.S.) Jayne, mind your tongue on my boat. JAYNE Mal, I’m just saying... And he stops as he gets his first look at Inara. JAYNE (CONT’D) (leering) Sweet Lord. Inara rolls her eyes. INARA Captain, are you sure you explained my rules to your crew? MAL Most certainly. Just Jayne here forgot any manners he ever learned. Kaylee steps forward, big smile, sticks out her hand to Inara. KAYLEE Oh, don’t mind him. I’m Kaylee Frye, the mechanic. Nice to meet you. INARA The pleasure is mine, Kaylee. Jayne drops his mop with a clatter, wipes his hands on his clothes and sticks out a meaty paw to Inara. JAYNE Jayne Cobb, the....what am I? MAL Cargo foreman. JAYNE Right. Cargo foreman. Nice to meet you. She gingerly takes his hand. INARA And you too Mr. Cobb. A small uncomfortable silence as Jayne forgets to let go of her hand. JAYNE Oh. Sorry. He lets go. Inara steps farther into the shuttle. INARA Thank you for cleaning it. MAL No problem. Your men can start bringing in your stuff. He nods to Kaylee and Jayne, indicating for them to leave. They grab their cleaning gear and start to move out. KAYLEE (to Inara) See you for dinner. They leave as the men bring in their loads, put them down. INARA (to men) The bed next, please. MAN Yes, ma’am. They leave. MAL Bed? INARA Of course. For my business. Of which you and your crew will have no part. MAL Of course. (beat) Sorry about that with Jayne. Don’t worry about him, you’ll have your privacy. INARA I’m sure. He’s not really the cargo foreman is he? MAL No. We run kind of a....well, it’s hard to explain but... INARA He’s a hired gun? MAL Couldn’t have put it better myself. INARA Kaylee seems very nice. MAL Never met anyone nicer. Loveliest girl in the verse. I mean...she’s very friendly...well, just...but there’s nothing, I mean, ‘tween her and me, ah, anyone. (beat) Zoe and Wash the pilot are married. She moves closer to Mal and he gets more uncomfortable. INARA (very low) Captain, do I make you nervous? MAL (gulping) Ah, no, no...Just explaining the lay of the land here on Serenity. INARA I’m sure everyone is very nice. Now I would like some privacy, please. MAL Right. INARA And when you have a course, please tell me where it is so I can make some appointments. Then ask the pilot, Wash you said? Ask him to come see me so I can take my shuttle for a test flight. MAL Certainly. Anything else? Shine your Companion trophies? Iron your clothes? Bring you breakfast in bed? INARA (surprised) Have I spoken out of turn? MAL Let’s get one thing straight. I’m the captain of this ship, so I demand some respect. Not any in the tone you’ve just had. INARA I apologize if I have offended you. Mal realizes he might have gone too far. MAL No, not offended. Just don’t like taking orders. From no one. INARA Of course. I’m sure we’ll get along fine Captain Reynolds. MAL It’s Mal. INARA Mal. MAL Fair certain we’ll get along fine also. 3. WHERE SIMON CARES FOR THE WOUNDED AFTER THE BATTLE FROM “Heart of Gold” EXT. HEART OF GOLD WHOREHOUSE - DAY The surviving Burgess men run off with the whore that was helping them. Many more lie on the ground, dead or wounded. Simon goes to one man and looks at him. SIMON Gunshot, right shoulder. He can wait. He moves to another. SIMON (CONT’D) Chest wound, he’s first on the table. Simon takes out a handkerchief and places it over the wound, applying pressure. SIMON (CONT’D) Someone hold this. One of the ladies comes over and helps him. MAL Got some wounded on our side inside, Doc. SIMON Please check on them. I’ll get to everyone but the most serious first. BOOK Let’s get to work. People start moving, Petaline, Book, Kaylee and Zoe and others going into the whorehouse. Jayne and Mal stand guard over Simon as he works. SIMON (to Mal) It’s better if I work in Serenity’s infirmary. MAL Wash, bring Serenity in closer. WASH On the way. Wash moves off toward the ship. Kaylee comes out of the whorehouse with Simon’s bag and hands it to him. SIMON Thank you. (beat) We need bandages, sheets, anything that’s clean. KAYLEE We’ll find something. She moves back toward the house. He moves to another man. SIMON Stomach wound, he’s second. Jayne spits. JAYNE Let him die. Let ‘em all die. Simon stands and glares at him. SIMON Not while I’m here. Book has come out and heard this last exchange. BOOK Nor I. JAYNE Preacher, not twenty minutes ago they was fixing to kill all us. MAL Jayne, go check inside, see how everyone is. Jayne grunts and moves off. BOOK Nandi is dead. MAL (quiet) I know. Serenity comes in closer and lands in a cloud of dust. INT. SERENITY, INFIRMARY A MONTAGE of shots as Simon works on the wounded men and women, Book and Inara helping him, close ups of him removing bullets, stitching people, giving shots. He is exhausted but continues to work. INT. CARGO BAY - NIGHT Many of the wounded lie here on improvised beds. Almost everyone is here giving care to those in need, even River, going around giving water to the wounded. A few of the Heart of Gold people are here but not Petaline. Simon and Book come from infirmary, Simon’s apron bloody, his eyes bloodshot. They help a man with a leg wound limp to a crate and sit. BURGESS MAN Thanks, Doc. Simon just forces a smile. SIMON Who’s next? MAL That’s it. Suddenly guns are being cocked and Mal and Simon look toward the cargo bay entrance where Jayne and Zoe are training guns on two strange men and MRS. BURGESS. She is distraught. MRS. BURGESS Captain Reynolds? Mal walks forward, Simon and Book close behind him. He nods to Jayne who checks the two men and they have no guns. MAL Ma’am. MRS. BURGESS I’ve come for my husband’s body. (beat) And the other dead men. We brought a wagon. MAL They’re laying over by the back of the house. Their horses are there too. We’ll be keeping their weapons. MRS. BURGESS Yes. I understand. The wounded men will come with us also. SIMON Some of them shouldn't be moved. Not till morning anyway. MRS. BURGESS Not sure they be safe out here. ZOE (cold) We wanted them dead, they’d be dead already. MRS. BURGESS Yes, of course. How silly of me. Thank you for your help, Doctor. Simon just nods. MAL Lots of folk dead out here cause of your husband. MRS. BURGESS My husband was a strict man, a proud man, and having a child was the only thing I couldn’t give him. Guess this as much fault as mine as his. MAL Guess so. (beat) Doc will sort out who can go and who can’t while you get the dead. BOOK I’ll come too, say a few words before you take them home. MAL One more thing, ma’am. Expect folks in town are mighty sore at the ladies out here. Been enough trouble already so I’m hoping no one is talking about revenge. MRS. BURGESS We will bury our dead and hope this is buried with them. That’s all I can promise. MAL Fair enough. MRS. BURGESS Good evening, Captain. MAL Ma’am. She and the two men and Book move off in the darkness. Simon is walking among the wounded, talking to Inara and Kaylee. SIMON Everyone can go, except the stomach wound and chest wound. They should be placed in passenger rooms for the night. The wounded ladies can go back to the house INARA We’ll take care of it. You need to rest Simon. SIMON No, not...not..yet...you...been up..long as me. KAYLEE Simon! His head starts drooping and he starts falling as Kaylee and Inara catch him. SIMON Oh, guess I need to sleep. KAYLEE Yeah, guess so. She unties his doctor’s apron and hands it to Inara. KAYLEE (CONT’D) You get to bed also. She stifles a yawn. INARA Yes, doctor. Soon as we take care of things here. And she drops the apron on the deck and starts to talk to the wounded people as Kaylee walks Simon back toward the passenger dorms. As Inara moves to each man and talks to them, the not so badly injured get up and walk out the cargo bay door as Jayne, Mal, and Zoe stare at them. JAYNE Don’t show your faces round here again, you hear? ZOE I think you just scared off half the ladies’ customers. The men say nothing and leave, happy to get off with their lives. INT. PASSENGER ROOM - LATER Simon is laying on the bed, his clothes and shoes still on, dead asleep. There’s a knock on the door. KAYLEE (O.S.) Simon?....Simon? She opens the door slowly and steps in. She has a small wash cloth and steps up to the bed. KAYLEE (CONT’D) Oh, dear, he was so tired. She kneels and gently wipes some blood flecks from his face and hands, puts the cloth aside. Then she removes his shoes. KAYLEE (CONT’D) Guess your clothes will have to stay on. (beat) Maybe some other time, Doc. She lifts his blanket up and tucks his legs under and puts the blanket on him. He murmers a bit and then settles down. Kaylee bends over him, moves his locks out of his eyes and slowly bends and kisses him on the forehead. KAYLEE (CONT’D) Good night, sweet Simon. And she turns and leaves the room, a little smile on her face.