Safe
We need to resort to cannibalism.Cast · Intro · Act 1 · Act 2 · Act 3 · Act 4
Guest Cast
Young River
Young Simon
Regan Tam
Gabriel Tam
Stark
Older Grange
Younger Grange
Head Cop
Doralee
Ruby
Patron
Commander
Intro
|
The book is wrong. This whole conclusion is fallacious. |
| Transcribed: | Shrift |
| Written: | Drew Z. Greenberg |
| Directed: | Michael Grossman |
| Aired: | November 8, 2002 |
EXT. LARGE MANSION - NIGHT
Establishing shot. High-tech security fence surrounds the mansion.
INT. LARGE MANSION - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
We're in a study or living room. Spacious, lushly appointed, a fire crackling in the fireplace.
Chyron reads:
TAM ESTATE, 11 YEARS AGO
Young Simon Tam sits on the couch doing his homework. Young River Tam is playing behind the couch.
(peeping up from behind couch)
We're in trouble.
(beat)
We got cut off!
YOUNG SIMON
Cut off from what?
YOUNG RIVER
Our platoon, Simon. We got outflanked
by the independent squad, and we're never
gonna make it back to our platoon.
(beat)
We need to resort to cannibalism.
YOUNG SIMON
That was fast. Don't we have rations
or anything?
YOUNG RIVER
They got lost. We're gonna have to eat
the men.
YOUNG SIMON
Aren't you supposed to be practicing for
your dance recital?
YOUNG RIVER
I learned it all.
(re: his homework)
That's wrong.
YOUNG SIMON
It's from the book, River.
YOUNG RIVER
No, the book is wrong. This whole
conclusion is fallacious.
Simon smiles, puts his homework away. Turns to River.
So... how'd the independents cut us off?
YOUNG RIVER
They were using dinosaurs.
YOUNG SIMON
(incredulous)
[Jien tah-duh guay! - "Like hell!"]
GABRIEL TAM enters the study.
Language, young man.
YOUNG SIMON
Sorry, dad. The independents attacked
us with dinosaurs.
YOUNG RIVER
Simon lost his head in the heat of battle.
GABRIEL
(chuckling)
[Nah mei guan-shee. - "That has nothing to
do with it."] Because there were dinosaurs
involved, I think we'll let it slide.
YOUNG SIMON
Did you get my wave?
GABRIEL
I got it. Your text shorted. I got the
whole thing during a board meeting.
Thank you.
YOUNG SIMON
If I had a dedicated source box, it
wouldn't short out. I lost half my
essay.
GABRIEL
Yes, and you'd have access to any
[tyen-shiao duh - "heaven knows what"]
that filtered in from the cortex. I
absolutely forbid it!
YOUNG SIMON
(pleading)
Dad...
YOUNG RIVER
Dad...
GABRIEL
I will not have it in my house.
(beat)
But since your mother's already ordered you
one, I guess I should give up the fantasy
that this is my house!
YOUNG SIMON
Are you kidding?
GABRIEL
You will repay me by becoming a brilliant
doctor. That's the deal. Dedicated source
box -- brilliant doctor.
YOUNG RIVER
When do I...?
GABRIEL
(dismissive)
Many years.
YOUNG SIMON
Dad, this is so [da bianhua - "big change"]!
It's really gonna --
GABRIEL
I know. You think I'd let you work with
something second-rate?
YOUNG SIMON
Thank you.
GABRIEL
You're worth it.
(beat)
Now do you think it's possible for you two
geniuses to give your tired old dad a couple
minutes' quiet?
INT. SERENITY - COMMON AREA - CONTINUOUS
Back to the present. River is struggling and shouting, Simon is attempting to calm her.
(collapses onto couch)
No! No, I don't wanna go back to the...
SIMON
It's okay. It --
RIVER
It's not okay!
(beat)
You can't just dig into me, shove twenty
needles in my eyes and ask me what I see!
SIMON
I... we won't go in. Look.
(shuts infirmary doors)
No test today.
RIVER
No rutting tests? Stupid son of a bitch,
dress me up like a gorramn doll!
SIMON
No tests, no shots...
(beat)
I'm, uh, I'm just gonna give you a smoother
that'll...
River stands, takes Simon's case of medical supplies, and tosses it.
River!
Mal is walking down the steps to the infirmary as this happens. None too pleased.
(to Mal)
You're not him?
(beat)
[Liou coe shway duh biao-tze huh hoe-tze
duh ur-tze.]
River wilts and sits back on the couch. Mal continues down the stairs.
So, she's added cussing and hurling about
of things to her repertoire. She really
is a prodigy.
SIMON
It's just a bad day.
MAL
No, a bad day is when someone's yellin'
spooks the cattle. Understand?
(beat)
You ever see cattle stampede when they got
no place to run? It's kind of like a...
a meat grinder. And it'll lose us half
the herd.
SIMON
She hasn't gone anywhere near the cattle.
MAL
No, but in case you hadn't noticed, her voice
kinda carries. We're two miles above ground
and they can probably hear her down there.
Soon as we unload, she can holler until our
ears bleed.
(to River)
Although I would take it as a kindness if
she didn't.
RIVER
The human body can be drained of blood in 8.6
seconds given adequate vacuuming systems.
MAL
(to Simon)
See, morbid and creepifying, I got no problem
with, long as she does it quiet-like.
SIMON
This is paranoid schizophrenia, Captain. Hand-crafted
by government scientists who thought my sister's
brain was a rutting playground. I have no idea
what'll set her off. If you have some expertise --
MAL
(firmly)
I'm not a doctor. And I'm not your gorramn
baby-sitter, either. Gag her, if you have to.
We got trade to be done.
Mal exits via the stairs. Simon sighs heavily.
EXT. PLANET - DAY
Establishing shot of Serenity landing on the planet's surface.
REVERSE camera to reveal three hill folk sitting in a copse of trees, all men. One of the men is skinning a rabbit hung from a tree.
You see that? Fancy vessel such as that
don't land here 'less they got something
to sell. And if it's something we need...
He RIPS the skin off the rabbit in one move.
We take it.
Act 1
|
Little soul, big world. Eat, sleep, and eat... Many souls. |
EXT. JIANGYIN PLANET/SERENITY'S CARGO BAY DOORS - DAY
Simon is walking down the cargo bay ramp. The ramp's covered in cow pies. Simon's carefully picking his way around them, but Jayne herds some cattle past him, and Simon stumbles into some cow poo.
(amused)
'Bout time you broke in them pretty shoes.
(to cattle)
Yah! Get along!
Simon ignores Jayne, walks off the ramp.
You know, they walk just as easy if you
lead 'em.
JAYNE
I like smackin' 'em.
REVERSE camera to see the cattle trotting along a hastily-erected corral consisting of metal gates fastened together.
CUT TO:
Book tying off part of the corral, watching the cattle walk past.
Hope this corral's strong enough to hold
them. "Shepherd's" a purely figurative
title, you know.
Follow Book with camera to reveal WASH and ZOE seated on top of the corral to the right, also watching the cattle.
(chuckling)
Next time we smuggle stock, let's make
it something smaller.
WASH
Yeah, we should start dealing in those
black-market beagles.
CUT TO:
River sitting on the ground outside the corral, staring at a calf.
Little soul, big world. Eat, sleep,
and eat... Many souls.
MAL
(to Jayne)
Cattle on the ship three weeks, she don't
go near 'em. Suddenly we're on Jiangyin
and she's got a driving need to commune
with the beast?
RIVER
They weren't cows inside. They were
waiting to be, but they forgot. Now
they see the sky and they remember
what they are.
MAL
(to Jayne)
Is it bad that what she said made perfect
sense to me?
(beat)
C'mon, now. Let's get you clear of
the work.
SIMON (O.S.)
What's going on?
REVERSE camera to show Simon approaching the corral where Mal, Jayne and River are standing.
What are you doing?
MAL
I'm fixing to do some business. Can't be
herding these steers and your sister, too.
SIMON
She didn't mean any harm.
MAL
I never figured she did. But when a man
engages in clandestine dealings, he has
his preference for things being smooth.
Quick cut to the bushes shaking -- but there's no wind. Could it be hill folk baiting the schmuck?
She makes things not be smooth.
SIMON
(snippy)
Right. I'm very sorry if she tipped off
anyone about your cunningly concealed
herd of cows.
MAL
(guides Simon away from the corral)
I'm starting to think you got a little
too much time on your hands, doctor. I
think now I got a notion regarding that.
Why don't you take your sister for a
little walk.
SIMON
A walk?
MAL
Yeah. Someplace... away.
SIMON
Uh, probably best we stay close. Alliance
has us marked as fugitives.
MAL
Closest Alliance is the Cruiser Magellan.
Hours out from here. And I promise you,
they ain't coming to a backwater like Jiang.
SIMON
Still, I'm not sure it's such a wise suggestion.
MAL
Might not wanna mistake it for a suggestion.
(beat)
Don't worry, we won't leave without ya.
EXT. JIANGYIN - GENERAL STORE - DAY - CONTINUOUS
Establishing shot of dusty street, dilapidated but very much inhabited buildings.
INT. GENERAL STORE - DAY - CONTINUOUS
Inara and Kaylee are browsing. The store's light is dim and yellow, shelves are cluttered with cheap knick knacks.
Does it seem every supply store on every
'water planet has the same five rag dolls
and the same wood carvings of... what is
this? A duck?
KAYLEE
That's a swan.
(beat)
I like it.
INARA
You do?
KAYLEE
(stroking swan)
Looks like it was made with, you know,
longing. Made by a person really
longed to see a swan.
INARA
Perhaps they'd only heard of them
by rough description.
KAYLEE
(holding up a painted plate)
You think this would make a nice gift?
INARA
A gift? For whom?
KAYLEE
I just kinda like it.
(beat)
It's rich, you know?
INARA
Ooh. For Simon.
KAYLEE
I didn't say that.
INARA
(chuckling)
You don't do a very good job of hiding
your interest.
KAYLEE
He's just so [shuai - "handsome"]. You
just wanna take a bite out of him all
over, you know?
INARA
(softly)
Careful.
Inara indicates something behind Kaylee. Getting it, Kaylee turns to greet Simon and River, who have just entered the store.
Morning, you two.
INARA
Don't usually see you two out and
about planet-side.
SIMON
Yeah, we're... we're trying something
different today.
(to River)
River, be careful with that... that's, um...
(to Kaylee)
What is that?
KAYLEE
It's a post-holer. You dig holes. For posts.
SIMON
(separating River from the post-holer)
It's, uh, it's dirty. And sharp.
(to River)
Let's come over here.
(picks up plate Kaylee was looking
at earlier)
Jiangyin prairie paradise. Good god.
They're asking money for this crap?
KAYLEE
(somewhat crestfallen)
Hard to believe ain't it? Glad you're out.
SIMON
Mm.
KAYLEE
Give you a chance to have a little fun.
SIMON
Fun. Right, yeah.
(runs to rescue knick knacks from River)
I, uh, I consider this fun. It's fun, being
forced to the ass-end of the galaxy. To get
to live on a piece of [luh-suh -"crappy"] wreck.
And to eat molded protein. And to be bullied
around by our [boo-tai jung tzhang duh] of a
captain. It's fun.
KAYLEE
(hurt)
[Luh-suh? - "Crappy?"]
SIMON
Sorry?
KAYLEE
Serenity ain't [luh-suh - "crappy"].
SIMON
No, I... I didn't mean --
KAYLEE
Yeah you did. You meant everything you
just said.
SIMON
Well, no. Uh, actually I was being ironic,
so in-in-in the strictest sense --
KAYLEE
You were being mean, is what.
(beat)
And if that's what you think of this life,
then you can't think much of them that
choose it, can you.
Kaylee exits the store. Inara follows, giving Simon a significant, "You screwed up," look as she exits. Simon sighs heavily, then turns around. River's nowhere to be seen.
River?
EXT. JIANGYIN/SERENITY'S CARGO BAY DOOR - DAY - CONTINUOUS
Mal and Jayne are walking down the cow-pie-riddled cargo bay ramp.
This is the last time. Last time with cows.
Hear there was an idea regarding beagles?
They have smallish droppings?
REVERSE camera to reveal ZOE approaching Serenity from the corral.
I believe so, sir. Also, your
disreputable men are here.
MAL
Better go take their money.
EXT. JIANGYIN - CORRAL - DAY - CONTINUOUS
Mal approaches the corral, where Jayne is keeping watch on the cattle. Two men are standing outside the corral.
Morning, gentlemen. You must be the Grange
brothers. Hope you're in the mood for
beefsteak.
JAYNE
Attractive animals, ain't they?
OLDER GRANGE
T'ain't well fed. Scrawny.
MAL
[Fei hua. - "Crap talk."]
Milk and hay, three times a day. Fed to
'em by beautiful women.
JAYNE
(gleefully)
That was somethin' to see.
YOUNGER GRANGE
They's branded.
MAL
Oh, you boys are hittin' all the sellin'
points. A fresh brand's a dead giveaway.
Claim 'em as your own.
OLDER GRANGE
Twenty a head.
MAL
That's an amusing figure, in light of we
already agreed on thirty with Badger.
OLDER GRANGE
That's afore we seen 'em. They're atrophied,
standin' around on a ship for near a month.
MAL
My comprehension is less muscle, more tender
the meat. Thirty.
BOOK
(aside, to Mal)
Problem?
MAL
(to Book)
No. 'Bout a minute from now, we'll agree
on twenty-five.
The Grange brothers startle at a rattling noise, their hands going to their guns.
(to Mal)
Seem a mite jumpy to you?
EXT. JIANGYIN STREET - DAY - CONTINUOUS
River walks into an alley in the distance. REVERSE camera to show Simon, agitated, running out of the General Store looking for River. REVERSE camera to reveal a posse of lawmen walking down the steps of a building across the street, then crossing the street to walk into the building right past Simon, who looks down on the ground nervously.
Morning, officers.
The last officer tips his hat brim at Simon's greeting. Once they're all inside, he bolts across the street after River.
EXT. CORRAL - DAY - CONTINUOUS
Grange brothers are still negotiating with Mal.
I'm thinking... maybe we walk away entirely.
MAL
I'm thinking, you do that, and we got
ourselves trouble.
(re: Inara and Kaylee returning
to ship)
Mornin', ladies.
(to Grange brothers)
Serious trouble. Of the you-owe-us variety.
OLDER GRANGE
We can go to twenty-five.
MAL
Well... we'd be takin' a loss, but you seem
like clean and virtuous boys. Done.
Older Grange brother is taking out his bag of cash, when suddenly, the lawmen we just saw in town burst out of the brush with their guns drawn.
Marcus and Nathaniel Grange! You are wanted
in connection to the illegal killing of Rance
Durbin. You are bound by law to stand down!
MAL
(to Jayne)
You know, I'm starting to find this whole
planet very uninviting.
JAYNE
Yeah.
Off that,
EXT. JIANGYIN ALLEY - DAY - CONTINUOUS
Simon is walking down a dim, uninviting alley. At the end of alley is a green field with a platform set up surrounded by a crowd.
EXT. JIANGYIN FESTIVAL - DAY - CONTINUOUS
Musicians are playing lively music, and people are dancing on the stage. River wanders up onto the stage, at first confused. Then she watches the steps, smiles, and joins in on the dance. Simon watches, awed.
EXT. CORRAL - DAY - CONTINUOUS
Close on gunbelts being dropped to the dirt.
(re: gunbelt)
Aww, careful with that!
MAL
It appears we have ourselves a situation.
HEAD COP
Who are you?
MAL
Just a bystander.
HEAD COP
This your beef?
MAL
No, sir.
(re: Grange brothers)
You're lookin' at the proper owners
right there.
HEAD COP
Mm-hmm.
(to Grange brothers)
I'd like to see some papers on that
cattle.
The Younger Grange brother punches one of the lawmen and steals his pistol. Before he can shoot, it's shot out of his hand by Zoe, positioned high up on the hill overlooking the corral. Shots are firing off pretty regularly now, chaos ensues.
(yelling)
Come on, hurry up!
Older Grange has a pistol by now and shooting off covering fire so he and his brother can get away. As a bullet zings by, Mal and Jayne drop to the ground, crawling forward toward their gunbelts and the sack of money.
Here we go.
MAL
Never goes smooth. How come it never
goes smooth?
INTERCUT WITH:
EXT. JIANGYIN FESTIVAL - DAY - CONTINUOUS
River dances, Simon watches.
EXT. CORRAL - DAY - CONTINUOUS
The midst of a firefight. Mal reaches forward for the money, nearly gets his hand shot off for his trouble. He reaches again, grabs it, rolls back toward Jayne, narrowly avoiding a shot to the head.
EXT. JIANGYIN FESTIVAL - DAY - CONTINUOUS
River dances, the crowd recognizing her talent; Simon watches.
EXT. CORRAL - DAY - CONTINUOUS
Firefight. Shooting over the corral. Cattle moo and stir restlessly.
EXT. JIANGYIN FESTIVAL - DAY - CONTINUOUS
River begins dancing a solo.
EXT. CORRAL - DAY - CONTINUOUS
Firefight. Close on a lawman. Grange brothers still alive and kicking.
EXT. JIANGYIN FESTIVAL - DAY - CONTINUOUS
River's solo.
EXT. CORRAL - DAY - CONTINUOUS
Mal and Jayne crawling along the edge of the corral.
EXT. JIANGYIN FESTIVAL - DAY - CONTINUOUS
River's dancing becomes more acrobatic.
EXT. CORRAL - DAY - CONTINUOUS
Mal tackles a Grange brother, taking him down. The lawmen close in.
EXT. JIANGYIN FESTIVAL - DAY - CONTINUOUS
River dances.
EXT. CORRAL - DAY - CONTINUOUS
Lawmen are arresting the Grange brothers. Mal and Jayne walk past them, Mal looking stunned. REVERSE camera to reveal Shepherd Book is lying on the ground, blood spreading over his shirt.
He's been hit.
EXT. JIANGYIN FESTIVAL - DAY - CONTINUOUS
River startles suddenly, losing the rhythm of the dance. Simon looks concerned.
EXT. CORRAL - DAY - CONTINUOUS
Close on Book's face. He's barely conscious.
EXT. JIANGYIN FESTIVAL - DAY - CONTINUOUS
As Simon watches River, men come up behind him and put a bag over his head, dragging him away from the festival. River, scared and startled, is shoved about by the dancers, the music ominous.
Act 2
|
I think there's a code. |
EXT. CORRAL - DAY
Shepherd Book is wounded on the ground, Mal leaning next to him. It's a bullet wound, just above his heart.
Hey. Stay with me, Shepherd.
BOOK
That's... that's quite a lot of
blood, isn't it?
MAL
(nodding)
Just means you ain't dead.
BOOK
Afraid I might be needing a preacher.
MAL
That's good. You lie there and be
ironical.
(to Jayne)
Stretcher.
Jayne doesn't move, watching the lawmen escort the Grange brothers away.
Jayne.
JAYNE
They goin'?
MAL
Of course. They got what they came
here for.
JAYNE
You get the cash?
INT. SERENITY - CARGO BAY - CONTINUOUS
Jayne and Mal are carrying Book in on a stretcher.
What's going on?
WIDEN shot to include Kaylee.
Oh my god. Shepherd? Shepherd, can
you hear me?
INT. SERENITY - INFIRMARY - CONTINUOUS
Jayne and Mal put the stretcher on an examination table and remove the side supports.
(to Mal)
Don't look good.
Mal crosses to the intercom.
Wash, get down to the infirmary,
[ma-shong! - "on the double!"]
(to others)
We gotta try and stop this bleeding.
Zoe cuts Book's bloody shirt from him. Mal and Zoe do some battle triage.
(tearfully)
Don't you worry, Shepherd. Cap and Zoe got
lots of experience with this kind of thing.
Seen a lot worse in the war.
(beat)
Shepherd?
(beat)
Oh, god, he ain't breathin'.
Book's back arches and he goes into convulsions. Zoe pulls the cap off a hypodermic needled with her teeth and hands it to Mal, who injects it into Book's arm. The convulsions stop.
He ain't dead. But he is bad off.
Now we gotta see what we can do to
help him.
WASH
(entering)
[Lao-tyen, boo.]
MAL
Wash, I want you to go to town. See if
you can't find that [jing tzahng mei
yong duh - "useless"] of a doctor.
KAYLEE
Hurry.
EXT. JIANGYIN FOREST - DAY - CONTINUOUS
The three hill folk we saw in the teaser have kidnapped Simon! They rush him along, still with the bag over his head.
Faster. Got to go faster. Want to get
there 'fore dark!
SIMON
Get where? Where are we going?
STARK
Shut up!
SIMON
If it's ransom you want, I... I can
arrange something.
STARK
No talking!
SIMON
Look, you don't understand. My
sister...
One of the kidnappers punches Simon in the face. Simon hits the ground.
INT. TAM ESTATE - FLASHBACK - NIGHT
Forward in time from the last flashback. Simon is an adult now.
Your sister is fine, Simon.
SIMON
She's not fine. Didn't you look at
the letters? Look at the letters.
GABRIEL
Uh, I'm looking at letters.
SIMON
These phrases -- they don't sound
anything like her. Some of these
words -- they're misspelled.
(off their looks)
She started correcting my spelling
when she was three. She's trying to
tell us something. I think there's
a code.
REGAN
A code?
SIMON
Yes.
GABRIEL
(chuckling)
I always thought it was River who was
lost without her big brother. Now I'm
beginning to wonder if it isn't the
other way around.
SIMON
Did you have a good time at the
D'arbanville's ball this year?
GABRIEL
What are you...?
SIMON
River thought it was duller than
last year. But since we don't
know anybody named D'arbanville,
I'm having trouble judging.
(angrily)
Did you even read these?
GABRIEL
Well, of course I did.
REGAN
It's one of her silly games. You
two are always playing.
SIMON
She is trying to tell us something
that somebody doesn't want her
to say.
REGAN
Simon, this is paranoid. It's stress.
If they heard you talking like this at
the hospital, it could affect your
entire future.
SIMON
Who cares about my future?
GABRIEL
You should.
REGAN
You're a surgeon in one of the best
hospitals in Capital City. On your
way to a major position, possibly
even the Medical Elect. You're
going to throw all of that away?
Everything you've worked for your
whole life?
GABRIEL
Being a doctor means more to you than
just a position, I know that.
REGAN
A few months time, you'll turn around
and there she'll be. Now, nothing is
going to keep you two apart for long.
EXT. JIANGYIN FOREST - DAY - CONTINUOUS
The hill folk are herding Simon along.
No. Oh, no.
RIVER
(appearing, triumphant)
Found you.
Simon breaks from the hill folk, running toward River.
Get him!
SIMON
River! No! Run!
RIVER
Found you!
SIMON
Go!
The hill folk quickly nab River and Simon both.
Bring her.
INT. SERENITY - CARGO BAY - CONTINUOUS
Wash pulls into the cargo bay on his four-wheel.
Where's the doctor? Why isn't he
with you?
WASH
He wasn't in town. Wasn't anywhere.
KAYLEE
He was in town. We saw him there.
Him and River. I can show you --
WASH
Town's not that big, Kaylee. Believe
me when I say he wasn't there.
JAYNE
Knew it. Probably saw them cops,
turned tail.
MAL
(entering)
Doctor could be called a lot of things.
Coward wouldn't be one of 'em, though.
INARA
You don't think they were arrested,
do you?
WASH
Worse than that, probably. Looks
like maybe they got snatched.
INARA
Kidnapped?
WASH
I went by the sheriff's office. Seems
if we had checked the posted alerts
for this rock, we might've known it.
Settlers in the hills take people
sometimes. Usually tradesmen and
the like.
MAL
And now they got themselves a doctor.
And we don't.
(beat)
We're goin'.
Mal moves to the cargo bay controls, begins shutting the bay door.
Wh-what are you doing? What about
Simon and River?
MAL
Forget them. We already lost two
people today. If I can help it,
we won't lose a third.
(to Wash)
Wash, get us in the air.
EXT. JIANGYIN FOREST - DAY - CONTINUOUS
Simon and River are being herded by the hill folk.
We're lost... lost in the woods.
SIMON
It's going to be okay. They'll
find us. Once the Captain realizes
what happened, they'll come.
REVERSE camera to reveal the Serenity rising above the tree line and taking off into atmo. Simon looks stunned.
See there? No one's coming for you.
You just keep moving.
BLACK OUT.
Act 3
|
You shall know them by their crafts. |
EXT. SPACE - SERENITY
Establishing shot of Serenity cruising through space.
INT. SERENITY - INFIRMARY - CONTINUOUS
Zoe is removing latex gloves. Book is lying on the examination table, bandaged and awake.
That bad?
ZOE
Battle wounds are nothing new to me,
preacher. I've seen men live with
a dozen holes in 'em this size.
BOOK
That right?
ZOE
Surely is. Knew a man whole had a
hole clean through his whole shoulder,
once. Used to keep a spare hankie
in there.
BOOK
Where's the doctor? Not back yet?
ZOE
(beat)
We don't make him hurry for the little
stuff. He'll be along.
BOOK
He could hurry... a little.
INT. SERENITY - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
Mal and Wash are hunched over a terminal.
Well, there's Greenleaf. They'd have
med help there.
MAL
Too far -- more than ten hours. Man's
worse off than that.
INARA
(entering)
You know where you can find what you need.
MAL
Don't recall inviting you onto the bridge.
INARA
You didn't. Mal, you know where you can
find a doctor. You know exactly.
MAL
Inara, he was dumb enough to get himself
grabbed in broad daylight. Don't have
time to be beatin' the trees looking for
him now. No assurance we'd find him,
or he wouldn't need a doctor himself.
INARA
I'm not talking about Simon. I'm talking
about medical facilities.
MAL
That's not an option, nor is it a discussion
I much want to have at the moment.
INARA
It doesn't matter what you want. He's dying,
and we need a doctor now.
EXT. JIANGYIN FOREST - DAY - CONTINUOUS
Simon and River are still being herded through the forest by the hill folk -- they're crossing a makeshift bridge into,
EXT. HILL FOLK VILLAGE - DAY - CONTINUOUS
Look what we got! Got ourselves a doctor.
A real doctor.
(to Simon)
Stand up straight.
WOMAN (O.S.)
They brought home a doctor.
Thank the Lord.
Hill folk gather around, staring at Simon curiously.
INT. SERENITY - SIMON'S ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Jayne is tossing Simon's room, stealing all the valuables he can find. He comes across a journal of Simon's, opens it up, reads to himself out loud:
(mock reading)
"Dear Diary,
Today I was pompous and my sister was crazy."
(flips page)
"Today, we were kidnapped by hill folk never
to be seen again. It was the best day ever."
Jayne tosses aside the journal and continues searching Simon's belongings. He finds some money, pockets it.
Now we're talkin'.
Jayne pulls out a fancy maroon shirt and shakes it out, holding it up as if sizing it.
Amazing we kept him this long.
INT. SERENITY - INFIRMARY - CONTINUOUS
Zoe is sitting with Book in the infirmary. Kaylee enters hesitantly.
(re: holding Book's hand)
Can I?
ZOE
Sure. He's out, though.
KAYLEE
He did this for me, once.
(beat)
How's he doin'?
ZOE
I cleaned it out, wrapped it up. Best I could do.
(off Kaylee's look)
I don't know.
KAYLEE
Well, we're headed for help... right?
ZOE
Captain will come up with a plan.
KAYLEE
That's good. Right?
ZOE
Possibly you're not recalling some of his
previous plans.
This barely gets a smile out of Kaylee. Beat.
We left them back there.
ZOE
Yeah.
KAYLEE
Don't seem right.
INT. SERENITY - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
You sure this is where we wanna be?
MAL
Oh, I'm fairly certain it ain't.
EXT. SPACE - CONTINUOUS
Shot of Serenity approaching a huge ship, presumably the Alliance cruiser Magellan.
INT. SERENITY - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
Be sure to ask nicely.
WASH
Alliance Cruiser Magellan, this is Firefly
Transport Serenity, requesting permission
for docking.
ALLIANCE OFFICER (V.O.)
Firefly Transport Serenity, stand by for
docking orders.
INT. HILL FOLK VILLAGE - HOSPITAL - DAY
Stark is showing Simon and River into the makeshift hospital.
In here.
(beat)
I don't figure it's as fancy as you're used to,
but it's what we got.
(to Doralee)
I got your doctor.
Doralee, a young, soft-voiced black woman, rises from tending a sick child.
Oh, praise the Lord.
STARK
Doralee here'll show you what's what.
(exits)
DORALEE
(to Simon)
What's your name?
RIVER
Simon.
DORALEE
Well, hello there. Who are you?
SIMON
This is... River.
(guides River to a bench)
River... just, uh, just sit down. Over there.
(to Doralee)
Has there been, uh... is there a sickness here?
DORALEE
Not especial. Just people get sick or injured.
Mostly people heal on their own, but sometimes...
SIMON
Sometimes, you need a doctor.
(beat)
Bring me light, and any supplies you have.
EXT. ALLIANCE CRUISER MAGELLAN DOCKING STATION - CONTINUOUS
Serenity is moving in to dock.
INT. SERENITY - CARGO BAY - CONTINUOUS
Mal and Jayne and carrying Book on a stretcher. Zoe is in the lead, opening the cargo bay doors.
You sanguine about the kind of reception
we're up to receive on an Alliance ship, Cap?
MAL
Absolutely.
(beat)
What's "sanguine" mean?
ZOE
"Sanguine." Hopeful. Plus, point of
interest, it also means "bloody."
MAL
Well, that pretty much covers all the
options, don't it?
Zoe opens the cargo bay doors. Alliance soldiers enter, armed and wary. An Alliance Commander steps through last.
We're requesting aid, no other purpose.
ZOE
We got papers.
COMMANDER
(taking the papers)
What's your business?
MAL
We're a supply ship, freelance. Had an
accident this morning, crewman got hurt.
ZOE
We need medical help.
MAL
Fast'd be better than slow.
COMMANDER
Official seal's out of date Captain...
Harbatkin?
MAL
We ain't been through a checkpoint in
a while, sir. You gonna see to my man?
COMMANDER
How did this happen?
ZOE
He was --
MAL
Bystander in a gunfight. Back on Jiangyin.
You can check. Not he nor any of ours
were the aggressors.
COMMANDER
We aren't an emergency facility, Captain.
Our services aren't available simply
to anyone.
BOOK
Com... mander... my... ident card.
An Alliance officer removes Book's ident card from his pocket and runs it through a scanner. The officer passes the scanner to the Commander, who says,
Get this man to the infirmary at once.
INT. HILL FOLK HOSPITAL - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
Simon is doctoring the hill folk.
You keep that bandage clean now, you
understand?
Quick shot of River kneeling down next to a little blonde girl sitting on a cot. Back to Simon and Doralee.
DORALEE
(re: River)
She's not quite right, is she?
SIMON
She's been through some trauma. She's
recovering, through.
DORALEE
She won't get a good conversation out of
Ruby, I can tell you that much. That
little girl's mute.
SIMON
Do you know the cause? Was she born deaf?
DORALEE
No, she was fine until two years ago when
she stopped talking.
(beat)
A place like this might be good for your
sister. Quiet. Safe. A place where
folks take care of each other.
SIMON
Mmm, yes, seems like a lovely little
community of kidnappers.
DORALEE
The Lord says, "Judge not."
SIMON
They took us off the street!
DORALEE
Sometimes life takes you places you
weren't expecting to go.
SIMON
"Life" didn't bring us here. Those
men did.
DORALEE
You were on a transport ship, right?
Taking a journey? It's the way of
life in my findings that journeys
end when and where they want to,
and that's where you make your home.
SIMON
This isn't our home.
DORALEE
If it isn't here... where is it?
INT. ALLIANCE CRUISER MAGELLAN
Jayne, Zoe and Mal are hovering outside the Alliance medical facility, waiting for news.
This place gives me an uncomfortableness.
ZOE
(to Mal)
So, what do you figure? Shepherd's got
some kind of connection with the Alliance?
MAL
I know what it looks like. Still, it
would surprise me if he did.
JAYNE
See, it's my whole problem with pickin'
up tourists. Ain't never what they
claim to be.
MAL
Seems like everyone's got a tale to tell.
INT. HILL FOLK HOSPITAL - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
Simon closes the curtains on a hospital bed. He turns around, looks worried.
River? River?
DORALEE
What's wrong?
SIMON
River's gone. So's the girl.
DORALEE
Ruby. I'll check out back.
Simon moves to the front door, opening it to see,
SIMON
River, don't... what is that?
RIVER
(holding a skirtful of berries)
For you.
SIMON
Oh.
RIVER
I picked them.
SIMON
(holding out a bowl)
Here. You'll stain your dress.
RIVER
You have to eat.
They pour the freshly-picked berries into the wooden bowl. River pops a berry into Simon's mouth. He smiles, chews.
SIMON
Hodgeberries.
(beat)
Do you remember when we found those giant
hodgeberry bushes on the Cambersons'
estate? And we thought they'd grown
wild, but...
(beat)
Long while ago.
RIVER
I took you away from there.
SIMON
No.
RIVER
I know I did. You don't think I do, but...
(beat)
I get confused. I remember everything.
I remember too much, and... some of it's
made up, and... some of it can't be
quantified, and... there's secrets.
SIMON
(softly)
It's okay.
RIVER
But I understand. You gave up everything
you had to find me. And you found me broken.
(beat)
It's hard for you. You gave up everything
you had.
SIMON
[Mei mei... - "Little sister..."] Everything
I have is right here.
RIVER
You need to eat. Keep up your strength.
We won't be here long. Daddy will come
and take us home. And I'll get better.
(beat)
I'll get better.
Simon sits down at the table, eating berries. River follows.
SIMON
These are better than the Cambersons' berries.
RIVER
They are. Except they're poison.
Simon spits out the berries, looks panicky.
(laughing)
He believed her. Made a face.
SIMON
You are such a brat!
Doralee enters with Ruby.
(to Ruby)
You get to bed, now.
SIMON
We should probably think about doing
the same. It's been a big day, what
with the abduction, and all.
DORALEE
Well, y'all don't have to sleep here.
There's a house set aside for you.
We've been looking for a doctor for
a good while, so things are ready.
SIMON
Really?
RIVER
(re: Ruby)
Her sister got killed. Mother got crazy,
killed the sister. That one lived.
DORALEE
Ruby talked to you, honey?
(to Simon)
I-it's true what she's saying. Poor woman
went out of her mind. Tried to kill her
two girls. Ruby lived.
(to River)
Sweetheart... you are an angel. No one's
been able to get Ruby to speak even a peep.
(laughing)
It's a miracle, that's what it is.
RIVER
Ruby doesn't talk. Her voice got scared away.
(smiles)
I hear crickets.
DORALEE
I don't understand. If Ruby didn't talk,
how do you know...?
SIMON
Um, my sister's... she-she's very good at...
(beat)
What's wrong?
DORALEE
(shocked)
"And they shall be among the people. And
they shall speak truths and whisper secrets
and you will know them by their crafts."
SIMON
What are you talking about?
DORALEE
"Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live!"
Off Simon's confused face,
BLACK OUT.
Act 4
|
Big damn heroes, sir. |
INT. CAPITAL CITY PENITENTIARY - FLASHBACK - DAY
Gabriel Tam is waiting in a lobby. Simon is escorted in by a guard.
Have you completely lost your mind?
SIMON
Pretty nearly.
GABRIEL
We got the wave at the Friedlich's. I had to
leave your mother at the dinner table.
SIMON
(snidely)
I'm sorry, dad. You know I would never have
tried to save River's life if I had known
there was a dinner party at risk.
GABRIEL
Don't you dare be flippant with me. I just
spent two thousand credits to get you out
of here, and I had to walk through that
door which goes on my permanent profile.
(beat)
Are you trying to destroy this family?
SIMON
I didn't realize it would be so easy.
(beat)
Dad, I-I didn't do anything.
GABRIEL
You were in a blackout zone!
SIMON
Talking! To someone who might be able
to help River. And I'm going right
back there.
GABRIEL
[Whispering in Chinese.] This is a slippery
slope, young man. You have no idea how
far down you can go, and you're not taking
us with you.
SIMON
Meaning what?
GABRIEL
I won't come for you again. You end up
here, or get mixed-up in something worse,
you're on your own. I will not come
for you.
(beat)
Now, are you coming home?
EXT. HILL FOLK VILLAGE - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
Doralee is ringing a bell that's drawing all the hill folk out of their homes to gather in the town square.
This is lunacy. You're supposed to be
the teacher here. What exactly is it
that you teach?
PATRON
What's going on, woman? Why are you
knocking us from our beds at this hour?
DORALEE
The new doctor's sister's a witch.
She read Ruby's mind. Saw things
she couldn't --
SIMON
No, River is not a witch!
(beat)
She's just a troubled girl.
PATRON
I'm sure that's true.
(to River)
You're not a witch, are you, [nyen
ching duh? - "youngster?"] I'm the
Patron here. Do you know what that
means?
RIVER
Yes. You're in charge. Ever since the
old Patron died.
PATRON
That's right.
RIVER
He was sick. But he was getting better.
You were alone in the room with him.
The Patron lunges forward and hits River.
This girl reads minds and spins falsehoods.
She's a witch, and we must purge the devil
from her. With fire!
River screams. The crowd lunges forward to grab her.
EXT. ALLIANCE CRUISER MAGELLAN - DOCKING BAY - CONTINUOUS
The Serenity detaches from the Magellan and speeds away.
INT. SERENITY - INFIRMARY - CONTINUOUS
Book is lying on an examination table, all patched up.
You're gonna be fine, Shepherd. Alliance
patched you up.
BOOK
Alliance?
MAL
Yeah. They let us come, and they let us go.
What kind of ident card gets us that kind
of reception and send off?
BOOK
I am a Shepherd. Folks like a man of God.
MAL
No, they don't. Men of God make everyone
feel guilty and judged. That's not what
I saw. You like to tell me what really
happened?
BOOK
I surely would. And maybe someday I will.
(beat)
It's good to be home.
INT. SERENITY - COMMON AREA - CONTINUOUS
Jayne is polishing the coins they took off the Grange brothers. Zoe enters.
Badger just hailed us. Gettin' impatient
for his share. Wants us to drop it to his
men on the Kowlan Fed Base.
JAYNE
That'd be a hell of a lot easier to do without
the two most wanted on board. Life would look
to be simpler us not carrying fugies.
ZOE
(to Mal)
He is right, you know.
MAL
Yeah. Simpler.
EXT. HILL FOLK VILLAGE - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
The hill folk have built themselves a post and pyre right quick. The Patron is hauling River toward it, intent on burning her witch-ass. They tie her to the pole, hands behind her back.
Take me instead. Take my life for hers.
PATRON
The witch must die. God commands it.
The Patron nods at some hill folk with torches. They move to light the pyre.
No! Get away from her!
Simon runs forward, pulls the hill folk away from River. Simon punches both hill folk out.
She has done nothing to you! If she dies
tonight, it won't be God's will that
killed her, it'll be you! Your lunacy!
Your ignorance!
Seeing he's made no impact on the unchanging sea of faces, Simon moves back and steps on the platform holding River.
That's not going to stop us, doctor.
RIVER
(to Simon)
Post-holer. Digging holes for posts.
Tender moment with Simon gazing up at River's smiling face. He rises one last step and wraps his arms around River.
Light it.
RIVER.
Time to go.
Hold on them for a moment. Then we hear a RUSHING sound of engines overhead.
SERENITY appears over the clearing where the trial is taking place. The CARGO BAY DOORS open to reveal JAYNE in a harness. JAYNE cocks VERA and draws a bead on the hill folk.
MAL and ZOE enter from the back of the crowd, guns drawn. They speak loudly to be heard over the engine noise.
Well, look at this! Appears we got here
just in the nick of time. What does
that make us?
ZOE
Big damn heroes, sir.
MAL
Ain't we just. Sorry to interrupt, folks.
Y'all got something that belongs to us
and we'd like it back.
PATRON
This is a holy cleansing. You cannot
think to thwart God's will.
MAL
Y'all see the man hanging out of the spaceship
with the really big gun? Now I'm not saying
you weren't easy to find. It was kinda out
of our way, and he didn't want to come in
the first place. Man's lookin' to kill
some folk. So really it's his will y'all
should worry about thwarting.
(to Simon)
Gotta say, doctor, your talent for alienatin'
folk is near miraculous.
SIMON
Yes, I'm very proud.
MAL
Cut her down.
PATRON
That girl is a witch.
MAL
Yeah, but she's our witch.
(cocks gun)
So cut her the hell down.
BLACK OUT.
INT. SERENITY - SIMON'S ROOM
Close shot of Simon's bed. Someone's dumping a bagful of loot onto it. It's Jayne, hastily returning his ill-gotten gains. Jayne darts out of Simon's room into,
INT. SERENITY - CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS
Jayne's beating his retreat when he sees Simon walking past.
(looking guilty)
Hey, there, doctor. Glad you're back
now on the ship.
SIMON
Thanks.
Simon keeps walking. Jayne bolts up the stairs.
INT. SERENITY - COMMON AREA - CONTINUOUS
Mal is standing outside the infirmary. Simon enters.
I've moved him to his room.
MAL
How's he faring?
SIMON
He's gonna be fine. Yeah. They took
good care of him.
MAL
Good to know.
SIMON
So finally a decent wound on this ship,
and I miss out. I'm sorry.
MAL
Well, you were busy trying to get yourself
lit on fire. It happens.
SIMON
Captain... why did you come back for us?
MAL
You're on my crew.
SIMON
Yeah, but you don't even like me.
(beat)
Why'd you come back?
MAL
You're on my crew. Why we still talking
about this?
(walks off, over his shoulder)
Chow's in ten. No need to dress.
EXT. SPACE - SERENITY - CONTINUOUS
Serenity traveling through space.
INT. SERENITY - KITCHEN AREA - CONTINUOUS
Simon leads River through the doorway into the kitchen area, where the rest of the crew is already sitting.
So then Shepherd says to a Companion, "Well,
a good goat would do that."
The crew laughs.
River seats herself at the table. Simon pulls out Kaylee's chair as she's about to sit down. She smiles at him, hands Mal the basket of rolls.
Oh, good. Thank you.
The rolls get passed around the table. River steals the roll from Jayne's plate.
Hey! Wait, wait, wait...
River smiles, everyone laughs, Jayne grabs another rolls from the basket.
BLACK OUT.
