FIREFLY The New World by Casey Callaghan

ACT ONE FADE IN: INT. REFINERY NIGHT MAL REYNOLDS and CARTER, the night foreman, walk across the refinery floor. Every belt is moving at full speed, and the entire building is literally a well-oiled machine. Mal and Carter have to yell to be heard over the clamor of industry. CARTER We really appreciate you payin us a visit, Captain Reynolds. MAL Call me Mal. CARTER Thing is, Mal, supplies are kinda hard to come by around here. MAL I bet. These boys youre workin for have got one helluva magnetic field goin. Im guessin they have to shut the whole planet down for a take-off, which relegates supply runs to emergencies only. CARTER Cept by the time they get back, there arent any more emergencies, if you follow my meaning. MAL Unfortunately, I do. CARTER Most pilots can land here fine enough, but leavins a whole nother story. Anyone talented (MORE)

CARTER (CONTD) enough to fly off this rock aint stupid enough to come here. MAL Well, there are a few pilots in this universe talented and stupid enough to get you folks what you need. CARTER And youre one of em. MAL Oh heck no. I just got one who cant make rent unless he does what I tell him. INT. REFINERY BREAK AREA - CONTINUOUS Two KIDS, dressed in coveralls and safety gear and with faces covered in soot, sit on a bench eating sack lunches. JAYNE picks up a loose chunk of mineral. JAYNE They got you workin twelve hours a day? KID #1 Only ten on Sundays. JAYNE Jeez... so this stuff must be pretty valuable, right? KID #2 Eventually. JAYNE Whadda you mean, eventually? KID #1 Well, you gotta wash it, melt it, purify it, cool it, cut it, wash it again--

JAYNE Yeah yeah, how longs that take? KID #2 Bout three years. Jayne looks at the mineral, then sizes up all the machinery. JAYNE Ah hell. He tosses the mineral to the floor and walks away. INT. REFINERY MEDICAL BAY CONTINUOUS Patients occupy beds. A young GIRL is being attended to by a doctor with ZOE and WASH looking on. Mal, Jayne and Carter enter. MAL Well try and get out here as often as we can, but youre about a thousand A.U.s from nowhere so youll need to make this run last awhile. CARTER Thats our goal. The doctor stands up--it is SIMON TAM. SIMON Thank you so much, Captain Reynolds. I cant tell you what it means for you to come all the way out here. MAL Hey, were just the delivery van. Youre the doctor. SIMON Not yet, still a med student. And I couldnt do what I do without folks like you.

Simon and Mal shake hands. GIRL Am I gonna be all better? WASH You betcha, sweetie. ZOE Now you heard the captain. You need to be careful out there. So the next time those boys start roughhousing, you just stay out of the way and enjoy how superior you are. The girl smiles, and Zoe and Wash share a moment. Mal is uncomfortable--he hates moments. MAL Well I know this may not be the right time or place, but unfortunately a ship cant fly on good feelings. CARTER Oh, uh, yeah. Carter hands Mal a white envelope containing payment. MAL Much obliged. Give us a call if youre ever in trouble again. Mal and Carter shake hands, and Serenitys crew head back to their ship. The girl waves to Zoe and Wash. GIRL Bye. Zoe and Wash smile at her, and Zoe waves back.

INT. SERENITY - HOLD - NIGHT Mal and Wash enter Serenity and head for the kitchen, while Jayne starts packing up the makeshift workout equipment he has set up in the hold. Zoe grabs the intercom. INT. SERENITY - ENGINE ROOM - CONTINUOUS KAYLEE is working like mad on the engine to get it ready for the complicated takeoff. ZOE (OS) (over intercom) Eight days stuck flying through space and all you wanna do when we land is hang out indoors. Kaylee smiles and picks up her intercom. KAYLEE (into intercom) You know I aint good around sick people! INT. SERENITY - CARGO HOLD - CONTINUOUS KAYLEE (OS)(CONT) Besides, someones gotta prepare this ship for what were about to do to her. ZOE (teasing, into intercom) I dunno...there was a really cute doctor... INT. SERENITY - ENGINE ROOM - CONTINUOUS KAYLEE Yech, like I would ever date a doctor.

JAYNE (OS) (over intercom) Hey! INT. SERENITY - CARGO HOLD - CONTINUOUS Jayne is holding the intercom. JAYNE (CONTD) If you twore done chattin about boys, lets get this thing in the air so we can divide our loot. He hangs the intercom back on the wall. INT. SERENITY - ENGINE ROOM - CONTINUOUS ZOE (OS) (over intercom) You heard the idiot. Were ready when you are. INT. SERENITY - KITCHEN - SPACE The crew has gathered to divide up the earnings. Jayne leans against a wall; the rest are seated. With a smirk on his lips and a glint in his eye, Mal holds up the envelope. MAL Lets see how we did. The crew lets out some good-natured cheers, and Wash does a quick drum roll on the table. Mal pulls out the cash, then counts it. He slows as he realizes its a bit less than he was hoping, but he keeps a game smile on his face as he sets the stack on the table. A beat. KAYLEE Well?

MAL A hundred apiece. Jayne stands up straight. JAYNE A hundred apiece? Thats only six hundred! ZOE There are five of us, Jayne. JAYNE Alright, so its seven hundred! Thats still a bucket of pig guts compared to what it cost us to get here! Hell, that doohickey Kaylee had to set up just to get us off that damn rock nearly cost us that much, not to mention fuel costs and all them ruttin Alliance fees. And they expect us to split that five ways? MAL No, they expect us to split it four ways. Mal pushes the stack to the center of the table, then goes to the cupboard to fix himself a cuppa. Zoe, Wash and Kaylee look at the money for a second, then get up when they comprehend what Mal means. KAYLEE Cap, you cant do that. MAL (mock confusion) I cant? Oh. I thought I got to make the rules around here. WASH Mal, were not just gonna let you give up your cut--

MAL Look, shes my ship, and its my responsibility to keep her running. If she doesnt have a happy and healthy crew, she cant run. I consider it a maintenance fee, hazard of the trade. KAYLEE Cept you wouldnt have a ship if I hadnt fixed her booster during that takeoff from Highgate, or Wash hadnt flown her clean through the belt, or Zoe hadnt shot that numbskull who tried to steal her on Zeus. That makes her our ship. MAL Huh. Funny how my names still the only one on the deed. ZOE Theres no deed and you damn well know it, sir. MAL I throw you each twenty-five credits and you threaten to mutiny? What would you do if Id given you a thousand, rip my lungs out and turn em into whoopee cushions? KAYLEE We aint passengers, were your crew. Serenitys our home. If she falls apart cause youre too stubborn to do what she needs to keep runnin, then we dont have a home. This aint mutiny, its survival. Kaylee folds her arms; Zoe and Wash follow suit. All three and Mal look at Jayne.

Jayne is painstakingly dividing the cash into four piles: one in front of him, and three more in the center of the table. Aware of the silence, he looks up at the group. JAYNE What? Zoe arches an eyebrow at him. Jayne looks at the stack on the table, then back at Zoe. JAYNE (CONTD) Are you kiddin me? I do all that work and you expect me to just give up my share? ZOE Since when does moving a few boxes count as all that work around here? JAYNE It aint my fault you didnt need my services. Im a part of this crew and Im entitled to my cut. WASH Well if you dont do whats best for the group, were entitled to kick your ass. Jayne gives a Wash a look--Really? Youre gonna kick my ass? Wash quails. WASH (CONTD) (to ZOE) Right, Zoe? Zoe rolls her eyes, then affixes Jayne with a stern look. JAYNE Ah, the hell with it. Jayne chucks his cash atop the rest of the pile.

JAYNE (CONTD) But if we keep runnin these charity drives she aint gonna fly if I give up my share or not. MAL Oh, as long I have breath in my body, this ship is gonna fly. The kitchen goes dark and the ventilation system shuts off. Nothing happens for several seconds, and then the ship bucks, throwing everyone off their feet. END OF ACT ONE

ACT TWO FADE IN: INT. SERENITY - KITCHEN - SPACE The room is dark long enough for us to see shadows of the crew thrown about the kitchen, and then the lights and ventilation turn back on. The crew recovers from the turbulence. Mal works his arm, trying to force the pain from his shoulder. MAL (CONTD) Wash, get up to the cockpit and see whats going on. WASH On it. Kaylee-Kaylee has already started dashing to the engine room. WASH (CONTD) ...Yeah. You know what to do. Wash runs to the cockpit. ZOE Jaynes right about the money, you know. JAYNE Course Im right. MAL No hes not. One hundred times five is five hundred. ZOE Thats not what I meant.

MAL Well what do you want me to do about it? Not many people are willing to do business with such an outspoken detractor of the Alliance, and those that are tend to agree with me, meaning they aint got much money. JAYNE They do if you know where to look. MAL Like the dark, seedy underbelly that is this universes criminal underground? JAYNE Gosh, when you say it like that it sounds like you dont like em. MAL Mmm, cant say as I do. JAYNE Well I guess that means you dont like me much either. Which aint very nice, cause I like you, Mal. But youre runnin outta money and Im runnin outta patience. MAL I aint gonna break the law just because your wallets feeling a little light. JAYNE Gorram it Mal, I aint askin you to kill someone! Im sayin maybe nick a few credits from some rich brat gettin too big for his britches.

MAL Didnt we just have a conversation about me gettin to make the rules on account of this bein my ship? Or were you too busy dividing up the money I earned you to notice? JAYNE You earned me? I didnt see you haulin any boxes! MAL Not seein stuff tends to happen when your heads up your ass. Pissed off, Jayne charges towards Mal. JAYNE You son of a-Mal adopts his fighting stance, but Zoe whistles before the bout can begin. ZOE Alright kids, lets save it for after school. JAYNE I aint gonna let him-The ship lists and the lights flicker. WASH (OS) (over intercom) Zoe, can you come up here and give me a hand? Zoe grabs the intercom. ZOE (into intercom) How bout Jayne?

INT. SERENITY - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS WASH (into intercom) Really? Because I thought it might be nice if you came up here and-MAL (OS) (over intercom) Jaynes gonna help you, Wash. Wash is flustered -- Mal wasnt supposed to hear that. INT. SERENITY - KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS Mal has the intercom in hand. WASH (OS) (over intercom) Uh, yeah, sure. Anyone with handsll do. Mal hangs up the intercom. INT. SERENITY - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS Wash is sitting at the controls, naked and at a bit of a loss what to do. WASH (CONTD) Well... guess Id better put some clothes on. INT. SERENITY - KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS Mal hangs up the intercom. MAL Go help Wash please, Jayne. JAYNE I aint done with you.

MAL Thats an order. Jayne clenches his jaw. JAYNE You got one day planetside to get us a decent job or thats the last order you get to give me. Jayne stalks away to help Wash. The ship rocks and Jayne nearly bangs his head on the wall. JAYNE (CONTD) Ruttin pilot cant even fly a ship straight! He leaves. ZOE I didnt know you were such a goody two-shoes, sir. MAL What do you want from me? Im not gonna put my crew in danger just because some pinhead threatens me. Besides, I dont wanna go to jail. Im too pretty for jail. ZOE He may be a pinhead, but even folks with regular heads like to have a steady cash flow. MAL Ah, come on. It takes more than a few rough weeks to turn us to a life of crime, right? ZOE A few? MAL Sure... twelve is a few.

ZOE Maybe a life of crime wouldnt be so bad. Crime isnt necessarily wrong, it just means doing what the Alliance doesnt want you to do. Youve been doing that for years. MAL It aint the crime Im worried about. Its the life. You walk down that road, you dont get off it without someone gettin a pound of flesh, one side or the other. Even if we get fat and happy, theres always gonna be someone tryin to take it from us. ZOE I suppose thats true, sir. But there is one thing youre forgetting. MAL Hows that? ZOE shrugs. ZOE Might be fun. She gives Mal a warm, genuine, and slightly mischievous smile. Despite his objections, Mal cant help but smile back. MAL Zoe, that is a very persuasive argument. ZOE Thank you, sir.

MAL Well, crime or no crime, we need to get some funds on this ship. I wont shed a tear if Jayne ever leaves us but Id prefer he wants us in one piece when does. ZOE Agreed. So other than becoming neer-do-well renegades, what are our options? MAL How about those school supplies bound for Osiris? ZOE We can ask, but Gerretts crew seemed pretty eager to take it. Theres the ore shipment headed to Aberdeen. MAL Talked to Kaylee, loads just too big for us to handle. Didnt Wash have a defense contractor who wanted us to transport a prototype? ZOE He did. Turns out the contractor forgot to carry a two and blew up a whole city block. MAL Wa kao [English: Holy crap], thats terrible... couldve been a nice paycheck. Zoe gives him a look. MAL (CONTD) And the injuries too, just awful. ZOE Any other leads?

MAL None that I can think of. We could go with the old stick-ournose-into-everyones-businessuntil-they-pay-us-to-go-away plan. ZOE We could. Or we could go with plan B. MAL No, no -- Ive told you a million times, I hate plan B. Theres a reason its called plan B. Its because it comes after plan A, and plan double-A, and plan Aand-a-half. We are not doing plan B. INT. DOCKING BAY - DAY Close-up on Mals face. His expression is stern. MAL Troops... we are about to initiate Plan B. Wash and Kaylee sit one side of a table with an unoccupied chair between them. All three places have a pad of paper in front of them, and Wash leans back with his hands behind his head while Kaylee is more eager, leaning forward with her hands folded atop the table. Mal stands facing them from the other side of the table with his hands clasped behind his back like a drillsergeant-cum-schoolteacher. He paces the length of the table. MAL (CONTD) You know what needs to be done. You know what to look for, and you know what questions to ask. (MORE)

MAL (CONTD) And you also know that I dont really like Plan B, but desperate times and all that, so were gonna take this seriously so we can get through it quickly and with as much information as possible. Am I comin through loud and clear? Kaylee and Wash are amused at Mals seriousness, but they decide to indulge him. Wash makes a show of sitting up straight. WASH Aye aye, capn! Kaylee simply beams her winning, innocent smile. Mal smirks and gives a small nod. MAL Okay. He walks to the other side of the table and sits in the empty chair. MAL (CONTD) (calling) Zoe? A door opens on the other side of the bay and Zoe walks in with the confident stride of a lifetime soldier. ZOE Yes, captain? Mal is all business. MAL Were ready. Zoe nods and exits.

A man enters from the door Zoe exited. He behaves like a man about to receive a prison sentence, never speaking and standing stock-still. He looks at the trio from across the room, and his face is never revealed. Mal consults his pad of paper. MAL So...Kyle Beacon. Tell us--why should we let you be our tenant? CUT TO: A WOMAN (WOMAN #1) is surrounded by birds: some perched on her shoulders, some in her pockets, some flying about her head. WOMAN #1 I have eighteen of them, but I promise that theyre all trained. MAL Next! CUT TO: A different WOMAN (WOMAN #2) and a MAN (MAN #1) are squabbling loudly and with wild hand gestures. Mal sits with his head resting in his hand, bored and annoyed. CUT TO: A scruffy-looking MAN (MAN #2) stands on the audition spot, occasionally glancing shiftily at the hangar door. MAN #2 Ah... how important is it to have the rent on time? MAL Next! CUT TO: Woman #2 and Man #1 are still fighting.

Mals head is still resting in his hand. He checks his watch. CUT TO: An opera singer, in full regalia, is belting an aria-poorly. Mal, Wash and Kaylee are making pained faces and covering their ears. MAL (yelling) Next! CUT TO: Woman #2 and Man #1 are still going at it. Mals head is still resting in his hand. Finally, he cant take it anymore and takes his head off his hand. MAL Next! Woman #2 and Man #1 stop yelling, look at Mal in shock, then exit. They argue over whose fault it was they werent chosen as they go. Zoe enters with a filled-out application. ZOE Next is Phoebe Silverstream. She hands the application to Mal, who inspects it. Zoe exits. After she steps out the door, PHOEBE, a beautiful 19-year-old young woman dressed in companions robes, enters. She wears a welcoming smile. Mal looks at the application. MAL A companion? Sorry sweetie, but Im afraid youll have to look elsewhere for lodging.

Phoebes smile disappears. PHOEBE Sir, I-MAL Its nothing personal, sweetie. Im just a very spiritual man and Im afraid my faith forces me to take issue with your line of work. Phoebe casts her eyes to the ground. PHOEBE I understand. Faith is a very meaningful thing and I would not want you to compromise yours. I wish you the best of luck in your search. MAL Well, thank you very much. Next! Phoebe exits. WASH A spiritual man, eh? I mustve had my eyes closed when you saw the light. MAL (shrugs) Thought it seemed nicer than I dont like what you do. KAYLEE Jeez Cap, you couldve at least listened to what she had to say. MAL I thought her profession said plenty on its own.

KAYLEE Whats wrong with being a companion? Helping others find love that have trouble talking to a pretty girl. MAL She doesnt help others find love, she helps others find sex. She also reminds rich folk that they can solve any problem if they throw enough credits at it. WASH Cant they? MAL They could. They could also work at it, and I know which one makes a better person. KAYLEE Typical man. If you cant have sex, you dont want anyone else having sex. MAL No, if I didnt want anyone else having sex, Id make Wash and Zoe sleep in separate bunks. Washs face falls. WASH Wait, you know about that? MAL Course I know about that. You two wont stop making googly eyes at each other. KAYLEE That dont count, theyre crew! You want em happy. Its strangers you like unhappy.

Zoe enters, apparently on a brief reprieve from her screening duties. ZOE What doesnt count? MAL (to Kaylee) Thats just not true! Sometimes I want my crew unhappy too. WASH (to Zoe) He knows about us! ZOE Told you he would. KAYLEE (to Mal) Well then you found the wrong crew. WASH (to Zoe) I thought you said we were being subtle. ZOE I just said that so you wouldnt worry. MAL (to Kaylee) Im gonna catch you goin a whole day without whistlin-(to Wash) --and you two are about as subtle as migraine. All four start yelling over one another, pointing fingers, and generally engaging in a good ol family squabble. BADGER, with his trademark bowler and beard, enters unnoticed. He watches the row for a few moments, then cant take it anymore.

BADGER Oi! Roughnecks! The argument pauses so Mal can address this bold stranger. MAL In a minute, pal. Crew business. Well get to your interview in a second. BADGER Im not renting, Mr. Reynolds. Im hiring. This gets everyones attention. Jayne enters. He stays at the back of the room with a stern expression. He and Mal lock eyes. END OF ACT TWO

ACT THREE FADE IN: INT. BADGERS LAIR - DAY Badger strides into his lair, the crew follows a few paces behind and two six-foot-six thugs bring up the rear. Badger turns to face the crew. Standing just behind him are two more thugs of equally impressive stature. All four thugs look like they tear phonebooks for fun. BADGER So. Malcolm Reynolds. I hear youre lookin for work. MAL Depends on the work. Badger smirks. BADGER I also hear you dont think much of what I do. MAL There might be some truth to that. BADGER Awww, thats a shame. See, Ive noticed that folks who say that usually cant handle my line of work. And Im not in the habit of paying for incompetence. MAL Im not in the habit of delivering it. A shit-eating grin from Badger. BADGER Finally we see eye-to-eye.

MAL What do you want? BADGER I think the real question, Mal... is what do you want? MAL Well, Ill take a few thousand credits if youve got em lyin around. BADGER Thatd be nice, wouldnt it? Cept, even if I did, I dont think youd take it. MAL And whys that? BADGER Youre too proud to go around takin handouts. Going to bed at night knowin you needed someone else to bail you out? Drive you mad. Specially if it was a lowlife like me. MAL And what makes you think Im not too proud to work for you? BADGER Even a proud mans gotta eat. The way Jayne tells it, youre having a little trouble keeping the lights on in that ship of yours. Toein the line dont pay what it used to, do it? You gotta bring home the bread somehow, and Im the only baker in town. MAL I hear the Alliance makes a nice loaf.

BADGER Please Malcolm. Youd have to be hard-up indeed to work for them. MAL Any port in a storm. If Im desperate enough to come here, Im desperate enough to go there. BADGER Not wearing that brown coat, youre not. Burn marks, bullet holes... That thing shoulda been thrown out years ago. But youre proud you fought the Alliance. Hell, youre still fightin em. You aint gonna become their errand boy. You might fake it a month or two, but I doubt youd last that long. Your roots run too deep. MAL And hows workin for you any better? BADGER Despite the aspersions you cast on my character, I actually respect you, Malcolm. Its a big universe out there, and any man who pulls himself up by his own bootstrapss got the right kinda guts to live in my world. And thats what Im offering you. A chance to make it in the universe on your own terms. Cos thats what its about, innit? The Alliance could take over every star system it came across and you wouldnt bat an eye, but the minute they tried to make you shine your shoes and get in line -- thats when you got involved. You work for me and as long as the merchandise gets here and the (MORE)

BADGER (CONTD) law doesnt, you operate however you see fit. And that, I do believe, is all youre looking for in a job. MAL Sounds like you got me pretty well pegged. BADGER Thats my job, Malcolm. Im not a crook. Im a people person. MAL Oh, I see. And having an armed escort pat us down is your version of a hearty handshake? Badger eyes Kaylee lasciviously. BADGER They can strip-search you next time if youd rather. ZOE I think were good there. BADGER Suit yourself. Alright, heres what I need from you-MAL Whoa--we aint in business yet. BADGER So I brought you down here because I had a day off I was lookin to waste? MAL I aint the only one on my crew. Give us a day to ponder your offer. Lives are at stake here.

BADGER Funny, I was just thinking the same thing. Mals line has been crossed. MAL Lets go. The crew starts to leave. Badger whistles and the two thugs at the back of the room pull out pistols. The crew pulls up short and turns back to Badger. BADGER I dont think you fully comprehend the nature of our relationship, Mr. Reynolds. Youre not the one giving orders here. MAL Im not looking for any trouble. I just need a day to talk to my crew. If were gonna work for you I need to make sure no ones gonna get cold feet at the last second and cause problems, and Im guessing you dont want that either. Were not gonna tell the feds about your little hideout, thatll just bring a heap of trouble to my door. I know trust is a precious commodity in your world, but I need to know I can trust you to let me run my operation, and if I were you Id sure as hell want to know I can trust the man Im hiring not to sell me out. Silence. A stand-off. BADGER One word and I can have you shot.

MAL Then say it. Badger grins. BADGER Ill be at your dock at 2 tomorrow. And a word of advice? He saunters up to Mal and pats him on the cheek. BADGER (CONTD) Smile once in a while. INT. SERENITY KITCHEN - NEXT MORNING The entire crew is gathered around the kitchen table. Mal is standing, having just delivered Badgers pitch to everyone else, who are seated and listening intently. MAL He may not be the most reputable character, but his money is as green as anyones. Its not ideal, but I think its what we need to do to keep flying. But thats one mans opinion, and Id like to hear some others. Lets start with the easy one -- Jayne, in or out? JAYNE Uh, well, considering I found the job and brought it to Mals attention, uh, Im in. MAL Wonderful. And Im delighted with how seriously you took that question. JAYNE grins, pleased to have contributed to the discussion and to be back on Mals good side. JAYNE No problem.

Mal looks at Wash. Wash shrugs. WASH Im in. Ladies love a bad boy, right? ZOE What ladies? WASH Well, I mean... if, if you ever wanted to, yknow, get rid of me, it would, uh, it might help me. Like, in the future. ZOE Are you plannin on doing something that would me make me get rid of you? WASH Well, uh, I wouldnt say planning, just, uh... preparing. If you ever feel you needed to move on. Not that I want you to, Im just saying... in this craaaazy universe of ours! Wash smiles weakly. Zoe stares at him for a few beats, then looks at Mal. ZOE Were in. Kaylee is surprised, almost dismayed at this turn of events. KAYLEE Am I the only one who thinks this is a bad idea? She looks to the others, but they dont say a word--they want to see where shes going with this.

KAYLEE (CONTD) We have no idea who this guy is or what he wants from us! How do we know hes not working for the Feds or gonna make us rob a convent, or if hes even gonna pay us? Can we really trust someone named Badger? MAL No ones saying its not risky, but we have to take that chance. No hard feelings if you cant be a part of it-KAYLEE Are you crazy? I aint goin anywhere. I just want it on record that I was the voice of reason. MAL smirks. MAL Duly noted. He sizes up his crew. Theyre all in, so theres only one thing he can say: MAL (CONTD) Well, here goes nothin. EXT. DOCKING BAY - THAT AFTERNOON Serenitys hull opens and Mal and Zoe stride down the ramp. Badger is waiting for them, with two thugs behind him. BADGER Youre making the right decision. MAL We havent told you our decision. BADGER Sure you have. Youre still here.

Mals getting rather tired of Badgers ability to read him. MAL Were in. Badger gives Mal a look: told you so. He gestures with his head and one of his toughs walks to Mal, hands him an envelope and walks back. BADGER Theres the job. Find me when its done and not before. Another gesture to his boys. They file out of the docking bay, but Badger stops to give Mal a condescending twofigure salute before he leaves. The crew watches them go. After Badger has made his exit, Mal gives him a salute of his own, of the one-fingered variety. Wash jokingly covers Kaylees eyes but she pushes his hand away and the whole crew shares a chuckle. Mal studies the envelope, feels its physical and emotional weight. He turns to the rest and holds it up. MAL Welcome to the new world. END OF ACT THREE

ACT FOUR FADE IN: INT. SERENITY KITCHEN - LATER Kaylee, Wash and Jayne sit at the table as Mal and Zoe debrief them. Mal pulls a photograph out of the envelope. MAL Heres our target. He tosses the photograph on the table. It is a headshot of ALAN GODFREY, a handsome, 40-something man wearing a suit and tie. He has neatly-kept short black hair and an average face--not too doughy, not too severe. MAL (CONTD) Alan Godfrey. Hes a well-to-do system senator on the rise, and apparently he owes Badger a bit of money. WASH Oh, perfect. Our first job as a band of miscreants is to rob someone with his own security detail. MAL Which is why were gonna let him bypass that for us. He has an interview with the Persephone Messenger scheduled for next week, but they never ask the hard-hitting questions so Im gonna conduct this one myself. Wash, Ill need you for transport. If all goes right Im gonna need a quick exit. If something goes wrong Ill need a quicker one.

WASH Can do. Ill tune up the Mosquito. MAL If Im going to pose as a distinguished member of the media, Ill need a pass. Kaylee, if I swipe one can you make a copy and get me into their database? KAYLEE Sure. Planting stuffs a lot easier than taking it. Any preference for your new identity? MAL Surprise me. Now all we need is a press pass. Mal pulls another photo out of the envelope and passes it to Zoe and Jayne. ANGLE ON: PHOTO It is a photo of PHIL KANTER, male, mid-30s, slightly matted-down black hair. The photo looks like it was lifted from a government-issued ID. Phil bears no hint of a smile, and the best word to describe his face would be lumpy. MAL (CONTD) Phil Kanter, aspiring novelist and part-time human interest reporter. Seems he likes to carry his credentials at all times in case theres a breaking story. Or just to feel important, but I dont judge. You twoll help us use this to our advantage. JAYNE Stealing a badge aint hard, but howre we gonna find im?

MAL Hes a struggling artist. Theres only one place to look. INT. BLACK HOLE BAR - NIGHT The Black Hole isnt going to win any beauty contests, but it does have one thing: a liquor license. Phil Kanter sits at the end of the bar, bearing a body that matches the face from the photo and wearing a rumpled work outfit, a simple gray suit. He drains his drink, nearly a third of a glass, then signals the bartender. BARTENDER Already? PHIL Rough day. The bartender pulls a spigot and fills Phils glass with delicious alcohol. He slides it to Phil, who drinks a hearty mouthful. Zoe sits next to him, but he doesnt notice until she speaks. ZOE Mind if I sit here? Phil is surprised but manages to hide it -- mostly. PHIL Uh, sure. ZOE Are you expecting someone? PHIL No, Im just surprised you dont want to sit alone. ZOE Should I?

PHIL No offense, but in my experience a woman only makes the first move if she wants something. ZOE Im not making a move. But I do have a favor to ask you. PHIL (scoffs) I dont have any credits on me. He takes a swig of beer. ZOE Relax, I dont need money. PHIL You cant stay with me, either. (to himself) Ive fallen for that one before. ZOE I just want to talk for a bit. PHIL About what? ZOE Anything. Politics, the weather... a girl sitting alone in a bar attracts some unwanted attention. If Im sitting with someone the meatheads tend to leave me alone. PHIL Im not exactly meathead repellent. ZOE Youll be fine. Just tell a bad joke and Ill laugh too hard and well seem like fast friends. Phil is unsure.

Zoe gives a warm smile. PHIL Fine, pull up a stool. ZOE So what do you do for a living? PHIL Im a writer. ZOE Really? PHIL Well, a reporter, actually. He pulls his press badge out of his wallet and hands it to Zoe. ZOE Sound like an interesting profession. Do you like it? PHIL Could be worse, but Id... His cheeks flush and he buries himself in his drink. ZOE What? PHIL Its nothing. ZOE Conversations not gonna work if Im the only one talking. Phil sighs. Hes come this far... PHIL ...Id rather write detective stories. Ones where the hardboiled cop doesnt want the job (MORE)

PHIL (CONTD) but he cant say no to a pretty face, so he goes undercover and gets in with the bad guys, only they discover who he is torture him but he still wont give up his client, and theres a big chase scene and a gunfight-Excited, Phil makes gunshot sounds. PHIL (CONTD) --and in the end the guy solves the case and gets the... girl... Phil gets embarrassed again. PHIL (CONTD) But my work for the paper keeps me pretty busy so I dont have much time to write. Im sure theyd be terrible anyways. Phil goes quiet and takes another sip. PHIL (CONTD) Anyway, what do you do? ZOE I-Before she can finish, Jayne approaches Zoe. He is all swagger. JAYNE Hi. Can I buy you a drink? ZOE Ive got my company for the night, thank you. Jayne sizes Phil up. JAYNE What, this guy? Why dont you find some real company?

PHIL Hey pal, she said back off. Jayne lifts Phil off his stool by his collar. While Phil is occupied, Zoe swaps his badge with a fake. JAYNE Or what? Youll make me? PHIL (terrified) ...Maybe... ZOE (OS) Put him down, creep. Jayne turns to look. The following exchange between him and Zoe happens wordlessly. Zoe: Ease up, tiger. Jayne: Come on, let me have a little fun. Zoe: Put him down and lets go. Jayne: Fine. JAYNE Okay. Ill leave you lovebirds alone. He leaves. ZOE Are you okay? PHIL I told you. ZOE Nah, its my fault. Trouble just knows how to find me. I guess I should head out before the next one shows up. Thanks for sticking up for me though.

Phil smiles weakly. PHIL No problem. Zoe turns to go, but she cant help but notice Phils downtrodden figure as she does. ZOE Do you want to get the girl, Phil? PHIL I-ZOE Then stop feeling sorry for yourself. Youd be cute if you got your head out of your glass. Zoe leaves. Despite his sorry state, Phil smiles at Zoes turn of phrase. He takes another sip when a thought strikes him. PHIL How did you know my-He turns to Zoe but she has disappeared. He replays the evenings events in his mind, and with a panicked look searches for his wallet. He finds it and hopes desperately that one of its contents is still there. Relief washes over him when as he pulls out the object of his search: a photo of an attractive woman smiling sweetly. He turns it over, pauses for a brief moment of reflection, and then, with determination, dials a number into his portable communication device. INT. MOSQUITO - LATER Wash is sitting in the drivers seat of the Mosquito, a cramped but exceedingly maneuverable little vehicle, having an animated conversation with an unknown entity.

WASH I understand that shes the most capable member of our crew, but did we have to send her on the maneater mission? Maybe we cant afford a companion, but Im sure Kaylee could handle it! And I know this is all coming from my deep wellspring of insecurity, but it wouldve been nice if he had at least-Wash startles as he hears footsteps and conversation. WASH (CONTD) Close journal. He taps something on a computer screen as both passengerside doors open. Zoe climbs in front, Jayne in back. JAYNE We got what we came for, I dunno why you bothered bein nice to him. ZOE Captain made it clear--we may walk among the scum of the verse, but were not gonna act like them. JAYNE Yeah, well, first rule of thievin: you get the goods, you run like hell. WASH I take it everything went well? Zoe holds up the badge. ZOE Like we planned it. WASH Alright, lets get this piggy home.

He starts the engine and makes for Serenity. INT. CARGO HOLD - LATER Mal and Kaylee are going over the details of her lastminute hack job, which hopefully does not live up to its figure of speech. MAL And itll have my picture in there? KAYLEE Picture, credentials, date of birth... unless theyre intimately familiar with every staff member of the Messenger, youll be home-free. MAL Good, good... did you have to put my birthday? Wash, Jayne, and Zoe come striding up the loading ramp, with Wash holding the badge triumphantly above his head. MAL (CONTD) Howd it go? WASH Just like you drew it up, Cap. Youre pretty good at this con artist stuff, Im starting to think you planned this all along. MAL We all have our talents. Come help Kaylee make me a reporter. WASH (in a mafia accent) You got it, boss. Wash and Kaylee leave.

JAYNE What about me? MAL You stay out of trouble? JAYNE Of course. Mal looks to Zoe. She nods. MAL (to Jayne) Bring down two cold ones. JAYNE Now youre talkin. He leaves, practically sprinting. MAL (To Zoe) You want one? ZOE Im fine. You alright stealing from someone like that? MAL Theyll give him another one. Besides, you flirted it out of a half-drunk writer. He practically threw it at you. Id say it was like taking candy from a baby but thats not fair to the baby. ZOE We didnt make his life any easier. MAL I have a feeling were going to be saying that about a lot of people from here on out, and we wont just be stealing their press passes. We just need to (MORE)

MAL (CONTD) make sure were doing it to the right people for the right reasons. ZOE Are we? MAL I guess well find out. Jayne returns with the beers. He tosses one to Mal. JAYNE Here ya go, Cap. Mal catches it and twists the top off. He looks at Zoe. MAL Cheers. He takes a good swig. INT. GOVERNMENT BUILDING - HALLWAY - DAY Closed, white elevator doors. They open and Mal steps out, into a hallway the exact same color. There are passageways leading right and left, but Mal walks straight ahead to a door flanked by two large men in suits. As Mal approaches, BRUTE #1 up his hand. Mal stops and lets Brute #1 pat him down. Mal hands his badge to BRUTE #2, who runs it through a scanner. It comes up clean. Brute #1 completes has patdown and nods to Brute #2. BRUTE #2 Go right in, Mr. Lovejoy. Mal was not expecting that name. He is briefly amused, recovers and nods to the brute, then steps forward. The door slides open.

INT. OFFICE - WAITING ROOM - CONTINUOUS The bright hallway gives way to darker room--furniture made of mahogany and leather, and bookshelves filled with tomes bearing earth-tone covers. Helen, a secretary in her early 30s, is typing behind a desk, and never looks up as she addresses Mal. HELEN May I help you? MAL Yes, Im with the Persephone Messenger. Im here to interview Alan Godfrey. HELEN Ah, yes. Your name, please? MAL Lovejoy. Mal looks at the badge. MAL (CONTD) Whistler Lovejoy. Helen types his name into a visitors log, then presses a button on an intercom. HELEN Mr. Godfrey? A Mr. Lovejoy from the Messenger is here to see you. ALAN (OS) (over intercom) Send him in. The secretary gestures to a door on the other side of the room. HELEN Go right in, Mr. Lovejoy. Mal gives a slight bow and strolls to the door.

INT. OFFICE - ALAN GODFREYS CHAMBER - CONTINUOUS Mal opens the door to find ALAN GODFERY, well-dressed and speaking with two politicians, LISA and KENNER, one on each of two comm screens. ALAN --Message service is hemorrhaging money. We need to scrap it and divert the funds elsewhere. KENNER Then we fix it, dont scrap it. ALAN Its an outdated system, be fixed! Look I have to well chat tomorrow. But you out last month Lisa, that. He shuts down both screens. ALAN (CONTD) Welcome Mr. Lovejoy, have a seat. MAL Thank you kindly. ALAN Can I get you something to drink? MAL Im sure youre on a busy schedule--lets get right to the questions. ALAN Man of action -- I like that. Fire away. MAL A lot of folks today think all politicians are liars. Care to refute that claim? it cant go, I bailed remember

ALAN Only the ones who cant follow through on promises. MAL What are you going to do to keep those still fighting for freedom oppressed and in line? ALAN Considering the Alliance has already brought them freedom, lock them up if theyre breaking the law and apply logic and reason if theyre not. Youre asking some provocative questions, Mr. Lovejoy. MAL Im trying to win an award. What are your thoughts on the theory that the Reavers are a direct result of Alliance experiments in chemical warfare? ALAN Started by crackpots and conspiracy theorists. Shouldnt you be writing this down? Mal taps his head. MAL Its all up here. I only have one more question for you anyway--am I gonna get Badgers money the easy way or the hard way? Alans face turns to stone. He looks at Mal for a cool second, then reaches for a button beneath his desk. MAL (CONTD) I wouldnt push that if I were you. ALAN And why not?

MAL Cause that would be the hard way. Badgers gonna get his cash one way or the other. You can give it to me now and Ill walk out this door never to return. I might even set up another interview for you. Or you can get me tossed out ass over engine and Ill walk back to Badger emptyhanded, also never to return. But then you might count yourself lucky if the only thing crippled is your career. Alan sits with his hands on his stomach, his expression unreadable. ALAN Did Badger tell you why I owe him money, Mr. Lovejoy? MAL I imagine to cover a debt of a questionable nature. ALAN We worked together, up until he got me shot. He took exception when I used some of our profits to pay for my recovery, so I figured it was time for us to part ways. Im surprised it took him this long to retrieve it, though I suppose he didnt have much leverage before now. MAL Maybe he just didnt get his tax return. Alan chuckles.

ALAN We were gonna save the verse. Rob from the rich, give to the poor, look dashing while doing so. But he did always prefer a good heist to a good deed, so its probably best we went our separate ways. He can drown in wine, women and wealth as an influential crime lord and I can do some good without people trying to kill me. MAL Huh. I didnt think your side knew how to do good. ALAN You were an Indy. MAL Still am. ALAN Im sure you fought valiantly, but I believe the wars over. MAL Only for those who got what they were fighting for. They share a moment of silent understanding. ALAN I hope you understand why Im hesitant to give up this money. It will serve the people a lot better in my hands. MAL Every time a politician says that, an angel gets its wings. Anyway, thats between the two of you. Im just here to do my job.

ALAN I dont suppose you looked into my voting record before you came here. MAL Im afraid not. When I get a chance to pull one over on the Alliance I usually dont ask questions. ALAN I have to disagree with that sentiment, though I do admire your conviction. Just dont lose sight of the reason you formed it in the first place. Left unchecked, conviction has a tendency to cloud ones judgment. MAL Well isnt that nice. I thought Id be going back to Badger empty-handed, but now I get to bring him some pearls of wisdom. Mal is impressed by his catty cleverness; Alan not as much. ALAN May I push the button now? MAL Your call. Alan pushes the button. ALAN Helen, could you prepare an eight-thousand credit transfer for Mr. Lovejoy to take with him? HELEN Of course. From the reelection account? ALAN No, personal.

HELEN Right away, sir. This is not the outcome Mal was expecting. Alan stands, buttoning and smoothing his jacket as he speaks. Mal takes the cue and stands as well. ALAN Its important to fight for what you believe in, but its foolish to close doors because of it. Theres plenty to be learned from those you disagree with. MAL Ill be sure to pay for my next cup of coffee. Mal walks to the door and Alan follows. INT. OFFICE - WAITING ROOM - CONTINUOUS Mal opens the door, but before he leaves Alans office: ALAN Oh, before you go-Alan grabs something from a table behind the door. ALAN (CONTD) --a little something for Election Day. Alan hands Mal a photograph. MAL Thanks, but I dont vote. Alan is stunned, then angry. ALAN Then stop your damn complaining. Alan slams the door in Mals face.

Mal shrugs--what he said wasnt that offensive, right?--and walks over to Helen to collect his payment. Helen holds the transfer order out to Mal, though she still doesnt look at him. Somehow, she is able to type just as fast with one hand as she is with two. HELEN Enjoy your day, Mr. Lovejoy. Mal offers no response, though Helen seems too wrapped up in her work to desire one. Mal is hit by a realization. There is another world here, a world that is humming along just fine without him. He thought his maverick ways and outspoken disdain of the Alliance would paint him as a thorn in their side, but apparently they dont even know he exists. If Mal is affected by this news, he shows it as he always does: a slight smirk, or nothing. An ELEVATOR CHIME rings. INT. ELEVATOR - MOMENTS LATER Mal stands in the elevator as the doors shut and it descends. Still mulling over his time in Alans office, he studies the photograph. MALS POV The sepia-tone photograph depicts Alan Godfrey as a decorated Independence officer shaking hands with a higherranking Independence officer. Mal thinks for a moment, then calls Wash on his comm. MAL Hey Wash, can I get a rsum on Godfrey? WASH (over comm) Sure boss.

INT. MOSQUITO - CONTINUOUS Wash in the drivers seat of the same vehicle he used to pick up Zoe and Jayne from the bar. The screen in front of him reads My Journal and is colored a bold blue and covered with dinosaurs, but he gets rid of it to look up details on Godfrey. INT. ELEVATOR - CONTINUOUS Mal waits patiently for the results. WASH (CONTD) (over comm) Alright, former lieutenant colonel of the Indy army, earned a brown crown and an honorable discharge after sustaining injuries on the front line. Got a law degree back home and got elected to the senate four years ago, since then his approval rating has been climbing despite campaigning for civil rights and increased sovereignty for the Rim. Thats the highlights, anyway... whaddaya think Mal, did Badger give us a bad target? MAL (into comm) No, I think he gave us just the target he needed... warm up the engine, Ill be there in a few. WASH (OS) (over comm) You got it. Mal looks to the ceiling as his gears turn. He turns a dial on his comm. MAL (into comm) Kaylee?

KAYLEE (over comm, cheery) Whats up, Captain? MAL How robust is your parts stash? KAYLEE Shes pretty spicy. What do you need? MAL A surprise. END OF ACT FOUR

ACT FIVE FADE IN: INT. BADGERS LAIR - AFTERNOON The entire crew enters in V formation: Mal at the head, followed by Jayne and Zoe, followed by Kaylee and Wash. Kaylee carries a metal case the rough size and shape of a suitcase. Behind their formation stand two muscle-bound thugs. Badger sits with his feet on his desk, reading a comic book and sipping a heady brew. Two more thugs stand on either side of the desk. Badger looks up at the crews arrival and puts his book and his feet down. BADGER Well, well, the gangs all here! And with an early birthday present, it seems. MAL Youre gonna have to sign for it, though. Specifically, a check. BADGER Alright, lets not get ahead of ourselves. Lets make sure the cargos safe and sound, eh? MAL Its all there. Im just looking for some assurance youre not gonna escort us outta here without a proper thank you. BADGER Aw, Mal... what happened to all that trust you were talking about last week? Besides, I cant pay you if I dont have the funds to do it, can I? A valid point. Mal considers, then motions with his head for Kaylee to hand over the case.

Kaylee walks to Badger and gives him the case. Badger sets it on his desk and examines Kaylees hand. BADGER (CONTD) Those are some delicate digits, love. Id pay you pretty handsomely to... slip em into a few pockets. KAYLEE Thanks, but the only thing that greasy I slip my hand into is an engine. Kaylee removes her hand from Badgers, then coolly walks back to the crew. Badger is titillated by the cut of her jib, but there are more important matters to attend to. He puts the case on his desk, pops the latches, and opens it. He peers intently at its contents and seems puzzled by what he sees. BADGER (into the case) Whats this then? An elaborate device sprays pepper spray into Badgers eyes. He screams and drops the case, his hands instinctively going to his eyes. His goons instinctively turn to help their boss, but thats all the opportunity the crew needs. Jayne and Zoe rush forward to deal with the heavies flanking Badger. The two mooks guarding the door follow Jayne and Zoe, but Kaylee and Wash each trip one. They grab the guns from the thugs sprawled on the floor and point them at their owners. Badgers personal bodyguards are still piecing together what happened to their boss when they see Zoe and Jayne approaching. They reach for their guns but Jayne executes a series of well-trained martial arts maneuvers to disarm hers and lay him on his back, while Jayne simply punches his in the face. They each retrieve the guns of their incapacitated victims.

While all this is going on, Mal is striding forward calmly, confident in his crews ability to execute this well-laid plan. Badger is on his knees, cursing in pain and furiously trying to claw the stuff off of his face. Mal grabs the beverage on Badgers desk and takes a swig. Not bad. He squats so he and Badger are eye-to-eye, grabs Badgers gun from his pocket, and then throws the beverage in Badgers face. Badger splutters and shakes his head, but he can see again, which conveniently allows him to stare down the barrel of his own weapon. A quick glance around the room allows him to size up his predicament. Slightly terrified, he looks up at Mal. MAL If you want our services, we get paid for a job well done-sometimes a little up front. If we get sloppy you can turn us out, but until then, how bout you tell your boys to stop packing heat when we drop by. Now whats our cut? BADGER Five hundred. MAL Great, well take a thousand. BADGER Piss off. It took you over a week, youre lucky to get five. MAL How bout this--we take five for the job, and five because were pointing a gun at you. Badger says nothing, looking up at Mal like a scolded child giving the stink-eye to his parent.

Mal has no time for childish fits, especially when he clearly has the upper hand. He sighs, stands up, and grabs the case. He kneels again and drops the case in front of Badger. MAL Ill even let you count it out. Reluctantly, Badger peels off a pile of bills, counts out a thousand credits worth, and hands them to Mal. Mal smiles. MAL (CONTD) A pleasure doing business with you. He pats Badger on the shoulder and stands up. He nods to his left. Zoe acknowledges the nod and points her gun away from her target. The rest of the crew follows suit, and all four head for the exit. Mal does as well, walking backwards. MAL (CONTD) If youve got another job, you know where to find us. Im afraid our rates just went up significantly, but I bet we can work something out in your price range. The rest of the crew has left the building and Mal turns to follow. Before he does, however, he turns back to Badger. MAL (CONTD) Oh, and the next time you use us to settle a personal score, make sure its not with someone actually doing good for the universe. He tosses Badgers gun back to him; Badger catches it. Mal bids Badger farewell with a two-fingered salute, and leaves.

INT. ALAN GODFREYS WAITING ROOM - DAY From the side, we see Helen sitting at her desk, typing just as furiously as when we last saw her. To her left, a computer screen is the scene of much activity. The top of the screen reads CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS. Below it are five panels of information that stretch across the entire screen. Each panel has the picture of the contributor on the left, and the rest of the panel shows the contributors name, gender, age, city, planet, and the amount of the contribution. Above this is collection of donors is a panel clarifying the information present in each column. Each time a new contribution is made, which happens every few seconds, the bottom panel disappears, the other panels slide down and a new panel appears at the top. Most of the contributions range from five to twenty credits, and none surpass 100. Helen is forgotten as the screen takes center stage. New names continue to appear, none familiar... until Mals smirking mug pops up. His panel contains the following information: W. LOVEJOY - M, 28 - UNITY, PERSEPHONE - C500 Mals panel remains at the top for no more than 3 seconds, then makes way for a new contributor. INT. SERENITY COCKPIT - CONTINUOUS Mal is in the pilots chair. He taps a monitor and it goes blank. Jayne stands behind him, dismayed but still in better spirits than after their last job. JAYNE We finally bring in a decent wage and you still find a way to lose half. Mal stands. He and Jayne talk on their way to the hold.

MAL It was his in the first place. Besides, whats left is all profit. JAYNE Yessir! Well paid for a hard days work. MAL Again, what hard work did you do? JAYNE Took a guy out at Badgers didnt I? And how bout helpin Zoe at the bar? Not to mention IJAYNE Found the job in the first place. MAL Found the job in the first place.

MAL Yeah, we get it. Why dont you just go find something heavy and move it to point B? Jayne heads for God-knows-where while Mal heads outside. EXT. DOCKING BAY - CONTINUOUS Mal strolls down the cargo ramp. Hes not skipping, but for the first time in a while, he seems pleased with where his life is. He is, in a word, content. Or at least as content as someone like Mal is capable of being. Kaylee and Wash have set up the table once more in preparation for Plan B. Zoe is hanging out and all three are chatting when Kaylee spots Mal. KAYLEE You dont have to do this, Cap. Im fully onboard with our new free-wheeling criminal lifestyle. Handsomely rewarded, no one shot at us; except for that Badger creep, it was the perfect job.

MAL Which is why we need another source of income. Even professional gangsters pretend theyre legitimate business folk. Zoe, lets see our first contestant. ZOE Of course, captain. Zoe hands Mal the first application, then shares a smile with Wash and Zoe. Theyve never seen Mal this... agreeable. Zoe leaves as Mal, Wash, and Kaylee examine the application. Wash spots an issue. WASH Uh, Zoe? Go ahead and bring in the next applicant, I dont think this one will be a good fit. MAL What are you talking about? We can at least see what she has to say. WASH Uh, did you notice her line of work? MAL Not a problem. Serenity is open to those of all genders, creeds, and lifestyles. As long as they can pay us. Zoe? Zoe nods and resumes her task. WASH What about your... spiritual enlightenment? Mal shrugs. MAL I had another one.

Wash and Kaylee share a glance: dont ask me. The first applicant enters. She has long, wavy black hair, and though we never see her face she is obviously a beautiful woman. Mal smiles politely and looks at the application. MAL So...Inara. Mal looks up at the applicant. MAL (CONTD) Why should I let you on my ship? INARA SERRA, 27, sits with her hands in her lap. She smiles demurely. FADE OUT. END OF SHOW