BLUE SUN ROOM FAN FICTION - DRAMA

SOLILOQUYGIRL

Way It Is Is The Way It Is - the missing scene of the pilot episode
Friday, May 26, 2006

Based off the shooting script for the pilot episode, this is the scene that I feel happened off camera. Why did Mal attempt to get information out of the Fed when it seemed easiest to kill the man? M/I


CATEGORY: FICTION    TIMES READ: 1288    RATING: 9    SERIES: FIREFLY

When I was on a long drive home, I was visited with a little scene of Mal and ‘Nara screaming at each other. Figured I’d give it a nice home here. None of this is mine except for the words. The characters and, to an extent, even the themes aren’t.

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“Mal!” Inara screamed his name. He stalked to the room the lawman had been thrown in. She knew he would kill the man. Kaylee had been shot. She was dying, and that young doctor was using the poor girl as leverage for his own cause. Mal couldn’t kill the doctor, but he could kill the Fed. “Mal!” She screamed his name again. The layers of her dress scraped across Serenity’s grated floor. “You can’t do this!” He turned, took two steps in her direction and ended not a hair’s width from her face. “Why can’t I, woman?” Mal’s features were set harshly. His eyes were slits, and his jaw was clenched. “My mechanic –” little girl. Inara knew Mal’s language. “is dyin’ because some little rich piece of go se thinks that I owe him somethin’!” Inara furrowed her brow. Those blue eyes were boring into her. She wanted to grab his face, pull him into her arms, and comfort him, carry part of the weight that he wouldn’t even acknowledge. But he wouldn’t allow that. He never had; he never did. “Killing a member of the Alliance will only get your ship taken away, Mal.” Inara’s voice was harsh. “What then?” She couldn’t break down unless she knew that he would listen. “What will you do after you lose Kaylee and your precious boat?” He constantly was playing hardball with her. It was only fair to return the favor. In his response, Mal threw his gaze to Serenity’s hull. He cracked into a grin and nearing hysterics began to laugh. “Lose my boat? I’ve lost my gorramn boat if there ain’t nobody to keep her runnin’!” He yelled still not even an inch from Inara. She could smell his sweat and count the strands of hair that fell into his face. “I’ve lost my gorramn boat if I’m caught housin’ fugitives! This ain’t no smugglin’ wrap! That doctor stole a gorramn girl! I don’t care if it’s his sister or his daughter! He stole her and placed both of them on my ruttin’ boat!” Inara cringed as Mal shouted. His voice echoed off the metal. It was empty and cold. A moment passed where Mal was silent, and the reverberations of his outburst faded into the atmo. “And-” His features scrunched up as he released another bright laugh, “since we’re runnin’ from the Law, we’ve gotten ourselves into a mite of a predicament concernin’ Reavers. That’ll keep my boat safe an’ in my hands won’t it!” Mal shut his eyes and pulled in a deep breath in an attempt to steady his words. “Because of that go se doctor, I don’t have anything left.” Inara let her shoulders slump as Mal strode to the room with the Alliance’s man. He wouldn’t listen to her. Even if he did it would only be long enough to tell her that she was using her “feminine wiles” against him. “Mal, wait!” Inara hadn’t expected for him to halt or even to slow down, but he spun around on his heels to face her. The hollow void that Inara saw in his wide blue eyes made her shudder. Mal pulled out his pistol and cocked it. She didn’t even know if he were listening which made it easier to say. “You have me.”


Mal stood by Jayne. Both men stared at the bound and gagged Fed. “I'm in a tricky position, I guess you know.” Mal was able to speak easily and calmly to the Fed. He got all of his yelling out when Inara had stopped him. “On one side, I got mindless savages as like to kill me as fart, and on the other, I got the Law. Honestly, not sure which I like less.” Mal leaned in slightly. He hung himself into the Fed’s direct line of vision. “I got to know how close the Alliance is, exactly how much you told them 'fore Wash scrambled your call. So, I've given Jayne here the job of finding out.” “He didn’t specify as to how.” Mal glanced to Jayne who dramatically removed a big-ass knife from its sheath. Whispering, Mal put a hand on Jayne’s shoulder and eyed the knife. “You only gotta scare him.” “Pain is scary.” Jayne grinned to the Fed, and Mal shook his head. Mal left the small room and added over his shoulder, “Do it right.” He and Jayne both had to do it right. There was too much at stake here. Mal had decided that he wasn’t going to kill the lawman. He wasn’t even going to allow Jayne to kill him. There were things that this lawman could destroy. Mal didn’t believe any of those things pertained to him, but he had to look after his crew’s well-being. Mal didn’t have anything left to lose if that doctor didn’t save Kaylee, but Inara seemed to think so. And there was no reason for Inara or his crew to have to suffer. Even if she were lying about the specifics of their relationship, which she clearly was, there wasn’t a reason why she should have to be dealt any sadness or misfortune on his behalf. Never mind that her reputation would be ruined. And she needed those words to put food on her table. Mal needed those words to dock his boat. And there was no reason for Zoe and Wash to be pulled down with him into killing a federal agent. Because of Inara, Zoe, Wash and little Kaylee who was already struggling enough because of him, Mal wouldn’t kill the lawman. At least not right now.

COMMENTS

Friday, May 26, 2006 6:41 PM

LUCASHARPER


Makes all kinds of sense this does.

Good characterisation and great flow.

Luc.

Friday, May 26, 2006 7:59 PM

BLUEEYEDBRIGADIER


Dang....and they left that scene out? Fools...this would have been something neat to get us Browncoats all fired up and wanting more!

BEB

Friday, May 26, 2006 8:00 PM

BLUEEYEDBRIGADIER


Oh yeah...amazing job with the scene, soliloquygirl;)

BEB


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Based off the shooting script for the pilot episode, this is the scene that I feel happened off camera. Why did Mal attempt to get information out of the Fed when it seemed easiest to kill the man? M/I