SHADOWS PUPPETS By Shayz ACT I

FADE IN:

EXT. SERENITY/SHUTTLE - SPACE

Serenity’s “parked” with the cargo bay doors open in a straight line to the shuttle. Zoe, Mal and Jayne in EV suits, work around the shuttle with heavy cables attached inside Serenity’s cargo bay. They loop the cables around the shuttle so it can be towed inside. Zoe looks through cockpit window.

ZOE: Dark. And we got crystals. It’s been drifting for a while.

JAYNE: Waste of time, ain’t nothing gonna be of value inside this bitty thing but ice.

MAL: Wash-

INT. SERENITY – BRIDGE

Wash is at controls, monitoring.

WASH: Beacon pulse is fading. (pushes buttons; twists dials) Life supports gone. If someone’s in there, they ain’t got much time.

EXT. SERENITY/SHUTTLE - SPACE

Zoe, Mal and Jayne are on the far side of the shuttle, out of the way of the cables. They each have jets to propel them back inside (CG). Jayne finishes with his cable as Mal clasps his end. Zoe links the two cables together at the back of the shuttle.

JAYNE: If someone’s in there, I’m chargin’ a labor fee.

MAL: Secure.

JAYNE: Yeah. Me too.

ZOE: All set.

MAL: Kaylee?

INT. SERENITY’S CARGO BAY – CONTINUING

Kaylee’s also wearing a suit; she’s attached to footholds on the floor and a strap keeping her upright in the bay while she holds the cable controls.

KAYLEE: Standing by.

EXT. SERENITY/SHUTTLE – CONTINUING

All three take hands off the shuttle and cables.

ZOE: Clear.

JAYNE: Clear.

MAL: Clear. Kaylee, go.

INT. SERENITY CARGO BAY – CONTINUING

Kaylee pushes the retract button. The cables wind around two wheels, towing the shuttle into the cargo bay, cockpit first. Mal, Zoe and Jayne follow under their own propulsion and give the shuttle a “hand” guiding it through the doors. Once inside, the shuttle hovers above the floor.

Mal, Jayne and Zoe maneuver themselves ABOVE the shuttle and use their combined power to push it to the floor of Serenity.

Kaylee is bending as much as possible to see under the shuttle.

KAYLEE: You’re shiny, Captain.

Zoe, Mal and Jayne land on the bay floor. Zoe shuts the doors and hits the re-grav button.

BOOM! The shuttle drops maybe half a foot and HITS the floor, shaking all of Serenity and knocking everyone off their feet, except Kaylee.

JAYNE: Gorramit! KAYLEE: Sorry!

WASH (on speaker): Is everyone OK?

ZOE: We’re…bruised, but good.

As the four remove their helmets, INARA rushes out of her shuttle wrapped in a blanket, awakened abruptly.

INARA: What happened? Did we hit something?

JAYNE: Now that would’ve been something to get up for.

INARA: What’s going on?

MAL: Sorry to ruin your beauty sleep. (off-handed) Looks like you got plenty of it, though.

SIMON and BOOK open the inner door and come into the bay. River tags along, but no one really sees her.

Inara comes down the stairs to join the group.

Jayne helps Kaylee get unstrapped.

Mal and Zoe unhook the cables from the shuttle and they drop with a CLATTER.

Kaylee, carrying a hi-tech datapad lock-pick, goes to the shuttle door. Mal joins her. Kaylee aims the datapad at the door and enters codes. Nothing happens. She tries again.

MAL: Well?

KAYLEE: It’s not locking on…I don’t know-

SNAP— CLICK—WHOOSH! The shuttle door opens and Mal and Kaylee step back.

KAYLEE (cont.) (smiling): There.

Mal rushes inside…

INT. SHUTTLE – CONTINUING

Smaller than Serenity’s shuttles, simple in structure (steel panel floors and walls) and except for Mal, it’s empty. At the door, Jayne looks in past Mal.

JAYNE: I knew it. Gorram waste of time.

Mal checks out the cockpit console, it’s covered in ice crystals.

MAL: Kaylee-

JAYNE: (ducking out) I’ll be in my bunk.

Kaylee steps inside and comes up behind Mal. He points to the central computer.

MAL: See what you can do.

KAYLEE: Sure thing Cap.

INT. SERENITY CARGO BAY — CONTINUING

Mal emerges from the shuttle, confused. Kaylee follows and goes to get some tools. In the background, River is circling the shuttle, running one hand over the exterior, getting a “feel” for it. No one is paying her much mind, even Simon.

ZOE: Sir?

BOOK: It’s a might odd, a vacant shuttle this far out in the black…with a beacon.

SIMON: Perhaps the occupants were rescued and the shuttle set adrift.

BOOK: Perhaps. This is an old model. Haven’t seen one since before the war. Alliance Eagle class…if I’m not mistaken.

Mal and Book exchange a significant look.

ZOE: Alliance? Sir, we can’t keep-

MAL: It’s staying…for now. (to Book) They used them at the beginning, too. Planet surveillance.

BOOK: The scanning technology wasn’t limited to simply mapping.

ZOE: Spying.

MAL (hits comm button): Wash get us back on course.

WASH (on speaker): Right away, Mal.

ZOE: Vēgress is teaming with Alliance these days, Sir.

MAL: And Inara has arrangements to make and appointments to keep. What’s your point?

Zoe glances at Inara (who looks away) then back at Mal.

ZOE: Just keeping you updated.

MAL (whatever): Shiny.

Mal glances at everyone, finally catching sight of River coming around the nose of the shuttle, and rounding toward the open door. Mal goes to her and she beams at him.

RIVER: It buzzes.

MAL: The craft?

SIMON: Mal- RIVER: Deeper.

Mal shoots Simon a warning glance then looks down at River and smiles encouragingly.

RIVER (cont.): Shadows playing on the bottom. Listen…(she touches the shuttle) Telling secrets. (she looks around, catches Inara’s gaze) There are lots of secrets here. Another on top may crush everything.

MAL: River...the shuttle. What secrets?

RIVER: Shhh…can’t say. (locks eyes with Mal) I’d give away the ending.

MAL (trying to stay calm): Xiâo péngyou …focus. Who’s here?

RIVER: Head of the class. Came before…never really left. Special.

MAL: Where?

Simon starts to move in, but Book grabs his arm and holds him back. Simon looks at Book and the shepherd shakes his head. Everyone watches River. Still touching the shuttle, she closes her eyes and begins to sway.

RIVER: Eyes of fire…dancing, scratching, twisting against the strains…can’t be kept down. Can’t be tamed. Eyes of fire, anger…pain…

She opens her eyes, reaches out to Mal and caresses his cheek with the back of her hand.

RIVER (cont.): Just need to know its name.

Understanding flashes in Mal’s eyes. He steps into-

INT. SHUTTLE – CONTINUING

-and stands at the open door, closes his eyes and remembers…

MAL: Lampyridae. (pronounced: lam-peer-id-ay)

A CLICK and HISS near the rear of the shuttle startle him. A 3’ x 3’ panel in the floor pops up a couple inches, releasing a rush of air. Kneeling, Mal pushes the panel aside and FINDS:

Jess (Mal’s age) unconscious (top ½ of her anyway, the rest is under the floor). Lying face up in 2’ deep secret compartment (fully padded), wearing an oxygen mask, mummy wrapped (head to toe in BRIGHT RED – bloody color—arms across chest are moveable; hands gloved) in “future” thermal suit and blankets. Oxygen tanks are under the floor above her head, there’s a control console to the right of her head within reach and the secret unit has its own power supply, still operational.

MAL: Zoe! (to Jess) Can you hear me? (no response)

ZOE: (rushes inside) Juéduì bù! (calling) Doctor!

MAL: (touching Jess’ cheek) She’s warm.

Mal takes off the oxygen mask and tries it. He shakes his head at Zoe. Simon stumbles through the door and stops short, seeing the woman.

SIMON: I didn’t do it.

MAL: Tanks are empty.

Simon kneels on the floor and checks for-

SIMON: Pulse is weak. Breathing shallow. We need to get to the infirmary.

Mal looks under the remaining floor and finds clasps on each side. He motions to Zoe and she moves off the panel. Mal releases a locking mechanism and there’s a CLICK. Zoe follows Mal’s lead and does the same on her side of the floor. Another CLICK. Mal and Zoe lift the panel and shove it aside revealing Jess fully wrapped down to her boots.

INT. SERENITY CARGO BAY – CONTINUING

Simon leads as Mal carefully carries Jess out of the shuttle. Zoe follows. Inara and Book are shocked at the sight of the woman, but River is overjoyed.

Kaylee returns with her tools as the others head toward the infirmary. River lags behind.

KAYLEE: What? Who’s…what’s going on?

RIVER: It’s Christmas, Kaylee. Presents…

KAYLEE: Presents?

RIVER: Special delivery…for the captain.

KAYLEE: Someone got the captain…a person?

River smiles and rushes after the others, leaving Kaylee to ponder alone.

INT. SERENITY – INFIRMARY – CONTINUING

Mal lays Jess on the table and Zoe unzips the blankets as Simon moves in. He puts an oxygen mask on Jess’ face and checks her pupils with a penlight.

SIMON: She’s drugged. Probably to lower her metabolism and system functions.

Simon attaches a heart monitor…the beeps are slow and far between.

MAL: Will she be okay?

SIMON: Hard to say. I don’t know how long she’s been under, let alone buried inside that piece of fèhuà without oxygen.

Jess takes a deep breath and sighs. The heartbeat flatlines! Simon grabs the cardiac infusers-

SIMON: Clear!

He gives Jess a good SHOCK, her body bucks…

INT. SERENITY – COMMON AREA – OUTSIDE INFIRMIRY – CONTINUING

River bangs into the wall as if she just received the jolt.

INT. SERENITY – INFIRMARY – CONTINUING

The heartbeat returns. Simon watches the monitor for a moment then looks at Mal and Zoe.

SIMON (cont.): Could go either way.

Mal looks at Jess with longing and a bit of fear—ESPECIALLY when her eyes pop open and she stares at him.

JESS: My love was forever…and you let me die, qin ài de.

MAL: No.

ZOE: Sir?

Mal looks up at Zoe, back down at Jess—unconscious and not moving (eyes closed).

ZOE: You okay, captain?

MAL (spooked): Shiny.

He looks at Jess — she’s LOOKING AT HIM again, this time smiling, with bloody teeth showing.

JESS: Told you I’d never leave.

Mal jumps back from the table and does a quick one-eighty. He turns back to Simon.

MAL: Do what you can for her, doctor.

Unnerved by Mal’s behavior, Simon nods and gets to work. Mal heads for the door, trying to shake the images in his head. He throws one last glance at the woman to make sure and SEES she’s really unconscious. Mal steps out. Zoe follows.

ZOE: Captain? Who is she?

INT. SERENITY – COMMON AREA – OUTSIDE INFIRMIRY – CONTINUING

In the background (infirmary) Simon’s freeing Jess from the thermal suit and preparing an IV. Mal and Zoe stop before Book and Inara, with Wash joining the group. River breathes heavily, clutching at her heart with both hands as she leans against the wall, in one of her states.

RIVER: Female parts but still the same…Lazarus is thy name.

River’s insights disturb Mal and perplex the others.

BOOK (to Mal): Lazarus?

WASH: River, look at you, all rhymey and poetical. (to everyone) What’s going on? Did we get treasure?

RIVER: Treasure the heart. It’s made of glass.

Inara catches Mal’s gaze and locks on.

RIVER (cont.): But it shattered long ago…

Mal looks furtively at River then back at Inara, his controlled pain hits her like a sledge hammer.

RIVER (cont.) (to Mal): Pieces don’t fit like before.

INARA (unusually sharp): River! Without a word, Mal stomps off toward the cargo bay.

WASH: Okay, that was…what was that?

ZOE: Captain doesn’t want to talk about it.

WASH: So, there’s an “it” to talk about? Can somebody fill me in. I was being all piloty and flying the spaceship while interesting stuff was happening.

River slips into the infirmary and Wash’s gaze follows her; he sees Jess.

WASH (cont.): Oh…a girl? (to Simon) You didn’t mention having another sister.

Simon gives Wash an exasperated look.

INT. SHUTTLE CRAFT – CONTINUING

Kaylee’s underneath the bridge console, tinkering with the controls, trying to reroute the power with a cable pulled in from Serenity. Mal comes in and squats in front of her.

MAL: How’s it going, Kaylee?

KAYLEE: Slow. The power coupling’s been fried. There’s electrical scoring all over. Some of the wiring’s exposed.

MAL: Exposed from what? Fire?

KAYLEE: Not that I can tell. It looks like…(sits up and looks at Mal) A blast from an electrical disrupter.

MAL: Alliance uses those. But-

KAYLEE: They would’ve hauled their own shuttle in with a tractor.

MAL: Scavengers.

KAYLEE: Like us?

MAL: Not likely. We found something.

KAYLEE: Someone…you mean.

MAL: Right.

KAYLEE: Well, the scorching looks kinda random…and there’s nothing outside that matches. You know? This wasn’t the blast target…probably not even in the zone.

MAL: What are you saying?

KAYLEE: The disruption happened on something else and this kinda got a lick of it. Enough to mess the works, but not to fry the whole shebang.

MAL: I’m not following you around that bend, little Kaylee.

KAYLEE: Well, this shuttle’s pretty tight…probably fit inside whatever ship was carrying it. I figure…the ship got hit, big time and the shuttle got zapped. Makes you wonder…

MAL: What?

KAYLEE (climbing under the console again): Where’s the ship it came with? Where’s the crew?

MAL (leaving): When you get this hump up and running…maybe you could tell me.

INT. SERENITY – INFIRMARY – CONTINUING

Simon has Jess’ thermal suit open in the front to the waist (pants and T-shirt underneath). Her right arm exposed palm up and attached to the IV. Simon’s preparing a syringe of helpful meds for the IV. River comes up to the opposite side of the table and stares at the woman.

Simon watches her curiously while continuing his work. Smiling at Jess, River’s hand slowly glides down to take the woman’s free left hand. River grips it gently…then fiercely… She starts to shake…

And SCREAM!

SIMON: River?!

Simon drops the meds on the counter and rushes to River’s aid as Book, Inara, Wash and Zoe come inside to help.

River’s clutching the woman’s limp hand, unable to let go, screaming in terror. Simon takes his sister by the shoulders and tries to get her to look at him; she stares at Jess.

SIMON (cont.) (calming): River, let go.

River starts to back away from the table, without releasing the hand. In her frenzy, she just might pull the woman off. Zoe and Inara move in to take hold of River, one on each side, as gently as possible while Wash tries to keep the unconscious woman from falling to the floor. River’s ready to jump out of her skin.

INARA: Easy. It’s okay, sweetie.

ZOE: River, shhh. Let go, honey.

Simon peels River’s fingers from around the woman’s hand. River shakes off Inara and Zoe and rushes from the infirmary.

RIVER (crying out): Two by two!

INT. SERENITY – KITCHEN – LATER

Everyone is at dinner except Mal and River. Zoe listens to the others chat, but does not join in.

INARA: How is she doing?

SIMON: Not well. I gave her a sedative, but her system can break them down so easily. She’s huddling in her room babbling about blue hands again.

JAYNE: Blue hands! Hah…maybe the Alliance used to make her clean toilets for bein’ too smart.

WASH: Could you just gorge yourself and let the rest of us alone?

JAYNE: What? What’d I say?

Everyone rolls eyes.

KAYLEE: She was so excited about the woman on the shuttle. Like she knew her or something.

WASH: Well, they both lived in boxes for a while. Maybe there’s some empathy going on with that? Could be…right?

BOOK: That’s an Alliance craft, my son. Perhaps they met before.

SIMON: At the academy, you mean?

BOOK: In life, anything is possible.

WASH: What was River saying about Lazarus? Who’d name a woman Lazarus?

Zoe gets up and touches Wash’s shoulder.

ZOE: I’m going to check on the captain. Find me later…(kisses him)

WASH: Absolutely.

BOOK: Lazarus is from the Bible…from Earth-That-Was. It’s the belief…

INT. SERENITY – RIVER’S ROOM – SAME TIME

River’s sitting on her bed, knees drawn up to her chin, rocking back and forth with her eyes closed. Tears stream down her cheeks, but not sobbing.

RIVER (whispering): I can win this…I can win this…she can win this…

INT. SERENITY – INFIRMARY – CONTINUING

Mal’s watching over Jess, much the same way he watched River sleep before. Jess is on her back, unconscious, one arm fully exposed for the IV, the rest of her under one of her thermol blankets. He’s not seeing things anymore…but he is remembering…JESS LAUGHING

JESS (far-away v.o.): I do love you, Malcolm Reynolds…never forget that.

MAL (far-away v.o.): With you constantly reminding me, I never will.

JESS (far-away v.o.): (groaning) Such a chûnrén. You’re more stubborn than that horse! You can never just say the words even when I know you think them.

Zoe comes in, bringing him back to the present.

ZOE: Your missing supper.

Mal doesn’t move but does make a chuffing noise.

MAL: Figures.

ZOE: Sir?

MAL: Nothing.

ZOE: Forgive my intrusion, but this doesn’t seem like ‘nothing’. She was hiding from someone…and now she’s with us. Is this going to be a situation, sir?

MAL: Probably.

ZOE (easing into it): I understand your need for privacy, sir…but the crew…I need to know what’s going on here. How did you know she was on the shuttle?

MAL: River told me.

ZOE: River? And…when did this happen?

Mal pinches the bridge of his nose between his thumb and finger.

MAL: While I was dreaming.

ZOE (confused): I see.

Mal turns to her now, frustrated, confused and possibly angry.

MAL: No you don’t…and neither do I. You’re looking for answers where I only have questions. I don’t know what’s happening here. I see this woman…it’s insane to think she’s really…and then with River telling me…I’m just as confused as you are.

ZOE: I can see that, sir.

MAL: If this really is Jess…the Alliance has more power than we ever imagined.

ZOE: What kind of power?

MAL: Raising the dead.

INT. SERENITY – KITCHEN – CONTINUING

Jayne’s eating, the rest are talking.

KAYLEE: That whole thing with River and the captain was spooky.

WASH: What whole thing?

BOOK: Just more of her abilities showing through.

WASH: How? What’d she do?

KAYLEE: She wasn’t making much sense, but the captain seemed to know exactly what she was telling him. She told him how to find the hidden compartment.

SIMON: We’re not going-

KAYLEE: It’s just so odd.

SIMON: -to get into that again-

KAYLEE (ignoring Simon): The captain being so open to something like that. Seeing her so differently than the rest of us.

SIMON: -are we?

INARA: The captain is very observant, Kaylee.

KAYLEE: Yeah, but so are you. Aren’t you trained to…what is it…read people?

SIMON: River’s not a reader!

KAYLEE (pats his hand): Shh…of course not sweetie. I’m talking about Inara.

INARA: Companions are trained to see people a certain way…try to anticipate their needs and desires. But it’s not the same thing.

BOOK: No…if you think about River’s learning abilities…as you described, Simon…everything came so naturally to her. It’s quite possible-

SIMON: No! It’s not possible. (getting up from table) River is NOT psychic or any of those other things. She’s (stomping out) just a kid. She’s not some freak.

JAYNE (talking into his plate): That boy’s got issues.

INT. SERENITY – FOLLOWING RIVER

River’s walking through the ship, heading back to the infirmary, seemingly chanting to herself.

RIVER: She can win this…she can win this…we can win this…

Simon spots River and stops her.

SIMON: Are you okay?

River stops with one foot in the air, turns and sets it on the floor carefully before looking up at her brother.

RIVER: Yes. Are you?

SIMON: So, you are feeling better.

RIVER (cocks her head): Than before? Yes. The darkness came and the hands were reaching…grasping, pulling…hurting…her…me. Always hurting.

INT. SERENITY – COMMON AREA – CONTINUING

Zoe’s leaving the infirmary when Wash approaches and wraps his arms around her waist.

WASH (kissing her neck): Ready for dessert?

ZOE: Actually…no.

WASH: No? Okay…surprised. I thought that’s why you…

ZOE: Later. I need you to do something else. For the captain.

WASH: Okay, now we better not be talking about dessert.

Zoe takes his hand and leads him to the bridge.

INT. SERENITY – FOLLOWING RIVER – CONTINUING

Simon and River have not moved.

SIMON: Do you know her, River? Have you met before?

RIVER: Jess.

SIMON: So you did know her…before.

RIVER: Nope.

Simon’s at a loss.

RIVER (cont.): She’s a shadow. (thinking) I could be a shadow. It was very pretty. Bouncy, though. Made me kinda sick how he kept bouncing. Day and night, big and little…

SIMON: Shadow?

RIVER: Like Mal. The darkness came for them at dinner…he got away…to fight another day. Jess remained, free floating, ready to go…but they wouldn’t let her. They came for her. They burned for her. She could never leave them.

Mal comes out of the shadows behind River.

MAL: Why not?

River slowly turns to him and smiles.

RIVER: They made her. (turns to Simon) But could not break her.

END OF ACT I