EXT. FARM HOUSE – NIGHT

Overscene – NEAR PERMIAN, SHADOW

A small Alliance craft comes over the farm, lands and raises clouds of dust.

Out the front door comes a man, JOSUHA REED, early 40s, struggling to get his shirt on while holding a shotgun. He stops, surprised to see an Alliance vessel on his front yard.

The vessel goes quite and the door opens. The Operative gets out follow by several soldiers. Josuha approaches them, the soldiers see the shotgun, raise weapons and Josuha stops, keeps shotgun lowered.

JOSUHA You best have good reason to be on my property this time a night.

OPERATIVE Your property? Mr….

JOSUHA Reed, Josuha Reed. Who be asking?

OPERATIVE I am an Operative of the Alliance Parliament.

JOSUHA Don’t got much call for the Alliance.

OPERATIVE (ignoring this remark) I was led to believe that this property belonged to the Reynolds family.

JOSUHA Did. Mine now. Bought it fair and square off Mal Reynolds hisself about seven years ago.

OPERATIVE Seven years ago? After the war?

JOSUHA Why you asking so many questions?

OPERATIVE I’m looking for Malcolm Reynolds. Anything you could tell me would be greatly appreciated.

JOSUHA (spits) Got nothin’ to say to you or any other about Malcolm Reynolds.

The Operative gives a slight eyebrow raise, draws his sword and has it at Josuha’s throat before he can even blink.

OPERATIVE Now, Mr. Reed, I am sure there is a Mrs. Reed and several little Reeds in that house enjoying a peaceful slumber. Do you want them to awake to find their father slaughtered and their house burning down around them?

JOSUHA You hurt them….

OPERATIVE You are not in a position to make threats Mr. Reed. Now, about Malcolm Reynolds?

Reed swallows hard, looks at the house, then the Operative, a look of resignation on his face. The Operative lowers his sword.

JOSUHA I was lead ranch hand here for the Reynolds family. Mal’s pa died when he was just a young ‘un. When the war come he went off. Came back and wanted nothing to do with ranching. Said it was just feeding the tax coffers of the Alliance. And you think I hate you, ain’t nothing compared to the hate Mal has for you all.

OPERATIVE I am well aware of Captain Reynolds feelings for the Alliance. How did you come into possession of this property?

JOSUHA Like I said, he sold it to me. Gave Mal fair price for it, all I had saved over the years. Heard he bought hisself a transport ship with that money.

OPERATIVE Yes. (beat) What happened to the rest of his family?

JOSUHA There was just his momma. She was on in years and in poor health, so he moved her to be closer to her sister in Permian. She passed on more than a year ago. Last time he was here was for her service.

OPERATIVE You have heard no word of Reynolds returning to Shadow recently?

JOSUHA Not a peep.

OPERATIVE Thank you for your time Mr. Reed. Good evening.

Josuha stands looking at them puzzled, as they move to get in the transport.

JOSUHA Hey! What you all want Mal for anyway? He kill someone?

The Operative ignores him and boards the craft.

INT. ALLIANCE CRAFT – NIGHT

The PILOT turns to the Operative.

PILOT Sir, we have a report from the main ship.

The Operative puts in a comms earwig.

OPERATIVE Captain? Report.

CAPTAIN (O.S.) Sir, we received a report of a small gunfight in the hills near our scientific complex. Several men were killed including a spy the local forces had in a local criminal band. He died before he could make a full report. They fired on a shuttle that sounds like one from a Firefly.

OPERATIVE Make all speed in that direction. We will join you in the air. All sensors sweep for that shuttle and Serenity.

INT. SHUTTLE II – NIGHT

Zoe pilots as Jayne and Brenner tend to Monty, who is lying on the floor, holding a cloth over his stomach.

ZOE How’s he doing?

BRENNER He’s gut shot. It looks bad

MONTY (in pain) Gorram stupid, aarrggggg! I’m gonna make it. It ain’t so bad, ain’t so bad.

BRENNER Just rest easy you old war horse. We’ll fix you up.

JAYNE He needs a doc and ours ain’t around.

BRENNER (to Jayne) We got a medic back at the ranch. (colder) You better be right about Chester or there’ll be an accounting later.

JAYNE You think I ain’t been threatened before? I wasn’t no hero in the big war but I know what I saw and that was Chester being real buddy with them purple bellies. Even told them to kill me. What I wanna know is what the hell a gorramn traitor was doing in your group?

BRENNER I don’t gotta explain to you who works for me!

They both stand, anger in their eyes.

ZOE (shouting) This ain’t a time for a squabble. Jayne check with Kaylee! We need to get them outta there!

Jayne looks at the computer screens. The video feed is gone. JAYNE The video is gone.

ZOE Call Kaylee!

Jayne picks up the mic.

JAYNE Testing! One, two. Kaylee? Kaylee!

No answer.

BRENNER That mountain. Must be shielding the signal.

JAYNE Yeah. Or they been pinched already.

The Shuttle starts rattling and shaking. Zoe fights the controls.

ZOE Something’s wrong. Hard to control her. We’re damaged!

She looks at the control panel.

ZOE We’re losing fuel, fast. (into mic) River! We been humped, shot up, damaged! We ain’t gonna make it! You gotta come to us!

INT. SERENITY, BRIDGE – NIGHT

River starts throwing switches and fires up Serenity as Inara sits in the co-pilot’s seat.

RIVER (O.S.) (calm) Roger that. On the way.

INARA (into mic, excited) Zoe! What happened?

ZOE (O.S.) No time to explain!

A BEEPING sound comes, same as earlier.

INARA It’s that Alliance ship again! Near Permian, 200 kilometers from us!

RIVER No choice. We need to go.

EXT. SERENITY – NIGHT

Serenity rises into the air and shoots off to the rescue.

INT. OPERATIVE’S SAPCESHIP – NIGHT

The Operative just steps on the bridge as JUNIOR OFFICER manning a sensor board reports.

JUNIOR OFFICER Sir! I am picking up two heat signals in the area near the gunfight, one small and one large, appears to be Firefly class. They are converging.

OPERATIVE We have them now.

CAPTAIN Shall I give the order to fire, sir?

OPERATIVE (touching neck) No, not yet. Get a little closer. Let’s make sure.

CAPTAIN Sir? Our missiles are very accurate at this range.

OPERATIVE Captain, do as I say and do not question me again.

CAPTAIN Yes, sir.

EXT. SHUTTLE II – NIGHT

The Shuttle bucks wildly, fuel streaming out the back, flames shooting, as Serenity appears in the night sky, coming behind cloud cover, bathing the area in brilliant light with its spotlights, guiding the Shuttle home.

EXT. SERENITY – NIGHT

Serenity does a tight turn and flies parallel with the Shuttle, in the same direction. The Shuttle slips closer.

INT. SHUTTLE – NIGHT

Zoe fights the controls, looking to see the approach to Serenity.

ZOE Gonna be rough! Hang on!

Jayne and Brenner brace themselves and Monty, the two men still steamed.

EXT. SERENITY – NIGHT

The Shuttle slips toward the ship, scraps its side, and lands on the cradle, still smoking some, and the shuttle is pulled into the ship’s side.

INT. OPERATIVE”S SPACESHIP – NIGHT

JUNIOR OFFICER They have joined, sir. Seventy kilometers away.

OPERTIVE Captain, you have EMP missiles on board?

CAPTAIN Yes, sir..but…

OPERATIVE Fire an EMP! Now!

CAPTAIN Fire EMP!

JUNIOR OFFICER Firing EMP! Missile away!

EXT. OPERATIVE’S SPACESHIP – NIGHT

A large missile streaks away toward Serenity.

INT. SERENITY, BRIDGE – NIGHT

Alarms start BEEPING just as Zoe races onto the bridge.

ZOE Missile lock! Evasive action!

River starts twisting and turning the ship.

ZOE (into mic) Hang on!

INT. CARGO BAY

Jayne is running up the stairs toward Shuttle II entrance with the stretcher from the infirmary when the ship starts shaking and does a violent turn just as Zoe’s warning comes and its too late, he goes tumbling now the stairs, stretcher flying from his hand.

JAYNE Gorramn it, River!!

He hits his head on the railing and is out cold.

EXT. MISSILE – NIGHT

The Missile follows Serenity as it twists and turns, into and out of cloud banks, down to a river, pasts some trees and farms, both streaking at full speed.

INT. SERENITY – NIGHT

Inara is looking at the sensor boards on the co-pilot’s seat.

INARA (excited) It’s still behind us!

RIVER Heat lock! Our engines! We need to cut power!

ZOE We do, we’ll be a rock, we’re dead!

RIVER Only way, only way. Hang on!!

She grabs the control column and pulls it all the way back as Zoe barely grabs onto the pilot’s chair.

ZOE RIVER! NO!

EXT. SERENITY – NIGHT

Serenity shoots skyward, the missile following. Then the two VTOL engines cut out, sputter, die. Serenity does a quick right turn and heads for the deck. The missile heads for the spot where it just was and BOOM, EXPLODES with a shattering FLASH of blue light and electric discharge.

INT. SERENITY BRIDGE – NIGHT

The flash of blue fills the sky but Serenity seems unharmed.

ZOE EMP! Just missed us! River! Get us down! NOW!

RIVER (calm) Roger that.

She stills has steering control and the helm responses.

RIVER There.

EXT. SERENITY – NIGHT

Serenity glides over a ridge, barley making it, comes down in a narrow valley. A lake, barely visible in the night darkness, appears in front of Serenity. The VTOL engines turn to hover position and come back on. She slowly moves to the lake surface.

INT. SERENITY, BRIDGE – NIGHT

Zoe and Inara give each other a desperate look as they see what River has in mind.

ZOE River! We can’t land on a lake!

RIVER Not on it. In it.

INARA What? The ship will flood, we’ll drown!

RIVER (smiling) Spaceship, right? Airtight. No worries.

ZOE We don’t how deep it is, what the bottom is like.

RIVER This or nothing

ZOE (skeptical) Don’t know, …how’ll we get out again?

RIVER VTOLs will fire underwater. They're jets in atmo, rockets in space. I'll just close the air vents and use the rockets to take off again. Firefly is a tough old bird.

ZOE Captain’s gonna have my head over this.(beat) Do it.

EXT. SERENITY – NIGHT

The ship slows and slows, gliding over the large lake, heading toward the far shore. Slowly the ship moves to the surface, bubbly up the water violently. Then down it goes, resting for a moment on the surface tension, then the VTOLs are off, turn to normal position, and it settles like a rock.

EXT. SERENITY – UNDERWATER

The lake isn’t very deep. Serenity’s landing gear come out and the ship settles on a mudding bottom, the surface about thirty feet over the top of the ship.

INT. OPERATIVE’S SPACESHIP

The Junior Officer is looking at his control panel in puzzlement. He starts hitting switches.

JUNIOR OFFICER Sir….the EMP exploded but the ship …

OPERATIVE Is gone. (beat) Deploy fighters. Get some men on the ground. Call in reinforcements from Permian. Check every nook and cranny, every valley, every cave. That ship is somewhere in this area and there is no rest for anyone until we find it. Captain move us to a higher position so we can encompass the whole area. Full sensor sweep in all directions. And get me the man in charge of that spy that was in that bandit camp.

INT. SERENITY BRIDGE – UNDERWATER

Inara and Zoe look at the water swirling outside the bridge windows, amazement on their faces.

ZOE Bet Wash would have loved to done that. (to River) You did good, kid.

RIVER Come daylight, they’ll see our shadow in the water.

ZOE Let’s hope we ain’t here then.

Zoe moves to EXIT. Inara stands.

INARA Zoe? What’s going on?

ZOE Chester was working for the Alliance. He ratted us out. Monty’s hurt. Let’s move.

River and Inara follow her.

INT. FORE HALL

INARA What about Mal, Kaylee, and Simon?

ZOE (still walking fast, concerned) Don’t know. We lost contact.

EXT. TUNNEL, MOUNTAIN COMPLEX

The truck drives slowly down the tunnel.

INT. TRUCK

Mal, Kaylee, and Simon are very tense.

MAL Where’s Zoe? (pause) Kaylee, check comms.

KAYLEE Zoe?....Come in, Zoe?

Long pause, Simon and Mal expectant. Kaylee shakes her head.

KAYLEE No answer, Capt’n.

MAL Must be the mountain blocking our comms or they have some kinda damper

SIMON I got a bad feeling about this.

MAL Stay shiny. We lose our heads and we’re finished. Came here to do a job, so we stick to the plan and do it. We get the info we need and we get out. Zoe’ll take care of herself and the others.

KAYLEE I better set the backup vid recorder.

She reaches below the seat and pulls out a blue canvas bag with Alliance markings, opens it, takes out a small hand sized device, presses buttons, it lights up with a word in an LCD window, RECORDING.

SIMON How long can it record?

KAYLEE Twenty four hours.

MAL Won’t be here that long. (beat) Here we go.

They’ve come to the end of the tunnel.

INT. PARKING AREA, MOUNTAIN COMPLEX

The tunnel pens into a large open area, well lit. There are a few vehicles parked but it is mostly empty.

A uniformed man, the TRANSPORT WARDEN, approaches from a small side office and waves them over to a parking spot where Mal slides the truck in, stops it, and turns off the engine. They get down, each now carrying a blue canvas bag. Mal also has the clipboard with his orders.

MAL (big smile) Howdy! Sorry we’re so late. First time, got a bit lost.

TRANSPORT WARDEN Wasn’t expecting you. What’s the cargo?

Mal hands him the clipboard.

MAL Don’t rightly know. Sealed tight.

The Transport Warden sees Simon and Kaylee walk round from the other side of the truck, gets a suspicious look.

MAL New workers, needed a drive.

TRANSPORT WARDEN Bit unusual, too. New workers come in groups, not pairs.

SIMON Ah, we were told to report as soon as possible.

TRANSPORT WARDEN Not on my head, let personal deal with you in the morning.

MAL Could use a rest and some grub.

TRANSPORT WARDEN Just follow the green signs. (pause) All right. Sign here for finally delivery of the truck.

Mal scratches something that passes for a signature on the electronic clipboard, then hands over his keys.

MAL Need to get back to Permian in the morning for another load.

TRANSPORT WARDEN Morning transport to Permian leaves at 8am sharp. Be on it or you wait another day.

MAL 8am. I’ll be there.

Mal appears ready to go but Simon stops him, looks at the Transport Warden.

SIMON Excuse me, sir, but we don’t know where to report for our duties.

TRANSPORT WARDEN (sighing) Look, why don’t you go grab a rest in the cafeteria and I’ll send someone along to get you a bed for the night and then you’ll settle in in the morning.

SIMON Thank you.

Mal nods to Kaylee and Simon and they head off toward some doors on the far side of the parking area.

MAL Smart thinking, D..Jed.

KAYLEE That’s my man.

MAL Not till we get outta here, remember that.

As they walk across the parking area they look around. On a far wall is a large door, big enought for the truck to fit through, with a small door beside it. Three armed guards stand here. The doors have large red signs "RESTRICTED". Mal nods in that direction.

MAL Looks like where we need to have a look see.

SIMON But how?

MAL Need time to think.

KAYLEE Here's the cafeteria. I'm starved.

Above another door is a green sign with “Cafeteria” on it. A few others have no signs and appear locked, but there are no guards.

INT. CAFETERIA

They enter a standard size cafeteria, with tables, for about thirty, a long counter, and a sleepy SERVER. There is no one else here. A set of double doors is on the opposite wall. Kaylee’s eyes widen at the delicacies on display. Simon and Mal are also impressed at the array of food under glass steamers and on plates and platters.

MAL This the cafeteria I’d love to see the main dining room.

KAYLEE Cap…Al..can I…

MAL Alice, you don’t need to ask me nothing.

SIMON Actually, I believe you out rank us here Alice, as an engineer.

KAYLEE (grinning) Alright boys, dig in. My treat.

The Server finally notices them.

SERVER Hey, I’m just about to close. Can’t serve you.

Mal’s face goes tight at this but it’s Kaylee who steps up.

KAYLEE Listen here. We just spent six hours in a truck from Permian and we’re starved. Now you’re going to serve us or I’ll have a word with your supervisor in the morning. In fact, I’ll also mention you was sleeping on the job.

Simon and Mal exchange a surprised glace at Kaylee’s take charge attitude.

SErVER Who the hell you think you are?

SIMON That’s no…

MAL glares at him and he stops.

Kaylee rips off her name tag and shoves it in his face.

KAYLEE Alice Stephenson. Engineer. Your boss.

SERVER (flustered) Ah, so sorry, just never see engineers here, just truck drivers and other scu…

MAL (had enough) Best watch who you calling names, boy, or some of us truck drivers might take offense. Now you gonna get off your ass and serve us or we gotta push your face into a steamer full of gravy back there?

He scrambles to his feet and starts dishing out food, Mal first in line.

MAL (to Server) Don’t be shy, pile it on. More mashed potatoes, lots of gravy.

SIMON (low) Bet Jayne wishes he were here.

Kaylee gets a pensive look on her face. Simon notices.

SIMON (whisper) OK?

KAYLEE (whisper) Worried. About the others.

INT. SERENITY, CARGO BAY

Zoe, Inara, and River come out from above and see Jayne at the bottom of the stairs.

ZOE Jayne!

No answer.

ZOE Inara, get Jayne. River with me!

Inara moves to the stairs as Zoe and River head to Shuttle II just as a shaken Brenner comes out, hands and front of his clothes bloody.

BRENNER What the gorramn hell is going on?

ZOE Alliance ship spotted us. Had to do some fancy flying. How’s Monty?

Brenner just shakes his head. Zoe’s face falls and she rushes into the shuttle.

INT. SHUTTLE II

Monty is on his back, very pale, dark blood bubbling out his stomach wound, covering the cloth, his hands, the floor. Zoe rushes to his side as River enters behind her.

ZOE Monty? Monty! You old war dog, hang on! (to River) Stretcher!

River exits.

MONTY (very weak) Ain’t nothing to hang on to, Zoe. Got my liver. Guess my punishment for years of hard drinking.

He gasps, blood coming from his mouth, soaking his beard.

MONTY You tell Mal…

ZOE You gonna tell him yourself. Hang on.

MONTY (gasping, in pain) All broke up inside. Tell Mal…war’s over. Don’t matter what he did… in Serenity Valley. All’s forgiven…. Time to live.

He gives out a last gasp and his head goes slack, eyes staring.

Zoe gets a hard cold look on her face, reaches up and closes his eyes.

River and Brenner arrive with the stretcher but see it’s too late.

BRENNER He knew he was finished.

RIVER Now he is free.

Silence. Zoe takes a canvas tarp and covers Monty’s body.

ZOE (to River) How’s Jayne?

RIVER Bumped his head.

INT. CARGO BAY

Inara is bent over Jayne, wiping blood from his forehead as the others come down the stairs.

ZOE Inara?

INARA He’s unconscious.

JAYNE (groggy) No, he ain’t.

Jayne moves his head and looks at them, trying to focus.

INARA Don’t move, you might have broken something.

He sits up, winces in pain, touches his head.

JAYNE Only thing I’m gonna break is little sister’s arm for flying like a gorramn rookie!

ZOE We’d be dead weren’t for her and her “rookie” flying.

RIVER (to Jayne) Member what I said to you when you were paralyzed back at Bellerophon? Still stands.

Jayne gets a scared look on his face. Zoe and Inara exchange looks.

INARA What was that?

JAYNE Nothin'. Ain't said nothin'.

Jayne looks at Brenner.

JAYNE Monty OK?

ZOE He’s dead.

Jayne stands, wobbly, leans on the railing.

JAYNE Shame. Always liked him. (beat) Where the hell are we?

INT.BRIDGE Everyone is here, Brenner and Jayne looking incredulously at the water outside the windows.

JAYNE Now I know Mal’s gonna have a fit when he hears ‘bout this.

INARA Could someone please tell me what happened back on that mountain?

ZOE Seems Brenner had a rat in his group.

BRENNER Says Cobb.

JAYNE I seen him plain as day.

BRENNER Its night, you maybe didn’t see nothing like you said. Maybe they pinched Chester and you just thought he was a rat cause you don’t like him.

JAYNE Then what the hell was an Alliance patrol doing on that mountain?

BRENNER Coincidence. Luck.

JAYNE Chester told ‘em we’d be there!

INARA Who is Chester?

JAYNE Mal’s cousin.

INARA Mal’s cousin?

JAYNE Blood or not, Mal don’t like him that’s for sure.

BRENNER He weren’t in the war. But he knows lots about computers and comms so we needed him. Been with us six months. He never did us an evil turn before.

ZOE What I want to know is why was he helping us break Mal and the others into that complex when he was planning to sell us out the whole time?

EXT. OPERATIVE’S SPACESHIP - NIGHT

The ship hovers high over the landscape of Shadow, as smaller ships break off and go in different directions, the flames from their engines and searchlights lighting up the sky.

INT. OPERATIVE’S SPACESHIP, BRIDGE - NIGHT

A new Alliance officer, MAJOR JOHNSON, arrives on the bridge. The Operative wearily rises from his chair as the Major salutes.

MAJOR JOHNSON Major Johnson, Shadow Force, intelligence, sir.

OPERATIVE I’m to understand Major Johnson that you were running the spy in the bandit camp.

MAJOR JOHNSON Yes, sir. He’s been a local source of information for many years, even during the war. We infiltrated him more than six months ago. He’s a computer and comms expert so we thought he might be useful to them and we were right.

OPERATIVE What were his orders?

MAJOR JOHNSON We suspect that a local criminal band was a front for a resurgence of rebellion against the Alliance. Most of their targets were Alliance businesses. A few of our transports were hijacked and some of our outposts attacked. He was ordered to report any major moves against us, in particular against our new complex. When they made a move, he was to inform us. Unfortunately, he was getting paranoid and did not report as often recently. He only had time to get a brief message to us about a shuttle which was being used to do something, but it wasn’t clear. Now he’s dead and the shuttle got away.

OPERATIVE Tell me more about this complex.

MAJOR JOHNSON It’s classified, sir.

OPERATIVE Nothing is classified from me.

MAJOR JOHNSON Afraid so, sir. Only a few Parliament officials, myself, the local commander and our specialists inside the station know what is what. Even I don’t know everything.

OPERATIVE Major, I am tracking a brother and sister, the Tams, and their companions who were responsible for the Miranda broadwave. Now they have come to Shadow to deliver a cargo of lasers to this very criminal gang you say is a front for a rebellion.

MAJOR JOHNSON Yes, sir, we know about the lasers. Our spy mentioned them. We believe they arrived today. We’ve had the ranch they use as a cover under surveillance for some time. We attack at dawn.

OPERATIVE Very good. Now this shuttle your man spoke of belongs to the very ship I am tracking. And this shuttle was seen nearby the road leading to the complex. Have you any reports of unusual activity at the complex this evening.

MAJOR JOHNSON I’ll check right away, sir.

OPERATIVE Please do.

The Major moves to a communications panel.

The Operative rubs the back of his neck again and accepts a cup of tea from a soldier, nodding thanks.

The Major comes back to his side.

MAJOR JOHNSON Nothing unusually sir except a truck that arrived very late, claiming they were lost.

OPERATIVE (suspicious) What was the cargo?

MAJOR JOHNSON Classified, sealed tight.

OPERATIVE Who was driving?

MAJOR JOHNSON Sir, it’s just a truck, we get them all the time, many sealed tight, with classified cargo.

OPERATIVE Major, you are an intelligence officer, use some of your intelligence. A spy reports a shuttle nearby the road where this truck will have to enter the complex. This shuttle contained a spy of ours who is an expert in computers and comms. And our spy died before he could tell us everything. Open that truck and find out who was driving it. Immediately.

INT. CAFETERIA – Later

Kaylee, Simon and Mal sit at a table covered in empty plates and cups and trays. Kaylee and Simon’s backs are to the main door while Mal sits so he can see everywhere. Kaylee lingers over a fruit salad as Simon and Mal sip coffee, all three clearly satisfied.

MAL Not a word of this to the others. Especially not Jayne.

Kaylee giggles a little.

KAYLEE I can just see him drooling as we describe everything.

The Server is packing away the food, closing down. A SOLDIER enters. He walks toward the food area, asks for a cup of coffee which the reluctant Server gives him. The Soldier sits nearby, nods to them, Mal nods back, gets a little tense as he recognizes the Soldier from the roadblock who was flirting with Kaylee.

MAL Simon, you got your gun?

SIMON (little surprised) Yes. Jayne put it in a very…uncomfortable spot.

KAYLEE I like that spot.

MAL Just get ready.

Mal’s hand starts to reach inside his overalls as Simon and Kaylee look at each other a little scared and then follow Mal’s gaze as he looks at the Soldier. They look at him and Kaylee sees who it is and Simon’s face clouds over. The Solider smiles at Kaylee, recognizes her, rises and is about to approach them when another ALLIANCE WORKER enters. He’s young and sleepy.

He walks right up to them and the Soldier goes and sits down again.

ALLAINCE WORKER Evening, was told you need quarters for the night.

MAL Got that right.

ALLAINCE WORKER Follow me.

They stand quickly and exit with him toward a set of double doors at the back of the cafeteria, ignoring the Soldier.

INT. CORRIDOR

They walk down as all three look around, many doors leading off this corridor. They stop at one at the end.

ALIANCE WORKER Ladies quarters.

Kaylee looks at them.

KAYLEE Uh, thanks for the lift, Al. (beat) Nice to meet you, uh, Jed.

SIMON You too, Alice.

MAL Take care. See you in the morning maybe.

KAYLEE (to Worker) Where they sleeping?

Mal gives her a look, but the Worker is too sleepy to get suspicious.

ALLIANCE WORKER Just across the hall.

He indicates a door.

KAYLEE Oh. That’s not so…far. (beat) Ok. See you.

She gives a little grin, turns and she enters the room alone.

Simon is not happy about being separated. They walk across to the door just as a voice shouts down the hall.

SOLDIER (O.S.) Hey! Stop those two!