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BLUE SUN ROOM FAN FICTION - GENERAL
How do you, too much to do, a Shiny Whore and a Dirty thief for you! Mal and Inara's fight has forced Simon to be Inara's date for the Gala. Mal however is still planning on attending. Just with Kaylee and Jayne, through the back door, with a bagful of theiving. Oh the crime and angst!
CATEGORY: FICTION TIMES READ: 2730 RATING: 0 SERIES: FIREFLY
Episode six.
INT. INARA’S SHUTTLE – DREAM
INARA is sitting in her shuttle preparing for an outing.
She is primping her hair, checking her make up and then putting on a distinctive pair of blue gloves.
When she finishes she stands and turns to leave her shuttle, however when she turns around there are three Reavers standing there who, like the good psychotic Reavers they are, immediately attack her.
They hit her hard in the face and she flies back towards the ground.
INT. RIVER’S DORM – NIGHT
Mid collapse the DREAM is cut short and RIVER wakes in bed screaming and holding her face the same place INARA would have been hit by the Reavers.
SIMON who has heard comes bursting into her room all brotherly like and begins to comfort her.
SIMON: River (Chinese little sister) are you alright?
RIVER looks terrified and tears begin to run down her cheeks as SIMON holds her.
RIVER: End.
SIMON: What?
RIVER: S'pose to all end, why didn’t it finish. Dragging, skipping along. The bad is following me. Hunting. It wants…It wants….
SIMON: Shhhh (Chinese go to your happy place) nothing will harm you I promise.
With SIMON still holding her RIVER looks up towards the ceiling. Supposedly towards INARA’S shuttle above?
INT. INARA’S SHUTTLE - NIGHT
Inside INARA’S shuttle she is preparing for the Guild Gala.
She is dressed in a royal lemon gown and shiny earings with Chinese flowers in them to match. She also places lemon-matching gloves on exactly how she placed the blue gloves on in RIVER’S dream.
When she is satisfied she is ready she grabs her purse and stands to leave. As she turns around she gasps a little. We think Reavers, she thinks she has torn her dress. It turns out to be nothing and she leaves her shuttle.
Outside her shuttle she holds her dress up a little so as not to catch it on her heels which are four inch lemon stilettos that tie up half way up her shin.
INT. CARGO BAY – NIGHT
She reaches the stairs to walk down to the cargo bay and notices a man waiting at the open doors. He is tall, dark and dressed in a smart suit with a yellow cravat to match INARA’S dress.
INARA can’t help but smile as she walks towards MAL.
Serenity has obviously landed on Sihnon for out the cargo bay doors we can see a white hover horse and carriage waiting on the road. The buildings that shine in the moonlight are all made of what looks like clear, blue, or turquoise crystal. (Kind of like the Wizard of Oz but much more elegant and there is no singing.)
As INARA reaches the bottom of the stairs her eyes fall to her feet again to keep her balance. When she looks up, however, it’s not MAL standing there. It’s SIMON. She grins politely, a little disappointed but reaches out to take his offered arm as she reaches to doorway.
SIMON: Are you sure it’s all right for me to impersonate the Captain like this?
INARA: You have all the necessary papers and twice the charisma. We wont have any problems.
Satisfied SIMON gestures for INARA to enter the hover carriage and once she is in, he gets in himself.
As the driver tells the horses to go INARA takes a final look into Serenity’s cargo bad and sees MAL standing there watching her.
There is no emotion in either of their faces and when it becomes too much for her to look anymore she faces the front of the carriage and it pulls away from Serenity.
END TEASER
INT. KITCHEN – NIGHT
Sitting at the kitchen table is MAL putting together a bag full of pulleys, ropes and other oddly sharp instruments.
KAYLEE is also sitting with him annoying him about INARA. She hasn’t really noticed what he is doing.
KAYLEE: You still coulda taken her.
MAL: (frustrated) Kaylee we aint talking bout this.
KAYLEE: You just got her all riled up at the Hallows is all. That’s how you two are, it’s what makes you (off his look) none of my business.
KAYLEE withdraws and JAYNE enters the kitchen holding something covered in a rag as though it is precious. MAL and KAYLEE both watch him enter.
JAYNE: Inara and the Doc gone?
MAL: Whiles back.
JAYNE: Shiny.
KAYLEE: That aint alive is it?
JAYNE: Rutting hope not.
MAL: It’s out next payload.
JAYNE places the object on the table and unwraps it. We can see a shiny stone thing glistening on the table. Yes glistening dammit!
MAL: She scrubbed up ok then.
JAYNE: Looks just like the real thing.
JAYNE hands over a capture/brochure of the Triact Stone held in its casing at the Companion Museum of Aphrodisiac Related Antiquities. KAYLEE takes a look at the picture of the stone then at the title on the brochure.
And just because I like the name so much I’m going to write it again.
‘The Museum of Aphrodisiac Related Antiquities.’
KAYLEE: (To herself) Companion…Nara’s ball, fake, real…..(To the boys) You’re gonna steal the Triact Stone?!?!
MAL: (grinning) Already got buyers lining up for planets lengths.
JAYNE: And Inara’s little ball has given us the opportune time to go in a swap the goods. I love being a bad guy.
KAYLEE: (glaring at Mal) Inara don’t know?
MAL: Stealin the Triact wont give her any grief, got nothin to worry about, just play your part and we can all be having some nice dinner parties of our own.
INT. ZOE’S BUNK - NIGHT
In ZOE’S (and formerly WASH’S) bunks ZOE has been violently throwing up. She folds the toilet away and washes her face holding her own hair out the way even though WASH is standing right beside her.
WASH: You should let Simon look at you.
ZOE: I’ll be fine. A kick in the stomach won’t keep this soldier down.
As she is talking she bends down to pull her shoes out from under her bed but flinches at the pain in her stomach and reaches for it. WASH doesn’t reach out to comfort her just shakes his head.
ZOE CONT: Sides Doc’s out with Inara.
WASH: If not Simon then a hospital? Sihnon has one of the highest medical facilities and I definitely don’t think you are ok?
ZOE: (getting angry at him pestering her) I know I’m not ok, but it has absolutely nothing to do with me being kicked at the moment. (meaning she’s pissed at him pestering her).
She places her boots in a rectangular hole in the wall, we can clearly see some of WASH’S belongings still in there. A few Hawaiian shirts (BTW 500 years in the future and the Hawaiian shirt survive as a fashion choice????) a box full of plastic dinosaurs and in amongst them a black platform with a red button on it that looks like it might have been once attached to ships controls…somewhere…
ZOE closes the shudder on the wardrobe and turns around. WASH is gone and RIVER is standing there instead.
ZOE: (A little startled) How long have you been here?
RIVER: Always. (Beat) You WERE going to let Simon look at you after your stomach was still unnaturally sore after being (She uses air quotes) ‘kicked’ however, Simon is, like you said, attending the Companion Guild Gala with Inara, and as we are docked you thought a trip to the hospital might play in your favour. I’m sure you will be fine and only gone a few hours.
ZOE: (after a rather long ‘huh’ pause) Right…
RIVER: Gala, Inara. (Giggling a little at her non rhyme) It doesn’t rhyme. I’ll pass the message along?
ZOE: Fine. Just don’t, you know. Sound so (Chinese pine cone up your ass) I don’t sound like that.
RIVER: I’m in game with Derria. We’re proper.
ZOE raises her eyebrows.
In the cargo bay MAL walks down from the shuttles, INARA’S side.
KAYLEE and JAYNE are already in the cargo bay and see RIVER and DERRIA scamper in from the lounge and up the opposite stairs to the other shuttle.
MAL: (Chinese albatross?)
RIVER pops back over the railing with her nose purposely in the air. DERRIA tries to copy.
MAL CONT: You seen Zoe?
RIVER: Out looking for jobs. DERRIA: mmm yes out.
RIVER is obviously lying but she does it freakishly well.
KAYLEE: Well there ya go, we aint leavin them all by themselves.
RIVER: Proper ladies can handle themselves in any given situation.
MAL: (grinning to Kaylee) See. (to River) River no beatin Derria off the ship please, don’t need any more attention drawn to us than what we’ll manage our own. 'Specially not with what your boy said on Whittier about you.
RIVER: He’ll never be my boy and I have other plans for this evening.
DERRIA looks at RIVER then worriedly at MAL a little concerned.
MAL: (to Derria) You’ll be fine.
MAL, KAYLEE and JAYNE then leave Serenity and RIVER waits before they have all gone before grabbing DERRIA and bolting around the ramps over to INARA’S shuttle.
RIVER: When being proper, one must have ones proper belongings.
INT. INARA’s SHUTTLE – NIGHT
They enter the shuttle and DERRIA rubs her nose a little at the incense smell.
INT. GUILD GALA FOYER – NIGHT
At the Companions Guild there is a sign in the foyer stating the Gala is one direction and the ‘Museum of Aphrodisiac Related Antiquities’ is closed because of it.
INT. GUILD GALA BACK HALLWAY – NIGHT
MAL, KAYLEE and JAYNE are not in the foyer, they are walking down a back hallway that looks like it should be used by workers in a factory.
KAYLEE: This don’t look much glamorous, you sure we’re in the right place? Shame better head back then.
KAYLEE has been walking hesitantly behind the boys, trying to convince them this is a bad idea and turns to leave. MAL and JAYNE both reach back and grab her by her jumpsuit at the same time.
She turns back around to them.
MAL: Kaylee we need you on this, don’t you want to see us all sit pretty for a bit? Serenity included?
KAYLEE: Don’t you try talking me in by bringing Serenity in on this. This aint right, ‘Nara should know.
JAYNE: And eventuals she will.
MAL: (Softer to her) I know you got problems with this and to be truthsome it don’t sit all that right with me either not havin Inara in the loop. But it’s a good payload (Chinese A smart payload.) Untraceable. (Pause) With me?
KAYLEE is pouting up at MAL with her arms crossed. She looks across at JAYNE who is pulling ropes out of the bag MAL was packing earlier with surprisingly an understanding look on his face.
KAYLEE agrees, she doesn’t really have a choice.
KAYLEE: Fine.
MAL CONT: Camera’s and electric’s rigged up down that hall to the right. We need cover for about an hour (Chinese understand).
KAYLEE: (unimpressed) Follow and vanish I know, I know.
She heads off and JAYNE pulls out his walkie to comm her while she is still in earshot.
JAYNE: Don’t go getting us humped with ya little tantrum.
KAYLEE turns and glares then disappears around the corner.
DERRIA and RIVER and sitting around INARA’S coffee table in her shuttle.
RIVER has fantastic posture and is all dolled up in make up and a dress of INARA’S that she doesn’t fill out (if you get my meaning) but looks nice all the same. DERRIA however has random clips in her hair, lipstick drawn up her arms and enjoying herself immensely.
She picks up a scarf and drapes it over her shoulders. The girls are still talking as though they are overly polite.
RIVER: You look ridiculous.
DERRIA: Thank you.
RIVER: That was an insult, you should hit me for that.
DERRIA: You hit back harder. I can handle the pain I just….(talking normally again) don’t like not being able to win.
RIVER: Winning to you means a murder, (beat) you wont win ever again.
DERRIA and RIVER exchange a look of ‘that was the most bizarre thing you could have said right then’ and then RIVER notices a scarf DERRIA is fiddling with.
RIVER CONT: You should keep that, you’ll need it later.
DERRIA: It isn’t mine, is it?
RIVER: No, but Inara wont notice it’s gone.
DERRIA gets up and walks towards INARA’S dresser following the walls of her shuttle. On her dresser is an open wooden box with a necklace inside it. DERRIA picks it up and stares at the necklace shining in it. RIVER is still at the table pouring fake tea. She doesn’t appear to notice what DERRIA is doing.
RIVER: She will notice that’s missing.
Who am I kidding? RIVER notices everything.
DERRIA puts the necklace back down and instead starts brushing mascara through her hair.
INT. SIHNON MEDICAL FACILITY WAITING ROOM - NIGHT
In a Sihnon medical facility ZOE is sitting in a pure white waiting room. Seriously it’s so white it’s making the patients look very dirty. All the artwork, the chairs, tables, uniforms, hairstyles?? White.
ZOE looks around and notices a few other patients waiting, she takes a deep breath as an attendant calls out a name.
ATTENDANT: Chi Smith?
The woman sitting next to ZOE gets up supporting herself.
She is heavily pregnant and this is all ZOE seems to notice as she stands and moves off.
ZOE then continues staring into space in front of her.
ATTENDANT: Zoe Washburn?
ZOE looks up at mention of her name.
INT. GUILD GALA BACK HALLWAY - NIGHT
MAL and JAYNE walk down a hall way sneakily, listening for people and checking equipment as they go.
INT. ELECTRICS ROOM – NIGHT
On a screen in the electrics room KAYLEE is punching keys and rewiring bits and pieces with a sour look on her face.
On the screen MAL and JAYNE walk down another hall and stop at a doorway. They both look up at the camera and wave. KAYLEE sticks out her tongue at the screen and slams her finger on a button, which shorts out the camera.
KAYLEE: (Into her comms) You have 53 minutes before the system overrides and locks me out.
MAL COMMS: Headin in.
INT. TRIACT ROOM – NIGHT
MAL and JAYNE head in a small room with a lot of velvet roping. The stone is in a casing on a podium next to several other coloured stones on podiums.
JAYNE: You sure you don’t need me to keep an eye out for some not lost Shiny whores?
MAL gives JAYNE a ‘I know what you’re thinking you dirty man’ look.
MAL: They aint comin back here, to much to do out front lets just focus on the dirty thieving and getting the Gorram hell outta here undetcted.
A moment passes as MAL returns to his work and JAYNE resumes being lookout. He then notices MAL’S pulley system he has started rigging up beneath the Triact Stone’s casing.
JAYNE: That aint gonna hold.
MAL: Sure it will. ‘Sides weights all messed up, fakes too light. It’ll have to hold.
He goes back to fiddling with the pulley system and JAYNE continues to be look out, walking around the room checking doors, being a good little mercenary.
JAYNE: (to himself) Wont hold.
INT. SIHNON MEDICAL FACILITY TRIANGLE ROOM – NIGHT
Clearly inside the medical facility on Sihnon ZOE sits at one side of a triangular desk in a white room. A doctor on one of the other sides moves pictures around on the triangular desk as though the whole desktop were a laptop screen. Another doctor is sitting at the third side talking with ZOE.
DOCTOR: You don’t seem all that surprised with my findings?
ZOE: I aint sick in any way?
DOCTOR: Technically no, a little stressed perhaps. Is there anything that could be playing on your subconscious at the moment?
ZOE: Besides the obvious?
DOCTOR: Besides the obvious.
ZOE sits to think for a moment not answering the doctor. We obviously know its because she is still seeing and speaking with her dead husband but she’s not ready to admit to it. Realising she is not going to answer the Doctor takes an ident. chip that the other Doctor has finished working with on his side of the table and hands it to her.
DOCTOR: Ms Washburn…
ZOE: Mrs…if anything. Though I prefer Zoe.
DOCTOR: Of course, here are your medical files. If you are going to remain travelling please be sure to submit this ident chip at your next appointment.
ZOE takes the Ident chip and gets up to leave.
DOCTOR: Zoe?
ZOE turns back to the doctor who merely smiles at her understandingly. ZOE forces a smile back and then leaves.
INT. GUILD GALA BALLROOM - NIGHT
INARA is Dancing with SIMON amongst many other glamorous Companions and their Captains. They are both smiling and actually having fun.
The string quartet (which consists of a Violin, Cello, Chinese stringed instrument and a Harp) stops playing and everyone applauds as some couples prepare to dance again and others leave the floor.
SIMON escorts INARA over to a table with a champagne tower on it and are offered a glass by a short very beautiful Chinese woman. It appears they are the hosts because many Chinese women all dressed elegantly are hovering through the party.
INARA notices two girls heading towards her.
BETTALY: Inara, cherish you look divine!
INARA: Bettaly!
The girls embrace.
INARA CONT: How have you been (Chinese magnificent friend) I have missed you.
BETTALY: I have been otherworldly, it’s so amazing out there. I’m sorry where is my training. Inara this is the Captain of the Pearl Pacific Lindy Marck.
INARA takes LINDY’S hand and curtsies a little.
INARA: This is Captain Malcolm Reynolds. (Gesturing towards Simon)
SIMON: How do you.
He also extends his hand for the other Companion to take.
BETTALY: So you’re the Mischievous Captain whose captured our Inara. (To Inara) And I was so hoping you would join me on the Pearl. Misty!
BETTALY noticed someone else she knew obviously and was gone from INARA’S side within the second. LINDY remains for a moment to have a word Captain to Captain with SIMON.
LINDY: (referring to Bettaly) Fantastic Companion, a little flighty though. It seems you have quite the catch on your ship Capt’n though. (Now referring to Inara)
LINDY then walks off leaving SIMON to respond to INARA.
SIMON: If only I knew.
INARA grinned playfully at SIMON’S tiny attack at MAL and offers SIMON her hand to dance again.
INT. TRIACT ROOM - NIGHT
MAL and JAYNE are still working in the museum. MAL is concentrating and JAYNE is getting bored.
JAYNE: So…
MAL: So?
JAYNE: Zoe says you got ‘Nara Somen?
MAL: Did she?
JAYNE: Did you?
MAL: Maybe…
They are totally being men about it and fall into silence for a bit as they both think on how to respond.
JAYNE: D’ya give it to her yet?
MAL: What?
JAYNE: The thing Zoe said you got?
MAL looks up at JAYNE totally trying to avoid the subject.
In the electrics room KAYLEE has heard the whole thing over comms and can see both the boys on a monitor in front of her. She decides to but in talking into her comms.
KAYLEE: He bought her an antique necklace on Persephone whiles back.
MAL looks up at the cameras and KAYLEE can see him through the monitors.
KAYLEE: Us girls know these things Capt’n.
JAYNE: (comms) Where is it now? I aint seen her wearin anything new. Then again I aint exactly been looking at her neck.
KAYLEE: Jayne!
MAL: (comms) (Chinese Enough with necklines!) we got work to do!
There is silence for a moment as MAL goes back to working.
KAYLEE looks as though she might burst while watching the boys on the monitor.
KAYLEE: (quickly) He aint given it to her, he left it in her Shuttle for her to find later on as a white flag or something….
MAL has stopped what he was doing and is staring straight into the camera so it looks like he is staring directly at KAYLEE from the screen, or at least that’s how she feels.
KAYLEE: Sorry.
Back in the Triact room MAL once again goes back to work in silence, JAYNE however kinda wants to know more and tries to secretly talk into his comms.
JAYNE: (whispering) You think she’ll wear it?
MAL: (Chinese Moron, you can whisper all you want I can still hear you through my comms.)
MAL shakes his comms unit at JAYNE and then slams the casing below the Triact shut. He picks up the real one, and some tools and then storms right at JAYNE.
MAL CONT: Kaylee, were done, get going.
KAYLEE: (comms) Yes Capt’n.
Still storming towards JAYNE, MAL throws the bag of tools at him and then leaves the room. JAYNE steps back a little to let him pass, possible a little scared of how annoyed MAL is right now.
INARA is drinking another glass of champagne and socialising while SIMON appears to be getting chat up by some junior companions.
SIMON looks a little uncomfortable which causes INARA to smile in his direction, he catches her eye and also smiles back realising she isn’t going to help him out.
When INARA looks back around the room she notices MAL walking past the ballroom in the hallway.
Her smile fades instantly and she leaves her current conversation to cut him off.
INT. GUILD GALA HALLWAY – NIGHT
INARA: Mal? (Notices Jayne) Jayne? (Also see’s Kaylee looking sheepish) What’s going on?
The three are a little lost for words mostly because of the Triact but also because they have been talking about her.
KAYLEE also looks a little sick to her stomach about lying to INARA.
INARA CONT: (Chinese Let the devil himself rip it from your tongues) Kaylee?
MAL: (Sincerely to Inara) You look nice.
INARA glares a little at MAL very suspicious of them all now.
INARA: Your poor attempt at flattery does not change the question. What are you doing here?
She then looks at KAYLEE again for answers. Before KAYLEE can answer and alarm sounds, the lights dim and tiny red lights that look like stars appear on the roof of the hallway.
JAYNE: (To Mal) Didn’t hold.
MAL simply gives him a ‘do you want to sleep on the ship tonight’ look and then looks back at INARA.
MAL: Go back to your party, act like you know nothing.
INARA: I DON’T know anything.
MAL pushes KAYLEE and JAYNE to move on.
MAL: Leave like an ordinary guest, get back to the ship quick as you can…
The three hurry off and INARA floats back around into the ballroom and makes her way directly to SIMON.
INT. GUILD GALA BALLROOM – NIGHT
INARA: Insufferable (Chinese egotistical pant driven….)
SIMON: I was only being polite.
INARA: Sorry not you. We need to leave, now! Mal will explain later I’m sure.
She takes SIMON’S hand and drags him towards the exit.
MAL is leaving in a hurry in front of JAYNE and KAYLEE.
MAL: It always goes wrong right at the end. I don’t understand it.
JAYNE: Yeah why can’t crime ever just be relaxin?
In INARA’S shuttle DERRIA and RIVER are both lying on INARA’S bed with mud masks on their faces, trying to relax.
DERRIA doesn’t really like this sensation and is squirming.
DERRIA: Now?
RIVER: Not yet.
(Pause)
DERRIA: Now??
RIVER: Not. Yet!!!
RIVER CONT: There are some things I can’t tell.
DERRIA: Like what?
RIVER sits up to look at DERRIA who has opened her eyes.
RIVR: You aint gonna hurt them are you? When all of it plays out?
DERRIA: Why would I hurt’ em?
RIVER: Because of what you’re scared of.
RIVER lies back down and closes her eyes but DERRIA keeps hers open.
DERRIA: How come you know that but you can’t see the rest? That’s confusin. (Beat) Zoe aint out looking for jobs is she?
RIVER: Nope. (Beat) No one can run forever. (Beat) They’re legs would begin to bleed internally, ligaments would disintegrate and bones would eventually puncture the skin. Simply bouncing flesh and cartilage…
DERRIA looks at RIVER a little weirded out and then continues with the leg talk.
DERRIA: Speakin on legs, you think Simon can fix this?
She pulls up her skirt/pant thing and shows RIVER a gross mass thing growing on her thigh just above her left knee. RIVER makes a disgusted face and sniffs the mass grossness and decides its now time for the mud masks to come off.
RIVER: Now.
DERRIA: Bad!
RIVER: (correcting her automatically) Good!
DERRIA: Finally, this stuff’s awful itchin.
INT. SERENITY CARGO BAY HANGAR DOORS – NIGHT
KAYLEE, JAYNE and MAL return to Serenity the same time ZOE does and have words on the ramp of the cargo bay.
ZOE looks calm but JAYNE, MAL and KAYLEE have clearly been running.
MAL: Any work out there?
But ZOE as absolutely no idea what the Gorram hell MAL is talking about so she decides to just go with it.
RIVER obviously lied to him about her whereabouts.
ZOE: Um…not exactly Sir. Theivin?
MAL: A plenty, Serenity needs to be ready for atmo when the Ambassador and her impostor return. We’re in a mite hurry.
ZOE nods and gives KAYLEE a ‘sounds like you had a fun day as well’ look before heading up to the bridge.
KAYLEE: Zoe look ok to you Capt’n?
MAL: Sure, I uh gotta take care of something.
He probably wasn’t really listening to KAYLEE because he has headed straight in the direction of INARA’S shuttle.
JAYNE: Don’t fret over her, damage has been done. Reckon she’ll be all right give or take 7 months.
KAYLEE: What? NO…. (Realising he means she is pregnant) Wash’s? No….
JAYNE: Nah, was just thoughts…..
MAL bursts through the door to INARA’S Shuttle and heads straight for the necklace in the box. His hand freezes mid air above the box when he notices RIVER and DERRIA out the corner of his eye in the middle of taking off their mud masks.
MAL: What the……geez, what in the Gorram hell you two doin in here?
DERRIA immediately withdraws, head down, a little shaky and ashamed for making MAL yell. RIVER notices this and so does MAL but the pair say nothing about it.
RIVER: This day is going to be very long, but I know of a longer one.
MAL looks at RIVER sort of wanting to know what she knows now so he doesn’t have to deal with it later.
DERRIA: We din’t break nuffin…River said…and…dorm smelt funny….
RIVER: We didn’t move anything really important. (Meaning the necklace)
MAL: That don’t matter, it’s not the point, you can’t just go into people’s…just get outta here and leave Nara’s things.
DERRIA scampers from the room speaking to MAL on the move in case she needs to run. He turns his gaze to follow her as she talks to him
DERRIA: No airlock?
MAL: What? (remembering) No! NO airlock I aint gonna space you for havin a Gorram tea party.
DERRIA leaves and as MAL has been talking with her RIVER has taken off INARA’S dress behind his back and is now standing naked.
MAL turns back.
MAL: Woah (Chinese always with the naked women)
MAL has closed his eyes and is pointing towards the doorway for RIVER to leave. She grins a little and walks over to pick the necklace box up. She places it in MAL’S hands.
RIVER: She loved it.
MAL keeps his eyes closed as RIVER walks out the room and closes the shuttle door.
The wooden box resting in his hand.
At the Gala SIMON and INARA are trying to leave and look as natural as they possibly can about it. They have both had a few champagnes and are doing their best to not do something drunk.
They reach an exit but are headed off by one of the Chinese attendants.
ATTENDANT: I’m sorry, you aren’t to leave until the whole alarm going off debacle is resolved. There is mango parfait over by the Champagne tower?
INARA: Mango? Really?
SIMON thinking quick.
SIMON: Please Miss Serra is feeling light headed and needs some air.
INARA: Or food, which is why I said the thing about the mango. (off Simon’s look) Air would be better.
ATTENDANT: Captain..?
SIMON: Reynolds, although I do prefer it when people call me sir.
INARA can’t help herself and starts to laugh. SIMON smiles at her and tries to hold in laughing himself.
INARA: I’m sorry… Sir.
The word ‘Sir’ slipped out accidentally slipped out and they both start giggling and walk away from the attendant, she definitely wont let them leave now.
INARA: Why did we have to drink so much champagne? How are we going to get out of here?
SIMON: Perhaps we shouldn’t, security seems to have tightened and if we force an exit now they may suspect us. You said you saw Kaylee with Jayne and the Captain? What did they do exactly?
INARA: I have no idea. All I know is it was big and I’m sure it had something to do with the fact this Gala is to celebrate Unification. Mal would only be too careless…oh no. What did Rivers boyfriend give to her on Whittier?
SIMON: It wasn’t her boyfriend and just a shiny rock they had found in asteroid debris. It’s actually funny, polished up a little and it would look like the….
SIMON/INARA: Triact stone!
INARA: I cannot believe that man! Why would he do something so selfless only to counteract it with something…
SIMON: Selfless?
INARA shakes her head at SIMON’S looking hopeful of a little gossip and then as if on cue BETTALY appears.
INARA: (avoiding the topic) Champagne…words coming out wrong…no idea…look Bettaly!?
BETTALY: If you two are lookin to leave the far east door is letting people out with qualification papers. Who knew a Companion gathering could be so exciting!
She then disappears into a crowd of frustrated Captains and Companions.
SIMON and INARA make their way to the door.
SIMON: Bettaly is rather….
INARA: I know, I never actually said what I missed about her.
SIMON: You don’t seem to actually like Sihnon?
INARA: Sihnon’s fine, it’s the Guild that….
The pair reach the door and present papers to another Chinese attendant.
INARA CONT: Inara Serra and Captain Malcolm Reynolds requesting exit?
ATTENDANT: (After eyeing Simon) You fought in the war Captain.
SIMON: oh um yes. Yes I did.
ATTENDANT: You fought against unification?
SIMON: War’s long over, uh, I learnt my place like the rest of them, uh scum.
SIMON tries to force the words out. The attendant raises her eyebrows and looks at the papers again.
INT. SERENITY BRIDGE - NIGHT
In the bridge ZOE and RIVER are getting Serenity ready for take off. ZOE standing behind the first pilots chair, imaginary WASH is sitting in it and RIVER is in the second piloting chair. She is dressed again.
RIVER notices ZOE isn’t sitting and sort of looks between air/WASH and ZOE while working.
RIVER: Alliance flagged recent planet bound ships yet?
ZOE: Doesn’t look like it, Inara’s shuttle in sensor range yet? Maybe we can net them for take off and board in atmo.
RIVER: Could, if Nara and Simon didn’t take a hover carriage.
ZOE: Oh…
There is a pause as RIVER jumps up and pushes in front of ZOE to flick the three buttons next to her head. She then stops to look at her.
RIVER: We’re not alone.
WASH: Yes we are.
ZOE looks down towards WASH then back a RIVER.
RIVER: Carriage! Landlock! Time.
RIVER seats herself as MAL enters the room and grabs a comms unit.
MAL: Kaylee you boosting?
INT. ENGINE ROOM - NIGHT
KAYLEE is franticly rushing about the engine room, winding the engine and un connecting and re connecting cables. She then comms him back in a tone that suggests she could still be angry at him for roping her into all this.
KAYLEE: Just say the word Capt’n.
INT. BRIDGE LOOKING OUT – NIGHT
Out the window in the bridge we can see INARA’S carriage hurrying towards Serenity alone.
RIVER: Word.
INT. CARGO BAY HANGAR DOORS - NIGHT
SIMON and INARA rush from the carriage into the cargo bay and JAYNE closes the hanger doors behind them.
EXT. SERENITY ATMO – NIGHT
As the doors are closing Serenity takes off and up into the atmosphere. Seconds after they are no longer on the ground a woman’s voice can be heard in the ship docking yard.
WOMAN’S VOICE: Requesting immediate landlock of all off world vessels. Please comply. (Chinese Requesting immediate landlock of all off world vessels. Please comply.)
Serenity is long gone.
INT. LOUNGE - NIGHT
On Serenity SIMON is walking down the stairs towards the lounge area where DERRIA is fiddling with a chair arm.
Above them INARA is shouting at MAL and JAYNE loud enough for the whole ship to hear.
INARA (O.S.): The Triact?!? Are you both (Chinese complete back births?) and to drag Kaylee into it. Where is it? We’re putting it back.
JAYNE (O.S.): Can’t, sold it already.
MAL (O.S.): The sell was untraceable.
INARA (O.S.): But not the steal!
SIMON: Everything all right?
DERRIA: My legs sore, but River knows that’s not going to be (pause) Important.
SIMON: You’re words are getting much better, you hardly sound like a….
DERRIA: Reaver? Cause they have all kinds of a vocab. (shrugs) I guess hearin words all the time puts them back in the right order inside my head.
JAYNE is sitting at the table, INARA is pacing and MAL is standing in her way a little.
MAL: This had nothin to do with the war OR Unification it was business. MY business. Your’s just happened to be ridin the edges.
INARA: (to Mal) Nothing to do with Unification? You (Chinese lying, stubborn, grumpy old man) still fighting a war.
JAYNE: Nara let it go…we got away din’t we?
INARA: Do you want me to start with you?
INT. LOUNGE – NIGHT
SIMON has seated himself near DERRIA, she doesn’t look very happy and he’s a little worried. He pulls her face round to look at him.
SIMON: What’s happened?
DERRIA: River and me were proper, Mal yelled. Again. River said things and my leg is really not lookin like a normal leg. Not that most of me can be considered normal.
SIMON: Let me see.
DERRIA shows SIMON her leg and he looks a little taken back at first by the sight but then the Doctor within comes out to play and he helps her into the infirmary.
INT. BRIDGE - NIGHT
In the bridge KAYLEE and ZOE are sitting in both the piloting chairs also listening to the yelling.
KAYLEE: I should be in there. She should be yellin at me too.
ZOE: Nara aint really mad bout the Triact.
KAYLEE: I know, but I feel bad the boys are getting flamed.
JAYNE has stormed out of the line of fire and up to join the girls in the bridge.
JAYNE: She don’t Gorram care one bit about how we’re almost rich now.
KAYLEE: That’s not the point.
JAYNE: Yeah well it must be one of those girly meanings. We didn’t kill no one she knows, or more importantly likes.
He slumps down in between the chairs the girls are in and stares with them quietly into space.
MAL: Inara, this aint got nothing to do with you like that.
INARA: You deliberately went behind my back to steal something I could be blamed for? Why would you do that? Why would you put my career in jeopardy like that Mal? My life? Do you hate what I do that much?
There is a long pause and everyone is silent.
INT. INFIRMARY – NIGHT
DERRIA and SIMON both look upwards as the yelling stops, waiting to hear the reply.
INT. HALLWAY TO BRIDGE – NIGHT
RIVER has been hiding around the door listening in. She also waits for a reply.
INARA is still waiting for her reply from MAL but gives up when it looks as though he doesn’t want to answer that question. Instead she throws him another.
INARA CONT: Then what did the necklace mean?
INT. BRIDGE – NIGHT
More silence and KAYLEE and JAYNE have turned their heads in the direction of the kitchen.
ZOE is still staring into space.
JAYNE: Bout time this got interesting…
RIVER: (to herself) You have no idea.
ZOE: I’m… I was pregnant.
JAYNE and KAYLEE both turn their heads to ZOE, mouths open a little.
ZOE CONT: …but it’s dead now.
END EPISODE
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