EXT. CONSTANCE – DAY – ESTABLISHING

Constance, a humble community of a few hundred, is nestled in the low-lying hills and bordered by a river.

EXT. CONSTANCE – CHURCH – DAY – ESTABLISHING

The small white church has a mix of horses and well-used vehicles parked outside. A few FOLKS enter the building.

INT. CONSTANCE – CHURCH – DAY

SHEPHERD BOOK stands at the front of the congregation. The church is a simple affair, looking almost like a schoolhouse on the inside. It contains eight rows of pews, filled by honest-looking, farmer-type FOLKS.

BOOK And so I say to you on this fine day, citizens of Constance, that your lives are not defined by that with which you enter this world, but rather with what you leave behind.

INT. CONSTANCE – VAULT – SAME TIME

The vault is a tight room, perhaps half the size of Serenity’s cargo bay. One wall contains a STAIRWELL and ELEVATOR, but the other three are lined with two rows of LOCKER DOORS. The interior of the room is a jumble of CRATES, BOXES, and BARRELS.

MAL REYNOLDS crouches in front of one of the lockers, a small BLOWTORCH-LIKE DEVICE in his hand. ZOE and JAYNE (his hands bandaged from last episode’s injuries) are behind him, armed, standing guard.

BOOK (cont’d, VO) Our lives, from the moment we are born to when we draw our last breath, are nothing more than a series of comings and goings.

Mal aims the device at the lock, and activates it. Smoke rises from the lock for a few beats, then Mal turns the device off and puts it down.

BOOK (cont’d, VO) If we live our lives as we should, we give of ourselves with each entrance and exit.

Mal taps the still-smoking lock, yanking his fingers back as he burns them. As he puts his fingers in his mouth, the lock falls out.

BOOK (cont’d, VO) If we don’t…

Using the hole created by the recently vacated lock as a handle, Mal opens the locker door. Jayne leans in close.

BOOK (cont’d, VO) …We take.

We don’t see what Mal sees, but he smiles up at Zoe. She’s looking across the room, however, toward the elevator and stairwell.

MAL Well, now…

He reaches into the vault, grabbing a BAG OF COIN and a smaller ITEM, which he palms up his sleeve. Then, he stands, drawing his gun. Jayne, too, turns to face the elevator.

MAL (cont’d) This is a situation.

The stairwell door is open, and four well-armed MERCS stand blocking the exits.

OTT is a well-dressed Asian man with a headset and facial tattoos. CLARENCE is a massive man in a bowler, vest, and filthy white t-shirt. GOWE is a scrawny raptor of a man with a number of scars and facial piercings. NICO, a surprisingly petite and pretty blonde, wears a revealing outfit that shows off her figure and the military tattoos on her shoulders.

All four are armed: Ott with a pistol, Clarence with a large gun, Gowe with a knife in one hand and a revolver in the other, and Nico with a monstrously large automatic weapon that envelops her left arm up to the elbow.

JAYNE Really? And here I was thinking it was ee da tuo da bien {a big lump of feces}.

ZOE Sir, it disturbs me that I’m inclined to agree with Jayne.

Mal and Ott’s crews posture, aiming at each other in a Tarantino-style standoff.

MAL Makes two of us.

OTT Surrender the coin to me, Malcolm. Or, I can shoot you in the face. Your choice.

MAL Don’t suppose it matters to you, our being here first?

OTT You suppose right, though I appreciate the preacher you brought along as a diversion. That was almost intelligent.

MAL Yeah, I used to think so.

Nico, Gowe, and Jayne are all getting fidgety enough that it seems very likely violence will ensue.

OTT Of course, that’s how I knew when to hit you.

NICO Can we move this along, Ott? I could spray them all down in a micro and we’ll be off this miserable rock.

OTT Yes, you could. It’s your call, Malcolm.

JAYNE C’mon, Mal, we can do this… (indicates Gowe) Starting with the freaky one. Too much coin at stake not to—

Mal glances to Zoe.

ZOE I’ll back you either way, sir.

OTT Your decision, Mal…

Mal lowers his gun and tosses the bag of coin on the ground between the two groups.

JAYNE But, Mal…

MAL Stow it, Jayne.

Jayne and Zoe lower their weapons as Clarence lumbers forward to collect the bag.

OTT I’ll have the cash, Mal… and your gun. I’ve a thing for antiques.

MAL This thing’s going your way, Ott. Don’t make it go another.

OTT Your gun. Now.

Mal holds the gun by the barrel.

MAL You know, this here got me through the war.

Significant look between Mal and Zoe.

MAL (cont’d) It’s one of only two things I can recall that did, and stuck with me afterwards.

Clarence is back next to Ott.

OTT War’s over, Mal.

MAL Yeah. People keep saying that.

Clarence hands the coin to Ott. While Ott’s focus is away, Mal FLINGS the gun, throwing it as hard as he can. It hits Ott in the face, drawing blood and knocking out a tooth.

OTT Gut them! ALL OF THEM!

NICO Hwoon dahn! {Bastards!}

As Nico opens fire with her massive weapon, Mal, Zoe and Jayne duck for cover behind crates.

JAYNE (under breath) I’ll fix this yao noo {demon woman}.

Jayne pulls out a GRENADE, bites off the pin.

ZOE Jayne, no! We’re in a vault. The concussion alone’ll kill us—

Jayne’s standing, preparing to throw the grenade, when Gowe throws a knife into his arm. Jayne yelps in pain and drops the grenade. It rolls across the floor.

Mal sees the grenade, dives for it. Zoe gets there first.

ZOE Can’t let you do that, sir.

She throws the grenade into the locker they previously opened.

ZOE (cont’d) Jayne, maybe. Not you.

Steve-McQueen cool, Zoe SHOOTS the door shut.

Jayne winces and covers his ears.

INT. CONSTANCE – CHURCH – SAME TIME

BOOK And so I say to each of you, the time comes when you will have to make your decision. What to take from this world, and what to leave behind—

An ALARM sounds in the distance outside. Folks rush to the window, ignoring Book.

CITIZEN (looking out the window) It’s coming from the bank!

INT. CONSTANCE – VAULT – SAME TIME

Mal, Zoe, and Jayne pick themselves up. The vault is filled with smoke and debris.

ZOE They’re getting away.

JAYNE They’re getting away with the money.

Ott and crew are in the elevator, door beginning to close. Ott stares at Mal.

MAL They ain’t there yet.

Mal rolls out into the room, grabs his discarded gun, and fires. Bullet hits the elevator door as it closes.

MAL Kao! {So damned close!}

INT. CONSTANCE – CHURCH – SAME TIME

Book stands alone, at the front of an empty church.

Beat.

BOOK Joo ah, nee ming ming jee dao wuh shr bang nee tzwo shr, yo huh bee jao wuh ma fan nuh? {Oh Lord, you clearly know I'm helping do your work, so why must there be so much trouble for me?}

EXT. CONSTANCE – BANK – DAY

The bank is a small building on a street of storefronts. The front door is open and smoke billows out. Jayne, Mal, and Zoe burst out, coughing and wiping their eyes.

ZOE Get the datacard, sir?

Mal nods and coughs, produces a DATACARD from his sleeve.

JAYNE What’s it matter, if we didn’t get the coin?

ZOE Jayne’s right, Captain. Card was the job, coin was the payment.

MAL Badger’ll see we get paid.

Zoe and Jayne exchange a look.

ZOE Could be you got hired by a different Badger from the one me an’ Jayne know.

Jayne wipes his nose and looks around.

JAYNE Gonna take a while for the stink of this to pass.

ZOE Just smoke, Jayne.

JAYNE Weren’t talking about no smoke.

Mal confronts Jayne.

MAL Now ain’t the time, Jayne. Understood?

JAYNE You just be sure and say when.

Mal ignores him and looks at Zoe.

MAL We’d do best to shut our mouths, keep our heads low, and see if we can’t obtain ourselves—

A RUMBLE interrupts him as Book roars up in an OFF-ROAD VEHICLE with huge tires. The Shepherd looks none too happy.

MAL (cont’d) —A vehicle. (beat) Shepherd Book. Didn’t plan on seeing you so soon.

BOOK I imagine that’s right.

Mal climbs aboard.

MAL Shiny ride, Preacher. Can we keep it?

BOOK No, we certainly cannot.

MAL So… How goes the flock?

BOOK At the moment? To their homes. To fetch their guns.

INT. SERENITY – BRIDGE – DAY

Wash sits in his chair, hands behind his head. We see him from behind.

MAL (via comm) Wash?

Wash is asleep.

MAL (cont’d, via comm) Wash, you hearin’ me? (beat) WASH!

Wash wakes with a start.

WASH Mother!

MAL (cont’d) Wash, I am decidedly not your mother.

WASH Right, but I assume you didn’t call just to tell me that…

MAL (via comm) Change of plans. Looks like we’ll be leaving the world a bit sooner’n anticipated. I’d like that last statement to prove specific and mundane, not spiritual-like.

Wash leans forward, flipping switches, hitting buttons, and prepping the ship.

WASH Gotcha.

MAL (via comm) Go with plan B. And Wash…

EXT. CONSTANCE – SAME TIME

The off-road vehicle is pursued down a thoroughfare by an ANGRY MOB of townsfolk, some riding mules and other vehicles, some mounted on horseback. Those with ranged weapons fire at the crew. Jayne and Zoe are in the back, returning fire.

MAL (cont’d) Hurry.

INT. SERENITY – CARGO BAY – DAY

SIMON TAM sits on a crate. We see him in the FRAME of a CAPTURE (“future camera”), looking straight at us.

SIMON Really, Kaylee, I don’t understand why you would even want my picture…

KAYLEE lowers her camera. She and INARA stand at one side of the cargo bay, Simon at the other.

KAYLEE (to Inara) All that schoolin’, he’s gotta ask.

WASH (via comm) Kaylee? Kaylee?

KAYLEE What’s up, Wash?

WASH (via comm) The usual. Crime and us trying to avoid punishment. Captain says go with Plan B. Ready to make like a kite?

EXT. CONSTANCE – SAME TIME

The crowd’s drawing a bit closer to the off-road vehicle, one mule and a pair of riders on horseback almost pulling parallel.

MAL Prayerful group you’ve found yourself here, Shepherd. And here I thought that book of yours had a thing in it about not killing folks.

BOOK It does. Comes a bit before the one about not stealing.

Mal shoots the mule that’s sneaking up on their side. Book glares.

MAL What? Just doin’ unto him as he’d a done to me.

In the back of the vehicle, Jayne and Zoe fire at those following them, more to distract than to hit.

JAYNE Stop chasing us! We don’t got your gorram money! Go chase the people with the money!

ZOE Jayne, you yelling like that’s only going to make them want to shoot you more.

JAYNE How ya figure?

ZOE Because it makes me want to shoot you.

MAL (into comm) Wash, how’s Plan B coming?

EXT. SERENITY – SAME TIME

Serenity hovers over a farmlike building on the edge of a river. The ship is next to and above a WATER TOWER, and Kaylee, strapped into a harness and wearing a hat and goggles, hangs from Serenity’s underbelly, hooking the last of three CABLES to the water tower.

INT. SERENITY – BRIDGE – SAME TIME

Wash sits waiting, hands on the controls.

WASH You’re a whisper away from us, Mal.

EXT. CONSTANCE – SAME TIME

Mal points at the water tower in the distance ahead. Serenity’s still hovering over it.

MAL You want I should take the wheel for this, Shepherd?

BOOK Thank you, but no. I’d prefer to survive.

INT. SERENITY – CARGO BAY – DAY

Simon helps Kaylee up through the cargo bay doors.

WASH (via comm) Kaylee, we ready for this?

KAYLEE Almost.

She runs across the room, grabbing a railing, indicating that Simon should too.

KAYLEE (cont’d) (to Simon) Hold on. TIGHT. (to comm) Wash, we’re good.

INT. SERENITY – BRIDGE – SAME TIME

Wash concentrates.

WASH Well, here goes… Kan wuh-mun tzun muh suh bah! {Let's see how we die!}

EXT. CONSTANCE – SAME TIME

Book drives the vehicle through the legs of the water tower.

ZOE (looking behind them) Gonna be close…

Serenity pulls away, tugging the water tower over. A TORRENT OF WATER floods the pursuers.

EXT. SPACE – MOMENTS LATER

Serenity sails away through the black.

INT. SERENITY – CARGO BAY – SAME TIME

Mal, Zoe, Jayne, and Book are wet. Jayne looks miserable, and Book is clearly annoyed at Mal. Kaylee, chipper as always, hands out towels, while Simon lingers nearby.

MAL (to Zoe) You tell that husband of yours to set a course for Persephone. Badger said he might have another job ready for us after we get this datacard to him.

ZOE We really want to deal with Badger again?

MAL Don’t have much of a choice, do we?

Kaylee hands Mal a towel.

KAYLEE (brightly) Well, that was the dampening sort of heroic…

JAYNE (drying himself off) Gorram it, I’m wet like a diaper.

KAYLEE (to herself) Not how I meant it. (to Jayne) Don’t be such a grouch, Jayne. It’s a hard ‘Verse out there. Ain’t easy gettin’ paid. (beat) We did get paid, didn’t we?

Mal looks down.

JAYNE Is now when, Mal?

Mal throws his towel on the floor and walks away.