As he sights along his cue, all the balls on the table flicker, disappearing for a moment, then reappearing. A general DISGUSTED GROAN comes from every player in the room.

He looks toward the Bartender, as do other patrons. The Bartender points, bored, to a crude Sign: "MANAGEMENT NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR BALL FAILURE" (It also says it in Chinese.)

Wright attempts his shot, Doesn't sink the ball.

Mal's turn. He walks around, examines the table.

Mal makes his shot, lines up another.

Wright and Holder laugh.

Mal misses a shot and steps back by Inara. She's brushing cigarette ashes off a chair, making a place to sit.

ANGLE ON: Jayne, sinking one of the few remaining balls. Mal smiles at Inara, but:

Mal leans in close, slips Inara a handful of paper money.

Wright's hand falls heavily on Mal's shoulder. Mal spins and LANDS A MIGHTY PUNCH.

Behind them, Holder jumps to help Wright. Jayne TACKLES HIM.

Inara jumps back against a wall, as Wright KICKS MAL'S LEGS from under him. Mal falls.

Holder is up again, swinging a pool cue at Jayne.

Mal, on the floor, grabs the base of a small table and rams it UP at Wright. Wright flies back.

It's a melee. Other patrons jump to join.

Inara jumps when a GLASS SHATTERS near her head. She heads toward the door, fast. She passes the bartender as she goes.

Wash whistles through his teeth.

Mal joins them. Looks out past them at the planet.

As Mal exits:

INT. INARA'S SHUTTLE - DAY

Inara sits facing a Cortex screen that hangs on the wall like a mirror. There is local data across the top of the screen: "Persephone", the local time (10 am), ship's status (docked) The main part of the screen is labeled "Responses". The screen features 12 small pictures -- 10 men, 2 women. Text under each picture gives a name. Inara touches three pictures and they disappear.

Inara looks at the ones that remain. She touches one of the pictures and it expands to fill the screen. It's a taped request from a pale YOUNG HOPEFUL (man).

Inara taps the screen. The field of nine photos is back. Before she can select another, a CHIME sounds and the screen fills with the live (not recorded) image of ATHERTON WING.

Atherton is handsome, 30's with just enough charm to offset his aura of entitlement. Inara smiles at the sight of him.

SFX: KNOCK AT THE DOOR

She severs the connection. His image freezes on the screen.

Mal enters. Inara sets the screen on a table.

Mal gestures toward the screen, trying to seem casual.

Inara tenses. He doesn't wait for an answer from her. He looks closely at the screen.

Inara blanks the screen.

Mal tries not to look stung.

Inara moves to the door, a clear invitation. to leave.

He exits.

EXT. STREET - DAY (DAY 2)

Outside a line of shops on Persephone. KAYLEE, Zoe, Jayne, Wash and Mal are carrying some supplies back to the Mule.

The women and Wash walk ahead, then Jayne, then Mal. Mal carries a heavy burlap sack.

They pass a high-class dress shop. There are three live MODELS behind the electronic window, walking and posing, showing off their gowns. Kaylee stops short, and Zoe almost runs into her.

Zoe looks, and Wash joins her.

Jayne stops short:

Jayne looks too. Mal is forced to stop, wait.

Jayne snorts a laugh at that. Kaylee's face shows she's hurt. Zoe shoots Mal a hard look. She takes Mal's burden effortlessly. She, Kaylee and Wash head o.s. toward the Mule.

Mal instantly regrets what he said.

There's a series of meaningful CLICKS behind him.

Mal and Jayne turn to find themselves facing BADGER, a cockney criminal, a slice of local color with a fine hat.

Three of his LADS are with him, covering Jayne -- the clicks were the cocking of their guns. Mal nods politely, as if this is a normal way to run into an old acquaintance.

INT. BADGER'S LAIR - DAY

Badger, Mal and Jayne sit uncomfortably around a cable-spool table. Badger pours tea. Jayne eats from a plate of cookies.

Mal continues as if he hadn't been interrupted.

Jayne pours himself more tea, reaching across Mal.

Mal shoots Jayne a look.

Jayne barks a laugh at that. Mal shoots him another look.

Mal raises his eyebrows for a pregnant beat.

Mal considers.

INT. SERENITY - ENGINE ROOM - DAY (DAY 2)

Kaylee is working on the engine. Mal enters.

She avoids his eyes, busies herself with her work. No answer.

He turns to go, matching her coldness.

INT. PARTY - FOYER - NIGHT (DAY 3)

Atherton Wing ushers Inara into the richly decorated foyer of a large public building. They are dressy and elegant.

The ballroom is beyond, through an ornate arch -- there is no visible machinery associated with the arch. Two couples are in front of them, waiting to go through. A DECORATED OFFICIAL stands to the side of the arch.

ANGLE ON THE ARCHWAY

One couple passes through. A PORTER, his back visible through the arch, can be heard, slightly muffled, as he announces them to the room beyond.

The next couple, equally elegant, heads for the arch. The woman steps through, but the WELL-DRESSED MAN is held in place by something unseen.

A PLEASANT CHIME SOUNDS.

The Well-Dressed Man is not harmed, not struggling, but he can't move forward. He steps back, smiles at the Official.

He removes a small pistol from a suit jacket pocket, hands it to the Official. He passes though the arch to join his date.

Atherton and Inara step through.

INT. PARTY - BALLROOM - CONTINUOUS

Atherton and Inara enter.

We see the room now, filled with elegant party-goers, circulating waiters, live musicians, a buffet table...

Fresh food means money, so many of the decorations feature huge bowls of fruit. There is also a hovering chandelier.

Atherton and Inara move into the room. Inara waves at someone, exchanges air kisses with another woman.

She greets an elderly man sitting in a chair:

They move on. Atherton talks softly into her ear.

Inara finds that in bad taste. She looks away, changes the topic.

Inara stops and looks at him, touched.

Inara greets another acquaintance.

Atherton spots a glass of champagne -- a waiter is passing with a tray. Atherton lifts the glass and offers it to Inara in one smooth move. She smiles, delighted.

Inara turns her head sharply and a little rudely away from Atherton, startled into looking at the door.

ON KAYLEE

She enters, eyes wide, soaking it all in. She wears the ruffled dress from the window and looks beautiful. She carries a glittery evening bag. She's Cinderella at the ball.

Mal steps forward to join her. He is in his Sunday best, something dark and Rhett Butler-y, maybe a cut-away coat.

ACROSS THE ROOM,

Inara stares, locking in on Mal.

Mal looks up at the chandelier.

Mal is still eyeing the chandelier.

Mal starts looking around, seeking someone out.

Kaylee is distracted by a passing group of attractive young men in fancy clothes.

Nearby party-goers glance over. Mal winces. Kaylee doesn't notice.

She stares, struck speechless, as a waiter passes, carrying a huge BOWL OF ENORMOUS STRAWBERRIES to the buffet table.

Kaylee never takes her eyes off the strawberries.

Mal looks where she's pointing, at the buffet table.

Kaylee flashes him a big smile.

And she's off to the buffet. Mal heads off on his own.

INT. SERENITY COMMON AREA / KITCHEN - NIGHT

SIMON, BOOK and Jayne play Chore poker. It looks like five card draw, only instead of chips, they're playing for pieces of paper. Each man has a collection of scraps in front of him -- Simon has the least and Book the most. Simon shuffles.

Simon completes the deal. The three men study their cards.

Simon gives out the cards.

The CAMERA FINDS River, sitting in the kitchen, next to a box of supplies. She takes the label off a can of peaches.

BACK AT THE GAME:

Jayne shuffles.

IN THE KITCHEN,

River has three cans unlabeled, and she's crushing a box of crackers. It has a visible, not emphasized, "Blue Sun" on it. She gets more violent and loud as she continues.

AT THE GAME,

River's ranting is audible now. Simon drops his cards and goes to her. Book follows.

Jayne moves a few exemptions from Book's pile to his own.

IN THE KITCHEN

Simon has an arm around River, calming her down. Book looks at the supplies. River rants the whole time.

She winds down, stops talking. Book and Simon relax.

INT. ZOE AND WASH'S QUARTERS - SAME TIME

Wash and Zoe in a post-coital tangle, limbs and sheets, exhausted and happy.

Zoe's eyes are closing.

Zoe starts to laugh, her eyes still closed.

Zoe hits him with a pillow.

INT. PARTY

Back at the party, Kaylee approaches an attractive BOY (early 20s) who is watching the dancers.

The boy turns toward her and bows politely and moves away. But there's too much going on for Kaylee to be disappointed.

She joins a group of four GIRLS her age and younger, standing and gossiping. She waits until a group-laugh subsides.

One of the girls, BANNING, seems to be the queen bee. She looks at Kaylee in surprise.

Kaylee grabs Banning's hand, shakes it with enthusiasm.

Destra and Zelle giggle, but Banning looks sympathetic.

The other girls giggle again, but Banning plays it off with a straight face.

A nearby guest, MURPHY, a kind-looking man in his 50s,. interrupts.

Banning leaves, mortified. Her friends are suppressing giggles.

SOME DISTANCE AWAY, MAL

Approaches HARROW, who is indeed wearing a red sash. Harrow is upper-crust, an acute observer with a strong code of behavior. He doesn't immediately take to rough-edged Mal.

It's a bad start.

Harrow moves a few steps away, dismissing Mal. Mal has to follow.

Mal is distracted as INARA AND ATHERTON DANCE NEARBY. No one makes eye contact, but Mal and Inara are very aware of each other. Harrow observes this.

Harrow takes a closer look at Mal. Still not impressed.

Mal is startled by a touch on his arm. He turns, surprised to see Atherton there. Inara, unsmiling, is at his elbow.

Harrow nods, coolly.

Atherton and Mal shake hands, sizing each other up.

Atherton circles Inara's arm with his hand... a gesture that is both affectionate and possessive.

Mal watches as Atherton's fingers shift on Inara's arm. We can see the white circle the pressure of his fingers has left. Mal sees that, makes a decision.

Atherton hesitates, can't find a way out.

Atherton and Harrow end up standing side by side watching as Mal leads an angry Inara onto the dance floor.

CONTINUED

Harrow scowls, disliking Atherton.

MAL AND INARA

On the dance floor.

The music begins for their dance -- it's a courtly and complicated dance, rather Regency England in style. Mal watches the other couples. It's easy at first, lots of walking around each other.

The dance takes them apart for a few beats, bowing and curtsying to other couples.

Mal starts to make his curtsy mistake as in the Train Job, but he corrects it. They come back together and now dance palm-to-palm.

Mal didn't expect that.

Mal reacts to the word "pretentious," startled by it. Beat.

Inara accepts that for the concession it is. Then:

Inara relaxes a little.

KAYLEE

She's now surrounded by a group of gentlemen farmers, Murphy and his friends. Many of them are older, some young.

She's enjoying chocolate mints, talking with her mouth full. The men are laughing. The dialog overlaps as they debate:

He's shouted down by the other men:

If you knew these machines, oh, you'd find this hilarious. The men laugh, urging her on.

MAL AND INARA

The dance gets more complicated now, some tricky footwork. Inara and all the other dancers do it easily. Mal stumbles. He catches himself with hands around Inara's waist. As the music ends, he straightens himself out, grins at her.

Inara can't help herself and she smiles. Atherton is suddenly there. He's seen enough. He takes her back roughly, hauling her by the arm.

Guests, including Harrow, look at the public display.

Without warning, Mal hauls off and PUNCHES ATHERTON, lays him right down on the floor. Mal smiles and looks to Inara.

Harrow looks impressed, watching everything.

Atherton is on his feet.

The crowd disperses, including Atherton, who moves away with an evil look at Mal. Kaylee separates herself from the crowd, moving in close to Mal.

ANGLE ON ATHERTON: Waiting impatiently. She hesitates.

Harrow chuckles.

Inara tears herself away, eyes still on Mal. Finally she turns, goes to Atherton. Mal watches her go.

INT. SERENITY - CARGO BAY - DAY

Jayne is in the cargo bay, working out with those hanging rungs under the catwalk. His shotgun leans against a wall nearby.

He's interrupted by a loud metallic BANGING.

Jayne crosses and opens the door, (not the ramp, the door into the airlock) revealing Badger, holding a wrench. He's been banging on the door with it.

INT. SERENITY - CARGO BAY - DAY

Badger stands near the infirmary end of the cargo bay. The assembled crew, Zoe, Wash, Jayne, Simon, Book, are gathered around, back to the closed ramp. (River isn't there.)

Simon and Book look to Zoe hopefully.

Zoe stands. It's suddenly clear that now, this is her ship.

Jayne is suddenly there, at Badger's back, shotgun raised. He CRACKS BADGER OVER THE SKULL WITH IT.

Badger falls. Jayne points the gun at Badger's head.

Zoe looks toward the doorway. Jayne follows the look...

ANGLE ON THE DOORWAY: FOUR OF BADGER'S LADS: all of them with guns. One of them has a scared Kaylee by the arm.

Jayne sags.

INT. LODGING - MALL AND RQOM - NIGHT

Inara slips quietly down a hallway, like a modern hotel hall, only with Chinese numbers on the doors. And, oddly, round SMALLOW HOLES INSTEAD OF DOOR KNOBS (the holes don't go all the way through the doors). She stops at a closed door.

Now we get to see how a hotel key works. She is holding a small metal sphere with a small protruding round shaft. The sphere is about 2/3 the size of a regular doorknob. She holds it near the hole in the door and magnets pull it in. THE SHAFT FITS INTO THE HOLE ON THE DOOR AND, THUS, THE SPHERE BECOMES A DOORKNOB! The mechanism hums and A SMALL LIGHT COMES ON. She turns it, unlocking and opening the door.

She enters quietly and we see the room, again, not too different from a modern hotel room. A sword lies on the bed.

Mal, suit coat off, shirt sleeves rolled up, stands, back to her, brandishing a sword with ridiculous flourishes.

Inara makes a noise and Mal JUMPS. He spins to see her. His sword swings, hits the wall and the tip embeds in the plaster. The sword hangs there.

He tugs at the embedded sword, trying not to be obvious.

Mal tugs the sword free. Inara looks around the room.

Inara looks at him, surprised.

Mal picks the other sword off the bed and throws it to her. She catches it expertly.

INT. SERENITY - CARGO BAY

It's still a hostage situation here in the cargo bay.

Wash has his head down, trying to sleep. Book reads his Bible and prays silently.

Badger leans against the wall, eating a sandwich.

Jayne, Simon and Zoe talk quietly, pretending to play cards. Kaylee is bending over to talk to them.

Kaylee moves away, unconvinced.

ANGLE ON THE DOORWAY FROM THE INFIRMARY: River appears. She looks blank and aimless. No one sees her, and the discussion continues.

Wash, without raising his head:

Book looks up and sees River. He winces, but keeps his reaction small. He gets up casually and makes his way over to Simon. Book puts a hand on Simon's back.

ANGLE ON: River. She's stepped over the threshold now...

Simon tenses, starts to stand up.

Simon heads toward River. Badger doesn't look up. Simon is at her, hand on her arm...

ANGLE ON: RIVER AND SIMON.

Simon tries to lead her back inside, but she pulls back, smiling a little, thinking it's a game.

Simon turns to see Badger, standing close. River avoids Badger's gaze, turning toward Simon for protection.

River looks around, unfocused.

River raises her head, looks Badger in the eye. She's completely sane, unafraid, and she sounds like she's from his home town. She's also kinda pissed.

She picks something off Badger's lapel, looks at it, wipes it back onto him.

After a beat...

ANGLE ON: JAYNE and ZOE.

INT. MAL'S LODGING - PRE-DAWN

The furniture has been pushed to the walls. In the center of the cleared room, Inara and Mal face off, holding swords.

He attacks, swinging the sword. She slips out of the way.

She touches his arm, adjusting his swing, controlling it. It's an intimate touch.

Inara backs away, breaking the contact.

She's angry now, waving her sword as she gestures.

Mal backs away from her sword.

Inara, turns away, frustrated almost to tears.

Then, Mal, avoiding her eye:

Inara turns and stares at him.

He starts practicing again, unable to look at her.

And she exits, leaving him alone. He swings the sword.

EXT. PERSEPHONE - MORNING (DAY 4)

A grassy hillside at dawn would be lovely. About 15 spectators, men and women, cluster around the duelling area. Among them are a couple of Badger's lads. The crowd shifts and CHATTERS with anticipation.

Mal and Harrow stand, heads together, to one side. Harrow is smiling, Mal looks intense, adjusting and readjusting his grip on his sword. He's still wearing his dressy suit.

Atherton and his Second, another young dandy, are at the other side, talking and laughing easily. Inara stands near them, but her eyes are on Mal.

He meets her look, holds it.

The gentleman who first announced the challenge steps to the center. He raises his hands, commanding attention. Gradually the crowd quiets. He clears his throat.

The last sentence is given no special emphasis, and there is no sound from the crowd. MAL doesn't even realize the fight has begun until the gentleman blends back into the crowd and Atherton steps out, smiling and handling his sword casually.

Mal steps forward, uncertain.

HARROW has moved over by Inara. They exchange a grim look.

MAL AND ATHERTON

face off. Atherton attacks first, an easy swing that MAL parries.

MAL hits back, thrusting with the point of the sword. Atherton barely gets out of the way in time, in fact, his vest is nicked.

HARROW AND INARA

BACK TO THE FIGHT

MAL ducks to avoid a blow.

Atherton brings up his blade to deflect a blow. CLANG. While MAL hesitates, Atherton tosses his blade in the air and catches it with the other hand, showing off.

MAL gets nicked on the arm.

Atherton parries a blow away with such force it throws MAL off-balance.

Atherton steps back, and PUTS HIS SWORD BEHIND HIS BACK.

Mal lunges. Atherton steps to the side, the lunge goes past him. Atherton strikes, as he had planned, attacking sideways with the sword from behind his back, stabbing Mal in the side.

Inara looks stricken.

On Mal, looking down, shocked, at his wound.

Mal thrusts. He sword CLASHES AGAINST Atherton's sword. MAL'S SWORD BREAKS. And the momentum carries Mal to one knee. Atherton's sword points at his chest.

Atherton hesitates, he may be about to get what he wants...

ON MAL, still down, as he registers what Inara's doing.

Mal lunges to his feet, catching Atherton under the chin with the hilt and throwing him back, face cut.

Atherton is regrouping, ready to move in for the kill again. He brings his sword arm back...

But Mal KICKS HIS BROKEN SWORD POINT OFF THE GROUND and up into his hand. He THROWS the broken sword point at Atherton like a dart!

Atherton takes the sword point in the shoulder. It sticks there, and Atherton, furious, reaches to pull it out.

MAL raises the hilt, still around his right hand, and brings it down like a gun butt, over Atherton's head. Atherton sprawls on the ground.

MAL scoops up Atherton's dropped sword off the ground and holds it, point at Atherton's heart. He freezes there.

MAL pulls the sword back a little.

Very quickly, offhandedly, MAL STABS Atherton!

He STABS him again!

MAL grins and tosses the sword aside. Inara goes to him.

Atherton gets up slowly. The crowd draws back, whispering behind their hands.

She ignores him.

Harrow puts a hand on Atherton's arm.

Atherton shakes off Harrow's hand and staggers to Inara.

Inara and Mal start to walk away. Harrow joins them.

Mal nods. The deal is struck. Mal and Inara walk away, Mal a little unsteady.

INT. SERENITY - CARGO BAY - DAY

Morning. Badger stands with his lads. Simon talks quietly to Book. Jayne pours coffee for Kaylee and Wash and Zoe.

CAMERA FINDS Mal and Inara in the doorway. Inara is helping hold him up, and he's still got a hand over his wound.

Kaylee runs to him. The others follow.

Badger approaches Mal.

Badger's heard all he needs to. He's a happy man.

Badger exits. Inara and Simon guide Mal into a chair. The others gather around. Quickly:

EXT. SERENITY - IN FLIGHT - EFFECT

Serenity against a star field.

INT. SERENITY - DAY (DAY 5)

In the Engine Room, a grease-smudged Kaylee finishes installing a replacement engine part. Humming, she wipes her hands on a rag and heads out...

Down the hall...

Down the ladder into her quarters...

She crosses to her Cortex screen. Kaylee's Cortex has no casing. The circuitry is exposed so she can tinker with it.

Kaylee hits some keys. Nothing happens. She frowns, presses a chip more firmly into place in the machine's guts.

TINNY DANCE MUSIC plays, like the kind at the party. This is what she's been humming.

PULL BACK FROM THE CORTEX

To find Kaylee, sitting on the bed, eating some of the CHOCOLATE MINTS from the party. Pull further back to see she is looking at her party dress, which hangs from an exposed pipe.

INT. SERENITY - CARGO BAY - DAY (DAY 5)

Mal and Inara sit on the catwalk/balcony over the bay. Mal's midsection is bandaged. Inara wears another elegant kimono- type robe.

A bottle of wine sits between them and they drink from battered metal cups.

Inara sips her wine, makes a little face.

He raises his cup to toast, winces from the wound.

A little disingenuous:

We ARM BACK to REVEAL

The cargo bay is full of mooing milling CATTLE.