We see Simon's father, GABRIEL, 50, refined, used to having control, standing in front of him. At the moment, he seems warm and jovial.

Gabriel pours brandy for himself and for Simon's mother, REGAN, late 40s, elegant.

Simon tries to read his father's grin. Then:

Gabriel chuckles.

This is a huge moment for Simon. He's thrilled.

Simon stares into his glass, embarrassed.

Playing along, Gabriel reaches for Simon's glass. Simon pulls it away, grinning.

Gabriel and Regan stare at Simon.

Gabriel chuckles to himself.

Simon forces a smile.

The three of them rise and lift their glasses...

The three glasses meet... CLINK.

EXT. JIANGYIN / CARGO BAY - DAY

Squish. Simon has stepped in cow poop on the ship's ramp. Future not lookin' so bright right this second.

JAYNE passes him, amused.

Jayne takes us further, showing us that the crew is off- loading the cows (from ep 3) into an open prairie at the edge of the woods. We're on Jiangyin, a planet heavy on the nature -- woods and scrubby grazing ground.

Simon continues down the ramp, moving around cows, trying to keep out of the way of all the activity:

MAL leads a cow as Jayne SMACKS another steer on its rump, urging it to move.

Simon looks down to see WASH AND ZOE, at the base of the ramp, where they are sending the cows off to the side, where BOOK directs them into a makeshift pen.

ANGLE ON: Simon again. He's made his way off to one side. He scrapes at his shoe with a stick. Mal approaches him.

The CAMERA STARTS TO MOVE off them...

The last off screen because by now WE'RE UP INTO THE TREES, where...

... a figure, STARK, scurries away across the branches with an almost inhuman skill.

EXT. TREETOPS - MOMENTS LATER

Stark lands on a branch. Two other shabby men crouch there.

On Stark's crafty look, we --

Jayne appears, bringing another cow, sees her communing with the bovine. She's reaching back toward the animals.

Mal appears, On his approach, trying to get to her:

River looks at Mal very seriously.

River recoils from him. He's not Simon. Now Simon appears, approaching. Sees River backing away from Mal. Some cows might get agitated by this.

River is looking at the ends of her hair now, completely tranquil. Jayne, still nearby, snorts. Simon bristles.

Simon looks startled, worried.

Mal continues with his back to Simon. Off Simon --

INT. "GENERAL SUPPLY" - DAY - LATER

A dusty local store. Mostly ranching supplies: feed and branding irons and horseshoes. Along one wall there are some local crafts. A bored-looking proprietor reads a Chinese- language newspaper at the counter.

KAYLEE and INARA browse among the crudely made items.

Kaylee holds up a little painted souvenir dish with painted chinese characters on it.

Kaylee just studies the dish.

Just then, Simon and River enter. Simon is nervous about being out and visible, a little frazzled at having to watch River constantly.

Kaylee's over-bright greeting just makes Simon more jumpy. He forces a smile, nods.

River immediately goes to the farming equipment, starts touching things.

He steers her over to the crafts section with the women. He picks up the little dish Kaylee was admiring.

Kaylee flinches, but recovers.

He smiles absently, politely. His focus on River.

Tiny delayed reaction to Kaylee's perfectly innocent comment.

His attention's split. He moves to take something breakable out of River's hand-

Simon may not have noticed how that all stung. Kaylee just stares at him. He glances at her Sees her looking at him. A beat.

He's got nothing to say. She turns and heads for the exit. Inara falls in with her, walks out side by side. As they go:

Simon, already regretting the altercation, takes a beat, sighs a "god am I an asshole today" sigh. Then he turns to collect River.

But River is gone.

EXT. JIANGYIN / CORRAL - DAY

The ship's ramp is empty of cows now. But littered with that which cows leave behind. Mal stands at the base of the ramp, surveying the damage.

Zoe approaches Mal.

Mal turns to see the GRANGE BROTHERS standing near the makeshift corral, looking at the animals. Jayne stands nearby. Book is not far off, seeing to the fencing.

Mal heads toward the brothers. Zoe turns and heads into the ship.

ANGLE ON: THE GRANGE BROTHERS

There are two of them, shabby low-life types. They're looking over the cows critically now, examining their hooves, eyes, teeth. Mal approaches.

They say nothing. Continue to examine the cattle.

The Granges continue to look sour.

The Grange boys step back to talk -- they look nervous, casting looks toward MAL and Jayne, toward the surrounding woods...

Mal and Jayne eyeball them. A RUSTLING in the trees. Seems it could be the wind. Before Mal can take much note, Book approaches.

A NOISE. The Granges spin, hands go near their guns (they don't draw.) WASH is on the loading ramp, dumping a bucket of water. The Granges relax. Wash re-enters the ship.

Off Mal, watching the men, considering that...

EXT. "GENERAL SUPPLY" JIANGYIN - DAY

Simon, more than jumpy, standing in front of the store, just catches a glimpse of River's dress as she disappears around a corner. He dashes after her. He rounds the corner to see...

LOCAL COPS, a group of five, heading toward him with some purpose. He freezes.

But River is there, a block ahead of him. He bravely heads toward her. As he passes the cops:

The cops pass him harmlessly. We stay with him as he winces. He continues on, spots River going around a corner. Follows.

EXT. JIANGYIN / CARGO BAY - DAY

Mal and Jayne are talking with the Grange Brothers again. Book is visible in the b.g., tending to the corral fencing.

Kaylee and Inara, returning to the ship, walk right past the group. The Granges's eyes follow the women. This isn't lost on Mal who steps into their purview with:

Mal and Jayne exchange a look. The transaction is coming to a close.

The elder Grange takes out a little cloth bag, starts counting money into Mal's palm. But freezes when he hears:

They all turn to look -- A COP, one of the ones Simon saw in town, stands nearby, gun drawn.

The other four cops emerge variously about the scene. As Mal puts his hands in evidence, surrounded:

Off that --

INT. CORRIDOR / INT. TENT - DAY

Simon enters a low ceilinged long corridor/hallway. He catches a glimpse of River up ahead, she disappears around a bend in the corridor.

WITH SIMON

moving down the dark, scary corridor- Moving... River is nowhere to be seen, but Simon speaks to her anyway--

He turns a dark corner which opens into --

TENT

An open, beautiful airy space. A decorated tent.

Music plays.

Local women fill the floor, dancing an intricate folk dance.

River stands on the edge of this, not seeing Simon. Never taking her eyes off the dancers.

EXT. JIANGYIN / CARGO BAY - DAY

The cops, guns drawn, are moving in on the scene. They disarm the Granges and also Mal and Jayne. Firearms are dropped into a neat pile on the dirt.

Another cop is rousting Book nearby. No gun.

The Younger Grange suddenly lunges at the cop who is frisking him. Wrestles the cop's gun away from him, turns to kill, but suddenly BANG!, the gun is shot out of his hand by --

ZOE

who is on the ramp at the ship, never far from her captain's back.

And now all hell breaks loose. The Elder Grange pulls a concealed gun that the cops hadn't yet got to. More gunfire.

Mal and Jayne drop to the ground, reach for their guns from the pile...

Now Mal notices -- THE CLOTH MONEY BAG in the dust. Just a little more than arm's length away. Mal reaches for it, fingertips brushing the edge of it. Reaching... reaching... MAL grabs it --

-- just as a BULLET kicks up dust. Mal rolls clear, but has the cash as

Fire fight!

INT. TENT - DAY

River watches from the sidelines. She watches intently, studying. Simon tries to make his way to her. But she DARTS INTO THE DANCE.

She works her way into the pattern, mimicking the others' steps perfectly. She dances.

EXT. JIANGYIN / CORRAL - DAY

The fire fight continues. Mal and Jayne are on the ground between the other parties. The Grange boys fire at the five cops.

The cops return fire.

Mal and Jayne keep low, bullets sailing over them.

The Granges make a break for it, disappear into the corral. Still firing --

Mal looks back to Zoe on the ramp, she indicates where the Granges have gone.

Mal nods back. Mal and Jayne use the cows for cover as they do a mini-pincher move around the Grange boys --

INT. TENT - DAY

River continues to dance. As Simon watches, she throws back her head. We see what Simon sees: she wears a huge grin.

Simon notices, a look of amazement, wonder, on his face. He is in awe of her. Even Simon's starting to smile now, loosening up. The music continues, and so does...

EXT. JIANGYIN / CORRAL / INT. TENT - INTERCUT

The gun battle.

We're INTERCUTTING now. Between River as her dance gets more and more frenzied and...

...the gun fight. Chaos and confusion. The cops firing into the herd. The Granges firing back. And Mal and Jayne closing in on the Granges.

IN THE TENT. River dances...

AT THE CORRAL. The Younger Grange is hit! He goes down, but he's only wounded. He reaches for his gun.

The Elder Grange comes to his aid, firing back at the cops. But suddenly --

-- Mal appears, sailing at him, taking him down. The cops swarm in. None of them hit.

Mal sighs as the cops take the Granges into custody. He looks around. Reacts to something, as...

IN THE TENT. River stops dancing suddenly. Reacting to something as well. Sensing something terrible, as...

AT THE CORRAL. Mal and Jayne rush to find...

BOOK

on the ground. Hit. Blood blooms on his shirt. His eyes roll up. He blinks at Mal, confused. It's bad.

INT. TENT - CONTINUED

Simon grows concerned, seeing River through the undulating crowd. Sees she is caught up in one of her premonitions.

Simon strains to see her...

She is covered by the crowd, then revealed again, getting a bit jostled. Simon starts to move toward her when --

A HOOD is pulled down sharply over Simon's head. Stark and his two MEN are there. They spirit him off. Silent and fast. Off River, alone among the dancers --

Book tries to focus, bleary-eyed. He looks down his body, tries to take it in...

But Jayne's looking off toward --

-- the COPS taking away what they came here for: the Grange Brothers in rough custody.

Mal flashes him a look.

INT. CARGO BAY - DAY

Mal and Jayne, along with Zoe carry Book onto the ship. Kaylee appears as they move through, toward the infirmary.

She stops asking, sees it.

They carry the stretcher across the cargo bay toward the infirmary.

INT. SERENITY / INFIRMARY - DAY

They move Book from the stretcher onto the operating table. Zoe rips open Book's shirt, revealing the wound -- gunshot high in the chest.

Mal shoots him a look that says both "duh" and "shut the fuck up." Mal hits an intercom:

Mal moves with a purpose.

Mal moves for the cabinet. As he does he tosses the cloth money bag onto the infirmary counter -- it leaves a bloody smear. He grabs more blood rags and bandages, like that.

Kaylee has drifted closer and closer to Book, tearing UP.

Book starts to CONVULSE VIOLENTLY.

ON KAYLEE, tears brimming as she backs away from the horror. Zoe rips open the package of a disposable styrette and hands it to Mal, who plunges it into Book's arm.

Finally the convulsions subside. Mal turns away from the scene. Looks to Kaylee.

Wash appears now. Takes in the sight before him.

Wash nods, heads off. Mal rejoins Zoe at Book's side. Kaylee stares at her dying friend...

EXT. WOODS - DAY

Simon is dragged through the woods by Stark and his men. Stark moves ahead, the Shabby Man drags Simon, stumbling, by the arm.

Stark turns and shoves him hard and he falls. On impact --

INT. TAM ESTATE - NIGHT

Our second flashback. [Note: this scene takes place several weeks after the previous flashback, so wardrobe should change.] Simon stands facing his mother. It's tense.

Gabriel is at his desk, looking over a sheaf of papers. He stands up, bringing the papers with him.

Simon points at the pages frantically, pointing things out:

Regan and Gabriel share a look -- that just sounded nuts.

Simon takes a breath, tries not to sound anything but rational and dispassionate as he says, plainly:

Gabriel's look is unreadable.

He looks at his father.

He's starting to feel unsure.

Now Simon's really confused.

He nods. Gabriel puts a paternal hand on his boy's shoulder.

Simon, his anger dissipated, looks uncertain.

EXT. WOODS - DAY

SUNLIGHT GLARES through the trees. Simon squints against it as he is still being forced along in front of Stark and his men. He's a little dizzy from the earlier fall. He blinks through the glare up ahead... sees...

A FIGURE

Feminine, fragile, a nearly angelic vision up ahead.

SIMON

Blinks again. Slows.

Stark gives him a mighty push that sends him stumbling ahead... but he doesn't take much note of the violence, he's still looking toward the figure that stands among the trees, looking at him now.

Stark and his men are noticing the figure now, too. It's River. And she's smiling.

The men exchange looks, grow wary --

Her smile fades into confusion.

Simon manages to tear himself away by sheer force of will, the sight of sister giving him sudden strength. He bolts toward her.

But Stark and his men chase him down. Simon is nearly to her, now. In desperation Simon PUSHES RIVER away roughly.

River looks at him, tears in her eyes. She doesn't know why he pushed her.

And then one of Stark's men has her by the arms- She's caught too.

And now they're both being forced forward, Simon utterly defeated now as --

INT. CARGO BAY - DAY

Kaylee paces in the cargo bay. Inara and Jayne are nearby. They both react to the SOUND of the MULE. Kaylee perks up.

Mal appears from the infirmary area as Wash drives up in the mule. Alone. The others register this. Wash parks the Mule, climbs off.

They all look at him.

Mal moves to the controls that work the doors. Kaylee reacts as the ramp starts to rise, closing up.

THUNK! The ramp door closes.

Wash obeys, heads off. Mal moves off, too. We hold on Kaylee, registering what's happening, surprised, devastated --

EXT. WOODS - DAY

As SERENITY RISES UP over some trees in the distance, then takes off heading for space -- CAMERA TILTS DOWN TO...

SIMON

Pausing in his trek, watching as he and River are left behind. Stark appears.

And with a helpful shove from Stark, he does. He keeps moving. Moving and looking back for a moment, until the SOUNDS of Serenity hitting atmo and getting fainter cause him to turn forward, stumbling toward whatever awaits him --

She looks at him, a little caught.

Book's losing it, starting to drift away again.

INT. SERENITY - BRIDGE

Wash is piloting. Mal leans over his shoulder. They're looking at a star chart on a display.

Inara has just entered, overheard that last line.

He looks at her. Off that eye contact --

INT. SERENITY - INFIRMARY

Kaylee enters the infirmary, joining Zoe, who is watching Book -- genuinely unconscious now. Kaylee makes a move to hold his hand.

After a beat:

EXT. WOODS / BACKWOODS SETTLEMENT - DAY

River and Simon struggle along though the woods. Stark and his men march behind them, keeping the pace up. Simon stares down at his own feet. River is calm, almost cheerful.

He looks at her. Was that a premonition or gibberish? The procession comes to a halt. Simon looks up to see that they're indeed, here.

It's a small community. Falling down gray wood shacks. A frontier town that lost the battle with the forest, and was overrun. The general look is Appalachian village.

A few beaten looking people sit in front of the shacks: thin men cooking on crude clay ovens, grim-faced tattered women tending to dirty children in sack-dresses.

Stark pulls Simon roughly by the arm, out into the center of the cluster.

Simon looks to Stark who suddenly seems less threatening -- because he's smiling and not malevolently, but with a kind of relief.

Simon looks back to the village as more and more. TOWNSFOLK begin to emerge...

Simon does, as many of the townsfolk draw nearer, tentative, curious.... some in awe...

INT. BRIDGE

Wash is looking with some awe himself at a thing just outside the cockpit window.

Mal looks less awestruck and more or less just grim.

EXT. SPACE - CONTINUOUS

SERENITY moving (slowly now) through space. CAMERA PANS with Serenity, revealing just what it is she's moving toward...

AN ENORMOUS ALLIANCE CRUISER. A GRAPHIC comes up over this image: Alliance Cruiser, Magellan, Outer Rim.

INT. BACKWOODS SICKHCUSE - DAY

A DOOR is pushed open. Dusty SUNLIGHT pours into this dark place. Simon and Stark are silhouetted against it.

He ushers Simon inside.

River enters with them. Simon tries to make his eyes adjust to the dimness. It's dark in here, and there are eight or nine people inside, all ages. There are a few cots around the edges, but mostly people sit on the dirt floor. Everyone is thin, haggard, hopeless. They look at him with dead eyes.

INT. BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS

Mal and Wash looking out at the imposing Alliance Cruiser which fills the entire bridge window.

Wash nods, he's already got his hand mic poised to speak into:

As Wash says this, Mal moves to exit the bridge, passing...

...Inara who stands there. He doesn't even look at her. Off Inara, and before Wash's request can be answered...

INT. BACKWOODS SICKHOUSE - DAY

The sad, dark place.

There is some COUGHING and MOANING. Simon looks to River. who gazes with sadness and compassion on those there. Stark calls out to a young woman, DORALEE.

Stark turns and exits. Simon looks around, moves closer to the patients.

Doralee looks over, sees River.

River tries to move toward the sick people. Simon holds her back.

She does. Doralee looks to River; Simon looks to the assembled.

As Simon rolls up his sleeves --

OMITTED

OMITTED

EXT. SERENITY - EFFECT

We dock with the huge ship Magellan.

INT. SERENITY - AIRLOCK

Mal and Jayne carry Book on a stretcher from the infirmary area into the cargo bay where Zoe waits for them.

They carefully lower Book onto a large crate in the cargo bay that's near the sliding airlock doors. Mal takes off his gun, hands it to Jayne.

A beat. Jayne does. Mal moves to the controls, starts rolling back the inner airlock doors.

Mal moves to the smaller inner door on the ramp, hits a button -- WHOOSH, it opens, and MAL finds himself facing a PMALANX OF GUNS held on him by Alliance Soldiers.

OMITTED

OMITTED

INT. BACKWOODS SICKEOUSE - DAY

Doralee has brought a hurricane lamp and a wicker box presumably with medical supplies. Simon kneels in front of a child with a bandaged arm. He unwraps the bandage. As he examines the child --

Simon looks up from his work.

Off Simon's incredulous reaction we return to...

INT. SERENITY AIRLOCK - CONTINUED

Mal, Zoe and injured Book face an array of guns. There are three soldiers, a COMMANDER in charge, and an ENSIGN.

Mal and Zoe are not wearing weapons and keep their hands in evidence as the Commander and his team moves into the cargo bay area. Regard the injured Book.

She carefully pulls a little folder of papers from her vest, hands 'em over the Ensign. As he looks at them...

Mal indicates with his head -- back toward Book.

Mal's getting twitchy -- Book might be dying.

The Ensign looks up from the papers. He hands them to the Commander. He looks at them.

Book opens his eyes, looks up at the Commander.

The Commander looks at Book, startled.

Book tries to reach into his own pants pocket, winces...

The Commander nods to the Ensign. He helps Book, comes up with an ident card... a square of electronic paper.

Mal and Zoe watch with interest -- weren't expecting this and don't quite know what to make of it.

The Ensign takes the card, slides it into a reading device (size of a credit card imprinter) which overrides its privacy code, and takes in secured information on it. He hands it to the Commander. WE CAN SEE information scrolling across the card. The Commander looks at it. Then, to the Ensign:

The soldiers carry Book off to the infirmary. Zoe and MAL exchange a look.

INT. BACKWOODS SICKHOUSE - NIGHT

Simon has brought in even more light. Some of the people, having been treated, have left. The few remaining ones seem happier, livelier... Simon is making a difference.

Simon is treating a woman's infected hand when another woman approaches him. As Simon finishes treating the first woman, Doralee enters and approaches him. She has River with her.

River wanders to a corner of the room, sits among some small children.

Simon finishes what he's doing...

Simon sits back and looks toward River.

They watch as River looks at a little girl, age around seven, we'll know as RUBY. The little girl looks back at her, apparently unresponsive.

ANGLE ON: River and the little girl.

We linger on Simon as he considers that, looks at his sister for a long beat.

INT. ALLIANCE CRUISER - INFIRMARY/VIEWING ROOM

Mal, Zoe and Jayne in an observation room just off the big, hi-tech Alliance cruiser infirmary. Within we see ALLIANCE DOCTORS working on Book. This has none of that E.R. urgency -- it's all very staid and antiseptic.

Jayne starts to kick back, have a seat. Stops as:

Jayne's about to protest, but before he can:

Jayne stands awkwardly. Off Mal, looking into the infirmary --

INT, BACKWOODS SICKHOUSE - NIGHT

Simon pulls a blanket over a patient who is asleep. He stands. Work done for the day. He turns. River is not there. Nor is little Ruby.

Doralee appears.

Simon nods. Doralee moves off. Simon moves to the entrance. He pulls open the door --

-- and there's River. Alone. She's using her dress as a pouch for something.

She reveals a skirt full of BERRIES.

He looks around, finds a bowl, starts helping her to transfer the berries.

He looks at her. Smiles. As he puts one of the berries in his mouth:

He almost chokes as he laughs. Hugs her. Now Doralee appears with Ruby.

Ruby moves off to her makeshift bed, one of the many mats.

Doralee takes a troubled, horrified step backward...

He's been moving steadily toward her; she's been backing up to the doorway. He reaches for her --

She runs into the night. Simon is, understandably, alarmed.

OMITTED

She just stares. Gabriel looks more annoyed than worried.

Gabriel goes to the phone-screen, starts to make a call.

Simon slams the shut-off, stopping the call.

Simon looks like he's been slapped across the face. Stunned.

Simon stares at them both for a beat, taking this in. He leaves the room, exits to --

EXT. TAM ESTATE / ENTRYWAY - NIGHT

Simon steps out into the rain. Gabriel follows.

Simon moves out into the RAIN. Gabriel takes a step after him --

Simon turns back, rain beating down on him.

A beat as Simon sees the pain on his father's face. Wants that to be true. Rain streaming down his face, he softens for one last plea.

A long beat as Gabriel just stares at his son.

Simon stares at his father for a beat, then turns and walks away into the night.

EXT. BACKWOODS SETTLEMENT - NIGHT

Simon and River watch as Doralee rings the town bell. It's at the side of the little street, rigged to a pole. She pulls repeatedly at the cord that swings the clapper. Townspeople, about a dozen, emerge onto the streets. Stark among them. Doralee yells to them as they appear.

An older man, an official known as the town PATRON, comes to Doralee, puts a hand on her arm, makes her stop ringing the bell. He's got a long coat over pajamas, an air of authority, and he seems completely rational and comforting.

River is clinging to Simon, confused and scared.

The Patron smiles at the brother and sister.

River stays silent. The Patron continues to look at her intently. Simon gets uncomfortable.

The Patron slaps her across the face.

Simon makes a rush for him and is restrained.

The Patron motions to two men who step forward, take River.

She KICKS... struggling to break free. This isn't delicate squirming, but an all-out fight.

She lets out a horrible long SCREAM -- as if she's being killed. It's shocking. It doesn't help.

INT. SERENITY / INFIRMARY - NIGHT

We're back on Serenity. Book is on the recovery table. Comes around. Sees Mal hovering over him.

Zoe appears.

Mal moves to join her just outside the door.

EXT. BACKWOODS SETTLEMENT - NIGHT

The villagers are constructing a witch-burning set-up... vertical pole, kindling... you know how it goes.

Men SCURRY UP TREES, like Stark before. They go into the high branches, drop down dry, dead kindling.

River, being held, is calm again. But Simon is losing it. Stark is there now, too, looking regretful.

The Patron says something to the men holding River. They spirit her over to the stake. The men start to tie River to the stake. She doesn't struggle. They're piling kindling there. One of the men fires up a small TORCH.

Simon manages to rip free, rush over, shoves that guy aside.

He gets hit. Hits back. More of the men come at him. He stands between them and River. Sees that he's woefully outnumbered.

Simon sees the odds. Nothing to do now. He looks to River, gently brushes the hair from her eyes.

She smiles at him. Doesn't seem frightened. He smiles back, tries not to explode with the emotion. He puts his arms around her. Then, all defiance, he turns to the mob.

The Patron nods to the man with the torch. He brings it up. Is about to touch it to the pile...

Then the wind picks up and it gets darker, as

SERENITY RISES UP

huge and gray. THUNK. The BOMBAY DOORS open on the belly of Serenity and there's Jayne, hanging out of them, big ass rifle with a flashlight strapped to it aimed down on those assembled. He could pick off any of them at any time. THE VILLAGERS back away, stunned.

MAL AND ZOE, fully armed, emerge from the trees behind the crowd. Guess who's surrounded now?

A few of the men make a move. CHA-CHUNK. BLAMM! A burst of buckshot at their feet from Zoe's gun convinces them that might not be a such a great idea.

Off Mal's won't-take-no-for-an-answer look...

INT. SERENITY - INFIRMARY / COMMON AREA

Mal comes into the common area, glances into the infirmary, notes that it's empty. He turns and there's Simon.

Mal starts to go. Simon hesitates, then:

Mal turns, looks at him.

As we, hold on Simon:

INT. SERENITY / DINING ROOM - NIGHT

The crew gathered for supper. Everyone's there except for Book. Simon appears, ushers in River. He pulls a chair for her, but she goes across the table, takes a seat in between Jayne and Wash.

Kaylee appears carrying a bread basket, sets it on the table.

She glances at Simon. He smiles at her. She smiles back. He holds a chair for her. She sits.

There's lots of chatting and laughing and arguing.

WE FOLLOW the serving dish as it's passed around. Jayne takes a big hunk of bread, puts it on his plate, passes the dish. He looks back -- the bread is gone. River's got it, is eating it.

Simon takes in the communal experience happening around him. And as we pull back on this milieu --