Captain Malcolm Reynolds :
We get a job, we got to make good.
Pvt. Zoe Washburn :
Sir, I don't disagree
on any particular point.
It's just...
In The Time of War,
we would've never left
A Man stranded.
Captain Malcolm Reynolds :
Maybe that's why we lost.
“ Production came to an end
on Buffy, Season 3 [1999],
and over my Summer vacation,
I was reading
The Killer Angels,
about
The Survivors of Gettysburg,
and it immediately made me think
of The Millennium Falcon.
You know,
as most things do.”
— Joss Whedon
EXT. SERENITY VALLEY - NIGHT
We come into the middle of a battle.
Soldiers are yelling and running, gunfire everywhere,
stuff blowing up but good.
Camera focuses on a soldier in the silhouette
of an explosion, running and dodging fire.
He hits the dirt for cover.
We PUSH IN and see that it's Mal.
His face is dirty and he's breathing hard.
Mal's up again and running
to rejoin his company in a makeshift foxhole.
RADIO OPERATOR
Sergeant, Command says air support is holding
till they can assess our status.
MAL
Our Status is that we need some gorram air support.
Now get back on line and tell 'em to get in here.
ZOE
That skiff is shredding us, sir.
RADIO OPERATOR
They won't move without
A Lieutenant's authorization code, sir.
Angry, Mal walks over and rips off the badge
from a dead Lieutenant's uniform
and gives it to the Radio Operator.
MAL
Here, here's Your Code --
You're Lieutenant Baker.
Congratulations on your promotion.
Now get me some air support!
(to Zoe)
Pull back, just enough to wedge 'em in here.
Get your squad to High Ground, start picking 'em off.
ZOE
High ground is Death with that skiff in the air.
MAL
That's Our Problem.
Thanks for volunteering.
(to Bendis)
Bendis, give us some cover fire.
We're going duck hunting.
The foxhole is rocked by a huge explosion.
Mal's group of soldiers are looking
pretty young and scared.
Time for a morale boost:
MAL
Just focus!
(beat)
The Alliance said they were gonna
waltz through Serenity Valley
and we choked 'em with those words.
We've done The Impossible
and that makes us mighty.
Just a little while longer,
Our Angels are gonna be soaring overhead
raining fire on those arrogant cod,
so you hold!
(yelling)
You hold! Go!
His soldiers take up their positions
to lay down cover fire while Mal and Zoe
prepare to take down the skiff.
ZOE
Really think we can bring her down, sir?
MAL
Do you even need to ask?
Mal pulls a necklace out from under his shirt
and kisses the cross.
MAL
Ready?
ZOE
Always.
Mal takes off.
Zoe prepares to follow,
sees that no one's covering Mal.
ZOE
Bendis? Bendis!
She sees Bendis huddled across
from her, scared stiff.
ZOE (cont'd)
(angrily)
Rut it.
Zoe grunts and stands up, laying cover fire for Mal as he moves down the hill.
After a moment, she follows Mal down The Hill,
taking cover with him behind some boulders.
Mal fires into the bushes,
causing the soldier guarding a bigass gun
to move out of his cover and return fire.
Mal shoots him dead.
Mal activates the bigass gun's targeting system
while Zoe covers him.
Mal locks a target on the skiff that's been
killing them in the battle and fires.
He makes a direct hit and stands back
from the bigass gun.
MAL
Yeah!
(manly grunt)
Then Mal realizes that the skiff is outta control...
and headed right for him. Oh, shit. Mal starts running.
MAL
Zoe!
Mal and Zoe run as the skiff hits the ground and plows past them, exploding. Mal and Zoe hit the ground flat on their backs. Mal starts laughing. Zoe looks long-suffering.
ZOE
(entering foxhole, to Bendis)
Nice cover fire.
MAL
Did you see that?
Green, what's our status on...
Mal trails off as he realizes Green is pretty damn wounded,
possibly deader than a dead thing.
MAL
Zoe.
She looks up. Mal points.
Zoe moves to check Green.
Mal moves to sit near Bendis.
MAL (cont'd)
Hey, listen to me. Bendis, look at me!
Listen, we're holding this valley no matter what.
BENDIS
We're gonna die.
MAL
We're not gonna die.
We can't die, Bendis.
You know why?
(beat)
Because we are so very, very pretty.
We are just too pretty for God to let us die. Huh?
Look at that chiseled jaw. Huh?
C'mon.
There's a roaring sound overhead.
Zoe is listening on the radio.
MAL (cont'd)
If you won't listen to me,
listen to that.
Those are Our Angels comin'
to blow The Alliance to The Hot Place.
(to Zoe)
Zoe, tell the 82nd --
ZOE (stunned)
They're Not Coming.
(beat)
Command says it's too hot.
They're pulling out.
We're to lay down arms.
Mal's stunned, in denial.
He looks at Bendis.
MAL
But what's...
Slowly, Mal stands and peeks over the top of the foxhole.
His face is lit from their air support rising and retreating.
Bendis stands next to him.
Mal's in shock, watching
His Last Hope pull out of The Fight.
Beside him, Bendis is hit by Enemy Fire
and Falls. Mal doesn't notice.
PUSH IN on Mal's bloody face.
On the disbelief.
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