Jayne is polishing the coins they took off the Grange brothers. Zoe enters.
ZOE
Badger just hailed us.
Gettin' impatient for his share.
Wants us to drop it to his men on the Kowlan Fed Base.
JAYNE
That'd be a hell of a lot easier to do
without the two most wanted on board.
Life would look to be simpler
us not carrying fugies.
ZOE
(to Mal)
He is right, you know.
MAL
Yeah. Simpler.
EXT. HILL FOLK VILLAGE - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
The hill folk have built themselves a post and pyre right quick.
The Patron is hauling River toward it, intent on burning her witch-ass.
They tie her to the pole, hands behind her back.
SIMON
Take me instead.
Take My Life for Hers.
PATRON
The Witch must die.
God commands it.
The Patron nods at some hill folk with torches.
They move to light the pyre.
SIMON
No! Get away from her!
Simon runs forward, pulls the hill folk away from River.
Simon punches both hill folk out.
SIMON
She has done nothing to you!
If she dies tonight, it won't be God's will
that killed her, it'll be you!
Your lunacy!
Your ignorance!
Seeing he's made no impact on the unchanging sea of faces,
Simon moves back and steps on the platform holding River.
STARK
That's not going to stop us, doctor.
RIVER
(to Simon)
Post-holer :
Digging holes for posts.
Tender moment with Simon gazing up at River's smiling face.
He rises one last step and wraps his arms around River.
SIMON
Light it.
RIVER.
Time to go.
Hold on them for a moment.
Then we hear a RUSHING sound of engines overhead.
SERENITY appears over the clearing where the trial is taking place.
The CARGO BAY DOORS open to reveal JAYNE in a harness.
JAYNE cocks VERA and draws a bead on the hill folk.
MAL and ZOE enter from the back of the crowd, guns drawn.
They speak loudly to be heard over the engine noise.
MAL
Well, look at this!
Appears we got here just in the nick of time.
What does that make us?
ZOE
Big Damn Heroes, sir.
MAL
AIN'T - WE - JUST.
Sorry to interrupt, folks.
Y'all got something that belongs to us
and we'd like it back.
PATRON
This is a holy cleansing.
You cannot think to thwart God's will.
MAL
Y'all see the man hanging out of the spaceship
with the really big gun?
Now I'm not saying you weren't easy to find.
It was kinda out of our way,
and he didn't want to come in the first place.
Man's lookin' to kill some folk.
So really it's his will y'all should worry about thwarting.
(to Simon)
Gotta say, doctor, your talent for alienatin'
folk is near miraculous.
SIMON
….yes, I'm very proud.
MAL
Cut her down.
PATRON
That girl is a witch.
MAL
Yeah, but she's our witch.
(cocks gun)
So cut her the hell down.
BLACK OUT.
INT. SERENITY - SIMON'S ROOM
Close shot of Simon's bed. Someone's dumping a bagful of loot onto it.
It's Jayne, hastily returning his ill-gotten gains.
Jayne darts out of Simon's room into,
INT. SERENITY - CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS
Jayne's beating his retreat when he sees Simon walking past.
JAYNE
(looking guilty)
Hey, there, doctor.
Glad you're back now on The Ship.
SIMON
Thanks.
Simon keeps walking. Jayne bolts up the stairs.
INT. SERENITY - COMMON AREA - CONTINUOUS
Mal is standing outside the infirmary. Simon enters.
SIMON
I've moved him to his room.
MAL
How's he faring?
SIMON
He's gonna be fine. Yeah.
They took good care of him.
MAL
Good to know.
SIMON
So finally a decent wound on This Ship,
and I miss out. I'm sorry.
MAL
Well, you were busy trying to get yourself
lit on fire. It happens.
SIMON
Captain... why did you come back for us?
MAL
You're on My Crew.
SIMON
Yeah, but you don't even like me.
(beat)
Why'd you come back?
MAL
You're on My Crew.
Why we still talking about this?
(walks off, over his shoulder)
Chow's in ten. No need to dress.
