"Nandy!" "Nandy!" "Get inside." "Go." " We ain't open for business." " Shut up, whore." "You we don't trade with at all, Rans Burgess." "You're no longer welcome." "You've been told that." "I've been told a great many things." "I'm here for what's mine." "Ain't nothing here belongs to you." "You don't get gone, we'll be well within our rights to drop you." "Only rights you got are the ones I give you." " Find the girl!" " She ain't here." "Girl left this moon more than a month ago." "It was you chased her off." "Petaleen!" "It's a good thing you haven't left with my baby." " This baby ain't yours." " So you keep saying." "If this DNA is a match with mine know I will be back for my baby." "And if I have to, I'll cut it out of you." "All right, now, it'll all work out." " He'll do it too." "He'll do what he says." " No, he won't." "We won't allow it." " How we gonna stop him?" " We'll get help, that's how." "Help?" "There's not a soul on this moon go up against Rans Burgess." " She's right." " Ain't nobody strong enough." "And even if there was, who'd help us?" "Hi." "Sorry." "Didn't mean to startle you." "You didn't." "I was just..." "That's more like a, it's a warrior-like, strikes fear into the hearts of..." "You know, not altogether wise, sneaking up on a fellow when he's handling his weapon." " Sure." "I've heard that said." "But perhaps the dining area isn't the place for this sort of thing." "What?" "It's the only place with a table big enough." "Of course." "In that case, every well-bred petty crook knows small, concealable weapons always go to the far left of the place setting." "Got a distress call coming in." "Some folks asking for help." "Really?" "Folks asking for help from us petty crooks." " Well..." " I should take that right away." "Well, it's for her." "Huh?" "The call's for Inara." " I'll take it in my shuttle." " I'll send it there." "This distress wouldn't happen to be taking place in someone's pants, would it?" "And I got word you were in the area." "I'm imposing, but I got no one else to ask." "It sounds like something this crew can handle." "I can't guarantee they'll handle it particularly well, but..." " lf they've got guns and brains at all..." " They've got guns." "Payment won't be a problem." "We just ain't equipped for this." " Nandy, it's gonna be all right." " The house would tell you not to come." "I know they ordered you to shun me when I left." "I would have waived you long ago." "It's just..." "It doesn't matter." "Who 'd have thought we'd end up way out here?" "Who'd have thought?" " Let me know what your people say?" " Of course." "I'll wait to hear from you." "And you." "I suppose you heard most of that." "Only because I was eavesdropping." " Your friend sounds like she's in trouble." " She is." "And there's no authority on that moon she can go to." "They're totally alone." "Some men might take advantage of that." "One man." "She's looking for someone to come and explain things to him?" "That's essentially it, yes." "A whole houseful of companions." "How are they fixed for payment?" "They're not companions." "They're whores." "Thought you didn't care for that word." "It applies." "They're not registered with the guild." "They're..." " Independent?" " Yes." "If you agree to do this you'll be compensated." "I'll see to it." " I've put a little aside..." " Keep your money." "I won't be needing no payment." "Mal." "Thank you." "I'll contact Nandy at once." "But you will be paid." "I feel it's important that we keep ours strictly a business arrangement." " I'll speak with the crew." " Good." "Those who have a mind are welcome to join." "Those who'd just as soon stay on the ship can do that too." "Don't see the benefit, getting involved in a stranger's troubles without an up-front price." "These people need assistance." "The benefit wouldn't necessarily be for you." " That's what I'm saying." " No one's gonna force you to go." "As stated, this job is strictly speculative." "Good." "Don't know these folks, don't care to." " They're whores." " I'm in." "Wash, plot a course." " That's the whorehouse?" " Yes." "How come it looks like a frozen dinner pack?" "Solar sheeting." "Cheap power." "Hope the whores are prettier than the house." " Nandy, darling." " It's so good to see you." " You look wonderful." " You look exactly the same." " How do you do that out here?" " Sheer force of will." " This is Malcolm Reynolds." " I appreciate your coming." "Well, any friend of Inara's is a strictly business-like relationship of mine." "This is my first mate, Zoe." "I'll introduce you to the rest later." " Can I start getting sexed already?" " Well, that one's kind of horrific." " Can we talk business?" " In here." "The rest of you there's food and some liquor at the sideboard." "Make yourselves at home." "Look, they got boy whores." "Isn't that thoughtful?" " I wonder if they service girl folk at all?" " Let's not ask." "Isn't there a pregnant woman to examine?" "You'd really lie with someone being paid for it?" "Well, it's not like anyone else is lining up to, you know, examine me." "Whoo!" "My John Thomas is about to pop off and fly around there's so much tasty in here!" "Would be you'd get your most poetical about your pecker." " You'd be the doctor?" " Yes." " This is Petaleen." " Yes, sir." "She's feeling a might weak right now." " Well, let's get you lying down." " Now that's a plan." " Shepherd?" " No, thank you." "We were hoping we might have a prayer meeting." "We ain't had one in months, except what Emma here reads out on Sundays." "The last shepherd to come by was springtime, he only read one passage." "And he took it out in trade off both of us." "Everyone's got somebody." "Wash, tell me I'm pretty." "Were I unwed, I would take you in a manly fashion." " Because I'm pretty?" " Because you're pretty." "I take it reason doesn't enter into this." "Not with Rans Burgess." "The man is a taker." " You think the kid is his?" " I think it's Petaleen's." "But the blood test." "Well, he did favor Petaleen pretty exclusively, but she had others." "Fifty-fifty, not that it matters." "The man ain't fit to raise a cactus plant." "His barren prairie shrew can't bear him an heir so he takes it into his head to pull it out of us." "Not gonna happen." " I see that's the case." " And you see the way we live here." "Go into town, it's the same." "Some places come up rustic because they ain't got more than basics." "Rans Burgess has money enough to build a city, a real community." "Keeps people living like this so he can play cowboy be the one with the best toys." "Turn this moon into a gorram theme park." "Someone stands up to him..." "He means to burn me out." "Yeah, he sounds like a fun guy." "I'd like to meet him." "This won't be solved with talk." "When I'm gonna fight a man, it helps to size him up." " Well, he'll be at the theater tonight." " And so will I." "Inara." "Think you can stoop to being on my arm?" "Will you wash it first?" "So I told the boy, "You take a clean woman's virtue, you take the woman." "And that's for life!" And the boy said his vows right then." "Took very little persuading on my part." "It's nice to know there's some places left where old-fashioned values still mean a thing." " Isn't that right, dear?" " Mm." " I don't think I know you." " Name's Malcolm, Malcolm Reynolds." "And might I just say, she is quite a beauty." "Well, thank you." "Ever had occasion to handle one of these, Mr. Reynolds?" "Silk trigger, active return bolt laser." " It's lighter than it looks." " Don't let that fool you." "Won't find technology like that short of Alliance." "And even their issues don't have the auto-target adjust." "I had that crafted special." "Didn't think weapons such as this were generally legal." "For a private owner." "My husband makes a distinction between legality and morality, Mr. Reynolds." " I've said that myself." " Bending one unjust law is small when it comes to protecting one's family." " I think I understand you." " And as you say, she is a beauty." "She sure is." "Of course, I was referring to the lady." "Ma'am." "Yes?" " Well?" " Well what?" "You said you wanted to look him in the eye." "You've done that." " So, what's the plan?" " We get back to Serenity and we get off this rock just as fast as we can." "And there can be no mistake?" "Good." " Rans?" " The DNA matches." "The child is mine." "We run." "Math just don't add up." "Our weapon stores aren't exactly overpowering and I don't much like what we'd be up against." "Nothing worse than a monster who thinks he's right with God." "I turn Burgess away once and he'll keep coming." "Won't stop till he gets what he thinks is his." " So we run." " I understand, Capt. Reynolds." "You have your people to think of, same as me." "And this ain't your fight." "I don't believe you do understand, Nandy." "I said we run. "We"." "My people, your people, and whatever bits of precious you got in this house you can't bear to part with." "We load up Serenity and we leave Burgess in the dust." "It took me years to cut this piece of territory out of other men's hands to build this from nothing." " Nandy..." "It's who I am, and it's my home." "I'm not going anywhere." "He'll kill you." "He'll kill every last one of them, it comes to that." " And he'll sleep well that night." " Rans Burgess is just a man." "And I won't let any man take what's mine." "I doubt you'd do different in my position." "Well, lady, I must say you're my kind of stupid." "Hell, he ain't expecting much of a fight." "Might be we catch him with his drawers low." "He'll probably ride in by daylight." "But I figure, three-point watch, say four-hour shift just to be on the safe side." " Three-point, Four-hour should do it." " I'm fair handy with a hammer." "That so, Shepherd?" "Been following the footsteps of a carpenter some time now." "I can do something about our fortifications." "Okay, then." "We start shooting he'll most like try to burn us out, save sweat and bullets." " Nandy, what's the water supply like?" " Underground well." "Pump that draws it up's antiquated, but don't break down." "Kaylee, think you can swing an upgrade?" "I'll talk to Serenity, see what she's got." " Good." "We might..." " Starting!" " And that it is, but time..." " Dr. Tam?" "Oh, it's starting!" "Okay!" "Okay, it's starting!" "All right." "Everybody relax, be calm." "Nobody panic!" "Everything's gonna be okay!" " I got this one, captain." " Thanks." "Okay." "Okay, then." "Let's get to work, people!" "The girls and I have been talking, Shepherd." "We've been discussing what we'd like said over us if we should fall." "No." "I only bury the dead, child." "No one here's gonna die." "There's people gonna die." "And with people dying, comes guts and screaming." "That can bring on screwed-up behavior, a person ain't used to it." "When the time comes, most important thing, keep your wits about you." "Clear?" "All right." "These are my favorites." "You're to keep them coming." "I shoot, I run out, you hand me the next biggest one, and so on." " Is there an understanding here?" " Yes." "Alrighty then, let's get to work." "All I'm saying is that we're living in the rough and tumble and don't see that changing soon." " Nor do I." "Not sure now is the best time to bring a tiny, helpless person into our lives." "That excuse is getting a little worn, honey." "It's not an excuse, dear." "It's objective assessment." "I can't help that it stays relevant." "I don't give a good gorram about relevant, Wash." "Or objective." "And I ain't so afraid of losing something that I ain't gonna try to have it." "You and I would make one beautiful baby." "And I wanna meet that child one day." "Period." "Y'all are pulling, not squeezing like I said." "Next one don't hit that board is giving up a special treat." "That man's gonna use up our credit before we've earned it." "After you've saved our lives, you can do some chores maybe." " I'm a fair hand with a mop." " So your legend tells." "Truth is, I expected more of you to be taking payment in our trade." "Well, we're not a conglomeration." "Got a preacher, married fella, and the doctor well, he'd have to relax for 30 seconds to get his play." "That'd be more or less a miracle." "These are fetching pieces." "Any of them work?" "Don't got many rounds for the chaplain there, but the rest'll be of use." " This is my favorite." " What's its history?" "Violence and crime, sad to say." " What about you?" " Similar." "No, I mean when are you planning to avail yourself of some of our trade?" " My girls is clean and kind-spirited." " Well, I got the job on my mind." "After, I'm sure I'll trade." "They're a fine bunch." "You ain't looked at one of them as long or loving as you looked at those pistols." "You're not sly, are you?" "Because I got my boys." "Sly?" "No." "I lean toward women folk." "Just, one thing at a time." "Never liked complications." "Oh, I'm certain of that." " Something to be smiling at?" " I trained as a companion, remember?" " I read people pretty well." " Well, that's nice for you." "She's a hell of a woman, ain't she?" "Inara." "Yeah, she's a cherry blossom, no denying." "Expect you know her better, coming up together and all." "Imagine I do." "She ever tell you why she left Soonal?" " Never asked." " Yes, you did." "And I don't know my own self." "I was gone long before." "And I'll tell you, it was a shock, her leaving." "She was special." "There's 40 women in House Madrassa, and you'd pick her out in a second." "Could've been House Priestess, few years' time." " Is that right?" " Had her eyes on it too." "Very focused." "She's like you, more than a little." "And how exactly is that?" "She hates complications." "They do crop up though, don't they?" "Such is life." "You're not completely dilated yet." "Don't try to force it, the contractions are still preliminary." " What's he saying?" " It's gonna be a little while, sweetie." "But it hurts!" "This child wants to be born, I know it!" "Can you get the green vial from my bag?" "We can dull the pain some." "How many babies have you actually delivered?" "As a primary, this'll be the first." "You?" " My first too." " Mine too." " It's gonna be a long night." " You'll do great, doctor." "Who do you think is in there?" "It was the dulcimer." "The dulcimer drove you out of Soonal?" "Did you kill a dulcimer in a terrible passion?" "Actually, yes." "And now that dulcimer's family is out to get even, I get it." "I was at practice." "You never stop practicing, you know, not a true companion." "Some baroque piece, and the instructor keeps saying:" ""You're playing it, not feeling it"." "And the fifth time he said it, I took the damn thing and smashed it." "And that's when it occurred to me that a companion's life might be a little too constricting." "So I trucked out to the border, learned to say "ain't"." "Came to find work." "Found this place." "It's a nice place." "It was a dung-heap run by a pig who had half the girls strung-out on drops." "There's no guild out here." "They let men run the houses, and they don't ask for references." "We didn't get along." "And where's he at now?" "Let's just say he ain't playing the dulcimer anymore either." "You are a remarkable woman." "If you don't mind my saying." "Well, as long as it's you saying it and not my fine rice wine." "It takes more than a few drinks to render my judgment blurry." "What about you?" " Am I getting any prettier?" " By the minute." "I should make sure everyone's ready for..." "Everyone's asleep." "Well, there's them that can't night before a fight." "Can you?" " What?" " Sleep." "Listen, Nandy, I have a confession to make." "Maybe I should get the Shepherd." "Well, I ain't sinned yet." "And I'd feel a little more than awkward if he were here when I did." "You expect to accomplish something sinful then, do you?" "If I'm overstepping my bounds, let me know." "Malcolm, I've been waiting for you to kiss me since I showed you my guns." "You okay with this?" "I'm just waiting to see if I pass out." "Long story." " I want you to bed me." " I guess I mean to." "I ain't her." "Only people in this room are you and me." "So my child how long has it been since your last confession?" " Longer than I care to say." " You remember where everything goes?" "Let's just say I plan to take it real slow." "So the whore's got herself a champion, has she?" " This great man got a name?" " Reynolds." "Malcolm Reynolds." "Yes, I've met the man." " How many has he got with him?" " Just a few." "And only two real fighters besides himself." "But they got the girls stirring for a battle." "I certainly wasn't expecting a battle." "Seems the Heart of Gold's got itself a few mercenaries." "Guess we best call the whole thing off." "Earned yourself quite a bag of silver, little kitten." "But I got a few more chores in mind before you get it." "I'm ready." "Now, Shahri here she understands a whore's place, don't she?" "But Nandy and those others, they spit on our town." "They've no respect for the sanctity of fatherhood or decency or family!" "They have my child, held hostage to their decadent ways, and that I will not abide!" "We will show them what power is!" "We will show them what their position in this town is!" "Let us all remember, right here and now, what a woman is to a man!" "Get on your knees." " Well." " I just had to tell Nandy about..." "About time to..." " Big fight today." " Mal, please." "No, well, I, no..." "You know, I was up, I got..." "So you took to bed with Nandy." "I'm glad." " Glad?" " Yes." "She's a dear friend, and probably in need of comfort now." "Well..." "One of the virtues of not being puritanical about sex is not feeling embarrassed afterwards." "You should look into it." "Well, I just didn't want you thinking that I was taking advantage of your friend." "She's well worth taking advantage of." "I sincerely hope you did." "So you're okay." "Well, yeah, why wouldn't you be?" "I wouldn't say I'm entirely okay." "I'm a little appalled at her taste." "Wash, you there yet?" "All but." " Nice day for a last stand, eh?" " Nope." "Plan to make a few stands after this." "Just hoping for air support from your quarter." "Couple of low flyovers, engines tipped earthward at full-blast." "Should give our guests something other than killing you to think about." "What I like to hear." "Out." "Malcolm seem a little funny to you at breakfast this morning?" "Come on, Kaylee." "We all know I'm the funny one." "You ladies and gentlemen all locked and loaded?" " Yes, sir." " Good." "Remember shoot the man, not the horse." "Dead horse is cover." "Live horse, pile of panic." "Now, girl, that is just plain dirty." "You are aware your radio's transmitting." "Because I don't feel particularly girlish or dirty at the moment." "Yeah, just up here waiting, captain." "Ready, 100 percent." "Better be." "You're stronger than this thing." "I can feel it in your grip." "Petaleen, look at me." "This is just a moment in time." "Step aside and let it happen." " How is she, doctor?" " She's at 10 centimeters." "Not long now." "Inara, I thought it was just him that..." "Nandy, believe me, I'll be fine." "Morning." " How are you doing?" " A might tense." "I'd like you on the balcony with me." "See everyone from there..." " You didn't give me the whole truth." " About what?" "About her feelings for you." " I really don't know..." " Looks like imminent violence!" "Zoe, Jayne, you seeing this?" "Gotta be 30 men out there." "Confirm that." "Plus a mounted gun on that hovercraft." "What's that you said about running for it?" "Okay, folks!" "We got no shortage of ugly riding in on us." "But that don't change the plan." "Anybody goes down, drag them to the back and get back to shooting." "Only way to help them's to finish this." "Wash, we'll be trading injuries in under two minutes." "I'd like my sky a bit less empty." "Copy that, Mal." "We..." "Open her up!" "Cover!" "Jayne, I do believe that's our first hurdle." "You might..." "I think I might, captain." "Fire!" "What have I done?" "Go!" "Wash!" "Where the hell is my spaceship?" "Rotten lasers!" "Book!" "Zoe!" "Second hurdle!" "That's it, Petaleen." "One more push." "That's the shoulders!" "Good!" "Jayne?" "I lost visual on Burgess!" "Same here." "Take to right!" "Hey!" "There he is!" "Get him!" "Come on, let's get him!" "Try the other side!" "Got you!" "Open this door!" "Nobody's going anywhere." " It's..." " It's a boy." "Healthy." "Good morning, Petaleen." "How's my boy?" "No!" "Rans." "Most of your men are either dead, dying or run off." "That don't matter none." "I got what I came here for." " Ain't leaving here with it." " This is my blood, woman!" "No!" "This is your blood!" "Now you hand that child over nice and slow or I'll spill more than you can spare." " You're gonna pay for what you've took." " She was just a whore!" "Petaleen!" "You bring my baby out right now!" "You hear me?" "I wanna see my son!" "Rans, this is Jonah." "Jonah, say hi to your daddy." "Say goodbye to your daddy, Jonah." "Go on!" "Go on home!" "You go with them." "I think those girls'll do all right." "She taught them well." "Yeah." "I'm glad you were with her, her last night." " I am." " Yeah, well, I ain't." "Hell, I wish I never met her." "Then I wouldn't have failed her." "That wasn't the way of it." "That's a kindness." "But nothing you say will convince me different." "Well, I'm still glad." "So you weren't before?" "Inara." "I ain't looking for anything from you." "I'm just..." "Just feeling kind of truthsome right now." "And, uh..." "And life's just too damn short for ifs and maybes." "I learned something from Nandy." "Not just from what happened, but from her." "The family she made the strength of her love for them, it's what kept them together." "When you live with that kind of strength you get tied to it." "You can't break away." "And you never want to." "There's something..." "There's something I should have done a long while ago." "And I'm sorry for both of us, that it took me this long." "I'm leaving."