SHADOWS PUPPETS

By Shayz

ACT I

FADE IN:

EXT. SERENITY/SHUTTLE - SPACE

Serenity’s “parked” with the cargo bay doors open in a straight line to the shuttle. Zoe, Mal and Jayne in EV suits, work around the shuttle with heavy cables attached inside Serenity’s cargo bay. They loop the cables around the shuttle so it can be towed inside. Zoe looks through cockpit window.

ZOE: Dark. And we got crystals. It’s been drifting for a while.

JAYNE: Waste of time, ain’t nothing gonna be of value inside this bitty thing but ice.

MAL: Wash-

INT. SERENITY – BRIDGE

Wash is at controls, monitoring.

WASH: Beacon pulse is fading. (pushes buttons; twists dials) Life supports gone. If someone’s in there, they ain’t got much time.

EXT. SERENITY/SHUTTLE - SPACE

Zoe, Mal and Jayne are on the far side of the shuttle, out of the way of the cables. They each have jets to propel them back inside (CG). Jayne finishes with his cable as Mal clasps his end. Zoe links the two cables together at the back of the shuttle.

JAYNE: If someone’s in there, I’m chargin’ a labor fee.

MAL: Secure.

JAYNE: Yeah. Me too.

ZOE: All set.

MAL: Kaylee?

INT. SERENITY’S CARGO BAY – CONTINUING

Kaylee’s also wearing a suit; she’s attached to footholds on the floor and a strap keeping her upright in the bay while she holds the cable controls.

KAYLEE: Standing by.

EXT. SERENITY/SHUTTLE – CONTINUING

All three take hands off the shuttle and cables.

ZOE: Clear.

JAYNE: Clear.

MAL: Clear. Kaylee, go.

INT. SERENITY CARGO BAY – CONTINUING

Kaylee pushes the retract button. The cables wind around two wheels, towing the shuttle into the cargo bay, cockpit first. Mal, Zoe and Jayne follow under their own propulsion and give the shuttle a “hand” guiding it through the doors. Once inside, the shuttle hovers above the floor.

Mal, Jayne and Zoe maneuver themselves ABOVE the shuttle and use their combined power to push it to the floor of Serenity.

Kaylee is bending as mu