INT. SERENITY CARGO BAY

Mal exits Inara's shuttle port and looks down at the cargo bay deck. Jayne and Kaylee are busy dismantling the temporary net and stowing it in a wall compartment. Paul is unstacking the crates he'd sat on before, reducing them to acceptable heights.

MAL: (descending stairs) 'Preciate that, Seafood. You're pullin' your weight and then some.

PAUL: Thank you, sir. (looks straight up at the suspended mule) I've been meaning to ask you. Is your mule running? Looks a bit damaged.

MAL: She's needin' some work, yeah.

PAUL: I could take a look at her, if you'd like.

MAL: Not sure what good it'll do. She's needin' some parts I don't yet have on hand.

Jayne snorts, hefting a large crate and stacking it on another. He brushes off his hands and stalks up the stairs.

PAUL: I'm sure that's true. Wouldn't mind giving it a try, though.

MAL: Be my guest. Winch control's over there. Just take her slow. Crushin' me or any of the crew, 'cept Jayne, is grounds for deportation. (Paul nods) Good. I'll be on the Bridge.

Kaylee approaches Paul as Mal ascends the stairs to the fore passage.

KAYLEE: I took a look at her. One of the anti-grav couplings is busted all to heck. And the coolant drive is leakin' real bad.

PAUL: That would cost a small fortune to have repaired, just in parts alone. What do you say we take a look together.

Kaylee shrugs.

Kaylee lowers the mule to five feet off the deck. She and Paul walk to nearly underneath it. Paul reaches up and touches the burned and twisted area of the port anti-grav coupling.

PAUL: She's been worked over, that's for sure.

KAYLEE: Captain and the others were runnin' from Reavers. They flew in here with Serenity on the move so we could make a quick getaway.

PAUL: (still inspecting the coupling, distracted) A barn swallow, eh? Never heard of anyone pulling that off...

KAYLEE: You ever seen 'em? Reavers?

PAUL: I'm pleased to say, no. But I've heard the stories out there on the Rim. Folk don't get that scared a look in their eye