By the time Serenity gets close to Sentinel, it’s quite apparent that the Blue Sun ships have beaten off the first group of Friends and landed. They are dug in for a fight, with soldiers on the perimeter, and arrays of sensors in all directions.

Inara takes the cloaked Shuttle around to the back of Midway Terminal with Mal, Zoë, and Jayne on board, where they find a gaggle of armed Friends . Jayne steps out, and is immediately mobbed! “Hallelujah! Jayne the Liberator has returned!” In the next few moments, Jayne suffers more bruises from the backslapping than he ever suffered in any battle.

It takes a few more awkward moments of hero worship before they get down to business.

Finally the Friends say, “What guns have you brought us? None of our weapons have any effect on their big ships.”

Jayne says, I don’t have enough guns for all of you, but maybe we can find something else. Do you have any explosives?”

A Friend comes forward: “We have a big supply of explosives, but no way to deliver them. What good are they if we can’t get them close?”

Zoë says, “I have an idea…” She has a quick chat with Diana on the radio, who says her magic box can easily produce a half dozen launchers.

As Jayne and Zoë fly back for the launchers, Mal and Inara decide to scout the ships.

They land at a distant village where the Friends can drive them to Midway. Mal says, “Inara, it’s time for your special skills. I need a few moments with the soldiers looking the other way.”

As Inara distracts the soldiers as only she can, Mal takes photos and position shots of what seem to be the most vulnerable locations.

The group gathers behind the terminal again, and Mal lays out the plan; “We’ll wait until dark – the shuttle’s cloaking doesn’t work as well in atmo, but the night sky should help hide the black ship. While we’re waiting, let’s get these launchers aimed at the most vulnerable targets. Jayne and Zoë, once we’re ready, you’ll fly over their site and fire at anything tha