Episode 1x20:

“WAR CRIMES”

Written by

J. C. Ravage

Edited by

Matt Engstrom, Shawn Morris, and George W. Krubski

Producer: David Elmer

Head Writer: George W. Krubski

Art Director: Sean Young

Disclaimer: The crew of the Serenity, the ‘Verse in which they live, and their fellow inhabitants are the property of Joss Whedon, Universal Studios, and/or Fox Television. They are used in this work of fan fiction with love and respect, but without permission.

EXT. ELYSIAN HILLS – FIELD – NIGHT – ESTABLISHING

A broken field, littered with bodies, debris, and other remnants of warfare, is the valley between hills. In the distance, EXPLOSIONS and SOUNDS OF BATTLE can be heard.

TITLE: Elysian Hills, Boros – Seven Years Ago

EXT. ELYSIAN HILLS – NIGHT

ZOE and MAL rush down a hill and onto the field, Zoe looking ahead, Mal covering the rear. At the base of the hill, they pause, catching their breath.

ZOE

Think we lost them?

Mal nods, then a single GUNSHOT cracks from the next hill. It is followed by a second shot, then a third. This is not the sound of battle, but rather single, paced shots.

Zoe grimaces as Mal rushes across the field toward the sound.

EXT. ELYSIAN HILLS – HILLTOP – NIGHT

Mal and Zoe cautiously crawl up to the top of a hill as another gunshot sounds.

They look across to

THE NEXT HILL

A dozen ALLIANCE SOLDIERS surround a pair of kneeling Browncoat PRISONERS. Four other prisoners are already dead.

An OFFICER stands behind the first living prisoner, a pistol pointed at the prisoner’s head.

OFFICER

(grim, smug)

You give me trouble, you die.

He shoots the prisoner dead.

OFFICER (cont’d)

{Feces-colored vagrant.}

The Officer moves to the other prisoner.

OFFICER (cont’d)

How about you? You want to live? I’ll ask you once. Where’s the comm array?

The prisoner doesn’t look up, but is clearly terrified. The Officer blows him away and moves to the final prisoner.

ON THE FIRST HILL

Mal looks on, horrified.