INT. SERENITY – CARGO BAY – MOMENTS LATER

Zoe and Jayne, weapons drawn, flank the four slaves, who stand near the cargo bay doors. Mal faces the slaves, his arms crossed. Book, Simon and River are on the cargo bay floor as well, watching from among the machines. Throughout the scene, River does not take her eyes off the older man.

Kaylee’s on the upper catwalk. INARA joins her, looking down.

INARA

What’s this?

KAYLEE

We got passengers. Sort of.

(beat)

Poor things.

ON THE CARGO BAY FLOOR

Mal steps closer to the slaves.

MAL

Tell me why I shouldn’t turn about and bring you back.

OLDER MAN

You said yourself you’re not going back.

MAL

That was before I found out I got stowaways on my boat.

OLDER MAN (ISAAC)

My name is Isaac.

(indicates the hard-looking man)

This stowaway is Derek. The boy’s name is Joshua, and his father is Micah.

Derek steps protectively in front of Isaac, but the older man waves him back.

MAL

I don’t need to know your names.

ISAAC

I believe you do.

MAL

Knowin’ your names don’t change a thing.

JOSHUA

It don’t?

A beat.

MAL

Don’t they do some kinda roll call? What they gonna do when they don’t hear your names? Put two and two together?

ISAAC

It won’t matter.

MAL

Trouble comes my way, threatens me and my crew, you and yours’re goin’ out those doors. Steppin’ out or sucked out, makes no difference to me.

ISAAC

You won’t have to do that.

Derek looks around, taking careful notice of the women. Zoe sees what he’s doing and tightens the grip on her gun.

MAL

(shakes his head)

Got confidence, I’ll give you that.

ISAAC

Not confidence, Captain. Faith.

MAL

Best put your faith in someone else, ‘cause I ain’t—

ISAAC

Not in you. In God.

Book reacts with interest, and walks closer.

JAYNE

Usin’ his name with the Cap’n, old man – in vain or otherwise - weren’t very smart.

ISAAC

(to Jayne)

But it is right.

Jayne reacts.

JAYNE