Home, Act. 1

** The usual disclaimers apply. Written in script form because that's the only way I seem to be able to write these days.

Teaser

EXT. Space

We start with a shot of space, the stars twinkling in front of us. There is no sound.

The camera pulls back and “through” the front window of one of the shuttles of SERENITY. We pause looking out the window for a moment. Still there is no sound.

The camera then pulls back further to reveal MAL, captain of the Firefly-class transport ship SERENITY, sitting in the pilot’s chair of the shuttle, staring out the window. All the lights on the console or off – the shuttle is completely powered down. Again we pause on him as he stares out the window, lost in thought.

With a barely audible sigh MAL gets up and purposely walks to the door of the shuttle – the time for thinking and remembering is done. As we see the rest of the shuttle we realize that its not INARA’S shuttle, or at least it doesn’t look like INARA’S shuttle.

MAL walks through the hatchway and into SERENITY’S cargo bay. With one quick last look through the hatch and into the shuttle, MAL pulls the door closed.

The closing of the hatch door causes the loudest sound so far – a very pronounced metallic clang, the clang of finality.

As the door slides shut, we see the number 1 on the door, revealing that it is – was – INARA’S shuttle.

MAL walks off in the direction of the bridge, his stride again full of purpose.

END TEASER

OPENING CREDITS

ACT 1:

EXT. Planet – high altitude (DAY)

An establishing shot of a planet. We see both a city and the surrounding countryside. Everything is plush, everything is green. It’s a bright and sunny day without a cloud in the sky.

A small spacecraft flies into frame, descending to the city. We descend with it, and as we go down we see a large mansion or castle-type structure on the outskirts of the city. The shuttle descends further and lands at the estate.

CUT TO:

EXT. Estate – DAY (continuous