Serenity is silent as the cargo bay door begins to close. Onboard, no one says a word. Partly it’s horror, partly hatred, and some of it is just glaring anger at Mal himself. Inara puts the baby down without a word as Jayne, Simon, Kaylee, and River gather in the cargo bay. River is up on the catwalk, ready to pounce. Jayne has a gun loaded at his side.

As Mal ensures the airlock is shut before they leave atmo, he tells their guest to “welcome aboard.” The Operative doesn’t respond. He simply looks up at the crew, staring at him.

On his way to the bridge, Mal removes his coat and finds Jayne nipping at his heels.

“Mal, I wonder if you and me might have a word.”

“What is it?” Mal asks, without looking.

“Well, I know we ain’t on the best of terms just now, and that falls squarely to me.”

“Spit it out, Jayne.”

“Well… I was wondering if I could have a favour.”

“What’s that,” Mal says. It’s not a question.

“When all this is done, and we got Zoë back, and all…”

Mal finally turns to look at him as they cross the final corridor to the bridge.

“…Can I kill him?”

“Who?”

“The Operative fella.”

Mal studies the helm, ensures take-off is ready, and sits down. He tells Jayne he’s had the displeasure of fighting the Operative more than once, and Jayne really doesn’t want a part of that. Jayne thinks he could take him. Mal continues to ready the controls.

“What if I want to kill him?”

“Well, then the fairest thing’d be to draw straws.”

Mal doesn’t answer Jayne. He sighs and lets a breath out. “First things first…” he mutters. He comms Kaylee in the engine room and asks her to drop the trash. Kaylee responds, and the chute opens, releasing a clutter of rubbish — and the nervous form of Jubal Early — falling toward the planet below.

In the galley, Mal wants to know exactly what happens when they get to the Academy. Jayne reminds him that Simon once broke in there, but Mal says Simon had help and money, which they are short of. The Operative states that they would have changed their codes since then. In fact, he says, he changed them.

“We do have an advantage, which is that myself, Dr. Tam, and River have all been there. Unfortunately, it’s a precious facility. Any ship will be viewed with suspicion, scanned upon approach, and run through their database.” He looks at Mal. “So we cannot use Serenity.”

He suggests they find another ship to use, but before Mal can protest, Bea speaks over him.

“I can get you a ship.”

Mal looks at her sharply. “You got my ear. Speak your piece.”

“The New Resistance,” she starts. “Outfits are popping up all over the ’Verse. We’re organised, we’ve got money.”

Mal wants to know why the Resistance would help them, but Bea rolls her eyes.

“If I show up with Malcolm Reynolds in tow, they’ll give me anything I want. They’re still under the impression you’re some kind of hero.”

She grins at Mal.

In the doorway of the kitchen, Kaylee and Inara keep a respectful distance from the conversation. Kaylee whispers quietly to Inara. “This ain’t right. Having that man on this ship.”

Inara leans in slightly closer. “I know, Kaylee. But Mal thinks we need him, and when it comes to Zoë, he doesn’t want to take any chances.”

Kaylee thinks Zoë would rather die than let that man aboard, but Inara tells her things have changed. “The world around us has changed. We can’t play by the rules we used to.”

Kaylee understands. Then she turns to Inara. “We played by rules?”

Inara doesn’t look at her, but whispers back, “You know what I mean. It feels grotesque, but we have to do it.”

Kaylee looks her straight in the eyes. “He ordered our friends killed, Inara.”

Inara whispers again. “I haven’t forgotten. Neither has Mal.”

Back in the midst of conversation, Mal asks Bea if she has anyone on Sihnon, which is the closest planet. He also asks if she can handle a weapon.

“Better than most,” she responds coolly.

As Serenity lands on the outskirts of Sihnon’s main city, the plan is made. They’ll walk into port and, once they’ve got a ship, return to pick up River and Simon.

The city is loud. The sky is a pale red, the suns going down, and the streets are jam-packed with revellers. There’s music and smells, but it’s the undercurrent of the city they require. Bea takes them down a cold, dark alley and bangs on a nearby door. Someone answers and asks who it is. When Bea responds, she’s greeted warmly, and she tells them she has a surprise. As soon as Mal is seen, the door is opened.

Elsewhere, the prisoners on the moon rock have been released into the yard. Zoë notices there are no guards and no walls.

“What’s to stop me walking out of here?” she asks her cellmate.

“The desert. This rock’s too hot. Terra wouldn’t take. Nothing but nothing in all directions. You can walk, but you’ll die. And if the desert doesn’t kill you,” she says, turning her gaze toward a group of prisoners fighting, “the guests will. They let us run wild. Pick each other off.”

Zoë looks around in every direction, but she doesn’t give up. She knows she’s getting out. It’s just a matter of figuring out how. Out of the corner of her eye she sees a bigger man throttling a smaller one.

“This isn’t right,” she says quietly.

Before she knows it, she’s grabbing the bigger man’s arm.

“Who the hell are you?” he asks angrily.

“Name’s Zoë. Who the hell are you?” she spits back through gritted teeth.

She lets go of his arm and ducks, coming up beneath him to uppercut his jaw. Then she drives his head down onto her knee with a crunch and drops him to the floor like a sack of potatoes.

Her cellmate is impressed and smiles. “You’re getting your strength back. That’s good.”

Zoë nods as she catches her breath, looking out into the desert again. “Sure is,” she says.

On Sihnon, having acquired their ship, the team separates. Mal says goodbye to Inara with a kiss as Kaylee hands him some equipment. Then they’re gone, leaving Inara, Simon, and Kaylee with Serenity.

Not long after, the Academy is below their shuttle. River looks at the forbidding place from the window, and Mal is convinced he sees her shiver. The Operative, at the controls, enters his access codes, and they’re allowed to enter. Landing, Mal pulls out his pistol and checks that everyone is ready: they’re simply going to run for the front door.

As they leave the shuttle, Jayne looks around as he runs. “This security ain’t so tight.”

Mal knows he’s right and asks where everyone else is. The Operative turns to him — and knows.

“It’s a trap.”

Another larger shuttle suddenly comes from nowhere, forcing the group to shield their eyes. The Operative takes one look at the craft and knows who’s aboard. He tells Mal to carry on and that he will hold them off. Inside the shuttle, the female officer and her commander stand with their captain. They look resolved.

Inside, River leads them to where they need to go. Eventually, however, she brings them to what appears to be a blank wall. Jayne smiles and tells them to step aside. He clicks his weapon.

“Vera’s got this,” he grins, and fires.

A straight blast of orange erupts with a thundering boom. The wall is obliterated in moments, leaving nothing but dust in the air and the faint crackling of Vera cooling off.

Inside, an older man — a doctor in a white coat — stands stunned as they emerge from nowhere.

He drops a syringe full of green liquid at his feet when he sees River.

“River Tam. I always knew you’d come back,” he whispers, almost reverently.

Outside the Academy, on its manicured lawn, the Operative watches as Denon Rodgers, Commander, exits the shuttle. He greets Rodgers by name, and is asked what happened to him after he was sent for Serenity.

“I chose a different path.”

Rodgers sneers. “You can’t change what you are.”

“Yes. I know.”

“I won’t let you compromise this program,” the commander states calmly. “It’s much too precious.”

The Operative’s face and voice remain unchanged. “You should have sent Kalista. You cannot stop me. You know that.”

“I won’t have to,” Rodgers sneers, and moves with his blade. The Operative does the same.

Inside, the doctor is talking, praising River, calling her special and unique.

“A work of art,” he proclaims in awe. “Can I tell you a secret?” he says to River, who is walking toward a pane of glass — not transparent, but translucent enough that forms can be seen beyond.

The doctor babbles. “You always were my favourite. Shhhhhh. But… you left. You were taken from me before I could finish you…”

If River hears him, she doesn’t show it. She places her palm on the glass pane, as if she can feel the people beyond. As soon as her hand makes contact, a small beep sounds and the pane swoops aside with a hiss, trapped air surging through the now-open door.

Inside, there are tubes, each occupied by a girl with her head shaved. A blue light indicates the capsules are sealed. The doctor’s words reach River now.

“The girls who stayed… they were special too…”

One of the capsules opens and a foot steps out.

“Actually, they’re something you never were,” he tells River, almost in her ear.

“They’re complete.”

The freed girl looks up, marks on her head where it’s been shaved. Her eyes are cold. Her sneer is menacing. River looks at her and begins to shiver. She orders Mal and the others — but instead of a shout, it comes as a whisper.

“Run,” she tells them.