'Serenity' (Parts 1-2) by Joss Whedon

At the battle of Serenity Valley, the Independent forces lost their fight against the might of the Anglo-Sino Alliance. Six years later, two of the Independents’ troops, Malcolm ‘Mal’ Reynolds and Zoe Washburne, run a salvaging operation aboard the Firefly-class cargo ship, Serenity, together with their associates, mercenary Jayne Cobb; mechanic Kaywinnit Lee 'Kaylee' Frye; pilot - Zoe’s husband - Hoban ‘Wash’ Washbourne; and Mal’s live-in client, a 'Registered Companion' - or high-class prostitute - named Inara. While on their latest salvage venture, Mal and his crew are interrupted by the arrival of an Alliance Cruiser; only just managing to escape with the goods, they head for the planet Persephone to collect some passengers and meet with their next client, a shifty man named Badger. While Kaylee brings aboard religious minister Shepherd Book, a man named Lawrence Dobson, and Doctor Simon Tam – who brings with him an unusually large piece of cargo – Mal is annoyed to learn that Badger now refuses to buy his ‘hot’ cargo. The captain decides to visit another client on the planet Whitefall: Patience, a woman who once stabbed him. Serenity sets course for her new destination, but while en route, someone on board contacts a nearby Alliance cruiser; Mal immediately suspects Simon – until Dobson reveals that he is actually an undercover Federal agent on the doctor’s trail. Preparing to hand them all over to the authorities, Dobson pulls a gun, inadvertently shooting Kaylee in the confusion. Mal is able to deal with Dobson, and while Serenity evades the authorities, the captain turns to Simon to treat the injured Kaylee. Determined to learn why the authorities are after his passenger, Mal decides to open the doctor’s crate – only to find it contains a young, naked girl named River…

Nathan Fillion (Captain Malcolm ‘Mal’ Reynolds), Gina Torres (Zoe Washburne), Alan Tudyk (Hoban ‘Wash’ Washburne), Morena Baccarin (Inara Serra), Adam Baldwin (Jayne Cobb), Jewel Staite (Kaywinnit Lee 'Kaylee' Frye), Sean Maher (Doctor Simon Tam), Summer Glau (River Tam), Ron Glass (Shepherd Derrial Book), Carlos Jacott (Lawrence Dobson), Mark Sheppard (Badger), Andy Umberger (Dortmunder Captain), Philip Sternberg (), Eddie Adams (), Colin Patrick Lynch (Radio Operator), Domingo Vara (Ensign), Stephen O'Mahoney (Man (Dortmunder)), Jamie McShane (Man), John F. Kearney (Old Man), Gabrielle Wagner (Slave #1)

Directed by Joss Whedon
Produced by Ben Edlund and Gareth Davies
Executive Producers Joss Whedon and Tim Minear

TX (US): 20th December 2002

Notes:
*Featuring Captain Malcolm ‘Mal’ Reynolds, Zoe Washburne, Hoban ‘Wash’ Washburne, Inara Serra, Jayne Cobb, Kaywinnit Lee 'Kaylee' Frye, Doctor Simon Tam, River Tam and Shepherd Derrial Book

*The transmitted version of this story is comprised of the original, unaired pilot, plus new material