Season 1, Episode 17: Hero Complex
Hero ComplexTHIS EPISODE CONTAINS GRAPHIC SCENES THAT MAY BE DISTURBING TO SOME READERS.
( Credits )EXT. PERSEPHONE – EAVESDOWN DOCKS – DAY
It’s a sunny day in the bustling bazaar of Eavesdown Docks as MAL, ZOE, and JAYNE work their way through the crowd.
MAL: Three hours! Three hours we wait in his parlor and for what? “Hello, welcome to my mansion, please won't you have a seat, and some smelly cheese too. Oh, and by the way, get out of my house, you thief”!
JAYNE (picking at his teeth): Ain’t nothin’ wrong with free cheese, Mal, no matter how it smells.
MAL (ignoring Jayne): He knows we’re thieves! But the second we show him that damn broken laser, he clams up.
ZOE: He's got his reasons, sir. If I were him, I wouldn't go near the Lassiter, either.
MAL (not particularly listening): Now he's too good to be seen with us. Y’know, Warrick Harrow used to be my very favorite lord with a sash.
It’s a particularly busy day and all three of them are periodically jostled by PASSERS-BY.
ZOE: Used to be?
MAL: Well, he still is. Sometimes he really has a pair, but today was like he was gelded. Just never thought something fits under my coat would be so tough to pass along.
ZOE: You could have taken Inara up on her offer to help sell it.
MAL: Inara? Would you give that a rest! She so big on helpin’ us, how come she ain't here? She was supposed to come by and change his paranoid mind to my liking.
They stop to let a MAN leading two LLAMAS pass; Jayne eyes the llamas with suspicion.
MAL (cont'd): She didn't show because she didn't want to show. Made me look like a gorram fool.
ZOE: She's scared, Mal. Probably doesn’t want to risk running into Atherton Wing.
MAL (Sarcastic): Ath! You think he's still holding a grudge against us, too?
JAYNE: Him and about a hundred others. Maybe you should start killin’ 'em, Mal. Wouldn't have to watch our backs so gorram much.
MAL: Can't kill everyone don't agree with us, Jayne. Badger’d be the first to go, were that the case. We walk away, and it's their choice to keep a grudge. Nothing I can do about that.
JAYNE: You could kill 'em.
Mal gives him a look.
Zoe spots INARA in the crowd, working her way toward them.
ZOE: Speak of the devil.
Jayne and Mal put their hands to their guns, looking for targets. Zoe gives them her best “Why am I saddled with children?” look.
As Inara approaches, Mal closes the distance, his posture belligerent.
MAL: Where were you?
INARA: I had some business that took longer than planned. Did Lord Harrow mention my absence?
MAL: ‘Course he mentioned! Do I look like a whore?
Inara manages not to slap him.
INARA: That's exactly the kind of comment I don't miss when you’re not around, Captain.
Jayne laughs. Inara and Zoe begin to walk away.
A KID, carrying a snatched PURSE, rushes through the crowd, angling toward Jayne.
Mal and Jayne move to follow the women.
The Kid slams into Jayne’s back.
JAYNE: Hey!
Jayne whips around in annoyance, grabs the Kid with one hand and the purse with the other. The others aren’t aware of this happening.
Jayne looks at the purse, which looks expensive, then at the Kid, who looks dirt poor. He lets the Kid go.
JAYNE (cont’d): Get outta here ‘fore I gut you.
Jayne begins to paw through the purse.
ANA (OS): Oh, thank goodness!
Jayne looks up. ANA, 30-ish, attractive but not beautiful, dark hair cut short, dressed in expensive clothes matching the purse, approaches.
ANA: Thank you for stopping that thief.
( Teaser )( Act 1 ) ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif?v=92.2){kind=small}
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