Mal: Let me show you the rest, and - and try to see past what she is and onto what she can be. Zoë: What's that, sir? Mal: Freedom is what. Zoë: I meant, what's *that*? Mal: Oh, yeah, just step around that. I think something must have been living in here. Mal: Ship like this, be with you 'til the day you die. Zoë: 'Cause it's a deathtrap. Zoë: [about Serenity, on first seeing her] You paid money for this, sir? On purpose? Kaylee: Shepherd Book was just telling us funny stories about his life at the monastery. Wash: Monastic humor, I miss out on the fun. And all the food, too, apparently! Jayne: Now, Inara, she's gotta have some funny whorin' stories, I'd wager. Inara: Oh, do I ever. Funny and sexy. You have no idea. And you never will. Mal: Looks can be deceiving. Jayne: Not as deceiving as a low down, dirty... deceiver. Mal: Well said. Wasn't that well said, Zoë? Zoë: It had a kinda poetry to it, sir. Mal: Which one you figure tracked us? Zoe: The ugly one, sir. Mal: Could you be more specific? Jayne: Hey, you know, we'd have been back first, except there's somethin' wrong with Inara's shuttle. She done somethin' to it, Mal. It smells funny. Inara: I told you, that's incense. Jayne: So you say. River: [after Simon looks at her to see if they found out his birthday from her] "Day" is a vestigial mode of time measurement based on solar cycles. It's not applicable... I didn't get you anything. Mal: You are very much lacking in imagination. Zoë: I imagine that's so, sir. Kaylee: [about Simon's birthday cake] Couldn't get ahold of no flour, so it's mostly protein. In fact, it's pretty much what we just had for dinner. [everyone laughs] Kaylee: But I tried to get the frosting as chocolatey tasting as possible. Inara: Mal, you don't have to die alone. Mal: Everybody dies alone. Kaylee: Well, Shepherd told us a funny story about being a preacher. Now you tell us a funny story about being a doctor. Dr. Simon Tam: Ah, a funny story. Jayne: Yeah, cus sick people are hi-lar-ious. Mal: Kaylee. Kaylee, look at me. I need you up in the engine room figurin' out what caused this. Kaylee: [looking toward the injured Zoë] She ain't moving. [pause] Kaylee: Serenity's not moving. [after Mal first introduces Zoë to Wash] Mal: Great, ain't he? Zoë: I don't like him. Mal: What? Zoë: Just something about him bothers me. Mal: Look, we finally got ourselves a genius mechanic. It's about time we hired someone to fly this damn thing! Bester: Genius! No one's ever called me that before. Shiny! Kaylee: Catalyzer on the port compression coil blew. It's where the trouble started. Mal: Okay I need that in captain dummy talk, Kaylee. Dr. Simon Tam: I always thought the name Serenity had a vaguely funereal sound to it. Inara: I love this ship. I have from the first moment I saw it. Dr. Simon Tam: I just don't want to die on it. Inara: I don't want to die at all. Dr. Simon Tam: Suffocation's not exactly the most dignified way to go. The human body will... Inara: [cutting him off] Please, I don't really require a clinical description right now. Dr. Simon Tam: I'm sorry. I'm just... It was my birthday. [River finds Book reading the Bible] River: Don't be afraid. That's what it says. "Don't be afraid." Shepherd Book: Yes. River: But you are afraid. Shepherd Book: Yes. River: You're afraid we're going to run out of air. That we'll die gasping. But we won't. It's not going to happen. [Book looks at her hopefully] River: We'll freeze to death first. Mal: You know I'm getting a little weary of this attitude, Wash. Wash: Oh are you? Well, I'm so very sorry sir. I guess the news that we're all gonna be purple and bloated and fetal in a few hours has made me a little snippy. Mal: It's possible someone might pick up that signal. Wash: No, Mal, it's not possible. No one's gonna pick up the damn signal. You wanted us flying under the radar, remember? Well, that's where we are, out of range of anyone or anything. Mal: Then make it go further. Wash: I - what? Mal: Make the signal go further. Wash: Can't make it go further. Mal: Not if all you're going to do is sit around here and whinge about it. Wash: What do you expect me to do, Mal? Mal: Whatever you have to. And if you can't do it from here, then get a suit on and go outside on the side of the boat... Wash: And what? Wave my arms around? Mal: Wave your arms around. Jump up and down. Divert the nav sats to the transmitter. Whatever. Wash: Divert the - Right! Because teenage pranks are fun when you're about to die! Mal: Give the beacon a boost, wouldn't it? Wash: Yes, Mal, it would boost the signal. But even if some passerby did happen to receive, all it would do is muck up their navigation. Mal: Could be that's true. Wash: Damn right, it's true. They'd be forced to stop and dig out our signal before they could even go anyplace. [Beat, Mal waits for Wash to get it] Wash: [Still yelling as if he's angry] Well maybe I should do that, then! Mal: Maybe you should! Wash: Okay! Mal: Good! Wash: Fine! Jayne: Hey! What do you two think you're doing? Fightin' at a time like this? You'll use up all the air. Mal: You got much experience with a vessel like this? Kaylee: I never even been up in one before. Mal: Wanna? Bester: Mal. What do you need two mechanics for? Mal: I really don't. Kaylee: Sometimes a thing gets broke can't be fixed. Inara: Mal, this isn't the ancient sea. You don't have to go down with your ship. Inara: I prefer something with a few miles on it. Inara: And just so we're clear, under no circumstances will I be servicing you, or anyone who is under your employ. Mal: I'll post a sign. Inara: You're gonna to rent this shuttle to me. Mal: Am I? Inara: Yes. And for one quarter less than your asking price. Mal: Is that a fact? Inara: It is. Mal: And you figure you'll be getting this discount why, exactly? Inara: You want me. [pause] Inara: You want me on your ship. Inara: The Alliance has no quarrel with me. I supported Unification. Mal: Did ya? Well, I don't supposed you're the only whore that did. Inara: Oh, one further addendum. That's the last time you get to call me "whore". Mal: Absolutely. Never again. Wash: When your miracle gets here, you just pound this button once and it'll call back both shuttles. Jayne: Tell us where the stuff's at, so I can shoot ya. Mal: Point of interest? Offering to shoot us might not work so well as an incentive as you might imagine. Mal: Take your people and go. Captain: You would've done the same. Mal: We can already see I haven't. Now get the hell off my ship. Zoë: [Upon seeing Mal wake up in the infirmary] Welcome back, sir. Mal: I go some place? Shepherd Book: Very nearly. Inara: We thought we lost you. Mal: Oh, I've been right here. Mal: I thought I ordered you all off the ship. I call you back? Hoban 'Wash' Washburne: No Mal, you didn't. Zoë: I take full responsibility Cap'n. Dr. Simon Tam: The decision saved your life. Zoë: Won't happen again, sir. Mal: Good. And thanks, I'm grateful. Zoë: It was my pleasure, sir. Mal: [jerking himself awake] You all gonna be here when I wake up? Shepherd Book: We'll be here. Mal: Good. That's good. Salesman: You buy this ship, treat her proper, she'll be with you for the rest of your life.