Issue 2

Story by Joss Whedon and Brett Matthews

Script by Brett Matthews

Pencilled by Will Conrad

Colours by Laura Martin

"I hate that colour on you. I always have."

Kaylee

CAST

• Captain Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds

• Zoë Alleyne-Washburne

• Hoban "Wash" Washburne

• Inara Serra

• Jayne Cobb

• Kaywinnit Lee "Kaylee" Frye

• Dr. Simon Tam

• River Tam

• Shepherd Derrial Book

• The Blue-Gloved Men

• Lawrence Dobson

• Badger

SYNOPSIS

• The Blue-Gloved Men find the agent they were looking for: Lawrence Dobson, who was shot in the head and left for dead by Mal a year ago. He wants nothing to do with the Men, but when they mention Serenity, Dobson lowers his gun.

On Persephone, Mal orders Wash to fuel the ship, although they have no money. Mal doesn't care however, he simply wants Inara gone and off the ship. Jayne knocks a huge brute of a man down onto the deck, and at the entrance to the cargo bay, Badger stands with his men, claiming he has a proposition. Zoë kills Badger's men, and Badger is allowed aboard.

Back on Whitefall, Dobson insists that he doesn't want Serenity, but he does want Mal. His home is filled with pictures, plans and scribbled with the words 'Reynolds.' He's a tad preoccupied with the idea. He claims that he already has a plan to get Mal, but he just needs authorisation to do it. In exchange, the Blue-Gloved Men simply want what they've been after the whole time: River and Simon Tam.

Onboard Serenity, Book is worried about trusting Badger. Badger claims he didn't tell OTT about Mal's run on Constance, but suggests that Fanty and Mingo might have. Mal promises to check that out, while Badger had better have something decent to say. Badger brings up the Battle of Sturges, the most bloody battle during the War, and mentions that the sides were fighting over money - money that is still where it was then. Mal takes the information and kicks Badger of the ship.

Mal announces to the crew that they're going to take Badger's job. Inara assumes that she'll be dropped off first, but Mal corrects her. Book believes that they should keep their word and drop the Companion off, but Mal claims that words mean nothing out in space, because regardless, in the end, you do what you have to do to survive, as Book did on Constance when he stole the vehicle to save their lives. In retaliation, Book punches Mal in the face.

On Whitefall, Dobson watches the Blue-Gloved Men leave, and tells his men that he alone kills Reynolds.

On Serenity, Wash tells Mal that he does many stupid things to stay around the woman he loves. He says he doesn't mind it, and hints that he knows that Mal is doing the same. On the deck, after a passionate encounter with Zoë, Wash calls the crew up to the cockpit and they survey the destruction left after the Battle of Sturges, unaware that the Blue-Gloved Men are hidden amidst the wreckage.

CONTINUITY

• Lawrence Dobson was believed dead after Serenity (Part 1). He returns, complete with cybernetic eye patches in this instalment.

• Badger last appeared in Shindig, but first appeared in Serenity (Part 1). Serenity also docks at Persephone, previously established in those episodes as Badger's home turf, although the planet is unnamed in the book.

• Badger blames Fanty and Mingo for OTT's presence at Constance in Those Left Behind (Part 1), and Mal encounters them in Serenity.

Serenity

Those Left Behind (Part 1) | Those Left Behind (Part 2) | Those Left Behind (Part 3)

Synopsis | Continuity, Notes and Trivia