Summer Glau credited as playing...
River Tam
- Jubal Early: All right, that's all the hide-and-seek I got time for. I know you're on this ship, little girl, so here's how this goes. You show yourself, we finish this exchange, or your brother's brains will be flying every which-a-way. You understand, I'm sort of on the clock here. It's frustrating.
- River: You're wrong, Early.
- Jubal Early: I'm not wrong, dumpling, I will shoot your brother dead if you don't...
- River: Wrong about River. River's not on the ship. They didn't want her here, but she couldn't make herself to leave. So she melted. Melted away. They didn't know she could do that, but she did.
- Jubal Early: I'm not sure I take your meaning there.
- River: I'm not on the ship. I'm in the ship. I am the ship.
- Simon: River...
- River: River's gone.
- Jubal Early: Then who exactly are we talking to?
- River: You're talking to "Serenity." And Early, "Serenity" is very unhappy.
- Zoë: I can take this guy out.
- River Tam: He's faster than you - all of you. And he's wearing armor.
- Hoban 'Wash' Washburne: What about his face? Is his face wearing armor?
- River: I don't belong... dangerous like you. Can't be controlled... can't be trusted. Everyone could just go on without me and not have to worry. People could be who they wanted to be, could be with the people they wanted. Live simple. No secrets.
- Simon: No...
- River: I'll be fine. I'll be your bounty, Jubal Early. And I'll just fade away.
- River: [having taken a gun away from River, Mal looks at Simon] This here is a recipe for unpleasantness. Does she understand that?
- River: [before Simon can speak] She understands. She doesn't comprehend.
- Mal: [looking at River] Well, I'm glad we've made that distinction. No touching guns, okay?
- River: No touching.
- [nods, then runs away]
- Jubal Early: Yeah, well, you know me real well.
- River: Wish I didn't. You like to hurt folk.
- Jubal Early: It's part of the job.
- River: It's why you took the job. Power, control, pain. Your mother knew. Sadness in her when she waved good-bye. She's relieved. Saw darkness in you. You're not well.
- River: You're not welcome here anymore, Early.
- Jubal Early: Do you think I'm gonna leave here empty-handed?
- River: I know it.
- Jubal Early: Doesn't anybody care that I have a finely crafted gun pointed at this boy's head?
- River: I care.
- Jubal Early: Then are you gonna come out and stop me from doing what I don't want to? You gonna be smart here, River?
- [River doesn't respond]
- Jubal Early: River? Serenity?