Episode: Safe

In flashback, Simon's parents, Gabriel and Regan Tam, toast Simon's appointment at a major hospital. Simon, however, is worried about River, who hasn't acted like herself since going away to school. In the present day, the Serenity lands on the planet Jiangyin to deliver a cargo of smuggled cattle. Unbeknownst to them, a man named Stark observes from nearby trees, waiting for just the right moment to strike. Mal loses his patience with River when she begins speaking to the cattle.

Mal tells Simon to take River for a walk to keep her out of the way. Simon escorts River to a nearby general supply store, where Kaylee and Inara are perusing merchandise. Kaylee is stung when Simon refers to the Serenity as "garbage." Shortly thereafter, Simon realizes that River has wandered off. The Grange brothers show up at the corral to finish the transaction for the smuggled cattle. At first, the brothers refuse to pay, claiming the cattle are undernourished. After some haggling, Mal and the brothers agree on a price.

Meanwhile, Simon passes some policemen as he gradually catches up to River. Simon follows her into a tent, where local women perform a folk dance. The policemen make their way to the corral, where they announce that the Grange brothers are wanted for the murder of a local man. The Granges, Mal and Jayne are disarmed. Suddenly, a struggle erupts between one of the Grange brothes and a policeman. The Grange brother wrestles away his gun, but before he can fire, Zoe shoots the gun from his hand.

Chaos erupts, with gunfire filling the air. Mal and Jayne drop to the ground, where Mal manages to recover the Grange brothers' payment for the cattle. Back at the tent, River joins the dancers, a look of immense happiness filling her face. But at the corral, Book is hit by gunfire. Instantly, River stops dancing, sensing something is wrong. Simon grows concerned, but before he can react, Stark and his men pull a hood over Simon's head and kidnap him. Mal and the others carry the critically injured Book back to the Serenity.

As the crew attempts to stop the bleeding, Mal sets off to find Simon, hoping his medical skills can save him. In flashback, Simon tells his parents about his concern about River. Simon is convinced something is wrong, and believes her letters to the family contain some kind of secret code. His parents, however, dismiss the idea. As Stark and his men transport Simon to an unknown destination, Simon realizes River is following the group. He urges her to run away. But one of Stark's men grabs River and forces her along.

Mal is unable to locate Simon and returns to the Serenity without him. He believes Simon was kidnapped by locals in need of a doctor. As the Serenity blasts off into space, Simon watches as the ship grows fainter in the distance. The crew tends to Book's injuries as best they can, but the group is well aware that Book needs urgent medical care.