Book turns sharply to look at the person coming around the side of the ship. A woman? Dressed in a way even Book has never seen before. It seems he startled her as bad as she startled him, as she stops too fast and goes to the ground.

"Oh! I'm sorry, are you all right?" He puts out a hand to help her back up. His face is concerned, but confused. This wasn't what he was expecting. This woman isn't Alliance, there are no soldiers, but the ship is docked and stripped out. Still, if someone had managed to capture Serenity, subdue the crew, and take everything inside, how had they missed Book? And why hadn't Book heard any of this happening?