Saffron convinces Mal to pilfer a gun with significant value, only Mal ends up naked and alone in the desert after being double-crossed by Saffron, or so she thinks.
A former war comrade of Mal's and Zoe's named Tracey has her body shipped to the two, requesting that his body be brought to his family. When Alliance members come after them looking to claim the corpse, they discover that Tracey is really alive and has modified, enhanced organs inside of him, which results in a complicated pursuit of Serenity.
The crew comes to the aid of a companion of Inara's with guns blazing. They also try to assist a bordello prostitute whose gunslinger john got her pregnant and now intends to take the baby, during which time Mal becomes smitten with the bordello's owner.