In a lot of ways, this day was just a day like any other. Mal got up as usual, took care of the daily necessities, and then went out to check up on his ship and on his crew. Except there was one person he did not visit that day: Inara Serra. She had told him last night to not bother her the next morning, as she was going to be busy collecting all of her belongings in preparation for leaving.
So he passed her shuttle by without even a single glance. But before he could take another step, there was a sudden loud snap that sounded more like a burst of lightning, followed by an unexpected explosion of electricity somewhere above him, where the ceiling was.
The electric shock seemed to last for an eternity, but when Mal finally opened his eyes (he'd closed them instinctively), he was not on Serenity. He was standing in the middle of a darkened street, with nothing in sight but buildings.