A suspicion about Book... by Kurukami

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

A suspicion about Book...

POSTED BY: KURUKAMI
UPDATED: Monday, December 2, 2002 07:21
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Sunday, December 1, 2002 8:02 AM

For some reason, I can't shake the nagging feeling that he's ex-Alliance, and that he was likely in the higher echelons of an Alliance intelligence agency.

He knows Niska by rep (as shown in The Train Job, which as Jayne has commented is rather remarkable for a sheltered preacher straight from the monastery). He knows details about interstellar chopshops and a lot of criminal background (as shown in Our Mrs. Reynolds). And in Safe, he pulls out his ident card and the Alliance commander instantly changes his policy regarding taking care of wounded "nobodies".

On the other hand, it has been clearly demonstrated that Book possesses faith, and that he's not just mouthing the dogma. The scenes with River, in Jaynestown, and those which show him praying over his Bible in Out of Gas, strongly imply a man who holds to the strictures of a religion because he believes it's the right thing in his heart.

So here's my guess about Shepherd Book -- he is Alliance, high-ranking in military intelligence (with information tending towards the Independents and interstellar crime, which many of those who fought for Independence could have drifted towards after their loss). He is retired from active duty, though -- call it a crisis of faith, having seen firsthand the policies the Alliance put into place after the closing of the War. He's spent the last few years in his monastery on Persephone, trying to reconcile his beliefs with his life.

So... what's your theory about Shepherd Book?

History doesn't always repeat itself. Sometimes it merely shouts "Weren't you listening the first time?!?" and lets fly with a club.

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Sunday, December 1, 2002 8:34 AM

DELVO

If we're going to figure he was an Alliance agent of some kind, we could also figure he was PLANTED on this ship, most likely because of the Tams, but also possibly because of anyone else they might be interested in, like former independent soldiers or anyone who might have pulled off a major crime in the past. (Then being near the Tams would be just a benefit.)

One nifty thing about that idea is that he doesn't need to be "former". I mean, if you want to have an agent frequently interview and try to influence River and possibly become trusted enough to eventually spring some kind of trap, then a priest trying to help someone who's been through a lot would be a wonderful cover, wouldn't it? (Of course, to pull this off, he'd probably need mental abilities like River's and better control over them.)

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Sunday, December 1, 2002 9:11 AM

HOBBES

My problem is that if he is still in Alliance Intel then River probably would have picked up on that.

OK, maybe he was Alliance Military Intel (dealing with criminals.Indepandants) then got a transfer to Blue Sun and their Blue Hand division which freaked him out, made him go reglious, etc...

The reason he doesn't know about River being so important from the Blue Hands is because he was only there long enough so see them use that creepy gadget of theirs/see their methods. He disagreed with them (Mil Intel would be less likly to those methods) and so he left.

Comments/suggestions?

-------------------------------------------------
May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May you be in heaven an hour before
The Devil knows you’re dead.

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Sunday, December 1, 2002 10:53 AM

ALLRONIX

I'm guessing along the same lines - former spy or intellegence agent. Maybe saw something, maybe started asking questions he wasn't supposed to be asking, maybe had a personal crisis and found his answers in a King James where others of his station would head for the bottle.

I'm guessing he's going to be this universe's answer to Garak. We don't know quite where he's been, or what he's up to, we just know he's not as plain and simple as he looks.

I also think that is he wanted to burn the crew, he would have done it by now. My guess is that he got out of the life he did lead and really wants to stay out - even to the point of switching sides.

Co-founder of the Evil Writing Crew - causing hell, one hero at a time!

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Sunday, December 1, 2002 10:54 AM

JAYNESGIRLFRIEND

Book being ex-Alliance makes sense. His knowledge of crime is extensive. Who besides a criminal would know what he does? A cop, of course.

I don't agree that he's still with them though. If the piousness is just an act, its a damn good one, and if he were really a plant I think the Tam's would already have been caught. So why would the Alliance be so eager to save his life if he's no longer working for them? Maybe Book's the type of guy a lot of people owe favors to. That could be enough to get him medical attention and a blind eye turned to Mal's obviously illegal operation.

"I was gonna get me an ear, too." - Jayne

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Sunday, December 1, 2002 1:27 PM

TINYTIMM

Given that the Alliance is a corrupt and massive bureaucracy.

Given that the blue team killed half a dozen Alliance Marshalls.

It could be our Book is working for someone in the system, trying to discover what the rest of the system is doing.

Jeff
Who notes it takes a bureaucracy to fight one.

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Sunday, December 1, 2002 1:37 PM

TINYTIMM

Quote:
Originally posted by JaynesGirlfriend:
Book being ex-Alliance makes sense. His knowledge of crime is extensive. Who besides a criminal would know what he does? A cop, of course.

Or a Military Chaplain, in an Intelligence Outfit.

In the US Army Chaplains start at the Rank of Captain.

Jeff
Who figures the Chaplain of an Intelligence Unit should be cleared for Top Secret Blabbers Boiled Alive, then goes up from there.

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Sunday, December 1, 2002 4:05 PM

AVALON

My absolutely-off-the-wall, utterly wild and unsubstantiated theory about who Book really is?

He's the true head of the Alliance, travelling incognito, trying to see what effect the Alliance is really having on the worlds at large.

Okay, I know, it's full of holes. I just got a weird feeling, though, when those Alliance troops got a look at his ident card and their demeanor totally changed. Not a moment's hesitation in taking him aboard their vessel, nor any difficulty or questions after. Whatever his identity is, he's important and high-ranking, I think.

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Sunday, December 1, 2002 4:13 PM

HOBBES

Quote:
Originally posted by TinyTimm:
Given that the Alliance is a corrupt and massive bureaucracy.

Given that the blue team killed half a dozen Alliance Marshalls.

It could be our Book is working for someone in the system, trying to discover what the rest of the system is doing.

I like this one.

-------------------------------------------------
May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May you be in heaven an hour before
The Devil knows you’re dead.

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Sunday, December 1, 2002 4:27 PM

ARCPLAYER

I don't think he is ex military intelligence or an agent. Someone with field experience would not stand around the corral when gunplay starts.
I believe Book is royalty. A prince, or the head rulers younger brother would rate the kind of medical attention that he recieved. I think he didn't agree with the war and went to the monastery because he was a conciencious objector.
I think that someone raised to run the whole show would learn about the underworld elements in the society. He would be responsible for keeping them in check once he did inherit the throne.

This is my favorite show.

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Sunday, December 1, 2002 8:27 PM

JAYNESGIRLFRIEND

Quote:
Originally posted by TinyTimm:
Quote:
Originally posted by JaynesGirlfriend:
Book being ex-Alliance makes sense. His knowledge of crime is extensive. Who besides a criminal would know what he does? A cop, of course.

Or a Military Chaplain, in an Intelligence Outfit.

In the US Army Chaplains start at the Rank of Captain.

Jeff
Who figures the Chaplain of an Intelligence Unit should be cleared for Top Secret Blabbers Boiled Alive, then goes up from there.

This is why we keep you around!

'Cause I never would have thought of that(since I've never actually heard of that before.) Elaborate?

In regard to the prince theory, there hasn't been any evidence that the Alliance recognizes any governing bodies but themselves so there isn't much likelihood that any sort of monarchy exists.

"I was gonna get me an ear, too." - Jayne

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Sunday, December 1, 2002 9:46 PM

KURUKAMI

Quote:
In regard to the prince theory, there hasn't been any evidence that the Alliance recognizes any governing bodies but themselves so there isn't much likelihood that any sort of monarchy exists.

On the other hand, it seems clear that nobility does exist -- at least on Persephone. That was made abundantly clear in Shindig...

Quote:

MAL
Beg pardon, but would you be Warrick Harrow?

HARROW
Sir Warrick Harrow. The sash.

MAL
The sash.

HARROW
It indicates lordship.

See? So there might well be quite a few other nobles running around. Nonetheless, I have my doubts that there's a monarchy at the head of the Alliance. Neither the current American nor the current Chinese forms of government support anything of the sort -- and to date the vibe I've gotten from the Alliance military is much closer to them than to something akin to "Her Majesty's Royal Space Marines" or something equally pompous. :evil grin:

History doesn't always repeat itself. Sometimes it merely shouts "Weren't you listening the first time?!?" and lets fly with a club.

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Monday, December 2, 2002 12:35 AM

TINYTIMM

Quote:
Originally posted by JaynesGirlfriend:
Quote:
Originally posted by TinyTimm:
Quote:
Originally posted by JaynesGirlfriend:
Book being ex-Alliance makes sense. His knowledge of crime is extensive. Who besides a criminal would know what he does? A cop, of course.

Or a Military Chaplain, in an Intelligence Outfit.
In the US Army Chaplains start at the Rank of Captain.

This is why we keep you around! 'Cause I never would have thought of that(since I've never actually heard of that before.) Elaborate?

In the US Army the Chaplain is a military officer who is also a religious leader. The Chaplain stands OUTSIDE the chain of command, with his own structure and chain of command. A Chaplain can bypass the chain of command at most levels and report to his own authority. This is very powerful, and may be essential in the informal communications which make any big organization functional.
Example: (From US Army Training c. 1972) If a private soldier's chain of command is involved in a war crime, the private can report the crime through his chaplain. Any request to see the chaplain must be acted upon as soon as possible. Accessability is required. The Chaplain is a councelor, advisor and alternate means of communications. They tend to be very nice people and easy to talk to.

Jeff Timm
Who is (to his knowledge) the only atheist ever reenlisted by a Chaplain in the history of the US Army. Excellent councilor and a good man.

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Monday, December 2, 2002 6:00 AM

HJERMSTED

Hey KURUKAMI, have you run your theories about Book through the "Bushwhacked" episode where he is actually interrogated by an Alliance officer?

I don't recall the exchange specifically but there may be more clues within it...

mattro

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Monday, December 2, 2002 7:21 AM

KURUKAMI

Well, I just looked through that scene... and it doesn't look as though there were any particularly new clues in it. The commander's busily presuming that Serenity's a crew of pirates, and remarks that its unusual that pirates would have their own chaplain. Then some commentary about the Tam fugitives, about Serenity being on Persephone at the same time they were spotted there, yadda yadda yadda.

Based on the way the Alliance commander was interrogating Book, I think we can rule out that Book's actually the brother to some ruling monarch or the like. After all, if he was that important, he'd be recognized readily enough that Alliance officers would notice him easily and he wouldn't have to pull out an ident card to get special treatment.

No, Bushwhacked doesn't seem to provide any clues disagreeing with my initial theory. There've certainly been some interesting speculations about him here so far, though!

History doesn't always repeat itself. Sometimes it merely shouts "Weren't you listening the first time?!?" and lets fly with a club.

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