TITLE: "STEPPING STONE"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "FIREFLY"

PAIRING: None

RATING: G.

STATUS: Standalone

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed.

EMAIL: AlisonMDobell@aol.com

WEBSITE: None. All "Firefly" stories archived at Fireflyfans.net

SUMMARY: "The run in with Niska and the assault on the Skyplex

brings unwelcome memories back to the Preacher."

The usual disclaimers apply. The characters and 'Firefly'

are the property and gift of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.

No infringement of copyright is intended.

"STEPPING STONE"

"Firefly" story

Written by Alison M. DOBELL

* * * * *

There were times when it was good to remember. Times when it was better to forget but for Derrial Book this was not such a time. He had thought to immerse himself in other more comprehensible lives to wash away the memory of his own far-from-perfect life. He had once told the Captain he followed in the footsteps of another carpenter but he was not talking about Jesus and nothing in the 'verse would allow him to admit the madman he had followed and hailed as a sick and twisted hero for so long. Shan Yu was most certainly evil but as with many evil men he was inordinately gifted. In a perverted way he was also charismatic. His enthusiasm for his foul passions a dark and warped temptation. Book was well read and experienced in a great many of the oriental arts as well as numerous religions besides the one he had finally decided to adopt as his own.

Adoption. A useful word for theft. Could it still be sleight of hand if it was tongue in cheek? Did they notice that many of his quotes were in the vernacular not to make the meaning clearer to them but because his knowledge of the bible was the thickness of a prop not the depth of intimate knowledge from constant use? Yes, he skimmed through the Acts of the Apostles. Cleaved if it could be called that, to the Old rather than the New Testament. Was