Before Serenity - The Tale of Derrial Book

Derrial Book, Southdown Abbey, Persephone and the 'Verse were created by Joss Whedon for Fox. I do not own these characters or situatons and, if given a cease and desist order from the copyright holder of those properties, I will remove this fan fiction story. However, the other characters are mine, Copyright 2010 by Mendur, and my not be used without *my* permission.

This is one of a series of tales I am in the middle of writing, my own ideas of how the nine main characters of "Firefly" set off on the paths that led them to Serenity in the true pilot of the series, "Serenity".

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Before Serenity - The Tale of Derrial Book

by Mendur

Derrial Book, Shepherd and resident of the Southdown Abbey on Persephone, went through his morning routine. Something, however, was off.

He began the day with morning mass for the monks and nuns at the abbey. In the middle of his sermon about the reason Jesus Christ healed the lepers, he paused when he noticed that Price, one of the recently arrived lay brothers on pilgrimage to the abbeys, monasteries and convents of the 'Verse, was snoring again. Book frowned at the overweight, balding brother, then continued the sermon.

Later that morning, as he tried to move through the martial arts katas that formed his meditation and exercise regimen, he was interrupted three times. The first time, it was Brother Daniel, who wanted to ask for his help in the kitchen later to prepare the morning meal. The second time, it was elderly Sister Proserpine, who had gotten lost again and couldn't find the room set aside for sewing and embroidery. After those two disturbances, he had all but lost the threads of tranquility that his katas usually brought him. When he was bothered a third time, on this occasion by Price, again, who stopped by to say he was sorry for falling asleep during mass, Book gave up the attempt as useless.

In the kitchen, his mind not on the task at hand, he burned the toast and overcooked the eggs. Usually one o