Book's Past Revealed?

[haldira]

From http://forums.pdxbrowncoats.com/index.php?topic=1075.msg1583791;topicseen#msg1583791

"So during the Jewel/Morena panel at Serenity LA on Saturday, Morena got to wondering out loud whether or not she could finally just reveal what Inara's big secret was. She herself figured she probably couldn't, but the audience and Jewel suggested she simply call Joss and ask for permission. (Morena, however, said Joss doesn't pick up the phone when she calls.)

During their Sunday panel, joined by Christina Hendricks, the subject came up again -- including after Nathan had arrived to join the women on stage.

So Nathan called Joss.

After a brief conversation, Nathan said that Morena couldn't tell.

Moments later, Nathan's phone rang. It was Joss calling back.

When he got off the phone, Nathan said that Joss had offered a compromise: Morena couldn't reveal Inara's secret, but could reveal Book's.

After some conferring with Nathan because she couldn't remember if she actually knew it, Morena announced the following:

Book was a dirty cop.

Now comes the next great moment of Browncoat debate: Was Nathan ever really on the phone with Joss, or was he just BSing everyone? But he got called back, so he was clearly on the phone with someone. Nathan also said that of course Ron knew Book's secret. But earlier in the con Ron had said he didn't know. Nathan said he was a liar. At closing ceremonies, Ron reminded us that it's Nathan who is a liar.

So: Is it true? Did Joss really tell Nathan on the phone that Book's secret could be revealed in exchange for continuing to protect Inara's?

Let the debate begin! And next time someone talks to Joss, ask him."

[Zeek]

Seems possible enough.  It would explain just about all his knowledge.  I'm not sure if it would really explain why he knows so much about how the alliance brass works though.

[hornslongtx]

I was always under the impression that he was the Alliance equivalent of ex-cia or nsa.

[haldira]

Yeah - a lot of people guessed Operative of some sort.

Dirty cop, though.  Not sure how I feel about that.  But it could all be a lie, lol.

[bowlwoman]

Dirty cop?  It's a little too pedestrian for me, a little too CSI.

I too always imagined him as an ex-Operative or ex-spy or ex-brass or something.  I can't imagine "zOMG, let's get him in the hospital wing STAT, no questions asked" attitude of the purple-bellies if he was something as mundane as a dirty cop. 

Joss lies.  And then Joss tells great stories.  And we weep with gratitude.

[Zeek]

I can't imagine "zOMG, let's get him in the hospital wing STAT, no questions asked" attitude of the purple-bellies if he was something as mundane as a dirty cop.

I'd imagine a dirty cop would know how to make fake ident cards.  He could have just had something that said he was part of the parliament or something.

[Kain]

All this time, I thought he was a former "Believer" agent.

[od0_ital]

I was at a scifi con where Ron Glass was one of the guests, and durin' his Q & A (one of the most entertainin' ever held at the DCC), the question came up.  Rather than answer, he asked for theories from the audience (and there were several), and his favorite seemed to be that Book was an Alliance general who found his faith right about the same time Mal lost his at the Battle of Serenity Valley.

But I like the idea that Book was an Operative - he knew quite a bit, and seems to fit the profile for 'em.

- edit, to add -

I knew I had a link for it somewhere...

http://www.markwill.com/comiccon20061029.html

...that's the audio from Ron Glass's Q & A at DCC last year.  I sound so awful when he handed me the mic to ask my question, since I was in the front row of a packed room.