A/N: Yes I am falling behind on this whole done-in-December promise but they are coming along. Here is the next one. Warning to the ultra sensitive: this one covers this one covers the topic of religion. It's no deeper than in the show, so I don't think anyone will get too offended, but be warned than talk of belief lies ahead. Also note that these aren't my personal beliefs. I'm a Christian personally but I am not writing from my personal point of view. This is written in character. This is my interpretation of Book and Zoe and what they believe. Please don't stone me.

SEVEN

Zoe sipped her hot coffee-ish drink, while Shepherd Book continued their conversation. She couldn't hold the captain responsible for getting her into this situation. Normally Zoe was able to blame Mal for any stupid scrape she got herself into, but this one she managed just on her lonesome.

Getting into a religious debate with a preacher? Why not bet Inara that's she's bedded more men?

Not that Book was making things uncomfortable deliberately. He was just talking religion. That was uncomfortable by nature.

'So you take the Captain's view then?' He asked. Zoe shook her head.

'No, I do not take the Captian's view. The Captian's view is his and his alone. He wouldn't be the Captain without it. I, on the other hand, am a grown woman who has the ability to form her own opinions on life the universe and everything, thank you very much.' He voice was full of offence but none of it was serious. Book smiled.

'Is that so?'

'Yes.'

'And your beliefs are?'

'Exactly the same as the Captain's.'

'Ah.'

'But I came about them in my own way.'

'Really. How was that?'

Zoe looked across the kitchen table at the older man. It was lucky they were deep in space. No one got struck by lighting in deep space, for blasphemy. 'Look Shepherd. I don't mean to cause offence. I've read parts of your little black book and it's nice. It has some nice ideas. A lot of smiting, but some nice ideas too.'

'I'm more of a New Testament man myself. That section's smite-lite.'

Zoe laughed but then sighed. 'The fact is this; when you're out in the middle of a skirmish, getting down on your knees and praying to an all knowing, invisible man… It just doesn't seem practical.'

Book tilted his eyebrows. 'Practical?'

'Yes sir.'

'So,' said the preacher interlocking his fingers and looking at her from the corner of his eye, 'you only believe in what is practical?'

'That isn't so bad is it?' asked Zoe, though it was more like a subtle challenge rather than a genuine inquiry about his opinion. 'There might be a God. There might not. There might be aliens. There might not. There might be a giant centient birthday cake in the centre of the universe. There might not.'

'We can only hope.' said Book in a mock grave tone. Zoe went on.

'But at the end of the day those sorts of questions don't matter. At least not to me. The ones that do are "Where is my next meal coming from" and "how do we get out of this without dying".'

'But it's the impractical things that make us more than just animals.' Book lent forward. 'You may not agree in terms of philosophy, but there are other impractical things. For instance Oscar Wilde once said "All art is quite useless."'

Zoe lent back a bit. 'Is a preacher allowed to quote Oscar Wilde?'

'I see no harm in it. I appreciate wit. Even though it's as useless as art, music, beauty…'

'Sunsets and rainbows?' Zoe asked with a skeptical smile. 'Don't think I can't see why you're trying to pull. These are all very nice, Preacher and I don't begrudge any folk who enjoys such things. As for me, I make it a point of sticking to the things that are essential for keeping me alive.'

This friendly debate would have, no doubt, continued if it wasn't interrupted when Wash stumbled into the kitchen, clutching one boot. He placed it on the table.

'Honey, have you seen my other shoe? The one that looks like this? Only more… left.'

Zoe looked at him from beneath her eyebrows. 'Have you tried the shoebox?'

Wash paused. 'Ah! Of course. How fiendishly clever. Thanks honey.'

As her husband walked away, the look on the Shepherd's face caught her eye.

'Only the practical things, eh?' said Book. Were preachers allowed to be so smug? Because Zoe thought that she recalled part of the Bible that explicitly said 'Though shalt not be smug.' Zoe crossed her arms on the table.

'That's not the same thing.'

'These three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. - 1 Corinthians 13:13.'

Zoe was going to come back with a suitably witty retort when an echo sounded from the hallway. 'Zoe!' yelled Wash. 'I've found one shoe but now I've lost the other.'

In perfect synchronisation both Zoe and Book's eyes fell on the boot that was situated directly between them on the table. Just where Wash had left it. Zoe looked up at the preacher, who was not saying a word as loudly as a man could.

'Oh shush, you.' said Zoe as she picked up the boot and headed off down the hall corridor towards her own personal impracticality. The Shepherd's quiet chuckles rang after her.