B5 Ficlet: Substitutions
Title: Substitutions
Fandom: Babylon 5
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Vir, Londo, G’Kar, Na’Toth.
Rating: G
Word Count: 642
Spoilers: Born To The Purple.
Summary: Vir is supposed to be Londo’s aide; can he successfully handle sensitive negotiations in the Ambassador’s place?
Written For: Challenge 273: Amnesty at fan_flashworks, using Challenge 16: Role Reversal.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Babylon 5, or the characters. They belong to J. Michael Straczynski.
Vir has no idea what is going on with Londo; he is supposed to be in the middle of sensitive negotiations with the Narns and yet suddenly the Ambassador has started behaving even more erratically than usual.
Well, perhaps Vir should be used to Londo’s eccentricities by now; they are many and varied, and the bane of Vir’s existence. He tries so hard to be an efficient aide, but most of the time Vir doesn’t know whether he’s coming or going. Londo will keep, as the earthers say, pulling the floor out from under him.
Now he’s at it again. He’s been positively… giddy recently, which Vir finds very disturbing. Surely as Ambassador for their people Londo should behave in a more dignified manner, as befits a Centauri of his rank. He IS capable of doing so on occasion, but right now… Vir can’t help thinking he must have misheard, or at the very least misunderstood, Londo’s words, but no.
“Why don’t you represent our republic in the talks today?”
This is too much; what is Londo thinking? Vir can’t imagine G’Kar taking this development sitting down. He tries to dissuade the Ambassador, but Londo’s still talking.
“I’m giving you full Ambassadorial authority.”
Oh my! Full authority? That is… Oh my!
“Be proud, my boy; you are now the voice of the mighty Centauri Empire.”
How can Vir say no? He can’t, of course; not only would it be dreadfully disrespectful to do so, but the opportunity to represent the Empire in negotiations is, of course, a great honour, and Vir can only react accordingly, thanking Londo for placing such trust in him. If Londo thinks he can do this, well, he’s the Ambassador so he must be right. Mustn’t he? Vir will certainly do his best, he doesn’t want to let his mentor down; he will, in effect, BE the Ambassador for the duration of these talks. Perhaps Londo is grooming him to be his replacement…
One final word of advice from Londo… “Don’t give away the homeworld.”
Ah, yes, extremely important that. “No, of course not.”
Filled will pride, Vir arrives at the council chambers to resume talks, explains that he will be taking over the negotiations because Ambassador Mollari is busy elsewhere, handling important matters of state. Vir suspects that statement is somewhat less than true, but what else can he say, that the Ambassador has inexplicably taken leave of his senses? Admitting that would no doubt put Vir, and the entire Centauri Republic, at a serious disadvantage in the negotiations to come.
Ambassador G’Kar doesn’t take the news well, but the Narns are known for being rather hot-tempered and irrational, so his reaction isn’t entirely unexpected.
Nevertheless, when he orders his own aide, Na’Toth, to take his place representing the Narn Regime, Vir isn’t sure whether to be offended or terrified. G’Kar is an imposing figure, and he does have a violent temper, but somehow Na’Toth is scarier.
He looks at her and she looks back, practically preening at the authority she’s just been handed, much as Vir was a short time ago. Both of them have been thrust to the forefront, handed the reins of this important negotiation in a complete reversal of their customary roles while their superiors absent themselves. Suddenly Vir feels very much out of his depth. Yes, he knows as much as Londo does about the situation, having gathered and organised the pertinent data in his role as aide, but actually handling the negotiations himself… Perhaps it would be prudent to stall until Londo has dealt with whatever is distracting him. Vir is just not entirely sure Na’Toth will let him.
He smiles at her, gives a polite little nod before taking his seat, closes his eyes, and prays to the entire Centauri pantheon that he can get through this in one piece.
The End
Fandom: Babylon 5
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Vir, Londo, G’Kar, Na’Toth.
Rating: G
Word Count: 642
Spoilers: Born To The Purple.
Summary: Vir is supposed to be Londo’s aide; can he successfully handle sensitive negotiations in the Ambassador’s place?
Written For: Challenge 273: Amnesty at fan_flashworks, using Challenge 16: Role Reversal.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Babylon 5, or the characters. They belong to J. Michael Straczynski.
Vir has no idea what is going on with Londo; he is supposed to be in the middle of sensitive negotiations with the Narns and yet suddenly the Ambassador has started behaving even more erratically than usual.
Well, perhaps Vir should be used to Londo’s eccentricities by now; they are many and varied, and the bane of Vir’s existence. He tries so hard to be an efficient aide, but most of the time Vir doesn’t know whether he’s coming or going. Londo will keep, as the earthers say, pulling the floor out from under him.
Now he’s at it again. He’s been positively… giddy recently, which Vir finds very disturbing. Surely as Ambassador for their people Londo should behave in a more dignified manner, as befits a Centauri of his rank. He IS capable of doing so on occasion, but right now… Vir can’t help thinking he must have misheard, or at the very least misunderstood, Londo’s words, but no.
“Why don’t you represent our republic in the talks today?”
This is too much; what is Londo thinking? Vir can’t imagine G’Kar taking this development sitting down. He tries to dissuade the Ambassador, but Londo’s still talking.
“I’m giving you full Ambassadorial authority.”
Oh my! Full authority? That is… Oh my!
“Be proud, my boy; you are now the voice of the mighty Centauri Empire.”
How can Vir say no? He can’t, of course; not only would it be dreadfully disrespectful to do so, but the opportunity to represent the Empire in negotiations is, of course, a great honour, and Vir can only react accordingly, thanking Londo for placing such trust in him. If Londo thinks he can do this, well, he’s the Ambassador so he must be right. Mustn’t he? Vir will certainly do his best, he doesn’t want to let his mentor down; he will, in effect, BE the Ambassador for the duration of these talks. Perhaps Londo is grooming him to be his replacement…
One final word of advice from Londo… “Don’t give away the homeworld.”
Ah, yes, extremely important that. “No, of course not.”
Filled will pride, Vir arrives at the council chambers to resume talks, explains that he will be taking over the negotiations because Ambassador Mollari is busy elsewhere, handling important matters of state. Vir suspects that statement is somewhat less than true, but what else can he say, that the Ambassador has inexplicably taken leave of his senses? Admitting that would no doubt put Vir, and the entire Centauri Republic, at a serious disadvantage in the negotiations to come.
Ambassador G’Kar doesn’t take the news well, but the Narns are known for being rather hot-tempered and irrational, so his reaction isn’t entirely unexpected.
Nevertheless, when he orders his own aide, Na’Toth, to take his place representing the Narn Regime, Vir isn’t sure whether to be offended or terrified. G’Kar is an imposing figure, and he does have a violent temper, but somehow Na’Toth is scarier.
He looks at her and she looks back, practically preening at the authority she’s just been handed, much as Vir was a short time ago. Both of them have been thrust to the forefront, handed the reins of this important negotiation in a complete reversal of their customary roles while their superiors absent themselves. Suddenly Vir feels very much out of his depth. Yes, he knows as much as Londo does about the situation, having gathered and organised the pertinent data in his role as aide, but actually handling the negotiations himself… Perhaps it would be prudent to stall until Londo has dealt with whatever is distracting him. Vir is just not entirely sure Na’Toth will let him.
He smiles at her, gives a polite little nod before taking his seat, closes his eyes, and prays to the entire Centauri pantheon that he can get through this in one piece.
The End