Fic: Black Ice

[philomytha]

So I wrote this fic and then discovered that it didn't work, canonically speaking, but I didn't want to just delete it, so here it is, and the detail-oriented readers who know that it's All Wrong can quietly avert their eyes (if you're curious, there are details at the end).

Many thanks to avanti_90 for the plot bunny and betaing and encouragement

Comments

[avanti_90]

You finished it! I think you already know how much I like this, but I'll say that I loved seeing Aral from Vorhalas's unforgiving perspective, and Vorhalas himself, all his calm and logic and integrity. And I would, of course, love to see the AU of which this might be the beginning.

(Also: did I beta this? Somehow I can't remember doing anything but encouragement.)

[philomytha]

Glad you enjoyed it! And I know I sent it to you, but maybe it was just for encouragement. But it was definitely your idea to start with, so thank you! :-)

[jeriendhal]

I'd be afraid to write it because I can only see this ending in Aral dying during the backlash against his coup (and it would be a coup), probably with the Cetas taking full advantage of Barrayar's instability to push on through the Hegen Hub (which won't have the coalition he and Gregor threw together to defend it) and onward through to Komarr.

The latter would be a tough fight. Even in Barraryar's chaotic state it's entirely plausible for the various factions to put their differences aside long enough to defend their back door (even the Back to Time of Isolation loonies don't want Cetagandan moving in again). But Barrayar is two industrialized worlds against Ceta's twelve would be a foregone conclusion, if the Ghem generals could convince the Haut they'd learned from the last generation's mistakes.

Actually a Ceta invasion might be the only way Aral could take and keep the throne. Because there are many that might argue about his worth as a Emperor, but no one will question his worth as a military leader

[avanti_90]

I agree the Cetas would take the Hub... in fact, while dreaming up this AU I'd thought that that might be the way to save Aral, that the threat of a Ceta-occupied Pol might force the Counts to accept his coup where nothing else would...

...I'm still not writing this either.

[philomytha]

Nobody's writing it! :-( But yeah, the Hegen Hub would play out very differently minus Gregor and Aral, though Miles would still be there, and how his story would pan out without the whole rescuing-Gregor aspect is kind of an interesting question...

[squishydish]

If Gregor dies while Miles is trying to rescue him, a lot of people back home will believe that Aral not only lost Gregor, but engineered his death. I'm not sure Aral can retain the throne after that, even with the threat of Cetagandan invasion.

Great fic, though, as others have said!

[trobadora]

This is wonderful. I love Vorhalas's POV on Aral, and of course I love Aral, and someone totally should write this AU.

[philomytha]

Thanks! I really enjoyed writing Vorhalas's POV, very quiet and understated and intense.

[trobadora]

I have to admit, I really want more Vorhalas now.

[katyhasclogs]

Whether this works in canon or not, I think it's a brilliant fic. Vorhalas is such an interesting character, and it's really fascinating to see Aral from the POV of someone who dislikes him for fairly reasonable reasons.

And of course, it's also really good to see some of the (possible) repercussions on Barrayar while Gregor and Miles are having an action-packed time running round the Hegan Hub. It's easy to forget how horrifying it must be to have misplaced your emperor when we know where Gregor is!

[philomytha]

Thank you! And oh yes, even though as I discovered when sorting out the timeline, Gregor's not actually missing all that long, the Back Home on Barrayar story has to have been terrifying for all involved.

[idancewithlife]

I just finished listening to this on audio as a re-read. Something like your story has to have gone through the minds of Aral, Illyan, and Cordelia while Gregor was missing--even Elena knows the ramifications of missing Gregor. Aral tells Miles and Elena that Illyan had to stay on Barrayar when Aral took the Prince Serg to the Hub. So the action moved from Komarr to Barrayar, probably (as you mentioned) when reports of Gregor in the Hub started coming in. I don't remember if the double for Gregor is chosen on Kormarr and brought back to Barrayar, or selected on Barrayar within a week of when Gregor would have left the Hub. But my point is, the timing might have worked as you wrote it if Illyan sent word to Aral on Barrayar, and Aral contacted Vorhalas within a couple of days. Alternatively, it might work if Aral deputized Cordelia to contact Vorhalas. *That* would have been an interesting conversation. But again you've done your usual great job of writing missing scenes from the canon :-)

[philomytha]

Thanks! Yes, there is just barely time for them to meet if Aral isn't with Gregor on Komarr already, but the thing is, I think it would take several weeks of no progress before Aral got desperate enough to start making plans for how to make himself Emperor if Gregor isn't found.