Holiday Request Ficlet #8: Hand-in-Hand with Fate

[viciouswishes]

Title: Hand-in-Hand with Fate
Author: viciouswishes
For: dizzypickle
Fandom: Babylon 5/Firefly
Pairing: G'Kar, River, and Simon
Rating: PG13
Words: 514
Request: Babylon5/Firefly, G'Kar/River, dripping
Summary: The other Narn find River fascinating.

The other Narn find River fascinating. They ask her inane questions like how something works or when they're going to die. G'Kar isn't interested in these predictions; he's had enough contact with the future to know that he doesn't want to.

They find her fascinating until she snaps a scientist's neck.

G'Kar shakes his head. Apparently the young Narn thought he'd received River's permission to study her DNA and brain modifications for their never-ending quest to reintroduce telepathy to the Narn population.

Silly fool.

Now his death is a diplomatic incident and ends up on G'Kar's desk.

"I'm hoping we can resolve this," Simon says. Of course, he still wants the protection of the Narn government. Whomever he pissed off seems to be chasing he and River around the galaxy. "As you know, my sister's not well. She can't be held responsible. Jail wouldn't..."

"Did I say anything about jail?" G'Kar looks at the tiny girl -- no, G'Kar knows she's more than just a girl. And her powers, whatever they may be, seem to come out like a dripping faucet prone to bursts. River's dangerous. "I need to resolve this in a manner that works for all parties," G'Kar says. "If the doctor's death had been in a more subtle way, I could've passed this off as a lab accident."

River tilts her head and continues to stare at him. This sends shivers down G'Kar's spine. Of course, he would never admit such shivers existed. "He didn't know what he was doing. He danced and waved. He thought he could hold the future in his tiny machines."

"River, honey." Simon places his hand on hers. "Ambassador, you have to excuse my sister. She didn't mean any harm."

"I'm not sure of that." G'Kar sits straighter in his chair. "She did break his neck. Which given her size, I'm thoroughly shocked she could do. If not for the pesky surveillance footage..."

"If not for that," Simon says with a straight face. No doubt, the boy's done some shady business to keep them safe.

River brings her fist up and hits the edge of G'Kar's desk. "You've already made your decision. Just say it. Just say it."

Simon moves up to restrain her. He rubs her arms, trying to calm her. "What's your solution?"

"My solution is for the footage and yourselves to disappear." G'Kar pulls a data crystal from his desk and hands it Simon. He will have to pay the scientist's family a large sum of money, but G'Kar will find a way to rid his people of River. More will die at her hand and perhaps he has a little compassion left for a troubled girl who's been meddled with by doctors and scientists. "You will no longer be under the protection of the Narn. However, I have arranged with Ambassador Kosh for a Vorlon transport to take you and yours far away from Babylon 5 and from anyone you might consider an enemy. The Vorlons are a strange and mysterious people, but I believe you will fit right in."

"Thank you, Ambassador G'Kar." Simon tries to shake his hand, but G'Kar refuses him.

"Do not thank me, Simon Tam."

"No, Simon, he does not do this for us. He does it for himself. He knows too much already and will stand hand-in-hand with fate."

Comments

[dizzypickle.livejournal.com]

Tehehe, I thought sure it'd be the neck that got to drip!
Too much Sweeney Todd on the brains.

I'm noodling on possible inflections for the second "Just say it."...what did you have in mind?

Thank you, I've never had someone write a story for me!

[viciouswishes.livejournal.com]

Perhaps there was too much of the demon barber on Fleet Street. :D

I always felt that G'Kar was a character who knew what he was going to do before he did it and/or had a glimpse into the future about what was to come. Some of the glimpses were "magical" and some where knowledge about the nature about how the universe works.

You're welcome. I'm glad that you liked it.

[mymatedave.livejournal.com]

very cool, like your River voice, especially her last line.

[viciouswishes.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I'm always worried whenever I write River that she doesn't come through as she should.

[nolivingman.livejournal.com]

That's great; I love the mix of characters and what you did with them. G'Kar is so very G'Kar - he cares, but he's pragmatic; he has to put Narn first. And River will sooooo love the Vorlons, though I feel for poor Simon being stuck with them.

[viciouswishes.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I'm glad my G'Kar came through. Yeah, River would love the Vorlons, but Simon, not so much...

[strand.livejournal.com]

Hey, it was good seeing you again a few weeks back, if for only a brief moment. Would you like to get together sometime to catch up. I'd love to hear how you've been doing.

[viciouswishes.livejournal.com]

Truth be had, that's really not something I'm interested in doing. I'm not really the type for awkward college reunion type situations. And I'm not really sure how else to put that, so it probably comes off cold, but there you have it.

[strand.livejournal.com]

I think that's exactly the way to put it, and it doesn't come off as cold -- it comes off as honest. If you think it would be awkward to hang out again, it will be, and neither of us need to waste our time with awkward convos.