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fandomweekly2024-09-13 05:24 pm
badly_knitted) wrote in fandomweekly2024-09-13 05:24 pm
Entry tags:
[#233] Quick To Anger (Babylon 5)
Theme Prompt: #233 - Curse
Title: Quick To Anger
Fandom: Babylon 5
Rating/Warnings: PG / Spoilers for the Geometry of Shadows.
Bonus: Yes, although adjusted to fit the character.
Word Count: 1000
Summary: Londo hopes to receive some kind of endorsement from the techno-mages passing through Babylon 5. Unfortunately, his efforts land him in a spot of bother.
Londo didn’t believe in curses. He didn’t believe in magic either, whether the mystical kind spoken of in the legends of earth and other worlds, or the kind practiced by the techno-mages which, when one considered it, really wasn’t magic at all, merely technological processes designed to mimic magical abilities.
Still, the Centauri put great stock in visions, premonitions, and psychic phenomena, and the First Emperor himself had consulted no less than three techno-mages, receiving their blessing before ascending to the throne. If Londo himself could secure a similar endorsement from the trio of techno-mages who had just arrived aboard Babylon 5, it would lend weight to his political aspirations.
The problem was that techno-mages were slippery customers, and gaining an audience with them proved considerably more difficult than he’d expected. When he’d sent Vir to set up a meeting, he’d expected his aide to return with everything sorted so that all he’d have to do was attend at the specified time and place. Instead, the mages had rejected his request, which was an insult in itself. He was Ambassador for the great Centauri Republic, and the Centauri did not take kindly to being slighted in any way.
One rejection, however, need not be the end of things. Londo approached the man in charge of Babylon 5, offering his services as mediator between Sheridan and the techno-mages, some assistance in averting any trouble they might cause, and of course Sheridan agreed. Why wouldn’t he? Earthforce must surely be curious to know more about the mysterious guild; the meeting would benefit them both, especially since Londo intended to record every detail.
Things didn’t go as well as he’d hoped, however. The techno-mage, Elric, aware of the camera Londo had brought with him, destroyed it, telling Londo he would pay for his attempt at trickery, and that, as it turned out, was no idle threat. Perhaps, Londo mused, he should have expected something like this. The mages were, after all, known to be problematic, and delighted in trickery themselves.
So now, he found himself cursed most unfairly. Elric had unleashed a holo-demon on his data system, and none of his attempts to eradicate it were having any effect whatsoever. His ears were being assaulted by Narn opera, blaring out at intolerable volume, and as for his personal files and his finances…
At this rate, he would soon be completely destitute, while all of the sensitive information on members of the Centaurum and other persons of high rank and position that he’d been carefully collecting over the past several decades would be obliterated, scattered to the ether. What in the name of all the gods was he supposed to do with two hundred thousand shares in a Spoo ranch? As much as he might enjoy Spoo when correctly aged and prepared, he had no interest whatsoever in its production.
Vir’s suggestion that he apologise to Elric was absurd. The Centauri Ambassador did not grovel at the feet of anyone seeking their forgiveness, and besides, he had done nothing wrong! This was all the result of a simple misunderstanding. Why should he be the one to apologise when he was the one being victimised?
Then his terminal announced that he now owned five hundred thousand shares of Fireflies Incorporated. Londo didn’t even know what that was, but he was quite certain that such a purchase would spell financial ruin for his entire house.
On the other hand, perhaps on this occasion it might be advantageous if he were to prove himself, as the humans put it, the better man. He would apologise for the fact that the techno-mages seemed to have misunderstood his intentions, he had perhaps been a little overenthusiastic, and the camera incident was regrettable, but he harboured no ill-feeling towards Elric and his clan, despite the chaos they had caused in his personal life.
Approaching the place in Downbelow where by now over a hundred techno-mages had gathered, he stood firm against the hideous roaring clearly meant to scare off anyone who came too close, and although he saw no one, he made his apology. The roaring stopped, the hallway became quiet and still, the implied threat withdrawn, but he received no reply. Nevertheless, he took the silence to mean his apology had been accepted, and as there was nothing more he could do, he returned to his quarters.
If Londo had thought what Elric had wrought on his personal files was bad, it was nothing compared to the destruction caused by the three imps he’d inadvertently brought back with him. He’d apologised, and this was his reward? He might never get rid of the stench!
“Vir!”
“Yes, Londo?” Vir paused his efforts to restore order.
“If you should happen to see this Elric as you go about your duties, tell him I said ‘hello’, alright? Oh, and ‘screw you’, as the humans so quaintly put it.”
“I’m not sure that would be wise, Londo. If I told him that, he might REALLY get angry, and then…” Vir gestured towards the overturned furniture and torn draperies.
“Pah! You think he could do anything worse to me than he already has?”
“I don’t know. Personally, it’s not a risk I’d be willing to take.”
Londo sighed, contemplating the devastation that had once been his quarters. “Well, perhaps you are right, he and his kind do seem to be rather touchy, oversensitive and prone to taking offence where none was meant.”
“The humans have a saying, ‘Discretion is the better part of valour.’ I rather think that might apply here.”
“Very well, I will talk to Elric myself before he and his people depart, thank him for his little gift, and ask, most respectfullly, if he ever intends to lift the curse he’s inflicted on me.”
“That might be wise,” Vir agreed.
“With any luck, once they leave here, I’ll never set eyes on a techno-mage again. Even one would be too many.”
Perhaps seeking their endorsement hadn’t been such a good idea.
The End
Still, the Centauri put great stock in visions, premonitions, and psychic phenomena, and the First Emperor himself had consulted no less than three techno-mages, receiving their blessing before ascending to the throne. If Londo himself could secure a similar endorsement from the trio of techno-mages who had just arrived aboard Babylon 5, it would lend weight to his political aspirations.
The problem was that techno-mages were slippery customers, and gaining an audience with them proved considerably more difficult than he’d expected. When he’d sent Vir to set up a meeting, he’d expected his aide to return with everything sorted so that all he’d have to do was attend at the specified time and place. Instead, the mages had rejected his request, which was an insult in itself. He was Ambassador for the great Centauri Republic, and the Centauri did not take kindly to being slighted in any way.
One rejection, however, need not be the end of things. Londo approached the man in charge of Babylon 5, offering his services as mediator between Sheridan and the techno-mages, some assistance in averting any trouble they might cause, and of course Sheridan agreed. Why wouldn’t he? Earthforce must surely be curious to know more about the mysterious guild; the meeting would benefit them both, especially since Londo intended to record every detail.
Things didn’t go as well as he’d hoped, however. The techno-mage, Elric, aware of the camera Londo had brought with him, destroyed it, telling Londo he would pay for his attempt at trickery, and that, as it turned out, was no idle threat. Perhaps, Londo mused, he should have expected something like this. The mages were, after all, known to be problematic, and delighted in trickery themselves.
So now, he found himself cursed most unfairly. Elric had unleashed a holo-demon on his data system, and none of his attempts to eradicate it were having any effect whatsoever. His ears were being assaulted by Narn opera, blaring out at intolerable volume, and as for his personal files and his finances…
At this rate, he would soon be completely destitute, while all of the sensitive information on members of the Centaurum and other persons of high rank and position that he’d been carefully collecting over the past several decades would be obliterated, scattered to the ether. What in the name of all the gods was he supposed to do with two hundred thousand shares in a Spoo ranch? As much as he might enjoy Spoo when correctly aged and prepared, he had no interest whatsoever in its production.
Vir’s suggestion that he apologise to Elric was absurd. The Centauri Ambassador did not grovel at the feet of anyone seeking their forgiveness, and besides, he had done nothing wrong! This was all the result of a simple misunderstanding. Why should he be the one to apologise when he was the one being victimised?
Then his terminal announced that he now owned five hundred thousand shares of Fireflies Incorporated. Londo didn’t even know what that was, but he was quite certain that such a purchase would spell financial ruin for his entire house.
On the other hand, perhaps on this occasion it might be advantageous if he were to prove himself, as the humans put it, the better man. He would apologise for the fact that the techno-mages seemed to have misunderstood his intentions, he had perhaps been a little overenthusiastic, and the camera incident was regrettable, but he harboured no ill-feeling towards Elric and his clan, despite the chaos they had caused in his personal life.
Approaching the place in Downbelow where by now over a hundred techno-mages had gathered, he stood firm against the hideous roaring clearly meant to scare off anyone who came too close, and although he saw no one, he made his apology. The roaring stopped, the hallway became quiet and still, the implied threat withdrawn, but he received no reply. Nevertheless, he took the silence to mean his apology had been accepted, and as there was nothing more he could do, he returned to his quarters.
If Londo had thought what Elric had wrought on his personal files was bad, it was nothing compared to the destruction caused by the three imps he’d inadvertently brought back with him. He’d apologised, and this was his reward? He might never get rid of the stench!
“Vir!”
“Yes, Londo?” Vir paused his efforts to restore order.
“If you should happen to see this Elric as you go about your duties, tell him I said ‘hello’, alright? Oh, and ‘screw you’, as the humans so quaintly put it.”
“I’m not sure that would be wise, Londo. If I told him that, he might REALLY get angry, and then…” Vir gestured towards the overturned furniture and torn draperies.
“Pah! You think he could do anything worse to me than he already has?”
“I don’t know. Personally, it’s not a risk I’d be willing to take.”
Londo sighed, contemplating the devastation that had once been his quarters. “Well, perhaps you are right, he and his kind do seem to be rather touchy, oversensitive and prone to taking offence where none was meant.”
“The humans have a saying, ‘Discretion is the better part of valour.’ I rather think that might apply here.”
“Very well, I will talk to Elric myself before he and his people depart, thank him for his little gift, and ask, most respectfullly, if he ever intends to lift the curse he’s inflicted on me.”
“That might be wise,” Vir agreed.
“With any luck, once they leave here, I’ll never set eyes on a techno-mage again. Even one would be too many.”
Perhaps seeking their endorsement hadn’t been such a good idea.
The End
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