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[personal profile] selenak
Because it's October 30th, and because I just have to show off and go first.*g*

Title: Negotiations

Author: Selena

Timeline: Third season, directly before And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place

Written for: [livejournal.com profile] hobsonphile.

Thanks to: [livejournal.com profile] kathyh, for betareading.

Archive: Want, Ask, Take

Disclaimer: All owned by JMS.



Negotiations



G'Kar had given up on expecting life to be anything but surprising a long time ago. Still, he was somewhat stunned to be contacted by Londo Mollari at all, and through what appeared to be a public terminal, far from the man's quarters to boot. They had not spoken to each other since what G'Kar tried very hard to think of as the incident leading to his epiphany. It was strange, hearing Mollari's voice out loud now, after hearing it inside his head, asking, cajoling, pleading, raging.

"There is something I have to say to you," the Centauri announced without preliminaries, which in itself was not like him at all. "Alone, without witnesses."

"There is nothing I have to say to you," G'Kar replied automatically while trying to solve this new riddle. If this was a belated attempt at revenge for the… incident, it was a clumsy way to go about it. Mollari was many things, but not clumsy. Of course, it was hard to tell whether or not the event had changed him. The dealer had warned G'Kar that Dust could leave permanent damage; considering that damage had been the point, G'Kar had not minded in the least at the time.

"I think the lives of two thousand of your people should make for a topic of conversation or two, yes?"

That strange feeling which certainly had not been guilt was gone, and his old hatred was back. This was Centauri callousness in its pure form. How foolish to even have considered for a second that the man might actually have learned something. G'Kar glared at the viewscreen. As opposed to all their meetings ever since the war between their people had started, Mollari didn't avoid his gaze. There was no sign of flinching, either, or of the bombastic gestures which the Centauri was so good at hiding behind. The man's eyes were utterly opaque.

"Meet me in one of the turbolifts. I don't care which one - make your choice and tell me. And remember, G'Kar, no witnesses. This is important."

If this was a ruse, its purpose was still not clear to G'Kar. And the idea of not being able to figure out Londo Mollari, of all people, was both annoying and disconcerting, even if no lives had been at stake.

"How do I know you didn't prepare all the lifts?" he asked, trying to make up his mind as to whether he would be able to be in Mollari's company once more without strangling him.

"G'Kar, any attempt on your life on my part will not take place on Babylon 5," Londo replied drily. "I am sure Mr. Garibaldi would love to offer your old cell to me on a permanent basis, but unlike yourself, I find they hold no attraction for me."

"Of course not. They might actually force you to face yourself," G'Kar retorted, and then abruptly shut his mouth. It was all too easy to fall into the old routine of sparring with Mollari, and it shouldn't be, not with the cries of his people echoing in his ears, not with that glimpse of his planet being destroyed he had caught in Mollari's mind. He named one of the lifts at random and then switched off his Babcom unit.

On the way to the turbolift, it occurred to G'Kar that meeting him alone could not have been the easiest decision for Mollari to make. He could still feel the man's battered, bruised and tear-stained face under his fingers. That was a strange thing about the Centauri; they were so fragile and weak when compared to the Narn, and yet they had managed to uphold their tyranny for a century without help from the Old Enemy. Superior technology explained only so much. G'Kar had always known they were capable of cruelty, but only recently had he acknowledged to himself that somewhere in the Centauri gene pool there had to be courage as well.

That young aide of Mollari's, smuggling Narns to freedom. The dead old Emperor, Turhan, coming here despite knowing he risked his death. Even Mollari himself, in some ways, if this entire affair wasn't a trap after all. Which G'Kar did not truly believe it to be. He knew more of Londo Mollari now than he had ever wanted to find out, and thought he would be able to tell when the man was lying, and when he wasn't. Of course, Mollari having the courage to face him made the Centauri all the more hateful. Creatures like Lord Refa probably were doomed to be scum from the moment their parents inflicted them on a helpless universe. Mollari, though, Mollari could have been more.

G'Kar would never forgive him.

He didn't have to wait long. The self-important steps were recognizable to his ears even before Londo showed his face, which gave G'Kar the time to arrange the most sardonic and indifferent expression he could muster. They didn't talk until the lift doors shut behind them. It didn't escape G'Kar's attention that the Centauri had positioned himself on the other side of the lift, as far away as it was possible to be in this small space. So it wasn't that easy for Mollari, either, and the thought was strangely satisfying. The harsh bright light reflecting on each of the tasteless jewelry Mollari wore made his head ache.

"Well?" he asked at least.

Londo told him. When he had ended, G'Kar stared at him in disbelief.

"The universe must have finally succeeded in driving me mad," he said slowly. "I could swear I just heard you ask me to leave my sanctuary here on the station and return to Narn to commit a murder for you. Leaving aside the stunning assumption that I would trust you in any way not to use the opportunity to capture me, I must confess to a certain curiosity. Why don't you kill him yourself? Don't tell me someone with the blood of millions on his hands is suddenly squeamish because the next victim will be another Centauri."

"It's not enough to see him dead," Londo replied, ignoring the first part of G'Kar's statement. "I want him destroyed."

"Well, given your ample practice in destruction, I am sure you can come up with other means. I thought you would know by now I will never serve a Centauri, in any capacity whatsoever, but obviously, you are even more ignorant than I had assumed. Good day, Mollari," G'Kar ended, and pressed the next button.

"You forget the two thousand Narn," Londo said coldly. G'Kar whipped around. With a great effort, he kept himself from doing anything. It would be all too easy to hurt this man; he knew exactly how.

"I'll arrange for a thousand to be freed now, after you accept my proposal," Londo said, "and a thousand after Refa is dead. That much I can do. If you need any additional incentive, I can provide you with documentation about Refa's role in the war. It was he who brought the mass drivers to your planet. I said - "

"Nothing," G'Kar interjected. "You forget that I was exposed to your pathetic collection of memories. You said nothing."

For the first time, Londo looked away again. "I have not forgotten, G'Kar," he murmured. "I have not forgotten anything."

The lift door opened, and a couple of Drazi entered. When they noticed the occupants, they froze.

"Out!" Londo yelled. The Drazi looked confused and annoyed.

"Did you not hear?" G'Kar hissed. "Out!"

Angrily, they muttered among themselves, but obliged them by vanishing. Londo pressed a new button, then halted the transport tube.

"Truly, the death of Refa would be a joyous day for my people. But why should I believe you want Refa dead more than you want my own death?" G'Kar asked, determined not to let the conversation go anywhere near the ruin of Narn or certain more recent events again.

Londo's eyes returned to him. Some muscles in his cheeks moved. For a moment, he appeared to be on the verge of saying something else, but then his face grew dark.

"Because Refa murdered Adira," he returned.

Based on his own memories, G'Kar might have had trouble recognising the name. The dancer Mollari had been in love with some years ago had been pretty, though too thin in his view, and besides, anyone with the bad taste of actually caring for Londo Mollari was immensely forgettable. But Mollari's memories were another matter. He had tried to get rid of them and suppress them during those weeks of meditation in his cell, but a great many of them were still with him, and the passion Mollari had felt for the girl coloured a lot of them. It was a very strange sensation. G'Kar had bedded countless partners. Some of them had been good friends. But he did not recall feeling what Mollari had felt for that girl, ever, not for a person at any rate. Passion for a cause, for one's people and for one's home, that was understandable. But to be obsessed with a single individual in that way was not, G'Kar thought, and studied the figure on the other side of the cabin whose features were as familiar to him as his own.

Still, incomprehensible or not, he did not doubt Mollari had cared for the girl enough to wish revenge for her murder more than any satisfaction or heightened status G'Kar's capture and death might bring him. This did not mean G'Kar would simply agree, no matter how desirable the release of two thousand Narn prisoners or the death of Refa. Things could not be simple between them; they must not ever be allowed to be.

"Let us assume for a moment that I do as you wish," G'Kar said. "Your aide is an abysmal liar. I have often suspected him of being a changeling, because his face is too honest for a Centauri. If he pretends to betray your plans to Refa in order to lure him to Narn, he will be exposed and questioned at once. Like most of your plans, this one is foolish and short-sighted."

"Like most of your statements, this one is based on false and arrogant assumptions," Londo shot back. "Refa has a pet telepath. Of course I will not send Vir to lie to him."

"Well, then…"

"Vir will be completely convinced he's telling the truth when they interrogate him. He will believe I intend to take you prisoner on Narn because I will tell him so, and because you will pretend to agree to go there when he comes to you afterwards."

That, G'Kar had to admit, did change the odds. It was clever. It was also viler than usual for Mollari, not that that meant anything, of course. G'Kar thought of little Vir Cotto trying to apologize to him, and of the reports he had heard about the Narns Cotto had rescued.

"You would set your own aide up to be captured and interrogated by a telepath?" he demanded, more because he wanted to see Mollari flinch than because he doubted it. G'Kar could spend a moment of regret for Vir Cotto, but not more. His people were more important, and besides, the aide had chosen his own fate by staying with someone like Mollari to begin with. Why anyone would want to do that was a mystery to G'Kar. The very smell of the man was sickening, that mixture of stale brivari and some decadent Centauri perfume. It had remained with him for the sixty days of his incarceration, no matter how much he tried to cleanse himself with the water Garibaldi had provided.

Londo did not flinch. Instead, he continued to look straight at G'Kar. "It is a fate one survives," he said. "As I know, yes?"

"You know nothing, least of all what makes you truly despicable, Mollari," G'Kar said, fists clenched. "This plan to murder Refa is the first death I have seen you plot out of hatred. Yet you brought death to millions of my people, not because you hated us, but because you wanted more power. And now you offer to free some of them, not because it finally dawned on you that you committed a crime but because they are useful tools in a negotiation."

The words remained in the room between them long after G'Kar had finished speaking. Londo didn't say anything. In earlier times, G'Kar had wondered what it would take to shut Mollari up. Yet this somehow didn't feel like the victory he had once imagined it to be.

"Here is the data crystal which they need to find with Refa," Londo said finally, taking something out of his waistcoat, "and here is the hologram you are to play for him before he dies."

G'Kar could have protested that he had still not agreed to any of this. Instead, he stretched out his hand. As his fingers touched Mollari's, he felt a little jolt. Obviously, there was some static electricity around the hologram carrier.

"How do you know," he asked, unable to resist, "that I won't let them find both of these with Refa? This would still leave me with a thousand freed Narn and two dead and disgraced Centauri butchers instead of one. A bargain, a true bargain."

"I know it for the same reason that lets you know the guards will not have been ordered to capture or shoot you once you and your friends are done with Refa," Londo replied, teeth sharp in a humourless smile. "I know it because I know you."

G'Kar set the lift in motion again and used the first stop to leave. All he could think of was what a relief it was to be free of Mollari's company once more. It did not occur to him to tell Londo he was wrong.

Date: 2004-10-30 03:14 am (UTC)
andraste: The reason half the internet imagines me as Patrick Stewart. (Default)
From: [personal profile] andraste
It will not surprise you to hear that I think this is wonderful - this is a great portrait of a phase of their relationship we missed out on in the show itself.

I think my favourite part was Londo telling G'Kar that he knew that Vir would survive the telepathic interogation. I'd thought before that Londo was cruel to send Vir to face something like that when he knew how awful it could be; but he also knows it's something that can be recovered from.

Date: 2004-10-30 04:19 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] selenak.livejournal.com
this is a great portrait of a phase of their relationship we missed out on in the show itself.

Thank you. While I can understand we didn't get to see this particular scene due to the necessary structure for And the rock cried out, no hiding place - we were strictly in Vir's pov, knowing only what he knew - I had always wondered and speculated, because of the many "firsts" - first meeting alone after Dust to Dust, first cooperation, first leap of faith on G'Kar's part - so I was delighted when [livejournal.com profile] hobsonphile gave me this assignment.

I'd thought before that Londo was cruel to send Vir to face something like that when he knew how awful it could be; but he also knows it's something that can be recovered from.

Yes. Which doesn't make it less ruthless, of course, but then this is arguably Londo's darkest point in the entire show.

Date: 2004-10-30 04:23 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] illmantrim.livejournal.com
Excellent work here, good pacing, and excellent characters!

Date: 2004-10-30 04:32 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] selenak.livejournal.com
Thank you. It was a joy to write.

Date: 2004-10-30 10:11 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kakodaimon.livejournal.com
What struck me as one of the best things you did with the story is the sense of scale. It really did feel like a titanic struggle forced into an unnaturally small microcosm, which is what Londo and G'Kar's fighting really is at this point. The willingness not only to portray but deal with what most would consider the unsavoury aspects of both characters---Londo's cruelties and G'Kar's blindness---is truly admirable, because despite your attention to these matters, they never once come across as Bad People.

Mollari's aide. I've often wondered just how often Vir enters G'Kar's mind, if at all, so this was interesting. And the aftermath of Dust to Dust was my favourite part to read; what G'Kar remembers as well as what he doesn't. That's a subject I'd like to think on further.

Date: 2004-10-30 10:30 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] selenak.livejournal.com
Thank you. Sometimes, love for a character can lead one to shy away from their darker sides - I mean, it's not a coincidence most of my B5 fic featuring these two is set in season 4 and 5, not counting the drabbles. But the challenge to write specifically about this timeframe and this "missing scene" made it possible to adress said unsavoury aspects, because this episode is arguably Londo at his darkest (not because of Refa, because of Vir), and Dust to Dust was where G'Kar hit rock bottom.

I've often wondered just how often Vir enters G'Kar's mind, if at all, so this was interesting.

We absolutely have to guess, because you can interpret canon any way between "only if he has to" and "often". Londo says in Rock that "he (G'Kar) trusts you as much as it is possible for him to trust one of us" because of the Narn rescue railroad, but that is a part of Londo's charade to convince Vir, so it could be true, or it couldn't. There is no way of knowing whether or not G'Kar would have gone to Narn if Londo hadn't contacted him earlier and if Vir's approach really would have been the first thing he heard.

And the aftermath of Dust to Dust was my favourite part to read; what G'Kar remembers as well as what he doesn't. That's a subject I'd like to think on further.

Pray do, in fanfic or meta, I'd love to read it either way. It's, as Andraste once put it, the white elephant of the relationship, the thing they never talk about, although as we know from The Very Long Night of Londo Mollari, it's still on Londo's mind. As for G'Kar: when Andraste saw Dust to Dust for the first time, she startled me with her interpretation of G'Kar crying at the end of the beating up/mind rape/revelation sequence. Previously, I had always interpreted this as G'Kar crying about what his father (i.e. Kosh) told him, the entire "many will die" etc., the necessary sacrifice. Andraste, however, saw it as G'Kar crying he realizes what he's done, what he's capable of doing, and that this shattered his self image as a good man.

Date: 2004-10-30 12:51 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] natoth.livejournal.com
Excellent story!!! And you know... I always thought, G'Kar could... to make friends with Mollari only because he has scanned him once and... began to understand him more... deeply
*tries to translate her own short story to the same subject... but does not know, what will turn out from this *

Date: 2004-10-30 10:26 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] selenak.livejournal.com
Thank you. And yes, I think G'Kar's experience of getting all of Londo's memories in one rush was crucial to their later relationship.

well

Date: 2004-10-30 02:55 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] natoth.livejournal.com
my little story... (http://www.livejournal.com/users/natoth/194935.html?mode=reply)
I have translated this text... Unfortunately, this is very roughly translate, but... The sense is clear, I think...

Date: 2004-10-30 03:35 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] betareject.livejournal.com
Chilling and beautifully done I really wish they could have shown this part of the tale on the show.

Thanks, and...

Date: 2004-10-30 09:04 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] selenak.livejournal.com
...me too, in theory, but if they had we wouldn't have felt with poor Vir as much as we would have known what was truly going on.*g*

But I'm truly glad H. challenged me to write this, because I did always wonder...

Re: Thanks, and...

Date: 2004-10-30 09:07 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] betareject.livejournal.com
yeah I guess your right when you think about I mean how else could they show that Vir is innocent?...Its a wicked tale all the same though...

*eagerly waits for Hobsonphiles tale especially if its about what I think its about*

Date: 2004-10-30 09:36 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ch1pper.livejournal.com
woot this is so good. Exactly as I would expect this to have gone. It would have been sweet to see Peter Jurasik and Andreas Katsulas emoting this.

Date: 2004-10-30 10:27 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] selenak.livejournal.com
Thank you!

Date: 2004-10-31 02:26 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] janewt.livejournal.com
Very nice. And of course it's in an elevator. That show gets a lot of use out of its elevators...:)

Date: 2004-10-31 02:04 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] selenak.livejournal.com
It does, doesn't it? And yes, that's why I thought an elevator would be an appropriate setting.*g*

Date: 2004-10-31 05:23 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mogigraphia.livejournal.com
I loved this. Painfully good.

Thank you!

Date: 2004-10-31 02:12 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] selenak.livejournal.com
I am The Angst Addict. Hear me roar. (Though I'm relieved that Andraste writes fluff for the poor boys to make up for it.*g*)

And thank you for recommending me - I appreciate it.

Date: 2004-10-31 02:01 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] deborah-judge.livejournal.com
You have such a talent for writing Londo/G'kar, you get their dynamic and voices perfectly. There's so much emotion in this piece, but it's still written subtly and with humour. Really great.

Date: 2004-11-01 08:09 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] selenak.livejournal.com
They are a joy to write, and as you well know, you were one of my earliest encouragers. Thank you!

Date: 2004-11-01 03:25 pm (UTC)
kangeiko: (Default)
From: [personal profile] kangeiko
Oh, this is so good! I saved this to read after I actually watched the episode in question (I think one of three I never saw) and it was *so* worth the wait. How well they understand each other, on the surface and beneath - it's all plots within plots with the centauri, isn't it, and while G'Kar can see through it, he still goes ahead with it all. It is wonderful, my dear.

Date: 2004-11-01 11:04 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] selenak.livejournal.com
Thank you, and yes, they do. Post-Dust to Dust, they've even been literally under each other's skin...

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