untitled2



	Untitled #2 Author: Robt. Notes: Written before Peter David wrote the Centauri Trilogy. Rated PG. Feedback definitely appreciated. rblond@juno.com 'Mollari was always a pragmatic monster. After engineering the mass driver bombardment of Narn when it suited his purposes, he then withdrew the Centauri military presence completely when it became no longer convenient to lead an occupying force. It should hardly be surprising then, that when his Drakh accomplices found telepaths within the Republic to be a threat, he suggested a familiar means of eliminating that threat.' --G'Pal, "Empire of Blood: A practical history of the Centauri Republic" Vir glanced out the windows as he walked, looking out into the palace gardens. It was a beautiful afternoon, and he wished he were out there, not on his way to see the emperor. He walked as slowly as he felt the guard who delivered Londo's summons would permit. There was a time when Vir would have rushed to the emperor's side, but now... Well, Londo had changed so much. "Did he say what this was about?" Vir asked. "I'm right in the middle of - well, I was about to..." He allowed his voice to trail off when it became obvious that the guard had no intention of answering, of acknowledging the question, of acknowledging the existence of Vir Cotto, Assistant Minister of Domestic Affairs for the Centauri Republic. "It's just that... he doesn't call for me often," Vir added softly, mostly to himself. It had been three years since the Centauri Republic had adopted its current isolationist stance. Two years since Vir had been recalled to the Homeworld from his ambassadorial post to the Interstellar Alliance. In that time, he'd seen Londo fewer than a dozen times. The gate that blocked entrance to the throne room, an elaborate structure of wrought gold, swung open, and Vir went in. As always, Londo sat on the throne, an expression at once bitter and wistful on his face. "Hello, Lon - Um, Emperor Mollari." "Spare me the honorifics, Vir. You are one of the few friends I have left," said Londo, his voice dry and weary, but not unkind. "Londo, then," Vir smiled, relaxing a little. Vir was always tense talking to Londo these days. He gave his Emperor an appraising look, saw dark bags under red rimmed eyes. Skin as thin as paper, pale, spotted with age. "You're looking... uh, well?" "And you," Londo smiled wolfishly, "are a terrible liar. But my looks aren't important. There is a reason I called you here, Vir. You are enjoying yourself as an Assistant Minister, yes? You are making friends, contacts?" "It's- it's fine, Londo." "But...?" "It's nothing, Londo. I... I liked being an ambassador, that's all. Not that I'm complaining!" "No. No Vir. I am sure you're not. It does not matter, however. I have a new job for you." Vir rolled his eyes. "Another new job? I should have known." Vir had held four postings in the past two years. It seemed like, just as he was getting the hang of one job, he was abruptly pulled away from it and given something new. "Tell me, Vir. What have you heard about the events on Earth recently?" Vir furrowed his brow, his voice was far off. "Their Telepath Crisis? It was horrible, I hear. Poor Lyta. I can hardly believe it. She always seemed so... nice! And so many people died." Londo nodded. "Such a thing could happen here, Vir. We must not let it." "Londo, we've had telepaths in the Republic for centuries longer than the Humans have," Vir replied. "Sure, there have been problems, but nothing like that!" "But it could happen, Vir. They believe..." Londo frowned, cocking his head to one side as though listening to an unheard voice, then started over. "I believe the telepaths are a threat to the Republic. For the sake of all Centauri, something must be done. This is where you come in." Vir smiled. "Ah, you want me to use the skills I learned as an ambassador to negotiate with the Telepaths Guild?" "No, Vir." "You want me to draft some legal revisions in the Telepath Code of..." "No... Vir." "Well, what then?" A long pause. "You will be answering directly to Lord Utini..." Said Londo. That didn't sound good. Utini had an unpleasant reputation left over from the occupation of Narn. He was in charge of the forced labor camps or something, Vir recalled. There had to be some mistake. Londo would never put a lunatic like Utini in authority! With a start, Vir realized that he'd allowed his mind to wander, and had missed much of what Londo had been saying. Something about a... final solution to the telepath problem? "...It was then that Utini suggested it," Londo went on, unaware that Vir hadn't been paying attention. "He will be in charge of the interment camps. You will be responsible for the identification of telepaths and seers, and their transport to the camps." "Londo, I can't believe that you would allow this, much less plan for it! This isn't like you. You've changed since becoming emperor, but I would never have imagined this!" Londo rested his forehead in his hand for a moment. "Believe me, Vir. This is not what I want. I have... no choice." He looked up, eyes blazing. "Can you imagine, Vir? Can you imagine the horror, someone prying into your mind? Controlling you. Forcing you to do things you would never dream of doing." At that moment, Vir felt pity. He wondered if his Emperor's mind was going. If Londo was giving in to paranoid delusions of telepathic control. "And that's why you want to send the telepaths to concentration camps?" "Yes, Vir," said Londo quietly. "But not for quite the reasons that you are thinking." "Well, why Utini then? He's a butcher! If you put him in charge of the camps, people will die." Again a pause. "I know, Vir. Lord Utini is many things, but subtle he is not. It is not difficult to guess what he will do." Vir was beginning to panic. "Then why me? Don't make me do this, Londo, please." "Vir," Londo's voice was gentle, the kind of voice one used to explain something to a small child. "Remember Lady Morella's prophesy. I would become Emperor of the Centauri Republic, she said. As would you, after my death. Well, I have become Emperor. And, inconceivable as it must seem, whoever succeeds me might name you as his heir." Here Londo caught Vir's eyes, and held them in an unbreakable stare. "Being Emperor is a hard thing, Vir. An Emperor must decide who will live, and who will die. You must learn to decide who will die... and who will live." "Londo, no! I can't do that. I won't!" Vir's heart was pounding, now, the left one, the first stage of the Centauri 'fight or flight' response. But Vir knew he could do neither. He felt pinned down, helpless. "Londo, you don't have to do this, either." "It will happen, Vir. There will be camps. And blood. There is... no other way." "Londo, we... I... killed Emperor Cartagia to save lives. If I do this, if I round up telepaths for Utini's camps, I'd be no better than he was!" There has to be some way to make Londo see, thought Vir. "I'd... we'd... be war criminals!" "We are not at war, Vir," Londo smiled. Or grimaced, it was hard to tell anymore. "Do not worry about how history will remember you, Vir. History is written by the victors, by the survivors. And history teaches many lessons. Consider the Island of Selini. It was necessary for people to die there, to save Centauri Prime. Some were sacrificed for the survival of the rest, yes? You understand the lesson of Selini?" Vir tilted his head to one side, looking at Londo. Something wasn't adding up. What is Londo trying to tell me? Vir thought. "Selini I understand." At Selini, volunteers sacrificed themselves to allow the rest to escape. What was Londo was getting at? "Ah." Londo seemed to relax, slightly. "If you have learned that lesson, than you are the right person for this job, Vir. I wish I could give it to someone else, but no. That is not to be. I trust you, Vir, to understand what I am asking of you. To follow my wishes." "You don't leave me any choice, Londo. I know what I have to do," Vir lied. He had no idea what he would do, only that he couldn't stand idly by and watch innocents die. That he would shield those he could, save as many as possible. "Excellent, Vir. Excellent. I believe that you do. You are right, though. You have no choice, any more than I do." Londo leaned forward on his throne, his voice dropping in tone, "Now I must warn you, Vir. Utini has heard of your little adventure with the Narns, using that ridiculous pseudonym 'Abrahamo Lincolni.' Lord Utini must not catch you trying that. If he did, the consequences would be... severe. I do not wish to think that you would do something as foolish as to allow that. And so," Londo's eyes gleamed, as though at a shared joke, "I will not permit myself to think about it." He knows. He knew all along what I'd do, thought Vir. He intended it. He planned it. It's what he wants. But why the charade? Vir didn't know. Perhaps someone was forcing Londo to do this. Utini or... someone. Someone who thought telepaths were a threat to them. But Londo hadn't changed a bit. He's telling me to save as many as possible. Telling me he'll turn a blind eye to it, as long as I don't get caught. "I... I understand, Londo." "Good, Vir. I was sure that you would. Go now. I am tired. I must rest." Vir turned to leave, but was stopped by Londo's voice as he reached the gate. "Vir." Vir stopped, turned to face Londo. "You are the best of us, Vir. I know that you won't disappoint me." 'Clearly Emperor Cotto was an unlikely choice for the Centaurum to select as the new Emperor. He was much too closely connected to Mollari. Cynics have suggested it was his equally close connection to President Delenn of the Interstellar Alliance, not to mention her husband's considerable military resources among the Anla'shok, which prompted the Centaurum's choice. Others have noted that while serving as Regent, Vir had, in fact, hand picked trusted friends and allies to serve as Senators during the restoration of the Centaurum. However he came to be selected, though, he would never have lived to take the throne had he not demonstrated a brilliant ability to uncover the plots leveled against him, almost as though he could read the conspirator's minds...' --Lyssa Deradi, "Unexpected Emperor: A Life of Cotto I"