B5 Double Drabble: A Matter Of Honor

[badly_knitted]

 


Title: A Matter Of Honor
Fandom: Babylon 5
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Delenn, Neroon.
Rating: PG
Spoilers/Setting: Legacies.
Summary: Delenn knows exactly what has become of Branmer’s body.
Written For: Challenge 417: Amnesty 69 at fan_flashworks, using Challenge 196: Thief.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Babylon 5, or the characters. They belong to J. Michael Straczynski.
A/N: Double drabble and a half, 250 words.
 
 

It is unbecoming for a Minbari, most especially someone of her exalted status, to resort to theft, and yet Delenn feels there is no other option. Branmer was of the religious caste, and yet Alit Neroon has the presumption to parade his body from world to world, going against everything that Branmer himself would have wanted. He is not honouring a fallen warrior, rather he is desecrating the memory of a great leader who fought because he had to, but valued peace above all else.

 
It is not difficult to slip into the chamber where Branmer’s body lies in state, to spirit him away, and cremate him. It is, however unsavoury, the right thing to do. Although it is regrettable that her act causes problems at a diplomatic level for Commander Sinclair, she is certain any ruffled feathers can be smoothed, and whatever explanation she chooses to promote concerning the disappearance will in time be accepted by Neroon and his followers.

 
Unfortunately, when a young, untrained human telepath accidentally exposes the truth, Neroon proves more difficult to placate than Delenn had hoped, her standing as a member of the Grey Council being all that persuades him to follow her orders.

 
Neroon will not forget. It is possible that at some time in the future they might clash again, but that is a problem for another time. For the moment, all that matters is that she has done as the Shai Alit would have wished. It was not theft, but liberation.
 

 
The End
 



 
 
 
 

Comments

[kitarella_imagines]

*screaming* I've found another Babylon 5 fan! I was just talking to meridian_rose about how much we loved B5 but couldn't find the inspiration to write fic about it.

I decided because B5 was so perfect that there were no unfinished plots and loose ends to tie up. And also because I'd have to rewatch so much of it to get inspiration and I haven't got time at the moment.

So I'm delighted to see some B5 fic!

[badly_knitted]

Yay, another B5 fan! meridian_rose discovered my fics on AO3 just a little while ago. =D I'm always happy to talk about B5!

I've been writing B5 for a while, I do a re-watch practically every year because I love it so much, hands down my favourite SF series because it was so wonderfully constructed plotwise, and so perfectly acted by the main cast. I keep trying to decide on my favourite characters, but I can't. I love them all.

My Miscellaneous Fandoms Master List on the sidebar has all my odd fandoms alphabetically if you're interested. I've dipped into quite a few as inspiration has hit. Most of my B5 fics are canon-based, because I like to poke about in the characters' brains and explore their inner thoughts during canon events.

[kitarella_imagines]

I really love Babylon 5, we've got the box set! We never get box sets!

I shall have a good look at your fics. You are very dedicated! I'm the type of person who watches something once and very rarely watches it again. If I do, it's about 10 years later or something, haha.

Same here. I love Marcus, Delenn, Ivanova, Sheriden, Lennier, G'Kar...I can't even fit them all into a list!

I'm the same, I like lots of different fandoms and tend to write a couple of fics, then move onto another fandom. I tend to go off on tangents and write crossovers and AUs rather than stick to canon events though.

But any B5 fics are great!

[badly_knitted]

Wooo!

I have A LOT of box sets, because too many shows don't get repeated and I tend to prefer older shows to the new ones. I would say rather than dedicated, I'm more obsessive, lol. Certain shows just get inside my head and put down roots. Not that I mind, I'm seldom short of inspiration for writing, which is a good thing.

I have two main fandoms for writing, four secondary fandoms, and a whole bunch of others that have inspired me to write one or more fics, but there are things I've watched that I've never had any interest in writing. I have no idea why some shows get the plot bunnies jumping while others don't. I have a weird brain though, so a lot of things it does don't make sense.

I don't write a lot of crossovers, I have trouble fitting two fandoms together, but I have written a couple, and some crossover drabbles, which are easier. I've done a few AUs as well, some of the canon divergence sort, and a handful of complete AUs. One, I made my manga characters stuntmen, got several stories in that one, and I have a series using Torchwood characters and having my main pairing grow up together taking part in school plays. That was literally the first AU I ever wrote.

There are too many great characters in B5. I still have a few B5 one-shots not posted, and I'm trying to update the drabbles every couple of weeks... I now have 6 drabble collections going on AO3, each for a different fandom, and updating them regularly is a juggling act!

[kitarella_imagines]

I suppose actually we don't have boxsets because our DVD player stopping working yonks ago. We tend to watch Netflix and iPlayer.

I am different to a lot of fans, I seem to get obsessed with one show, write fics about it, then move on to the next one. Like a continually moving train or car. lol.

It could be because some shows are unfinished and leave lots of loose threads that inspire you? CatMoon and I were discussing this earlier. Some shows are neatly tied up and don't leave much to the imagination, some shows are left messily and inspire ideas. Dunno.

My imagination is wild, I can't stop writing crossovers and AU because I think it's funny. My very favourite type of fic is funny/humour, because I like to write things which cheer me up. I don't like whump or angst. I might have a bit of minor angst in fics but nothing long drawn out. I also write a lot of RPF and it is great fun to put those guys in crossovers and AUs😅

I shall keep a close eye on you for B5 fics, I've subscribed to you on AO3 🤗

[badly_knitted]

Yeah, that's a good reason. I don't have Netflix though, and because I can seldom sit and watch something without doing something else at the same time, I don't use iPlayer much. I might, do watch some Doctor Who since it's there, I can maybe do some cross stitch at the same time...

I don't seem able to do that, although I do sometimes write a few bits for a show I'm currently watching. I am very loyal to my favourites, never seem to run out of ideas for those.

The characters are what attract me, I think. If I connect with them on some level, not necessarily all of them, then I get inspired, but characters really need to click with me.

Humour and crack and fluff are my favourite genres to write. I do write angst occasionally, when a prompt inspires it, but I like to write silly stuff. It's why I love Torchwood, because I can have alien tech do anything I like. I've had evil sock creatures, a character being stalked by a crack, someone trading bodies with a cow, two characters shrunk to action figure size and crossing Cardiff at night riding on a rat... Whatever weirdness I can imagine, I write, lol! My B5 fics tend to be more serious though. I love the humour in the show, I don't think there was ever an episode that didn't have at least one hilarious line of dialogue.

Yay, thank you! Are you on AO3 under the same name?

I post everything here and to AO3 (and LJ, ff.net and Teaspoon for Torchwood and Doctor Who) at the same time, so you should catch things wherever. I have a huge backlog of fics and drabbles still waiting to be posted.

[kitarella_imagines]

Oh yes I very rarely just sit and watch a film, I'm always doing something else too e.g. writing ideas down for a story.

I'm just continually moving on, although I sometimes go back and write a one off for a previous loved fandom. I think I'm different to most fans. Or most people tbh.

I agree that characters are the attraction. I've no interest in car chases or shootouts and I'm not much of a plot writer. I used to try and structure my fics but it just led to rather flat and boring stories.

Yes there has to be a little bit of drama and angst to balance the humour and love, doesn’t there.

My name on AO3 is Always_Dreaming. I've been there for years, but I only joined Dreamwidth a few months ago. I'll get notified when you post something on AO3 😊

[badly_knitted]

I'm usually sorting and editing files on my computer, or doing online jigsaws, or crafting while listening to the TV. There are some shows I like to knit something simple while I'm watching because I need to see what's happening onscreen, but I mostly listen and just glance at the screen occasionally.

Everyone's different, that's part of the beauty of fandom and of writing because everyone approaches canon events and their own takes on them differently. That leads to so much variety! I love it =D Dipping in and out of fandoms is something I think most fanfic writers do, but some of us have one or more fandoms that ae always there on the background even while we're testing out new ones. there are points in favour of both, it's all down to what works best for the individual.

I've written my share of chases and shootouts, I quite enjoy that, but the important thing for me is how the characters handle such situations, especially when the one they love is in danger. Fluff and humour are still what I write most though.

I've subscribed to you on AO3 so I can see what fandoms you've written in. Immediately spotted Blake's 7, so I'll have to drop by when I have time and check those out. It's forever since I saw the show, but I remember having a soft spot for Vila, and enjoying Avon.

I should warn you, you'll get a lot of notifications on AO3 because I post every day, from one to three things. Drabble days it's usually three pieces, fic days at the moment I just post one. I have so many things waiting to be edited / expanded and posted I sometimes wonder if I'll ever catch up.

[kitarella_imagines]

I'm usually on the internet while watching TV. 😅

I suppose I've got a few fandoms I stick with and a few friends that are like my core group. But soooo many have disappeared since the pandemic, the core group is very small now.

Oh I like new subscribers, and my Blake’s 7 fics are a bit neglected and unnoticed. I rewatched that show about 3 years ago and was inspired to write some fics, I even wrote a continuation of the story. Then I moved on to the next fandom, haha!

I understand about the notifications, so if I unsubscribe from you it’s nothing personal, it would be just because I'm overwhelmed with all the messages. I think you’re the opposite of me—I have loads and loads of ideas but don’t write very much. It takes a lot out of me to write a fic so I take my time. But if you want any ideas, do ask. I love bouncing ideas around 😊

[badly_knitted]

The internet is a black hole that sucks us in, lol! I spend WEAY too much time going down rabbit holes.

Yeah, the trouble with online friends is that they often just vanish and you never know why, whether or not they're okay, they're just gone. Sad.

I promise to look when I find the time. I did try to re-watch Blake's 7 a long time ago, but I didn't get past the first episode. I wish it would be shown on a channel I have access to, and at a sensible time, so I could try again.

Well, there are no notifications for that on AO3 so if you unsubscribe I won't be aware of it anyway, but it's not a problem. My new fics are posted here too, and if you're looking for B5 fics, the drabbles are posted on alternate Sundays, and fics would be posted on a Friday, but that's when I post random fanfics, so it could be anything that day - FAKE, Buffy, Doctor Who, Stargate SG-1, B5, or any other fandom I have the odd fic written for. I'll try to post a B5 fic this Friday though.

I used to write very slowly, but writing helped get me through caring for my mum after she had a stroke, then dealing with everything after she passed. It's become kind of my therapy, keeping me relatively same and giving me an escape from that and my own health issues that I've had to deal with over the last 15 or so years. I get to be somewhere else for a while each day.

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind 😊

[kitarella_imagines]

Yes I remember having real life friends before the internet took over my life…That is really sad about online friends isn’t it. I've had so many nice ones…then suddenly they’re gone. Everyone is disposable these days, I don’t think longstanding friendships exist anymore, people move on in a flash.

Oh only read them if you have the time, don’t put pressure on yourself. Funny story—I've never seen the first episode of Blake’s 7! My parents watched it when it first came on, and my dad thought it was too scary and adult for me. Then after that he realised Blake’s 7 is actually quite a silly show and he let me watch it. But I always keep missing episode 1 😂

I'm sorry about your mum. Sounds like you had a great relationship with her and you must miss her. Those are basically the same reasons I write too—difficulties with family members and my own health issues. I like to escape, rebel, be naughty in fics because I have to be so sensible in real life. I think that’s why most people write tbh. Fiction and characters are such great escapism aren’t they.

My writing partner is overwhelmed with my ideas, she often says ‘slow down, I can’t keep up with you’ 😂

[badly_knitted]

I never had a lot of friends in real life. I had one friend at school, but she got married 40 years ago, had kids, and now lives far away, while I never left the nest, never wanted to be responsible for another human life, and ended up being full-time carer for my mum. She could be a very difficult person, but we still very close, and I miss her every day. It's been over 9 years, but still...

I'm lucky in that I have three very good internet friends who I've been friends with for many years. Others though, they seem to come and go. One I'm pretty sure passed away, she was at least 10 years older than me and had already suffered one stroke. She just stopped commenting one day, when she'd always been the first to comment on my fics. It is very sad.

Haha! Well, you're not missing anything important, and if I ever get the chance to re-watch, I think I'll skip the first episode too. If it was made today, I think the first episode would kill the show before it could get off the ground.

My poor brain feels that way... So many ideas, all at once. I can't possibly cope with all of them. The plot bunnies are out of control!😶

[kitarella_imagines]

I'm sorry about your mum, I don't think we ever 'get over' losing someone, no matter how hard other people push us to do so. We just learn to live with the gap in our lives 😔

It's certainly a strange old world these days, never knowing what happens to our friends or even relatives. Everything is temporary, insecure and scary IMO.

[badly_knitted]

I think that's why anxiety is so bad these days. There's so much to be scared of and it's valid.

Thank you. I still live in the same house, so the memories are everywhere, which is comforting.

[kitarella_imagines]

That is a very good point about anxiety these days!

That must be nice to be in the same house. I wish I could move back to my home area but it isn't viable at the moment 😕

[badly_knitted]

Has to be a reason why so many people are dealing with increasing anxiety levels, myself among them.

I just never left. My parents moved in here 2 months before I was born, and I've been here ever since. I've lived here longer than anyone else on my street.

[kitarella_imagines]

That sounds so nice to still be in your family home. We had a lovely family home with a big garden, then my dad died and we had to move somewhere else. The next house was nice but it wasn't really my family home.

[badly_knitted]

This is a smallish house, and it boggles my mind to think four people used to live here - I have no idea how we fitted, lol! There's barely enough room for me and all my stuff. The garden is a decent size but not overly big. Unfortunately it got badly neglected while I was looking after mum. I'd ben making some progress at wresting it back from the undergrowth, but what with last summer and the past winter being so wet, I haven't managed to do much out there over the last 12 months and the brambles are taking over again.

I think there's always something special about the house you grow up in. So many memories there. Such a shame you had to move away.