Who's Got the Button?

[kerravonsen]

B7 Friday challenge: button
Also Livejournal ficlet challenge (details at end).
(400 words)

Who's Got the Button?

"Oooof! Hey, no need to be so unfriendly!"

"Ye're alive, aren't ye? Who are you? What are you doing here?"

"I'm harmless really, just looking..."

"This is a restricted area. Are you working for the Supreme Commander?"

"Servalan? Yes, yes, of course."

"Prove it. What's she look like?"

"Lovely lady, dark hair cut short, goes about in evening dresses...?"

"Well, why didn't ye say so?"

"You were too busy choking me."

"Sorry. So, who are you, and what are you doing here? Looking for Doccholli, are you?"

"Why, yes, how did you guess?"

"That's what she sent *me* to do."

"Ah, well, she sent me to help. How do I know *you're* working for the Supreme Commander? What's your name?"

"Jarierre."

"Ah, *Jarierre.* Of course."

"What's yours?"

"Veelan. Let's get this open then, shall we?"

###

"Doesn't look like much, does it?"

"It's a button. With a data-fiche inside. Why should it look like much?"

"That's torn it! The alarms!"

"Quick! Outside! And whatever you do, don't run."

###

"What did you have to kill him for?"

"Quickest way to halt pursuit."

"Not when his friends get here. What sort of thief are you?"

"Not a thief. Former assassin. I used to work in the Black Squad til I had me little accident."

"Remind me not to get on your bad side."

"Ah, but we're all working for the same lovely lady, aren't we?"

###

"Quick, sit down! Pretend we're playing dice."

"Hey, you! Did you see anybody run past here?"

"Yes, sir, they went thataway!"

###

"That was close."

"Where's the button?"

"I thought you had it."

"No, you had it."

"No, you had it."

"No, *you* had it. I distinctly remember --"

"Jarierre, are you all right?"

"Who are you?"

"Veelan, don't you remember, Jarierre?"

"Jarierre, that's my name. Are you a friend of mine?"

"Yes, yes, a good friend. We both work for Servalan, remember?"

"Well, I have a bit of trouble with me memory, see, since the accident. They were going to terminate me but the Supreme Commander saved my life."

"That's what I call incentive."

"And you?"

"Me?"

"How did you come to work for her?"

"Um..."

"What's that chiming noise?"

"My cue. Sorry Jarierre, you'd make a wonderful bodyguard, but you aren't much of a thief."

"What the..." Jarierre said as Vila vanished. Then he smiled as he pulled the tiny data-fiche out of his pocket. "Aren't I?"

---

This fulfills two challenges: one, the b7friday challenge on the theme "button", and the ficlet challenge by mistraltoes to write a story by the above title, the line "They went thataway!" and featuring Vila and Jarierre.

Jarierre's backstory is stolen and mutilated from a story by mistraltoes.

Comments

[astrogirl2.livejournal.com]

*giggle* And, you know, that backstory would actually explain a lot about Jerriere. :)

[kerravonsen]

Indeed. It makes him a lot more interesting, too. Which is why I stole the idea.

[mistraltoes.livejournal.com]

You can steal and mutilate it anytime, if it will engender more Jarierre fic. I'm quite flattered that you would bother. :) Thank you, this is fun! And what's better than killing two challenges with one story, anyway?

[kerravonsen]

Glad you liked it. 8-)