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crack_van2011-03-30 08:32 pm
beatrice_otter) wrote in crack_van2011-03-30 08:32 pm
Entry tags:
Hold the Line by Dira (Gen)
Fandom: VORKOSIVERSE
Pairing: Aral/Cordelia, Miles, Piotr, Gregor
Length: 4700 words
Author on LJ:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
dsudis, ![[personal profile]](https://s.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
dira
Author Website: AO3
Warnings: Canonical attempted infanticide
Why this must be read:
Bothari brought Miles to them at lunchtime and reported that he had intercepted the General at the side of Miles's cradle.
This is another missing scene set after the end of Cordelia's Honor but before the epilogue. On Barrayar, mutants are hated and feared, and it is the traditional duty of a mother to cut the throat of any infant born visibly deformed. This barbaric process is one that our heroes fight against, within their culture and even within their own family. Miles was born with twisted and brittle bones because of a poison gas attack on his mother Cordelia before he was born. Miles' grandfather Count Piotr was shocked and horrified at the "degenerate" galactic woman who fought to keep her "mutie" son alive, and even more so that Aral (Miles' father) supported her. Miles tells us once, years later, that Piotr tried to kill him as a small child, and only the intervention of Miles' bodyguard Sergeant Bothari saved his life. Yet eventually Piotr gave up, and even later he was reconciled and formed a fairly good relationship with Miles.
This is the story of what stopped Piotr for good. It wasn't just Bothari.
"I want to press charges for attempted murder," Cordelia said, turning abruptly to face him, so that Aral barely had time to get the right look on his face. Her words were low and desperate, and it was obvious in every atom of her body that she was aware of reaching for a last resort.
Aral wondered how long she'd been holding this in reserve, telling herself that she would save this demand for the moment it was absolutely necessary. Probably about as long as he'd been dreading having to explain to her that it was impossible.
"I'm sorry, Cordelia. He would be acquitted, and the vindication would make him impossible to deal with."
Cordelia offered him a frankly stunned look, and swayed for a moment as if she were going to fall. Then she braced herself, adjusting her grip on Miles, and said in a barely-controlled voice, "He just tried to murder a child in broad daylight, in Vorbarr Sultana, in the Imperial Residence, in our home, how can he possibly--"
Miles let out a half-cry--the I'm not sure I like this and if I don't I'll start crying for real in another twenty seconds cry--and Cordelia's words stopped on the instant. She shifted him to her other shoulder, kissing the top of his head as she did.
In a flat, resigned tone, she said, "He'd be acquitted. Tell me why."
Aral stayed where he was, just inside the door, observing Cordelia from a safe distance. "Bothari is the only witness, and an armsman can't give evidence against his liege lord: legally his is the Count. There's no other evidence, and Miles is unharmed. And even if we had a stronger case to offer, we'd have to prosecute him in the Council of Counts."
Cordelia turned her back at that, but Aral found himself continuing to explain anyway; Miles watched him with bright-eyed interest. "A significant number of the Counts would acquit him on a charge of bare-handed murder if he committed it in the middle of the Emperor's Birthday parade, just because he's General Count Piotr Vorkosigan." Miles blinked solemnly, absorbing this news, and Aral forced himself to say the rest to his son's face, to tell him the truth of his world. "Even among the ones who don't hold out that much personal loyalty, there are a meaningful number who would never rule anything but death from natural causes in the case of an infant with visible deformities."
Cordelia turned halfway, showing him her profile and hiding Miles from him. "This is the world you've brought your son into."
This is the world you've trapped me in.
Aral spread his hands in surrender, unable to summon words that weren't a doomed defense. Cordelia turned her back and began to pace again, and Aral knew he'd been dismissed. He stepped out of the room just long enough to cancel the rest of his day and then came back in to wait. Cordelia didn't speak again, but Aral knew he had to keep this vigil. This was merely a long pause for thought in their confrontation, and he did not intend to miss whatever came next.
Hold the Line
Pairing: Aral/Cordelia, Miles, Piotr, Gregor
Length: 4700 words
Author on LJ:
dsudis, diraAuthor Website: AO3
Warnings: Canonical attempted infanticide
Why this must be read:
Bothari brought Miles to them at lunchtime and reported that he had intercepted the General at the side of Miles's cradle.
This is another missing scene set after the end of Cordelia's Honor but before the epilogue. On Barrayar, mutants are hated and feared, and it is the traditional duty of a mother to cut the throat of any infant born visibly deformed. This barbaric process is one that our heroes fight against, within their culture and even within their own family. Miles was born with twisted and brittle bones because of a poison gas attack on his mother Cordelia before he was born. Miles' grandfather Count Piotr was shocked and horrified at the "degenerate" galactic woman who fought to keep her "mutie" son alive, and even more so that Aral (Miles' father) supported her. Miles tells us once, years later, that Piotr tried to kill him as a small child, and only the intervention of Miles' bodyguard Sergeant Bothari saved his life. Yet eventually Piotr gave up, and even later he was reconciled and formed a fairly good relationship with Miles.
This is the story of what stopped Piotr for good. It wasn't just Bothari.
"I want to press charges for attempted murder," Cordelia said, turning abruptly to face him, so that Aral barely had time to get the right look on his face. Her words were low and desperate, and it was obvious in every atom of her body that she was aware of reaching for a last resort.
Aral wondered how long she'd been holding this in reserve, telling herself that she would save this demand for the moment it was absolutely necessary. Probably about as long as he'd been dreading having to explain to her that it was impossible.
"I'm sorry, Cordelia. He would be acquitted, and the vindication would make him impossible to deal with."
Cordelia offered him a frankly stunned look, and swayed for a moment as if she were going to fall. Then she braced herself, adjusting her grip on Miles, and said in a barely-controlled voice, "He just tried to murder a child in broad daylight, in Vorbarr Sultana, in the Imperial Residence, in our home, how can he possibly--"
Miles let out a half-cry--the I'm not sure I like this and if I don't I'll start crying for real in another twenty seconds cry--and Cordelia's words stopped on the instant. She shifted him to her other shoulder, kissing the top of his head as she did.
In a flat, resigned tone, she said, "He'd be acquitted. Tell me why."
Aral stayed where he was, just inside the door, observing Cordelia from a safe distance. "Bothari is the only witness, and an armsman can't give evidence against his liege lord: legally his is the Count. There's no other evidence, and Miles is unharmed. And even if we had a stronger case to offer, we'd have to prosecute him in the Council of Counts."
Cordelia turned her back at that, but Aral found himself continuing to explain anyway; Miles watched him with bright-eyed interest. "A significant number of the Counts would acquit him on a charge of bare-handed murder if he committed it in the middle of the Emperor's Birthday parade, just because he's General Count Piotr Vorkosigan." Miles blinked solemnly, absorbing this news, and Aral forced himself to say the rest to his son's face, to tell him the truth of his world. "Even among the ones who don't hold out that much personal loyalty, there are a meaningful number who would never rule anything but death from natural causes in the case of an infant with visible deformities."
Cordelia turned halfway, showing him her profile and hiding Miles from him. "This is the world you've brought your son into."
This is the world you've trapped me in.
Aral spread his hands in surrender, unable to summon words that weren't a doomed defense. Cordelia turned her back and began to pace again, and Aral knew he'd been dismissed. He stepped out of the room just long enough to cancel the rest of his day and then came back in to wait. Cordelia didn't speak again, but Aral knew he had to keep this vigil. This was merely a long pause for thought in their confrontation, and he did not intend to miss whatever came next.
Hold the Line
no subject