Chapter 10: Centauri Worship
While Ivanova didn't care much for the Centauri overlords, she had to admit: they knew how to throw parties.
And why not? War between the Earth Remnant and Minbari Federation had been averted. John Sheridan, a shining beacon of hope for the Remnant, and a scourge to the Minbari, had been captured. That and only that could have avoided the inevitable confrontation.
Then why wasn't she feeling safer? Was it simply the fact she was in a room full of Centauri? Was it simply the fact she had lost so much? Or was it something more simple then that? Was Sheridan the lifeline of the Earth Remnant?
She hoped not. That would be a disaster of unmitigated porportions. Any chances they had would be lost.
The music and dancers and noises were assailling her every sense. Lord Reefa wasn't around, which was a very nice change of pace. Reefa had come down sick with a flu only harmful to Centauri and while not fatal, would keep him down for the night. But, it was made up for the fact that Prime Minister Mollari was sitting right next to her, and on the other side of Mollari sat a bumbling moon-faced man called Vir.
Even as they continued thier delightful celebrations, Londo threw his hands back, tossing the cup of brivari he had at one of the dancers. She wasn't pretty, even by the Centauri's degradant standards. But, she felt a pang of sorrow as Mollari began shouting out at everyone.
"We all look cute!" he shouted across the room, which got an explosion of cheers, "Commander Ivanova, you are cute. I would take you in a Centauri manly way. Get back to me on that."
Ivanova certainly wasn't going to let that get in her pants.
"Vir Cotto is cute too. In an annoying way, you moon-faced assassin of joy!"
Vir looked at him with wide eyes. "I'm-I'm-I'm, sorry, Prime Minister."
"Even Reefa looks cute," Mollari slammed his fist on the table and jumped up on top of the table, holding his hands sky-high, "I hope to carve his face into the palace walls. Litterlly his face."
Ivanova didn't know whether to take this guy seriously. Mollari was a joke. A bad one at that.
"But in purple," Mollari touched the top of his chest with the tips of the fingers on both hands, his elbows raised up in the air, "I am stunning!"
And with that Mollari collapsed forward and hit the floor. Ivanova raised an eyelid. What a perverse little man.
"He's reached a spiritual estacy," Vir clapped his hands.
"He's passed out," Ivanova threw a glare at him.
"W-w-well that too," Vir said sheepishly.
A shout of "Awooo!" ran through the group. Vir stood up trembling visibly and held high his cup.
"Here's to an end-well, not an end-okay, an end," Vir stumbled along, "To the threat-some consider it a threat, I think it's quiet courageous if I say so myself-of Captain Sheridan!"
Even as everyone cheered this awkward toast, Ivanova could not help but think to herself, Threat to whom? Us or the Minbari?