Royce's Random Thoughts

...I'm not excited by a new Bujold novel coming out. To the point that I'm wondering whether I should buy the ebook, or just wait until the paperback comes out.

For avanti_90: “A contest for mad architects”

Note: Yeah I said no fanfic requests. I reserve the right to be inconsistent.

* * *

Third Annual Dono Vorrutyer Memorial Architecture Competition

“Aral, are you all right?” Cordelia asked with concern. Her husband the Lord Regent was standing in front of the model apartment building, one of two dozen on display in the University of Vorbarr Sultana's commencement hall, his head cocked at a sharp angle as he followed the spiral from the base of the building to the... she thought it might be a vertical launch tower at the top, but it was hard to tell.

“I think I've looked at too many of these,” he admitted. “This one almost makes sense.”

“I thought the art museum design with all the plumbing mounted outside was rather clever,” she noted.

“But not practical for maintenance purposes. The whole point behind Vorrutyer's designs was that while they might have been insane to an outsider's perspective, they actually hung together and worked.”

“Yes, but how many other stadiums since the Roman Coliseum can be flooded for underwater combat competitions?”

“True, dear Captain." Aral looked around. "We should find Miles and Bothari and head back to the palace.”

“Oh, let them stay a while. Miles might be inspired.”

“So I fear...”

For sraun's prompt of "Barrayar's reaction to a Ferin trick-or-treater "

( Actually it kinda veered off from that idea. I'll try write something closer to what was asked later. )

For avanti_90 's prompt of "A post-Cryoburn drabble from a character other than the five who got drabbles in the book."

( Spoiler cut for the two people who haven't read it. )

For avanti_90 's prompt of "Daleks invading Barrayar"

"Commander Vorkosigan, what is your situation?" Gregor demanded.

"The Dalek vessels have completed crossing the new wormhole, or whatever that thing that opened up is," Aral Alexander reported across the increasingly fuzzy comm link. "The Prince Serg, Prince Xav and the Admiral Vorkosigan have all been destroyed. I'm the highest ranking officer left in the fleet, save yourself, sire."

"Can we contain them?" Gregor asked.

Aral shook his head. "Our gravitic lances cut through their shields easily enough, but there are so many of them. We can't contain them here, even if we send through the Komaar fleet, and they'll be across the system and through the Komaar wormhole in less than three hours. Sire, you must take a shuttle to your evacuation ship and get through the wormhole now."

"That is not possible. I cannot risk delaying activation of the Wormhole Disruptor. Send the courier through and tell them to go forward with the plan. We have to stop them here, before they burst through and into the Nexus. That is a direct order, Commander..." Gregor's view of Aral Alexander was disrupted as the screen turned to static and then re-ordered itself, revealing the upper torso and eyestalk of one of the strange Dalek war machines.

"THIS IS THE SUPREME COMMANDER OF THE DALEK CLEANSING FLEET!" the black hulled machine announced. "YOU WILL CEASE YOUR POINTLESS RESISTANCE AND PREPARE TO BE EXTERMINATED!"

"This is Emperor Gregor Vorbarra of the Barrayaran Empire," Gregor said to it coolly. "We Barrayarans have been invaded by a better class of conqueror than you. You will have not have an easy victory handed to you." He turned, to his comm officer. "Pour everything you have into a signal to the wormhole courier. Tell them to activate the Disruptor."

"Aye, sire," the comm officer replied. He turned to his display screen. "Sire, a new signal is coming through!"

A new image appeared on the war room's main screen, wiping out the image of the Supreme Commander. It was the interior of what appeared to be a large CinC room aboard a starship. A Cetagandan, his face painted in the colors of the Cetagandan Emperor, stood beside Count Auditor Miles, who leaned forward on his cane, a familiar grin on his face. Standing a step behind them was a very odd looking civilian, tall and gangly, dressed in a tweed suit and casual running shoes.

"Ghem Admiral Benin to Emperor Gregor Vorbarra. On behalf of his most Supreme Majesty, the Emperor Fletcher Giaja, I bring the forces of Cetagandan, to help in your defense of what we now realize is a mutual threat," the Cetagandan announced.

"Accepted," Gregor said immediately, tabling the massive political/military problem of Cetagandans in Barrayaran space for the moment. "Count Auditor, I'll be requesting an explanation later, on the assumption we all survive."

In apology for my utter failure to complete avanti_90 's prompt of "Aral Vorkosigan meets River Song" may I offer philomytha 's brilliant riff off the same idea.

It's just not enough to carry a big stick. You've got to learn to speak softly too. So who do you think is best equipped to get their point of view across to their opponent?

Note One: Yes, I know some of these people aren't officially ambassadors, but many of their duties involve getting their point across without violence.

Note Two: Please bear in mind Captain Sheridan is not allowed to use a nuke in his arguments. Three times was enough.

[Poll #1716651]