Travisina has suggested:

Please can the June ficlets be centred on Vila? Any season, prequel, PGP, whatever - let's just have a load of Vila stories. A Man in All Seasons (of B7)!

Great idea! Ficleteers, let's do him proud!

Yes let him be the hero folks!!

I haven't had any brilliant story ideas yet this month, but here are a couple of Vila stories that I wrote for previous ficlet prompts.

Strawberry Fool
Vila hummed to himself as he beat the cream, waiting for it to thicken. The Liberator stores had enough concentrates to feed the crew for years, but there was something satisfying about preparing real food. In the delta levels, most people couldn't afford more that the standard issue concentrates, but his mum had managed to save for the occasional treat and this dessert had been a favorite of hers. The cream had become satisfyingly thick and he paused to lick the whisk (one had to check the quality of the product). Now to carefully swirl in the bright red berries. He was so engrossed in the task that he didn't hear Avon approaching behind him
“What have we here?”
Vila turned, anticipating the obvious insult. Instead Avon's tone was hopeful.
“Strawberry fool. I hope you are planning to share?”

Alpha Grade

Vila fidgeted in his seat as the teacher explained again the importance of the grading exam. Students who performed well could increase their grade, perhaps even achieving the coveted “Alpha” status. Finally the computerized voice intoned +Begin+ and the first question appeared on his screen. Hmm, not that difficult. Vila quickly keyed in his answer. The computer flashed +Correct+ and the next question appeared. Again, not a difficult one; maybe he could actually earn an increased grade. But as he continued to answer the questions, doubts began to creep in. Higher grades got more privileges and better jobs, but also more security screening. He would have a hard time explaining those lock picks to Federation security, not to mention the time he was out of the apartment using them. He had the skills to earn a comfortable living on his own terms instead of being trapped in a boring office job. Was a higher grade really worth the complications that would come with it? After a long pause, he entered a deliberately incorrect answer. For all the remaining questions, he simply made up a random answer. At the end of the exam, his grade flashed on the screen. +DELTA+ He smiled in satisfaction. No need to become an Alpha, so much easier to use his skills to relieve them of some of their surplus wealth.

Well here we go.
I’m afraid I got a bit carried away and have ended up doing a 2 parter, but it does pay homage to our favourite thief!!!!

Blake and Avon are asked to come to a Spaceport to meet up with a new rebel group...but that is the other plot thread.....




“How much longer?” Vila asked.
Gan took a deep breath, “Until Blake finishes his meeting. Meanwhile, you and I are to watch the entrance over there just in case some Federation guards come.”
“But we’re getting some strange looks just sitting here, nursing these empty glasses. That barman is getting suspicious.”
Gan sighed, “All right, just to settle your nerves, I’ll go and get a refill each. Just keep an eye on that concourse!”
Vila nodded and watched his friend weave his way through the crowd to the busy bar.

Suddenly, Vila wasn’t alone.
“Well, I’ll be blowed, if it isn’t me old mate from Earth, Vila Restal.”
Vila swallowed, trying to remember who this man was.
“Don’t remember me? Cadd. Well I remember you,” the man said. “You know, I was just saying to Jon here, ‘What we need is a top class safe breaker’ and look who I see across the crowded room?”
“Me?” Vila replied nervously.
“Yes, you.”
“I’m not exactly in that line of business now, you know?”
“So I’ve heard, but there’s a big scam going on and everything will be coming through this establishment, ‘cos the man in charge likes to take his cut.”
“He does?” Vila asked, hoping Gan would return and get him out of this predicament.
“Yes, but we are going to take all his ill-gotten gains before he even gets a chance to take his cut.. Now come on Vila, the boys are waiting...”
“The boys?”
“Well, we can’t let anyone else get into that safe, can we? And they will also make sure that the man doesn’t get a chance to sound any alarm. So come on...”
“Where to?”
Vila’s old friend sighed, “The back room! Where else?”

Gan managed to fight his way back to the now vacant table. He looked round, but Vila was nowhere to be seen.

“Gone? Where?” Jenna asked. She was sitting at the Teleport console, with Cally poised and ready to teleport down to the spaceport.
“Good question,” Gan replied. “Everyone one here denies even seeing him.”
“Well. keep looking. He can’t have gone far. As it is, we have our own problem, Blake and Avon seem to have vanished as well!”
“Will do.”
“Something’s not right,” Cally said, putting a bracelet round her wrist.
“Maybe it’s just a coincidence,” Jenna suggested.
“I hope you’re right!”

Part Two

Vila watched as the owner of this dubious establishment was knocked out, along with his two accomplices.
“Right, Vila get to work. Get this safe open.”
He did get to work and the safe was opened within seconds.
He stood back and to let his old friend and his cronies help themselves to the contents.
“See Vila, that was some con. Look at all this loot.”
Vila nodded, recognising some of the bags, then froze as his bracelet chimed.
“What was that?” Cadd asked.
“Um, that’s my friend Gan. Probably wondering where I am.”
“You’re not going to tell him?.Are you?”
“Perish the thought.”
“Good. This is great haul, Vila, maybe you should have a cut?”
Vila looked at the numerous bags on the floor, “Yes, maybe I should...”

Avon was furious.
And Blake wasn’t in any mood to argue back, his head was still pounding from the knock he’s received.
“You should have realised something was amiss as soon as we walked in that door!”
“All right Avon, so you said. But at least Cally found us.”
“Yes, after they’d taken our contribution to the rebel cause!”
“What happened?” Gan asked.
“We were ambushed,” Avon said, “And they took everything.”
Jenna looked up from the Teleport console.
“Everything?”
“Yes,” Blake replied,” Every single bag. Any news from Vila yet?”
Jenna shook her head.
“Maybe I should go down and find him?” Cally suggested, “He could be in the same predicament as you two found yourselves.”
“I’ll come with you,” Gan said.
“Wait,” Jenna hushed, “It’s Vila. He’s ready to come up.”

They all stared in disbelief as Vila materialised heavily laden down with various bags in his hands.
“Where did you get all those from?” Avon asked.
“From the safe in the back room of that bar Gan and I were waiting in.”
“So that’s where you went.”
“Didn’t have much choice really. An old friend persuaded me.”
“And I doubt if that didn’t take too much persuasion,” Blake murmured.
Vila ignored that remark, “And it’s a good job I did go along with him. There was a big con going on and all the proceeds from that con went to that back room of that bar. My old friend said I could have my share and I recognised the bags you and Avon had taken with you. so I thought, why not?”
“And the rest?” Avon asked.
“Oh just a little extra for all the trouble we all went through. You and Blake getting well and truly mugged, me being dragged off, Cally coming to the rescue...”
“We get the picture, Vila,” Avon smiled.
“Yes, thank you, Vila,” Blake enjoined.
“Oh yes” said Vila, removing yet another bag from inside his jacket, “and this, my cut of the proceeds.”
“You know, Vila,” Blake began, “you really are a genius.”
“Isn’t that what I’m always saying?”
“Frequently!" Avon replied.

Vila and Cally to the rescue!!

“What have we here?”

Oh Huggy...that's so beautiful.....

I did enjoy that one Huggy!!

Blake really needs to do a better job in choosing potential allies

But good for Vila knowing what is actually important.