Fandom: Blake's 7

Paring: none

Rating: PG (implications, and I'd never call Blake's 7 G)

Status: New, Complete

Archive: Ask first, and I'll tell you.

Series/Sequel: No

Disclaimers: They aren't mine, they belong to BBC and Terry Nation. I made no money from them, though I really wish I did. I need it.

Summary: It's Vila's birthday, and he gets a great puzzle to try and solve.

Warnings: Nope. Well, silliness maybe.

Notes: I have to thank one person for this. Hanofer, you gave me the courage to do this and then gave me a home to put it in. I don't know what I would have done without you. Thank you, for betaing, encouraging and being really nice to this unknown, first time writer. :)

*Feedback is welcome, as is constructive criticism. Flames will be incinerated along with sender.*

It was Vila's birthday. Try as he might to deny the whole affair (and he tried very hard), there was no pretending. It was his birthday, and Blake had found out.

It wasn't that he hated birthdays, it was just that this wasn't going to be a good one. It was the first birthday that anyone would celebrate (ha ha) on board the Liberator. He was dreading the whole idea of it, being the centre of attention of a group of criminals who he really wasn't sure that he trusted yet.

Blake, he nearly trusted. He knew that Blake would do anything for his Cause, including killing all of them, and that worried him more than a bit, but, what the hell, it wasn't like he had anything else going for him.

Cally was a sweetheart. Tough, but kind. Sort of like an eclair, tough outside, soft inner. Vila snickered at the analogy as he turned onto the flight deck.

He smiled at Gan, who sat at his post. Gan, he trusted. He was loyal to a fault and would die for any of them given the choice. The only thing was, he couldn't defend himself, let alone them.

Jenna and Avon both scared the hell out of him. They were cold, efficient and ruthless. Vila tried to smile at Jenna as he passed her on the way to his room, but she ignored him. Jenna was a thug, nothing more, nothing less.

Avon was calculating. You see it behind those eyes, and in the predatory smile, sizing you up like a hunter watches its prey. He claimed not to care about any of them, and yet he was also there for them.

He really didn't know what to make of Avon.

Vila sighed, and went to bed.

Two days later, Vila sat in his room, happily tipsy and planning on getting wasted before the night was through. His gifts sat around him on the floor. All in all, it hadn't been a bad night, not bad at all.

Earlier that Night

Vila had walked onto the flight deck, surprised by the cheer. Blake stood at the lounge, surrounded by the other four. They were all smiling, open and friendly, at him! Even Avon was nearly smiling.

They had had a drink or two, before the gifts came out. Blake had given Vila a new set of tools to replace the ones damaged on their last mission. They were a good thought, but Vila suspected that they would be used in a couple of days, and had been given so that Blake wouldn't lose his lock picker.

Gan's gift was nice, but not his style really. Hardly surprising, they barely knew each other. A journal and pen, for writing in his latest exploits and techniques for lock cracking, Gan said. Vila suspected that it might disappear under his bed in a few days, never to be seen again.

Jenna's was the most typical. First she handed him a pair of socks and told him to enjoy. After a dubious look and a lot of laughing she had produced a single gold and emerald ring on a chain and hung it around his neck. She had bought it on their last trip to the surface.

The bottle of soma was his favourite though. Cally really knew what he liked. He had thrown his arms around her neck ecstatically and yelled himself silly.

Avon was still a mystery though. He had given Vila a slim slip of paper. He had been mystified by it. 'I'll see you later to give you your present then.'

They had continued to drink and cheer and be nice to each other for a while, which was a real change to the normal state of things. Vila had staggered off happily to his room, leaving Jenna and Blake to keep going. Gan had retired with one of his headaches and Cally had gone to make sure he was okay. Avon had left shortly before Vila did, going to repair some drive or computer or something.

That was how he came to be here now, with a half drunk bottle of soma. He was happy, and relaxed, and it made a nice change.

A knock at the door made him sit up and try to sober himself. "Come in."

Avon drifted in, hands behind his back. He shifted slightly uncomfortably. "Vila."

"Avon. Good to shee you. See, see."

Avon rolled his eyes slightly. "I have something for you. I thought that you'd appreciate it better than anyone else that I know." He handed over a strange, coloured cube with buttons over it. He handed it to Vila with a blush. Vila turned it around in his hands, quickly working out that it was a game. No, more than that, it was a puzzle. A very high tech and intricate puzzle.

"Do you like it? I thought that you might be able to unravel it."

Vila looked up at Avon with a smile. "Yes, I love it. I like a challenge."

Avon looked Vila in the eye and raised an eyebrow. "Do you think you can ever truly unravel it? Some puzzles can't be solved."

Vila looked back with a smile. "I dunno, all mysteries can be solved, if you're willing to put in the effort. You just have to work slowly and learn it properly."

"No one's ever put in the effort obviously, or the puzzle would be solved by now, by your rational." Avon nodded a farewell and stepped out. "I hope you do solve it, there isn't anyone else on this ship I'd rather admit defeat to."

Vila smiled, the puzzle lying on his bed, forgotten. The door closed and Vila leant back into the mattress. Yes, this was one mystery he was going to look forward to solving, and solve it he would.

He hated to leave anything so important a mystery.

BACK