A Conversation With Lacroix
by Cousin Tok, with input from Cousin Tser
Place:  CERK
Time:  Saturday, July 14th, morning
After the Vaq's attack


Two heads of Cerberus sat in the Salon, trying to relax after a distressing
morning. Tok was still recovering from the attack by the Vaqueras that
morning.  (Or had it just been a bad dream?)

A shadow darkened the door of the Salon.  They glanced over to see Lacroix
-- well, Lacroix's body anyway -- and decided to keep a low profile.  Tok,
for one, had had quite enough of Nick-angst.  How did the Knighties put up
with it?

Then he strode toward them.  Tok and Tser exchanged looks.  Was he still
Nick, or --?

"It is time for a briefing.  What has been happening here while Nicholas
was in possession of my body?"  He fixed them with a very un-Nickish glare.

"He's back again," Tok commented, clinking her can of Diet Pepsi to Tser's
Stewart's Key Lime soda in celebration.  Then they realized that *Lacroix*
was glaring at them, waiting expectantly for a report.  He pulled over the
nearest chair and sat gracefully, never lessening the powerful glare.

"Let's see ...," Tok began.  "The switch happened during our Cousinly
meeting Wednesday night."

"How much of that do you remember?" Tser asked him, thinking of Jess'
credit card report.

"The last moment I recall clearly is the discussion of *tofu souvlaki*"  He
shuddered at the memory.

<Shelley and Arletta will be relieved>, Tok thought to herself.  "Nick ran
out of the meeting pretty quick," she said aloud.  "I think he was
unprepared for the souvlaki effect.  But he did go on the air later ..."

"He actually did pretty well," Tser added.  "I can pull the tape for you
later, if you'd like."  Lacroix waved his hand, dismissing the idea until
later.  "I had Celeste take him on a tour of CERK.  He was, um, quite
impressed with the dungeon."  She grinned.

"The FoDs attacked us and turned the furniture in the living quarters
*plaid*," Tok marvelled.  "Upholstery is one thing, but I would really like
to know how they managed the painting."  She shook her head.

"The Vaqs attacked us just a little while ago," Tok told him, cringing
inwardly.  "I think," she whispered to herself.

Lacroix nodded, taking it all in.

"Sir, what happened with the Knighties?" Tser asked.  "Do they know
anything about the switches?"

"They had a theory about a magnetic shield, which is apparently quite
incorrect, as I am myself again."  He sighed wearily.  "Make a note to
repay them for all the *kindness* they showed me while I was their guest."

Tok and Tser exchanged glances again.  They didn't really need the details;
Lacroix didn't look in the mood to explain right now anyway.  Tok took the
opportunity to take another swig of Diet Pepsi.

"Despite getting repeatedly smothered in all too cheerful Knighties, it was
still more desirable than the kiss I received as Vachon from Screed."

Tser mopped Diet Pepsi from her face after Tok's spit-take.  "Excuse me?"

"Screed *kissed* Vachon!?" Tok exclaimed in disbelief.

Tser looked thoughtful.  "Wow," she said simply.

Having planted the seed, Lacroix took his leave and retreated to his
penthouse.  He knew the two heads of Cerberus would come up with a creative
way to use this knowledge.  It mattered little whether they believed it was
truly Screed or another's personality in control at the time.

Back in the Salon, the two women put their heads together and
conferred.  "We could always start an Internet rumor," Tok suggested.

Tser shook her head.  "That's so mundane, and besides, they get out of
control way too easily.  It needs to be something visual."

"Massaged artwork?  It does seem to be a theme this War," Tok
admitted.  "Something classical, do you think?  But who could do it?"

"We need something we can send to the Church easily."

"Not to the Ratpack?" Tok wondered.

"It's hard to distress a Ratpacker, unless you take their cheese or their
pretty shinies away from them."

"Good point."  Tok considered it a moment.  "A print is better than a
computer file.  Then we limit the annoyance factor to the Vaqs.  They
deserve it anyway."

"Let me make some calls," Tser told Tok.  "I may know someone who can help us."




Cousin Tok
and the Cousinly kitties
tokaara@mindspring.com / AIM Tokaara / ICQ 46441308