What Post Is This?  What Body Is This?  What War Is This?  (03/03)
Date/Time: Sat, July 14; Afternoon
By Knighties Katrinka and Brooksie
All Knighties used by permission
___________________________________

Nick Knight looked at the group of Knighties gathered in the Loft. "Is
everyone here?"

"Yes, we're all here." Eowyn said.

Nick scrutinized the faces. "Brooksie isn't here. Where is she?"

"It's her shift to woman the security station."

"Get her!"

"Someone has to watch the Loft," mumbled Kat.

"Someone does have to be there, Nick." Nancy echoed. "Another faction could
try and invade the Loft!  We can't just leave our front door open."

"I know, but this is serious.  I need everyone - including Brooksie."

"I'll get her," Marla volunteered.

Nick began to pace in front of the gargoyle-enhanced fireplace mantle.  Nick
was anxious and angsty.

A few moments passed until Marla and Brooksie joined the group.  "Here we
are."

Nick stopped pacing, and leaned against the mantle. "I learned something new
while in LaCroix's body. Something that puts your lives in danger."

"What did you learn?" Eowyn asked.

"There is a new enemy: the vampire that sired Divia."

"Isn't he dead?" Marla asked.

Nick looked at her. "Well he is the Ancient One, and much too powerful a
vampire to stay dead, it appears.  Somehow he has been reanimated.  And he
is angry because his daughter has been killed. Very angry."

"But, that was years ago," said a lurker from the back.

"When you're immortal, a few years is only a blink of an eye."

Nick swept his gaze across all his assembled faction members.  They sat
silently watching him.  Waiting for him to speak.  But instead his eyes
turned blank for a moment as a flashback overcame him.

Mindy pulled him back. "He's threatened us, Nick, hasn’t he?" she guessed.

"He's out for vengeance against LaCroix and his line, and he doesn't care
who he hurts.  I thought it best to tell you about him." Nick looked the
group over, and then went into the details of the Ancient One’s actions the
night before.

When he was done, there was silence in the Loft.  It was after all a pretty
incredible story.  Some of the more adventurous Knighties were almost
wishing that they had crashed the party.  Almost.

"If anyone wants to leave," Nick said, "No one," he looked around
meaningfully, "will hold it against you. Your airfare home is already paid
for and you will get safe transport to the airport."

"What else do you know about this threat?" Brooksie spoke up.

"That we must work for a cure as soon as possible.  Do you remember how
powerful Divia was?  The one who made her is four hundred times more of a
threat." Nick paused. "If it were only up to me, I would send you home.  But
I know the Knighties.  It has to be your choice."

"Can we take a vote?" Katrinka asked.

"That would be a good idea." Nick agreed.

Katrinka, the ever-resourceful teacher, retrieved her pad of paper and a box
of number 2 pencils from the kitchen table.  She ripped up the paper into
smaller pieces and gave the pieces and pencils to Jenn and Marla to pass
out.

Kat said, "We need something to put the votes in.  Brooksie get the
spaghetti pot, please."

"Okay, everyone has two choices, stay or go." Katrinka explained.  Brooksie
handed her the spaghetti pot.  "Write your answer on the piece of paper,
fold it in half, and put it in the pot."

The Knighties wrote on the notes, folded them and put them in the pot that
Katrinka carried around.

"Kat, you need to vote." Nick pointed out.

The leader wrote her answer on her paper and put it in the pot. "Can you
count the votes, Nick?"

"Of course," he replied.

Kat set the pot on the coffee table and Nick took out the first piece of
paper. "Stay," he read.  As he took out vote after vote, they all read
"Stay".  The next to the last was taken out. "Go".  The Knighties were
silent, but Nick fastened his eyes on the pot, not wanting to identify the
person whose heart beat has suddenly quickened when he read that last one.
With one final vote to read, he pulled it out and read, "Stay."

The Knighties let out their collective breaths in a big sigh.

Nick looked around the room. "Almost everyone has decided to stay. Whomever
said, "Go", my offer still stands."

A Knightie, who was sitting on the stairs, began to cry. "I know I said go,
but I can't leave!"

"Then it's unanimous. The Knighties will stay." Said Kat, and everyone let
out a cheer.

Nick looked at the group again and smiled thinly. "We need to protect the
Loft."

"It is protected," Nancy said, "with The Faraday Shield."

"This vampire can go through walls, Nancy.  I think your shield needs some
back up.  Besides he is an ancient - someone with mystical powers.  We may
need magic to help us."  He turned to the acting Knightie leader.

"Kat, you're of Romany blood, do you have any ideas?"

"I could put salt in every corner," she suggested.  "My grandmother swore by
it." The woman said firmly. "I'll also wear red.  It's supposed to keep the
evil out."

All the Knighties started talking at once to each other about the red
clothes they had or could lend out.

Nick nodded. "If any of you have religious pendants, wear them," he said
over the din, "We have to be safe."

"Wasn't the Ancient One held in a crypt by a picture of the sun?" another
lurker asked.

"Not exactly," said Nancy.  "It was the image of Ra, the sun god that held
him there."  Nick nodded his head in agreement.

Brooksie looked around the Loft at all the various paintings of the sun that
Nick had done.  Some were black, some were yellow.  "Well, it couldn't hurt
to have all of your sun paintings retrieved from the storage room, Nick,"
she said.  "After all, it could have been that painting that you fell on
after Divia attacked you that might have prevented you from dying back
then."

Nick shuddered at the memory.   "No.  It couldn't hurt," he said quietly.

"What if you switch bodies again?" asked Marla.

"You must watch me very closely.  It might seem that I am someone you know,
but I might be the enemy."  Nick said firmly.

"But above all.  Don't give my body any more hot sauce!  Please?"

******* END Part 03/03 *********