Knighties: How Sugar Highs Turned Into High Fives (1/3) Date/Time: November 9, 2004; early morning Place: The Loft By: Knighties Cindy and Brooksie "I thought I told you guys not to wait up for me." Nick admonished quietly as he walked into the living room, careful not to wake the sleeping Knighties. Cindy and Brooksie looked up from the table by the kitchen. Two ice cream bowls and various topping amenities spread between them. "We weren't." Brooksie replied in a whisper. "Too much caffeine, so we decided an ice cream break might help us sleep." Cindy added as she reached for the chocolate syrup. Nick shook his head as he made his way toward them. "Some times I worry about your health as a group." Brooksie grinned. "You should know by now, Nick. We're Knighties, we're resilient." Nick looked at the assortment on the table and wrinkled his nose. "If you say so." "Glad we caught you, though. We need to talk to you about the meeting with Vachon." Brooksie replied. "I thought it was all set?" Nick asked as he sat down across from Brooksie. The Knightie leader nodded. "It is." "We were hoping you'd let one or two of us tag along." Cindy suggested. Nick shook his head. "That won't be necessary. Vachon and I have an understanding. We'll know everything that's on that treaty." "Nothing goes smoothly during a War, Nick." Brooksie argued. "We just want to be there just in case." "Alright." Nick relented as he stood. "We'll talk about it more in the morning. But only if you two put the sugar brigade away and go to bed." "It's a war." Cindy muttered. "Nobody sleeps." Nick looked at the former FoD and raised an eyebrow. "Okay, okay." Cindy grumbled, though she was already starting to feel the caffeine let down. "You go ahead Brooksie. I'll clean this up." "By the way," added Nick as he walked to the refrigerator, "Who's truck and trailer is out in the parking yard?" Brooksie and Cindy looked at each other and shrugged in unison. "We don't know," said Brooksie, "They were already here when I arrived. I can ask Nancy and Eowyn - they drove here and were the first to arrive." "OK, let me know. I can always call the plates in and see if it's been reported as stolen." Nick took his bottle and went upstairs. "Night!" ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Knighties: How Sugar Highs Turned Into High Fives (2/3) Date/Time: November 9, 2004; afternoon, around the same time as VAQS “Chain of Command” Place: The Loft and Vachon's Church By: Knighties Cindy and Brooksie The Vaq Church used by permission of the Vaqueras - thanks! Cindy was wringing her hands. She had heard that there was this awesome motorcycle parked basically unused in Nick's Loft for many - well for*ever*! But it wasn't here! It had become amazing and transcendental at the end of War11 and followed Vachon back to his Church. She wanted to cry. "I used to be a Vaquera at one point," she said to nobody in particular. "But then I became a FoD and now I am a Knightie. I really, really, wanted to ride that bike!" Eowyn called out to her. "Cindy, what are you yakking about over there in the corner?" Cindy just stood there, looking at the bare spot on the floor where the bike used to be parked. If she tilted her head just so, she thought she could still see the outline of the tires in the light coating of dust. A few Knighties were gathered around the piano. Nick had just finished playing a beautiful Etude by Chopin. thought the Knightie Senior Advisor. She walked over to Cindy. Eowyn reached out and put a hand on Cindy's shoulder. Cindy just stood there, tilting her head this way and that, back and forth. "No, no, no Cindy." Said the petite one gently. "You're not supposed to just stand there, for a proper angst you need to wrench your shoulder away from the one who offers support." Cindy looked down at the SA and raised an eyebrow. "Well, that's a little better. Put more scowl and pain though into your expression. You know - like Nick!" she encouraged. Cindy's other eyebrow ascended her forehead. "What are you talking about?" Eowyn stepped back a pace, stunned by the woman's question. The she sighed "Newbies!" under her breath and went back to stand by the piano. Nick was beginning to play some Debussy. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ As the last chords of "Clair de Lune" left through the loft, the shrill tones of Nick's telephone entered it. Brooksie was closest so she grabbed the handset. "Loft of Solitude, this is the War Leader. State your name, rank, serial number and reason for your call." There was a brief pause. Then "Uh-huh. Uh-huh. I see." She scribbled something down on a notepad. "Uh-huh. Uh-huh." Nick, of course, was the only one in the Loft who could hear the other end of the conversation. And he was smiling. The other Knighties could only wonder what was going on, between the amused Knight and the getting-redder-in-the-face- by-the-minute Knightie Leader. Brooksie hung up the phone, rather gently, and just looked at her host. "Nick, I have a message for you from your boss," was all she said before Nick burst out laughing. "Read you the riot act, eh?" He grinned. Brooksie nodded, and handed him the note. He looked at it and said, "Motor Vehicles has confirmed that the truck and trailer were stolen from someone in town at the Royal Agricultural Fair. It seems, though, that the owner has returned to his farm in, uh, southern Ontario, I'd guess by this address." He looked meaningfully at Brooksie and Eowyn, "We need to return it to him. He cancelled his stolen vehicle claim because he is so thankful for getting it back." Since Brooksie was still a little rattled, Eowyn volunteered, "I'll call him Nick. Some of us were planning on heading down there tomorrow anyway. We can drive the rig back then." Nick handed back the note to her, and started for the sliding elevator door. "Nick?" Cindy followed him. "Can I ask you a question?" He stopped and put his hand briefly on her arm and said, "Sure go ahead." Then cocked his head to listen. Cindy took a deep breath and started in the middle of her thought. "I know you didn't ride it much, but it is such a nice bike, but don't you want it back?" "Ah, I dunno, Cindy. I really don't ride it much at all - it was more hip in the 70s to ride." Cindy looked disappointed and she began to examine the floor and make little circles on the floor with the right toe of her boot. Nick took a deep breath and let it out. "Is this why you wanted to come to the Vaq church with me?" Cindy shrugged. "Yeah." Brooksie could see it was time to step in. "Nick, the bike is such a fixture in the corner of your Loft. Look even the dust motes look lost without it!" Nick smiled. "Besides," the WL continued, "we want to get a ride in your Caddy!" Nick wrinkled his brow at the new leader. "The heater isn't fixed yet" he warned. "That's OK," Brooksie said brightly, "We have gloves!" "Right then. If you're coming let's go." At the very last minute Mindy yelled, "Hey, is there room in the Caddy for me too?" Nick rolled his eyes and shook his head, not even bothering to give the obvious answer. He just kept walking. "Woo-hoo!" yelled the Knighties in unison as they grabbed their coats and followed as best they could in his wake. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Knighties: How Sugar Highs Turned Into High Fives (3/3) Date/Time: November 9, 2004; evening, follows Part 2/3 Place: The Loft and Vachon's Church By: Knighties Cindy and Brooksie The Vaq Church, Vachon, Cloud and Mo, Teri and Sizzlin' used by permission of the Vaqueras - Thanks! Nick drove the low sleek, beautiful green Caddy, into the Vaquera Church's parking lot. Cindy whistled at the display of Triumphs. There wasn't enough room for Nick to park amongst the row of gleaming bikes, so he left his car in the middle of the lot, pointing towards the truck and horse trailer parked in back. He cut the engine and turned to his passengers. "So how is this going to work, ladies?" "I'm coming with you," stated Brooksie, "And they are going to go find the bike." "Well, I need to speak with Vachon, alone, so you stay and make nice with the Vaqs. Maybe you can all talk about leather clothing!" He winked at her. Brooksie looked at him sideways. Cindy and Mindy waited until the other two had entered the Church and then Cindy got her toolbox out of the back seat. The pair crept towards a well-disguised side door, whose hinges creaked menacingly loud as Mindy opened it. Stopping on the other side, their hearts hammering in their chests, they waited to see if they had been heard. But instead of a posse of Vaqueras coming to see who was invading their church, they heard raised voices and laughter coming from the main room. Mindy stifled a sneeze. "Geez, it's dusty in here," she remarked. "It always is," Cindy replied. "Let's go this way. There's a back room down here that is sometimes used for storage. I'll bet they put the bike in there." The Knighties crept down the dark hallway, with Mindy trying desperately not to sneeze. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Nick and Brooksie entered the Church through the main door and all conversation stopped. "Knight!" Vachon called out from across the room, then continued at Nick's shoulder, "I was kind of expecting you." "I need to see the Treaty, Vachon." Nick didn't blink. Vachon turned around and looked at his Vaquera named Cloud. "Word spreads fast." Cloud shrugged and sat back down on a pew. He looked back at Nick. "Come on then." And he was gone. Nick shook his head and followed, leaving Brooksie behind with the Vaqs. "Well," she said trying to be nice, "Good to see you again, Cloud! Hey Teri, how's ole Sizzlebutt doing these days?" Teri groaned, and with that the conversation level in the church resumed its normal level. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Cindy and Mindy had found the Norton. It at least had a dustsheet thrown over it - perhaps that's why the Vaquera's had forgotten they had it. "It's not technically an attack," the Knightie leadership had assured Cindy earlier, "If they don't remember they even have the motorcycle! Still, it would be best to proceed with caution, if you know what we mean!" Cindy nodded her head. She was well versed in the art of war. "The key's still in the ignition!" said Mindy in wonderment. "Don't try to turn it on, now!" Cindy said in alarm. "It probably wouldn't work anyway. The battery is most likely dead." Motorcycles were new territory to the experienced car mechanic, but some things were just basic with combustible engines. "I've got a replacement right here." It only took a few minutes to switch them, and then the two retraced their steps, this time wheeling the Norton bike between them. They stopped at the squeaky side door. Mindy looked back into the church. "It's so cold out, I have to go!" She peered at Cindy in the gloom. "Is there a bathroom I could use here?" Cindy shook her head. "I wouldn't." "Why?" "I'll tell you later. We gotta get this thing started and leave." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* After introductions were made all around, Brooksie and Cloud and Teri started talking horses. Cloud related Mo's latest efforts at asserting his individualness, and Teri told her story about how Sizzlin' had freaked out at the horse show. "This horse show didn't happen to be at the Royal Agricultural Fair, did it?" asked Brooksie rather hesitantly. "Well, yes, it was! How did you know?" replied Teri. "Oh, nothing really. It's just that a truck and cattle trailer showed up in the parking yard at the Loft right before the war began. We're taking it back to its owner tomorrow. That's all." Cloud raised her eyebrows. "Is it nice?" "Yeah, the truck is, but the trailer is a real stock trailer, too low for horses, and definitely too low for a horse like Sizzlin'. Maybe Mo would fit!" She winked at Cloud. "Are you saying my horse is a cow?" Brooksie shook her head, "No, just vertically challenged." Teri stood up to change the subject, "Let's go outside and give Sizzlin' some carrots!" "I'm keeping my San Diego butt here," said Cloud, "It's freaking cold out there tonight!" Brooksie laughed, "See you around then!" As Teri and Brooksie left the church to walk over to the horse's pen, Brooksie noticed a side door starting to open and a glimpse of a tire peeking out. She grabbed Teri's arm and hurried past it to get to the other side of the truck. Cindy heard the voices and, as best she could, eased the door almost closed again. She could tell that Brooksie was trying to make as much noise as possible, crunching her way across the parking lot. Cindy motioned Mindy to hurry and they quickly wheeled the bike out of the door, around to the other side of the church and down a side street. "Hey, we don't have helmets," Mindy pointed out, "Is that going to cause us a problem?" Cindy shrugged. "We can try to stay on the side streets." She dug out her walkie-talkie and pushed the key for the WL's phone and then activated the talk button. On the other side of the Vaq church, Brooksie's phone chirped. "Hello?" "It's Cindy. We're on our way back to the Loft to get ready for the Hive Party." "See you there." Just as she put the phone back in her pocket, she saw Nick emerge from the church and look in her direction. "There's Nick, Teri. Sizzlin' looks good, but Cloud was right, it really is cold out tonight, and Nick's ready to leave." She gave Teri a hug, and Sizzlin' one more carrot. "Bye." Nick turned the car headlights on and Sizzlin's head came up and he started doing his drunken sailor act, distracting Teri. Because not too far away, the Norton roared to life, and Brooksie heard it drive away. She was smiling as she got into Nick's car. "Mission accomplished?" he asked her. "Yup." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Sometime later, Nick's Norton, with Cindy driving and Mindy clutching the toolbox and huddled behind, sputtered to a stop. "This can't be good," said Mindy. "I really have to go now!" Cindy sighed. She was amazed that the bike actually started, but she wondered if they would have a problem down the road. Three years was a long time for an engine not to run. She took some tools out of her toolbox and jiggled this and wiggled that. Peering at the spark plugs and into the gas tank. The aroma of gasoline almost made her gag. As she was coming up for air, she spied a Tim Horton's down the block and pointed it out to Mindy. "You can probably use their bathroom." "Well, why don't we wheel the bike down the street so it is in front of the store before I leave you all alone with it." "Sounds reasonable." So the two Knighties, once again rolled the bike along between them. When Mindy had disappeared through the doors of the doughnut shop, Cindy reflected on her former favorite character's nickname and sighed. A brief burst of cold air hit her back, and she pulled the collar of her jacket up around her ears. "Never did like Norton bikes." Came a voice 12 inches from her ears. Cindy shrieked and spun around to see the smiling face of the Slacker himself. "Ah, you, why, oh, how..." was all she could sputter. Vachon knelt down next to the Norton. "I'd forgotten it had followed me home last war. Pity. It was sort of fun riding it - but I like my Triumph!" Cindy was breathing more normally now. "It just died, and no, it's not because it ran out of gas." Vachon shrugged. "Need a lift somewhere?" he asked. Cindy's eyes popped open. "You're going to take me flying with you?" Vachon quirked his eyebrows at her, "No!" He gestured to another bike a few yards down the street. "I lift - a ride - on the back of *my* bike!" Suddenly Cindy was glad that it was dark outside, because her face was beginning to get very warm. Vachon looked into the Tim Horton's and saw Mindy standing at the counter buying something. He saw her pulled her phone out and place a call and then open the doors to walk outside. "We're at the Tim Horton's on Avenue Road... Yeah... Won't run... That would be great... See you... Bye." Mindy looked up and saw Vachon. She stopped dead in her tracks. "Cindy?" "Hey I remember you!" Vachon smiled. Mindy squirmed under his gaze. After a moment of uncomfortable silence on all their parts, Cindy spoke up. "So what's the plan, Mindy?" Mindy looked at her fellow Knightie and said, "Eowyn is going to drive that truck and trailer up here to pick us up. She's driven horse trailers enough to feel comfortable doing it." "I can wait with you till she comes," offered Vachon. "Because in a war, no bodily harm is to come to any player." He crossed his arms. "Is that because I am staying or a guarantee of safety if I leave you ladies alone, on a dark, cold Toronto street?" Cindy shook her head. "It's a Tim Horton's Vachon, you know, the favorite hang-out for cops!" "Yeah, right." He nodded. "OK. See ya! Have a nice war!" He sauntered down the street, kicked his bike into life and roared off, giving the Knighties one last wave. Mindy watched him turn a corner and looked at Cindy, "So how do you like playing with the Knighties so far?" ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ End 3/3