(The day after the battle, Upper green)

"About the carrot?" he asked. "Triss said she thought Garoth seemed very
lonely, and she thought it was more than just his rider being injured.
Maybe they're tired of being rogues, and are ready to give it up.  I'm not
suggesting this lightly, and you'd have to clear it with Cynthia, but...what
if you offered them the chance to stay here, in return for helping us
mediate an agreement with the rogues? That might be just the thing to make
your good/bad dragon idea work."

"It might work, but only if you can get Triss to make better friends with
Garoth. I will discuss the matter with Cynthia later today."

D'arcon left Trevor and Trissana to themselves. As he left the Upper Green,
he noticed a bright green dragon heading in Trevor's direction.
---------

(D'arcon's apartment, later in the afternoon)

<Have you heard the latest rumour?> Adrian asked him.

<Don't think so.>

<Cynthia and Trevor are an item.>

D'arcon jumped out of his chair. This was indeed bad news for him.

<What?!? How is that possible? Are you sure?>

<I've heard whispers of it all over the Warren. Is there a problem?>

<Of course there is! If Trevor is seeing Cynthia, he won't have any trouble
promoting his ideas over mine. There must be a way to break the two of them
up.>

<Why not go the other way?>

<What other way?>

<Find yourself someone who can promote your ideas to Cynthia, preferably
someone whom she listens to.>

<And who would that be?> D'arcon couldn't think of anyone, who would be
suitable for such a delicate task.

<The most obvious choice is Lenna.>

<Lenna! She bites my head off every time I see her. She's not even a
consideration.>

<Then again, you've always been a glutton for punishment.> Adrian came as
close to a smirk as a dragon was physically able to.

<Well, thank you very much for that kind observation,> D'arcon said with a
frown. <Besides, she is already involved with P'ker.>

<I know, but if he was to, say, disappear, you could provide a shoulder to
cry on. Perhaps you could win her over to your side.>

<I'm not a murderer, and you know it.>

<I'm not talking murder. A message from Cynthia, telling him to go on a
mission to a far away place would do the trick. You could probably find some
stationary with her name on it in her office.>

<I'm sure I could, but we need a plan B.>

<Katrina.>

<What about her?>

<She's plan B.>

D'arcon realized he had been standing all through the conversation. He sat
down again and considered his options. Perhaps he should set both plans in
motion at the same time, in case one of them failed.

<Adrian, check with Azure to see if Katrina is free for dinner tonight. It's
time we get to know her a little better.>

(tag Kris)
---------

(Cynthia's office, early evening)

"I have something I'd like to discuss with you. Do you have a minute?"
D'arcon looked around the office, while talking to Cynthia. A small box of
stationary was sitting on top of her desk.

"Sure, what did you want to discuss?"

"You probably already know this," D'arcon said with a slight wink. "Trevor
and I have been discussing a secondary plan. Why don't we offer Garoth and
H'riol a permanent asylum in return for their help in negotiating a deal
with the rogues. This would benefit both parties, and no one needs to be
injured."

Cynthia recognized Trevor's thinking in the plan. At least D'arcon didn't
try to pass it off as his own. It was a good plan, she gave him that. While
she was considering her options, there was a knock on the door. She got up
and opened it. Meanwhile, D'arcon took two pieces of paper from the box and
hid them in his jacket.

The hallway outside was empty. The kid D'arcon had paid to knock on the door
was already long gone.

(tag Alton)
---------

[NRPG]

Barbara / Allen: You decide if you want D'arcon to pursue his plan A. It
could make for an intricate love triangle (wipe that smile of your face,
right now). If you decide against it, it's no big deal, D'arcon has more
plans in store.

John: Feel free to expand my conversation anytime.

Kind Regards,

Krister Persson <kris_mia@algonet.se>
                        <krister.persson@home.se>

SA-1 Emily Hanson, Team Tango, The X-Files RPG (XFRPG).
SA-1 Martin Reed, Team Zulu, The X-Files RPG.
D'arcon and Adrian, Cleft Warren, DragonLands PBeM RPG.
--------------
Check out my new homepage at: http://www.algonet.se/~kris_mia/

"Proceed boldly and with stealth" - Sally Solomon (3rd Rock from the Sun).