Katerina and Lady Camille Hysteria chose Club Oedipus as the ideal target for the Human Embroidery Project. They arranged a meeting with the manager through a mutual friend. Nikol Tiresias, an ample Russian-Greek man, bald and bearded, performed all the programming. Nikol had transformed a pedestrian gay bar into a daily extravaganza.
"Let's see. This is fairly daring. I'm a little worried about health codes. That hasn't stopped some of our torture shows, but it's something to be aware of. You say there will be blood."
Katerina held up her thumb and forefinger, "Just an eentsy bit."
"Ok, there will be fresh needles for each individual."
"Oh, of course." Kat and Camille gave each other the acknowledment of obviousness look. "We'll have alcohol too. Rubbing alcohol."
"Yes, I don't think a gin and tonic would qualify with the Health Department people. Which brings up the issue of cleanliness. We'll need fastidious cleaning. Two, let's keep it low-key. We'll start you out on Who Cares? Are you familiar with Who Cares?"
"Yea, that's Goth night. We go all the time." Enthused nodding.
"If this is a success and you get any wrinkles ironed out, we can kick it up to one of the fetish nights."
"Sushi on the Bed Sheets is my favorite night of the week," Katerina gushed.
"That's Friday. You'll have to jump through a few flaming hoops before you get there. The Sashimi Chef might view you as competition. Imagine if we made Sushi Night into Quilting Club? He'd be pissed, then we'd lose one of the top chefs on the coast."
"We're only trying to add to the scene, not edge anyone out," Katerina said. " We're here to bind people together."
"That sounds like a health hazard."
"Metaphorically."
"Very good. We'll see you next week."
Kat and Camille ran out of the club hugging each other.
"Success!"
"Let's go back and tell the Count and Juliette."
"They'll be so excited. We can celebrate, a little party," Camille planned.
When they got back to the apartment door, Lady Hysteria stopped Khato's hand before she put the key in the lock. "Listen."
"Are they getting it on?"
"Hear that sigh? I think so. Not that they would mind the intrusion, but we should wait for a stopping point."
Through the door, they could hear the Lord Valcourt's voice. "Cabin Boy, I think I'm going to promote you."
K and C surpressed giggles. "So nautical. Hee hee. Naughty-keel."
"I'm the boatswain, sir," Juliete warbled, panting.
"Right, then yeoman, I'm promoting you to- what do you call it- the ornament on the front of the boat?"
"The figurehead."
"Yes, spread your wings, my dear."
"They're flippers."
"Alright."
"I'm a sea turtle."
"And I'm Charles Darwin aboard the HMS Beagle."
Katerina looked at Camille. "Maybe we should come back later, it's getting scientific."