Skating on Thin Ice

Chapter 11: The New Normal

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, Caffrey," Diana said, turning to face him and not looking in the least remorseful. "Despite this charming cartoon, Christie and I won't reprise our costumes at Tac-Con this year."

Neal figured she probably wouldn't, but he'd been on a high all week and had decided to aim for the sky. With Diana and Jones now working at Win-Win, he no longer needed to depend on parties or festivals to stay in touch.

A new normal had quickly settled at Win-Win. Much reminded him of White Collar. Jones and Peter continued to be buried in far too many reports and spreadsheets for Neal's taste. Diana continued to make snarky comments about his cartoons while insisting they were the only reason she'd agreed to accept Sara's offer.

He knew better, though. The purrs Sara made about having Diana as her co-leader kept him purring too. This was the first weekend in far too long that Sara wouldn't be away on a case. The frenetic pace that had characterized the final quarter of 2006 was finally easing.

This past week he'd doodled cartoons of Win-Win staff in sci-fi costumes to drum up interest in the convention this weekend. With one notable exception, the response had been less than enthusiastic.

"Weren't you tempted when you heard Travis and Jones practicing Klingon in the lounge?" he asked. "They were so impressive Anna has agreed to dress as a Klingon."

"Why is it that nerds are attracted to Klingons?" Diana challenged. "If I were to go as anyone, I would be a wizard like my character in Arkham Files. Perhaps next year I will, but this weekend Christie and I are going skiing. What costume will Sara wear?"

"She along with Keiko, Janet, and Angela are repeating their Bajoran looks from two years ago. El will be Bajoran too. Their dates will be a fine group of Vulcans."

Diana shook her head. "I don't picture you as a Vulcan."

"I'm not wearing a costume because I'll be on the Yellowface panel discussion group, but Peter doesn't have that excuse. He'll be a Vulcan."

Diana's mouth dropped. "He's wearing a costume? How did you get him to agree?"

Neal enjoyed her astonishment and decided to play it out a little longer. "He's not the only one."

"Travis, of course."

"That's a given, but Michael will also be a Vulcan."

Diana narrowed her eyes. "Did they decide to turn the convention into a Vulcan love fest?"

"Not exactly. The entire telescope class is going to Tac-Con as a field trip. Richard, Janet, and Angela offered to help with costumes and makeup. They let the group vote on which species to go as, and is it any wonder they picked Vulcans? Ever since Travis wore a Vulcan costume at the first astro camp, they're convinced he actually is one."

Diana chuckled. "I can see it now. Richard's been working his fingers to the bone making mini-Vulcan ears."

"Just about. There are twenty-five in the class. Keeping track of them in a bustling convention is no easy task. Peter and Travis roped in the others to help."

"Now I wish I were attending. Seeing Peter as a Vulcan is something not to be missed."

"Don't worry. I intend to take plenty of photos. Travis offered to make a video of the presentation." El reported that Peter had been unusually easy to persuade. Was Baby Burke already having an effect? Or was it a side effect produced by the euphoria of having Jones on his team?

The Yellowface presentation was scheduled for late morning. Aidan, the lead developer, would chair the panel discussion. Mozzie, using his scriptwriter persona of Walter Ellis, would speak on the script. Richard was tagged for creature creation, Neal for set design, and Keiko for the damselflies that were added after the initial short. Her cousin Toma, who worked at the Japanese company producing Yellowface, was scheduled to speak on the upcoming Yellowface vs. Godzilla movie. A teaser trailer would be released at the convention.