This was going to be short. -_-;;

-EDG

--

"Stand away from me, Haagenti," said Andrealphus, Prince of Lust.  "The demons have watched you 
kill two of our number, and I would not have myself be a third."

Haagenti smiled, and leaned back in one of the many comfortable chairs in Andrealphus's suite.  
"Relax, Andre," he said, in a deep, soothing voice.  "I'm not going to kill you.  I'm not even 
going to hurt you unless you ask me to.  I'm here to ask you a favor."

The Prince of Lust relaxed a little.  "What's that?  A lot of favors have been asked recently, 
too."

"Why, to side with me, of course," Haagenti said, and smiled wider.  "You've never liked me, 
and I can understand that.  What reason did you have?  I'd sooner have bitten off anything you 
tried to put near me than slept with you.  But Andre..."

Haagenti stood up and began pacing.  He'd left his shoes outside, as per Andrealphus's custom, 
and was enjoying the three-inch shag carpeting beneath his feet.  "Andre, a lot has changed 
recently.  I've become less of a ravenous destroyer and more of a - oh, how can I put this?  
Well - you've been watching me.  When's the last time you actually saw me eat anything?"

Andrealphus thought on this.  Haagenti had been picked up on a freeway in the American Midwest 
with a bag of White Castle cheeseburgers, but since then...  "Over a week ago," Andre admitted.

"Right.  Do you know why that is?"

Andrealphus shook his head.  "I made a deal that day, Andre," said Haagenti.  "You'll recall 
that of the demons I devoured to take my seat as Prince, only two were Princes themselves.  
Meserach couldn't muster the energy to resist me.  His Forces are long gone.  But *Mariel*... 
Andre, consider this - and I'll try to couch it in personal terms for you.  What if someone 
removed your pleasure-termination center - the place in your head that tells you when you're 
'all funned out'?  What if you had to keep going because you were being teased along, led to 
believe that if you slept with just *one more girl*, you'd be sated?  What if did it not 
because you wanted to - but because you *had* to?

"Mariel kept herself together in the pit of my stomach.  She obliviated everything that I ate - 
let me have just enough to keep me on the edge.  And then we found out that Vapula was 
considering Redemption, and watched California fall out from under Nybbas, and Mariel contacted 
me and told me that she knew of a way to consolidate Hell's power and prevent this kind of 
thing from happening again."

Haagenti smiled.  "It's gonna be an Old-Testament kind of Hell.  Fire and brimstone, torture 
and pain, and we're going to be right in the center of it - the Seven Sins, just like it always 
should have been.  You know how they have a Seraphim Council up top?  We'll have the First 
Circle.  Eight Princes - the Sins, and Mariel as the eighth."  His smile grew teeth.  "I only 
have to find five more candidates.  I'd hate to have to find a sixth."

Andre nodded.  "But - aside from the power, yeah, that's all nice - what's in it for me?"

Haagenti laughed.  "Imagine a world," he said, "where we didn't have the Game looking over our 
shoulder.  Where we had freedom to actually inflict our sins upon the swine, instead of dealing 
with Asmodeus's insane cold war?"

"The angels would be on us in a heartbeat."

"The angels don't have the numbers, Andre.  They kill a demon, we've got two more to replace 
him.  And we can create demons as fast as we want.  Think about it.  All of the Essence in Hell 
going right to us."

Andrealphus smiled.  "Now you're talking.  So what do I have to do to get in on this?"

Haagenti laughed.  "Just be ready, friend Haagenti.  Together, we're gonna blow this place wide 
open."

With a flourish, he turned and walked out of the room, leaving Andrealphus to consider his new 
allegiance.  Quickly, almost irritated, he kicked his shoes back on and headed out toward 
Greater Shal-Mari.  "Mariel!" he called, and she appeared from a shadow beside him.  "What have 
you found?"

"I am not your lackey to command," she growled.

"Of course not," said Haagenti, "but we are running on a tight schedule.  If we foul up at any 
point on this, the whole thing could blow up in our faces. Now, what do you have?"

"It happens," she said coldly, "that Prince Asmodeus is beginning to be suspicious."  Haagenti 
laughed.  "Enough!  He saw the tape and was not convinced.  Only after he had tortured one of 
your busboys to death was he satisfied."  She growled softly.  "He oversteps his bounds, 
Haagenti.  We should-"

"We will do nothing," he said quietly, turning into the Leroy Brown, "until the time is right.  
If Asmodeus is playing hardball, then so shall we.  Master Lucifer!" he cried, breaking into a 
grin as he broke through the beaded entryway.  "It is so good to see you, sir.  How is your 
book coming along?"

The Nemesis nodded to Haagenti.  "Fairly well," he said, "although I'm not sure I've liked the 
last few chapters."

"Oh, I'm sure it will turn out all right, sir," Haagenti said, every inch the patronizing 
butler.  "Can I get you anything?  Wine?  Cigarette?  Buffalo?"

Lucifer smiled.  "Actually, I was hoping I could have a moment of your time."

Haagenti's ichor hardened to ice.

"I think," said the Lightbringer, that we need somebody like Nybbas back in the Media slot.  
Someone with style, and panache.  Someone who's not going to let the stupid stuff get on the 
air."  He beckoned the Prince closer.  "More to the point... someone who'll proofread my book 
discreetly."

Haagenti almost laughed.  "I think that can be arranged, my lord.  Was there anything else?"

Lucifer shook his head, stood up and stowed his glasses in his breast pocket.  "That's all for 
now, Haagenti.  I know you have things to do, but would you have someone show me to the 
monorail stop?"