Title: Solidarity
Author: Kendra
Rating: OS (on strike)
Summary: Some of the Ho's notice things aren't quite the way it should be.
Archive: ok
Disclaimer: This is nothing but for kicks, no money, no owning anything, nothing. Mistakes are probably abundant since it's late and I've been out all day and night. Thanks Ellie for the path you suggested the other night, hope this fits. Laure, some of us Ho's might need your expert mediating skills if this rave is going to happen.And Judy I couldn't help but steal one of your remarks, thanks.

R-Day and the hours are ticking:

"Anybody seen Ellie?" JenJen asked as she walked into the room and found Kendra behind the bar slicing limes at some ungodly hour of the morning...before noon.

"Haven't seen or heard from her, but granted I've been up all night slicing Lemons, pineapples, oranges, and dumping tons of cherries in those industrial sized containers over there." Kendra groaned as she waved a knife in the direction of the back corner, making Jen duck as she thought the knife was going to go flying from the other Ho's hand.

"You too, huh? I've been going non stop putting up those damned strobe lights." Jen loudly sighed as she flopped onto a barstool in the deserted room. "I don't think I ever want to see another ladder or overly helpful gladiator again. But then if that's not bad enough I get a message on my voice mail from El asking me to string lights in all the trees, can you believe it, more freakin lights?"

"Oh that's nothing..." Robin loudly interjected as she stumbled into the room, her clothes in shreds. "Have either one of you ever been mistaken for tiger food?"

"I think you need this more than me..." Kendra whistled as she slid her mega-margarita in front of Robin and watched the battered Ho empty the huge glass in one chug.

"Guess Darry and Dorotea have been so pre-occupied with their EA's that they forgot to feed the cats," Jen mused as she shook her head in disbelief.

"Well that's fine and pissy wonderful but Ellie is just going to have to live with what CDs and Records I've managed to confisca...borrow, I refuse to go looking around any more rooms for some stupid 'Hysteria' by Def leppard. I mean every time I turn around she's left another message about finding something else!"

Just then a rather weary looking Kymira walked into the bar, box of tissues in one hand, nasal spray in the other. "Is Ellie here?" She asked in a voice that sounded like a cross between Darth Vader and the Nanny.

"Nope, we were just discussing that little issue right now," Jen smirked. "And what are you doing over here, you're suppose to be sorting the Pink Banana party favors?"

"See that's the problem, seems we got way too many jars of 'motion lotion,' not enough edible undies, and you know what will happen if everybody don't get an edible undie. We have way too many handcuffs and whips and not nearly enough body paints." Ky explained with a sniffle.

"Hey, you can never have too many cuffs or whips!" Kendra loudly corrected before plopping another gummy fish in her mouth. "Now body paints I can help ya with, just go in my room and look in the closet, should be a brand new case, right under the 'Illustrated guide to Tantric Sex Positions' book." She thought aloud before all heads turned to look at her in surprise.

"Tantric sex positions?" Kymira asked in disbelief, "just what the hell is that?"

"Look, don't knock it till you've tried it," Kendra corrected as she grabbed another gummy fish from the glass of liquid she had them soaking in. "You haven't lived till you've done the position on page 132 with the General...damn he's got that move down...we're working on page.."

"I don't want to know..." Robin quickly interrupted. "And what are those stupid gummy fish soaking in anyway?" She asked as Kendra offered everybody one.

"Tequila!" Kendra brightly replied. "How bad could it be, it's exactly how they are in my margaritas, besides I had to do something to keep me awake."

"Anybody seen Ellie?" Caeryn questioned in annoyance as she noticed the gathered Ho's, who shook their heads in a resounding no, once more. "I've got to find her, seems the fire marshal says we need some stupid permit for that bon fire she has Haken and the boys building this morning. Well if anyone sees her tell her to call the man as soon as possible, I've got a ton of work to do and then on top of that I still haven't decided what to wear tonight." She quickly added with a loud sigh before disappearing.

"You know, I see a pattern here!" Jen suddenly exclaimed as she noticed Judy and Brenda bringing in cases of liquor, with Cal bringing up the rear with a pushcart.

"Yeah, me too!" Ky agreed between sneezes.

"You got that right!" Robin added. "We're doing all the work! While Ellie...while she...I don't know what she's doing, but she sure isn't helping!"

"Who isn't helping?" Judy asked as she and Brenda walked into the bar.

"Quick hide this!" Kendra whispered to Jen as she quickly handed her the glass with her spiked gummy fish. "Ahh....El that's who isn't helping," she replied as casually as possible.

"Judy and I noticed that too." Brenda mused as she sat her case on the bar. "She left me and Judy a message this morning about all these special requests for Canadian beer and stuff, said the General wanted it or something, so we had to make a second trip this morning to the Liquor Barn."

"No, the General wouldn't order that, but I have a sneaking suspicion who did." Kendra mused as Judy stepped behind the bar.

"Kendra, Kendra, Kendra, I know you've been up all night, but did you have to eat all the gummy fish?" Judy sighed as she picked up the empty bag. "You know these are imported, now we'll have to use the domestic brand."

"Sorry, guess I got carried away."

"It's alright." Judy replied before leaning against the beer tap and groaning.

"I think it's all the stress getting to us." Brenda stated as everyone nodded their heads in agreement. "I mean here we are working our butts off, no sleep, no General and Ellie's taking all the glory and hiding out...we're Ho's dammit not personal servants...and frankly I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!"

"Yeah!" Jen shouted as she suddenly jumped on top of the bar. "I say we go on strike!" She shouted with glee as Kymira hurriedly ripped off the flap of one of the cardboard cases and scrawled something on it, then handed it to JenJen. Who promptly held it over her head for all to read, in her best Norma Rae imitation.

"Girls, have you seen Ellie?" The General asked as he strode into the room, then stopped just before the gathered Ho's and glanced at Jen's sign. "STRIP? Girls you must pace yourself or you'll never survive the evening." He said with a cocky grin as Jen finally held the sign in front of her and read what Ky had scribbled.

"STRIP? No...dammit...it's suppose to say STRIKE!" Jen shouted in annoyance as she stomped her foot for emphasis. "Kymira, you're dead!" She threatened as her now giggling roommate lost it.

"Strike, that's nice girls...but have you seen Ellie, some man keeps calling my office asking about tents. He needs an answer by noon and I can't seem to find her." The General explained as he did The Stance and the Ho's wavered, with Jen, nearly falling from the bar top. "Well if you see her, give her the message," he stated before turning to leave. "Oh and girls, I think I like that 'STRIP' sign better."

"We'll keep the 'STRIP' sign for later," JenJen mused, "but for now, we're on strike! Somebody needs to go tell Julia and Jael too, last time I saw them they were supervising things with the gladiators."

"So it's official, we are now on strike until Ellie starts helping around here and makes things right!" Brenda stated before grabbing a beer and sitting at a nearby table as the others joined her in a show of solidarity.

"Strike!" The Ho's agreed one and all as they hoisted beer bottles in the air.

Meanwhile in Ellie's closet:

"Syd, you are too much!" Ellie giggled. "I mean, I love how you slap shot, but that penalty killing is mind blowing!"

"If you think that's good, wait till you get a load of my off sides!" The Hockey Hunk growled.

"Wonder how the girls are doing with the rave? Why worry, I'm sure things are progressing well...Oh Syd, that is off sides!" Ellie suddenly purred as the closet doors began to rattle on their hinges