diff --git a/flax/kcclient b/flax/kcclient
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/flax/kcclient
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+"""send KeyboardComposer a fade request, for use from the shell"""
+
+import sys,xmlrpclib
+
+subname = sys.argv[1]
+level = float(sys.argv[2])
+fadesecs = 0
+if len(sys.argv)>3:
+    fadesecs = float(sys.argv[3])
+
+levelserver = xmlrpclib.ServerProxy("http://localhost:8050")
+
+levelserver.fadesub(subname,level,fadesecs)
+
+