Friday Night, Labor Day Weekend, 1999
Being a Friday night in Boulder, there are parties, and since there is a Fall Festival going on Pearl Street, there is a big party at the bandshell. Creationer Jael and Matt, the Elohite of Flowers, are partying there. Arashiel, another Creationer, is off being a tease to other local denizens in other local parties, probably on the Hill.
Rook, the Malakite of War, is performing routine maintenance at his kung fu school, as he has closed it for the weekend. Humans *do* like their holidays.
Bob, a.k.a. Obedeliah, the Elohite of Creation (do we notice a preponderance of Creationers around here or what?), is busy tending bar at Jose Muldoons, a job he has performed regularly for the decade he's been in Boulder.
Arabis seeks assignment on Earth, after many years of heaven-side duty. She receives a prophecy from Gabriel herself, and shortly thereafter, Soldekai finds something for her to do. Go to Boulder. So she descends the Destiny Tether in Norlin Library and thoroughly startles poor Giles, the Cherub Seneschal, who was not expecting a Wheel of Fire to come orbiting into his living room on a quiet evening. Arabis, being unused to earthly customs since 1910, found our unassuming British-sounding Cherub to be, well, rather mystifying. And the STUFF. He had things she'd never seen...like the light switches, the light bulbs, the phone. Being one to keep his finger on the pulse of peaceful Boulder, Giles asked her for her mission parameters. "I don't know. When I figure it out, I will tell no one." Good ol' Fire Ofanim. Gotta love 'em. Giles, being too British and too Destiny to take offense, simply gives Arabis the names of a few folks around Boulder --including Rook's name, with whom Arabis had worked on a couple of occasions both corporeally and celestially in the past. Upon the Ofanite's apparent recognition of the Malakite's name, Giles called his friend over top say hello.
And Rook appeared, ascertained that yes, this was Arabis, down on earth, in a female vessel (what is the world coming to?) and, it not being Chess Night with Giles, vanished promptly. Poor bemused Giles ("These two are friends? Could have fooled *me*.") then agreed to leave a window open for Arabis, and she traded vessels to wear her customary raven. Off to look around Boulder. So what if it's night.
So there's our Bob, being unnoticeably Elohim, tending bar. A guy comes in, good looking young man with a long brown ponytail, and settles in at the edge of the bar. Upon making eye contact, Bob realizes that it's Eli, whom he hasn't seen since his redemption some ten or fifteen years ago. Eli placed him in Boulder and said 'lay low,' and so he has... And there Eli is, drinking Fat Tire and waiting for Bob to get off-shift. The off-shift thing happens on time for once...Archangels bring their own small miracles. And Eli says, "Bob, you know, when I said 'lay low' I didn't think you'd take me so literally..." The first of what may become a lecture series on Why Angels Are Never Alone ensues, and Bob promises to contact the other Creationers (both Cherubim...coincidence? I think not) in town the next day. Eli needs Bob to be visible, now, and intimates that Bob will be needed pretty soon, for something. Archangelic prerogative, to rip a perfectly content angel from his perfectly relaxed life. Eli also mentions Hearts (Bob: "I have a Heart? Where?" Eli: "In Heaven. Halls of Creation. Um...under a comic book, I think.") and suggest visiting his at some point -- with an escort, since he's never seen the heaven to which he redeemed. Eli also suggested that Bob not go through Denver alone. Now, Eli knows that Elohim don't express emotions, but they feel them, and apparently Bob hasn't had any good celestial interactions in a while...so they go back to Bob's place and reconnect to the Symphony the way Creationers do, sometimes. With all their beings. So redemptions happen, and reunions.
Saturday, September 4
Were our angels getting bored? Surely not. They avoid the many hangovers that plague Boulder this morning, but get new headaches anyway.
Rook receives a phone call from the Sword Tether in Colorado Springs. Laban-Lael, the Malakite Seneschal there, has need of Rook and any other angels he can muster. Being a cruel fellow, Rook does not inform the Seneschal that Boulder is full of Creation and Flowers and lately one loony Gabrielite. No sense in upsetting a Choirmate unnecessarily. Rook called the ever-reliable Giles, who agreed to contact Arabis and send her to the Painted Pot, the pottery store/school/crafty place where both Jael and Arashiel live, and where Matt can be found many mornings. Rook headed down to the Painted Pot.
Arabis has discovered cars. They go *fast.* She very nearly causes accidents in her need to see them more closely...because many drivers get nervous when being strafed by a really big raven. Giles sent her a Celestial Song of Tongues message, and she reluctantly abandoned the tormenting of cars to meet the rest of the angelic population at the Painted Pot.
And meanwhile, back at our pottery shop... The phone rings. This is always an ominous event. Jael, all unwitting, and carrying an unfired pot (luckily of her own creation, and not a student's) picks up the ringing thing. It is...yes, Bob. She knows Bob, casually, who with Elohite stealth has already identified the Cherub for what she is (and identified Arashiel and Matt, too, the little stinker). Jael thinks he is a 'nice guy.' He saws, with no preamble whatsoever, "Eli said I should call you." The pot is dropped and makes many small shards on the floor. A Cherub butt hits the chair. Arashiel, seeing only her sister having a bout of clumsiness, retrieves a broom. Bob proceeds to come on over and arrive on the doorstep. Matt, who predictably has already been about this morning, comes down from the shower (sleeping in flowerbeds is terribly pleasant, but also rather dirty) and sees a shocked Jael, and sweeping Arashiel, and this Bob guy standing in the shop. Resonate. Zot. Matt went off to make coffee, as poor Jael obviously needed it. Bob, more successful with his resonance, ascertains that Jael is in a state of high distress because she did not know about Bob for all these years, and until Arashiel arrived she missed the company of Creationers...Jael is lonely, and misses Eli, and is hurt that he didn't come to see her, either.
Then Rook arrives. Would all these lovely angels be interested in helping the Sword out? The helpful angels all agree to this. Then Arabis arrives, and also agrees, and Rook leaves and promises to return on the morrow with a vehicle to transport everyone. Then our raven goes hopping off to explore: there are pots, many unfinished, some glazed pieces lying about, paint and brushes and stairs and...exit nosy raven, right on up the stairs. Hop, hop.
Jael is more nonplussed than usual by Rook's abrupt behavior, but what can you do? Bob, now -- Bob is a conundrum. Why has he been hiding? There are no demons in Boulder! Bob, trusting Eli, confides that he would like to go up and see his Heart. His Heart? He hasn't seen his Heart? This puts a new spin on things. Clearly he was not Eli-made, or he would know where it was and have seen it already. Everyone -- the two Creationers and Matt -- all digested this for a moment. OK, cool. Jael says "You need Heart time" like she's prescribing drugs for depression (maybe she is), and Bob admits that he had rather Rook not know as Rook 'makes him nervous.' Jael was confused, but then got the 'duh' look -- Malakim have a certain reputation on the Other Side, yes.
Then Matt piped up: "Big bad Thor makes you nervous, huh?" Jael most Cherubically jumps to Rook's defense. Is Matt was jealous? "Išve been watching him ever since he came to Boulder fifteen years ago. Hešs not had *one* date. He's a celibate celestial!" The Flower Power is appalled; *he* has not been celibate, after all. "He must be very lonely," Bob observes, also not celibate but still calm about it. "Well, he *does* have his school," Matt snipes in mild Elohite fashion. Poor Jael (why must all bad things happen in MY SHOP?) called him down on this display of attitude, Matt conceded that Rook always kept his students in line and had a nice garden (which, incidentally, Matt maintains). "It's just that his French accent and Chinese words sound so strange together!" Jael, all exasperation at this point, ended the discussion. Who knows what gets into Elohim?
Arabis came back down, requested an open window from Jael for easy coming and going, and flew away. Too long in one place! Ofanite stress.
Matt went off to take care of the Pearl Street flora.
The Creationers went Upstairs; Bob learned he could ascend directly to his Heart, which, as promised, was under an old vintage comic in Eli's own chambers (all the Star Wars figures! Whoa.) He also discovered his celestial form, pale and flawless and absolutely devoid of the old mutilations of a Punisher. His companions are unusual, too -- Jael is a dragon-Cherub, jeweled and glittering and bright, and Arashiel is a kirin, and both have no living reflections in the material world. Old Cherubim. Short tour of heaven...oooh, pretty.
Sunday, September 5
Rook arrives with promised van at the precise instant he said he would, ready but not necessarily eager to go. Matt brought coffee for those who indulge in such things, and the angels are off for Colorado Springs. Rook drives *precisely* the speed limit. Arabis spends her time literally perched on his shoulder, trying to figure out how the car (mmm, fast, mmm, good) works. Upon a very early arrival in the Springs, Rook drove his passengers around and pointed out known Tethers...way too many for comfort, actually.
Upon arrival at the Tether, Laban-Lael discovers the depths of Rook's cruelty -- Creationers! Flowers! A Gabrielite! The horror! He doesn't flinch, since that would not be honorable, and explains why he needed the help in the first place. The Sword recently launched a sting on Factions, and lost a pair of vessels and a human Soldier. While this is perfectly normal, and the appropriate paperwork was filed...it seems the Soldier, John Eason, has a daughter getting married in a week, and somehow Laurence found out and wants to come down and be honorable and give the girl away. Laban-Lael is rather shorthanded at the moment, and needs a little recon help. He absolutely does not want any hitches in this wedding, from Factions looking for revenge or *anything.* Most especially, he is concerned because Elizabeth Eason is not religious and has no church wedding planned...which may look bad to the Archangel patron of Christianity, mightn't it, if he is attending this wedding?
Bob, displaying the first survival instincts of paranoia, resonated the Laban-Lael. The over-riding emotion: " Thank God for Rook being here among these others." Not encouraging. Bob does not have his feelings hurt, as he is a proper Elohite.
So plans are made (involving suspicious and paranoid Elohim and conspiracy theories and practical Malakim who see no conspiracies anywhere), and Arabis and Arashiel (who has a dog vessel besides her human one) go off to check out the house where the girl lives with her mother. Rook and Bob head Upstairs to talk to the Sword's Filing Department. Rook is clearly humoring Bob. The Seraph in charge of Filing (rather impatiently) tolerates and answers the questions as to who/why/how such a mistake in filing could have been made. Apparently Nachmiel, an Ofanite, and Sabiel, a reliever, had made clerical errors and the attack report had ended up with John's personal dossier on Laurence's desk. Rook, having humored Bob, goes back down with him to check on the others' progress.
Arabis and Arashiel, in the meantime, See Nothing. The do manage to upset the Easons' dog. Upon the arrival of the Bob/Rook duo, Bob immediately spots a car parked halfway up the street. So Bob 'walks' Arashiel, and tries to resonate on the car's driver, and cannot. Rook also failed a resonate, and everyone left disgruntled except Rook.
Another conference: the Elohim are still worried about conspiracies -- a Demon Prince, perhaps, setting this up to get Laurence. Rook and Jael didn't quite think so. Nevertheless, a bit of digging at the library revealed the wedding bans had been published, and Elizabeth's fiancee was one Perry Urquhart. The wedding was to be in celestially neutral Memorial Park.
That settled, Arabis flew back to the Eason house to watch through the night. She noticed a maroon car watching this time, and saw it alternate with the black one several times. On one resonance check, she learned the driver was not cruel. And so she chose to follow the car when it left...