Sunday, September 26, 1999
Rook and Jael are on the way to Colorado Springs. Matt is doing research Heavenside. Arabis and Arashiel are at the Tether with Giles, until Arashiel exercises her Creationer right to change her mind and leave. So Arabis starts picking Giles' brains about Rocky Flats and Daspit. And while they are so innocently chatting -- the Tether announces a visitor. Or three. It's a Triad!
You can really feel the love in the room, too. What a happy, loving look the Ofanite is wearing. And has the Seneschal eaten a bad tea-cake?
Our Triad for today: Bazkiel, the Seraph female, Rumiel, the Cherub lad and Sethariel, the Elohite gentlemen.
Naturally, they begin with Arabis. She has a record. Clearly, she is guilty. The usual pleasantries (name, rank, accomplices...) are dispensed. And now: where have you all been, naughty angels, hmm?
"In the Marches, unraveling the Tapestry."
Consternation. There are Judgement mutters and hand gestures, and much scribbling on the magic Judgement notepad. The Elohite alone looks impassive.
Arabis: "But you don't need to worry about it now . . . it's all done." Is that... smugness we hear in her dulcet tones?
Seraphim can choke on their tongues. See? "Unraveled it? In the Far Marches?"
Innocent blinking. "I think . . . it was sort of over several miles and not exactly anywhere. And how did I reach the Far Marches? We ascended to the volcano and proceeded. We passed the Guardians through some sneaking and some dumb luck. Yes, I was aware of the nature of the Tapestry . . . that's why we unraveled it. I knew it was a repository and that angels are forbidden to associate with Ethereals. We could argue about Œassociation,' but I will answer the spirit of the thing. I believe it was the right thing to do. Absolutely."
No more choking. The Seraph is back in control. The Cherub, however, is collecting flies. Arabis continues with her tale -- the Tsayadim, demons, dissonance, the unnamed Ethereal (Arabis does not want heavenly revenge descending on Sekmet... noble Arabis.) And our Ofanite adds: "I am aware that I transgressed a law but that has nothing to do with I agree with the law in the first place. I feel that there are greater duties that sometimes supersede these. Gabriel sent me on this mission and within those parameters, protecting the Tapestry involved unraveling it. Yes, I have seen Eli interacting with us a number of times."
One suspects Arabis is getting written up again. She has a *fat* folder in the Halls of Judgement. This is not helped by her refusal to name Irad -- because, you see, Malakim were killed outside the Yellowstone tether, by a dragon that was clearly not Jael. Arabis claims it's not her secret to tell, and leaves it at that.
Then the Cherub goes back upstairs and the other pair head out into Boulder.
Meanwhile, in the Library, Matt is diligently researching things. Brave, bored Matt, assisted by a parakeet reliever. And he hears, behind a stack, some voices...
"They've got it. They took care of it. Way out there. They are certainly aware of it. He has to be aware of it by now. I'll have to check on our orders . . . but we have to reacquire that last one."
Ominous. Matt slips into sleuth mode, and goes off to tell Novalis he thinks the problems are not over.
Rook and Jael are spying on the Urquharts again. Only Elizabeth is home, and the resonance appears to be broken today. Bummer. But Perry... Perry is over there, his car some blocks away, among many other cars in front of one rather overstuffed house. Party? Nope. Bible study. How fun. Rook resonates, and reveals a new and improved Perry, who has saved someone from going too far astray from God's path, maintained a spotless record as a chapter house leader and faithfully followed the words of his superiors, without deviation.
Rook is pleased.
Jael and Rook head back to Boulder... and just by chance happen to notice Sean's car (well, his brother's car, but there are no Seraphim here!) in a parking lot. A convenient stop light ensures that our angels get to see Sean himself leaving the restaurant... with a woman... with Victoria Strassen. Rook (who is a sparrow at this time, and has been, lest we think otherwise) immediately flies to the car. Jael thinks this is ill-advised, but she does as he asks and holds her piece. When the car pulls out and drives to a movie theatre, Jael follows and parks nearby -- but she has time to fire off a call to Arashiel in the meanwhile, and let her know what's up.
Rook-sparrow returns to the car, and there is the predictable discussion about the ethics of killing humans, even Soldiers; and about free will and Shedim. They settle on a kidnapping -- Rook has some questions. And a useful resonance, as happens. Ping Vic and see: she aspires to be the greatest sorcerer in the history of the universe, and she has the potential to do it. She also has the potential to leave Hell's service.
So the angels follow her as Sean drops her off at her apartment. Rook infiltrates celestially and nabs her. Rook calls the War Tether, and asks for investigation of her domicile. Then it's back to Boulder, calling Giles en route, to advise him they're bringing an unwilling guest.
And yet another meanwhile: Irad has come to the Painted Pot. Arashiel is home. Amazing who she will invite inside, eh?
Irad admits to killing the Laurencian Malakim at the Tether to Animals. Arashiel is not particularly upset about that. She briefs him on what he missed in the Marches (no way to get there, poor Habbie, and a little concerned about being where Beleth can see him, in any case). And he tells her -- hey, broke my Heart, I'm a Renegade now. Arashiel wants him to go to the Far Marches and rejoin the Ethereals, but he is reticent to do so. But Irad, bundle of happy thoughts that he is, refuses -- and points out that the Game will be coming for him and for his angelic associates.
Bah. Arashiel cannot be worried about mere *demons*. No, Arashiel is far more worried about Rook's doings with Ethereals.
Arashiel: "Rook has mentioned a person named Wayland. Why might one such as Wayland suggest that owed a debt to a Malakite? I thought you might be able to help me. Rook was seeking to discard some bracelets and he encountered Wayland and had a straightforward conversation about the bracelet, they could not I suspect, and Rook went on."
Irad: "Wayland may believe he has received something of value for which he must render payment."
"He said only that Rook had been through and that was it, that he had not been able to provide Rook what he wanted."
"Wayland is faerie folk . . . they have an odd sense of honor. But they hate to be in debt."
"What could Rook have given him. He had nothing."
"Information? A promise? I don't know . . . what is your Malakite likely to do? I have only seen him brooding, morose and grouchy."
Arashiel thinks and comes upon the issue of names. "He asked me for my name and I would not give it to him. Names are important to them."
"Exceptionally so. Did Rook give his name?"
"Probably. Rook would have been direct."
"Were I Wayland, with an angel's name . . . you should never tell your name to one of them. If he has Rook's true name he has power over Rook."
"So he has to do a favor so he can exercise that power?"
Blink. (Irad. o O I know bloody dragons, dammit... ) "I don't know."
Arashiel prepares to go look up such things in the public library. On the way out, she spots a pair of official types heading her way. She promptly sneaks out the back of the Painted Pot.
Matt descends the Tether at last, and begins telling everyone he knows about what he has heard Topside. Matt thinks the voices he overheard belonged to Tsayadim -- though Giles would like to point out that Uriel is presumably too far away to be reached by any servitors at this point. Still, disturbing... Arashiel is called, and promises she will come there shortly. She is bringing Irad, of course.
Giles is a *patient* Seneschal. See? He just got the phone call from Jael and Rook, and now he can prepare a holding cell. Like he has a holding cell. Sheesh.
Arashiel arrives with the Renegade in tow, and asks Giles if she can bring him in. Of course she can. Matt is pleased to see another potential angel -- I mean, he's a Renegade, but that's like *halfway* to redemption, right? Arashiel for once is a bit more realistic about Irad's chances for redemption... as in, ah, probably not anytime soon, no. And he thinks he is an angel, anyway.
Now Giles and Matt reveal the presence of the Triad in town -- and how one member went back upstairs. "Argh!" wails Arashiel, realizing who she saw outside the Painted Pot. "Sometimes triangles have two sides."
Arabis, who has had no luck whatsoever at Rocky Flats today, returns to the Tether in a flutter of feathers, and adds her own Triad report to the conversational mix.
Then Arashiel makes her grand report on Wayland to the rest of the angels. There is some consternation.
And speaking of the Malakite -- here he comes with his kidnappee.
A room is prepared for questioning... Uh oh. She's still unconscious from Rook's little tap to her skull back in the Springs. Heh. We have Healing Songs. No problem. Once she is conscious, it's time to interrogate her. There is no torture, not violence - just a silent and terrified human and a persistent Rook.
The Cherubim are ticked, especially Jael -- they have issues with incarceration and humans and angels and violence. Irad points out mildly that releasing Victoria would be foolish whether or not she answers Rook's questions. "Yeah, I know that. I have a problem killing humans . . . it's a Jael thing." So there's that.
Matt's resonance reveals a human who would like a quick and painless death and is convinced she won't get it.
Rook takes a brief break from talking to Vic... before he goes back in and begins talking. About anything. Everything. In a monotone. Nonstop. Let's see how long she can stand it...
Nota bene: the GM's computer committed suicide and ate the last session's game notes -- so we are reconstructing what we can from other sources... the continuity editor apologizes...
The two-sided triangle manages, at long last, to catch up with Arashiel and Rook. Interrogation ensues, and everyone's Judgement file gets a little fatter.
Arabis has an adventure! She *finds something* -- namely, Adrienne driving a car with a bound Dinhabah in the back. And Dinhabah looks like Hell, too -- bloody and battered, like his Vessel is on its last legs, so to speak. The bindings look artifactish. And Adrienne is being very indirect about her driving path back to Boulder. But she brings our fallen companion to the Destiny Tether, where he is deposited, still unconscious, in one of Giles' remaining extra rooms.
Matt confides to Arashiel that he is sure it's Uriel still out there, Doing Bad Things (from the pro-Ethereal standpoint, in any case); Arashiel is less convinced, but does postulates that Someone of Very High Rank may be involved. Paranoia is a beautiful thing.
Daspit makes a phonecall. One warning for Rook -- let Victoria go, Malakite. Rook predictably hangs up on him mid sentence. Matt is properly appalled -- Fate means business, here. What is Rook willing to lose in order to keep Strassen? Rook does not negotiate with Hell. Period. (He gets a Malakite point from the GM for being true to character in the face of peer pressure.)
Giles, however, is losing patience with his Tether's new role as prison. Rather testily he asks Rook to relocate his interrogation. Rook complies mildly, and agrees to take Victoria back to the Springs to the War Tether. There, it is hoped, Thenaire can help -- he has a Mercurian with a Song of Charm. Rook does not want drugs used on her, however (sympathy, one suspects); Songs are fine, though.
And then there is a boom, a rather loud, Symphonic boom. Like a Calabite's resonance, maybe. And Arashiel picks up a sudden note of dissonance on the heels of the *danger dange-* heartbeat of time warning.
It's from the Painted Pot. The kiln has exploded, and Jael has been sent to her Heart. The retaliations, it seems, have moved to a new level.
Rook does not let this interrupt his planned interrogation, and goes to the Springs anyway. Duty comes before revenge. Arashiel and Irad have no such conflicts -- they go hunting. Arabis decides to go with Rook -- someone has to make sure he is OK. It's a long drive to the War Tether.
And somewhere, there is a Calabite on the loose.