September 16th, 1999-

The first order of the morning, after leaving the Board and reaching the Painted Pot with Jael, was to hear Arashiel's information on the Tapestry. She had had a visit from a Malakite who had once been intimate with Cariel, the Tapestry's creator. A Cherub, she had helped many, whether they wanted to be in there or not. She had thought her own ideas of protection better than the independent will of those around her. That certainly sounded familiar. Arashiel had not respected my wishes in regards to my trip to the Far Marches. I wonder if, as she was attuned to me, she would be judging such things for me as well.
    No matter, the information on the Tapestry was merely tantalizing in its brevity. We still had no concrete knowledge of its true purpose or use. "We still need to work on it. We must determine what it does so that we may use it or not use it, according to what we have found. But we can not simply keep it when it is the source of such contention. By the way, where is Bob?"
    I had only just realized that he had not come down. Was he no longer seeking refuge at the Painted Pot?
    "I thought he was at work," Arashiel returned.
    Jael thought this sounded odd but we did not get to discuss any further for Matt had arrived. He was particularly happy that morning, whistling his off-tune notes in no particular order and reminding me of the Penjin monkey skinners of Celebes. "I can't stay. I'm going to Adrienne's class."
    "The Lilim is still teaching?" I asked, incredulous. "There is two thirds of a game triad in town as she is going about her duties. She should cease immediately and remain in the Tether. Her safety can not be guaranteed otherwise."
    "She has a role, Rook," came the feeble retort.
    "She could take a sabbatical or something. That Role won't be of much good to her if the game gets her." As I said this I recalled nearly the same words spoken to Jael concerning Elizabeth. How angry Jael had gotten at that, when I had made a decision for one of her attunements. It was true that Elizabeth's death would have precluded deciding on the Soldier issue, and now the Lilim was making the same mistake, as far as I perceived it. But as I had learned with Jael, this was not the place to force my thoughts. The Lilim was Matt's project and I would leave her care to him. He was clearly enjoying it.
    "I'll talk to her," was all Matt offered.
    I knew what that would mean. "At any rate, we are getting ready to work on the Tapestry. It would behoove us to have Arabis here. She might have some insight." I used the cell phone and soon she had joined us. Once we were all in one place, we set our minds to the Tapestry. I had been wanting to have this kind of meeting for several days but had despaired of succeeding. Now, finally in communion on this issue, I did not think much would be accomplished. We talked and did some experiments. In their inefficacy we did learn some about the item before us. Experiments led to discussions and from there to action. We would try unraveling it on the corporeal plane.
    Ascend and thence to the Towers of Creation . . . I was not sure why, but I was soon face to steel with some truly impressive weapons. I had known that Arashiel's past included extensive time in the Far East, but I had not known that she had collected such things. Weapons from throughout the region and across many centuries. I saw some of the handiwork of artisans I had known myself. How those things brought back memories. All I did was fight, then. Battle to battle to battle, study and learn and teach. It was a simple time, really. A beautiful time in that simple clarity. How wonderful to think about . . . but the present held a different mystique, one which I felt eager to continue exploring.
    Finally drawn away from these remarkable things, we sought Jordi's Savanna and there found a unicorn. Arashiel was going to have us descend upon it en masse, but mindful of the Purity Crusades and the likelihood that a towering Malakite might well have been the last thing this creature saw, I declined. The others decided to remain behind as well and we watched as Arashiel made her way alone to speak with this spirit. While we waited, I poured my sight around the grasses that surrounded me. Forests in the distance on one side, high mountains elsewhere, low hills. It was fascinating how much could be contained in the limitless spaces of the celestial. I wondered how Jordi felt about this place. I had interacted with this particular Archangel very little in my existence, with him and his minions. I imagined that he was every bit as protective and fierce as I had heard him described.
    Once Arashiel had returned, no useful information in hoof, we found an Ofanite Servitor of Jordi who was willing to guide us in our next quest . . . ki-rin like Arashiel. To the mountains went we, Arabis and this new servitor orbiting each other in playful competitiveness, and soon we were speaking with some ki-rin that Arashiel had actually known. They knew nothing of the Tapestry or Cariel, but this line of questioning did get the interest of the Ofanite that was with it.
    "Does the Great One know of it?"
    I surmised that it spoke of the Tapestry. No doubt this would be something of great interest for that Archangel. Many of the creatures within the Tapestry, were real they to be, would have fallen under his protection. To have them restored would dramatically alter his sphere. Once this conversation was done we made our way down one of Jordi's Tethers to Yellowstone National Park. Here, the intent was to try unraveling part of the Tapestry. The success of failure of this would inform us of a great deal. We chose a small bird on the very edge. I fixed it with my vision to hold it in place. Arabis and Matt watched the skies for any counter-actions and Jael watched Cariel in the center. Arashiel began unweaving, no alarms going off in her attunements, and Jael remarked with some vigor that the previously unchanging griffin in the center --- Cariel --- had turned to look at the location Arashiel was undoing. The line of threads took on their own actions and soon unwove to reveal a roc! Big, BIG roc!
    Whoa.
    Not what we were expecting . . . size would appear to be inconsistent with this little bit of heaven. Fortunately, we had Arabis. She convinced the creature to stay and speak with us. I could tell it was not eager to do so, or to have me in its presence any longer than it would take to bite off my head. But answers were had, to a degree.
    It had willingly been woven into the Tapestry by Cariel, though not with enthusiasm. It was happy to be out and would not return. It was not bothered by the thought of killing humans. Furthermore, it was not an actual roc, but an ethereal in the form of a roc. Overall, it was very happy to be released and would not be coerced into any action beyond perfect freedom. We were a bit silent as it left, thinking.
    "I think we should really think about this before we release any more. Especially dragons. Do you know what dragons eat?" Jael asked, looking around plaintively.
    "Yes," I answered, staring pointedly at her as the conversation went on without us for a few moments, full force. She blushed but rushed on and, putting my moment of inspired humor behind me, I wondered why dragons more than any other kind of creature should be our concern. Was it because she was a dragon?
    She eventually told us.
    "It's because of Irad. He was my superior a long time ago. He was the Word Bound of Dragons. And he fell. He might be able to use new dragons to augment his power." Jael looked at me rather pointedly and added, "I am sorry I did not tell you sooner."
    I was confused at that, wondering why there would have been some particular rush to tell me this. While all angelic fallings are tragic and to be despised, this one would only carry some resonance for her who knew him. Why would she be so apologetic?
    No matter, we concluded that we could do nothing more with the Tapestry until we thought much more on this issue. Leaving a message with a Servitor of Jordi that we would like to inform him of this news, we returned to Boulder to cogitate over tea. Crash went a tea cup, out ran Jael and our afternoon took on a new flavor of an instant.
    "Bob!" Arashiel yelled and we all followed Jael. I opened my car and she barely registered it enough to realize that this would be faster. She jumped in and I set out. She whispered, through clenched teeth, that we should go to Bob's apartment. This we did, hearing absolutely no Symphonic disturbance, and in went we, me as a bird since I had a role to protect. Bob's vessel was there, shot through the forehead quite cleanly. Arabis told us that no one was around celestially. Front door, not forced. No sign of struggle. Arabis and Arashiel left, ascending to check his heart no doubt, and I was left with Jael.
    She was quite listless before this event and I led her around while she dealt with her own inner turmoil. She came with me to Heaven while I sought out a Song of Memory to help us reconstruct the face of Bob's assailant, saying nothing. A Seraph named Cureton, representative of Gabriel, assisted us and soon we had a drawing of the person. It looked like the man Bob had described from his workplace the night of the eventual calabite attack. We had Matt query the local plants and between these sources came up with an idea of what happened. The person arrived, apparently alone, walked up to the doorway and knocked. A strangely unparanoid Bob opened it and !bang!, bullet between the eyes and one dead vessel. No sound, nothing. I took all this in with an eye at logical solutions, but Jael finally broke down and cried on my shoulder.
    I wondered what it must be like for her, losing an attunement. Was it physically painful? Mentally debilitating? Had she lost many in her time? I could only imagine that she had. One does not live as long as she has without suffering losses. I have, though not in the same way. I tried to comfort her, helpless before these tears. What could I do but what I was doing?
    We made our way back to the Tether, where we were informed by Arashiel that Bob was indeed in trauma. Dinhabah was there and he agreed with Jael assessment of the situation. This did not seem like the game. They would not have shot him. They would taken him back to hell. Who else must be involved? Could this be a renegade angel or demon, someone seeking revenge? Seeing that Dinhabah was lacking information, I briefed him on all that we had recently learned. We all agreed that a new vessel would help Bob in the future . . . he would not be able to be tracked by appearance.
    I was going to leave it at that for a moment but Arashiel chose to bring up the roc. It was evident that she was enjoying the news and its effect on Dinhabah. I could hardly blame her. Dinhabah does seem to encourage that sort of needling. But to choose such a thing to use as bait. Ah well, perhaps it was just as well that he be warned. He would probably find out soon enough. This kind of thing was hardly going to go unreported in the circles of Heaven. Feeling emboldened by his openness, Dinhabah asked Matt if he (Dinhabah) should know the person that he (Matt) was hiding upstairs. I was not looking forward to this kind of a meeting . . . I had hoped not to meet the Lilim again, but Matt deemed it beneficial so soon we were all together. Most of our group (Arabis and Bob missing), Giles, Dinhabah and the Lilim. What a motley crew. When she came down and commented on my not-so-flowery demeanor, I admitted that I was the local Malakite.
    As expected, it had a dramatic effect. Her eyes bulged outward as if she were face to face with fate. Normally she would be. I admit, I felt a little enjoyment of her discomfort at this disclosure but mostly I was worried about Jael. I did not want her exposed to any bickering or confusion as these powerful forces worked themselves out. I took her back to the Painted Pot where I could try and get her to relax. She was growing stiff and intense and I knew from her own murmurings that she wanted the person who had killed Bob . . . wanted him badly. While I was preparing Jael some tea I noticed that the back shed door was open. Odd . . . I know that Bob was working in there earlier but we had not left that door open like that. His materials were still there and, while not yet ready for the case, were still valuable to us. As I made my way down, leaving the quiet Jael behind me for the moment, I wondered if anyone would be able to finish the case for the Tapestry. Would we be carrying it long enough to warrant such an expenditure anyway?
    Inside.
    "Oh, I'm sorry. Did one of the attendants let you in here?" I asked, trying to be as nonchalant as possible. He seemed to accept that and answered in the affirmative. "Ok then, I'll let you be." But as I closed it I locked it behind me. He knew something was up immediately and started to bang about . . . then shoot. Race upstairs did I. Jael began racing downstairs and as I followed I called Arashiel, telling her to join us immediately. No need to encourage her to hurry, unfortunately, because when Jael opened the door she was shot down. I was certain that Arashiel's attunement must be screaming. I admit that I lost my brain at that moment and leapt at the man. I would have snapped his neck of an instant had the Symphony not shrieked with my contact. A human! Despite my anger and the knowledge that Jael was behind me, possibly killed, nine hundred years of training and instinct stayed my hand and I knocked him out, bullets flying around me in his fury. Once he was out I dragged him from the shed and was relieved to find Jael alive, though cursing furiously. I might have been less than kind in my carrying of him, true, but I led him upstairs, thrown over my shoulder, and helped the bleeding Jael with my other hand. She was frothing with her anger, spraying blood down her front. I was finding it hard to concentrate and so I sat on the man's face until Arashiel arrived. Eventually, with Arashiel taking care of Jael, I thought to call up Arabis, perhaps only for the comfort of having another familiar face around . . . I am not sure why. Eventually, as both Jael and I calmed down slightly, I thought to resonate him.
    A Soldier of God. No surprise there, somehow. I knew that this would not be easy . . . seems normal that this would be as complex as possible. Hmmm, when did I become cynical? Perhaps Bob rubbed off on me significantly before he went into trauma. At any rate. His greatest sin to date had been trafficking unknowingly with hell for purposes of revenge. I searched through his pockets and found him to be Kelvin Hastings, from Miami. I was seething with anger upon seeing all this information laid out before me. Not only had a Soldier of God sent one of our number into trauma, he had wounded Jael. The sight of her bright, accusing eyes, the white standing against the blood that welled against her chest, enervated me all the further. When Mr. Hastings awoke he was not helpful or trusting. He thought that we were demons. I eventually got some information out of him, each passing moment rendering me more desirous of snapping his neck. He was a Servitor of Trade and had lost his partner to Bob while the latter was a demon. Privately irked that Bob had kept this kind of information from us, I nevertheless reminded the Soldier that Bob had redeemed and was now a loss to God's number. He did not seem to care, which angered me still further. What might his rash actions have done to Jael?
    Whatever they might have done to her, they had definitely made her angry. She suggested that we had him over to Judgment. She did not know, at that moment, that Dominique (female guise) would show up to judge the case herself. Verdict would be guilty of betraying an angel and Heaven, thus achieving both Fate and Destiny. She would hand him to Marc to punish as he saw fit. And he was gone.
    With it, Jael's dissonance. Arashiel and the presence of the Tether had gone a long way to healing her body, but her anger would be slow to dissipate, I knew. My afternoon had been shattered in a few hours, the Tether itself shaken by the presence of this Archangel. . . and I had missed my class.

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