Judgement and Jello

Pat does indeed have a cellphone, and verily, it does ring. He answers it. "Murphy."

Hitherby crawls around very slowly on Daimon's shirt, like she was underwater.

The voice on the other end is familiar... "This is Jordan. Have I actually found a time when you are *not* at home, to have several visitors?"

Daimon scratches. "Hey, what are you doing?"

Pat says "Good afternoon, Jordan. Actually, I'm in a car, with several visitors. You've returned?"

Jordan says "Yes, actually. I have some instructions for Mr. Lightner."

Pat says "Wonderful. We're en route to my home at the moment. Meet us there?"

Jordan says "I shall continue to loiter upon your porch."

Pat chuckles, dry. "We'll be there momentarily."

Sarah does not glance at Pat, despite temptation; her eyes stay on her driving.

Jordan says "Of course." He hangs up.

Daimon in the back seat, is still trying to dislodge Hitherby from under his shirt.

Pat pockets the phone. "There is a Seraph on my porch."

Hitherby is not *under*, but *on* :) Or, if she wound up under, she crawls back out. And whispers, very softly, "Busy. 'Sokay."

Sarah says "There is even a Jordan on your porch. I take it that this is positive?"

Pat nods. "Quite. He's returned from Heaven and has news."

Daimon says "Yes, there is me under my shirt, Hitherby. And several tattoos. And maybe, in the near future, some nipple piercings because they're cool."

Daimon blinks.

Sarah crosses her fingers on the wheel.

Hitherby whispers, faintly, "Remarkable."

Daimon says "I dunno. I think nipple piercings would be cool. Or a naval piercing."

<> Pat giggles.

Daimon leans back and ponders these things.

Hitherby has trouble beating her wings fast enough to talk, so doesn't have much to say :)

Pat mulls neutrally.

Upon Pat's Porch, there is indeed a familiar figure. Tall, suited, sunglassed, but sans the rest of the triad. Jordan stands, not quite leaning against the wall next to Pat's door.

Pat blinks. "He's alone."

Daimon o O ( Hmmm. )

Jordan watches the car of angels (and demon) drive up...

Sarah hesitates, scanning the area, before letting the rest out and going to find a parking place.

<> Sarah rolls the d666 and gets 4 6 CHECK: 1.

Pat is out of the car before it is fully stopped, scanning the area reflexively as he moves towards the porch.

Demiurge says "Okay. Everyone make a Per roll."

<> Jordan rolls the d666 and gets 6 1 CHECK: 1.

<> Pat rolls the d666 and gets 5 2 CHECK: 1.

<> Hitherby rolls the d666 and gets 1 1 CHECK: 4.

<> Sarah rolls the d666 and gets 5 1 CHECK: 1.

<> Daimon rolls the d666 and gets 3 1 CHECK: 3.

Demiurge says "I note that some of you are at a penalty."

Demiurge says "Due to the situation, which the GM knoweth and you don't."

Demiurge says "Jordan notices nothing overly unusual, partly because he doesn't know the area, and he doesn't know what to look for. Pat and Daimon notice a glint of metal and glass opposite in a window with an oddly draped curtain."

Demiurge says "Hitherby not only notices the glint of metal and glass, it sees it jerk with interest as the car draws up and Pat gets out."

Demiurge says "Sarah doesn't notice anything overly unusual."

Pat drops towards cover, then, reaching into his coat.

Pat is fairly abrupt and obvious about this.

Daimon drops for cover, and starts reaching for his snazzy sunglasses.

<> Sarah believes Daimon is in the back seat, so some cover is easy.

Hitherby breaks off a bug and heads it in that direction. But there's only so fast she can go while half in Heaven -- unless the drive took longer than she thinks.

Daimon is in the back seat, so cover is easy.

Pat says "Jordan get /down/!"

Demiurge nods to Hitherby: you are accurate.

Jordan dodges for cover as well, seeing Pat doing so. One does not ignore one's Elohim (even if they aren't one's...)

There is no sudden fusillade of fire, though the curtain does twitch again slightly, for those who have noticed it.

Hitherby sends her house-watching swarms for the doors of that house, also slowly.

It's another apartment building. The relevant apartment is about three floors up.

Sarah calmly starts the car - or puts it back into gear - and pulls away.

<> Pat is going to silently Sing some Shields, then. 2 Essence boost.

<> Demiurge nods. Roll.

<> Pat rolls the d666 and gets 1 5 CHECK: 4.

<> Pat makes it by 2.

Demiurge says "Shields up and running. :)"

<> Pat huggles Essence. :)

Demiurge says "As Hitherby's insect comes into line with the window, it can see a thin, ratty-haired man in there, who is wielding a pair of binoculars, and fiddling with the tassels of a cushion. The room is sparse and barely furnished."

Pat draws his gun fully, bracing it with both hands as he looks for the window.

The man jerks back from the window as he gets a view of Pat bringing up the gun, dropping to the floor.

Hitherby pages: Then the doors of the apartment building. And a single bug towards the window, still. Penalize as much as you like, but an apartment building is *harder* to get out of quickly :)

Jordan peers out from whatever cover he managed to find, a small pistol of his own in his hand. "*What* is going on?" he hisses.

Long distance to Hitherby: Demiurge nods. Of course, your sturdy uneducated Kyriotate mind is having a little difficulty working out how to get up the stairs to reach the apartment... but gee, give it time.

Hitherby pages: Oh, no! I just mean the building doors :)

Sarah drives calmly around the block, or something reasonably analogous, and waits for comments from the Kyrio Communications System. That, or the sound of gunfire.

Pat drops one hand from the gun and starts making quick signals behind his back.

You paged Hitherby with 'Okay. You have reached the main building doors. I make no comment as to possible back doors or fire escapes.'.

Jordan pages to Demiurge and Pat: I *love* Judgment handsigns!

Pat pages: (Possible danger. Source unknown. Three up, two over.)

Jordan looks at the window that Pat is covering. (And likely sees nothing, since the person dropped.)

Hitherby lands in the bottom left pane of glass in that window and attempts to cut through it like she burrowed through the doorway in Focals. (Hopefully, it's got a wood frame in it that will shelter her from any other pane of glass shattering if Pat fires.)

Hitherby would crash through, but is moving slowly. :)

The man in the room reaches a hand carefully round to the edge of the curtain, and jerks it, making the curtain twitch in the window as though something were going on behind it.

<> Jordan is not as trigger-happy as Liz. And will not shoot at the twitching curtain.

Pat continues to watch.

Demiurge says "Hitherby, you cannot bore through glass the way you bored through wood."

<> Liz says "Hey! I only shoot at things I can *see*. Like Balseraphim and twitchy Elohim."

>From afar, Hitherby has no idea about fire escapes, but was intending to circle one of the two swarms towards a back door. Fire escapes are just metal things.

Long distance to Hitherby: Demiurge nods.

Hitherby hms. And if I shove hard, I could injure the host?

The man in the room rises from the floor, keeping to the side of the window, pressed against the wall. He leans across to peer out at an angle, the side of his head barely showing for a moment.

Demiurge says "Yes, Hitherby."

<> Hitherby says "Is the windowframe wood?"

<> Demiurge says "Yes."

<> Pat says "Wait a minute. I'm a gumshoe."

Hitherby goes through the frame, then, breaking off another bug to come up and look through the window from above at an angle. No hurry. :)

<> Pat says "Roughing people up is in the job description."

Pat is up, and starts running across the street.

The man leans more into view for a moment, eyes narrowing as he gazes at Pat.

<> Demiurge rolls the d666 and gets 6 4 CHECK: 1.

Jordan covers Pat as he runs, watching for someone to do something nasty like shoot at him.

<> Demiurge rolls the d666 and gets 1 6 CHECK: 6.

<> Jordan says "Or, rather, covering the *window*. Protecting Pat. You know what I mean?"

<> Hitherby says "Now put the first die of the first roll with the other t -- or, no, better not."

The man's face twists, and then the entire window, frame and all, and some of the wall, practically _explodes_ in a gout of violence, glass and wood and bricks splintering.

The man himself dives back into the room, rolling for cover.

<> Pat says "Oh, /shit/"

<> Daimon says "Calabite."

<> Jordan says "Did that make disturbance?"

<> Demiurge says "Guess which Calabite just failed his Resonance roll at Pat, and had to redirect?"

<> Daimon says "Hitherby just took dissonance."

<> Demiurge says "That made Disturbance."

<> Demiurge says "Yes, Hitherby lost her insect."

<> Demiurge says "Sarah and Daimon, you both heard the physical noise. Roll to see if you heard the Symphonic disturbance."

<> Daimon rolls the d666 and gets 4 1 CHECK: 2.

<> Sarah rolls the d666 and gets 2 6 CHECK: 1.

<> Daimon wants to put essence into the glasses.

<> Demiurge says "Daimon, you and Sarah both hear the Symphonic disturbance, as it's so near."

<> Daimon becomes Hard To Notice Man.

Demiurge says "Okay. Hitherbug is shredded. Hitherswarms are where they are."

Sarah flinches, in the car, and murmurs "Oh dear."

Demiurge says "Daimon, please roll to activate the glasses."

<> Daimon rolls the d666 and gets 1 2 CHECK: 1.

<> Demiurge says "Daimon is, of a sudden, very unnoticeable."

Pat moves for the door of the other building in the ensuing chaos.

Sarah pulls the car over a couple of blocks away and starts to fret.

Daimon will try to climb out of the back seat, and out of the car, as UnnoticableMan.

Jordan frowns and watches to see Pat vanish into the other building. Then follows.

Demiurge says "Sarah, roll Perception."

<> Pat cues the 'Mission Impossible' theme.

<> Sarah rolls the d666 and gets 5 4 CHECK: 3.

Demiurge says "Hitherswarms, you notice Pat and then Jordan running in."

Demiurge says "Sarah, you do not even notice Daimon leaving the car. ;)"

Sarah frets, alone in the car. :)

UnnoticableMan saunters in the general direction of the disturbance, off to be Funny.

<> Jordan says "Daimon, you are a loon."

<> Pat says "But he's an unnoticable loon!"

<> Daimon says "UnnoticableMan can't pass up a chance to be funny."

Inside the building, the man dashes to the back of the room, heading through the door, and making for the back stairs.

<> Jordan will be annoyed if Daimon gets vessel-killed.

<> Sarah says "You think YOU'LL be annoyed... :)"

Demiurge says "Of course, as there is now a big hole in the wall where the window was, Daimon can see this. :)"

<> Pat says "Any problems getting into the building?"

UnnoticeableMan takes his time examining the scene.

<> Demiurge says "No problems, Pat."

<> Daimon says "UnnoticableMan wants to know if he can see the target."

Pat is in the building, then, moving in the direction of the room, gun still out.

<> Hitherby considers. Is it okay to say that Hitherbugs were shed when Daimon vanished? I don't think it's appropriate to have, well, an unnoticeable guy with bugs on his shirt, but I didn't think about it at the time.

<> Demiurge says "Daimon is unnoticeable. He is unnoticeable with bugs. He would be unnoticeable if he was smeared with green slime, naked, and punk."

<> Jordan says "Wow."

<> Daimon says "If UnnoticableMan can't see the target, UnnoticableMan tries to get into a position where he can."

<> Demiurge says "This is because he is wearing a Cool Relic."

<> Pat says "Stealth Lilim."

<> Daimon thinks about the slime and being naked. Later, LATER!

<> Jordan says "What about the punk?"

Demiurge says "UMan saw the guy bolt through the door and into the presumptive corridor behind the room. He then lost sight of him."

<> Daimon says "That's for Pat. :)"

Demiurge says "Pat, are you heading up the main stairs, or the back stairs?"

<> Pat winks.

<> Hitherby says "Where is the scene in Heaven?"

UnnoticableMan makes his way slowly, with plenty of cover and a chance to Song of Motion out, to where he can see the target.

<> Pat says "He knows damn well I'm coming after him. So main stairs would be foolish. Back stairs. :)"

<> Demiurge says "Scene in Heaven is now over, because otherwise I am going to have a headache."

Jordan follows Pat, far enough back to guard Pat's back.

Demiurge says "UMan, the guy is inside the building. Are you going inside the building? Or just wandering round outside trying to peer at windows?"

UnnoticableMan peers in windows.

<> Hitherby can just abandon ship on Earth if Heaven is still ongoing, and no headache. However, if Heaven is done -- I sing Corp Form.

UnnoticeableMan just needs to be able to see the target.

<> Pat says "Steel Bug!"

Demiurge says "Daimon, as you wander near the set of windows over the back stair hallway, you notice a form slipping by one window. If you wait a moment, he should be in view in the next window."

<> Hitherby sings the Corp Form with the swarm over at the Tether. I mean, heck, I can move it around, as I understand it.

Demiurge says "Pat, Jordan, as you pound upwards, you hear a pounding set of feet coming downwards, fast."

<> Daimon thinks this will roll better work.

<> Demiurge says "Yes, Hitherby, you can. All right."

<> Daimon says "There's only one thing to do then."

<> Daimon says "And that's a 2 ton block of Raspberry Finger JELLO upon his noggin."

<> Hitherby says "That's JELL-O with fingers in it?"

<> Daimon says "Raspberry Fingers."

<> Hitherby says "Or Jell-O that knows how to use the Internet to look up information on the Game?"

Pat stops at the next landing and takes very careful aim up the stairs. And waits.

<> Daimon says "It's just very large, very solid, and very.... um, Raspberry."

<> Jordan rolls the d666 and gets 3 3 CHECK: 4.

Demiurge says "Roll, Daimon."

Jordan pages to Demiurge and Pat: Jordan hums, 'ware possible civilians'.

<> Daimon says "Can I blow essence to help out my Will roll?"

<> Demiurge says "Sure."

Pat nods, curtly.

<> Daimon says "Okie, I blow 2, bring my target to 10, and blow 4 the Prank in toto."

<> Demiurge says "As if there wasn't already disturbance. ;)"

<> Daimon rolls the d666 and gets 3 5 CHECK: 2.

<> Daimon grins.

Hitherby . o O ( Hey, cool, I'm floating around in the air as if I were clinging to a shirt, but Daimon isn't anywhere around! )

There is a sudden hideous scream and squelching noise. This vast vaguely-human-shaped mound of red sliding jello turns the corner, waving its hands as it attempts to stop a desperate lurch.

Jordan blinks.

UnnoticeableMan sneaks back to Sarah's car, giggling.

<> Jordan says ". o O (Shedite??)"

<> Pat says "Is the jello likely to run into us?"

<> Demiurge says "The Jello is sliding straight for you."

Hitherby lets go of Daimon when he heads back for the car.

<> Pat will attempt to Dodge the Jello.

<> Demiurge says "Roll, Pat."

<> Jordan also attempts to dodge the Jello. And... Hm. Tries to think of tripping it.

<> Jordan rolls the d666 and gets 6 3 CHECK: 6.

<> Pat rolls the d666 and gets 3 3 CHECK: 6.

<> Demiurge says "And Jordan."

UnnoticeableMan continues to giggle all the way back to the car.

<> Jordan does not think to trip it.

<> Pat dodges the Jello with a 6CD

<> Jordan rolls the d666 and gets 5 6 CHECK: 5.

<> Jordan fails his Dodge with a CD 5!

<> Pat says "Jordan's been slimed!"

With astonishing grace, Pat leaps out of the way of the Advancing Jello Slide. Jordan, however, fails and is caught in its slimy track, being borne before it down the next flight of stairs, and landing with a *squelch* on the landing.

<> Jordan thinks it is not his day. These people are trouble!

The Jello Thing seems to be trying to get its balance. And stand upright, despite the Entangled Seraph.

Jordan yelps in a most undignified and offended way.

<> Daimon is more amused then you all can believe.

<> Hitherby rolls her Form, and then goes in through the window that Daimon peered through to get the guy?

Jordan kicks the Jello Thing on the grounds that he's annoyed.

<> Demiurge says "Sure, Hitherby, though you'll have to break it."

<> Jordan rolls the d666 and gets 6 3 CHECK: 6.

<> Hitherby puts the Form on the bugs that go through, of course :)

<> Hitherby rolls the d666 and gets 4 1 CHECK: 3.

<> Hitherby rolls the d666 and gets 2 5 CHECK: 3.

<> Hitherby says "Song and window-through."

<> Demiurge rolls the d666 and gets 4 5 CHECK: 5.

<> Daimon giggles.

<> Daimon sings, "The Boss is Great, the Boss is Good..."

<> Sarah is so glad she's not seeing this. :)

The Jello seems to ebb and fade away, leaving a ratty-haired thin man, who staggers as Jordan's kick takes him in the stomach, and goes sprawling again, gasping.

<> Jordan wonders if he can invoke the Sword of Judgment on the Jello Thing...

Above, Hitherby comes boiling through the window.

<> Pat says "Any disturbance when Jordan kicked?"

<> Demiurge says "Jello just wore off. Alas. ;)"

<> Demiurge says "No, no disturbance."

UnnoticeableMan slides back into the back seat of the car.

<> Pat says "Cool."

Hitherby boils! Roils! Twists and spins and, hopefully, figures out where the fight is.

Jordan brings his gun arm around to aim and snarls, "HALT!"

The fight is that-a-way, downstairs.

Pat dashes down the stairs and aims the 1911 at the ratty man's left pupil. "Don't try a thing."

Jordan is probably half-sprawled against the wall, and off-balance.

<> Pat, hardass of Heaven.

The man's eyes cross as he desperately tries to focus, but can't seem to decide which gun to focus on.

Sarah, presumably, fails to notice the infiltrator.

Demiurge says "Indeed, Sarah does not even notice The Reappearance."

UnnoticeableMan cools his way into the back seat, and sits there, like nothing ever happened.

Pat continues, calmly. "You have thirty seconds to explain yourself. Fail to do so, or try anything stupid, and you'll be staring at your Heart before you can blink."

Jordan regains his balance slowly, keeping aim.

<> Jordan rolls the d666 and gets 4 3 CHECK: 6.

<> Jordan knows the TRUTH!

<> Daimon says "I'm sure there's something cooler to be then an Unnoticeable Kobalite, but I'm really not sure what."

<> Pat says "Hey Demiurge? Bloodsweat?"

Hitherby surges down like so many steel-hard strong-winged bullets, straight to crunch the guy's neck. (She is, see, feeling rather put out after coming straight back from Heaven to earn a note of dissonance. :))

<> Demiurge says "Gee, loads of Bloodsweat."

Demiurge says "Er, roll for your attack, Hitherby."

<> Hitherby rolls the d666 and gets 4 2 CHECK: 2.

Demiurge says "Jordan and Pat notice The Diving Swarm Of Bugs."

<> Demiurge rolls the d666 and gets 1 1 CHECK: 1.

<> Pat says "Oh Jesus."

<> Jordan says "WOOOO!"

<> Demiurge says "Oh dear."

<> Daimon says "hee hee hee."

<> Hitherby didn't do it! :)

<> Pat says "No. Not woo. I wanted answers."

<> Demiurge says "Er. Let me think. Real fast."

<> Daimon says "As my effect radiates outward."

Hitherby's swarm strikes the guy squarely in the back of the neck, snapping his backbone with a crack like a hangman's noose. This is such an animal action that Hitherby loses the note of dissonance. He sprawls there, neck at an angle, and something like remorse, something like the fear of Hell glints in his eyes. He groans, "Dying..."

<> Pat says "Dammit."

<> Jordan says ""Demon."

He is not quite dead. Just very nearly. Last dying words and all that.

Pat says "Who."

He gasps, "Belmanoir... orders."

Jordan listens for the TRUTH...

<> Pat says "How close does he look to dying?"

<> Jordan does have Corp-Healing...

<> Sephar too.

<> Demiurge says "His backbone is snapped. He is clearly on the last couple of breaths."

Pat frowns. Looks at Jordan.

Demiurge says "The TRUTH, Jordan, is that he was ordered to watch you by Belmanoir, who is a powerful Impudite of Nightmares."

<> Jordan says "I think that the 6 gets "why" for why someone told something. If there's anything there that indicates repentance, Jordan will do a Healing then and there."

<> Demiurge says "No real repentance. Just the fear of the body's death. And a certain hatred of you all for killing it."

Hitherby swirls out of the way, having no way to administer the coup de grace and chitters angrily from the wall out of sight.

Jordan says, "Why?" Coldly.

<> Daimon says "You can't stop us, you can only hope to contain us."

<> Jordan hopes the Calabite is PO'ed enough at Belmanoir to spill all beans!

The dying man groans, "Mistress... sent. Knowledge... of the Game. Watch. Capture..."

Demiurge says "The TRUTH is that he was sent down from the Marches on Beleth's orders. He was ordered to watch - and probably eventually capture - this group of angels and Daimon, who know Too Much about the Game and associated stuff."

Jordan calmly puts his gun away and pulls out his notebook, and takes notes.

Jordan shows Pat the notes -- the TRUTH. "Anything else?" he murmurs to Pat.

Pat centers his aim on the center of the demon's forehead. "No." He fires.

The demon's head explodes in a mass of blood, spattering backwards in a dark star on the concrete.

Hitherby shakes blood from her wings.

Pat puts his gun away.

<> Liz says "Ick."

<> Pat says "No reason to let him suffer."

<> Liz says "Well that's more altruistic than what I did to that Impudite."

Jordan says "I hope that ballistics doesn't recover that bullet, Mazpatiel."

>From afar, Pat is working on a rather cynical presumption, here, but is making the guess that either he or Eduardo or both know how to handle this with minimal fuss.

You paged Pat with 'Probably, yes.'.

Pat draws out his cellphone. "It'll be handled." He dials a number and makes some comment completely irrelevant to the matter at hand.

Hitherby hums quietly to herself. "Kyriotate scales" is the traditional angelic term for such music.

Jordan nods approvingly, and puts away his own half-drawn cellphone.

Pat starts walking back down the stairs. "Did you find anything?"

Jordan says "Hm? Besides a Calabite?"

Hitherby mutters, under the not-scales, "She was a *good* bug. A *fine* bug."

Pat says "About what he said. You were making notes."

Jordan says. "Ah. Yes." He shows the notes to Pat. It is the TRUTH he heard from the Calabite.

Pat nods. "Nightmare. Yes. I intended to mention that to you."

Hitherby, unless the Form has worn off, boils back out through the window she came in, making more holes. And heads for the car, that swarm, while the others go uneasily back to their rounds.

Jordan says "Indeed. You knew that you were being watched?"

Sarah waits in the car, patiently.

Demiurge nods to Hitherby. You can do so.

Pat says "Yes."

Jordan gives Pat a mildly reproving look. "I suppose you could not have said as much over the cellphones," he sighs. "Someone might have been listening."

<> Demiurge says "First PC/Vessel/Host death of the game. :)"

<> Jordan says "And Hitherby gets rid of the dissonance by toasting the Calabite what did it!"

<> Pat says "And we got our answers. Win win."

<> Jordan says "And Daimon got Essence!"

Hitherswarm, returning to the car, stops by Sarah's window and makes an annoyed beehive hum. Pat says "We're unsure of the extent. Zebina's tail is another situation entirely."

Sarah rolls down her window promptly. "Hitherby?"

Jordan says "Ah. *Several* people being followed. We should check your dwelling for listening devices."

Hitherby says, her tones and some few of her members dripping with blood, "We are going to strike back. *Soon*."

Sarah says softly, "What in the world happened?"

Hitherby whispers, coldly, "He shredded a host."

Sarah gives a startled blink; whispers low, "Oh, Hitherby."

Sarah says "Is there any - custom, to honor her memory?"

<> Demiurge | One bathes in the blood of her slayer.

<> Jordan smiles, a bit toothly. His celestial form does have fangs.

Hitherby says, "A just retribution will be the deaths of seven of his kind. Six, now."

<> Sarah . o O ( SEVEN AT ONE BLOW )

Sarah nods, gravely. "Please consider all appropriate offers of assistance extended."

Sephar bobs a bow as well.

Hitherby murmurs softly, "Dragonflies are a warrior kind; the first three shall be for their customs. I will notify her clan, if I can find them. I --" She hesitates.

Sarah comforts gently, "You killed her slayer, yes? All that could be done was done."

Pat says "Yes. I intend to check when we return. Hitherby has been watching, though."

Jordan says, "Ah, good." He pauses. "What *was* it attempting, when it came down the stairs all... ah, pink?"

Hitherby sighs quietly. "Perhaps those three will suffice. I should not claim any for myself. But seven is a nice number."

Pat says "That would have been Jello."

Jordan says, plaintively, "Why?"

Sarah suggests, gravely, "Perhaps you should consult with her clan on the matter."

Pat says "It was funny."

Jordan brushes at his clothes, which, fortunately, do not have Jello stains on them. "I see. Mr. Lightner made his presence known? Or are there other Kobalites about?"

Pat says "I think Daimon was doing his part to help. You must admit the hellspawn seemed disoriented."

"Though 'other' may no longer describe Mr. Lightner," Jordan muses quietly.

Jordan says "Quite disoriented. Yes."

Hitherby hums a faintly amused note. "They will suggest killing all of them. Demons are not dragonflies, and restraint is not considered necessary. Since they can count no higher than 10, they have little concept of the extent of Hell."

Sarah agrees, to the blood-dripping swarm outside her window, "That would be an excessive response, yes. To say the least."

Pat walks out of the building, looking around before stepping fully onto the street.

Jordan also looks around, to make sure there are not any other ravening Calabim around.

Pat looks for Sarah's car.

Sarah's car is parked a couple blocks down and around at least one corner.

Pat doesn't see it, then. Calls Daimon's cellphone.

UnnoticeableMan answers the cellphone in the back of the car. "Hallo."

Jordan goes and examines Pat's porch and door for Things.

Pat says "Daimon. We seem to be without gelatin-soaked demons at the moment. Where are you?"

Things are not found by Jordan.

UnnoticeableMan says, "In the back of Sarah's car."

Sarah thinks she also does not notice Daimon's cellphone.

Pat says "And the car is where?"

UnnoticeableMan says, "Just down the block, around a corner."

Pat says "It should be safe to come around."

Pat fishes the house keys out of his coat and tosses them to Jordan.

UnnoticeableMan leans forward, and taps Sarah on the shoulder, which makes him perceptive to the person he's tapping. "Pat says all clear, Sarah."

Jordan catches them, and carefully unlocks the door, pushing it open while standing to one side.

Jordan peers in after a moment. "It seems to be clear," he mutters.

Sarah suggests mildly, "We might want to walk, then."

Sarah says "I doubt we'll find closer parking."

UnnoticeableMan says, "Well, if you say so."

Sephar flutters out the door and flies in circles above.

<> Jordan and Pat search the house, I presume?

<> Pat is waiting for the rest to arrive. Which is why Jordan got the keys. :)

Sarah gets out of the car - careful of Hitherswarm; rolls up the window, locks the door, and (if Daimon is still in car) holds the door for him.

<> Jordan says "Send the Seraph in to get whacked, great, gee, thanks."

UnnoticeableMan gets out of the car, unnoticed, and cools his way up the block to Pat's house.

*bomp-chikka*

Hitherby slinks, despite being a swarm of bugs, towards the house.

Sarah locks that door, closes it, and follows The Cool.

Hitherby's hum rises slowly in volume again.

UnnoticeableMan thinks he needs a soundtrack.

Pat looks down the street, and takes note of Sarah. Daimon is too Cool to notice.

<> Jordan will, as soon as Pat is available for backup, enter and search (with Pat) for inhabitants, bugs, bombs, etc.

<> Pat has a Kyriotate surveillance team. :)

Sarah smiles toward Pat as she approaches.

Hitherby mutters, "It is *wrong*," under the loud hum, as she approaches Pat's door.

Sephar flies lazy circles around Sarah and the Coolness.

<> Jordan says "The house is searched, should we presume?"

<> Pat thinks it's safe to presume it was searched with nothing untoward found.

The search completed, Jordan takes over the living room seat with the most commanding (i.e., Seraphic) view.

<> Pat says "Does Daimon ditch the shades?"

<> Daimon says "Not yet."

Hitherby hovers near the television playing Kyriotate scales up and down and up and down.

UnnoticeableMan cools his way into the house, and flops like a lump on the Living Room sofa.

<> Jordan will wait to speak until Daimon's presence is known to him.

Daimon removes the shades, and looks at them with new respect.

<> Jordan says ""Unless the most commanding seat happens to have an invisible Daimon on it."

Sephar flutters in and the TV turns on.

Jordan takes his notebook out of his pocket, glancing about to see everyone present. "Before something else untoward happens, perhaps I should deliver the message I was sent with."

SepharTV murmurs Kyriotate scales in counter-harmony to Hitherby's.

Daimon says "Someone remind me to write a thank you letter."

Daimon returns the shades to their case, and then back to his pocket.

Jordan mutters, "Write a thank you letter."

Daimon says "Oh, like, not NOW."

Jordan flicks a Seraphic eyebrow at Daimon. One might think he did not *entirely* appreciate being crashed into by a mound of Jello.

Daimon says "Hey, where are your buddies?"

Jordan says "Still in the Tribune, to my knowledge."

Daimon, on the other hand, can only savor the Jello. But he didn't do it. He was in the back of the car. Really.

Daimon says "Oh, bummer."

Jordan shrugs.

Sephar just flutter-settles quietly to listen.

Jordan says "Anyway. I have news of a certain Geas-token."

Daimon is still basking in his demoness.

Daimon says "Yeah? You bring it back with you rejected?"

Jordan snorts mildly. "No. It has been accepted by my Archangel. You are in service to Judgment."

Jordan flips pages in his notebook.

Pat twitches an eyebrow.

Daimon says "Er."

Jordan reads from the notebook. "Daimon is to continue investigation into the Kobal matter, comport himself with the discretion suitable to a Servitor of Judgement, not leave the corporeal plane without permission for the moment, and send regular reports to Seneschal Etecius."

Daimon says "Er."

Jordan flips the notebook closed again. "If you are in doubt as to proper behavior, I *believe* Mazpatiel will be able to guide you."

Jordan pauses for Daimon to say "Er" again.

Pat leans on the kitchen counter, looking over the half-wall as coffee burbles. "Was there anything else said, Jordan?"

Daimon says it again. "Er."

Jordan nods. "Yes. There is minor information about Asmodeus." He nods with satisfaction at Daimon's Er.

Pat says "That being?"

Hitherby mutters, over the continual distracted scales, "Their Tether, Most Holy?"

Daimon waves a hand loftily, still feeling Mighty Funny. "See? Friends don't let Friends geas drugged. This is what happens."

Jordan replies, "Tether? No. Not yet. It has become suspected with a moderately high degree of confidence that Asmodeus has dropped out of sight. It is presumed that the Servitors of the Game are operating either on standing orders, or by the direction of one of his main deputies."

Daimon says "The Boss strikes back, maybe."

Jordan adds, "The name that has come to our attention is 'Staciel,' believed to be either Lilim or Impudite."

Daimon blinks. "Sure. Staciel. Lilim of the Game, Demon of Intrigue. A Baron, I think.

Jordan takes notes. "Thank you. The confirmation is appreciated."

Daimon says "Er, a Countess, actually."

Pat says "Interesting."

Jordan says, "Mm." And erases one symbol to replace it with another.

Daimon sleezes all over the couch.

Jordan asks, "And now, are there any details for *why* you have Calabim of Nightmares following you around, with orders to spy and likely eventually capture, Daimon and his angelic associates?

Pat says "Lines are being drawn in Hell, Jordan. Beleth has thrown in her coin with the Game."

Daimon says "He likes how I dress."

Jordan winces at Daimon. "Please." To Pat, he nods, and takes notes. "Apparently."

Daimon fishes a superball out of his coat pocket. This gets thrown up in the air and caught repeatedly. "There is Civil War, and people are chosing up sides. I've somehow gone from being nothing Comedian to big time Pain in the Ass. Obviously, Beleth has chosen her side."

Pat says "I think a report on lunch is appropriate, Daimon."

Jordan nods. "Have you any idea *why* you are now 'big time Pain in the Ass'?" He pauses. "Lunch?"

Daimon says "The Impudites - and Haagenti, when people remember, are doing what they always have done. Bound together to take on everyone else. So the lines are drawn. Nybbas will not allow Kobal to die. Neither will Andre, for other reasons."

Jordan notes notes scribble scribble

Daimon clears his throat, and tosses his superball. "We had Lunch. At Lunch there happened to be a demon who was not me."

Jordan says "That 'Terry' you mentioned previously?"

Jordan says "The Balseraph?"

Daimon says "Teraphim has been my friend for most of my life, and my agent during my service with the Boss. He is a high ranking, word-bound servitor of the Media, and he loves his job. He's a Balseraph. Did I mention that?""

Jordan says, dryly, "Yes. I believe it was suggested that Zebina wear earplugs."

Jordan says "What Word?"

Jordan scribbles notes like crazy.

Daimon says "Media. He had news, of Kobal being held personally by Asmodeus, about actual evidence that the Boss has been helping out Renegades. I don't believe it for a second, but you know how it is.""

Jordan says, "Not personally."

Daimon says "Balseraph lies, dude. And testamony garnered under torture."

Daimon waves a finger in the air. "Spin job."

Jordan says, "Ah. Of course. The Game is known for such."

Pat says "Did Terry change his name when he joined Hell?"

Daimon says "Dunno. I don't think so."

Jordan mutters, "Fallen," and scribbles.

<> Liz threatened to stick a gun in Terry's mouth and pull the trigger. Does she get Judgement Brownie Points for this?

Daimon says "Nybbas knows which way this is going to go for him. If Kobal falls, then he's the next to the chopping block, and frankly, I like the servitors of Media I know. They're okay people - not good by your standards, but pretty damn cool by mine. So Nybbas is going to help any way he can, including sending us a Wordbound."

Jordan looks up. "Is there anything else that we should be informed of? Or do you wish to make your report yourself and send it to the Seneschal?"

Daimon says "There really isn't much more, to tell you the truth. We sent Terry off to check out some places that were listed off the data we got from Focals."

Pat says "Including Bellman's?"

Daimon says "We told him we were going to hit Bellman's, and he agreed to stay away from that area. That's to his best advantage anyway, to not cross lines with us."

Jordan says, "And you are sure that you can... control this Balseraph?"

Daimon says "No way."

Daimon tosses the Superball. "Oh, and he made a pass at Liz because he has this thing for Redheads."

Jordan sighs. "How... distressing. Can you at least control him enough that he does not lead any of your angelic companions to Hell? That *is* part of your duties now, to prevent angels from Tripping or Falling."

<> Pat says "Jordan uses slang! :)"

Daimon eyes Jordan. "I _think_ I can do that, sure."

<> Jordan is a highly socialized SoJ!

<> Liz says "With jello!"

Sarah observes, "I believe that none of us will be meeting with him alone. That should go quite some distance toward control."

Daimon says "So anyway, we have Focals as a focalpoint. Ah ha! A pun!"

Jordan nods at Daimon. "Good. See to it that you succeed."

Daimon draws in the air. "So we have Focals laundering with Vaputech technology. I assume the people they are taking in from is Sancuzzi, Italians, probably Factions, and Tokoda, Japanese, probably Vaputech. They filter it through Bellman's. Am I correct? Bellman's is Beleth, which is goofy, but hey."

Pat closes his eyes. "Bellmanoir."

Jordan murmurs, "Bellman's may also be Belmanoir... Yes, Mazpatiel. Exactly."

Daimon continues to think out loud. "So let's walk through the lines in hell, shall we? Asmodeus will have Kronos. That goes without saying. He's pulled in Beleth, Malphas maybe, and Vapula."

Jordan takes notes.

Daimon says, "So who is on the other side? Where Malphas is, Baal isn't. Haagenti, Andre, Nybbas."

Jordan murmurs, "Your Mother?"

Hitherby stops her scales.

Pat says "Balancing."

Daimon waves a hand in the air. "So who is left? Tell me that. Belial for one, probably with Baal, more then anything. Lilith stands alone, apart."

Jordan murmurs, "There is yet Valefor to place."

Daimon says "The only one I forgot was Saminga, and he's where Andre is not. And there's Valefor, with the Impudites."

Pat says "I would posit a third cabal."

Daimon says "We haven't seen anyone of the third cabal."

Pat says "On the contrary. She paid a visit."

Daimon says "Lilith will work for Lilith's own aims."

Pat says "I doubt that Lilith's aims involve either of the two primaries."

Daimon spreads his fingers. "Civil War would break Hell apart, and not between clear lines."

Daimon says "Those, like Baal, do not want Civil War, because it will weaken his position."

Jordan murmurs, "And yet the Prince of the Game sets in motion this untidy mess. Interesting."

Daimon says "Asmodeus has farther reaching aims then taking out Kobal. It's just that the Boss was probably standing in the way."

Daimon sits up. "The Boss is a brilliant man, and I would assume he saw this coming from a far way away."

Hitherby says, "Or perhaps the Countess is attempting a coup."

Hitherby says, "With Kobal's assistance."

Jordan raises his eyebrows -- first at Daimon, then Hitherby -- and takes notes.

Daimon runs a finger in the air in a circle. "The Countess Plays the Game."

Pat says "Asmodeus overthrown by one of his favoured?"

Pat says "That's....ironic."

Daimon says "If Civil War breaks out, then the Game might end."

Daimon shakes his head. "I would assume she is getting greedy. She doesn't see the forest for the trees. Asmodeus has this planned out all the way to checkmate."

Pat says "He believes."

Daimon says "If the Prince of Dark Comedy dies, Another will rise to fill the void he leaves behind. That might be worse the Prince Kobal for Asmodeus, because now it's an unknown factor, one that has not played the Game for so long."

Hitherby says, "Consider. An underling takes action against Kobal. Remarkably, he manages to *capture* the Prince. Asmodeus has no choice but to accept the arrest, because he would look weak if he then let Kobal go. Then the situation grows more complicated, spreading Asmodeus' forces. On the other hand, it's his best chance to remove the Prince of Dark Humor -- something ordinarily impossible. Then he meets with his Countess to coordinate things, and Kobal steps out from the back of the room. --"

Hitherby says "Only a thought."

Blitzen says "tt is a game going on?"

Pat says "Hitherby, you have a gift for imaginative scenarios."

Daimon says "It makes a certain kind of sick sense, though. What if the Countess got out of hand? But I had another scenario."

Jordan takes note of Hitherby's thoughts, anyway.

Pat nods to Daimon. "Feel free."

Daimon imagines chess pieces. "We don't know Asmodeus's ultimate goal. What if it was his ascention to the Head of Hell?"

Jordan says, "Above Lucifer?"

Daimon says "The Boss keeps Asmodeus 'down', so to speak. Asmodeus plots, he thwarts. It's the grease in the gears of Hell. Asmodeus will never become the most powerful in Hell, because HIS boss is a Balseraph."

Jordan says, "Mm."

Daimon says "To allow Asmodeus to ascend to become King in Hell would be disastrous. The entire machine would grind to a halt in no time. The Game must have a playing field. With no Freedom, it will stagnate... and die."

Jordan murmurs, "Disastrous to *whom*?"

Hitherby says, quietly, "Daimon, we are concerned about the injustice to Kobal. We are *not* concerned about the eventual death and decay of Hell as an organization."

Daimon says "To most of Hell. Everyone except Asmodeus himself."

Daimon miffles. "Regardless, it is still my home and the home of my friends and family. I might leave, but they will not."

Sarah says softly, "There would likely be no further Redemption."

Daimon waves a hand. "For Hell to collapse would be disasterous. The end would probably come."

Sarah says "No further hope."

Jordan looks at Daimon levelly. "The home of *some* of your friends. And *some* of your family. There are others, about you now."

Hitherby says, quietly, "Daimon, do you have any idea what the expiration of Hell would do for humanity?"

Daimon looks equally levelly at Jordan. "Compassion is a sin in hell, but some of us have to commit it. Should I leave those behind because they too were born there?"

Daimon ponders about the expiration of Hell. "It might be extremely good. It may, on the other hand, destroy the human race."

Jordan says, "If they continue to choose selfishness, then you must. If not... Then not. But do not forget those friends who are already Bright."

Jordan says, "The true issue is whether the Civil War in Hell would spill out into the corporeal realm. If it would, then it must be stopped. If not..." His mouth tightens, and he takes notes.

Hitherby sighs.

Daimon says "It will spill out onto the corporeal realm."

Daimon says "For it already _has_."

Jordan says, "Affecting primarily celestials. So far."

Daimon says "And how long before it affects humans?"

Hitherby says "I have a question."

Jordan will wait for Hitherby's question.

Hitherby says "It does not seem like -- the wise thing for the Game to do -- is to send Calabim against us -- when we have not really -- begun any campaign against him. Do you understand? If several of us had been killed by that Calabite, by some horrid chance, then Heaven might no longer consider its uninvolved angels safe. I don't know if I am clear.""

Hitherby says "If we raid the Nightmares Tether, and died, then it would be us. This does not seem -- they were already moving against Pat when I was visiting Focals."

Hitherby says "I am not making sense. I will fall silent."

Jordan says, "You believe that it was a mistake to involve you more than you were, that Heaven may take more action since you were not directly opposing the Game?"

Hitherby says "Not that it *may*. That, if things had been different -- if, say, *you* had died, Jordan --"

Jordan thinks. "I would be in Trauma. Another triad might have been dispatched."

Jordan says, "But I was standing upon Mazpatiel's porch for several minutes, without any attack."

Daimon says "They were watching."

Pat says "I am unsure that they know about you, Jordan."

Daimon says "Unfortunately that guy had a bad case of gelatin."

Jordan says, "Indeed," to Daimon.

Pat says "It makes sense that I was targeted. I am enmeshed into corporal society."

Pat says "I can be found with a telephone directory."

Jordan says, "True. A pity that they knew your nature." He makes a small gesture.

Sarah glances to Pat. "My apartment may be under watch, too, then."

Daimon clears his throat. "Basically it's 'Daimon and his pals'. If Daimon makes himself scarse, the problem clears up."

Pat nods to Jordan.

Jordan says, to Daimon, "Or not. Your friends have already allied themselves with you, already come to the attention of the Game. And *you* are now in service to my Archangel. Your absence is not an option."

Hitherby sighs. "I am just attempting to decide why the Prince of the Game is not being very solicitous to Heaven when he has an enormous battle brewing in Hell."

Jordan says, to Hitherby, "Perhaps he is distracted."

Sarah says mildly, "I think that ending that sentence before the 'when' might answer the question for you, Hitherby."

Hitherby sighs. "Perhaps."

Pat says "I believe Asmodeus knows full well Heaven would not approve."

Daimon hmmms. "I think I'm perfectly capable of serving a geas while minimizing the pain to angels."

Daimon says "Which means, I bolt and do my bit for god and country elsewhere. Like Zimbabwe."

Jordan says, to Daimon, "We are not in the habit of allowing our fellow Servitors to become targets of the Game. Or be captured."

Daimon says "But I am _not_ a servitor of Judgment, I am _geased_ to Judgment. I am a servitor of Comedy."

Jordan says, "I believe a phrase for this is, 'Close enough for government work.'"

Pat coughs lightly.

Jordan looks to Pat.

Daimon says "Bah."

Sarah says mildly, "I think you're overlooking something, Daimon."

Daimon says "You can break it at any time, Sarah."

Jordan murmurs, "And if she fails, she becomes dissonant."

Sarah says firmly, "I /would/ not," and paces over to kiss the top of Daimon's head.

Jordan looks to Pat. "Perhaps you can convince him that he *is* in service to our Lord, and has both responsibilities and protections?"

Hitherby lands lightly on top of the television.

Pat says "I could take him to Etecius."

Jordan almost looks pained. "That... might work. Though Etecius would not be... patient, I believe."

Daimon looks up at Sarah. "You aren't going to let me be selflessly stupid, will you."

Sarah pats Daimon's shoulder gently. "I'll protect you."

Pat looks at Jordan. "Has the Most Just seen fit to discuss a briefing schedule?"

Daimon says "Argh. You all should just let me run."

Jordan shakes his head. "I presume that Daimon is on your schedule now. I have only the information that I was given."

Pat looks at Daimon. "If that's the case, you may not want to go to Zimbabwe."

Jordan looks at Daimon. "That is no longer an option. Our Archangel has given instructions -- ones that you should at least partly prefer."

Sarah says quietly, "I'd never forgive myself, Daimon. Liz would never forgive any of us."

Daimon says "I don't like bringing people down with me."

Hitherby says, quietly, "We will deal with the Game. Here. And elsewhere, perhaps, later."

<> Liz knows some excellent bars in Zimbabwe where the bush pilots hang out.

Pat says "You're not going down, Daimon."

Hitherby makes an amused tone. "Unless I am expected to kill six of them myself, which, despite everything, strains my credulity somewhat."

Jordan takes his notebook and scribbles in it, in clear text. He hands it to Daimon. (It reads: "Daimon is to continue investigation into the Kobal matter, comport himself with the discretion suitable to a Servitor of Judgement, not leave the corporeal plane without permission for the moment, and send regular reports to Etecius.") "I don't think you can do all of this in Zimbabwe, alone," the Seraph says quietly.

Daimon hehs. "Boy have I screwed myself. But you know what the Boss always says. If you can't make anyone else Funny, you're always your own personal convenient target."

Sarah kisses Daimon's cheek. "If you insist."

Jordan sighs, and stands. "Perhaps. I hope that you will not consider your service to my Archangel to be 'screwing yourself' in the long run. You will have protections, as well as responsibilities." He pauses. "I must return and report the Calabite."

Daimon says "I'll try to be a passible servitor."

Jordan nods. "I think you may do quite well, if you put your mind to it." He asks, "May I use your phone, Mazpatiel? I would rather not chance that they are tapping cellphone communications, and I must call a taxi."

Pat says "I'm here if you have questions, Daimon." He nods to Jordan. "Use the office phone. If the light on the side blinks, let me know."

Jordan nods to Pat and goes to the office phone.

Sarah comments, "It seems almost as likely that Mazpatiel's telephone might be --" SHe smiles to Pat. "Oh, good."

Pat smiles at Sarah. "The office phone was installed by a friend of mine."

Daimon slouches on the couch. "I'm not saying 'good', I'm saying passible."

(Jordan makes his call...)

Daimon holds up his fingers to make devil horns on his forehead.

Sarah perches on the arm of Daimon's chair, presuming Daimon is in a chair. "Good, good."

Hitherby says, quietly, "Mazpatiel, may I speak to you privately, a moment, as an Elohite?" She considers. "Er, with you being the Elohite?"

Pat blinks at the nearest Hitherby. "Of course."

(Jordan finishes his call.)

Daimon sighs, leans back his head against the back of the couch, and closes his eyes,.

Hitherby drifts her TV swarm over to a corner of the room.

Sarah reconsiders her perch on the arm of the couch, and gives Daimon a footrub instead.

Jordan walks to the door. "I will await the cab outside. If I am vessel-killed, please report this fact immediately to the Tether." He pauses, to look at Daimon with a troubled expression. Quietly, he says, "I beg that you do not underestimate yourself, Daimon." And slips out the door.

Pat nods to Jordan and moves to the corner.

Jordan nods back.

Daimon looks down at Sarah. "Oh, now I'll have to owe you," he says with a little bit of a grin.

Hitherby says, quietly, "Mazpatiel, I am caught in a contradiction."

Sarah smiles up at Daimon. "If you insist. Unofficially, I trust?"

Pat lowers his voice as well. "Do explain."

Daimon says "Um. Well. Tanstaafl."

Hitherby continues, "Dissonance is an indication of incorrect behavior, in essence, yes?"

Pat says "It is an indication of a deviance from one's nature."

Sarah points out, mildly, "But I'm already repaid for this."

Daimon, having gone through this with Liz, sighs. "Well, no, you aren't."

Sarah pats Daimon's knee. "I'm repaid for it by your reaction to it."

Daimon says "That does not remove the geas, Sarah."

Hitherby says, softly, "I am not dissonant, Pat. And yet my host is dead."

Sarah says "Correct me if I'm wrong, Daimon. A Geas is a matter of repayment, correct?"

Daimon says "Correct."

Pat says "Did you feel the dissonance take hold?"

Sarah returns both hands to rubbing Daimon's foot. "I'm doing this in the hope of being repaid by a lessening of tension in my attuned. So if you enjoy it, I'm repaid. And if not, there's nothing for you to repay me for."

Daimon sighs. "Sarah, I will do something for you later."

Hitherby bobs. "Yes. So it is grace. Or atonement. Or something -- but --" She swirls around quietly. "That is my problem, do you see? If higher powers have graced me -- or if my unthinking reaction was atonement -- then my behavior was *not* incorrect. But my host is dead. It does not

make *sense*."

Pat says "What was your unthinking reaction?"

Sarah replies, reasonably, "All right."

Daimon lets it drop, and enjoys the footrub. Mmmmm... less tension.

Hitherby bobs uncertainly. "Protect myself. And exact retribution."

Hitherby says, tetchily, "You were *there*, Pat."

Pat says "I hadn't made the connection."

Sarah enjoys giving the footrub, and does not argue about repayment.

Daimon sighs. "So what now, Sarah?"

Sarah replies, "Well. Now I'm rubbing your feet." She considers for a moment. "Did we have any planned courses of action other than yet more of an overdose of philosophy?"

Daimon tchs. "I'm not going to change who I am, ya know."

Sarah agrees, "Not in most senses." She leans her head against his knee. "I believe there are more immediate courses of action?"

Pat holds out a hand to Hitherswarm. "Alight?"

Daimon strokes Sarah's hair with his fingertips. "Sancuzzi, Toboka - someone should go sit at a terminal and do a little research."

Hitherby alights, twenty different-sized bugs forming a fuzzy winged tapestry on Pat's hand.

Daimon says "And I still want to know _why_ Focals was investing in the Opera."

Daimon considers. "We still have that girl to bring to a tether or something from the Opera. Tania. No one has taken care of that yet."

Hitherby leaves very very tiny bloody footprints.

<> Hitherby mavs that, too, throwing the people in a chat room somewhat :)

Daimon continues to contemplate. "I would like to know who hit the Kobalite tether. I would like to know who died there yesterday. I would like to know how deep the human connection to the Game goes in DC. I would like to know what the cops know."

Hitherby says, quietly, "I would like to see Terethel in celestial form." But probably not loud enough for Daimon to hear.

Sarah summarizes mildly, "Investigate Focals and associates. Find survivors from the Kobalite tether. Return to the opera. And speak to Eduardo - that last I presume will not be our job, Daimon."

Pat raises Hitherby to eye level. "Why do you think you reacted that way?"

<> Pat resonates on Hitherby at the same time. Mmmm skin contact.

<> Pat rolls the d666 and gets 3 2 CHECK: 4.

Daimon says "No, I don't want to deal with the Malakite while sober. I think there is some computer work and some research that needs to be done that we aren't doing. We aren't sitting down and _thinking_."

Hitherby says, quietly, "Because the death of a host cannot be allowed. Lines must be drawn."

Sarah observes, "We'll need a computer terminal, and a library."

Daimon says "We're making judgments based on no information. And that bothers me."

Sarah says "We have a considerable amount of information. It is, however, poorly organized."

Daimon says "We have considerable information on Bellman's. We are lacking information on the rest of the infrastructure."

Sarah pauses for a moment to think. "We'll also want a program from the Opera. I believe there are several of those about."

<> Daimon says "Augh! The 11 Int kicks in! Big words come out!"

Daimon says "I found no hidden messages in the Opera itself. It's just music."

Sarah replies, "I'd like a few more names to research there."

Pat considers the insects on his hand for a moment.

Daimon says "I don't think it's the Opera itself. I'm not trying to dissuade you from looking it up, but I think it's more about the organization which funds the Opera."

Pat says "What is your Great One's view on justice, Hitherby?"

Sarah says "Precisely, Daimon."

Sarah says "I believe that there's generally considerable information in a program."

Hitherby says, "A creature may prove itself worthy of life or unworthy of life; he is willing to enforce this distinction."

Pat says "And are you as well?"

Sarah leans her head, once again, against Daimon's knee. "Also, I think we might want to run a search on, ah. Explosions. Terrorist acts. The like. Concentrated on yesterday."

Hitherby scratches, atonally, "Of course."

Daimon says "Another lead we haven't bothered to track down - who all else was hit, and where in the country."

Sarah says "We do have a free afternoon."

Daimon says "We need a computer."

Sarah says "And a library. Yes."

Pat says "Then you were acting as dictated by Jordi's Word, yes?"

Hitherby lifts her voice a moment, and says, "I consulted with a Malakite, I should say."

Daimon says "There we go. Information."

Hitherby hums uneasily to Pat. "If I had been acting outside of my beliefs of how I should act, Pat, I would not be troubled now."

Pat says "Then you acted to reassert your nature, Hitherby."

Sarah says "And the possibility of a reasonably pleasant afternoon and evening."

Hitherby adds, louder, "I believe that I may obtain a few of the Great One's Malakim for a Tether raid -- *if* we know its defenses in detail. This is not necessarily useful, but it should be mentioned."

Sarah glances toward Hither and Pat. "Oh, my."

Pat nods.

Daimon says "Until the Boss is freed and things return to relative normal, there will be no piece or pleas... huh?"

Daimon sniffs. "I'll say thing to you all that I said to Liz. If you need to call down the Malakim, and they'll kill me in the mean time because I'm a demon in the way, then call down the Malakim.

Hitherby sighs softly to Pat. "I was created to be free of care. We shall kill the amount required, and then I will forget the matter." She lifts off of Pat's hand. "It is hard. But this is expected. Thank you, Mazpatiel."

Pat nods to Hitherswarm, and turns to Daimon. "I don't think you understand, Daimon."

Sarah replies, "Don't be silly, Daimon." She pats his knee again. "First of all, it's clear by now that they won't kill you. Second, if it worries you, we can be somewhere else at the time."

Hitherby makes a faint snarling noise. "Daimon, the Malakite was willing to accept that you are an ally, but not that Prince Kobal deserves rescue. This outlines the boundaries of what we may expect from others like him."

Hitherby says "You will not be slain. However, we will not have assistance in his rescue."

Hitherby drifts back to the television.

Daimon says, flatly, "I expect no assistance in freeing my Lord."

Hitherby says, "Then you are deaf."

Pat says "Daimon."

Daimon says, flatly, "No, I simply expect no support from Angels on this point."

Pat says "Daimon."

Hitherby says "I have promised assistance. The Cherub is attuned to you. The Ofanite loves you. If you expect to be alone, you are deaf."

Daimon says "I have _always_ been alone. And this is for me, and my compatriots who serve him."

Hitherby adds, "And blind."

Hitherby adjusts herself to a proper Kyriotate swirl.

Daimon says "Then I am deaf and blind and damned to Hell."

Hitherby says "More kindly said, have faith, Daimon. We are here for you."

Daimon shakes his head, and shrugs.

Daimon says "Sorry for interrupting. Carry on."

Hitherby says, quietly, "Daimon, I am attempting not to become more upset. I lost a host today for the first time in a hundred and eighty years. Please do not question my honor."

Daimon stands up. "I'm going to go into the bedroom and contemplate the ceiling so I don't question anyone else's honor. Come get me when it's time for me to do something useful."

Sarah rises, just after.

Hitherby says, softly, "You make your own Hell, Daimon."

Pat just shakes his head.

Daimon sneers, "And I love every second of it."

Daimon stalks into the bedroom and slams the door after himself.

Sarah follows - pauses as the door is slammed in her face.

Hitherby considers.

Hitherby says "My apologies, Sarah."

Hitherby flies neatly in a holding pattern.

Pat reaches for his cigarettes.

Hitherby says, "Since he will not accept attempts to save his soul, his lord, or he himself, perhaps you could suggest a song he would enjoy hearing or a gift he would enjoy?"

Hitherby says "Not sarcasm, that; I feel I should balance the scales for upsetting him."

Hitherby reflects. "Do Lilim like honey?"

Pat settles into a chair, smoking a cigarette, pondering.

Sarah says quietly, her hands resting against the door. "Stories. He likes - stories."

Hitherby considers that. "Ah!"

Sarah tries the door.

The door is unlocked.

Hitherby continues to fly a holding pattern, deep in thought.

Sarah opens the door cautiously, and steps inside, closing it behind her.

Daimon is sitting on the one side of the bed, staring at the floor.

Hitherby says "I have one -- but --"

Hitherby studies the closed door.

<> Hitherby says "Pat, does your bedroom have a window?"

Sarah comes and sits by him, not quite next to him.

<> Pat says "Nope. Back of the building."

Daimon doesn't look up. He blinks a few times.

Hitherby lands on the television and directs her eyes to Pat. "Should the story come now, or later?"

Sarah offers him her hand, moving it into the edge of his field of view.

Pat looks over at Hitherby through the faint screen of blue-grey smoke. "I do not think this is one of Daimon's more receptive moments."

Hitherby sighs. "Probably not."

Daimon reaches over and takes the hand.

Pat shakes his head.

Sarah squeezes Daimon's hand gently.

Daimon says "I am amazingly manic-depressive sometimes."

Hitherby says "He was upset enough to break his promise; that is extreme, I think."

Hitherby says "Or perhaps this was simply bending it."

Sarah answers, "We're learning. We'll get better."

Pat nods. "He's...difficult, Hitherby. To read."

Daimon says "I _hope_ it gets better."

Hitherby says, "Can you think of any sign that birds would notice associated with a Game Tether?"

Hitherby says "I thought that people there would be unlikely to feed them -- but -- unless it was very public, this would not be unusual."

Pat shakes his head.

Sarah repeats the squeeze. "It always gets better, love."

Daimon says "It bites pretty hard right now."

Sarah says "We'll help. If you can tell us how."

Daimon says "I don't know how. That's part of the problem."

Sarah says "Trying to keep busy will have to suffice, then."

Daimon says "I'm spending way too much dwelling on things."

Hitherby says, "I could borrow his body, if we could get him into a spare one, and we could hand me over to the Game, and then I could leave when we know where the Game Tether is."

Sarah says "Well then. You have four choices to avoid that."

Pat says "Um. No."

Daimon says "It's very hard not to dwell on the fact that you can't ever go home again. I didn't _want_ to be Renegade. I never imagined I ever would be. It's incredibly difficult, mostly because it's against my free will. It's not my choice. So I'm doing the best I can."

Sarah counts on the fingers of her free hand. "We can go and do research. We can listen to Hitherby's story. I can try to rub your back till you can't think - I wouldn't recommend that one, I'm not terribly experienced. Or sex. Which has the same drawback as the third."

Daimon nods. "I'm not picky, although the third and fourth would only serve to make me feel better in a way that I'm not sure, I dunno. Whichever is better."

Daimon says "I'm just living a nightmare, Sarah. And it's very hard."

Sarah folds her other hand over his. "Research, then. The better to have the nightmare over with quickly."

Daimon says "It won't end until either the entire mess comes to some sort of satisfactory conclusion, I die, or I... go... change. Permanently."

Sarah says "The first or the third. I won't let harm come to you."

Daimon says "I am _trying_. I am not doing a very good job, I know, but I am _trying_. I don't _want_ to live in Hell, but I'm so used to it, you know..."

Sarah completes, softly, "... that you don't know any other way to be, and that all we do seems as if it should be some sort of trap, because in Hell, it would be."

Daimon nods slowly. "Trapped."

Sarah says "And waiting for the rest of it to spring."

Daimon nods again. "I wish I could do as Hitherby asks, and just have faith. But faith in what?"

Hitherby, in the main room, starts idly to sing -- a strange melody, barely audible through the door, composed not by her but by Jordi himself; a wordless song that, in celestial, might be the story of a wolf who comes to a creek at night, and studies her own reflection for a moment, before dashing across it in search of prey, leaving only ripples and broken images behind.

Sarah says "In us, I suppose, for the moment; that we are your friends, and will help you if we can."

<> Hitherby rolls the d666 and gets 6 4 CHECK: 1.

Hitherby sings rather poorly tonight. :)

Daimon nods. "I'm sorry I lost my temper. It was out of line."

Sarah squeezes his hand. "Hitherby was also out of line. It's been rough on us all."

Daimon nods again. "I feel useless. I'm too depressed to do anything right."

Sarah says "You've done a great number of things right."

Daimon sighs. "I need to do more, and I need to do them quickly."

Sarah smiles a touch. "Otherwise, the Game would not be nearly so annoyed."

Sarah says "Shall we go and do research, then?"

Daimon says "We need to do the research."

Sarah says "Yes. We do."

Daimon nods. "First, we need to get out of the bedroom."

Sarah agrees, "That is most definitely so."

Daimon waits to be helped off the bed.

Sarah does indeed stand, and offer help as it is needed.

Daimon accepts the help.

Sarah accepts being leaned on, also, if necessary to see Daimon safely out the door.

Daimon comes out into the living room, and looks sheepishly at Hitherby. "I'm sorry I lost my temper. I'm not... feeling so hot anymore, and well, I lost it."

Hitherby stops singing startledly as Daimon comes out, and listens to his statement.

Daimon shifts weight. "I'm sorry I blew my top. At you in specific. It's not your fault."

Hitherby says, "I must think for a few seconds about how precisely to respond, but let me state in advance that you are more than forgiven, I would like to apologize to you as well, and if you would like, you can have an extra story tonight as recompense. Now I will consider for a moment."

Daimon settles on the couch.

<> Sarah says "Somehow I am frightened by the ide of Hitherby as baby-sitter."

Sarah stands near the couch for a moment, and then goes to do a needless circuit of window-checking.

Hitherby says "I am fully aware that you are in a difficult situation, Daimon, and if I knew for sure how not to make it worse, I would do so --" She swirls around and around. "Let it stand that you would have some difficulty offending me as things stand. I was not /upset/ by your words, before your departure, but -- I could not incorporate them into my own viewpoint, and this produced confusion. Do you understand?"

Hitherby says "And, as I have said, I apologize as well."

Daimon nods. "I think I understand."

Hitherby says, "I am glad."

Daimon says "I am trying. It is more difficult then you can imagine. I don't want to leave my home or my life. But I'm pushed that way, and I'm trying to adjust. But these things take time."

Sarah says softly, "Take whatever time you need."

Hitherby says, quietly, "Kyriotates are meant to be incarnations of unity."

Hitherby sighs, and lands on the television.

Daimon says "Eventually, time will pass, and I will become accostomed, and then even happy, with the way my life is going. But right now I am not. And I can't just change. I'm still... me."

Sarah returns, having hunted up a pad of paper and a pen from somewhere as well, and curls in a chair by the Daimon-couch. "You'll always be yourself, Daimon," she observes, even as she starts to note something down.

Hitherby says "What are you not accustomed to? Besides the dangers and so forth that no one expects you to adapt to?"

Daimon says "I'll become used to the fact that I'm expected to act differently. But for right now, I'd prefer to fill my brain up with work."

Hitherby says "Work is good."

Daimon says "Work is extremely good. Work means not having to think about anything else. It's how I've avoided things for years."

Sarah says "I suppose that's - functional, at the least."

Daimon says "Certainly. Better then right now. And of course, I'll be busy learning how to serve Judgment to the best of my ability."

Hitherby says "Would it distract you if I were to crawl around on your forehead again?"

Daimon says "Ummmmm.... I would be distracted, but I don't think I'd be particularly productive."

Hitherby says "All right."

Hitherby says "What is the plan?"

Daimon says "Sarah and I, and probably some Sepharchunk, will need to hit a library and sit down to some terminals and do some solid research on these names. Look up newspaper clippings of the past two days, figure out who else was hit, try to find something on the two other companies, and some background on Bellman's. We're working with no background information at all, and it would help. We'd also like to figure out why exactly Focals was investing in the Opera in the first place."

Sarah adds mildly, "I'd like to research the, ah..." Her expression shadows for a moment. "The violinist, also. He might or might not prove to be related, but he was my Brother once."

Daimon says "In the mean time, I have to get my shit together and figure out how to be a servitor of Judgment before someone shows up and announces that I've been slacking."

Hitherby considers. "I do not believe I could be of assistance in this." She traces patterns atop the television. "However, perhaps I will start a surveillance, in case the Lilim and Djinn leave Focals?"

Daimon nods. "We need to know where the Game tether is at, to take it out."

Hitherby nods. "I have thought about ways to get them to go there, but most were foolish and the one that remained was rejected by Mazpatiel. Which, I suppose, implies that it was also foolish."

Hitherby doesn't nod. But hums agreement.

Sarah says "Surveillance is most likely efficient."

Sarah pauses for a moment to consider. "You'd likely want to send a single host with us, for purposes of supervision, as well. Most likely with Daimon - if you don't mind, Daimon? I'd know if both of you were at risk, then."

Hitherby nods. "I could attach myself to their car or watch from above, using raptors. Or some combination of raptors and car passengers."

Daimon says "I'll take a Hitherbug."

Daimon says "Liz will have more information as well, soon. We should plan to meet for something... dinner?"

Sarah says "Dinner, preferably a late one, perhaps? Maximum research time."

Hitherby says, quietly, "I would like to keep a host with anyone who is not doing something private at all times. I do not know for sure who they will strike at next -- Let me consider how many birds I can field in that case."

Daimon says "A late dinner, maybe. Just so we can all gather and share information."

Hitherby says "Thirteen birds, perhaps. If tracking them from above is wise."

Hitherby says "They may become suspicious if they should spot circling raptors, however."

Sarah observes, "One host should likely serve for Daimon and myself both. As I'd imagine I'll be fairly nearby most of the time -" she smiles - "unless Daimon is nearby Liz, instead."

Hitherby hums acceptance.

Daimon says "Liz is busy tracking down other leads, currently."

Hitherby says, amusedly, "I am aware."

Daimon says "Oh, yeah, well. We can't all be multiple."

Hitherby giggles.

Daimon says "Some of us just have to settle for one sad little viewpoint."

Hitherby says "You seem multiple from here! Except all of you go by different names. Very puzzling."

Sarah murmurs, "Complex rather than multiplex."

Sarah smiles toward Hitherhosts.

---

Fiat Justitia