The Price Of Freedom

It is perhaps 8am in the morning. The sky is bright and clear.

Daimon would wait until Liz either gets busy or goes upstairs to get cleaned up. Then he'd leave her a note. 'I'm going out for a short walk to clear my head. I'll be back, but if I'm not, just go ahead and call me on the cellphone. Love ya.... Dai.'

Daimon waits until people are not paying attention to him to go slip out the back. *slip*

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

Marath does not appear to have noticed Daimon slipping out. The street outside is Free! Free! Free!

Daimon goes for a walk, looking for a park bench or a nice stoop or someplace to sit down, somewhat innocuous.

There is a small bench not far away, near a street crossing.

Daimon sits down, pulls out his cellphone, and dials his own answering machine in LA to get the phone messages.

Daimon . o O ( Technology is fun! )

The machine announces that he has some seventy-five new messages.

Daimon sighs heavily.

Daimon hangs up, and decides to listen to them a little later. Then he dials Malik.

Daimon does a quick calculation, and realizes it's 4am there.

Daimon decides, well heck, demons don't sleep.

After about seven rings, there is the sound of a telephone receiver being fumbled off the phone, and a long low groan. In a male voice. "Whaddddidisiist?"

Daimon says "Hey. Can I speak to Malik?"

The male voice grows slightly more oriented. "She's not here."

Daimon says "This is her brother. Who is a kind of protective brother. Do you know where she'd be at 4 in the morning?"

Daimon says "Did I mention I'm protective? I love my little sister,'"

The voice says, "Yeah, so what's going on? Didn't she make it home after all?"

Daimon pauses. "Okay, information exchange time. Who are you, and when was the last time you saw her?"

The voice says, "My name's Sebastian. I'm a friend of hers. She had to head off yesterday morning home, some sort of family emergency. She said for me to wait round for her to get back. Who are you?"

Daimon says "I'm Daimon Lightner, her older brother. What time yesterday morning?"

There is the glugging of some liquid. "I don't know. She got a call from someone around ten, then spent the next hour packing. Hey, if you're her brother, you know what she's like."

Daimon says "Yes, I know what she's like. Let me tell you, _I_ didn't get pulled for a family emergency. Here's a weird question: do you know if she was working? Employed?"

Daimon . o O ( Oh Christ. )

There's a pause, then the guy says, "I think she was between jobs." There's a pause. "Is this some kind of headhunting shit?"

Pat . o O ( More than you know, Sebbie. )

Daimon says "God no. Look on the mantle. You see the picture of the dark haired guy with her in Paris? That's me. But hell... okay, well. The best I can say is, have her give me a call when she gets back, which might not be for a while."

There are sounds as of someone staggering across the room to look at a picture on the mantlepiece. He says, "Okay, I'll tell her. She did say she didn't know when she'd be back."

Daimon . o O ( My sister is in Hell. Literally. )

Demiurge . o O ( At least she's probably safe in the Guildhall )

Daimon sighs heavily. "She'll be awhile. So... um... well. Thanks."

Sarah . o O ( 'Safe' )

Pat . o O ( How much is a toll call to Hell? )

The guy yawns. "Okie. Night." The phone goes down.

Daimon . o O ( I'd like to know where this guy came from and what he's doing living in my sister's apartment. )

Sarah . o O ( One hecatomb. )

Daimon hangs up, and then wanders off to find a phonebook.

A phonebook can be found, in the phonebox down the road.

Daimon picks through the phonebook until he finds a number of the SEC. Does he, with his huge pulsating brain, remember the name of the Seneschal?

<> Demiurge checks the log to see if said name was mentioned.

<> Demiurge says "I think that back in the Stone session, Liz phoned up to make an appointment with the Seneschal, so Daimon might have heard the name then."

<> Demiurge says "Make an Int roll to see if you remember it, Daimon?"

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

<> Daimon's brain pulsates.

<> Demiurge says "You recall that she phoned and asked for a Mr Evison."

Daimon phones and asks for Mr. Evison.

A secretary says, "I don't think he's in this early in the morning, sir. Who is calling for him, please?"

Daimon says "Daimon Lightner. I was there, uh, yesterday, actually."

The secretary says, "Just a moment, please, sir." You get put on hold music.

Daimon taps his foot to the hold music.

The hold music stops, and a male voice says, "John Evison here. What can I do for you, Mr Lightner?"

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

<> Demiurge says "And the Mercurian gets a heart attack."

Daimon says "Hi. You know someone I work with. Elizabeth Bradley?"

The voice says, "Indeed I do. We had some rather alarming reports about her status last night."

Daimon says "She's okay now, I just saw her a few minutes ago. She said she'll be coming in to get debriefed a little later. Actually I have a personal question, and it's a little bizarre."

The voice sounds relieved. "Ah, good. Please do ask your question."

Daimon says "I need to locate the Tether of Freedom in DC."

There is a pause for several breaths, then the voice says, neutrally, "May I ask your reasons for doing so?"

Daimon says "The truth?"

<> Daimon says "No, lie to me."

The voice says, "Naturally."

Daimon says "Er, well, this is a little bizarre, but I redeemed, and I sort of need to tell them I'm not dead."

Daimon says "It's a politeness thing."

The voice says, "You are certain they are not likely to try and take any repercussions?"

Daimon says "I am more then positive they'll try and do something to me. It's almost definite. But I need to at least call. Trust me on this. If my Mother finds out that she went and beat the hell out of someone for my death and I'm still running around, then she's going to geas me to some very

ugly things."

The voice says, "But as I understand it, she will be able to tell that you are still alive, if you owe her any Geasa? Or do I have that wrong?"

Daimon says "Well, I suppose this is true. But the politeness is mandatory. Trust me, I don't want to be a love slave to a Shedite of Death who happens to be Lustful."

<> Sarah EW

<> Pat twitch.

The voice sounds rueful. "Very well, but I hope that you intend to be careful."

Daimon says "I do indeed."

The voice says, "It is believed, given certain information we have received, that the Statue of Freedom atop the Capitol Building is a Tether of Freedom. The morning tours will probably already be running."

Daimon says "Thanks. I appreciate it, and I owe you one."

The voice says, "Consider it a courtesy between friends. Good morning, Mr Lightner."

Daimon says "Good morning to you too."

The phone goes down.

Daimon hangs up. He fully expects to be followed by the Attuning One. He wanders down the street, heading for a church.

<> Sarah sings, "Follow, follow, follow, follow, follow Creationer-Dai..."

After a few streets, a church comes in sight round a turning to the left. The Church Of Saint James The Lesser.

Daimon, not knowing who St. James the Lesser is, ducks in, even if there is a service currently going on.

There is not a service currently going on. It is early Saturday morning, and the church seems pretty much empty. It is a small place, and has fresh flowers on the altar, and old stonework.

Daimon slips into a pew.

<> Sarah is following, but not in terribly-concerned-ultra-close mode, just in mmm, nice day, don't let Daimon get ambushed by Calabim alone mode.

<> Demiurge says "You can probably track him to the church, then, Sarah."

Daimon will do what he's come to do then, which is to ask God to protect his Lord and the rest of the assorted Kobalites from the Game; to let the Lilim get through this in peace, and to not let people he cares about now get killed, because he's not very good at this combat stuff.

The church, if nothing else, is peaceful, and nobody disturbs Daimon while he prays.

Daimon also waits for Sarah to show up, because sooner or later, she will.

Daimon does a lot of praying, because these are demons and they need all the help they can get. He doesn't believe in God, but he suspects God believes in them, and besides, it couldn't hurt.

Sarah gives Daimon some time, rather expecting him to come out on his own, before wandering in herself.

Daimon waits for Sarah to sit down next to him.

Sarah doesn't exactly sit down next to Daimon, but pauses at the end of his pew and gives him an inquisitive look.

Daimon looks up, and seeing she's not going to sit down, will get out of the pew.

Daimon grins at Sarah, and lifts his eyebrows.

Daimon says "Hi."

Sarah smiles at Daimon. "Hello to you, too."

Daimon gestures for Sarah to leave the church.

Sarah nods, and does this thing.

Daimon follows behind Sarah into the morning air.

Daimon says "I had to get out for a little bit. Too many people, you know."

Daimon starts walking toward the Capitol building, assuming Sarah is following.

Sarah agrees, "I understand." She pauses. "I could leave you alone, if you thought it were really necessary, but given the ambushes..."

Daimon says "Oh, no. I don't want to be alone. I just wanted to think. I'm done now. I expected you to follow me, and then, eventually, accompany me."

Daimon says "Which, I point out, you have followed through with admirably."

Sarah brightens, and does accompany, considerably more cheerfully.

Daimon says "We're going to the Capitol building to take a tour. Is that okay?"

Sarah says "I don't see why not."

Sarah pauses and glances at her T-shirt, looking amused, but doesn't seem to feel it necessary to say anything.

Daimon mmms. "I should warn you, though."

Sarah says "Yes?"

Daimon says "It is a tether to Freedom."

Daimon falls back to silence, enjoying the day, walking in that general direction.

Sarah pauses. "Ah. I'll, ah, try not to pay much attention, then."

Daimon says "They may try to drag me back to Hell."

Sarah says "I hope not."

Daimon says "That's why you're here, see. I'm a devious bastard."

Sarah says "Evidently too devious for me, but I'll trust that you know what you're doing."

Sarah, fool.

Daimon says "Nope, no idea what I'm doing at all."

Daimon says "But I hope we can get on the tour. It'll be educational."

You reach the foot of the Capitol Building. There is a tour running to the statue at the top, but there are a _lot_ of stairs to climb.

Daimon starts walking up the stairs, fairly placidly.

Daimon says, offhand, while climbing, "I'm worried about my sister's choice in men. But I don't have alot to go off of."

Sarah climbs in much the same manner. "I'd imagine that your sister might be worried about your choice in women, too. Aren't those things supposed to go along with siblinghood?"

Daimon makes a point of joining the tour group.

Daimon says "Well, she's always griping about my girlfriends, but in a vague Maliky kind of way. It's just, well, she got called home. And I'll probably never see her again."

Daimon is very placid and matter of fact about things.

Daimon will also resonante on da Tour Guide, if he gets close enough.

The tour group is mostly eager young things, at this time in the morning. You are led up to see the Statue at the top. It is gorgeous. It is impressive. It also has pigeons. And a stray cat.

<> Demiurge says "Roll, Daimon."

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

Sarah admires. Even the pigeons.

Daimon peers at the stray cat.

The tour guide needs to get better paid, to have his wife stop nagging, and not to (please God) have any kids trying to climb on the statue today.

The cat returns a slit-eyed stare at Daimon.

<> Demiurge rolls the d666 and gets 5 4 CHECK: 6.

<> Demiurge says "Daimon, what are your current Needs? Level 6."

<> Pat fears the cat.

<> Daimon says "To get a message to Hell and contact Lilith. To sleep with Liz and make her feel better. To free Kobal from the Game. To embarass the Game. To give a really good line to Terry so he won't suspect anyone. To take a shower and destink and get out of the hot leather pants. To make music and give free love to the entire cosmos. To drag smash illusions in nice physically safe ways. To serve Eli. That's not in any particular order."

The cat wanders over to Daimon, and purrrrrrrs, rubbing against his legs. If permitted.

Daimon leans down, picks up the cat, looks at it, and resonates.

<> Demiurge says "Roll?"

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

<> Daimon says "Bah. I have no idea."

The cat purrs meltingly, rubbing its head against Daimon's arm.

Daimon puts the cat back down, and looks up at the statue.

Daimon hmmms. Tack a letter to the statue?

The tour guide continues talking to the group. The cat wanders round towards the other side of the statue, then looks back at Daimon, and mews.

<> Pat says "Postit note."

Daimon follows the cat, and leans down. "You really want attention, dontcha?"

The cat mews again, and wanders further on. Curiously, there seems to be a small service door in the direction that it is leading you.

Daimon straighens back up, and looks over his shoulder to make sure Sarah is following. If she's not, he'll give her a good "psst!" to wake her out of her fugue, and then follow the cat. Placidly.

Sarah glances toward wandering Daimon, arching one eyebrow; nods at his glance back, and follows.

Daimon shrugs. "Follow the bouncing weirdess. That's my motto."

Sarah pats Daimon on the shoulder. Admire the matching T-shirts.

Daimon follows the cat.

Sarah follows the Daimon.

The cat wanders across to the samll service door, and pats at it with one paw, then looks back to Daimon again.

Daimon leans down, and scritches the cat on the ears. Scritch scritch scritch. Then he opens the door.

Inside, a television is showing the morning episode of a soap. A young woman looks up from where she's sprawled on a chair, and blinks, then rises. She's in sloppy-Goth clothing, hair tangled round her face.

Daimon says "Hey."

The cat wanders across, and shakes itself, and _changes_: there is the disturbance in the Symphony of Vessels being changed, then another young woman is there, in rather tight t-shirt and leggings.

The previous-cat says, "Hey." The other woman just grunts, and says, "Close the door."

Daimon says "Hey" again.

Daimon closes the door behind him, after Sarah has come in.

Sarah thoughtfully does not meet either woman's eyes. Follows Daimon in as appropriate.

Daimon knows that he is a far less sloppy Goth.

The woman who had been watching the television takes her seat again, and thumbs the remote control, turning the sound off. Images still flicker across the screen.

The other young woman says, "So, what can we do for you?"

Daimon says "I need to get a message down to Lilith."

She nods, in a businesslike manner. "What's it worth to you?"

Daimon shrugs. "What do you want?"

Sarah laces her hands, mild, and just listens.

Daimon is having a hard time caring about wheeling and dealing.

The woman says, in a businesslike manner, "A Geas?"

Daimon says "If it's gotta be. Not that I particularly want a fresh hook on me, but if that's the price, well, that's the price."

Daimon says "I don't know what you need."

The two young women look at each other, thoughtfully, then the one who had been the cat says, "Then again, I might settle for some information."

Daimon says "Information is fine. Ask away."

The cat-woman says, "Let's do it outside. The tour party should be gone for the next fifteen minutes. Okay, Rothie?"

The other woman grunts, finding the remote again. "Sure."

The first woman nods, and opens the door.

Daimon shrugs. "Outside is just fine."

<> Pat says "Duelling Lilim."

<> Daimon is just totally placid.

<> Pat says "Just doesn't hold the same appeal, hm?"

The first woman nods. She steps out again, and waits for Sarah and Daimon to join her.

<> Daimon says "Not really. Not when you're serving the Needs of the Symphony."

Daimon goes outside to join them.

Sarah goes outside after Daimon, obediently.

Daimon waits for wackiness to happen.

Outside, the tour has indeed gone, leaving the three of you alone under the open sky.

The young woman says, "Okay. My name's Senir. Who are you, what are you, and what's going on?"

<> Demiurge says "You don't recognise the name offhand, Daimon."

Daimon says "My name is Daimon Lightner. Daimonique. I don't know what I am, no one has told me yet. And I need to tell Lilith, 'Sorry, these things happen'. But in a longer form."

Senir tilts her head, then nods. "Want to write the message, or send it by word of mouth? Or want me to call her?"

Daimon says "Well, calling might be a bit much. Can you memorize a message?"

Daimon . o O ( Because if she shows up, I'm in all sorts of hurt. )

Senir nods. "No problems. Rothie can handle things here while I nip downstairs in a moment."

Daimon nods. "Okay, sure."

Daimon says "So, prepared to memorize my amazingly amazing message?"

Sarah looks ever so slightly relieved. Just slightly. Really.

Senir makes a mock bow. "Speak your words, o mighty whatever. I listen."

Daimon clears his throat. "Okay, here it goes. 'Dear Mother - Hi, how are you? We're doing okay, no one has been smeared yet. You're probably wondering why my Heart bust like an antique plate in a chicken fight last night. Well, I have an explanation, but it's in my other pants. Let me assure you, it wasn't planned. I list it under These Things Happen, and leave it at that. Maybe I liked working for Dominic so much I decided I would go up there and personally tell him so. Although Upstairs is certainly a nice place. Everyone has perpetually Good Hair, and I don't think they ever get split ends. The streets are very clean. Anyway, I think maybe we should get together and talk, when you have time, and at your convenience, when you're done talking about how you're going to pull my Forces apart. I'm still working on freeing the Boss, but I'm in a perpetual segue. It might take a little while, but there are plans in motion. So, thanks for everything, and I'm sure Eli would say Hi if he was standing here, but he's not, so I'll say Hi for him in absentee. Your Daughter, Daimonique. Oh, BTW, if you know what I am, I'd appreciate it. I'm settling on Freak.' Well, that was a ramble. Edit it to taste."

Senir listens, with an abstracted air, until she is sure it is over, then nods.

Senir says, "Do you want to wait for a reply, or have it sent on?

Daimon looks at Sarah, and then shrugs. "I can wait for a reply, if it won't take too long."

Senir says, "Probably not too long. If you go and wait with Rothie in there, you'll be out of the way of any tours coming past."

Daimon says "Cool beans. Thanks."

Daimon would saunter on inside to wait then.

Sarah shrugs back to Daimon, and even to Senir without *quite* looking for her, and continues to traipse around after Daimon like a somewhat lost puppy.

Rothie looks up from the television at the two of you, and grunts. "Tea?"

Daimon says "Sure."

Daimon suspects that Creationerism is starting to mess with his brain.

Sarah smiles at Daimon. "Thank you, but no."

Daimon shares this theory with Sarah. "I think this is starting to mess with my brain."

Sarah agrees, sympathetic, "It is all rather very sudden."

Rothie struggles out of her chair, hair still all tangled over her face, and finds a kettle in the corner. She plops a teabag into a cup, and sets water boiling.

Daimon says "Or maybe I was always like this. Who knows."

Daimon grins. "The Shadow knows!"

Sarah pauses, and blinks at Daimon. She'd be trying to peer over her glasses if she had them on, but she doesn't, so it looks mildly amusing.

Daimon laughs, and pats Sarah consolingly. "I suspect I'm just weird."

Rothie manages to produce a cup of tea. She says, in Daimon's direction, "Milk or sugar?"

Sarah assures Daimon, "But we love you anyhow."

Daimon says "Sugar, please."

Daimon says "I am indeed loved, even if I have an urge to wear tie-dye pants."

Daimon says "I'm heading for fashion disasterism."

Even Sarah looks mildly disturbed by that. "I'm sure we can help you stave that off, if necessary."

Rothie sploshes in some sugar, stirs it, and brings it across. Her fingers brush against Daimon as she passes it to him.

Daimon looks vaguely amused to get attuned to.

Daimon takes the tea. "Now what," he says, distractedly, "will you do if I do nothing for the next week except visit museums and jazz festivals and poetry recitals, as I am wont? Well.... you'll get cultured, so that might be fun."

Daimon says "What if I join a monestary? Or the Flying Elvises?"

Daimon literally ponders joining the Flying Elvises.

Sarah says "If you join a monastery, your girlfriend will be forced to drop everything and mount a rescue expedition, dear."

Daimon says "I'll be forced to be... my god... No more sex! A travesty!"

Rothie says, as she flops back into her seat, "Monastery?"

Daimon says "You know, with monks. A place where you don't get any."

Rothie says, "Peaceful. No disturbance. Sounds good to me."

Rothie says, "Except for the not getting any."

Daimon makes a mental note. "How about a rock concert? Sound good?"

Sarah begins - you knew she would - to blush.

Daimon ponders. "Now that you can't get rid of me, where should I take you? There are some great art museums. We can go look at pieces."

Rothie mutters, "Plenty right here in DC."

Daimon says "You really want to go?"

Daimon is a little surprised.

Rothie looks up. "Naaaah. Just trying to be helpful."

Daimon sags. "Oh. So where do you like to hang out?"

Rothie makes a vague gesture. "Around. You know. Got suckered into working here. One little favour, that's what they said at the time. Bah."

Sarah stands around and tries not to think about Hell-Tethers and conflicting attunements.

Daimon says "You know how it is. One geas becomes another geas, and next thing you know, you're watching AS THE WORLD TURNS in a tether to freedom."

Rothie nods, in a melancholy way. "Yah. You said it. Still, can't last forever."

Daimon says "Well, it can, if done right, you know."

Daimon says "The trick is to not want things for yourself. Not to be selfish. Just to do your job and bail."

Daimon says "Once you get selfish, well, that's how they get you."

Rothie sits up, momentarily. "Would you believe she even wanted to charge me rent for watching the television?"

Daimon says "Well, that's a Lilim for you. Always charging you for the burger after you ate it, and three times as much as it's worth. Now what you should do is, get out and take care of your attuned. If you did, then you'd get your job done without getting into debt. Better then sitting here."

Rothie slumps back into the chair. "Yeah, well, just got till the end of the year. Then I'm outa here."

Sarah doesn't laugh. She is virtuous.

Daimon says "Well, get out and do your job and take care of your attuned! That'll show her who's boss."

Rothie sighs. "I'm just the hired muscle."

Daimon says "You need to not give into her offers."

Rothie says, wistfully, "Just a few more months." She looks over at Sarah. "Want anything? I'm not charging for it. And if she's not here, she can't."

Daimon settles down next to the Djinn. "What are you interested in? Because I'll take you there."

Daimon resonates on the Djinn.

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

<> Demiurge says "She Needs a better tv soap opera to watch, to have her Geas here finished, to be back in Andrealphus' favour, to get a decent brand of soy sauce, to find something that really interests her, to get some enthusiastic sex that she doesn't have to pay for."

Rothie raises a hand, lazily. "Before you offer it, I'm not buying. Okay?"

Sarah drifts over next to Daimon, laying a hand on his shoulder just for a moment. Mm, reassurance.

Daimon says "Oh, I don't charge."

Daimon says "Honest to god. It's all free. It's all part of the cosmos. Everything is, even you are. So what you need, it gets paid back in full."

Rothie eyes Daimon, genuinely surprised. "So you get it back from the cosmos, right?"

Daimon says "As far as I can figure it, yes."

<> Sarah does not faint. Really. :)

Rothie says, vaguely, "Cool for you."

<> Daimon thppts.

Daimon says "It is cool. Hmmm... soy sauce I can do, next time I go to the store."

Rothie blinks. "For free?"

Daimon says "Oh sure. For free."

Rothie says, "I'll believe that when I see it."

Daimon says "Well, I'll just have to see what I can do."

Daimon gets up and looks about for a TV Guide.

There is a much-rumpled copy lying to one side, half under a cushion.

Daimon picks up the copy, thumbing through it, looking for daytime programming.

Daimon rarely watches TV.

<> Demiurge says "Make an Int roll, Daimon? :)"

Sarah murmurs, half to herself, "Soy sauce?" She doesn't ask aloud, though. She's clearly learning the Ways of the Daimon.

<> Daimon rolls the d666 and gets 6 5 CHECK: 3.

<> Daimon does not fail Int rolls. :)

As he leafs through the pages, Daimon notes one show which Terry had a hand in. Although it is Terryoid, it is reasonably full of action.

Daimon walks over to the TV. He asks, "May I?"

Daimon . o O ( New Word! Terryoid! )

Rothie shrugs. "Sure."

Daimon changes the channel to the action show.

Daimon says, "I think this is more of what you're looking for."

Rothie settles back in her chair. Perhaps five minutes later, she grunts a grudging, "Not bad stuff."

On the television screen, a doctor agonises to his lover about how she's betraying him for the lesbian secretary of his co-worker who has a mentally deficient child that's at a nursery school which is about to be bombed.

Daimon sits down next to the Djinn, and grins at the show, which is seriously silly.

Daimon says "Only Terry. Good tea, though."

Sarah glances at the screen and winces slightly. Thanks God silently that she isn't a Seraph at this moment.

Daimon helps the plot along. "I think that the lesbian secretary is going to find happiness with a gay rights activist, and they'll both move to frezno."

Daimon says "The metnally deficit child will of course thwart the bombers, and be radically transformed into a child of great genius, who goes on to build really comfortable La-Z-Boy couches."

The door swings open, and Senir comes into the room again.

Daimon says "That's rare genius, you know..."

Daimon turns to look over his shoulder. "Hey."

Senir closes the door behind her. She says, "I've got three words of official message."

<> Pat says "You. Are. Fucked."

Daimon says "Yeah?"

Senir says, "And they are, "Don't get caught.""

Daimon laughs. "I figured that much out."

Sarah lets out a breath of relief.

Senir says, "Yeah, well, you know Mom."

Daimon says "I sure do. Did she say what I AM?"

<> Pat says "What's the unofficial message? :)"

Senir says, "Well, she said what you don't _want_ to be, which is one of Azzie's personal toys. Right?"

Daimon says "I know that too, but that's no different then yesterday. I just want to know what to tell people when they ask, 'My GOD! What the hell are you?'"

Sarah flinches mildly.

Senir chews her lip. "Gorgeous?"

Daimon says "I'd be happy to show you, but this isn't a good place."

Daimon says "It's really a weird feeling, but I think it's cool."

Senir says, "Okay. I'll take your word for it."

Daimon grins. "Well, we should motor."

Daimon pats Rothie on the shoulder. "Rothie, have fun following me around. I'll get you your soy-sauce, if I can."

Daimon stands, and nods to Senir. "And you've been great. Anything I can do for you?"

Rothie grunts, and slumps further into her chair.

Senir chews her lip again. "If you've done what I think you've done, does that mean you don't need any stuff that you might have left downstairs?"

Sarah glances at Senir. She had to make the mistake sometime.

Daimon says "Well, there is stuff in my apartment I really want. I tried to call my sister, you know, Malik, but she's been recalled with the rest of the Frees, so no dice there. And there is stuff that people can take. Mostly what I want are my books, my incense burners, and my comics."

Daimon says "I don't need my suits, my ties, or my Kobalite regalia."

Senir looks thoughtful. "I can try and get a message down to your sister, if you want, and sort out shipping for the other stuff."

Daimon says "Nor do I need to dresses or jewelry or stuff. I mean, what am I going to do with horn chains? That's what I want to know."

Daimon says "Can you do that? It would be great. And something about sleeping with strange men named Sebastian and my general brotherly mandatory disapproval."

Sarah does not even attempt to enter this conversation.

Senir taps her fingers against the door thoughtfully. "Okay, so say I just get your comics and books and incense burners up here. Did you have a computer, or any disks or stuff?"

Daimon says "I have a converted Mac, yeah. My computer would be nice. You can have my art and all the furniture."

Senir has the appearance of one doing mental sums. "Okay. And you want your sister notified to talk to you, or get a message to you, or something."

Daimon says "Yes. I am, of course, worried about Malik. It's my job. I get paid well to worry about her."

Sarah smiles briefly, at that, if fondly.

Senir says, briskly, "A week-geas, and you have to come pick your stuff up from here."

Daimon says "Sounds fair."

Daimon grins. "It is true what they say and it is true what they don't."

Daimon says "It is true that Malakim are amazingly sexy."

Daimon says "Everything else is pretty much wrong."

Senir says, thoughtfully, "Amazingly sexy? Did you get to try one out?"

Sarah looks mildly edgy at the term 'week-geas', especially when Daimon agrees with it.

Daimon says "No sex yet. Not that I'm not working on that. But some cuddling."

Daimon says, reflectively, "Anything I can do to cut it down to a day geas, or are you adamant?"

Senir thinks. "Give me a moment," she says.

Daimon says "Anything of mine you want?"

Senir says, after a moment, "You're the one who knows what he can do, at the moment. Got anything you can offer?"

Daimon says "I can't seem to read you, but I will tell you that I'm in unique position to do all sorts of fun interesting things."

Sarah glances to Daimon, inquisitive. Still not foolish enough to open her mouth.

Senir says, very slowly, "Look. I'll make it a day-Geas, and ship the stuff you want up here, and tell Malik you want a word with her. In return, we stay on reasonable terms, though of course I'll deny it all to the Game."

Senir says, "Goodwill's a commodity, after all. Okay?"

Daimon says "That sounds amazingly reasonable."

Daimon says "Deny everything! Say nothing! It's all crap anyway."

Senir nods, and offers her hand to be shaken. "Day, then."

Daimon takes the hand and shakes it.

Sarah relaxes, visibly.

Rothie's attention would appear to be all on the television screen.

Senir reverts to briskness. "Where do I contact you, when I've got it up here?"

Daimon gives Senir his cellphone number. "Call any time."

Senir tilts her head, in a memorising sort of way, then nods.

Senir says, "The next tour group will be out there now. If you mingle with it, you can walk out easily."

Daimon says "Thanks. And... your Djinn is a little happier."

Senir says, "Okay, okay. Now get on out of here, you little ray of sunshine, you."

Sarah relieved, voluntarily gets the door. Oh yes. And quickly.

Daimon grins. "See ya later, Rothie. I'll force you to track me to someplace cool."

Daimon waves, and follows Sarah on out.

There is, indeed, another tour group outside, and they do not notice Sarah and Daimon joining them.

Sarah closes the door and tour-mingles. "Oh, my."

Daimon gives Sarah a hug. "That was fun."

Sarah hugs Daimon back, relieved. "I'm glad for your books, at least."

Daimon says "Oh, me too. I mean, 200 years of books. It would be a shame to give them to someone who wouldn't love them."

Daimon says "I am more happy that my mother is reasonable about this."

Sarah says mildly, "I don't believe I'm capable of offering an opinion one way or another on that."

Sarah says "I'm just going to be happy for your books, which didn't deserve to be left there."

Daimon says "Poor Sarah, dragged through the walking calamity that is my life."

Sarah laughs, and kisses Daimon on the cheek.

Daimon kisses Sarah back, because it's good to kiss Cherubs. They need the attention.

Daimon says "So. Back to Sistine's?"

Sarah pats Daimon on the arm. "And I don't mind a bit." She laughs again, glancing back toward the service door. "Most of the time, at least. I can stand a little fraying now and then."

Sarah says "Unless you have any other jaunts planned?"

Daimon says "Let's see. I called my sister, and talked to her boyfriend. I prayed. I came here and left my message and arranged to get my stuff. All I need to do is free Kobal, embarass the Game, and stop a civil war, and I'll be set."

Sarah says "It sounds like Sistine's is the logical next stop then, yes."

Daimon says "So I can get chewed out by the big friendly chef in the back for sneaking away."

Daimon says "And Liz will be irritated because I just took off."

Daimon says "We could enjoy the day some."

Sarah suggests mildly, "Or we could go back, you could hide in the parking lot, and I could fetch whichever of Sephar wants to come along."

Daimon says "Why would I hide in the parking lot?"

Sarah says "To avoid being chewed out while we prepared for the next step in your plan. You had something to do with computers in mind, I think?"

The tour group files back down the stairs, towards the ground level.

Daimon follows down with the tour group. "Oh, I think I'll brave being chewed out, seeing I need to borrow the phone."

Sarah files down with, Daimonlike. "Really? Well, then."

Daimon says "I checked my answering machine at home. I think it's going to explode."

Sarah frowns, lowering her voice. "Technology again?"

Daimon says "Technology is evil. But a necessary evil."

Sarah murmurs, "Lightning wouldn't say so. They're trying to bomb you?"

Daimon walks in the direction of Sistine's, placidly.

Daimon says "No, I have 75 messages waiting for me."

Sarah looks immensely relieved. "Oh! Oh, good."

Daimon says "And I bet at least 60 are from Terry wondering where the hell I was until I called him and he realized, 'Oh, you're there'."

Sarah shudders mildly. "Terry. Oh, dear." She rubs at one cheek with the back of her opposite hand.

Daimon says "Well, Terry, like Technology, is a necessary evil. There has to be a certain balance in the universe, and he represents one side of it."

Sarah says "I think you may have been talking to Terry too much, Daimon."

Daimon says "Hardly. There has to be evil to be good."

<> Demiurge says "Heh."

<> Daimon gets ready to roll that all powerful Philosophy skill - every bit as useful as pop culture!

Sarah says "I rather doubt it, Daimon."

Daimon quotes, in a vague sort of way, "Good and evil are feeling-values of human provenance, and we cannot extend them beyond the human realm. What happens beyond this is beyond our judgment: God is not to be caught with human attributes. Besides, where would the fear of God be if only good- i.e., what seems good to us-were to be expected from him?"

Sarah says "Daimon?"

Sarah leans closer and whispers, "We're not human."

Daimon says "Yeah?"

Daimon gets big eyes, and boggles. "We aren't?"

Sarah shakes her head, very solemn.

Daimon says "How long have we been like this?"

Sarah says "Quite some time now. I'm aware that it must be a shock..."

Daimon stops walking, and stares at Sarah. "My God. I better cancel my organ donor card."

Sarah hangs her head, regretful. Really!

Daimon bursts out laughing, and starts walking again.

Daimon says "But really, you have to think. Necessary evils."

Sarah puts a hand over her mouth, and hurries to catch up. "You're rubbing off on all of us, Daimon."

Daimon says "I'm terrible, I know."

Daimon says "Television is generally crap, but I watched the Mysteries of the Bible series on A&E."

Sarah says "Dear? It's my job and indeed purpose to try to ensure that as little evil as possible is necessary. None, preferably. We don't always succeed, but we must try."

Daimon says "My observations are that humans are neither good nor evil. And when it really comes down to it, the War is about them, not about us."

Daimon says "This is old junk in my head, nothing new."

Daimon says "But humans, really, need both. Good and evil."

Daimon says "Really, I need good and evil too. I need love and warmth and happiness, but I need pain and suffering as well."

Sarah looks distinctly distressed. "Whatever for?"

Daimon says "Balance. A way to truly understand life. To be able to understand. I mean, everything dies. There is death in the world, and from that, there is pain, and there is suffering. My problem is that I have too much black, which makes me depressed, and not enough white. The idea is to strike a balance."

Daimon says "Ying and Yang. Their meetings become the Tao, the Way."

Sarah does a reasonable amount of disturbed shuddering, and pauses mid-walk to put both arms around Daimon and hug. Tightly, if briefly.

Daimon hugs Sarah back.

Daimon mmms. Warm cherub.

Daimon says "We're working on more white."

Sarah agrees, if a touch reluctantly, "I suppose gray is better than black."

Daimon says "The Tao is the center, and it's what I really believe what we should attain. The black is in the world, and it will always be here. The white has been forever tarnished. But do you know what is between the absolute white and absolute darkness? A rainbow."

Sarah says, very gently, "Daimon?"

Daimon says "Yes?"

Sarah says "Perhaps it's just because I've spent a little time lately in a Tether to, ah, somewhere I'd prefer not to think about too long... but I'm afraid I'm failing to understand."

Daimon quotes. "'The Tao doesn't take sides; it gives birth to both good and evil. The Master doesn't take sides; he welcomes both saints and sinners. The Tao is like a bellows: it is more empty yet infinitely capable. The more you use it, the more it produces; the more you talk of it, the less you understand. Hold on to the center.' See, I don't honestly think the War can be won, not without destroying humanity. And destroying humanity is too high a price to pay. We need to grasp the middle, understand that both good and evil exist in the world, and learn to coexist. This is old stuff, this isn't redemption playing havoc with my neurons."

Sarah says mildly, "Daimon, I think you're discussing this with the wrong audience."

Daimon grins. "Probably. I doubt there is an appropriate audience. Demons scoff, and angels tell me I'm wrong."

Sarah essays a slight smile. "Humans seem to agree with you."

Daimon says "Well, that's good, because humans, for a large part, are cool."

Sarah says "Very much so, yes."

Sarah looks about her, turning around as she walks to spread her arms and indicate the city. "All of this."

Daimon says "I just think, we don't accuse Christ of breaking the Law and working on the Sabbath Day. We don't point fingers at him, and laugh, and reject him, for dealing with sinners and those without law and were outside of God. Why are we better then Christ?"

Daimon says "All this is very cool. It's very cityish."

Sarah observes, "There's a difference between evil and those who do evil. I'm also beginning to think there's a difference between evil and sin, but that's less clear."

<> Pat says "Sin is evil."

<> Pat says "Not all evil is sin."

Daimon says "I am almost convinced there is a difference between sin and evil."

Daimon says "But I'm just a student of life. I have none of the answers."

Sarah smiles, rueful. "Neither do I. I simply trust someone who does."

Daimon says "Maybe there are just grades of evil."

Daimon says "Some more awful then others, maybe?"

Sarah says "Some are... misuses of things that are beneficial in themselves."

Sarah says "Some are simply evil. I'm not sure if there is a line, let alone where to draw it, still."

<> Pat knows!

Daimon says "I do not believe that you can have a complete lack of evil and still have free will in the universe. I think it's an impossibility, and to believe otherwise, that humans would freely choose good every time, is pure arrogance. It's better to harness those tendancies toward sin, and focus them toward the positive then to repress them."

<> Daimon thinks Pat knows too much.

Sarah says mildly, "I admit that I'd be perfectly happy to live in a universe that only had a concept of evil."

<> Pat says "Part of the job."

Daimon says "But a concept will logically follow to an act, sooner or later."

<> Daimon says "Like what do you know?"

<> Pat knows that eating kittens is just WRONG.

<> Daimon says "Well, yeah."

Sarah says "Not necessarily."

Daimon says "Not necessarily?"

Daimon says "Repress the act, and repress free will?"

Sarah says "Free will includes the choice not to choose evil."

Daimon says "It also includes the choice to not do good."

Sarah says "Both of those are possible choices. It doesn't mean that the one particular alternative *must* be chosen over the other."

Daimon says "I think it does. 'Mystery and manifestations arise from the same source. This source is called darkness. Darkness within darkness, the gateway to all understanding.' Free will means free choice, and anything else is predestination."

Sarah asks Daimon, mildly, "How does stating that it's impossible for everyone to freely choose the same thing not involve predestination?"

Daimon says "Good and evil, they DEFINE each other. What is good without evil? What is light without darkness, other then meaningless concepts?"

Daimon says "If you have free will, everyone will not freely choose the same thing."

Sarah says "For quite some time, Daimon, everyone did."

Daimon says "Some will Fall and some will Fly, and some will know the difference."

Daimon says "For quite some time, there were no humans."

Daimon says "Humanity, I believe, defined the Fall."

Sarah says mildly, "I've never researched it."

Daimon grins. "Neither have I, but I have some guesses as to why things are."

Sarah says "Ah!"

Daimon says "Wha?"

Sarah gives an apologetic smile. "That would be the reason I'm not understanding."

Sarah says "I'm a Cherub, Daimon. We're, well, not terribly good at 'why,' I'm afraid."

Daimon says "I'm an It, and I'm not entirely sure what I'm terribly good at and what I suck at."

Sarah offers, "You're very good at confusing me," and winks.

Daimon says "I'm very good at confusing me too."

Daimon says "I just don't think the War is winnable, not without incredible losses. The World would die. The trick is to find the middle."

Sarah says "Or to win without fighting."

Daimon says "I don't think anyone can win. You either have a world that is all heaven, or a world that is all hell."

Daimon says "I've been to Hell. I left. Not a great option."

Daimon says "Heaven, from the little I know, is a vast improvement, but is it the choice for all of humanity?"

Sarah says softly, "Not yet."

Daimon says "Probably not ever."

Sarah says "I wouldn't be so certain."

Daimon says "No?"

Sarah says "There are two ways of looking at the War, Daimon. One is the struggle between Hell and Heaven; that's most direct, but it loses something of the cause."

Sarah says "The other is love. Hell, to that one, is almost incidental - not the other side in the War, but what happens when the battle is already lost."

Daimon says "Ah."

Daimon ponders this.

Daimon says "So to win is to love everyone?"

Sarah says "On the individual level."

Daimon says "That's a lot of lovin'."

Sarah's eyes dance. "You seem to be doing fairly well thus far."

Daimon grins. "I have a lot of lovin' all trapped inside, waiting to get out and spread throughout the world."

Sarah pauses. Murmurs, "I think perhaps you'd better take that up with Liz," and smiles.

Daimon looks momentarily confused, and then laughs out loud. "It might not all be nooky, you know."

Sarah pats Daimon's shoulder. "Yes, dear, but I wouldn't want to see you in withdrawal."

Daimon says "Ach! Nookie withdrawal! What a horrible concept! Now that's an evil I don't want to contemplate."

Daimon says "Who know what happens to an... It... who goes through nookie withdrawal. I might become sane and reasonable and I might start making sense."

<> Pat says "NO!"

Sarah shudders in mock horror. "Never that!"

<> Pat drags Daimon off right then and there.

Daimon says "Maybe we should run some experiments and see what happens to Its."

Daimon says "Maybe Its becomes... Them."

<> Daimon happily goes trotting off with Pat.

Daimon says vaguely, "I am a Freak, and I don't want to become sane."

Sarah suggests mildly, "Why don't we experiment on a different Freak? I like this one."

Daimon says "You need to produce a second Freak."

Daimon says "You can use me as the control - and provide me plenty of nooky and love and all that - and deprive the other one and see if it morphs into something sane and rational."

Sarah says "Actually, I'm of the firm belief that any number of Freaks would be absolutely wonderful."

Daimon says "I think my Mother would have a cow."

Daimon says "Moo."

Sarah pauses, and attempts to shake the image of a green-skinned cow with bracelets out of her head.

<> Pat says "Mmmm. Cow."

Daimon laughs. "Unfortunately, it'll never happen. There will be no mass redemptions of the Lilim. Just me."

Sarah smiles at him. "Predestination again?"

Daimon says "No, that's just common sense. Lilim are... Lilim."

Sarah pats Daimon on the shoulder. "Yes, dear."

Daimon says "Have you ever really met one besides me? I mean, I'm the King of Angst. But other then that... have you?"

Sarah says "Other than on the, ah, tour, no."

Daimon says "You heard that poor Djinn. No release. The geasa just pile up higher and higher. The concept of being given something is alien, even to me."

Sarah says softly, "You've heard me talk about my reaction to that before."

Daimon says "Making geas slaves is better then love, it's better then sex, it's better then anything. It's a having, it's a getting. It's something that I've also given up as a bad habit."

Daimon says "I have trouble accepting gifts, but I'll learn."

Sarah says "Liz and I will have to keep you in practice."

Daimon says "It's easy to give. It's difficult to receive."

Sarah says "I can understand that, in a way."

Daimon grins at Sarah. "But hey. Life is getting better rapidly."

Sarah puts an arm around Daimon. "Good. Let's see if we can keep it that way. Despite the efforts of answering machines."

Daimon says "I'm not going anywhere. I'm just questioning the universe."

Sistine's is coming up.

Sarah replies, "If the universe questions back - I did promise you flash cards."

Daimon says "Flash Cards! So I stop calling Archangels Princes and stop referring to myself as a Kobalite."

Sarah smiles. "I'll work on them at the library."

Daimon says "That place in Heaven is gonna suck my soul."

Sarah covers a smile. "Hardly /that/."

Daimon says "It is. I swear it is. I'll go in and never escape."

Daimon opens the door to Sistine's.

Sarah takes the door, holds it for Daimon. One of those stubborn moods, clearly. "In full possession of your soul."

Daimon says "The Library is a horrible place for me. It'll suck me, mind body and soul. And then I'll feel the need to contribute to it."

Daimon walks in.

Sarah walks in after. "I don't know that that's such a bad thing."

Daimon says "Well, it probably isn't, come to think of it. Besides, I'd see a lot of a certain cuddly cherub."

Sarah shakes her head, smiling. "Daimon, I'd like to inform you that you are almost unbearably sweet."

---

Fiat Justitia