Fragments Of Stone

<> Demiurge says "Okay. Daimon was wandering. Sepharmouse, Pat and Sarah were with Deuteronomy in the Tether-terminus. Hitherby had just possessed a teenager in the room next door."

Hitherby looks thoughtfully at his sketch of the marble statue in the corner.The sketch is not a particularly good one. Clearly this host is of dubious artistic talents.

Daimon wanders, looking at each piece of art.

Sepharmouse eyes the Codex with compete interest, but doesn't interrupt the conversation going on, listens to that as well.

As Daimon gets higher in the building, the art becomes more recent. Outside a window that he passes, there is a brief view of the Paris skyline against the night sky.

<> Sarah looks up. Uh oh.

<> Demiurge says "There are no windows in Sarah's room or Hitherby's room."

<> Demiurge says "(This is because, due to the way the Louvre is built, you're underground. :))"

<> Sarah says "I think Sarah had finished explaining things to Deuteronomy, and was about to go stele-hunting? Or was more pending?"

<> Demiurge says "You were just about to go, Sarah."

<> Pat says "Indeed."

Daimon stops and stares out the window for a while. He didn't want to think about Paris, but now he is, and the thoughts are filled with nostalgia.

Hitherby draws a nice little stick-figure dog over to the left, so that the statue won't be lonely, and then closes up the sketchpad and tucks the pencil behind his ear.

Hitherby then step-steps to the beat of the Walkman to the room with the other angels.

Outside the window, the lights of Paris burn white and neon, and the tower blocks and older buildings rise huge and dark.

Sarah, thus, takes her leave of Deuteronomy and goes in search of the stele. About five steps away, she pauses, looks around, sighs, and pings her resonance.

<> Demiurge laughs. Roll.

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

<> Demiurge says "Up a floor and to the right."

<> Demiurge rolls the d666 and gets 2 3 CHECK: 1.

Sarah lifts one hand to rub at her eyes with a fingertips. "Daimon," she murmurs, "what are you doing /now/."

Hitherby says, "Hey, guys! Seph, Cheph, Pat, Most Holy." The last with a tiny bow.

A soft voice echoes from a tannoy in the distance, speaking in French. (For those who understand French, it says, "Good evening. The museum is closing in ten minutes. Will you please make your way to the exits. Thank you for visiting.")

Deuteronomy nods. "A fruitful investigation to you."

Daimon makes a vague grumpy noise, and starts walking back down stairs toward where he last saw everyone.

Hitherby poses, showing off his new Vessel. It's got, like, its own Symphony.

Pat looks at Deuteronomy, "Is there somewhere to wait out the closing?" He then sets about peering at the teenager, mouthing 'Hitherby?'

Sarah smiles to Hitherby, and turns back to Deuteronomy for a moment. "Is there some--" Ah. Pat has it.

Sepharmouse peeks out from Sarah's pocket, waves congratulatory whiskers at the teen bouncing in.

Hitherby nods to Pat. "Only, if you actually blow out while you say it, it sounds more impressive."

Deuteronomy rattles off a set of directions to some storage cupboards on this level. "They will be safe. You can emerge in ten minutes."

Hitherby says "And you wiggle your tongue, too."

Hitherby says "Thank you, Most Holy."

Pat pinches the bridge of his nose. "Sarah, can you fetch Daimon?"

Sarah agrees, "Thank you, Most Holy," and adds with a sigh, "I'll fetch our Mr. L-- Exactly, Pat."

Sarah goes to do so, since Pat and she are clearly working in parallel today.

Hitherby looks around. "Oh. Whoa. No Daimon." He focuses his gaze on Sephar for a moment, then smiles. No problem, communication is preserved.

It is on the stairs between floors that Daimon and Sarah meet, in front of a painting of the Annunciation.

Daimon says "Oh, hi. The museum is closing."

Sarah agrees, "Yes, dear."

Daimon says "So, um, we should do something about that."

Sarah says "Pat's arranged something, yes."

A family shuffles past Daimon and Sarah, making their way up the stairs and out.

Daimon blinks. "Oh, well okay then. Hey, after we're done, can we go hang out in Paris for a bit?"

Sarah starts back down the stairs, smiling to the children. "We'll see," she offers.

<> Sarah . o O ( If we're not being chased by demons. )

Daimon smiles and waves to the family as they pass, and ponders the use and abuse of Unnoticable Man glasses and Bamf.

The family nod to Daimon and Sarah as they make their way past.

On the overhead tannoy, the voice says in French, "Good evening. Please make your way to the exits, as the museum will be closing in five minutes."

<> Hitherby says "They're getting along with each other. Okay, Daimon, kidnap them; we might need them later."

<> Daimon kidnaps them. Heh heh heh.

Sarah leads Daimon back down and along the route of Deuteronomy's directions. And corrals him as necessary to make sure that they don't take more than that five minutes.

Daimon does get a tad distracted on the way.

Hitherby follows Pat when Pat follows Deuteronomy's directions.

It isn't hard to follow Deuteronomy's directions to the storage cabinets. One can even manage to hide in them, along with the mops, buckets, and other cleaning equipment.

Pat finds an empty bucket to convert to a stool, and after helping Hitherby find similar accomodations, settles into an almost-motionless state to wait for Sarah and Daimon.

Sarah undistracts Daimon as gently as possible.

Hitherby's Walkman plays interesting and unusual variations on the Symphony, albeit somewhat tinnily and simplistically compared to the true Music of the Spheres.

<> Demiurge passes Sarah the whip.

Daimon is whipped.

Daimon is also ushered into the hidy hole.

As Sarah and Daimon reach the cupboards, the tannoy is announcing, "The Louvre is now closing. Please will everybody proceed to the exits."

Pat says "Close the door, Sarah."

Hitherby says, "This place has many sounds."

Sarah enters after Daimon does, and brings the door closed.

Daimon stuffs his hands in his pockets... obviously off thinking about something more important then saving the world from Disease and Chaos and Nastiness being released upon the world.

Sarah nods to Pat thereafter. It being dark, the nod is more or less wasted, but it's still given.

>From outside, the tannoy quietens. The level of ambient light lowers, five minutes later.

Sarah holds still, listening.

Pat waits another five minutes for good measure, counting off the seconds internally.

In the distance, a pair of footsteps passes steadily, then fades again.

Daimon paces, gets bored after the third pace, stands on one foot, stands on the other foot, tries to do the hokey pokey but can't remember how it goes, then stares at the ceiling.

<> Demiurge says "Daimon, please do an Agility roll."

<> Daimon rolls the d666 and gets 3 6 CHECK: 2.

<> Demiurge says "As you're in a small cupboard in the dark with cleaning supplies."

<> Daimon says "Why, no."

There is a *thud* and *pang* as Daimon manages to fall over a bucket, and a *ting* *ting* *ting* as polish spray canisters fall on his head.

<> Demiurge says "All in the dark, of course."

Daimon says "Ow ow ow excuse me ow ow OW. That's gonna leave a bruise."

Pat sighs.

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

Miraculously, there is no sound of approaching footsteps. Perhaps nobody heard.

Daimon whispers, "Sorry."

Pat says "Shh. It should almost be safe."

The silence outside seems to spread through the building in great lapping waves.

Sarah puts an arm around Daimon, shaking her head quietly.

Daimon would look vaguely embarrassed, if it wasn't in the dark.

Hitherby sits with relative silence, making an imaginary cat's cradle. She can't see it, which is okay, because there's no actual string, which is okay because she never actually learned how to make a cat's cradle, but it entertains her anyway.

Pat says "Alright."

Daimon whispers "Can we move?"

Pat says "Someone check the door. Don't open it all the way, though."

Daimon would get up, but there's this SarahArm here.

Sarah opens the door a crack with her free hand, being the closest one to it.

Outside, the lights have dimmed, though it is still quite possible to see one's way. There is silence.

Hitherby ponders. She is going to have to sneak again. This didn't work out well last time.

Sephar squeaks, softly, "Shall I go first?"

Sarah murmurs, "That seems reasonable. But do be careful?"

Hitherby whispers, "I'd rather he didn't."

Sarah reaches into her pocket to lift Sephar into her hand, but pauses.

Hitherby whispers, "But it's up to you, Seph'."

Daimon reaches into his pocket and whips out... sunglasses. He sets them on his nose but doesn't activate them.

Sarah pauses, and smiles faintly. "Oh, of course."

Sephar squeaks, "Hey, no problem! I can check if there's anyone in the corridor."

Sephar twitches its nose at Daimon, "though of course you have those..."

Sarah leans down, carefully, and sets SepharMouse on the floor. "Just peek?" she murmurs.

Daimon says "Yup."

Daimon points to them. He does indeed have these.

Sephar sits and waits for Daimon, then.

Daimon activates the Unnoticable Man glasses.

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

The glasses render Daimon Unnoticeable.

<> Sarah . o O ( I'm not sure I like the idea of Daimon Unnoticeable in the Louvre. )

Daimon gets up from under a drift of spray cans and SarahMom arm, climbs over to the door, and heaves himself out into the corridor.

The corridor is empty and quiet, the lights dimmed.

Daimon makes a gesture which means "It's clear." And then realizes they can't see him because he's totally unnoticable. He hisses, "Coast is clear."

Sarah offers SepharMouse the pocket again.

<> Sarah says "Can we notice Daimon's hiss, or is that unnoticeable too? :)"

Sepharmouse scrambles back into the pocket.

<> Demiurge says "I think you can notice it."

Pat, having been the first into the closet, waits for everyone else before extracting himself from his niche.

Hitherby leaves in the logical order as well, probably right before Pat.

Eventually, everyone is extracted from the cupboard.

Hitherby will make for the front ranks, on the left, once extricated and moving in one direction or another.

Daimon wanders down the hallway, daimonlike.

<> Demiurge says "Does Daimon know where he's going?"

Sarah takes a moment after the extraction to straighten the buckets and polish cans.

Pat looks around for Daimon, Unnoticable or not.

<> Demiurge says "Per-3 roll, Pat."

<> Daimon says "Why no."

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

<> Daimon says "Should he?"

<> Pat says "Damn. Missed by 1."

<> Demiurge says "Deuteronomy told the others where the stele was."

<> Demiurge says "Alas, Pat has lost track of Daimon."

Pat whispers "Sarah, where did Daimon get off to?"

Hitherby doesn't bother attempting to sight Daimon. Daimon is a bright Lilim, he can stick safely close.

Daimon looks both ways down an intersection, and then wanders back.

Pat knows better than to assume Daimon will stay close on his own, so is trying to prevent this from being an issue.

<> Demiurge says "Sarah, I think your ping on Daimon is still running. He's just coming back now."

Hitherby carefully studies the walls and ceiling for signs of insects, although she doesn't expect them.

Sarah gestures in Daimon's direction, for Pat's benefit. Without looking.

<> Aron says "Possess a painting of an insect."

Indeed, there are no obvious insects. This place is all urban and modern and *clean*. There is, however, a splendid carving of a scarab beetle on the right, clearly done by someone who loved the insect.

<> Hitherby looks up her dissonance condition.

<> Hitherby realizes that she can't pocket it, because it would just stay with the host, so she doesn't get into terrible trouble.

Daimon eyes all the art, again. Carefully, and with interest.

Hitherby walks over and admires it carefully, though, building a mental picture to keep.

The art suggests, to Daimon, that they are in the Egyptian section. The location suggests, to Pat and Sarah, that the stele is just through two rooms to the right.

Daimon isn't that into ancient art, though. All the cool stuff is upstairs.

Hitherby slips over to Pat and whispers, "Can you tell me who did that one?"

Sarah, thus, begins to move to the right. Slowly, and trying to keep track of the lot of them.

The plate under the scarab carving reads, "Example of the 9th century BC, Lower Egypt work."

Pat says "There's no name. It's listed as an example."

Hitherby says, "Oh."

Hitherby looks disappointed and slips off towards Sarah.

Daimon trails after the group, looking at art pieces.

Sarah checks after the group, feeling vaguely like a tour guide.

After some chivvying past artwork, the group arrives in the appropriate room. Heavy bearded stone lions watch patiently in the corners, and stone steles ornament the walls.

Pat says "Is there enough light, Sarah?"

Daimon is instantly distracted by a new room in which there is stuff to check out. Luckily, no one notices.

Sarah assures, "Oh, more than."

Sarah starts checking steles contentedly.

Pat takes up a position where he can watch doors.

Sarah is somehow reassured by the presence of stone lions.

<> Demiurge says "Sarah, Int roll, please."

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

Hitherby, more economically, studies the walls for signs of an obviously *missing* stele.

With consumnate ease, Sarah identifies the stele that matches the one she saw - however briefly - before. There are no obviously missing steles.

Daimon is just patiently doing what he always does. He memorizes every single object he sees, and somewhere it gets filed into the vast Warehouse 23 of his memory. Doesn't EVERYONE do this?

Sarah pauses beside The Stele, and touches the wall beside it. "Here," she says softly, with a distinct relief.

The relevant stele is worn and faded. There is a panel of slightly different stone set into it, evidently as some sort of ornamentation in the design.

Pat says "Is it intact?"

Hitherby studies the room for hidden watchers, hurlable objects, and suchlike things.

Sepharmouse peeks out of Sarah's pocket. "Ooo... it's about some sort of funeral offering."

<> Hitherby says "If it's just got stuff on the walls, only, then that's a quick study :)"

<> Demiurge says "Just stuff on the walls, Hitherby. The stone lions are a bit large for you to throw."

Daimon wanders over to the stele and memorizes that, too.

Sarah says, "It's intact, yes." She shifts to give Sephar a good angle. "And there's the panel that it should be under."

Pat says "How hard would it be to remove?"

Sepharmouse leans in close. "I can't see how to get under... maybe if we got some ultrasound machinery?"

<> Demiurge says "Probably not too hard, Pat, given a hammer and chisel. ;)"

Sarah says, "I don't have the faintest idea how to arrange that, Sephar."

Daimon wonders how hard it would be to raid an OBGYN clinic and smuggle the machinery in here while some soon to be mother chased after it in an open backed gown.

<> Pat considers this to be perfectly reasonable.

<> Hitherby says "Does that include getting it off the wall, Demi, or just getting the panel off?"

<> Demiurge says "It'd be feasible - if heavy - to lift the panel down from the wall."

<> Demiurge says "The entire stele, that is."

<> Demiurge says "The stele is about two by three feet. Or at least, this portion of it that remains is."

Pat considers, for a moment. "How much can be gleaned from the outside?"

Sarah murmurs, "Sephar? Can you tell anything?"

Sepharmouse squeaks, "Sorry, no... I can't see through the stone."

Pat says "Would inhabiting it work?"

Sepharmouse squeaks, "No... I couldn't. It's not the right sort of thing."

Pat nods, pondering.

Sarah strokes Sephar's fur with a fingertip. "Thank you, dear."

Daimon eyes the stele. "How heavy do you think that thing is?"

Sepharmouse droops its head a little. "Perhaps we could smuggle it out..."

Hitherby says, "I think I could carry it."

Sarah says mildly, "I imagine that might be somewhat impolite."

Hitherby does think this, even if it's untrue.

Pat says "Just a bit."

Daimon says "What else is in the Lourve? Do they have an archeological research lab?"

Hitherby says "So?"

Pat says "Hm."

Hitherby says "Why do we care whether the museum has a bad day if it means we can stop - you know - from coming out."

Pat says "Quite possibly."

Hitherby says "Frankly, I think we're talking about a different scale of things entirely."

Pat says "Hitherby, we do not even know what the stele contains. It may be nothing more than a beer recipe."

<> Demiurge says "The real reason why David wants it kept secret - his first Beer recipe!"

Pat says "Until we determine what it consists of, there is no reason to make undue noise."

Hitherby says "Pat, even a one in fifty chance and it's more important that we get it out of here."

Daimon says "I know that no body can hear me and I'm utterly unnoticable, but I'm suggesting that the Louvre does have at least a document library for dealing with old documents, and that may mean including equipment we can "borrow"."

Hitherby says "Even a one in a thousand."

<> Shannen says "There's a theory that beer was the reason people settled down and started agriculture :)"

Sepharmouse squeaks, "They might have a lab that has an ultrasound in the museum, it's fairly common for evaluating multi-layer paintings and artifacts they don't want to accidentally destroy by opening."

Sarah says mildly, "Perhaps some of you should go on an equipment hunt, then."

Hitherby says "Which is easier to move, Sephar, the equipment or the stele?"

Daimon says "ZOkay."

Sephar says "The equipment."

Pat says "Which is more likely to have security systems attached to it?"

Sephar says "Usually on a rolling table and it's about the size of a breadbox."

Sarah says "The equipment is at least less likely to be disastrous if damaged."

Daimon says "I need someone who can pick locks."

Sephar says "I can!"

Sarah says "Ah. That would not be me."

Sarah smiles at the mouse.

Pat says "Sephar, will you go with Daimon? You can also identify the equipment needed."

Sepharmouse, "Certainly!"

Daimon holds his pocket open. No one can see this, mind you.

Sepharmouse scramble out of Sarah pocket over to her hand and from there peers to find Daimon-pocket, which it knows well...

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

<> Sephar laughs and misses, oh well.

Sarah holds Sephar with care.

Daimon leans down and scoops up SepharMouse. Plop.

Sephar wiggles happily into its pocket.

Sepharmouse squeaks, "Okay!"

Daimon leans over and gives Sarah a kiss on the cheek. And then he's off, on a mission.

Sarah smiles after that kiss-on-cheek.

<> Demiurge says "Okay. Daimon, try an Int roll."

Daimon stops halfway out the door, turns back, and then gives Pat one too, because Pat can't see him.

Daimon THEN walks out the door.

<> Daimon rolls the d666 and gets 6 2 CHECK: 3.

<> Sephar says "Daimon of the mighty Int!"

<> Daimon says "WORSHIP MY THROBBING BRAIN! :) :) :)"

>From his earlier wandering around, it only takes Daimon 3 minutes to find the door marked RESEARCH AREA : AUTHORISED PERSONNEL ONLY.

Daimon ah has, and tries the door.

Hitherby murmurs, "You realize that if it's important, we have to take it anyway."

The door is locked.

Daimon says "Sephar, transform to.... PowerSephar!"

Sepharmouse peeks out of the pocket on Daimon stopping, and when the door is locked, uses Remote Control to unlock it and keep alarms from tripping.

The door swings silently open, into a darkened room beyond.

Pat says "That depends on what fashion it is important in."

Daimon pads into the darkened room, groping for an on switch.

There is an on switch to the right of the door. The lights flash brightly on to show a research lab, with textbooks, microscopes, some electronic gadgetry, antiques, and the like.

Hitherby paces over and stands just inside the door the angels entered through, in the stele room, in case someone nasty comes through.

Sephar peeks out of the pocket to see if there's an ultrasound about.

<> Demiurge notes: there are two entrances to the stele room. One in the east wall, one in the south.

Daimon pokes around in the research lab, wrinkling his nose, looking for something of use.

<> Pat already had one, so assumes Hitherby grabbed the other?

With its scientific knowledge, Sephar spots something that's probably an ultrasound machine, largish, mostly loaded on a trolley.

<> Hitherby didn't see Pat doing that. Yeah, she'll take the other.

Daimon eyes the trolley, and tries to think if his puny little body can get the machine from here to there.

Sephar mouse scuttles out from Daimon's pocket and onto the trolley, possesses the trolley to help Daimon, squeaks, "Just hold onto it, Daimon. I'll roll!"

<> Sephar rolls the d666 and gets 2 4 CHECK: 6.

Daimon says "Ow, wow. SepharPower... ACTIVATE!"

Sepharmouse chuckles, rides the trolley happily.

Sarah remains by the stele. Then rethinks this, and picks a stele a couple south or east from that one.

The trolley is wheeled back towards the stele room. The wheels squeak a little.

<> Daimon says "I'm unnoticable. That has to be a really weird sight."

Daimon turns off the lights and closes the door behind him.

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

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

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

Sepharmouse leaves the door unlocked for now.

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

<> Pat rolls the d666 and gets 4 6 CHECK: 2.

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

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

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

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

<> Demiurge says "Daimon, you thought you heard a noise elsewhere in the museum, like an echo of footsteps - then again, could have been guards, or Deuteronomy, or..."

Daimon mentions this in a whisper to Sephar. "Sephar, I heard something. Footsteps, somewhere else in the museum."

Sepharmouse looks about. "hm. Let's get this back to people, first? Then we'll have them around for help?"

Daimon nods, and tries to get the cart to the stele a tad faster.

Sephartrolley rolls a bit faster as well, taking most of the weight off Daimon, but staying with him.

The trolley wheels squeak, and are audible to the three angels in the room with the stele as it comes down the corridor towards them.

The trolley is pushed into the stele room.

Daimon stops the trolly near the stele.

Pat looks over, then goes back to watching the entrance. "I do hope one of you knows how to use that."

Sephartrolley sets its brake and Sephar Remote Controls the ultrasound to power on, and the mouse studies the screen that comes on...

Daimon says "No, I've never had a baby, or got into obstetrics."

Sepharmouse trots over to the wand and nudges it, "Sarah, pick this up? Then hold it against what you want to see through..."

Daimon assumes you point the wand at the stele and pray.

Sarah picks up the wand obediently. "Is it active?"

Sephar says "It has to touch, so that it'll vibrate the material and then get echos of what's beyond it."

<> Demiurge says "Sephar, mind doing an Int roll to check you're operating it correctly?"

Sepharmouse scampers back to teh screen, 'Not yet.'

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

<> Sephar says "Ooops."

<> Sarah says "Uh oh :)"

<> Pat says "You've set it to 'Sonic Attack' mode!"

Hitherby searches the room carefully for signs of celestial forms skulking among us.

<> Demiurge says "Ah yes. Of course you know how to work it."

Daimon eyes the machine.

<> Sephar falls over laughing.

<> Demiurge says "Sarah and Daimon, you can try (reduced) Int rolls also."

Sepharmouse uses its nose to touch various bits of the screen. "Hmmm... of course... here... just a moment."

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

<> Sarah ponders. "Demi, are we close enough to the Tethers for Essence expenditures to be covered?"

<> Pat says "Daimon's throbbing brain scares me."

While eyeing the machine, Daimon notices that some of the power settings are somewhat high, perhaps.

<> Demiurge says "Covered how, Sarah?"

<> Sarah says "Er, as in, less immediately obvious in disturbance?"

<> Demiurge says "They will be audible, if that's what you mean."

Daimon walks over to the machine and resets the power levels. There, that should be better.

Sepharmouse is too intent on its menus to notice the readjustments.

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

Daimon says "Try it now, Sephar and Sarah."

Sepharmouse touches the screen, "There. It should be active."

<> Demiurge says "Sarah, you know you can trust Sepharmouse to understand these mighty things."

Sarah eyes the wand. "So I, ah, touch it to..." She looks between Daimon and Sephar. "You're certain? All right."

<> Sarah says "Thank heaven for power level resettings. :)"

The machine hums gently.

Sarah offers up a small prayer nonetheless to Lightning, Destiny, and God above both, and touches the wand to the panel of the different stone.

An image begins to define itself on the screen.

Daimon whips out his pad of paper and his pen. He stares at the image on the screen, preparing to copy it --- or memorize it.

Sarah murmurs, "How long does it have to stay?"

Hitherby opens her own sketchpad.

Sephar says "instand feedback."

Hitherby carefully begins to draw something that looks sort of but entirely unlike the picture on the screen.

Sephar says "Instant... move it and the picture will move."

Daimon says "As soon as you touch it to the stone, Sarah."

Sarah says, "Do I need to move it for you to get the entire image?"

Hitherby figures, if Daimon is sketching something, and Hitherby sketches something, and we get captured, it'll delay things if both pictures get captured.

Sarah pauses. "Do I need to hold it here at all?"

Daimon is sketching. "Hold on a sec....

Daimon says "You need to hold it to a part of the stone long enough for me to draw what is there."

Sepharmouse nods at what Daimon says.

Sarah holds it still, thus.

A picture begins to be assembled.

Daimon sketches madly on his notepad.

The picture is apparently one of a number of dots and lines, with some writing - numbers? words? - in the bottom left corner.

Sephar mouse peers at the picture curiously.

<> Demiurge says "Sephar - the writing says, approximately, "Here was buried the god and king of men, here was raised out of the earth a door that was then sealed, here lies the door beneath the night sky.""

Daimon tries to sketch the image as best he can. He peers at the screen, and peers at his drawing, and asks Sarah to move it around so he can get the best view of the thing in the bottom corner.

Sephar sounds out, carefully what Demi just said.

<> Daimon says "It says "A Dagobert II roi et a sion est ce tresor et il est la mort""

<> Sephar giggles so much.

<> Demiurge snickers.

Sarah moves it carefully, gently, with exquisite concern.

Daimon writes it down, across the top of the sketch.

<> Daimon admits yeah, okay, that's from the Rennes-la-Chateux parchments.

<> Demiurge somehow figured. hic locus terribile est.

<> Daimon says "It is!"

Eventually, the entire thing is drawn out.

Daimon peers at it and thinks, "Weird."

Sepharmouse peers happily.

<> Demiurge says "Okay. This is something that Sarah or Pat will have the best chance at, but people can try a reduced Int roll."

Daimon says it out loud. "Weird."

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

Hitherby closes her sketchpad, on something which a Babylonian would read as complete gibberish.

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

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

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

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

Sarah says mildly, "Can I take this down now?"

Daimon says "Huh? Sure."

Hitherby says, softly, "It must be destroyed. Or taken."

Sepharmouse squeaks agreement and goes through the sequence to shut things down.

Daimon looks down at his unnoticable drawing through unnoticable eyes and goes, "Hmmmmm."

<> Demiurge says "Sephar - this looks like something you once saw in the files ages ago, some sort of star map. Sarah - it _is_ a star map, with what looks like a couple of referents to locate it by."

Sarah sets down the wand, with considerable relief.

<> Daimon promptly takes away all of Demi's Nephilim books.

Sarah's eyes then promptly widen.

<> Demiurge says "So if you correlated it to the right stars, adjusted for temporal movement, it might identify a location on earth..."

<> Daimon says "And you'll find that there's a nexus there...."

Sepharmouse tucks the wand back into its sheath and turns off the powers and frowns mildly. "Is... I'm not sure, but is that a star map?"

Pat turns to look back at the stele and the angels. "Star map?"

<> Sarah twitches. Demi? You know what's frightening me?

<> Demiurge says "What's that, dear?"

Daimon peers at the drawing. Wack. Wack wack wackity wack.

<> Sephar says "Uht oh."

<> Sarah says "Within limited ranges of stars, I /own/ a program that can do that. :)"

<> Demiurge whistles.

Daimon starts to hum, appropriately, "Bad Moon Rising."

Daimon says "Hope you've got your stuff together, hope you're prepared to die..."

Hitherby says, softly, "I need an animal host. Curse it. A big one."

Sarah says, her voice very small, "Wasn't Terethel looking into the some sort of telescope?"

Pat says "The Hubble, yes."

<> Daimon says "I see the bad moon rising. I see the trouble on the way. I see the earthquakes and lightning. I see a bad time today...."

Sepharmouse deflates. "uh oh."

Hitherby says, "Guys, time. Come on."

Sepharmouse hops back into Sarah's pocket as she's near.

Daimon says "We don't need a telescope, we need an astrologer."

Sepharmouse peeks out, "Should we smash the stele so no one else knows?"

Pat says "No."

Daimon frowns. Trashing artworks.

Sepharmouse nods then mildly and curls back up in Sarah's pocket.

Hitherby says, "Yes, Pat. If you want everyone else out first, that's okay, but it's not staying here for someone to release that."

Pat says "Daimon, I want you to find Deuteronomy. Tell him to request a Guardian and a Virtue. This is official evidence."

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

<> Demiurge rolls the d666 and gets 6 1 CHECK: 5.

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

Daimon sighs. "Sure Pat." He puts his notepad away and starts wandering off in the direction of the tether.

Hitherby whispers, "Pat, that does *not suffice*."

Hitherby says "Daimon, leave the notebook with the place where most of us are."

The corridor that Daimon is walking down is dark. And quiet. Quiet. Fairly quiet. Moderately quiet...

<> Demiurge says "Daimon, try a Per roll."

<> Daimon has already walked away. He is unnoticable anyway.

<> Daimon rolls the d666 and gets 5 4 CHECK: 2.

<> Demiurge says "Sarah, please also ping your attunement."

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

Sarah murmurs, "Hitherby, I suspect the information may be duplicated."

As it were, out of the shadows, an arm comes out to go round Daimon's chest and arms, and a hand to go over his mouth.

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

Daimon makes a startled cry.

<> Demiurge says "Daimon, try a dodge."

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

Hitherby hisses, "Sarah, that is not an excuse for not doing the best we can."

<> Daimon says "My dodge is like, 111 or nothing."

There is a faint whisper of noise, almost a half-word, from the direction that Daimon went in. Probably nothing significant.

Sarah murmurs, "There's more than one sense of doing the best we can, Hitherby. These may be needed -"

Sarah pauses, and looks toward it.

Hitherby says, "You are allowing *aesthetics* to come before the world, and Pat is allowing *procedure* ..."

Pat says "Shit."

As he struggles, Daimon is wrenched back hard against someone's chest - someone who feels quite large, and well-muscled - and dragged to one side. The hand stays over his mouth.

Daimon stays perfectly still. No struggle. Nothing.

Sarah says mildly, "Not aesthetics, Hitherby. May we continue this later?" and starts toward that hallway. Rather quickly. Well, actually, at a run.

<> Aron says "Meanwhile, Aron thinks 'Man, has the subjunctive really fallen this far?'"

<> Daimon LAUGHS!

<> Daimon says "Yay Aron!"

<> Demiurge says "The subjunctive?"

<> Daimon says "But now I won't be able to send you a postcard, man."

<> Aron says "Well, he's editting at this moment, isn't he/"

<> Demiurge snickers. Yes.

Hitherby has no choice. She's out the door too.

Pat just steps back closer to the Stele, and sends a message (hopefully) to Deuteronomy.

A large man moves into Daimon's field of vision. He's reminiscent of something. Wait, he's the guy who was in the Freer museum and got away. He quickly starts going through Daimon's pockets.

Daimon plays his one trump card. He bamfs.

Pat also draws his gun.

Daimon heads to Paris, baby.

<> Daimon says "And I blow 4 points of essence."

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

Hitherby makes tracks into Sistine's, elsewhere, no matter whether the swarm freaks customers or not. Faber would be nice, even though I know I can't have him. :)

In the *bamf* of a Song of Celestial Motion, Daimon reappears in a Paris side-street of his choice.

<> Demiurge says "Per rolls, everyone else. Pat, please roll for Cel Tongues if you're singing that."

<> Daimon says "Somewhere I knew. Probably somewhere among the cafes."

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

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

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

<> Demiurge rapidly considers Interventions.

<> Pat rolls Per, waits on Tongues depending on how obvious the DI is.

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

Hitherby is the first to round the corridor, and sees Daimon vanishing from the grasp of the bulky man who held him - and recognises the second bulky man, next to him, as the guy she fought at the Freer.

<> Demiurge says "All of you hear and recognise a Song going off and Essence being spent."

<> Demiurge says "Sarah perceives that it is an angel spending the Essence."

<> Demiurge says "Pat, you can roll for Tongues if you want."

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

<> Demiurge says "Pat, Tongues goes off. Please state your 15-word message."

Hitherby kicks off into a flying tackle, if she can. If she can't, she just moves normal distance and hurls her walkman at his throat.

Hitherby might be too far away for that.

<> Demiurge says "You're probably close enough, Hitherby."

Sarah, at the sound of the Essence, reaches into her purse. Then takes her hand out again as she realizes Hitherby's host will be in the way.

<> Hitherby rolls the d666 and gets 6 3 CHECK: 2.

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

Pat sends to Deuteronomy: Incursion, celestial activity. Reinforce if possible, respond in any case.

The bulky man is sent staggering back by the force of Hitherby's tackle, jarring into the wall.

Pat then settles in to shoot anyone he doesn't recognize.

The second man comes in behind Hitherby, as she struggles with the first man; he reaches to grab the host's shoulders.

<> Demiurge says "You're just entering the room now, Sarah."

Sarah, in that case, hurries to engage - *ahem* distract - the second man, if possible.

Hitherby, if she sees this, changes her planned action - punching the guy in the throat so he'll choke - to manifesting the unicorn. If she can't do that without going celestial first, um, she tries to get a hold on the guy's neck and drag him and her host out of the way of the grab.

A strange man steps into Pat's field of view from the corridor entrance, his hands clearly away from his sides and empty. He is nearly as bland as Pat himself, in jeans, jumper, and raincoat.

Pat says "Do us both a favour and stop where you are."

<> Hitherby says "That's just an Acrobatic Dodge, but feel free to penalize if the image is too impressive. :)"

<> Daimon is imagining the Happy Dance on some Paris sidewalk. :)

<> Demiurge says "Hitherby, you can simultaneously manifest the unicorn and hold your human host."

Hitherby manifests the unicorn. Does not punch. Dodges normally, with any penalty for having her back to the guy.

The unicorn appears, startling the guy who was trying to grab Hitherby enough for her to manage to dodge. The one that she rammed into the wall grunts, "*Ethereals*?"

<> Daimon says "Hithereals!"

The man in Pat's field of view says, calmly, "I'm from Deuteronomy. We were signalled that you needed backup."

<> Demiurge rolls the d666 and gets 3 1 CHECK: 2.

<> Demiurge says "Pat, what's your current mental state and single strongest emotion?"

The unicorn nickers a fierce nicker of battle.

The Paris street is busy. Daimon has appeared in front of a cafe he used to know - which is _still_ operating, even.

<> Pat's current mental state is (of course) controlled, and his strongest emotion is annoyance. He is also counter-resonating.

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

<> Pat says "And nailing it. :)"

Sepharmouse doesn't even peek, this is a fight, it's place is to stay hidden.

<> Pat wants to know what the guy's response will be if Pat does Dominican recognition signals.

Sarah is still attempting to get in the way of the one that was trying to grab Hitherby.

Daimon woahs, as he stumbles about, still unnoticeable. He rips of his sunglasses and screams up at the sky, "WHOOOO YEEEEAH!" He does a little dance, then makes several extremely Italian and extremely filthy gestures in the direction of the Lourve, screaming, also in Italian, "Take that, you fithy Outcast bastages!"

<> Demiurge says "The target's mental state is one of controlled annoyance and urgency, due to the confusion of his schedule and the possible loss of information. He will fail to recognise Dominican hand signals. He will, however, try and fake it."

The one who was trying to grab Hitherby has been taken aback by the unicorn's appearance, and is hindered by Sarah.

Daimon then lurches into the cafe. He clearly needs a drink.

Sarah hinders relatively happily, and with a particularly Cherubic kind of protective malice; her Daimon went down this way.

Pat shoots the man in the knee.

<> Demiurge says "Roll, please."

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

<> Demiurge says "Oh my _god_."

<> Sephar says "WAHOOOO!"

<> Pat dies.

<> Daimon laughs.

<> Demiurge says "Well, _normally_ the vessel of a Vassal of Stone can't be harmed by earth or stone."

<> Demiurge says "But I think you may just have got lucky."

<> Pat then proceeds to fall out of his chair. "DON'T LIE TO THE INQUISITION!"

<> Daimon says "Holy bullets, kissed by God!"

<> Demiurge pauses a second to think about effects.

<> Daimon carves little crosses in Pat's bullets.

Hitherteen makes all effort to render the man he tackled unable to breath, ideally with a punch but with a choke if that's what suggests itself. The unicorn will attempt to slam the horn sideways into the stomach of the other guy, unless she gets a clean gore. She probably can't, given Sarah.

<> Daimon secretly believes the dice love Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Hitherswarm darts into the kitchen, whether it had to get into Sistine's through the main door or by breaking the window - both will annoy Marath, but time - and, now out of sight of the humans, starts yelling for Faber. And, if Marath is there, she will beg Marath, "Send a message to someone - Laurence, Michael, *not* David - telling them to get people to the Louvre regarding Magog."

The bullet collides squarely with the man's knee - and ricochets. The man is beginning to smile, as the bullet slams into the heart of the ultrasound machine.

There is a sudden, rapidly accelerating shriek.

<> Pat says "Is it a free-rolling cart, or a two-wheel handtruck?"

<> Demiurge says "Meanwhile, Hitherhost and Hitherunicorn please roll for tussle, and Sarah too."

Sepharlaptop murmurs to Aron that there is action happening in Lourve and a fight and all that, but no real info on what exactly is happening...

<> Hitherby says "Host, then Unicorn."

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

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

Aron considers the laptop, then nods. "Tell me if it gets bad."

<> Demiurge says "Handtruck, I think, Pat. And you don't really have time to think. And it's sitting right in front of the stele."

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

<> Pat wanted to roll it at the guy. Damn.

Sepharlaptop says, a touch mournfully, "I'm not sure how to tell, but, yes, I will when I know."

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

<> Demiurge rolls the d666 and gets 1 5 CHECK: 6.

Aron says "When you feel that our friends can no longer save the situation."

Aron says "Alternately, when there are more of them than there are of you."

Sephartrolley rolls right at the guy.

<> Sephar never really dispossesd the trolley.

<> Pat says "Ah, thank you Sephar. :)"

The man struggling with Hitherhost seems evenly matched, as the two wrestle. The other has just slammed Sarah into the wall, hard - when Hitherby's unicorn horn spears into his stomach. He cries out in pain, briefly.

<> Sarah would be panicking about Sephar if she knew about this. Fortunately, she doesn't. Yet. :)

As the ultrasound trolley jolts into motion, beginning to roll towards the man, it explodes. Chunks of metal fly in all directions.

Sepharlaptop says, "There's only two of them. And Daimon disappeared, I think with what we were here to save."

<> Daimon has a seeekrit plan.

Pat turns his face away from the explosion.

<> Sarah says "It involves cafes."

Aron says "Excellent. Commendable action, on Daimon's part."

<> Daimon says "It involves psychics."

Pat then prays his Vessel is buff enough.

Sepharlaptop says, "Quite."

<> Daimon says "Cafes do figure in prominently, though."

<> Demiurge says "Pat, try a dodge roll."

Hithercorn whips her horn out again, viciously, wishing that she'd set it up to tear wounds open terribly on removal like an arrow. But she's not *that* bloodthirsty.

<> Pat rolls the d666 and gets 1 5 CHECK: 3.

Due to his rapid dive, Pat is able to avoid the shards of metal that spray across the room.

Hitherteen hisses, as she continues to try and subdue the man, "If you surrender to me, you will go to Jordi before Dominic."

Sephartrolley, if it's still rolling, will try and ram which ever of the two is closer, if not, it will disposses the trolley.

The man struggling with Hitherteen snorts, and slams the teen towards the wall. Or tries to.

<> Demiurge says "Sephartrolley, you are blown up. Exploded. Boom."

<> Sephar says "Ah! Coolness."

As the smoke in the room clears, it becomes clear that some of the chunks of metal hit the stele. Which now has large cracks shattering it. And is - to be blunt - in pieces.

Hitherby digs her feet into the floor and tries to yank the man around and over onto the floor with the force of his shove. If she goes down, that's okay, but only if he also goes down.

<> Pat says "Dammit."

<> Sephar grins.

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

Pat looks over at the other man.

<> Demiurge says "Roll for Hitherteen, please."

<> Hitherby says "Unless I blow it, of course, in which case I might go down without him :)"

<> Hitherby rolls the d666 and gets 2 3 CHECK: 6.

<> Sephar says "Woo!"

<> Daimon says "Of course, once again, I have some Unholy Notebook of Doom."

The man struggling with Hitherteen goes down on the floor. The other man has a hand over his stomach, and is snarling.

<> Aron says "Aron has a tome of doom! And a dinner date."

<> Daimon oopses.

<> Aron says "It's a creationer thing."

<> Daimon goes "You guys need to get out of there."

Sarah attempts to either knee, kick, or stomp the gentleman who slammed her into the wall - in any case, somewhere unpleasant. Avoiding the unicorn's horn is also on the list.

The other man looks at Pat, and there is a flash of diamond-harsh anger in his eyes. "Do you realise what you have just done?"

<> Daimon needs to drink. It's also a creationer thing.

<> Demiurge says "Make a roll, Sarah."

<> Daimon just remembered something....

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

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

Sarah's blow takes the man squarely where the unicorn just gored him. He goes *sheet* white as he staggers backwards, gasping for breath. There's blood all over her hand.

Hitherby, until and unless the first guy gets away, has every intention of killing the other guy, and the unicorn will work towards this. Although avoiding Sarah is creating lost opportunities, to be sure.

Sarah asks, politely and mildly, "Would you care to surrender?"

Pat says "Why don't you tell me?"

<> Daimon suggests, mildly, that you all bail before the Thieves come to check things out.

Hitherteen goes down on top of him for another fist to the throat.

The stele room has clouds of smoke and mist throughout, from the violent explosion.

<> Demiurge says "Roll, Hitherby."

<> Hitherby is not letting this guy escape a second time. And if he escapes, she will start *hunting* him, through Heaven, Hell, Limbo, and all the countries of the Earth. Of course, she will probably fail. :)

<> Hitherby says "Host, then unicorn if applicable."

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

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

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

The guy rolling on the floor with Hitherby manages to avoid her blow, and land a painful one in her stomach in return.

The other one, facing Sarah and the unicorn, takes a step back, pushing hard against the wall. His face furrows with pain-streaked concentration.

Sephar uses Generator on the guy facing Sarah.

Sephar puts one Essence in it.

<> Demiurge says "You need to be touching him for that, Sephar."

<> Hitherby says "Goooo Sephar! Even if you can't do it :)"

Sephar possesses the guy's pants and then uses it, then.

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

The guy's pants flash a luminous white, and he yelps in electrical pain.

Sephar then pants the guy, by undoing the pant's fly and buttons and falling around his ankles.

The man facing Pat says, "No matter." He pauses. "We do what is necessary."

The man facing Sephar, it is now revealed, wears y-fronts.

Sarah begins to prepare to go celestial - then gasps. "Sephar, out!"

<> Daimon says "And we are better for knowing that. :)"

Sephar disposses stuff, keeps the mouse well hidden in Sarah's pocket and squeaks an, "okay." to Sarah.

The man fighting Hitherteen makes a definite attempt to throw her off.

Pat says "And you don't bother to ask if it is necessary?"

Pat says "You just assume?"

The man facing Pat smiles. He says, entirely calmly, "I am not Fallen. You need not assume that I have that delusion." He begins to walk backwards.

Hitherby allows himself to be thrown off, but rolls to his feet instead of landing on his butt. Instead, he kicks the man's side, hard.

Pat says "Tell me who was sent to the first stele."

The guy who has been gored in the stomach, hit, and electrocuted, sags against the wall.

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

<> Hitherby rolls the d666 and gets 4 5 CHECK: 2.

<> Hitherby mutters. 3 hits. The Thieves *will* be here at this rate.

The man fighting Hitherteen is apparently more agile than he looks, and manages to avoid the full force of the kick. He reaches into his jacket and pulls out a knife, grinning nastily.

The man facing Pat says, "You don't need to know that." He turns to walk away.

<> Daimon says "I don't think you understand..."

<> Daimon says "You see, he's Judgment."

<> Daimon says "He DOES need to know that."

<> Daimon - the peanut gallery.

Hitherteen fades back a moment, long enough for the unicorn to - if the man is on the ground - land two feet on his stomach, or whap him with the side of the horn if he's standing at this point.

Pat says "I'm afraid I do. Don't make this any more difficult."

Hithercorn then dances back, either way. (The 'man' was the one the teen was struggling with.)

The man turns back to regard Pat a moment. "Your toy cannot harm me. You cannot invoke your Archangel. Leave me be, or I will regretfully kill you."

The man growls, and lashes out with his knife at Hitherunicorn.

<> Demiurge says "Okay, Hitherby, roll."

<> Hitherby rolls the d666 and gets 2 4 CHECK: 6.

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

The man misses his stroke, however, and takes a buffet from the unicorn, being knocked back a step. He shakes his head, dazed a moment.

Pat lowers his gun, because well, it /can't/ hurt the guy. "Your actions bear witness. Don't make them negative. Cooperate, if there is no wrongdoing."

Of a sudden, there is the Symphonic *crash* of a Superior arriving. (And, to Sarah's perceptions, an Archangel.)

<> Daimon eeks.

As the man facing Pat opens his mouth, and begins to say, "Your err - " the ground under his feet explodes upwards in a wash of curving stone, reaching to enfold him like hands.

Hitherteen makes a momentary glance for something to throw - knives are nasty. If there's nothing, the unicorn will engage the standing man and Hitherteen will go to the other - she wants to drag him to the Tether, if he's not stone dead. (Ahem.)

<> Demiurge says "And yes, even in the cafe Daimon hears this."

<> Aron says "Oh. It's *him*."

<> Hitherby says "Great."

<> Demiurge says "Aron does not like *him*?"

<> Pat says "Man. Where's Eddie."

Sepharlaptop says, "Aron. We're in Trouble."

<> Hitherby says "We all like him. It's just that we don't know his allegiance just now."

<> Demiurge says "Eddie went off a while ago, saying he was going to talk to David, right?"

<> Sephar says "Oh man."

Pat says "Oh dear."

Hitherby, not present there, hopes fervently that that's one of the Superiors she asked Marath to send a message to.

Daimon was sitting in a nice metal chair watching the flow and ebb of human beings, drinking and flipping through a phonebook for a nice occult bookstore. But _now_, he looks up and over at the Louvre. He realizes he only knows _demonic_ tethers in Paris, and rather a lot of those. He says, "Oh hell."

Aron nods and picks up the laptop. Assuming this is far enough before dinner, he makes for his car, with the intent of burning rubber towards Sistine's.

At the same moment, the walls in the room where Hitherby and Sarah are fighting reach out to enfold the two men like water, circling round them at throat and wrists and stomachs, dragging them down towards the floor.

Sepharlaptop says, "Oops, wait a minute..."

Pat runs a mental check. Nope. No Demon Prince of Museum Floors. Probably David

Aron slows, somewhat. "Oops?"

Daimon leaves his phonebook, and gets up. It's time to hail a cab.

Sarah asks the man leaning against the wall, "Where is --" And stops, at the disturbance and the floor. And steps back and away. Politely. And rather quickly.

One of the great stone lions moves, in a slow sweep of motion, rising from its pedestal with a growl that shakes the entire floor of the museum.

<> Pat says "One of the ones in the room with me?"

Sepharlaptop beeps mildly, "It was a big disturbance and the floor went away but instead of grabbing us, it seems to be grabbing *them*, the outcasts..."

<> Demiurge says "Yes, Pat, one of the ones in the room with you."

<> Daimon knows of exactly ONE non-Louvre Angelic tether in Paris. The one demons don't go near.

<> Aron says "And thusly David reminds you that he ws a Cherub before he was a Malakite."

Aron says "Outcasts?"

Hitherteen bares his teeth slightly at being wrested from her prey, but she has respect.

Aron finds a good place to pull over.

Pat decides to be polite, and puts his gun completely away before facing the statue.

Hitherteen steps back, politely, and bows a human bow. The unicorn steps back, gingerly, one step at a time, too.

The wounded man screams as he is dragged down into the floor, leaving a smear of blood behind him - the other makes no sound as the stone swallows him, fingers disappearing in a desperate clutch for air.

Sepharlaptop, "The two Outcasts who were trying to... uhm... do something either for the stele or to it."

Aron says "I see. I didn't know we had to contend with... such."

Sepharmouse peeks from the pocket, but just stays quiet as... well... a mouse.

The man who was speaking to Pat turns his head towards the lion. He cries, in genuine emotion, "My lord! I knew what you wanted, even if you could not say it! I knew the secret, I knew what had to be done!"

Hitherteen closes her eyes and does relaxation exercises.

Hitherby adrenaline. Adrenaline. Adrenaline.

Sepharlaptop nods, "They were at the other museum... and had broken the other stele,we think."

Daimon wonders, while he's walking and hailing, if he can pay for a cab with American Express.

A cab stops for Daimon.

Aron frowns. "I see."

Daimon basically falls into the back, and says in French, "I need to get to Notre Dame."

Daimon says "Oh, and do you take American Express?"

The stone lion's voice echoes through the quiet rooms, even to the room where Sarah and Hitherby are. "Mordecai. You erred."

Sepharlaptop then murmurs an on-going report of what's happening to Aron, quieting if they go to dinner and writing it's report in Aron's laptop for later sending.

Hitherteen whispers, "Bright Lord." The unicorn, self-consciously, attempts to clean her horn on her flank.

Pat manages to avoid expressing disapproval at the outburst, and merely listens.

Sepharlaptop does say, "I think it's David and I think we're safe for now." to Aron.

The cabbie says, "Oui, m'sieur!" He burns rubber.

Sarah turns toward the source of those echoes, and moves toward that room, quietly.

Daimon settles back, and comes to terms with the fact that he's going to walk into the place he was forbidden to for most of his life.

Aron says "David."

<> Sarah would also like to check and see if her Daimon-resonance is pingable. :)

Mordecai - for it must be he - struggles again. "But I knew what I had to do! You didn't say it, you _couldn't_, but I knew that we had to cull the weak!" He breaks off, desperately struggling for control.

<> Demiurge says "Sure, Sarah, ping."

Sepharlaptop says, "Yes."

Hithercorn spots Sarah's departure, so Hitherteen picks up his dropped notebook and follows her.

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

<> Daimon is still in Paris!

The stone lion is silent for a long moment - in which Sarah and Hitherby enter - then growls again, "You were *wrong*." Deep buried thunder and earthquakes shudder in the voice.

Pat just /glares/ at Mordecai, with the full weigh of Disapproving Inquisitor.

<> Demiurge says "Sarah, Daimon is "thataway", and moving further away from the Louvre."

<> Sarah looks distressed, as she knows not Daimon's condition. :)

Mordecai's head falls.

Meanwhile, the cab peels across the river towards Notre Dame.

Daimon fishes out a smoke. It's definitely smoke time.

Sarah enters the room, bows low and quietly, and stays well to one side, trying not to panic.

The lion growls, deep and slow, "Plague. Cruelty. And how many others? You have harmed other angels - this is a count against you. You have led your own brothers into corruption, Mordecai, Mordecai."

There is a sudden *crack*, and Mordecai's body twists in the stone cage that holds it, then goes entirely limp.

The lion's voice is an echo of shattering chasms. "It is sufficient."

The lion's head swings towards the three angels.

Sarah goes down on one knee, mute.

Sepharmouse curls up tight in Sarah's pocket at the crack and shivers a touch.

The cab draws up outside Notre Dame, and the cabbie proffers a hand for the Amex.

Hitherteen takes the time to carefully perform the Kyriotate bow, human host form. It's awkward, as she rarely used human hosts before.

Pat, still feeling all pragmatic and righteous, inquires, "Is his Heart intact, Lord?"

David's voice has shadows of what might, once, a very long time ago, have been grief. "It is destroyed. As he is."

Daimon hands over his amex card, keeping a very close eye on the cabbie.

>From afar, to Demiurge and Aron, Sephar is relaying all of this to Aron as it happens, so long as Aron is at liberty to listen.

Hitherby restrains a slight shudder.

The cabbie performs traditional and legal maneuvers with the Amex card.

Aron pages to Demiurge and Sephar: Since I just realized that Sephar is relaying all of this to Aron, Aron is sitting in the car, parked, hands on the steering wheel, silently weeping.

Daimon doesn't remember when or why he got the American Express card, but no Kobalite in his right mind would ever be anywhere without one. It was the most pointless currency in the world, but accepted everywhere that mattered.

Pat nods. "Judgment has interest in this matter."

David growls, "Judgement will be informed of what is necessary to it."

Pat nods again.

Daimon says "Thanks" and then just looks up... and up.... and up..... at the Cathedral. He's more then a little weak in the knees at the moment, because he KNOWS he's not allowed in there. And then he moves his body forward one step at a time, up those steps.

David's voice lowers to a rumble that trmbles in the bones. "Did any living being see the map?"

Pat says "My partner possesses the only transcription."

Hitherby says, "I, from a distance."

The steps of Notre Dame are dark grey stone, and the great Gothic cathedral rears high above Daimon. As he steps inside the heavy oak doors, the distant sound of singing from the choir whispers in the nave.

Pat says "Only celestial eyes have been laid upon it."

<> Hitherby drew a decoy, in case both were captured.

Daimon tries very hard not to freak out. This is something he is _not_ supposed to do. But he walks through the doors, and into the great church, with another universe changing notepad in his pocket.

Sarah says, quietly, "I saw it as well, Bright Lord."

David nods, the lion's great head moving slowly. "You are to ... forget it. Where is this partner?"

<> Daimon says "Who knows. Off drinking and whoring. :)"

Sepharmouse pokes out from Sarah's pocket, "I too."

David's heavy attention moves across the angels with the weight of long dark centuries.

Sarah points mutely in the direction of Daimon.

Pat says "I am not entirely certain."

David rumbles, to Sarah, "Approach me."

Sarah rises and does so, mouse in pocket.

Sepharmouse curls back up in the pocket, out of the way.

Notre Dame is a busy place, even at 9pm. Visitors or sightseers or worshippers look around the church, or kneel and pray.

David reaches out a stone paw, and lays it, with an infinite gentleness, on Sarah's shoulder. She can feel the touch of *power* that flashes through her attunement, can see Daimon standing in the aisle of Notre Dame.

Daimon is overawed, and walks in that slow motion overawed way. But he KNOWS this is a tether, a really really big angelic tether, and there's got to be someone angel-like floating around.

A young man, in the unmarked robes of a junior canon, comes across to Daimon. He says, in French, "Can I help you, sir?"

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

Daimon answers back, "I'm not.... sure. I'm looking for someone in charge, I think."

The young man laughs. "If you mean the Archbishop, he can be a bit hard to see. What sort of authority did you want?" His eyes narrow slightly.

Daimon says in French, "The, ah, reporting to the Big Guy in the Sky kind."

David removes the lion's stone paw from Sarah's shoulder, folding it back into the seated position.

Sarah says, quietly, "He's gone to Notre Dame."

An older-looking priest has emerged from a side-chapel. He looks up and down the aisle sharply, and his gaze fastens on Daimon, who he heads for.

Hitherby . o O ( Smart Daimon. For *once*. )

Pat says "I see."

Daimon looks fairly disturbed and generally shaken from being in here. Although, it would be nice to you know, give alms to the Is while he was here. Maybe... maybe.

David rumbles, "As shall we." There is a spreading ripple in the Symphony around the four angels, like agate or malachite or lava, and a sense of falling...

Daimon says in French, "Hello. My name is Daimon Lightner."

The older priest replies, also in French, "I suspected as much. There is someone in the side-chapel who wishes to speak to you."

Daimon . o O ( Hell., )

<> Demiurge . o 0 ( no, heaven! )

Daimon says "Well, I'm here, and he's here, so lead the way."

<> Daimon says "My bottom is going to be SO red."

<> Daimon says "Thank god for those drinks beforehand!"

The older priest gestures the younger one to get back to his duties, and leads Daimon down a side-aisle to the side-chapel that he emerged from. The door is carved with ivy and hawks and crosses.

The priest says, "In there. I understand it is private."

Daimon . o O ( Yay Dominic. )

Daimon nods. "Thanks." He then opens the door and enters.

The chapel, inside, is floored and walled with marble, all white and black. Sephar, Sarah, Pat, and Hitherby have just appeared that moment as Daimon enters, and David stands there too in full celestial form, wings arched and thunderstorm-black.

Daimon stops, stock still, like he's been hit with a hammer.

<> Hitherby says "In what form have we appeared? mouse, Vessel, Vessel, and teen?"

<> Demiurge says "You are all as you were."

<> Demiurge says "So, yes."

Sarah gives Daimon an utterly relieved smile.

Pat looks around, having never been to Notre Dame before.

Daimon thinks very hard about walking back OUT that door.

The door swings shut behind Daimon, of its own accord.

Daimon jumps.

David sighs, a sound like mountains settling. He says, "Calm him, Cherub."

Sephar peeks out of the pocket and peers about as well, as, like Pat, it's never been in the place before either.

Hitherby lifts a hand and waves, just a very tiny wave, before going back to an attempt at proper posture.

As Pat and Sephar can see, the architecture is classic and beautiful, and beyond description in merely a paragraph or a few sentences.

Sarah was already beginning to move; at the Archangel's words, she does so without worrying about distracting anyone else. Go directly to Daimon. Do not pass Go.

Pat feels momentarily bad about being here with death tucked under his coat, but then remembers that he's an agent of God's justice, and is relieved.

Hitherby would have no sympathy for Pat. She is wearing a Walkman.

Daimon decides that he deals with Archangels about as well as he deals with Princes, this being "Not particularly well." But he didn't really, well, expect anything less from coming here. Better then a back street of Paris.

Sarah, meeting with no resistance, hugs Daimon.

Daimon hugs Sarah back.

David's voice echoes in the stone. "Mordecai's associates will be traced. Should you meet evidence of their activity, deal with it."

David's gaze turns to Daimon again.

Daimon feels very very small.

David rumbles, "You have a drawing of what lay beneath the stone."

Daimon says "Yes, sir. There are actually two of them."

Hitherby . o O ( Plague. He said Plague, before. Huh. )

David does not move. His wings might be carved flights of black marble. "Remove it from your notebook."

Daimon asks in a trembling voice, "May I ask why?"

<> Daimon says "You know where the second one is, of course."

David tilts his head a very tiny fraction. "Because otherwise your notebook will burn with it."

<> Demiurge says "In Daimon's head?"

<> Daimon says "Of course."

Daimon pulls out his notebook, and pulls the page. He hesitates, and gives it one more solid memorizing gaze, and then hands it over.

<> Daimon resists the urge to say "What's it worth to ya."

<> Sarah applauds Daimon's self-control. :)

As David's fingers touch the page, it crackles to ash, gone in a single burst of heatless translucent flame.

<> Hitherby says "Destroying a piece of paper, for an Archangel, is a Need/0. Maybe Need/-1. :)"

Daimon watches it burn. He doesn't know what to feel. Not good, for one.

David reaches into the air, and draws from it five translucent globes, perfect pale pearls that rest in the hollow of his hand.

David rumbles, "Each of you. Take one of them."

Sepharmouse scrambles from Sarah's pocket to one hand.

Hitherby blinks.

Pat walks up to David, nodding to him and reaching for one of the orbs.

Hitherby walks a little bit closer and reaches gingerly for one of the pearls, at almost the same time.

Sarah lifts Sephar in her hand, and moves forward, one arm still around Daimon. Of course, if Daimon doesn't move, this may create a problem.

Daimon doesn't look quite ready to move yet, but will with Sarah's prodding.

Sepharmouse peers at the globe Sarah raises it towards and, when in reach, will take it on paws and nose.

David waits, patient as stone, till all the pearls have been taken.

Daimon sighs. Well, it's inevitable. He is learning to be very iffy on gifts. He takes a pearl.

Sarah moves Daimon forward gently to a step or so away, then lets her arm slip to take the pearl.

Hitherby steps back, admiring the pearl. Now she has *two* things, a pearl and an ant!

Hitherby is very rich for a Kyriotate of Animals.

David says, voice firm and deep, "You all remember seeing the design?"

Pat says "I never saw it."

Daimon sighs, and puts the pearl back down. He says in a very trembling voice, "No messing with my head."

Sephar says "I do."

Hitherby says, "I saw."

<> Demiurge says "Pat, you never saw it at all?"

<> Pat says "Nope. I was watching the corridor."

Sarah looks aside to Daimon, and looks somewhat distressed - then slightly more distressed as she attempts to put a wing about him, only to find she doesn't have one in this form.

<> Pat says "I heard the translation, but never saw the map."

Daimon steps back, and gets the hell away from anything that will mess with his mind.

As Sephar and Hitherby speak, and remember the design - the memory is gone, a single blank spot in their memories.

Sephar chirrs softly, glad.

David's attention swings towards Daimon again, a crushing weight.

Daimon has on this list friends, pearls, and Archangels.

David says, his voice as gentle and unstoppable as an avalanche, "You do not wish this knowledge."

Daimon says in a very very small, trembling voice, "I do not know that."

Daimon decides to stand his ground on this. He's running out of things that are undeniably his.

David does not move from where he stands. "You wish to retain the knowledge of where the tomb of Magog lies?"

Daimon says "I do."

Hitherby says, softly, "Free will is God's gift." She doesn't seem pleased to be saying it, at all, but she says it.

David rumbles, "Choose, then. Whether you will bind yourself never to speak of this, or whether some other way must be found."

Daimon drops his eyes. He's not going to win a war of wills, not in any way, shape or form. "I will bind myself never to speak of this. But please, just don't tamper with my mind."

David turns his head away slightly. "You speak as though I were the villain of this piece."

<> Demiurge says "Malakim have feelings too! :)"

David closes his hand. All the pearls vanish.

Daimon says very quietly, "I bind myself in the eyes of God to never speak of that which I drew."

Daimon closes his eyes. Geasa suck.

You paged Sarah with 'Your memory has a little blank spot over what exactly that map looked like, too.'.

Hitherby says, quietly, "He fears. I do not think he in any way condemns."

>From afar, Sarah *whew* :)

Sarah seconds softly, "He is very young to us. Days only."

David's gaze rests on Hitherby and Sarah a moment, but he does not comment. He finally says, "It is witnessed."

David rumbles, "You are commended for your actions."

<> Hitherby hates these insubordination/cowardly silence cruxi :)

Sarah bows her head as the Archangel's gaze touches her.

Hitherby Kyriotate-bows, as best as she can, at the commendation, assuming it was directed at the general room.

David says, finally, "Your Archangels will hear of this. You are free to go." And he is gone, in a folding of dark wings and void.

Pat says "Hm."

Hitherby slumps.

Hitherby says "Any advice on getting a unicorn out of the Louvre?"

Sarah moves and promptly puts both arms around Daimon again, holding as tightly as she can without trapping for a long moment.

Daimon turns to go walk out in the main worshipping area with the other chumps from off the street.

<> Daimon says "Or not."

<> Sarah says "Without trapping. :)"

<> Demiurge says "You can vanish the unicorn, Hitherby."

Pat says "Unicorn?"

Hitherby says "Well, there were two of them!"

Pat says "But /where/ did the Unicorn come from?"

Hitherby considers. "Oh, hey," she says, feeling around inside her Forces and dematerializing the unicorn. "This is more fun than I thought."

Hitherby says "Oh."

Hitherby says "Michael."

Pat blinks. "I see."

Daimon slumps in a pew. _Slump_

Hitherby waits just long enough to see Pat's expression, and then says, "It's my Vessel."

The distant echoes of the choir's psalms float on the edge of hearing like cool balm.

<> Demiurge says "And just think, Daimon, tomorrow you can go see St Pauls to compare it. :)"

<> Daimon says "True!"

Daimon notes that the choir's psalms take the edge right off his anger, and he dissolves into a vague puddle of contemplative religious Lilim.

Hitherby says "It was fun! It's about time these Outcasts and demons who go around in brawny Vessels get a taste of what it's like."

Pat nods, looking at the starlight through a stained window. "This was all without David's knowledge."

Hitherby says "Okay, it wasn't fun. But it was -" She thinks. "You know that feeling when you're out hunting, and it's raining buckets, and the bushes are clinging to your fur, and you can't find game anywhere, but there's a gorgeous moon? It was like that."

<> Demiurge says "David filled you _all_ up on Essence as he vanished."

<> Demiurge says "You are all now at max."

Hitherby says, "It was always the most probable assumption, Pat."

Pat says "Probable and actual have no relation to each other."

Hitherby says "Of course. Otherwise we would have contacted him early on."

Hitherby says "Still, it's no surprise."

Pat says "Inquiries of other Archangels directly are the perogative of Dominic himself."

Hitherby says "Notifications are not."

Hitherby says "In fact, I myself have frequently notified an Archangel of something or other, although they were pretty much invariably the Great One."

Pat says "Still, there are still unknown issues. Was Mordecai the one who had Terethel destroyed?"

Hitherby nods. "This is indeed unknown."

Pat nods. "Were they working with Vapula's servitors, or merely in parallel?"

Hitherby says "Hopefully, some answers will be given to Judgment by Stone; the others, we'll keep on muddling through. It bothers me that Plague is involved - because of the Vapula connection, exactly."

Hitherby then mutters and crosses herself, having accidentally said a name instead of a Word for a Prince.

Hitherby says "Outcasts do not normally work with demons without - well - Falling. Unless they're very happy and good demons, of which there are probably two."

Hitherby adds, "One happy, one good."

Pat says "Mordecai was planning to cull the weak."

Hitherby says "Have we heard the name before?"

Pat says "Not in connection with this, no."

Hitherby says "In connection with which, then?"

Hitherby says "It seems vaguely familiar, but that could just be the ring of it."

Pat shrugs. "I don't recall. I believe it's the ring of it."

Hitherby says "Fair enough."

Pat purses his lips. "He was losing control of himself."

Hitherby frowns. "Still. To set out to cull the weak and immediately turn around and begin working with Technology - yet he worked to unearth Plague, so the connection exists."

Hitherby ponders. "Yet, at the root, the original notion is also completely insane."

Hitherby says "Not the culling, I mean, but the methodology, so."

Hitherby says "I yield to your finely honed detective mind."

Pat ponders this for a moment. "Hm."

Hitherby looks down at her hand ruefully. "Wish we could have kept the pearls. Or the scarab."

Pat turns away from his study of the window. "We'll need to return to Washington in a few days."

Hitherby says, "What is there to do here in the interregnum?"

Pat says "Daimon has an appointment in London; I have someone I need to talk to here."

Sarah says, quietly, "I appear to need to be a Kyriotate myself," and she smiles faintly. "Since I have business on more than one continent, apparently."

Pat says "What would that be?"

Hitherby muses. "I will gather a swarm here in the morning. That, or several components thereof, will be my representation in Europe. I can't keep five whole Forces here, though." She reflects. "It will have its advantages; although I will gain Essence only once, I will see a sunrise twice each day."

Sarah says "Keeping tabs on the lot of you, and a certain Dr. Matthews."

Hitherby says "Remind me of your specific plans for Dr. Matthews?"

Sarah says "Observe quietly, find his subjects, and neutralize his work?"

Hitherby says "Ah. Reasonable."

Sarah admits, "I try."

Hitherby reflects. "I see no way to bestow my resonance upon you."

Hitherby says "You would find it disconcerting, I expect, if I could. Or if I did."

Sarah agrees, "I suspect we'd both find it quite disconcerting."

<> Daimon says "Sarah everywhere!"

Hitherby says "However, should Yves ever name you among the highest of his own, please do bear it in mind."

Hitherby grins.

Hitherby winks.

Sarah laughs, and kisses Hitherhost's cheek.

Hitherby beams.

Hitherby says "I believe you have two choices. Allow those of us in D.C. to observe Dr. Matthews until Pat & Daimon's business here is finished; or return to D.C. and stay near enough to Tethers to get to Europe in a hurry. I suspect that only the first may actually be an option."

Sarah sighs deeply, and leans to get a good view of Daimon.

Sarah says "So long as he isn't left alone, I suppose..."

Daimon hasn't gone anywhere.

Pat says "We should both be able to be back in Washington by tomorrow evening."

Sarah looks quite relieved at that.

Hitherby says "It seems unlikely that Daimon will get left alone unless he decides to wander off while none of us are in his pocket or hair and while no one can see him."

Sarah says mildly, "As he's done three times in the last hour or two."

Hitherby says, "Thus making it almost statistically certain that he will not do it again."

Sarah says "If he weren't Daimon, yes."

Hitherby says, "Once I have a swarm here, I will keep at least one bug with him. Barring emergencies involving the abandonment of all hosts."

Hitherby says "Until he is safely back in D.C.."

Sarah acquires a further-distressed look, and shifts her weight nervously. "Thank you," she says, though.

Hitherby says "Possibly a butterfly. They had butterflies in Europe when I visited before."

Sarah says "I believe they still do."

Hitherby says, "Although a wasp would be more practical. Or a baby wallaby."

Hitherby says "In case of battle."

Hitherby says "Or invasive questions."

Hitherby says "Or traffic."

Hitherby says "Or a hail of small, sweet, white candies smelling vaguely of cinnamon."

Hitherby says "These are situations where a butterfly would be of little assistance."

Sarah says, "Are wasps, ah, good at dealing with cinnamon, then?"

Hitherby says "This is one of the functions for which they were created, in the dawn of the world."

Sarah pauses.

Sarah says "I see."

Hitherby says "Such hails were, I understand, entirely more common then."

Hitherby says "I know several wasp bloodlines that can say, proudly and truthfully, that no cinnamon has ever defeated them."

Sarah says "That's quite impressive, Hitherby. I'd never known that before."

Hitherby says "Others, of course, make this claim falsely; alas, for the state of the world."

Sarah sighs openly.

Hitherby glances curiously at Sarah.

Sarah explains, "The state of the world."

Hitherby says, "Ah, yes."

Hitherby sighs too.

Hitherby says "On the plus side, the aphids are finally making strides towards equality with the ants."

Sarah says "That's a beginning, at least. Shall we go keep Daimon from thinking quite too much, do you think?"

Hitherby says "That sounds like a fine idea."

Sarah migrates, thus.

Hitherby peregrinates with Sarah.

Daimon is still sitting, slumped in his pew, meditating.

Sarah sits in the pew behind Daimon.

Daimon isn't sure if he should turn around and say something or what, because who knows, maybe other angels groove on all this Roman Catholic death kitsch, or maybe they don't. So he waits.

Hitherby says, "So, that God guy - pretty groovy, huh?"

Daimon says "He's got his high points."

Hitherby sits near Daimon.

Daimon says "I was just thinking."

Sarah asks, "What about?"

Daimon says "You know, we carry guns and shoot people and die messily and feel pain all for God. We're happy to suffer masochistically and inflict pain sadistically in the name of what is Good for Heaven. And for this, we are happy."

Daimon says "I was just wondering what people would do if God gave one order, and it was thus: He ordered us to go out and be happy."

Daimon says "No martyrdom, no killing, no laws, no fighting, no politics. Just, you are ordered to go out and be happy for the rest of your life."

Daimon says "'I command that you be happy in the world as long as you live.' And that was God's only commandment."

Daimon says "I don't think people, or angels, or demons, would know what to do."

Hitherby says, thoughtfully, "Did you know that animals never go to Hell?"

Daimon says "Yes, I know this."

Hitherby says, "Did you ever wonder about why that was?"

Sarah murmurs, with a faint smile, "I know what I'd do," and listens to Hitherby.

Daimon says "I wondered, I thought, and I believed it was because the animals did not know good from evil, and therefore never willfully committed evil."

Hitherby says, "That's pretty close, I think. Animals never forgot what their purpose was. They never forgot how to serve God. They never get dissonant, as it was - they always act within their nature."

Hitherby says, "Animals can suffer pain, and distress, and all that kind of stuff. That's why angels like me exist. But nevertheless, they know what they're for, and they do it. And I think that's what being happy means."

Pat says "Animals never suffer temptation, either."

Daimon says "I dunno why I'm here, actually."

Daimon says "But I have a parable."

Daimon says "I read it, I didn't make it up. But I can recite it."

Sarah says, "I'd like to hear it."

Hitherby says "To tidy up, I think I'd keep doing what I do if that was God's only commandment. And so would most angels. And all the animals. And I will now listen."

Daimon says "Okay, here is the parable. Remember, this isn't mine."

Daimon says "'Once there lived a village of creatures along the bottom of a crystal river. The current of the river swept silently over them all - young and old, rich and poor, good and evil, the current going its own way, knowing only its own crystal self. Each creature in its own manner clung tightly to the twigs and rocks of the river bottom, for clinging was their way of life, and resisting the current what each had learned from birth.'"

Daimon says "'But one creature said at last, 'I am tired of clinging. Though I cannot see it with my eyes, I trust that the current knows where it is going. I shall let go, and let it take me where it will. Clinging, I shall die of boredom'.'"

Daimon says "'The other creatures laughed and said, 'Fool! Let go, and that current you worship will throw you tumbled and smashed across the rocks, and you will die quicker then boredom!'"

Daimon says "'But the one heeded them not, and taking a breath did let go, and at once was tumbled and smashed by the current across the rocks. Yet, in time, as the creature refused to cling again, the current lifted him free from the bottom, and he was bruised and hurt no more. And the creatures downstream, to whom he was a stranger, cried, "See, a miracle! A creature like ourselves, yet he flies! See the Messiah, come to save us all!'""

Daimon says "'And the one carried in the currrent said, 'I am no more Messiah than you. The river delights to lift us free, if only we dare to let go. Our true work is this voyage, this adventure.'"

Daimon says "'But they cried the more, 'Savior!' all the while clinging to the rocks, and when they looked again he was gone, and they were left along making legends of a Savior.'"

Daimon says "And that's end. End of story."

Hitherby says, "It's a pretty story."

Daimon says "Has alot of meaning for me."

Hitherby says "It would. Eli's doing something like that, by all accounts, and he's pretty clearly a beautiful angel, favored by God and untainted by evil."

Pat says "We hope."

Hitherby says "Of course, there's a word for your average angel who decides to kick free of what we know about ethics and our natures and just sort of float around looking for the right path to come to us by divine inspiration."

Hitherby says, "Pat could probably tell you the word I'm thinking of. It starts with dee."

Daimon says "I wasn't really thinking about Eli."

Daimon says "I was more thinking of the creatures clinging to the bottom."

Hitherby says, quietly, "We can only do the best we can. Do not expect miracles of us, for there are a thousand thousand bits of wisdom that we know, and only a few that we could free ourselves by denying."

Daimon sighs.

Daimon says "Nevermind."

Hitherby says, "I sometimes think that, when you see that God has made you for a different thing than he made Pat for, or I, your heart insists that one purpose or another must be wrong."

Daimon says "I don't know why Lilith created me. I doubt I _have_ a purpose. But in the mean time, I tried to let go of the bottom of the ocean, and it's hurting like hell to get dashed against the rocks. Eventually, it will end, and the bruising will stop, and it will be like flying. In the mean time, I'm a bloody pulp. That's all. That's all it means."

Hitherby says, "God made you."

Daimon says "Lilith made me."

Hitherby says, "God made you."

Hitherby says, "Lilith was the potter's wheel."

Daimon says "Then she makes some funky pots."

Hitherby says, calmly, "You could not have been born in Heaven and still been Daimon. This is true for other Bands as it is for Lilim. Therefore, you were made in Hell, as God wished to see you born."

Sarah murmurs, "You know, Daimon, there's a word on Earth for funky pots."

Daimon says "Pencil mugs?"

Hitherby turns curiously to look at Sarah.

Sarah says "'Art.'"

Daimon grins a little. "Sarah, there is unimaginable bad art out there. Tacky velvet elvisii to start."

Daimon says "For all I know, I might _be_ a tacky velvet elvis."

Sarah says "Yes, dear. I've met Terry."

Daimon says "So have I! He's the kind of guy who would hang naked pictures of himself in his home."

Hitherby says, "Eli is a connosieur."

Daimon says "Maybe he's just an expert applier of whiteout."

At your table, Pat ah wells. And just takes notes.

Hitherby says "But even Terry is an uncarved gem, not a gem carved into a two-headed phallus."

Hitherby says "Hard as it may be to believe sometimes."

<> Sarah . o O ( I was about to say... )

Pat says "Terry is Fallen. He was within the Light and rejected it."

Daimon sighs. "You wanna talk about him? Okay, fine. Terry is my best friend and my long time lover. That's what he is to me."

Hitherby says "Metaphors are always incomplete."

Hitherby says, calmly, "You believe, then, that he has redeeming characteristics?"

Daimon says "To me, yes. To God, probably not."

Sarah says "I wouldn't say that."

Hitherby says "I would argue the opposite, actually."

Hitherby says "I would say that God sees hope and wonders within Terry that you cannot even imagine possible."

Daimon says "I cannot turn off love like a light switch. I can be angry. I can really want to have a little chat with him. But I can't just stop caring. If that makes me a heretic, then that makes me a heretic."

Hitherby says "Many of which connoisseurs might appreciate, even if mere celestials, once God has done a bit more polishing and sanding and such."

Sarah says "It most certainly does not make you a heretic."

Daimon says "I don't believe he will ever return to the Light, Hitherby. It was long before I was born."

Hitherby says, "Most don't."

Hitherby says, "Hell is permitted to exist because some do. And because none is so far from the Light as to be unredeemable."

Sarah says "But there's always the chance. We always hope."

Hitherby says "There are just odds."

Sarah nods to Hitherby.

Daimon says "I would never make him do anything he didn't want to do."

Daimon says "And he won't ever make that choice. Case closed."

Hitherby says "Daimon, every fiber of his being longs to make that choice."

Sarah kisses the back of Daimon's head.

Daimon says quietly, "My life is just so fucked up."

Sarah says "It's quite all right, dear. I'm rather looking forward to another chance to chat with him, myself."

Daimon says "More people I care about shooting other people I care about."

Sarah shakes her head. "Chat, dear. I'd like to leave the shooting, drugging, chains, and kidnapping out of it."

Hitherby says "Sarah's job involves less expediency than most."

Daimon says "But it won't happen that way and you _know_ it."

Sarah says "Hardly, Daimon."

Daimon says "Angry people on different sides of the tracks, and I'm caught in the crossfire."

Sarah murmurs, "Aren't we all."

Daimon says "It causes me intense pain, and it's likely to get worse. I'm not sure what to do about it."

Hitherby says "There was a hunter once who wished to befriend a wolf; so he walked to the wolf with his hand outstretched, and the wolf bit his hand free at the wrist. Still the hunter wished to befriend the wolf, so he held out his other hand, and the wolf bit that one free as well. Then the hunter smiled, as blood ran onto the ground, and offered the wolf not his flesh but his understanding; and the wolf befriended him, and the hunter made new hands from the branches of an oak."

Daimon says "It will get better."

Hitherby coughs. "Er, sorry. Thinking aloud."

Daimon says "That's all I think. It will get better."

Sarah lays a hand on Daimon's shoulder from behind. She's careful not to make it the one with a vessel's blood drying upon it.

Hitherby says, softly, "If I could help, I would."

Daimon says "Everything I feel right now will sort of sublimate out and time will heal all wounds."

Sarah says "Time's kind, that way."

Daimon nods, slowly.

Hitherby stands quietly.

Hitherby says "I'll be just outside."

Daimon says "Hokay."

Hitherby walks out the door into Paris.

Hitherby walks through some Notre Dame stuff on the way, of course, but her course is clear.

Sarah murmurs, "Oh, dear," but makes no move to get up and intervene for the Kyriotate of Animals who fails to speak the local language.

Daimon isn't worried about Hitherby. At worst, there will be chaos. At best there will merely be Hitherby, which is cognitive dissonance enough.

Daimon turns around in the pew and gazes at Sarah with large, grey eyes.

Sarah looks back at Daimon, directly, with a little smile.

Pat inspects a filial.

Daimon says "I'm trying, Sarah."

Sarah says "I know, Daimon."

Sarah says "That's all that matters, truly."

Daimon says "I'm rebuilding some very basic things - trust, belief, trying to figure out what is real and what is a bunch of fabrications and lies. And that's the worst of it."

Daimon sighs and starts to stand. "You guys I can trust implicitly. Some of the others in DC, kind of, some of the time. Superiors? Not at all. I can't trust them at all. God? God's a toughy. I certainly want to, and I'm working on it, but it's slow. It's hard, when you find out your entire universe was nothing but make-believe concocted to keep you slow and dumb and controllable in a society that never wanted you to leave. I don't know what is real, what is not, and every bit of the big Lie that goes away just leaves me feeling more robbed and used."

Daimon peers up the aisle. "In the mean time, I suggest we rescue Paris from Hitherby."

Sarah lays her hand on Daimon's arm for a moment longer as she stands. "I can tell you one thing that might help you understand Archangels a little better, Daimon. If you'd like to hear it."

Daimon says "Sure."

<> Hitherby strides among the Paris buildings, knocking them over with her legs and burning others with her radioactive breath.

Sarah says softly, "You know what it's like, better than I, to see this as a crossfire, in which some of your friends on both sides will get hurt and killed."

Sarah says "So do they."

Daimon sighs and nods. "But I can't stop caring."

Sarah says "Neither can they."

<> Pat can!

<> Daimon shoots Pat in the head.

<> Pat says "Good! You're learning!"

Daimon says "They're too remote. Too far away. I have this nagging gut reaction which has come over long years of, well, probably abuse that there is some motive, some secret doings, or maybe just private amusement, and I'm just this thing. I can't trust. I can't even follow orders very well - although that certainly isn't new. I can just, I dunno, hope for the best."

Sarah says, "That sounds like a plan of action to me," and smiles.

Daimon says "And speaking for the best, there's probably confused people in Hitherby's wake. I fear for the entire city."

Sarah laughs. "Oh, well. I'm sure at least one or two of them needed a little extra chaos in their lives."

Daimon says "And for that, we are thankful."

Daimon gives Sarah a really big hug.

Sarah hugs Daimon back, and tries not to get any more blood on his clothes than she already may have.

Daimon says "I love you. I love Pat too, but I refuse to hug him, as he may shoot me in the head."

Pat says "I'm not going to shoot you in the head."

Pat comments, still examining architechture.

<> Hitherby says "Not while you're watching for it, at least!"

Sarah says "I love you, too. I'd hug him for you, but," and she smiles over at Pat and the architecture, "he might think I was trying to attune to him again."

Daimon says "He's very suspicious of _everyone_."

Daimon grins at Pat.

Daimon says "Those wacky Creationers, openly loving people. Man, what a travesty."

---

Fiat Justitia