A Rebuke From A Senior

It is a bright and glorious day in Heaven. There is work piled upon the desk of Jordan.

There is a rap at Jordan's door.

Jordan works on the pile, intent upon reducing it to the proper little piles. He looks up. "Yes?"

The door opens. A rather larger Seraph, scales and feathers in grey-sapphire, bows its head to enter.

The Seraph is recognisable as Regulus, an old and experienced - though unWorded - Seraph of Judgement.

Jordan bows his head the appropriate degree to greet a much larger and older Seraph respectfully. "Regulus."

Regulus murmurs, voice like a bass cello, "Jordan. I believe that we need to talk." He lets the door close behind him.

Jordan . o O (Urk.)

Jordan ripple-blinks. He closes the folder that he had been working on. "Of course."

Regulus moves across the floor, to coil around the seat opposite Jordan.

Jordan sorts through his brain. What bad things has he been doing? He can't think of any right now, except not being there to help rescue the Lilim.

Regulus says, "As Servitors of Judgement, it is our duty to devote ourselves to the Word of our Archangel."

Jordan nods, listening intently, all eyes fixed respectfully upon the elder Seraph.

Regulus draws the top set of eyebrows together. "Though we may have respect for our fellows - even love them - it is inappropriate to allow affection for them to *bias* us, or to cause us to neglect our duties."

Jordan starts to open his mouth, pauses, then looks rueful. "I suppose it is the nature of bias, that one is not always aware of it within oneself," he says quietly. "I... was not aware I had been overly neglectful."

Jordan eyes the piles on his desk. Are they really so much larger than normal?

Regulus shifts his tail.

Regulus says, "You have performed your paperwork as well as ever."

<> Jordan senses a "but" here.

Regulus says, "It has been noticed that you have a great deal of concern for Daimonique, in service to our Lord."

<> Pat translates, for the Seraph-impaired. "We hear you want in her pants, Jordan."

Jordan nods, a pair of his eyes focusing more on the desk than his fellow angel. "I... Yes."

<> Jordan baps Pat. "That's not true. Entirely."

Regulus' tone takes on a shading of adamant. "River-of-Judgement, do you feel that your affection for her could cause your judgement to be impaired, or distracted?"

<> Pat says "I was translating idiomatically."

Jordan re-examines his motivations and actions, and guilts slightly for a moment, then applies himself to the self-examination more intently. This takes several seconds.

Regulus waits with all the icy patience of a Seraph of Judgement.

Jordan whispers, "Perhaps... before I was aware, I might have been distracted. I... would not wish anything unjust to happen to her -- she is so new to Heaven, so... confused, still, I think." He closes his upper pair of eyes for a moment, then looks back at Regulus, resolutely. "I would not lie for her, nor exceed the bounds of justice."

<> Jordan notes that this is all shaded as strong opinion.

Regulus says, flatly, "So you believe. Would you be distracted by her from other duties?"

<> Jordan says "Since the future precognitive is a bit strong for a mere Judgment Servitor. It's usually reserved for God. Sometimes Yves."

<> Demiurge nods.

Jordan mulls this over. "I... believe I would not be, now that I am aware there is... bias." He fluffs his feathers, a bit uncomfortably, but does not preen them flat. (That would be rude.)

Regulus nods, a dipping motion.

Regulus says, "Do you feel competent to undertake other duties that do not involve her, without being distracted by thoughts of her?"

Jordan thinks a moment on that. "I believe so. I am most likely to be distracted... when in her presence, or dealing with matters that directly concern her." His tone is more confident.

<> Daimon feels The Guilt, baby.

<> Jordan . o O (I was doing the paperwork just fine, just now. No problem. It's just the distraction of those rainbow wings...)

Regulus shifts a wing. "What do you intend to do about this distraction?" His voice is uncompromising.

<> Pat says "Act on your desires, and put them out of mind!"

Jordan thinks. "I cannot deny it exists," he says, with the understood 'for that would be self-deception' left unsaid. "I will have to be aware of the emotion, ensure it does not affect my judgment, and... behave appropriately despite it. I will not dwell upon it such that it affects my work."

Jordan pauses briefly, then adds, "Though I will have to think upon it somewhat, to attempt to find where the bias has crept in already."

Regulus says, "That is advisable."

Regulus sounds a trifle less harsh.

Jordan nods, then says, quietly, "Thank you for bringing the... bias... to my attention."

Regulus flips a wing. "It would be to my shame if I did not restrain you from inappropriate behaviour."

Jordan murmurs, "And to mine, if I did not listen." He looks attentive, to see if Regulus has additional business, or if the elder Seraph feels he is done here.

Regulus folds his wings again. "You are to report to our Bright Lord, my brother. He has a task for you and your Triad."

Jordan perks up somewhat and tweaks the folder he had been working on back into the "in" box. "Ah. At once, I presume?"

Regulus says, dryly, "You may wait if you so choose, but I would not recommend it."

Jordan chuckles, dipping his head in acknowledgement even as he unwinds himself from his Seraph-seat. "Then I shall hasten." He heads for the door and holds it open for his elder respectfully.

Regulus slides out, then waits for Jordan to follow.

Jordan does so, closing the door behind them.

---

Fiat Justitia