Logfile from Brass&Steel. Papa Niccolo's -- Metro North Shopping Center A homey little place, where dim light washes over red tablecloths and earthtoned walls and a blend of Tuscan and Roman decor. The small restaurant has maybe 20 tables, and even during light hours, there's always at least two or three of them occupied. There is the tangy smell of tomatoes, the richness of garlic, the sizzling of ground beef in the air. A chalkboard menu lists daily specials, usually at least one kind of tossed pasta dish, one specialty lasagna, one or two Italian soups, one or two more exotic dishes. Otherwise, the menu is simple fare, the usual pizzas and pastas and sandwiches. But the clientele seems to appreciate it, and the servers look happy to serve it. The restuarant is filled with the lunch hour crowd but luckly for him Roger got there early and was able to snag a seat. He drinks coffee as he scans the sports page, clearly waiting for his meal to arive. Zach wades in, looking for coffee and a sandwich. Being a bit latish, he has but one choice: He has to smile charmingly to some female and get to share her table. At least that was the plan until he spots Roger... "Hey pal!" Roger looks up from his paper as he hears a familar voice. Peering though the crowds he finaly spots Zach and waves him over "Hey there, hows it going? Have a seat." Zach smiles and gets himself over to Roger with a minimum of fuss. "Thanks pal. I'm allright.." He floomps down on a seat and becomes a shade more serious. "How are /you/?" Roger grins "Hungry. What do you want for lunch? You say, "I'm having sandwiches and coffee. Nothing fancy for me today. You?" Roger shrugs "Coffee and some pasta, well once it gets here I will. Hows life treating you?" Zach smiles and relaxes. "Fairly good." He lowers his voice and adds: "With a few very notable exeptions, as you know." Roger leand forward and nods "I spoke with Harriet yesterday. Sounds like she and Lucian are on the outs." Zach looks keenly interested. "Tell me what she said." Roger sighs "Well we only spoke briefly but she seems pretty upset with him not giving her straight answers." Zach nods and frowns slightly. "That is a good thing. Unfortunately it'll only last until he manages to overpower her will." Roger sighs "Maybe she'll avoid him from now on" he says hopefuly. Zach grunts and slurps his very hot coffee. "Not likely. She's in love with him if I'm any judge. She'll probably go to him to have a talk... Or he'll come to her. Lucian wants her. He won't give up so easily." Roger makes a face and slumps in his chair "Yeah you're probably right damn it. How do we stop it?" You say, "With sharp objects." Roger grins and lowers his voice "Well, I have to admit that taking out that smarmy no good snake sounds like a great idea." Zach mutters his agreement. "Like real soon... WHat was it you wanted to talk to me about?" Roger pauses and looks down at his coffee, stiring it slowly with a spoon "Well it's something that Lucian said while you and Harriet were off dancing." Zach nods. "I gatheres as much. What was it?" Roger looks at Zach "You have spoken with Christ right? I mean he's there in Heaven, sitting at God's right hand correct?" Zach howls!!!! :D :D Roger laughs Zach says, "Oh MAN! I'll brb!" Roger frowns "He said that no one knows what really happened 2000 years ago. How can you not know. I mean, you're heaven!" Zach gets an uh-oh look on his face. "Oh...dear. He brought up that one, did he." He sighs. "Heaven isn't just Heaven. It's divided in layers. There's the lower heavens where I and all the other angels that has anything to do with the Corporeal world were created. That's were we live and work. That's where the archangels have their cathedrals and where the Seraphim Council stands. That's the place where most of the souls that go to Heaven come /first/. You will note the emphasis on first. Most of them move on sooner or later to the higher heavens where God resides." He keeps his voice very, very low. Roger drums his fingers on the table and says quietly "Ok, so what are the higher heavens like?" Zach earnestly says: "I have no idea. We don't get to go there. Only you humans get to go up there. God closed them off after Lucifer's rebellion. It's said that they won't be open to us angels until Judgement Day." Roger says, "Alright, the normal angels can't go there, but what about your bosses, the Archangels. They've spoken to Christ right and they know what really happened 2000 years ago." He says firmly, like it must be the truth."" Zach wails! Woe is me!! Zach :) Roger says, "I know, I know, trust the Solider to ask the hard questions. :)" Zach says, "That snake is sooooooooooo dead...." Roger laughs Zach sighs quietly. "As far as I know, God has only spoken to the Archangels twice after the Fall. The son of God... Well no-one /knows/ excactly what happened there. Noone except Yves and probably Gabriel, that is. And they aren't talking. Jesus never showed up in the lower heavens, from what I've been told. So noone there has spoken with him." Roger sets his cup down and just looks at Zach, unable to hide the look of disapointment that crosses his face "What? Gabriel annoucned the birth, how can he not talk about it?" You paged Lucian with 'You are sooooo DEAD man!! Now I have to try and explain the Jesus thing! Dammit!'. You paged Lucian with 'Like I could care less! But mister Soldier man here insists on being a blippin' Christian! :)'. From afar, Lucian grins evilly. "You really should've picked better Soldiers, but nope, you had to get a blippin' Christian. ;p Look at it this way - you don't have to explain URIEL yet. ;p" Lucian pages: And just WAIT until I start in telling him the Truth about Gabriel. ;p Zach shrugs. "Who knows? Orders from God or Yves? See, Gabriel is the last prophet among the angels. She has some sort of direct line to God and, well... These days she's thought to be quite mad. After milennias of Word conflict with the Demon Prince of Fire. You see - the whole Christ thing as I understand it, is a question of faith. You either have it or you don't. And that goes even for angels. Some belive in the son of God, and some don't." You paged Lucian with 'Feh! Way ahead of you on Gabe. :) But Uriel. Ick. I think Larry should come down and explain that one himself. It's his bloody Soldier. (They all are, come to think of it...) Oh and I didn't blippin' pick him! Abner did. I had to clean up the mess that one left. :)'. Roger scratches his head "She? Who are you talking about? Gabriel is male." He looks slightly shocked "Even angels have to take it on faith, I mean they aren't christian? Roger looks slightly disturbed at this revelation. Lucian pages: Well, Abner WAS a Swordie... Lucian pages: Besides, spend the Essence. Larry's a base 4. ;) You just break out the Sun-Tzu, empty your Essence reserves, and he'll show up. ;) You paged Lucian with 'Yah! And look at the mess he bloody left! If he ever returns, I'm going to tell him a Truth ot two... >:)'. Long distance to Lucian: Zach grins. If you summon Mally first, I'll get an extra +3 for enemy Super. :) Lucian pages: Sure, but Mally'll bolt. No, no. I'd want someone who'd stick around, if you're going to grab Larry. :p *looks around* Y'know, it's hard to get a Destroyer inland... Zach clears his throat. "Er. Angels don't have sexes, Roger. When we manifest on earth we get vessels that are either male or female. It depends on what we're supposed to be doing. Gabriel has favored female vessels for the last 1500 years or so." Lucky for them that the place is so busy. This conversation is way weird for the average man and woman... Roger looks slightly embarrased "Er yes, I suppose I should have relized that. It's just that all the painting of Gabriel I've seen show him as male." Long distance to Lucian: Zach hee!:) How 'bout getting one of the lusties to summon Andre? He could never resist the manly charms of Larry. :) Lucian pages: No, no. If I REALLY want to put Larry to flight, it's quite simple. I run into a pet store, open a few cages, and spend some Essence... If ANYONE can scare off Larry, it's the Mother of Lilim herself. "Oooh, isn't THIS a cute one!" ;p Zach nods. "Up until after the death of the prophet Mohammed, Gabriel usually manifested as male. In her celestial form she's a huge, giant wheel of fire though." Long distance to Lucian: Zach giggles. Or both... That could get ugly.. >:) Roger chuckles "Maybe I'll see that one day. I can only hope." He does notice however that Zach hasn't answered his question about christian angels and faith "Do you belive in Christ Zach?" From afar, Lucian laughs. That'd be terribly amusing. :p Lucian pages: Of course, I'm waiting to see what happens when we do get Jean and Lilith in the same room. I have images of a giant black couch materializing, EEG monitors leaping from the walls, and Jean manifesting suddenly a very long white beard and tiny glasses. "Zo, tell me about your father... erm, maybe we should start somewhere else." :p Zach scratches his chin a bit. "To be quite honest - I don't know. I've never really thought about it. I am content with knowing the love of God and Heaven. I have my role to fill and my work to do. I require nothing more. Christ was there for /your/ sake. For humanity. Not for us." Long distance to Lucian: Zach *rotfl* *wheeze* Roger nods slowly "But he is the king of angels is he not. Or at least he was called so." From afar, Lucian bows. Glad you liked. "I honesly do not know, Roger. Maybe he will be, come the day? He ain't now - I'm pretty sure about that. Unless he's more ineffable and subtle that even Yves. Maybe he rules the Upper Heavens and the celestial choirs of angels who reside there..." Zach looks a bit whistful as he contemplates the Higher Heavens. Long distance to Lucian: Zach grabs Lucian and plants a big, wet kiss on his snout! Lucian pages: Mrf?!? Roger still looks a little troubled and disapointed as he sighs "So what answer to the great questions of the univerise do you angels have?" Zach blinks a bit. "Uh. Which questions? I think that if you read the first verse of the first chapter of the Gospel of St. John, you will find the answer to everything." Roger grins "What does the first chapter of the gospel of St John say?" Zach says, "Some bloody Catholic you are!!! :) :)" Roger says, "hey that the character not me :)" Roger frowns "Well how about "Why does God allow evil into the world. That old one." Zach says, "1 In the beginning there was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men." Roger says, "silly angel thinking a human could find the answers in that :)" Zach spreads his hands. "That's a good one. It gets debated quite often Upstairs as well. The answer is quite simply that God gave his creations the gift of Free Will. For free will to be of any use, there must be no meddling. And that's what caused the Rebellion. After man came about, God forbade the angels to go down to Earth. Lucifer and a many others couldn't accept this verdict. They could not accept the fact that God saw humans as his finest creation. That he places humans over angels an gave man full surpremacy on Earth." Zach says, "It's probablyl the best quote from the Bible when dealing with ineffable stuff. And it's a nice poem as well. :)" Roger chuckles "Well it's nice to know that at least some angeligic thought matchs up with theology." He sighs "I suppose I'll have to live with that, altough the thought that angels *angels* don't know things that I think I they should know. How disapointing." From afar, Lucian grins. Managed to get your Soldier back around to a Proper Way of Thought? ;) You paged Lucian with 'Yah! Kid's got Faith! :)'. From afar, Lucian, in his best Evil Villain voice, says, "Curses!" Zach smiles a bit. "I am sorry to disappoint you, Roger. But angels are just servants. The elders and the Archangels know many things. But God is ineffable and what God's plans are, only God knows the full extenct of. We can only do what we must do. And I for one cherish that. You get to go to the Higher Heavens and find out for yourself when your time comes. Think about that, my friend. You get to go where even Archangels don't get to go anymore. You get to go and be with God..." You paged Lucian with 'And now I'm doing the 'you get to go where even Archangels aren't allowed'-speech. :)'. Lucian pages: Oh, they're ALLOWED... ;) Lucian pages: Just look at Uriel. Why, he was allowed all the way to the Tippity Top. ;) Roger looks slightly pleased with that "Ok, I can live with that. Now, back to a more comfortable topic, well sort of. What are we going to do about Lucian? You paged Lucian with 'Now he wants to discuss how to off you. >:)'. From afar, Lucian sighs. Lucian pages: And my letter to the Boss said things were going SO well... :p You paged Lucian with 'How's it going with ze mightly miffed girlfriend?'. Lucian pages: All is well. ;) You paged Lucian with 'Well you're a bal!! It's not like he belives anything you write! :)'. Lucian pages: Hrmph. Sad thing is, I haven't yet lied to him, either. ;p Zach considers this. "I don't really see any other way than sending him into Trauma. I've tried being nice, I've tried to give Hachilah a chance - fat lot of good that did... Now I just need to get him alone in a private place." You paged Lucian with 'Heh. :)'. Roger nods slowly "Alright, how do you plan on doing that. Anything I can do to help? Lucian pages: Lucian just keeps having to use the Infernal Emphasis just to make him believe the Truth. A Seraph would be having headaches. :p You paged Lucian with 'So how do I (or Roger and I) get you alone? And when? And where? I'm kinda favouring a house-call...:)'. Lucian pages: Actually, as you may have noted from your observations, Lucian's house is rarely, if ever, visited, and for short times... Zach hmms and finishes his sandwich. "Something bizarre and or hopelessly unlikely that makes it impossible for the cops to figure it out. Sorry.. And the vessel must be found by humans so that his role dies with the vessel." Long distance to Lucian: Zach nods. That's what I'm suggesting to Roger. Either that or a late night visit to your office - but that's more fiddly, what with security and stuff.:) Lucian pages: Late night at the office might be a better idea. Of the two, you've seen him there more often than at his apartment..." Roger nods "Well, are you just going to shoot him?" Roger keeps his voice down for obvious reasons. From afar, Roger is trying to find out from Fidelity if Roger can lay his hands on the porn mag where Traci posed You paged Roger with 'There should be if you know where to look. And I (the player) found their website on the Net. :)'. Roger pages: heh it's a real mag? I thought it was something Traci made up. Zach shakes his head doubtfully. "I'm better up close. Can do more damage that way, unless I get my hands on a very powerful rifle. It's probably easiest to get to him late at night in his office at the Uni. That's where he spends most of his time." You paged Roger with 'Oh it's real allright. But the site's in Japanese. :)'. From afar, Roger nods Roger nods slowly "But there's sucurity and stuff there, you can't really just beat on him untill he's dead and not have people wander by," You paged Lucian with 'Right. I should be able to dodge campus security for a few hours.:)'. Lucian pages: They're used to Lucian being in there at all hours already... ;p Zach smiles a bit. "He's a wimp. If I get a good first strike, he's not going to be able to defend himself." Lucian pages: Of course, (he says, contributing to his own death), Roger COULD play Bait. Roger frowns "I don't want to see you in jail just because a janitor came along at the wrong time. And what if you don't get the first strike?" Long distance to Lucian: Zach chuckles and patpats. No wait! Someone in the demonic community has sent a sheddie after me. No sympathy for you then!! Long distance to Lucian: Zach doesn't think that Lucian is the only geek that stays on campus in the wee hours... :) Lucian pages: Now who would orchestrate such a vile deed as sending that most loathsome of bodiless demons after such a pure, virtuous angel? :p Zach looks quite confident. "I get the first strike. I've already been up against him once. He is way slower than me when he's envesseled. I don't think he can take much bodily hurt. In his true form, he is the stronger so I need to get him so dazed that he won't be able to drop his vessel and flee." Roger frowns "How do you plan on doing that? You paged Lucian with 'Who indeed... >;|'. Lucian pages: Why, it would take someone of the utmost evil. I blame the Lusties. ;) Roger pages: do we know what issue Traci was in? Ben says I'll have to special order it. You say, "I know where his office is - I've scouted out all that. I can hide inside the building till after closing hours. There are always people working at the Uni, and security are used to activity in his office late at night. If you want to help, you could always be a decoy or something..." Roger leans back in his seat "Yes, I suppose so. How do you know he won't go celestial the minute he sees you?" You paged Roger with 'No. The pictures were taken between July 9th 2001 and July 9th 2002.'. You say, "Oh, he probably will. Which is why he mustn't see me until it's too late. I could always throw a bomb in through his window, but I have no wish to hurt the University itself..." Roger says, "Besides, think of the noise."" Zach nods. "Although that I don't care much about. Other celestials might not agree though..." Roger says, "Too much attention. Lets try stealthy." Zach shrugs. "I can go celestial and wing it after I throw the thing. They'll think it's Osama's boys... And that'll serve Lucian's master's Word and... Eh. Let's try stealthy.." Zach has to go soon. Roger frowns "Who is Lucian's master anyways?" Roger nods me too." You say, "The demon prince of Factions. Divide and divide some more..." Roger makes a face "Sounds lovely, oh by the way do you know what issue Traci of the maginze Traci was in. I have to special order it." Zach shakes his head. "No. I only know that the pictures were taken between the start of July last year and ditto this year." Roger frowns and nods "That makes it harder." You say, "Can't you get the whole year? Or have your contacts in vice help you out?" Lucian enters the restaurant. Harriet enters the restaurant. Roger raises an eyebrow "You want me to order the whole year, first of that's damn expenive and second I'd really rather not look like a perv to my co-workers thank you very much." Zach mutters to Roger, "... case... on... your... That's not..." You whisper "It's for a special case you're working on in your spare time. That's not even a lie..." to Roger. Zach and Roger are sitting bent over a table to the far left, talking very quietly. Harriet is holding Lucian's arm and looking quite happy--if a little bit red around the eyes--as they step into the resturant. "Mmmm. Food. I like food, you know?" she says cheerfully. Lucian chuckles. "I am rather fond of it, myself," he replies, inhaling deeply. "I most especially love Italian..." Roger leans forward and mutters back Roger mutters to Zach, "... cut it,... back... my... some... about... case..." Roger whispers "Don't think that would cut it, Word would filter back to my boss and I'd get asked some pointed questions about this case I'm working on."" Zach nods and makes to get up. He mutters to Roger, "... this... doing it... much... now.... And... care." Roger senses "Zach nods and makes to get up. "Look we've gotta talk this over some more later. There's got to be a way of doing it without too much hassle. But I gotta split now. I'll see ya later, pal. And take care."" Harriet laughs and squeezes his arm. "Italian is good. Better than barbecue, at least, for a change, you know?" She looks around, and smiles as she spots Zach and Roger, and almost stands up on tiptoes to wave. Then she casts a glance at Lucian, and subsides. [Public] Zach waves to all. "Gotta go now. Take care, y'all!" Zach rises and takes his leave, smiling and saying 'Hi' to Harriet, nodding coolly to Lucian. You paged Lucian with 'And resonates!'. AutoJudge: Zach rolls: 1 + 1 = 2 . Check die: 5 Roger nods at Zach and quickly settles the bill. He does notice Harriet and Lucian come in and returns Harriets wave but does not approch the couple You paged Lucian with 'Gimme!! :)'. Lucian pages: CD 5 resonation on me?? Gah! You paged Lucian with 'God loves me.:)'. Lucian pages: Bah. Lucian pages: This past week: Honorable: The Roger thing, telling him all about Angels and Christ. Dishonorable: He actually gave the correct directions when stopped by a student on campus. You paged Lucian with 'Correct direction?! Fie! Fie!!'. Lucian pages: Ah, hell, where's my list for Last Year... do you happen to have the last time you resonated me handy? :) You paged Lucian with 'Houl' on...'. Lucian pages: Thanks. :) From afar, Lucian is digging thru his logs too, but isn't sure if he got it or not. You paged Lucian with 'His most 'noble' deeds of the past year: Attempting to persuade an angel to doubt humanity, thus bringing about her Fall; Setting up a plot to ruin William Jewell College by instigating their security guards to overreact; and setting off a debate in his classroom that turned physically violent. His three most 'ignoble' deeds were: Forcing two individuals to fall in love (and not taking advantage of it), giving money to a stage musician out of generosity, and actually helping a student pass a class.'. Lucian pages: Woo! :) You paged Lucian with 'Your best ever was the student massacre, You haven't managed to come up with a worst ever yet... ;P'. Long distance to Lucian: Zach is of course looking for anything that's got to do with Harriet;P Lucian pages: I haven't? *laughs* I was SURE I'd given you one last time. Changing the prior list, knocking off the plot to ruin WJC is working on a local artist to turn her to more 'socially conscious' pursuits, and knocking the debate off the list is working to sabotage the unseemly cooperation between servants of rival Superiors in this city. In the Ignoble deeds, knocking the two individuals in love is actually... *shudder* engaging in combat. How... distasteful. You paged Harriet with 'The look Zach gave Lucian might by normal people, used to interpret manly men, be take for a "You made her _cry_, you bastard!"-look. :)'. Long distance to Lucian: Zach grins. :) Harriet pages: Awww, that's sweet. Of course, by that time, she was crying happily. Sort of. :) Lucian pages: There ya go. :) You paged Lucian with 'You still need to come up with your most dishonorable act ever... :P You can @mail it to me when you've got it figured. Inquisitive minds wanna know. :)'. You paged Harriet with 'Not just today. The other night as well. :)'. You paged Harriet with 'You're a southern belle, you've seen that look. :)'. Harriet pages: Ahhh. Hehehe. Not since I was about ten. :) /I/ don't cry where other people can see me. ;) From afar, Lucian snaps his fingers. He Lied. Honest to god, he LIED, knowingly and with malice aforethought, he Lied. To his Boss. You paged Lucian with 'WOW! That musta hurt. You get dissonance for that. (At the very least..;)'.