David moved to hug Collin but wasn’t surprised when he saw a wave of panic cross Collin’s face.
“Uh huh. Just as I suspected. You spend too much time being an entertainer of female Angels and have forgotten what a true relationship between strong heterosexual men looks like.”
Collin opened his mouth, probably to apologize, but David cut him off. “No need to say anything. I understand. I’m guessing one of the reasons you spend most of your time with females is because you have lost your trust in men.”
“Well, sir. In my defense. After as many lifetimes as I have incarnated? As a gladiator slave? You learn to take what you are given. Whether it be a spear to the gut, an ax to your head, or, well you know.”
“Yes, Collin, I know. But right how you are on Oceania and maybe you are in need of a little rehab yourself. So here are a couple of things I’d like you to do. I want you to spend more time with Bill. You have too much estrogen in your life. I promise you, Bill is a man’s man, just as hetero as I am.”
Collin nodded with a smile. “Yes sir. I believe that.”
“And the second thing? Maybe you didn’t get the memo, but Oceania isn’t just about wild, naked sex parties. There are regular worship services, too.”
David saw another wave of panic hit Collin. “Okay. I bet this is why you’re having such a hard time believing El Elyon wants to meet you. Son, your life is too imbalanced. I want you to talk to Bill about this, too. Attend some worship services with him. It might be the case, and I’m only guessing here, that practicing how to pray is just as important as practicing how to screw.”
More than one Angel had invited Collin to a worship service, but he had avoided going. But this time, it was not a Silly Little Seraphif, but a five-starred Silver Storm general making the ‘suggestion’.
“Now, Collin. The final thing. Here’s the real issue with your affair with Josephine.”
Here it comes, Collin thought.
“I understand you didn’t know Colonel Doulmahel was your commanding officer during your affair, or even that she was Valkyrie.”
“Yeah, that’s right. Pretty stupid huh? I feel like such an idiot. The thing I did with Wrenn was bad enough. But I didn’t even…” Collin stopped. “There’s something more to this, isn’t there?
David nodded. “You’ve been seeing this mistake from your side only, not Josephine’s.”
“Oh no. Rules of conduct,” Collin mumbled, suddenly remembering Sipheria’s regulations around sexual relations between subordinates and commanders.
“Oh yes,” David responded. “So let me ask. Do you agree Josephine is the perfect individual to command the Eden Theater?”
Collin nodded his head.
David looked right through Collin with his intense, unblinking eyes. “Do you love her?”
Collin looked down at his feet, giving his head a small nod. “Yes, well, at least I’m very fond of her,” he whispered under his breath, then looked at David.
“Then Collin, let me ask you one more thing. What are you willing to do to ensure this mistake remains unknown to everyone outside our close little circle of friends?”
Chapter 35
Big Mistake
I worship Lord Smigyl, the God of Light. I always have. I always will. Not only did I know the rules, I was a principle teacher of those rules to entire planets. And the primary rule is — the God of Light’s happiness is more important than anyone else’s, including my own.
—Lord Rahu
Elysium
"It was a point of some great discussion between Maestro Andreas Poutskin and those of us who were trying to decide upon the music for this evening’s gala,” Kuko Kiena said to a Lord Smigyl who seemed enthralled with her stories of the events leading up to tonight’s banquet. “We suddenly realized that we simply did not know what style of music you enjoyed the most.”
Castor Mayhew rubbed his eyes with the end of his thumb and index finger. He looked up and connected with Indra. Both men gave their heads small shakes. Kuko was doing it again.
As Kuko spoke, she gestured toward the royal guests at their table and to other individuals and objects in the room. Her gestures beautifully matched her speech, so no one suspected she was using a sign language to communicate with Indra and Castor, using only her fingers, eyes, and facial expressions. “This guy is really starting to annoy me. What the freak is taking Manah so long?” she signed to Indra and Castor.
“Of course, we considered Gandharva,” Kuko enthusiastically continued out loud to the rest of the table. “We know you enjoy this flow of melody very much. And considering that it emerged from Guru Patanjali’s own enlightened throat,…” she turned toward Patanjali for a moment, smiled, and gave a head bow, “…we felt that it would also fulfill our desire to honor you and make you feel welcome and at home within Elysium. But…”
“But you probably realized that after a few minutes of our Gandharva, half the room would be asleep,” Guru Patanjali interjected with an amused giggle, beaming with pride at being recognized for one of his greatest accomplishments.
“Quite right, Guru Patanjali, quite right,” Indra said while making a gracious gesture.
“Oh, you know how Manah is, Kuko,” Indra signed with some equally subtle hand gestures. “Control. Drawing attention.”
Benito Resheph and Pope Hukarknar could see Indra, Castor, and Kuko yakking it up right in front of Smigyl.
“Then we considered sending a scout to Rishikesh,” Kuko continued with her story, careful not to use the term ‘spy’. “However, we worried that the residents might become suspicious and we strongly desired to keep your schedule confidential.”
Kuko looked up unassumingly, politely scanning the faces at the table, and measuring the reactions around her, modifying her stories to match the moods of her guests.
“Alas,” Kuko said quietly to the table, elegantly smiling. “It seems that Chef Vohu Manah’s many delectables now approach.”
“Oh my freaking fart,” Kuko signed to Indra and Castor as she stood, casually observing the steady stream of waiters and waitresses as they emerged from the kitchen below. Kuko froze in place when she saw Salecia walking toward them, carrying a large tray with several plates of appetizers.
“Don’t ask,” Salecia signed to Kuko as she approached.
Salecia gathered herself, then bent forward and whispered to Kuko.
“My dear Guru Patanjali,” Kuko began. “It seems I somehow omitted proper communications with Chef Vohu Manah that you would be dining with us tonight. He wishes me to communicate to you, in an attempt to express his undying affections toward you, that he has prepared for you a special treat.”
As Kuko leaned over to serve him, she whispered so quietly that only Guru Patanjali could hear. “Chef Vohu Manah was saving these crisps for himself until Salecia told him you were here. He said that only you had senses exquisite enough to appreciate their special flavors.” Patanjali beamed.
Castor noticed something was wrong with Salecia. With sign language, he asked her.
“Horrible,” she signed back. “A male Angel called Manah a coward, a pathetic parasite. Told Manah he prayed he would be the one to push the flush button on his soulless Personality when final judgment came.”
Castor’s left eyebrow rose ever so slightly.
Salecia continued signing. “Manah and his three assistants put horrendous, agonizing substances into the Angel’s veins and stomach. They doused him with oil and set him ablaze.”
“Aha,” Castor sighed, as if gaining insight into a minor mystery. “If the table will please excuse me.”
Smigyl could tell some sort of subtle interaction was taking place between these four. He watched Castor casually stroll toward the staircase, hands lightly clasped behind his back. As his left foot descended the first step, his right index finger raised twenty degrees, and gave a few clear waves. Smigyl intuitively knew he was signaling five individuals to assist him in the kitchen below.
Smigyl fel
t three little taps on his thigh. He casually moved his hand to that spot, his palm resting comfortably on his leg.
Kuko’s nimble fingers tapped out a message. “Relax, enjoy yourself. Your Angel Crisps are getting cold.”
Smigyl responded by rapidly lifting his knuckles up and down on Kuko’s soft palm. Kuko called this her ‘footsie’ code. In addition to using fingers to communicate, she could also use her shoes or feet to transmit information. She slipped off her right geisha zori and tapped additional codes on Smigyl’s ankle with her toes.
By now, most everyone had devoured their crisps, and conversation once again filled the room. She remembered Salecia’s words, ‘special treat’, and scanned Patanjali’s plate. Bile hit her tongue when she saw what was under his crisps.
Smigyl could feel Kuko’s sudden change in mood as Patanjali crunched down on Brittney’s delicate body parts. Smigyl felt Kuko’s desire to take her knife, calmly walk over to the opposite side of the table, pull Patanjali by the hair, hack through his throat, and then put his severed head on Salecia’s tray to take back to Chef Vohu Manah as a reply to his ‘special treat’.
“I quite agree, Madame Kuko,” he tapped using his knuckles on the palm of her right hand. “I, too find his tastes inexplicable.”
To Patanjali though, there were only two things women were good for — sex and servitude. Before he taught women his basic techniques of deep meditation, Patanjali demanded multiple lifetimes of domestic labor and sexual gratification.
Smigyl also noticed how Rahu was looking at Kuko. Rahu was clearly jealous over Kuko’s interactions with Smigyl. He wondered how much of their ‘footsie talk’ he could perceive. Patanjali getting into trouble with females because of his indulgences was one small and possibly entertaining matter. Rahu becoming jealous over Kuko was quite another. To Smigyl, Rahu was saying there was a weakness in his relationship with his God. It was personally insulting that Rahu could throw away millions of years of trust and loyalty over one of Indra’s little girl-toy Artisans.
There was a minor interruption in the flow of comestibles from below and a noticeable change in the waiters’ expressions. Ten minutes later, Castor casually strolled back to the head table.
“Oh, how wonderful,” Castor apathetically addressed Guru Patanjali, as he took his seat. “Now your dear chef understands.”
Kuko had heard the scuffling and muffled howls of pain coming from the cracks between the double kitchen doors. She knew Smigyl had heard it, too. Using her fingers and toes she tapped, “Manah committed a Rabbi Class 5 violation. In an Elysium kitchen.”
“Really?” Smigyl replied. “Have classifications of atrocity changed? I thought this was only a Rabbi Class 9.”
She told him the story of what the pigeon, Robert Sagham had said to Chef Vohu Manah and what his revenge had been, switching from signing to whispering in his ear.
As long as standardized, humane techniques were used, any Angels captured could be carved up and consumed for food. The same went for Yukta Yogis, Panis, Nephilim, or a cow for that matter. But torturing them first was not allowed. Harvesting their Ratna was completely forbidden. That was a Class 1 violation. There would be no pigeon-plucking in Elysium.
Smigyl knew this was a matter of Nazz-Valkyrie treaties. Considering the plans Indra and Smigyl were scheming, the last thing they needed was a team of investigators from Justice Lycurgus.
As Kuko whispered in Smigyl’s ear, she smiled sweetly to Rahu. The more intimate she became towards Smigyl, the more Rahu fumed.
“Pope Hukarknar will see this as a deliberate attempt by Prince Caligastia to increase Nazz-Valkyrie frictions,” Kuko added.
Kuko pretended to eat her own Angel Crisps as she continued to whisper in Smigyl’s ear. Of course, Kuko had eaten Angel Crisps many times. But tonight, as she looked down at her own plate, she was unable to purge the image of Pegasus’ beautiful broad white wings from her mind. She lifted one up and tried to bite but could not. With her other hand she reached down and lifted a napkin to her lips. With the precision of a magician, she quickly transferred the crisps from her plate and wrapped them in her napkin.
She turned back to Rahu and smirked. This time there was just a touch more aggression on her face, which melted into a shade of competition. As she shifted her body toward his God, she allowed a slight flavor of smugness to spread across her lovely green face.
When it seemed Rahu would explode, she spoke. “My dear Lord Rahu. Please forgive my impertinence in addressing you personally, but this evening is so remarkable. I simply cannot allow this moment to pass.”
She paused, as if waiting for him to speak. Instead, he twitched in his seat.
“It may please you to know that I am responsible for many of Elysium’s archives. Especially when it comes to personal matters.”
She paused again. His twitching and fidgeting increased.
“And I am sure I speak for all Nazz intelligentsia in this matter…”
She knew that The Children of Luminosity only said such things as a joke. It made him feel embarrassed, just as she had hoped.
“…but if you don’t mind…”
She gestured to the others at the table, “…with the permission of the Gods…”
Wow, is she jacking him up or what? Smigyl thought to himself as he struggled to not smile.
“…at this lovely event, Lord Rahu, as you dine here in Elysium, with so many dignitaries…”
She gestured broadly to the room.
“… and with Lord Indra, with the God of Light himself present. Upon your triumphant return. And your eminent crowning as Planetary Prince, Ishmael. The undisputed God of Eden.”
She paused dramatically. “Please, will you share with us some of your thoughts and feelings?”
Rahu’s mouth fell open. He scanned the table. Everyone was looking at him, genuinely interested. He looked at Kuko, almost as if confirming her permission. Her face was enthusiastic and encouraging. He looked at his God, Lord Smigyl. His face was full of proud reassurance.
Kuko was shocked that Rahu looked to her first for permission, and then to Smigyl.
And Smigyl noticed.
“Why yes, of course, Madame Kiena. Perhaps I should start by thanking my God for all his support. As everyone here knows, Lord Smigyl had initially intended to travel directly to Salvington to confront The Blind King on his Tower of Light. It is so generous of him to…”
“Doesn’t he know I’m messing with his mind?” Kuko tapped out on Smigyl’s hand. “Is he really that jealous of me? Why does he hate me? What’s he worried about? You’ll make me Planetary Princess instead of him?”
Smigyl was just about to lift a knuckle in reply, when he saw an attractive Nazz woman, with bright yellow skin and work coveralls approach. She was urgently whispering something to the Captain of the Guard, Rickey Reinhardt.
Everyone at the head table kept their polite attention on Rahu, as he continued with his rambling speech. His back was toward Rickey and Kati, and even if he had been facing them, he probably would have paid them no attention.
However, from where they sat, Castor, Indra, Smigyl, and Kuko saw Kati and Rickey look over to them, simultaneously giving small shakes of their heads. Rickey sent a quick set of finger signals. “This might be serious. I’ll check into it and get back to you.”
“He’s over here,” Kati said, pointing to the other side of the runway. She grasped Rickey by the hand to help him match her sprint. Three minutes later, they reached the other side. Rickey looked down at the dead, nude yellow body. “Has anyone touched him?” he asked the five guards standing around.
“No sir. Of course not, Colonel Reinhardt,” all five responded in unison.
Rickey kept his eyes locked on the corpse. “Give us some air,” he said as he walked to the other side of the body and squatted down for a closer look. The guards moved back.
“Who else saw him?” he asked Kati as he searched the dull, yellow face. He appeared to be Nazz, perhaps a spy exec
uted by the Valkyrie and then tossed into the waters over Elysium as a warning.
“Captain Oirin is the evening shift manager. I told her. She suggested I find you.” Kati knelt down beside him and spoke softly. “I was over here looking at one of the ships. Landing brakes locked up. I heard a whistle, and looked…”
“Aufpassen,” Kati yelled as she wrapped her arms around Rickey and jerked him out of the path of a falling yellow object. They lost their balance and fell on their backs. Kati slid under Rickey to help break his fall.
SPLAT.
Another nude yellow body hit the pavement and twitched for a few seconds. This one had been alive, possibly aware right up to the point of impact. Rickey came to his feet and offered a hand to Kati. “Thank you, sister,” he said. “But you didn’t have to…”
“Well, you were in your dress uniform, and I was in my…”
She looked down at her dingy work coveralls, wishing she was wearing something more attractive, wishing her hair did not look like a blond mop tied behind her head, wishing she wore at least a little makeup other than dirt and grease, wishing he had not called her ‘sister’.
He squeezed her hand, and then reflexively looked up to see if they were again in peril.
“Guards,” he barked to the five who were standing with their mouths open. “Vielleicht statt stehend nur herum mit Ihren Fingern in Ihrem Arsch Sie könnten zuschauen dem Himmel.” (Maybe instead of just standing around with your fingers up your ass, you could watch the sky.)
“Yes sir,” they replied together as his scowl sliced through them.
Rickey turned his back to the guards and knelt beside Kati, examining the wounds and how they might predict what level of threat Elysium was already under.
It did not matter they were nude. Considering all the strange creatures in the Celestial Waters, it was not unusual to encounter a school of scavengers with a taste for clothing. The fact that one corpse appeared days old with death, while the other was alive just seconds ago, also said little about the threat. Life-bringing streams were just as common as toxic streams in the Celestial Waters.
Lilith: Eden's Planetary Princess (The Michael Archives Book 1) Page 24
