Chapter I - Sword and Shield

Completed chapters of the serial storyline are stored here after completion.
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Re: Chapter I - Sword and Shield

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Aislinn lightly jabbed the human in the ribcage, upon reading his expression. "Lighten up, would you? His humor might be a bit dark, but Mr. Kuhn is a friend, Three. He's been an ally to selkies, and now he's your friend," she said, grabbing a smaller steak.
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Re: Chapter I - Sword and Shield

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"I know," replied Aidan, who also took a seat. "It's just that I have one of the inspirations behind freaking Smaug at my table."

Between mouthfuls, Aldergard raised a finger. "Smaug is Republican. Or he would be, were he real. I am Democrat. Other Wyrm call me a Socialist, however. I split off my hoard of riches for the good of mortals.
- Was it hard?" asked the human. "I mean, going from the point where your average mega-rich James Bond villain could audition for Oliver Twist to needing to manage a comparatively normal fortune.
- Not for Cordatus," replied Kuhn. "Western dragons have never needed control like the Wyrm. For me and my kin, however? It is an old struggle against the Self. If we associate, I shall be forced to remind myself that you are not mine. Wyrm instinct is strong. Too strong, for some."

Three was silent for a while. "Assuming you aren't as self-conscious as I've heard you are, what would being yours involve, from our point of view?
- You do not wish to know," replied Aldergard. "Lord Holden would lose current commander and trainer status. You would lose your posts. I would want everything to be of my jurisdiction. All is good, however. I have not been like this since before the Jarls of the Orkneys. Before Constantinople."

He briefly looked up from his plate. "I trust you all enough to do your work. I will keep purse strings loose."
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Re: Chapter I - Sword and Shield

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"Thank you, but what would we need to spend it on? Desks, chairs, and office supplies? I mean, we need weaponry as a last resort, but we're not going to going to turn into a miniature Fort Knox, thankfully," Aislinn mused, then looking to Aldegard. "Obviously you're not going to control us, but what will you expect of us? Apart from the veterans, we're still wet behind the ears."
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Re: Chapter I - Sword and Shield

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Archie came forward and also took a seat.

"Logistically, we should begin with a decent set of offices and the required infrastructures required in order to allow us to respect the constabulary's workflow. Archives, at least one decent laboratory, a shooting range, further specialized installations for potential technicians and specialists, as well as the amenities required of a mixture between a common Special Tactics unit and a group of superheroes. This would involve an infirmary, perhaps some sort of on-residence mental health specialist... Oh - and a Transportations Specialist, as well, should be required to go cross-country on short notice. All of this, including more clerical employees."

Three frowned. "Why?
- We shall eventually strive to focus on our tasks as peacekeepers, Aidan, and the paper-pushing will still require some attention. Finances, emergency calls, reservations, special assignments... The short of it is we need someone to take our calls and keep everything tidy. Those Archives I've mentioned will require a library technician - this without considering the contents of my actual library."

Amazo, who'd been busy charming Aidan's mother, also grabbed a plate. "Aislinn's got Gubbin, Archie's got Bagley. You can add two names to our roster.
- Isn't Bagley mostly immaterial?" opposed Aidan. "He's a genius loci - connected to Holden Hall, but limited to it.
- That can be fixed," replied the snake, who sucked on the olive of a Dry Martini he'd prepared for himself in the kitchen, earlier.

Archie's own curiosity was piqued by this. "Do tell, Francis...
- You aren't the only one who's Old Money," replied Quigley. "Let me handle Bagley's transfer into an armature. We'll find him a spot afterwards."

That seemed to throw the Clank into a loop. "You mean a - a modern armature?!
- No, I mean a can opener," retorted Amazo, who rolled his eyes. "He'd benefit a lot from having a body, honestly. You're the one who told me you were afraid he was growing disconnected; giving him a body would keep him grounded. If finances are a problem, I can more or less buy out Masterson Armatures and make them into our own personal Clank shop.
- I can find modern expertise," added Cody Tanner. "I can ensure that Archibald will be provided with meta-material replacement parts on a staggered basis, while respecting his aesthetic preferences. Instead of solid copper gears and cogs, plastic coated in copper sheeting could be used. As for Bagley, he could be given a classic appearance through the use of contemporary hardware."

Three didn't have much to add to all this. "What about Gubbin? He's a manservant with a knack for bladed weapons. Where does that fit?
- We'll give him appropriate tasks between assignments," explained Archie, "but also enable him to act as a genuine team member, whilst out in the field."
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Re: Chapter I - Sword and Shield

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Aislinn nodded. "So Gubbin handles clerical work and keeping Holden Manor tidy, while Bagley takes care of the librarian stuff in the Archives. And the Transportation Specialist? It seems like it should be someone who could also help out on missions that are within the area and not on the other side of the United States. That could take some time to sort and interview candidates, unless someone knows of some star pilots," she said with an inquisitive tone in her voice.
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Re: Chapter I - Sword and Shield

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A pensive look seemed to wash over most of everyone else at the table. After a few minutes, Tanner broke that strangely comfortable silence.

"I can think of two opportunities," he explained. "One is straightforward and slightly controversial, the other requires of Aislinn that she leverage her newfound, er, friendship with Melmoth, the Infernal Broker.

There is a certain US Air Force Captain stationed at the nearby base that specializes more in combat aviation than personnel transport. His name is Manfred Von Richtofen, if this rings any proverbial bells..."

Three couldn't keep a small smile off his face. "You'd hire the freaking Red Baron? That'd be pretty awesome, honestly. What's the second option?"

There was another, shorter pause. "Angels love to fly. Deny it they might, but flying about, oftentimes while entirely cloaked from view, is something that comes naturally to them. Even the Elemental Thrones can't quite say no to the prospect of feeling the wind whip their hair around," he explained, smirking as though he were parting with a closely-guarded secret.

"We could ask Melmoth to dip into the proverbial Rolodex and see what the odds are of us finding a local angelic figure with a particular knack for civilian or commercial transport - preferrably in one of these new-fangled modern Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft.
- What's wrong with the Archimedes?" asked Archie.

Tanner fiddled with his napkin. "I'm afraid I don't know the polite word for it... It's quite slow, compared to modern aircraft, Archie."

Although slightly miffed, Archie seemingly took the comment in stride.

Three took a sip from his glass of cola. "Why would an angel or something associated with angels settle with basic mundane air transport? They can already fly as-is, so what gives?
- Wings are only one specific mode of transport," explained Cordatus. "What is stopping any angel from turning into an Aviation nut, hm?
- Okay, I'll bite - but why angels? Why anyone associated with them, specifically?"

Aldergard shrugged. "Increased response times, heightened reflexes, resistance to lower air pressure levels... Tougher than us dragons. Useful for sub-orbital shuttle flights.
- What if we end up with a half-breed?" asked Amazo. "Like a Nephilim. Angels just... respawn some time later if you destroy their physical form, Nephilim die.
- We'll take whoever ends up being the best pilot, I guess," noted Drake. "We might need both, honestly. Richtofen for aerial combat missions, the other one for to transport troops around."
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Re: Chapter I - Sword and Shield

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"That'll work. It still seems a bit weird having a legendary pilot and an angel working with us. Though, I guess that's part and parcel for a group of superhumans protecting a city," the female selkie mused, then raising an eyebrow. "I'm curious. Mages have known about angels and demons for centuries, so why aren't they on the Vienna Accords? Is it because of their nature that they didn't sign that now infamous document? And in particular, where do Nephilim fall into play with that?"
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Re: Chapter I - Sword and Shield

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Cordatus steepled his hands together.

"Picture this, if you will: you are an angel. You have been sworn to protect and cherish the mortal plane's inhabitants. You value their autonomy, as it represents the one thing angels do not have. As bound to God as you are, all you can do is interpret the Almighty's decrees to your best effort. You have seen thousands of years of civilization, and know that mortals have not developed any singular, unified approach towards the supernatural. Most people dress you in the accoutrements of one religion or another, and some others simply choose not to believe. It might sadden you, but it absolutely is the mortals' prerogative.

The only way you've found to exert your influence while still respecting mortal autonomy is to remain cloaked - imperceptible to all but the most devout or the supernaturally gifted - or those fated to interact with the supernatural. If you were a demon, the very same thing would apply. You choose to corrupt and tempt mortal souls, and are at your best when left to whisper in the hearts of men and women the world over. If you are of Pandemonium, then you suffuse guilt where there is none, you spread suffering so that the wicked may learn from their actions. If you were seen, you would be stopped.

Now, some foolhardy guardian decides to make himself manifest before the members of the Vienna Council. This just in: Angels are real! Atheists dragged through the mud the world over! Riots overtake cities as secular organizations see their places of business sacked by motivated zealots!

A few weeks pass. That first angel's appearance is dissected by religious media the world over. Our culprit had two wings, let's say - and a slightly burnished appearance... The papers articulating its mortal seeming suggest a Westernized Muslim background. Conservatives from Syria and moderates from the Mecca are both thrown into a religious tizzy! The Christian God is a fraud, Allah be praised! Insert bloodbaths, crimes against humanity, hasty judgements and all manner of unpleasantness here.

Demons, now, cannot easily propagate wildfires like this one, for the simple and good reason that God has not granted them the ability to self-substantiate whilst on the mortal plane. They would, however, benefit from the chaos that would unfold. How many supposedly zealous crusaders for some god or another would instead find themselves plunging towards the Inferno? How many wasted lives, how much cannon fodder for Lucifer's armies?"

He parted his hands. "The Archangel Gabriel is said to have presided over the Vienna Accords' proceedings, but only as a guest. The official doctrine is one of support, but most celestial hands are tied out of respect for us. That secrecy allows them to enjoy the relative peace of the mortal plane, as opposed to Limbo's ceaseless bloodbaths. As for Nephilim, Cambion and the Djinni, they are officially discouraged, if nonetheless tolerated. The genetic independence of Humanity must be maintained, angelic and demonic influences manifesting on the mitochondrial level must be regimented. Some cross-breeding is fine, as some supernatural fortitude is to be considered as being responsible for the current state of the mortal immune system and the safety of herd immunity - but a civilization populated by powerful half-breeds of various persuasions could gravely upset the scale of mortal sociopolitics."
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Re: Chapter I - Sword and Shield

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"I see, so if one of the pilots working for us is an angel, what would he or she be like? What are the different types of angels like?" Aislinn inquired.
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Re: Chapter I - Sword and Shield

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Aldergard shrugged. "What are selkies like? What are humans like? There are many people. Many personalities. Angels are no different from us."

Cordatus lifted a finger, as if to offer an addendum. "Well - to a point, old chap. You will never see one of the Seraphim upon our shores, Aislinn, for these are God's voice made manifest. They exist to sing the praises of and reflect the benevolence of the Creator, and for no other purpose whatsoever. Their beauty is mind-rending, their songs unfathomable to all mortal minds. The only known exception is the Messenger, Metatron. He carries God's voice and, for this reason, is known for being mute. If he speaks, it is only so that the Creator's will be directly heard - an extremely rare and portentous event in and of itself."

He shrugged. "Imagine beauty and kindness so intense, so pure as to being impossible to endure. You might as well imagine one of the Void Weavers' own despicable gods, the difference would be negligible. Even then, if a Seraphim comes down here and chooses to remain silent, chances are you will do fine. If one of the Cherubim come down, however?"

Three scoffed. "Aren't these the cute and cuddly baby angels?
- Oh, far from it. It might be simpler to consider them as God's Terminators. They feel nothing, and embody nothing except their very immediate purpose. Typically, they protect God's seat of power and prevent all from approaching it. Ruth would be one example. If Lucifer were to set foot on this Earth, Ruth would be who God would dispense, along with a cadre of suitably inspired Knights from the Order of Saint George. They, however, are still morally responsible mortals. She is not."

The thought made Three visibly uneasy. "How far would she go?"

Tanner remained silent as he chewed. "How far can you imagine, mister Drake?"

That question sent a chill up the human's spine.

A few moments passed. "There are further ranks, of course," added the Western dragon. "The Thrones are the embodiment of God's seat of power, the very elemental forces He plied in order to create the universe. Alchemically, only the Elemental Thrones are typically mentioned - but there are more to consider. There is a Throne for Time, another one for Space, and odds are there could be ones for Thermodynamics, Entropy and Chaos, as well. The things needed to stir the proverbial slurry into motion."

Amazo rolled his eyes. "Ugh, please, mister Tanner; a little more and I'd say we just entered a weird cross between a Catholic boarding school and a seminar on the Jewish Kabbalah!"

Still, the wizard cut in. "Right. Next, we get the visible ones, or at least those that stay cloaked to keep an eye on us. Dominions keep an eye on things near mortal seats of power. They're translators for the U.N., political secretaries, stenographers in courtrooms - they usually lead completely mundane lives, at least until they get called back Upstairs for the occasional report. Heaven covers everything they need to keep going. That's anonymity, the occasional shift in their legal identities - there's a lot of weird bugs in the system that Heaven's agents take credit for, little burps in Social Security databases or even hard-copy archives that allow them to move around as needed, without raising attention to themselves.

Under these guys, you've got the Virtues. Spies in Heaven's ranks, usually so deep undercover they have to hide from other angels, as well. They take orders from Dominions or from the authorities the Dominions can coax into action. A lot of winged spies are, well, actual spies, too. These are the dependable sorts in your Black Ops squad, the quiet types everyone forgets about. Rock-star superheroes sometimes have a Virtue snuck in with their team, and they're none the wiser," he explained, winking.

"As for Powers, they're basically what Melmoth could end up being if he ever does switch sides officially. Heaven's bankers and power-herders. Basically One-Percenter angels seeded in with the mortal populace to keep an eye on the actual One-Percenters. They keep eyes out for financial abuses related to serious crimes - I'm talking Grade-A sinning, here, not just your average ho-hum tax evasion. From my scrying, I know Upstairs has plans for Aldie, here, once he kicks the bucket."

That made Kuhn scoff. "Tell them I will not take their feathery wings, next time you scry," he joked. "I have reputation to maintain, eh? Leather Wings Clause or nothing!"

Archie then stepped in. "And then, we come to the Sphere which stands closest to mortality. Most of the Rulers, as dedicated to the protection, education and betterment of Humanity as they were, Fell during Lucifer's trial. A scant few remain, and they've stuck to their proverbial guns: teaching positions, environmental studies... Pick a field and there usually is one luminary amongst them, someone who enjoys a bit of occasional off time in the Celestial Plane... Not terribly martial types, mind you, but these would be Heaven's geeks and nerds, as it were.

The Archangels, in the meantime, either protect very specific mortals or act as generals in Heaven's fighting force. When they mingle, it usually is as someone with a position of some authority in one of the world's armies or political structures... Ambassadors, generals, the heads of expeditionary forces during times of conflict."

The Clank pointed at Drake with his fork. "Based on your stories about Twentynine Palms and your time spent behind the reheaters in the immediate relief efforts for Gawain's botched coup, I would have to say one of them is likely to be keeping an eye on you, mister Drake..."

Then, as if Three wasn't looking somewhat astonished, Archie wrapped up the little exposé. "Rank-and-file angels are numberless, and the stories tell us of how most of us have at least one of them affected to a distant form of oversight. Their respect for us prevents them from doing much of anything, so they mostly spend their time acting as Heaven's office workers; preparing the day of our arrival - if and when we do arrive. They observe, log and catalogue, and very rarely swoop down to deflect the rare bullet or guide the errant infant's hand away from the fork and the power outlet."

Sarah couldn't hide her interest. "Seems kinda boring, honestly.
- It is," confirmed Tanner. "Or else, why would Lucifer have turned coat, hm? We generally lead such pedestrian lives, while most angels can at least aspire to some form of grandeur! How very unsurprising it should be for some of them to believe us - and all of Creation, really - to be a colossal waste of time!"
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