Again, I have no idea where this came from.  I do know that I wanted another piece set in 
Heaven.

-EDG

--

They arrived at the same time, the two refugees from a distant land.  They glanced at each 
other, then at their feet again.  One wore the robes and sash of a monk, and his head was as 
bald as a stone; the other wore loose modern business clothing, all in white, with the cuffs 
and sleeves rolled up.  Both pairs of feet were bare upon the loose sand and gravel.

The businessman, whose hair was a flare of red, smiled.  "Father."

The monk nodded.  "Son."

They stood for a time, heads bowed, reciting prayers.  In front of them, a human took his first 
trembling steps upon a blindingly white staircase.  "How have you fared?" asked the 
businessman, finally.  "I'm glad to see that the Host was able to bring you upstairs in one 
piece."

The monk looked up, his crystal-blue eyes glinting in the sunlight.  "I am well," he said 
finally.  "I have not yet chosen an Archangel, but I am well nonetheless.  It is difficult to 
make such a decision when one must remain objective."

The businessman laughed.  "I doubt that any Archangel would be unwilling to remove any 
dissonant notes you might assume by choosing them," he said, his green eyes twinkling.  "Toward 
whom are you leaning?"

"I owe great debts of gratitude to Laurence for giving me a place to stay here, and to Eli for 
making certain that I could ascend to Heaven in one piece.  But frankly," he murmured, as 
another human approached the staircase, "I have a certain desire to put myself into the service 
of a certain Archangel who prefers female form.  Jean may be Heaven's inventor, but she gets to 
see the devices that can only exist in the dreams of humans."

The businessman laughed again, louder, and clapped the monk on the back.  "Or you could just 
admit that Blandine's cute."

"That would be subjective, my son."

"So it would," the businessman said, grinning.  "So it would.  What reason do you have to not 
put yourself into Blandine's service?"

"She might not accept me," said the monk, sobering, "and I might not be right for her 
organization -"

"Father!" interrupted the businessman.  "There is time for thought, and there is time for 
action.  Now is a time for action.  You might spend the rest of your life debating whose 
service to choose, but then what good would you be?  You arose for the good of Heaven, did you 
not?  Take a stand, make a choice, and stick with it.  Regret is part of everybody's life, but 
at least if you choose something that you *want*, you'll be happy."  He looked into the short 
monk's eyes.  "Go talk to Blandine, Father.  I'm sure she would be glad to have you in her 
service.  And if the rumors I hear are correct, you'll be able to see a lot of Laurence 
anyway..."

The monk almost snickered, but managed with a mighty exertion of will to maintain a poker face.  
"I don't know, Son.  The Bright Lilim that Laurence allows to live in his Cathedral..."

The businessman swatted the monk's shoulder.  "Go!"  He watched the monk scurry off, smiling, 
and then, on a whim, shouted, "And may the Force be with you!"

It was rewarding to see the monk nearly trip in his mirth.

From behind the businessman came a voice.  "Have you found a name?"  He turned, and found 
himself looking into the eyes of the oldest creature in existence.  Yves always creeped the 
businessman out vaguely; it was disturbing to look at someone so infinitely older than you 
were.  "Would you like my help?"

The businessman smiled.  "Now that my father has found his peace, I think I would, Archangel 
Yves."  He fell into step behind the older man.  "I understand you have the Book of Names..."

As Yves and the businessman faded into the general glare of the Eternal City, a pair of 
Archangels stepped out of the shadow of Jacob's Ladder.  They glanced at one another, and then 
one pulled a tiny jade matrix out of a pouch at his waist and handed it to the other, who 
smiled and slipped the matrix into a velvet-lined box.  "We still have not seen the Mercurian's 
disposition," the first said, his voice deep and resonant.

The second nodded.  "This is true.  But the Elohite is bound for Blandine's service - and I 
know she will accept him; she has far too few Elohim in her ranks.  And though he will be a 
vast asset to our organization, for the moment, the Mercurian's assignment is of a somewhat 
secondary concern to us.  Their security comes first.  Do you think we ought to tell them about 
the honor guard?"

The first shrugged.  "I'm not Litheroy," he said, simply.

"No, you're not."  Laughing, the other nodded toward the Glade.  "Come on, we've got time for a 
practice run before my staff meeting in an hour."

"Like I'm not going to beat you into the ground."

"Then I'll have an excuse for being late."