And Eternity Part 15

"That's not fair!" Orlene protested. "She's not evil, she's-"

Oh, d.a.m.n, I'm sorry! Vita thought with genuine contrition. I didn't mean that, Jolie. It's just that I never was into killing, and this poor baby I know, don't I know! Jolie replied. I died before I had a baby of my own, and then when I came to watch Orlene, it was like I guess we better stop; I don't think we're helping.

Jolie had to agree. This was Orlene's decision, hard as it was. Thanatos had given her a cruel lesson in death and souls!

Oriene reached again for the baby. He took a ragged breath and cried a little louder, as if aware that death was upon him.

"I can't!" Oriene cried. "Oh, I just can't!" She put both hands down and picked up the baby and held him close.

Jolie and Vita maintained thought silence, not knowing what would come of this. Probably she had forfeited the soul she so needed; Thanatos would take it himself and put the dead baby back. But how else could she have reacted this woman who had already lost her own baby and died herself because of it? What Thanatos had inflicted on her had been more than cruel, it had been diabolic. Jolie knew it was not her place to judge him, but she could not accept this thing he had done.

Oriene climbed out of the Dumpster, managing to bring the baby along. She came to stand before Thanatos as he sat on Mortis. She held the baby protectively. "Maybe I have no right to ask this, but if there is any way to save this baby, I've got to do it," she said, the tears coming. "I'm a mother, not a killer."

"That is not your baby," Thanatos said. "You can gain nothing by interceding."

"I know. I expect nothing. Please."

"But you can salvage the soul, for your purpose."

"I cannot, though I lose my own baby. Please."

"I ask you again to consider just how serious you are about your quest for your own baby. If you will not do what is necessary-"

"Oh, Thanatos, I would give my own soul to save my baby, if it were only clean enough instead of hopelessly soiled! But I cannot sacrifice this innocent one to my purpose! This baby should have his chance to live and to make his own decisions about good and evil as he grows. I am grief-stricken over the loss of my own, but I cannot help mine by denying this one his chance. I beg you, I beg you-spare him, if you possibly can!"

The death's head nodded. "I can, to a degree. Mount." He extended a bone hand.

Oriene grasped it, holding the baby close with her other arm. Her weight diminished and she was moved effortlessly to the front of the great horse.

A short gallop through the air and buildings brought them to a hospital. "Take him there," Thanatos said, lifting her down.

Oriene walked into the hospital. She approached the front desk. "I found this newborn baby in a garbage dump," she said. "Please take care of him and arrange for his adoption." She held out the baby.

A nurse appeared and took the baby. "You will have to make a statement," she said. "Where he was found, what time-"

"I can't do that," Oriene said, turning away.

"But you must! It is a crime to-"

Mortis walked through the wall. Thanatos reached down. Oriene caught his hand and was set back on the horse.

The nurse stared, holding the baby. ' 'She disappeared!'' she exclaimed. "She just disappeared!"

"Sometimes they come like that," the girl at the desk said. "So there is no legal claim on the baby. We'll take care of him."

"Yes, we'll take good care of him," the nurse said. Mortis leaped, pa.s.sing through the ceiling, through the various chambers of the hospital, and on out the roof. Oriene, her effort done, sank into renewed grief. Jolie understood the temptation that had been on her: to try to keep the baby herself. She had resisted that, but it hurt. You did right! she thought.

You did right. Vita echoed. "Yes, you did right," Thanatos said. "I will save an otherwise lost soul for you, from a baby whose situation is not subject to salvage, and deliver it to you when you have obtained the artifacts you require from the other Incarnations. You are worthy, in my estimation."

You mean this thing was a test? Vita thought, outraged.

"A soul is infinitely precious," Thanatos replied, unperturbed. "I would not yield one to a person who failed to appreciate its value, not merely as a convenience for a purpose, but as an ent.i.ty in itself. This was a necessary determination. Orlene refused to do what she believed was wrong, even to achieve the thing she most desired."

But did you have to make her hurt so? Jolie demanded. Knowing that she had lost her own baby?

' 'The ultimate proof of character is not lightly achieved. A lesser proof would have been valueless. Incarnations do not deal in valueless matters."

The understatement of the century! Jolie realized that Thanatos had been correct in his action, however cruel it had seemed. Orlene had won her soul not by taking what was proffered without conscience, but by maintaining her standards of decency and compa.s.sion despite the seeming cost.

I think maybe I learned something. Vita thought. I couldn't've done it myself.

Jolie wasn't sure she could have, either. We thank you, Thanatos, for this hard lesson, she thought. "You are welcome, Jolie," he replied. Mortis landed back in Luna's yard. Orlene got down. "I, too, thank you, Thanatos," she said. "I will try to get the other things I need."

"We are not yet finished," Thanatos said, dismounting.

He accompanied her into the house.

"I don't think I understand," Orlene said. Thanatos took a seat on the same couch that Judge Scott had used the night before. Jolie was glad that they had thought to return to pick up Vita's scattered clothing before sleeping! "The shifting of the course of a life cannot be accomplished by a single Incarnation unilaterally," he said.

"A life is too important for that. In my early days in Office I sometimes declined to take the souls that were due. I once saved a drowning man, for example, instead of allowing him to die. I learned later that both Chronos and Fate had had to make adjustments to accommodate my action. They had not spoken of it to me, making allowance for my inexperience in Office. Now I am more careful, just as other Incarnations are careful of my prerogatives. Orlene, you will have to present your case for the baby you saved to Fate, so that she can decide whether to alter his thread of life."

"But Fate is-"

"Your natural grandmother," he said.

"My what!"

Thanatos paused. "I apologize. I see you did not know."

I did not tell her, Jolie thought. I thought it best to let her follow her quest without the complication of that knowledge.

"My natural grandmother!" Orlene repeated, dazed. "That may complicate the picture," Thanatos said. "Nevertheless, it was at your instigation that that baby's thread of life was rerouted, and it is your responsibility to obtain the authorization for it. Jolie will be able to guide you to the Incarnation of Fate, of course."

"I will do it," Orlene agreed. "I agree it is my responsibility." But she remained shaken by the revelation of her ancestry.

"You should also check with Chronos."

"The Incarnation of Time? Why?"

"In order to fit this special session into my schedule, I borrowed time. This has actually been a rerun of time I am spending in my normal duties, so that I have not sacrificed them or been rushed. Chronos is tolerant of such occasional borrowings on my part, but it would be better if you approached him and explained directly."

"I need to see him anyway, to get a grain of sand," Oriene agreed. "I shall do that forthwith."

"However, in fairness, I must advise you that your interview with Chronos will not be easy."

Jolie remembered the key thing about the Incarnation of Time: he lived backwards. That complicated things for every person who interacted with him, mortal or immortal!

"I will do what I must," Oriene said.

"I think you do not yet grasp the nature of the problem. Not only does time reverse in his residence, he is a man you knew in life."

"I knew him? But how could that be? I've only been dead for a few months! How long has he had the Office?"

"That depends on perspective. By my reckoning, it has been perhaps twenty-five years; I had not thought to verify the precise length of his tenure. By his reckoning, it might be as little as two years."

"Either way, then, I cannot have known him!"

"I believe his given name was Norton."

Oriene stiffened. "Oh, no!"

Thanatos stood. "It is not my concern how you may handle your interview with another Incarnation. Certainly I do not wish to interfere in their activities that do not relate to my proper business. But you seem to be uniquely related to or involved with more than one Incarnation, in which number I am included because of my interest in your aunt Luna, so I have brought this matter up to you. I bid you good prospects."

"My aunt . . . ?"

"I think I have made another error," he said.

That, too, is true, Jolie thought. Maybe I should have told you all of it at the outset, but "But I was in no condition," Oriene said.

Yes. Then the business with Nox Oriene, shaken again, walked to him. "I appreciate your information, Thanatos." Then she lifted her face and kissed him on his lipless mouth. The expressionless skull face managed to look startled.

Two days later Luna returned. "I trust you were not bored, being here alone?"

Jolie was back in charge. "By no means, thank you. We have been tutoring Vita, and getting to know Muir and Griffith and Grissel, and looking at your wonderful pictures, and we had visits by Judge Scott and Thanatos."

"The moon moth and griffins seldom have company they appreciate; I'm sure they have been most pleased. I am glad you like my paintings; I really have little time to paint now, but on occasion I still do it, to relax. As for Roque, he is a good man," Luna said, with an oblique smile that suggested that she well understood that situation. "Thanatos is a good Incarnation." Jolie wasn't certain how she meant that, knowing that Luna had been Thanatos' mortal lover for well over a decade.

"We are grateful for your generosity in allowing us to stay here during your absence," Jolie said. "Now I think we should find some other lodging, so that-"

Luna looked seriously at her. "I would not think of it. You, Jolie, are a good friend and incidental liaison with the enemy. Oriene is family. Vita is the daughter of my employee and friend Vera, whose situation is still clarifying. It behooves me to facilitate your various interests. I understand that you, Jolie, are now also doing an observation of the Judge as a prospect for an Incarnation."

She was really current! "Yes. But it would help if I know which Incarnation was the most likely prospect. The Offices are so different-"

"We do not feel free to advertise that at this stage. But we do need candidates who might be acceptable to all of the Incarnations."

"But Satan will not agree to any completely good man!"

"And the others will not agree to any completely bad man," Luna agreed. "Therefore our most likely prospects will be compromises-people with both good and evil. In truth, the current Incarnations are similar compromises, brought about by chance and circ.u.mstance, doing the best they can. But we distrust chance, and wish to upgrade prospects, with no affront intended toward any current parties."

In other words, she wasn't letting any secrets slip. Jolie was increasingly curious about this matter. She tried once more. "When we were with Thanatos, we thought he was acting cruelly, but it turned out that he was merely clarifying the gravity of the matter of taking a soul for any purpose other than its own. We conclude that he is doing a good job. Yet he must have had a lot of evil on his soul, to encounter his predecessor, because Thanatos normally goes after only those souls that are in balance between good and evil."

"True. He was in balance, with as much evil as good. So was I, when we met; we compared notes. He has been doing a good job, and surely changing his balance slowly positive, and I hope my own is similarly changing. Certainly it is possible for such folk to perform well. But if there were a better system of selection, we might guarantee that future Incarnations will be better prepared for their Offices."

It did make sense, though Jolie had little confidence that a real upgrading of Incarnations would come of it, because unanimity among the Incarnations was virtually impossible.

"We shall be glad to stay here, if it is really all right with you," she said, returning to the earlier subject. "But Orlene does wish to resume her quest, and we have decided that the three of us will remain together to see that through. That means that we hope to go physically to see the remaining Incarnations. So if we have to travel-"

Luna laughed. "You will not have to travel! All the Incarnations have residences in Purgatory."

"But in mortal form we can't get there," Jolie pointed out. "As ghosts, Orlene and I can go, and indeed have already been. But Vita-"

"Oh, you need to leave her unchaperoned for a time! Certainly she may remain here; Muir will watch her and prevent her from leaving, and the griffins will be happy for company."

You know, that might not be so bad. Vita thought. But Jolie could feel her disappointment; she did like the animals and the house, but she very much wanted to partic.i.p.ate in the larger adventure. Also, she was aware that Roque might not visit her alone, and feared that if he did, she would make some romantic blunder that would turn him off. She wanted to remain with Jolie and Orlene, but was afraid she couldn't. She was trying to be nice about it. That, for her, was significant progress; she was learning self-sacrifice, perhaps inspired by Orlene's example.

"We intend to do it together," Jolie said firmly, and felt the thrill of Vita's joy. "We two ghosts like the experience of being alive again, and Vita likes our company. We have a viable combination, and will keep it as long as all of us agree."

Luna nodded, unsurprised. "It is possible for mortals to visit Purgatory; indeed, the Incarnations are mortal in certain respects, such as their normal solidity. But you will need the intercession of an Incarnation to get there."

"As it happens, I am on good terms with an Incarnation or two," Jolie said. "I happen to know that Satan doesn't use his residence in Purgatory, so it would be available for a temporary stay. But if we were to ask his aid ..."

Again there was a knowing nod. "I would not forbid you this earthly residence,, in that case. Though it is true that I oppose Satan, and expect to be instrumental in defeating his major ploy not far hence, it is also true that we must have his cooperation for what we intend in the longer run. In earlier days I believed that the conflict between Good and Evil was absolute, but with time and experience I have learned that it is relative. It is as if we are playing an important game, with each side wanting very much to win but both sides agreeing that without adherence to certain ground rules, there will be no game to win. Even enemies need to cooperate in certain respects and to honor each other's prerogatives." .

"Thank you," Jolie said. "We shall remain here, except when visiting Purgatory. May the game continue. "May the game continue," Luna agreed, smiling.

Chapter 7 - TIME.

Luna gave them fare for a commercial rocket flight to another city. While they waited for the taxi carpet to arrive. Vita went out to give each griffin a farewell hug, then came inside to do the same for Muir, who put up with this in gentlemanly fashion though it evidently wasn't his idea of fun. Orlene then embraced Aunt Luna. In her life she had known none of her blood ancestry; now it was sustaining her in death.

The carpet arrived, and Jolie took over, because she knew where they were going. "Rocketport," she announced, and it sailed up, carrying them away. Jolie looked back and waved to Luna, feeling sentiment herself. She had known Luna for many years, and liked her, but this was the first time in mortal guise, and it had a special impact. The considerations of food and lodging and physical protection loomed far more important in the living state. Living was so physical'. In a few days she had come to a much more acute appreciation of the woman's qualities. Luna was very like Gaea, who had been her sister-cousin Orb, but significantly different too. She seemed older, because she had aged normally while Gaea hadn't, but that wasn't it. She was in many respects what Gaea would have been had she remained mortal, and that was a precious insight.

She was also like Orlene in her former life: quite attractive, and sensitive to the feelings of others. Jolie knew that she had seen Orlene in her worst stage, that of emaciation, death, horror and despair. But she remembered how pet.i.te and lovely she had been in her life and happiness, and how nice. Now those qualities were returning, though she was in a different body; Vita was becoming pretty in the ways that Orlene had been. Luna showed how Orlene would be in later life, and that was attractive too.

I really regret having died, Orlene thought. I acted hastily and thoughtlessly. Only now that it is too late do I appreciate what continuing life had to offer.

"Perhaps I should have told you your heritage," Jolie said. "I tried to avoid interfering in your life, other than watching you and being your dream-friend, and now I regret that."

Had I known, I might have acted quite differently, Orlene agreed. But I cannot blame you for leaving me my freedom to find my own way.

Vita did not chip in. She was dreaming of Roque.

The carpet arrived at the rocketport. They entered at ground level and rode the carpeted belts to the interior ticket counter. Then they took the old-fashioned escalator to the launching area at the roof.

The rocket was sitting there in its harness. Jets of steam hissed from nozzles, making it seem like a monstrous hot dragon. A ramp led up to a tiny mouth in its base.

Vita took an interest. Science is so scary! she commented.

Jolie could not argue. Back in her days of life, science had been relatively backward, while magic, for some few pract.i.tioners, had been advanced. But she had to admit that science had its place; it nicely complimented magic as a way of getting things done. Both had their liabilities, of course, but that was a concomitant of power.

They rode the ramp up to the mouth and into the maw of the monster. Inside it was like a small, cramped building, much higher than wide. A moving ladder hauled them up to their berth, about midway along the length of the rocket.

A harness awaited them there. Just like the big one! Vita thought.