NachtMusik: Taygeta

Taygeta began his Celestial existence near the end of the 17th Century, a servitor of Lightning at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. He and his friend Maia, an Elohite, took their names from the stars of the Pleiades and went to work in Europe.

Jean was suspicious of Europe's sudden increase in technical knowledge, and Tay's first assignment was as a junior member of a team monitoring developments in Great Britain. Though they ran across occasional signs of demonic influence, there was rarely obvious interference with human development by Vapula or his minions. The early Industrial Age was a time with little concern for safety, however. Eventually Taygeta's group began working on projects to ameliorate the problems of safety and health associated with the new technology, even as other Archangels worked to try to help the humans solve the problems of the new society being developed. The Kyriotate learned the Songs of Healing, since it was far too easy for a host to be damaged in the normal course of things in the early factories.

While Jean disliked giving the humans technical advances, and charged his Servitors to continue to investigate carefully for demonic influence, he did give permission to help the humans make their new machines less hazardous. Some of the techniques applied were use of better metals, so steam engines wouldn't explode so often and dangerous drive belts could be replaced by drive shafts; governors, so the machines would need less attention to keep running safely; and the like. Tay became better and better at sneaking around as a cat or a bird, watching what innovative people were doing. He also occasionally nudged them in a desired direction, when they weren't influenced by Infernals, or displaying the demonic self-centeredness so characteristic of some of the early 'robber baron' capitalists -- who behaved so even without servitors of Vapula or Valefor to help them along.

The most traumatic events of Taygeta's existence occurred during the Great War. It was Europe's first modern war, and technology was first used for mass slaughter in the trenches, in the air, and at sea. The machines and knowledge that had been so carefully nurtured and developed to aid humanity were turned to indiscriminate slaughter, in an orgy of killing that benefited no one but Saminga. Maia went mad from the shock, determined that those who had perverted technology should be punished. She Fell, eventually. Taygeta tried to guide her back to the Light, but was unsuccessful... and the new Habbalite seriously disrupted the ongoing projects of her former group, turning information over to mankind that led them directly to the concept of the tank. Taygeta nearly lost a vessel in his last attempt to talk to her, barely escaping with it intact.

Tay stayed at his post until 1919, trying to undo the damage that his friend had caused. He was less and less able to work with his team after Maia's betrayal and, noticing this, Lightning gave him solo missions for the duration. Jean withdrew the Kyriotate to Heaven when the war finally ended, to give him time to heal and recover the ability to trust.

Taygeta returned to Earth in 1954, as the Cold War ground on. He usually worked alone, spying on researchers as in the old days, reporting their activities to Lightning directly -- the phone network included links to Jean's offices even in the days before the Net. Occasionally, Jean would assign him a partner, to ease him back into group work. At the dawn of the Third Millennium Jean sent him to Austin to investigate the rumor of yet another Vapulan project -- and, not so incidentally, to a place where the Kyriotate would find new colleagues, and learn to work again with other angels.

Taygeta's Questionnaire

What's your name?

"Taygeta."

What does your vessel look like -- gender, height, weight, apparent age, hair, eyes, skin, etc.?

"*dry chuckle* I'm a Kyriotate"
"What kind of silly question is that?"
"Currently I'm centered on a raven. Flying is convenient"
"in corporeal affairs"
"without celestial manifestation."

What is your earthly Role?

"None"
"No Role"
"Why would I want one?"

How old are you in actuality? What and when was your first earthly assignment?

"Not very old"
"Only half a millennium. First assigned to the European Renaissance"
"Next to North America. Clever people, those transplanted Europeans"
"Edison especially."

Have you always worked for your current Superior?

"Yes"
"Affirmative"
"Always."

Have you ever erred seriously under this Superior?

"No"
"Not seriously."

What is your working relationship with your Superior like?

"Excellent"
"Few problems."

Would you be interested in service to a different Superior?

"No"
"Not really"
"Fascinating, machines are."

What do you think your Superior would say are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?

"Strengths are diligence"
"and stealth. Weakness"
"he thinks I like the humans too much."

If you were assigned a Word today, what would it be?

"Curiosity!"
"Like Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, run and find out!"

Do you have the ambition to seek a Word?

"No"
"too much trouble."

Do you have friends on the Other Side? Does your Superior know?

"Not friends"
"No, but an occasional"
"respected enemy."

How do you feel about Demons in general? Are there Bands or Princes to whom you're more opposed than others?

"They are self-centered"
"Terribly so"
"Even Fallen Kyriotates cannot think"
"in parallel"
"or of others."

Are there specific Attunements, Songs, Skills, etc., which you don't currently have but are pursuing?

"Always there is"
"more to learn. "

What's your general opinion of mortals?

"Wonderful creatures"
"frail, though"
"both valiant and craven"
"a surprisingly influential part of the War."

What about the whole sex thing? Have you ever had sex with a mortal?

"Intriguing concept"
"the subtlety of it all"
"do felines count?"

Have you ever killed a mortal?

"On occasion"
"when necessary"
"have saved them, as well."

What's your attitude towards mortal laws?

"A good idea"
"in moderation"
"but too often overdone. Good laws"
"protect humans from each other"
"bad laws restrict them in their own search for salvation."

Religions?

"Too often religion becomes a substitute for truth"
"as Khalid found, it is too easily perverted."

Sin?

"Sin lies in the intent to hurt"
"or carelessness causing hurt"
"not in breaking arbitrary rules."

Are there mortal habits which you've acquired?

"Chocolate"
"catnip"
"honey"
"oh, and pine nuts."

What about God? What's up with Him?

"God is"
"the eldest"
"wonderfully intricate designer."

And Lucifer? What's his deal?

"He is the jealous one"
"dangerous, rebellious"
"but a challenge to"
"Creation. Challenge is a good thing"
"but Lucifer endangers all. "

Have you ever doubted God's wisdom or questioned your place in the Symphony? What if God was one of us? Just a slob like one of us?

"God is one of us"
"in a way."
"Not sure why Lucifer"
"was needed."

Do you like to fight? Are you good at it?

"I do not like to fight"
"Too dangerous to my hosts."

With what musical instrument do you associate your part in the Symphony? What musical style?

"Kyriotate are none of us"
"a single instrument"
"unless perhaps a synthesizer of any note needed."
"We are the descant"
"the harmony"
"weaving in and about the melody. "

Do mortals have free will? What about Celestials?

"They seem to"
"We seem to"
"but it is a question of philosophy. Do we"
"CAN we truly have free will"
"if God is omniscient?"
"But act as if we do"
"for if we do then we must strive."

Who's your best friend? Worst enemy? Most hated rival?

"Best"
"or worst?"
"Foolishness. And hate is"
"a waste of energy."

You're told that Judgement is investigating you. How do you react?

"Let him"
"Nothing to find"
"Nothing to hide."

What if they're investigating your best friend?

"If I had one"
"I might be concerned."

Have you ever accumulated significant Dissonance, or even Discord?

"On occasion"
"have lost vessels. Never too much"
"at one time."

Your best friend is perilously close to Tripping, even Falling. How do you handle it? What if he or she has already Fallen? Has a friend of yours ever Tripped or Fallen?

"Any who Fall"
"damage the Symphony."
"Would try to help"
"lead them back."

Is there anything that could make you defy the will of your Superior? What about the Will of God? What if you're ordered to perform actions which run contrary to your deepest individual commitments?

"The first is possible"
"if only barely"
"since a Superior can depart from the Truth"
"as witness Gabriel. For the second, the Will of God IS the Symphony"
"How could one depart from it?"

If you could eradicate one sin in the corporeal realm, what would it be? What if you could maximize one virtue?

"Hatred is the worst of the sins"
"Curiosity, perhaps, is a virtue to maximize."
"Is curiosity a virtue? It should be."

Is there a mortal whose character you particularly admire?

"Still alive, do you mean?"
"Da Vinci was admirable"
"and Tesla."

Despise?

"Many."
"All who claim to act for the good of others"
"by saving them from thinking."

What do you do when you don't have a specific assignment?

"Explore"
"Experience"
"Learn more of the Earth and all its inhabitants."

With whom do you associate if the choice is entirely yours?

"Besides my fellows"
"of the Lightning? The ones who"
"like me appreciate the humans."

With whom do you prefer not to associate?

"Khalid's followers"
"are too narrow-minded."

How do you dress? Do you pay much attention to mortal fashion? Do you have any tattoos or piercings?

"In feathers"
"or fur"
"or scales"
"perhaps clothing for a human host"
"Fashion may be colorful"
"is irrelevant. Tattoos? Absurd."

Assuming for a moment that you enjoy mortal entertainment, what's your favorite movie? Book? Album?

"That would be an assumption"
"but not a good one"
"Though some poetry is intriguing."

If you had to compare yourself to a media personality, who would it be?

"Edward R. Murrow was nearly one of us"
"honest and courageous"
"is he still around?"

Is there a media personality who screams "NYBBAS"?

"You mean"
"there are some who don't? But seriously"
"Those who mislead in the guise of informing. Dan Rather is a sorry successor"
"to a worthy mantle."

Do you eat or drink? Smoke? Use drugs? Details, please, thanks.

"Food and drink is enjoyable"
"Smoking is a drug, which I do not"
"My vessels do not need such discourtesy."

Do you know what "felching" is?

"This is"
"a human activity"
"perversion of some kind? Or is it Infernal"
"Perhaps both?

Last modified: 2002-Mar-17 18:05:31

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