Superior Revue

A well dressed man in his late fifties was sitting at a conference table, gently pulling at his beard. All his hair was white and the color of his eyes was hard to determine. His expression shifted from bemused to shocked, then to mildly angry. And it shifted back again just as swiftly.

The conference room was on the top floor of a very, very tall building. At least that's how it seemed. Because the row of windows in back of the chair the man sat, were filled with all sorts of fluffy clouds, slowly floating by. Like the building was so tall it reached half way to heaven.

The tone of his voice was majestic and low, as he muttered "This is just Silly. I am not up for Peer Revue for another three millennia." His eyes flashed a deep golden amber before they returned to their normal Summer Sky Blue. He'd caught some grief from his younger children, since statistics showed his eyes should be a warm chocolate brown. But he had a penchant for the dramatic and so he stuck with the blue. For the moment.

The walls of the conference room were opaque and he could see other people's form walking back and forth down the hallway that ran along it. Finally one form stopped at the door to the conference room and a very large man with broad shoulders walked through and closed it behind him.

The large man's features were a strange mixture of masculine and feminine. His attire was "Conservative Assistant To One In Authority". He had a small pin in the shape of two wings in gold, pinned just over his left breast pocket. In his hand was a large gold colored PDA with the word Records on the back of it.

The man with the white beard sat back in his chair and folded his arms. The large man looked a bit chagrined, but he stood up straight and smiled anyway. "I'm sorry for the delay, Father. But the Mode of Transportation for the newest Revue Board Members was a bit unsettling. Raven asked that they be given a few extra moments to clear their heads and the others agreed. Would You like me to bring you some coffee? Mead? Ambrosia?"

The man with the white beard scrutinized the large man for a moment. The large man felt his existence teeter on the edge of winking out for a split second, and then return to normal. He took a deep breath and was thankful his Father believed in Love. The man in the white beard then took a deep breath of his own and told the angel "Things will be, the way they will be. If you could bring me a double espresso with a little honey on the side, that would be fine."

"I'll be right back with it, Father." He turned and opened the door.

"Thank you, Gabriel." The Angel turned back to catch God's smile before he closed the door.

God tugged at His beard again as a chagrined look played across His face. But only for a moment. The very nature of the dimensional plane that He found Himself in at the moment, prevented Him knowing what was going on in the Revue Board Receiving Room. But His Imagination gave Him a lot of different and interesting ideas about what the three Junior Revue Board Members were going through. With that in mind, He was much less angry at the delay when Gabriel brought in His double espresso and side of honey.

Gabriel's anxious demeanor got a big reassuring smile on God's face. "This is just right, Gabriel. Thank you. Why don't you go tell them that I said not to worry about Me. And to take all the time they need. OK?"

Gabriel's whole body seemed to relax as he took a deep breath and released it. "Thank You, Father. That takes a lot of pressure off of everybody."

"Me included." They shared a chuckle, then Gabriel walked out, closing the door as he went.

While God added a bit more honey to His double espresso, Gabriel relayed God's message to Raven. Raven was the Deity acting as the Peer Revue Mediator for this particular unusual event. Gabriel could see the female human physicist in her present manifestation, barely holding back a monumental anger. The other Junior Revue Board Members were not in such an agitated state.

Raven had turned away from Sonja Oftedal's demand for answers to her questions, as Gabriel came into the Receiving room. Sonja was kept from following Him/Her (Raven), by another Deity named Luxmont. The image of a tall beautiful Valkyrie, (Sonja) in riding leathers, wearing a horned helmut and a short broad sword on her hip; being blocked by a large half man, half snake (Luxmont) with a nimbus around his head, was !!???. What words, what adjectives could you apply to scenes out of ancient myths and religious texts? But Gabriel was well used to such images and such creatures. Raven, the Deity that walked over to talk to him, was shaped like one of the Egyptian gods, with the head of a raven and the body of a human.

As the other Junior Revue Board Members heard Gabriel relay God's message, they visibly relaxed before turning their attention to their loud colleague. Glen Conor was the tall male, shaped like a beefy gymnastic Angel, dressed in pure white sweat pants and a muscle T-shirt, that matched the color of his feathers. His expression was anything but angelic as he watched Sonja rant and rave at a very patient supreme being.

Glen ruffled his wings without spreading them and then cleared his throat. "Hey Red Sonja! How many times does Cecrops there, or that Horus Gal/Guy have to tell you that They aren't allowed to answer our questions, before you take a Norse god chill pill and just calm down?"

She turned her anger on poor Glen, but he rose to the occasion. He spread his wings very slowly as she walked right up to his chest and glared up into his face. He told her in a softer voice "I think the sooner they know we're not going to tear the furniture apart, the sooner they'll let us ask those questions of the Big Guy, who can answer them." He smiled and put his hands on her shoulders. "OK?" For a second she looked like she was still ready for a fight. Then she took a deep breath and the anger drained away.

"Can I at least take this stupid hat off and get rid of this sword?"

Glen chuckled as he hugged Sonja and got a hug back from her. The Cecrops look alike smiled up at Glen before telling Sonja "Yes, Sonja Oftedal, you may. You are only required to put them back on when you return to your plane of existence. We can hold on to them for you here, during the Revue." Glen furled his wings in relief.

Sonja muttered "Yeah!" as Glen removed her helmut while she unbuckled the belt holding the Sword. Luxmont accepted both items and placed them in an oak chest by the bench Luis Tanner was sitting on.

Luis, the third Junior Revue Board Member, looked like a six foot tall village blacksmith from the late 1800's, complete with hammer and tongues tucked in to his leather apron. You could just make out the tips of two little jet black horns, poking out of his very curly red hair, just above either side of his fore head.

Luis leaned over and told Luxmont in a low voice, "You know, I thought for sure your name was going to be Cecrops. You look just like the figure of that Greek god that they drew on drinking cups and amphora, back in Ancient Greece. Or he looked like you. Though, as I recall, Cecrops never looked to have your size muscles." Luis' eyes opened wide as he realized he had been flirting with a deity.

"Imitation and flattery aside, Luis Tanner; my name is Luxmont. I bet it would sound much better than Cecrops, if you said it."

Luis looked into the Deity's eyes and swallowed. Was a god flirting back with him? "I guess Luxmont does sound much better than Cecrops." Luis took a breath and smiled. "Luxmont."

"Thank you, Luis Tanner."

A third Deity suddenly appeared in the Receiving Room. The Deity named Valute looked like a human in shadow. His eyes glowed a soft gold color and an aura around his whole body made it look like he was floating in a star filled sky. His facial features were blurry, yet still discernible. "Now that we are all ready to begin this off cycle Peer Revue, would you please follow me into the conference room next door. Then we and your God will be able to answer as many questions as we can in the time allowed."

Glen pulled his wings in a bit tighter as they filed out and followed Valute. Luis kept glancing back to see how Luxmont moved on his snake body. He nearly bumped into Glen as they paused for the door to be opened. Valute showed Sonja into the room first and offered her the middle of five chairs placed along the long side of the table, closest to the door. On the other side of the table, God sat alone, framed in back by the windows and the fluffy clouds that seemed to float just on the other side. Occasionally one of the slightly darker clouds helped reveal the gentle golden nimbus that glowed around God's head. From left to right as the seats faced God, Luxmont took the far left seat and Luis sat between Sonja and He. To Sonja's right sat Glen and Valute took the far right chair. Raven sat in the lone chair at the end of the table nearest the door and at God's left hand; while Gabriel sat opposite Raven, in the chair placed at the right hand of God, his Father.

The Transmogrified Humans stared at God with a multitude of emotions. He in turn smiled upon His children with pride and Love. So few of His children in His universe ever connected enough of the Laws of the Universe together, to be able to contact this plane of existence. And here these three were.

Raven took a breath and slowly let it out before starting the ball rolling. "Gabriel, please start recording this Revue. I sit as mediator as well as one of the Senior Revue Board Members. Not to be trite, but.. You have questions and We have answers. And while we six are all members of the Revue Board, We Senior Members are allowed to answer some of the questions that your God is not. And to help clarify some of the answers only God is allowed to give."

Letting that sink in for a moment, Raven turned Her/His attention towards God. Beaks have such a difficult time showing expression, yet God detected a sort of playful tilt to Raven's head that imparted a smile.

The Deity that sat alone spoke up before His creations thought of a question to ask. "I hope I'm not out of line for asking a question of My own." His questioning expression was easily interpreted.

Raven blinked, glanced at the other Revue Board Members and then sat up straighter in His/Her chair. "This form of Peer Revue being rather rare, I think a few questions from Your end is certainly acceptable. Perhaps they will help spark some questions from the Revue Board Members. What do You want to know."

Sonja jumped in before God could open his mouth. "Yeah! What in the world could our God possible want to ask us that He doesn't already know. Aren't You omniscient? All knowing?"

All the Celestial Beings in the room snorted out a laugh, then tried to act like they weren't laughing at her.

Sonja was now very angry. "What's so funny? If You don't stop acting like this is one big COSMIC JOKE, I am going to get angry and start looking for that damned sword I just got rid of."

God smiled like a father would to a young innocent daughter, after she asked about faking an orgasm. His hand reached out to her in placation of her emotions. "We're not laughing at you or even with you, Sonja. We're laughing at Ourselves and the situation We happen to be in. As chance would have it.."

Luxmont cut in with "If chance really is working in this particular situation."

Raven cawed a rebuke as God continued. "Whether chance is involved or not. The Senior Revue Board Members and I.. and Gabriel. Are all Deities or Demigods that are not All knowing."

He waited for a second then said "All seeing, yes."

A murmur of agreement went through the room. "All powerful? To a degree." Another softer snaugh was shared amongst the Deities at the table. This time Gabriel remained silent.

"We each of Us set forth Laws for each of Our Universes. And then We abide by them as Time progresses."

Luxmont added "And by those Laws We set forth at the beginning, We ultimately end up binding Our hands at a later date. Thus All Powerful is still there in idea, maybe even principle. But in fact We violate our own precepts when We act with out regard to the Laws of the Universe that We create."

Valute finally spoke up. "Sodom and Gomorrah?!"

Raven murmured "Admah, and Zeboim."

God sat back in His seat and looked contrite. Glen frowned with the rest of them but asked "Brimstone and fire?"

Luis finished it for him. "From the Lord out of heaven. Genesis nineteen. Twenty four to twenty five."

Sonja asked "Admah, and Zeboim? I thought there were only two sinful cities."

God looked even more like a kid caught kicking the dog. Luis wondered about that as he told her "Nope. The first two just got more press. There were four."

Luxmont leaned towards God. "Yes. Four separate meteors, hitting four separate cities, perfectly!"

God looked to the side as He mumbled "They were little meteors."

Valute chimed in with "Oh yeah. Little ones. Aimed perfectly. Not like the Big One at Chicxulub."

Raven cawed "End of the Mesozoic Era and the Dinosaurs."

Luxmont sneered "Dinosaurs not evolving fast enough were they?"

Glen's wings spread out as he yelled "Hey! I feel like I'm at a Kennedy family dinner and the guests all started to chant Chappaquiddick, while poor Teddy is sitting at the head of the table. We're hear to ask questions, not point fingers."

All were silent after that outburst. Glen pulled his wings back in as they all calmed down. His face became innocent as a child's as he got God's attention with "Father?"

God looked up with hope on His face. Glen smiled. "Thanks for the Big One sixty eight million years ago. We wouldn't be here without it. And I get the feeling You already took some heat for the other four, so You won't hear any bitching over those from me."

God sat up straighter after that. "Your welcome, Glen. That one was actually a mercy shot. The oxygen levels were dropping and it would have meant a slow painful decline for all of those big animals anyway. I don't get My nose rubbed in that one very often."

Luis chuckled till he burst into outright laughter. The mood lightened as he stopped laughing. "I don't even want to know if there's a Party Of The Gods every thousand years." The look on the Deity's face's had that "Caught" look. The Junior Revue Board Members chose to ignore it.

Luis looked at Raven and then God. "I believe our God had a question for the Board?"

Raven fluffed Her/His feathers. "Oh yes. What is it that We might know that You might not?"

God grinned slightly. "For the Junior Members information, when a Deity is called into Revue, Their memory of the last year is taken from Them."

Glen raised his hand before getting a few nods from the table. "Why? Doesn't that handicap a proper Revue of all the events in the Supreme Being's past?"

Valute raised an aura shrouded hand. "May I?"

God smiled. "Please do."

"When We Supreme Beings connect to Our Creations, Our own Universe; it occurs through the temporal moment
of 'the Now.' So for Us to be able to focus properly on the past and talk about it, removing Our most recent memories helps detach Us from the Now. Otherwise it would be a great distraction. After the Revue is over We are able to reconnect to the Now and Our Creation."

The three Junior Members all nodded and then looked back at their God.

"So a year ago I knew you three physicists were getting close to a breakthrough in Hyper-space theory
and research. I just didn't foresee your group making the other two necessary discoveries or breakthroughs, you'd need to be able to contact the Essence dimension, let alone ask for a Peer Revue."

Sonja had a few emotions playing on her face. Then her expression went cold as she said "Did You forget about Jerry Cornelius?" The other Humans looked very sad, all of a sudden.

Raven saw the blood drain from God's face and looked to Gabriel. Gabriel shook his head and punched some buttons on his PDA. "I am overriding the memory wipe and returning all of God's memories."

God's face closed tight and He shuddered like He had been hit. His nimbus went solid as a gold plate for a fraction of a second, then dissolved to a soft glow that resembled a Dandelion. He gasped and let out a stifled moan. One single perfect tear fell from His tightly closed eyes. Sonja's anger slipped away from her as the tear drop was joined by another and then another. She grabbed her face and silently sobbed for the man she had loved and lost. If God could cry for him then she found she could finally cry for him, too.

Gabriel was by her side in a split second and he handed her a handkerchief. His hand on her shoulder brought her attention to the offered cloth. She took it and hugged him from her seat. Glen rubbed her back and she sniffled a bit. "Thank you Gabriel." She blew her nose into it and wiped her eyes. She didn't look angry when she next looked at God.

The look on God's face would be familiar to someone who has seen a father's face right after learning of the death of his son. And here before Him was that son's bride, ready to blame Him for taking away the love of her life. Somehow Sonja knew her previous assumptions regarding God and the Universe were incorrect; so she had her heart hold on to Love while she waited for the truth to be told.

"I was praying so hard for David and Jerry to test that Plasma Conduit from a remote console. But David had to say 'It's all safe right? Let's test it ..

God and Sonja spoke the rest of it as a mournful duet. "Right where the problem seems to be."

Sonja continued "And then Jerry just smiled at me like that was the most reasonable thing in the world. I never heard another word from Jerry."

God had to make her remember. "But the last thing he ever said to you was the most important thing he wanted you to know and what mattered the most to him. 'Darling I love you so much. If I learned everything there was to know about the universe, it wouldn't mean a thing without you there to share it all.' And he meant every word."

Gabriel softly added "He read your mind and heart with those words, and told you the same thing you felt about him. Sad to say, even God's prayers can go unanswered."

Glen decided they all needed more of the facts. "Ok, we simple humans are suffering under a lack of concrete facts and a lot of assumptions when it comes to the Universe we just came from and the Creator of that Universe. Is it alright for some One in this room who knows the truth, to tell us the truth in an orderly fashion?"

Luis nodded then turned to Luxmont. "Yeah. Like was Creation the Big Bang? If not, then what? And while you're at it, could we get a precise answer about whether the Universe, uhhh, I mean our Universe works on Free Will or Destiny? Cause that is a big one for theologians and scientists alike."

God looked to Raven hopefully before he turned back to the Junior Peer Revue Board Members. "Your own formulas and calculations showed you a Universe, your universe, as one that started from an infinitesimal point containing all the mater of the universe. And something caused it to expand and move and interact and Change. I caused that moment of change. Only at THAT moment for the Universe, could ALL of the mater be changed into energy. The change caused time to exist and matter to re-crystalize from that energy and back to energy again. There is no human word to describe the sound of that expansion."

Sonja asked "And Free Will?"

God frowned. "As opposed to Destiny? Free Will is a sentient concept. And so when creatures in My Universe attain sentience, they attain Free Will in a Universe that has a Destiny. It's a confusing dichotomy for a thinking, reasoning animal only recently become self aware. Many instincts and order seeking processes in the animal part of the sentient will see a logical progression to events. Synchronicity, Serendipity, a Grand Design. Destiny is a concept that gets overlain by Free Will, because self aware beings chose to do so. Your ability to chose what you want to do and how to do it, manifests Free Will and proves it exists. Whether or not that very same Free Will follows or fights Destiny is completely irrelevant. Because you all still get to chose what you want to do. Destiny does not make your decisions for you. Events may sway you. I hope your hearts will guide you. Your heads got you to the point where you can value your hearts again. But your Universe was begun with Choice and Love. I chose you. I love you. And however the Universe got to where you exist, it did so with Choice and Love."

Valute turned to Raven with a suggestion. "Perhaps this is a good point for us all to take a small break? I think we all could use a few refreshments, before we continue with this Revue."

Raven nodded, then looked to the Angel. "Gabriel, please note a refreshment break at this time. And would you be kind enough to get whatever the Board or God would like to drink or eat at this time?"

Gabriel smiled as he finished punching buttons on his PDA. "A refreshment break is noted in the records." He stood up and walked along the side of the table God was sitting, and stopped next to Raven. "What may I get the Revue Board Mediator?"

Raven tipped His/Her head to the side. "Hazelnuts and Sunflower seeds in a light Ambrosia, if you will."

Gabriel recorded Raven's order and turned to Valute. "And what would you like, Valute?"

Valute's aura pulsed and his eyes glowed a bit brighter. "A mug of warm Chocolate Milk with honey and a slice of baked Manna, and could you put a few marshmallows in the Chocolate Milk, please?"

Gabriel nodded as he said "Certainly." He finished punching buttons then turned to Glen. "And what would you like, Glen Conor?"

Glen frowned for a second then smiled. "Um. A large Cappuccino and an apple fritter, please."

Gabriel recorded his order and turned to Sonja. "And you, Sonja Oftedal?"

Sonja grinned. "Just a big mug of some Kona brand Coffee with some cream and sugar on the side. And a pizza bagel would be nice, if you know what those are."

Gabriel looked up from the screen on his PDA with a smile. "Dennis Park Bakery, right?"

Sonja's grin flashed into a big smile. "Yes. exactly. Thank you."

Gabriel smiled back. "You're welcome. And you, Luis Tanner. What may I get you?"

Luis glanced at Sonja, then looked up at Gabriel. "I'll have what Sonja ordered."

Gabriel quickly finished his order and turned to Luxmont. "Make that three of the same, please."

Gabriel mumbled "Three it is. And you Father? Would you like another espresso or something different?"

God glanced up at Gabriel but looked back to Sonja, Glen and Luxmont. "While three is a favorite number with Me, I think I'll make it four of that last order, please."

A shy little smile graced Sonja's face as Gabriel jotted down God's request. "I will be back in a few moments." Gabriel left the conference room and an amiable silence reigned.

Glen turned slightly to his right to get a better view of Valute. His smile remained innocent and sweet in spite of it's shining off of a large muscular angel like body with very large wings bracketing his head. Glen noticed that Valute's aura made it look like his shadow body floated in a star filled sky. And as one moved around Valute's stationary body the aura presented a star field that was far away and in back of which ever part of Valute was closest. So slight movement of your head made the star field shift a lot. It could be a bit disorienting, if the smile on the shadow body's face wasn't so apparent and heart felt. It grounded the perception of Valute as the aura tried to confuse.

Sonja noticed Glen staring at Valute and was going to remind him about the manners he learned as a child, when she realized this was not her universe. She leaned towards God and whispered "Is it polite up here for beings to stare at each other?"

God leaned across the table and held His hand to His face as if that would keep Glen or Valute from hearing Him.
"Yes. As long as both parties do so with an open mind and heart. Some would call it praise from ones eyes."

Sonja flashed to a sweet memory of when she first met the love of her life. She smiled. The joy of the moment overcame the sorrow of her loss. "Oh. Thank you Father."

"You're welcome dear."

Luis was admiring Luxmont's upper body in the same manner that Luxmont was returning the favor. Both were wondering if they could find some privacy for their own questions to get answered.

Sonja suddenly realized she was feeling the same way she had,*when she told her Engineer father that she was going to become a Physicist. The pride and love that shone in her father's eyes that day was dazzling. It gave her the courage to lean closer to God and whisper "How do You do it? Overcome the sorrow?"

They should have waited for the Break to be over, but no One on the Board objected. God leaned closer to Sonja. "It's the love that you share with each other. It is far more powerful than you know and can push back the darkness and sorrow with very little effort. It is that shared love that reflects on Me. I don't know why. But I'm very glad of it."

Gabriel returned at that moment with a silver cart that had no wheels and seemed to float a few inches above the floor. He quickly served each Board member in the order. Raven began pecking at Her/His bowl of Ambrosia covered seeds as any bird would, with the resultant scattering of seeds. Gabriel had already served Valute and had reached for Glen's plate and mug when the seeds flew out of Raven's bowl and a few over the angels head. One Ambrosia coated Sunflower Seed landed in Luis Mug of Kona Coffee, without anybody seeing it fall in. Gabriel visually located the seeds that escaped Ravens Beak and Bowl, and his slow blinking of his eyes caused them to cease to exist. Then Gabriel served Sonja, Luis, Luxmont and God each, a big mug of Coffee and A large Pizza Bagel.

 

Chapter Two

The refreshment break continued on through two refills of drinks and an extra Pizza Bagel being requested by Luxmont. Luis grinned at the Supreme Beings appreciation of a piece of human food, then tipped his mug back to get the last bit of Coffee. He did not expect a seed to slide into his mouth at the same time and nearly spit the coffee out with the seed. Instead Luis pulled the seed out of his mouth and gave it a good inspection.

It was Luxmont that nearly choked on the last bite of his bagel, when he saw what was in Luis' hand. His coughing got every-being's attention. Luckily Luis didn't drop the seed or his hand holding it. So all the Celestial Beings present saw it and knew just what it could mean.

Luis' concern had snapped to Luxmont's distress while still holding up the reason for it. "Luxmont, are you alright? I didn't think baked goods could be a god's Achilles' heal." He realized his joke wasn't going anywhere at the same time that he realized everyone's attention was on him and not Luxmont. His eyes triangulated the culprit and nonchalantly muttered "Sunflower seed. Just a sunflower seed." Then the reality hit him.

Valute calmly asked, "Where did you just get that? And does it have a light amber coating on it> Sort of like honey but harder?"

Gabriel was by Luis' side in an instant and gently took the seed from his hand. His examination lasted for a split second and his eyes closed as his head tipped forward. Then he shook his head. "Not a bit of ambrosia left on it. I fear that coffee is very fast at dissolving ambrosia right into it."

Raven tipped Her/His head to the side and inhaled a croaking sound. "Luis? Did your coffee taste a bit salty and slightly sweeter than normal?"

Luis seemed to be searching his memory of the drink and his refills. "Sort of like a tiny bit of salt-water taffy?" Before anyone could give an answer, Luis groaned and his hands flew to either side of his forehead. The tiny tips of those jet black horns were suddenly growing larger and thicker. Three inch horns became eight and then fifteen inch long Bull horns. The base of them went from an inch and a half in diameter to four inches across.

After Luis' groan subsided, the room was extremely quiet. Luis hands grabbed his horns one way and then another. His hands fell to the table and he dared a glance at Luxmont, to gauge the visual damage to his body. Fortunately all he saw in Luxmont's eyes were concern and a glint of affection directed his way.

"Ok. Please tell me that is all the pain this ambrosia thing involves. Cause that did hurt. I don't have a thing to compare it to and I hope I never do again."

Luxmont had his hand on Luis shoulder when the rest of the Ambrosia Enhancement transformation/enhugement hit. Luis started getting taller and wider as his longer arms pushed him away from the table. A good thing too, as his overall shape was headed towards an overgrown, muscle-bound, nine foot tall Minotaur. His groans sounded more like an enraged bull, than a man in pain. His head morphed into humanized version of a Large Bull while his body got bigger and wider. His skin color went to a gloss carmine red with the hair on his head turning a bright platinum blond. Glen and Sonja were waiting for his clothes to shred off his body from the quick and extreme growth. But the leather apron, as well as his jerkin and pants, just seemed to grow along with him. no matter how fast he expanded.

By this time all the other beings in the room had stepped back a few paces to give Luis room to grow. Except for Luxmont, who still had his hand on a much larger shoulder. That position had required he uncoil a bit, but it meant that his head was at the same level as Luis when the transformation was complete.

Luis took a few deep breaths before he made his first comment. "Wow!" His extreme bass voice shocked his eyes open. "Great!" he muttered. "Now I sound like a giant cartoon character."

His head had a new architecture he was going to have to get used to. He tipped his head towards Luxmont before he tried his first smile. Luckily a humanized bull's head has a big smile built in. Luxmont touched his face and smiled back. "Now that's a great smile. No change whatsoever."

"Charmer," Rumbled out of Luis and had the walls vibrating. He turned his head to the room in general and tried to keep from bellowing when he told them, "Ambrosia is a stone cold Bitch!"

Valute was the first to recover. "That was amazing control on your part. Not one thing broken, except your chair. Isn't that uncomfortable?"

Luis snorted out a laugh and it looked like a bit of steam went with it. "Valute, that chair is a one and a half on my new scale of pain. But there is...something..."

Luis finally took the time to notice that he still had human shaped feet. "OK! Toes! Yeah anthropomorphism." He was so happy he didn't even notice how his ears switched against his horns. But he did notice the thing that had confused him just a second ago. He wiggled his butt, then his shoulders dropped. His hand reached to his back side and slowly drew out what he did not want on his body.

"Oh, Playful Ambrosia. You let me keep my human toes, but they come with a thick bulls tail." It was about two inches thick and over a meter long. As red as the rest of his skin with thick hair at the end that showed at least five different shades of blond. "Isn't that considered a liability for a blacksmith?"

A ringing sound appeared to be coming from the air just above Luis head. "Oh, now what?" Luis sounded just like Eyore on steroids.

God recognized the warning sound first. "And Jewelry on top of it all? Gabriel, please tell me you can circumvent the Jewelry cycle of this Ambrosia Transformation."

Gabriel's eyes flew to his PDA and his hand seemed to sink into it. His facial expression said he was struggling with a determined process. A sigh, then a half frown, preceded his hand pulling out of the screen. "Sorry Father. Sorry Luis. I stopped ninety-five percent of the jewelry, the Ambrosia had planned for you."

"Jewelry?" The ringing sound sank into his head and stopped as a large gold ring grew from Luis nose. The tips of his horns each grew a spiral cap of gold that stopped after five inches. And his left ear sprouted two diamond stud earrings, dangling from the end. He had to grab his ear to keep it from twitching at the new weight. He looked left and right, then sighed when no further pieces of metal sprouted from his body. "Thank you very much Gabriel, for your fast work. And thank you, Father, for the timely warning."

"You're welcome." God's smile hid the flicker of another emotion, but the Junior Revue Board Members were too stunned to catch it. "And now that the Ambrosia Transformation has gone to completion, you should have no further problems." God's eyes slid from his youngest children to one of his oldest. He did not turn his face to Gabriel, yet He waited for some reaction from the angel.

Gabriel frowned at God's words and he spoke before he had time to think much about them. "Father! How can you say that. No further problems?! For Luis to be able to return to his plane of existence, without being damaged in some way, we will have to cut the Revue short. And that still does not insure we will find the proper Transmogrification sequence, for Dr Tanner."

Luxmont was quick to pick up a celestial slight of hand when he saw one. "And that says nothing of his two colleagues. They must return with the same number who arrived here. Mass can be played with, but when three souls arrive, three souls must return. That is the Harmony you imposed upon your Universe. At about the same time you infused it with Love." Luxmont was staring into the eyes of a slightly confused Physicist. He gave Luis a huge smile and Luis heart demanded a return of that smile.

God saw the Love that passed between Luxmont and Luis and took a chance at a bad grade when the Revue was concluded. "I'm usually restricted from making such a suggestion, yet in the face of Love, I seem to be free from that rule." He leaned on to the table and a bit closer to Luis and Luxmont.

"What restriction?" Luis hand found that of Luxmont's, yet he kept his eyes on God. 'And what problems?"

"Perhaps Gabriel could help with this one." God was really asking for more than a description of the current state of affairs. Gabriel frowned at his maker and then looked at Luis to start his explanation. But he was momentarily stopped in his tracks when his eyes slid past Luis, to Sonja.

Ohhhh! Now Gabriel understood. Gabriel's smile just got bigger and bigger, in contrast to the potentially dire outcome he was describing. "When creatures from their own Universe travel to this plane of Existence, they must be Transmogrified. The change is needed to keep their mortal, four dimensional mind and soul from being changed by this place."

Glen frowned this time. "What's so bad about that. Seems to be a bland kind of place."

Gabriel chuckled. "With the body you now have, it would seem a little tame and unexciting. In your human form, you would be seeing a far different world. And that would change you so much, that upon returning to your Universe, you would start manifesting bits and pieces of this place in a world unable to properly appreciate it. You were all changed and set upon a path that Luis has completed. But when you arrived, your change was set to move very very slowly. That gave us all a short time to be together, work the Revue, and still get you three back home safely before any damage could be done."

Sonja started to get angry again. "You mean Luis is stuck here>"

God cut in so he could give the proper pitch to the idea. "It looks like Luis might want to stay. Luis, please answer my next question without taking too much time to think about it. OK?"

"OK Father."

"Do you feel there is a growing relationship between Luxmont and yourself?"

No hesitation. "Oh yes! it's a wonderful surprise in a day full of surprises." He grinned as he glanced at Luxmont.

God's smile turned to Luxmont. "Luxmont, is it safe for us to assume that you also feel a deepening relationship with Luis?"

Luxmont smiled as he saw where this was taking them. "Yes, God. But you know that the others cannot return without him. We need him or else another recently beatified soul, willing to give up heaven, for all three to return safely."

"Yes I know. But the more important question is, can you love him? Will you swear to watch over this newly minted demigod as he comes to understand this place?"

Raven finally decided too get an answer of Her/His own. "What is going on here? These questions are outside our Purview. And I am confused at what you just asked a Senior Revue Board Member."

Luxmont grinned at Raven for a moment. "I'm not. I'm not confused, but I am feeling a lot of Love. And so I swear to watch over this fledgling Supreme Being as he learns our ways. I hope he wants to stay."

Before Luis could answer, Valute cut in with an answer of his own. "I don't think this short time can possibly have given Luis the information he needs to make something even close to informed consent."

God cut in. "You are right. Perhaps one of Gabriel's newest recruits would have the proper perspective, to be able to fully inform Luis about what he would find, if he stays here. You know which one I'm talking about, don't you Gabriel?"

"Oh yes, Father. Hard worker. Loves his duties and still has time to enjoy the beauty of his surroundings. Shall I page him to come here?"

Raven took back the reins of Moderator. "Yes, please. And tell him that it is urgent. His expertise is needed."

Gabriel started punching buttons on his PDA. His Mona Lisa smile grew into a huge grin, by the time he finished his typing. "Message sent and received. He is just a moment away."

A shadow appeared in the hallway just outside the conference room door. It looked like the figure's head bent to look at his own PDA, then at the door in front of him, only to look back down to his PDA. His shoulders shrugged and he stepped forward to knock on the door. Raven called out, "Enter," but the figure was still slow to open the door.

A deep vice asked with some hesitation, "I hope I'm at the right conference room. I'm a bit confused as to how I could have any expertise in these proceedings. I've only recently been taken under Gabriel's wing..."

The gasps from the mortals caught him by surprise. Particularly since the three mortals were very familiar to Jerry Cornelius. But all that was swept away when he saw Sonja. "Sonja!!"

"Jerry!!" Any further words were swallowed by their embrace. Jerry's wings wrapped around them both.

Raven was the first to comment. 'Well this does seem to solve the problems. But it does seem to bring the Revue to a close. Are the other Board members satisfied with the answers and outcome of this Revue?

Luxmont, Luis, Glen and Valute, all nodded their heads in agreement. Raven's head nodded and turned to Gabriel. "Then please note a satisfactory conclusion to this Off-Cyclle Peer Revue and file all of this with Records. And please see to finding housing for our new god-in-training."

Luxmont stepped up to the plate. "Perhaps Luis wouldn't mind staying with me at my home for a while? There's plenty of room and rooms. Whatever he prefers."

Luis grinned a bovine grin. "Perhaps even in your room. Do you have anyone sharing your... room at the present?"

"No one in my bedroom or my bed. I was about to say, 'In my heart', but that has suddenly changed today."

Luis smile grew wider and wider. "For me also."

And the Lovers remained in their embrace for quite a while.

The three scientists were back in the chamber that sent two of them on their journey. As they exit it, they discovered a bit of change to their bodies. For one thing, they were all still in the shape they were as seen in the conference room. Including new appendages.

"Damn it. I still have this damned sword and helmet!!"

Jerry, her newly resurrected lover, turned to her with a sly grin on his face.
"Don't pitch a fit dear." Sonja turned to find that her husband was still shaped just like an angel.

"Oh!" Her shocked expression softened to a similar grin.

"I bet if you drop all that metal off of yourself, I can give you a real nice ride!" He spread his wings as he gave her a cheesy smile. The sound of a sword and helmet hitting the floor almost covered up Glen's next remark.

"You forgot to give Gabriel back his handkerchief, didn't you?!"

He also was shaped like an angel.

But all the response he got from Sonja was "Ooopps!" , as she was escorted out of the building. His frustration evaporated right after he shrugged his shoulders and his wings shrugged with them. He shrugged them a second time and a smile grew wider and wider on his face. He didn't stay inside for very long.

The End.

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