Song 1: Gathering in Galveston {Lilley, Maledriel, and Marduk}

[shaidar]

{Mal}

Once Lilly is safely on solid ground Mal takes the offered hand and joins her. He holds out his hand for Marvin to shake. "Thank you for the safe journey over, Marvin, and the entertainment. You be good to yourself."

[Charybdis Richelle]

{Lilly}

Lilly takes his hand so fast, she very well might have grabbed it before he even offered it. "Ah ha! Thank you for the ride Marvin. Your company's been a pleasure, but I'm so happy to be back on solid, unmoving ground again."

{GM}

Marvin smiles at Lilly. “You really should take swimming lessons, Lilly,” he says. “If you mean to stay on the Island, I mean. There’s nowhere on the Island you can be more than a mile and a half or so from water – either the Gulf or the Bay. It’s not safe not to have at least a basic comfort level in the water. Once you can swim and can trust yourself in the water, you can learn to surrender yourself to the sea, and that should help you feel less afraid of her.”

{Mal}

Once Lilly is safely on solid ground Mal takes the offered hand and joins her. He holds out his hand for Marvin to shake. "Thank you for the safe journey over, Marvin, and the entertainment. You be good to yourself."

{GM}

Marvin’s calloused hand takes Mal’s first to help him to the dock and then to give him a firm handshake. “You’re welcome,” the sailor says. Then he laughs. “A bit too late for that,” he says. “I’ll just have to settle for being good to Ethyl.”

Sobering, Marvin says, “If you’ll excuse me, please. I need to refuel the boat and go back for those two FBI fellows. We’re a man short today, and I don’t want to leave them waiting.”

[shaidar]

{Mal}

Mal nods "Of course... a man short, nothing serious I hope?"

[Charybdis Richelle]

{GM}

“No, no,” Marvin says as he walks to a pump near a trailer near the dock. “Just a cold or the flu, some sort of upper respiratory thing the kids brought home from school.” He shrugs. “Just means we’re a boat down. Usually we have one at either end of the route, so no one has to wait too long, coming from either direction.”

[shaidar]

{Mal}

"I'm glad it's nothing serious." he turns to Lilly "Ms Cooper, would you like a lift somewhere? Although it'll be a little while before Bobby arrives with the transport."

OOC: Edited for clarity, the lift is Bobby.

[Charybdis Richelle]

{GM}

While Mal and Lilly talk, Marvin begins fueling the boat.

[archolewa]

{Lilly}

Lilly stomps on the ground a few times, hops up and down, and just generally takes satisfaction in a floor that doesn't move. She smiles and nods to Mal. "Yeah, I want to go visit my friend Jezreel. She's having a bit of a rough time of it right now."

[shaidar]

{Mal}

"I'm sure we can help with that, and have a chat on the way."

Mal takes out his phone and checks the time, then seems to spend the time waiting for Barazephyr by engaging in some scenic and animal photography.

[Charybdis Richelle]

{GM}

Looking at his phone Maledriel sees that it is 11:24 AM. Barazephyr should arrive in about forty to forty-five minutes.

Marvin finishes up fueling and heads back for the boat.

“If it gets too hot, or you just want the shade,” the sailor points to the trailer nearest to the water. “Feel free to wait inside. It’s not fancy, but it is out of the sun.”

[shaidar]

{Mal}

"Thank you Marvin, that's very hospitable of you."

[Charybdis Richelle]

{GM}

“You’re welcome,” Marvin says. “Though really, it’s no problem. It’s Dr. Spate’s building. Just a little office for the pilots and those waiting to head to the station. The door’s unlocked.” He climbs back into the boat. “I’ll be back in a little while,” he says. “Depending of how much longer those two FBI fellows need.”

The sailor unties the rope tying the boat to the mooring and starts the engine. If no one asks him for anything else, he starts back towards the station.

[Charybdis Richelle]

{GM}

Lilly and Maledriel wait for about 35 minutes before they see the boat come back into view. 5 minutes later, Marvin docks the boat, and Marduk and Galgaliel disembark.

[Tay-Dor]

[Marduk]

Marduk nods to the others as he walks over to join them. "Still waiting on your companion?" He asks Mal. The wind gusts cause his rumpled trenchcoat to intermittently flare like a billowing cape. He doesn't show any sign of being affected by the wind off the water. He stands in a relaxed pose, almost lazily scanning the environment.

[shaidar]

{Mal}

Mal checks his watch "He shouldn't be much longer."

[Charybdis Richelle]

{GM}

Glancing at his watch, Maledriel sees that it is 12:08 PM. Barazephyr should be here in the next minute or two.

[archolewa]

{Lilly}

Lilly grins at Marduk. "So, did Sir Grumpy McGrumps say anything interesting, or did the two of you just spend a few minutes growling and sniffing each other's butts?"

[Tay-Dor]

[Marduk]

Marduk looks over at Lilly and deadpans, "No, we aren't canines." He goes back to watching the environment.

[archolewa]

{Lilly}

"Are you sure about that? I mean, what's Dog spelled backwards? Ehh? Ehh?" asks Lilly. "Is it a subtle hint? A coincidental quirk of language evolution? Who knows! But it certainly raises questions, right?"

[Charybdis Richelle]

{Lilly}

Lilly grins at Marduk. "So, did Sir Grumpy McGrumps say anything interesting, or did the two of you just spend a few minutes growling and sniffing each other's butts?"

{GM}

As Lilly speaks, Galgaliel’s face goes red. He narrows his eyes, and his nostrils flare.

[Marduk]
Marduk looks over at Lilly and deadpans, "No, we aren't canines." He goes back to watching the environment.

{Lilly}

"Are you sure about that? I mean, what's Dog spelled backwards? Ehh? Ehh?" asks Lilly. "Is it a subtle hint? A coincidental quirk of language evolution? Who knows! But it certainly raises questions, right?"

{GM}

Deliberately unballing his hands and shoving them into his pockets, Galgaliel cocks his head, shaking it. “Why would you speak to Marduk like that?” he asks, reigning in his anger behind incredulity, “Don’t you know who he is? Marduk is one of the first Malakim. He has Served Heaven since almost the beginning of time. He fought Lucifer and his minions at the Fall itself. Marduk…” The Reliever glances at Marduk, and the red in his face deepens.

Galgaliel sighs deeply. “I have probably said too much. It's a failing of mine,” he says. “But you should speak to Marduk with more respect.” He hesitates a moment.

“Marduk deserves respect, Lilly,” Galgaliel repeats. “So does Kutiel. He is a Worded Angel. So he was a little abrupt. That is understandable. He is dealing with a crisis that could affect thousands of humans. Which you would know if you had stopped to listen.”

The Reliever shakes his head again. “Marduk has often reminded me not to speak without thinking. I forget myself sometimes. I probably have now. But maybe you should heed that advice as well, Lilly. Stop. Listen. Think… Then speak.”

Galgaliel turns to Marduk, still a bit red in the face. “If I have overstepped, sir. I am sorry.”

[archolewa]

{Lilly}

Lilly smiles and shakes her head. "That was quite the tongue lashing there double-G. You'll be Worded before you know it, you keep that up! But you gotta lighten up. Nothing good comes of taking yourself too seriously. In fact, I think it's a seven deadly sin. Pride, yeah. That's it. And this guy here? Agent Dour? Well, if he's as old as you say he is, dude can handle a little ribbing. Probably been called worse on more than one occasion. Besides, I don't tease folks I don't have any respect for. I ignore them. Or punch them if they got a little too much fire and brimstone going on."