Falling Out

"What do you think?"

Lucifer looked up from what he was doing. He had been working on the black hole project for weeks now (possibly longer, but Samael had only gotten time working about a month ago) and he was just putting on the finishing touches. "Very nice," he said, looking back down at his work. He was still trying to figure out if he should let light escape from these things or not. He chose not. He was something of a completist. "What is it?"

"Well, speaking generally, he's a man. But I've named him Adam. You know how I like to personalize everything."

"Mm." Lucifer set one of the holes spinning. Yes, that was good. He'd get his people making more off this design. If all went well, they'd be out in the universe come Friday.

"I'll be making a woman too, obviously, but she's going to be tricky. Way more complex than this one. I may need to use parts of him to make her. What do you think of Eve as a name?"

"Very pretty," Lucifer answered. Now that he was finished, he wandered over to take a closer look. "So, why the need for individual names? As animals go, this one doesn't look like much."

"Ah, but this animal has a brain. And he'll need it, what with the freewill I'm planning to give him."

That stopped Lucifer cold. "What?"

"Freewill. You know, the ability to make decisions, think critically, act against instinct..."

"I know what freewill IS," Lucifer said testily. "What I'm really asking is 'why'."

"Then why did you say 'what'?"

Lucifer rolled his eyes and fluttered his wings in irritation. "Don't start. This is serious. You can't honestly be thinking of making an intelligent animal with freewill."

"Why not? I gave you freewill."

"Yes! And that's my point!" Lucifer threw his hands up. "I'm a huge pain in the ass! You say so yourself!"

"This is true. The other angels don't give me near as much trouble."

Lucifer nodded and began pacing. "Exactly! And there's just one of me! And I'm an angel! Can you imagine the trouble a whole species of smart monkeys with freewill are going to cause?"

"I have some idea."

Lucifer stopped, pleading. "Then WHY?!"

"Various reasons. Though mainly I just wanted someone else to talk to."

Lucifer felt like he'd been punched in the chest. "Oh," he choked out, "I see."

"Oh, come on now. Don't be like that."

Lucifer's lip started quivering. "No. No, it's fine. I have somewhere I need to be." He stormed out. "Have fun with your new pet."

The next day, Lucifer failed to show up for work. Gabriel arrived to issue a report.

"My Lord," he said. "Lucifer has Fallen."

"I know."

Gabriel was a bit shocked at this. Lucifer was the favorite. He'd been made first, given freewill... this didn't make sense. No angel in their right mind would choose to Fall.

"Do not trouble yourself. He has a new job to do. He just doesn't realize yet that he's still working for me. I take it most of his friends went with him?"

"Um, yes. Except for Michael." Gabriel was puzzled. "A job, my Lord?"

"Yes, well, what's freewill without temptation? There's precious little point in having a choice if there isn't someone there trying to convince you to make the wrong one."

Gabriel shrugged. "If you say so, my Lord."

"I do. Now, come take a look at my designs for Eve. I'm less than impressed with Adam's aesthetics, so I was thinking of making her a bit rounder, smoother. Less dangly. Here, what do you think?"

Gabriel looked at the design. "She is a bit more pleasing to look at, my Lord. Not quite as...ah...lumpy as your first effort." He cleared his throat and handed the design back. "If you don't mind my saying."

"Not at all. I agree. Well, anyway, I'd like you to send Michael around when you get the chance. I have a new job for him too."

Gabriel bowed and took his leave. "At once, my Lord."

Yes, God was going to miss Lucifer, that was certain. But, Creation should prove to be a bit more interesting from here on out.