Mercury Begins (Mercury Trilogy) Read Online Free PDF Page B

bemusedly . “Let me explain something to you, Mercury. We angels don’t get much choice in the assignments we get. It’s all about the Divine Plan. Sometimes the things we have to do seem completely arbitrary, if not downright wrong. Take this sacking, for instance. Miserable business. Of course, some angels don’t mind. Some angels get a bellyful of warm fuzzies just from seeing a task through to completion, no matter how distasteful that task might be. Others – like you and me – can’t help but reflect on the ethics of the situation. We ask ourselves , why did Troy need to be sacked? Why did all these people have to die? What is the point of this Divine Plan anyway? How much suffering is justified by the advancement of the Plan? What if the Plan actually does more harm than good? ”
    Punctuating her point, a headless body fell from a nearby building, landing with a thud in the street. The head followed a moment later.
    “Oh, thank God,” said Mercury, a wave of relief washing over him. “I thought I was the only one who felt that way!”
    Venus shook her head. “All of the more sensitive angels feel that way sometimes. It’s an occupational hazard.” She regarded the decapitated form piteously.
    “So what’s the answer?” Mercury asked.
    Venus smiled. “Style,” she said.
    Mercury’s brow furrowed. “Style?”
    “Yep,” she said. “And you, friend, have got it in spades. You’re going to go far.”
    “I… don’t understand.”
    “If you’ve got an unpleasant job to do, the best way to do it is with style. I mean, this business with the horse, getting the Trojans to work their asses off to drag a bunch of greasy Greeks right into the heart of Troy. That is style . That kind of thing will get you noticed. Not to mention the crazy snake-staff and the shoes with wings on them. ”
    “They’re called rubbers,” Mercury said.
    “Fine. Your crazy snake-staff and your rubbers. The point is , p eople aren’t going to forget you around here anytime soon. ”
    “But… how is that an answer to all those nagging questions? How do I know I’m doing the right thing?”
    Venus laughed . “You’ve missed the point completely. You don’t have any control over what you do. You’re given a job, and you have to do it. The only thing for you to figure out is how you’re going to do that job. Are you going to do it by the book, dotting the I ’s and crossing the T’s, or are you going to do it with some creativity and panache? In other words, with style ? If you have enough style, you can almost make yourself forget about that constant existential doubt that gnaws at your soul. ” She slapped Mercury on the shoulder. “ Anyway, gotta go make sure Aeneis isn’t getting into any trouble. I’ll put in a good word for you with Uzziel . Expect a promotion. See ya ! ” With that, Venus vanished into the night.
    Mercury made his way out of the city alone , making his way up a hill where he could get a better view of the city. As he trudged up the slope, someone jumped out from behind a boulder, startling him. The figure’s long white beard shimmered in the moonlight.
    “H i , Dave ,” said Mercury when he recognized the man . “You missed all the excitement.”
    “Did it work?” Daedalus asked anxiously.
    “It worked,” replied Mercury. “Better than it had any right to, actually.”
    “Yes!” Daedalus cried, pumping his fist in the air. “I’m back! This is the best thing I’ve done since the Labyrinth of the Minotaur. Man, I can’t wait to get started on my next project. I’m thinking some sort of amphibious assault vehicle.”
    “ Dave , listen to me,” said Mercury, stopping and putting his hand on the old man’s shoulders. “No more weapons, OK? Build something productive. Something inspiring. It would mean a lot to me if you could do that.”
    Daedalus thought for a moment. “Well, I’d still like to get those shoes to work. Imagine, a human being flying like a