Vatican Abdicator

by Mike Luoma

  “What? I said ‘great’, ‘good job’; that’s praise, isn’t it?”

  “You didn’t say ‘great job’, you just said ‘good’,” she corrects him.

  “Jesus!” BC sighs, exasperated. “Look, I’ll propose a toast to them at the party, okay? We can certainly take a few hours off to celebrate.”

  “Thank you,” Anita says, the sarcastic edge still in her voice, “your majesty!” She mockingly bows and leaves BC standing alone in the landing bay.

  I never know how to take her… was she serious?

  BC just shakes his head.

  He finds out where he’s staying. He heads to his room to take a nap before the party starts. A com tone wakes him up.

  “BC? Almost party time!’ Anita says over the com. “I thought you’d want an hour or so to get ready.”

  “Very thoughtful. Thank you, Anita.”

  “You… you’re welcome,” she says, and then signs off.

  There’s still something… some tension there. Why is she so mad at me?

  Like I can puzzle that out!

  Can’t worry about it too much.

  Let’s party… Watch the Eldred or Dolomay attack at the stroke of midnight. While we’re toasting ourselves!

  They celebrate in style, turning the landing bay into a dance hall, a party zone with colored lights and music. BC does indeed toast the scientists for their efforts, their labor and hard work. The Project pilots and training crews skip the party, acting on BC’s orders, heading immediately back to Earth and Mars.

  After the party, BC and Anita spend the night together. The next morning, Anita sees him off as BC hops a ship back to Lunar Prime, leaving the Project scientists to get back to their work. As BC’s ship leaves Ceres, the first wave of UIN and UTZ ships arrives for retrofitting. We’ve got some breathing room. We’ve got to do all we can as fast as we can. Dolomay or the Eldred could be back at any time. Our forces are smaller, but if we can keep it together…

  maybe we can survive. Maybe we can even win this fight. I hope we’re stronger for all our trials. Not kind, not pretty, but resilient and strong.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Reports have Dolomay out far from the Solar System, hitting some of the fringe worlds of The Flaze. The Eldred continue to hang back, observing, silent. Taking advantage of the relative calm, BC

  meets with the UTZ Council to push for his currency name change. After some initial friction, they agree to call them “Alliance Dollars.” BC goes further. He proposes the new government. The UTZ Council, goaded by Wentworth, reluctantly agrees to the new representative body. BC is able to make the Solar Alliance official.

  They set a date for a parliamentary election in three months: June 4th, 2112. Representatives will be elected from Earth, Earth Orbit, The Moon, Mars and the Project bases, creating a government body that will then elect a Prime Representative. The Prime Representative will then organize the rest of the government out of the other representatives. The UTZ Council will remain in an advisory position to whoever becomes Prime Representative.

  BC decides to run as a representative for Vatican City. Richard Wentworth runs as one of the orbital representatives. Anita Capituna runs to be one of the representatives for the Project bases, all the while espousing her hatred for politics. Strong candidates arise on Earth and Mars as well. The Khalif does not engage in politics, preferring to remain the religious leader to his people. Three months of campaigning pass by quickly. Fortunately, their breathing room continues, as the Eldred remain aloof and Dolomay is reported to be ranging far beyond the reaches of Flaze space, into distant systems populated by alien races not yet known to humanity. The unified military is christened the Solar Alliance Interplanetary Force: SAIF. “Keeping the Solar System SAIF!” Four divisions cover Earth and Earth Orbit, the Moon and the asteroid base, Ceres and the shipyard. The Project continues to retrofit the SAIF ships on the old asteroid base while the shipyard cranks out more Stinger Ships. Ceres has become the central point for travel to the Project Outposts in Deep Space.

  The SAIF’s fourth division, based on the Project base at Ceres, functions as an elite force. They’re equipped with the cutting edge tech the Project develops as soon as it’s tested and deemed operational. They train among the asteroids. Among the rank and file of the SAIF, the fourth becomes known as the division to serve in. Based in the asteroids they’re kept from the public eye and hopefully from the eyes of Dolomay and the Eldred as well.

  On Election Day, BC is chosen to sit on the new Solar Alliance parliament. Anita Capituna is elected representative and governor of the Project holdings in the asteroids, even though the general public is still only dimly aware of the bases’ existence. The formation of the Solar Alliance creates a growing awareness in the public of just how far the Project has taken humanity into the stars. In the absence of any real competition, BC is raised to Prime Representative during the first session of the Solar Alliance House of Representatives. BC names Anita the Project Director and CEO. Under her leadership the Project’s assembly plants have been cranking out Transpace warships as fast as they can, applying the technical advances reverse-engineered from the Eldred ship. Things have been going well through the spring and early summer, but BC still looks over his shoulder, constantly waiting for Dolomay or the Eldred to strike their next blow. BC’s July begins with meetings, appointments requested by the representatives of the Flaze and the Domo. Together. Funny. The Eldred once told us never to trust the Flaze and the Domo when they work together… Hmmm.

  Two Domo dressed in sparkling purple robes roll into BC’s new Prime Representative’s office on Lunar Prime. Two spindly-limbed Flaze follow them in, awkwardly angling their way sideways through the doorway and into their seats at BC’s conference table. One of the Domo speaks first.

  “Congratulations, Prime Representative Campion,” the alien greets BC, “on your electionssss.”

  “Thank you,” BC says. The Flaze merely nod at BC. “What can I do for you?”

  “I believe it is more a case of what we can do for you!” the Domo says.

  “Oh really,” BC responds cautiously.

  Can’t dismiss them outright.

  “Really,” the other Domo says. “We want to help. Serve as go-betweens. Between you humans and the Eldred.”

  “I see… Have you spoken with the Eldred lately?” BC asks. “Because, you see… and this is the thing,” BC involuntarily raises his voice a little, “they’ve been attacking US!”

  “Yes, we know,” the first Domo says. “And this is unfortunate. But you are attacking them. In their eyes.”

  “In the eyes of the Eldred,” the other Domo continues the thought, “Dolomay and his humans are the same as the rest of you. And they are attacking everybody.”

  The Flaze hisses and wheezes and the wrist worn translator says, “Dolomay and his men attack us even now.”

  Not really having a response, BC just stares back at the four aliens, not saying a word.

  “We believe we can help both sides,” the first Domo says, “and ourselves.”

  “Of course,” BC acknowledges.

  “It makes sense to us to make you this offer,” the Domo says with a nod. BC feels tired. Drained.

  Damn Domo! What’s their game? Just being near them makes me drowsy!

  “Tell you what,” BC says, “Detail for me in a report how you propose to get the Eldred to stop attacking us, and what you want from the Solar Alliance in return.”

  “A report?” the Domo asks.

  “Put it in writing,” BC tells the alien. “I have to go now. Other meetings, other things to attend to,” he tells them.

  “What could be more important than the very survival of your race?” the first Domo asks BC.

  “Nothing, I assure you. But I can’t waste my time either.”

  “You think we are wasting your time?”

  “I think there’s something you want from me. But I don’t think the Eldred will listen to you. I know we all want t
o stop Dolomay. But I don’t think you can help us do that either.”

  “We need to prove our worth to you, then,” the Domo says. “We once were a value to those of you in your ‘Project’. Could we not be a valuable ally once again?”

  The Flaze hisses and clicks, “Allies,” the translator says.

  “Dolomay once again has a small fleet of ships, and an apparent planetary base,” the Domo says.

  “Perhaps this information is useful to you?”

  It is. Damn. Didn’t know Dolomay had built back up again. Not great news… But it is

  ‘useful’, I guess.

  “What do you know?” BC asks them.

  “We know where his planetary base is,” the Domo tells BC. “We also know that the Eldred have not been merely observing you. The Eldred are preparing… something. A new weapon, a new plague, it is unclear. But they have gone into a defensive mode,” the Domo says. “Now might be a good time to talk to them.”

  “Now? How is this a ‘good time’?” BC asks the alien incredulously.

  “They are not attacking. We can speak with them on your behalf. It is, therefore, a good time,” the Domo assures BC.

  The Flaze hisses, clicks and wheezes, and the translator speaks: “We are being attacked by Dolomay. We need your help. You know Dolomay and how he thinks. His people are your people. Help us stop him. This helps you as well.”

  Funny that the Flaze, although using a translator, speak clearest to what they want. They’re willing to admit what’s in it for them.

  “So,” BC says, “Our friends the Flaze are looking for our help?”

  The Flaze, through the translator, says, “Yes.”

  “We all help each other,” the Domo insists. “We speak to the Eldred for you – you benefit!”

  “So you say,” BC says in tepid agreement.

  The Domo continues, “If your forces were to engage Dolomay’s forces… that would draw him away from the Flaze - the Flaze benefit.”

  BC grows tired, more drained. He stifles a yawn.

  “So how, then, do the Domo benefit?” BC asks.

  “We benefit in closer relations with humans and better relations with the Eldred. And we have agreements between ourselves and the Flaze. We benefit from these as well.”

  I bet you do…

  “I see.”

  Damn, its draining just to sit here and listen to this thing!

  “We tell you where Dolomay and his base are, you deal with him, the Domo says. “We tell the Eldred what you are doing, and then negotiate with them on your behalf.”

  “So what are the Flaze doing?” BC asks.

  The lead Flaze hisses. “In part,” the translator says, “We keep the other races at bay.”

  “Other races?” BC wonders.

  The Flaze hisses, wheezes, clicks and is translated, “The Snakt. The Devrizium. Others. There are many other races out there, Bernard Campion. Dolomay has been striking them as well. And with the Eldred so distracted by you and Dolomay, many sense opportunity as well.”

  “Their first ‘opportunity’ in hundreds of thousands of years,” the Domo adds. “The Flaze could be quite busy.”

  The Flaze rises up as it speaks again through its translator, “We know how to fight these aliens!”

  BC closes his eyes. He pinches the bridge of his nose, trying to fight the exhaustion now threatening to overwhelm him.

  “Look,” he says to the aliens, “let me think on this generous offer. Can we reconvene tomorrow?”

  “Certainly,” the Domo says.

  “Thank you,” BC says. He smiles and excuses himself. He ducks out of the room as quickly as he can.

  Damn! I’ve never experienced the ‘Domo Drain’ quite that severely before. It must come on stronger when they want something from you. I need some sleep, now. BC retires to his rooms to rest after his encounter. Sleep quickly overtakes him. He finds himself again at the center of a still gray sea, at the center of the silent ocean. The walls fall away and he’s surrounded by gray.

  THERE IS… WHERE IS… THERE YOU ARE! THERE!

  BC feels a hammer come down on his head.

  Defend!

  YOU RESIST, INFANT?!

  Defend!

  YOU CANNOT!

  I can! DEFEND!

  Silence.

  I can!

  Lord, please let me sleep in peace!

  Silence continues. Having shut out his adversary, BC finally rests and gets some peaceful sleep. He greets the Domo and Flaze representatives refreshed the next morning. His mind buzzes with a new set of questions to ask them.

  “Before we go any further,” BC begins, “I’ve got a few questions for you. I’d like to ask you more about the ‘Ancient Enemy’.”

  “We will tell you anything we can,” the first Domo says cautiously.

  “What sort of psionic abilities, telepathic abilities, did the Ancient Enemy possess?” BC asks them.

  “What do you mean?” the Domo asks, in either real or feigned ignorance.

  “Maybe that isn’t translating so well,” BC offers.

  The Flaze hisses out an answer, translated, “We know what you meant.”

  “Thank you,” BC says, turning to directly address the suddenly helpful alien. “Could you elaborate?”

  The Flaze begins a long hiss, then clicks, wheezes and hisses again. The translator kicks in midway through.

  “The Ancient Enemy could invade your mind as well as your planet,” the translator says, “turn other beings into their mental slaves. At least, the strongest among them could.”

  “Ah!” The Domo figures out what BC is asking. “The canark, yes, the mind attack! We did not understand before. There were those among the Ancient Enemy who could bend others’ wills to their own.”

  “Was Dolomay one of the strong ones?” BC asks.

  “We have no idea,” the Domo admits. “We had not heard any reference to him specifically. We have only stories and legends of that distant past. None of those really tell us individual’s names. But they do tell of the canark. ”

  “The Canark, BC says, “Mind attack. Canark attack.”

  “Excuse me?” the Domo says.

  “Never mind.”

  The Domo looks scared.

  “What?” BC asks. “What did I say?”

  “The ‘never mind’ is a complete state of no-mind the end result of the worst canark, erasure… a walking death!”

  “Sorry,” BC apologizes. “It’s just a human expression, like, ‘don’t worry about it.’ I didn’t mean to scare you!”

  The two Domo settle down.

  Spooked them!

  The Flaze pipes up again. The translator speaks.

  “The Eldred also possessed this ability, though to a far more limited degree. They were much weaker.”

  “Do they still?” BC asks.

  “We would think so,” The Flaze says, translated.

  No kidding! I wonder if the Eldest of the Eldred read my mind during our visit on Eldray?

  Could I be hearing one of the Eldred in my head? to be Dolomay?

  I don’t think so…

  “Well, thank you for this information,” BC says. “It’s quite important to us. I’ll take this as a gesture of friendship and goodwill between our races.”

  “Does this mean you are taking us up on our offer of diplomacy?” the first Domo asks.

  “Can’t hurt,” BC admits. “Go ahead. See if the Eldred are willing to refrain from trying to wipe out the human race.”

  “Er, well, yes. We will go and see if we can open a dialogue,” the Domo says. The Flaze hisses something. The translator says, “We will open Flaze territory to you. Provide you with star charts. A moment.”

  The Flaze pauses.

  “They have been sent to your network,” the Flaze informs him.

  “Just like that, huh?” BC is impressed.

  The Domo shifts nervously, but then steadies. “And now, we have sent the location of Dolomay’s base to your net,” the
Domo tells him. The Domo then gets up from the table. “That is all for now.” They leave the room followed out by the Flaze. The lead Flaze pauses before leaving the room.

  “Thhhhhhank you,” the Flaze manages to hiss out without the translator. After starting a second in surprise, BC nods at the alien. “Thank you,” he says, and he gives the Flaze a slight bow. The alien turns and leaves the room.

  Well, that’s something. Allies? I don’t think so. I just don’t trust them. BC returns to his office out the viewport, out over the empty gray surface of the Moon. Can we take either the Flaze or the Domo at their word? What is the word of an alien worth? Guess we’ll find out.

  Using the new information, BC orders a SAIF squadron to the supposed location of Dolomay’s base. They arrive to find the base abandoned. Dolomay and his ships are long gone. But it’s clear they were there. Evidence of their occupation and their atrocities remains. Other evidence is discovered as well. Dolomay has been reported to have a woman at his side, a female consort. BC has heard the reports. But upon sifting through the ruins of the abandoned base, BC

  is confronted by printed proof. Worse still, BC recognizes the woman. Fiza.

  He’s gotta have her under his control! There’s no other way she would’ve… well, she might. But the last time I saw her she wasn’t exactly cozying up to him and his folks. Poor Fiza!

  She looks like she’s doing okay.

  BC is looking at a posed print of Fiza and Dolomay. His blonde hair is growing back in, the dark ends giving him a strange look. His arm is around her. She grins a nervous smile, but her arm is around Dolomay.

  Huh… she kinda looks happy. I guess.

  BC doesn’t know what to feel. He feels hurt seeing Fiza with Dolomay, but also afraid for her. And he can’t help thinking of Anita.

  Fiza is playing a dangerous game, but probably because she has to. Fiza. Anita. Jeesh. Maybe if I was the last man on Earth, or the Moon. Or Mars. Prime Representative. Pope. CEO of the Project. Titles. What are they? What are they worth? What am I worth?

  I don’t know anymore. No matter what I do, what level I reach… it still doesn’t seem like it’s enough. I still feel hollow. If God is Love – where do I find that love? Even when I was Pope, I couldn’t answer that. I don’t know if I’ve ever actually loved anyone! Does that make me evil?