by Mike Luoma
BC gets the package for his assignment early the next day. He reads through it as he packs a light travel kit: Fortune Station was built by the Sultan of Brunei in 2018. It's now occupied by "The Light" and his followers. Like M'Bekke told BC, this guy was so conservative he was radical. His brand of Christianity was akin to old communism, according to the OPO briefing. He and his followers live, the cult claims, as the first Christians did, with common possessions and no hierarchy, aside for the preeminence of "The Light."
Just another utopian wet dream. His interpretation's not that far from the truth, though, from what I've heard. I've always thought Jesus was a commie. Kind of liked him for it.
When the Roman Catholic Church finally joined in the Great Ecumenical Reunification it drove the Cardinal out of the Church. He refused to acknowledge the New catholic Church, and retreated with his followers to the Midwest of North America. When he declared himself "The Light," he claimed the NcC was heretical, and declared that he himself was the only "true Light of Christ" left in the world. The OPO report describes his followers as hardcore loyals, loyal to him personally. He's a "charismatic, highly persuasive individual," according to the report.
The package has BC's transportation details as well. He's chartering passage on a light freighter equipped with a small passenger section. The ship's called the Paladin IV, captained by one Adrian Longeux, described in the package as "a devout follower of the Pope and the NcC." There's a picture of the captain, identification for security purposes. BC studies his face.
Looks honest. Sure, don't we all.
BC's stateroom com buzzes; it's Edwards.
"Campion! I need to see you ASAP!"
"Um... sure, governor. It's just, well, I'm just getting ready to leave on that assignment."
"This is pretty important, Campion. I'd like you to get over here just as soon as you can."
"Okay, sure. Sure. I'll be right over."
He sounds pissed! Better get over there.
BC is sent right in when he arrives at Edwards's offices.
"Come in, Campion," Edwards say to BC, then he calls to the room's security unit, "lock and secure this room. Thank you."
BC can hear the whirs and clicks around him as the room is secured.
Woah, this is weird. Maybe this is his game. Take me in to his confidence and then get weird on me. Let's see how it plays...
"Precautions, Marc?"
"Precautions. I've received some serious shit about you, BC. Serious shit."
"Such as?"
"Such as you kill people. You're an assassin for the Vatican, not some high level PR guy!"
"That's crazy. Who made these allegations?"
"Daniel McEntyre provided me with a confidential dossier on you. UIN property, Top Secret. Says a lot about you, how you were a con man minister who was legitimized to do the Pope's dirty work. And it says you're an assassin! He says it proves it was really you who killed Meredith! How do you answer that?"
"I say it's crazy, Marc! I mean, consider the source! The first time Daniel McEntyre met me, he physically attacked me, even then trying to blame me for his wife's death! It's fiction, some kind of UIN fabrication meant to discredit me."
Holy shit... got to think fast...
"He's still trying to make people think I somehow had something to do with her death, so he must have had his friends in the UIN doctor up some records to make you suspect me. Think about it! You've just taken me into your confidence. He sees that as threatening! You and I spoke in a public place about it. Word could have gotten back to McEntyre. Look at it! Right after we talk, he gives you a supposed dossier on me. What timing! And how could he get his hands on such a thing, did you ask him that?"
"He said he couldn't tell me how he got it. But it looks authentic! There are newspaper clippings of political killings, with reports tying you to several of them: diplomats, reporters, and politicians. They were all pro UIN, all killed by ‘unseen assailants'. There are even pictures of you at the scenes! It pretty damning evidence."
"It would be, if it was real. It's not, Marc. Doctored photos and fake stories, it's all part of their game. Psychological operations, covert warfare. They're obviously trying to make you stop trusting me."
How do I play this?
"Marc, you know I am more than a simple priest and PR flack. Can I trust you to keep my secrets if I tell you more?"
"That depends on what you tell me," Edwards says, then pauses. "I want to believe you, BC, but this evidence is hard to ignore."
"Marc, I work for the Pope in a less than overt capacity. McEntyre's challenged my credentials as a priest before, and accused me of assassination before. I didn't deny then and I won't apologize now for the fact I became a priest through some less than traditional circumstances. I do the Lord's work, make no mistake. I am not a cold blooded killer."
It is not I who kill. I am only the instrument of the Lord, after all. Truth of a sort.
Edwards takes it all in and stares at BC, considering. He starts to say something, then stops. BC can see the questions in his eyes.
"We're at war, Marc. You've only had a small taste of it here. We've been at war for years back on Earth. On and off, terrorist attacks and bombings, raids and assaults. The UIN have been trying to kill us, the Christians of Earth, for years! They'd like nothing better than to see me and every other Christian dead! We've been trying to not let them succeed at that. As Christians, we in the NcC are targets. The Moslems have always lumped us in with the UTZ, no matter the fact that there are no official ties. We've been 'accidentally' hit by UIN attacks in the past, but now they're doing so openly. You've seen the reports, they've hit the Vatican itself twice in the last month! Thank God the UTZ came to our defense. The Vatican has no defense of its own. Except for the Office of Papal Operations.
"The Pope started the OPO to provide security for the church, for the NcC. We look out for the interests of the New catholic Church. Essentially, the OPO gathers information and relays it back to the home base. Information is power, and Pope Peter, with God's guidance, we hope, wields that power for peace. We don't want war, so we try to protect ourselves by averting war. People like me, priests who work for the OPO, we watch and we report. We've been called spies, but scouts would be a better term, I think. The OPO watches."
Edwards is still quiet, listening to BC tell his tale.
I can't read him. I've got to let him in a little so he'll trust me again...
"Some of that information helps bring us the protective power of the UTZ. The UTZ enjoys the moral support of the NcC, and they have come to our aid, but we have no formal agreement. Aside from their emergency assistance, we're on our own. As for me? I was sent to the Moon to watch the McEntyres."
Edwards is surprised. "Really?"
"Really. The Vatican's been keeping close tabs on both of them. They've been in close and repeated contact with the UIN. Governor McEntyre had been trying to draw the Cardinal in, making official overtures of friendship, but the actions of her and her husband spoke louder than her words. We were pretty sure she wasn't being sincere with the Cardinal. Pope Peter sent me up here to see if I could find out what they were up to. I didn't think I was going to see her die in front of me!"
...and I didn't...
"So you're a spy? For the Pope? But not a killer, huh? That's still a lot, man."
"Well. Now you know all my secrets."
"I sincerely doubt that," Edwards says and begins to laugh, "but I've heard enough. It really comes down to you versus Daniel. You, I've only known for a short time. I've known him for a couple of years, but I really don't ‘know' him that well. I knew Meredith better. I liked her. She was a good woman. It's hard to believe she worked for the UIN, like you say. I think I trust you more than I trust him, but neither of you has me entirely convinced."
"Look, Marc, the OPO knew both the McEntyres were working with the UIN. But what if Meredith had stopped? What if we were wrong, and her overtures toward the Cardinal were for real? It might explain
why they killed her. Daniel's probably still working with them! How did he get that fake dossier, huh?"
"That's a good question."
"He's got to be UIN, Marc. While I'm gone, you should be careful. Keep him under close watch. He's poison. I don't know if you still want my advice, but I hope you'll take it this time."
"I still like you, BC, and still trust you on some level. I'd still like your advice. But trust is a rare commodity, I don't spread it around easily."
"I don't blame you. Neither do I. I usually don't trust anyone. But I like you, Marc, you're my kind of people, and I can trust you on some level, too, I think. So if you want my advice, you've got it. I've got to get going… if we're okay. I've told you all I can about what I'm doing here on the Moon."
"Not exactly a simple priest... "
"Will you keep my secrets?"
"Sure. It's a deal."
Edwards stands and extends his hand. BC leans across the desk and shakes it.
A strong, solid handshake. Good sign.
"Open the office!" Edwards calls to the room's security unit. The room whirs and clicks again, and the office door pops open. "Give me a call when you get back here, BC."
"I will."
BC leaves the office, heads back through the atrium and back to his rooms. He notices he's breathing a little heavy and his heart is racing.
That was too close. McEntyre's dead when I get back here. He'll be trying to undermine me the whole time I'm gone, I'm sure. I hope I've convinced Edwards not to listen to him. He is poison!
Chapter Thirteen