Vatican Ambassador

by Mike Luoma

  Blah blah blah blah blah…

  I’ve got a bad feeling about this…

  “No media past this point!”

  An LSC Officer barks at BC’s entourage as BC approaches the polls. “You all know that,” the man with the badge admonishes BC’s following. “No media within one hundred meters of any polling place, that’s the law!”

  “Thank you, officer,” BC says to the LSC. The man grunts back at him

  Personable. Nice fucking guy. Least he keeps them at bay…

  BC signs in, heads for the curtained voting booth, and casts his vote for Edwards. He draws back the curtain of the voting booth and looks around the polling place, looking for an exit different from the way he came in. He sees one, off across the other side of the room.

  Time to escape my entourage…

  BC ducks out the side door. He looks around. The media hounds seem to be unaware of this exit from the polling place. None of them are in sight.

  BC jogs down the corridor towards the main dome. He makes his way over to McGrady’s Pub. Edwards is using the pub as his election headquarters for the day today and, hopefully, for his victory celebration tonight.

  I might as well show up there now, and hide out in the corner. Try to hide in plain sight…

  BC finds the pub nearly empty. He waits after he gets inside, listening for the door to open again behind him and the media to swarm.

  There’s silence.

  BC smiles.

  “Hey. You okay?” the bartender calls over.

  “I’m okay,” BC says, looking back over his shoulder.

  BC stands there for a moment, still waiting for the media hounds to follow his trail into McGrady’s. Still nothing.

  BC is still smiling.

  “You expecting someone?” the bartender asks him.

  “Oh, I hope not,” BC says.

  “Uh huh,” the bartender grunts, “Well, so far so good, huh? “

  BC laughs. “So far…”

  “BC!” Edwards calls over from a table in the center of the pub. Julius Spears and his son are sitting there with him, along with two of Edward’s aides. BC walks over.

  “I’m not sure it’s a good idea for you to be here,” Spears says to BC as he reaches the table.

  “Tough,” BC says, dismissing the man with a word. He turns away from Spears and toward Edwards.

  “Marc, I just voted and lost the media that were trailing me. Mind if I hide out here in a corner somewhere and read, or knit, or something?”

  Edwards laughs. “Thanks!” He smiles. “That’s the first laugh, hell, first time I’ve even smiled today,”

  Edwards says. Then his face falls back into a frown.

  “It’s bad, BC. The poll we did late last night was horrible. McEntyre’s gonna win, and he’s probably gonna win big.”

  “You never know,” BC cautions Edwards, tries to raise his spirits. “Maybe when people get in the booth to vote, and see both names, they’ll go, ‘oh yeah, Daniel McEntyre, he’s that asshole’ and realize they’ve gotta vote for you. See? It’s simple.”

  “Damn, never realized you were such an optimist, BC,” Edwards says. He laughs ironically. Julius Spears gets up from the table. “Come on, son, we’re leaving,” he says to the boy. As the kid gets up, Spears turns to Edwards. “I’m not staying where my advice is clearly being ignored. Good luck, Governor.”

  “Thanks, Julius. I know you tried to help. Good luck with the agency.”

  “Right. Thank you,” Spears replies. He and his son leave the pub.

  “Have a seat, BC, looks like we’ve got the room,” Edwards jokes half-heartedly.

  “Actually, Marc, I wasn’t kidding about hiding in the corner,” BC says.

  “Really?”

  “Really. The media have been merciless!”

  “Like you’re telling me anything,” Edwards says with a chuckle. “Well, go ahead, hide away.”

  “Thanks for understanding, Marc,” BC says. “Hey, bartender,” he calls over. “Could I get a pint and an order of fish and chips?”

  “You got it!” he replies.

  “I’ll be over here, over in the corner,” BC tells him.

  BC ponders the pub and milks his ale, playing with his food for hours. More Edwards’s supporters arrive as the day goes on. By evening, the pub is full, but the mood is subdued, and the crowd oddly quiet, anticipating doom. By the time the media figure out that BC is in McGrady’s, he’s not the story anymore. The polls are closed, and Marc Edwards is the story.

  Edwards loses the election, and the Governorship of Lunar Prime, to Daniel McEntyre. Edwards makes the announcement to the crowd in McGrady’s.

  “Well, everybody, it’s happened,” Edwards says with a crooked smile. “Daniel McEntyre has won the race for Governor of Lunar Prime. And I have lost.”

  Edwards pauses, struggles a little to keep his composure. He looks up and continues.

  “I want to thank all of you for all your support. You’ve all been great! We’ve got a lot to be proud of!

  We all worked together to rebuild Lunar Prime…we did it! They can’t take that away, no matter what! I promise to work with Daniel McEntyre and his people as we begin the transition to a new administration.”

  Edwards looks around the room.

  “And I’d like to ask you all to be gracious and do the same. I know you will. Remember, we have work to do, until the inauguration. Let’s keep the place running well and do our best to see that all these changes go through smoothly. Thanks again, everybody. Thank you.”

  Edwards finishes with a sigh and steps back with his head down. One of his aides guides him over to a table to sit down as the crowd begins dispersing.

  March 24th, a day that will live in infamy…

  Well. Wonder how the new Governor McEntyre will like the new Vatican Mission? I’ll be sure to invite him over sometime soon for tea and crumpets...

  BC decides to head home to the Vatican Mission. He stops over to say goodbye to Edwards before he leaves.

  “Man, the people are morons, Marc. Pure and simple, they’re idiots. McEntyre’s a…”

  Edwards cuts him off. “He’s the governor now, BC,” Edwards says as he shakes his head, as if saying it makes it more real, more painful. “Or he will be, soon enough. You’ve gotta let bygones be bygones with him, BC, or he’ll evict you from your own mission!”

  “He can’t do that!” BC protests.

  “Sure he can, BC… I’m just saying… be careful, man. We’re at war; he can say it’s for Lunar Prime’s self-defense.” Edwards shakes his head again. He hardly looks up when he talks. “You’ve gotta play nice with him now, BC, I’m just trying to warn you for your own good.”

  “Well, thanks for that, Marc,” BC says, “I do appreciate it. And I do know that I’ve gotta try to get along with the guy. You’re right. That doesn’t make it any easier. And it doesn’t make me forget who he is… and who his friends are! This isn’t going to be fun.”

  “So sorry to ruin your fun,” Edwards says bitterly.

  BC frowns at his friend’s bitter barking. “Yeah. Guess it’s time to go. Sorry again about the election, Marc. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Sure. Thanks.” Edwards mumbles. He looks down and contemplates the tabletop as BC turns and leaves the pub.

  The inauguration of Daniel McEntyre as Governor of Lunar Prime is scheduled for six weeks later, Monday, May 5th. When he gets back to his quarters, BC has all his calendars fill the date in, in solid black.

  Black Monday, indeed. Worst of all, I’ll be forced to attend the damn thing!

  Chapter Three

  BC tries to visit Marc Edwards several times in April. Edwards claims to be too busy working on the transition to meet with him, but BC can hear the defeat in his voice over the com. BC finally gives up on calling and stops by the governor’s offices the weekend before the inauguration.

  “Marc?” BC says as he knocks and enters the office.

  The room is dark, lit
only by the sun and starlight reflecting off the Moon’s surface outside the panoramic windows.

  “BC?” BC hears Edwards ask softly out of the darkness. As BC’s eyes adjust, he sees that Edwards is sitting in the chair behind the desk, the chair turned around so Edwards can stare off into space.

  “I sure am gonna miss this view,” Edwards says wistfully.

  “Working hard on the transition, huh?” BC ribs him.

  “Well, that’s all pretty much done, now,” Edwards sighs. “Everything should be ready for Monday… did you get your invitation, BC?”

  “Yeah, surprise, huh?” BC jokes half-heartedly.

  “No, they had to invite you to represent the Pope,” Edwards replies, his sense of humor seemingly gone.

  “No, I know, Marc, no getting out of it. For either of us…” BC says into an awkward silence. Neither of them says another word for almost a minute. BC breaks the silence.

  “How’s the reconstruction going?” BC says, changing the topic.

  “Okay,” Edwards says, but he sounds distracted. “I guess.”

  Jeesh, he is just Mister Excitement! I wonder how long he’s been doing this, just sitting in here staring out the window? Seems to me the reconstruction’s slowing down a bit. Maybe that’s because Edwards has lost his motivation…

  “Are you okay?” BC asks Edwards.

  “Yeah,” he sighs, “Y’know, good as I can be, considering.”

  “Considering,” BC agrees.

  “What about you?” Edwards asks BC, brightening a bit. “You keeping out of trouble? I haven’t heard any reports, but…” he leaves the sentence hanging.

  “…I haven’t really been reading any reports, either.” I can hear what you’re saying, even though you’re not saying it, Marc. Defeat can be a hard and bitter pill to swallow. I’ve been there before…

  “No, me? I’m good,” BC assures him. “Incredibly uncomfortable at times, but good,” BC tells him.

  “I’m a little unsure of my status under the coming new regime, but I’m not stupid. If I’ve gotta work with the guy, I’ve gotta work with him.”

  “I never said you were stupid, BC,” Marc says.

  “Thanks,” BC says a little sarcastically. “What about you? What are you going to do? Stay here?”

  “I don’t know,” Edwards says, sounding depressed. “Guess I better figure that out quickly, huh?”

  “What? You’ve got until, what, Monday morning! Plenty of time,” BC jokes.

  “I better get to work then, huh?” Edwards says. BC can hear the dismissal in his voice.

  “So… see you Monday?” BC asks.

  “Yeah,” Edwards says, sounding distracted. BC ducks out of the darkened office, closing the door behind him.

  Poor guy… he sounds devastated. And rightfully so, I guess…

  Black Monday arrives. Many guests have been invited: UTZ CEOs, Pope Linus for the NcC, even UIN leaders. Travel, however, is still a tricky business, post war. Most invited guests not in close proximity, on the Moon or in close orbit, will not be attending, their invitations really only signs of honor and esteem from the new regime.

  BC is compelled to attend by a communiqué from the Curia, from Vatican City, informing him that he would of course be attending the inaugural festivities in the Pope’s absence. Compelled to attend the swearing in of a man I hate, who I know to be a UIN sympathizer and supporter… almost makes me miss Pope Peter, the old bastard… I don’t think the OPO would have had me attend this guy’s inauguration… unless it was to turn it into his funeral… ah, thinking pleasant thoughts to pass the weary time away…

  BC gets ready with an eye on the clock.

  10 AM… I will not be late for this sordid affair… No reason to give McEntyre any ammo to use against me. Any more ammo… There’s some real excitement in the air. The strange sense of limbo that has hung over this place since the election seems to have finally come to a head and broken open today. McEntyre’s inauguration should at least serve as some sort of closure. BC arrives, on time, and is told to stand with the other religious representatives for the ceremonies. At about 10:15, after the crowd has been seated and fidgeting for fifteen minutes, the lights in the auditorium finally go down.

  A piped-in fanfare begins, and golden light fades up, illuminating the hall. At an appropriate point in the music, the crescendo of a fanfare, the auditorium’s back doors open with a flash of light, and marching shadows appear.

  The light continues to rise, and BC watches McEntyre walk by in a procession of Lunar Government officials.

  Look at that shit. All puffed up and proud, makes me sick. Guess I can’t hit him, now. Be brought up on big charges! The moon may no longer be home for me anymore, with him in charge.

  No more friends in high places… no more backup on earth... Shit. What’s next? Keeping quiet and laying low?

  BC smiles and behaves himself throughout the ceremonies. He has to stay at the reception afterwards just long enough to be respectful. BC manages to avoid McEntyre at the reception almost entirely, until he is forced to face the man and play diplomat for a brief stint.

  BC is led before McEntyre as the Pope’s representative. McEntyre scowls briefly, but plays nice through the diplomatic niceties. BC offers the Pope’s official regards on McEntyre’s election. McEntyre thanks him curtly, dismissing him.

  Dick. Congratulations, asshole.

  BC moves aside for the next official representative come to offer congratulations, and then ducks back into the crowd. BC mills around the reception for a short time longer. As soon as he figures it’s safe, he ducks out and heads back to the Vatican Mission.

  Hate those things, unless I’m working. Then it’s more of a game. Well, I was working today. Not the same thing, not “working” working. I merely wanted to kill McEntyre; I wasn’t there to actually do the job. There’s a difference. Well, gotta file another report that no one will ever acknowledge…

  BC retreats to the Vatican Mission. He files a report on the day’s events. He starts to call Edwards, but thinks better of it.

  He probably wants to be alone… gotta find another window to stare out of, after all… that’s not really fair. The people here… I don’t get it. The guy helps put the place back together, but they listen to Daniel fucking McEntyre because he’s more charismatic, slicker, sharper, or something… I can only hope the guy leaves me alone. Well, that and I hope he doesn’t open the Moon wide open to the UIN…

  Chapter Four

  McEntyre’s first major action as governor is his new Lunar Neutrality Declaration. It’s announced in mid-May, to be signed in early June.

  Lunar Prime Governor Daniel McEntyre’s declaration sets out in no uncertain terms the independence and neutrality of the moon:

  “The free citizens in residence on the Moon, the people of Lunar Prime and its associated colonies, declare themselves to be free and independent of all authority save the democratic authority vested by them in the duly, democratically elected government of the Moon.

  “We declare the Moon neutral in this current conflict. We do not believe that faith should divide people, or be the cause for war. The current conflict is faulty in its causes and can only be fruitless in its outcome.

  “The Moon shall not be used as a staging area for battles. The Moon is not answerable to either side in this conflict. We recognize the United Trade Zone and the Universal Islamic Nation for what they are and the power they wield, but they do not wield that power over us. We welcome a diplomatic presence from both organizations, but both sides must recognize and respect the sovereign rights and laws of the local Lunar Prime Government.

  “The government of the Moon favors no faith, no creed, above any other. All are welcome on the Moon, as long as mutual respect is accorded to the members of other faiths.

  “This Lunar Neutrality Declaration also warns the sides in this current conflict not to test the resolve or the neutrality of the Moon. Any infraction, any violation of the rules, rights and law
s of the local Lunar Prime Government, or of this Declaration, will be met with swift and measured retribution. Do not mistake our love of peace for weakness.

  “The Moon stands alone, neutral, and free.

  “Signed and Acknowledged on this 8th Day of June, 2110:

  “Daniel McEntyre, Governor

  ”Amanda Erskine, Lieutenant Governor

  “Yari Sayannaya, Council Majority Leader

  “Saul Rabinowicz, Council Minority Leader”

  McEntyre declares the signing day a lunar holiday.

  BC declares June 8th a dark day.

  The Declaration sounds good, but I don’t trust McEntyre to enforce it equally. He’s way too cozy with the UIN. I’d like to be an optimist, but… I know better. At worst? This gives the UIN the open door to the Moon they want. At best, the signing ceremony is another fucking event I’ve got to attend for the Pope, another chance for McEntyre to parade around like a fucking peacock.

  At least I’ve been able to avoid McEntyre in the meantime. I think he’s been avoiding me, too. And at least he didn’t single out the Vatican Mission in the Declaration. It sounds like they’ll leave us alone... depends on what they’ll interpret as an ‘infraction’ or ‘violation’ of their rules. The whole ‘Declaration’ is ambiguous enough to be dangerous. I don’t know... I’ve got a bad feeling about this.

  BC begins the day by saying mass, as it’s a Sunday. Over the last half a year he’s actually gotten good at it. It’s given him something to do while rebuilding the place, and waiting for word from the Vatican. BC greets the parishioners after Mass at the back door of the chapel inside the Vatican Mission. He shakes hands and makes small talk. A man he doesn’t recognize shakes his hand and shifts a small cylinder into BC’s palm. BC palms and pockets it. The man ducks away quickly, before BC can stop him.

  Can’t stop him without making a big ol’ scene... hope this isn’t a bomb or a corrosive of some kind. I don’t think it is… actually, it feels like an OPO message cylinder! Have to check it out later.