Vatican Ambassador Page 11

  BC has enjoyed the reports, but not the attention that he’s been getting as a result of being the peace conference’s power broker. He’s not used to being in the public eye.

  News organizations have already started trying to dig up dirt on BC. Some reports have made mention of

  "an apparently shady past", but most haven't gone any deeper. Of course, the UTZ does sponsor most of the news.

  Maybe Wentworth is keeping them from going any further. Something’s holding them back. Guess I appreciate it. Enough scrutiny is enough!

  I used to be good at not being seen. This is so much the polar opposite, it’s weird. At least McEntyre's news is distracting some of the media glare.

  Wentworth is good, I'll give him that. Damn, people eat that stuff up! You don't have to work hard to make them believe it. They want to believe it, or at least think about it. The world runs on rumors. And I'll take this as a lesson never to cross Wentworth… sorry, Fiza. By week’s end the rumors about Daniel McEntyre are flying fast and furious, planted, BC has no doubt, by Wentworth's people. Rumors of love, and jealousy, and the death of Meredith McEntyre. Horrible stories BC couldn’t think up are circulating as if true. The video of Nita Bendix leaving McEntyre’s office is playing repeatedly on the news.

  BC tries to avoid the man himself.

  Thursday night, BC ducks out of McGrady’s when McEntyre makes an entrance. He looks horrible… looks like he might already be drunk… and I’m not looking for a fight!

  The news on Friday morning confirms BC’s instincts: McEntyre had to be taken away from McGrady’s by the LSC after starting a brawl with some other patrons. Friday afternoon, Daniel McEntyre tenders his resignation as Governor of Lunar Prime, citing "personal health reasons".

  BC's first gig as full ambassador is attending the swearing in the new Governor of Lunar Prime, Amanda Erskine, the following Monday, October 20th. In contrast to the events staged by McEntyre, Erskine’s swearing in ceremony tries to be a low-key affair. The attempt is somewhat thwarted by the swarms of news media covering the swearing in as part of the sordid McEntyre story. BC decides to take advantage of the media zoo. As the news media buzz around him asking questions, BC makes an announcement:

  “Thank you all for joining us for this next great step in the future of Lunar Prime. I’d like to be the first to congratulate the new Governor of Lunar Prime, Amanda Erskine!” BC starts clapping, leading the group to join in his applause.

  Seems like a nice person, reasonable woman. I don’t think she had any real ties to McEntyre. She was never on any of the OPO watch lists. Her record is clean, no sign of UIN collaboration. No apparent religious affiliation, though there’s a note she paid some lip service to Buddhism. Never suspected of anything by the OPO, or there would be a bigger file. Seems they hardly knew she existed, just kept a file on her because she was in politics. Born here on the Moon. Native daughter. Edwards liked her, trusted her, so she could be okay. Of course, Edwards liked and trusted me, and look where that got him!

  Before they can start shouting questions at him again, BC raises his voice.

  “And speaking of our next great steps into the future, I’d like to announce today a second peace conference, to be held here on the Moon in the coming months. This is the first word anyone has heard of it!” BC says with a grin. “But I believe we need to move now, while we have the momentum!”

  They shout questions at him:

  “Does Al Salid agree to this?”

  “He’s just finding out. I don’t know,” BC admits.

  “Has Pope Linus directed you to…?”

  “The Pope, I’m sure, will support any efforts we make towards peace,” BC assures them.

  “Isn’t it risky just announcing a conference like this? What if no one agrees to come?”

  “Then everyone else will know they’re the problem. Look, by announcing it now, everyone finds out at once,” BC points out. “No one can complain that they heard about the conference before or after anyone else. I thought it was a good place to start. And anyone who backs out will have to explain to the rest of us and the public why.”

  “Does the UTZ intend to come back to the table ready to deal?”

  “I sure hope so. That’s all for now, everyone. Thank you!” BC says. He looks over at Governor Erskine and shrugs. The news media continue firing away with questions.

  “Let’s talk later,” BC tries to yell to Erskine over the din of reporters questions. She nods. BC ducks out of the auditorium and heads back into the safety and quiet of the Vatican Mission. Let ‘em chew on that for a while! It’s not the smartest, most diplomatic way to propose another conference, but I’m thinking it might make one inescapable. We’ve got to keep the momentum going!

  Governor Amanda Erskine calls on the com soon after BC settles in at his office.

  “That was some stunt,” she says, but she doesn’t sound happy about it.

  “Thank you,” BC says.

  “It wasn’t a compliment,” she snaps. “Don’t take it as one. I don’t like to be surprised like that. And it was kind of rude of you to upstage my inauguration!”

  “I didn’t think it would offend you to have your swearing in and a peace conference linked together in the public’s mind,” BC tells her.

  “Fine,” she says. “Okay. But it made me mad. Ambassador,” she says, finally using his title. Heh… “Ambassador”. That sounds good…

  “I wasn’t intending to slight you, governor,” BC explains. “I don’t think I upstaged you either, ma’am, but if you feel that I did, I certainly want to apologize. That was not my intent. I merely hoped to use the very public opportunity given me by the media to move the peace process along.”

  “Huh,” Erskine says. “Was that really an apology?” BC starts to protest but she cuts him off. “Look, BC, I know you’re a powerful man. But I’m a powerful woman. I play fair, though. All I want to do is make sure you fair, too.”

  “Is it ‘playing fair’ to make you the first I ask to confirm you’ll join in? And, of course, agree to host the upcoming, follow-up peace conference?”

  “So now you ask?” Erskine questions him. “What if I don’t give you an answer yet?”

  Oh man, I hope I haven’t burned this bridge too early!

  “That’s fine,” BC tells her, “it’s certainly your prerogative. I would ask you to please let me know your answer soon, though, only because if you don’t agree to join in I’ll need to find a new location for the conference.”

  “That would make me look good, wouldn’t it?” Erskine says sarcastically. “The new Governor of Lunar Prime and one of my first acts is turning my back on a peace conference?” She pauses. BC doesn’t say a word.

  She laughs a humorless ironic laugh. “You bastard. You’ve squeezed me into a corner on my first day on the job!”

  “Sorry you see it that way,” BC tells her, “but I’m hoping everyone feels the same pressure to join in. It’s a great cause...”

  “I’m in,” Erskine says, surprising BC with the abrupt announcement. “But only so I don’t have to speak to you for a while, Ambassador. I’m not impressed by this whole reckless thing. And I’m not impressed by you. Please, keep your distance for a while. Contact my office with any scheduling needs. Good day.” She signs off.

  Well, I’ve certainly honked her off! Hope my announcement is received better elsewhere. It is. Both sides are surprised, but forced by the publicity to work with BC once again. He manages to set up the follow up conference for mid-February. With plans in the works, BC takes some time off from the diplomacy around Christmas.

  If I’ve learned anything, it’s that Christmas holds too many memories, old ones for the Muslims, new ones for the rest of us. This time of year used to be a happy time, a time for gift giving and loving your fellow man and all that. Now it’s a time that reminds us how cruel we can be to each other. Not a good time of year for diplomacy, at any rate. BC turns to the Vatican Mission and more traditional duties over his �
�Christmas break”. The NcC

  congregation on the Moon has actually grown in the last year. The staff has grown as well. Jim Fitzgerald is finally studying for ordination to the priesthood. Father Daycomb stayed with the mission even after BC

  returned from the Vatican, and has taken over most of the day-to-day Masses and sacraments. And he’s probably filing daily reports with Pope Linus, too. No matter. I’ve got nothing to hide! Report away on the glorious goings-on of the Ambassador for the Vatican!

  With all the masses and rituals surrounding the celebration of Advent and Christmas Father Daycomb has scheduled, BC doesn’t have many chances to worry about the upcoming peace conference. The conference itself is scheduled. Commitments are in place, to be firmed up in January. Travel plans are being finalized. It’s definitely happening. BC can relax and pretend to be a priest. He says Mass the Sunday before Christmas, meets the congregation at the back of the chapel afterwards to mingle and make small talk.

  It’s funny, I still feel like I’m fooling everyone. I’m no priest! I just play one in real life. But if I’m not a priest, and I’m not really an assassin anymore, what am I? Who am I?

  The Ambassador for the Vatican? I guess. That’s real enough. I’m making peace! Me! Who knew I could be a diplomat? Even though I’m not always diplomatic…

  BC would like to go over some of the details of the upcoming conference with Governor Erskine. But Erskine, evidently, is still mad at BC for the stunt that set the peace conference wheels in motion. The new governor claimed to be unable to meet one on one with BC in either November or December. Her last communiqué did express concern about the security and travel ramifications involved with the conference. She suggested they meet some time in early January.

  BC finally gets himself scheduled on Governor Erskine’s calendar for the first Monday in January. Her schedule’s nearly full, but BC convinces her to join him for a dinner meeting. At least she’ll finally meet with me. It probably doesn’t hurt her image to keep her distance from me. Heh, maybe she learned from Edward's mistake. Well, at least she's finally agreed to see me. Happy New Year? Let's hope 2111 is a good year.

  As the Christmas week activities begin to die down, BC begins worrying about the upcoming peace conference again. The last major NcC related function BC has to attend is Wednesday night’s New Year’s Eve Mass.

  BC begins to feel nauseous midway through the Mass. He struggles to get through the rest of Mass as a headache begins to pound behind his eyes.

  Damn! I haven’t had a headache in months! I thought they were gone! Argh!

  As the congregation launches en masse into the Profession of Faith, their droning voices reciting the rote text join forces with BC’s headache to split his head clean open. I just want to yell, “SHUT UP! STOP TALKING INTO MY BRAIN! IT’S FULL ALREADY!

  IT’S GONNA EXPLODE!”

  He rubs the bridge of his nose, trying not to look as bad as he feels. Despite BC’s attempts, Daycomb notices BC’s condition from the side of the altar. He approaches BC as the Profession draws to its close.

  “Father BC? Are you alright?” Daycomb asks in a loud whisper.

  “I’m… no, I feel like I’ve got a bug coming on, all of a sudden,” BC tells him.

  “I can take over here, if you’d like,” he whispers.

  “That… that would probably be good,” BC says. BC shakes Daycomb’s hand, and then makes his way off the altar. Daycomb steps in to finish the Mass for BC.

  BC gets out of his vestments in the chapel sacristy and half walks, half lurches to his rooms. Fucking headache! Damn! I hope nobody sees me like this… they’re going to think I’m drunk… or worse. I can hear it now, “Little early to be celebrating the New Year, isn’t it, Father?”

  BC finally makes it to his rooms. Once there, he does the only thing he can: He lies down and tries to sleep the headache away. While all around him the population of Lunar Prime celebrates 2111, BC

  greets the New Year literally lying down, debilitated by his latest monster headache. BC doesn’t miss the party entirely. He wakes up headache free the next morning, the first day of the New Year, and a Friday. The New Year’s celebration seems to go one for another three days, right through the weekend. BC joins in some of the fun, but by Sunday afternoon he’s had enough. He begins to plan his week ahead, and for his meeting Monday night with Governor Erskine. Might as well hit the ground running tomorrow. Feels like it’s when the New Year really starts. The New Year marks the beginning of the easing of the travel restrictions negotiated in the October Peace Conference. Some tentative commercial activity is scheduled to start, too; trade between the UIN

  and UTZ on semiofficial levels, mostly. The visitation clause is in place, but the logistics of making it work aren’t. The UTZ Council seems to be dragging its collective feet.

  BC knows the visitation rights will come up again in the February conference if they aren’t worked out sooner. His first priority Monday morning is to try to get the UTZ moving. There's still a lot of work that needs to be done just to get this thing started. I'm afraid both sides will accuse the other of dragging their feet if we stay stalled. And maybe rightfully so! I don’t want to spend the next peace conference all mired down discussing the last peace conference. Maybe Governor Erskine can help. Might be a way to engage her. Have to see how it goes tonight. Interesting. A one on one business dinner. Very civilized. We'll see what she's all about. Hmmm. Incoming communication.

  Mr. Richard Wentworth! My favorite species of pond scum! It's been too long! Well, I had to talk to him today anyway. Rumor has it he’s been elected the chair of the UTZ council!

  "Richard Wentworth! How are you?"

  "Happy New Year, Campion."

  "Happy New Year. So. Is it true what I hear? Are you the new Chairman?"

  "Me? God, no! Never! I never enjoy the exercise of overt power, Campion; you should know that by now. I much prefer my work behind the scenes. The power behind the throne, and all that. No, DeMag is the new chairman of the UTZ board. Folsom decided he'd had enough."

  "Will DeMag honor the truce agreement?"

  "Naturally. But that's not what I called about."

  "No?"

  "No. I'm calling to confirm that we will be attending the February follow up conference. Has the UIN

  confirmed yet?"

  "Not yet. But it’s early yet. Only the first week of the New Year, Wentworth, give them time. Patience is a virtue, they tell me," Campion gibes.

  Wentworth changes the subject. "You are to be congratulated, Campion. This truce seems to be holding."

  "I need you to move on the visitations," BC says, not missing a beat.

  "Yes, you do," Wentworth apparently agrees. "Folsom was falling behind on a few things. This is one of the areas DeMag is focusing on first. We want progress before we meet again in February."

  "The faster the better. Get something in place before the February conference or we’ll just find ourselves revisiting old discussions. You know that. Will you be representing the UTZ again this time, Wentworth?"

  "No. DeMag wants to do it himself. Sign of new hands-on leadership, that sort of thing. He'll be coming this time. I'll stay here. We want to be sure he looks like his own man."

  "'Looks like' being the operative words?" BC prods.

  "Clever. DeMag is first among equals, as we all are on the UTZ Board. We serve each other. Speaking of serving, is your Pope Linus going to make the journey this time?"

  "I haven't been able to get him to commit to it . The ayatollah won't commit either. Each of them is waiting for the other one to go first."

  "Both stubborn bastards, eh? What, now that it’s not his idea Linus doesn’t want to come?"

  “He didn’t come last time, either.”

  “Maybe he doesn’t travel well,” Wentworth quips.

  “I’m tempted to just tell each of them the other one has already committed."

  "Then do that," Wentworth encourages BC.

  "What?"
>
  "Try it, anyway. See what happens. What have you got to lose? Worse things have been done in the name of peace. The ends will justify the means."

  "Wow. I don't think I can be that devious..." BC shakes his head.

  "Don't kid yourself. You? Remember who you’re talking to Campion! I know what you’re capable of!

  Are you getting soft, Campion? I worry about you losing your edge," Wentworth chides.

  "Go fuck yourself."

  "Ah, much better. Spoken like a true diplomat."

  "Right. You’ve confirmed DeMag for the conference. Now, get moving on the visitation rights for the UIN’s top five holy places and maybe we can get down to some real discussions next month.

  “Was that it, Wentworth?"

  "So dismissive! Your position going to your head, Campion? "

  "Good day, Wentworth."

  Click.

  “And off.”

  Wentworth. What an ass. But he's got a point. Why not tell the Ayatollah and the Pope what they each want to hear? They don't talk to each other, that's for sure. How would they know I was blowing smoke?

  "Give me a com line to Vatican City , please,” BC calls out to his room’s com unit. “Office of the Pope."

  "Opening communications," the com informs him.

  "Vatican. Office of the Pope. Hello, Ambassador Campion."

  "Greetings. Is Pope Linus available?"

  "Just a moment. Yes! The Lord's looking on you with favor, father. Pope Linus is available. He's had a very busy day today, but you're fortunate. He has time for you. Hold a moment, please." Don't tell me how lucky I am to...

  "Ambassador?"

  "Your holiness."

  "What's going on?"

  "Well sir, it's the peace conference. The Ayatollah has confirmed that he is willing to come to the next one, in February. He won't admit this publicly until you announce your intent, but he is going to attend, he assures me."

  "Really, now." The Pope answers, then a pause. "So, are you saying that, if I decide to go to the Moon for this conference in the first place, I have to announce publicly that I'm going before the Ayatollah will announce publicly that he's going? That still doesn't strike me as fair or..."