Vatican Abdicator Read online

  BC also wants to ask him how “the book” is coming along.

  It took a lot longer than BC would have liked to iron out all the details of the Mars agreement. The Khalif, while “agreeable”, nevertheless proved to be quite stubborn when it came down to the fine details. But they’re done now, and he’s ready to sign, so BC is off to Mars. His visit is treated with pomp and ceremony. The Khalif has arranged an elaborate welcoming for BC. He gives BC his official greeting, but is soon at a distance as musicians perform and dervishes whirl. I’d like to pull the Khalif aside and ask him about the Book. Both he and M’Bekke have been dodging my questions on it lately.

  This is a nicer welcome than the sight of those Eldred Scout Ships we spied when we reached Mars’ orbit. Always hovering nearby, reminding us of their continuing presence. What do they wait for? Dolomay?

  The Khalif’s men escort BC to a suite for his overnight stay. He’ll sleep first, and then attend the signing ceremony tomorrow morning. BC will leave soon after it’s over. Having come out as far as Mars, BC is using his trip as an excuse to continue on out to Ceres to see Anita. The next morning, the Khalif convenes most of the UIN’s surviving population in a new domed auditorium for the signing ceremony. He has understandably abandoned the Terraforming of Mars in order to concentrate on reconstruction and rebuilding after the Eldred attacks and the raid by Dolomay. BC finds himself walking through acres of freshly built housing and other facilities, through shiny new corridors still sealed and sand free, as he makes his way to the auditorium. Again, the Khalif has arranged for music and dance to accompany the signing. BC tolerates the ceremony. He can feel the lurking Eldred Scout ships in the neighborhood, but the aliens do nothing more than make their presence felt.

  As he endures the signing ceremony, BC has his ship return to orbit. The captain is under orders to call BC if the Eldred make any furtive moves.

  BC finds himself continually frustrated in his attempts to draw the Khalif to the side. The ceremony has them seated apart. They’re only in speaking distance as they sign the treaty.

  “Khalif, if I may…” BC begins. The Khalif cuts him off.

  “It is a great day, is it not, BC? All of us united!”

  Is that sarcasm I’m hearing? I’m not sure the Khalif is really sure about all this.

  “We should talk…”

  “Later. For now, we put on our show, eh?”

  They sign the treaty and return to their seats until the ceremony ends. Guess we’ll speak at the reception after the ceremony.

  BC can’t seem to find the Khalif in the crowd at the reception. He spots him across the room several times, but never seems to find him there when he approaches. BC feels like the Khalif is avoiding him.

  He knows I want to talk about the Book….

  BC wants to talk with the Khalif about any progress on “the book of unity” as they’ve called it, but the Khalif seems to find ways of eluding any chance for BC to speak with him one-on-one. BC

  eventually gives up, frustrated that there is no time for those discussions amid the politics. BC’s Stinger Ship lands a few minutes after the reception begins. The pilot calls BC on the com and lets him know they’re ready to go whenever BC is. After a few more futile attempts to corner the Khalif in conversation about the book, BC finally gives up completely and heads back to his ship. Hope Anita is in a friendlier and more welcoming mood than the Khalif was. BC hops out to Ceres to see Anita. Unfortunately, he can’t stay long. He has to head back to Earth orbit first thing tomorrow morning for a long delayed but now scheduled meeting with the UTZ

  Council and Wentworth on Wentworth Station. BC has also been trying to set up a time to meet with M’Bekke, but to no avail. Meeting after meeting.

  BC makes it out to Ceres and manages to stay the night with Anita, but the visit is too short. He has to run the next morning to get back to Wentworth Station for the UTZ Council meeting. Anita’s not happy as she sees him off.

  BC apologizes, tries to tell Anita he’ll be back soon. His head is spinning from the constant motion. He barely has time to think as he travels back to Earth orbit. Wish Dolomay or the Eldred would attack so I wouldn’t have to go to another meeting!

  Well, no… not really.

  BC shifts in his seat on the stinger ship shuttling him in to Wentworth Station.

  “Com?” he calls out.

  “Com on.”

  “Take a memo,” BC says. “Please ask Pope John Paul the Fourth if he can meet with me soon. I’ll be visiting Vatican City after the UTZ Council meetings are over and would be honored if he would grant me the pleasure of his company. I want to talk to him about his negotiations with the Khalif. We can meet whenever it’s convenient for him. I want to know what’s happening on that book,” BC says to the com. “Send that to M’Bekke.”

  If I show up on his doorstep, maybe I can make M’Bekke talk to me about the unity book!

  BC meets with Wentworth and the UTZ Council at Wentworth Station. It’s sad to see how decimated the council ranks have become, although Wentworth does bear some good news: the UTZ

  scientists seem to have adapted the vaccine against the plague to counter the new strain. BC and the rest of the council take the vaccine at the meeting, and health officials are dispatched on the council’s orders to inoculate everyone left on Earth, in orbit, on Mars and on the Project bases. BC floats a new idea he’s been tossing around. He’s discussed changing the UTZ currency to

  “Alliance Dollars” to remove the stigma UIN members and independent stations seem to have over using the UTZ currency. The idea is met with some resistance, and the meeting degenerates into a case of information overload as the surviving CEOs on the council spend their time telling BC why his ideas are wrong.

  The rest of the UTZ Council meetings then become a blur of accounting sheets and facts and figures that BC tries to follow but fails. He tunes the council out and looks forward to his next stop, Vatican City.

  Chapter Fourteen

  BC and M’Bekke finally meet on Leap Day, February 29th, in M’Bekke’s offices in Vatican City. BC can tell by the expression on the Pope’s face as he meets M’Bekke that whatever news there is, it isn’t good news.

  “We can’t do it,” M’Bekke says as they settle into chairs in M’Bekke’s offices.

  “What do you mean? You can’t do what?”

  “We cannot reconcile these two very different religions, BC, not even for a book – there’s no way! My people have been sitting at the table with the people sent by the Khalif. We’ve gone over the Koran and the Bible, but there’s no common ground! They say the Koran has to be in Arabic, its original tongue. How do you compromise on that? And they look down on our many translations!”

  “So, they won’t budge on that?” BC asks.

  “No. Not at all. Even the more liberal among them hold to that as an essential element of their faith.”

  “How about we print it side by side, Arabic and whatever language the book is in?”

  “In columns? I don’t know if that will work for them…”

  “What about page by page?” BC asks. He grabs a book off of a nearby shelf. “I used to have an old book of poetry by a German poet, Rainer Maria Rilke. The English translation was on the even numbered pages, the original German version on the odd numbered pages.”

  “No way,” M’Bekke says. “You read Rilke?”

  “Nice,” BC says.

  “That might work, but you know what they’ll say? ‘Not good enough!’” he says in a mock Arabian accent. “You know they won’t allow the Arabic on the ‘odd’ pages,” he notes. “They’ll have to be on the right.”

  “But don’t you see, M’Bekke? If you can get them arguing about which side the translation goes on, you’re already on the road to victory!”

  “Do you really think so?” M’Bekke challenges him.

  “Sure!” BC says with enthusiasm. “Then you can start arguing over what goes in.”

  “They want the whole Koran in t
he book!” M’Bekke says in exasperation.

  “Put it all in, then,” BC says matter-of-factly, a little impatient. “And put the Arabic on the right. Do we need alternate translations for the Bible section, too?”

  “Well… no,” M’Bekke answers.

  “Good! Why does this seem so obvious to me?”

  “You’re not an unreasonable diehard, BC. We’re dealing with dogmatists on both sides. And we have to, because if they’re not behind this, nothing will happen. Nothing will really change.”

  “And how many on our side want to include the entire Bible?”

  “Well, there are a few. Most of them. All of them, actually,” he mumbles.

  “Great,” BC says sarcastically, throwing his arms up in exasperation. “So our old guard is just as bad as theirs!”

  “Sometimes worse. We have a fundamentalist among our negotiators. He’s NcC, but still fundy. And he gets the others rallying around him!”

  “I knew I should have declared fundamentalism a heresy while I was Pope!” BC sighs.

  “Wish it was so easy. The NcC is a tolerant church, BC,” M’Bekke mock lectures him. “The fundies are still not sure they should be part of a church led by an openly gay pope, BC, so I try not to provoke them.”

  “That’s an issue?”

  “It is with them.”

  “Should have excommunicated them,” BC says. “I should have, I mean.”

  “So,” M’Bekke says. “What would you include in, or exclude from, the book of unity, from the Bible? You do know the book I mean, right? Ever read it?”

  “M’Bekke! I was the Pope!” BC protests.

  “Right. I’ve known ‘religious’ leaders with only a passing knowledge of the Bible,” M’Bekke says.

  “Point taken.”

  “Well?” M’Bekke presses.

  “Well what?” BC asks.

  “What parts of the Bible should be included?”

  “You really want to know?”

  “Have you ever really thought about this, BC?”

  “I have. But you won’t like it.”

  “Probably not,” M’Bekke concedes. “But go ahead.”

  “Well, for starters? I’m not really sure we need the Old Testament…”

  Let’s see what he thinks of that!

  “BC! I thought you wanted this book to reflect the Jews, too?”

  “Okay. Maybe we keep Genesis and Exodus. Maybe just Genesis.”

  “You can’t leave out Moses! You’ve got to have Exodus,” M’Bekke says.

  “Okay, then. Those two. Some of the psalms, the ones that aren’t too tribal and bloodthirsty. Job is good, we can keep the Book of Job in there.”

  “Joshua? Judges?”

  “Nah,” BC says, dismissing them. “Bloody tribal warfare dressed up as God’s will. Bad behavior sanctioned by a bloody tribal god. Don’t need all the rules in Leviticus either.”

  “There I won’t argue,” M’Bekke says. “Chronicles? Kings?”

  “No and no.”

  “Proverbs? Song of Songs?”

  “Some of the Proverbs,” BC says, thinking out loud. “Don’t think we need Song of Songs. It’s like ancient porno.”

  “BC!” M’Bekke exclaims. “It’s a good thing you didn’t let people know you felt this way while you were Pope!”

  “I wasn’t a very Pope-y Pope,” BC says.

  “That is true,” M’Bekke agrees. “Ecclesiastes?”

  “What? ‘Vanity, vanity, all is vanity’? That guy?”

  “That’s the one.”

  “I kind of like that one,” BC admits.

  “What about the Prophets?”

  “Jeremiah’s okay. You know the fundies will demand that we include Daniel, but I don’t see it. None of the later prophets or history books, really, either.”

  “No Ezra?”

  “Nah.”

  “None of the Old Testament Apocrypha?”

  “They’re not even really part of the Old Testament, anyway! Leave ‘em out!”

  “Man, BC, you’re a ruthless editor! I almost hate to ask about the New Testament.”

  “You really want to know? The New Testament? Well, I guess the gospels are okay. But add Thomas’s, too.”

  “Uh oh, here we go,” M’Bekke says.

  “Drop Revelation entirely. No reason for it.”

  “But…”

  “Wasn’t written by John the Apostle. It’s really about Nero and the Roman Empire. Doesn’t even mention the Anti-Christ. Just doesn’t belong in the Bible, or the book of unity.”

  “That’ll go over big with the fundies.”

  “They agreed to the consolidation in the NcC didn’t they?”

  “They did, but we have gradings, degrees, and they liked that, having the ability to be a part of things and yet still maintain their own way of celebrating their beliefs.”

  “Even when those beliefs create us versus them mentalities? Why keep books in the Bible that breed hatred?” BC asks.

  “Are you on our side,” M’Bekke asks, “or the Muslims?”

  BC frowns and doesn’t answer.

  “Sorry,” M’Bekke says. “You’ve actually been very helpful. Some of your suggestions have merit. I think the idea of Arabic on one page, English on the other, will work with them.” M’Bekke changes the subject. “Will you be staying in Vatican City for any services?” he asks BC.

  “Hold on,” he says, and checks his calendar. “I will! I’ll have to leave after the early mass tomorrow. I promised the brain trust out in the asteroids that I’d be there soon. They’re promising a grand unveiling of some new systems!”

  “Reverse engineered from the Eldred technology?”

  “Yeah, they made some breakthroughs recently. I haven’t been able to see much. They’ve been quietly holed up with the ship, figuring it all out and coming up with only God knows what.”

  “Well, at least the Eldred have given us some breathing room. And Dolomay has been quiet, too,” M’Bekke says.

  “They’ve both been too quiet, you know? The Eldred are out there, but they don’t talk to us now. There have been rumors from the Domo and the Flaze that Dolomay is again attacking isolated outposts, but nothing solid. They could be old reports resurfacing. It’s hard to know what’s going on. The Eldred could be massing forces from across the stars. We have no idea how far their dominion reaches! Part of me dreads the thought that they’re gathering ships for a comprehensive final assault on humanity.

  “We don’t know where Dolomay is nursing his wounds, but we know that he’ll be back when he’s back up to fighting strength.”

  “We know there’s more coming, but we don’t know when. What was that thing, you know, when you’ve got that sword hanging over your head?” BC asks him.

  “Damocles,” M’Bekke tells him. “The Sword of Damocles. Waiting for it to fall, huh?”

  “Pretty much,” BC admits. “But the Project gives me hope. If we can counter the Eldred’s current weaponry, we’re on our way to beating them.”

  M’Bekke looks at him quizzically.

  “The Eldred are a static, unimaginative race,” BC explains. “If we can block their current technology, they’ll be hard pressed to come up with new ways of attacking us.”

  “I hope you’re right,” M’Bekke says.

  “Me too,” BC admits.

  BC and M’Bekke end their meeting, and BC retires to quarters provided for him in the Vatican. His com is flashing, full of queued up messages. Anita called with an update. Wentworth wants a word. There’s also a draft report on Independent Orbital Platforms.

  BC decides to read the report first. He had UTZ operatives assess the status of the orbital stations that hadn’t joined the UTZ alliance. He wanted to see if any other stations might become allies, or offer assistance.

  I think we need a new name for our alliance. ‘UTZ’ doesn’t fit anymore. When we ask these old independents to join with us, what do we tell them they’re joining?

  How many sta
tions are still operating?

  Some stations are dead, wiped out by the plague or simply abandoned as crews became scarce. Others are run by rugged individualists who just want to be left alone. Three once-thriving stations were wiped out in raids by Dolomay in the last year.

  This leaves a short list of indy stations. All of them are dependent on UTZ currency and trade, but none want to be “beholden” to the UTZ. BC has been developing a plan to bring them into the fold, beginning by changing the name of the currency. The status report gets him thinking.

  “Com!” BC calls out. A unit appears on the desktop. “Get me the Khalif, please,” BC says. In a minute or so the Khalif is on the line.

  “Greetings and respect, my friend,” the Khalif says.

  “Greetings and salutations,” BC responds.

  “To what do I owe the pleasure of your company,” the Khalif asks.

  “I noticed when I was with you on Mars two weeks ago that you didn’t seem to want to talk about the book of unity,” BC gets right to the point. “Thought maybe we hit a breakdown in the negotiations. I’ve just met with M… the Pope… I’ve suggested some ways to accommodate your needs for the book of unity.”

  “Really?” the Khalif says with the hint of surprise.

  “Really. Could your people accept the Koran included both in Arabic and in a second language?” BC asks.

  “So it would be in there in the proper tongue and also in translation?” BC nods. “That might work,” the Khalif says. “It might.”

  “Thank you,” BC says. “I also wanted to talk more about our currency ideas. I think I’m going to consolidate the UTZ and UIN currencies as Alliance Dollars.”

  “If you change the name of the currency… will you then go ahead with a further name change?

  Will you change the name of the UTZ, too?” the Khalif asks him cautiously.

  “Doesn’t really seem to fit anymore, does it?” BC asks him.

  “No. But I do not think it would surprise anyone that I do not like the name!” The Khalif laughs a quick laugh.

  “Do you dare, though? What will you call it? ‘the Alliance’?”

  “The Alliance? Huh, I don’t know? I don’t know if the UTZ council is ready for a new name!