by Mike Luoma
The governor's suite on Lunar Prime is strategically located, positioned to catch "earthrise" in most of the windows in its outer wall along the long strip of meeting rooms, offices and staterooms. BC and the Cardinal now sit in the governor's main office and conference room as the Earth hangs on the short horizon outside.
BC stares at the Earth, large in the window behind Edwards, who stands at the end of a long table shuffling through some papers.
There are officials from the UTZ at the table, and, judging by their uniforms, some Lunar Security people as well, people BC hasn't met yet. Conspicuous by their absence are any members of any group affiliated with the UIN.
Edwards clears his throat and begins.
"Thanks for coming with no notice."
Edwards looks nervous. He keeps adjusting his tie. He fidgets with his wristband. BC notices he's changed his clothes.
Probably sweated right through his last set.
"Luna has attempted to stay neutral in the war between the UTZ and the UIN. We have opened our arms to both sides in hopes of being peacekeepers and unifiers.
"With our arms open, and the Moon vulnerable, one of the parties we had thought to be our friend now seems to be showing different colors, showing themselves, maybe, to be our foe. As I speak, Transpace warships from Mars, from the Universal Islamic Nation, are closing in on the Moon in attack formation. The war may be on its way here.
"We've never asked for the UTZ or the Vatican to join in our councils before. I thank you for joining us now. We may need allies. We seem to face a clear and present danger from the UIN at this time, which I believe warrants reevaluating our policy of neutrality."
Wow... Jackpot! We couldn't have hoped for better! He's sold already, or playing a very clever game.
Is he that smart?
Edwards is interrupted when a Lunar Security Cop enters the office. BC recognizes her. She's got a bruise on her forehead. She's the LSC he knocked out earlier, getting out of the tunnel! He pretends not to notice her.
She looks at him strangely, but quickly moves on and over to Edwards, presenting him with a sealed report. He opens it, grimaces.
"She was killed."
Edwards starts shaking. He brings his hand to his brow, pinches the bridge of his nose, and takes a deep breath. Composing himself, he continues.
"Someone, um, assassinated Governor McEntyre. There were neurotoxic traces on her skin and in her blood. Someone murdered her.
"I think, maybe, we can see now who." Edwards is almost talking to himself. Then he looks up at the group around the table.
"Hey, um, I need a minute or two, okay?"
Edwards sits down, motions to the LSC. "Could you, uh, get me the latest reports on the position and disposition of the UIN ships? And could everyone take five?"
The group around the table mumbles and nods assents. They get up from the table and head for the office door.
As they leave the governor's office, the Cardinal turns to BC.
"I told you. They killed her! Now they're coming in to finish the job! You wait here and help Mr. Edwards, Campion. I'm going back to the mission. If the governor needs me, let me know, but I think this is more your area of expertise."
"So I'll be able to reach you in the mission's shelter, then, Cardinal?"
"Yes! Ah... I see, you got me there, Campion. Excuse me."
Just outside the office door the LSC from before taps him on the shoulder.
"Excuse me?"
"Yes?"
"You look familiar, father... have we met?"
"I don't think so. You are?"
"Nita Bendix, Lunar Security. You sure we've never met? Do you go out at all?"
"No, not really," BC says, gesturing at his outfit. "I'm a priest."
"Yeah, but you're New Reform, right? You can party and everything, right?"
"Well, sort of, but no, I just got here recently."
"You're kinda cute. Do you have to stay celibate?"
Man! Didn't expect this...
"Well, not technically."
"I see. See you later, father. Father... ?"
"Campion. Bernard Campion, but you can call me BC."
"Okay, Father BC."
"Just BC."
"Okay, just BC. Bye, for now, anyway." She gives him another strange look, turns and takes off down the corridor.
Little flirt! Probably hasn't been right since that clunk on the head. Nice body, anyway.
A tall, blond haired man in a beige suit storms down the corridor towards BC, past Nita Bendix as she walks away. He brushes into BC, almost pushing him out of the way, and begins hitting the greeting buzzer on the governor's office door repeatedly.
A fixed look of anger scrunches up his face. His red-rimmed eyes don't seem to be looking at anyone or anything. He keeps pounding on the buzzer.
The door opens after about the fifteenth buzz. The man surges in before the door even opens halfway.
BC hears, "Daniel!" as the door closes.
Must be McEntyre's widower. The angry, grieving spouse. Daniel McEntyre. Just got the news, I suppose. He's in with the UIN, too, according to our reports. Possible future target. Has a weakness for very young Asian women and very old scotch. Our reports are pretty damn thorough... Know your enemy, one of the most basic rules. Too many skeletons to hold office himself, so he worked beside his wife. Family affair, how sweet.
He's all worked up. I wonder how much of his grief is real and how much is him trying to salvage the situation for his friends in the UIN?
He's probably in there trying to undo all the confidence and trust I've been working to build up in Edwards. The UIN doesn't want him cozying up to the OPO! Almost three minutes now. I'll just mistakenly reenter early...
Daniel McEntyre is shouting and waving with his back to BC as BC opens the door.
"Of course this is an assassination, Marc! They killed her. She's gone! They took her from me. Took her away from me! From all of us! And now you're taking their side?"
Daniel McEntyre doesn't hear or see BC enter, but Edwards does.
"Father Campion! Please, excuse us, I'll let you know when we'll reconvene."
I don't think so. Time to see what this McEntyre guy's all about.
"Mr. McEntyre? I'm sorry about your loss. I'm sure you want to blame someone..."
"Damn right I do! This time you and your UTZ puppet masters have gone too far! Was it you? It probably was you! You're Campion, right? I heard all about you. You're OPO. You're not really even a priest! You used to be just a rip-off scam artist, a fake minister until their so-called "reunification" legitimized you! I know all about you, Campion! You and your type make me sick! You call yourselves Christian!"
"Clearly you're distressed, sir. And you must have me confused with someone else, certainly. I can understand..."
McEntyre drowns him out, yelling and moving towards him with his hands balling into fists at his sides.
"You and your UTZ butchers won't get away with this! You won't!"
"Daniel!" Edwards finally tries to intercede, getting up from the table to move between McEntyre and BC.
Best if I just say nothing at this point. Be the calm beside the storm.
"You bastards are all so smug!" McEntyre shouts at BC, face to face. BC doesn't flinch, absorbs the rage.
Edwards approaches, tries to calm McEntyre, pull him away from BC's face.
"Daniel, you're overwrought, you gotta calm down! Please."
"That's it!" McEntyre turns and charges BC.
Shit! He's crazy!
BC drops under McEntyre's charge, arms up in front of his face. McEntyre flies over him, into the doorframe with a loud "slap." He shakes it off, gets back up and turns and grabs BC by the collar as BC gets up.
Edwards muscles in and gets his arms around McEntyre from the back to pull him off BC. McEntyre drops BC's collar. When McEntyre's arms come down, Edwards shifts his hold. He wraps his arms around McEntyre, pinning his arms at his sides, holding him in a steady bear hug.
> Wow, Edwards didn't look that big at first. That looks like some law enforcement style hold he's got on him, too. Let's hear it for proper training. And good reflexes.
"Let me go, Marc!"
"Daniel!
"Let me go, Marc! They're the killers!"
"C'mon, Daniel, calm down before I gotta call security..."
"Marc!"
Edwards doesn't say anything. He doesn't relax his hold on McEntyre, until McEntyre finally relaxes and gives in. He stops fighting and sucks in some deep breaths.
"All right. I'm all right, Marc. You can let me go now. Just let me finish talking with you." Edwards relaxes his hold, and McEntyre steps back away from Edwards.
"I think you're finished now, Daniel. We'll talk more later, when you're more together. Your loss has you distraught. You're not thinking right, right now, Daniel. We'll talk later. I'll call you."
"No! They're twisting you with their lies, can't you see that, Marc? Send me away now and they win, don't you see? Listen to this priest," he spits out the word with bitterness and sarcasm, "and they win! He's one of them! Why do you think here's here now, why do you think he came in here when we were talking? Huh? He didn't want me exposing the truth! He's a fake, a phony priest, and you're buying his shit! He's the real enemy! They're the enemy! And you're letting them win!"
Edwards just stares at McEntyre, eyes dead and emotionless.
"C'mon, Marc," McEntyre pleads again. Edwards calls out to his com.
"Security."
"Shit. You're letting them win, Marc," McEntyre stares at Edwards but points at BC as he turns to go. "You're selling out Lunar Prime, Marc. You're betraying Meredith and all she stood for."
An LSC guard enters the office.
"Take Mr. McEntyre to the infirmary and see that one of the meds gives him a sedative so he can sleep tonight. He's taking his wife's death very hard," Edwards says to the guard. Then he turns to McEntyre, "I'm sorry, Daniel. We can discuss this tomorrow. Please?"
McEntyre turns and storms out, the guard on his heels. The other LSC reenters with the requested reports.
What was her name? Nita something or other. Benzyne or something. Bendix! She's cute. Looks like trouble. I like that. Good trouble.
She tries to both stand at attention in front of Edwards desk and look behind her at the departing commotion.
"Officer Bendix, you'll pull a muscle if you twist yourself around any more than that." Edwards says.
BC smiles at her.
She blushes a little as she turns to entirely face Edwards.
"Sorry, sir. Here are the latest reports on the UIN ships, their disposition and their current position. Commander Cushman said to tell you they've stopped advancing and are holding position just beyond our more sensitive scanner's range."
Edwards takes the report from the LSC and looks it over. He dismisses her with a wave.
"Thanks. Get the door, would you?"
She turns, gives BC a little nod, and leaves, shutting the door behind her.
Edwards looks again at the report.
"I don't know. Maybe they're not here to do anything but establish a presence..."
"A rather threatening presence, don't you think? And maybe they're just waiting to see how you'll react, governor."
"Maybe. Hey, look, Father, I'm sorry about Daniel. He's not himself, what with everything and all. I'm sure he'll calm down with what the meds give him. I hope it calms him down. I've never seen him like that. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, really. He's just lost his wife. It's natural for him to lash out in his anger and his pain. The McEntyre's weren't catholic?"
"No." Edwards gives a nervous chuckle, "hmph, as you've no doubt figured out by now, we won't be asking you to do the funeral tomorrow. They're agnostic. She was agnostic, I mean. He still is, I suppose, but, never mind, I'm babbling. It's been one hell of a day, if you'll excuse the "h" word, Father. Let's hope those ships stay put so we can at least get some rest tonight."
"I'm afraid I won't rest too well with them hanging out there waiting to pounce. I've been in places the UIN attacked. I know what they can do. They can be truly merciless, Mr. Edwards. I don't think I'll rest too well with them out there."
"Sorry, Father. I'll let you know if there's any change. And I want you to know, I do appreciate your input about their tactics. But I've also learned not to trust either side in this war. You both have your blinders on. And, Father, if I may?"
"What?"
"All that stuff McEntyre was saying about you... was any of it true?"
"Huh. Well, sort of. It was pretty distorted. He may as well have blamed you for killing his wife so you could become governor, then called you a two-bit security hack with no right to govern the moon."
"Hey!"
"It's the same sort of distortion, see? I make no secret of the fact I come from the streets. I wasn't a traditional ‘priest'. I did the Lord's work in my own way, with a small independent church that joined in the reunification, thereby making me a priest, as all we men and woman of God in each different variation of the faith came to be called.
"As for the rest, I work for the public relations arm of the Vatican, The Office of Papal Operations, or OPO, as some call it. There are some who spread rumors about the OPO, but we usually disregard them. The pen is mightier than the sword or the laser. We're spin doctors and diplomats, governor.
"There's the kernel of truth in everything he said, but it was cruelly twisted and distorted."
"But why did he know it at all? Why should he care about you at all, Father Campion?"
"I hesitate to offer my guess as to why."
"Why?"
"I don't want to sound paranoid."
"No, go ahead. Now I'm curious."
"I was thinking of Shakespeare. You ever read the Bard, governor?"
"No, I don't read. I've seen some of his plays in short form. Why?"
"He protests too much, methinks..."
"What?"
BC musters up all the false modesty he can and tries to sound convincingly uncertain.
"Usually, those things he said about the OPO? The UTZ controlling the Vatican and such? You hear that from UIN sympathizers. And to know details about a new Vatican functionary seems strange, unless he's gathering information on all UTZ personnel on Luna and just added my folder to his files... I'm sorry, that just sounds paranoid..."
Edwards shakes his head.
"I don't know, that does sound kind of farfetched, Father, if you'll pardon me for saying so. But if he was with the UIN, why would they kill his wife?"
"I don't know, Mr. Edwards. I just don't know, and it doesn't make sense. Unless you know something else, too. There is something else I know that I really can't share too much of."
"What? Don't get all mysterious on me now, Father."
"Well, there is a confidentiality, a trust involved. To tell too much will expose the one who told me what she told me in the secrecy and trust of counseling. Suffice it to say Mr. McEntyre is not, sorry, was not, always faithful to his wife. Nor was he always kind and gentle with women... I fear I may have said too much already. You may know the woman who I learned this from, and she came to me for counsel once back on Earth expecting anonymity, after leaving here in disgrace."
"I think I do know the girl you mean. I heard what happened. I, um, won't say anything."
The room grows quiet.
Edwards mumbles, "But I am beginning to see your point."
Chapter Six
