Read Vatican Ambassador for Free Online

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 laws 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.
    BC keeps working the rest of the milling congregation, shaking hands and making small talk as he wonders what he’s just been passed. His mind isn’t on the conversations. He tries to hurry things along best he can without seeming rude. After the last of his parishioners leaves, BC heads back to his office, playing with the cylinder in his pocket as he walks.
    Funny... I know I said something to each of those people back there, I just couldn’t tell you what I said...
    Back in his office, he takes the CCU from its hiding place and sets it on his desk. He pulls out the cylinder.
    Hmmm... Looks okay. Booby traps?
    He looks it over.
    Looks legit... just like the old days!
    BC opens the cylinder. A small sliver of crystal slides out.
    Everything seems kosher...
    BC slides the crystal into place in the unit. A brief text message appears on the screen:
    “Pope Peter killed by faction who installed Linus. Not killed in UIN attack. M’Bekke.”
    That’s it? Wonder if it’s real, if M’Bekke is alive. Wonder if it’s true? All I know about Linus is what I see on the news, for Chrissake! I’ve seen him touring the ruins around Vatican City, talking about Peace. Looks like a pope, acts like a pope. Talks Peace. Everybody’s talking peace. Wonder if that can be believed, either?
    I really think we’ve just temporarily run out of weapons... for now. Each side threw all it had at the other in the last battles. Maybe we’ve run out of ammo, too. Maybe we’ve run out of people!
    Such incredible losses on both sides!
    But is this peace or is this stalemate, this current cease-fire? And what was the war for?
    Ultimately, nothing, neither side gained or lost ground in any meaningful way. Maybe I’ve