[The Messenger] "Conclave, Part 3"

[Jeremy Reynolds]

"Conclave, Part 2"
 
Father Alexander Clayton, The Messenger.
 
* * * * * * *

Sistine Chapel, The Vatican.  Earth 

 

To say that the College of Cardinals was in an uproar would have been the understatement of the century.  Clayton saw more life in the aged august body in the past twenty-four hours than he'd seen in the past twenty-four years (relatively speaking).  There were Cardinals all over the Chapel standing up and shouting at one another in a desperate bid to talk over their fellow members that no one was being heard.

 

Clayton had finally had enough.  He stood from his place at the front of the Chapel where he was with the others who were overseeing the Papal Conclave.  Without so much as a pause, he put his fingers into his mouth and let out a long, shrill whistle.  "ENOUGH!" he snapped angrily at the assembly.  "This bickering is pointless!"

 

"How dare you interrupt our discussions, Father." one shocked Cardinal said, emphasizing Clayton's lesser rank.  "Remember your place here!"

 

"Shut up and sit down, Your Eminence." Clayton retored, voice dripping in sarcasm.  "I remember that I was placed as the Master of the Papal Liturgical Celebrations by this Conclave and that is a position that I am still in since Camerlengo Frost has decreed that all should remain in their assigned positions to avoid further confusion." he said, motioning to the new temporary head of of the Church who received it by virtue of being the most senior Cardinal present.  "Yes, we have a person or persons that have killed two Popes in the past month.  But that does not detract from this assembly's responsibility to elect a new Pontiff despite that.  So while the Vatican's Intelligence and Security divisions works on finding out who is doing this, you all need to work on your job of finding the next head of the Church." he said, his gaze sweeping across all of the Cardinals before he sat back down.

 

Father Giovanni leaned over to him as the Cardinals started muttering to themselves.  "Nice speech.  It's a shame that you can't be elected Pope." he said as one Cardinal arched an eyebrow their way as he passed by their table.

 

Clayton snorted.  "Do you even know when the last non-Cardinal was elected to a Papacy?" he asked rhetorically.  "2055 after a majority of the Church lay in ruins along with the rest of the planet.  Ironically, it was the first American Pontiff the Church had elected as well."

 

Giovanni wracked his brain over that for a moment.  "Pope Anastasius V, right?"  Clayton nodded solemnly.  Giovanni looked out among the sea of red.  "So who do you think will be the front-runner now?"

 

"Tal'eser still has a good following, but I think that he himself will back out of any running for the Papacy now that we've had one waxed right on our front doorstep.  So I figure that they'll push for a human looking offworlder." Clayton said, mulling it over.   "I'd expect they'd put up Cardinal Belan from Trill or Cardinal Jabel from Delta."

 

"And the Traditionalist?"

 

"Shattered.  They're gun shy since Rozano... sorry, Pius XIV... was assassinated yesterday." Clayton said without any hesitatiton.  "I expect that the Liberalists will pick up the banner now.  Lord knows who they'll pick though."

 

* * * * * * *

Clayton Chateau, Outside Rome - Later that night.

 

Clayton rubbed his neck as he entered the spacious house that he and his wife retained in Rome while they were on planet.  It had been a long day and a new Pope had yet to be chosen.  In light of the most recent events, the College of Cardinals decided to continue with the selection process concurrent with the Papal Mass observances for Pius XIV in order to keep things moving.  It wasn't totally unheard of but it was at least unusual for a Pope to die so suddenly after thier predecessor.

 

Chantelle came in from a side room and helped her husband out of his heavy overcoat and robe.  "Busy day, my love?" she asked him in her soft Olde British accent that he absolutely loved.

 

"That's putting it mildly..." Clayton said as he took his collar off and rolled his shoulders.  "I think that the College is the only bureaucratic system that moves slower than the Federation Council and the Romulan Senate put together.  Those bastards can't agree on the simplest things sometimes."

 

"Hush dear with such language..." Chantelle childed him with an angry look.  "You are a Priest, after all."

 

"I certainly don't act like one half the time." Clayton said with a grin as he gave her a quick kiss as he gathered her into an embrace.

 

"Not now, dear." Chantelle said, plafully swatting at him.  "One of your friends from the Fleet is here.  He's waiting in the library for you." she said, breaking out of his hold and leading him further into the house by the hand.

 

Clayton was not at all surprised to find the head of his old division, Third Echelon, waiting for him.  He gave Chantelle a quick kiss on the cheek before she left to leave him and Admiral Marcus Refelian alone to talk.  "If I knew that it'd take a couple of assassinations to get you to visit, I probably would've knocked off some people earlier." Clayton said dryly as he walked over to his desk to take a seat.

 

Refelian arched a wry eyebrow.  "Did you kill them?" he asked.

 

"Of course not." Clayton snapped.  "If anything, I was going to put a call in to either you or Gabe to ask the same question."

 

"We're not in the habit of attacking any member of the clergy in any kind of faith." Refelian said.  "But since it seems that we both have the same question as to who is killing Popes, it seems that we should be working together."  Refelian pulled out a PADD and slid it across the desk to Clayton.  "Consider yourself reactivated."

 

"I have a job, and it's not Third Echelon." Clayton said bitterly.

 

"Call it T.D.Y. then, I don't care." Refelian said.  "I have to report to Admiral Murdock as to who and why somone is knocking off the head of the Vatican, repeatedly.  Murdock has to report to the President on this.  So find out, quickly." Refelian said as he stood up to head for the door.  "It is good seeing you again Alex.  We've missed you in the Division."

 

TBC...