Project Pope

Six

They stood on the landing field, staring in some dismay at the small grouping of nondescript buildings that made up the colony of End of Nothing. On a low ridge behind the town rose a sprawling structure, or a group of structures — from this distance it was impossible to tell — all gleaming white, stately despite the lack of height, with a comfortable, down-to-earth appearance despite the stateliness. And, behind the structure, a backdrop to everything, reared up mountains purple in the distance, with the hint of white-capped peaks seeming to float in the air above them.

Tennyson pointed at the structure on the ridge.

'Vatican, I take it.

'I would think it might be, said Jill.

'I've seen photographs of the Old Earth Vatican. That looks nothing like it.

'You're taking the name too literally, Jill told him. 'It's nothing but a name. I doubt it has any real connection with the Vatican.

'But a pope?

'Well, maybe some connection. An imagined connection. But I doubt there's anything official, nothing that the Old Earth Vatican would officially recognize.

'And you propose to storm those heights?

'Jason, you're being dramatic now. A bit consciously dramatic. I'm not storming anything. There is a story here and I intend to get it. By going through channels. By marching up there in all politeness and saying who I am and what I want to do. And while I'm getting this story, what do you propose to do?

'Honestly, I don't know. I've not even thought about it. I've been running and I guess here the running stops. I can't go back to Gutshot, not for a while at least.

'You sound as if you intend to keep on running.

'Well, not right away. This is as good a place as any to stop and rest awhile and have a look around.

The long line of pilgrims who had disembarked from Wayfarer were snaking down the field, apparently going through a visitor checkpoint.

Tennyson nodded at them. 'Do we have to go through the same procedure, do you know?

Jill shook her head. 'I think not. No papers are required, not for humans anyhow. End of Nothing officially is listed as a human planet and there are certain courtesies extended to humankind. It's a small place, too, and apt to be informal. A few days from now you may find yourself having lunch with the police chief, or the sheriff or the marshal, whatever the man is called, who will ask you some polite questions and will look you over well. I'm not sure about here, but that's the way it usually works in small human colonies.

'Well, that sounds not too hard.

'You'll have to explain no luggage. The people at Human House may be curious. I think it would be best to explain that you had to run for the ship at Gutshot and somehow lost the luggage.

'You think of everything, said Tennyson. 'Your mind is devious. What would I do without you?

'I sort of have taken care of you, haven't I? said Jill.

'This evening I'll start paying back, Tennyson promised. 'Dinner at Human House. Candlelight and a clean cloth on the table, china, shining glass, silver, a menu with some choice, a bottle of good wine…

'Don't get your hopes too high. Don't fantasize too much. Human House may not have that kind of dining room.

'Well, whatever it may be, it'll be an improvement on that cubbyhole aboard the ship you shared with me.

'That cubbyhole aboard the ship was kind of nice, said Jill.

'I think, said Tennyson, abruptly changing the subject, 'someone is finally driving out to get us.