Crippled

Chapter 12

The Roman Catholic Church, for the first time in a long while, was in a state of panic, and the congregation Vasco Strada sat in reflected that quite clearly.

"What's going on?!"

"Has anyone here received word from the Protestants?"

"Did the Patriarch say anything about who attacked them?"

"It's obviously the Fallen Angels who did it!"

"What about the Devils? They might have a hand in this."

Vasco idly leaned back, taking a long drink of his tea, noting idly that the gathered cardinals were slowly getting more and more agitated. That was only to be expected; after all, most of them achieved their position through service and quite bit of politics.

Vasco chuckled quietly to himself. Everything in the world was related to politics, one way or another.

"How do we deal with this situation?" A colleague of theirs, Cardinal Sin- and wasn't that an ironic name for a man of the cloth- asked during a lull in the proceedings. "Do we ask for intervention from Lord Michael?"

A round of agreements swept through the room, the first positive reaction from the group and Vasco frowned. He stood up, and he was a bit pleased to see that all of them immediately quieted down, looking up at him for what he was to say.

He stayed silent for a moment, making sure to meet the gaze of each and every single one of them. "Our God," He began. "is a God of Vengeance. He strikes down those who would trample upon His teachings, those who would belittle, harm and who would kill those who believe in Him. He is a God that sent the plagues to Egypt, and had dominated the gods of that realm to do so.. He is all that and more… But he is also a God of Mercy, of Love. Even now we preach kindness to those who believe, and it would turn us into nothing more than hypocrites if we immediately move for war when our very tenet is peace."

"So you would have us do nothing while our brothers and sisters are killed?" One of the dozen cardinals asked cautiously. "What are you really saying Father Strada? I know for a fact that aggression through non-violence is not your style."

He couldn't hide the smile that formed on his lips. "You know me well Father Tagle." He gave a respectful nod to the only person in the room older than he was, and turned to address the whole room. "I implore all of you, do not raise your arms just yet, we do not want blood to be needlessly spilled."

"Then what do you have in mind Father Strada?"

Vasco smiled, knowing just how controversial his next words were going to be. "Send Xenovia Quarta, Irina Shidou, and Asia Argento to Japan."

As he expected, a ripple went through them all, arguments and counterarguments, discussions, and he even heard one of the younger cardinals mutter if he was becoming senile.

"Why Japan Father? When it's England and Russia who was attacked?"

"Why those three? Would it not be better if Dulio or Griselda went?"

"Would it not be more prudent to hear what the previous priests we sent there have to say?"

Vasco took all of those in, and when they abated, waiting on his answer, he merely said quietly. "Have Faith in me brothers, when have I ever steered you wrong before?"