Inquisitor's Promise (Act Two, Chapter Fifteen)

Aeneas has to keep his promises. His father's mission will be completed. And while he's at it, he will become Galatea's lord and Inquisitor. But love and politics are an explosive combination.

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Chapter Fifteen: Alohan Hospitality

“That’s not a sin!”

In response, Aeneas gave his confessor a defiant look. Monsignor Dominic Bartholomew had a grey and balding hair which gave his face an elongated look. At the moment, the parish pastor’s tendency to speak his mind was being aimed at the Inquisitor.

“But I can’t help but feel like I’m cheating on her,” Aeneas protested.

“My son, your feelings aren’t everything,” the Monsignor said authoritatively. “It is not a sin to be kissed against your will. Not even if you enjoy it!”

Aeneas paused to consider the priest’s words. The Monsignor was making a great deal of sense. The Inquisitor now felt foolish for letting his scruples get the best of him.

“Do you have anything else?” Monsignor Bartholomew asked.

“Excuse me?”

“I mean, do you have any other sins to confess?” the confessor clarified. “Of lying and adultery you are innocent, but all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. It has been two weeks since your last confession, surely you have something.”

“Well…”

After Aeneas had received his absolution, he exited the confessional and stayed in the Lepanto’s chapel for quite some time. It was much longer than the time it took him to say the prayers given to him as penance.

At the moment, the Lepanto was making its way to the Pacifica Duchy. But going to the Pacifica Duchy would not be as simple as flying there. This was because the Duchy was located under the Pacifica Under-Ocean, a veritable sea located at the undercities of the Pacifica Region. When the Dark Age Civilization was reshaping the face of the Earth, they saw fit to cover the largest body of water on Earth in order to build more cities. To the denizens of the 74^th century, the land covered the Under-Ocean was known as the Upper Pacifica.

For Aeneas, this meant that the Lepanto would have to be parked somewhere at Upper Pacifica while Aeneas and his group would make their way to Pacifica. That place was known as the Kingdom of Aloha. Though an Upper Pacifican nation, Aloha also controlled a direct elevator that could take people straight down to the ocean.

Having to leave the Lepanto behind, Aeneas decided to take a select few people. Lavinia was the obvious choice given who her father was. But the Inquisitor also took both Giulia and Princess Omaha due to political considerations. He also took Pep because he had promised to show the Lektros places of the Earth. Finally, Shaka was brought because Aeneas needed someone to protect him from any possible assassins; something to take into account with the felinid assassin running about.

The elevator trip was shorter than expected. When the party stepped out, everyone looked in wonder at the view of Aloha. To Aeneas, the view was comparable to Lake Tyrion back in Nepoli. Except without the hive-city and other urban agglomerations associated with the surface world.

“Amazing that we see the sun,” Pep said as he looked up. “I have thought that we are in underground.”

“The ceilings of the Under-Ocean have light-transferal devices that allow us to see the sky as if Upper Pacifica is not even there,” Lavinia explained. “It even transferred the solar radiation.”

“To think that Terrans of three thousand years ago have such technology,” Pep mused.

“It does make one wonder how dangerous the Grey Globe is if they are terrified of it,” Giulia pointed out.

“All the more reason for us to make haste,” Omaha said. She then turned towards Aeneas. “What is the plan, Sir Aeneas?”

“Lavinia and I have arranged for a transport from the Leviathan,” Aeneas answered.

“The Leviathan?” Pep raised his eyes.

“They’re a nomadic people who live in giant sea creatures called leviathans,” Aeneas explained. “Not the fastest transport, but I also need some firepower since we can’t bring the Lepanto down here.”

“Do you expect hostilities, Captain?” Giulia asked.

“Not really. But given what we’ve come across thus far, I wouldn’t be surprised,” Aeneas answered.

“Good instinct,” Shaka chimed in. He surprised everyone else there as they had forgotten that he was even there.

“That’s Aeneas, for you,” Lavinia chirped. “You can always count on him to think two steps ahead of the task at hand. Although he does have a terrible case of one-track mind and likes to forget things that he didn’t think to be important.”

“I resent that!” Aeneas protested.

“In any case,” Omaha interjected. “I suppose we’ll be here for a while, then.”

Aeneas nodded. “Yes, a few days to get things ready. I suggest you enjoy Alohan hospitality.”

With that, everyone dispersed and went on their own way. Aeneas was about to do the same before he noticed Pep staring at the sea.

“What’s wrong, Pep?” Aeneas asked.

“No one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit,” Pep muttered.

“What about it?” Aeneas asked before he realized the implications. “You mean to…”

“I do. I wish to be baptized. Preferably before we leave for Lavinia’s home.”

“I am happy for you, so don’t take this the wrong way, Pep,” Aeneas said uneasily. “But is Giulia the reason for this decision?”

“No, believing it or not,” Pep said as he shook his head. “It’s an intellectual thing.”

Aeneas paused. He could imagine the Incarnation making sense of the relationship of the three ‘gods’ of the Lektros for the Archon. If Aeneas had been in Pep’s position, that was what would have convinced him. But even so, Aeneas couldn’t help but feel that Pep was jumping too quickly into the water.

“I understand, but I think you’re rushing this. It hasn’t been that long since you joined us, Pep.”

“This is my life, Aeneas! I make the choices,” Pep said adamantly.

Aeneas sighed. “I’ll talk to the Monsignor and see what he has to say.”

And thus, Aeneas and his group enjoyed a brief stay at the resorts of Aloha. It was a much-needed respite from the stress of adventure.

But Shaka could not find much rest, even as he sat down in his room. The hotel had a comfortable bed, a table, and other creature comforts. Outside the window were the green Alohan jungles and the blue seas of the Pacifica Under-Ocean. But he could only focus on the katana that he had just picked up from his confrontation back in Texarkana.

Shaka knew that this weapon came from the lands of the Zaibatsu. But more troublesome was the identity of the assassin. A dark felinid who looked exactly like the daughter of the Zaibatsu’s CEO.

Shaka remembered what had happened when he brought up that incident to Aeneas: the Inquisitor’s face darkened, as if a wound long closed had reopened; at the same time, Lavinia who was accompanying her cousin was quick to conclude that the Zaibatsu was behind the Castle Aquila incident.

For Shaka, this was something that was beyond his station. Better to be focused on the task at hand, protecting the Inquisitor.

Meanwhile at the beach…

Standing atop the beautiful white sands of Aloha, Princess Omaha of Texarkana looked thoughtfully to the sea. Approaching her was Captain Jack Paxton, whom Omaha had chosen to accompany her when Aeneas asked the princess to join him in his trip to the Duchy.

“What is it, Paxton?”

“It’s the Tsar. He asked for your well-being. He also asked you to send his regards to Inquisitor Aquilanus,” the Imperial Captain explained.

“As to be expected from Santa Claus,” Omaha said calmly. “I wish he would stop treating me like a child.”

“Should you be so disrespectful of the Tsar, ma’am?” Paxton asked. “After all, he was the reason why we were able to stop Duke Robert’s coup. We wouldn’t have the manpower to do much without those Slavian mercenaries.”

“I am well aware of that,” Omaha pointed out. “And the old man didn’t even say anything about it, as if he didn’t want me to know. I am curious of his aims.”

“Perhaps he just wants the best for you, ma’am,” Paxton offered.

The princess chuckled in response. “Don’t be silly, Paxton. Now you sound just like Aeneas.”

The next day, the Leviathan had finally arrived in Aloha. In order to prevent beaching, the leviathan creatures had to dock in a deep-water port at the other side of the island known as Hawaii.

Aeneas was sitting at the dock, watching the leviathan resting at the drydock. His feet barely above the waterline. He saw Lavinia as the girl approached him and sat next to him.

“How are you doing, Aeneas?” Lavinia asked.

“I’m just fine. It’s a beautiful view,” Aeneas answered.

The two stared at the vista in front of them. Deep blue ocean water with the occasional green tropical islands. Hard to believe that this was partly simulacra made by Dark Age technology.

“These docks,” Lavinia commented. “Aeneas, do you remember back then?”

“You mean what happened thirteen years ago?” Aeneas asked.

“Of course. I can never forget that moment. The two of us were playing by the docks above Lake Tyrion when I slipped and fell in the water.”

“Yes. And then I fished you out of the water and then,” Aeneas said. He paused as he looked down. “I screamed.”

“It wasn’t your fault. You never saw my underwater form before. My true form, as a deep one,” Lavinia pointed out.

“Still, I’m sorry I did that.”

Lavinia chuckled. “It’s okay. After all, you more than made up for it. I ran away crying, trying to find a place to hide. I thought I had lost my only friend above the water. But I kept hearing you shouting my name.”

“I was looking for you. You were gone so quickly,” Aeneas said.

“Yes, but you finally found me.”

At this point, Lavinia looked down. She did not want to make eye contact with Aeneas.

“You saw me for how I really am. I screamed, telling me not to look. But you got closer and then you,” Lavinia paused before she continued. “You hugged me.

Aeneas, you told me that you didn’t care about how I look. You told me that we will always be family. Do you truly believe that?” Lavinia asked.

Aeneas pulled Lavinia into a hug. “Well of course I do! What brought this on?”

“I just want us to always be together” Lavinia said softly. “I know where you stand. I know that your heart belongs to Lady Galatea. But I am not letting you go. Not without a fight.”

Aeneas winced as he heard the last statement, but he chose to let it be. There was a more pressing matter to deal with.

That pressing mater was Pep’s baptism. Aeneas made sure that it had happened before they leave for the Duchy. Arranging it turned out to be more difficult than anticipated because he ended up having to bring more people from the Lepanto down to the ocean. Furthermore, Monsignor Bartholomew wasn’t particularly happy about it either; believing that Pep was not ready, he angrily made sure poor Aeneas knew his thoughts on the matter. Even so, the priest relented and accepted Pep’s request.

And so, Aeneas found himself to be standing behind Pep, serving as his baptismal sponsor. The people of the Lepanto who was assigned to accompany Aeneas down in Aloha witnessed the whole thing.

As Aeneas scanned through the small crowd, he saw Giulia. Her face was beaming.

The Inquisitor then looked back to the scene unfolding before his eyes. He could only think of a single sentence as Pep was dipped in the water by Monsignor Bartholomew:

Behold, I make all things new.

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