Unholy Star, Beyond Faith

Black Mass

Geolan was the only naturally habitable planet in the yellow-warm star system, although far in nature from one of the Kingdom's rare-gem planets like Ærth or Syke. Geolan was tidally locked with its slow rotation period in sync with its close orbit about the small star. While on one side the oceans boiled, on the other they froze. The few settlements that existed on the surface had established on land that fell within a narrow band where high altitude storm currents sent hot steam to mix with ice resulting in a perpetual temperate mist on the ground and high up into the stratosphere. Technically the mist belt, as it was called, was on the dark side of the planet, but the refraction of strong starlight at the edge of the atmosphere sent a halo of white-bright light that was strong enough to transmit diffuse energy deep into the mist and provide visibility on the ground; although such visibility was limited to never more than twenty feet.

Drawing in swirls of dense mist with them, Sam and the remaining crew of the Ascent entered the old, basaltic stone Church at Tun da Main, on the outskirts of the planet's capital settlement. Harris was the last in and pulled closed a large, polished stainless steel door that clanged as it hit the stone facing. Even though the small church was packed with familiar faces, they were met with a chilled silence. Sam indicated for the others to take a seat and walked with poise down the nave that was lit by the fire of hundreds of large candles that lined the walls. She, like all of those assembled, wore her formal uniform (for those members of the death squad, a black robe with white collars, other churchman wore shirts and pants also black). 

Sam took the pulpit and looked down at the congregation, she noticed that all gathered were Death Squad members and their crews. There were no locals except for one slightly pale and nervous looking woman at the end of the frontmost pue directly in front of the pulpit. The room was comfortably warm and yet Sam noticed a bead of sweat run down the local priest's temple. Poor thing, thought Sam, I bet you must think we are all ruthless murderers here to take your life, even inside the Church, this holiest of places, our reputation precedes us. Hopefully here today, I'll be able to convince you otherwise. She looked to the others in the audience and inwardly shuddered at the intensity at which they all stared back at her. I hope I can convince them too. She cleared her throat.

"It is a strange thing that we gather here today, without the thoughtful manner of our beloved Dean Eiko. I, unlike him, am a simple servant, and will, therefore, by the grace of our Lord forgive me, speak plainly as is more to my nature. 

"Before we begin our mass, I must humbly thank you, Churchman Avan, for your the use of your Church and for your hospitality."

The priest Avan stood and bowed slightly in recognition, seemingly somewhat relieved.

"Further, befor we begin, I would like to announce an unscheduled ordination for an acolyte who has demonstrated outstanding courage and readiness in the field saving the lives of two of our number..."

"...Ordination? Same, sure such can wait." I stern woman seated in the front row interupted.

Sam replied quickly, "Thank you Father Koopa, and normally, yes, I would agree. But, I am unsure of how you all will react to this sermon, and so, I would now, while the opportunity presents itself, fulfil this slight administration."

Father Koopa frowned, but consented anyway.

Sam motioned to the back of the Church,  "Acolyte LUA5 stand and move forward".

From the rear of the church, the hooded acolyte stood and walked briskly towards the altar where Sam had relocated. The acolyte stood momentarily before her leader then knelt. Sam reached down and slowly drew the acolyte's hood back over her head amid a hushed murmur from the assembly at the marvel of discovering a beamer in their midst. Drawing a palm of holy water from the font, Sam wett the forehead of her subject. "Tell Adamah and her people, that you will bless the servants of our Father. Rise Churchman Lucas of the terminatio die militem and say unto them; God bless you."

The new priest stood and turned to face her fellow death squad members and said, with a firm voice, "God bless you."

Next, Sam addressed the congregation. "Some might argue that I, a mere Churchman would not have the authority to approve the ordination of one of her own, and, had this occurred before the horrifying events of late, then I would be the first to agree. But, at the head of our church millions of astronomical units across the galaxy, the members of Death Squad 8 are being excommunicated--I guarantee this to be the case. And so, we fall away, without hierarchy, without purpose, but not without God.

"Now you would have all seen the final sermon of our Dean and his decree, the undoing of the terminatio die. He has opened our eyes to the truth; that we have spent our lives in the service of our most holy Father, killing on his behalf. Murdering on his behalf. Making our fellow man fear us, so much that we turn even the smallest child white with fear. We kill for God, but we do not love for God. Our Dean however, in our salvation, has delivered us from an evil that has been eating at our souls since an age before memory.

"The footage of the sermon at New Freedom will spread like wildfire, and there will be nothing that the Church or anyone will be able to do to prevent the authority from which our Dean gave witness, he was 'reborn' and blessed with 'true sight'. With this authority, our Dean revoked the terminatio die, and many will see his words as gospel, as I believe it was. Without help, the lambs that follow our Dean will be slaughtered by the Church. What is more, that, from its highest ranks, the Church will fight to dispel such decree with every power at its disposal. But, this will not be with the power of God, because on that day, our Dean spake from the power of God, and there can only be one God--one word.

"It is now, my brothers and sisters, that we must decide which path to take. Should we rejoin the Church and accept the retribution due to us; or should we clear the way for Eiko's words to travel to their natural conclusion, unburdened by greed, jealousy and hate, and in the hope that one day, we may see a reformation of our beliefs and truly live for God.

"Members of the terminatio die militem and our faithful crews, now is the time for you to decide: Follow the true sight or, without prejudice in the eyes of the Church, return to your duty."

Unseen to Sam, the local priest Avan, had once again begun to sweat.