The Jovian Gate Chronicles

Toynbee’s Gate

I would not give up. I refused to allow Cardinal Giacomo to intimidate me with his piercing stare and deep, booming voice. To help me focus, I had declined a chair and knelt before the Cardinal’s desk on the marble floor, clenching my rosary beads in my folded hands. The metal crucifix, jabbed into my palm, heightened my discomfort, but I would not break. For my brother’s sake, I couldn’t.

Cardinal Giacomo didn’t even try to make eye contact with me. Instead, he stared out the Vatican’s windows, observing the air cars buzzing around a docking station. During the questioning, if you tell us the truth you will not be harmed.

His voice frightened me, reminding me of the times my father would yell at my brother when we were growing up. I adjusted my habit, tucking a few stray hairs back into hiding, and prayed for strength. Yes, your Eminence.

Cardinal Giacomo reached out to his BlueBoard and touched a spot on the screen. Data flowed in the top right-hand corner and a video feed pulsed into activity. The video profile took on the shape of another clergy member. Buòn giorno. The American butchered the greeting.

Ignoring me for a moment, Cardinal Giacomo tilted his head in salutation. His double chin wobbled from the sudden motion. Greetings, Father Wolsey. Our Savior’s peace be with you. Tapping the board’s security firewall settings with his thick fingers, Cardinal Giacomo approved the outward transmission of data to flow to his colleague’s BlueBoard.

And His peace be with you. The video feed’s size increased to a third of the screen. It’s good to see you, my friend. Father Wolsey paused, taking in my personal information that had been streamed to his BlueBoard. Have you transmitted all of her records?

Everything is there. Cardinal Giacomo glanced down at me with such contempt that I found it difficult to remain quiet. He adjusted the cameras trained on me and returned his attention to the BlueBoard. She has agreed to cooperate.

Father Wolsey scratched at his grey beard and leaned forward so that his beady eyes filled the BlueBoard’s screen. Greetings, Sister Jeanne.

I looked up at the BlueBoard and bowed my head. Good morning, Father.

He held my gaze and asked, Do you know who I am?

No. I remained kneeling and struggled not to fidget. My knees hurt, but I ignored the discomfort.

I am one of the Holy Father’s closest advisors. Your story has earned his interest. Father Wolsey sat back in his chair and folded his hands in his lap. An intense look of concentration furrowed his brow. It is our task to learn if you’re telling the truth, lying, or, possibly insane. If you cooperate, this will be painless for you. Are you ready?

His calmness frightened me but I replied quickly by nodding.

Cardinal Giacomo punched in a code for the controls on his desk. A soft white light shined down on me. The bright light didn’t hurt, but I needed to cover my eyes from the glare until they adjusted. Cardinal Giacomo shifted his weight in his seat and said, Don’t be afraid. The light will tell us if you’re lying. If you try to deceive us, you will be excommunicated and punished. Do you understand?

Thoughts of rebelling against the Church flew from my head. A bead of sweat dripped down the side of my forehead and nearly went into my eye. In a low voice, I gathered the courage to reply. Yes, I understand.

Cardinal Giacomo glanced over at the BlueBoard and saw Father Wolsey’s signal that he was ready for the questioning to begin.

How old are you?

I stared up at the light, afraid to make a mistake. Twenty.

The consistency of the light remained the same. Cardinal Giacomo read his colleague’s question off the BlueBoard and asked, When was the first time you heard the voices?

The day after my older brother disappeared. Jacob’s accident in space was still hard for me to take. Alone and in a convent, I remember the exact moment when I was told. At first, I couldn’t believe he was gone. Now, two months later the dull ache in my chest refused to go away. It was the only physical remembrance I had left of him.

What did the voices tell you? Cardinal Giacomo bellowed out his question, bringing me back to the present.

I had been asked this question often since my secret came out so I knew better to tell too much up front. They promised to guide me to the truth.

Cardinal Giacomo observed the readings on his BlueBoard and nodded in agreement to Father Wolsey. I could only guess what Father Wolsey had written to him. When was the last time the voices spoke to you, and what did they say?

Closing my eyes, I willed the words to come out and prayed they’d appear to be the truth. I heard the voices four days ago. They told me to remain faithful and God would reward me.

The white light changed to a deep, ruby color, and a warning alarm went off. Cardinal Giacomo looked me in the eye. I will repeat the question. What did the voices tell you?

Up to this point, I had found ways to circumvent the truth. I was ashamed to tell the full story. The voices had just started coming to me in dreams and, more recently when I was awake. My Mother Superior had noticed my strange behaviors, like talking back to an empty chair, and decided to report me. Three days later I wound up kneeling before a Cardinal at the Vatican. Fear spread through me. If I lied, they would know. I closed my eyes but still could envision Cardinal Giacomo’s pudgy face. Sister Jeanne, we don’t have all day. Do you not understand that your future is at risk?

My strength faded and I just wanted to run away, curl up in a corner and disappear, but somehow I remained strong. Yes, I understand what’s at stake, but I’m afraid to answer.

Cardinal Giacomo raised an eyebrow. Afraid? You have the Church’s protection. You’ll not be harmed for speaking the truth.

I hadn’t been mistreated over the last three days, but an unspoken threat of punishment loomed over all I did. I needed to make a decision and I knew that only the truth would allow me to leave this room. I trusted myself and answered, The voices told me that they were messengers from God. They told me I would go to the fifth planet and seek union with God through their doorway. There, I’d find someone I’d lost and uncover God’s truth. I was afraid what they should say, but it was the truth.

The light turned back to pure white and did not change in shade. Cardinal Giacomo rubbed his forehead and sighed. In Father Wolsey’s office, I saw his staff in the background, scrambling to examine all the data streaming through the BlueBoard. I wondered how someone so insignificant as myself had become enmeshed in such a great mess. Father Wolsey took a softer approach and asked, Tell me, were you close to your brother before he disappeared?

Startled by the question, I answered, Yes, I was. My heart beat faster and I tried to hide my concern.

In whose semblance have the voices spoken to you recently? Father Wolsey’s calm voice soothed me.

Yet I hadn’t expected that question. I looked away from the BlueBoard, knowing that I had to tell the truth. The streaming light from above covered me. There was no way for me to hide. I stared at Father Wolsey and replied, The voices sound like my brother’s at different ages.

The light remained pure in color and did not change. I could see Father Wolsey’s staff scurrying to analyze the data from my response. Momentarily distracted by my answer, the Father handed over the questioning to Cardinal Giacomo. Taking in every movement I made with such intensity, the Cardinal smiled warmly at