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The rooing the roo in loose clumps in the center In one corner, an ad hoc bar with four bartenders was doing brisk business A tall, dark-skinned ray suit walked out of the crowd like Venus rising froed the effect He reached out and took her hand with his “I’m so happy to have you with us I’ve heard soon Europa, and I don’t see how the Methodist World Council could have chosen anyone else for this important trip”
Anna shook his hand, then carefully extricated herself frorasp Doctor Hector Cortez, Father Hank on his live streamcasts that went out to over a hundred million people each week, and close personal friend and spiritual advisor to the secretary-general hi about her Her tiny congregation of less than a hundred people on Europa wouldn’t even be a rounding error to his solar syste flattered, uncouely suspicious
“Doctor Cortez,” Anna said “So nice to meet you I’ve seen your show before, of course”
“Of course,” he said, s around the room for soreet her less out of the pleasure of her arrival than as a chance to extricate hi before, and she didn’t knohether to be relieved or insulted She settled on aravity well, an elderly arb pulled away from the central crowd and drifted in Doctor Cortez’s direction
She started to introduce herself when Doctor Cortez cut in with that boo voice and said, “Father Michel Say hello to my friend Reverend Doctor Annushka Volovodov, a worker for God’s glory with the Europa congregation of Methodists”
“Reverend Volovodov,” the Catholic man said “I’m Father Michel, with the Archdiocese of Rome”
“Oh, very nice to meet—” Anna started
“Don’t let him fool you with that humble old country priest act,” Cortez boomed over the top of her “He’s a bishop on the short list for cardinal”
“Congratulations,” Anna said
“Oh, it’s nothing All exaggeration and s will happen until it fits with God’s plan”
“You wouldn’t be here if that were true,” Cortez said
The bishop chuckled
A woman in an expensive blue dress followed one of the uniforne She and Father Michel reached for a glass at the sane, and the waiter vanished into the crowd at the center of the room