Plight of the Vatican

[ManBear]

Vacation was meant to be peaceful and enjoyable. Where work and worries wash off the body to allow the mind to heal from the tribulations of adulthood. And for Dora Duda it had been just like that. This was her first vacation after graduating from the University of Warsaw with a journalism degree and her first after getting a job as a low level reporter for a regional offshoot of the Polish News Agency. Underpaid, overworked, and with zero luck in the world of love, the devout Catholic had chosen to visit the Vatican City to allow her soul to be refilling with the peace that came from her religion. That is, until the air was driven out of her lung by an immense pressure wave akin to the ones seen online of explosive disasters. Fortunately for her, the explosion did little else to her than force her to gulp for air once she was able to.

After regaining her composure and belongings that had been knocked off of her shoulder, the young journalist would remove the DSLR Canon camera that she had brought along with her to record the trip and began snapping pictures of the aftermath. Smoke billowing from over the rooftops and the rhythmic barking of automatic gunfire a few blocks away.

Time appeared to slow as she carefully documented the disaster unfold before her, even taking the effort to take a picture of helicopters flying overhead just as they unleashed a torrent of heated metal propelled through an explosive chemical reaction aimed at the rooftops of the Vatican.

The smell of burning wood and sulfur burned the young lady’s nose as she positioned herself behind an ancient pillar supporting a portion of the Vatican’s buildings. Her heart palpated rapidly beneath her clothes with such fierceness that she would later swear that she could see her clothes bouncing with every heartbeat.

Ender

 

[ManBear]

Three Polish bodies moved through the throng of Italians as the deafening noise of electronic music drowned out everything around them, even coherent thoughts. The sounds of the ensuing battle above them did not even attempt to pierce the several feet of dirt, concrete, and brick that layer between the ceiling of the room and the roadways above them, much less the rapid electronic beating of the music that cause many of the bodies to move of their on accord. Party drugs and alcohol flowed freely through the bodies of the three Polish citizens as the looked at the bartender and ordered more shots of expensive vodka. They all leaned in close as they spoke.

“It was a good idea to take a break from university and come to Rome. Your girlfriend’s parents are so cool for letting us stay in their palazzo.” The young man that spoke made a terrible accent with the Italian word. They were interrupted by a young Italian woman who was dating the taller of the three men, clearly of Italian descent. Her accent as she spoke showed her Italian heritage. “Don’t ever do that again Mika. That accent is borderline racist. Now, my love. Let’s take this shot and go back to doing that thing we were doing earlier.” She winked at the taller man as she grabbed her shot glass. The other two made gagging noises as they each grabbed their glasses while the boyfriend sheepishly grinned ear to ear. They group had no idea that even this early in the morning there was a war raging above them.

“3.” Helicopters reigned gunfire above.

“2.” A phone call within the Vatican was placed.

“1.” A plan was enacted.

The earth shifted above throngs of people and the fire of the vodka was erased by the fire that followed the bricks cascading down. Soon the heavy beats of music were silenced and all that remained was silence as a man wearing suit of the blackest nights wielding a flashlight that cast shapes through the dust and smoke that would remind many of a large farming implement.

Ender

 

[ManBear]

The smell of sulfur soon overpowered the stomach of the fledgling journalist as she found her meager breakfast rising through her stomach before finding itself on the rough cobblestones of the ancient city laying before her. She did not know if it was because of the anxiety from witnessing a battlefield for the first time in her career or if it was simply from the smell of gunfire and death that permeated the area. What she did know is that she needed to let her bosses know of the situation surrounding Vatican City. And with that she moved, messenger bag carried around her neck and resting on her hip.

Duda continued to snap pictures with the Canon DSLR camera until she was unable to get clear pictures anymore. That is, until she once more found the breath driven from her lungs and found herself making the acquaintance of the ground from the various shockwaves of the vehicle based IEDs that exploded around the above ground passage. Her camera, still intact miraculously, would snap additional pictures of the burning husk of a van and the crumble ruins of the ancient escape passage that had served the previous Pope’s faithfully. The grey-black smoke rising into the sky would strike an imposing visage in the pictures as she made her way away from the Vatican and towards her hotel in the middle of the city.

It wouldn’t take long for her to arrive at the hotel that boasted an impressive wifi capability. Once in the lobby, certainly a strange sight as she was covered in soot and dried blood from the various explosions and shrapnel, she would open her laptop and connect her comers via a cable that would allow her to transfer images to her computer. From there she would directly upload the files to the Polish News Agency email as well as a video of herself giving a detailed explanation as to what she had witnessed during her time near the Vatican.

Ender

 

[ManBear]

Upon completing the upload to the Polish News Agency, the Duda would quickly return to her room via the stairs before grabbing the rest of her camera gear. Various lenses, spare batteries, and SD cards in their plastic cases were stowed in a rugged backpack that had been left inside the room for her morning jaunt, insuring the lenses had their hard plastic covers over them, before returning down the same stairs she had travelled up. As she entered the street and began the 1km jaunt back towards The Vatican, she insured her camera was on and the various settings were correct. As she travelled back towards the explosions she would stop short at the site of two men wearing suits and of an Asian ethnicity taking pictures. She would quickly suck into an alleyway before carefully sticking her camera around the corner to snap pictures of the two men and their armed friends standing at various corners around the field of battle. She would insure each picture would have weapons and faces in each picture before she would move to the opposite end of the alleyway and proceeding down the next street to the site of the explosion that knocked her down.

She would spend several minutes taking pictures of the burning vehicles and dead bodies that may have been there. She would also insure she took pictures of civilians helping the first responders before moving back to The Vatican to take more pictures of the battle taking place there. I’m all likelihood she would have encountered Italian military by this point and would have snapped several photos of the Italian armored unit and their vehicles as she moved alone. If stop she would offer her work badge that was stuffed in her bag that would show she was a reporter for the Polish News Agency.

Ender
Isa
Bossza007

 

[Bossza007]

As the situation in Vatican City continued to unfold, a young and daring reporter from the Polish News Agency made her way towards the unfolding drama. Known for her commitment to journalistic integrity, she navigated the precarious streets, her path destined to intersect with the Thai group on Borgo Vittorio Street, just 65 meters from Via del Mascherino.

Her approach did not go unnoticed. Members of the Thai delegation, recognizing her bravery and dedication to the truth, couldn't help but admire her valor. She was a standout figure, her presence a bold statement in the midst of chaos.

Meanwhile, two NIA employees were intently documenting the ongoing conflict. However, their colleagues, vigilant and observant, spotted the reporter approaching. With no place for her to discreetly continue her journey, they acknowledged her presence with a friendly wave and struck a confident pose. It was a moment of light-hearted camaraderie in a tense situation, a nod to the shared importance of their respective missions.

ManBear
Isa
Ender​

 

[Isa]

The Polish reporter was largely allowed to move throughout Rome without much scrutiny. She did not seem like a threat to any of the authorities near the scenes and frankly they had a more important job right now than harassing some young woman who was unlikely to be a threat. This changed somewhat when she came closer to the border of the Holy See. The State of Emergency did not include a ban on being in the vicinity of the area, however soldiers had been instructed to halt any noncombatants for their own safety. As such when the young woman encountered the patrol, the soldiers also noticed her. Lowering his weapon, a Sergeant of the Italian Army approached the young woman and would address her in Italian. "Signora, the entire area surrounding the Vatican City is a combat zone. Please turn around for your own safety."

ManBear

 

[ManBear]

The young woman had a brief understanding of Italian and could pick up a few words of the Italian Sergeant as he spoke, though most escaped her from the increased speed of speech most native speakers have with their native languages. Signora and Vatican City and Danger were the biggest words she had gotten from the conversation.

With a quizzical look, she would show the man the LCD screen of her camera where she would rapidly flip through the pictures captured that day until she finally showed him the ones taken just outside of the Vatican of men exchanging gunfire, smoke rising into the sky and finally the helicopters firing onto the rooftops of The Vatican.

In Polish she would say “I really needed to finish those Rosetta Stone classes”

In the little Italian she knew, she would say “Sorry, Italian not so good. The Vatican. Yea dangerous. Morning. To The Vatican.”

She would mimic the sound of explosions and mimic taking pictures with her camera.

Isa

 

[Isa]

Understanding that the young woman did not speak Italian, and from the pictures assuming she was a foreign reporter the Sergeant grabbed his radio to call for his superior officer. Moments later a young brunette woman, likely not much older than the reporter approached both. "My apologies, miss. While all our officers speak English, this does not apply to all our NCOs just yet. I am Lieutenant Amalia Vespucci of the Royal Italian Army. My Sergeant wanted to inform you that the area surrounding Vatican City is a combat zone and as such highly dangerous for those without military grade armour and a rifle. He also asked you to go back the way you came. But based on those pictures and the credentials in the bag I assume even if you told me yes right now I will see you again in a few hours. To make sure that you do not leave this city in a bodybag, I'd like to offer you to join my unit. You will need to wear some of our Kevlar and listen to our instructions, but that way you get to report from the frontlines without risking a quick end to your career" The Lieutenant said before instructing the Sergeant to rejoin the unit.

ManBear

 

[ManBear]

The dusty and bloodied journalist in a tank top and shorts that ended mid thigh trying to get back into the action must have been a strange sight for Italian military sergeant as she approached and offered her terrible version of the Italian language but she breathed a sigh of relief when the English speaking lieutenant approached her.

“Thank you lieutenant. You are mostly right in the assumption I would find a way back into the Vatican to witness the actions. I would gladly join your unit as an embedded journalist to document the battlefield here. Never would have expected this to happen in Rome since the troubles ended. I hope you don’t mind me asking questions while we move. I’ll do my best to not interrupt any important communications between you and your men.”

She would await her body armor, and possible helmet, before equipping the weapons of her profession, a camera and its lenses.

“Just to let you know I spotted several armed men taking pictures of the Vatican back at the Passetto and they posed for the camera.” She would show the pictures to the Italian lieutenant while she informed her of the unnamed intruders taking pictures. “They left in a vehicle not long after they posed.”

Isa

 

[Isa]

"You may certainly ask, but very few of them can actually answer you. That being said, you may direct any questions to me and I will answer whatever I can disclose" Amalia replied with a smile. She pressed her radio and in Italian ordered a back-up vest and helmet to be provided. As they did not expect to be encountering Press they unfortunately only had the military camo variant. As they waited for the Corporal to come with the equipment and the Polish woman to put it over her clothes Amalia would provide her some more information. "You are lucky you encountered my unit. We have been ordered to the border with the Holy See and neutralize any American and Swiss Guard we encounter. We are not allowed to cross into the Holy See, however" She elaborated. When the Polish woman repaid the information with her own Amalia was clearly surprised by the sight of the Asian looking men so close to a detonation site. "Thank you for the information, I will relay it to Command and make sure that whoever they are they don't get their heads blown off"

Once the reporter was properly protected they would take her into the passenger area of an APC before continuing to the border until they encountered their first actual hostiles for the day.

ManBear

 

[ManBear]

Duda would struggle equipping the vest, having never worn one before or seen on put on and would probably receive some sort of instruction from the female Italian lieutenant before the helmet and vest were successfully equipped correctly. She was certainly a strange sight for anyone watching. Bloodied and tattered clothes underneath an Italian body armor and Kevlar helmet getting into the back of an Italian APC. Some would probably wonder who she was if she hadn’t shown them her polish press badge. Once inside the APC she would carefully put her medium-length, dark hair into a ponytail while she would offer a greeting in Italian to the soldiers onboard the APC.

During the transit she would change the setting on the camera to coincide with the dimmer lighting within the APC as she would take photos of the Italian troops awaiting their first conflict since the end of the civil war that ended not to long ago. Like most soldiers she expected them to be serious but also have a side of goofiness that comes from not overtaxing the bodies regulatory systems for stress. If the Lieutenant was within audible range to converse she would ask a few questions.

“I do not have to release your name or picture to the general public if you don’t wish it but I would like to know your full name and your rank with the Italian Army for my records.”

“The bell tolling signifies the death of the Pope does it not?”

“Is it your belief that the Pope has fallen during the fighting and explosions?”

“How long have you served with the Italian Army and what unit are you apart of?”

“Are you actively expecting to get into an armed confrontation with the American and Swiss guard during your deployment to the boundary between Rome and the Holy See?”

Each answer would be recorded on the camera’s video function for later use.

Isa

 

[ManBear]

Duda would carefully catalogue each of the Lieutenant's answers, and their corresponding question, within a small notepad retrieved from her bag, careful to pause and take pictures of the crew inside of the APC through her DSLR camera. The settings of which would be established to limit the use of the blinding flash that would inhibit the soldiers ability to see within the darkened confines of the armored vehicle. Once the crew neared the walls of Vatican City and the troops disembarked, the civilian journalist wearing military body armor would leave the protection of the APC after them, careful to take pictures of the soldiers performing their soldierly duties. She was inspired by the Italian sense of duty as they carefully set out to perform whatever was required for them to establish a perimeter around the walls that had protected the Vatican for centuries.

This reverie was soon broken, however, as a peculiar sight came marching down Via Della Conciliazione. Italian Army soldiers, Vatican soldiers wearing the livery of the American Guard(that had laid waste to the roofs earlier), and men in various states of civilian garb carrying various semi-automatic and automatic weapons. This unprecedented sight of the combined might of holy fury would be superseded by the hallucination of the Pope wearing his white cassock augmented by antique plate armor wearing a leg holster holding an embellished pistol, the make of which she could not readily identify, and a sword on the other. The sight of an armed and armored pope flanked by criminals, soldiers, and guardsman would surely bring back the visage of the holy wars a millennium ago. This would certainly cause a stir on the global stage of the Pope acting so brazenly, even if it is to defend his homeland from insurgents.

The sounds of the camera shutter whirred throughout the street, deafened by the sound of marching feet, clank of weapons, and rumbling of the engines of Italian APCs. Only Duda could hear the mechanical clicking of the shutter as pictures were rapidly taken at various stages of zoom, even a portrait of the Pope walking with his arms and armor was gotten in profile. She was certain this would bring the twitter fellows hounding the Pope much like they did the American Vice-President during the uprising there recently. At this current time the thought of the possibility of winning a Pulitzer was far from her mind. Her only thoughts at the time were to her survival and the inspiring leader leading an army into the Vatican.

Ender

 

[ManBear]

The Vatican Reclaimed: A Journalist’s Journey with Pope Hadrian VII and the American Guard​

In the early hours of dawn, where the sun's first light painted the ancient walls of the Vatican in a soft golden glow, the serenity of the scene belief the tensions simmering within. The false Pope, an ambitious cardinal named Jack Daniels who had seized control with the aid of the traitorous Swiss Guard. The world watched in shock from afar as the heart of Catholicism fell into the hands of an usurper. But hope would not be lost for the true believers. The true Pope, Hadrian VII, had escaped the initial coup and rallied a force to reclaim his rightful seat. Amongst this force was the newly formed American Guard, elite soldiers trained in the art of modern warfare and in the ways of ancient chivalry.

The American Guard, led by Colonel William "Doc" Woods, met with Pope Hadrian VII in a covert locations on the outskirts of the Vatican. The Pope, a man of deep faith and a steely resolve, laid out the plan with the precision of a seasoned strategist. While I was not present for the briefing, one could tell the soldiers under his command would follow the holy father to hell and back if required. As the sun began to rise, the force moved silently through the ancient streets of Rome. Cobblestones, sworn smooth by centuries of pilgrims, now bore the weight of armed soldiers and armored vehicles as we neared the Collonade of St Peter's Square. The soldiers and mafiosos moved with well practiced ease as if given the strength to carry out the Holy Father's duty by God himself. My camera would capture images of the events quietly, often capturing the tension and determination etched onto their faces as they moved. The sight of the Swiss Guard, once symbols of protection now turned into traitors, seemed to fuel their resolve.

Pope Hadrian VII addressed the traitorous swiss guards in Latin. "“Decepti estis! Nunc arma depone et nos tibi ignoscemus et cum stolis et anulis in digitis tuis recipiemus!” This can be translated to "You have been deceived! Lay down your arms now and We will forgive you and welcome you back with Robes and Rings upon your fingers!" Even to the very end, Pope Hadrian VII attempted to end this coup d'état peacefully. But the only response was the commander of the Swiss Guard executing a potential defector before speaking to his men. As I was too far away from the man, I am unable to attest to what he spoke.

The true Pope issued orders to the Italian King and the Mafioso. The Italian King was assigned to prevent any escapes into Rome by barring any entrances and exits with his army while the Don was assigned to clearing the grounds and buildings of traitors. He would take the American and Palatine guards with himself as they moved towards St Peter's Basilica and the Palace. The Pope's last words to the assembled men before the attack were "Caedite eos. Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius." Which is a direct quote from the Cistercian Abbot Arnaud Amalric, who had commanded the Albigensian Crusade, and could translate directly to "Kill them. The Lord knows those that are his own" With a single shot at a full charge, the Pope's pistol would pierce the Swiss Guard's Commander heart and kill him on the spot. This would start the Battle for the Vatican.

Hours would pass as the two forces clashed together, fighting for every inch taken or given. The once peaceful square was filled with the sounds of gunfire that drowned out voices crying for help or medics. The acrid and acidic smell of gunfire filled the air and burned my nose as I moved alongside the Pope's forces, capturing the scenes of the battlefield. I moved with the Pope's American Guard as the moved through the Apostolic Palace, clearing the venerable building from traitors. The once pristine walls, tiles, and marbled floors now pockmarked by holes left by bullets and handheld explosives. Ancient artwork and statues now reduced to embers and rubble before the onslaught brought by the holy crusaders of Pope Hadrian VII as the moved throughout the ancient buildings that was home to Catholicism.

The climax of the engagement would begin at the heavy doors to St Peter's Basilica, the last bastion of defense for the beleaguered traitors who faced the holy fury of Pope Hadrian's crusaders. Finally it was time and all five doors of the Basilica would be blown apart by American Guard breaching teams before smoke grenades would be thrown into the ancient home of Christianity. As the smoke grenades began to pour smoke out, the traditional acrid smell of burning chemicals was replaced by the much more pleasant scent of Pontifical Incense. Something many would consider a fitting addition to the Pope's crusaders.


In an instant the exchange of words between the true Pope and the traitorous, false Pope was interrupted by a series of large explosions that brought the worlds largest freestanding dome crashing down into the Basilica. From my vantage point near the doors, I witnessed chunks of stone larger than small cars crush crusaders and furniture as if they were ants beneath the shoes of a small child. Don Tomasso, as I would later learn his name, had one last selfless act in a life of crime and blood. Pushing the true Pope to safety as his own body became the target of the large boulder sized rock crushed everything below his sternum. Perhaps the man thought this last selfless act of bravery would bring him to Saint Peter's gates in atonement for his life of crime but that last thought would forever be between him and god.

I witnessed the Colonel who was in charge of the American guard issue a last order to secure the Pope, a man set on duty above all, before losing consciousness due to the many wounds he suffered throughout the conflict. I even shouldered my camera to assist wounded soldiers back into the courtyard of the Basilica. It was after a few trips that the remaining faithful soldiers were rushing into the rubble to rescue soldiers that I took up my own personal weapon and began taking photos of the immediate aftermath. The Pope carrying his faithful defender to safety. Italian soldiers giving aid to mafiosos and American and Palatine guardsman alike. Strewn about the courtyard were the bodies of the faithless traitors who were brought to heel mercilessly by the soldiers of Pope Hadrian VII on his orders. No quarter was shown and it was clear that some of the enemies had been dispatched after they had been removed from the fight. I will leave it up to the reader as to whether or not the Pope was correct in his call for no quarter for the traitors for it my job to report the news and not draw conclusions for you, dear reader.

Epilogue:

The battle was over. Pope Hadrian VII would retake his rightful place in the Holy See while his defenders, the American and Palatine Guards, would take many months if not years to fully recover from the battle. Overnight he leadership of the Italian mafia families was thrown in upheaval at the death of Don Tomasso at the hands of the false Pope's soldiers. The Italian army suffered no significant losses and there was not to be any expected change in their power except for the King of Italy's respect amongst catholic nations for coming to the defense of the true Pope.

With the destruction of the Swiss Guard, the ones faithful protectors of the Vatican, we are unsure of the effects it will have in the wider world. Often considered one of the most premier fighting forces, despite their size, their destruction could lead to a vacuum of power within the Holy See itself. What is for certain, however, is the dominance the Pope Hadrian VII established by retaking the Vatican from the usurpers. It will certainly lead credence to his cause in future political and diplomatic actions to foreign nations should the Pope wish to continue that method of distribution of faith.

Final Thoughts

My journey with Pope Hadrian VII and the American Guard was more than just an assignment. It was a profound experience, witnessing the battle for the soul of a nation. Through my lens, I captured not just the conflict but the unwavering spirit of those who fought for what was right. The Vatican was restored, and with it, a powerful message: that faith and justice, when united, can overcome any adversity.

Ender