Cloak and Dagger, Part 1

[Moon knocks and enters the Sun’s office] 

Moon: Sol, we’re supposed to meet before your next meeting in a few minutes… 

Sun: Yes, Luna. Please sit down. 

[Moon sits opposite the Sun, at his desk] 

Sun: [points to door] Are they outside? 

Moon: Yes, they’re in the waiting room. 

Sun: Good. [pause] [low voice] Do you know why these two are here? 

Moon: The invitation you sent was sufficiently vague. [smiles] I have an idea, Sol, but no specifics. 

Sun: [smiles] You want to tell me what you think? 

Moon: Normally, Sol, I’d disclose my thoughts to you, but in this case I think I’ll remain silent. 

Sun: Curioser and curioser! [chuckles] Allrighty then. Send Mercury and Saturn in, please, and shut the door behind us. Make sure no one else is in the waiting room until they both leave, please. 

Moon: Of course, Sol. [opens the door and motions for entry] The Sun is ready for you, gentlemen. 

 

[Mercury and Saturn enter] 

Sun: Lady Moon, would you be so kind as to store Mercury’s cell phone until we’re finished, please? 

[The Moon reaches toward Mercury] 

Mercury: [groans and hands cell phone over to the Moon] 

Sun: Thank you kindly, Mercury. You may now close us in, Lady Moon, and please hold all my calls.  

Moon: Of course, sir. [leaves and closes door] 

Sun: Hi there, gentlemen. Thanks for coming in. 

Saturn: Sir, I’m a little confused about why I’m here; your meeting request was rather unhelpful in that regard. 

Sun: There’s a reason for that, Old Man. Mercury, could you please repeat to Saturn what you told me earlier? 

Mercury: Yes, sir. Word has reached me that our favorite blogged has started writing again, and… 

Saturn: We’re aware, Mercury. I’ve spoken with him myself about resuming his interview series. So why is there all this secrecy? 

Mercury: You didn’t let me finish, Saturn. 

Saturn: Wait…there’s more? 

Mercury: Yes. May I finish now? 

Saturn: [SIGH] Of course, Mercury. Please go ahead. 

Mercury: According to a reliable source, our favorite blogger is writing another book. 

Saturn: Whoa! That IS a big deal. [looks around furtively] Who else knows about this? 

Sun: This is why you’re here, Saturn. This information is close hold; only the three of us know, for now. 

Saturn: Lady Moon doesn’t even know? 

Sun: I have not informed her, but her instincts are excellent, as you both know. Before we began, I asked for her impressions to find out what she knew, but she declined to say anything. I suspect she did not want to bias me. So it’s just us, and we need to keep it that way. That’s a direct order, Mercury. 

Mercury: Yes, sir. I’ll send anything else I get your way. 

Sun: Thank you very much. You’re excused. Make sure you ask Lady Moon to return your cell phone. 

Mercury: You’ve got it, boss. [leaves the office and closes the door behind him] 

Saturn: We don’t know anything else? It’s not a lot to go on.And while I’ll agree this is a fantastic development, sir, I’m still not sure why I’m involved. 

Sun: You know him better than any of us, and I’m asking you to see what you can do to help him out. 

Saturn: I tend to stifle his creativity, sir, so I’m not sure how helpful I can be. 

Sun: I disagree. I think you will be a great help to him. I need two main things from you. 

Saturn: And they would be…? 

Sun: First is to keep him on track. He’s busy but this is important. His first book published nearly 9 years ago. Give him some flexible Saturn in Gemini boundaries so he does a little each day and doesn’t burn out. 

Saturn: That I can do. And the second task? 

Sun: Let me know immediately if word gets out about this among the team. I don’t want anyone to know, especially Jupiter. 

Saturn: [nods] Sounds simple enough. 

Sun: As you interact with him, keep your ears open and report anything you think I need to know directly to me. Contact Lady Moon and ask her to set up a meeting on my calendar. Entitle it “Boundary Violations” and don’t say anything to her about what you’ve found. That meeting title is generic enough that anyone who looks at our shared calendar won’t suspect anything. 

Saturn: I hear you, sir, and I’ll follow all the protocols. [stands up] Is there anything else? 

Sun: Thank you, Saturn. Nothing else at this time. [Saturn turns to leave]  This is a big deal, Saturn. Do what you can to help him out. I don’t want him giving up again; too much time has already elapsed. 

Saturn: [turns around] Yes, sir. Maybe the timing was not right before, but it is now. I’ll do what I can. [opens the door and leaves]

Meeting of the Planetary Minds: Back to Business

Sun: Good morning, all! Welcome to our first meeting of 2025! 

Venus: Good morning, sir! 

Neptune: [SIGH] 

Pluto: Chin up, Nep…we talked about this! 

Neptune: I know, but [starts to cry]…I hate leaving my favorite sign for such a long time! 

Pluto: Change is inevitable, Nep, even for us. And you’ve still got a little while before you’re out of Pisces. Then it’s Aries, a whole new world you haven’t seen in several hundred years. Evolution, baby! 

Venus: He’s much more sensitive than you are, Pluto! 

Moon: Quite true, Lady Venus. The idea of being in a sign for so long is a lot. I can’t even imagine! 

Pluto: Been there, done that and I’ll agree. I went through it a number of years back when I left Scorpio, but I didn’t go all blubbering in a damn meeting. 

Saturn: This is definitely not the time or place for it. 

Sun: Neptune, I’m really sorry. Do you need to be excused? 

Neptune: [dabs at eyes] No, sir. I think I can make it. [takes a pull from his flask] 

[Pluto rolls his eyes] 

Sun: Allrighty then. Lady Moon, remind me who’s out on retrograde leave right now. 

Moon: At the moment, sir, we’ve got three planets out on business: Mars, Jupiter, and Uranus. Everyone else is here. 

Mercury: I concur with Lady Moon’s assessment. Her information is correct. 

Sun: Excellent. Thank you both for the update. 

Pluto: With Mr. “If you can’t be an athlete, be an athletic supporter” out of the way for at least another month our meetings will be free of bawdy jokes, which is a little disappointing. Not much, but a little. 

Venus: I’d agree with you, Pluto, but I still miss him from time to time. 

Pluto: [scoffs] You’ll get over it. 

Saturn: He’s not wrong, Lady Venus. 

Venus: Come on, you two. I’ve been working on him about his…how to say this in a nice way…ummm…his oversharing during meetings. Cut him some slack, please! 

Sun: That’s enough, Pluto. And you’re not helping either, Old Man. You both know better. Even though it’s only our first meeting of the year I’d like to make it through the entire agenda once without us falling apart like usual. [Saturn glowers] There are tons of transitions involving the outer planets this year, although one has already begun. Pluto, why don’t we start with you. 

Pluto: I mean, no big secret, boss. I moved into Aquarius on November 20, and I’m still adjusting. Another long period under the Old Man’s influence, although Urnie being involved will certainly make it interesting. 

Sun: I can imagine that’s true, Pluto. You’ll need some time to readjust to Aquarius, but you’ll get there. Neptune, I’d like you go next. I know it’s not easy…do you need us to table your update for next time? 

Saturn: With all due respect, sir… 

Pluto: Oh, here we go with Doug Downer! 

Saturn: [shoots daggers at Pluto] As I was saying, sir, before the grossly inappropriate and downright egregious boundary violation, I think Nep should brief out what he has. 

Sun: As insensitive as this may seem, Nep, I would like to hear from you today. You’re here and you say you’re OK, so… 

Neptune: I guess, sir. I move into Aries on March 30 beginning my shift out of Pisces. As you can see, I’m a little overwhelmed by it. I was enjoying my long sojourn in Pisces more than I can ever say and I lost track of how late it was. But I’ll be ready. 

Saturn: I’m also moving into Aries this year, sir, and no offense to Mars when I say it, but I am NOT looking forward to the next two and a half years in that sign. Just awful. 

Sun: I get that, Saturn. It may well be a challenging time for both of you. 

Saturn: I’ll hunker down and manage it, sir. 

Sun: I expect nothing less of you, Old Man. [to the Moon] Urnie’s also changing signs, right? 

Moon: Yes, sir. I’ll have him brief when he’s back. 

Sun: Very good, Luna. What’s left? 

Moon: For today, the only thing left is the upcoming Venus retrograde. 

Sun: Oh yes! That’s a big one. Lady Venus, are you prepared to brief us today? 

Venus: Well, I...I...

Moon: [holds up hand] Sir, as I think about it, we may need a larger meeting to focus on Venus’ upcoming trip. 

Mercury: I didn’t see any documentation on your upcoming retrograde on the network, Venus. There was nothing in the shared folder. Are you sure you’re prepared? 

Venus: [ignores Mercury and turns toward the Sun] To answer your question, sir, I am prepared to brief today but happy to wait. 

Mercury: Sir, there’s been no reporting on this at all. 

Venus: [blushing a little] Maybe I could use a little more time, sir, if it’s not too much trouble. [smiling] 

Sun: OK, Venus. Done and done. Lady Moon, please take this item: Once I receive Venus’ written report in the shared file, we’ll put it on the agenda. I expect to see it no later than 2/28. Is that clear? 

Moon: Crystal, sir. 

Venus: Yes, sir. You'll have it by then. 

Sun: Duly noted. In that case, that’s all for today. Are there any alibis? [pause] Hearing none, let’s adjourn. Thanks everyone! Let’s start this new year strong and have a great 2025. 

Venus: [leans over and whispers to Mercury] I did not appreciate that, Mercury. 

Mercury: [aloud] At least I don’t have to impress anyone. And the way to avoid the situation is simple: Just tell the damn truth and you won’t have to worry about what you said to people. [picks up his cell phone and walks off]. 

Venus: [puts hands on hips, mouth open] Well I never! [storms off]

Are You There, Saturn? It's Me, John...

[John picks up the phone and dials Saturn’s number. A recorded message picks up.] 

Machine: Greetings. You have reached my private number. Out of respect for my time and your own, please take no more than twenty seconds to provide information on how I may contact you. [long beep]  

John: Are you there, Saturn? It’s me, John. I don’t know if you’re up for talking to me but if you are, you can call me at… 

[handset picks up] Saturn: Rumors of your return are swirling in the office, John. I’m surprised you reached out directly. You have been well, I trust? 

John: Yes, sir. I mean…I’ve had my share of challenges over the last few years, but I’m still around, if that’s what you mean. 

Saturn: [pause] Your resilience has brought you back to me, I see. That’s one of your best qualities. 

John: Over the past few years, I’ve needed it, although I’d have preferred not to. 

Saturn: That’s the way it always goes. You know this better than most. [pause] So you’re not here for nothing; tell me the reason for our conversation today. I suspect you are not calling me to wish me a belated Saturnalia?

John: Correct. I’m here to ask you if you’d still consent to do an interview with me. We were supposed to do it a while ago and it got lost in the…well, in the…flotsam and jetsam of my mundane life. 

Saturn: Don’t minimize things. I wouldn’t call Stage 4 cancer mundane by any stretch, John. That alone would have been enough, but you’ve also had other challenges. It’s obvious my energy resonates with you heavily. As much as it pains me to say it, being too much like me is not necessarily good all the time.

John: Yes, so I've noticed. 

Saturn: While I’m not known for providing what most would consider “positive reinforcement” I’m proud of what you’ve accomplished, for certain. At the same time, knowing when to “cut yourself some slack” as people say is also an important boundary to understand forming the underpinning of your future success. 

John: That’s one of the more difficult lessons for me to learn. I am fairly merciless with myself when it comes to making mistakes, and I treat myself a lot more harshly than I ever would anyone else. 

Saturn: [small smile] You have time now to learn this lesson, one which I suspect you have never fully grasped. And my lessons are not easy, as you know, but they are important. At your age, you also have been dealing with the closing square to your natal Saturn over this past year. Not an easy time. 

John: Not by any stretch. [pause] So could I schedule some time with you in the near future for a sit-down interview? 

Saturn: Certainly. I really want to make sure you understand that it will likely be the longest one you’ve done so far. There’s a lot of material to cover, and with my move into Aries this November, I’d like to get everything on the record before then. I’m sure you understand. 

John: Certainly. Let me look at my calendar and see what I can come up with. I'm hoping to do it sooner rather than later. We both know this winter and spring have their astrological challenges, but despite those...

Saturn: Indeed. Very well. I'll speak to you again soon. [pause] I look forward to our future collaboration. [hangs up]

The Return of John?

John: Hello, Lady Moon! It’s been a minute. 

Moon: Dear John! It’s so nice to see you again…and you’re right, it has been a while, but I’m really pleased to see you! 

John: [blushes] Thank you, dear lady. I’m very pleased to see you too. How have things been here? 

Moon: Oh, the usual…you know! As the old song goes, “This fine old world, it keeps spinning around.” We’ve been keeping up with you as much as we can, but we’ve missed working with you. Did you stop by for a little Auld Lang Syne? 

John: I can’t hide anything from you, can I? 

Moon: [beams] No, sir. Nostalgia is a real thing! Let me let…himself know you’re here. He told the other planets to knock off early today but since he stuck around, so did I. Old habits and all. [presses intercom] Sol, we have an unexpected visitor. 

Sun: [through the intercom] Today? Now? 

 Moon: Yes, on both counts. And you told everyone to go home two hours ago so it’s time to finish up. [releases intercom and turns to John] You see? Some things never change! 

[The Sun’s office door opens] 

 Sun: OK, Luna, I’m done. [sees John] Well, well, well…what a pleasant surprise. When Luna suggested you might come for a visit I must admit I wasn’t sure she was right this time! [comes over and embraces John] It’s good to see you, old friend! I was just putting 2024 to bed, so to speak. 

John: Good afternoon, sir. I’m pleased to be in your warm presence again. 

Sun: Your jokes are as terrible as ever but gods I’m pleased you decided to come visit. How are things? You went through a very challenging period and then you…went all over the place? Geographically I mean!

John: Yes, sir…that’s a fairly accurate representation of my life since we last talked. A lot has changed and some days I’m not sure who I am anymore, but I’m hanging in there to figure it out. 

Sun: Every human goes through periods like that, and considering Pluto is making a nearly exact square to your sun at 1 Scorpio I’m not surprised. He’s a powerful little bastard, isn’t he? 

John: Yes, that’s for certain. I did a presentation on him a few months back…he’s been on my mind for a while now. Slowly but surely the transformation he promises is happening, but it has not been, shall we say, easy. 

Sun: [frowns] I understand completely. What can I do to help? 

John: [smiles] You’re helping just by listening, and I’m grateful to have so many amazing people in my life who do the same, because I'm still learning how to ask for help without feeling guilty about it. 

Moon: That’s very true, John. [pauses] So…are you planning to come back to us? 

John: I go back and forth on that, Lady Moon. I don’t want to make promises, because it’s an awfully weird time in my life, but yes, I’d like to start making my way back. I feel like I finally can do that. 

Sun: Good! Well, there are no expectations here…we’d just love to hear from you again from time to time, that’s all. 

John: That’s fair and I hope to be able to manage that in 2025. 

Moon: John, I know how you feel about being told what to do, but can I suggest an emotional course of action? 

John: Sure, Lady Moon. What is it? 

Moon: If you’re feeling it, I’d suggest talking to the Old Man. I know he’d love to hear from you… 

John: I considered that, but I wasn’t sure if he’d want to see me after all this time. I feel like I’ve disappointed him. 

Sun: Nonsense! If there’s anybody who’s got time, John, it’s…Father Time himself. You may have to endure some criticism…I mean, he is who he is…but I’m sure he’d be happy to hear from you again. 

John: I never got the chance to interview him, and it seems like a good time for that. 

Sun: I don’t see him saying no to that…Lady Moon, can we set up a meeting for the first full week in January for John, Saturn, and I? 

John: That’s very kind of you, sir, but I’d like to speak with him privately first, if that’s OK. 

Sun: Sure, of course! 

Moon: Try not to worry, John. He’ll be happy to hear from you, I’m sure of it! 

John: Thank you kindly, both of you. I’m very grateful. Now I should let you go enjoy your New Year’s Eve; I need to say goodbye to 2024 and prepare for the upcoming year. I suspect it’s going to be a doozy. 

Sun: Yes, the first part of the year looks fairly turbulent by all accounts, but hopefully by the time I move into Gemini, things will smooth out. But enough shop talk! Tonight, we celebrate. 

Moon: Good-bye, John. Don’t be a stranger this coming year. 

John: I’ll do my best, Lady Moon.

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