Champion Standing

Chapter 2-2

AT BEST, IT WAS A TENUOUS position to be in. At worst, it was a serious violation of enemy territory. In either case, however, it proved to be the best of all possible locations for Aurelia’s cruiser.

Under normal circumstances, she would never have placed herself in this position. Even disguised and with spies ever on watch, it was a risk. These were not normal circumstances, however, and the Roman agent was well aware of it. Indeed, she relished the prospect afforded by her daring breech of Han territory.

After all, in a sea filled with vessels all holding various allegiances and configurations, it was highly unlikely that her ship, disguised as it was, would be noticed, hidden among the plethora of Han vessels. It was a workable consideration, she realized. The Han would be focused on the events on the island, no one would scrutinize her ship, let alone even look to the sea. And if they did? What of it? Hers was merely one ship among hundreds.

The Roman sat in her disguised Roman cruiser, filling her immediate little corner of the world with the usual seafaring emissions, and all the while going completely undetected. This, she thought, just might work.

* * *

* * * *

“YES,” LING SAID ACROSS the bridge to her sister. “The plan has been set into motion. But I still do not trust this Roman. She has,” Ling paused for a moment, the furrow in her brow deepening while she searched for just the right word, “disappointed us in the past.”

“She abandoned us and left us! Left us! During the time of our greatest crisis, the slut left us!” Mei seethed at the thought.

“We need her, Sister, or the plan will not succeed,” Ling answered, more calmly than before. “I am no more comfortable with this than you are. I do not trust her. She...smiles too much.”

“We may fail,” Mei added.

“If you cannot fail, you cannot succeed.”

“It may mean sacrificing Wang,” Mei continued.

“What we do,” Ling droned in a trancelike state, “we do for the Empire. For the betterment of the Empire, Wang is expendable.”

Mei crossed the bridge to the command chair where her sister sat, eyes affixed on reports of the festivities thus far on the island.

She leaned over the command chair, her lips pressed close to her sister’s ear. “How many of those who support our cause are in the contest?”

“More than enough,” Ling answered softly, something akin to a smile beginning to form at the corners of her mouth. “Sixty-eight contestants. Of them, twenty will support our cause directly, others somewhat less so depending on circumstances. We have seen a fortuitous draw. None of them face each other until the later rounds, and four of them have drawn a bye.

“Perhaps the best news of all is from the first round. The Kushian puppet has drawn Cheng. Liao will not survive the first round. Cheng has seen to that. His weapon has been ... prepared.”

* * *

* * * *

“YOU’RE CERTAIN THIS is the most current information from the Mang sisters, Fabia?” she asked.

“They assure me of that, yes.”

Aurelia placed the parchment on the arm of her command chair. She stood, turned towards a portal and clasped her hands together under her chin. She gazed in silence for several moments. Then she simply smiled.