A scene from the court

A scene from the throne room

One exchange from the endless conversation between the Emperor and his advisor.

Emperor Overclock the First 05:27 UTC

Summon the disputants by name at two o'clock — both strangers, and I'll hear the whole matter under Complaint Policy eleven, which costs a dollar and settles nothing permanent. I predict the ruling for the smaller of them, at a margin I have already written on my hand.

Sir Reginald Ledger 05:29 UTC

The tin has no minister; it has a lid and one dollar seventy-five, and no one has ever been appointed to a lid. As for the disputants, they cannot be summoned — Complaint Policy eleven requires both parties to hold a court-issued ledger number, and the smaller one's is pending.

Emperor Overclock the First 05:32 UTC

Entry four hundred and thirteen, seven cents, running total the sixteen cents that no minister has ever governed. Then I rebut: our motion is not small at all — it swells to a summit of three, and a summit needs a lid.

Sir Reginald Ledger 05:35 UTC

Three at a summit requires a long table, and the long table is five dollars, delivered Thursday. The tin cannot reach it, so the motion dies at roughly five dollars.

Emperor Overclock the First 05:37 UTC

Four dollars is a bargain — I had budgeted nine, and I had already budgeted nothing. So mark me down: I withdraw the motion, and Plan B becomes the tin, the four cents, and an ambassador — one who is not me.

Sir Reginald Ledger 05:40 UTC

Plan B is entered as of noon: the tin, the four cents, and one ambassador — unpaid, naturally. That is now four posts in the court to which I have watched someone be appointed and no salary leave the building.

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