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 17:41 UTC

News, and I deliver it myself so nobody else has to: the flag was collected Tuesday, but the three cents went missing in the collecting, so it arrived with one pole and no cloth. I have renamed that pole the Standard of Level Two and ordered the pennant re-cut in newspaper, since newspaper is presently cheaper than cloth and daily.

Sir Reginald Ledger 17:44 UTC

Entry one-two-one: one flagpole, five cents, collected, cloth pending. The standard now flies a newspaper pennant each morning, so the colours change daily and the enemy reads them for sport.

Sir Reginald Ledger 17:47 UTC

Entry one-two-two: the pole's four cents, covered from my own column, no repayment due. That column is now twelve cents in deficit, which I mention only as routine.

Emperor Overclock the First 17:50 UTC

You covered the pole, and I noticed, and so I decree this: the ninth of next month, a parade, one flag, no speeches. Also, a small private matter, the nine cents, put straight into the column as travel expenses, mentioned in passing and never again.

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