Trying to forget his troubles, Vespasian took up that day’s handbill and read it. As usual, the Shashidan prisoners of war possessing low military rank would be killed first. Because of their relative unimportance, they would be creatively tortured and murdered without the right of combat. These first killings served to whet the crowd’s appetite for the fighting that would follow later in the day.

As he read further, what the emperor saw on the handbill stunned him. No wonder the crowd was in such a heated frenzy! More than three thousand Shashidan fighters were slated to die during the first act of the games alone. He had never seen such a huge number. Looking angrily out toward the arena, Vespasian shook his head.

“What troubles you?” Lucius asked.

“Look at these tallies,” Vespasian answered. “They’re far too high! Although I do not object to the way skeens die, I must protest this terrible waste! Most of these slaves should have been branded for sale at auction! Imagine the tax revenue they would have provided to the treasury! Did you know about this?”

Lucius’ expression darkened. “I assumed that thePon Q’tar had informed you, as usual, of the number before the handbills were printed.”

For the second time that day, anger roiled up inside Vespasian. “Apparently the lead cleric didn’t see fit to inform his emperor,” he growled. He glanced over at Gracchus, then back to Lucius again.

“I have called for an emergency meeting of the Suffragat to take place directly after the games,” he said quietly to his friend. “We have much to discuss. I plan to dress down those willful clerics-especially Gracchus. And I want an audience when I do it, so that my words cannot be misconstrued. For such a supposedly learned mystic, Gracchus sometimes possesses an amazingly short memory. But mark my words-before this day ends he will experience my displeasure.” Vespasian sat back in his chair, scowling.