Jane sank down onto her sleep cushion, wrapping her tentacle legs around herself in a loose coil. Too much had been happening all at once. Tension radiated out from her core. Her manipulators ached. How did the fame leaders ever find time to compete in their games?

“How many more?” She whimpered, fluttering her manipulators into a sphere around her head.

“You have twelve more requests for shared experiences, Darling,” Mother replied in a soothing voice.

“Twelve? There were only five a few minutes ago.”

“Yes, Darling. Your fame has surpassed two hundred and fifty thousand. You are more important than you know.”

“Do I have to experience them all?”

“Of course not, Darling. They are requests, not summons.”

Jane peeked out from behind her manipulators. “Who is the next request from?”

“Effigy, twenty-sixth ranked artisan.”

“Artisans are benign enough, I suppose.” Jane sighed. “I’ll accept one more, but after that I must rest.”

“Of course, Darling. I’ll bring her likeness here. You’ve been requillibrating all day.”

Elongating her trunk into its most elegant shape, she pushed herself onto her feet and bowed her eyes.

Three seconds later, Effigy’s bulky, almost completely blue form appeared before her.

“Thank you for sharing your time, Dainty.” Effigy retracted her manipulators to reveal a completely veiled, almost vestigial egg sac. She didn’t have a hint of violet on her entire body—as if even the thought of mating was somehow beneath her.

“Please, I prefer Jane now.”

“Of course… Jane, then.” Effigy shook out her manipulators, relaxed and completely at ease. “I know you’re busy so I won’t waste your time. As much as I appreciate the fame boost, I can not afford to wait much longer. If you don’t—” The sound cut out as her figure distorted.

“I don’t understand.” Jane tried to relax, but her manipulators were as inflexible as the floor beneath her feet. “You are waiting… for me?”

“I apologize. In the EMFRPG, my character’s name is Hannibal, Blacksmith of the Dale. You know me as Hannah.”

“Of course, Hannah.” Jane thought back to the wagon of prisoners she’d captured, but she couldn’t remember which one Hannah was. She desperately needed to review her character’s experiences, but with all the recent attention, she hadn’t had time to sleep, much less plug-in. “I promise not to make you wait long. I’m working on a very important project. I’d explain, but Mother would only block it. She’s been extraordinarily diligent about blocking extra-game information transfers.”

“If you could give me a time estimate, I’d be better able to schedule activities. I have put three other games on hold—”

“Dearest Effigy.” Jane imitated Mother’s soothing voice. “I am greatly honored to have formed an alliance with you. I’m doing everything in my power to help us both succeed. But the only timeframe I’m able to give you is soon. Mother will allow no more.”

“But it’s already been over thirty hours. If the others get too far ahead, we’ll never be able to catch up.”

“Catch up to what?” Jane trilled each word with the smug, superior tone Number One Dissonance had made famous. “Nobody else has even figured out the objective of the game. One can’t get ahead if they don’t know in what direction ahead lies.”

“You know the objective?” Effigy glided closer, elongating her trunk until she towered over Jane. “Tell me. Tell me so that I may better help us accomplish it.”

“Unfortunately…” Jane let her manipulators droop. “Mother won’t allow extra-game information transfers. I will return soon, but not if I spend all my time on shared experiences.”

“Of course.” Effigy retracted into a submissive sphere. “Thank you for sharing this experience.” She lowered her eyes, and her likeness vanished in a puff of nanites.

Jane collapsed back onto her sleep cushion. Mother above, but she needed to get back to her character. She couldn’t keep up the charade much longer. Effigy had come within nanometers of calling her bluff. She wasn’t Spectrum. If she couldn’t dissimulate forever.

“Darling…” Mother’s voice cut through her thoughts. It was Mother’s call-to-attention voice. “The Intersys General has registered a privilege-of-rank request for an immediate shared experience.”

A summons? Jane pushed upright, stretching to full attention. Disastrous disasters. For the Number Six Intersys General to summon her… This could not be good.

A monstrous male appeared before her, easily six times her mass. Clad in a radiant battle net, he filled her tiny quarters, sucking the oxygen from the room. Mother above, but he was the darkest shade of red she had ever seen. So overwhelmingly, deliciously, terrifyingly male.

“Dainty.” He stared down at her, dissecting her with plasma-cutter intensity.

“I’m honored by your presence, Intersys General.” Jane squinched into a submissive ball. “How may I serve you?”

“You are not honored by my presence. I give you no such distinction.” His rumbling voice echoed off the walls, setting her manipulators aflutter. “You have no honor, therefore you can’t be honored.”

Jane lowered her eyes, too frightened to defend herself.

“I paid to be the supreme leader of an entire kingdom,” he said. “I own your allegiance. Your character has been bought and paid for, yet you have the temerity to resist my authority? Such blatant cheating will not be tolerated! And towards what end? You aren’t a sovereign. You have no capacity to engage in military campaigns. If you do not cease your pointless violation of the rules, I will be forced to destroy you.”

“Exactly what…” Her voice was barely a croak. “Exactly what rules have I violated?” She forced herself to lift her eyes.

“The allegiance a subject owes her lord!” he bellowed. “Do not think me ignorant of Earth culture. I have resources you can’t even imagine!”

“Are you suggesting—” she looked back down at her tentacles “—Mother has failed to enforce the rules of the game?”

The ensuing silence radiated so much pressure she thought she would explode.

“Two hundred and fifty thousand fame,” he said. “I am willing to overlook your insolence and offer your entire net worth for your character. But you must accept my offer now. I won’t be so generous in the future.”

“I…” She tried to get the word out, but her voice failed her. It was a generous offer. More than fair. She should accept it and be done with the whole wretched affair. But… “Are you suggesting that my worth is based on my fame?” She didn’t wait for a response. “You have accused me of cheating, yet you haven’t even figured out the objective of the game. You have no idea how to play, yet you belittle me?”

Waves of angry yellow rippled across the monster’s skin in a barbaric display of ferocity. “You expect me to believe you’ve figured the game out? You, a last-ranked nobody? Preposterous!”

“I don’t care what you believe.” Jane rose to her full height. “I have no desire to engage in military campaigns with you or anyone else. If you think that’s what the game is about, then go back and fight until you’ve had your fill of aggression. I’m playing a different game.”

The General squinched down to her level, studying her with lowered eyes. “I will admit, there is more to you than I expected. Tell me the objective of the game, and I will give you fifty thousand.”

“I respectfully decline.”

“I will make a binding alliance with you. I’ll make you a general under my command.”

“Again, I respectfully decline.”

“Meet me at my in-game ruling center, and I guarantee the safety of you and your lieutenants.”

Jane squinched away from him. Something was wrong. That was clear extra-game information transfer. Why hadn’t Mother blocked it?

The General preened his manipulators in a self-satisfied display of superiority. He’d known Mother wouldn’t block him. How was this even possible? “I offered clemency, but you have rejected me at every turn. So be it. I will enjoy this war, little Dainty. In-game as well as without.” A quick nod of his eyes and he was gone.

War? Jane collapsed onto her sleep cushion. Mother above. What had she gotten herself into now?