Benjamin stood in the corner of the Meeting Room, under the flag of Orange, with his head down, black unkempt hair falling over his gray eyes. Jeddy Ridvan was in his little wooden chair looking up at Aadam and Huwaa’ in their red-upholstered seats. A meager fire burned in the fireplace. The windows behind the leading couple were already dark in the growing dusk.

“My son, I just want the boy to have some free time,” Ridvan said, “to investigate new angles in our conflicts with the Union and the Shenandoan Kingdom.”

Aadam sighed.

“Your talking through the air,” he said.

“Radio technology,” Ridvan said. “Which I saw demonstrated in my youth, during the United Times.”

“But, Jeddy,” Aadam said, “Surely this is beyond our reach, since the Package?”

Ridvan shook his gray mane.

“Not the earliest technology. The boy Benjamin knows what we are looking for.”

“Jeddy,” Huwaa’ said, “our Fort has so many chimneys to inspect and clean, so much clockwork to maintain.”

Ridvan sighed. Aadam and his wife were always obsessed with tactical details to the detriment of strategy. He knew it was no use trying to lift them out of that well, explain to them that Benjamin Black was being wasted on chimneys. He had to assuage them.

“I understand, daughter,” he said. “Perhaps the boy could identify others who might help him share those duties.”

Aadam and Huwaa’ glanced at Benjamin. He looked up, sensing the moment in the silence. Ridvan squinted at him. He nodded at the old man, knowing he was being urged to speak.

“I think I know someone who could take up some of those duties, my lord and lady.”

Huwaa’ and Aadam shared a long look.

“A trusted servant?” said Aadam.

Benjamin nodded and brushed a curl from his face.

“Alexandra,” he said. “She could easily maintain the clockworks and inspect the lightning rods as she made her rounds.”

“Our chief maid,” Huwaa’ said with skeptical eyes. “She understands the clockworks?”

“Oh yes,” he said. “I mean, the maintenance. And, if any repairs were needed, she could call on me. Repairs are very rare, though.”

Huwaa’ and Aadam shared another look.

“And,” the boy took a step forward, then retreated under the Orange flag. “The, uh, chimneys have all been cleaned for the winter and probably won’t need looked at until spring.”

“In that case,” Aadam said, “the boy shall be free to indulge Jeddy Ridvan’s quest, given that another fills in for his regular duties.”

He was speaking to Huwaa’, not to Ridvan. They were forming a bulwark against the old man.

Huwaa’ nodded. “That is wise, my husband.”

Ridvan shared an annoyed, worried look with Benjamin.

The side door burst open. Aadam and Huwaa’ grabbed the arms of their chairs. Ridvan turned slowly.

Harun stomped through the door, followed by a guard.

“My lord and lady, I—” the guard said as Harun fumed toward the center of the room.

Ridvan sat up in his seat, looking vaguely amused. Benjamin shrank further into the corner.

“Grandson,” Huwaa’ said with lowered eyes.

“You gave Coranobis the contest?” Harun growled.

Aadam glanced at Ridvan, who raised a hand.

“I did,” said Ridvan, looking over his shoulder and the captain. “I alone made the decision as I am in charge of purchasing.”

Harun huffed, rounded the old man’s chair, and raised his hands.

“Jeddy, why?”

Ridvan glanced at Benjamin and nodded him toward the side door. The boy exited obediently, followed by the guard.

The old man set his hands in his lap and looked up at Harun. The captain slowly got his breath under control.

“Because,” Ridvan said, “If this Roanoke merchant, Angela Belle, raises suspicions of the contest’s integrity, those suspicions would lie at the feet of Coranobis of Nova, not at yours.”

Harun took a step back. He glanced over his shoulder at Aadam and Huwaa’, who were glaring at him. He blinked at Jeddy Ridvan and nodded.

“My apologies, Jeddy,” Harun said. “I had not seen the wisdom in your choice.”

“You still do not,” Ridvan said. “Not fully.”

Harun looked confused, as did Aadam and Huwaa’.

Ridvan sat back in his chair. He was amused and played with his beard.

“This is not a test of two niters.”

Aadam and Huwaa’ shared a confused look. Harun shook his head.

“Oh,” Ridvan said, “Belle set it up that way, but I saw a better purpose for it.”

“Then, what?” Harun said. “Jeddy?”

Ridvan grinned at pointed at Harun.

“It is a test of Coranobis, sure, but also a test of Angela Belle.”

Aadam, Huwaa’, and Harun all took a deep breath. Ridvan grinned, clearly enjoying their confusion.

“If the test goes against her, both Coranobis and Angela are called into question, as she will challenge his men’s integrity and his men will challenge her goods.”

Harun’s face went slack. He glanced back at his grand-parents to see they were equally surprised.

“If the test goes for her,” Ridvan went on, “both of them are again called into question, as Kath Franklin will challenge the integrity of Coran’s men and Angela Belle’s goods. And Kath is a trusted merchant at Beauty House. Everyone respects her.”

Harun took this in, rubbing his chin.

“Either way,” the captain said, “Coranobis and Angela Belle are both called into question.”

Ridvan nodded. Aadam and Huwaa’ shared a worried look.

“But,” Harun said, “why do you want Angela Belle called into question?”

“Yes,” Aadam said, glancing at Huwaa’. “Why?”

Ridvan took a deep breath.

“Because, I suspect her of being an agent of a hostile faction.”

“The Shenandoans?” said Aadam.

“Not likely,” said Ridvan, “since she seeks to undercut their commerce.”

“The Nova,” said Harun, “since you’re also undercutting Coranobis.”

“Also not likely,” said Ridvan. “Think it through. She claims her niter is from Roanoke, in the south. Roanoke is friendly, but also strongly threatened by the Union of the Door and the Kingdom of Shenandoah.”

Huwaa’ leaned forward. “You think she works for them?”

“I think,” said Ridvan, “that her premise of a shipment of superior niter out of Roanoke past the Union and the Kingdom is unlikely, without some endorsement from Roanoke, which she has not presented. Roanoke is friendly to us so, lacking an official endorsement, the Union is the likely conspirator.”

“Why not Shenandoah?” said Huwaa’.

Ridvan leaned forward on his elbows.

“Because Kath Franklin is claiming to have smuggled her niter past the kingdom. For some reason, Belle has pitted herself against this. She could have made a similar claim of sneaking her goods past Shenandoah. But, instead, she distanced herself from that.”

“Wouldn’t that mean,” Huwaa’ said, looking at the ceiling, “that Belle might be disguising an alliance with King Barladine?”

Ridvan smiled as kindly as he could. Again a failure of strategic thinking.

“Only if King Barladine were up to having niter from his kingdom, even if smuggled by Kath Franklin, tested against Belle’s niter, claimed to be from the king’s enemies in Roanoke. Angela Belle’s claim works against Barladine’s larger commercial interest.”

Aadam and Huwaa’ shared a knowing look.

“So,” Harun said, “if Angela Belle loses, she will cast doubt on Coran’s integrity and he will cast doubt on hers. But, if she wins, Kath will cast doubt on the integrity of both. So, either way, Coranobis and Angela Belle are cast in doubt.”

“Exactly,” Ridvan said. “And Coranobis is a man who gathers confidences like a gardener gathers tomatoes. After the incident in Albermarle, he needs a bit more doubt cast his way.”

“Albemarle apologized for that incident,” Aadam said.

“Because they need our alliance more than we need theirs,” Ridvan said.

Huwaa’ glanced at her husband, then nodded at the old man.

“My Jeddy,” she said, “you have chosen a very wise path, ferreting out the enemies of Orange. I am proud to call you my Jeddy.”

“As am I,” said Aadam, his mouth tight.

“My Jeddy,” said Harun, “what if Angela Belle has foreseen this in her plans and has prepared her own contingencies?”

“In that case,” Ridvan said, “we shall see. In the contest.”