We arrived in Pazea, capital of the planet of Lavinius. It was as different as Collea from Illivea, each city advancing further. Pazea had skyscrapers, buildings of glass and steel that stretched high up into the heavens. Livia drove to the spaceport and we hopped out. I had to awkwardly disentangle myself from my position of being draped across the whole of the backseat of the mayor’s car. Livia handed the keys to Junias and he left to fill up the car and then travel back to Collea.

“See you.” Junias waved as he left.

“Bye.” Livia said.

I nodded to him.

We walked into the spaceport and tried to find passage. The Navitae were men with webbed fingers and superb piloting skills. Unfortunately, none of them wanted to fly us anywhere. Oh, to be sure, at first they were quite willing and excited to see us, or rather, me more than Livia but that soon changed when they learned I was rather strapped for currency. A Navita was not at all like a Servus, far less humble a creature and resistant to either charms or pleas. I tried commanding one of the Sailors.

“I order you to take me off world to the nearest source of civilization.” I said.

“Buzz off, whitehair.” The Navita said dismissively.

The others laughed at me when I tried and dejectedly I stood to the side. Livia reappeared. I hadn’t really noticed her leaving, but she must have at some point.

“I found us a ship.” Livia said, tugging at my sleeve.

“Did you?” I said. “That’s fantastic. Take me to them.”

The captain of the ship we would be taking was an old man, his skin tanned and his eyes having crow’s feet wrinkles and smile lines.

“Adrias.” I said, reaching out to shake his hand. I didn’t have to bend down as much with the Navitae, they were taller than the Servi.

“Talias.” The captain said.

We took a space elevator up to the orbital docking station where the ships resided. When we got there though, my good mood was quickly compromised.

“This is your ship.” I asked Talias. The ship was a junker, oxidized and falling apart and just plain ugly and faded.

“Sure is.” Talias said proudly with fondness in his voice, slapping the side. “This is the old girl.”

“You know, I actually think I’m oka-“ I started before Livia kicked me in the shin. She shook her head.

I sighed.

“It’s great, thank you for taking us in your ship.” I said.

“She’s called the Stormdancer.” Talias said.

We got in and I reluctantly strapped myself into a moldy old seat that had seen far better days. Didn’t even fit me either. We traveled for a few hours until we got to my target. Civilization. The ring loomed in front of us.

We flew above Sunburst Station in Stormdancer. Sunburst Station was a giant ring with gravity generators allowing for human life to flourish on all sides of the ring, inside, outside, and the thick sides. There were landing fields for ships and apartments and arenas and lakes and forests and factories and palaces and villas and monuments.

The ship pulled down and Talias negotiated a landing with the control towers. We pulled into the contained atmosphere created by the gravity generators and dipped to the runway, touchdown was rough. We slowly skidded to a halt, meter by terrible meter. Talias wheeled the ship into a dockyard where we could disembark.

Livia and I exited the ship, thanking Talias for his free delivery of us to the ring and walked off. I pondered the situation.

I needed a source of legal income. The thing was, Imperators didn’t seem to really work many jobs or work at all in roles beyond military command. They were born into the wealth that their semi-immortal ancestors had earned for them, born into unending and undying privilege. So how did things work out for me?

Something caught my eye. A flyer advertising opening positions in the Brazen Chains ludus school of gladiators. I grabbed a tab.

“Going to bet on the gladiators? Check them out before they fight?” Livia asked me.

“Something like that.” I replied.

We navigated our way to the ludus and on the way I got plenty of dirty looks from the Servi running. Impertinent little bastards. I fought the urge to kick one particularly rude one like a checkerball for spitting at my feet and then slipping away.

I spotted the ludus and entered the gladiatorial school, happy to see the doors were taller than my height and I didn’t have to stoop just to get inside. Once inside I shook hands with the ludus owner, who was named Gaias.

“I want to talk to you about your ludus.” I said to Gaias.

“So you want to examine the men, get some insider information to make a better bet.” He said, winking.

“You misunderstand me,” I said, shaking my head. “I want to fight. Not bet on fighters. I want to join your ludus and earn prize money.”

“It wouldn’t be right,” Gaias said.

“Because it’s unfair for an Imperator to face non-Imperators?” I guessed.

“No, no, our Gold Servi could give a Copper Imperator trouble.” Gaias replied.

“Why not then?” I asked.

“It would be improper for your station and personage.” Gaias said.

“I don’t care about propriety.” I said, I had to earn my bread unlike most Imperators.

“You don’t understand the politics of it. Imperators aren’t exactly well like by most for most of the time. It would cause an uproar if you were to savage one of us too badly, would cause victorious riots if you were to lose a fight to a Servus.” Gaias said.

“What if no one knew an Imperator was fighting?” Livia asked.

“How would they not? Height for a gladiator is normal but his hair, his eyes, his shape would give him away immediately.” Gaias said.

“What if there was a mystery contender? One who kept his identity secret from everyone except the three of us. Covered his face, concealed his form.” Livia said.

Gaias rubbed his chin. “Maybe, maybe. It would take balls, certainly.”

“I’ll do it if you let me.” I told him.