The Imperium Game Read Online Free

Perhaps he should just claim her as a portion of his share for running the Slave Market that supplied all of the Imperium. He hadn’t selected anything for himself lately, what with the miserable quality of newly enrolled personnel, and profit being what it was.
    “It’s not necessary to chain me like this.” She held up her slender wrists. “I’d much rather be here than stuck back in that boring temple with Vesta.”
    “Vesta, is it?” He twined a red strand of her hair about his hand as a chuckle rose into his throat. “I should have known. We get two or three girls from Vesta every year. Virginity is so tedious, don’t you think?”
    “I think this whole place is stupid, and I—I don’t want to play anymore.” Seating herself on the divan in his office, she turned her face to the wall.
    “Oh, but this is the best of all Romes.” Pulling out his ledger, Rufus sat down at his desk and began to make notes. “The best and the truest. I’m sure you’ll come to appreciate that, once you’re purchased by your new master.”
    But although he meant to be comforting, for some reason his words only made her cry.

ORDERING his nosy little body servant, Pimus, to stay behind, Micio Julius Metullus, current Emperor of the Imperium, huddled into a plain brown cloak and set off for the Public Baths.
    The Imperial Palace had its own facilities, of course—marvelous ones with vast expanses of white marble and gold fixtures that sprayed water out of the most imaginative orifices, not to mention deliciously naughty mosaics that portrayed everything larger than life. But the matter he needed to discuss could have been overheard in the Palace, and it was imperative this meeting be kept secret.
    Of course, there was that nagging little problem of his daughter being sold down at the Slave Market, but he had sent Quintus Gracchus, Captain of the Praetorian Guard, to make his bid. After all, a man couldn’t be in two places at once, and this was business.
    Walking along the Via Appia, he passed the expensive Trajan Inn with its red brick facade and sparkling fountains. People clad in the finest of fabrics bustled in and out of the portico, no doubt mostly tourists. He ducked his head to avoid their eyes. Even though most of them probably wouldn’t be able to recognize him, he wasn’t taking any chances—not with the Saturnalia so close and the incoming shipment.
    Oh, he knew his partners were supposed to handle those things, but it was better to keep his finger in the pie, so to speak. And it wasn’t as though he was incapable of handling the details himself. After all, one didn’t get to be Emperor without breaking a few heads.
    The arches of the Public Baths were visible just ahead, and he let himself relax a bit. Wonderful invention, the baths. Although he considered the ancient Romans an uncivilized lot on the whole, this was one institution that could enrich modern times. If he could hold on to the Emperorship long enough to complete his outside fortune, he would see what he could do about reintroducing the concept into society—or at least filthy-rich society, which was the only portion worth bothering about.
    He hurried up the broad marble steps and entered the outer reception area, queuing up in the nearest line instead of pushing them all aside, commoner and patrician alike, as his rank entitled him to do. Steam wafted out from inside, fragrant with the scent of perfumed bath oils and accompanied by laughter and shouting, no doubt from the gambling area.
    Shuffling after the tunic-garbed back in front of him, he presented his Game bracelet to the Keeper of the Baths at the door, letting him insert it in the recorder to debit his account. “Have a nice day,” the keeper said blankly. Micio examined the man’s square-jawed face closely, but saw no sign of recognition. More than likely it was only a robot surrogate, not human at all.
    “Thanks.” He dropped his head and went on into the bathing area to meet