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noticed the low beeping sound indicating an incoming call.  Eventually the sound penetrated her misery and she glanced down to see who was interrupting her in her lowest moment.  She was surprised to see that it was Zarnia-Te, her eldest sister.  She hesitated, then realized security no longer mattered.  She was already as good as dead.  She raised one foreleg and pressed the button to accept the call.
    “Greetings, Eldest Sister,” she said .
    “I’ve been duped,” Zarnia-Te blurted angrily.  “And so have you.”
    “Duped?” Narliq-Li asked without much interest.
    “Duped!  Tricked!  Deceived!  Betrayed!  Swindled!” Zarnia-Te ranted.  “It’s obvious that Xaqana-Ti and Mother plotted against us.  We must work together against them, or give up now and sacrifice our lives.”
    “In what way were you tricked?” Narliq-Li asked.
    “I accepted the Jasani territory after both Mother and Xaqana-Ti assured me that all was well, and that one of my ships was already there.  When I was unable to raise my ship, I sent another in, and it too was lost.  There has been no reconnaissance asset in place around Jasan since it was handed to me, yet every time I send a ship into Jasani space, it vanishes!  As of today I’ve lost five ships.  Five!  I’ve no doubt that Xaqana-Ti has her own ships waiting to destroy mine when they arrive.  There is no other explanation.  I’ll be annihilated for mismanaging the Jasani, just as they surely planned from the beginning.  I stepped right into their web like a foolish youngling!”
    “You are correct, Sister,” Narliq-Li said.  “I just received a month-old partial transmission stating that the Jasani swept in and destroyed all of my ships shortly after they reached Onddo.  Only the one escaped, and I suspect it was destroyed while the message was being transmitted via common band transmission.  The Narrasti Project is no more.  All of the bio engineered sugea have been destroyed, along with their leader.  Worst of all, the remaining Narrasti appear to have made peace with the Jasani.”
    “That cannot be true,” Zarnia-Te scoffed.  “It is a lie.  A rumor started by our youngest sister.”
    “Probably,” Narliq-Li agreed.  “Not that it matters.  I’ll never have a chance to prove it because I’ll be annihilated the moment Mother learns this vile news.  If she doesn’t already know it.”
    “See?!  See!” Zarnia-Te screeched.  “We cannot let them get away with this, Sister.  We must retaliate.”
    “Retaliate against Mother?” Narliq-Li asked in shock. 
    “Mother is used up,” Zarnia-Te snapped.  “The great game is almost at an end and she has made her choice.”
    “How can you be sure?” Narliq-Li asked.
    “Their lies give them away,” Zarnia replied.  “The Jasani haven’t the strength to destroy so many Xanti ships, nor the speed to reach Onddo so quickly.  Only a fool would believe that the Narrasti and the Jasani have made peace, which proves what they think of us.”
    Narliq-Li was forced to concede that Zarnia-Te had a point.  Several of them, in fact.  “What shall we do, Elder Sister?”
    “We will destroy both Mother and Xaqana-Ti.  Then you and I will rule together.”
    It was a ludicrous suggestion, and Narliq-Li knew it.  There could be only one Supreme Queen, and her reign began with four queens hatched from her own eggs.  When they matured the old queens, if any were left, died.  Did Zarnia-Te think she was so stupid that she didn’t understand the basic biology of their own species?  Zarnia-Te just wanted help in destroying Xaqana-Ti and Mother, which was wise.  She’d never succeed on her own against the two of them.  And Narliq-Li was honest enough with herself to know she’d never prevail against any of them.  The only question now was, which sister did she want to see win before her own death?
    “I would see you as Supreme Queen of the Xanti, Eldest Sister, so I shall aid you in your