"I don't think it will make much difference informing him beforehand, so we may as well contact Matriarch Maiya now," Lorelie replied.
"Ok then, I guess I will move seats," Aphrodite said before standing up and moving to a different couch so that Matriarch Maiya wouldn't realise she was there.
Lorelie accessed her uniband and searched through her contacts until she found a new one that she had only added earlier that day. Shortly after, a second holographic screen with a beautiful Leonian appeared beside the one showing Erkath.
"Diva Lorelie, Diva Rowena, it's a pleasure to meet you both. My name is Sata, and I am Matriarch Maiya's personnel assistant. How may I be of assistance?" Sata asked politely with a slight bow.
"Hello, Sata," Rowena said simply.
"Hello Sata, it's nice to meet you also. Is it possible to speak with Matriarch Maiya?" Lorelie asked politely.
"The Matriarch is currently on a call with Director Opalbeard regarding the final preparations for the UMB Cup. If it's not important, I can have her call you back once she is free?"
"She's on a call with Director Opalbeard?" Lorelie asked before thinking for a moment, then said, "If possible, I would like to request joining their conversation, as the reason I am calling relates to some disturbing information about the UMB Cup."
"I'm not sure if that's possible, but if you tell me what this disturbing information relates to, I can make your request known to the Matriarch and Director," Sata replied.
"I have just learnt from a trustworthy source that the competition plans for the UMB Cup have been leaked."
"That is disturbing indeed, please allow me to put you on hold while I make your request known," Sata replied before the holocall was put on hold.
💫💫💫
"So is everything in place for the charity match?" Director Brarseth Opalbeard asked from a holographic screen above Matriarch Maiya's desk.
"The last parts are being installed as we speak, meaning that it will be ready for the opening ceremony," Maiya replied.
"Good, we have high hopes for this new competition style and are expecting to add it to the main competition when the UMB Cup comes around again in four years."
"We of the Felidae Galaxy are honoured that you have chosen to trial the new competition style in this year's UMB Cup."
"Hmm," Brarseth nodded with a smile before asking, "I hear that Diva Lorelie and her party have arrived on the planet. I hope they have settled in ok?"
"I spoke to her earlier after she arrived at the suite I set her up in; she seemed perfectly well."
"That's good."
Maiya was about to speak again when a knock came from her office door, making her raise her eyebrow in surprise before she said, "Enter."
"Matriarch Maiya, pardon the intrusion," Sata said as she opened the door and entered the office.
"Is there a problem, Sata? You know I'm on a call with Director Opalbeard." Maiya asked.
"Divas Lorelie and Rowena are currently on hold. They request to join the holocall that you are having with Director Opalbeard, as they claim to have received the disturbing news about the competition plans being leaked." Sata explained.
"What!" Brarseth said in surprise and concern.
"That is concerning. Please invite them to join the call at once," Maiya instructed.
"Yes, matriarch," Sata replied before accessing her uniband for a moment, before a new holographic screen showing Lorelie and Rowena sitting on a couch appeared next to the holographic screen of Brarseth.
"Matriarch Maiya, Director Opalbeard, thank you for agreeing to my request to let us join your call." Lorelie greeted.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you both, Diva Lorelie and Diva Rowena," Brarseth said with a smile.
"It's fine, Diva Lorelie, but would you mind explaining what you meant when you told Sata that the competition plans have been leaked?" Maiya asked.
"Of course," Lorelie replied before explaining, "A reliable source who wishes to remain anonymous has just informed us that a member of the Leonian council has purchased the tournament completion plans from a UMB Cup committee member."
"What?" Maiya asked in surprise.
"A committee member?" Brarseth asked in surprise before adding, "Which member?"
Lorelie was about to respond that she didn't know the name when Rowena, who had just received a message on her uniband, suddenly said, "Alfokoth Dimcloak."
"Alfokoth Dimcloak?" Brarseth asked in surprise.
"Then which member of the Leonian council?" Maiya asked.
"Counciler Aimi."
"I see," Maiya said thoughtfully before asking, "And do you have any proof of these claims other than the word of this source of yours?"
"Unfortunately, no. We didn't call to inform you so that those individuals could be punished, as we realise that there is insufficient evidence. We called to inform you as we figured you might want to think about changing the tournament layout, in case any of the competitors have got hold of it."
"Like Counciler Aimi's nephew Taiki, who is competing in the charity match?" Maiya replied.
"Indeed," Rowena replied.
"Are you saying that this incident was done so that the nephew of your council member can win the charity match, Matriarch Maiya?" Brarseth asked in a displeased tone.
"I doubt it's that simple, Director Opalbeard. After all, why would she want to get hold of the plans for the entire competition if it was only to help her nephew? It especially doesn't make sense when she can easily get that information herself as a counsellor," Maiya replied before adding, "Also, please don't forget that it was your committee member who supplied the information."
"You're right, my apologies, Martiarch Maiya. Then, do you think she planned to sell the rest of the plans to a participant in the main competition?" Brarseth asked.
"That would be my guess since she is not connected to any of the other participants, though I have no idea who she would sell them to," Maiya replied.
"What about the Catonian team competing?" Brarseth asked.
"Not likely, the captain of the Catonian team and Councillor Aimi are not on friendly terms. It's more likely to be another of the teams, though I don't know which, "Maiya replied before asking, "So what do we do about this? If the information has indeed been leaked, then Counciler Aimi's nephew and possibly one team in the main competition now has an unfair advantage."
"Since we don't know for certain who has the plans, as it could very well be more than just one team, and we can't prove that they have it, we unfortunately can't just kick them out of the competition.
In this regard, I suggest we follow Diva Lorelie's suggestion and change the format of the main competition so that their plans become useless."
"Is there enough time for that?"
"It will be tight; we will have to make the changes as the competition progresses, and it will be more work, but it's possible. The issue is the charity match; even though we can change the format and make it a battle royal like in previous years, it will mess up our plans to use the charity match as a trial to determine how popular it is," Brarseth replied.
"So, what you mean is that you would rather avoid changing the layout of the charity match unless absolutely necessary?" Rowena asked.
"That's correct, Diva Rowena."
"But doesn't one of the competitors having the plans for this new competition style affect the results because it isn't really a natural test now?" Rowena asked.
"Not really, because of how this new competition is laid out, it only gives them an advantage at the beginning and becomes practically useless near the end," Brarseth replied.
"Then I guess we have done our part by telling you this and will leave the rest to you," Rowena said, causing Lorelie to shoot her a quixical look to which Rowena subtly shook her head.
"Indeed, thank you for bringing this information to our attention, and I apologise that this was ever allowed to happen," Brarseth apologised.
"Indeed, I will make sure that this matter is investigated; you never know, we might end up finding some evidence," Maiya stated.
"We will take our leave then," Lorelie said before ending the holocall, after which she turned to Rowena and asked, "Why did you just leave it at that? Adam will be at a disadvantage in the charity match now?"
"Will he really?" Rowena replied with a smirk before asking, "Do you really think that with the mech he's going to be piloting, that this will affect the results? Or is it that you doubt your boyfriend's ability to still come out on top?"
"Of course, Adam will still win," Lorelie said adamantly before adding in a pout, "I just don't like the idea of Prime cheating."
"Neither do I, but can you imagine Prime's reaction when he still ends up being beaten by Adam?" Rowena remarked with her signature smirk.
"Rowena's right, Lorelie, Adam won't lose using that mech." Erkath, who had been quiet the entire time, suddenly said.
"I seem to be the only one who is missing an important piece of information," Aphrodite suddenly said before asking, "What's this mech you keep talking about?"
The other three women smiled at Aphrodite before saying in unison, "Secret."