Jack of Harts

Palau is an island nation in Micronesia conquered by China during the Second Great Depression. It has been developed into a chain of luxury resort islands for the elite and rich Chinese leadership in the centuries since. It is far enough away from Mainland China to keep its air and water clean, and Chinese who travel there get the novel experience of walking in open air without smog protection. Its proximity to Australian and American territories makes security there a paramount concern, and it has been a hotbed of intelligence activity since the fall. Many people like to joke that more spies live and work in Palau, per capita, than any other place on Earth. And some people aren’t joking at all when they say that. Every major intelligence agency on Earth plays the Great Game there, seeking to compromise or influence rich and powerful Chinese leaders. And the Chinese leaders are happy to see what enticements they can acquire at such times. It is actually a game back home to boast about how many suspected Western spies they dallied with during their vacations, while flaunting whatever shiny baubles they came home with. All suitably scanned by Chinese intelligence to guarantee no compromise of security, of course. The Chinese are proud, not stupid.