Sir Gareth serves The Council of the Majestic 12 dutifully as the Grand Secretariat. While signing warrants and court subpoenas, he receives a letter from his estranged grandmother, Empress Wu. He rejects her request to return to the Golden City and she sends her Dragonlords to retrieve him. After insulting his wife, Shinza, and threatening his life, Gary decides to confront his grandmother on her turf, waking the inner dragon he had long put to sleep.