Cadets: The Empress of Batoria

#5 GUESTS OF THE EMPIRE

By evening a large storm brew over the Imperial city. The dining hall was packed with dozens of guests who would be dining with the Empress. There were a group of Batorean dancers performing on stage. They danced elegantly to the music, fluttering, and waving their fans.

Asha invited my friends and I to dine with her. We showed up in our dress uniforms, but Tom and Max were a bit out of place with the dress code. Tom was not wearing his jacket, his tie was not done properly, and his shirt was barely tucked in. Max was wearing a hoodie under his uniform. The rest of us were the only ones appropriately dressed.

As Tom walked ahead, I pulled him aside and spoke firmly.

This was a fancy dinner and we were eating with some of the most powerful and respectful people in the Empire. I expected everyone to be on their best behaviour, especially Tom. I knew how much of a slob he was, and the last thing I wanted was to be embarrassed.

"We're just having dinner with the Empress." said Tom "But if it makes you feel better, I'll be the paragon of etiquette" and he ended that sentence with a belch.

Just then I was pulled away by Alucard, who wanted to introduce Me to some guests who were great admirers of my father.

These admires were rulers from different planets across Imperial space who had come to pay their respects to the newly crowned Empress of Batoria.

Each one of these admires talked endlessly about my father and the times when some of them met him in person.

I never grew tired of hearing how great my father was. However, it was a surprise that he was known and respected amongst the Batorean Empire while there was a stern relationship between them and the Federation.

Suddenly the gong was rung, declaring the Empress was arriving. The dancers stopped dancing, and we all gathered around the table.

Tom immediately sat down until Max pulled him back on his feet. We had to wait until the Empress sat down.

"Her supreme highness of the Batorean Empire, Empress Asha." and she came through the door, followed by her handmaids.

Once she was seated, we all sat down, and the dancers resumed their performance. We sat on our knees and placed napkins on our laps.

Tom however sat improperly with his legs under the table and tucked his napkin into his shirt. He was looking forward to eating, and hoped they were serving burgers or stakes.

Max was indignant. We just sat down for a few minutes and already Tom was thinking about having burgers or stakes at a fancy dinner.

The waiters served us red seaweed salad for starters, which was hot but not spicy. Tom chose to skip the salad, and Max glared at him as he ate his.

While everyone was eating, Alucard and I made conversations.

Alucard commented that when he first saw me walk through the teleporter, he thought he was looking at my father.

"You are indeed Wilton Jones' son. Your heroics will surely become legend as his were." "You mean our heroics?" said Jennifer, reminding everyone that dad had two kids.

Curious, I asked how was it that my father was known and respected by the Batoreans. According to Alucard, it was during the galactic war, when he was a cadet himself.

The late Emperor, who was about Asha's age at the time, fell under attack by an armed force sent to kill him. My father's ship and crew intercepted the Emperor's call for help. So, they came to the rescue.

My father's heroic services to the Empire earned him the loyalty and respect of the Batoreans.

Jennifer and I found this quite coincidental. We saved Asha and dad saved her father.