The Rise before the Fall
Chapter 9: Before the Emperor
Finally, after five and a half-hours, the procession made its way to the front of the Imperial Palace. With the Palace to the right and the huge crowds to the left, the vehicle carrying Aisha, Amery and Striker came to a stop in front of the large ornate main gate. Planetary security officers were everywhere. One officer walked up to the craft and opened the door for the honored heroes. As they stepped out it dawned on Aisha that she wouldn't be able to keep the bouquet of Tiger's Breath with her all day long so she turned to her driver and asked.
"Visro, could you do me a favor?"
"Anything ma'am, anything at all."
She smiled, "Can you see that these flowers get to my father's estate."
She set the large bouquet on the dashboard, which was about the only place not already covered in flowers.
"No problem ma'am, consider it done." He beamed.
"Thank you." She replied, being prompted by a planetary security officer to take her place within the Palace grounds.
As she walked past the gate she noticed a platform had been erected to the left of the gate about 20 meters back from the fence. Members of the High Council and High Command, including her father, were seated in chairs to the left of the platform. In addition, the Emperor sat in the very first seat in the very first row with several of his aids seated next to him. Next to them was the High Chancellor and his aid, then the Chairman of the High Command and his aid, and then another man whom Aisha felt she knew but could not quite remember. Based on his dress, he was someone important but who she could not place.
Behind the platform were eight seats reserved for the eight captains. Behind the chairs was a grandstand, which extended a good 60 meters high. This was where the crews of the eight destroyers would sit.
Striker and Amery were already seated at the first row of the grandstand on the far-left end behind the first chair. They waved to their captain who had been standing a few meters to the right of the platform taking in the whole spectacle. She smiled back at them and made her way to the first seat.
Striker bent forward and whispered to his captain, "What happened there? You looked lost for a moment."
She shook her head. "No, just taking it all in. Almost seems unreal, doesn't it?"
"Yeah, I know what you mean." Amery leaned forward to say in Aisha's other ear. "I never imagined in all my life that I'd actually be sitting within the grounds of the Imperial Palace. This is too much."
Aisha took a moment to find her father among all the high-ranking officials present. She finally spotted him at about the middle of the third row flanked by several other admirals. Almost instinctively, he turned to look in his daughter's direction seconds after she had spotted him. He raised a hand to silence the admiral at his side with whom he had been carrying on a conversation. When his eyes met Aisha's, he smiled. She recognized that smile. She'd seen it many times before. It was the smile her father gave her whenever he was proud of her. Over his lifetime, Aisha had given Prowlus much to be proud of but none of those could match her most recent act of heroism. And it showed in his smile and she beamed back. Few things in life made her happier than making her father proud of her.
Suddenly, she noticed her father's smile change and his eyebrow rise. Then she realized that one of those 'things' just sat down next to her. Still staring at her father, her face turned crimson. And when Augusta placed his hand on hers, which was resting on her lap, beads of sweat began rolling off her.
Unaware that Aisha had found her father among the assembled officials, Augusta leaned over toward her.
'My god what is he doing? He's not going to kiss me here in front of all these people, in front of my father?'
Thankfully for her all he did was whisper in her ear. "What's wrong, you're so flushed?"
Unable to break her father's gaze, she simply said, "My father is over there." Pointing with her eyes.
He followed her gaze to her father whose stare immediately shifted towards him. Augusta straightened like a board as sweat began trickling off his forehead.
Prowlus then shifted his gaze back to his daughter and gave her an amused grin; finally letting her off the hook and letting her know he was only teasing her.
Aisha sighed in relief. And as Prowlus throw her a wink and shifted his attention back to the admiral he was speaking to before, she turned to her lover and smiled to reassure him everything was all right.
**********
It took a little over thirty minutes to get all the crewmembers to their seats. Meanwhile a military band performed several Ctarl Ctarl victory songs. Once everyone was seated and the band had stopped playing, the famed Ctarl Ctarl orator, Anistol Cavisol Cavisol, approached the podium.
"Over 20,000 years ago, General Augusta Caavo Caavo the Great, defeated the hordes of Calvasto and proclaimed himself Emperor of Ctarl Ctarl. In the 20,106-year history of the Empire, we have never once faced the serious threat of invasion. That is until three days ago, when eight Ctarl Ctarl combat destroyers faced down 5,000 Irrelatic Coalition warships. Their battle cruiser already disabled due to engine and weapons malfunction…"
Aisha and Augusta shot a look at each other. Striker leaned forward and whispered into his captain's ear. "Heaven forbid we should ever admit we have idiots commanding some of our most powerful ships."
Aisha raised her hand to her mouth gently pressing her fingers to her lips to keep from laughing out loud.
The orator continued to spout on about the bravery of the crews and the brilliance of their captains for nearly an hour.
Amery leaned forward so both Aisha and Augusta could hear her whisper. "The way he goes on you'd think he was there at the battle."
"His account of the battle has taken almost as long as the real thing." Added Augusta.
"Shhh, I want to find out who won." Aisha said sarcastically.
When Anistol finished his speech the crowd applauded and cheered wildly. The officials rose to their feet to give Anistol a standing ovation. Aisha, the rest of the officers and crew restrained themselves from standing for as long as they could. But eventually the ongoing applause from the crowd and the standing ovation from the officials present made it impossible for them to remain seated and silent, even if it made them feel like hypocrites. They rose to their feet and joined in with the applause.
After the applause died down, Anistol proceeded with a 10-minute introduction of the Emperor. When the Emperor finally rose to take the podium everyone stood in respect. The Emperor walked over to the podium. Anistol bowed deeply showing his reverence for his Emperor. When he rose, the Emperor took his hand and shook it vigorously, exchanging brief pleasantries with the famed orator who stood aside to allow the Emperor access to the podium.
Emperor Jilisio Cetal Cetal approached the podium and adjusted the microphone for his height. He was a short man by Ctarl Ctarl standards but he had a commanding presence. He was still a relatively young man, only 85 years old but he had an air of wisdom that was even uncommon for men 5 times his age.
The Emperor cleared his throat and began to speak.
"Thank you Anistol Cavisol Cavisol for that eloquent account of the grand and heroic feats of the officers and crew of the Al Tigaro Tigaro, the Al Lione Lione, the Al Jagua Jagua, the Al Catto Catto, the Al Cheeta Cheeta, the Al Cougare Cougare, the Al Panthero Panthero and the Al Lepardo Lepardo."
He paused momentarily, appearing deep in thought. Then he continued.
"We have just named off eight of our combat destroyers; eight of the finest, most technologically advanced ships in the universe. But even the greatest ship is nothing but a collection of metals and components accomplishing nothing, nothing without a crew to serve on her. We are here today to honor these crews and these officers for doing what they have been trained to do but who do it at such a high level of excellence that their actions bring glory and honor to the Empire they serve. We would ask Governor Jiudus Cain Cain, Chancellor Markolus Jeval Jeval and Imperial High Admiral Stovor Cetal Cetal to join us next to the podium."
The three men rose from their seats and lined up next to Anistol. Simultaneously, a procession of young girls dressed in secondary school uniforms came from behind the seats where the officials were seated. They each were carrying a large gold platter with small rolled scrolls on them. Each scroll was tied with a gold ribbon. They made their way in front of the seats from the crowds prospective and came to a stop next to the podium and the Emperor.
"Beautiful, aren't they?" Said the Emperor gesturing to the young girls. Everyone applauded along with the Emperor.
"To the crewmembers, we present the Certificate of Honor for their bravery against incredible odds, and their devotion to duty and to their superior officers. Will the crew of the Al Tigaro Tigaro please come forward to accept this honor."
Aisha knew from past experience that this was an award given to the enlisted personnel, not the officers. They would receive a much higher honor. So she sat patiently, applauding her crew along with everyone else.
**********
"Will the crew of the Al Lepardo Lepardo please come forward and accept this honor."
Again, polite but enthusiastic applause broke out. After the last crewmember received his scroll, bowed and shook the Emperor's hand, and shook hands with the other high officials standing next to the podium; the Emperor turned to the crowd.
"Citizens of Ctarl Ctarl, another round of applause for our heroic crews."
An eruption of applause continued for ten minutes. As the applause died down, the Emperor addressed the crowd again.
"A ship and her crew are only as good as the officers that command them. And a ship's captain is only as good as the officers under his command. Officers are the extension of the captain. They see that the captain's orders are carried out without hesitation, without question. And during the heat of battle when even a moment's hesitation can mean the difference between victory and defeat, it is the abilities of these officers that are put to the test, time and time again. To these brave officers we present the Certificate of Ctarl for their unwavering loyalty to their captains and for their exceptional performance in battle. Will the officers of the Al Tigaro Tigaro please come forward and accept your honor."
Starting with Striker and Amery, the rest of the Al Tigaro Tigaro officers proceeded to the podium. One by one, they were handed a scroll, this one larger than the previous ones, by the Emperor's aid; they bowed to the Emperor then shook his hand and proceeded to accept the congratulations of the other high officials.
**********
"While every captain will tell you that the tasks performed by each of his officers are critical to a well run ship, in the midst of battle the abilities of two officers become especially critical. It is during battle that the captain relies most on his navigations officer and his tactical officer. No battle can be won, no victory can be had if skilled, resourceful and tenacious people are not serving at these two posts."
"What does he mean his officers?" Aisha whispered to Augusta.
Augusta only smiled.
"To these very special officers we present the Silver Cluster for their unique skills in service of the Empire. Will Striker Craaw Craaw and Amery Ctal Ctal from the combat destroyer Al Tigaro Tigaro please come forward and receive your honor."
Just as Striker stood up, Aisha whispered, "Striker, don't stumble." Striker scoffed. Four steps towards the podium he stumbled ever so slightly. He instantly turned his head and shot his captain a quick stare before returning his gaze toward the podium.
Augusta stared at Aisha. "He falls for it every time." She said. Her lover grinned.
"Visaro Caar Caar and Elisha Jahn Jahn from the Al Lione Lione please come forward and receive your honor."
The time was fast approaching. Was Tabral's information accurate? Was she really going to receive the Order of Ctarl? If so, that meant promotion to commodore. It had to; no captain ever received the Order of Ctarl without also being immediately promoted. And if she were promoted, then she would be only the second youngest captain in Ctarl Ctarl Space Fleet history to achieve the rank of commodore. Only her own great-great-grandfather Aisher Clan Clan, for whom Aisha was named, achieved the rank of commodore at a younger age, 17 years 6 months. Aisha was 17 years 18 months. The next youngest captain to make commodore did it when she was 21 years 21 months. The very thought of being made commodore before her 18th birthday was almost too much excitement for Aisha to contain.
Augusta could see his beloved was having a hard time restraining herself. To be honest, he was almost as excited about her expected promotion as she was. He knew no one deserved it more. He stopped clapping long enough to place a comforting hand on her thigh. The gentle squeeze broke Aisha's train of thought as she first looked at his hand then up to his eyes. He gave her a small smile; she smiled back before she realized she had been holding her breath. She let out the air in her lungs and breathed in fresh air, easing into a steady breathing rhythm.
She mouthed the words, "Thank you"
He lifted his hand and went back to applauding but kept his eyes on her long enough to throw her a wink. She smiled again, then straightened her gaze towards the podium; Augusta did the same.
"Again, let us applaud the navigations and tactical officers once more." Said the Emperor.
"In the proud tradition of the Ctarl Ctarl Space Fleet, during fleet battles, the number of kills achieved by a ship and her captain have been kept as a matter of military record. And the ship with the most kills in a fleet battle receives the title of Most Lethal Ship in the Fleet. It is during these battles that the captain must trust his tactical officer and navigations officer enough to virtually turn the ship over to them as they hunt down and destroy the enemy ships. In the 19 months that Striker Craaw Craaw and Amery Ctal Ctal have been the tactical officer and navigations officer aboard the Al Tigaro Tigaro respectively, each has served in 22 fleet battles. In those 22 battles, they earned the title of Most Lethal Ship in the Fleet for their ship and their captain, 22 times."
Everyone applauded enthusiastically.
Three days ago at the Battle of Sector Alpha 63, Lieutenants Striker and Amery earned the title of Most Lethal Ship in the Fleet once again, but not by one or two ships, not by 10 or 20 ships. No, the Al Tigaro Tigaro earned the title of Most Lethal Ship in the Fleet by 260 more ships destroyed than the second place ship, the Al Lione Lione.
Thunderous applause erupted.
"As recognition for both their consistent excellence in battle and for their exceptional effort in this, the most critical battle in Ctarl Ctarl Space Fleet history, Lieutenant Striker and Lieutenant Amery are being given the Silver Claw. Will Lieutenant Striker and Lieutenant Amery please come forward and receive your honor."
The Emperor's aid opened the medal case, removed the medal and handed it to the Emperor. Closing the case the aid handed it to Striker who shook his hand. Then Striker turned to the Emperor and leaned forward to allow the Emperor to slide the ribbon around his head, he then bowed and shook the Emperor's hand. The Emperor repeated the process with Amery. "Congratulations, Lieutenant."
"Thank you, Your Majesty" She proceeded down the line shaking hands and accepting their praise and congratulations.
As the applause slowly died down, the Emperor continued.
"State of the art technology, brave and loyal crews, intelligent and resourceful officers are nothing without capable commanders able and ready to lead them in battle. We are fortunate to have within our new, young breed of officers; commanders who are more then worthy of the loyalty and trust their crews and officers give them. This new breed of commander has within them all the best qualities the Ctarl Ctarl Fleet Academy attempts to instill in its cadets: Bravery, Courage, Tenacity, Resourcefulness, and of course Honor.
These eight captains seated behind me here are shining examples of all of these qualities. For this we honor them today with the Gold Star of Ctarl given for courage and bravery far above the call of duty. Will Captain Aisha Clan Clan of the combat destroyer Al Tigaro Tigaro please come forward and receive your honor. "
The Emperor's aid grabbed the medal from the gold platter and handed it to the Emperor, closing the medal case he handed it to Aisha. The Emperor pinned the medal next to Aisha's other five medals and shook her hand. Aisha went down the line of high officials then returned to her seat.
"Will Captain Augusta Caar Caar of the combat destroyer Al Lione Lione please come forward to receive your honor."
The Emperor's aid grabbed the next medal from the gold platter and handed it to the Emperor, closing the medal case he handed it to Augusta. The Emperor pinned the medal next to Augusta's other two medals and shook his hand.
"Will Captain Purez Catal Catal of the combat destroyer Al Catto Catto please come forward to receive your honor."
The Emperor's aid grabbed the next medal from the gold platter and handed it to the Emperor, closing the medal case he handed it to Purez. The Emperor pinned the medal to Purez's chest and shook his hand.
"Will Captain Azar Caflaro Caflaro of the combat destroyer Al Jagua Jagua please come forward to receive your honor."
The Emperor's aid grabbed the next medal from the gold platter and handed it to the Emperor, closing the medal case he handed it to Azar. The Emperor pinned the medal to Azar's chest and shook his hand.
"Will Captain Bellana Jata Jata of the combat destroyer Al Panthero Panthero please come forward to receive your honor."
The Emperor's aid grabbed the next medal from the gold platter and handed it to the Emperor, closing the medal case he handed it to Bellana. The Emperor pinned the medal next to Bellana's other medal and shook her hand.
"Will Captain Juliua Jivar Jivar of the combat destroyer Al Cheeta Cheeta please come forward to receive your honor."
The Emperor's aid grabbed the next medal from the gold platter and handed it to the Emperor, closing the medal case he handed it to Juliua. The Emperor pinned the medal to Juliua's chest and shook her hand.
"Will Captain Pursur Caol Caol of the combat destroyer Al Cougare Cougare please come forward to receive your honor."
The Emperor's aid grabbed the next medal from the gold platter and handed it to the Emperor, closing the medal case he handed it to Pursur. The Emperor pinned the medal next to Pursur's other two medals and shook his hand.
"Will Captain Asnar Claar Claar of the combat destroyer Al Lepardo Lepardo please come forward to receive your honor."
The Emperor's aid grabbed the next medal from the gold platter and handed it to the Emperor, closing the medal case he handed it to Ansar. The Emperor pinned the medal to Asnar's chest and shook his hand.
"Once again, for the captains." The Emperor applauded, as did everyone else.
After several minutes of applause, the Emperor continued.
"Finally, we come to a very special moment."
Turning towards Aisha, the Emperor said.
"Captain Aisha Clan Clan, would you please come forward."
Aisha's eyes grew wide with anticipation. She took a steadying breath and stood up. Taking another steadying breath she walked over to the Emperor, taking a spot to the right of him.
"Captain Aisha Clan Clan is no stranger to bravery. As a young cadet on board a training vessel, her ship fell under attack and all of the training instructors were killed. Without a moment's hesitation Cadet Aisha assumed command of the ship and launched a counter attack on two well-armed Coalition cruisers, destroying one and crippling the other. As a captain aboard a military freighter she answered the distress calls of the Orion colony in Sector Alpha 59. And even though two Ctarl Ctarl destroyers were closer, she managed to arrive first in orbit to find three Coalition heavy cruisers launching space to planetary missiles onto the defenseless colony. Captain Aisha not only managed to draw the fire from all three heavy cruisers away from the colony; she also managed to disable two of the cruisers before our own destroyers arrived to finish them off. As captain aboard the light cruiser, the Tore Ore, Captain Aisha intercepted a Coalition transmission that told of a planned assassination attempt on several members of the High Command who were on route to Star Base 74. Captain Aisha not only warned the captain of the transport vessel but she intercepted the assassins and eliminated them before they could pose any threat to any Ctarl Ctarl citizens. As captain of the combat destroyer the Al Tigaro Tigaro, Captain Aisha lead her ground troops on a salvage mission onboard what was supposed to be a deserted Coalition Space Station. Instead, 2,000 Coalition soldiers were lying in wait to ambush Captain Aisha and her 200 soldiers. Without concern for her personal well being, Captain Aisha lead the attack against the Coalition soldiers. Reliable sources estimate the number of Coalition soldiers killed by Captain Aisha herself to be between around 400. And as mentioned before, Captain Aisha, aboard the Al Tigaro Tigaro has earned the title of Most Lethal Ship in the Fleet a total of 36 times. Three times as often as any other captain in the Fleet."
The crowd applauded Aisha's long and distinguished record.
"And just three days ago, Captain Aisha, after witnessing the disabled battle cruiser, the Sabre Hone Hone fall adrift and facing incredible odds, assumed command of the fleet and launched an attack using tactics never before used in battle. Catching a stunned enemy by surprise with her courage and resourcefulness she sent the 5,000 ship Armada of the Coalition running home, broken and humiliated."
For all of this and for saving this planet from attack, we present to Captain Aisha Clan Clan, the Order of Ctarl."
The Emperor's aid lifted the velvet cloth off the platter to reveal a gold plaque encased in crystal. The plaque was engraved with the words,
"The Order of Ctarl is hereby bestowed onto Captain Aisha Clan Clan for her bravery in facing down the enemy of vastly superior numbers; for her resourcefulness in successfully implementing tactics and strategies never before used in battle; for her courage to assume command of the Fleet at a critical instance when inaction could have lead to disaster; for her tenacity for never yielding to the enemy, even when under heavy fire; for her victory against impossible odds; for saving Planet Ctarl Ctarl and preserving the way of life for all Ctarl Ctarl throughout the Empire. From this day, the 35th day of the 18th month of the year of our God of Ctarl 41449, forth Aisha Clan Clan will be recognized throughout the Empire as a Hero of the Empire and is granted all the rights and privileges due a true hero."
Aisha's legs quivered slightly as the Emperor read the encryption.
"What makes the Order of Ctarl such a unique and difficult award to attain is that it requires the unanimous approval by the High Council and the High Command as well as unanimously approval by all twelve regional governors and Ourself as well. This is only the 17th time the Order of Ctarl has been given to a commander holding the rank of captain and never before to one so young."
Turning towards Aisha, "Captain Aisha Clan Clan, please accept this, The Order of Ctarl, as our humble gesture for saving our Empire, for saving our planet, for saving our way of life."
The Emperor handed the crystal incased plaque to Aisha who accepted it with trembling hands and a quivering smile. Then the Emperor did something not seen from him in anyone's recent memory; he bowed to her. Instantly the crowd, all the officials assembled, the other captains, officers and crew all rose to their feet and bowed towards Aisha, then they all gave her a standing ovation. For 30 minutes the thunderous applause could be heard from the outskirts of the capital. The pride she felt was immeasurable. Her eyes welled up with tears of joy, her arms and legs felt numb and she began to feel light headed.
'Don't faint, what ever you do, don't faint.' She told herself.
The Emperor approached the microphone once again. As he did, the applause slowly subsided. When most of the applause had stopped, the Emperor began to speak.
"There is a long standing tradition with the…"
Before the Emperor could utter another word, Governor Jiudus was at his side covering the microphone with one hand and whispering in the Emperor's ear. This shocked everyone and murmuring started up instantly. Aisha strained to hear the conversation between the Governor and the Emperor. The Governor was speaking way too softly for her to make out what he was saying but she was able to hear the Emperor clearly. Each of his comments seemed to be in response to the Governor's comments.
"Are you sure… But that is unheard of… This is highly irregular… I have your assurance… Very well."
The Emperor turned towards the microphone again. Pausing momentarily, Aisha could see the Emperor's dark strained expression. 'What could have happened?'
"Citizens of Ctarl Ctarl, once again, The Hero of Ctarl Ctarl, Lady Aisha Clan Clan."
And he began applauding giving a mild head gesture to his aid who was standing next to Aisha. The aid gently touched Aisha's elbow and gestured for her to take her seat. In utter shock, Aisha automatically walked towards her seat. Her eyes glazed over, all she heard was the applause of the crowd behind her, but she heard nothing coming from before her or to her left. She snapped out of her trance long enough to see the stunned looks of the officers and crew in the grandstands. She turned her gaze to the left and saw the same stunned look from all of the government officials present.
'So it wasn't just me. They were expecting it too.'
Before she knew it her knee bumped into her chair.
Augusta stood up and grabbed Aisha by the elbow. "Aisha, Aisha"
She looked up at him but he wasn't registering in her mind, nothing was.
"Here, turn around," he gestured.
Automatically, Aisha did so.
"Sit, come sit down Ma'Lady."
That drew the automatic response of, "That's Lady Aisha, you fool" as she took her seat. But it came out mechanically, almost like a recording.
An uneasy feeling settled over the platform. As the crowd continued to applaud, a sense of tension among the officers and crew, and among the government officials could be felt. And the Emperor was not oblivious of this feeling.
"We thank you for coming out to honor these brave heroes. By Imperial Proclamation, I declare this week an Imperial Holiday in honor of the saviors of the Empire. Go and celebrate the way only true Ctarl Ctarl can."
The crowd applauded and cheered as they slowly dispersed. Turning towards the grandstand, "You are all invited to a celebration in your honor in the Imperial Palace. Your absence will be viewed as a personal insult to your Emperor and an insult to the Empire." Then he smiled and was led away by his aids.
As the officers and crew descended the grandstand, palace officials gathered their certificates assuring them they would be delivered safely to their homes.
"Lady Aisha," one of palace officials said, standing to the side of her. Still in a state of disbelief she slowly looked up at him.
"Lady Aisha, may I take that for you?"
Gesturing to the Order of Ctarl plaque she was clutching between her arms. She looked at the plaque and back up to the official.
"Yes, of course. See it gets delivered to my father's estate." She whispered.
"Yes ma'am, I'll take good care of it." He slowly pulled it from Aisha's grasp, bowed and left.
Still in shock, she was brought back to reality by a hand taking hold of her hand and another hand applying firm but warm pressure to her opposite shoulder. Aisha blinked as if coming out of a trance and looked up and around. The hand on her shoulder belonged to Striker; the other hand belonged to Augusta. She quickly noticed that her fellow captains as well as all her senior officers were huddled around her. She opened her mouth to speak but quickly closed it realizing she was at a total loss for words.
Finally, her lover broke the silence.
"Aisha… I, I don't know what to say. I can't believe the Emperor did that to you."
"It was humiliating! How he left her hanging like that. It was wrong… just wrong."
Spat a flushed Striker.
"Lady Aisha, we all agree. There was no justification for the Emperor's actions."
Said Captain Juliua. "If you wish it, we will lodge a formal protest. If that does not render any action… Well, we shall see how well Space Fleet functions without more than half its captains and officers."
"No!" Aisha said, standing up abruptly. "No, the military does not force its will on the Empire. Only in time of civil war was it ever done. Are you ready to go to war over this?"
She looked squarely at Juliua who diverted her gaze from Aisha. She looked around to the other officers about her and they all did the same as Juliua.
"Neither am I. Besides, I don't think it was the Emperor's idea."
"What do you mean?" Asked Augusta.
"I could overhear part of the Emperor's conversation with Governor Jiudus. All I really heard were the Emperor's responses to whatever it was the Governor was telling him. But it seemed to me that, … I don't know… somehow Governor Julius talked the Emperor out of making the pronouncement of my promotion to Commodore."
"But for what reason?" Asked Amery.
"I don't know." Responded Aisha.
"Could you have done something in the past to make enemies of the Governor?" Inquired Captain Asnar.
"Not that I know of. I didn't even recognize him until Anistol mentioned his name. That's when I remembered meeting him once, briefly for no more than a few seconds. Hardly enough time to make any kind of lasting impression on anyone."
"Well, what do we do now?" Asked Striker.
No one seemed to have an answer until Aisha said, "Attend the palace celebration of course."
"Ugh?" Responded several of the officers.
"Well, I don't know about the rest of you but after a sixteen hour celebration aboard my ship, a six hour nap, an hour spent at space port and being shuttled down to the planet, six hours at port and the procession and another two hours of formal ceremony. I'm more than a little hungry." She smiled.
The others smiled nervously. "Well, you heard the Lady. Let's go." The mood seemed to lighten up a little bit as they made their way to the palace entrance. Augusta turned to Aisha and whispered.
"Be honest with me. Are you alright?"
Aisha paused for a moment. She looked like she was going to continue walking without responding to Augusta's question, then she stopped next to him for just an instant.
"No, I'm not. Please stay close."
He nodded, placing his hand on the small of her back, he led her to the palace entrance.