"I am Empress Karen of Froniganne of Imperial Ruok. How may I help you?" asked the Empress. While she was talking, her lasses quietly surrounded her. They were all poised and ready to fire if needed. This was common with someone unknown.
"I will vote in favor," with that, the man ran away. The Empress and her lasses laughed at their worry, then continued on their way to her chambers. The Empress was glad that she would be leaving this country at the week's end. She was used to the more northern regions that Ruok occupied. This colony was rather too far to the South for her taste. She liked the snow. Or the fog. She liked the rain, too. The sun was also her friend, but the upper seventies were quite high enough for her.
Upon reaching her chambers, she freshened up her dyed face, and then made sure that her lasses' faces were properly dyed. She wanted to look nice for dinner. Again, she touched the side of her head. Korom Rinksin saw the action, and inquired of the cause.
"O," said the Empress, "I just have a small headache. I will take some Cossava, and it will help." Cossava, which was a native of Chelestra, was a root like plant. It was pounded into a powder and mixed into a drink. When Shania Korres brought the drink, the Empress drank a small amount. Then she rose. "Come," she said, "we must go to the dinning room." Then she walked down the hall with her lasses surrounding her, three in front, two at each side, and three in the back. This was called the doll formation.
The various political leaders and ambassador rose when the Empress entered the room. She was the only female out of twenty some odd roles in the senate. "Please," she said, smiling at their politeness, "sit down. Let's order," the Empress picked up a menu. She was in a formal dinner restaurant used for such occasions as this. She looked at her companions closely. She saw Senator Gahna there with Senator Brinxin. It was nice to see familiar faces in the crowd. She smiled at Senator Brinxin.
He was only 28, and a baby in the Senate. She knew he was a little sore at her as she had the only female role in the Senate, was the new "baby", and was the leader of the Senate. But Jaaymi Brinxin was a nice man. He had strong feelings about anything and everything. Jaaymi was not afraid to tell her and others when her disagreed.
"I believe, Mr. Hingsin, that I shall the Enoja Charmeens, with no Je-antas, please. I really don't like them. For a drink may I please have Jenix?" Empress Karen requested, after putting the menu down. The others in the room made their respective orders, then small talk began.
"So . . .. Renoka?"
"Mumble, mumble, muss."
"And then he said . . ."
The Empress, seated at the end of the table, was left out of the conversation. She was not yet twelve and a female, two counts against her. She looked at the table behind her where he lasses were together, eating and chatting. The Empress sighed.
"So," turning to the man next to her who she knew as Jenincean Kobs, "What have you been doing since the last time I saw you?" which was last year.
"Living," with that snub, he turned to the man next to her, and started a conversation. The Empress snapped her fingers. Instantly, Mr. Hingsin was at her side. At word to him, and the Empress was seated at the lasses table, which was an obvious snub to all at the main table. There she proceeded to have a lovely evening chatting with her friends and the hired help, who were also seated at the lasses table.
At the end of the meal, the Empress retired to her chambers. But not before she telepathically made Patti promise to come tomorrow and stay till the week's end.
