Emperors War 28 What Is Cooking?

As Aker's confusion had clearly gotten the better of him, he was left without words to respond.

Seeing that the boy wasn't going to make any movement one way or another Sampson followed up with a statement that made Akers confusion grow even more.

"I would like to see what you already know and what you are capable of. I can best see that by having you cook something for me. In essence this is a test. Should you pa.s.s then you can learn what is the ultimate art, cuisine. Should you fail then only certain death awaits."

"What do you mean by only certain death awaits?" How was it possible for this person to make three statements that when uttered aloud confused him more each time?

"Ho..ho...didn't the big brute explain to you already? He just walked you over here and told you to accept this one as a Teacher without any explanation?" Sampson looked towards Vance as he spoke, surprised by this turn of events.

"cough...cough.... while it's true that I didn't explain what we were doing I thought it was pretty obvious he just needed to greet you properly and that would be the end of it. Who knew that this knuckle head.... I mean wonderful boy wouldn't even be able to do something so simple." Vance didn't look at either Sampson or Aker as he spoke and just stated what he needed to state matter of factly as he continued on....

"You wouldn't let this poor boy die in such a pathetic way would you? Certainly, someone of your magnanimity would never allow something like that to happen. It's your grace that compels all others here to continue on even when the dreariness and weight of The Pit consumes them." Vance was laying it on thick with his words. Listening it became obvious that Vance did not have a talent for this kind of flattery. It was horrendous to the point that it had almost the opposite effect. Had it not been for the fact that Vance was being 100% serious as he worked to convince Sampson it would have come off as some kind of very bad practical joke.

"hahahahaha.... this is why I like having this brute come around. When I listen to him talk like this how could a person not feel like laughing. To force a brute to such lengths, I can only marvel at my own strength. Your right, to forgive is the essence of my magnanimity and certainly exalts me, wouldn't you agree young one and brute?" Clearly Sampson was enjoying the play that was unfolding before his eyes and thoroughly relis.h.i.+ng pus.h.i.+ng Vance further into the corner.

Vance was holding it in. He was holding it in. He had already committed to the boy and so he would just....agree with whatever came out of his mouth.

"Yes, yes I dare say that the width of your forgiveness can only be measured by the stars!" Vance followed up on Sampson's comments.

'Please let that be enough of this. I know your just trying to mess with me but even a cornered rabbit will bite you know.'

Vance's thoughts must have been read by Sampson because he followed up with "I agree then let's put this kid in the kitchen and start teaching him what it means to cook."

Through this entire process Aker didn't say a word. He watched as his master and now his new teacher went back and forth. Despite the questioning and flattering there was never an explanation of anything. It was especially true that it was never explained why his life was in danger.

Before anyone could move and just after Sampson had spoken out his words Aker followed up. "Why is my life in danger? What does cooking have to do with saving my life?"

Just as Sampson was turning his body to walk towards the kitchen his motion stopped. He was half facing away from Aker and half facing toward him.

"What is cooking?"

Sampson responded to Aker's question with another question. Sampson's question seemed to have no relevance and seemed oddly out of place based on what Aker wanted to know.

"Cooking is just making something to eat. Mom used to cook for me all the time. I don't know how else to answer if you ask me a question such as what is cooking."

Aker answered the question that Sampson posed to him. It seemed like a rather ridiculous question to ask. As many times as he had seen his mom make food he had never once pondered or bothered to ask what it was. Wasn't it obvious, it was taking ingredients and making something to eat.

"Wrong! You couldn't be more wrong in your answer. Your answer lacks any of the truths of cooking and completely ignores the majesty and grace that is cooking!" Samspon's was visibly upset as he responded back to Aker.

'Ahhhhh....here we go again. I have to listen to this drivel one more time. I swore that I would rather fight in The Pit again than have to listen to one of his fits again. All I can do is shut up, not make eye contact and hope that none of this is aimed at me. Sorry boy but I won't get in the way of your teacher for your own good...ya for your own good not because I don't want to listen to it but because it's good for you'.

Vance's thoughts were running wild as he tried to convince himself that he wasn't abandoning his only disciple.

"What is food? What are ingredients? How does the body function and grow? Food is the energy that determines what we can do as it is the source of energy. Good ingredients not only make food taste better but also nourish the body and increase our strength..." Sampson's eyes were s.h.i.+nning as he spoke about food.

Aker could feel the pa.s.sion and excitement. As Sampson was speaking his voice was slowly but surely increasing in octet as it began to reverberate through the area of the foray they were in. Thankfully the area was clear as it was in between normal meal time.

"The essence of all that we will accomplish is done through the energy that is created through food. Food brings people together. Its shared when new life is born and when deaths occur. Warriors will fight to the death and betray their brothers and sisters when ingredients that can increase their strength are discovered. Not only does food create the energy your body needs to survive, not only does the food you eat determine whether you will grow weak or you will grow strong it is the foundation of life itself. Without food you will die. For the average person it is what they toil and work to the bone to get. For the fighters it is the gateway and pathway to strength. Ask a man who is on the verge of starving to death if he would prefer all the gold in the galaxy or biscuit and he will choose the biscuit. Do you understand?"

Sampson had taken the time to explain to here and Aker truly did understand what he was talking about. He had never considered the importance of food beyond when he was hungry his mom would make something for him.

"Further, only by cooking our own food can we truly know what is in it, wouldn't you agree?"

'What did he mean by know what was in it?' Aker couldn't help but wonder to himself. He seemed to make a separate point of this and even emphasized the idea.

"For example, should someone decide to put a poison that significantly weakened you but didn't per say kill you, would you be able to know before eating it? If something like that were to happen would you be able to survive a day in The Pit? Even if you did survive through some miracle, could you do anything to stop it from happening again?"

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Sampson finally got to the point huh. That's right the people who brought me here want me dead. They may not be able to kill me openly but there is nothing to stop them from using underhanded means, no…they have already started using underhanded means. So, this is what they meant by "certain death" earlier. The realization of it struck Aker as he contemplated the likely hood of being poisoned in the future should he survive in The Pit's. After moments thought he came to the conclusion that the chances of being poisoned were extremely high.

"Aker thanks Master and Teacher for their kind thoughts and this lesson. I will never underestimate the value of cooking again. As Teacher has said by understanding the ingredients and what is in my food, I can make myself stronger and protect myself at the same time."

Aker responded back with all sincerity. It was true that just a few minutes ago he was under the impression that cooking held no real significance. He had never seen nor heard anyone speak about cooking the way that Sampson was.

After hearing Sampson's almost wors.h.i.+p of cooking and the process that made it up, he had a new found respect for cooking. Perhaps learning to cook could bring him true enjoyment like it did for Sampson?

The food we eat decides if we are strong or weak. Food brings people together. Food can bring both pain and bliss. A starving person will forgo all civility in the face of hunger.

These thoughts were resonating through Aker's mind and the more he thought on them the more he was buying into the words of his teacher.

"Good, I can see that my words of wisdom have brought a new barbarian into the cultured and civilized. If only I could get that brute over there to gain the wisdom and refinement of cooking, I could consider my life's work complete. Alas, he is such a brute that it if you told me that he did not even shower or clean I would not find it surprising."

Sampson spoke to Aker in a caring manner after seeing him truly contemplate over the words he had just taken in. It was for Sampson his biggest delight when he converted a barbarian to the refined and cultured.

"Tshhhhh....there you go with those idiotic words of yours again. Beauty can only be found in cooking. Love is symbolized in cooking. Happiness is only found in food. Aker, we eat to survive that's all. If I could go without eating I would do it. People eat because they have too...don't listen to the drivel of this half-baked Teacher. If I wasn't worried about the possibility of you being poisoned, we wouldn't even be here!"

After listening to Sampson's humiliating words Vance couldn't take it anymore and unloaded back frustrated and more importantly genuinely mad. How did this Sampson always have the ability to get under his skin so easily? Is that Sampson the offspring of some bug with that skill?

Aker standing by the side couldn't help but snicker at the back and forth of his new master and new teacher. While it might have sounded like they didn't like each other, even to someone like Aker it was apparent that this level of razzing could only take place amongst brothers.

Rather than say anything to Vance's words Aker decided that it would be best to ignore his statement all together. After hearing from Teacher Sampson, Aker found himself disagreeing with Vance's opinion, but no matter what he said to either he could only lose. The only answer was to feign ignorance.

As all three stood there a sinister silence permeated the area leaving all three unaware of how to proceed. As Sampson considered himself the most refined of the three, he began to feel that it was his duty to end the deathly silence.

"Shall we go to the kitchen and let me see what it is I have to work with?"

As if though being relieved that his words didn't move them back to square one Vance breathed out a sigh hearing Sampson's words. In the silence for just a moment he was afraid that Sampson would again continue with his obstinate stance of not teaching Aker.

Sampson led Aker and Vance behind the front facing area of the cafeteria into the back area where the food was prepared. While the front had six windows that people could order out of which gave the impression that the kitchen should be small it couldn't be further from reality.

The kitchen was ma.s.sive, having dozens of stations with hundreds of people busily running around from station to station.

"These stations here represent the different statuses and capabilities of the people working here. Think of each station as a status symbol. As you progress towards the middle your status in the Kitchen is raised. In the very center of the Kitchen is my station...." Sampson began explaining the function and how the kitchen operates.

"You have the sautés station, the grilling station, the frying station, the specialty and flavoring station, sus.h.i.+ station, presentation station, and the prisoner food station. The whole kitchen and all of its chefs and cooks from the lowest apprentice to me the Executive chef is also known as the kitchen brigade."

Having listened to here Aker couldn't make out what everyone was doing, he could only see them running around in a chaotic manner, but by some miracle they managed to not collide. Aker was amazed at the perfect disharmony orchestra, and looked at Sampson as its composer.

"The lowest serving station here is prisoner foods and typically we take those we deem with no talent and no future and put them in this station. Some have managed to crawl out due to the fact that they can experiment and try different flavors and ideas as anything goes with the prisoner food, but for the most part the waste apprentices and cooks who enter prisoner food station never find their way out."

Sampson, when describing the prisoner station did not hide his disgust and loathing of the barely more than barbarians working the food that was narrowly more than sludge. If it was not because he had to provide food to all of the prisoners, he would have long ago removed those Neanderthals from his kitchen forever banis.h.i.+ng their pitiful excuse for art!

"You asked me to cook something up, should I go to your station?" Aker asked kind of excited about the idea of getting to use the Executive Station.

He couldn't help think 'wont it be impressive when I am working at that station and everyone here sees me there? I can already see their jealous faces...hehe..hehe...hehe'.

Sampson's disgust instantly disappeared and was replaced with rolling laughter that filled the entire kitchen. It was so loud everyone stopped what they were doing and looked over at Sampson in utter confusion.

In all of the years that Sampson has run the kitchen never had he laughed or done anything that would suggest that he could diminish the sanct.i.ty of this holy ground.

"My dear boy.... you are an interesting one. Didn't I tell you earlier that you have to work your way towards the middle? Was there some confusion in my explanation of how this kitchen works? Even if it's only for a second no one who is not qualified is allowed past their station."

Aker was instantly confused. He was not thinking that the social structure applied to him since he was not working in the kitchen full time. Why would the rules apply to him?

"I thought that since I'm only learning how to cook for myself and since I am not a member of the kitchen that those rules wouldn't apply to me."

"Naive one, are you or are you not in my kitchen. Didn't I explain that in my kitchen these stations represent prestige, honor and social status. Even more so for outsiders since they have not earned the right to go any further than the door. See that table in the far corner? We call that the reject station. That is your home in my kitchen!"

Aker looked over where Sampson was pointing and saw a small table that was clearly neglected and ravaged by lack of care that was far away from all of the other stations. As he walked over to the corner away from the main station areas he stopped in his tracks.

"Can't I work in the prisoner station since I'm a prisoner?" Aker asked of Sampson.

He didn't want to work in the lone corner as it had little light, but most importantly it was the trash. The reject station was where all of the waste, rotting, expired, failed food and trash went. Well not technically as there was at least a half meter between the trash and the reject station.

Aker looking at Sampson as he asked the question realized that Sampson was not going to change his mind.

With no other option Aker finished walking over and said to himself "well at least it's not my cell."