This story takes place almost two hundred years into the future. Things are quite different. Homosexual sex is a norm. So if you are under age or if explicit "abnormal" sexual activity is abhorrent to you, please read no further.
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Copyright 2015 by Macout Mann. All rights reserved.
THE THIRD EMPIRE
by Macout Mann
IV
Saturday is the last full day of the minister's official visit. It will be capped with a formal banquet in his honor.
Saturday is also the state church's holy day.
As in the Christian and Jewish faiths "the evening and the morning" define the liturgical day. The Church of the Eternal Godhead settled on, or as it would say "recognized," the seventh day, Saturday, as its day for worship. Cynics would say that that was really a compromise between the Muslim practice and the Christian practice. But the empire's church says that Saturday is the day that god rested and that's the day to be kept holy.
So to recognize Titus Bush's visit there is to be a festive solemn convocation at the Suriname Cathedral with Bishop Mason himself presiding.
The site is a four-hundred-year-old former Roman Catholic Cathedral built in Spanish Gothic style. The crosses and crucifixes along with images of saints have long since been removed. Those with artistic merit were taken to museums. The rest destroyed.
Citizens who choose to worship in the old styles are actually tolerated and not persecuted, but they must fashion their religious icons as best they can.
On the reredos there sits an ark, but rather than just containing the Jewish Torah, it holds all of the sacred writings of all of the religions that have been combined into the eternal church. Otherwise, the church is rather plainly furnished, yet it remains as architecturally spectacular as it was centuries before. The cathedral's senior verger leads the minister, the governor, Mrs. Johnson, and Flavius to their pew in the front row of the nave just before the procession begins. In the sight of god and at worship women are the equal of men. Flavius is glad that Titus is given the aisle seat, the governor next, then his mother, and finally him. He won't be pestered by the minister during the service.
With a fanfare of trumpets, the service begins with a hymn in procession, "Praise my soul, the king of heaven." Many hymns from the old days can still be sung, as long as they do not name a deity. Texts are sometimes altered. For instance, in "The god of Abraham Praise" the line, "great I Am," has been changed to "all of us" to maintain orthodoxy. "Blessed be god," the bishop begins.
"And blessed be the emperor and all of us," the congregants respond.
What follows is a beautiful amalgamation of the rites of previous religions. The "Kyrie" is sung, omitting the second line. The "Sanctus" is o.k., but not the "Benedictus." About the only thing left of the evangelical worship service is the sermon.
The bishop's sermon makes much of the presence of the Assistant Minister of the Exterior and how god has blessed the empire by giving it strong and capable leadership.
After the closing procession has reached the cathedral's great west door, the deacon chants "Go in peace," and the congregants again respond "And blessed be the emperor and all of us."
The congregation remains in place until the verger has escorted the minister and the governor's family up the nave aisle. The minister complements the bishop on his sermon, and the bishop responds that he is looking forward to tonight's banquet, where he will give the blessing.
On the way back to the mansion the minister speaks to the governor. "The young intern you had the other evening seemed quite attractive. Perhaps you and I can spend some time with him this afternoon."
"Yes. His name is John," the governor replies. "I'll bring him to your suite."
Flavius gets the task of letting John know how he'll be spending the afternoon. "The minister seems to be perpetually horny just like you," Flavius teases.
The other boys relax until it's time for the banquet.
John accompanies the governor to the minister's suite, where the governor gets more and more pissed off at Titus Bush, as the afternoon moves along. Quintus had known Titus sometime before back in Washington. Since moving up in the governmental hierarchy, Titus has become not only more sexually active, but he is ignoring the protocols of sexual activity. It is one thing to have your way with an intern at will. It is something else entirely to place the governor general of a province in a situation where he has no choice but to be fucked. But that's exactly what the minister does. John of course enjoys everything that is happening.
When the two arrive, Titus is already naked and hard. He has Quintus and John disrobe, then has John service him, until his dick is suitably wet with silava.
"Governor," Titus says, "let me have your ass, while John eats you." It is obviously an order, not a request.
Now why is there a difference between Quintus having John fuck him on Thursday night and Titus fucking Quintus on Saturday afternoon? A peculiarity, a matter of nicety and tradition. But the governor submits.
Quintus takes the minister up his ass. He doesn't really mind the feeling. But the minister humps him without any concern for his feelings. He gets cum up his ass and unloads into John's throat.
Before the afternoon is over, the performance is repeated. The minister gives the governor no invitation to fuck him. Quintus is furious.
The minister does give one piece of advice, however, which the governor takes to heart. "Governor," he says, "if your son is going to be an effective administrator for the empire, he needs to know more about the masses of the people. I suggest you send him out on occasion to associate with them on their level. He will learn a great deal, and may have some fun too."
Ladies are again invited to join the men at the formal banquet. It's said that the practice developed in order to keep state occasions from deteriorating into orgies.
The state dining room is laid out with round tables for eight. At the governor's table is the minister, Gov. and Mz. Johnson, Flavius, and Bishop and Mz. Mason. Only six. Titus is one of the few high officials who does not travel with his wife. Says she finds it tiring and boring. Were she present, an intern would have been invited to take the eighth seat.
Marines at parade rest are spaced along the walls to add color to the occasion and music is provided by the Suriname State Band. Gaius happens to be standing closest to Flavius.
Rather than students, professional servers handle the seven courses at the banquet. They begin with eel soup and end with toasted and salted Brazil nuts served with breadfruit. After the bishop's blessing, the banquet progresses for almost two hours, before it's time for the governor's toast.
"Gentlemen...and ladies," he begins, it is always an honor to receive ministerial visitors from the capital of our great empire, and we are pleased tonight to welcome the Assistant Minister of the Exterior. We have had a very good encounter and very useful discussions. Please rise and join me in a toast to His Excellency, the Honorable Titus Bush."
There was a chorus of "Hear, hear," as glasses were raised.
Titus observed the tepidness of the governor's remarks. More common would be "excellent" or "outstanding," as opposed to "very good." He puts it down to the fact that Quintus is a new governor general and that Titus is the first official visitor to Suriname, since Quintus arrived.
Quintus, however, is quite aware of the slight. He was reacting not only to the events of the afternoon but also to what Flavius had told him about the minister's treatment of the serving boy.
Titus is to respond with two toasts.
"I rise in appreciation of the outstanding hospitality accorded me by everyone I have met in Suriname. My visit has been most productive and very, very pleasurable. My friends, to the Governor General, the Honorable Quintus Johnson, and the loyal citizens of Suriname."
"Hear, hear," again rings out.
"And my friends," Titus continues," raise your glasses to the Emperor of our glorious Empire. Long may he reign!"
"Long may he reign!" thunder the assembled guests.
Except for the departure ceremony in the morning, the official part of the visit is over. The marine commander escorts the minister, the governor, and his family from the dining room. In the corridor outside, Titus says to Quintus, "I do need a young boy to sleep with." He leers at Flavius.
"I will see to it," the governor responds.
He sends John.