Cenerea, 3rd planet from the star Letria, Regalius,

The Homeland, Central Region, The Capitol City,

One Cenerean Year Ago

Jay noted the ticker streaming across the monitor indicating it was the day of the Great Sub-Regional War. There was a countdown running on the screen. He had a little less than five hours to go. His time device on his wrist counted down in coordination with the timer as well, a reminder of how nervous he should be.

Officially designated this name by Government decree on the fifth month and first calendar day of that month 32 years ago; this holiday was observed every year on the eighth calendar day of the sixth month ever since. It is a mandatory celebration with food, storytelling, and singing starting at exactly 1400 hours in every household or apartment in the Homeland. An activity called The Reading kicks off the festivities. An honored individual will read aloud from a book titled, "The Grand History of the Golden Age of The Homeland by Homeland Chancellor Connor Santum. They will read from the book starting on page 125, telling the story of the Great Sub-Regional War. The holiday known as Homeland Unification Day.

This year Mother Arcturis, essentially the most powerful woman in the Homeland, selected Elle's slave, Jay. He hated that word with a passion; however, this year it was his honor to read aloud from The Book at the Arcturan mansion for the most influential people in the Regions.

To recite from The Book was something only those held in the very highest of regard were ever asked to do. It was no surprise to Elle, Jay found himself extremely nervous about the event. She reassured him he would be fine. However, just to be sure he did well and didn't embarrass her, Elle guaranteed Jay would not have any issues with the speech. She gave him a candlelit rub down with some of her favorite oils and then manually removed any of his remaining tension.

Jay was happily relaxed as he strode to the head of the table. He straightened his white uniform jacket and stood in rigid formality next to Mother Arcturis who was holding the Grand History Book. Everyone snickered as she patted him on the rear shooting him a naughty smile. She presented The Book to the warm-faced man, dragging a finger over his hand in the transfer.

The entire room knew he was her favorite future son-in-law, but for only one reason. She had mentioned to Elle a few times she should let her try him out before Elle wed him..."just for funsies." Elle always said no. Jay was off limits to everyone but her. The young redhead was probably the first jealous and possessive Arcturan. A very strange affliction considering the family history and customs developed over the years. Sex was viewed as the key to power and power was everything to Arcturan women. It was their weapon to control the powerful and with that arsenal at their disposal between their collective legs, they controlled the Homeland from the bedroom.

Elle's mother felt she had failed her daughter in this regard and as such, let her daughter secretly slide on several customs most Arcturans held very dear. There was also the issue with Jay's importance to the Homeland Military and Elle's role in it. Mother Arcturis could not take the chance with either Jay or Elle losing favor with each other, regardless of the Arcturan tradition of bed swapping. Because, she knew Elle for one was not having any of that shit. Jay was hers and that was that. He was not putting his in any of theirs. His was only for hers. Period. For that matter, she was Jay's. She was not allowing some fat ass old sweaty General to put his disgusting tongue anywhere on her or anything else in her.

"Technically..." Elle would fervently explain, "...that stupid ancient ritual was intended only to preserve chastity before marriage. If the betrothed was still untainted, it would be up to one of the already deflowered Arcturan daughters, no restrictions on marital status, to perform the duties of the bride until the wedding night." Her words always fell on deaf ears. Those rules had long been, not just bent, but warped to hell and back ages ago from every angle in 360° two-dimensional space and on every axis in the third. After all, that was the flexibility of an Arcturan.

Jay, because of this odd system, was the singular male soul in the room that had only slept with only one Arcturan AND the last one that had not slept with Mother Arcturis herself. This made him a rather special delicacy and in a strange twist, brought an Arcturan to lust after a man rather than the other way around. Make that a room full of them now that the word had gotten out about his potential.

Walking into the Arcturan mansion that day, Jay quickly realized he felt like a baby animal wandering into the hunting grounds of a pack of predators. Until he was married to Elle, he was technically 'still up for grabs'. The situation became very evident to him as he stood in front of the group of women for The Reading. He could feel their green eyes ogling him from around the massive dining table. Jay quickly diverted his sight to the book in his hands and began nervously flipping through the pages to page 125.

"Jay, it is now 1400," a sultry voice said.

"Thank you, Mother Arcturis. Listen all and listen well. I, Jay Levant, am pleased to have the honor of reading this amazing story for the Arcturis Household this year. Let us celebrate the Birth of the Golden Age of the Homeland on this most revered of days. I shall now turn to page 125 to read..."

"And so it began. Behold, the threat looming on the horizon. What say all people of Civilized Society? What say we do to secure our defense? Bring him. Bring him before us to the front to save us from the darkness. The smoke and fire shall clear and give way to our savior in black and red. This is Society's darkest moment. But, wait! See there and behold. The darkness falls away from the light of the Great War Machine. Its power radiates brilliantly over the brave men and women of the unified Regions. Oh, heroic soldiers ready for battle, steel your will for the good of the Homeland. The War Machine then illuminated their path. 'Follow me brave soldiers!' It said. 'Follow me into the Golden Age! Leave your fear of the Sub-Region beasts behind as I am your shield. I am your protector. They can do you no harm.' And lo, it was, for no harm befell the brave as they conquered the mighty disease threatening the enlightened urban humanity. The filthy armies of the Sub-Regions fell one by one until they were no more and the Great War Machine, the savior most praised and held in the highest, observed the good he did. The Great War Machine still speaks to us now and on this very day to all who hear my voice. It uses me as a vessel through this book to reaffirm that it still watches over us all. The Great War Machine continues to protect us from those that might seek to harm or destroy The Homeland. Lest anyone forget."

Jay closed the book and the crowd seated around the large table raised their glasses and began to sing, "...oh hail thee, hail thee, migh-ty War Ma-chine....hail thee, hail thee, Gol-den So-ci-e-teeee..."

Jay noted he did not feel the same this year. He knew it was all a lie. Every single flowery word. Nevertheless, he had to keep appearances. He had to..."Ow!" Mother Arcturis bopped him on this ass once more.

"Either fuck me or go sit next to your betrothed Jay. Everyone...let's thank Jay for a most wonderful reading this year!"

"Hear, hear!" the crowd humorously exclaimed, giving him a roaring round of applause.

Elle leaned over and said, "I could almost screw you right here. You made me so proud as I watched you up there at the head of the table with Mother making all of my bitch ass sisters jealous. One day, Jay, you and I are going to be up there. You and me..." She grabbed his leg, ran her hand up to his crotch, and lightly squeezed. "You'll get some really good attention tonight, lover."

Jay was going to have to cancel his appointment with Harold, it seemed.

...

Elle thoroughly believed Jay was as single-minded in purpose as she was and their goals were like the twin moons around Cenerea. Two objects both intertwined with only one focus, one direction. A powerful Military research position, housing, transport, and lots of beautiful intelligent Arcturan children with Elle as the reason for all of it. The future was to be Elle in the role of Mother Arcturis with Jay as her trophy slave husband. The two of them atop Homeland Society with the world at their feet.

Then, Jay made that fateful visit to his instructor's office and that evening everything was different. He was quieter. She could tell he was obsessing about something he would not or did not want to share with her. "Maybe it was a secret Military project he was picked for? Yeah, that's it." Elle let it be for a few weeks. However, whatever it was, 'it' was eating into time with her.

A conversation with her Arcturan mother did not help, either. Because she informed Elle, this was to be her future. A life of Military and Government secrets...none of which she would be privy to unless Jay told her. "I think it would be best if you didn't ask. He will tell you if he wants you to know or ask you if he needs advice. It will happen, give him time. This is all new to him. Things will be different after marriage."

"I know, Mother. Arcturis women rule from marriage..."

For the next six months, Jay was not showing any interest in marriage. He was not showing any interest in her at all, now. Only in Harold Bouri and she could not understand why Jay was constantly over at his house instead of with her. Most men would be worshipping the ground she walked on...and it was driving her nuts.

Then Jay got the job as Assistant Instructor of Artificial Intelligence Studies under good ol' Harold Bouri. Jay was extremely excited about it...not Elle.