The following multi-chapter story takes place on the fictional Star Trek planet EKOS.
Like thousands of teenage boys living in Ekos, Ralf got caught up, foolishly, naively or otherwise, in the political movement known as Ekoism. It wasn't the political theories and policies being spewed by the Ekosian leaders that attracted Ralf but the uniforms being offered by the Ekos Party. The idea of belonging, of being a team player, inherent in wearing a uniform, was attractive to him, just as it was to millions of other Ekosians. There were literally hundreds of uniforms being worn by Ekosians, young and old, male and female. Those in the military were obvious, but so were coal miners, postmen, customs officers, and railway workers. Each had their own. The Ekos Party members had their own various uniforms and no uniform was so sinisterly attractive as those worn by the EPSS. Sleek black open collar tunics, white shirt, black tie, military style peaked black cap, red armband, black Sam Browne belt, black breeches and tall shiny black riding boots. The EPSS uniform was sleek, exuded raw power and might, and fostered fear.
As a 17 year old Ralf had joined the EKOS Youth in his hometown of New Berlin like his graduating secondary school mates and best friends, Karl and Franz. The three of them enjoyed the outdoor athletic training and competitions, the opportunity to develop life and leadership skills, and the lessons in Ekosian history. In private, Ralf and his friends discussed the day when they could "graduate" and join either the army, the army, or the EKos Party's EPSS. They talked amongst themselves about the uniforms and how much they longed to trade their kurze Hosen, their shortpants, for breeches and the riding boots of the EPSS. At 183 cm), Ralf was considered tall for his age, and physically fit and trim. He knew he would look good in an EPSS uniform.
Ralf and his friends had heard the many stories and could see for their own how the young women of Ekos, and in particular those who had joined the League of Ekosian Girls (the female equivalent of the Ekos Youth) flirted with and bedded the smart looking and handsome young men of the EPSS. Teasing one another, they even shared the notorious rumours that some of the EPSS were homosexuals and that wild gay orgies were taking place at the EPSS barracks in central New Berlin with members of the EPSS wearing nothing but their boots. Upon hearing such stories, Ralf always got rock hard. As to whether his friends Karl and Franz did as well, he did not know but desperately wanted to find out.
Ultimately in the early spring of 1938, Ralf, along with Karl and Franz, applied and were accepted as EPSS recruits. To one another and their families they claimed their desire to join this elite Ekos Party force was rooted simply to the desire to wear the uniform.