Abel Kalitz considered his new appointment a distinctive honor. As the first Ambassador of the Federation of West Asia to the Dekerin Domains, he hoped to get the tall, hairless, orange-skinned humanoid extraterrestrials to establish permanent diplomatic ties with his country, one of 12 nations still in existence on Earth. The FWA already had 2 lunar colonies, but still wanted to expand its reach.
Kalitz found himself amused every time that he read old sci-fi novels that had assumed that the planet would have a world government by the time it made first contact with alien species. Every expectation had been confounded. Strangely, the planetary conditions on most worlds required similar traits to survive as did Earth's. There were only slight variations.
One example of this was the vastness of the single ocean on Dekeris. It covered 87% of the surface of the planet. Some tectonic and seismic differences prevented the formation of more than one habitable continent, with the other one being too hot to populate. The average temperature of what the natives called Yinaria (place of suffering) was 150 degrees Fahrenheit.
On the northern continent, Yimurda (place of habitation), the temperature varied from 30 degrees Fahrenheit in winter to 100 degrees in summer. It was a rainy, stormy, well forested world. However, many of the trees were leveled to allow for farmland.
The consequence of this concentration was that the civilization was more homogenous and united. In fact, it was politically unified and had been for the past 600 years. Unfortunately, the stability of the world came at a high price: a lack of freedom. There was no democracy, as such, on Dekeris. It was an oligarchy of 39 "magnates" who governed through a council and an assembly of 128 lesser notables or "peers".
This system allowed all titled aristocrats some say in the governance of their planet. However, everyone else was left out of the world government. A limited political franchise existed for cities, of which there were 20 major ones, all patronized by baronial charters. Nevertheless, the real power was wielded by the Lords of the ruling Council.
The Council was formed after a successful uprising against the last monarch to rule Dekeris, some 400 years ago. The Lords had needed to replace the old system with something stable, so a new ruler could not emerge from the chaos of another feudal war. Eventually, urban pressures and peasant revolts had forced the introduction of some social reforms, but only as little as the magnates and peers could tolerate.
Serfdom was abolished and the cities were granted charters, but these included a system of craft and merchant guilds that still controlled the towns. Peasants still worked the same lands as before, only they were now obliged to pay rents and taxes in money instead of kind (produce). They could now be tried instead of summarily executed. The trials were officiated by judges appointed by the Lords, without juries, but there was some form of due process. Townspeople were tried by magistrates appointed by the Guild of Lawyers. Having gotten an appointment to confer with Lord Parlas yi-Rolunum, head of the Council of Magnates, Ambassador Kalitz had to wait in the aristocrat's study for him. It was a rather ostentatious chamber compared to most rooms in the head of state's residence. There were maroon and navy blue walls. Apparently, dark and rich colors were preferred on Dekeris, though black, dark brown, and dark green were more common.
A thin attendant entered the room at that point and announced, "Hail, His Most Excellent Lordship, Lord Parlas yi-Rolunum, head of the Council of Magnates of the Dekerin Domains. Rise and salute our Lord, for he hath granted thee an audience."
"I rise and salute His Lordship, thanking him for the kindness and courtesy of his audience. May he rule firmly, bravely, justly, and severely throughout his domain, worthy of the deeds of his ancestors, deserving of the accolades of posterity. May he be free from weakness and corruption. May his name survive throughout the ages and his line continue for eternity," Kalitz formally spoke the protocol required of a suppliant in a Lord's presence.
"We permit you to approach us with the most solemn deference. We accept your credentials as worthy of an emissary of a ruler. May you thrive inasmuch as you harm us not. May you prove deserving of such honors as you have been given. May you speak truth rather than falsehood. Welcome, servant and agent of your ruler. We now give you a place for your dwelling and the comforts of such a place. Be satisfied with your provisions and your lodgings. Let the retainers take you hence to your shelter. You are dismissed from our presence for this day," Lord Parlas declared ritually.
When he finished, his retainers indeed led Ambassador Kalitz to his residence. It was a small, but comfortable with one rather notable feature: 2 bald-headed maids. They wore short, brown skirts and dark green blouses. They were also barefoot. At the risk of sounding like a bigot, he really DID have trouble telling them apart. Were they twins? Despite the lack of hair on their heads, they were actually quite attractive, with blue-yellow eyes and curvaceous bodies.
"Are you pleased, Master?" the one to the left eventually asked.
"Pleased with what, miss?" he responded.
"Us, Master. We are your maids, lent to your service by our Lord, the head of the Council of Magnates. As we are in your charge, but you are not a Lord, you are our Master instead. We shall serve you in whatever manner you please, Master. Are you pleased with us?" she inquired.
"Very pleased. I'm just glad that I'm not married anymore. Otherwise, it might create an incident and all for that ungrateful bitch. Pardon my French. I take it that you are required to provide me with pleasure. Am I right?" he answered, realizing what the maid had meant by "whatever manner".
"Naturally. Our bodies exist for service to our Lord and any man to whom he may lend us. We are but humble maids in His Lordship's household. We are not allowed to deny any man our bodies when we are commanded to serve that man. My sister and I are peasants and not Master's equals. If he should deign to enjoy our bodies, we would be honored. We are forbidden to marry for precisely that reason," the 2nd one spoke at last.
"So, you ARE twins! I thought as much," the Ambassador exclaimed.
"Yes, Master. We are twin sisters assigned to the household staff of His Lordship and forbidden to be joined in wedlock to any man. We seek to please you in any way that you desire. Shall we undress?" the first sister said.