Starship Gods Ch. 25-26

Chapter 25: The God Taylor and the Goddess Alexis

The assassin was interrogated. His name was Iolas. He had been sent by a Tollah named Salmoneous to kill Taylor. When they went looking for Salmoneous, they found him hanged in his quarters. His suicide note said he couldn't bear to live in a world ruled by a false God.

The funny thing about Iolas is, he no longer seemed so eager to kill Taylor. He had been promised 400 women in the Heavens, and that had been enough to motivate him to kill. Taylor spoke to the man and couldn't detect any anger. He wasn't evil, just manipulated.

After getting the man to promise never to kill him, or anyone, Taylor let him go, much to everyone's surprise. It was clear to him that Iolas had been used as a tool. It was also equally clear that Salmoneous had also been used, by someone else. But who had been the ultimate mastermind of this plot, and what had been their real purpose? And how had Iolas gotten access to the Palace? And if someone wanted him dead, couldn't they have tried harder than sending one man with a dagger?

All he had was unanswered questions.

Alexis, however, quickly hired a defense force. They were led by a big man named Aresto, and were called the "Grasping Hands of Taylor." When Taylor learned, however, that she had hired fifty or more of the men, he had asked why so many.

"They're not just needed for guarding duties, dear. They can go forth and enforce your edicts," said Alexis. "If they can save just one baby from being slaughtered, just one girl from being raped, isn't it worth it?"

Taylor, who had been reluctant to create a religious police force to begin with, was forced to admit that she was right. But something about Aresto made him uncomfortable. The man had a very stern gaze. He probably just needed to get to know him better.

Meanwhile, Alexis started to disappear from his bed at night. After two nights of this, he confronted her.

"I... don't know how to tell you this," she said.

"Then just say it," said Taylor, prepared for anything.

"You snore, dear," said Alexis.

Taylor exhaled, feeling relieved.

"I just need a good night's sleep, that's all," said Alexis. She gave him a kiss. "I'll still be by to take care of the God's needs."

Alexis was as good as her word. Twice a week, like clockwork, she appeared to "tend to his needs", and she was every bit as passionate as she was before. So maybe it really was about his snoring.

If he snored. Taylor had never been aware of it.

While his bedroom grew lonely at times, Drusilla was always there to bookend the experience, the last sight he saw when he went to sleep, and the first he saw when he woke in the morning. He found himself starting to have real conversations with her.

She was a 17 year old girl. She had been promised to another boy when she turned 18, but had given that up to be a Handmaiden to the God. To him.

"Don't you regret losing the chance to get married?"

"Oh, no Lord," she said, getting on her knees and hugging his legs. "This is the highest calling I can imagine."

"Well, if you can ever imagine anything else, you're free to leave at any time and get married, or do whatever else you want to," said Taylor.

Drusilla drew back, horror in her eyes. "Is my God banishing me?"

"No! No no no," said Taylor hastily. "I'm just giving you a choice."

"Then I chose my God," said Drusilla. She really did have magnificent breasts. She always wore those low cut dresses. And it wasn't typical, because most other women in the Palace didn't dress like that. She seemed to be dressed for... seduction. What exactly were all the proper duties of a Handmaiden of the God? Taylor didn't want to know.

********

Tara McCallister was helping the farmers. She lived in the Palace, and she slept in the Palace, but the less time she spent in the Palace, the better. She was aware of all the lives they had saved by pretending to be Gods, but still wasn't comfortable with the idea of it. Seeing Taylor sitting on that throne, deciding disputes between people, and acting like a God, made her decidedly uncomfortable.

And Alexis was even worse, the way she sat by his side, whispering in his ear, looking so very smug.

Tara wanted no part of it. She had to admit that she still felt some jealousy towards Alexis; Alexis had managed to snare Taylor when she had failed. And then there was this new girl in the Palace, a new servant named Drusilla who was Taylor's new "handmaiden", whatever that was. All Tara knew is that Drusilla dressed like a whore and every time Taylor looked at her, his eyes practically rolled out of their sockets. She could see that he tried to hide his feelings of lust for the girl, but they were as plain as day to Tara. She only hoped that Taylor wasn't using his "God" status to take advantage of the young girl.

So Tara did what Tara did best. Farming. She had been originally on the way to the small agricultural settlement on La Honda, to serve as a technical advisor. She decided to serve the same role here in Arcadia. She went from farm to farm, studying their crop techniques, offering advice and tips. The locals were grateful, but of course also surprised that a God would take the time to offer farming advice.

Tara got the sense that the population hadn't quite decided whether she was a Goddess or not. Most seemed to believe that Taylor was a God, and Alexis was a Goddess. But where she and Jefferson was concerned, the verdict was decidedly mixed. Many thought that they were simply "helpers of the Gods". Not that it mattered to Tara.

Tara helped out a farmer who was having trouble planting corn in rocky soil. She told him how to till the soil better and what additions to make which would help with his yield. The farmer, grateful for her help, invited her to lunch with his family.

Tara readily agreed. She sat down with the farmer, his wife, and two daughters. They made their prayers to thank the Gods of Sparticus, with a huge plate of food in front of them. And then, with the prayer done, the man scooped up the plate, and dumped a third of it into the fire.

"What are you doing?" Tara cried. For it was obvious these were poor folk, who could not afford to be wasting food like that.

The farmer looked surprised. "Merely giving up the third portion as an offering to the Gods."

Tara got a nasty suspicion. "You do this at every meal?"

"Of course."

"And everyone does this?"

"Everyone who believes in the Book," said the farmer. "Why, is something wrong?"

********

"Something is very wrong," said Tara. She was in the Throne room, addressing Taylor and Alexis. "These people are living hand to mouth, and yet they throw away a third of their food."

Taylor sighed. "Infanticide. Child rape. Whipping of women. Execution of heretics. And now this. Add it to the list."

"I'm serious, Taylor. We have to do something about this. These people are starving themselves to death."

"Quite right, dear," said Alexis, smiling at her. "Your concerns for the little people are touching." She spoke as if she were a Goddess. "But I fear that if we instruct people to stop making offerings to the Gods, they will agree in principle, but then in private still throw out much of their food."

Taylor scratched his head. "Let me look in the Book. Maybe I can find a theological underpinning that will justify-"

"No, I have a better idea," said Alexis, her eyes shining. "They want to sacrifice a third of their food to the Gods, do they? Well, let them. Their Gods are here, in this Palace!"

"Are you suggesting that we force them to give up a third of their food to us?" said Tara.

"They waste their food already," said Alexis. "They will want to do this. We won't be forcing them to do anything."

"And what will you do with all this food?" Tara asked skeptically.

Alexis reached out to touch Tara's hand. "We'll give it out to the poor, to the neediest, to the hungry, of course!"

"It sounds like a good idea," said Taylor. "It's better than seeing all that food go to waste."

"Yes, it does," said Tara, still feeling uneasy, but not quite sure why.

"Then it's agreed," said Alexis, smiling broadly. "Najib! We have a new proclamation to issue!"

********

"You are a wise and just god," said Drusilla, as she watched him get undressed as night. Taylor had become so used to her watching that he no longer gave it a second thought when she saw him naked.

"Thanks," said Taylor.

"You will distribute food to the poor and hungry. You are truly a god who cares."

Taylor slipped into his nightclothes. He went over and gently touched Drusilla by the shoulders. "I do care."

"And do you care for me?" said Drusilla.

Taylor abruptly was at a loss for words. "Um... ah... of course."

She looked at him. That's all she did. She just looked at him, with those big, black eyes. Begging to be kissed. She was silently begging for it. It didn't take a telepath to realize it.

Taylor felt something stirring inside his pants. He abruptly turned away. "Good night, Drusilla."

"Good night, God."

********

A young man with sandy hair sat in Alexis's office. "You are Sebelius," said Alexis.

"Yes, Goddess."

"Najib has recommended you to us to supervise the redistribution of the collected food," said Alexis. "Do you feel this is a task within your abilities?"

"Yes, Goddess."

"And what percentage of the collected food has Najib demanded you remit to him?"

"Goddess?" said Sebelius.

"It was a simple question," said Alexis. She rose, and went behind him, and put her arms on his shoulders, touching him, ever so slightly.

"G-Goddess..."

"Do you know what happens to someone who lies to a Goddess?"

"They get sent to the Womanless Forest?" said Sebelius.

"Womanless. Think about that. To never feel the touch of a woman, ever again. To never feel this," said Alexis, and she let her fingertips graze his chest while her breath was hot against his neck.

"Five percent, Goddess."

Alexis smiled. That was what she expected. She had picked the right man for the job. Najib was corrupt, but not too corrupt. He knew the limits of his station. He had been the perfect man for the job.

"Do you want me to disregard-"

"Not at all," said Alexis. "We are all friends here, aren't we? The High Tollah, you, me?" She said, tracing his arms with her fingertips as she smiled at him.

"Of course, Goddess."

"Then you may give him his five percent. After you give me my 20%."

"20% Goddess?"

"A Goddess is entitled to more than a mere High Tollah, don't you agree?"

"Of-of course, Goddess," said Sebelius.

"Do you think you're capable of making these... allocations, with open eyes and a closed mouth?"

"Yes, Goddess. But what will you do with so much food?"

"That is not your concern," said Alexis.

********

"So you are to take the food to market under the cover of night," said Alexis. She was instructing Aresto, the head of the Mighty Hands of Taylor, as she rode up and down on his large penis.

"I understand," he gasped, looking up at his Goddess. The Goddesses' breasts bounced mightily as she moved up and down.

"You are to get the best price that you can," said Alexis. "But you will instruct the merchants of the penalty for loose lips. Do you know what that is?"

"They will die."

Alexis grinned as she continued to ride him. "And what will the penalty be for you if you try to cheat me?"

"I will die," said Aresto.

"I'm so glad we understand each other," she said. She continued to ride him slowly. She had purposely waited until he was partway to orgasm before starting this discussion. She wanted Aresto to experience pleasure as they talked, but not to experience too much pleasure to be totally distracted.

"Can you imagine dying and being sent to the Womanless Forest, where you will never again experience pleasures such as this?" Alexis said slyly, as she continued to ride him, her vagina expertly clenching his male organ.

"No, Goddess."

"Good."

"But Goddess. What will you do with all that money?"

Alexis smiled, as she continued to ride him. "Some of it will be used for improvements in the Palace. Some of it will be used to expand the Grasping Hands of Taylor. I want at least a thousand guardsmen strong by the end of the year."

"But why so many, Goddess?" he asked, his face starting to contort with tension and pleasure.

He was getting close. It was time to conclude this discussion. "The proceeds from the sale of the food will be delivered to me, at a location I specify. You must be paid in solid gold dinars, or the equivalent in precious gems. Nothing else, do you understand? Nothing else!"

"Oh... Ohhhh..... Ooooooh!" Aresto shouted, as he climaxed inside his Goddess.

Chapter 26: The God Sanduval

After a while, it became clear to all that while Father Sanduval was God, Sabiba was the one who was clearly in charge. She made all the decisions in the Palace, big and small. Father spoke less and less frequently in Throne Room audiences. Sabiba spoke for him. Or did she speak for herself? It was harder and harder to tell. Sabiba was not a God, and yet, by marrying one, had somehow managed to achieve almost godlike status for herself.

All that remained was the final manipulation of Kristiana. Sabiba very much wanted her son Dickon to marry her, so that his children, her grandchildren, would be seen to be gods.

Sabiba and Father Sanduval met with Kristiana to discuss this very subject.

"We want you to start dating Dickon seriously," said Sabiba. "Don't we, Edvard?"

"Yes," said Sanduval.

"No," said Kristiana. "He's horrible. I won't."

"You just have to let yourself go, dear. Like your father," said Sabiba. "He was all tense until I taught him to relax. You need to learn how to let go as well." She smiled at Kristiana, full of implicit meaning. "I hate to say this in front of your father, but he's getting on in years. It would be such a delight to him if he could say that his only daughter had found a wonderful young man to make her happy. The joy he would feel! I'll bet it would be so great, that would add years to his life. What do you say, Kristiana? Do it for your father? Please?"

Kristiana looked at Sabiba, then at Father. Reluctantly, she nodded. "Yes."

"Yes what, dear?" said Sabiba sharply.

"Yes... Mother," said Kristiana.

Sabiba looked very pleased. "Look Edvard. Our little girl is growing up and learning proper manners."

"Very.... good," said Father Sanduval.

And so Kristiana, very reluctantly, started dating Dickon. He demanded a kiss from her at the beginning of every date. What's worse is that, after the first date, he made her kiss him. When she did, he grabbed onto her, grinding his dirty lips against her, taking from her whatever he wanted, until he was satisfied.

They would always do the same thing: go on walks until Dickon found an isolated place, behind some bushes, perhaps, and dragged her in there for "kissing lessons". Over time he gradually started to squeeze her breasts, despite her attempts to push his hands away. The first time she tried to resist, he said, "What gives? It's not like I'm sticking it in you. I'm just squeezing your boobs. Don't act like I'm trying to rob the mercantile."

And so Kristiana let him squeeze her breasts. But that was as far as it went; and the more persistently he tried to reach between her legs, or under her skirts, the more persistently she stopped him.

********

Sanduval was lying on his back, completely naked, with a smile on his face as Sabiba rubbed him.

"Things are going so well, dear, aren't they?" she asked.

Sanduval smiled. They surely were.

"There's just one little problem. Kristiana," said Sabiba.

"What about her?" Sanduval said groggily.

"She's not being very open with Dickon," said Sabiba. "She's not giving him a fair chance." She was rubbing his legs firmly.

"Fair chance?"

"If they're to get married, Dickon must be certain beyond a shadow of a doubt that she is fertile. You see that, don't you?"

"Yes," said Sanduval, only vaguely following what Sabiba was saying. He was more interested in the hypnotic tone of her voice, and her touch.

"That's why before they can get married he has to be sure he can impregnate her. But Kristiana refuses to spread her legs for him."

"What?" said Sanduval. "Relations before marriage? Not acceptable!"

Sabiba eyed him warily. She hadn't seen that kind of resistance in a long time. She took two of the little mints out of her pocket.

"You're getting agitated, dear. Here, suck on these. You'll feel better. Really."

Sanduval let her put both mints under his tongue. He had never put two at once there before. Very quickly he started to become calmer, just as she said.

Sabiba gently started to rub between his legs. Sanduval immediately got excited.

"Do you like that, dear?"

"Yes," said Sanduval, feeling like he was suddenly super sensitive down there.

"Don't you want Kristiana to feel the same pleasure that you do?" She said, still rubbing him.

"Yes, pleasure," said Sanduval.

"Then you're going to tell her to let Dickon have his way with her, aren't you?"

"Have his way?"

"To spread her legs. To let him impregnate her, before their marriage." She worked harder, rubbing him up and down with her hand.

"Yessss....." said Sanduval.

"Say it. Kristiana should let Dickon impregnate her."

Sanduval, with glassy eyes, repeated it word for word.

"Good boy," said Sabiba, working her hand up and down faster as his breathing intensified. "Now that you've given up your daughter's virginity, here's the reward you have richly earned."

Within moments Sanduval was groaning with joy.