The Weight of Initiation

The auditorium was silent, save for the shuffle of feet.

Keldin trailed behind the crowd of soldiers, grimacing when he realized the back seats were full. He made his way to the front row, finding his spot just as the officers entered. They wheeled in a steel bench. Manacles shone below draperies bearing the Imperial crest.

Keldin's breath caught with guilty anticipation. "Corrective justice," as the Imperium called it, was a public affair. The summons had given him goosebumps. He tried to look disinterested as the victim was brought forth.

Even with his hands tied, conscript Tulley walked with a swagger. He grinned as he was stripped and maneuvered into place, manacles closing with a snap. He didn't grin for long.

The flogger's impacts rang across the auditorium. Welts rose beneath the heavy falls and Tulley's attitude shifted. Keldin struggled to suppress the thrill that worked up his spine with each sound wrenched from the soldier, transfixed as Tulley was beaten to the point of tears. After fifteen long minutes, they lead away a transformed man.

Keldin sat for a while, composing himself before making his way behind the crowd. Immediately, his eyes locked with those of his commanding officer and his heart sank.

Commander Driesek's burly frame suggested sun and high-gravity. While a man of few words, his rough timbre captivated the fleet. A slight limp added to his image, proof that his years were courageously served. He reminded Keldin of the butcher from his home colony, a rough man who'd just as soon lop off your hand than shake it.

Driesek's dark gaze pierced him like a carving knife, leaving him splayed and raw. Keldin forced himself to give a stiff salute, then broke eye contact and rushed to his quarters.

Tulley's cries echoed in his head, solidifying his guilty conscience. He had but an hour to worry and obsess until an officer arrived. She wouldn't say much beyond "Commander Driesek has requested your presence" and he knew not to push.

When they came to the commander's quarters, Keldin wasn't sure what to expect. For a moment, he was distracted by the space – it was carpeted and comfortably furnished with leather and precious wood. Trophies and keepsakes crowded the steel walls, nearly obscuring the Imperial crests.

From behind his desk, Commander Driesek regarded them cooly.

"Thank you officer, dismissed." He said, sparing the woman a glance before returning his attention to Keldin.

"Sit." He said, gesturing to an armchair.

He sank into the soft leather.

Driesek reached under his desk, producing a pair of worn, standard-issue boots.

Keldin stared at them. When he looked up, Driesek was pointing at a large metal box in the corner.

"Drag that here and open it." He said, something dark hiding beneath his clipped words.

Keldin retrieved the box and knelt to unlatch it. He examined the assortment of leather supplies within the main compartment, then fixated on one particular object. A braided handle, dark and burnished with use, gave way to long strands of suede that twisted and splayed before his eyes. A flogger, not unlike the one used on Tulley.

Keldin forced himself to meet the commander's eyes.

Driesek tossed the boots towards him, then returned to his work. "Fix them."

Keldin blinked. This, he could do. All soldiers were trained to care for their supplies. The boot was familiar, only slightly smaller than his own. Maybe Commander Driesek needed an aide to manage such routine tasks. He tried to ignore the heat that rose below his collar at the thought, focused in on the work. The leather was already scrubbed clean and dried, delicate and vulnerable.

The next half-hour was dedicated to his task. The practiced motions calmed him, reminding him of manual work back on Liddus II, of tools in his hands and endless farmland.

When he finally raised his head, ready to turn over his finished work, the commander was leaned up against the desk.

Without a word, Driesek lifted a foot, watching him expectantly. It took a moment for Keldin to realize what he wanted. It was strange, guiding another man's foot into a boot, adjusting the tongue and lacing it up. It felt tender, too much like a lover's caress, stirring up long-suppressed urges.

Keldin knew he enjoyed men, he'd even had a few fumbling trysts during basic training. Besides, Commander Driesek was ruggedly handsome, like a lumberman from an Imperial propaganda film.

It was the weight that unsettled him. The foot in his hands, the intensity of his commander's gaze, his heart as it struggled in his chest. Keldin flushed under Driesek's watchful eye and tried to discreetly adjust his traitorous cock.

"Stay." Commander Driesek said, then lowered his foot to rest in Keldin's lap.

As he panicked, the treads dangerously close to his dick, Driesek reached past him for the box. The treads dug into his thigh and Keldin stifled a whimper. The commander leaned back to regard him, flogger in hand.

Fear flared within him, then indignation. He didn't ask for this, it wasn't his fault that he was turned on. Besides, he'd done a good job on the boots.

"I did my best!" He blurted out, then winced at his own petulant tone. He braced himself for the commander's reaction. It was useless.

"I saw you." Driesek said, voice even and cold.

"What?" Keldin managed.

"In the auditorium. We all watched the correction, but you?" Driesek studied the flogger in his hand. "You took notes."

"I don't know what you mean?" He said, voice rising in panic.

The commander laughed then, a quick grunt that was mostly teeth. He looked pointedly at Keldin's lap, at the bulge that rallied beside his boot. "You're a terrible actor, recruit."

A rush filled Keldin's ears. On top of accusing him of perversion, his commander had the nerve to ignore his full status as an Imperial soldier.

Driesek adjusted his grip on the flogger as they stared each other down.

"What the fuck are you implying?" Keldin grit out.

Crack. Pain burst across his jaw, the flogger's handle hard as a fist. The boot's treads ground into Keldin's thigh as he fought for balance. He struck out, only to be caught in the man's iron grip.

"Stupidity isn't a cute look on you." Driesek dropped the flogger to take hold of Keldin's uniform, dragged him to his feet.

The commander was shorter than him by a whole head, but Keldin felt small in comparison. He threw messy punches, ineffective this close. He tried to back away, hit something solid in his haste. The metal box groaned as Keldin tripped over it, bringing Driesek crashing on top of him.

Keldin twisted away, trying to catch his breath as Driesek straddled him. Hands grabbed at his face and he bit down, fingers digging into his tongue.

The commander pulled away with a grunt, followed by a breathy laugh. He settled his full weight on Keldin's hips and their eyes caught, wild and blown-out. Keldin breathed through his teeth, painfully aware of his full erection. He could taste blood, he wasn't sure whose.

Driesek regarded him for a long moment, a sly smile working across his face as she shifted. "I see basic training didn't teach you self-control."

"Get off." Keldin ground out.

"Make me." He leaned in, braced against the floor. "You're a strong young man. Get up and walk out, we'll pretend this never happened." As if to demonstrate, Driesek's weight lifted from Keldin's cock.

Keldin's reaction was swift. With a twist and pull, the commander was under him, hot and muscular and so fucking good against his dick.

His feverish rutting was stopped by a sharp tug at his scalp. He hissed and arched as Driesek pulled him away.

"Insubordinate." He said. "It's like you want to be punished."

Keldin was ready to bust. Still, he had some pride left.

"No, sir." He ground out, words taking a sarcastic edge.

Driesek's eyes flicked to Keldin's hair, pulling his head around as he examined the curls between his fingers. "Longer than standard, recruit. I could punish you for that alone."

His cock twitched and Driesek chuckled. "Even that makes you hard? Crude, and a little pathetic." He pulled Keldin closer, his voice dropping to a harsh whisper. "The things I could do to you. Initiate you properly. Put your dick in a cage, so you can only come when I give the order."

Keldin squeezed his eyes closed, tried to block out the words that poured from his commander's mouth.

"I could confine you to the showers," he continued, "let the whole damn fleet use you like a urinal. Push you up against the wall and take you in front of everyone. They'd all see how easy you are, how quickly you obey with a cock in your ass."

Keldin couldn't stop the groan that worked its way from his throat.

"You want to be fucked, recruit?" Driesek asked, twisting his hair. "I can make you a good serviceman, one who knows his rank. I'll have to correct you first."

"Try it." Keldin snapped.

The commander surged forward, clawing at Keldin's sides as he stripped off his shirt. With shoves and a well-aimed kick, Driesek sent him sprawling face-down across the armchair, then he turned his attention to the steel box.

Keldin went still as he listened to Driesek rummage and toss things around. A thought occurred, filling him with a strange calm: no one could judge him for this. He was just following orders.

Behind him, there was the sound of tightening straps. A boot landed on his lower back, pinning him to the cushion.

"Hold very still." Commander Driesek said.

Keldin braced, expecting the hard, brutal strikes he'd witnessed that morning. Instead, he was subject to a volley of light blows. The unexpected sensation made him squirm and twitch.

Driesek's weight increased. "What did I just say?"

"S-sorry, I thought—"

The flogger struck just below his shoulder, the heavy slap of leather ringing out in the small room. It smarted, a lingering shock that made him writhe.

"Don't fucking move."

"Yes sir." Keldin breathed.

He managed to lie still as Driesek worked his back with light, stinging strikes until he couldn't help but squirm.

The boot rose and disappointment washed over him. Keldin began to push himself up when the boot resettled on his ass, grinding his hips against the firm cushion. Too soon, this moment of heavenly, frictional reprieve was interrupted with a blow to his over-sensitized ribs, the slap of the falls ringing in his ears.

Keldin gasped and clung to the chair, willing himself to be motionless.

"Good." Was all he got for his efforts.

The volley began anew, each strike harder than the last. Keldin's twitching slowed as he breathed, muscles relaxing under each strike.

By the time his commander stopped, he was boneless.

Driesek's weight lifted to rest on the cushion, boot gleaming in the warm light.

"Heard of a spitshine, recruit?"

Keldin nodded slowly. He felt light, as if his head was filled with clouds.

"Show me that you know your rank."

Keldin obeyed without hesitation. The sent of polish and leather overtook him, gasoline and oil skating above a sweet, animistic tang that drove his hips forward.

Fingers combed through his hair and Driesek hummed appreciatively. "You look good like this. Pants off."

Keldin fumbled with his belt, worked his pants and underwear down to his thighs.

The commander let out a groan and Keldin chanced a look behind himself. Driesek was on his knees, watching him hungrily as he stroked himself. He had only a second to process the harness around the man's hips before hands gripped his ass, spreading him open.

He gasped as a stream of cold lube hit him, followed by the press of Driesek's thumb. It had been a while since he'd fingered himself, longer since anyone else had.

"Relax. There's a good boy." Driesek said as he pushed into Keldin's ass.

He pressed his face to the cushion and took deep breaths.

"Fuck, you're tight." The commander's thumb withdrew and Keldin was pulled away from the chair.

He let himself be pushed onto his back, plush carpet chaffing his abused skin. He swallowed as he took in the size of Driesek's cock. It appeared to be silicone, heavy and realistic.

Driesek's breathing was harsh. "Gonna make you watch this."

Keldin tried to stay quiet as his commander's fingers slipped inside him. The stretch was delicious, a dull ache within him that grew with each finger added. They curled, sending a jolt up his spine.

"That good?" Driesek asked, laughing when Keldin failed to smother the feeble moan that escaped his lips. "I think you're ready."

Keldin gasped as he withdrew his fingers. He lifted his hips, dick leaking as he panted with desperation.

Driesek stroked lube over his cock as he watched Keldin squirm. "You really needed this, recruit. Someone to take you in hand. Break you open, show you everything you've been missing."

The tip of his dick breached Keldin's hole, then stopped.

"Fuck!" Keldin hissed, then attempted to push himself onto the commander dick.

Driesek held him still. "Beg."

"What?"

"You heard me." He shifted, pushing in deeper. "Beg for it."

"Stars." Keldin groaned, pressing palms to his face as embarrassment flooded him. "Please?"

"Gonna need more than that."

"Okay, fuck!" He took a shaking breath. "Please, I need this."

It gained him a centimeter more.

"I- I need you to fuck me. I feel—" Desperate, empty, bereft. He shut his eyes. "You feel so good. Do whatever you want to me, please just fill me."

Above him, Driesek let out a groan. Keldin opened his eyes to see the man bare his teeth in a wordless snarl.

He let out a high, keening moan as Driesek pushed in. He writhed and clawed at the floor, legs twitching as he took his commander's cock to the hilt.

Driesek paused for a second to strip off his shirt, revealing a multitude of scars. Sweat glistened in the thatch of hair that spread across his chest and down his belly, to where they were connected.

Keldin's dick bobbed, leaking fluid that mixed with the sheen of sweat on his own skin. He considered touching himself, then Driesek began to move.

He started slow – sweet, languishing drags that drove whimpers from behind Keldin's hand.

He was barely used to the pace before it changed. Sort, punishing thrusts wracked his body and Keldin gave up on being quiet. The sensation was overwhelming, a torrent of pleasure-pain that wiped his mind clean of thought. Distantly, he heard his moans mix with low grunts from his commander. He chased drops of sweat that slid down Driesek's spine, collecting on old scars.

The commander bent, pressing his mouth to Keldin's collar bone, tongue laving the hollow of his neck. His belly pressed against Keldin's dick, smearing fluid between them. Driesek slipped over him with every thrust, rough hair dragging against oversensitive skin. The smell of him pressed in, plasma artillery lingering beneath heavy musk and sharp sweat.

Keldin clung to Driesek's shoulders, locked his legs around the commander's sides as he was taken apart. He came with a shaking groan, pulsing between them as his ass clenched around Driesek. His commander fucked him through it, wringing every sound and twitch from his body until his moans turned into cries of pain.

They breathed for a moment as Keldin shivered, then Driesek pulled out.

Distantly, Keldin watched as he unbuckled the harness, revealing drenched thighs and a hard clit.

Keldin propped himself up to look. He'd seen vulvas, but none like this. Driesek's straining clit more resembled a cock and Keldin's mouth suddenly felt underused.

When he looked up, Driesek was watching him, face inscrutable.

"Can I?" He asked. "I mean, I want – uh, can I blow you?"

Driesek's guarded look gave way to something softer. He settled back, gesturing to himself. "Turn to, soldier."

Keldin wasted no time getting himself between his commander's legs. He pressed his thumb to Driesek's clit, felt it throb at his touch. A hand settled on his head, gentle for the time being.

He was impossibly wet. Keldin slid his tongue between Driesek's folds, glided across his soft entrance. Slick spread over his chin, pervaded his senses.

He lost himself for a moment, savoring the taste. Driesek's fingers wound in his hair, pulled him up to mouth at his clit.

"Suck."

Keldin's groan was muffled as he took the commander's clit into his mouth. He worked his tongue along the smooth underside. The head rested against his soft palate as he sucked and bobbed.

Driesek's grunts gave way to choked-out moans.

He fought to breathe as Driesek grabbed his hair, holding him still as he fucked his face. By the time he let Keldin up for air, the roll of his hips had neared a stutter. He had a second before he was pushed back down.

Driesek brought himself to the edge against Keldin's tongue repeatedly, the tremble in his thighs becoming a shake. He lost himself in the rhythm of it, bucking and grinding viciously.

He shouted as he came – short, full-throated cries that reverberated in the small room. Keldin's own sounds were drowned out between his thighs.

By the time Driesek let him go, he was desperate for air. He gasped against his belly, pressed his face to skin that tensed and flushed beneath his mouth.

"Come here." Driesek said, pulling him up to rest against his chest in a half-sprawl. "You did well, soldier."

They laid together until Keldin's breathing evened out and he began to shiver. He felt strangely empty, wrung out and loose.

The commander guided him up, half-carried him into the next room. It was dominated by a small bed. Keldin sank onto it, letting Driesek wrap him in a blanket. At some point a cup of water was pushed into his hands and a damp cloth ran over his skin.

"Status report?"

"Good, thank you." Keldin sighed, leaning his head on Commander Driesek's chest. "You said somethin' about cages?"

This was met with a genuine laugh. "We'll talk about it next time."