Sexual Equity 06: The New Minister

The New Minister

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Orders of Chivalry and Merit of New Dorset

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Since the Sexual Equity system was adopted in New Dorset, an elaborate system of honors has developed. The middle tier of honors, between the higher nobility (see: Nobility in New Dorset) and the lower decorations and medals (See: Decorations and Medals of New Dorset), is to be made a member of one of the orders of chivalry or of merit.

The honors system is separate for men and women, in accordance with the Sexual Equity philosophy, which places the control of dignities and honors in the hands of men, in exchange for control over economic and social policy being in the control of women.

Men

For men, there are four national orders of chivalry and one order for each province. The system is designed to include approximately ten percent of the male population in the orders: roughly four thousand knights, forty thousand members of the national orders, and four hundred thousand members of the various provincial orders.

National orders

There are five grades of membership in the national orders, the top two of which grant a knighthood, and all of which entitle the holder to use the appropriate post-nominal initials.

Membership is nominally granted by the king on the advice of the Speakers Committee of the House of Lords; in practice the staff of the Lord Chancellor's Department make most selections.

Each of the orders is formally "The Most Excellent Order of" its subject.

The Order of Mount Cranbourne is given for achievement in government, the military, or diplomacy. The ranks are Knight Grand Commander (GMC), Knight Commander (KMC), Commander (CMC), Lieutenant (LMC), and Member (MMC).

The Order of the Lance-leaved Oak is given for achievement in arts, entertainment, literature, or culture. The ranks are Knight Grand Companion (GLO), Knight Companion (KLO), Companion (CLO), Officer (OLO), and Member (MLO).

The Order of the Right While is given for achievement in science or technology. The ranks are Knight Grand Companion (GRW), Knight Companion (KRW), Companion (CRW), Officer (ORW), and Member (MRW).

The Order of the Spinnaker is given for achievements in business or athletics. The ranks are Knight Grand Commander (GSp), Knight Commander (KSp), Commander (CSp), Lieutenant (LSp), and Member (MSp).

Provincial orders

Each province has an order of chivalry, which is named for the province (Order of Bathurst, Order of Wilmington-Horton, etc.) Formally each is '"The Most Distinguished Order of" the province.

The duke of each province selects a number of nobles from that province to serve on a selection commission, and nominally, the duke appoints members of that province's order on the recommendation of the commission. In practice, the Lord Chancellor's Department staff puts together the honors lists.

Each provincial order has three grades: Companion, Officer, and Member. None confer knighthoods.

Orders and post-nominal initials:

Bathurst -- MBa, OBa, CBa

Wilmot-Horton -- MWH, OWH, CWH

Goderich -- MGdh, OGdh, CGdh

Deltaland -- MDel, ODel, CDel

Alicia -- MAl, OAl , CAl

Helenia- MHel, OHel, CHel

Louisia -- MLo, OLo, CLo

Beatricia -- MBea, OBea, CBea

Women

There are two orders whose members are women, in addition to the Privy Council, which is not an order but which functions similarly.

Order of Merit

Women of extraordinary merit or achievement may be made members of the New Dorset Order of Merit. There is only one grade, whose holders use the post-nominal initials NDM. Induction into the order is quite rare, there never having been more than 200 living recipients. Women who have held elected office are ineligible for membership, although women who are members first and then become elected officials do not give up their membership. Members of this order are chosen in the same way as those of the national orders for men: by the king on the advice of the Speaker's Committee of the House of Lords.

Order of State Service and Privy Council

Women who have performed an act of state service are made members of the New Dorset Order of State Service. The Parliamentary Office of State Service keeps records of what service has been performed and thus who is a member of the order.

Unlike other orders, the Order of State Service entitles the members to a style before their names, such as "The Honorable," in addition to post-nominal initials.

There are three grades of the Order of State Service:

Companion - a woman who has borne a duke's child. (See entry under Royalty of New Dorset for the accompanying title.) She is styled "Her Grace" and uses the initials "CSv."

Officer - a woman who has provided service to a duke. She is styled "The Very Honorable" and uses the initials "OSv."

Member - a woman who has provided state service. She is styled "The Honorable" and uses the initials "Sv."

The Privy Council is not an order of chivalry, because it is a functional part of the state rather than being purely honorary. But it functions similarly to the Order of State Service in that members are those who have provided state service (in this case, to the king), and the members are entitled to post-nominal initials and a style. Most Privy Councilors are members of the Order of State Service as well; they use both sets of initials but use the style that comes from being on the Privy Council.

Officer - a woman who has borne the king's child. (See entry under Royalty of New Dorset for the accompanying title.) She is styled "Her Royal Grace" and uses the initials "OPC."

Member - a woman who has provided service to the king. She is styled "The Right Honorable" and uses the initials "PC."

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Lauren sits at her desk, pretending to herself that she's being productive. She's going through old email — sifting through seemingly endless newsletters and event announcements sent from citizens' groups in her constituency. She deletes most of them unread. She's really just killing time waiting for a call, and when it does come she picks up the phone after the first ring.

"Hello, this is Lauren McKelvie."

"Hello, Lauren, it's Judy Thompson. I have a lot of calls to make, so let me get to it: will you join my cabinet as Minister of Transport and Infrastructure?"

"Yes, of course, Prime Minister. Thank you, I won't let you down."

"Great. I'm sure you won't. Olivia is on the line and will make arrangements. Thanks, Lauren, I'm looking forward to having you on the team."

Lauren hears a click, and then another voice. "Hello, Ms. McKelvie, I'm Olivia Seymour. I'm an assistant here in the Privy Council Office, and I'll guide you through the ministerial appointment process."

"Thank you, Olivia."

"Sure. First, we have to get you a service audience with the king, which will make you a Privy Counsellor and eligible for a ministry. Then on Tuesday at 11 we'll bring you to the ceremony where you'll be sworn in with the other ministers. After that you can start work with the principal private secretary of your department."

"Uh, okay. Tuesday? I'm supposed to go home to my constituency first thing tomorrow morning, and I don't get back till late Monday."

"Oh, well, that might be difficult, um, but I don't want to make you change your trip if we don't have to. Let me talk with the chamberlain's office and see what we can do." Olivia hangs up.

Lauren's not too worried about canceling office hours back home if she has to. She can't help but grin. She had been pretty sure Judy would give her something — Lauren had been one of just a few who had supported her for Prime Minister four years ago, and Lauren had worked hard to pass Judy's railway legislation when Judy was transport minister. With losses and retirements Lauren was well placed to take on a cabinet portfolio. But she had prepared herself, as a new member of the cabinet, for one of the less prestigious posts —culture, or perhaps agriculture or families and youth.

Transport might not be a premium spot like defense or foreign affairs, but it's very good for a first-time minister. It gets a lot of attention in the news and provides a good platform for getting one's name out to the public, through ribbon-cutting and groundbreaking ceremonies. And if Judy had successfully moved from Transport Minister to Prime Minister, maybe someday...

Lauren has just a few moments to relish her good fortune before Olivia calls back. "Ms. McKelvie, are you in Parliament House? if you can get to the palace in ten minutes, we can avoid moving your trip."

"Ok — ten minutes? I'll be right there."

"Thank you, Ms. McKelvie. Call me back when you're done with your audience."

Lauren hangs up and walks briskly out of Parliament House across Dominion Park to the Royal Palace.

At the palace, an older woman in a black shirt and pants is waiting for her. "Ms. McKelvie, I'm Sophie Shaw, with the Royal Chamberlain's Office. Thank you for coming over now; this is one of the only openings in the king's schedule. Let me take you to the audience chamber." She leads Lauren through the palace into what is clearly the changing room of the audience chamber, with a clothes closet and a small washroom. "I'm afraid I don't have time to give you the full protocol briefing, but I'm sure they'll get you through it. It starts off pretty much like citizen service, except that your initial line is different. The king says "Declare yourself," and then your line is 'Greetings, Your Majesty. I am Lauren McKelvie, member of the House of Representatives for Louisia-Kibblewhite, here at your summons. How may I serve you?' Can you repeat that?"

Lauren does, with a few missteps. Ms. Shaw says, "That's fine, you're getting the point across. Call him Your Majesty, give proper respect to his position, and you'll be fine." She checks her watch. "The king's scheduled to be in the chamber in ten minutes, so you'd better get changed." Ms. Shaw leaves.

Lauren removes her pantsuit and underwear, puts on a sheer service robe from the closet, and walks into the audience chamber. To her it seems like a cross between a high-end hotel room and a service crib. It has a very high ceiling, with a large chandelier hanging down. Beneath that is a large bed made up with a duvet and pillows, with nightstands on either side. On her left she sees openings to a washroom, with soaking tub and separate shower. But the room also has a kneeling stool, a chair with a seat raised high off the ground, and a number of couches around the edges of the room.

As she is used to doing in the cribs, she kneels on the stool in the center of the room, facing the opposite door, making sure her robe doesn't get caught underneath her. But she doesn't have time to wait before she hears an unexpected voice from above and behind her. "Hi, you must be Lauren. I'm Caitlin."

Lauren twists her body but can't turn around enough to see in the kneeling position. "Wha—?" She nudges the stool around so she can see. Behind where she came in, above the changing room, there is a loft, and.leaning on the railing looking down on her is a nude woman. She is in her mid-twenties, with light skin and long blond hair; she is thin but has prominent, rounded breasts.

Lauren tries not to stare. "Um, I didn't realize anybody else would be here."

"Oh, I thought Sophie would have told you. I'm with the Service Office. When the king gets here I'll be taking your portrait."

"My portrait? with the king? But I thought I was here to provide service... and I'm not dressed..."

"Didn't Sophie brief you at all?"

"No, she didn't have time. What's going on?"

Caitlin descends a narrow staircase that leads down from the loft, and kneels on the ground, putting herself on Lauren's level. "All ministers have an official portrait taken. You must have seen the old ones, from back before Sexual Equity, the portraits of ministers that line the halls in Parliament House and the Executive Buildings? Well—"

At that point, the door opens and the king walks in. The women instinctively fall silent. Lauren has of course seen him from afar on state occasions, and in photos and on television many times, but she is still struck by him — he is tall and looks distinguished in his mid-fifties, with salt-and-pepper hair and an athletic build. He is wearing a spa wrap around his lower torso, of black silk shot through with gold thread.

"Declare yourselves," says the king.

Lauren says, "Um, greetings, Your Majesty. I am Lauren McKelvie, member of Parliament for Louisia-Kibblewhite. How may I serve you?"

Caitlin says only "Greetings, Your Majesty."

"Ah, Lauren. Please stand, and hang up your robe."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Lauren rises, and seeing a hook on the wall next to the door where she came in, puts the robe there. She then turns back and stands before the king, nude, head lowered.

The king reaches out with his right hand, strokes her face, then slides the hand down to her right breast, holding it lightly with his fingers while circling her nipple with his thumb. "So, Judy is putting you in charge of transport and infrastructure. What's your take on the Ring Motorway?"

"Um, Your Majesty, I don't think I should be talking about government..."

Caitlin, still kneeling, says, "If I may, Your Majesty, there wasn't time to give Lauren a proper briefing. Lauren, that rule is for citizen service -- It doesn't apply in here. Just go with what's happening -- I'll tell you all about everything afterwards, okay?"

During this, the king has taken a step to his left, moving himself very close to Lauren's right side. His right hand moves down from her right breast, strokes her belly and mound, and then back up to her left breast. He keeps circling that nipple with his thumb as he moves his left hand to stroke Lauren's backside, moving up to her back before down again to cup her buttock.

Lauren is having a hard time concentrating on transport policy. "Um, okay, I'm sorry, Your Majesty... um, I haven't generally supported proposals to increase motorway lanes, ah, even aside from the environmental concerns, upgrading the Loop Railway to high-speed rail is, um, is a more effective way of moving large numbers of people more quickly, and improving port facilities in the provinces is, mmm, is a better way to help with freight."

The king smiles slyly.. "You don't think traffic will continue to get worse?"

"Oh-oh, no, Your Majesty, adding more lanes will just encourage... encourage..." Lauren loses her focus entirely as the king moves his hand down to her cleft and moves a finger through it. "ooh... Um, encourage more driving," she manages to finish.

"Thank you, Lauren," says the king, his smile getting just a little broader. "I think it's time to move to the back." He withdraws his hands, takes her arm and guides her over to a high armless sofa in the back of the room, on the wall between the door to the changing room and the stairs to the loft.

Lauren lies on her back on the sofa. The king stands beside her, his right fingers alternately running through her labia and teasing her clitoris. He reaches down to his penis with the other hand. "Cait, I think Lauren's ready, but I will need some assistance."

Caitlin says "Of course, Your Majesty," Caitlin rises and comes over to the king. She removes his wrap and hangs it on a hook next to Lauren's robe, and then bends down and takes his penis in her mouth. Lauren looks down at them as Caitlin stimulates him with her lips and tongue.

The king gives an "Mmm" sound but then, as Caitlin continues stimulating him, says "Lauren, you'll also be responsible for electric and water infrastructure. Do you think Osborne Dam should be raised?" On the final word he inserts a finger into her vagina and begins stroking her inner walls.

Lauren finds this a bit much and lies her head back and closes her eyes. She repeats the answer she gave during the campaign to this question. "Your Majesty, fresh water is hard to come by on our island —ah—and, um, raising the dam gives us an opportunity to store water and generate, mmm, carbon-free energy at the same time. So I think it ought to be studied, to see if the impacts can be mitigated." She feels a hand on her breast, lightly rubbing her nipple: she opens her eyes and is surprised to find it is not the king's, but Caitlin's.

"Mmm, I see," says the king. He is silent for a few moments, but eventually he says "Thank you, Cait. I think you can go upstairs now."

Caitlin removes herself from him, says "My pleasure, Your Majesty," and heads up the stairs to the loft.

With that, the king is finally ready. Lauren spreads her legs and the king moves forward and enters her, her lying on the sofa, he standing in front of her, between her legs. Lauren looks at him and moans softly as he slowly moves in and out.

"Okay, Lauren, that's great, just look up here and smile." Lauren looks up to see Caitlin in the loft, positioning herself forward over the railing, holding a camera pointed down at her. Without thinking Lauren looks at the camera and gives her best photo smile, the one she's done over and over, having her picture taken for campaign literature and with constituents. "Ok, Lauren, can you just hold your knees a little higher, please? Use your hands if it helps." Lauren pulls her knees up with her hands. "Your Majesty, keep fucking her, please. Lauren, that's good, but keep them spread more so we can see." Lauren does and hears Caitlin take a photo. "That's great, just let me just get one or two more," says Caitlin. "Back just a little bit, Your Majesty," she says, and the king begins pulling out a bit further between thrusts. "That's great, just perfect. I've got it. Please go ahead, Your Majesty.."

The king says "Thank you, Cait," and then begins thrusting faster. As Lauren lets go of her knees, the king grabs her legs and pulls himself closer, changing the angle of his thrust slightly. "Touch yourself, Lauren," he says, and Lauren begins rubbing her clitoris with one hand and a nipple with the other. The king continues to thrust; Lauren can feel her breasts bounce until finally he reaches climax inside her.

He withdraws and sits on the side of the sofa. After a moment, Lauren gets off the sofa and gets on her knees before him. She says, "Is there any other way I can serve you, Your Majesty?"

The king, says "No, thank you, Lauren. You'll have to excuse me -- I have to receive the new Mexican ambassador tonight and I need to get ready."

"Of course, Your Majesty. Thank you for the opportunity to serve."

The king takes his wrap from the hook, puts it around himself, and walks out the door from which he'd come.

Lauren pauses. The king had climaxed, but she hadn't. She says, "Um, Caitlin -- usually after service I need a moment..."

Caitlin says, "Sure, go right ahead. Do you want me to help? Or if you'd rather use a toy, they're in the nightstand by the bed."

"Uh, well..." Lauren realizes she can't really ask Caitlin to leave. "I guess I'll get something from the drawer." Lauren goes over to the nightstand, finds a bullet vibrator, and comes back to the sofa. She lies back, closes her eyes and uses the vibrator on her clitoris; before long, she has an orgasm. She opens her eyes to find Caitlin staring down at her from the loft.

"I hope you don't mind; I like to watch. That's why I took this job in the first place," says Caitlin. "Plus, I'm the only one who gets to see all the portraits."

"Right. The photos. What's the deal with the photos?"

"So, like I said, there used to be portraits hung of all the ministers outside their offices. Well, portraiture is a matter of honor and dignity, and after Sexual Equity came in, it was decided that since for women honor comes from providing service, portraits would be inappropriate unless they showed the act of service. We hang them in the waiting rooms of the cribs nearest the office of that minister."