29 - Punishment

—You are free of all suspicion. We rely on you, as the highest authority, to bring Yusuf to justice and apply the punishment he deserves.

Kamar had appeared unexpectedly in Jorge's chamber. He had knocked on the door to give him a chance to freshen up if he wished, but Jorge, who was expecting nothing less than a visit from an executioner, was already prepared. He had donned the most luxurious ceremonial robe he owned; his four slaves had helped him bathe, groom, perfume, and dress. The estate seal gleamed in his hand, and his white and golden brocade hemispherical cap gave him a regal bearing. "If I must die, let it be with dignity and elegance," he had thought. It all seemed a bit melodramatic, but in that moment, the occasion justified it.

-What did you say, Kamar? -Jorge asked, astonished, his voice filled with disbelief.

-I apologize for any insulting treatment you may have received -Kamar continued with an unusual solemnity- From this very moment, you regain full freedom of action and movement. And personally, I will be very grateful if you cooperate with our efforts to restore order and justice in the country. Anything we may have suspected of you was totally unfounded. The guilty party is Yusuf, and I am aware that it was practically me who imposed him on you as a trusted employee. For that, I offer you my most sincere apologies.

A dense, almost absolute silence fell. Jorge remained motionless, his thoughts trapped in a whirlwind of confusion. He had gone from imminent condemnation to an unexpected exoneration. Only Álex's soft whisper broke the stillness, translating the conversation for the other three slaves. They could barely contain their joy, but they remained in place, aware that that moment required prudence. Still, in their eyes shone the certainty that their fate, like that of their master, had just changed forever.

-I understand I am speaking against my own interests, but honestly, I do not believe Yusuf is a traitor. And you forget that it was you who precisely captured the leader of the invading command.

Kamar sighed, almost indulgently.

-Your words honor you, Jorge -he admitted- But Yusuf did not capture the lieutenant: he killed him, which is not the same thing.

-More in his favor, isn't it?

-No, the matter is not so simple. We do not have all the answers, but we have an absolute conviction of his guilt.

At that moment, a soldier approached Kamar hastily and handed him a small note. Kamar read it in silence, and when he looked up, a shadow of certainty hardened his expression.

-See, Jorge? Yusuf has escaped, he is no longer here. He undoubtedly did so as soon as he learned that you had been exonerated of all guilt. But we will capture him, he has no possible escape. Do I have your permission to pursue and capture him?

Jorge raised both eyebrows, still processing the turn of events.

-Certainly; but I thought that you, as a usher of Justice, would not need me for something like this.

Kamar smiled slightly, with that coldness typical of someone who understands the rules better than anyone.

-You are mistaken, Mr. Tharakos. In your estate, neither I myself, nor even the hegemon, can take a legal step without your authorization: the landowner is everything.

Jorge nodded slowly, feeling the real weight of his title with satisfaction.

-Then you have it, of course. But tell me, when Yusuf is captured, what will happen to him? Will he be sentenced to death?

Kamar took a moment before answering, letting the pause lend meaning to his words.

-I suppose that in many countries that would be the most likely outcome. But in Ketiris, we do not have the death penalty for our citizens -he said with an almost challenging calmness-. Capital punishment can only be applied to foreigners.

Jorge narrowed his eyes, trying to decipher the implications.

-So even if I had been guilty of treason, they wouldn't have executed me?

-Exactly, Jorge; they wouldn't even have been able to strip you of your possessions. We have a high level of personal guarantees. You would have gone to prison, no doubt, and lost most of your privileges; but not your life.

Jorge exhaled slowly. If he had known all this the day before, he would have saved himself a lot of pain; but reaching the limit had also shaped his character in a unique way. More than ever, he knew what he wanted and was determined to do whatever it takes to achieve it. He bid farewell to Kamar and locked himself in with his four slaves. He did not come out until lunchtime, and when he did, he was exhausted but also relaxed.

His four slaves had received his kisses and his beatings.

Three of them put their tongues inside his ass.

Two of them enjoyed his milk.

One of them was able to hold the sperm in his ass; it was Álex.

Jorge instructed one of the stewards to feed and clean the slaves and have them ready for later. He was still giving instructions when a messenger handed him a note. For a moment, he felt a glimmer of hope: perhaps he was being informed of Yusuf's capture. But as he unfolded the message, he found a different reality. It was from Kamar.

"I request your presence at the obedience school to proceed with the interrogation and fate of the three captured terrorists."

He was informed about the location of the building and headed there, guided by one of the pages. At the entrance, the guard paid him honors. The commander greeted him with exaggerated deference, probably fearing that Jorge was resentful towards him. He was not; he did not even know that the man had incorrectly assumed he was a traitor.

Inside, the atmosphere was stifling. In the central nave, two naked men hung lifeless from a beam. Kamar conversed with several soldiers. In a corner, a young dark-skinned man with an athletic build, dressed only in briefs, remained handcuffed to a metal chair; his expression a mix of tension and something harder to define.

Kamar turned towards him.

-These are the three Israelis captured -he said, with the tone of someone reciting a report- Well, actually, the two on the beam are. The one on the chair is Palestinian. He concealed his identity, but the soma has reignited his hatred for the Jewish state. Now he is our informant.

Jorge observed the young man cautiously.

-Is he cooperating? Can we trust him?

Kamar nodded with a calculating gesture.

-There are no absolute certainties, but I would say yes. And you know I am not one to trust easily. His hatred is genuine; he wants to inflict as much damage as possible on the country that devastated his people.

-And the other two?

Kamar shrugged with the calm of someone contemplating a board whose pieces could still move in his favor.

-They haven't spoken. With the right method, they will. But it will take weeks.

Jorge turned his gaze to the bodies hanging from the beam. The dim light accentuated the rigid contours of their defeat.

-And what do you hope to learn from them?

-Actually, nothing substantial. We know they are an Israeli military detachment, sent to dismantle our interference system. They have failed. Their leader was the slain lieutenant and he didn't even know in person the traitor who was giving them information. It is unlikely he knew if there were other accomplices. Much less the rest of his team.

-Then, why bother interrogating them? -inquired Jorge.

The question hung in the air, meeting no resistance. Finally, Kamar broke the silence.

-I think you are right. The Palestinian, the boy who is now collaborating with us, also doesn't know the details. He was just following orders; what he has told us is of no interest. He revealed that the lieutenant was hiding in the main house and mentioned the governor of the area as his contact; nothing else.

Jorge meditated for a moment.

-It would be best to bring them to trial. Being foreigners, I imagine they will ask for the death penalty for them.

Kamar observed him with an inscrutable expression.

-The most likely. In fact, you can decree it yourself now and apply it immediately.

Jorge furrowed his brow.

-How?

-All their crimes were committed on your estate. And here, you embody the supreme power; it is perfectly legal for you to judge and sentence them: thus avoiding an unnecessary nuisance to the Ketirian State. The way to try them depends entirely on your will, as well as the sentence and even the way and time to apply it.

Jorge exhaled slowly.

-I don't like the idea of executing them. But it wouldn't be right to hold them indefinitely either.

Kamar looked at him with the patience of someone who already knows the answer.

-Ketiris has no prisons -he said, as if reminding him of a basic principle of nature-. When punishment is necessary, we do it in other ways.

-Then I would like to impose an exemplary punishment on them; but I don't know if it would be feasible.

-Tell me what you have in mind and we will see what can be done -Kamar replied with a faint smile.

-You explained to me that the soma had no effect on them, and therefore they cannot be turned into slaves.

-Indeed, it is impossible.

-But we can force them to live as slaves, engaging in punishments and physical exertion.

-Of course; in cases of very serious crimes this is what is used. In the case of a citizen, this penalty can be up to five years... although normally no one survives more than a year in conditions of brute slavery. In this case, being foreigners, there is no established limit.

-And I also saw that castration can be applied, removing the penis and testicles.

-Some elites have their slaves deprived of their genitals, yes; through surgery they are left with only a hole that allows them to urinate. It's funny that you talk to me about castration, because I am a strong supporter of it; I apply it to any of my slaves who have a penis or testicles bigger than mine... and they are not big; so most of my slaves are castrated -Kamar chuckled with pleasure.

Jorge realized for the first time that Kamar had mentioned the fact that he had slaves, and wondered what kind of master he would be.

-Let's do then all this: forced servitude, without soma, and castration. But I would also like something else: a full-fledged rape. Let my brutes fuck them, what do you think, Kamar?

-I think it's a superb punishment; it will undoubtedly be studied in our law schools.

-Revive them and bring them here. I want them to be explained what's going to happen to them.

-Very well, we will do it right away; I will go look for a Hebrew translator -assured Kamar.

-Please, have the brutes from my large house also come; they will feel that part of the punishment right now.

-Tell them to bring them, of course. And as for the Palestinian, what should we do with him?

-Right, he is also part of the command, although his gesture in helping us will also have to be considered. For now, he should be present for the punishment of his two comrades, then we will see.

Shortly after, following Jorge's strict orders, the two Israeli soldiers were released from their chains. A doctor, with fast and precise hands, approached them, injecting adrenaline and other substances that gradually restored their consciousness. As they regained their breath, they were offered fresh water and abundant food which they initially took cautiously, but soon their repressed hunger overflowed, and they feasted with uncontained frenzy.

When Jorge returned to where the prisoners were, after a brief break for lunch and an afternoon imbued with the aroma of tea and pastries -a habit he had embraced with almost innocent enthusiasm-, he observed the open space next to the entrance; there were his men, his brutes, those who served him unquestioningly, whether in the litter, the cart, or the boat. He could almost distinguish the sixteen, lined up and sunk in their silent wait. He approached them, taking a moment to caress their bodies, as if with that gesture he could seal his dominion over them even more. Among them, his gaze lingered on the one who had been the target of his desire in their last encounter, the one who, marked by the power of his will, bore on his skin the indelible seal of his owner's estate.

Upon entering, Jorge saw that they had improvised a platform on which a pair of imposing armchairs stood, makeshift thrones in that domain of dominance. In front of them, but outside the platform, a wooden bench awaited the prisoners, witnesses, and victims of their own fate.

Kamar had been absent during the day, but he returned as the sun began its slow descent towards the horizon.

-We still have no news of Yusuf -he announced as soon as he arrived, his voice calm but firm- However, we will not be long in capturing him. Please excuse the delay, I see that you were waiting for me.

-That's right, Kamar -Jorge nodded- but you don't have to apologize. Now that you are here, we can start.

The heat persisted, thick and sticky like a second skin. The air seemed motionless, trapped in an oppressive stillness.

The two prisoners, still naked, had regained some of their strength thanks to the food and medical care, but their bodies still bore the marks of the whip. Reddened lines spoke of the torment they had endured on their backs, and their wrists, trapped in iron shackles, clinked with every slight movement. More than the physical pain, it was the confusion that consumed them: from the brutality of the interrogation they had moved to the strange mercy of medical care and food, only to find themselves under the yoke of the shackles again.

Kamar and Jorge occupied the armchairs. The prisoners were led to the wooden bench. Around the room, in addition to the interpreter, there were the estate commander and several of his men. Not far from them, though handcuffed and under surveillance, the Palestinian prisoner enjoyed some freedom of movement.

Jorge settled into his seat and spoke with the unyielding calm of someone who has already decided the fate of others:

-I am Jorge Tharakos, lord of the estate we are in. You have been captured with documents and equipment that prove your responsibility in the sabotage of one of our protection facilities. I must announce three things to you.

The translation hit them like a blow. The two Jews on the bench blinked, bewildered, and the Palestinian prisoner lowered his head, as if weighing the information.

-The first -Jorge continued- is that your action, although it destroyed some of our devices, has not harmed the security system. At no time have we been left unprotected.

Visible astonishment ran through the prisoners. For hours, maybe days, they had clung to the idea that their mission had delivered a decisive blow. Now, that man in front of them snatched away their only certainty.

-The second announcement -Jorge went on- concerns your leader, who was hiding in my house. Thanks to the information provided by your companion, here present, he was discovered. He died in the confrontation. You will soon receive the proof.

A shiver shook them as they received the photograph. Jorge had ordered them to capture the image of the lieutenant's corpse, a macabre reminder of their defeat. They gazed at it in silence, understanding in one blow the depth of their failure.

No help would come. Neither their army nor their superior could protect them now. For the first time, the certainty of their absolute loneliness enveloped them like a cold mantle.

-The third announcement is that the traitor who was helping you from our country has been discovered and will soon be captured; needless to say, it was not me.

The two soldiers had the expression of those who have lost all hope and face the imminent trial of death; in a way that certainty of their imminent death made them react with courage, almost defiance; Jorge immediately understood this, as he had found himself in a similar situation only a few hours earlier. But, no: their death was not imminent, and that was what he had to tell them.

-Your crime deserves an exemplary punishment; but I already tell you that it will not involve the death penalty.

He paused to let them understand, and he saw the fear and distress appear again on their faces. "How curious, when they are sure of dying they are much braver than when they harbor hope," Jorge thought.

-You will work in our mines for the rest of your life, with no possibility of appeal or change in the sentence. Before that, you will undergo a surgical removal of your genitals.

Their faces changed as the translator made them understand Jorge's words, and they went from indignation to the most terrible fear. But there was still more.

-Since you are about to lose your sexual capability imminently, you are granted a last night of pleasure, during which you will be anally penetrated by draft animals.

They surely thought of horses, which would have amounted to a death sentence, so when they saw Jorge's brutes entering, they felt relieved.

The room, the "obedience school," had perfect conditions to immobilize them. Their feet were anchored in strong rings spaced a meter apart; their necks were held to rings hanging from the ceiling, and the chains from each wrist were fixed so their arms were stretched out in a cross and under maximum tension. The arrangement of these five anchors was such that the resulting posture, not uncomfortable but painful, forced them to keep their backs bent and their chests parallel to the floor, so their heads would quickly bend and hang limp. In addition, they were rigidly taut; they would remain like that all night, as Jorge had announced, and there came a time when the numbness was such that they stopped feeling the blows or any other stimulus; in fact, they lost consciousness often, but were stimulated by the doctors to regain it.

None of Jorge's brutes had ever copulated with anyone, as they had worn penis restraints since preadolescence and were mechanically milked every week; the exception was the brute marked with a hot iron by Jorge, but he had only been used as a passive. Now they were ordered to insert in the two men in front of them. One of the brutus took the place of the sergeant and raped him violently.

When lunchtime the next day came, Jorge returned to the punishment location, and was pleased to see that his brutus continued to insert their penises into the two anuses, bloody and malodorous, and the soldiers remained alive and conscious. He ordered them to stop, and the doctors took the condemned to the estate's hospital, where they underwent surgical aids to contain the enormous damage caused by over twelve hours of uninterrupted rape, and underwent complete genital reconstruction. Barely a week later,