John's mouth fell open as he stared at the images the Vulkat had taken of the salvaged Thrall ship components. He felt an eerie kind of click as Dana named each of the forbidding black objects, her words resonating in his mind.

"They're standard issue in all Thrall vessels!" he blurted out, his eyes widening as he stared at the ship's equipment. "I know what they do!"

"Yeah, me too," Dana confirmed in a hushed voice. "The schematics just popped into my mind..."

He glanced her way and gestured for her to proceed. "Go ahead, you're better at explaining tech than I am."

Everyone in the room was now alert and watching the redhead intently

She pointed at the image of a broad onyx sphere that was about twice as big as the Vulkat scientist studying it. "That's a Null-Inertia Gyroscope... it's like a highly-advanced inertial dampener." She moved on to the spiral-ridged cylinder below it. "A Zero-Point Regulator makes ship guns more energy efficient." Her hand drifted to the right, pointing at a much larger black object, the hexagonal prism dwarfing the arachnid researchers that had gathered around it. "If we build a Solid-Phase Shield Matrix, we'll have hard shields, and the-"

"Woah! Stop a second!" Calara blurted out, waving her hands to interrupt the redhead. "Hard shields? As in... impenetrable?"

"Yeah," Dana murmured, meeting the Latina's shocked gaze. "Missiles and torpedoes can't penetrate solid-phased shields."

Calara rocked back, clearly stunned at the thought. "That renders centuries of ship-combat doctrine obsolete!"

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked, surprised by the Latina's visceral reaction.

"Missiles and torpedoes have numerous disadvantages: they're relatively slow, can be shot down, take up considerable storage space, and have to be resupplied... What makes them useful is that they can penetrate shields, making them a threat to even the most heavily-shielded vessel. If Dana's right, and I have no reason to doubt her, then hard shields just rendered missile tech obsolete... which means bombers are equally redundant."

"Even the Maliri use torpedo bombers," Irillith said quietly. "They caused significant destruction to the Kintark capital ships in the Battle for Terra."

John nodded, recalling the climactic moments of that epic fight. "Yeah, I remember. As soon as our side gained strike craft supremacy, the battle was basically over."

"Does this mean that Progenitors don't use fighters in their Thrall fleets?" Jade asked, looking cautiously optimistic.

Calara hesitated as she considered her question. "As unlikely as it seems, that might well be the case. If these 'hard shields' make a ship impervious to missile or torpedo attacks, they're not going to use bombers against other Thrall fleets. Similarly, non-Thrall strikecraft become even less of a threat, so why bother employing fighter squadrons to protect against them?"

"We might find answers in the Vulkat archive," Irillith quietly added. "At least once we've finished translating their language. If we've got records analysing a wrecked Thrall destroyer, it stands to reason that the Vulkat might have destroyed smaller vessels, so there might be data on salvaged corvettes or strike craft."

"I haven't seen anything yet!" Faye chirped, before gesturing at the holographic image. "But I'm only half-way through the archive at the moment."

"Thanks, Faye," John said, with a smile. "So that just leaves one last item on your list, Sparks..."

Calara turned to look at Dana again, a hungry gleam in her eyes. "Oh yeah! Tell me about Tachyon Lances!"

The redhead's eyes glazed over as she reviewed the schematics emblazoned in her mind. "It's a highly-evolved version of a Maliri Nova Lance. The principles are similar, but Tachyon Lances are far more sophisticated and much further along the same kind of tech path. For example, the charging capacitors are radically advanced and the weapon's much smaller too, only ten-metres-long instead of thirty."

"Actually, I think it might be the other way around, with Nova Lances being a devolution of Tachyon Laser technology," Tashana suggested, looking thoughtful. "Considering how old these images are, it's highly likely Tachyon Lasers are the original. After Mael'nerak left Valada with his Thrall fleet, perhaps the Maliri tried to replicate Thrall tech with their own crude imitation?"

Dana nodded as she thought it over. "Yeah, you're probably right. Whoever came up with Tachyon Lances understood the physics behind the technology on a whole new level." She frowned as she continued, "Unfortunately, there isn't any data on the damage potential of Tachyon Lances, so we'll have to build one and field test it."

"Can we?" Calara asked, leaning forward with anticipation. "Build one, I mean?"

Dana grimaced as she studied the schematics. "It's built out of a similar kind of mystery metal as the stuff used in the Quantum Flux Cannon, which I've still got no idea how to replicate. The black armour on Mael'nerak's ship is similar, but far more refined. I can see references to something called a 'Soul Forge' in the construction notes on the schematics, but I've no idea what the fuck that is..."

"It sounds ominous, whatever it is," Tashana said quietly, glancing at John. "Does that name seem familiar to you?"

"I've never heard of it," he replied, drawing a complete blank. "And it's not setting off any memories."

Giving them a helpless shrug, Dana said, "Maybe Progenitors use this Soul Forge thing to crank out Thrall ships?"

*Perhaps Mael'nerak's Soul Forge is located on Kythshara?* Edraele suggested. *If a Progenitor's Throne World is his powerbase, then it seems likely that the source of his Thrall Fleets would be located on that world. It would also explain why such a device has never been discovered... at least to my knowledge.*

The girls looked thoughtful, listening to Alyssa as she relayed the Maliri Matriarch's telepathic observation.

"Are we sure Kythshara even survived the war with Ranagon?" Alyssa asked, looking doubtful. "He was going around obliterating Gaia-class planets..."

"There was no mention of Kythshara or Mael'nerak's Throne World being destroyed in the video files Tashana recovered from Valada's server," Faye informed them. "I've also not heard any references to a Soul Forge."

Jade was quiet as she said, "The throne room we saw when Mael'nerak freed the Nymphs was located on Kythshara. I don't remember the control room we saw in the later videos, but I expect that was located on his Throne World too."

Irillith's eyes brightened. "The last time we saw Mael'nerak was in that control room! He broke the bond to Valada then left on his suicide mission to end the war. We know Valada survived, so it seems highly likely Kythshara did too!"

"We've got to find that place," John said, darting a pensive look at Tashana. "When we get back to Maliri Space, we need to dig up whatever we can find from old Thrall sites; there must be some kind of clue..."

She gave him a wry smile. "Last time, my field research team consisted of just one person. With all of you assisting, we'll be able to scour every inch of those sites. I'll be amazed if we don't uncover something interesting; whether or not it's data on Mael'nerak's throne world... we'll just have to wait and see."

Calara glanced at Dana again. "We're getting a bit sidetracked... You didn't really answer my question earlier; can you build a Tachyon Lance?"

The redhead thought about it for a moment, then gave her a tentative nod. "It'll be my own hybrid version, using Crystal Alyssium instead of the black metal, but I reckon I could put one together."

"How about... forty of them?" Calara asked, then held her breath as she waited for an answer.

Dana looked at her askance, then her eyes widened in surprise. "You want to replace all the Photon Lasers and the Heavy Quantum Guns!"

The Latina's expression was one of barely-controlled excitement. "They're the same size, so they could use the same hard-point! If we can build enough of those Zero-Point Regulators, we should have plenty of power... right?"

The redhead tapped a finger on her chin as she mulled it over. "Yeah, I guess... in theory." She winced as she added, "But you're planning on refitting the Invictus before we take on the Kirrix, aren't you?"

Calara didn't back down from Dana's troubled gaze. "Yes, exactly."

"Is that even possible, Sparks?" John asked, brushing his fingers through Dana's auburn hair. "We've only got two days... We can't afford to lose any time before we start liberating the border worlds, the clock's ticking for any infested civilians."

She leaned into his hand and closed her eyes. "Just let me think a minute..."

A hushed silence descended in the room, no one wanting to disturb her.

"It might be possible," their Chief Engineer finally conceded. "But we're going to have to work our asses off for the next two days. I'd need to make a start on the schematics right now, make all the necessary modifications, then start replicating all the required components. I'll need everyone's help to assemble them, but I'm also going to need some serious psychic shaping... maybe as much as fifteen times to give us enough heat resistance to stop the barrels melting."

John shared an apprehensive glance with Alyssa, who grimaced at the prospect.

"I think we're in for some pounding headaches..." she said, looking glum.

He put his arm around the blonde and gave her a supportive squeeze. Smiling at Dana, he said, "We'll do our best."

Dana gave John an apologetic frown. "I'm sorry I can't offer you more than a load of ifs, buts, and maybes."

"I can give you some installation times," Faye piped up. "Assuming you make the weapon mounts on the Tachyon Lances compatible with our existing turrets, it'll take my boys 126 minutes to swap them all out. I've already started manufacturing parts for another set of twelve maintenance bots, and I should be able to build them all before we arrive on the Outer Rim; in which case you can halve my estimates!"

"So we'll only need an hour for the refit," John said, glancing at Calara. "Maybe we should arrange a rendezvous with Admiral Zelig's fleet while we upgrade our guns? They'll be close to the border by the time we catch up to them and I'd like to speak to him before his fleet engages the Kirrix."

"It would be sensible to coordinate our battle plans," the Latina immediately agreed.

Alyssa had a grim smile on her face as she nodded her approval. "I also need to scan Zelig and check if he's a bad guy. If we do need to execute him, it'll be better to get that over with before the Terran fleet engages the Kirrix."

"Can you discuss that with Lynette, please?" John asked, glancing at the blonde. "We'll need to handle something like that tactfully... I'd like to have her approval before we start with summary executions."

The blonde shrugged. "Lynette knows the score; she wants all the bad apples eliminated. I'll have a chat with her and confirm it though."

Dana let out a rueful sigh. "We'll probably have to forget about the Mass Fabricator upgrades for now. The rest sounds like a good plan, assuming I can alter the Tachyon Lance schematics fast enough to give us time to build them."

Rachel slid an arm around her lover's waist. "I can schedule out all the tasks for you and try to make the construction as time-efficient as possible."

"Thanks, babes, that'd be awesome," the redhead said giving her a look of relief.

"Are the Zero-Point Regulators an internal or external component?" Rachel asked, her mind already ticking over.

"Internal... we can install them near the Power Core without dropping out of hyper-warp," Dana explained.

The brunette nodded. "In that case, perhaps you should work on those first?"

"Sounds like a plan." Dana stretched and cracked her knuckles. "Well, I better get started..."

John looked at her with concern. "It's midnight... Are you sure it wouldn't be better to tackle the schematics after you've slept, when you're well-rested?"

"Nah, I'll be fine," she replied with a dismissive wave. She wiggled her eyebrows and added, "But I'll definitely need to be kept topped up... so I can stay focused."

He laughed and pulled her into a hug. "Just give me a couple of hours to recover. Calara and Sakura wore me out."

"Get some rest," she purred, gazing into his eyes. "I want some loving before you stuff me full of cum..."

John realised she was asking for the kind of intimate coupling that he'd mentioned after his close call on the Astral plane. Dana nodded when she saw that light of understanding in his eyes.

"Wake me whenever you're ready," he said, before giving her a tender kiss.

The redhead nodded enthusiastically, then bounded out of the room.

***

The well-worn tunnel was gloomy and oppressive, pale red light casting a sinister crimson pall over the rocky walls. The disconcerting flickering made it look like the tunnel was a fiery descent into hell, the shadows dancing as if possessed by evil spirits. The lightshow was powered by the Diablos' backup generator, a luxury only the richest of gangs and the mine owners could afford. Karron's aging fission plant had been destroyed days earlier, the invaders wasting no time in shutting power down throughout the bulk of the hollowed-out asteroid.

Fat Tony remembered the day, two years earlier, when Sparks had first unveiled the infernal light effects. He'd cheered along with the rest of the Diablos, knowing no other gang on Karron had anything near so spectacular; it was like a declaration of his gang's increasing prestige. Now he just wished she'd left the fucking lights alone... he was scared enough already.

"Dios perdoname..." his companion muttered piously under his breath, as he had done repeatedly for the last two hours.

Tony glanced at his fellow gang member in irritation. "It's way too late for that, Emil. You've done a lotta nasty shit over the last ten years... you think God's gonna give a fuck about you?"

"Fuck you, man!" Emilio snarled, his eyes darting anxiously towards the ceiling. "You shouldn't say the Lord's name in vain!"

Snorting with nervous laughter, Tony shook his head and glanced down the corridor again. "You... a believer... never wudda thought I'd see the day."

Emilio grabbed his arm, his expression worried. "Just coverin' my bases, man. You should-"

They both froze as they heard an unfamiliar high-pitched sound, a bit like a laser, but the noise had a sharper edge to it. There was no mistaking the shrill screams that echoed down the tunnel immediately afterwards, the agonised shrieks sending a shiver of fear down Tony's spine.

"Fuck me..." Emil muttered, his eyes widening with fright.

The sound of running footsteps reached their ears and half-a-dozen pale-skinned men ran around the corner, sprinting for the Diablos base. Only two of them wore the distinctive red jackets of the Diablos, the rest wore the pale blue of the Steel-Wraiths.

Tony stared at them in shock, reflexively raising his heavily customised chrome sub-machine gun and pointing it at the rival gangers. He darted a glare at the Diablos ganger leading the group of terrified men. "Choppy, what the fuck are you thinking?! Pitbull will lose his shit!"

"Tell him what went down!" Choppy Bob snapped, glancing at the closest of the Wraiths.

"The fucking bugs... busted into our base and shot my guys, but they weren't killing no one," the Wraith gasped as he panted for breath, running a hand over his tattooed head. "Only us four managed to get away!"

"Tony, the gang shit don't matter no more," Choppy Bob hissed under his breath, darting a worried glance back down the tunnel. "We gotta stick together... I ain't gettin' assfucked by no bug!"

Fat Tony only considered it for a couple of seconds, long enough to hear the scuttling sound of insectoid feet approaching the bed in the tunnel. "Fuck it, get in here..." he said, beckoning the group back to the huge reinforced door.

They rushed inside, then Emil slapped his hand down on the big red button high on the wall. There was a tortured groan of poorly maintained hydraulics and the enormous reinforced door rolled into place, the rust-red teeth slamming home with a deafening rumble. For the first time in over twenty years, the entrance to the Diablos base was left unguarded as the men ran deeper into the fortress.

Over the sound of the running group's footfalls, Tony heard heavy crates being shifted around as they jogged towards the central cavern. He knew Pitbull, the Diablos' leader, was making preparations to defend the base... he just hoped it was going to be enough. Running into the big room, Tony saw several heavy machine gun nests set up to create a crossfire, with men hauling crates full of ammo into position. Pitbull was overseeing the defences, the tall, barrel-chested man towering over his wiry gang, the spiked collar around his thick neck glinting in the light.

"Boss, we've got incomin'!" Tony called out as he skidded to a halt. "Bugs... sounded like a fuckton!"

Pitbull turned around to face him, his bushy eyebrows climbing as he set eyes on the four men wearing light blue jackets. "What the FUCK?!" he roared, reaching for his flamethrower. "You let motherfuckin' Wraither fucks in MY base?!"

"Boss, stop!" Tony yelled in desperation. "There's only four left... the whole gang's been wiped out!"

The Steel-Wraiths cowered in fear, Pitbull's psychopathic rages legendary throughout Karron. Realising that his life was hanging by a thread, their tattooed leader dropped to his knees, hands clasped in front of him as he begged, "We're fucked! All the gangs are! The Bugs cleaned out the Hab-zones near the spaceport, now they're coming for us! Please, man, I'm beggin' you. We'll help you defend your turf!"

Pitbull glared at them for a moment, then jutted his chin to the right. "Lose the jackets..."

The four gang members nervously did as they were asked, tossing the blue leather in the direction the Diablos' leader had indicated. When he levelled the flamethrower at their gang-colours, they quickly scrambled out the way. Long tongues of flame incinerated the jackets, leaving an acrid stink as the artificial leather began to burn.

"Don't fuck up, or I'll roast your ass," he snarled, before turning to look at Choppy Bob. "What's the news?"

The Diablos ganger toyed nervously with the handle of the meat-cleaver sheathed at his waist. "It's real bad, Boss. Like the Wraither said, the Bugs are moppin' up. I got as far as Sub-Level 12 in Sector 4 before I had to come back, place was crawlin'..." His face was stricken with fear as he continued, "The Diamond-Talons, the Crypthunters, the Pale-Warriors... all just gone... bases busted open and not a fucker in sight."

Tony caught Pitbull's eye and stepped aside, beckoning him over. "Boss... maybe we outta think about runnin'? We could fall back to the deep mines..." he said in a furtive whisper. When he saw the Diablos' leader bristle, he carried on in a rush, "We're not defendin' our turf against a gang, or even some tightass T-Fed fucks..." He leaned in and hissed, "It's the fucking Kirrix! You've 'eard what they do to people!"

Pitbull clenched his jaw shut, darting a glance down the tunnels towards the main entrance. For the first time in the twelve years that Fat Tony had known him, he actually saw a flicker of fear in the gang leader's eyes. Then just like that it was gone. "We fight," he growled.

Dramatically punctuating his decision, a booming crash thundered through the tunnels, the dreadful boom instantly silencing everyone in the Diablos base. As the echoes rolled around the chamber, gangers darted fearful looks at one another, knowing what they'd soon be facing. After a few interminably long seconds another rolling crash reverberated through the tunnels, the violence of that noise making more than one cold-hearted criminal jump out of his skin.

"Move it!" Pitbull roared, glaring at his frightened gang. "Everyone get in position!"

Pale-skinned men scrambled to follow his orders, hiding behind the barricades, manning the belt-fed machine guns, or running up the ramps to the barriers lining the upper levels. All the while, that steady pounding thumped away at the entrance to their base, with the relentless beat of a metronome. Suddenly, the pounding boom was followed by a ponderous crash, and every person there knew what that meant.

Just like in the tunnels outside, Tony heard the strange rustling of many feet approaching their position, long before he set eyes on one of the dreadful alien invaders. The sound made his skin crawl, setting off that instinctive sense of disquiet when in the presence of an otherworldly predator. The Kirrix announced their arrival with the shrill sound of a weapon being fired and a sickly green energy discharge blasted across the room, blowing a chunk out of the opposing wall.

"Eat this, motherfuckers!" Pitbull snarled, his scarred face twisting into a feral grin.

He stabbed his thumb down on the remote in his hand and a series of powerful explosions rocked the base, sending tremors through their feet. Four of the five tunnels belched out choking clouds of dust, followed an instant later by a storm of pebbles and even a few dismembered Kirrix limbs. That just left the central tunnel on the ground level, which led into the perfect killzone in front of the wall of Diablos guns.

The gang cheered and whooped, high-fiving each other as Pitbull blew the tunnels. Thousands of tons of rock had just flattened what must have been scores of Bugs, dealing a crippling blow to the invaders. Any Terran-led force would have immediately retreated to lick its wounds, but the Kirrix were another matter entirely. Their soldiers in the central tunnel didn't even flinch and continued marching onwards, more of them firing into the chamber.

"Open fire!" Pitbull yelled, initiating a lead tsunami.

Tony aimed his submachine-gun at one of the Kirrix soldiers marching towards them in the tunnel ahead. The alien soldier was wearing ochre body armour, and the red dot from his laser targeting scope flickered as it washed over the creature's torso. Squeezing the trigger he let fly a burst of caseless rounds, then watched in disbelief as they bounced harmlessly off the muddy-yellow carapace.

"Gimme Fed-killers!" he called out in a panic, ducking behind the barricade and ejecting his magazine of useless bullets.

A young initiate ganger hauled over an ammo crate with a big red X marked on the front, then dumped it on the ground next to Tony. He thumped the release button, unlocking the lid, then grabbed a handful of the SMG-sized magazines. Tony shoved a few in his jacket pocket, then slid the mag into his weapon.

Beside him, the 50 cal pintle-mounted machine guns opened up on the invading soldiers. High-calibre rounds punched holes through the insectoid soldiers in sprays of sticky green blood, leaving their ochre armour looking like mouldy Swiss Cheese. To Tony's mounting horror, those severely injured soldiers kept advancing, even when they'd had chitinous limbs blown off by the mounted machine guns. Although the Kirrix were marching in tightly-packed ranks, bullets that ploughed through the front ranks had been robbed of their force, so bounced harmlessly off the soldiers in the rear.

More of the Kirrix troops were fanning out into the room, the answering volleys of green bolts from their neutron rifles growing in volume. The initiate who had brought the crate of armour-piercing ammo was shot in the leg as he tried to run back for another crate, his strangled scream the opening stanza in a chorus of agony. The ganger operating one of the machine gun emplacements was hit in the shoulder, the man falling onto his back and thrashing on the floor. His face twisted in a rictus of pain as he clutched at the ugly wound, oblivious to all else except the jagged lances of agony shooting through his body.

Aiming at another insectoid soldier, Tony placed the laser sight over its inhuman face and pulled the trigger. This time bullets punched through the armoured faceplate and made a wet rattling noise as they ricocheted around inside the Kirrix soldier's skull. It topped over lifelessly, falling flat on its face, six limbs twitching as the insect spasmed in its death throes.

"Shoot them in the head!" he called out, quickly aiming at another.

The Diablos tried to adjust their aim, but the 50 cal machine guns weren't that accurate, and only the wealthiest of the gangers could afford laser scopes. Pitbull leapt over the barricade with a defiant bellow, his flamethrower held in a tight grip. He unleashed a torrent of flames over the Kirrix troops, swathing over a dozen in a sheet of fire. Normally that was the prelude to shrieks of agony and the smell of charred flesh, but the Bugs ignored the flames, switching to aim at the huge Diablo leader with their menacing weapons. Green neutron bolts blasted out, hitting him in the right arm and both legs, Pitbull's challenging cry turning to a warbling shriek of pain. He collapsed on the ground, vomiting violently as his body was overwhelmed with agony.

To see their unstoppable leader brought low sent a wave of panic through the rest of the Diablos. The four Steel-Wraiths went down in a flurry of green energy bolts, their tormented cries joining those of the red-jacketed gang members.

"Fuck this!" Tony yelped, feeling icy fingers of terror clawing at his heart. He lurched away, running from the barricade towards the tunnel at the rear of the room.

Emil's eyes widened as he saw his friend flee in fear. He half-rose to follow him and called out, "Tony! Wait for-" His startled cry twisted into a tortured scream as he was shot in the back, needles of pain dropping him to the floor beside the convulsing Wraithers.

As Fat Tony fled for his life, terrified screams rang in his ears... from men he'd known for most of his life that were closer than brothers. Tears of shame rolled down his cheeks as he abandoned them, but as much as he hated to flee like a coward, he knew that staying would only mean an agonising death sentence.

Bursting into the next room, Tony darted a fearful glance over his shoulder and saw the Kirrix had reached the barricades now, the defenders all but routed. The high-pitched sound of neutron blasts drowned out the sporadic bursts of submachine gun fire. He had just reached the tunnel opposite when Choppy Bob staggered into the room behind him, his pale face ghostly white as he clutched at his wounded arm.

"Help me, Tone..." he pleaded, stumbling forward on shaky legs.

Fat Tony skidded to a halt, racked with indecision as he glanced backwards. Loyalty to his blood-brother warred with his sense of self-preservation, but before he could make that choice his fellow ganger screamed as he was shot in the leg and sent sprawling to the floor.

"I'm sorry..." Fat Tony gasped, then ran for the tunnel.

He ran towards the cleaner section of the base that led to Pitbull's personal quarters. All his lieutenants knew about the emergency escape tunnel and when Tony rushed into Pitbull's dimly-lit bedroom, he was relieved to see the secret tunnel still lay undisturbed. As he stepped foot into the room, he was grabbed by pale hands, terrified faces looming out of the dark.

"Tony! Take me with you..." Kelli begged him, the pretty young brunette a member of Pitbull's personal harem.

Perl hung onto his left arm, her normally-immaculate blonde hair a dishevelled mop. "Please... I'll do anything you want!"

He stumbled as they clawed at him in their desperation. "Get the fuck offa' me!" he snarled, trying to shake them off.

"I don't wanna die!" Kelli screamed, her eyes like saucers.

"Alright, alright!" he snapped, finally tearing himself free. "The bolt hole... it's our only way outta here!"

The two women looked at each other in confusion, then watched him with wide eyes as he ran around the big bed to the corner of the room. He dashed up to the archaic machinery embedded in the wall, reaching for a concealed button behind a rusting brace of pipes. As soon as he pressed it, there was a hiss and the front panel of a large power-coupling cabinet popped open.

He waved the girls over. "In here... move your ass!"

They nodded, quickly following his orders and diving through the secret door into the narrow pitch-black tunnel beyond. Tony glanced across the bedroom at the door to Pitbull's private vault, feeling a pang of regret at leaving the small fortune in cash and precious metals he knew lay inside. He sharply reminded himself that it was better to be poor and alive than rich and dead, then followed the two girls into the tunnel. Carefully pulling the door shut behind him with a reassuring clunk, Tony found himself praying that concealment would prevent the Bugs catching them, where the reinforced entrance had spectacularly failed. The trio stumbled along in the darkness for a dozen metres, blindly feeling their way ahead with wavering hands.

"Wait! Wait a sec," Tony blurted out, turning on the small torch slung under the barrel of his SMG.

Two scared faces appeared in front of him as the light shone out, Kelli and Perl blinking owlishly as their eyes readjusted. He could see they were both barely keeping it together, trying to control their terror in their desperation to escape the Kirrix. Tony knew just what they were feeling, because he felt precisely the same way.

Shining the torch ahead of them he squinted into the gloom. "Lemme go first, it'll be faster."

His nubile companions nodded and pressed themselves back against the wall to make way for him. They were both exceptionally beautiful girls, amongst the prettiest on Karron, prizes that Pitbull had claimed in exchange for offering protection to one of the more reputable whorehouses. Up until today, Tony would have given his left nut for an hour with either of them, but now they'd offered to do anything he liked, sex was the absolute last thing on his mind. The irony didn't escape him and he chuckled as he squeezed past.

"What's funny?" Perl whispered anxiously, giving him a worried glance.

"Don't worry, I'm not losin' it..." He did his best to give her a reassuring smile. "I'll tell you later."

The tunnel curved back and forth, weaving around hard mineral deposits as it led away from the Diablos' breached base. Tony remembered cursing and swearing as he'd helped Pitbull dig this tunnel out, but now it was probably the most wonderful thing he'd ever seen in his 28 years on Karron. After covering roughly a hundred metres, they reached a dead end, further progress blocked by a metallic barrier. Tony fumbled around for a minute until he found the switch on the ceiling above the panel. There was a soft click and the door swung open a couple of inches.

"What's through there?" Kelli asked in a hushed voice.

Tony put his finger to his lips, then eased the metal panel open a bit further, listening for any sound. Satisfied it was deserted, he pushed the door open wider and crept out, shining his torch in either direction. There were iron rails embedded in the floor, which swept off into the impenetrable darkness. Long rusted with disuse, the rails had originally been used by mine carts, which had hauled valuable ores from Karron's deepest recesses towards the refineries near the spaceport. When this part of the asteroid had been scoured of precious metals, the tunnels had been sealed and abandoned - making them the perfect exit point for Pitbull's escape tunnel.

Perl clung to his arm and he could feel her shivering with fear. "Where do we go now, Tony?"

He shut the concealed door behind them, then nodded to the right. "I'm plannin' on headin' that way... leads to the deep mines."

Kelli shared an apprehensive glance with her fellow concubine, then stood on tiptoe and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. "Can we come with you?" she breathed, trying to sound seductive rather than petrified.

He chuckled and nodded. "I'm not a total asshole. I wouldn't leave anyone for the Bugs..."

Some of their tension evaporated and the girls gave him a grateful smile. He set out along the tunnel and they fell into step behind him, walking along in silence. Despite what he'd just said, Tony felt a crushing weight of guilt as he realised he'd done exactly that; abandoning close friends he'd known for most of his life to the Kirrix. He tried not to remember the look of terrified desperation on Choppy Bob's face as he pleaded for help.

"Tony, how far is it to the deep mines?" Perl asked in a barely audible whisper.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Tony brushed the moisture from his eyes as he replied, "A long-assed hike... 'bout five or six hours on foot."

The blonde let out a weary sigh. "At least that's a long way from the Bugs too..."

"Yeah, exactly..." he muttered, trudging onwards while trying to ignore the leaden weight in his chest.

***

The musical chime of an incoming call woke Lieutenant Commander Tom Walker from an extremely pleasant dream. He'd been lost in wonderful memories of his holiday at Zeloma beach, where he'd gone with Anna to celebrate their engagement. Although the scenery was spectacular on the picturesque atoll world, they'd spent most of that fortnight in bed together, a decision he never regretted for a moment. The lissom beauty had been incredibly passionate, their loving reaching new heights of sensuality as they celebrated the official beginning of their future together.

Tom had grown up with the gorgeous blonde, their parents already close friends before he was born. He could still remember how overjoyed their mothers had been when he started dating Anna, but that was eclipsed by their radiant smiles when the young couple announced their engagement. As his father often told him, life had a way of working out for the winners, you just had to seize every opportunity that came your way.

Through bleary eyes he glanced at the caller ID, then grinned as saw the flashing name: Lieutenant Commander Annabelle Newmont. He reached over to answer the call. "Hey, Baby, I was just thinking about you."

"Good things I hope?" Anna asked playfully.

Tom stretched as he sat up, sheets bunching around his waist. "Zeloma Beach... just remembering how much fun I had exploring new places."

The blonde blushed furiously, vividly remember how she'd given him her last virginity on that vacation. "Tommy, you're incorrigible!"

"The lady doth protest too much," he replied with a wink, remembering her enthusiastic encouragement once she got used to being taken that way for the first time.

Anna fanned herself with her hand, but it did nothing to lessen the bloom in her cheeks, her blue eyes roaming over his chiselled torso. "I miss you so much... I wish you were here."

He nodded, giving her a sympathetic smile. "I know, Baby. I'm afraid there's still no news on the compassionate shore leave, but I'll keep hassling the Admiral until he gives up."

"I spoke to Mace a few minutes ago," she said, a look of heartfelt gratitude on her lovely face. "Thank you so much for helping him through this... he said you've been amazing."

"He'd do the same for me," Tom said with a self-deprecating shrug. He looked at his fiancée with concern. "How about you? Are you doing okay?"

She nodded, her expression forlorn. "I miss my daddy... how he used to be when we were kids." Her eyes teared up as she continued, "I always hoped that when he finally retired, he might go back to the way he was... but now I'll never get that chance."

"I'm sorry, Anna," he said gently. "I can only imagine how tough this is for you."

The blonde brushed the back of her hand across her eyes, then gave him a brave smile. "I'm taking it one day at a time... just trying to help mom." She brightened then, her smile lifting. "Archie's been wonderful! He came around again yesterday and was so supportive... He actually managed to make my mom laugh!"

Tom tried to stop himself from grinding his teeth with irritation. "That sounds... nice."

Anna quirked an eyebrow and asked mischievously, "Tommy Walker, are you jealous?"

"No!" he quickly blurted out. When he saw her look of amusement, he reluctantly nodded. "Alright, yes a bit. You know I've never liked him sniffing around, he's been after you for years..."

"Archie's harmless, I can handle him. You've got nothing to worry about, my darling fiancé." Her gaze filled with love as she breathed, "You know you're my soulmate..."

"I really do," he said solemnly, caressing her holographic cheek. "Two weeks maximum, then I'll be returning to Terra."

"I'll be counting the days!" Anna blew him a kiss, then glanced at the clock and frowned. "Damn, I better get going. Admiral G-S called an inter-division meeting this morning... Looks like there's a massive reorg in the works."

Tom nodded. "Yeah, I heard Devereux's been making waves. I'm surprised Garbert-Smythe's going along with it though."

Anna smiled and stifled a giggle. "Not as surprised as some of the old guard here! It's actually refreshing to see everyone so motivated, even if it is just an exercise in self-preservation." She darted another quick glance at the clock, her frown deepening. "Sorry, Baby, I've got to run! I'm dying to hear what Captain Bexley thinks of your Tactical Treatise, I know you'll knock his socks off!"

"Fingers crossed," he replied, doing exactly that and holding them in the air.

She mimicked him, reaching out to touch her fingers to his. "Love you, Musketeer, speak to you tomorrow!"

He gave her a warm smile in return. "Love you too."

They ended the call and the winged sword of the Terran Federation appeared in the holographic display. Tom stared at it as his smile and the logo both faded away. He glanced out the window at the field of stars and let out a frustrated sigh. If it wasn't hard enough being stuck out here on the Brimorian border, hundreds of light years from his fiancée, now he had something new to worry about. He trusted Anna with his life, but he trusted Commander Archie Davenport as far as he could throw the sly bastard.

***

Edraele Valaden glanced through the loading manifest at Genthalas, noting with satisfaction that the vast haul of Trankaran metals had been successfully transferred from the Andresil Enkana. She looked out the window, her eyes settling on the golden-hulled battleship that had been manoeuvred into the shipyard's drydock, the mighty vessel now undergoing the latest round of refits. A smile crept onto her face as she imagined the devastation her tyrannical predecessor might have unleashed with such ships at her disposal. With access to upgraded engines, retro-thrusters, Tachyon drives, power cores, heat-sinks, and now potent new shields, the Maliri fleet was becoming quite formidable.

Her smile turned into a worried frown as she remembered the real enemy they were facing. While her ships might be able to utterly demolish the vessels from their neighbouring empires, against Thrall craft there would be an altogether different outcome. She was under no illusion just how devastating that kind of fleet battle would be for the Maliri... and for John.

*Don't lose hope, Edraele,* Alyssa said gently. *We've faced dire situations before and managed to fight our way out. Now we've started to uncover Thrall tech, it won't be long before we'll be churning out truly badass ships for the Maliri.*

*But we've still got so far to go,* Edraele murmured, rising from her chair and walking over to the window. *You're starting to upgrade the Invictus with variants of Thrall equipment, but that's just a single ship. How much can one battlecruiser do against goodness only knows how many hundreds or even thousands of similarly equipped vessels? Until we can mass-produce Thrall-quality ships, we stand no chance in a direct confrontation!*

*You know as well as I do that John's not playing by the normal Progenitor rulebook,* the blonde replied, undaunted by her fellow matriarch's bleak assessment of their situation. *Who'd bet on a teenage girl in a gunship against a million battle-hardened Kintark in a fleet full of capital ships? I would, when it's my friends...*

Edraele's smile returned as she thought about the irrepressible redhead. *And you'd be right to do so. You can tell a lot about a person by the company they keep... and your closest companions are magnificent.*

*That includes you too, Edraele,* Alyssa insisted. *You might not be physically with us, but you're a constant presence in our minds. I know how much John appreciates your support... and he's not the only one.*

*You're very kind, Alyssa,* the Maliri Queen said, her heart warming at the blonde's earnest praise. *I hope you know how much I care about you too.*

*Likewise, beautiful,* Alyssa said with a happy sigh. She hesitated for a moment, then continued cautiously, *I was actually hoping to ask your advice about something; it's important... and it's for John.*

*I'm all ears,* Edraele replied, smiling as she remembered John using that Terran idiom.

The blonde giggled and when she explained what she was planning, the Maliri laughed too. *You think he'll like his surprise?* Alyssa asked, a nervous undercurrent to her voice.

*He adores you, Alyssa. You know you hold a special place in his heart,* Edraele said affectionately. *Yes, I think he'll love your surprise.*

*In that case, I better call dibs on lunchtime!* the blonde exclaimed, sounding eager now. *Dana already sucked him dry this morning!*

The door to Edraele's study opened and Luna glided inside, long ago granted permission to enter freely without asking. "Ceraden has arrived, he's waiting for you in the audience room."

"Ah, wonderful. Thank you, my love..." Edraele said with a brilliant smile.

"You look much happier, my Queen," Luna purred, walking over to her lover with an exaggerated sway of her hips. "It's lovely to see."

Edraele turned and pulled the assassin into a close embrace, dipping her slightly as she gave the yellow-eyed Maliri a smouldering kiss.

"Mmm, you are in a good mood," Luna murmured, gazing lovingly into Edraele's purple eyes. "And so forceful this morning..."

"Having my hope rekindled has inflamed my passions... and you're an extremely beautiful woman, my deadly paramour," Edraele said with a playful smile. "After the meeting this morning, I expect to find you waiting for me in my bedroom..."

"Whatever my Queen commands," Luna whispered, punctuating her reply with a tender kiss.

Edraele released her with obvious reluctance and glanced towards the door. "I had better not keep our guest waiting..."

***

Ceraden trailed his fingers along the back of the chaise lounge, enjoying the feel of the soft luxurious fabric under his fingertips. He could only marvel at how at ease he felt, despite being in Edraele Valaden's personal quarters. Barely more than a month ago, just the thought of being summoned to the diabolical Matriarch's lair, had filled him with entirely justified dread. As astonishing as it might seem, it appeared that his old friend had somehow managed to tame the most terrifying of tyrannical despots.

The door to the study opened and Luna prowled out, politely inclining her head to Ceraden when he glanced in her direction. The dreaded assassin was another of Edraele's inner circle who'd undergone a dramatic transformation, her long flowing white hair making her look positively radiant. However, it wasn't just her appearance that had changed; the whimsical smile on her lovely face was a testimony to the profound personality shift that seemed to be sweeping through the upper echelons of Maliri society. Luna gave him a playful wink and Ceraden couldn't help watching the seductive sway of her hips as she sauntered out of the room.

"She's a naughty girl," Edraele purred, her rich, mellifluous voice coming from just behind his shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll find an appropriate way of punishing her for being such a tease."

Ceraden turned and found himself looking into Edraele's enchanting purple eyes. She was an astonishingly beautiful woman and one look at her exquisite face left him feeling quite mesmerised. Standing this close, he could see that her skin was as smooth and clear as a thirty-year-old maiden's, despite the sultry vixen being over five times that age.

He moved back a step so he could perform a sweeping bow. "You're looking absolutely resplendent this morning, Queen Edraele Valaden! How may your most devoted servant be of service to you today?"

She reached out to clasp his hand and gave it a friendly squeeze. "Enough of that, Ceraden, you can drop the flowery facade," she said affectionately. "And I've told you before to call me Edraele."

"As you wish... Edraele," he replied, returning her smile.

She glanced at the coffee table in the centre of the room, where a crystal decanter was positioned beside two fluted-crystal goblets. "I thought it too early for wine; would you care for some Natalla berry juice?" When he nodded, she gestured to the chaise lounge. "Please sit."

Ceraden watched with a sense of amused disbelief as the leader of the Maliri Protectorate calmly poured him a glass of the mauve liquid. She handed it over as he sat down, then filled a glass for herself and joined him on the comfortable sofa.

He took a sip, then nodded at the pleasant taste. "What a wonderful choice, I haven't sampled Natalla berries in years."

"I made sure we had a copious supply here at Genthalas... it's a favourite of Nyrelle's, and the other girls have taken a fancy to it too," she said, an indulgent smile on her face. "I'm attempting to indulge their cravings wherever possible; I remember how unrelenting they could be when I was pregnant with the twins."

"And how are the matriarchs faring?" he asked politely, putting his glass on the table. "I hope mothers and babies are all in the peak of health."

Ceraden was still struggling to believe that John Blake had bred four of the most powerful women in Maliri Space, but Myriana had been most insistent that his old friend was the father.

"They're positively blooming... and so happy," Edraele replied, her smile widening. She met his curious gaze and as if to answer his unspoken question, she added, "Although they all long for John's return."

He inclined his head in admiration at her perceptiveness, which earned him a modest smile.

"And how about your family?" she asked looking at him intently.

"Are you referring to my previously wayward daughters, or the dazzling beauties I had the incredible good fortune to lead astray from your shipyards?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. Ceraden tried to keep his tone light and playful, but there was an undercurrent of concern there too.

Edraele hesitated for a second then brushed her fingers across the back of his hand. "You sound unsettled, is everything alright?"

He looked away for a moment as he gathered his thoughts, fighting an inner struggle as to just how much he could trust himself to confide in her. Although Edraele seemed incredibly sincere, he couldn't help feeling a niggling doubt...

"You can trust me, Ceraden," she said softly. "I hold you in the highest esteem; I'll do whatever I can to ensure your happiness."

He shook his head, staring at her incredulously. "This is all just so surreal!"

"Tell me," she urged him, looking into his eyes. "You have my permission to speak as freely as you like. What's bothering you?"

He rubbed a hand over his face and muttered, "Everything?"

"Perhaps narrow it down just a tad?" she asked with the hint of a smile.

Ceraden couldn't help chuckling at that, then he nodded reluctantly. "I suppose I'm struggling with just how much my life has changed in the last month," he admitted, his voice quiet and introspective. "It started when I met Myriana, who is, to put it simply... a precious treasure beyond compare. She's nothing like any Maliri woman I've met before; so thoughtful, loving, and kind... I freely admit to being thoroughly besotted with her."

Edraele remained silent, but nodded as she listened attentively.

His expression grew pained as he continued, "As you know I was estranged from my daughters, all four of whom had become snide, caustic, and defiant. Then as if by magic, they're doting on their previously spurned father and desperate to apologise for all the terrible things they said and did before turning away from me. It's as if the personal demons that had corrupted them over the last two decades have been exorcised from their souls..."

"What else are you struggling with?" Edraele prompted him when he trailed off.

"I returned to Genthalas and discover that far from being the exception, Myriana has five equally delightful friends who longed to have a child with me. Not only is my budding relationship with all of them nothing like the fleeting dalliances I experienced with the noblewomen who bore my five daughters, but I now find myself being loved unconditionally... it's been absolutely intoxicating." He gestured towards the regal woman sitting beside him. "And finally, there's the enigma that is Queen Edraele Valaden..."

She smiled and gave him a knowing look. "The cruel psychopathic despot, who suddenly seems to have turned over a new leaf? You're not buying my benevolent Queen act and wondering what twisted game I'm playing?"

He chuckled and nodded. "I wouldn't have put it quite as bluntly as that, but yes, exactly."

Edraele sighed and looked at him with regret. "I know you've been anxious Ceraden. You fear that all the wonderful things that have happened to you recently are just some ruse... that at any moment, you might lose both your daughters and the women you've fallen in love with. I can only apologise for the part I played in nurturing such well-earned mistrust and suspicion."

"You told me that John was a distant relative of Mael'nerak and I've tried to believe you, but it's just so wildly implausible! That explanation simply doesn't fit with the man I've known for years... How can he be related to a villain from a child's story?" Ceraden asked plaintively. "None of this makes any sense..."

She gave him a look of sympathy. "I'm sorry, Ceraden. I've tried to shield you from the unvarnished truth because I didn't want to overwhelm you, but I think that might have been a mistake. The last thing I wanted was to leave you with doubts about the sincerity of feelings your daughters and lovers have for you."

He smiled at her and said, "If I promise not to get overwhelmed, will you tell me everything?"

Edraele studied him for a long moment trying to get a measure of the man. She finally nodded and starting speaking in a soft but clear voice. "This all began nearly four months ago, when Irillith first met John Blake at Geniya and recognised him for what he truly was..."

Ceraden listened to her in growing astonishment as Edraele explained everything that had happened, leaving nothing out. Her purple eyes watched him with concern as she relentlessly demolished his every preconception about the Maliri and their place in the universe. He was pale by the time she'd finished, giving her a wild-eyed stare, clearly teetering on the edge of a full-blown panic attack.

"You're going to break your promise, aren't you?" she asked, her voice filled with sympathy.

He held his head in his hands and breathed deep, trying to keep himself under control. "Just give me a minute... please."

"Of course," she said gently rubbing his back.

"It's just... too much..." he muttered, desperately trying to keep it together. "You died... John rules the Maliri... we're facing extermination..."

"Shh, just relax, everything's going to be okay," she whispered, her tone soothing.

Ceraden closed his eyes and tried to steady his breathing. It took a few minutes for him to calm down, then he suddenly blurted out indignantly, "I can't believe he had sex with my daughters!"

Edraele shook her head and met his furious gaze. "He didn't know who they were, remember? I arranged that, so John could heal the mental trauma they'd suffered and restore your daughters to the lovely girls they used to be. He also didn't have sex with them; only the Maliri with long white hair are part of his... harem... for want of a better word."

"Like you, Queen Edraele Valaden," he said, glancing at her curiously. "I already knew you were sleeping with him, but that's a far cry from finding out that you're..."

"... John's devoted and unflinchingly loyal follower? His adoring bedmate? The future mother of his children?" Edraele finished for him, with a coy smile. "I freely admit to being all of the above."

"And you're... connected... to all my extended family," he marvelled.

"I am," she said solemnly. "Never doubt their feelings for you, Ceraden. Your daughters are overjoyed to be reunited with their beloved father and you've thoroughly enchanted Myriana and her fellow engineers; they're head over heels in love with you."

He nodded, feeling a weight lift from his heart as the doubts faded away. Looking into her eyes, he said earnestly, "Thank you for telling me the truth. It was hard to hear, but I needed to know."

She smiled at him and gently patted his cheek. "I'm delighted to hear that. Myriana told me she was worried about you, several of your women have seen you looking... anxious."

"So this meeting was simply to put my mind at ease?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I wasn't exaggerating earlier... as one of John's friends, your happiness is important to me," Edraele said earnestly. Her eyes twinkled as she added, "But you're right, I did have an ulterior motive too."

He laughed and bowed his head to her. "I suspected as much. So what might I do for you, my Queen?"

"I'm planning on building a massive space fortress and trading base on the Terran border," she replied without preamble. "And I want you to help oversee the commercial element."

Ceraden stared at her in shock, then laughed in bemusement. "Meetings with you are never dull, Edraele!" He gesturing for her to continue. "Please, tell me more..."

***

An hour later Ceraden ambled back to his quarters, the lengthy conversation with Edraele having given him plenty to think about. When he finally reached his door and opened it with a gesture at the security sensor, he had made up his mind. The sound of animated female voices reached his ears and he strode into his quarters.

"...and the initial field tests are showing incredible shield strength!" Syndra exclaimed, her eyes bright with excitement.

"Are you still having problems synchronising the harmonics in the Shield Modulator?" Thessalia asked with interest.

Before she could reply, Ceraden called out, "Hello, my dears! I'm sorry to interrupt, but I find myself missing your soft lips..."

Myriana had been sitting on one of the sofas with her fellow engineers, but she rushed into his arms when he announced his return. "Ceraden! I missed you!"

Her welcoming kiss was matched in fervour by those he received from Syndra and Thessalia.

"And how are you this wonderful morning, lights of my life?" he asked with a loving smile.

The three Maliri engineers glanced at each other, then Myriana said softly, "You seem like a heavy burden's been lifted from you, my love. Was it helpful speaking to Edraele?"

"It certainly was... and it seems my flock of chattering Naethala-doves were behind it!" he replied, raising an eyebrow as he looked at each of them in turn.

They blushed a dark indigo and struggled to meet his questioning gaze.

He chuckled and pulled all three into a tight hug. "Don't worry, I'm not cross. Although I might need to have a word or two with John; Edraele explained about the recruiting room..."

The three women looked wracked with guilt, quickly babbling to explain that it happened before they even met Ceraden and that they'd never even touched the Protector.

"I'm teasing you, my loves," he said gently, giving each a kiss in turn. "Thank you for speaking to Edraele. She did an excellent job of convincing this cynical old fool that you really are just as genuinely wonderful as you appear to be."

Syndra gave him a flirtatious smile as she pulled away. "That sounds like something to be celebrated..."

Thessalia nodded, following after her friend as they headed for his bedroom, shedding clothing along the way. She glanced at Ceraden over her shoulder as her dress fell to the floor, her rounded hips moving with a seductive sway that did wonders for her perky bottom. "See anything you like, my Lord?"

Myriana grinned at him and grabbed his hand, tugging him after her. "Filaurel, Ioelena, and Farryn won't finish their shift for another hour... you can tell us all about accepting Edraele's offer when they return! Until then, I'm afraid you'll have to make do with just the three of us!"

Ceraden laughed and scooped the giggling young woman up into his arms, then carried her into the bedroom. With seven of them now sleeping together, one of the first things Ceraden had done to make their stay at Genthalas more appealing, was acquire a bed large enough for them all. That was where Syndra and Thessalia were waiting for him, the beautiful girls wearing nothing but an inviting smile. He walked over to join them, then climbed on the bed, placing a tender kiss on each of their toned stomachs.

When he glanced up at their beautiful faces, he saw angular eyes softened with love, a look that warmed his heart every time he saw it. He'd never had a chance to experience this intimacy with the mothers of his five other daughters and it saddened him to think that they'd all missed out.

"Do we get a kiss too?" Myriana asked him, tousling his hair with her fingers.

Ceraden turned and placed his hands on her hips, then kissed her gently, just below her navel. He imagined his baby growing inside this incredible woman, just as he'd done with their two luscious bedmates. Myriana knew what he was doing and the warmth behind her loving smile took his breath away.

"We're going to take such good care of you," she whispered, joining two other sets of nimble fingers in deftly removing his shirt.

***

Charles scanned through the preliminary surveys of the civilian docking bays, smiling with satisfaction when he saw the conclusions. 24% of the existing bays were considered to be adaptable for construction of battleship-class vessels, 42% large enough for cruisers, and 18% sufficient for destroyers. Those bays were more than adequate for his needs, allowing the last 16% to be dedicated to strike craft construction and saving him the costly effort of enlarging the existing docking facilities.

A soft chime from the desk console drew his attention, alerting him that it was now eleven in the morning. He took another longing look at the survey results and briefly considered ignoring the alarm, his mind still fully immersed in the data before him. Charles was finding it so much easier to forge ahead with his work without the ringing headaches that had plagued him for years. However, he then remembered the promise he'd made to the earnest young doctor that had saved him from that multitude of nagging aches and pains.

Rising from his chair, he picked up his bag from behind the desk and strolled out of his office. "Just heading to the gym, Victor," he said to his assistant.

Lieutenant Adams looked up from his desk, unable to keep the wry smile from his face. "The gym, Admiral? Good for you..."

"Never too late to start, Lieutenant," he replied nonchalantly. "Oh, and by the way, you can wipe that smirk off your face."

"Yes, Sir!" Victor replied, his lips thinning to a straight line, while his brown eyes sparkled with tightly suppressed laughter.

Charles strode out of his office, walking along the relatively quiet corridors towards the senior officers' gym. He'd never had occasion to use it since he'd been posted to Olympus shipyard, having neglected his personal fitness with being so busy with work. There always seemed to be one emergency or the other than he had to resolve, so for years he'd been skipping lunches and burying himself in reports. Despite the long hours he usually put in, he actually felt like he was neglecting his duties taking an hour off for the gym, which added an illicit thrill to the whole excursion.

When Charles opened the frosted double-doors into the Spa, he walked into a reception area staffed by two personal trainers, the muscular young men in the middle of a heated argument.

"I'm telling you, she must be a holo-movie star!" the blond-haired one exclaimed, leaning across the reception desk to stare at the screen, a faint blue glow illuminating his face. "Anyone that hot has got to be an actress or a model!"

"Why would an actress or a model be on Olympus?" his dark-haired colleague replied with a frown, eyes fixed on the holo-screen behind the desk. "Besides, she must be military if she's using the senior officers' gym... What was her ID?"

"I thought you let her in?" the first trainer asked, glancing in confusion at his friend.

Shaking his head, the seated man replied, "Nope. Just the Fleet Admiral with that TFNN babe."

"Dude... there's no way I'd forget talking to a goddess like that!" the blonde trainer said with a broad grin plastered across his face. "Whatever... I'm going to go ask her if she wants a personal training session!"

The seated trainer leapt to his feet. "Hey, that's not cool! I saw her first!"

Charles coughed into his hand, drawing their attention. "Excuse me, gentlemen. I'd like to use the facilities..."

Both men flushed when they realised they had company, their embarrassed gaze flitting to the rank insignia on his jacket.

The blond trainer pushed away from the reception desk and gave him a friendly smile. "Welcome to the Health Spa, Admiral. I don't remember seeing you here before... my name's Zack."

"Charles," he replied, offering his hand.

"Would you like a tour of the Spa?" Zack asked as he shook it. "We've got a sauna, a pool, relaxation tanks, the gym..."

"Thanks, but I just want to use a rowing machine," Charles said, shaking his head. "Which way are the changing rooms?"

Zack turned and pointed behind him. "First door on the left, you can't miss them. The machines are easy to use, but just give me a call if you need any help."

Charles gave him a polite nod, then headed into the changing rooms. When he'd stripped off and put on his workout gear, he followed the signs to the gym, the door opening as he approached. There were a wide variety of exercise machines there and he spotted the bank of rowing machines set up against the far wall. As he entered the gym, he realised he wasn't alone, a couple of young women were chatting together on the running machines.

He glanced their way, realising they must be the girls the trainers had been drooling over, then stumbled a step when he got a good look at them. The closest he immediately recognised as the TFNN reporter, Jehanna Elani, but the statuesque brunette running at her side immediately drew his attention. She was a couple of inches taller, with the toned figure of a swimsuit model, her impressive bust contained by form-fitting workout gear that hugged her curves like a second skin. It was hard to make out her face with Jehanna between them, but from the glimpses he saw, she was clearly another very attractive young woman.

"Hey, Charles!" Jehanna called out, giving him a friendly wave.

"Hello, Jehanna," he replied, trying not to stare at her incredible figure.

The second girl leaned forward to glance his way around her dusky friend. "Hi."

Charles' mouth fell open in shock, his heart skipping a beat. The hazel-eyed temptress giving him a shy smile was by far the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. He found himself lost in her inquisitive feline eyes, all rational thought scattered from his mind, leaving him helpless as he basked in her glorious presence.

The girls' giggling roused him out of his stupor and he blushed, then gave them an awkward wave goodbye as he walked over to the rowing machine. At the last moment, he changed his mind and decided to use a cross-trainer... it's position facing the two running women a pure coincidence, obviously having no bearing on his choice. He managed to tear his eyes away from the girls long enough to focus on the machine, following the instructions and starting a training program.

When he began his workout, Charles' eyes were drawn to the girls again, his breath catching when he saw the perfect hemispheres on display. Jehanna had an incredible body, but he couldn't help watching her brunette acquaintance, the shorts she was wearing clinging to the taut curves of her spectacular ass. He gazed at her gloriously toned body, those athletic legs pounding out a formidable pace without seeming to tire. She had her long hair up in a ponytail and it bounced alluringly as she ran, drawing his eyes to the muscles in her back, which rippled with every movement.

He lost track of time as he worked out, paying no attention to his own machine, his eyes busy roaming elsewhere. Each of the personal trainers came over to chat to the girls, but they were both politely rebuffed, the young women obviously uninterested in their advances. Charles couldn't help smiling as the two men were dismissed, taking surprising delight in seeing the brunette turning them down. He glanced at the mirrored wall to get another glimpse of her enchanting face, then realised to his horror that she was staring right back at him, fully aware of his scrutiny.

Charles hurried to avert his gaze, missing Lynette's shy smile turning to one of satisfaction. She glanced at Jehanna and the two girls giggled together, turning off the running machines before bounding towards the changing rooms. He sighed in disappointment that they were leaving and looked down at his cross trainer, then blinked in surprise to see that he'd been working out for 45 minutes. His muscles tingled after the exercise, the lactic acid build-up making them ache, but he was astounded that he wasn't even out of breath.

Not wanting to be late for his lunchtime meeting, he left the gym to return to the changing rooms, taking a quick shower before dressing in his uniform again. All he could think about was that mysterious girl, his mind recalling her spectacular figure and her gorgeous face. It was those bewitching hazel eyes that had really thrown him in a loop, they seemed to shift in colour from gold to brown to green, dazzling him with their intensity. He re-entered the reception area in a daze, nearly running into Jehanna who had changed into a skirt suit.

"Enjoy your workout?" Jehanna asked him with a knowing smile.

Charles was mortified to realise that she was all-to-aware he'd been blatantly staring at her friend for nearly an hour. He coughed into his hand and struggled to meet her eyes. "I did, thank you..." After a brief hesitation he continued, "Erm... who was that young lady you were running with?"

"Oh, that was... Marie. She's a relative of Lynette's," Jehanna replied, smiling at him innocently.

"Ahh..." he murmured, not sure how to ask for more details without sounding like a stalker. He decided to quickly change the subject. "I hope your new quarters are satisfactory?"

"They're perfect, thank you, Charles!" she gushed, her voice full of gratitude. "The rooms are huge!"

"Lynette requested that you be given quarters adjacent to hers, which meant giving you a senior officer's suite," he explained, relaxing now he could talk about something that wasn't horrendously embarrassing. "Your new office should be ready tomorrow; it's right next door to the Fleet Admiral's and includes a recording studio."

"You've been so helpful, thank you!" Jehanna rushed over to him and gave him a grateful kiss on the cheek. "I'm actually heading back to Terra this afternoon for a meeting at the TFNN Tower, so the timing couldn't be any better. I'll look forward to settling in when I get back."

Before he could say anything more, Lynette appeared from the ladies changing rooms and walked over to join them. "Hello, Charles, Jehanna..."

The reporter gave her a friendly wave. "How was the sauna?"

"It was very nice," the brunette replied, studiously avoiding looking at Charles.

Jehanna's brown eyes sparkled with amusement. "I'll say goodbye for now, Lynette. I've got a shuttle to catch!"

"See you tomorrow," the Fleet Admiral said, sharing a smile with her. She watched Jehanna leave, then turned to look at Charles. "Are you ready to go for lunch? I can't wait to hear how the Olympus expansion is progressing."

Charles glanced behind her at the changing rooms she'd just vacated. "I, err... wanted to apologise... to Marie."

"Apologise?" Lynette asked, arching an eyebrow and trying to keep a straight face. "Whatever for?"

He blushed again, clearing his throat uncomfortably. "I was... accidentally... watching her run. I just wanted to apologise if I made her uncomfortable."

Lynette grinned at him and shook her head. "Don't worry, she was flattered. Come on, let's go to lunch." She headed for the door, beckoning him to follow.

***

Henry Voss read through the fourth of the new patent-acceptance notices, an acquisitive smile appearing on his face. Of course, the new super-lubricant was a unique innovation, but he'd had his team of patent lawyers search to make sure there were no theoretical patents that could possibly claim infringement. He knew that with the right marketing, this patent would be worth an obscene amount of money; the number of applications were almost endless.

Swiping across the holo-panel with a flick of his fingers, he forwarded the patent notices, then opened the next message, this one from the Director of Manufacturing at Interspace Aeronautics. His smile broadened as he read the Director's astonished reaction to the schematics he'd received, which detailed a radically advanced robotic assembly line. The message was almost cringeworthy in its effusive praise, with numbers like 200% increase in production casually bandied about. The Director had even gone so far as to announce that they'd already begun the upgrade of their primary fabrication plant.

He closed down the message and moved on to the next, which was from the Director of Research and Development at Orbital Galactica. Henry had sent him the formula for a new lightweight titanium alloy, as well as the schematics for advanced energy-efficiency modulators, so he was looking forward to reading his feedback. Just as Henry was about to open up the message, the door to his office opened and his assistant cautiously entered.

When she saw he wasn't on a call, Abigail gave him a warm smile and said, "I made you a coffee, Sir."

"I don't know what I'd do without you, Abi," Henry replied, giving her a grateful smile in return.

Abigail glided over to his desk and was about to place the coffee mug on a plain wooden coaster when she paused, studying it for a moment. Her finger traced the crudely painted words:

To the best daddy in the galaxy. Love, Rachel.

Henry glanced at it, his smile turning wistful. "My daughter made it for me when she was six. It's the last birthday present she gave me."

The young woman picked up the coaster as if it were made of glass. "This is too precious to ruin with coffee stains. Would you let me get this preserved for you?"

Touched by her sincerity, he nodded. "That's a lovely idea, thank you. You can just leave the mug on the desk."

She frowned at the expensive wooden desk and seemed reluctant to risk marking the lustrous mahogany surface. Henry laughed and just took the mug from her, their fingers touching briefly. Abigail glanced at him and their eyes met for a moment, before she slowly withdrew her hand.

Reaching into her suit pocket she pulled out a data stick and slid it across the desk towards him. "Meredith was served this morning, Sir. Her reaction to your lawyers breaking the reward clause of the pre-nup was... explosive; she never expected you to call for an annulment on charges of fraud. Her subsequent eviction from your estate was also filmed; the recordings are on the data stick."

Henry glanced down at the device and stared at it for a long moment. He let out a heavy sigh and picked up the stick then gave his assistant a strained smile. "Thank you, Abigail. You've gone above and beyond as usual."

Taking it for the dismissal that it was, she turned towards the door, but hesitated before walking away. "Mr.Voss... may I speak freely?"

He looked up at her, startled by the odd catch in her voice. "Of course."

She nibbled at her bottom lip for a moment, then blurted out, "You really loved her, didn't you?"

Henry turned the data stick in his hand then slowly nodded. "I thought she was happy, but it was all a lie... She was a very good actress." His voice had a bitter edge to it as he added, "Meredith showed her true colours with her total disrespect for me and our marriage as soon as she thought she was getting her big payday. As they say, there's no fool like an old fool..."

Abigail reached out and gently placed her hand over his, then pulled the data stick from his unresisting fingers. "Don't watch this, Henry. Remember her as she was, before it turned ugly."

He watched her for a moment, then nodded and looked away. "Thank you, Abigail."

There was silence between them for a long moment as Henry lost himself in a flood of memories, until he felt the soft brush of her lips against his cheek. He turned around to look at his assistant in surprise, her beautiful face only inches from his.

"We're not all like Meredith," she breathed, her blue eyes gazing intently into his. "Please don't give up on love..."

"The lecherous boss seduces his beautiful Personal Assistant? I can't do that to you, Abi, it's such a sad cliché," he said quietly, shaking his head. "Besides, you're much too young to saddle yourself with an old fool like me."

She could see the doubt in his eyes, the unspoken accusation that she was simply another gold-digger attracted to him only for his wealth.

"You're no fool... and you've got the vitality and drive of men half your age," she said with an adoring smile. "You're a very powerful, dynamic man, Henry... assisting you for these last three years has been thrilling!"

He brushed his fingers across her cheek, feeling the softness of her supple skin. "I have nothing but the greatest respect for you, Abigail. You're an extremely bright, capable, and thoughtful young woman... but you're only six years older than my daughter. I can't drive Rachel away again; I love her too much to risk hurting her, no matter how much I might be attracted to you."

She turned and gently kissed his fingertips. "Rachel wants you to be happy... she knows how I feel about you and gave me her blessing. I swear I won't do anything to jeopardise your relationship with her, and I made that same promise to your daughter." With that she turned and sashayed towards the door, flicking her raven hair to one side and glancing at him flirtatiously over her shoulder. "Oh, and just for the record, it's not you doing the seducing..."

He rose from his chair. "Abi, wait..."

She raised a hand to stop him. "I paid Judge Bartleby from the discretionary fund and he accelerated the annulment; you'll be a single man in two days." Abigail made eye-contact with him. "I'm taking two days leave to give you some space to think about what you want from life... and if you see a place for me at your side."

"Two days! You know I can't manage without you, Abi!" he exclaimed, then faltered as he realised just how true that was.

"You'll be fine, Henry." She gave him a wry lopsided smile. "Don't forget to talk to Rachel, you'll be amazed at how insightful she is."

Before Henry could say another word, Abigail slipped through the door and closed it quietly behind her. He slumped back in his chair and stared into the distance for a few minutes, stunned by the sudden dramatic declaration by his lovely assistant. If he was being honest, he couldn't deny that he'd been strongly attracted to her from the day he hired her, but she'd become so much more over the years.

Up until an hour ago, if anyone had asked him if he trusted his PA, he would have said yes in an instant. But the thought of her being a romantic partner triggered dark memories of his disastrous history with women. As soon as Abigail expressed an interest in him, she became associated with a host of negative emotions: grief, guilt, and remorse for his part in Catherine's death and his feelings of loss and revulsion after Meredith's debauched destruction of their marriage.

Feeling overwhelmed, he glanced at the comms interface and made a snap decision, swiping across his daughter's name on his list of contacts. The call didn't take long to go through and a stylised Lion icon appeared for a second, before a purple-hued girl with big luminous eyes answered.

"Hi Mr. Voss! Did you want to speak to Rachel?" Faye asked, giving him a sunny smile.

"I would, thank you," he replied, startled by her effervescent nature.

"No problem!" she exclaimed. "Just hold on a moment..."

He only had to wait a few seconds, then Faye waved him goodbye, her image fading away.

Rachel appeared on the holo-screen an instant later, her voluminous brown hair looking ruffled. She glanced off-screen and put her finger to her lips. "Shh! Be good, It's my father!"

"Is this a bad time, Rachel?" he asked with concern.

Dana suddenly appeared on the screen as well, putting her arm around his daughter. "Hey, Henry! I just got the patent notices... you didn't have to put them in my name! That was really awesome, thanks!"

"I couldn't take credit for your genius," he said solemnly. "My lawyers will be in contact shortly to discuss terms for exclusive licensing."

The redhead blew a kiss at him. "You're totally my favourite father-in-law!"

She gave him a cheerful wave, then disappeared from view, letting Henry focus on his daughter again. He saw her grey eyes watching him intently, the ferocious intellect behind that gaze never more apparent.

"Abigail finally told you, didn't she?" Rachel asked with the hint of a smile. "Good for her."

***

"I don't remember seeing this place before," Lynette said, glancing around the rustic aesthetic of the Mexican restaurant, complete with stucco walls and weathered wood timbers.

"It only opened about three months ago," Charles replied, taking a seat opposite. "There's a nice selection of Terran restaurants in the trade plaza."

"Perhaps we could encourage some to open that specialise in alien cuisine?" she suggested, glancing out the window at the bustling food court. "I know most of the alien traders stick to the periphery, but with the Olympus expansion, we'll be seeing a lot more aliens in the Core Worlds."

He nodded approvingly. "That's a great idea. It would certainly make them feel more at home."

Lynette gave him a playful smile. "I like to think I'm adventurous with trying different foods, but I'd have to draw the line with Ashanath cuisine." She wrinkled her nose. "Fungus and lichen... yummy!"

Charles laughed, his moustache twitching. "At least it's edible. Ornalith rock cake... that's my limit!"

She giggled, then coughed self-consciously to cover it up. Fortunately, her dining companion seemed a little distracted and he didn't notice this time.

"We can start putting out feelers with the alien embassies, they might have some suggestions for how to encourage more exotic restaurateurs," he said, glancing at the waiter to get his attention. "I'll mention it to Lina, she's eager to get started on her new role."

Lynette experienced a sudden intense flash of jealousy that startled her with the strength of the emotion. She desperately fought it down, trying to remind herself that it was just an innocuous comment from Charles. But then again, there was clearly something on her fellow Admiral's mind... maybe he was thinking about that redheaded strumpet right now?! Perhaps Lina had jumped his bones after their dinner together the other night and already got her claws into him!

*Easy there, beautiful...* Alyssa said softly, a soothing wave of calm accompanying her melodic voice. Her light laughter echoed through Lynette's mind a moment later. *Remind me to thank John again for making it so we can't get jealous of each other! He's a lot wiser than he looks.*

Lynette ordered fajitas and a fruit juice, while darting Charles an anxious glance to see if he'd noticed her flare of jealousy. He seemed completely oblivious however and was actually caught by surprise by the waiter's polite request for his order. It was quite clear to her that Charles was troubled by something, as he wasn't acting himself at all.

After the waiter returned with their drinks, Lynette took a sip of her pineapple juice, enjoying the sweet taste. "So, Charles... where are we at with the Olympus project?"

Roused from his thoughts, he gave her an apologetic smile. "Sorry Lynette, I was away with the fairies." He paused for a moment, then replied, "The preliminary surveys of the civilian docking bays are complete. We're lucky that there's a broad mix of bay sizes; the percentages roughly correspond to the ratios of capital ships to cruisers and destroyers, which means we won't have to waste time and money on expensive renovations."

"I sense a 'but' coming," Lynette noted with a flicker of a smile.

He shook his head, taking a sip of his drink before continuing, "We're actually in great shape to start... but I'm thinking we should stagger the conversion of civilian bays for military purposes. Perhaps allocate sets of bays into phased rollouts..."

She listened with interest. "Why would we do that? Surely we want to ramp up fleet construction as quickly as possible?"

"We'll deprive Olympus of valuable docking fees every time we convert a docking bay and the rate we can reconfigure each docking bay into a usable drydock is limited," he patiently explained. "If we act too quickly, scores of bays will stand idle for months; we won't have the facilities built in time and there won't be the engineering crews available to work the new drydock areas."

Lynette gave him an appreciative nod. "It's a good job I have an expert administrator on hand to oversee the upgrades."

He smiled at the compliment. "Thank you, Lynette. By the way, I think you've made an excellent choice assigning Admiral Van Den Broeck to oversee the civilian side. Lina's really impressed me with her enthusiasm; I'm looking forward to working with her over the next few years."

Another quick telepathic caress from Alyssa helped the Fleet Admiral regulate her wild surge of envy and self-doubt. She gritted her teeth and did her best to return his guileless smile. "I'm glad you approve."

The conversation for the rest of the meal was relatively subdued, touching on mundane items related to the shipyard refit. Lynette was having a hard time keeping her emotions under control, while Charles was definitely troubled by something, gazing distractedly into the distance on more than one occasion.

Lynette frowned when she realised it was nearly one o'clock, signifying the end of their lunchtime meeting. Deciding to just put herself out of her misery, she blurted out, "Charles, you've been very distracted today... Is there something on your mind?"

He shot her a guilty look, his expression torn with indecision before he finally replied, "Actually there is... I was just-"

"Charlie! What a coincidence!" Admiral Van Den Broeck gushed, the statuesque redhead sashaying between the tables to join them. "I was just on my way to see you!" When she reached the table, she glanced at Lynette and gave her a coy smile. "Ah, Fleet Admiral Devereux... Sorry for interrupting, I didn't see you there. I hope you enjoyed your meal?"

"It was very pleasant, thank you," Lynette managed to choke out.

"Wonderful." Lina turned to Charles and playfully trailed her fingertips up his arm as if to get his attention. "It looks like you're finished with lunch, Charlie. Any chance I can borrow you this afternoon?"

"Borrow me?" he asked, smiling at her and raising an eyebrow.

She flashed her pretty green eyes at him. "Everyone knows you're the man that gets things done around Olympus. I was hoping I could pump you for information on how to implement all my new ideas."

Charles glanced at Lynette and smiled. "It sounds like it's an emergency. Same time again tomorrow?"

*Quick! Ask him out for a drink tonight!* Alyssa blurted out. *It'll put a time-limit on Lina's afternoon with Charles and fuck up her seduction plans!*

Lynette rose from her chair, placing her napkin on her plate. "Lunch was lovely, thank you, Charles." She paused as if a sudden thought had come to her. "If you're free this evening, I was wondering if you'd like to have that celebratory drink you mentioned?"

His expression brightened and he quickly nodded. "Of course! Is seven okay? I can meet you at your quarters, then we can head out from there."

She tried not to let a triumphant smile spread across her face when she saw Lina's sudden frown of irritation. "That sounds perfect, see you then."

Lina hooked her arm through Charles' as they walked away, but the backwards glance over her shoulder at Lynette was speculative rather than victorious. The feisty redhead had a tight-lipped smile on her face as if she were re-evaluating her assessment of the Fleet Admiral as a competitor for Charles' affection.

***

Deep Lord Athgiloi grimaced as he strode into the ancient chamber and approached his dais. The normal feelings of wonder when he entered the Deep Pool's audience hall were curiously absent today, as he was dealing with such disturbing problems that he had no room left in his mind for awe.

"We commence this gathering, paying homage to the wild seas," he intoned reverently, his cold black eyes glancing around at the other Brimorians in attendance. His lip curled in anger when he saw the perfunctory bows from the other members of the Deep Pool, showing the barest minimum of respect.

Lord Rilosash wasted no time in snapping, "I warned you about John Blake! But you refused to listen!"

Lord Sibhaloi nodded, glowering at his leader. "He played you for a fool! You gave away our prized shield technology and got nothing in return! The Vulkat's crystal manufacturing tech is useless!"

"Not necessarily," Athgiloi protested, shaking his head. "We might not have the psychic personnel to operate the device, but there's always the Ashanath or the Bolons. With the right financial inducements to their people we might yet be able to grow eternity crystals..."

Rilosash ground his teeth and snarled, "That's the least of our concerns! Your rampaging Buletark used our technology to absolutely demolish the Kintark! If you'd refused him entry to the Enclave as I requested, we'd be picking over the carcass of the Terran Federation!"

"What glib allegory have you got for us now, Deep Lord?" Lord Paotegh taunted with a sneer. "The Kintark Megacaradon might be slain and its Terran rival badly mauled, but it appears John Blake was the third challenger all too ready to establish his dominance!"

Athgiloi quivered with fury at their impertinent tone, but the most galling realisation was that they were essentially correct. "I admit, I might have miscalculated his strength," he conceded, to a chorus of indignant disbelief. Raising his voice, Athgiloi continued sternly, "BUT... we have not actually lost anything! Not a solitary ship, nor a single Brimorian marine has been sacrificed in battle, and yet, two of our neighbours lie broken, each a shadow of their former strength!"

"So, how do you propose to capitalise on the aftermath of the Battle of Terra?" Lord Semord asked, his voice uncharacteristically curt. "We all saw the devastation that Blake unleashed on the Kintark when they invaded Terran Space... if we follow our previous plan, it's inevitable we'll face his wrath!"

Squaring his shoulders the Deep Lord held his head high. "I see two courses of action ahead of us. First and foremost, is the opportunity for substantial gains at the expense of the Kintark..."

"Such a betrayal would never be forgiven!" Lord Rilosash hissed, his black eyes widening at the suggestion. "If we should fail, we'll face their eternal enmity... Are you absolutely certain that we can annihilate them?"

"The Emperor committed all his forces in a disastrous gambit," Athgiloi replied firmly. "The Empire has been entirely denuded of ships... our spies have not seen so much as a single military vessel in weeks!"

Lord Semord considered the idea for a moment, then cautiously stated, "It will take us at least two weeks to reposition our hunting fleets from the Terran border to be ready for a Kintark invasion..."

Athgiloi shrugged, his confidence growing. "Two weeks won't save the Kintark. How long does it take to construct a new cruiser? I'd say at least four months? And it will take more than a handful of cruisers to stop the might of our fleets!" He allowed himself a grin at the thought of all those unprotected worlds. "The Kintark Empire's soft underbelly is exposed; between us, the Terrans, the Maliri, and the Enshunu, they'll be consumed in a feeding frenzy!"

Lord Semord clicked his sharp teeth, then finally nodded. "I concede that annexing scores of Kintark Worlds will be a considerable boon... but what of the Terran Federation? They are all but unassailable, hiding behind the protection offered by Blake."

"Which leads me to our second opportunity for gain," Athgiloi replied, allowing the anticipation to fill his voice. "Reports indicate that the Federation lost substantial fleet assets against the Kintark. If ever there was a time to strike at the Terrans, it is now, or at least very soon. To that end I request your patience... I have been advised that the Federation is currently fighting off a Kirrix invasion; we need only bide our time and wait for further disaster to befall them. Should anything unfortunate happen to John Blake, then we'll be poised and ready to strike."

The members of the Deep Pool slowly nodded, signalling their grudging acceptance of his proposed actions.

Sensing the shift in mood, the Deep Lord raised himself up and said, "This is simply the first act in the ascendancy of the Brimorian Enclave. The Terran Federation lies battered, the Kintark Empire broken, and the Trankarans are crippled by a Kirrix invasion! Our neighbours are weak and vulnerable... while we are strong and ready!"

Rilosash darted an anxious glance at the other Brimorian Lords. "You make no mention of the Maliri, yet they are roaming the galaxy for the first time in millennia. We all witnessed the terrifying firepower at their disposal... not even our alpha-shielded vessels could stand against them!"

Athgiloi shook his head and said condescendingly, "The Maliri are no threat to us. As galling as it was for us to accede to Maliri forces traversing Brimorian Space, Queen Edraele was simply exercising her right by treaty to pass through Enclave territory. If she were truly belligerent, why would she even bother with legal justification for that encroachment?"

"What of our plans to attack the Kintark?" Lord Semord enquired, his voice tense with worry. "How will the Maliri react to that?"

"The Maliri obviously have no love for the Kintark, as they have so convincingly demonstrated. They are hardly going to object to us attacking a common foe," the Deep Lord replied with absolute certainty. "No, we will be entirely unopposed... our victory is all but guaranteed."

He waited for a moment to see if there were any more questions, but the Deep Lords had all fallen silent, contemplating the points he'd decisively made.

"John Blake lurking in the Terran Federation makes them a poor choice of target, but we simply have to adapt to events as they present themselves." Athgiloi glanced at Lord Paotegh and his lips peeled back over his needle-like teeth in a mocking smile. "When a hungry Megacaradon roams into your hunting grounds, only a fool ignores its fearsome presence, no matter how succulent the prey. The wise hunter simply looks elsewhere for his catch, returning to familiar territory only when the threat has passed."

Paotegh bristled at Athgiloi's delivery of another smug allegory but disagreeing with the obvious wisdom of the Deep Lord's words would have made him seem the fool. His shoulders sagged and he looked down, realising he'd been outmanoeuvred by a political master.

"Make your preparations for war, my Lords," Athgiloi said with a wicked smile of anticipation. "The Brimorian Enclave is on the cusp of a glorious victory the likes of which the galaxy has never seen!"

When the members of the Deep Pool bowed to him, this time each of the Brimorian Lords did so with respect. Athgiloi's smile broadened at their change in attitude and bowed to them in return before leaving the chamber. He strode through the high-arched doorway then down the corridor towards his personal quarters.

Arriving at the ornate doorway, he reached for the handle set amongst pearl-encrusted scenes of Brimorians armed with tridents hunting ferocious aquatic predators. Pushing it open, his eyes darted around the dimly-lit room as he searched for Celphna. To his astonishment, he saw her kneeling before Athgiloi's personal throne, offering a goblet on a platinum dish to the cowled figure that lounged there. He'd never seen Celphna so much as acknowledge another person without his permission, let alone behave this deferentially towards anyone.

Fighting down a white-hot surge of anger, he entered his quarters and closed the door behind him. "Lord Larn'kelnar, this is a pleasant surprise," he muttered, trying not to make an indignant click in his throat.

His unsettling ally studied Celphna intently. "I was just admiring your pet, Deep Lord. She really is quite fascinating..."

"Celphna was a gift from Emperor Baledranax," Athgiloi said cautiously as he walked across the room.

Pulling back his cowl, Larn'kelnar leaned forward and gestured towards the kneeling Brimorian female. "Come closer, pet."

Athgiloi felt his tube-shaped heart convulse in his chest as the Progenitor reached out to place a hand on Celphna's scaled forehead. Larn'kelnar's eyes glowed with a faint grey light and he appeared to be staring at something only he could see.

"Such an innovative solution," he murmured, the admiration quite apparent in his voice. He slowly withdrew his fingers, then turned to give the Brimorian leader a sly look. "Do you know what she is, Deep Lord?"

"The Terrans call them Nymphs; shapeshifters whose only desire is to please their master," Athgiloi replied nonchalantly, determined to show his guest that he was not to be underestimated. "I had thought them to be extinct until she was presented to me."

Larn'kelnar inclined his head, an enigmatic smile on his face. "Still working as intended after all these years..."

He took the goblet from the platinum tray then rose gracefully from the throne. Celphna stood as well, turning to watch the Progenitor as he walked over to one of the curved windows that offered a spectacular view of Sequathis. Athgiloi felt a thrilling sense of elation as the Nymph's blank expression turned to one of joy when she laid eyes on him.

"This one missed you, Master!" she gasped, her eyes as black as the darkest depths of Brimor's oceans.

Athgiloi resisted the urge to embrace her and ordered imperiously, "Fetch me a glass of the same beverage, Celphna."

She bowed to him respectfully, but he could see her lips curl into a smile at his authoritative tone.

"Were the Deep Pool as quarrelsome as we expected?" Larn'kelnar asked, paying no further interest to the Nymph. He sipped his drink and gazed out at the dazzling swirl of the city lights.

"They soon fell into line," Athgiloi replied, although his tone wasn't as confident as his bold words. "Thankfully they never asked, but... are you certain that John Blake won't seek retribution for the cut-off devices we concealed in the shield generators? The Kintark would have definitely attempted to deactivate them... the fact they failed must mean Blake discovered and neutralised them."

"I have plans in motion to take John Blake out of the equation," the Progenitor replied, glancing his way and smiling. "Then you'll be able to pillage the Terran Federation at your leisure..."

***

Jehanna Elani stepped out of the hover-cab and slipped her bag over a shoulder. She glanced up the sweeping flight of stone steps that led to the entrance of TFNN tower and felt sick at the sight of the wanton destruction. T-Fed Special Forces following Buckingham's orders had opened fire on the building, blasting the tall bronze doors off their hinges and leaving a hideous mosaic of bullet holes across the marble walls of the reception area.

She walked slowly up the steps and entered the building, following a path swept through the destruction. Two armed security guards stood inside the debris-strewn reception, watching as construction crews cleared away the broken rubble. The closest glanced her way as she approached, then his face lit up in a broad smile of recognition.

"Miss Elani!" he exclaimed, striding over to greet her. "We all heard about your abduction! You're a real sight for sore eyes!"

"Good to see you too, Andre," she said, returning his smile. Her gaze flickered to the devastated foyer and her smile died. "I'm so glad you weren't hurt in all this."

His expression shadowed with grief. "I'd finished my shift... Zander, Nia, and Darnell didn't make it."

"Oh God, no..." she murmured, her voice thick with emotion as she remembered the friendly team of security guards. Come rain or shine, they'd always greeted her with a cheerful hello and some jovial banter to start the morning.

"There's a service for them this Sunday... they'd have been honoured if you could make it," Andre said, reaching out to rub her arm in sympathy.

Jehanna nodded, blinking away the tears. "I'll be there, I promise."

He gave her a sad smile, then turned back to speak with his colleague.

Picking her way through the shattered marble tiles, Jehanna walked past the demolished reception desk, trying not to look too closely at the faded bloodstains on the floor. In the lobby beyond, the lifts were out of service, so she followed the staircase up to the next level. There were more signs of fighting up here, with a line of bullet holes stitched across the gallery-level walls. She walked up several more flights until finally reaching the TFNN newsroom.

These doors had been torn down too and now the battered remains were propped up against the wall. Peeking through the doorway, she spotted the TFNN Editor-in-Chief talking to her co-Anchor,

Bill Armstrong, whose left shoulder and arm were swathed in a white cast.

"Hey Chief," Jehanna said with a self-conscious smile, as she walked over to join the pair.

"Jehanna!" Avery exclaimed, opening his arms and hugging her tight. "I was so worried about you!"

Bill and Jehanna gaped at each other in astonishment, having never seen him be that demonstrative with his affections before.

Avery held her for a long moment, then reluctantly released the young woman. He happened to catch Bill's incredulous stare, so he cleared his throat and snapped, "You better have something good for me!"

"I do, don't worry, Chief," Jehanna said with a smile. "Why don't you grab a coffee? I'll meet you in your office in a couple of minutes."

He looked at her in surprise, then scowled at the two reporters and stomped off towards his office, yelling at a startled intern to make him a drink.

"You look incredible, Jehanna," Bill murmured, studying her in admiration. "I can't believe you were kidnapped only last week; you look the best I've ever seen you! Camera-ready without any makeup!"

"Perhaps being tortured agrees with me?" she joked.

He suddenly looked aghast and gave her a one-armed hug. "God, I'm such an insensitive ass," he mumbled. "Sorry, J, will you forgive me? We were all worried sick when you went missing."

"There's nothing to forgive, Bill," she replied, embracing him back while trying not to aggravate his shoulder. She placed a gentle hand on his cast. "You poor thing, I can't believe you were shot."

"You know me... anything for the sympathy ratings," he replied, trying to make light of it, but Jehanna could see that his confidence had been badly shaken. She brushed her fingers against his cheek and continued, "I need to speak with Avery but we'll catch up afterwards, okay?"

He nodded, giving her a grateful smile. "It's really good to have you back. It wasn't the same around here without you."

Jehanna glided across the newsroom, exchanging subdued waves and smiles with the handful of reporters that were in the office that day. There was a mournful air pervading the place, so unlike the feverish excitement that normally sent an electric thrill through her body. She could see more signs of fighting here, with several overhead lights broken and bullet holes marking the walls. The door to Avery's office had been kicked open, the lock broken, but she was able to push it quietly shut behind her after walking inside.

Avery was standing by the long windows, watching the evening sun cast long shadows from the city's skyscrapers. Jehanna walked over to stand beside him, then slipped her hand into his as she stared at the lights flickering on to hold back the dark of night.

He glanced down at their joined hands in surprise, then looked at her with concern, picking up on her sombre mood. "Are you sure you're alright, Jehanna?"

She hesitated then shook her head. "No, not really. My friends were attacked while making a stand for free speech and I feel like I let everyone down by not being here with you."

"That's the last thing I would've wanted," he said gently. "I would never have forgiven myself if you'd been shot for presenting a story I'd approved."

"Like Bill?" she asked, giving him a lopsided smile.

Avery winced and shook his head. "Don't... I feel terrible about that."

Jehanna was startled by how genuinely upset he was, so uncharacteristic for the brash newsman. She slipped her arms around him and gave him a hug. "I don't know what I'd have done if something terrible happened to you, Avery. You've been like a father to me these last five years... I just... I'm so glad you're safe."

He smiled and gently rubbed her back. "I know exactly what you mean. I was terrified when you were abducted... I've never been more scared in my life." Pulling back to look at her face, he continued, "How bad was it?"

She gave him a brave smile. "The bed was a bit lumpy and the room service was appalling."

Shaking his head, he kept eye-contact with her. "You can talk to me, Jehanna."

Her expression softened as she saw his heartfelt concern. "I was scared, Avery. It was obvious they were going to torture me to find out what I knew about the Lion. They tried to break me with sleep deprivation and didn't feed me for several days... I made it difficult for them and got smacked around a few times, but I knew John and the girls would come for me." She made no attempt to hide the relief on her face. "And they did."

"I made a terrible mistake letting you front all that pro-Lion propaganda," Avery said, his expression deeply troubled. "I should have stopped it weeks ago... I was worried it would make you a target. I-I just didn't expect High Command to push back so hard."

She shook her head, steely determination in her eyes. "We had a responsibility to tell the people what was really going on. I didn't become a journalist to conceal the truth, I wanted to shine a bright light on it!"

"Ah, a crusader..." he noted with a wry smile. "I vaguely remember the days when I still had principles."

"You can't fool me, Avery," Jehanna replied, her tone affectionate. "You were just as eager as I was to see Buckingham brought down... and we did it... he's finally gone."

"And now we have Fleet Admiral Devereux to replace him," Avery said, stepping away from her and returning to his desk. "I wonder how long it'll be before absolute power corrupts her too..."

"Trust me, she's nothing like Buckingham," the dusky reporter insisted, shaking her head. "Lynette's a crusader like me... but she's campaigning for humanity and our place in the galaxy."

Avery raised an eyebrow. "So it's 'Lynette' now is it? It must be nice to know the Fleet Admiral on a first-name basis."

"You're looking at her new Press Liaison," Jehanna replied with a proud grin. "I've been given a permanent office next to hers on Olympus... and unrestricted access to the Admiralty!"

He whistled appreciatively. "How on Terra did you manage that?!"

"The Lion saved her life... and he called in a favour, putting in a good word for me," she replied, her brown eyes twinkling with excitement. "I've been a very busy girl for the last two days..."

Avery studied her for a moment, his lips lifting into a knowing smile. "Alright, what've you got for me?"

Jehanna reached into her bag and started to pull out data-sticks, describing each one as she handed them over. "An interview with the Lion inside Tartarus, Buckingham's highly-illegal secret research base. Exclusive Lioness interviews... with every single one of them. Footage taken from the Lion and Lionesses helmet cams during the Battle of Terra." She dug around for the last one, then grinned as she placed it in his hand. "And the first official interview with Fleet Admiral Devereux!"

He stared at her wide-eyed with astonishment, then fumbled with one of the data-sticks, slotting it into his desk console. Avery watched the first minute of the interview with John, then he broke out into a huge grin. "Your desk is going to be groaning under the weight of all the awards you'll get for these! Outstanding work, Miss Elani!"

She beamed back at him. "Surely you'd expect nothing less, Chief?"

Avery rose from his chair and strode over to the door. He glanced back at her and gave her a playful wink, then inhaled deeply and threw the door open with a crash. "Intern? Where's my goddamn coffee?! I didn't ask you to grow the bloody coffee beans first!"

"Right here, Mr. Gibson, Sir!" the intern gasped, rushing over with the mug and wincing when the hot drink slopped onto his hand.

Looking at him with disdain, Avery carefully took the mug then handed over a data stick, making sure to place it in the intern's hand that hadn't been doused in coffee. "Get this to programme scheduling! Tell them to run it on the 9pm timeslot!"

"But the programme schedule was finalised an hour ago!" the intern protested, his eyes widening.

"They better get cracking then!" Avery roared at the shocked young man. He glowered at him and added. "What're you still doing here? Get moving!"

"Yes, Mr. Gibson, Sir!" the young man gulped, before turning tail and running across the newsroom.

Avery slammed his office door behind him, then relaxed and gave Jehanna a furtive smile. "I do have a certain reputation to uphold..."

She gaped at him in surprise, then burst out laughing.

***

John pictured the sweeping barrel of a Tachyon Lance in his mind, remembering the graceful shape of the fluted grooves that ran for six-metres before ending in an intricate muzzle. Dana had showed him the updated schematics earlier that afternoon, practically dancing with glee as she described the embedded flux heat-exchangers that were intended for those channels. While his Chief Engineer had been working to modify the original Thrall blueprints, she'd suddenly had a brainwave, miraculously inventing the next generation of heat sink.

Alyssa kept her eyes fixed on the Crystal Alyssium she was shaping, her brow deeply furrowed with concentration. "John... how many of Dana's inventions are actually her idea? Or do you reckon they're all Progenitor hand-me-downs?"

John didn't answer straight away, his jaw clenched tight as he forced the liquid metal to match the shape in his mind. Re-formed for the fifteenth time, the Crystal Alyssium moved like molasses, the densely packed Etherium lattice fighting him every step of the way. It was like using a feather to bend a steel beam and was using every bit of his willpower to maintain the telekinetic shaping. With a tortured groan he finally released his will, letting the newly-shaped barrel float to the floor. He leaned heavily against an ore container and inhaled deeply, then slowly let it all out as he tried to steady his breathing.

"It's hard to say," he finally replied, wiping the sweat from his brow. "All the military tech is probably Progenitor-related, but not everything she's come up with has been intended for combat. She invented the armour-equipping frames after reverse-engineering Kirrix carapaces, then there were the grav-tubes, the air-filtration system, and the holo-disguise for Lynette." Glancing her way, he added, "Why do you ask?"

Alyssa floated the completed Tachyon Lance barrel over to the stack of eight they had already created. "I was just thinking... about the future." She tottered over to him and slumped against the same crate, resting her head against his shoulder. "When you finally unlock all the Progenitor tech in your mind, we're going to need Dana to start improving it to give us an edge... but what if she can't?"

He put his arm around the troubled blonde. "It's not like you to have doubts, you're normally our cheeriest cheerleader. What's wrong?"

"Just tired I guess," she said, wavering unsteadily. "I'd forgotten just how hard shaping could be when you really push yourself."

"Yeah, I know the feeling," he replied, twisting his torso to ease his muscles. "But I don't get why my back's killing me when I'm shaping things with my mind."

"Rachel said it's because we lock our bodies up while we're straining to concentrate," the blonde murmured, leaning into him.

John glanced down at Alyssa, then scooped her up into his arms. "Come on, time for bed. You're dead on your feet." He looked at the orderly stack of Tachyon Lance parts with satisfaction. "We made a huge leap shaping that many times... Faye's boys have enough there to start building the first batch of guns; let's wrap the rest up tomorrow."

She rested her head against his chest. "I'm not going to argue with you there... bed sounds lovely."

"You really must be tired... that just sounded relieved rather than seductive," he noted with a playful smile as he walked out of the Cargo Bay towards the grav-tubes.

"I'm not going to be much use to you, unless you've got a secret necrophilia fetish you haven't told me about," she said with a wan smile. "I can manage 'lifeless corpse', but that's about it."

"And with that charming image in mind, I'll respectfully decline your generous invitation," he said with a chuckle.

She looked up at him in confusion. "How're you so chipper? I know you found all that shaping as hard as I did."

The anti-gravity field cast an eerie blue pall over his startled face. "I... I don't know."

*You've been carrying a heavy mental burden for the entire time I've known you,* Edraele said, her tone thoughtful. *Winning that skirmish against your Guide reduced some of that dragging weight. Perhaps that's why you're finding psychic activity easier now?*

*Right... like weight training for my mind,* John agreed, nodding as the idea seemed to fit what he was feeling. *I can't believe I might have to thank that bastard for the mental workout.*

There was a long pause for a moment, before his Maliri Matriarch replied, *I actually meant that it should be easier for you to undertake psychic tasks, now that you've reclaimed another substantial portion of your mind. I hadn't considered the possibility that being in a constant state of war with your own subconscious might have beneficial side-effects.*

*That which does not kill us makes us stronger...* John said with a grim smile. *That's basically been our motto for the last six months.*

Alyssa shook her head. "No, we discussed this before. Our motto is: 'Recruit the galaxy's hottest girls'..."

He laughed, remembering the conversation they'd had a few months earlier. "That's right, we had three others as well: forgive and forget, wipe out all bad guys, and loot all the best tech; now I guess we're adding one more to the list."

"Forgive and forget?" Alyssa asked, raising an eyebrow. "Are you sure? That doesn't sound like us."

*As I recall, it only applied to bad girls who turned over a new leaf,* Edraele said with amusement. *My daughters and I were all eligible.*

John sent her a wry telepathic smile. *Yes, the three of you proved to be quite the handful.*

"Which made taming them all the more satisfying," Alyssa said, giving him a knowing smirk.

He walked into their bedroom and set her down on the bed but couldn't help noticing her erect nipples tenting the fabric of her blouse. "It looks like someone's getting excited... Have you changed your mind about some bedroom action?"

She pulled him down for a kiss, then shook her head. "I'm feeling wasted after all that shaping. I'd like another full tummy tonight, but you'll have a lot more fun fucking one of the girls..."

John cupped her face in his hand and gave her a sympathetic smile. "Get some rest, beautiful. You pushed yourself hard today, I'm proud of you."

Alyssa quickly stripped off, then lay back on the soft sheets and stretched out with a contented sigh. "Damn that feels good..."

He watched her relax on the bed and to his surprise she was asleep in less than a minute, her chest rising and falling in a slow steady rhythm. Pulling the covers over her naked body, he tucked her in, then leaned over to give her a loving kiss on the forehead.

Alyssa murmured in her sleep, "Love you, John..."

"I love you too," he whispered, then walked quietly out of the bedroom.

Out in the corridor, he glanced at one of the overhead cameras as he walked towards the grav-tubes. "Faye, where's Sakura?"

The purple sprite flashed into view beside him. "She's in the dojo with Calara and Helene!"

"What's Helene doing there?" he asked in surprise, stepping into the gravity field.

"She spent most of the day with me getting lessons about the galaxy, so I thought she might like to watch the girls sparring before bedtime," Faye replied, her gossamer wings fluttering a blur. "I hope that was okay?"

"Of course," he quickly replied, feeling a flash of guilt. "I was just feeling bad for neglecting her. I had planned on giving Helene some attention myself, but I've been so busy shaping parts for the Shield Matrix and Tachyon Lances."

Faye shook her head and beamed at him. "I think Helene enjoyed herself today; I know I had fun teaching her. She's a bright girl and very curious about aliens and their cultures."

"Thanks for looking after her," John said gratefully, striding out onto Deck Three. "I really want her to feel happy and settled with us."

Faye swooped ahead then twirled around, so that she was hovering in front of him, a cute frown on her elfin face. "John... do you have a moment to talk?"

He stopped by the dojo door and looked at her with concern. "Is everything alright?"

Faye tangled her finger in her long purple hair, playing absent-mindedly with the tendril. "I just... I agree with what you said before, about Helene."

John folded his arms across his chest and studied the holographic sprite. "About leaving her with Edraele if we decide to start a family together?"

"Well yes, that too... but I actually meant about involving Helene in the fighting," Faye replied, her voice quiet and thoughtful. "Please don't do it."

He looked at her in surprise. "I think this is the first time you've asked me for anything. I'm not disagreeing with you, but... why?"

She nibbled at her cupid-bow lip, her expression conflicted. "Helene's not like the other girls you've rescued... she's sheltered... innocent. What happened with her and that Abandoned boy was terrible, but she's led a simple life... working crops and looking after babies. She has a charming way about her which I don't think would survive if you turned her into a battle-hardened Lioness... and that thought makes me very sad."

"I know what you mean," John said quietly, nodding his agreement. "I don't want that future for her either."

The sprite hovered closer, her big luminous eyes watching him closely. "When the fighting's done, you'll need someone around who hasn't been exposed to that kind of darkness... I think all of you will."

He winced, remembering how distraught Dana had been after the Battle of Terra. Locking eyes with the anxious girl hovering before him, he gave her a grateful smile. "You're right, Faye. Thank you, I really mean it," he said sincerely, reaching out to brush his fingers down her bare arm.

When they passed through her holographic image she giggled at his startled expression. "Yep, I still love it when you forget!"

He laughed along with her. "You need to bring your body down here so I can give you a proper hug."

"Will do!" Faye replied, waving goodbye as she blinked out of existence.

John entered the dojo's training room and nearly tripped over the block of Crystal Alyssium that had been left in the middle of the room. He frowned, wondering why it had been abandoned there, then went through the door to the sparring area. When the door opened, the ringing clash of metal striking metal reached his ears, and his attention was immediately drawn to the two women locked in combat.

Both Calara and Sakura were wearing Paragon suits, each wielding one of Sakura's training ninjato. They circled each other, with the Latina lashing out with her short blade and Sakura effortlessly parrying. John immediately recognised the basic Kenjutsu strikes and watched as Calara went through the kata. Her form was excellent, giving the impression that she'd been studying the sword for months if not years.

He waited until they had finished their set then politely applauded. "Very nice."

The two girls turned to smile at him and Calara bowed. "Thank you!"

"I can see why you enjoyed training her, she's got an incredibly retentive memory," Sakura said with an affectionate glance at her olive-skinned companion. "Believe it or not, I only started teaching her a couple of hours ago. We've been helping Dana in the workshop for most of the day."

Calara blushed at the praise, but John could see she was proud to have impressed her demanding instructor.

"I can't wait to see what you can do after a week," John said to the Latina, giving her an encouraging smile.

"Hey, John!" Helene said as she bounded over to give him a hug from where she'd been sitting by the wall. "I was going to say hello when you came in, but I didn't want to disturb you while you were watching them fight."

"Hi, gorgeous," he said, placing his hands on her shapely hips. "What did you think of the sparring?"

"Really exciting!" she gushed, her blue eyes alight. "The way they move is amazing... they're so quick and sure of themselves!"

"I think I'll find it a lot harder once we move past the basics," Calara said with a self-deprecating smile.

Sakura glided across the mat towards John and said, "Actually, while you're here, would you mind making us some more training weapons?"

"Ah, so that's what the block of Crystal Alyssium was for," John said, glancing back at the equipping room. "Sure, I'm happy to make whatever you need. Do you want another set of ninjato?"

She hesitated then shook her head. "They work for me with my speed, but Calara's got a different set of abilities. I'll start her off with a katana then we can see what weapon she's most comfortable with as her skill with a blade improves."

Walking back to the armoury, John gestured at the block and siphoned off a stream of liquid metal, shaping it into a single-edged katana very much like the one Yamamoto had used. He floated it over to Calara, who eagerly seized it in an armoured gauntlet and took a couple of experimental swipes, the blade making a satisfying swish as it cut through the air.

"Happy with that?" he asked, watching her getting used to the heavier sword.

"It's perfect, thank you!" she gushed, brown eyes sparkling with delight.

Sakura looked at the metal block a thoughtful look on her face. "There's still quite a bit left; would you mind making a few more weapons?"

John nodded and melted the block into a roiling sphere. "Sure, what have you got in mind?"

"A daikatana, a naginata, a wakizashi, and maybe a pair of ninjato just in case," she suggested, eyeing the sparkling white metal. "Have you got enough metal for all those?"

"Probably not, but I can make the extra set of ninjato for you tomorrow," he replied, as he started work on the daikatana.

"Do you know how to fight with all of them?" Helene asked the Asian girl, watching wide-eyed as John psychically forged each weapon.

"I've trained with them all, but I've always been more comfortable with a pair of ninjato," Sakura explained, twirling the short swords around in her hands. "I like to keep an opponent off-balance and on the defensive with lots of very fast strikes, so ninjato are perfect for that. If I'm more skilled than my opponent, I can defeat them quickly, then move on to the next target."

"There you go, all done" John said, leaving the freshly-shaped wakizashi on the weapon rack next to the daikatana and naginata.

"Brilliant, thank you," the Asian girl said, eyeing the weapons and giving them a nod of approval. "I'll have to think of a suitable way of repaying my favourite psychic weaponsmith..." She hesitated, glancing at Helene. "... tomorrow."

The aquatic girl blushed when John raised an eyebrow and looked her way. She slipped her hand into his and asked quietly, "Do you want to keep watching Calara train?"

"I'd like to spend some time with you," he replied honestly, gently squeezing her hand.

She gave him a lovely smile, then walked towards the bedroom, giving him an enticing look over her shoulder.

"Bye John!" Calara and Sakura called out to him, a playful note to their voices as they returned to the dojo.

He gave them a distracted wave while keeping his eyes on the teal-skinned beauty, who led him into the adjoining bedroom then over to the shower.

"Let's get freshened up first," she said, slipping her aquamarine dress off her shoulder and letting it fall to the floor. "I know you've had a hard day... you must be weary."

He started to unbutton his shirt, but Helene took over, darting him a shy smile as her nimble fingers made short work of the buttons. It didn't take long for him to be as naked as her and they stepped into the shower and activated the hot streams of water. She moved behind him and began to massage his shoulders, her delicate hands surprisingly strong; a strength earned through many years of hard work tending to the kelp beds on Brimor.

"That feels amazing," John said with a contented sigh. "Were you the village masseuse?"

She laughed and shook her head. "No, this is new. Jade's been teaching me and her sisters." Her fingers began to knead the muscles in his back. "Does that feel good?"

He groaned as she eased the tense knot he'd developed while straining with the psychic shaping earlier that evening. "Oh yeah, that's the spot..." As she continued to massage his body with her firm touch, he continued, "We were interrupted before, when I asked about your past. Would you tell me a bit about your background?"

"What would you like to know?" she asked, her fingers gliding over his muscles.

"How about your family?" he asked, closing his eyes in bliss. "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"I grew up with five brothers and four sisters," Helene replied, sounding distant as she concentrated on her massage. "The boys were Aenon, Kaerius, Leith, Orta, and Trenton, my sisters were Rillia, Yasmin, Nireta, and Naunet."

"Nine siblings," he murmured, remembering the discussion with Rachel about Abandoned population growth. "We were wondering how many children Abandoned mothers have..."

"I was actually my mother's fourteenth child, but she had six more while I lived with her. I never met her eldest children, they'd already been sent away from Coarem village by the time I was born," Helene said in a matter-of-fact voice.

"Twenty kids!" John exclaimed, glancing at her over his shoulder.

"I'm sure Riva had more children after I was sent to live in Neptra village, but I don't know their names," the aquatic girl explained. "My mother had me when she was thirty. She'd been mated with Bruinen since they both came of age."

He turned and placed his hands on her hips. "Wait a moment... so you never saw your parents again once you left their village? Coarem wasn't it?"

"Yes, that's right. At eight I was sent to Neptra village, where Elder Debha looked after me," Helene said, an affectionate smile on her face as she remembered the kindly old woman. "My sister, Yasmin, joined me a couple of years later, but she's the only sibling that was sent to my village."

"And Abandoned men and women are mated together in pairs for life? They never split up or have children with other partners?" he asked, intrigued by her people's unique culture.

She actually looked shocked at his suggestion. "No! When we're mated, we stay that way for life... unless something happens to your mate."

John saw her face fall and he knew she was thinking about her lost love. "I'm so sorry about what happened to Firon. That must have been awful."

Helene nodded, her expression deeply troubled. "Even if the Brimorians hadn't killed him, after I lost the baby and was unable to have more, Firon would have been paired with someone else." She looked away, a tear welling up in her eyes. "We thought we were soulmates and would be together forever... I was so foolish to try for a baby so young, I cost us everything."

"I can't imagine how hard that must have been, losing someone you loved so much at such a young age," he said, gently stroking her back.

"The pain lessened a little over the years, but I still often think of him. He was kind and thoughtful, always going out of his way to help people where he could; you actually remind me of him a lot." Helene caressed his broad chest and murmured, "But you're so much bigger than he was... Firon was barely a man when he was taken from me." A shadow of grief crossed her face as her voice trailed away.

"Was Firon the only man you've been with?" John asked sympathetically.

She nodded, sounding terribly sad as she replied, "I was broken and no longer able to have children. No man wanted to be with me... what would be the point?"

John gazed into her baby-blue eyes. "We're going to rescue the Abandoned from the Brimorians, but we'll need to change the way your people view women and fertility. Just because you weren't able to have children, it doesn't mean that you had no value. I thought you were a lovely girl when we first met and you've continued to impress me since then... that had nothing to do with your ability to have children."

"Which you gave back to me..." Helene breathed, gazing at him with adoring eyes.

He nodded, stroking her cheek. "I was delighted I was able to help heal you, but-"

Leaning into his embrace, she stood on tiptoe and silenced him with a kiss, parting her lips so that her tongue could flicker against his.

When they parted, she gave him a look of yearning. "I used to believe that Firon was my soulmate, but now I know that wasn't true. I thought we were in love, but I can see it was just a childish infatuation; it's nothing compared to the way I feel about you. Enough talking about my past... you're my future, John, I long to be with you."

Her full lips lifted into a shy smile and she stepped away from him and left the cubicle. The shower deactivated automatically as John followed after her, the couple quickly drying themselves before climbing onto the bed. He lay beside her, propping himself up on an elbow as he looked down at her beautiful face.

John took a moment to look at her gorgeous body, admiring the exotic hue of her skin, the greenish-blue tone reminding him of an exquisite tropical ocean. Her long green hair had spread out on the bed, but normally it reached down to the small of her back, the colour like sunlight shining through the kelp fronds she'd tended on Brimor. She was a little shorter than the rest of his girls, but she already had a stunning figure, honed to perfection after years of hard work.

Helene reached down and carefully encircled his cock with her fingers, her cheeks flushing as she felt the heavy heat against her palm. "I'm amazed this can even fit," she said in a hushed voice, staring at him in fascination.

"Women's bodies are remarkably accommodating," John said, watching her with an indulgent smile. "How else would we have any babies?"

She looked up at him with a twinkle in her bright-blue eyes. "Yes, but only after several hours of labour..."

"I can spend several hours getting you ready first," he suggested with a smile, wrapping his arms around the delectable young woman.

Helene giggled and gave him a gentle push so that he lay back in the middle of the bed. "Not right now. I wanted you from the first moment I saw you... we've waited long enough for this already."

The mood between them suddenly shifted and Helene's eyes roamed over his body, her arousal quite obvious as she flushed with mounting excitement. Leaning down, she pursed her lips and kissed his thigh, her long light-green hair brushing over his leg. She glanced up at him as she began planting a trail of kisses, travelling up to his waist, then across his torso, fixing him with her hungry gaze. She maintained eye contact as she carefully straddled his waist, bringing her glistening pussy down on the tumescent length of his cock. They both moaned at that intimate contact, knowing they were so close to being joined together.

Helene placed her hands on his chest, then tilted her hips, gliding her wet labia along his shaft. Her eyelashes fluttered as she rubbed her clit against his thick hardness and she gasped at the pleasure shooting through her body. After sliding up and down his length a couple of times, she lay down on top of him, her breasts soft and warm against his chest.

She looked down at him, her face only inches from his as she whispered, "I'd like my first time with you like this, with me on top..." As she wriggled into position, with the head of his cock pressing up against her flushed lips, Helene guided his hands to her waist. "But I want you to be in control..."

Nodding his understanding, he took a firm grip around her waist, his fingers splayed over the upper-curve of her bottom. "Just tell me if you want me to stop, okay?"

Helene nodded, her baby blues feverish with lust. As John started to slowly push down, the head of his cock spread her labia wide open and her mouth fell open with disbelief. "Oh my gosh!"

He paused, looking at her with concern. "You okay?"

"Keep going!" she pleaded, her pupils like dark pools. "It feels so good..."

Doing as she asked, he continued to push down, spreading her inner walls and making her snug pussy stretch to take his huge girth. She began to tremble as he pushed deeper than she'd ever been taken before and Helene let out a low cry as he nudged into her cervix. He paused to give her a chance to adjust, but she frantically shook her head, hair sweeping back and forth.

"More! Deeper!" she cried out, her breathing coming in heavy pants.

John applied more pressure, making her malleable cervix dilate to allow him entry into her uterus. Helene started to buck against him as he penetrated her womb, her face frozen in a look of shocked ecstasy. When he finally nudged up against the furthest depths she had to offer, his quad making contact with her trembling bottom, she let out a primal cry as she reached a mind-shattering climax. John held her as she trembled and whimpered through her release, enjoying the adorable expression of wonder on her face.

"That was incredible..." she panted, breathlessly. "Like nothing I've ever felt before!"

"Just rest a moment and get your breath back," John said, gently stroking her back. "We've only just started."

Helene let out a disbelieving laugh and relaxed on his chest, her pussy twitching with involuntary spasms in the aftermath of her release. She quickly recovered, then smiled at him as she sat up, a look of awe on her lovely face when she glanced down at the bulge his girth was making in her tummy.

John brushed the curve in her belly with his fingers. "Like I said... you're quite remarkable."

She interlaced her fingers with his, then John offered her his second hand, and she clasped it with her own.

"Ride me," he said, looking into her adoring eyes. "I want to watch you make yourself cum."

Giving him a shy smile, Helene began to gyrate her hips, letting John support her as she rocked on top of him. The angle was perfect for the nubile aquatic girl to rub her clit against his pubic bone and she soon began to let out mewling gasps as she reacted to the stimulation. Her brow furrowed as she ground her pelvis in a circle, his huge cock stretching her insides to the limit. It didn't take long until she reached her peak and she let out a keening scream as she climaxed again.

When Helene collapsed on top of him, John rolled them over so that he was on top, looking down at her beautiful face lost in a post-orgasmic daze.

It took her a little while to recover, her glazed eyes slowly regaining their focus. She looked up at him and her expression softened, filled with a tenderness that warmed his heart.

"That was wonderful," she murmured, leaning up to give him a soft kiss. "I didn't think I could love you more... but you proved me wrong."

"You looked so beautiful when you came for me," he said, gently brushing some errant strands of her silky hair away from her face.

An eager smile spread across her face. "It's your turn now!"

He gave her a loving kiss. "Only if you join me."

"Okay..." she agreed, biting her lower lip.

Helene shifted her hips and spread her legs wider, raising her thighs to cradle him between them. She curled her hands around his biceps, as if wanting to feel his strength while he was taking her, then nodded to tell him she was ready. John pulled back a few inches, then slid home again, his pubis bumping into her clit when he was fully impaled. Helene let out a little gasp at the contact and it was easy to see that she was loving every second of it.

John steadily increased his pace, pistoning smoothly in her slick, snug grip. Helene's pussy was fluttering around him as he stroked inside her, the pressure of the ribbed walls yielding to his insistent thrusts feeling amazing to them both. She watched him intently as she got more turned on, reading his own growing lust and mirroring it. That they should be so in tune surprised him and John fully immersed himself in her loving gaze, revelling in that glorious intimacy. He seemed to lose track of time as they coupled, her sinuous hips writhing underneath him as she matched him thrust for thrust.

Helene's climax was fast approaching, perfectly aligned with his, as if she were wanting to merge with him when they reached a crescendo. With a final joyful cry, John exploded with his climax, his quad pumping a huge spurt of cum into her tender womb. Feeling him shoot deep inside her triggered her own orgasm and Helene arched her back as she came, her eyes rolling back as she was overwhelmed by the power of their simultaneous orgasm.

They were locked like that for a long moment, John's quad convulsing as he filled her belly with heavy ropes of spunk. Helene's abdomen began to expand to contain it all and she cradled her curved stomach, moaning with delight as she felt her womb stretched to capacity. By the time his orgasm had reached its conclusion, she'd grown huge to accommodate his load, her cum-packed belly housing untold millions of sperm.

John carefully eased his way out of her and rolled to one side, panting heavily for breath. "I can't believe how good that was... you were breathtaking," he murmured, and now it was his turn to look bewildered.

"We're soulmates," Helene whispered, her baby-blue eyes shining with devotion. "It was perfect, just as I knew it would be."

He placed his hand on her curved tummy and she let out a blissful sigh, cuddling closer to him.

***

A deep boom rolled down the tunnel and Fat Tony felt the vibrations through the ground, telling him that the blast had been close.

"Tony, what was that?" Perl asked, hurrying forward to clutch his arm.

"Sounds like demo charges," he muttered, glancing nervously at the ceiling as streams of dust poured down from newly-opened cracks. "That blast was real fuckin' close."

Kelli let out a hacking cough, then asked in a dry scratchy voice, "Are we nearly there yet?"

"Dunno, babe... nearly," he said distractedly, peering up the tunnel.

"We've been walking for so long," Perl said with a weary sigh. "Can we stop and rest soon?"

He waved back at them. "Shut up a minute..."

The two girls froze, picking up on his tension. Tony strained to listen, then after another ten seconds, he heard the sound of voices from further along the tunnel. It was hard to make out what they were saying... so he held his breath and closed his eyes, focusing intently on the barely decipherable words.

"... charges... fast... blow... last tunnel..."

His eyes widened in alarm and he set off running. "Wait!" he yelled, throwing caution to the wind.

Fat Tony sprinted down the tunnel, frightened cries from Perl and Kelli echoing behind him. He ignored them though, knowing their life depended on him reaching the men ahead of him in time.

"Don't blow it! We're in here!" he called out, unable to keep the fear from his voice.

The torch from his SMG cast wild shadows ahead of him as he ran full-tilt towards the direction of the voices, then he barrelled around a bend in the tunnel and skidded to a halt. Four wiry men in well-worn coveralls were aiming assault rifles at him, their dusty faces twisted in fear.

"What the fuck?! Where'd you come from?" one of them blurted out, gaping at him in surprise.

Tony raised one hand defensively, the other keeping his SMG pointed at the floor. "Just tryin' to get away from the Bugs, man."

The miner squinted at him. "You're one a' them Diablos ain'tcha?"

"Diablos are gone..." Tony muttered, shaking his head. "All the gangs... the Bugs got 'em all."

"Boss don' like Diablos," the miner muttered, scowling at the red jacket.

Tony nodded, then carefully shrugged out of his red leather jacket, grabbing the SMG mags and shoving them in his gun belt. He dropped his Diablos jacket in the dirt... something he would have killed to avoid doing less than a day ago.

"Now I ain't nothin'," Tony said, with a reassuring smile. "Just a guy tryin' not to get buttfucked by Bugs."

"Heh... yeah, you and me both," the miner agreed and returned his smile, revealing a set of rotten blackened teeth. "Name's Abner, who're you?"

"Fat Tony," the ganger replied, jabbing his thumb against his broad chest.

Another of the miners beckoned him forward. "We're blowin' all the tunnels... cutting off the Bugs. You need to get the fuck outta there."

"Sure, just gimme one second," Tony said, holding up one finger. He turned and walked back to the bend in the corridor, shining his torch ahead of him. He found Perl and Kelli cowering around the corner, hugging the rock wall and staring at him with huge terrified eyes. "Sorry I ran off. They were gonna blow the tunnel, but I managed to stop 'em."

The two girls sagged with relief and gave him grateful if rather tremulous smiles.

He led his petite companions back towards the miners, who were darting worried glances at the pitch-black tunnel. "Bugs ain't close, we haven't heard shit behind us."

"Still... let's not fuck about," the second miner muttered anxiously, waving them onward. "Charges are set... another minute and you wudda been wormfood."

The group retreated up the tunnel, putting plenty of distance between them and the explosives. One of the miners pulled a demolition pack from his belt, twisted the dial on the side until he found the correct frequency, then stabbed his thumb down on the grubby red button. A thunderous explosion filled the tunnel with a wall of sound, followed moments later by a huge concussive wave of air and dust that buffeted the group.

Tony managed to brace himself, but Kelli stumbled and fell over, the slender brunette too weary to react in time. He offered a hand to help her upright again, receiving a grateful smile for his trouble. He glanced back at the miners and noticed the dark gleam in their eyes as they stared at Kelli's shapely figure, her revealing clothes doing little to protect her modesty when she stumbled over.

Scowling to himself, Tony wondered if he'd made a bad mistake bringing the girls with him. Karron miners were a feral lot at the best of times and the desperate circumstances they now faced would bring out the ugly side of far better men. He darted a quick look at Perl and Kelli, and saw them cringing under the miners' lecherous gaze.

"You fellas want to lead the way?" he asked, jerking his thumb towards the open tunnel. "My gun light is nearly outta power."

Abner managed to drag his hungry eyes away from the girls and stared at Tony for a moment. He reached up to his hardhat and activated the lamp, making the Diablos ganger squint against the harsh glare. The other three miners mirrored his actions, then they set off, the four men walking confidently down the rocky tunnel.

Tony fell into step behind them, with the two girls flanking him this time. Perl slipped her hand into his and when he glanced her way, he could see the worry in her face. She'd been Pitbull's property for a couple of years and a hooker before that... so Tony was sure she knew just how precarious her current situation was.

He shook off her hand, getting an anxious look from the blonde that he studiously ignored. Reaching for the small of his back, he pulled out a compact pistol, his last-ditch handgun that had saved his life on at least a dozen occasions. "Six shots... don't waste 'em," he said in a hushed whisper, placing it in her hands.

She held the weapon reverently, her blue eyes glistening in the dim light. Tony turned away, unable to handle seeing that look of profound gratitude for so simple a gesture. He stopped and crouched down, pulling the pistol's twin from the holster on his right calf, then gave it to Kelli.

"If you shoot me, I'm gonna be really fuckin' pissed," he muttered gruffly under his breath.

"Thank you, Tony," she murmured, giving him a quick hug.

"Yeah, let's keep movin'..." he grumbled, striding ahead to follow the miners.

The group travelled in silence, the minutes stretching interminably as they made their way down the rough-hewn passageway. He spotted large metallic crates placed along the walls every few hundred metres and a glance at the label revealed the contents to be blocks of thermotex charges. Tony's thoughts were troubled as he walked along, keeping a tight grip on his SMG and watching the miners carefully for the first sign they might turn on him.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Tony suddenly thought, berating himself for his stupidity. "Yeah, the girls are hot pieces of ass, but they're just a couple of whores. You've got enough shit to deal with already..."

He rubbed at his tired eyes, feeling the heavy drag of exhaustion; squinting into the ominous gloom for hours had taken its toll. It was hard to tell how much time had passed by the time he spotted emergency lighting strips embedded in the tunnel walls up ahead, but that extra light gave him a surge of hope. The girls were dragging their feet, stumbling in the darkness and he could tell they were both about to drop.

The tunnel banked up sharply and after struggling up the ramp, Tony could see it opened up into a large cavern. There were big trucks in here, their six chunky wheels rumbling across the rocky ground as they drove across the mine compound with armed men in the back. A dozen utilitarian blockhouses formed the mining complex, with a big sign above the entrance to the walled fort stating "Mortimer Mine."

The miners walked over to a sturdy security gate that was flanked by a pair of guard towers. A stocky figure stood in the open gateway, surrounded by a group of hard-looking men in combat fatigues, and he pointed animatedly at the walls with his glinting metallic hand.

"Boss, we found some stragglers," Abner called out as they approached the gate.

The man with a cybernetic limb turned his bleak gaze on the miners, then glanced at the trio following them. "Can you fight?" he asked, eyes drifting to the chrome SMG in the ganger's hand.

"Yeah... reason I'm still alive," Tony said, lifting his chin in a show of bravado. "Need to shoot them Bug fuckers in the head... blowing holes through the rest of 'em don't do shit."

The leader of the mine nodded, his eyes roaming over the girls before dismissing them without a second glance. "Get some rest in the bunkhouse... when the Bugs attack, you're on the wall."

He turned around and started talking to the mercenaries again, discussing how they could beef up their fortifications.

Abner beckoned for Tony to follow and they walked through the gate and into the compound itself. There were huge piles of waste rock along one side of the cavern, the grey granite almost touching the ceiling. A dull-yellow digger was shovelling chunks of that rock towards the walls, where miners with drills were breaking it up and shoring up an inner wall behind the main parapet.

"Civvies over there," Abner muttered, pointing towards a squat blockhouse on the far right of the compound.

"Can we get some water?" Tony asked, his throat raspy after all the dust.

Abner snorted. "This ain't no fancy hotel and I ain't your waiter."

When Tony gave him a steady look, the miner rolled his eyes and pointed at another blockhouse. "That's the Canteen."

With one last lingering glance at the girls, Abner and his three companions wandered off towards another of the granite-grey buildings.

"You girls hungry?" Tony asked, holstering his SMG and looking down at his companions.

"Starving," Kelli murmured, looking unsteady on her feet.

"I'm mostly thirsty..." Perl replied, darting wary glances at the various groups of men who were watching them with unsettling interest.

They approached the blockhouse Abner had indicated, enticing smells wafting through the air as they got nearer. There were a couple of mercs lounging against the door, who eyed Tony's glinting chrome weapon with professional curiosity but let him pass uninterrupted. A reasonably-clean man in a striped top was stirring a big pot of stew on a stove and he gave them a disinterested glance over his shoulder.

"You want some of this?" he asked, sounding bored.

"Yeah, three bowls and some of them bottles of water," Tony muttered, nodding with his chin towards the crates stacked at the back of the cantine.

"8 credits," the chef drawled, his hand moving in lazy circles.

"You fuckin' kidding me?" Tony growled under his breath.

He went to retrieve his cred-stick, then froze when he remembered it was in the hidden pocket in his Diablos jacket... which was now buried under thousands of tons of rock. He'd saved up nearly 200 credits on that stick and he'd lost it all, because of those dumbass miners. He tensed his muscles, bristling with fury... after all the shit he'd been through that day, this was the last straw...

"Yeah that's fine... three of each," Perl said, placing a calming hand on his arm.

When Tony looked at her in confusion, the blonde reached into her top and pulled a cred-stick from her cleavage. She swiped it over the register and when the transaction light flashed green, the chef shrugged and started pouring out the steaming stew. Tony caught a glimpse of the balance and his eyes widened at the sight; her credstick contained over 5000 credits!

"What the fuck?" he hissed, looking at her wide-eyed.

She quickly shook her head, putting a finger to her lips while flicking a nervous glance at the cook. They collected their bowls and bottles, then sat at one of the tables. Drinking and eating in silence, the trio wasted no time in finishing everything they had, before dropping the bowls into the pile of dirty washing up. Perl bought some more water and they left the canteen, making their way towards the civilian blockhouse.

Fat Tony glanced into the building and saw at least fifty bunks inside, most of them occupied. There was a stink of fear coming from the place, scores of men and women with an air of desperation to them looking up as they entered. Tony didn't like the look of it one bit, so he hesitated in the doorway, unsure what to do in this situation, feeling awkwardly out of his comfort zone.

He suddenly felt Kelli's soft hands on his shoulder as she stood on tiptoe and whispered in his ear, "What would Pitbull do?"

Narrowing his eyes, Tony turned to look at her, wondering if he was being played. The scared brunette gave him an innocent look and shrugged helplessly. He realised that as frightening as all this was for him, it must be ten times worse for the girls. Used as whores for most of their adult lives, they'd been entirely dependent on strong men to protect them from physical abuse... while also trying to avoid it from their owner. Was that what he was now, their owner?

Squaring his shoulders, he swaggered across the blockhouse towards the two bunks in the far corner. There were a couple of squint-eyed men lounging on those beds and Tony could tell at a glance they were obviously from the wrong side of the law, maybe even gangers themselves. They were both armed, and when he approached, their hands hovered nervously over the pistols in their gunbelts.

"You're on my bed," he growled, glaring at them with the same kind of feral intensity that Pitbull had mastered.

He'd seen his boss use that crazed scowl to scare the hell out of hundreds of gangers over the years and Tony would never admit this to anyone, but he'd spent hours practicing it in front of a mirror. The stare promised a totally unprovoked, brutal beating, which the recipient would be lucky to walk away from. Tony found it worked best if he imagined breaking all of his victim's limbs, giving him just the right amount of homicidal intent to unsettle the most hardened of men. Pitbull had the edge though, because the Diablos boss was actually trying to restrain himself from ripping his victim to pieces; a fight he succumbed to on more occasions than Tony could count.

The bloodthirsty stare shook the two men, Tony could see it immediately. They lowered their gaze in an instinctive act of submission and were careful to keep their hands away from their guns as they rolled off the bunks before backing away. Tony pretended to ignore them, but he watched them carefully with his peripheral vision, his hand on the SMG holstered on his belt. They marched across the room and after some angry threats evicted another couple of men from their beds, creating a chain of confrontations down the blockhouse.

Tony shoved the two beds together, then flopped down in the middle. He tried not to let out a sigh of bliss as he relaxed on the hard mattress, which in his exhausted state, actually felt like the softest bed in the history of beds. The girls crawled on as well, giving him demure smiles as they flanked him and cuddled up against his chest. He put his arms around them possessively and they didn't object when he caressed their soft skin.

"Just like Pitbull," Kelli whispered as she stroked his chest.

"But without all the crazy," Perl added, glancing up at him with a knowing smile.

Tony took a quick glance around the room and saw that he was being watched by at least a dozen men. The atmosphere in the room had subtly changed now and he didn't feel threatened... only envied and grudgingly respected. He wondered if this was how his boss had felt all the time and he freely admitted to himself that he liked it... he liked it a lot.

Looking down at the blonde, he let his eyes fall to her mouth-watering cleavage. "OK, time to talk..."

Perl saw where he was looking and her smile suddenly turned anxious. After a long pause, she whispered, "When the bugs attacked, we were watching the battle from the monitor in Pitbull's bedroom. We saw him get fucked up... so..." She darted an apprehensive look at Kelli, who gave her a quick nod. "We looted the gang vault..."

Tony's eyes widened and he moved his hands around to cup their breasts. They made no move to stop him, watching his face intently as he felt several hard lumps concealed under their tops, each one the size of a cred-stick.

"You sneaky little bitches!" he muttered, shaking his head with admiration.

They smiled at him, recognising it for the earnest praise it was, their expressions brightening even further when he made no attempt to rob them.

"Get some shut-eye," he said quietly, holding them close. "I'll keep watch for a few hours... then one of you's gonna hafta take over."

"Thank you, Tony," Perl said, lifting herself up to give him a soft kiss on the cheek.

Kelli gave him a naughty grin. "If we actually get out of this, I'm going to fuck the shit out of you."

"As long as it's you doin' it, not the Bugs," he muttered, allowing himself a smile when she giggled.

The two girls settled down, resting their heads against his shoulders. He felt their breathing deepen and thirty seconds later, Kelli was fast asleep, confirmed by her quiet snores.

"Tony... can I ask you something," Perl murmured drowsily.

"Sure, babe, one thing then sleep," he said, rubbing her back.

"Why does everyone call you Fat Tony?" she asked, running her slender fingers across his muscular chest. "You're a big guy, but you're definitely not fat..."

"Kelli's gonna find out if we live through this shit," he replied, fighting off the seductive pull of sleep.

Perl went quiet for a second, then her hand dropped lower. "Holy fuck!" she exclaimed as her inquisitive touch provoked a reaction. She gently caressed him then made eye-contact and whispered, "You know why Pitbull was mad all the time?"

"No... why?" he asked in confusion.

She gave him a smug smirk and lifted her hand, then crooked her pinky finger. As Tony tried to stifle his guffaws, she pursed her lips and blew him a kiss, then nestled down onto his shaking chest.

***

Lynette stood in front of the mirror, trying not to smile at the ridiculous contrast between her youthful face and her imposing Fleet Admiral's uniform. She would have her holographic disguise activated throughout her date with Charles that evening, but it was amusing to see how she really looked now, rather than the masquerade that everyone else saw. She double-tapped the holo-projector in her pocket and after a few seconds wait, her features shimmered and changed, concealed by the holographic illusion.

She winced at the sight of her old face, then lifted a wrinkled hand to her worn features. The holo-projectors were a marvel of engineering, the integrated VI compensating to reposition the microscopic projectors so that the illusion remained unbroken, even when she touched her skin. It amazed Lynette how quickly she'd adjusted to the incredible rejuvenation of her body and now she found it hard to look at herself as she'd once been. How had she let herself get so out of shape? She looked so tired and old...

Staring at the mirror with young eyes was a sobering experience and she swore she'd never let herself get like that again.

*Don't be too hard on yourself, Lynette,* Alyssa said quietly. *Old age creeps up on everyone, and you had other important priorities.*

*Not quite everyone,* she replied, deactivating the holo-projectors and studying her beautiful face once more. *There's a certain blonde bombshell I know who'll never age a day.*

*That's not quite true,* Alyssa purred. *Occasionally, John has to pack other deserving tummies full of spunk. When a certain sexy brunette stayed with us recently, it was nearly two whole days before I was fed... he was too busy making her look pregnant with his heavy load.*

Lynette bit her lip and quickly unbuttoned her jacket, then slid her hands inside her shirt to stroke her toned stomach. She felt an onrush of lust and let out a low moan as she remembered how incredible it had felt having Alyssa go down on her, while the gorgeous young woman caressed her cum-filled stomach. Feeling her pussy getting moist, she glanced at the chronometer hanging on the wall, considering rubbing herself to satisfaction before her date.

*You're so bad,* Alyssa chided playfully. *I'm only eighteen and you're nearly old enough to be my grandmother! I can't believe you led me astray...*

Bursting into laughter, Lynette relaxed and buttoned up her jacket. *I seem to fondly recall someone else being the seductress... and I'm very glad that you did.* She let out a wistful sigh, then walked over to her bed and sat down on the end. *I can't believe you've only been gone for a day... I really miss you.*

*We miss you too,* the blonde said, her voice turning sympathetic. *I'm fortunate in that I still get to hear your lovely voice, but I also got closer to you than the others... it was hard letting you go.*

*You really mean that, don't you?* Lynette asked, surprised by how earnest her matriarch was.

*Of course,* Alyssa immediately replied. *You're part of our family now, I'd never lie to you.*

Lynette flopped back on the bed and savoured the warm sensation of belonging that seemed to fill her mind. *You told me I'd never be alone again... I finally see what you mean.*

*Well with a bit of luck, you should have some much closer company tonight!* Alyssa enthused. *Are you going to jump his bones on the first date?*

Giggling at the thought, Lynette seriously considered it. *You should have seen the way he was staring at me this morning! I swear there were stars in his eyes... Charles reminded me of a lovestruck teenager!*

*Lynette, you're an eleven out of ten now,* the blonde said with an indulgent smile. *If Charles reacted differently, I'd have strongly advised you to start looking for another man... because he'd have to be gay.*

She frowned as she remembered their lunchtime meeting. *But he was so distracted today! Then he seemed to light up when Lina interrupted us... 'Oh, Charlie! I want to pump you for information!'... that fucking bitch, I should reassign her to the Kirrix border!*

*Shh, easy now, beautiful,* Alyssa murmured, swaddling her mind with a calming telepathic wave. She laughed as she added, *Were you a green-eyed monster the first time around?*

Lynette closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, getting her emotions under control with her matriarch's help. *Actually, no,* she sheepishly replied. *I was very reserved and extremely dedicated to my career, even as a teenager. I'm really not used to dealing with these emotions... they're so strong, they're quite overwhelming.*

A chime echoed around Lynette's bedroom and she jumped in surprise. *He's here!*

Leaping up, she bounded out into the lounge and rushed towards the door.

*Lynette, your disguise!* Alyssa called out in alarm.

Skidding to a halt, the brunette tapped her pocket again, then forced herself to take a deep breath to steady the pounding in her chest. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was 7:00, meaning that her date was right on time. When she'd calmed down enough, she opened the door to find Charles waiting for her just outside.

"Hello, Charles," Lynette said, greeting him with a smile. "You get full marks for punctuality."

"Well, it wouldn't do to keep the boss waiting," he replied, returning her smile. "I'm trying to make a good impression."

Lynette stepped through the door and closed it after her. "You're doing very well so far. So where are you taking me tonight?"

Charles hesitated, then replied, "The Senior Officers' Lounge. Sorry it's not more imaginative, but it should be relatively quiet there and we can talk in peace."

They strolled along the corridor, heading away from the residential deck that housed the quarters for all the senior officers aboard Olympus... and Jehanna. This part of the station was practically deserted, allowing them to speak without worrying about being overheard.

"How did the afternoon meeting with Lina go?" Lynette asked, feigning mild disinterest, while watching Charles like a hawk.

He gave her a broad smile. "Excellent! I can't thank you enough for assigning Lina to Olympus. She originally asked for my advice and I did help her with some useful contacts, but it was fascinating to watch her work; she's like a force of nature!"

Lynette's heart sank in her chest. "Really?"

"Oh, yes, she was amazing!" Charles replied enthusiastically. "Lina seemed to be able to charm even the most truculent of engineering contractors! I've been worrying that refitting all the civilian docking bays into drydocks would vastly outpace the construction of the new trade hub, but she's already had the initial plans reviewed and signed off. Construction is actually due to commence at the end of the week!"

As much as she wanted to loathe the feisty redhead, Lynette couldn't help being impressed. "It sounds like she's ideally suited to the role," she grudgingly admitted.

Charles nodded and gave her a look filled with admiration. "I must confess that I'd always pegged you as just another political officer, but I've seen a whole new side of you these last few days. You're a truly inspiring leader and an excellent judge of character."

She smiled gratefully and acknowledged his compliment with a nod. "I appreciate the praise, but are you sure you're not just buttering up the boss?"

He shook his head and startled her with his sincerity as he replied, "No, I really mean it... You saw John Blake's potential and made him the Lion of the Federation, while the rest of the Admiralty had never even heard of him! Hell, I served with the man for nearly a decade and I had no idea he was capable of doing the things he can do! Not only that, but you realised what a threat Buckingham posed to the Terran Federation and were his fiercest critic all along!" He tipped his peaked hat to her. "Hat's off to you, Fleet Admiral Devereux."

Lynette blushed, taken off-guard by his earnest reply. "Thank you, Charles. Your opinion is important to me... I'm honoured that you see me that way."

His answering smile made her heart skip a beat. "I believe in recognising achievement where I see it and your performance so far has been truly outstanding."

They walked along in comfortable silence for a while and Lynette found herself wracking her brain for something to say. Charles' surprising declaration had left her quite tongue-tied and after such effusive praise, anything she considered saying to him seemed gauche in comparison.

"Here we are," Charles said, gesturing at the double doors, above which was written in an elegant script, "Senior Officers' Lounge".

As they approached the stately doors, they swung open on silent hinges, giving Lynette a broad view of the plush interior. To her surprise there were several Admirals waiting by the bar, their familiar faces lighting up when she walked inside. She immediately spotted Aiden Cartwright, Connor Malone with his wife Aeri, Eleanor Maybridge, and... Lina Van Den Broeck.

"Congratulations!" the group called out, greeting her with broad smiles.

"Sorry for the surprise, I hope you don't mind?" Charles asked hesitantly. "They all wanted to celebrate your appointment as Fleet Admiral."

*Ah, Lynette, you can't catch a break,* Alyssa said with sympathy, trying not to laugh. *I had no idea he'd pull this...*

Lynette tamped down her disappointment and gave him as grateful a smile as she could muster. "This was a lovely idea, Charles. Thank you."

They walked over to the bar and Charles ordered some drinks, while the rest of the Admirals welcomed the guest of honour to the party.

"Thank you everyone," she said, smiling at the group.

Aeri Malone was the first to reply, saying warmly, "It's such a relief having a competent Fleet Admiral in charge at last."

Aiden nodded, his expression shifting into what could almost be described as happiness. "Honestly, Lynette, I've got so used to dealing with Neolithic incompetence at the top, I've been stunned at the transformative effect your appointment has already had."

Conner grinned at Charles and said, "You were a man of your word alright." When he saw Lynette's quizzical look, he continued, "While you were convalescing after your injury, Charles was busy rallying support for you as replacement Fleet Admiral, convincing us you were the perfect choice. We were all working with him to make sure you soundly defeated Caldwell before it became any kind of serious competition."

Lynette looked at Charles in astonishment as he returned from the bar. "Is that true?"

His moustache twitched as he handed her a vodka cranberry. "It was the least I could do. You did get shot attempting to contact John... and trying to protect me from doing the same thing."

"Anthony Kester sends his regards," Eleanor said, with a smile. "He also promised to 'try not to be too much of a smartass'... at least for a little while."

"Aeri convinced me to vote for you," Lina said, her full lips curving into a lopsided grin. "She said it was long past time we had a woman in charge... and I was inclined to agree."

"I really appreciate your support... all of you," Lynette said with gratitude, looking around at their little gathering.

"There were several others that weren't able to attend on such short notice," Charles explained with a rueful frown. "They said they'd get in touch over the next few days."

"You really were busy, weren't you?" Lynette marvelled.

He inclined his head, his expression turning sombre for a moment as they made eye contact. "There was a lot at stake, Lynette. I felt it was my duty to make sure we had the best person in charge... to help the Terran Federation meet any threats the future might bring."

Connor gave him a light punch on the arm. "Hey, no speeches!" Raising his glass, he looked around the group before smiling at Lynette. "To Fleet Admiral Devereux!"

The other Admirals raised their glasses in toast. "Fleet Admiral Devereux!"

***

"Hey, Tom! Grab a drink and join us!" Lieutenant Ivan Horvat called out across the Janus' Officers' Lounge, the friendly greeting echoed by the six other engineering officers at his table.

"I can't, fellas," Tom Walker replied with an amiable grin as he strode towards the bar. "I've already made plans."

"Come on!" Ivan persisted, glancing at the ten-foot wide holo-screen that dominated one wall of the bustling room. "You can't miss this!"

Commercials were currently running, with a muscle-bound handyman drinking a can of diet Tetra-Cola, while several vapid women simpered in awe.

Tom looked at the screen in confusion. "What am I missing? The Zero-G football final was last week... Brutal Deluxe won it easily."

"This is way cooler than that!" Lieutenant Alex Savic insisted. "How on Terra did you miss the commercials?!"

Propping himself up against the bar, Tom smiled as he made eye-contact with Beth who was stacking clean glasses. When she gave him a friendly wave and started making her way over, he turned back to the raucous group of engineers. "Been busy, you know how it is. What're we waiting for?"

"The TFNN interview with the saviour of Unity City!" Ivan blurted out.

Alex nodded eagerly. "That Asian chick is smoking hot!"

That pronouncement was chorused by his drinking companions, along with lots of sage nodding.

"True, but I really want a good look at her mech..." Ivan said, his eyes gleaming at the prospect.

The rest of the engineers immediately started arguing about the technical specifications of the war machine, the group getting animated as the discussions grew heated. Tom was momentarily forgotten as they speculated feverishly on the kind of firepower the mech must have, to be able to knock out Kintark capital ships.

"Boys and their toys," Beth said with a grin, placing a tumbler on the bar beside him, ice cubes clinking merrily in the amber-hued liquor. "How's Mace doing?"

He picked up the glass and took a sip, savouring the smooth burn of the rum. "Better I think... he'll be along in a few minutes, so you can ask him yourself. He's throwing himself into work to help him get through it, but there's not much else you can do, stuck out here in the middle of nowhere."

The brunette studied him for a moment, her perceptive gaze drinking in his expression. "What's up, Tom? You almost sounded bitter, that's not like you..."

Tom met her concerned gaze and he deflated, letting out a heavy sigh. "I'm worried about Anna..."

TFNN came on again once the commercials had ended and the Officers' Lounge erupted into cheers.

Beth glanced at the beautiful woman on the holo-screen, then called over to the barman, "Frank, I'm taking a quick break, okay?"

"Yeah, sure thing," he said, giving her a distracted wave as he salivated over the dusky TFNN reporter.

Slipping out around through the gap at the side of the bar, Beth led Tom over to a relatively quiet table on the far side of the room. When they sat down, she gave him a sympathetic smile. "Okay, I'm all ears. Is Anna alright?"

Tom took another sip of his rum, then nodded, staring at the glass. "She misses her father... their relationship went downhill after he became Fleet Admiral, but he was still her dad. Anna's handling it as well as can be expected... it's just that there's this guy sniffing around."

"Archie?" Beth supplied, giving him a knowing look.

"How do you know about him?" he blurted out, unable to contain his surprise.

She smiled, her lovely green eyes catching the light. "I was with Mace for six months... we did manage to talk occasionally." Reaching out to place her hand on his, she continued, "He told me you hated the slimy bastard and that Archie's been obsessed with Anna for years."

"Why can't she see that he's bad news?!" he exclaimed in frustration. "I hate the thought of Anna being upset and vulnerable, with Archie fucking Davenport hovering around to comfort her. Meanwhile I'm stuck out here, hundreds of light years away!"

There was an even louder cheer from the bar patrons and Tom took a deep breath to calm himself. He turned to look at the holo-screen to briefly escape from the brunette's penetrating gaze, feeling embarrassed by his sudden outburst of jealousy. The TFNN exclusive had started, with Jehanna Elani standing in some kind of huge hangar bay. She was accompanied by an absolutely stunning Asian girl, who was wearing the distinctive gleaming white armour of a Lioness, her helmet tucked under one arm.

"-for agreeing to be interviewed by me today, Sakura," the reporter said, her voice filled with gratitude.

"It's my pleasure, Jehanna," the Asian girl replied with a warm smile.

Jehanna returned it with a radiant one of her own. "I'd love to discuss the pivotal part that you played in the Battle of Terra, but first, perhaps you could talk us through your role as a Lioness working with Admiral John Blake?"

Sakura nodded, oozing self-assured calm. "I'm the Lion's Chief Security Officer and it's my job to handle internal security aboard the Invictus. I also have the privilege of piloting the UWS-01 Strike Valkyrie Ultra."

"Ah yes, your mech!" Jehanna said enthusiastically, before turning and looking off to their left. "What does UWS stand for?"

The Asian girl smiled. "Ultimate Weapon System."

The camera panned up, revealing an enormous white humanoid machine, plated in the same shimmering white metal as Sakura's battlesuit. The mech stood with a huge sword held in one hand, a heavy-bore cannon slung under the other, and four deadly-looking weapon barrels jutting out over its shoulders. Tom couldn't deny that it was an awe-inspiring piece of military hardware. He expected more raucous cheers from the crowd at the sight of the Valkyrie, but a hushed silence had descended in the bar. When he glanced at Ivan, Alex, and the rest of the engineers, they were all staring at the screen in open-mouthed wonder.

Turning his attention back to Beth, he gave her an apologetic smile. "Sorry, just wondered what all the fuss was about."

She just nodded and he realised she'd been watching him the whole time.

"Tom..." she began hesitantly, an enigmatic look in her eyes. "You're loyal to a fault; it's one of the things I really admire about you... but so is Anna. She loves you so much it's crazy, she'd never cheat on you."

He swirled his glass around in his hand. "Anna thinks Archie's harmless and that she's got the situation under control... but I don't trust him at all. This is the best shot he's ever had at seducing her and I know that weasel's going to give it everything he's got!"

Beth looked thoughtful for a moment, before her smile turned cunning. "You might not be on Terra, but you've got friends who are..."

Tom blinked in surprise, then a wicked grin spread across his face. "Beth, you're a genius! Mace was an idiot to even think about breaking up with you."

Her expression suddenly shifted, turning guarded. "He didn't..." she said softly.

Looking at her in confusion, Tom said, "But Mace told me it wasn't going anywhere... that's why you two decided to end the relationship."

She locked eyes with him and shook her head. "He proposed... but I turned him down."

Tom gaped at her in astonishment. "Why didn't he say anything?"

"Maybe he was embarrassed?" Beth said, a slight edge to her voice. "I never wanted to hurt Mason, but I didn't feel that way... about him."

As Tom started to reply, there was a burst of deafening cheers from the crowd watching the interview. He smiled at Beth and gave her a helpless shrug, knowing she wouldn't be able to hear him over the whoops. Turning to look at the screen again, his eyes widened as he watched footage from Sakura's helmet camera, obviously taken during the Battle of Terra.

The Valkyrie was barrelling across the hull of a Kintark battleship and Sakura pivoted, firing at the ship with high-explosive slugs from the mech's arm cannon. If the fiery destruction that unleashed wasn't devastating enough, she fired her four shoulder-mounted lasers at a second battleship, spraying the Kintark vessel with bright blue beams. The storm of laser pulses slashed huge furrows through the shimmering green armour, eventually piercing the Power Core and obliterating the capital ship in a colossal explosion.

"God damn..." Tom muttered under his breath, awed by the firepower on display.

The shot switched back to the Mech Bay and Jehanna looked sombre as she said quietly, "I've reviewed all the footage from the battle and I know you personally appealed to Admiral Blake for permission to engage that Praetorian fleet. It was just you and your Valkyrie against a dozen elite Kintark battleships... you were asking to be sent on a suicide mission!"

Sakura looked away for a second, a shadow crossing her beautiful face. "Millions of people were being mercilessly bombarded in Unity City. I had to do something... I couldn't leave them to die." When she met Jehanna's gaze again, there was a steely glint in her brown eyes. "Those civilians were innocents... the Kintark needed to face Justice for the hundreds-of-thousands they killed."

"And miraculously, you managed to save Unity City from annihilation," Jehanna said, her voice full of respect. "At my count, you destroyed a dozen battleships and 96 Kintark fighters..."

"I might have had a bit of assistance on the last battleship," Sakura said with a self-deprecating smile.

Jehanna reached out and clasped her hand. "It's a genuine honour to shake the hand of a true hero... and a modest one at that. On behalf of the millions you saved that day, thank you, Sakura."

The Asian girl bowed to her, suddenly appearing shy. "It's an honour to serve."

The camera flicked back to the studio, where Jehanna was sitting behind the TFNN newsdesk. "And there we have it, the Saviour of Unity City, the first in our series of exclusive interviews with the Lion and his Lionesses..."

Beth gently squeezed Tom's hand. "Mace is here," she said in a hushed voice.

He turned to look over at the doorway and waved at his friend to let him know where he was sitting. Mason nodded when he made eye-contact with Tom, then started striding over to his table.

"Thanks for the good advice, Beth," Tom said, focusing on the brunette again. "I really appreciate it."

"Any time," she said, giving him a warm smile as she rose from her seat.

***

Warm yellow light filtered through the wooden shutters, the soft glow waking Maria Fernandez from her slumbers. She instinctively reached for her husband on the right side of the bed, then felt a pang of sadness as she remembered that he was far away from their home on Jericho. Thoughts of Jack reminded her of their last conversation and she couldn't help worrying about the things he'd been attempting to hide from her.

Maria could read her husband like a book and she could tell he was eating himself up with guilt for obeying orders and abandoning the Kirrix border. The invasion footage from the Outer Rim had been harrowing, with scenes of terrified colonists fighting for their very lives against the monstrous aliens. She knew that Jack must have seen it all as well and she longed to be at his side, comforting and reassuring him that he had no other choice.

"Oh, Jack... I warned you this would happen," she thought to herself with a melancholy sigh. "You were always too noble for the military... I knew you'd eventually be caught between your sense of duty and your principles." She stroked his side of the bed, wishing he was home.

Throwing back the covers, she decided to get an early start; if she stayed in bed, she'd only spend her time yearning for her husband. Maria got up and braced herself for the twinges in her leg that had greeted her like a malevolent alarm clock for the last two decades. When she didn't even feel the slightest flicker of pain, she beamed with delight, overwhelmed with gratitude to Rachel for healing her old leg injury.

Walking into the bathroom she luxuriated in a nice hot shower, taking her time cleaning herself. As she soaped up her stomach, she couldn't help remembering Calara brazenly showing off her hugely rounded belly, stuffed full of John's cum. She'd been shocked to the core to see her daughter that way, just as the naughty girl had intended, Calara finally getting her own back on Maria after years of teasing. However, it was Alyssa's playful offer to have John heal her that way, which had become a recurring fantasy of the sensual Latina.

Her hands dipped lower as she felt a flutter of arousal and erotic scenes flooded her mind. She remembered Jack vigorously pounding her best friend from behind, Vivian throwing back her blonde mane as she climaxed, with Maria strumming her clit to really make her squeal. Yes, she'd been the perfect wife over the last 25 years... maybe she should finally cash in all those hall passes Jack owed her, in exchange for a whole night of debauchery with the Lion of the Federation. The wrongness of bedding her daughter's handsome fiancé... and what the hell... Alyssa too... quickly tipped Maria over the edge.

"Oh Fuck! Oh, yes..." she hissed, clenching her eyes shut as she orgasmed hard.

Maria's breathing steadied as she recovered and she blushed at just how hard she'd climaxed with those illicit images in her mind. There was a ruddy glow to her cheeks as she dressed and headed downstairs, ready to start her day with some breakfast. Turning on the big holo-screen to TFNN, she smiled as she remembered watching Sakura's interview last night. She'd grown very fond of that lovely young woman and had felt a surge of pride at seeing her being publically praised for her heroism.

Glancing at the screen as she refilled the kettle, Maria smiled when she saw that Dana was the next Lioness to be featured. Her interview with Jehanna Elani was scheduled for prime-time that evening, TFNN milking their exclusives for maximum effect. Dana was another charming young woman, who hid her sensitive nature behind a sometimes-shocking burst of profanities. It was astonishing to think that the stunning redhead was also another of her daughter's lovers, Calara coming out of her shell with gusto.

Apparently TFNN was running a second exclusive that evening, this one featuring the first interview with the new Fleet Admiral. Maria listened to the brief excerpt in fascination, until she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Activity out in the street drew her full attention and she peered through the window across her front lawn at the big hover-truck that had just pulled up to the kerb. It reversed into the Hutchingsons' driveway next door and she got a good look at the logo emblazoned across the side, the name "Five-star Movers" making it abundantly clear as to its purpose.

A young couple got out of the truck accompanied by several men in overalls, so Maria quickly poured out a half-dozen cups of coffee and put them on a tray. By the time she walked around to her neighbour's drive, the move was in full-swing, with an endless stream of sealed containers being carried into the house.

"Good morning," she said cheerfully, to the couple who were directing their team of removal men. "My name's Maria, I'm your next-door-neighbour... well one of them at least. I thought you might like a cup of coffee to welcome you to your new home."

The couple turned around, broad smiles on their faces. They looked to be in their late-twenties and Maria could tell they were married by a brief glance at the wedding rings on their fingers.

"That's so sweet!" the brunette gushed. "It's lovely to meet you. I'm Linda, this is Ed."

"You're a lifesaver, Maria," Ed said with a grateful smile, reaching for a coffee cup. "We were up at four to beat the rush-hour traffic... I'm parched!"

"I brought some for your hard-working assistants too..." Maria said, glancing at the men striding past. "Are they allowed a coffee break, or are you cracking the whip?"

Linda laughed and shook her head. "No, some caffeine will do them some good."

"Guys, there's coffee here!" Ed called to the men, who looked their way and smiled.

"I had no idea that the Hutchingsons had put their home on the market," Maria said, glancing behind the couple at the large five-bedroom house.

"We were so lucky!" Linda enthused. "We heard through a family friend they were thinking about downsizing, so we took one look at the place and realised it was the absolutely perfect place to raise a family!"

"We put in a cash offer straight away and they accepted," Ed said, clinking mugs with his wife in celebration.

The four big removal men gathered around to collect their mugs. "Thank you, ma'am," the first one said, smiling at her before taking a sip.

Maria caught a slight flicker in Ed's mild expression. She kept a pleasant smile fixed on her face, pretending to be completely oblivious to the man's slip... but the removal man's respectful reply was ringing all sorts of alarm bells.

Her perceptive eyes flickered over the men as she glanced at each in turn. "I didn't add any sugar, I hope that's okay?"

They nodded as she surreptitiously studied them all: athletic, muscular, closely-cropped hair, all about the same age... roughly late twenties. They had the grizzled look of veteran marines and she did briefly consider the possibility that they might have all recently retired from the military. She noticed the instinctive furtive glances the men made at their surroundings when they thought she wasn't looking; that cagey ever-vigilant look was one she'd only seen in special forces. Maria quickly discounted the likelihood of men with their skill-set working as removal men, especially as Ed and Linda fit the same profile.

She smiled at the young couple and said, "You two remind me of my husband and me when we first moved here. My four children have all flown the nest now, so it'll be really nice to have a young family moving in next door. What do you two do?"

"Well, I teach fourth grade, but I haven't found a vacancy in this district yet," Linda said with a forlorn pout.

"And I'm a programmer for Dynalight Holo-Solutions," Ed replied, before taking another sip of his coffee.

The brunette gave her husband a loving smile. "Which means he gets to work from home and I get to bother him all day!"

"I'm very envious; my Jack's often on tour for months at a time," Maria said as she watched the interaction between the supposedly married pair in front of her. At first glance they seemed like a couple very much in love, but they were a little too saccharine-sweet to be completely convincing.

"Well, I'm new to the area, so I'd love to find out all the great places to visit," Linda said, giving her a hopeful smile. "Maybe when we've got all these boxes put away, you could come over for lunch?"

"That's a good point," Ed said, glancing at the removal men with a grin. "Enough slacking off, back to work guys."

Maria returned the young woman's smile. "You should come over to mine for lunch; you probably haven't had a chance to unpack your kitchen or get any groceries yet."

"That's true... and thanks!" Linda said gratefully.

Putting down the tray on the lawn, Maria pulled out her holo-phone and said, "Why don't I take a picture? Moving day in your new home! If you give me your Holonet account name, I can send you the pictures."

Ed and Linda exchanged a quick glance then smiled at her. "Sounds like a lovely idea!"

Maria took several pictures in rapid succession, managing to capture the four removal men in the background as well as the happy couple. Once Ed had given her his contact details, she retrieved her tray and promised to stop distracting them from settling in.

As soon as she returned to her own home, she darted across to the comms-interface in the lounge and set up a secure call. After a minute, the image of a stylised lion appeared on the holo-screen.

"Hey, Maria! It's lovely to see you!" Faye exclaimed a moment later, a dazzling smile on her pretty face. "Did you want to speak to Calara?"

"Actually... I was wondering if you might be able to help me with a background check?" Maria replied, darting a glance out the window. "I might be getting paranoid, but a new couple just moved in next door..."

Faye's expression instantly turned serious. "Are you worried you're in danger?"

"No... I don't think so. They just don't feel right," the Latina hesitantly replied. "I took several pictures of them and the removal men helping them..."

"Please send me those pictures," the purple sprite requested. "I'll ask Irillith to help... we'll have answers for you within the hour!"

***

"Tony, wake up!" Perl hissed in his ear, shaking him awake.

Fat Tony groaned and blinked as he sat up, trying to adjust his eyes to the murky glow from the battered LED lanterns dotted around the bunkhouse. It took him a moment to get his bearings, then it all came flooding back: the attack by the Kirrix, fleeing through the tunnels, then bedding down at the Mortimer Mine.

"What is it, babe?" he grumbled, stifling a yawn.

"Kelli had to take a piss, but she's been gone ten minutes!" the blonde said, her face a picture of worry.

"Goddamn stupid-ass whores," he snarled, suddenly wide awake and rolling out of bed. "Why the fuck didn't you wake me?!"

"You looked so tired..." she whimpered, cringing away from his anger.

Tony grabbed her hand and yanked her off the bed. "C'mon..."

He marched down the bunkhouse dragging Perl behind him, the other occupants staring at the big ganger in fear.

Tony stopped by a nervous looking miner near the door and fixed him with an intimidating stare. "Where's the shitter?"

"Turn right... past the next blockhouse," the man stammered, desperate to avoid a fight.

Whirling around, Tony rushed out of the door and headed right, hoping his hunch was wrong. He pulled out his SMG and quickly screwed a silencer on the end of the barrel. When it was in place, he slid brass knuckles over his left fist, then glanced over his shoulder at Perl and snapped, "Cover me with that pistol if it all kicks off!"

She nodded nervously and held the handgun in both of her small hands as she hurried to keep up.

They'd barely gone fifty metres when Tony heard faint voices carrying in the dark, coming from a direction away from the squat buildings.

"Yeah, boy!"

"Get some a' that pussy!"

"Tear that shit up!"

He felt a frozen ball of ice form in his stomach, his worst fears realised. He ran towards the voices, hearing grunts and the sound of flesh slapping against flesh. Decades of sneaking around in Karron's murky shadows had trained Tony to move quickly and quietly, barely making a sound despite his imposing figure. He caught the miners completely by surprise when he rushed around the pile of bleak grey slate, all four of them oblivious to his furious presence.

Three of the men had pinned Kelli down on the rocky ground, while the fourth was between her thighs pumping away. Tony charged out of the black and grabbed the rapist by his hair, yanking his head back. He brought the heavy grip of his SMG down on that exposed throat, crushing the man's windpipe. As the choking miner fell backwards, Tony launched himself at the next of the stunned men, leading with a left hook that splattered the man's nose across his face in a shower of blood and sent him reeling.

"What the fuck?!" the third wiry man managed to blurt out as Tony fell on him, knocking him backwards. "You're fucking dea-"

Tony's knee thumping into the miner's balls turned his angry retort into a tortured shriek of agony. He recognised the terrified man as Abner, one of the miners they'd met in the tunnel. As Tony knelt above him, his repeated blows with a metal-clad fist broke several rotted teeth, anguished cries of pain rattling off into a sickening gurgle as he caved in his face.

"Tony, look out!" Perl screamed.

Throwing himself flat, Tony narrowly avoided the last miner's hurried burst from his rifle. Time seemed to freeze as he stared at that rifle barrel as it lowered inexorably towards his chest and he could feel the Reaper's shadow falling over him. Just as that rifle was about to bark again, the miner's head seemed to explode like a ripe watermelon, showering brain and skull fragments across the ground. The gunshot echoed eerily around the cavern before fading away, leaving only the disconcerting sound of choking and whimpering.

Tony sat up and saw Perl still clutching the pistol in two shaking hands, her eyes wide as she stared at the miner she'd decapitated with her hollow-point round. The other two rapists were going about the business of expiring, which meant there was just one left... the miner he'd punched in the face. The gasping man was crawling away, one hand pressed to the ruined mess of his nose. Tony holstered his SMG and pulled out his twelve-inch hunting knife, then stalked after the man, his face a grim mask.

The last miner glanced back in fright and held up a hand as he begged. "Please! I've got loads of cash! Just lemme live!"

"He's got your money, Tony," Kelli said, her cold voice coming from behind his shoulder. "That piece-of-shit stole it off me... they were all going to rape me then put a bullet in my head so I wouldn't talk."

"You motherfucker!" Tony snarled, lunging forward and stabbing the begging man in the neck.

There was a bright spray of red blood as his carotid artery was severed and the miner sprawled on the floor, his hands going to the gaping gash in his throat. His eyes were wild with terror as he collapsed, filled with the awful certainty that he would be dead within minutes.

Tony grimaced as he wiped his hands on the miner's shirt to get rid of the worst of the blood, then did the same to clean his knife on the dying man's trousers. "Get your shit back then let's go."

Kelli darted past him, her deft fingers pulling cred-sticks from a pocket in the miner's jacket. "Nice! Some gold here too!" she exclaimed, showing Tony a gleaming nugget.

Tony glanced at Perl, who seemed to have got over her shock and was busy rifling through the pockets of the headless miner. Turning his attention back to the brunette he asked quietly, "You alright, Kelli?"

The brunette shrugged and didn't bother looking away from her search. "Sure... I've been getting fucked most of my life by guys I didn't like, what's one more asshole?"

He stared at her in silence, feeling an unexpected surge of empathy for the girl. He couldn't imagine living the kind of life that Kelli had endured. To be that weak and vulnerable, her survival dependent on the mercy of men who'd just take what they wanted whether she was willing or not... he couldn't help pitying her bleak existence.

Tony looked away and muttered, "C'mon, let's go before someone checks out the shootin'."

The girls nodded, pocketing the other items they'd looted from the dead. "Where to, Tony?" Perl whispered, looking up at him with big eyes as they hurried away.

He glanced back at the dead miners with a grimace. "I dunno for sure how their boss is gonna deal with this shit... probably he'll be real fucking pissed." Letting out a heavy sigh, he continued, "We better stock up on supplies, I reckon we need to get the fuck outta here."

"I'm really sorry, Tony," Kelli whimpered, as she realised they would have to leave the safety of the Mortimer compound. "I shouldn't have gone off on my own like that."

Tony ground his teeth together in frustration, as he wanted to snap, "No! You fucked up and now we're in deep shit!" Instead, he took a deep breath and replied, "Something like that would have happened sooner or later... don't worry about it."

He spotted the canteen and strode towards it, the girls hurrying to keep up as they followed behind him.

***

In the command room aboard the Kerhom's Anvil, Chancellor Niskera studied a holographic map of the Trankaran Republic, her heart filled with sorrow at the bleak state of her empire. A score of systems had now fallen to the Kirrix, a sickly ochre pall marking the extent of their encroachment into Trankaran Space. Millions of Trankaran citizens lived on those worlds and she could only imagine the horrors being visited upon them during the occupation by the hideous insectoid menace. The first worlds had been conquered over a month ago and she knew it was now too late to save those people from an agonising death as hosts for Kirrix spawn.

"Hundreds-of-thousands slain by those monsters," she said, her words heavy with grief. "It's such a horrific waste of life... and the most galling thing is it could have been so easily averted."

Fleet Warden Thandrun glanced her way, a pained expression on his granite-grey face. "I have more bad news, my Queen." His huge paw-like hand tapped several runes on the holo-table and the empire map updated, showing the insidious spread of the Kirrix invasion. "I received word that Bhar Furum, Dun Gerluhr, Theg Haldrim, and Negbhaldum have also fallen to the Kirrix."

Niskera's face fell, anguish in her glowing amber eyes. "By the Great Protector... how many citizens on Dun Gerluhr? 400 million?"

"Half-a-billion by the last census," he replied, his gravelly voice echoing her grief. "The Kirrix have penetrated deep enough to start hitting our most populated worlds."

"And the Yelneg are next," she said, staring at the several systems owned by the fungoid creatures, the green demarcation of their territory perilously close to the Kirrix invasion corridor. "They're teetering on the brink of extinction..."

The Fleet Warden watched her for a long moment, then said hesitantly, "Queen Niskera, I know your orders were to focus on protecting the Yelneg Dominion, but I believe our first duty should be to protect the citizens of the Republic. Besides, it makes more strategic sense for Warden Brokurlun's fleet to liberate Dun Gerluhr."

"Our people are very resilient... as terrible as it will be for the citizens of our worlds to be subjected to infestation, they are more likely to survive Dr. Voss' prescribed treatment," she replied, her voice troubled. "The Yelneg are physically weak, they would not withstand bursts from a Sonic Cannon, at least not with enough strength to destroy Kirrix eggs."

Thandrun grimaced in revulsion. "It just... galls me to see our citizens being sacrificed in place of the Yelneg."

"I understand and sympathise with your disquiet, but it seems we are faced with one appalling choice after another these days," she said, her rich voice tinged with sadness. After a brief pause, she managed to give him a hopeful smile. "Do you have any good news for me, Fleet Warden?"

He rubbed his chin with his heavy hand. "Well, as you know our first fleet of newly upgraded ships is enroute to engage the Kirrix. Warden Brokurlun is a skilled tactician, I believe he will acquit himself admirably against their forces."

Niskera studied the map and watched the icon representing Brokurlun's fleet race towards the Kirrix invasion line. "It is uncanny to see how fast those upgraded vessels can travel in hyper-warp."

"Agreed, my Queen," the Fleet Warden said, his amber eyes following the holographic icon. "Combined with our new sensors, we now have a significant strategic edge; we will be able to strike at the Kirrix on battlefields of our choosing."

The Glowing Queen tapped one of the runes on the holo-table and the view zoomed in on the Trankaran forces. Four huge rust-red battleships formed the centre of the formation, with over two-dozen cruisers assuming a protective cordon around them. At the rear of the group were two substantial heavy carriers, each of the massive capital ships dwarfing their destroyer escorts.

"Will the new ship equipment make much of a difference?" Niskera asked anxiously, knowing how precarious their position was, with so few fleets in a position to intercept the Kirrix.

"The combination of the Ashanath Power Cores and the Kintark heatsinks will make a huge difference. Our vessels have always had the speed advantage in combat, but now when we close to range, our Fusion Beams will strike back with twice the potency," Thandrun replied, staring at the formation of ships. He glanced her way and continued with regret, "If only the Maliri fleet were in range to transmit the schematics for upgraded shields... Our vessels are as hardy as they have ever been, but our shields are comparatively weak. Access to Brimorian shielding would make our ships vastly more resilient and would greatly extend the longevity of our forces in a sustained campaign."

"The Maliri are winging their way to us as fast as they can," Niskera said, giving him a reassuring smile. "Alyssa informed me that in two days' time they will be in range to transmit those new schematics... by the third day, their fleet will arrive at Trankara."

"By that time, we will have three more fleets ready for battle," Thandrun said, in his rumbling voice. "Although it might be prudent to hold those ships in place at the shipyards and delay committing them to battle until the new shields have been installed."

Niskera slowly shook her head. "I understand that you wish to preserve as much of our forces as possible, but we must start repulsing the Kirrix invaders."

The Fleet Warden sighed and nodded. "I know, my Queen. We must do what we can to prevent the suffering of our citizens... It just pains me that our hand is being forced."

"We must never allow the Republic to be this exposed again, Thandrun," she said, her glowing eyes narrowing with anger. "Our people are paying the price for the Senate's indecisiveness and lack of preparation."

His slab-like face broke into a smile. "With you in charge, my Queen, I have a feeling that will never be a problem."

The intensity of Niskera's answering gaze unnerved Thandrun, until he realised she wasn't looking directly at him, she appeared to be staring off into the distance. A chime at the door drew his attention and he stomped over to the door, glancing at the holo-display to see who it was. Tapping the rune by the frame, the door yawned open, admitting Associate Bhaken. The younger Trankaran strode inside, his eyes widening when he saw the Glowing Queen.

Bhaken wavered for a moment, fighting the urge to drop to his knees, as he knew such overt deference troubled Niskera. "Revered Queen," he began, settling for a sweeping bow. "I wish to inform you that we have docked at Vulkamduhr Shipyards. The Star Forges are ready for your inspection."

She gave the Associate a grateful smile. "Thank you, Bhaken. We had best not keep the workers of Vulkamduhr waiting."

Niskera left the command room with Bhaken and Thandrun, her honour guard forming a defensive cordon around the Glowing Queen as they left the Bridge and made their way to the elevators. Niskera was lost in thought, so her escorts stayed silent so as not to disturb her, watching the runes on the deck counter change as they descended. When they reached the lowest level of the Kerhom's Anvil, the group strode out through the broad airlock into a cavernous docking bay.

A stocky Trankaran wearing runed ceremonial robes was waiting for them, an entourage of a dozen Forgemasters arrayed around him. His eyes widened when he saw Niskera and just like his fellow craftsmen, he dropped to his knees with a look of awe on his blunt features. "By the Great Maker..." he murmured in a low rumble, before prostrating himself before her.

The Glowing Queen hurried over and crouched down beside the elder Trankaran. Niskera gently lifted his chin and said in her rich voice, "Please arise, Forgelord Onahm. I should be the one bowing before you; I am not deserving of such an honour."

She offered him a hand and helped him to his feet, unsettled by the way one of the most respected men in the Trankaran Republic was staring at her in wonder.

"You are the prophet of the Great Protector and you have already proven why he chose you," the Forgelord rumbled, unable to stop staring at the warm light that pulsed from the glowing lines spiralling around her body. "You broke the deadlock of the Senate and ended months of shameful bickering in but a single day. More importantly, you healed the divisions between our rock-brethren, rallying them to fight the Kirrix; now the halls of Vulkamduhr ring with the glorious sound of metal being forged into machines of war. You do yourself a huge disservice by downplaying your impressive accomplishments, Queen Niskera."

"I have only tried to serve our people in the manner in which they deserve," she said quietly, humbled by his effusive praise.

He gave her an enigmatic smile. "I always expected great things from you and you have not disappointed."

Niskera gave him a shy smile in return, inclining her head respectfully. "I would be unable to face the shame should I ever disappoint you, Forgelord."

Onahm turned and gestured with his grey paw, the granite-like skin showing cracks with age. "Come, let me show you what you have wrought with your diligent service to the Republic."

They walked across the Docking Bay and through high-ceilinged corridors lined with massive buttresses. Glowing amber lines ran up the walls and pillars, illuminating the majesty of Vulkamduhr with their warm glow. Long windows gave a panoramic view of the bright white sun that powered the star forges, the filters allowing Niskera to view the blistering ball of energy without being blinded. Incredibly powerful thermal shields protected the shipyard, ensuring that the intense heat of the solar rays would not burn Vulkamduhr to a crisp.

The corridor rose into a ramp and when it levelled off, the windows now lined the opposite wall. This view was no less spectacular, allowing Niskera to see the first of the star forges. An ancient relic from a time long-past, it was shaped like a vast ring, with numerous inner circles formed from an enormous framework of glistening black metal. Ore was channelled into hoppers above the ring, where it was dropped into superheated plasma, the bubbling magma-like liquid then funnelled into the upper levels of the star forge itself. Slowly emerging from the star forge was the armoured superstructure of a Trankaran battleship, the blazing red vessel shrouded in a shimmering heat-haze.

"All six are running at full capacity... a first in my lifetime," Onahm said, a mix of powerful emotions shining in his eyes as he glanced at Niskera.

"Do you have everything you require to maintain that pace?" Niskera asked, staring at the colossal warship inching out of the star forge.

He nodded, turning back to gaze at the imposing ship. "We have been receiving shipments from every corner of the Republic. Your Senators are working diligently to meet our every demand."

They turned and carried on walking along the corridor. The next room contained the cooled outer shell of a Trankaran cruiser, the angry scarlet now muted to the familiar dull rust-red of all Trankaran warships. Hundreds of Trankaran engineers were at work, the bright flare of plasma torches illuminating their blocky frames as they installed all the external components. A dozen anti-grav barges and hover-trucks packed with crates and equipment made their way in an orderly queue to the cavernous assembly area, where the rest of the ship components were waiting for installation. Cranes and grav-hoists swung 20-metre-long Fusion Beams into position along the flank of the warship, while gigantic propulsion systems were winched into place at the rear of the vessel.

"Have you had any difficulties with compatibility?" Fleet Warden Thandrun asked, as he watched a spherical Power Plant being lowered into the hull. "Ashanath vessels are so different from our own."

Forgelord Onahm shook his head. "None whatsoever. It was as simple as removing one Power Core and simply replacing it with the upgraded version." He smiled as he looked at Niskera and added, "That two such radically different species should develop technology along similar lines would have seemed extremely improbable, but for your explanation of our shared origins. To think that we were all once servants of the Great Maker..."

"And now we stand together as friends and allies of the Great Protector," Niskera said with a smile. "There is a pleasing symmetry in all the Maker's children uniting under one banner once again."

A ringing chime pealed out three times, the sonorous notes echoing down the corridor. The engineers in the assembly room beyond all broke from work at once, walking with heavy steps in their magnetic boots as they traversed the hull of the cruiser. They gathered in groups and began walking towards the exits on the far side of the huge hangar, their excitement obvious to the spectators even on the far side of the room.

"The workers are assembling," the Forgelord said, gesturing down the corridor.

They set off again, continuing along the gallery until they reached a broad passageway that turned right into the centre of the shipyard. As she walked through those antiquated halls, Niskera immersed herself in the spiritual magnificence of Vulkamduhr. It had been a broken ruin when her people had reclaimed it nine millennia ago, but with great sacrifices and dedication the facility had been lovingly restored to its former glory. Niskera had often tried to imagine the Great Maker walking these halls with his Favoured Ones, but now she pictured John with the Maliri, and a felt a shiver run down her spine.

Onahm had been watching her and noticed her involuntary shiver. "Nervous, my Queen?"

She shook her head and smiled. "I never felt closer to the Great Maker than during my visits to Vulkamduhr. Now this holy site feels like a bridge between the halcyon days of the ancient past and a glorious new future that fills me with hope."

He looked around, then closed his eyes for a moment as he walked, matching her pace with his measured tread. "I always considered Vulkamduhr to be a testimony to the resilience of the Trankarans; that we were able to rebuild and recover from so much darkness." The Forgelord slowly reopened his eyes and smiled at Niskera. "But I believe I prefer your interpretation."

Reaching a T-junction, Onahm turned left, guiding them deeper into the facility. After only a few more minutes they reached an imposing set of doors that were layered in elaborate Trankaran runes. The guards at the doors opened them, revealing a dimly-lit corridor that brightened noticeably at the end. This hallowed place felt steeped in history and Niskera found herself holding her breath as she walked towards the balcony at the end of the tunnel. Had another Glowing Queen walked this path before her? The thought made her skin tingle.

Reaching the low parapet wall, she looked out over the huge meeting hall, row upon row of Trankarans arrayed before her. The sheer numbers were staggering and must have included every worker in Vulkamduhr, each and every one waiting for a glimpse of their Queen. Shrugging off her outer robe, Niskera held her bared arms aloft, palms held upward. She stood silently, letting them gaze at the pulsing light that matched the beat of her heart.

Hearing the sudden intake of breath from tens-of-thousands was like listening to a sharp breeze whistling over the mountaintops of the Khurduirthen range on Trankara. Niskera could see the stunned expressions on the workers' faces as they stared at her in open-mouthed amazement. Row after row dropped to their knees a second later, accompanied by a rumbling crash that sounded like an avalanche.

"Rock Brethren of Vulkamduhr, rise and heed my words... for I come to you with great tidings!" Niskera called out as she lowered her arms, the clever harmonics of the chamber making her voice resonate to every corner of the cavernous room.

As the shocked workers slowly rose to their feet, she continued, "The story of our people began with the Great Maker, who shaped us and gifted us with life. For millennia we have mourned his departure, wishing his return while we sought to rebuild what was lost. But the Great Maker did not abandon us... his lasting legacy to our people was a gift of glorious self-sacrifice. It has been revealed to me that he laid down his own life to defeat Ranagon the Despoiler and ended the War of the Heavens, saving us from extinction!"

The Trankarans in the room looked stunned at this revelation and Niskera even heard a shocked inhalation of breath from the Forgelord behind her.

"Mourn the Great Maker, for he has earned our eternal gratitude; we would not exist without his benevolence... but rejoice as well, for we are once more in the time of the Gods! The Great Protector has arrived in our moment of greatest need and chosen me to act as his prophet. No longer will our people be forced to stand alone against the horrors that lurk in the far reaches of space. The Favoured Ones have rallied to the Great Protector's cause and travel the stars once more; he has sent the Maliri speeding to our aid!"

The audience hall echoed with even louder exclamations of wonder that quickly turned into joyful cries of relief.

Niskera raised her glowing arms again to focus her audience's attention. When the gravelly murmurs from the crowd faded away, she continued, "The Republic was facing oblivion, but we must stand strong to repulse the foul Kirrix that besiege us. We have been given incredible gifts of new technology by the Great Protector and more are on their way; soon we will be building vessels that will leave our enemies quaking in fear!"

There was a round of stirring cheers, deep rumbling voices raised in thanks to the Great Protector.

The Glowing Queen nodded. "Yes, you are right to praise the Great Protector for our deliverance, but there are others for whom I reserve my deepest respect and gratitude..." A hushed silence descended on the throng of Trankarans as they waited for Niskera to reveal who it was. "It is you, my Rock-Brethren!" she called out, her rich voice enchanting every soul in the room. "The vessels you build will shield our citizens from harm and hurl back the Kirrix invaders! Every blow of your hammer is a righteous blow for the preservation of our people!"

Her audience stared at her in astonishment, having never been spoken to with such sincere deference before. That the Glowing Queen would hold them in such incredibly high regard stirred the crowd, the workers standing tall with their heads held high, a fervent gleam in every eye.

"On behalf of the millions of Rock-Brethren whose lives you save with the dust worn from your hands, I thank you from the bottom of my heart." Niskera knelt by the low balcony, her head bowed with respect. "To be in the presence of the saviours of the Republic is the greatest honour of my life."

Her declaration was met with stunned silence as the Trankaran workers gaped at their Queen kneeling humbly before them. What started as a low rumble with the crowd chanting her name, built into a deafening roar, the jubilant cries rolling in waves across the parapet. Niskera slowly rose to her feet and smiled at the elated Trankarans, thrilled to see the spirits of her people rising so high. She gave them a parting wave, then turned and stepped away from the balcony to face her companions. They all wore similar looks of wonder on their faces, even Forgelord Onahm, whose cloudy amber eyes were widened in awe.

Niskera walked over to him and said softly, "Thank you for allowing me to speak here today, Forgelord. It was an honour I will never forget."

His expression softened and he lovingly cupped her cheek in his hand. "I have never been more proud of you, my daughter."

***

John, Alyssa, and the five Nymphs watched the holographic image floating in the Medical Bay, the results of the full-body scan displayed before them. Rachel was currently examining Jade, having repeated this same procedure with her patient's four Lenarran sisters.

Rachel frowned as she stared at the exotic alien girl, her glowing eyes narrowing with concentration as her focus shifted to the Nymph's chest. "Alyssa was right... there is something different about you, Jade."

John squeezed the Nymph's hand, then asked quietly, "What is it?"

The doctor brushed her fingers across the control panel and four more images appeared, each one a representation of the Nymphs' crystal hearts. The five holo-scans zoomed in to the microscopic level and now they could all see what uniquely differentiated Jade from her sisters. There were tiny glyphs interwoven throughout the crystalline structure, the strange symbols unfamiliar to everyone in attendance.

"I didn't do that did I?" John asked warily, staring at the bizarre glyphs. "Those aren't Progenitor runes... or at least they're ones I'm not familiar with."

Rachel hesitated, glancing at him as the soft glow faded from her grey eyes. "I'm afraid I don't have the answer to that question yet. As you can see, the glyphs are impossible to observe with the naked eye, so I missed them during my initial autopsy. This is the first time I've examined anyone this closely using my abilities. I would have assumed these markings across her heart were to be expected in all Nymphs, except that her sisters don't have them."

Alyssa brushed her fingers through Jade's dark-green hair. "Either John put those runes there subconsciously... or someone else did a long time ago."

"So if it wasn't done by John, it must have been Mael'nerak who inscribed them," Jade said, glancing down at her chest.

"It all depends what type of glyphs they are," Rachel murmured, lost in thought.

John glanced at Alyssa and said, "Could you call Dana please? It's possible she knows some Progenitor runes that I'm not familiar with."

"She's on her way," the blonde replied after a brief pause.

It didn't take long for the redhead to join them in the Medical Bay, Dana giving them a bright smile as she entered. "Hey! So what's all this about crazy runes on Jade's heart?!"

"Take a look for yourself," Rachel replied, gesturing towards the holo-image. "Do they look familiar to you?"

Dana squinted at the tiny lines of strange glyphs, her brow furrowed in concentration. "Wow... they are weird."

"I can't read them," John said, placing his hand on her shoulder. "They don't look like Progenitor runes to me, but I wanted a second opinion."

The redhead suddenly froze, her eyes widening. "Holy shit!" She pointed frantically at a twisted crescent overlaid by four diagonal slashes. "I've seen that symbol before!"

"Progenitor script?" John asked, staring at the strange glyph.

She quickly shook her head. "No! On the computers in the Underworld!"

Rachel stared at her incredulously. "But that was an Achonin facility! Mael'nerak annihilated their empire 72,000 years ago!"

Dana gave her a helpless shrug. "Yeah, I know! It's fucking crazy... but I swear it's the exact same rune!"

John gently stroked Jade's hand, his expression troubled. "But why would you have Achonin glyphs inscribed on your crystal heart?"

The Nymph looked up at him, her emerald eyes wide in astonishment. "I have absolutely no idea, Master."

He glanced around the room at the rest of the girls, but they looked just as bewildered as he was. His gaze settled on the stunned brunette and he asked apprehensively, "Are they dangerous to Jade? Should I just try to remove them as a precaution?"

Rachel darted a worried frown at the scanned image. "There's so many unknowns... they could mean anything." After a moment's pause, she continued, "Perhaps Irillith might be able to learn the Achonin language? She was able to decode and start translating the Vulkat archive."

Alyssa tilted her head to one side as she listened to the Maliri hacker's telepathic voice. "Irillith wasn't even able to make a connection to the computer systems in the Underworld. Whatever coding formats the Achonin used are totally incompatible with our tech."

Dana shot John a rueful frown. "I only saw a handful of icons on those strange curved displays in the control room. I had a good look around, but that was the only place I saw any form of writing."

He brushed the backs of his fingers over Jade's chest. "Well it looks like they'll have to remain a mystery, at least for the moment. Unless anyone has a better idea, I'm inclined to just leave you as you are for the time being. You've survived this long without any problems and I'm worried what might happen to your memories and personality if I try to remove them."

"That sounds sensible," Jade agreed, interlacing her fingers with his.

Faye appeared in a purple flash, her translucent wings thrumming with excitement. "Hey! Sorry to interrupt, but you requested I let you know as soon as we'd identified Maria's new neighbours!"

"Who are they?" John asked with concern. "Is Maria in danger?"

The purple sprite shook her head a big grin on her face. "Maria was right! Their names are Commander Joel Sharp and Lt Commander Faith Marshall, both covert operatives from the Internal Security Division."

She blinked and a holo-projection appeared, showing the pictures and personnel profiles of the two ISD operatives. They each had nearly a decade of experience working as specialist close protection officers, with numerous citations for bravery and threat neutralisation.

"Lynette..." John said with a knowing smile.

Faye bobbed her head. "Yep! Once we'd searched through the T-Fed military archives for a facial match and found the operatives, it was relatively easy to track down the Fleet Admiral's executive order to watch over Maria."

Alyssa hooked her arm around his. "Calara's really relieved that there's a team there to protect her mother; she's just calling Maria now to let her know."

He relaxed and nodded. "Yeah, me too."

"Do you want me to thank Lynette?" the blonde asked.

John hesitated, then smiled at Faye. "Please could you patch me into Calara's call with Maria?"

"Sure, no problem!" the purple sprite cheerfully replied.

***

Tom Walker tapped his finger on the console of his desk, waiting impatiently for the call to go through. The contact name "Lieutenant Commander Kyle McDaniel" pulsed on the holo-interface as the connection was routed through the network of Comms Beacons. After an interminably long delay, the winged sword of the Terran Federation faded, to be replaced by a stocky, auburn-haired man wearing a marine officer's uniform, his mouth framed by a neat goatee.

"Walker!" he exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear. "You son-of-a-bitch, how's it going?"

"Good to see you too, Mac," Tom replied, smiling when he heard that thick Scottish accent. "I'm doing fine... How about you? Been wrestling any drunken Ornaliths recently?"

Kyle let out a belly laugh. "Damn, I haven't thought about that in ages... getting slugged by those three-armed bastards was like getting pounded by a sledgehammer! What was it? Five years ago?"

"Six... we were fresh out of the Academy," Tom replied with a lop-sided smile. "I've still got the scars to prove it."

"Yeah, I haven't forgotten..." his old friend replied, a look of sincere gratitude in his eyes. "You and Mace were the only ones who had my back... everyone else scarpered." Kyle suddenly raised an eyebrow, a shrewd look in his eyes. "Now, you wouldn't be mentioning that little incident unless you're calling in a favour... What's the matter? It must be something serious."

Tom grimaced and let out a troubled sigh. "Yeah, it's not just a social call... I need your help. I'm probably just being paranoid, but I'm worried about Anna; she just lost her father and there's a guy 'consoling' her."

Kyle frowned and shook his head. "There's no way in hell she's cheating on you, Walker. She thinks the sun shines out of your arse!"

"Davenport's been stalking her for years. Anna thinks he's harmless, but she's vulnerable at the moment and her guard will be down," Tom said, worry flitting across his face. "I trust Anna, but I wouldn't put it past that asshole to try anything to break us up..."

"Yeah, I get you," Kyle said, his expression darkening. "Want me to fuck him up?"

Tom hesitated then slowly shook his head. "I always got bad vibes off the guy, but I've got no evidence that he's done anything that would warrant a beating. Besides, he's Commander rank and also based at Northridge Command Complex, so we'll have to tread lightly."

"Commander Davenport... Yeah, the name vaguely rings a bell," Kyle muttered with a frown. He gave his friend an apologetic smile. "Northridge is huge, we've got over 200,000 personnel here... I'm afraid I don't know the guy personally."

"That's alright, I'm just concerned about Anna." Tom met the broad-shouldered marine's curious gaze. "With a bit of luck, I'll be back on Terra in three weeks. Do you think you could keep an eye on her for me until then?"

Kyle gave him a reassuring smile. "Of course!"

"I really appreciate it, Mac," Tom said, relaxing in his chair.

"I've got your back on this, don't worry. I'll catch up with Anna this afternoon and invite her out for drinks with my friends... we'll keep her out of trouble for you," Kyle said, running his forefinger and thumb down his goatee as he mulled over his plan. His smile turned wicked as he added, "And I'll look into Commander Archie Davenport for you too."

"You're a lifesaver, thank you."

"No problem." Kyle winked at him. "I'll just be glad to finally even the score."

They nodded to one another, then ended the call. Tom stared at the winged sword icon for a moment, lost in his memories of that night 6 years ago. He could still remember the stale smell of sweat and beer in that bar on Ihlos IV, and the sound of the snorting roars from a drunken Ornalith. It had taken offence at Kyle's ginger goatee, grabbed the unsuspecting marine and broke his leg with a wild blow from a trunk-like arm.

Tom and Mason had rushed to their friend's side without a second thought, but the other three ensigns they'd been with had all fled, more concerned about being brought up on charges for brawling. Punching the enraged silicon-based creature in the face had been like slamming his fist into a brick wall, but Tom managed to distract it long enough for Mason to help Kyle crawl to safety. By the time the local police arrived to break up the fight, Tom had earned himself four shattered ribs, broken knuckles in his right hand, and the eternal friendship of Kyle McDaniel.

Turning off the comms interface, Tom rose to his feet and left his quarters. He was on duty up on the Bridge of the heavy carrier Janus in ten minutes and he didn't want to be late, especially with Captain Bexley reviewing his Tactical treatise that afternoon. It had been good to speak to Kyle and a relief to do something proactive regarding the Archie situation, but Tom was unable to shake a troubling sense of foreboding that had been nagging him for days.

Walking into an open elevator, he found two more of the Bridge crew waiting inside, also on their way up to the Command Deck to start their shift. They acknowledged him with friendly greetings and the trio made light-hearted conversation as the lift ascended through the decks. A chime alerted them that they'd reached their destination and Tom strode out onto the Bridge, making his way around the Command Podium.

Mason was sitting at the Janus' Executive Officer's Station and Tom grinned at him as he passed. "Good morning, Commander Newmont."

"Good morning to you, Lieutenant Commander Walker," Mason replied, matching his formal greeting, but unable to suppress the hint of a smile.

Tom was pleased to see his friend's mood lifting; for the last couple of days Mason had been grieving for his father and this was the first time he could remember him smiling. Walking towards his Tactical Station, Tom passed the heavy carrier's flight control team and saw several officers tracking wings of fighters as they performed patrols around the system. The Janus was currently carrying a full complement of Rapier fighters, but he'd heard from Mason that the first squadron of Claymore's was being sent to the fleet. After seeing them in action during the Battle of Terra, their arrival was hotly anticipated.

Leaning against Tactical, Tom smiled at the Asian man who was staring intently at the holographic Sector Map floating above his console. "Hey, Chen. Did I miss anything exciting?"

The tactical officer looked up in surprise. "Damn! Is it that time already?"

Tom raised an eyebrow. "Alright, what's got you so engrossed?"

Chen carefully brushed his fingers over the edge of the holo-controls and made a pulling gesture towards his chest. The Sector Map pivoted as it mirrored the movements of his hand, so it was now facing towards Tom. "I've been watching Brimorian fleet movements all night long!"

"Can you show me an accelerated recap?" Tom asked, narrowing his eyes as he stared at the map.

The holograph was centred on the Blue-white star of the Alpha Crusis system, one of four that had been captured from the Brimorians in the sweep of stars known as the Callopean Shoals. Admiral Morgan's fleet was holding position here, within easy striking range of the neutral zone between the two unfriendly empires. A sophisticated sensor grid had been concealed within asteroid belts in those four systems, giving a good picture of Brimorian fleet movements close to the border. There were some quite disturbing changes since Tom had last seen the map...

Chen began the playback from the start of his night shift and Tom saw the familiar disposition of the Brimorian fleets. Unlike the four Terran-owned systems of the Callopean Shoals, the remaining thirteen systems under Enclave control were all colonised, their undersea cities teeming with Brimorian citizens. The Enclave's forces were therefore split into two-dozen small fleets, their dispersal designed to prevent minor incursions across their border, rather than setup to face a major fleet engagement.

Tom watched the night's activity in fascination, as the alien vessels began a complex series of manoeuvres. Over half of the Brimorian forces withdrew completely, while the remainder clustered together, forming a single large fleet directly opposing the Terran Federation forces.

"It looks like they're readying themselves for a fleet engagement, but they just pulled half their forces off the border..." Tom muttered, staring intently at the sensor contacts.

"I know!" Chen said with an eager nod. "I checked in with the Momus; the consensus over there is that the Brimorians are just doing a bit of aggressive posturing, but they removed half their ships to avoid a serious escalation on the border." He frowned, glancing at Admiral Morgan's battleship on the map. "I'm not sure I agree with them, but I haven't been able to come up with a better explanation yet."

Narrowing his eyes, Tom could only nod his agreement. "What the hell are those slippery bastards up to?"

***

Charles kept his fingers steepled as he listened to the angry Internal Security officer.

"The situation is intolerable, Admiral Harris!" the blond colonel growled, trying to keep a lid on his temper. "How are we supposed to protect the Fleet Admiral with all these restrictions in place?!"

"My hands are tied, Colonel Fiske," Charles replied calmly, tapping his index fingers together. "The request for absolute privacy came from the Fleet Admiral herself."

Clenching his fists in anger, Fiske snapped, "But Sir, Buckingham granted us permission to maintain constant surveillance inside his quarters! What if an assassin managed to penetrate our defensive teams and break into her suite? We wouldn't even know she was under attack!"

Giving him a look of sympathy, Charles said, "Devereux doesn't have to abide to conventions established by her predecessor; you know as well as I do that she has absolute authority here." He shrugged and continued, "Just increase your vigilance around the Senior Officers' decks to prevent entry by intruders; that's where she'll be spending most of her time. On the few occasions that the Fleet Admiral has gone anywhere public, she's had a full security detail accompanying her."

The colonel bit back a sharp reply and stood there simmering with anger for a moment. After collecting himself, he changed tack, leaning closer and saying furtively, "There's something else too, Admiral. I've noticed something quite disturbing..."

His curiosity piqued, Charles raised an eyebrow. "Go on..."

"There's some kind of jamming device in her quarters!" Fiske blurted out, his eyes narrowed with suspicion. "It's blocking the very best scanning equipment we have at our disposal!"

"Colonel Fiske, did you just confess to deliberately countermanding a direct order by the Fleet Admiral?" Charles asked, his glacial tone making the Colonel freeze. "I'm quite certain you know the penalty for such insubordination, so think very carefully before you reply."

Fiske swallowed, a flicker of fear in his eyes. "My apologies, Admiral Harris. I believe I misspoke."

There was a long moment of silence between them, a trickle of sweat dripping down the side of Fiske's face. Finally, Charles said quietly, "I admire your diligence, Colonel, but don't make the mistake of underestimating Devereux. She was an admiral for eight years before her recent promotion, so she's quite aware of the risks involved and knows exactly what she's doing. The Fleet Admiral has made a number of privacy requests and you WILL adhere to them all, am I understood?"

Snapping to attention, Fiske saluted him. "Yes, Admiral Harris. I understand perfectly, Sir."

"Good, you're dismissed," Charles said, lowering his hands.

The colonel turned and marched out of the office, nearly bumping into Lynette who was waiting in the reception area with Charles' adjutant. Fiske gulped when he saw her and gave her a sharp salute. "Morning, Ma'am..."

She looked at him curiously, noting how anxious he appeared to be. "Good afternoon, Colonel Fiske," she corrected him as she returned his salute.

He nodded and Lynette watched as he strode stiffly out into the corridor as if he couldn't get away fast enough. She exchanged a curious look with Victor, who gave her a helpless shrug, the Lieutenant just as confused by the colonel's behaviour as she was.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Lynette," Charles apologised, as he left his office and found her standing there.

"No need to apologise, I was early," she replied, waving a hand dismissively. "Is everything alright with Fiske?"

Charles gestured towards the door and they walked out into the corridor. "The good colonel was expressing his concern about the prohibition of surveillance in your quarters."

Lynette glanced his way with concern. "Ah, I hope I'm not causing you any problems?"

"It's not a problem; your desire for privacy is entirely reasonable." His moustache twitched into a grin. "Besides, I'd far rather he concentrate on keeping intruders from getting anywhere near your quarters, rather than trying to stop someone once they're already inside. The surveillance restrictions will just force Fiske to improve perimeter security, which will ultimately be safer for you."

"That's a good way of thinking about it," she said with a grateful smile. "Thank you for being so understanding."

"You're welcome," Charles replied, inclining his head politely. "Now, where would you like to go for lunch today?"

"Actually, I wanted to discuss a number of Ultra-clearance subjects, so eating in a public restaurant would be unwise." Lynette hesitated for a second, a shy smile on her face. "I prepared some lunch for us in my suite; we can talk freely there without any interruptions... if you're willing to trust my cooking?"

Charles laughed and nodded. "My life is in your hands."

They made idle conversation as they headed to her quarters, greeting the handful of senior officers they met on their way. Lynette felt a fluttering of excitement in her stomach as they arrived at the door to her suite; it felt like she was a teenager again, inviting her boyfriend up to her bedroom in her parents' house. She could sense Alyssa's amusement over their bond, but the blonde refrained from teasing her, for which she was tremendously grateful. Lynette placed her palm on the DNA reader and the door slid open silently, admitting them into her suite.

"I hope your quarters were acceptable?" Charles asked, following her inside.

"Charles, they're magnificent," Lynette replied with a grateful smile.

The suite was spacious and luxurious, with no expense spared for the leader of the Terran Federation. It was tastefully decorated and furnished, a far cry from the typical utilitarian officers' quarters. They walked through the lobby area into the main lounge, which was dominated by a huge set of windows that offered a panoramic view of the space lanes approaching Olympus Shipyard. There were hundreds of ships visible from here, ranging from meandering civilian traders to rows of captured Kintark vessels, the alien craft being prepared for their return to the Empire.

Most of the T-Fed fleets that had survived the Battle of Terra were also in attendance, many of those ships awaiting their turn in the drydock for repair and refit. It was a spectacular sight and Charles paused to admire the ponderous majesty of those huge capital ships as they hung motionless in the field of velvety black. As impressive as those vessels appeared, he knew how utterly ineffective they were in comparison to the ships from a highly-advanced species like the Maliri. The sheer scale of the refit efforts ahead of them filled him with apprehension, and not for the first time, he wondered how they would ever hope to bring the Terran ships up to parity with the Progenitor's forces.

"Are you alright?" Lynette asked sympathetically. "You look like you've got the weight of the galaxy on your shoulders."

He turned to smile at her, shaking himself out of his bleak introspection. "Don't mind me, everything's fine."

"Charles... it's okay, you can talk to me," she said softly, placing her hand on his arm. "The Lionesses have ensured that anything we discuss here can't be overhead."

Colonel Fiske's frustrations suddenly made perfect sense. Charles knew that the security teams would never be able to penetrate the Fleet Admiral's jamming device if the Lionesses were involved.

He was about to reply when he noticed that Lynette had already laid out lunch for them in the dining room opposite. Flushing with embarrassment, he said, "I must have really zoned-out there. You must think I'm incredibly rude."

"Not at all," she said, shaking her head. "Let's sit down for lunch, then you can tell me what's on your mind."

Charles nodded and followed her over to the table, his eyebrows climbing when he saw the plate of food waiting for him. "Lynette, this looks amazing!"

"It's just a Salade Niçoise with grilled tuna," she said with a self-conscious smile. "I hope you like it."

She poured him a glass of white wine, then sat demurely as she watched him try the tuna. When Charles hummed his appreciation, she gave him a broad smile and started on her own meal.

"This really is excellent, Lynette," he said, admiring her culinary expertise. "Thank you for going to all this trouble."

"It was no trouble at all; it's always a pleasure to cook for a guest. Now, what was on your mind?" she asked, before eating some of her salad.

Charles glanced out the window at the legions of grey vessels. "Seeing all those ships out there... it just reminded me what a herculean task we have ahead of us to upgrade them all. Even then, I know they'll be no match for the Progenitor's forces... John warned me as much."

Lynette watched him for a moment, trying her wine before returning the glass to the table. "He's preparing the Maliri to fight the Progenitor's forces, but our fleets need to be strong to keep the T-Fed borders secure against other threats. Riding to our rescue all the time is a distraction John doesn't need at the moment." She leaned forward and added in a conspiratorial whisper, "But can I let you in on a little secret?"

He looked intrigued as he made eye contact with her. "Of course, I'll be the soul of discretion."

"I'm hoping that if we can prove just how dependable we are as an ally, that John will eventually trust the Terran Federation with much more technology!" she exclaimed, with a hopeful smile.

Charles nodded, but sounded distracted as he stared at her in fascination, "That's a worthy goal..."

"Are you alright, Charles?" Lynette asked, surprised by how distant he seemed. "Have you got something else on your mind?"

He quickly averted his gaze and concentrated on his meal. "Ah... no, Lynette. I think it's a good idea, I'll support you however I can."

She frowned at him in irritation and put down her knife and fork with a clatter. "You were like this yesterday too! Alright, spit it out... what's got you so distracted?"

Charles looked mortified and after a long pause, he reluctantly murmured, "You've got the same eyes..."

"What?" Lynette snapped, trying to keep control of her temper.

"I never noticed before, but your eyes are beautiful... they just reminded me of someone else," he admitted nervously.

"Who? Lina?!" she bristled, her hazel eyes narrowing. After going to all the trouble of preparing him lunch, she couldn't believe that he was still thinking about her!"

He shook his head. "No... Marie."

Lynette stared at him in surprise, then giggled at the absurdity of the situation. She was jealous... of herself!

Charles blushed furiously at her laughter. "I'm sorry..."

Lynette gave him a knowing smile. "My, my, she really made an impression on you, didn't she?"

"Did Marie say something?" he asked, cringing with embarrassment. "She must think I'm a lecherous old goat!"

"No, she doesn't think that at all," Lynette replied with a soft smile. "So... do you like her? Did you think she was pretty?"

He hesitated, torn with indecision as he tried to meet her curious gaze.

Lynette reached out to gently squeeze his hand. "You can tell me the truth, I promise I won't be offended."

Charles took a deep breath, then admitted, "She's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. When she smiled at me, it felt like my heart had stopped beating."

"But Charles, she's young enough to be your daughter," Lynette teased him, her smile taking the sting out of her admonishment.

He rolled his eyes at himself. "I know... I can only blame the health-check I got from Rachel. I must be going through some kind of mid-life crisis."

"Have you bought yourself a red hover-convertible yet?" she asked innocently.

Charles laughed and shook his head. "No, not yet, it's on my to-do list." He looked her in the eyes again and continued, "I'm sorry I was staring at her in the gym. I know Marie is a relative of yours and I promise I won't do or say anything to embarrass either of you."

Lynette raised an eyebrow and gave him a sly smile. "Are you sure? What if I told you that Marie was wondering if you'd like to meet for a drink tonight?"

His mouth fell open in shock. "You're kidding..."

"No, not at all," she purred. "You can tell a lot about a man by the company he keeps and you're best friends with the Lion. She also happens to think that you're handsome and charming."

Charles sat there stunned, his brain refusing to work. Lynette was thrilled by his reaction and elated to find out that it wasn't Lina he was pining over, but Marie! Or herself, she thought with amusement and relief.

"So, would you like to meet Marie tonight?" Lynette asked playfully.

He shook himself out of his bewildered state and grinned. "I'd love to... as long as you honestly don't mind?"

"No, I don't mind at all," she said, her hazel eyes twinkling as she sipped her wine. "I think you're a good man; you're very kind, thoughtful, and loyal. I'm proud to consider you a friend and I can't think of anyone I'd rather see dating Marie."

"Thank you, Lynette," he said, touched by her sincerity.

Alyssa groaned and said, *Just tell him now, you tease! You could spend the rest of the afternoon fucking him senseless!*

*No, not yet,* Lynette replied, as she studied Charles' face, delighted by his reaction. He looked like he couldn't believe what was happening, his expression one of awed incredulity. *Tonight...*

***

Maria Fernandez heard the pleasant chime of the doorbell and she glided out of the kitchen with an extra swish to her hips. She couldn't believe how incredible it felt to have the full range of motion in her leg again and couldn't wait to show her husband. When Jack returned home, she was going to do things to him she hadn't done in 25 years; he'd be the one limping when she was through with him.

Opening the door, she found Ed and Linda smiling back at her.

"Hello, neighbour!" Linda gushed.

Ed laughed and put his arm around the brunette. "Please excuse my wife, she's not normally this manic. We're both just buzzed about the move."

"All settled in now?" Maria asked as she led them down the hall towards the lounge.

"Well, we've got everything moved into the house, but the ground floor's a maze of moving crates," he replied, grimacing at the thought.

"I never realised we'd accumulated so much stuff!" Linda chimed in with a groan. "It's going to take forever to unpack it all."

Maria gave them an understanding smile. "Trust me, it gets much worse when you have children. Our loft looks like a toy shop... but it's so hard to throw those things away when they have such lovely memories attached to them. My excuse is that I'm saving everything for the grandchildren."

They walked into the lounge and she gestured to the sofas and the coffee table covered in plates full of sandwiches. "Take a seat and dig in. You must have worked up an appetite after all that hard work."

The couple gave her a grateful smile and sat down, picking up plates and choosing some sandwiches.

Strolling through to the kitchen, Maria called out over her shoulder, "Tea, coffee?"

"Coffee!" they both said at once, then laughed.

"I'll need it to stay awake, we've still got so much to do," Linda said with a sigh.

Maria had already boiled the kettle, so she soon reappeared with steaming cups of coffee on a tray. "Yes, I can imagine," she said sympathetically. "You'll need to set up camera surveillance and stow away all that combat gear before bed tonight. Would you like sugar, Faith? How about you, Joel?"

They nodded in agreement, caught completely off-guard by the deceptively mild tone of her voice that hadn't shifted from the earlier pleasantries. The two operatives suddenly froze, staring at each other in horror.

She gave them a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I know you're here to protect me. Executive order 8990421: Protect Maria Fernandez at all costs; agents must be willing to lay down their lives to ensure her safety."

They gaped at her in mute astonishment as she recited their mission's primary directive.

"I'm touched that you'd volunteer for such a mission, but please don't throw your lives away on my account," she said gently, reaching out to pat Faith on her hand. "You seem like a lovely young couple... even if you aren't actually married."

"Oh God..." Commander Sharp groaned, holding his head in his hands. "You know everything!"

Lt Commander Marshall's face was ashen as she mumbled, "H-how? When did you break our cover?!"

Maria tilted her head to one side as she thought back to their first meeting. "I think it was about thirty seconds after we met." She put down the tray and picked out a sandwich. "I hope you like the bread and ham, it's from a lovely little farm shop not far from here. I'll have to take you there sometime."

Faith stared at the sandwich, then let out a burst of nervous laughter.

"This isn't funny..." Joel said morosely. "We were supposed to stay undercover!"

"It's better this way," Maria said, her voice firm. "Now I can work with you and make your job easier. There must be a genuine threat if the Fleet Admiral is assigning me bodyguards..."

The two ISD agents glanced at each other, then Joel sighed and nodded to his partner.

"We haven't been briefed on anything specific," Faith said, meeting Maria's curious gaze. "We were just told to protect you at all costs. Our plan was for me to befriend you, so that I could be close at hand if there was any trouble, while the Commander kept watch for threats."

"I could always use a new friend, the empty nest can get a bit lonely," Maria said with a warm smile. She frowned and added, "But there is one thing I'd like to know..."

"What is it?" Faith asked, leaning forward and hanging on her every word.

The Latina's eyes twinkled as she replied, "Did Jill Hutchingson leave a brown casserole dish behind? I really liked that one and she left without returning it!"

Faith grinned at her. "Don't worry, Ma'am. We'll track it down for you."

***

David Gibbons drove the open-topped hoverjeep across the ferrocrete courtyard outside the Citadel, carefully weaving his way around the blackened shells of burnt out tanks. As he rounded the corner to face the main battleground, his eyes were inexorably drawn to the enormous draconic cadaver that lay sprawled across the shattered fortifications. He'd seen the battle with his own eyes, but he still struggled to believe that the Lion had actually fought a duel with the colossal red dragon. The once terrifying and magnificent beast had been brought low, and now its corpse was surrounded by scientists in hazmat suits, who were busy examining it and taking samples.

As he neared the battlements, David spotted a cluster of uniformed officers gathered together along the parapet wall, as they surveyed the battlefield. He parked the hoverjeep next to the ramp and stepped out, walking briskly to reach the upper levels. He smiled as heard his commanding officer issuing concise orders, the score of men surrounding her listening attentively.

"I want the battlefield scoured for Kintark equipment, particularly the portable shield generators from those Kintark Royal Guard; have them delivered to the Sentinel Alpha armoury." Without pausing, she continued, "What's the status on the Kintark cap ships?"

David reached the battlements and glanced out at the gigantic Kintark flagship that the Lion had knocked out of the sky. It had ploughed bow-first into the ground, the superstructure buckling and twisting as the rest of the ship crashed down. Behind it, three hulking Kintark battlecarriers had also smashed into the earth and now lay like a trio of beached green whales, looking forlorn and dangerously out of their element.

"The surviving crewmembers have been taken into custody and they're in the process of being shipped off-planet," a marine wearing a Commander's rank insignia informed her. "My men have the wreck-sites secured and Engineering teams are currently stripping the vessels for useful components."

"Excellent," Wessex replied, stepping away from the crowd and up to the parapet wall.

Colonel Madison Wessex was wearing full-dress uniform, complete with her new rank insignia. Despite her stern expression as she looked out over the scenes of devastation, there was no denying that she was a very beautiful woman.

David marched up to her and stood at attention. "Ma'am, General Horton has requested you call him at your earliest convenience."

She glanced his way and gave him a curt nod. "Thank you, Sergeant Major." Turning to face the waiting officers, she continued in a clear authoritative voice, "Most of you are new transfers to the Sentinel Battalion, but we have a reputation as the best unit in the Terran Federation and I fully intend to maintain those high standards. In the upcoming weeks, I will be relying heavily on you to help me rebuild our forces and recruit the best possible candidates to replace the heroes we lost defending the Citadel. Any questions?"

The officers snapped to attention and saluted her. "No, Ma'am!"

"Very good, you're dismissed," she replied, returning their salute with a crisp one of her own before walking away.

David fell into step beside her as they descended down the debris-strewn ramp to the courtyard below. From here he had a good view of the Citadel itself, which was now covered in scaffolding as construction teams worked to repair the sections demolished by Baledranax. He was amazed at how fast they were working, with a lot of the plasma scars on the Citadel's walls already repaired.

He quickened his pace to reach the hoverjeep first, then opened the door for the Colonel. Wessex nodded politely as she climbed inside, then she watched him as he walked around and sat beside her, the vehicle starting with a quiet hum. Anti-grav cyclics lifted them from the ground and he turned the hoverjeep back towards Sentinel Fortress.

As they pulled away from the wall, Madison finally relaxed and smiled at him. "Thanks for coming to collect me, David."

"I was already on my way to meet you for lunch when Horton called," he said, darting a glance at her and returning her smile. "Do you think he's going to make it official? You're already acting C.O. of the Sentinel Battalion."

Madison hesitated then gave him a helpless shrug. "It's a highly sought-after position; there's a lot of prestige associated with it."

"He'd be a fool not to put you in charge," David said firmly, slowing the hoverjeep as he waited for a tracked crane to turn off the ramp ahead of them.

The recovery crane turned slowly, the tracks grinding over rubble as it drove towards the battlefield to salvage damaged battletanks.

Madison smiled at him fondly. "I think you might be a little biased."

He nodded, taking his eyes off the road for a second to make eye-contact with her. "Absolutely. If it wasn't for all the pre-battle preparations you put in place, the Kintark would've rolled over our defensive positions with ease. The minefields, the enfilading gun turrets... I saw just how much of a toll they inflicted on the lizards. Then when Brigadier Garcia was killed, you led our forces, pulling troops back to the final lines to stop them being overrun. No one would've survived if you hadn't stepped up to lead our forces, you deserve that position."

She was quiet for a long moment after he finished speaking, watching David intently as he drove towards the command centre. "You really don't feel threatened by my rank, do you?"

David glanced at her with concern. "I'm sorry, Colonel, I hope I didn't say anything out of turn?"

Madison placed her hand on his arm and quickly said, "No, no! David, I don't mean it like that. I just meant that you don't seem to be intimidated by the fact that I outrank you... I was worried it might be a threat to your ego."

He frowned in confusion and shook his head. "Why would I feel threatened by your success? You're brave, driven, dedicated, an inspiring leader... it's obvious why you've earned your rank and I can see you rising much higher in the chain-of-command."

The hoverjeep pulled up outside the battalion headquarters and they sat in silence for a few seconds as they looked at each other, an awkward tension in the air. Madison frowned when she saw there were a group of officers standing near the stone steps, well within earshot of the jeep.

Wessex reluctantly opened the door and climbed out. "I'll speak to General Horton, then I think we should continue this conversation later, Sergeant Major."

"I'll keep my afternoon clear, Colonel," David replied, giving her a cautious smile.

She looked like she was about to say something, then quickly changed her mind and nodded instead. He watched her in confusion as she strode up the steps, the beautiful brunette clearly troubled by something as she disappeared inside the building.

***

Commander Ryan Murphy stood at attention beside his fellow fighter pilots as the huge hangar door lifted ponderously into the Zeus' hull. Bright sunlight shone through the widening gap onto the group of mourners, golden rays glinting off the new golden hawk insignia attached to Murphy's chest. He waited with the other surviving strike craft pilots from the Zeus, each of whom had fought in the Battle of Terra. Only nine had returned to the fleet carrier on that fateful day, the rest of the 40 Claymore pilots and every one of the 400 manning Rapiers had all been killed in action. A solitary coffin had been positioned on the deck before them, draped in the Terran Federation flag, a symbolic representation of the fallen pilots they were about to inter in the blackness of space.

Captain Lewis stood on the opposite side of the coffin, facing the small gathering as he continued his eulogy. "These brave men and women served the Terran Federation with honour, never hesitating to fulfil their duty to protect the citizens of Terra. They paid the ultimate price so that millions more would live to see another day... a legacy that will never be forgotten."

He pressed the remote in his hand, then saluted the coffin. "And so we commit them to Space, knowing that the memory of these brave souls will live on for generations to come, granting them the immortality that all heroes deserve."

The other survivors all saluted as well, turning to watch the coffin slowly float away through the hangar door, the anti-grav motors propelling it out into space. Murphy's thoughts turned to all the friends he'd lost over the last couple of months... recalling the happy memories he'd had with each of them, while trying not to dwell on the terrible moments of their deaths. It was sobering to know that out of the original complement of strike craft pilots who'd rushed to defend the Zeus at the Battle of Regulus, only he and Binary were left.

Lewis turned back towards the mourners and said quietly, "Funeral detail... dismissed."

Abbott walked up to Murphy and gave him a sad smile. "We're going to head to the bar to drink to lost friends. You're welcome to join us."

He glanced at Binary who still stood at attention, staring out into space. "Sure, I'll be along in a while."

The young woman nodded and patted him on the arm, before turning and walking away with the rest of the pilots, leaving Binary and Leprechaun alone on the flight deck.

"So I guess this is it," Murphy said standing beside his friend.

His old wingman nodded. "Yes, my shuttle departs in thirty minutes."

"Are you sure I can't change your mind?" he asked, glancing at Binary out of the corner of his eye.

Binary turned to face his friend, his face drawn with sorrow. "I know you hoped I'd take up a training position at the Academy, but I'd never be able to escape the guilt. With every set of new recruits, I'd see their faces over and over again; it would be like a constant reminder of how I failed them."

"I think the pain will get easier," Murphy said gently. "I used to feel that same sense of guilt when I was training my wingmen, but everything's different now. When I see Lincoln and the others, I feel like Angel has forgiven me."

Placing his hand on Murphy's shoulder, Binary slowly shook his head. "It's not the same, Ryan... Angel was our Wing Commander, our training was ultimately her responsibility, not yours. Any guilt you felt after Regulus was completely misplaced; you weren't in any way to blame for Angel's, Snakebite's, or Romeo's deaths." He let out a heavy sigh. "But I have no excuse, I'm entirely to blame for not training those rookies hard enough. They went into battle unprepared and were wiped out because of it... that your entire wing survived proves how badly I let them down."

"You'll never put this behind you if you quit," Murphy pleaded. "Don't make any rash decisions; just give it a few weeks before you choose what to do."

"I'm not quitting..." Binary said, his expression pensive. "I took another posting, but it's not at the Academy."

"Oh... that's great!" Murphy exclaimed, feeling a surge of relief. "So where are you shipping out to?"

Binary glanced out the hangar door at the massive six-armed space station that dominated the Alpha Centauri system. "Olympus Shipyard... I'm going to be a test pilot for the next wave of strike craft they're developing." His troubled expression lightened a little. "Perhaps I can work on getting the ship designers to improve pilot safety in the next generation of fighters."

Murphy suddenly realised that Binary hadn't given up and was seeking redemption, he was just choosing a different path to get it. "That's a great idea! With all the energy those new power cores have, there's no excuse for not incorporating shielded ejection pods!"

"That was precisely what I was thinking," Binary said, with a tight smile. "Maybe I can change things if they have a test pilot with actual combat experience giving them feedback."

"Let me know what you come up with," Murphy said, grinning at his friend. "If you end up saving my life, I'll buy you a beer!"

"I'll hold you to that." Binary glanced at his watch. "I better collect my bags if I'm going to catch that shuttle."

Murphy nodded. "Okay, I'll see you off."

"There's no need for a lengthy goodbye. You've been a good friend, Ryan, thank you," Binary said, sticking his hand out for a handshake.

Ignoring it, Murphy gave him a tight hug. "Take care, Eugene. Promise me you'll stay in touch."

Binary grimaced as he pulled away. "You know I hate my name."

"You started it with all this 'Ryan' shit! What happened to calling me Leprechaun?" Murphy replied with a playful grin.

"Sorry, Leprechaun, it won't happen again," Binary replied with a genuine smile this time. "I promise I'll keep you updated."

They made eye-contact and nodded to each other, then Binary turned and walked away. Murphy watched him leave, his friend looking small and alone as he crossed the massive hangar. He wished that Binary had stayed on the Zeus where he could have kept a close eye on him, but perhaps his friend was right; they were troubled by different demons and he had to trust that Binary knew how to defeat his own.

He noticed that Binary stopped to speak to someone in the corridor outside, the two men shaking hands before his old wingman walked away. Setting out for the reinforced doors, Murphy was half-way across the hangar when he realised his commanding officer was waiting for him.

"Can I have a word, Murphy?" Captain Lewis asked as Murphy approached. "I understand this is probably bad timing with Binary leaving..."

Shaking his head, Murphy replied, "No Sir, it's okay, go ahead. Binary seems happy with the path he's chosen..."

"When I suggested the Academy and he turned me down flat, I had to think a bit outside the box," Lewis said with a satisfied smile.

"Ah, so it was all your idea?" Murphy asked in surprise. "The transfer to Olympus is probably just what he needs to get over this."

"I hope so," the captain said with concern. He turned and gestured towards the corridor, then they started walking towards the bar where their colleagues were waiting.

Murphy glanced at his commanding officer and said, "So what's on your mind, Gator?"

"We'll be getting new batches of recruits at the end of the week and I've been promised that we'll be getting a full complement of Claymores to replace our Rapiers." He shook his head as he continued, "That means we need to train nearly 450 new pilots on how to fly those beasts."

"We've got no choice, we'll have to put each of our wingmen in charge of at least 2 squadrons!" Murphy said, wincing at the thought. "They might have racked up more combat flight time with Claymores than anyone else in the fleet, but the poor buggers are still basically fresh out of the Academy. I can't believe we're considering putting teenagers in charge of training 80 rookies!"

"It's worse than that," Lewis said with a pained frown. "The guy I've chosen to be the Zeus' new Senior Flight Instructor is only twenty!"

Murphy shook his head. "Damn! I feel sorry for that poor bastard; do I know him?"

Lewis laughed. "Yeah, you know him pretty well actually."

As realisation sunk in, Murphy stumbled a step and looked at his Captain incredulously. "C'mon Gator, that's crazy!"

"Is it? I saw how effective your training methods were in the Battle of Terra," Captain Lewis said, with an encouraging smile. "Besides, it's not like you'll be teaching all 450 recruits personally... you'll just be developing and coordinating the training programs for the wing commanders."

"But what if I screw it up?!" he exclaimed, eyes wide with shock. "I wasn't following a training program with my wingmates, I was just making it up as a I went along!"

"I didn't assign a new SFI after Genie was killed at Regulus because no one had any combat experience with Claymores. But you know the quirks of that ship better than anyone; you're perfect for the job," Lewis insisted.

Murphy thought about it for a long moment, then nodded and smiled at his Captain. "Alright, I accept."

***

The massive orbital platform floated high above the light-green gas giant, illuminated by the cool blue light of the star in the centre of the Alamak system. Squat and octagonal shaped, the tan-coloured refinery had lain dormant for over seventy millennia, bearing witness to an eternity of petty squabbles as the facility changed hands over and over again. The new owners were very different from the previous bands of pirates that had claimed the Underworld, not just with the clarity of purpose they possessed, but also with the ancient knowledge they brought with them.

Vast collection rods descended into the dense atmosphere of the planet, siphoning off the almost endless reserves of Helium that swirled below in terrible storms. Above the ancient facility, waste gasses vented out into space, creating a bright swirl of colourful plumes. Surrounding the orbital facility were a comprehensive network of turrets, half of which were the same sombre tan as the refinery, the rest had a chrome finish that gleamed in the sunlight.

The shiny silvery surface matched the hulls of the Enshunu battleships that coasted towards the station, the three warships surrounded by a host of escorts. Their path towards the Underworld was unobstructed, salvage craft having worked around the clock to clear away all evidence of the previous battle. They had done such a thorough job, it was if the mercenary and pirate warships had never existed, the wreckage and fields of debris a fading memory.

A shuttle dropped out of the underbelly of the largest Enshunu capital ship, manoeuvring fins deploying as it left the confines of the hangar. Orange retro-thrusters burst into life and it peeled away, heading directly towards one of the four enormous docking bays that surrounded the Underworld. It glided inside, flying over a host of chrome-coloured cruisers and destroyers that were lined up in orderly rows, the vessels being refuelled after their long journey through the Unclaimed Wastes.

Vizier Sag'kalyak stood at attention, scarlet eyes locked on the shuttle as it descended towards the vacant landing pad. There was a roar of thrusters as it touched down, landing gear compressing to absorb the shock of the contact with the deck. The retro-thrusters had barely cut out when the ramp lowered and an armoured figure strode out, cowled scarlet robes covering the chrome encasing his body. Accompanying him were a squad of the elite Aytekin Guard, clad head-to-toe in bulky chrome armour and wielding long rifles illuminated by pulsing red lines along the barrel.

"Excruciator Gal'mayda, you honour us with your presence," the Vizier said in his grating voice, lowering his head in submission. "Welcome to the Sarkhon Refinery."

The Excruciator's face was hidden behind a malleable metal mask, its expression twisting into a contemptuous look of disdain. "I wished to oversee the final preparations personally; there must be no setbacks before we mount our offensive."

Sag'kalyak turned and gestured for his revered guest to accompany him deeper into the facility. "We have brought most of the systems online and the auto-repair function has been engaged. Temporary defensive turrets have been established until we can restore the original Achonin emplacements. The existing turrets are operating at only 8% efficiency, but such degradation is to be expected after millennia of neglect. Full power will be restored when emergency maintenance has corrected the decay in the Central Core."

"And what of the Primary defences?" Gal'mayda asked in fascination, recalling the hundreds of hexagonal alcoves embedded in the Achonin facility. "Are they still intact?"

"They lay untouched all this time," the Vizier said smugly, smirking behind his golden mask. "The pitiful fools squatting here had no idea what lay concealed just beyond their reach."

They walked out of the docking bay into the central processing plant and Gal'mayda's inscrutable gaze swept over the humming machinery. Long circular shafts ran up to the ceiling high above, the interior of the refinery well-lit with a warm orange glow that radiated from octagonal lanterns embedded in the walls. Sections of the upper level were still plunged in darkness, but as they watched, lights flickered on in one area then strobed wildly in an odd swirling pattern. The disconcerting lightshow stopped as suddenly as it started, the amber illumination briefly revealing a tan-coloured figure that scuttled away, disappearing into another darkened area.

"I never cease to be amazed by the technical marvels of the Achonin. It is tragic that they left so few artefacts behind..." the Excruciator muttered, his harsh voice tinged with regret.

Vizier Sag'kalyak nodded, lost in thought as he followed the Excruciator's gaze. "The Maliri were thorough in their depredations."

"I have often wondered how they were able to succeed when...we could not..." Gal'mayda's troubled voice trailed off, as he mulled over that perplexing conundrum. "Have there been any more sightings of that Maliri slut or the one that assaulted this place?"

"John Blake has not returned to the Unclaimed Wastes," the vizier said, sounding anxious. "Instead, he chose to wreak untold devastation upon the Kintark. Our surveillance devices in the Empire have picked up... disturbing... transmissions from the Terran Federation."

"Show me," Gal'mayda demanded.

They reached a newly-installed metal platform, the grey metallic finish oddly discordant in the muted browns of the refinery. The Enshunu stood on the lift, the honour guard fanning out to surround them. As soon as everyone was in position, the platform began to rise, making a loud clacking noise as it climbed the four rods at its corners.

When they reached the gantry at the top, Sag'kalyak pointed towards the gaping hole in the wall that led to the command centre. "Blake's handiwork."

Gal'mayda stayed silent as he stepped through the circular portal, his gaze fixed on the huge round door that had been smashed out of the frame. The Excruciator's eyes widened behind his mask as he took in the size of the metal disc that had slammed into the wall inside, he estimated that it must have weighed several tons at least. He looked back at the vizier who slowly nodded, blood-red eyes watching the Excruciator intently.

Visibly shaken, Gal'mayda couldn't help glancing back at the disc as they walked deeper into the complex. There was a quiet hum of machinery from the first several rooms they passed, the interiors spotlessly clean and lit by a soothing orange glow from more octagonal lanterns. Further inside, the doors to the rest of the rooms were sealed, but the sound of frantic activity from within reached their ears.

The vizier led his guest up a ramp into the control room, where a dozen robed Enshunu were operating brass consoles. He turned towards his staff and clapped his hands together, the sharp crack drawing their attention. "All of you, out now!"

They bowed to him and filed out of the room, leaving the Vizier and the Excruciator alone. Sag'kalyak watched them depart down the ramps, then walked over to the central console, where the control rod jutted out from an ornate panel. A peculiarly shaped curved screen jutted up from the brass housing that displayed a representation of the Alamak system. He pressed a series of glyphed icons on the console and the map was replaced by battle footage, the images distorted slightly by the curvature of the screen.

Gal'mayda watched the initial few minutes of fleet combat between the Terrans and Kintark without comment, but he grew more distressed as the Maliri fleet entered the battle of Terra. The Excruciator then gasped in alarm when the Lion and three of his Lionesses landed on Terra, watching in disbelief as the Paragon-suited women opened fire on the Kintark with their Reaper Cannons. By the time Blake defeated the draconic Emperor, Gal'mayda stood frozen stock-still, a shiver of terror running down his spine.

"It cannot be!" Gal'mayda finally hissed in consternation. "Blake is one of the Old Masters!"

"He has claimed the Maliri and they are now on the ascension," Vizier Sag'kalyak agreed, his grating voice underscored with fear. "Events are unfolding exactly as warned by the Codex of Kal'hadeem."

The Excruciator paced back and forth, growing more agitated by the second. "Why didn't you forewarn me of this?!"

"I dared not transmit this data back to our homeworld!" Sag'kalyak exclaimed, darting a fearful glance at the image of John Blake frozen on the screen. "I have followed the directives from the Cabal of Patriarchs and reclaimed the Sarkhon Refinery, but I urge you to consider a complete withdrawal from the Unclaimed Wastes! We must not draw Blake's attention, the results would be catastrophic!"

Gal'mayda clenched his fists and threw his head back as he howled in anguish. "A thousand curses on the Maliri! Those wanton whores will be the death of us all!"

***

Commodore Ken Papados walked into the huge auditorium, nodding respectfully to the familiar faces he saw amongst the sea of senior officers. This ceremony was attended by only ship Captains and their Executive Officers, but with so many vessels stationed at Olympus Shipyard, the crowd still numbered in the thousands. Everyone was wearing full dress uniform, the sombre grey contrasting with the gold epaulets on their shoulders and rank insignias across their chest. As Ken took his place amongst the rows of naval personnel, he glanced at his fiancée who stood to his right.

Commander Valentina Kowalski had her blonde hair braided and curled into a bun below her peaked hat. While the look was severe, it also revealed more of her pretty face. She glanced his way and gave him a pensive smile, her expressive ice-blue eyes flashing with tightly controlled emotions. He knew these kinds of ceremonies were always hard on her, having lost her father in service while she was barely a teenager. Val met his concerned gaze and nodded as if she knew what he was thinking, then turned back to face the stage.

Built from marble, the white stone was polished to a sheen, reflecting the golden symbol of the Terran Federation that dominated the back wall of the auditorium. The winged sword pointed towards an eight-pointed star, representing the strength of Terra born aloft to the heavens. Normally the sight of that symbol was an inspiring one, but this day they were paying tribute to those who had lost their lives defending humanity's place amongst the stars.

The last people to enter the auditorium were the members of the Admiralty present at Olympus. They filed in and marched across the hall, taking up the first two rows of the audience, directly in front of the stage. The lights dimmed and a hushed silence fell in the huge room, all eyes turned to the stage as a spotlight illuminated the Fleet Admiral in a soft glow. She walked across to the lectern, moving with a nobility and elegant grace that drew the eye.

Standing before the audience, she took a deep breath, her expression one of deep sadness. "We have gathered here today to honour the brave men and women that laid down their lives to protect the Terran Federation in its darkest of times. Never before has humanity teetered that close to the brink of absolute disaster; if not for their sacrifice, we would now be facing a bleak and uncertain future under the brutal oppression of an alien race."

"I wish that I could give a heart-warming eulogy for each and every one of those courageous souls, for they deserve nothing less. However, it is to my profound regret that I was not fortunate enough to know all those heroes personally, as I'm sure I would have been the better person for that privilege. I mourn their loss, just as I grieve for the friends I lost in that terrible battle, and I am left holding tight to the cherished memories I shared with them."

Devereux stopped for a moment to compose herself. "I have proudly served the Terran Federation for the last 34 years and in all that time, the most harrowing part has always been the loss of comrades who fell in the line of duty. I am all too familiar with that terrible feeling of anguish when loved ones are taken away long before their time and now as your Fleet Admiral, I pledge to never take lightly the decision to commit our forces to battle."

She stood taller as she gazed out over the crowd. "Our losses defending Terra were catastrophic, as all of you are painfully aware, but the battle for our homeworld was not the only place we lost good men and women. In the Dragon March, over 300,000 personnel were killed in a horrific act of barbarism that should have no place amongst civilised spacefaring species. If not for the actions of three dauntless captains and their crews, there would have been no forewarning of the Kintark invasion... If not for them, I have no doubt that a great many of you standing before me would not be here today."

"Captain Galen Skotari and Captain Andrew Fowler fought a desperate battle against the Kintark horde, knowing that they had no chance of survival. Yet they willingly sacrificed themselves so that word of the alien onslaught could reach Terra and give our forces time to gather and defend our homeworld. The third valiant captain who managed to break through the Kintark blockade and alert us to that threat is with us today. Commodore Camilla Tovaskaya has agreed to accept awards on behalf of her comrades."

Turning to her left, Devereux gestured across the stage and a second spotlight shone down, revealing a blonde in dress uniform. Tovaskaya held herself with quiet dignity as she walked across to the Fleet Admiral but every officer in attendance could see that she fought an inner battle to maintain her composure.

Devereux looked into the blonde's eyes and said gently, "For the incredible bravery that you showed in the face of overwhelming odds, I am proud to award you, Commodore Camilla Tovaskaya, the Stellar Cluster for exceptional gallantry." She paused to pin the golden medal to Tovaskaya's chest and her voice was tinged with sadness as she continued, "I also wish to posthumously award the Stellar Cluster to Captain Galen Skotari and Captain Andrew Fowler."

The Fleet Admiral then handed the young woman two black boxes, each with the Terran Federation insignia on the lid. Tovaskaya accepted them and bit her lip as it quavered, her eyes welling up. Devereux saluted her, an action silently mirrored by every officer in the auditorium.

"Would you like to say a few words?" Devereux asked kindly.

Tovaskaya nodded and walked up to the lectern as the older brunette stepped clear. Clearing her throat, she said in a voice trembling with emotion, "Galen and Andrew were two of the bravest men I've ever met. They acted decisively and with incredible clarity of purpose, neither of them hesitating for a second as they willingly traded their lives for mine..." She faltered, her voice cracking for a moment until she swallowed thickly and continued, "...so that I could get word back to High Command about the Kintark invasion."

"I have many stories I could tell you about each of those wonderful men, but I don't think I'm able to share those precious memories yet; the pain of their loss is still too great." Her eyes filled up and she said in a choked voice, "I can tell you that my deepest regret is that I will never again hear Andrew's infectious laughter... or see Galen's gentle smile. The galaxy is a bleaker, greyer place without them."

Ken glanced to his right and saw that tears were streaming down Val's cheeks, her expression one of profound loss. He reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, only for her to grip him tight as though clinging to him for dear life. The diamond engagement ring he'd bought her only yesterday dug into his hand, but he ignored the discomfort, knowing that his fiancée desperately needed his support. When Val looked his way, her eyes had softened, a very different emotion gently soothing her grief.

They stood through the rest of the service, heads bowed respectfully as the Fleet Admiral read out the names of all the ships lost in battle. Ken could feel Val's eagerness to leave in the tension of her grip, so when they were dismissed, he accompanied her without complaint as she immediately led him across the hall. To his surprise she turned away from the doors and walked directly towards a group of admirals clustered together with the Fleet Admiral. He was astonished and more than a little alarmed, wondering if Val was going to say something regrettable to Devereux while her emotions were up.

As they drew closer he finally realised what had drawn his fiancée to the group; Commodore Camilla Tovaskaya was standing forlorn as the men and women around her offered their condolences. Val walked straight past the senior officers and put her arms around the heartbroken young woman before anyone could react.

"I'm so very sorry," she said quietly, wrapping her in a comforting hug. "You were in love with Galen, weren't you?"

Camilla was startled for a moment, then slumped into her embrace, her shoulders shaking as she wept. "I miss him so much..."

"He saved so many lives... you all did," Val murmured, holding her tight. "We'll never forget the three of you."

Ken glanced apprehensively at the Fleet Admiral, but her expression was one of sympathy as she waved away his concern.

Pulling back from the embrace, Camilla gave Val a nod of appreciation. She glanced over her shoulder at Ken who was hovering protectively at his XO's side and her eyes were filled with understanding. Leaning forward, Camilla whispered something in Val's ear, then gave her a wistful smile tinged with regret. She turned away, into the waiting arms of a kindly-faced Rear Admiral who gave Val a look of gratitude.

"What did she say?" Ken quietly asked his fiancée, as he walked out of the doors at her side.

Val squeezed his hand and murmured, "Camilla said: 'Love him as if every day is your last'." She looked his way, a fierce intensity to her gaze. "I intend to."

***

"Let me take that, Tony," Perl insisted, sticking her small hand out expectantly.

He glanced down at the heavy backpack full of provisions in his hand, then at the slim blonde who had an identical canvas pack strapped to her back. "You're carryin' enough shit already."

Kelli placed a soothing her hand on his arm. "Just until we get away. You might need to fight..."

Even in the shadows, he could see the ugly bruise appearing on the brunette's cheek, a lingering reminder of the brutality of the miners. "Alright, but just until we get outta here."

He handed over the third pack to Perl, who took it without complaint, the slender young woman doing her best not to wince at the weight. They'd visited the canteen first, but aside from bottles of water, the cook didn't have much in the way of storable provisions. A quick trip to the mine's quartermaster had given them the opportunity to be price-gouged on blankets, jackets, torches, a couple of med-kits, and as many nutri-bars as they could fit inside those three well-stuffed backpacks.

Huddled in the darkness, they heard more raised voices from the direction where they'd left the four dead rapists. Their handiwork had been discovered only a couple of minutes after they'd crept away from the site of the massacre, torches flashing around in the subterranean gloom as the miners looked for the mystery killers. As they'd evaded capture so far, Tony could only guess that the mine owner never expected they would be so brazen as to calmly go shopping before attempting to flee the compound. From the commotion in the civilian bunkhouse, it appeared that the new arrivals were under suspicion, but it made him wonder if the thought of anyone actually attempting to leave the safety of the fort was incomprehensible to the miners and mercenaries. He had to admit, it seemed like a pretty dumb plan to him too, but he had no other choice.

"Alright, stay close," he whispered to the girls, before scuttling towards the wall.

The mine was dimly-lit by illumination strips along the wall and by lamps on poles that marked out a path from the gate to the truckstop. That meant the blockhouses were swathed in deep shadows, which Tony carefully used to cover their departure. As they got closer to the wall, it was easier to make out the crudely-built rock ramparts behind the ferrocrete battlements. There were at least a dozen mercenaries standing guard along the length of the wall, each of them equipped with a scoped assault rifle and wearing what looked like T-Fed surplus body armour.

"How're we going to get past the guards?" Perl whispered, her big eyes blinking owlishly.

That was a very good question and one that Tony didn't have a ready answer for. The main gates were now closed, so there was no way out through there and with the guards all vigilant for any signs of Kirrix, they weren't likely to be able sneak past. His plan was to return to the tunnel they'd arrived at, even though it was now a dead end, then hide there until the Kirrix threat was over one way or the other.

Tony pointed to a pile of rocks heaped up against the left edge of the cavern, which had been bulldozed into place for use in the interior wall. "Go hide over there... then keep an eye on me. When I wave, come runnin'..."

The two girls gave him curt nods, then hauled the packs over towards the rockpile as quietly as they could. He was surprised and impressed by how stoic they were in this situation; perhaps the idea of being anally raped by a huge bug, then chewed to death two weeks later didn't appeal much to them either. When he was satisfied that they were tucked away out of sight, Tony stepped out into the shadows and strolled towards the wall, keeping his hands tucked into the pockets of his long leather dustcoat.

"Hey, what's happenin'?" he drawled as he walked up the stony ramp.

The closest mercenary whirled around, assault rifle at the ready. It was easy to see that the man was on edge, his nerves fraught with stress. "What the fuck do you think you're doing sneaking up on me?! You nearly gave me a fucking heart attack!"

Tony raised his hands slowly. "Hey, chill out! I was told I'd be fightin' on the wall, so I just wanted to check it out."

Raising the barrel of his rifle, the mercenary stared at him for a moment, then shrugged. "Alright, but there's not much to see," he grumbled, turning around and staring out across the darkened cavern. "At least not yet..."

"You fought the bugs before?" Tony asked, not having to fake a shiver of fear.

"Me and the boys shot up a scout party a couple of days ago," the merc said, with a satisfied smile. "Just got to go for headshots, then they're not so bad."

"Good to know, I'll remember that. Name's Tony by the way," the ganger said, sticking out a hand.

The armoured man looked at the offered hand for a moment, then shook it. "Redhound, with the Clawhammer Company."

"Are all you guys from the same group?" Tony asked, making chit-chat while carefully weighing his options.

He definitely couldn't risk shooting the mercenary, as even a silenced gunshot would still carry along the wall and the next armoured guard was only 20 metres away. Likewise, trying to take the merc out silently in melee was another non-starter; Tony was quite handy in a fight, but he wasn't exactly a ninja.

"Yeah, been with them for a couple of years, they're a good bunch of guys. We've only been working for Mortimer for the last two months though," Redhound muttered, looking distracted as he glanced around. He suddenly leaned closer and continued, "Listen, I'm busting to take a dump, that stew didn't agree with me. Would you mind keeping guard for a minute? I won't be gone long..."

Tony blinked at him in surprise then smirked as he tried not to laugh. "Yeah, I guess. Is there anything special I'm meant to be doin'?"

"Watch out for bugs... then shoot them in the fucking face if they show up!" Redhound replied with a grin. He paused and gave Tony a look of apology. "Sorry I got pissed at you earlier. I hate waiting before a fight, I always get jittery... can't help it."

"Don't worry about it," Tony said, waving away his apology.

"I owe you one for this... cheers!" The mercenary strode down the rocky ramp, giving Tony a grateful nod before hurrying towards the blockhouses.

Tony watched him leave, then faced the rocks by the wall and beckoned the girls over. They moved quickly, walking along beside the cavern wall, then cutting back along the base of the rock plinth to where Tony stood on the battlements. To avoid them getting closer to the other guards, Tony squatted down by the edge and helped each of the girls up. They quickly ducked down by the ferrocrete fortifications, huddling close to the wall to stay out of sight.

After a quick glance to check no one was watching, Tony helped Perl over the edge, lowering her down until she only had to drop three feet to the ground. She landed with a stumble and quiet curse, then gave him a hasty thumbs up. He dropped the extra pack into her waiting arms, then swung Kelli over the wall next, Perl supporting her legs and helping her down to the ground. With a final furtive look to make sure he wasn't being observed, Tony slid over the edge, then hung by his fingertips before letting go.

Landing silently beside his petite companions, he grabbed the pack and slung it over one shoulder. "Alright, let's move," he said in a hushed voice.

They crept away, tracking back along the fortifications, then hugging the cavern wall. Tony could see the impenetrable darkness of a tunnel entrance up ahead, recognising it as the one they'd arrived from the previous night. He started towards it with an extra spring in his step, feeling like they might just manage to pull off this escape, when he felt an urgent tugging on his coat.

"Tony!" Perl hissed. "We can't go in there!"

"What?" he snapped, crouching down in the shadows and looking back at her in irritation. "Why not?"

"Because the boss saw us come out of that tunnel!" she explained, darting a nervous glance over her shoulder at the Mortimer mine. "If they come after us, that's the first place they'll look!"

He looked at her in surprise, realising she was right.

Kelli smiled at his startled expression. "Not just a couple of dumb whores, right?"

Tony chuckled and nodded. "Right... I keep forgett-"

The dull boom of a huge explosion shook the cavern floor and the trio looked at each other in fright. It was followed by another echoing thump a few seconds later, then a third shortly afterwards.

"Bugs must be blastin' their way in!" Tony hissed, his head whipping around to look across the cavern.

Rocks and debris had been shaken clear of the caved-in central tunnel, making it obvious where the Kirrix were attacking. A horrible grinding noise reached them next, the sound enough to set their teeth on edge.

"Over there!" Kelli said frantically, pointing over Tony's shoulder.

He followed the pale hand that poked out of the big sleeve of her oversized jacket, Kelli's finger pointing towards another tunnel entrance fifty metres away. Tony nodded then set off along the edge of the cavern wall, trying to ignore the bone-trembling rumbles that were shaking the ground. Ducking into the yawning hole, he dropped the pack from his shoulder and flipped up the flap at the top. Grabbing a torch, he turned it on, feeling that instinctive surge of relief when the bright beam fought back the oppressive darkness.

The girls skidded into the tunnel after him and he set off along the passage, noticing immediately that there was a sharp incline ahead. He walked at a brisk enough pace that the girls had to jog to keep up, but neither of them complained, they both knew what was at stake if they were captured. There was a curve to this tunnel as well, throwing off his sense of direction as it looped back on itself several times. All the while, they could hear that ominous grinding sound from behind them.

"Wait, Tony..." Kelli gasped, her breathing laboured.

He stopped and looked back at her, seeing that she was struggling. The brunette was slimmer and shorter than the blonde, so the heavy pack was even more difficult for her. Without a word, he reached over and slipped the straps from her shoulders.

She shook her head frantically. "No, listen!"

Tony cocked his head to one side and heard the high-pitched whine of neutron rifles being fired. "Fuck... it's started," he cursed, trying to tamp down his fear. With a frown, he listened again, then turned slightly to look up the tunnel. "What the hell?! It's comin' from up there too!"

Kelli pulled the pack on her shoulders again. "You need your hands free. I'll be alright..."

He nodded and drew his SMG, holding it in his right hand with the torch in his left. Moving with more caution now, he continued up the spiralling tunnel, completing the turn then pausing as he saw the split in the passageway. The sounds of fighting were obviously coming from the left fork, echoing eerily in the tight-confines of the bored-out tunnel.

As much as he wanted to flee to the right, his curiosity drew him inexorably to the left tunnel. A quick glance behind him revealed that the girls were still following, but they looked even more frightened now. He crept along, the sounds of assault rifles and high-calibre machine guns rattling in the air. Flashes of light up ahead alerted him that they had somehow doubled back to the Mortimer cavern and as he finished a final turn, he finally understood why. The spiralling tunnel had led them all the way up to the roof, the excavation machines having followed an ore vein until it was tapped out.

The tunnel opened out onto an upper gallery that was too high up to be clearly seen from ground level. From up here, they had a brilliant... and terrifying... view of the pitched battle being fought below. Squads of ochre-armoured Kirrix were marching out of the central tunnel, ugly-green bolts from their neutron rifles arcing out to slam into the fortifications. That fire was being returned by the wall of guns manning the battlements that protected the compound. Some of that shooting was wildly inaccurate, punching into insectoid soldiers but not showing much effect. For each haphazard burst, there were also careful well-aimed shots that were taking a heavy toll on the Kirrix.

Supporting the small arms fire, more mercs manning pintle-mounted machine guns atop trucks positioned at the wall were having a deadly effect. While their shooting wasn't accurate enough for headshots, the .50 rounds were powerful enough to dismember the Kirrix solders and were helping to slow their advance. The insect troops were receiving by far the worst of this exchange, dozens of ochre-armoured corpses piled up across the ground.

"They're kicking ass!" Perl exclaimed, her voice filled with a sense of hope that Tony hadn't heard since... well, the entire time he'd known her.

Tony watched enthralled as Kirrix soldiers were blown to bits by the belt-fed machine guns, segmented limbs skittering across the floor as they were torn from their bodies. Amongst the carnage, several insectoid soldiers just seemed to topple over, sprays of green ichor from their heads the only clue as to what had befallen them. At least thirty of the Bug troops had been killed so far and the Kirrix seemed to have run out of soldiers, because no more were appearing from the tunnel. That left approximately fifty of the brown-armoured insectoids to continue the battle.

He glanced back at the Mortimer compound, where Redhound and the other mercenaries from the Clawhammer Company were maintaining a steady volley of fire. Only one of them had been hit, a neutron bolt striking him in the shoulder and leaving him writhing on the ground behind the wall. Several of the miners had been hit too, but there were at least fifty still manning the battlements. Directing it all was the mine boss, who was urging civilians to bring more ammo crates to the wall, his cybernetic hand glinting as he waved them onwards.

"Yeah, they are," he agreed, impressed by the coordinated defence.

Tony couldn't help feeling a sharp pang of regret that Pitbull had refused his pleas to evacuate. They could have pulled back here and added the Diablos' firepower to that of the miners and mercenaries, making this an even more one-sided massacre for the Terran side.

"I warned Pitbull," he said morosely. "If that fuckin' retard had listened, everyone would've been alright... but now they're all some Bug's bitch."

"We saw, Tony," Perl said with sympathy. "You tried to tell him, but he wouldn't listen."

"Oh, shit! What the fuck is that?!" Kelli blurted out in panic.

Tony's gaze snapped back to the cavern entrance, and his eyes widened with fear when he saw the enormous black-plated monstrosity smashing through the tunnel. Rocks cartwheeled across the cavern as it battered its way clear, the Juggernaut ignoring the boulders that rained down from the cave-in and bounced harmlessly off its back. It raised itself up to its full height, towering over the remaining Kirrix soldiers as it stood at least twenty-feet-tall. It looked vaguely like a praying mantis, with four legs and two long-bladed claws, but it was a stocky, powerful creature, every inch of its hulking body covered by a glossy black carapace.

"Fuck me..." he muttered, having never seen anything so terrifying in his entire life.

There was a momentary lull in the firing, the stunned defenders staring at the Kirrix behemoth in horror. The mercenaries on the wall were the first to recover, firing short bursts with their assault rifles at the massive beast. Tony watched the sparks from ricochets as bullets bounced harmlessly off its incredibly resilient hide and he found himself holding his breath when he heard the bark of the machine guns as they opened up too. The sound of deflecting rounds intensified and he gaped at the colossal black insect as it scuttled towards the defenders, .50 calibre bullets pinging off its black armour.

"Oh God..." Perl murmured in horror. "Nothing's stopping that thing!"

Rather than slowing down as it approached the gates, the Juggernaut charged even faster, lowering its huge head as it rammed into the metal barrier. There was a booming crash as it burst through, crumpled doors spinning away from the tremendous impact. The machine gunners opened fire at almost point-blank range, but rather than stopping it, the hail of bullets seemed to enrage the beast. It lunged forward and stabbed its front claws into the cab of the six-wheeled truck, then heaved, it's body tensing as it flipped the 30 tonne vehicle upside down.

Yanking its claws free from the disembowelled driver in a spray of crimson, the Juggernaut advanced on the second truck as it tried to reverse, six wheels kicking up a storm of stones. The Kirrix monster pounced on the wildly fishtailing truck, skewering the merc manning the machine gun with one of its huge claws. It drove the other scythe-like blade through the roof of the cab in a series of sharp plunging stabs and the truck veered out of control, crashing into one of the blockhouses. The impact knocked the huge black insect clear, sending it skidding across the rocky ground on its back. The boss took one look at the sundered defences and fled. He sprinted away from the wall at an angle, avoiding the preoccupied Juggernaut which was scrabbling to right itself, its four legs flailing wildly in the air.

With the defenders distracted and the machine guns silenced, more Kirrix troops were able to pour unopposed through the tunnel. The volume of fire from their neutron rifles intensified, with a storm of vicious energy bolts spraying along the top of the battlements. Mercenaries and miners alike started dropping as they were struck, their agonised screams reaching the three spectators and chilling them to the bone.

Tony turned to look at the two girls and saw their horrified expressions as the Kirrix started to overrun the compound. "Let's go," he said, his voice subdued. "We've seen enough..."

They looked at him, both clearly scared out of their minds. He tried to give them a reassuring smile as he backed away into the tunnel, but he was barely keeping it together himself. His legs felt leaden as he stumbled along the passage, eventually back-tracking to the fork in the tunnel, then taking the one route they hadn't yet explored. Hiding from the Bugs in the deepest, darkest hole that Karron had to offer had always been his main plan, but now there was nowhere left to run. The Kirrix had just smashed the last group of organised defence on the godforsaken asteroid, killing off his last hope of surviving.

Tony couldn't believe how quickly everything had turned to shit. His whole life for the last 28 years was gone... everyone he'd ever known dragged away by the Bugs to die a truly horrible death. A black cloud of depression fell over him and he wondered if it would be kinder to Perl and Kelli to just put a bullet in their heads, before finishing himself off too. Better that, than being eaten alive from the inside as Kirrix grubs chewed their way out of their bodies.

He stopped to look back at the two girls, seeing the same bleak hopelessness in their eyes that he felt himself.

The ground suddenly seemed to convulse in shock, a thunderous roar deafening him as he was knocked sprawling. There was a second ominous rumble, then the last thing he saw was the roof buckling and collapsing, the girls' terrified screams drowned out by the cave-in. Tony flung his arms up instinctively to protect his face, but he felt a sharp pain... then nothing... darkness taking him.

***

Captain Preston Bexley was a large, heavyset man, and his chair squeaked as if in protest every time he shifted his bulk. "The Tactical treatise was excellent, Tom," he said with a smile, looking through the holo-screen floating above his desk at the young man seated opposite. "With just the kind of flair and attention to detail I've come to expect from you."

Lt Commander Tom Walker couldn't help grinning at the warm praise. "Thank you, Sir. As you know, I've been interested in improving the integration of fleet elements. I'm convinced that officers coordinating assets at fleet-level would benefit greatly from temporary reassignments to carrier, heavy gun, and strike craft units. That way, they'd more fully understand the limitations of those units and the potential each can bring to a large-scale engagement."

Bexley chuckled and nodded. "I know... I did actually read your report before showing it to Admiral Morgan. He agrees with you and thinks your idea has merit. In fact, he was curious to know if you'd be interested in running a trial, with you as the test subject..."

Leaning forward, Tom's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Of course!"

"I know you already test high on Fleet Command simulations... sufficiently so to have piqued the Admiral's interest," Bexley said, smiling at the young man's enthusiasm. "After you've finished your reassignments, Morgan wants to challenge you to a simulated fleet battle. If you can beat him, you'll have earned a place on his bridge crew aboard the Momus."

Tom gaped at the big man for a second, then beamed with delight. "That sounds incredible! Thank you for bringing this to the Admiral's attention!"

"You're quite welcome," Bexley said, glancing down at his desk and pulling out a drawer. "I've approved a request for temporary reassignment, so take a look at the fleet's vacancy interface and apply for anything you're interested in." He pulled out a black box and slid it across the desk. "But take this first; Admiral Morgan wanted you to be able to apply for command roles."

Tom stared at the leather-bound box in shock. He reached for it with shaking hands and flipped up the lid to see the golden hawk insignia that denoted Commander rank in the Terran Federation military.

Bexley smiled at the young man's look of stunned disbelief. "Congratulations, Commander Walker. No need to look so surprised, your yearly evaluations have been superb. You're an excellent officer and you've been a pleasure to work with over the last four years. I'll be very sorry to lose you from my bridge crew."

"I've enjoyed working with you too, Sir," Tom gushed, shaking his Captain's hand.

"At this rate I'll be calling you 'Sir' soon," Bexley said with a smile. He waved him towards the door. "Now get out of here, I'm sure you'll want to celebrate your promotion."

Tom nodded and strode out of the Captain's Ready Room, eager to share the good news with his friends and family. He crossed the Bridge and entered the open elevator, then hit the button to descend to Deck Four. When the doors opened again at his destination, he saw Mason waiting for him outside his quarters. One look at his friend was all Tom needed to see that Mason was furious, his face like a thundercloud.

Slipping the black box into his jacket pocket, Tom walked over to his friend and asked with concern, "What's the matter, Mace?"

"Have you seen the TFNN interview?" Mason snarled, his hands clenched into fists.

"I saw the one with Sakura last night..." Tom replied, looking at his friend in confusion. He couldn't remember the Lioness or the TFNN reporter saying anything that might have upset his friend this much.

Shaking his head, Mason snapped. "No, not that one, TFNN showed another this afternoon! That bitch is blaming my dad for everything!"

Tom glanced both ways down the corridor and was relieved to see that it was deserted, the second shift change thirty minutes ago. He pressed his hand to the DNA reader beside the door to his room, then walked inside. "Come in, Mace. Tell me what happened."

"It's easier if I just show you," Mason growled, striding into the room and sidestepping Tom to retrieve the holo-remote from the bedside table.

He pressed several buttons, activating the holographic screen at the foot of the bed and flicking through the channel menu until he found TFNN. Mason angrily stabbed his thumb on the remote, rewinding the playback until Jehanna Elani and Fleet Admiral Devereux appeared on the screen. The two women twitched frenetically as their conversation was reversed at high speed, until Mason suddenly hit play.

Jehanna looked towards the camera and said in a sombre voice, "Last week, my colleagues here at TFNN ran several appeals for information after I was reported missing. I can now reveal to you that I was abducted by special forces troops and brought to a top-secret black ops base known as Tartarus, located in the remains of Ganymede. There I was subjected to several days of torture and interrogation by my abductors, a group of vicious killers with no regard for life. I would like to personally thank Admiral John Blake and his Lionesses for my rescue; If it wasn't for their timely intervention, there is no doubt that I would have been executed by my kidnappers."

She turned to look at her guest, the camera panning wider to include a second sofa. "To shed more light on my abduction, I have with me here today, the newly appointed Fleet Admiral, Lynette Devereux."

Lynette gave her a look filled with sympathy. "Before we begin this interview, I'd like to say how deeply sorry I am for the appalling treatment you received at the hands of rogue elements in the Admiralty."

"Thank you for your kind words," Jehanna replied, giving the Fleet Admiral a brave smile. Her beautiful face grew troubled as she continued, "I know that you were not personally involved with my kidnapping, but did you have any knowledge of the black ops base known as Tartarus?"

Lynette sighed and shook her head. "Prior to its dramatic exposure by the Lion, neither I nor the other admirals now serving in High Command were aware that Tartarus existed. If we had heard rumours of the horrific experiments conducted at this base, we would have shut it down immediately and brought those responsible to justice for their many terrible crimes."

Jehanna grimaced with disgust. "The atrocities conducted on alien and Terran citizens almost defy belief. Weaponised virus testing, gruesome cybernetic experimentation, and even the use of babies and small children for genetic testing. Those poor souls were all brutally murdered, the numbers of dead in the thousands. Do you now know who was ultimately responsible for the vile acts committed at Tartarus?"

The Fleet Admiral's eyes narrowed with anger. "Admiral Carl Weber oversaw the despicable research conducted at that awful place. However, it was Fleet Admiral Vincent Buckingham who was the evil mastermind behind Tartarus; everything that transpired there was done on his express orders and with his full endorsement."

The TFNN reporter looked shocked as she said, "How could he have kept something like that concealed from High Command?"

"Vincent Buckingham was a clever and manipulative sociopath, who schemed and betrayed the good men and women in High Command," Lynette replied, her voice firm and tone damning. "It would have been bad enough if the events in Tartarus had been the extent of his crimes, but he also recalled the fleet from the Kirrix border, exposing millions to terrible danger."

Jehanna shook her head in disbelief. "How could he do something like that? Everyone knows what the Kirrix are capable of!"

"Who can know the mind of a madman?" Lynette said, turning sorrowful. "After Buckingham's unfortunate demise at the hands of the Kintark Emperor, we'll never know what drove him to do the horrendous things that he did. If anyone on the border worlds is listening to this broadcast, know that help is on the way. I have ordered the fleets back to the Outer Rim, where they will be joined by the Lion to liberate those worlds and save those people from the Kirrix menace."

Giving the older woman a look of sympathy, Jehanna said, "I know I wasn't the only one that suffered at Buckingham's hand. I believe you were shot on his orders, when you tried to warn the Lion about the Kintark invasion..."

Lynette's expression was filled with remorse. "I will regret underestimating Buckingham to my dying day. I never thought he would be so consumed with jealousy of the Lion that he would keep news of the invasion secret from High Command and refuse to ask for assistance against the Kintark. When I discovered the dreadful truth, I attempted to contact Admiral John Blake immediately, only to be shot and incarcerated by Buckingham's forces. It was two days later before a brave soul finally managed to get word to the Lion, but that delay cost the lives of many heroic men and women in the Battle of Terra..."

"I'm sure our viewers will appreciate your frank honesty," Jehanna said quietly. "But it must have been very tempting for you to conceal the truth and keep this dreadful news from the good citizens of the Terran Federation. Surely you must have been concerned that such revelations would damage the credibility of High Command and the office of the Fleet Admiral?"

"For too long, the Terran Federation has been run by evil men consumed by their own petty self-interests," Lynette replied, her hazel eyes flashing with anger. "Before Buckingham's reign of terror, there was Sutton, then before him Carmichael... When I was elevated to Fleet Admiral, I was determined to break from that dishonourable past. I want to run a transparent government that always has the best interests of our citizens at the forefront of its thoughts. Humanity deserves nothing less!"

The dusky reporter gave her a look of earnest gratitude. "I can't tell you what a relief it is to hear that someone with such a strong sense of civic duty is now in a position to improve the lives of ordinary people."

Lynette acknowledged her warm praise with a self-conscious smile. "Protecting Terran citizens has always been my primary concern, but now I'm in a position to actually make significant improvements to their lives too. I have been working with High Command to implement a number of new policies, all designed to upgrade colony infrastructure and-"

Mason snorted in disgust as he paused the TFNN report and tossed the remote on the bed. "She's using my father's death to score cheap political points! Devereux's already won, why did she have to blacken his name?!"

Tom hesitated before answering. From what he'd just seen of Devereux, she seemed quite sincere in her desire to help the Terran citizenry. He could see that airing the Admiralty's dirty laundry in public like this was a very risky move on her part and was a radical departure to Buckingham's previous policy of keeping the public in the dark. Despite Mason's claims to the contrary, Tom felt sure the new Fleet Admiral was being open and honest... and he was impressed by her candour.

However, he could hardly say any of that to his best friend, not while Mason was grieving over the death of his father.

"Ruining your father's reputation was harsh," Tom said solemnly. "Do you think Devereux can actually back up any of those wild claims about him?"

Mason flopped down on the bed and threw his hands up in despair. "C'mon Tom! It's not like she actually needs to prove anything... Now she's started all those rumours, everyone's going to believe the worst of my father no matter what the evidence reveals. This is a stunning PR coup for Devereux; she can dump all High Command's dirty laundry on my father, accusing him of whatever she likes and he can't defend himself!"

"I'm sorry, Mace," Tom said, sitting down beside him and patting him on the shoulder. "The timing for this couldn't have been worse."

"I hate that she did that to him!" Mason blurted out, his voice choking up. "He might not have always been there for me, but I know my dad! He wasn't a monster!"

"I knew him pretty well too; I can't believe all the things Devereux said about him either," Tom quietly agreed.

Mason lurched to his feet and brushed his hand across his eyes. "I've gotta go," he mumbled, striding for the door, visibly upset. "I need some time to think..."

Tom stood up and called out, "Mace, wait!"

But he'd opened the door and was already gone...

With a heavy sigh, Tom closed the door and walked over to his desk. His fingers worked almost reflexively as he opened the comms interface and placed a call to his fiancée. He was sure Anna must have seen the TFNN broadcast by now and he dreaded to think how she was going to react to these revelations about her father. Despite what he'd just said to Mason, he didn't think Devereux was lying about this... after all, she'd been very convincing.

Tom could tell there was going to be considerable fallout from that TFNN broadcast and he felt tremendously relieved that Anna and Mason had changed their surnames to Newmont. Only a few close friends and senior officers knew the truth about Mason here in the Brimorian border fleet. Tom also knew that Anna had kept her father's identity quiet, mostly so that she could succeed on her own merits.

The Terran Federation logo stayed in place, despite the call reaching its destination. After another twenty seconds of waiting with no answer, Tom swiped across to leave a message. "Hey, baby. Mace and I just saw the TFNN interview with Devereux... he's pretty upset. I hope you're okay... love you."

He ended the call then slumped in his chair. As he stared at the winged sword insignia, he couldn't get the vision of Archie Davenport consoling Anna out of his mind...

***

David Gibbons paced nervously in his austere quarters, his mind darting back to the troubled expression on Madison's face when they'd parted company. All he'd tried to do was be supportive and understanding, but something was bothering her and he had no idea what it was. He knew Madison had to deal with pressures of command that were completely beyond his experience. After the Battle of Terra, he'd been promoted to Sergeant Major, but Madison was now a Colonel... five pay grades higher than his non-commissioned rank.

Despite keeping his afternoon free of meetings, she hadn't contacted him to continue their earlier conversation and he was starting to worry. It was very unlike Madison to make a commitment and then break it; she usually prided herself on her sense of duty and responsibility. He couldn't help feeling an ominous sense of foreboding; perhaps she had realised she was miles out of his league and felt embarrassed about the recent changes in their relationship.

Madison had given him a soul-searing kiss right after the Lionesses had healed her arm, leaving him stunned. At the time, he'd been delighted that she might finally see him as something more than just a friend and comrade-in-arms. However, they'd barely had any time together since that magical kiss, and he was starting to wonder if Madison had just been caught up in the excitement of their victory against impossible odds. Alternatively, she might have just been grateful to him for inadvertently having her arm regrown by the Lionesses; after all, Rachel had told him she wanted to repay him for the small part he played in her rescue from Port Medea.

The more rational part of his subconscious reminded David that in the aftermath of the devastation at the Citadel, Madison had simply been too busy to address their budding relationship. As the acting commanding officer of the Sentinel Battalion, she'd been piled high with urgent work to attend to. There were all the corpses to be tagged and recovered for burial, prisoners to be shipped offworld, the Kintark equipment to be salvaged, injured personnel to be catered for, new recruitment to be planned... the list of tasks seemed endless.

A quiet knock on the door scattered his thoughts and he rushed over to open it. Madison was standing outside, darting anxious glances in both directions down the corridor. She looked at him expectantly and said in a worried voice, "Can I come in, David?"

He blinked at her in surprise, then nodded as he opened the door wider and stepped aside. Madison dived inside and his heart sank as he realised she must be feeling embarrassed about being seen entering his quarters. Shutting the door behind him, he watched as she strode into the room and turned to face him. That same troubled expression was shadowing her beautiful face again and at that moment, David would have given anything to be able to read her thoughts.

"I'm really sorry I took so long," Madison apologised, her frown deepening. "General Horton wanted to interview me for the position as Sentinel C.O. without giving me a chance to prepare beforehand. He explained afterwards that he likes to see how candidates perform under pressure."

"And how did the interview go?" David asked, feeling the tension in the room and hating the distance that seemed to have grown between them. Only two days earlier she'd been so relaxed and at ease in his company, but now things felt stilted and awkward.

There was a flicker of pride in her eyes and she gave him a cautious smile. "I got the job. As I've only just been promoted to Colonel, he wants me to prove I've got what it takes over the next 6 months. If I can convince him, then I'll be bumped up to Brigadier."

"That's incredible, congratulations!" David exclaimed, genuinely happy for her. "I told you that you'd keep rising through the ranks."

"Yes, you did..." she replied, her smile fading and expression turning pensive once again.

David met her conflicted gaze and couldn't handle the tension any longer. "Something's obviously bothering you, Madison. What's the problem?"

She fidgeted in an uncharacteristic display of nervousness, then seemed to make a decision. "Look... we can't continue with our relationship like this..."

His shoulders slumped and he felt a sad resignation set in. "Alright, I understand..."

Madison stared at him for a long moment, then shook her head. "No, I don't think you do." She turned on her heel and now it was her turn to start pacing, following the same steps he'd trodden only minutes before. "We're never going to work, not when the balance between us is so completely skewed."

"Like I said, I understand," David said quietly. "You're a high-ranking officer and out of my league. You're ambitious, loyal, intelligent, charming, and a stunningly beautiful woman... You're a perfect 10, Madison, I get it..."

Her enchanting green eyes softened and she stopped her pacing, then walked towards him. "No, you really don't. I've had time to think back on the battle and I just keep remembering you being there for me when I needed you the most. You fought back all those lizards to keep me safe, then you called in a favour and asked the Lionesses to give me my arm back." She raised her right arm to look at it, clenching and unclenching her fingers. "I won't ever forget that, David. I'll never be able to repay you for everything you've done for me."

He placed his hands on her arms and said firmly, "You don't have to do anything out of a sense of obligation. I would have done the same to help anyone, so please don't feel indebted to me. If you hadn't approved my transfer request to the Sentinel Battalion, I would've been left on Port Medea when it was destroyed, so at the very least we're even on that score."

"No, David, we're not even. The big difference in rank between us is always going to be a problem; it creates a huge imbalance in our relationship," she said, looking up into his eyes. "Outside of here, I'm Colonel Madison Wessex and when I give you orders, Sergeant Major David Gibbons has to say, 'Yes, Ma'am'. You may not resent that power imbalance now but someday you might... and I don't want to take that chance."

Looking at her in confusion he said, "So you don't want to risk getting involved with me?"

"That's not what I'm saying," she replied with a frown. "I've thought long and hard about this and I know how to fix the problem..."

"You do?" he asked cautiously, having no idea what was on her mind.

"Mmmhmm..." Madison hummed, taking off her peaked hat and shaking out her lustrous mane of brown hair.

"So what's your solution?" he murmured, finding himself captivated by her bewitching gaze.

She leaned forward and brushed his lips with hers, the soft touch electric. Her voice was low and sultry as she purred, "When it's just the two of us, then you take command. As long as that's alright with you... Sir?"

He gaped at her in shock, never expecting this for one moment.

Madison smiled at his dumbfounded reaction, then lowered her eyes submissively. "What are your orders, Sir?"

Shaking himself out of his daze, David brushed his fingers through her thick chestnut hair; tentative at first as he touched her like this for the first time, then moving with more confidence. Madison saw the lust in his eyes and she trembled with excitement, leaning into his hand as he caressed her.

David reached for her peaked hat, taking it from her unresisting fingers before carefully placing it back on her head once more. "On your knees, Colonel..."

Madison made eye-contact with him, then her tongue flickered out to moisten her flushed lips as she slowly sank to the floor. They glistened enticingly in the light as she purred, "Whatever you say, Sir..."

He didn't have to prompt her further as she unbuttoned his trousers, unzipping the fly and sliding them down his legs. Madison moaned as his heavy cock swung free, having grown hot and hard as she flirted with him. She glanced up as if looking for permission and when he nodded, she wrapped her slender fingers around his shaft and brought the head to her lips. They felt just as soft as they looked when they slid over his cock and he wavered unsteadily as she welcomed him into the hot confines of her mouth.

He couldn't help groaning as her wet tongue swirled over the throbbing head, all his senses feeling like they were on fire. Madison's enchanting green eyes watched his reactions attentively, her stretched lips twitching into the hint of a smile as she saw the effect she was having on him. The joy of having his dream woman on her knees blowing him was dramatically intensified by the illicit thrill that she was also his superior officer.

"I'm not going to last... I've wanted you too long," he muttered, his breathing laboured as she bobbed along his shaft.

David had warned her so that she could pull away, but she started sucking him hard, one hand gently caressing his balls as the other jacked his shaft. The overload of sensations was too much for him to resist and he cried out in ecstasy as he came in her mouth. He heard her wanton moan as that first splash of spunk covered her tongue and she stroked his cock with her hand as he shuddered through his orgasm, milking him of every last drop of cum that she could get.

When his climax abated, David leaned heavily against the desk behind him, panting heavily after one of the most intense orgasms of his life. When he was no longer seeing stars, he saw that Madison was still kneeling before him, but her cheeks were now billowed out as she watched him expectantly.

Realising what she was waiting for, he smiled and said, "Time to swallow."

He heard her gulp for emphasis as she let his load slide down her throat into her slim stomach, doing so three times until her mouth was clear of his cum. Madison made eye contact as she did, her smile turning sly as she saw the look of wonder on his face.

David offered her a hand, which she immediately took and rose to her feet. Madison's dress uniform only looked slightly ruffled, but the brunette was flushed, a hint of red to her cheeks and obvious lust in her eyes.

"You missed a bit," he said, reaching for the trickle of cum sliding down from the corner of her mouth. He caught it with his finger, then scooped it up again, bringing it to her lips. "There you go."

Madison parted those succulent lips then enveloped his finger and sucked, but gently this time, her tongue flickering at his fingertip. Such a simple act as sucking his finger felt incredibly erotic and he was amazed that he stiffened again almost immediately. The gorgeous young woman standing in front of him was clearly waiting for more orders and he was more than happy to oblige her.

Sliding his finger from her lips, he said, "I want you to get naked, Madison... Take it all off, but do it slowly..."

"Yes, Sir," she obediently replied, biting her lip as she began teasing open the buttons of her jacket.

David watched her intently, awed by the heady rush of power he felt as she submitted to his every request. The jacket came off first, Madison slipping it off her shoulders and folding it over the back of a chair. Her peaked hat joined it a moment later, then she began unbuttoning her white shirt, revealing more of her creamy flesh as the material parted. When the shirt was added to the pile of clothes, he realised this was the most revealing state of undress he'd seen her in yet.

She kicked off her boots, then shimmied her tight-fitting trousers down her legs, until she was standing there in just a matching set of white underwear. The material was lacy and revealing, a delightful surprise under her austere uniform. He was instantly reminded of an old saying: A man hopes he's going to get lucky, the woman knows...

"Wait," he demanded imperiously, holding up his hand.

Madison froze as she'd been reaching for her bra, her eyes locking to his with a flicker of curiosity.

David made a point of walking around her, taking in the sight of Madison in her lingerie. She had a magnificent figure, toned and firm, but with ample womanly curves. He brushed a finger across her cleavage, savouring the wonderful softness of her skin, then traced a line over her shoulder and down the well-defined muscles of her back as he walked behind her. Letting his finger glide down her spine, he circled her dimples of Venus, then filled both hands with the taut firmness of her rump.

He felt like he was an ancient slave trader examining the merchandise before a purchase and he was quite certain he'd buy this delectable young beauty at any price. Completing his circle, he stood in front of her once again, brushing the backs of his finger over her well-defined abdominal muscles. He could scarcely believe that this stunning woman had a stomach full of his cum. Madison blushed under his open scrutiny, her nipples hardening as she responded to his undivided attention. He could smell a hint of her arousal and let his fingers drift lower, smoothing over the silky white fabric of her panties and feeling how soaked they were.

Gazing into her eyes, he slid the material aside, then slid his finger over her wet labia. She moaned as he lightly teased her clit, her mouth parting as she wavered. "This really turns you on, doesn't it?" he asked rhetorically. "You like taking orders?"

Madison nodded, pupils flaring as he eased his index finger into her pussy. She was hot and slippery, her snug passage gripping him tight as he gently pushed his way inside. Withdrawing at a glacial pace, he slid it deep again, finger fucking her in a steady rhythm. When he saw her arousal mounting, David paused and carefully extracted his finger from her body, seeing the flicker of frustration in her expression as he did so.

"You made a mess..." he said bringing his fingertip to her mouth and smearing her lubrication over her lips. "Time to clean it up."

She sucked him hungrily this time, tongue bathing his fingers to lap up all her juices.

Nodding his approval, he looked her in the eye. "On the bed, take off the rest."

Madison turned towards the bed, then glanced over her shoulder as she moved to obey him, draping herself over the covers. She smiled at his fascinated expression, then unclipped her bra, freeing her mouth-watering breasts for his attention. He couldn't help but be drawn to those perfectly-shaped orbs, each one capped by a pert nipple that was begging to be kissed. David filled his palm with her breast, feeling the weight and alluring softness of her skin. After gently massaging her for a minute and caressing her painfully erect nipple, he switched to her other breast, giving it just as much attention.

She tugged down her panties, revealing the neatly trimmed V above her pussy.

"You're an incredibly beautiful woman, Madison," he murmured, openly appreciating her sculpted body.

"Thank you, Sir," she moaned breathlessly, writhing with need. "I'm all yours..."

He nodded, quickly removing his own clothes as his anticipation built. "Hands behind your head and spread your legs for me."

She did as he asked, immediately moving her arms to follow his orders, but taking her time to part her thighs. By the time he was naked and had joined her on the bed, Madison's legs were spread wide, shamelessly exposing her glistening pussy for him. David lay down on the bed before her, placing his hands on her thighs to keep them parted. His first languorous lick across her labia drew an instant reaction and Madison gasped, arching her back as she responded to his touch.

He avoided her clit and focused on her slim inner lips, sucking and nibbling at them as she bucked against him. She was very strong, with muscles toned from many hours spent working out, but he managed to restrain her, keeping her pinned to the bed. Her moans turned to whimpers and he could see how desperate she was to climax, her thighs trembling violently with the adrenalin coursing through her veins.

"Please... I'm begging you..." she pleaded, eyes wild with lust. "I need to come!"

David sat back and smiled as he wiped his soaked face with the back of his hand. Madison was panting as if she were in heat, but she'd kept her hands behind her head as he'd ordered. Crawling over her supine form, he was soon hovering over her, looking deep into her eyes as he slotted the head of his cock into her sopping pussy. He pushed forward with his hips, feeling that glorious warmth and incredible tightness around his shaft as he sheathed himself inside her for the first time. Her mouth fell open in bliss as he spread her inner walls, Madison letting out a low cry as she took everything he could give her.

If Madison hadn't just given him such a ball-emptying blowjob, he would have only lasted about ten seconds, she felt that good. David was hopelessly in love with her and being inside his dream woman at long last would have swept aside what self-control he had left. Fortunately, he knew it would be a while before he was ready for another orgasm, so he took his time, luxuriating in being with this stunning woman.

He wasn't sure what kind of pace she wanted him to set for their first time together, but he realised she was still strictly following her plan to obey him without question in the bedroom. If that was the case then he was more than happy to take the lead.

"Wrap your arms and legs around me," he said sternly, smiling as she encircled him in a loving embrace. "Not so tight, I need to be able to move..."

Madison did as he asked, flushing as she followed his orders and relaxed her grip.

"There we go," he said approvingly, feeling her start to move with him as he deepened his stroke. He slipped his hands behind her so that he was cradling her head, the two lovers face-to-face as he thrust into her.

Her breathing quickened again and she nodded, biting her lip. "I'm so close, David..." she panted. "Please..."

He backed off again, slowing the tempo of his thrusts down as she let out a strangled cry of frustration. Three more times he edged her closer, until Madison was frantic with her need to climax. His playful tormenting had given him time to recover and he quickened his pace, stroking deep into the lithe beauty, her hips gyrating to eagerly meet his thrusts. This time when she teetered on the precipice of her orgasm, he fucked her through it, staring into her eyes as she let out a keening wail. Her pussy clamping down around his cock triggered his own release and he jetted his cum inside her, claiming the gorgeous brunette as his woman.

Madison wouldn't let him go, so he sagged down on top of her, trying to keep the bulk of his weight off her heaving chest as they both recovered from a shared titanic climax.

"That was incredible," he finally gasped, lifting his head so he could look down at her.

She still looked dazed, an expression of wondrous disbelief on her face.

"Madison, are you okay?" he asked with concern.

The brunette finally focused on him, a soft smile forming on her flushed lips. "I've never cum that hard before... not even close."

He chuckled and gently brushed a lock of chestnut hair from her face. "That was one hell of a fun way to break the ice. I never would've expected you'd be into playing games like that in the bedroom."

"I wasn't playing, David," she said quietly, leaning up to kiss his exposed throat. "I've never completely let go of all control like that before... but I loved it." When she saw his shocked expression, she quickly continued, "I'm constantly giving orders and having to stay in complete control. I can't tell you how good it felt to just let all that go and follow your orders."

"So this wasn't just a one-off?" he asked in surprise.

Madison looked hurt. "No! I don't just want a one-night stand!" Suddenly looking unsettled she added, "Do you?"

David leaned down to give her a tender kiss. "No, I don't just want one night with you... I want you for much longer than that."

She relaxed and gave him a lovely smile in return. "Two nights?"

He laughed and shook his head. "At least three..." Caressing her cheek, he continued, "I just meant, are you sure about being so submissive?"

Madison suddenly winced, twisting her hips as she clutched at her leg. "Ouch, I've got cramps!"

David slid out of her and rolled aside, so that she could relax her widely spread thighs. He massaged her aching muscles and she groaned appreciatively as the pain faded away. Madison stretched languidly like a cat, then rolled to one side, glancing coyly at him over her shoulder with an inviting smile. He spooned up behind and wrapped her in his arms, enjoying hearing her contented sigh a moment later.

She snuggled into him, enjoying feeling the muscles of his chest against her back. "I'm handing over complete control of our relationship to you. Is that alright with you... Sir?"

"I think I can live with that," he replied, smiling as he pulled the covers over them.

Madison relaxed in his protective embrace, her breathing getting deeper as she got more drowsy. "I love you, David."

His face lit up with joy and he kissed her on the shoulder as he interlaced his fingers with hers. "I love you too, Madison."

***

John relaxed on the bed, propped up with one arm, his other hand resting on Sakura's curved stomach. The Asian girl was delirious with pleasure as Alyssa sucked on her clit, trembling through yet another orgasm before the blonde switched back to sucking the cum from her womb. Looking up at John with glazed eyes, Sakura gave him a blissful smile before sprawling insensate on the bed.

*I don't think we've ever given her that many orgasms before,* he thought to Alyssa with amusement. *I think the poor girl's probably had enough.*

*Yeah, she's out for the count,* the blonde agreed, enthusiastically lapping away. *But it's good for the girls to be fucked completely senseless every once in awhile.*

Turning his attention from the dazed Asian girl to his blonde matriarch, he watched her hungrily filling her stomach with his cum. "That's the second load you've requested today... you're getting as bad as Dana!" he exclaimed in surprise.

Her cerulean eyes sparkled as she slurped up the last of his cum. *I must've worked up a big appetite with all the shaping we've been doing.*

John looked at her suspiciously. "No, that's not it... you're definitely up to something."

Alyssa finished her meal then sat up, her hands caressing her swollen belly. She gave him a wistful smile as she said, "That feels amazing... I love having all the girls with us, but I do miss having you feeding me three times a day."

"I miss it too," he agreed, placing his hand on top of hers. "But you're being evasive."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Oh, alright... If you must know, I'm working on a surprise for you."

"And I suppose you're not going to tell me what it is?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It wouldn't be much of a surprise if I did," she replied with a mischievous grin, a soft white light radiating from her eyes.

***

The cruiser Indomitable surged through hyper-warp, accompanying scores of other Terran Federation vessels as they raced towards the Outer Rim. Sitting in the Command Chair was a distinguished-looking captain with greying temples, his attention fixed on the glowing holographic Sector Map that was floating above his Bridge.

Captain Flintlock's stare was bleak, his eyes flicking between the various systems that had been invaded by the Kirrix. Six systems had been hit so far, which meant six worlds had fallen to the alien vermin. Unlike the heavily terraformed systems of the Core Worlds, in the Outer Rim each system only contained a single habitable planet. The first to be struck was Menganus IV, a dustbowl of a world possessing only a dozen relatively small settlements, the population numbering in the tens of thousands. Karron and Valia Gate had been the next to fall, both with similar small populations. However after that, the Kirrix had targeted much more populous planets.

Brecken's World was a large forested moon, with fertile soil and a pleasant climate. The local governor had designated the planet as an agro-world, intending to grow enough crops there to support the surrounding systems. While not densely populated, the nature of the planet made it valuable and one that Flintlock knew High Command would be eager to quickly recapture.

Tasmaris Prime had been colonised for over a century, making it the de facto capital of the lawless colonies in this sector, far away from Terran Federation control. Despite the colony being established so long ago, it was now in a rapid state of decline. A Fission reactor explosion a decade earlier had obliterated the planet's largest city and rendered a large portion of the arid continent uninhabitable. The veteran officer scowled, well aware of the corruption between the planetary governor and the shady corporations he'd contracted for maintenance that had led to this catastrophe.

The final world attacked by the insectoid menace was Carolus III, which was by far the most densely populated world in the sector. The Kirrix must have been well-versed on the nature of the worlds in the Outer Rim, because they'd ignored several other inconsequential planets to launch their attack on this far more lucrative target. While not quite a Terra-quality planet, it would only take a few years of terraforming to transform Carolus III into an ideal habitat for human colonisation, so citizens had been flocking there to take advantage of cheap land before the predicted property boom.

Flintlock couldn't help pitying the tragic colonists on each of those worlds. The invasions had already been in progress for days and the longer the delay in rescuing them, the more people would be infested by Kirrix eggs. The brutal reality was that they couldn't save all those colonists and some were going to have be sacrificed to save the rest. Not for the first time, he was glad he wasn't faced with making that kind of decision.

His communications officer cleared his throat. "Sir, incoming call from Admiral Zelig."

Flintlock rose from his chair and walked down the steps from the Command Podium. "I'll take it in my Ready Room, Lieutenant."

Striding into his office, he took a seat behind his ornate wooden desk. One of the disadvantages of using an antique like this was that it didn't have a comms interface built in, but he considered the luxurious feel of the beautiful mahogany to be worth the minor inconvenience. The holo-interface was projected from a black box that sat in the corner of his desk, so he hit the red button and watched as the holograph was projected in front of him.

The incoming call from the battleship Porphyrion flashed on the interface and a swipe across the name connected him to the conference call. The winged sword icon appeared briefly, only to be replaced by a man with a closely-cropped beard, wearing the uniform of a Terran Federation admiral.

"Thank you for attending this briefing everyone," Admiral Zelig said, his voice quiet and sombre. "As I'm sure you're aware, we'll be entering Sector 268 at 07:15 tomorrow. My original intention was to launch an immediate relief effort to liberate Carolus III, but Admiral John Blake has requested a rendezvous to coordinate our counter-offensive against the Kirrix. We'll drop out of hyper-warp near Nav-beacon F5739 adjacent to the Eta Aurigae system at 08:10."

"How long will we be in local space, Sir?" Captain Fernandez asked, his handsome olive-skinned face highlighted in the group interface.

"I'm expecting the meeting to be brief," Zelig replied with the hint of a wry smile. "I've seen the Lion address High Command and he tends to get to the point rather quickly. We'll aim to get underway at 09:30, but I'll keep you informed if there are any delays."

Fernandez nodded his thanks but stayed quiet, his expression troubled.

Flintlock cleared his throat. "Admiral, I've had a request from my marine Commander to make use of the new Sonic Cannons when we engage the Kirrix on the ground. He reports that they would make an excellent squad support weapon against lightly-armoured troops."

The admiral considered it for a moment, then shook his head. "Stick to conventional weapons for the ground assault. Constructing new Sonic Cannons is too time consuming to risk losing the few we've made; our medical teams will need as many as we can build to neutralise infestations in the civilian populace."

"Understood, Sir," Flintlock replied with a respectful nod. "Commander Richards is delighted with the new med-kits, so I think he'll take the bad news stoically."

There was polite laughter amongst the other attending captains and Zelig smiled as he said, "Please pass on my apologies to Commander Richards." Glancing at the images of the attending officers, he continued, "Unless there are any more questions, I'll speak to you again at 09:30 and brief you on the new strategy for our counter-offensive." When no one else spoke up, he finished by saying, "Get a good night's sleep everyone, tomorrow is likely to be a long day."

Admiral Zelig ended the call and the Terran Federation insignia appeared on the screen. Flintlock sat back in his chair and looked off into the distance as he remembered the horrors he'd seen aboard that Kirrix hive ship several months ago. He'd suffered through terrible nightmares for weeks afterwards, the atrocities he'd witnessed preying on his mind. The admiral was right, it was likely to be a gruelling day tomorrow, but Flintlock didn't think he was going to get much sleep.

***

Councillor Talari watched from a porthole window as his shuttle plunged through the low cloud cover over the planet Clodonus. The shroud of white was replaced by murky greens and browns, the view that of brackish swampland for as far as the eye could see.

*Councillor, we will be making planetfall in 67 seconds,* the pilot informed him, as the shuttle began its final approach to the makeshift starport.

Talari rose from his seat, confident that the shuttle's inertial dampening system would eliminate the unpleasant side-effects of rapid deceleration. Just over a minute later, the door in the silvery hull slid open, a set of Etherium steps unfolding down to the landing pad below. His first impression of Clodonus was revulsion, as he was met by the awful stench of rotting vegetation. Talari wavered for a moment, fighting down the urge to vomit.

"Snacksize! About time you turned up!" a deep but cheerful voice rumbled, originating across the landing pad.

Talari steadied himself then walked down the steps as a phalanx of silver-armoured Ashanath troopers formed a protective cordon around him. Towering above the five-foot-tall security detail, a huge four-armed Drakkar was waiting for him, his toothy jaws twisted into a terrifying grin.

"Warboss Nugrok, a pleasure to see you once again," Talari replied, his voice modulator making his speech sound like an eerie whisper. "Is there any chance I can convince you to call me by my actual name?"

The hulking Drakkar shook his head, his fanged smile widening. "Grey names sound stupid... you're called Snacksize now!"

"If you insist," Talari replied, trying not to sigh. He glanced out at the foul-smelling swamp from his vantage point on the raised platform. "Are your people experiencing any difficulties acclimatising to Clodonus?"

"Nah, it's just like home here," the brutish Drakkar said, turning and beckoning with one of his four hugely-muscled arms. "C'mon I'll give you the tour."

Talari followed the enormous creature as it stomped along the raised bridge that led towards the starport. Even from here, the Councillor was able to see what looked like extensive earthworks beyond the silvery Ashanath buildings. Although Talari was used to the heat after spending most of his life on Ashana, his homeworld was a very dry planet, while Clodonus was incredibly humid. All the moisture in the air made it feel like he was drowning and his breathing was laboured as they walked. One of the troopers handed him a rebreather and Talari quickly attached it over his mouth and nose, sighing with relief as he was able to inhale normally once again.

By contrast, Nugrok seemed completely unfazed by the humidity, striding along without a care in the world. The big Drakkar glanced down at his guest and said, "You don't need all these little Grey men to protect you. I'm right here... none of my boys would dare even think about eating you!"

Talari turned his black-eyed gaze towards the four-armed putrid-green alien. "I am sure that is quite true, Warboss Nugrok. However, who would save me from ending up on your toothpick?"

The Drakkar threw his hammer-shaped head back and guffawed, his jaw snapping open and closed. "You always were a smart one, Snacksize!"

Not feeling particularly confident that the Warboss was joking, Talari decided it might be prudent to retain his Ashanath honour guard for a while longer. He followed the big Drakkar into the starport, which was thronging with silver-garbed Ashanath. Some were easily identifiable as soldiers by their laser weapons and body armour, but there were also dozens of scientists here too. Talari had granted numerous requests from research teams, who had thrilled at the opportunity to observe the Drakkar in a close facsimile of their natural habitat.

Crossing the broad silver lobby, they reached a long gallery that provided an unobstructed view of the Drakkar compound. Talari paused and stared in astonishment at the elaborate stone and earth construction laid out before him. The Drakkar had drained this section of the swamp, then shifted thousands of tonnes of dirt to expose the bedrock below. An enormous embankment surrounded the dig site, which seemed robust enough to keep the swamp from seeping through. There were also dozens of raised platforms, with silver-coloured Ashanath buildings sitting on those foundations.

"Not bad, eh?" Nugrok chortled. "Better to keep the boys occupied hauling dirt than leave them to kill each other."

"Your people are extremely industrious, Nugrok. I must confess to being astounded that you were able to make such dramatic progress in so short a time."

The warboss shrugged. "It was something to do."

"And how about your dietary requirements?" Talari asked with concern. "Are they being met to your satisfaction? I requested that constant shipments of Bhatana-elk be provided and we've released tens-of-thousands of live specimens into the local habitat."

"Yeah, you lot have been great! I don't think any of us have had so much to fill our bellies before." His bulging eyes swung around to the councillor. "So... when can we start killing things for you?"

"At present the Ashanath Collective is not under direct attack, but we are considering assembling a relief force to assist the Terrans against a Kirrix invasion," the councillor carefully explained.

Nugrok's fang-filled maw twisted with disgust. "Bugs taste like shit!" He grimaced, then let out a rueful sigh. "But I guess we owe you one... for not wiping us out."

"I will let you know when we might require your services," Talari murmured, turning to face the big creature that loomed above him. "We have also been attempting to make contact with your females known as the Pod Queens to try and broker a truce, but to no avail so far."

Nugrok froze and his lime-green face turned a peculiar shade of pale-green, somewhat like a pistachio shell. "Err, that's not so smart, Snacksize."

"Why ever not?" Talari asked in confusion. "We assumed that you would request the presence of Drakkar females if we are to make this settlement permanent."

"Nah, we're good!" Nugrok exclaimed in a hurry, waving all four hands at him frantically.

***

Charles sat behind his desk, reviewing his recommendations for promotions. Satisfied that he had made a convincing case for both officers, he added his digital signature to each document and forwarded it for review by the Admiralty Selection Board. He had little doubt that they would be approved, as Commodore Kuan Ming and Rear Admiral Dacres had both performed exceptionally well during the Battle of Terra. Their promotions to Rear Admiral and Vice Admiral respectively had been well earned.

The intercom on his desk buzzed, and his assistant sounded a little distracted as he said, "Sir, Admiral Van Den Broeck is here to see you."

"Send her in, Victor," Charles said, shaking his head in despair at his adjutant, who always seemed to fall to pieces in the presence of a pretty face. "And you can call it a night, I'll be leaving in a few minutes."

"Thank you, Sir," the young lieutenant said gratefully.

The door to his office opened and Lina sauntered inside, an extra swing to her hips. "I can't believe you're still on duty!" She wagged a finger at him disapprovingly. "All work and no play makes Charlie a dull boy..."

He chuckled as he rose from his seat. "You might have a point there, Lina. I'm actually just finished for the day, but you can schedule a meeting with Victor first thing in the morning."

"It looks like I timed this perfectly then," Lina purred, her green eyes flashing as she flicked her scarlet locks over a shoulder. "It's too late to be working... but just the right time for playing..."

"I'd love to go for a drink with you again," Charles said amiably, much to her delight. "But unfortunately, I've already made plans this evening."

Lina's pretty face fell in disappointment, but she quickly recovered. "Are you sure you can't cancel whatever you had planned?" She stepped closer and trailed a finger along his arm. "I'm sure we could find something much more entertaining to do than spend all night drinking..."

Charles hesitated, then reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Lina, I think you're a very beautiful woman and I've thoroughly enjoyed getting to know you over the last couple of days. However, I think it's only fair to let you know that I'm meeting someone for a date this evening."

The redhead looked at him incredulously. "It's Lynette, isn't it? I can't believe you're blowing me off for her!"

Shaking his head, Charles quickly replied, "No, it's not Lynette."

Lina's momentary burst of anger turned into amusement. "Oh, really? The Fleet Admiral's not going to be happy to hear that... you do know she's interested in you, right?"

Charles made no attempt to hide his dubious frown. "No, we're just very good friends."

She laughed and patted his cheek. "Oh, Charlie... I hope for your sake Lynette's not the jealous type." Tilting her head to one side coquettishly, she continued, "So who is the lucky lady?"

"Her name's Marie," Charles replied with a wistful smile, as he thought about the hazel-eyed goddess. "I think she's Lynette's niece."

Lina gaped at him in shock, then her deep throaty laughter echoed around the room. "Oh, Charlie, you bad boy!" She glanced around his office and continued, "When the Fleet Admiral has you flayed alive, would you be upset if I asked for your office? It's so much nicer than mine."

Charles briefly considered telling her that Lynette approved of him dating Marie, but he was running late and wanted to wrap this conversation up quickly.

Unfortunately, Lina had no intention of ending their chat just yet. She raised an eyebrow and asked with a teasing smile, "So... how old is this little Devereux temptress then?"

He blushed furiously and couldn't meet her eyes as he quietly admitted, "I think she's early twenties..."

Lina smirked at him and shook her head. "You really are a dark horse." Leaning closer, she brushed her lips against his ear and whispered, "Come and see me when you get tired of little girls... I'll show you what a real woman can do."

Charles gaped at her in astonishment as she twirled around and sashayed out of his office, blowing him a flirtatious kiss over her shoulder.

A minute later, Victor poked his head around the door, trying not to smile. "Have a good night, Sir."

Closing his mouth, Charles frowned at his assistant. "How much of that did you overhear?"

"Enough to know that tomorrow I want to ask you for some tips," Victor replied, with a broad grin.

Charles couldn't help laughing and waved him away. "Get out of here..."

Victor gave him a sharp salute, but his grin never left his face. "Yes, Sir!"

Glancing at his watch, Charles frowned as he realised he needed to get moving too. He strode out of his office and nearly caught up with Victor, who turned left in the corridor outside. The Senior Officers' Quarters were to the right, which meant Charles would be able to avoid any more ribbing from his assistant, much to his relief.

As he walked along the corridor towards the Fleet Admiral's suite, Charles couldn't help remembering what Lina had just told him. He still didn't believe the redhead's claim that Lynette was interested in him romantically, but then again, he'd always found women to be quite the enigma. As he thought about his meetings with the Fleet Admiral over the last couple of days, he felt a chill run down his spine. Lynette had invited him to her quarters and cooked lunch for him... how the hell could he have misinterpreted that?! Suddenly all her seemingly innocent remarks took on an entirely different light and he realised that Lina was absolutely correct... It now seemed quite obvious that Lynette had been gently flirting with him all along.

Charles paused for a moment and ran his hands over his face. He felt like a total heel; he'd ignored Lynette's tentative advances then cheerfully announced that he wanted to date her niece. She must think he was a complete ass! He groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. His big date with Marie was actually starting in Lynette's quarters! He couldn't think of a worse way to rub the poor woman's nose in his oblivious rejection than he'd done already.

The worst part was that he genuinely liked Lynette. As he'd got to know her better over the last several days, he'd come to realise that his first impressions of the woman had been way off base. She wasn't a self-centred political schemer, Lynette was actually a deeply compassionate person, who was doing whatever she could to improve the lives of billions of Terran citizens. It was clear that she also possessed a sharp intelligence, a great sense of humour, and a practical approach to problem solving which he found quite refreshing. She'd been nothing but kind and supportive with him too, and he'd thoroughly enjoyed her company.

It was a sobering thought that he'd completely overlooked Lynette as a romantic interest based solely on looks alone. He'd never thought of himself as being that shallow, but it had only taken a flirtatious smile from a beautiful young woman to have him behaving like a lovestruck teenager. He realised he was standing aimlessly in the middle of the corridor and starting to get funny looks from people walking past. Setting off again, he headed for Lynette's quarters, determined to apologise for the thoughtless way he'd been behaving.

Charles almost turned around when he reached the door to her suite, cringing at the thought of the awkward conversation to come. Speaking to Lynette about this was the last thing he wanted to do, but he knew he owed her an apology at the very least. For the first time, he found himself tremendously relieved that he wasn't attempting to follow in John's footsteps. Charles had managed to get himself in a fine pickle with only three women flirting with him, God only knew how John somehow juggled - what was it now? - nine Lionesses? He shook his head in disbelief and pressed the door chime before he could talk himself out of it.

He didn't have to wait long and Lynette was there at the door, smiling as she gestured for him to come in.

"It's lovely to see you again, Charles," she said with a lopsided smile. Her hazel eyes had a wicked gleam to them as she teased him, "And what, pray tell, brings you to my quarters at this hour?"

"I want to apologise, Lynette!" Charles blurted out, wringing his hands anxiously.

She looked at him in confusion, then ushered him over to a sofa in the lounge. Sitting beside him, she asked, "Now, what did you want to apologise to me for?"

Charles grimaced, then took a deep breath and replied, "I saw Lina earlier this evening... and-"

"You were with Lina?!" Lynette hissed, her hazel eyes narrowing dangerously.

*Calm down, Lynette!* Alyssa said sharply, flooding her mind with soothing emotions.

Lynette closed her eyes and took a deep breath before slowly letting it out. Her Matriarch's abrupt intervention had come as a surprise, but a very welcome one, and she wrapped herself in Alyssa's supportive telepathic embrace as she tried to control herself. She was finally beginning to understand why the other Lionesses loved being connected to her so much.

Unaware of the riot of emotions swirling in the woman sitting next to him, Charles just nodded and continued, "Yes, we were talking about my friendship with you... and how I was going on a date with Marie."

Reopening her eyes, Lynette asked quietly, "So you were just talking?"

He looked at her in confusion and nodded. "Yes, that's what I was just saying. Lina came to my office to ask me out on a date, but then she told me that..." Charles hesitated, his voice fading out.

Lynette's eyes blazed with jealousy, but with Alyssa's help she managed to keep her temper in check. "Told you what?" she managed to ask through clenched teeth.

Charles winced as he looked sideways at the Fleet Admiral. "That you might have feelings for me..."

She blinked at him in surprise, startled and a bit embarrassed at the abrupt turn the conversation had taken. There was a long awkward moment between them, until she finally said, "Lina's much prettier than me... and so is Marie; I can't possibly compete with either of them. I'd be making a fool of myself if I admitted that I'm attracted to you... wouldn't I?"

He looked abashed as he shook his head. "No, I'm the fool. You're a really lovely woman, Lynette. I finally realised that you might have been flirting with me, but at the time I had absolutely no idea. I've behaved like an insensitive ass, drooling over your niece while you've been nothing but sweet and kind. I'm so sorry if I offended you or hurt your feelings, I promise I never meant to do it intentionally."

Lynette's eyes softened at his frank admission, then she felt a pang of guilt when she saw how much he'd been torturing himself over the way he believed he'd slighted her. "It's okay, Charles. Actually, I should be the one apologising..."

Shaking his head, he looked at her in confusion. "You didn't do anything wrong. What could you possibly have to apologise for?" He frowned as he added, "You went to all that trouble cooking me lunch the other day and I sat there daydreaming about Marie!"

"Stop, Charles... please!" Lynette begged, hating to see him feeling so guilty. "You don't understand... I haven't been entirely truthful with you!"

He paused, bewildered by her outburst. "About what?"

She bit her lip nervously. "Lies of omission, rather than outright lying to you... but I never meant for you to get upset. Please forgive me."

"Of course... but I'm still completely confused," he admitted, searching her face for answers. "What didn't you tell me?"

Lynette met his curious gaze and took a deep breath. "I'm a Lioness!" she blurted out. "A secret one!"

Charles' incredulous expression spoke volumes. "No offence, Lynette, but you, ah... don't really look like Alyssa and the others."

She nodded exuberantly. "That's exactly right! I don't look like them at all, not like this."

"So, when do you look like them?" he asked, trying not to smile.

Lynette met his indulgent gaze and sat up straight, holding herself proudly. "When I turn off my holo-disguise."

Pressing the button on the device in her jacket pocket, the holographic projectors deactivated and the illusion was shattered, revealing Lynette as she really was now.

Charles stumbled backwards off the sofa in shock and ended up sitting on the floor. He stared wide-eyed at the spectacular beauty and gasped, "What the hell?! Marie!"

Lynette blushed and quietly confessed, "My full name is Lynette Marie Devereux. It was me all along, Charles. I'm so sorry I deceived you."

"B-but... what? H-how?" he stammered, completely incoherent in his shell-shocked state.

She slid off the sofa to kneel beside him. "When I was shot by Buckingham's men, I was very nearly killed. I was in a coma at death's door for several days, until John and the girls rescued me." Lynette looked him in the eye and continued slowly, "When John healed me, he made me younger... not just in appearance, but he's basically given me the body of a twenty-year-old. I'm one of his Lionesses now and I'm working with him to do everything I can to stop the other Progenitor."

"You're one of his girls..." Charles said dejectedly, his heart sinking.

Lynette shook her head and reached for his hands, stroking them to soothe him. "No, never, not like that. The rest of the Lionesses all sleep with John, but I never did..."

He glanced down at her slender fingers, marvelling at the softness of her skin. "Why?"

"Why didn't I sleep with John? Or why did I lie to you about everything? Or why did I even start using a disguise to conceal my appearance?"

He snorted with laughter. "All of the above?"

"After we defeated Nexus, I was scared of John when he first explained what he was," Lynette admitted. "I greatly admire him as a person and for everything that he's done for the Terran Federation, but sleeping with him was the last thing on my mind."

"So, after he made you look young again, why bother with this disguise?" Charles asked, looking at her askance.

Lynette glanced down at her Fleet Admiral's uniform and giggled self-consciously. "Look at me, Charles. Do I really look like someone who should be leading the Terran Federation?"

He laughed and waved a hand at her to continue. "Alright, I get it. But why lie to me and keep me in the dark?" He frowned and looked a bit hurt as he added, "I thought John trusted me now?"

Lynette froze and her cheeks turned red as she blushed furiously. "He does, but I... err." She went quiet for a moment, then quietly admitted, "It was because I liked you, Charles. I was curious to see if you liked me enough for my personality to consider dating me while I still looked like the old Lynette. I was always going to reveal the truth, but when Lina started flirting with you... well, then I just panicked and got caught up with playing at being Marie."

"You really like me?" Charles asked with a grin. It faded a moment later as he looked at her as if seeing her again for the first time. "But you're easily the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my entire life! You could have any man you want!"

She gave him a coy smile, then straddled his lap, crossing her wrists behind his neck. "I want you, Charles," she purred, gazing into his eyes. "You're kind, loyal, considerate, charming, and a very handsome man." She leaned forward so her lips were only inches from his. "But we're also the same age, we have the same career, we share the same hopes and dreams ... and feel the same regrets. You're like a kindred spirit..."

He gazed enraptured into her bewitching hazel eyes. "You actually think I'm handsome?"

Lynette giggled and asked, "That's all you got from that?"

Charles put his arms around her and pulled her closer, Lynette's laughter dying out as they were now face-to-face.

"I'm sorry I lied to you," Lynette whispered. "I promise I'll never do it again."

He accepted her apology with a kiss that left them both breathless...

***

John finished the last of the new Tachyon Lance barrels and added it to the stack of completed parts. He groaned and rubbed his temple, trying to ease the tension there. *This surprise better be worth it,* he grumbled to Alyssa. *Leaving me with this last batch of shaping wasn't very kind.*

She sounded uncharacteristically nervous when she replied, *I really hope you like it. The surprise is all ready for you, if you want to come up to the bedroom.*

*Alright, I'm on my way,* he replied, stretching to get rid of some of the aches in his back. He walked across the Cargo Bay to the corridor and called out, "Faye, I'm all done with the Tachyon Lance shaping."

She appeared in a flash, hovering by his side as he stepped into a grav-tube. "I saw, I was watching you on the internal cameras! I'll send my boys down to start assembling the Tachyon Lances; we should have them all built before we arrive for the rendezvous with the Terran fleet. Congratulations by the way, you just took a huge leap forward in your psychic shaping! You spent most of the day creating Crystal Alyssium that was reshaped 15 times; you've never even come close to doing that before!"

John gave her an appreciative smile. "Yes, that's very true. The headache is fading as well."

Faye looked relieved as she said, "Oh, that is good to hear!"

Arriving at Deck Two, John stepped out of the shimmering blue gravity field and into the corridor. He walked towards his bedroom and could see the telltale flicker of candles coming from inside. Lit candles usually only meant one thing, so he had an extra spring in his step when he strode into the bedroom. He wasn't disappointed.

All the girls were there, including Helene and the four new Nymphs, every single one of them deliciously nude. There was a strange kind of tension in the air when he entered the room and he realised that everyone was staring at him, as if waiting to see his reaction. The sight of over a dozen gorgeous women sitting naked before him was definitely creating a reaction, but as he glanced around at those familiar faces, he realised one was missing.

*Alyssa, where are you?* he asked in surprise.

"I'm right here... Baen'thelas," she said softly, her voice coming from the walk-in-wardrobe.

John turned to look at her, smiling at her use of Tashana's Maliri nickname for him. When he laid eyes on the blonde, whatever he'd been about to say died on his lips. He watched in awe as Alyssa glided regally into the bedroom.

She was wearing a floor length white dress that made her look pure and chaste, despite the way the material clung to her every curve. Her long golden mane had been artfully styled into an up do, a few loose tendrils tastefully framing her face, while revealing the graceful lines of her slender neck. With the blindingly white dress and the elaborate hairstyle, it appeared as if the goddess Aphrodite had deigned to grace them with her presence.

But that wasn't what stunned John into silence. With Alyssa's hair drawn back, he was able to see her ears and his eyes widened in wonder when he saw the delicate pointed tips... the distinctive feature of a Progenitor.