Alyssa's cerulean eyes seemed to drink in every detail of John's shocked expression as she waited for his reaction.

"What did you do?!" he finally whispered, staring unblinking at the elongated tips of her ears.

She hesitated, unsure of herself. "I wanted to do it for you... It felt like it was time."

Closing the distance between them, John gathered her in his arms and pulled her in for a smouldering kiss. Alyssa's doubts fell away as she responded to him, moaning into his mouth, the tips of their tongues finding each other as their kiss deepened. They fell back on the bed, literally tearing clothes from each other in their haste to be united, only reluctantly breaking apart from their kisses to toss aside the shredded scraps.

"I want you," he growled, pinning her to the bed.

She nodded, a feverish gleam in her cerulean eyes. "And I need you..."

Alyssa was more than ready for him and she cried out in ecstasy as John pushed his painfully hard cock into her glistening pussy. He groaned as they were joined together, hyper-aware of every inch of her gloriously sexy body as she embraced him. Her touch was electrifying, making goosebumps break out all over his skin as she writhed sensually underneath him.

"Is Athena with you?" he asked, gazing into those bright blue eyes, wondering if Alyssa's Astral passenger was along for the ride.

"No, just me," Alyssa murmured, brushing his flanks with her thighs as she wrapped herself around him.

John caressed her cheek, enjoying the tingling thrill of touching her soft skin... until he noticed a spark of light from his fingertips. Blinking in surprise, he quickly pulled his hand away and stared at his hand in confusion.

"Don't stop, that felt wonderful," Alyssa purred, her hips rocking gently underneath him.

He brushed her cheek again and the blonde let out a breathy moan, closing her eyes in rapture as he made contact with her. Once again light flared around his fingertips, this time leaving swirling patterns behind in their wake.

"Something's happening!" John exclaimed, raising himself up on his elbows.

Alyssa heard his startled thoughts and her eyes flickered open, focusing on John as he stared at his hand in alarm. She reached for him with her slender fingers and they both gasped when beams of light arced between them. There was no pain from that radiance, only a glorious feeling of warmth and love that seemed to spread out and envelop them both.

"What is that light?" Calara asked with concern. "Are you both okay?"

Neither Alyssa or John answered, oblivious to everyone and everything else in the room as they gazed lovingly into each other's eyes. They interlaced their fingers and the glow intensified, matching expressions of wonder appearing on their faces. John lowered himself on Alyssa, pressing her back against the mattress and reaching for her other hand. The moment their second set of fingers touched, the radiance flared even brighter, a glowing aura bathing the room in light.

Jade was watching them both in fascination. "They can't hear us... they're lost in each other..."

The lovers moved in perfect harmony, muscles rippling as they thrust together in that sensual dance. John was immersed in the joy of being with Alyssa, enraptured by the sight of her exquisite features consumed with ecstasy. Her pupils flared as she returned his intense gaze, Alyssa's succulent red lips parting as she responded to him with lusty cries.

The girls were captivated by the passionate coupling, darting bemused glances at one another, before returning their focus to John and Alyssa. Much to the audience's astonishment, a stream of glowing runes suddenly burst into existence, the undulating runic script flowing through the air as it orbited their entwined bodies.

"Oh, wow..." Dana murmured, staring at the ancient glyphs in awe.

"What do they mean?" Rachel asked, entranced by the sight.

The redhead was silent for a long moment, her eyes welling up as she read the runic symbols.

The brunette put an arm around her girlfriend, shocked to see Dana react this way. "What's the matter?"

"It's so beautiful..." Dana finally whispered, her eyes welling up. "John's telling Alyssa that he's pledged his heart to her for all eternity... that their souls are finally united as one. There's loads more but I don't know all of those runes..."

"Progenitor wedding vows?" Calara asked in a hushed voice, unable to take her eyes off her lovers.

Dana hesitated, unsure how to answer. "I don't know... but there's something about the phrasing that feels different. I love John to bits, but I can't believe he came up with all that stuff, it just doesn't sound like him."

As the couple built their way to a climax, the floating runes extended their orbit outwards, encompassing the rest of the girls on the bed. There were startled gasps all round as the procession of runes brushed over their nubile figures, leaving a tingling warmth in their wake. Everyone noticed that the script had changed, the Progenitor glyphs appearing more elaborate, with intricate flourishes on each symbol. They all looked expectantly at the redhead, waiting for her to translate.

A tear rolled down Dana's cheek as she said in a choked voice, "They're saying how much they love all of us, how we make their life complete..."

The girls watched in stunned silence as John rode Alyssa to a joint climax, both of them finding their release at the same moment. Her belly bulged out, the curves getting dramatically large as he pumped her womb full of cum. It was an amazingly powerful shared orgasm that left the couple panting for breath, both dazed by the intensity of their climax. John eased out of Alyssa and lay beside her, the two of them with matching awed expressions as they turned to face each other.

Calara was the first to react, spooning up with her girlfriend and hugging the blonde close. "Alyssa, what just happened?!"

Alyssa seemed to shake off her trance, blinking a couple of times before giving John an adoring smile. "We've been so close to that for so long..."

John reached for her hand again, and swirling arcs of light curved around their fingers as they touched. "Our souls were united..."

Dana hugged him from behind, resting her chin on his shoulder. "I want you to rune fuck me next! Can you give me pointy ears too?"

He turned and reached for her, bringing Dana down for a kiss. "That was Alyssa's handiwork, nothing to do with me."

Rachel leaned over to gently brush Alyssa's golden hair away from her ear. "I thought you were just making a cosmetic change to your ears?"

The blonde nodded, smiling at John as she kissed his glowing fingertips. "You made me into a Progenitor and I wanted to look the part."

Rachel glanced at John, her curiosity piqued. "The twins both have the same shaped ears, but you've slept with them dozens of times and nothing like this has ever happened before."

Tashana knelt down beside them and flicked her snowy-white hair over one shoulder, revealing a blue pointed-tipped ear. "If I knew they were going to have this effect on you, I'd have worn my hair up more often."

Irillith nodded, giving John a flirtatious smile. "I really want to see you reciting Progenitor love poems for me... we'll have to up our game."

He sat up and beckoned the twins over, filling his arms with the azure-skinned beauties. "There'll be twice the chance of something happening if I'm bedding both of you..."

They laughed and pushed him over onto his back, taking it in turns to kiss him. Dana pouted playfully as she moved aside to make room for them, but her expression lifted into a huge grin when Alyssa crooked a finger at her.

"Time for a nightcap, Sparks," the blonde purred, spreading her thighs in invitation.

Dana had just started lapping away greedily when she pulled back to gasp, "Oh my God! That tastes so fucking good..."

"You're glowing!" Rachel exclaimed, pointing at the light shining underneath the redhead.

Rolling over onto her back, Dana stared in shock at the ethereal runes floating above her stomach. She looked at the unfamiliar runes in confusion, then giggled when their meaning suddenly clicked in her mind.

"What do they say?" the tawny-haired doctor asked, staring at them in fascination.

"Property of John Blake," the redhead translated, giving him a starry-eyed look.

Rachel glanced questioningly at Alyssa, who just gave her a crooked smile and beckoned her over. The brunette moaned in bliss as she took her turn filling her stomach with cum, immediately tasting the difference. She made way for Sakura and looked down in wonder at her own stomach as runic script appeared.

Dana frowned as she read the runes. "It says: 'Catherine's legacy'... What does that mean?"

The brunette's eyes softened as she glanced at John, a gentle smile on her face as she recalled the conversation about her intelligence and how her work was a tribute to her mother. "Thank you," she murmured, touched that he'd remembered.

When Sakura sat up, she took one look at the glowing runes over her navel, then her almond eyes flicked to Dana expectantly.

The redhead smiled as she read out: "You made room in your heart for us."

Sakura welled up when she heard those words. It was almost as if she could hear her parents saying they were proud of her for leaving her hate behind and embracing the love of her new family. She rushed over to John, throwing herself into his arms as she thanked him. There was a special message for each of the girls, who had to explain it to everyone once they'd showered John in hugs and kisses.

The Nymphs were last, each looking to Dana to explain the runic messages as glowing lights pulsed over their verdant skin. They were overjoyed by John's simple messages of affection, all four of them fawning over him and rubbing their bodies against his. He smiled at them fondly, stroking each in turn, when he happened to glance over at Faye. She was watching with a wistful smile on her face, obviously happy for all her friends, but there was no mistaking the look of longing in her luminous eyes.

"Come here a moment, honey," he said to the purple sprite, beckoning her over to him.

Faye responded immediately, springing from her seat to cross the bedroom so that she was standing next to the bed. "What's up, John?" she asked, her tone helpful rather than expectant.

As the Nymphs let go of him, he shifted on the bed to sit in front of the petite girl. "Filling you up with cum wouldn't work, so I'll have to do this another way."

He reached up and carefully eased the straps of her dress off her slender shoulders, so that it slid down her body and pooled at her feet. Faye's breath caught as she stood naked before him and he gave her a reassuring smile as he placed his hand on her trim stomach.

"That tingles!" she gasped as his fingers started to glow.

John inscribed a set of runes across her belly, which pulsated with a warm light. "There you go..."

"Could you translate them for me please?" Faye asked, her wide eyes darting to Dana.

The redhead crawled over to see, wrapping her arms around John from behind and looking at the script over his shoulder. "It says: 'The sweetest girl I know'."

Faye glanced down at the runes on her stomach in wonder, a smile spreading across her elfin face. She leaned down to give John a tender kiss, her cupid bow lips pursing to brush lightly against his. "That was lovely, thank you."

He embraced her and pulled her onto the bed, the purple girl squealing with surprise then bursting into giggles. They all slept close that night, the girls all feeling enveloped in the love that John and Alyssa had shared with them. The one exception was Faye who couldn't be a part of that psychic harmony, but wrapped up in John's and Dana's loving arms, she kept her nightly vigil with a beaming smile on her face.

***

Charles groaned as Lynette pressed those impossibly pert breasts into his chest. She'd stripped down to her underwear and he could feel her erect nipples brushing against him through his shirt. Letting his hands roam down from her trim waist, he filled his palms with the perfect roundness of her bottom, not finding a hint of sag in those gloriously firm cheeks. When he squeezed them, Lynette let out a lusty moan and ground her panty-clad pussy against the erection tenting his trousers.

The brunette pulled back to gaze at him, her hazel eyes hooded with lust. "Take me to bed..." she purred, with a wanton sexuality that made his heart hammer in his chest. Arching an eyebrow, she added with a teasing smile, "Unless you think I should make you wait until the third date?"

He grinned at her and shook his head. "This is our third date... the Mexican restaurant, lunch here, and now this evening makes three."

Lynette laughed, a lovely throaty sound that made his cock twitch. "Alright, sounds good to me." She climbed off the sofa and offered him a hand, a flirtatious twinkle in her eyes.

Charles followed eagerly, unable to stop staring at the stunning woman leading him to her bedroom with a seductive sway of her hips. He freely admitted to himself that he was utterly enthralled by Lynette and had never wanted anyone more in his entire life.

She paused at the bedside and turned to face him with a shy smile. "You have some catching up to do..." she said, her hands reaching for his shirt buttons.

He suddenly felt self-conscious in the presence of such incredible beauty. How could he possibly be worthy of this bewitching goddess flush in the bloom of her youth.

Lynette saw the flicker of embarrassment in his expression and paused, her hands stroking his chest. "You look anxious, Charles. What's the matter?"

He caught her hands in his and stopped her from exploring further. "I don't want to disappoint you. I haven't got the body of a twenty-year-old."

"You feel pretty damn good to me..." She gave him a tender kiss and looked up into his eyes. "I think we need to break the ice a little to make you feel more comfortable."

"What've you got in mind?" he asked, letting her guide him over to sit on the bed.

Taking his hand in hers, she guided it to her well-defined stomach. "I think you'd feel much more relaxed if I had a tummy full of your cum... it'd be like... marking your territory."

Charles gaped in disbelief as she sank to her knees, his eyes widening as she licked her pouty kissable lips in anticipation. He was all too eager to assist as she tugged off the rest of his clothes and when Lynette finally got a look at his cock, he was awed by the hungry gleam in her eyes. It was like being in the most intense erotic dream of his life as she proceeded to give him the most incredible blowjob he could imagine. She was able to deep-throat him effortlessly, sucking and worshipping his shaft as though it was the most wonderful thing in the galaxy. There was no way he could last with such a gorgeous woman blowing him that enthusiastically and Lynette moaned with delight as he began pumping his cum straight down her clutching throat directly into her stomach.

"Holy hell!" Charles shouted as he came, mixing up his expressions in his euphoria. He collapsed backwards on the bed, panting for breath, his balls feeling like they'd been sucked inside out.

"God, I needed that... you have no idea..." Lynette said with a blissful sigh as she stroked her belly. She stripped off the last of her clothes and climbed onto the bed beside him. "Thank you."

He managed to chuckle between deep breaths, shaking his head in disbelief. "You just gave me the most mind-blowing orgasm I've ever had and you're thanking me..."

She traced a finger over his chest and gave him a coy smile. "If you really liked it, maybe we could do that every morning? I'd love to start my day with you giving me breakfast..."

Charles looked at her incredulously, then grinned, propping himself up one elbow. "I really must be dreaming."

Lynette made eye-contact with him and said in a hushed voice, "I'm real and I'm all yours... if you want me?"

He paused and gently caressed her cheek. "You don't just mean tonight, do you?"

She bit her lip and shook her head. "For decades I made so many sacrifices for my career. Friends, family, a husband, children... I thought they were small things to give up, but now I realise I gave up my whole life. I've been given a fresh start and I plan to do things very differently this time... I want all those things I foolishly sacrificed to become Fleet Admiral." Lynette looked worried as she continued, "I know it's crazy saying all that so early on in our relationship, I don't want you to feel pressured, but I meant it when I told you I would be truthful with you."

Charles was quiet for a long moment. "Don't worry, I know exactly what you mean. My biggest regret is not finding someone to share my life with and for years I thought I'd left it too late."

"That's what I want, Charles... someone to share my life with," Lynette said earnestly.

"Kindred spirits," he said with a smile, remembering the phrase she used earlier.

She beamed at him and nodded, relaxing as she saw that he hadn't been scared off.

Charles continued to caress her, relishing the softness of her skin. "I always thought the idea of love at first sight was nonsense, but then I saw you in the gym and became a true believer..." His moustache twitched into a wry smile as he continued, "Which is why I'm actually glad that you kept up your Marie/Lynette charade..."

"You are?" she asked, looking confused.

He nodded. "You are, without a doubt, the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. But by spending time with you in your disguise, I also got to appreciate your intelligence and your lovely personality without drooling over you like a lovestruck teenager. I really respect and admire you, Lynette, and it's important to know the way I feel about you now is not just because you're gorgeous."

She smiled at him affectionately. "That's very sweet, Charles. But why is it important?"

"Because I know unequivocally that you're the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with." Clearing his throat, he gazed into her eyes. "Lynette Marie Devereux, will you marry me?"

Lynette stared at him in shock, too numb to respond.

Starting to get nervous, Charles looked at her with concern. "I know it sounds crazy, but I honestly-"

"Yes! I accept!" she suddenly cried out, wrapping her arms tightly around him. "Oh, Charles... I'm going to be the best wife in the galaxy, I promise!"

He laughed, hugging her back just as hard, overjoyed that she'd accepted. "And I promise I'll be the best husband."

Lynette showered him in kisses which he enthusiastically returned. When they paused for breath, she gently pushed him so that he lay back on the bed and gave him a coy smile. "Why don't I show you just what you'll be getting for the rest of your life?"

Charles' answering grin turned into a open-mouthed look of awe as his captivating fiancée gracefully straddled him, giving him a spectacular view of her nubile figure. He was hard as a rock and more than ready as she eased down his shaft, an adorable look of concentration on her beautiful face. Lynette groaned as he was hilted inside her, then lay down atop him, her full breasts soft and warm against his chest.

Her face was only inches from his as she began to move, her hazel eyes focused with laser-like intensity on memorising his every feature. Charles could only gaze back at her in wonder, knowing that he'd never be the same again. Making love with this exquisite woman was, without exception, the highlight of his entire life. What made it truly remarkable, was that he knew that Lynette felt the same way, he could see it in those incredible hazel eyes...

***

Tony felt the smothering blanket of oblivion recede, bringing him back to reality... heralded by an ugly wave of pain. His legs and arms throbbed with a dull ache, but it was like feeling it through a tunnel, his senses oddly disconnected. He started becoming aware of his surroundings, a series of uncomfortable experiences making his return to consciousness a deeply unpleasant one. The air was thick with dust, making him feel like he was choking on it, and he longed for some water to wash it away. Something was digging into the small of his back, sending sharp pains through him as he lay there awkwardly on the ground. Finally, there was some kind of weight over his body, but he couldn't see what was trapping him as it was pitch black in the tunnel.

Then he heard it... a girl softly crying in the dark. The sound nearly broke his heart, it was so filled with despair, even though he thought himself long inured to a woman's tears. Whoever it was sounded so alone, all hope lost as they waited for the inevitable end. He tried to sit up, then felt a throbbing pulse of pain as he moved his head, the swirling nausea threatening to drag him down into unconsciousness again. Managing to twist to one side, he was violently sick, the stew making an unwelcome reappearance.

Abruptly the crying stopped.

"Tony?!" Kelli gasped, almost sickeningly grateful to hear the sound of another person. "Oh thank God!"

In Tony's delirious state, the thought that she was so delighted to hear him spewing his guts out seemed almost amusing. Wiping the back of his hand over his mouth, he mumbled, "Yeah, it's me..."

"I'm trapped!" she called out to him, panic edging her voice. "I can't dig myself out!"

"Jus' gimme a second," he panted, trying to ignore the foul taste in his mouth. "Is Perl okay?"

"I don't know..." Kelli sobbed, trying not to start crying again. "I've been calling to you both for what seemed like hours... I thought you were dead!"

Tony reached out to find out what was on top of him, feeling the coarse surface of lumps of rock under his fingertips. He wasn't buried by the cave-in, but he was still covered by a pile of stones and dirt. Fumbling around in the darkness, he shoved the rock off his chest, letting him breathe easier again. It didn't take long before he was free and he slipped the backpack off his shoulders before trying to sit up. He did so much more carefully this time, trying to avoid any sudden movements that might set off another wave of nausea.

As he put his hands behind him, he felt the smooth coolness of metal next to his thumb and as he explored further, realised he'd fallen on his SMG when the ceiling collapsed. He pulled it clear, feeling his way around the familiar shape until he located the torch slung under the barrel. Holding his breath, he pushed the button to turn it on and a flickering beam of light illuminated the tunnel.

He heard Kelli sob again but with relief this time as the torch banished the blackness. The dust was cloying, particles reflecting the torchlight and adding an eerie sense of the surreal, as if he wasn't disorientated enough already. Shining the light around, he saw that he'd avoided the worst of the cave-in, but the blood smeared over the rock by his head told a grim story of its own.

"Where are you, Kelli?" he asked waving the torch around.

"Over here!"

A pale arm waved at him from back down the tunnel and as he focused the torch on her, he saw that she was lying face down, buried in rock and dirt up to her shoulders.

"Fuck me..." he muttered, seeing how close a call it had been.

He suddenly thought of Perl and swept the torch over the collapsed passage, not seeing any sign of her. His heart sank when he thought of that beautiful girl crushed to death by the cave-in, buried under thousands of tons of rock. After everything she'd been through to escape the bugs, it seemed like such a horrible and unfair way to go. Fighting back the sadness, he pulled aside the handful of stone chunks trapping his legs, then wriggled his way clear.

Doing his best not to aggravate his spinning head, he crawled over to the trapped brunette and clasped her waving hand. "I'll get you out, babe. Just chill a minute."

Kelli nodded, her eyes wide with fear as she stared up at him. "Okay, Tony." She turned to look over her shoulder, her voice trembling as she added, "My ankle really hurts..."

Tony knelt at her side and put his SMG down on the ground pointing towards the rocks covering Kelli. He wasn't a miner, but you didn't spend your life living in Karron's tunnels without experiencing your fair share of cave-ins. Working carefully, he eased out the bigger lumps of rock, checking the rest of the pile to make sure he wasn't going to trigger another collapse. He managed to dig out most of her upper body, finding that her flattened backpack had helped protect her from the rockfall. Unfortunately, several of the water bottles had cracked, soaking her to the skin.

"Nearly done," he said, trying to sound reassuring as she shivered in the darkness.

He tugged at a big piece of rock over her legs and Kelli let out a strangled shriek. "Ow! That really fucking hurt!"

"Sorry, babe, I'll just-"

An ominous creak above their heads made them both suck in their breath and he froze, not wanting to do anything to trigger another cave-in.

Kelli clung to him, the whites of her eyes showing in her terror. "Please, Tony! Don't let me die!"

"Gimme your pack!" he snapped urgently, clicking his fingers in front of her face.

She looked at him in shock, horrified that he was going to take her supplies and leave her behind. That fearful glance was like a stab in his heart and he wasn't sure who he felt sorrier for, himself because she still didn't trust him, or Kelli because she was so clearly accustomed to betrayal.

"It's less weight if I have to pull you out," he explained quietly. "I'm not stealin' your shit and leavin' you here."

Kelli heard the sadness in his voice and looked up at him with remorse. "I'm really sorry, Tony."

"Doesn't matter," he said gruffly, taking her pack when she slid the straps off her shoulders.

Staggering back up the tunnel, he dragged his discarded pack with him, then left them in a pile ten metres away from the cave-in. He returned to the flickering light from his SMG and squinted as he looked at the pile of dirt and stone trapping the young woman's leg.

"Alright... I'm gonna move that bigass rock, then you drag yourself clear..." he muttered, after another fearful glance at the ceiling.

"Okay..." she said, in a small scared voice.

He knelt down again, fighting off another wave of nausea and the grogginess from his head. "Here we go."

Brushing the smaller rocks and dirt from the big one, he gripped the edge and leaned backwards, using his bodyweight to lift it from her leg. Kelly squeaked as she tried to stifle the pain, then crawled out, whimpering as she slid away from the cave-in. Tony groaned and tried to slowly tilt the rock back, but it slipped from his fingers and landed with a thump. Stones started to shift and he stumbled backwards in fear, grabbing Kelli's arm with one hand and his SMG with the other.

He heard her scream in pain as he dragged her across the ground, her agonised cry was drowned out by the deep rumble of rock crashing down from the unstable ceiling above. Tony tripped over backwards as he yanked Kelli clear, pebbles bouncing around them as a fresh cloud of dust blanketed the tunnel.

They lay there together for a moment, coughing amongst the dust as the rocks settled again.

He turned to look at her, shining his torch at her face to check she was okay. "Sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you."

She looked at him in shock and shook her head. "Perl!"

Tony frowned in confusion. "She's gone, Kelli... I'm sorry."

"No, it wasn't me that screamed, it was Perl!" she gasped, turning to look back down the tunnel.

Shining the torch down the tunnel again, he saw that the ceiling hadn't totally collapsed after all. The second cave-in had shifted some of the rubble, opening up a gap at the side of the passageway.

"No fuckin' way..." he muttered, shaking his head in disbelief and immediately regretting it as he saw spots in front of his eyes. He clutched at his head, breathing deep to steady himself, then handed the SMG to Kelli. "Hold this a second, I'll grab another torch from the packs."

She nodded, pointing the flickering light at the backpacks as he flipped up the top and dug around until he found what he was looking for. Activating it, the beam from the flashlight was strong and steady, giving him a much better view of the partially collapsed tunnel.

"Be careful..." she said softly, as he headed back to the rockfall.

Tony nodded distractedly, his attention focused on the gap ahead of him. Being careful not to dislodge any more rocks, he peered around the gap, sweeping the area ahead for signs of life. The rest of the tunnel was blocked about five-metres further back, but a huge rocky slab had crashed down from the ceiling, protecting the crumpled form below. He felt a surge of relief when he saw Perl, the blonde still wearing her backpack and her long coat.

"You lucky little bitch," he muttered, astonished that she hadn't been flattened.

Crawling through the gap, while taking care not set off another collapse, he made his way down to the unconscious young woman. As he got closer the smile on his lips died. The slab of rock had crushed her arm, fresh blood smeared all over the rough edge that had mangled the limb. He could see bone poking through the ragged remnants of her coat sleeve, flesh pulped and torn just above the elbow.

Tony tried not to be sick again, as he fell to his knees at her side. "Oh fuck me..." he cursed as he pulled out his knife.

Shrugging off his own coat, he tossed it aside, then tore the bottom of his shirt into strips. Making a crude tourniquet, he wrapped it around her bicep to stem the blood flow, then used his belt to tighten it further. Grimacing in disgust, he used his knife to cut away the last of the flesh still connecting her bicep to the splattered remains of her forearm that lay crushed under the rock.

Perl moaned in pain, but thankfully she didn't wake up, the blonde blessedly oblivious to the sickening state of her arm. Tony carefully laid her down on his coat, then used it as a crude travois to drag her out of the cave. It was slow going as he had to stop a couple of times to let waves of dizziness pass, but he eventually managed to pull her free from the rockslide.

"Is she okay?" Kelli asked, hobbling over to his side. "What happe-" Her voice faded out as she gaped at her friend in horror. "Oh my God... Perl!"

"Yeah, she's really fucked up," Tony muttered, looking down at the blonde in anguish. He glanced at Kelli and continued quietly, "It might be kinder to... you know... end it."

Kelli saw his eyes dart to the SMG and looked at him in horror. "No way! After she survived that, we can't just kill her!"

"Alright..." he said with a shrug as he walked over to the backpacks. "But she needs a doc real bad... and I doubt there's any left in this shithole." He crouched down and dug a med-kit out of his pack.

"She might be okay..." Kelli said nervously, glancing back at her critically wounded friend. Perl looked deathly pale and it was obvious just how dangerously close she was to death's door.

Tony knelt at Perl's side and grimaced as he tore more of the sleeve clear so that he could access her severed arm. He unravelled the med-kit and took out a blood pack. "Here, find out how this works," he muttered, handing it over.

Kelli glanced at him for a second, but took the blood pack without comment, squatting down gingerly next to the blonde. "Universal donor... blah blah... locate the vein..."

She rolled up the sleeve on Perl's uninjured arm, then attached the pack to the exposed skin around her wrist, lining it up so that it fit correctly. She pressed the button and nodded with satisfaction as it began the automated transfusion process. Meanwhile, Tony had unpacked a bottle with a spray nozzle attachment and was frowning at the label.

Kelli glanced at the bottle and asked quietly, "Do you want me to use that antiseptic spray on her too?"

"Yeah, okay," he said gruffly, handing it over.

Grabbing a fresh water bottle out of one of the packs, Kelli gulped as she did her best to wash the dirt from the wound. Once she was reasonably satisfied it was clean, she read the instructions on the label, then sprayed the clear gel over the bloody remnants of Perl's arm. Tony had unfolded the trauma bandage and passed it to the brunette without comment. Kelli scanned through the care label, then carefully wrapped it around the wound, sealing it tight and activating the vacu-form casing. After making sure it was secure, she used the hypo-injector on Perl, giving her a strong dose of painkillers.

She sat back and saw that Tony was watching her, his face flushed with embarrassment. "I just never bothered to learn... I'm not stupid," he said defensively.

Kelli crawled around Perl to hug him. "I wasn't even thinking it, Tony, I promise." She gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. "Besides, we never would have made it this far without you looking after us. You're a real smart guy."

He relaxed when he saw that she was being sincere, then shook his head and let out a sardonic laugh. "Nah, not really. The miners blasted all the tunnels to stop the bugs comin' in... With the cave-in, we're trapped in here. So much for my escape plan."

She shrugged and gave him a brave smile. "It could be worse."

Tony looked at her incredulously.

"I'm serious!" Kelli exclaimed, then gave him a coy smile. "I actually quite like getting fucked in the ass, but I've got a feeling the Bugs aren't big on lube..."

He burst into laughter, then cringed as his head throbbed. "Yeah, you're right, it could be worse."

She looked at him in concern, then shone the torch from the SMG onto the back of his head. Her face paled as she gasped, "Fuck... you're covered in blood!"

Lurching to her feet, she grunted as she put her weight on her twisted ankle, then limped to a pack to get another med-kit. Pulling out blankets from the backpacks, she rolled them out on the ground, then tipped the pack over for a pillow. "Lie down. I need to take a look at your head."

Too tired and sore to argue, Tony pulled out some bottles of water and nutri-bars from the pack, then lay down on the blankets. The water Kelli splashed on the cut stung a bit, but the antiseptic gel felt cool and soothing as she sprayed it on the wound. He quenched his parched throat as she put on the bandage, then reluctantly let her apply the blood pack as he bit into the snack bar.

"There, all done," she said with satisfaction as she sat on the blanket.

Tony gave a wan smile. "That actually feels loads better, thanks."

"What do we do now?" Kelli asked, taking one of the bottles and drinking big gulps.

He glanced at Perl and he shook his head as he looked at her arm. "Well we can't drag her... We might as well get some sleep and hope Perl doesn't freak the fuck out when she wakes up."

The brunette nodded and helped him move Perl so that she was lying on the blankets, with her head resting on a pack. When Kelli was satisfied the blonde was as comfortable as she could make her, she turned off the flickering torch on the SMG, then snuggled in next to Tony for warmth, using his shoulder as a pillow.

"Tony... what are we going to do?" she murmured, glancing up at him as he reached for his flashlight.

"Get some sleep," he said firmly, flicking off the light.

Kelli was quiet for a minute, then her soft voice echoed in the darkness, "No, I mean if we get out of this?"

He paused, thinking it over. In truth, he'd been so focused on surviving the Kirrix invasion, he hadn't thought twice about what he would do afterwards. With the Diablos gang captured and hauled away by the Kirrix, there was no going back to his old life, even if he did manage to survive this nightmare.

"I'm not sure," he replied honestly. "Why, what do you want to do?"

"I want to see a sunset," she whispered, a wistful note to her voice. Kelli shifted and he knew she was looking at him again. "If that's alright with you?"

"No one owns you now," Tony said, with a vehemence that surprised him. "You can do whatever you want."

She hugged him tight and he could feel her slim body trembling next to him, his tattered shirt getting damp as tears rolled down her cheeks. Tony swallowed around the lump in his throat, then rubbed her back as he held her close.

***

The sound of soft singing woke John the following morning and he smiled when he opened his eyes to see Faye's elfin face beside him on the pillow. He lay still and listened attentively, amazed at the depth and range of her lovely voice. The song was in old Maliri and was a cautionary ballad, warning of the 'enthraller of maidens' who would capture the hearts of wayward young women.

When she was done, he kissed her on her the tip of her dainty little nose. "Good morning, beautiful."

Faye grinned and gave him a quick kiss in return. "Good morning to you, John! I hope you slept well?"

"Like a baby, thank you," he said gratefully. "That was a wonderful wake-up call, by the way; it was fascinating to hear an ancient Maliri song warning about Mael'nerak."

"It wasn't ancient Maliri," she replied with a twinkle in her luminous eyes.

He frowned at her in confusion. "It certainly sounded like it."

"Nope, it was a Faye song, warning about Baen'thelas! It's far too easy to fall for his charms," she explained, trying not to giggle too loud when she saw his startled expression.

"No one's ever written a song about me before," he said, touched by the effort she'd put into it.

Alyssa rolled over, revealing that she was awake too. "Stop it, Faye! You're going to give him a big head and he's got to fit into a Paragon suit in a few minutes..."

The purple sprite attempted to look contrite, but failed miserably.

John smiled at her, then glanced at the ship's chronometer. "Yeah, we better get moving. We'll be reaching the Nav beacon soon."

Faye nodded as she sat up. "Fourteen minutes until we arrive. The Terran Federation forces are approaching the rendezvous point."

Alyssa raised an eyebrow and all around them the girls started to yawn and stretch, gently nudged awake by her telepathic wake-up call. Soon the bedroom was a flurry of activity as the girls all sprang out of bed, knowing that they had a very busy day ahead.

"Where's Rachel?" John asked, the tawny-haired doctor conspicuously absent.

Taking his hand, Alyssa followed him into the shower. "Checking out my DNA... the cheeky minx was up an hour ago taking a sample. She'll be back in a minute."

As the water sluiced down over them, John brushed her golden hair back to uncover her enhanced new ears. He ran a finger from the lobe to the tip, smiling as the blonde shivered in delight. "Sensitive?"

She nodded, her eyelashes fluttering as he caressed her. "I didn't realise quite how much..."

Calara joined them a moment later and smiled when she saw what her lovers were doing. Alyssa groaned when the Latina leaned into her from behind and licked her girlfriend's new elongated ear tip.

"Keep that up and we'll never make the rendezvous," Alyssa said, turning around and pulling Calara into the middle of them. "And I'm very glad you're here, I want a word with you..."

The Latina suddenly looked pensive, glancing back at John over her shoulder, before focusing on the blonde again. "You do?"

Alyssa nodded and gave her a stern frown. "I heard you yesterday... how could you think that I might not want you as my girlfriend anymore?"

John looked shocked and he stepped to the side so he could see Calara's face. "Is that true? Why would you think that?"

She looked chagrined and struggled to meet his eye. "You two looked so much in love... and now you're both Progenitors too... I understand if you just want to focus on each other."

"I'm really sorry if we unsettled you," John said, wrapping her up in her arms. "I still love you just as much as ever."

Alyssa encircled the Latina in a loving embrace. "You were the first to join us, gorgeous girl. You will always hold a special place in our hearts... that's never going to change."

Calara looked immensely relieved and hugged her back fiercely. "I love you both so much... but I didn't want to get in the way if-"

Alyssa's kiss silenced whatever else she was going to say, leaving the brunette moaning into her mouth.

John embraced them both, then whispered in Calara's ear. "No more talk like that." He slid a hand between them and gently rubbed her tummy. "Terran, Progenitor, Nymph, Maliri... you're all equally beautiful."

Finally pulling back, Alyssa gave John a knowing look. "And of course, you want to see us happily paired up, gazing adoringly into our girlfriend's eyes while we carry your babies." She turned back to Calara and continued, "So I'm afraid you're stuck with me, sexy girl. Blonde and brunette is the classic combination, we can't give that up..."

Calara laughed, feeling totally at ease once more. "That's very true... Sorry for being silly."

Dana strolled into the shower to join them, smirking at Calara when she saw the trio standing in an intimate embrace. "I wondered how long it'd be before you ended up as the meat in a Progenitor sandwich. I know you're the one with prescience, but my future prediction is that they're going to fuck the hell out of you tonight!"

"I certainly hope so," the Latina purred, grinning when John and Alyssa gave her a suggestive squeeze.

John left Alyssa and Calara holding each other and reached for Dana, pulling her into a hug. "How are you this morning, Sparks?"

She snuggled into his arms, the water slicking her long auburn hair to her back. "I feel totally loved-up this morning. Whatever you did to that load you pumped into Alyssa... keep doing it!"

He gently stroked Dana's back and shared a curious glance with his blonde Matriarch.

*No, I don't know what changed,* she replied to his unspoken question, giving him a helpless shrug.

Tilting his head to one side, he looked into Dana's sky-blue eyes. "So where are we at with the refit?"

Before the redhead could reply, Rachel rushed into the bathroom, her grey eyes shining with excitement. "I knew it wasn't just a cosmetic alteration! Your DNA has changed!"

The concerned look that John shot at Alyssa was met by one of astonishment from the blonde.

"But all I did was copy the shape of the twins' ears! That was it!" she exclaimed, sounding bewildered. "I couldn't even make any changes to myself until I had a tummy full of your cum!"

John paused for a moment, then he raised an eyebrow as he studied the blonde. "Athena..."

Alyssa appeared shocked for a moment, then her eyes narrowed in irritation. "She just said she wants to talk to you tonight..." Seeing John's concerned expression, she sighed and shook her head. "Athena's a part of me... I don't think she's any kind of threat."

"Are you absolutely sure? What about my guide?" he asked, pointing out the obvious.

"It's not the same," she replied with certainty. "Besides, you created Athena... and I know you'd never do anything to hurt me."

He nodded hesitantly, still not entirely convinced. Turning to look at Rachel, who had stripped off to join them, he asked, "Did you find out anything else?"

The tawny-haired doctor tilted her head back and let the water cascade over her long brown mane. "I'm afraid I don't fully understand the intricacies of Progenitor genetic modifications yet. All I can really tell you is that Alyssa's triple helix strand has been altered from my previous sample and now there's a number of additional similarities to your third helix. I recognised the pattern of those genetic markers, even though I don't know what they mean."

"What the hell is Athena up to?" John asked aloud, but his rhetorical question was met with blank looks. He sighed in frustration, then continued, "Hopefully, I'll get some straight answers tonight, but I'm not holding my breath. Athena can be quite enigmatic..."

Alyssa gave him a sympathetic smile. "We need to hurry, we'll be arriving at the rendezvous point in eight minutes."

John nodded and they quickly began soaping each other down.

"I can offer you some straight answers about the refit," Dana said, nudging him with an elbow.

"Sorry, Sparks, I got distracted," he said with an apologetic frown. "Go ahead, where are we up to?"

Dana grinned as she replied, "I just checked with Faye: her boys finished installing the Solid-Phase Shield Matrix last night and the Zero-Point Regulators were all fitted this morning! The Tachyon Lances have all been built, so as soon as we drop out of hyper-warp, the maintenance bots are going to start swapping them out. They'll start with replacing the Heavy Quantum Guns, then move on to the Photon Lasers."

"Brilliant! It's great to see everything's going to schedule," John said, giving Rachel an appreciative nod for her planning. "What about the Raptor and the Valkyrie?"

"The girls are going to help me get them upgraded," Dana replied. "All the components are built, it's just a case of installing all the new equipment. With everyone pitching in, we should be able to get the refits done by the time you're finished with your meetings."

"You know that Alyssa and Calara are coming with me?" he asked, darting a quick glance at the teenagers before looking at Dana again.

"Yeah, I heard all three of you are slacking off," the redhead replied with a grin. "Don't worry, we should still be fine. Jade's going to do all the heavy lifting in her dragon form."

Alyssa smiled at her friend. "Did you ever think you'd end up having a dragon as an engineering assistant?"

The redhead raised her chin and said imperiously, "Of course! The Grand Engineering Overlord deserves such a magnificent minion!"

Her haughty stance didn't survive the tickling onslaught.

After finishing their shower and leaving the bathroom, they found Faye waiting. "If you go straight to the stealth shuttle when you're ready, I'll fly you to Admiral Zelig's ship," she offered, leaning against the doorframe as Alyssa and John started to get dressed. "We'll be arriving in just over two minutes."

"Thanks, Faye," John replied, pulling on his white Lion uniform. "Hopefully we won't be too long... unless Zelig doesn't pass the test."

Alyssa buttoned up her shirt and shrugged as she said, "If he's a bad guy, I'll just take him out. I spoke to Lynette about it and she gave me carte blanche to do whatever we need to do. We can be out of there in five minutes."

"We can't just stroll in there, execute an admiral, then walk off," John patiently explained. "We'll have to handle the situation delicately. The last thing I want to do is to leave the T-Fed forces shocked and leaderless; we need them to help with the liberation of those worlds. If we do have to deal with Zelig, at the very least we'll need to make sure that the next officer in the chain-of-command is competent."

The blonde nodded as she reached for her Lioness jacket. "Sure, we can play it however you like."

John glanced at her suspiciously as he pulled on his peaked hat. "Are you sure Lynette said we can do whatever we wanted?"

"She did ask that we handle it discreetly," Alyssa admitted, with a mischievous smile.

He chuckled and shook his head at her. "How's she doing anyway? Did the date with Charles go okay?"

"Give me a second and I'll check in with her," the blonde said, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

***

Lynette was gently roused from a lovely dream by a soothing telepathic caress.

*Good morning, beautiful,* Alyssa murmured, her melodic voice filling the brunette with a comforting sense of belonging. *How did the big reveal with Charles go?*

Becoming aware of her surroundings, Lynette found herself curled up next to a firm warm body, shocking her wide awake as she realised there was a man in her bed. She sat upright and looked down at Charles, memories from the previous glorious night flashing through her mind.

*Oh, Alyssa... last night was magical!* Lynette's gaze softened and she leaned down to give Charles a loving kiss, lightly brushing her lips against his.

The touch roused Charles and he stared at her in astonishment for a moment, before waking up fully and breaking out into a grin. "You need to clear your day, I'm taking you ring shopping."

Lynette let out a blissfully happy sigh, then gave her a fiancé a seductive smile. "That sounds like a wonderful idea, but first, I need breakfast..."

As she disappeared beneath the covers, Charles folded his hands behind his head and grinned in delight.

***

Alyssa sauntered out of the walk-in-wardrobe. "It sounds like the date went very well."

John smiled with satisfaction as he followed her over to the express grav-tubes. "I'm really glad it's working out for them."

"Yes, it really is... Lynette gave Charles a blowjob and he proposed, " Alyssa said, grinning at John over her shoulder before stepping inside the red anti-grav field and dropping out of sight.

John's jaw dropped open in shock, then he rushed after her, diving into the grav-tube. "Wait... what? They're engaged?!"

Alyssa was waiting down in the armoury and she smirked as she nodded. "It must have been one hell of a blowjob..."

He laughed and slipped his arm around her waist as they walked towards the second set of grav-tubes. "I can't believe they're taking things so fast."

Pausing by the entrance, Alyssa turned to look him in the eyes. "I'm sorry for having doubts about the way you handled Lynette. She's ecstatic to be with Charles... they really are perfectly-suited for each other. Oh, and she asked me to pass on her thanks for keeping things platonic between you two. Charles asked her if you'd slept together and Lynette was really relieved that she could tell him honestly that you hadn't."

"It would've complicated things unnecessarily for her," he said sagely. "Decades from now, Lynette might eventually end up with us in Maliri Space, but for the moment, she'll be much happier being Fleet Admiral with Charles at her side."

Alyssa gave him a warm smile. "It feels nice playing cupid."

John nodded and guided her into the grav-tube. "It's a refreshing change being able to make a positive difference to people's lives without having to kill anyone to do it." They dropped down through the levels in a blur, until they arrived at Deck Nine.

"I think we'll be back to the usual status quo this afternoon," the blonde said soberly, accompanying him across the hangar and gesturing at the door controls.

"I'm not looking forward to liberating those worlds," John said, nodding his agreement as the double doors opened. "It was bad enough seeing what happened to the Trankarans on Khalgron, I think it'll hit much closer to home with Terran civilians."

They walked across to the shuttle, then stood quietly together, sharing a grim look that spoke volumes.

Calara rushed into the hangar a few moments later, then jogged over to join them, pulling on the peaked hat for her Lioness uniform. "Sorry to keep you waiting, I had a reminder message from my mom to speak to my dad."

John gave her an understanding smile as he gestured for her to enter the shuttle's airlock before him. "We'll visit the Damocles once we've wrapped up our business with Admiral Zelig. Hopefully we won't be long."

Faye sat in the pilot's chair, her wings swirling in a lazy figure-of-eight pattern as she powered up the shuttle's engines. "Hey guys!" she said with a friendly wave. "I'm bringing the Invictus in close to the battleship Porphyrion, so we'll have a really short shuttle flight."

She glanced at the hangar entrance as the door swung up into the ceiling and the spectacular view of space was soon blocked by the dull grey of an enormous titanium armoured hull. Retro-thrusters blazed bright as the battlecruiser sidled up to the Porphyrion, slowing the Invictus and eventually bringing it to a halt adjacent to the huge Terran Federation capital ship. The shuttle lifted off the deck and glided through the hangar door, crossing the short gap to the gaping shuttle bay entrance opposite.

"Looks like we've got a welcoming committee," Calara noted, seeing the massed crowds of personnel waiting for them in the Porphyrion's hangar.

"Do you reckon they're going to want a speech?" Alyssa said, putting her arms around her lovers.

The Latina groaned and glanced at John. "I hope they don't ask me to say anything. It was nerve-racking enough doing that speech at Olympus; I don't want to make a career of public speaking!"

"You were amazing," he said, making no attempt to conceal his pride. "You managed to hit just the right note and it was completely off-the-cuff."

Calara blushed as she admitted, "When Charles specifically requested that I attend, I did plan out a few things to say... just in case."

"Your secret's safe with us," Alyssa said with a grin, hugging the Latina closer.

Faye carefully touched down with a textbook landing, the stealth shuttle parked precisely in the centre of the designated landing pad. The airlock door opened and they were met with silence, but John could almost feel the feverish anticipation hanging thick in the air. When he emerged from the shuttle with Alyssa and Calara moving to flank him, the crowd greeted the saviours of Terra with rousing cheers. The applause intensified when John responded with a grin and a salute, while the girls acknowledged the tumultuous applause with sparkling smiles and exuberant waves.

A delegation of beaming senior officers were waiting over by the exit, a man with a close-cropped beard and wearing an admiral's uniform leading the group. John recognised Admiral Zelig from his hologram in the High Command meeting and headed in his direction. The leader of the border relief fleet was composed and reserved, the hesitant smile on his face not quite reaching his eyes. There was no way they could hold a conversation with the deafening noise of the crowd clapping and cheering, so Zelig half-turned and gestured towards the corridor beyond.

Calara shot John a grin now that it was apparent there wasn't going to be any public speaking and he chuckled as he nodded, feeling equally glad. They followed Zelig and his entourage of senior officers down surprisingly empty corridors, making it clear that almost the entire crew of the Porphyrion had been waiting to greet them in the shuttle bay. It actually came as a relief to John to escape from that wall of sound, his sensitive ears still ringing with the echoes of their jubilant welcome.

"It's an honour to meet you at last, Admiral Blake," Zelig said, turning and giving him an appraising look.

John inclined his head politely. "Likewise, Admiral Zelig. Thank you for agreeing to meet with us in person."

"I could hardly deny the man who saved Terra from destruction twice in as many months," Zelig said, a hint of tension in his reply.

It was obvious there was something bothering him, although the rest of his officers seemed oblivious to whatever had Zelig on edge. There were fourteen men and women in the rest of the group, all of whom seemed delighted to finally meet John and two of his Lionesses in person. They were polite and friendly, introducing themselves as the commanding officers of the battleships and heavy carriers that formed the backbone of the liberation force.

After a ride up through the decks in an elevator, Zelig led the group to a comfortably furnished conference room. He entered first, then watched quietly as his guests and the coterie of officers filed inside. The Federation personnel were obviously waiting for something to happen, because there was an air of anticipation in the room, none of them able to stop staring at Alyssa. In that brief moment of awkward silence, John glanced at Zelig with a puzzled frown.

When Zelig saw that look, he had a strange air of almost grim resignation to him as he quietly explained, "I informed my staff about the impressive display of psychic powers during the inauguration of Fleet Admiral Devereux. Please forgive the presumption, but I wondered if Alyssa might consider a similar demonstration for us?"

The explanation did nothing to alleviate John's concern about the admiral's odd behaviour, but scanning Zelig was their primary objective here and they had just been giving an open invitation to proceed. He glanced at the blonde on his right and nodded. "If you don't have any objections, Alyssa?"

"It would be my pleasure," she replied, locking eyes with Zelig.

Glowing motes of white light began to form around her shoulders, the radiance intensifying to the accompanying gasps from their audience. The overhead lighting flickered and dimmed dramatically as Alyssa gathered more psychic power, the aura swirling down her arms and gathering around her hands. When she'd harnessed enough energy, she crouched down and touched her clenched fists to the floor, a brilliant pulse of white light shooting out in a circle around her.

Much to John's relief, everyone in attendance was bathed in a pure white light, the command staff gaping at their glowing hands in wonder. Zelig darted a pensive glance at his own hands, which he kept clasped tightly together in front of him. After studying the white aura for a moment in silence, he turned to look curiously at the rest of his officers, a flicker of relief crossing his face when he saw the nimbus of white light that surrounded them.

After giving the T-Fed officers a chance to marvel at the lightshow, Zelig said, "Thank you for that indulgence, Alyssa. After seeing you in action on Terra, I wondered what it would be like to see psychic abilities first hand."

The blonde gave him a coy smile as she replied, "If the circumstances had been different, we might have seen some real fireworks. I hope it wasn't disappointing."

"No, not at all." Zelig glanced at his personnel and continued, "Please return to your vessels, ladies and gentlemen. After discussing our strategy with Admiral Blake I will provide you a detailed briefing before we jump out."

The officers saluted John respectfully before they departed, the door sliding shut behind them. That left John, Alyssa, and Calara alone with the admiral, who studied them with an ambivalent look in his eyes.

John took his hat off and placed it on the long conference table behind him. "Alright, Admiral, it's obvious something's bothering you. What's the problem?"

Zelig raised an eyebrow and said rather curtly, "I assume there isn't one, since I passed your test? That is the reason you asked to meet me in person rather than discuss strategy remotely isn't it?"

Meeting the older man's accusing stare, John nodded. "I'm sure you know the saying about 'one bad apple spoils the barrel'... we needed to be sure."

"And if I hadn't passed your test, would my life have been in danger?" Zelig asked, managing to stay composed although his eyes flashed with anger. "I didn't appreciate the implied threat."

Alyssa didn't blink as she replied, "There was nothing implied about it. If I'd found out you were anything like Buckingham or Weber, you'd already be dead." There was a stony silence for a moment, until she added, "But you're nothing like them, so everything's fine..."

"Is it?" Zelig asked, the penetrating look he gave them revealing his sharp intelligence. "After watching footage of the Battle of Terra, I'm well aware of just how powerful you both are; it's obvious that I had no choice in this matter except to acquiesce to being tested. It was also abundantly clear that my life might have been forfeit if I failed your test... a test that you have arbitrarily imposed without any oversight or disclosure of what it entails!" Before anyone could reply, he continued disapprovingly, "I suddenly find myself being reminded of the expression: Absolute power corrupts absolutely..."

John listened attentively while the admiral spoke, making no attempt to interrupt him. As soon as Zelig had finished, he said quietly, "You raise an interesting point, Admiral. Can I offer a counter argument?"

Zelig's eyes narrowed. "Go on..."

"Up until recently, I avoided direct confrontation with High Command because of exactly the kind of ethical questions that you've just raised. Even if members of the Admiralty had been involved in flagrantly illegal activity, what right did I have to appoint myself their judge, jury, and executioner?"

He arched an eyebrow and added, "Just because I'm powerful enough to do something about it, doesn't mean I should. Wouldn't I just be advocating 'Might makes Right'?"

"What changed your mind?" Zelig asked, looking sceptical.

John leaned forward and replied earnestly, "If I had intervened after the Battle of Regulus and eliminated Buckingham and Weber, I'm sure the atrocities at Port Medea and Unity City could have been prevented. I chose to avoid the confrontation and possible accusations of being a tyrant, but millions of people have been killed as a result. Surely I have a moral obligation to protect billions of Terran Federation citizens from despotic leaders?"

Zelig paused, appearing lost in thought. "I must admit that if Devereux had been appointed Fleet Admiral two months ago, the war with the Kintark might have taken a very different turn."

"Exactly. So rather than just hoping that the right people are now running the Terran Federation, I'm actively checking to make sure that's the case," John said, studying the older man. "I'm sure you understand how reassuring it is, knowing that you can trust people in positions of authority... otherwise why else would you ask your senior officers to be present for Alyssa's test?"

The admiral flushed as he conceded the point. "I was under the impression that they were all upstanding officers... but I wanted to be certain."

"Which is just what we're doing," Alyssa said, leaning back against the table and crossing her arms over her chest.

Zelig frowned and shook his head. "You're going considerably further than that. I saw what happened to Weber..."

Alyssa gave him a cold smile. "He was guilty of multiple counts of murder... he would've been executed for his crimes regardless."

"The man clawed his own eyes out!" Zelig exclaimed, voice raised in indignation. "There's a huge difference between a judicial execution and sadistically torturing someone to death!"

"He brought all that on himself. He'd done a lot of truly horrific things over the last 20 years, so when I showed Weber visions of him doing all that to his loved ones, he lost his mind." She shrugged nonchalantly. "But it was relatively quick... Believe me, he deserved far worse after the years of abuse he'd inflicted on so many innocent people."

Looking deeply troubled, Zelig said, "I don't claim to understand how your abilities work, but I can't condone vigilantism. I urge you to consider a more measured approach and to utilise the judicial system to make sure that justice is carried out in a fair and impartial manner."

Alyssa gave him an apologetic smile. "Sorry, no can do. If a bad guy crosses us, we will fuck them up. We've got too much going on to waste our time with the Terran Federation judicial system."

"It's hardly a waste of time!" Zelig snapped indignantly. "Without the rule of law, you're basically condoning anarchy!"

Her eyes narrowed and she snarled, "Try growing up on the Outer Rim! Then you'll see how fair and impartial the law really is! Justice has nothing to do with it, the poor just get fucked over by the guys with all the credits!"

John placed a calming hand on her shoulder and said firmly, "That's enough, Alyssa." He looked at Zelig and continued, "I appreciate your concerns, Admiral. Unfortunately, circumstances often prevent us from being able to use the approach you suggest. I hope you can trust that we have the right motivations at heart and a method of determining guilt that is 100% reliable."

Zelig sighed and visibly deflated. "Which is a polite way of saying that you'll carry on as you have been, regardless of whatever argument I put forth."

Alyssa's eyes glowed with a brilliant inner radiance and she seemed to gaze off into the distance as she made contact with the Admiral's mind. *John, let me handle this...* she said, studying the demoralised admiral.

John glanced at her in surprise, then gave her a quick nod. *Sure, go ahead.*

Gazing at Zelig, Alyssa began to speak softly, "You first met Emilia at the Academy and thought she was the most beautiful girl you'd ever seen. She had hair like midnight, the brightest blue eyes, and was so full of life. You became close friends and the chemistry between you was wonderful... but she already had a boyfriend... Jason."

Zelig stared at her open-mouthed in shock, too stunned to interrupt.

"You loved her from the first day you saw her, but you're an honourable man, you would never go after a girl who was already spoken for. Emilia and Jason got engaged... it tore your heart out, but you pretended to be happy for her. Jason was jealous of your friendship and made her stop seeing you. Emilia cried as she said goodbye for the last time."

The admiral tried to speak, but it came out as a stuttering stammer.

"Three years passed, and you were a Lieutenant Commander now, back on Terra to visit your family. Your sister asked if you'd like to see Emilia again... something about the way she said it made you worry. Emilia was delighted to see you, it was just like old times... but she wasn't quite the vivacious girl you remembered, she'd lost some of that spark that had made her so wonderful. You noticed the bruises and she saw the concern in your eyes... then the excuses started: 'I was clumsy... I fell over.' Your heart broke again for your love... and she saw that you knew. She was ashamed and couldn't look at you as she wept. 'He loves me, but I make him so angry... it isn't his fault'..."

"Stop... please..." Zelig begged, tears in his eyes.

"The following night you followed Jason after he left the bar. He'd been drinking and was a mean drunk. 'I'm gonna teach the bitch some respect,' he slurred as he staggered home." Alyssa's voice was full of sympathy as she continued, "You only meant to confront him and get him to stop, but he laughed... about hurting that sweet, beautiful girl..."

Zelig was drawn in by her hypnotic voice, his face haunted by the memory of that terrible night. "I got in his way, told him to leave her alone. He recognised me, said he always knew we were having an affair... that he was going to kill me then kill her." His fists clenched involuntarily. "I had to protect Emilia, I couldn't let him hurt her again..."

Alyssa nodded, reaching for his arm and stroking it soothingly. "Then Jason attacked you... it wasn't your fault, Nathan."

He looked down at his hands, unclenching them and holding them palm up. "You know what happened to him... Why didn't my hands glow red?"

"Because you did the right thing," she said firmly, lifting his chin so she could look him in the eyes. "Jason had put Emilia in the hospital twice already... If you hadn't intervened, he would've killed her eventually, maybe even that night. We both know that's the truth."

"I should've gone to the police," Nathan said, his expression filled with regret.

Alyssa shook her head. "After three years of mental and physical abuse, he'd worn Emilia down, broken her spirit. You knew she wasn't strong enough to testify against Jason... you saw how terrified she was. She needed you to save her... and you did."

Nathan let out a heavy sigh and glanced at John. "You must think I'm such a hypocrite... but I just don't want anyone else to make the same mistakes I made."

John shook his head and said quietly, "You protected the woman you loved. I'd never condemn a man for doing that."

The admiral looked away into the distance. "It's been twenty-five years... but I still wish I could have found a better way."

"Don't feel any regrets about what happened," Alyssa said, her voice firm and uncompromising. "Jason was a real piece of shit... I would've killed him without giving it a second thought. You just have to ask yourself, who truly deserved to die? Jason or Emilia? You know he would have never left her alone... it was always going to come down to that choice."

Nathan straightened and there was gratitude in his eyes as he said, "You're right. Even if Jason had been sent to prison for abusing her, he would have been released eventually. The man was obsessed with Emilia and insanely jealous... she would never have had any peace." A weight seemed to fall from his shoulders as he slowly exhaled. "I hadn't really thought about it like that before. Thank you for making me look at it from a different perspective."

She gave him a warm smile. "I didn't tell you anything you didn't know already."

He nodded, then gave Calara an apologetic frown. "I know you came here to discuss strategy, Captain Fernandez. I'm sorry I've wasted your valuable time talking about my personal history."

She waved away his apology. "It sounds like Alyssa was able to help you; that's never a waste of time."

Nathan smiled at her, then composed himself and turned towards the holo-projector built into the conference table. Picking up the remote, he tapped a couple of buttons and the Sector Map appeared, showing the Outer rim systems contained within Sector 268. On the leftmost edge of the map was a green icon marking their current position on the outskirts of the Eta Aurigae system. He pressed an icon and the systems invaded by the Kirrix were highlighted in a murky brown, then overlays appeared, showing details of each of the colonised planets.

Gesturing at the map, he said, "I'm afraid we've got no idea what forces await us at each of these systems. Once the Kirrix sailed past the border satellites, we lost track of their ships; there's no sensor grid this far out into deep space." His eyes flicked to a giant blue star tagged as Pi Sagittarii. "I had planned on liberating Carolus III first... it's by far the most densely populated out of the affected worlds."

Calara's eyes darted between each of the systems. "Yes, that's why I asked for us to rendezvous at the Eta Aurigae system... it's en route to Pi Sagittarii."

"What're you thinking, Calara?" John asked, following her gaze to the map. "We sweep and clear, then let the Admiral's forces mop up afterwards?"

Her expression was troubled as she nodded. "The Invictus moves six times faster in hyper-warp than any ship in the T-Fed liberation fleet. To maximise our chances of rescuing as many civilians as possible, I think we'll need to perform a series of hit and run missions. We'll jump in-system, neutralise as much of the Kirrix fleet assets as possible, then cripple any hive ships on the ground to stop them escaping." She glanced at the admiral. "Then your ships can mop up any stragglers and handle the civilian relief efforts."

Zelig frowned as he looked at the Latina. "I know the Invictus is powerful, but I saw the TFNN video of your last fight with the Kirrix. You sustained considerable damage against their drone carriers... are you sure you aren't being overly ambitious?"

Calara shook her head, not taking her eyes from the map. "I think we can handle it."

"It's just a single ship..." the admiral said sceptically, glancing out the window at the white battlecruiser flanking the Porphyrion. "I struggle to believe that a lone vessel can outgun my entire fleet. It just seems... fundamentally wrong on principle."

John walked over to the window to stare down at the Invictus. Armour panels had been peeled back to expose the ship's complement of Photon Lasers and Heavy Quantum Guns, where two-dozen maintenance bots busied themselves with the refit. Tachyon Lances were being hauled into position by pairs of robots, while additional pairs worked to quickly remove the original weapon from each turret mount. The bright flare of their plasma torches illuminated the hull and made the Crystal Alyssium sparkle in the light.

"The Invictus is an entirely different beast since Khalgron... bigger guns, stronger shields..." he said quietly. "Calara's right... the Kirrix won't know what hit them."

The Latina glanced at Zelig. "Besides, if we're responsible for the bulk of the fighting, your fleet will be in good shape to defend the border once we liberate those worlds. The Kirrix might launch another wave of attacks and you'll need to be prepared to repulse another invasion."

The admiral nodded, his expression pensive. "I suppose I'll just have to trust you know what you're doing."

Calara smiled at him, then focused on the map once more. "Alright, here's the plan... We'll hit the Kirrix at Carolus III first; it's just over fifteen minutes flight time for us to get there and we'll destroy as much as we can before you arrive 75 minutes later. As soon as you jump in, we'll leave the civilians to you and we'll hit the next system." Her finger traced a route that passed dozens of systems, until she stopped at the furthest world on the extreme right edge of the map, near the border. "I want to head straight for Menganus IV next... It was the first world the Kirrix attacked, so if we have any chance of rescuing the colonists, we'll have to move fast."

Zelig frowned as he looked at a highlighted planet much closer to Carolus III. "Wouldn't it make sense for us to liberate Tasmaris Prime next? It's the second most populated of the systems conquered by the Kirrix."

"I'd like you to handle that one, Admiral. Drop your medical teams on Carolus III to treat infested civilians, then send your entire fleet to Tasmaris Prime to engage the Kirrix forces there. Meanwhile, we'll liberate Valia Gate, then Karron, and finish up on Brecken's World." She traced a line from Menganus IV returning through the relevant systems, her intended route bringing them back towards the Terran Federation fleet.

"What if the Kirrix have sent reinforcements towards Carolus III?" Zelig asked, looking at the map with apprehension. "If I sent my entire fleet to Tasmaris Prime, I'll be leaving the medical teams completely defenceless."

Calara gave him a reassuring smile. "The Invictus has massively upgraded sensors. As we head rimward, we'll pick up any Kirrix fleets trying to head deeper into Terran Space. If we do spot any of their forces, we'll make a diversion to wipe them out. The only way they could slip past us, would be if they take a big detour away from the invasion corridor, purely to avoid our counter-attack. That strikes me as highly unlikely... it would be quite out of character for them, they typically make a beeline for the closest populated worlds."

John returned to the conference table and faced the admiral. "The Kirrix made planetfall on Carolus III four days ago. They might have been able to capture significant numbers of civilians, but with a bit of luck they won't have been able to infest too many of them yet. As soon as your medical teams have finished treating Terran citizens there, you'll need to move them to Tasmaris Prime and help their population recover. Meanwhile, we'll do our best to aid civilians on the worlds we'll be visiting. We have two-dozen Sonic Cannon treatment bays set up in our hangar, so we should be able to handle substantial numbers of infested people."

Zelig looked thoughtful as he nodded his agreement. "It sounds like a reasonable plan, as long as you're absolutely certain you can handle the Kirrix fleets on your own?"

Calara smiled confidently. "We'll soon find out. The liberation of Carolus III should prove interesting."

"If we run into any trouble, we'll contact you and let you know if there's a change of plans," John said, reaching for his hat and placing it on his head. Holding out his hand for the older man he continued, "Best of luck to you, Admiral Zelig. Keep us informed if you need assistance."

They shook hands, then Zelig said, "It was an interesting meeting, Admiral Blake. You managed to confound all my expectations."

"Glad we didn't disappoint," John said with a lopsided grin.

Zelig exchanged a respectful salute with Calara, then gave Alyssa a grateful smile. "You've given me a lot to think about, young lady. It appears that I greatly misjudged you."

"The Lionesses were all wounded little birds, very much like Emilia," Alyssa said, before stepping forward and placing a soft kiss on his cheek. "You're a good man, Nathan."

Startled by the sudden display of affection, Zelig's hand went to his cheek as he watched the trio leave. Alyssa gave him a playful wave, then sashayed out of the meeting room beside John and Calara.

As they walked down the corridor back towards the elevator, John put his arm around the blonde. *What happened to Emilia in the end?*

*She's been happily married to Nathan for 23 years; they have four children together,* she replied, smiling as she recalled those loving memories.

***

Henry Voss woke from the best sleep he'd had in years. Late the previous evening he'd received final confirmation of the annulment of his marriage to Meredith, making him a free man at last. Although it felt like a huge weight off his shoulders, he couldn't help feeling a brief pang of loss over the disintegration of the relationship with his beautiful blonde ex-wife. She'd been truly phenomenal in bed, at least for the first few years, and he'd become quite infatuated with her.

If she'd shown him the barest minimum of respect and simply requested a divorce, he would have adhered to the terms of their pre-nup, albeit with some regrets. Unfortunately, Meredith had turned arrogant and contemptuous once she thought herself set for life - and she would have been, if she'd received the 10 million credit settlement. But after Henry watched a video of one of her weekly gangbangs, it had been more than enough to kill off any loving feelings he still had for the gold-digging whore.

Meredith should have known that a multi-billionaire with a vast legion of lawyers at his command, would find wriggling out of her 'unbreakable' pre-nup a mere triviality. She certainly appeared to have learned her lesson when she called him the previous night in tears, begging him for mercy. It seemed his over-zealous lawyers had ordered her to be evicted from his mansion with only the clothes on her back.

Henry heard the door to his en suite bathroom open, distracting him from his maudlin thoughts. A beautiful raven-haired young woman padded into the bedroom, dressed in a white silk robe that clung enticingly to her slender curves.

Abigail's blue eyes sparkled as she greeted him with a loving smile. "What's the difference between a good secretary and a great one?"

Henry shook his head. "I don't know, tell me."

"A good secretary says: 'Good morning, Sir!'," she explained, sounding bright and cheerful. Her voice then lowered into a sultry purr, "The great one says: "It's morning, Sir...'."

He laughed and pulled her onto the bed, enjoying her giggles as she rolled across the covers to join him. Abigail looked up at him as he gently brushed a stray lock of dark hair from her face, the gesture tender and affectionate.

"Any regrets about last night?" he asked, searching her expression for any sign of unhappiness.

She gave him a very satisfied smile. "When I said you had the energy of a man half your age, I was referring to you running your company... I had no idea it applied to the bedroom too."

"I've had something of a new lease on life recently," he said, returning her smile. It faded a moment later, as he continued with concern, "But I'm still old enough to be your father, Abigail. Are you really sure about this?"

Abigail's gaze softened and she quietly replied, "We've known each other for years, Henry. I'm sure you must be feeling some bitterness over Meredith after the annulment... but I promise you, I'm not like her."

He quickly shook his head. "That's not why I'm asking. I know what kind of woman you are... and I do love you, Abi. That's why I want you to be absolutely sure this is what you want."

She smiled at him and teased open the cord of her bathrobe, letting the material gape and revealing a tantalising glimpse of her luscious cleavage. "I seem to recall saying 'YES!' rather enthusiastically last night... and that was before you blew my mind in bed."

He glanced at the beautiful diamond solitaire engagement ring that now adorned her finger and smiled, feeling an overwhelming surge of gratitude towards his daughter. When he'd spoken to Rachel the other day, she'd shared some startling insights about his personal assistant, and informed him that Abigail's feelings for him were absolutely genuine. Rachel's unshakeable conviction had been almost unsettling, but he trusted his daughter implicitly, and now he knew he could trust Abigail too.

Henry gently brushed his finger across his fiancée's creamy flesh, peeling back the silk robe and exposing her nipple. He circled it with a finger and watched it stiffen in response to his touch. "I think I better do some more convincing, just to make sure," he said, as he began placing kisses on her chest, heading down towards her slim stomach.

"Whatever you say, Sir," she replied, with a playful smile.

He watched her face as he descended lower and put his oral skills to use on her for the first time. Henry couldn't help smiling with satisfaction when Abigail's mouth dropped open and she gasped in surprise, her eyes suddenly rolling back as he brought her to a rapid climax. Yes, Meredith might have been a self-serving, immoral slut, but she'd also taken great pains to teach him exactly how to please a woman in the bedroom. Maybe he would grant her some mercy after all, for old time's sake... he would consider it payment for services rendered. Seeing the shocked look of disbelief on Abigail's ecstatic face was worth every credit.

***

The black shuttle swept out of the Porphyrion's hangar, leaving the monolithic battleship behind as Faye guided them around the Invictus towards their next destination. A 500-metre-long Terran Federation cruiser had manoeuvred into position while they were in their meeting, the name "Damocles" written in tall lettering along its titanium grey hull, illuminated by soft blue lighting.

"How's the refit proceeding?" John asked their holographic pilot.

"We're going great guns!" she replied, grinning at him over her shoulder. "So far my boys have installed 31 of the 40 Tachyon Lances and the girls have just finished upgrading the Valkyrie."

He nodded, pleased with their progress. "That's great news. By the sounds of it, you'll already be finished by the time we're ready to go."

"We've done so many refits now, it's old hat for my boys," Faye said proudly, glancing at the maintenance bots as they passed and giving them a friendly wave.

They paused in their work and returned her greeting, powerful robotic arms waving back in a cheerful manner.

John laughed and said, "Very cute, Faye. How long did it take to program them to do that?"

"A little while..." she replied with a fond smile.

The shuttle followed the upper curve of the Invictus' topdeck, then dipped lower as it banked to the left, heading towards the hangar near the rear of the Damocles. There were bright landing lights around the entrance, highlighting the opening in the flank of the cruiser against the sombre greys.

John glanced at Calara and said quietly, "For the record, I think you've come up with an excellent strategy to save as many colonists as possible. But are you sure about committing Zelig's fleet against the Kirrix attacking Tasmaris Prime? It's a sizeable colony and the Kirrix might have a large force there."

"To keep my father and brother out of danger?" Calara asked, her expression pensive.

"We can clear out the Kirrix ourselves if you want," he replied, stroking her back. "They're family, honey. I understand."

Those warm brown eyes were suddenly filled with worry. "God, I'm so tempted... I really struggled with that decision." She sighed and leaned into him. "But it's quite a diversion for us, it'll add several hours to our flight time to Menganus IV if we stop to liberate Tasmaris Prime ourselves."

Alyssa stepped closer to them and shook her head. "Leave the plans as they are. Let the Terran fleet handle that battle."

John looked at her in surprise. "It's not like you to weigh in on strategic planning. What's the matter?"

Her blue eyes flicked to Calara. "I had an interesting chat with Maria before we left Olympus. You'll understand soon."

Calara and John glanced at each other in confusion, equally mystified by the blonde's enigmatic reply. By unspoken agreement they joined forces to tickle the answer out of her, but despite Alyssa's laughter and pleas for mercy, she refused to elaborate.

Faye smiled as she watched them. "We'll be touching down in seventeen seconds. You might want to straighten yourselves up before you meet the Damocles' crew."

John reached down for his hat that had been lost in the skirmish, placing it carefully on his head. "Right, can't be making a bad impression."

Alyssa smirked as she straightened the lapels on his jacket, then leaned in to give him a kiss. "There, all handsome again."

The airlock door spiralled open with a quiet hiss and the trio emerged to the now familiar sight of waiting crowds. Their appearance was met with a rousing cheer and Mateo walked over to greet them with a broad smile on his face. He saluted John and grinned at Alyssa, then quickly hugged Calara, who wrapped her arms around her big brother while beaming in delight.

To John's surprise, Jack wasn't there with his son, but the noise from the cheering crew was too loud for him to ask where he was. Mateo beckoned for them to follow and his guests waved goodbye to the elated crowd as he led them through a set of reinforced double-doors into the corridor beyond. The cheering died down, allowing them to talk and actually make themselves heard.

"Captain Fernandez asked me to bring you up to the Ready Room," Mateo informed them in mock-formality, pre-empting John's question as they walked towards the elevators.

Calara pretended to frown at him and shook her head. "No I didn't..."

He glanced at her in confusion, then his eyes widened when he saw the Captain insignia on her chest. "Oh, no way! Another promotion?!"

"That's: 'Another promotion, Captain Fernandez, ma'am?'," Calara teased him. "And I expect to be saluted too!"

"Orders understood, Captain Fernandez, ma'am!" Mateo barked, snapping sharply to attention.

The siblings broke into laughter and hugged each other again.

"I can't believe you made Captain," he marvelled, looking down at his little sister in awe. "Congratulations, you really earned it! We all saw what you did in the Battle of Terra... I almost had a heart attack when I found out you were in command of the entire Terran defence force!"

She blushed and fidgeted at receiving his glowing praise. "Well, we were in the neighbourhood, and I didn't have anything better to do..."

He smiled at how uncomfortable she was. "Playing the modest hero? Okay, I'll drop it."

Alyssa made eye contact with him as they resumed walking along the corridor. "Where's Emily? I heard you two were together now?"

Mateo groaned and ran his fingers through his thick dark hair. "We are... or at least I think we're still together."

"What happened?" Calara asked with concern, as they stopped outside the elevators. "She seemed like such a sweet girl."

He sighed in frustration. "She is. I like her a lot, but that's not the problem. Emily was in my quarters last night when I got a call from Eduardo. He'd been speaking to mom and let me know that you were on your way towards the border."

"Okay...?" Calara prompted him, still not any clearer.

"You know what a dick niñito can be," Mateo grumbled. He gave Alyssa an apologetic look. "Eduardo started teasing me, asking if I was going to be flirting it up with the hot blonde Lioness again..."

Alyssa arched an eyebrow at him, a coy smile teasing her lips. "Mateo, I'm flattered! I must admit our last lengthy conversation was quite entertaining..."

He glanced nervously over his shoulder back down the corridor as if looking for his girlfriend. "Don't joke about that, please! Emily wanted to know all about it and when I explained that we'd flirted a bit when you visited the family home, she went ballistic."

"That was just a bit of harmless fun," Alyssa said with a frown. "I'd never do anything that would undermine your relationship with her."

"I know that," he said plaintively. "But the problem is... well... you know how incredibly beautiful you are. Emily's normally very easy-going, but she knows how much I like blondes and after Eduardo's teasing, she thought there was something going on between us. She said, and I quote: 'How the fuck can I compete with her?! She's like a Greek goddess!'... Or at least I think that's what she yelled at me before she stormed out of my room."

Alyssa gave him a comforting pat on the arm. "Don't worry, we can get this sorted out. I'll speak to her and make sure she understands we're just friends."

He winced and shook his head. "I know you mean well, but I don't want to make the situation worse."

Calara gave him a quick hug. "Don't worry big brother, Alyssa's an expert at sorting out these kinds of misunderstandings. Let her speak to Emily and she'll make everything better." She exchanged a glance with her blonde girlfriend and after nibbling her lower lip nervously, she gave Alyssa a brief nod.

Mateo glanced at Alyssa and looked apprehensive as he said, "Alright... but I really like Emily, so please try not to upset her even more."

Alyssa gave him a reassuring smile. "Trust me, it'll all be fine."

The lift chimed and when the doors opened, they all stepped inside. Mateo hit the button for the Command Deck and the elevator began to ascend through the decks with a quiet hum.

Calara watched the deck counter for a second then glanced at her brother and asked, "How is dad, anyway? Mom was acting weird and gave me a really cryptic message to pass on to him: 'Please let him know that he's still my hero'... any idea what that's about?"

Mateo hesitated, then stabbed his finger on the button for Deck Two, bringing the lift to a sudden halt. The door opened onto an empty corridor, which he checked for personnel before turning to face his sister. "Dad hasn't been the same since we got the orders to abandon the border," he explained with a worried frown. "I've tried to convince him that he didn't have any choice, but I think he blames himself for what happened to those colonists."

Calara's face fell and she looked anxiously at John. "Maybe I should speak to him alone? I don't think he'll open up if you're there."

"Whatever you think is best," he agreed. "If you need my help in any way, just let me know."

Alyssa put her arm around her lover and gave her a supportive hug. "Are you sure you don't want me to come with you? I can just use telepathy to find out exactly what's bothering your father."

Calara thought about it for a moment, then shook her head. She glanced at Mateo, who looked shocked at the mention of telepathy, before focusing on Alyssa again. "Let me try and help him through this myself. If I get nowhere, then you can speak to him."

"Whatever you say, Captain," Alyssa said with a gentle smile. "You know I'll do whatever you want."

Leaning closer, Calara gave her a tender kiss. "Thank you, my love."

Mateo's eyes were as round as saucers as he gaped at his sister.

She leaned over and tapped the button for the Command Deck. "Catching flies, Mateo?" she asked, trying not to laugh at his stunned expression.

He closed his mouth with a click of his teeth, his brown eyes darting from Calara to Alyssa and back again, a thousand questions on the tip of his tongue.

Calara gave him a playful smile. "You're not the only one who likes blondes, big brother..."

The door opened up onto the Bridge and the Latina flounced out before Mateo could utter a word.

Alyssa closed the door then grinned at him. "Come on, let's see if we can find your girlfriend and set her straight on a few things..." Her cerulean eyes twinkled as she added, "Or not so straight in fact."

Mateo suddenly looked immensely relieved and laughed as he nodded. "I think I will take you up on that kind offer to speak to Emily after all." He pushed the button for Deck Two and continued, "We'll go to my quarters and I'll ask her to join me for a chat."

She slipped an arm around John and winked at Mateo. "Sounds like a good plan."

***

Calara walked across the Command Deck, exchanging salutes with the awestruck Bridge crew who all rose to their feet when they saw her entrance. She'd met a number of her father's crew over the years and she found the entire experience totally surreal, receiving such adulation from people she'd always held in the greatest of respect. She paused in front of the Ready Room door, taking a moment to compose herself before meeting her father. Feeling butterflies in her stomach, she tapped the door chime, then heard his baritone voice telling her to enter.

The door opened and she strode purposefully inside. "Captain Fernandez reporting for duty," she announced, echoing the greeting her dad had given his family for the last twelve years.

Just like Mateo had before him, Jack looked at Calara in confusion for a moment, before his eyes flicked to the rank insignia on her chest. "You made Captain!" he exclaimed, face lifting in a mixture of elation and paternal pride. Rushing to his daughter he pulled her in for a hug. "I'm so proud of you, Calara!"

Calara felt elated to be surrounded by that strong protective embrace, making her feel like a little girl all over again. She smiled shyly at her father, delighted to see him so overjoyed. "You'll always be the real Captain Fernandez, daddy," she said quietly. "Mom said to tell you that you're still her hero... and you'll always be mine too."

She felt him flinch almost as if he'd been struck and watched in horror as his face crumpled, shadowed by a terrible mask of shame and remorse.

"I don't deserve to be your hero," he muttered, pulling away from her and slumping back against his desk. "I'm so sorry, Callie. I've let you down so badly..."

"Dad, what's wrong?!" Calara exclaimed, rushing after him.

"We abandoned all those people to the Kirrix! I knew what was going to happen, but I followed those orders anyway." He couldn't look into her eyes as he continued, "I should have refused, stayed to protect those worlds... but I left with the rest and now so many people are dead!"

"What choice did you have?" she asked him, her voice gentle and sympathetic. "You would've just been arrested for treason if you'd refused Buckingham's orders to withdraw."

He shook his head defiantly. "I can't hide behind that old excuse. I knew what following those orders would lead to... it was my duty to those civilians to take a stand on their behalf."

"It wouldn't have made any difference... not unless every ship in the fleet mutinied," Calara insisted, stroking his arm. "I'm sure a handful of you might have defied orders, but all the captains? I can't see it happening, Dad. Even if half the fleet rebelled and the rest of the border force just flew home without a confrontation, what would you have done then? With the sheer numbers of Kirrix ships pouring over the border, you needed the entire fleet to stand a chance of stopping them."

Jack held his head in his hands. "I should have done something... those people were counting on us to keep them safe and we just turned tail and ran. We betrayed them in the worst possible way!"

Calara shook her head and insisted, "You didn't leave because you were a coward, you were ordered to return to Alpha Centauri! Buckingham placed you in an impossible situation... and the blame lies squarely on his shoulders. There was nothing you could've done to save those people from the Kirrix."

"I wish I could believe you... but there must have been something..." he replied, sounding hollow and broken.

Her eyes narrowed and she walked past her father and sat in his chair behind the desk. Activating the comms interface, she placed a call to the Invictus, connecting a second later. "Faye, I want you to transmit my Kirrix fleet projections to the Damocles and ask them to route it through to my father's Ready Room."

The holographic image of the purple sprite nodded exuberantly. "Sure! Sending the data now!"

There was a chime from the comms interface built into Jack's desk and Calara opened up the data files that had just arrived. Her father watched in silence as she expanded the data and projected it as a holo-image.

"These are my estimates for the Kirrix forces in each wave," Calara stated, her tone all business now. "Based on surveillance data from the border sensor network, I've been estimating the size and disposition of the fleet assets we'll be facing." Turning to look at her father, she continued, "How many ships do you think you could have convinced to stay from the border fleet? I'd like your most optimistic estimate."

Jack rubbed his chin, thinking it over for a moment. His expression turned sombre as he admitted, "In a best-case scenario, I'd say perhaps 60% might have refused to leave if I'd managed to organise a rebellion."

Calara shrugged and nodded. "That's fine, we'll say 60%... and I'll apply that universally across the fleet assets." She raised an eyebrow and added, "Unless you believe that senior officers commanding capital ships are more likely to be loyal to Terra or less likely?"

He thought about it for a moment, then shook his head. "It's impossible to say with any certainty. Would seniority make you more loyal, or more disillusioned as you're privy to classified data?"

Her hands moved in a blur across the console as she input parameters into her simulation. "We're going for a best-case scenario here, so I'll just create a perfectly balanced fleet using 60% of the available forces."

Jack watched her in fascination, his guilt momentarily forgotten. Calara seemed so confident and her eyes sparkled with passion for her work as she made the modifications to her simulation. He barely recognised his daughter in the incredibly focused young woman before him.

Calara hit an icon with a flourish, a satisfied smile on her face. "There, all done."

The holo-projection expanded, depicting the rebellious elements of the Terran border force in defensive positions around Menganus IV. Kirrix drone carriers and hive ships began to jump into the system, forming a daunting ochre-hued armada that greatly outnumbered the grey-armoured defenders.

"There's so many of them..." Jack murmured, his eyes widening.

"We saw the same pattern of behaviour against the Trankarans," Calara explained, her expression now a bleak mask. "The Kirrix only send small groups of ships when they're probing the border for weaknesses, but as soon as they sense that an empire is vulnerable, they attack en masse. Once they've fully committed to an invasion, they cluster their forces together to eliminate any defenders."

Jack stared at the holographic representation of the Damocles amongst the heavily outnumbered Terran fleet. "Like us..."

Calara turned to look at him intently. "You wouldn't have had enough ships to patrol the borders, so the obvious move would be to gather your forces to defend Menganus IV against an invasion force. Do you disagree with those tactics?"

He hesitated for a moment, then slowly shook his head. "You're right. That's standard Fleet doctrine and Menganus IV was the first planet they hit."

"I know..." she whispered, keeping her eyes locked on her father as she tapped another icon and started the simulation.

The Kirrix forces surged forwards, vast swarms of strike craft pouring from the drone carriers as they closed the distance on the planet. Responding to the threat, the solitary heavy carrier and six light carriers launched their complement of Rapiers, the sleek grey fighters racing towards the insectoid horde. While the Rapier was a superior vessel to a Kirrix drone, the Terran forces were outnumbered three-to-one and quickly overwhelmed. Explosions lit up the onyx background as squadrons of Terran fighters were blown to pieces.

Jack looked on grimly as the nimble Kirrix strike craft swirled around the Terran forces, firing salvo after salvo at the light carriers. With no fighters left to beat them back, the Terran bombers were trapped inside their carriers, as launching would mean almost instant destruction. Meanwhile the drone carriers closed to neutron beam range and started exchange salvos with the defiant Terran capital ships. There were only two battleships and twenty cruisers, the bulk of Zelig's liberation fleet still several days away from the border.

Despite a valiant defence, the Kirrix began picking off one cruiser after another, working their way through the smaller ships before attempting to tackle the battleships. Jack tried to mask his horror as he watched the Damocles raked by neutron beams, the sickly-green columns of energy gouging deep furrows through grey titanium plating. A magazine explosion ripped the cruiser apart, signifying Jack's death and that of his son.

Calara never took her gaze from her father's troubled face. "The Kirrix will win that battle decisively, with only two drone carriers destroyed and 46% of their strike craft eliminated. As the Terran forces are unable to intercept the hive ships, the battle makes no difference to the fate of the colonists on Menganus IV. Have you seen enough, or do you want me to set up another simulation?"

Jack slumped back against his desk and shook his head. "That was a best-case scenario and we didn't even slow them down..."

She rose from her chair and stood beside him, gently rubbing his back. "This was a catastrophic failure at the strategic level. By the time you were ordered to retreat from the border, there was no course of action available to you that would avert this disaster."

"You sound so certain," he said, turning to look into her eyes, his voice taking on an almost pleading note as if he was seeking her absolution. "Are you really that sure?"

Calara sighed as she nodded. "Please don't blame yourself, Dad. There was nothing you could do. I can re-run the simulation as many times as you like, but the results will always be the same; you and Mateo would have been killed if you engaged the Kirrix. The only way to have prevented the invasion would have been if the entire Terran border fleet had remained and decisively eliminated their probing attacks. That would have dissuaded the Kirrix from invading long enough for Zelig's fleet to arrive as reinforcements."

Jack turned to look at the simulation which was still running. The Kirrix were now beginning their assault on the battleships, the beleaguered vessels massively outnumbered and attacked from all directions. "Part of me thinks that you're just trying to make me feel better... but an even bigger part of me can see that you're absolutely right."

"I wouldn't lie to you about this, Dad," Calara said sombrely. "I respect you too much to do that."

He pulled her into a hug, tears in his eyes. "I love you so much, Callie. Thank you..."

"I love you too," she said, hugging him back. "And you're still my hero..."

***

Lieutenant Emily Campbell walked down the corridor towards her boyfriend's quarters, feeling butterflies in her stomach. She hadn't meant to get so mad at Mateo, but he'd never even mentioned the Lionesses visiting his home, let alone admitted to spending several hours flirting with Alyssa.

Emily knew Mateo liked blondes; her own long golden tresses had been the source of many of his compliments... but how was she supposed to compete with a Lioness? They were all impossibly gorgeous, with figures to die for and exquisitely beautiful faces to match. Aside from being astonishingly attractive, they were also heroines in their own right, revered by millions throughout the Terran Federation. Emily had never been tempted to switch sides before, but if one of the Lionesses offered, she knew what her answer would be. If she was tempted, what must it be like for a man being in the presence of those visions of loveliness?

Emily nervously nibbled a nail as she arrived at his room, not sure how to handle this conversation. Part of her realised she was probably overreacting, but Mateo's sister was a Lioness herself, so Alyssa was not some impossibly unattainable fantasy woman. In fact, Alyssa was actually aboard the Damocles right this very minute, along with Calara and John Blake. The likelihood was that Mateo would see the statuesque blonde many more times in the future, and if there was a strong connection between them - as Eduardo had teasingly suggested - what chance did Emily have of holding onto her boyfriend? Realising she was just tying herself up in knots, she sighed and pressed the door chime.

Mateo answered almost immediately, the door sliding open to reveal his anxious face. "Em, thanks so much for coming... I'm really sorry my idiot brother upset you! There's nothing going on between me and Alyssa, I promise!"

He was so sincere, his soulful brown eyes melted her heart. She glanced either way down the corridor, then smiled as she whispered, "Maybe I should come in and we can talk?"

Laughing nervously, Mateo beckoned her into his quarters. "That would be great. Actually, there's someone I wanted you to meet..."

Emily followed him inside, then froze in horror when she saw the blonde goddess herself sitting on the end of his bed. Alyssa was wearing her white Lioness uniform, which showcased her spectacular body while still maintaining an air of military professionalism. It was also a stark reminder that this woman had helped save Terra from destruction on no less than two occasions; Emily had never felt so inadequate in all her life.

Alyssa's perfectly kissable lips lifted into an unbearably lovely smile. "Hello, Emily. It's wonderful to meet you at last."

Her heart broke as it seemed her worst fears had become a reality. She was about to burst into tears and flee from this nightmare, when a deep baritone voice stopped her in her tracks.

"It's good to see you again, Lieutenant Campbell."

Emily recognised that voice and whirled around to see the Lion leaning against Mateo's desk in the corner of the room.

"A-Admiral Blake!" she stammered, quickly snapping to attention and firing off a salute, her eyes widening as she stared at the most decorated hero in the Terran Federation. "It's an honour to see you again, Sir!"

He returned her salute, a friendly smile on his face. "Please, just call me John. You're dating my future brother-in-law so I'm hoping we'll get to see much more of you in the future."

She blushed and looked at him starry eyed. "You can call me Emily... if you want to... Sir."

"I'd like that, thank you," he replied, his smile broadening.

Alyssa rose from the bed with an effortless grace that Emily couldn't help envying. "It seems we have a little misunderstanding to clear up..."

Emily blushed bright red and darted a questioning glance at Mateo.

"Please just hear her out, Em," he said, stroking her shoulder.

Alyssa prowled closer to the smaller blonde, then gently caressed her cheek. "Please don't be embarrassed," she said, her voice calm and soothing. "It sounds like Eduardo was teasing his brother and this was all a misunderstanding."

Emily held her breath as those soft fingers brushed over her skin. Alyssa slowly pulled her hand back and the overhead lights glinted off the spectacular diamond adorning the ring finger on her left hand.

"You're engaged!" Emily blurted out, staring at the dazzling engagement ring in awe.

Alyssa's smile turned playful. "Yes, for several weeks. Mateo might be a handsome, charming devil, but I'm already spoken for." Gliding over to John, she slipped her arm around his waist. "I believe you've already met my fiancé?"

Eyes widening in shock, the young lieutenant stammered, "B-but I thought you were engaged to Calara?!"

John nodded. "I am."

Alyssa gave her a mischievous grin. "Calara's his official fiancée, but the three of us have been together for over six months."

Emily darted an accusatory glare at Mateo. "Why didn't you say anything?! I never would have reacted that way if you'd told me the truth!"

Mateo shrugged helplessly. "I honestly had no idea. I only found out that Calara was in a relationship with Alyssa about ten minutes ago."

Alyssa glanced at John, then gave Mateo a rueful smile. "We both love your sister very much. We were quite willing to be open about our relationship with her... but Calara was worried about how her family would react."

"So I'm the first one who knows?" Mateo asked in surprise. Before anyone could reply, he narrowed his eyes and continued, "Wait... Mom must have figured it out by now, there's no way you'd slip this past her."

John laughed and nodded. "Maria's incredibly perceptive; she realised we were together that first day I met her on Jericho." He frowned then and continued, "I'm really sorry we weren't completely honest with you, Mateo. I hope you understand that it wasn't personal, but Calara's happiness is our priority and we wanted to respect her wishes."

Mateo smiled and waved away his apology. "Don't worry, I don't mind. We only have ourselves to blame after the hard time we gave Calara's last boyfriend; it's no wonder she was reluctant to be completely honest with us."

Alyssa raised an eyebrow and asked coyly, "Now that Calara's admitted that we're a couple, does that mean I have to spar with the Fernandez men too? If you make me take on all four of you, I'm sure I'll be very sore afterwards..."

Emily giggled at the innuendo-laden comment and slipped her arm around her furiously blushing boyfriend. "Mateo, are you sure the Fernandez family tradition applies like that for girlfriends? If the men fight with prospective boyfriends, doesn't that mean I have to get physical with your sister and mother before I get their approval?"

There was a twinkle in Alyssa's blue eyes as she said, "Well, I've got very physical with Calara and I know she fully approves; that just leaves Maria..."

Mateo groaned and rubbed his hand across his face. "Are you two trying to make me die of embarrassment?"

John gave him a sympathetic smile. "Alyssa's been trying to finish me off like that for months."

***

Calara pulled away from the hug with her father and heaved a sigh of relief when she saw that the tension had eased from his shoulders. He seemed relaxed now, lost in thought rather than plagued by guilt. She knew this was probably the perfect time to talk to him about her... unusual... relationships, but the fear of disappointing him was almost overwhelming.

*Irillith has swept the Damocles' Ready Room for listening device,* Alyssa informed her, her tone quiet and supportive. *You're safe to talk.*

"Daddy, could I talk to you about something else?" Calara asked in a barely audible whisper.

Her anxious tone roused Jack from his reverie and he blinked before looking at his daughter with concern. "Of course, Cal. What's bothering you?"

She nibbled her lower lip, while nervously fidgeting with the Lioness engagement ring on her finger. "I-I wanted to... to tell you..." Faltering, she gazed up at him with a pleading look in her warm brown eyes.

"Sweetheart, you know you can talk to me," he said, startled by how unsettled she seemed. "What's the matter?"

"I don't want to disappoint you..."

He laughed and smiled at her fondly. "Don't be ridiculous, Calara. You've already eclipsed my career and you're not even twenty yet! You're the recipient of the Stellar Cluster for goodness sake!"

Calara shook her head. "This isn't about my career..." She swallowed around the lump in her throat. "I wanted to tell you about... Alyssa."

Jack raised an eyebrow and gave her a knowing look. "Ah, now I see what's got you so rattled. I wondered if you'd ever tell me the truth about your relationship with her."

She gaped at him in shock. "You knew!"

"I suspected you two were much closer than you were willing to admit. The furtive glances and intimate smiles gave you away," he replied, trying not to look smug.

Calara frowned and said indignantly, "Why didn't you say anything?!"

He smiled and gathered her in his arms. "Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?"

She leaned into his broad chest and nodded. "You're right and I'm really sorry for not being up front with you about it. I just... I wasn't sure how you would react... and I was scared you wouldn't understand."

"I never wanted you to feel like you couldn't talk to me," Jack said, sounding hurt and more than a little disappointed as he gently brushed his fingers through her hair. "Did you really think I'd react that badly?"

Calara quickly looked up and shook her head. "No... it's just that..." She sighed and hugged him tight. "I was just frightened I'd disappoint you... but it looks like I have anyway, even though it's for a different reason."

"I love you, Callie. I just want you to be happy," he said, stroking her back. "Alyssa's an incredibly beautiful woman, I can't say I blame you."

She hesitated then decided to be completely up front with him. "Actually, Dad... Alyssa's my girlfriend, but I'm also close to the other Lionesses..."

Now Jack did look surprised and he pulled back to stare at her in astonishment. "All of them?!"

Calara bit her lip and nodded, big eyes watching his face and waiting for his reaction.

"You were such a shy girl growing up, I'd never have expected you to get quite so..." He paused as he searched for the right word. "...adventurous." He laughed and shook his head. "You're more like your mother than I realised... she has quite the wild side to her too. I'd be an unbelievable hypocrite to judge you on your relationships after everything Maria and I have done together."

She felt a huge surge of relief and beamed at him in delight. "You really don't mind?"

Jack tilted his head to one side as he thought about it. "I must admit, if you were seeing nine guys I'd struggle with it. I suppose it's just different with women... I don't know why."

Now it was Calara's turn to give him a knowing look. "Mom did say you liked blondes. From the things she's said, I think I know where your tolerant attitude towards female bisexuality comes from..."

He couldn't help blushing. "Now I think we're straying into territory I'd rather not get into."

"Fair enough, Dad," Calara said, with an indulgent smile.

Jack was quiet for a long moment, then looked his daughter in the eyes. "So if you're in a relationship with all those girls, does that mean that John is as well?"

She'd been bracing herself for this question, but this time there was no hesitation on her part, now that she'd made the decision to be completely honest with her father. "Yes, we all sleep together."

Jack's expression tightened with disapproval, his protective paternal instincts coming to the fore.

Before he could say anything, Calara placed her hand on his chest. "It's not just about sex, Dad. We all love each other very much and it's that connection between us that allows the Lionesses to do the things we can do."

He frowned and shook his head. "I know how amazing it feels to be in love, especially when you think you've met someone really special... but this isn't right, Calara. I could accept you being with Alyssa and even the other Lionesses, but you're having to share John with nearly a dozen women!" Holding her hand, he added pleadingly, "You're an incredible woman... you deserve so much more."

She watched him for a long moment, touched by his fatherly concern. "I love that you're still trying to protect me, but I'm not an immature little girl anymore." She smiled at him and gently squeezed his hands. "And I wasn't speaking metaphorically about the strength of our relationships. The love we share with John is a tangible thing... we're all more powerful because of it."

Jack shook his head, the frustration clear on his face. "It might feel like love conquers all and I can see how much you care about him... but please trust me, Calara, this isn't a healthy relationship."

Calara's eyes bored into his, showing that same perceptiveness she'd inherited from Maria. She sighed as she made a decision. "Just talking this through isn't going to work... I'm going to have to show you."

"Show me? What do you mean?" he asked in confusion.

She took off her peaked hat and put it on his desk, then began unbuttoning her white jacket. "I need to fight you, Dad. It's the only way you'll really understand what I can do... and why my relationship with John and the girls is so much more than you think."

Jack stared at her incredulously. "Fight me? Don't be ridiculous."

"Please just humour me," she said, a flicker of sadness crossed her face. "It won't take long."

Something about her tone made him pause and he looked at her with concern. "You're actually serious?"

Calara backed off several paces and squared off against him, moving fluidly into a guard stance. "If you love me, Dad, you'll trust me and do as I ask. I want you to attack and I don't want you to pull your punches."

"Callie... what's this about?" he asked, bewildered by his daughter's actions.

She looked him square in the eye. "Don't worry, I'll be perfectly safe."

He took a deep breath, then nodded when he saw she wasn't to be deterred. Unbuttoning his jacket, he placed it on his desk, then adopted a balanced stance of his own. Calara waited patiently for him to strike, but he froze, staring at her with a pained expression on his face. This was the first time they'd ever faced each other in a sparring match and that realisation hit him like a ton of bricks.

"I can't do it..." Jack said, his shoulders slumping. "You're my daughter. I love you, I don't want to fight you."

Calara's brown eyes flashed with anger and years of suppressed resentment. "No! You're not backing out of this! I had to sit back and watch on the sidelines for years as you bonded with the boys during the sparring matches! Do you have any idea how much it hurt that you wouldn't let me be a part of that too?! It felt like you loved them more than me!"

He looked at her in horror. "But you never said anything! I had no idea you felt that way!"

"How many times have I ever argued with you, Dad?" she replied, tears in her eyes. "When have I ever challenged you on anything?!"

"Oh, Callie, I'm so sorry," he said quietly, moving forward to embrace her. "I just didn't want you to get hurt."

She danced back several steps, her eyes hardening as she brushed away the tears. "No! We're doing this!"

Jack shook his head. "I'm not going to fight you, Calara. We need to talk about-"

"No, I'm done talking!" Calara snapped, cutting him off. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, centring herself. "If you can't attack me then prepare to defend yourself."

He had never seen her like this before. Shocked as Jack was, he realised that Calara was absolutely determined to prove whatever point she was trying to make. With a sigh of resignation, he dropped into a defensive stance, mentally preparing himself to get this fight over with as quickly as possible. He'd never realised that Calara had taken his refusal to let her spar as a rejection; the reality had simply been that she was a slender young woman and didn't have the physical strength to match the boys. Calara had astonished them all when she beat Mateo and Eduardo in the sparring matches on Jericho, but as good as her technique had been, she'd only been able to achieve a draw against Dylan. Jack knew she stood no chance against him.

Calara moved to attack, a steely gleam in her eyes that Jack found quite unnerving. She reached for his arm, moving with surprising quickness that caught him off guard. With reflexes honed from over 40 years of training, he effortlessly pushed aside her grab, but then his eyes widened as he realised it was a feint. She darted to his right and shoved him, which startled him again, as he was expecting some form of punch. Shifting his weight, he stepped back... then she dropped to deliver a spinning sweep.

To his utter disbelief, he realised she'd played him with a double feint. The instant his foot had left the floor to rebalance his weight, Calara struck with a lighting fast kick... and it was like having his legs knocked out from under him by an iron bar. He tripped over backwards, then tucked himself into the fall and rolled with it into a crouch.

"That was just to get your attention," she said grimly, watching as he slowly rose to his feet. "Now fight me properly. You're insulting me by refusing."

Jack gaped at her in astonishment, watching as Calara backed away and squared off against him again. She beckoned him to attack, then nodded in gratitude when he stepped forward to engage her. His first attack was a tentative punch to the chest, but she batted it aside contemptuously and countered with a stinging hook to the ribs. Jack winced as she landed the hit, amazed at how deftly she'd riposted and the force behind that blow.

Taking her seriously as an opponent now, he opened with a broad leg sweep, which Calara promptly leapt over, her booted feet clearing him easily. As she landed, Jack lunged forward, trying to catch her off-balance with a quick jab aimed at her jaw. She weaved aside at the last second, the punch whistling harmlessly past her cheek. Jack pulled back to protect himself against another powerful counter punch to his chest, then he launched a flurry of punches of his own, attempting to push her onto the defensive.

Calara seemed happy to do just that, no longer trying to attack him, but focusing on dodging or blocking his punches and kicks. There was a calm certainty in her movements that he'd never experienced before against any other opponent; it was almost as if she knew without a doubt that she would successfully defend against his attack. Surprise turned into irritation as she shut down dozens of moves, making each block look effortless. He started to wonder if she was just toying with him and glanced at her face in annoyance, almost expecting to see a mocking smile.

What he saw froze him rigid.

His daughter's brown eyes were illuminated by a warm inner glow, and she wasn't laughing at him... she was watching him intently.

Calara relaxed her guard when the sparring match ground to a halt and gave him a tentative smile. "The Lionesses all have psychic abilities. I can see the future, Dad. Every move you make, I know before you make it."

Jack's jaw fell open as he stared at her incredulously. "B-but... I don't even..."

The glow faded from her eyes and she leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. "I'm sorry to shock you like this but it was the only way to make you really understand." Looking up at him with an open expression, she continued quietly, "You know I nearly died when I was captured and tortured by those pirates? Well, John saved me, healed me, then gave me these abilities. All the Lionesses are the same... we're only alive today because of him."

Her father blinked a couple of times as he considered her words, then murmured, "I just don't know where to even begin..." Shaking his head in disbelief, he added, "I mean... seeing the future?! That's crazy!"

Calara nodded and smiled at him. "I know, it's a lot to take in." Tilting her head to one side, she looked thoughtful as she continued, "Just to be clear, it's not like I get premonitions or anything like that. My prescience only works when I actively concentrate on using it, then I get an insight into what's about to happen to someone or something for the next thirty seconds or so. It's like seeing pictures on a roll of film, but I can change the outcome by intervening on one of those frames, altering the timeline."

Jack leaned heavily against his desk, desperately trying to grasp the concepts she was explaining. "So that's why you made dodging and blocking seem so effortless?"

"That's right. When you know what's coming, you can easily reposition your body in advance," she explained, relieved that he'd got over the initial shock. "Although, John didn't give me this ability for melee combat, I've mainly been using it in fleet battles."

"How?" her father asked, listening in fascination.

"The Zeus should have been destroyed in the Battle of Terra," she replied, her voice sombre. "A Kintark battleship was meant to fire a torpedo salvo that ruptured the Singularity Driver's acceleration chamber. I warned Admiral Caldwell beforehand and he managed to destroy the Yalarn'tok before it could open fire."

"My God..." Jack muttered, looking at her in awe.

Calara blushed when she saw his expression. "I'm not telling you this to show off, I just want you to understand that my relationship with John and the girls is very special. We love each other unconditionally, but we're all connected together in ways that aren't easy to explain or for you to understand."

He shook his head as he looked at her. "I suppose your mother figured all this out herself?"

She smiled and shook her head. "Not everything, but she guessed about my relationship with Alyssa and the girls that day I brought them back home to visit."

"How about the rest? Like the psychic abilities?" he persisted, curious to find out how much Maria knew.

"My powers only manifested fairly recently, so I haven't discussed them with her yet," Calara explained patiently. "When we dropped by Jericho last month, we let her know about everything else that was happening."

Jack's brow furrowed as he looked at her with concern. "What else is there?"

Calara's expression turned grim. "That we're preparing for war..."

By the way she said it, Jack knew she wasn't referring to the Kirrix.

She walked over to the sofa and sat down, then patted the chair beside her. "Sit with me, Dad. I'll tell you everything..."

***

The Damocles' shuttle bay was deserted when Mateo led John and Alyssa back to the black-hulled stealth ship, the crowds having departed long ago.

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay?" Mateo asked, looking at the couple with concern. "If Dad decides to be a hardass about the three of you, I'm happy to be here for moral support."

"I appreciate the offer, but I think we'll be fine," John replied gratefully.

Alyssa smiled as she nodded. "Calara and Jack are on their way. Your sister managed to explain things to him... he actually took it rather well."

"Wonders never cease," Mateo said, returning her smile. He looked at the blonde and his expression turned serious. "Thank you so much for clearing everything up with Emily. She had me really worried there for a while."

"Emily's a lovely girl, I can see why you're so fond of her," Alyssa said, stepping forward to give him a warm hug. "But I should be thanking you for being so understanding... about Calara being with the two of us."

He laughed as he embraced her. "You pulled me out of that Kintark hellhole... if it wasn't for you I would have died in Xen-Nuchek. I think you've more than earned unlimited acceptance from your future brother-in-law... even if I find myself suddenly incredibly envious of my little sister."

When they separated, John raised an eyebrow as he shook hands with the younger man. "I didn't know you swung that way, Mateo?"

He groaned and rolled his eyes. "I was referring to Alyssa, not you! Don't you start tormenting me as well, the girls were bad enough..."

"Sorry, I couldn't resist," John said with a grin.

Mateo smiled at the pair of them. "I've seen how happy Calara is now that she's with the two of you. That's all that really matters to me."

"So you're still coming to the wedding then?" Alyssa asked hopefully.

"An all-expenses-paid vacation on Oceanus? Try keeping me away!" he exclaimed, not having to fake his enthusiasm. "I haven't told Emily yet, but she's going to be ecstatic."

"If we don't see you before then, take care, Mateo... it was great to see you again," John said, glad to have had a chance to meet with Calara's elder brother again.

"Likewise," the Latino said, before waving goodbye and leaving the shuttle bay.

He met his father and sister in the corridor and Mateo hugged Calara as they said their goodbyes. However, Jack's attention was focused squarely on John, and even from this distance there was no mistaking the shell-shocked expression on his face.

*Calara told him pretty much everything,* Alyssa said, slipping her hand into John's. *Although she glossed over exactly how you gave her psychic abilities...*

John watched Calara's father walk across the shuttle bay and felt a sense of mounting apprehension. *Well I'm glad that's one awkward conversation we can avoid.*

Jack stopped in front of the pair of them and looked at each in turn. He opened his mouth to speak, then hesitated, unable to find the right words.

Giving him a look of sympathy, John said, "Alyssa tells me that Calara explained everything that we're dealing with. You must feel like your world has been turned upside down."

"That's putting it mildly," Jack said with a humourless laugh. He locked eyes with John and continued, "You've got billions of people counting on you to make the right choices... but you never gave the slightest hint of what you were dealing with. How can you stay strong under that much pressure?"

"I'm not alone in this. I've got the girls to support me," John said, glancing at Calara who joined them silently. He looked back at her father and continued, "I don't need to tell you how amazing your daughter is. With Calara by my side it feels like we can achieve the impossible... and we've done that so many times already."

Jack put his arm around Calara. "My every instinct is crying out to ask that you leave my daughter out of this fight... but I know she would never leave your side, no matter what I say."

"He needs me, Dad... they all do," Calara said quietly. "You know the things I'm capable of now, they don't stand a chance without me there to manage the fleet battles."

John frowned as he met Jack's troubled gaze. "I'd love to do as you ask and keep her away from danger... Believe me, if I had my way, I'd face this fight alone so I could keep all the girls safe. But Calara's right; there isn't anyone in the galaxy capable of doing the things she can do. You saw her in action at Regulus and Terra... both of those battles would have ended in disaster if not for her."

Jack sighed heavily. "I know..."

Alyssa wrapped her arms around Jack and gave him a tight squeeze. She pressed her lips to his ear and whispered, "We love Calara very much. If it came to it, John and I would give our lives to save hers. You can trust us to do everything in our power to keep her safe."

He smiled gratefully at her, then looked at John. "Calara explained the consequences if you lose this fight against the other Progenitor. It's sobering to realise that the lives of everyone I hold dear is resting in your hands."

"In our hands," John insisted. "And who better to fight for your family than Calara?"

The Latina rolled her eyes at her father. "It's not like we haven't had much practice... I had no idea our family was so prone to getting into trouble! I think the only ones who haven't needed us to rush to their rescue are Mom and Dylan."

Jack turned and gave her a bear hug. "With everything else, I haven't even had a chance to thank you for saving Eduardo. He said the Orion was seconds away from annihilation... then you swept in and obliterated every Kintark ship in sight!"

Calara hugged him back and said fondly, "Niñito can be pretty annoying, but family dinners wouldn't be the same without him."

He smiled at her, knowing she was trying to be modest. "Take care of yourself, Callie. You'll be in my thoughts and prayers."

"You too, Dad," she said, giving him a soft kiss on the cheek. "You've got a big fight ahead of you liberating Tasmaris Prime. Please promise me you'll be careful."

"I will." He turned to shake John's hand and the two men exchanged a meaningful look, further conversation unnecessary.

John, Calara, and Alyssa re-entered the shuttle, waving goodbye to Jack as their holographic pilot powered up the engines of the black-hulled ship.

"Did it all go well?" Faye asked, turning to greet them with a warm smile.

Alyssa grinned as she replied, "We managed to shock the hell out of Mateo, but he got over that pretty quickly."

John nodded and put his arm around Calara. "He was just really pleased that his sister was happy."

The Latina turned to embrace him, relaxing in his arms. "I was so worried about telling my dad, but he'd already guessed that me and Alyssa were together. I did manage to surprise him when I told him I was sleeping with the rest of the girls too, but he actually took that in his stride."

Alyssa cuddled her girlfriend from behind. "The girls are all smoking hot, I'm not surprised."

Calara nodded, then glanced up at John. "Dad wasn't amused when he heard you were sleeping with everyone as well though. In the end, I told him about my psychic abilities, the Maliri, and the other Progenitor to distract him."

John brushed his fingers through her hair, then gently stroked her head. "Alyssa told me about your impromptu sparring match with your father. I'm sorry it came to that... I never wanted to interfere in your relationship that way. I know how much you respect him; it must have been incredibly difficult to square off against him like that."

She thought about it a moment before answering. "Actually, once I made the decision it was surprisingly easy to go through with it. I didn't realise how much I resented being left out of the family sparring matches... that all came bubbling up when I confronted him about excluding me. Dad claims he was just worried about me getting hurt, but he could still have trained me for fighting without full contact. He didn't admit it, but I think he just didn't like the idea of his precious little girl doing anything so unladylike."

"I have to sympathise with him there," Alyssa said, hugging her lover closer. "I don't like seeing you and John hitting each other either."

Calara turned and looked at her in surprise. "But you never said anything!"

"I had no idea you felt that way!" John exclaimed, equally shocked.

"You each get so much enjoyment out of martial arts, I didn't want to ruin your fun," the blonde said with a rueful smile. "But that's why I don't watch your sparring sessions very often. I love you both and I don't want to watch you getting hurt."

"Honey, you should have told us," John said, pulling the blonde closer.

Alyssa shook her head. "I only said something now because I don't want Calara to judge her dad too harshly." She looked her girlfriend in the eyes and continued, "It's easy to forget how you were before the Change; I know I rarely think about being that petite little waif anymore, but you need to remember that you were a slim 5-foot-5 girl and your brothers are all big guys..."

"She's right," John said, stroking Calara's arm supportively. "You would've had no chance of beating any of your brothers in a fair fight... your dad was probably trying to save you from lots of frustration and disappointment."

Calara looked chagrined and glanced through the window at the Damocles as the shuttle swept around to the rear of the Invictus. "You're right. Now I wish I hadn't said that to my dad..."

"No, it was good you finally told him," Alyssa said, tenderly kissing her on the cheek. "Whatever his reasons, you still ended up feeling like you were left out."

John nodded his agreement. "Jack might have had a sensible reason to discourage you from full-contact sparring with your brothers, but he could still have trained you to fight against people more your own build."

The Latina nodded thoughtfully. "I'll talk to him about it again next time we meet." She smiled as she added, "His head is probably still in a spin after everything I dropped on him today. I'm sure he could use some time to adjust to it all."

"Both your parents have been incredibly stoic about all this," John said, the admiration clear in his voice. "I'm sure a lot of people would've fallen to pieces if they were told they were facing Armageddon and there was nothing they could do about it."

"I'm proud of them," Calara said, her full lips turning up into an affectionate smile. "And it's a huge relief to be honest about our relationship at long last. Telling them the truth was probably the hardest thing I've ever had to do."

Alyssa nuzzled into her neck and began planting fluttering kisses on Calara's olive skin. "Poor baby... sounds like you need to be rewarded for being such a brave girl."

John smiled at her then leaned down to kiss her from the opposite side, savouring the softness of her throat with his lips. "I have to agree... we also need to make it up to you for making you feel left out last night."

Calara's knees weakened under that dual onslaught, all rational thought driven from her mind. "Oh God... that feels amazing..."

Alyssa's cerulean eyes smouldered as she turned to gaze at John. "I think Dana was right... we need to make a Progenitor sandwich out of this sexy girl..."

Faye turned and glanced back at the Latina, watching Calara's long eyelashes fluttering as she wavered unsteadily on her feet, clinging desperately to her lovers. She envied the ease with which they shifted into a sexual encounter, John and Alyssa realising what Calara needed then sensually responding. The purple sprite turned away, giving them their privacy as she guided the shuttle into the Invictus' Cargo Bay.

Choosing a clear area of the deck away from the stacks of ore crates, she brought them down for a gentle landing, barely a tremor going through the black hull. She activated the airlock, which slid open with a quiet hiss. "We're home!" Faye called over her shoulder.

John smiled at the two teenagers, who gave him a smouldering look filled with desire before they slipped out through the airlock, giggling together as they headed for their bedroom. Turning to face their holographic pilot, he asked, "How did the upgrade go? Were there any problems?"

Faye powered down the engines and knelt on the Pilot's chair, arms folded on the headrest. "We're all done! The Photon Lasers and Heavy Quantum Guns have been replaced by Tachyon Lances on the Invictus, Raptor, and Valkyrie."

"Fantastic, well done, honey," he said, giving her an appreciative smile.

She grinned at him and continued, "I've also set a course for Pi Sagittarii, so say the word and I'll take us into hyper-warp!"

John nodded his agreement. "Okay, take us out of here. When you arrive in-system, keep us on low-power and bring us in close to Carolus III. It would be good to know exactly what we're up against before we engage the Kirrix."

"Will do!" she enthusiastically agreed. "Are you going to do a mission brief in the bedroom or the Combat Bridge?"

"The bedroom," he replied, sharing a knowing smile with her. "I need to pre-load the girls before the battle."

"I'll gather as much data as I can on passive sensors, then get it ready for you to review," Faye said, more than eager to help.

"You're an angel, thank you," John said gratefully, as he headed for the airlock to follow Alyssa and Calara.

"I'm a fairy! And I'm definitely not an angel," Faye replied with a wicked grin, fluttering her iridescent wings.

John laughed as she waved him goodbye.

***

A piercing scream jolted Tony from sleep and he fumbled for the flashlight that he'd left by his pack. Flicking on the glowing beam, he saw Perl sitting bolt upright, her right hand fumbling for her left arm. She took one look at the stump and her expression twisted in horror, before she fainted dead away, collapsing into Tony's arms.

"Oh shit..." Kelli muttered, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Can you get her some water? She'll wake up again in a minute," Tony requested, easing Perl back onto the blankets.

He watched the blonde, relieved to see that although she was still pale, she no longer had that deathly pallor from last night. Picking up his long coat, he draped it over her slender body to cover up her horrendous injury. Perl stirred again, groggy at first, until she remembered what had happened to her and her terrified eyes flicked down to her missing arm again. She plucked at the coat to pull it away, until Tony held her hand and shook his head.

"Don't... you'll just get more upset," he said quietly. "You're lucky to be alive... it was a miracle you weren't crushed by that cave-in."

Perl sagged back, tears in her eyes. "My arm, Tony..."

"I know, babe," he said, squeezing her hand. "I'm real sorry."

Kelli stroked her hair and said soothingly, "It's going to be okay. We've got lots of credits... when we get out of here, we'll buy you a cyber arm. You'll never have to ask a guy to open a jar for you again!"

Perl choked out a laugh, looking at each of them as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"And you'll be great at arm wrestling..." Kelli added, trying to buoy her spirits.

Tony smiled at her and nodded. "The best..."

Perl's face crumpled and she sobbed wretchedly, curling into herself. Tony and Kelli shared a worried glance, then focused on the distraught blonde, murmuring soothing words to calm her down. After a few minutes, she heaved her last shuddering sob and took a deep breath, letting it out in a ragged sigh.

Kelli unscrewed the water bottle and brought it to her friend's parched lips. "Drink this, you'll feel a lot better."

Perl didn't bother to argue, thirsty as she was, and gulped the water down, giving the brunette a tremulous smile when she was done.

Tony brushed aside some stray locks of blonde hair and asked quietly, "Are you in a lot of pain?"

"It really hurts," she murmured, nodding slowly.

Kelli dug around in the pack for the second hypo-injector and held it up for the blonde to see. "We've got two more of these... but it says to be careful not to risk an overdose, they can put you in a coma. We all slept, but I'm not sure how long we were out for."

"We can't stay here," Tony said, stroking her head. "This end of the tunnel is blocked, so we need to check if the other end is caved in as well. Do you reckon you can walk with some painkillers?"

Perl nodded bravely, so Kelli leaned over and used the hypo-injector on the blonde's shoulder. She shivered as the anaesthetic went to work on her system, dulling the pain and leaving her light-headed.

Tony helped her to sit upright. "Alright, we'll grab a quick bite to eat, then head off. You hungry?"

"Yes, I could eat," she whispered, flashing Kelli a look of gratitude as the brunette unwrapped a nutri-bar for her.

After Kelli handed it over, Tony glanced down at her leg, "How's your ankle?"

Kelli stood and gingerly experimented with putting her weight on it. "As long as you don't expect me to run anywhere, I'll be alright." She looked at his bandaged head and arched an eyebrow.

"Just a dull ache now... I don't feel like puking my guts out every time I move my head too fast," he said, answering her unspoken question.

"What caused the cave-in?" Perl asked, before taking a sip of water.

"I dunno for sure, but it sounded like there was a huge explosion before the tunnel collapsed," he replied, looking thoughtful. "It might've been the bugs, but it was probably the miners setting off some kind of 'fuck you' bomb to stop themselves being taken alive."

"Will there be more roidquakes?" Kelli asked, her eyes widening with fear. "Like aftershocks?"

Tony could only give her a helpless shrug. "No idea... but if there were any, we probably slept through them." He rose to his feet then offered a hand to both girls. "Let's get moving. If the bugs have fucked off, we should try and get to the main starport; there's a medical centre there, we can use that to help Perl."

They gathered their packs and Tony transferred the useful items from Perl's pack to his own, letting her carry the empty container loosely on her back. With him leading the way using his flashlight, they set off, slowly picking their way around the rubble-strewn floor.

***

Commander Tom Walker stared at the Terran Federation insignia on the holo-screen, feeling a mounting sense of anxiety and frustration. He'd still been unable to contact Anna and if she was taking the Devereux TFNN interview as hard as Mason, she'd be devastated. He felt so isolated and helpless away from his fiancée, knowing that the woman he loved was in pain, but he was unable to do anything to actually help. The feelings were ten times worse knowing that Archie Davenport would be using Anna's grief to try to weasel his way into her good graces... why couldn't she see what he was really like?

Tom's hands clenched into fists, the knuckles turning white with his impotent rage. He had always been an upstanding and fiercely loyal citizen, he'd studied diligently at the Academy, then worked even harder at his first fleet posting... was a bit of compassionate leave really so much to ask? Apparently so, because his requests were still being rejected at every turn. He ended the call without leaving a message this time, having left a dozen already.

Taking a steadying breath, he forced his hands to relax and slumped back in his chair, realising that getting angry about the situation wasn't going to help. He was about to get up and find Mason, when the comms interface chimed, alerting him to an incoming call. His heart skipped a beat, delighted that Anna had called him back, but he winced when he saw the caller ID.

Accepting the call, he watched as the holo-screen flickered, his parents appearing before him. His father, Admiral Laurence Walker, was wearing his full-dress uniform, standing stiff-backed beside Tom's mother. Harriet Walker looked every part the trophy wife her husband expected her to be, beautiful and immaculately dressed, her light-brown hair was styled to perfection.

"Thomas! Your father just told me the wonderful news!" his mother gushed, her eyes shining with happiness. "My handsome son a Commander at 24! I couldn't be more proud! The ladies at the country club will be so jealous."

"Well done, son," his father said gruffly. "I'm glad you finally caught up to Mason."

Tom didn't react to the backhanded compliment. His father meant well, but it was almost impossible to meet the man's sky-high expectations. "Thank you. I've been given my choice of postings within the fleet, so I'm looking forward to getting a chance to impress Admiral Morgan with my theory on Tactical diversification."

His father's eyes narrowed as he said in a disapproving tone, "I wish you'd consider a transfer to data analytics on Mars. You'd rapidly accelerate your career working in the Core Worlds close to High Command... you'll never make Admiral by just taking fleet postings."

This was an old argument and one Tom had no intention of rehashing. Besides, he knew that working under his father would strain their relationship to breaking point. "I'm just following in Uncle Dan's footsteps for the moment," Tom replied, playing his trump card that would immediately end his father's badgering. "His advice was to make a name for myself in the fleet while I was young, then get some experience with the political side when I became a senior officer."

Admiral Walker's expression flickered with a series of unreadable emotions and he grunted noncommittally.

"Thomas will make Captain in no time, just wait and see!" his mother said, playfully patting her husband on the arm. "What did Anna say about your promotion? I bet she was ecstatic!"

Tom tried to hide his worry as he said, "Anna's having a difficult time at the moment with everything that happened to her father. I haven't had a chance to tell her yet..."

"Oh, of course," Harriet said, her face falling. "Poor Vincent... what happened to him was so awful. I really must get in contact with Natalie; all those years together... she must be beside herself."

Tom paused, then made eye-contact with his father. "Did you see the TFNN news report about Admiral Buckingham? Fleet Admiral Devereux said some very disturbing things about him..."

To his astonishment, his father was unable to meet his curious gaze and looked away.

Laurence murmured quietly, "Nobody's perfect. Vincent had his issues, just like everyone else..."

Harriet frowned and said in a hushed voice, "It's best not to speak ill of the dead. Let's talk about something more pleasant..."

Tom nodded, switching topics to one he knew his mother could happily chatter about for hours. "How are the preparations going for the Admiralty Ball?"

"Oh, this year is going to be the best ever!" she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with delight. "You really must make sure you get shore leave so you can attend, all the most important people will be there!"

"Sure, just give me the dates," Tom agreed, giving his mother an amiable smile. She continued talking animatedly, while he kept his focus on his father.

Admiral Laurence Walker was looking towards the screen, but it was quite clear he was gazing off into the distance, his mind light years away...

***

John had a firm hold on Calara's hips as she rode him, driving deep into her womb with every thrust. Her stunning body was covered in a light sheen of perspiration, the Latina working up quite a sweat as she experienced one thunderous climax after another. He could feel Alyssa's telekinetic cock plundering the Latina's ass through the membrane that separated them, a gentle vibration driving Calara wild as she lay sandwiched between them. The blonde lay on her girlfriend's back as she pumped her hips, with one hand gripping Calara's heaving breasts, the other delving between her trembling thighs, stroking her clit in time to the dual thrusts.

Glowing runes circled languidly through the air around the ecstatic girl, Calara watching them in wonder as she experienced a rolling wave of orgasms. Alyssa whispered a translation in her ear, describing the loving thoughts that had shaped those runes, and leaving her girlfriend in a state of euphoria. As Calara listened to the blonde, she gazed down at John with a look of pure adoration in those gentle brown eyes.

"I love you both so much!" she gasped, writhing sensually on his lap.

John pulled her down so she was resting on his chest. "I love you too, gorgeous girl," he praised her, revelling in that look of bliss.

Alyssa hugged her tight from behind and looked at John over an olive-skinned shoulder, a feverish look of lust in her eyes. "You're so lucky being able to get her pregnant. I wish Calara could grow my baby in her womb... we could take it in turns breeding her..."

John reached up to grab Alyssa's ass, feeling her muscular cheeks rippling as she drove the telekinetic phallus into her lover. "She's ready to take our cum," he said, locking eyes with the blonde.

Alyssa whimpered, biting down on her lower lip as the double-headed psychic cock vibrated against her clit. John kissed Calara passionately, her tongue welcoming his into her mouth as she moaned with pleasure. Unable to hold back any longer, he surrendered to the ecstasy, his quad pumping powerful spurts of cum into the Latina, quickly filling up her womb. Calara clenched her eyes shut as she cried out through another mind-melting climax, Alyssa joining her as she hugged the brunette, hands cradling her swelling belly.

Calara had to sit up again to give her tummy room to grow and she interlaced her fingers with Alyssa as they felt her expand to carry John's heavy load. By the time he'd emptied his four balls, her soft skin was stretched into a sensuous dome, giving him a beautiful preview of the way she'd look when she was carrying his baby. They were all thinking the same thing and the loving doe-eyed looks John got from the two teenagers warmed his heart.

"Do you feel better now?" he asked with genuine concern, placing his hands on her impressive curves. "No longer feeling left out, I hope?"

She sighed rapturously and shook her head. "You two have always been incredible in bed, but that was something else... I've never felt so loved; I was just wrapped up in it."

"You'll always be very special to us," Alyssa whispered in Calara's ear. "We'll spend the rest of our lives showing you that."

They reluctantly separated and helped the Latina to lie on her back, Alyssa wasting no time in kneeling between her parted thighs. John stroked her golden mane as he lay next to Calara, the two of them watching the blonde hungrily filling her tummy.

"We didn't wipe you out too much?" he asked, leaning down to kiss the brunette. "There's no time for a post-orgasmic nap I'm afraid."

Calara stretched and gave him a languid smile. "I already feel amazing... Once Jade feeds me, I'm sure I'll feel like I could conquer the galaxy."

The Nymph had been carefully listening to John's thoughts, so she timed her entrance perfectly, padding across the bedroom to join them. She was followed inside by the rest of the Lionesses, who climbed on the bed, a look of eager anticipation in their eyes.

Alyssa rolled clear to make way for Jade, a glorious smile on her face. "Damn, you were right, Sparks... Loved-up Progenitor cum tastes amazing!"

The redhead already had her mouth full of one of Jade's tentacles, sucking hungrily as the Nymph fed them all at once. Her sky-blue eyes twinkled as she gave the blonde a big grin, the effect obscured by her tightly-stretched lips.

John sat up and beckoned the Nymphs over to him. "I'm sorry we're leaving you out of this one. You understand why, right?"

"Faye explained it to us," Neysa replied as she sat beside him. "This one longs to feel you making her grow stronger again, but we understand that you need to keep the Lionesses safe, Master."

Betrixa pouted and fluttered her eyelashes at John, trying to look as adorable as possible. "Can we have a special session for just us next time, Master?"

He smiled at them indulgently. "Would you all like that?"

They nodded, dark-green faces bobbing enthusiastically, lighting up with dazzling joyful smiles.

Marika nuzzled into him from behind. "Please be careful, Master. This one will be terribly worried while you're away fighting."

John ducked down and said furtively, "That reminds me; I've actually got a special job for all of you..."

"Really, Master?"Neysa replied, looking thrilled. "This one will help in any way she can!"

Making eye contact with the aquatic girl who sat nearby, he said, "I'd like you to look after Helene for me. Do whatever it takes to keep her happy until I get back."

Leylira cast a coy glance at the teal-skinned girl, the tiger-striped Nymph eyeing her like a juicy steak. "You can count on us, Master," she said in a sultry purr.

Helene blushed when four sets of emerald eyes turned her way, the looks ranging from inquisitive and friendly to smouldering intensity. "You don't have to do anything special on my account..." She looked disappointed as she added, "Are you sure there's nothing I can do to help in the battle?"

John opened his arms to her, then lay back on the bed bringing Helene with him. "I haven't decided what to do about giving you abilities, but I'd still like to keep you out of the fighting if I can." When she looked ready to protest, he raised a hand to ward off any complaints, then stroked her light-green hair. "Even if I do agree to it, we need to train you first. At the very least, you'll spend a couple of weeks on the gunnery range firing assault rifles before I let you anywhere near a battle."

"Oh, I hadn't thought of that," she said quietly, looking embarrassed. "The hunters let me carry a harpoon when we were defending the village, but nobody showed me how to really use it."

"We use powerful weapons that could be very dangerous to all of us if you tried to use them without training," he explained, with a conciliatory smile. "I wouldn't let any of the girls fight at my side until I was confident they had enough knowledge to keep themselves and the rest of us safe."

Her eyes softened and Helene gave him an affectionate kiss. "I know. I understand you're just trying to protect me... but I really would like a chance to defend our home like everyone else."

"We can talk about it after the battle," he said, letting his hands run down to her back and stroking her soothingly.

She nodded and he released her, then sat up to take a look around at the girls. Jade had fed everyone now and they were all looking at him with sharp focus and bright eyes, fully prepared for the battle to come.

"What can you tell us so far, Faye?" John asked, turning to look at the purple sprite.

Faye had been waiting for him and she blinked, a holographic system map appearing before them. The blue supergiant star in the centre of the map was labelled Carolus, its constellation name of Pi Sagittarii listed beneath in brackets, and the orbital paths were marked for all the planetary bodies in the system. There were nine planets here, three of which were swirling gas giants, in virulent shades of purple, red, and orange. The rest were solid objects, consisting of a deep scarlet volcanic planet, four lifeless rocky worlds of varying sizes, and of course Carolus III, the jewel of the system.

The only habitable world orbiting Carolus was highlighted in a separate holographic projection. A large continental planet, Carolus III appeared as a blue and green orb, with half the planet shadowed in darkness where night had fallen. In that blackened hemisphere, lights from numerous large towns twinkled brightly, reminding everyone just how populated that world was.

"At least half-a-million colonists," Alyssa said quietly, as she listened to John's train of thought. "The Kirrix have been there for at least four days already..."

John sighed heavily. "Those poor bastards."

"Can you put a Tactical Overlay on please," Calara asked, flicking a questioning glance at Faye.

"Of course!" the sprite instantly agreed, displaying all the data gathered by the passive sensors.

There was a mass of sensor contacts in orbit around the planet, like a flock of vultures circling their dying prey.

"We'll have to get a lot closer for me to give you specifics," she said with an apologetic frown. "Either that or we provide full power to our active sensors..."

"Are we going to try to draw out the Kirrix drone carriers like last time?" Tashana asked, staring intently at the holograph.

"Our primary mission is to cripple any hive ships and save those colonists," John said, wishing they could see more details. "It'll be easier to perform rescue missions from ships on the ground, so we'll have to prioritise keeping them from taking off. Any that are already in orbit, we can cripple and board after we wipe out the rest of the Kirrix fleet."

"I doubt any hive ships are in orbit," Calara said, shaking her head. "I suspect the Kirrix have been systematically capturing the populace one city at a time... just like we saw on Khalgron. It would be harder for people to escape if the Kirrix attack en masse, encircling each hab-zone and deploying troops to round up all the civilians."

John nodded, looking thoughtful. "Actually, that fits with everything I've read about the last Kirrix invasion."

The Latina narrowed her eyes as she stared at the mass of sensor contacts. "With the increased firepower from the Tachyon Lances, I suggest we deploy the Invictus and the Valkyrie to quickly eliminate the drone carriers. We don't want them interfering with the rescue mission using neutron beam barrages from orbit. Meanwhile, Faye can assault the hive ships with the Raptor, knocking out their engines."

"And combat drop the rest of us to help," John said, rubbing his chin as he mulled it over. "When we've grounded all the hive ships, then we kill all the Kirrix troops we can find and protect the colonists..."

Rachel shot John a worried frown. "What if the hive ships have been transferring captured civilians to the drone carriers?"

Calara paused for a moment to consider it. "I don't think that's likely, but it would be wise to make sure. I'll perform an active scan before we start destroying any of the drone carriers."

"In which case, we should probably creep up on them," Tashana suggested, gesturing towards the cluster of sensor contacts on the map. "The extra few seconds before they detect the sensor pulse could save you from a lot of incoming fire."

"Sounds sensible," the Latina agreed. "We've also got a Brimorian Shield Generator, a Solid-Phase Shield Matrix and a deca-shaped Crystal Alyssium hull, so even if they open up on us at point blank range, we can take a massive amount of punishment."

Alyssa caught John's eye and asked quietly, "Who do you want to take with you down to Carolus III?"

He looked around at the eager expectant faces, before his gaze settled on Dana. "This is going to get really ugly. I'd like you to stay out of the ground battle on this one."

"Hey! You fixed my target fixation thing," she protested, looking disappointed. "There's no reason to keep me out of combat now!"

John reached over to clasp her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "It's not that, Sparks. I know how upset you were after the Battle of Terra; I just don't want to put you under any more stress until you've had a proper chance to recover."

Dana's voice trembled with emotion as she pleaded, "Please don't make me stay up here! I want to help save those people... I need to feel like I've done some real good!"

John studied her with concern, then turned to share a troubled look with Alyssa.

"Put her in a fireteam with me," Rachel quickly volunteered. "You know I'll keep her out of trouble."

For once Dana didn't have a sassy remark, holding her breath as she waited anxiously for John's verdict.

*You've got an active connection with Dana. If she starts buckling under the pressure, you can intervene and protect her mind,* Alyssa gently reminded him. *This might actually be good for her... a bit of cathartic asskicking against the Kirrix certainly wouldn't hurt. They're evil fuckers... there's no moral ambiguity here.*

John stared into those sky-blue eyes and said quietly, "Alright, you're in." Dana bounced up and down with glee, but he quickly raised a hand to calm her down. "But you know the kind of horrific things you're going to see with captured colonists. If I think it's getting too much for you, I want Rachel to pull you out... and I expect no arguments, okay?"

"I promise!" the redhead readily agreed.

He nodded, sharing a smile with her before looking at Irillith. "You can't hack Kirrix ships, right?"

"Afraid not," the Maliri hacker replied, with a rueful frown. "If I get any spare time, I'll make another attempt. After my success with the Vulkat archive, using psychic powers might give me a way in."

"Sounds good, but until you know for sure, I want you using a Reaper Cannon in another fireteam," he said firmly.

She grinned at him, her violet eyes sparkling with excitement. "Sounds like my kind of fun..."

John nodded then turned to her twin. "You've already proven just how lethal you can be. You're in charge of your team, Irillith will act as your backup."

Tashana laughed at her sister's indignant expression. "You heard our wise Progenitor Lord. I'm the boss!"

Irillith's angular eyes narrowed dangerously. "Of course, Revered Leader," she said with an obsequious bow, much to Tashana's delight.

Alyssa flexed her fingers in anticipation, a wicked smile on her face. "I guess that means I'm team three and you're number four."

John nodded, glancing at the Asian girl sitting opposite. "Sakura will be in the Valkyrie, but I think that goes without saying..."

"But you did anyway," Sakura said with a playful smile. Her smile faded and her expression turned sombre as she bowed her head to him respectfully. "I haven't forgotten my promise... I swear I won't go off-mission again."

He met her contrite gaze and shook his head. "I don't want to stifle your initiative in combat; sometimes opportunities or hidden dangers will present themselves and I want you to be able to react. Just warn Alyssa so she can keep me fully informed."

"I will," she said earnestly.

"I assume I'm manning the Invictus' guns?" Calara asked with a wry smile.

John raised an eyebrow, smiling back at her. "I thought that might be wise... unless you're desperate to volunteer for boarding actions?"

The Latina shuddered and quickly shook her head. "No, I think I'll leave the hard work to you guys. I'll take it easy up here and hang out with a few dozen drone carriers."

He chuckled at her genuine relief, not envying her job in the slightest. "Which just leaves our lovely, Nymph pilot," he said, turning to smile at Jade. "I'd like you to fly the Invictus."

Instead of eagerly agreeing, Jade paused and studied him carefully. "Are you sure?"

Shocked by her questioning his order, he asked, "Do you have a better idea?"

"I thought you might want me to assist on the ground as a fifth assault team," she replied, watching for his reaction.

"You want to fight on your own?!" he balked, eyes widening.

Alyssa placed a soothing hand on John's shoulder. "Jade assaulted Tartarus alone. The only reason she got hurt was because she deliberately shielded her sisters from Gauss Cannon broadsides. She's powerful, John... you made her that way for a reason."

Faye cleared her throat. "I'm happy to fly the Invictus for you. Jade's a much better pilot than me, but with all our new defensive upgrades, dodging all that incoming fire isn't quite so important."

Calara nodded her agreement. "It's our most efficient use of assets. Faye has proven herself more than capable of piloting the Invictus; she'll be fine for a relatively small skirmish."

John locked eyes with Jade and saw the calm resolve in her emerald gaze. "Alright, Jade is team five."

She smiled at him, pleased with the trust he was placing in her. "Thank you."

*Just don't get yourself killed,* he thought to her, making no attempt to hide his concern.

*You've got big plans for me, Master,* she reminded him with a teasing smile. *I wouldn't dream of letting you down.*

John took a deep breath, then rose from the bed. "Okay, let's get geared up. I'm going to take a quick shower, then I'll see you down in the Armoury."

The rest of the girls were already wearing jumpsuits in preparation for equipping their body armour, so they took the express grav-tubes down to the Combat Bridge.

As John walked into the bathroom, he said to Edraele, *I'll probably need to use quite a bit of psychic energy grounding those hive ships, but I don't want you to over-exert yourself, okay? As soon as you get low on power, let me know and I'll ask Alyssa to take over.*

*Such unseemly concern for your Matriarch's wellbeing, my Lord,* Edraele replied with a teasing lilt to her voice. *I'm sure the other Progenitor would be appalled...*

*Well, I did go to all that effort making you into my perfect Maliri Queen,* he bantered back as he entered the shower. *I suppose I'm just a soft touch, but the thought of accidentally burning you out really isn't all that appealing. Perhaps it has something to do with the rather impudent way you made me fall in love with you?*

Edraele was quiet for a moment. *I love you too, John. Please be careful today.*

*I will, honey,* he replied, wishing she was with him.

He was distracted by his telepathic conversation by Calara and Alyssa who ran their hands over his shoulders as they joined John in the shower.

"We thought you might like some company," Alyssa said kissing him on the cheek.

Calara gave him a coy smile. "And I desperately needed to get cleaned up after you two put me through my paces."

John got some soap and began to lather up the Latina's back. "I want you to take care up here. It's just going to be you and Faye manning the Invictus... don't even think about letting the Kirrix get close enough for boarding actions."

"I know what I'm doing," Calara said confidently. "Don't forget I'll have Sakura here with me in the Valkyrie. Our main concern is going to be keeping the drone carriers and their drone swarms away from the rest of you."

"The T-Fed fleet will arrive in about an hour," John said, rinsing her off. "They'll be able to handle any stragglers if you can't wipe out the entire Kirrix force, so don't take any risks."

She turned and hugged her lovers. "You two will be down on the ground with all those horrible monsters; I want you to promise you'll be careful!"

"We will," they said at the same time, returning her hug.

Quickly finishing their shower, they dried off then headed into the walk-in-wardrobe to get dressed. Calara and Alyssa wore matching jumpsuits, the snug fit of the outfits emphasising their curves. John paused as he dressed and watched them from behind, marvelling at the comprehensive job the Change had done on the girls. Aside from hair colour, they looked identical from the rear, toned limbs and delectable figures an exact match.

Alyssa turned and gave him a flirtatious wink. "Apparently there's always time for a good ogle; it's not like we're in a hurry or anything."

He tried not to blush at being caught out and ushered her out into the bedroom.

Helene was waiting for him on the bed, the Nymphs curiously absent. She noticed his questioning glance and said, "I asked them to meet me in the Lagoon. I wanted to say goodbye to you first."

"Try not to worry," he said, gathering her in his arms. "We've fought the Kirrix before on a couple of occasions... this should be much easier than our last battle with them."

She nibbled her lip as if she wanted to say something, then stood on tiptoe to give him a kiss. "I know lots of peoples' lives are at stake. When they don't need you any more, I'll be here waiting for you."

"See you soon, honey," he said with an encouraging smile, before letting her go and turning away.

He stepped into the express grav-tubes, dropping down several decks in a rush to the Armoury. The rest of the girls were already in their Paragon suits, with Dana, Rachel, Irillith, and Alyssa performing weapon checks on their Reaper cannons, while Tashana twirled her Reaper pistols and slotted them into the holsters at her waist. Calara was now armoured too and striding down the ramp to the Combat Bridge, while Sakura rushed to the mech bay to power up the Valkyrie.

Jade was the obvious exception, still wearing her short dress as she leaned against the wall. She saw John's worried frown as he stepped into his armour-equipping frame and walked over to join him. "Anything I wear will just get shredded when I shift," she explained with a patient smile. "And when I'm in dragon form, you've made my skin tough enough to withstand Reaper Cannon fire. There's not much point in wearing a Paragon suit over that, even if you could make one that fit."

The robotic arms lowered John's Lion helmet into place, as the rest of his suit was locked around his body with a rippling series of clicks. He smiled at the Nymph as he walked over to the weapon racks. "Don't mind me, it just seems fundamentally wrong to go into combat unarmed and wearing a summer dress..."

Jade twirled, the hem flaring out and revealing a tantalising glimpse of her toned thighs. "Even if it is a cute one?"

"I guess that makes a difference," he replied, trying not to laugh.

He reached for a Quantum rifle, but then Jade was there, her green hand on his. Turning to look at her in confusion, he asked, "What's the matter?"

*A thrall's weapon, Master,* Jade replied, her voice soft but ringing with purpose. *You've grown beyond that.*

John froze and stared at her in silence. When she released his hand, he wavered for a moment, then wrapped a gauntleted fist around the hilt of his Crystal Alyssium sword. He savoured that comforting weight in his hand, hefting the weapon and feeling its capacity for destruction. Closing his eyes, he held the sword in both hands and slowly poured psychic energy into the glimmering white blade. When he reopened his eyes again, glowing blue glyphs were etched along the length of the sword. They were ancient Progenitor battle runes... throbbing with barely controlled power.

He met Jade's questioning gaze and nodded, noticing the smile of satisfaction that crept onto her face. Sheathing the weapon across his back, he was suddenly aware of eyes on him and turned around to see that all the girls were staring at him now.

"We've got a world to save," he said quietly.

John watched as their expressions slowly changed, the curiosity replaced with a hunger for battle.