Alyssa let Helene cry against her shoulder, rubbing the aquatic girl's back as she wept. Whispering soothing words in her ear, she waited until Helene had cried herself out, then said quietly, "Let's go have a lie down."

Helene nodded and let the blonde lead her out of the Officers' Lounge into the corridor beyond. The door to Faye's room slid aside after Alyssa opened it with a telekinetic touch. They walked inside then sat on the bed, with Alyssa pulling the weary teal-skinned girl down into a comforting hug.

"I'm sorry..." Helene murmured, sounding self-conscious.

"What for?" Alyssa asked, her voice kind and reassuring. "Everyone needs a good cry now and then. Besides, you're worn out... I should be the one apologising for letting you push yourself this hard."

"They were all so hurt and upset. I had to do something to help them..."

"You did... and you were amazing!" Alyssa gushed, her voice full of admiration. "Many of those colonists would never have fully recovered after everything the Kirrix did to them, especially the parents that lost their children... but you helped them live again."

The aquatic girl looked dubious. "Rachel was the one that healed those people; I just helped to ease their suffering."

"Theo was on the verge of a breakdown," Alyssa said emphatically, looking into those trusting baby-blue eyes. "You helped him put all the shame and humiliation behind him... and gave him his life back. Luce was terrified that she'd lost him forever, that she'd never get her husband back again, but you managed to save him. She'll never forget you, Helene... you saved the person that woman cared about most in the galaxy."

"I was just trying to do the right thing," she said, blushing at the blonde's effusive praise.

"You really did," Alyssa said with an encouraging smile. "The trauma all those people suffered from the Kirrix would have given them flashbacks and haunted their nightmares for the rest of their lives... until some of them couldn't take it anymore. Suicides would have killed hundreds if not thousands of them in the end, but you prevented all that. I wasn't exaggerating earlier; they needed you and you were there for them."

Helene let out a wistful sigh. "I've never been needed like that before, not really. Back at Neptra village they let me look after children in the nursery sometimes... but it was done out of pity and the mothers would soon ask me to leave." Her eyes were downcast as she continued, "And... I realise now, that when I thought I was helping defend the village... they were actually hoping that I... wouldn't come back."

Alyssa brushed her fingers through Helene's light-green hair. "They were awful for treating you that way, but you don't have to put up with that superstitious nonsense any more, Helene. You've grown so much since we first met and not just your new psychic powers... you're blossoming into an incredible woman."

"That's a lovely thing to say, but I don't think I'm all that special... not compared to you," Helene said with a grateful smile. She wiped her eyes and propped herself up on an elbow. "You knew John would be furious when Jade brought me back to the ship, but you asked her to bring me anyway... and I'll never be able to thank you enough for that."

"I can't take all the credit. Jade told me she'd met a very kind, beautiful, but sad girl... and she wanted to help. You belong with us, Helene, you always have." Alyssa winked at her and added, "John just needed a bit of gentle encouragement to see it."

Helene laughed, the tension easing from her body. "I don't know how you can wilfully defy him like that. I can't even imagine doing something that I knew might displease him."

The blonde looked troubled for a moment and nodded. "It can be very hard sometimes... What John says and what he really wants can be quite different." She shook that thought away and smiled at Helene affectionately. "You just continue being a good girl and you can't go wrong."

"That's fortunate... I very much enjoy that," Helene said, licking her lips and smiling back.

Now it was Alyssa's turn to laugh. "I didn't just mean giving John blowjobs... but yeah, keep doing that too."

"How is he doing at the moment?" Helene asked, a frown appearing on her lovely face. "I've been missing him."

"He's having a fine old time with the twins," the blonde replied with a smirk. She looked up at her bedmate and brushed her fingers over her teal cheek. "We'll catch up with him tomorrow. You should get some sleep now... you really pushed yourself today and you need to rest."

Helene nodded, then settled down on the bed again, sighing contentedly as Alyssa slipped her arms around her. She glanced up at her matriarch and frowned. "I thought you were going to have some fun with the girls?"

"I can do that any time," Alyssa said, patting her on the back. "You need a nice cuddle."

The mermaid stifled a yawn, then kissed Alyssa on the cheek, her lips soft and warm. "I'm grateful that you want to stay and take care of me, but please be with Calara tonight. I would hate to think that I kept two lovers apart... and Faye already offered to keep me company in bed." Before the blonde could object, Helene turned and called out loudly, "Faye, would you still like to join me?"

A winged sprite popped into existence beside them. "Of course! I'm on my way!"

Alyssa rolled Helene over so she was on her back, then leaned down to give her a deep kiss, making the aquatic girl moan. They only parted when the door opened and Faye bounded inside, the petite pixie flopping down on the bed beside them.

"Do you want to take over, Faye?" Alyssa asked with a sultry grin, caressing the blushing mermaid.

Faye nodded exuberantly, draping herself over Helene. "As long as you're not too tired for a goodnight kiss?"

Helene smiled and shook her head, then caught Alyssa's hand as the blonde moved aside. "Thank you..."

Alyssa kissed her fingertips. "Sleep tight..."

She left the two of them entwined on the bed and slipped out of the room, closing the door behind her. Excited giggling echoed down the corridor from the Commander's Quarters and Alyssa grinned with anticipation as she hurried to join the rest of the girls in the bedroom.

***

"No more snoozing, your breakfast's ready!" Charles called out from the dining room.

Lynette Devereux stretched like a cat, then smiled as she smelled a tantalising aroma wafting into the bedroom. She threw back the covers and grabbed a silk robe, slipping it on as she climbed out of bed and padded into the dining room just as Charles walked in from the kitchen, carrying a plate of mangled yellowish-brown toast.

She smiled at him affectionately. "That looks... intriguing."

"The first bite is with the eye," he said with mock sincerity, presenting the misshapen concoction to her with a flourish.

She took the plate and sat down at the table. "And what's the name of this wondrous gastronomic delight?"

"It's Eggy bread of course," he replied, as if it wasn't obvious. He glanced down at the plate and added, "Although with your background, perhaps I should be calling it French toast?"

"My family called it Pain perdu," she replied as she picked up her cutlery. Taking an experimental bite, she looked at him in amazement. "This is delicious!"

Charles laughed as he returned to the Kitchen. "You don't have to sound quite so surprised."

"I want your recipe; it tastes better than my version," she readily conceded, then grinned at him when he reappeared with a plate for himself and two steaming mugs. "Although, I might just be able to beat you on presentation."

He frowned and looked at the egg and bread catastrophe. "It's supposed to look like the aftermath of a missile strike isn't it?"

Lynette giggled and gave him a loving kiss, then the couple enjoyed their breakfast together.

"Busy day today?" he asked, sipping his coffee.

"I'm visiting the Firing Range with Jehanna this morning," she replied, looking excited. "It's been at least thirty years since I last fired a handgun, I'm quite looking forward to getting some practice!"

Charles watched her with amusement, shaking his head.

"What?" she asked, looking at him quizzically.

"It's difficult enough trying to remember you're my age when you look the way you do," he replied, eyeing her flawlessly smooth skin and youthful face. "But it's even harder when you act so-"

"Perky?" Lynette suggested, giving him a coy smile. She let her robe slip open, revealing her gravity-defying breasts. "You certainly weren't complaining about my perkiness this morning..."

"I never said I was complaining..." he murmured, trying hard not to stare at her spectacular figure.

She finished her breakfast and leaned back on the chair, crossing her slender legs. "It's a good point. I'll have to try to rein in my enthusiasm a little when we're in public."

Charles toyed with his mug and it was obvious he had something on his mind as he studied the brunette. "Lynette... how long do you plan on serving as Fleet Admiral?"

"At least ten years," she replied without hesitation. "I suppose it depends on events, but I'd like to stay in the post for as long as possible."

"You're going to need to maintain this... illusion... for over a decade," he said, watching her carefully. "And we both want a family, but how are you planning to handle having children while still pretending to be the old Lynette?"

She shrugged. "Getting pregnant at 52 isn't impossible, especially with medical intervention... it shouldn't be too hard to convince everyone." Her hazel eyes softened as she continued, "We can start trying whenever you want, but I think the sooner the better. I would like to be married first, but we can plan a quick wedding..."

"I really want that too, but I was thinking further into the future. What happens when our children start getting older? We'll have to teach them to lie to everyone about your true appearance," he said quietly.

Lynette paused and looked unsettled. "I hadn't thought that far ahead," she admitted with a worried frown. "Are you saying that I should give up being Fleet Admiral if I want to have a family?"

"Absolutely not," he replied, shaking his head. Reaching out to clasp her hand, he gave her a gentle squeeze. "I just... want you to consider all the possible difficulties ahead. At the very least you need to prepare contingency plans for if your secret ever gets out."

"You're right... there's a lot I hadn't considered," she murmured, lost in thought. Shaking off her daze, Lynette smiled at her fiancé. "Thank you for being so supportive, I really appreciate it."

"You're welcome. I understand how much being Fleet Admiral means to you."

She made eye contact with him and said earnestly, "If you asked me to give up my job for us to have a family, I would."

"You really mean it, don't you?" he asked in astonishment. "What about being a secret Lioness?"

Lynette rose from her chair and sat across his lap. "John could replace me with someone else if I asked him to; the most important thing is that someone we can trust is holding the position. I don't want you to ever feel you're taking second place to my role as Fleet Admiral... I'm fully committed to us, Charles."

"I'd never ask you to give up your dream of being Fleet Admiral," he said emphatically. "But... thank you for offering."

They enjoyed an intimate kiss, then Lynette gave him a seductive look under her long lashes. "Do you want to give me three breakfasts this morning?"

He smiled and shook his head. "As impossible as it is to imagine, I'm going to have to turn you down. I need to expedite the refit of the advanced fleet... there's been some problems with fabricating the new Brimorian Shield Generators."

"Want to meet for lunch later?" she offered with a grin.

He laughed and nodded. "Of course."

"Thanks for breakfast this morning." Lynette slid off his lap and collected the plates and mugs. "I'll tidy up, you better get started."

"Yes, ma'am," he agreed, giving her a parting kiss.

Charles waved goodbye as he left her quarters, leaving Lynette alone in the apartment. It didn't take her long to clean the kitchen, then she headed into the bathroom to freshen up for the day.

"Olympus, play classical music," she called out to the voice-activated entertainment system. A lilting violin piece echoed through the room and after listening to it for a moment, Lynette frowned at the slow and boring pace. "Olympus, play... something fun!"

An upbeat pop tune blasted into the bathroom and Lynette bobbed her head in time with the beat, a happy grin quickly spreading across her face. She soon found herself singing along to the cheerful music as she soaped down her lithe figure. The physical changes she'd undergone hadn't just rejuvenated her 52-year-old body into that of a nubile 18-year-old; they were accompanied by a heady rush of hormones. Dealing with the mood swings had been very stressful, especially the fierce feelings of jealousy she'd experienced during her romance with Charles. However, the upside of that was that every morning filled her with a heady rush of elation at simply being alive. No more trouble sleeping, or aches and pains when she climbed out of bed... now she was bright, alert, and raring to go.

Drying herself off, Lynette danced out of the bathroom and over to her wardrobe. She briefly considered asking Charles to go clubbing, then giggled at the absurdity of the Fleet Admiral of the Terran Federation busting some moves. Dressing in her uniform, she glanced at the mirror and was struck by the incredible beauty of the face staring back at her. Activating her holo-disguise, she returned to her original homely appearance and the only feature she could recognise were her hazel eyes. Raising her fingers to her cheek, she stared at her reflection and felt a surge of profound gratitude towards the Lion.

Charles was right; her new life would present some difficulties, but they were hardly insurmountable. With careful planning, Lynette was confident she could maintain her disguise for however long it was needed, letting her juggle a family and being Fleet Admiral. She smiled at the older woman gazing back at her. Given the Lion's offer again, she knew she would make exactly the same choice without a moment's hesitation.

Now her thoughts had turned to John, they inevitably flicked to her matriarch. *Alyssa, are you awake?*

*Mmm, hey beautiful,* Alyssa purred, sounding drowsy.

*Sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you,* Lynette apologised, glancing at the chronometer and seeing it was 8:09 am. *Were you up late last night?*

*Don't worry about it. We had a wild girls' night yesterday, so I slept like the dead,* the blonde said with a hint of a smile in her telepathic voice. *I'm glad you called. We all need to get moving this morning... we've got a bunch of stuff to do before the shit hits the fan.*

*Are you in trouble?* the Fleet Admiral asked with concern.

*John took Jade and the twins with him on the Raptor to check on Menganus IV, while the rest of us finished treating the Valia Gate citizens for egg infestation. Now we're on our way to rendezvous with him in Kirrix Space as we think the Kirrix have taken Menganus IV's colonists to one of their worlds.* She paused, then continued ominously, *He's planning to scout the planet until we arrive...*

*That sounds quite sensible to me,* Lynette said, confused by her friend's foreboding tone. *He'll be able to locate the colonists, identify the Kirrix strong points and plan the attack for when the Invictus arrives.*

*Yeah... I'm sure that's exactly how it'll go down,* Alyssa replied wryly. *Anyway, I've got some good news for you: the Maliri engaged a big Kirrix fleet in Trankaran Space and wiped them out to a bug. Any bad Kirrix out there will know the Maliri are gunning for them now.*

*Oh, that's excellent!* Lynette gushed, sounding elated. *That was actually the reason I contacted you, to find out how the war in the Trankaran Republic was progressing.*

*Not because you wanted a chat? I'm hurt...* Alyssa said with a mock pout.

Lynette smiled at the blonde's teasing. *You know I always enjoy speaking with you. Best of luck with rescuing the Menganus IV colonists, I hope the fight goes smoothly.*

*Thanks,* Alyssa replied. *Oh... one last thing. The worlds on the Outer Rim are really pissed off at High Command. Although we rescued the colonists on Valia Gate, the Kirrix still murdered all their children... they won't be getting over this anytime soon. There's a massive amount of resentment out here, Lynette.*

The Fleet Admiral's good mood evaporated and she couldn't help grimacing. *Thank you for letting me know. We'll do whatever we can to make amends to those people.*

*Good luck,* Alyssa said softly, her voice full of sympathy.

The upbeat music filling the bedroom suddenly felt wildly inappropriate, so Lynette turned off the entertainment system with a rueful frown. She strode over to the lounge and sat on the sofa, activating the comms interface built into the armrest. It took a minute for her first call to go through, the winged sword icon fading away when she was routed through to the dreadnought Heimdall.

Admiral Anthony Kester's face appeared, the man greeting her with a broad grin. "Ah, Lynette, I was hoping to hear from you this morning."

"I hope you're well, Tony?" she enquired, returning his greeting with a smile.

"Bored of twiddling my thumbs," he replied with an exasperated sigh. "We haven't seen a Kirrix ship in days."

"I've been informed that the Maliri have started sweeping through Trankaran territory liberating worlds. I expect the Kirrix will be in full retreat shortly, if they aren't already," Lynette explained. "Which means we can safely move you from the Trankaran border."

"Where next? The Brimorian border?" he asked, with an eager gleam in his eyes. "I've heard there's been fleet movement throughout the Enclave."

She nodded. "I want you to relocate to the border, then sweep up towards the Callopean Shoals to reinforce Morgan. As soon as Dacres' advanced fleet has been refitted, I plan to dispatch him to join you and he should arrive by the end of the week. The fleets that fought at the Battle of Terra are all being repaired and upgraded at Olympus, so as soon as they start coming online, I'll send more reinforcements to the Brimorian border. You'll probably be on border patrol for a month, then I'll rotate you back to Olympus so your fleet can undergo a refit."

"That's great news," he said, looking delighted. "I've been reviewing footage from the Battle of Terra; the firepower the advanced fleet was able to put out was astounding."

Lynette leaned back in her chair. "The new shield generators should make a huge difference to your defensive capabilities as well. Don't worry, we'll get you upgraded as soon as possible."

He nodded, giving her an approving smile. "I'm glad you got the top job, Lynette. Everything feels very different with you as Fleet Admiral."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," she replied gratefully. Making eye contact with him, she continued, "Be careful on the border. I don't trust the Brimorians... they're up to something, I can feel it."

"I will," he replied with a solemn nod.

They ended the call and Lynette initiated the next one as soon as the Federation insignia appeared on the holo-screen. After waiting for a few moments for the call to be routed through to the battleship Momus, Admiral Alexander Morgan appeared on the holo-screen.

"Good morning, Alex," Lynette said with a smile.

"Fleet Admiral," he replied with a weary nod.

Her happy expression wavered and turned to concern. "You look like hell! What happened?"

"Personnel issues," he muttered, running a hand over his face. "More next of kin notifications... you know what they're like."

Lynette gave him a sympathetic look, having had the terrible duty of informing more than one devastated spouse that they would never see their loved one's again. "I'm sorry... we can speak later."

Admiral Morgan shook his head. "It's alright, I could use a distraction. I imagine you were calling for an update on the border status?" He paused to gather his thoughts then continued, "The Brimorian fleet hasn't been reinforced since half their ships left and they haven't moved in days. If they are planning some kind of imminent attack, it's not in the Callopean Shoals..."

"I've just dispatched Kester to join you there," Lynette said, steepling her fingers together. "Should I position him elsewhere?"

He considered that for a moment, then replied, "Perhaps along the Taxarran Straights?"

She thought about the strip of space along the Enclave border, which was the closest to any colonised Terran Federation worlds. If the Brimorians were planning an invasion rather than reclaiming lost territory, it was the logical point to make the border crossing. They could be harassing Terran systems within as little as twelve hours and while there were defensive forces in place, the T-Fed forces didn't have the numbers to defend against a full-scale invasion.

"It's a good suggestion, thank you," she said appreciatively.

"I know us occupying part of the Shoals sticks in their craw, but the Brimorians are slippery bastards..." Morgan said, sitting back in his chair. "If they can't force us out of here, they might conquer Terran worlds to pressure us into a system exchange."

Lynette nodded her agreement. "I've seen their countless diplomatic demands that we return their 'rightful territory'. The latest was a claim that the Callopean Shoals are of spiritual significance to the Brimorian people and that we're committing deep emotional suffering on their citizens with our presence there."

Morgan snorted derisively. "The Brimorians are the least spiritual people I've ever met... and that includes the Drakkar. These systems are packed full of resources and colonisable worlds; that's what has the Brimorians thrashing in their tanks to get them back."

"Just hang in there for a few more weeks. Dacres will be with you shortly, then I'll be sending upgraded fleets to take your position and rotate you back for a refit." She gave him a confident smile and added, "The Lion has bad blood with the Brimorians... I doubt we'll have to worry about them for too much longer."

"Not with the Maliri doing him personal favours," Morgan said with a disbelieving laugh. His laughter died as a shiver ran down the admiral's spine. "I know the Lion is your creation, Lynette... but are you sure you're not playing with fire letting him make alliances with the Regency? The Maliri aren't like any other aliens I know; we're like impudent kids to them... and they could turn and give us a spanking any time they please."

"They're certainly very powerful," she conceded, her tone cautious. "But they seem intent on helping us and we're not in any position to turn down any aid... not after the mess Buckingham left behind."

He nodded, a haunted look in his eyes. "How could Vincent just abandon the Outer Rim like that?" Morgan asked in a hushed voice. "The other day I had to tell a good man that the Kirrix wiped out his whole family. They chopped up his three kids and raped his wife... then she blew her brains out after she was rescued. When I told him they were gone, it was like watching the light go out in his eyes..."

"I really am sorry, Alex," she said, her voice full of compassion. "Maybe you should get some rest? I know exactly how distressing those notifications can be."

He slumped in his chair, making no attempt to hide his fatigue. "I might take a few hours to pull myself together..." Morgan gave her a grateful look. "Thank you for being so understanding, Lynette. I know I wasn't your greatest supporter when you were vying to be Fleet Admiral, but I freely admit I was wrong about you."

"Much appreciated," she said with a grateful smile. "I'm not looking for personal glory, I just want to do the right thing by the Terran Federation... and that means making sure my admirals are fighting fit. Take the rest of the day as leave, Alex, that's an order."

Morgan saluted, his mouth twitching upwards. "Acknowledged, Fleet Admiral."

Lynette returned the salute then ended the call with a heavy sigh. As her fingers were lifting for the comms interface again, Alyssa's concerned telepathic voice cut through her mind and stayed her hand.

*Jehanna's getting pretty angry. What's up? Isn't she supposed to be with you this morning?*

Glancing at the chronometer, Lynette was startled to see that it was 8:32am and that the reporter was running late. *I'll look into it, Alyssa. Thanks for letting me know.*

Jumping up from the sofa, the Fleet Admiral rushed into her bedroom and pressed her hand to the secure lockbox on her dresser. The DNA reader flashed green and the lid opened, revealing the elegant laser pistol and shield that Dana had given her. She holstered the weapon and attached the miniaturised shield generator to her belt, then jogged through her quarters to the exit.

Forcing herself to slow down, Lynette took a deep breath and opened the door, only to be met by raised voices.

"You're a civilian! You will not walk around my high-security zone armed! Now hand it over!" Colonel Fiske barked, his authoritative tone one that was seldom disobeyed.

"This is ridiculous!" Jehanna snapped, her patience pushed to the limit. "I'm going to the firing range with her! If I wanted to assassinate the Fleet Admiral, I could just turn around and blow her brains out!"

Lynette hurried out into the corridor as the security officer turned to the four guards who were watching the showdown in uncomfortable silence.

"Arrest Miss Elani!" Fiske snarled, bristling with fury.

Coleridge hesitated and asked, "On what charge, Sir?"

Before Fiske could continue, Lynette cut-in, saying sharply, "Belay that order."

Red-faced, the colonel whirled around and looked like he was about to make a heated comment, but he managed to keep his jaw clamped shut. Taking a deep breath, he strode over to Lynette and said under his breath, "Might I have a word in private, Fleet Admiral?"

She nodded and reopened the door to her quarters to usher him inside, leaving an exasperated Jehanna and the four uncomfortable guards standing in the corridor.

As soon as the door closed behind them, Lynette faced the fuming officer who towered over her. "Alright, let's have this out, Colonel Fiske... You have my permission to speak freely."

"You're taking ridiculous risks with your personal security!" he snapped, jabbing a finger at her. "It's my job to protect the Fleet Admiral and you seem to be trying your damnedest to make that task impossible!" Lip-curling with disgust, he continued, "I don't know what kind of operation you're used to running, but flouting long-established protocols out of sheer vanity is the kind of amateur mistake I'd expect from a junior officer, not the goddamn Fleet Admiral!"

Her eyes narrowed as she stared back at him, not the least bit intimidated by his imposing height. "You and I both know that as Fleet Admiral I have almost limitless autonomy. I filed an executive order granting Jehanna Elani the right to bear firearms throughout the station and that specifically meant in my presence. I don't know what kind of Mickey Mouse operation you're used to operating under, but you will respect the chain of command. You can bluster all you like, Colonel, but you will obey my orders."

Fiske glared at her, his eyes glittering with fury. "But you're granting admiralty privileges to a civilian! Elani's a huge threat to your safety! It would be ridiculously easy to compromise her with threats to her family, then you're standing next to a ready-made assassin... and you put the gun in her hand!"

"I trust Jehanna Elani more than anyone else on this station!" Lynette snapped. "There are no circumstances in which she would ever betray me!"

He looked at her incredulously, having not missed the fact that the Fleet Admiral just stated she trusted a TFNN reporter more than her fiancé, a decorated member of High Command. "What are you keeping from me?!" he blurted out, his stare turning suspicious. "As the man charged with ensuring your safety, I have the right to-"

"You have no right to question me!" Lynette snarled. She pulled the imposing laser pistol out of her holster and brandished the sleek weapon under his nose. "Does that look like a standard-issue firearm to you?! Jehanna's been given a matching one! You're demanding answers to something that's five pay-grades above your clearance level! I give you an order and you obey it, that's what you have a right to do, Fiske!"

He looked at her sullenly, fuming at her rebuke.

Lynette looked him square in the eye. "If you have a problem serving under me, I strongly suggest you request an immediate transfer. One more incident of you deliberately disobeying my orders and I'll have you busted down to private and stuck on latrine detail for the next five years! Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Fleet Admiral," he managed through gritted teeth.

She flicked her eyes at the door. "Get out of my sight."

The colonel was beet-red with anger as he turned on his heel and left, marching straight-backed out into the corridor as soon as the door slid open. Lynette followed him and beckoned Jehanna into her quarters, the reporter following after sharing discreet smiles with the security team.

"He's such an ass," Jehanna said with a weary sigh as soon as the door slid closed behind them. "Can't you just transfer him somewhere else?"

Lynette deactivated her holo-disguise and ran her fingers through her hair. "I probably should, but he is only trying to do his job. Were you stuck there long?"

"About ten minutes," Jehanna replied, rolling her eyes. "He was waiting for me outside my quarters and was adamant I wasn't going anywhere near yours until I handed over my pistol. As it was a gift from Dana, I refused."

"Just let me know if he gives you any more trouble," Lynette said, squeezing her hand. "I'd be amazed if he tries to defy me again."

"Will do," the reporter agreed with a grateful hug. "Shall we get going? For some reason, I'm really in the mood to go shooting!"

The Fleet Admiral laughed and nodded her agreement, then reactivated her holo-disguise. When they left her quarters and re-entered the corridor, there was no sign of the colonel. The security team saluted Lynette, then fell in behind her as the pair made their way to the Firing Range, arriving without further impediment.

A cheerful ginger-headed giant of a marine welcomed them on to the range with a salute. "Good morning, Fleet Admiral, I'll be your instructor for today," he said with a broad smile. "My name's Gunnery Sergeant McAdams, but everyone calls me Danish."

"It's good to meet you, Danish," Lynette replied, finding his amiable manner relaxing after the tense confrontation earlier.

"How did you get that nickname, Gunny?" Jehanna asked him with a disarming smile.

He ran his hand through his shock of hair. "Because it's Danish gold, definitely not ginger!" the sergeant replied, cracking a grin. After they both laughed, he gestured to the firing range. "I don't think I've seen either of you here before..."

"It's been thirty years since I last fired a handgun," Lynette admitted, following him to the shooting bench. "I was starting to feel embarrassed carrying a sidearm knowing I probably couldn't hit a barn door with it."

Danish looked at her with respect. "Good for you, ma'am. I recommended that senior officers maintain their weapons training, but I haven't exactly had members of the Admiralty flocking to my door." He glanced at Jehanna. "How about you, Miss Elani?"

She met his curious gaze with a troubled one of her own. "Two weeks ago..."

He paused when he saw that look, having seen it many times before. "I'm sorry," he stated with real conviction.

Jehanna acknowledged his concern with a grateful smile. "I suppose it's the reason why my father trained me so rigorously. I was threatened and acted by instinct..."

"He sounds like a wise man," Danish said kindly. "That's exactly the way you need to act if you're ever in severe danger. Hesitating and standing around aimlessly gets good people killed." He glanced at their holstered sidearms and continued, "I prepared a couple of pistols for you, but if you want to use your own weapons, just let me know."

Lynette patted the handgun on her hip. "I'll save this for an emergency. Standard-issue handguns will be just fine."

Jehanna stepped forward and picked up one of the pistols, checked the safety, then loaded the weapon with a smooth, confident action. "This is perfect, thanks."

Danish laughed and handed them both ear protectors. "Okay, Annie Oakley, show me what you can do." He tapped a button on the range control and a target dummy rose out of the deck 20 feet down the lane.

She took a deep breath to steady herself, then flicked off the safety. Jehanna raised her pistol in a fluid action and emptied the ten-round magazine into the dummy.

"Very nice!" Danish exclaimed, hitting another button that showed a holographic representation of all her hits. All ten rounds had struck the target, clustered in a three-inch disc in the centre of the dummy's torso. "I can see you don't need any training from me."

Jehanna gave him a self-conscious smile. "As I said, it's not my first time on a range."

The gunnery sergeant nodded. "Feel free to pick a lane and have at it."

Once she had gathered a dozen magazines, Jehanna stepped aside to make way for Lynette. The Fleet Admiral picked up the handgun and stepped up to the firing lane, trying to remember the lessons from her firearms instructor back when she was completing basic training at the Academy.

"Would you like a quick refresher?" Danish offered, seeing her hesitation.

When she nodded, he went through basic firearms safety and shooting technique, making her glad she'd accepted. After he replaced the target dummy with a fresh one, Lynette raised the pistol, holding it in a two-handed grip and aimed at the target. Flicking off the safety, she braced herself for the recoil that Danish had forewarned her about and squeezed the trigger.

Firing a pistol again after 30 years came as a shock. It felt a lot lighter than the last time she'd held a handgun like this and the recoil was barely noticeable, her grip steady as a rock. Unfortunately, she'd been so fixated on anticipating the kick from the gun, Lynette hadn't been aiming properly. The shot went suitably wide, hitting the target dummy in the arm with a puff of polycarbonate fragments marking the impact point.

"After thirty years, you did well to even hit the dummy," Danish said, giving her an encouraging smile. "Hitting something that size from this range with a pistol is harder than it looks. Keep squeezing off some rounds, you'll get better."

She did as he asked and took careful aim before firing again. With her young eyes, the dummy was sharp and clear, as was the flecked texture of the polycarbonate material forming the target dummy's chest. This time her bullet landed centre-mass, right where she'd aimed it.

"There you go!" Danish exclaimed, happy for her.

Lynette fired twice more, the pistol barely wavering in her grip as the muzzle flared with each 10mm caseless round leaving the chamber. Those two rounds hit to the left and right of the first, within no more than an inch of each other. She beamed in delight, darting a triumphant look at her instructor.

The gunnery sergeant was oblivious to her glance; his jaw had dropped open as he stared downrange in astonishment. "Well, I'll be damned..."

*You got the deluxe upgrade, Lynette,* Alyssa gently cautioned her. *Unless you're deliberately showing off your enhancements, some caution might be a good idea...*

Fighting down the surge of elation, Lynette aimed up and to the left then squeezed the trigger, bouncing the round off the target dummy's shoulder. There was a plink from the end of the range as the bullet slammed into the safety wall.

"Oh well," she said with a shrug. "I guess beginner's luck has to run out sometime."

Danish laughed and turned her way. "I thought you were hustling me for a minute there! You're off to a great start, ma'am. Keep practicing regularly and we'll make a solid marksman out of you in no time."

"Thank you," she said with a grateful smile, before raising her pistol to fire off some more rounds.

Rather than aiming for centre mass, Lynette decided to start picking off internal organs in alphabetical order. It made for a satisfying game and kept her shots from being tightly clustered.

Tuning out the gunnery sergeant's encouraging words, Lynette asked eagerly, *So... tell me more about these enhancements?*

*Well... John was hardly going to leave you defenceless...* Alyssa replied with a wry smile.

***

John stirred awake as he felt soft lips gently kissing his cheeks. When he opened his eyes, he found Tashana and Irillith lying to either side of him, the Maliri twins greeting him with loving smiles.

As Irillith kissed him again, Tashana said quietly, "Good morning."

"Mmm, I could get used to being woken up like that," he said with a contented sigh, putting his arms around both girls and hugging them tight.

They snuggled in closer, firm breasts pressed against his chest.

"Thank you for last night," Irillith whispered, watching him with a tender expression on her face. "I was in such a state of bliss by the end, I don't know if I actually said it."

"I'm starting to see why Dana was so desperate to come with us," Tashana agreed, violet eyes softened with love.

He kissed each of them in turn. "I know exactly what you mean. It's been such a relief to just relax and enjoy your company, rather than worrying about who needs feeding next."

"Too many deserving tummies, not enough time?" Tashana asked with a knowing smile.

John nodded. "Exactly!"

Irillith looked at him with amusement. "I bet you never thought you'd be complaining about having to choose which girl from your harem was going to give you the next blowjob?"

He laughed and shrugged sheepishly. "Alright, I freely admit I'm spoiled." He ran his fingers through the twins' soft white hair, cupping their heads in his hands. "But I've really appreciated being able to spend some time alone with both of you. It's felt relaxed and uncomplicated, which I've really been missing."

"Happy to be of service, my Lord," Irillith said with playful deference.

John smiled and pulled her in for another kiss. *Morning ladies,* he thought to his trio of matriarchs.

They each greeted him cheerfully, with Jade adding, *We'll be arriving in the Eta Tauri system in twenty minutes. We're already starting to pick up a mass of Kirrix sensor contacts.*

*Thanks, honey. Is it safe for you to join us for a few minutes? I should probably top you up before we arrive, just in case.*

*On my way!* the Nymph gleefully replied.

"Are you two ready for breakfast?" John asked the twins, after finishing a delicious kiss with Tashana.

Their eyes sparkled as the Maliri girls nodded eagerly. The cabin door opened a moment later and Jade rushed inside, bounding onto the bed to join them.

"Someone's hungry this morning," he said, smiling at her indulgently.

Jade gave him a dazzling smile, then leaned over to kiss the tip of his nose. "Close your eyes, Master. Let's make this a little more entertaining..."

John did as she asked, wondering what the playful Nymph was up to now. He heard giggling a moment later and the twins pulled away from him, then moved across the bed.

*Okay, open your eyes!* Jade requested telepathically.

When he did so, he found three sets of identical violet eyes gazing back at him, waiting for his reaction with great anticipation.

"Triplets..." John said with a happy sigh. "What a perfect way to start the day."

The girls didn't reply and he realised at once what their game was. This wasn't about identifying who was who, but simply about enjoying the raw physical pleasure the matching set of girls were offering. He climbed off the bed and sent telepathic requests to Jade and Alyssa, with the twins following their matriarch's instructions. Helping the three of them up, John pulled away the duvet and laid it out on the floor, the triplets sinking compliantly to their knees before him.

With playful smiles they opened their mouths, offering him an extremely alluring choice. Choosing the girl in the middle, he presented his throbbing cock to her and watched as her soft blue lips enveloped his crown. Her sisters closed the distance and began to kiss and lick his shaft, making him groan at the exquisite sensations of three velvety tongues caressing his length.

"You're such good girls," he murmured, cupping the flanking triplets' heads in his hands and holding them in position.

Three sets of eyes twinkled in amusement, then they got to work, stroking and caressing his cock in deliciously wet warmth. John gazed down at the trio of Maliri girls, who knelt submissively before him, their beautiful blue faces watching him intently. He could see such love and devotion in those enchanting eyes, the strength of their feelings for him matching the depth of his for them. Alyssa must have passed on those thoughts, because their tender gaze softened, the three-way blowjob becoming even more sensual and erotic.

John watched their long manes of white hair falling down their backs, almost like a luxurious arrow pointing to their wonderfully firm asses. Running his fingers through their hair as he towered over them was such a thrill, tenderness and domination making for an intoxicating combination. The room was quiet, except for the slick sound of his cock pistoning in and out of the middle girl's mouth, the triplets working as a team with one goal in mind.

It didn't take long for John to reach his release, not with that overwhelming view before him. His deep groan as he climaxed was joined by a low, throaty moan from the Maliri sucking avidly on his cock, a long spurt of cum filling her mouth. Her tastebuds were bathed in his essence, making those angular eyes roll back in ecstasy, whimpering softly as she swallowed down her first mouthful. John felt Tashana light up in his mind, an active connection forming between them as he filled her stomach with his cum. Her eyes blazed with a fierce violet light as she swallowed again and again, in a euphoric daze as she revelled in his sweet taste.

The girls switched and the next triplet shivered with delight as her cheeks bulged, trying to contain his first powerful spurt inside her eager mouth. Irillith lit up in his mind as she swallowed, the Maliri mewling with joy as he began feeding her a hearty breakfast. The inner radiance from her gaze joined the light sweeping over him from her sister and John held her in place as he pumped her full.

Finally, it was the last triplet's turn and John wavered unsteadily on his feet as the Nymph took his entire length to the hilt, Jade seeing no reason to maintain the facade any more. Her throat was wet and soft, like a pliant tongue that wrapped snug around him, milking his shaft with long languid strokes. He felt like his quad had been sucked inside out by the time Jade was satisfied that she'd got every last drop and as soon as she released him from her lips, he staggered over to the bed and collapsed.

When he'd regained the use of his faculties, John glanced at the girls and saw the three of them had joined him on the bed, watching his elated expression with profound satisfaction. "Well... that was fun," he said, letting out a disbelieving laugh.

"It certainly looked like you were enjoying yourself," Irillith said with a knowing smile.

He sat up and leaned over to give each of them a kiss in gratitude. Reaching out, he let his fingers trace the gentle curve of Irillith's and Tashana's cum-filled stomachs. They sighed with contentment, enjoying feeling his touch on their sensitive skin, their senses heightened with the surging psychic connection between them.

"Jade, can you show me what the twins will look like... when they're 9 months along?" he asked quietly, looking at the Nymph.

She nodded, a glint of excitement in her eyes. Her azure tummy began to swell, as did her breasts which grew a cup size, sitting high and impossibly full on her chest. The dark-blue nipples capping each breast grew bigger and looked mouth-wateringly suckable.

"How am I ever going to be able to resist keeping you two permanently pregnant?" he murmured, studying the gravid Maliri in fascination.

"You don't have to resist, Baen'thelas," Tashana murmured, embracing him.

Irillith was enraptured by the sight, but she managed to tear away her awestruck gaze and join her sister in hugging John. "I'll never refuse you anything..." she whispered in his ear, her breathy promise sending a delightful shiver down his spine.

John gave them both an appreciative squeeze. "I suppose we better get moving. I can't sit around admiring the three of you all day."

Jade shimmered in a verdant haze, reverting to her Nymph form. While her shape solidified, the light pouring from her continued unabated as she began to absorb his load, the viridian bands pulsing out across her body. "Thanks for a wonderful morning, Master."

"I loved my breakfast," Tashana said softly. "Thank you."

"It was absolutely delicious," Irillith agreed with a self-conscious smile. "Although, I'm sure I don't need to tell you how much we enjoyed it."

John stroked her cheek with real affection. "It's always rewarding seeing someone enjoy tasting what you've prepared for them." He climbed out of bed for the second time that morning and replaced the duvet. "Let's get a quick shower, then see what the Kirrix have got in store for us."

The shower wasn't large enough for all four of them, so Jade left them to get clean, slipping out of the cabin to return to the cockpit. John and the twins were more than satiated after the morning's activities, so they soaked under the water, only pausing to share intimate smiles when he soaped up their curved blue bellies.

*Edraele, how are you this morning?* he asked, suddenly very aware that he was stroking her cum-filled daughters.

*I'm very well thank you, my Lord,* she replied with a teasing lilt to her voice. *Although I might have to have stern words with Luna... I certainly wasn't kissed awake in such a pleasant fashion this morning.*

The twins looked at John quizzically, recognising the slightly distracted expression he usually had when speaking to one of his matriarchs telepathically. When he whispered, "Edraele..." they gave him coy smiles and started soaping him down, the swirling caresses of their slender blue fingers sensuous and erotic.

*How did the ground assault go last night?* John asked, bracing himself for bad news.

*Extremely well,* Edraele replied, her pleasure and relief coming through loud and clear over their empathic bond. *Lilyana ordered the marines to tackle one ship at a time, bringing massive firepower to bear on the defenders. It took much longer than boarding multiple ships at once, but there were no Maliri fatalaties.*

*That's amazing!* he exclaimed, delighted to hear it. *How about injuries?*

*A few dozen marines sustained Neutron Gun wounds, some serious, but none critical. Without shielding, our soldiers are still vulnerable to lucky hits.*

*We must address that as quickly as possible,* John said adamantly. *On the way back from Arcadia, I'll ask Dana to develop portable shields that can be mass produced for Maliri troops.*

*I'm sure that will be a tremendous boost to morale, as well as vastly improving their survivability,* Edraele agreed.

John glanced through the shower door at the ship's chronometer. *I better go. We've arrived at the Kirrix system.*

*I'll leave you in my daughters' capable hands, my Lord,* the Maliri Queen said, that teasing lilt back again.

He glanced down at the blue-skinned hands making sure some parts of him were very clean indeed and shook his head with amusement. They left the shower and after dressing in jumpsuits, John and the twins headed down the corridor towards the cockpit, where Jade was waiting for them in the Pilot's seat.

"That's a lot of ships," John said, eyeing the red mass of sensor contacts clustered in the system.

The Raptor had dropped out of hyper-warp on the outskirts of Eta Tauri, the System Map revealing multiple planets orbiting the star. There were four huge gas giants illuminated on the map, appearing in a spectacular array of oranges, reds, and purples. Nestled between them on the third orbital track was a beautiful jewel of a continental planet, the pastel green of its one huge landmass contrasting with the rich blues of the surrounding seas.

John pointed to the planet which was the focus of the ochre-hued alien forces. "At least there's no doubt where the Kirrix took them..."

"I'm seeing a huge amount of debris," Tashana said, pointing to a couple of sprawling fields. "The Kirrix factions must have fought a massive battle for supremacy here."

Shaking his head, John zoomed in the System Map to the closest battlefield as the sensors returned more data. "No, that battle took place decades ago..."

As the holographic image enlarged, they were able to make out the various sizes and shapes of the smashed warships left abandoned in the debris field. To the twins' surprise, there were hundreds of distinctive grey-hulled vessels amongst the Kirrix hulks, the Terran Federation insignia clearly visible on burned and battered hulls. John focused on one of them, an antiquated 500m assault cruiser that had been raked across the flanks by a barrage of neutron beam fire, breaking it in half. The name "Redoubtable" could just be made out amongst the heavy scarring on the bow of the long-forgotten derelict.

"The last Kirrix purge, back in 2743," John said quietly, staring at the melancholy wrecks. "The T-Fed forces reclaimed the lost Terran worlds and started pushing the Kirrix back into their own territory... but the Bugs launched a counter offensive. They threw everything they had into stopping the purge and the cost of our invasion started getting too high."

Jade turned in her chair and looked up at him. "Should I take us in?"

"Yes please," he replied, placing a hand on her green shoulder. "Keep a low energy profile and give their fleets as wide a berth as possible."

She acknowledged his orders with a nod, ramping up engine power while shutting down non-essential systems. The Raptor was a fraction of the Invictus' size, but if the Kirrix had a sensor net in place, their gunship would still stick out like a sore thumb unless they took adequate precautions.

"That's a sizeable force," Irillith murmured, gazing at the dense formation of drone carriers in orbit around the verdant planet. "I wonder if the Kirrix were assembling a second invasion wave?"

John's expression was sombre as he stared at the dozens of hive ships in orbit. "They must've been planning this for decades. Even if the Terran fleet had stayed on the border, they wouldn't have anywhere near the firepower to repel an armada this size."

Tashana hugged him from behind and rested her chin on his shoulder. "From everything we've learned about the Kirrix, they were never going to stop attacking. They're terrified of extinction and the only way they can reproduce is using sentient species as hosts... another conflict with the Federation was inevitable."

"And now?" John asked, leaning into her supportive embrace. "After Alyssa put the fear of god into them? Or half of them at least..."

"If they can't find a solution to the Shroud, do you think the Kirrix will meekly accept their fate, or risk flaunting the will of a Progenitor in a last-ditch effort to gather more hosts?" the Maliri girl asked pointedly.

John's silence was telling and the twins both nodded, having drawn the same conclusion.

"It's a terrible fate to have fallen so far," Tashana whispered, staring at the segmented ochre vessels. "An entire civilisation reduced to preying on innocent species for their survival."

Jade turned in her seat to look at her companions. "What would the Terrans and Maliri do under those circumstances?"

John shared uncomfortable glances with the twins.

Irillith was the first to answer, stating in a matter-of-fact manner, "Prior to your involvement with the Maliri Regency, our response would've been a foregone conclusion; non-Maliri are considered genetically and culturally inferior. Even now, if the same fate were to befall the Maliri, all the older Matriarchs would definitely be in favour of committing atrocities to survive."

"There's more than enough Xenophobia in the Terran Federation for it to be considered," John admitted, his eyes shadowing. "But I'd hope that Terrans would refuse to resort to industrial-scale rape and slaughter of sentient creatures."

Jade looked at him and raised an eyebrow, making John's protestations die on his lips.

He thought about the circumstances regarding the Lenarrans, then shook his head. "What the Terrans did to your people was horrible, but those men were motivated by lust... they weren't trying to kill the Nymphs."

"That's true," Jade conceded, remembering the man who had first found her. "Lawrence was kind and gentle with me... Unfortunately, he was a rare exception compared to the pirates that owned me afterwards."

John stroked her cheek and gave her a look of sympathy, but Jade was already nuzzling into his hand, relishing his touch.

Tashana's gaze was fixed on the Kirrix fleet. "While I think we can all agree that the Terrans and Maliri are certainly not saints, the Kirrix don't even show the slightest bit of compassion to their victims. They make no attempt to sedate the hosts before their eggs hatch and butchering children for food is beyond the pale."

"I agree without reservation," Irillith said with a shrug. "I've always considered the Kirrix to be disgusting parasites unworthy of a place in the galaxy."

"Whatever sense of decency that species ever had must have died when they were affected by the Shroud," Tashana said, wishing she knew how long ago that had occurred. "I wonder if the Kirrix could actually return to a peaceful existence now, after spending untold millennia preying on their neighbours?"

"Slaughter on that scale must have warped their outlook," John agreed, mulling it over. "I don't see how you could go from viewing other aliens as worthless chattel to building a meaningful relationship with them. Still, I hold out some hope for the Kirrix that have followed Alyssa's orders... perhaps there's a chance they can find a way to redeem themselves."

Tashana sighed and turned away from the Kirrix forces. "I don't know what's more tragic... what happened to the Kirrix, or what happened to the Vulkat."

They considered that in poignant silence as the Raptor swept closer to the planet, taking a weaving path that avoided the largest concentrations of Kirrix vessels. The passive sensors were showing several hive ships landed on the surface, amidst what appeared to be a large settlement centred on a broad plateau. Unfortunately, they couldn't risk pushing more power to the sensors to get a clearer picture without risk of alerting the alien defence forces.

"Approach from the south and come in low over the continent," John said, making a sweeping gesture with his hand over the Planetary Map. "We should be able to get close enough to see what's going on in the Kirrix city without alerting the fleet in orbit."

Jade nodded and angled the flightstick, changing the Raptor's course to follow his instructions. She used one of the planet's several moons to mask their approach, then dove into the stratosphere at a point near the southern pole. White ice caps gave way to rolling seas, the gunship cruising a few hundred feet above the crests of those waves. They made swift progress, eventually sighting rocky beaches and undulating cliffs that marked the edge of the continent.

Irillith frowned and pointed out of the cockpit canopy. "That doesn't look like a Kirrix vessel... and it actually looks like an ocean-going ship of some kind."

John looked up to follow her slender blue finger and spotted a sizeable wreck on the beach. The metal framework was heavily corroded, the strange alien construction certainly not a Terran ship and looked nothing like the segmented resin-based craft the Kirrix favoured.

"I've never seen anything like it," he admitted, studying it curiously until the Raptor flew overhead.

"Another settlement ahead," Jade warned them, pointing out the distinctive angular profile of artificial construction. "Should I go around to avoid detection?"

"We're not getting any energy readings from it," Irillith said quietly, gesturing towards the passive sensor display. "It must have been abandoned after the Terran Purge."

They raced onwards and soon they were flying over the desolate remains of a city. Straddling a river, this must have been a major metropolis as there were thousands of empty buildings within the city limits. The architecture was strange, almost plant-like in its design, with some of the pale-green buildings still sporting twisted metallic stalks and leaves. Many of the taller structures had collapsed with age, leaving the smaller ones isolated in the rubble, their shadowy windows staring back at the interlopers like the vacant stare of a hollow-eyed hermit.

"That's not a Kirrix city," John said, his voice tinged with anger. "I've seen pictures taken during the Purge. The Kirrix favour subterranean settlements and their surface construction looks nothing like that."

Tashana nodded in agreement, her expression tinged with sadness. "That city's hundreds, if not thousands of years old. This planet must have once had a thriving indigenous population."

Sweeping over the continent revealed many more deserted towns and cities, the last remaining legacy of whatever species had once thrived on the world.

"The Kirrix might be desperate to avoid extinction, but those bastards clearly had no problem inflicting it on anyone else," John said through gritted teeth. "How many beings did they kill here? Millions?"

"It's impossible to say without knowing the birth rates of whatever aliens lived here," Tashana replied, staring at another forlorn ghost town. "But considering how large this continent is and based on the frequency of the settlements... if they were anything like Terrans, then perhaps as many as a billion creatures?"

He shook his head in disbelief, unable to comprehend a prolonged massacre on that scale.

"If the Kirrix were cautious with their abductions, they probably could have maintained their civilisation for a long time using this species as hosts," Irillith said, thinking aloud. "To survive as long as they have, I wonder how many other tomb worlds like this exist in Kirrix Space?"

John slumped in the co-pilot's chair, feeling sickened to the core. "They've been doing this for over ten-thousand years... the death toll must be astronomical."

"We're getting close to the central city," Jade warned them, easing back on the Raptor's throttle to lower its energy profile even further. "I'm not sure how much closer I can get without them spotting us."

Looking out the cockpit canopy, John could see the skeletal remains of the original city, much larger in scale than any they'd seen before. "This must have been their capital," he said quietly, rising from his chair and taking a closer look through the window.

Emerging from the centre of the ruins were several mud-brown spires, which rose high above the broken remnants of the plant-like constructions. As the Raptor glided closer, many more of the ugly Kirrix buildings could be seen, looking out of place amidst the glaringly different architecture of the long-extinct inhabitants of this world.

"That must be their starport," Tashana said, pointing to the western edge of the Kirrix stronghold. "I can see the hive ships..."

He followed the line of her blue finger, and saw the distinctive bulbous ochre topdecks of the Kirrix cruisers. "They must still be transferring the colonists to the planet," John said, staring at the ships. "I wish we could get a closer look and see what's happening."

Jade turned in her chair, her emerald eyes bright and alert. "I could take a look for you. They'll never see me."

John met her hopeful gaze and nodded. "Okay, honey."

She blinked in surprise, then grinned as she rose from her chair. "You're not even going to try to talk me out of it?"

"I trust you," he replied, clasping her hand as he accompanied her from the cockpit. "You've proven that you're quite capable of looking after yourself."

They descended in the grav-tube, then entered the forward loading area, where John hit the button to lower the ramp. He beckoned Jade over for a hug as the whine of hydraulics filled the room.

"When the girls get here in the Invictus, we'll need to secure the starport and rescue the colonists," he said, glancing over her shoulder at the ugly ochre skyline. "The more information you can give me about the Kirrix stronghold, the easier it'll be to plan an evacuation."

"I won't let you down, Master!" Jade gushed, delighted by his confidence in her.

They enjoyed a passionate kiss, then John reluctantly released her from his embrace. She waved goodbye, then bounded over to the open ramp and dived outside, her form shifting as she fell out of sight. John walked over to the doorway and watched her reappear a few seconds later, graceful wings beating the air as she raced away as a resplendent jade falcon. He took one last look at the melancholy forest of pale-green ruins and closed the ramp, his jaw clenching as he headed into the armoury.

John walked over to the armour-equipping frame holding his paragon suit, then stepped into his armoured boots and slipped his hands into the gauntlets. The actions felt familiar now, repeated so many times before going into battle.

*Aren't you supposed to be waiting for us?* Alyssa gently chided him.

*Just being cautious, beautiful,* John replied, watching the robotic arms sliding down into place. *If Jade gets into trouble, I need to be ready to rescue her.*

She was quiet for a long moment. *Of course...*

Rippling clicks sealed his armour as John stepped clear of the frame. He loaded a Tachyon rifle then slung it over his shoulder, adding more magazines to his combat webbing. His eyes locked on his gleaming white sword, a smile pulling at the corner of his lips. As he reached for the hilt, he paused, remembering that the blade was only deca-shaped.

Gesturing upwards with his gauntleted hand, the sword rose from the weapon rack, rotating slowly in the air as it obeyed his will. It was a beautiful blade, shaped for him by Alyssa's fair hand... or fair mind might be more accurate. John hesitated for a moment, feeling a flicker of regret at reshaping her gift to him.

*Go ahead,* she said with an encouraging telepathic smile. *It's a weapon, not a treasured memento from our first date.*

The glistening white sword lost its hard edge and melted into a viscous sphere as he projected his will towards it. Reshaping it over and over again, he felt the crystal Alyssium structure grow more resistant to his changes, making it harder to keep strengthening and hardening it. He closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing as he forced it to obey him, managing to reshape it several more times before deciding that was enough.

*You reshaped it another nine times!* Alyssa gasped, shocked at how much he had ramped up in power.

*It was only deca-shaped to start; I just kept going until it got too hard,* John replied, sounding equally surprised. He started forcing the sluggish liquid metal to take its final shape. *When was the last time you really pushed yourself?*

*It's been a while,* she admitted, lost in thought. *We shaped all those Tachyon Lances fifteen times, but I didn't try testing my limits.*

*I wonder if there is some kind of upper limit,* he mused, reopening his eyes and staring away into the distance. *And if the Progenitor does anything like this to create that black metal?*

*Dana decided to leave that mystery alone for now. I think she was looking for a quick win to show you this evening... although I can't imagine why,* Alyssa said with no small amount of amusement.

*How are they all doing?* John asked, feeling a pang of homesickness. He smiled when he realised just how much the Invictus felt like home... more so than any place he'd lived in the past.

*Missing you, obviously,* the blonde replied with a hint of longing in her voice. *But we're keeping ourselves busy to kill the time until we're back together.*

*Give them all a kiss from me,* he said, blinking out of the daze.

Alyssa made a flirtatious comment, but John wasn't listening, his attention now squarely focused on the glistening sword hanging in the air before him. He'd been distracted during the final shaping and this definitely wasn't the weapon he'd been intending to create. He stared at the archaic design of the sword, astonished that he could have shaped it subconsciously. The double-edged blade was flanked by elaborate quillons, the intricate design achingly familiar, with the elegant scrollwork sweeping back up the hilt to the pommel. Reaching for the sword with trembling fingers, he grasped it firmly... and runes embossed along its length began to pulse with an inner light, swathing the blade in a gleaming blue aura.

*How did you do that?* Alyssa asked in fascination, listening to his shocked thoughts.

John took an experimental cut through the air, feeling the incandescent weapon flowing with the strike as if eager to execute his will. *I have absolutely no idea...* he murmured, sweeping the blade around in a series of defensive blocks and counter attacks. *But it feels... different. Almost like it's... hungry...*

*For blood?* she whispered, sounding more than a little scared.

John sensed a subtle tugging at his mind, like a gentle reminder of terrible purpose waiting to be fulfilled. *No. For power...*

*John!* Jade interrupted, her urgent voice sweeping through his mind. *I've reached the hive ships, but there's something... strange... happening here.*

*What's the matter?* he asked, sheathing the sword on his back and striding out of the room. *Are you in trouble?*

*No, I'm fine! It's the colonists... they haven't been infested with eggs yet!*

John paused as he stepped out of the grav-tube on the upper deck. *What? Say again?*

*None of the colonists are showing any sign of egg infestation! They're being herded out of the hive ships and into the Kirrix stronghold.*

He considered that for a second, trying to think of any reason the Kirrix might have for not infesting those people with eggs from a hive lord. *Maybe they're keeping them for a hive queen instead?*

*Perhaps... but there's something else. The children... they're still alive!*

The twins nodded to John as they sprinted past, diving into the grav-tube to put on Paragon suits.

He rushed to the cockpit canopy to stare at the hive ships in the distance and could imagine lines of children being marched out of the Kirrix vessels. *How many?*

*Hundreds of them...* Jade replied, her words filled with yearning. *John, we have to do something! We can't just stand by and let them be slaughtered...*

His gaze flicked up to the heavens, knowing the sheer size of the forces lurking in high-orbit above the city. "At least 20 drone carriers... twice as many hive ships..." he muttered under his breath, his expression twisted with anguish.

*John?* Jade prompted him, a hint of desperation creeping into her voice.

"Leave them to me," Irillith said quietly as she strode into the room, now fully encased in a Paragon suit.

Tashana darted by and slid into the pilot's chair. "Get below! We'll drop you over the starport!"

John gave Irillith a hard, questioning look. "Can you handle it?"

She gave him a curt nod, her eyes already glowing with an ominous violet light.

He clasped Irillith's forearm, then placed his other hand on her sister's shoulder. "Be safe."

Tashana looked up and gave him an encouraging smile. "Go! Protect those children!"

*John...* Edraele faltered, her voice edged with fear. *You're planning to assault a Kirrix planet with only Jade for support... and you're sending my daughters to fight an invasion fleet in a gunship! Are you really sure about this?*

*Have faith, Edraele,* John said, descending in the grav-tube and striding through to the rear. *I trust your girls with my life. If they say they can do this... I refuse to second guess them.*

*Yes, my Lord,* she said softly, holding back any further objections.

He hit the button to lower the rear landing ramp and watched as a crack of light appeared along the upper edge. His view of the horizon expanded as the ramp lowered, until he could see the outskirts of the dead city racing by below him.

*Nothing to add, Alyssa?* he asked, surprised she hadn't protested yet.

*Avenge that planet, John,* she whispered, her voice heavy with emotion. *You'll be the instrument of their retribution... make me proud.*

The comms interface in his helmet flickered to life as Tashana's image appeared. "We're bouncing the drop point at full throttle... 3 seconds!"

Stepping over to the ramp, John watched the buildings flashing by in a blur... then summoned a hex shield and stepped into the abyss. The turbulence should have hit him like a truck, but the psychic barrier made sure he never even noticed the wind. He closed his eyes, feeling a soothing wave of peace suffuse his entire being as he fell towards the planet's surface.

John was charging into battle with the Maliri at his side and he could feel his body trembling with anticipation for the fighting to come. He was facing a despicable foe that was undeserving of mercy and the need to visit destruction upon them resonated deep within his soul. He knew he was born for this... and it felt... good... to embrace that deadly purpose.

*Yes!* Jade cried out in elation, as she watched him descend from the heavens.

John's eyes snapped open as he plunged towards the Kirrix fortress, his steely-gaze illuminated by a brilliant sapphire light. The insectoid forces seemed to have noticed him and were scurrying around as they fired wildly at the sky. Green bolts sailed past on all sides and he was struck by the curious thought that the Kirrix really did seem like insects to him now... tiny and inconsequential. He thundered into the plateau, arresting his fall with a telekinetic blastwave that obliterated scores of ochre-armoured troopers and sent hundreds more cartwheeling through the air.

Rising from a crouch, he drew his Progenitor weapon from his back and cast a baleful glare at the assembly area around the ships. The last of the colonists were being dragged into the yawning tunnels that led into the Kirrix stronghold. The Terrans looked bereft of hope, shying away in terror from their alien abductors... powerless against a cruel and implacable foe. His heart went out to those tragic people. The galaxy was a terrible place, where the strong preyed upon the weak... and the citizens of Menganus IV had been found wanting.

*Jade, protect the children.*

*Yes, Master!* she sang out, leaping from her perch atop a nearby building.

Jade shifted from a falcon into a massive dragon, her wings snapping out to slow her descent as she swooped down to land in the plaza. Enormous claws dug into resin deck, leaving huge furrows as she skidded to a halt beside him. Jade paused to look John in the eye, her ferocious draconic visage filled with a curious expression of almost... maternal pride. She nodded to him and quickly turned away, tail whipping around as she charged towards the tunnel entrance on the far side of the landing area.

Channelling his will into his sword, the runes blazed with light as John drove the point into the ground. A shiver ran down his spine as he felt the weapon resonating with the psychic energy pouring into it. The difference between temporarily inscribing Progenitor runes on the blade and permanently etching them into the crystal Alyssium was profound, like comparing a tattoo with a scribble from a marker pen. His old weapon had been a useful tool, but this mighty blade he'd forged was an artefact from a bygone era.

John sank to one knee, his left hand still gripping the hilt of his sword, and he thumped the ground with his gauntleted fist. There was a terrifying crack as the floor shattered, leaving a broad crater that spiralled out from that impact point. Blue waves rushed outwards, gathering echoes and flooding his mind with the history of this forsaken place.

The Mhoirad were a species of tall plants, with four upper-branch limbs that ended in dexterous tendrils. They moved on a dozen stubby, root-like limbs, which they could burrow into the ground when resting. Sweeping ferns adorned their heads, with two large eyes and a broad mouth giving them a friendly face that matched their gentle temperament. Clusters of bright flowers added a splash of colour to their pale-green bodies, the females sporting elaborate displays of sweet-smelling blooms to entice their mates.

They had built a serene civilisation that had lived in harmony with their planet for thousands of years, the people taking great pride in their artistic and musical accomplishments. The Mhoirad had just taken their initial tentative steps with spaceflight when the Kirrix made first contact. Having no inclination to oppose the advanced alien invaders, the pacifistic Mhoirad didn't hesitate to unilaterally capitulate to the Kirrix. Surrendering without a shot fired, the citizens celebrated contact with these fascinating insectoids, eager to learn what they could from their new galactic neighbours.

The Kirrix sent their first wave of hive ships and the Mhoirad finally began to understand the true nature of their new relationship. The parasitic aliens returned every month to haul away protesting civilians, the pleas for mercy falling on deaf ears. John could hear the tearful lament from the Mhoirad as outlying settlements were systematically depopulated, the abducted citizens never to be heard from again. The Kirrix took their time, culling the subjugated civilisation into oblivion over nearly a thousand years... the last of the Mhoirad ripped apart by ravenous grubs while humanity laboured on the pyramids.

*The Kirrix wiped out billions here...* John said quietly, his eyes flaring as he absorbed thousands of terrifying memories from a long-extinct people. *The Mhoirad suffered for centuries, their people waiting in terror for the moment they'd be dragged away from friends and family...*

*Why didn't they resist? Even if it was hopeless?* Alyssa asked in bewilderment.

*Because it wasn't in their nature to fight.* John closed his eyes and said a silent eulogy for the countless dead.

His eyes snapped open as a hail of neutron bolts peppered his shield, the Kirrix forces rallying and shooting at the invader. He hauled his sword out of the ground and whipped it about it in a ferocious cross-slash, unleashing a broad wave of telekinetic force. The glowing arc scythed through scores of Kirrix troopers, chitinous limbs scattering across the docking bay as abdomens and thoraxes exploded, a fountain of green blood showering the ground.

Turning towards the closest hive ship, John channelled a broad stream of psychic energy into his sword, the runes almost incandescent with untapped destructive power. With an upwards sweeping slash, he unleashed the pulsing psychic energy, the titanic blast wave carving through the ochre hull and battering the Kirrix vessel backwards. It toppled over, lights guttering out as power couplings were severed through the spine of the crippled ship. Funnelling more power into his sword he smashed the remaining three hive ships, leaving them as little more than broken hulks.

Alyssa was quiet for a long moment, then said solemnly, *I'm glad we're not like the Mhoirad... I could never sit back and do nothing as the Kirrix picked off my friends and family.*

*We could never be like that,* John muttered grimly, as he advanced on the Kirrix trying to herd the colonists into the tunnels. *War is in our blood...*

***

Tashana gripped the flightstick and held the Raptor steady as they roared through the sky towards the Kirrix fleet waiting in orbit. Fluffy cloudbanks made way for a sweep of stars as the gunship powered its way clear of the planet's atmosphere.

"What's our plan, Rill?" she asked, darting a worried look at the mass of ochre vessels sprawled across the Tactical Map.

"I'm just having a little chat with the drone carriers..." Irillith muttered distractedly, her violet-eyed gaze focused on something only she could see.

Not wanting to disrupt whatever her twin was doing, Tashana rolled the Raptor and aimed at the closest hive ship. Squeezing the trigger on her flightstick, the shoulder-mounted Tachyon Lances thrummed with energy for a second before firing, a pair of dazzling azure beams cutting through the Kirrix shields like they weren't even there. Those lethal columns throbbed with power as they vaporised resin armour plates and blasted straight through the cruiser-sized vessel, the blistering beam punching out of the hull on the opposite side. Tashana pulled back on the flight stick, carving twin chasms through the ship before the beams finally winked out in a flurry of blue motes.

Having chopped through scores of power couplings, the front-half of the hive ship went dark as it veered away out of control. Tashana had decompressed a dozen decks, so debris and insectoid crew were being hurled out into space, leaving a macabre trail of corpses behind the listing vessel. Satisfied that the hive ship had been neutralised, Tashana banked to starboard, steering well-clear of the debris trail. Virulent green energy beams began to light up space around them, the Kirrix firing wildly in their direction now that they knew they were being attacked.

"Drone swarms launching," Tashana warned her sister, darting an anxious glance at the Kirrix capital ships.

"So they are," Irillith agreed, her lips curling up into a wolfish smile.

Bright flashes appeared along the launch tubes of the closest four drone carriers and Tashana quickly zoomed in the Tactical Map to see what was happening. It looked like the outer blast doors had slammed shut, with the deploying drone fighters ramming the fortified barriers at full speed. At the same time, airlocks were opening in the flanks, the internal atmosphere venting outwards in billowing plumes.

"What did you do?" Tashana asked, watching in fascination.

"The drone carriers are quite chatty," Irillith replied with a smirk, her eyes shining brightly with an inner violet light. "I convinced them that I'm their new Hive Queen and that their crew are all members of the opposing faction, so those ships are going to... deal with the problem."

The other eighteen drone carriers had powered up their retro-thrusters and were turning towards the Raptor, drone fighters emerging in waves from their launch tubes. Four carriers abruptly halted their turns and their engines blazed a bright orange as they were ramped up to full thrust. The colossal capital ships sealed their launch bays and barrelled straight ahead, ploughing into other members of their formation. Tashana stared in shocked fascination at one of the insectoid carriers, watching as it head-butted another of its kind in the flank, shattering ochre plating and grinding away more as it continued to ram the reeling Kirrix. Neutron Beams lashed back and forth, with the two behemoths flailing away wildly, locked in a brutal point-blank fight to the death.

Irillith groaned with the strain as she attempted to reach out to yet more Kirrix vessels, while still maintaining control of the initial eight. Suddenly her eyes shone bright and she gasped with relief as Alyssa pumped a surge of psychic energy into the Maliri hacker. Another quartet of drone carriers sealed their launch tubes, causing muted explosions along their flanks, then opened fire on the rest of the Kirrix fleet.

The remaining capital ships paused and hung there motionless in space, as if trying to make sense of the chaos swirling around them. With Irillith's acquisitions refusing to acknowledge any attempt at communication, the uncorrupted fleet was forced to return fire on the belligerent half of the Kirrix force. Irillith's twelve drone carriers squared off against the other ten, with swarms of drones whirling around the capital ships, trying to support their outnumbered allies.

Tashana shook her head in disbelief. In less than a minute, the once-unified Kirrix battle group was now engulfed in a brutal civil war, with both sides trying to slaughter the other without remorse. Amidst that desperate fight for survival, even the hive ships had joined in the effort to subdue the rogue carriers, the Kirrix completely forgetting about the instigator of all the carnage.

"I have to hand it to you, Rill... you sure know how to stir up trouble," she marvelled, throwing an admiring glance at her sister.

Irillith was too absorbed in maintaining her web of control over the Kirrix carriers to reply, but she still managed a wicked grin.

***

Jade charged down the tunnel, watching the rear ranks of the Kirrix guard force turn and start firing in her direction. Sickly-green energy bolts zipped past and struck her body, making her snarl at the irritating pinpricks. Although the neutron gun shots were nowhere near powerful enough to penetrate her incredibly resilient hide, the weapons had been specifically designed to inflict neural pain and the hail of needle-like darts stung her scaly body.

Despite the irritating sting of their shots, Jade still had a broad grin of delight on her fearsome draconic face. Her master certainly was a complicated one. He wasn't even aware of what he'd done yet, but Jade had seen... and she exalted to see him embrace his power.

Pouncing on the first group, she made a rapid flurry of swipes with her right forepaw, metre-long claws slashing through insectoid bodies with ease. She tore off dozens of arms and legs with each frenzied attack, leaving piles of crippled Kirrix troopers twitching in agony on the ground. Advancing on the rear ranks of the drone formation, Jade's forepaws slashed back and forth, battering the annoying insects aside in a shower of chitinous limbs. She took a moment to stomp the mangled survivors into the ground with her rear paws, trampling them underneath her massive weight.

*How goes your pursuit, Master?* she asked, rending the Kirrix limb from limb.

There was a brief pause, then John replied, *I'm using speed, so I'm on the rear guards already.*

Frightened cries from further up the tunnel drew Jade's attention, her huge muzzle whipping around to locate her prey. The rest of the Kirrix guards had given up trying to fight her and were hurrying the children along in an attempt to escape from the angry dragon. Jade set off in pursuit, claws digging into the resin deck for extra grip as she sprang into a galloping run. Between the thumps of her massive scaly paws hitting the ground, she heard familiar heavy footfalls ahead of her and spied several juggernauts rushing down the tunnel.

The hulking onyx siege beasts had drawn back their scythe-like blades, ready to impale her draconic form as they charged her way. Her emerald eyes narrowed as she considered blasting the juggernauts with her breath weapon, but the children were too close and she wouldn't risk hitting them. Jade skidded to a halt, her scaly tail lashing with anticipation as she waited for the black-carapaced bugs to close the distance. Each of them was bigger than a hovertruck, their four huge chitinous legs pumped away as they barrelled towards her, the juggernauts moving as fast as a horse over open ground.

At the last second, she counter-charged, leaping forward with both forepaws to pounce on the closest. Claws sheathed in arcing lightning pierced through black armour plates, the electricity discharging through the juggernaut's body, its mandibles snapping open as it let loose a tortured shriek. Segmented limbs jerked about out of control as she overloaded its nervous system and Jade knocked the thrashing creature over onto its side as she gouged it with her claws.

Then the next juggernaut was on her, lashing out with both blades. Those forelimbs were like compressed springs, with the muscles coiled back, ready to unleash a strike propelled by massive force. They punched through the dragon scales on Jade's left forepaw, the cruel chitinous weapons piercing six-feet into her flesh. She hissed with the stabbing pain, lurching backwards with the juggernaut still impaled to her forearm. Clamping her immense jaws over its head, she bit down, crushing its black-plated skull in a fountain of disgusting green goop.

*How about you, Jade?* John asked, his concerned voice sending a thrill through her mind. *Are you okay?*

*They don't taste very nice, Master,* she replied, spitting out the foul gore and grimacing with disgust.

The next two juggernauts stampeded towards her and leapt to the attack, upper limbs coiled in preparation to strike. Jade lashed out by reflex with her uninjured forepaw, knocking one of the beasts sprawling, but the other hit her flank, driving its claws deep into her flesh. Snarling with the pain, she tried to shake the decapitated juggernaut free, but the wicked barbs on its blades made it hard to dislodge from her arm. Meanwhile the one on her right side was twisting its claws, trying to widen and aggravate the wound in her chest. The final juggernaut picked itself up off the ground and shook its dazed head, getting ready to charge again.

*Have you caught up to the children?* John pressed, sounding tense.

She turned and ran back down the tunnel, wincing as the two juggernauts impaling her body bounced on the ground with every stride. *Ah... not quite yet. Just taking care of a few Kirrix...*

Twisting her long neck serpentine around to look behind her, she saw the third of the black beasts set off in pursuit, swinging back its claws in readiness to attack. The Juggernaut was faster, what with Jade trying to run with a wounded paw, and it quickly closed the distance as it rushed for one of her hind legs. She whipped her enormous tail around, catching it with a thunderous tail slap that slammed the black insect into the wall.

*Let me know if you need help.*

*I will, Master,* Jade promised, vaulting into the air and curling her body to expose her right side.

The green dragon crashed to the ground, landing directly on the juggernaut stabbing her flank. She weighed over 50 tons and the juggernaut popped like a grape when she brought her full weight down on its black body, every section of its exoskeleton shattering into hundreds of pieces. The bladed claws were torn from its broken thorax, left embedded up to the elbow joint in her heaving chest. She roared with the stabbing pain, her body shuddering as the blades pierced deep.

Jade staggered upright and grabbed the tattered remains of the first juggernaut, then yanked it out of her injured forepaw, finally freeing herself from its torment. Sitting back on her haunches, the Nymph looked down at the broken blades driven deep into her torso and grimaced at the gaping wounds. She could feel one of the tips digging into her flesh only inches away from her crystalline heart. Taking a deep breath, she tugged the two final blades from her chest, trying to ignore the shooting pain as she pulled them out.

Sagging with relief, Jade closed her cat-like emerald eyes and concentrated on renewing her shape. Ragged wounds sealed closed, with the rents in her hide knitting back together, the scales made whole once more. With a terrifying toothy grin, she whirled around and continued her pursuit of the fleeing Kirrix and their tiny captives.

***

John sprinted down the corridor, leaving a fresh pile of mangled insectoid corpses in his wake. There were another two squads of Kirrix up ahead, twenty troopers per squad, standing to either side of the long line of colonists.

"Get down!" he shouted, his amplified voice booming down the tunnel.

Most of the colonists were already huddled on the floor, staring at him with wide-eyed looks of terror as he skidded to a halt. Those that had frozen with fear were hauled to the deck by their friends, leaving the mass of humanity hugging the ground.

The Kirrix took advantage of the Terrans ducking, the troops fanning out into a firing line and spraying him with neutron bolts. The shields in John's suit were of Brimorian design, so they muted the strength of those shots, but the sheer volume was slowly taking its toll. Ignoring the subdued yellows of his shield status for the moment, John took a firm grip on his sword with both hands as he pulled it back and prepared to swing. His gleaming blade sliced through the air, whipping around his body in a lightning fast arc that was perfectly parallel to the ground and left a blue trail in its wake.

A gleaming force projection blasted outwards, wide enough to cover the entire breadth of the huge tunnel. Striking forty Kirrix between abdomen and thorax, the telekinetic scythe disembowelled the entire group, blasting the troopers backwards in bloody chunks. With the slight incline to the tunnel, the blast wave flashed onwards until it eventually slammed into the ceiling in a shower of rubble.

"Go back up the tunnel, you'll be safe there!" John called out to this group of Menganus IV colonists. "Evacuate to the starport!"

They gaped at him in shock, looking small and scared as they cowered on the floor. John looked down on them with pity and let out a frustrated sigh. He couldn't spare the time to gently encourage them, so he hoped they'd start to move once they'd started to get over their shock and fear. Turning his attention to the tunnel, he broke into a loping run, his long stride accelerated by psychic speed. He quickly reached the end of this group of colonists, but the next started a hundred metres further along the tunnel. These people represented the entire population of a remote Terran border world, all abducted from Menganus IV by the quartet of hive ships he'd smashed in the starport.

There were juggernauts intermixed with the next group of Kirrix troopers and as they turned to face him, John charged fearlessly towards them. In his psychically accelerated state, it was like watching someone moving in slow motion as the black-armoured behemoths lumbered around, chitinous legs rising and falling to rotate their bulk. John reached the first before it was even half-way through the turn and he used the momentum of his charge to add extra force to his passing blow. The juggernaut folded in on itself as he smashed it with a titanic two-handed swipe, the concussive force instantly crushing its chest as it was battered aside.

He launched a muted force wave through a dozen drone troopers, then lunged forward, bringing his blade down in a looping overhead chop. He struck the next juggernaut in the head, carving through its body in a gratuitous spray of green ichor. The creature was smashed to the ground like a boulder had been dropped on its head, four legs splaying outwards and jerking spasmodically in its death throes.

Another dozen troopers to his right... met with another force arc that saw their bodies exploding with the ferocious impact.

A juggernaut loomed ahead... so he cut it down with a backhanded stroke that hacked the beast in half.

Desperate Kirrix drones backed away in fear... then their insectoid bodies were flying apart like leaves in a hurricane.

A juggernaut staggered backwards to his left... and was intercepted by his blade rammed through its skull.

There was a certain poetry to the way he slaughtered his way through the alien forces, with the Kirrix providing the stanza and John the bloody refrain.

He watched a juggernaut's head as it sailed through the air in slow motion, followed by a spray of blood that marked its tumbling passage. The droplets caught the light and glistened with an eerie viridian hue, falling like lazy snowflakes in a grotesque green blizzard. John vaulted over the terrified colonists to land on the opposite side, clearing five metres with barely any effort. The Kirrix here soon joined their dismembered brethren, adding their sticky green blood to the monsoon of gore raining down in the tunnel.

Back and forth he went, annihilating all the Kirrix in his path, descending deeper into their fortress as he followed the snaking tunnel down. John was moving by instinct now, embracing the natural flow of combat as he butchered every last trooper guarding the colonists. It almost came as a disappointment when he reached the front edge of the prisoner line, bringing the massacre to an abrupt conclusion.

"Head back to the starport," John said quietly to the terrified colonists, his focus on the end of the tunnel and the cavernous room it opened out into.

"T-thank you," one of the men stammered, staring up at him with eyes like saucers.

John acknowledged the man with a nod and a sympathetic smile, then turned to look at the room again. His eyes locked on the huge double doors in the distance. "Any more colonists ahead of you?"

The man exchanged anxious glances with his fellow colonists. "I d-don't think so... I'm pretty sure we were first off the hive ships."

"I better make sure..." John murmured, his incandescent eyes narrowing with anticipation as he stalked towards the room. "Go back up the tunnel."

The colonists were already moving, helping their friends up off the floor as they fled back the way they'd come. The man paused and darted one last fearful glance over his shoulder. He'd seen videos of the Lion fighting the Kirrix, but nothing could have prepared him... for that. His gaze fell to the twitching remains of the blood splattered insectoids strewn across the floor. One moment the Kirrix had been herding the colonists along at gunpoint, then they'd just... exploded... before his very eyes. He knew he'd never forget the sight of the Lion looming over them, magnificent and terrifying in equal measure. Trying not to shiver with fear, he turned and fled with the rest of the colonists, running as fast as his feet could carry him.

***

Jade's heart fluttered with fear as she saw the children being forced through a set of big doors into a chamber at the end of the tunnel. Charging the Kirrix drones that turned to fire at her, she stampeded through the middle of the group, crushing several underfoot. Her long tail whipped from side to side, splattering the remaining troopers against the walls.

Inside were more Kirrix, the soldiers pushing and shoving the crying Terran children towards a hulking broodmother. The hideous multi-limbed monstrosity was waiting by an ochre-hued machine, whirring serrated blades making its grisly purpose horrifyingly clear. The broodmother lumbered forward, chitinous limbs reaching out to pluck a screaming young girl from the group of terrified children. Another pair of juggernauts were here protecting the broodmother and they let out shrill shrieks when they saw Jade, before charging towards the intruder.

Jade countered with a deafening roar of rage that drowned out the battle cries from the juggernauts. Bounding into the room, she crushed the Kirrix troopers in her path and leapt at the black-carapaced siege monsters with long claws fully-extended. The juggernauts' bladed limbs whistled around to impale her scaly forearms, but Jade snarled and ignored the pain as their serrated weapons stabbed deep into her flesh. She caught both monsters around the throat and knocked them backwards, the trio locked together in a ferocious battle to the death.

Tightening her grip, Jade sank her claws into the juggernauts, piercing their armour-plated thoraxes and making them hiss in agony. Then she lifted both into the air and slammed them into the floor, her arms pumping up and down as she pounded the prone beasts. Furious shrieks turned into broken gargles as she smashed them both into a bloody pulp, sprays of green ichor drenching the ground. Using her jaws, Jade tore away the shattered cadavers still attached to her arms, leaving their barbed blades sticking out of her body.

Falling to all fours again, Jade limped towards the retreating broodmother, her glistening fangs bared in a feral snarl. The Kirrix abomination backed away, huge black compound eyes looking up in fear at the enormous draconic predator advancing towards her. The broodmother's many legs made an eerie skittering noise as she reversed, the unsettling sound accompanied by the little girl's stomach-churning screams. The tiny blonde wriggled in the monster's impossibly strong grip, more frightened of the vast dragon bearing down on her that the big ugly insect that was holding her captive. With a hiss of defiance, the broodmother threw the young girl at the mulching machine, then whirled around and bolted for the doors at the rear of the room.

Jade cried out in anguish, lunging forward with scaly paws outstretched. She managed to get her hand in the way just in time, saving the screaming girl by blocking the machine's jagged maw, but at the cost of her paw being snagged instead. Jade gently caught the child in her right hand, while snarling with pain as wicked barbs flayed her left, slicing through dragon scales and tearing strips from her flesh. Her face twisted in agony as she yanked her ravaged limb out of the butchering blades, having to tug hard to stop it from being dragged further inside. The little girl tumbled off Jade's scaly palm and looked up at the benevolent green dragon with eyes like saucers.

"Lucy!" an older boy cried out, running over to throw his arms around her. He looked up at Jade defiantly. "Don't you hurt my sister!"

"It's a friendly dwagon!" Lucy gasped, brushing her dirty blonde hair from her tiny face.

Jade nodded, her massive muzzle bobbing up and down. "YES, I WON'T HURT YOU..."

"You can talk!" the boy exclaimed, staring up at Jade in amazement. "You're really not going to eat us?"

"NO, I'M HERE TO PROTECT YOU," Jade rumbled, trying not to frighten them.

"The scary monster is getting away!" Lucy cried out, pointing across the room.

Satisfied that the children were safe for a moment, Jade's serpentine neck whipped around to fix a baleful stare at the broodmother skittering for the door. Clutching her mangled left arm to her chest, Jade hobbled across the ground and lunged out to catch the rear of the Kirrix beast's abdomen in her massive jaws. The broodmother shrieked in a mixture of fear and pain as Jade bit down, long razor-sharp fangs piercing her chitinous shell as the dragon dragged her back into the room. The broodmother's mandibles twitched violently as she screamed and thrashed in Jade's grip, desperate to get away. Jade dropped the convulsing creature on the floor, then pinned her down, imprisoning her thorax with long claws that were like unbreakable bars.

"Yeah! Bite its head off!" one of the older boys called out, his face twisted with vengeful glee.

Another shook his head. "No, pull off all its arms and legs... THEN bite its head off!"

Jade turned to look at the huddle of children, who had stopped cowering and were now gaping at her in wonder.

Lucy's eyes flicked to the whirring machine. "In my bedtime stories, if someone's really naughty, then usually... somethin' bad happens to them."

Jade could find no fault with the four-year-old's sage wisdom and hauled the screeching broodmother off the ground. With a ghastly draconic smile, she shoved the rear of the murderous creature into the vicious buzzsaws, watching as the broodmother's insectoid face contorted in agony. The children cheered Jade on, drowning out the shrill screams as their tormentor met her justly deserved fate. Unfortunately, the machine got clogged up with sticky green ichor and juddered to a halt before it finished the job, leaving the upper-half of the savagely butchered broodmother twitching in her death throes.

Slumping down on the ground, Jade heaved an exhausted sigh and began pulling the juggernaut blades from her forearms with her teeth. She grimaced and snarled with the pain, which made the children back up a few steps until they realised she wasn't going to hurt them.

"See, Timmy! I told you dwagons were real!" Lucy exclaimed, walking forward to gently pat Jade's scaled arm. She looked up at the injured green dragon with sympathy as Jade nursed her mutilated arm. "You need a bandaid... that'll make it all better."

***

John strode into the vast chamber, noting at least a dozen tunnel entrances opening into the room from all sides. The sound of thousands of skittering insectoid feet reached his sensitive ears, drowning out the colonists' footfalls as they retreated. He reasoned that if the Kirrix had been herding their prisoners down here, he must be close to a nest of some kind... and the huge glyph-inscribed doors opposite were his first guess as to its location.

First though, there was business to take care of. He needed to protect the colonists as they retreated to the starport, which obviously meant stopping the Kirrix from pursuing them up the tunnel. He wasn't worried about the fleeing Terrans being attacked, as the Kirrix would never deliberately kill potential hosts for their eggs. However, the more... noise... he made here, while threatening the nest, the more he'd draw reinforcements to his position rather than towards Jade or the escaping colonists.

The Kirrix began to pour out of the tunnels, scores quickly turning to hundreds as they followed the rallying call of... whatever insidious creature lurked in the nest. The ochre-carapaced soldiers fanned out into firing positions, shooting sprays of neutron bolts at John that quickly became a storm, the shots plinking off his shield or flying around him to blast chunks from the wall behind. All the while, more Kirrix forces rushed out to stop the interloper from penetrating any further into their subterranean domain.

John took a deep breath, closing his eyes to ready himself for the battle to come. He savoured the streams of psychic energy pouring into him from his matriarchs, feeling that eldritch power coursing through his veins and lighting up his neurons like a supernova. A warning chime on John's HUD alerted him that his shields had been knocked out, so he made a casual gesture with his hand, surrounding himself with a glowing sphere of blue hexagons.

To the Kirrix, John seemed to explode into action, hurtling across the room in a blur, his charge preceded by a sweeping arc of telekinetic force that obliterated every drone in its path. A handful of juggernauts managed to dig in, stabbing down with their bladed arms to anchor themselves in place against the blastwave, the black-plated monsters crying out as legs were torn from their bodies. One after the other, the juggernauts were then cut to pieces, hacked in half or smashed to the ground by blows of staggering power.

From John's perspective, he loped into battle, moving with calm and measured movements against a foe reacting in slow motion. He knew that the Kirrix had no chance of stopping him; it was like a swarm of garden ants trying to stop a mischievous child from demolishing their hive. However, that wasn't to say that the Kirrix didn't deserve to be slaughtered without mercy. After witnessing the tragic fate suffered by the Mhoirad, John was more than happy to wreak terrible vengeance on their remorseless killers. It wouldn't bring those innocent creatures back, but making the Kirrix atone for their unspeakable crimes appealed to his personal sense of karmic justice.

John strode up to a juggernaut and cut it down with an effortless one-handed strike, splitting the behemoth from head to abdomen in a gratuitous explosion of gore. He glanced at the mangled corpse as it lay twitching on the ground and had something of an epiphany. It actually felt... beneath him... to be personally slaughtering worthless beasts like this. He was starting to see why the other Progenitor stayed aloof from battle... there was no challenge in this massacre.

He thought about these strange feelings as he butchered his way across the vast hall. Had he really changed so much? It was only six months ago that he was desperately fighting for his life against Kirrix troopers inside a marauding hive ship. The alien invaders had seemed so terrifying to him and Alyssa at the time, but he now viewed them as pitiful and beneath his contempt.

John couldn't help wondering if he was losing any normal sense of perspective as he grew in power. To most species in the galaxy, the Kirrix represented a horrifying threat to their very existence, yet here he was, calmly slaughtering them as he assaulted their stronghold. Even more disconcerting was the fact that he was doing so alone... and the thought of asking one of the girls to accompany him had never even crossed his mind.

*Have you noticed me changing?* he quietly asked Alyssa, as he unleashed a force wave from his sword that annihilated scores of Kirrix troopers in a storm of dismembered limbs. *In the way I've been treating you and the girls, I mean...*

*You've been just as protective and loving as usual,* she replied, her voice soothing. *I'll say something the moment that ever changes.*

*I suspect this shift in perspective is linked to your growing strength,* Edraele said softly. *Which makes me wonder if this might be connected to your guide in some way.*

John decapitated a juggernaut with a sweeping backhand as he mulled that disturbing thought over. *You think he's influencing me somehow?* he asked with concern.

*I haven't felt anything like that!* Alyssa interjected, sounding alarmed.

*I didn't mean to imply that your guide was usurping control,* Edraele said, correcting herself. *Perhaps your change in outlook might simply reflect you having reached a certain level of... proficiency... with your Progenitor abilities?*

*So you're saying that I'm ready for the training wheels to come off?* John asked, bringing his sword around in a precise cross-slash, the runes flaring as a force arc blasted outwards.

*Do you feel like it's time to confront your guide?* the Maliri prompted him.

He paused and watched the glowing telekinetic projection carve a bloody green furrow through multiple ranks of Kirrix soldiers. *I do... in a way I haven't felt before.*

Alyssa hesitated for a moment. *Are you still going to wait until after we've visited Arcadia?*

John charged a Juggernaut and cleaved it in half with a whistling uppercut, the massive blow sending its broken body cartwheeling through the air. *I need to know what happened to my parents first. That question's been hanging over me for my entire life.*

*I understand,* Alyssa said with sympathy. *It won't be long now, just a few more days...*

He felt a thrill of anticipation at that thought, wondering what answers might be found on Arcadia. Jessica Blake's journey to that world had been an enigma for four decades and John could hardly believe that he was on the cusp of uncovering that mystery. When he first started searching for his mother twenty years ago, he never could have imagined the circumstances that would finally bring him deep into Kirrix Space.

Having not heard from his third matriarch for a while, John asked, *Jade, how are you doing?*

*Just fine, Master!* she replied cheerfully.

Despite the Nymph's best efforts, there was no mistaking the weariness pervading her telepathic voice. John concentrated on the image of her in his mind and saw that she'd been severely weakened, having suffered a number of vicious wounds.

*Why didn't you ask for help?!* he protested with a disapproving frown, pouring energy across their active connection.

The Nymph gasped as he rejuvenated her body, mending her damaged flesh in a burst of psychic healing. *I didn't want to disturb you,* Jade admitted, letting out a shuddering sigh. *You were thinking important thoughts and I wasn't in mortal danger.*

*Naughty girl,* John admonished her. *You know the last thing I want is you getting badly hurt.*

*I'm sorry, Master,* she said, sounding contrite. *But I have rescued all the children.*

John took a firm two-handed grip on his sword and disembowelled a staggering juggernaut with a brutal spinning chop. *That's fantastic news, honey. Well done!* he exclaimed, delighted to hear they were safe. *Are you evacuating now?*

*Yes, we're on our way out,* the Nymph replied. *Will you be joining us at the starport?*

*Soon... I've got some business to take care of first.*

Seeing no other signs of movement, John paused on the far side of the vast room, green ichor pouring off his soaked blade. He turned to look back across the enormous chamber and froze when he saw the scenes of utter carnage he'd left in his path. Thousands of Kirrix corpses lay in broken heaps, carpeting the floor with piles of mangled limbs and gutted bodies. Amongst that macabre vista, dozens of brutally shattered juggernauts loomed over their smaller brethren like gruesome onyx islands amidst a foul sea of sticky green blood.

John felt a shiver run down his spine as he glanced down at the gore dripping off his sword. He'd been lost in thought for most of the battle, yet he'd orchestrated a bloodbath that made the carnage on Khalgron seem like an unpleasant skirmish. With a troubled frown, he turned to the set of huge double doors that were centred in the far wall and did a startled double-take, gaping at them in astonishment. With the way they'd dwarfed the Kirrix troopers beside them, he could've sworn the doors were at least twenty-feet-tall... but the doorframe was now at head height!

Backing away slowly, his eyes widened in shock as he looked down at the tiny corpses carpeting the floor beneath his armoured boots. Now John finally understood why the Kirrix troopers had seemed so small and insignificant... he towered over them all... including the monstrous juggernauts.

Jade giggled with delight. *It took you long enough to notice, Master!*

*How long have I been like this?* he marvelled, gaping at the huge blood-soaked sword he clenched in his gauntlet. The glowing weapon must have been at least fifteen feet long.

*Since planetfall!* the Nymph replied, sounding elated. *You were magnificent!*

John groaned and glanced back at the tunnel behind him. *No wonder the colonists looked so freaked out!*

*You had no idea you'd grown like that?* Edraele asked softly.

He stared away into the distance as he remembered the feeling of serenity as he dropped to the starport. *No, not a clue...*

*This new ability raises an important question...* Alyssa said, her voice uncharacteristically sombre.

John blinked out of his daze, his expression grim. *What's that, honey?*

*Did everything grow three times as big?*

He couldn't help laughing. *You're incorrigible!*

*Well?*

Shaking his head with amusement, he replied, *Yes, of course.*

*I'm sure the girls will be fascinated to hear that little titbit...* Alyssa teased him.

*Little?* Edraele asked, feigning confusion. *At three times the size, he must be equipped with a weapon that would make a Largath feel inadequate...*

The three matriarchs dissolved into laughter, their raucous giggles echoing through his mind.

*I'm glad you find this so hilarious,* John said, smiling at their playful banter. He glanced down at his body with a look of concern. *Because I have no idea how I made myself grow like this, or how to go back to normal...*

Alyssa was quiet for a moment as she considered it. *Try taking a look at the compartments in your mind.*

He did as she suggested, realising how long it was since he'd last checked the metaphysical representation of his psychic capacity. To his astonishment, the number of mental compartments had increased exponentially. Passively running his enhanced strength had previously taken up a significant proportion of his mental prowess, but now it occupied less than a tenth. Keeping psychic speed in continuous effect took up nearly a fifth, as had enlarging his physical form, still leaving him with a huge potential for maintaining passive and active abilities. With a glance at his sword, blue fire curled up the blade, flickering with a dreadful hunger. Summoning those raging fiery elements still only took a fifth of his total capacity.

*You've been tempered in battle and grown strong, Master,* Jade said in a hushed whisper.

John stared at the eldritch flames in fascination, watching them writhe and dance along the length of the sword. The Kirrix blood had burned away and the gleaming weapon sparkled like a diamond as it reflected the ethereal light. Was he like the sword? Forged for combat, they'd changed after each fight, growing more powerful until they were both brimming with psychic potential. John studied the pristine Crystal Alyssium that formed the blade and a troubled frown marred his thoughtful expression. Unlike the flawless white sword, there was still a streak of darkness running through his soul...

He turned and strode towards the doors, gesturing with his left hand and sundering the glyphed portal with a telekinetic battering ram. The doors sheared off their hinges and crashed to the floor, the deafening boom echoing down the tunnel beyond. This part of the fortress was ancient, dating back thousands of years to the final days of the Mhoirad, when the Kirrix had extinguished every last member of that tragic species. The resin walls had warped with age, strange swirling patterns appearing in the ochre surface as the centuries had rolled by.

John walked down the gloomy tunnel, feeling the weight of ages that pervaded this place. This nest was a place of evil, where a benign civilisation had been systematically slaughtered to the point of extinction. He'd experienced fragments of the terror that the Mhoirad had felt as they'd been dragged down here and was tremendously grateful that Alyssa wasn't present to see the echoes of their misery.

There were no branches from this passageway, which continued downwards until it ended in another set of doors. These were covered in disturbing murals, the indecipherable nature of the strange pictographs eerily unsettling. He approached the huge portal and raised a hand to blast the doors off their hinges, but hesitated at the last moment. The air was fraught with tension and he sensed a substantial Kirrix presence in the room beyond.

*John... are you sure?* Alyssa asked quietly, hearing his pensive thoughts. *We'll be there later this evening... you don't need to do this alone.*

He gathered his will and modified his vision, the reinforced doorway turning insubstantial a moment later. John saw a fleeting flash of yellow-tinged hexagons then a glimpse of Kirrix guardians lurking within, but the dazzling auras of light from deeper inside the chamber obscured his ability to see more.

*Whatever's controlling the Kirrix on this world is in there,* he replied. *If I leave now, it could escape... and the Mhoirad deserve to see the Kirrix scoured from their homeworld.*

Alyssa didn't respond for a long moment and was obviously struggling with his decision. *Please be careful,* she requested, sounding scared.

John approached the sealed portal and could see the glimmer of a psychic shield interwoven with the doors. He studied the Kirrix barrier and wondered if there was a way to gauge the power of defences like this, but if there was one, he didn't know it. Channelling psychic energy into his sword, he watched the runes throb with power, their flaring radiance growing brighter by the second. When it was almost painful to look at them, he stepped towards the doors, bringing the sword up in a curving strike that unleashed a colossal telekinetic arc at its apex.

Wind howled around him as the yellow hex shield shattered, the doors bowing inwards as they were ripped from the walls and sent spinning away. Several red-armoured guardians were crushed by the aftermath of John breaching the barrier, doors flattening the unsuspecting warriors beyond. The blastwave annihilated more of them as it thundered across the ominous column-lined chamber before impacting the wall opposite and shearing off large chunks of brittle resin.

Although the dark catacomb of chambers was dimly lit, John could make out scores of guardians lurking in wait, with larger creatures skulking deeper in the shadows. The Kirrix were momentarily stunned by the doors being blown inwards, but they reacted quickly, charging towards him on all-fours as they dodged around the pillars. Their scythe-like upper limbs retracted, ready to impale this invader who dared to attack their inner sanctum.

John could see the eerie yellow crackle of eldritch energy surrounding those limbs and knew he must be facing a Hive Queen and her defenders. Driving the tip of his sword into the ground, he abandoned the melee weapon and reached for his Tachyon Rifle, bringing it up to his shoulder. The guardians were fast, but he was faster, psychically enhanced speed making them seem like they were wading through molasses. Flicking the rifle to burst fire mode, he followed the targeting reticle in his HUD and squeezed the trigger. His weapon barked as he fired a three-round burst, the hyper-accelerated bullets leaving golden trails as they blasted out of the muzzle.

Just as he expected, the first guardian was psychically shielded, but the runic penetrators hit the yellow-tinged hexagons and shattered them into a thousand pieces. With the shield down, the next two rounds hit the Kirrix square in the thorax, punching huge holes through its torso and vaporising its nerve ganglia. The guardian lost all coordination over its lower body and pitched over face first, legs jerking out of control as it collapsed on the floor.

"Bravo Dana..." John muttered under his breath, swinging the barrel around to aim at the next charging guardian.

Firing again and again, he mowed down the Kirrix defenders, not trying for any finesse with his shooting but simply aiming for centre mass. Each 30mm round had been imbued with such force that even a glancing hit blasted huge chunks from their crimson carapaces, the strike amplified further by Dana's destruction runes. The shock of those non-fatal injuries knocked the guardians down, leaving many writhing on the ground with half their chest pulverised by concussive force. John didn't have time to follow up with any kill shots though, not with dozens of the frenzied defenders still charging towards him.

A glance at his HUD showed his ammo counter flashing red and he fired a final burst at a Kirrix warrior, catching it in the abdomen as it leapt over piles of the fallen. The first round sundered its shield, then the following two hit it in the waist, disembowelling the creature and reducing it to two lumps of mangled flesh, blood spurting wildly in all directions. He tapped the button to eject the smoking magazine and slapped in another, backing away as more of the guardians closed on his position. Flicking to full auto, John held his finger down on the trigger, unleashing a deadly hail on the enemy as they closed ranks to rush through the doorway. Bullets pierced through the lead guardians and struck the shields protecting the ones behind, leaving them exposed to more of the streaking golden rounds.

Another warning light flashed, this time alerting John to the climbing barrel temperature. Despite sophisticated flux-heat exchangers cooling the weapon at an incredible rate, he was now on his third magazine, having fired off over a hundred rounds in only ten seconds. Flicking back to single shots, he crouched and took careful aim, double-tapping each guardian as it sprang towards him. One of them bounded across the blood-soaked floor, blade limbs quivering with anticipation of a kill. His first shot shattered its hex-shield and the second hit mid-forehead, its armoured chitinous skull exploded in a grotesque green and red eruption of gore. The guardian's decapitated body pitched over to flop lifelessly to the ground, its nervous system not quite realising that it was dead.

John kept firing at fresh targets until the trigger locked and warning messages blazed across his HUD, the in-built safety measures activating to prevent him melting the barrel. He raised a hand and hit the remaining guardians with a telekinetic wall that tossed them back into the room. Striding forward, John yanked his sword from the ground and plunged it into a wounded Kirrix, skewering one of its hate-filled compound eyes. Blue fire surged down the weapon, incinerating the twitching corpse as he tugged the weapon free.

The guardians John sent sprawling had been hurled thirty feet across the chamber, but they vaulted to their feet and started racing back towards him. He raised his sword and swept it around in a broad semi-circle, the blue flames surrounding the blade peeling off to form a blazing wall of fire. There was a throaty roar as the eldritch conflagration consumed the Kirrix corpses strewn across the ground, quickly followed by shrill screams that pierced the air as hungry flames enveloped the wounded.

Brought up short by the supernatural inferno, the remaining guardians hesitated, their every instinct screaming at them to back away. However, those natural reactions were no match for the telepathic compulsion from a higher-tier Kirrix, so they crouched down and leapt through the terrifying blaze. John's movements flowed with grace and precision as he whirled around, meeting their reckless charge with looping slashes of his elongated blade. One by one they were cut down, their bodies cleaved out of the air to land amidst the ravenous flames.

John rolled his wrist, making a swiping motion with his sword and the curtain of fire parted, letting him stride over blackened Kirrix corpses that crunched underfoot. The blaze behind him cast strange and unsettling shadows across an already sinister chamber, making the hair on the back of his neck stand up. He could see movement far back in the maze of resin pillars; whatever creature had made this place its lair was now beating a retreat from his unstoppable assault.

He slung his cooling Tachyon rifle over a shoulder and made his way deeper inside, following the curve of the oppressive room around to the left. The strange ochre-hued colonnade parted a little way in, revealing a large clearing in the chamber. Restraints circled the open area, making the purpose of this horrible place quite obvious. Central to this area was a raised dais surrounded by strange alien technology, a myriad of nightmarish devices making it look like a mad scientist's lair. By the large space in the middle, it was obvious that something had been waiting for the colonists... the mysterious creature connected to the machines in some manner.

*There's a lot of unusual tech down here,* he informed Alyssa, eyeing the equipment. *It looks... weirdly familiar.*

There was a brief pause before she asked, *Does it look anything like the machinery we saw around Nkkrrit?*

He nodded, his eyebrows climbing. *Yeah, you're right!*

*Dana thinks it might be some kind of life support system. The Kirrix might have even traded the tech with the Vulkat...*

*Which would make this thing old,* John muttered, his jaw clenching. *Maybe it's been around for thousands of years? Since the Mhoirad?*

*Nkkrrit is over nine-thousand years old... so that's definitely a possibility. I'll reach out to her later and find out what she knows...*

*You can do that?* John asked in surprise, turning away from the clearing and heading in the direction of the activity he'd spotted earlier.

*She's a powerful telepath... it'll be like reaching out to the Ashanath's sub-plane,* Alyssa replied, sounding confident. *As long as Nkkrrit wants to talk to me, we should be able to make contact.*

Dust coated the floor in a thick layer, with segmented footprints marking the passage of the guardians through the chamber. Sticking out amongst the claw marks were a uniform set of prints that could only have come from a tracked vehicle of some kind. John followed the path, moving at a rapid pace to catch up to the ancient ruler of this cursed place. He saw movement again, with something big scuttling between the pillars ahead of him.

As he rounded a resin bulwark, he caught sight of a blazing yellow light that banished the shadows and starkly illuminated a hulking hive queen. It was fortunate that John had already activated a hex shield, because only a split-second after spotting the incandescent glare, a pulsating beam blasted out to strike his psychic barrier. He staggered back several steps, then drove his sword into the ground to anchor himself.

His shield wavered under the onslaught and John flinched as his barrier was struck by a second beam... then a third.

*More power!* he snarled in desperation through gritted teeth, doing everything he could to maintain his shield as it was assaulted from three directions.

The glowing hexagons buckled and collapsed, only to be fortified with gleaming replacements an instant later as three streams of psychic energy coursed through him.

*Three Hive Queens?!* Alyssa cried out in alarm. *John, get the hell out of there!*

He abandoned his blade and whirled to the side, diving behind a pillar as the three beams scorched the air where he'd been standing. The Hive Queens swung the beams around, the resin column exploding in a shower of debris... but John was already moving, darting nimbly from pillar to pillar. He grabbed his rifle and sprinted around to the left, columns detonating behind him as the Kirrix behemoths tried to track him.

Flanking the hive queen on the left, John smiled with satisfaction as the other two had to cease firing to avoid atomising her. He leapt from cover with his rifle trained on the location he knew the creature would be. Her compound eyes flicked around to lock with his, the pulsating yellow beam swinging about to blast him again. However, John was faster, squeezing the trigger and hitting the bladed monstrosity with burst after burst. Dana's rune-inscribed rounds slammed into the psychic shield, rupturing it in several locations before it collapsed under the strain... and the next volley of hyper-accelerated rounds struck her shiny carapace.

John had aimed at her torso, wanting to put her out of commission as quickly as possible. Bullets capable of punching through starship plating were more than a match for the hive queen's armour, each slug coring huge tunnels through her body and spraying liquefied entrails out her back. Toppling over, the hive queen convulsed violently on the floor, blood pouring from the gruesome wounds left after the loss of several vital organs.

There was no time for John to savour the kill, as the other two lashed out at him again, putrid yellow beams carving through more pillars. He rolled to the side just as an ominous groaning sound filled the chamber. Darting a worried glance at the ceiling, he sprinted back to the right, ejecting the spent magazine and grabbing his last to slam it home in the Tachyon rifle. The Kirrix beams blazed along behind him, blasting through the remaining pillars on this side of the room, and the groaning quickly turned into a booming roar. The ceiling began to collapse, huge lumps of rock crashing through the resin roof in a shower of stones and debris.

John had to hurl himself across the floor to avoid an enormous slab dropping from above, his psychic speed the only thing that save him from being flattened. Unfortunately, he dropped the magazine in the dive and when he glanced back, he saw it had been buried under thousands of tons of rubble. The hive queens took advantage of him being knocked prone and zeroed in on him with their beams, both lashing out at his shield. He was sent flying backwards, skidding across the ground as they pummelled the hexagon barrier.

Raising his rifle again, John flipped the weapon selector switch and aimed at the roof above the closest hive queen. Holding down the trigger, he poured pulsed tachyon beams into the ceiling, carving deep furrows through the rock and liquefying everything in its path. Strafing his fire from side to side, it only took a few seconds for an avalanche of super-heated debris to come crashing down on the hive queen's shield, making her look up in terror. She tried to maintain her shield under that relentless rockslide, but her barrier wavered and collapsed, leaving her to be smashed to the ground under a colossal weight of red-hot boulders.

One eldritch beam winked out as the hive queen was pulverised, but the last Kirrix maintained her pulsating column of energy, finally buckling John's shield. The blast struck his Tachyon rifle and slashed to the side, raking over his right arm. John cried out with the pain as the yellow beam melted through his Paragon suit and boiled his flesh down to the bone. Lurching to his left, he managed to hurl himself clear, fighting the veil of darkness that threatened him with unconsciousness.

*John!* Alyssa screamed in fright.

*I'm coming, Master!* Jade called out, teetering on the edge of panic.

Edraele's voice wavered, gripped with terror, *Heal yourself! I'm giving you as much energy as I can!*

*Not yet!* John blurted out as he scrabbled across the floor, his eyes widening as the hive queen slashed the beam towards him.

Deactivating his psychic enlargement by emptying the compartments in his mind, John rolled underneath the beam, catching the hive queen by surprise as he rapidly shrank back to normal. He staggered to his feet, then stumbled over to the rockfall that had crushed the second Kirrix psychic. The area was shrouded in choking clouds of dust, with stones still bouncing down from the cavernous rift in the ceiling. He saw a glimpse of the hive queen on the opposite side of the cave-in, warily keeping her distance as she tried to get a clear shot at him. Crouching lower, he grimaced with the pain as he circled the opposite way, making sure he was out of her line of sight.

*Okay, now!* he called out, clutching his mangled arm.

The connection to his matriarchs was thrown wide open and he gasped with relief as he drank deep, regenerating flesh and bone to rebuild his scorched limb. Panting with the exertion, he shook off the daze, then looked around for the remaining hive queen. Her black carapace skittered into view, unblinking compound eyes glaring at him with unvarnished hatred.

Sprinting to the left, he held out his hand and summoned his sword to him, the blade trembling in the ground before tugging itself free. He caught it by the hilt, wrapping his gauntleted fist around the grip, then accelerated around the piles of rock between him and his quarry. The hive queen whirled around, chitinous arms controlling a roiling ball of yellow psychic energy. John slashed with his sword, hitting her with a booming telekinetic wave that sent her skidding backwards.

The hive queen braced herself, managing to keep her balance while maintaining control over her eldritch orb. Stabilised again, she looked around for John in her eagerness to blast him, but he was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly he crashed into her flank, having continued to circle around while she was distracted, and began raining blows down on her psychic shield. She hissed, staggering back under the onslaught, trying to replace the hexagons protecting her as he repeatedly shattered them.

One of his blows got through, his fiery blade hacking into the right side of her body, shearing off her arm and scythe-like claw from her thorax. The ball of psychic energy she'd been controlling convulsed and evaporated as she shrieked in agony, wicked blue flames scorching her hideous wounds.

He glanced at his arm and smiled. "I owed you that one."

She hissed at him, stumbling around and stabbing out with her remaining bladed limb. John parried the blow, his sword making a grating noise as it slid along the serrated edge of her claw. Shifting his grip, he lunged forward, catching her off guard. He drove his flame-shrouded sword into her chest and rammed it right through, the gleaming tip of the blade bursting out of her back.

"That was for all the people you've murdered," he whispered, staring into the hive queen's eyes and watching the light go out as she was immolated from the inside.

Putting his boot on her segmented thorax, he pulled out his sword and shoved her burning body aside, greasy smoke rising up from her charred corpse. He turned and walked over to retrieve his rifle, frowning as he saw the gun-frame had been badly warped by the hive queen's attack. Slinging it over his shoulder, he turned to follow the strange tracks in the dust.

*Let it go,* Alyssa urged him. *You're tired after being healed... it's not worth it!*

Her reminder of his fatigue made John yawn, but he did his best to stifle it. *Three hive queens were willing to sacrifice themselves to let whatever it is escape... I'm not letting it get away.*

***

Tashana watched the battle raging between the Kirrix fleet, blistering Neutron Beam salvos slashing back and forth between the massive capital ships. Each side was focusing their fire on one carrier at a time, trying to knock the vessel out to drastically cut down on the firepower available to their enemies. So far nine carriers had been reduced to lacerated hulks, four belonging to the loyal Kirrix side, the other five once part of Irillith's capital ship group.

Unlike the previous internecine Kirrix battles that they'd witnessed, the hive ships were actively involved in this fight, joining forces with the loyalists to take out the rebel carriers. Thousands of drone fighters whirled around the brutal gunfight, spraying unceasing hails of neutron bolts at Irillith's besieged forces.

"Your side is getting hammered," Tashana said, frowning as she studied the confusing combat. "I think..."

"Let's see if we can tip the odds in our favour," Irillith muttered, closing her glowing eyes as her brow furrowed in concentration.

Tashana looked at her sister with concern. "You're pushing yourself hard already, Rill. Don't overdo it!"

The strain was evident on Irillith's beautiful features as she exerted herself further. "Twelve is definitely my limit," she said with a groan and pulled off her helmet so she could massage her temple.

With a final check that her twin was alright, Tashana turned back to the Tactical Map. Airlocks had opened up along the flanks of five more of the loyalist drone carriers, Kirrix crew writhing as they were blasted out into space. Those ships ceased fire, then began to turn, bringing their guns to bear on what was left of the loyalist side. Now that Irillith's side had been reinforced up to twelve again, leaving only one solitary Kirrix capital ship to face their wrath.

Tashana couldn't help laughing with admiration as the dozen vessels skewered the remaining Kirrix controlled drone carrier from all directions. One of the beams in that lethal crossfire slashed through the power core and the ship exploded, the blastwave hurling out debris in a deadly sphere that annihilated hundreds of drone craft racing between the opposing forces. With the drone carrier threat dealt with, Irillith's hijacked force turned its formidable gun batteries on the scores of hive ships.

"Could you do this to any enemies we fight?" Tashana asked, watching the carnage in awe.

Irillith eased back in her chair and gave her sister a weary smile. "No, not on this scale. The hard part with Kirrix ships is convincing them you're their new hive queen. After that, they can fight on their own with minimal guidance. If they were Kintark, or Brimorian ships, then I could only directly control four, maybe five at maximum?"

Tashana turned to look her sister in the eyes. "What about Thrall ships?"

"I'd like to know the answer to that myself," Irillith quietly replied, steepling her fingers as she watched her drone carriers lashing out at the hive ships.

***

A flash of green raced across the room and a jade cheetah skidded to a halt beside John. *Wait for me!* she protested, shifting into her Nymph shape and throwing herself into his arms.

John could feel her trembling as he held her and he gently stroked her back. "I'm alright, honey."

"I was so scared!" Jade exclaimed, looking up at him with frightened emerald eyes. "Why are you taking all these risks, Master?!"

He hesitated, realising how reckless he'd been fighting the formidable trio of hive queens. "I saw it all. A whole species driven to extinction... and I liked them, Jade," he finally murmured, staring into the distance. "The Mhoirad were kind and gentle people, but it made no difference to the Kirrix. I witnessed a thousand years of hopelessness and despair as they were slaughtered without mercy. They never deserved to be exterminated like that... they'd done nothing wrong."

Jade was silent as she stared up at him, her beautiful green face deeply troubled. "I saw the machine the Kirrix use to turn children into food for their grubs... A species that would murder innocents in such a horrible way doesn't deserve a place in the galaxy."

John nodded, his expression bleak. "The more I find out about the Kirrix, the more I think I should have trusted my instincts..." He let out a heavy sigh and glanced towards the shadowy recesses at the end of the chamber. "Come on, let's finish this."

Stepping away from him, the Nymph shimmered as she grew in size, falling to all fours as a jade tiger. She padded along beside him as they followed the tracks, winding their way between the colonnade of resin pillars. The room ended in another tunnel, which branched several times, making them pause at the intersection. It only took a moment to find the tracks again, so after sharing a quick glance they proceeded onward.

The passageway opened up into a gloomy chamber filled with endless rows of chitin cages. The numbers were staggering, capable of imprisoning many thousands of creatures. Although the room was deserted now, John could imagine how horrifying this place must have been during the final days of the Mhoirad. Every occupant of those cages suffered through two weeks of torment, as they watched the last of their friends and relatives torn apart by Kirrix grubs, before meeting that terrible fate themselves.

Jade's big feline head swung in his direction, a sorrowful look in her emerald eyes. *This place reeks of death. I've never felt anything like it...*

Clenching his jaw, he nodded his agreement. *Millions died here...*

They continued after the trail, moving quickly now to close the distance. John had been listening for even the slightest sound and it didn't take long for him to hear rhythmic clicking, like metallic caterpillar tracks running over asphalt. Picking up the pace, they jogged down the long avenue between the rows of cages, passing mysterious pieces of Kirrix machinery as they proceeded deeper into the room.

*Up ahead... to the right,* Jade warned him, her sharp eyes spotting moving figures in the distance through the cage bars.

John held up his hand and glanced at her tiger form. *You better go dragon.*

The Nymph glanced at the cages flanking the walkway. *I'm a bit big for this space. They'll know I'm coming the moment I shift.*

*That's okay, they must realise we're after them,* John replied, turning so he could look back at her as he continued along the passage. *Feel free to make as much noise as you like.*

She nodded eagerly, then closed her eyes, her muscular feline body growing much larger as dark-green fur was replaced by a coat of shimmering dragon scales. Reaching full size, Jade spread her wings, smashing aside hundreds of cages. She tilted back her head and let loose a terrifying roar, sending shivers down John's spine even when he knew she was friendly. He activated his psychic speed and sprinted down the hallway, listening to more crashing behind him as Jade battered aside everything in her path. Up ahead he spotted frantic movement, a group of Kirrix creatures heading to the right and running perpendicular to the long rows of cages.

*Don't cut across yet, John...* Jade warned him, as an ominous crackling sound reverberated through the room.

Off to his right, an incandescent blast of lightning made him squint against the dazzling glare, the tumultuous arcs of power blasting everything in their path. He heard the high-pitched shrieks of Kirrix on the receiving end of that shocking elemental eruption and when he finally reached the junction to follow the insectoids, he paused to stare at the scenes of carnage. There must have been a phalanx of guardians here, as he could see charred and shattered crimson corpses strewn in all directions, still twitching as electricity surged through their overloaded nervous systems.

Steam poured off several juggernauts, who had barely survived the attack and were tending to an enormous Kirrix abomination that straddled a mechanised cart. The vehicle itself had ground to a halt, marooning what must have been the master of this forsaken place. The creature reminded John of a hive queen, but it was significantly larger, with a mottled grey carapace protecting its segmented body. From this angle he couldn't see the head, but he could see the distinctive bulging abdomen and ovipositor owned by most of the higher-tier Kirrix.

Jade crashed through the room, barrelling her way past cages and smashing them aside. The juggernauts looked up, then turned to face her, drawing back their bladed claws as they prepared to fight. Before they could spring to the attack, John was on them, charging into their flank and catching them by surprise. His initial overhead blow slashed down through the rear of the closest black-clad behemoth, slicing its abdomen in half and severing both rear legs. It bucked wildly, shrieking all the while as it crashed over on its back... but John was already sweeping past it.

He leapt over the back of the second juggernaut, using the anti-grav units in his Paragon suit to boost his jump. With a whirling backhand, he lopped off its head, then landed and was off running once more. The other two barely had time to react to the white blur flashing past them when he turned back to strike again. Forgoing any subtlety this time, John charged into the closest, dropping into a sliding skid between its splayed chitinous legs.

He drove the point of his sword into its exposed underbelly, then poured azure fire into the shrieking beast, flames blasting out of its mouth as he incinerated its innards. Rising from his crouch, he held the burning creature aloft and hurled it at the remaining juggernaut, which actually looked shocked as it was smashed over the head by the immolated corpse. It didn't even have time to struggle to its feet as John strode over to it and plunged his blade up to the hilt in its armoured skull.

*Nice distraction, honey,* John said, tugging the flaming blade free and giving Jade an appreciative smile.

Her huge draconic face loomed over him, admiration in those cat-like eyes. *Nice execution, Master.*

John turned to look at the enormous Kirrix abomination straddling the broken conveyance. The vehicle was covered in what was obviously life support equipment, as every breath the creature took came out as a rattling wheeze, pistons rising and falling to aid its respiration. Up close he could see how old it was, the brittle carapace covering its body having greyed with age and marked with the same kind of swirling patterns he'd seen on the ancient resin walls.

"So... what have we got here?" he muttered, walking around to the front of the wizened creature.

"IT LOOKS LIKE A HIVE QUEEN... BUT TRULY ANCIENT..." Jade rumbled, staring at its sunken face, a milky-white film covering both its compound eyes.

"Where's an angry telepath when you need her?" John said, darting a smile at the Nymph.

*Praying you don't get yourself killed...* Alyssa replied with an exasperated sigh.

Jade didn't respond. Her head was tilted to one side as if listening to something only she could hear.

He looked at her with concern. "Jade?"

"I CAN HEAR HER VOICE... SHE'S WEAK... IT'S VERY FAINT..."

John stared at the senescent Kirrix hive queen. "What's she saying?"

The Nymph shimmered and rapidly shrank in size, returning to her normal humanoid appearance. "She despises you, John. She says you're a monster... that you butchered her children without mercy..."

He snorted indignantly. "You've got to be kidding me..." Looking at the ancient insectoid, he shook his head in disbelief. "How have you got the balls to take the moral high ground after what you did to the Mhoirad? You wiped out their entire species!"

Those ghostly eyes swivelled down to lock on John, dispelling his previous assumption that she was blind.

"Murderer... just like the rest of your despicable kind..." Jade murmured, quietly repeating the hive queen's hate-filled words.

He looked at her sharply. "You know me? Progenitors I mean?"

The hive queen twitched in the cradle-like carriage that supported her haggard body and chittered with agitation, her cracked mandibles grating against each other.

Jade grimaced and placed a hand on John's arm. "I don't think she's feeling particularly cooperative. She started hurling insults at you... and hasn't stopped."

Narrowing his eyes, John drove the point of his sword into the ground, then knelt as he clenched his fist around the grip.

*John?* Alyssa asked, startled by his thoughts. *What're you doing?*

*Getting some answers,* he muttered, closing his eyes as the runes on the blade flared with light.

John concentrated on drawing away his spirit form from his body, so that he could bring his consciousness into the Astral Plane. Bracing himself for the inevitable battle with his rogue guide, he was startled when he felt no resistance at all, smoothly stepping clear of his physical form. He stopped and looked around, his attention first drawn to Jade, who gleamed like a brilliant emerald beacon. He studied her in fascination, then turned to focus on the hulking hive queen, who was shrouded in a nimbus of sickly-yellow light.

The Kirrix loomed over him, hideously ugly with her bulbous segmented body. She might have once looked like the terrifying younger hive queens many years ago, but the forces of entropy had taken their toll, her form bloated and cracked with age. He could almost feel the waves of hatred pouring off her body, such was the level of loathing she felt towards him. Approaching the grotesque creature, John reached out to place his hand on her chitin head.

Alyssa had described the process of reading another's mind often enough and now that he had entered the astral unopposed, he was curious to see if he was capable of doing something similar. The hive queen resisted his initial tentative push at her mind, using her many centuries of psychic experience to bar his entry. John closed his eyes and concentrated, focusing his will into a sharp instrument that would allow him to pierce the barriers defending her subconscious. Driving it into the hive queen's head, he felt her shock and fear as he shattered her mental defences with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer, allowing him to delve inside.

John felt a strange dizzying sensation as he tried to adjust to this very alien mind. He faced a wall of gleaming hexagons, each representing treasured memories, while the rest were scattered about haphazardly. Before he had time to gather his thoughts, he was assailed by a screeching tornado of hatred, the hive queen's shrill voice echoing with her terrible grief for the precious daughters he'd slain. The psychic assault battered him down, waves of furious loathing hitting again and again, as she tried to crush John and eject him from her mind.

John dropped to one knee, hands pressed over his ears to try to block out the anguished screams, the sound crashing into him like a flurry of physical blows. He realised that trying to muffle the hideous cacophony was futile, so he gritted his teeth against the pain, then slammed his clenched fist down into the insubstantial mists that formed the floor to this Kirrix subconscious. The blow sent a shockwave of force in all directions, instantly silencing the screams which tailed off with a strangled whimper.

He felt memories rushing back towards him, the eldritch blast dislodging them from their position and pulling them in. Flickers of remembrances became a flood and the ancient hive queen named Kirzuxa became like an open book to him.

~~~

Kirzuxa had grown quickly, nurtured and protected by her mother, the revered hive queen Naritixa. Groomed for a place in the Hive Mind, Kirzuxa's proudest moment was becoming strong enough to delve into the Grey Realm for the first time, to visit the Palace of Dreams. There she was welcomed by the Kirrix sisterhood... a meeting of triumph and despair in equal measure.

She joined with the Hive Mind and listened to the history of her glorious people, delighting in tales of their existence in the galaxy for so many millennia. To be told that her species was superior to all other forms of life came as no surprise to Kirzuxa, but as she revelled in that knowledge, her sisters shared with her the ancient legends of the Kirrix. Elation turned to devastation, as she was told of the Progenitor beast that had unleashed war upon them and brought her people low. Brutal massacres had pushed the Kirrix back from their rightful worlds, the deaths of billions sending psychic shockwaves through the hive mind.

Not content with his slaughter, the despicable alien had unleashed the horror of the Shroud, dooming the Kirrix to extinction as their symbiotic relationship with the Luphids was irrevocably tainted. Every effort had been made to defeat the Shroud, but its existence confounded the very best scientific minds the Kirrix had to offer. Kirzuxa had been stricken with grief as the Hive Mind explained the dark reality they faced... being forced to prey on other civilisations so that her people might survive.

With no other choice, the Kirrix practiced a form of husbandry on the independent species whose homeworlds still lay within what remained of their territory. Limited numbers were taken, enough to keep the Kirrix species at a healthy population, without overly depleting the source of hosts. Such had been the way for untold millennia, allowing their continuous survival, while all efforts were made to avoid antagonising their malevolent new neighbours. Kirzuxa learned to hate the two-legged mammalian tyrants for their trespass on what should have been Kirrix worlds... but the Maliri were unassailable in their power.

Kirzuxa was allocated her own civilisation to selectively cull, a dull-witted species of quadrupeds that called themselves the Vairun. The pleasure she felt with the insertion of each clutch of eggs was matched by the sense of elation that she was keeping the Kirrix alive, confounding the Progenitor beast's plan to slowly extinguish her people. To have such a wonderful sense of purpose was truly a gift and she glowed with pride when she joined her fellow hive queens in the Palace of Dreams, adding her joyful voice to the Hive Mind. For hundreds of years she served the Kirrix in that fashion, until the years took their toll and she was forced to rely on mechanical assistance to add renewed vigour to her body.

That was when another of the vile Progenitors arrived, laying waste to everything in his path.

This new monster seemed intent on finishing what the first merciless tyrant had failed to accomplish, vaporising every trace of the Kirrix whenever contact was made. Terror gripped the Hive Mind as the Progenitor beast drove them to the point of extinction... with barely a handful of hive worlds still left intact. Then as quickly as the Progenitor arrived, he vanished, the Maliri slinking away from their borders as well.

Plans were made for the resurgence of the Kirrix, with the primary threats to their existence now drastically curtailed. Measured husbandry of independent civilisations was to be abandoned, the need to replenish the billions of drones lost to the Progenitor now overwhelming. Kirzuxa fulfilled her duty, aided by her many sons, the hive lords helping her create vast numbers of glorious Kirrix at the cost of the Vairun. She felt no regret at their extinction... after all, they were a substandard species of no intrinsic worth, other than to be hosts to a superior form of life.

After the Vairun were depleted, she was allocated the Naygari, a fast-breeding reptilian race that provided countless numbers to swell the Kirrix ranks. Many worlds were reclaimed with their expansion going unchallenged, her people reclaiming their rightful place in the galaxy. After the Naygari she was given the Mhoirad, a worthless plantoid species lacking in even a basic sense of self-preservation.

The Hive Mind changed in the aftermath of the second Progenitor's butchery, with less attention paid to Kirrix history as all focus was placed on rapid expansion to secure their future. By the time she and her cohort had depleted the Mhoirad, Kirzuxa's strength had started to fail, making visits to the Grey Realm increasingly hazardous. To her eternal regret, she declined to the point that she was no longer powerful enough to join with the Hive Mind, resigning herself to live out her final days cut off from the sisterhood.

She cultivated a trio of hive queen daughters to continue her great legacy, the Kirrix now setting their sights on the plethora of two-legged species that had sprung up like weeds in what had once been the Progenitor beast's territory. There was a wonderful sense of satisfaction in seeing the Terran vermin being used to maintain her own resplendent species. Kirzuxa delighted in the birth of every batch of grubs, wishing that they were ripping their way out of the first Progenitor himself, rather than just his likeness... repaying him for the unspeakable crime that was the Shroud.

~~~

John staggered backwards, fighting down waves of revulsion as he saw Kirzuxa's horrific past. Not only did she not regret the extinctions she'd presided over, she revelled in them, seeing them as a necessity for the future survival of her own species. He had seen more than enough... and all that was left was to come up with a suitable punishment for such a profoundly evil creature. He willed his mind to leave the ancient hive queen's subconscious, eager to be away from the catalogue of horrors she'd inflicted during her 11,000-year reign of terror.

But nothing happened...

He closed his eyes to focus and tried again, throwing his considerable psychic might into freeing himself. This time he could feel a massive surge of resistance blocking his exit, his guide gloating as it kept him trapped within the Kirrix mind.

***

*John!* Alyssa called out in alarm, sitting bolt upright on the sofa. When there was no response, she reached out to his Nymph companion instead. *Jade! What's happening?! I've lost contact with John!*

*He hasn't moved,* Jade replied, sounding concerned. *I stopped hearing his voice when he started his Spirit Walk, but now I can't feel his emotions either!*

Balling her hands into fists, the blonde rose from her chair and started pacing. *I told him to stop taking so many risks! What the hell was he thinking, going into the Astral alone?!*

There was a moment's hesitation, then Jade asked in a panic, *What can I do to help? I can't think of anything!*

*I don't know... let me think a minute,* Alyssa said, rubbing at her forehead.

*Distance in the Astral is all a matter of perspective,* Edraele said, her voice tense with worry. *Can you reach out to John?*

The blonde froze, her mind whirring. *But if I can't even sense him, how can I find him?*

*Sakura?* Jade suggested. *She could track your psychic connection back to John.*

*Jade, you're a genius!* Alyssa gushed, eagerly nodding her agreement. *Sakura! I need you!*

Responding to the urgency in her matriarch's voice, the Asian girl raced up to the Officers' Lounge, bursting in through the double doors using her psychic speed. She was wearing her sparring armour, having been caught mid-training session with Calara. "What's the matter?"

"I need you to help me track, John!" Alyssa said in a rush. "He's gone missing... I need to follow him in the Astral!"

Sakura pulled off her helmet, her brow creased with an anxious frown. "But I've only been able to track connections when John's loaded me up."

Shaking her head, Alyssa insisted, "You've definitely got the ability... he just boosted it."

"Okay, but what about Spirit Walking?" the Asian girl asked with a look of trepidation. "I've no idea how to do that."

"John managed to bring Jade with him into the Astral when we were on Karron. If he can do it, there must be a way I can too," Alyssa said, renewing her pacing. She paused and glanced at the suit of training armour. "Can you take that off?"

Sakura nodded, pressing the thumb button in her gauntlet to unlock the suit with a series of rippling clicks. She started tugging off armour plating and dropping it on the floor with a clang. Alyssa watched her for a moment, then slipped off her own dress and lay back on the sofa, beckoning the raven-haired girl over to join her.

Jogging over to the sofa, Sakura glanced down at her training gear, then raised an eyebrow. "Still overdressed?"

"Strip!" Alyssa ordered, her flicker of a smile taking the sting out of her command.

When they were both nude, Sakura carefully straddled her matriarch on the sofa, pressing her firm breasts against Alyssa's luscious cleavage. "This feels lovely... but why are we naked?"

"I want to cover all my bases... and one of them is proximity," the blonde explained, wrapping her arms and legs around Sakura's gorgeous golden-brown figure.

Sakura initiated a sultry kiss, her velvety tongue seeking out Alyssa's. *Like that?*

*Perfect,* Alyssa said, eagerly kissing her back. *Now relax... and open yourself up to me... just like when we bonded.*

Nodding her understanding, the Asian girl melted in her matriarch's embrace, trusting her friend implicitly.

*Good girl,* Alyssa purred, closing her eyes. *Here we go...*

She concentrated on slowly peeling her spirit form away from her body, but at the same time, she tried to extend that sensation to include the athletic beauty in her arms. Alyssa felt herself stepping clear and after a momentary tug of resistance, Sakura fell back with her, her form incorporeal now that they were on the Astral Plane.

*It worked!* Alyssa exclaimed, grinning at her companion in delight.

Shaking her head in amazement, Sakura raised a hand to look at her ghostly fingers. *Well I'll be damned...*

*No, you're much too nice for that,* Alyssa said, hugging the Asian girl. *Now, can you see my psychic connection to John?*

Sakura looked around and shook her head. *Not yet.* She looked thoughtful for a moment, then added, *Give me a second to centre myself, then feed me more power. That's probably as close as we can get to emulating John giving me a full tummy.*

Alyssa nodded, watching as Sakura sat cross-legged, her almond-shaped eyes closing as she tried to clear her mind. Her breathing deepened, large breasts rising and falling at a measured pace as she fell into a Zen-like trance. As soon as she reopened her eyes, Alyssa threw their connection wide open and poured a solid stream of psychic energy into her.

Sakura gasped, her eyes gleaming with a glacial chill as her body thrummed with power. She looked up at Alyssa and saw dazzling columns of energy arcing away into the distance. All but two were channelled back into Alyssa's corporeal form, with one surging into Sakura herself. The last remaining one crackled with the sheer volume of power it contained, the connection streaking far off to the horizon.

*Found it!* Sakura exclaimed, her face lighting up with a mixture of joy and relief.

Alyssa made a beckoning gesture and levitated Sakura off the ground and into her arms. *Okay, you show me the way, I'll get us there...*

Sakura turned and pointed, her finger following the incandescent trail. *That way!*

They soared into the air and set off in pursuit, the strange nebulous matter that made up the Astral Plane flashing by in a blur. To Sakura, they seemed to be flying faster and faster, but it was impossible to truly gauge their progress as they crossed the featureless expanse. She caught sight of swirling fogbanks in the distance, but they were gone as quickly as she spotted them.

*Was that what I thought it was?*

Alyssa gave her a curt nod. *Venturing out into the Astral is dangerous... Those things are everywhere and they can track you down if you start throwing around enough psychic power.*

They flew in silence after that, covering vast distances in the blink of an eye. Then, just like that, they were there; Alyssa spotted a bright emerald glow on the horizon, adjacent to a sinister black haze. She raced up to the hulking form of the ancient hive queen, her blue eyes widening at the smoky veil covering that repulsive insectoid. John's body was there too, as was Jade's, the pair staring at the Kirrix monster.

Sakura clad her lithe figure in a Paragon suit, a pair of sparkling white ninjato appearing in her gauntleted fists. Before Alyssa could say a word, the Asian girl charged towards the blackened shroud, an unnerving crack splitting the air as her twin swords were shrouded with hoar frost. Sakura plunged her frozen blades into the darkness, ripping a tortured howl of pain from the guide, made all the more unnerving as it cried out with John's voice.

A shadowy fist materialised out of the shroud and slammed into Sakura, sending her sailing backwards, her breastplate cratered with the impact. Alyssa barely had time to react, summoning a glowing hexagonal shield just in time to prevent shadowy tentacles from piercing her chest. They recoiled from the white barrier, then writhed in the air before lashing out again and again, cracking hexagons with every strike.

Alyssa created a wall of telekinetic blades, the swords and axes slashing through the sinuous hazy tentacles and making the flailing tips fade away. Just as she was sighing with relief, a murky wave surged out of the shroud and crashed over her weapons, making them dissolve before her eyes. An incorporeal spear lashed out an instant later, slamming into her shield and punching through, the tip plunging into her thigh. Screaming with pain, she reinforced her psychic shield, the repaired hexagons shearing the savage spear in half.

As Alyssa wavered unsteadily on her feet, Sakura charged back into the fray, moving with supernatural speed. She whirled around the shadowy mass, wind whistling as she slashed and stabbed with her swords in a furious flurry of blows. Another fist lashed out, but she skidded under it, then vaulted into the air to dodge a second hazy limb that tried to smash her to the ground.

*Alyssa, be careful!* Sakura cautioned her, performing a pirouette as she landed. She swiped out with her ninjato to chop through a forest of tentacles racing to snare her. *John's guide isn't messing around. Those fists hit like a truck!*

Alyssa limped backwards and hurled glowing javelins at their foe. They impacted against a shady hexagon shield and shattered the barrier, but it was replaced again an instant later. *He was nowhere near this strong before!*

*Behind you!* Sakura cried out in warning.

A huge four-armed creature formed of insubstantial black clouds wrapped its arms around Alyssa, holding her tight. She was protected by her hex shield, but that didn't prevent her from being held captive in that herculean grip. An ominous grey nimbus of light began to glow in the darkness, Alyssa's eyes widening in shock when she recognised it for what it was. She tapped her fists together, swathing both in a blazing aura as more energy rolled down her arms to her hands. Instead of lashing out at their opponent with her fist beams, Alyssa blasted the shadowy creature that was successfully restraining her.

She screamed as the Guide's eldritch beam smashed into her shield, hurling her backwards with the sheer power it contained. *Sakura! Help!* Alyssa cried out, throwing everything she had into strengthening her protective barrier, but the hexagons were blackening and warping faster than she could repair them.

Sakura hadn't been idle and the whistling winds turned into an arctic tornado, jagged shards of ice slashing into the murky gloom as it whipped around in a howling vortex. She took a deep breath then dived in front of the beam pummelling Alyssa, blocking the throbbing column of energy with her own hex shield.

Alyssa watched wide-eyed in horror as the beam slashed through Sakura's shield and hit the girl in the left arm, vaporising the limb in a sizzling burst of raw power. Sakura screamed in agony as she was tossed through the air, clutching at the glowing stump of her shoulder. Alyssa's eyes blazed with fury as she channelled a huge amount of psychic power, the eldritch tendrils coiling around her arms rushing to gather at her fists. She struck back against the guide with her own beam of pure energy, making him hiss with fury as he was driven to the defensive.

*I'm getting low on energy, Edraele!* she snarled, pouring her reserves into the destructive lance of power.

*I'll give you everything I've got left!* the Maliri matriarch promised, pouring waves of energy into the blonde.

Alyssa's eyes flared brighter and she intensified the beam, blasting through the Guide's shield and hitting his insubstantial form. He shrieked with the pain, then slammed down a solid wall of shadow, deflecting her attack.

*Alyssa! The fog... it's coming!* Sakura gasped through clenched teeth.

Whipping her head around, Alyssa's eyes widened with fright as she saw the misty cloudbanks surge closer, gargantuan shapes lurking in the obscuring swirls.

*You accursed bitch!* the Guide howled with frustration, then his insubstantial black form raced back into John's body.

John lurched out of the hive queen, looking dazed as he reappeared. He saw Alyssa and grinned at her in delight, then his eyes fell on Sakura and his expression turned to horror.

*Get back in your body!* Alyssa screamed at him, casting a fearful look behind her. *Move!*

He followed her frightened stare and saw the incoming fog. *Oh shit!*

Alyssa rushed to Sakura's side and scooped up the grievously wounded girl. She watched John dive back into his physical form and, secure in the knowledge that he had escaped, she finally let herself be snapped back to her own body, carrying her injured companion with her. They sailed over the Astral Plane, leaving the fog far behind, until they arrived back where they'd started. Alyssa carefully helped Sakura slide back into her body and when she was satisfied that the Asian girl had ended her Spirit Walk, she let herself be pulled into her own physical form.

"My arm..." Sakura whimpered, staring at the blackened limb in horror.

*Rachel, we need you! Sakura's badly hurt!* Alyssa called out in alarm, holding the trembling girl in a comforting embrace. "Don't worry, gorgeous. Help's coming..."

*Is Sakura alright?* John asked, his voice filled with anguish.

Alyssa was silent for a long moment, her urge to protect John's feelings clashing with her anger at the unnecessary injury. *Your guide vaporised her arm... the injury was real when we got out...*

John groaned, overwhelmed with guilt. *Oh God... this was all my fault...*

*No more Astral trips, John... please,* Alyssa begged him as she gently rocked Sakura. *We could've lost her...*

*I'm so sorry... please tell her that,* he pleaded with his blonde matriarch.

Alyssa brushed Sakura's raven hair from her face and looked into her pain-filled eyes. *You can apologise to her yourself this evening...*

Rachel burst into the Officers' Lounge, her grey eyes sweeping the room until she spotted the girls on the sofa. Rushing over to join them, she gasped when she saw Sakura's mutilated limb. "Oh no... what happened?!"

"John's guide... he blasted her arm with an energy beam," Alyssa explained, stroking Sakura's back.

Kneeling beside them, Rachel's eyes began to glow as she enveloped her friend in a misty healing aura. She frowned as she studied the blackened arm, murmuring, "It's not like a normal wound... this is going to take a lot of energy to heal..."

"Do it... I'll give you everything I can," Alyssa replied, drawing all the remaining energy she'd been given by Edraele and channelling it to Rachel.

Sakura groaned as the brunette regenerated her limb, feeling sensation slowly returning as the doctor brought the necrotic flesh back to life. It took a few minutes of careful work to give Sakura's arm a healthy golden hue and by the time she was done, sweat was pouring off Rachel's brow.

Sighing with relief, Sakura raised herself off the sofa and flexed her rejuvenated hand, then gratefully hugged the brunette. "You're amazing, Rach. Thank you."

Rachel slumped into her arms and let out a weary laugh. "I was about to say: 'any time'... but please, don't get hurt like that again."

"Alright, I'll try not to," Sakura said with an affectionate smile. Her happy expression faded as she turned back to look at Alyssa. "John's guide... he was so powerful..."

"I know," Alyssa said, and there was no mistaking the worry in her voice. She pulled Sakura into a hug and gently kissed her cheek. "Thanks for sacrificing yourself for me. You saved my life."

Sakura pulled back a little to look into those troubled blue eyes. "Any time."

Rachel laughed and shook her head in resignation as she joined their loving embrace.

***

Admiral Charles Harris leaned against the railing and looked out at the Terran Federation battleship. From his vantage point up on the maintenance gantry overlooking the drydock, he had a spectacular view of the warship undergoing a refit. Grey titanium plating had been removed from the Nereus' hull, exposing the massive shield generators that powered the battleship's defensive fields. Engineers were guiding cranes into position, magnetic clamps swinging down to attach to the enormous ship components.

"My apologies for the delay, gentlemen," Henry Voss said, turning to face the naval officers standing beside him on the gantry. "The fabrication methods used by the Brimorians meant we had to completely redesign our Shield Generator manufacturing facilities. I've had teams of technicians running shifts around the clock to bring our production plants up to the new design specifications as quickly as possible. We're running at full capacity now, so refit of the advanced fleet should be completed in a matter of days."

Charles nodded, giving him a look of understanding. "That's excellent news, Henry. I appreciate how difficult it must be, adapting to new technology at this kind of pace."

"How soon until my fleet is fully upgraded, Mr. Voss?" Vice Admiral Dacres asked, tearing his eyes away from his command ship.

Henry turned to look at his suited advisors and raised an eyebrow. "Precise estimates if you please."

One of the harried Orbital Galactica executives glanced at his holo-reader. "We have all our engineers on standby and are preparing the fleet for the installation of the new Shield Generators. We're just waiting for the first batch of deliveries, which are scheduled to arrive by 1:00 pm this afternoon. Our current estimate is 43 hours to upgrade the ten battleships and 37 hours to refit the twenty cruisers."

"80 hours? So just over three days?" Dacres pressed, darting a glance at Charles.

The corporate executive shook his head. "No, Sir. Battleship-class Shield Generators are on a separate production line to the cruiser variants. Those estimates run concurrently, so the entire fleet should be fully upgraded in 43 hours... assuming no unforeseen delays with subsequent shipments."

"There won't be any," Henry Voss interjected, his tone stern.

"Of course, Sir... I misspoke," the executive quickly apologised.

Dacres nodded his approval. "43 hours... impressive."

Henry looked pleased and turned to Charles. "I'm bringing more facilities online to cope with the surge in demand. I'll have revised refit estimates for the rest of the fleets sent to you this evening."

"Thank you, Henry," Charles said, with an appreciative smile. "I look forward to seeing the reports."

Inclining his head politely to the naval officers, Henry Voss turned on his heel and strode back along the gantry, with his coterie of advisors hurrying to catch up. "Get in contact with the CEO of Transhaul Consortium!" he barked at his minions. "Tell him that if they can't meet our delivery deadlines, I'm looking elsewhere!"

"He's very effective, but I'm glad he's not my boss," Dacres said quietly as he watched the executives rushing to follow Henry Voss' long list of orders.

"I don't envy them either," Charles said, watching the sycophantic advisors with amusement. "But they're probably on ten times our salary, so don't feel too sorry for them."

Dacres smiled and shook his head. "I doubt they'll live long enough to enjoy spending it; that kind of stress is a heart-attack waiting to happen." He glanced at the Nereus. "So... 43 hours until she's ready for action; I'll recall my personnel so we're ready for immediate departure."

Charles nodded, then turned to look through the huge open gateway at the end of the docking bay. The view of space around Olympus was breathtaking, with multiple Terran Federation fleets hanging motionless in formation, awaiting their turn to be refitted.

"When you head to the Brimorian border, I have a special delivery to take with you for Admiral Morgan," he said, his eyes drawn to the massive green-hulled dreadnought that towered over the surrounding vessels.

Dacres saw what he was looking at and blinked in surprise. "You want me to take the Vengeance of Hera?"

"She's already equipped with Brimorian Shields and her Plasma Cannon batteries are all fitted with the best heatsinks the Kintark could make. Last week I ordered a new Tachyon drive, as well as Trankaran engines and retro-thrusters for her, and I've been reliably informed that the upgrades should be completed by tomorrow afternoon. The Hera took no damage in the battle, so she'll be combat-ready by the time your fleet is ready for departure."

"The first upgraded dreadnought... Morgan will be delighted," Dacres said, staring at the massive green-hulled warship. "As long as his fleet remembers it's not a Kintark vessel anymore!"

"They better not forget," Charles said, smiling at the other officer's joke. "She cost me nearly a billion credits. That's a lot of cash to pay for a gunnery hulk..."

***

Lieutenant Beth Andrews hurried along the corridor, following the signs towards the heavy carrier's Flight Deck. It was 9:50 am and this section of the Janus was bustling with flight crews, the pilots getting ready to launch on CAP duty and relieve the early morning shift. She followed the crews down to the gantries overlooking the Flight Deck itself, exchanging polite greetings with flirtatious pilots who recognised her from the bar.

Sleek Rapier fighters began to land in the docking area, ramps descending to bring them down to the maintenance bays by the launch tubes. She ignored those smaller craft, keeping an eye open for the latest design of strike craft that had been delivered to the fleet. It didn't take long for the Claymore gunships to return and she watched the first wave of bulkier vessels touch down on landing pads, then descend to the lower levels. Beth was looking for a specific ship and she squinted to read the tail codes as she searched for HCJ-C-1482.

It wasn't in the first wave, or the second, but her heart skipped a beat when she finally spotted the gunship with the matching tail code. She walked along the gantry, trying to see where the approaching Claymore would land, then jogged along the Flight Deck until she was waiting above the correct maintenance bay. The lift reached bay level and the airlock door in the side of the gunship spiralled open, the pilot clambering out and walking wearily across the wing. Another officer in a flightsuit strode over to speak to the man, patting him on the shoulder and smiling as they exchanged a few words.

The pilot removed his helmet and Beth watched Commander Tom Walker run his hand through his sandy brown hair. "Tom!" she called out, waiting impatiently at the top of the stairway.

He glanced up at the gantry as he walked in her direction and Beth's face fell when she saw how haggard he looked.

"Hi, Beth," Tom said, managing a strained smile. "I don't think you're authorised to be down here..."

"I spoke to Captain Bexley, he gave me permission," she said in a rush, hurrying down the steps to meet him half-way. "I really need to talk to you, Tom... in private."

"Can it wait until later?" he asked, rubbing a hand over his weary face. "I've just spent the last eight hours behind a flightstick..."

"Please, Tom," she said, placing a hand on his arm. "I've been trying to track you down for days... it seems like you're never in your room."

He sighed and nodded, following her up the steps. "We can talk in my quarters."

They walked along in silence for a few minutes as they headed towards the elevators.

Finally, Beth's curiosity got the better of her and she asked, "So you're training to be a fighter pilot now? I spoke to Chen and he said you'd transferred from the Bridge Crew, but you didn't tell him where..."

Tom tapped the button to call the elevator and leaned heavily against the wall. "Some stupid idea I had. It doesn't matter now... nothing does really."

It broke Beth's heart to see him so despondent. The bright, cheerful, handsome man who she'd secretly fallen in love with all those months ago was like a pale shadow of himself. She nibbled anxiously at her nail as they entered the elevator, riding up to the crew decks without further conversation. When the elevator doors opened, she followed him to his quarters, where Tom placed his hand on the DNA reader and slipped inside.

He placed his helmet on the desk, then flopped on the bed, rubbing his hands over his face. "I really need some rest... What's bothering you, Beth?"

She sat beside him on the bed and looked down at his bleak expression with sympathy. "I've never seen you like this before, Tom. Chen said you looked devastated... and I can see what he means. Did something happen between you and Anna?"

Tom's face flickered with pain and he turned away. "I don't want to talk about it."

Beth watched him anxiously for a long moment, then gently stroked his arm. "Please, Tommy. I just want to help." She paused, waiting for a reaction, then continued, "You don't need to go through this alone... If you want to talk about it, I'm here for-"

He rolled back, his blue eyes hard and angry. "Fine, you want to talk? Let's talk. You remember I was worried sick about Anna? I was calling constantly to check she was alright, but hadn't heard anything all week?"

She nodded slowly, looking at him with concern.

"Well Kyle finally tracked down my loving fiancée. While I was panicking that she might be in trouble, that bitch was busy fucking up a storm with Archie Davenport! Is that what you want to hear, Beth? That the love of my life, my soulmate... is a cheating slut?"

A tear rolled down her cheek as she shook her head. "I never wanted to see you get hurt, Tom. You never deserved this..."

Tom's tortured expression softened and he reached out to squeeze her hand. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. I just... I feel like I'm dying..." His voice broke as he continued, "I've known her all my life... how could she do this to me?"

Beth stroked his hand and said quietly, "Are you really sure she did it? I've known Anna for years; she adores you, Tom... I can't see her cheating on you. It just doesn't make any sense."

His jaw clenched with anger. "Kyle caught her coming out of that bastard's apartment after staying there all night... it looks pretty obvious to me what's been going on." He waved a hand at the comms interface and added, "Up until now, I can't even remember a day we haven't spoken... but it's been over a week! I've left hundreds of messages and she's not even called me once..."

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, wishing she could take away his pain.

Tom gave her a grateful smile, although it didn't reach his bloodshot eyes. "Thanks for caring, Beth... I appreciate it." He let out a heavy sigh. "I really am exhausted though... I've been training round-the-clock to get qualified on Claymores and I desperately need some sleep."

Beth nodded her understanding. "Okay, I'll let you get some rest..." She hesitated and nibbled at her lower lip. "But... there's something else I need to talk to you about. It's important."

Puzzled by her anxious tone, he looked up at her with concern. "What's the problem?"

"It's Mace..." she said in a hushed voice. "When I was trying to find you, I went to see him... something's very wrong."

Tom grimaced and shook his head. "I've tried getting him to open up about his dad... but with everything going on with Anna, I just... I couldn't deal with it anymore."

She shook her head. "No, it's not about his father..." Beth faltered, not trusting herself to continue.

His brow furrowed with confusion. "What then? Is Mace in some kind of trouble?"

"He hates you!" she finally blurted out, kneading her hands in her lap.

Tom gaped at her in astonishment. "What?!"

"I saw Mace the other day. He was incredibly bitter with me... but he was so cold about you, Tom... he scared me."

"What the fuck?" Tom blurted out, shaking his head in disbelief. "His sister cheats on me and he's mad at me about it?!"

Beth hesitated again, then slowly shook her head. "This isn't about Anna..."

Tom sat up and looked her in the eye. "Beth... I'm not in the mood for games right now; I can't handle it. Just tell me what's going on."

She wasn't able to maintain eye-contact with him and turned away as she whispered, "You know I broke up with Mace? After he proposed?"

He nodded. "You mentioned it before. Mace told me a different story, but he seemed okay..."

"I couldn't be with him anymore because I fell in love with someone else..." Beth said in a hushed voice. "And Mace knows..."

Tom pulled away from her, frowning with disapproval. "How could you cheat on him, Beth? Mason loved you... he spent weeks picking out that engagement ring!"

"I never cheated on him!" she exclaimed passionately. "But I couldn't marry Mace... not when I didn't feel that way about him."

He looked at her in confusion. "Wait a minute... so you loved someone else, but nothing happened, then you broke up with Mason. What the hell does this have to do with me?"

Beth turned to look at him, her green eyes softening. "It was always about you, Tom..."

His mouth fell open in shock.

"I never wanted to say anything!" she said urgently. "I know how much you loved Anna and I promise, I'm not telling you this now because I'm trying to take her place. But Mace knows how I feel about you and he resents you, Tom. I've never seen him like that before..."

Tom gaped at her, looking completely bewildered. "But I never meant to lead you on... we were all friends... I was just being friendly."

"You didn't do anything wrong," she murmured, reaching out to touch his arm, but stopping herself at the last moment. "You're a wonderful guy, Tom. I couldn't help feeling the way I do about you..."

He shook his head and sighed. "Thank you for telling me... I know that must've been hard."

She bit her lip and nodded. "I-I better go... I just wanted to warn you about Mason..."

He nodded and watched her rise from the bed then walk to the door. "Beth..."

"Yes, Tom?" she asked quietly, turning to face him.

"I like you too... but I'm in a really bad place right now. Give me some time... then we'll talk..."

Her face lit up with joy and she nodded eagerly. "Take as much time as you need. I can wait!"

"Bye, Beth," he said with a fond smile.

She opened the door and slipped outside, waving goodbye as she returned his smile.

Tom watched the door close behind her, then sprawled back on the bed with his head in his hands. "Fuck me..."