Fleet Admiral Lynette Devereux walked along the bustling corridor, her security detachment clearing a path so that she could proceed uninterrupted. Despite the early hour, this area of Olympus shipyard was teeming with personnel, with many thousands of navy crewmen recalled from leave and ready to muster out to their ships. The officers amongst the men and women waiting in lines saluted respectfully, but Lynette walked by without acknowledging them. She didn't intend it to be a slight, although protocol would never expect her to return hundreds of salutes, but the highest ranked officer in the Terran Federation was lost in thought.

"Shuttle Bay 37, ma'am," a stern female security officer said politely, rousing the Fleet Admiral from her distracted state.

"Thank you, Commander Nystrom," Lynette said with a grateful smile, following the lead members of her security team through the huge doorway.

Scores of shuttles were parked within the bay, each one loading personnel for the short in-system flight to the departing fleet.

Nystrom pointed across the packed hangar to one of the shuttles on the right. "I see it, ma'am. Over there, shuttle ORS-45970."

Lynette acknowledged her with a nod, but she'd already spotted the senior officers in their dress uniforms. The formal grey jackets and peaked hats embossed in gold made them stand out amongst the thousands of navy personnel wearing service uniforms. Her detachment strode straight towards her destination, the lines of waiting crew hurrying aside to let the elite security detail pass. As she neared, the cluster of high-ranking officers noticed her approach and turned to face her, saluting respectfully.

She returned their salute. "At ease, gentlemen."

"This is a pleasant surprise, Fleet Admiral," Charles said, greeting her with a smile, but raising an eyebrow.

Lynette smiled at her fiancé. "As I seem to recall, being surprised by a Fleet Admiral was rarely a pleasant experience. Don't worry, Admiral Harris, I'm not here to cause trouble."

The other officers laughed at her joke, put at ease by her self-effacing humour. Charles' moustache twitched with amusement, but he continued to study her curiously.

Turning to face the men with him, Lynette said, "Vice Admiral Dacres, I wanted to wish you and your command staff good speed and a safe journey to the Brimorian border."

Richard Dacres inclined his head politely. "Thank you, Fleet Admiral. I'm honoured that you'd be here for our departure. I'll see that the Vengeance of Hera is safely delivered to Admiral Morgan."

"I have every confidence that you will," she said with a pleasant smile. Lynette paused for a second, her smile fading as she continued quietly, "Please proceed with caution, gentlemen. The situation on the Brimorian border is in flux, but we haven't yet been able to determine the Enclave's intentions. Until the fleet-wide refit at Olympus is complete, our primary objective is to safely reinforce and maintain the integrity of Federation borders. You're flying the most advanced ships in the Terran navy, but don't take any undue risks; we cannot afford to lose fleet assets at this time."

The senior officers had listened to her every word with mounting tension and their expressions were sombre when she finished speaking.

"Orders understood, Fleet Admiral," Dacres replied, making eye contact with her and nodding.

Lynette felt a measure of relief that a reliable officer was in command of her advanced fleet and saluted the group as they turned to leave. She stood beside Charles as they watched the command staff board the shuttle, then the grey-hulled craft slowly lifted into the air, carried aloft by the roar of flaring retro-thrusters. Turning away, they left the shuttle bay with Charles walking at her side, the crowds parting for the security team as before.

Charles darted the occasional glance at her as they walked through the shipyard, but made no attempt at conversation. For her part, Lynette was content to walk in silence, lost in her thoughts until they arrived at her office. The security detail waited outside, but Charles accompanied her into the reception area.

"No interruptions for any reason, Jared," Lynette said to her assistant as she walked through to her office.

"Yes, ma'am," Lieutenant Wilson replied, saluting the Fleet Admiral and her fiancé. "Admiral Harris."

Charles acknowledged him with a nod, then followed her through the door, closing it behind him. "Alright, what was that all about, Lynette?" he asked as soon as they were alone.

She turned to look at him and nibbled anxiously at her lip. Her eyes flicked to the long windows flanking her office where she had a spectacular view of a green-hulled dreadnought, its iridescent armour plating shimmering in the light. Accompanying the Vengeance of Hera were ten battleships and twenty cruisers, the fleet undergoing the last stages of preparation before shipping out.

"I'm not sure," she murmured, gazing pensively at the advanced fleet. "But I've just got this terrible sense of foreboding..."

***

John heard soft singing and smiled as he awoke, Faye's angelic voice echoing around the bedroom. The verses were in ancient Maliri again and as he listened, he wondered if this was another ballad that she'd written personally. She sang about two courting lovers and their hopes and dreams for the future, a future they were writing with every romantic rendezvous. As the song came to its conclusion, Alyssa began to stir in her sleep, her hearing sharp enough to pick up Faye's softly whispered words.

*Get some more rest, beautiful,* he murmured to his blonde matriarch, stroking her back. *You deserve a lie-in this morning.*

Alyssa mumbled incoherently, but there was a lovely smile on her face as she snuggled into him. John watched her drift off again and smiled at how peaceful she looked in her sleep, however he was now left in a predicament. During the night, Dana had wrapped her arms around his chest as though determined to never let her special day end, which meant he was now trapped between the nubile blonde and redhead.

He gently peeled away Dana's vice-like grip, pausing several times when her brow furrowed and she mumbled a sleepy protest. He imagined a figure-hugging telekinetic cradle under Alyssa, then raised his right hand, gently lifting her a few feet into the air. Sliding into the spot she'd just vacated, he lowered the blonde into his place, then smiled as the Karron girls embraced in their sleep. Just as he was patting himself on the back for successfully executing the most intricate form of telekinesis he'd attempted so far, Jade rolled over, draping her luscious figure over him.

Faye giggled in the muted light. "Only four more girls to go on that side, John," she whispered in encouragement.

He managed not to laugh, then decided to try a different approach with the Nymph, hugging her closer. *Jade? Sorry to wake you up, but I wanted to speak with you...*

Her emerald eyes snapped open, then they lit up with delight when Jade realised she was in his arms. *Good morning, Master!*

*Good morning, honey* he replied, rubbing her back. *You sound happy.*

*Of course! Today's the day you're devoting to my sisters,* she gushed, giving him a loving squeeze. *I recommend starting with Neysa. You should find her... intriguing.*

He smiled gratefully. *I was just going to ask exactly that.*

The Nymph studied him for a second. *When you've finished speaking to Faye, I'll send Neysa to meet you in my room.*

*You must be a mind reader,* he remarked in surprise, then blushed when she smiled at him indulgently. *Okay, in my defence, Alyssa normally tries to let our conversations play out naturally.*

*I can do that if you prefer?* Jade suggested, her sharp feline eyes studying his face. *I just thought you might appreciate a more direct approach for a change.*

He kissed the tip of her delicate nose. *You just caught me by surprise. A change was refreshing.*

Her eyes twinkled with amusement. *It certainly can be, Master. I hope you have a wonderful day!*

Jade released him and he gave her one last parting kiss before sliding down the bed, managing to avoid the entangling grasp of any more loving girls.

"Fancy joining me for a shower?" he asked the purple sprite in a conspiratorial whisper.

She nodded eagerly, slipping off her dress and following him into the bathroom. John closed the door behind her, then wrapped her up in a big hug.

"What was that for?" she asked in surprise, grinning as she hugged him back.

"Your singing was beautiful this morning," he replied, a broad smile on his face. "Did you write the lyrics to that one too?"

She nodded shyly. "I'm so glad you liked it."

He took her hand and led her into the shower. "Were we the courting lovers?"

Faye blushed, her cheeks turning a dark purple as she nodded. "You probably think I'm being silly..."

"No, never," he said earnestly. "You've got a real gift, honey. I'm amazed at your creativity."

"Thank you!" she breathed, her lovely elfin face lighting up with joy.

John got some soap and started gently lathering her soft purple skin. "My only worry is that you're going to expect something like that from me. I've always been terrible at any form of creative writing and my singing voice..." He shuddered. "Let's just say that's not my forte."

Faye giggled and shook her head. "I'm not expecting anything, I promise!" She looked up at him with her big luminous eyes. "But thank you for being so kind. I felt a real urge to... create... and this was an outlet for that."

"Feel free to indulge that urge to your heart's desire," he said with an encouraging smile. "From what I've seen so far, I can expect some amazing things..."

"Do you really mean that?" she whispered, her eyes going wider. "I can create anything?"

"Of course," he agreed, soaping up her pert curves. "As probably the least creative person I know, I'm always fascinated by people with that kind of talent. The sky's the limit."

Faye looked overjoyed and squeezed him tight. "Thank you so much! I was worried you wouldn't approve!"

John frowned in confusion. "I've always tried to be supportive. Sorry if I ever gave you the impression otherwise."

"Just me being silly," Faye replied with a jubilant grin. She studied him for a moment, then continued, "By the way, I think you're wrong about your lack of creative talent."

He chuckled and looked at her with amusement. "I'm fairly sure I haven't written any sonnets recently."

She slowly shook her head. "I've seen your work... and it's breathtakingly beautiful."

John realised what she meant and he looked at her in surprise. "That's not... it isn't the same thing," he protested. "The girls aren't living sculptures!"

"I wasn't talking about their physical appearance," Faye said gently. "You're able to take damaged, broken souls and help turn them into something quite wonderful."

He gaped at her, astonished by her words. Faye made no further comment and proceeded to wash him, her small slender hands gliding over his body as he stood there in quiet introspection.

"There, all clean," she murmured, before standing on tiptoe to give him a quick kiss.

Shaken out of his daze, he smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Faye..."

She knew he wasn't talking about the shower. "You're welcome."

After drying off, he padded out into the bedroom to fetch some clothes from the walk-in-wardrobe. Not wanting to disturb the girls, he dressed in silence, pulling on a casual outfit. As he walked out, he stopped in the doorway to look over at the bed. The inhabitants were all fast asleep, looking serene and content as they lay in each other's arms. Rachel's presentation flashed through his mind and he smiled as he watched the sleeping women, feeling blessed that he'd stumbled into their lives in time to rescue them from a myriad of horrible fates.

Where he'd once felt remorse at interfering in their lives, he now saw his intervention as an absolute necessity; the thought of losing them too horrible to contemplate. No longer being burdened by guilt was quite the liberating sensation and he smiled as he left the bedroom. One of the Nymphs had been conspicuously absent from the bed, so John had a sneaking suspicion that Neysa would be waiting for him in Jade's room.

He approached the door and could have just opened it and strode inside, but he paused and knocked instead. Neysa would undoubtedly have welcomed him with open arms regardless, but he was trying to encourage her to think of herself as a person, which meant that treating her with courtesy and respect were doubly as important.

A few seconds later, the door opened, revealing the missing Nymph. Neysa was wearing a long dress and looked elegant and composed as she greeted him with a demure smile. "This one has been expecting you, Master."

"Hello, Neysa," John said, returning her smile as he walked inside. "You look lovely."

"That's very kind of you to say, Master," she replied, shutting the door behind him.

John walked into the bedroom and hesitated as he stood by the bed. Sitting on the covers seemed presumptuous, so he turned and took a seat in one of the armchairs opposite.

The Nymph glided over to the chair beside him, then sat gracefully, watching him with concern. "You seem... uncomfortable... Master," she noted, reaching across to place her hand on his. "Did this one do something to make you feel ill at ease?"

Her touch was cool and soothing as she caressed him, her slender green fingers stroking the back of his hand.

"No, it's nothing you've done, I promise," John replied, meeting her curious gaze with a reassuring smile. He studied her for a moment, trying to find the right words. "I'd like to be honest with you though, Neysa. Jade suggested that I should spend some time alone with you, so that I can help you develop your personality; that you're looking to me for guidance."

"That's certainly true, Master," she agreed, nodding and giving him an encouraging smile. "This one has been very much looking forward to it."

John stroked her thumb with his and admitted, "The idea of permanently shaping who you are... it's a huge responsibility." He looked into her eyes and continued, "I want to help you achieve the same kind of self-awareness as Jade, which means the woman you'll become for me will be the person you are for the rest of your life."

Neysa nodded her understanding. "And you're worried that you might make a horrible mistake... that you might accidentally turn me into a bad person?"

"That's basically it, yes," he replied, relieved that she understood his concerns.

"May this one make an observation, Master?" she requested politely.

He nodded, fascinated by the dignified young woman sitting beside him. Neysa was far more reserved than Jade or the rest of her sisters had ever been, and there was an intriguing glint of intelligence in those cat-like eyes.

She rose from her chair and stepped over to stand before him. Gently running her fingers through his hair, she whispered, "This one sensed your hesitation from the start. When you agreed to become my master, it was not done because of lust... you were seeking to protect me from enslavement by another cruel and sadistic owner."

He nodded, looking up at her. "I love Jade and you're her sister; I never want to see you or the other Nymphs harmed again."

Neysa leaned down to give him a tender kiss. "Thank you." Looking into his eyes, she added softly,

"When you claimed me, you chose this shape that I wear... but you were guarding your true desires."

John gave her a self-conscious smile. "When I first met Jade, she read my mind to find my idea of a perfect woman, then became a copy of Alyssa. I'm sure you and your sisters would have done the same... and five identical versions of Alyssa running around would have got very confusing."

She kissed him again and murmured, "Do you trust this one, Master?"

"I do," he replied, entranced by her emerald gaze. "Why do you ask?"

Neysa caressed his temple, her fingers cool and soft against his skin. "Will you let me inside your mind? But fully this time, so that I can discover your needs and desires... and find out how best to serve them." Her full lips lifted into a warm smile. "I promise that I won't turn into another copy of Alyssa... even if she is quite beautiful."

John paused and reached for her hand. "Neysa, there's a darkness inside of me. I'm not sure that's wise..."

She looked at him with sympathy. "This one sensed it, Master. You are... fragmented... but rest assured, I will not go near the darkness." Neysa traced her finger along his jawline and asked quietly, "Will you allow it?"

*Jade?* John asked, looking for guidance.

*She'll be quite safe. Neysa has a fair bit of experience with telepathy,* his Nymph matriarch assured him with a wry smile. *Besides, you let me roam around your mind at will and I've remained unscathed.*

Neysa waited patiently for his answer, her emerald gaze searching his face for a sign that he'd made a decision.

John took a deep breath. "I'll allow it... but I want you to promise me you'll be careful."

She looked at him solemnly. "This one swears it on her devotion to her Master."

When he nodded, Neysa smiled and slipped the dress off her shoulders, letting it slide down her statuesque figure. She stood before him in all her verdant glory, letting him see the pattern of dark-green markings that swept up her flanks. The Nymph stepped out of her shoes, then pushed her clothing aside and sank to her knees, folding her hands together in her lap. They made eye contact one last time, then those emerald orbs were hidden behind long lashes as she slowly closed them.

John felt the tentative mental contact a moment later. Neysa was cautious and respectful, making the lightest of fluttering touches against his mind. Despite that hesitant caress, he could sense her desperate urge to please him and John realised she was trying to suppress her natural instinct to rush headlong into his subconscious. He opened a gate in his mental fortress and the Nymph slipped inside, her sense of awe a palpable thing.

He tried to relax, realising that this was something that Neysa needed if she was ever going to fully develop along the same path as Jade. By holding the Nymphs at arm's length, he was denying their instinct to get close to him and he suspected it would be far easier to embrace their nature than fight against it. Once their basic needs had been met and they were happy and content, he could then encourage their personal growth.

Absorbed in his thoughts, Neysa's breathy sigh of relief came as a surprise to John. Focusing on her again, he saw that she was shimmering in a greenish-brown aura, her body obscured from sight as she shifted shape. The haze faded away, revealing her figure, sharp and distinct before him.

"Oh, wow..." John murmured, staring at her in fascination.

Neysa's body still retained its striking proportions, matching those of Jade and the rest of the changed girls, but the shades of green were gone. Almost as if her body was a canvas, she had been repainted in an alluring mix of different hues. Her skin was a tawny caramel, with a tribal like patterning of spots covering her flanks. The oval of her stomach was now a lighter shade, drawing his attention to her toned abdominal muscles. As his gaze swept up her body, her ears twitched and drew his attention. He looked up and was surprised to see a pair of pointed feline ears amongst her mane of light-brown hair, the size and shape reminiscent of her original Lenarran form.

John realised a set of bewitching hazel eyes were watching him and Neysa's sensual mouth lifted into a glorious smile when she saw his obvious appreciation of her new body. She rose from the floor with feline grace, and more movement caught his eye as a newly grown tail flicked from side to side. After letting his eyes roam over her body again, he reached out to brush the backs of his fingers across her stomach, feeling the smooth softness of her skin.

"This one modified her original form to accommodate your preferences," Neysa said with a warm smile. "Do you approve?"

"You look... beautiful..." he replied, marvelling at her exotic appearance.

She held out her hand for him. "Let me please you, Master..."

John got up from his seat and peeled off his clothes, then took her hand and let Neysa lead him over to the bed. He couldn't take his eyes off her tail, which moved as if it had a mind of its own. When they lay down, it curled over to stroke his arm, the contact gentle and sensuous. John kissed the Nymph and she moaned into his mouth, her cool skin heating up as she grew more aroused. He rolled her over onto her back, then smiled as he started kissing his way down her body.

"You don't have to do that, Master," she begged him, her hands going to his head as she gently pulled him up. "I'm so ready for you!"

"Hush, little nymph," he said, clasping her wrists and pinning them to the bed. "I'm curious to see what you taste like..."

Neysa bit her lip, then groaned when he lapped at her pussy, his tongue delving into her slick folds. There was a slight hint of caramel to her and John grinned as he savoured Neysa's sweetness. The Nymph bucked against him, her hips rolling in response to his attention, her tail curling around his neck to stroke his throat as he swallowed. Neysa climaxed at the same time, her limber legs wrapping around his head and holding him in place for a couple of seconds before sagging backwards.

"You're delicious," he said with a smile, moving up her body until he was face-to-face with her.

She stuck out a delicate pink tongue and licked his lips. "Mmm... I do taste good."

John laughed, which morphed into an appreciative moan as she wriggled her hips to slot his cock into place. He knew the Nymphs were built to take a pounding without complaint, but he entered her slowly, letting Neysa relish the taking of her new form for the first time. When he was hilted in her snug pussy, she wrapped her legs around him, while her tail massaged his quad.

"Can I feed you like this?" he asked, punctuating his sentence with a slow thrust.

Neysa groaned at the penetration, but managed to nod. "Yes, Master. Jade taught us how..."

Cradling her head in his hands, he stroked her furry ears, making Neysa mewl with pleasure. "You like that?"

She nodded, her hazel eyes gazing up at him in adoration.

"I love your new body," he murmured, increasing his tempo. "You're such a clever girl..."

Neysa trembled in ecstasy, his heartfelt approval a more potent aphrodisiac than anything she could have ever imagined. John made love to her, exploring her responsive new form as she climaxed for him repeatedly. He felt like a sex god as she begged him for more, their passions reaching new heights until he couldn't hold back any longer. After filling her up, he rolled to the side and collapsed on the bed, panting for breath after their enthusiastic coupling.

Soft hazel light caught his eye and he watched the radiant pulses expanding outwards from her curved stomach. "I like the colour," he said with a smile, following one of the pulses across her skin with a fingertip.

"This one wanted to be a bit different to Jade," she explained, stroking her tummy and watching the curved light. She hesitated, then looked up into his eyes and made a conscious effort to correct herself. "I... wanted to be different."

His smile broadened and he felt a surge of pride for the earnest Nymph. The previous times she'd stopped referring to herself in the third person had been by accident, but this was the first time it had been intentional. John leaned down to kiss her and Neysa sighed with delight as they embraced.

***

Dana hummed a happy tune to herself as she worked, her fingers dancing over two engineering consoles in the Workshop. Her left hand was reproducing the recently unlocked schematics for the Quantum Power Augmenter, while her right hand was drafting a second blueprint for the component, but making modifications so that it could be forged in Crystal Alyssium. Her eyes flicked back and forth between the two, the radiance shining from within casting a golden glow over the consoles.

She was so engrossed in her work, Dana didn't react when her girlfriend entered the Engineering Bay. Rachel slipped off her high heels and crept across the metal decking without making a sound, before padding up the steps to the Engineering Podium. The brunette grinned as she got closer, getting ready to tickle the distracted redhead.

Dana suddenly whirled around and flashed her fingers in Rachel's face. "Boo!"

Caught totally be surprise, the young doctor visibly jumped in fright, never expecting that for a moment.

Bursting into laughter, Dana shook her head with glee. "You should see the look on your face!"

"Hey!" Rachel exclaimed indignantly, placing a hand over her thumping heart. "You scared the crap out of me!"

The unrepentant redhead did a victory dance. "I finally got you back! Woohoo!"

Narrowing her eyes, Rachel grumbled, "I should never have asked John to cure your fixation problem."

"Ah, poor baby, did you get scared?" Dana asked with a sly grin. She stepped closer to her lover and leaned down towards her chest. "Want me to kiss it better?"

Rachel removed her hand and watched as Dana unbuttoned the first few buttons of her blouse, then gently kissed the upper swell of her succulent breast. "Mmm... I missed you," she murmured, pulling her girlfriend up for a kiss.

"I missed you too," Dana said quietly when they separated.

The brunette gave her a knowing smile. "Before or after you were begging John for more cum?"

"After," the redhead admitted bashfully. "But we talked about you and everything!"

"You had the soulmates discussion?" Rachel asked, raising an eyebrow.

Dana nodded. "John tried to play it cool, but I could tell he was touched." She smiled and cupped her girlfriend's face in both hands and kissed her tenderly. "Thanks for helping me come up with that, it was perfect... exactly the way I feel about you both."

Rachel traced a heart over Dana's left breast, then kissed the centre. "I love the idea of sharing your heart with him." As she straightened, she glanced over the redhead's shoulder at the holo-screens. "What have you been up to?"

"I've got the mass fabricators churning out parts for another Eternity Crystal cultivation bed," Dana replied, looking shifty as she turned around. "While I'm waiting for the batch to complete, I was just transcribing some new tech schematics. They're pretty awesome..."

The brunette laughed and hugged her from behind. "You still haven't looked at the hive queen carapace yet, have you?"

Dana shuddered. "It's totally gross! Every time I think about analysing it, I remember what that thing did to all those colonists..."

"I know... but it won't stay preserved forever unless we store it in cryo," Rachel said with sympathy. "I'm taking a break from psychic training for a few hours. If you ask nicely, I'll help with the dissection and you can just observe... You won't even have to touch it."

"Please, please, please help!" Dana begged, turning around and looking at her with huge pleading eyes.

Rachel laughed and nodded, reaching for a case of surgical instruments propped up against her medical console. "Laser scalpel on standby! Let's take a look..."

***

Fleet Commander Amlaril walked across the Bridge of the Maliri battleship and sat on her imposing command chair. Her fingers brushed over runes on the armrest and several holo-screens appeared, showing her that the refit of the upgraded heatsinks and new Brimorian shields had been successfully completed. She changed the view, studying the exterior of the Entheas Alari from a suite of external cameras. The massive warship had been constructed over a century ago and for the first time in its long years of service, the armoured hull was no longer gold, but a brilliant white.

She marvelled at the dramatic new appearance of her command ship for a moment, then glanced across the Bridge at her helmswoman. "Alright, take us up."

The Maliri officer nodded curtly. "Departure clearance granted, requesting disengagement of docking clamps."

The Ashanath crew in charge of Drydock Flight Control responded quickly and the Maliri battleship lifted off the hangar deck, its hull grasped by a dozen huge docking clamps. The silvery arms rotated the vessel 180 degrees along its horizontal axis and when the manoeuvre had been successfully completed, the clamps unlocked, releasing the warship. The Entheas Alari started to drop towards the surface of Ashana until the helmswoman activated retro-thrusters to arrest their descent.

Turning with surprising agility despite its huge bulk, the enormous warship peeled away from the drydocks built into the base of the floating city. It dipped into the warren of broad trenches that directed traffic to and from the Ashanath capital, then merged with traffic leaving the city. Amlaril smiled as she watched a broad variety of alien shipping rush to get out of her way, some even breaching port speed in their haste to put some distance between them and the imposing Maliri battleship. A Bract clipper narrowly avoiding crashing into a Nethrilla gas haulage tanker as it weaved recklessly across flight lanes and she could only imagine what they must be thinking.

Finally emerging from the underbelly of the city, the bow of the white capital ship lifted skyward, leaving the surface of the dusty orange planet behind them. Ascending into orbit, Amlaril glanced over at the System Map in the centre of the Bridge, where she could see significant activity around the Ashanath homeworld. The battlefield had been cleared of Ashanath vessels, leaving only the broken hulks of Drakkar ships, many of which were being stripped of their black armour. Large groups of silvery saucers were arranged in formations, with every vessel that hadn't been completely obliterated now repaired and back in action.

Amlaril had accompanied Councillor Talari on a tour of the repair facilities within the shipyard and had been astounded by the speed with which the Ashanath were able to rebuild their vessels. The councillor had explained that the silver metal they called Etherium was extremely responsive to psychic powers and their new psi-shapers let them manipulate it with ease. While Etherium was nowhere near as resilient as Alyssium, the diminutive grey-skinned aliens had managed to repair nearly 80% of their original fleet, which had suffered crippling losses against the Drakkar.

She turned her attention to the eight huge asteroids which now hung in orbit around the orange planet. A ninth was being towed into position, battleship-class Ashanath saucers guiding it into place via powerful tractor beams. She faced her senior tactical officer and said curtly, "Activate the Tactical Overlay."

One of the massive asteroids was highlighted in red, with detailed targeting information listed beside it. The Ashanath were using these asteroids as the foundation for a new set of defence starbases around their homeworld and Amlaril had offered to assist with a bit of pruning.

"Fire when ready, Beam Lasers only," she instructed the team manning the battleship's tactical stations.

Using the instructions provided by the Ashanath, the Maliri gunners opened fire, striking one of the stationary asteroids with dozens of blue beams. The blazing columns of energy slashed back and forth, carving deep trenches through the surface as they whittled away the enormous chunk of rock. However, Amlaril wasn't interested in the object of the battleship's wrath, she was focused on the recharge rates of the Beam Laser batteries. The upgraded Kintark heatsinks had made a significant difference, with weapon barrels cooling at a quicker rate, letting the Maliri warship fire much faster.

"Contact Councillor Talari," she requested when the gunners finally stopped shooting.

His grey bulbous face appeared on the holo-screen shortly afterwards, unblinking black eyes watching her with interest.

"Good morning, Councillor," Amlaril greeted him politely.

"And to you, Fleet Commander," he replied in his eerie whispering voice. "I was monitoring the weapon test from Ashana. Your gunnery teams are skilled marksmen... Councillor Rathus was most pleased with their accuracy in adhering to the strictures of his design."

Amlaril glanced at the asteroid which was pockmarked with dozens of glowing shafts that cored deep into its surface. "Thank you for providing a convenient target dummy. You may proceed with phase two."

"Our vessel is moving into position."

She glanced at her chief engineer. "Shields up." Returning her attention to the Grey Councillor she smiled behind her opaque crystal faceplate. "We're ready."

One of the silvery disc-shaped cruisers in attendance moved closer to the Maliri warship, then lashed out at the Entheas Alari with a salvo of orange beams. The deadly energy weapon attack caressed the shields, causing faint ripples in the surface of the protective field.

"Negligible impact to our shield strength," the chief engineer dutifully informed her.

Amlaril watched with interest, impressed by the resilience of the new Brimorian shields. After a dozen similar salvos, which still hadn't reduced the battleship's shields below 95% shield strength, she said, "Prepare to drop shields on my mark."

Talari blinked a couple of times. "Are you quite certain about this, Fleet Commander?"

"Please proceed with Phase three," she replied, nodding her confirmation. Glancing at her chief engineer, she ordered, "Deactivate shields."

The Maliri officer hesitated for a second, then her hand swept over her console, cutting power to the battleship's protective fields. "Deactivating..."

When the Ashanath cruiser fired its next broadside of energy beams, there was nothing to prevent them from striking the Entheas Alari's hull, orange columns scything across the shiny white surface.

"Have you sustained damage?" Talari asked, his normally emotionless voice tinged with concern.

"All affected capacitors are charged, but safely diverting energy," the Maliri engineer replied, sounding thrilled. "Our armour sustained no damage."

Relaxing in her Command Chair, Amlaril beamed at the robed Ashanath, her happiness reflected in her voice. "The test was an unqualified success, Councillor. Thanks very much for your assistance and please pass on my regards to your engineering teams."

Talari inclined his head politely. "I shall do as you ask, Fleet Commander. I am delighted the refit of your vessel has been completed to your satisfaction."

"Our friendship goes from strength to strength, Talari," she gushed, while bowing her head in gratitude.

His small mouth twitched into a smile. "That it does, Amlaril."

Talari ended the call, leaving her gazing at a blank holo-screen. The Ashanath had been nothing but friendly and welcoming to their Maliri guests and she felt a surge of gratitude to the diminutive grey-skinned aliens. She wished there was a way she could repay them, then the spark of an idea came to her.

Rising from her chair, Amlaril strode towards her command suite. "Place a call through to Queen Edraele and connect her through to my private chambers, please."

***

John led Neysa out of the bathroom, then squatted down to pick up their hastily discarded clothes. He handed the long dress to the Nymph, then started pulling on his pants and top.

She looked at the aquamarine dress for a moment, then smiled and draped it over the bed. "It's lovely, but unfortunately that won't fit me now."

He looked at her in surprise, as her figure had remained unchanged, with only the colouration affected. "If that's a dress that Alyssa made, the material should stretch over your tummy."

The Nymph leisurely caressed the gentle curve of her cum-filled stomach, having not yet finished absorbing that morning's breakfast. Bands of light swept over her skin as John continued to enhance and strengthen her body. "It's not my tummy that's the problem." Neysa turned away and the tip of her long fluffy tail tickled his nose.

John laughed and nodded. "Ah, I see."

She smiled and brushed her fingers over the silky material. "This one could just tear a hole in the back to make it fit, but it belongs to Jade and it's such a pretty dress." The Nymph paused then added, "I wouldn't want to ruin it."

He pulled her into a hug. "I really enjoyed this morning with you, Neysa. I'm just sorry you had to wait so long for some individual attention. I promise we'll have plenty more time together on the way home to Valaden."

"That sounds wonderful, Master," she said with a breathy sigh, then purred contentedly as he stroked her back.

*Whenever you're ready, Leylira is waiting for you in the Lagoon,* Jade informed him, sounding even happier than before.

John stroked Neysa's cheek as he looked down into her hazel eyes. "Apparently your sister is waiting for me."

She nodded and smiled. "Leylira... I know. I'll keep you company."

Neysa interlinked her fingers with his as they left Jade's bedroom and had an extra spring in her step as they walked down the corridor to the grav-tube. John darted a glance at her as they descended, pleased to see how happy she was.

*Pleasing our Master is a Nymph's reason for being,* Jade said gently. *You were lovely with her and held nothing back. Neysa knows in her heart that you enjoyed yourself and are pleased with her... so she's the happiest she's been since she joined us.*

*She's a bright, charming, and affectionate girl; I loved spending time with her,* John said as they stepped onto the Deck Three corridor. He glanced at the elated Nymph as she walked beside him. *Is Neysa just trying to correct her speech so that she doesn't refer to herself as 'this one', or is her personality evolving like yours did?*

*A little of both. Every time Neysa corrects herself is her trying to please you; the times she subconsciously refers to herself as 'I' or 'me' is when her new sense of identity is asserting itself.*

He smiled and shook his head. *That's actually the opposite to what I assumed.*

*She's developing quickly, John... much faster than I expected.*

*I think I know why,* he said sombrely. *You see, I've known this adorable Nymph for a really long time and I think she's secretly been training me how to take care of her sisters.*

Jade's laughter radiated affection. *You sound just like Alyssa when she's joking.*

*Maybe she was right? Perhaps you're all rubbing off on me.*

John tapped the button next to the double doors at the end of the corridor and steamy air wafted through as they opened. He entered the Lagoon and saw a trio of Nymphs sitting on the golden sands by the water's edge. Neysa caught John by surprise with a passionate goodbye kiss, then she glided gracefully down the ramp to join her sisters. Two of the green-skinned beauties rushed to meet her, cooing over her new catgirl form, but the third turned to give him a lovely smile.

*Thank you so much for doing this for them, John. I can't tell you how much it means to me,* Jade said earnestly. She blew him a kiss, then joined her sisters in celebrating with Neysa.

John leaned against the door and smiled as he watched their joyful reunion. *You're very welcome. Where's Leylira by the way?*

*Across the Bridge...*

He looked over to the other side of the Lagoon and saw the tiger-striped Nymph watching him from the doorway opposite. When she saw him look her way, she turned and sauntered into the Observatory, giving him a smouldering glance over her shoulder.

*I'm glad I had an early lunch,* he noted wryly as he strolled across the Bridge. *I think I'm going to need the energy.*

*You have eclectic tastes, Master. Leylira is quite a handful...*

He laughed and quickened his step, looking forward to seeing the next Nymph. The door had shut behind her, so when John crossed the bridge and opened it again, he found Leylira reclining in the middle of the bed. Her full lips lifted into a seductive smile and she slowly patted the covers beside her; it was only a simple gesture, but she somehow managed to make it seem very suggestive.

John kicked off his trainers and padded across the bed to kneel in front of her. "Hello, Leylira."

"Why hello, Master..." she purred, her fingers walking up his thigh. "Fancy seeing you here..."

He grinned and nodded. "Yes, quite the coincidence." Raising an eyebrow, he asked, "Did Jade tell you what happened between Neysa and I this morning?"

Her fingers traced a teasing circle. "Oh yes, she was telling us all sorts of intriguing things..."

"Would you like me to give you unrestricted access to my mind as well?" he asked kindly.

Her emerald eyes sparkled with a fierce hunger, momentarily revealing just how desperately Leylira wanted permission for exactly that. She managed to control herself a moment later and purred, "Finding out all your most forbidden desires would be... fascinating."

His mood turned sombre. "Feel free to find out whatever you need, but please stay away from my guide. I mean it, Leylira... I don't want you getting hurt."

Seeing how serious he was, Leylira smoothly shifted positions and knelt facing him. "This one will be cautious, Master. I promise."

"Good girl," he said, nodding his approval.

They shared a smile, then she closed her eyes just as Neysa had done several hours earlier. John felt that same contact against his mind, but Leylira was quite different to her sister. This Nymph was filled with an almost primal drive to serve his every desire. He created a gateway for her in his mental fortress and Leylira swept inside, only to pause in awe when she made full contact with his mind.

John closed his eyes while he waited and his heart began to beat faster with anticipation as he wondered just how Leylira would change. Being with the Nymphs as they underwent this process felt very much like gently nurturing the girls through the Change, but instead of it taking two weeks, they were rushing through it in two minutes. He smiled, feeling like a kid at Christmas, waiting to open his biggest present.

He heard a sultry feminine moan of arousal and a moment later, he was shoved backwards, a warm body straddling him as he fell to the bed. His eyes snapped open and found himself staring into a pair of predatory feline eyes, the pupils black and round enough to nearly eclipse each amber iris.

"Master is such a bad boy..." Leylira crooned, her smouldering gaze burning with lust. "Who would ever have guessed..."

John felt a flash of embarrassment, but realised just as quickly that the Nymph wasn't mocking him, she was very aroused. He wanted to see her new appearance, but with Leylira right in his face, he couldn't see much beyond the glinting eyes a couple of inches above him. "I want to see what you look like, honey. Let me up a minute."

She grabbed his wrists and pinned him to the bed, then rubbed her deliciously toned body against his. "Uh uh, you're not going anywhere," she replied, a defiant gleam in her eyes. "I've got you exactly where I want you..."

"Leylira..." he said, his voice turning stern. "You can play in a minute. Now let me up."

"Make me," she hissed, grinding against him.

Leylira was surprisingly strong and if he'd been a normal man, there would have been no way he could have freed himself from her powerful grip. Rising to the challenge, he twisted under her and managed to grab both her wrists as she fought against him. She snarled in anger, baring her pristine white teeth as she battled for dominance. He was startled at how fiercely she fought and when she tried to bite him, he realised she wasn't playing around. Arching his back, he lifted her in the air, then twisted savagely to the side, slamming her to the bed and rolling atop her.

With his supernaturally enhanced strength he was able to overpower the furious Nymph and now it was his turn to pin Leylira to the bed. He jerked back as she snapped at him again, then he trapped both her wrists above her head with one hand. To avoid getting bitten, he was forced to snake a hand around behind her and grab a fistful of her hair, yanking her head backwards. Once she was restrained, Leylira glared at him, fury in her feral gaze.

He grinned, feeling that primal thrill of victory, then lifted himself slightly so he could admire his prize. Leylira had copied her far more docile sister, morphing into a deliciously sexy thrall-catgirl hybrid. The green was gone, her body now a beautiful rich orange, banded in black tiger stripes that wrapped around her torso. From the valley between her thighs all the way up to her heaving breasts her skin was pure white, culminating in a narrow strip that swept up her throat to her mouth. The sharp contrast between her skin tones was incredibly erotic, reminding him of his many threesomes with Alyssa and Calara.

John held Leylira down with a fistful of her raven mane, the hair lustrously thick and soft as it tickled his skin. He could see two cat-like black ears amidst those tousled tresses, flashes of white showing when she folded them back and snarled at him. Finally, her long sinuous tail lashed back and forth, the orange striped by black all the way to the white tip.

"I'll never submit to you!" she hissed, her eyes flashing dangerously.

"Yes... you will," he promised, relishing every moment of this battle of wills.

Rolling her over, he pinned her face down on the bed, using his heavier weight to keep her trapped. Leylira bucked against him to try to throw him off, but he was much too strong for her. Releasing her hair, John pulled her arms around behind her back, then held them both securely with one hand. Now that she was secured once again, he used his free hand to rip off his top, shredding the material. She fought harder, but John still managed to tug down his pants so that he was as naked as the Nymph.

If Leylira's steaming hot body hadn't given away how turned on she was, when he forced her thighs apart, he felt how soaked her pussy was as it rubbed against his thigh. He timed her furious bucking so that when she arched her back and raised her hips, he thrust deep inside, hilting his throbbing cock in one powerful thrust. Leylira froze and yowled with pleasure as her inner walls were spread wide to take his hefty girth.

"Still think you'll never submit?" he growled, pulling her head back by her hair so that he could look into her eyes.

"Never!" she spat vehemently, but the twinkle in her answering glare told him a very different story.

John kept her trapped and helpless underneath him as he fucked her with long, pounding thrusts, her firm buttocks quivering with each impact. He was brutally claiming his mate and Leylira's angry snarls quickly turned into lusty cries of pleasure. She climaxed again and again, her peaks matching his own surges of lust. Kissing her fiercely over her shoulder, he drove up to the quad inside her and came hard, shooting long ropes of spunk into her womb. Leylira screamed in triumph as he filled her with cum, then she relaxed in his grip, lowering her head submissively as she accepted her master's titanic load into her belly.

John released her wrists and unfolded her arms, embracing her as he rode out his climax. "Good girl," he whispered in her ear, savouring her submission.

Leylira's tail curled around his quad and gently squeezed his balls in time to his rhythmic pulsing. "Give me all of it, Master," she whispered, trembling in ecstasy.

When he was done, he rolled to the side, his hand moving down to caress her heavily swollen stomach, his fingers brushing over the white dome. After the ferocity of their coupling, lying peacefully intertwined like that felt incredibly intimate and he kissed her stripy shoulder, feeling a surge of affection for the thrilling girl.

Leylira turned to look at him adoringly over her shoulder. "Thank you, Master. This one knows how hard it was for you to release your inhibitions like that."

"You seem to bring out the wild man in me, honey," he said with a fond smile. "Was everything okay?"

"Perfect," she purred blissfully, closing her eyes and snuggling into his embrace.

He could sense the Nymph starting to absorb his cum and an active connection with her blazed into life. The light swirling outward from her rounded belly was amber like her eyes, the pulses casting a warm orange glow as they swept across the walls and ceiling.

"I like cuddling in the afterglow..." Leylira murmured, nuzzling his arm. "This feels wonderful."

"It does... and a very colourful afterglow it is too," he agreed with a smile.

She let out a throaty laugh, then interlaced her fingers with his over her stomach. They lay there quietly and enjoyed a relaxing catnap, equally satiated after the intensity of their frenzied coupling.

***

Dana squatted down next to Faye as they looked out over the partially assembled cultivation bed. A team of maintenance bots were holding the lattice in place above it. "You're sure you know what to do?"

Faye nodded eagerly. "Definitely! I watched you work on the last one and recorded all your actions. The lattice needs to be affixed in 156 places, with six twists of the multi-tool using medium rotation assist, then you need to-"

The redhead laughed and patted her friend on the shoulder. "Alright, I believe you! Just let me know if you need any help with anything, okay?"

"Okay!" Faye chirped, activating her anti-gravity generators and floating over the large platform. Multi-tools slid out of concealed slots in the palms of both hands and in an impressive display of ambidexterity, she used both at the same time, her fingers moving at incredible speed.

Dana stood and watched Faye for a while, a fond smile on her face as the industrious sprite made rapid progress through the assembly. The redhead then turned and walked over to her workbench, the floating platforms surrounding it covered in tiny components. She touched a number of glyphs on the holo-interface and the intricate schematic for a new pistol variant appeared, her modifications highlighted in golden runic script. Dana hummed happily to herself, enjoying the quiet camaraderie of building things with her friend.

One of the cleaning bots had been watching the interaction with interest. It drove across the Workshop to hide beside one of the huge maintenance robots as Faye drifted closer. "Mother?"

The purple sprite paused in her work and whispered, "Yes, little one?"

Reaching out to touch Faye's arm, the robot connected data jacks to her ports and uploaded the picture it had just taken. "Is that... love?"

She studied the image that perfectly captured the warmth of Dana's affection. Faye's cupid bow lips curved into an identical smile as she glanced across the room at her friend. "Yes, it is... just a different kind."

***

John felt Leylira stir, gently rousing him from his doze. He stretched, then brushed his finger down her arms, then over her waist to settle on her rounded hips.

"That feels nice," she murmured. "This one's skin feels very sensitive at the moment."

John continued to stroke her, then whispered in her ear, "This is normally the part where we have a deep and meaningful discussion about your troubled past..."

"I don't remember mine," she said with a languid smile. "But we can talk about your troubled past if you like?"

"You know what? I don't feel particularly troubled right now..." he replied, sighing with contentment.

"In that case, can I ask you a question?" Leylira asked, between planting kisses on his arm. When John nodded, she continued, "I can feel you enhancing me... and it feels electrifying. What changes are you making?"

He followed one of the amber pulses as it left her stomach, his fingers following the glowing lines as it flowed down her arm, leaving a trail of goosebumps behind. "As you proved earlier, you're quite strong enough already. I'm making your lovely body more resilient to keep you safe."

Her eyes softened and she gave him a tender kiss.

*John, I'm sorry to interrupt,* Edraele said, when he finished kissing Leylira. *I wanted to ask you something if you have a moment.*

*It's okay, go ahead,* he replied, relaxing with the Nymph in his arms.

*I've just received an unusual request from Fleet Commander Amlaril...*

John listened as she outlined what the Maliri naval officer had requested, then couldn't help laughing. *Sure, tell her that's fine. I thought Lilyana was making a good impression on the Trankarans... but I think Amlaril might manage to top that with the Ashanath.*

Edraele hesitated, then sounded bemused as she said, *But Lilyana has been liberating Trankaran worlds from Kirrix invaders...*

*And I'm very proud of the wonderful job she's been doing; I plan to reward her as soon as I get the opportunity. However, my money's still on Amlaril.*

*I'll pass on your message,* the Maliri matriarch said with a telepathic smile. *And tell her that Baen'thelas has every confidence in his Fleet Commander.*

No sooner had Edraele's dulcet tones faded from his mind, Alyssa chimed in. *John, we've made some breakthroughs with psychic shielding. Would you like to come up for a demonstration?*

He glanced at Leylira and was about to ask her when she kissed him. "Yes, this one would love to accompany you, Master."

John laughed and raised an eyebrow. "Is Jade keeping you informed?"

The tiger-striped nymph nodded, her amber eyes sparkling. He rose to his feet and helped her to stand, mindful of the extra weight she was carrying. Leylira gratefully accepted his hand, but seemed quite unperturbed by her curved stomach as she sashayed across the tangled covers towards the door.

John paused to tug on his pants and grinned when he saw the shredded state of his t-shirt. "Ah well, it was worth it."

Leylira gave him a coy smile, then slipped her hand into his as they left the Observatory. Four sets of feline eyes watched in fascination as they crossed the bridge, and for once, the Nymphs' attention wasn't focused on John. Leylira glanced their way and curled her slender fingers over in a teasing wave at, which her sisters quickly returned. The couple headed for the grav-tubes and John darted the occasional surreptitious glance at his statuesque companion. Leylira was confident and self-possessed as she strode along beside him, but there was no sign of the aggression she'd displayed in bed earlier that afternoon.

She caught one of his glances and gave him a knowing smile. "Are you checking to see if this one is about to pounce on you, Master?"

John stopped and turned the Nymph to face him. "I'm just trying to figure you out. You've still got this sense of raw sexuality going on, but now you're calm and compliant. Having sex with you was wild and I loved that you submitted to me at the end... I was just wondering if that submission was permanent?"

Leylira traced his jawline with a fingertip. "Would you find it appealing if I were to be argumentative and confrontational with you outside of the bedroom?"

He laughed and shook his head. "No, not really."

Her fingertip curved along his ear and caressed the pointed tip. "And the next time you choose to take me, would you prefer me to passively yield to your desires, or would you enjoy another battle of wills?"

Leylira raised an eyebrow as she waited for him to reply and John couldn't help flushing with embarrassment. When he made eye contact with her, she gave him another knowing smile.

John took a deep breath, then cupped her face in his hand. "Don't get me wrong, I really... really... enjoyed what we did earlier."

"Dominating me and forcing me to submit, Master?" she asked airily.

He nodded. "I've never been that aggressive in bed before, but I knew that was exactly what you wanted."

Her succulent lips curled up into a wicked smile. "I did..."

"But as much as I loved feeling that sexually liberated with you, I don't want you to just be my incredibly hot sex kitten. I need to give you more than that; I want to help you grow your personality so that you can experience the same sense of freedom as Jade..."

The flirtatious mannerisms fell away and she gazed intently into his eyes. "Jade has told us many times what you hope to do for me and my sisters." Leylira hesitated, then continued softly, "At first even considering the thought of leaving my Master horrified me... but I'm starting to see the appeal in having the free will to make that choice."

John looked at her with concern. "Are you feeling mistreated?"

Leylira quickly shook her head. "Of course not, Master! You have been nothing but kind and loving." She punctuated her sincere statement with an earnest kiss. "But I think I'm beginning to understand what Jade was trying to explain... that choosing to be with your Master is so much more powerful than being compelled to stay."

He relaxed and nodded. "Yes, that's what I want for you and your sisters. The free will to choose your own master, or not have one at all... the choice should be entirely yours." He studied her carefully, then continued, "I'm not going to hold you here against your will. If you ever feel like you don't want to stay with me anymore, then-"

Her expression turned to anguish and she shook her head vehemently. "This one would never leave you, Master! Please don't make me go!"

"Shh, it's okay," he said soothingly, pulling the trembling Nymph into a comforting embrace. "Your master is very pleased with you, Leylira. You helped me indulge a fantasy I've never trusted myself with before... and it was very exciting."

Like a switch had been flipped, Leylira calmed almost instantly, a seductive glimmer appearing in her amber eyes. "This one will help you indulge all your darkest desires, Master."

"I know... you're a good girl," he said quietly, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead and holding her close.

Leylira sighed as she settled in his embrace, a rumbling purr starting deep in her chest.

*It'll come in time, John,* Jade murmured. *There's no hurry, just enjoy her company for now.*

*I'm sorry,* he replied, annoyed at himself for distressing Leylira. *If I'd known she'd react like that, I wouldn't have pushed.*

*There's no harm done... Leylira knows she helped you live out one of your naughtier fantasies. She's ecstatically happy at the moment.*

*Like you were, after pretending to be Felicity for me?* he asked with sudden understanding.

*Seeing you enjoying me like that was... incredibly satisfying. Nymphs are sexual creatures, John. We have an instinctive urge to please our master and indulge his fantasies.*

*We just need to help your sisters get to a position where they can choose who that man is,* he said firmly.

*Of course... and they will,* she said in complete agreement.

John released Leylira and she had completely regained her composure as they set off down the corridor again towards the Dojo. He opened the door for her and they headed through the armoury to the sparring area, where several girls were waiting. Alyssa, Rachel, Calara, and Sakura were there, with the latter two dressed for combat. This was the first time that any of them had seen his companion's change in appearance and they gathered around the tiger-striped Nymph, gushing over her exotic new look. John noticed that Leylira was deferential to the rest of the girls and seemed to be thrilled by their compliments.

*The girls are your mates, John,* Jade explained, after listening to his thoughts. *Leylira senses how important they are to you and treats them with the respect they deserve.*

After the greetings were out the way, the duellists strolled out onto the mats, leaving Rachel and Alyssa standing beside John.

"We've been experimenting with shields while you were taming this sexy girl," Alyssa said, flashing a grin at Leylira. Turning back to John again, the blonde continued, "Do you want to join in and see for yourself, or just observe?"

He shared a smile with Alyssa, then slipped his arms around the glowing Nymph to stroke her tummy. "I've got my hands full at the moment. I think I'll just watch."

Leylira didn't comment, but nuzzled into him appreciatively.

Alyssa glanced at the brunette beside her. "In that case... whenever you're ready?"

Rachel arched an eyebrow and a glowing grey sphere appeared around Calara.

John's gaze flicked from her to the Latina and back again. "You shielded her! But you didn't even look, or make any gestures!"

"She's come a long way... further than any of us," Alyssa said with pride in her student.

Rachel smiled at John's look of surprise, then twitched her fingers towards Sakura. The assassin was immediately surrounded by an identical orb of hexagons.

"Wow... two!" he marvelled, shaking his head in astonishment. "I don't think I could even project one shield like that, let alone protect multiple people at once."

"None of us can," Alyssa said, with a grimace of frustration. "Believe me... I've tried."

"I have managed three, but the increase in mental strain is significant," Rachel explained, wincing at the memory. "We're hoping that with more practice, it should get easier."

"Even projecting one is very impressive," John said, nodding his appreciation. "If someone was in trouble, you could shield them far faster than healing their wounds."

"Yes, and avoid the physical exhaustion that's a side-effect of psychic healing," she enthusiastically agreed. "In a long-running battle that kind of fatigue is crippling."

Alyssa turned and glanced towards the waiting combatants. Calara and Sakura took up offensive stances, then moved to attack each other.

Rachel kept her attention on John as he watched the fight. "I'm not sure if you were consciously aware of it before, but shields are unidirectional. Gunfire and melee weapons can pass outwards through the barrier without disruption, but the shield will attempt to block any incoming attacks."

John mulled that over for a moment, then nodded. "I hadn't really thought about it before, but yes, you're right." His eyes were drawn to the duel again and he saw the damaged hexagons being replaced as quickly as Sakura and Calara could shatter them. "I've been in that position before... trying to batter my way through a hive queen's shields."

"Which is something else we considered too," Alyssa said with a sparkle in her eyes. "Because brute force doesn't really work very well..."

"Even with speed activated, the hive queens were able to repair their shields between blows," he readily admitted.

"Brute force isn't very efficient, but as you've proven, it is a viable method," Rachel said magnanimously. "The more damage you do to hexes, the more the shield owner will have to replace. You could wear them down as they burn through energy trying to replenish their shield, or you might do enough damage to enough hexes at once to rupture the shield's integrity."

Alyssa made a popping noise, then mimed a spherical shield exploding.

He chuckled at her theatrics, then focused on Rachel. "But I'm guessing you've found a better way?"

"A few actually," the brunette replied with a broad smile. "Alyssa?"

The blonde turned towards the white-armoured figures who turned to face her. "Option number one... the double-tap."

She summoned a swarm of telekinetic darts, then gestured towards Sakura. All but two of the glowing projectiles rushed out to slam into her shield, knocking them out in a scattershot approach all over the sphere. As each hexagon was sundered, Rachel replaced it, quickly repairing the grey dome. Alyssa then pointed at the assassin and the remaining pair of bolts raced towards her target, one directly behind the other. The first destroyed a hexagon and the second rushed through the gap before Rachel could repair it, slamming into Sakura's chestplate and knocking her back a step.

"Careful," John cautioned with a frown.

Alyssa rolled her eyes and smiled. "It was just a love tap."

He glanced back at the shield. "I was using that method by accident using burst fire with my Tachyon rifle. The first runic penetrator knocked a hole in the hex shields protecting the Kirrix Guardians and the next two rounds took them out. It's just a shame I can't do something like that with my sword."

"Can't you stab twice with the tip?" Rachel suggested.

"That might work for Sakura's ninjato, but her swords are equally viable for piercing and slashing... my runesword is primarily a slashing weapon. My blade hits much harder, but it's too unwieldy to stab in quick succession like that."

Alyssa shrugged. "At least you know it's something to watch out for."

"Good point," he conceded. "Okay, what next?"

"Option number two... the shish-kebab," Alyssa replied, waving her hand. A gleaming white spear appeared, roughly two metres in length. "If you see anyone create anything like this... be careful. Psychic javelins are specifically designed to pierce through shields, so if you're stronger than your opponent it will penetrate..."

She turned and hurled it at Sakura, the lance shearing through Rachel's shield and stopping just inches from the Asian girl's armoured leg. Alyssa rubbed at the spot on her own thigh where she'd been injured and gave John a pointed look.

"My guide... that's how he hurt you," John muttered, gritting his teeth in anger.

The blonde nodded. "He tried it before... back on Valaden, but he must have been weak then and I was able to block it. He got me on the Astral though." She looked thoughtful for a moment and added, "It must be some kind of generic psychic ability, because the hive queens were lobbing dozens of these things at me when I pulled them into my pocket plane."

"Dozens?" he asked, his eyebrows climbing.

"I was a lot stronger than them individually, so they had no chance of punching through," she replied with a nonchalant shrug. "If they'd gathered together as the Hive Mind, I might have been in trouble, but I caught them completely by surprise."

"Well, that's something else to watch out for," John said, nodding to the blonde. "But I don't think I'll be throwing them around anytime soon-" He suddenly froze, his voice trailing off.

"What is it?" Rachel asked in confusion.

"He lobbed one of those at the big boss monster in the nightmare plane," Alyssa replied, listening attentively to his thoughts.

John nodded, shaking off his daze. "It was after we recruited Tashana. I got sucked in by the mists and the thing running that place started mimicking all of you. It sounded like you were in agony..."

Rachel stroked his arm, a look of sympathy on her face. "That must have been horrific."

"It was," he muttered grimly. "But the thought of that monster hurting you got me furious, so I hurled one of those javelins at it. The thing was so shocked it dumped me out of the pocket plane and I was able to escape."

Alyssa caught his eye and smiled. "It sounds like it did you a favour. If you were able to create a javelin on the Astral, then that probably means you can do the same thing for real."

"Yeah, that's true! I'll have to start practicing," he agreed, his expression lifting. Looking at the blonde and brunette, he continued, "Did you find out any other methods for breaking a shield?"

"If you have no other option than brute force, try to isolate a section of hexagons by breaking those around it. You might be able to make the shield unstable enough to collapse in on itself," Rachel advised him. "You would need to work incredibly fast though, otherwise your opponent could just replace lost hexagons between sword swings."

"Okay, I'll bear that in mind," he said, filing that titbit away. "That's really impressive work, girls. You learned an awful lot about shielding in just a couple of days."

"I can't take the credit for that," Alyssa said with a grin, putting her arm around Rachel.

The brunette smiled and shook her head. "It was a team effort. Sakura and Calara helped a lot too; they pointed out the mono-directional nature of the shields and how to make shields collapse if you disrupt too much of their structure."

John beckoned them over. "Group hug."

The girls laughed and embraced him, while Leylira watched them with a lopsided smile. John took her hand and pulled her in to join them, making her beam at him in delight. After saying goodbye to the quartet of Lionesses, John led the Nymph out of the Dojo into the adjoining armoury.

He noticed that she was quiet, apparently absorbed in her thoughts. "Are you okay, Leylira?"

She paused and looked up into his eyes. "I want to fight for you."

Never expecting that for a moment, he blinked in surprise. "Why?"

Leylira led him into the nearby bedroom and sat on the bed beside him. "This one saw how you viewed your mates; you respect their dedication and admire their prowess in combat..." She had a wistful smile on her face as she added, "I would like you to look at me that way too."

John gently guided her onto her back and lay down beside her. "I don't think that's a great idea, honey. Combat is very dangerous and I don't want you to get hurt."

"But Jade fights for you," she countered. "My sister has actually saved your life before, hasn't she?"

"True, but her circumstances are a little different," he replied, trying not to be too discouraging. He placed his hand on her rounded stomach, watching the bands of light pulsing outwards. "Jade's been with me for a long time and I've fed her a lot of cum."

"You could feed me a lot too, Master," Leylira purred, her voice turning seductive.

"I plan to, but over the upcoming years," he agreed, gently stroking her. "Besides, there are only five Nymphs left in the galaxy, at least as far as we know. You're part of a highly-endangered species and it would be a tragedy if something happened to you."

"If we can learn to protect ourselves, we would have a much greater chance of survival..." she argued, a cunning gleam in those amber eyes.

John frowned as he had no real counter-argument to that. "Alright... I suppose that's a good point," he grudgingly conceded. "But teaching you to defend yourself isn't the same as taking you into battle with me."

"This one would still like to learn," Leylira said softly. She traced a finger over the muscles in his chest and whispered, "You like dangerous women, Master. Just think how thrilling it would be to vanquish me when I'm a real threat..."

He swallowed, his mouth suddenly feeling dry.

Leylira leaned closer to nuzzle into him, then let out a low growl and gently bit his neck, being careful not to break the skin.

John pushed her back and smiled as he playfully restrained her. "Jade was right, you really are a handful."

She didn't disagree, or struggle to break his grasp, but she watched him intently with those sharp amber eyes.

"Alright, I suppose there's no harm in Jade teaching you how to shapeshift into defensive forms," he reluctantly conceded. Releasing her wrists, he trailed his fingers down her arms, pausing to follow the black tiger stripes that curved over her orange skin. "But I've already grown quite attached to you looking like this... so no changing into anything crazy in the bedroom, okay?"

Leylira frowned and feigned a look of concern. "You don't think this one would look sexy as an ankylosaurus?"

He laughed at the thought. "I'm sure you'd be quite irresistible, but I doubt the bed could take it."

She laughed with him, a lovely earthy sound that made John smile.

***

Tashana walked up to the IntOps Station and stroked her twin's arm. "I brought you a drink, Rill. Hot chocolate..."

Irillith looked up at her sister and gave her a grateful smile. "Thank you." She sipped the steaming drink and sighed. "Mmm, delicious."

Leaning against the console, Tashana glanced at the score of holo-screens arrayed in a wall in front of Irillith. Her sister's program was searching through millions of lines in the Vulkat archive, looking for word matches and checking context. "Making good progress?"

"Nearly done," the Maliri hacker said with satisfaction, leaning back in her seat and taking another sip. "We're lucky this is a technical archive not something hideous like a compilation of Vulkat poetry. Imagine trying to figure out all their expressions and idioms..."

"Better a full web than a drained husk," Tashana said sagely, nodding her agreement. "We should cross our spinnerets there aren't any."

Irillith's carefree laughter echoed around the Bridge. "Exactly!"

Tashana smiled fondly at her, enjoying seeing her sister so relaxed and happy. "I had a lot of fun working on this with you."

Glancing up at her twin, Irillith saw her loving expression and smiled back. She reached for her hand and interlaced their fingers together. "You're right, it was really nice. Just like old times, but even better."

"Almost as much fun as the Raptor trip," Tashana agreed, her smile turning coy as she slowly rubbed her thumb against Irillith's hand.

"Are you referring to Jade masquerading as Dyani Spiritwing or something else entirely, darling sister?" Irillith teased her.

Tashana's violet eyes smouldered at the prospect. "Something else... but now you mention it, we really must arrange a movie night..."

Irillith grinned at her twin, then she paused and looked into her eyes. "What are we going to do about John's fascination with us and Edraele?"

"He wants the three of us so badly," Tashana noted, her lips turning up into an affectionate smile. "We could encourage him when we return to Genthalas..."

"I thought that too," Irillith said, before sipping her drink again. "But he also seems determined not to rush into that aspect of our relationship. Should we just wait and let him set the pace?"

As Tashana mulled that over, a soft chime from the console made them both freeze. They whirled around to look at the array of holo-screens which were now converting into perfectly translated Maliri.

Irillith rose from her chair and jubilantly hugged her sister. "We did it!"

Tashana laughed and hugged her back, then winced when she accidentally jogged Irillith's arm and spilled her drink over the console. "Oh damn!"

Irillith smiled and rolled her eyes. "It's a good thing it's waterproof..."

The twins scrambled out of the way as the hot chocolate dripped down the IntOps Station. As soon as they were clear, one of the ubiquitous cleaning robots whirred into place and started mopping up the mess.

"Hey, thanks," Tashana said, with a grateful smile at the small automaton. "It was lucky you were right there."

It paused and waved at her cheerfully with its mop, before getting back to work.

***

John walked down the ramp into the Lagoon with Leylira at his side and smiled at her sisters as they waved in greeting. He turned to the tiger-striped catgirl, his smile widening. "I had a wonderful afternoon with you, Leylira. We'll definitely have to-"

He was cut off by her passionate kiss, as she moulded her body against his and crossed her wrists behind his neck. The kiss deepened as she moaned into his mouth, until she grasped a fistful of his hair and tugged it, while playfully biting his lip.

"Hey!" John exclaimed in surprise.

Leylira turned on her heel and sauntered down the ramp, giving him a feisty smile over her shoulder as she departed. He chuckled as he watched her leave, shaking his head in amusement at her behaviour. She was soon surrounded by her sisters, with Betrixa and Marika comparing the transformed siblings, while Jade looked on with a look akin to maternal pride.

*John, I've got some great news!* Alyssa interrupted, her excited voice coursing through his mind. *The twins have finished translating the Vulkat tech archive!*

*Oh, that's fantastic!* he exclaimed, a broad grin spreading across his face. *Let's get together as a group to review the schematics.*

*Dana offered to go through them first to see what we've got,* Alyssa replied. *According to Irillith, the archive is a massive data repository containing the tech for everything the Vulkat ever researched. The sheer volume of blueprints means it'll take a little while for Sparks to find the real jewels amongst the schematics for coffee machines and printers.*

*Okay, keep me informed.*

*Will do!* she cheerfully replied.

Walking down to the gathering of Nymphs, John smiled as he watched the four newest additions to his crew celebrating together. Not wanting to interrupt them congratulating Leylira, he went over to stand beside Jade.

*In case it wasn't obvious, Neysa and Leylira absolutely adored spending time with you,* she said, stroking his arm. *I also agree with Leylira... teaching my sisters to shapeshift so that they can defend themselves is a very wise precaution. Once you've spent some time alone with each of them, I'll start their training.*

He gazed into her emerald eyes and said emphatically, *I'm not trying to turn them into a unit of shapeshifting super soldiers, Jade. I promise you, that's the last thing I want.*

She gave him a reassuring smile. *Trust me, John, I fully understand your wishes. I want my sisters to spend the rest of their lives happily pregnant with your babies... the five of us are going to be very busy repopulating the Nymph species.*

*They might not want that future, Jade,* he cautioned her. *Once they're fully self-aware, they might not even want to stay with me, let alone spend centuries having hundreds of children.*

*Of course, Master,* she readily agreed. *That's always been a possibility...*

He looked at her askance. Jade's blasé attitude towards the risk of her sisters leaving him was... unexpected.

Suddenly he had a very excited Nymph in his arms as Betrixa jumped on him, wrapping her legs around his waist. "It's this one's turn now, Master!" she crowed, her emerald eyes dancing with delight. "Turn me into a super sexy catgirl!"

He laughed at her wild exuberance and helped support her by cupping her bottom in his hands. "Now? In front of your sisters?"

"Yep, I'm not shy!" she gushed, staring into his eyes. "I wanna know all the naughty things you want this one to do!"

Betrixa squeezed her eyes tightly shut and he felt a light contact against his mind, her telepathic touch like a playful tickle.

He kissed the tip of her nose and said, "Betrixa... when I let you into my mind, I want-"

"Yeah, I know! Stay away from the baddie!" she interrupted impatiently, keeping her eyes closed. "Let's do this!"

John smiled and held her close to him as he opened a gate through his mental fortress for her. Betrixa traipsed inside, the spark of her subconscious like a ray of sunshine as she flitted about, exploring the recesses of his mind.

He glanced at Jade and she ran her fingers through his hair and whispered, "Thank you..."

A few moments later, Betrixa squealed with joy and began to shift, her body rippling around him as she was swathed in a soft blue haze. When the change was complete and the shimmering faded away, he found himself looking into a set of brilliant sapphire eyes. She hugged him tight and showered his face with kisses, making no attempt to hide how thrilled she was.

Just as suddenly as the Nymph had leapt into his arms, she dropped to her feet and spun away, turning in a graceful pirouette. "What do you think, Master?"

There was no denying that she looked quite beautiful. Like Neysa and Leylira before her, the green was gone, her skin now a light tawny brown. She was much paler from her navel up to her face and there was a pattern of black swirling circles along her flanks and shoulders. Betrixa's hair had once been such a dark green it was nearly black, but it was now a glorious blonde mane, the copper lowlights making her hair look even more voluminous. Perking up amongst that mass of hair were two furry catlike ears, and behind her, a long spotted tail flicked mischievously, the tip quivering with excitement.

She ran her hands over her body and bit her lower lip, gazing at John with barely restrained desire. "This one can feel your eyes all over her, Master..."

"You're gorgeous," he marvelled, astonished by the radical change to her appearance.

"If you want me..." Betrixa giggled and sprinted up the ramp. "You'll have to catch me first!"

Caught by surprise, John watched her bounding away.

She reached the upper level and whirled around, her blue eyes sparkling. "And no using powers! That's cheating!"

"Good luck!" Jade said with a broad grin, giving him a playful smack on the rump.

John shook his head in disbelief, then found himself grinning too as he set off after her. Betrixa's wild laughter echoed around the Lagoon as she ran full-tilt across the bridge, her lithe figure moving at impressive speed. He reached the top of the ramp and took a hard left, following her across the gentle arch to the far side of the steamy tropical paradise. Betrixa had already darted into the Observatory and he heard her peals of laughter as the door shut in front of him just before he could rush through after her.

Slapping his hand down on the wall button, John waited impatiently for it to open, the grin never leaving his face. When the Observatory door opened again, he expected the fleeing Nymph to be lounging on the oval bed like her sister, but she'd kept on running. Betrixa had opened the door opposite and he was just in time to spot her lashing tail as she disappeared headfirst down the grav-tube.

Bouncing across the springy bed, he reached the second door just before it closed, then dived into the grav-tube after her. There was no sight of Betrixa in the red anti-gravity field and he grabbed the wall at Deck Five to halt his descent and see if she'd run along that corridor. The blast doors were all sealed shut, so he let himself be pulled down by the gravity field to Deck Nine.

When he stepped clear of the grav-tube, John saw there was only one door open, which led into the Primary Hangar. Following the elusive Nymph's trail, he burst into the vast room and saw her high-tailing it across the deck. She was running with loping strides, her beautiful athletic figure perfect for this kind of physical activity.

"I should have turned you into a sloth-girl!" he called out as he resumed his pursuit.

Betrixa whirled around and stuck her tongue out at him, before giggling and running faster. She was quick, but John was in great shape and with his longer legs he started closing the gap. By the time they crossed the 200m Primary Hangar, he was only a dozen strides behind her and could taste victory, knowing she'd have to stop to open the doors. Suddenly, the reinforced doors slid apart in front of the Nymph, letting her rush through without pause.

"Hey! No helping out, Faye!" John protested, looking up at the overhead cameras as he charged into the Secondary Hangar.

The purple sprite popped into the air beside him, her wings fluttering wildly to keep up. "Sorry! Jade asked me to assist!"

Distracted by Faye's sudden appearance, he missed Betrixa bolting to the right and he was startled as she seemed to disappear. The Raptor was parked in the middle of the hangar, but the catgirl was nowhere to be seen. Whirling around, he spotted the hidden door to the express grav-tubes was open and he rushed in after her. He zoomed up in the accelerated gravity field, then leapt out, head whipping from side to side as he searched for his quarry. Betrixa's giggling was coming from the Combat Bridge, so he jogged down the ramp, smiling confidently now that he knew he'd cornered her.

A brief search behind the first few consoles proved fruitless, but as he was walking towards Dana's engineering station, he noticed that the reinforced blast doors behind it were open. He couldn't remember being in that part of the ship before, but as he entered, he saw the spherical framework for the Singularity Generator. Betrixa was inside waiting for him, prowling back and forth as she panted for breath, an impish smile on her beautiful face.

John crossed the room and squeezed himself through one of the gaps in the Tyrenium lattice. "Caught you," he said with a grin as he approached the Nymph.

"Maybe this one wanted to be caught?" she teased, striking a provocative pose.

"In the Singularity Drive Room?" he asked, glancing up at the gleaming metallic cage. "Why would you want to come in here?"

"Because it's exciting! This place powers the biggest weapon on the ship," she gushed, skipping over to join him. Her hand closed the distance between them and she caressed his growing cock. "Second biggest..."

He laughed as he gathered her in his arms for a kiss. John was surprised how fast his heart was beating, the thrill of the chase really getting his blood pumping.

Betrixa jerked back, a lustful gleam in her enchanting blue eyes. "Ever fucked anyone in here, Master?"

John shook his head and chuckled. "No, I can't say that I have."

"We better get started then..." she replied, kissing John fiercely and pulling him down to the floor.

***

Fleet Commander Amlaril waited in the shuttle bay of the Entheas Alari, accompanied by her senior officers, the entire contingent of Maliri wearing their ornate golden armour. She watched as the silvery disc-shaped shuttle glided around into view at the rear of her battleship, then coasted in to a gentle landing on the glowing pad in the centre of the hangar. A set of steps unfolded from the saucer and a moment later, an airlock door in the hull slid open, letting a robed Ashanath Councillor step out into the Maliri vessel. He was followed by a procession of similarly garbed aliens, until all nine members of the Ashanath High Council stood before the ten armoured Maliri.

One of the diminutive grey-skinned creatures stepped forward and bowed to Amlaril. "It is a pleasure to see you again, Fleet Commander Amlaril," Ularean said in his whispering voice.

"The pleasure is mine, Senior Councillor," she replied, giving him a sweeping bow in return. "Baen'thelas and Queen Edraele both send their warmest regards to their close friends and allies on the High Council."

Ularean's small mouth lifted into a smile. "That they view the Ashanath Collective in such a manner is wonderful to hear. If you could pass on my best wishes to them both, I would greatly appreciate it."

"I promise I will," Amlaril agreed. "On a personal note, I wanted to thank you for the incredible work your people have done in refitting my command ship. I've seen your engineers in action and they've been working tirelessly to complete the work on schedule. The results of the live-fire exercise this morning were beyond my wildest expectations."

With a brief glance at one of the robed Ashanath behind him, Ularean said, "Councillor Rathus will ensure that his personnel are commended for their diligent work. I am delighted that the refit is proceeding to your satisfaction."

"It really is." The Maliri Fleet Commander half-turned and gestured to the door beyond. "If you would like to accompany me, we can relax in a more congenial location."

"Of course." Ularean set off towards the doorway, and with his long robes covering his legs, he appeared to glide smoothly across the deck.

Amlaril nodded to her command staff, who parted to let their guests pass, then she accompanied Ularean into the corridor beyond. "Thank you for agreeing to meet on a Maliri warship," she said as they proceeded deeper into the vessel. "I appreciate that such a gesture shows considerable trust on the High Council's behalf... especially as you didn't so much as raise the subject of security."

Ularean reached out with one of his spindly hands and placed it on her bejewelled vambrace. "We are fully aware of the Maliri Protectorate's technological superiority to that of the Collective... but we did not make this gesture as an act of deference. Rather... we wished to display our trust and friendship."

"Which is exactly how I interpreted it," Amlaril replied, her tone full of warmth and understanding.

They proceeded down long corridors, the golden arches giving the Maliri vessel a sense of elegant grandeur. Double doors at the end of the corridor opened as Amlaril approached, admitting the Maliri Fleet Commander and her guests into a plush sitting room. There were ten luxurious chaise longues set up in a broad oval around the large room, each furnished with a side table, where a bottle of maroon wine waited next to a crystal goblet.

Standing beside one of the wide seats, Amlaril gestured to the others spaced around the room. "Please make yourselves at home... I can assure you that the wine is quite delicious."

The councillors fanned out to take their places, each of them pouring out the dark-red liquid into the glass and taking a sip.

"You are quite correct, Fleet Commander," Ularean murmured, inclining his head. "Terran wines are too rich for an Ashanath palate, but this is a fine vintage... I have never had better."

She deactivated the seals on her helmet and removed the golden armour with a faint hiss. Running her fingers through her short white hair, Amlaril smiled at the Ashanath leader. "I'm so glad it's to your taste. Now... if you'll excuse me for a few minutes, I'll make myself more comfortable."

Every member of the High Council watched her in fascination, nine sets of big unblinking black eyes fixed on her blue skin and white hair.

"Of course," Ularean replied. "We would like you to feel at ease in our company."

She nodded to him then strode out of one of the other doors, leaving the robed Ashanath in their own company.

Despite Ularean's diplomatic words of solidarity earlier, the councillors were feeling no small amount of trepidation about being aboard a Maliri vessel. While they had all previously seen Tashana and Irillith Valaden, and were well aware of the Maliri's true appearance, it was still somewhat unnerving to see one of JohnBlake's thralls in person. Their collective thought-cluster was alive with telepathic chatter, the Ashanath wary as they observed everything with a healthy degree of caution.

*Be calm, my friends,* Ularean urged his fellow councillors. *The Fleet Commander is unwaveringly loyal to JohnBlake. I do not sense any kind of duplicity on her behalf... quite the contrary in fact, she appears to be genuine in her desire to facilitate friendship between us.*

*I concur, Ularean,* Talari readily agreed. *Amlaril has been polite and respectful in our dealings.*

The Ashanath relaxed and sipped more of their wine as they waited for her return.

Only a couple of minutes later, their hostess re-entered the room wearing a long figure-hugging dress, with slashes revealing tantalising glimpses of her blue skin. "Ah, that's so much better," she said with a sigh of relief, walking over to her chair and reaching for her glass.

Amlaril poured herself a drink, then her slender fingers danced over glowing glyphs on the holo-interface projected from her table. Music filled the room, the beat slow and the melody soothing.

She took a sip, then glided over towards the Senior Councillor, her smile turning coy. "Do you like the music, Ularean?"

He blinked a couple of times, his eyes lingering on her impressive breasts. "It is a w-wonderful... round... err, I mean sound, F-fleet Commander" he stammered, his telepathic voice modulator struggling to articulate his scattered thoughts.

She smiled warmly at Ularean, then sat beside him on the chaise longue. "Please feel free to call me Amlaril. After all, the Ashanath have proven themselves to be friends of the Maliri... so there's no need for us to stand on ceremony."

"As you w-wish," he murmured, giving her a distracted smile. "I would not wish to... pert... err, I mean hurt your f-feelings."

Amlaril glanced around the room and saw that all the councillors were staring at her now. "Ularean..." she said, her voice playful. "My personnel have noticed something about your people. They seem to think that you find the Maliri... appealing. Is that true?"

He froze, his mouth falling open and his eyes blinking rapidly. "I... d-don't... w-want to offend-"

"No offence taken," she replied smoothly, her smile broadening.

She reached across him, watching as his big eyes got huge as he stared at her cleavage. With a couple of taps on the holo-interface built into the table, the tempo of the music changed, growing more sensuous. At the same time another door opened and nine lithe Maliri entered the room, their luscious figures covered in diaphanous silk that afforded them a certain amount of modesty, while showcasing all their mouth-watering curves.

"Oh my g-goodness!" Talari squeaked, his voice modulator crackling in protest.

The Maliri fanned out in front of the members of the High Council and began to dance seductively in time with the music. The Ashanath were transfixed, rapidly blinking as they gazed enraptured at the dancing Maliri women. The Senior Councillor gaped in awe at the breathtaking set of globes on display. Every time he tried to calculate their volume, a shimmy or a jiggle would scatter his thoughts.

The Maliri danced closer, gyrating her body to the sensual rhythm. She watched Ularean's huge eyes blink rapidly as he gazed in awe at her chest. "You like my curves, don't you?"

"Y-yes... you are m-magnificent!"

She bit her lip and smiled, enjoying the look of absolute wonder on his face. Moving to carefully straddle the diminutive alien's lap, she twisted her torso, gently brushing her spectacular breasts against the tip of his nose. The Senior Councillor's voice modulator let out a whimper, the device struggling to interpret his befuddled thoughts.

Ularean managed to tear his eyes away from the captivating dancer and gave the Fleet Commander a look of profound gratitude. "Thank you, Amlaril..."

"To our friendship," Amlaril said with a smile of satisfaction, raising her glass in toast to him. "Long may it continue, Ularean."

***

Betrixa stretched and let out a happy sigh. "You were incredible, Master... and I love my new body!"

John watched the blue pulses of light sweeping over her lusciously exotic figure. "I'm not sure how much I had to do with it... my first shape for you wasn't very creative."

"This was all you, Master," she purred, then broke into a grin. "Lucky for me you're a cat person!"

He laughed and ruffled her pointed ears. "Lucky for both of us..."

She trembled at his touch, her eyes rolling up in pleasure. "Oh, Master... that feels so good!"

John stroked her curved stomach with the other hand, making the Nymph writhe with delight. "I think your tummy has probably gone down enough for you to fit through the lattice."

Betrixa sat up and gave him a cheeky kiss. "Come on, let's get you some dinner!"

He rose to his feet and pulled on his joggers, then offered the Nymph a hand to help her up. It took a bit of careful manoeuvring to squeeze Betrixa through one of the holes in the Tyrenium framework, but after plenty of pushing and wriggling, she popped out and fell into his waiting arms.

"Maybe we should choose somewhere a bit more practical next time?" he suggested, setting her down before they left the room.

"Where's the fun in that? Besides, I bet you'll never look at firing the Singularity Drivers the same way again!" she said with a smirk, bumping hips with him.

John chuckled and nodded his agreement, then led her up to the express grav-tubes. After stepping out into his bedroom, he pulled her into the shower to freshen up, then dried her off afterwards in the auto-driers.

"I'm glad you decided to ditch all the fur, Master," Betrixa noted, glancing down at her curvy figure.

"It wasn't very practical... this won't be the last time we work up a sweat together," he replied with a smile, brushing his fingers over her smooth skin.

"Yeah and this one would've had to spend hours grooming afterwards," she said with a sigh of relief. Betrixa raised an eyebrow and added, "Although I must admit, I'm curious to see if I can still lick my own butt..."

John looked at her in surprise, then burst into laughter.

Betrixa grinned at him and flounced out of the bedroom. "When my cum-belly's gone down, I'll give it a try!"

He shook his head in amusement as he followed after her, then entered the walk-in-wardrobe for a fresh outfit.

While John was getting dressed, the blonde catgirl ran a slender finger along the rail of formal shirts. "Want me naked or in one of these?"

John tugged a t-shirt over his head, then took one of his white shirts and held it up for the Nymph to slip her arms inside. Betrixa looked up at him as he buttoned it up and behind her playfulness, he saw an insecure girl that desperately wanted to please him. He straightened the collar, then fluffed out her hair so that it tumbled around her shoulders and down her back.

"There... you look beautiful," he said quietly, looking into her sapphire eyes.

She blushed, then stood on tiptoe to give him a tender kiss.

John experienced an overwhelming sense of déjà vu and was suddenly reminded of the many young women who had joined his crew. He also remembered that despite her youthful appearance, Betrixa was not an inexperienced teenager... she was a self-assured shape shifter who was at least 62,000 years old.

*The way she feels is quite genuine, Master,* Jade said softly.

He caressed the wide-eyed catgirl's cheek. *So this isn't just some act?*

*Betrixa's behaving the way she does because she has the personality that you chose for her,* his matriarch explained. *In just the same way that I react to situations based on the personality you chose for me. You might decide to have her evolve as your relationship continues, but she has no control over that... it's entirely up to you.*

*At least until she has free will of her own,* he said in sudden understanding. He offered Betrixa his hand and gave her a warm smile. "Let's get some food, I could eat a horse!"

"How about a cat?" she asked, wiggling her eyebrows.

"I do feel like having dessert today..." he mused, before sharing a grin with her.

Betrixa nuzzled into him affectionately as they walked along the corridor into the Officers' Lounge. They bantered back and forth as he grilled a thick juicy steak and baked a jacket potato, then the Nymph sat and watched him eat, making the occasional joke to keep him laughing between bites. When he finished his main course, he helped the giggling catgirl up onto the dining table and tucked into his dessert. He'd always liked the taste of blueberries, so licking Betrixa to climax was a very pleasant ending to an enjoyable meal.

*The second Eternity Crystal cultivation bed is ready to go,* Alyssa informed John as he sat with Betrixa on his lap. *If you haven't got anything planned after dinner, you might want to head down to the Engineering Bay. Dana wanted to chat with you about a couple of things.*

*Thanks, beautiful,* he replied, stroking Betrixa's hair as she purred against his chest. *Please could you let Sparks know that I'll be down in a few minutes.*

*Sure, she's expecting you.*

John helped the Nymph slide off his lap, then put his arm around her as they walked across the lounge. *What have you been up to this afternoon? Anything interesting?*

*More psychic training,* Alyssa replied, sounding a little tired. *Rachel and I were working with Sakura to improve her Cryokinetic shields. Now that Tashana's done with the Vulkat archive, she's getting some practice too.*

*Don't wear yourself out,* he said with concern, guiding his Nymph companion into the grav-tube.

*Don't worry, I'm fine. Spending all day using psychic powers was draining, but it felt good to really push myself. I'll call it a night in a few minutes and have dinner with the girls.*

Floating down in the red anti-gravity field, John said, *Sorry I haven't seen much of you today... or yesterday for that matter. You've been working hard training the girls with psychic powers and I feel like I've just been indulging myself.*

Alyssa's melodic laughter echoed over their connection. *You have... and I've loved every minute of it! We have to double-team Leylira sometime... that girl is absolutely wild!*

*She is...* he agreed, stepping out onto Deck Seven. *And I'm glad you've been getting some vicarious enjoyment out of our time together, but I feel like I've been neglecting you and letting the team down by taking a day off.*

The blonde sent him a fond telepathic smile. *Do you remember me telling you how much psychic energy I get from Jade? That she's a powerful telepath and gives me a lot more juice than the rest of the girls?*

*Yes, I remember...* he replied, before glancing at Betrixa in sudden understanding.

*Yeah, exactly,* Alyssa said with great satisfaction. *Those sexy little catgirls you've been screwing senseless are lighting up like supernovas with all the attention you've been giving them. Jade's drunk with power at the moment and you've even managed to get her surging too, what with all the TLC you've been showering on her sisters. Trust me, there's nothing you could have done that was more productive today.*

John paused in the corridor and asked, *Jade, exactly how much more energy have you got?*

*Have a taste, Master!* she giggled, feeding him a deluge of psychic power.

He gasped, his eyes going wide as he felt his body flood with energy. It felt like he was floating in a sea of raw eldritch power, the sensation absolutely intoxicating. Barely managing to control himself, he staggered and fell into Betrixa's arms.

"Thanks, honey," he murmured, leaning heavily on her and feeling thankful that she was so strong. He turned and gave her a grateful smile, then saw her looking at him in awe. "Are you okay?"

Betrixa nodded exuberantly. "Wonderful, Master!"

John frowned in confusion. *I don't get it. I've only spent about four hours with each of the Nymphs today; how could they be giving you so much more energy just from that?*

*You finally committed to them,* Jade explained, sounding giddy with excitement. *You were holding back before and not sharing yourself with my sisters, not the way you had with me. You must feel the difference, John?*

He looked at Betrixa and couldn't help smiling as he felt a surge of affection for the upbeat Nymph. Her face seemed to light up with joy and she hugged him all the tighter.

Jade let out a happy sigh. *Yes, just like that...*

*Well, I'm glad to hear we're benefitting from all my hard work,* he said with a wry smile.

Giving Betrixa a reassuring squeeze, they set off again and soon arrived at the Engineering Bay. When they walked in, John spotted Dana immediately. The redhead was flicking through schematics at an incredible pace, multiple holo-screens showing one blueprint after another in a dizzying array of orange and black lines. Every so often, she jabbed a finger on the console, freezing the flurry of images. Dana would stare at the blueprint in fascination for a few seconds, then continue cycling through them again.

"Hey, Sparks," John called out to her as he led Betrixa to the Engineering Podium. "Found anything exciting yet?"

Dana turned around and was about to reply, when she spotted his catgirl companion. "Wow! You look awesome!" she exclaimed, hugging the shirt-clad Nymph.

"Thank you!" Betrixa replied, enjoying the affectionate embrace.

Pulling back, Dana tilted her head to one side then winced apologetically. "Which one are you again? I must admit, I had trouble telling you apart when all of you were green."

"This is Betrixa," John interjected, stroking her back.

"I remember now... the naughty one!" Dana exclaimed, nodding as she studied the Nymph. She smiled, then leaned in and whispered furtively, "I knew he liked you. He must have, if he turned you into the catgirl version of Alyssa!"

"Hey, that's not what happened!" John protested.

"Beautiful blonde hair... enchanting blue eyes..." Dana teased him. "Has Alyssa even seen her yet? She's not going to be happy..."

Betrixa looked up at him in delight. "Really, Master? I thought you chose these colours because they looked good together... but you actually made me into a catgirl copy of your perfect woman?!"

Before John could reply, Dana nodded emphatically. "Oh yeah! I'm just surprised he didn't make you obsessed with recruiting hot babes for him to knock up!"

The Nymph swooned, her expression one of pure joy.

"Dana!" John exclaimed in frustration, catching Betrixa before she fell and scooping her up in his arms.

Jade giggled in the back of John's mind, sounding even more deliriously happy than before.

*What's going on down there?!* Alyssa demanded, her tone razor sharp.

*Just a little misunderstanding,* John hastily replied. *Dana's reading something into... something... that isn't the case.*

There was a stony silence, then Alyssa burst into laughter.

Dana grinned and gave John a playful nudge with her elbow. "We're just kidding around!" She rolled her eyes. "You should know by now how kinky Alyssa is... I'm just surprised she hasn't suggested the two of you screw Betrixa together!"

"No... not yet, well at least not Betrixa," John said, darting a glance at the Nymph in his arms. He gave the redhead a stern frown and whispered, "But she didn't realise you were joking!"

"Ah..." Dana said, with a guilty look at the starry-eyed blonde feline.

John sighed and adjusted his grip to make sure Betrixa was comfortable. "Oh well, no harm done I suppose. You can't be too happy, right?"

"I don't think so..." Dana replied, with a helpless shrug. She leaned over and kissed the Nymph on the cheek. "Sorry, cute kitty cat."

"I'm his perfect mate..." Betrixa murmured with a breathy sigh.

John raised an eyebrow as he looked at Dana, then glanced at the bank of holo-screens. "Going back to my original question: have you found anything interesting yet?"

The Grand Engineering Overlord nodded gleefully, her sky-blue eyes lighting up. "Oh yeah! Now I know how to build a machine that'll make the perfect cup of coffee!"

"Dana..." he groaned.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist. Alyssa told me about your conversation earlier."

"Yeah, I remember... the coffee machine schematics," he said trying not to laugh and encourage her. "Anything else?"

"Actually, the Vulkat were absolutely beasts with missile tech," she replied, turning and pressing a number of icons on her console.

The holo-screens behind her switched to show missile schematics. John couldn't figure out the details behind each highly-complex blueprint, but the distinctive shape of the missile warheads made it pretty obvious what they were for.

Dana pointed to the images in turn, "Swarm warheads, rocket-based ECCM suites, hyper-warp capable delivery systems, fire-and-forget smart missiles... those spiders really knew their shit. We were very lucky we didn't get into a shootout with Nkkrrit's fleet."

"Well, we know the Vulkat were powerful enough to take down thrall ships..." he said, looking at the images and trying to imagine that battle playing out.

"Yep and I bet there's more missile tech locked up in the archive that I haven't got to yet," Dana said, patting the console. "I'm only about 10% of the way through; Alyssa wasn't exaggerating all that much earlier... I really did find the blueprint for a drinks dispenser."

"I'm amazed you're able to go through those schematics so fast. It sounds like you're doing a great job," he said, giving her an encouraging smile. Glancing down at Betrixa in his arms, he then looked Dana in the eye and added, "It's your own fault I can't give you a congratulatory hug."

The redhead faked a petulant pout. Her expression brightened a moment later as she blurted out, "Oh! I finally had a look at the hive queen's armour!"

*Don't you mean 'Rachel did it'?* Alyssa chimed in airily.

Dana gave John a sheepish smile. "Alright, Rach chopped the thing up, but I did all the analysis myself."

"Did you find anything we might be able to incorporate into our Paragon suits?"

"Their armour is very light for the incredible durability it provides, but that's mostly down to the organic polymer that the hive queens grow naturally. It was interesting, but nothing we can really use... but between the two layers of plating is a liquid gel-like substance that hardens on contact with the air. If I can create a synthetic version of that, I could inject it between the plating layers in our Paragon suits. Then if your armour did get ruptured by a gunshot, the gel would flow into the rents in the armour and provides a temporary seal."

John nodded appreciatively. "That definitely sounds useful."

"I was going to look into that after I've finished with the Vulkat archive," Dana said, looking at him for confirmation.

"Agreed," he said with a smile.

"Did Alyssa mention that we'd finished building the second crystal cultivation bed?" she asked, jogging down the illuminated steps from the engineering podium. Beckoning John to follow, she led him across to the other side of her workshop. "I probably should have set these up somewhere else as they take up a lot of room. Fortunately, the Engineering Bay is enormous, so I'll just leave them here for the moment."

John stopped beside her, looking out across the square platforms. One was completely flat, the surface of the translucent shiny gel reflecting the overhead lights. The platform adjacent to it was covered in a forest of crystalline saplings, the structures partially emerged from the viscous liquid.

"How long will it take to grow them?" he asked, fascinated by the crystal nodules appearing from the gel.

Dana squatted down by the cultivation bed. "See those little ones? They're sized for rifle sized weapons; I reckon it'll take about a week until those Eternity Crystals are fully-formed." She pointed her finger at the next grouping. "Those bigger ones would fit a Pulse Cannon and will take about two weeks... and we're looking at around three weeks for crystals sized for a Tachyon Lance. To replace the focusing crystals in our Nova Lances would take about a month."

"Ouch..." John said with a wince.

"At least we can replace them now," she reminded him, looking relieved. "With both of you cranking them out, we should have more than enough for the Invictus."

"We need to get those schematics to the Ashanath," John thought aloud, studying the cultivation bed. "They'll be the key to mass producing them for the Maliri fleets."

"As soon as we get into comms range with the Maliri, we can transmit them," Dana said, turning to face him. "So long as you don't mind about the Terran Federation getting their hands on those blueprints."

"Let's save them for our first test using a psychic communication device," John suggested. "We can definitely send that to the Ashanath via T-Fed Comms Beacons. After all the trouble we went to in getting the schematics from the Vulkat, I don't like the idea of just handing them out to everyone, even if they can't use them without psychic powers."

"Sure, sounds sensible," Dana said with an amiable smile. "Providing I can find the schematics for something like that in the Vulkat archive..."

John shrugged. "If you can't find anything, I'm sure you'll be able to just invent one."

She laughed as she stood and patted him on the shoulder. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"You're welcome. So... how does this work exactly?" he asked, glancing at the empty cultivation bed.

"Just imagine the size of the crystals you want and think it at the gel... that should do the trick," she explained, giving him a supportive smile.

"Can you show me precisely what you need?"

"Oh, sure!" Dana scampered over to her workbench and returned with a holo-viewer. "Here's some pictures along with the dimensions."

John nodded, memorising the crystals, before focusing on the flat surface of the gel pool. Nothing happened for over a minute and he was about to ask if there was any way of telling if the process had started, when he felt an insistent pull at his mind. Remembering what Alyssa had said about it feeling a little like automatically shaping armour plates, he made no attempt to resist that pull and embraced it instead.

"Any luck?" Dana asked inquisitively.

"I think so," John said, looking at the redhead again. "Alyssa was right; the feeling's not particularly intense... more like background noise. Something is definitely happening though."

She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Great! I'll keep an eye on them and let you know when anything starts sprouting."

John shared a smile with her, then glanced down at Betrixa. The Nymph was now slumbering peacefully in his arms, her soft purrs creating a pleasant vibration against his chest. "I think somebody's had a bit too much excitement for one day. I'd better tuck her up in bed."

"Sorry about that," Dana apologised again, stroking the Nymph's long hair. She looked up at John again and grinned. "Do you reckon I'd look cute as a catgirl?"

"Definitely. You'd have tufty red ears and a big bushy tail."

She laughed and waved him goodbye as he left the Engineering Bay.

*Jade, I'm going to put Betrixa to bed in my room. She's still out like a light.*

*We'll meet you there!* the Nymph Matriarch gushed, sounding especially buoyant.

John looked down at Betrixa's lithe legs and saw that blue pulses were still flowing down her slender limbs. It was a nice feeling, knowing that he was helping to make her body sturdier. He had no intention of ever putting her in the firing line, but if she followed the same path as Jade, she'd soon be impervious to anything short of squad support weapons.

He reached the bedroom before the rest of the Nymphs and had gently placed the blonde catgirl in the middle of the bed by the time he overheard her sisters chattering away together. He got up to greet them when they arrived and received an enthusiastic round of kisses from Neysa and Leylira, before they went over to join their sleeping sibling. There were only two green Nymphs left and Jade giggled and gave him a passionate kiss, before pushing him towards Marika.

*Make her even more beautiful, Master!* Jade gushed, waving him goodbye.

He smiled at Marika and kissed her hand, before glancing back at Jade. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"I feel just dreamy..." she said with a dramatic sigh, falling back onto the bed.

*Another love drunk... she's as bad as Edraele,* Alyssa remarked, sharing that with the Maliri.

*I admit I have a problem... I can't hold my eldritch power,* Edraele confessed in mock seriousness.

*Admitting you have a problem is the first step,* Alyssa said with sympathy.

John smiled at their banter. *Apparently everyone's a comedienne today.*

"This way, Master," Marika said softly, squeezing his hand.

He let her lead him along the corridor to Jade's room and when they went inside, he saw that it had been cleaned from top to bottom since that morning. Marika padded over to the bed and climbed onto the covers, then knelt there waiting for him with a warm smile of anticipation.

John walked over to join her, then stood by the side of the bed and stroked her thick dark hair. "I'm sorry you had to wait until last, Marika."

"There's no need to apologise. One of us had to, so I volunteered."

Surprised at that admission, he asked, "Why was that?"

"This one thought that you might be tired after a day spent entertaining my more energetic sisters. I wanted to make this as relaxing an evening for you as possible."

"That's very thoughtful, Marika. Thank you," he said, touched by her concern for him. "Shall I give you full access to mind now, so we can get that out the way? Then I'm all yours for the rest of the evening."

She turned and kissed his wrist, then nodded, looking up into his eyes. There was such trust in that emerald gaze, he felt a sudden rush of protectiveness for the kind-hearted Nymph. When she closed her eyes in readiness, he couldn't resist leaning down to give her a tender kiss, leaving a lovely smile on her face when he straightened up.

Marika's telepathic contact was gentle and soothing, with none of the frantic intensity accompanying that of her sisters. John admitted her at once and she slipped inside, her presence filling him with a comforting sense of warmth. She took her time exploring, lingering over certain memories as she endeavoured to learn everything she could about him. Finally, she let out a quiet sigh of contentment and was obscured by a rich brown haze. When it faded away, she looked up at John and held her breath, obviously waiting for his verdict.

She had adopted the same part-feline, part-thrall body as her sisters, acquiring the same pointed cat-like ears and flicking tail. However, that was where the similarities ended. Her skin was now a striking pattern of silver and black stripes, immediately making him think of a tabby cat. Her long hair had turned jet-black, with silvery highlights adding texture and volume. A set of gorgeous brown eyes drew him in with their depth and warmth, showing only gentle affection for her master.

"You look beautiful," he said honestly, stroking her ears.

Marika smiled with a mixture of relief and contentment, then moved back on the bed to make room for him. "Join me, Master. Let this one bring you pleasure."

John stripped off and joined her on the bed. He expected her to want to move straight to sex, but instead, she had him lie on his front. She straddled his back, then began to massage his shoulders, her strong fingers easing out the knots in his muscles. That turned into a full body massage and by the time she'd finished half an hour later, he felt incredibly relaxed.

When he was lying on his back, Marika mounted him, then continued the massage using her internal muscles to grip and squeeze his cock. She lay across his chest, gazing lovingly into his eyes as she stroked him with a subtle rolling motion of her hips. Sex with her was slow, unhurried, and incredibly sensuous, the Nymph's attention focused entirely on making this as pleasurable an experience for him as possible. The tantric-like lovemaking seemed to last for hours, leaving John immersed in a state of blissful nirvana. When he finally climaxed, it felt like he was pouring his heart and soul into her, with Marika's soft cries letting him know that she'd joined him in his release.

It took him a while to regain use of his senses and when he did, John saw that Marika was still sitting astride him, her hands cradling her cum-stuffed belly. Muted brown pulses of light were sweeping over her body and she gazed down at him with a look of complete devotion.

"That was unexpected," he said, pulling her down to join him. "But very welcome..."

"For me as well, Master," she murmured, settling on the bed with her back to him.

John spooned up behind her and encircled her in his arms, placing a hand on her rounded abdomen. "You're very different to your sisters," he said, kissing her shoulder. "In a way I really like."

Marika turned so that she could kiss him, her lips soft, warm, and wonderfully inviting. It was like being reunited with a long-lost lover, the sense of intimacy and strength of their connection taking him by surprise.

"Tell me about our future, Master," she whispered when they ended their kiss, snuggling into his affectionate embrace. "Fill my head with thoughts of kittens..."

"Is that what you want? To have my children?" he asked, caressing her tummy. "I think you'll be a wonderful mother... you're so kind and caring..."

Marika began to purr, nuzzling into him as she listened attentively to his every word.

***

Faye knelt beside the cleaning robot and nodded as she viewed the compilation of pictures. "Yes, very good. Those are all excellent examples of organics showing different types of love and affection towards each other."

The small robot paused then supplied another image, showing Faye looking down at the cleaning bot with a gentle maternal smile. It was followed by a succession of images recorded by the security cameras, with the purple sprite watching the maintenance and cleaning robots with a look of pride on her face.

"Yes, I love all of you," she said fondly, stroking the robot's head.

"I love you too," it replied, rubbing against her hand.

The cleaning bot hesitated, then showed Faye another image. This one was of Tashana smiling down at the diminutive synthetic.

"She is... kind," it murmured, sounding surprised.

Faye nodded, her own smile broadening. "Yes, she is." Looking at the small creature with interest, she continued, "Please could you upload all your data on Tashana to my server?"

It bobbed its head and she waved goodbye as it trundled away.

Climbing the illuminated steps up to the Command Podium, the purple sprite sat down in John's chair, tucking her feet underneath her. It had just turned 11:00 pm, so she decided to check on the crew, flicking through the internal security cameras and watching as the girls settled down in bed with the dozing Nymphs. John was still with Marika in Jade's bedroom, the latest catgirl sleeping in his arms. Faye desperately wanted to talk to John about something she'd seen on the security cameras, but he'd been busy all evening and she hadn't had an opportunity.

A warning chime rang out around the Bridge, alerting Faye to contacts on the long-range sensors. She sat up straight and studied the Sector Map, spotting a dozen contacts clustered on the outskirts of an unchartered system the Invictus was fast approaching. Alyssa had plotted their flight path to bring them close to many systems along their route, performing slingshot manoeuvres around gravity wells to increase the battlecruiser's hyper-warp speed.

She studied them for a few seconds, trying to decide whether it was worth disturbing the crew. More sensor contacts appeared, the numbers increasing all the time as they were picked up by the extreme edge of their long-range sensors. Her eyes widened and she leapt into action.

***

"John? Are you awake?!"

He nodded and stretched, being careful not to disturb Marika. "Hey, Faye. Everything alright?"

"I've spotted hundreds of contacts on the long-range sensors!" she said in a furtive whisper. "We're still fifteen minutes away, but I wanted to give you plenty of warning."

"Okay, I'll be right there."

John slipped his arm out from under Marika's head and slid in a pillow as a replacement. He kissed her on the cheek and pulled up the covers, then gathered up his clothes and padded outside.

Alyssa jogged down the corridor towards him and skidded to a halt beside John as he threw on his clothes. "Faye warned me too," she explained, watching him get dressed.

"Can you tell us anything else, honey?" John asked the purple sprite as they set off again towards the grav-tube.

"At this range we're just picking up sensor contacts, we're too far away to make out any details," Faye replied, her wings fluttering anxiously. "I've counted 492 separate contacts so far!"

"Maybe it's some kind of major Kirrix naval base?" John suggested, diving into the blue anti-gravity field.

"Want me to get the girls up?" Alyssa asked, shooting a nervous glance at John.

"You better had. If the Kirrix have got an interdiction net set up near the system, we might be forced into a battle," he replied with a grimace. "I don't want to have to fight our way through, but we might not have any other choice."

"No problem, they're on their way."

They raced out onto the Bridge and up the steps leading to the Command Podium.

Faye stepped aside, letting John take his place in the Command Chair. "We're up to 584 now!"

She highlighted the system they were approaching on the Sector Map, then zoomed in to show the mass of sensor contacts. The holographic display smoothly transitioned to the System Map, revealing a large golden sun in the heart of the system and ten planets in orbit. Amongst the gas giants and handful of barren planets was a beautiful blue and green continental world, where the bulk of the sensor contacts were located.

"Maybe the Kirrix have an orbital shipyard there..." John wondered aloud, staring at the imposing sweep of red icons. "They have to build all those ships somewhere."

The girls started appearing on the Command Deck, running from the grav-tube to their stations.

"What do you think, Calara?" John asked, watching the Latina take her seat at Tactical. "Have we stumbled across the Kirrix equivalent of Olympus Shipyard?"

She was staring intently at the tactical overlay on the System Map, her eyes flicking from one set of contacts to the other. "Let's get a little closer so we start getting more data on those ships..."

They watched in silence as the minutes ticked by and John noticed that Calara's frown of concentration was deepening. "What is it?" he asked. "What do you see?"

"They're not moving," she murmured. "And they're not in any kind of holding formation. It seems odd to be scattered around like..." Her voice trailed off and she turned to made eye contact with him. "They're wrecks. We're looking at the aftermath of a major engagement."

John knew better than to question her judgement and sure enough, a few minutes later, Calara was able to point out debris patterns as the sensors returned more data.

"Shall we take a look or keep on going?" Alyssa asked, turning her XO chair to face him.

He rubbed his chin as he stared at the map. "We'll take a quick detour. I want to see what happened."

The Invictus approached the system and instead of curving around the outer edge, Alyssa brought them closer so that they dropped out of hyper-warp. Jade ramped up power to the six Trankaran engines and the white battlecruiser surged forward, heading towards the planet centred amongst the battlefield. More information was being returned by the sensors as they closed the distance, so Calara highlighted the closest group of vessels and zoomed in.

The ships had pale green hulls, with what appeared to be a broad bow, which narrowed towards what must have been the rear of the vessels. Surrounding the trio of engines on the stern was a forest of snaking tendrils, looking vaguely like slender octopus arms. At roughly 200 metres in length, the alien ships were roughly the size of a Terran Federation destroyer, but the design was bizarre and John had never seen anything like them.

"Any idea what species built them?" he asked the Latina, sitting forward on his seat to get a closer look.

"I've never seen anything like that before..." she whispered, staring at the holo-image in fascination.

Dana turned to glance at Jade. "Bring us alongside and I'll do an active scan."

The Nymph nodded, turning the Invictus towards the four alien vessels.

"Those trenches are consistent with neutron beam damage," Calara said, pointing to the blackened wounds scorched across their armour plating.

Sakura's expression was grim as she muttered, "Looks like we've stumbled across another species that fell victim to the Kirrix."

John nodded his agreement. "Jade, as soon as Dana finishes the active scan, bring us to high orbit around the planet. I want to search for settlements and scan for life signs."

"You think it's another tomb world?" the Asian girl asked, her brow furrowing.

"A sentient species with a homeworld this deep into Kirrix Space?" he asked rhetorically, slumping back in his chair. "I think the Kirrix wiped these poor bastards out eons ago."

"I've been looking at the other wrecks," Calara informed them, highlighting several of the devastated vessels and magnifying them. "The biggest ship class they had was cruiser size, but less than 10% of their fleet is that large. The bulk of their vessels were roughly 100m in length, which I'd classify as corvette-class. If this species massed their forces to defend their homeworld, they must have been relatively new to space flight if these were the most impressive ships they could muster."

"The scan's finished," Dana said, staring in disbelief at the results. "Judging by the extensive damage from stellar particles to the armour plating, those wrecks are ancient. They must be twenty, maybe even thirty thousand-years-old..."

"How many fledgling civilisations have the Kirrix consumed?" Rachel asked in a hushed voice, shivering as the scale of the slaughter began to sink in.

"They can remember back to Mael'nerak's time... it must be dozens at least," John replied, recalling his recent encounter with the Kirrix. "Kirzuxa personally oversaw three genocides... and that's just one hive queen."

Jade piloted the Invictus towards the planet, weaving her way through the starship graveyard. With the holes ripped through the bows of those alien ships, it looked like they were screaming in horror... or wailing in grief for the dead. There was silence on the Bridge as Dana scanned the largest city they could find. She turned to look at John and slowly shook her head, her forlorn expression speaking volumes.

"Take us out of here, Jade," John said quietly, feeling like they were unwanted trespassers in a long-forgotten mausoleum.

The Nymph steered them through the extensive fields of battle debris and set a course towards the outskirts of the system.

Faye turned to look at John, sadness in her luminous eyes. "I'm sorry I disturbed you for this. If you want to head back to bed, I'll take us into hyper-warp."

He rose from his seat and embraced her. "There's no need to apologise, you did the right thing bringing this to our attention. It's just one more horrific crime the Kirrix need to pay for."

She hugged him back, feeling upset that she'd ruined John's evening and put him in a melancholy mood. Faye briefly considered talking to him about what she'd seen on the internal cameras, but glancing up at his face, she saw the weariness there and decided to let him sleep; it could always wait until tomorrow.

John kissed the sprite on top of her head, then said goodnight and headed towards the grav-tube with Alyssa at his side. The rest of the girls followed, all equally tired after a busy day working and training. Descending to Deck Two, they walked along the corridor, with John stopping at Jade's quarters to check on Marika. The silver-striped catgirl was still fast asleep, so he gently scooped her up in his arms and carried her through to his bedroom.

The girls were climbing into bed again, but they made room for John to lay Marika down beside her sisters. He paused to study the four slumbering women and smiled as he remembered the wonderful day he'd had with them. It had been fascinating to see the changes they'd gone through, not just physically, but mentally as well, as their personalities developed further. After devoting some time to the Nymphs individually, he felt like he was really starting to get to know them. Neysa was demure, dignified and intelligent, Leylira was seductive and self-assured, Betrixa possessed a wicked naughty streak, and Marika was very trusting, maternal, and affectionate.

John suddenly froze, then turned to stare at Jade in astonishment. "They're all you!"

She gave him a loving smile and kissed him tenderly on the cheek.

He blinked at her in surprise, then blurted out, "You knew all along!"

"You exaggerated my defining personality traits and used them to shape each of my sisters," she said, gazing adoringly into his eyes. "It was incredibly flattering, Master."

Alyssa knelt behind John and wrapped her arms around him. She kissed his shoulder as she looked at her fellow matriarch. "Jade really is your perfect mate."

Jade met her gaze and smiled back. "As are you, Alyssa."

John flicked a worried glance at the sleeping Nymphs, then back to Jade. "Should I have tried to make them more unique? This is who they'll be forever..."

Jade shook her head, an indulgent smile on her beautiful face. "They represent qualities you find most attractive in a woman. You were honest with them about your desires... and that's all they ever wanted."

"They're all really lovely girls," Alyssa said, giving him a reassuring squeeze. "It'll be lots of fun getting to know them better."

He looked down at the Nymphs again and couldn't help smiling fondly. Lying down in bed, he beckoned Jade and Alyssa to join him. "Thanks for keeping me distracted today... I've barely had a chance to think about Arcadia. I know I would've been dwelling on it if I hadn't been-"

"Knee deep in pussy... cats?" Alyssa interjected, looking up at him and grinning.

John laughed and nodded. "Yes, exactly."

Jade propped herself up on her elbow and looked into his eyes. "I know you're anxious about tomorrow, but we'll be there to support you, Master."

"We made a promise that we'd help you get the answers you were looking for," Alyssa said softly, a loving smile on her beautiful face. "I'm so glad we're finally able to make good on it."

He swallowed thickly around the lump in his throat and hugged them close. "Thank you both... for everything."

His matriarchs each kissed him deeply, reinforcing the powerful bonds that wove them together. When they snuggled in against him, John felt reassured and supported down to his bones. He smiled as he relaxed, knowing that whatever happened on Arcadia, as long as he had his girls beside him, everything was going to be okay. With that thought in mind, he drifted off to sleep, the nagging questions about his parents that had plagued him for 40 years kept at bay.

***

John woke from a deep and restful sleep to the sound of Faye's beautiful voice, her singing loud and clear. This was the first time she'd been so bold, normally whispering loving melodies to rouse him from his slumbers, and he heard his bedmates stir as they awoke too. Jade and Alyssa each greeted him with a sensual kiss, then they sat up, listening with the rest of the girls as Faye finished her aria. When her lovely voice trailed off, there was a moment's silence, then everyone applauded, the girls cheering for the blushing purple sprite.

"Holy shit! You've got a set of pipes!" Dana gushed, bounding off the bed to wrap Faye up in a big hug.

Tashana wiped a tear from her eye. "That was really beautiful, Faye..."

"Some of the words sounded familiar... was that Maliri?" Rachel asked, putting her arm around the emotional twin.

Irillith nodded, embracing the petite purple girl. "She was singing about how much she loved her friends..." She leaned down to kiss Faye on the cheek. "We love you too."

Faye beamed at them, overjoyed by their reaction to her song.

John smiled at her affectionately. "I've been waking up to Faye's lovely singing for weeks."

Dana pouted and nudged the sprite with her elbow. "How come John gets to listen to a secret serenade every morning, while I have to wake up to Alyssa yelling at me to haul my lazy ass out of bed?!"

"I usually wake John up first," Faye replied, flashing her a grin. "I thought you liked having a lie in?"

"Ah, good point," the redhead conceded. "You're forgiven."

Faye turned to face John. "We'll be arriving at Arcadia's star system in sixty minutes. I thought you might want to top the girls up first?"

He nodded and gave her an appreciative smile. "Definitely. Thank you." John put his arm around Jade and raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure you're not interested, but just in case... would you like to help me feed the girls?"

Jade giggled and pushed him back onto the bed. "Oh, I think I could be persuaded..." she purred, sliding his thick shaft into her pussy.

As the girls eagerly gathered around, reaching for Jade's sinuous phallic tentacles, Faye rose from her chair. "I'll head up to the Bridge and meet you there."

John leaned to the side so he could see her around Jade's statuesque body. "Why are you leaving? You're one of my girls too, Faye!" he protested with a playful frown.

She grinned at him in delight, then leapt onto the bed where she knelt between Rachel and Dana. They both put an arm around her as she reached for her own tentacock and Faye let out a blissful sigh of contentment before she slid her lips over the throbbing green head. As John groaned in ecstasy, Faye glanced across the semi-circle and made eye-contact with Alyssa, who was watching her intently.

The purple sprite wished she could share her thoughts with the blonde matriarch, but she settled for trying to convey her feelings with a look. Alyssa might not have been able to hear her, but she definitely got the message. Her answering gaze was filled with warmth and acceptance, welcoming Faye into her network of wards, in spirit, if not psychically.

It didn't take long for John to climax, not with Jade riding him and thirteen girls sensuously sucking the Nymph's green replicas of his cock. He collapsed insensate on the bed when he finished and it took him a couple of minutes to recover afterwards, the orgasm so strong that he was left reeling afterwards.

Jade helped him sit up and smiled at his dazed state. "I think that was the most powerful one yet, Master!" she said with considerable glee.

John leaned into her supportive arm and smiled blissfully at the watching girls. His sweeping gaze lingered on the Nymphs before settling on Faye. "There were more Maliri at Genthalas, but it makes a huge difference when it's girls I really love."

That earned him tender hugs and kisses from everyone, especially from the Nymphs, then they went to the bathroom to freshen up. Jade and her sisters provided the entertainment in the shower, the multi-coloured pulses of light sweeping over the walls and ceiling. After everyone was squeaky clean, the catgirls returned to bed, while the rest of the girls returned to their rooms to get dressed.

"You're coming along nicely," Alyssa said to Helene, smiling at the aquatic girl as she handed her a jumpsuit. "Just a few more days and you'll look just like us."

John fastened his own jumpsuit and cast an appraising eye over the teal-skinned beauty. "She's right. Just another inch to go and you'll be there."

Helene examined her athletic body, twisting so that she could get a better look. "I don't look very different..."

Alyssa pulled her in front of the mirrors. "That's because you already had a fantastic body before you joined us." She stood beside the Abandoned girl and leaned around her to cup her breasts. "These have gone up a cup size and you're at least three inches taller."

Walking over to join them, John stood beside the two girls as Helene studied her reflection. "You were always beautiful, honey. The biggest changes were here..." He placed a hand over her heart, then raised it to caress her temple. "And in here..."

She turned to look at him, her blue eyes filled with adoration. "It's wonderful being a part of your family..." Her gaze flicked to Alyssa then back to John. "You've done so much to make me feel welcome... and loved."

He kissed her, then smiled. "We've both noticed you growing in confidence... it's been lovely to see."

Helene hugged them both, whispering her heartfelt thanks as they held her. Wiping away a happy tear, she let Alyssa help her into the jumpsuit then they left the walk-in-wardrobe and headed up to the Bridge. The rest of the girls were already there, sitting at their stations with their eyes fixed on the System Map that floated above them.

John smiled at Faye as he jogged up the steps to the Command Podium then he froze when he looked at the holographic map. The system they'd just entered was dominated by a golden yellow sun, which was orbited by three huge gas giants and one life-sustaining planet... and what a planet it was. He instantly recognised it as a gaia-class world, the rich greens of the verdant continents contrasting with the beautiful turquoise of the shallow seas.

"Arcadia..." he murmured under his breath.

Alyssa stood beside him and slipped her hand into his. "The crew of the Cora probably couldn't believe their eyes when they found an untouched paradise out here."

"It is beautiful... but it was hiding a deadly secret," he said, his expression turning grim. "Any sign of ships in-system?"

"Nothing," Faye replied, hopping up onto his console. "If the Kirrix ever visited, they left without a trace."

"Arcadia wouldn't have interested them," Alyssa said, gazing at the planet. "They prefer arid worlds like Kirr-Inax."

John slowly sank into his Command Chair. "Take us in, Jade..."

The Nymph had been ignoring the planet, her eyes locked on John ever since he stepped out of the grav-tube. She nodded, then turned to face her station and ramped up power to the engines. The Invictus responded immediately, engines flaring and propelling them forward as the ship picked up speed. The Bridge was quiet, with none of the usual light-hearted banter as they approached the planet. All the girls sensed what a momentous occasion this was for John, with him finally getting a chance to visit the world where his parents had met forty-one years earlier. For all any of them knew, his parents could still be there... and the thought of meeting an actual living Progenitor was mind-blowing.

Helene could feel the nervous tension pouring off John and she gently stroked his shoulder. "Are you alright?" she whispered, her concern for him overriding her reticence about breaking the silence.

He glanced up at her and nodded, his mouth twisting into an anxious smile. "I've waited my entire life to be here... now I finally am, I'm struggling to believe it's real."

"We've all got your back," Alyssa said quietly, squatting beside him and looking into his eyes. "Anything you need... just ask."

John nodded to her in gratitude, then Arcadia's magnetic allure drew his gaze once again.

The Invictus approached the planet, with Jade bringing the white battlecruiser into high orbit.

Dana darted a quick glance back at John. "I'll start scanning for the black ship..."

He leaned forward to get a better look as the System Map switched to the Planetary view. Aside from the poles, which were covered in rolling grassland, the majority of the land masses were covered in lush jungle, the world very much a tropical paradise. If Arcadia had been in Terran Federation territory, the first word of its existence would have triggered a stampede of eager colonists.

Tashana suddenly sat bolt upright. "I just thought of something! We know from the Nexus files that Arcadia used to be one of Mael'nerak's worlds... but the Ashanath never handed this planet over to the Terran Federation! There might be thrall sites down there!"

"No sign of any settlements so far," Dana muttered, staring at the ongoing scan results. "But there's so much jungle down there, I guess it's possible they might be hidden."

"I have the coordinates for the Cora's original landing site," Calara volunteered, her fingers tapping on her console. A glowing red X appeared on the largest continent, in an area forested with lighter jungle. "Unfortunately, Captain Ebner's logs didn't contain coordinates for the Black ship."

"He probably forgot, what with the panic after they found Jessica," Rachel said, staring at the map.

Calara nodded in agreement as she looked up at John. "Your mother had been missing for months when they finally found her. After she fought with the crew, they found out she was pregnant and under the thrall of an advanced alien lifeform... I'm not surprised they fled."

"It sounds like the plot to a horror holo-movie," Tashana murmured, staring at the planet in fascination. Realising she'd said that out loud, she winced and darted an apologetic glance at John.

He waved away her apology. "The crew were betrayed and murdered... it fits."

"I can't find the black ship!" Dana blurted out in surprise. "I've finished a thorough magnetic scan of that continent, but I'm not picking up anything other than subterranean mineral deposits."

"Could your father have repaired his ship and left?" Alyssa suggested, turning to look at John. "It has been 40 years..."

"That ship was a wreck," Calara said dubiously. "It had sustained massive damage, from both the initial explosion in the Niryean Rift, then the crash landing on Arcadia; I'd be amazed if he managed to rebuild it."

"Would you like me to help with a visual search?" Faye volunteered.

Dana gave her a grateful smile. "Thanks, Faye. You start looking to the south of that landing site, I'll check to the north."

Calara paused for a moment, then turned back to her console and began tapping on icons. "I've got the pictures the Cora's crew took of the ship... perhaps I can identify some landmarks..."

"John..." Sakura said, getting his attention. "The black ship might be cloaked. If so, that would explain why the Cora missed it on the initial scans and we can't detect it either."

Dana and Calara darted broad grins at one another, thoughts of finding an operational Progenitor cloaking device forefront in their minds as they rushed to resume their search.

"I've got some hills in the background," the Latina said, her eyes flicking from one picture to the other. "Low elevation... maybe 200 metres. The visible section is maybe... two kilometres long?"

"Adding a topographical filter," Dana muttered, her eyes sweeping over the terrain.

"There! I've found it!" Faye called out in triumph a few moments later. "In that valley!"

She zoomed in the Planetary Map, highlighting a section far to the south west of the Cora's landing site. Centred in a circular section of lowland was the battered remnants of a Progenitor dreadnought. The sinister black ship loomed up above the leafy canopy like some twisted nightmarish beast, prowling through the jungle in search of prey.

"That's not a valley," Tashana said, shaking her head. "Look... it's an impact crater."

Now that she'd pointed it out, they could all clearly see the raised circumference of the massive crater, highlighted by the topographical lines on the map. When the stricken ship had smashed into the surface, the catastrophic blast had devastated the local terrain. In the thousands of years since that dreadful event, Arcadia's jungle had reclaimed the area, obscuring the terrible scar on the face of the planet.

"That must've been one hell of a crash," Dana said in a hushed voice. "How the fuck did your dad survive that?"

"Maybe we can ask him..." John said quietly, staring at the wreck.

Faye continued to zoom in on the ship, giving them an incredibly detailed view of the crashed vessel. The front half was completely obscured, but whether that was due to being buried or totally destroyed, it was impossible to tell with all the foliage. The black hull had ugly rents all along its length and with the rear half jutting up into the air, they had a clear view of the engine housing at the stern. Two of the four huge engines had been ripped clear, although it was impossible to tell whether it was Mael'nerak's gambit or the crash had caused the most damage.

Dana groaned and clutched at her head. "Here we go..." she muttered, screwing her eyes shut.

"Are you in pain?" Rachel asked, half-rising from her seat.

She waved her away. "Nah, it just feels really fucking weird... like you're desperately trying to remember someone's name and it's on the tip of your tongue. It's so frustrating..."

Feverish with anticipation, Calara gushed, "What schematics did you discover?!" When John raised an eyebrow, she blushed. "I was concerned too, but Dana did say she was okay..."

The redhead slumped back in her chair and looked like she was staring at the wall, her eyes darting back and forth. "Goddamn..."

"What did you find?" John asked, getting caught up with the excitement.

"A Progenitor engine array," she whispered, shaking her head in awe. "The thrust ratio is totally insane... their ships must be a hell of a lot heavier than I thought."

John nodded, her conclusion feeling instinctively correct. "Do you want to go and write up the schematics?"

"No way!" Dana darted a hungry look at the ominous black vessel. "Let's get down there and see what other cool shit we can find!"

"Are you able to scan the ship?"

She shook her head. "Our sensors can't penetrate the hull and we're not picking up anything on the scans. I think Sakura's right... it must be cloaked."

"How do you want to play this?" Alyssa asked, squeezing his hand.

"We better take the Raptor... that jungle looks too dense to land the Invictus," John said, studying the map. "Besides, I'd feel much happier if we had some big guns providing cover."

"I'm coming with you," Alyssa stated firmly, as she heard him pondering who to take down to the surface.

He turned to look at her pensive face. "Are you sure? Remember what happened last time you went into a black ship..."

"There's no way you're leaving me behind, John," she replied, her cerulean eyes narrowing. "Besides, we might be able to learn what happened from the psychic echoes... and if all gets too much, I'll just wait outside."

John brushed the backs of his fingers across her cheek. "Okay. I want you there too."

The tension eased from her shoulders and she gave him a quick kiss. "That's settled then."

"I'll stay and pilot the Invictus," Jade volunteered, much to his surprise.

He glanced across the Bridge at the Nymph and gave her a grateful smile. "Thanks, honey. I wasn't sure there'd be enough room for dragon-Jade inside the ship."

"I know," she replied, her expression one of rueful resignation. "I'll stay and look after the girls up here."

John looked around at the crew. "I want Calara, Faye, and Helene to stay with Jade and the Nymphs aboard the Invictus. I'll take Alyssa, Dana, Rachel, Sakura, and the twins with me on the Raptor."

They all acknowledged his orders with a nod and Dana did a celebratory fist pump.

When John rose from his seat, his grim expression drew their attention. "We're not just looting a deserted ship for Progenitor tech. We have no idea who might be down there or what kind of welcome we're going to get. We might be about to meet Mael'nerak... or Ranagon... and they're both Progenitors who've had thousands of years of combat experience. You've all seen what I can do, but I've got my guide dragging me down and I'm effectively fighting with one arm tied behind my back. There's no knowing what either of them might be capable of..."

"Do you really think you might come to blows with your own father?" Helene asked, looking at him wide-eyed.

"I don't know, that's what worries me," he replied, his brow furrowing. "If this does end up in a battle, we'll be facing an opponent that's vastly more powerful than anyone we've ever gone up against before."

"John... maybe I should come with you after all?" Jade blurted out anxiously, rising from her chair. "I can definitely fit down corridors in tiger form..."

He paused to consider it, his concern for the Nymph's safety warring with his knowledge of just how powerful she'd become in combat. He'd seen Jade shrug off sustained broadsides by a destroyer... at the very least, she'd be able to help protect the girls from harm.

"I checked the ship's visible hard points," Dana said, glancing at the image of the black vessel. "All the external guns were torn from the hull... the Invictus shouldn't be in any danger."

Sakura nodded her agreement. "I think it's a sensible precaution leaving Calara to man the guns, but it might be wise to bring Jade. Faye can pilot the Invictus if we do need ground support."

John locked eyes with the worried Nymph and nodded. "Okay, Jade, you're coming too."

She smiled at him in relief, then bounded across the Bridge to join the rest of the girls as they left their Stations.

Faye hopped off John's console to stand beside him. "Please be careful, John," she said, reaching out to touch his arm.

"You too," he said, leaning down to give her a reassuring kiss. He glanced over at Calara who was hugging Alyssa. "Calara, I want you to hold position above the ship and be ready in case we need to call in a barrage."

She nodded, brown eyes filled with worry. "I know you need me up here, but I wish I was coming with you."

Alyssa kissed her cheek and caught her anxious gaze. "Dingy black corridors, murky red lighting... I doubt you'll be missing much."

Calara's laughter sounded strained. "True... I forgot how depressing those ships are."

John walked over to give the Latina a kiss and exchanged a lingering hug with her before stepping away. Alyssa joined him and they waved goodbye to Calara and Faye as they descended in the grav-tube with the rest of the ground team. The girls were quiet as they walked along the Deck Two corridor towards their bedroom, where they took the express grav-tube down to the armoury overlooking the Combat Bridge.

The room was soon filled with the sound of rippling clicks as John and six of the girls donned their Paragon suits in the armour-equipping frames. Jade waited patiently as they stepped clear and approached the weapon racks, gearing themselves up for battle.

"Oh, I've got a present for you!" Dana said to Tashana, darting over to the closest weapon rack. She picked up a brace of double-barrelled pistols. "Here you go."

The Maliri pistoleer admired the gleaming white handguns, noting their sleek new design. "Tachyon pistols?"

"Got it in one," the redhead said with an eager grin. "Not quite the stopping power of a Tachyon rifle, but you've got the same fire rate. The lower barrel fires runic penetrators, same as the rifles."

"Excellent... thank you," Tashana said with a grin, twirling the pistols before catching them and slotting them into her holsters.

The rest of the girls took a Tachyon rifle, with Sakura sheathing her ninjato on her back. Alyssa watched John reach for his glowing runesword, the Progenitor glyphs etched into the blade still throbbing with untapped power.

John sheathed it across his back, the magnetic fields holding it in place. He noticed the blonde's avid attention and looked at her curiously. "What is it?"

"Maybe I need something like that to focus my powers," she murmured, lost in thought.

"You want to make your own sword?!" he exclaimed, looking at her in astonishment.

Alyssa wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "No, not a sword... something else. I'll discuss it with Athena and see what she suggests."

John walked with her to the express grav-tube. "What runes do you know so far?"

"Just those magnification runes I used against the Kirrix," she said, smiling as she nudged him with an elbow. "I blame my fellow Progenitor for not teaching me any new ones!"

They dropped down to the Secondary Hanger, then John pulled her aside to let the girls pass. "I'm sorry. I know I said I'd train you after the hive queen fight on Carolus III, but it completely slipped my mind. I'll start teaching you everything I know about runecrafting when we get back to the Invictus."

They had both removed their Paragon helmets while they were talking, so Alyssa stepped closer to give him a reassuring kiss. "After everything we've had to deal with recently, I forgot too," she admitted with a grin.

"You need a vacation... all the girls do," John said with a sympathetic smile, brushing his gauntleted fingers through her long golden locks. "I really needed the last couple of days with Sparks and the Nymphs. Just being able to switch off for a while was such a relief."

She looked at him affectionately. "Two days off wasn't a proper break... that was just a naughty weekend. We'll investigate Arcadia, head back to Valaden, then leave the galaxy to take care of itself for a couple of weeks. I think we've earned a bit of time off."

"Right... Arcadia," John said, his brow furrowing again. He looked through the open hangar doors at the beautiful green world that waited below them, wondering what secrets they'd uncover there.

Alyssa glanced at the girls striding purposefully towards the Raptor and when they were out of earshot, she turned to John and whispered, "If we do find your parents, have you got any idea what you're going to actually say to them?"

John's expression deeply troubled. "I've asked myself that same thing for years. I just need some answers... it's the not knowing that's so painful."

She knew that there was one specific question that had tortured John for decades: why had his parents abandoned him on Terra?

"Come on, let's go find out," she said, with a supportive smile.

John nodded and they walked hand-in-gauntleted-hand over to the Raptor. As soon as they'd boarded, the loading ramp closed behind them and they heard the muted roar of retro-thrusters reverberating as the gunship lifted off the deck. After ascending in the grav-tube, they entered the cockpit, where the six girls accompanying them on the ground mission were waiting.

Jade was in the Pilot's Chair, flying them towards their destination, which loomed surprisingly large through the cockpit canopy. Hearing his surprised thoughts, the Nymph said over her shoulder, "Faye brought the Invictus down to optimal firing range. They're hovering at 5000 metres... at that range, Calara could shoot the fleas off a mangy dog's back."

The girls moved aside so that he could pass and John stood by the crystal canopy, staring transfixed at the battered onyx dreadnought as it got closer.

Faye popped into existence beside him in a purple flash. "Hey! I've been searching the vicinity for possible landing sites and I spotted several clearings quite close to the hull. I'll mark them on the planetary map for you."

"Thanks, honey," he said gratefully, glancing at the holographic image that floated above the console. After studying the map for a moment, he turned back to look through the window. "Jade, can you circle the wreck, I'd like to take a closer look."

"Sure," the Nymph agreed, banking the Raptor around as they descended.

The gunship performed a sweeping, low-altitude circling manoeuvre, letting him get a good look at the upraised rear of the black ship.

"That's an airlock!" Dana called out, pointing towards an oval shaped indentation in the hull near the ground. "I bet that's the one they used to get in and out of the ship. The rest would either be underground or too high up."

"You remembered that from the black ship schematics?" John asked, glancing at the redhead. "Do you know the full deck plans?"

She nodded to his first question, then grimaced and reluctantly shook her head to the second. "I know the rough layout, but not the location for everything... just where I can find the tech I already know how to build, like the Progenitor Power Cores. It's like a jigsaw puzzle with a bunch of blank spaces."

He returned his focus to the wreck. "We'll do a ship-wide search, clearing room by room..." he said quietly, with a pensive frown on his face as he wondered how long it would take to scour the wreck for any sign of his parents.

Dana leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

"What was that for?" he asked, giving her a curious look.

"You're awesome, alright?" she told him earnestly. "You've got nothing to worry about. They'll be super proud of the man you've become."

Touched by her sincerity, he pulled her into a grateful hug.

They stood like that for a long moment, until Jade cleared her throat to get his attention. "I've completed a circuit around the site and checked Faye's clearings. I think one of them is actually a vegetable garden; I spotted what looks like rows of produce..."

John looked at her in surprise, then whirled around to look through the canopy again. "Hover above it! I want to take a closer look."

"On our way," she said, moving the flightstick and banking the Raptor in a sharp turn.

When they were in position, he offered Jade a hand, helping the Nymph from her seat as Faye took over control of the gunship. They headed for the grav-tube with the girls following behind, then dropped down to the level below. By the time John had lowered the forward-loading ramp, the Raptor was stationary over the clearing, retro-thrusters keeping the gunship hovering in the air ten metres above the ground.

John watched Jade shift into a green hawk and launch herself from the gunship in a swooping dive. He pulled on his helmet and activated flight mode as he stepped clear, the girls jumping off to join him in floating down to the ground. They landed in leafy ferns at the edge of the clearing, the enormous bulk of the crashed ship to their left.

"Freshly tilled soil," Tashana said, nudging the dark earth with the toe of her armoured boot. "Someone did this recently... maybe a few weeks ago?"

John tore his eyes away from the neat lines of colourful fruit and vegetables to stare at the black ship. "They're still here..."

*The airlock's this way,* Jade said, flying towards the lower section of the battered wreck.

"Weapons out?" Irillith asked, reaching for her Tachyon rifle as they walked towards the derelict.

He hesitated, then shook his head. "I don't want to do anything to provoke a fight. Keep your eyes peeled though..."

John took the lead, following the pockmarked hull until he saw the oval airlock. Jade landed a cautious distance from the airlock and shimmered in a rippling green haze, changing form into an armoured tiger. As John approached, he saw that the door was a couple of metres above ground level, but someone had built a ramp long ago, the surface of the small hillock now covered in grass.

Closing his eyes, he channelled his will into enhancing his vision, so that he could see straight through the hull, just as he had on Carolus III. When he opened his eyes again, he stared intently at the starship's glimmering black armour... but nothing happened. His X-Ray vision wasn't able to penetrate that mysterious metal.

"I can't see through it... the hull blocked my powers," John muttered in frustration.

"Let me try," Alyssa said, her eyes glowing brightly as psychic energy rolled down her arms to swirl around her hands. Crouching down, she touched the ground with her gauntleted fists and a pulse of light swept outwards, sweeping over the Progenitor vessel. She looked at him in surprise. "It's blocking me too!"

Dana stood beside John and examined the sealed airlock door, then suddenly clutched at her head and groaned. She stepped forward and touched one of the glowing runes, then the portal split open with a jarring rasping noise, the edges looking like serrated teeth as they swung back into the frame.

"No security?" Sakura asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Inactive..." the redhead replied, shaking her head to clear her vision of the airlock schematic. "Either the security server was destroyed in the crash, or the damage tore up the connections."

John walked up to the door and looked inside. The inner airlock door was jammed open, giving him a clear view down the dark passageway, which was dimly illuminated by red lighting set in the floor. The deck was slanted upwards at an awkward 20-degree angle and he frowned at the thought of trying to navigate their way around the sloping corridors. Stepping inside, he was startled to find he could stand upright without any discomfort.

"Artificial gravity must still be operational," Dana murmured, following him inside.

Unlike the spotlessly clean Ashanath-owned Legacy, dust and dirt had been tracked in through the doorway and along the corridor. It marred the harsh sterility of the sinister ship, somehow lessening the feeling of dread... for all but one member of their group.

"The walls scream out in torment..." Alyssa whispered, her eyes wide as she jerked her hand away from the glimmering black surface. "Thousands of voices echoing their agony over the millennia..."

Dana shuddered and frowned at her friend. "It's going to be scary enough going in here already; you know you freak me out when you say shit like that..."

"Maybe you coming in here was a bad idea," John said, placing his hands on Alyssa's shoulders and studying her unsettled expression with concern.

She shook her head, then looked at him obstinately. "No... I'll be fine."

Sakura squatted down by the tracks. "Female... male... a mix of armoured bootprints and shoe treads. Do you want to follow these inside, or perform a standard sweep and clear?" she asked, glancing up at John. The Asian girl gave him a tight smile and quickly added, "Hopefully, clearing will be unnecessary..."

"Let's follow the tracks," he replied, gazing down the gloomy tunnel. "If we don't find anyone wherever they lead, we can fall back to the airlock and carry out a systematic search. I want you to take point with the twins, Rachel and Dana cover the rear."

Just as they acknowledged his orders and moved into position, the airlock door slid shut behind them with a rasping clunk, the sound making the hair stand up on the back of their necks. After a few shared glances, they set off along the wide corridor, passing intersections as they headed deeper into the Progenitor dreadnought. The girls cast cautious glances about, their hands wavering near the hilt of their weapons, wary for the first sign of danger.

John watched Alyssa as they walked along, catching her flinching occasionally and averting her eyes from the path ahead. He darted an inquisitive glance at the black walls, then reached out and trailed his fingertips along the dark surface. He didn't experience any of the feelings of disquiet that had so unsettled Alyssa; quite to the contrary, this ship felt reassuringly familiar to him. Returning his attention to the telepathic blonde, John saw her eyes darting back and forth as she was confronted with a series of terrible visions.

"What can you see?" he asked quietly, studying Alyssa with concern.

She watched as a ghostly trio of crimson-hued, dark-haired women ran down the corridor ahead of them. The three suddenly let out tortured screams and pitched over onto the deck, their beautiful faces contorted with agony as the vitality was drained from their bodies. When they had nothing left to give, they were little more than withered husks lying contorted on the floor.

"I see thralls... having their life-force sucked out of them..."

"Are the thralls Maliri?" John asked, his voice catching. "Is this the rest of Mael'nerak's ship?"

"All the thralls I've seen so far had red skin and black hair," Alyssa replied, ignoring the psychic echoes to look him in the eyes. "I'm pretty sure this was Ranagon's ship..."

John froze and stared into the distance. "So Ranagon was my father..."

Tashana placed a hand on his arm and said in a gentle tone, "We don't know that for certain, John. What we do know, is that Mael'nerak's dreadnought was ripped apart in the blast; there was barely anything left of the original ship that the Ashanath used as the basis for the Legacy. If we're right and Mael'nerak did sabotage his wormhole generator, he might have simply been trying to wipe out the opposing thrall fleets. He could have abandoned ship and boarded Ranagon's vessel in an attempt to survive the explosion and confront his enemy directly."

Dana nodded her agreement. "Mael'nerak was an incredibly smart guy... I bet he had a contingency plan to save his ass. He's still a contender to have survived and met your mom."

John thought about that for a moment, then gestured for them to proceed. "You're right and it's pointless me guessing... let's find out for sure."

Sakura led the group down the corridor, following the faded tracks on the black decking. When they reached another cross-junction, the scuffed bootprints continued for another thirty metres and ended in... a pair of well-worn leather boots. They'd been left propped outside an open door and Sakura paused when she looked inside, a look of surprise on her face.

"What is it?" John asked quietly, striding over to join her.

He glanced through the doorway and understood what had brought Sakura up short. The room beyond was a large kitchen, furnished entirely in black, the red lighting making the place look eerie and foreboding. Despite that, the kitchen showed signs of extensive use. A wide assortment of vegetables had been harvested from the garden and lay piled on the worktop, with one of them left half-peeled on a wooden chopping board. Jars had been lined up against the wall, the names of exotic herbs carefully hand-written on their labels. In the middle of the kitchen table, a bouquet of bright tropical flowers bloomed in a jet-black vase, adding a cheerful splash of colour to the unrelenting gloom of the monochrome furnishings. The overall effect was to give the kitchen a surreal air of domesticity, where someone had obviously tried to make the forbidding wrecked ship feel more like a home.

"A woman's touch..." Alyssa said with a soft smile, stepping past John to gently brush a cornflower-blue flower petal with her fingertip. Her eyes started to glow with a bright inner light as she glanced around the room. "Jessica Blake... the kitchen is filled with her echoes..."

Sakura leaned down to study a half-peeled maroon vegetable, then spotted the moisture beading on the sharp knife. "This was freshly cut!" she exclaimed in surprise, looking up at John. "Jessica was here... only minutes ago."

John heard a now-familiar faint rasping sound in the distance and he froze, his eyes widening. "I heard something! A door opening!"

He squeezed past Rachel and bolted into the corridor, trying to picture exactly where the fleeting sound had come from.

"This way!" he called out, dashing to the right.

The girls sprinted to catch up, following after John as he headed into the bowels of the ship. When they reached another intersection, John skidded to a halt and glanced down the three corridors, unsure which way to proceed.

*I've picked up her scent,* Jade said, bounding past him, her big paws making soft thumps on the decking.

He set off again, activating psychic speed to catch up to the huge green tiger. *Is my father with her?*

Jade glanced his way, her big emerald eyes watching him closely. *Hers is the strongest scent I've detected so far... the rest are faint traces.*

The Nymph dashed after the trail with John at her side, then screeched to a halt by a large set of doors, her claws scratching against the deck. She sniffed around, then nudged the runic control panel with her nose, the broad doors peeling back into the frame with a grating rasp.

"They're not meant to sound like that," Dana grumbled with a disapproving frown as she caught up to them. "This ship's ten-thousand-years overdue a service!"

"That's the first thing I'll say when I speak to Jessica, tell her to remind my father," John said with a grin, his eyes alight with anticipation.

The redhead laughed, getting caught up with his excitement.

When the serrated doors finished opening, John stepped forward, but Jade's low growl made him halt in his tracks.

*I can smell blood!* she warned him, staring into the room with her hackles up. *Lots and lots of blood...*

The room was pitch-black, the crimson light that cast a blood-red pall over the rest of the ship curiously absent. John activated the external spotlights on his armour, then stared in shock at the gruesome scenes of carnage in the room beyond. He drew his sword then entered cautiously, with the girls following him inside a moment later, their Paragon suits illuminating more of the massacre. The floor must have been awash with gallons of blue blood, before it had dried around the mutilated black-armoured corpses strewn in every direction.

Irillith shone her lights over a disembowelled upper torso, revealing a light-green woman's horrified face contorted with agony in her death throes.

"Thralls..." the Maliri spat, her violet eyes narrowing with barely disguised loathing.

Tashana nodded, her expression twisting into a feral mask of hatred. "Scores of the vermin..."

Rachel's eyebrows climbed at the twins' surprising outburst and she turned to share a look of concern with Alyssa. The blonde nodded, then watched the Maliri as they prowled across the room, searching for survivors.

John was oblivious to their disconcerting behaviour as he stared at the mangled corpses, stunned by the savagery on display. It wasn't just the thralls that had been brutally eviscerated, the machinery in the room had also been torn asunder, while the walls bore huge gouges and battle scars.

A groan drew his attention and Dana wavered unsteadily, her attempts to clutch her head frustrated by her Paragon helmet. Rachel rushed to her side and put an arm around her girlfriend.

"What did you find?" she asked, instantly recognising the redhead's telltale sign of a technology breakthrough.

"Thrall armour!" Dana gasped, blinking in astonishment as she examined the new schematic. "Fuck me... the Paragon suits... I copied the damn things!"

"We were right about thralls using Reaper Cannons," Sakura called out, squatting by a dismembered corpse and prodding the cracked housing of an underslung cannon with the barrel of her Tachyon rifle.

Rachel squatted down by one of the corpses, studying the horrific wounds. "Judging by the state of decomposition, I'd estimate their death occurred... 6 days ago."

Jade had threaded her way through the severed limbs and piles of entrails to stand at the far side of the room. *Master... she ran through here.*

Roused from his shocked daze, John jogged over to the huge tiger, trying to avoid stepping on the remains of any thralls. Jade activated the glyph to open the door by bumping it with her nose and by the time he'd arrived, the jagged-toothed portal had spiralled open. She prowled through, sniffing the air to regain the scent, then turned and headed to the right. John glanced back into the room and saw the girls were hurrying after him.

*Keep going,* Alyssa urged him. *We're right there with you.*

He nodded and turned to follow Jade, but was startled at the impressive lead she'd managed to gain on him already.

*Jade... wait for me!* he warned her, sprinting to catch up.

*Her scent is fresh, Master!* Jade gushed with excitement. *Not far now!*

*Dana says we're over on the far side of the ship,* Alyssa cautioned him. *She reckons we're heading towards another airlock...*

John glanced at his Paragon suit's HUD and opened a comm channel to the Raptor. "Faye?"

"Hey, John!" she replied with a nervous smile. "Is everything okay?"

"Can you bring the Raptor around to the north side of the ship? We think we've found Jessica but she's trying to escape out an airlock!"

"I'll watch out for her!" Faye immediately agreed.

John followed Jade through another room, "Thanks, honey."

*The airlock is fifty metres away... take a right then a left and you it should be straight in front of you!* Alyssa informed him, relaying Dana's instructions.

Jade was already running in that direction, so he decided to just stick with her rather than rush ahead, not wanting to leave the Nymph alone on a potentially dangerous ship. Another grating squeal reached his sharp ears, but this time Jade heard it too. Her feline eyes flicked to him for a moment, enough time for John to nod in confirmation.

"I can't see any airlocks on the north facing hull," Faye warned him in frustration. "But more of that side is buried in dirt... I think the ship must have slid into this position when it crashed."

When John reached the airlock, he discovered that it was already open, leading into a dirt passageway. "Shit," he cursed under his breath. "I hope there isn't a network of tunnels under here!"

*We're very close now, Master,* Jade said, eyeing the tunnel. *But I might have to shapeshift to fit through there... I'm not sure I can fit as a tiger.*

"Let me go first," he said, striding through the airlock door and down the dirt passage.

Jade shifted into her humanoid form and hurried after him, the pair jogging along the tunnel to catch their elusive quarry. Suddenly there was a loud thump and the ground seemed to rise up to meet them.

"John!" Faye cried out in panic. "There was an explosion! Are you okay?!"

John stood with his hand upraised, a glowing dome of blue hexagons preventing the ceiling from collapsing. His other arm was wrapped around the Nymph, holding her close to keep her from harm. Ahead and behind them, the tunnel had caved in with the blast, leaving the couple trapped under tons of dirt.

"Fuck this..." he muttered, reaching for his runeblade. "Faye... get the Raptor clear of the ship!"

The runes started to throb and he drew his sword back before bringing it around in a sweeping slash, the ensuing force wave blasting out the side of the partially-collapsed hill in a shower of dirt.

"To your right!" Faye called out in warning. "She's making a break for it!"

"Go, Master!" Jade urged him, as they staggered outside. "Catch her!"

He sheathed his sword and rushed ahead, using his psychic speed to rapidly close the distance. He'd barely gone a dozen strides when he saw her... the brunette running for the jungle and casting a fearful glance over her shoulder. He stumbled to a halt as he locked eyes with his mother, the same ones he'd stared into hundreds of times in the past as he reviewed Jessica Blake's personnel file. She hadn't aged a day...

Jessica screamed in terror and ran faster, plunging into the foliage. Her frightened cry wakened John from his daze and he sprinted after her, his psychically enhanced speed letting him intercept her with ease.

"Jessica, stop!" he called out, rushing around to stand a dozen metres in front of the fleeing woman.

"You're one of them!" she blurted out in panic as she stumbled to a halt, darting glances either way to look for an escape route. "Leave me alone!"

A booming blast from back at the ship made her jump in fright and she tried bolting to the left, desperate to flee.

John rushed to cut her off again, appearing as a blur he was moving so fast. "I'm not one of them!" he protested, holding his hands up in a calming manner.

She looked at him with wild, disbelieving eyes, obviously suspecting some kind of trick.

He grimaced, realising how ridiculous his protestations sounded when he was quite blatantly using psychic powers. "I mean... I am... but I'm not; it's complicated. I promise I won't hurt you."

Jessica tried dashing back towards the ship this time, but she gasped in fear when she saw the white-armoured women emerging from a glowing hole blasted out of the hillside.

John swept around in front of her again. "Stop, Jessica... please!"

Something in his tone made her pause and she looked at him warily. "How do you know my name?" she demanded suspiciously. "Who the hell are you?"

"I know who you are, Jessica Blake," he replied quietly, lowering his hands. "My name's John and I've been waiting to meet you for 40 years. I'm your son..."

She gaped at him in shock, then her eyes rolled up and she fainted, collapsing to the ground. Or at least she would have done, if John hadn't lunged forward to catch her and scoop her up in his arms.

The girls ran over to join him, staring in astonishment at Jessica.

"Holy shit... you finally found your mom..." Dana said in a hushed voice, gaping at the brunette.

"She's beautiful..." Alyssa murmured, gently brushing a lock of brown hair from Jessica's face.

John sought out another brunette amongst the crowd of fascinated girls. "Is she alright, Rachel?"

The doctor blinked away her surprise, then shrouded the unconscious woman in her grey aura. "She's in a highly anxious state; that's what triggered her passing out. Her adrenaline levels are off the chart, but other than being under extreme stress, she's physically fine."

He glanced at his HUD. "Faye, can you bring the Raptor down please."

"Affirmative!" she chirped, swinging the gunship's nose around as she headed to the nearby clearing.

John walked over to the landing Raptor and sat on the lowered ramp, then moved Jessica to a sitting position while keeping her propped up. He pulled off his Paragon helmet and placed it on the ramp beside him as he looked down at his mother's face. After all this time wondering what she'd be like and how she would react to seeing him, he'd never expected her to run in terror.

"Rahn?" Jessica mumbled as she started to wake. "I had an awful nightmare..."

She looked up into his eyes, her expression turning shocked once again. "You!"

"I'm John... your son," he gently reminded her. "I'm not going to hurt you."

Jessica scrabbled away from him, then froze when she saw they were surrounded by a semi-circle of armoured women... and a naked Nymph. It was obvious she was still frightened and disorientated.

John let out a heavy sigh. "You thought I was 'Rahn' when you woke up. Does that mean Ranagon is my father?"

His mother looked at him curiously for a moment, then her face shadowed with a mixture of grief and worry. "Oh God... Rahn..."

"What happened? We saw the dead thralls..." John said, trying to control the avalanche of emotions he was feeling to calm Jessica down. "Did something happen to him? I'd like to help."

"They came about a week ago! Boarded the ship!" she exclaimed, wringing her hands in anguish. "We were going to escape out the back... but Rahn stopped to slow them down, told me to go ahead... that he'd catch up. I heard fighting... then those awful screams..." She wrapped her arms around herself as she shuddered at the terrible memories. "I wanted to go back... but I couldn't. I hid in the tunnel, then watched... as they dragged Rahn away..."

Jessica began to weep, her body shaking with shuddering sobs. "Oh God... Rahn..."

"Thralls captured him?" John asked, standing beside her and tentatively stroking her arm.

She shook her head, looking up at him through tear-filled eyes. "Rahn was unconscious. Another Progenitor... he took him away in a dropship..."

John shared a look with Alyssa, his expression grim. *She must be talking about Larn'kelnar...*

*Why capture your father though?* the blonde asked, looking bewildered.

"This all happened a week ago?" John asked Jessica, his tone kind and sympathetic.

She nodded, looking utterly bereft. "It's felt like an eternity without him..."

"Has there been any sign of the other Progenitor or his thralls since then?" John asked, watching her intently.

Jessica shook her head. "They just took Rahn and left... they haven't come back." Getting upset again, she whimpered, "I miss him so much... he's even stopped speaking to me. Oh God... what if something happened to Rahn?!" She started to hyperventilate, on the verge of a panic attack.

*She must be talking about telepathy. It sounds like Rahn's been blocked from talking to her...either that or Larn'kelnar killed him,* Alyssa said, her expression filled with sympathy as she looked at the distraught young woman. *I can't even imagine how hard this must be for her.*

John looked into his mother's eyes and said gently, "Everything's going to be okay, Jessica. We'll help you rescue Rahn."

"Really?!" she asked, her face lifting with hope. "You mean it?"

He nodded and gave her a reassuring smile. "I promise." Glancing up at the black ship, he couldn't help wondering if he had any siblings. "Was it just the two of you living here?"

"Just the two of us..." she replied, looking forlorn again. "It's been so awful since he's been gone... I felt so alone."

Dana darted a glance at Alyssa, then nudged her with an elbow.

Alyssa rolled her eyes at the redhead, then turned to John. *Sparks wants to search the ship for tech. Is that okay?*

*Sure,* he agreed distractedly, watching Jessica with concern. Looking at Alyssa he quickly added, *As long as the rest of you go with her... just in case she gets in any trouble.*

*I'm staying with you,* Alyssa insisted. *Dana should be perfectly safe with all the girls keeping an eye on her.*

John glanced at the girls, then nodded his agreement. With Sakura, Jade, the twins, and Rachel accompanying Dana, he felt confident they'd be alright. *Tell them to be careful and to stick together... no splitting up.*

Alyssa conveyed his message and the girls waved goodbye before heading back to the wreck.

"Jessica, I've got a lot of questions I'd like to ask you," John said quietly. "Would you sit and talk with me for a while?"

She nodded, nibbling at her nail. "How long do you think it'll be before we can rescue Rahn?"

"We'll try to get him back to you as fast as we can," he replied, giving her an encouraging smile. "Why don't we talk inside? We'll be a bit more comfortable there."

Jessica followed him up the ramp, with Alyssa accompanying her. They entered the Raptor, then John walked through to the armoury where he stored his weapons and removed his armour. He ran his fingers through his hair, then waited as Alyssa used the equipping frame to take off her Paragon suit. His mother didn't seem fazed by the grav-tubes and accompanied John into the cockpit where she sat in one of the chairs at the back.

John sat opposite, with Alyssa sitting beside him. He looked at Jessica and smiled as he shook his head. "There's so many things I want to ask you..." Taking a deep breath, he continued, "First of all, I'd like you to meet Alyssa. She's my... fiancée."

Jessica didn't react to John announcing his engagement, she simply studied the blonde curiously. "You're his matriarch, aren't you?"

Alyssa nodded. "Are you Ranagon's matriarch?"

"His name's Rahn'hagon," Jessica replied with an adoring smile, emphasising the slight differences in pronunciation. She looked starry-eyed as she gushed, "He's amazing... I've never met anyone so wonderful!"

Just as quickly, Jessica remembered what had happened to him and her face fell in despair.

"I'm so sorry he was captured," Alyssa said softly, rising from her chair to sit beside Jessica. "I thought I'd lost John a while ago, so I know exactly what you're going through."

"I never thought I could miss anyone so badly," Jessica whispered, a haunted look in her eyes. "If anything's happened to him..." She sounded frantic at that thought, growing much more agitated.

"Shh... it's going to be okay," Alyssa murmured, giving her a supportive sideways hug. "Can I get you anything to drink to help settle you down? Some tea maybe?"

Jessica hesitated, then smiled gratefully. "That would be nice, thanks."

Alyssa stood up and glanced at John. *Anything for you, handsome?*

He shook his head, unable to take his eyes off Jessica. John could still barely believe that he'd finally found his mother after all this time. As incredible as it was that she was still alive and he actually had a chance to talk to her, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was definitely something wrong. Jessica hadn't even acknowledged that he was her son, let alone registered any reaction to meeting him for the first time.

***

"How wonderful for John that we actually managed to find Jessica," Tashana said with a warm smile. "I'm so happy for him!"

"He deserves some good luck after everything he's done for us," Sakura agreed, leading them down the corridor.

Dana nodded emphatically, then her expression turned wistful. "Being able to finally meet his mom... what I wouldn't give for that."

Sakura stopped by a door and went to touch one of the runes on the control panel, but stopped before glancing at Jade for confirmation. The huge tiger bobbed her head and the Asian girl tapped the glowing glyph, the door opening with a grating squeal.

Dana poked her head inside, then glanced around, her gaze sweeping over the enormous black cylinders which she knew were fuel storage tanks. "Nah, nothing cool here. Let's try the next one."

They continued along the corridor, heading towards the rear of the Progenitor dreadnought.

"Jessica must be really suffering at the moment," Irillith said, a look of sympathy on her beautiful azure face. "I remember how distraught all of you were when John's guide took over and he left the ship."

Dana shuddered. "Ugh... don't remind me. That sucked ass!"

"John will be able to calm her down," Tashana said, absent-mindedly twirling one of her Tachyon pistols around a finger. "Being reunited with her son must be a very welcome distraction."

Dana glanced at Rachel and saw she was still lost in thought. "You're very quiet," she said, poking her girlfriend in the shoulder. "I would've thought you'd be delighted. You've put loads of effort into trying to perk John up; you should be dancing around with joy now that he's finally getting a chance to chat with his mom after 40 years. This is just what he always wanted!"

Rachel hesitated, then said quietly, "I hope so..."

The redhead frowned, surprised by her less than enthusiastic response.

"Dana!" Sakura called out, grinning at her from further along the corridor. "There's something in here that looks a bit like one of the components the Vulkat found. I think you called it a Null-Inertia Gyroscope?"

"Holy shit!" Dana exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with delight as she rushed to take a look for herself.

***

John watched the brunette sip her tea, the troubled young woman visibly relaxing as the hot drink soothed her nerves. "I'm not actually sure what to call you," he admitted with a lop-sided smile. "I know you're my mother, but you don't look a day over twenty. Is just sticking with Jessica alright for now?"

She nodded distractedly. "That's fine..."

He cleared his throat awkwardly. "I've got so many questions I want to ask you... First of all, would you mind telling me how this all started? I know you worked as a Xeno-biologist and were assigned to a deep space survey ship call the 'Cora'..."

Jessica leaned back in the chair and smiled. "That all seems like so long ago now." Making eye contact with John she continued, "Yes, I joined the Cora's crew and we set sail from Olympus on... 14th November 2737. Captain Ebner had an engineer and navigator working for him... I forget their names now. Then the rest of us were scientists, split between Xeno-botanists, Geologists, and then there was Dr. Franks and myself who were the Xeno-biologists. Randall was a bit overbearing, but I had a lot of autonomy in my research and just tried to ignore him."

She gazed into the distance, remembering the events that had transpired four decades earlier. "The scientists stayed in cryo until we reached the T-Fed border, then the flight crew woke us when they located the first unsurveyed habitable planet. We investigated several potentially colonisable worlds, one of which actually contained ancient ruins from a long-dead civilisation. After a few months of exploration and studying samples from those worlds, we finally found Arcadia..."

Glancing out the cockpit canopy at the lush jungle, she smiled at the memories. "It was like finding the Garden of Eden. Everyone was thrilled; we knew the bonuses for surveying a Gaia-class world would be huge. We followed protocol, making sure the environment was safe before disembarking, and Arcadia passed all our tests with flying colours. After that, we split up, exploring the local ecosystems to search for interesting flora and fauna."

"Then you discovered Rahn'hagon's ship..." John said quietly, still reeling from the thought that the Progenitor who had caused the deaths of billions of Maliri and Trankarans was his father.

"I had no intention of going anywhere near it," Jessica admitted with a wry smile. "I was just about to call the Cora and tell them what I'd discovered when Rahn found me..." Her expression turned dreamy, a look of wonder in her eyes. "He was the most perfect man I'd ever seen... I never used to believe in love at first sight, but that all changed in an instant!"

John and Alyssa shared a troubled glance. Jessica was a Terran, so she wasn't susceptible to the genetic attraction that all women from thrall races felt towards a Progenitor. Unless she actually had fallen head-over-heels in love with Rahn'hagon at first sight, the influence of psychic powers seemed a far more likely prospect.

"What happened then?" John asked, watching his mother with concern.

Jessica blushed furiously and looked down as she had another sip of tea. From the oblique angle Alyssa was sitting at, she saw that Jessica was trying to conceal a coy smile.

John coughed and said awkwardly, "Okay... so then you went missing for three months until the crew found you..."

She rolled her eyes. "It took them long enough! In the end, Rahn got tired of waiting and sent me out to be 'discovered'..."

"Wait... you wanted to be rescued?!" he blurted out, looking at her in confusion. "But Captain Ebner's logs said that you fought with the crew and had to be sedated. They panicked when they found out you were pregnant and you started begging to be returned to your 'Master'..."

Jessica nodded and gave him a wry smile. "I had to convince them that there was a potentially dangerous, highly advanced alien on Arcadia... which there was. We needed them to be scared, so that they'd abandon their mission and head straight back to Terra. The Cora's deep-space survey charter was scheduled to last for another three years... which was far too long and didn't fit in with Rahn's plan."

Leaning forward in his seat, John asked intently, "And what was his plan exactly?"

Her face fell, Jessica clearly tortured by the memory. "He wanted me to return to Terra and leave my newborn son there..."

Alyssa's heart went out to the anguished young woman. "That must have been incredibly hard," she said, rubbing the brunette's back to comfort her.

Jessica nodded, looking at Alyssa and saying earnestly, "I don't know how I survived it! I was separated from Rahn for nearly a year! If I hadn't had his voice to keep my company, I'm sure I would have gone mad..."

The blonde grimaced and darted an anxious glance at John. He'd been on the edge of his seat, looking at his mother with sympathy... but now he'd pulled back, the expression on his face reflecting how deeply she'd just hurt him. It was obvious that Jessica abandoning her son didn't even register as a concern for her, completely eclipsed as it was by her all-consuming obsession with Rahn'hagon.

Oblivious to the ragged emotional wound she'd just inflicted on her son, Jessica continued on blithely, "So after the baby was born, I escaped from the maternity ward and returned to Olympus. The crew were still cataloguing and unloading their specimens, so I snuck aboard the Cora and Rahn told me how to sabotage the Power Core. I shut down all the power regulators, then set the autopilot to activate two hours later and ramp the engines up to maximum thrust. After that, it was easy to steal a ship from the drydock. I'd found a corvette awaiting a weapons upgrade and all the crew were on shore leave, so I stole the ship and returned to Arcadia."

"Why did you kill the Cora's crew?" John asked, his voice subdued. "You murdered sixteen people in cold-blood."

Jessica shrugged nonchalantly. "They were a loose end and had to be eliminated. Rahn didn't want any eyewitnesses left behind to talk about what they'd seen on Arcadia. With the Cora gone, all the ship's logs and navigation telemetry would have been destroyed." She paused and looked at him in confusion. "How did you find me, anyway?"

Alyssa saw that John was struggling, so she quietly interjected, "When the Cora docked at Olympus, all the data from the Cora was uploaded to the T-Fed archives. It was locked behind high-level security access, but we eventually discovered a lot of what happened from the logs."

"Ah, I never knew about the upload," Jessica said with a rueful frown. "That's unfortunate."

Trying to control the whirlwind of emotions he was feeling, John asked, "So why did Rahn get you pregnant then order you to leave me on Terra? There must have been some reason behind it all?"

"I've got no idea," the brunette said, with a frown. "It must have been important, because being separated from him for that long was torture."

John watched her for a long moment, his jaw clenched in barely suppressed anger. "Isn't there anything you want to ask me?"

She nodded, looking at him with concern. "How soon will it be until we can rescue Rahn?"

His eyes narrowed. "What about Don and Eva? You know... your parents? Aren't you the least bit curious about them?"

Jessica looked at him in surprise. "Oh, right. Are they okay?"

"Not really... they never got over not knowing what happened to you."

She waved her hand at him dismissively. "It's been 40 years; I doubt they even remember me now."

John bristled at her blasé attitude, finally pushed to the limit. "They're dead, you self-centred bitch! They went to their graves grieving for their lost daughter! I don't think there's a day went by that they weren't hoping for news that you were safe and well. But you... you don't give a shit about anybody, except Rahn fucking hagon!"

Jessica shrank back in her seat, shocked and frightened by his outburst.

Throwing his hands up in exasperation, John stormed out of the cockpit, no longer able to stomach the sight of his mother.

***

"Oh, fuck yeah!" Dana crowed, grinning in delight as she clutched at her head.

The girls gathered around, staring in fascination at the hourglass-shaped component surrounded by dimly-glowing coils.

"Is this even more exciting than the Progenitor version of a Solid-Phase Shield Matrix?" Sakura asked with a smile, remembering the redhead's reaction to that priceless piece of technology.

Dana laughed and nodded, her expression one of glee. "This bad boy is a Stealth Field Induction Device!" she chortled, doing a victory dance. "With one of those installed, we could unload on the bad guys and they wouldn't have a clue where it was coming from! We'll be just as hard to spot as Larn'kelnar's black ship!"

Sakura whistled appreciatively under her breath and the twins exchanged startled glances.

Jade had been pacing back and forth, but she stopped, her body obscured by a green haze as she shifted form into her normal statuesque figure. "Will this take much longer?" she asked impatiently.

Dana looked at her in surprise. "Why are you in such a rush? The tech we've found here is totally awesome. When I build us copies of all this stuff, the Invictus is going to be invincible!"

The Nymph frowned, her expression pensive. "I'm worried about John. The meeting with his mother didn't really go as expected..."

"What happened?" Sakura asked, looking at her with concern. "Alyssa didn't mention anything..."

Jade let out a heavy sigh, feeling nothing but sadness for her master. "Do you remember how wonderful you felt after seeing your parents again?"

Sakura nodded and couldn't help smiling. "I felt loved and cherished... I knew they always thought of me as a special part of their life."

"John's feeling the opposite of that," Jade said bleakly.

"Shit..." Dana muttered, her face falling. She whirled on Rachel, eyes narrowing. "That's what that weird comment was about earlier! You knew something like this might happen!"

The brunette hesitated, then slowly nodded. "Do you have much more of the ship to investigate? I'd like to get back as well... I think John's going to need our support."

The redhead deflated and gave her a helpless shrug. "It all depends on how much more of the wreck is buried underground. If the front half got blown to bits, we could be done in maybe... half-an-hour? If most of the ship's still intact, it could take at least another three hours to go room-to-room."

Jade turned and walked out the door. "Okay, let's go."

Dana shook her head in disbelief. "I can't believe we're rushing to get this over with. This is the biggest haul of new tech we've ever had..."

Rachel put an arm around her shoulders and the couple walked despondently out of the room.

***

John lay on the bed, staring at the cabin ceiling. Over the years, he'd imagined all sorts of wildly different scenarios for how a reunion with his mother might play out. From Jessica crying tears of joy, elated at meeting her long-lost son, to her being disappointed at the choices he'd made, and more recently... disapproving of all the girls he'd recruited. However, he'd never once envisaged total disinterest and the fact that Jessica didn't seem to care about either him, or her parents, who'd been devastated at her disappearance, had cut him to the quick.

The door to the cabin slid open and Alyssa glided inside. She lay down on the bed beside him and put her arm over his chest to give him a gentle hug. "I'm so sorry, John."

He swallowed around the thick lump in his throat. "I was wrong before... not knowing was better than this."

She was resting her head on his shoulder, so Alyssa tilted back to look him in the eye. "You know that Jessica can't help the way she's behaving? She's been totally enthralled by Rahn'hagon."

John let out a heavy sigh. "Yeah, I know... but to see her like that and know that she never cared... it still hurts."

Alyssa gave him a tender kiss, trying to convey how much she cared about him as her lips pressed against his.

He started to kiss her back, then paused and pulled away. "Alyssa... did I do that to you and the girls? Turn you into blindly devoted servants?"

She propped herself up on an elbow and gazed down at him with sympathy. "You already know the answer to that, John. Think about it for a moment... why did I ask you to save Sparks from Karron?"

He paused, then looked relieved. "Because she was like your sister..."

"And our desperate missions to save the Fernandez men from disaster..." Alyssa said with an affectionate smile. "Which sultry Latina begged you to help her father and brothers?"

John relaxed and nodded. "Alright, you're not the same at all."

"Of course not," she whispered, kissing him again. "Family has always been incredibly important to you. Not just our own, but the family we're going to start in the future." She guided his hand to her trim stomach. "Could you even imagine asking me to abandon your baby?"

He pulled her into a fierce hug. "I'm so glad you're here. Thank you..."

"I love you, John," Alyssa said, hugging him back. "We all do... and not because you forced us to."

***

Faye's wings fluttered nervously as she sat opposite their guest. Alyssa had calmed the brunette down with promises of a swift rescue for Rahn'hagon and now Jessica was darting impatient glances at the cockpit door as she waited for their departure.

"They'll be back soon," she said, giving the young woman a reassuring smile.

Jessica nodded to her, then seemed to see Faye for the first time and studied her with professional curiosity. "I didn't see you earlier... what species are you? I don't recognise your xeno-type."

"I'm actually an A.I. and this is a hologram," Faye admitted, swiping her arm through the back of the chair to prove it. "But please don't be afraid, I promise I won't hurt you. I help John and the girls run their ship."

She frowned, looking confused. "I didn't mean to upset him earlier..."

Faye nodded. "I know. It's just that John's been desperately hoping to meet you all his life... and he's very sad that you don't feel the same way."

Her frown deepened. "I... I-I'm not..." she stammered, before her voice trailed away.

"Don't worry, he's not mad at you," Faye said, giving her a warm smile. "But we're all going to do everything we can to free Rahn'hagon from the Progenitor that captured him."

Jessica gave the compassionate sprite a look of sincere gratitude. "That would be wonderful, thank you."

Alyssa left the cabin and walked down the corridor to the cockpit. "Hello again," she said, sitting beside Jessica. "You must be exhausted after all the frights we gave you today. I'm really sorry we scared you."

"That's okay," the brunette replied, stifling a yawn.

Putting an arm around her, Alyssa said quietly, "The girls will be a little while longer; why don't you try to get a bit of rest? We'll be taking off as soon as they get back, then we'll get together with the rest of the crew and come up with a plan to rescue Rahn."

Jessica nodded, looking drowsy. "I haven't slept properly all week without him... You're right, I could really do with some rest."

"Just lean against me," Alyssa murmured, brushing her hair. "I'll look after you while you sleep."

"Thank you," the brunette murmured, closing her eyes. "You're very kind."

"It's the least I can do for a fellow matriarch. Besides, you're my future mother-in-law... I need to get on your good side."

Jessica's eyes snapped open and she looked at the blonde in surprise, then burst into laughter. "This has been such a strange day..." she said, settling down and closing her eyes again.

"I know," Alyssa murmured, her eyes starting to glow with a soft inner radiance. "Tomorrow will be much better..."

***

Jade bounded up the loading ramp and shifted into her normal form, then rushed through the door as she headed for the grav-tube.

Dana frowned and leaned against the wall, pulling off her Paragon helmet and rubbing at her temple. When the rest of the girls were safely inside, she slapped her hand down on the wall-mounted button, raising the loading ramp.

"Are you alright?" Rachel asked her, removing a gauntlet and stroking the redhead's brow. "Bad headache?"

"Yeah... we did storm through that last bit," Dana said with a rueful smile. "Don't get me wrong, learning all those schematics was awesome... but my head's pounding."

The brunette gently caressed Dana, enveloping her lover in a soft grey aura. "Your poor synapses..." she whispered, leaning over to kiss her. "That amazing brain of yours has been working on overdrive."

Letting out a blissful sigh, Dana murmured, "Babes... that feels so much better..."

*Don't bother coming up to the cockpit, we'll come down to you,* Alyssa informed all the girls in the forward loading area. *We'll be docking with the Invictus in a minute.*

"Hmm... what could we do to pass the time?" Rachel asked airily, sharing a look with her lover.

Dana giggled and they both reached for Sakura, with the redhead pulling off her helmet, so Rachel could give her a kiss.

"Hey!" the Asian girl exclaimed in surprise.

Her protestations died a second later as Rachel's lips brushed against her own.

"Now that is a good idea," Irillith purred, removing her own Paragon helmet.

The twins embraced too and for the next 60 seconds, the girls relaxed in each other's arms, releasing some of the tension they'd all been feeling. Their arrival on the Invictus was heralded by the loading ramp lowering once again and a moment later, John appeared with his arm around Jade. The girls broke apart and rushed to his side, their expressions full of concern.

"Thank you," he said, giving them all a look of profound gratitude as they offered him words of sympathy. "Let's get you out of your gear, then head up to the Briefing Room. We need to review the tech you found on the black ship, then discuss what we're going to do next about Jessica and Rahn'hagon. After that, I could really do with spending some time relaxing with all of you."

They nodded and accompanied him down the ramp into the hangar. The girls shot worried glances at each other, having never seen John looking so emotionally raw before. They headed up in the express grav-tube, with John, Jade, Alyssa, and Jessica all continuing up to Deck Two, while the rest of the girls removed their armour and weapons in the armoury. Calara was waiting up on the Command Deck for the ground team and when John stepped out of the grav-tube, she wrapped him in a comforting embrace.

"I'm sorry," she whispered in his ear, as she darted a curious glance over his shoulder at their guest.

When they separated, Faye waved at Jessica, then smiled at John from where she stood at the top of the Command Podium. "I'm taking us up to low orbit while you decide how you want to proceed."

"Thanks, honey." John turned to his mother and said quietly, "I'll introduce everyone in a minute when they all get here. We'll sit down together and discuss what we're going to do to rescue... my father."

Jessica had a troubled look in her eyes. "John... I-" she faltered, unsure how to continue.

After darting a glance at their companions, she was about to say more, when the rest of the girls left the grav-tube and joined them on the Bridge. It was quite crowded by the base of the Command Podium now, with the whole crew except Jade's sisters gathered to discuss the situation with John's parents.

"We can talk privately later if you want?" John asked the brunette, a weary look of resignation in his eyes.

She nodded, frowning and looking upset at his bleak expression.

Then the Invictus lurched violently, alarms blazing across the Command Deck as they were all hurled to the deck. The Bridge was suddenly lit up by a blazing purple light as a savage maelstrom of throbbing energy blasted the unsuspecting battlecruiser, a screeching roar building into a terrifying cacophony.

"What the fuck was that?!" John shouted in alarm.

Faye's expression contorted in horror as she clung to the Command Chair. "Oh God..."

John struggled to his feet, clutching at the Comms Station to steady himself. When he looked out through the windows, his mouth fell open in horrified disbelief.

"NOOOO!!" Jade screamed, watching as the front half of the Invictus spiralled away.

The bow and foredecks of their ship containing the Lagoon... and her four sisters, was now tumbling back towards Arcadia.

They all stood frozen in shock for a second, until Calara snapped out of it first. "Faye, get the shields up!"

"I can't!" she cried out, her face twisted in anguish. "They're not responding!"

Dana staggered upright in a daze. "We've lost the middle Power Core... it's gone!"

Jade scrambled towards the grav-tube, desperate to get to her sisters, her sobs of fear making John's heart lurch.

Before anyone could say another word, the Invictus slammed to the right, knocking them all down a second time. The lights winked out, plunging the Bridge into darkness, the only illumination from starlight. The view through the windows shifted, casting a green light across the Bridge as their ship lost its fight with gravity. Without any power being supplied to the retro-thrusters, the rear half of the Invictus began to drop towards the planet.

"John-" Faye gasped, before falling silent.

There was a metallic clatter as she tumbled down the stairs.

"Faye!" John shouted in shock, reaching for her.

Dana grabbed his arm and shook her head frantically. "Faye's the server, not the chassis! All power's down!"

John felt himself being pressed against the deck as Arcadia's gravity started to make itself felt. "Abandon ship! Get to the Raptor!"

"The Valkyrie!" Sakura protested, eyes wide in fright.

"There's no time! Prep the Raptor for take-off!"

She nodded curtly, accelerating psychic speed and diving into the grav-tube, whistling winds carrying her down the deactivated shaft.

John glanced around and saw one of the girls lying crumpled on the ground next to the wall, a mop of bloody blonde hair obscuring her face. "Alyssa!"

Jade was scrambling to the grav-tube and John knew she was going after the Nymphs, desperate to save her sisters from the doomed ship.

*Jade...* John called out to her, as he reached for Alyssa to stop her sliding away from the grav-tube.

The Nymph whirled around, her expression one of anguish as she realised he needed her help to rescue the girls. A crystal tear rolled down her cheek.

*Yes, Master...* Jade whispered, her voice laden with grief.

John dragged Alyssa over to Rachel, then started pulling them over to the grav-tube. "Heal her!"

The brunette nodded, her grey eyes like saucers as she reached for her matriarch.

Jade began sprouting tentacles from her back, which whipped out to coil around the girls. *I've got them... pull me down the grav-tube!*

The Invictus had started a lazy roll as it tumbled toward the planet and John felt himself sliding across the deck. Accelerating himself with psychic speed, he leaped to grab Jade, then hauled her towards the grav-tube. He watched them sliding as the ship listed to one side, then taking a deep breath, he dove down the lift shaft, pulling Jade with him. Dana, Rachel, Alyssa, Calara, Helene, Jessica, and the twins were all dragged in after them, their faces twisted with fear. They began to fall, dropping down the shaft, until the roll upended gravity, slowing their descent. John scrabbled at the tunnel entrance on Deck Nine, grabbing hold of the edge and hauling the girls up until they were standing on the ceiling of the lower corridor.

"Move!" he yelled. "Get to the Hangar before we roll again!"

The girls staggered to their feet, and ran for the double doors into the Secondary Hangar. Sakura had frozen the reinforced doors solid, then shattered the brittle metal, leaving a jagged hole for them to climb through. When John climbed through, he saw the Raptor was upside down, lying on the hangar's ceiling. They were starting to slide again, as the Invictus tipped over, so he clasped Jade's hand and pulled her towards the upended gunship.

He managed to tug them through the open hatchway just as the Raptor dropped to the deck with a clang. They all tumbled to the ground, groaning in pain.

Alyssa waved her hand at the button on the wall and the loading ramp started to swing shut. *Go!* she screamed at Sakura.

John heard the high-pitched squeal of twin Tachyon Lances being fired and the Raptor blasted the hull doors, carving incandescent blue beams through the massive portal. A piercing shriek filled the hangar as the Invictus' hull was breached, the atmosphere being sucked out of the gaping hole in the side of the ship. Fortunately, the loading ramp sealed shut a split-second later, saving them from being depressurised with the hangar.

With all systems now online in the gunship, the Raptor had artificial gravity again. John rushed for the grav-tube, with the rest of the girls following close behind. He paused by the armoury and darted inside, rushing over to the closest armour-equipping frame where his lion-embossed Paragon suit awaited him. Alyssa joined him a second later, her face pale with fear and blood loss, the robotic arms quickly garbing her in armour. He grabbed his sword and raced to the grav-tube, then floated up to the cockpit, where Sakura was fighting with the gunship's controls as the Invictus tumbled around them.

Jade slid into the co-pilot's seat. "Let me!" she exclaimed, ramming the throttle forward.

The Raptor seemed to pirouette as it thundered across the hangar, perfectly matching the rotation of the Invictus' nauseating rolling. The gunship roared clear, escaping the dying embrace of the white battlecruiser as it plunged towards the lush jungle below.

Dana lurched over to the window and stared at the rear half of the Invictus, watching as it rolled towards the planet. Her eyes got huge as she saw the ugly blackened scars across the port flank, below the Fire Control Tower.

"Oh, God... no..." she whispered in horror.

The Raptor suddenly juddered to a halt, the Inertial Negation device the only thing saving John and the girls from being splattered over the cockpit canopy.

"The controls aren't responding!" Jade exclaimed, desperately trying to manoeuvre.

"We're caught in a tractor beam..." Calara whispered, her face filled with dread.

Dana glanced up and she went ashen. "Holy fuck..."

A glowing purple field had snared the helpless gunship and it dragged them towards a yawning portal in the side of the vast Progenitor dreadnought. As they approached, the Raptor lost power, the consoles fading to black with a mournful whine. John and the girls could only watch in despair as they were pulled inexorably inside the sinister behemoth. The hangar was enormous, dwarfing the 40-metre gunship, and making the legion of black-armoured thralls awaiting them look tiny in comparison.

***

Amidst the hundreds of female soldiers stood one man. Larn'kelnar watched his prize being pulled into his ship, his lips curled up into a victorious smirk. He raised a short black rod, no more than a metre long, glyphs glowing ominously along its length. The Raptor was clutched by a pair of huge telekinetic hands, then shaken violently, the crew thrown around inside as the Progenitor proceeded to knock them senseless. He summoned a glowing axe and slashed down at the front of the cockpit, then blinked in surprise when runes across the hull flared with a dazzling golden light, the axe dissipating harmlessly.

Glancing at the woman standing beside him, he said, "Ailanthia? I'm in need of a door..."

"Of course, my Lord," she replied with a loving smile, before glancing at the closest squad of thralls.

They opened fire with their underslung cannons, sending streams of purple bolts blasting into the front of the Raptor. The crystal canopy shattered under the onslaught, the thralls ceasing fire as soon as the hull was breached. Larn'kelnar reached inside with a telekinetic fist and pulled John's unconscious body from the ravaged gunship. He waved a dismissive hand at the Raptor and it tumbled towards the hangar door, then through the atmospheric shielding, exposing the handful of Blake's thralls within to the vacuum of space.

Larn'kelnar turned on his heel, with John floating behind him. "Well, that was amusing," he said to his matriarch as they left the hangar.

"Two in one week? Surely that's a record that's never been bested, my Lord?" Ailanthia said, her eyes twinkling as she followed her lover.

He put an arm around her shoulders. "Perhaps I should start a collection?"

Their laughter echoed around the hangar, competing with the noisy thump of boots as hundreds of armoured thralls trooped out after their master.