The door to the elevator opened and Charles stepped aside, politely gesturing for his two companions to enter first. Lynette and Lina walked inside, with the redhead unable to take her eyes off the stunning brunette. He followed them in and tapped the button to take the trio up to the senior officers' suites, the doors closing behind him and giving them some privacy at long last.

Unable to keep silent any longer, Lina blurted out, "How on Terra do you look-"

Lynette held up a hand to interrupt her and smiled at the fascinated admiral. "We can discuss everything in my quarters, Lina. It's the only place I consider to be completely secure on Olympus."

Lina's full lips pursed in frustration, but she reluctantly nodded.

They ascended through the decks until they reached their level and when the doors opened, they found a medical team with a hover-gurney waiting outside the elevator. The three admirals quickly exited to make way for the medics, who pushed the floating stretcher inside, hurrying to evacuate their patient. As they passed, Lynette glanced down and recognised the badly wounded soldier as one of the guards from Fiske's team.

"He's going to make it... thanks to you, Lioness."

Lynette turned to see Colonel Fiske waiting for her in the corridor, his hands clasped behind his back. "It was you that pulled him to safety, Colonel. Did any of the rest of your team survive?"

He answered with a quick shake of his head, his expression turning grim. "I would say that it was a miracle that any of us made it after that grenade went off, but we both know that's not true."

Looking past him down the corridor, Lynette saw more medical personnel sealing up the remains of the security team in body bags. As her gaze swept over the corpses, she glanced at the spot where she'd left her Fleet Admiral's uniform, a worried frown appearing on her face when she noticed that it was missing.

Fiske unclasped his hands, revealing that he was holding the folded grey jacket behind him. "I believe Fleet Admiral Devereux is waiting in her quarters... please could you return this to her?"

"I will," Lynette said with a relieved smile. "I'm sure she'll be very grateful to get this back."

Turning to Charles, Fiske said, "We've neutralised all the active ISD strike teams, Admiral Harris. As an extra precaution, the special forces teams under Commander MacCallum are continuing close protection duty for the admirals aboard Olympus. As soon as I know the full extent of the casualties and the damage inflicted on the shipyard, I'll send a report to the Fleet Admiral and make sure you receive a copy."

"Excellent, thank you," Charles said, startled by the exchange.

Fiske saluted the trio respectfully. "I'm very glad you both survived unscathed, Admiral Harris, Admiral Van Den Broeck," he said, addressing his comment to Charles and Lina. His eyes flicked to Lynette. "You too, Ma'am."

"Likewise, Colonel," Lynette said, acknowledging him with a nod.

He departed to call another elevator, leaving the three senior officers in the corridor.

Lynette led the others to her quarters, and checked to make sure the medics outside were preoccupied before activating the DNA reader. The door opened and the trio walked inside, stepping over the blood from the wounded guardsman that had pooled in the lobby.

Lina watched the door close behind them, then turned to look at Lynette with a gleam in her eyes. "So, Fleet Admiral... I'm intrigued to hear your story."

"I'll explain, just give me a moment," Lynette said with a smile, unfastening her belt and removing the power supply for the holo-device from her pocket.

She slipped the white disc into her jacket, placed the garment on the side-table and reached for the golden epaulets. Unclipping the containers hidden there, she examined them for a moment, then realised that each tiny tray had been split into three separate compartments. There was a switch on top, so she slid it over to the middle setting and reinserted the devices into her epaulets.

Charles watched her work, wondering what she was doing. "We were incredibly lucky that Fiske didn't search your quarters for Fleet Admiral Devereux. How did you dissuade him from looking?"

"He knows, Charles," Lynette replied, slipping on her jacket and reactivating her disguise. It took a few seconds for the micro holo-projectors to float into place, then she was transformed into her middle-aged alter ego.

"Incredible..." Lina murmured, staring at her in fascination.

"When the ISD team attacked, they shot me with a grenade launcher," Lynette explained, glancing at Charles and seeing him grimace. "I wasn't hurt, but the blast knocked out my disguise."

He looked thoughtful, then said, "It seems I misjudged the good Colonel."

"Me too," Lynette freely admitted, before turning off her holographic projection and removing her jacket. "Come on, let's go get a drink. I'm sure Lina is dying to ask me lots of questions."

"Oh, I have one or two," the redhead said airily, strutting into the lounge after her.

Charles mixed a couple of vodka-based drinks and brought them to the women, who sat opposite each other on a sofa.

Lynette kicked off her boots, then tucked her legs underneath her as she accepted the glass. "Thank you, darling."

The redhead took her glass with a strained smile, but she had trouble holding it, her hand shaking violently.

"Lina!" Lynette said in alarm, deftly removing the glass from her quaking fingers and putting it on the coffee table. "Are you alright?"

"They were shooting at us!" the shocked woman blurted out, her green eyes widening. "We nearly died!"

"Easy there, Lina, it's just the adrenaline wearing off," Charles said, sitting beside her on the sofa and putting his arm around her shoulders.

"Just breathe nice and slowly," Lynette said, stroking the other woman's arm to soothe her. "You're safe now."

Lina leaned against Charles, her body trembling as she focused on controlling her breathing. "I've never been so scared... I thought we were dead for sure."

"You had quite the baptism of fire today," he said, gently rubbing her back. "The closest I've been to combat like that was repelling a boarding action... but I had scores of friendly troops between me and the worst of the fighting. I think from now on, we'd best leave the gunfights to the marines."

She laughed and nodded. "That sounds like a sensible plan to me."

Charles held her until she'd calmed down and the involuntary shaking had stopped.

"Here have a drink, it'll help," Lynette said, smiling as she handed the glass back to Lina.

"What the hell... It's five o'clock somewhere," Lina murmured, before tilting her head back and downing the drink in several big gulps.

"Want another?" Charles asked when she'd finished.

Lina nodded, so he patted her on the shoulder and rose to his feet, taking the empty glass from her unresisting fingers. Lynette quickly finished off her own drink and handed it to Charles for a refill. When he returned, they all sipped their drinks and relaxed, feeling the pleasant alcoholic buzz calming their frayed nerves.

"Feeling better?" Lynette asked

With colour in her cheeks again, Lina sat back on the sofa and let out a quiet sigh. "Much... thank you." Her eyes flicked to the brunette sitting beside her. "How much combat have you been in, Lynette?"

"I fought in several fleet engagements, but no infantry combat, aside from being shot on the eve of the Battle of Terra. Today was the first time I've actually fired a weapon at anyone," the Fleet Admiral admitted, her gaze flicking to Charles to check his reaction.

He looked speculative rather than unsettled as he drank his whiskey.

"But you just shot at least a dozen insurgents!" the redhead marvelled, gazing at her in awe. "And you don't seem fazed by it in the slightest!"

"People I care about were at risk," Lynette replied sternly, locking eyes with Charles, before turning to look at Lina again. "Those ISD agents signed their own death warrants when they committed treason."

The vodka had worked wonders for settling Lina down and she studied the brunette in fascination. "I never would have thought you had it in you, Fleet Admiral."

"I didn't... until two weeks ago."

Lina let her gaze sweep over the brunette. "I think it's fairly safe to assume that you didn't end up looking like that because you've had a full-bodysculpt done."

After sipping her drink, Lynette nodded. "That would be a safe assumption to make. I'd have had to have multiple surgeries taking months to look the way I do now... and this..." She gestured to her spectacular body. "Is entirely natural."

"Natural?" Lina asked with a teasing grin, quirking an eyebrow. "You've got the body of an absolutely gorgeous 20-year-old... but if I'm not mistaken, you should be in your late-fifties."

"Hey, I'm only 52!" the Fleet Admiral protested with an indignant frown. After letting out a sigh, she admitted, "Alright, perhaps natural was a poor choice of phrase... but my new body is absolutely real." She cupped her astonishing gravity-defying breasts. "These aren't implants."

Eyeing her luscious curves, Lina leaned forward and asked, "In that case, perhaps I should have asked: how did you end up looking like this? I don't want to offend you, Lynette, but you were quite... plain... beforehand. Now you're by far the most beautiful woman I've ever seen." Her lips curled up into a smile. "You even manage to outshine the other Lionesses... which I thought was physically impossible."

Charles joined them, sitting on the adjacent sofa. "I must admit, I'm quite curious about that too."

Lynette darted a pensive glance in his direction and hastily finished her drink. Toying with the empty glass, she responded, "What we're about to discuss is highly confidential, Lina. For your own safety as much as ours, do I have your word that you won't discuss this beyond the confines of my apartment?"

"I promise... my lips are sealed," Lina replied earnestly.

Acknowledging her with a nod, Lynette said, "After I was shot by Buckingham's soldiers, I accepted John Blake's offer to become one of his Lionesses. Over the next several days, he healed and rejuvenated my body, changing my appearance and effectively giving me my youth back."

"He did a bit more than that, Lynette," Charles said, shaking his head in wonder. "We witnessed your acrobatics in the Galleria; I never realised just how strong and agile you were! You were like an Olympic athlete!"

"Really, Charles?" she asked, with a coy smile. "You had no idea how limber I was?"

He blushed furiously and took a big gulp of his whiskey.

Lina smirked at him, trying not to laugh at his embarrassment. Turning her attention to the brunette, she said, "Okay, so how exactly did Blake change you to look like... this?"

Lynette's smile faded and she sipped nervously at her drink again. "When John recruits a Lioness, there's a... process... we go through."

"A process?" Lina said, giving the other woman a knowing look. "And what's that a euphemism for exactly?"

With her eyes firmly locked on Charles, Lynette replied, "The other Lionesses do sleep with John, but nothing like that has ever happened between the two of us." She turned to meet Lina's curious gaze and continued, "When I accepted John's offer to become a Lioness, I went through a physical transformation that they call 'The Change'. An integral part of the Change is reversing the aging process, enhancing a woman's body to the peak of physical fitness. I'm now faster, stronger, and tougher than I ever was before."

"And your face?" Lina asked quietly, studying the brunette's flawless complexion. "I can see a few vague similarities to your old features, but everything has changed so much... you're absolutely gorgeous now."

Lynette blushed, a hand going to her cheek. "The Change doesn't normally have this dramatic effect on your appearance. John was grateful for everything I'd done to support him in the past and I think he felt guilty about me getting shot trying to warn him about the Kintark invasion. He made me beautiful as a way of saying thank you."

"If I wasn't seeing it with my own eyes, I'd struggle to believe it was possible," Lina murmured, leaning closer and examining the Fleet Admiral's face from different angles. She glanced back at Charles and grinned. "Now I understand the whirlwind engagement, Charlie. I remember you were as giddy as a schoolboy when you were telling me about Marie."

He rubbed his moustache self-consciously. "This all makes me seem incredibly shallow. I freely admit to being in lust with Marie, but I did fall in love with Lynette too."

"I know... I've seen you two together," Lina said with a wistful smile. "I never had a chance against her, did I?"

Lynette watched the redhead for a moment, then reached out to clasp her hand. "Lina... you found out my secret today by accident, but Charles and I actually discussed telling you the truth yesterday. He was planning to speak to you about it during lunch."

Lina's green eyes flicked between them both, burning curiosity in her probing gaze. "Was it because I was asking too many questions about your engagement?"

"That was partially the reason," Lynette admitted, nodding in confirmation. "I'm sure you would have figured out the truth eventually. Charles was impressed by how bright and perceptive you were from the start, but I must confess to being more than a little jealous, which I regret to say clouded my opinion of you. I hope you can accept my apology for the frosty way I behaved back then; I was really worried that Charles would fall for you."

Tilting her head back, Lina laughed uproariously. "Really, Lynette... that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard! How could someone as gorgeous as you, ever be jealous of anyone?"

The brunette flushed with embarrassment. "Charles didn't know that I looked the way I do now, at least not when you first started flirting with him. I wanted him to fall in love with the old me before telling him that Marie and I were the same person... but I was terrified you were going to seduce him before I had the chance."

Lina shook her head in amusement, then flashed a dazzling smile at Charles. "It sounds like I should have just jumped your bones, Charlie!"

"I- ah..." Looking flustered, he wasn't sure exactly how to respond to that and took another hasty gulp of his whiskey.

Smirking at his embarrassment, Lina focused her attention on Lynette. "I hope you don't mind me teasing your fiancé... it's so much fun."

Lynette stroked the hand she was still holding. "No... I don't mind," she said softly.

Surprised by the quiet reply, Lina glanced down at the slender fingers caressing her own. "You said that me asking questions was only part of the reason why you decided to tell me the truth; what was the other?"

After a long pause, Lynette murmured, "Can we be open and honest with one another, Lina?"

Lina slowly nodded, entranced by the captivating young woman sitting beside her.

"Are you attracted to Charles?" Lynette asked, hazel eyes flicking to her fiancé who was watching the pair like a deer caught in headlights.

Following her gaze, the redhead's full lips curled up into a smile as she made eye-contact with Charles. "I am..."

"How intriguing," Lynette murmured, tracing circles on the back of Lina's hand with her fingertips. "And are you attracted to me?"

Lina turned to look at the exquisite beauty, her smile turning coy. "I think you know the answer to that, Lynette..."

"Mmm hmm," the brunette purred, inching nearer. "So if I were to ask if you'd like to get... closer... to both of us, is that something you might be interested in?"

The redhead couldn't help grinning. "Charlie isn't the only dark horse around here! You're a lot more fun than I gave you credit for, Lynette."

Lynette smiled at her demurely. "I'm delighted you think so." Her expression turned serious as she gazed into Lina's green eyes. "Which leads me to the third reason that I wanted you to know the truth about me."

"Even more reasons? How flattering," the redhead teased her.

With a nod, Lynette gazed into her eyes. "Lina... I want you to become another secret Lioness, just like me and Jehanna."

That declaration stunned Lina and she gaped at her in amazement. "A Lioness?! Me?"

The Fleet Admiral nodded. "I've spoken to Alyssa about recruiting you and she approved the idea. The truth is, the Terran Federation is in grave danger and I need loyal people like you at my side. Charles believes you're someone we can trust and his best friend is the Lion, so I know he's an excellent judge of character."

The redhead's calm composure was well and truly shattered now. She darted a shocked glance at Charles, then turned her attention back to Lynette. "So I'd end up looking just like you?"

Lynette nodded, gently caressing the older woman's cheek. "The perks from becoming a Lioness are incredible. John can rejuvenate your body and give you your youth back, as well as enhance you both physically and mentally to the peak of your potential."

Lina gaped at the brunette in awe, then a flicker of apprehension crossed her attractive face. "It sounds far too good to be true. Nothing's ever that simple; there must be one hell of a downside!"

"You'll be privy to information known only to a handful of people in the Federation. Discovering the truth about what we're facing is a heavy burden," Lynette said quietly. "Your life will also become a lot more complicated, especially as we'll have to disguise your new appearance." She hesitated for a moment, then continued, "There are also some other... side-effects... to the Change, but if you are interested in joining us, I'll let John and Alyssa discuss those with you."

"I knew there was something," Lina said, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.

Lynette gave her a reassuring smile. "It's nothing sinister, I promise. John and Alyssa will explain everything that the Change entails before you make any final decision. For the moment, I wanted to raise the possibility of you joining us, so you'll have some time to think it over before they return to Olympus."

Lina sat back, lost in thought. After a long moment, she turned to look at Charles. "What do you think about Lynette being a Lioness?"

"I love her. I can't imagine my life without Lynette now."

His fiancée smiled at him lovingly as she rose from her seat, then leaned over to give him a tender kiss.

"That didn't answer the question, Charlie," the redhead said, studying him perceptively.

Charles downed his drink, then pulled the brunette onto his lap. "Honestly? I'm not really sure what to make of it all. I know Lynette isn't telling me the full story about something... but if you do decide to become a Lioness, I suspect you'll find out whatever that is."

Lynette gave him a reassuring hug, then nodded slightly in confirmation.

Lina looked even more intrigued now, her speculative gaze sweeping over the beautiful young woman. "Well, you've certainly managed to pique my curiosity, Lynette. How long is it until John returns to Olympus? Didn't you say it would be at least a month?"

The brunette shook her head, her long hair brushing softly against Charles' cheek. "The attack on Olympus forced them to change plans; they're heading back here as fast as they can..."

***

"How's Rachel doing?" John asked, as he gently stroked Alyssa and Calara, his fingers gliding over the supple muscles in their backs.

"She's okay... just worried about her dad and his fiancée," the blonde replied. "Abigail sacrificed herself to save Henry's life; she jumped in the way and got shot instead. Rachel's desperate to get back to Olympus to heal her."

"I'll go talk to her next," he said, concerned for the brunette.

Alyssa gave him an affectionate squeeze. "She'd really like that."

John ran his hand down Calara's flank to rest on the alluring curve of her hip. "I haven't forgotten how urgent it is that we capture Larn'kelnar's fleets, but we're going to have to take a detour to the Core Worlds. We can't just leave Abigail in cryo for a month."

"You don't have to justify the decision with me," the Latina said, snuggling closer to him. "They're our friends and family. Besides, I've never wanted a hug from my mom so badly."

He looked down at her with sympathy. "I'm so sorry Maria got caught up in all this. I would've done anything to prevent that from happening."

Calara smiled, her brown eyes twinkling. "I know... you have quite the soft spot for my mom."

Alyssa raised an eyebrow. "Soft? I think Maria has the opposite effect on him... Isn't that right, John?"

"You're so naughty!" Calara chided her girlfriend, breaking into a grin when she saw John flush with embarrassment. "You don't have a crush on my mom, do you John?"

He shook his head and laughed. "You're both incorrigible."

Alyssa winked at him, then rested her head on his shoulder. As she lay draped over John, a bright smile suddenly lit up her beautiful face.

Calara saw the sudden shift in the blonde's expression and felt a warm sense of satisfaction over their bond. "You look particularly happy about something," she noted, watching her lover across John's chest. "What just happened?"

Stretching like a cat, Alyssa let out a contented sigh. "Lina discovered the truth about our lovely Fleet Admiral during the attack on Olympus. Lynette just had a chat with her and asked if she'd like to become a Lioness."

"What?!" John blurted out, lifting his head to look at the blonde in surprise.

"You must remember Admiral Van Den Bloek?" she replied, sitting up and giving him a mischievous smile. "She's that sexy redhead; nice rack, very attractive, quite the flirt..."

"I know who she is, but what possessed Lynette to tell her she could be a Lioness?!"

"Because Lynette asked me about recruiting her and I thought Lina was hot," Alyssa replied with a shrug, as if it was self-explanatory.

John let out an exasperated sigh. "Don't you think it would've been a good idea to discuss it with me first?"

Alyssa leaned down to give him a playful kiss. "XO in charge of recruitment!"

He gave her a stern look. "Alyssa..."

She pouted and rolled her eyes. "I thought we'd already been over this..."

John shook his head. "This is different. I thought Charles liked Lina?"

"He does," Alyssa replied, coiling a golden lock of hair around her finger. "That's why Lynette wants your help to turn Lina into a Lioness. She wants another girl to keep them company... permanently."

Looking shocked, John sat upright. "I can't do that! Not if Lina's already involved with Charles!"

"She isn't yet," Alyssa replied, her tone soothing. "Lina's been flirting with Charles and teasing him mercilessly, but they haven't even kissed."

"But you know what the Change involves!" John protested indignantly. "I'd have to keep Lina loaded up with cum for days... I can't do that to a woman he's interested in!"

Alyssa clasped his hand in both of hers. "Lina is 45... and fast approaching the age where she can't have children any more. She's just like Lynette; another admiral that sacrificed her personal life for her career... but with your help, you can give her another chance to have a family."

"No," he said stubbornly. "It would be like cheating with Charles' girlfriend."

"We can do the same thing for Lina that we did for Lynette; you wouldn't even have to touch her and Jade can keep her topped up until the Change is complete. We don't need to go into any of the specifics with Charles... he won't even know what happened."

John shook his head. "He's my best friend, I'm not going to do that to him."

"The attack on Olympus showed how vulnerable Charles and Lynette are when we're not around," Alyssa said, trying a different tack. "Lina is perfectly placed to be another ally in High Command and she'd also be constantly nearby to help protect the two of them in the future."

"Jehanna's already there," he said with a frown. "From your description of the battle, it sounds like she kicked ass."

Alyssa let out a weary sigh of resignation. "That's true, but I don't think she'll be there for much longer. I haven't mentioned anything about this yet because I didn't want you to worry... but I think we might have a problem with our secret Lionesses."

"Alright, now you really have got me worried," John said with concern. "What's going on?"

She didn't flinch from his anxious gaze. "Jehanna's really struggling with being apart from you. She was distraught when she found out that we'd be away from Terra for over a month."

"Are you sure this isn't just down to her being separated from her boyfriend? I've been really missing her too."

"It could be, but her feelings are pretty intense," Alyssa replied, mulling over everything she'd observed about the secret Lionesses since they parted company. "Lynette hasn't been affected in quite the same way, but I'm pretty sure this is an unintended side-effect of the Change."

"So what's the matter with Lynette then?" he asked, his expression still pensive. "You said there was a problem with the Lionesses... plural."

"Lynette appears to be trying to recreate what we have here, but focused on Charles instead. She's blowing him every chance she gets and now she's looking for more girls to join them. She loves Charles so much and can't wait for him to have his own harem..."

John raised an eyebrow. "That sounds familiar..."

"I know, I'm really proud of her!" Alyssa gushed, before flashing him a playful grin.

"God... what a mess," John said, rubbing a hand across his face. "Making secret Lionesses was a serious mistake. I never meant to mess up their lives like this."

Alyssa's bright smile rapidly shifted into a frown. "Don't be silly, you didn't mess up anyone's life."

"But Jehanna's unhappy and Lynette is acting completely out of character!" he protested.

"We'll get back to Olympus in about ten days, so we can perk Jehanna up then," the blonde said confidently. "As for Lynette, she's incredibly happy with the way her life is now. Before she joined us, she'd sacrificed everything for her career and was terribly lonely. Now she's engaged to a man she adores and is eagerly looking forward to starting a family."

John looked dubious. "But what about Charles? He's been dragged into all this mess."

Alyssa giggled, her cerulean eyes sparkling with amusement. "Any complaints Charles might have, disappear down Lynette's throat every morning, noon, and night. He's getting as much sex as he can handle from a stunningly beautiful girl, who he's also head-over-heels in love with. Trust me... Charles can't believe his luck that he's engaged to Lynette."

"Alright... well as long as they're happy, I guess that's the main thing," John said, still not looking entirely convinced. "But I'm not comfortable about this Lina situation. I think we should discuss this with the three of them when we return to Olympus... and I don't want to do anything behind Charles' back."

"Thank you for considering it at least," Alyssa said gratefully. She slowly approached him, an enigmatic smile on her beautiful face. "I'll just say one more thing, then we can drop the subject for now. Do you remember what it was like, when it was just you and me on the Fool's Gold?"

John placed his hands on her hips and nodded as he pulled her closer. "Of course. How could I forget?"

Alyssa moulded her body against his and whispered, "Now... do you remember how fucking hot it was when we invited Calara to join us?"

He glanced at the Latina, who gave him a smouldering look in return. John beckoned her over, then pulled her into their embrace, both girls pressing their luscious breasts against his chest. "I do... That was the best decision we ever made."

"I love you so much," Calara murmured, before kissing him passionately.

Alyssa's pupils flared with lust as she watched her lovers lose themselves in each other. "She's perfect, John," she breathed, moving behind Calara and placing fluttering kisses on her neck. "Absolutely gorgeous... but such a big heart too."

John pulled the Latina across his lap so that she was straddling him, her tight-fitting pants forming a camel-toe, which she pressed against the prominent bulge in his trousers. Calara panted with desire as she savoured their kisses, her full lips soft and welcoming as she moaned into his mouth.

Pulling away, Calara looked at John with a primal intensity in her dark-brown eyes. "Now kiss her..."

Alyssa leaned over her girlfriend's shoulder to continue the kisses, her lips just as soft and sensuous.

Calara watched them in fascination from only inches away. "I love seeing you two together... you're both so sexy."

"I know something even sexier," Alyssa purred, breaking the kiss to gaze into John's eyes. "Our tummies full up with your cum..."

He groaned at the thought, then gathered the girls in his arms and pushed them backwards onto the bed. "Your turn..."

They giggled as they stripped off their clothes, then turned to gently wrap their arms around each other. Wasting no time, they brought their lips together, their quiet gasps and moans muffled by their kisses. John lay on the bed behind Calara and watched them in fascination, his hand slipping around her waist to stroke her slim stomach. Her body was so toned and firm, but still retained a feminine softness that made his cock ache to be inside her. Alyssa arched her back, making her slim belly brush against the back of his fingers. It wouldn't be long before the pair of them were rounded with his cum, trim stomachs swollen to carry his impressive load.

*Charles is your best friend, John,* Alyssa murmured, her cerulean eyes sparkling with delight as she kissed Calara. *Don't you want him to know what it's like to be adored by two beautiful women?*

John thought about it... and found it impossible to disagree with her compelling argument.

***

"This is a fool's errand! There's no one here!"

Valeria kept her face impassive as she watched the man who had controlled every aspect of her existence for hundreds of years. Her sharp amber eyes followed his imposing form as he paced furiously back and forth across the dreadnought's bridge. Her master wore a suit of ornate black power armour, glowing red lines pulsing ominously across his chestplate. One of the attending thralls was paying him particular attention, watching his every move from where she sat behind her Engineering station. The light from his armour illuminated her scarlet-hued features, the rhythmic pulses making it look like fleshworms were crawling under her skin.

"There's no sign of operational enemy vessels, my Lord," the engineering officer informed him obsequiously. "Aside from the ancient derelict on the planet and the primitive wreck in orbit, the system is devoid of any signs of activity."

"What are we even doing in this fetid backwater?!" their master raged, growing increasingly angry. He drew one of the gleaming battle axes from his back, clenching his fist so hard that his gauntlet grated against the hilt. "Do they think I'm just some mindless puppet to be jerked around?!"

The bridge went quiet as the thrall bridge crew watched him with a mixture of awe and trepidation. He strode over to the nearest station with his axe upraised and the thrall seated behind it scrambled backwards, her face a mask of fear. The Progenitor let out a bloodcurdling roar as he slammed his vicious weapon into the console, the glistening blade biting deep. Venting twelve hours of frustration in a random act of violence was an exhilarating release and he closed his eyes to savour the thrilling adrenaline rush.

"The Wormhole Generator has recharged, my Lord," Valeria informed him, quite unperturbed by his furious outburst. "We can leave on your command."

The Progenitor glared out the window at the gleaming planet they were orbiting, and couldn't help feeling that its cheerful greens and blues were mocking him with their vibrant colours. He'd blasted the wreck they'd discovered into a million fiery pieces, but it was obvious that ship had been buried there for millennia... whoever had slain Larn'kelnar was long gone. He eyed Arcadia balefully and not for the first time, he wished he had a World Destroyer with him; unleashing a Quantum Annihilator to obliterate that planet would be glorious. The thought of destroying something beautiful and reducing it to an ugly sprawl of charred asteroids brought a twisted smile to his face.

"Take us out of here," he snarled, stalking towards the reinforced blast doors at the rear of the Bridge. "And prepare the fleets for an assault on Wael'rakash's domain. I want to bathe in the blood of his thralls!"

"As you command, my Lord," Valeria replied, her scarlet features twisting into a feral grin.

***

John stirred from a lovely restful sleep, a light tapping at the door rousing him from his slumber. Alyssa and Calara were still dozing, the pair lying beside him with a sheen of perspiration covering their nubile bodies. All three had been relaxing in a blissful post-coital nap, collapsing on the bed after the climax of a torrid threesome, which had left them satiated and exhausted in equal measure.

*Sorry to wake you, Master,* Jade said, her gentle voice drifting through his mind. *Marika and Betrixa are joining you for lunch...*

*No problem,* he replied with a smile. *We need to keep your sisters topped up as much as possible.*

Using telekinesis to reposition his sleeping companions, John climbed out of bed, then gently guided Alyssa and Calara back into each other's arms. Rounded cum-filled tummies brushed together and the girls cooed in their sleep, embracing their bedmate instinctively.

John padded over to the door and hit the button to open it, revealing a pair of eager catgirls. "Hey, come on in," he said, greeting the pair with a warm smile.

The blonde Nymph bounded in first, her nostrils flaring as she inhaled deeply. "That must have been an epic fuckfest, Master!" Betrixa exclaimed, looking thrilled. "The room reeks of well-fucked pussy!"

Marika frowned at her exuberant sister, then turned her warm brown-eyed gaze to John. "That's the aroma of love," she breathed, her black fingers caressing his bare chest. "They shared their hearts and souls with you, Master..."

"Actually, it was a fair bit of both," John admitted, pulling them into a hug. He ran his hands over Betrixa's tawny-patterned skin and Marika's silver stripes, then let his hands slide around until he was stroking their toned stomachs. "Be nice and gentle with them when you're filling up your tummies, they're probably a bit tender after so many orgasms."

The Nymphs both promised that they would, then gave him a kiss before prowling towards the bed.

He left them to their feast and stepped into the shower, eager to get fresh and clean after his exertions that afternoon. By the time he'd washed and dried, he could hear alluring moans coming from the bedroom and when he left the en suite, he saw that Alyssa and Calara were very much awake. The blonde and brunette had locked eyes with the Nymphs, stroking the catgirls' pointed ears as they knelt between their splayed thighs.

Approaching the bed, John admired the erotic scene, mesmerised by the hypnotic sway of Betrixa's and Marika's tails as the catgirls sucked his cum from the panting teenagers. As if waiting for his appearance, the Nymphs started to absorb his load, pulses of blue and brown light spreading out across their bodies from their curved stomachs. He could feel them illuminating in his mind, the active connection strong and powerful, with each Nymph opening themselves up for him to enhance in any way he chose.

"Good girls," he said, standing by the bed and slowly stroking their luxurious manes of hair. "We'll have you as strong as Jade in no time..."

The Nymphs paused their feeding and began to purr, their feline eyes shining with delight at his praise.

John turned his attention to Alyssa and Calara, who were gazing up at him with languid smiles. "That was amazing... and just what I needed."

"It gets better every time," Calara murmured, sighing contentedly. "I don't think I've ever felt closer to you."

Alyssa nodded her agreement, then beckoned him down for a kiss. *I really needed that too,* she said softly, as her lips moved against his. *I've been so worried about you... but you stayed so focused on us that you just seemed to forget about everything that's been bothering you.*

He brushed a lock of golden hair away from her face, enjoying the look of wonder in her cerulean eyes. *I'm sorry I had you worried. I'll have to thank Helene for helping me deal with it all.*

*That's just it... she wasn't doing anything!*

John looked at her in surprise, then sat on the bed beside Calara. He brushed his fingers through her lustrous chestnut hair as he considered his feelings. While thinking about his fallen Lioness was still very painful, the sense of self-doubt from the rejection by his parents was gone. As the girls had told him repeatedly: he had a new family now... it was time to stop dwelling in the past and look to the future.

Alyssa looked overjoyed as she listened to his thoughts, her unguarded expression full of hope.

"Get some rest," he said affectionately to the blonde and brunette. "You earned it after that incredible therapy session."

The girls giggled and nodded, their laughter soon turning to moans as the Nymphs resumed their feeding, using their long sinuous tongues to lap up every last drop of cum.

John left Calara's room and turned into his own. Now that both halves of the Invictus had been pushed back together, he could no longer see the jungles of Arcadia through the back wall. A melted rift ran across the width of his quarters where the huge bed used to be, leaving a stark reminder of the colossal damage that had torn the Invictus in half. He avoided looking at the corner of the room where the high-backed leather chair used to stand and walked into the wardrobe to get dressed.

*John!* Alyssa called out to him, her telepathic voice sharp and alert. *There was an energy spike in high-orbit over Arcadia!*

*Another weapon or the Wormhole Generator?* he asked, freezing as he stood before the clothes rails.

*Just give me a moment. Tashana's up on the Bridge, she's checking the data against the readings we took in Regulus...*

The seconds ticked by, with John waiting patiently. He found himself holding his breath, so he exhaled and focused and keeping his breathing normal. *What's the verdict?*

*It's a match for an artificial wormhole!* Alyssa said with relief. *You were right... that Progenitor must have left as soon as the generator had recharged.*

He smiled and relaxed. *That's great news. We'll play it safe for now and keep the stealth field up, just in case another Progenitor jumps in. I think we're out of danger, but it's best not to take any chances. Can you keep someone on watch until we leave?*

*Sure. The twins are up there right now; they'll keep a close eye on the sensors for any uninvited guests.*

*Thanks, beautiful.*

With the excitement over, John picked out an outfit that had practically been his uniform while on the Fool's Gold. Combat trousers, a t-shirt, and his old flight jacket, the fleece-lining perfect for what he had planned for the rest of the afternoon. After dressing, he left his bedroom and strode down the corridor to the Officers' Quarters, where he prepared a picnic that he stowed away in a hamper.

*Rachel is with Dana in Engineering,* Alyssa informed him, pre-empting his next question.

*Is Helene there too?* he asked, stepping into the grav-tube and descending in the red anti-gravity field.

Jade chimed in before Alyssa could answer. *She's with me, Master. When Helene realised you didn't need her help, she offered to assist with the repairs. We're checking the navigation systems for any impact damage they might have sustained in the crash.*

*Thanks, honey. Please can you steer her away from the Engineering Bay for the next few days?*

*Of course,* the Nymph matriarch replied, her voice full of warmth.

He stepped out of the grav-tube on Deck Seven and headed towards the Engineering Bay, leaving the picnic hamper outside the door. When he walked inside, he saw Dana and Rachel standing on the podium surrounded by computer consoles, both thoroughly engaged in their work.

"Hey, Sparks!" John called out boisterously, as he strode into her Workshop. "Mind if I borrow your bike and your woman?"

The two girls looked up in surprise, then burst into fits of giggles.

"Nah, go ahead," the redhead eventually replied, flashing a grin at her lover.

"I'll bring them both back as good as new," he promised, smiling at Rachel who looked positively thrilled.

Dana shook her head, an impish look in her eyes. "Where's the fun in that? Just ride it like you stole it... rev her up and make her scream!"

"Are we talking about the hoverbike or Rachel?" John asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Both... obviously," Dana replied, before laughing at the look of glee on the brunette's face.

"Go get your jacket," John said to Rachel. "I'll meet you down in the Cargo Bay."

"Oh yeah!" she whooped, giving Dana a grateful kiss before bounding down the steps and sprinting for the door.

Dana watched her leave with an affectionate smile. "Thanks for doing this, John," she said, turning to give him a look filled with gratitude. "Rach was really upset when she heard about what happened on Olympus."

"Don't worry, I'll take good care of her," he said, walking up the steps to the Engineering Podium. "While I'm here, I also wanted to ask you for a favour. Is there any way we could scan Arcadia for mineral deposits and search for gemstones? I'm specifically looking for a light-blue sapphire."

Her expression softened as she realised what it was for and she glanced down at the Lioness engagement ring adorning her finger. "You're going to pop the question?"

He nodded, reaching for her hand and intertwining his fingers with hers. "You know the shade of blue I'm looking for. Do you reckon we could find anything like that?"

Dana looked sceptical and shook her head. "It'd take us months of prospecting to find an exact match." Suddenly she paused, her expression turning thoughtful. "But maybe I could just make a sapphire for you instead!"

"You can do that?" he asked in surprise.

"Sure!" she gushed, increasingly excited by the idea. "We'd just need to mine some corundum, then sprinkle in the right mix of aluminium oxide, iron, titanium, chromium, and copper. With a bit of pressure and heat, I can get the perfect size, shape, and colour."

"That would be amazing, thanks!" he said, giving her an exuberant hug.

She laughed, hugging him back. "No problem! We can go scan for minerals as soon as you think it's safe to fly the Progenitor shuttle."

"Let's wait until tomorrow morning, then we'll track down the missing maintenance bots as well."

Dana hesitated, looking at him with concern. "John... are you sure it's a good idea taking the hoverbike out? That energy reading Tashana detected might have been another Progenitor jumping in..."

He nodded confidently. "The bike's only a couple of metres long; unless someone's scouring the planet for the slightest sign of movement, there's no way anyone would spot us from orbit. Besides, I'm pretty sure that wormhole was the Progenitor moving on; I bet he decided to leave as soon as his ship was able to jump again. He blasted Rahn'hagon's dreadnought hours ago and I doubt there's anything left to hold his interest on Arcadia."

"Yeah, makes sense," she agreed with a shrug. "If I'd been sent to find out who killed an unkillable ship, I certainly wouldn't be hanging around in orbit like a sitting duck."

"My thoughts exactly," John said, raising her hand to his lips to give her a parting kiss. "Thanks a lot for the help with the gemstone, I really appreciate it."

"You're welcome," she said, watching as he bounded down the illuminated steps and headed for the door. "Oh... can you strip some of the plating from the Invictus before you go? I want to start checking the hull this afternoon."

John paused in the doorway. "Sure. Any preferences where?"

"Nah, anywhere is fine," Dana replied amiably.

They waved each other goodbye, then John retrieved the hamper and set off for the grav-tube. He made a quick diversion to the Briefing Room to pick up his sword, then descended to Deck Nine for his rendezvous with Rachel. The brunette was waiting for him beside Dana's electric-blue hoverbike, which he noticed had picked up a few scratches and dents when the Invictus had rolled. Rachel posed for him as he approached, modelling the beautiful white leather jacket that Alyssa had made for her.

"Very sexy," he said, nodding his approval.

She beamed at him in delight, then her smoky-grey eyes flicked to the items he was carrying. "A picnic basket and a broadsword... are we going to lunch or to war?"

John raised the five-foot sword in his right hand. "You mean this? It's just a fancy tin-opener."

Rachel laughed as she stepped aside, giving John room to stow their lunch in the storage compartment beneath the seat. He eyed the relic blade for a moment, trying to figure out a good place to store it on the bike.

*Dana says you can knock some holes in the chassis,* Alyssa informed him. *She's going to completely rebuild the hoverbikes anyway.*

Gesturing towards the closest storage crate, John lifted off the lid, then drew out a stream of Crystal Alyssium. He fashioned it into a dozen small hoops, then attached them to the undercarriage of the hoverbike between the grav-system and the retro-thrusters. It was easy to slot the sword into the impromptu scabbard and once he was satisfied that it was secure, he threw a leg over the bike and hit the red button on the dashboard to start up the engine. Pressing a second button simulated the noise and vibration of a combustion engine, and Rachel's smile broadened into a beaming grin as she stepped closer.

"Sorry babe, rules of the road," John said, holding up his hand to stop her straddling the back of the bike. "Cash, grass, or ass?"

Rachel giggled, then turned around and wiggled her hips, giving him a tantalising view of her perfectly-rounded butt. "How about some ass?"

He turned his hand, so he was now holding it out to her in invitation. "You've got yourself a ride, honey."

She gleefully accepted his hand and smoothly mounted the rear of the bike. Snuggling closer, Rachel wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her breasts against his back. He could feel her trembling with excitement as she held onto him and smiled as he pressed the keyfob stashed in his jacket pocket to open the Cargo Bay doors.

"Where are we going, John?" she asked, leaning closer to his ear to be heard over the rumble of the bike's engine.

"I want to check out Rahn'hagon's ship. I doubt there's anything left, but I want to make sure."

Rachel nodded, then ducked down again and held on tight. John engaged the anti-grav system, then revved the throttle, the Matsubara Z-900 rising off the ground as it pulled away. It had been decades since he'd last ridden a bike, but fortunately it was something you never forget. He eased the powerful vehicle out of the Cargo Bay, then glided to a stop a short distance away.

Raising a hand, he gestured towards the Invictus' hull, his eyes sweeping over the hundreds of armoured plates that protected the superstructure. Rather than detaching them individually, he inhaled deeply, then willed the sparkling white metal to come to him. Rachel gasped as she watched, but John was focused on the task at hand and didn't hear her.

White plating along the entire starboard flank of the Invictus streamed away, 750 metres of armour plating pooling together into a vast orb that rotated above their heads. John turned his hand so it was palm out, the glistening sphere flattening and spreading out as if it were trying to mirror the movements of his fingers. On that huge disc an image appeared, one that Rachel immediately recognised as her lover's face, the redhead beaming at them with a cheerful grin. Colour blossomed through the psychic sculpture, until it was a picture-perfect rendition of Dana.

"John... that's beautiful," she whispered, astonished by the incredibly lifelike image.

"She really is," he said with a smile, before driving the portrait into the ground next to the Progenitor shuttle. It would be the first thing Dana saw when she left the Invictus.

Rachel stared in wonder at the sculpture as John gripped the hoverbike's handlebars and pulled away. She turned to look over her shoulder at the picture, marvelling at the exquisite craftsmanship until they were too far away for her to see. Turning back, she hugged him tighter, not saying a word but trembling slightly as she struggled to control strong emotions.

As they picked up speed, the Matsubara's engine climbed in pitch to an ecstatic scream, the hoverbike soaring high above the jungle canopy. With that extra elevation, it was easy to see the distant crater surrounding the ancient crash site, but there was no sign of the dreadnought's battered stern behind the hills. John steered straight for the heart of that crater and travelling at 300 mph, they covered the miles in almost the blink of an eye.

"Jesus..." John muttered as the hoverbike crested the ridgeline, giving him a view into the valley beyond.

As he'd suspected, his father's ship had been the subject of a ferocious Quantum Flux Cannon bombardment. Countless chunks of armoured hull were blasted clear of the wreck, the valley floor littered with smoking debris. He was astonished to see that several sections of the dreadnought were still intact, proving just how hard it was to destroy one of those nigh-indestructible warships. The remaining hull fragments were pockmarked by dozens of impact sites, leaving the ship a forlorn shadow of its former formidable glory.

John eased back on the throttle and the hoverbike coasted to a smooth halt, floating high above the hills that ringed the wreck. It was sobering to see the aftermath of a Progenitor dreadnought's full fury, especially when the target was the place his parents had called home for so many years.

"Are you alright, John?" Rachel asked, leaning to one side so she could catch a glimpse of his face.

He nodded, reaching down to pat her thigh. "Yeah, I'm fine. It was just a bit of a shock."

"What are you thinking?" she whispered, resting her chin on his shoulder and watching him intently.

"Just that... as much as I hate my parents, I'm glad I didn't send them back here," he replied with a heavy sigh, before leaning back into her arms as if instinctively seeking support. "They abandoned me, neither of them cared if I was dead or alive, then my father tried to kill me... but I still don't want them to die. I guess I must be a real sucker for punishment..."

"Everybody wants to be loved by their family, John," she said with sympathy, holding him close.

He relaxed in her arms, the tension easing from his shoulders. "Lucky for me, I've got the most loving family in the galaxy," he said, turning to kiss her.

Rachel returned it eagerly, surprised but pleased to see how quickly he'd shrugged off his melancholy mood. "You really do," she agreed, her smile warm and caring.

John kissed the tip of her nose, then turned back to the bike's controls. "There's nothing more to see here. Let's go have some lunch."

"Sounds good," she readily agreed, hanging on tight as he powered up the bike.

They were soon sailing over the jungle again, putting some distance between themselves and the devastation at the crash site. John headed towards a rise in the verdant sea of vegetation, keeping his eyes peeled for a decent place to land. The jungle began to thin out and ended at an escarpment, where frothing water tumbled off a series of ridges and formed a picturesque waterfall. The river finally splashed down into a pool of crystal-clear water, before winding its way into the jungle again.

"Over there!" Rachel shouted over the wind and the growl of the hover-bike's engine, pointing to the right.

He followed her finger and saw a grassy clearing on the middle ridge, in a spot where the soil wasn't deep enough to support thick tree roots. John eased the hoverbike around in a looping curve, then brought them down to a gentle landing near the riverbank.

"You handle the bike really well," Rachel said, giving him a quick squeeze before dismounting. "There's no way that was your first time."

"My grandparents branched out into pizza delivery for a while," John said, powering down the hoverbike. "The delivery drivers could be a bit unreliable, so I sometimes rode a Vertica VX8 to help out."

Rachel giggled as she pictured him riding the low-powered hover-scooter. "I would've loved to have seen that."

"Hey, I thought I was pretty cool," he said, unable to stop himself blushing. "But I was only 16 at the time."

"I wouldn't have been born for another five years," she teased him with a playful smile. Her smile wavered as her thoughts turned to her mother for the second time that day.

Seeing the sadness in her eyes, he pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry, honey. I know how much you miss her."

Rachel buried her face in his chest, leaning into him as she tried to control her emotions. John held her close and rubbed her back, then gestured towards the hover-bike with his free hand as he waited for the brunette to calm.

"John..." she finally murmured, looking up at him. "I was wondering earlier... do you remember what my mother looked like?"

"I remember everything," he quietly replied. "When we visited your home on New Eden, I got to see Catherine Voss' life play out in front of me. The six years she spent with you were the happiest she'd ever known; I heard her tell your father that so many times. She adored you, Rachel... you were the absolute centre of her world from the moment you were born."

She trembled as she held him, lost for words after his evocative reply.

"Turn around, honey," John said quietly, releasing her from his embrace.

Rachel did as he asked, then her breath caught when she saw the disc floating in the air behind her. John had merged and smoothed out several of the Crystal Alyssium hoops he'd made earlier, turning them into a canvass for another psychic sculpture. He'd then created a perfect reproduction of Catherine Voss, her soft grey eyes full of love.

Rachel reached out to reverently cup the portrait in both hands. "Oh, John..."

He encircled her in his arms and looked at the image of Rachel's mother over her shoulder. "She was very beautiful, just like her daughter." He kissed her on the cheek, feeling the wetness from her tears. "I'll bring her back to you someday, Rachel. I promise."

"I know you will," she whispered, brushing her fingertips over the sculpture. "I believe in you..."

John gave her an affectionate squeeze. "Now, no more tears. Dana's going to be mad at me if she hears you were weeping through the whole picnic... I was supposed to be cheering you up!"

She laughed and brushed the back of her hand across her eyes. "Okay, I don't want to get you in trouble."

"Let's see about filling up your tummy," John said, stroking her stomach before releasing her.

Rachel looked startled, then an eager grin spread across her face. "Sounds good to me!"

He reached behind him for the bike and produced the picnic basket from under the seat. "Here we go. Let me just roll out a blanket."

She looked at the hamper in surprise, then groaned in disappointment. "I thought you were referring to something else entirely..."

"Why, Rachel... whatever do you mean?" he asked with a teasing grin as he spread out the tartan mat. "How else would I be giving you a satisfying lunch?"

The brunette laughed and rolled her eyes. "I guess this will have to do... for now."

***

Captain Jack Fernandez stood by the sweeping window that flanked his Ready Room, gazing at the sandy-brown planet below. The cruiser Damocles was currently in orbit over the arid world, overseeing the return of the kidnapped citizens to Tasmaris Prime. Flying high above the planet, he could see the blackened scar in the centre of the primary continent; all that was left of the capital city which had been incinerated in the Fission reactor incident of 2768. There were still significant numbers of people living there, scattered across the smaller continent, but what had once been a promising colony was now a shadow of its former glory.

He was sure that the Kirrix invasion would only accelerate the decline of that world. Thousands were killed attempting to fight off the insectoid parasites, but the death toll after all resistance had been crushed was truly heartbreaking, with the Kirrix murdering tens-of-thousands of children. Medical teams were providing support and counselling to the bereaved parents, but Jack couldn't even begin to imagine how they'd recover from such a loss. The thought of that dreadful fate befalling his own family made him nauseous.

Picturing his beautiful daughter brought to mind memories of their last meeting. She'd done a thorough job of convincing him that he wasn't responsible for the tragedy on Tasmaris Prime and that it was Buckingham withdrawing the fleet that doomed all those people... but he still felt lingering pangs of guilt. He didn't disagree with her assessment that if he'd balked at the order to retreat, the Damocles would have been destroyed along with all the crew, including him and Mateo. However, the fleet had abandoned those colonists in their time of greatest need and Jack knew he'd always carry that burden with him.

A loud chime from his desk drew his attention and Jack strode over to answer the call. "Go ahead."

"Captain, we've received a priority call from High Command!" the startled comms officer exclaimed.

"A fleet-wide broadcast?" Jack asked, raising his eyebrow as he took his seat.

"No, Sir! It's a direct communication to the Damocles from Olympus Shipyard!"

"Put them through," he said, wondering what it could be about.

The comms officer nodded and routed the call to the holo-interface, his face disappearing to be replaced by the winged sword icon of the Terran Federation. A few seconds later, it faded away, revealing a matronly woman wearing a very distinctive grey uniform.

"Fleet Admiral Devereux!" Jack blurted out in surprise, throwing her a sharp salute.

"At ease, Captain Fernandez," she replied with a warm smile that was reflected in her hazel eyes. Her smiled faded a moment later as she continued, "I'm afraid I must inform you of some distressing news. Earlier today, a team of insurgents launched an attack on Jericho... they attempted to assassinate your wife."

"Maria!" he gasped, his heart lurching in his chest. "Is she alright?!"

Lynette raised her hands, gesturing for him to be at ease. "She's fine, Captain. Your wife sustained a minor wound from a ricochet, but there was no lasting damage."

Jack sagged with relief, taking a deep breath to calm his pounding heart. "Thank God..."

"Her protection detail managed to save her from the initial assault on your house and they fled the scene by hover-car," the Fleet Admiral explained with a frown. "Your wife was pursued into Baybury City, but the Epiphron was in orbit and intervened to eliminate the strike teams."

"Protection detail?!" Jack muttered in astonishment. His confusion turned to anger as he snapped, "Why didn't anyone tell me that my wife might be in danger!"

"I promise you that we had no forewarning that an attack was being planned," Lynette replied, her tone sincere. "I assigned an ISD protection team to Maria purely as a precaution."

"A precaution?" he asked, eyes narrowing with suspicion. "So you suspected she might be attacked?"

The Fleet Admiral shook her head. "No, we honestly had no idea." Lynette saw his frustration with that answer and continued, "I'll explain in a moment, Captain... but first, your wife is waiting to speak with you."

"Put her through... please," he said gratefully, desperate to see Maria again.

Lynette nodded and leaned forward to switch transmission feeds. The Fleet Admiral's sympathetic countenance was replaced by the face of the woman he'd loved for 30 years. His wife was sitting on a bed in a utilitarian room he immediately recognised as military crew quarters.

"Maria!" Jack exclaimed, reaching for her instinctively. "Sweetheart... are you alright?"

"Oh, Jack! It's so good to see you!" she said earnestly.

"The Fleet Admiral said you'd been shot!"

Maria shifted on the bed so he could see the bandage on her thigh. "Just a flesh wound... it was nothing." Her expression was pensive as she continued, "But the team who were protecting me were badly hurt and they're both in surgery... I would've been killed if it wasn't for them, Jack!"

"I'm so sorry I can't be there for you," he lamented, hating to see her so upset. "Is there anything I can do?"

She sighed and shook her head. "I'm just waiting for news from the medics. Faith is such a lovely girl... I hope to God she makes it."

"What happened? Do you know who attacked you?"

"I'd gone grocery shopping with Faith and we'd just got home when ISD troops ambushed us," she replied, shivering as she recounted the terrifying attack. "They shot up our house trying to kill me, but we managed to escape. They were in a couple of APCs and chased us into Baybury, killing all the police who tried to stop them. We tried to shake them in the city, but they caught up with us and destroyed my car. I thought Faith was already dead and that they were going to finish me off too... then the Epiphron arrived and took them out. Jack, it was Viv! She was in orbit and came to rescue me!"

"Viv? You mean Vivian Grayson?" he asked incredulously.

Maria nodded, wiping away the tears and smiling at him. "I know..." She glanced off-screen and beckoned her friend over. "Come here, Grayce!"

"Hello Jack," Commander Grayson said, greeting him with a warm smile as she sat beside his wife.

"It's damn good to see you, Viv," he said, finally relaxing a little. "Thank you for saving Maria."

"She's my best friend, Jack," the attractive blonde replied, reaching out to clasp the Latina's hand. "You know how much Fern means to me."

Maria smiled and put her arm around the other woman, giving her an affectionate hug. "Likewise Grayce."

"How long until the Epiphron departs from Jericho?" he asked, worrying about his wife's safety.

"Don't worry about Maria," the blonde said soothingly. "I'm stationed on Jericho for the foreseeable future; I'll be around to keep an eye on her."

"Jack... they wrecked our home," his wife said sadly, her expression turning forlorn. "It'll take months to repair all the damage."

He frowned with concern. "Viv, how long can Maria stay aboard the Epiphron before it becomes a problem?"

"I've already spoken to Captain Trevelyan," the blonde said with a reassuring smile. "She's free to stay for as long as it takes to repair your house."

"I really appreciate you looking after Maria for me," he said, making eye contact with their friend. "I won't be home for three months, so thanks... I really owe you one."

"There's no need to thank me," Viv said, her smile widening. "I'm really looking forward to us reminiscing about old times."

"I love you, darling," Jack said to his wife. "I'm so glad you're safe."

"I love you too," Maria said, blowing him a kiss. "Best not keep the Fleet Admiral waiting. I'll call again later this evening when you've spoken to her."

They exchanged waves goodbye, and Jack watched his wife's beautiful face disappear in a blur of pixels. He'd never wanted to be with her more, the thought of Maria being injured and upset like a knife wound to his heart.

"Hello again, Captain Fernandez," the Fleet Admiral said, her kindly face appearing on the screen. "Would you mind if I call you Jack? I don't think there's any need for us to stand on ceremony."

"Of course, Ma'am," he replied, responding instinctively to a superior officer.

She smiled indulgently. "Please call me Lynette."

Shocked at the thought of being on a first-name basis with the leader of the Terran Federation, Jack could only nod in agreement.

"Jack, earlier you asked me why I'd taken the precaution of assigning a protection detail to your wife. The simple answer, is that you and your family are of critical importance to the Federation."

He looked at her in confusion for a moment. His wife had retired from the Navy more than two decades ago to raise their family, so he couldn't imagine that she'd be of special importance to the Fleet Admiral. While Jack was the captain of the Damocles and his three boys were all members of the Terran military, none of them were high-ranked enough to be of particular note to High Command. In that same split-second, his thoughts turned to his daughter... and it all made sense.

"Calara... she's a Lioness."

Lynette gave him a wry smile, locking eyes with him. "Your future son-in-law made it quite clear that there would be serious consequences should anything happen to any of you."

"So you took precautions," he said, finally understanding.

She nodded slowly, her expression turning serious. "That wasn't the primary reason for protecting the Fernandez family, but I'll do everything in my power to keep all of you safe."

Jack was shocked by her sincerity, but managed to give her a grateful smile. "Thank you, I really appreciate it."

"I should be the one thanking you," Lynette said earnestly. "You've raised a truly exceptional daughter. She's saved Terra not once, but twice... as well as prevented our subjugation by a hostile empire. Humanity owes your family a massive debt."

"We've all been honoured to serve the Federation," he said, enjoying the surge of paternal pride he felt for Calara.

Lynette smiled at him in acknowledgement, but he saw her watching him like a hawk, as if trying to gauge his full measure. "Jack, there's something else I want to discuss with you. I'd like you to seriously consider reassignment to a new post in the Core Worlds."

"A new post?" he asked, startled by the sudden shift in topic. "Doing what exactly?"

"It's entirely up to you," she replied, a twinkle in her hazel eyes. "You'll have your pick of assignments: Logistics officer, intelligence operations, homeworld fleet defence... anything that interests you. Make your choice and I'll make it happen. Of course, the move will include a promotion to Commodore and substantial bump in pay grade..."

He gaped at her in amazement, then couldn't help feeling a flicker of disappointment. "You're only making me this offer because of my daughter's accomplishments."

Lynette shook her head. "No, not exactly. If I'm being completely honest with you, I don't want Calara to be worrying about the safety of her family, there's too much at stake and we can't afford for her to be distracted. I'd like you and your sons to relocate to the Core Worlds where it'll be easier for me to protect you."

Jack slumped in his chair. "Thank you for your candour."

She studied his dejected expression with sympathy. "Jack... I've thoroughly reviewed your service record. You've more than earned this promotion on your own merits; you're an exceptional officer and you've served the Terran Federation loyally for over 30 years. I'm sure you're well aware you could have reached Commodore rank a decade ago, if you'd applied for an administrative position on the homeworld... so what made you decide to stay with the Damocles?"

Jack rolled out his usual reply, but this time he heard the flicker of uncertainty in his own voice. "I always felt that I could contribute more by serving in the fleet."

"Do you still feel the same way?" Lynette asked quietly, her hazel-eyed gaze boring into him. "You're an honourable man... it must have been heartbreaking being ordered to leave the Kirrix border undefended. I'd be amazed if your faith in High Command hasn't been shaken by that disaster..."

Now he really was shocked; it was almost as if the Fleet Admiral had read his mind. "I... I've been troubled by it," he admitted, unsure how candid he could be. "I'm sure the Kirrix invasion and the horrific civilian death-toll could have been averted if our forces hadn't been stripped from the border."

"You won't hear a word of disagreement from me," she agreed with a grim nod. Looking at him speculatively, Lynette continued, "Have you ever considered working as an Instructor at the Academy? I'm ramping up recruitment after the horrific losses we sustained in the Kintark invasion and we're in desperate need of veteran fleet officers to share their invaluable combat experience. You'd be a real asset in teaching fleet operations and combat tactics to fledgling bridge crews... as well as drumming into them their sworn duty to protect Federation citizens."

"That does sound... intriguing," Jack admitted, startled that he was so tempted by the idea.

The Fleet Admiral gave him a supportive smile. "I don't need an answer straight away. Take your time to think it over and discuss the decision with your lovely wife."

He smiled, imagining how overjoyed Maria would be to hear about this opportunity. As an Academy Instructor based in Tau Ceti, they'd finally be able to live together without his next deployment hanging over their heads. Perhaps it was time to leave the fighting to younger men... then he could focus on training the next generation of Fleet officers.

"I will... and thank you, Lynette," he said gratefully.

She inclined her head and returned his smile. "It's my pleasure."

***

John sat cross-legged on the tartan rug with Rachel straddling him, her legs wrapped around his waist. She reached backwards for a cheese and tomato tart, then carefully brought the savoury treat to John's mouth. She watched in fascination as he took a bite and enjoyed the taste, then Rachel shifted in his lap, pressing herself against him as he swallowed.

"I thought I was supposed to be filling up your tummy?" he asked with an indulgent smile.

"I've wanted to try this ever since I saw Tashana feed you dinner," she said breathlessly.

"What's the verdict? Did watching me chew live up to expectations?"

Rachel gave him a coy smile, "It certainly did. This feels very... intimate."

John reached for a spicy Maliri wrap, then raised an eyebrow. When the brunette nodded her approval, he raised the morsel to her lips, where she took dainty bites. Keeping her eyes locked on his the whole time, she let out a soft moan as she savoured the delicacy, then swallowed and sighed with contentment.

"It turns out I like feeding you too," he said with a playful grin. "Who would have guessed?"

She laughed and embraced him affectionately. "I'm so glad we got this time together."

"Likewise," John agreed, lowering his hands to rest on her hips. "You know I've always really enjoyed your company."

Rachel studied him for a moment, bracing herself for a guilty apology from John for not spending enough time with her... but it never happened. "You really have changed," she murmured in surprise. "I thought all the light-hearted banter earlier was just a bit of fun, but it goes much deeper than that."

"I've been getting a lot of really good advice lately," running his hands over her back and holding her close. "Thank you for everything you told me via Dana... it was all really helpful."

She pulled back to look him in the eyes. "I'm so glad, John. I've always wanted to support you in any way I can."

John gently cupped her cheek and caressed her wonderfully soft skin. "Some of the things Dana said... I didn't realise it at the time, but you were speaking from experience, weren't you? You know exactly what it's like to be so appalled by what your father's done, you just want him out of your life."

Those smoky grey orbs that saw too much were intently focused on him now, a shadow of sadness and sympathy in that penetrating look. "I do..." she said softly. "And I wish with all my heart that you'd never had to go through it."

"You were only 16 when you filed for emancipation," he said, gazing at her with newfound respect. "How on Terra did you survive this alone?"

"I completely immersed myself in my medical training," she replied, leaning into his hand and closing her eyes as she revelled in his touch. "I realised that the average person wastes so much of their day thinking about the trivial and mundane. I decided to spend every waking minute learning everything I could; it was an effective method of preventing myself from dwelling on the past."

"I can't believe the amount of mental fortitude that must have taken," he marvelled, brushing his fingers through her tawny brown hair. "You never cease to amaze me, honey."

She shook her head and there was a look of real vulnerability in her eyes. "It was a terrible mistake to cut myself off like that. For two years I had no friends or family... I was so lonely, John."

"I know what that's like too," he said quietly, pulling her into a hug.

They just held each other for several minutes, enjoying the support and comfort from someone who knew and understood what the other had been through.

"Are you okay, honey?" John asked, easing back to look at her with concern.

To his surprise, Rachel was elated, a bright smile lighting up her gorgeous face. "I really am!"

He gave her a quizzical frown. "I wasn't exactly expecting that reaction."

She blushed, but it didn't diminish her joy. "I've always envied Dana's deep connection with you. You were both orphaned at birth and shared that same desperate need to find out about your parents... you understand each other on a fundamental level."

"But now the two of us are more alike," he murmured, startled by her epiphany.

Rachel nodded, giving him an astute look. "You're finally free from the crushing self-inflicted burden of your parents' expectations... and it feels incredibly liberating doesn't it?"

He stared at her wide-eyed as her words resonated within him.

Henry Voss had demanded high-standards of propriety from Rachel, grooming his daughter to succeed him and continue the Voss Legacy. However, their relationship had deteriorated dramatically after her mother's death and Rachel had done her utmost to infuriate Henry with her acts of rebellion. In John's case, he'd always striven to do the best he could, anxious never to disappoint the parents he longed to meet. Now, after his confrontation with Jessica and Rahn'hagon, he no longer sought their approval... in fact, he didn't give a shit what they thought anymore. For the first time he could really empathise with the pain Rachel had endured and understood why she'd lashed out at her father in the only way she knew she could hurt him.

"For forty years I've been trying to live my life in some misguided attempt to impress them..." he replied, clenching his fists in anger. "All that time I put them on a pedestal... but they were both such a disappointment."

"And now you're free..." she said with a fond smile. "You're your own man and you can define yourself in any way you want."

John lay back on the blanket and stared up at the cloudless sky. After a moment of reflection, he smiled and nodded. "You're right... I finally feel like I'm in charge of my own destiny."

"That's how it was for me too," she whispered, lost in her memories.

He reached for Rachel and pulled her down so that she was lying across his chest. "Actually, I should say that we're in charge of our destinies now. Everything we do, we do together, Rachel. You're just as important a part of my family as Dana... or any of the other girls."

"I know..." she whispered, gazing reverently into his eyes. "I really feel it."

John wrapped his arms around her and let out a contented sigh. "I'm so glad we met, honey. I can't tell you how much you've helped me over the last few months... I never would've been able to survive all this without you."

Rachel had been lying down with her head on his chest, but she propped herself up to give him a playful pout. "So you're only interested in me for my knowledge and skills?"

"Of course not," he replied, gently massaging her temple. "I love that brilliant mind of yours, and what a lovely thoughtful girl you are."

"And?" she prompted him, a naughty glint in her eyes as she rubbed against him.

He grinned and let his hands slide down to cup and squeeze her deliciously firm bottom. "It goes without saying that you're a sexy piece of ass."

Rachel looked thoughtful for a moment, then grinned as she shook her head. "No... I think you need to say it."

John laughed as he rolled them over so that she was beneath him. "I think you're gorgeous, honey. You've got the same spectacular body as the rest of the girls, but it's your wonderful mind that makes you so special. I love that you got together with Dana... you make such a beautiful couple and I can see how much you adore each other. It makes it so much more exciting when I straighten you out again..."

She rolled her hips, rubbing herself against him. "I love it when you remind me that I'm a helpless slave to your cock..."

He nodded, then held her wrists above her head, pinning her to the ground and making her gasp with excitement. Restraining her with one hand, he let the other roam down her body to her slim stomach, which he stroked possessively. "Getting you pregnant is going to be such a turn on. It'll be like dominating that sexy body for 9 months..."

"Making my belly swell with a constant reminder of who owns me..." Rachel moaned, her thighs parting for him instinctively.

John smiled as he recognised one of Dana's fantasies rubbing off on her lover. "That's right, gorgeous, you're all mine. Maybe we should get Jehanna to do some more interviews when you're knocked up... then we can show billions of people that I own your smoking hot body."

She couldn't help giggling at that, a wild gleam of excitement in her eyes at the thought. "Daddy would be furious! The heir to the Voss Legacy turning her back on his fortune... to become one of your doting broodmares."

He laughed along with her, then decided to push some more of her buttons. "You might have started out as one of the privileged elite, but you can't resist a bad boy, can you?"

Rachel whimpered, her body trembling as she writhed against him. "Oh God..."

"Am I better than Axel?" he teased, grinding his pelvis against hers, so she could feel his throbbing heat. "Do I give you what you really need?"

She groaned and pressed back against him, arching her back. "He was a pathetic little boy compared to you... you're my real man!"

John kissed her fiercely, enjoying her excited gasps and moans as he pinned her to the blanket. He could see the feverish gleam in her stormy grey eyes, recognising that the normally reserved and thoughtful doctor had abandoned all sense of reason in a cloud of lust.

"Time to pay for that ride, baby," he said with a grin.

Rachel panted with need, unable to take her eyes off him as she fumbled to tear off her clothes. John sat up and stripped off his t-shirt, throwing it onto his discarded jacket. He took off his combat trousers and watched his young companion peel off her lacy panties that were soaked with her arousal. She crawled across the blanket to join him, her fingers brushing over his chest to feel the powerful muscles.

"So big and strong," she murmured, in a haze of arousal. "I need you..."

John picked her up effortlessly and strode over to the bike, then placed her astride the seat. He could see the questioning look in her eyes, but Rachel was so turned on, he knew she would agree to anything. Throwing his leg over the seat, he mounted the bike... then mounted Rachel. She gasped as he pushed her torso down and raised her hips, a gasp that turned into a disbelieving groan as he lined up his cock and pushed deep into her pussy.

"Oh fuck!" she whimpered as his huge shaft spread her wide open.

Her labia were stretched taut around his girth, Rachel's nubile body yielding to accommodate his throbbing shaft. Reaching the end of her pussy, he paused for a moment when he nudged into her cervix, letting her know what was coming next. The brunette trembled with anticipation, waiting for him to claim her womb.

John reached over her to turn on the hover-bike, then pressed the button to activate the engine simulator. The machine rumbled to life, vibrations coursing through the chassis and into the panting teenager straddling the frame. Rachel squealed as those tremors were focused on her clit that was pressed against the padded seat, just as John shoved the last few inches of his burgeoning cock into her belly.

He watched in amazement as she reacted, Rachel bucking her hips in a frenzied climax. The combination of physical and mental stimulation had driven her wild, and she screamed in ecstasy as her clutching pussy tried to milk his cock. John had no intention of ending this anytime soon, so he pinned her against the vibrating hover-bike and started pistoning his cock into her with long, agonisingly slow thrusts.

"What did Dana say again?" he teased her, wrapping his hand in her lustrous brown mane and pulling her hair back. "Rev her up and make her scream?"

"Fuck me!" she demanded through bared teeth. "Make me your slutty biker whore!"

Rachel's refined accent made hearing such lewd profanities all the more exciting. John took a firm grip on her waist and proceeded to give her the pounding she deserved. Between his powerful thrusts that sent her senses into orbit and the throbbing bike between her thighs, the brunette was in a state of perpetual bliss. It wasn't just a case of being multi-orgasmic, Rachel experienced a relentless succession of orgasms that rocked her world.

They were like rutting animals, with sweat dripping off John to land on her quaking back, her flexing muscles already soaked with perspiration from her body's exertions. Rachel was climaxing with her whole body, her slender arms and graceful legs trembling with the adrenaline pumping through her veins as she clung to the bike for dear life. Any banter was reduced to mindless grunts or shrieking wails, a primal mating cry that echoed over the waterfall and across the jungle.

"Getting close..." John muttered through gritted teeth as he gripped her waist. "Where do you want it?"

Rachel sobbed through another mind-blowing climax, her pussy rippling along his length. She was too fucked out to speak and barely managed to look over her shoulder, licking her lips and giving him a wanton look.

John slowly eased himself out of her steamy depths, drawing a mewling cry of protest from the exhausted brunette. He moved back a little, picked her up, turned her around, then placed her on the bike facing him. Rachel simply opened wide in invitation, letting him guide his swollen cock into her mouth, then down her willing throat. He held her gently in place as he thrust against her soft lips, feeling that urgent need rising in his balls until he could hold back no longer.

Hilting himself inside her, John roared his release, pumping a huge quad-full into the prostrate girl. His climax lasted for over thirty seconds, shooting long spurts directly into her rapidly-filling stomach and making her belly fat with his cum. Rachel could do little else than moan with satisfaction, sucking mindlessly on his cock as she took everything he could give her.

When he was finally done, John toppled off the hover-bike and collapsed on the blanket-covered ground. "Holy fuck..." he muttered, his chest heaving as he panted for breath.

Rachel lay half-comatose on the bike, her head resting on the seat and a look of euphoria on her face.

"Love you..." she whispered, gazing at him in awe.

***

Captain Xian Lingxin tapped the button to open the door and waited for it to slide aside with a quiet hiss. "How's he doing, Doctor?" he asked, entering the Podarge's Medical Bay.

Doctor Mia Riedl looked up from the medi-scanner. "Thank you for coming, Captain. There's been no change, he's still in a coma."

Lingxin walked over to join her, his eyes drawn to the sandy-haired man lying unconscious on the bed. There was a bandage wrapped around the patient's head, evidence of the injury that had incapacitated Commander Tom Walker.

"How bad was the head wound?" he asked, feeling a surge of sympathy for the sole-survivor of the massacre in the Callopean Shoals.

The doctor hesitated, removing her glasses and rubbing at her tired eyes. "Actually... that's why I called you. While I was performing diagnostics on the patient, I discovered something important that I wanted to speak to you about."

Lingxin turned to look at her with concern. "How bad is it, Doctor?"

"That's just it, Captain," she replied, sliding the glasses back into place. "The head wound looked serious but it was just a nasty cut to his scalp. I've thoroughly cleaned the injury and with minor cosmetic surgery, you would never know he'd been hurt. I also completed three body-scans and they all showed the same thing: there is no trauma to his brain... and nothing that would cause a coma."

"But he's still completely unresponsive?"

She nodded. "That's correct."

"So what knocked him out then?" Lingxin asked, looking at her in confusion.

"When I realised that he hadn't been incapacitated by his injury, I decided to perform a tox-screen... and discovered some unusual chemicals in his blood stream."

"He's been drugged?!" the Captain blurted out in surprise.

Doctor Riedl gave him a curt nod. "I believe so, Sir. I don't have the equipment aboard the Podarge to perform a thorough analysis; we'll have to wait until we reach Terra before we can identify the toxin."

Lingxin glanced at his watch, which was tracking his cruiser's progress to their destination in the Core Worlds. "We'll arrive just after midday tomorrow. Is there any risk he won't survive until then?"

"His vital signs are strong," the doctor replied, glancing at the scanner console. "He doesn't appear to be in any immediate danger."

The Podarge's captain turned his curious gaze to the unconscious man lying on the hospital bed. "What the hell happened to you, Commander Walker?"

***

A fine mist had formed over the pool, with bright prisms of light arcing across the base of the waterfall.

"That was just incredible," Rachel whispered, leaning back into John's embrace, the water splashing down around them. "The best ever..."

He smiled and kissed her neck, while running his hand over her rounded stomach. "I was planning on something tender and romantic after feeling so close to you earlier... but that worked too."

Rachel giggled and nuzzled into him. "It really did..."

John glanced up at the sky, seeing the bright sun making its inexorable descent towards the horizon. "I'd love to laze around here with you all day, but there was a reason I brought my sword..."

"Oh, I suppose I could be persuaded to help out," she said, stretching languidly and giving him a coy look.

Chuckling, he kissed the tip of her nose. "You'll have to give me a bit of time to recharge my batteries."

The brunette pouted playfully, then took John's hand and let him lead her out of the pool. "Having a soak was a lovely idea... but we forgot to bring towels."

John paused for a moment, then turned to face her. "Maybe we don't need them."

Rachel looked at him quizzically, watching as John closed his eyes and released her hand. He gestured to the right and she felt a light breeze tickle her skin, causing goose bumps to break out all over her damp flesh.

"John, it's cold!" she protested as the gusts got stronger, wrapping her arms around herself.

"Sorry," he murmured, frowning as he concentrated. "Let me just fix that..."

He raised his arm higher and tongues of fire flickered to life around him, the blue flame curling around his forearm and shrouding his hand. The blaze wavered in the wind, the heat pouring off his fiery limb to gently warm her body.

"That feels amazing," she said with a soft sigh, turning to let the sultry air sweep over her.

It didn't take long to evaporate all the water droplets, leaving them standing clean and dry on the riverbank.

Rachel waited until he extinguished the flames, then leaned in for a kiss. "My very own portable auto-drier. Thank you."

"I wouldn't want you catching a chill," he said, leading her back to the picnic blanket and their piles of clothes.

"That wouldn't be so bad. As the ship's doctor, I'd have to prescribe myself a week's bed rest... and I'd need your body-heat to keep me warm," she said, squatting down to pick up her discarded panties. After eyeing the soaked garment, she gave him a wicked smile, then threw them at John. "A souvenir... of the day you blew my mind."

"I thought you did all the blowing?" he asked with a grin, catching her lacy underwear and tucking it into the pocket of his combat trousers.

"I certainly did lots of swallowing," Rachel replied with satisfaction, patting her curved midriff. She retrieved her trousers and shimmied them up her long, toned legs. "So I assume you want me to create some hex-shields for you to train against?"

When John was fully dressed, he reached beneath the hover-bike to retrieve his sword from the makeshift scabbard. "We're going to be fighting lots more Progenitors and I need to practice breaking through psychic barriers. The battle against Larn'kelnar proved one thing; that I wouldn't have stood a chance against him in a duel. For most of the battle, I stood there hacking away and getting nowhere."

"Are you sure your sword is the best tool for the job?" Rachel asked as she slipped on her top, the material stretching obscenely over her cum-packed belly. She rubbed the point on her chest where she'd been impaled by a telekinetic spear. "Believe me, those psychic lances are very effective at penetrating hex-shields."

He nodded, swishing his sword through the air in readiness. "I know there's something special about this blade. My father was convinced that I'd used it to wipe out all the Progenitors... but how the hell am I supposed to be able to do that, if I can't even chop through their shields?"

"Well, I'm at your disposal," Rachel said with a smile. "I'll shield myself and you can practice breaking through."

"No, I don't want to put you at risk. Do you think you can shield an inanimate object instead?" he asked, gesturing to a rocky outcropping near the edge of the escarpment.

She considered that for a moment. "It should definitely be possible; Larn'kelnar was able to erect a hex-barrier around that Eldritch inhibitor."

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that," John said, looking pleased. "Okay, let's see what you can do."

Rachel nodded and her eyes began to glow with a bright grey light. She held out her hand towards the jagged pile of rocks, then a glowing sphere appeared, formed from thousands of interlocking hexagons. With a flick of her fingers the orb began to rotate, spinning in place around his target.

"I'm all set," she said, glancing his way and giving him a thumbs up.

John squared off against the swirling ball of hexes, tightening his grip on the runeblade. He poured psychic energy into the weapon, making the runes etched along its surface flare with a brilliant light. As the dazzling radiance grew brighter, he could feel the sword responding, raw power building along the razor-sharp edges. Gathering more and more energy, John waited, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the sphere.

He whipped the runeblade around in a massive two-handed cross-slash, unleashing a titanic blastwave that slammed into the protective barrier. The rocks exploded into a million granite chips, the tiny fragments raining down on the ridge beyond the river. John lowered his sword and surveyed the scene of devastation, feeling a surge of triumph.

"Wow... that was easy!" he exclaimed, turning to grin at the brunette standing beside him.

Rachel shook her head and gave him a rueful frown. "I'm afraid you didn't breach my barrier, just knocked it backwards." She pointed to the intact hex shield, which had been driven 50 metres across the escarpment. "The blow was spread out across too broad a surface area. You managed to crack 92 hexagons, but I managed to prevent any from shattering. I suspect a Progenitor probably could have braced himself and avoided any of that knockback."

"I should have known it wouldn't be that easy," John said with a sigh, as elation turned to disappointment. He took up an offensive stance again, adjusting his grip on his sword. "Okay, shield something else."

The brunette picked another chunk of rock jutting out of the ground and enveloped it in her shield. "I'm ready."

It seemed quite apparent that using brute force to batter his way through her defensive barrier wasn't going to work. This time, John activated his psychic speed as he poured more energy into his blade. When he was sure he had channelled enough power into the weapon, he burst into action, whipping the sword around in a dazzling array of slashes and chops. The telekinetic arcs he sent blasting across the ridge were tightly focused this time, slamming into the barrier with the destructive force contained in a razor-sharp projection.

John saw lines of grey hexagons crumbling under his onslaught, but the sphere was rotating quickly, and he wasn't able to land the blows in the exact same spot. Each force wave sliced into the shield in different locations, allowing Rachel time to repair and replace the damaged hexes before he could capitalise on any of the breaches. He frowned in frustration and stopped for a second, trying to get a feel for the speed and direction that the globe was spinning.

"Is everything alright, John?" Rachel asked, turning to study him.

He nodded, a cunning smile appearing on his face as he got a feel for the rotating sphere. "Yeah, I'm just going to try something out..."

Channelling more energy into his sword, he slashed left, then right, and reversed his swing to attack a third time, blasting the psychic barrier in rapid succession. Each of the three strikes was aimed higher on the globe, staggered so that they would all land on the same series of hexagons. He timed the blows perfectly... but at the last moment, Rachel had shifted the direction and speed of rotation, making the telekinetic arcs strike in wildly different locations.

"Hey, that's cheating!" he protested indignantly. "Did Alyssa warn you?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "John... you telegraphed those attacks; it was painfully obvious what you were planning to do."

With a rueful frown, he was forced to concede that she had a point. If he'd tried the same thing against an enemy Progenitor, they would have reacted in the exact same way.

"Yeah, you're right," he admitted, readying his runeblade. "Okay, let me try something else..."

***

It was silent in the sacred chamber, the six Brimorian Lords standing on their ornate stone discs as they waited for the leader of the Enclave to enter. Deep Lord Athgiloi cut a magnificent figure as he strode inside to join them, his fins spread in a dramatic display of posturing.

"We commence this gathering, paying homage to the wild seas," he declared, taking his place on the final stone disc.

The rest of the Deep Pool bowed respectfully, but there was a nervous tension in the air, the assembled lords waiting on tenterhooks for news of the conflict with the Federation.

"Everything has played out as I predicted!" Athgiloi gloated, raising his hands in triumph. "After a century of humiliation, we have finally punished the Terran filth and reclaimed the Callopean Shoals!"

His dramatic proclamation was not met with the rapturous joy that he was expecting.

"What of the Maliri? Is it true they are now allied with the Federation?!" Lord Paotegh demanded, his orange crest twitching nervously. "Will they now enact retribution on the Terrans' behalf?"

Athgiloi grimaced, seething that his glorious victory was being undermined. "Queen Edraele warned me against directing further aggression towards the Federation, but I have no reason to believe that the Maliri will instigate reprisals for our victory in the Callopean Shoals. The alliance between the Maliri and the Federation hinges on John Blake, but I have been assured that he will be dealt with... if he hasn't been slain already."

"Blake is dead?" Lord Sibhaloi asked, his worried expression lifting with hope. "How?"

"I haven't received confirmation yet, but it's only a matter of time. Blake's rival is more than capable of dealing with that irritant... and when the vaunted Lion of the Federation is dead, the Maliri will drift away from their new allies." He gave the members of the Deep Pool a toothy grin. "This isn't the time to be disheartened; we have dealt the Federation a humiliating blow! They're still reeling after the war with the Kintark and they're in no position to take back the territory we reclaimed."

As the mood in the chamber began to lift, Lord Rilosash made a burbling sound in his throat to get their attention. "Deep Lord, my scouts have located Shoal-Commander Coholich's missing border fleet."

Athgiloi rasped his needle-like teeth together with satisfaction. The disappearance of Coholich's fleet had been a serious concern, casting a shadow over the glorious conquest of the Callopean Shoals.

"That's excellent news!" he exclaimed, turning to face the Brimorian lord. "Did Coholich have a good excuse for not keeping us appraised of his current status?"

"Yes," Rilosash replied, his expression turning sombre. "He's dead."

Athgiloi froze with shock. "What did you say?"

"Shoal-Commander Coholich has been slain. My reconnaissance force just retrieved his corpse from the wreck of his command ship," the Brimorian Lord said despondently. "The entire border fleet was annihilated just within the confines of our territory. From the initial analysis of the battlefield, we can conclude that they were ambushed by a huge force of Terran ships. Judging by the scale of the destruction and the trivial number of Federation casualties, Coholich must have been outnumbered at least 3-to-1. The Terrans only lost six cruiser-class vessels to the cost of eight of our battleships, 26 cruisers, 4 carriers, and all accompanying support craft."

"That's impossible! There was only one Federation fleet in the vicinity of the Taxarran Straits and it was no larger than Coholich's force!" Athgiloi protested. "We know their precise fleet dispositions, that none of the obsolete vessels were using captured tech, and even that the force was led by Admiral Kester. The Terrans didn't have anywhere near that many ships along the border!"

"All based on the word of a traitor?" Lord Lithorag asked, his cold black eyes looking disdainfully at the deep lord.

Lord Sibhaloi exchanged a worried glance with the other member of the Deep Pool. "Perhaps the convenient turncoat was a double-bluff?"

"Sacrifice one fleet in exchange for another... and expose our most populated systems to a devastating counter-attack," Lord Baolleraz muttered, sounding both impressed and concerned. "I had no idea the Terrans were capable of such callous subterfuge."

"We must cancel the invasion immediately!" Lord Semord declared, his tail twitching nervously. "Now is not the time for opportunistic territorial claims against the Kintark, not when our soft underbelly is exposed!"

Lord Sibhaloi nodded and pointed a scaly finger in accusation at the Deep Lord. "You told us that the Terrans fleets had been devastated in the aftermath of the Kintark invasion! That they were protecting their borders with the barest of skeletal forces... it seems you were greatly mistaken!"

"SILENCE!" Athgiloi roared, his deep voice cutting through the barrage of anxious chatter.

Drawing himself up to his full height, he bellowed furiously, "Have you forgotten that you're members of the Deep Pool?! You're behaving like a clutch of frightened hatchlings!"

The Brimorian Lords dropped their gaze in embarrassment at being so robustly chastened.

Athgiloi glared at Lord Rilosash and snapped, "I can only assume that you withheld news of Coholich's untimely end in an attempt to undermine my authority? Are you that confident in your position that you wish to challenge me to a Coronation of Spears?"

Rilosash shrank backwards in fear, scaly hands held up placatingly. "No Deep Lord! I have every confidence in your leadership! I was only informed of the border fleet's fate just before we convened to meet in this chamber!"

With his rival cowed, Athgiloi turned his cold gaze on the rest of the Deep Pool. "Does anyone else have pressing news they 'only just received' and have not yet had a chance to inform me?"

Lord Baolleraz hesitated for a second, then blurted out, "The Kirrix have not arrived to collect their latest shipment. They are now a day late... but I was only updated shortly before this session."

"It seems your subordinates have lost respect for you, Baolleraz," Athgiloi sneered, seeing through his colleague's implausible lie. "Withholding vital information should be punished harshly... don't you agree?"

The Brimorian nodded meekly, his needle-like teeth rasping together in a nervous twitch.

Athgiloi clasped his hands behind his back and stared up at the ornate engravings decorating the ceiling, his mind turning over recent events. "So the insects are late to collect their payment. Interesting... very interesting."

The Deep Pool watched him quietly for several minutes, reminded that their leader was not just an intimidatingly powerful warrior, but a cunning strategist as well.

"The Kintark invasion will continue as planned," Athgiloi finally stated, daring any of the lords to object. He saw the apprehensive glances they darted at one another, but the Deep Pool remained silent. "We shall reinforce the Taxarran Straits with four additional fleets. We need a dramatic demonstration of the Enclave's might to ensure the security of our borders."

"You intend to commit the homeworld reserves?" Lord Semord asked with more than a little trepidation. "It would leave Brimor vulnerable..."

Athgiloi shook his head. "No, I intend to reposition the Kirrix border forces."

This declaration was met with gasps of horror by every member of the Deep Pool.

Baolleraz blurted out, "But the Kirrix-"

"Are finished..." Athgiloi said with grim certainty.

The looks of shock and horror turned to curiosity, with Rilosash asking, "How can you be so sure?"

"The actions of our enemies are like the currents of the ocean... you only need to read the changes in pressure and motion to know it to be true," the Deep Lord said, with a smug look of superiority. "Have the Kirrix ever been late to collect a shipment?"

"No, never," Baolleraz replied, confirming what they all suspected.

"We know how highly they prize that trade, which means some sudden calamity must have befallen them to not collect their payment." Athgiloi gave them a sly smile as he continued, "But what force would be powerful enough to topple their empire in so short a time?"

"The Maliri..." Paotegh murmured, his black eyes widening. "They were en route to the Trankaran Republic until that diversion into Federation territory!"

"At John Blake's behest, have no doubt," Athgiloi stated, nodding his agreement. "We have seen graphic proof of what the Maliri did to the Kintark... but where did they go after intervening at Terra?"

"To continue their mission in the Republic," Rilosash said, looking at his leader in admiration. "I've seen the reports from our spymasters; dozens of Trankaran border worlds have been invaded by the Kirrix..."

"I would wager that is no longer the case," Athgiloi agreed, well acquainted with the espionage conducted by Brimorian covert operatives posing as merchants in the Trankaran Republic.

Paotegh nodded thoughtfully. "According to Terran broadcasts, the Federation was similarly besieged. If John Blake has intervened, it would explain his absence from the Callopean Shoals." He paused and looking worried, he added, "Unless Shoal-Commander Coholich's death was his doing?"

Athgiloi dismissed that possibility with a wave of his scaly hand. "Blake's rival would never have permitted him to strike at us. We are quite safe from any reprisals."

"While I believe you are correct about the Maliri devastating the Kirrix, I cannot help but be concerned about your plan to strip fleets from the border," Lord Sibhaloi said, keeping his tone respectful. "We cannot risk exposing our colonies to the insectoid parasites... that they would use Brimorians for breeding stock is unthinkable!"

"I agree, but our people are in no real danger," Athgiloi said, looking unruffled. "The Kirrix prefer arid climes... and are woefully ill-adapted for aquatic warfare. They would struggle to even reach our cities, let alone abduct our citizens in significant numbers. Besides, I doubt they would want to jeopardise the partnership we have developed with them. We have nothing to fear where the Kirrix are concerned."

"With the balance of power shifting between empires, wouldn't it be wise to err on the side of caution with regard to the Kintark?" Lord Semord asked quietly. "Perhaps it would be prudent to reduce the scale of our invasion?"

"No... this is the time to be bold, our very survival demands it!" Athgiloi insisted. "I can guarantee you that the Terrans will have demanded significant territorial gains after thrashing the Kintark invasion force. If we want to avoid being eclipsed by the Federation, the time to strike is now! The Kintark Emperor is dead, his fleets annihilated, and his Empire in turmoil... there has never been a better opportunity to massively increase the systems under our control. The Kintark have no way of stopping us from taking whatever we want... including forcing them to become a vassal state."

The Deep Pool considered that for a moment, then nodded, finding no flaws in his logic.

Athgiloi gave them a triumphant grin at their acquiescence, putting rows of vicious teeth on display. "The invasion will go ahead as planned. Send word to the fleets and unleash them on the mortally wounded Megacaradon that is the Kintark Empire! Glory and immortality await us my Lords... it is time to hammer our names into the annals of Brimorian history!"

***

Arcadia's sun had long disappeared below the horizon, leaving the tropical jungle illuminated by the soft light from millions of stars sprawled across the heavens. It was a warm night, but Rachel huddled closer to John's back to escape the chill of the cooler airstream as the hover-bike cruised through the sky. He had turned off the rumble generation for the ride home and they rode in companionable silence out of respect for the falling dark.

John eased off on the throttle as he neared the Invictus, knowing that he was close to the crash site despite there being no sign of his ship. He glided through the holographic projection that concealed the ship's location and then there it was before him, the white battlecruiser sparkling in the moonlight. The hover-bike smoothly decelerated when he deployed the air-brakes and he steered towards the yawning opening in the warship's hull. He carefully avoided the stacks of ore crates as he coasted into the Cargo Bay, before coming to a halt next to Sakura's ruby-red Matsubara.

When he powered off his hover-bike's grav system, it landed gently on the titanium decking. He straightened up and patted Rachel on the thigh. "Home sweet home."

Instead of dismounting, the brunette stayed exactly where she was, her arms wrapped tight around his waist. "John... are you upset with me?"

He paused and looked at her with concern over his shoulder. "Of course not, honey! What gave you that idea?"

"You've been very quiet," she murmured, laying her head against his back. "I'm worried I annoyed you during the training session. I could see how frustrating that was for you."

John turned and encircled Rachel's waist with his arms, then lifted her around so that she was sitting directly in front of him.

"You did nothing wrong, I promise," he said earnestly, looking into her eyes. "I'm just disappointed at how little progress I made today and I was trying to figure out where I'm going wrong. You saw what happened... I wasn't even close to breaking through your shields."

She looked at him with sympathy, stroking the side of his face. "I was wracking my brain to come up with suggestions that might help, but I couldn't think of anything useful."

"It's okay, I'll figure something out eventually," John said, trying not to sound too despondent. Seeing Rachel's anxious expression, he gave her an apologetic smile. "I really loved spending some time with you today, honey. I'm just sorry I ruined the end."

"You didn't ruin anything," she murmured, her grey eyes softening as she looked at him adoringly. "The afternoon was magical. I've never felt closer to you... and that was before you blew my mind by fulfilling one of my all-time fantasies."

John returned her gaze, trying to commit every detail of Rachel's exquisite features to memory. He held her close and gave her a tender kiss, communicating everything he was feeling with that intimate act. Rachel responded enthusiastically, her lips yearning for his as she reciprocated with all the love she felt for him. When they finally pulled apart, they heard a breathy sigh from only a few paces away.

Dana stood beside them, gazing at the couple with a beaming smile on her face. "Wow... that was awesome!"

"Sorry, Sparks, I didn't see you there," John said, flushing with embarrassment. "We were a bit distracted."

"Don't apologise... you two looked so much in love," Dana said, putting her arms around them both. She kissed Rachel on the cheek and added in a sultry whisper, "You've still got that starry-eyed look you get when you've been fucked senseless... he must have really rung your bell, babes."

Rachel blushed and nodded. "It was like my dream date... everything was absolutely perfect."

"I want to hear all the juicy details!" the redhead said with an eager grin.

"You can interrogate her tomorrow," John said with a smile, kissing the exuberant young woman. "It's getting late and I'd like a tour of the upgrades to the Observatory before we go to bed."

"Oh yeah!" Dana gushed, looking even more excited. "I hope you like what we've done!"

John climbed off the bike and offered Rachel a hand to dismount. "You never leave me disappointed, honey." He put his arms around both girls and led them towards the grav-tube in the adjacent corridor, tapping the button to close the Hangar doors on the way out. "How did you get on with the repairs? Did you make much progress checking the Invictus' for damage?"

Her smile faded and she leaned her head against his shoulder. "It's been a bit of a slog... there's just so much of the superstructure I have to check."

He frowned and gave her a sympathetic squeeze. "Sorry, Sparks. I should have stayed here with a scanner and helped out."

"Nah, you wouldn't have been much help," she said, shaking her head.

"Surely I can't be that hopeless a lowly assistant to the Grand Engineering Overlord?" he protested playfully, trying to perk her up again.

She giggled and bumped hips with him. "It's not that; you're actually a good helper... but my estimates were all based on me using my abilities to speed things up. I can work at least twenty times faster than one of you guys with a diagnostic scanner, but you know how fucking huge the Invictus is."

"I didn't realise it was just you checking the entire hull," John said in surprise. He mulled the problem over as they reach the grav-tube. "Maybe tomorrow, I'll see if I can give you some assistance?"

Dana frowned in confusion. "Thanks for the offer, but like I said... you won't be able to help very much."

Rachel laughed as she stepped into the blue anti-gravity field. "John wasn't planning to wander around with a scanner, babes. The kind of assistance he's offering will involve you on your knees..."

The redhead's face lit up with excitement. "Oh, hell yeah! That would be totally awesome!"

"Well, supercharging Rachel worked like a charm," John said with a rueful glance at the brunette, before turning to Dana. "I'm sure I'll be able to give you a significant boost too."

Dana caught the meaningful look he shared with her girlfriend. "What happened? Training didn't go well?"

He shook his head and pulled them both in for a hug. "Your woman's a very talented girl... and she's taken to shielding like a duck to water. Don't get me wrong, I'm extremely grateful Rachel's so good... but breaking through her hex barriers is damn-near impossible."

"Yeah... you sure saved our asses against Larn'kelnar," Dana said softly, looking at her lover with pride. "We would've all been screwed if not for you."

"She's amazing alright," John agreed, smiling at the blushing brunette. "Which sets a very high bar for me to train against."

Rachel met his admiring gaze. "Today was only the first day of training. I know we'll unlock the secrets of your runeblade eventually."

"Yep! You always crack this stuff in the end," Dana said, giving him an encouraging smile.

They reached Deck Three and stepped out of the grav-tube into the corridor.

"Thanks for cheering him up, ladies," Alyssa said, smiling at the trio as she walked over to join them. She crossed her wrists behind his neck and leaned in to give him a loving kiss. *Welcome home, handsome. I really missed you.*

*Likewise, beautiful,* he replied, losing himself in the earnest sensuality of her kiss.

When their lips finally parted, John continued to hold her close and stroked her back. "I should go away more often if that's the reaction I get when I come home."

"Don't you dare!" she pouted, pretending to scold him. Her teasing expression quickly shifted to sympathy. "John... I'm sorry the training was a bust; I don't think I've ever felt you more frustrated."

"Ah, not to worry. The girls are right... I just need to stick with it," he said with a shrug of resignation. Glancing to his side, he looked for Rachel and Dana, but was startled to see they were no longer there. "Hey, where did they go?"

"The Observatory," Alyssa replied, slipping her hand into his. "We got a bit wrapped up in that kiss, so they decided to wait with the others. Besides, I wanted to talk to you alone for a moment."

"That sounds ominous..." John said with a disarming smile, walking with her towards the Lagoon. "Should I be worried?"

"No, it's nothing bad. I was talking with Lynette this afternoon and she made an unusual request... I wanted to discuss it with you and ask your permission before we tell the girls."

"Ask for permission? I thought your usual policy was to do what you liked, then ask me for forgiveness?" he teased her, before tapping the button to open the door into the Lagoon.

Alyssa gave him an apologetic look. "I know... but I'm trying not to do that anymore."

"Really? What about Lina?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Recruiting girls is always going to be the exception," she replied, her cerulean eyes twinkling as she flashed him a grin. When he started to object, Alyssa gave him a quick kiss to cut him off. "I heard what you said about Charles and how he makes the situation more complicated... but I'm not trying to change your mind about that. Lynette's request is about something completely different: she asked if we'd mind giving Jack and Mateo a lift back to the Core Worlds."

John paused as they crossed the bridge over the tropical pool and looked at her in surprise. "She did? Is this about the attack on Maria?"

Alyssa nodded, leaning into him. "They're exposed out here on the border and she doesn't want Calara to be worrying about her family's safety. Lynette has contacted Jack and his sons, offering them their choice of prestigious postings near Terra."

"That was very thoughtful," John said, touched by the Fleet Admiral's concern for Calara. "Will you thank her for me? I really appreciate her looking out for us like that."

"Of course, I'll pass that on," she said, relaying John's profound gratitude to the brunette and smiling at Lynette's delighted response. "So... what's the verdict?"

"On ferrying Jack and Mateo home?" he asked, puzzled by her need for his permission. "Of course I don't mind. Why would you think I'd have a problem with that?"

"The last time Calara spoke to her dad, she admitted that you're sleeping with the entire crew... and he was struggling to deal with it. If we do pick them up at the Kirrix border, they'll be aboard the Invictus for two days..."

"And things could get awkward," John finished for her, finally understanding her concern. He mulled it over for a moment, then gave her an amiable shrug. "As long as we tone things down a bit, I think we should be able to avoid upsetting Jack. I'm sure the Nymphs can be persuaded to put on clothes for a couple of days and I'll try to avoid giving anyone a full tummy... that would raise all sorts of uncomfortable questions."

"No blowjobs for 48 hours? I don't know what will finish you off first... a fatal case of blue balls, or a mutiny from the girls!" Alyssa warned him with a grin.

He laughed at the thought, then winked at her. "I didn't say anything about being celibate. We'll just have to... share the load... for a while."

"Sounds like a plan," she agreed, giving him a coy smile.

"In any case, bringing her husband and son back home is the least we can do after everything Maria's just been through."

"I'll inform Lynette. When Jack and Mateo accept her offer, she can let them know we'll be their taxi," Alyssa said, looking pleased.

"Wait a second... they haven't accepted yet?" John asked her in confusion. "How do you know they will?"

She gave him an indulgent look. "John... the girls and I don't just talk about fluffy kittens and pretty dresses. I knew exactly what would tempt Maria's boys back to the Core Worlds, and gave Lynette a few helpful suggestions."

The source of her insider knowledge was suddenly quite obvious. "Calara..."

"Handsome and smart... I think I'll keep him," Alyssa said with an angelic smile. Her expression turned seductive and she sauntered towards the Observatory, leading him by the hand. "But not just for myself..."

John watched the blonde temptress sashaying across the bridge, but it wasn't her flawless figure that was making him stare. He was struck by just how much he relied on Alyssa to keep things on an even keel, his loving matriarch working tirelessly to look after him and all the girls.

He pulled her into his arms when they reached the door. "I want you last tonight... okay?"

"That would be wonderful," she murmured, her veneer of teasing confidence slipping away to reveal the young woman in love underneath.

They shared a long meaningful look, until she flicked her fingers at the wall-mounted panel and the door to the Observatory slid open.

"Oh, John... thank you!" Calara squealed, rushing over to hug him.

John released Alyssa just in time to catch the overjoyed brunette, twirling her around before setting her down again. "You're welcome, honey. I feel terrible about what happened to Maria; hopefully bringing your father and brother back home will make her feel a bit better."

"It wasn't your fault," the Latina said with a frown.

He shook his head and let out a heavy sigh. "With you taking a prominent public place as the leading Lioness, I knew we'd be exposing your family to more danger. At a bare minimum, we should have fortified your home and done whatever we could to ensure Maria's safety."

"John... my mom would never have agreed to you turning the family home into a bunker," Calara said softly. "I hate that she was attacked just as much as you do, but you can't blame yourself for what happened."

"Maria is family... and that means everything," he insisted. "When we reach Jericho, we'll see what we can do to keep everyone safe."

She smiled and gave him a tender kiss. "Okay... and thank you."

He released her and they walked into the Observatory, where all the girls were waiting for him, kneeling on the huge oval bed.

Dana sprang to her feet and bounced over to join him. "You took ages!"

"I had important Progenitor business to discuss with my Matriarch," John said faking a haughty expression.

She snickered and stuck her tongue out at him. "That wasn't remotely intimidating; you'd be hopeless as a real Progenitor. Anyway... I saw the two of you sucking face, remember?"

"Alright, you got me," he conceded with a fond smile. "Are you ready to give me the tour?"

Dana nodded exuberantly, taking his hand and leading him to one of the two new doors built into the port and starboard sides of the Observatory. "We'll start with the new bathroom!"

When the door opened, John followed her inside, nodding his approval as he surveyed the furnishings. There were the usual bathroom fixtures and fittings, along with a massive multi-jet shower and a broad circular bathtub, easily large enough for a dozen soapy occupants.

"I didn't bother with big vanity units or anything like that," the redhead explained, waving a dismissive hand at the functional sinks. "I figured we've all got our own bathrooms for when we're getting ready to go out and stuff like that... this is basically for freshening up after some hot action!"

"It's perfect, Sparks," he said, brushing his fingers over the marble-like tiles, and following the grain with his fingertips. "You've done a beautiful job; I can't believe you built and fitted all this in a day."

"I setup the Mass Fabricators to make all the parts, but it was actually the bots that installed everything," she admitted, leaning over to activate the bath and watching a bubbling stream of water splash into the tub. "I didn't even need to supervise. Little One offered to handle it all for me."

"That was very nice of her," he said, making a mental note to thank the diminutive robot.

"She actually said: 'Your time is more valuably spent elsewhere. The Collective does not possess the necessary psychic talent to expedite the structural analysis of the Invictus' hull'." Dana paused and gave him a funny look. "I've never discussed my abilities with her before, John. I think the Collective knows all of us a lot better than we think."

John sat on the edge of the bath, and absent-mindedly ran his fingers through the cascade of water. "I'm sure they have access to the camera archives and we've made no effort to hide what we can do when we've been aboard the Invictus. I suppose it makes sense that they took the time to get to know us as thoroughly as possible. Let's face it... if we were threatened by them being aboard the ship, we could've wiped them out in a matter of minutes. Little One would have to be pretty confident about the way we'd react before revealing the Collective's existence."

"Yeah, that makes sense," Dana agreed, looking thoughtful. She leaned down to give him a kiss. "I think it's awesome that you're being so cool about Little One and the Collective. Faye would've been really proud of the way you've accepted them with open arms."

He swallowed around the lump in his throat. "They were her labour of love... how could I treat them any differently?"

Dana stood beside him and ran her fingers through his hair. "I was missing her a lot today... it's like my mind refuses to believe she's gone."

John leaned his head against her stomach and closed his eyes as she massaged him. "I know what you mean."

"Oh yeah, that reminds me of something," she said hesitantly. "That huge sculpture you did of me was amazing... I didn't know you were able to make anything so lifelike. I was just wondering if you could make me a small one... of Faye?"

He looked up at her and nodded. "Sure, honey. I'll shape it for you tomorrow."

"Thank you," she said softly, brushing the unshed tears from the corner of her eyes.

John turned off the bath taps and rose to his feet. "Come on, let's go take a look at the wardrobe."

Dana's expression brightened considerably. "I hope you like it!"

They re-entered the Observatory and walked around the edge of the bed sunken into the floor, passing the dozen girls reclining on the covers.

"Hurry up, Master!" Betrixa called out to him, a cheeky grin on her face. "We want to play!"

John couldn't help smiling at her eagerness. "We're nearly done, just be patient for a few more minutes, alright?"

The blonde catgirl groaned in exasperation. "I'll try!"

Dana had opened the door to the wardrobe, so he walked straight in, his gaze sweeping over the neatly partitioned clothing rails. The space had been divided up equally between the crew, with holo-projections displaying an image of their smiling faces.

"The pictures were a nice touch," he said, stopping beside Dana's area.

"I wanted to head off any arguments about who was going where," she explained, running her fingers over the handful of outfits hanging in her area. "They're allocated based on the order we joined you."

"Good thinking," he murmured, turning to look at the far wall. "Although you're all good girls, I can't imagine you fighting over anything."

"Alyssa insisted I leave a few more spaces... just in case," Dana said with a grin. When he didn't react, she walked over to stand beside him. "What're you looking at?"

"What's behind here?" he asked, striding up to the panel and tapping it with his hand.

"There's a cavity space that goes back about 20 metres, then you hit the outer edge of the forward Inertia Negation Core," she replied, thinking about the Invictus' deck plan. "Why do you ask?"

"I thought it might be sensible to build another armoury in here. If we're in bed and get ambushed by anything, we could get to our gear in seconds."

"That's a great idea!" she enthused, eyeing the wall and picturing what they'd need. "We'd have plenty of room for some equipping frames. I could even try building Thrall versions instead, they'd take up even less space."

"Actually, I prefer your version... it's a better design," he said, turning to her with a serious expression on his face.

Dana looked stunned. "You really like mine the best?!"

"Absolutely. First of all, yours gives us much easier access to damaged armour plates when we need to make repairs. Second, and more importantly, yours is a bit faster than the Thrall version. If we build enough of them, you girls can all get geared up at the same time... and in an emergency, every second counts."

"I hadn't thought about it like that before," she said, beaming at him in delight. "I guess I can teach those Progenitors a thing or two about tech!"

"I never doubted you for a moment," John said, then laughed when she bounced up and down with excitement. "You did a really nice job on these extensions. Thanks, honey."

Dana practically floated out of the room she was so happy and she gave him a hungry kiss before skipping across the bed to sit next to Rachel. The rest of the girls had fanned out on the oval bed, with their pillows arranged in a circle in the middle. Instead of the single huge duvet they'd used in the original bedroom, the girls had brought half-a-dozen, so they could pair up together in comfort. John recognised the pattern of places assigned to each girl, with the layout very similar to the seating around the dining table. Alyssa and Calara beckoned him over to join them, and he took his customary spot, sitting between the blonde and brunette.

"Who came up with this idea?" he asked, looking around the circle in admiration. "This is great!"

A dozen sets of eyes flicked to Helene, who blushed at all the attention. "I'm really glad you like it," she said with a shy smile. "The other bed was so wide that I felt really far away from you when I was on the outer edges. If I was lying next to you, then getting up in the middle of the night without disturbing anyone was really tricky."

"It's almost as if conventional beds weren't designed with harems in mind," he said, pretending to looked puzzled at the obvious oversight.

The girls laughed and grinned at each other, until Alyssa used telepathy to draw their attention to John again.

He cleared his throat and looked around at the beautiful faces watching him. "Sleeping apart just didn't feel right... it's wonderful having all of you here as a group." He paused, letting the girls murmur their agreement. "Last night was especially hard for all of us. Even though we beat Larn'kelnar, it didn't feel like much of a victory... not considering the cost."

"We're going to get Faye back though!" Dana declared fiercely. She shot a meaningful glance at the Maliri hacker. "Isn't that right?"

Irillith nodded, her violet eyes watching John intently. "No matter how long it takes, I'll rebuild Faye and bring her back to you."

"I know you will, honey," he said with a grateful smile. Focusing on the group again, he continued, "The battle against Larn'kelnar was a turning point for all of us... and we worked together in ways I never would have imagined six months ago. We dramatically proved that we've got what it takes to deal with a Progenitor, but next time it's going to be us striking at them. I hope you all know just how proud I am of each and every one of you."

While his regular crew glowed with pride, the Nymphs looked a little subdued.

When Leylira saw him glance their way, she said quietly, "This one wishes she could have done something to help you, Master."

"You did! We'd all have been devastated if you'd died in the crash. The four of you kept your heads and stayed alive... I couldn't have asked for anything more."

Jade was sitting between her sisters and she put her arm around the tiger-striped Nymph. "John cares about all of you a great deal and the most important thing you could have done was to survive. I'm going to need your help if we're going to save our species from extinction."

"I can't wait to have kittens..." Marika said with a breathy sigh.

"Until that day comes, I'm going to focus on making you as strong and resilient as I can," John said with conviction. "I'm not going to risk losing any of you if I can help it."

"Are you going to make us as powerful as Jade?" the tiger-striped girl asked, looking at her elder sister in awe.

"I'll do my best," he replied, sharing an affectionate smile with his Nymph matriarch.

Leylira's amber eyes had a feral gleam to them as she stared at him. "And let us fight too?"

John nodded. "That's the plan."

If the rest of the Nymphs had any misgivings about the idea, it certainly wasn't apparent judging by their dazzling smiles.

Now that all of the girls were equally jubilant, John swept his gaze over the crew, making eye-contact with one after the other. "We've still got a long road ahead of us, but I want tonight to be about celebrating our biggest victory so far. I'm open to suggestions, but I'd really like to spend some time with each of you."

"That means no hogging him!" Alyssa said, wagging a finger at Dana.

"I'm not making any promises!" The redhead giggled and pulled off her top. "A regular run-of-the-mill orgy sounds awesome!"

Betrixa sprang from her seat, launching her lithe form across the bed and into John's arms. "I can't wait any longer!" she exclaimed, showering him in kisses. "Take me now, John!"

"Hey!" Dana protested, still tugging off her trousers. "I wanted to go first!"

Rachel smiled as she unbuttoned her blouse. "Too slow, babes. The Nymphs had the right idea starting off nude."

John ignored the banter and gently held the eager catgirl at bay, stopping her from kissing him for a moment so that he could gaze into her bright blue eyes. "That's the first time you've called me by my name, Betrixa."

"Is that alright, Master?" she asked, suddenly looking nervous.

"Oh yes, definitely." He stripped off his t-shirt, then eased the blonde Nymph back onto the bed. "I'm very proud of you, honey. It means you're developing your own free will and starting to break the bonds that have held you in slavery."

Dana sighed in resignation. "Well I can't compete with her after a breakthrough like that, can I? Alright... I guess Betrixa can go first."

"Don't worry, I'll keep you entertained while you wait..." Rachel said, before sensuously kissing her girlfriend.

Betrixa looked up at John as he held her in his arms, an uncharacteristic vulnerability in her eyes. "This one still wishes you to be her master... Master."

"I know... and that's not going to change unless you want it to," he said, giving her a reassuring smile. "I want you to stay with me forever... but only because you choose to be with me, not because you're compelled to stay. Do you understand the difference?"

"I'm starting to..." she whispered, looking startled as she considered deeply unsettling ideas for the first time. With a shake of her head, she shook those troubling thoughts away and grinned at him. "But right now, I want to fuck! Have you got any naughty fantasies, Master?"

"I've got one, but it's pretty wild..."

Betrixa looked electrified by the prospect. "What is it?!"

"I'd really like to make love to my beautiful blonde catgirl and show her just how much she means to me," he replied, brushing aside a lock of her silky golden hair.

The Nymph melted in his arms with a breathy sigh. "Oh, Master..."

***

Calara moaned into Alyssa's mouth as they kissed, her firm young breasts pressing against her lover's identical set of delectable mounds. Her girlfriend's body was so alluring, the soft curves feeling incredible as they moulded together in perfect unison. She heard Betrixa's lusty cry, instantly recognising the rapturous sound of an eager girl being fully impaled on John's cock.

Pulling back from the kiss, Calara smiled when she saw the distracted look in Alyssa's blue eyes, reflecting an unspoken need that the Latina instantly recognised. She grabbed a couple of pillows and placed them near the edge of the bed, then gave the blonde an understanding smile. "Lie down here, baby... let me take care of you."

Alyssa tore her gaze away from John to focus on the gorgeous olive-toned girl. "Thank you," she whispered earnestly, her heart bursting with love for the woman who knew her so well.

Lying back on the bed, Alyssa rested against the pillows to enjoy the show. She sighed with delight when she saw John thrust deep into Betrixa, the tawny catgirl mewling in ecstasy as she wrapped her arms and legs around him, her long tail gently caressing his quad. Alyssa parted her thighs and smiled lovingly at Calara as the brunette went to work, that clever tongue slowly exploring every intimate fold.

"Yes, that's perfect..." she crooned, running her hands through Calara's luxurious chestnut mane as the brunette lapped at her clit.

Through hooded eyes, she watched Betrixa reach her first climax, the Nymph gazing reverently at her master as he brought her to the peak of pleasure. Alyssa felt a tingle run through her body, the psychic network resonating as it responded to the deepening connection between the lovers. She convulsed through a glorious release, moaning loving endearments to Calara, who worshipped Alyssa with sensuous caresses of her tongue.

*Oh, Master...* a familiar voice murmured, echoing Betrixa's ecstatic cry.

Alyssa glanced to her right over the undulating Maliri twins, to see Jade and Helene together, the exotic beauties mirroring herself and Calara. A look of pure joy lit up the Nymph's verdant face, her emerald eyes captivated by the sight of John pleasuring her feline sister. By breaking down the controls and restraints in Betrixa's mind, John was nurturing the untapped potential of another formidable telepath... and Jade revelled in the surge of eldritch energy that released. It was a familiar path they'd followed before, one that led inexorably to the powerhouse of draconic fury that was currently reclining on the bed with her aquatic lover.

Sensing that she was being watched, Jade turned to smile triumphantly at her fellow matriarch, both united in their devotion to John. Alyssa embraced the intoxicating surge of emotions coursing across their bond, the love, tenderness, and respect so tangible that she could almost see it pouring from the Nymph. She opened up her connections to the rest of the girls, immersing herself in the intimacy they shared... an intimacy that manifested itself into vast amounts of raw psychic power.

***

Sunrise over Larathyra was a spectacular sight, the golden orb cresting over the horizon to chase away the darkness and bring forth a majestic sky of vibrant orange and purest blue. The sun's rays swept across the baroque veranda, banishing the chill of the night and warming a young woman's pale-green skin. Auralei closed her eyes to enjoy that comforting radiance, but doing so brought back disturbing visions... ones that had plagued her nightmares for the last two nights.

Hurriedly reopening her eyes, her gaze flicked involuntarily to the beautifully maintained garden below. Ever since she was a little girl, it had been a sanctuary of tranquillity, a place where her mother had shared her love for horticulture with her daughter. Seldanna's final moments had been spent surrounded by the plants and trees she adored, a fact which should have brought Auralei some small measure of comfort. However, the young Larathyran would never forget the final expression on her beloved mother's withered face... the Imperial Botanist had died in excruciating agony.

Auralei whimpered at the terrible ache of overwhelming loss and lurched away from the balcony, tears rolling down her cheek. She collapsed on the bed and sobbed her heart out, crying brokenly into her pillow. It seemed impossible to accept that a woman so vital and full of life, could be struck down so suddenly and in such a horrible way.

Her outpouring of grief eventually ran its course and Auralei dragged herself from the bed into the bathroom, where she washed away the streaks of tears. Looking into the mirror, she heaved a ragged sigh, then gathered her long dark hair into a haphazard ponytail. Gazing at her reflection was a harrowing sight and she could see the deep sorrow in her shadowy bloodshot eyes. Auralei knew that her mother would have been mortified to see her in such a state, so she inhaled deeply, determined to pull herself together to honour the woman who had loved her unconditionally for her entire life.

Heading downstairs, she entered the kitchen, boiling some water and sprinkling in some fragrant leaves. The familiar aroma was comforting and she poured herself a cup of laptalesh tea, before sipping it carefully to avoid scalding herself. With the heat warming her stomach, she felt strong enough to face the day... and finally brave the outside world again.

Leaving the small townhouse was a stark reminder of the horrific tragedy that had befallen the Larathyran Empire. What should have been a bustling suburban street, was now as silent as the grave, the only activity from a dozen workers carrying heavy black bags to an awaiting hover-truck. The trailer at the rear was piled high... and Auralei knew exactly what each of those lumpy bags contained. Even more shocking than the corpse-strewn street, was the fact that all the Larathyrans collecting the atrophied cadavers were male. They had started their gruesome task two days ago, clearing the boulevards of the fallen... and taking away her mother's desiccated remains.

One of the grim-faced men was a new addition to the team. He spotted her leave the house and blurted out incredulously, "Auralei?!" Leaping down from the trunk, he ran over to join her. "I can't believe it... you're alive!"

"It's good to see you, Pellas," she said, giving him a wan smile.

He looked at her in disbelief for a moment, then hugged her fiercely. "I thought you were dead!"

"No... but my mother..." she trailed off, hugging him back.

He nodded, his expression a mask of grief. "I know... mine too."

"Your sisters?" she asked, before immediately wishing she could take back the question.

Pellas' face fell and he shook his head, a haunted look in his eyes. He was the youngest of four siblings... and the only son.

"I'm so sorry..." she murmured, squeezing his hand.

He swallowed around the lump in his throat, then stared at her curiously. "You're the only woman I've seen for days. You know... since it happened."

She looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"There's only young girls and men left... millions of women are dead!"

Auralei felt a shiver of dread run down her spine. Women vastly outnumbered men in the Larathyran Empire and if it was true that all the adult women had died, she couldn't imagine how dreadful the consequences for the survivors. "Media channels have all gone offline... How do you know for sure?"

"I've heard rumours... and two days ago, we drove through the city centre," he said in a hushed voice. "It was awful... like a vast mausoleum!"

She grabbed his arm, trying to fight back her fear. "What happened, Pellas?!"

The young man shrugged helplessly. "Perhaps it was a virus, or some kind of plague maybe?"

"What kind of disease only attacks adult women?" she asked, shaking her head and looking sceptical. "And the terrible way they died... a virus couldn't have done this!"

"I don't know..." he replied, his eyes welling up. "I'm sorry... I just don't know."

Aurelia could see how devastated her friend was and she felt a surge of sympathy for him. He was normally such a cheerful boy, always making their classmates at the Botanical Institute laugh with his off-colour jokes. To see him so stricken with grief was heartbreaking.

"It's alright..." she said gently. "You have nothing to apologise for."

One of the older men turned to frown in his direction. "Pellas! We need your strong arms!"

He grimaced at the prospect of continuing his macabre task. "One moment, I'll be right there!"

Auralei looked at him with concern. "How did you end up doing... this?"

"I volunteered," he replied stoically, but the hollow look in his eyes revealed that he'd already seen more than enough death for ten lifetimes. "Somebody had to do it..."

She gave him a supportive hug. "When will I see you back at the Institute?"

He gave her a funny look. "It's gone, Auralei. The staff, the girls from our senior class... they're all dead."

"Pellas!" the man by the truck yelled again, his voice turning angry.

"Take care of yourself... please?" her friend requested, gently patting her arm before turning to jog across the street.

She nodded in a shocked daze. "You too."

Fumbling for the keyfob to her mother's hovercar, she opened the gull-wing doors, then slumped into the plush seat. Auralei had been so consumed by grief since her mother's death, that she was only now beginning to understand the scale of the disaster. Despite her friend's warning, she knew she needed to see the Institute for herself. Easing the dark-blue vehicle out of her driveway, she accelerated away from her home, her departure watched by every member of the corpse disposal team.

The streets were strewn with crashed hovercars, the female drivers losing control of the vehicles as their life was cruelly extinguished. Pellas was right; even on the outskirts of the metropolis, it was like travelling through an enormous ghastly morgue. Death had stalked through the capital city, its pitiless touch laying waste to all the women of Larnorin. Auralei tried not to stare at the endless sprawl of corpses, each tortured body reminding her of her mother's dreadful fate. Instead, she focused on avoiding the abandoned and wrecked hover-vehicles that littered the road.

It didn't take long to reach the Botanical Institute and one glance at the darkened academy provided ample evidence that Pellas was correct. The building itself had lost power and where it had once been brightly-lit and inviting, it now looked forlorn, as if it were mourning the deceased faculty and pupils. Drifting into the car park, Auralei saw there was still life outside the building, with a gathering of young women talking together animatedly. She parked her compact hovercar, then quickly exited and ran over to join the chattering crowd.

Auralei recognised one of the much younger girls, a neophyte student that she'd been mentoring for a year, and touched her arm to get her attention. "I'm so glad you're alright, Kylantha!"

The young woman whirled around, her eyes like saucers. "Auralei!" She flung her arms around her mentor with relief. "I thought I'd lost you!"

Hugging her back, Auralei said quietly, "You're the second person that's told me that today. Why did you think I'd died?"

"No adults survived!" the shocked girl gasped. "No women at least... only the men appear to be unscathed."

"I'm still only 29..." Aurelia murmured, struggling to comprehend what could have wiped out all the adult women with such merciless efficiency. "My Ceremony of Allegiance is next month."

"We need more volunteers!" a deep voice called out from behind the wall of girls. "Are any of you willing to search the Palace?"

Aurelia shuddered at the thought of dragging all those twisted corpses from the Emperor's Palace.

"I'll volunteer!" Kylantha blurted out, raising her hand to get the man's attention. "And I know Aurelia will want to help too!"

Looking at her in horror, Aurelia whispered frantically, "I-I can't... not dead bodies!"

Kylantha turned to look at her friend and shook her head. "We're looking for children... babies! We have to act quickly, they don't have much time!"

***

John woke in an unfamiliar room, shafts of light filtering through what looked like cracks in the ceiling. It took a moment for his brain to catch up and realise he was looking at the battered armour plates covering the Observatory's crystal dome.

"Good morning, handsome," Alyssa whispered, leaning over to give him a kiss.

He stretched contentedly. "You're right... it's a very good morning."

"I take it you had fun last night?" she asked, her eyes sparkling even in the dim light.

He nodded, slipping an arm around her to stroke her back. "I really did. I needed to feel close to all of you again after everything we've just been through."

"You were magnificent, Master," Jade murmured, turning on his left so that she could gaze at him with a serene look of satisfaction.

"Well I know you definitely had a good time," he said with a fond smile, embracing his second matriarch. "I don't remember you ever being quite that excited before..."

Alyssa gave him a look filled with admiration. "You did quite a number on all the Nymphs last night."

Jade nodded, her feline eyes softening. "My sisters are all so eager to please you... they're embracing their self-awareness far faster than I was able to."

"That's because they're lucky enough to have a very special older sister," he said, caressing her delightful curves. "You did a wonderful job teaching me all about Nymphs... and what really stirs their soul."

She beamed back at him, but her radiant smile slowly faded into a look of thoughtful contemplation.

"What are you thinking about, honey?" he asked, concerned by her sudden shift in mood.

"John... do I actually have a soul?" she murmured, her brows furrowing into a pensive frown.

"Of course you do!" he replied, without even having to think about it. "You're thoughtful, kind, and compassionate... you must have a soul to be a good person like that."

"But Rachel said that the Nymphs were an artificial construct; that Mael'nerak created us. Can we be imbued with a soul if we aren't a natural species?"

Alyssa brushed her fingers down Jade's arm. "I like to think that I've got a soul... and Mael'nerak created Terrans too."

Jade thought about that for a moment, then her expression brightened into a glorious smile. "You're right! If he gave souls to the Terrans, Trankarans, and Ashanath, it would be silly not to give them to Nymphs as well."

"There's a way we can test that theory," John said, giving the green-skinned beauty a playful grin.

The Nymph giggled, then leaned down to kiss him. John released Alyssa so he could hold Jade with both arms, increasing the passion of their embrace as he caressed her nubile body. Jade's soft skin went from refreshingly cool to smouldering with renewed passion, and she moaned wantonly into his mouth. When they parted, she looked at him with starry-eyes, her pupils almost eclipsing the emerald irises.

"That certainly looked like a soul-searing kiss to me," Alyssa observed, keeping her voice neutral and impassive. "Wouldn't you agree, Jade?"

"Oh, yes..." she replied with a dreamy sigh. "My soul is definitely sizzling after that!"

John brushed his fingers through the Nymph's dark hair and enjoyed listening to her purr. "Well I'm glad that's settled then... conclusive proof that Nymphs have a soul."

Alyssa snuggled into John and joined him in stroking their blissfully happy bedmate. "Would you like me to wake up Sparks? Or do you want to load up this sexy little Nymph and have her feed Sparks instead?"

"Can you wake Dana up please," he requested, his shaft thickening at the prospect. "I'd like some more kisses from my matriarchs while I give her breakfast."

***

The dusky TFNN reporter gazed directly at the holo-camera, a sombre expression on her beautiful face. "This is Jehanna Elani, official Press Liaison with the Admiralty. I'm bringing you a special TFNN report from Olympus Shipyard and I'm honoured to have Fleet Admiral Devereux as my guest here today..." Turning, she nodded respectfully to the leader of the Terran Federation. "Thank you for joining us, Fleet Admiral."

Lynette inclined her head politely to the TFNN lead anchor. "I'm very glad to be here."

"I'm sure you're aware that distressing rumours have been spreading like wildfire," Jehanna said, her brow furrowing with concern. "There is worrying talk of conflict breaking out with the Brimorians... and I personally witnessed a harrowing act of terrorism on Olympus Shipyard. Can you elaborate on either of these stories?"

"In keeping with my policy of openness and transparency, I'm here to do exactly that for the citizens of the Federation," the Fleet Admiral said, her expression grim. "In the early hours of yesterday morning, the Brimorians launched a cowardly and completely unprovoked assault on our border fleet in the Callopean Shoals. With deepest regret, I am greatly saddened to inform you that the fleet was lost with all hands... bar one survivor."

Jehanna gasped, a look of horror on her face. "There must be some mistake, Fleet Admiral! Surely prisoners were taken? Can't we bargain with the Enclave for their release?"

Lynette's eyes glinted with tightly-suppressed anger as she turned to face the camera. "There is no mistake. The brave men and women who served under Admiral Morgan were murdered by the Brimorians. Flaunting conventions long established by the Galactic League, Enclave forces committed a bloody massacre, gunning down defenceless escape pods without mercy."

"How could they be so cruel?!" the reporter asked, shaking her head in disbelief.

"I don't understand it either, Miss Elani," Lynette said quietly. "I would say that such an act was a terrible war-crime, but the truth is... we are not currently at war with the Brimorians. They lack even the most basic form of honour; we were at peace when they committed this treacherous act against us."

Leaning forward in her chair, Jehanna's brown eyes narrowed with indignant fury. "And how will this atrocity be answered, Fleet Admiral?"

Lynette steepled her fingers, her expression cold and hard. "A decision to go to war is one that High Command treats with the greatest of respect. We must never forget the consequences such a declaration will have for the heroic men and women who serve in the military. While my every instinct urges me to throw the might of our warfleets against such a vile enemy and make them answer for their crimes... we must never make such a decision in an outburst of anger, no matter how righteous."

Jehanna sat back in her chair and nodded, a look of respect on her face. "I understand, Fleet Admiral. You're a stronger woman than me... to keep a cool head in the face of such horrific provocation."

"It is my duty as Fleet Admiral," Lynette said earnestly, her face showing her conflict at maintaining that restraint. Some of the tension in her expression eased and she continued, "Even in the darkest of times, there are moments that remind me that there is still light in the galaxy. We must take solace in the fact that not all alien empires are so cruel and inhuman; in fact, some of our neighbours were just as appalled by the Brimorian's actions..."

"The Trankarans? Or perhaps the Ashanath?" Jehanna prompted, her brown eyes alight with curiosity.

"Both empires have proved themselves to be good friends of the Federation in the past, but this time it was the Maliri Protectorate who contacted us with kind words of support and sympathy." Lynette glanced at the camera again. "Admiral John Blake has been working tirelessly on our behalf, working to improve diplomatic relations with those enigmatic people. He beseeched the Maliri for aid against the Kintark invasion and they sent a mighty warfleet to assist in the defence of Terra. The Maliri greatly admire and respect us... and I'm proud to announce that their reigning monarch, Queen Edraele Valaden, has requested a formal alliance."

Jehanna gasped, looking stunned. "Allies... with the Maliri?!"

"They have vowed to stand at our side in the face of alien aggression," Lynette replied, nodding in confirmation. "Another assault on our borders by the Brimorians will be met with overwhelming force."

"That's outstanding news, Fleet Admiral!" the TFNN reporter gushed with a smile of relief. "It feels incredibly reassuring to know that the Maliri are offering us the hand of friendship... and that the colonies along the border are safe from Enclave encroachment."

"A friend in need is a friend indeed," Lynette said, smiling in agreement. "And I'm pleased to announce that the Maliri intend to increase trade opportunities with the Terran Federation."

"Securing an alliance with the Maliri is an outstanding achievement, Fleet Admiral," Jehanna said, smiling at the older woman seated beside her. "In the aftermath of the Kintark conflict, it was very wise to extend diplomatic overtures to the Maliri."

"I can't claim credit for this astonishing feat of diplomacy," Lynette said magnanimously. "The Lion of the Federation strongly believes, as do I, that we should be much closer with our galactic neighbours. Perhaps some of the wars in our troubled past could have been averted with a kind word or deed."

"It's wonderful to see like-minded beings in the galaxy pulling together for the greater good."

Lynette nodded, but her smile faded. "Unfortunately, not everyone in the Federation shares that vision. As you mentioned earlier, at midday yesterday, a group of insurgents launched a horrific assault on Olympus Shipyard. In an appalling act of barbarity, they detonated bombs in the primary barracks, breaching the shipyard's outer hull."

"Do you have casualty estimates?" Jehanna asked, her expression full of concern.

"Casualties are still being counted, but initial estimates are that over 5000 marines were slain in the blast or in the subsequent atmospheric decompression." Shaking her head in sorrow, Lynette continued, "We believe the bombs were a diversion... that the real targets were the members of High Command stationed on Olympus. After the explosion, Admiral Dedric Schmidt was subsequently murdered by a team of assassins. The death toll could have been far higher, if not for loyal security forces who acted swiftly to deal with this band of cowardly scum."

"Have you identified the terrorist group responsible? Have they given any motive for their horrific act?"

"Rogue elements within the Internal Security Division planned and executed this coup. They intended to strike at the heart of the Terran Federation and wipe out High Command, thereby allowing them to assume control."

"It's hard to believe that monsters like that exist within the Terran Federation," Jehanna said, her expression one of shocked horror. "Have you identified the ringleaders?"

"I can give you my personal guarantee that those responsible will be-"

The holo-screen froze, cutting off the Fleet Admiral mid-sentence.

Governor Stefan Vaughn grimaced and tossed aside the remote in disgust. He turned to the computer on his desk and tapped a button to activate the comms interface, then searched through his list of contacts. Swiping his finger across the one he was looking for, he waited for the call to go through, while staring out the window at the lush forests that blanketed Brecken's World.

The forests had provided a safe haven for many of the colonists that had escaped capture by the Kirrix, a large number of which were children that the parents had spirited away. The aftermath of the invasion had been harrowing enough as it was, but he couldn't begin to imagine the suffering if those innocents had been captured by the inhuman beasts that had assaulted his people.

"So what brings you knockin' on my door, you cantankerous old bastard?" a gruff female voice enquired.

Vaughn turned to look at the blonde woman on the holo-screen. "Your daddy must have gone to his grave wishin' he'd sent you to charm school. Shame he wasted all his credits on booze."

"Nah... he didn't have no regrets. He was too busy screwin' your mamma!" she replied, breaking into a grin.

Shaking his head, Vaughn couldn't help chuckling. "It's good to see you, Luce. How's it goin' over there on Valia Gate?"

"We're gettin' by," she replied, glancing off screen and smiling warmly as someone handed her a steaming mug of coffee. "How about your people? They holdin' up okay?"

"Good days and bad... you know how it is."

A shadow crossed her face and she nodded, her expression turning bleak. "Yeah... I know."

Vaughn looked at her with sympathy, which she acknowledged with a nod of her head.

"Now, are you just callin' to waste my valuable time, or did you actually wanna ask me somethin'?" she enquired, sipping from her mug.

"Have you seen the interview with Devereux?" he asked, trying not to lose his temper.

She eased back in her seat. "Yeah... I saw it. Looks like war with the Brimorians now... and some kinda coup? Goddamn..."

"Sounds to me like we're already yesterday's news," he muttered, his eyes glittering with resentment. "A lot of people got a lot to say about the Admiralty around here."

"Yup," she agreed grimly. "I'm hearin' it 24/7."

"You spoken to the other governors recently?" he asked, studying the middle-aged woman.

"Just made some courtesy calls is about it," she replied with a noncommittal shrug. "You heard anythin' interesting?"

"Cochran's dead," Vaughn said grimly. "Hanged himself... couldn't handle the guilt."

"Jeezus..." Lucyna muttered, thinking of the pleasant man who had been governor of Carolus III prior to the Kirrix invasion. "It was never his fault..."

"No, it wasn't," Vaughn agreed. After hesitating for a long moment, he made eye contact with Valia Gate's governor. "There's a bunch of us... think it's high time we had a little chat about our future. Carolus III, Brecken's World, Tasmaris Prime, Menganus IV... and that's not all... Tyche, Osrad Delta, Segonis Sigma, Claudia Rings..."

"They weren't invaded by the Kirrix!" Lucyna exclaimed in surprise.

"Nope..." he said sombrely. "But they saw what happened to us... and if it weren't for the Lion, they were all gonna be next. The invasion gave a lot of folk some real serious things to think about."

Lucyna went quiet, a worried look in her eyes. "Be very careful, Stefan. You're playin' with fire."

"I know, Luce... but we can't go on like this," he said earnestly. "Besides, the situation's changed now. You've met Blake... you know he's not like the rest of the admiralty. You think he'd stand by and let another Galon Prime happen?"

"No... I don't think he would," she replied softly.

"I'm gonna hold a conference, right here on Brecken's World. Any chance you might be interested in attendin'? We've got a lot to talk about..."

She turned to look away from the holo-screen, appearing lost in thought. Governor Vaughn watched her in silence, trying to guess what she was thinking as the seconds turned into minutes.

"Alright, I'm in," she finally said, facing him once more. "I gotta admit, I'm interested to hear what you have to say."

"Thank you, Luce," he said, staring into her eyes. "Means a lot to have Valia Gate on board."

***

John stood behind Dana, his arms encircling the redhead. "Okay, give it a try now, honey," he whispered in her ear, while stroking her cum-filled belly. "I'm right here with you... and I'll see what I can do to help."

Dana snuggled into his embrace and let out a contented sigh. "I'm trying to concentrate, but this feels way too nice."

He laughed and pulled back to give her a playful swat on her rump. "Try harder!"

"That felt even nicer!" she said with a cheeky grin.

"You'll absorb that load in a few hours," Alyssa gently reminded her friend. "You need to make the most of it."

Dana frowned, darting a guilty look at John. "Sorry... I'll stop messing around."

"That's okay, it was my fault for distracting you," he said, stepping away with his hands upraised.

She pouted, then looked at him with pleading eyes. "I'll try really hard this time, but please hug me like that again."

"Sure," he readily agreed, wrapping his arms around her.

"Mmm... that feels so awesome..." she murmured, leaning back against his chest.

John looked at her suspiciously and was about to pull away, when he noticed a soft golden glow shining from her eyes. The radiance brightened considerably, until her gaze was like glorious shafts of sunlight, beaming out to reflect off the Invictus' hull. Dana raised her hand and gestured at the superstructure, her body trembling in his arms.

Just like before, Dana could see into the structure of the towering beams and robust internal plating, the atoms of the titanium alloy arranged in beautifully symmetrical patterns. This time however, it felt like someone had thrown open a door in her subconscious and she gasped as her mind expanded, dramatically altering her perspective. Instead of scanning a small two-metre square, it was almost as if she could sense the entire hull, and she pictured the Invictus as a living, breathing organism. Just like with any creature, an injury triggered pain, and Dana could feel patches of... discomfort... where this mighty behemoth had been wounded.

She was about to highlight those sections of hull that were in urgent need of repair, but something made her pause. The titanium girders were fractured and twisted, damaged badly enough in the crash that they would have to be taken out and replaced. Dana knew exactly how the superstructure was meant to be, and it was easy for her to imagine the steps needed to mend the crippled battlecruiser. The Invictus was just hurt, almost as if the ship had broken a few ribs.

"Let go, John," she murmured, brushing her hand over his arm.

Startled by her distracted tone, he nodded, then watched spellbound as Dana approached the Invictus' hull. Zephyrs of eldritch power had started to whip around her arms, gathering in intensity as they rolled down from her shoulders to her fingertips.

"Don't worry," she whispered to the battered warship. "I'm going to make you all better..."

Her hands were surrounded by a dazzling golden aura, far too bright to stare at directly. She placed her hands on the grey titanium plating and waves of energy poured into the hull, undulating as they spread outwards to run the length of the battlecruiser.

"Holy fuck!" Alyssa gasped, wobbling unsteadily.

John rushed to her side to stop her falling. "What's wrong?"

"She's nearly tapped herself out already!" the blonde exclaimed, astonished at the amount of power Dana was channelling. "I've never seen anyone use this much before!"

"Give her what she needs," John said, turning to watch the Grand Engineering Overlord. "I'll keep her safe."

Pulses of golden light throbbed like a heartbeat, sweeping through hundreds-of-metres of metal superstructure. Their progress was accompanied by an ominous creaking and groaning, as the hull responded to Dana's psychic ministrations. Twisted I-beams slowly straightened out, standing tall and strong once again, while imperfections running through interior plating were realigned and snapped back into perfect symmetry.

Dana wavered, then slumped to her knees, the dazzling golden aura fading away in motes of glowing light.

John was already at her side and he scooped up the redhead in his arms. "Sparks! Are you alright?"

"I did it..." she mumbled, giving the Invictus a weary but affectionate smile. "Fixed her up as good as new..."

With that, she passed out, hanging limply in John's arms.

"Is she hurt?" Alyssa asked frantically, staring at her unconscious friend in alarm.

John closed his eyes and focused on the sleeping girl. "No, she's fine... just exhausted."

They shared a look, then turned to gaze up at the 750-metre-long warship, both thinking the same thing. Could Dana really have just... fixed... the Invictus?

The grey titanium directly in front of them looked no different, its lustrous surface gleaming in Arcadia's morning light. When John's curious gaze swept towards the bow, he stopped and stared at the edge of the topdeck in astonishment. The Crystal Alyssium armour plating along the entire length of the Invictus was illuminated with a dazzling golden glow.

***

The Terran Federation cruiser jumped into the Sol system, blue tachyon particles fading from the Podarge's grey hull as it left hyper-warp. Upgraded Trankaran engines flared to life, rapidly accelerating the warship towards the beautiful verdant planet on the third orbital track around the sun. The cruiser followed a course marked by nav beacons, circumventing the vast starship graveyard that still encircled the planet.

Hundreds of capital ships had met their grisly end in the Battle of Terra and ravaged battleships towered over the corvette-class salvage vessels that moved between the wrecks. The crews were scouring the battered hulks for anything of value, investigating green-hulled Kintark craft and grey Federation ships alike. As if it were disapproving of the vultures picking over the tattered carcasses, the Podarge swept past without pause, turning its back on the massive salvage operation.

"Please adhere to your allocated Flight Path," the Flight Control officer stated. "You have been granted permission to land directly at the Unity City Medical Institute."

"Acknowledged, Terra Flight Control," the helmsman replied, with a grateful nod. "Beginning our approach."

Captain Xian Lingxin rose from his chair atop the command podium. "You have the Bridge, Commander. I'll accompany Doctor Riedl during the handover."

His XO gave him a crisp salute. "Yes, Sir."

Leaving the Command Deck, the cruiser captain strode towards the elevator, then stepped inside. Tapping the button for Deck Seven, he watched the glowing numbers marking his descent into the bowels of his starship. When the door opened, he found Doctor Mia Riedl standing beside her unconscious patient, accompanied by two orderlies who were waiting with the floating gurney.

"Oh... hello, Captain," she said in surprise. "I wasn't expecting you to join us."

"I just wanted to make sure our guest safely arrived at his destination," Xian said, his gaze flicking to the sleeping sandy-haired man.

Doctor Riedl gestured to the orderlies for them to proceed and watched as they pushed the gurney into the elevator. As soon as they were inside, she stepped closer to the captain and whispered, "A patient transfer should be no cause for concern. Don't you trust me, Captain?"

Xian looked at her in surprise. "Of course I do, Doctor!" He glanced at Commander Walker. "I just felt sorry for him. Losing everyone he served with... I can't imagine what he's going to go through when he wakes up."

Her expression softened and she nodded. "You're a good man, Captain." She let out a heavy sigh. "Commander Walker might have survived the battle, but should he regain consciousness, I fear his road to recovery has only just begun. The trauma of losing so many comrades-in-arms will be devastating."

They stepped into the elevator and the Captain hit the button for the lower deck. They dropped down to Deck Nine, then headed towards the primary airlock. A glance through the airlock windows revealed flashes of blue and white as the cruiser descended through Terra's atmosphere. It didn't take long for clouds to be replaced by the skyline of Unity City, although it was now a depressing sight rather than an inspiring one. What had once been a magnificent celebration of the finest in Terran architecture was now a scene of plasma-scorched destruction, with many of the skyscrapers now lying shattered and broken.

The Unity City Medical Institute was located on the outskirts of Terra's capital and had narrowly avoided the wrath of the Kintark bombardment. A gleaming building appeared through the porthole, giving Xian his first look at the medical facility. The hospital was ultra-modern, built with huge glass windows set in flawless rose-coloured stone, making it look clean, warm, and inviting.

After the Podarge settled down to land in a docking bay, Xian stepped forward to open the airlock. When the DNA scanner flashed green, the door spiralled open, revealing an impatient medical team that hurried over to meet them. They received a nod from the senior medic who was overseeing the transfer, then worked briskly to check Commander Walker's vitals. The man in charge had hawk-like eyes and a touch of grey at his temples, which all contributed to his air of calm authority. His gaze swept over the Podarge's crew and he immediately approached Doctor Riedl.

"My name is Senior Consultant Fitzroy-Ferguson," he announced in a clipped, well-spoken accent. "I will be supervising Commander Walker's recovery at the Institute."

Mia Riedl looked startled. "It's an honour to meet you, Sir. Your work on neural pathology is impressive to say the least."

Xian tuned out the medics and watched the Institute's orderlies push Commander Walker towards the imposing hospital. Waiting on the far side of the docking bay, over by the entrance to the medical facility, were a trio of pensive figures. The eldest two were obviously a couple, the striking brunette hugging her stony-faced husband. Xian was surprised to see that the man was wearing full-dress uniform, the golden insignia on his epaulets and peaked hat identifying him as an admiral.

The third person in their group was also an officer, but the utilitarian grey of her uniform did little to detract from her exceptional beauty. She waited with the older couple for as long as she could, then broke into a run, her peaked hat tumbling from her head and freeing her long blonde hair. Rushing to Commander Walker's side, she leaned over the gurney to hug him fiercely, her heartbreaking sobs echoing across the docking bay.

Xian studied the blonde woman with sympathy, touched by her sorrow mixed with relief as she was reunited with her wounded hero. He was glad that Thomas Walker had someone in his life who loved him that dearly.

"Good luck, Commander. I hope you get well soon," Xian said under his breath, before turning away to return to his ship.

***

*Attend me, Slave!*

Valeria groaned and brushed the sleep out of her eyes, her Master's voice still ringing in her head. *I will be there at once, my Lord,* she replied obediently.

Scowling as she rolled out of bed, Valeria glanced at the chronometer and sighed when she saw that it was just after nine in the morning. She was used to answering to her master's every whim, no matter what the time, but she had only gone to bed three hours ago. Stretching until she heard her spine pop, she padded into the washroom and stood motionless in the cleansing cubicle as her body was scoured of any dirt and perspiration.

Standing naked in front of the mirror, she rubbed her temples, trying to massage herself awake. She stared at her scarlet-hued figure, still as physically perfect as she was the day she'd reached adulthood... nearly a thousand years ago. Her body had seen endless combat in that millennia, having been stabbed, shot, beaten, flayed, hacked, chopped, and crushed... but there wasn't a single blemish marring her glorious crimson curves.

Valeria jolted out of her introspection, her heart clenching with dread. In her tiredness, she'd ended up daydreaming, and now she was going to be late. Darting back into her bedroom, she pulled on a form-fitting bodysuit that hugged her figure like a second skin. Tugging on a pair of heeled boots, she opened the door to her quarters, waiting impatiently for the jagged-edged door to split apart. Ducking down, she scurried through the half-opened portal, then ran full-tilt to her master's quarters.

Taking a deep breath, she tapped the rune to open the onyx door... and found his bedroom silent and empty. Cursing under her breath, she asked tentatively, *I have arrived at your quarters, my Lord... might I ask where you are?*

*The tactical suite. Where else would I be, you imbecile.*

She cringed at his scathing tone and bolted down the corridor, sprinting along dark passages illuminated with a malevolent crimson light. Thralls lurched out of the way, clearing a path for her as she tore through the ship. One of them couldn't help smirking at her matriarch's frantic haste, her full mouth curling up into a mocking smile.

Skidding to a halt, Valeria whirled around, her amber eyes blazing with resentment. "You find something amusing, Jilatha?"

That wiped the grin from the thrall's face. "No, Matriarch!" she blurted out, eyes widening with fear.

Valeria glared at her for a moment, then a matching smirk appeared on her own face. "I'll show you something really funny..."

Jilatha's fear escalated to terror, and she screamed in agony as her matriarch reached out to tear the life force from her body. Her pretty face cracked and withered, her wail of agony turning shrill as she collapsed in on herself. Where a nubile maiden had once stood, all that was left was a pitiful dried out husk, her final expression one of tortured anguish.

"Ha ha," Valeria snorted with a wry smile, taking a moment to savour the terror of the thralls who'd witnessed the sadistic display.

Valeria turned on her heel and jogged onwards, feeling much better after that brief interlude. Rumours of Jilatha's brutal execution would spread like wildfire throughout the ship and keep even the most obnoxious of thralls in line for the foreseeable future. That one of her minions had been bold enough to openly mock her, showed that such a lesson was long overdue.

Reaching the tactical suite, she took a deep breath, then opened the black portal. The door split into four pieces, the serrated edges of each quarter sliding back into the frame. She saw him standing rigid in the centre of the room, surrounded by a multitude of holographic maps. Valeria couldn't help wondering if he'd actually gone to bed the previous night, having not moved from the spot where he'd banished her to her quarters for falling asleep in his presence.

"You sent for me, my Lord?" she enquired respectfully, padding silently into the room.

She was very careful to make sure that the four-inch heels didn't make so much as a click. While her master appreciated the way the boots added extra definition to her toned legs and lifted her pert behind, she knew he found the noise irritating.

"I need additional shipments of ore..." he growled, staring intently at the map of the Galkiras Empire. "Expand the mining operations and have the freighters rendezvous with us at the homeworld."

Valeria gaped at him in astonishment. "But my Lord... what of the assault on Wael'rakash? We spent all night preparing the fleets and planning the invasion!"

"You dare to question my orders?" he asked, a dangerous edge to his voice.

"No, never!" she gasped, shocked that she'd dared to even raise it with him, her exhaustion making her incautious. "Forgive me, Master! I was just... surprised... at the change in plans and spoke without thinking."

He grunted, not even bothering to look at her. "Leave the fleets in position. We'll summon them when the time comes."

"I will inform the Fleet Commanders," Valeria said, trying not to fidget nervously.

"That's all. Now get out," he snarled, his attention on the holographic depiction of their spiral galaxy and the tiny segment of space marked in blue.

She performed a sweeping bow. "As you command, my Lord." Following his orders, she turned and walked towards the door.

"Oh... Valeria?" he asked casually.

"Yes, my Lord?" she replied, pausing to acknowledge any other orders he might have.

"You kept me waiting..." he noted, his voice dripping with menace as he slowly turned to face her.

Her heart lurched in her chest and she opened her mouth to beg for forgiveness, but he moved in a blur, closing the distance in a split-second. His fist slammed into her stomach, driving all the air from her lungs and knocking her sprawling. Valeria was paralysed with terror, desperately gasping for breath as he stalked after her.

"Useless, pathetic, little cretin," he sneered, his hand whipping around and backhanding her across the face.

Valeria cried out in pain as his slap hit her like a sledgehammer, snapping her head backwards as he smashed her across the room. She had barely slid to a halt by the time he reached her, then he hauled her upright and landed another brutal punch. He hit her again and again, leaving Valeria bruised and battered, her beautiful face now a bloody mask. As she sobbed and whimpered, curled up on the floor, he crouched down beside her and his hand closed around her neck.

"Beg for your worthless life," he taunted her, slowly increasing the pressure, his fingers squeezing her throat.

She choked back a sob, staring up into his cruel, pitiless eyes. "P-please..." she whimpered, her fingers desperately scrabbling at his impossibly strong grip. "G-Gahl'kalgor... I-I'm begging... you!"

Her vision started to go black as the Progenitor slowly squeezed the life out of his matriarch. Valeria's amber eyes bulged and she was convinced that this time, he was finally going to end her existence. Just as suddenly as the horrific assault had started, he abruptly released her, leaving her choking and wheezing for breath. While she desperately filled her lungs with ragged gasps, he strode across the room and sat in a gilded throne.

"You look hideous," Gahl'kalgor noted with a contemptuous smirk, his eyes glittering with sadistic glee.

Valeria took one last anguished breath, then shakily raised herself up to her hands and knees. Head lowered in submission, she crawled towards him, leaving a trail of sticky blood across the floor.

"What do you want now?" he snapped, feigning indignation.

"Please... make me worthy to stand at your side again," she whimpered, not daring to make eye-contact with him.

He watched her in silence for several minutes, taking a long moment to savour her suffering. "Oh, I suppose..." he finally muttered in exasperation. "As inept as you are, I have neither the time nor inclination to train a replacement."

Despite his supposed reluctance, Valeria could see the evidence of Gahl'kalgor's excitement; witnessing her abject humiliation had stirred him into arousal. She kept her head down as she fumbled with his trousers, attempting to free his massive shaft. Wasting no time in case he changed his mind, she engulfed his tumescent length, accepting him into her bruised throat. He didn't last long, roughly holding her in position and thrusting at her bruised lips, until he was filling up her stomach with his heavy load.

When he was spent, he relaxed in his chair and drank from a goblet, paying no more attention to his broken matriarch. Recognising his disinterest for the dismissal that it was, Valeria staggered to her feet and slowly limped towards the door, already feeling the tingling as his essence rejuvenated her abused body.

"Nothing to say, slave?" he asked as she opened the jagged portal.

"Thank you, my Lord," she whispered, straining to get each painful word through her split and bloodied lips.

His mocking laughter followed her out into the corridor and Valeria slumped dejectedly. Even though this was a scenario they'd re-enacted hundreds of times, he never failed to make her burn with shame when he humiliated her. She leaned against the wall to regain her composure, straightening as the pain in her aching back faded away.

Even though her master had switched targets, they were still going to war... and soon she'd be able to take out her resentment and frustration on whatever hapless fools he'd decided to torment this time. Feeling better again, Valeria strode down the corridor, eager to make preparations. When they'd gathered enough ore, they could start the construction of the hyper-warp gate... and then it would only be a matter of time before the slaughter commenced.