"We'll be right back!" Alyssa promised, grabbing Jehanna by the hand and tugging her towards the en suite bathroom.

Jehanna wiggled her fingertips at John and grinned as the blonde led her away.

"I'm needed too," Rachel said, giving him a mysterious smile as she glided into their walk-in-wardrobe.

"Looks like you're stuck with us," Dana said, wiggling her eyebrows at him.

"A fate worse than death," John lamented, sitting cross-legged on the oval bed. He reached for Calara and Sakura's hands to pull them down too. "I need kisses!"

They laughed and fell on him, the bikini-clad girls pushing John backwards so he was lying on the mattress. He soon got the kisses he requested, with Dana, Jade, and the twins kneeling around him so they could all take a turn too. John enjoyed stroking and squeezing all the luscious flesh on display as he got intimately reacquainted with his very affectionate Lionesses.

"Are you sure you're not bored of Maliri girls by now?" Irillith teased him when it was her turn.

He shook his head and grinned. "The way all you highborn ladies become ultra-submissive nymphomaniacs really turns me on."

Tashana giggled as her sister harrumphed indignantly, Irillith's objections quickly stifled as John pulled her down for a deep kiss. She pretended to struggle for a second, then moaned into his mouth as she gave up all pretence of resisting. Tashana eventually had to drag her twin away before she could get her own taste of John's lips.

When it was Dana's turn, John paused and looked at her askance. "Weren't you supposed to be showing me something about your ship designs, Sparks?"

The redhead had been puckering up for a kiss and she rolled her eyes. "Now he remembers..."

"It can wait," John said with an amiable shrug, very much looking forward to kissing the effervescent teenager.

"Nah, I might as well show you. I brought the holo-viewer anyway," she replied, leaning across the bed to where she'd stashed the device behind a pillow. "Here you go. Take a look for yourself."

John lay flat on his back and stared up at the elegant ship design. It looked just as he remembered, the profile of the Ashanath cruiser a masterpiece of graceful curves and sweeping arcs.

"I still don't see the problem," he admitted with a shrug. "Alyssa did a beautiful job and the Ashanath thought they looked incredible."

"Yeah, I bet," Calara said, trying not to laugh.

"What?" he asked, looking at her in bemusement.

Dana sighed and tapped an icon on the holo-viewer. "Take a look at it now..."

The cruiser slowly pivoted and rotated, allowing him to see it from a new angle. John squinted at the rear of the elegant vessel, his eyes drawn to the engine housing. "Is that...?"

"She gave my warship tits!" Dana protested.

"To be fair, it's more of an... ample cleavage," Calara said, losing her battle to keep a straight face.

"Alyssa!" John called out sternly.

Her melodic laughter echoed out from the bathroom, not sounding the slightest bit remorseful.

"You said yourself the Ashanath loved the new ship designs, Master," Jade said diplomatically.

"Yeah, I can see why now," John said, shaking his head in disbelief. "I know people call a sleek looking ship sexy... but not because it has literal sex appeal!"

*You heard Ularean. The Ashanath are pacifists and we've just solved their recruiting problems overnight,* Alyssa said, sharing the telepathic conversation with everyone present. *They're obsessed with curves and couldn't get enough of us when we visited Ashana. I just gave them a fleet that the Greys would fall in love with. Imagine trying a boarding action against an Ashanath ship; their marines would fight to the death to defend it.*

"They would fight like cornered tigers, Master," Jade solemnly agreed.

John could easily imagine fanatically loyal Ashanath personnel being inspired to valiant acts of heroism to protect a ship they adored. "I suppose I can't really argue with that. Ularean's reaction does make a lot more sense now."

"I don't want to be famous for designing the boob ship, John," Dana protested. "The Ashanath are making statues of us and everything!"

"Actually, Alyssa will be famous for designing the boob ship," John corrected her with a wry smile. "You'll be famous for upgrading the hell out of the Ashanath fleet so they can destroy anything that crosses them."

*Hey... wait a minute!* Alyssa exclaimed, no longer sounding quite so smug.

Dana laughed and tossed aside the holo-viewer. "Alright, I can live with that."

Looking much happier now, Dana eagerly smothered John with kisses, until Alyssa cleared her throat behind them. The girls all released John so he could sit up and the vision of loveliness before him took his breath away.

"Oh wow..." he murmured, quickly rising to his feet and walking over to Jehanna.

Alyssa had expertly applied cosmetics to bring out Jehanna's rich brown eyes, the smoky eyeshadow making her look mysterious and seductive. Her raven hair tumbled down around her shoulders, with a glint of gold showing through the lustrous onyx locks. The light reflected off the chain-link straps of her metallic halter top, drawing John's attention away from her beautiful face to admire her outfit. Jehanna was wearing what could only be described as a miraculous creation of golden chains and red silk, the ensemble revealing alluring glimpses of her gorgeous dusky body.

"Holy fuck!" Dana gasped, staring wide-eyed at their newest Lioness. "You look like you're about to grant him three wishes!"

Rachel laughed and nudged her girlfriend playfully. "She's Indian, not Arabian!"

"She's gorgeous..." Irillith murmured, entranced by the stunning Terran girl.

Jehanna sashayed closer to John and crossed her wrists behind his neck. "Are you going to grant my wish tonight, Lion of the Federation?"

"Whatever you want..." he willingly agreed, his hands drawn to the enticing curve of her hips.

"You know what I want..." she purred, closing the distance between them. She pressed herself against his body, her newly enhanced bust straining her halter-top to its limits. "You've given me the body of a Lioness, but now I want to be the real thing..."

"Once I've given you psychic powers, there's no going back," he said, gazing into her eyes. "A part of me will become part of you... forever."

"Together forever..." she whispered, her voice breathy with emotion.

John leaned down to kiss her, Jehanna's flushed lips soft and yielding against his own. They slowly sank down to the bed, with John holding her in his arms as they descended. When they were kneeling, she gave him a wicked smile and pushed him backwards, so he was flat on his back again.

"You're wearing far too many clothes," she noted, eyeing him hungrily.

Taking their cue, the girls pounced, their deft fingers unbuttoning his shirt and unfastening his trousers. As soon as he was stripped naked, Jehanna nimbly straddled him, pressing her silk covered mound against his pulsating erection. She bit her lip and rubbed against his heat, her swollen clit throbbing with the intimate contact.

"I'm going to ride your gorgeous cock until I drive you wild," she insisted, her hips undulating in a sultry rhythm as she gazed lustfully at his muscular chest. "And when you can't take any more, I'm going to suck you dry..."

John could only moan with pleasure as she teased him, his eyes roving across her spectacular figure. He watched her unfasten clasps at her waist, then pull away the silk covering her sopping pussy. They both moaned when Jehanna placed the head of his cock against her slippery entrance, his groan deepening as she pushed down. By contrast, Jehanna's voice climbed to a breathy feminine cry as she took inch after inch, her inner walls pushed apart to accommodate him.

There was a noticeable bulge in her belly as she impaled herself, his huge cock making its presence felt in her nubile body. Jehanna's long eyelashes fluttered as the head nudged at her uterus, then she gasped as she sank the last few inches, her womb taking his entire length. She paused to savour her victory, and gave him a look of triumph before rolling her hips.

He hadn't seen this wantonly sexual side of Jehanna before, having always taken the lead when they'd been in bed together. It was thrilling to see her so aroused and he knew that she was letting down all her barriers because she felt so comfortable with him. Jehanna placed her hands on his chest and rocked up and down, her body undulating as she rode his shaft. The heat and tightness were extraordinary, like she was gripping him with her fist and slowly but firmly jacking him off.

John lay back and groaned appreciatively, lost in the wonderful sensations as Jehanna went to work. She was stretched wide to take his daunting girth, making her clit grind against his pelvis as she humped against him. She reached her first climax within minutes and a second shortly after, looking down at him with lust-filled eyes as she cried out with pleasure.

"I'm getting close," John warned her, the extra lubrication from Jehanna's orgasm letting her slide up and down with even smoother strokes.

"Yeah?" she cooed, leaning forward and squeezing him on the downstroke. "You going to cum hard for me? Give me a huge tummy?"

He nodded, locking eyes with her as she brought him closer to release.

"I want it, John... make me yours forever," Jehanna urged him, biting her lip with excitement.

John gritted his teeth as he fought to stave off his release. "Now!"

She swiftly dismounted and leaned down to engulf him between her flushed lips. The sudden contrast going from the cool air on his slick cock to the snug warmth of her mouth tipped him over the edge, making John groan with relief as he climaxed. His shaft throbbed again and again, pumping a heavy load straight down her throat into her stomach. John could see her belly swelling as she swallowed each spurt, the gold chains over her waist pulling taut as her midriff formed a smooth dome full of his cum.

"That was so fucking hot..." Alyssa muttered, her cerulean eyes burning with lust as she stroked Jehanna's expanding tummy. "You're one of us now, gorgeous... a Lioness all the way."

The blonde darted a hungry glance at Calara, who nodded eagerly in agreement to her unspoken question.

"I'm on top this time," the Latina insisted, stripping off her bikini in a rush.

They fell onto the bed in a sixty-nine, their passionate embrace quickly copied by the rest of the watching girls. When John finished unloading his quad, Jehanna let him slip from her lips with a grateful kiss, then sat up to caress her enormous brown tummy.

She looked around in surprise at the intertwined girls writhing on the bed, then smiled at John when he reached for her. "I guess I wasn't the only horny one."

"They couldn't help themselves... you got them too excited," he said, encircling her in his arms as they spooned together.

"That feels so good," Jehanna murmured, as he brushed his fingers across her soft velvety skin.

"You were amazing," he replied, kissing her shoulder. "So incredibly sexy..."

She let out a contented sigh, euphorically happy to be held protectively in his arms. They lay there together in companionable silence, watching and listening to the rest of the girls satisfy their own carnal desires.

Jehanna placed her hand on top of his, then turned to make eye contact with him. "Have you decided what psychic ability you're going to give me, John?"

He nodded in confirmation. "I have, but I don't want to spoil the surprise. Now we've got an active connection I can start encoding your third helix with everything you need. It'll take me a few hours to rewrite the DNA throughout your entire body."

"Is it bad that this really turns me on?" she asked, her cheeks flushing as she gazed up at him with big adoring eyes. "I love the idea of you having such complete control over my body."

"It's exciting for me too," he replied, leaning down to give her a tender kiss. "What you're doing takes tremendous trust and devotion... you're dedicating your life to becoming a permanent part of our family."

She paused, her brow furrowing. "What's going to happen with my parents, John? I want to be part of your family so much... but I don't want to lose them either."

"That's the last thing I want," he said, stroking her shoulder. "Don't worry, I'm sure we'll be able to figure out a way to fix things between you."

"I hope so," she murmured softly.

There was movement on the bed and Alyssa moved over to join them, a languid smile of satisfaction on her beautiful face.

"John's right, there's nothing to worry about," she purred, gently hugging the troubled young woman. She rested her forehead against Jehanna's and gazed lovingly into her eyes. "You're one of us now, which means it's my job to make sure you're happy. I promise that one day, you'll get to proudly introduce Harini and Ramesh to the first of many adorable grandchildren."

Jehanna relaxed with a wistful sigh, a doe-eyed look in her eyes as she melted in their embrace. John watched the two girls lose themselves in a sensual kiss, then held them close as he concentrated on infusing Jehanna's body with eldritch power.

***

Tom Walker lay back on his bunk and stared up at the bleak grey ceiling. He'd been warned by his lawyer that the Preliminary Hearing would be difficult to get through, but he hadn't anticipated it nearly turning into a riot. Faced with those grieving families, who looked at him through hate-filled eyes, he had wanted to plead his case and convince them that he was innocent. Instead, he had to remain silent as they hurled abuse at him while being dragged from the room.

After the hearing had concluded, he had sat dejectedly with his lawyer, who assured him that everything was under control. He wished he'd had Caspian Kincaid's unflappable confidence, because Tom hadn't seen a single friendly face amongst the military officers overseeing the Court Martial. With reassurances that his team was going over all the evidence with a fine-tooth comb, Kincaid had departed, urging his client to get some rest and try not to worry. Tom snorted and rolled his eyes. As if there was any chance of that.

The door suddenly buzzed, the glaring alarm jolting him out of his thoughts.

A guard stood outside as the reinforced door slid back with an ominous clunk. "Walker, you've got a visitor."

He got up from the bunk, avoiding making any threatening moves as the guard eyed him with wary suspicion. Following the prison guard down the corridor, Tom tried to ignore all the insults from his fellow inmates, their shouts of "Kill the Rat!" echoing in his wake. When he finally reached the visiting area and was let inside, he was so unsettled by all the death threats that it took him a second to realise who had come to see him.

"Anna!" he exclaimed, staring at the beautiful blonde in surprise. "Thank god you're here!"

She rose from the chair, her expression one of relief. "Tommy!"

He strode over to hug her, but hesitated when he saw the flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. "I'm so glad you've come. I swear I didn't betray you, Anna... you've got to believe me! I didn't do anything with Beth; I never even kissed her!"

The tension on her face smoothed away and she closed the gap between them, slipping her arms around his waist and leaning into him. "It's okay, Tommy... I do believe you."

It felt amazing to hold her in his arms again and he sighed with relief as he squeezed her tight.

"I'm sorry I freaked out," she murmured into his chest. "It's just been so awful here. When Mace called me and said all those terrible things, it felt like my whole world was falling apart. I've been thinking about us the whole time and I decided to trust what my heart was telling me. I know you'd never betray me, Tommy."

Tom stroked her back and rested his head against hers. "I didn't have a clue that Beth liked me that way. She never even hinted at having feelings for me and I promise I never did anything to encourage her. I was as shocked as you were when Beth and Mason broke up. I knew Mace had bought an engagement ring, but then he told me that their relationship wasn't going anywhere after all and he decided to end it. I had no idea that he proposed and she turned him down."

"No... I didn't know either," she said with a mournful sigh. "Poor Mace... why would Beth lead him on like that?"

"I don't know... she never said. I just wish he'd told me what happened," Tom muttered, shaking his head in helpless frustration. "The poor guy had his heart broken; no wonder your father's death hit him so hard."

Anna's shoulders trembled and she let out a quiet sob. "I still can't believe Mace is gone. I wake up in the morning and for a moment everything seems normal... then it all comes rushing back and I can't stop crying."

"Yeah... it just doesn't seem real," he said softly. "The last few weeks have been a total nightmare."

She pulled back and looked up at him with sympathy in her eyes. "I saw what happened in court today. That was horrible, Tommy! Are you sure you're alright?"

Tom gave her beleaguered shrug. "My lawyer seems confident he can prove I'm innocent. I just want it all to be over with so we can be together again."

"Me too," she agreed, leaning up to kiss him. "I've missed you so much."

"I missed you too, baby," he said, wrapping his arms around her again. "When this is all over, I'm going to ask for a permanent transfer back to the Core Worlds. I never want to be apart from you again."

"Really?" she asked, her face lighting up with joy. "You'd give up being on the fleet?"

"I'd quit the military entirely if it was the only way we could be together," Tom said vehemently.

Shocked by his declaration, Anna gaped at him in astonishment. "You'd actually resign your commission?! But you've been training for this all your life!"

"I love you, Anna," he whispered in her ear. "Nothing else matters to me... only you."

She swooned in his arms and kissed him passionately, until the guard demanded they break it up over the intercom. They shared a conspiratorial smile, and the mischievous way Anna's lips curled up triggered a hundred fond memories from their childhood together. For the first time in weeks, Tom felt like everything was going to be okay. Anna still loved him... and as long as he had her, he knew he could face anything.

***

John cut through the water with powerful strokes, enjoying the tingle in his muscles from all the exercise. He saw muted flashes of colour around him as he crossed the broad pool, the submerged Nymphs cavorting past as a pod of exotically hued dolphins. There was a dark-green shimmer directly beneath him and Jade shifted to her usual form, the only visible concession to her aquatic environment the iridescent fins sprouting from her forearms and calves.

*Why are you wasting effort twisting your head to breathe, Master?* she asked, looking directly up at him.

*Because I don't want to drown?* he replied with amusement. *We can't all grow gills on command.*

She smiled at him indulgently, while matching his frenetic pace with languid movements of her sleek body. *But you have full command of the elements now. The water is a tool for you to shape to your will.*

John paused and looked at her in surprise. *You're right. I haven't really thought about using my abilities that way before.*

He slowed to a halt then concentrated on the water around his head, pushing it away from his nose and mouth to create a streamlined pocket of air. Setting off again, he no longer had to turn his head to breathe and could just carve through the water without interruption.

*That was a great idea! Thanks, honey,* he said, enjoying his increased speed.

Jade was still underneath him and she reached up to wrap her arms around his torso, then her legs around his. With a nubile Nymph clinging onto him, swimming became a far more challenging endeavour, so John stopped to hug her back and leaned in for a kiss. He was pleased to discover that the air pocket also made submerged kissing far easier. As Jade returned the amorous embrace, John was dimly aware of the Nymph repositioning her arms so they were now outside his, trapping them at his side.

He looked at her curiously as they sank like a stone to the bottom of the pool. *What are you up to, Jade?*

*Why are you fighting against the water, Master? There's no need for you to thrash around like a frantic kitten,* she replied, her feline eyes watching him intently. *The water is your ally now and there to assist you.*

Surprised by her insight, John really thought about what Jade was telling him. He concentrated again, taking a moment to gauge the weight and mass of the water surrounding his body. The relevant runes flared in his mind and he focused his will outward, using a combination of Telekinesis and Hydro runes to lift him from the floor. Shifting the direction of propulsion, they surged forward, bubbles streaming behind the intertwined pair as they shot across the pool. John rocketed past Jade's sisters, the mottled dolphins squeaking in astonishment as he effortlessly beat them to the other side.

He amplified the natural inertia of the water to slow himself to a halt, then looked down at Jade in amazement. *How did you know I could do that?*

*You can do anything, Master,* she gushed, a gleam of pride in her emerald gaze.

John smiled at her affectionately. *I appreciate your unwavering faith in me, but you know what I mean.*

*I've learned to adapt to my environment, changing my body to make the best use of my surroundings,* she replied, waving a finned forearm at him as an example. *You can't alter yourself the way I can, but your talents far exceed my own. You can make the environment change to accommodate you instead.*

*Like flying,* John said in sudden understanding. *I've been doing that instinctively, but I'm actually using a combination of Telekinesis and Aero runes to manipulate the air.*

*And now you're able to do the same thing with water,* she agreed, nodding exuberantly.

As they surfaced, he gave her a grateful hug. "That was really useful advice, Jade. Thank you."

She nuzzled into him affectionately. "I'm glad I was able to help."

Alyssa had been watching them play together and gracefully rose from her sun lounger. "We should start getting ready for the party, handsome."

Jade gave him a parting kiss, then slipped out of his arms. "I'll see you later, Master!"

"You're not getting dressed with us?"

The Nymph shook her head and gave him a mischievous smile. "Nope!"

He returned her wave goodbye, then watched Jade dive underwater to cavort with her sisters. Turning, he waded through the shallows and up the submerged steps to rejoin the girls.

Rachel wolf-whistled as he emerged from the pool, admiring his glistening muscles. "Damn... I could watch you do that all day."

The nods of agreement all round showed that this was a universally held opinion.

Calara sauntered over to John and gave him a sultry kiss. "If you hadn't guessed, we've really been missing you."

"Yeah, I'm getting that," he replied, slipping an arm around her and squeezing one of her deliciously pert asscheeks. "Having regrets about turning down that orgy now?"

She bit her lip and nodded, giving him a hungry look.

John playfully spanked her bottom, making her yelp in surprise. "I've got no sympathy, naughty thrall. You should listen to your Progenitor next time."

The rest of the girls laughed at his joke, recognising his self-deprecating humour for what it was.

"I'm sorry," Calara apologised, snuggling into him. "Forgive me?"

"Of course," he agreed, giving her an affectionate kiss.

Holding out his other arm for Alyssa, he slipped it around her as they walked away from the pool. "So are you going to tell me what Jade's up to, or is it a secret?"

"She wanted to make her own entrance at the party," Alyssa replied, falling into step beside him.

"How grand an entrance are we talking about?" John asked warily.

"Nothing too dramatic," the blonde reassured him, her cerulean eyes sparkling with amusement. "Don't worry, she's not planning to terrify the matriarchs."

They made their way up a sweeping staircase to the next storey of the palace, with the girls chattering excitedly together about the party. There was an infectious excitement in the air and John found himself getting caught up with it. He realised that they'd all be expecting him to act as host, so he started thinking about the best way to handle introductions. Lost in his thoughts, he didn't realise they'd reached the bedroom until Alyssa bumped hips with him.

"What do you think?" she asked, turning to watch his reaction.

John blinked in surprise as he surveyed the enormous suite, his attention drawn to the hexagonal mattresses interlocked together in the centre. "Wow... this place is huge."

"I think mother was doing a spot of future proofing," Irillith noted with a wry smile, studying the copious amounts of space. "We only slept on two of the beds and there was still plenty of room."

Tashana nodded her agreement and hugged him from behind, resting her chin on his shoulder. "You could fit a lot of Maliri in here, Baen'thelas..."

He turned to kiss her cheek. "I think I've got more than enough already. You noblewomen are quite the handful."

Dana bounded across the bed and pointed to the doors on the opposite side of the room. "We've got an armoury tucked away here, a ton of wardrobe space over there, and a gigantic bathroom that's big enough for everyone."

"It sounds like our Maliri Queen thought of everything," John said, nodding his approval. Turning to telepathy, he added, *Thanks for all this, Edraele.*

*You're very welcome,* she replied. *The matriarchs and I will depart from Genthalas in the next few minutes. Luna and Sarinia will be travelling separately and will arrive shortly afterwards.*

*Great, see you soon.* He stripped off his swimming shorts and strolled over to the bathroom. "Time for a shower, ladies. Edraele is on her way."

The shower facilities were big enough to easily accommodate everyone, with Helene, the Terran girls, and the twins joining him under the steaming water. Jehanna arrived with Ailita as everyone was getting soaped up and they were enthusiastically welcomed by the rest of the Lionesses.

"Hello," John said, greeting her with a smile. "Feeling okay?"

"I feel wonderful!" she replied, eagerly stepping into his open arms. "I spent the afternoon being pampered by Ailita."

"Thanks for looking after her," John said to the pink-haired catgirl, pulling her into the embrace.

"This one loves how virile you are Master," Ailita gushed, gazing up at him adoringly. "Jehanna looks even more beautiful with a full tummy."

Alyssa hugged them from behind, encircling Jehanna's trim waist to stroke the slight bulge in her stomach. "Your body's adapting to being fed by John. Another half an hour and this bump will be gone."

"I love being stuffed full; it feels so decadent," Jehanna said with a wistful sigh, resting her hand on top of Alyssa's. She glanced at John and continued, "But not knowing what abilities I'm going to get is driving me crazy. Can you give me any clues?"

John smiled at their newest recruit. "You should be able to figure it out. I gave you something entirely new; it's not a duplicate of anyone else's runic abilities."

"Help me out girls," Jehanna requested plaintively. "What other runic powers are there?"

"Between us, we've covered most of them," Tashana mused, picturing the gaps in the Kyth'faren runic alphabet. "I'm fire and Sakura's ice, but no one's using water or earth elements."

"Water would suck," Dana declared, her nose wrinkling in disapproval. "And Earth isn't much better. They'd both be totally useless in a space battle."

Irillith eyed the dusky-hued reporter with a critical eye. "Neither of them fit Jehanna either. All of us possess abilities that we have a natural affinity for."

"What about those new runes you unlocked from your guide?" Tashana suggested, turning her head to gauge John's reaction.

Dana's frown deepened. "Leech and Shadow? Nah... they're bad guy powers."

"Not necessarily..." John said, arching an eyebrow. "It all depends on how they're used."

"Draining the life out of someone isn't intrinsically evil?" Sakura asked, giving him a sceptical look.

"Alright, using it that way obviously isn't good," he conceded. "But most of us have tapped ourselves to the limit trying to protect each other. Helene's a good example; she drew on her own life force to ease your pain when I severed our network connection."

Rachel gave the aquatic girl a grateful hug, but her attention was still focused intently on John. "If you didn't gain full access to that rune until you defeated your guide, how were all of us able to use it beforehand?"

"Because it's incorporated into the Progenitor connection," John explained. "If either Alyssa or I draw psychic energy from any of you, we're using runic phrases that include the Leech rune. Thralls aren't normally capable of accessing those runes, but all of you have psychic abilities, so you're able to burn yourself out by pushing your limits too hard."

Jehanna gave him a pained look. "My special psychic ability is leeching people's life force?"

"No..." Sakura murmured, her eyes widening in surprise. "He's given you Shadow!"

"What?!" Dana exclaimed, looking at John in bewilderment. "Why the hell would you give her that? Is Jehanna going to start attacking people with tentacles now?"

Sakura shook her head. "No, that's just how his guide used it. Think about Jehanna's performance in the live fire exercise. She struck from the shadows repeatedly to keep the thralls disorientated and maintained the element of surprise. It does fit."

"I can manipulate shadows?" Jehanna asked, glancing at her hands with an ambivalent expression.

John clasped her hands and raised them to his lips for a kiss. "I've given you the ability to manipulate light. The Kyth'faren split its applications into two distinct runes: Lumen and Shadow. One deals with focusing light as intensely as possible, the other is much more subtle and allows you to bend light into shapes that you can control."

"Focusing light... you mean like a laser?" Dana murmured, her eyes suddenly widening as she turned to stare at Alyssa. "Or a Nova Lance blast!"

He nodded in confirmation. "I only really understood the nature of those runes after I defeated my guide. He preferred shadow... so I gave Lumen to Athena to counter him."

"So whenever I've been in trouble..." Alyssa's eyes began to glow with a bright inner radiance. "Then I was able to intervene."

"That's right. Hello, Athena," John said with a warm smile.

"It appears you're giving away all my secrets, John," she said, arching an eyebrow.

"No... that would take weeks," he replied playfully.

Athena laughed, then turn her attention to Jehanna. "The ability to manipulate shadows is not inherently evil. You can also use it to confuse and disorient your enemies with illusions. Larn'kelnar used it in such a fashion to create illusionary monsters, but he also combined the ability with telekinesis so that those constructs had a physical presence."

"That could be really useful," Jehanna said, perking up considerably. She turned to John and continued, "It wasn't me using hit and run tactics that made you decide to give me Shadow was it? It was putting on a big show: working with the Collective to create the illusion of a thrall battle."

"You've definitely got a talent for the theatrical... which makes sense considering your previous career."

"So how do I use my new psychic abilities?" she asked enthusiastically.

"We haven't really got time to get into in now," John replied. "We'll get together tomorrow morning and start your training."

"Aww, c'mon, just something quick," she pleaded, fluttering her eyelashes at him. "Pretty please?"

John chuckled and relented. "Alright, but we do need to be quick; Edraele will be here soon and we all need to get ready for the party."

"Okay... so what do I do?" she asked, listening attentively.

"First of all, close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing... keep it slow and steady," he replied, watching as she followed his instructions. "Now visualise someone or something in your mind... then just push outward with your will, and make that image appear."

"You make it sound so easy," Jehanna said with a wry smile.

Despite her comment, when she closed her eyes, Jehanna found it relatively simple to shut out all the distractions. The girls, the shower, even John... she ignored them all to focus on a picture in her mind. She was about to ask how to project that image, but it suddenly seemed obvious, as natural to her as exhaling. Jehanna simply took that image and pushed, causing the illusion to coalesce into existence at her side.

"Wow!" Calara exclaimed in surprise. "Who is that?"

"Damn... she's hot!" Dana exclaimed, before adding playfully, "But we've already got our quota of redheads."

"Well done," John remarked, sounding impressed.

Jehanna opened her eyes again and marvelled at the projection she had just created by sheer force of will. The incredibly exotic female had the statuesque body of a red-skinned thrall, but it was obvious she was no ordinary woman. A long tail sprouted from just above her rounded rump, the coat of scarlet scales matching the leathery red wings that were attached to her shoulders. Amidst her tumbling flame-hued hair, a set of crimson horns swept outwards from her forehead, each ending in a sharp point. Smouldering amber eyes watched them from under long lashes, a hint of prideful arrogance in her sultry gaze.

"That's Tamolith, isn't it?" Rachel murmured, studying the draconic woman in fascination. "Or at least, what she might look like after going through the Change."

"What do you think?" Jehanna asked, turning to gauge everyone's reaction.

Her question was met with many enthusiastic nods of approval, the main exception a playful pout from Dana.

Alyssa stayed quiet for a long moment as she swept her gaze over Jehanna's projection. "There's too much red," she finally declared, shaking her head. "All her unique features get swallowed up by being the same colour."

Jehanna turned back to look at her creation with a critical eye. "Yeah, I see what you mean. I was trying to create a humanoid version of Tamolith that was as similar to her as possible."

"Can I make some suggestions?" the blonde enquired, her cerulean eyes twinkling.

"Sure, go ahead," Jehanna replied, gesturing towards the projection. "Tell me what alterations you'd like to make and I'll try to change it."

"Alright then..." Alyssa began, focusing on the draconic woman. "First of all, the scales covering her body have got to go. You can leave them on the tail and wings, but make her look like a Terran everywhere else... with the same skin-tone as Rachel.

Jehanna concentrated and made the requested changes. She found it quite tricky to maintain the image while making significant alterations. "Is that okay?"

"Perfect," her teenage matriarch replied, nodding her approval. "Now we have to do something about her hair... it needs to be a different colour to the horns to make them really stand out. What about white? That would make her match the Maliri and reflect Tamolith going through the Change."

"Yeah, definitely change her hair!" Dana enthusiastically agreed.

Nodding thoughtfully, Jehanna bleached all the red from her flowing mane, much to Dana's vocal appreciation. "Anything else?"

"The horns..." Alyssa mused, studying them with a critical eye. "They look very similar to Tamolith's at the moment, but having them jut forward that way wouldn't be practical; we don't want John getting stabbed in the stomach."

She paused as the girls laughed and gave him knowing looks.

"Maybe reposition the horns a little higher and have them sweep backwards instead?" Alyssa suggested, walking around the projection to view it from different angles.

A wave of Jehanna's hand brought about the alteration the blonde had requested. "How's that?"

"Very nice..." Alyssa agreed, her lip curling into a smile as she darted a furtive glance at John. "What do you think, handsome?"

"She looks gorgeous," he was forced to admit. "But there's a big problem."

"What's that?" Jehanna asked, with a worried frown.

"She's standing in a shower," he explained, pointing to the humanoid version of Tamolith. "If you want to make your illusion believable, it needs to be affected by the local environment. Her hair would be soaking wet and water should be streaming off her body."

Jehanna bit her lip with concentration and darted a furtive glance at Irillith's damp white hair. After memorising her wet-look, she watched the way rivulets of water snaked down Rachel's body and began to adjust the model accordingly. As she made those changes, the image began to ripple, bulging outwards in places and rapidly shifting colours. Jehanna fought hard to hold the projection together, but it shattered in a burst of light, then dissipated into glowing motes.

"Dammit!" she cursed in frustration, wiping the sweat from her brow.

"Hey, don't get upset," John said giving her a comforting hug. "That was only your first attempt and you've already made huge progress."

The tension eased from her shoulders and she smiled at his praise. "I love my new abilities, thank you!"

"You're welcome. We can do some more practice tomorrow... but for now we need to get ready for the party."

She nodded eagerly, then they all hurried to finish their shower, so they could dry off and get changed. Alyssa directed John to the appropriate suit, which was another finely tailored garment in the Maliri style. As he studied his new clothing, the walk-in-wardrobe descended into mayhem, with the girls rushing around to get ready for the evening. Deciding to keep out of their way, John dressed quickly, then left them to their frantic preparations.

He made his way downstairs, taking a moment to appreciate the spectacular new home that Edraele had provided for them. The palace was a far cry from the claustrophobic cabin aboard the Fool's Gold and John smiled at the surge of nostalgia as he walked down the gilded staircase. Life had been so much simpler back then, but he now realised that it had also been an empty existence, devoid of purpose.

Walking through to the water gardens outside, he paused to admire the sunset, the sky ablaze with oranges and reds as the golden star dipped towards the horizon. Valaden certainly was a beautiful planet, the natural paradise a rival to any of the Eden worlds in the Terran Federation. Unlike his own long-suffering homeworld, Valaden seemed to have avoided the scars Terra had endured as humanity had clawed its way towards the stars.

*Edraele, has Valaden ever had any problems with pollution or overcrowding?*

*No John, not as far as I know,* she replied, sounding quietly introspective. *Our history stretches back for many millennia, but the Maliri have always had access to fusion power for as long as records persist, so we avoided the pollution associated with using fossil fuels. As for overcrowding; in the last thousand years, the planetary population has slowly dwindled, leading to most of the southern cities being abandoned to nature.*

*Do you think the Maliri originated here, or were your people brought to Valaden by Mael'nerak?*

There was a long pause until she replied, *I had always assumed that this world was the birthplace of my species, but the true origins of the Maliri are lost to antiquity. With all that we now know of the Progenitors, it seems highly likely that we were seeded on Valaden as a thrall race, ready to be claimed by Mael'nerak.*

*The Progenitors have been warring for millions of years,* John said, recalling what he knew of Xar'aziuth's history. *Thinking about it now, I doubt Mael'nerak was the first Progenitor to claim the Maliri.*

*There might well have been hundreds before him...* Edraele murmured, sounding deeply unsettled.

*Are you alright?* he asked with concern.

*It's the monstrous scale of it all... it's truly horrifying. I'm struggling to even comprehend the vast amount of time this slaughter has been ongoing, let alone the thought of billions of Maliri lives being wiped out over and over again, fodder for Xar'aziuth's vile appetites. Trillions dead... spanning countless eons...*

*Then I suddenly decide that it's up to us to put a stop to it,* John said with a sardonic smile. *You must be thinking that you're matriarch to a madman.*

*No, Baen'thelas,* Edraele said softly. *I'm honoured to be matriarch to the bravest man I've ever known.*

*Thank you, that means a lot,* John said, touched by her sincerity. His smile turned lop-sided as he added, *Although, it would mean a lot more if you weren't surrounded by women, and only actually knew half-a-dozen men... but I'll take whatever compliments I can get.*

Her rich laughter echoed over their bond, the carefree sound breaking the tension.

*It's nice to hear you laughing,* he said, closing his eyes and listening to her voice. *I know what we're facing is incredibly daunting, Edraele, but don't let yourself get disheartened. We'll take this war one step at a time and we do have the advantage of surprise on our side. Xar'aziuth has been doing the same thing for countless millions of years... he'll never see this coming until it's too late.*

*He doesn't stand a chance in the face of your boundless optimism,* she replied, her tone lightened considerably.

Now it was John's turn to laugh. *That's the spirit!* He caught movement out of the corner of his eye and turned to see a dark-haired Maliri approaching deferentially. *Looks like someone wants to talk to me. I'll see you at the party, honey.*

*It should be fun. The matriarchs are alight with anticipation.*

"I'm sorry to disturb you, my Lord," the older woman said with a respectful bow. "I thought I should introduce myself. My name is Yelamha; I am the senior servant at Saelihn Immanthe and the smooth running of the palace is my responsibility."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Yelamha," John said, with a sweeping bow of his own. "I wanted to thank you and the rest of your staff for taking such great care of my girls. They've all had nothing but good things to say about the wonderful way you've looked after them."

She was startled by his respectful response, then beamed with joy at his effusive praise. "It was our pleasure, my Lord. They're lovely young women and it's been a delight to have them as our guests."

John glanced up at the magnificent palace and smiled. "You've done such a good job of making them feel at home, Alyssa is trying to convince me to make this our permanent base of operations. I must admit, she makes a very compelling argument."

"We would be honoured to serve you, my Lord," Yelamha said with conviction.

"Thank you... but I must insist that you and your staff start calling me John. If this is going to be our new home, I want to be able to relax around here, without anyone standing on ceremony. Does that sound reasonable to you?"

"That sounds very reasonable, my Lor-" she paused and smiled. "Very reasonable, John."

"Great," he replied, glancing over Yelamha's shoulder to see at least a dozen enraptured blue faces staring at him through the windows. "It might be wise for me to meet your colleagues when we have some spare time. I think they're going to have trouble concentrating when I'm nearby, at least until we..." his voice trailed off when he saw the senior servant blushing furiously. "Why do I get the feeling that you already know what I was trying to tactfully suggest?"

"Alyssa discussed the matter with us at length. She said some... very interesting things."

"Did she indeed. So... were you in favour of those interesting things?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

Yelamha bit her lip and nodded, the indigo bloom in her cheeks deepening.

"Are the rest of your staff in favour too?"

"Very much so, John," she softly replied. "We all wish to aid you in your fight, in any way that we can."

Impressed by Yelamha's earnest declaration, he took her hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Thank you for the support. I promise I'll make time for you as soon as possible."

"We shall eagerly await that moment," she replied, with a twinkle in her eyes. "I do hope you enjoy the party, John."

"Thanks. I'd say the same to you, but it's not nearly as much fun when you're in charge of all the tidying up afterwards," he said, speaking from experience. "When I was a lot younger, I helped cater for my fair share of events. I'll try to make sure we don't leave too much mess."

Yelamha looked at him in astonishment for a moment, then blinked and shook her head. "There's no need to be more reserved on our behalf. We're all thrilled to be serving you and your guests tonight."

They shared a smile before she bowed again and reluctantly returned to the palace. John watched Yelamha rally her distracted staff, until he spotted a golden shuttle arc across the sky, the gleaming hull reflecting the light from the sunset.

*We're about to land, John,* Edraele informed him.

*We're all on our way too,* Alyssa interjected a moment later.

He strode back into the house to find that the servants had vanished, leaving him alone to walk through to the grand hallway. In a perfect bit of timing, both matriarchs entered the huge reception area simultaneously, each leading a long procession of wards. The Invictus crew were wearing demure cocktail dresses as they gracefully descended the sweeping staircase, while the matriarchs had foregone their formal gowns for elegant full-length dresses.

The Matriarchs and Lionesses fanned out, moving at a stately pace until they had each formed two semi-circles with John at the centre. The choreography was a captivating sight and John turned to admire both sets of women sweep into place surrounding him.

*It's sweet that you think this is just a happy coincidence and we haven't spent hours carefully coordinating everything,* Alyssa said, her cerulean eyes sparkling.

Suppressing the urge to laugh, John smiled warmly at his guests. "Welcome everyone, to the Palace of Saelihn Immanthe. Ten thousand years ago, this was once the seat of power of Valada, the first Maliri matriarch to rule without a Progenitor. Valada believed that she was abandoned by Mael'nerak, but we now know that he actually sacrificed himself to protect her... the woman he loved."

"Their fate is a tragic story, with a heartbroken matriarch left behind to rule the Maliri alone. However, I have no intention of breaking any hearts and I definitely don't intend to rule alone. All of us will be working closely together to determine the fate of the Maliri Protectorate, with my matriarchs coordinating your efforts. Edraele and her wards will be focusing on defending our homeland from vengeful Progenitors, while Alyssa and her girls aid me in hunting down these tyrants."

His mouth twitched into a wry smile. "I have a third matriarch around here somewhere, but apparently she intends to make a grand entrance..."

Taking their cue, a flight of songbirds swept into the palace, twirling around in brilliant flashes of colourful plumage. They landed lightly on the shoulders of the Lionesses, then Jade and her sisters serenaded the Maliri with a joyful song, as if welcoming them to their first formal gathering. The matriarchs were amazed by the antics of the apparently tame songbirds, and listened in fascination as they sang together in perfect harmony.

Having awed their audience, the Nymphs took flight again, swooping into an adjoining room and out of sight. After what seemed like only a few seconds, Jade glided into the Grand Hall wearing a formal gown, followed by her similarly attired beaming sisters. They moved to their position beside Ailita and the Lionesses, evening up the numbers in both semi-circles.

"Thank you for joining us, Jade," John said, inclining his head towards the verdant-skinned Nymph.

"It's an honour to be here, Master," she replied respectfully.

Having discussed this next part at length with his matriarchs, John's smile broadened. "Now... as you can see, there are rather a lot of you. I could laboriously introduce you one at a time, only for you to immediately forget everyone else's names as you worry about making a good impression."

There was a round of genuine laughter as they all listened to him attentively, his audience now wondering what John had planned.

"Instead, I'd like you to meet with each other over drinks and talk amongst yourselves. We'll get together again later in the evening and I'll ask you some questions. There'll be a prize for the matriarch who can correctly answer the most questions about the Invictus crew, and there'll be a separate prize for the Lioness who learns the most about the matriarchs."

That prompted a burst of excited chatter, with the Lionesses and matriarchs wondering what the prizes might be.

John cleared his throat and everyone fell silent to listen to him again. "Before we start, there's one other guest that I'd like to formally introduce to everyone."

He glanced towards the rear of the palace, where Luna accompanied the late arrival into their midst. There were gasps from the rest of the Maliri, their faces reflecting a gamut of emotions, with some expressing shock, others angry, and several more intrigued. Alyssa and Calara stepped aside, allowing Sarene Baelora to enter the circle and move to stand at John's side.

Sarene stood before them, staring owlishly at the rest of the matriarchs. They could all see the dramatic changes to her hair and what that signified, but there was also no mistaking the significant differences in her bearing and demeanour. It was hard for them to believe that this was the same woman that had brashly declared her ascendency to Matriarch of House Baelora, with her mother's blood dripping from her face.

"I believe all of you saw Sarinia's message to the noble daughters of each of your Houses," John said to the deathly quiet gathering. "Before she made that call, Sarinia murdered her own mother and sisters, intentionally breaking one of the few laws that I've asked Edraele to enact on my behalf. That crime was heinous enough, but she then deliberately initiated the bloodbath that forced all of you to fight for your own survival."

"The penalty for such actions should have been a death sentence," John solemnly declared. "But I must admit to being culpable for the circumstances that preceded Sarinia's actions. It was ignorance of the Maliri rules of succession that led me to make offers to restore the youth of the existing matriarchs. With assassinations outlawed, those women would never have retired from power... and I now understand why that triggered such a homicidal reaction in their daughters. I'd like to apologise to all of you for the trauma you suffered due to that terrible mistake."

Turning towards the Maliri standing beside him, John continued, "For that reason, I offered to commute Sarinia's death sentence, giving her the option to relinquish her position as matriarch and live the rest of her life as a normal Baeloran citizen. She refused that offer."

Emandra Holaris glared at Sarinia with open hatred as she snarled, "Unless my eyes deceive me, she stands here before us, very much alive! Is Sarinia to receive any punishment for inciting a bloodbath that forced me to slay my own daughters?!"

"Sarinia is gone," John said quietly but firmly. Before Emandra could counter with the obvious rebuttal, he stated, "I'd like to introduce all of you to Sarene Baelora, the new Matriarch of House Baelora."

No one missed his emphasis on her new name, but Emandra gave him a look of incredulity. "That's Sarinia Baelora! I saw that malignant bitch's message with my own two eyes!"

John shook his head, his expression grim as he corrected her, "No, that woman no longer exists. I wiped Sarinia's mind and have given her a new personality. This is now Sarene Baelora, modelled on her memories of Tehlariene, her youngest sister."

"Y-you can do that?!" Emandra stammered, gaping at him in consternation.

"Yes... but I would never do it to someone against their will," he explained, making eye contact with the alarmed noblewoman. "Sarinia begged me for a chance to stay at my side, pledging her undying loyalty if I let her serve as matriarch of House Baelora. I refused, out of concern for all of your safety. Sarinia already proved that she thought nothing of resorting to betrayal and murder to get what she wanted. Rather than deal with the disruption of disbanding her House and splitting it between each of you, I gave Sarinia another option... to become Sarene, the woman she is today."

Sarene stepped forward and said softly, "Baen'thelas has apologised to all of you for what happened on that dreadful night, but in truth, the blame lies squarely with Sarinia. She knew exactly what the consequences would be in sending out that message, and she wanted that massacre to be as brutal as possible, to mitigate the sadistic murder of her own family. I know it will be hard for you to ever forgive me for those actions, not when I look exactly like the architect of such evil... but if you can bring yourself to do so, I would gladly offer you my loyalty and friendship."

If any of the matriarchs questioned John's story, their doubt was eliminated upon hearing Sarinia speak. The earnest and remorseful delivery of that speech convinced all of the Maliri that this was a very different person from the gloating noblewoman who had upended their worlds.

"I don't wish to disrupt this evening any further, so with your permission, I'll retire from your company," Sarene said, bowing to them respectfully.

"Unless anyone objects, I'd prefer you to stay," John interjected, glancing at Emandra and raising an eyebrow.

She shook her head and looked away, clearly unsettled by this disturbing development.

When no one else voiced any objections, John smiled at the Maliri beside him. "You're welcome to join us Sarene. I think it's important that everyone has the opportunity to meet the new person you've become."

"Thank you, Baen'thelas," she said, giving him a look filled with gratitude.

"Well, I hope you all have a wonderful evening," John said, turning to his audience again. "Have fun and enjoy getting to know one another... with a bit of luck, we're all going to be great friends for a very long time."

The Lionesses started a round of applause and were quickly joined by the beaming Nymphs. The Maliri matriarchs were unfamiliar with such public displays, but followed Edraele's lead, politely clapping to show their approval. As John glanced around the circle, he saw scores of smiling faces, with only a handful of sour-faced exceptions.

*A lovely start to the evening,* Edraele congratulated him, her voice flowing through his mind. *Don't mind the cool reception from Emandra and the others. I can't even imagine a scenario where all of the matriarchs enthusiastically embraced the spirit of what you're trying to accomplish here, not at this early stage at least.*

*Thanks, Edraele,* he replied, smiling across the hall at the Maliri Queen. *It's okay, I'm not expecting miracles.*

***

"Would you care for a drink, matriarch?" a servant asked politely, presenting a tray filled with crystal goblets.

Kehlarissa took one of the fluted glasses and took a sip of the dark crimson liquid, then nodded appreciatively when she recognised the distinctive taste of a House Holaris vintage. Instead of recognising the dismissal and moving on to the other guests, the servant remained rooted to the spot, staring distractedly across the ballroom. It only took the House Venkalyn matriarch a moment to realise who had so thoroughly captivated the dark-haired Maliri's attention.

Irritated by the low-born server gazing at Baen'thelas with such open desire, Kehlarissa cleared her throat and said sharply, "One glass will be sufficient."

"Of course. My apologies, Matriarch." Blushing furiously, the servant bowed in contrition and scurried away to hand out more drinks.

Alone once again, Kehlarissa glanced at Baen'thelas and took the opportunity to admire his handsome features. While she still greatly enjoyed the thrilling sight of him, the noblewoman was relieved to note that she was no longer completely entranced by his mere presence. Looking around the room, she noted that her fellow matriarchs were also able to resist the temptation to stare in wonder at Baen'thelas, whereas all the dark-haired servants were struggling to maintain their composure.

Reminding herself that she was supposed to be interacting with the Lionesses, Kehlarissa turned her attention to the Invictus crew. They were engaged in animated conversation with the younger members of the matriarchy, the two groups intermingling and obviously enjoying making small talk together. She dearly wanted to join in and make a good impression on the women closest to Baen'thelas, but their light-hearted laughter and beaming smiles were as unfamiliar as they were disconcerting.

Phelora Romenor was one of the Maliri involved in those discussions, her green eyes sparkling with joy as she chatted to a stunning blonde. Kehlarissa shook her head in disbelief at her companion's astonishing disregard for propriety. She would never have dreamed of approaching Alyssa first, not after Baen'thelas had informed them who led the Lionesses, establishing that the Terran teenager was of equal status to Queen Edraele. Alyssa's melodic laughter echoed around the room and she hugged Phelora, embracing her as if they were the best of friends. To Kehlarissa's surprise, she found herself deeply envying the young noblewoman and her gregarious nature.

After steeling her nerves, the Venkalyn Matriarch decided to start with the closest Lioness... a raven-haired beauty with lovely golden skin and exotic almond-shaped eyes. Sakura was already deep in conversation with Faranise Eshenestria as she approached, when the Asian girl suddenly made an elaborate gesture, swathing her arm in a glittering cloud of ice crystals. Faranise clapped with delight, gushing effusively at the astonishing demonstration of psychic proficiency.

After witnessing that shocking display, Kehlarissa faltered, feeling even less confident about speaking to their Terran guests. She darted a furtive glance around the room, to check if anyone had noticed her apprehensive reaction, and noticed that she wasn't the only matriarch that had yet to start a conversation with the Lionesses. Emandra Holaris, Marsendra Helewynn, and Garinia Quisayne all stood apart from the crowd, holding themselves aloof and making no attempt to participate in the party. By contrast, Beldrea Kayden and Kelenis Lesandoral were glaring at the younger matriarchs with sneering contempt.

Beldrea fidgeted self-consciously with her short white hair, darting resentful and embarrassed glances at the rest of the matriarchs. Now that they'd all spent time with Baen'thelas, the only other women present who still had short hair were the servants, a humiliating comparison that only darkened her irritable mood. Her shifty gaze flicked around to check if anyone was mocking her and she inadvertently made brief eye-contact with Kehlarissa. Taking that as an invitation, Beldrea drifted around the outskirts of the ballroom, with a scowling Kelenis trailing in her wake.

"Kehlarissa... I knew you wouldn't demean yourself with this ridiculous exercise," Beldrea said obsequiously, attempting to ingratiate herself with the higher-ranked matriarch.

"Just look at these simpering fools... all rushing to fawn after Baen'thelas' favour," Kelenis muttered, trying to mask her seething jealousy with disdain.

Their hostile attitudes came as a surprise to Kehlarissa, who had started to feel envious of the younger matriarchs. Deciding to change the subject to avoid an argument, she raised an eyebrow and studied the two noblewomen's cropped white hair. The short length set the pair apart from every matriarch in the room, who now all shared the same luxurious snowy-white manes.

"I thought Baen'thelas intended to meet with all of us before the party?" she enquired, her gaze flicking between them and making it obvious what she was referring to. "Was he unable to find time to deepen the connection with you two?"

They both blushed a dark-indigo with shame, eyes blazing with anger as they glared at one another.

"It was all her fault!" Beldrea hissed with open loathing. "She got us thrown out!"

Kelenis sneered at her companion, then said slyly to Kehlarissa, "Baen'thelas took one look at her unsightly face and the thought of being intimate with such a hideous beast turned his stomach. I don't blame him for spurning the ugly whore."

Beldrea clenched her fists and opened her mouth for a furious rebuke.

*Ladies... a little decorum please,* Edraele cautioned, her stern voice making the two troublesome matriarchs freeze. *If you ruin this party by making another embarrassing scene, you will regret it. Am I understood?*

The Maliri Queen had shared the telepathic comment with Kehlarissa, who looked on in astonishment as the subdued pair guiltily nodded in acknowledgement of her warning.

Kelenis scuffed her feet and darted a scathing look towards the rest of the matriarchs. Deciding to return to a safer topic, she muttered, "I hear you got saddled with Phelora as your partner. Having to share your time with Baen'thelas with that imbecile must have been intolerable."

"Just look at that puerile fool humiliating herself," Beldrea hissed in agreement, her expression twisting into an ugly sneer. "Has she got no sense of decorum?"

Kehlarissa was shocked by the sudden surge of protectiveness their taunts provoked. Phelora had done nothing to warrant such scathing criticism and she knew that the kind-hearted girl would've been mortified to hear their snide remarks. She took a deep breath to calm herself, clenching her jaw to prevent a furious outburst.

"Actually, it looks like she's making friends and enjoying herself," she replied, turning to face the bitter pair. "I was just thinking how much I wished I could be more like Phelora."

Beldrea and Kelenis stared at the older matriarch in open-mouthed astonishment.

Finishing off the last of her wine, Kehlarissa handed the empty glass to Beldrea, who took it with a look of bewilderment. "The wine was excellent. Would you return to the kitchen and fetch me another please?"

The House Kayden matriarch's expression rapidly shifted from shock, to outrage, to humiliation at the implication she was a mere servant. Before Beldrea could respond, Kehlarissa turned on her heel and glided away, tossing her long white hair over a shoulder to reinforce the insult. She smiled as she crossed the ballroom towards Phelora, feeling a profound sense of satisfaction in defending her young acquaintance. Without giving it much thought, she had made a beeline for the House Romenor matriarch, and by the time she realised the flaw in that plan, it was too late.

"Kehlarissa! You must come and meet Alyssa!" Phelora exclaimed, reaching out to clasp her hand.

"I've just been hearing all about you," the blonde said with a warm smile.

"She's amazing!" the House Romenor matriarch gushed, her eyes shining with admiration. "I had no idea what I was doing when I became matriarch, but Kehlarissa's been so patient with me. She's teaching me how to be a great leader!"

Kehlarissa was lost for words, having never found herself in this kind of social situation before. It was painfully obvious just how proud the younger woman was to show off her new friend and mentor. Rather than being embarrassed, Kehlarissa felt an unfamiliar warmth blooming in her chest, the lovely sensation leaving her breathless.

"I don't deserve such accolades. Phelora's an excellent student and far more capable than she gives herself credit," Kehlarissa said with a fond smile. Turning to the blonde Terran, she bowed respectfully. "It's an honour to meet you, Alyssa."

Alyssa returned the smile, but it was her piercing cerulean eyes that drew Kehlarissa's attention. Those enchanting orbs seemed to see deep into her soul, effortlessly uncovering all of her secrets.

"I can see why he likes you two so much," Alyssa replied, grinning at the sweet-natured ingénue and the reformed bad girl. "He won't be able to resist you for long..."

Phelora and Kehlarissa shared a startled glance before turning back to the blonde, eager to find out exactly what she meant.

***

Helene and Jehanna were chatting amiably with a couple of the matriarchs when John slipped an arm around their waists. "Sorry to interrupt, ladies," he said nodding politely to the Maliri. "Would you mind if I borrowed these two for a minute?"

"Only a minute?" Nakiasha asked with a playful grin "I'd be envious... but that's not long enough to do anything exciting."

"Please bring them back soon," Iynessa pleaded, reaching out to pat the girls' hands. "It's been fascinating hearing about how they became part of your crew."

"We won't be long," he promised, leading his Lionesses away. *Jade, do you want to join us too?*

*I'll gather my sisters, Master,* the Nymph agreed.

"What do you need us for, John?" Helene asked, turning to look at him inquisitively.

"I want you to meet Edraele," he replied, nodding towards the lady in question. "She's been listening to all my thoughts about you two for the last month... a proper introduction is long overdue."

The Maliri Queen was standing at the periphery of the gathering, so that she could keep a watchful eye over the matriarchs as they intermingled with the Lionesses. However, at that precise moment all her attention was focused on Irillith and Tashana, the noblewomen of House Valaden embracing as they were reunited.

John slowed his pace as they approached, giving the twins more time with their mother before he interrupted. His arrival came as no surprise, not with Edraele listening to his thoughts, and the trio separated as John joined them. The Maliri Queen turned to greet Helene and Jehanna with a radiant smile, her happiness reflected in her sparkling purple eyes.

"I've been looking forward to meeting you both for so long!" Edraele gushed, hesitating for a moment as her gaze flicked between the pair. "I don't know who to hug first!"

Helene and Jehanna shared a quick glance, then the Abandoned girl opened her arms and eagerly embraced the older woman. "I've been hearing your lovely voice in my head all this time... it's so nice to finally see what you look like. You're just as beautiful as the twins!"

Edraele held her close for a long moment and whispered in her ear, "Thank you for sparing my girls all that pain when we were disconnected from John. I'll never be able to repay you for what you did for them."

Giving her a tender kiss on the cheek, Helene whispered back, "There's no need to repay me. I love Irillith and Tashana so much... I'd never want to see them suffer."

Pulling back, Edraele gazed deep into Helene's baby blue eyes. "Oh, John... she's even lovelier than I imagined. I thought you must be exaggerating."

"Nope, Helene's one of a kind," John said, stroking her back. "We're very lucky to have her."

Reluctantly parting from the teal-hued girl, Edraele turned to smile warmly at Jehanna. "I've seen you many times on the Holonet, Miss Elani, but oh my goodness... you're even more gorgeous in the flesh! I can see why John and my daughters are so smitten with you."

Jehanna blushed and performed a graceful bow to the regal Maliri matriarch. "It's an honour to meet you in person, Queen Edraele. Thank you for your wonderful hospitality."

Edraele stepped forward and enfolded the former reporter in her arms. "I think we can do away with the formalities at this point, Jehanna," she said, giving her a fond hug. "John makes very little effort to hide his innermost thoughts from me, so I've been vicariously enjoying your enthusiastic induction into the family."

"Oh god..." Jehanna groaned, blushing even harder.

The Maliri Queen laughed and gently cupped the young woman's face. "There's no need to be embarrassed. If Baen'thelas has his way, I'm sure it won't be long before you witness me in the throes of passion too."

Biting her lip, Jehanna couldn't help admiring the stunning Maliri Matriarch and felt a thrill course through her at that possibility. If she didn't know that Edraele was the twins' mother, she would have guessed that the three Valaden noblewomen were sisters... a trio of impossibly gorgeous alien beauties.

Irillith frowned in mock disapproval. "Are you attempting to seduce her, mother? It appears to be working, so I should probably warn you that Jehanna belongs to us."

"She does have quite the fascination with Maliri though," Tashana interjected, her full lips lifting into a playful smile. "If you ask nicely, we might be persuaded to share..."

John put his arm around Jehanna and gave her a comforting sideways hug. "I think that's enough teasing for now. The poor girl's suitably mortified."

Edraele clasped her hands and said sincerely. "Please forgive me, Jehanna, I didn't mean to embarrass you. I'm just thrilled that you're here! I have an exciting project that I'd like to discuss with you at your earliest convenience."

"What kind of project?" the former reporter asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Speak to me afterwards and I'll tell you all about it," Edraele replied, her enchanting gaze flicking to Jade as the Nymph approached with her sisters.

John welcomed the catgirls to their group with a warm smile. "You're already well acquainted with Jade, Edraele, but I'd like to introduce you to her sisters. These lovely ladies are Leylira, Betrixa, Neysa, and Marika... then our most recently liberated Lenarran, Ailita."

"We're very honoured to meet you, Edraele," Neysa said with a deferential bow, the most eloquent of the Nymphs acting as spokesperson for her siblings. "Our Master always speaks of you with the highest regard. We all hope that someday we can learn how to offer him such invaluable assistance."

Touched by her sincerity, Edraele reached out to clasp Neysa's tawny hand. "I know how much he cares about all of you already. As for supporting him, I just try to be honest with John and share my unique perspective based on a century of deadly political machinations."

Looking perplexed, Betrixa interjected, "But this one doesn't have any useful experiences to share! I don't remember anything from before John became my Master."

Edraele looked at each of the four Nymphs they'd rescued from Weber's clutches. "The fierce huntress, the playful rogue, the demure thinker, and the maternal nurturer. You each have your own strengths, so look to those natural instincts to find the best way to support him."

Ailita frowned and asked quietly, "This one is unaware of her role. Do you know what unique strengths this one possesses?"

*May I?* she asked John.

*Not yet, honey.*

"Aside from being absolutely adorable?" Edraele deflected with an enigmatic smile. Her gaze lifted to Ailita's voluminous mane of pink hair and the two pointed ears emerging from the top. "I don't know if this is considered terribly rude, but ever since I saw you, I've been longing to ask if I could touch them?"

Ailita giggled and shook her head. "This one doesn't mind."

Edraele reached up to stroke the Nymph's feline ears. "So soft..." she marvelled, brushing her fingertips through the downy fur.

The effect on the catgirl was dramatic, Ailita's eyelashes fluttering as she let out a euphoric moan.

"Such a good little Nymph... just like your sisters," Edraele murmured, her gaze flicking to their captivated audience. "I've heard so much about each of you from John; he's delighted with how much you've grown and developed, pushing yourselves hard to evolve for your Master. Now that I've finally met you, I can see why he's so besotted."

"It's true," John said with a lopsided smile, as he listened to Edraele emulate the way he'd learned to praise the exotic shapeshifters. "I couldn't be happier with my wonderful Nymphs."

"We need to defeat the Progenitors as quickly as possible, John," Edraele continued, leaving Ailita quivering as she turned to stroke Neysa and Marika's toned stomachs. "I can't think of anything more thrilling than watching you breed these gorgeous girls and bring the Nymphs back from extinction. Just think... with their devoted assistance, you're going to become the father to an entire species!"

John deftly caught Leylira and Betrixa as they swooned at the thought, with Jade drawing Neysa and Marika into her supportive arms when they responded the same way. Jehanna was already standing beside Ailita, so she didn't hesitate in propping up the overwhelmed catgirl.

"You should probably stop there," Jade warned her fellow matriarch, emerald eyes flashing with smouldering intensity. "Otherwise this one is likely to pounce on you right here in the ballroom!"

"I'm sorry, Jade... did I go too far?" Edraele asked with concern.

John chuckled as he held the overcome Nymphs. "I think you've been listening very attentively. You definitely know how to push their buttons."

"They already held you in high regard," Jade said, smiling fondly at her sisters. "I don't think you could have made a better first impression."

"I meant every word," Edraele declared, reaching out to stroke Marika's cheek. "Whether you want your own planet, or if you'd prefer to have your children integrate into Maliri society, I'll do whatever I can to support you in bringing the Nymphs back to the galaxy."

"Thank you, Edraele," Jade said, her eyes filled with emotion.

***

Rachel sipped her drink and smiled warmly at the House Aeberos matriarch. They'd been paired up on the Maliri border just before Nyrelle became pregnant with John's baby, so the two women had developed a close bond of friendship.

"You look radiant, Nyrelle. I assume everything's going well with the pregnancy?"

"There's been no problems at all. In fact, I wake up every morning feeling elated!" the Maliri noblewoman gushed, her sapphire eyes alight with joy.

"I'm so happy for you," the brunette said, leaning in to hug her. "I really mean that Nyrelle. You're a lovely girl and you deserve this."

Nyrelle's eyes filled up as she hugged Rachel tighter. "Thank you!"

When they separated, Rachel noticed a tear rolling down her cheek. "Hey, why are you crying?"

The matriarch bit her lip for a moment, a riot of emotions in her troubled gaze.

"You're worrying me, Nyrelle," Rachel said with concern. "What's the matter?"

"It's just that, I've been given everything I ever wanted and I've never been so happy... but you're wrong... I don't deserve this."

"Of course you do!" the tawny-haired brunette declared emphatically. "You're a lovely woman who's going to make an excellent mother, and you've been working hard to prepare House Aeberos for the war against the Progenitors. I can't think of anyone more worthy."

Nyrelle reached out to clasp Rachel's hand and said softly, "It should have been you."

Rachel felt a lump form in her throat and she couldn't find the words to respond.

Stepping closer to hold the overwhelmed brunette, Nyrelle continued, "I talked with the other Young Matriarchs after parting at the border and we all feel the same way. I know how much you and John love each other, and by rights, you and your Terran friends should be carrying his firstborn children not us. We understand why you needed to wait, so you can continue to fight at his side... but I don't want you to think for one moment that we don't recognise and appreciate the sacrifice you've made for us."

Rachel swallowed and pulled back to look at the earnest Maliri noblewoman. "Thank you for saying that, but you're worrying yourself needlessly. I've talked about this with Dana and we hate having to fight the Progenitors before we can start our own family with John, but we don't begrudge you becoming pregnant first. None of my friends feel that way, I promise."

"Really?" Nyrelle asked, looking greatly relieved.

The brunette bobbed her head and reached down to stroke the Maliri's stomach. "We're all thrilled that you're expecting. In fact, Dana just rushed off to see Kali to talk about tonight; she's so excited for her."

Nyrelle laughed and turned to look across the ballroom at the House Loraleth matriarch. "Not as excited as Kali is. She's been counting the seconds until John returned."

Rachel watched her redheaded lover give the young Maliri an exuberant hug, the two women chattering away together like the very best of friends. She stepped closer to Nyrelle and said quietly, "Look at Dana... does she look like she resents Kali's good fortune?"

The House Aeberos matriarch watched the pair for a while, her lips lifting into a fond smile. She turned to the brunette and whispered in her ear, "I think we should all get properly reacquainted tonight."

"Now that sounds like an excellent idea," Rachel agreed, her expression turning coy. "But Kali's going to be preoccupied with John this evening, so Dana will need some company."

Nyrelle's eyes flicked back to the beautiful redhead with a hungry gleam. "Don't worry... she'll be well taken care of."

A polite cough drew their attention and Rachel turned to greet the unfamiliar matriarch with a warm smile. "Hello there. I assume you're here to pick my brains for the quiz?"

The Maliri noblewoman nodded hesitantly. "I do apologise for interrupting. Would you like me to return later?"

"That's quite alright, Faranise, we'd just finished our discussion anyway," Nyrelle replied, before turning to Rachel and patting her arm. "I'll inform the rest of the Young Matriarchs about the meeting. I know Valani will look forward to getting Sakura's input."

"I'm sure she'll be eager to assist in any capacity," Rachel agreed, suppressing a grin.

Nyrelle inclined her head towards the new arrival, then took her leave and glided away to update her friends.

"So you must be Matriarch Faranise Eshenestria," Rachel said to the patiently waiting noblewoman, studying the Maliri with genuine interest. "I've heard some fascinating things about you."

"And you're Doctor Rachel Voss, daughter of trillionaire entrepreneur Henry Voss... but better known to the masses as 'The Angel of Terra'," Faranise stated, looking equally as intrigued.

Rachel gave her a wry smile. "Let me guess: Edraele asked you to speak with me at some point this evening?"

"She did indeed," the Maliri confirmed, her lips twitching into a smile of her own. "I assume Alyssa made a similar request?"

"She might have mentioned it," the brunette replied, confirming her suspicions. Stepping closer, she softly continued, "Were you aware that you made quite the impression on John?"

Faranise blushed, her composure instantly shattered. "Really? Baen'thelas actually told you that?"

"He mentioned it to Alyssa and she keeps us all informed," Rachel explained, gazing into her eyes. "John's very attracted to gifted women and it's easy to see why he found you so appealing. The fact you were forced to hide your intellect from your family also plucked at his heartstrings."

The Maliri let out a wistful sigh. "He's not like anyone I've ever met before. I never realised it was possible to feel this way."

"Believe me, I know exactly what you mean."

Rousing herself from daydreaming about John, Faranise asked, "So why were our matriarchs so insistent that we meet? It's obvious that you're exceptionally intelligent... and I assume you suffered because of it? Were they hoping that our shared experiences might bring us together as friends?"

"I certainly hope we will be," Rachel said with a disarming smile. She leaned in and continued in a conspiratorial whisper, "But I also know Alyssa. If she thinks you're John's favourite out of the new matriarchs, I'd place a sizable wager that she was hoping I'd give you a synopsis of all the crew so that you'll ace the quiz."

Faranise giggled and looked intrigued. "You could do that?"

"It wouldn't be hard to predict what you're likely to be asked about each of the Lionesses. Assuming you have a heightened capacity for fact recall, I could help you memorise all the answers in about ten minutes." She raised an eyebrow and playfully added, "Unless you have a moral objection to cheating on an icebreaker exercise intended to help you make new friends?"

"Could I suggest a compromise?" Faranise immediately countered.

"Suggest away..."

"Perhaps you could compose a list of key questions I should ask each Lioness?" the matriarch asked with eager anticipation. "I'd still have to speak to each of them individually to find out the answers, so the true objective of the icebreaker exercise wouldn't be compromised."

Rachel laughed and darted a glance across the room at Alyssa. The blonde just happened to be looking in their direction and her cerulean eyes sparkled as she gave a slight nod.

"Alright then, I think I can come up with a few key topics you should cover..."

"Thank you!" Faranise gushed, leaning in as she listened attentively.

***

The servants had started circulating trays of food, so Jade and her sisters departed to hunt down some Maliri delicacies. John offered Helene his arm and they left with the twins to circulate around the ballroom, which meant that Edraele finally had an opportunity to conduct a private discussion with Jehanna.

"So tell me more about this project?" the Terran girl asked, intrigued as to what it might be about.

"I'm sure you're well aware that there are some titanic shifts in political power occurring within what used to be the Maliri Regency," Edraele began, meeting the former reporter's curious gaze. "For thousands of years, the Noble Houses have been at each other's throats, playing a deadly game to achieve supremacy amongst our people. As you can see, John's arrival has brought all of that conflict to an abrupt end."

Jehanna followed her gesture towards the party guests and was pleased to see how well the event was progressing. With only a few exceptions, the matriarchs were fully engaged in conversation with the Lionesses, the sound of laughter and jovial chatter echoing around the ballroom.

"They certainly don't look like deadly rivals to me," she said, turning back to the Maliri Queen.

"No, far from it," Edraele agreed, a whimsical smile on her face as she gazed out at the gathering. "I was just picturing how their mothers would have reacted to seeing our newest matriarchs behaving like this."

"Probably a lot like Emandra Holaris," Jehanna said, noting the stricken look on the dour matriarch's face.

Raising an eyebrow, Edraele glanced at the only Maliri in the room who was older than her. "Actually, there's something else bothering Emandra."

Jehanna heard the strange note of sympathy in her voice. "What's that?"

"Her conscience," Edraele said softly, watching as Emandra thrust her empty glass at a startled servant, before lurching unsteadily from the room.

"Should we go after her?" Jehanna asked with concern.

Edraele shook her head. "Leave Emandra to me. I'll speak to her later when she's had some time for self-reflection." Her expression brightened as she turned to face the Terran girl. "Anyway, back to the topic at hand. With the matriarchs united in serving Baen'thelas, we're in a unique position to be able to make fundamental changes to Maliri society."

Jehanna frowned, unsure how this related to her. "I'm sure Lynette could give you some excellent advice on shaping domestic policy, but I don't know how much I'll be able to help. I've been a journalist for my whole career; all my experience has been in exposing big stories and presenting them to a Holonet audience."

"Yes, exactly," Edraele said, a bright gleam of anticipation in her eyes. "The old matriarchs kept their citizens completely in the dark regarding intra-House politics, and as an insular civilisation, we had little interaction with our neighbours. Now that John has claimed the Maliri, everything is going to change. I want our people to know what has transpired so far and understand that Baen'thelas has rescued them from the old matriarchs' tyrannical rule. I want them to follow his exploits as he fights to save us from destruction... and I want you to be the one to deliver them a message of hope for a brighter future."

"Me?!" Jehanna exclaimed, gaping at the Queen. "But I'm not even Maliri!"

"Neither is John, but he's already had a profound impact on our society," Edraele countered. "Most Maliri have watched Terran media broadcasts, so you'll already be a familiar face after your heavy exposure on TFNN. There are no Maliri with your broadcasting experience or your magnetic presence in front of a camera; you're absolutely perfect for the role."

Jehanna stood in stunned silence for a moment, not sure how to respond. "I really appreciate the offer, Edraele, but I've just joined John's crew as a Lioness. I'll be fighting beside him against the Progenitors and I won't have the time or opportunity to work in a studio."

Edraele gave her an indulgent smile. "I've been a constant presence on the Invictus for the last several months, albeit as a telepathic voice inside John's head. There tends to be brief but intense moments of extreme violence, followed by days of bonding and preparation for the next battle. You'll be able to act as a war correspondent fighting at John's side and use combat footage from the Lionesses to make compelling exclusives for us to show the Maliri public. When the Invictus returns to Genthalas for refits and repairs, you can spend your downtime in the studio, updating the audience on domestic policy improvements."

"Yes... that could work," Jehanna murmured, nodding thoughtfully. "It'd be very similar to my role working as an embedded reporter for TFNN."

"Except this time you'd have full editorial control as Chief Editor of our new broadcasting division," Edraele said, reaching out to clasp her hand. "I trust you implicitly, Jehanna. I have absolute confidence in your professionalism and expertise. I want to help John shape the Maliri Protectorate into a Utopia we can all be proud of and I can't think of a better person to share that wonderful news with our people."

Jehanna let out a disbelieving laugh. "This is like my dream job. Covering the war against Xar'aziuth will be the biggest journalistic bombshell the galaxy has ever seen!"

"So you'll accept then?" Edraele asked, holding her breath as she waited for an answer.

The dusky-hued girl hesitated for a second as a nagging suspicion formed in the back of her mind. "Edraele... you know how hard it was for me to choose between being a TFNN reporter and fully committing to my relationship with John. Are you just offering me this job as compensation for giving up my career?"

"No, the offer is quite genuine, as is my appreciation for your capabilities," the Maliri replied. "If you'd been a terrible reporter, I would still have made a similar offer to reward you for your dedication to John... but encouraged you to take a less pivotal role instead. I would have agreed that fighting aboard the Invictus would make it difficult for you to act as Lead Anchor and suggested you help train Maliri to eventually assume that position."

Jehanna blinked in surprise, then grinned as she recognised the blunt honesty in her reply. "Thank you for the compliments... and I very gratefully accept!"

"Are you sure you don't want to hear the remuneration package first?" Edraele asked, her purple eyes twinkling. "I promise that by the time you retire, you'll be a very wealthy woman."

The Terran girl laughed and hugged the Maliri Queen. "I would've done it for free! Thank you so much, Edraele. I can't believe I get to have John and my career!"

"You're very welcome," Edraele replied, smiling as she returned the embrace.

***

"It's quite difficult to demonstrate my abilities," Calara explained, before gesturing down towards her slinky ankle-length dress. "And as you can see, I'm not really dressed appropriately for anything physical."

"Oh please, Calara," Phelora begged, looking at her with big eyes. "All the other Lionesses have shown us what they can do..."

Lyvia Amarille nodded eagerly. "You can manipulate time! That's the most unbelievable ability of them all!"

"I've got an idea..." Alyssa said, making eye contact with the Latina.

Calara tilted her head to one side as she listened, then gave her Maliri audience an indulgent smile. "Alright then. I'm going to need a sharp knife and a blindfold."

One of the servants scurried away to the kitchen as the matriarchs thanked the brunette for agreeing. It didn't take long for Calara to be presented with the items she'd requested on a silver platter and Sakura stepped forward to pick up the blade.

"I'll blindfold her, you get in position," Alyssa volunteered, gently turning Calara and wrapping the velvet cloth around her head.

John watched with a flicker of worry as Sakura strolled into position, not particularly enamoured with the idea of a deadly weapon being thrown at the back of his fiancée's head.

*It's okay, Rachel's going to shield her,* Alyssa informed him, her calm voice soothing his concerns.

The Maliri moved back to a safe distance, then watched with growing excitement as Sakura flipped the knife in the air, showing off her deadly expertise with a blade. The knife tumbled downwards and Sakura smoothly caught it, before pirouetting and hurling it at Calara's head. There were shocked gasps as the weapon flew across the room, but the Latina had already stepped out of its path, and deftly plucked the knife out of the air as it whizzed past.

"That was incredible!" Lyvia exclaimed, joining in the loud round of applause.

Phelora grinned and nodded exuberantly. "The things all of you can do are amazing!"

Calara removed the blindfold and bowed to her appreciative audience. "Thank you."

Kehlarissa shook her head in wonder. "How did you do that?"

"It was simple really," the Latina said modestly. "I focused on Sakura and time stretched out before me in a series of frames. I knew when she was going to throw the knife, so I had advance warning to move out of danger. After that, it was easy to intervene at a particular point in time and catch the hilt as it passed."

"Yes, that certainly sounds easy," Kehlarissa remarked with a smile, making Phelora giggle.

"I want to see more! Is there anything else you can show us?" Nakiasha beseeched the Lionesses.

"Would you ladies like to see something really impressive?" Alyssa teased the excited Maliri.

Faranise and Garinia whispered together, then the House Eshenestria matriarch called out, "We haven't seen what Baen'thelas can do!"

All eyes snapped to John who froze in surprise as he was suddenly the centre of attention.

"I don't want to upstage the Lionesses," he protested, holding his hands up defensively. "This evening was supposed to be about getting to know them."

He was soon surrounded by Maliri who urged him to give them a demonstration of his abilities. John quickly realised it was inevitable that he'd succumb to their ardent pleas and glanced at Alyssa with an exasperated frown.

"Hey, don't look at me like that," she protested with a playful grin. "I was just going to ask Jade to turn into a dragon."

"A dragon!" Lyvia exclaimed, her blue eyes like saucers. "Do you mean like those huge winged reptiles from Terran mythology?"

"The very same," the blonde replied.

John gave her a grateful smile for the lifeline she'd thrown him, then turned back to his audience. "If you're all feeling brave, I'm sure Jade wouldn't mind showing off her abilities. Seeing her shapeshift into a dragon is extremely impressive."

"I'd love to see that," Lyvia agreed. "After we've seen what you can do."

He let out a sigh and gently cupped her cheek. "I've already made a big impression on all of you. I'm worried how you'll react if I start flaunting my abilities."

Tsarra Perfaren gave him an affectionate look. "I think it's safe to say that we've all fallen in love with you already, Baen'thelas. I don't think it's possible to make me adore you more."

John chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Oh, alright then. I can see I'm not going to get out of this one. We'll need to move outside though... I'll need the room."

The Maliri clapped and cheered him on as he led them through the palace to the water gardens at the back. There wasn't enough space left on the patio area where his audience had gathered, so he swept his gaze over the grounds until he spotted a neatly trimmed meadow edging the waterways. Closing his eyes, he ignored the background noise of excited chatter and focused his will inwards.

*I'll need some more energy soon, ladies,* he informed his matriarchs.

*We'll slowly feed you more power until you've got enough,* Alyssa replied, with Jade and Edraele quick to add their agreement.

John's eyes began to shine with a rich blue light, and the Maliri fell silent, watching him in fascination. Glowing runes materialised around his body and he lifted off the ground, held aloft by skilful manipulation of Aerokinesis. Banking away, John soared over the ornate bridges and winding streams, until he landed gracefully in the middle of the meadow.

"What's Baen'thelas doing now?" Garinia asked, standing on tip-toe in a vain attempt to get a clearer look. "I can hardly see him!"

"Don't worry... you won't miss this," Edraele murmured, her eyes glowing as she fed eldritch energy to John.

He began to grow, slowly at first then at an exponential rate, his height doubling by the second until he towered over the estate. The Maliri gasped in shock as John loomed over them like a titan, his height clearing well over fifty metres until he ceased his psychic expansion.

"I was wrong..." Tsarra whispered, staring up at him in awe.

From John's perspective, his audience looked tiny, and he was barely able to make out their stunned looks of wonder and disbelief. Judging by the matriarch's expressions, he was confident that he'd managed to meet their sky-high expectations, and released the passive size enhancement that he'd slotted into the alcoves of his mind. John shrank rapidly, diminishing in height until he was back to his regular six-foot-two.

Flying back to the matriarchs and Lionesses, John was a bit concerned when almost everyone stood there staring at him with eyes like saucers. He landed on the smooth flagstones amidst eerie silence and was quietly greeted by Alyssa and Edraele, but even the Maliri Queen looked awestruck.

"I knew what you were capable of, but knowing something is possible and actually seeing it with my own two eyes is very different," she murmured, pressing herself against him and softly kissing his cheek.

Alyssa grinned and hugged him from the other side. "Not all my girls have seen you get huge like that, handsome. I think you just blew quite a few minds."

To John's surprise, Sarene Baelora was the first to recover from that initial shock. When she approached, she reached out to gently touch his arm.

"I'm honoured that you allowed me to serve you, Baen'thelas," she said reverently. "I promise that I'll do whatever it takes to be worthy of that privilege."

He released his two matriarchs and held the noblewoman's hand. "I'm still the same man I was five minutes ago, Sarene. I don't want to be revered like I'm some kind of god, I just want to build a good relationship with you... with all of you."

The Young Matriarchs responded next, gliding over to hug him.

"I'm trying not to look at you differently," Tsarra admitted with a lopsided smile. "But that was quite awe-inspiring."

Nyrelle nodded and gave him a kiss. "I'm torn between being stunned that you're so powerful, thrilled that you're the father of my baby... and feeling unbelievably turned on."

Her comment broke the ice as her friends laughed and nodded their agreement. As the Young Matriarchs relaxed, the mood in the audience shifted and the rest of the Maliri were soon gathered around, the air filled with excited chatter.

"Can we see Jade turn into a dragon now?!" Lyvia asked, bouncing on her toes.

John chuckled and glanced at the eager Nymph. "I have a feeling she's been waiting all evening to show you."

***

Edraele nodded her thanks to a servant and walked through several arched trellises covered in sweet-smelling flowers. At the end of the picturesque section of the grounds was a beautifully engraved gazebo, and it was there that the Queen found her missing matriarch. Unlike the gleeful Maliri she'd just left behind, Emandra Holaris was a picture of misery, her face contorted by a host of dark emotions.

"Hello, Emandra," Edraele said softly. "Would you mind if I joined you?"

Emandra looked up at her, pain filling her troubled gaze. "Just leave me alone... I don't want to talk to anyone."

"I know... but you shouldn't go through this alone."

"You know?!" Emandra snarled, shaking her head. "No you don't. You have no idea what I'm feeling!"

Edraele sat beside her on the padded bench. "Tell me then."

The House Holaris was about to growl another terse dismissal when her expression cracked. "Don't ask me to go back in there, Edraele... it's too painful to be around them."

"Why? What happened?" the Maliri Queen asked with sympathy.

Emandra fell silent for a long moment, then when she spoke it was in a hushed whisper. "I was watching the new matriarchs fall over themselves to gain favour with the Lionesses... and I felt nothing but contempt. They were a disgrace to their Houses, laughing and joking together like witless fools. Their mothers would have been appalled to see them casually abandon generations of feuds that had lasted millennia."

Her eyes looked haunted as she gazed into the distance. "Then one of the matriarchs turned and I saw her face... it was Aestelle... my youngest daughter. She was a whimsical girl, with no sense of duty and even less aptitude for life as a noblewoman... but she would've loved this party. I could see her there, surrounded by women who were just like her, finally in her element. But I couldn't remember the sound of her laughter... it had been so long since I last heard it. When Aestelle opened her mouth, she started to scream... she was in agony..."

Emandra let out a ragged breath and a tear rolled down her cheek. "I did that to her, Edraele. She tried to stab me... her own mother! So I tortured her to death and made sure her last hours were filled with torment... but now I can't stop hearing her scream for mercy."

The House Holaris matriarch began to sob, guilt and regret gnawing away at her blackened soul.

Edraele hesitated a moment, an ambivalent expression on her face, then she reached out to stroke the older matriarch's back. "I do know what you're feeling, Emandra. I've been through it myself."

Angrily shrugging off her hand, Emandra whirled around to snap at Edraele. She froze when she saw the terrible look in Edraele's eyes... a depth of pain that made her cringe away in horror.

"Oh yes... I know all too well," Edraele murmured, her voice riven with regret. "I was Edraele Valaden, the cruellest monster in a long history of malevolent beasts. If I can survive the guilt and regret for all the horrific things I've done, then you can bear that burden too."

"You tried to warn me... why didn't I listen?!" Emandra groaned, closing her eyes to try to escape from the gruesome images of Aestelle's final moments. It didn't work.

"You wanted immortality and to spend eternity at John's side," Edraele said without judgement. "It's a magnificent prize... but you have to earn it, Emandra. You don't deserve that life yet, not without paying penance for all the terrible things you've done over the centuries."

Emandra held her face in her hands and wept, shedding anguished tears for herself... and all her countless victims.

***

Kali squealed with joy as the massive green dragon snapped out her wings to their full length, the air whistling past as she slowed their flight. Jade banked gracefully around the palace, then stretched out her four claws, landing without so much as a bump to the six passengers holding on for dear life.

"WAS THAT LANDING TOO ROUGH?" the Nymph rumbled, twisting her long serpentine neck around to look at the Maliri clinging to the spines on her back. "I TRIED TO BE AS GENTLE AS POSSIBLE, BUT I HEARD ONE OF YOU SCREAM."

"It was me, Jade!" Kali called out with a beaming grin. "I wasn't frightened, I was just excited! That was one of the most incredible things I've ever done!"

Lyvia lay down to give the dragon's scaly back a big hug. "Thank you so much for letting me ride a dragon, Jade. I think you're amazing!"

Jade chuckled, her laughter reverberating in her huge chest. "I'D LET YOU GO AGAIN, BUT THE OTHERS ARE WAITING FOR THEIR TURN."

She crouched down and repositioned her wing, angling it so that her passengers could slide down to the patio. They were met by a barrage of questions, with everyone wanting to know if flying on a dragon was as terrifying as it looked. John was waiting for Kali as she slid down and effortlessly caught her in his arms. Her eyes were alight with excitement and despite her windswept appearance, she looked gorgeous and full of life.

Kali giggled and gave him a big kiss. "That was so much fun!"

"I don't think I've ever seen you look so happy," John said, gazing at her with open admiration.

The Loraleth matriarch blushed and fidgeted with her ruffled hair. "I must look a terrible mess."

John caught her hand and kissed her fingertips. "You're beautiful, Kali. You've never looked more ravishing."

He glanced down at her figure-hugging white dress, then reverently caressed her toned belly. Knowing that she was at the peak of fertility in preparation for their night together sent a thrill coursing through his body. When he made eye contact with Kali again, John saw smouldering desire in her enchanting indigo gaze. She bit her lip, then crossed her wrists behind his neck and kissed him passionately.

Alyssa was watching the pair like a hawk and smiled with satisfaction. It appeared that one of the main events of the evening might be running ahead of schedule.

*Ladies, it looks like John and Kali will be retiring a little early,* she warned her fellow matriarchs. *Jade, you might want to postpone the rest of the dragon rides until later, assuming you want to watch John become a father again.*

*I'm shifting back!* Jade exclaimed. *I'll apologise to the Maliri.*

*Don't worry, they won't want to miss this,* Edraele interjected, her voice alight with anticipation. *I'll make an announcement.*

*How's Emandra?* Alyssa asked, watching John and Kali whispering together.

*She won't be joining us,* Edraele replied, keeping her voice neutral. *Emandra's coming to terms with the woman she's been in the past. She has a very long and very gruelling road ahead of her before she can earn redemption.*

Alyssa didn't miss Edraele's carefully worded response, but now wasn't the time to discuss it further. *John, there's no need to think up an excuse to leave early. Just head up to the bedroom whenever you and Kali are ready.*

He glanced at her in surprise. *Won't I be missed if we just sneak out?*

*As long as you have no objections, Kali doesn't mind an audience. She thought the new matriarchs might like to see what's in store for them if they're good girls.*

John turned to whisper to Kali and she giggled and nodded her head, confirming what Alyssa had just told him.

*I'll see you upstairs, handsome,* Alyssa purred, enjoying seeing his look of surprise turn to lust.

***

Kehlarissa Venkalyn walked up the long flight of stairs, following the procession of matriarchs led by their queen. She could scarcely believe what they were about to see, the thought of watching John and Kali together making butterflies flutter in her stomach. Phelora mounted the stairs at her side and a glance in the younger matriarch's direction made it quite clear that she was just as thrilled.

When they reached the upper corridor and approached the bedroom, Edraele's sultry voice echoed through her mind. *There's plenty of room, so spread out and make yourselves comfortable. We'll all be sleeping here tonight, so feel free to get settled down; there are more than enough pillows and blankets for everyone.*

The sheer size of the massive bedroom caught Kehlarissa by surprise, but one glance at the enormous hexagonal bed confirmed that Edraele wasn't exaggerating. It was illuminated in soft lighting, setting a romantic mood despite the dozens of people present, and the absence of the lovers that had triggered this migration. She walked around the outside to one of the mattresses that wasn't yet occupied, accompanied by Phelora who clearly intended to follow her to wherever she decided to sit.

That Phelora wanted to keep her company made Kehlarissa happy and she shared a smile with her new friend as they got comfortable. The lights dimmed shortly afterwards, plunging the encircling mattresses into darkness, while leaving the central one illuminated. As they sat there waiting, Phelora's fingers brushed against her own, a tentative caress that made Kehlarissa's hand tingle. When those furtive fingertips stroked her skin a second time, Kehlarissa interlaced their fingers together and gave her friend an appreciative squeeze.

They didn't have long to wait until John and Kali emerged from an adjacent room, each of them wearing white robes. They also held hands as they walked to the central bed, where Alyssa and Edraele emerged from the surrounding darkness to greet them. Both matriarchs were nude, the sight of their spectacular figures taking Kehlarissa's breath away. Edraele had the flawless body of a nubile thirty-year old and Alyssa's exotic bronzed complexion was enthralling.

Alyssa nimbly disrobed Kali and Kehlarissa watched in awe as the Maliri maiden was guided back onto the bed. She couldn't help moaning with desire as Alyssa parted the young woman's smooth thighs and began to lap away at her most intimate places. Kali was vocal in her response, her blue fingers curling through those long blonde locks as she cried out with pleasure.

Edraele knelt in front of John, her head bobbing as she worshipped his magnificent cock. The Maliri Queen was usually the epitome of refinement, so to see her acting so submissively was as shocking as it was arousing. There was movement on the bed beside Kehlarissa and she felt Phelora wriggle closer, a supple limb making light contact with her own. Rather than shy away from the touch, Kehlarissa craved it, and she uncoupled their hands so that she could stroke her friend's firm thigh.

To her surprise, she discovered that Phelora was naked, letting her touch bare flesh. The sensation was electrifying and Kehlarissa only hesitated for a moment before stripping off her own dress. She immediately renewed the body contact and smiled as she heard Phelora gasp in recognition, their secretive actions almost as much fun as watching John with Kali.

Kali's breathy moan sent a shiver down Kehlarissa's spine and when she focused on the lovers again, she was startled to see that John had already mounted the beautiful Maliri. It was almost impossible to believe that she could accommodate his huge shaft, but John smoothly pistoned his burgeoning cock into her right up to the base without complaint. Kali arched her back and screamed out in ecstasy as he thrust into her again and again, climaxing repeatedly as he hilted himself in her body.

"I'm so turned on," Phelora whimpered, her voice drifting out of the darkness from very close by.

A soft moan echoed across the room and Kehlarissa was sure it came from the audience rather than Kali's frantic cries. She could only imagine what the rest of the matriarchs and the Lionesses were getting up to in the steamy darkness.

"Come closer," she whispered to her companion, feeling Phelora do just that a moment later.

Working by touch, Kehlarissa repositioned herself on the bed to sit directly behind the young woman, then she leaned forward to embrace her. Pressing their bodies together, Kehlarissa savoured the warm skin against her breasts as she rested her chin on Phelora's shoulder.

"Is that alright?" she whispered in her ear.

Phelora nodded eagerly. "You feel wonderful..."

Emboldened by the positive response, Kehlarissa encircled the younger woman in her arms, feeling the underside of Phelora's breasts brush against her forearms. She stroked her lower belly, listening to Phelora gasp and feeling her trembling with excitement.

"You looked so beautiful with your tummy full of Baen'thelas' cum," she murmured, letting her fingers dip lower. "It won't be long until it's you underneath him, his gorgeous cock driving you wild as he puts a baby inside you."

Phelora quivered with pleasure as Kehlarissa rubbed her clit, her mouth open in a wordless scream. She came long and hard, her climax a mirror of Kali's as John pinned her down and unloaded in the beautiful young noblewoman. It was Kehlarissa's turn to whimper as she rubbed her own clit in time to John's thrusts, watching in awe as he pumped a huge load into Kali's womb. Her waistline rapidly expanded into a curved dome, Kali's body stretching to accommodate several pints of creamy cum.

She sagged against Phelora's back, panting in her ear as she recovered from the most powerful orgasm of her life. Through hooded eyes, Kehlarissa watched John carefully dismount the comatose matriarch and curl up behind her, his powerful arms wrapping protectively around the dazed noblewoman. Rather than being jealous of Kali, she found herself feeling thrilled for her, although she couldn't help wishing that she was in her place, being held in his loving arms.

"Thank you so much," Phelora murmured, nuzzling against her. "You're so good to me, Kehlarissa."

That brought her attention back to the woman she was rather intimately entwined with and Kehlarissa hesitated, the fog of lust receding and leaving her feeling embarrassed.

Oblivious to the riot of emotions in her companion, Phelora kissed her tenderly on the cheek. "Could we cuddle together? I'd love to fall asleep with my tummy next to yours again."

The doubts faded from Kehlarissa's mind as she remembered their rounded bellies pressed together, John's cum shared between them. "I'd like that too."

They separated for a moment, but only so that they could lie together on the bed, long limbs intertwined as they closed the distance. The embrace felt wonderfully intimate, bringing back all the good memories of the time they'd spent in bed with John.

Phelora gazed into her eyes from only inches away, their rich green just visible in the gloom. "I... like you very much, Kehlarissa."

Kehlarissa smiled and leaned closer, brushing her lips against the younger matriarch's. "I like you very much too, Phelora."

She let out a happy sigh, and snuggled in closer, murmuring her gratitude as Kehlarissa pulled the blanket over them. Over on the central bed, the Young Matriarchs had gathered to congratulate Kali, with John now surrounded by joyful Lionesses. Kehlarissa watched them for a few minutes, feeling tempted to join them in their celebrations. Phelora suddenly shifted in her arms, the Romenor matriarch stroking her lovingly in her sleep.

With a fond smile, Kehlarissa kissed Phelora on the tip of her nose and decided she was content right where she was. She snuggled closer and less than a minute later had joined her in a blissful slumber.

***

*That was a hell of a party, John,* Alyssa said, flanking him as she gazed across his chest at Edraele.

*Did everyone have a good time?* he asked, stretching languidly.

*Nearly everyone,* Edraele replied, kissing his chest. *Emandra's conscience is making its presence felt, and Beldrea and Kelenis were humiliated when they realised they looked like the servants.*

*Oh dear,* John said with a chuckle. *I should probably end their suffering tomorrow.*

*You're a kind and generous Progenitor, my Lord,* Edraele said with a warm smile.

*I'm really pleased the party went so smoothly,* he said with satisfaction. *Thanks for all the effort you put in, ladies. It's very much appreciated.*

Alyssa propped herself up and gave him a kiss. *You're welcome. I enjoyed every minute of it.*

Dana and Rachel padded across the bed to kneel beside them.

"Hey, don't hog him," the redhead protested. "We want to bask in his afterglow too."

Rolling her eyes, Alyssa smiled at Edraele. "She'll keep whining until she gets her way. Let's go and congratulate the expectant mother."

"Alright, I think the Young Matriarchs have stopped hugging Kali now. We might be able to get a turn."

They rose from the bed, making room for the brunette and redhead, who wasted no time in embracing John. He pulled them close and kissed each girl on top of her head, smiling from ear-to-ear.

"Mmm... post-impregnation afterglow... this is the best thing ever," Dana cooed, looking up at John's contented expression and grinning.

"I think we should be celebrating having a party without anyone getting maimed or killed," Rachel said, her grey eyes sparkling.

Dana sat bolt upright, a look of consternation on her beautiful face. "Hey, don't jinx us like that!"

Rachel laughed and shook her head in amusement. "I'm sorry. Should I have walked under a black cat first, or maybe have a ladder cross my path?"

"I mean it!" Dana protested. "We can't take any chances!"

John smiled playfully at Rachel, then he tickled the superstitious redhead, making her dissolve in a fit of giggles.

***

Hundreds of light years away, in the lifeless expanse that formed the periphery of Kirrix Space, a huge ring-shaped object hung ominously in the darkness. It was formed of a lustreless black metal, the surface stubbornly refusing to reflect the radiant light from the closest star. There was a sudden surge of activity within the ring, the massive capacitors crackling with crimson energy fields as they regulated an enormous influx of power.

A disc formed in the centre of that ring, the edges undulating almost as if they were alive as the Hyper-Warp Gate fought to constrain the wormhole. Emerging from the centre of that gateway, a sinister black ship powered away from the construct, making room for the succession of black-hulled craft that followed in its wake. Banks of guns bristled along their foredecks, leaving no doubt as to the true purpose of those malevolent vessels.

*The Hyper-Warp Gate is fully operational, my Lord,* Valeria informed him, watching in satisfaction as the vanguard of their armada crossed the galaxy to the staging area.

*It took you long enough,* Gahl'kalgor snarled in irritation. *Deploy the scouts. I want to track down this cowering worm and rip his lungs out; we've wasted far too much time here already.*

*It will be done, my Lord,* she replied, her tone respectful and compliant. Turning to the Bridge crew from her command chair, Valeria continued imperiously, "Contact the cruiser squadrons and order them to begin sweeping the area. I want this Baen'thelas located as quickly as possible!"

"Yes, Matriarch!" the crew responded, leaping into action to avoid provoking her ire.

***

John stirred from sleep to the very pleasant sensation of two soft feminine bodies draped over him. Glancing down, he saw a tousled mane of white hair resting on his left shoulder and a golden cascade covering his right. The blonde was obviously Alyssa, but it took him a moment to remember who had earned the second most highly prized location in the Maliri Protectorate. Very pleasant memories of his evening with Kali washed over him and he smiled fondly at the House Loraleth Matriarch.

Kali felt his breathing change as he woke and glanced up at him, her dark blue eyes shining with joy. "Good morning, John!" she greeted him in a hushed whisper.

"Morning, honey," he replied, leaning down to give her a tender kiss. "Did I oversleep? What time is it?"

"It's early... only seven," she said, snuggling in closer. "I had this amazing dream about having your baby, then I woke up and I realised it was really happening! Oh, John... I'm so happy! I've been looking forward to being with you for weeks... and you were just as wonderful as I'd imagined!"

He stretched and repositioned his arm to rub her back. "I'm really happy too... and I feel honoured that you chose me to be the father of your children. I'll always be there for you, Kali... I promise."

She let out a blissful sigh and reverently stroked his chest with her soft fingertips. "I can feel in my heart how much you care about me... and our baby. I know you're fighting the Progenitors to make the future safe for our family and I'll do whatever I can to support you against them."

John was touched by her sincerity and wrapped his arm tighter around Kali to caress her tummy. "Some things are worth fighting for."

"Will you hold me again? Like last night?" Kali requested with a shy smile.

Alyssa immediately pulled back, revealing that she was wide awake, and freeing John to roll over so that he could spoon Kali. She melted in his arms as he held her, the young Maliri radiating happiness as John stroked her stomach and whispered tender words in her pointed ear. It didn't take long for her to fall into a blissful slumber, feeling safe and loved in his comforting embrace.

*You're so sweet with her... really caring and protective,* Alyssa murmured, gently kissing his shoulder. *Seeing you like this is making me really broody.*

John carefully released Kali and turned to face his youthful matriarch. *I know being forced to wait must be difficult for you and the rest of the girls. Did anyone get upset last night?*

*Upset? No, we were all thrilled for Kali. Horny? Oh yes, definitely,* she said with a grin. *We all wished it was us last night, but watching you get another one of those sexy blue babes pregnant was such a turn on.*

Despite her upbeat reply, John heard a slight catch in Alyssa's voice, and looked at her quizzically.

*Oh, it's nothing,* she protested, rolling her eyes.

*No, that was definitely something. You can tell me what's bothering you in a minute,* John said, before sitting up and glancing around the bedroom at all the sleeping women. *Jade, Edraele... are you awake? I think we should have our first proper matriarch meeting.*

Edraele propped herself up on an elbow and gave him a seductive smile over Luna's shoulder. *Now that sounds like a wonderful idea, my Lord.*

Jade managed to disentangle herself from Helene in the blink of an eye and padded over to join him. *I'm ready, Master!*

He stood up and offered Alyssa a hand. *Not here... let's have some privacy.*

*How about the Raptor? It's parked just outside,* the blonde suggested, before making an imperious gesture towards the adjoining room.

A few seconds later, several white robes floated out of the wardrobe, and over to John and his trio of matriarchs. They padded out of the bedroom without disturbing anyone, except for Sarene who was gently nudged awake by Edraele's telepathic prompting. She smiled and waved goodbye to them before moving to take his place cuddling Kali.

The gilded halls of Saelihn Immanthe were deserted at that hour, with the servants occupied in the kitchen preparing breakfast for their guests. Jade took the lead, bouncing along with a spring in her step as they made their way to the glistening white gunship. There was an unfamiliar tingle of anticipation in the air as they walked together and when John glanced at Alyssa then Edraele, he could see that they sensed it too. They both shared playful grins with him as they crept through the palace, their stealthy progress adding an illicit undercurrent to their impromptu meeting.

When they reached the Raptor, Jade bounded up the loading ramp ahead of them, then stopped at the top to eagerly beckon them onwards. Caught up in her infectious enthusiasm, they hurried after the Nymph, laughing at their own indecent haste. The green-skinned temptress had discarded her robe by the time they reached the grav-tube and she flashed John a flirtatious smile before racing off to the cabin.

"How do you want us, Master?" Jade asked, as she vaulted onto the bed.

John paused to consider that for a moment, but before he could reply, his three matriarchs were already moving into position.

*One of the benefits of a foursome with your telepathic matriarchs,* Alyssa said with a demure smile. *We can follow your orders and be your obedient girls without you having to say a word.*

"Let's just talk normally," John requested, following them to the bed and lying down in the middle. "I'd like to hear your real voices now that we're all together at last."

"That's a nice idea," Alyssa readily agreed, caressing Jade's back as she straddled John.

"You must be so tired of listening to my disembodied voice buzzing around in your head," Edraele said, stroking his arm sympathetically as she flanked the Nymph on the opposite side to Alyssa.

"Never," John replied, kissing her hand. "You've been a godsend, Edraele. I would've been lost without all your excellent advice."

Soft fingers guided him into place and John slid his length into Jade right up to the quad. His cock pushed deep, stretching her yielding passage until she moaned as he entered her womb. Alyssa and Edraele both gasped as they were impaled by a pair of undulating verdant appendages, their eyelashes fluttering as the Nymph shared the pleasure of that gloriously deep penetration.

Groaning at the unbelievable sensations, John hugged Alyssa and Edraele closer, savouring every moment as Jade simulated him taking all three simultaneously. "God that feels good..."

Jade moved atop him at a sensuous pace, her full breasts brushing against his chest. "You feel magnificent, Master," she purred, leaning down to give him a gentle kiss.

As she got more comfortable, her nubile bedmates each draped a thigh over Jade and John's legs intertwining all four of them as intimately as possible.

John looked up at his trio of matriarchs, who were all gazing down at him with adoring eyes. "I love the three of you so much," he said, reaching up to cup Edraele and Alyssa's cheeks.

Alyssa kissed the palm of his hand. "We love you too, handsome."

Edraele closed her eyes in bliss as she revelled in his attention. "I spent weeks longing for your return, but this has been so much better than I ever imagined."

He nodded his agreement. "We've all been through hell recently. For months we've been rushing around, trying to prevent one disaster after another; it's such a relief to finally stop and just catch our breath."

The three matriarchs settled down, listening to John attentively as they sensed he wanted to discuss something important.

"With everything that's happened, we haven't really been able to appreciate what an incredible victory we achieved against Larn'kelnar," he said quietly. "I remember discussing worst case scenarios of a Progenitor battle with you, Edraele. We were talking about millions of Maliri dead, with whole fleets of ships annihilated and even planets destroyed in the carnage. We managed to avoid all of that."

"I know. What the three of you accomplished was truly remarkable," she said with admiration. Her expression shifted to regret as she continued, "I just wish that I'd been there to fight at your side."

John shook his head and looked into her eyes. "You did exactly what I needed you to do. You gave me the eldritch power I needed to fight our biggest threat so far and ruled over the Maliri Protectorate until I returned."

She let out a self-deprecating laugh. "I can't really claim to have done a particularly good job as your Queen, not after Sarinia's bloodbath decimated the nobility."

"I'm sorry that I blamed you for that when it first happened," John said with sincere regret. "I've got so used to you giving me incredibly insightful advice, I was shocked that we could've overlooked the consequences of making deals with the old matriarchs."

"I think I'd grown too accustomed to being in the affable company of the Young Matriarchs," Edraele admitted with a rueful frown. "I'd forgotten just how volatile noble daughters could be."

"You shouldn't blame yourself for that. Irillith and Tashana are lovely girls now," Jade interjected helpfully.

Alyssa nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Jade's right. After John tamed the twins, they stopped being a threat. It makes sense that you didn't anticipate any trouble from the others."

"Well, we can't do anything about it now," John said, with a sigh of resignation. "I'd been dreading having to reward the older matriarchs with immortality, so from that perspective, Sarinia did me a huge favour. I actually really like most of the new matriarchs. When you get past all the posturing, they're basically nice girls who just needed a bit of attention and guidance."

Edraele gave him a wry smile. "I wouldn't underestimate the profound influence you're having on those women. Kehlarissa Venkalyn was well on the way to becoming a self-serving narcissist just like her mother, but I've already noticed a dramatic change in her for the better."

"Yeah, I had an interesting chat with Kehlarissa at the party," Alyssa said, breaking into a grin. "Phelora hero worships her new mentor and Kehlarissa's more than a little fond of her protégé. They make an adorable couple."

John's brow furrowed with concern. "Before they met me, they never would've got together, would they?"

"No, definitely not," Edraele replied bluntly. "But that's mainly because they were rivals from opposing Noble Houses, so they never would've met prior to you upending the Maliri Regency. You might have fanned the flames of their latent bisexuality, but not all the matriarchs have paired up."

"They haven't?" John asked with surprise.

"Faranise Eshenestria is on friendly terms with Garinia Quisayne, but I've not sensed anywhere near the same level of sexual attraction between them."

John nodded thoughtfully. "I knew that I'd influence their personalities when I started feeding them, but it's a relief to know that I'm not forcing them to do anything they don't want to."

With a knowing smile, Jade purred, "Master... they're all desperate to be bred by you. They want that above everything else."

"The matriarchs are all under a huge amount of cultural pressure to establish their Noble line," Edraele agreed. "After meeting you, I'm quite certain that they'll never consider anyone else to be worthy of siring their children. You've set a precedent by getting all the Young Matriarchs pregnant, and if the rest now settle for a normal Maliri male instead of Mighty Baen'thelas, their mundane progeny would result in a massive drop in prestige for her House."

"It sounds like you might not have to wait long to live out your fantasy," Alyssa said with a wicked grin, squeezing her internal muscles around Jade's slippery appendage. "Knocking up the whole Council of Matriarchs... just imagine how hot that'll be."

The Nymph dutifully recreated that sensation around John's cock, making him groan with pleasure.

When he'd recovered, John gave her a mock frown. "It's hard enough concentrating on talking to you when we're intimate like this... you're not making it any easier."

"I'm sorry, John," she apologised, writhing her hips to stroke the girthy shaft impaling her, all of which Jade then shared with him.

He laughed and playfully spanked her taut rump. "Behave... or this meeting will come to a premature end."

She pouted, her cerulean eyes sparkling, but lay still as he'd requested.

"While we're on the subject of pregnant matriarchs, what was upsetting you earlier?" John asked the mischievous blonde.

Alyssa grimaced, her nose twitching adorably. "I wasn't upset exactly... just annoyed at myself really."

"Why?" he asked, bewildered why she'd feel that way.

"Because I totally fucked up by not recruiting more support Lionesses!" the blonde blurted out in frustration. "All my girls are combat focused, which means you can't risk getting them pregnant until we finish fighting the Progenitor War. Edraele's already convinced you to knock up five of her Maliri, but I haven't even managed one yet!"

John laughed and shook his head. "Alyssa... it's not a competition."

She bit her lip and writhed against him. "Yeah... but if I was bonded to them, I'd be able to feel everything they felt and know exactly what they were thinking when you gave them a baby. It'd be almost like it was happening to me..."

"It was a breathtaking experience," Edraele admitted, her cheeks flushing at the deeply erotic encounter she'd shared with Kali.

"See what I mean?" Alyssa murmured, leaning down to kiss him.

He enjoyed the tender kiss, then looked up at her with sympathy. "I'm sorry, honey. I know it's hard having to wait."

She snuggled against him and let out a wistful sigh. "Don't worry about it. I'll just have to be patient... or figure something else out."

John frowned at her melancholy tone, and tried to life her spirits. "The best way of making it happen quicker is by winning the Progenitor War... and if all the crew are fully rested now, I think we should get moving this morning."

"Now that's a great idea!" Alyssa exclaimed, perking up immediately. "The girls are raring to go!"

"You're leaving already?" Edraele asked, her face falling.

"Just a short trip this time, honey," John said, cupping her face. "After breakfast, I'm going to help the twins investigate the palace. Valada might have left behind clues to help us find a way through the Mists of Loralar, assuming that's where Kythshara is located. If we can find Mael'nerak's hyper-warp gate, then we can start retrieving Larn'kelnar's fleets, and we've got to make that our highest priority."

"I know how pressing it is to capture those ships... it's just that the last few days have been magical and I don't want them to end," she said, looking forlorn. "It's been so wonderful having you back again that I almost fooled myself into thinking that you'd be here for the foreseeable future."

"We shouldn't be away for very long," he replied, comforting her with a gentle back rub. "Now that Dana has full access to all the Progenitor schematics, she'll be focused on finding a way to synthesize their black metal. When she's cracked that, we can build ourselves a wormhole generator and dramatically reduce all our travel times."

Alyssa turned to give her fellow matriarch a reassuring smile. "Don't forget that we urgently need to give the Invictus a full refit. When Dana figures out how to upgrade all our weapons and armour, you'll have John wandering around Genthalas like a stray puppy for at least a week."

He nodded in agreement, then his expression turned grim. "We really need to begin operations against the Progenitors as quickly as possible. As soon as we've refitted the Invictus and upgraded all our gear, we can start launching assassination missions into enemy territory. I want to ambush those bastards and take them down before they know what's hit them."

"I'd been dreading the thought of you leaving for weeks, or even months, at a time," Edraele admitted, looking relieved. "But you have no intention of fighting any conventional battles, do you?"

"Not unless something goes drastically wrong. After we eliminate each Progenitor, we'll spend the bulk of our time here, planning our next moves and defending Maliri territory against any possible counterattacks."

"If you are planning to be a constant presence here, would you like to take a more active hand in ruling the Protectorate?" Edraele asked, watching him with interest. "You're much more at ease with leading the Maliri than I'd ever expected, so I have no doubt you'd excel at directly overseeing the activities of the matriarchs."

"Thank you, but no. I'm perfectly happy with leaving the Council of Matriarchs in your very capable hands... assuming you're comfortable with everything you're currently doing as my Queen?"

"Of course. I'm here to support you in any capacity you deem necessary," she stated with conviction.

"In that case, I want you to continue leading the matriarchs and keep on coordinating the Noble Houses in supporting the war effort. I'm happy to intervene whenever it's necessary, like with encouraging the Maliri males to return to the homeworlds, but otherwise I have every confidence in you acting on my behalf. With you handling domestic issues, I can stay focused on the Progenitor War."

"What about raising your profile as official leader of the Maliri Protectorate?" Edraele asked, with a speculative gleam in her eyes.

John considered her question for a moment, then gave his consent with a nod. "It's an inescapable fact that I've claimed the Maliri. You know it, the matriarchs know it, and it won't be long before all the women serving in the fleets know it too. The Maliri are in mortal danger from a Progenitor invasion and they deserve to be fully-informed about what we're facing."

"And they should know who's going to save them from disaster!" Jade interjected, grinning at him with pride.

"I won't be doing it alone," he said, with an affectionate smile at his adoring Nymph. Glancing at the women flanking her, John continued, "I'm going to be relying heavily on all three of you as the fighting ramps up. Is there anything you're worried about at the moment that you want to discuss before it starts?"

"We all know what's at stake," Alyssa said quietly, gazing down at him with her big blue eyes. "It's Team Blake versus Team Xar'aziuth and we've all got your back."

Edraele nodded her agreement. "It was wonderful to see the new matriarchs welcomed into the fold last night. You've managed to unite the Maliri after millennia of hatred and division... and we'll all be fighting under your banner to end the tyranny of the Progenitors."

"I'm so lucky to have the three of you on my side," he murmured, his voice catching as he looked up at the trio of devoted matriarchs.

"Actually... we're on top of you at the moment," Alyssa corrected him, her smile turning playful as she kissed his chest.

"And you're inside me, Master," Jade purred, her muscles rippling along his shaft.

Edraele's eyelashes fluttered as the Nymph mimicked his flexing inside her stretched pussy. "Oh... that feels amazing," she murmured, gazing down at him with lust-filled eyes. "I loved seeing you connect with the new matriarchs... but it was so tempting to keep you all to myself."

Alyssa and Jade shared a glance, then Edraele let out a startled gasp as the Nymph withdrew her verdant phallus.

"That's a good point..." Alyssa said, sitting up and moving aside as Jade disengaged from her too. "You have been really selfless, Edraele."

The Nymph nodded and smiled at the Maliri fondly. "You've recruited some lovely new mates for our Master, but that also meant you had less time alone with him."

John looked up at them with a knowing grin. "What are you two planning?"

"We think Edraele should be rewarded for being such a good matriarch," Alyssa said, stroking her friend's flawless azure skin. "How would you like to be the centrepiece in a foursome, gorgeous?"

Edraele blushed and shook her head. "You don't need to do that. I love sharing him with you."

"She's absolutely right, Edraele. You do need to be rewarded," John agreed.

Alyssa slid off the bed and held out a hand for the Maliri Queen. "We'll be right back!"

"Where are you off to?" John asked in confusion, before Jade leaned down for a kiss.

*They'll return soon, Master,* she murmured, her long dark hair falling into a curtain around them and blocking off his view. She slid up and down his length and moaned into his mouth, her body heating up with her arousal. *I love having you inside me... so much.*

John placed his hands on her toned thighs and stroked her firm muscles as he enjoyed the kiss. Her skin felt wonderfully warm and soft beneath his fingertips, and it was surreal to think that this lovely feminine beauty was impervious to anything short of a warship's broadside.

"You take such good care of me, Master," Jade whispered, pulling back from the kiss to gaze adoringly into his eyes. "I'm so grateful for everything you've done to keep me safe from harm."

"You're very special to me, Jade," he replied, looking up into those enchanting emerald orbs. "Your sisters are too... and I must admit that I'm worried I haven't done enough to protect them."

Her brow furrowed in confusion. "Ailita is still very vulnerable, but the rest of my sisters are so much stronger now. They're already impervious to normal bullets."

"Yes, but there's nothing normal about what we'll be facing. I'm just concerned about taking them with us, when it might be more sensible to leave them here with Edraele. Nymphs are an endangered species, and I don't want to risk losing any of you."

Jade's expression softened and she gave him another tender kiss. "They'd be heartbroken if you left them behind. I think they should stay with us... then you can keep filling up their tummies until they're as strong as me."

He considered it for a moment, then nodded in agreement. "Alright... as long as you can make them understand how dangerous Progenitors and Thralls can be, then they can stay. I've given all of you plenty of latitude in the past, but I won't put up with them abandoning the Invictus mid-battle to join us on ground missions. If they break ranks like that again and put themselves in danger, I'll leave them all on Valaden."

The Nymph blushed and looked deeply contrite. "I'm so sorry I disobeyed you in the past, Master."

"You had your reasons... I do understand," John said with sympathy. "But one of the drawbacks of giving all of you so much independence is you're now able to ignore my orders. You've nearly been killed on several occasions and you're much tougher than your sisters. I know they all want to emulate you and fight at my side... but they're just not ready."

She nodded solemnly. "I promise that they'll be on their best behaviour."

"Thank you. While we're away from the Maliri, I'll make enhancing your sisters my highest priority."

"They'll be so grateful, Master... and I am too," Jade said softly, her muscles rippling along his shaft.

The Nymph brushed her lips against him, her tongue slipping into his mouth to duel with his. Lost in the intimate embrace, John didn't realise Alyssa and Edraele had returned until two sets of hands began caressing his body.

"Sorry to interrupt," the blonde said, as Jade sat upright and smoothly dismounted John.

"That's okay. Jade was doing a great job of keeping me occupied," he replied, affectionately patting her thigh. "So what have you gorgeous girls got in mind?"

"Well... while we were at the party last night, I had an interesting thought," Alyssa purred, trailing circles on his chest with a fingertip. "You've been busy working your way through the matriarchs, pumping babies into their sexy blue tummies... but we don't know if it's going to be safe for you to fuck them again when they're heavily pregnant."

"I wasn't planning to," John said, looking at her in confusion. "I'm not going to risk any harm to their babies by going into their wombs. The Maliri can probably take about eight inches safely, but I wasn't going to go any deeper."

"I know," Alyssa said with a naughty smile. "I'm talking about you bending those beautiful girls over and going balls-deep in their virgin asses. When you pump a full load into their pregnant bellies will it put too much pressure on the baby?"

John blinked in surprise. "Oh! I hadn't thought of that."

"You would have eventually, when they really start to show," the blonde said, looking down at him fondly. "You'd never do anything that might hurt them."

"You're right... we definitely need to know if it's safe," John said with concern. He hesitated and glanced at Edraele. "So... what have you got in mind?"

"Edraele's volunteered to be our test subject," Alyssa replied, grinning at the blushing Maliri. "Haven't you, gorgeous?"

"It would be nice to put your mind at ease," she replied, smiling down at John.

Alyssa nodded and grinned at his third matriarch. "Okay, time to get in position, Jade."

The Nymph lay supine on the bed, her slender green hands caressing Alyssa's thighs as the teenager straddled her stomach.

The blonde crooked a finger at the Maliri Queen, her lips curling into a sultry smile. "We still haven't kissed and made up after arguing before. It's the rules."

Edraele laughed and moved across the bed towards the waiting Nymph. She clasped Jade's hands and let herself be guided into position, being careful not to squash the green-skinned beauty as she lowered herself onto a pair of luscious lips.

"Let me know if you get uncomfortable..." Edraele said with concern, before gasping as Jade gave her clit a sensual lick, her tongue swirling over the sensitive bundle of nerves.

"Jade's as strong as an ox and can hold her breath for hours. She'll be fine," Alyssa replied, massaging the Nymph's breasts and playfully pinching her dark-green nipples. She leaned forward and lightly kissed the Maliri Queen. "I'm so sorry for getting mad at you before, Edraele. That was unforgivable of me."

Edraele gently cupped her face. "You were scared and upset... and worried about John. There was never anything to forgive." She leaned forward to continue the kiss, but deeper this time.

John knelt beside the horny trio and reached out to brush his fingers through both blonde and snowy-white manes of hair. "You're such good girls," he murmured, captivated by the erotic sight. "I love how close you all are."

They glanced at him out of the corner of their eyes and he could see Alyssa and Edraele smile as they continued to kiss. Edraele suddenly let out a long groan as the Nymph's sinuous tongue delved deep into her pussy, pushing through her cervix to explore the recesses of her womb. He moved behind the alien noblewoman and massaged her perfectly sculpted bottom, the muscles in each cheek toned and deliciously pliant in his firm grip. Gently prising those cheeks apart, he saw her dark-blue anus, the knot of muscle glistening with lube which explained their brief departure.

He glanced down to see Jade watching him through hooded eyes, her tongue buried deep in the Maliri riding her face. *She's been prepared and is waiting for you, Master.*

Glancing up at Edraele, he saw that she was lustily returning a deep sensual kiss with Alyssa. The blonde had her eyes closed as she savoured every moment of the embrace, her hands cupping and squeezing Edraele's breasts that were pressed against her own.

"Are you ready, Edraele?" he asked, shuffling forward and dropping the blunted head of his cock into the crack of her bottom.

She moaned and nodded, slowly swaying her hips and pressing back against him in invitation. John lined himself up and pushed against the clenched passage, watching Edraele relax and willingly admit him into her spectacular body. His groan of pleasure matched hers as he eased forward, burying inch after inch into her slippery depths until she'd taken his whole length. She was much tighter than usual, with her nubile body already accommodating Jade's prehensile tongue. Edraele's inner muscles gripped and squeezed his shaft, pulsing rhythmically in time with her heartbeat as she panted for breath.

John leaned over to whisper in her ear. "You feel amazing."

Edraele pulled away from Alyssa and turned to give him a feverish kiss. "As good as my daughters? I know how much you enjoy buggering them," she teased, her violet eyes burning with lust.

He gave her some long strokes, watching in delight as she gasped in pleasure. "Definitely. You're as tight as Tashana and as wild as Irillith!"

"This is so fucking hot!" Alyssa hissed, giving Edraele a scorching kiss.

"I feel so stuffed..." Edraele moaned, writhing beneath John as she returned his thrusts. She suddenly froze and let out a long groan, her head dropping to rest on Alyssa's shoulder.

John paused and looked at her quizzically, unsure if she was climaxing already.

*Feel her tummy, Master,* Jade suggested, a mischievous note to her voice. *She tastes so deliciously fertile.*

He did as she asked and reached under Edraele's slim torso to her stomach, then was startled to find a huge, rapidly growing bump. His gentle touch made the Maliri quiver in response, her skin made sensitive as it stretched to accommodate him and the Nymph's expanding tongue.

Alyssa joined him in stroking Edraele's rounded stomach, her hands also caressing his. "Mmm, so sexy. Just a few more months and those beautiful Maliri girls will really start to show. Just imagine Tsarra bent over like this, or Valani... or Kali!"

John's cock twitched involuntarily at the thought of the effervescent young Maliri noblewoman with a big baby bump. The idea of her in this position, taking him this way for the first time was incredibly exciting.

"They're beautiful girls with amazing bodies," Alyssa whispered, giving him a knowing look. "And they're all so compliant and submissive. You know they'll be eager for it, especially when I tell them that's how they can earn their Lioness ring..."

John groaned and held still, fighting hard to keep control. "Alyssa..." he admonished her sternly.

She grinned and gave him an exuberant kiss. "Don't give me that. I know how much it turns you on... we all do."

Edraele turned to look at him, excitement and anticipation in her hungry gaze. "I want to be there with you for their first time... Please, John."

He nodded and kissed her cheek. "They'll need you there for cuddles and reassurance."

She whimpered at the arousing thought, her internal muscles clenching around him as he impaled her up to the quad. Edraele's pupils suddenly flared and her mouth dropped open in shock. John could feel rippling movement beneath the base of his shaft, through the thin wall separating his cock from Jade's tongue.

*I'm giving her a g-spot massage, Master,* the Nymph explained, stimulating the Maliri's erogenous zones in ways she'd never experienced before. *You just focus on your own pleasure now. I'll make sure Edraele keeps climaxing until you finish.*

Confirming the Nymph's confident declaration, Edraele let out an ecstatic cry, her eyes rolling back as she crested through a massive orgasm. Thrusting deeper, John fully impaled Edraele on his cock, his quad brushing across Jade's nose as he hilted himself inside the Maliri.

"Fuck her, John!" Alyssa urged him, grinning in delight. "It'll make her cum even harder!"

He did as the blonde asked, stroking deep inside Edraele as she squealed in ecstasy. It was hard to tell where one orgasm ended and another began, as he pistoned into the trembling Maliri with a smooth, steady rhythm. Edraele cried out again and again, falling into Alyssa's welcoming arms and mindlessly humping back against John as she was overwhelmed with pleasure.

Edraele looked incredible underneath him, her spectacular body coated with a sheen of perspiration as she rode one intense climax after another. The velvety wetness of Jade's tongue lapped all the most sensitive parts of her pussy, and John's girthy cock stretched her ass to the limit, the dual stimulation driving her out of her mind. Overwhelmed by John's powerful thrusts, the sophisticated Maliri Queen devolved into a rutting animal in heat, her burning passion only quenchable in the most primal way.

Alyssa kissed John's shoulder, then whispered in his ear. "You're screwing her brains out, but she can't last much longer. I'll hold her steady... you give her a big belly full of cum!"

John grunted in acknowledgement and clung onto Edraele as he rode her to the finish. A dozen telekinetic hands sprang into existence around the Maliri Queen, cradling her in the perfect position to receive John's thrusts. Edraele's ass was wonderfully soft and pliable, the taut globes fitting perfectly in his lap as he drove into her, seeking his own orgasm. Joining her in a cry of release, John hilted himself and began to climax, pumping a huge load into her quivering body.

Her stomach rapidly expanded, growing heavy and round as he filled Edraele with long spurts of thick cum. John was seeing stars as he unloaded his quad, the hour of foreplay leading up to that moment making his prolonged release intensely powerful. When he was finally done, he collapsed on Edraele's back in a daze, his hands moving instinctively to cradle her rotund stomach. John smiled as he pictured them doing this when she really was pregnant and turned to kiss the trembling Maliri.

Edraele had passed out, her senses overwhelmed with the intensity of her climax. She hung limply in the air, Alyssa carefully supporting her with telekinesis. As wonderful as it felt holding onto Edraele like this, John was worried about squashing her, so he reached down to support his own weight.

"She's fine, handsome," Alyssa said soothingly, stroking his shoulder. "Just rest... Edraele will love waking up with you cuddling her like this."

He nodded in acknowledgement and stayed where he was, enveloping the Maliri in a warm hug. She didn't take long to stir and when she did, her face lit up with a beautiful smile.

"I've never cum that hard before... ever," she murmured, turning her head to nuzzle into him. "Thank you all so much."

"You were amazing," John said, giving her a tender kiss. He brushed his fingers over her distended belly-button and added, "How do you feel?"

"So full..." she whispered, glancing down at her bulging belly in awe. "The last time I was this huge, I was carrying the twins."

"They do say twins run in families..." Alyssa said, her cerulean eyes sparkling.

Edraele gave John a wry smile. "Why do I have a feeling that House Valaden is going to end up with a vast noble line?"

"Hmm... I must have accidentally gifted you with Prescience," John replied with a chuckle. He patted her tummy, then glanced down at the Nymph. "So... what's the verdict, Jade?"

He felt a soft nudge from inside Edraele's tightly-stretched stomach. *The pressure in here is fine, a baby wouldn't be in any distress.*

Alyssa caressed her taut azure skin and murmured, "I think it's because of the Change. We can easily expand to take a huge load, without suffering any discomfort or leaving any stretch marks." She looked up at John and grinned. "It looks like you're in for some fun, handsome!"

"And so are the Young Matriarchs," Edraele agreed, before letting out a startled gasp.

John felt her stomach began to shrink beneath his hands, Edraele's body contracting as Jade slowly and carefully extricated herself from the panting Maliri. He waited until the Nymph had withdrawn, then eased back himself, sliding his softening cock from her snug passage.

Slipping off the bed, Alyssa offered John a hand. "Want to freshen up with me in the shower? Edraele's going to be busy with Jade for a few minutes."

He nodded and clasped her proffered digits, knowing that the Nymph was about to suck all his cum from the exhausted Maliri. Staggering into the shower after the graceful blonde, John made no attempt to resist as she attentively soaped him down, washing away all the sweat from his exertions. By the time they'd dried off and returned to the Raptor's cabin, Edraele was cuddled up beside Jade, the Nymph's bust swollen to epic proportions.

"Would you like me to feed these two lovely kittens?" Jade politely enquired, cupping a titanic breast. "Or do you want me to top up the last of those naughty matriarchs?"

Glancing at Alyssa and Edraele with a regretful frown, he replied, "I really want you three to share, but we'll be leaving Valaden soon..."

"It's for the best, John," the Maliri Queen said with a wistful smile. "Beldrea and Kelenis will be much more receptive to changing their ways if you feed them before you go."

Alyssa stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. "You've fed me gallons of cum already and I know I'll be getting lots more. Feeding those two matriarchs is important; you can't get them pregnant until they've turned into good girls."

John saw no sense in disagreeing with her, and Alyssa beamed in delight at his tacit approval of her reasoning.

She scooped up her robe and waved goodbye to everyone. "I'm going to go and oversee the quiz. Join us for breakfast and I'll let you know who won."

"Thanks for this morning, beautiful," he replied, returning her wave as she blew him a kiss and flounced out of the room.

Edraele stretched languidly on the bed, her stomach having now returned to its normal svelte proportions. "I think I'll follow your fine example and take a shower too. I've summoned Beldrea and Kelenis... they should be here imminently."

John helped her up, then pulled Edraele into his arms. "We'll definitely be doing that again... but for real next time."

She blushed deeply, then gave him a chaste kiss. "Whatever my Lord commands."

They shared a smile as Edraele sauntered into the shower, then Alyssa's telepathic voice echoed through his mind. *There should be some casual clothes for you in the wardrobe... unless you're planning to meet the matriarchs naked?*

*I doubt I'd get any sense out of them if I did,* he replied, finding a neat rail of shirts and trousers waiting for him.

*Yeah... but showing them what they're missing out on would probably be even more effective!* she joked, sounding more relaxed and happier than she'd been in months.

He dressed quickly, then sat beside the reclining Nymph. "Did you enjoy this morning, Jade?"

"Of course! It was truly wonderful," she replied, giving him a lovely smile. "I loved giving Edraele so much pleasure and savouring your climax was breathtaking. You care about her so much and the intimacy you share is all the sweeter because of it."

"Do you mean that literally or metaphorically?"

She licked her lips and grinned. "Both actually. Base lust tastes more... savoury... than a tender encounter between lovers."

"I wouldn't really describe what we just did as tender," John said with an embarrassed laugh.

"Oh it definitely was," Jade disagreed, shaking her head. "It's not the physicality that's important, but the emotions behind it. You love Edraele and long for the day when you can start a family with her. Those thoughts were present in your mind throughout and hugely influenced the pleasure I sensed from you." The Nymph hugged herself and let out a happy sigh. "It was lovely."

John stroked her hair and listened to the exotic girl start to purr with blissful contentment.

*Sorry to interrupt, but the matriarchs are nearly there,* Edraele informed him.

"I'll wait for you here, Master," Jade said, rubbing her cheek against his forearm.

He rose from the bed and left the cabin, then descended in the grav-tube to the lower deck. By the time John reached the forward loading area, the two matriarchs had just emerged from the Palace and were looking at the Raptor with trepidation. They saw him standing at the top of the ramp and hurried over, not wanting to keep him waiting. As they walked up the ramp to join him, John could see dark shadows under their eyes from a fitful night without much sleep. They struggled to meet his gaze, their expressions anxious and uncertain.

"Good morning," John greeted them as they stood contritely before him. "You two look like you had a bad night."

They glanced at each other, then back at him, and confirmed his guess with glum nods.

"Is there anything you'd like to say?" he prompted them quietly.

"I'm so sorry, Lord Baenthelas!" Beldrea blurted out, wringing her hands together.

"Please forgive me for my disgraceful behaviour!" Kelenis begged him, a beseeching look in her eyes.

He stepped closer and gently cupped their faces, looking at the scratches on Beldrea's cheek and Kelenis' swollen lip with concern. They both blinked in surprise at the unexpected contact, then swooned at his soothing touch.

"You two really went for each other yesterday," he said, shaking his head in disapproval. "Have you apologised to each other yet?"

The two matriarchs half-turned, reluctant to break contact with his hands.

"I'm sorry," Kelenis said solemnly.

"I apologise too," Beldrea echoed a moment later.

"Thank you," John said, brushing their cheeks with his thumbs. "Now come inside, I'd like to talk to you both."

They obediently followed him into the gunship and through to the grav-tubes, making startled gasps when they levitated upwards in the blue anti-gravity field. John led them into the cockpit, then guided them to the seats at the back and sat directly opposite.

"Do you understand why I was so upset with you for fighting?" he asked them quietly.

Beldrea couldn't meet his questioning gaze as she whispered, "It was appallingly disrespectful, my Lord."

"We dishonoured you, Queen Edraele, and our Houses, Baenthelas," Kelenis added, looking just as mortified.

"No, that's not the reason why... I really don't care about any of that," he admitted, crossing the gap and kneeling before them. Looking up into their startled faces, he continued, "You, me, and all the other matriarchs are facing an apocalyptic war of survival. We're massively outnumbered by highly-advanced, hostile aliens, whose aim is to kill every last Maliri. The only way we'll win this is by pulling together into a united force; so I was really hoping that you'd get to know the Lionesses and the other matriarchs last night, and maybe make some new friends."

They both looked guilty, realising that he knew they'd made no effort to socialise during the party.

"I realise I've upended your worlds," John said with sympathy. "You were middle daughters, competing with your sisters for approval from your mother, and fighting a battle for supremacy against all the other Noble Houses. Then Sarinia warned you what your mothers were planning and you ended up having to fight for your life to become matriarch. You finally got to meet me, but then I tell you that House rivalry no longer matters, and I'm expecting you to befriend women that you previously hated. I understand what you've been through... and that I'm asking a hell of a lot."

He checked to see if he had their undivided attention and saw that both matriarchs were captivated by his every word. "If you can overcome those prejudices and work with me to save the Maliri from disaster... then I promise that I'll do everything I can to make all your dreams come true." John reached out to brush the backs of his fingers across their stomachs and heard them both inhale sharply. "Does that sound like a fair deal?"

"Really?" Kelenis whispered, her eyes like saucers. "You'd agree to sire my Noble line?"

"And mine to?" Beldrea asked him breathlessly.

"The two of you are beautiful women and I find you extremely attractive," he replied honestly. "But I know you've suffered through traumatic childhoods and I won't allow that cycle of abuse to continue. If you can show me that you're able to change, and that you'll be kind and loving mothers to our children, then I'd be delighted to have a family with you."

"How can I prove that I've changed?!" Kelenis blurted out, leaning forward on tenterhooks.

He stroked their trim waists again and replied, "Your personalities will go through some significant changes when I give you a full tummy. You won't be sharing with the rest of the matriarchs this time, so I'll be psychically connected to you for a lot longer. That's why they found it easier to put aside the old rivalries and start making friends, because I've spent hours connected to each of them. All you need to do is embrace those new feelings and Edraele will let me know when you're ready."

"Are you going to make me into a completely different person, like you did to Sarinia?" Beldrea asked, her expression conflicted.

John paused for a moment, as he considered how to answer. "No, nothing so dramatic. The best way to think about it, is that your personalities have been badly wounded and I'm going to heal them. All those times you suffered abuse from your mother left scars... not just physical ones but emotional too. Being teased and bullied by your older sisters took their toll as well, and you learned to guard your emotions so you wouldn't keep getting hurt. You're not the only ones who've been abused like this... sadly I've seen it a dozen times before."

Kelenis face crumbled and she fought back tears. "I really wanted to meet the Lionesses, but I was scared they wouldn't like me. Then the other matriarchs talked to them and were having fun... and I was so jealous I couldn't stand it."

Beldrea glanced at the noblewoman in shock. "I felt the same way..." she choked out in a hoarse whisper.

"Come here you two," John said with sympathy, opening his arms to them.

They slid off the seats and into his embrace, their shoulders shaking as they broke down and wept, overcome by all the unfamiliar emotions that had been stirred up.

"Everything's going to be okay," he said soothingly as he held them close. "I'm here to take care of you now."

***

The chime of the alarm echoed through Lynette Devereux's quarters and her eyes snapped open as she woke. "Alarm off," she called out, flinging aside the covers.

Sliding out of bed, Lynette felt refreshed and energised, raring to go despite the early hour. Only a month ago, she would've awoken to numerous aches and pains, but those had all been banished as John had rejuvenated her body to its prime. Lynette entered the shower and smiled appreciatively as she soaped down her magnificent athletic figure. Truthfully, she'd never looked this good thirty years ago, but she wasn't a secret Lioness back then either.

After drying and getting dressed in her Fleet Admiral's uniform, she checked the time and saw that it was 6:30 in the morning. Her fleet was approaching the Outer Rim and making rapid progress towards Brecken's World, being scheduled to arrive at 21:00 that evening. Before they reached their destination, she had a lot of important preparations to make.

Lynette activated the comms interface and swept through all the messages that had arrived during the night. She snapped off several replies to the most urgent of those, then spent a few minutes composing a message to her fiancé. After telling Charles that she loved and missed him, Lynette added that she wished she could be with him for breakfast. She giggled to herself as she dispatched the message, then bit her lip at the inadvertent slip. It was difficult to remember that she was supposed to be a seasoned veteran in her fifties, when the hormones coursing through her nubile body sometimes made her act like the twenty-year-old she'd physically become.

Reminded of the need to conceal her appearance, Lynette pulled on her peaked cap, then activated a set of microscopic emitters using the device in her pocket. A moment later she was shrouded in a sophisticated holographic disguise, masking her spectacular beauty with the plain features of the dowdy middle-aged woman she had previously been. With her shield generator and laser pistol strapped to her waist, Lynette left her quarters and proceeded to the Bridge.

The Command Deck of the Aphrodite was silent at this hour, the crew all feeling the strain after working the night shift. The one exception was Rear Admiral Tamar Kahale, who sat bright and alert in her Command Chair, eyes locked on the holographic Sector Map that floated in the centre of the huge room. Lynette could see their flight path tracked on that map, the glowing line heading directly towards a beautiful green planet on the outskirts of the Terran Federation.

"Good morning, Tamar," Lynette said quietly, as she walked up the illuminated steps to the Command Podium.

Tamar was so engrossed in the map that she didn't hear her commanding officer's greeting. When Lynette gently patted her shoulder, the copper-skinned woman jumped in surprise.

"I'm so sorry, Fleet Admiral!" she apologised profusely. "I didn't hear you arrive."

"That's quite alright," Lynette said with an amiable smile. "What's got you so distracted?"

Tamar's brown eyes snapped back to the map and followed the fleet as it continued along its interstellar journey. "I can't get over how fast we're travelling... it just doesn't seem real. And the range on this new sensor array is unbelievable!"

Lynette leaned against the executive officer's chair and nodded in agreement. "I remember the first time I boarded the Invictus. Stepping onto their Bridge was like taking a trip into the future."

"You've been aboard John Blake's ship?" Tamar asked, looking intrigued. "I saw the footage of that assault cruiser in the Battle of Terra; I can't believe the firepower they have in a vessel that size."

"It's even more powerful now..." Lynette said, thinking about all the upgrades the Invictus had received recently.

Frowning in confusion, Tamar dropped her voice and whispered, "How? I don't understand where he's getting all that tech from."

Lynette gestured to the Aphrodite's Bridge. "All the tech upgrades we've refitted on this fleet were traded with our neighbours. The FTL drive came from the Ashanath, the heatsinks from the Kintark, the shields from the Brimorians, and our engines from the Trankarans."

"I know... I read the executive summary of the tech schematics during the refit," Tamar said, her eyes narrowing. "But I'm talking about the tech on the Invictus itself. The Aphrodite has gone through a massive upgrade... but it's still a pale shadow of what Blake's ship is capable of."

Studying the other woman for a moment, Lynette glanced towards the battleship's Ready Room. "Let's continue this discussion in private."

Tamar gave a curt nod, but the gleam in her eyes reflected her excitement. She darted down the steps and walked at a brisk pace across the Bridge to the adjoining room. "Would you like a coffee, Fleet Admiral?" she asked as she opened the door.

Lynette followed her inside and took a seat on one of the sofas. "Yes please... and there's no need to be so formal, Tamar."

The dark-haired officer poured out the steaming black drinks then handed over a cup. "Of course, Lynette. Now, you were about to tell me about the tech on the Invictus?"

"That's right," the Fleet Admiral replied soberly. "It's classified."

Tamar's brow furrowed in frustration, then the officer smiled when she realised she was being teased. "Alright, I sailed right into that."

Breaking into a smile herself, Lynette took a sip from her drink. "This is beyond your clearance level, but I feel like I can trust you. Am I right in that belief?"

"Absolutely," Tamar said without hesitation. "I'm loyal to you Fleet Admiral, I always have been. I supported you back when you were trying to depose Buckingham."

Lynette studied her speculatively. "That's good to know. I'm always on the lookout for capable, intelligent officers. I have big plans for the Terran Federation and a woman I can trust could have a very promising future in the Admiralty."

Tamar looked delighted and tried to mask her grin by taking a sip of coffee.

The Fleet Admiral paused for a moment and glanced out the window at the vista of stars sweeping past. "Some of the technology aboard Blake's cruiser was obtained from the Maliri. I'm sure you'll never forget those blasts the Invictus used to decimate Kintark capital ships... well they came from a Nova Lance, which is usually mounted on a Maliri battleship."

Tamar let out a low whistle. "Incredible... I thought the Maliri never parted with their tech?"

"They never have before... but John's got a very special relationship with the Maliri," Lynette replied, focusing on the other officer again. "I'm sure he'll share that technology with the Terran Federation at some point, but those weapons require unique manufacturing capabilities that we don't possess yet."

The Rear Admiral could only shake her head in astonishment at the thought of one day commanding a ship armed with that much firepower. "You mentioned that Blake has upgraded the Invictus since the Battle of Terra; it's hard to believe that the Maliri have weapons that are even more destructive than a Nova Lance."

Lynette met her questioning gaze and quietly replied, "They don't... but there are civilisations out in the galaxy that are even more powerful than the Maliri."

Tamar was stunned to hear that declaration, which dramatically upended her perception of the galaxy and humanity's place within it. "Are they a threat? Who are they and where are they located?!"

"I'm afraid that really is above your clearance level," Lynette said with an apologetic smile. "Only a handful of people in High Command know the answers to those questions... but like I said earlier, I think you have potential."

They sat in silence for a couple of minutes and sipped their coffee, with Tamar trying to digest everything she'd just learned.

She looked at Lynette inquisitively, but realised the Fleet Admiral was not going to be forthcoming with any more top secret intel. "Was there something else you wanted to discuss with me? I'm assuming that you didn't visit the Bridge just to drop tantalising hints about mysterious alien civilisations?"

Lynette laughed and put down her cup. "You're right, there was something else; I wanted to talk about the fleet's approach to Brecken's World when we arrive at the system. What are your current plans?"

"I was going to follow standard protocols and establish a close defensive cordon around the planet," Tamar explained. "It's a Head-of-State visit, so there's plenty of justification for deploying a garrison of 20,000 troops in their capital. A show of force should intimidate the populace enough to keep any rebellious elements in line."

The Fleet Admiral steepled her hands and tapped her index fingers together as she mulled it over. "I thought you might take that approach, but I'm not sure it's the wisest course of action considering the circumstances. I'm here to convince the colonies that staying loyal to the Terran Federation is in their best interests, not threaten them into obedience."

"I'm happy to alter my plans to accommodate you, Lynette," Tamar said. "If you have an alternative suggestion in mind, I'll do my best to facilitate it."

"We have to handle this mission with a great deal of tact and discretion. For that reason, I don't want the fleet orbiting Brecken's world... I'd like you to assume a neutral formation on the periphery of the system."

"If the planetary population riots, our troops won't have immediate orbital support," Tamar protested, frowning in disapproval.

"I don't want to deploy a garrison either..."

Tamar gaped at her in shock. "But you'll be left totally exposed! Without any troops deployed, any crackpot with a grudge might decide to assassinate the Fleet Admiral of the Terran Federation. I can't possibly condone this, Lynette, it's reckless to the extreme!"

Lynette shook her head and patiently explained, "If we send thousands of troops down to the surface, it could be seen as an occupation, which is only going to make the population more resentful. You know how High Command has dealt with rebellions before and deploying the fleet in orbit will be like holding the constant threat of a planetary bombardment over their heads. I'm going to have a hard enough time convincing the governors that the Admiralty has their best interests at heart without making them more scared and angry."

"You can't go there alone, it's just asking for trouble!" Tamar persisted.

"Oh, I didn't say I was going alone," Lynette said with a reassuring smile. "I'll arrive at Brecken's World on the Aphrodite; it's an impressive ship and fitting transportation for a Fleet Admiral. The Zelus can accompany me down to the planet and I'll leave my personal security in the hands of Commander MacCallum. I think that toes the fine line between ensuring my safety and intimidating the population with an invasion of troops."

Tamar was quiet for a long moment. "I still think you're taking a big risk, Lynette. You're placing a lot of trust in people that are teetering on the brink of rebellion."

Lynette let out a weary sigh and slumped in her seat. "Yes... trust... that's what this boils down to, doesn't it? High Command betrayed the colonists' trust and abandoned them to the Kirrix. I need to restore their faith in the Admiralty and the best way of doing that is by placing my trust in them. This situation's escalating rapidly and we're running out of options."

As much as she wanted to object, Tamar reluctantly nodded in agreement.

***

"That's right, little kittens," Jade said softly, cradling Beldrea and Kelenis as they suckled from her breasts. "Fill up your tummies."

The trio were curled up on the bed together, the two Maliri matriarchs in a blissful daze as the Nymph shared out John's load between them.

Edraele slipped her hand into John's and darted a smile at him as they left the cabin. "You did so well with those two. You've made a dramatic difference to them already."

"Those poor girls were tortured by their own mothers for decades," he said, accompanying the Maliri Queen out into the palace gardens. "They desperately needed some kindness and sympathy."

"Vestele Waephyra will be arriving at Genthalas this evening," Edraele informed him as they walked inside. "Now that Jade's fed Beldrea and Kelenis, Vestele will be the last matriarch with short hair."

"I want to investigate the Mists of Loralar today, but we'll return to Genthalas to heal her."

"And then you'll be thousands of light years away in the Larathyran Empire," she murmured, her expression conflicted.

"If we can find a hyper-warp gate... yes, that's the plan," John agreed, giving her hand a comforting squeeze. He looked at her with concern and continued, "You're really struggling with us leaving again, aren't you?"

She gave him a strained smile. "Ignore me, I'm just being silly."

He brought them to a halt and looked into her troubled eyes. "No, it's more than that. What's wrong, Edraele?"

The Maliri Queen took a deep breath then gazed away into the distance. "I can't shake this feeling of impending disaster," she said in a hushed voice. "The thought of you leaving me behind fills my heart with dread."

"Is there anything I can do?" John asked, pulling her into a hug.

*This isn't your fault... it's Saelihn Immanthe making her feel this way,* Alyssa interjected, her voice turning solemn. *There are echoes of Valada all over the palace and Edraele must be picking up on the psychic traces she left behind.*

*Why didn't you say anything before?* John asked his blonde matriarch.

*I've been fine over the last few days. I don't think Valada spent much time lounging around by the pool in a bikini,* she joked, in an attempt to lighten the mood. Realising that John wasn't going to be dissuaded, she continued, *It was easy to separate my feelings from Valada's because I have no intention of letting you leave here without me. I didn't think anyone else would sense anything, so I didn't mention it, but you've been massively expanding Edraele's eldritch network recently and it must have made her stronger... and more sensitive to psychic echoes.*

"Sorry," he said to his Maliri matriarch, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "It looks like this was my fault after all."

She hugged him back and sighed with relief. "I was worried I was overreacting. At least I know why I'm feeling this way."

"You should head back to Genthalas after breakfast," John said as they separated. "I want to limit your exposure to these echoes if they're upsetting you."

"I'll return there with the matriarchs," Edraele agreed. "Emandra Holaris found it too painful to be around the others last night, so she's already back on Genthalas."

They headed deeper into the palace and soon heard the sound of laughter and animated conversation drifting through the corridors. Despite the tragic history of the palace, the present occupants were thoroughly enjoying themselves.

"Good morning, ladies," John said, smiling at the dozens of women in the dining room.

The Lionesses and matriarchs were seated around several large dining tables, and they all turned to joyfully welcome him to join them. John was pleased to note that rather than sitting in cliques, Alyssa's and Edraele's wards were completely intermingled together.

*I saved you a seat,* the blonde said, patting one of the two vacant chairs beside her.

John led Edraele to one of the empty seats and held it out for her as she sat down, then turned to address the group. He hadn't planned on making any speeches, but the chatter had fallen silent and everyone seemed to be watching him with anticipation.

"It's wonderful to see all of you here this morning," he began, slowly walking around the room and brushing his fingers across Calara's shoulder then Nakiasha's. "I can see that you've made some new friends and I couldn't have asked for a better result from the party last night."

He continued circulating around the room, making brief contact with each of the matriarchs and Lionesses as he passed.

"I was really impressed by the way all of you embraced the spirit of the evening," he said, gently caressing Kehlarissa's back. "I know that for some of you, putting past differences aside must have been incredibly difficult... and for others, talking to complete strangers would've been a real act of bravery."

Phelora looked up at him as his fingers brushed across her bare skin, her eyes shining with joy at his warm praise.

"I saw the effort you put in... and I'm very proud of each and every one of you," he said earnestly. Pausing behind Marsendra and Lyvia, he continued, "Before I was introduced to the newest additions to our group, I must admit that I had some reservations about what you might be like."

"I'm not surprised... you'd met our mothers," Faranise interjected, her joke generating a flurry of laughter.

"I had... and I'm relieved to say that you're nothing like them," John said solemnly. "Over the last three days, I've had the pleasure of meeting some truly remarkable women. You've banished all of my concerns and I can honestly say that I'd be delighted to spend the rest of eternity with each and every one of you... which is very fortunate considering the circumstances."

They all laughed again, but there was an undercurrent of sexual tension in the air now, which ratcheted up several notches when he stopped beside Kali. John massaged her shoulders and when she tilted her head back with her lips pursed, he leaned down to give her a tender kiss.

"I know what all of you want... and I've made you some promises that I'm eager to keep," he said, glancing around and making brief eye contact with each of the new matriarchs. "But our first and foremost priority must be protecting ourselves from the Progenitors. When we've purged their tyranny from the galaxy, we can all focus on something far more important... our future together."

That part resonated with the Lionesses even more than the matriarchs, and he could see the looks of hope and anticipation in their eyes.

Dana leapt to her feet and declared, "Alright, let's go kick some ass! I wanna get knocked up!"

That defused the tension in the room as they all laughed at her playful antics.

John walked around to the grinning redhead and pulled her into a passionate kiss. "Sounds good to me."

His audience broke into a round of applause and John smiled at them as he returned to his seat. He'd just sat down when Tsarra Perfaren cleared her throat and rose from her chair, drawing everyone's attention.

"The Young Matriarchs have asked me to speak to you on their behalf. We wanted to formally welcome all of the new matriarchs into our extended family," she said, smiling warmly at the Maliri. "Some of you must be feeling quite overwhelmed after everything you've experienced this week, but I can promise you that this isn't just a blissful dream. You're embarking on an exciting new life with us... your new friends and new family."

She turned to John and Edraele, and continued, "We also want to thank both of you for the tremendous difference you've made to our lives. It's hard to believe that only a few months ago, I was beset by enemies on all sides, with little hope of finding even a shred of happiness. I spent my days feeling anxious, and scared, and so terribly alone..."

Tsarra's voice caught and Leena reached up to interlace their fingers together, giving her lover a proud smile.

The House Perfaren matriarch returned it, then stood straighter, her face alight with joy. "But those dark days feel like a bad dream now. I've made so many wonderful friends, who are sitting around you here today. Even serving as matriarch to my House no longer feels like a crushing burden... it's become an amazing privilege to be able to guide the future of our people. Working together, we're going to build a magnificent Maliri civilisation that we can all be proud of!"

"The last thing that I wanted to say, is to encourage all of you to fully embrace the incredible opportunity you've been given." She rested a slender hand on her stomach and Tsarra's green eyes softened. "The rewards are so much better than you could ever imagine..."

There was another round of applause as Tsarra sat down, but most of the attention had focused back on John.

He couldn't help smiling at the doe-eyed looks he was receiving from almost everyone present. The only exceptions were the Young Matriarchs, who were gazing at the father of their children with open adoration.

"No one's getting pregnant today," he joked, waving away all the attention. "Come on, let's eat. I need to get my strength back after last night."

They laughed and did as John asked, returning to their breakfasts and excited discussions about his impromptu speech.

*Nice pep-talk,* Alyssa said, rubbing up against his arm. *The girls loved it.*

Edraele placed her hand on his thigh and gave it a suggestive squeeze. *Is it too late to change my mind about waiting for you to impregnate my daughters?*

John glanced across the room at Tsarra and acknowledged her contribution with an appreciative smile. *I'm afraid so, honey. It's your own fault for making two of the most stunningly beautiful Maliri I've met so far... and looking like their hotter older sister. It'd be like being with triplets and I can't pass that up.*

She laughed and patted his thigh. *Alyssa's right. You are a silver-tongued devil.*

Everyone relaxed and enjoyed their meal, with promises made to all get together again when the Invictus returned from their latest voyage. The pastries and exotic fruits were delicious, and John managed to eat almost as much as the Nymphs.

"Good morning, John," Irillith said, sidling up to his left side and greeting him with a kiss.

Tashana appeared on his right and mirrored her twin with a kiss to his other cheek. "Have you finished your breakfast?"

He pushed his chair back from the table, then pulled the sisters onto his lap. "I certainly have," he replied, picking up on the eager undercurrent to the archaeologist's voice. "Why do you ask?"

She rolled her violet eyes at him. "You know very well why. Please can you help me look now? I was really good and didn't ask you once during the party."

"Yeah, that's true," he conceded, hugging her close. "Okay, where shall we start the search?"

Irillith's eyes had started to glow with a bright inner light. "I've been searching the palace for any sign of unusual data streams, but I've been able to account for everything. Saelihn Immanthe is equipped with massive power generators though... supplying far more energy than the palace could ever expect to use."

"That sounds promising," John said, with a thoughtful nod. "Where?"

She turned and pointed towards the front of the palace. "In a subterranean facility adjacent to the underground hangar."

John focused inwards, concentrating on activating the runes that would enhance his vision. His perspective shifted and the walls became translucent, letting him see straight through the ancient architecture. Below the foundations in the direction Irillith had indicated, he immediately spotted thick power cables trailing from the generators towards the palace. He patted the twins on the bottom to get them to move, then turned to study the bundle of power lines as it entered a hexagonal junction box, a dozen more cables snaking away on the other side. They traversed the ground horizontally, except for one that turned at an abrupt right angle and plunged directly downward.

"Over there," John said, pointing to a study adjoining the main hallway. "I can see an elevator shaft... heading straight down."