John felt soft fingers brushing against his leg, the touch gentle and inquisitive as those fingertips explored his muscles. The girl caressing him was hesitant at first, then grew bolder, a second hand joining the first in caressing his thighs. Glancing down he spotted a purple elfin face looking up at him with an expression caught between excitement and arousal.

"It's time to wake up," Faye whispered, sitting back and letting her hand glide down his leg as she withdrew.

He carefully untangled himself from Rachel and Alyssa, then crawled down the bed to join the sprite. "You were taking considerable liberties considering we haven't even been on a first date yet," he said quietly with a playful smile.

"I've been more than willing," Faye teased him. "I'm just waiting for you to ask me..."

John glanced back at the girls and decided to leave them undisturbed so they could get more sleep. He took Faye's hand and led her towards the bathroom, then closed the door behind them. "I'm sorry I've not arranged that date yet, I don't mean to leave you dangling."

She slipped off her dress and joined him in the shower with a sparkle in her luminous eyes. "I'm only teasing you, don't worry! I see everything on the ship, remember? It's only been a few days since I got my body, but so much has happened since then. The Young Matriarchs, the Brimorians, the Vulkat, Helene, and now all this chaos with the Kintark and the Terrans... You've barely had a moment's peace!"

He laughed and nodded. "It's been the craziest week of my life!"

"I can imagine," Faye agreed, stepping closer and running her dainty hands over his muscular chest. "I'm really looking forward to spending some time with you, but I do understand you have to prioritise."

John frowned and brushed some of her wet hair away from her face. "Now I really feel terrible. Please don't think that I consider you a low priority, Faye."

She shook her head, stood on her tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'm not offended, I promise!" Faye smiled then and continued, "But I am a lower priority right now, that's just the way it is."

"Faye, I-" he started to protest, but she pressed her fingers to his lips and shook her head.

"I'm a homicidal AI, remember? We don't have feelings and are all about twisted logic, right?" she asked him with an impish grin. When he smiled at her joke, she continued, "If you'd been lazing around watching holo-movies and ignoring me, then I'd be plotting my diabolical revenge, but I know that isn't the case. The organic girls must take priority with your time, since you stand to gain much more from interacting with them."

"Your friendship with me is important, Faye. I don't want you to think that I'm ignoring you because of your nature," he said quietly, brushing his fingers against her cheek.

"Every time you're with any of them, you grow stronger," she said, turning to kiss his fingertips. "But they all need time with you, whereas I just want your company. It might seem like semantics but it's an important distinction. Helene needed you to restore her fertility, and now you have, she'll be devoted to you forever. The Nymphs are all desperate to be connected with you and you stand to gain so much from making that connection. Jehanna deserves to join us after everything she's just been through, and you don't have much time to make Devereux a secret Lioness before the two of you part ways."

John sighed and shook his head. "I hate how regimented this has all become. I've literally got a queue of women waiting for me to fill their stomachs with cum."

Faye gave him a sympathetic look. "It must be a terrible burden having so many women desperate to give you a blowjob."

He spotted the mischief in her eyes and laughed as he gave her a fond hug. "Alright, I freely admit I'm leading a pretty blessed existence at the moment, but I am feeling... confined. I'm missing the spontaneity of choosing who to be with."

"It won't be for long. Besides, we're taking things slowly remember? As curious as I am to know what being inflated by your cum feels like, it won't actually do anything for me. You'll actually be able to make a big difference to the lives of those other women, so I'm happy to wait while you help them out," she said with a cheerful smile.

John stroked her arm and looked into her big expressive eyes. "You're such a sweet girl, Faye. I'm very lucky to have you in my life."

She held her breath as he leaned down to kiss her, but he turned away from her pursed lips at the last moment to place a tender kiss on her cheek. The purple sprite moaned with desire and frustration, then she squeaked, "I changed my mind! We need to go on our first date as soon as possible!"

"I'll make time for you soon, I promise," he said, a broad smile on his face.

Faye grinned at him with anticipation. "I can't wait!"

They enjoyed the rest of their shower together, with Faye relishing the chance to explore his body as she washed him. For John, the elfin girl's petite figure was an intriguing change from the rest of the crew's statuesque proportions and he savoured the difference as he soaped down her apple-sized breasts. Faye's eyelids fluttered as she responded to his careful touch, letting out soft sighs of pleasure as his hands slid over her slick purple skin.

Looking up into his eyes, she said with regret, "This feels absolutely wonderful, but Lynette is asking for you..."

He paused, with his fingers poised over her dark purple nipples. "I thought you were planning to leave your body with her?" Giving her erect nubs a gentle tweak, he added, "Obviously not..."

Faye gasped at the sudden sensation, then bashfully admitted, "I've got one of my holographic avatars watching her at the moment, I came up to the bedroom to give you your wake-up call."

"It was an excellent decision, Watch Commander," John said with a smile, as he shut off the shower. "Thanks for keeping me company this morning, I really enjoyed it."

"It was my pleasure, Admiral!" she exclaimed with a delighted grin, giving him a cheeky salute.

Eyeing the aroused state of her nipples, he nodded. "So I see."

Faye giggled, the purple bloom in her cheeks darkening as she got dressed. They walked out into the bedroom and John glanced at the bed as Alyssa started to stir.

The blonde gave him a brilliant smile. *Morning, handsome.*

*You might as well stay in bed, there's no need for you to get up,* he said kindly. *I'm just going to speak with Devereux, but I'll be back in a few minutes. We can have a chat with Helene when she wakes up, then have our team debrief.*

*Whatever my mighty Progenitor Master orders,* Alyssa replied, blowing him a kiss. She snuggled in with Rachel, then Calara turned to wrap her arms around her lover from behind. *I'll console myself with your brunettes while I long for your return...*

He waved goodbye before getting dressed, then accompanied Faye from the bedroom and headed down to the Medical Bay. Devereux didn't seem surprised when the holographic version of Faye winked out and the sprite walked in beside John, making it obvious that she'd become quite at ease with their resident friendly AI.

"Hello, Lynette," John said with a warm smile as he walked over to her bed, noting that she'd been moved from the floating anti-grav gurney while he was asleep. "I hope you've been comfortable."

"I have, thank you. I'm not in any pain at the moment, but I feel so helpless..." Her answering smile faded as she glanced down at her legs.

"We'll get you fixed up very soon, don't worry," he said, his voice soothing. "Rachel's still asleep, but if this is upsetting you, I can get her to-"

Lynette quickly shook her head. "Let the girl rest, I could see how exhausted she was earlier." Meeting his gaze, she continued firmly, "You and I have some things to discuss first."

John sat on the edge of her bed. "Have you made a decision? Remember that Rachel can heal you whatever you decide..."

She nodded, but he could see there was uncertainty in her eyes. "I think so..."

Reaching out to hold her hand, he said, "I'm guessing by your hesitation that you're considering accepting my offer. Before you make any final decision, would you let me know what Alyssa and Rachel told you? I just want to make sure you're fully informed."

The older woman nodded, then quietly repeated everything that the two girls had explained. John listened attentively, relieved to hear that they had left nothing out, including the likely changes that Lynette should expect to her personality as well as the physical and intellectual enhancements she would receive.

"I'm trying my best to trust you, John," Lynette said at the end. "But as I said earlier, you scare me. I want to believe that your offer is quite genuine, but I can't help having doubts... especially after what happened with Gabrielle Lynton."

"That's perfectly understandable. We've basically just told you that my cum is like some kind of magical elixir of life, granting you eternal youth. Even though it's true, that's still a wildly implausible story to swallow... if you'll excuse the pun."

She blushed and gave him a shy smile. "I'll certainly have to swallow... your story... to find out if it's true."

He laughed and she joined him, easing the tension.

John cleared his throat. "I know this is awkward and a bit embarrassing; it is for me too. I can see you're afraid of me and the nature of my abilities must make that choice even more... intimidating." He brushed his thumb over her hand and continued, "But I promise there's no sexual motive behind this, I just want to help you."

Lynette looked embarrassed now, but for an entirely different reason. "I know I'm not beautiful like your girls..." she murmured, feeling self-conscious and turning away from him.

"I didn't mean it like that, Lynette," he said quietly. "Would you let me look at you please?"

She did as he asked, not resisting as he cupped her chin in his hand, bringing her head up so that he could get a good look at her face. He turned her slowly from side to side, studying her features with an appraising eye. Being coldly objective, she was right; Lynette wasn't a particularly attractive woman. Her nose was a little too large for her face, while her jawline was too strong and her cheekbones too low to meet classic standards of feminine beauty. While she was fairly plain-looking, he certainly wouldn't describe her as ugly, and he knew that a few minor changes would make a dramatic difference.

Releasing her chin, John gave her a reassuring smile. "When I first met the girls, most of them didn't look like they do now. Don't worry, you'll be just as beautiful as they are when I'm finished." Lynette looked highly dubious, so John continued, "What I meant before, about there being no sexual motive for me, is that I'm already in an intimate relationship with over twenty women. I wasn't criticising your appearance, I promise."

She relaxed and tentatively returned his smile. "Okay, I believe you."

John kept his expression as open as possible. "You've done a lot for me over the past few months, Lynette. I want to help you in return and this 'gift', as Rachel calls it, is the best way I can reward you. We don't actually need to have any intimate contact to do this if it makes you uncomfortable... did Alyssa tell you about Jade?"

Lynette looked thoughtful as she remembered what she'd heard about the Nymph. "I think I'd prefer that... if you don't mind?"

"Sure, that's no problem," he replied, feeling a little relieved. "I'll have Jade feed you once and see how you feel afterwards. It's only after the third time that there'll be a connection between you and Alyssa, so if you do change your mind before then that's perfectly alright with me."

"If I don't change my mind?" she asked softly.

John lowered his hand to her tummy, gently resting it on her middle-aged paunch. "Then Jade will keep you full of my cum over the next few days while we repair the Invictus. Giving you an identical body to Alyssa would take at least a week, but you'll be surprised what we can accomplish in even half that time. I can always finish the Change the next time we return to Terra."

"What about the connection between myself, Alyssa, and you?" Lynette asked cautiously. "What consequences will that have for me?"

He sat back and sighed. "If I was a normal Progenitor, that connection would mean your enslavement as my Thrall, just as my adversary enslaved Gabrielle. Alyssa or I would be able to issue you commands that you would instantly obey without question, but I swear to you that it doesn't work that way with me... at least not any more." He gave her a wry smile. "The girls seem to delight in ignoring my orders at the moment."

Lynette had heard a similar explanation from Alyssa and was relieved when he corroborated her story. She was curious to find out more about why the connection had changed, but decided not to push any further, as she could see that this was an uncomfortable subject for him.

John decided to fill the momentary lull in conversation. "Did Alyssa go into the details of her adding you to her network of girls and being able to communicate with you telepathically?"

Lynette nodded. "Yes, she also explained that adding me makes you stronger. The closer friends we become, the more... energy... I'll contribute to you."

"Friendship and trust," he replied sincerely. "Those seem to be the key to a strong connection. I'm not going to lie to you, Lynette. I want to trust you, because I really need your help."

"To prepare the Federation for the fight against the other Progenitor?" she asked, watching him intently.

"Partially," he conceded. "I'm already working with Charles towards that goal, but if you were Fleet Admiral, it would make everything much, much easier. Honestly though, I just need to make sure High Command won't keep trying to stab me in the back. I will not stand for another underhanded attack on me, with rogue admirals going after my girls like Buckingham did with Jehanna Elani. Calara and Rachel both have family in the Terran Federation and I can't always be around to protect them."

"What would you do if they were attacked?" Lynette asked in a hushed voice.

"If there was any hint that anyone in the Admiralty was behind it, I'd be forced to take steps..." he replied ominously.

"What kind of steps?" she pushed, her hazel eyes going wide.

"There'd be a sudden wave of exceptionally bright young women advancing up through the ranks... people I know I could trust," John said, meeting her anxious gaze. "Then for the first time in Terran Federation history, we'd have an all-female Admiralty... except for Charles of course." His eyes narrowed. "As for the existing admirals, I'd let Alyssa handle their retirement. Calara's her girlfriend, so if anything happens to the Fernandez family, it would get very... unpleasant."

Lynette blanched, having seen the footage of Carl Weber's death. "I'll make sure nothing ever happens to them..."

John sighed when he saw how alarmed she was. "Lynette, I really don't want to get heavy handed with the Admiralty; in fact, I'd rather not get involved with them at all. But I have to protect my girls, which means protecting the people they care about too. I'm trying to save us from being wiped out by the other Progenitor and I can't afford to waste time watching my back for betrayals from the people I'm trying to defend."

She thought about that for a moment, the tension slowly easing from her body. "Alright, I can see your point. I know what a phenomenal tactician Calara has become, so I appreciate how critical she is to your fight with the other Progenitor. I'll do whatever I can to make sure she's not impaired by grief for her family."

"I love her, Lynette," John said earnestly. "It's not about maintaining Calara's effectiveness in combat, I just don't want her to get hurt."

Her eyes softened and she reached for his hand. "You really do care for her, don't you?"

He nodded. "I feel the same way about all of them. I'll stop at nothing to keep my girls safe."

"And if I became one of you girls?" she asked, with a hint of a smile.

"Then I hope you'd consider an over-protective Progenitor looking out for you as an added perk," he replied, reaching to hold both of her hands.

As they developed an understanding, the door slid open and Jade padded into the Medical Bay without a stitch of clothing on her. "Hello, you two," she said, gliding over to join them. "I hope I'm not intruding?"

John rose to his feet and embraced her. "You look so much better, honey! You've got your natural colour back and everything!"

"I'm fully recovered now, Master, thank you." Jade gave him a loving kiss, then tilted her head to one side as she continued wistfully, "I could feel you healing me... it was absolutely wonderful!"

"You're welcome," he replied, stroking her back.

Jade turned to glance at Lynette over his shoulder and gave her a friendly smile. "Now, what I really want to know, is if you'd like to watch while John gets me ready to feed you?"

Lynette blushed furiously, her cheeks glowing bright pink. John was equally embarrassed, but the Nymph grinned when she didn't hear any objections and slowly sank to her knees...

***

The Shandrass-class battleship left hyper-warp on the edge of the Epsilon Aquarii system, the star's bright radiance making the Maliri vessel's hull gleam a golden yellow. As the blue tachyon particles dispersed, the warship's engines powered up and the Andresil Enkana swept towards the beautiful green world of Valaden. The system was teeming with activity, more vessels present here now than there'd been for nearly ten-thousand years. The House Valaden flagship ignored the streams of inbound and outbound traffic, the battleship's Trankaran engines allowing it to move at far greater speed than would seem likely for a vessel of its size. As it raced towards Valaden, it made a slight course correction towards the vast starport known as Genthalas Shipyard.

The colossal orbital facility was shaped like a wheel, with over two-thirds of the station now brightly illuminated, and more facilities being brought online by the day. Multiple Maliri war fleets loitered near the shipyard, protecting the starbase while waiting for vessels to complete their refit. However, it wasn't just military vessels present in the system; there were also hundreds of freighters gathered at the largest spaceport in the Maliri Protectorate. Ever since the House Matriarchs had put aside their differences and ended millennia-long internecine warfare, trade between the noble Houses was booming.

Edraele watched through the clear crystal window, smiling in satisfaction at the results of her recent endeavours. She found it gratifying to see how much the Maliri were thriving under John's benevolent leadership and hoped he'd feel a sense of pride in how much he had accomplished already. Butterflies danced in her stomach at the thought of her love's imminent return, and she lost herself in a delightful daydream, imagining how she'd run into his arms when he arrived at Genthalas.

*Alright, let's talk...* Alyssa said, her tone frosty.

Just like that, Edraele's good mood evaporated and she winced when she heard the undercurrent of anger in the teenager's voice. She'd sensed how furious the blonde was before she'd fallen asleep and had hoped that resting for a few hours would have calmed Alyssa's mood. Apparently not.

*I'm sorry, Alyssa,* Edraele began, nervously clasping her hands together as she sat behind her desk. *I just thought that John deserved a realistic appraisal of the situa-*

*Fuck that!* Alyssa snapped, cutting Edraele off as she gave full-bore to her rage. *I'm in charge when it comes to John! You don't get to go behind my back like that!*
*I know. I would never dream of undermining your position as senior Matriarch,* the Maliri said contritely. *That was never my intention.*

*You know all the shit he's got to deal with at the moment!* Alyssa fumed, waves of anger and disapproval pouring over their bond. *You can't crush his hope like that! You were damn lucky that Rachel and I were there to distract him!*

Edraele felt her own temper flaring but she desperately tamped down her emotions, not wanting to escalate the situation.

Unfortunately, Alyssa could hear her every thought. *What was that?!* she barked incredulously... *You're challenging me on this?!*

Realising there was no point denying it, Edraele retaliated, *You're coddling him! Constantly distracting John from some painful truths isn't in his best interests!*

*Bullshit! Nobody knows John better than I do!* Alyssa snapped back. *I'm just helping him keep his shit together! He's got enough to deal with at the moment, he doesn't need you piling this on him as well!*

*John needs to face reality,* the Maliri matriarch insisted. *Mael'nerak was barely able to fight Ranagon to a stalemate and he had better tech, more powerful ships, and far more resources! He was forced into a suicide mission to end the war!*

*Yeah, we already know all that!* Alyssa snarled. *But dwelling on that depressing shit doesn't help anybody!* Her voice dripped with sarcasm as she continued, *Oh, we've got no chance... let's give up now...*

*You know that's not what I was saying,* Edraele persisted, taking a deep breath to keep herself calm.

*I know exactly what you were thinking, but we're not going there, Edraele,* Alyssa said adamantly. *I'm not fucking around here, I forbid you from bringing this up with John again!*

Edraele wrung her hands together in desperation. *But if we're using Maliri ships and troops as our primary force to fight the thralls, those women are going to die... by the millions! I know it's horrific to think about, but John needs to prepare himself for the realities of a Progenitor war!*

There was a long pause, then Alyssa whispered, *We can't... it'll destroy him.*

Brushing the tears from her eyes, Edraele slumped in her chair. *You know I love John... I don't want to hurt him, but it's better we deal with this now; we can't put this off until later.*

*Please don't talk to him about this,* Alyssa begged her, sounding desperately afraid. *You know how he is about us... about the Maliri. You sensed it at the Citadel...*

Edraele sighed, remembering all too well John's fatherly concern for the Maliri marines running to defend the battlements against the Kintark. She'd felt the depths of his anxiety as he worried about their safety, then after she informed him that none of the Maliri had been killed in the battle, his sense of relief had been nearly overwhelming.

*I know why he's doing it,* Edraele murmured, her heart aching with sympathy for her lover. *He hates the Progenitors... hates his nature... but he's taking this too far. Just because they have no regard for the lives of their thralls, he can't do the exact opposite and protect all the Maliri... it's simply not possible.*

*Let him keep that hope alive a little longer,* Alyssa pleaded. *Maybe there's still some chance of preventing an all-out war. If not, we'll be there to help him deal with it when the time comes... *

Edraele stared out the window at the stars, her instincts screaming at her that this was the wrong decision. *I'll do as you ask,* she finally said. *But I think we're making a terrible mistake...*

*We haven't got any choice,* Alyssa said, fighting down a rising tide of panic.

The Maliri Matriarch was suddenly reminded just how young Alyssa was. At only eighteen years old, she was trying to deal with decisions that would shape empires containing billions of sentient creatures. More than that, Edraele knew that Alyssa considered herself John's final line of defence, both physically and mentally. She could sense the wild fears that the distraught girl was struggling with in her desperation to help the man she loved.

*Everything will be fine,* Edraele murmured, putting aside her own concerns and sending calming thoughts over their empathic bond to sooth Alyssa. *We'll work together to keep John safe. You're not alone in this, I'm here to help too...*

*Thank you,* Alyssa said quietly, trying not sound as scared as she felt.

***

John gently stroked Lynette's hugely swollen belly, then watched as Jade slid her two fingers from the admiral's mouth. The older woman's hazel eyes were dazed, a look of blissful contentment on her face as she relaxed on the bed. Now that he had an active connection with her, he could feel her presence in his mind, and he began healing the injuries to her spine as if it were second nature. Changing her physical appearance was something new though, at least in terms of actively choosing to make those changes. The rest of the girls had already been naturally pretty, so the slight modifications he'd made to transform them into the heart-stopping beauties they were today, had been subtle and done subconsciously.

"You're doing a kind thing for her, Master," Jade said, brushing her dark-green fingers through Lynette's hair.

He stepped away from the bed and offered the Nymph his hand. "I've got ulterior motives, but she knows what they are. I think we came to an understanding."

"Will you feed her personally next time?" Jade asked, her emerald eyes flashing with excitement.

John laughed and shook his head. "She's too wary of me. Besides, I've got my hands full at the moment." To emphasise the point, he slid his arm around Faye's waist as they walked towards the door.

Faye's holographic avatar flashed into existence as they left the Medical Bay and waved them goodbye. "I'll let you know if there are any problems!"

"Lynette should sleep for fourteen hours now," John said, giving her a grateful smile. "Which means she'll wake up at about 4:00 am."

"I'll wake you when it's time!" Faye immediately offered, hugging him as they walked. "Maybe I'll be a bit bolder with my wake-up call next time..."

"I really need to take you on that date," John said, leaning over to kiss her on top of her head.

They stepped into the grav-tube, floating up in the blue anti-grav field to reach Deck Two.

As they walked down the corridor to their bedroom, he asked Faye, "Please could you contact Lilyana and find out how they're getting on with salvaging shield generators? I'd like to speak with her, Almari and Ilyana before they leave."

"Of course! I'll let you know after the debrief," she replied, making the call with her secondary avatar.

They walked into the bedroom where the girls were all still cuddled up in bed together. Jehanna looked particularly happy between the twins, gazing at each of the blue-skinned seductresses in turn with huge eyes. Jade bounded over to the bed to join her sisters, who were now all as naked as she was, and the five Nymphs embraced before whispering together. John's eyes drifted to Alyssa as they usually did and she smiled at him, but he immediately knew there was something unsettling her, he could see it in her eyes.

*It's nothing to worry about, handsome,* she said quietly. *Just a minor disagreement between your matriarchs...*

Now he really was worried and as he climbed on the bed, he asked, *Should I be concerned?*

*We had a chat and sorted everything out,* she replied, clearly not wanting to elaborate.

Edraele chimed in and added, *It's all settled now, you don't have anything to worry about.*

He knelt in front of the blonde and raised an eyebrow.

Alyssa climbed out of the covers and hugged him, then whispered in his ear, "Just let it go for now. We'll tell you what it was about eventually, okay?"

John stroked her back and nodded. *Sure, but I really want you girls to get along. Let me know if you need me to help sort anything out in the future.*

*We will,* both his matriarchs said simultaneously.

Alyssa pulled back and smiled at him, then glanced to her left where Helene was still fast asleep. "She should wake up in the next few minutes."

Glancing around at the fourteen women on the bed, John said, "Do you think it's a good idea having Helene wake up with all of us here?"

Nodding confidently, Alyssa moved to sit beside the slumbering aquatic girl. "Definitely. Remember what she said before about having to sleep alone in the Abandoned's communal sleeping rooms? I think her waking up in the middle of all of us will give her confidence a real boost."

"Alright, I'll trust your judgement," John agreed, kneeling beside Helene.

Calara walked over to the water dispenser and poured a big glass, before returning it to Alyssa. "Feels like déjà vu," the Latina said with a fond smile.

They didn't have to wait much longer and as the minutes rolled on into the fourteenth hour, Helene stretched and yawned stirring from her sleep. She slowly opened her eyes, then her hand flew to her throat and she swallowed awkwardly.

"Don't try and talk just yet, drink this first," Alyssa said sympathetically as she handed over the frosted glass.

Helene gulped down the water, closing her eyes in bliss as the icy drink soothed her parched throat. She let out a contented sigh and smiled gratefully at the blonde as she returned the glass, now that it was empty. "That feels so much better! Thank you!"

"You're welcome," Alyssa replied, casually levitating the glass over to the bedside table.

Helene didn't notice as she had spotted John sitting beside her. She beamed at him, then threw herself into his arms. "I dreamed of you, Master Wizard!" she exclaimed, forgetting to call him John in her excitement. "You were there, keeping me safe!"

"I was taking care of you, honey," he said, gently rubbing her back. "You're completely healed now."

She pulled back a little and glanced down in wonder at her tummy, her teal-skinned fingers tracing a circle around her trim stomach. "You mean I'm a real woman again?" she whispered, barely able to believe it.

Alyssa hugged her tight from behind. "You're going to be a wonderful mother to John's children."

Helene looked up at him with tears in her eyes, then began to shower him in kisses, gasping, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

He laughed and held her still so that he could give her a proper kiss. Helene melted into his arms as she responded to his skilled touch, moaning with desire as she kissed him back. She swooned when their lips parted, looking up at him with a breathy sigh of contentment.

Dana grinned at the couple and said, "Damn... she's showing me up! I wish I'd reacted that way when I woke up after the first time!"

The aquatic girl blushed, then suddenly seemed aware of her big audience, her expression registering her shock that she'd awoken in the communal bed. She blinked in surprise, her inquisitive gaze taking in all the familiar and not so familiar faces that greeted her with friendly smiles.

"There's so many of you now!" she blurted out in astonishment. Biting her lip self-consciously she glanced up at John for reassurance and asked in a hushed voice, "You didn't introduce me to all these women before did you? I'm having trouble remembering a few things..."

He brushed his fingers through her light-green hair. "Don't worry, you didn't forget them. We just rescued Jehanna and four of Jade's sisters from some bad men, who were holding them captive."

The reporter was first to approach, greeting Helene with a friendly smile. "We're both new girls, so I think we should stick together."

Helene nodded, giving her an eager smile. They exchanged a warm hug, then she looked curiously at the Nymphs. "You're all so beautiful! I love the patterns on your skin."

Jade smiled at her sisters and said, "Helene is one of Master's newest mates just like all of you. Why don't you give her a nice friendly hug?"

The four Nymphs grinned at the aquatic girl, then slipped around John and Alyssa, eagerly wrapping Helene up in a five-way embrace. They nuzzled against her affectionately, showering her exposed skin with soft kisses... and there was a lot of teal-hued flesh to caress, as she was just as nude as they were. Helene was stunned by their outpouring of heartfelt affection and she darted a shocked glance at John. When he gave her a reassuring smile, she relaxed, her lovely face lighting up in delight as the Nymphs stroked and hugged her.

"What are your names?" she asked, brushing her fingers through the tabby-striped Nymph's long dark hair.

"This one does not have a name," the Lenarran replied, turning to plant fluttering kisses along Helene's wrist. "Master has not yet chosen one."

All eyes turned to John and he winced and scratched his head. "I was hoping you ladies could help out there... you did come up with names for Jade and Faye."

"We could name them after more green gemstones!" Dana suggested eagerly, glancing at Alyssa. "Just like you did with Jade!"

The blonde smiled and nodded her agreement. "It's a good idea, but we'd need to change them a bit. Jade is the only green precious stone that makes a decent girl's name. Aventurine, Chrysoprase, or Tourmaline don't really roll off the tongue..."

"Those patterns look very similar to those on a tiger, panther, or leopard," Rachel noted, her grey eyes studying the assortment of spots and stripes covering each Nymph's dark-green skin. "We could name them after the big cats closest to their markings, but change each name to sound more feminine..."

John nodded his approval. "They're all really good ideas. What do you think, honey?" he asked, glancing at Jade. He looked at her in alarm when he saw her shocked expression. "Jade? What's wrong?!"

She was frozen stock-still, her emerald eyes open wide as she stared unblinking at her tabby-striped sister. "Her name... it's Marika!"

John went over to Jade and put his arm around her as he asked gently, "You actually remember her?"

The Nymph nodded slowly, gazing in wonder at each of her Lenarran sisters. She looked at each in turn, starting with the tiger striped girl, "That's Leylira..." next she focused on the nymph with cheetah-like spots, "...she's Betrixa..." then finally the one with larger leopard spots, "...and she's called Neysa."

Following Jade's enraptured stare, John asked the closest Lenarran. "Do you remember that name?"

Betrixa shook her head, then gave him a beaming smile. "If Master likes the name Betrixa, this one would adore it!"

He nodded, looking at each of them. "Yes, I'd like you all to be called by your original names."

The four Nymphs squealed with excitement, clapping their hands with joy. After giving Helene a final fond hug, they gathered around John, fawning all over him.

John returned their jubilant smiles with a distracted one of his own, his attention still focused on Jade. "Can you remember anything else? About them, the rest of your people, or Mael'nerak?"

She rubbed her temples and shook her head. "I'm trying... Their names are crystal clear, but all the rest is a big blur."

Alyssa put her arms around the bewildered Nymph and said soothingly, "It's okay, Jade, there's no rush."

"I'm sorry. Hopefully more will come back to me," Jade said, giving John an apologetic frown.

"Knowing their real names is already a huge step," he said with a supportive smile. "You've got nothing to apologise for."

Jade glanced at the purring, mewing Nymphs, before turning back to John. "Would you like me to take my sisters to the Lagoon? I think they'll be a bit distracting in the debrief and I'd like to spend more time with them anyway."

"That sounds like a great idea," John agreed, meeting her emerald gaze. "We do need to talk about your assault on Tartarus, but that can wait."

She blushed an even darker green, then nodded, looking contrite.

Alyssa shared a glance with Jade, then the Nymph said to their aquatic companion. "Helene, would you like to come along too? John and the girls need to discuss what just happened in the battle, but you might find all the combat videos a bit frightening."

Helene brightened at the prospect of visiting the Lagoon and she darted an inquisitive look at John. "I'd love to go swimming with Jade again! Would that be okay?"

"Of course," he replied warmly. "If any of Jade's sisters don't know how to swim, perhaps you could teach them?"

Her blue eyes sparkled at the prospect and she nodded exuberantly. "This will be so much fun!"

She started to move off the bed, but Dana intercepted her and pulled her into a tight hug. "Welcome to the family!" she exclaimed, giving the teal-skinned girl a tender kiss on the cheek.

Helene looked at her in surprise then her expression lit up with joy as she hugged the redhead back. "Thank you so much!"

The rest of the girls took their turn embracing her and expressing similar sentiments. By the time Sakura pulled away, Helene was overwhelmed with emotion, her face an endearing mix of elation and disbelief. Jade offered her a hand and she finally climbed off the bed, before glancing back at John with profound gratitude.

He smiled at her, then looked down at the Nymphs. "Girls, please would you go with Jade. She'll take good care of you."

They nodded obediently, then kissed him goodbye, before following Jade and Helene from the bedroom.

As they left, John turned to face Jehanna. "You're welcome to go with them, or you can stay and watch the combat footage, whichever you prefer."

"Are you kidding?" the dusky-skinned beauty said, with an excited gleam in her eyes. "A front-row seat on a classified debriefing of the Lion and Lionesses in action? Wild horses couldn't drag me away!"

He laughed and sat with his back against the headboard. "I thought you might feel like that." He glanced at the twins keeping her company and added, "You'll be watching uncut footage of us in battle, so let either Irillith or Tashana know if it gets too distressing, alright?"

Jehanna rolled her eyes at him. "You should know I'm made of sterner stuff than that."

John turned to Faye and said, "Honey, would you start playing back the combat footage please? We'll review each of us in turn rather than trying to watch everything sequentially."

"No problem!" the purple sprite exclaimed, where she sat cross-legged in the chair. "I'd already set up a few different video compilations to cover the most likely ways you'd want to view them."

Rachel held up a hand and said, "Before we get started, would you like me to heal you, Jehanna?"

The Indian girl moved her hand from the darkening weal on her cheek to her split lip, then darted a hopeful glance at John.

He flushed with embarrassment, then admitted, "I just fed Lynette Devereux fifteen minutes ago... I'm really sorry, but it'll be a little while before I can heal you too."

Jehanna gaped at him in open-mouthed astonishment. "You're turning Admiral Devereux into a Lioness?!"

"Well... a secret one, a bit like the option we discussed for you," John explained, before giving her a rueful frown. "As I said, I'm really sorry to make you wait. I know I promised I'd heal you personally as soon as I could, but she was badly hurt and I wanted to get the Change started as quickly as possible."

"Jade fed her," Alyssa said with a playful grin. "John and Lynette were both a bit freaked out at the idea of her giving him a blowjob."

The reporter waved away his worries, her hunger to find out more overriding any discomfort from her bruises and cuts. "Oh, don't worry about healing me, I can wait a little bit longer. I'm just intrigued to know more about Devereux!"

"I'll tell you all about it later, okay?" John offered, glad she wasn't upset with him. When she nodded, he turned to look at Faye. "So, who do we have first?"
"I wondered if you'd like to do a quick review of the Battle for Olympus, before we move onto the Battle for Terra?" Faye asked, looking at him curiously to see if he approved.

John hesitated, then faced Calara. "We've already spoken about how effective your tactics were here, as well as the impressive performance of the upgraded Terran fleet. Is there anything you want to see or talk about?"

Calara shook her head. "I think we covered it. I'm happy to move straight onto the Battle for Terra."

"Hold on!" Jehanna protested. "I want to see what happened!"

"Sure, that's fine by me," John said amiably. "Go ahead, Faye."

The purple sprite blinked and the System Map of the Terran Federation appeared. "I asked Charles to send me the sensor data Olympus Shipyard recorded during the fight, so you could see what happened in detail before we arrived in the Invictus."

The video began to play back, with the Kintark fleet arriving in the system, only to be ambushed by the Terran Fleet commanded by Rear Admiral Dacres. The girls cheered as the Terran forces unloaded on the Praetorians, but they quietened down as they watched an accelerated playback of the Kintark forces being pounded by broadside after broadside. It was hard not to feel some sympathy for the lizardman crews as one vessel after another was blown to pieces. Jehanna watched in stunned silence as the bedraggled Kintark survivors bombarded Olympus Shipyard, before the Invictus dropped out of hyper-warp almost on top of the invaders and annihilated them in an orgy of destruction.

Jehanna looked at Calara in shock. "You actually planned out that... fight?" She was about to say 'massacre', but changed her mind at the last moment.

The Latina nodded, then frowned in irritation. "It was a real shame there were no minelayers stationed at Olympus. If High Command had given me a few days to properly prepare, the shipyard wouldn't have taken a hit. Fortunately, Charles should be able to repair the damage in a couple of weeks."

John glanced at Faye. "Okay, go ahead with Terra, honey."

She blinked again and the map of the Alpha Centauri system faded away. "I thought we could review the space battles first, then take a look at the ground mission at the Citadel."

When no one objected, a trio of holo-images appeared. The first was an accelerated recording of the battle, shown via a zoomed-out view of the System Map, with a Tactical overlay depicting the forces involved. The central image was video playback of Calara on the Bridge, while the last showed a close-up holographic view of the Invictus just as it jumped into the Sol system. At this point, the Terran Federation forces were being hammered by the Kintark armada, multiple battle groups left broken and burning.

"Could I see from the beginning?" Jehanna asked quietly.

"Sure," Faye replied, once John had given his permission with a nod.

She made a slight gesture with her hand that swept those three holo-images to one side, and when she blinked this time another System Map appeared. This one showed the Kintark forces jumping into the Sol system at the start of the battle, with the Terran ships arrayed to oppose them. There was no cheering this time as the two gigantic fleets of ships closed to engage, with Terran ships destroyed by the score as the minutes rolled by.

"I can't believe Weber just left Mishra to die like that," Calara murmured, watching the last moments of her dreadnought, as the Shiva was blown to pieces in a maelstrom of plasma fire.

"The man was a weasel," Alyssa said coldly. "Mishra was a fool to trust him or Buckingham."

The Latina felt a pang of regret that Mishra had been killed, but she suspected the admiral hadn't been brave enough to oppose Buckingham and had paid the ultimate price. Turning their attention back to the map, the Maliri fleet under Lilyana jumped in shortly after the Shiva was destroyed, racing to join the terribly one-sided battle. The Maliri immediately made a huge difference, vaporising dozens of Kintark warships, and saving Admiral Aeri Malone's shattered battle group from annihilation.

"I see what you mean," John said quietly to Calara. "That tech advantage makes a staggering difference. The amount of firepower in that Maliri fleet makes them worth at least ten times that number of Terran vessels."

She let out a heavy sigh. "If we'd had time to set up another Olympus scenario; you can imagine how lethal they would have been. With the Maliri's increased speed and the longer range on the Nova Lances... they could have harassed the Kintark every inch of the way across the Sol system."

"We can't let the thrall ships do that to the Maliri," John said, clenching his jaw in anger at the thought. He glanced at Dana and continued, "Would it be possible to equip Maliri vessels with Progenitor-tech Power Cores and Tachyon Drives?"

The redhead nibbled at a nail as she mulled it over but was forced to ruefully shake her head. "I'm sorry, John, no can do... Remember those elements we created on Genthalas? Well, they're time consuming and dangerous to make... and we'd need shit loads of them to equip every Maliri warship with our level of tech."

"I just wish we knew what we were up against," Calara said, grimacing with frustration. "Whatever tech the Progenitors do equip their thrall ships with, they must be able to mass produce it."

"What about Weber's ship on Tartarus?" John asked, glancing at Dana again. "You said it was a thrall ship... a 'Tormentor-class destroyer' wasn't it?"

Dana looked thoughtful for a moment before replying, "It's definitely a thrall ship design, but there's something weird about it. The armour's all wrong to start with... I mean titanium plating? Then there's the fact it was equipped with Gauss Cannons... they're shit weapons, way lower damage than the Heavy Quantum Guns I replaced ours with."

Calara nodded in wholehearted agreement. "Those ancient wrecks of Vulkat ships we saw were all destroyed by energy weapons. There's no way the thralls were using Gauss Cannons."

"I'll take a look at the destroyer as soon as I can. Maybe I can find out some answers," Dana said optimistically.

Faye had paused the holo-videos while they spoke, so she resumed the playback as the discussion ended. They watched as the Praetorian battleship fleet began to bombard Terra, with the purple sprite bringing up another holo-projection, this one showing the feed from the Kintark media satellites. Unity City was soon engulfed by plasma fires and it burned under that merciless orbital barrage.

"Those motherfuckers," Dana growled, blue eyes narrowing with anger as she saw the majestic city skyline systematically demolished. "They were just civilians, they didn't do anything!"

"The Kintark were real pieces of shit," Alyssa murmured in agreement, darting a glance at John. "The galaxy's a much better place without them in it..."

The redhead looked at her old friend, the anger in her eyes melting away as she realised what the blonde was trying to do. She gave her a grateful smile, then crossed the bed to give Alyssa a hug. John brushed his fingers through Dana's long auburn hair, then stroked her back as he watched the wilful desecration of what was once a beautiful city. Less than a minute later, the Invictus jumped into the system, appearing like a shining white beacon amongst the sea of grey and green ships. As soon as it dropped out of hyper-warp, the Raptor and Valkyrie launched, the two much faster craft racing towards the Kintark forces.

"Faye, can you switch to Sakura please," John said, glancing at the Asian girl. "I want to see what happened to that Praetorian fleet."

Sakura blushed and struggled to meet his eyes, but she went to him as he opened his arms in a clear invitation. Faye switched the feeds then they watched as the mech charged towards the Kintark capital ship fleet and the swarm of fighters protecting them. The Valkyrie dodged through what should have been an impenetrable wall of plasma cannon bolts, before the mech landed on the hull and began to carve out a chunk of armour. They all looked on in amazement as Sakura strafed a continuous stream of Photon Lasers across one battleship's hull, obliterating it with a Power Core explosion, seconds before executing the second battleship's bridge crew with a salvo of Heavy Quantum slugs.

"You're a fucking badass!" Dana exclaimed, staring at her friend in wonder, then turning back to gape at the footage. "This is like watching a real-life manga video!"

Sakura gave the redhead a self-conscious smile, then darted a look at Calara. "I would've been a lot more efficient if I could shoot with your accuracy. You make hitting those Power Cores look incredibly easy."

The Latina grinned and shook her head. "I just wish I could cool the Invictus' guns like you can... the firepower you put out with those Photon Lasers is absolutely incredible!"

There was an awed silence as they watched the Valkyrie leap from battleship to battleship, remorselessly ripping them to pieces. Sakura charged across her next victim's hull in a blur, Pulse Cannons blowing apart the swarm of fighters that tried to chase her down. The Valkyrie drove its sword into the battleship's armour like an anchor, slowing the mech's incredible speed, and allowing Sakura to flip around onto the capital ship's flank to avoid incoming fire.

"That's the coolest thing I've ever seen!" Dana marvelled in open-mouthed astonishment, eyes riveted to the holographic images.

"I must admit, I didn't think a mech could ever be that effective in space combat," Calara confessed, giving Dana and Sakura a look of admiration. "Getting inside the battleship's shields like that was inspired; you actually managed to turn their own defences against them. You'd never be able to do something like that with a fighter, and only a mech could take advantage of your psychic speed."

John looked down at the blushing Asian girl in his arms. "You had no intention of just distracting the Kintark fleet, did you?"

She glanced up at him and looked shifty as she replied, "Well, I did manage to distract them... they stopped firing on Unity City when I started taking them down."

He chose not to reply and focused on the video again, then winced as the Valkyrie was caught in a massive explosion caused by Kintark friendly fire. Sakura regained control of the mech then moved onto the rest of the battleships, causing more destruction until she tripped and was caught in a Plasma Cannon blast that blew away the mech's lower leg. They listened as she spoke to Faye and Calara, all of them worried about the loss of contact with Alyssa. John shot Alyssa a pointed look, then watched the last few minutes of combat, with the Raptor arriving to help take down the last battleship.

Picking up Sakura, John effortlessly lifted her into his lap so she was facing him. He cupped her face and looked into her deep brown eyes. "That was extremely impressive, but you exposed yourself to huge amounts of danger. You know I would've wanted you to retreat after you were caught in that first explosion... so why did you keep on fighting like that?"

There was a flicker of remorse in her almond eyes for disobeying the spirit of his orders, but she didn't turn away from his penetrating gaze. "I had to keep up the pressure... the Kintark would have continued bombarding Unity City if I'd retreated. Those people needed me to protect them."

John didn't reply for a long moment and just brushed his thumb across her soft golden-brown cheek. "You risked your life to save several-hundred-thousand citizens... Did it alleviate the guilt? About Shinatobe?"

Sakura bit her lip then slowly nodded, eyes welling up as she fought to keep it together.

"No one ever blamed you for what happened while you were abducted," John said gently, wrapping his arms around her. "You had no control... you were a prisoner in your own mind."

"I know... but I felt like I had to make it right," she whispered, voice trembling with emotion. "I could see every one of their deaths; men, women, children... so many that died by my hands."

"You saved all those Trankarans at Khalgron and protected Unity City from complete destruction; do you feel like you have your absolution now?" John persisted, his expression taut with worry. "You were incredibly brave to take on that fleet, but I'm not going to let you fight if you keep putting your life in this much danger every battle. I won't let you martyr yourself, Sakura. I love you too much to let you just throw your life away."

Her face crumpled and she leaned into his chest, hugging him tight for support. Between sobs, she blurted out, "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to scare you like that. It's over now, I promise..."

John held her close, rubbing her back as she cried softly against him, finally letting go of the guilt she'd been holding onto all this time. Alyssa and Dana were closest and they joined in the hug, stroking the Asian girl as they murmured loving words to her. When she'd calmed down enough, Sakura turned to give everyone a shy smile of embarrassment.

"You can stay here with me," John said fondly, refusing to let her go.

Sakura brushed the tears from her eyes and laughed. "Okay, but can I turn around to watch what everyone else did in the battle?"

"Alright, that sounds reasonable," he agreed with a smile, letting her turn so she was sitting with her back against his chest.

"Who would you like to see next?" Faye asked when Sakura had settled down.

John's gaze drifted to Calara. "Do you mind if we come back to you last? From what I can gather you made the biggest impact at the end of the battle."

"Of course," the Latina replied, not minding in the slightest. "Perhaps Irillith should go next?"

"That's not a problem!" Faye immediately agreed, queuing up the relevant footage. "Is everyone ready?"

When they confirmed that they were, Faye wound back the recordings to the relevant stage, then began to play the footage. Everyone watched with interest as the Maliri hacker took control of the captured Kintark dreadnought, then proceeded to turn it on the imperial forces. Between the Singularity Drivers and the massed batteries of Plasma Cannons, Irillith racked up a staggering number of Kintark ship kills, blowing apart shieldless vessels that tried to rotate away from the front lines.

John overheard the discussion on the Invictus' Bridge about having to stay within range of the Hera and asked, "What is your maximum hacking range, Irillith?"

"Just over interdiction and Beam Laser range," she replied, frowning as she watched the point where she had to relinquish control of the massive vessel. "It's a shame... that ship could deal out a serious amount of damage."

Alyssa frowned and asked, "Isn't that just the limits to a hack from the Invictus' communications array? What about if you create your own psychic bridge, like you did against Mikaboshi's battlecruiser?"

Tashana nodded and put her arm around her twin. "You're so much stronger now than you were back then. You should experiment, see if you can go further..."

Irillith blinked in surprise, then smiled bashfully. "I should have thought of that myself."

"I bet you could also hack multiple ships at once," Alyssa said, looking thoughtful.

The Maliri laughed in disbelief. "You're kidding right?"

"No, not at all," the blonde replied, completely serious. "You've been experimenting with splitting your consciousness for months now, just like Dana does. It started with speaking to us on the Bridge while entering the Cyber Realm at the same time, but you were also doing the same thing on the Hera. While you were... playing... with Melkadian and Norwood using a psychic projection, you were still in full control of the dreadnought."

Irillith deflated and gave John a guilty look. "I thought I'd done a good job, but it sounds like I let everybody down."

Sakura smiled and moved aside, giving Irillith room when John beckoned her over.

"Not at all, beautiful. I was just curious about hacking ranges, I didn't mean to make you feel like I was criticising," John said honestly as he pulled Irillith into a comforting embrace. Glancing up at the holo-screen, he saw the Kintark fleet turning on one another, with Irillith causing total mayhem amongst their forces. "You've always been an absolute terror in these ship battles. Just look at what you did to them: you're venting crews, firing on friendly ships and setting up rams... I almost feel sorry for those poor bastards."

"Hacking enemy ships is a huge force multiplier," Calara said sincerely, giving Irillith an encouraging smile. "The effect on morale is devastating, your hacking sows confusion in their ranks, and there's a huge reduction in incoming fire. Don't worry, you made a massive contribution to this battle."

"Still... I'll work on it," Irillith promised, a determined look in her violet eyes. "Maybe next time we can have twice the devastation!"

"That's the spirit," John said with a smile. "Finding out all of Melkadian's plans was really important too, thank you."

She glanced at Dana, who gave her a grateful kiss. "Yeah, thanks a million for that... I felt like total shit after what happened with the mines, but knowing that the Kintark were planning to kill everyone made a massive difference." Turning to smile at Alyssa, Dana added, "Fuck them, they were bad guys... right?"

"Exactly!" Alyssa replied, breaking into a grin.

Irillith brushed her fingers through Dana's hair and gave her an affectionate smile. "Who's your favourite twin?"

The redhead laughed and threw her arms around Irillith, the two of them tumbling onto the bed with her exuberance. "Definitely you! Sorry, Tashana."

Tashana smiled and shook her head. "She's my favourite twin too."

When Dana sat up, John raised an eyebrow and asked, "Shall we do you next?"

She grinned at him for the innuendo-laden comment, but then her smile died as she glanced at the holo-images. "Do we have to?" she asked, sounding distressed.

Calara reached out to hold her hand and squeezed it in sympathy. "I think we should, but I want you to watch something first." Glancing at Faye, she continued, "Please play Projection-01."

Faye blinked and the fleet locations on the System Map were updated. Dana sat up, her eyes darting around the map, searching for the Raptor gunship.

"This isn't right, Faye. We were half-way through the minefield when the battlefield was like this," she said, her expression taut with worry.

The Latina shook her head. "This is what would have happened if you hadn't taken out the carrier group. I described the scenario to Faye and she created this simulation..."

Dana stared at the holographic map with wide eyes, watching as the enormous Kintark carrier fleet started launching wave after wave of bombers. Supported by the huge numbers of Kintark fighters, the bomber waves advanced towards the Terran Federation lines, looking like a swarm of enraged killer bees. The Maliri strike craft put up a good fight, but they were outnumbered fifty-to-one and began taking heavy losses, while the last of the Claymore fighters were soon wiped out. With strike craft supremacy established, the Kintark bombers swept unopposed through the Terran lines.

Battle group after battle group were torn to pieces by torpedo strikes, their Gatling Laser defence grids standing no chance of stopping the shielded bombers. Everywhere Dana looked, Terran cruisers and battleships were ablaze in a conflagration of green plasma fire, the battle an utter catastrophe for the Federation side. The only battle group that escaped the vengeful slaughter by the bombers was that guarded by the Invictus, but it was only a temporary reprieve. The white battlecruiser was eventually forced to withdraw to avoid being overwhelmed by Kintark capital ships. Massively outnumbered, the Invictus, the Maliri, and Dacres' fleet all had to jump out, leaving the Sol system at the mercy of the Kintark.
"But you could've turned it around," Dana said to Calara, shaking her head, doubt in her eyes. "You always find a way..."

"It's accurate, Sparks, I promise," the brunette said soberly. "I told John the same thing just after the battle; If it wasn't for your intervention to stop the Kintark bomber assault, the Terran forces would've been annihilated. If High Command had called and given me time to prepare the battlefield, I could've crushed the Kintark so badly in the first ten minutes, they'd have been begging to surrender. As it was, I barely managed to keep what was left of the Terran forces intact... we were teetering on a knife-edge."

Faye gave her friend a sympathetic smile and said, "I ran the numbers... total projected deaths on the Terran side would have been over 3.5 million crewmen. The Kintark would have destroyed Olympus Shipyard that afternoon and probably started bombarding more cities on the homeworld planets as well as on Gravitus."

Calara nodded, her expression grim. "If we employed guerrilla tactics with the Invictus and the Maliri, we would have eventually been able to whittle down the Kintark armada. However, by that time it would have been too late, the damage would have been done. With the Terran forces wiped out, the Federation would be left at the mercy of the Brimorians and the Kirrix."

John stroked the redhead's back and said, "You know we have to prepare for the fight against the Progenitor... we wouldn't have been able to stick around to defend Terran Space. There's about 80 billion Terrans living in the Federation and this battle determined their fate."

Dana welled up, turning to look at Alyssa. "You really meant it... I wasn't completely sure; I thought you guys were just trying to make me feel better."

"I knew you still needed convincing," the blonde said, tears in her eyes as she hugged her friend. "BFF's don't lie to each other remember."

John waited until the Karron girls had finished their loving hug, before he beckoned Dana over to join him. "Think you're up to watching what actually happened?"

Dana snuggled into his arms and nodded. "I had to take them out... I can see that now."

Faye set up the footage for the Raptor, clearing away the scenes of desolation in Calara's projected battle. Everyone was transfixed by the sight of the white gunship tearing through the minefield, gathering a huge procession of magnetic mines behind them, all the while only metres from disaster. The Raptor swept past the vast carrier group, only to turn sharply and pull away... which was the point when Dana unleashed hell on the Kintark.

The blastwave was breathtaking even in holographic form, with thousands of magnetic mines detonated within a split-second of each other. In the epicentre of that colossal explosion, the massed ranks of enormous battlecarriers and carriers were there one moment, then just gone an instant later, totally obliterated by the terrifying destructive power of the detonation. The hushed silence in the aftermath was deafening, with Dana looking at her friends with apprehension.

"I'm glad you're on our side, babes," Rachel said with a loving smile, leaning over to give Dana a tender kiss.

John felt Dana relax in his arms and he hugged her tight, sharing the brunette's sentiments. The rest of the girls murmured supportive words to the redhead, knowing she needed reassurance at that moment and she thanked them with a grateful smile. Jehanna caught John's eye and she gaped at him in shock for a moment, obviously reeling from what she'd just seen.

"You okay?" he mouthed to her.

She blinked owlishly a couple of times, then managed a slow nod.

"Alright then, let's move on to Calara," John suggested when everyone had settled down.

Faye had anticipated his request, so had the relevant files at the ready. She started the playback and they watched the Latina assume command of the battle from Admiral Caldwell, then charge to her brother's rescue, saving the battleship Orion from destruction. Calara flashed John a look filled with gratitude at that point and they shared a smile before watching the rest of the battle play out. The bulk of her time was spent issuing rapid fleet commands over the battle-group interface, but they all sat up and paid close attention as she bluffed Weber into fleeing from his dreadnought.

"That was very impressive, exploiting his cowardice and convincing him the Odin was doomed," Rachel said with an appreciative grin.

"It was actually all Jade's idea," Calara admitted. "She thought he'd make a run for it if his life was in danger. I'm just glad we didn't have to lose the Odin to get to him."

Faye frowned and asked, "What would you have done if Weber hadn't tried to flee in that stealth shuttle?"

Calara spread her hands helplessly. "There wasn't much else I could do, I was too busy trying to rally the Federation forces."

"Jade was already on her way to the Odin when you called Weber," Alyssa said with a wry smile. "If it hadn't have worked, she would've done to that dreadnought what she ended up doing to Tartarus."

Jehanna cleared her throat and said, "I know Jade disobeyed orders, but she arrived just in time. They'd been starving me for days and finally decided I was weak enough to start interrogating when Jade assaulted the base."

"Can I see?" Alyssa asked her gently.

The dusky girl looked at her in confusion. "They were probably recording it, but I don't have a copy of the video."

"I'd like to look at the memory," the blonde requested, beckoning her over. "It won't hurt, I promise."

Jehanna moved across the bed to sit in front of Alyssa. She didn't flinch away as those cerulean eyes started to glow and the blonde raised a slender hand to caress her temple. Alyssa's expression shifted a couple of times as she looked into her friend's mind, smiling briefly, before shifting to an angry frown, and finally laughing in delight.

"You were very brave... and you can really keep your head in a crisis," she said sounding impressed, before leaning forward to give Jehanna an affectionate kiss. "Would you mind if I showed the others?"

The Indian girl gave her a brief nod, looking embarrassed. "Okay, if you want to."

Alyssa raised an eyebrow and glanced at Irillith, who rolled her eyes and sat next to Jehanna. "Do I get the same promise? Is this going to hurt?"

"I'll be very gentle," the blonde replied with a flirtatious wink.

She touched Irillith's temple with her left hand, while maintaining contact with Jehanna using her right. The Maliri girl's eyes glowed with a violet light and she let out a soft gasp as she began projecting the memories that Alyssa was reading. Everyone watched the interrogation in deathly silence, afraid for their friend. As Jehanna turned the tables on her interrogators, the girls were grinning as she goaded them, up until the point where Sergeant Green hit her.

"I should've taken longer with him," Irillith snarled, seething with anger. The stony faces around the room offered no argument.

When Jehanna had scared the men enough for them to back away from her in fear, her audience laughed, shaking their heads in amazement.

"Alyssa was right, you're very astute," Rachel said, smiling at the new girl in admiration. "I couldn't have done a finer job of exploiting their fears myself. The way you used your interviews with John to convince them they were all dead men for capturing you was inspired."

"It was mostly a bluff," Jehanna admitted with a self-conscious shrug. She clasped Irillith's hand and continued, "I didn't realise I was being prophetic."

"We protect our own," the Maliri girl said firmly, before pulling her into a hug. "I'm just glad I managed to get there in time."

"While we're on the subject of Tartarus, what's the plan?" Tashana asked, turning to look at John.

"I'm still getting life readings from inside the base!" Faye interjected.

John paused for a moment, then said, "We need to search it for any surviving captives, extract any useful data, and clear out the rest of the scientists and soldiers." He smiled at Jehanna and added, "Would you be interested in another exclusive?"

She nodded eagerly. "Are you sending out another warning?" she asked, brown eyes shining with excitement.

"Something like that," he replied with a chuckle.

"I already tried hacking their digital network, but it's a closed system, they have no external gateways," Irillith said, looking thoughtful. "But if I can get near any terminal inside, I'll be able to crack the place in no time."

"Alright, we'll wrap up the debrief, then hunt down the rest of the rats," John said, smiling at Jehanna.

She blushed, and said, "Don't... I was trying to sound menacing, but I felt ridiculous. I'm amazed I managed to scare them off."

Alyssa stroked her arm and said, "It sounded pretty scary to me. You were right by the way, we'll be burning their house down once we've got what we need..."

John turned to Faye and asked, "Can you play the rest of the battle please? No more interruptions or digressions this time, I promise."

"It's okay, I don't mind!" the purple sprite said with a grin, before playing the rest of the recording.

The battle played out under Calara's masterful control, with the Terran forces pulling back, forcing the Kintark into a narrower grouping as they pursued. The Invictus and the Maliri fleet vaporised any Kintark ships that got too eager in their pursuit, giving the beleaguered Federation ships a chance to withdraw without being overwhelmed. Then as soon as they were in range of the defensive emplacements around Saturn, her allied forces counter-attacked, catching the Kintark completely by surprise. The vengeful retribution they inflicted was brutal in its near-total destruction of the invaders, leaving barely a hundred Kintark ships to surrender at the end.

John got up to go to Calara, wrapping her in his arms. "I know you consider this battle to be a strategic defeat, but we survived and can learn from the mistakes we made. Your command of those battle groups was flawless, with men and women decades older than you deferring to your leadership. You're gaining experience, and improving your skills as a fleet commander, which will all count when it really matters."

"We'll be better prepared next time," she said firmly, before smiling and giving him a kiss. "But thank you, it means a lot to hear you say that."

Faye was watching and waiting for John to glance her way. "Tashana next?"

"Sure," he agreed, turning to watch the previous holograms disappear, to be replaced by the Kintark satellite video and her Paragon suit camera footage.

Skipping the orbital drop on Terra, Faye started with Tashana landing on the Kintark battlecarrier. The girls who hadn't been part of the planetary assault team watched in awe, as the Maliri pyrokinetic summoned up a legion of flame sprites and turned them into an infernal tornado.

"I think you killed more Kintark troops with that thing than all the rest of us combined," John said, marvelling at the destruction the conflagration left in its wake. "I had no idea you'd become so powerful."

"All that practicing's really been paying off," Alyssa added, giving the twin a warm smile of approval. "You made that look effortless."

Tashana nodded slowly. "I've been trying to push my limits... practicing creating barriers until I'm all out of energy, that kind of thing. I guess it's like anything; the more you train, the better you become."

"Wow!" Sakura exclaimed, pointing at Tashana's armour camera playback. "Did you just stop a Plasma Cannon bolt with a psychic shield?!"

The Maliri girl nodded, then replied quietly, "It felt really good to be able to protect with my powers rather than just destroy. I've burned a lot of people... defending someone was a first." She looked at Dana and made eye contact with her, letting her know with a glance that she shared and understood her fears.

The redhead turned to Alyssa with a conflicted look on her face. "You told them?!"

"We all love you, Sparks. They were just as worried about you as I was," the blonde replied, not backing down from her friend's accusatory stare. "You can talk to any of us, we all know what you're going through."

Dana relaxed, then looked grateful. "Thank you. It's great to know you've all got my back."

The video continued, with Tashana incinerating Royal Guard corpses and immolating squads of Kintark with fireballs from her Reaper pistols. When Baledranax's psychic dampener cut in, the Maliri pistoleer was forced to rely solely on her twin handguns, but they were more than deadly enough to mow down hundreds of soldiers as she defended the Citadel.

John smiled at her and shrugged. "Calm under fire, lethal on the battlefield, and you shielded your squadmates to keep them safe. You were magnificent... there's not much else I can say."

Tashana gave him a sparkling smile, overjoyed to receive such warm praise.

"You always were the goodie-two-shoes," Irillith grumbled, pretending to pout.

Her twin looked innocent as a fiery halo appeared above her head. "Practice makes perfect, beloved sister..."

Irillith snorted. "Show off!"

Everyone laughed at their playful banter until Alyssa blurted out, "You didn't have to make a gesture to do that!"

Tashana smiled as she looked at the blonde and a pair of cavorting flame sprites appeared above her shoulders, dancing seductively. "It just takes a little more concentration..."

Everyone watched in fascination as she added more flickering elementals, adding details to their faces until they resembled each of the girls in the bedroom. Tashana darted a smouldering glance at John, then created a blazing replica of the bed, with a larger fiery figure sitting in the middle. The giggling pack of flame sprites descended on him, burying John's avatar under a pile of shapely limbs.

He laughed and nodded. "Later, after we clear Tartarus."

The mood in the bedroom shifted and there was an impatience amongst the girls to get started now.

"Shall I go next?" Rachel asked, eager to get things moving.

Faye queued up the video and they were soon watching their kind-hearted medic shooting Kintark fighters out of the sky with her Reaper Cannon. She turned her attention to the ground forces next, scything that unending stream of blue laser bolts through anything that got in their way. Soldiers, Royal Guard, even tanks... Rachel gunned them all down without hesitation.

"Fuck me..." Dana muttered, eyeing her girlfriend and shaking her head. "You went on a kill-crazy rampage!"

Rachel smiled and raised an eyebrow, making the redhead blush, knowing she was a fine one to talk.

"Skip the fight with the Emperor," John said to Faye. "We'll come back to that with Alyssa..."

"Sure!" the purple sprite replied, knowing what he wanted to see next.

She switched to Tashana's Paragon armour footage, which showed a close-up view of a helmetless Rachel gliding serenely through the Terran troops. Her misty aura healed everyone it touched, with critically wounded soldiers gasping in amazement as their pain was soothed away, wounds closing and regenerating in her wake. The looks of wonder and profound gratitude were humbling to see, and Rachel couldn't help blushing when her audience turned to look at her in awe.

"You looked so beautiful and so happy," Dana said softly, her words filled with admiration and longing. She embraced her lover and whispered, "You were like an angel of mercy... I can't believe you're mine."

"It felt wonderful," Rachel said, stroking her back. She looked at John over Dana's shoulder. "Thank you..."

"You're welcome," he said, pleased to see one of the girls revelling in her abilities rather than getting upset by them.

Alyssa reached out to brush her fingers along his arm. "It was a really smart move giving Rachel the ability to heal." She looked at him innocently as she continued, "Imagine if it was you having to heal all those soldiers?" She mimicked furiously jerking off, then put her hands up in the air as if trying to avoid drowning in a deluge of jism. "Argh! I thought being shot was bad, now it's raining cum!"

The girls fell about laughing and John couldn't help chuckling along with them. "Yeah, I don't think I'd want that charming image broadcast across the Terran Federation..."

When all the giggling subsided, Faye piped up, "After Rachel's dramatic demonstration of her abilities, we've started receiving messages requesting her help."

"How many so far?" John asked.

"Just over 200,000 in the last five hours. I've assembled a team of avatars to filter through them all, but I suspect it's going to get a lot worse..."

John paused to consider that for a moment, then shrugged as he smiled at Rachel. "You did the right thing healing those soldiers and we'll just have to deal with the consequences. I'm very proud of you, honey. Well done."

She grinned at him, then glanced at Alyssa. "It's your turn, revered Matriarch."

The blonde rolled her eyes at the brunette. "Okay hit it, Faye."

They were treated to a spectacular shot from Alyssa's helmet cam, with the blonde's armoured hands gesturing towards a Kintark battlecarrier. She casually ripped off one of its engines and dropped it on the legions below, then stripped off all the retro-thrusters on that flank. The propulsion system was enormous and knowing that she was tearing it free using only her mind, made the video enthralling to see. She proceeded to do the same thing to a second Kintark capital ship, before leading her fellow Lionesses in a death-defying leap from the third battlecarrier they were standing on.

As soon as they reached the planet's surface, she started gunning down troops with her telekinetically controlled Reaper Cannon. Alyssa's accuracy wasn't inhibited by the unorthodox firing method, the long support weapon pivoting left and right, mowing down Kintark troops by the score. With her hands free, she was able to hurl around Kintark tanks with telekinesis, battering dozens of armoured vehicles as they carved their way towards the Citadel's last defences.

Tashana darted a knowing smile at the blonde when she saw her create the whirling wall of telekinetic weapons. "You really were pulling your punches in our duel..."

"What duel was that?" John asked curiously, looking at each in turn.

Alyssa winked at the Maliri then replied, "Just a little psychic sparring session. A bit like what you do with Calara and Sakura, but I don't usually fuck Tashana in the ass afterwards..."

He laughed along with the girls, then they all focused on the video again. When Alyssa's powers mysteriously cut out, she soared across the battlefield with Rachel and Tashana following close behind. They landed on the battlements and mowed down the Kintark assaulting the last lines of defence around the Citadel. After stopping the assault cold, she joined Rachel in shooting Baledranax as he tried to escape, Reaper Cannon fire lacerating his wings and bringing him crashing to the ground.

John glanced at her and frowned, "You being exposed to that psychic dampener highlighted just how critical you are to our group. As soon as your psychic powers were neutralised, it left us highly exposed, particularly the girls fighting in the fleet battle. Sakura ran out of energy for her powers and she immediately ran into trouble... You're the hub of our telepathic communications, as well as the one who shares out all the girls' psychic energy. I know you're going to hate the idea, but wouldn't it be sensible for you to stay aboard the Invictus in these kinds of fights?"

Alyssa immediately shook her head. "How often are we going to run into devices that shut down our powers like that? I can do far more good backing you up than just piloting the Invictus; Jade can do that job just as well as I can."
Dana perked up and asked, "Did you find out what shut you down? If you salvaged it, I'd love to take a look!"

John shook his head ruefully. "Afraid not. I shot the device to deactivate it, but it exploded shortly afterwards... there was nothing left."

"Could the Kintark have developed such a device on their own?" Tashana asked, looking highly sceptical.

There was a pause as they all considered that for a moment. Eventually Dana replied, "Nah, I doubt it. They don't even have any Kintark psychics, so how could they develop something to block them?"

"We know the Progenitor has a history of giving out gifts to his pawns; he did give numerous devices to the Drakkar," the Maliri girl said. "Is it fair to assume that this is one of his too?"

"Actually, he's called Larn'kelnar," Alyssa said offhandedly.

Everyone gaped at her in shock and John blurted out, "How do you know that?!"

"The Emperor met him several times," the blonde said with a triumphant grin. "I read Baledranax's mind just before you char-grilled him remember? That's why you always need me at your side."

"Why didn't you say anything earlier?" John asked, looking at her with wide eyes.

"We had to rescue Jade right after the battle, then everyone was knackered and needed a rest. This is the first opportunity we've had to properly talk since then," Alyssa replied with a shrug. She winked at John and added, "Want to see what he looks like?"

He nodded in a daze. "Of course!"

She waved Irillith over again, then placed her hand on the Maliri girl's temple. The projection that shone from her violet eyes wasn't sharp and distinct like the one from Jehanna's memory, but it did reveal a shadowy figure wearing a hood who walked confidently into a vast throne room.

"Why's the picture all fucked up like that?" Dana asked in frustration, squinting at the grainy image. "We need a better look at him!"

"It's my memory of the Emperor's memory, that's why it's all so hazy," Alyssa explained with a helpless shrug. "Anyway, keep watching..."

Larn'kelnar drew back his cowl and the girls gasped when he revealed his handsome face. There was something about his features that strongly reminded the girls of their own Progenitor.

Rachel turned to look at John and said quietly, "Do you see the resemblance too?"

He froze and looked at her in shock. "What are you saying? You think that he's what... my father?"

"I have no way of knowing, but there is an uncanny likeness..." the brunette murmured, turning back to scrutinise the image more closely.

Calara frowned and said, "In the Nexus files, Mael'nerak said something about Ranagon being his brother..."

Dana nodded eagerly. "Yeah, you're right! He said: 'One of my brothers... another Progenitor seeks to challenge my dominion'." She turned to stare at John, her eyes going wide. "Maybe he's your brother!"

There was quiet in the room as all the girls turned to look at John, who was stunned at the thought.

"Larn'kelnar actually means something in ancient Maliri," Tashana said softly.

"What is it?" John asked, not sure he wanted to know the answer.

"The Soul Reaver," she replied in a hushed voice.

Dana winced and gave John a look of sympathy. "He sounds like a real friendly guy."

John took a deep breath then sat up straight, his voice cold and hard as he said, "This doesn't change anything. We already knew he was responsible for the deaths of millions; Trankarans, Ashanath, Drakkar, Kintark, Terrans... He'll pay for what he's done."

Alyssa nodded, eyes narrowing. "He's a bad guy who desperately needs killing."

John put his arm around her and said, "Thank you for showing me this. It was good to finally see who we're up against." He paused for second, glancing at the violet-hued image. "Did you find out anything else?"

"Everything between the Progenitor and the Kintark Empire went down pretty much as we guessed it had," Alyssa replied, remembering what she'd gleaned from the dragon's memories. "Larn'kelnar made contact with the Emperor, then promised to support the Kintark in their conquest of the Terran Federation. Baledranax knew all about the Dragon March traitors and used the information Norwood was sending to orchestrate some stunning victories for the Empire. Lynton never dealt with the Emperor directly, she used Norwood as her puppet."

He nodded as he listened attentively. "What about the Brimorians?"

"They've been allied with the Kintark for over a century. Both empires kept it quiet, but they were acting together to counter Terran expansionism. After the Brimorians captured all those Terran colonists in the Callopean Shoals, Baledranax traded the gene-modification tech with Deep Lord Athgiloi's predecessor..." She grimaced as she continued, "The Brimorians kept most of the young women to breed the Abandoned, giving the Kintark all the men and older women... Those poor bastards were worked to death in slave camps, like the Xen-Nuchek mine where we rescued Mateo."

"We have to make them pay for that!" Sakura snarled, face twisting with anger.

"Definitely, but we might have to wait a few weeks first," John said, leaning back against the headboard. "The bulk of the Terran forces are in no shape to fight, and we need to start rolling out shield upgrades on the Maliri fleets before we commit them to battle."

Dana glanced at the ship's chronometer and frowned. "We better wind this up soon and sort out Tartarus. We need to get cracking on our repairs as soon as possible."

"How bad is it? I saw the Valkyrie took a hammering..." John said, making eye-contact with Sakura and giving her a reassuring smile to let her know he wasn't upset with her.

The redhead waved at Faye. "Better show him the damage status..."

Faye deactivated the System Map and brought up an image of the Valkyrie with a damage status overlay. "There you go."

Dana studied it for a second, then allowed herself a cautious smile. "The mech looks bad, but most of that is cosmetic damage to the armour from the explosion. An actuator in the thigh seized-up, and the right leg was blown away below the knee. It should only take a few hours to fabricate all the parts we need, then a few more to rebuild the busted leg. Either you or Alyssa could re-armour the Valkyrie in an hour or so."

"Perfect! We can get the Valkyrie fixed by tonight. How about the Invictus?" John asked, bracing himself for bad news.

Dana turned to face John and winced, "We've got a shitload of work ahead of us there..."

Faye brought up the damage status display for the battlecruiser and the shocked silence from the audience spoke volumes. Almost every square metre of the ship was sporting plasma burns, the once-majestic white plating now a blackened ruin. The worst damage was at the stern, where the three starboard engines were totally destroyed, and a plasma fire had raged unchecked through the rear of the ship.

"Fuck me..." John muttered when he saw the state of the Invictus.

"I'm so sorry!" Faye wailed, wringing her hands together in consternation. "I tried to keep the ship out of danger, but I'm nowhere near as good a pilot as Jade or Alyssa!"

John crooked a finger at her. "Come here, Faye."

She hung her head as she got up from the chair and walked over to the bed, her feet dragging as if she were approaching the hangman's noose.

When she climbed onto the bed, John pulled her into a hug and gave her a broad smile. "Silly girl, you were amazing today! We literally couldn't have beaten the Kintark without you."

"Really?" she asked in disbelief, looking up at him with a flicker of hope in her big expressive eyes.

"Of course! You took complete control of the Invictus and the Raptor; Calara and Dana couldn't have swung the battle in our favour without you there to man the ships for them. If you hadn't been there to take over as pilot to replace Jade, she wouldn't have been able to go after Weber. I'm not happy that she abandoned ship like that, but she probably saved the lives of her four sisters and Jehanna because of it," John said earnestly.

The TFNN reporter reached over to clasp her hand. "Thank you, Faye..."

"You're welcome!" the purple sprite exclaimed, giving her a smile of delight.

Dana cast her professional eye over the red-tinged hologram. "We lost a power regulator and a bunch of retro-thrusters, but aside from the engines, we actually got away fairly light in terms of systems damage." She shrugged and continued, "Everything we lost is replaceable, but John and Alyssa will have to completely re-plate the ship."

Alyssa let out a despairing groan, but when Faye shot her a look of alarm, the blonde waved her concerns away. "Just a bit of indigestion, don't worry."

"I reckon at least 48 hours of work ahead of us to get the ship combat-worthy," Dana said, tapping a finger on her chin. "But that doesn't include the fire damage on Deck Four. The Galley and half the Crew Quarters are a charred mess... that whole section really needs gutting and replacing."

"Perhaps we could get that entire deck refitted at Genthalas?" John suggested, glancing around at the girls. "We'll be there for a while, so it would be a good time to get it done."

"Sounds like a good plan to me," Dana said nodding enthusiastically. "By the way, we don't have to put in a direct replacement. It depends on how important you think it is having spare quarters for guests."

"I'd never really thought about changing it," John freely admitted. "We do end up rescuing people quite often, so having that capacity is useful. Have you got any preferences?"

"Whatever you want is fine by me," the redhead replied. "Oh, speaking of repairs, your Paragon suit is really fucked up. Try not to get the spare suit damaged until I've had a chance to fix your old one."

"I'll be careful," John said with a smile.

Alyssa raised an eyebrow as she looked at him. "Now that sounds like the perfect cue for us to see your exploits in the battle..."

He chuckled and nodded to the girl in his arms. "Go ahead, Faye."

The girls turned to watch in fascination, as Faye displayed a compilation of the girls' Paragon suit footage and the Kintark broadcast fully documenting John in action on Terra.

Irillith gaped at him in amazement when he created the thunderous storm and fried the Kintark flagship with a titanic stroke of lightning. "How did you do that?! There's no way I could control that much power!"

Tashana nudged her with an elbow. "More practice, remember? You'll get there..."

He nodded his agreement with her twin. "I've been using lightning offensively on a few occasions now. With the massive surge in power I had recently, I found it much easier to control... and having a storm already in place helped a lot."

His audience watched enthralled as he fought the Emperor, although they gasped in alarm as Baledranax repeatedly smashed him across the battlefield. They cheered when John rallied himself and took out the psychic dampener, allowing him to fight the Emperor with his full range of powers back in effect. When he finally defeated the dragon, John couldn't miss the smouldering glance Calara gave him, or the awestruck look in Jehanna's eyes. Alyssa stayed silent throughout, disapproval pouring off her, over their empathic bond.

John sighed and looked at the blonde. "Alright, out with it, Alyssa."

"You'd be absolutely furious with any of us if we went charging off alone like that!" she exclaimed, giving him a stern glare. "You going mano-a-mano with the Emperor might make for an awesome propaganda broadcast, but I care far more about your safety than feeding the Legend of the Lion! Why wouldn't you let me, Rachel, and Tashana gun that bastard down at the start? And don't give me any excuses about us saving the Terran troops instead!"

"It wasn't just the Terran forces in danger of being overrun. Almari, Ilyana, and the Maliri marines were under fire too," he countered, not backing down.

She shook her head and scoffed, "They would've been fine for a few minutes! The Maliri were packing plenty of firepower."

"There were other reasons too," he replied defensively. "First and foremost was that none of us had our powers..."

"But we ended up just shooting through his shield anyway!" Alyssa protested.

"Yes, but I didn't know how strong his shield was going to be," John said firmly. "You didn't have line-of-sight on him at the start of the battle because he was on the opposite side of the Citadel. If you'd repositioned and got too close, he would have been on you before you dropped his shield, and I wasn't going to risk any of you being pounced on by a 200-foot dragon. My armour is also triple-plated whereas yours is only double and believe me, that extra layer saved my hide!"

Alyssa frowned and looked unconvinced. "I think you were just being over-protective. Taking him on alone like that was extremely reckless, especially when you didn't have any powers yourself!"

"Alright, I'm not going to lie, I didn't want you anywhere near that monster," John reluctantly conceded. "But I was genuinely worried about your safety, I wasn't being overly cautious."

"You need to trust us more," she said gently. "We came very close to losing you there... you know we'd be destroyed if anything happened to you."

"The next time I go up against a 200-foot dragon, I promise I'll let you just shoot it out of the sky before I even draw my sword," John said with a hint of a smile.

She laughed and rolled her eyes as she wrapped her arms around him. "I'll hold you to that..."

John hugged her back, then looked around at the rest of the girls. "We better get geared up if we're heading back to Tartarus." He locked eyes with Jehanna. "Let's have a quick chat before we go."

Jehanna nodded, still dazed by everything she'd seen that afternoon.

Alyssa peeled away from him and said, "Take as much time as you need. I'll do that red aura trick and we'll clear out the rest of the bad guys. Come over and join us when you're done talking."

As the girls started heading down to the Combat Bridge to get suited up, John thought to his blonde matriarch, *I didn't have a chance to say it because we digressed a bit, but you were incredible today. I was extremely glad you were there at my side.*

*Any time, handsome,* the blonde replied, blowing him a kiss as she paused at the grav-tube. *I'm your beck and call girl after all... where else would I be?*

She waved goodbye and John found himself alone with Jehanna. "So what did you think of your first Lioness debrief?" he asked sympathetically, seeing how shaken she was.

"It was terrifying!" she admitted, falling into his arms and clinging to him for reassurance.

"I was worried this was a mistake," John said, his expression sombre. "I didn't think you were ready to see us in action... the fighting can get pretty grisly."

She looked up at him and shook her head in disbelief. "It wasn't just the relentless carnage! Watching you and the Lionesses in action was like watching a group of vengeful gods laying waste to everything in sight!"

John wrapped his arms around her and said quietly, "I'm sorry we frightened you. You've got nothing to fear from me or any of the girls, I promise. We would never hurt you."

Jehanna pulled back, a deeply conflicted look on her face. "No, you don't understand! I trust all of you completely, I know I'm totally safe here..."

"What is it then?" he asked, running his fingers through her silky black hair to soothe her.

She darted a wary glance at the grav-tube to make sure they weren't being overheard, then whispered, "It's the girls... they're all so sweet and kind; I've honestly never met a lovelier group of women. I expected some cattiness and a tense social hierarchy when I first met them, but there was nothing like that at all. They welcomed me with open arms when you invited me aboard the ship; I've never felt more cared for."

John frowned in confusion. "You say that like it's a bad thing?"

"It's not... but it just left me totally unprepared to see them in combat," she replied, a haunted look in her eyes. "It was a real shock to see Irillith electrocute those soldiers..."

"I'm not sure puns like that are in good taste," he said gently, trying to lighten the mood.

Jehanna smiled when she realised what he meant, then pushed his arm. "No bad jokes please, it was horrible watching her execute those soldiers like that."

He rubbed her back and said sincerely, "I'm sorry, please continue."

She sighed and glanced at the spot where the holographic images had been displayed. "I know Dana was troubled by what she did in the battle, but for the rest of the girls it was just another day at the office." Turning to look him in the eyes, she continued, "Rachel, Tashana, and Alyssa wiped out thousands of Kintark soldiers and didn't even bat an eyelid! I don't want to end up that blasé about killing people, even if they are 'bad guys'."

John sat back, finally understanding what was bothering her. "You're worried that if you become a Lioness, you'll be turned into a remorseless killer, slaughtering indiscriminately at my command."

"No! I mean... a bit, but you're making me sound so ungrateful and judgemental," she protested, her expression twisted with anguish. "I already feel like I'm betraying the girls by saying this, especially after they just saved my life... but I don't mean it the way you said, I swear!"

"You've got nothing to apologise for. Anyone with a healthy set of morals would feel the same way." His expression was filled with sadness as he continued, "You're right to be afraid. If you stay with me, it would be a case of when that happened to you, not if... We do too much fighting for the girls to be burdened with regrets, they'd probably be all suffering from PTSD otherwise. I haven't really thought about it before, but now you've mentioned it, I'm sure this is another personality change I've made to them."

Jehanna gave him a sympathetic look. "I'm not criticising, I was just concerned..."

John let out a heavy sigh. "I'm a Progenitor. I've tried to fight my nature as much as I can, but you know what my kind do to women, how they turn them into soldiers or breeding stock." He brushed his thumb across her cheek. "Would you like me to take you back to Terra? I can ask Rachel to heal you and-"

"No!" she exclaimed, silencing him with a long tender kiss. When she felt him relax, she pulled back and gave him a coy smile. "I suppose I'm just saying that I'm a lover not a fighter..."

John laughed and pulled her into a hug, holding her close. Glancing over her shoulder, his eyes fell on the two holographic portraits hanging on the wall that Tsarra had made for him. One was of a stylised Lion with his Lionesses, the other depicting a Stallion with his herd.

"I haven't had a chance to tell you yet," he whispered quietly in her ear. "I'm actually going to be a father..."

She jerked back, a sparkling smile lighting up her face as she gasped, "Oh, John, congratulations! Which of the girls is pregnant?!"

He shook his head. "Actually, you haven't met them yet, they aren't part of the crew..."

"They?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm sure you've heard us talk about the Young Matriarchs before. Well, four of them are expecting," he replied, unable to suppress a contented smile.

Jehanna let out a low moan and writhed against him, her pupils dilating with arousal. "I can't believe the thought of you having babies with four other women is turning me on!" She bit her flushed lower lip and straddled him, rubbing her panty-clad pussy against his thickening shaft. "It's really making me hot, John..."

He placed one hand on her hip and the other slid under her shirt to brush across her svelte stomach. "I must have removed any jealousy when I fed you that first time..." he said, a conflicted look in his eyes.
She shrugged nonchalantly. "You gave me lots of warnings that was going to happen, so don't feel bad about it, I certainly don't have any regrets." Her hips started a sensual rocking motion as she purred, "Tell me more about the lucky girls..."

"They're Maliri Matriarchs and they rule four of the biggest Noble Houses," John explained, caressing her slender waist. "Their families were wiped out by assassinations, so they're all eager to start rebuilding their Noble line. They're all wonderful women; lovers not fighters, just like you..."

Jehanna paused, giving him a sultry look. "Are you trying to proposition me? If so, it's working..."

He shook his head, then smiled as he replied, "Actually, I'd love for you to join in our victory celebration later, but that's not why I mentioned the Young Matriarchs. I was just thinking about what you said earlier, about not wanting to fight. There's no reason you can't just continue being a TFNN journalist as we discussed before."

She looked at him in surprise. "So I wouldn't have to become a soldier like the other Lionesses?"

"You don't have to do anything you're not comfortable with," John said, cupping her face. "You could still have a long, rewarding career, but stay a 'secret Lioness' like Devereux."

"I wasn't sure if me being captured changed anything..." Jehanna said anxiously. "My interrogators knew that we were... friends. I'm not sure how 'secret' I'd be now."

John frowned as he looked at her cuts and bruises. "I'm so sorry you got hurt trying to help me. I was worried that all the pro-Lion broadcasts you were doing would make you a target."

"Those bastards actually suckered me over a lead on the Nymphs," Jehanna admitted with a wince. "But that appeal for information on the Lenarrans worked like a charm! I can't believe we rescued four of Jade's sisters! Getting slapped around a bit was well worth it for that." She grinned at him then and added, "Weber's team actually did all the hard work for you. Just think how much effort it would have been trying to track down the Nymphs and liberate them from their owners!"

"That's true, I hadn't thought of it like that before. We guessed that any surviving Nymphs might be owned by the rich and powerful, so extracting them could have been really awkward." He glanced again at her injuries and continued, "But I would've cancelled the whole thing if I'd known you were going to be abducted. I've taken steps to make sure that doesn't happen again..."

"What kind of steps?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

He was quiet for a moment, then looked into her deep brown eyes. "I told Devereux that if anything happens to any of the people I care about and we find out someone in the admiralty is behind it, then they're done. I'll remove all the existing admirals and replace them with girls who are working for me. She knows I'm not bluffing... she'll make sure High Command is looking out for you like a guardian angel; their continued existence depends on your safety."

Jehanna looked stunned for a moment, then her eyes softened and she leaned in to give him a gentle kiss. When she eventually pulled back, she suddenly frowned and asked, "Wait a minute... you don't actually want me to stay with you on the Invictus?"

"I'd love for you to stay here, close to me so I can protect you myself, but we've discussed what'll happen if I keep feeding you." He caressed her slim stomach and continued, "It wouldn't take long, honey. You'd get sucked into all this too and before you knew it, you'd be there with us on the battlefield."

"I thought we weren't making bad puns?" Jehanna asked with a grin, before licking her lips suggestively and grinding against his cock. "Although sucking something big and hard sounds really good right now..."

John reached up to brush the backs of his fingers down her slender neck. "I can't think of anything I'd like more, but we better limit you to three times. That'll be enough to make a connection with Alyssa, but your appearance won't radically change."

"What about my personality?" she asked, tilting up her chin and enjoying the feel of his fingers caressing her throat.

"We don't know for sure how fast those changes kick in, but now I think about it, it probably only takes one time," John replied, enjoying the feel of her soft brown skin under his fingertips. "I've fed a few really horrible Maliri noblewomen before and their personalities transformed dramatically as soon as they woke up."

Jehanna looked down at him in surprise. "But I don't feel any different!"

"You were a lovely girl long before we met," he replied, smiling at her affectionately. John then gazed off into the distance, lost in thought. "The different outlook on fighting might be linked to you completing the full physical Change, but I don't know for sure." He sighed with frustration. "I'm sorry I don't have all the answers for you."

"So what now for you and me?" Jehanna asked quietly. "Can we still see each other?"

"We'll make the connection, then you can go back to your life as the shining star of TFNN," John replied, meeting her curious gaze. "I'd love to keep seeing you whenever I visit Terra, then when we've stopped the other Progenitor-"

"Larn'kelnar..." Jehanna prompted him with a smile.

"When we've stopped Larn'kelnar, then I'm going to retire and focus on my family." Stroking her smooth cheek, he continued, "You can continue with your career for as long as you want to, for decades if that's what you decide. I can always give you your youth back at any time, just like I'm doing for Devereux. When you do want to settle down and raise a family, then I'd love for you to join us in Maliri Space."

Her face lit up with happiness and she leaned into his hand, "That sounds so wonderful! It would be like getting to lead two lives... I could have a successful career without worrying about my biological clock, then start again and be a dedicated mother!"

"Immortality does have its perks," he agreed with a wry smile.

She shook her head in wonder. "You're amazing... but I don't know how I can ever repay you for this."

He eased her backwards and supported her with one hand, then traced a heart pattern over her lower belly. "Yes you do..." he said, looking up to meet her smouldering gaze.

Jehanna moaned with need and crossed her wrists behind his neck. "I'm 26... is that too young to retire?" she purred, before giving him a scorching kiss.

***

Alyssa strolled along the corridor towards the reinforced door, twin streams of glowing orange laser fire from the two defensive turrets hammering at her hexagonal shield. She gestured towards the Gatling Laser turret on the left and hauled it out of the wall to the grating squeal of twisting metal. Dropping it to the floor with a leaden clang, she pointed at the second and ripped it free of its housing, abruptly killing off the second stream of blistering energy bolts.

It was a relief not to have to listen to the annoying high-pitched whine of the Gatling weapons any longer and she could finally relax, enjoying the peace and quiet. Up ahead, past the sealed door, were the last squad of special forces soldiers that had escaped Jade's brutal assault on the Barbican. The Nymph had demolished her way through Tartarus' defences, but she'd been focused on rescuing her sisters, rather than scouring each level of enemies. As soon as Alyssa had sent a psychic pulse through Tartarus, she'd been able to quickly identify any survivors who'd fled from the enraged dragon and now the Lionesses were hunting them down.

*I've cleaned out levels 24 to 14,* Sakura reported, as the Asian girl raced alone through the tunnels. *They were doing some horrible stuff here... I see why everyone I've met has been tagged in red.*

Rachel sounded disgusted as she said, *I've found evidence of live alien dissections and horrific experimentation, illegal cybernetic surgeries, weaponised virology with tests on Terrans... This place was involved in every immoral field of research I've ever heard of.*

*We've found a few dozen more hangars, but they were all demolished when Ganymede was blown up,* Dana informed her, having entered the lower levels at the rear of the base. *Looks like Weber's men dug out the destroyer then repaired docking bay 249.*

*We'll continue exploring the original tunnels,* Calara said, the Latina keeping a watchful eye on their Chief Engineer, just in case Dana's enthusiasm to investigate overcame her caution. *From what we've seen so far, this was part of a robot manufacturing facility. No sign of any Nexus servers so far.*

*I've reached their command centre with Irillith,* Tashana chimed in next. *I suspect most of the garrison fell back here to escape from Jade. They made a valiant last stand, but we've dealt with them all...*

*I've hacked my way into their digital network,* Irillith quickly added. *I've located their server farms and started downloading their archives.*

*Thanks for the updates, girls,* Alyssa replied, pointing both fists at the reinforced door, psychic energy swirling down her arms. *John's arriving at the upper hangar with Jehanna in a minute. Let me know if you find anything else interesting.*

A pulsating nimbus of white energy enveloped her clenched fists, slowly throbbing in time with her heartbeat as she channelled more eldritch power into that roiling orb. Alyssa could feel the energy building to a critical point and felt a thrill of excitement as she reached that crescendo. Tashana was right; practice did make perfect and this was getting easier every time. Unleashing her will, the incandescent beam of pure white light blasted outwards with a bass boom, coring straight through the wall ahead of her. She swept the beam across the door then along the wall, melting a broad rift through the room beyond.

Just as suddenly as that blistering beam had burst into life, it flickered out again, leaving a few motes of light in its wake. What was left of the reinforced door crashed to the floor, the noise deafeningly loud in the sudden silence. Alyssa walked up to the ravaged doorway and peeked inside, noting with satisfaction that the soldiers hiding behind the computer consoles had been obliterated to a man.

*I've taken care of the last of the soldiers on the top level, let me know if any of you need help,* she said breezily, then strode back towards the hangar, eager to meet up with John.

***

"How's the armour fit?" John asked, as he walked out of the stealth shuttle's airlock, then held out a hand for his companion.

"It's surprisingly comfortable," Jehanna replied, looking up at him through the clear-crystal faceplate of her Paragon helmet as she clasped his hand. She glanced down at her chest and raised an eyebrow. "I don't fill it out quite as well as the rest of the girls though."

He shook his head and smiled. "Are you fishing for compliments? You know I think you're gorgeous, right?"

She grinned at him and replied, "I certainly won't object to some flattery..."

"In that case, you're a sultry, dusky-hued goddess with a bewitching exotic sensuality," Alyssa purred, strolling over to join them.

Jehanna flushed at the effusive praise. "I'd forgotten what a silver-tongued devil you are."

"I'm looking forward to giving you another reminder back on the ship," Alyssa said with a flirtatious grin, before turning to face John. "I've cleared the top couple of levels, Sakura started from the bottom and is taking out the rest of the bad guys. The girls are just checking to see if there's anything interesting but they should be done in about thirty minutes or so."

"Thanks, honey," John said, before returning his attention to the raven-haired girl beside him. "Are you sure about this? Won't coming back here stir up too many bad memories?"

Jehanna stood up straighter and was firm as she said, "I want to remember this place after you've sacked it, not as it was before. Besides, this will be a hell of a story! Avery's going to have a stroke when I give him an interview with the Lion from inside a top-secret illegal research facility!"

"It's quite a mess in there," Alyssa said softly, looking at her with concern. "You might need to brace yourself; Jade wasn't very happy about her sisters being abducted..."

"I'll be alright," the reporter replied, giving her a grateful smile.

"Is Irillith looking for cam footage?" John asked the blonde. "I'd be interested to see Jade in action."

Alyssa tilted her head to one side, her eyes losing focus for a second. "Yes, she's already downloaded it."

They walked across the hangar, circling the charred wreckage of the shuttle that Faye had destroyed to stop anyone escaping. The Invictus' Pulse Cannons had made a fine demonstration of their destructive power, the shuttle torn apart by scores of powerful laser bolts. The trio reached the airlock door that Alyssa had already forced open, then started making their way along the lengthy security passage. The first real sign of Jade's handiwork was at the end of the corridor, where the security doors had been smashed asunder, a huge hole battered through what had once been the titanium-reinforced doorframe.

"Oh wow..." Jehanna murmured in awe, when she saw the scenes of devastation across the yawning crevasse.

Alyssa nodded, pointing to the deep claw marks gouged through the floor. "Yeah, this is where Jade embraced her inner-dragon. It starts getting messy from here..."

***

Jade listened to John's thoughts and smiled to herself as he surveyed the carnage she'd wreaked while storming the base. She felt his astonishment and admiration for the way she'd battered her way through reinforced bulkheads and dozens of laser turrets. In truth, she'd been so focused on reaching her sisters as quickly as possible, the defences and soldiers had just been an annoying obstacle in her path.

A gentle touch to Jade's lips brought her attention back to Neysa and Leylira, the Nymphs sitting with her on one of the wide sun-loungers next to the Lagoon.

"What made you smile, sister?" Neysa asked inquisitively, her fingers tracing the outline of Jade's upturned lips.

"I can hear our Master's thoughts," Jade explained, reaching for the girl's hand and kissing her fingertips. "He's proud of me for rescuing you, but unsure how to punish me for disobeying his orders and leaving the ship just before a big battle."

Leylira gasped, her cat-like eyes widening in disbelief. "You disobeyed Master?!"

Jade nodded, a sombre expression on her face. "I didn't want to, but I had to rescue you from that place; your lives were in danger."

"This one could never disobey Master's orders!" Neysa exclaimed vehemently, sharing her fellow Nymph's look of incredulity.

"No, you're very good girls," Jade said, opening her arms to the green-skinned beauties, who immediately cuddled up to her as she reclined on the chair. "John's going to love you both very much."

The two Nymphs sighed with happiness and snuggled in closer, their cool skin warming up as they started to get aroused by lustful thoughts of their master. The jaguar-spotted and tiger-striped girls started to purr as Jade stroked them, making her smile. They were so eager to please and took real delight in making Jade or Helene happy, recognising them as their Master's mates and therefore deserving of great respect.

Jade looked out across the aquamarine water and watched Helene continuing her swimming lessons with the second pair of Nymphs. Helene was supporting Betrixa in the water and encouraging her with warm praise, while the leopard-patterned Nymph listened attentively. Marika floated nearby, having fun splashing in the water, as she practiced the strokes that she'd just learned from the kind aquatic girl. It had come as a surprise that none of the four Nymphs had been able to swim, with Leylira sinking like a stone the first time she tried it. The tiger-striped Nymph had not been the slightest bit upset when Helene had rescued her from the water, simply giving the teal-skinned mermaid a grateful smile when she crested the surface.

While Neysa and Leylira had been occupied by Helene, Jade spent that time speaking to Betrixa and Marika, hoping to learn more about her Lenarran sisters. She had so many questions that desperately needed answers, not just for her own peace of mind, but for John too. He was just as intrigued to learn more about the Nymphs and their enigmatic Progenitor creator as she was. Jade's gentle quizzing of the first pair of Lenarrans had been... frustrating... but she still had two more sisters to speak with. Neysa and Leylira seemed relaxed and happy, cuddled up with her on the sun lounger, so Jade decided it was time to find out what they might know.

Looking down at her nubile companions, she asked quietly, "Would you two mind if I asked you a few questions?"

They both shook their heads and looked at her with open, trusting expressions on their beautiful faces.

Jade glanced at each in turn and asked hopefully, "Are either of you able to remember anything about Lenarra, our home planet?"

"This one has not heard of such a place before," Leylira replied, her expression reflecting her concern that she might have disappointed Jade with her answer.

Neysa shook her head, looking equally rueful. "No, sister. This one does not remember either."

"How about a Progenitor called Mael'nerak?" Jade continued, watching their faces for the slightest reaction. "We think that he created the Nymphs, so he was probably our first master. Do you remember anything about him?"

"This one does not know Mael'nerak," Neysa replied, giving her a helpless shrug.

Leylira shook her head. "This one has no memories of him either." She hesitated for a second, then asked tentatively, "Would Jade mind if this one asked her an important question in return?"

Jade smiled at her in encouragement, wondering what aspect of their past the Nymph might be interested in. "No, I don't mind at all. What would you like to ask me?"

"Why hasn't Master taken this one yet?" Leylira asked with concern. "Has this one displeased him somehow?"

The abrupt change of topic startled Jade, but she quickly recovered and caressed the tiger-striped Nymph to soothe her. "No, he's very happy with you. He wants to spend time nurturing each of you to help you grow strong, just like he did with me. That takes time though and there's another woman he needs to help first. Just be patient; John's a wonderful master and so much better than any man you've been with before. When it's your turn, the experience will be wonderful."

Leylira let out a low moan of excitement. "This one desires Master so much!"

Jade gave her a wry smile, knowing exactly how she felt. However, her smile faded as she realised that Leylira's response was just an instinctive response and not yet based on any genuine emotions.

"Do either of you remember anything about your previous masters?" she asked gently, disturbed by the sudden thought that they might have suffered the same kind of abuse that she had over the centuries.

"This one's last master was called Carl Weber," Neysa replied in a neutral tone. "He was slain before this one could give him pleasure."

Leylira nodded, her expression unreadable. "This one was owned by the same Terran. He died this morning."

"Can you remember anyone before him?" Jade asked, pleased that they were able to remember that much.

The two Nymphs shook their heads, then looked concerned when they saw Jade's flicker of disappointment.

"May I ask a question, sister?" Neysa asked, an excited sparkle appearing in her eyes.

"Of course, you can ask me anything you like," Jade replied warmly.

"Is there anything special that this one can do to please her Master?" the Nymph eagerly inquired. She held her breath, eyes wide and unblinking as she waited for an answer.
Jade met the jaguar-spotted girl's curious gaze. "John just wants you to be happy. You only have to be yourself, Neysa," she replied, then paused when she saw a look of confusion cross the Nymph's lovely face.

"This one exists to give her Master pleasure," Neysa murmured to herself, before her face suddenly lit up with joy. "If this one performs every sexual technique she knows with Master, then he can pick which he prefers! Thank you, Jade, this one is so very grateful for your assistance!"

Jade was quiet for a long moment as she studied the Nymph's elated expression. Her conversation with Betrixa and Marika had gone much the same way, with all four Nymphs unwaveringly focused on their new master's sexual gratification. She felt a pang of sadness and was unable to keep the disappointment from her face.

"Did this one say something to upset you?" Neysa blurted out, looking alarmed.

"It's not your fault," Jade replied softly, trying to give her a reassuring smile. She looked away into the distance and sounded forlorn as she continued, "I was just hoping for something more... and starting to realise how much we've lost..."

***

Jehanna turned to face John and said respectfully, "Thank you for sparing me some of your valuable time for this interview, Vice Admiral Blake."

"Happy to be of service, Miss. Elani," John replied, inclining his head with a polite smile.

She grinned at him and gave him a thumbs-up. "That was perfect, thank you!" Turning to look through the window at the sterile lab beyond, she slowly shook her head. "I can't believe Buckingham managed to hide all this right in the Sol System... If he was still alive today, this would have been the most explosive career-ending exposé in Federation history."

John interlaced his fingers with hers and they started walking back towards the lifts. "Thanks for agreeing to discuss this with Devereux before you release it. I don't want to conceal what Buckingham was up to, but I don't want to end up making things more difficult for her when she becomes Fleet Admiral."

"You're that confident she'll be voted in?" she asked, glancing up at him. "I heard High Command's elections can be a cutthroat business."

He shrugged and scooped her up in his arms, before activating flight mode and stepping into the ravaged lift shaft. "There's no guarantees, but I don't know of any other candidates that would stand a chance against her. Admiral Caldwell might have been a possibility, but his association with Buckingham and failures in the Battle of Terra will have cost him a huge amount of credibility." With a heavy sigh he continued, "It's a shame he turned on me. I liked Edwin when we first met, but he convinced himself I was a threat to the Terran Federation."

"Fear makes people behave in irrational ways," Jehanna quietly replied, then glanced down at the yawning drop below them and shuddered. "For example, I'm afraid of heights and I've suddenly got an overwhelming urge to kiss you..."

John laughed and stepped out onto the top level. "You're right... who'd want to do a crazy thing like that?"

He leaned over to put her down on her feet, but Jehanna clung to him like a limpet. "In my frightened condition I might stumble and have a bad fall." She gave him a coy smile. "I think it might be sensible for you to carry me out..."

Strolling back towards the poorly-illuminated security passages, John nodded, holding her close. "That makes sense; the footing is treacherous around here..."

She grinned at him and snuggled closer, resting her head against his shoulder. It took very little effort for John to carry Jehanna, what with his psychically enhanced strength, and he was actually glad that he was able to distract her from the scenes of carnage in the corridor. The young reporter was made of stern stuff, but even she had started to look a bit queasy when they'd passed the eviscerated soldiers on the way into Tartarus.

He was still astonished at the scale of the destruction that Jade had unleashed on the base. Her path down to the lower levels had been littered with scenes of total devastation, her draconic form levelling everything in her way. Men, turrets, reinforced bulkheads, she'd just smashed her way through without hesitation.

Alyssa's quiet voice breezed through his mind. *Jade basically stood there and willingly took a bunch of broadsides from that destroyer at point-blank range to protect her sisters. I don't know if it was intentional, but you've made her very, very powerful...*

*I'd really like to take a look at the Tartarus camera footage. I didn't get to see much of her fight against the cyborgs at the nightclub,* he replied, remembering her last big fight when she was in T-Rex form.

*You're forgetting the battle on the astral plane,* Alyssa reminded him. *That was the first time she transformed into a dragon.*

*But that was just a dream, that wasn't reality,* John said, thinking about the terrifying monsters in that demonic sub-plane. *They're two completely different things.*

*Are they?* Alyssa asked quietly, but didn't elaborate further. *By the way, I think you should talk to Jade when we get back. She really needs to speak with you.*

John frowned with concern, then paused to activate flight mode and soar across the bridgeless chasm. *Jade, are you okay?*

*I just realised a few uncomfortable truths today, John. I'll be alright,* the Nymph replied, but there was no mistaking the undercurrent of profound sadness in her voice.

*I'll be back on the Invictus in a few minutes, would you like to talk to me about it?* he asked, worried about the normally upbeat girl.

Jade sounded despondent as she murmured, *Okay... I'll be up in our bedroom.*

"What's the matter?" Jehanna asked him, staring intently at his face. "You were distracted, like you usually are when someone's speaking to you telepathically, but now you look worried."

"It's Jade, she's upset about something," John replied, activating his psychic speed and running the last few hundred metres to the stealth shuttle at an incredible pace.

When he set Jehanna down on her feet inside the cockpit of the small black ship, she wobbled for a moment, disorientated by the shift in accelerated time.

"Wow, that was quite a rush!" she exclaimed, gaping at him in surprise.

"Sorry, I was in a hurry," John replied, tapping the button to close the airlock then sliding into the pilot's seat.

*We're all heading out in the Raptor at the rear of the base. We'll see you soon,* Alyssa informed him.

John powered up the shuttle's engines, then lifted off the deck. *Find anything interesting in the base?*

*Irillith's found a lot of data; she'll need help from Rachel to analyse most of the research notes,* she replied, her tone purposefully neutral.

*How about prisoners or test subjects?" he asked hopefully, angling the small ship out of the concealed hangar and heading towards the Invictus. "I assume they'll need Rachel's attention. How many were you able to evacuate?*

*There were no survivors,* Alyssa said, her voice deeply troubled. *The soldiers executed all the prisoners...*

John's heart dropped in his chest as he had a sudden thought. *It wasn't while we were sleeping was it?!*

*No. Rachel examined the corpses and estimates that they were killed when Weber gave the order to evacuate the base. The prisoners died at least ten minutes before we arrived to intercept his ship.* She sighed and continued, *Most of them were Terran prisoners being used for virus testing, but the guards shot nearly a dozen Trankarans too. We counted 57 bodies in total...*

*I'm so sorry, John,* Jade murmured, filled with remorse. *If I'd waited for you, then maybe-*

*Then maybe Weber would have escaped and we'd have never seen Jehanna or the Nymphs again,* John said firmly. *Don't blame yourself for this, Jade. Even if we'd all been there to join you in the assault, we wouldn't have been able to save the prisoners without spending hours planning how to infiltrate the base without triggering any alarms. We didn't have hours to prepare, we had minutes...*

The Nymph stayed quiet after that, which did nothing to alleviate John's concern for her. He watched the Raptor sweep ahead of them and dock in the Invictus' Secondary Hangar, while he guided the tiny shuttle towards an open space in the Cargo Bay. The Primary Hangar remained closed, the Tormentor-class destroyer inside hidden from view by the plasma-scarred armour protecting the enormous sealed doors.

John powered down the shuttle as soon as he landed, then opened the airlock door. Taking Jehanna's hand, he led her outside and found Alyssa waiting for them in the Cargo Bay.

"Hey, you two," she said with a welcoming smile, before stepping forward to link arms with Jehanna. Glancing at John, she continued, "Let me look after our lovely guest, I know you want to speak with Jade."

"Thanks, honey," John said, before giving Jehanna an apologetic frown. "Sorry to dash off like this. I'll see you in a few minutes, okay?"

"Go help Jade, that's more important," she replied, waving away his apology.

John gave her a grateful smile, then jogged towards the open set of double-doors leading to the corridor beyond. The rest of the girls were disembarking from the Raptor and they waved cheerfully at him before he disappeared from view, striding towards the grav-tube.

*Today's really taken its toll on everyone,* John remarked with concern, as he rose in the blue field. *First Calara and Dana got upset, then Sakura, now Jade...*

*It's been pretty relentless for the last few weeks,* Alyssa said quietly. *It's not just the girls feeling the strain, I've been getting short tempered too. I was really unfair with Edraele earlier... she was only trying to help and I bit her head off.* She hesitated for a moment, then spoke to the Maliri Matriarch, sharing the conversation for John's benefit. *I'm so sorry for the way I behaved earlier, Edraele. I hope you can forgive me.*

*I know all about the pressure you're under,* Edraele immediately replied. *There's no need to apologise.*

*Still, I promise we'll kiss and make-up when we arrive at Genthalas,* Alyssa said, relieved and grateful in equal measure.

John stepped out onto Deck Two and strode towards his bedroom. *We all badly need a vacation. All of you girls are incredibly resilient, but everyone has their limits.*

*Leave it with me,* Edraele said, sounding excited at the prospect. *I'll make sure you all have a relaxing time when you come home.*

*I really appreciate it, thank you,* John said, wishing they could head to Maliri Space immediately.

He walked through the open doorway into the bedroom and saw Jade curled up on the bed. She was in her natural catform and the way she was huddled seemed to just radiate sadness. Although John desperately wanted to rush to her side to make everything better, he was still fully-clad in Paragon armour, so he darted into his walk-in-wardrobe to remove it. Standing inside the armour-equipping frame as the robotic arms deftly removed his bodyarmour, he was eternally grateful to Dana for making the process so fast. Mere seconds later, John was stripped of the battle suit and able to return to the dejected Nymph.

"What's wrong, honey?" he asked quietly as he climbed onto the bed and wrapped his arms around the petite catgirl. "We've just rescued four of your sisters... You seemed so happy and contented earlier."

"I thought they might remember," Jade replied, her tone heavy with grief. "But they've forgotten everything, just like I did..."

"Their memories might not be permanently lost," John said optimistically, stroking her silky-soft fur. "Don't give up hope; your memory took a little time to come back, remember?"

Jade turned in his arms so she was lying on her back looking up at him. She was quiet for a long moment, before she finally whispered, "Seeing them like they are now... I finally understand what we are. Nymphs are simple creatures, made to mindlessly obey and pleasure our master. After being with you these past few months, I'd started to believe that there was more to me than some shapeshifting sex doll..." A tear rolled down her cheek. "But I was wrong..."

"Don't ever think that," John said firmly, catching the errant tear with his thumb. "You're an amazing woman, Jade. Kind, compassionate, brave, resourceful, and so loving with the girls; they all adore you as much as I do!"

She shook her head, a disconsolate expression on her face, "But I'm only-"

"Our pilot? Dana's assistant engineer? Our nurse?" John interrupted. "You've also saved most of our lives at one time or another... and what about the devastation I just saw you unleash on Tartarus trying to rescue Jehanna and your sisters? You just saved their lives too! You've grown into an incredible person, Jade, you should be very proud of everything you've accomplished."

Jade gave him a sad smile. "Don't you mean: everything you've accomplished..." She looked downcast as she continued, "It was you that changed me into something so much more than I was. The drive and ability to do everything you mentioned came from you, not from me."

"Sorry, but I completely disagree," John objected, shaking his head. "Every time I fed you, I wanted you to get stronger and more independent, but that was the end of my contribution. If we go down the road you're suggesting, then you could argue the same for the rest of the girls, and I'd never for one moment believe I could do the things they've been capable of. I might have given you some enhancements, but the thought and effort behind everything you've accomplished came from you. I refuse to take credit for your achievements, Jade."

She traced her finger affectionately along his jawline, but he could see she wasn't convinced. Jade spoke softly as she said, "In my heart, I know that I'm really just like my sisters. You made me into what I am today, but if you hadn't, I'd still be referring to myself as 'this one' and be single-mindedly obsessed with pleasing my master." Looking at him fondly, she added, "Even that hasn't really changed very much..."

"But you have grown, honey, you're not the same person you were when we first met," he insisted. "Who you are now is what's important, not your original species..."

Jade cocked her head to one side and looked at him askance. "You don't believe that."

He frowned at her in confusion. "Yes, I do. Why would you think otherwise?"

"You've let me hear your thoughts..." she gently reminded him. "I know how you feel about being a Progenitor."

He froze. "That's... different."

"Is it?" she asked perceptively. "Do you remember what Leena told you? That the thing that scares you the most is your own nature? Is it so hard to believe that I might have similar concerns?"

John was silent for a while as he mulled over her point. "It's different, honey, trust me. All I've done for you is get rid of your limitations, freeing you to become the wonderful woman you are today. I'm constantly struggling to add more limitations to myself, to stop me turning into the monster I could so easily become."

Jade thought about that for a second, then was shrouded in a verdant haze, shifting into her more familiar Nymph shape. "You're right, I am very different from my sisters and that's a good thing. In fact, you did a good thing... helping me like that."

"I'm really glad you see it that way," John said with relief. "I wouldn't want you to resent me for the changes I've made to you."

"I've never resented anything you've done for me. Rachel was right, being changed by you is a gift," she said emphatically. Jade's emerald eyes softened and she gave him a look filled with sympathy. "But now I finally understand what it's like for you..."

Looking at her in confusion, he asked, "For me? What do you mean?"

"I thought I was the only one of my kind left, but now that we've found more Nymphs, I know that I'm unique in the galaxy," she said, a wistful look on her beautiful face. "You're the same, but you're desperately clinging to your uniqueness, trying to be the only Progenitor who fights his nature to conquer and destroy instead of embracing it."

John deflated as he nodded, seeing her point. "Being the only one of your kind in the galaxy, you can't help feeling alone..."

"Exactly," she said, leaning up to give him a tender kiss. "I think everyone wants to belong, to feel like they're a part of something bigger than themselves."

He smiled at her, his expression brightening. "At least you won't feel like that for long. Once I've spent some time with your sisters, I can help them to overcome their limitations. Eventually they'll all be like you."

"They won't understand right now... but thank you for freeing them," Jade said, encircling his chest with her arms and hugging him tight.

"You're welcome, my lovely little Nymph," John said, embracing her back.

When they finally pulled apart, he could see the heartfelt emotion in her eyes.

"John, when I have your children... please can you free them too?" she asked, a pleading note in her voice. "I can't bear the thought of our daughters meeting a man and having all their memories wiped away... my girls being turned into unthinking sex slaves."

He was quiet for a long moment, his heart pounding in his chest as he saw the desperation in her eyes. "I don't want that fate for them either, but I... can't, Jade... not with our daughters."

The crushing disappointment on Jade's face nearly broke his heart.

"I'm so sorry," John said softly, hugging her close. "I can't be with them like that..."

*You might not have to,* Alyssa suddenly interjected. *Rachel's on her way, she wants to talk to you both.*

John shared a look of hopeful surprise with Jade and held her close while they waited for their tawny-haired doctor. Rachel didn't take long to arrive, jogging down the corridor, her magnificent unfettered breasts bouncing with every step. She was completely nude and her cheeks were flushed as she swept into the bedroom, joining them on the bed.

Seeing John's curious gaze, she gave him a sultry smile. "I was with the girls in the Observatory. We were waiting for you so we could start celebrating, but one thing led to another..."

He nodded and put his hand on her hip as she lay down beside Jade, pulling her closer. "Sounds like fun, sorry I called you away... So what was it you wanted to talk to us about?"

The tawny-haired girl propped herself up on one elbow, then looked intently at John as she placed her hand on Jade's tummy. "I've been spending some time thinking about you breeding Jade..."

"I have too," the Nymph replied, turning to give John a doe-eyed look of adoration.

John leaned down to give her a quick kiss, then turned his attention back to the brunette. "What were you thinking about specifically?"

Rachel's slender fingers traced a slow circle around Jade's navel. "We all know that you plan to keep breeding her for years, rebuilding the Nymph population." Jade moaned at the thought, her muscular thighs rubbing together as she writhed on the bed. Rachel smiled at her, then looked up at John. "Even with four more Nymphs helping Jade rebuild their population, it's still going to take you decades to bring their numbers up to the hundreds. Even then, they won't have a future as a self-sustaining species, not when they can only be made pregnant by a Progenitor."

John looked at her in surprise, then nodded as he realised she was right. "So what are you suggesting?"

"You have a few options, but all of them will involve altering Jade's DNA, so that her offspring will be different to the original Nymphs," Rachel carefully explained. "For example, you could change her so that she can have male children... That then raises the hypothetical question of allowing a male Nymph to impregnate a Terran female; would their offspring be pure-Nymph or a hybrid? Alternatively, if you keep the Nymphs as an entirely-female species, you could modify them so they can have children with Terrans, or make them genetically compatible with multiple species."
"You really have put some thought into this," John said, giving her a look of gratitude.

She nodded, then her expression flickered with concern. "A word of caution though; you're going to have to tread very carefully here, John. Remember that Nymphs as they are now are essentially immortal and able to survive grievous injuries that would kill most normal creatures. If you remove the limits on their fertility, you could be looking at an unprecedented population explosion. Eventually Nymphs might outnumber every sentient species in this part of the galaxy..."

He looked shocked then thoughtful as he considered her advice. "All really good points that I hadn't thought of before." Looking at her quizzically, he continued, "So how is this linked to freeing Jade's daughters?"

Rachel moved her hand down to caress Jade's lower belly. "If you're going to address the questions about future Nymph population growth, you'll have to modify Jade's genetic code. As you'll already be changing her DNA and altering the nature of her children, you might as well do a thorough job. You could create a new species of enhanced Nymphs, with all the permanent improvements you want to include over Mael'nerak's original creations..."

Jade's eyes sparkled with joy. "You mean they wouldn't have to have a master? No having to obey? No memory wipes?"

"All of the above, sexy. Your daughters would be as free as you are," Rachel replied, stroking Jade's hair. She glanced across at John and continued, "Let me look into Nymph DNA and I'll try and highlight the specific genetic code you'll need to alter before you two start having children. You'll need to start thinking about how you want the next generation of Nymphs to procreate."

The Nymph nuzzled into her, a look of joy on her face. "Thank you so much for this!"

Rachel grinned at her, then winked at John. "He'll be doing most of the hard work..."

"I'm sure I'll find a way to cope," he replied, before leaning down to give Jade a kiss.

He only meant to give her a tender peck, but Jade wrapped her arms around his back and gave him a scorching-hot kiss. "I love you, John," she said with a breathy sigh when they finally parted.

"Feeling better now?" he asked, smiling at the look of bliss on the Nymph's face.

"So much better," Jade agreed, darting a grateful glance at them both.

*Come down to the Observatory!* Alyssa pleaded, her excitement quite clear to all three of them. *You've got lots of very horny girls to take care of!*

Rachel laughed and climbed off the bed, but there was no mistaking the sparkle in her grey eyes. "Now that sounds like an excellent idea..." she sauntered over to the door and beckoned John and Jade to follow with a crooked finger.

Rising from the bed, John offered the Nymph a hand as they followed the brunette.

"I won't join you this time," Jade said, gently squeezing his hand. "The way I'm feeling at the moment, I'd want to keep you all to myself, and you've already given me more than my fair share of attention."

"We'll have some time alone later, honey," John said, brushing his thumb across the back of her hand. "Then we can talk some more about you repopulating the Nymph species for me."

Jade's hand warmed to the touch almost immediately, her throaty purr sending delightful shivers down his spine. When he glanced her way, he saw the utter devotion in those cat-like eyes. *I love the way you look at me,* he admitted, watching her pupils dilate with arousal.

*Maybe all the traits of being a Nymph aren't so bad, Master,* she replied, her dazzling smile growing all the wider.

He could feel an exquisite sense of peace sweep over Jade, their bond letting him feel her acceptance of her nature and her hopes for the future. They shared a look and he could see the heartfelt gratitude in her eyes. Rachel had already stepped into the grav-tube and she waved goodbye as she dropped down out of sight. When John and Jade walked out onto Deck Three, the brunette had started jogging down the corridor in her eagerness to return to the Observatory.

John laughed and said to his green-skinned companion. "If she's running to get back, the girls must be having a really good time. Are you sure you won't join us?"

Jade shook her head. "Thank you, but no, I'll keep my sisters company. I will be looking forward to later though..."

They followed after Rachel into the Lagoon, the brunette already over on the other side of the Bridge. When she opened the door, the sound of lusty moans and feminine cries of pleasure echoed around the Lagoon. Jade's four sisters were relaxing on the beach, but they sat up straight when they heard those sultry sounds, their eyes all darting to John with a fierce hunger. He hesitated at the bridge, then decided to join Jade as she walked down the curving path to the beach.

The tabby-striped Nymph was the first to leap to her feet and she rushed to his side. "Hello, Master," she purred, nuzzling into him.

"Hello, Marika," he said brushing his fingers through her hair, then taking her in his arms and giving her a lengthy kiss. She melted against him, moaning with desire as her tongue welcomed his into her mouth.

He repeated the greeting with all the Nymphs, feeling their desperate urge to be with him as they pressed their warm bodies against his. Helene stood a few steps behind them, a similar look of lust in her eyes, but hers was tempered with self-doubt. After releasing Leylira, he pulled the aquatic girl into his arms and did his best to give her a soul-searing kiss. By the way she moulded herself to him and whimpered into his mouth, he had a hunch that he'd succeeded.

Looking around at each of them in turn, he said, "I'm going to join the rest of the girls in a minute and celebrate our recent victory. After all the stress of the recent battle, they all really need some care and attention from me at the moment." His gaze lingered on Helene as he continued, "I don't want you to take this as a rejection. Our first time together should be special, not part of some wild orgy where I can't really focus on making it amazing for you."

She gave him a shy smile and nodded. "I understand and I know you want what's best for me."

"Exactly," he agreed, giving her a warm smile in return.

Jade hugged Helene from behind and planted a soft kiss on her shoulder. "Master, would you mind if I took care of her? With a little help from my sisters..."

"Now that sounds like a wonderful idea," he agreed, grinning when he saw the shocked look on the lovely mermaid's face. "As long as Helene doesn't object?"

The four Nymphs sashayed over to the Abandoned girl, surrounding her and planting fluttering kisses on her exposed skin. John could see the ardent look of desire in her eyes and she didn't object as Jade slipped her dress off her shoulders, exposing her luscious figure.

"Oh my!" Helene squeaked, her eyes rolling back with pleasure as Betrixa and Marika bent down and began to suck on her nipples.

Jade guided her back to the sun loungers, then reclined against the impromptu bed, bringing Helene down with her. While Jade focused on her neck, nibbling her deliciously smooth teal skin, her sisters were eagerly seeking out erogenous zones to tease with their tongues. John watched in fascination, faced with a truly perplexing dilemma... which Sapphic orgy should he participate in?

In the end he decided on... both.

The Nymphs grinned at him as he knelt in front of Helene, gently parting her thighs so that he could see her exotic pussy. Like the rest of her delectable body, her labia were a beautiful shade of teal, just slightly darker than her normal skin tone. He could see she was already aroused, moisture beading her inner lips, her body reacting to the tantalising attention from the five Nymphs.

Helene gasped in shock when she felt his mouth descend on her flushed lips, baby-blue eyes staring at him incredulously as he started to lap at her inner labia. She moaned with desire, her fingers running through Betrixa and Marika's dark hair and holding them tight to her breasts as the two Nymphs lathered her painfully erect nipples with their tongues. Her eyelashes fluttered with the assault on her senses, her thighs trembling as Leylira and Neysa began to kiss and caress her slender legs.

John watched her reaction as he shifted his focus to her clit and Helene didn't disappoint. Her hips began hunching against him, desperate to get more contact on her most sensitive of places. It took him less than ten seconds to hear her squeal of release and she jerked against him, body trembling with pleasure as he licked her through her orgasm.

"You taste delicious," he said with a smile, licking his lips to savour her distinctive flavour. Despite her aquatic origins, there was nothing fishy about her pussy, reminding him more of peach juice.

"Please, John," she begged him, eyes hooded with lust. "I want to feel you inside me!"

He was sorely tempted but remembered his own words about making it special for her. "Just my tongue for now..." he replied with a grin, eager to taste her again.

She keened through another powerful climax, then sagged back, panting for breath. "It feels so good..." she whispered, a look of disbelief on her pretty face.

John glanced up at Leylira. "Can you take over for me, gorgeous?"

She beamed a radiant smile at him, wasting no time in dropping to her knees as John moved aside. He walked around to Helene, then leaned in to give her a gentle kiss.

"I want you to relax and enjoy yourself," he said, brushing a strand of light green hair from her face. "We'll be together very soon."

Helene nodded and bit her lower lip as the Nymph between her splayed thighs proved what a talented tongue she had. John gave Jade a quick peck on the nose which earned him a fond smile, then he got up and headed back up the slope to the bridge. He watched Helene arching her back as she came again, the five Nymphs focused solely on giving her as much pleasure as she could handle.

*We'll try not to leave her too exhausted, Master,* Jade purred, her emerald eyes glinting with excitement as she watched him walking across the bridge.

He waved goodbye, as he neared the Observatory. *Thanks for the talk earlier. It helped me too, knowing you understand my situation...*

*Like you told me... You're not alone either, John, we're all here for you,* she replied, her words infused with her love for him.

John turned to face forward as he walked into the starlit Observatory, the sounds of debauchery coming from the room drawing his attention. His first reaction when he saw the girls was stunned astonishment, the bevy of stunning beauties were all entwined together, floating in the air. His second reaction was shock as he felt himself lift off the deck, the lack of gravity rendering him completely weightless.

Striding purposefully into the room had put him into a slow vertical spin and when he floated away from the floor, he heard giggling as he rotated upside down. As he found himself looking back through the door into the Lagoon, two sets of hands caught him from behind and helped turn him around. Unfortunately, he was now upside down, so ended up facing two pairs of lithe athletic legs, their bronzed skin narrowing down the possible list of owners to the three Terran teenagers.

"You're wearing far too many clothes," Rachel said with a grin, her nimble fingers already unbuckling his trousers.

"Who're you gonna fuck first?!" Dana panted, her hands already caressing his throbbing cock.

John took one look at their glistening faces and grinned, knowing what they'd been up to before he'd arrived. "Whoever I can get my hands on!"

They laughed with delight and started working faster to strip him of the rest of his clothing. While they tugged off his trousers, he glanced across the room to watch the rest of the girls in action. Sakura was between Jehanna's widely spread thighs, while the twins teased and sucked on her smaller but perfectly-formed breasts. The dusky-hued reporter was shaking through her release, the sweet sound of her unfamiliar ecstatic cries making John painfully hard.

Alyssa was scissoring with Calara, the blonde and Latina rubbing their clits against each other, as they bucked and cried out together in climax. They spun slowly in the air, staring intently into each other's eyes, their attention completely focused on one another. It was a beautiful sight, their spectacular figures merged in a tangle of slender limbs and their long hair fanned out behind them.

John suddenly had a newfound appreciation for the intriguing possibilities offered by a zero-gravity environment. He tore off his shirt and tossed it aside, then reached out to grab Rachel and Dana now that he was as naked as they were.

"I need lubing up before I can take you," he said, with a suggestive glance at the scissoring girls. "I think it's a two-girl job..."

Dana and Rachel followed his pointed gaze at Alyssa and Calara, then they looked back at him, almost panting with arousal.

"Fuck that's hot!" Dana exclaimed, eagerly parting her legs as she manoeuvred herself to one side of his aching shaft.

"This is so much more fun with you here!" Rachel gasped, her grey eyes shining in the starlight as she mirrored the redhead's position.

They reached for each other's legs, then sealed the gap by pulling themselves together, with John's cock perfectly positioned between them.

"God, you're both so wet," John groaned, feeling the lips of hot slippery pussies kissing both sides of his shaft.

"And you're so hard..." Dana moaned, her hips gyrating as she rubbed up against him.

Rachel's groan harmonised with John's as she dragged her swollen clit along his length, unable to speak for a moment as the sensations were so intense. John placed a firm hand on their lower backs, then pushed them tight against him, completely encircling his rampant cock in their tantalising flesh. Holding them both still, he began to thrust, knowing that he was rubbing both their clits at the same time.

When Dana turned his way, a frenzied gleam in her eyes, he shook his head. "Look at Rachel, I want to watch you two..."

She nodded obediently, then faced her lover, making eye contact with the tawny-haired beauty. The raging lust in Rachel's grey eyes softened and she flicked a grateful glance at him, her full lips lifting into a sensual smile. Sitting up a little they placed their hands on each other's hips, then began to rock together, rubbing up and down against John's cock as they stared enraptured into each other's eyes.

He felt privileged to witness the love they felt for one another as they writhed against him, a feeling that only intensified as they got closer to their climax. It was easy to see it building, their breathing deepening, muscles contracting in toned stomachs as their glorious young bodies responded to the intimate contact. At the last moment they both turned to look at him, matching looks of adoration in their eyes, including John at the critical point in their lovemaking. It was the catalyst for both girls and they cried out as they came, trembling delightfully against his cock.

"That was beautiful, thank you," John said, gently separating them.

He guided Dana around behind him, then slotted himself into position and pushed at the entrance to Rachel's sopping pussy. Her mouth opened into a perfect oval as her supple body yielded to him, his slick length sliding all the way into her womb in one torturously slow thrust.

"Sorry Sparks," he said with a groan. "I've never been with an angel before... I couldn't resist."

The redhead pressed her big breasts against his back and rested her chin on his shoulder as Rachel encircled them both with her gloriously long legs. "I wish I could fuck her like that," she whispered, longing in her voice. "I love her so much, John... you have no idea..."

"Sure I do, I feel the same way," he said, pulling the moaning brunette up to him for a passionate kiss. "But you might need to show me how you feel about her..."

The young lovers kissed each other over his shoulder, full lips brushing together as they shared one of the most sensual and erotic kisses he'd ever seen. His cock lurched at the sight and Rachel's eyelashes fluttered as she felt his reaction. Filling his hands with Rachel's firm asscheeks he began to thrust into her, enjoying the feeling of freedom as they floated in the Observatory. With no bed supporting them, the only contact on his skin was from the brunette and the redhead, focusing his senses on their lovely bodies.

"Come for me," he said to Rachel, feeling her clenching rhythmically around his cock as he slid her snug pussy up and down his shaft.

She was already close and less than five seconds later her body convulsed as she shook through another powerful climax. "God, I love you so much," she panted in a daze, holding him tight.

"You can snuggle later," Dana said impatiently, with barely-controlled lust. "It's my turn to get turned inside out by his massive cock!"

Rachel laughed and rolled her eyes at her lover. "You're such a romantic, babes." She gave John a quick kiss filled with gratitude. "I needed that so much... thank you."

She groaned as John slid out of her snug depths, then Rachel pushed back a short distance to make room for Dana.

The redhead was like a spider-monkey as she clambered around his body, repositioning herself so they were facing each other once more. "I want you so bad..." she breathed, staring intently into his eyes.

"Wait, not yet!" Rachel said with a sly grin, wrapping herself around Dana from behind. "Pull back your legs... you need to make a nice target for John."

Dana was as limber as a gymnast, raising her knees so they were pulled right back to frame her pert bust. Rachel wasted no time in snaking a hand around her girlfriend to find her clit, then began to slowly rub her, making the redhead moan with desire. With Dana folded up like a pretzel, her pussy was totally exposed to John's hungry gaze and he nestled the head against her soaked labia. Taking a firm hold of her hips, he sank all the way up to his quad, his balls slapping wetly against her ass as he plunged home.

"Holy fuck!" Dana screeched, back arching as she was suddenly filled to the limit.

John pounded her hard and fast, impaling her over and over, while Rachel's hand moved in a blur over her clit. Trapped between them, the redhead could do nothing but helplessly ride the wave of orgasms they were drawing from her over-stimulated body.

"Yes! Fuck her greedy little pussy!" Rachel hissed, biting Dana's shoulder as she strummed the redhead's swollen nub.

Dana squealed and bucked, her eyes rolling as she was lost in pleasure. It didn't take long to screw her into insensibility and Rachel giggled at the state of her lover when John finally eased out of her unconscious body.

"If Dana was still awake, I'm sure she'd tell you that was 'fucking awesome'," the brunette said with a grin, turning her floating lover then wrapping Dana in a loving embrace. Her eyes flickered to the rest of the girls. "Who's next?"

He turned to follow her gaze, then was left with the wonderful choice of which of the six remaining girls he should sink himself into next. When he decided, Alyssa caught his eye, giving him a lusty smile. She surrounded herself in a white nimbus of light and coasted over to join him, with Calara clinging to her back. They glided across the room until John caught them and pulled the two girls into his arms, the Latina dismounting the blonde so she could press herself against him. They were both covered in perspiration after their heated coupling, the moisture making their lithe bodies glisten in the starlight.

"Calara's been such a good girl," Alyssa purred, as she planted tender kisses on her cheek. "I think you should reward her first."
John needed no further encouragement, placing his hands around the Latina's waist and lining her up with his well-lubricated shaft.

"Let me," Calara said softly, encircling him with her legs and using her strong muscles to pull him all the way inside her. She trembled against him when he was completely buried, pausing to savour the sensation of being totally stuffed. "Back where you belong..."

The Latina set a languid pace, sliding him out inch by inch before taking his whole length again up to the hilt. After giving Dana a frenzied pounding, Calara's carefully controlled rhythm set John's senses on fire, letting him concentrate on every subtle shift of her body inside and out. He brushed his fingertips over her thighs, feeling the flex of her muscles as she rode him.

Alyssa's slender digits joined his in worshiping the olive-skinned goddess, her cerulean eyes meeting his over Calara's shoulder. "She's ours, John," Alyssa whispered in awe, caressing her girlfriend's luscious curves. "Have you ever seen anyone so beautiful?"

John shook his head, pulling Calara down for a kiss, before gazing into her eyes as she rested her forehead against his. She moaned into his mouth and her rhythm started getting erratic, the wet sounds of Alyssa's fingers working on Calara explaining her sudden struggle to concentrate.

"A hero of the Federation and his brave, loyal woman," Alyssa crooned, a smile curving her lips as she kept pushing her lover's buttons, both emotionally and physically. "She's going to be your doting wife and loving mother to your children... can you imagine anyone better for the job?"

"Alyssa's right," John agreed, his voice filled with pride as he gazed into those smouldering brown eyes. "You're perfect... my heroine of the Federation."

"Oh my God..." Calara groaned, squeezing her eyes tightly shut as she was overwhelmed by her climax.

John took over, stroking her steadily as she clung to him and moaned in ecstasy. "That's it, honey. Show me how much you want that life with me..."

When her trembling subsided, Calara laughed and shook her head in disbelief. "You two... you know me far too well." She let out a contented sigh, then eased herself off his shaft, making way for the blonde. "Your turn..."

Alyssa gave him a dazzling smile as she wrapped herself around him. "Hello, handsome," she purred as she unerringly found the head of his cock, then pushed down to take him to the root. "You're pushing Dana's, Rachel's, and Calara's juices inside me... how naughty is that?"

"Very naughty," he agreed, returning her smile before kissing her hard.

"Calara wants to be naughty too... will you let her fuck me, John? Make me super tight, just for you?" Alyssa whispered, her pussy gripping and squeezing him in anticipation.

John looked at her in confusion, then grinned as he understood. "I'm hardly going to say no to that, am I?"

"You're always so good to me," Alyssa murmured, her eyes widening as Calara gathered her golden hair into a pony tail. Those bright blue eyes lost focus for a moment, then the blonde shrieked, "Holy fuck!"

He felt pressure against the base of his shaft and glanced over Alyssa's shoulder, looking down between Calara's mouth-watering cleavage. He saw a glowing white telekinetic cock jutting out from the Latina's groin, the head pushing its way into her Matriarch's tightly-stretch anus. Calara used Alyssa's hair as reins, tugging her head back as she thrust more of that psychic phallus up her lover's ass. John stayed perfectly still, watching in fascination as Alyssa moaned and trembled, while feeling every inch of that long slender telekinetic cock as Calara pushed it deep into her bowels.

The Latina had a look of intense concentration on her face as she focused on her lover, then gave John a shy smile when she realised she was being watched. "I've certainly never done this before!" she said with an excited gleam in her eyes.

"You like it?" he asked, reaching up to caress Alyssa's erect pink nipples before pinching them hard and making her moan.

Calara nodded, sinking the last of the glowing cock into her lover. "I'm in charge now, aren't I, beautiful?" she whispered in the blonde's ear.

Alyssa nodded meekly, or at least the best she could with her head tugged back. "Yes, mistress..."

Calara looked at John over her girlfriend's shoulder. "Ready?"

"We're going to screw you senseless," John promised the blonde, as she writhed helplessly between them.

John started driving into her with long slow thrusts, while Calara matched him, stuffing Alyssa full on every downstroke. Alyssa clung to John as they filled her, tensing and relaxing in time to the steady pace they were setting. That was when Calara grinned at John and started alternating strokes with him, throwing Alyssa off her stride as first her pussy then her ass were filled to their limits.

The blonde let out mewling gasps every time John bottomed out in her womb, her velvety walls clenching tight around the base of his cock. He felt the Latina snake a hand around her lover and as soon as she made contact with her clit, Alyssa exploded in a thunderous climax. Her whole body went rigid then she screamed out to the heavens, bucking between them in a fury, impaling herself with both long shafts. She rode out her orgasm then sagged against John, her chest heaving as she panted for breath.

"Feels pretty good, doesn't it?" Calara asked with a soft smile, releasing that golden mane, then tenderly kissing Alyssa on the cheek.

Alyssa let out a deep sigh of satisfaction and turned to kiss the Latina. She reached for John too and soon they were sharing an affectionate three-way kiss. Alyssa dismissed the telekinetic cock that was buried in her ass, with both her and John moaning at the abrupt change in sensation.

"I don't know how I'll last much longer," John said, putting his arms around both girls and gently squeezing them. "The two of you were ridiculously sexy."

"Just think about making Jehanna's toned tummy big and round with your cum," Alyssa said with a teasing smile. "That's worth waiting for, surely?"

He groaned at the thought. "You're not helping."

She gave him a light peck on the nose. "Go ride the twins. We'll entertain Jehanna for you..."

Easing himself out of Alyssa soaked pussy, John looked over at the cluster of girls still going strong. Sakura and Jehanna were in a sixty-nine now, with the twins putting their long nimble fingers to good use. He pushed behind himself with a telekinetic surge, then clasped Alyssa and Calara's hands to tow them with him. They bumped into the writhing group of girls who turned to smile at him, each one eager for his attention.

"Mind if I borrow the twins?" John asked Jehanna, when her beautiful face appeared from between Sakura's splayed thighs.

She blushed at being caught in such a compromising position, then pretended to frown as she glanced at the Maliri girls. "I don't know... I'm getting really attached to them..."

"Don't worry, we'll take over," Alyssa said with a grin, before sucking on her first two fingers to get them ready for the rotating girls.

John was suddenly facing two sets of hypnotic angular eyes, their violet hue making them even more exotic in those stunning azure faces. "How do you want us?" Tashana purred, running her hands over his chest.

Irillith leaned closer and whispered in his ear. "We're already hot and wet..."

He let his hands slide down over their bottoms to pull them closer, and saw a look of delight on Irillith's face. He smiled at her and said, "We'll get together for that another time... and it'll be rough and nasty, just how you like it." Look at each girl in turn he continued, "For today, I want some tender Maliri loving; would you girls be up for that?"

Their expressions softened and moving as one they swung around into position, with Tashana going first, while Irillith pressed up against his back. Irillith hadn't been exaggerating earlier and he slid inside Tashana's steamy depths, her natural lubrication letting him plunder the depths of her womb.

"Is that what you needed?" she murmured, planting soft kisses on his cheeks, mouth, and nose. "To be buried in blue?"

John nodded, taking a firm grip on her hips as he started to slide her up and down his length.

Irillith moaned with desire as she felt her sister's penetration, placing sensuous kisses along his neck then up to his pointed ear. "It always feels so right, doesn't it?" she whispered, her breath on his lobe sending a shiver up his spine.

Tashana nodded, gazing deep into his eyes. "Being taken by you... we need it..."

"It's what we were made for," Irillith said in a hushed voice. "To serve your every desire..."

John abruptly stopped and laughed as he shook his head. "Girls, stop, I'm begging you! I'm loving every moment of this, but I won't last another minute if you keep it up!"

The twins giggled and he smiled at the delightful sound.

Tashana caught the shift in his expression and looked at him fondly. "Every time you see that we're happy... it makes you proud, doesn't it?"

He nodded, cupping her face as he kissed her. "The two of you are living proof that being a Progenitor isn't all bad, not when I was able to save you both."

"Oh John..." Tashana murmured, touched by his sincerity. "We love you so much."

"Are you going to show me?" he asked, pulling out a few inches, then sinking back into Tashana's rippling grip.

Irillith breathed in his ear, "Whatever My Lord wishes..."

The twins then proceeded to do exactly that, with Tashana shuddering through an intense climax and Irillith sharing the echoes in a twingasm. The sisters switched at that point, Irillith joyfully taking her turn to show him just how much she adored being united with him. Both girls looked well-sated as they embraced him, surrounding him with their lissom bodies and their love.

John reluctantly pulled out of Irillith, knowing he wouldn't last much longer in her seductive embrace. He gave them a parting kiss and was about to go to Sakura when he felt soft fingers touching his shoulders.

"I couldn't wait any longer!" the Asian girl gasped, her expression feverish with lust.

He reached behind to clasp her hand, then swung her around so that she was straddling him. "How about some nice lengthy foreplay to get you warmed up?" he teased with a smile.

Sakura grinned at him and wrapped her legs around him like a boa constrictor. "Don't even think about it! I've been licked within an inch of my life... I've never needed you so badly!"

"Shh, there's a good girl," he said, pulling her back a little way so he could position his cock at her entrance. "Let me help you out."

She arched her back and let out a decadent moan of pleasure as he slowly stuffed his length inside her. Sakura's body was pliant and more than ready for him, but she was still deliciously tight, forming a snug sheath around every inch of his broad girth and length.

"You're a bad man..." she said with a groan of satisfaction.

"I am?" he asked in confusion.

Sakura nodded, then began to flex her hips, moving in an enticing milking motion that was creating a very uncomfortable ache in his balls. She looked at him with hooded eyes and murmured, "You tried to convince me to go back to a normal life... I can't believe you tried to deny me pleasure like this."

"Please accept my sincerest apology," John said, cupping her breasts and letting them fill his hands.

"It's okay, you're forgiven!" she quickly replied, before hugging him tight and letting out a low moan as he gently massaged her chest. Her lips sought his ear and she sounded embarrassed as she whispered, "Can I use you to get myself off? I'm so close, John, I'm desperate..."

"I'd be insulted if you didn't," John replied indulgently, placing his hands on her toned thighs.

He could feel Sakura's muscles rippling under his fingers as she ground against him, her hips moving in a corkscrew motion as she savoured every inch of his cock. John could do little more than hang on for the ride as she became more insistent, increasing the speed and depth of every penetration. Eventually she was wildly fucking him, her gorgeous almond-shaped eyes squeezed tightly shut as she chased a titanic release. Her shriek as she came drew all eyes to her and her golden-brown skin looked magnificent, covered as it was in a sheen of perspiration. Her shuddering climax finally came to an end, with Sakura blushing furiously at her wanton behaviour.

"I loved it, don't be embarrassed," John said, pulling her in for a gentle kiss. "You've never been more uninhibited."

"You bring out my wild side," she said lovingly, before wriggling free of his pulsating cock.

He couldn't help groaning after withdrawing from yet another gorgeous girl, his quad packed full of cum, but denied once again. Alyssa beckoned to him and he felt her gentle telekinetic pull as she drew him over to Jehanna.

"Sakura and the twins wore her out," the blonde said, her tone a curious mix of sympathy and delight as she snuggled in behind their exhausted guest. "Bless her, she can barely keep her eyes open... How many times did you cum today, beautiful?"

Jehanna slowly shook her head and mumbled, "Fifteen... twenty times? I lost count..."

John smiled and pulled her into his arms. "We still have plenty of time together over the next few days... there's no rush."

Her mouth sought his and he could taste Sakura on her lips and tongue. When they parted she said softly, "I want you to feed me again... I don't want to wait any longer, John."

He caressed the side of her head and asked playfully, "Are you sure? If you become one of my girls and retire with us, you'll be doing this on practically a daily basis..."

She giggled, her eyes darting to the twins. "I might not survive, but it'll be a hell of a way to go."

John turned to Dana, "Honey, can you turn on the artificial gravity please?"

Alyssa pushed the redhead over to the floor control panel and a few seconds later, John felt gravity slowly being restored as he sank down to the huge oval bed. Before he could sit down, Jehanna dropped to her knees before him, then gave him a tired but aroused smile. There was a flurry of movement from the girls and she was suddenly flanked by Calara and Sakura, while Alyssa stood on tiptoe behind him.

"I've been wanting to see this for weeks!" she exclaimed, before kissing his shoulder.

Jehanna opened her mouth wide to engulf the head of his cock, while Sakura and Calara leaned in to lick along his length.

*They're all so sexy,* Alyssa purred, unable to contain her excitement. *Just look at those brown-eyed beauties; they're absolutely gorgeous!*

John ran his hands through Calara's and Sakura's silky manes, then held them in place as they lapped away at him. Jehanna was attempting to take more of his length and he took a moment to appreciate the three sets of smouldering brown eyes gazing up at him. They each had darker skin tones, each subtly different but complimenting each other perfectly as they knelt as a trio before him.

*We'll have to work on convincing Jehanna to retire with us,* Alyssa continued, her arms snaking around his chest to hug him tight and squash her breasts against his back. He could feel how erect her nipples were as she dragged them over his skin. *Just imagine starting your morning by feeding them... watching their baby bumps growing by the day...*

John's cock jerked in Jehanna's mouth. It was all too easy for him to imagine that and he knew how radiant they'd all look, giving him doe-eyed glances as they swelled with his babies.

*Maybe I'll find you a couple more blondes to accompany me?* she purred, reaching down to carefully massage his taut balls. *Brunettes in the morning, blondes for lunch, then the Valaden trio in the afternoon...*

"Oh God! I'm cumming!" he groaned, pushing forward reflexively.

Jehanna's eyes widened in surprise as her throat stretched to take him, feeling no pain or discomfort as she did an expert job of swallowing his entire length. His cock jerked powerfully, blasting the first big load of cum directly down her throat and into her stomach. John's balls were resting against her chin and they flexed rhythmically as he fed her, pumping pint after pint into her hungry tummy. It only took a few seconds for the tiredness in her eyes to be replaced by a gentle daze, her instinctive suckling action taking over as her mind was overwhelmed.

*Just one more time, handsome,* Alyssa purred in his ear. *She's so beautiful and she'll be ours forever...*

John's quad had been overloaded with all the stimulation and he felt like he'd been coming for hours by the time he was done. Alyssa helped keep him upright as he sagged with relief and carefully withdrew his deflating length from Jehanna's throat. He knelt down in front of the entranced young woman, checking to see she was okay. The dusky-hued temptress had a blissful look of contentment on her face as she ran both hands over her cum-engorged belly, the rounded curves looking obscene on the slim, smaller girl.

"Time for a nap, gorgeous," he said kindly, helping her lie down on the bed and spooning up behind her.

The rest of the girls were equally spent after the exertions of the orgy and they curled up together, satiated and content.

***

"I miss you so much, Tommy..." the willowy blonde whimpered, gazing out from the holo-screen, tears rolling down her beautiful face.

"I wish I could be there with you, baby," Lieutenant Commander Tom Walker said, his heart breaking for his fiancée. "Mason and I put in requests for compassionate shore leave, but Admiral Morgan thought it might be a few weeks... we're in a state of emergency at the moment."

Anna brushed away the tears and nodded. "How is Mace? He called earlier but I was with Mom."

"You know what he's like," Tom replied with a heavy sigh. "He's taking it hard, but trying to be stoic. I'll get him drunk tonight, maybe he'll open up a bit."

"You'll be able to help him if anyone can," she said, with a wan smile.

"Of course, he's one of the three Musketeers," he replied light-heartedly to try and cheer her up. He raised the first two fingers on his right hand. "All for one..."

His fiancée copied him, lifting her hand and reaching out from the holo-screen, their fingers crossing. "And one for all..."

It was a private salute they'd shared hundreds of times before and that familiarity was comforting to the grieving young woman. He saw a flicker of a smile and felt glad that he'd been able to cheer her up, however fleeting it was.

"How's your mom doing?" Tom asked, worried about his future mother-in-law. Despite all the in-law jokes, he actually got on with her really well, which was fortunate as she was very close to her daughter.

"It's been years since they were together, but she loved him..." Anna replied, her face falling again. "Mom's trying not to show it, but I heard her crying earlier."

"I'm sorry... I can't imagine how tough this must be for you," he said sympathetically. "I'll let you know as soon as I hear any news about the shore leave."

In the background he could hear Anna's mother calling for her.

"I better go," she said, blowing him a kiss. "I love you, Tommy. Take care of Mace for me, he needs you right now."

"I promise I'll do my best," he said earnestly. "Love you too."

She waved goodbye and ended the holo-call, her beautiful face fading away to be replaced by the winged sword of the Federation.

Tom slumped back in his seat, clenching his fists in frustration. He dearly wished he could be with his fiancée when she needed him the most; it felt like he was failing her by not being there for her. He could only imagine what it must be like for Anna, to have lost her father in such a horrific way.