The orbital barrage was ferocious, explosions lighting up the sky as batteries of Quantum Flux Cannons pounded the surface of Arcadia. John and the girls could feel the vibrations through their feet, each massive blast sending tremors rippling outwards that reached the Invictus dozens of kilometres away. "Holy fuck..." Dana muttered leaning against the wind...
"Fuck!" John snarled, incensed that the Brimorians were causing him even more problems. *Let me get this straight... the Maliri fleets won't make it in time, so now we're rushing to save the Kintark from an Enclave invasion?!* *That's correct,* Edraele replied mournfully. *Except we won't make it in time either,* Alyssa added, sounding heavily distracted....
John awoke this morning with a lovely exotic beauty in his arms. He was lying on his side, wrapped possessively around Irillith, and her warm blue flesh felt wonderful against his skin. She sensed him stirring, and tucked her long white hair back behind a pointed ear, so that she could turn to look at him over her shoulder. "Good morning, my love," he said,...
Ularean's image faded away, the Senior Councillor closing the call abruptly and leaving John and Calara exchanging frowns. "Any idea what Ularean was referring to with his 'preparations'?" John asked, a pensive expression on his face. "He was doing that same slow blinking mannerism as Talari - I'd love to know what that means." The Latina shook her head, t...
John hadn't intended to fall asleep, but with Helene's soft warm body cuddled up against him, he soon found himself drifting off into a soothing slumber. Instead of the blackness of unconsciousness, he found himself gazing up at glorious blue skies, the sight that greeted him every night since Alyssa had created her personal subplane. Lying down in the field...
Alyssa let Helene cry against her shoulder, rubbing the aquatic girl's back as she wept. Whispering soothing words in her ear, she waited until Helene had cried herself out, then said quietly, "Let's go have a lie down." Helene nodded and let the blonde lead her out of the Officers' Lounge into the corridor beyond. The door to Faye's room slid aside after A...
"I could see it all..." Calara whispered, her voice filled with awe. "I knew what you were going to do, but I changed what should have happened! I twisted the outcome in my favour!" John reached up a hand to cup her face. "You've been on the cusp of this breakthrough for weeks. I laid the groundwork for you months ago..." "That's why I never miss! I've alw...
Lieutenant Commander Ryan Murphy pulled off his flight helmet and relaxed back in the seat of his Claymore fighter. Running through the shutdown routine, he powered off the engines, then deactivated the rest of the impressive new fighter's systems. He'd just spent the last two hours on another test flight, this time shooting up agile target drones. Althoug...
John stood in the doorway and stared at the destruction Larn'kelnar had wrought. When the energy beam had cut the Invictus in half, it had scythed through the bedroom, melting the titanium superstructure with ease. Where John's massive bed had once rested against the wall, the room was now open to the elements, giving him a spectacular view of the Arcadian j...
Fleet Admiral Lynette Devereux walked along the bustling corridor, her security detachment clearing a path so that she could proceed uninterrupted. Despite the early hour, this area of Olympus shipyard was teeming with personnel, with many thousands of navy crewmen recalled from leave and ready to muster out to their ships. The officers amongst the men and w...