Three Square Meals Ch. 114

Alyssa knelt beside Rachel and smiled as she gently stroked the comatose girl. "You managed to put her lights out with that last one."

Dana giggled as she cuddled the brunette, arms and legs wrapped around her protectively. "Any chance I can ask for a do-over? I want some of that too!"

There was laughter from the rest of the girls and murmurs of agreement, especially from the Nymphs who were gazing at John in awe.

He turned to look at Helene and saw a look of astonishment on her pretty face. "Are you alright, honey?" he asked with concern, finally getting his breathing back under control.

She blinked and looked his way, her shocked expression turning into a self-conscious blush. "I just never thought that making love could be quite so... vigorous."

John beckoned her over. "Rachel asked me to be a lot rougher than normal. I hope that didn't frighten you?"

The aquatic girl smiled and lay down beside him, joining Calara in running her fingers over his muscular chest. "No, I wasn't scared. I was just surprised at how arousing that was."

He chuckled and stroked her back. "Good to know..."

"We'll arrive at Valia Gate in just over an hour. Why don't you have a quick nap?" Alyssa suggested to John. "We'll get topped up while you rest."

John smiled when he saw the flash of excitement in Calara's and Helene's eyes at that prospect. He relaxed on the bed with a contented sigh. "Now that sounds like a wonderful idea."

***

Fleet Admiral Lynette Devereux sat cross-legged on the sofa, wearing only a white dress-shirt that was several sizes too big for her. She had folded back the sleeves and was wearing her fiancé's shirt like a dress, very much enjoying the soft fabric against her skin. Her hazel eyes flicked over the half-dozen holo-screens arrayed before her, scanning through progress reports submitted by all the admirals in High Command.

Admiral Hugo Chapman was being obstinate and stubbornly refusing to make any serious attempt to address the funding issues Lynette had raised. She understood his instinctive reluctance to abandon so many fields of military research, but the tech John was handing out like confetti would take decades, if not centuries to develop themselves. There was simply no point in blowing trillions of credits on research that would be made obsolete with a simple data transfer from humanity's benefactor. She resolved to give him another week to begin taking steps, before she stepped in and did something... drastic.

Lynette was pleasantly surprised at how enthusiastically the other senior officers were embracing her new policies. Admiral Hamilton Garbert-Smythe seemed to be on a mission to transform the Espionage Division, scything through the ineffective staff under his command in a spate of discharges or transfers. Lynette found herself looking forward to seeing what his modernised departments might accomplish when he was finished.

As much as she had been jealous of Admiral Van Den Broeck when she thought the sultry redhead was vying for Charles' affections, Lynette was forced to admit that Lina was proving to be extremely effective in her new role. Progress on the civilian sections of Olympus Shipyard was proceeding at an unparalleled pace, with contractors practically falling over themselves in their haste to bid competitively for contracts. In all her years in the Admiralty, she'd never witnessed anything quite like it.

The Propaganda Division that Lina had departed was reeling from swinging cuts to staff and resources, with many of her old staff outraged at having to transfer to new disciplines within the military. Several of her senior staff had contacted their old commanding officer, their furious messages bordering perilously close to treason. That Lina had forwarded those messages to Lynette herself had impressed the new Fleet Admiral with her loyalty, but she also realised that the redhead must be an inspirational leader, to have engendered such dedication in her own staff.

*Alyssa, do you have a moment?* she asked, as she mulled over the reports.

*Of course, beautiful,* the blonde replied, sounding pleased to hear from her as usual. *What's up?*

Lynette smiled to herself at the friendly reply, relishing the warm sense of camaraderie. *I was just wondering where John stood on additional recruitment? I've been very impressed by Admiral Van Den Broeck...*

*Your love rival?* Alyssa teased her with a melodic laugh. *I thought you wanted to claw her eyes out!*

*The very same,* the brunette replied, relaxing on the sofa. *And I've had a change of heart; she's actually a very impressive officer.*

*Oh yeah, she was a real vixen...* Alyssa purred, the sudden sultry shift in the matriarch's voice was unmistakable. *Just imagine those lovely green eyes gazing up at John as he pumps her stomach full of cum... Maybe Lina and Dana side by side, a couple of gorgeous redheads eager to be bred...*

Lynette squirmed on the sofa, feeling herself flush with arousal. *That sounds like a yes...*

Alyssa suddenly sighed with resignation. *If it were up to me, I'd agree without a second thought... assuming Lina wanted to join us of course.*

Now it was Lynette's turn to laugh. *Do you honestly think she'd turn that offer down?*

*I think John's hesitancy must be rubbing off on me... No, of course not,* the blonde replied with a telepathic grin. *Unfortunately, I know he's worried about setting up secret Lionesses, especially with Jehanna struggling being apart from us.*

*She's head over heels in love with him,* Lynette said with sympathy. *If it weren't for her concerns about her family, I think she'd give up her career and ask to join you on the Invictus.*

*We'll have to make some time for her next time we're near the Core Worlds. She obviously needs some help deciding either way,* the blonde mused.

*I agree, but I was thinking about something a little different for Lina,* Lynette said, bringing up a personnel file of the redhead and studying her picture. *Besides, more allies are always helpful and I believe we can trust her... but I'd like to be absolutely certain.*

*That's a slippery slope, Lynette,* Alyssa said with a playful lilt to her voice. *Soon you'll be asking John to turn the entire Admiralty into Lionesses. I think a few questions might be asked about affirmative action being taken a bit far if every admiral is female... barring Charles, of course.*

*But just think what we could achieve with everyone united behind us...* Lynette murmured, a wistful look in her eyes. She suddenly blinked in shock. *Oh my God! I remember John threatening to do exactly that if High Command stepped out of line... now I'm longing for it!*

*Your outlook is a little different now,* her matriarch said quietly. *You truly understand what's at stake if we fail.*

The brunette froze, her eyes wide as she stared across the room. *No... it goes far deeper than that.*

*He'd never make you choose between your loyalties, Lynette,* Alyssa said, her voice soothing. *Relax, nothing's changed.*

The Fleet Admiral nodded distractedly. *How's the liberation effort progressing?* she asked, desperate to change the uncomfortable subject.

*The Kirrix abducted almost the entire population of Karron,* the blonde replied, her voice turning bleak. *We tried to catch the fleet, but it'd been wiped out... by the Kirrix fighting amongst themselves.*

Lynette was overwhelmed by a sudden outpouring of sympathy for the young woman. *Oh, Alyssa... I'm so sorry. Karron was your home wasn't it?*

*I grew up there, but it was never much of a home,* the blonde replied sadly.

Remembering something else Alyssa had said, Lynette started in surprise. *Wait a second... You said the Kirrix attacked their own forces?! That's unheard of!*

*It seems I accidentally triggered a civil war when I confronted the Hive Mind,* Alyssa said, her voice heavy with regret. *Now the entire species is killing each other over keeping the colonists, or returning them so that we don't obliterate their homeworld in retribution.*

*My God...* Lynette muttered, as equally shocked by the revelations about the Kirrix as she was about the incredible power the blonde possessed.

*Anyway, we'll be arriving at Valia Gate soon,* Alyssa continued, shaking off her melancholy mood. *We're waiting to see what the situation is there before we decide where to head next.*

*You might be interested in a report I received from Admiral Zelig. Treatment of the infested on Carolus III is proceeding well and those colonists who were killed in the invasion have been identified and relatives notified. His fleet has also started returning citizens to Tasmaris Prime... and he wanted to let you know that they've been able to drastically reduce the waves of suicides.*

Alyssa sounded greatly relieved as she gushed, *That's great news! Please let me know about Brecken's World if you hear anything from Governor Vaughn? I'd like to know if the efforts we went to with those colonists made a difference.*

*Of course,* Lynette immediately agreed. *We're already trying to make contact with the colonies to verify their status and inform them that assistance is on the way. I've dispatched freighter fleets to the Outer Rim, bringing them an abundance of supplies. Buckingham might have abandoned those colonies, but I'm keen for them to realise that things are very different now.*

*Nice work, Lynette. They really need to know you care,* Alyssa said, her voice full of approval. *Oh, one other bit of info... The Maliri fleet completed their refit on Trankara and are heading for the Kirrix lines. Between the Maliri and the civil war, I seriously doubt the Kirrix will make any further attacks on the Terran Federation from that direction.*

Lynette brightened considerably. *Oh, excellent! Admiral Kester's been complaining about twiddling his thumbs on the border and we're desperate for operational fleets. How soon will it be until the Maliri engage the Kirrix?*

*They should reach Dun Gerluhr this afternoon, but based on Trankaran reconnaissance reports, we think the not-quite-so-bad Kirrix won in that system,* Alyssa replied, sounding thoughtful. *If those Kirrix are returning the colonists to the planet, we'll send the Maliri to liberate another occupied world. I assume you'd like to wait until the Maliri start stirring up some shit before moving Kester's fleet from the border?*

*Yes, exactly,* Lynette replied. *I don't want to take any risks denuding that border, especially after what happened on the Outer Rim.*

*Very sensible,* Alyssa agreed. *Okay, I better go, John's waking up now... unless there's anything else you wanted to discuss?*

Quickly going through her mental checklist of high-priority issues affecting the Terran Federation, Lynette replied, *I think we covered everything. Oh, one last thing! We've finished modification of our fabrication facilities and begun construction of Brimorian Shield Generators, so we'll be able to start refitting our ships tomorrow. Dacres' fleet has already been upgraded with our best heatsinks and as soon as we've installed all the new shield generators, he'll be heading to the Brimorian border.*

*Sounds good... John doesn't trust the Brimorians as far as he can throw the sneaky bastards,* Alyssa muttered.

*I've seen how strong he is,* the brunette said with a wry smile. *He could throw them pretty far!*

The blonde's amused laughter echoed through Lynette's mind. *Yeah, that's true... but still, keep an eye on them.*

*Will do,* the Fleet Admiral agreed. *Thanks for the chat this morning, it's always good to speak with you.*

*Likewise!* Alyssa said cheerfully. *Enjoy your breakfast...*

Lynette bit her lower lip and flashed a glance at the adjoining bedroom, her stomach rumbling in anticipation. *You're incorrigible...*

*I've been a good girl this morning,* Alyssa purred. *I've had mine already...*

*Goodbye, Alyssa,* Lynette said with a giggle.

Her matriarch blew her a telepathic kiss, accompanied by a loving surge that swept through the Fleet Admiral's mind and made her tingle down to her toes. Lynette sighed with contentment, feeling a lovely sense of serenity that she'd never really known until this past week. She flicked another longing glance at the bedroom, then straightened her shoulders, reminding herself she still had a job to do and her fiancé needed his sleep. Turning her attention back towards the holo-screens, she flicked through more reports and status updates, rapidly sorting through hundreds of messages.

"Lynette?" Charles murmured groggily, sounding like he'd just woken up. "Everything okay?"

She was up like a shot, bounding across the lounge and into the bedroom. "Good morning, darling!" she gushed, a dazzling smile lighting up her exquisitely beautiful face. "Did you sleep well?"

Charles had propped himself up on one elbow and he laughed as he flopped back on the bed. "How can you be so cheerful at this hour?"

"The love of a good man," she purred, prowling across the room and climbing onto the bed.

He looked at her with disbelieving eyes. "How long do you think it'll be before I stop waking up and thinking I'm still dreaming?"

She sat up on the bed and tapped a finger on her chin as if thinking it over. "Perhaps when we don't start your day with a long sensual blowjob?" Her eyes twinkled as she continued, "So basically never..."

Charles shook his head in astonishment as she ducked under the covers, then groaned as his fiancée engulfed his rapidly-hardening cock in her mouth. "I don't know about 'long', Lynette!" he gasped, running his hands through her hair as she deep-throated him effortlessly.

Her wanton moan and eager suction let him know she didn't mind a bit.

***

Lieutenant Beth Andrews approached the closed door to his quarters and pressed the door chime, then waited anxiously for a reply. She stared at the name on the embossed nameplate, realising that it had been recently updated to read "Commander Tom Walker". Rather than feel pleased for him, she felt her heart sink... Tom hadn't even told her about his promotion, let alone come to the bar to celebrate with his friends. Her heart ached for the man, knowing how much pain he was in, but as much as she longed to comfort him, she hadn't seen him in days.

Giving up on the door chime, she tried knocking instead. "Tom? It's me, Beth. You haven't been to the bar in days..."

That was met with silence, so she waited another twenty seconds and tried again.

"I'm worried about you, Tommy... please let me in."

She stared at the military-grey door that faced her impassively, a stubborn uncaring guardian that was preventing her from looking after her... friend. Beth glared at the door in frustration, then turned on her heel and strode off down the corridor. It wasn't far to her next destination and it was a place she knew well, where she'd spent many an evening... and many nights. Those days felt like an eternity ago though, a better time that seemed more innocent now.

Heaving a weary sigh, Beth stopped beside the next doorway and pressed the door chime. She'd barely had time to read the name "Commander Mason Newmont" on the embossed plate, before the door swished open.

"Oh, it's you," Mason muttered, his pensive expression barely flickering.

Beth looked at him in shock, hurt by the lack of warmth in his voice and alarmed by the way he was behaving. "Mace? What's the matter?"

"I'm fine, Beth," he replied sullenly. "What do you want?"

She knew he definitely wasn't fine, but was hardly in a position to interrogate him, especially since she'd turned down his proposal. Beth hesitated, worried about her ex-boyfriend, but not sure how to get him to open up. Tom was always the one that could reach Mason, no matter how dark his moods, but then again Tommy was always wonderful with everyone.

Mason rolled his eyes and snapped impatiently, "I've got a shift starting in ten minutes and I need to finish getting ready. Just spit it out..."

Beth took a deep breath, then said, "I'm concerned about Tom. I haven't seen him in days and when I spoke to Chen, he was worried about him too. He said Tom looked like he'd had his heart ripped out!"

Mason's eyes narrowed, his expression growing colder. "That was always our problem, wasn't it, Beth? Your 'concern' for Tom..."

She gaped at him in shock, having had no idea that he knew. "Oh God... I'm so sorry..."

"Commander Walker has been transferred off the Bridge crew, I neither know nor care what he's doing now," he said in glacial tones.

Wringing her hands together, Beth pleaded, "Mace, please, we need to talk about us. I never-"

"Leave me alone, Bethany," he snarled, whirling around and sealing the door behind him.

Beth stared at the grey door, her heart sinking like a stone. She'd tried so hard to never let either of them know how she truly felt. That was why she'd turned down Mason's engagement proposal, because as much as she cared for the handsome, loyal, dedicated man... Beth had realised that she'd fallen in love with his best friend.

A tear rolled down her cheek as she walked away, cursing herself for hurting a good man so badly.