Three Square Meals Ch. 106

John gave her a strange look, surprised by her reaction. "Are you alright, Faye?"

She blushed and nodded, darting a furtive glance in his direction. "That's the first time you've done that with me." The purple sprite saw his confusion and blushed as she mimed tipping a hat. "I've seen you do that nine times with Alyssa, but this was my first!"

He laughed and put his arm around her shoulders. "Well I guess that clinches it, we must be a couple now."

Faye looked positively thrilled as she snuggled under his arm.

***

Alyssa traced a circle over Lynette's curved stomach as they lounged together on the bed, then let out a wistful sigh.

"What's the matter?" the brunette asked with concern.

The teenager hesitated for a moment, cerulean eyes flicking to the older woman's face. "I was just wishing that things had worked out differently; you'll understand why later this evening." She shrugged and gave her a flirtatious wink. "I suppose I can be patient though, I'll get my way eventually..."

Lynette carefully rolled onto her side so that she was facing Alyssa, one hand cradling her tummy full of cum. "You're obviously referring to John encouraging me to start a relationship with Charles... but what do you mean about being patient?"

Alyssa watched her for a moment, obviously torn on how to respond.

"Please tell me," Lynette asked quietly. "I can see it's important."

Slowly shaking her head, the blonde replied, "It's not that I'm keeping anything secret from you, I suppose I've just started to have a different perspective on things." When she saw the blank look of incomprehension on Lynette's face, she continued, "Yesterday, John was telling Jehanna to start thinking like an immortal... and he was right; some things we take for granted look very different when you can live forever."

"Nope, you've still lost me," Lynette admitted with a helpless shrug.

"Okay, let me explain." Alyssa wriggled closer, a conspiratorial smile on her face as she placed her hand on the brunette's curved tummy. "You know I'm one of John's Matriarchs, right? Well we all get off on the thought of beautiful women being bred by him. I was thinking before how hot you'd look carrying his baby, with a cute bump just like this..."

Lynette's eyelashes fluttered and she let out a soft moan as the blonde stroked her.

Alyssa grinned at her reaction, which quickly morphed into a frown of frustration, "But John's keeping you at arm's length because he wants to 'do the right thing'." She rolled her eyes and grudgingly conceded, "I suppose he does have a point... You and Charles are the same age, you're both career military, you'll be working closely together for years, and most importantly, you genuinely like each other. The two of you could settle down and have a lovely family together... I know you both regret sacrificing your personal lives for your careers."

"What did you mean by being patient though?" the brunette asked, hanging on her every word.

"Well... Rachel healed Charles of any significant health issues, so she's effectively given him another couple of decades beyond his natural life span. John's abilities work differently though and are far more powerful; he's given you a... much younger body... and you're now in perfect health," Alyssa replied quietly. "As long as you avoid any fatal accidents, it's highly likely that you'll outlive Charles, and then..."

"You get your way eventually..." Lynette murmured, her eyes widening.

"That's right," Alyssa agreed, meeting the brunette's astonished gaze. "You can live a rich, full life as Fleet Admiral and loving wife to Charles... then later, if you choose to, you can retire in Maliri Space with us. John winds the clock back again..." she circled Lynette's swollen belly with her fingertips. "...then I get what I want."

Lynette was quiet for several minutes, emotions flicking across her face. "Alyssa, I know Charles is one of John's closest friends... Did John keep me at a distance because he wanted me to be a... gift... for Charles?"

Alyssa immediately shook her head. "No, I promise you that thought has never even crossed his mind." She cupped the brunette's cheek and continued softly, "You've been around John quite a lot over the last few days. You must have seen how much he hates the idea of his Progenitor abilities manipulating us into doing anything we wouldn't normally want to do. He just wants to try and make you happy, while staying true to what he believes you would have wanted for your life before he started tampering with your mind."

The tension eased from Lynette's face and she smiled with relief. "You're right... I've seen how much he struggles with the morality of his abilities. I do trust him and I know he's been trying hard not to betray that trust."

"Does that make it easier? Knowing you can have both lives?" Alyssa asked softly. "I've never really given much of a thought to having a career, so I find it hard to relate, but Jehanna's in a similar position. She'd love to retire with us and have a family, but she also really values her career as a reporter. I know John's encouraging her to effectively do both."

"It's definitely a different way of looking at things," Lynette replied, a thoughtful expression on her face. Her hazel eyes flickered with doubt for a moment and she continued, "But is it fair to Charles? It almost feels like I'd be using him as a 'temporary husband', while I pursue my dream of being Fleet Admiral, with John as a backup plan lined up for later."

Alyssa shrugged. "It's all relative. In this case, temporary to an immortal is still a good sixty years as a Terran." Her hand followed Lynette's luscious curves and she murmured, "Trust me, Charles is going to be absolutely thrilled at the prospect of riding your hot little body for the rest of his life..."

Lynette blushed furiously, glancing down at the slender hand brazenly cupping her pert breast and caressing her erect nipple. "I'm not with John or Charles at the moment," she whispered, her hazel eyes cautiously meeting those bright blue orbs.

"Which means you're all mine," the blonde purred, leaning closer and lightly brushing her lips against Lynette's. "Have you ever been with another woman before?"

Shaking her head, Lynette murmured, "Never..."

"Well, I am your Matriarch," Alyssa cooed, planting soft fluttering kisses down Lynette's slender throat. Those kisses reached her navel and the blonde briefly paused. "It is my job to take care of you..." She shifted on the bed, her questing lips delving lower. "And you must be so horny after sucking down all that cum..."

"Oh God..." Lynette moaned, the blonde's sensual touch leaving her senses reeling.

***

John glanced out the window as the shuttle plunged through the blanket of clouds, the clear sky below giving him a panoramic view of Gravitus. The once-volcanic planet had been heavily terraformed centuries ago, transforming it into a verdant world full of lush plains and rolling oceans. Small sections of the planet had been left in their original form, with glowing magma flats surrounding Mount Mytikas, a colossal volcano that soared high into the stratosphere. The geological feature was so huge that it could be clearly seen from orbit, a fitting tribute to Gravitus' fiery past.

Faye sat up higher in her aisle seat as she tried to peer across John through the window. "Can I see?" she asked, eyes sparkling with excitement.

John gave her an accommodating smile. "Sure, we can swap seats."

She grinned and shook her head. "It's okay, you stay right there..." Rising from her chair she pivoted and sat across his lap, her warm thigh brushing against his groin. Faye wriggled in place a little, looking into his eyes as she did so. "Hang on, just let me get comfy..."

He laughed and wrapped his arms around her tiny waist. "Take your time, you're as light as a feather." His hands instinctively went to her svelte stomach, fingers brushing over the soft material of her yellow dress.

Faye felt him thicken underneath her and she stifled a gasp. "Are you thinking about... you know?" she whispered, luminous eyes watching his face.

"I'm fairly sure that kind of conversation isn't first date material," John replied, smiling at the impish girl. "I think we're supposed to be getting to know each other first."

"But I already know so much about you," she said softly, her fingers lightly tracing over the back of his hand and making his skin tingle.

John brushed his thumb against hers. "Yes, I suppose you do." He held her closer. "So there's nothing you want to find out about me?"

"Oh, I wouldn't say that..." Faye said airily, before relaxing against him and turning to look out the window. "There's so many beautiful things to see in the galaxy... Do you miss those days when you were a trader, when you had the freedom to stop and appreciate those wonders?"

"What's life without someone to share it with?" John asked quietly. "My life's so much richer now with the girls in it... and you're very much a part of that too."

She blushed and bit her lower lip, then rested her head against his shoulder. "Do you feel the same way about me as you do the other girls? Or is it different, knowing my... nature."

John paused to consider her question for a long moment. "Our relationship is different..." When he felt her tense, he quickly added, "But in a good way."

"How do you mean?" she asked, shifting in his lap to watch him intently.

He looked down at her beautiful face and replied, "I think we both know that if you were like the other girls, our relationship would have turned physical a long time ago. Because of the differences, I've had a chance to really enjoy your friendship first... and it's been a refreshing change."

She gave him a warm smile. "I'm really glad you feel that way." Tilting her head to one side, she continued, "I was wondering-"

A warning chime sounded throughout the cockpit cabin, followed a moment later by a man's professional voice. "We are now landing at Mytikas skyport. I hope you have a pleasant stay on Gravitus."

"Hold that thought," John said with a smile, wrapping his arms tightly around her.

They could hear the faint roar of retro-thrusters through the reinforced hull and John felt a sinking feeling in his stomach as the shuttle slowed on its final approach to the landing pad. There was an unsettling thump when the small craft touched down, heavy vibrations shaking the passengers, the shuttle pilot lacking the consummate skill the girls possessed. A warning chime sounded again and the airlock door spiralled open, a faint smell of sulphur wafting into the cabin.

John lifted Faye off his lap, setting her on her feet. "Here we are then."

She turned to look at him as he stood, eyes sparkling as she slipped her hand into his. "Have we landed at the volcano?!"

"You'll see in a moment," he replied with a smile, leading her out of the shuttle.

Faye gasped when she saw where they'd touched down, with Mytikas skyport overlooking the carefully directed magma flows that crept away from the active volcano. The force fields surrounding the platform dampened the scorching heat from the lava and kept out the worst of the acrid stink from the sulphur dioxide, letting people enjoy the exhilarating panoramic view, while sparing them from any environmental unpleasantness.

She skipped over to the balcony and gazed out over the magma fields. "This place is breathtaking!"

He walked over to join her, placing a protective hand on the small of her back. "This is just a taster before the main event."

"Have you been here before?" Faye asked, looking at him in fascination.

"I've been to Gravitus many times, but where I'm taking you next I've only visited once before," he replied, before gesturing towards a set of ramps leading into the skyport's squat terminal building. "We'll need to catch a grav-train to get to our destination."

They walked hand-in-hand down the slopes leading into the building, crossing the quiet concourse as John followed the signs towards the grav-train platforms.

"This place is practically deserted!" Faye exclaimed, glancing around. "Where is everybody?"

"The skyport was originally built for staff travelling to and from the Geo-thermal plant, but they shut it down when the new big fusion plant opened. Now the old plant has been converted into a tourist attraction, but it's a bit late in the day for school trips and too early for nightlife," John explained, guiding her down another set of ramps and across a platform. "I thought it'd be a good time to visit... it's less likely we'll be recognised."

Faye hopped into the waiting grav-train, then picked out a window seat, her eyes wide with anticipation. "This is all so mysterious! I love this date so far!"

John gave her an indulgent smile as he sat down and less than a minute later, the grav-train started moving with a quiet hum. They raced out of the terminal, quickly picking up speed, the floating vehicle coasting silently above the elevated rails.

Faye pressed herself up against the window so she could see where they were going, then gasped and pointed forwards, "We're going underground!"

Sure enough, the view from the windows darkened a minute later and the grav-train dropped below ground level, speeding along the rail with a soft hum. It was just a short journey until they arrived at the end of the featureless tunnel, the train doors opening with a quiet hiss. They walked out onto the long platform, which was adorned with a number of educational holo-panels, each one detailing the history of the geothermal station.

John ignored them as he led Faye towards a glowing tunnel, but he could see her luminous eyes darting to each one, pupils vibrating as she surreptitiously speed-read the information. She caught him watching her and blushed, quickly looking away.

"Don't be embarrassed. You are who you are, it's nothing to be ashamed of," he said gently rubbing her shoulder.

She turned back to face him and said quietly, "I just don't want to creep you out..." Her elfin features twisted into a worried frown as she added, "Seeing you react with revulsion would be too horrible to bear."

"I think we've had this conversation before," John said with an understanding smile. "Remember the famous quote about advanced technology being indistinguishable from magic? Well, the psychic powers that the girls have is very similar to magic and I've never had a problem with anything they can do. You just have a kind of... tech magic."

Faye put an arm around his waist and gave him a loving squeeze. "You're just too awesome, did you know that?"

"A redheaded friend of ours might have told me that once or twice," John replied, hugging her back. "Now, take a look at this... it's one of the reasons I brought you here."

They had entered a curved tunnel while they were talking and Faye glanced up, her mouth dropping open in wonder. "Oh wow!"

Molten lava flowed overhead in a glorious tapestry of red and orange, the tunnel roof protected from the infernal temperatures by powerful heat shields. The magma moved by at a languid pace, as majestically beautiful as it was deadly.

"It's incredible to think of all that above our heads," John murmured, marvelling at the amber hues. "I remember the first time I saw it... I felt totally humbled by the awesome power of nature. It was terrifying and thrilling to know that I was just one step away from disaster; a breach in the tunnel and the lava would pour through, snuffing me out in an instant."

Faye lowered her gaze and studied him curiously. "And now? Do you still feel the same way?"

John froze as his mind started racing, imagining how he'd react to a sudden rupture in the ceiling. First, he'd set a hex-barrier in place to temporarily seal the breach, then channel glacial cold into the lava-flow to flash-freeze it, solidifying the magma into a protective barrier of igneous rock. It would take him just a couple of seconds to completely reseal the tunnel and short of being instantly killed by falling lava, he'd be able to regenerate any wounds he sustained, no matter how badly he got burned.

He looked down to meet Faye's gaze, a forlorn expression on his face. "You're right. It's different now... I'm different." He glanced up at the lava again. "And the galaxy feels smaller and a little bit less awe-inspiring because of it."

"Oh, John, I'm so sorry," Faye said, her voice full of remorse as she slipped her arms around him. "I didn't mean to ruin this for you."

"I'm just being silly, don't worry," he said, putting on a brave smile. "Oh, woe is me... I can survive a river of molten lava dropping on my head!"

She smiled at his self-deprecating humour, then reached up to cup his face with her hand. "We've all been so focused on the changes the girls have gone through, I think we've overlooked just how much you've changed too." Her purple thumb felt soft against his skin as she caressed him. "Your life has been turned upside down in the last six months; it must be daunting to think how much you've been transformed by everything you've experienced."

John closed his eyes and enjoyed her caring touch, feeling the heartfelt sympathy from the earnest young woman. When he opened his eyes again, he gave her a grateful smile. "Thanks for being so understanding, Faye. I really appreciate it."

The purple sprite stood on tiptoe and gave him a tender kiss on the cheek. "You're welcome."

"Let's keep going, there's somewhere else I wanted to show you," John said quietly, taking her hand again.

They carried on walking down the tunnel, with John lost in thought, his eyes occasionally flicking up towards the glowing ceiling. Rather than being upset at his reflective mood, Faye was giddy with excitement, barely able to keep the jubilant grin from her face. She couldn't believe she'd helped him through his epiphany, knowing that for a brief moment, he'd relied on her - an Artificial Intelligence - for comfort and support. Faye had never felt more alive!

John shook off his malaise as they left the tunnel, the couple crossing a broad room full of imposing machinery, with metal gantries running overhead. There were numerous exits available at different levels and he paused, trying to get his bearings. Striding over to a holographic information-kiosk, he said in a clear voice, "Directions to the Flame Grill."

A glowing green line appeared on the floor, the path of light illuminating the way towards a ramp heading to the upper levels.

Faye smiled at the name. "I wonder how long it took them to come up with that?"

"The name might be terrible, but the steaks were great..." he replied, then hesitated before continuing.

"What is it?" she asked, turning to face him.

"I was going to ask if you were feeling hungry, then I remembered you don't need to eat. I didn't want to remind you about that after our conversation earlier," he explained, concerned about upsetting her.

"I am what I am, it's nothing to be ashamed of," she said, repeating his earlier words, a bright smile lighting up her face. "But you do need to eat, so let's go get you some dinner!"

They followed the trail up to the next level, then along to a series of elevators, the doors to the closest already open. Above them, a sign in fiery red lettering announced the entrance to the Flame Grill. Unlike the rather utilitarian grey of the geothermal plant, the lifts had been refurbished, the interior plush and elegant. There was only one button, so John pressed it, sending them up to the restaurant.

The Flame Grill was actually the repurposed control room of the power plant, with long windows running the length of the restaurant. The view was spectacular, overlooking a lake of lava which had been diverted from the main channel pouring from the volcano. Unlike the blazing reds of the magma in the underground tunnel, the surface of the lake had cooled, forming a sinister black plateau criss-crossed by glowing amber lines.