Three Square Meals Ch. 112

Monitoring the helmet cameras built into the other Paragon suits, Faye could see Alyssa, Calara, and the twins striding down the corridor towards the infestation chamber. By the time they arrived at the entrance, Sakura had eliminated four Kirrix drones in attendance and had started slicing her way through the locks on the resin cages. Faye knew that Alyssa would be carefully monitoring Tashana for any signs of distress, but she couldn't help checking on the Maliri girl just to be sure. Much to Faye's relief, Tashana seemed to be calm and in control. The light from the Paragon HUD reflected off the source of that strength, the gleaming white collar encircling her slender neck.

Faye turned her attention back to the sleeping couple beside her and smiled as she began to sing. The song she had chosen was originally Terran, but she had translated it into ancient Maliri, the softer enunciation suiting its wistful nature. It didn't take long for John to stir, his sharp hearing picking up her melodious voice as it echoed around the bedroom.

"I didn't know you were a dreamer, Faye," he said with a smile, referring to the lyrics as he opened his eyes. "What does your heart desire?"

She blushed, having forgotten that he was fluent in Maliri. "If I tell you, my wish won't come true."

"We wouldn't want that." John stretched, being careful not to wake Helene. "Everything okay?"

"I'm sorry to disturb you. I just wanted to let you know that we've docked with the final hive ship and the girls are evacuating the last set of prisoners," she explained, appreciating the opportunity to change the subject.

He grimaced, looking guilty. "I didn't mean to fall asleep, I should be down there helping them."

She placed a purple hand on his arm and stroked him soothingly. "Don't worry, everything's under control. I just wondered if you could vouch for me with the colonists? We can project your image into the Primary Hangar so you can address all of them at once."

"Of course, I remember you asking," he agreed, sliding away from Helene and gently transferring her head from his shoulder to the pillow. John climbed out of bed then looked down at the sleeping girl. "Could you keep Helene company for me please? I don't want her to wake up alone."

Faye bobbed her head in agreement. "No problem at all."

John gave her a grateful smile, then glanced at the wardrobe. "Full-dress uniform or my Paragon suit?"

"I'd recommend your Lion armour," Faye replied, after giving his question 0.156 second's thought. She counted off the reasons with her fingers. "With the gold embossing on your body armour, there'll be no mistaking your identity. The girls are already wearing their Paragon suits, so you'll be coordinated with them, presenting a unified image of the Lion with his Lionesses. The colonists are scared and traumatised, so seeing you geared for battle will be a comforting reminder that you're there to protect them. Finally, the colonists will have seen the video of you annihilating the Kirrix on Khalgron, so that will subconsciously remind them of the fate of their tormentors, hopefully giving them some closure."

He looked at her in surprise, before breaking into a fond smile. "All excellent points, thank you."

"You're welcome!"

John disappeared into the wardrobe, returning a minute later in a fresh form-fitting body suit. He spotted the clothing Faye had picked out for Helene draped across the chair and chuckled. "Nice choice."

"It's customary," Faye replied, with a twinkle in her luminous eyes.

"Thanks for looking after her, honey," he said, leaning down to give the purple girl a tender kiss.

Her cupid-bow lips responded to his, with Faye activating dozens of subroutines to perfectly mimic the lessons she'd received from Rachel. She kept her jaw relaxed but her lips firm enough to provide pleasing resistance for John. The tip of her tongue flickered out as if to taste him, as well as offering the invitation to escalate the clinch if he chose. John deepened the kiss and Faye responded with a soft moan, the streams of tactile data she was receiving making her circuits tingle with the increase in bandwidth.

"You're a hell of a kisser, Faye," he marvelled when he pulled back, gently cupping her face as he kissed the tip of her nose.

She giggled shyly, gazing back at him with big eyes. "I can't wait to show you what else I can do..."

"We'll have that second date soon, I promise," he said, stroking her head before waving goodbye and entering the express grav-tube.

Faye returned his wave and watched him leave, tracking him on the security cameras as he put on his armour and headed down to the Primary Hangar. When he reached Deck Nine, she met him with a holographic avatar and the two of them watched the stream of bedraggled prisoners emerging from the final hive ship via the umbilical. Faye spoke quietly with John, discussing the best way to address the colonists, until they decided to use the audio amplification from his suit, accompanied by an enlarged holographic projection. He gave her a grateful nod, then joined the girls in bringing the last Terrans aboard the Invictus.

Helene turned in her sleep, drawing Faye's attention. The aquatic girl rolled over so that she was lying on her back, the covers slipping down to reveal her rounded tummy. With a wistful look on her elfin face, Faye reached out to gently stroke Helene's curved stomach, her fingertips brushing ever-so-lightly over soft teal skin. She could only imagine what it must be like to experience that level of intimacy with John; to willingly swallow his cum, knowing that doing so would let him change her body and mind however he saw fit. It was an act of absolute trust that she longed for desperately, but she knew it was something she would never be able to experience... except in her wildest dreams.

"Mmm, that feels wonderful," Helene murmured, a contented smile on her face when she eventually stirred.

"I'm so sorry!" Faye blurted out. "I didn't mean to disturb you!"

Helene caught her dainty purple hand before the sprite could pull it away. "There's no need to apologise, it was a lovely way to wake up. Please continue if you want to."

Faye nodded, then sat closer and followed the curve of the aquatic girl's belly with her hand. "Does that feel okay?"

The young woman nodded, gazing at Faye with her inquisitive baby-blue eyes. "Faye... you looked so sad when I woke up. What's the matter?"

The purple girl winced, annoyed at herself for letting her expression reflect the melancholy nature of the data she had been processing. Faye decided she'd build a failsafe subroutine, so she could keep her face neutral when she was experiencing anything that could be interpreted as a negative emotion. After all, avoiding upsetting the crew was of paramount importance.

"Nothing's the matter, I'm fine!" she replied with a bright smile.

"You should be able to tell a friend if something's upsetting you," Helene said earnestly, looking up at the petite girl. Her face suddenly shadowed with concern. "We are friends aren't we, Faye?"

Faye narrowed her eyes as she looked at the aquatic girl's artfully-innocent expression. "You're playing dirty!"

Helene smiled and placed her hand atop Faye's. "Only because I care about you. You've been so kind to me since I arrived here, I'd feel terrible if I wasn't able to help you in return..."

With a groan, Faye held up her hands in surrender. "Okay, stop... You win!"

Opening her arms to the diminutive girl, Helene embraced the purple sprite when she lay down beside her. "Good. Now, tell me what's wrong..."

Faye was quiet for a long moment, then said softly, "Nothing's wrong... I just feel a bit sad."

"Why's that?" Helene asked, brushing her fingers through Faye's mane of dark-purple hair.

Reaching down to place her hand on Helene's swollen tummy again, Faye replied, "You've only known John for a week, but you've already become lovers and he's fed you several times. He's about to gift you some of his psychic strength to give you special abilities, because he cares about you and wants to make you happy. That's what Alyssa meant when she said that you'd carry a part of him with you forever..."

"I didn't know!" the Abandoned girl exclaimed, her eyes going wide in alarm. She started to sit up as she continued, "I have to find him, tell him to stop before it's too late!"

Quickly shaking her head, Faye held Helene back, surprising the taller woman with her formidable strength. "I'm not sad because you're getting psychic powers! Calm down and relax; John fully understands the cost and he's paying it willingly." When Helene settled back on the bed again, Faye continued, "I envy you, Helene... that's all."

Startled by Faye's forlorn tone, Helene looked at her with sympathy tinged by confusion. "You're absolutely amazing! Why would you envy me? You can do things I could only dream about, like helping all the girls when they fight and assisting them with everything else they do. I know John and the girls have nothing but the greatest respect and love for you."

"You're so sweet," Faye said, gently caressing her cheek. "I can see why John fell for you so quickly."

Helene blushed then shook her head. "But I still don't understand why you'd be envious of me?"

Faye let out a heavy sigh. "I've known John for months and had my body for a couple of weeks, but so far we've only kissed a few times."

"I've heard the girls talk about your date with John," Helene said, giving her an encouraging smile. "From what I've heard, it sounded magical! Every girl aboard the ship wishes that she'd gone out for dates with John before falling into bed with him. They think you're very sensible asking to take things slowly, so you can enjoy every moment of the courtship first..."

"You're right, the date was very special," Faye said with a wistful look in her eyes. "But I'm not taking things slowly for my benefit... it's all for John."

Shaking her head, Helene frowned. "Sorry, I'm confused again. He seems to be very attracted to you... why would you want a longer courtship solely for him?"

"If I was an organic girl like you, I have no doubt that John and I would've become lovers long ago," Faye replied, her hand caressing Helene's cum filled belly. Her voice was filled with yearning as she continued, "I'd have spent weeks on my knees, relying on John to take care of me as I was reshaped into his ideal of a perfect woman. I'd look lovingly into his eyes as I swallowed his cum, knowing that he was making me healthy and fertile so that I could carry his children..."

"That sounds wonderful," Helena murmured with a breathy sigh.

"It would be lovely... but I can never share that with him." Faye's voice caught and she looked away, her expression shadowed with pain. "And I still have to take things slowly; I can't take the chance that John might suddenly find himself repulsed by my artificial nature. I don't think I could survive that kind of rejection... not from him."

"Oh, Faye... I'm so sorry," Helene said, holding the petite girl close. "Have you told John any of this?"

"He knows I'm worried about unsettling him, but there's nothing he can do... he can't change my nature." Faye rested against the soft swells of the aquatic girl's full breasts and a tear rolled down her cheek, splashing on Helene's teal skin. "Don't mind me, I'm just being greedy. What John and I already have together is wonderful."

"I wish there was something I could do to help," Helene said, stroking Faye's back.

Lifting her head up, the purple girl gave her a wistful smile. "I know I want the impossible. Thank you for listening though, it felt good to talk about it."

"Any time," Helene said, giving her friend a comforting squeeze.

***

John activated his Paragon suit's flight mode and lifted off the deck, rising several metres so that he was overlooking the thousands of colonists sitting in the Hangar. "Hello everyone. Could I have your attention for a few minutes please."

A hush descended in the vast room, with over 50,000 colonists gazing up at the white-armoured figure who hovered above them. A holographic depiction of him appeared at his side, magnified so that it was easy to see his face and the Lion iconography on his Paragon armour.

"My name's Admiral John Blake and I'd like to welcome you aboard the Invictus, although I'm sorry it's under such terrible circumstances. We're heading back to Brecken's World now and in roughly ten minutes, we'll land at the starport in Valley Falls City so that residents can disembark. I know many of you are from outlying settlements, so my plan is to visit those towns and make drop-offs for the people who live there. We'll let you know the list of destinations and will announce the name of each town as we arrive."

"Many of you have suffered unspeakable horrors, with thousands infested by the Kirrix." Gesturing towards the treatment area, he continued, "We have developed a method of destroying those eggs, which is completely safe, quick, and painless. It will take time for us to treat everyone, but I've been assured that we can completely cure every infested colonist within a day."

"You will have seen my Lionesses assisting with the evacuations from the Hive Ships. One of them is called Faye and she's been using a number of holograms to oversee the treatment process." He beckoned to the purple sprite waiting on the deck, and her iridescent wings fluttered as she rose to join him. "Faye helps with the day-to-day running of the Invictus and knows everything that's going on around here. If you have any questions at all, speak to one of her holograms and she'll be happy to assist you. Otherwise, feel free to speak to myself or one of the other Lionesses and we'll do our best to help."

John's expression was deeply troubled as he continued, "Finally, I just want to say how saddened I am for everything you've been through in the last few days. I know my condolences mean very little, but to all those who lost loved ones to the Kirrix, we're all deeply sorry for your loss. I fervently wish I could have prevented the attack on your world, but unfortunately, I can't undo the terrible hardships that you've endured. I'm not a doctor, who can help take away your pain. I'm a soldier... so I wiped out the Kirrix forces that attacked Brecken's World to avenge what they did to you. It's not much, but I hope that brings you at least some small measure of comfort."

Moved by his sincerity, most of the colonists began a quiet round of applause, which he acknowledged with a respectful salute. Some appeared too traumatised and numb to participate, but that had never been the purpose of his impromptu speech. John descended to the deck as the clapping died out and he was soon surrounded by civilians who wanted to thank him personally for his kind words.

***

The Invictus glided through the cloudbanks above the lush green planet known as Brecken's World, heading towards the capital, Valley Falls City. The white battlecruiser levelled out as it cleared the cloud cover, flying above the tall forests that blanketed the surface of the world, until it reached the rolling valley where the starport was located. The forests had been cut back there, allowing the settlement plenty of room to expand.

Faye guided the Invictus towards the largest docking bay in the starport, which was lit up like a beacon, standing out amidst the darkened city. She guided the battlecruiser towards the marked landing area, retro-thrusters blazing orange against the white hull as she eased the Invictus down to the deck. Faye had broadcast a planetary-wide announcement declaring their return, so a crowd of colonists was waiting impatiently for their arrival. Many thousands more had escaped the Kirrix occupation by fleeing into the dense forests surrounding the city, and while word had spread of the liberation, those colonists had a long trek ahead of them to return.

When the Invictus had landed safely, Faye opened the massive hull doors, allowing the crowds of civilians to rush inside. The hangar was soon filled with tearful reunions as friends and family hugged those they thought they'd lost forever. John watched the embracing people with a smile, glad to see those moments of joy after being surrounded by so many traumatised colonists. He felt a hand touch his arm and turned to see Alyssa accompanied by an older, weather-beaten man in a dishevelled suit.

"John, this is Stefan Vaughn, the planetary governor," Alyssa said, introducing her companion.

"It's an honour to meet you, Admiral Blake," the governor said, sticking out his callused hand. "I can't thank you enough for getting here in the nick of time."

John carefully shook the man's hand with an armoured gauntlet. "No thanks necessary, Governor Vaughn."

Stepping closer, the grey-haired governor whispered in a quiet voice, "I saw with my own eyes what those goddamn Kirrix monsters were doing to people. Those fuckers had me lined up next... until one of your Lionesses swooped in like an avenging angel and gutted that rapist sonofabitch. Believe me, I'll be grateful to that little lady until my dying day!"

Nodding his understanding, John glanced over at the treatment area. "I just wish we could've got here fast enough for them too..."

Vaughn shook his head. "I heard some of my people demanding to know why you didn't get here in time, but Alyssa set them right. She said you weren't even in Terran Space when we got attacked."

*Everything okay?* John asked Alyssa, glancing in her direction.

*Some colonists were hurt and angry after what the Kirrix did to them... they were just lashing out,* Alyssa replied, her eyes meeting his. *Most of the resentment is directed at Buckingham for recalling the border fleet and leaving them exposed.*

"We rushed to the border worlds as fast as we could," John explained with a rueful frown. "But first we had to save Terra and the Federation fleet from the Kintark invasion, otherwise everything would've been lost."

"Fucking Admiralty!" Vaughn sneered and spat on the deck. "Maybe you should've let those bastards burn. I always suspected they never gave a shit about people out on the rim... this just proved it."

"That might've been true in the past," John said, giving him a sympathetic look. "But things are very different now."

"I grew up on Karron, so I know exactly what you mean," Alyssa interjected, a flare of anger in her eyes as she turned to face the Brecken's World governor. "That's why we brought a shitstorm down on High Command and fucked up all the corrupt Admirals!"

"You don't look like a worm girl," Vaughn said, eyeing her appraisingly. He broke out in a smile. "But you sure sound like one."

Alyssa winked at him as she calmed down. "Fleet Admiral Devereux is very different from Buckingham. Give her a chance, she might surprise you."

He nodded, looking thoughtful. "Maybe I will... she can't be any worse."

John caught the man's eye and said, "We could really use your help, Governor. The Invictus isn't equipped to cater for this many people; would you be able to arrange food and drink to be brought here for everyone waiting to be treated for egg infestation?"

Vaughn gave him a warm smile. "It's the least I can do. You just concentrate on getting that Kirrix shit out of my people; let me and my boys take care of the rest, okay?"

"Will do," John replied, returning his smile.

The governor turned to face the crowd and putting two fingers in his mouth, let out a piercing whistle. He managed to get the attention of most of the colonists, and a dozen men moved to join him, obviously used to being summoned in such a fashion. Vaughn nodded to John and Alyssa, then walked away to join his team, who listened attentively as he explained what he needed from them.