Three Square Meals Ch. 112

"Plenty of the women seem quite intrigued too," Neysa noted, arousal glinting in her emerald eyes.

John smiled affectionately at the Nymphs. "I'm definitely going to have to reward all of you for being so helpful when the colonists leave." He looked at the girls and continued, "So, do I have any volunteers for a night shift?"

"It means getting loaded up..." Alyssa added with a coy smile.

Immediately all the girls raised their hands, broad grins on their faces.

John laughed at their eagerness. "Okay, how about me, Helene, Rachel, and the twins for the first shift, while the rest of you get some sleep. We'll call it a night at 2:00am, then Alyssa, Calara, Sakura, and Dana can take over."

Rachel nodded decisively. "That sounds perfect. I should be able to heal all the wounded by then."

Dana sprang to her feet. "Right, I'm off to bed! Soon as I wake up, it'll be time for a snack!"

The brunette rolled her eyes fondly at her lover, while the rest of the girls laughed.

John helped Helene off his lap, then rose to his feet and offered Alyssa a hand. "Have a good rest, beautiful, you've earned it."

"I had that nap earlier, so I'm actually not feeling all that tired. I'll stay awake for a while and focus on channelling energy to the girls that need it," she said, giving him a kiss. Putting her arm around Calara, she gave him a coy smile. "And I think I'll enjoy a bit of girl time too..."

The Latina hugged her back, then blew John a flirtatious kiss as they sauntered away. Dana and Sakura trailed after them, but they were both tired after exerting themselves in the fighting and ready for some sleep.

John followed the girls out of the Officers' Lounge and reached out to clasp Rachel's hand, falling into step beside her. "How've you been getting on with the healing?"

Her bright smile of greeting faded as she replied, "The Kirrix used their salve to treat the injured, which stopped any gunshot wounds from getting infected. I haven't come across any really severe injuries, but you know what the Kirrix do to people they think won't survive the two week incubation period. I've heard from multiple colonists that critically injured friends and family members were dragged away... and haven't been seen since."

"I just hope Alyssa's peace treaty holds... for the Kirrix's sake," John muttered, grinding his teeth in anger. "Because I'm sorely tempted to deal with them permanently."

Rachel brushed her thumb against the back of his hand. "I can't even imagine the crushing weight of responsibility hanging over you, when you have to make a decision of that magnitude. One thing I want you to always remember, is that we'll back you whatever you decide... without a moment's hesitation."

Touched by her words, he looked into those sharp grey eyes that saw too much. "Thank you. It makes a huge difference knowing that I won't have to deal with any recriminations or condemnation from the girls... and you in particular. You know how much I admire you, Rachel... I'd be devastated if I thought I'd lost your respect."

"That'll never happen," she said, bumping hips with him as they walked towards the bedroom.

Taking the express grav-tubes down to the Armoury, John led Helene over to one of the armour-equipping frames. She watched the twins step into armoured boots and walk away fully sheathed in crystal Alyssium plating a few seconds later.

He saw her anxious expression and said, "There's no need to be nervous. It's really very simple to operate. The armour might be a little too large for you, but it should still be comfortable."

She turned to face him and shook her head. "I'm not scared, I know you'd never put me at risk. It's just that I want to help those poor people and I don't think I'll seem very sympathetic if I'm hidden away behind a suit of armour."

John thought about that for a moment and was reluctantly forced to agree. "Okay, but I'll be staying beside you the entire time."

Helene hugged him. "Thank you."

Glancing up at an overhead camera, he called out, "Faye, please could you start asking any of the grieving parents you've identified to meet with us?"

She appeared beside him in a burst of light. "Hey, John. I've actually spent the last few hours offering those colonists grief counselling. They were quite receptive after you informed them that I was another of your Lionesses. The colonists seem to think that my physical presence is the real me and that I'm some kind of exotic alien who uses holograms to keep an eye on the maintenance robots."

"I should have spoken to them earlier," he said, relieved to hear that she was no longer being treated with suspicion. "We'll have to remember that with the colonists from the rest of the border worlds."

"Please do, I've been getting loads of hugs!" Faye exclaimed with delight. "Apparently, the colonists think that I'm 'cute as a button'."

"They're not wrong," he said with a chuckle, as he walked into his armour equipping frame and donned his Lion embossed Paragon suit.

They descended to Deck Nine, where the twins said their goodbyes and left to check on the colonists waiting to be treated for Kirrix infestation. Rachel returned to her triage area to continue healing the wounded, so John and Helene followed one of Faye's winged sprites over to a gathering of haggard civilians. It only took one look to confirm who these people were, as the parents had a hollow emptiness in their eyes, which were reddened from crying.

John pulled off his Paragon helmet and tucked it under one arm. "Hello everyone, thank you for meeting with us." Glancing to his right, he continued, "This is Helene. She wanted to speak with you to offer her condolences and share some of her own experience with the kind of dreadful loss you've suffered."

He saw her draw a deep breath, then a moment later felt a tentative contact touch his mind.

"Six years ago, I lost my baby girl," Helene began in a quiet but steady voice, a hush descending on the group as they listened to her attentively. "I still remember that terrible time as if it happened yesterday..."

The emotions seeping into John's subconscious were tinged with such heartfelt sadness that a lump formed in his throat. The parents hugged each other, tears filling their eyes as they shared that same sense of desolation with this enchanting, but forlorn young woman. Not a person amongst them doubted her sincerity, and as Helene continued to talk, they found themselves immersed in her story. People openly wept as she talked about her dreams of a happy future for her daughter, and how she'd despaired as her hopes had been cruelly dashed. How she'd cried out at the universe for taking away an innocent, who never had a chance to experience life for themselves.

There was a subtle shift in the emotions brushing through John's mind, with despair fading into sad resignation. Helene described how light had gradually returned to the darkness of her existence, as she came to terms with the loss of her baby girl. She finished by describing her vow to honour her daughter's memory, by being the best parent she could be to the children she hoped for in the future. A gentle flicker of hope had reignited amidst her grief and it was enough for her to cling to and rebuild her life.

By the time she was done, John found himself feeling numb after hearing her tale of sorrow. It had been a rollercoaster of emotions, with heartbreaking loss eventually softening to sad acceptance. Looking around at the colonists, he could see that Helene's tale had affected them far more profoundly, with many of them gathering to thank her for telling them her story. The aquatic girl was happy to accept their hugs, the sharing of her grief bringing a sense of fellowship with these people.

Finally, the last of the colonists enfolded Helene in a grateful embrace, the middle-aged brunette whispering her thanks before returning to her waiting husband. Helene watched them leave, then turned to John with a haunted expression on her face. "They're all in so much pain. I remember what that was like... I just wanted it to be over."

He slipped his arms around her. "I think what you told them really helped."

"I hope so," she murmured, leaning into his embrace. "Hopefully they'll understand that the feeling of loss might never truly go away, but it does get easier to live with it."

"It must have been hard reliving all that again," John said, remembering the pain he'd heard in her voice and with the projected emotions she'd shared. "Do you want to head up to the room and get some rest?"

Helene shook her head and turned to look at the treatment area, where the maintenance bots were using Sonic Cannons to liquefy Kirrix egg infestations. "I'd like to stay and see if I can ease those people's suffering. I'm not sure what to say to them, but I know I can help them to feel a bit better, if only for a short time."

"Okay, but don't overdo it," John cautioned her as they walked that way. "Using psychic powers takes energy and you can burn yourself out if you try to draw too much. If you find yourself getting tired, I want you to stop immediately."

Helene nodded her understanding. "I'll be careful."

*Actually, she's not even started using her reserves yet,* Alyssa quietly informed him. *I'm tapped out after my little chat with the Hive Mind, so I've been feeding her power from Jade... Helene can keep going for a while.*

*Alright, but she needs to learn her limitations,* John said, glancing at the teal-skinned girl who had a determined look on her face.

*Let her have this moment,* the blonde gently requested. *It was very difficult for Helene to talk about losing her baby, so she wasn't able to fully appreciate how much she was consoling those grieving parents. This will just be about helping people in pain... and she really wants to feel like she's giving something back.*

John gave his silent consent, then watched Helene walk amongst the colonists on the treatment tables. He could feel the gentle waves of sympathy and comfort radiating out from her, washing over the dozens of anxious people being treated. Her presence had an immediate effect and the infested colonists relaxed, the tension and embarrassment easing from their faces as they calmly waited for their ordeal to be over. Helene turned back to look at John and he saw a look of sincere gratitude on her face as well as a newfound sense of purpose.

***

Senior Councillor Ularean walked across the huge drydock, crossing under the shadow of the enormous Maliri battleship known as the Entheas Alari. He knew how powerful that vessel was, with its endless banks of Beam Lasers and Pulse Cannons, culminating in the devastating pair of Nova Lances that jutted from the bow. The warship was also a breathtaking sight, encased as it was in resplendent golden armour, with sparkling crystal domes dotting its length. However as spectacular as the battleship looked, he knew its armour was but a pale shadow of the incredibly resilient plating that John Blake's legendary Chief Engineer had developed... hence the Maliri's visit to Ashana.

Dozens of Ashanath Engineers had started to mix orbs of Crystal Alyssium, using enhanced psi-shapers to manipulate the psychically responsive metal. Their progress was being watched by a cluster of golden-armoured Maliri women, who stood by Councillor Rathus and his coterie of silver-garbed technicians. As Ularean approached, he saw streams of liquid metal filtering off from the white orbs, slowly forming the first set of armour plating that would be used to cover the battleship's hull.

*How goes your interactions with the Maliri?* Ularean asked his fellow councillor.

*Wonderfully, Senior Councillor!* Rathus gushed, sounding delighted. *They have brought sizeable quantities of rare and precious metals with them, intended for use on the refit of their vessels and the construction of our advanced warships.*

Ularean felt the tension ease from his shoulders. *That is excellent news, Rathus.*

The white-robed Ashanath turned to face the leader of the Maliri, the Fleet Commander easily identifiable by the ornate suit of armour she wore. "Amlaril, I would like to introduce you to Senior Councillor Ularean."

She turned to face the leader of the Ashanath High Council and inclined her head respectfully. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Senior Councillor. Queen Edraele asked me to send you her kindest regards."

Ularean bowed to her and said in his eerie, whispering voice, "The pleasure is mine, Fleet Commander Amlaril. We have long awaited your arrival."

Amlaril tilted her head to one side as if looking at him quizzically. "My apologies for keeping you waiting. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the original fleet that was dispatched to the Ashanath Collective had to be diverted to the Trankaran Republic."

Letting out a frustrated sigh, Ularean murmured, "I meant no slight. My intent was simply to say how much we have looked forward to your presence on Ashana. Unfortunately, my voice modulator cannot convey the emotion accompanying those words."

"In that case, I'll try to regard everything you say in a positive fashion," Amlaril replied, nodding her understanding. "I can empathise with your communication difficulties; hiding behind a suit of armour can prove similarly frustrating at times."

He looked up at her, studying the Maliri's opaque faceplate. "Allied as we both are with JohnBlake, perhaps one day such a precaution will no longer be necessary."

"I'd like that," she said, the sincerity in her voice quite clear.

"As would I," Ularean agreed. He gestured with his spindly grey hand towards the armoured plates being stacked on the deck. "Working together as we are, can only build trust and further understanding between our peoples."

Amlaril nodded. "Collaborating to upgrade the fleet will prove to be an interesting challenge." She glanced up at her battleship, where Maliri in anti-grav harnesses were busy removing armour plates. "My orders are to complete the refit, then provide border security for the Collective while you rebuild your forces. Do you have any idea how long it will be before I can begin patrols?"

"I will defer to Councillor Rathus' expertise to answer that question," Ularean replied, glancing at the other robed Ashanath.

"At our current rate of production, we should be able to fabricate enough armour plates to fully clad your complement of battleships in two days," he murmured, studying the teams of engineers using the psi-shapers. "We have already completed modification of our manufacturing facilities and have started building new components from the schematics broadcast to us after the Battle of Terra. The first of the advanced Kintark heatsinks will be delivered here tomorrow morning and can be installed immediately. Construction of the Brimorian Shield Generators proceeds apace and I anticipate the first battleship-class device to be ready for installation in two days' time. The Entheas Alari will be spaceworthy in 54 hours."

"Outstanding!" Amlaril exclaimed, no mistaking her elation. "By the sound of it, the entire refit shouldn't take long at all."

"Three battleships, three carriers, twenty cruisers, forty destroyers, and 300 fighters," Councillor Rathus said, reading the Maliri fleet composition from a holographic display mounted on his wrist. "My preliminary estimate indicates it will take seventeen days to completely upgrade all your vessels."

Ularean turned to smile at their honoured guest. "With new shields, armour, and heatsinks, you should see an unprecedented increase in survivability and firepower."

Amlaril put her arms around the robed Ashanath and hugged them both. "Gentlemen, I believe this could be the start of a beautiful friendship."

Neither were capable of replying, pressed as they were against her glorious curves. Rathus' eyelids fluttered as he blinked rapidly, trying not to stare at the ample globes on her armoured chest.

Finally, Ularean managed to stammer, "As do I, Fleet Commander. As do I..."

***

John stirred from sleep and found himself sandwiched between two soft warm female bodies. A quick glance down at the girls draped across his chest revealed the identity of his luscious companions, their faces concealed behind light-green and tawny-brown manes of hair. He smiled as he remembered Leylira riding him to completion in the early hours of the morning, the lust-crazed tiger Nymph eager to take his load and feed the girls about to start the night shift. After that he'd collapsed into bed with Helene and Rachel, the two girls falling asleep within seconds, both exhausted after pushing themselves to the limit to help the colonists.

*I'm very proud of them too,* Alyssa said softly, as she sat on the bed.

He craned his head up to smile at the blonde. *Good morning, beautiful.*

She blew him a kiss. *Join me for a shower?*

John carefully untangled himself from his sleeping bedmates, managing to slide out of bed without waking them. A quick glance at the chronometer revealed that it was eight in the morning and he knew the girls that had kept the colonists company through the night would be coming to bed in a few minutes. He followed the toned teenager into the bathroom, Alyssa having stripped off her clothes already.

"Any problems last night?" he asked, walking into the cubicle and turning on the shower.

"The colonists were good as gold," she replied, joining him under the soothing jets of hot water. "Most of them managed to get some sleep until it was their turn to be treated."

He relaxed, the tension easing from his shoulders. "That's a relief. I was worried they were going to give you girls trouble."

She gazed into his eyes and linked her wrists behind his neck. "I know... but you worry too much."

John let his hands glide over her smooth slippery skin, wrapping her in a tight hug. "The last thing I wanted was you or the girls getting yelled at by frustrated colonists."

"We all appreciate you looking after us... but you can't protect us from everything," she said, looking at him with concern. "I don't want you giving yourself a nervous breakdown."

"Don't be silly, I'm fine," John said, with a dismissive chuckle.

Edraele's anxious voice echoed through his mind a moment later, *She's not joking, John. You let yourself be used as an emotional punching bag by those disgruntled colonists last night and were exhausted when you finally came to bed. That might help alleviate your misplaced guilt about their plight, but you've shouldered the burden of so many problems already.*

Alyssa could see he wasn't convinced. "Still don't believe us?"

He frowned sceptically. "It's not that bad..."

"Really?" the blonde asked, raising an eyebrow. "How about a quick recap of everything troubling the mighty Lion of the Federation at the moment. You're constantly worrying about: what Larn'kelnar's planning next, the astral nightmares and the thing running that place, what to do about the monsters stalking the astral plane... and how long Athena will be safe. Whether we can rescue the Outer Rim colonists in time and if they'll rebel against Federation rule after being left so exposed. Can we save the captured Trankarans, should you exterminate the Kirrix and will that lead you down a dark path. Now we're actually close to the border, you've started worrying what answers you might find on Arcadia..."

"Yes, but-"

"Hold on, I'm just getting started," she interrupted with a stern look. "You can't stop thinking about how to deal with the Brimorians and the Abandoned, if we can upgrade the Maliri fleets to face thralls, and how much tech we should give to our allies. Then on top of the usual self-inflicted guilt about 'corrupting' the girls, you're worried we've been exposed to too much fighting and are suffering from combat fatigue... and that might have caused my 'anger issues'. Was giving Helene psychic abilities the right thing to do and does she have the maturity not to accidentally burn herself out. You're unsure if the twins really have dealt with Tashana's past, whether Sakura's over her guilt, and if you're doing the right thing with the Nymphs..." She paused to make sure he understood. "I could keep going, John..."