Three Square Meals Ch. 104

Ularean gestured towards the image. "As you can see, we carefully extracted it from-"

"Oh shit..." Dana groaned, clutching her head. She waved frantically at Irillith, "Quick! Come here!"

The Maliri girl dashed over to join her, sitting beside the reeling redhead. Alyssa reached out to place a hand on their temples, then made a psychic bridge between the two girls.

Irillith breathed deep, relaxing as she let the blonde channel the schematics from Dana's mind to her own. In a brilliant flash of violet light, incredibly complex schematics flashed into existence before them, projected from Irillith's angular eyes. The telltale runic script made it abundantly clear that this was a Progenitor blueprint.

"Wow..." Dana murmured, gazing in awe at the glowing projection. "So that's how they did it..."

John turned to Ularean and gave him a profoundly grateful smile. "Thank you, Ularean! That was perfect!"

"Would you still like to claim the artefact?" the Ashanath leader asked without pause.

Shaking his head, John replied, "I think we got everything we needed. You can keep it with my blessing."

The grey alien bowed to him respectfully. "Safe travels to you, JohnBlake."

He ended the call a second later, the hologram of his face and the underground hangar fading from view.

John clasped Dana's hand and squeezed it gently, drawing her enraptured gaze from the weapon schematics. "Good news?"

She nodded, a look of disbelief on her face. "That cannon is a fucking beast! I can't replicate it exactly, as I haven't figured out how to make the black metal Mael'nerak built it with..." She leaned back in her seat, lost in thought for a moment before giving him a dazzling smile. "... but I reckon I can make a Crystal Alyssium version!"

"Why does the metal make a difference?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.

"The barrel stress," Dana replied, before glancing up at Alyssa and giving her a grateful smile.

The blonde withdrew her hands from both girls and the blueprints faded away. "Are you okay?" she asked Irillith, brushing her fingers through her flowing white hair.

The Maliri blinked as the glow slowly faded from her eyes. "You're getting so much better at that... it actually felt pleasant this time."

Giving John her undivided attention again, Dana continued, "Where was I... Oh right, basically, the Quantum Flux Cannon creates kind of a vortex in the firing chamber, which charges the projectiles when they're fired. The forces involved are incredible, but the Progenitors don't even bother to put a containment field around them, like we do for the artificial singularity in a Singularity Chamber. I'll need to make quite a few modifications, but I reckon I can create our own version without too much problem."

"Can we build it here at Olympus?" John asked, looking hopeful

Dana gave him a rueful frown. "Afraid not. It'll take me a little while to figure out how to make those changes, then building it will take some time too. We'll also have to refit the Invictus so we can mount it somewhere... we haven't got any hard points big enough to take it at the moment."

Tashana frowned, her beautiful face twisted in a mask of confusion. "You've seen the Legacy before, when we saw it lift off from Ashana. Why didn't you recognise the schematics for that weapon straight away?"

"That's actually a really good point," Dana replied, before pausing for a second to mull it over. She smiled at John and reached down to cup his quad. "You must have pumped them into me since then..."

He laughed, but he found he couldn't disagree. "I wish I knew how that worked... I've got no conscious control over any of it."

Dana gave him a sultry look. "I think the best policy is to keep me topped up as often as possible. That way we cover all our bases."

Rachel leaned over the sofa and hugged her lover from behind. "You're insatiable! Leave some for the rest of us!"

Faye placed her hand on John's shoulder and said quietly, "Just to let you know, Charles arrived a couple of minutes ago... He's waiting for you down in the Docking Bay."

"Thanks, Faye," he replied, getting up from the sofa. "We better not keep him any longer."

He turned to look for Lynette, then realised that Helene was staring at him in astonishment. "You okay, honey?"

"What was that strange grey creature?" she marvelled, her wide-eyed gaze making her look like she was doing an impersonation of the Senior Councillor, with his huge black eyes.

"That was Ularean, he's the leader of a species called the Ashanath," John explained, giving her a reassuring smile.

"Do you remember me showing you the Ashanath Collective on the Empire map?" Faye reminded the startled young woman. "Maybe this afternoon I should show you some pictures of all the different aliens. Would you like that?"

"Oh yes!" Helene exclaimed, looking thrilled.

Jehanna grinned at John and asked, "Any chance you could set up an interview for me with the Senior Councillor? The High Council is notorious for declining contact with news media."

John looked dubious as he replied, "I can ask, but I'm not sure he'll be interested. Besides, the Greys are... laconic... to put it mildly. I'm not sure an interview with Ularean would make for particularly exciting viewing."

She shrugged, quite undeterred. "Maybe they just need someone to ask the right questions..."

He laughed and nodded. "Alright, I'll ask him the next time we talk." Turning to look at Lynette, he offered his arm. "Shall we?"

She hooked her arm though his and they left the Officers' Lounge with Alyssa following close behind. Lynette was lost in thought as they descended in the grav-tube, her hazel eyes gazing off unseeing into the distance.

John glanced at the brunette and asked, "Everything okay? It looks like you've got something on your mind."

Lynette hesitated for a second, then replied, "You mentioned that you'd included the Ashanath in your alliance, but I didn't realise the extent of it. Is Ularean a puppet too?"

Alyssa started giggling, while John gaped at the older woman in surprise. "No, of course not! Ularean's a male Ashanath!"

The brunette blushed and hastily said, "I'm sorry, I struggle to tell the difference with the Greys. Ularean was so subservient towards you... I just assumed..."

"We're friends and allies, that's all," John said firmly. "If he seemed grateful, it's because we saved his homeworld from destruction by a Drakkar invasion fleet."

"And Rachel saved Ularean's life after he was stabbed by a Drakkar Warlord," Alyssa interjected, smiling at the admiral.

"The High Council know quite a lot about Progenitors," John said, as they reached Deck Nine. "I had no idea what species I was from until they told me several months ago. They knew I was a Progenitor and asked if they could form an alliance with me... I suppose my idea of allying all the empires to fight the other Progenitor started with them."

Lynette had been listening attentively and she nodded when he finished. "Thank you for the explanation. It's reassuring to hear you confirm that you're allies with them, without needing to install a puppet in control of their government."

"You're welcome," he replied with an understanding smile.

She hesitated before stepping out into the corridor, her face bathed in red from the anti-gravity field. "Was that a Progenitor weapon that Ularean offered to give you?"

"It was," John replied, offering her a hand as he stepped out of the grav-tube. "The Ashanath found it on a wrecked Progenitor ship millennia ago, long before humanity had left Terra. It's an incredibly powerful weapon called a Quantum Flux Cannon. We saw the Ashanath use it to take out a Drakkar dreadnought during the Battle for Ashana."

"Are they able to... make more of them?" she asked hesitantly, the concern in her eyes quite obvious.

"No, they just have the one," he replied, giving her a knowing look. "As you probably heard, even Dana can't reproduce it yet, so you don't need to worry about the Terran Federation being left behind in the tech race."

Lynette's relief was obvious, then she raised an eyebrow speculatively. "Is there any chance that we could have the schematics?"

He laughed and shook his head. "I think you can probably guess the answer to that."

"It was worth a try," she replied, smiling back at him.

They had congregated by the airlock door and John glanced at her as he reached for the DNA reader. "Are you ready to make your dramatic return from death's door?"

She nodded, a determined look in her eyes. "I am."

The DNA reader flashed green, then the inner and outer airlock doors spiralled open, revealing Admiral Charles Harris waiting impatiently outside. His expression was tense with worry, but that was swept away by the broad smile that suddenly appeared on his face, when he saw John and his companions leaving the Invictus.

"Lynette! It's so good to see you again," Charles said, stepping forward and embracing her, catching her by surprise.

John looked on in alarm as Lynette's holographic image flickered, but fortunately Charles was too close to her to notice that momentary disruption. Lynette gave him a warm hug in return, until John coughed discreetly into his hand. She glanced his way, noticed his perturbed expression, and her eyes widened as she realised how close she was to shattering their carefully constructed illusion.

Lynette stiffened up, then patted her fellow admiral awkwardly on the back. "I'm still a little sore, Charles... my wounds..."

He released her immediately and stepped backwards, his hands in the air and a distraught look on his face. "I'm so sorry, Lynette! I can't believe I forgot." He looked at her as if she were made of glass and that he was concerned that he might break her, then winced with sympathy. "I heard what happened to you. I really wish you'd told me what you were planning... then perhaps we could have done things differently. The last thing I wanted was to put you in harm's way like that."

She shook her head and smiled at him. "Don't waste your time with regrets, Charles... we can't undo the past." Her smile widened and she glanced at John. "Besides, everything appears to have worked out in the end."

Charles relaxed, nodding his agreement. He followed her gaze and smiled at John, before noting with a hint of amusement, "You're not bringing your full pride of Lionesses to the meeting?"

John shook his head and fell into step beside his old friend as they started walking towards the exit. "If I brought everyone, it would look like I was making a show of force. I'm hoping to keep things friendly with High Command, rather than intimidate them into cooperation from the start."

"I think most of them will go along with you," Charles said cautiously. "I know several admirals have handed in their resignations after you made that offer yesterday, but there might still be a few who cause trouble. Caldwell for one..."

Alyssa hooked her arm around Charles' and gave him a dazzling smile. "Don't worry, I can be scary if I have to."

"Yes, we all saw what you did to Weber," he replied quietly. "You're probably right; just having you there will be more than intimidating enough."

John nodded his agreement, then glanced back at his pockmarked battlecruiser. "The rest of the girls are busy working on other things, like repairing the Invictus."

Charles' smile faded as he looked back at the battle-damaged warship, his eyes roaming over the plasma scarred armour. "I was actually going to say something about that earlier, but what with the welcome to Olympus and Rachel healing me... I didn't get a chance." He frowned in disapproval and continued indignantly, "You were supposed to be taking good care of my ship! I've never seen the Invictus so torn up!"

"Your ship?" John replied with a smile, raising an eyebrow. "I'm sure I remember buying her off you." He waved away his friend's concern. "Don't worry about the Invictus, we'll have her looking as good as new in no time."

The admiral shook his head, doubt in his eyes. "You told me you'd be able to get her fixed in a couple of days, but just look at all that damage! You've lost three engines and the aft is a burnt-out wreck! It'll take you weeks to get everything repaired!" He glanced back at the Invictus and added, "I know you said you could fix this yourself, but just say the word and I'll supply you with as many repair crews as you need."

"Just leave it to us," Alyssa said, patting Charles' hand. "Two days and we'll be done..."

Charles appeared less than convinced by her bold claims. "This I'll have to see..."

She winked at him, her beaming smile widening. "Sure... as soon as we're done sorting out High Command."

***

The Raptor raced through the banks of fluffy white clouds as Sakura began her final approach to Jericho. When the gunship finally plunged out of the cloudbanks, she had a spectacular view of the rolling green fields that surrounded miles of well-kept suburbs.

"Your homeworld reminds me of New Eden," the Asian girl said, smiling at Calara who sat beside her in the co-pilot's chair.

The Latina nodded, but she seemed distracted, lost in her own thoughts. "Yes, we were both very lucky to grow up on Gaia-class worlds..."

Sakura made sure she was following the glowing green guide-path that Calara had programmed into the Nav-computer, then glanced at her friend again. "What's the matter? You've been quiet for the last half-an-hour."

Calara turned to meet her inquisitive gaze, an anxious expression on her beautiful face. "I'm worried... about you."

"About me?" Sakura asked, blinking in confusion, before a flicker of shame shadowed her face. "Did John say something before we left?"

Now it was the Latina's turn to look confused. "No, he didn't say anything... He just told me he loved me and that I needed to hurry up with my packing." She reached across to hold Sakura's hand. "Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. I was just worried about my Mom... she tends to go a bit overboard when I come back to visit, but she honestly doesn't mean to be insensitive. I'm hoping she'll tone it down a little, now she knows a bit about you and what happened to your parents."

Sakura relaxed and shook her head. "It's okay, I promise. I want you to enjoy your time with your mother, there's no need to worry about me. I'm just here to do my duty as a bridesmaid."

Calara groaned and sagged back in her chair. "Oh God... Mom's going to be a nightmare!"

"I came prepared," Sakura replied, glancing back over her shoulder at the stack of guns and the pair of Ninjato propped up by the seats behind them. "I can cover you if you need to retreat."

The Latina laughed, a lovely smile lighting up her face. "I might have to hold you to that."

It didn't take long for the Raptor to reach Calara's family home, the big ranch-style house sprawling beneath them as Sakura manoeuvred the gunship over the landing pad. She carefully watched the monitors on the underbelly of the Raptor, feathering the retro-thrusters to bring them in for a gentle landing. As soon as they touched down, both girls worked as a team, powering off the engines and shutting down systems.

Sakura rose from her chair when they were done, then carefully scooped up her weapons and carry bag. "Okay, I'm ready."

Calara picked up her own bag, double-checking she had her gun belt and Quantum pistol. She paused for a second, looking slightly perturbed. "Has Alyssa said anything to you in the last couple of hours? She's been awfully quiet since we left Olympus..."

"She hasn't said a word," Sakura confirmed a moment later, before cracking a smile. "Do you think she's up to something?"

Calara nodded, frowning with suspicion. "It wouldn't surprise me."

*Stop worrying your pretty little heads about what I'm doing. I want you two to have fun!* Alyssa said breezily, a playful lilt to her voice.

The two girls darted startled glances at each other for a moment, then Calara rolled her eyes. "Alright, I suppose there's no backing out now..."

They descended in the grav-tube, then walked through to the forward loading area, where Sakura slapped her hand down on the door release button. The loading ramp dropped down with the smooth whine of hydraulics, revealing an overjoyed Maria Fernandez, who was waiting for them at the edge of the landing pad.

As soon as the ramp touched down, Maria rushed up to join them, throwing her arms around her daughter. "Callie! My darling baby girl, I'm so glad you could make it!" She hugged her tight, making Calara drop her bag in the enthusiastic embrace. "Mmm, I love you so much!"

Calara groaned as she returned her mother's fierce hug. "Mom! I love you too, but come on... Sakura's here..."

Undeterred, Maria planted a great big kiss on Calara's cheek, then released her daughter and turned to beam a warm smile at her guest. "It's so lovely to see you again, Sakura. I'm so glad you decided to come to visit."

"It's great to see you too, Maria," Sakura said, giving her a shy smile in return.

The Latina stepped closer and reached out to stroke the Asian girl's arm. "I think it's only fair to give you plenty of forewarning... I plan to absolutely smother my daughter with affection over the next couple of days. Just let me know if it gets too much, okay?"

Smiling at Calara's groan of protest, Sakura met Maria's caring gaze. "You don't have to worry about me. I wouldn't dream of asking you to change the way you are with Calara; I think you're wonderful with her."

Maria gently stroked her cheek, giving her a look of heartfelt sympathy. "No, my beautiful angel, you don't understand. I have no intention of stopping... I just want you to tell me when I can start pretending I have two daughters, then I can look after you too..."

Sakura's eyes welled up and she leaned into Maria's maternal caress. "It's getting too much..." she replied, her voice thick with emotion.

Wrapping her up in a tender embrace, Maria smiled when Sakura melted into her arms, the Asian girl trembling as she leaned into her. "I promise I'll take good care of you, angel."

Calara hugged Sakura from behind and shared a loving smile with her mother. "Thank you," she mouthed, as they both cuddled the overwhelmed young woman.

When Sakura finally settled down, Maria picked up her bag and put an arm around her shoulder. "Now, my darling girls, come into the house. We're going to have so much fun planning this wedding!"

Sakura slipped her arm around Maria's waist and let out a happy sigh. "That sounds like a lovely idea!"

Calara looked at her friend with a resigned expression on her face. "I'm guessing the extraction plan's out?"

The Asian girl giggled and nodded. "Afraid so."

***

John fell back a few paces so that he was walking beside Alyssa as he followed behind Lynette and Charles, the two admirals talking quietly together.

*How do you want to play this?* the blonde asked, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. *Should I be discreet using my powers, or be quite blatant about it?*

He considered that for a moment, then shrugged. *I'm sure all the admirals have seen the Kintark video from Terra. They definitely know about Rachel's powers, but they probably saw you, me, and Tashana in action too. I don't think there's much point in keeping it secret any more.*

*Shock and awe then?* she asked, with a gleam in her eyes.

*How about wonder and amazement?* John countered, smiling at her. *Let's try not to scare the hell out of them from the start.*

Lynette and Charles stopped to wait for them by a set of double doors, which were guarded by a couple of fully armed and armoured soldiers.

"This is the holo-conference room we use for High Command meetings," Charles explained, gesturing through the doorway. There was a plush foyer inside, where three men and two women wearing admiral's uniforms stood waiting, watching them curiously. Beyond the five senior officers, another set of imposing double doors were set into the opposite wall.