Three Square Meals Ch. 121

*I was so close...* Alyssa said, blinking away bitter tears of frustration. *Jessica wanted to apologise... make it up to John for abandoning him. I could've given him his mother back... he would've been so happy...*

*I know...* Rachel said quietly, swallowing around the lump in her throat. *I saw what you were trying to do.*

Alyssa glanced back at the door behind them, her expression darkening with anger. *It's not too late... I could go kill that asshole and break his control over Jessica... bring her with us. At least John would have his mom back in his life...*

*She'd be devastated if you killed Rahn'hagon. You'd probably have to render Jessica unconscious to prevent her doing something drastic, then sift through her mind, removing every last trace of his influence over her. Do you think John would approve of any further tampering with his mother's mind?*

*No... he wouldn't be happy,* Alyssa admitted sullenly. She blinked and darted a guilty look at the tawny-haired girl. *You know about that?*

*There was only one possible explanation for Jessica's drastic change of heart,* Rachel replied, turning and brushing her fingers through Alyssa's golden mane. *I love that you tried to bring her back to John... but there can be severe repercussions from altering a person's mind. You saw what happened when John tried to help Tashana, Irillith, and Edraele... it's an extremely complicated process to make those kinds of adjustments to a person's core personality. Unpicking 40 years of Rahn'hagon's influence over Jessica was always going to be a herculean task.*

Alyssa stared at John, nibbling nervously at her bottom lip. *Should I tell him what I did?*

Rachel followed her gaze and watched John for a long moment. *He's in too much pain right now to deal with anything else. Besides, you know how John feels about making mental changes to us. If you confess to making alterations to Jessica and they ever do reconcile in the future, he'll never truly believe that any interest she shows in him is genuine.*

*But it was real!* Alyssa protested. *As soon as I lessened Rahn'hagon's control over her, Jessica's original personality started to emerge. She was horrified that she'd abandoned her son and disowned her parents... that was the real Jessica Blake!*

*I know, Alyssa,* Rachel said gently. *But would John believe it?*

The blonde deflated, sadness in her eyes. *You're right. He's so suspicious about everything to do with Progenitors and personality modification... I still can't believe it took us six months to stop him feeling guilty about the Change.*

*Don't be surprised if his antipathy towards his species intensifies,* Rachel warned her, looking into Alyssa's cerulean eyes. *Did you see the look he gave that galaxy map?*

*I saw it... and I felt the hatred...* Alyssa replied, her expression filled with anguish. She turned to look at Rachel, not missing the pain in her eyes. *When John thought that he and Larn'kelnar were the last of the Progenitors, he'd already decided that there weren't going to be any more. I talked to him about children when we met up with the Young Matriarchs. John was always going to let us choose if we wanted a boy or a girl... but any boys won't be like him.*

*I never knew that!* Rachel exclaimed, gaping at the blonde in shock.

*Maybe it's due to Rahn'hagon's plan to hunt down the other Progenitors, but John wants to end their influence on the galaxy,* Alyssa said, a look of profound sadness on her beautiful face. *Which means he doesn't want to have any Progenitor children.*

Shaking her head, Rachel turned to look at John with sympathy. *To hate your own species so much... that you'd try to wipe them out...*

*He's a Progenitor... It's what they do best,* Alyssa whispered, a tear rolling down her cheek.

***

Calara felt herself flagging as they walked through the extensive network of passages criss-crossing the ship. She could only imagine how tired Dana and Irillith must be, having both been seriously wounded in the battle against Larn'kelnar, then psychically healed by Rachel. She glanced at the Maliri girl's flank, where the disintegration matrixes had blasted a crescent shaped hole in the side of her jumpsuit.

Irillith noticed she was being studied and smiled. "Don't worry, I'm fully healed now."

Brushing her fingers against Irillith's exposed blue skin, Calara said quietly, "It was horrific seeing you get hit like that."

"It wasn't much fun being blasted across the room either," the Maliri said with a wry smile. "I think we had the right idea staying on the Invictus' Bridge and avoiding the really nasty fights."

The Latina couldn't help laughing as she nodded her agreement.

"Calara?" Sakura's voice rang out from the junction ahead of them.

"Yeah, it's me!" the brunette called back, feeling an unexpected surge of anticipation to see her friend again.

Jade, Helene, Tashana, and Sakura stumbled into view, all four looking their way with expressions of joy that must have matched their own. The two groups rushed to greet each other, a sense of anxious anticipation in the air.

Sakura dropped her ninjato, which fell to the floor in a clatter, and fiercely embraced the Latina. "It's so good to see you again!"

Calara squeezed her back. "I know exactly what you mean!"

They held each other for a moment, then Sakura pulled back to look into her eyes. "Has Alyssa told you much about what happened?"

"There was a fight between John and his father... I don't know any more details than that," Calara replied, shaking her head. "But Alyssa's really upset... I can tell."

Sakura turned to look at Jade, who was looking longingly down the corridor, a sense of impatient urgency to the Nymph.

"Jade said John really needs us right now," the Asian girl whispered, her brow furrowing with concern.

Calara nodded, then cleared her throat. "Let's go ladies, we need to be there for John."

Jade turned to give her a grateful smile, then the girls separated, all just as eager to see John again. Sakura crouched down to retrieve her swords and the group set off, walking at a hurried pace now that they were close to their destination. It didn't take long to arrive at the final set of doors and Jade darted ahead, hitting the rune to open them. The group gathered together, waiting as the serrated panels seemed to take forever to open. When the door finally peeled apart, they saw John standing with his arms around Rachel and Alyssa, an almost unbearable sense of melancholy pervading the huge room.

As soon as the doors had opened, Jade sprinted across the room and threw her arms around John, hugging him tight. The rest of the girls followed after her, each taking it in turns to embrace and kiss him. Calara waited until last, watching John with concern. She could see a profound sense of loss in his eyes that had never been there before... the rejection by his parents wounding him to the core.

She moved closer as Helene stepped aside and gently caressed John's cheek. "You don't need anyone else... you've got us to take care of you," she said, gazing deep into his eyes. "Your parents might have failed you, but I never will. I know how much you admire my family and wish you could have experienced the same thing... and that's exactly what you're going to get. We're going to make that family together, with you as head of our household. I grew up watching my mom love my dad and be the perfect wife for him... and I promise, I'm going to be just as good for you."

"Me too," Sakura said earnestly.

"And me," Dana agreed, hugging him from the side.

The rest of the girls echoed their pledges, with John smiling at each of them affectionately.

"That's nine unique interpretations of Maria Fernandez, all dedicated to loving you," Alyssa said with a smile, tousling his hair and resting her chin on his shoulder. "Do you think you can handle it?"

"I'll do my best," he replied, leaning his head against hers. He looked around at the girls and swallowed around the lump in his throat. "I'd be lost without all of you... Thank you for reminding me what's really important."

Calara closed the gap to claim her own kiss, her lips brushing against his with a gentle tenderness that made him yearn for more. "We all need you," she whispered. "And we're going to make you so happy for including us in your life."

He put his arms around the brunette and held her close, overcome with emotion.

She kissed him on the cheek and pulled back. "We need to get you out of that armour, then we can have a proper hug."

John glanced down at his battered and bloodstained Paragon suit. "Yeah, I must look a mess."

Calara wiped some of the partially-dried blood from his nose. "You've had better days," she said with a gentle smile.

"I really have..." he said, looking forlorn.

Alyssa gave him a sympathetic kiss, then turned to look at Jade who was watching her master with concern. "Jade, do you reckon you can fly this thing?"

The Nymph glanced up at the shuttle, its black hull glistening menacingly in the crimson gloom. Calling it a shuttle was something of a misnomer, as the sinister-looking vessel was nothing like one of the tiny Terran Federation shuttles. At over 75 metres long, it was closer in size to a corvette... and the gun ports bristling over its hull made it quite clear that it wasn't intended just for transportation.

"I should think so..." the verdant pilot agreed, appraising the ominous craft.

"Okay, can you find the cockpit and take us down to Arcadia?" the blonde requested. "Both John and I need to get out of our armour."

Jade nodded, then after a final worried glance at John, she turned and bounded into the shuttle. The rest of the girls followed her inside, with John bringing up the rear, flanked by Alyssa. The interior of the ship matched that of Larn'kelnar's dreadnought, with the same murky red lighting and black walls and floor. The oppressively bleak corridor stretched away with doors leading off to either side.

"There's three decks," the Nymph informed them, looking perfectly at home as she padded towards the doors at the end of the corridor. "The cockpit is on Deck Two at the front of the ship, the Master's suite is on the top deck, directly above."

John and Alyssa exchanged a startled glance.

"Yes..." Jade said softly, touching the rune beside the door, which opened to reveal a large elevator. "I've been on one before..."

John and the girls followed her inside, watching Jade as she pressed the two runes for their destinations. The elevator rose quietly, a soft hum and gentle vibration the only indication that they were moving. When the serrated doors peeled apart, Jade hesitated, obviously reluctant to be parted from John's side.

"We won't be long," he said, giving her an encouraging smile. "Get us home, little Nymph."

"Yes, Master," she said obediently, giving him a loving smile in return.

The rest of the girls followed her out, waving goodbye as they left John and Alyssa in the elevator. He watched them walk away down the corridor until the doors slid shut behind them, then they ascended to the top level where the doors opened once again. The short corridor outside ran to the left and right, with a single door at each end. Turning right, they headed towards the front of the shuttle, where John touched the rune beside the ornate doorframe. The Master's suite was huge and opulent, with a massive bed obviously intended for a multitude of thralls to entertain their Progenitor.

"I'm glad it's not exactly like ours," John said quietly, walking into the room and studying the huge black bed. "There's no bed posts... and I prefer the white..."

Alyssa stood beside him and interlaced her fingers with his. "There's no love here either," she murmured, seeing no sign of psychic echoes. "It's nothing like our bedroom."

"I'm not like them..." John said, sounding like he was desperately trying to convince himself.

Moving to stand in front of him, Alyssa looked into his eyes. "No, handsome... you're nothing like them. They're evil... and I'm not dumb enough to fall in love with a bad boy."

"No, you always were a very clever girl," John said with a fond smile.

Alyssa felt her heart lifting at his praise, and despite the oppressive weight of all her worries, there was nothing fake about the radiant smile she beamed back at him. Reaching for the hidden clasps of his Paragon suit, she began to unlock the plates, wanting nothing more than to be able to mould her body against his. John removed his sword and let it clatter on the floor, then helped her tug the battered armour clear, methodically stripping the cracked and punctured plating from his body. It didn't take long for them to remove the entire suit of armour, leaving him in a ripped and bloodstained jumpsuit.

They worked together to take off Alyssa's Paragon suit next, quickly divesting her of the sparkling white plates. As soon as she was free of the armour, they fell into each other's arms, hugging each other close.

"God... I needed this," John whispered in her ear as he relished her soft warmth pressed against him. "Today's been one long fucking nightmare..."

"I know, handsome... I know," she murmured, nuzzling into him as she rubbed his back. "But it's all over now. I'm here to take care of you... all the girls are."

He let out a shuddering sigh. "Have you told them what happened?"

"No. I thought it would be better coming from you..." she replied, gently kissing his cheek. "But I can talk to them if you want?"

"No, you're right... they all need to know and it should come from me," he said with quiet determination. "We'll let them rest first, then I'll tell them."

"I thought we were so close..." Alyssa murmured, tears filling her eyes. "I wanted it so much, John."

"I know, beautiful... and I'm so sorry," he said, gently stroking her golden mane. John's eyes suddenly hardened, his expression one of grim resolve. "I wanted to start our family too... but not yet..."

***

Jade slid into the Pilot's chair, her emerald gaze sweeping over the console in front of her.

"It's like the helm control of a Maliri destroyer," Irillith said, studying the various Larathyran runes, and recognising their shape and meaning.

"Can you power up the engines and give me a quick overview?" the Nymph requested, unfamiliar with the layout.

"Of course, it's quite straight forward," the Maliri replied, placing a hand on Jade's shoulder and giving her a gentle squeeze of encouragement. "You've already flown the Invictus and the Raptor... and if you can understand byzantine Terran Federation flight control systems, you'll find this a breeze."

As Irillith began to explain the controls to the attentive Nymph, the rest of the girls sat down at the various stations in the spacious Bridge, or just slumped on the floor. Dana was one of those who was too slow for a seat, so she leaned against the wall, resting her head against the black surface. Rachel knelt beside her and gently brushed a few errant strands of dark-red hair away from Dana's weary face.

"I would have thought you'd be excited to see a new ship?" she asked, brushing her fingers through her girlfriend's auburn mane. "Didn't you unlock any new schematics when you saw it?"

Dana nodded despondently. "Yeah... I got them. It's an Ascendancy class infiltration shuttle... strictly for Progenitor use only."

Rachel studied the redhead with concern, a question appearing in her grey eyes... before she just as quickly realised the answer for herself. Her face fell and she sat heavily beside Dana, leaning against her for comfort.

"But I thought... the Invictus survived..." she mumbled, before trailing off, unable to continue.

Dana put her arm around the brunette's trembling shoulders. "Yeah... it did..."

***

John stood by the window with his arms around Alyssa as they watched the descent to Arcadia. It was an exceptionally beautiful planet, the greens and blues gorgeously vibrant, without any sign of sprawling colonies that would mar the untouched paradise. The shuttle flew through wispy clouds as Jade brought them down to the surface, the Nymph controlling the small craft as though she'd been flying it for years.

"There it is..." John said in a hushed voice, staring at the sparkling white hull of the Invictus as it caught the bright sunlight. "It barely looks scratched, let alone having just crashed out of orbit!"

"Aside from being cut in half," Alyssa said, tilting her head back to smile at him.

He chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, aside from that."

The Invictus grew in size as they approached, giving them a much better look at the crash site. From this range John was able to see that the damage was more severe than he'd first assumed, with the front half of the ship crumpled and bent across the topdeck. The rear section lay on its side a short distance from the front, and as the shuttle circled the broken stern of the battlecruiser, John could see significant impact damage on its underbelly.

"How the hell did the front topdeck get damaged when it landed upright?" he muttered in confusion. "There's no damage on the flanks... on either section... so it doesn't look like it rolled."

Alyssa frowned as she studied the wreck. "If I didn't know better, I'd say they landed like this..."

She held out her hands in front of her, one on top of the other. Alyssa bounced them as if simulating an impact, then rolled the top hand off to land on its side.

"That's crazy!" John snorted incredulously.

The blonde shrugged. "I can't think of any other explanation. It explains why the top of the front section got smashed up and why the bottom of the rear is damaged too." She raised an eyebrow and added, "Dana agrees by the way..."

"Alright, you don't have to look so smug," he said with a smile, tickling her and getting a quick giggle. Wrapping his arms around her again, he continued, "But how on Terra did the Invictus land like that?"

"I've got no idea," Alyssa said, shaking her head. "But I can see lights on in both sections, so someone restored power..."

"The Nymphs wouldn't know how," John said, his brow crinkling in confusion. "Maybe Faye? She could be controlling the maintenance bots?"

"No... I don't think so," Alyssa said quietly.

"It's the only answer that makes sense!" he exclaimed, a broad grin on his face. He took one last look at the Invictus as the shuttle swooped down to land in a clearing next to the front half of the battlecruiser. Taking Alyssa's hand, he pulled her towards the door. "Let's go... I'm sick of being in these depressing black ships... I want to go home."

"Okay, John," she replied, letting him lead her into the elevator.

They dropped down to Deck Two, where the girls were all waiting for them.

When they entered the elevator, John pulled Jade over for an enthusiastic kiss. "Nice landing, honey! I can't believe you learned how to fly this ship so quickly."

The Nymph's face lit up with delight to see his buoyant mood. "Irillith identified all the controls and after that it was easy. This ship is a pleasure to fly!"

As they hugged, he smiled at Irillith over Jade's shoulder. "Have you been secretly sneaking off with Larn'kelnar to learn how his ship works?"

She rolled her eyes at him and grinned. "I'd have stabbed him in the quad if he'd tried anything. Actually, the control layout of this shuttle is very similar to Maliri vessels. The Bridge on the dreadnought was the same... it reminded me a little of the Galaena Serine. "

"That makes sense," he said with a nod. "The Maliri would have been very familiar with thrall and Progenitor ships, I suppose it was only natural that they'd use a similar design for control systems."

The elevator dropped down to the lower deck, the door opening automatically. John led the way, walking hand-in-hand with Jade, both equally as excited at the chance to see her sisters again. He opened the airlock door and as soon as the quartered sections peeled back, he was surrounded by joyful catgirls.