Three Square Meals Ch. 123

Before he could answer, the comms interface let out an insistent chime. They both recognised it as an alert for a high-priority message.

"Hold that thought..." Lynette teased him, reactivating her disguise and leaning over to accept the incoming call.

***

John woke up early, but this time he remembered what had happened to Faye before he started looking for her. He let out a sad sigh, resigning himself to putting his faith in Irillith to complete the long, laborious process of rebuilding the lovely AI girl. Rolling onto his side, he spooned behind Helene, wrapping her up in his arms and enjoying the soft warmth of her nubile body.

"Mmm, that feels wonderful," she murmured, melting in his embrace.

"I didn't mean to wake you," he apologised, leaning over to kiss her teal-hued shoulder. He brushed aside her waves of light green hair, then planted more kisses on her neck, focusing his attention on the three sets of gills.

Helene trembled in his arms and moaned with arousal. "Oh... I never knew they were so sensitive!"

"The Abandoned males' loss is my gain," he said with a smile, continuing to lavish her with attention.

"John?" she murmured, sensuously rolling her hips so her rounded bottom massaged his thickening shaft. "There's one thing we haven't done together yet..."

"Eager to earn your Lioness ring?" he asked playfully, his smile broadening.

She paused and looked at him over her shoulder. "I want to be with you forever... and I know that an engagement ring tells everyone that you are my soulmate." Helene gave him a tender kiss, then added, "But I really want to do this for you. You'll be the only person I've had back there... it was something I never did with Firon."

"I'd be honoured, honey," he said, touched by her sincerity.

Helene turned around so that she was lying on her back and looking up at him, nothing but love in those baby blue eyes. "Would you mind if Alyssa joins us? She offered to help me prepare myself for you... and I promised that I'd let her watch."

He chuckled and nodded. "It's fine by me, just as long as you're comfortable with her being here. I know Alyssa will love seeing us together."

"Should I ask her to join us now?" she asked, stroking his chest.

"Let me speak to her," he said, punctuating his reply with a gentle kiss.

*Alyssa?* he asked in a hushed voice, not wanting to wake her up too abruptly.

*I'm already awake,* she replied, sounding tense. *I'm afraid Helene will have to wait... I've got some terrible news.*

*What's wrong?* he asked in alarm.

*Lynette just contacted me. The Brimorian Enclave launched a surprise attack against the Terran Federation last night.* She paused for a second, then added, *Admiral Morgan is dead... the Brimorians slaughtered his entire fleet.*

"Fuck!" John cursed, sitting bolt upright.

Helene looked up at him in surprise. "John... what's the matter?"

"I'm sorry, honey," he said, with real regret. "I'd love to spend the morning in bed with you, but I just found out that the Brimorians attacked the Terrans last night. I need to discuss what we're going to do with the girls."

She sat up too and gave him a look of understanding. "There's no need to apologise. I just wanted to let you know that I'm ready... you can claim me completely whenever you desire."

John groaned as he got out of bed. "Bloody Brimorians... they're really determined to piss me off."

Helene slipped out of the covers and stood beside him. She gently massaged his temple and asked quietly, "Would you like me to soothe your mind?"

He inhaled deeply, then shook his head. "I'll be alright. Being angry at the Brimorians is a refreshing change from everything else I've been dealing with recently."

They dressed quickly, then left Helene's quarters and walked along the corridor to the Officers' Lounge. The couple were the first to arrive, but not by much, with the rest of the girls making an appearance less than a minute later. Gathering at the sofas, they sat down in silence, looking to John to start the meeting.

"I take it Alyssa told everyone what happened?" he asked, glancing around at the girls.

Dana yawned and nodded. "The Brimorians sneak attacked the Terrans last night. Admiral Morgan and his fleet were wiped out with only one survivor."

John raised an eyebrow and glanced at Alyssa. "Only one person survived?"

"Lynette's been giving me updates as she gets more information," the blonde replied, her expression grim. "The Brimorians gunned down the escape pods and finished off everyone in the wrecks. They were determined to kill everybody, but they missed a Claymore pilot... his gunship was shot to hell and he's in a coma."

"They'll get what's coming to them," John muttered, his eyes going cold and hard.

"High Command can't reach Admiral Kester either; his fleet was travelling along the border to rendezvous at the Callopean Shoals," Alyssa explained, a flicker of anxiety crossing her face. "I really liked him, John. He's one of the few members of the Admiralty who wasn't a complete asshole."

"Have the Brimorians conquered any systems?" he asked, wondering at the scale of the unfolding disaster.

She shook her head. "The Enclave fleets that wiped out Morgan's border force are holding position in the Callopean Shoals. There's not been any reports of attacks against Federation systems yet."

Calara frowned and looked at John in confusion. "That doesn't make any sense. Now that the Brimorians have declared war, they should be pressing the advantage of surprise. They must know how badly mauled the Federation fleets are after the Battle of Terra... If it was me, I'd send every ship I could muster to Olympus Shipyard to finish off what the Kintark started."

"What if they just wished to reclaim the Callopean Shoals?" Helene suggested quietly. "Faye told me all about the Terran annexation of those systems and the wars fought over the atoll worlds. Perhaps the Brimorians only wish to take back what was originally theirs?"

John glanced at Calara and shrugged. "I don't know the Brimorians well enough to figure out their motives. Could this just be a limited invasion?"

The brunette considered it for a long moment. "With the Brimorians anything's possible. However, annihilating the border fleet and slaughtering the survivors is an act of extreme provocation. They must know that the Terran Federation will be baying for blood now... so it seems odd that the Brimorians aren't trying to inflict maximum damage while they have the opportunity."

"They're obviously up to something," he agreed, rubbing his chin. "But what it is, I've got no idea."

"A ship from Dacres' fleet is bringing the survivor back to Olympus," Alyssa interjected. "Hopefully we can find out exactly what happened when he wakes up."

"How soon can we get back to the Brimorian border?" John asked Dana.

She gave him a helpless shrug. "Ten days if we really haul ass? But we're in no shape to fight, John. We can get the Invictus spaceworthy in a week, but my estimates didn't include checking all the guns for impact damage from the crash. The plan was to limp back to Genthalas and put the Invictus into drydock, then I was going to scrap every weapon we've got and upgrade all the existing gun batteries."

"So basically, if the Brimorians do launch a full invasion, the Federation is screwed?" John muttered, shaking his head. "There's no way we can get back there to save them in time?"

"We could get back with the Progenitor shuttle," the redhead suggested. "It's got some guns, but nowhere near enough firepower to take out an entire fleet, let alone an invasion armada."

"What about a tactical strike on Brimor?" Sakura suggested. "We could infiltrate using the shuttle and assassinate the Deep Pool."

John considered that for a moment, then shook his head. "I'm not going to split up the team and leave anyone here. If we all go, that means abandoning the Invictus, so we'd have to come all the way back to Arcadia again to repair it. I don't think we can afford to waste that much time, not with the imminent threat of a Progenitor invasion looming."

Calara nodded. "I'm in full agreement. I think we need to repair the Invictus as quickly as possible, return to Maliri Space, then investigate the Mists of Loralar for Mael'nerak's homeworld. If we can find and activate a hyper-warp gate, we can capture Larn'kelnar's entire fleet without firing so much as a shot."

*John... have you forgotten that you have every fleet in the Maliri Protectorate at your disposal?* Edraele reminded him. *The situation might not be as bleak as you imagine.*

He sat back on the sofa as he mulled over using the Maliri to intervene. *I'm not sure that's wise, Edraele. I'm trying to preserve your people for the fight against the Progenitors and sending your fleets against a powerful empire like the Enclave is very different to engaging an enemy crippled by infighting like the Kirrix; there's bound to be casualties.*

*Maliri vessels greatly outclass those of the Brimorians, especially our ships in the recently refitted fleets,* Edraele replied. *Our forces should have such a technological advantage that we can easily defeat them unless massively outnumbered.*

"But committing the Maliri to a major war with the Enclave would greatly hinder our efforts to recover Larn'kelnar's forces," Calara interjected, looking concerned. "We need the Maliri fleet crews on standby to commandeer all his thrall vessels."

John glanced at her in surprise, startled that she'd overheard his telepathic conversation.

Alyssa placed her hand on his. "I'm keeping them all informed."

He nodded to her gratefully, then said to his Maliri matriarch, *Edraele, can you give me a quick status update for the Maliri fleets please?*

*Certainly. House Valaden's primary war fleets are committed to protecting our allies,* she replied, launching into an overview. *Lilyana's fleet has been upgraded with new technology and is liberating Trankaran worlds from the Kirrix. Two Trankaran fleets have now joined her on the front lines and are focusing on eliminating Kirrix ground forces, while Lilyana's fleet provides space supremacy. My second fleet has been deployed to Ashana, where half the refitted ships are in the process of being upgraded to Crystal Alyssium hulls.*

*I don't want to recall either of those fleets,* he said, shaking his head. *The Trankarans need as much assistance as we can give them and I don't want to leave the Ashanath exposed, especially when they're upgrading Maliri ships. What active fleet assets have we got in Maliri Space?*

*House Loraleth has two fleets that have been fully refitted with new engines, retro-thrusters, shields, heatsinks, and sensors,* she replied, going through the list of upgrades. *Kali's first fleet is currently patrolling our border with the Kirrix. I was going to suggest dispatching them to Arcadia to assist with the Invictus repairs, but going by Dana's estimates, you should be finishing by the time they would arrive.*

*No... definitely don't send them here,* John said firmly. *If my father is correct and Xar'aziuth does start sending Progenitors to investigate what happened to Larn'kelnar, the last thing I want is for them to ambush a Maliri fleet. What about Kali's second fleet? What are they up to?*

*They are now stationed on our border with the Brimorian Enclave,* Edraele replied. *The fleet arrived yesterday and has begun patrols. They'd be ideally placed to intervene and harass Enclave forces if they do invade Federation territory.*

"It would take about 12 hours for them to intercept the Brimorians in the Callopean Shoals," Calara said, looking thoughtful. "Perhaps even a limited engagement might dissuade the Enclave from a large-scale invasion?"

"It might... but how is Terran High Command going to react if we send another Maliri warfleet into Federation territory?" he asked the Latina, his brow furrowing with concern. "Especially, without us there to ease any tensions."

"Would High Command really object to the Maliri saving them from an invasion?" Tashana asked, with a puzzled look of bemusement.

"Probably not in the short term, but it might do lasting damage to Lynette's authority as Fleet Admiral," John said, trying to anticipate the kind of objections that might arise. "There's no formal alliance signed between the Maliri Protectorate and the Federation, so an alien warfleet roaming around Terran Space wouldn't go down well."

*I could make diplomatic overtures to High Command suggesting an alliance?* Edraele quickly suggested. *Even the knowledge that the Maliri and the Federation are on friendlier terms might be an effective deterrent to the Brimorians.*

He nodded in agreement. "That's a great idea; although you might run into difficulties with the Admiralty requesting reciprocal Open Borders."

*Perhaps we could include a clause granting temporary admittance should an ally be called upon for military assistance?* Edraele suggested. *That would keep Terran forces out of Maliri Space for the foreseeable future, but would allow us undisputed access to Federation Space if Lynette requests help.*

"Sounds good," he replied, pleased to have found a temporary means of assisting the Federation. "We need to stall the Brimorians for as long as possible to give us a chance to refit the Invictus and an alliance with the Maliri would do that without putting your fleets at risk."

*I shall do so immediately,* Edraele replied, sounding happy to have been of assistance.

"I informed Lynette, she'll raise the possibility of an alliance with High Command," Alyssa informed him. "She's also asking for strategic advice. What's her best approach for dealing with the Brimorian threat if they do still invade?"

"The Terran forces are in no state to fight a hostile empire at the moment," Calara replied, her expression bleak. "It's imperative that Lynette preserve the Terran fleets until they've all been through the refit program. High Command needs to avoid any direct confrontation with the Brimorians and should basically reinforce Olympus while they wait for us to deal with them."

"How soon could we hit the Brimorians?" John asked, turning his attention back to Dana.

"A week to fix the Invictus and a week to travel to Genthalas," the redhead said, mentally rechecking her estimates. "Then we'll need to spend a couple of weeks in drydock upgrading everything with Progenitor tech. When we've installed a Wormhole Generator, we can jump right into Brimorian Space and start kicking ass, but I reckon we'll need at least a month to get ready."

"A month..." John echoed, a troubled frown on his face.

"That's assuming I can actually create a viable alternative to the black metal," Dana reminded him. "If I can't, there's no guarantee that I can modify the schematics to work with Crystal Alyssium."

Calara cleared her throat to get his attention. "And I can't overstate how important it is that we acquire Larn'kelnar's thrall fleets. We need those ships, John. We have to treat that as a higher priority than unleashing retribution on the Brimorians, even if it puts the Terran Federation at risk."

John let out his breath and slumped back on the sofa. "I don't like it, but you're right... we have to keep focused on preparing for a Progenitor invasion." He glanced at Alyssa, the look in his eyes one of frustration and regret.

She nodded her understanding. "I'll tell Lynette..."

***

Light shone down through the high-set windows, the prisms illuminating the motes of dust that were thick in the air. The Gladiatora smoothed her hands over the supple black leather covering her athletic body, tightening the straps until she felt the bite in her flesh. Satisfied that her armour was secure, she rose from the stone plinth and strolled over to the wall of gleaming weapons.

Amber eyes flicked from one weapon to the other, evaluating and discarding them in turn. The sweeping Lynstator spear? No, too stilted and impersonal. The Vensys sword, with its long curved blade? Flashy, but so overused. A Reykas mace? Bloody and vicious, but too crude and clumsy. Her gaze fell on the wicked set of Xilyn knives, their serrated edges razor-sharp. With a smirk, she reached for the pair, then spun and flipped them in the air before catching them in a dazzling display of dexterity. She sheathed the weapons then strapped them to her waist, the hilts in easy reach of her slender hands.

Striding out of the prepatorium, the Gladiatora padded silently along the ancient hall, its walls adorned with elaborate murals depicting brutal combat. The work of skilled artisans millennia ago, the thirty-feet-tall engravings never failed to create a feeling of awe in any who viewed them. The leather-clad woman strolled past the murals without giving them so much as a second glance, familiarity having bred nothing but contempt.

She stood by a tall gateway and waited for it to open, crinkling her nose at the musty smell of this ancient place. There was something to be said for a bit of dramatic flair, but the Dralzash Colosseum was in desperate need of a good cleaning. The gates groaned in protest, focusing her distracted thoughts, then the stone slabs creaked open, admitting her to the arena. A heat haze rose from the floor and the dazzling morning sunshine was blindingly bright after the gloom of the tunnels. Cheers greeted the Gladiatora's appearance and she sauntered with flashy arrogance towards the centre of the oval pit, saluting the applauding crowd.

Her adversary entered with far more caution, weight balanced carefully on booted feet as she prowled closer, narrowed eyes alert and suspicious. She rotated a double-bladed glaive in slow circles, building momentum in readiness to strike. When the Gladiatora made no aggressive moves towards her, she turned to face the Imperial throne, saluting the figure hidden in shadows.

"How would you like me to dispose of your corpse, Phedrina?" the Gladiatora drawled, raising an eyebrow at her adversary. "Perhaps I could have you fed to the Ehedne swine? Then you can spend the rest of your days as pungent piles of shit."

"You're tired and slow, you wizened old crone!" Phedrina snarled, her voice dripping with contempt. "You've only survived this long by choosing to fight a bunch of cripples and weaklings. I've spent the last forty years training for this... you won't see another dawn!"

The Gladiatora didn't have the heart to tell her adversary how wrong she was. Instead she yawned, then politely covered her mouth. "I do apologise... but you were being so dreadfully dull."

Phedrina spat on the floor, then rotated her glaive even faster.

"BEGIN..." a booming voice ordered, the deep baritone sending a thrill up the duellists' spines.

The Gladiatora skipped to one side, narrowly avoiding the ferocious lunge of Phedrina's glaive. She added an extra bounce to her step, making it look like she was traipsing through a sunlit meadow as she circled her opponent. The crowd's raucous laughter echoed around the arena, making the challenger bristle with anger.

"It's such a beautiful day, Phedrina," the Gladiatora remarked, glancing up at the blazing yellow sun. "Take a moment to savour it..."

"Because it'll be my last?" the glaive-wielder snorted. "Stand and fight you prancing fairy!"

"Oh... if you insist," she replied, spinning around and drawing both daggers, brandishing the glinting blades so they caught the light.

Phedrina adjusted her footing, then slashed from left to right with a blow that would have disembowelled a bull Vindos. Unfortunately, her nimble opponent bent backwards, the sweeping blade at the end of the polearm missing her leather-clad stomach by inches. That was just the first of a trio of deadly strikes, as the glaive swept up then scythed down, hissing through the air where the Gladiatora had stood only seconds before. Phedrina adjusted her weight, then lunged forward, aiming to plunge the pointed tip into her enemy's heart.