Three Square Meals Ch. 124

Taking a deep breath, Lynette said, "That's all the information I have for you at the moment, but I promise I'll keep High Command informed of any further developments. For now, I'm going to prepare a public statement and inform the citizenry that we came under attack last night from the Brimorians, but that the fighting was confined to the Callopean Shoals."

"Are you sure that's wise?" Caldwell asked, looking at her with concern. "An announcement like that could start a wave of panic across the border worlds."

"I want to continue my policy of honesty and transparency," Lynette replied, her tone firm and uncompromising. "Keeping civilian traffic away from any potential invasion corridor would be a prudent move regardless, but I'll do my best to reassure the colonies that they're not in any immediate danger."

From his terse expression, Caldwell obviously disagreed, but he decided not to press the matter.

Lynette glanced around the room. "Unless anyone has anything else that they wish to discuss, I suggest we reconvene later today to review the state of our forces. In the meeting yesterday, I requested that you verify the status of the fleets stationed at Olympus... please have that information ready for this afternoon."

Her request was met with nods, then Charles cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention. "I've accelerated the conversion of the shipyard's civilian hangars into those assigned to the military, primarily focusing on expanding the drydock. With the number of privately contracted engineers now stationed on Olympus, we should be able to restore a significant number of lightly-damaged vessels to full combat readiness in the next 36 hours."

Admiral Cartwright snorted and shook his head. "I imagine Henry Voss will be rubbing his hands together with glee. How much is he gouging us for that privilege?"

"Actually, the Voss Corporation has been offering their assistance with repairs at cost," Charles replied with a wry smile. "It seems Mr. Voss has developed a remarkable sense of civic duty of late."

The older admiral gave him a shrewd look, but chose not to comment further.

Lynette stepped away from the lectern. "Alright everyone, you're dismissed. We'll continue this meeting at 1400 hours."

As the admirals rose from their seats and began to leave the room, Lina walked over to Admiral Harris, an uncharacteristic tension to her attractive features. "Have you had breakfast yet, Charles? I wondered if you wanted to meet for brunch instead?"

He shook his head. "I'm afraid I can't, Lina. I have a prior engagement. Before you start teasing me... I'm not referring to another woman; one fiancée is quite enough!"

She frowned and looked unsettled, not reacting to his light-hearted joke. "Can you postpone it?"

"I'm afraid not. I need to discuss defensive upgrades for Olympus with Vice Admiral Ming, and considering the circumstances, postponing it wouldn't be wise." He paused, surprised by the startling difference in her demeanour. "Are you alright, Lina?"

"I'm fine," she said quietly. "I'll see you at twelve... in the Galleria?"

"I'll be there," he agreed, finding her complete lack of flirtation quite disconcerting. Charles watched her leave, the confident strut also curiously absent as she walked away.

Lynette strode over to join him, appearing equally distracted. "I'm meeting with Jehanna now to discuss the public broadcast, but I'm also expecting a very important call. I probably won't see you until this afternoon."

"I hope it goes well," Charles said, restricting himself to giving her a reassuring pat on the arm, to avoid disrupting his fiancée's holo-disguise. He hesitated, then leaned closer to add in a hushed voice, "Are you sure about... being honest with Lina?"

She checked there was no one nearby, then caressed his cheek, her fingers incredibly soft and smooth despite their aged appearance."I trust your judgement, Charles. I'll leave that decision in your very capable hands."

"Okay," he murmured, feeling a little daunted at the prospect.

Lynette waved goodbye, then turned on her heel and strode out of the auditorium, leaving him alone in the oval room. Charles activated the holo-interface on his watch, then scrolled through the morning's messages. There were four more from Henry Voss, which he'd missed due to the late High Command meeting the previous evening. Swiping his finger across the interface to return the call, he watched the Voss logo appear, the image of Terra slowly rotating as he waited.

Just as he was about to give up, the call went through and a beautiful young woman answered, her long raven hair looking dishevelled. "Yes?!" she panted, before blushing. "I-I mean... This is Henry Voss' personal assistant; how may I help you?"

"Good morning," Charles replied, watching with amusement as she shifted position and accidentally revealed that she was wrapped in a bed sheet. "My name's Admiral Charles Harris... I believe Henry Voss has been trying to reach me?"

"Let me speak to him, Abigail!" Henry called out from behind the black-haired beauty. His pensive face suddenly loomed in front of the holo-camera. "Why did you take so long to call me back, Charles? We need to talk!"

"I did leave a message," Charles replied, his moustache twitching indignantly. "What's so important?"

"Not over an open comms channel," Henry said, shaking his head. "Can you meet me in my office... in 30 minutes?"

Charles raised an eyebrow at the cloak and dagger theatrics. "Alright, Henry... I'll see you there."

***

Jehanna was waiting outside Lynette's quarters and greeted her with a strained smile. "I heard what happened."

Lynette darted a furtive glance at the security guards standing on duty further down the corridor, then acknowledged her friend with a grim nod. The DNA reader flashed green and she removed her hand from the scanner as the door opened, then gestured for TFNN's star reporter to enter her quarters.

As soon as the door shut behind them, Lynette deactivated her disguise and took off her hat. "Informing High Command went smoother than I was expecting, but trying to find just the right balance between quiet confidence and being blasé about the risk was a nightmare. Caldwell even picked up on the fact that I seemed unnaturally calm, but I think I managed to deflect him."

"Are you sure an alliance with Edraele will stop all further Brimorian attacks?" Jehanna asked with concern as they walked through to the lounge.

Letting out a quiet laugh, Lynette flopped down on the sofa. "Well I know I'd never dream of antagonising the Maliri. The Brimorians might be evasive and treacherous, but they aren't stupid."

The reporter nodded thoughtfully. "Have you considered delaying the announcement about the Brimorian attack until an alliance with the Maliri has been ratified? If you do, we'll be able to put a far more positive spin on the disaster in the Callopean Shoals. We could shift the focus to your extensive diplomacy efforts in the aftermath of the Battle of Terra; that lessons were learned and you sought new allies, thereby peacefully preventing another alien invasion just in the nick of time."

"That's very clever," Lynette murmured, impressed by the astute young woman's intuitive grasp of public relations. Her expression shadowed with regret, as she continued, "But it makes me seem far more pro-active than I actually have been for the last couple of weeks. I never even thought about the possibility of establishing an alliance with the Maliri."

Jehanna reached out to give her hand a sympathetic squeeze. "You're much too hard on yourself, Lynette. Don't forget that for the first week, you were recovering from a gunshot wound, then you've been adjusting to going through the Change. Despite all that, you managed to get rid of the bad apples from the Admiralty, reformed Federation policy, and accelerated preparations for a Progenitor war."

*She's right,* Alyssa said quietly. *And you mustn't blame yourself for not reaching out to the Maliri. They've had a long history of reclusiveness and a formal alliance was something we should have suggested to you while we were on Olympus. Unfortunately, we've all had a lot on our plates too.*

"You're doing an incredible job, Lynette," Jehanna said, with a supportive smile. "I'm sure John's very proud of you."

*We all are,* Alyssa quickly agreed, sending a soothing telepathic caress through the Fleet Admiral's mind. *You've made a huge difference to the Terran Federation already; no one could've done better.*

Jehanna opened her arms to Lynette, who gratefully accepted her affectionate embrace.

"I'm so glad you're here..." Lynette murmured. "Both of you."

*You're not alone now, Lynette,* Alyssa whispered. *We're all here to support you however we can.*

The dusky-hued reporter gave her older companion a kiss on the cheek. "Speaking of which, how did everything go with Charles this morning? Alyssa said you two had a fight."

Lynette sighed and relaxed in the comforting hug. "We discussed things and he seems a lot happier now. I think he finally believes me that I'd never betray him. There is a part of me that still wants to be completely open and honest about everything, but I know that's a really bad idea. The Change might have happened before I started dating Charles, but I can't imagine him reacting well to finding out that I was stuffed to the brim with John's cum for several days."

Jehanna let out a forlorn sigh. "God, I miss that..."

Pulling back, Lynette gave her an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be so insensitive. I know you're missing him."

"I am... but I really miss the others too," she murmured, looking wistful. "That feeling of total inclusiveness and acceptance from him and the girls was intoxicating. For the first time in my life, I truly felt free to be whoever I want."

Putting her arm around Jehanna, Lynette gazed away into the distance. "It was the sense of belonging that moved me the most. I knew I was among friends and family who genuinely cared for me. For years I thought I'd never experience that again, not after I lost my parents."

"Aren't we a fine pair of wounded little birds?" Jehanna said with a self-deprecating laugh. Her smile faded as she continued, "I still can't believe how much some of those girls have suffered... and they're all so stoic about it. Then here I am, whining about missing John... I must sound like such a spoilt little princess."

"Don't... I'm even worse. I've got no excuse for being down when I've been given everything I ever wanted. Oh, woe is me... I'm the most powerful woman in the Terran Federation. John restored my youth and now I look stunningly beautiful... and I'm engaged to a handsome, loving fiancé who adores me and can't wait to start a family." She shook her head and flushed with embarrassment. "If you're a spoilt princess, I dread to think what that makes me."

*Stop it, both of you,* Alyssa said firmly. *None of us thinks that about either of you. John found the rest of us when we'd hit rock-bottom and it's easy to just cast aside your old life when it's filled with misery and pain. Neither of you had the luxury of just being able to say: 'fuck it' and run away with us. Trying to manage your old lives, while dealing with the complications of being a Lioness isn't easy; you should feel proud of yourselves!*

Jehanna and Lynette shared a smile, feeling Alyssa's genuine admiration for them both.

The comms interface suddenly chimed before they could say another word and Lynette quickly reactivated her holo-disguise as she accepted the call.

The winged sword icon of the Terran Federation faded away as a shocked communications officer appeared. "Fleet Admiral, we just received a high-priority call over the diplomatic channel from the Maliri Regency! They wish to speak to you personally."

"Put them through please," Lynette replied, feeling a nervous thrill of excitement.

If everything went as planned, she was about to make Terran history... and she knew this call would be pored over by diplomats, xeno-biologists, and historians for centuries to come. The Terran Federation icon had been replaced by the crossed blades of House Valaden and they faded away as a golden-armoured figure appeared on the holo-screen. There was no mistaking the regal bearing of the Maliri woman, even while clad from head-to-toe in form-fitting body armour.

"Ah, we meet at last, Fleet Admiral Devereux," Edraele said, inclining her head politely. "I've heard so much about your illustrious career; congratulations on your recent promotion."

"Thank you. I appreciate the kind words," Lynette replied, gazing at the alien noblewoman's opaque faceplate. She tried to picture the blue-skinned lady hidden behind that helmet, wondering if she was as beautiful and elegant as her twin daughters. "It appears you have me at a disadvantage... I assume you are a Matriarch of one of the Regency's Noble Houses? House Valaden if I'm not mistaken, judging by your sigil."

"You seem to be well informed about the intricacies of Maliri politics, Fleet Admiral," Edraele replied, a playful lilt to her voice. "While it is true that I am Matriarch of House Valaden, the Regency has undergone something of a reformation in recent months. I am now Queen Edraele Valaden, ruler of the Maliri Protectorate."

With a respectful bow, Lynette said, "It's an honour to speak with you, Queen Edraele. Let me also congratulate you on your recent promotion."

"Thank you... although I'm sure you understand all too well the burden of ruling an Empire. Perhaps I should be accepting your commiserations instead, Fleet Admiral."

Lynette gave her a knowing smile. "In that case, you have my deepest sympathies, Queen Edraele."

Edraele laughed, the carefree sound echoing melodically around the room.

Leaning forward, Lynette said earnestly, "As leader of the Maliri, you must have been behind the decision to assist us during the Kintark invasion. Please accept my sincere gratitude for your intervention... billions of Terran lives hung in the balance, as did the very existence of the Federation. We will not forget the way the Maliri came to our aid when we needed it the most."

The Maliri Queen was quiet for a long moment as she considered her reply. "The Maliri feel an... affinity... towards your people. Even if John Blake had not made such an impassioned plea for our assistance, we could not sit idly by and watch as a cruel tyrant extinguished your light from the galaxy." Her voice turned playful as she added, "Besides, my daughters are eagerly awaiting a sequel to the 'Alien Menace' series; they're curious to find out how the valiant Terrans will triumph over the malevolent Maliri once again..."

Lynette couldn't help blushing at that, even though she knew Edraele was only teasing her. "I can only apologise for the lurid imaginations behind our holo-movie industry."

"No apologies are necessary... your entertainment industry provides a fascinating insight into the nature of your people."

"Oh God..." Lynette groaned, wincing at the thought.

The smile behind Edraele's words was clear as she said quietly, "At the heart of many of those stories is a fervent desire for good to triumph over evil. It is reassuring to know that there are other people in the galaxy who share that same instinctive sense of hope."

Lynette nodded her agreement. "The galaxy is a vast place, filled with many hostile foes. Finding kindred spirits amongst the stars is something that should be celebrated."

"I agree wholeheartedly, which is why I contacted you today," Edraele said, the playfulness gone from her voice. "I would like to propose a formal alliance between the Terran Federation and the Maliri Protectorate. If our people are threatened by aggressive enemies, it would be a great comfort to know that we do not stand alone."

With a broad smile on her face, Lynette said, "On behalf of the Terran Federation, I would be delighted to discuss terms of an alliance with you, Queen Edraele. I sincerely hope that we can forge a friendship that will last for millennia to come."

"As do I," Edraele said with genuine warmth. "Working together, I believe we can make that happen, Fleet Admiral."

"Please, call me Lynette," she replied, before darting a triumphant glance at Jehanna.

The TFNN reporter looked thrilled, a dazzling smile lighting up her face as she recorded the historic moment on a holo-cam.

***

Charles arrived outside Henry Voss' office suite and stepped through the glass doorway into the plush reception area. He spotted the beautiful dark-haired girl he'd spoken to earlier that morning, sitting behind the sweeping desk by the door to the Henry's office. The expensive mahogany furniture was like a set of battlements, protecting the CEO of the Voss Corporation's inner sanctum.

"Hello again, Admiral Harris," the bright-eyed assistant said, greeting him with a lovely smile.

He crossed the room to stand by her desk. "Good morning... Abigail, wasn't it?"

"That's right," she replied, her smile widening. "I must apologise for my appearance earlier. I don't normally answer calls dressed as if I'm going to a toga party."

He chuckled, then glanced down at his uniform. "You did leave me wondering if I might be overdressed for the meeting with Henry. Is he in his office?"

She nodded and gestured to the door. "He's waiting for you inside, Admiral. Please go through."

Charles thanked her and strode over to the door, entering the office to find Henry Voss completely absorbed by the holo-screens floating above his desk. Closing the door behind him, Charles cleared his throat. "You wanted to see me, Henry?"

Blinking in surprise, Henry looked up, then frowned in irritation. "Finally! It took you long enough."

"Can we forego the indignation and skip to whatever's bothering you?" Charles said with an exasperated sigh. "There's a lot going on at the moment."

"Yes... I heard about the Brimorian attack last night," Henry said, rising from his seat.

Charles gaped at him, unable to conceal his surprise. "How on Terra did you manage to find out about that?! The Brimorian attack was ultra-classified intel; we haven't even disclosed it to the Admiralty yet!"

Henry snorted and folded his arms across his chest as he leaned against the desk. "Come on, Charles, don't be naive. I didn't get to where I am today without greasing a few wheels."

"I don't know whether I should be appalled or impressed," Charles snorted, shaking his head. "I can't believe you managed to bribe someone in High Command. Who was it? Caldwell?"

"That's not important," Henry said dismissively. "What is important is that I think someone is moving against you."

"What?!" Charles balked, staring at the businessman in shock.

Henry began to pace, his expression pensive. "I don't have definite proof, but there's been a lot of suspicious activity recently that has my contacts worried. Communication within the intelligence community was on the increase then suddenly dropped off, which is always an ominous sign... and along with the suspicious troop movements to Olympus-"

"Suspicious troop movements?" Charles interrupted, his eyes widening. "What do you mean?"

"Last night, three special forces dropships delivered nearly a hundred combat-ready troops to the shipyard," Henry replied, stopping his pacing and looking at Charles intently. "Then they just... disappeared. My people have been trying to track them down this morning, but they can't find them anywhere."

"So that's all you've got to go on? Quieter comms traffic and the transfer of a hundred special forces troops?" Charles frowned and gave him a sceptical look. "Henry, the garrison now holds over ten-thousand marines... you'd need an army to launch a coup against Olympus."