Three Square Meals Ch. 125

*Is Helene there too?* he asked, stepping into the grav-tube and descending in the red anti-gravity field.

Jade chimed in before Alyssa could answer. *She's with me, Master. When Helene realised you didn't need her help, she offered to assist with the repairs. We're checking the navigation systems for any impact damage they might have sustained in the crash.*

*Thanks, honey. Please can you steer her away from the Engineering Bay for the next few days?*

*Of course,* the Nymph matriarch replied, her voice full of warmth.

He stepped out of the grav-tube on Deck Seven and headed towards the Engineering Bay, leaving the picnic hamper outside the door. When he walked inside, he saw Dana and Rachel standing on the podium surrounded by computer consoles, both thoroughly engaged in their work.

"Hey, Sparks!" John called out boisterously, as he strode into her Workshop. "Mind if I borrow your bike and your woman?"

The two girls looked up in surprise, then burst into fits of giggles.

"Nah, go ahead," the redhead eventually replied, flashing a grin at her lover.

"I'll bring them both back as good as new," he promised, smiling at Rachel who looked positively thrilled.

Dana shook her head, an impish look in her eyes. "Where's the fun in that? Just ride it like you stole it... rev her up and make her scream!"

"Are we talking about the hoverbike or Rachel?" John asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Both... obviously," Dana replied, before laughing at the look of glee on the brunette's face.

"Go get your jacket," John said to Rachel. "I'll meet you down in the Cargo Bay."

"Oh yeah!" she whooped, giving Dana a grateful kiss before bounding down the steps and sprinting for the door.

Dana watched her leave with an affectionate smile. "Thanks for doing this, John," she said, turning to give him a look filled with gratitude. "Rach was really upset when she heard about what happened on Olympus."

"Don't worry, I'll take good care of her," he said, walking up the steps to the Engineering Podium. "While I'm here, I also wanted to ask you for a favour. Is there any way we could scan Arcadia for mineral deposits and search for gemstones? I'm specifically looking for a light-blue sapphire."

Her expression softened as she realised what it was for and she glanced down at the Lioness engagement ring adorning her finger. "You're going to pop the question?"

He nodded, reaching for her hand and intertwining his fingers with hers. "You know the shade of blue I'm looking for. Do you reckon we could find anything like that?"

Dana looked sceptical and shook her head. "It'd take us months of prospecting to find an exact match." Suddenly she paused, her expression turning thoughtful. "But maybe I could just make a sapphire for you instead!"

"You can do that?" he asked in surprise.

"Sure!" she gushed, increasingly excited by the idea. "We'd just need to mine some corundum, then sprinkle in the right mix of aluminium oxide, iron, titanium, chromium, and copper. With a bit of pressure and heat, I can get the perfect size, shape, and colour."

"That would be amazing, thanks!" he said, giving her an exuberant hug.

She laughed, hugging him back. "No problem! We can go scan for minerals as soon as you think it's safe to fly the Progenitor shuttle."

"Let's wait until tomorrow morning, then we'll track down the missing maintenance bots as well."

Dana hesitated, looking at him with concern. "John... are you sure it's a good idea taking the hoverbike out? That energy reading Tashana detected might have been another Progenitor jumping in..."

He nodded confidently. "The bike's only a couple of metres long; unless someone's scouring the planet for the slightest sign of movement, there's no way anyone would spot us from orbit. Besides, I'm pretty sure that wormhole was the Progenitor moving on; I bet he decided to leave as soon as his ship was able to jump again. He blasted Rahn'hagon's dreadnought hours ago and I doubt there's anything left to hold his interest on Arcadia."

"Yeah, makes sense," she agreed with a shrug. "If I'd been sent to find out who killed an unkillable ship, I certainly wouldn't be hanging around in orbit like a sitting duck."

"My thoughts exactly," John said, raising her hand to his lips to give her a parting kiss. "Thanks a lot for the help with the gemstone, I really appreciate it."

"You're welcome," she said, watching as he bounded down the illuminated steps and headed for the door. "Oh... can you strip some of the plating from the Invictus before you go? I want to start checking the hull this afternoon."

John paused in the doorway. "Sure. Any preferences where?"

"Nah, anywhere is fine," Dana replied amiably.

They waved each other goodbye, then John retrieved the hamper and set off for the grav-tube. He made a quick diversion to the Briefing Room to pick up his sword, then descended to Deck Nine for his rendezvous with Rachel. The brunette was waiting for him beside Dana's electric-blue hoverbike, which he noticed had picked up a few scratches and dents when the Invictus had rolled. Rachel posed for him as he approached, modelling the beautiful white leather jacket that Alyssa had made for her.

"Very sexy," he said, nodding his approval.

She beamed at him in delight, then her smoky-grey eyes flicked to the items he was carrying. "A picnic basket and a broadsword... are we going to lunch or to war?"

John raised the five-foot sword in his right hand. "You mean this? It's just a fancy tin-opener."

Rachel laughed as she stepped aside, giving John room to stow their lunch in the storage compartment beneath the seat. He eyed the relic blade for a moment, trying to figure out a good place to store it on the bike.

*Dana says you can knock some holes in the chassis,* Alyssa informed him. *She's going to completely rebuild the hoverbikes anyway.*

Gesturing towards the closest storage crate, John lifted off the lid, then drew out a stream of Crystal Alyssium. He fashioned it into a dozen small hoops, then attached them to the undercarriage of the hoverbike between the grav-system and the retro-thrusters. It was easy to slot the sword into the impromptu scabbard and once he was satisfied that it was secure, he threw a leg over the bike and hit the red button on the dashboard to start up the engine. Pressing a second button simulated the noise and vibration of a combustion engine, and Rachel's smile broadened into a beaming grin as she stepped closer.

"Sorry babe, rules of the road," John said, holding up his hand to stop her straddling the back of the bike. "Cash, grass, or ass?"

Rachel giggled, then turned around and wiggled her hips, giving him a tantalising view of her perfectly-rounded butt. "How about some ass?"

He turned his hand, so he was now holding it out to her in invitation. "You've got yourself a ride, honey."

She gleefully accepted his hand and smoothly mounted the rear of the bike. Snuggling closer, Rachel wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her breasts against his back. He could feel her trembling with excitement as she held onto him and smiled as he pressed the keyfob stashed in his jacket pocket to open the Cargo Bay doors.

"Where are we going, John?" she asked, leaning closer to his ear to be heard over the rumble of the bike's engine.

"I want to check out Rahn'hagon's ship. I doubt there's anything left, but I want to make sure."

Rachel nodded, then ducked down again and held on tight. John engaged the anti-grav system, then revved the throttle, the Matsubara Z-900 rising off the ground as it pulled away. It had been decades since he'd last ridden a bike, but fortunately it was something you never forget. He eased the powerful vehicle out of the Cargo Bay, then glided to a stop a short distance away.

Raising a hand, he gestured towards the Invictus' hull, his eyes sweeping over the hundreds of armoured plates that protected the superstructure. Rather than detaching them individually, he inhaled deeply, then willed the sparkling white metal to come to him. Rachel gasped as she watched, but John was focused on the task at hand and didn't hear her.

White plating along the entire starboard flank of the Invictus streamed away, 750 metres of armour plating pooling together into a vast orb that rotated above their heads. John turned his hand so it was palm out, the glistening sphere flattening and spreading out as if it were trying to mirror the movements of his fingers. On that huge disc an image appeared, one that Rachel immediately recognised as her lover's face, the redhead beaming at them with a cheerful grin. Colour blossomed through the psychic sculpture, until it was a picture-perfect rendition of Dana.

"John... that's beautiful," she whispered, astonished by the incredibly lifelike image.

"She really is," he said with a smile, before driving the portrait into the ground next to the Progenitor shuttle. It would be the first thing Dana saw when she left the Invictus.

Rachel stared in wonder at the sculpture as John gripped the hoverbike's handlebars and pulled away. She turned to look over her shoulder at the picture, marvelling at the exquisite craftsmanship until they were too far away for her to see. Turning back, she hugged him tighter, not saying a word but trembling slightly as she struggled to control strong emotions.

As they picked up speed, the Matsubara's engine climbed in pitch to an ecstatic scream, the hoverbike soaring high above the jungle canopy. With that extra elevation, it was easy to see the distant crater surrounding the ancient crash site, but there was no sign of the dreadnought's battered stern behind the hills. John steered straight for the heart of that crater and travelling at 300 mph, they covered the miles in almost the blink of an eye.

"Jesus..." John muttered as the hoverbike crested the ridgeline, giving him a view into the valley beyond.

As he'd suspected, his father's ship had been the subject of a ferocious Quantum Flux Cannon bombardment. Countless chunks of armoured hull were blasted clear of the wreck, the valley floor littered with smoking debris. He was astonished to see that several sections of the dreadnought were still intact, proving just how hard it was to destroy one of those nigh-indestructible warships. The remaining hull fragments were pockmarked by dozens of impact sites, leaving the ship a forlorn shadow of its former formidable glory.

John eased back on the throttle and the hoverbike coasted to a smooth halt, floating high above the hills that ringed the wreck. It was sobering to see the aftermath of a Progenitor dreadnought's full fury, especially when the target was the place his parents had called home for so many years.

"Are you alright, John?" Rachel asked, leaning to one side so she could catch a glimpse of his face.

He nodded, reaching down to pat her thigh. "Yeah, I'm fine. It was just a bit of a shock."

"What are you thinking?" she whispered, resting her chin on his shoulder and watching him intently.

"Just that... as much as I hate my parents, I'm glad I didn't send them back here," he replied with a heavy sigh, before leaning back into her arms as if instinctively seeking support. "They abandoned me, neither of them cared if I was dead or alive, then my father tried to kill me... but I still don't want them to die. I guess I must be a real sucker for punishment..."

"Everybody wants to be loved by their family, John," she said with sympathy, holding him close.

He relaxed in her arms, the tension easing from his shoulders. "Lucky for me, I've got the most loving family in the galaxy," he said, turning to kiss her.

Rachel returned it eagerly, surprised but pleased to see how quickly he'd shrugged off his melancholy mood. "You really do," she agreed, her smile warm and caring.

John kissed the tip of her nose, then turned back to the bike's controls. "There's nothing more to see here. Let's go have some lunch."

"Sounds good," she readily agreed, hanging on tight as he powered up the bike.

They were soon sailing over the jungle again, putting some distance between themselves and the devastation at the crash site. John headed towards a rise in the verdant sea of vegetation, keeping his eyes peeled for a decent place to land. The jungle began to thin out and ended at an escarpment, where frothing water tumbled off a series of ridges and formed a picturesque waterfall. The river finally splashed down into a pool of crystal-clear water, before winding its way into the jungle again.

"Over there!" Rachel shouted over the wind and the growl of the hover-bike's engine, pointing to the right.

He followed her finger and saw a grassy clearing on the middle ridge, in a spot where the soil wasn't deep enough to support thick tree roots. John eased the hoverbike around in a looping curve, then brought them down to a gentle landing near the riverbank.

"You handle the bike really well," Rachel said, giving him a quick squeeze before dismounting. "There's no way that was your first time."

"My grandparents branched out into pizza delivery for a while," John said, powering down the hoverbike. "The delivery drivers could be a bit unreliable, so I sometimes rode a Vertica VX8 to help out."

Rachel giggled as she pictured him riding the low-powered hover-scooter. "I would've loved to have seen that."

"Hey, I thought I was pretty cool," he said, unable to stop himself blushing. "But I was only 16 at the time."

"I wouldn't have been born for another five years," she teased him with a playful smile. Her smile wavered as her thoughts turned to her mother for the second time that day.

Seeing the sadness in her eyes, he pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry, honey. I know how much you miss her."

Rachel buried her face in his chest, leaning into him as she tried to control her emotions. John held her close and rubbed her back, then gestured towards the hover-bike with his free hand as he waited for the brunette to calm.

"John..." she finally murmured, looking up at him. "I was wondering earlier... do you remember what my mother looked like?"

"I remember everything," he quietly replied. "When we visited your home on New Eden, I got to see Catherine Voss' life play out in front of me. The six years she spent with you were the happiest she'd ever known; I heard her tell your father that so many times. She adored you, Rachel... you were the absolute centre of her world from the moment you were born."

She trembled as she held him, lost for words after his evocative reply.

"Turn around, honey," John said quietly, releasing her from his embrace.

Rachel did as he asked, then her breath caught when she saw the disc floating in the air behind her. John had merged and smoothed out several of the Crystal Alyssium hoops he'd made earlier, turning them into a canvass for another psychic sculpture. He'd then created a perfect reproduction of Catherine Voss, her soft grey eyes full of love.

Rachel reached out to reverently cup the portrait in both hands. "Oh, John..."

He encircled her in his arms and looked at the image of Rachel's mother over her shoulder. "She was very beautiful, just like her daughter." He kissed her on the cheek, feeling the wetness from her tears. "I'll bring her back to you someday, Rachel. I promise."

"I know you will," she whispered, brushing her fingertips over the sculpture. "I believe in you..."

John gave her an affectionate squeeze. "Now, no more tears. Dana's going to be mad at me if she hears you were weeping through the whole picnic... I was supposed to be cheering you up!"

She laughed and brushed the back of her hand across her eyes. "Okay, I don't want to get you in trouble."

"Let's see about filling up your tummy," John said, stroking her stomach before releasing her.

Rachel looked startled, then an eager grin spread across her face. "Sounds good to me!"

He reached behind him for the bike and produced the picnic basket from under the seat. "Here we go. Let me just roll out a blanket."

She looked at the hamper in surprise, then groaned in disappointment. "I thought you were referring to something else entirely..."

"Why, Rachel... whatever do you mean?" he asked with a teasing grin as he spread out the tartan mat. "How else would I be giving you a satisfying lunch?"

The brunette laughed and rolled her eyes. "I guess this will have to do... for now."

***

Captain Jack Fernandez stood by the sweeping window that flanked his Ready Room, gazing at the sandy-brown planet below. The cruiser Damocles was currently in orbit over the arid world, overseeing the return of the kidnapped citizens to Tasmaris Prime. Flying high above the planet, he could see the blackened scar in the centre of the primary continent; all that was left of the capital city which had been incinerated in the Fission reactor incident of 2768. There were still significant numbers of people living there, scattered across the smaller continent, but what had once been a promising colony was now a shadow of its former glory.

He was sure that the Kirrix invasion would only accelerate the decline of that world. Thousands were killed attempting to fight off the insectoid parasites, but the death toll after all resistance had been crushed was truly heartbreaking, with the Kirrix murdering tens-of-thousands of children. Medical teams were providing support and counselling to the bereaved parents, but Jack couldn't even begin to imagine how they'd recover from such a loss. The thought of that dreadful fate befalling his own family made him nauseous.

Picturing his beautiful daughter brought to mind memories of their last meeting. She'd done a thorough job of convincing him that he wasn't responsible for the tragedy on Tasmaris Prime and that it was Buckingham withdrawing the fleet that doomed all those people... but he still felt lingering pangs of guilt. He didn't disagree with her assessment that if he'd balked at the order to retreat, the Damocles would have been destroyed along with all the crew, including him and Mateo. However, the fleet had abandoned those colonists in their time of greatest need and Jack knew he'd always carry that burden with him.

A loud chime from his desk drew his attention and Jack strode over to answer the call. "Go ahead."

"Captain, we've received a priority call from High Command!" the startled comms officer exclaimed.

"A fleet-wide broadcast?" Jack asked, raising his eyebrow as he took his seat.

"No, Sir! It's a direct communication to the Damocles from Olympus Shipyard!"

"Put them through," he said, wondering what it could be about.

The comms officer nodded and routed the call to the holo-interface, his face disappearing to be replaced by the winged sword icon of the Terran Federation. A few seconds later, it faded away, revealing a matronly woman wearing a very distinctive grey uniform.

"Fleet Admiral Devereux!" Jack blurted out in surprise, throwing her a sharp salute.

"At ease, Captain Fernandez," she replied with a warm smile that was reflected in her hazel eyes. Her smiled faded a moment later as she continued, "I'm afraid I must inform you of some distressing news. Earlier today, a team of insurgents launched an attack on Jericho... they attempted to assassinate your wife."

"Maria!" he gasped, his heart lurching in his chest. "Is she alright?!"

Lynette raised her hands, gesturing for him to be at ease. "She's fine, Captain. Your wife sustained a minor wound from a ricochet, but there was no lasting damage."

Jack sagged with relief, taking a deep breath to calm his pounding heart. "Thank God..."

"Her protection detail managed to save her from the initial assault on your house and they fled the scene by hover-car," the Fleet Admiral explained with a frown. "Your wife was pursued into Baybury City, but the Epiphron was in orbit and intervened to eliminate the strike teams."