Three Square Meals Ch. 125

"Yup," she agreed grimly. "I'm hearin' it 24/7."

"You spoken to the other governors recently?" he asked, studying the middle-aged woman.

"Just made some courtesy calls is about it," she replied with a noncommittal shrug. "You heard anythin' interesting?"

"Cochran's dead," Vaughn said grimly. "Hanged himself... couldn't handle the guilt."

"Jeezus..." Lucyna muttered, thinking of the pleasant man who had been governor of Carolus III prior to the Kirrix invasion. "It was never his fault..."

"No, it wasn't," Vaughn agreed. After hesitating for a long moment, he made eye contact with Valia Gate's governor. "There's a bunch of us... think it's high time we had a little chat about our future. Carolus III, Brecken's World, Tasmaris Prime, Menganus IV... and that's not all... Tyche, Osrad Delta, Segonis Sigma, Claudia Rings..."

"They weren't invaded by the Kirrix!" Lucyna exclaimed in surprise.

"Nope..." he said sombrely. "But they saw what happened to us... and if it weren't for the Lion, they were all gonna be next. The invasion gave a lot of folk some real serious things to think about."

Lucyna went quiet, a worried look in her eyes. "Be very careful, Stefan. You're playin' with fire."

"I know, Luce... but we can't go on like this," he said earnestly. "Besides, the situation's changed now. You've met Blake... you know he's not like the rest of the admiralty. You think he'd stand by and let another Galon Prime happen?"

"No... I don't think he would," she replied softly.

"I'm gonna hold a conference, right here on Brecken's World. Any chance you might be interested in attendin'? We've got a lot to talk about..."

She turned to look away from the holo-screen, appearing lost in thought. Governor Vaughn watched her in silence, trying to guess what she was thinking as the seconds turned into minutes.

"Alright, I'm in," she finally said, facing him once more. "I gotta admit, I'm interested to hear what you have to say."

"Thank you, Luce," he said, staring into her eyes. "Means a lot to have Valia Gate on board."

***

John stood behind Dana, his arms encircling the redhead. "Okay, give it a try now, honey," he whispered in her ear, while stroking her cum-filled belly. "I'm right here with you... and I'll see what I can do to help."

Dana snuggled into his embrace and let out a contented sigh. "I'm trying to concentrate, but this feels way too nice."

He laughed and pulled back to give her a playful swat on her rump. "Try harder!"

"That felt even nicer!" she said with a cheeky grin.

"You'll absorb that load in a few hours," Alyssa gently reminded her friend. "You need to make the most of it."

Dana frowned, darting a guilty look at John. "Sorry... I'll stop messing around."

"That's okay, it was my fault for distracting you," he said, stepping away with his hands upraised.

She pouted, then looked at him with pleading eyes. "I'll try really hard this time, but please hug me like that again."

"Sure," he readily agreed, wrapping his arms around her.

"Mmm... that feels so awesome..." she murmured, leaning back against his chest.

John looked at her suspiciously and was about to pull away, when he noticed a soft golden glow shining from her eyes. The radiance brightened considerably, until her gaze was like glorious shafts of sunlight, beaming out to reflect off the Invictus' hull. Dana raised her hand and gestured at the superstructure, her body trembling in his arms.

Just like before, Dana could see into the structure of the towering beams and robust internal plating, the atoms of the titanium alloy arranged in beautifully symmetrical patterns. This time however, it felt like someone had thrown open a door in her subconscious and she gasped as her mind expanded, dramatically altering her perspective. Instead of scanning a small two-metre square, it was almost as if she could sense the entire hull, and she pictured the Invictus as a living, breathing organism. Just like with any creature, an injury triggered pain, and Dana could feel patches of... discomfort... where this mighty behemoth had been wounded.

She was about to highlight those sections of hull that were in urgent need of repair, but something made her pause. The titanium girders were fractured and twisted, damaged badly enough in the crash that they would have to be taken out and replaced. Dana knew exactly how the superstructure was meant to be, and it was easy for her to imagine the steps needed to mend the crippled battlecruiser. The Invictus was just hurt, almost as if the ship had broken a few ribs.

"Let go, John," she murmured, brushing her hand over his arm.

Startled by her distracted tone, he nodded, then watched spellbound as Dana approached the Invictus' hull. Zephyrs of eldritch power had started to whip around her arms, gathering in intensity as they rolled down from her shoulders to her fingertips.

"Don't worry," she whispered to the battered warship. "I'm going to make you all better..."

Her hands were surrounded by a dazzling golden aura, far too bright to stare at directly. She placed her hands on the grey titanium plating and waves of energy poured into the hull, undulating as they spread outwards to run the length of the battlecruiser.

"Holy fuck!" Alyssa gasped, wobbling unsteadily.

John rushed to her side to stop her falling. "What's wrong?"

"She's nearly tapped herself out already!" the blonde exclaimed, astonished at the amount of power Dana was channelling. "I've never seen anyone use this much before!"

"Give her what she needs," John said, turning to watch the Grand Engineering Overlord. "I'll keep her safe."

Pulses of golden light throbbed like a heartbeat, sweeping through hundreds-of-metres of metal superstructure. Their progress was accompanied by an ominous creaking and groaning, as the hull responded to Dana's psychic ministrations. Twisted I-beams slowly straightened out, standing tall and strong once again, while imperfections running through interior plating were realigned and snapped back into perfect symmetry.

Dana wavered, then slumped to her knees, the dazzling golden aura fading away in motes of glowing light.

John was already at her side and he scooped up the redhead in his arms. "Sparks! Are you alright?"

"I did it..." she mumbled, giving the Invictus a weary but affectionate smile. "Fixed her up as good as new..."

With that, she passed out, hanging limply in John's arms.

"Is she hurt?" Alyssa asked frantically, staring at her unconscious friend in alarm.

John closed his eyes and focused on the sleeping girl. "No, she's fine... just exhausted."

They shared a look, then turned to gaze up at the 750-metre-long warship, both thinking the same thing. Could Dana really have just... fixed... the Invictus?

The grey titanium directly in front of them looked no different, its lustrous surface gleaming in Arcadia's morning light. When John's curious gaze swept towards the bow, he stopped and stared at the edge of the topdeck in astonishment. The Crystal Alyssium armour plating along the entire length of the Invictus was illuminated with a dazzling golden glow.

***

The Terran Federation cruiser jumped into the Sol system, blue tachyon particles fading from the Podarge's grey hull as it left hyper-warp. Upgraded Trankaran engines flared to life, rapidly accelerating the warship towards the beautiful verdant planet on the third orbital track around the sun. The cruiser followed a course marked by nav beacons, circumventing the vast starship graveyard that still encircled the planet.

Hundreds of capital ships had met their grisly end in the Battle of Terra and ravaged battleships towered over the corvette-class salvage vessels that moved between the wrecks. The crews were scouring the battered hulks for anything of value, investigating green-hulled Kintark craft and grey Federation ships alike. As if it were disapproving of the vultures picking over the tattered carcasses, the Podarge swept past without pause, turning its back on the massive salvage operation.

"Please adhere to your allocated Flight Path," the Flight Control officer stated. "You have been granted permission to land directly at the Unity City Medical Institute."

"Acknowledged, Terra Flight Control," the helmsman replied, with a grateful nod. "Beginning our approach."

Captain Xian Lingxin rose from his chair atop the command podium. "You have the Bridge, Commander. I'll accompany Doctor Riedl during the handover."

His XO gave him a crisp salute. "Yes, Sir."

Leaving the Command Deck, the cruiser captain strode towards the elevator, then stepped inside. Tapping the button for Deck Seven, he watched the glowing numbers marking his descent into the bowels of his starship. When the door opened, he found Doctor Mia Riedl standing beside her unconscious patient, accompanied by two orderlies who were waiting with the floating gurney.

"Oh... hello, Captain," she said in surprise. "I wasn't expecting you to join us."

"I just wanted to make sure our guest safely arrived at his destination," Xian said, his gaze flicking to the sleeping sandy-haired man.

Doctor Riedl gestured to the orderlies for them to proceed and watched as they pushed the gurney into the elevator. As soon as they were inside, she stepped closer to the captain and whispered, "A patient transfer should be no cause for concern. Don't you trust me, Captain?"

Xian looked at her in surprise. "Of course I do, Doctor!" He glanced at Commander Walker. "I just felt sorry for him. Losing everyone he served with... I can't imagine what he's going to go through when he wakes up."

Her expression softened and she nodded. "You're a good man, Captain." She let out a heavy sigh. "Commander Walker might have survived the battle, but should he regain consciousness, I fear his road to recovery has only just begun. The trauma of losing so many comrades-in-arms will be devastating."

They stepped into the elevator and the Captain hit the button for the lower deck. They dropped down to Deck Nine, then headed towards the primary airlock. A glance through the airlock windows revealed flashes of blue and white as the cruiser descended through Terra's atmosphere. It didn't take long for clouds to be replaced by the skyline of Unity City, although it was now a depressing sight rather than an inspiring one. What had once been a magnificent celebration of the finest in Terran architecture was now a scene of plasma-scorched destruction, with many of the skyscrapers now lying shattered and broken.

The Unity City Medical Institute was located on the outskirts of Terra's capital and had narrowly avoided the wrath of the Kintark bombardment. A gleaming building appeared through the porthole, giving Xian his first look at the medical facility. The hospital was ultra-modern, built with huge glass windows set in flawless rose-coloured stone, making it look clean, warm, and inviting.

After the Podarge settled down to land in a docking bay, Xian stepped forward to open the airlock. When the DNA scanner flashed green, the door spiralled open, revealing an impatient medical team that hurried over to meet them. They received a nod from the senior medic who was overseeing the transfer, then worked briskly to check Commander Walker's vitals. The man in charge had hawk-like eyes and a touch of grey at his temples, which all contributed to his air of calm authority. His gaze swept over the Podarge's crew and he immediately approached Doctor Riedl.

"My name is Senior Consultant Fitzroy-Ferguson," he announced in a clipped, well-spoken accent. "I will be supervising Commander Walker's recovery at the Institute."

Mia Riedl looked startled. "It's an honour to meet you, Sir. Your work on neural pathology is impressive to say the least."

Xian tuned out the medics and watched the Institute's orderlies push Commander Walker towards the imposing hospital. Waiting on the far side of the docking bay, over by the entrance to the medical facility, were a trio of pensive figures. The eldest two were obviously a couple, the striking brunette hugging her stony-faced husband. Xian was surprised to see that the man was wearing full-dress uniform, the golden insignia on his epaulets and peaked hat identifying him as an admiral.

The third person in their group was also an officer, but the utilitarian grey of her uniform did little to detract from her exceptional beauty. She waited with the older couple for as long as she could, then broke into a run, her peaked hat tumbling from her head and freeing her long blonde hair. Rushing to Commander Walker's side, she leaned over the gurney to hug him fiercely, her heartbreaking sobs echoing across the docking bay.

Xian studied the blonde woman with sympathy, touched by her sorrow mixed with relief as she was reunited with her wounded hero. He was glad that Thomas Walker had someone in his life who loved him that dearly.

"Good luck, Commander. I hope you get well soon," Xian said under his breath, before turning away to return to his ship.

***

*Attend me, Slave!*

Valeria groaned and brushed the sleep out of her eyes, her Master's voice still ringing in her head. *I will be there at once, my Lord,* she replied obediently.

Scowling as she rolled out of bed, Valeria glanced at the chronometer and sighed when she saw that it was just after nine in the morning. She was used to answering to her master's every whim, no matter what the time, but she had only gone to bed three hours ago. Stretching until she heard her spine pop, she padded into the washroom and stood motionless in the cleansing cubicle as her body was scoured of any dirt and perspiration.

Standing naked in front of the mirror, she rubbed her temples, trying to massage herself awake. She stared at her scarlet-hued figure, still as physically perfect as she was the day she'd reached adulthood... nearly a thousand years ago. Her body had seen endless combat in that millennia, having been stabbed, shot, beaten, flayed, hacked, chopped, and crushed... but there wasn't a single blemish marring her glorious crimson curves.

Valeria jolted out of her introspection, her heart clenching with dread. In her tiredness, she'd ended up daydreaming, and now she was going to be late. Darting back into her bedroom, she pulled on a form-fitting bodysuit that hugged her figure like a second skin. Tugging on a pair of heeled boots, she opened the door to her quarters, waiting impatiently for the jagged-edged door to split apart. Ducking down, she scurried through the half-opened portal, then ran full-tilt to her master's quarters.

Taking a deep breath, she tapped the rune to open the onyx door... and found his bedroom silent and empty. Cursing under her breath, she asked tentatively, *I have arrived at your quarters, my Lord... might I ask where you are?*

*The tactical suite. Where else would I be, you imbecile.*

She cringed at his scathing tone and bolted down the corridor, sprinting along dark passages illuminated with a malevolent crimson light. Thralls lurched out of the way, clearing a path for her as she tore through the ship. One of them couldn't help smirking at her matriarch's frantic haste, her full mouth curling up into a mocking smile.

Skidding to a halt, Valeria whirled around, her amber eyes blazing with resentment. "You find something amusing, Jilatha?"

That wiped the grin from the thrall's face. "No, Matriarch!" she blurted out, eyes widening with fear.

Valeria glared at her for a moment, then a matching smirk appeared on her own face. "I'll show you something really funny..."

Jilatha's fear escalated to terror, and she screamed in agony as her matriarch reached out to tear the life force from her body. Her pretty face cracked and withered, her wail of agony turning shrill as she collapsed in on herself. Where a nubile maiden had once stood, all that was left was a pitiful dried out husk, her final expression one of tortured anguish.

"Ha ha," Valeria snorted with a wry smile, taking a moment to savour the terror of the thralls who'd witnessed the sadistic display.

Valeria turned on her heel and jogged onwards, feeling much better after that brief interlude. Rumours of Jilatha's brutal execution would spread like wildfire throughout the ship and keep even the most obnoxious of thralls in line for the foreseeable future. That one of her minions had been bold enough to openly mock her, showed that such a lesson was long overdue.

Reaching the tactical suite, she took a deep breath, then opened the black portal. The door split into four pieces, the serrated edges of each quarter sliding back into the frame. She saw him standing rigid in the centre of the room, surrounded by a multitude of holographic maps. Valeria couldn't help wondering if he'd actually gone to bed the previous night, having not moved from the spot where he'd banished her to her quarters for falling asleep in his presence.

"You sent for me, my Lord?" she enquired respectfully, padding silently into the room.

She was very careful to make sure that the four-inch heels didn't make so much as a click. While her master appreciated the way the boots added extra definition to her toned legs and lifted her pert behind, she knew he found the noise irritating.

"I need additional shipments of ore..." he growled, staring intently at the map of the Galkiras Empire. "Expand the mining operations and have the freighters rendezvous with us at the homeworld."

Valeria gaped at him in astonishment. "But my Lord... what of the assault on Wael'rakash? We spent all night preparing the fleets and planning the invasion!"

"You dare to question my orders?" he asked, a dangerous edge to his voice.

"No, never!" she gasped, shocked that she'd dared to even raise it with him, her exhaustion making her incautious. "Forgive me, Master! I was just... surprised... at the change in plans and spoke without thinking."

He grunted, not even bothering to look at her. "Leave the fleets in position. We'll summon them when the time comes."

"I will inform the Fleet Commanders," Valeria said, trying not to fidget nervously.

"That's all. Now get out," he snarled, his attention on the holographic depiction of their spiral galaxy and the tiny segment of space marked in blue.

She performed a sweeping bow. "As you command, my Lord." Following his orders, she turned and walked towards the door.

"Oh... Valeria?" he asked casually.

"Yes, my Lord?" she replied, pausing to acknowledge any other orders he might have.

"You kept me waiting..." he noted, his voice dripping with menace as he slowly turned to face her.

Her heart lurched in her chest and she opened her mouth to beg for forgiveness, but he moved in a blur, closing the distance in a split-second. His fist slammed into her stomach, driving all the air from her lungs and knocking her sprawling. Valeria was paralysed with terror, desperately gasping for breath as he stalked after her.

"Useless, pathetic, little cretin," he sneered, his hand whipping around and backhanding her across the face.

Valeria cried out in pain as his slap hit her like a sledgehammer, snapping her head backwards as he smashed her across the room. She had barely slid to a halt by the time he reached her, then he hauled her upright and landed another brutal punch. He hit her again and again, leaving Valeria bruised and battered, her beautiful face now a bloody mask. As she sobbed and whimpered, curled up on the floor, he crouched down beside her and his hand closed around her neck.

"Beg for your worthless life," he taunted her, slowly increasing the pressure, his fingers squeezing her throat.

She choked back a sob, staring up into his cruel, pitiless eyes. "P-please..." she whimpered, her fingers desperately scrabbling at his impossibly strong grip. "G-Gahl'kalgor... I-I'm begging... you!"