Three Square Meals Ch. 130

*You're incorrigible,* John said with a fond smile.

He dropped his trousers, then jumped in surprise when he heard a wolf whistle from the doorway. Glancing behind him, John saw one of the cleaning bots leaning against the doorframe, a cheeky grin splashed across her face. Blushing with embarrassment, he hurriedly tugged on his new shorts, while watching the robo-maid sashay towards him and dip demurely to pick up his discarded clothing.

Now feeling embarrassed for an entirely different reason, he gave her a guilty look as she cleaned up after him. "You girls do such a good job of tidying up, I've started taking you for granted. Sorry for leaving a mess."

She shook her head. [+++ stated with sincerity +++ [Begin statement] My primary function is to clean. It is extremely satisfying when the Invictus is restored to a spotless state once again. [/End statement]]

"Still... that's no excuse for living like a slob," he said with a rueful frown of apology. Looking at the maid curiously, he continued, "Do you have a name?"

The cleaning robot froze, her brows furrowed in concentration.

"Are you okay?" John asked, looking at her with concern.

[My designation is Trois...] she suddenly replied in a sultry French accent. She flounced out of the room and giggled as she winked at him over her shoulder. [Au revoir, monsieur!]

He laughed at her flamboyant flirtation, then blinked in surprise when he realised that there was real animation in her voice instead of the usual monotone delivery.

*Did you hear that?* he asked Alyssa.

*I did,* his blonde matriarch replied. There was a brief pause, then Alyssa continued, *Irillith thinks that the Collective have developed enough self-awareness that they're trying to establish new identities for themselves. She said the maintenance bots are mimicking fictional characters in the Cyber Realm, a bit like little kids pretending to be their favourite action hero. By the sound of it, the cleaning bots have started experimenting too.*

*It's amazing to see how they're evolving,* John said, leaving the walk-in-wardrobe. He glanced at the high-backed leather chair with a sad smile.

*Faye would've been really proud of them,* Alyssa agreed, echoing his thoughts.

He took a deep breath to shrug off the melancholy moment, then used the express grav-tube to descend to the Lagoon. There was more splashing in the water, but this time it was Emily and Mateo having fun in the artificial lake. Glancing over at the beach, he saw Helene and Calara chatting together, but there was no sign of Jack yet. The Latina was wearing a bikini now, matching her teal-hued companion, and they both turned in his direction and waved.

"Join me for a swim!" Calara called out, rising up from the picnic blankets spread out across the floor.

The contrast between her bronzed skin and the red bikini was mouth-watering as she padded gracefully across the sand into the water, erasing any possibility of refusing her request. John stripped off his t-shirt, balled it up, then flung it across to the beach. Helene caught it, then watched with longing as he dived into the water. She glanced across the pool at Emily and Mateo with a pensive frown, unsure how to behave in front of their guests.

*Go ahead, they won't mind,* Alyssa urged her.

Helene bit her lip, torn with indecision. *I want to... so much... but I won't be able to keep my hands off John. I think I'll wait and talk to Jack so he doesn't feel left out.*

*You're an angel. Thanks, Helene.*

Calara's father appeared a few seconds later and Helene got up to greet him with a friendly grin. "Hello, Jack. Would you like to go for a swim? If you'd prefer to just watch, I'm happy to keep you company."

He gave her an appreciative smile. "Thank you... Helene isn't it?" When she nodded happily in confirmation, he continued, "I'll save my energy for after lunch, Helene. I think I'm going to need it."

She gestured for him to sit, then poured a drink of fruit cocktail from a chilled jug that was glistening with condensation. "Sakura is on her way with the food."

"Thank you," he said, gratefully accepting the glass and taking a sip. "Mmm, this is delicious."

"The fruit is from the Maliri Protectorate. It was grown on Valaden, the twins' home planet," Helene explained, pouring herself a glass. "I'm sure they'll be happy to tell you the names of all the different types."

Jack relaxed on the sand and let out a contented sigh. His lips twitched into a grin and he chuckled to himself.

"What was funny?" Helene asked him curiously.

"I've only been here two minutes and I already feel like I'm on a beach vacation," he replied, glancing at the brightly-coloured drink in his hand and shaking his head in amazement. "Sitting on a sandy beach, getting served refreshing drinks by a beautiful exotic girl... it's like being in paradise."

Helene sipped her drink, her baby-blue eyes sparkling over the rim of the glass. "You think I'm beautiful?"

He coughed awkwardly. "Ah, sorry about that. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."

She gently touched his arm and smiled. "Why would I feel that way about a compliment? There's no need to be embarrassed."

Jack felt his discomfort fading as a gentle warmth suffused his being, making him feel relaxed and happy.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Helene exclaimed, jerking her hand back.

The lovely feeling receded and Jack gaped at her in astonishment. "You did that?"

She nodded, looking chagrined. "John and the girls gave me permission to practice on them. I never should have done that without asking you first."

"You can change the way people feel just by touching them?!" he marvelled, studying the teal-hued beauty with newfound respect.

"Actually, I only need to be close by... but I really am sorry I did that to you."

"That's okay," he said with a reassuring smile. Jack went quiet and gazed into the distance, obviously lost in thought.

"Are you alright?" Helene asked softly.

He turned to focus on her again, a thoughtful expression on his face. "If Calara had asked you to, you could've just made me happily accept her living arrangements... couldn't you?"

Helene met Jack's curious gaze. "Would the daughter you raised ever do that to the father she adores?"

Jack glanced across the Lagoon at Calara and smiled with paternal pride. "No, she wouldn't."

***

John broke the surface of the Lagoon and embraced Calara as she swam into his arms. "Hey, gorgeous."

Calara pressed her full breasts against his chest, a beaming smile lighting up her beautiful face. "Hello, handsome!"

He studied the brunette and marvelled at how happy she looked. All the stress and worry that had piled up over the previous months had faded away, reminding him that his conscientious Tactical Officer was a carefree young woman at heart.

"You look so beautiful," he said earnestly, gazing into her expressive brown eyes.

She broke into a grin. "I forgot how much you love bikinis!"

He cupped her perfectly rounded ass, enjoying the feel of her bare skin as he pulled her closer through the water. "That's true... but I was actually talking about the girl filling it out. I don't think I've ever seen you looking so relaxed and happy, honey."

"I don't think I've ever been happier than I am right now!" she gushed, punctuating her joyful reply with a kiss. "I haven't forgotten what we're up against, but I love my life with you and the girls... and finally being able to be open about it with my dad is such a relief!"

"I'm really glad everything worked out so well," he said fondly, stroking her slender back.

Glancing at the beach, John saw that Calara's father was immersed in a deep conversation with Helene, the aquatic beauty listening attentively to every word. Straining his acute hearing to eavesdrop on their conversation, John could hear Jack giving her earnest advice, sharing parenting tips from years of experience raising four children.

"It's not surprising you turned out to be such an amazing girl," John said quietly, holding Calara close. "You're very lucky to have such wonderful parents. The way Jack accepted you for who you are and was so eager to support you in any way he could... that was really lovely to see."

Despite his well-meaning and encouraging words, Calara heard the hint of underlying sadness in John's voice. Her heart ached for him, knowing how badly the meeting with his own parents had gone, and she hugged him back as hard as she could.

"Thank you, John," she whispered in his ear. "I love you so much."

"Get a room, you two!" Mateo called out, jarring them from the tender moment.

"Matty!" Emily protested, playfully whacking him on the chest. "They looked so sweet together and you ruined it!"

John turned in the water and smiled at his guests. "Don't worry about it."

"Yeah, there's lots more where that came from!" Calara agreed, giving John a deep kiss.

Emily cheered and Mateo groaned... until his girlfriend gave him a big kiss to keep him quiet.

When the two couples separated, John asked politely, "So, what do you think of the Lagoon?"

Mateo shifted Emily so that he could look at his host, the blonde wrapping her legs around his waist from the side. "I'd be in here all the time if this was my ship... it's incredible!"

Emily nodded enthusiastically. "This place is stunning! I don't know how we're going to cope on the Odin; you've really spoiled us for R&R now."

"Has your transfer onto the dreadnought been approved?" Calara asked with interest.

The blonde darted a worried glance at John. "I don't know... I mean... I don't want to presume..."

John made brief eye-contact with Mateo, double-checking that was what he wanted. Emily noticed the look passing between them and held her breath, turning to watch her boyfriend with big eyes as she waited for his answer.

"If you can arrange for us to be transferred to the same ship, that'd be fantastic," Mateo requested, giving him a hopeful look.

"I'll have a chat with Lynette and see what I can do," John said with a reassuring smile

"Thank you, I really appreciate it," Mateo said gratefully, before turning to grin at the blonde. "I'm not having some smooth-talking Defence Fleet Captain sweep you off your feet; I want to keep an eye on my golden-haired angel. What would you say to requesting joint quarters, Em?"

"Oh, Matty..." Emily said breathlessly, giving him a passionate kiss that made Mateo stumble in the water.

"Get a room, you two," Calara said, grinning as she threw her brother's words back at him.

"We will... after lunch," Emily murmured, making her boyfriend blush.

John's stomach rumbled, the sound audible even through the water. Calara laughed and glanced towards the beach, where Sakura was now spreading out the picnic.

"Time to eat!" Calara said, clasping John's hand as they waded over to join Jack and Helene on the beach.

***

"Here we are, Fleet Admiral... the Cryo-Stasis Suite," the medic said, placing his hand on the DNA scanner next to the sealed door.

"Thank you, Doctor," Lynette Devereux said gratefully, smiling at the man who had guided her through Med-Centre Four.

He stepped aside as the door slid open and she gestured for her security detail to wait behind as she walked into the dimly-lit room. Dozens of cryostasis tubes were lined up in rows, the blue glow from their status panels making the room seem like it was in the grip of an icy chill, despite the warmth generated by their freezing systems. Facing one of the stasis tubes was a plush recliner, currently occupied by a middle-aged man wearing a crumpled suit, his soft snores echoing around the room.

Lynette recognised Henry Voss at once and approached him cautiously, not wanting to disturb the haggard entrepreneur. Confirming that he was fast asleep, she turned to the adjacent cryostasis tube and studied the occupant through the clear faceplate. Henry Voss' assistant was ghostly pale, looking as if she were a hibernating ice princess held captive by an evil wizard. Despite the light dusting of frost covering her skin, there was no hiding Abigail's natural beauty, her raven mane framing her lovely face.

"It's true what they say..."

Hearing Henry's voice, Lynette turned to look at one of the richest men in the Terran Federation, and saw that his hollow-eyed stare was fixed on Abigail. "What's true, Henry?"

"You don't appreciate what you've got until it's gone," he whispered, his tortured voice giving her chills. He sounded haunted as he added, "I can't lose her... not again..."

"She's still very much alive," Lynette said, doing her best to be cheerful and optimistic. "Rachel's on her way to heal Abigail and should arrive at Olympus by about 10 tonight. Alyssa sent a message earlier... didn't you get it?"

He shook his head despondently. "Abi normally checks my messages..."

Charles had informed Lynette that a number of issues had started cropping up with the fleet refits at Olympus, all centred around the civilian contractors working for the Voss Corporation. It was quite apparent that Henry had been neglecting the shipyard operations while he maintained this vigil over his wounded fiancée and refit productivity was taking a nosedive. The fact that his absence made such a difference was a testament to the drive and energy he normally channelled into his business. It was also painfully obvious that Henry Voss was barely keeping it together.

Reaching out to clasp his hand, Lynette gave it a comforting squeeze. "Hang in there, Henry. You're not going to lose her... I promise."

He nodded distractedly, not taking his eyes from Abigail.

Lynette patted his hand, then quietly left the stasis room. *Henry's in a bad way, Alyssa. The sooner you can get here the better.*

*After what happened to Rachel's mother, I'm not surprised this is hitting him hard. We've got some important business at Jericho, then we'll be there as fast as we can. Has Jehanna arrived at Olympus yet?*

There was a soft chime from Lynette's wrist communicator and she glanced down at the notification, which confirmed that a dropship transporting the TFNN reporter had just docked. *You must be a mind reader; she just got here.*

Alyssa's concern briefly shifted to whimsical amusement, but she chose not to state the obvious. *Could you be an angel and check on her please? Jehanna called me twenty minutes ago, but we weren't on a secure channel so couldn't talk properly. She was pretty upset...*

*Of course. I'll go and see her now,* Lynette replied, worried about her friend.

As she rapidly departed from the medical centre, the security detail saluted Lynette, then formed a protective cordon around her. It was a sharp reminder that she was the Fleet Admiral, the most powerful military officer in the Terran Federation, yet here she was... hurrying to follow orders from an eighteen-year-old civilian.

*I prefer to think of them as polite requests,* Alyssa said gently.

Lynette walked in silence as she headed towards the Senior Officers' Quarters. *I really am a Lioness now, aren't I?*

*Yes. You are.*

*John was fooling himself, thinking he could change my body without significantly altering my mind, wasn't he?* she persisted, her holographic disguise shifting to match the beautiful brunette's ambivalent expression.

There was a long pause before Alyssa replied, *He tried, Lynette. For what it's worth, he just wanted to give you your youth back as a gift... nothing more. Everything else was out of his control; the other changes he made were done purely at a subconscious level.*

She drew in her breath, then slowly released it. *I don't know how I'm supposed to feel... knowing he's changed me in such a profound way.*

*Forget how you should feel... what are you actually feeling now?*

*Focused... driven... happy... and more satisfied with my life than I ever have been before. I'm playing my part to help John save everything we hold dear; how could I possibly resent that?*

*If you were given the choice again, would you go back to being the old Lynette?* Alyssa prompted her, genuinely curious.

*Never!* the brunette replied, surprising herself with her own vehemence. *What I remember most from my old life was being terribly lonely... and regretting the choices that led to me feeling that way. The only thing keeping me going was my burning ambition to become Fleet Admiral, but that seems like such a hollow goal now. The thought of going back to that fills me with dread; it would mean losing Charles... and you... and the girls...*

Lynette purposefully omitted any mention of John out of faithfulness to Charles... but she didn't need to say it to Alyssa, who understood exactly how she felt. The brunette could only shudder at the terrifying prospect of losing everything she held dear.

*You know how I feel about the Admiralty, but I actually liked you from the start,* Alyssa freely admitted. *You were a good person... but you're so much better now, Lynette. You're full of life and sparkle like a diamond. The old version of you was like rusted iron; you had a strong core, but life had worn you down.*

Lynette blinked in surprise, finding herself in agreement with the blonde's astute analogy.

*You can't hang around with someone as smart as Rachel 24/7 without some of it rubbing off,* Alyssa said with a self-deprecating smile.

*What are we going to tell Lina about the Change?* Lynette asked, wondering how the redhead would react to hearing about the process she'd been through.

*The truth,* Alyssa said, her voice taking a firm edge. *John won't stand for any subterfuge when it comes to recruiting girls.*

*I wasn't thinking about deceiving her,* Lynette quickly clarified. *It's just... I don't know how to tell her this without frightening her off.*

Alyssa paused, then asked with sympathy, *You really want her, don't you?*

Lynette darted a quick glance at the security guards flanking her, but they were oblivious to the telepathic conversation. *I do. She reminds me of myself before I joined you. I know Lina has the same regrets I used to have, she just hides her loneliness behind a facade of overly-flirtatious bravado.*

*Leave it to me. I've had a fair bit of experience with enticing sexy girls,* Alyssa said with a confident grin.

*XO is in charge of recruitment,* Lynette noted, a flicker of a smile reappearing on her face.

Alyssa's melodic laughter echoed through her mind. *Exactly.*

The elevator chimed, the doors opening onto the section of Olympus reserved for senior officers. Lynette blinked in surprise, having been so engrossed in conversation with the blonde matriarch that she'd barely been paying attention to her surroundings.

The Fleet Admiral tapped her wrist communicator as she left the elevator. "Requesting location check for Jehanna Elani."

There was a brief pause, then the device chirped, "Current location: Personal quarters of Fleet Admiral Lynette Devereux."

Glancing at her security detail, she smiled at them in gratitude. "That's all for now, gentlemen."

They saluted and peeled away, leaving her standing outside her suite. The DNA scanner read the genetic code from her hand and beeped in recognition, before opening the door and letting Lynette stride inside. She waited until the door had closed again, then deactivated her holo-disguise as she entered the Lounge, looking for the TFNN reporter.

When the dusky-hued girl was nowhere to be seen, Lynette called out, "Jehanna? Where are you?"

"In here..." came the muffled reply.

Lynette hurried across to the bedroom, where she found Jehanna curled up on the bed. She rushed over to join her, sliding onto the covers and hugging the stricken woman.

"Sweetheart... what's wrong?" Lynette murmured, pulling her trembling friend to her chest.

"It was awful..." Jehanna whimpered, tears rolling down her cheeks. "My parents were so disappointed in me... nothing's ever going to be the same again..."