Three Square Meals Ch. 130

"Sounds good to me. I learnt a lot from that session today," he agreed, turning off the shower.

Sakura nodded. "Me too."

They dried themselves off, then dressed in their hastily discarded clothes.

"Oh, Alyssa is asking if you can let her in again," Sakura reminded him.

*Hello ladies,* John said to his trio of matriarchs, allowing them through his mental defences. *I'm sorry I kept you out for so long. Sakura did her best to wear me out; I only woke up five minutes ago.*

*Welcome back,* Alyssa said, her greeting echoed by Jade and Edraele a moment later. She hesitated for a moment, then added, *I heard most of the conversation from Sakura's side. I'm sorry she got so upset.*

*It's not your fault... it's my father who put us in this position,* John replied, gritting his teeth. *Yet again I'm left cleaning up his mess with my broken guide and this time it's Sakura who's suffering for it.*

*Still, I'm surprised that she had all that bottled up; Sakura never shared any of those insecurities with me,* Alyssa said thoughtfully. *I would have warned you beforehand if I had any idea she was feeling that way.*

John opened the cabin door and accompanied his young companion down to the Raptor's lower deck. *I know... but I don't think she deliberately hid her feelings from you. Whenever we talk about... that subject... it tends to stir up very strong emotions in all the girls. Sakura does seem much happier now though and I'll try to give her as much attention as I can so that she stays that way.*

*I know she'll love spending time with you,* Alyssa said affectionately.

"I better get changed into something more appropriate for dinner," Sakura said, glancing at her figure-hugging bodysuit as they walked down the Raptor's loading ramp.

"Good idea," he agreed, wearing similar gear himself.

They headed up to Deck Three and crossed the Lagoon to the Observatory. There was no sign of the boisterous Nymphs, the picturesque lake a haven of tranquillity once more.

*Leylira volunteered to watch the Bridge so Alyssa could join us for dinner,* Jade explained. *The rest of my sisters are here in the Officers' Lounge with the rest of the crew.*

*You're all there already?* John asked in surprise.

*We're just waiting until Admiral Blake chooses to grace us with his esteemed presence...* Alyssa informed him with a teasing lilt to her voice.

*Why didn't you tell me!* he protested, darting into the walk-in-wardrobe.

Sakura followed him inside and watched him quizzically as he hastily threw on clothes. "What's the big rush? Dinner isn't quite ready yet; everyone's just relaxing and having drinks while they wait."

*Alyssa...* John grumbled in protest.

Her melodic laughter echoed through his mind as he buttoned up his shirt. While John finished getting ready, Sakura dressed in tailored trousers and a loose blouse that left her shoulders bare, her outfit looking effortlessly chic.

"You look stunning," John said, nodding his approval as they left the Observatory.

She flashed a shy smile at him and John noticed an extra spring in her step as they made their way up to the Officers' Lounge. The couple were met with friendly greetings as they joined their friends and guests, and Alyssa glided over to welcome them both with a kiss.

"Sorry for teasing you," she apologised to John, handing him a glass of wine.

"You're forgiven," he replied, playfully squeezing her bottom after checking Jack and Mateo weren't watching. "How did everything go this afternoon? Are we still making good time for Jericho?"

"We'll be about twenty minutes late," she replied, her lips curling into a wry smile. "Between Calara bouncing off the walls and the number you just did on your High Priestess, it's been a little hard to concentrate. I had to slow the Invictus down a bit until it was safe for me to drive again."

Sakura blushed, but there was no disguising the elation in her eyes. "On that note, I think I'll circulate," she declared, before flouncing away to join Dana and Rachel.

Alyssa placed a hand on John's chest and made eye-contact with him. *You did well this afternoon. I know it was awful to see Sakura get that upset, but everything you said to her was lovely. She's a changed woman, John... and I'm not saying that lightly.*

He watched the Asian girl chattering animatedly with her friends. *I know, I felt the difference.*

Jack walked over to join them, and frowned when he saw Alyssa hurriedly pull away from John as they turned to face him. "You don't need to do that. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable in your own home because of me."

John put his arm around Alyssa and gave her a sideways hug. "I know it was hard for you to accept our living arrangements with Calara and we didn't want to make it more difficult."

"It was at first, but who am I to judge?" Jack said magnanimously. "Callie's the happiest I've ever seen her... and that's all that really matters."

Alyssa stepped forward and gently kissed his cheek. "She's a lucky girl to have a father like you."

The door to the kitchen swung open and the subject of their conversation entered the room, carrying a tray piled up with aromatic dishes. She was followed out by Emily, the blonde placing a big bowl of rice on the table.

"That smells awesome! What's for dinner?" Dana asked, inhaling deeply.

"Chicken Katsu curry!" Sakura gasped, looking at Calara in astonishment. "That's one of my favourites! How did you know?"

The Latina glanced at Alyssa, giving away the source of her insider knowledge.

"This meal is to honour your victory in the duel," Emily explained, smiling at the Asian girl. "It would've been a shame if I'd had to break up with Mateo... I'd just about got him housebroken."

"Hey!" he protested with a fake frown.

Everyone laughed and moved to take a seat around the dining table.

"Thank you... this looks wonderful," Sakura said, touched at the effort they'd gone to on her behalf.

"Dig in while it's hot," Calara said, before returning to the kitchen to bring out another big bowl of rice.

Sakura was the only person who'd eaten the dish before, but the breaded chicken and spicy curry sauce were delicious, meeting with unanimous and enthusiastic approval.

"Did you have a pleasant afternoon?" John asked his guests.

Mateo chuckled, a lopsided smile on his face. "Pleasant is probably not the right word for it. Alyssa managed to leave me awed and deeply depressed at the same time."

"Depressed? Why's that?" John asked curiously, taking a sip of his wine.

"This ship is light-years ahead of T-Fed hyper-warp technology... if you'll excuse the pun. Combined with gravimetric theory that I can barely understand, the Invictus is travelling faster than any vessel I'll ever get to fly. It's like taking a thrilling joyride in a strike fighter, then being told you'll only ever pilot bulk freighters for the rest of your life."

Alyssa's face fell and she looked at him with regret. "I'm sorry... I never meant to make you feel like that."

He shrugged and waved away her apology. "It's okay, you probably did me a favour; I'll never make Captain sitting behind helm control. I think I might put myself forward for Command training."

"That's a wise decision, son," Jack said, looking at him with paternal pride. "I stayed on Tactical for far too long and it hurt my career progression. Although, I wouldn't let anyone overhear you comparing the Odin to a bulk freighter."

Mateo smiled back at his father, pleased to have his approval. "Yeah, I best keep that to myself."

John had been listening to their conversation with interest, but the friendly exchange between Jack and Mateo stirred up a sudden surge of irrational anger. The comfortable familiarity between father and son, their words filled with respect and pride... it brought back too many unpleasant memories of his meeting with Rahn'hagon. John remembered his own father saying how proud he was of him and how wonderful that had been to hear. When Rahn'hagon finally realised that his son had failed to do his bidding, John was faced with the Progenitor's unbridled fury... and cut deep by cruel words loaded with bitter disappointment. The sense of inadequacy that evoked and the ensuing resentment those feelings triggered were almost overwhelming.

"So... who won the rematch?" Sakura asked with an eager smile, oblivious to John's inner turmoil.

A huge smile lit up Calara's face. "It was a tie. Five - five."

Jack winced and gently patted his ribs. "Your roundhouse kicks hit like a truck."

"You should have told me you were hurt!" Calara protested, her expression one of consternation.

Rachel rose from her seat and walked over to Jack, her eyes shining with a soft grey light as an ephemeral shroud coiled down her arm. "Give me a moment and I'll have you as good as new."

Startled by her casual display of psychic powers, Jack looked at the grey mists in alarm.

"This won't hurt a bit," Rachel said, her tone gentle and reassuring.

Remembering that this was the Angel of Terra approaching him, Jack gave her a rueful smile. "Sorry, you just caught me by surprise." He raised his shirt to reveal a mottled bruise on his flank.

Rachel touched his hand and lowered it. "Just relax... this will only take a few minutes."

He nodded and did as she asked, then gasped as she enveloped him in her healing aura. His face contorted as he tried not to laugh at the tickling sensation which swept over his body.

"So many breaks and fractures..." the tawny-haired doctor murmured, her lips pursing with disapproval. As she continued to perform an initial diagnostic sweep, her frown deepened. "How long have you been getting pain in your wrists? Did you know you're suffering from the early stage of arthritis?"

"What?" he stammered, his eyes wide.

"All those Jericho beers aren't good for your liver either," she admonished him, repairing decades of overindulgence.

When she was finished, Rachel stepped away, her grey aura dissipating. "There... how do you feel now?"

Jack inhaled deeply then looked at her in astonishment. "I feel incredible! What did you do?!"

"I gave you a thorough health-check," she replied with a warm smile. "I simply healed all the wear and tear that your body has accrued over the years. You sustained a lot of minor injuries with all that sparring and the damage adds up."

He rolled his shoulders, a look of wonder on his face. "Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome." Rachel returned to her seat, brushing fingers with a very grateful Calara as she passed the brunette.

With that brief bit of excitement over, everybody returned to their meal, the room filled with pleasant conversation once again. At Alyssa's suggestion, the twins regaled their guests with colourful stories about the Maliri Regency, describing their homeworld as well as its associated flora and fauna. Now that everyone's attention was diverted to the opposite end of the table, John was freed from the burden of making small-talk and left alone with his troubled thoughts.

*John, we're approaching the Epsilon Eridani system,* Alyssa warned him, her gentle reminder jolting John from his reverie. *We'll be docking with the Epiphron in ten minutes.*

He blinked in surprise at how quickly time had passed. Glancing to his right, he was shocked to find that Alyssa's seat was now empty, having been completely unaware of her departure. Glancing at his guests with concern, in case his inattentiveness had been noticed, he saw that Calara's father was listening attentively to Helene, the aquatic girl describing life under the wild seas of Brimor.

*Don't worry, the girls have been keeping everyone entertained,* Alyssa said, her calm voice soothing his worries.

Clearing his throat, John said, "Sorry to interrupt you, Helene. I just wanted to let everyone know that we've nearly reached Jericho. We'll be docking with Maria's ship in ten minutes."

Jack acknowledged him with a grateful nod. "Thank you. We'll grab our gear and be out of your hair." Rising from his chair, he patted his daughter on the shoulder. "Thanks for a lovely dinner, Callie."

"You're welcome, dad," she replied, beaming at him happily.

Mateo and Emily thanked her too, then the three guests left the Officers' Lounge to retrieve their luggage.

John picked up his plate and started to clear the table, but Jade whisked it out of his hands with a smile.

"Leave that to us," she insisted, joining her fellow Nymphs in collecting crockery and cutlery.

Before he could say a word, Calara was in his arms, her face a picture of concern. "Are you alright? You were very quiet through dinner."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude," he said with regret. "I've just got a few things on my mind."

She let out a mournful sigh. "Oh no. Not you too..."

"What do you mean?"

"I've seen that look before... from both Dana and Alyssa," she replied, cupping his face in her hand. "I should have realised how hard this would be for you after everything that happened with your parents."

He shook his head. "Don't worry about it. I've got a new family now, remember?"

"One that cares about you very much," she said softly, giving him a tender kiss.

They held each other for a long moment, then Calara reluctantly released him. "Are you sure you're going to be alright? You know how full-on my mom can be."

"I'll be fine," he replied. "I'm looking forward to seeing Maria again."

"Oh... of course you are," she said, giving him a knowing look.

John couldn't help blushing, much to Calara's amusement.

"Stop tormenting him," Alyssa objected, gliding over to join them. "That's my job!"

"Hey, beautiful," he said, smiling at the blonde. He frowned then and added, "Err... who's flying?"

"Tashana," she explained, slipping her hand into his. "The twins can't stroll around a Federation ship for obvious reasons, so they'll be staying on the Invictus while we're docked."

"I'm sure mom would love to see them again," Calara said, taking John's other hand. "Would it be okay for me to bring her over here while Dana's putting the finishing touches on her present?"

John walked with the blonde and brunette towards the exit. "Of course."

They entered the grav-tube and descended down through the lower decks, where they waited patiently for the Invictus to dock with the Epiphron. Dana, Rachel, and Sakura soon joined them, accompanying their guests who arrived with luggage in tow. As the grey titanium hull of the Terran Federation warship slid into view outside the airlock, John glanced back at the grav-tube, surprised that the rest of the girls hadn't arrived yet.

*Helene and the Nymphs are eager to meet Maria, but they didn't want to intrude on a family reunion. We'll introduce them all later when she comes aboard the Invictus.*

*Okay, makes sense,* he agreed, nodding his approval.

Calara couldn't help fidgeting as she waited to see her mother again and she darted a grin at her brother. Mateo smiled back, a similar look of anticipation in his eyes. There was a dull clunk as docking clamps locked the two battlecruisers together, their airlocks now perfectly aligned. John placed his hand on the DNA scanner, which flashed green in recognition, then the adjacent door spiralled open. There was a hiss as the Epiphron's airlock mirrored the movement, and a gust of stale recycled air swept into the Invictus' corridor. Maria was waiting for them on the opposite side, flanked by an attractive blonde and a man who was obviously the captain of the ship, judging by the epaulets on his shoulders.

"Mom!" Calara blurted out, rushing into her mother's arms.

Maria wrapped her arms around her daughter, tears in her eyes. "Callie!"

Mateo and Jack quickly joined the hug, the Fernandez family members overcome with relief to be together again.

John smiled as the quartet embraced, glad he was able to reunite them. He knew how distraught Calara had been when she heard about the assassination attempt against her mother and he could only imagine how hard it must have been for Jack to be apart from his wife. Maria tightly hugged her eldest son and daughter, a look of pure joy on her face that was shared by her husband as they kissed. John swallowed around the lump in his throat and looked away, finding it too hard to watch the touching family reunion.

He made eye-contact with the captain and realised he wanted to talk. John stepped through the airlock and saluted him. "Captain Trevelyan? I believe we have you to thank for a very timely rescue."

"It was a close call, Admiral Blake," the captain replied, returning the salute. "Fortunately, we got there just in time to save Mrs. Fernandez and her bodyguard."

Maria pulled away from her family and said urgently, "Please help Faith! She's been critically wounded... and her partner too!"

Rachel gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, they'll be fine. If someone can show me to Medical, I'll begin healing them straight away."

"I'll take you there," Commander Grayson volunteered.

"I'll join you, Viv," Jack said, a look passing between himself and the blonde. "I want to thank Faith personally."

Before they departed, Rachel turned to Calara's mother and said earnestly, "I'm so glad you're alright, Maria. We were all so worried."

Giving the brunette a fond smile, Maria opened her arms for a hug, beckoning the rest of the girls to join them. She was immediately embraced by Sakura, Dana, Rachel, and Alyssa, all of them overjoyed to see her again. Maria suddenly let out a startled gasp, then looked at the tawny-haired Doctor in surprise.

The faint glow faded from Rachel's eyes and she winked at Maria. "All better... again."

Maria squeezed her tight. "Thank you!"

Mateo waited until they separated and said, "Mom, there's someone I'd like you to meet. This is Lieutenant Emily Campbell."

Maria's eyes lit up when she saw the blonde. "I've heard so much about you, Emily. It's lovely to finally meet you at last."

Emily blushed and gave her a shy smile. "It's really nice to meet you too."

"We must get together for a good chat later," Maria said, touching the young woman's arm in a friendly gesture. "I can show you all our really embarrassing pictures of Mateo from when he was a little boy."

"I'd love that," Emily agreed, grinning as her boyfriend groaned in protest.

Rachel smiled at the blonde officer waiting patiently for her. "Whenever you're ready, Commander."

"Of course, it's this way," Commander Grayson said as she gestured towards the elevators at the end of the corridor. She turned to Mateo and Emily and added, "I can show you to your quarters too, it's on our way."

The couple thanked John profusely, then the group set off with Jack falling into step beside them.

Maria started to follow, but Calara held out a hand to stop her. "Mom, we're on a really tight schedule and this is only a flying visit. The twins are eager to see you again and I've got some new friends I'd like to introduce you to as well; would you like to come aboard the Invictus to meet them?"

"Oh, I'd love to!" Maria gushed, nodding eagerly. She darted a conflicted glance along the corridor at her departing husband. "But I should see Faith first..."

Calara gave her mother a reassuring smile. "Rachel will bring her over to the Invictus as soon as she's well again."

Captain Trevelyan turned to John and said, "Admiral, we received a call to pick up a delivery. It was addressed to a Sakura Honami on the Invictus."

"That's me!" Sakura interjected. "Can we move the package across to our ship? We've got an umbilical in place connecting our Cargo Bay to yours."

"Certainly," the captain agreed. "I can take you there now, unless Admiral Blake needs me for anything else?"

John shook his head.

"Actually, the package is for me," Dana said with an eager grin. "Let's go check it out!"