Three Square Meals Ch. 131

"What're you thinking about, John?" Jehanna whispered, giving him a knowing smile.

*Did you just tell them everything I was thinking?* he accused his naughty blonde matriarch.

*Would I dare do such a thing, handsome?* Alyssa purred, sounding quite unrepentant.

He kissed Jehanna's navel again, then rose to his feet. "Something to be discussed at a later date. Let's get showered and dressed, we have a wedding to attend."

The three Terran girls giggled excitedly as they headed for the bathroom, but John paused when he saw Marika's indecision, the catgirl still kneeling on the bed.

"Jade thought it might be best to keep the numbers small and private, especially as we don't know the bride or groom," she explained, fidgeting nervously.

*Abigail says that all of Rachel's friends are very welcome,* Alyssa informed him.

John held out a hand and pulled Marika up into his arms. "Would you like to be there to see Rachel celebrate a happy occasion?"

Neysa nodded eagerly. "Oh yes, definitely!"

"Come on then," he said with a smile. "I want a shower with all my brown-eyed girls."

She beamed at him in delight as she accompanied him into the bathroom, where she was warmly welcomed by the others. John very much enjoyed being the centre of attention, although the downside was that he was cleaned from head-to-toe in record time. The girls realised their mistake and begged him to stay, but he demurred, wanting to be dressed to meet Rachel's father when he arrived.

***

Jessica Blake darted another glance at the ship's chronometer for the thousandth time and felt her heart skip a beat. There were only ten minutes left before the Wormhole Generator would be recharged and ready for activation... ten minutes until she would have to apologise to the son she'd abandoned. She heard footsteps echoing in the corridor outside and sighed with relief that Rahn'hagon had returned.

"Rahn! Thank God you're here," she gushed, running into his arms.

He gave her a strained smile. "I promised I would be, Jess."

"What's wrong?" she asked, looking at him with concern. "Are you worried about how John will react?"

Rahn'hagon let out an exasperated sigh. "No... well, not really. I've been scouring the secret archives for any clues, but my search was in vain. In all the entries on forbidden runes and Kyth'vindathys, there was nothing to explain why he's grown so powerful."

He frowned and decided not to mention that his search for answers about Jessica's mind shield, and the infuriating female presence behind it, had been equally fruitless.

Jessica kissed him in sympathy, hating to see her beloved so frustrated. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

He smiled at her affectionately. "Thank you for the offer, but no... I'll just have to keep digging deeper until I find the answers I seek." His gaze flicked to the holographic depiction of Olympus Shipyard. "Has there been any change here?"

The brief distraction had been a welcome relief, but Jessica's heart lurched again when she remembered the primary reason they were in the Alpha Centauri system. "No... the Invictus is still docked."

"It's nearly time, Jess," Rahn'hagon said, stroking her soft brown hair. "Any further delays will only cause you unnecessary suffering."

Jessica took a deep breath to steady herself, then gave him a tremulous nod.

***

John was reaching for his charcoal suit, when he heard the click of heels and recognised Alyssa's familiar sashay.

"Not that one, handsome," she said, greeting him with a lovely smile. Her fingers trailed along the hanging suits and stopped on a uniform jacket that was instantly recognisable throughout the Terran Federation. "Wear this instead."

"My Lion uniform?" he asked in surprise. "Why?"

"You're the Captain of the Invictus and wearing that, you'll look more official," she patiently explained.

He looked at her in alarm. "You've got to be kidding!"

"They only want a simple service with standard vows... you'll be perfect! Besides, who else is going to do it? Betrixa?"

John had to stifle a laugh as he pictured the impish catgirl officiating the wedding. "Alright... I see your point."

As he started dressing in his Lion uniform, his eyes drifted over Alyssa's outfit. She wore a modest yellow summer dress that flattered her figure, but it was a far cry from the eye-catching, form-fitting outfits she preferred.

"I'd never dream of upstaging the bride," she murmured, listening to his thoughts as she watched him get dressed. She handed him his peaked hat. "There, you look fantastic."

"Just the standard vows?" John asked with a sigh of resignation.

*I'll even recite them to you, so all you have to do is repeat what I say,* she informed him telepathically, before giving him a grateful kiss. "Thanks for doing this, John. It'll really mean a lot to Rachel."

He nodded, adjusted his hat and accompanied the jubilant blonde out of the Observatory. When the doors opened, he was shocked to see how much work had gone into making the Lagoon a spectacular wedding venue. A white carpet stretched out across the sand, the pillar-lined path adorned with bouquets of flowers as it led up to the altar. Diaphanous white fabric was draped across the Grecian columns and the flickering torchlight added an enchanting air to the scene.

Dana and the twins were rushing around making last-minute preparations, and John also spotted Rachel talking to her father at the bottom of the sweeping steps. They laughed together, sharing a joke, then both turned to greet Dana as she crossed the beach to join them. Henry spoke sincerely to the redhead and they shared a big hug, with Rachel smiling fondly at them both.

"Helene's with Abigail keeping her calm," Alyssa said as they crossed the bridge. "We'll be down in just a few minutes."

"See you soon," John replied, parting company with her as she headed for the express grav-tube.

He walked down the steps to join the groom and smiled at Rachel's father in greeting. "Welcome aboard the Invictus, Henry."

Henry looked happier than John had ever seen him and years of tension seemed to have evaporated from his face. "Thank you for offering to hold the wedding here. I'm glad Abigail isn't having to get married in a drab Olympus registry office; I imagine they paint those grey too."

John chuckled and nodded. "Yes, the Terran Federation navy has a real aversion to bright colours."

Rachel brushed her hand over the golden lion embroidered on John's chest. "I forgot how handsome you look dressed in this." Her lips curled up into a teasing smile. "Are you trying to overshadow the groom?"

He blanched and looked at Henry in alarm. "No, not at all! Alyssa said I needed to wear my uniform to officiate the wedding."

Henry laughed and shook his head. "Relax, I don't think anyone cares what the groom looks like. As long as Abi doesn't run for the hills, I'll be happy."

John glanced at the elaborate venue preparations. "Did you put all this together, Sparks?"

"Yeah, with a lot of help from the girls and the Collective," she replied modestly.

"I can't believe you finished it all in time," he marvelled, shaking his head in admiration.

"I was just saying what a wonderful job she'd done," Henry agreed, looking at the redhead with gratitude. "Abi's going to be thrilled when she sees it."

"It's the least I could do after you registered all those patents for me, Henry," Dana replied, blushing self-consciously. "I can't believe how much cash is rolling in."

He winked at her. "Never upset the goose that lays the golden egg."

Dana laughed and held up a fist, which Henry bumped with his own.

Rachel gave her girlfriend a joyful kiss and beamed at her father, delighted to see them both getting on so well.

The rest of the girls crossed the bridge and walked down the steps to join them, with Rachel making all the introductions to her father. Everyone stood in small groups making light-hearted conversation for a couple of minutes, then Alyssa appeared at the steps with Helene, scattering rose petals on their way down. "Canon in D" by Pachelbel began to play, the beautiful string music drifting over the Lagoon and silencing the murmur of voices.

*Places everyone,* Alyssa declared and the dozen girls in attendance fanned out to await the bride.

John stood with Henry by the altar and watched as the doors to the Lagoon opened. Abigail looked absolutely radiant, her long raven hair in an elaborate hairstyle, the black contrasting sharply with the stunningly intricate white wedding dress. There was a collective gasp of amazement from the girls, who watched spellbound as she slowly descended the steps. Abigail blushed at the looks of admiration from the audience, especially as each of the girls was exceptionally beautiful in their own right.

"You look like an angel, Abi," Henry murmured to his fiancée, taking her hand.

Her blue eyes sparkled with joy. "Thank you, Henry. You look very handsome too."

Dana stepped forward and handed two rings to Henry, who nodded to her gratefully.

Alyssa began reciting the wedding vows to John, who guided the bride and groom through their turns. His gaze swept over the audience and saw all the girls were captivated by the whole event, a look of longing in ten sets of eyes, another four feline pairs appearing more than a little intrigued. It was a simple wedding, but sincere and heartfelt, with the married couple exchanging rings and celebrating with a loving kiss.

"I give you, Henry and Abigail Voss," John concluded with a broad smile.

The audience whooped and cheered, with Rachel wiping the tears from her eyes as she looked on joyfully. Everyone surrounded the bride and groom to offer their congratulations and wish them a very happy marriage.

"I promise I won't be a wicked step-mother," Abigail said as she hugged Rachel.

The brunette laughed as she hugged her back. "You better not be! And I hate being an only child... I want a brother and sister!"

Abigail blushed but gave Henry a coy smile. "I'll see what I can do about that."

That earned a round of laughter from the girls and Henry tried his best not to look flustered.

*That was lovely,* Alyssa murmured to John, the emotions strong in her voice as she slipped her arm around his. *Is that going to be us someday?*

He glanced at her and smiled, unlinking his arm so he could wrap it around her shoulders and draw her closer. *You're going to be a stunning bride... heart-stoppingly beautiful. It's a good job we have Rachel around so she can restart mine before the service.*

She laughed at his joke, then leaned her head on his shoulder. Alyssa seemed uncharacteristically vulnerable at that moment and John could only imagine what this must be like for her, picturing her big day and wishing that her parents could be there to see it. His thoughts turned to his own parents and his mood became just as melancholy when he realised that he was in much the same position as Alyssa. He hated that his parents were still able to hurt him, even on what should be a joyful occasion.

Alyssa looked at him with sympathy, then stood on tip-toe to give him a big kiss. They held each other close until a group of robo-maids entered the Lagoon, carrying trays full of champagne flutes to distribute to everyone. John and Alyssa each took a glass and participated in a toast to the newly married couple.

Daphne arrived shortly after her fellow cleaning robots and she navigated through the crowd, exchanging friendly greetings with the girls. Coming to a halt beside John and Alyssa, the robo-girl said quietly, "I'm sorry to interrupt, John, but we've just received an incoming call... from Jessica Blake."

John's expression darkened and he clenched his fists in anger. Stepping away from the celebrations, he drew Daphne aside. "What did she want? They know I've banished them from my territory!"

Daphne tilted her head to one side as if in thought, then she played back the message. "This is Jessica Blake... I-I'd like to speak to John please."

Hearing her tremulous voice again brought back memories of their first meeting, when all Jessica cared about was rescuing Rahn'hagon. Not a word of regret or remorse about abandoning her son for forty years, just a blind obsession with being reunited with a psychopathic mass-murderer.

John gritted his teeth. "Tell my mother... I'll be happy to talk to her when my father's dead."

Daphne paused in confusion as she was about to depart. "John, isn't Rahn'hagon immortal?"

"That's right," he replied, his expression bleak.

"Oh, I see," she said quietly. "I'll relay the message for you."

He watched her leave, then turned back to see Alyssa watching him with a troubled look on her face.

*Let's see the happy couple off, then we'll head to Ross 248,* John declared, his eyes flashing with tightly-suppressed fury. *I feel like having a chat with Arjun Khatri.*

***

Jessica tapped her finger impatiently on the console, waiting for a response from the Invictus. She darted a worried glance at Rahn'hagon who gave her an encouraging smile.

"They haven't moved to engage us... that's a promising sign," he said, gesturing towards the holo-map of the system which showed that the battlecruiser was still docked.

She nodded nervously, then jumped as the comms interface chimed. Stabbing her finger on the rune that Rahn'hagon had showed her earlier, she answered the call. "Yes! I'm here!"

The cute robo-girl appeared again, the expression on her synthetic features looking surprisingly like pity. "I have spoken to John Blake," Daphne informed her. "He asked me to relay the following message..."

In a flurry of pixels, John's face appeared on-screen, his features contorted with pain and anger.

"Tell my mother... I'll be happy to talk to her when my father's dead."

Jessica stared in horror at the video playback of her son, an icy fist squeezing her heart in its grip. The thought of Rahn'hagon dying was like a physical blow and she sank to her knees, shaking with distress.

"No..." she whimpered, the brutal rejection searing her soul.

Rahn'hagon clenched his teeth in anger, horrified to see his beloved Jessica in such anguish. The fury faded as he knelt down and wrapped the weeping brunette in his arms, quickly replaced by a sickening surge of guilt. How could he blame John for lashing out at the pair of them after that disastrous confrontation at Arcadia? If their roles were reversed, Rahn'hagon wouldn't have shown mercy to his father and let him leave peacefully.

"I'm sorry, Jess," he whispered, filled with regret to see her in agony. "So very sorry..."

Jessica suddenly shoved him away and lurched unsteadily to her feet. She stumbled out of the dreadnought's Bridge, her broken-hearted sobs the most terrible sound Rahn'hagon had ever heard.

***

Fleet Admiral Lynette Devereux tried reading through the priority message again, but she'd barely got past the first paragraph when her mind drifted. She still remembered the conflicted look on Charles' face as he politely declined Lynette's invitation to enter her quarters, saying that he had some urgent reports he needed to read before turning in. They had parted company without a kiss, which was to be expected when she was in her holo-disguise, but she couldn't help worrying after her fiancé's discussion with John.

*Charles adores you,* Alyssa said emphatically. *Just leave him be for tonight and let him get his head around things. When he wakes up in the morning without the love of his life beside him, he'll be over there like a shot.*

*But what if he can't bring himself to kiss me ever again?* Lynette replied, wringing her hands together anxiously. *I love him, Alyssa... I can't even imagine being without him now.*

*He's not stupid, Lynette,* the blonde matriarch said abruptly, changing tack. *You're the hottest woman Charles has ever seen. You're thirty years younger than him, you're desperate to have his children, AND you'll eagerly suck his cock, morning, noon, and night. Only a complete fucking idiot would turn that down!*

Lynette hiccupped a laugh at her friend's blunt honesty. *That's true.*

*Damn straight,* Alyssa said, her tone lightening.

Staring up at the screen again, Lynette decided to start reading the message again. She managed the first sentence, then a sudden thought came to her. *Oh, how was the wedding?*

*It was lovely. Abigail looked gorgeous and the whole thing went off without a hitch...* Alyssa's voice trailed away with an unfamiliar note of worry at the end.

*Are you alright?* Lynette asked in surprise. *Did something happen?*

*John's mother attempted to call him and he basically told her to go fuck herself. In fact, if he'd said that, it would've been less painful,* Alyssa said with a sad sigh.

Sitting upright with concern, Lynette's heart ached for John. *Oh no... is he alright?*

*We're about to depart from Olympus, then we'll be hitting Ross 248 to take down Khatri. It's going to get bloody, Lynette... can you send a clean-up team?*

The Fleet Admiral felt a shiver run down her spine at Alyssa's ominous tone. *Will do. I'll divert the closest fleet assets.*

*Thanks... you're an angel,* Alyssa murmured, sounding distracted again.

Lynette opened a special order directive, requesting the immediate diversion of the closest TFN vessel with a marine company to the Ross 248 system. With that done, she tried to focus on the priority message and started again.

--

From: Admiral Sofia Esposito: C.O. - Internal Security Division.

Investigation into Brimorian massacre in the Callopean Shoals.

Lynette,

We have discovered some disturbing combat footage in black boxes salvaged from wrecked fighters in Admiral Morgan's fleet. Cross-checking against other fleet recordings has corroborated the suspicious activity and with your permission I'd like to unlock vindicated ISD assets and investigate for further evidence of malfeasance. The suspect is under lockdown in Unity City Medical Institute and will remain so until...

--

Bleary-eyed and losing focus, Lynette leaned back and rubbed at her face, unable to concentrate any more. She felt exhausted... mentally drained after a day of eager anticipation, then hours spent with tense anxiety. Opening a reply, she wrote a message to Admiral Esposito, knowing the most recent addition to High Command would still be up working at midnight.

--

Sofia,

I am granting you authority to utilise whatever assets you deem necessary to aid your investigation. Give me an update when you have conclusive findings.

Lynette

Fleet Admiral Lynette Devereux

--

The message was acknowledged by Sofia less than thirty seconds later, making Lynette smile at the woman's diligence. She closed down the comms interface and headed to her bedroom, where she stripped off her clothes and collapsed on the bed. Curling over, she ran her hand over Charles' side, desperately wishing that he were there now to tell her that everything was going to be alright.

***

"Goodbye!" Abigail called out, waving to John and the girls. "Thank you for everything!"

"Have a safe journey!" Henry added, his arm around his young bride. "Keep me updated!"

"I will, I promise! I love you!" Rachel gushed, returning the wave until the airlock door spiralled closed.

Henry and Abigail backed away as the retro-thrusters along the Invictus' hull began to flare, the white battlecruiser slowly and majestically lifting off from the deck. Rachel continued to wave at her father and stepmother through the porthole, until the Invictus emerged from Olympus Shipyard and they dropped away out of sight.

"Alright, let's get the bastards who tried to kill my dad," she growled, turning to face John and the girls.

John nodded, his smile fading as he no longer tried to hide his fury. "You can count on that."