Three Square Meals Ch. 142

"And he forgot to update the security system," Dana added, leaning heavily against the door. "We're always forgetting to do it and we've got no excuse. That poor bastard was just about to blow himself to pieces in a suicide mission... no wonder he forgot with that on his mind."

"Mael'nerak must have been feeding Valada regularly before they were separated, which would've maintained her physiology as a thirty-year-old Maliri maiden," Rachel continued. "After he died, she lived on for another two hundred years before the pain from the brain tumour became insufferable."

"It's all so sad," Tashana sobbed, brushing her eyes. "Valada never knew the truth about why Mael'nerak abandoned her... and she never got over him."

"She loved him with all her heart," Alyssa murmured, eyes glassy with unshed tears. "How could he expect her to go on living without him? It would've been kinder to let her spend their last moments together."

"He loved her, Alyssa," John said, feeling an outpouring of sympathy for Mael'nerak. "He wanted her to live... to raise their children so she'd always have a legacy to remember him by. The last thing he would've wanted was for Valada to spend the next two centuries grieving for him."

Alyssa shook her head and said with conviction, "You can't love someone as much she adored him and ever get over it. Mael'nerak was the centre of her universe; when he died, her life ended too. Valada loved her twin daughters and clung on as long as she could to be there for them... but it meant two-hundred years of suffering with a broken heart that would never heal."

"I hope you were reunited with him in the end, great grandmother," Irillith said in a choked voice. "He never stopped loving you... I hope you know that now."

They stood together in silence, paying their respects to the tragic matriarch whose influence over Mael'nerak had altered the course of billions of lives.

***

Admiral Charles Harris entered the reception area for his office on Olympus and nodded to his assistant. "Good morning, Victor. Any priority messages this morning?"

The young lieutenant rose from his seat to follow Charles into the office. "Nothing urgent, sir. You've been sent the latest productivity report from the Voss Corporation, Admiral Caldwell is requesting a status update on the Brimorian situation, and there was a message from the Fleet Admiral."

"What's happening on the Outer Rim?" Charles asked, his moustache twitching with concern.

"I didn't check the contents, sir. As it wasn't marked as urgent, I assumed it was a personal message from your fiancée."

"Alright, thank you," the Admiral said, sitting behind his desk and activating the comms interface. "Could you make me a coffee please... I'm going to need the caffeine to get through a Voss productivity report without nodding off."

"Certainly, sir," Victor said, but made no move to leave. "You also received a meeting request from Admiral Van Den Broeck. I checked today's calendar and your only available timeslot is at nine o'clock. After that, you're scheduled to inspect the drydock until midday, you have performance reviews all afternoon, then this evening-"

"Nine o'clock is fine," Charles interrupted, grimacing when he glanced at the time. "You better make that two coffees."

Victor grinned and nodded. "Very good, sir."

Charles snorted at the young officer's smirk of admiration, then waved him out of the office. "Let me know when Admiral Van Den Broeck arrives."

When Victor closed the door behind him, Charles opened up the message from Lynette, eager to hear how she was doing. Reading through the update, her journey to the Outer Rim had proved uneventful so far, but he knew that was all about to change when she arrived at Brecken's World later that evening. Charles flushed when he read her sign off, knowing exactly what she meant about them having breakfast together. Lynette had only been gone from Olympus for a few days, but he was already really missing the vivacious brunette.

Rising from his chair, he walked over to the sweeping window that gave him a panoramic view of Olympus and the vast fleets gathered at the shipyard. A colossal dreadnought was currently undergoing repairs in the drydock, the Odin's Thunderbolt having sustained significant damage in the Battle of Terra. All along its three-kilometre flank, welding torches flickered like fireflies as hundreds of engineers laboured to rebuild sections of exposed superstructure.

Rather than focusing on the massive Terran Federation capital ship, Charles gazed beyond it at a cluster of faint stars, which he knew was Lynette's final destination. She was already hundreds of light years from Alpha Centauri and moving further away from him by the second. Her flagship, the Aphrodite, was one of the most powerful battleships in the Terran Federation navy, but that offered little comfort to Charles. He knew what horrors lurked out there in the endless darkness of space.

There was a quick knock on the door before it swung open and Admiral Van Den Broeck breezed into his office. "Morning, Charlie!" she greeted him cheerfully.

"Good morning, Lina," he replied, turning to smile at the sultry redhead, who seemed to have regained all her previous confidence.

"I'm sorry, sir," a flustered Victor apologised, glaring at Lina as she sauntered over to the sofas. "I was about to let you know that the Admiral had arrived, but she was most insistent."

Lina took a seat and demurely crossed her legs, managing to look alluring despite her iron-grey Admiralty uniform. "I know you're a busy boy today, Charlie. I didn't want to waste a minute I could be spending in your scintillating company."

Charles rolled his eyes and walked over to join her. "It's fine, Victor. Thank you."

The assistant nodded and flicked one last irritated glance at Lina before quietly shutting the office door.

"You're mean tormenting him like that," Charles admonished the grinning redhead.

"He deserved it. I can feel him staring at my ass every time I come to visit you."

Charles was about to make a raunchy quip, but coughed and said roughly, "I'll have a word with him, if he's making you feel uncomfortable."

Lina looked delighted and leaned forward. "What were you just about to say then?"

Blushing furiously, Charles was about to stammer a denial, then abruptly changed his mind. He sat up straighter and looked her directly in the eye. "I was going to say that you've got a magnificent ass and I can't blame him for taking a second look. Besides, you love the attention, don't you?"

Lina laughed, her green eyes sparkling. "You do have a naughty side to you, don't you, Charlie?"

"Apparently so," he conceded with a wry smile. "So what brings you here this morning, Lina?"

She twirled a finger in a lock of her auburn hair. "I was hoping you'd come to see me while Lynette was away, but it's been days and still no sign of Charles Harris knocking on my door." She pouted playfully. "Are you avoiding me?"

Charles hesitated, unsure how to reply, then Victor entered the office, granting him a temporary reprieve. The young lieutenant was carrying a tray with two steaming cups of coffee, and he carefully transferred them to the table between Charles and his guest.

Lina waited patiently until the assistant had left, then raised an eyebrow. "Well?"

Cracking under her intense scrutiny, Charles confirmed her suspicions with a nod.

"Why?" she asked, looking a little hurt by his reply. "I thought we'd got closer after the attack on Olympus? I know Lynette doesn't mind us keeping each other company... far from it in fact."

Charles picked up his coffee to delay having to answer for a few moments longer, then took a sip of the dark drink and winced when he scalded his lip.

"Serves you right for stalling," Lina said, her lips quirking into a smile. "Now, tell me why you've been avoiding me."

He let out a sigh of resignation. "Because I find the whole process of you becoming a secret Lioness awkward and embarrassing. I haven't even decided how I feel about it yet, so I had no clue what to say to you if you asked for my advice."

Lina's gaze softened and she moved over to sit beside him, slipping her hand into his. "I've been thinking about it too. I haven't thought about much else actually."

"Have you made a decision?" Charles asked, trying not to get distracted by the way she was gently stroking his hand.

"Can we speak freely here?" she replied, darting a quick glance upwards as if searching for listening devices.

He nodded. "The Lionesses swept my office for bugs and made sure we can't be spied on in here. It's safe to talk."

Lina was quiet for a long moment, her flirtatious demeanour shifting into thoughtful introspection. "At face value, it's an incredibly tempting offer. Most women would sell their soul to have a body like Lynette, but it's not just an aesthetic change, I really would be twenty again... physically at least. It's like being given a do-over, letting me focus on the parts of my life I previously neglected, without having to give up anything I've worked so hard for."

"Such as having children?" Charles asked, listening to her with interest.

She nodded, giving him a self-conscious smile. "I intended to have kids eventually, but I didn't think it was practical to start a family while I was still in the military. It always seemed like I had plenty of time to find a good husband, settle down in a lovely home, and have 2.4 children... until I suddenly hit forty and realised I'd left it too late. Now I'm being offered a chance to have it all, and as I said... I'm tempted."

"You mentioned this being a good offer at face value," Charles noted. "Does that mean you're having second thoughts about the... side effects?"

"Yeah, you could say that." Lina laughed and gave him a lopsided grin. "I do like you a lot, Charlie, but when I started flirting with you, I was just thinking about us having a fun little fling... not some lifelong commitment."

Her smile faded as she continued, "Honestly, I'm not good at long-term relationships. I get bored quickly and miss the excitement of being with someone new... then it all falls apart. No offence to you, but the idea of settling down with one person for the rest of my life feels so claustrophobic..."

"Two people," Charles reminded her, chuckling at how strange it was to be having this conversation.

"Right... you and Lynette," Lina agreed, a whimsical smile returning to her face. "I've had affairs with men and women in the past, but both at once? That's something I haven't tried before... maybe that might make a difference?"

"Is that what's worrying you the most? That you might not be able to handle that kind of commitment ten or twenty years from now?"

"More like two or three years... but yeah," she said, giving him a strained smile.

"Three years? Is that the longest relationship you've had?"

She nodded, biting her lip and looking more vulnerable than he'd ever seen her before.

Charles hesitated, unsure whether to ask what happened. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Lina shook her head, then paused and deflated a little. "My first boyfriend... it was a bad breakup."

He rubbed her back in sympathy. "I can understand why you're nervous, but from what John said, I don't think you have anything to worry about..." Charles blushed and his voice trailed off into silence.

"Why's that?" Lina asked him curiously.

Charles reached for his coffee cup, desperate to avoid answering the question.

"C'mon Charlie, tell me!" she pleaded, giving him a winsome smile.

He sighed in defeat and reluctantly replied, "John told me that the Lionesses are fiercely loyal and that Lynette will never be tempted to cheat on me. He also said that if we do decide to go through with this, then you'll become like that too."

"Really?" she asked, looking intrigued. "Alyssa mentioned some side-effects, but nothing about that. She talked about being bisexual and feeling no jealousy towards other women... neither of which seemed like a big deal because I'm quite open minded anyway."

"So that doesn't bother you? The thought of having your personality changed?" Charles asked with interest.

The redhead thought about it, then shrugged. "If John's able to help me get over my commitment issues, then isn't that a good thing? I'm not a cheater, but I've had a string of disastrous relationships that have all ended badly. If I'd met John twenty years ago, he could've saved me thousands of credits I wasted on therapy!"

Charles chuckled at her joke. "I suppose that's one way to look at it."

Lina studied him for a moment, then asked quietly, "What's really bothering you about this, Charlie? Most men would jump at the chance of having two beautiful young women besotted with him."

He rubbed his moustache and grimaced. "It's... the mechanics of it. John's one of my oldest friends and it's uncomfortable to think of him being involved with Lynette... or you... in that way."

"But they both said that nothing intimate happened between them and I'm sure they're telling the truth."

"I believe them too... it's just the idea of Lynette swallowing... you know. If you become a Lioness, then you'll have to do the same thing as well."

She smiled at him affectionately. "This might come as a shock, Charlie... but I have been with a man before."

He blushed, feeling embarrassed. "I know it's not rational. John changed Lynette before we even started dating, but I can't help the way I feel. I don't have any right to get jealous and possessive over you either, but the thought of you and him... it still makes me uncomfortable."

Lina was quiet for a moment. "Perhaps that's the best way of handling this... just not think about it?"

"The ostrich approach?" Charles said with a chuckle. "Well, that's definitely easier."

She turned to study him, her expression pensive. "Okay... but what about the rest. How do you feel about being in a long-term relationship with me?"

He hesitated, unsure how to frame his reply.

Smiling in sympathy at his discomfort, Lina gave his hand a supportive squeeze. "This is important, Charlie. We're planning to make a huge commitment to each other, so you need to be sure you actually want that kind of relationship with me. Would it be easier if I go first?"

"Yes... please," he said gratefully.

"Alright," she agreed with a coy smile. "Well, I think you're a handsome man... and I love the moustache, it makes you look very distinguished. You also seem like a really sweet guy, who's devoted to his fiancée. You're just the kind of man I'd be looking for to fall in love with and start a family."

"Thanks for the compliments," Charles said with a bashful smile. "Have you got any reservations?"

Lina brushed his hand with her fingertips, then said softly, "I get the impression that you'd be perfectly happy with just you and Lynette. I think you're only going ahead with this because it's something she really wants."

Charles' smile faded and he reluctantly nodded. "That's no reflection on you, Lina. You're a beautiful woman... very confident and charming. You're the kind of woman I've always been attracted to, but I've never had any luck with because you're out of my league."

"Charlie, that's not true," the redhead protested.

He shrugged. "I'm just being honest. I've never been a ladies' man... and I still find it hard to believe that Lynette's fallen in love with me."

"Is that why you're even considering this?" Lina asked quietly. "Because you're afraid that if you say no to her, she might 'come to her senses' and leave you?"

Charles let out a heavy sigh and shook his head. "I'm 52 years old. Lynette used to be the same age as me, but now she's been given a 20-year-old body. By the time she's your age again... I'm going to be an old man."

Lina's eyes widened in understanding. "So you're worried that she might leave you for someone younger?"

He considered that for a moment, then shook his head. "Under normal circumstances I would be, but I'm sure John was telling me the truth; I don't think Lynette's capable of being unfaithful now."

"So what's the problem then?" the redhead asked in confusion.

"I don't want to die of old age and leave her a widow for the next forty years," Charles admitted quietly. "If the three of us are in a relationship together, then you can be there for her when I'm gone..."

"Oh, Charlie..." Lina murmured, leaning into him and resting her head on his shoulder.

He put his arm around Lina as she snuggled closer and kissed her on top of her head. Her presence was comforting as he gazed out the sweeping window, focusing on the distant cluster of stars he'd been staring at before, and missing his fiancée more than ever.

***

John stood in the elevator room with his arm around Alyssa, comforting her as she recovered from being immersed in Valada's grief-stricken memories. Having determined that the matriarch's tomb was safe, he'd granted permission to the girls on the Invictus to see it for themselves, and now he was waiting for them to finish.

Calara was the first to emerge from the tunnel that led to the Maliri facility, and it was plain to see that she'd been moved by Valada's final fate. She walked over to join John and Alyssa, but paused half-way, and stared down the long adjoining corridor at the white walls glinting in the darkness.

"A bunker built by Mael'nerak himself..." Calara said quietly. "I wonder what secrets it holds?"

"Irillith's blocked by the psychic dampening device, so until we can figure out a way for her to hack in safely, we'd have to rely on brute force to break in. It might just be an impregnable panic room, but on the off-chance that Mael'nerak did leave anything valuable behind, I think we should think very carefully about how we go about opening it," John said, before glancing down at Alyssa. "I don't want another repeat of what happened to the Kyth'faren citadel."

She nodded in agreement. "It's best not to take any chances."

"I think that's very wise," the Latina agreed. "I know I keep saying it's urgent that we capture Larn'kelnar's fleets, but I don't want to inadvertently destroy anything that could give us an edge in the war. So if we're not going to try breaking in now, are we just going to assume that the Mists of Loralar are concealing Mael'nerak's throne world and investigate that next?"

"We don't need to assume anything; that's exactly where it is!" Irillith exclaimed, as she rushed out from the other tunnel. The Maliri hacker triumphantly brandished a data crystal as she jogged over to join them. "I searched through all the files on the computer in Valada's study; she was obsessed with the nebula and spent years trying to find a way back into the system. I downloaded all her maps and notes on trying to return to Kythshara."

"Excellent work, honey," John said, pulling her into a celebratory hug. When he stepped back, he looked into her violet eyes. "How are you and your sister doing now?"

Irillith gave him a wan smile. "We're okay...it just came as a shock finding Valada like that. She was so perfectly preserved, it looked like she'd died only a few hours ago. It made it seem like everything she went through just happened yesterday, instead of 10,000 years in the past."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," John said, giving her an understanding look. *Jade, are you ready to go?*

*We're already on our way out,* she immediately replied.

Jade soon appeared along with Tashana and Jehanna, the normally cheerful Nymph looking uncharacteristically sombre.

"Thank you for letting me pay my respects, Master," she said gratefully. "Valada looked much older than I remembered, but that was definitely her. The last time I saw her, she was with Mael'nerak and looked so happy. Valada was proud of him for giving the Nymphs our freedom and releasing us on Lenarra."