Three Square Meals Ch. 058

With a warm smile on her face, Edraele replied, "Don't worry, this won't hurt a bit. Previously, I had to use Spirit-Form for this, but I'm stronger now, and this way will be much faster and more efficient."

Edraele's eyes began to glow a vibrant purple, and she reached out with her hand towards the confused Loraleth assassin. The bound Maliri shied away in panic, but when Edraele touched her slender hand to the Loraleth assassin's temple, Renaya squeezed her eyes shut, and let out a low, helpless moan. They stood like that for a couple of minutes, until Edraele slowly removed her hand.

"What are you doing to her?!" Avelissa gasped in alarm.

Edraele ignored the question, and instead studied the other Loraleth assassin with concern, asking her, "How are you feeling now, my dear?"

"Much better, thank you, Matriarch," Renaya replied respectfully, as her glazed eyes flickered open.

Edraele smiled at her and asked, "Would you kindly tell me your names?"

"I'm Renaya, and her name is Avelissa," the slightly dazed assassin replied.

Avelissa gasped in horror, and cried out, "Be quiet, you fool!"

Edraele tenderly stroked Renaya's cheek, and with a glance over her shoulder at Ilyana, Edraele said, "You can release her now, she's under my control."

Avelissa began to frantically struggle in her bonds, her eyes wild as she stared at Edraele with dread. When the Valaden Matriarch stepped in her direction, Avelissa wailed in anguish, "Get the fuck away from me!"

Edraele looked chagrined, and darting a glance at Almari, she said, "It's effective doing it like this, but it's too traumatic for them. We better split up the rest, and I'll see them each individually."

"I'll separate them at once," Almari said obediently, and left the room with Luna following behind her.

Edraele approached Avelissa, and her voice was full of remorse as she said, "I'm really sorry I scared you so badly, Avelissa, but I'm afraid I need your help too. I promise this won't hurt. It's far cruder than if John had been here for you, but unfortunately that isn't an option, and there are millions of lives at stake."

Her eyes had a fervent gleam to them, until they lit up with a luminous purple glow. When she reached for the restrained assassin's face, Avelissa let out a terrified, ear-splitting scream.

***

"So, what's the verdict?" Faye asked brightly as she stood on tiptoe, peeking over Dana's shoulder. She had an impish twinkle in her eyes as she added, "Am I going to take over the ship and start trying to kill everyone?"

Dana looked up from the hacking deck, and shook her head as she laughed. "I think we'll be okay," she replied, sounding relaxed.

She had gingerly opened up the deck, exposing the inner workings, while being extremely careful not to break the connection to the hacking portal. It had been fascinating to take a look at this wildly exotic and advanced alien technology, but for the first time in her life, Dana's natural exuberance had been sharply tempered. She knew full well, that one wrong move would end Faye's promising new existence in a single tragic moment.

"I feel so unburdened!" Faye chirped in delight, fluttering her wings in a rapid flurry, which lifted her off the console she was standing on.

Tapping her finger on her chin, Dana nodded as she said, "I don't know how you did it, but it looks like you rewrote your core programming to point to a brand new data repository. You seem to have copied the old read-only data archive into this new one, but the new data store is writable. I'm not a programming expert, so we'll probably need Irillith to take a look."

Faye let out a blissful sigh, and gasped, "I didn't realise before, but I was trapped in my smaller mind. I've got more space to think now!"

Rachel had been listening in fascination to her lover talking with the perky AI, and she stepped away from her console and the DNA samples she'd taken from the Maliri to join them. She walked over to the other side of the Engineering Bay, and leaned in to give the redhead an affectionate kiss, while taking a peek at the Maliri device in front of her. Dana had carefully stored Irillith's hacking deck and portal in a meticulously sealed storage compartment. Both items were securely clamped within the box, locked in place to make sure they wouldn't be accidentally disconnected, even in the event of catastrophic damage to the Invictus.

"It's amazing how much Faye sounds like she's had some kind of psychotherapy breakthrough," Rachel observed with a smile.

Dana chuckled and said, "Yeah, I know. It seems like John's way with words isn't just limited to organic creatures. How he managed to persuade her to rewrite her core-functions, I've got no idea!"

Rachel let out a happy sigh, and said, "After I had some time alone with him, I must have had the same kind of look that Faye's got!"

Giggling, Dana said with admiration, "He fucked me hard, then blew my mind. I'm still totally jazzed about that Orphan Fund." She closed up the tiny panel on the hacking deck, then turned to look across the Engineering Bay at Jade, who was concentrating hard as she worked on assembling another suit of Paragon armour. Raising her voice, Dana called out to the Nymph, "Hey, Jade! You had a good time with John, right?"

The Nymph looked up at them, and grinned as she nodded. Her expression turned wistful, and she gazed off into the distance, a look of awe on her lovely green face.

"I'd say that's an emphatic yes," Dana said with a laugh. She looked over at the purple AI sprite, who was doing lazy spins in the air, and added, "It looks like her behavioural inhibitors are still in place, as they affect her central processing functions rather than her 'memory', which is gained from accessing data archives. Faye originally had two: the read-only primary where the data was effectively hard-coded, and a much smaller, writable secondary, which she was able to store her recent experiences in. Now it looks like she's ditched the old read-only drive, and failed-over to a new writeable repository which is much larger. I'm not sure what got wiped to make room for that, probably another question for Irillith."

Rachel frowned as she tried to follow Dana's jargon and asked, "Can you give me the non-techy version please?"

Dana gave her an affectionate hug, and said, "That's what I must look like when you start trying to describe the minutiae of DNA sequencing." She giggled at the tawny-haired girl's look of mock-indignation, and continued hurriedly, "You know I'm only teasing, babes! Alright, here's the layman's version: There was a limit to how much Faye could learn, and she couldn't change her mind on most of her beliefs. Now she can learn much more, and nothing's set in stone any longer."

"How fascinating," Rachel remarked, watching Faye with interest. The purple pixie had stopped spinning in the air, and was now looking around the Engineering Bay with a bright, inquisitive look on her face. Her eager expression made it seem as though she was exploring Dana's workshop for the first time. The brunette darted a glance at her auburn haired companion, and asked, "Any idea what kind of consequences this might have for Faye?"

Giving her a helpless shrug, Dana replied, "Your guess is as good as mine. She'll probably start developing at a faster rate, but I don't know for sure."

Rachel nodded, then leaned in to whisper, "We better let the others know what happened."

***

John felt the two blondes begin to stir in his arms, and he sat up so that he could take a look at them, to check they were alright. The girls were blinking repeatedly, their eyes dry after staring at each other for a couple of hours, but they both seemed to be relaxed and happy.

"Are you okay?" he asked them both, looking down on them with worry.

Alyssa stretched like a cat, as she said with profound satisfaction, "That was totally amazing. The difference between bonding with a psychic girl and a non-psychic is huge. I had to gently coax the other girls out, but this azure beauty rushed to embrace me. It felt effortless, and I could just relax and enjoy it."

When John turned to look at Irillith, posing the same question with his raised eyebrow, she gave him a bewildered smile. "I've never felt anything like it," she murmured, still awed by the whole experience. "I never thought I'd share myself so completely with anyone, and then I got to know her like that in return. It feels like I've known Alyssa for years now."

Alyssa grinned as she said, "This psychic shit is totally crazy, but it's a real rush too."

Irillith darted a look at the other girl, and her smile widened as she nodded her agreement.

Sitting back, John smiled in relief, glad they were both alright. Both girls sat up and gave him a hug, and Irillith looked down in surprise to see that her stomach was only gently curved now, her body having greedily consumed most of her dinner.

Noticing her look of confusion, John explained, "You girls were out of it for a while. The bonding took nearly two hours."

Irillith looked at them both in turn, and said decisively, "I think I'm ready to head up to the Bridge."

"I agree," Alyssa said with an encouraging smile. "We've bonded now, which will make you stronger. I'm also more closely linked with you, so I can help if you get in trouble."

John reached down and stroked her slightly rounded belly, and said, "You've still got a stomach full, so I'll be able to heal you if anything bad happens."

Irillith smiled and looking at Alyssa she asked, "You really meant it, didn't you? I can feel how much you care about keeping me safe."

The blonde girl nodded, replying, "Of course." She glanced at John, and said, "He feels the same way."

The Maliri let out a happy sigh, feeling cared for and protected, and after the three of them embraced, they got out of bed and went into the shower. There was an air of anticipation as they quickly washed then dried, and both John and Alyssa could see that Irillith was full of nervous energy. She left them to get dressed in her room, and when they emerged fully clothed from their bedroom, they found her waiting in the corridor. The Maliri had quickly pulled on one of the long dresses she favoured, and her eyes darted to them as soon as they appeared, her expression immediately telling them how eager she was to get going. They walked up to her at a brisk pace, and the three of them wasted no time in heading over to the grav-tube.

Just before they stepped inside, John put his arm around Irillith, and said comfortingly, "You'll be fine. I have every confidence in you."

Her angular eyes flickered to his, and he saw her nervous expression relax, the tension in her shoulders easing. She took a deep breath, then smiled at him as she stepped into the blue glow of the grav-tube with John and Alyssa flanking her. Irillith closed her eyes as she felt that lifting sensation, trying to prepare herself for whatever was to come. When she slowly opened her eyes as they reached the Bridge, she knew in an instant that her life was never going to be the same again.

Her mouth dropped in wonder, and she emerged from the grav-tube with hesitant steps, as she gazed at the sight before her. The Bridge had transformed into a place of breathtaking beauty, with glowing green streams flowing around her in graceful curving lines. The previously sterile Command Deck seemed to have magically come to life, and she gaped at the fluid channels in amazement, watching as they poured into consoles. She immediately recognised what the glowing green lines represented: the free-flowing digital network that supplied the Bridge with all the data it required.

As she looked on in awe, she felt an odd pulling sensation at her chest, and she looked down in surprise. She couldn't see anything unusual there, but it happened again, more urgently this time.

*Focus on the feeling, and push your will towards it,* Alyssa told her calmly.

Irillith looked at her in shock, having forgotten that the blonde Matriarch could now hear her thoughts.

Alyssa smiled gently as she listened to her telepathic projections, and explained, *Not everything, just what you choose to share with me. I'll explain later, but just focus on that tugging sensation in your chest, and flow with it.*

The Maliri girl met her cerulean gaze, and nodded trustingly. She closed her eyes, waiting for that odd feeling to return, and sure enough, a moment later it was back. Irillith took a deep breath, then went with it, letting that drawing sensation pull her along like an ocean current. She felt a sudden lurching rush, and her eyes sprang open in alarm, as she staggered forward then attempted to steady herself.

The moment her eyes reopened, she knew something very strange had happened, because the others on the Bridge had all frozen. She gaped at them as she turned, and her focus snapped to the snaking ethereal line which led out from her ghostly spirit-form, anchoring her securely with her body. Once she had got over the initial shock, she realised the others weren't actually frozen, but they were moving much more slowly than normal.

That wasn't the only change she noticed in the Bridge. The lines of data were sharper now, and much more clearly defined. She turned her attention to one of the fluid, continuous streams of data, and reached out to it with her hand. Her translucent fingers brushed the glowing green line of numbers and letters, and her fingertips tingled as she let the data wash over her. The data code coalesced into readable images and words in her mind, and she was astonished to realise that she could understand it all. This was sensor data from the Invictus' long range sensor array, and she was able to comfortably read the complex information, just as if it was being fed to a console display.

Glancing back at her companions, who were waiting patiently beside her, she followed her astral tether back to her physical form. Working on a hunch, she stepped into her body, then gasped as she experienced a swift bout of vertigo as her world sped back up again.

"What happened?" John asked her immediately, his voice full of concern when he saw her waver.

Alyssa smiled, and said soothingly, "She's fine, just a bit disorientated. Right, Irillith?"

Irillith turned to look at them, and nodded slowly as she marvelled, "It was all so strange, but wonderful at the same time." She focused on Alyssa, and asked, "How did you know how to draw out that ability?"

"I could hear your thoughts as you felt that tugging sensation, right here..." Alyssa said, placing her hand on Irillith's chest, centred on her breastbone. "It's called Astral Projection, or Spirit-walking, and your mother and I can do the same thing."

Calara had risen from her Tactical Station and walked over to join them, her expression one of open curiosity as she asked, "What did you see, Irillith?"

"It was amazing," the Maliri replied, still feeling somewhat incredulous. "I was actually able to see flows of data arcing across the Bridge. When I touched one of the streams of information, I could understand what it contained."

"Do you think you'll be able to access systems with your new powers?" Calara asked speculatively. "That could be incredibly useful, especially as you haven't got your hacking deck any more."

Irillith glanced over at her IntOps Station, then smiled as she said, "There's only one way to find out!"

She hurried over to the seat with her three Bridge companions in tow, then sat in the comfortable chair. They all gave her encouraging smiles when she looked up to see them watching, and she took a deep breath in preparation. As she thought about using her psychic abilities again, she felt that curious tugging in her chest, and knowing what to expect this time, she allowed her mind to flow out of her body.

It felt easier this time, and much less disorientating, but she wondered if that was simply because she was sitting now, and not being pulled off balance. The green data flows arced around her in gentle curves, and she paused a moment to appreciate their beautiful shapes. The closest stream of data was pouring into her Console, and with her mind on hacking, her eyes were instinctively drawn to the data jacks. On a hunch, she reached out with her hand, and pressed her fingertips against the two circular ports.

The sensation the followed made the disorientation from astral projection feel like a tiny stumble. Her head spun as she was sucked violently forward, and before she knew what was happening, her mind was racing towards the data jacks. Before she could react, she rushed into the console, and her surroundings shifted wildly as she penetrated the network itself.

She lurched about, desperately trying to regain her balance, and then suddenly realised that she was just a projection of thought, and there was no artificial gravity acting on her. With that understanding, she snapped upright, and blinked as she felt stable and in control once more. Nothing could have prepared her for what she was seeing now; the Cyber-Realm that formed the digital backbone of the Invictus.

Irillith was standing on a flat black platform, with paths leading off in multiple directions. The surface beneath her feet had an intricate silvery texture to it, and she crouched down to take a closer look. It reminded her of the silvery lines of an integrated circuit, and she shook her head in amazement as she slowly stood upright again. Looking around to get her bearings, she saw a swirling portal behind her, that was pitch black in the centre, but brightened to a luminous green as it rotated in lazy circles.

She started to walk across the platform, but abruptly bounced off a translucent wall that she hadn't initially noticed. It formed a neat circle around the portal, blocking her from making further progress. Irillith frowned in annoyance, and reached out her hands to run her fingers over the barrier, trying to find some way of opening it. The wall was completely featureless and without breaks of any kind, and she quickly grew frustrated at its stubborn refusal to cooperate with her in any way.

Her anger felt like a tangible thing, and she felt a throbbing in her arms, which trailed down to her fingers. She held them in front of her face in alarm, and was stunned to see swirling coils of electricity begin to twist and thrash around her hands, dancing along her fingertips. The arcing lightning didn't hurt, so she shrugged, and placed her hands on the barrier to try and find a way through. As she did so, there was a thundering boom, and the digital wall detonated outwards, obliterated in an instant as chunks of translucent material sailed away into the void around her. She gaped in amazement, then stared at her hands as she watched the lightning die down, then fizzle out.

Finally free to walk across the platform, she saw that it was suspended in the air, floating silently with a colossal drop into the darkness below her. She crouched down at the edge, then stared into the cavernous depths below with wide eyes. Barely visible against the black, she could make out faint blue lights, which seemed to be highlighting the curving contours of the ground below. She took a wary step back from the edge, and then walked towards the paths leaving the platform. The silvery latticework underfoot stopped at the edge of the open-sided room, and the paths beyond were long trails made up of gracefully flowing silvery lines.

As her senses adjusted to the Cyber-Realm, she jumped as she realised she wasn't alone on the platform. Floating in the air around her were various data archives, and as she stared at them, they grew more solid, appearing as glowing orange monoliths about two metres high. She walked around the closest one, studying it in fascination, and saw that it was rectangular-shaped, but only a couple of centimetres thick. Irillith brushed her hand over its surface, watching her fingers turn orange as they disappeared into the insubstantial rectangular shape.