Three Square Meals Ch. 077

Untangling himself from Tashana and Calara, John managed to sit upright without waking either of them, just as the Ashanath Senior Councillor's grey face appeared.

"JohnBlake, your predictions have proven uncannily accurate," Ularean said, visibly quaking with fear as he spoke in his whispering voice.

"Tell me what's happened Ularean," John asked, his tone steady as he tried to calm the severely rattled Ashanath leader.

Ularean was so shaken by recent events that he didn't even react when the girls started to wake up, sitting upright in bed and giving him a breathtaking view of their spectacular curves.

"The Drakkar are i-i-invading," he replied shakily, his voice modulator warbling with his fright.

"How many ships?" Calara asked as she leaned forward, her eyes suddenly sharp and alert.

His huge black eyes turned to face her and he stammered, "A-a-all of them!"

John raised his hands in a calming gesture. "Give us precise figures so we know what we're dealing with."

"They number in the hundreds, JohnBlake," Ularean replied in his eerie voice, the strange warbling making him sound even more disconcerting. "Our sensor nets started picking up their fleets thirty-four minutes ago and their numbers continue to climb. We believed it to be another raid at first, until so many of their vessels appeared."

Calara glanced at John then asked, "Are they heading towards Ashana, Ularean?"

His black eyes blinked rapidly as he turned towards the Latina, and replied, "Councillor Talari informed us of your analysis, Calara. The previous attacks were actually feints, just as you predicted they would turn out to be."

"And did you recall all your forces to Ashana as we asked you to?" John inquired, his voice hopeful.

The deathly silence that followed dashed those hopes.

"There was some resistance from the Council. Panic at the thought of leaving our colonies undefended..." Ularean faltered, the diminutive grey alien quaking with fear.

John gritted his teeth in frustration but managed to bite down his sharp retort. Taking a deep breath, he said in an even tone, "No excuses this time, Ularean. You need to gather every ship in the Ashanath Collective to defend your homeworld. We can't face the Drakkar alone this time, we're going to need all the help you can give us."

Reading his thoughts, Alyssa glanced at the ship's chronometer and spoke up, "We'll be there in just under twelve hours."

"You won't get here in time," Ularean murmured in a barely audible whisper, his small mouth sagging open in an uncharacteristic display of horror.

"Send me all the sensor data you can," Calara requested, sounding authoritative and confident. "I need to review all the information on the Drakkar forces you can gather and I want you to give me a full listing of all the fleet assets at your disposal. I'll develop a battle strategy to face them until we arrive."

"We will do as you request, Calara," Ularean replied, his eerie voice warbling all the while. His bulbous head turned so he was looking directly at John and he continued, "Our secondary colonies are small and lightly populated. Ashana is home to nearly one billion of my people... The survival of the Ashanath Collective hangs in the balance."

"Send that data Ularean as quickly as you can. We'll find a way to help," John said to him, giving the terrified Senior Councillor an encouraging smile.

With that, the Ashanath leader closed the call, his image fading away as the projection dissipated.

Sitting back, John glanced around at the girls who were all awake now and sitting on the bed, looking at him with worried expressions on their lovely faces. "Looks like we're heading into a hell of a shitstorm," he muttered with a grimace. "The Invictus is going to get a real baptism of fire."

Alyssa's face was set in a bleak mask as she said, "We might only arrive in time to witness a massacre. If the Drakkar crossed the Ashanath border thirty minutes ago, they'll be hitting Ashana in ten hours. We'll be two hours late to the battle!"

"Let me take a look at the data from the Ashanath and see what we're up against. I'll try and come up with some kind of stalling tactic," Calara said, her beautiful face tense with worry.

John nodded to her approvingly, then turned to Dana and asked, "Where are we with those Sonic Cannon upgrades for the internal defences? The Drakkar love boarding actions and I don't want us getting caught with our pants down this time."

Glancing at Jade who nodded at her, Dana replied, "We'll get right on it!" She turned to speak to Faye next, adding, "We'll be working round the clock to get them all built in time. Can you get the maintenance bots to fit them for me?"

"Of course! I'll begin programming them for the tasks immediately!" the purple sprite replied, nodding enthusiastically.

"If we do get boarded, I think we need everyone combat ready," Sakura said, looking pointedly at Tashana. "It's a big ship and we'll need all hands on deck if we have to repel boarders."

Tuning into John's thoughts, Alyssa smiled at Tashana and said, "We can work with you on squad tactics. Ten hours is a stretch, but we'll be able to cover the important stuff."

John turned to look at the Maliri girl his expression thoughtful. "I heard you're already a great shot with pistols. Are you any good with rifles? Our primary weapons are the Punisher railgun and the Justice laser rifle."

"I'm sorry John, I've no idea," she replied, violet eyes widening in alarm. "Up until yesterday I didn't even know I could shoot a pistol!"

He put his arm around her and said reassuringly, "Don't worry, we'll go to the firing range in a minute and see how you handle a rifle. If you struggle with that, we've got Punisher pistols you can use in the meantime - they pack a hell of a punch."

"I've come up with a design for a Justice laser pistol, but I haven't had a chance to build a prototype yet," Dana said, a rueful frown on her face.

John thought about it for a moment then shook his head. "Leave that for another day. The Sonic Cannons will be more useful for the moment."

"Yep, no problem," Dana agreed, before looking at him wistfully. "If only we'd had a bit more time. We might have been able to get my secret project ready; it's nearly done!"

"Maybe next time, Sparks," John said, giving her a sympathetic smile. He turned to look at Irillith next, and asked, "Are you working on anything?"

"I can program the Training Dojo to run simulated squad battles if that's helpful?" Irillith offered, meeting John's gaze.

"Actually, I have an interesting idea for something which could be very useful. I could really use your help," Rachel said, looking at Irillith and smiling at her hopefully.

Irillith returned her smile. "Of course, just tell me what you need and I'll make a start."

"Alright then, we've all got work to do, let's get to it," John said, looking around at the girls.

They all nodded, filled with drive and purpose, with everyone getting up to begin their preparations for war.

***

Senior Councillor Ularean slumped in his high-backed chair, staring off into the distance. He didn't notice the rest of the Ashanath High Council as they filed into the spherical chamber and took their seats around the dais.

*The Council is in session, Ularean,* Talari announced telepathically, his eyes slowly closing like the rest of the High Council.

Ularean felt that welcoming pull into the collective consciousness and surrendered to their inviting embrace. His mind surged into their Astral Conclave and was the ninth to merge into their thought-cluster. When his image appeared before them, he acknowledged the eight other members of the High Council with a mental bow.

*Greetings to you, my friends,* he began, sending out a warm surge of emotion to each of his colleagues.

They reciprocated at once, returning his pleasant greeting, the Council closely bound by decades of friendship and respect. He was loathe to disturb that feeling of serenity amongst his peers, but there were urgent matters to attend to.

*We must heed JohnBlake's advice and recall all vessels to Ashana,* Ularean declared, glancing around the Council and facing down the Councillors who had previously objected. *We face utter ruin if we do not.*

Three Councillors inclined their heads, deferring to his will on the matter.

*I have already prepared the appropriate orders pending this decision,* Talari informed his fellow Councillors. *Our fleet assets will leave all outlying systems and will return to our homeworld immediately.*

Ularean nodded his acknowledgement to the Security Division Councillor, then paused for a moment, studying his colleagues. He spoke quietly, his voice throbbing with emotion, *I believe we must place our full trust in JohnBlake, rather than the pretence of an alliance we share with him now. If another Progenitor has moved against us, we need his protection more than ever.*

*We risk enslavement...* High Councillor Bimarni said, trembling with fear.

Shaking his head, Talari replied, *We scanned the mind of his Matriarch. You know that is not his goal.*

*I believed that to be some manner of deception at first, but now I am unsure,* Ularean said quietly. His haunted thoughts wove through their thought-cluster as he added, *Besides, what choice do we have? We must trust in him to face the darkness that approaches.*

*The Legacy is now complete,* High Councillor Rathus intoned, his voice as grim as his astral projection's expression.

There was silence amongst the High Council, the atmosphere in the Astral Conclave tense with fear and apprehension.

Ularean squared his narrow shoulders, and declared, *Our hand has been forced. If JohnBlake was correct, another Progenitor is already aware of its existence.* Steeling himself, he continued, *I vote to harness its power to defend Ashana, no matter the unwanted attention it might bring to us.*

*I second the motion,* Talari murmured, his eyes growing wider.

Councillor Rathus glanced around at the rest of the High Council, his expression an impassive mask. *The vote must be unanimous. Our ancestors demanded full consensus.*

One by one the rest of the Council nodded their agreement.

*It is done,* Rathus said. *We will unleash the Legacy.*

***

"Okay, gently squeeze the trigger," John said, watching Tashana as she aimed down the firing range with an XR75 rifle.

Tashana pulled the trigger then looked startled at the kick from the rifle, her single shot sailing over the target dummy's head and hitting the wall at the end of the range. She blushed with embarrassment, and turning to look at John and Sakura she said, "Sorry, I wasn't ready for the recoil!"

He gave her an encouraging smile, and gestured down the range again. "That's quite alright. Squeeze off a few more rounds and take your time."

The Maliri girl took a deep breath then did as he asked, firing a score of shots at the target dummy, pausing to aim and control her breathing between each one. The polycarbonate mannequin vibrated with each impact, her well-aimed shots all striking the target this time. When she paused, John glanced at the holo representation of her shots before pressing the button on the wall-mounted panel, bringing the dummy closer for their inspection.

"Well, you landed all your shots on target," Sakura said encouragingly, while reviewing the haphazard array of bullet holes stitched across the dummy.

John studied the wildly scattered impact sites, then strode over to the weapon rack and picked up a couple of ten-millimetre pistols along with a handful of magazines. He walked back to the firing lane, and placed them on the bench as he said, "I understand you're more comfortable with these. Can you show me what you can do with the pistols?"

Tashana looked downhearted as she placed the XR75 rifle next to the brace of pistols. "My shooting was that bad?"

Shaking his head, he reached out to rub her shoulder and replied, "Actually, for your first time firing a rifle from a standing position you did very well. With a week or two of intensive training, I've no doubt you'll be as good a shot as the rest of the girls." He gave her a grim smile as he added, "Unfortunately, we've only got half a day to get you combat ready."

"Okay, I understand," she replied, picking up the handguns and deftly loading fresh magazines into each one.

John watched her dexterous handling of both pistols, her actions precise and well-coordinate despite the awkwardness of reloading with a weapon in each hand. He raised an eyebrow at Sakura, receiving a bemused smile and almost imperceptible shrug in return. Replacing the target dummy with a fresh one, he crossed his arms as he watched and waited for Tashana to ready herself to shoot.

Tashana clicked the fire selector switches to burst fire mode, then raising the twin pistols, she aimed downrange. The pistols chattered in her hands, a stream of ten-millimetre slugs pattering into the target dummy and sending polycarbonate splinters to the floor like a shower of confetti. She emptied both ten-millimetre clips then swiftly reloaded, before blazing away again in a blistering hail of bullets. A couple of clicks signified the emptying of her magazines, and she unloaded each pistol before putting the safeties back on and returning them to the firing bench.

When he pressed the button to bring the target dummy closer, John shook his head in amazement as he got a clear look at her impromptu piece of bullet-art. Tashana had carved an uncannily accurate ten-millimetre engraving of a Drakkar's face on the target, complete with big eyes, downturned jaw, and distinctive hammer-shaped head.

He chuckled as he exchanged a grin with Sakura then exclaimed, "Damn, honey! I can't even shoot like that!"

Tashana smiled at him shyly, her heart skipping a beat at his praise and asked, "I guess I'll be using pistols then?" She glanced down at the two handguns on the table, her smile fading as she added, "I just hope the Drakkar don't have heavy armour."

Shaking his head, John walked over to the weapon rack. "You'll be using something with a little more stopping power."

He picked up a Punisher pistol and a magazine of crystal tipped ammo, then returned to the Maliri girl and handed over the weapon. She eagerly accepted it, turning it over in her hands as she stared at the heavy bore and brutal appearance of the pistol with wide-eyes.

"What does this switch do?" she asked, pointing to the second selector on the sidearm.

"High-power and low-power," Sakura replied helpfully.

John smiled at her and said, "Stick to low power for now. We need to prep the firing range with armour plating before you can shoot on high-power mode."

Tashana nodded slowly, making the correct selection and handling the pistol with care as she slotted in the magazine. When John replaced the target dummy, she took careful aim and squeezed off a shot, the handgun whispering, "VrmPkaow."

She lowered the pistol immediately, gaping at it in shock before looking down the range at the fist shaped hole she'd just blasted through the centre of the dummy.

"Go ahead, empty the clip," John urged her, an indulgent grin on his face.

Polycarbonate chunks exploded out the back of the target dummy as she fired round after round of near silent railgun slugs downrange. There were only ten rounds in the mag, but they were more than enough to rip the dummy's torso to pieces. The perforated chest split down the middle then fell to the ground in two separate pieces when she ceased firing.

"This thing is unbelievable!" she marvelled, her angular eyes gazing at the Punisher pistol in awe.

John frowned as he cautioned her, "Be very careful firing that inside a spaceship, especially if you're using High-power mode. It's strong enough to breach the hull with a missed shot."

"I will, I promise," she replied, staring at him with eyes as big as saucers.

*Sorry to interrupt, but Calara needs you in the Briefing Room! She's been reviewing the data the Ashanath sent. She says it's urgent,* Alyssa informed him in a rush.

*Alright, I'm on my way,* John replied, before turning to stroke Sakura's back. "I need to speak to Calara. Please show Tashana how to get geared up in Paragon Armour then start going through some basic squad tactics."

The Asian girl grinned back at him. "Of course! I'll also explain how Alyssa organises our fire team."

He smiled at her in gratitude, then said to Tashana, "Sorry, duty calls. I'll rejoin you when I can."

"Don't worry about me, I'm in good hands," she replied, sharing a smile with her raven-haired firing instructor.

John waved them goodbye, then left the Firing Range and jogged down the corridor to the grav-tube. It didn't take long to float up to the Command Deck and after greeting Faye with a wave, he strode purposefully down the ramp and into the Briefing Room. Calara was standing beside the long table, staring at a holographic Sector Map with a look of consternation on her face.

"What's wrong?" John asked, moving to the Latina's side immediately and putting his arm around her.

She glanced up at him and replied, "Ularean might have been exaggerating when he said all the Drakkar had invaded, but probably not by much! Just look at the size of their fleet!"

He looked at the Sector Map, watching as a vast throng of Drakkar ships swarmed across the Ashanath border. There were too many to count at a glance, but he could only guess that there were at least several hundred warships in that formidable horde. Even more alarming was the number of capital ships numbered amongst them. Sharing her look of alarm, he asked, "What about the Ashanath fleet? What have they got?"

"Not nearly enough," she replied, her expression deeply troubled. Pressing buttons on the remote to change images, the projector displayed the list of Ashanath fleet assets at their disposal. They appeared to be outnumbered nearly two to one.

Calara was waiting for the look of alarm to reach his face, and she said, "It gets worse than that. We already know Drakkar vessels outgun their Ashanath counterparts for each ship class. It looks like they have another big advantage too." Clicking a few more buttons, she zoomed in on some footage taken from one of the Grey's sensor probes.

"Black armour," John muttered, staring at the scores of Drakkar vessels that had been upgraded with Onyxium armour plating.

"I'll try and slow them down long enough for us to get there," she said, before hesitating for a moment. He could tell by the tremor in her voice how worried she was as she continued, "Even if we make it in time, I don't think we'll be enough to tip the balance."

He pulled her into his arms, holding her tight for a moment as he pondered their options. As much as he wanted to help the Ashanath, he refused to throw the girls' lives away in some noble but futile last stand. They were involved in a high stakes game and he had no intention of playing his hand without levelling the odds first.

"I'm not going to put all of you in danger if we've got no chance of winning," he said, his expression grave. "Is there anything we can do to thin out the Drakkar before they hit Ashana?"

Calara slowly nodded then replied, "There's something we can try, but there's a price. It'll mean sacrifices from the Ashanath." She quickly outlined her plan, John's expression darkening as he listened.

"We've no other choice?" he asked, his voice tense.

Spreading her hands helplessly, Calara replied, "If we'd had time to prepare I'd have many more options, but on this short timeframe? No, I think this our only choice."

John nodded and said in a solemn voice, "I'll speak to Ularean."

***

The vast Drakkar dreadnought known as "The Defiler" barrelled its way through hyper-warp, a sprawling horde of ships in formation around it. The Defiler's armoured hull was plated a sinister black, with dark-purple ribs along its length reinforcing and strengthening the superstructure. Amidst the serrated blades and evil-looking spikes that covered the hull were bristling gun decks, broad muzzled barrels hinting at the terrible firepower those weapons could unleash.