Three Square Meals Ch. 054

For the first time since they'd been dealing with the aftermath of his Progenitor alter-ego's actions, he began to realise that what had happened to Edraele was surely no bad thing, and his guilt began to ease. He just hoped he'd be able to do a thorough enough job of building her a new personality, and make it convincing enough that she might be able to make some changes for the better around here.

He was drawn from his reverie when their bodyguard of assassins scurried forward to prepare the shuttle for takeoff. Gazing up at it, he was surprised at the scale of the golden ship, and the shuttle was a sleek, elegant looking two-hundred-metre long vessel. Irillith led them over to an airlock on the port side of the ship near the bow, and once they had all stepped inside, the crystal door rotated down quietly behind them.

The interior of the ship was luxuriously opulent, with plush red carpets and golden scrollwork around the doors and bulkheads. John wasn't sure how practical the thick carpeting was, and it seemed like an unnecessary fire risk to him, especially in a spacecraft, where an outbreak of fire was always a serious hazard. They followed Irillith into the elevator, and it ascended silently up to the second deck.

When the crystal door rotated upwards, Irillith said, "The state rooms are down there. If you want to make yourselves comfortable, I'll check in with Luna, and get us underway."

"Thanks, Irillith, you've been a great help already," John said to her gratefully.

He walked out of the elevator with Alyssa and Edraele following in his wake, and they strolled up to the large audience room beyond. There was a large chair on a raised pedestal, at one end of the room, which was essentially an elaborate throne for the Maliri Matriarch to greet guests aboard her ship.

John studied the throne curiously, and then turned to look at Edraele, who was standing quietly at his side. "Who did you meet with in here?" he asked her curiously.

She smiled at him, and then said in a neutral tone, "I primarily use this ship for meeting with Planetary Governors, on the occasions when I wish to leave the palace for a change of venue. Many decades ago, I used to visit other Houses to make alliances and deals with other Matriarchs. Nearly a century of my scheming, betrayals, and assassinations have soured my relationships with the other Maliri Houses, so I haven't left Valaden territory in many years."

Alyssa shook her head, and said, "Damn, Edraele was a really nasty piece of work." She then flushed and reached out to place a hand on Edraele's arm, and said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean any offence. I know you're different now."

"None taken, Matriarch Blake," Edraele said with a pleasant smile.

The blonde girl raised an eyebrow at John, and asked playfully, "Is she hinting at something?"

John chuckled, flushing a little, and asked the Maliri woman, "Why did you call Alyssa that?"

Edraele paused, and looked confused as she replied, "She is your Matriarch isn't she, my Lord? And you do rule the House of Blake."

Alyssa rolled her eyes, and said, "I'm not a fan of all this Matriarch stuff, it makes me sound like an old maid!" She smiled at Edraele, and said, "You can just call me Alyssa."

Edraele smiled at her, and nodded, saying in her inflectionless voice, "As you wish, Alyssa."

Frowning at John, Alyssa said, "She doesn't sound right. If we're going to pretend nothing's changed, and try to pass her off as normal, you'll have to work on giving her voice more emotion."

John nodded, and smiled ruefully as he said, "I'll try and focus on her voice then, and see if that makes any difference. This is all still new to me though, guiding the changes like this. With Irillith I just focused on healing any mental trauma her mind had suffered. Any other modifications with you girls before were subconscious, and out of my control."

"You'll do great," Alyssa told him with a confident grin.

He looked worried, and said, "I hope so. There's a lot riding on me getting this right."

Alyssa stepped in front of Edraele, and smiled at her reassuringly, then slipped one of her slender hands between the folds of the Maliri Matriarch's layered robes. Edraele smiled back, and watched calmly as Alyssa gently brushed her fingers over Edraele's slim tummy, then nodded with satisfaction. Glancing over at John, she said, "Edraele's nearly absorbed the last load. You probably better top her up again."

John walked over to Edraele, and asked, "Is there anywhere comfortable we can go for this?"

The Maliri nodded obediently and said, "If you would care to follow me, my Lord, there are chambers at the back of this audience room we can use."

"Please lead the way," he asked her politely, and they followed her through a door that led into a comfortable looking lounge.

There were broad windows along the side of the ship, with comfortable chaise-lounge style chairs set in a semi-circle around, so that people seated could appreciate the view. Alyssa bounded over to one of the sofas, and sat on one end, patting the middle for John to sit in. He strolled over to join her, with Edraele following obediently behind, and when he sat down next to Alyssa, Edraele sank to her knees before him. There was a hungry gleam in her eyes as she reached for his trousers, helping unbuckle them. As soon as she had freed his cock, she brushed her long, shiny white hair behind her ears, then leaned forward to smoothly swallow his entire length.

"Does that feel good?" Alyssa asked him excitedly, as she watched Edraele sucking on him rhythmically.

"She's doing a great job," he said as he smiled at her appreciatively, and Edraele looked happy as she continued to bob in his lap.

*It's not the same as with you girls though,* John thought to Alyssa regretfully. *I love all of you, which makes sex with you incredible, but I'm just doing this to try and help the Maliri.*

Alyssa gave him a sympathetic smile, and said, *The things you suffer through to do good deeds. My hero.* When he laughed, she gave him an affectionate kiss, grinning at him playfully. She then looked at him quizzically and added, *Did you mean you love Irillith too?*

John looked startled for a moment, then shook his head slightly, feeling a bit guilty, *I like the person she's becoming, but I feel like I barely know her yet. I've only spent a few hours with her so far, as it was Progenitor-John that spent all that time with her before. I'm looking forward to getting to know her better though.*

Alyssa nodded, looking thoughtful, and they turned their attention back to Edraele. He gently stroked her long silky hair as she suckled on him, and she stared up at him with her angular, purple eyes. The fiery intensity in those eyes reminded him of Irillith, and he was struck with how strong the family resemblance was. It was astonishing to see how greatly they were influenced by their genes, and just like Calara with her mother, Maria, It was fascinating to see how Irillith would look when she reached Edraele's age, in perhaps a century's time.

*Irillith won't ever age, remember?* Alyssa reminded him gently, as she listened in on his thoughts. *She'll stay that same exotic azure beauty for as long as you choose to keep filling up her tummy.*

John thought about the dramatic personality shift in Irillith, and asked, *How's she been coping with the change? Has she been settling in alright with everyone aboard ship?*

Alyssa smiled, and said, *If this is an XO catch up meeting, then we should be in bed, with you skewering my ass.* When he chuckled and rolled his eyes, she added, *She's been great, actually. She's really been trying to fit in, and I'm looking forward to us settling into a normal routine with her included.*

John closed his eyes, enjoying the sensual blowjob he was receiving from Edraele. He eventually looked down at her, and seeing no reason to hold back, he asked, "Are you ready?"

Edraele began to suck insistently, and Alyssa quickly got off the bed to kneel behind her. She gave him an excited grin, then reached around the Maliri woman to gently stroke her tummy. Seeing both of them looking up at him eagerly tipped him over the edge, and his quad began to flex, pumping his load into Edraele's hungry mouth. She sank his shaft down her throat as she swallowed, giving him a straight shot into her stomach, and he filled her up with one long spurt after another.

When the blasts of cum began to ease off, she eased backwards, and just sucked on the head until he was finally spent. He could see she had one last mouthful, and the look on her face was euphoric as she savoured the taste, before swallowing it in a big gulp. Alyssa grinned at him as she tenderly caressed the hugely swollen belly beneath her fingers, while Edraele purred with delight.

John smiled at Edraele, and said, "That was wonderful, thank you. Did you enjoy it too?"

*It was delicious, my Lord, thank you so much,* she thought to him gratefully, her voice already starting to sound a bit warmer, with more emotion.

"You're very welcome," he said pleasantly, offering both Edraele and Alyssa a hand to stand up.

Alyssa frowned and said, "She didn't say anything."

His post-orgasmic glow disappeared in an instant, as he looked at Edraele in shock, and gasped, "You spoke to me telepathically!"

"Of course, my Lord," she said pleasantly. "As your Matriarch, I will be able to contact your mind, to keep you updated on the status of the thralls under my command."

Alyssa's eyes narrowed dangerously, and she said frostily, "I'm his Matriarch, not you." Her dislike of the title seemed to have disappeared just as quickly as John's post-orgasmic high.

Edraele turned to look at her, and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Alyssa, I meant no offense. My Lord offered to heal the tumour in my head, if I agreed to be his Matriarch, serving him as an obedient slave."

Alyssa looked up at John in alarm and said, "I don't think she can lie to you. I think she really is your Matriarch!" She frowned, then added in confusion, "Or at least, we both are."

John rubbed his head as he tried to think, then realised in an instant what must have happened, and he said thoughtfully, "When Progenitor-John cut you and the rest of the girls off, then he must have been about to set up a new network of girls with Edraele leading them instead. If Progenitors are normally limited to a single Matriarch, we seem to have broken that rule, and enhanced our own connection while we were at it."

Alyssa plonked herself down on the seat next to him, and pouted as she muttered, "I liked being the only one who could hear your thoughts."

Edraele sat down on the other side of John, and gave her an apologetic smile as she said kindly, "I'm sorry if I upset you, it wasn't my intention."

Alyssa let out a big sigh, then returned Edraele's smile as she said, "It's alright, it's not your fault. Welcome to the extended family, I guess."

John had been thinking about something else, and he said to Alyssa, "That was the third time I've fed Edraele. Did she make a connection with you the same way the other girls did?"

The blonde girl frowned, and said, "Nope." She tapped the side of her head and added, "I've got all the other girls rattling around in here, but no Edraele."

Further conversation was interrupted as Irillith strode into the room, her face lighting up with relief when she saw them. Her expression changed when she saw Edraele's huge tummy full of cum, and a few conflicting emotions flashed in her eyes before she smiled at them hesitantly. Seeing that Edraele was making Irillith uncomfortable, John turned to the Maliri Matriarch and said, "I assume there's a bedroom near here. Why don't you go and have a rest?"

Edraele gave him a grateful smile, and said, "Thank you, my Lord. Summon me if you should need my assistance."

She rose gracefully despite her heavily rounded abdomen, and then left through a door at the back of the room. John turned to look at Irillith, who was frowning as she watched Edraele leave. She realised he was watching her, then gave him a faint smile, as she said, "Sorry, I know I've encouraged you with this, but I'm finding it pretty weird."

John stood up and walked over to the troubled Maliri girl, and then encircled her in his arms. Alyssa came over to join them, and they both hugged Irillith comfortingly.

"We don't have to proceed with this plan," John said to Irillith gently. "We can just get the schematics, then leave and do the refit somewhere else. I don't want to make this any harder on you than it has to be. I know you and your mother had a difficult relationship, and that's putting it mildly, but this still must be tough for you to deal with."

Irillith looked up at him with a grateful smile on her face, and said, "I used to think that you being nice to the girls was a sign of weakness, but I was wrong." She sighed, and added, "About a lot of things."

"That's all in the past now," John said, his deep voice kind and comforting. "As long as you want to stay with us, Alyssa and I will look after you."

Alyssa nodded, murmuring her agreement, and kissed Irillith tenderly on the shoulder.

Irillith looked at them each in turn, and said sincerely, "Thanks, both of you. I'd love to stay with you as long as you'll have me." She paused and with her mind made up, she continued in a firm voice, "We shouldn't change the plan to use Genthalas Shipyard. The facilities there are the best you'll find in all Maliri Space, and undoubtedly better than anything the Terran Federation has to offer."

John nodded and said, "As long as all this isn't too upsetting for you, we'll continue with the plan."

She smiled at him gratefully, then glanced over his shoulder to look out the window, and said, "We're on our final approach now."

The blue-white glow from Albali, the star in this system, brightly illuminated the colossal shipyard, and it filled the window as they drew closer. The vast wheel-like structure was golden in colour, covered in spires and domes, and it gleamed in the radiance of the sun. They could see all the maintenance gantries, booms and stanchions centred in the axis of the station, but even from here, they could tell that only around a fifth of the shipyard was in use. That section was brightly lit, and buzzing with the activity from inbound and outbound ships, whereas the rest of the shipyard was cold, dark, and still.

"Why is such a small part of it in use?" John asked Irillith as they stared out the window at the incredible vista before them.

Irillith let out a sigh and replied, "Despite all my bravado and condescension towards you when we first met, Maliri society is in decline. It's not common public knowledge, but birth rates are consistently down, year after year, and although the Maliri are long lived, all the violence is taking its toll on the population levels. Genthalas Shipyard is thousands of years old, and used to be a thriving centre of commerce and ship-building."

"I thought something was up when I saw your city," Alyssa said quietly. "It almost seemed deserted in places."

John nodded as he said, "Maliri society seems deeply unnatural. Exiling the men to the border stations was bound to have had a dramatic effect on birth rates."

Irillith nodded soberly, and said, "You've seen what Valaden is like, and all rest of the Maliri core worlds are like that. I can't blame the men for leaving really."

They stood quietly together, and watched the station grow larger as the Maliri shuttle began its final approach to the shipyard. Soon the stars beyond the station were blocked from sight, and they were swallowed up in an enormous drydock filled with maintenance gantries. As they settled down to land on the deck of the enormous bay, the glossy white hull of the Invictus came into view, already landed and waiting for them.

John grinned happily, and when Alyssa saw his gleeful expression, she exclaimed, "Yeah, I can't wait to see them too!"

They turned towards the door that led out of the state rooms, but John glanced back at the bedroom door and asked, "Will Edraele be alright here on her own?"

Irillith nodded and said, "Luna, Almari, and Ilyana, would defend her to the death. She had them trained as assassins from adolescence, and they're fiercely loyal to her."

He nodded, and they left the room, walking out into the corridor to the elevator. The crystal door lifted a moment later, and Luna stepped out, her eyes widening slightly in surprise when they nearly bumped into her.

"I was just about to inform Edraele that we had docked," Luna said to Irillith, but her eyes wandered to glance at John.

"My mother's asleep at the moment, but we'll be back to meet with her in a couple of hours. Please make sure she isn't disturbed until then," Irillith informed her firmly.

Luna bowed and said, "I will do as you command, Irillith. We shall await your return."

They left Luna on that level, and then headed down in the elevator to the lowest deck. Once they had reached it and the crystal door had rotated up into the ceiling, John and Alyssa followed Irillith as she led them out through the airlock and into the Drydock beyond. An attractive Maliri woman who looked slightly older than Irillith, was waiting for them, and she just about stifled a gasp when she set eyes on her cousin.

"Hello, Makaela, it's good to see you," Irillith said wryly to the astonished Maliri Shipyard Commander.

Makaela couldn't tear her eyes off Irillith's long flowing white hair, and looked intrigued as she said with amusement, "That's certainly a bold haircut, Irillith. I never realised you were that way inclined."

Irillith set her jaw firmly, and said brazenly, "What can I say? I finally found myself a man who brought out my wilder side."

Makaela's sparkling sapphire eyes darted over to John, and she studied him in fascination. "You're the brawniest, palest Maliri I've ever seen," she joked with a smirk on her face.

"Please, call me John," he said, studying Makaela in turn. Like all the other Maliri they had met in the core worlds, she was a tall, statuesque woman with sky blue skin, and short dark hair. He then turned, and said, "And this is my second-in-command, Alyssa."

Makaela blinked twice when she saw the blonde girl, finally noticing her for the first time. She shot Irillith a furious glance and asked heatedly, "What are you thinking, bringing a Terran here? And for that matter, why did you order me to let a Terran warship land on Genthalas? Have you completely lost your mind? What the hell are they doing in Maliri Space?!"

Irillith waited calmly for Makaela's barrage of questions to end before she replied in a brusque manner, "John is a close ally of House Valaden. We will be refitting his ship with all the highest classified tech we have at our disposal, as well as giving him and his crew unrestricted use of all the facilities Genthalas has to offer."

Makaele's blue eyes bulged out of her head as she gawped at Irillith in shock, and blurted, "You can't possibly be serious, Irillith!"

Irillith smiled at her dangerously, and replied, "Oh, but I am Makaela. Edraele is here to personally oversee your work, and she intends to make sure it's done to her satisfaction. We've given you a long leash up here on Genthalas, but you know what will happen if you disappoint our Matriarch."

With a deeply worried frown, Makaela gave a hesitant nod as she said, "Alright, you'll have my full cooperation."

"Good," Irillith said with satisfaction. "I'll connect to the data network in a few minutes to retrieve the schematics I need, so make sure I'm granted full access. Also, assemble four full work crews, and have them gather outside the ship for Edraele to address in three hours time. We'll need a podium and lectern for her to speak from."