Three Square Meals Ch. 098

Suddenly she stepped back, then offered Dana a hand to help the redhead to rise. Alyssa made a gesture towards both girls, lifting Dana off the ground with a startled squeak, and gently levitating Rachel so that the trembling brunette slid off his cock. Repositioning the young lovers in a sixty-nine on the other sofa, she smiled when they both began to moan in delight.

Turning her attention to John again, Alyssa smoothly straddled him. "I need you," was her unrepentant explanation.

Placing her slender hands on his shoulders, she waited for John to circle her waist with his hands and lift her into position. The blonde made no move to aid him and just stared into his eyes as he pushed his way into her sopping pussy. He could see she was fighting back the overwhelming urge to climax, a bold challenge in that piercing cerulean gaze. Her eyelashes fluttered as John eased his way deep into her body, finally hilting himself with the head of his cock brushing against the back of her womb. John slid his hands down to cup her firm ass, massaging her cheeks then holding her firmly in place.

"You're an angel," he murmured, gazing in awe at the golden-haired beauty. He'd never seen her looking so stunning before, so bursting with life and soft sensuality.

Alyssa was flushed with arousal, teetering on the precipice of a huge climax, but she just managed to keep herself in check. Taking her right hand, she lowered it to her abdomen, caressing the bulge he'd made in her normally svelte stomach. When John glanced up at her face, he saw powerful emotions surging behind her expressive eyes, and he was blessed to be able to feel those emotions over their connection. Hope, longing, and love...

"After seeing you with the Young Matriarchs..." she whispered, her cerulean eyes piercing his soul. "It made everything more real... our future... our family."

He nodded, losing himself in her bewitching gaze. Not trusting himself to be able to find the right words to reply, he just opened his heart and mind to her, letting her feel everything he dreamed for their future together. Alyssa's breath caught and her sensuous lips parted in wonder. She began to move then, gliding up and down his length as they revelled in the intimacy of the moment.

She pressed herself against his chest, cradling his head in her hands as they rocked together, perfectly in tune with each other's bodies. He rejoiced in the velvety softness of her skin, the feel of her toned muscles rippling as she moved with him, and lost himself in the delicious heat of her depths. John had never felt closer to the ravishing blonde and he could feel that she felt the same way too. Alyssa surrendered to the waves of pleasure and he joined her too, sharing their climax as they gazed into each other's eyes.

When they were done Alyssa rested her forehead against his shoulder, panting to get her breath back. "God, I needed that so much! I've been so fucking horny for days," she murmured, turning slightly so she could see him out of the corner of her eye. "Watching you breed the Maliri had me climbing the walls!"

John nuzzled into her golden mane, kissing her head while he stroked her back. "That was so intense... Like you said, it's easier to imagine what it'll be like now, for you and me..."

She sat up straight and leaned back, showing off her curved abdomen, where he had staked his claim on her womb and filled her with his cum. John supported her with one hand and placed the other on her rounded tummy, his fingers brushing over the tautly stretched skin. It was so easy to picture Alyssa carrying his baby; the ultimate expression of the love they felt for one another. When he glanced up, he saw her watching him with gentle eyes.

Pressing her lips against his in a tender kiss, she murmured, "You get this soft little smile when you look at me like that. It makes my heart do backflips!"

They hugged each other, both sighing happily at the same time, which made them burst into laughter. Dana and Rachel joined them on the sofa, both girls looking giddy in a post-orgasmic haze. John put his arms around the brunette and redhead, pulling them into a loving four-way embrace.

That was when the comm interface chimed and Faye flashed into existence beside them. "Sorry to interrupt, but the Brimorians are hailing us! I've got a Deep Lord Athgiloi requesting to speak to you, John."

"Can you ask him to wait for a moment, Faye," John requested, aware that he was currently naked and coupled with Alyssa.

"I need to feed Dana anyway," Alyssa purred, easing herself off his softening shaft.

John gave her a parting kiss, then began tugging on his trousers, while glancing around for his shirt that Alyssa had casually tossed aside.

Irillith burst into the Ready Room, her face a much paler shade of blue than normal. "John! We've got trouble!"

He looked up in surprise, then frowned in concern when he saw her frightened expression. "What's the matter, honey?!"

She rushed across the room and into his comforting embrace. "I got the Shield Generator tech, but something was watching me... I know it!"

Irillith was shaking with fear, so John rubbed her back to try and calm her down. "The Brimorians know you broke into their network? Do we need to run?"

She started to nod, then hesitated, a look of worry and confusion on her face. "I don't know..." she admitted, giving him a helpless shrug. "I set up taps on their system to let me know if I triggered an intruder alert and nothing went off. But... there was something there... something knew I was in that network and was watching me. I've never been so scared..."

"John, the Brimorian who hailed us is getting angry at being kept waiting," Faye informed him, giving him an apologetic frown.

Rachel placed a hand on his and Irillith's shoulders. "Let me hold her, John. You take the call."

John gave Irillith a quick peck on the cheek, then let Rachel take over the hug. He found his shirt and buttoned it up as he crossed over to his desk and sat in his chair. Looking ruffled but half-way presentable, he nodded to Faye to patch the call through. The Brimorian that appeared was an imposing individual, taller and stockier than the Shoal Commander who he'd spoken to at the border. Sharing the same colouration as the other members of his species, Deep Lord Athgiloi's muscular body was covered in teal-coloured scales, with orange fins at the corner of his mouth and cresting the back of his head.

"You are trying my patience, John Blake, I do not appreciate being kept waiting," the Brimorian scowled, revealing a glimpse of very sharp teeth.

John took a steadying breath, then said politely, "My apologies, Deep Lord, I meant no disrespect. I was... occupied... when you first called."

Deep Lord Athgiloi narrowed his black eyes, but didn't acknowledge the apology one way or another. "I only contacted you because I was curious about your presence at Brimor. What brings the Lion of the Federation into Enclave territory?"

John winced inwardly, realising this wasn't likely to be a pleasant conversation. "I was hoping to be able to purchase or trade for your Shield Generator technology."

Athgiloi eased backwards and interlaced his clawed hands. "Either you believe the Brimorians to be fools, or you must be one yourself. Considering the state of relations between the Enclave and the Federation, what possible incentive would we have for trading our most prized technology with a member of your... race?"

"I'm not a Terran and I actually retired from duty in their military ten years ago," John explained, ignoring the Brimorians backhanded insult. "The shield tech would be for my own personal use, not for the Terran Federation. You're obviously heard about some of my recent activity in aid of the Terrans, but I've also been helping the Ashanath, the Maliri, and the Trankarans... I'm looking to make friends here, not enemies."

Athgiloi looked momentarily startled when John mentioned aiding the Maliri, but his composed mask was soon back in place once again. "You must be aware of the value we place on our technology?" Athgiloi asked, his tone cautious. "The price I would demand to relinquish a set of the schematics to you would be very high indeed..."

John had already suspected as much and was profoundly grateful to Irillith for acquiring the shield tech by underhanded methods. Still, he was curious exactly what price the Brimorians would have been willing to sell it to him for. "What kind of figure did you have in mind?"

The Deep Lord was quiet for a long moment, his cold eyes studying John as if trying to evaluate him. "I would be willing to make the trade in exchange for the removal of Terran Federation forces from the Callopean Shoals. If the systems under occupation are ceded back to the Enclave, then I would grant you access to our shield technology..."

Spreading his hands in a helpless gesture John shook his head. "As I said before, I officially retired ten years ago. The recent award ceremony was to honour me and my crew for protecting Terra against an attack by a rogue AI. I'm not here in an official capacity and I'm not a representative of the Terran Federation, so I'm sorry, but there's no way I can grant that request."

Athgiloi didn't look happy and glared suspiciously at the holo-screen. "I find that very difficult to believe, John Blake."

"It's the truth," John replied with a shrug of resignation. "I don't bear your people any ill-will, and if it would help ease tensions between the Terrans and Brimorians, I actually think it would be sensible to give those worlds back to the Enclave. Unfortunately, I don't hold much sway with the Terran Admiralty, so my opinion carries little weight."

"That is... disappointing," Athgiloi muttered, his webbed fins losing some of their stiffness. He watched John for another long moment. "Against my better judgement, I am inclined to believe that you are sincere in your desire for peace. I have heard of your efforts to protect the Ashanath against aggression from the Drakkar... such action is commendable."

*Be careful, John,* Edraele warned him, her voice full of suspicion. *Something about the way he's behaving doesn't ring true with my dealings with Ambassador Circhoi. The Brimorians have never cared one way or another about the Ashanath.*

*Thanks for the heads-up,* John replied, trying not to let his sudden wariness show on his face. He smiled at the Brimorian Deep Lord and continued, "It looks like I might have wasted your time then. I do appreciate you making the effort to contact me though, thank you."

Athgiloi nodded and reached for the button to end the call, but paused at the last moment. "Something comes to mind... an alternative service that you might be able to perform for the Enclave, for which we would be exceedingly grateful."

"A service?" John asked, his curiosity piqued.

"It would be dangerous..." Athgiloi said, his eyes penetrating as he stared at the holo-screen. "...but the rewards would be great, for both of us."

"I can usually handle myself in a fight," John said modestly. "What have you got in mind?"

The Deep Lord went quiet, appearing lost in thought. After a long pause, he spoke in a quiet voice, solemn in its intensity. "Beyond the boundaries of Enclave territory, there is a ruined place where a ruined people live... We know it as the Desolation of Vulkat and it is all that remains of a once mighty civilisation."

"What happened to them?" John asked, feeling a shiver run down his spine.

"That we do not know... the cataclysm that brought ruin to the Vulkat long predated the Brimorian Enclave," Athgiloi said, his scaly face set in a grim mask. "Now all that is left of their people dwell in nomadic fleets that roam their territory... They hunt any who trespass into their space, but they do not leave the boundaries of what must have been the Vulkat Empire."

John was quiet for a moment, curiosity conflicting with apprehension. "What do you want me to do?"

A shadow crossed Athgiloi's face. "It is impossible to reason or bargain with the Vulkat... we have tried, but all attempts have ended in disaster. My people have fought deadly skirmishes with their fleets, even managing to destroy some of their vessels at great cost. After examining their wreckage, we discovered that the Vulkat have harnessed the power of powerful devices... eternity crystals... that they use in their shield projectors."

John leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers. "So you want me to acquire some of these 'eternity crystals'?"

"Most of the ones we salvaged were broken and useless, but the few that were intact show tremendous potential..." the Deep Lord replied, his eyes gleaming at the prospect. "We need to know the method with which the Vulkat create these eternity crystals... if you can discover that for us, then you will have proven yourself a friend of the Brimorians. We would be willing to give you access to our best shield technology... and of course, you would also learn how to manufacture eternity crystals for yourself."

John shot a glance at the girls, who were all watching him with wide eyes. Dana nodded eagerly, giving him a broad grin and a thumbs-up. He returned his attention to the Deep Lord and asked, "Have you any idea where we should start looking?"

"The Vulkat have not settled on any worlds, they exist only in their roaming fleets," the Brimorian explained. "Their crystal manufacturing facilities might be located on their biggest ships, or they might be on a specialised support vessel. We honestly have no idea."

"That's not particularly helpful," John said with a grimace. He locked eyes with the Brimorian leader and continued, "If we can find out the secret for the construction of these eternity crystals, then I'd be willing to trade that for schematics of your most advanced shield generator as well as a number of pre-built devices. I'd need one for the Invictus and a couple of smaller variants sized for gunship-sized vessels; we can provide you the specific dimensions. Does that sound reasonable?"

Athgiloi inclined his head. "Indeed it does." He hesitated for a moment, then added, "In the spirit of our new friendship, I would offer you a warning, John Blake. The Vulkat are a ferocious enemy, do not underestimate them."

"I'm not making any guarantees, but I'll definitely consider your proposal," John said, tapping his index fingers together. "Can you send me all the data you have on the Vulkat and their ships?"

"We will gather what data we can and send it to you immediately," the Deep Lord replied. "Best of luck in your mission. You will need it."

With that, the Brimorian ended the call, leaving John looking at a blank screen. Turning off the comm interface he realised that the girls were all watching him intently.

"Well, I wasn't expecting that," he said with a wry smile as he got up from his chair.

"What are we going to do?" Irillith asked, still looking badly shaken from her trip into the Cyber-Realm.

John walked over to her, slipping his arms around her trim waist. "The first thing Alyssa's going to do is feed you and Dana; you'll feel much better with a full tummy. We'll gather the rest of the crew, then sit down and have a chat... we've got a few things to talk about."

The Maliri girl perked up immediately, her violet eyes sparkling in anticipation.

"Me first!" Dana exclaimed, diving to her knees in front of her blonde friend. Alyssa relaxed on the sofa, spreading her thighs in invitation for the redhead, while smiling contentedly at Rachel as the brunette caressed her cum-stuffed belly.

***

Admiral Lynette Devereux drummed her fingers to an impatient beat on the armrest of her chair. The shuttle seemed to take an interminably long time on its final approach to Olympus Shipyard, almost as if the pilot were deliberately trying her patience. She glanced out the window to try to distract herself and spotted hundreds of warships assembling in formation; the vast might of the Terran Federation had gathered for a final showdown with the Kintark Empire. The big problem was that only herself, Buckingham, and a handful of other Admirals were aware of that fact.

The Fleet Admiral had done his job with ruthless efficiency, creating a total comms blackout regarding anything to do with the marauding Kintark Armada. It was now the third afternoon after the dreadful events in the Dragon March that had culminated in the total destruction of Port Medea and she was astonished that word had still not leaked out about the alien invasion. The Kintark would arrive in a little over a day and a half, and there had been no outcry on TFNN or any of the scores of other news channels.

She felt a dark sense of foreboding and hadn't been able to shake it since being briefed on the invasion. More than anything she wanted to call John Blake and beg him to help, but she'd only get one shot at contacting him. The moment she used her security clearance to override the comm blackout and attempt to contact him in Maliri territory, she would tip her hand to Buckingham, so she had to be sure that the message would reach him.

Devereux had been making discreet enquiries to try and track the Lion down and as far as she was aware, he hadn't returned to the Terran Federation yet and was still in Maliri Space. The main problem was not knowing for certain if he was still in Maliri territory; that ship of his was so damn fast, he could have moved on to the Trankarans, the Brimorians, or anyone else for that matter. However, she knew she was quickly running out of time... As fast as the Invictus was, if she couldn't get word to Blake soon, he wouldn't be able to make it back to Terra in time to intervene.

Dropping her face into her hands, she rubbed at her weary brow, trying to massage away the headache that was brewing. This wasn't how everything was supposed to play out, not at all. Buckingham should have been ousted from his position as Fleet Admiral by now, with her coasting into place as his successor, basking in the reflected glory from the triumphant victories of her champion. But then she had underestimated John Blake, the man becoming so popular that he'd eclipsed her completely. She had been preparing to give her victory speech at the award ceremony, but the opportunity to deliver the coup-de-grace to Buckingham had been snatched from her fingertips by the jubilant crowd, who were desperate to hear more from the Lion.

The balance of power between the factions in High Command was on a knife-edge, with the incumbent Fleet Admiral always notoriously hard to shift. There were half-a-dozen Admirals wavering on the fence between her and Buckingham and a decisive speech in front of an audience of billions, would have been the gambit she needed to push them into backing her as replacement Fleet Admiral. Devereux would only have one chance to make her final move and should she fail, then Buckingham's retaliatory strikes would most likely see her ousted from the Admiralty at the bare minimum. She was under no illusion of the high-stakes game she was playing, a game that might even cost her own life.

After the award ceremony had turned into a complete disaster, Admiral Caldwell had approached her and offered the hand of friendship, clearly not realising how close she'd been to ousting his commanding officer. Caldwell had misunderstood her state of shock, expecting antipathy from her towards John Blake where there was none to be found. Realising she'd need to recoup and plan another angle of attack, Devereux had accepted Caldwell's tentative invitation into Buckingham's inner circle. Her pride had taken a battering, having to endure Buckingham's gloating and Weber's snide comments, but Devereux was willing to play the long game. By taking a short-term hit to her popularity within High Command for appearing to kowtow to Buckingham, she could secretly work to fatally undermine him in the long term.