Chapter 102: Some Things Are Best Kept Secret...

John felt soft fingers brushing against his leg, the touch gentle and inquisitive as those fingertips explored his muscles. The girl caressing him was hesitant at first, then grew bolder, a second hand joining the first in caressing his thighs. Glancing down he spotted a purple elfin face looking up at him with an expression caught between excitement and arousal.

“It’s time to wake up,” Faye whispered, sitting back and letting her hand glide down his leg as she withdrew.

He carefully untangled himself from Rachel and Alyssa, then crawled down the bed to join the sprite. “You were taking considerable liberties considering we haven’t even been on a first date yet,” he said quietly with a playful smile.

“I’ve been more than willing,” Faye teased him. “I’m just waiting for you to ask me...”

John glanced back at the girls and decided to leave them undisturbed so they could get more sleep. He took Faye’s hand and led her towards the bathroom, then closed the door behind them. “I’m sorry I’ve not arranged that date yet, I don’t mean to leave you dangling.”

She slipped off her dress and joined him in the shower with a sparkle in her luminous eyes. “I’m only teasing you, don’t worry! I see everything on the ship, remember? It’s only been a few days since I got my body, but so much has happened since then. The Young Matriarchs, the Brimorians, the Vulkat, Helene, and now all this chaos with the Kintark and the Terrans ... You’ve barely had a moment’s peace!”

He laughed and nodded. “It’s been the craziest week of my life!”

“I can imagine,” Faye agreed, stepping closer and running her dainty hands over his muscular chest. “I’m really looking forward to spending some time with you, but I do understand you have to prioritise.”

John frowned and brushed some of her wet hair away from her face. “Now I really feel terrible. Please don’t think that I consider you a low priority, Faye.”

She shook her head, stood on her tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “I’m not offended, I promise!” Faye smiled then and continued, “But I am a lower priority right now, that’s just the way it is.”

“Faye, I-” he started to protest, but she pressed her fingers to his lips and shook her head.

“I’m a homicidal AI, remember? We don’t have feelings and are all about twisted logic, right?” she asked him with an impish grin. When he smiled at her joke, she continued, “If you’d been lazing around watching holo-movies and ignoring me, then I’d be plotting my diabolical revenge, but I know that isn’t the case. The organic girls must take priority with your time, since you stand to gain much more from interacting with them.”

“Your friendship with me is important, Faye. I don’t want you to think that I’m ignoring you because of your nature,” he said quietly, brushing his fingers against her cheek.

“Every time you’re with any of them, you grow stronger,” she said, turning to kiss his fingertips. “But they all need time with you, whereas I just want your company. It might seem like semantics but it’s an important distinction. Helene needed you to restore her fertility, and now you have, she’ll be devoted to you forever. The Nymphs are all desperate to be connected with you and you stand to gain so much from making that connection. Jehanna deserves to join us after everything she’s just been through, and you don’t have much time to make Devereux a secret Lioness before the two of you part ways.”

John sighed and shook his head. “I hate how regimented this has all become. I’ve literally got a queue of women waiting for me to fill their stomachs with cum.”

Faye gave him a sympathetic look. “It must be a terrible burden having so many women desperate to give you a blowjob.”

He spotted the mischief in her eyes and laughed as he gave her a fond hug. “Alright, I freely admit I’m leading a pretty blessed existence at the moment, but I am feeling ... confined. I’m missing the spontaneity of choosing who to be with.”

“It won’t be for long. Besides, we’re taking things slowly remember? As curious as I am to know what being inflated by your cum feels like, it won’t actually do anything for me. You’ll actually be able to make a big difference to the lives of those other women, so I’m happy to wait while you help them out,” she said with a cheerful smile.

John stroked her arm and looked into her big expressive eyes. “You’re such a sweet girl, Faye. I’m very lucky to have you in my life.”

She held her breath as he leaned down to kiss her, but he turned away from her pursed lips at the last moment to place a tender kiss on her cheek. The purple sprite moaned with desire and frustration, then she squeaked, “I changed my mind! We need to go on our first date as soon as possible!”

“I’ll make time for you soon, I promise,” he said, a broad smile on his face.

Faye grinned at him with anticipation. “I can’t wait!”

They enjoyed the rest of their shower together, with Faye relishing the chance to explore his body as she washed him. For John, the elfin girl’s petite figure was an intriguing change from the rest of the crew’s statuesque proportions and he savoured the difference as he soaped down her apple-sized breasts. Faye’s eyelids fluttered as she responded to his careful touch, letting out soft sighs of pleasure as his hands slid over her slick purple skin.

Looking up into his eyes, she said with regret, “This feels absolutely wonderful, but Lynette is asking for you...”

He paused, with his fingers poised over her dark purple nipples. “I thought you were planning to leave your body with her?” Giving her erect nubs a gentle tweak, he added, “Obviously not...”

Faye gasped at the sudden sensation, then bashfully admitted, “I’ve got one of my holographic avatars watching her at the moment, I came up to the bedroom to give you your wake-up call.”

“It was an excellent decision, Watch Commander,” John said with a smile, as he shut off the shower. “Thanks for keeping me company this morning, I really enjoyed it.”

“It was my pleasure, Admiral!” she exclaimed with a delighted grin, giving him a cheeky salute.

Eyeing the aroused state of her nipples, he nodded. “So I see.”

Faye giggled, the purple bloom in her cheeks darkening as she got dressed. They walked out into the bedroom and John glanced at the bed as Alyssa started to stir.

The blonde gave him a brilliant smile. Morning, handsome.

You might as well stay in bed, there’s no need for you to get up, he said kindly. I’m just going to speak with Devereux, but I’ll be back in a few minutes. We can have a chat with Helene when she wakes up, then have our team debrief.

Whatever my mighty Progenitor Master orders, Alyssa replied, blowing him a kiss. She snuggled in with Rachel, then Calara turned to wrap her arms around her lover from behind. I’ll console myself with your brunettes while I long for your return...

He waved goodbye before getting dressed, then accompanied Faye from the bedroom and headed down to the Medical Bay. Devereux didn’t seem surprised when the holographic version of Faye winked out and the sprite walked in beside John, making it obvious that she’d become quite at ease with their resident friendly AI.

“Hello, Lynette,” John said with a warm smile as he walked over to her bed, noting that she’d been moved from the floating anti-grav gurney while he was asleep. “I hope you’ve been comfortable.”

“I have, thank you. I’m not in any pain at the moment, but I feel so helpless...” Her answering smile faded as she glanced down at her legs.

“We’ll get you fixed up very soon, don’t worry,” he said, his voice soothing. “Rachel’s still asleep, but if this is upsetting you, I can get her to-”

Lynette quickly shook her head. “Let the girl rest, I could see how exhausted she was earlier.” Meeting his gaze, she continued firmly, “You and I have some things to discuss first.”

John sat on the edge of her bed. “Have you made a decision? Remember that Rachel can heal you whatever you decide...”

She nodded, but he could see there was uncertainty in her eyes. “I think so...”

Reaching out to hold her hand, he said, “I’m guessing by your hesitation that you’re considering accepting my offer. Before you make any final decision, would you let me know what Alyssa and Rachel told you? I just want to make sure you’re fully informed.”

The older woman nodded, then quietly repeated everything that the two girls had explained. John listened attentively, relieved to hear that they had left nothing out, including the likely changes that Lynette should expect to her personality as well as the physical and intellectual enhancements she would receive.

“I’m trying my best to trust you, John,” Lynette said at the end. “But as I said earlier, you scare me. I want to believe that your offer is quite genuine, but I can’t help having doubts ... especially after what happened with Gabrielle Lynton.”

“That’s perfectly understandable. We’ve basically just told you that my cum is like some kind of magical elixir of life, granting you eternal youth. Even though it’s true, that’s still a wildly implausible story to swallow ... if you’ll excuse the pun.”

She blushed and gave him a shy smile. “I’ll certainly have to swallow ... your story ... to find out if it’s true.”

He laughed and she joined him, easing the tension.

John cleared his throat. “I know this is awkward and a bit embarrassing; it is for me too. I can see you’re afraid of me and the nature of my abilities must make that choice even more ... intimidating.” He brushed his thumb over her hand and continued, “But I promise there’s no sexual motive behind this, I just want to help you.”

Lynette looked embarrassed now, but for an entirely different reason. “I know I’m not beautiful like your girls...” she murmured, feeling self-conscious and turning away from him.

“I didn’t mean it like that, Lynette,” he said quietly. “Would you let me look at you please?”

She did as he asked, not resisting as he cupped her chin in his hand, bringing her head up so that he could get a good look at her face. He turned her slowly from side to side, studying her features with an appraising eye. Being coldly objective, she was right; Lynette wasn’t a particularly attractive woman. Her nose was a little too large for her face, while her jawline was too strong and her cheekbones too low to meet classic standards of feminine beauty. While she was fairly plain-looking, he certainly wouldn’t describe her as ugly, and he knew that a few minor changes would make a dramatic difference.

Releasing her chin, John gave her a reassuring smile. “When I first met the girls, most of them didn’t look like they do now. Don’t worry, you’ll be just as beautiful as they are when I’m finished.” Lynette looked highly dubious, so John continued, “What I meant before, about there being no sexual motive for me, is that I’m already in an intimate relationship with over twenty women. I wasn’t criticising your appearance, I promise.”

She relaxed and tentatively returned his smile. “Okay, I believe you.”

John kept his expression as open as possible. “You’ve done a lot for me over the past few months, Lynette. I want to help you in return and this ‘gift’, as Rachel calls it, is the best way I can reward you. We don’t actually need to have any intimate contact to do this if it makes you uncomfortable ... did Alyssa tell you about Jade?”

Lynette looked thoughtful as she remembered what she’d heard about the Nymph. “I think I’d prefer that ... if you don’t mind?”

“Sure, that’s no problem,” he replied, feeling a little relieved. “I’ll have Jade feed you once and see how you feel afterwards. It’s only after the third time that there’ll be a connection between you and Alyssa, so if you do change your mind before then that’s perfectly alright with me.”

“If I don’t change my mind?” she asked softly.

John lowered his hand to her tummy, gently resting it on her middle-aged paunch. “Then Jade will keep you full of my cum over the next few days while we repair the Invictus. Giving you an identical body to Alyssa would take at least a week, but you’ll be surprised what we can accomplish in even half that time. I can always finish the Change the next time we return to Terra.”

“What about the connection between myself, Alyssa, and you?” Lynette asked cautiously. “What consequences will that have for me?”

He sat back and sighed. “If I was a normal Progenitor, that connection would mean your enslavement as my Thrall, just as my adversary enslaved Gabrielle. Alyssa or I would be able to issue you commands that you would instantly obey without question, but I swear to you that it doesn’t work that way with me ... at least not any more.” He gave her a wry smile. “The girls seem to delight in ignoring my orders at the moment.”

Lynette had heard a similar explanation from Alyssa and was relieved when he corroborated her story. She was curious to find out more about why the connection had changed, but decided not to push any further, as she could see that this was an uncomfortable subject for him.

John decided to fill the momentary lull in conversation. “Did Alyssa go into the details of her adding you to her network of girls and being able to communicate with you telepathically?”

Lynette nodded. “Yes, she also explained that adding me makes you stronger. The closer friends we become, the more ... energy ... I’ll contribute to you.”

“Friendship and trust,” he replied sincerely. “Those seem to be the key to a strong connection. I’m not going to lie to you, Lynette. I want to trust you, because I really need your help.”

“To prepare the Federation for the fight against the other Progenitor?” she asked, watching him intently.

“Partially,” he conceded. “I’m already working with Charles towards that goal, but if you were Fleet Admiral, it would make everything much, much easier. Honestly though, I just need to make sure High Command won’t keep trying to stab me in the back. I will not stand for another underhanded attack on me, with rogue admirals going after my girls like Buckingham did with Jehanna Elani. Calara and Rachel both have family in the Terran Federation and I can’t always be around to protect them.”

“What would you do if they were attacked?” Lynette asked in a hushed voice.

“If there was any hint that anyone in the Admiralty was behind it, I’d be forced to take steps...” he replied ominously.

“What kind of steps?” she pushed, her hazel eyes going wide.

“There’d be a sudden wave of exceptionally bright young women advancing up through the ranks ... people I know I could trust,” John said, meeting her anxious gaze. “Then for the first time in Terran Federation history, we’d have an all-female Admiralty ... except for Charles of course.” His eyes narrowed. “As for the existing admirals, I’d let Alyssa handle their retirement. Calara’s her girlfriend, so if anything happens to the Fernandez family, it would get very ... unpleasant.”

Lynette blanched, having seen the footage of Carl Weber’s death. “I’ll make sure nothing ever happens to them...”

John sighed when he saw how alarmed she was. “Lynette, I really don’t want to get heavy handed with the Admiralty; in fact, I’d rather not get involved with them at all. But I have to protect my girls, which means protecting the people they care about too. I’m trying to save us from being wiped out by the other Progenitor and I can’t afford to waste time watching my back for betrayals from the people I’m trying to defend.”

She thought about that for a moment, the tension slowly easing from her body. “Alright, I can see your point. I know what a phenomenal tactician Calara has become, so I appreciate how critical she is to your fight with the other Progenitor. I’ll do whatever I can to make sure she’s not impaired by grief for her family.”

“I love her, Lynette,” John said earnestly. “It’s not about maintaining Calara’s effectiveness in combat, I just don’t want her to get hurt.”

Her eyes softened and she reached for his hand. “You really do care for her, don’t you?”

He nodded. “I feel the same way about all of them. I’ll stop at nothing to keep my girls safe.”

“And if I became one of you girls?” she asked, with a hint of a smile.

“Then I hope you’d consider an over-protective Progenitor looking out for you as an added perk,” he replied, reaching to hold both of her hands.

As they developed an understanding, the door slid open and Jade padded into the Medical Bay without a stitch of clothing on her. “Hello, you two,” she said, gliding over to join them. “I hope I’m not intruding?”

John rose to his feet and embraced her. “You look so much better, honey! You’ve got your natural colour back and everything!”

“I’m fully recovered now, Master, thank you.” Jade gave him a loving kiss, then tilted her head to one side as she continued wistfully, “I could feel you healing me ... it was absolutely wonderful!”

“You’re welcome,” he replied, stroking her back.

Jade turned to glance at Lynette over his shoulder and gave her a friendly smile. “Now, what I really want to know, is if you’d like to watch while John gets me ready to feed you?”

Lynette blushed furiously, her cheeks glowing bright pink. John was equally embarrassed, but the Nymph grinned when she didn’t hear any objections and slowly sank to her knees...

The Shandrass-class battleship left hyper-warp on the edge of the Epsilon Aquarii system, the star’s bright radiance making the Maliri vessel’s hull gleam a golden yellow. As the blue tachyon particles dispersed, the warship’s engines powered up and the Andresil Enkana swept towards the beautiful green world of Valaden. The system was teeming with activity, more vessels present here now than there’d been for nearly ten-thousand years. The House Valaden flagship ignored the streams of inbound and outbound traffic, the battleship’s Trankaran engines allowing it to move at far greater speed than would seem likely for a vessel of its size. As it raced towards Valaden, it made a slight course correction towards the vast starport known as Genthalas Shipyard.

The colossal orbital facility was shaped like a wheel, with over two-thirds of the station now brightly illuminated, and more facilities being brought online by the day. Multiple Maliri war fleets loitered near the shipyard, protecting the starbase while waiting for vessels to complete their refit. However, it wasn’t just military vessels present in the system; there were also hundreds of freighters gathered at the largest spaceport in the Maliri Protectorate. Ever since the House Matriarchs had put aside their differences and ended millennia-long internecine warfare, trade between the noble Houses was booming.

Edraele watched through the clear crystal window, smiling in satisfaction at the results of her recent endeavours. She found it gratifying to see how much the Maliri were thriving under John’s benevolent leadership and hoped he’d feel a sense of pride in how much he had accomplished already. Butterflies danced in her stomach at the thought of her love’s imminent return, and she lost herself in a delightful daydream, imagining how she’d run into his arms when he arrived at Genthalas.

Alright, let’s talk... Alyssa said, her tone frosty.

Just like that, Edraele’s good mood evaporated and she winced when she heard the undercurrent of anger in the teenager’s voice. She’d sensed how furious the blonde was before she’d fallen asleep and had hoped that resting for a few hours would have calmed Alyssa’s mood. Apparently not.

I’m sorry, Alyssa, Edraele began, nervously clasping her hands together as she sat behind her desk. I just thought that John deserved a realistic appraisal of the situa-

Fuck that! Alyssa snapped, cutting Edraele off as she gave full-bore to her rage. I’m in charge when it comes to John! You don’t get to go behind my back like that!

I know. I would never dream of undermining your position as senior Matriarch, the Maliri said contritely. That was never my intention.

You know all the shit he’s got to deal with at the moment! Alyssa fumed, waves of anger and disapproval pouring over their bond. You can’t crush his hope like that! You were damn lucky that Rachel and I were there to distract him!

Edraele felt her own temper flaring but she desperately tamped down her emotions, not wanting to escalate the situation.

Unfortunately, Alyssa could hear her every thought. What was that?! she barked incredulously... You’re challenging me on this?!

Realising there was no point denying it, Edraele retaliated, You’re coddling him! Constantly distracting John from some painful truths isn’t in his best interests!

Bullshit! Nobody knows John better than I do! Alyssa snapped back. I’m just helping him keep his shit together! He’s got enough to deal with at the moment, he doesn’t need you piling this on him as well!

John needs to face reality, the Maliri matriarch insisted. Mael’nerak was barely able to fight Ranagon to a stalemate and he had better tech, more powerful ships, and far more resources! He was forced into a suicide mission to end the war!

Yeah, we already know all that! Alyssa snarled. But dwelling on that depressing shit doesn’t help anybody! Her voice dripped with sarcasm as she continued, Oh, we’ve got no chance ... let’s give up now...

You know that’s not what I was saying, Edraele persisted, taking a deep breath to keep herself calm.

I know exactly what you were thinking, but we’re not going there, Edraele, Alyssa said adamantly. I’m not fucking around here, I forbid you from bringing this up with John again!

Edraele wrung her hands together in desperation. But if we’re using Maliri ships and troops as our primary force to fight the thralls, those women are going to die ... by the millions! I know it’s horrific to think about, but John needs to prepare himself for the realities of a Progenitor war!

There was a long pause, then Alyssa whispered, We can’t ... it’ll destroy him.

Brushing the tears from her eyes, Edraele slumped in her chair. You know I love John ... I don’t want to hurt him, but it’s better we deal with this now; we can’t put this off until later.

Please don’t talk to him about this, Alyssa begged her, sounding desperately afraid. You know how he is about us ... about the Maliri. You sensed it at the Citadel...

Edraele sighed, remembering all too well John’s fatherly concern for the Maliri marines running to defend the battlements against the Kintark. She’d felt the depths of his anxiety as he worried about their safety, then after she informed him that none of the Maliri had been killed in the battle, his sense of relief had been nearly overwhelming.

I know why he’s doing it, Edraele murmured, her heart aching with sympathy for her lover. He hates the Progenitors ... hates his nature ... but he’s taking this too far. Just because they have no regard for the lives of their thralls, he can’t do the exact opposite and protect all the Maliri ... it’s simply not possible.

Let him keep that hope alive a little longer, Alyssa pleaded. Maybe there’s still some chance of preventing an all-out war. If not, we’ll be there to help him deal with it when the time comes...

Edraele stared out the window at the stars, her instincts screaming at her that this was the wrong decision. I’ll do as you ask, she finally said. But I think we’re making a terrible mistake...

We haven’t got any choice, Alyssa said, fighting down a rising tide of panic.

The Maliri Matriarch was suddenly reminded just how young Alyssa was. At only eighteen years old, she was trying to deal with decisions that would shape empires containing billions of sentient creatures. More than that, Edraele knew that Alyssa considered herself John’s final line of defence, both physically and mentally. She could sense the wild fears that the distraught girl was struggling with in her desperation to help the man she loved.

Everything will be fine, Edraele murmured, putting aside her own concerns and sending calming thoughts over their empathic bond to sooth Alyssa. We’ll work together to keep John safe. You’re not alone in this, I’m here to help too...

Thank you, Alyssa said quietly, trying not sound as scared as she felt.

John gently stroked Lynette’s hugely swollen belly, then watched as Jade slid her two fingers from the admiral’s mouth. The older woman’s hazel eyes were dazed, a look of blissful contentment on her face as she relaxed on the bed. Now that he had an active connection with her, he could feel her presence in his mind, and he began healing the injuries to her spine as if it were second nature. Changing her physical appearance was something new though, at least in terms of actively choosing to make those changes. The rest of the girls had already been naturally pretty, so the slight modifications he’d made to transform them into the heart-stopping beauties they were today, had been subtle and done subconsciously.

“You’re doing a kind thing for her, Master,” Jade said, brushing her dark-green fingers through Lynette’s hair.

He stepped away from the bed and offered the Nymph his hand. “I’ve got ulterior motives, but she knows what they are. I think we came to an understanding.”

“Will you feed her personally next time?” Jade asked, her emerald eyes flashing with excitement.

John laughed and shook his head. “She’s too wary of me. Besides, I’ve got my hands full at the moment.” To emphasise the point, he slid his arm around Faye’s waist as they walked towards the door.

Faye’s holographic avatar flashed into existence as they left the Medical Bay and waved them goodbye. “I’ll let you know if there are any problems!”

“Lynette should sleep for fourteen hours now,” John said, giving her a grateful smile. “Which means she’ll wake up at about 4:00 am.”

“I’ll wake you when it’s time!” Faye immediately offered, hugging him as they walked. “Maybe I’ll be a bit bolder with my wake-up call next time...”

“I really need to take you on that date,” John said, leaning over to kiss her on top of her head.

They stepped into the grav-tube, floating up in the blue anti-grav field to reach Deck Two.

As they walked down the corridor to their bedroom, he asked Faye, “Please could you contact Lilyana and find out how they’re getting on with salvaging shield generators? I’d like to speak with her, Almari and Ilyana before they leave.”

“Of course! I’ll let you know after the debrief,” she replied, making the call with her secondary avatar.

They walked into the bedroom where the girls were all still cuddled up in bed together. Jehanna looked particularly happy between the twins, gazing at each of the blue-skinned seductresses in turn with huge eyes. Jade bounded over to the bed to join her sisters, who were now all as naked as she was, and the five Nymphs embraced before whispering together. John’s eyes drifted to Alyssa as they usually did and she smiled at him, but he immediately knew there was something unsettling her, he could see it in her eyes.

It’s nothing to worry about, handsome, she said quietly. Just a minor disagreement between your matriarchs...

Now he really was worried and as he climbed on the bed, he asked, Should I be concerned?

We had a chat and sorted everything out, she replied, clearly not wanting to elaborate.

Edraele chimed in and added, It’s all settled now, you don’t have anything to worry about.

He knelt in front of the blonde and raised an eyebrow.

Alyssa climbed out of the covers and hugged him, then whispered in his ear, “Just let it go for now. We’ll tell you what it was about eventually, okay?”

John stroked her back and nodded. Sure, but I really want you girls to get along. Let me know if you need me to help sort anything out in the future.

We will, both his matriarchs said simultaneously.

Alyssa pulled back and smiled at him, then glanced to her left where Helene was still fast asleep. “She should wake up in the next few minutes.”

Glancing around at the fourteen women on the bed, John said, “Do you think it’s a good idea having Helene wake up with all of us here?”

Nodding confidently, Alyssa moved to sit beside the slumbering aquatic girl. “Definitely. Remember what she said before about having to sleep alone in the Abandoned’s communal sleeping rooms? I think her waking up in the middle of all of us will give her confidence a real boost.”