Chapter 37 - The Terran Federation recognises their exploits.

John closed his eyes, and was soon lulled into a deep sleep by the rhythmic breathing of the young women on either side of him. Just as it did every other night, the featureless darkness of the void had gently embraced him, as his mind had slipped into a restful slumber. Before he could surrender completely to its siren call, this time a faint light appeared, growing brighter, and illuminating undefined shapes that lurked in his peripheral vision. With mounting dread, he realised he was experiencing another dream, and upon that realisation the dim half-light disappeared in a flash, as he lurched into the surreal reality of the dreamworld.

Defeated enemies lay broken and ruined around him; a hulking cyborg, an enormous four armed Drakkar, and a huge reptilian beast, all evidence of his might and prowess in combat. He felt a surging sense of pride, and gloated at his victory over his stricken adversaries, revelling in his growing power.

As he looked beyond the immediate destruction at his feet, he saw that he was on a vast plain, strewn with the corpses of the foes he had mercilessly slaughtered. Men, Kirrix, Drakkar, Kintark ... all those who had foolishly attempted to challenge him, and had fallen to his fearsome wrath. Above that desolate expanse of butchery, the endless night sky yawned wide, the dozens of stars that flecked that blackness twinkling with a malevolent light.

He suddenly felt an itching in his mind, as though he was being watched by some predatory figure that lurked just out of sight. He looked to both his left and right, before becoming aware of a vast eldritch presence that was scrutinising his every move. It seemed to be taking an obscene delight in observing his reactions to the scene of carnage, and he could sense its gloating satisfaction as he relished his gory handiwork. With a shocking moment of clarity, he realised that the dozens of stars were malignant eyes, that were watching him like a man might observe the antics of a bug. His mind shrank back from the hideous immensity of the abyssal horror, desperately trying to shy away, as if instinctively comprehending that attempting to confront this titanic monstrosity would lead to madness and despair.

As unspeakable dread threatened to overwhelm him, a glowing nimbus of light began to pool at his feet, before swiftly surging upwards to encase him in a brightly glowing sphere. Fortified by the radiance, and with his terror banished, he looked about him once more. Instead of broken corpses, he saw the thousands of people that he had saved, all turned to face him on that vast plain. Huge crowds of men and women raised their voices in a wordless cheer of gratitude, while great numbers of Ashanath joined a psychic chorus of praise to his name.

His heart bolstered by the grateful admiration of the souls he had saved, he faced the Stygian abomination with steely determination. He could sense it’s smug satisfaction turning to disgust and loathing, and with an incomprehensible roar of rage, the lurking presence lashed out at him from the impenetrable darkness. Colossal writhing tentacles, tipped with sickeningly sharp barbs, coiled and undulated as they surged towards him, seeking to rend him asunder. At the last possible moment, they were deflected away harmlessly by the glowing nimbus of light that swathed him, and they lashed in the air, thwarted from their lethal purpose. The sickening ethereal behemoth roared impotently, and the dreamworld collapsed in an instant, as he was dumped unceremoniously from the cloying grasp of the nightmare.

John was brought back to consciousness in an instant, and he stifled the urge to cry out, as he was suddenly and shockingly wide awake once more. He could feel his heart hammering away, as though desperate to escape the confines of his chest, and his eyes were wide as he stared up at the ceiling. He took a deep breath and then let it out slowly, desperate to calm himself, but knowing that achieving a state of focus couldn’t be rushed. He closed his eyes to help him concentrate, and after a long moment, his breathing returned to normal, as he felt at peace once again.

He opened his eyes again, but calmly this time, and noticed movement on his right hand side. He turned his head slightly to look over Rachel’s slumbering form, and saw that Alyssa had sat bolt upright, staring at him in shock, her eyes wide with terror.

What the fuck was that? she asked him, her voice fearful as it echoed around his mind.

I’ve been having dreams. That wasn’t the first, he told her grimly.

No telepathy, I want to hear your voice, she told him, her telepathic voice sounding small and scared.

John carefully untangled himself from Jade and Rachel, leaving the girls cuddled up with Calara and Dana respectively. He quietly and carefully left the bed by the base, and held out his hand for Alyssa, who took it eagerly. She gripped his hand tightly, and her fingers felt cold and clammy in his, while she shivered slightly. They left the bedroom, and walked down the corridor hand in hand, with John leading her to the Officers’ Lounge so that they could talk without disturbing the others. The blonde suddenly pulled him into Jade’s room as they passed the entrance, closing the door behind them.

“Jade never sleeps in here, she won’t mind,” Alyssa said with a tremor in her voice, as she led him to the bed.

“Are you OK?” he asked her as she tugged gently on his hand to encourage him to join her.

“No, I’m scared,” she said, as she shivered with fear. “We’ll talk when you’re inside me,” she said firmly, lying back and pulling him with her, as she spread her toned thighs for him.

“I’m not feeling all that turned on right now,” he said apologetically, still recovering from the nightmare himself.

Alyssa looked up at him with big eyes, her pupils having been dilated by fear. “I need you, my handsome hero. Help warm me up with your big hard cock, and tell me how you’re going to protect me, and make everything better,” she urged him gently.

Rising to the challenge both figuratively and literally, John was hard within a few moments, and when he pushed inside the beautiful blonde teenager, she clung to him fiercely. He could feel how cold she was, her body reacting to the stress, and he pressed himself down on her, so that she could leech his body-heat.

“Everything’s going to be alright now,” he murmured soothingly into her ear. “I’m here to keep you safe. Nothing bad is going to happen to you, my beautiful girl.”

Eventually Alyssa stopped shivering as he warmed her up, and he cradled her head protectively in his hands as she looked up at him.

“That was the most terrifying thing I’ve ever experienced!” she exclaimed with a shudder. “What the hell was that?!”

“I’ve no idea,” John admitted. “That’s the third dream I’ve had like it.”

“That wasn’t a dream, that was some kind of horrible fucking nightmare!” Alyssa said vehemently. “Why didn’t you tell me about them?”

“I told you about the first one, but I haven’t had any for the last few weeks. The last time was just after we rescued Jade from those pirates,” he said, thinking back to when he had previously experienced one of the nightmares. “I’d hoped they were just a temporary thing.”

“I didn’t realise they were that bad,” she said apologetically.

“Yeah, I’m glad I’ve never dreamt before, if they’re anything like this,” John growled.

“That first nightmare was just after we’d got Sparks to join us, wasn’t it?” she asked him curiously.

“That’s right. We’d picked up Dana from the Karron asteroid, and were heading back to the Olympus Shipyard,” he said, nodding in agreement.

Alyssa took a big breath, which brushed her pert breasts against his chest, and she looked up at him with a cute frown as she concentrated. As her mind wandered, turning over the events he had mentioned, she spotted a nascent bundle of emotions that swirled playfully in her mind. She smiled inwardly at the metaphysical representation of Rachel, and then allocated her a little compartment of her own. Her image slotted in next to those of the other girls, that were positioned around the image of John, which took centre stage.

With an abrupt, startled gasp, Alyssa suddenly realised what the trigger was. “You’re experiencing these nightmares whenever we permanently add girls to the crew! They occur every time a new girl appears in my mind!”

“So you’re saying I’m a commitment-phobe?” he joked playfully, trying to calm the perceptive blonde.

“This is serious,” Alyssa replied with a frown. “I’m worried that these nightmares are some form of psychic attack.”

“But, what about Calara?” John retorted. “If your theory was correct, then she would have triggered a nightmare as well. When she joined us, and you started sensing her thoughts, nothing happened.”

Alyssa was quiet for a moment as she pondered the conundrum. “You and Dana have been saying I’ve been growing in power, which we seem to have proved with the Invictium shaping. Maybe when it was just you, me and Calara, I wasn’t powerful enough to appear on the radar of whatever is causing these nightmares,” she guessed hesitantly.

“But if that’s the case, why aren’t the nightmares directed at you, instead of me?” John asked with a puzzled frown.

“I’m just a Terran, you’re the Progenitor,” she reminded him gently. “We’re also very closely linked, and our bond has been getting stronger.”

“You think it’s Progenitors attacking me in my sleep?” he asked her with a worried frown.

“It could be, I’ve no idea,” Alyssa said with a helpless shrug of her shoulders. “But once is an accident, twice is a coincidence, three times shows a pattern.”

“Dana, Jade, Rachel,” John stated, staring into the blonde girl’s cerulean eyes.

“Yes, exactly,” Alyssa replied, nodding.

“So should we stop recruiting anyone else?” John asked her cautiously. “After everything we discovered with the Ashanath, and that mysterious black ship, it looks like Progenitors are active again. I don’t think we want to attract any more attention than we have already.”

“Well you’re in charge, so ultimately, it’s your decision,” she replied, studying his face.

“The more girls we add, the more powerful our team becomes, with more skills to draw from,” John mused. “I can’t imagine trying to tackle the recent challenges without all of our existing crew, and I’m sure Rachel will prove to be just as helpful.”

“Plus, it’s very exciting seeing you break in new girls,” Alyssa purred at him, starting to rock gently underneath him.

“It looks like you’re feeling better,” he smiled down at her wryly.

“Being stretched out by your big cock always makes me feel wonderful,” she sighed blissfully, as her hands moved down to rest on his bottom, urging him to push deeper inside her.

John did exactly that, enjoying feeling her body yield to him as he sank up to the balls inside her. “Taking your hot little body always feels wonderful,” he agreed. “But aren’t we forgetting our grey eyed companion?”

“Don’t worry. I reached out to Dana, and sent her off with Rachel to do her tests. She’ll be back in time for breakfast,” Alyssa replied impishly.

“So what’s the plan exactly?” John asked her, as he gathered her wrists in his hands and pinned them to the bed above her head. “Am I going to fuck you hard until you can’t come any more, and then have Rachel suck the spunk out of my balls?”

Alyssa shivered with excitement as he began to stroke powerfully inside her, and she wrapped her legs around him, so she could feel the driving motion of his hips better. “No, not this time. I’d like to feel your cum stretching my belly after the fright I got last night. Having you fill me up is the best feeling in the world.”

“I’d be more than happy to oblige, but what about Rachel’s change?” he asked her, as he began to thrust hard into her firm young body, making her moan with pleasure.

“Stuff my womb with your load, and then I promise I’ll share with her,” Alyssa said eagerly, between groans. “Unless you’re bored of fucking me?” she added with a teasing smile.

“That’s never going to happen,” he told her as he pounded her harder, delighting in the clutching embrace of her snug pussy.

John rode the blonde teenager long and hard, coaxing her body to climax three times, before the door to Jade’s room open with a swish. Dana and Rachel strolled inside, and then stopped and stared with wide eyes, as they watched Alyssa cry out while John’s relentless shafting brought her to a fourth massive orgasm.

“Stop, please!” She begged him. “If you make me cum any more, I’m going to pass out!”

“Only because you asked so nicely,” John replied, as he leaned down to lovingly kiss the panting blonde, and halted the rocking motion of his hips.

When they stopped kissing, Alyssa leaned to the side to look around John at the other two girls. “Join us,” Alyssa said breathily, with an inviting smile.

Rachel and Dana grinned back at her, and climbed on to the bed, splitting up to sit on either side of the impaled blonde.

“Morning girls,” John said as he smiled at them both affectionately. He sat back, whilst still buried inside Alyssa, and kissed the redhead, then the brunette in turn.

“You look so sexy,” Rachel exclaimed breathily as she looked down at Alyssa’s stunning body, covered as it was in a light sheen of perspiration. “You look like you’ve been oiled up for him.”

“Mmm, we haven’t played with oil for a while,” Alyssa purred seductively, “I think the last time was when you took Calara’s virgin ass wasn’t it, John?”

He laughed and nodded, before glancing at the girls to either side of him. “I got a lovely kiss this morning, but Alyssa missed out! She had a bad dream last night, so I think you girls should help make her feel better,” he told them playfully.

Dana giggled, and immediately swooped in to start passionately kissing her blonde friend. Rachel leaned down and began to suck on Alyssa’s erect nipples, causing the other girl to gasp with delight. John began to move slowly again, seeing the three girls together instinctively making him want to join in.

“Oh, wow!” Rachel gasped as she looked down at Alyssa’s toned stomach.

She could see the bulge in the blonde’s belly, where the head of John’s cock was stroking in and out of her. Rachel reached out tentatively, and gently rested her hand on the slowly moving shape, amazed at how deep he was.

“How does that even fit?” she marvelled, trying to imagine the biology of what she was seeing with her disbelieving eyes.

“He’s deep in my womb,” Alyssa replied quietly, with a sigh of great satisfaction.

“He shouldn’t be able to get past your cervix,” Rachel said in surprise. “Doesn’t that hurt like hell?”

“Not even a little bit,” Alyssa replied happily. “I guess I can’t help but stretch to make room for his big cock.”

“You’re a very good girl,” John praised her with a grin, as he thrust languidly into the girl lying supine beneath him.

“Talking of good girls, are you ready to swallow down more cum?” Alyssa asked Rachel encouragingly.

“Of course, I can’t wait,” the tawny haired brunette replied eagerly.

“I’d really like to feel him cumming inside me this morning. Would you be okay with me giving you breakfast instead?” Alyssa asked Rachel with a sultry smile.

“You mean... ?” Rachel asked with surprise.

“Yes, she wants you to eat his cum from her pussy,” Dana said enthusiastically.

“John mentioned that he expected I’d be getting rather more familiar with the rest of the girls,” Rachel laughed, moving up the bed so that she was face to face with Alyssa. “Besides, I’ve wanted to go down on you ever since we first met in the boutique,” she added impishly.

“Oh, wow! I felt the same way!” Alyssa replied breathlessly, as John continued to stroke slowly inside her beautiful body. “Can I go first ... please?” she added eagerly.

Rachel leaned in and kissed the blonde tenderly, and looked into her bright blue eyes that were hooded with lust. “Only because you asked so nicely,” the tawny haired girl said with a grin.

John watched excitedly as Rachel crawled around the bed, so that she was facing him. He leaned back a little, giving the brunette plenty of room, and she took his offered hand as she knelt carefully, positioning her pussy over Alyssa’s full lips.

“Good morning,” Rachel purred at him, gazing into his eyes, before she let out a gasp as Alyssa’s eager tongue began to get to work.

“Oh God, that feels amazing,” she groaned, as lurid lapping sounds began to fill the room.

Rachel leaned forward to kiss him, and they stayed like that for a while, gently exploring each other’s lips, while they both enjoyed the blonde girl underneath them. Dana smiled at them happily, and then her mouth formed into a wicked grin as she watched the brunette riding her friend’s face. She moved behind Rachel, who was rocking gently in place, and looked down at Alyssa from behind the brunette’s gyrating ass. Dana sucked her index finger into her mouth, making sure it was nice and wet, and then reached out to brush her fingertip over Rachel’s moist pussy. Being careful not to get in Alyssa’s way, she eased her long finger into the brunette, hearing the smaller girl gasp with excitement at being penetrated.

“She’s so tight,” Dana told him eagerly. “She’s really going to have to stretch to take your big cock.”

Rachel stared at him wide eyed, as her breathing got more ragged. The combination of Alyssa’s licking tongue, and Dana’s insistent fingering were getting her heated up very fast. She panted with lust as she placed her arms around his neck, and kissed him fiercely, before suddenly letting out a surprised shriek as she looked behind her with shock.

“She’s even tighter back here, John,” Dana informed him helpfully with a mischievous grin, as she winked at the brunette. “You might need to feed her a while, before she’ll be able to take you in the ass.”

Under their combined assault, Rachel clung to John tightly as she arched her back and screamed as she climaxed. She shuddered through her release, while staring into his eyes and panting for breath.

Hearing the lovely young woman gasping and moaning as she orgasmed, was enough to tip him over the edge too, and he thrust deeply into Alyssa before roaring out his own climax. He’d been inside Alyssa for little over an hour, and his balls were desperate to unload. They flexed and convulsed as he pumped the moaning blonde full of his cum, and her womb inflated rapidly as he filled her to the brim.

They eventually wound down from their joint climax, and they both carefully dismounted Alyssa, who gazed up at them with a blissful, contented expression on her beautiful face.

“It feels like so long ago since the last time you came inside me,” she sighed contentedly as she stroked her stretched belly. “I’d almost forgotten how amazing it feels,” she added teasingly.

John lay down at her side, and smiled back at her. “I’m sorry you’ve been neglected,” he apologised playfully, as he joined her in stroking her rounded stomach.

“Ready for breakfast?” Dana giggled to Rachel excitedly.

“I can’t wait,” the brunette grinned, and moved down between Alyssa’s thighs as she spread them welcomingly.

“Oh, that feels so good,” Alyssa sighed with delight, as Rachel got to work.

A little while later, they finally emerged from Jade’s bedroom and returned to the Commander’s Quarters. Calara and Jade were just waking up when John and the others walked into the room, and they grinned at Rachel as she carefully climbed onto the bed with a heavily rounded belly that was obviously full of cum.

“Morning girls,” John greeted them happily, as he joined the others on the bed.

“You seem to be in a wonderful mood this morning,” Jade noted, looking delighted.

“Well he fucked me senseless, then watched Rachel eat his cum from my pussy, so I should think so, too!” Alyssa exclaimed, causing all the girls to giggle.

When they all settled down, John looked over at Rachel. “Have you looked at any of your test results yet?” he asked her curiously.

“I’ve been doing too much sleeping,” she said, as she grinned self-consciously. “I’ll start analysing the results soon, though. Would you like me to tell you what I’ve found out as I discover it, or just compile all my results into a presentation after the two weeks are up?”

“It would probably be good to see a final presentation, then we can more clearly see what happens over the entire change,” John said thoughtfully, “Unless you find out anything really important, that you think we need to know immediately.”

“Whatever you say, Commodore,” Rachel said with a smirk.

“Oh, don’t you start all that too,” John groaned. “Alyssa already takes great delight in mocking my rank.”

“How about ‘Boss’ then, or ‘Chief’?” the brunette asked playfully. “Maybe ‘Lord’, or ‘Master’, if we want to get a bit more racy?”

“Sorry, Jade called dibs on ‘Master’ already,” John laughed, as he glanced at the Nymph.

“This one loves being your possession, Master,” Jade gasped breathily, before smiling at him impishly.

Calara, Jade and Alyssa laughed in amusement at Jade’s self-deprecating humour, but Rachel just looked a bit confused and smiled politely.

“I used to speak that way all the time,” Jade explained for her gently, “But being with John gave me a sense of self-worth beyond just being some sexual plaything for a long series of unpleasant men.”

“That sounds horrendous, what happened?” Rachel asked sympathetically.

“Now’s not the time. It’s too depressing a tale, and everyone’s in a good mood,” Jade said with a smile. “Remind me to tell you some other time, if you’re interested.”

Rachel nodded, while studying the Nymph with fascination, admiring the viridian curves on her beautiful dark green skin. “I’d love to find out a lot more about you,” she said eagerly. “Maybe when I’m done with this current analysis, you’d agree to let me study you more closely?”

“Of course, I’d be happy to,” Jade replied with a smile.

“So, what plans has everyone got for today?” John asked them all. “Are you all going to go shopping on Gravitus?”

There was a chorus of agreement from the girls, except from Dana, who shook her head.

“I want to get the Raptor repaired straight away, assuming the parts have arrived,” she said eagerly.

“Well we might as well wait until you’re finished with the ship,” Alyssa said with a shrug. “Then Jade can fly us down to the planet, and save us any messing around with shuttles. Will it take you a long time to install the new engine?”

“I should be done in an hour, less if you guys help too,” Dana said with a grin. “Replacing the Gatling lasers should only take about ten minutes each, but I’ll have to fabricate new turret housings for them first. I can get the mass fabricators working on the parts for those while we fit the engine, so we shouldn’t have to wait.”

“Well, sounds like we have a plan then,” John said, as he smiled at them. “I’ll help you fit the engine if you like, I’m guessing my strength will speed up the process even more?”

“Yeah, that would be great actually,” Dana nodded appreciatively. “That will make it much easier.”

“You haven’t told us what you’re doing while we’re going shopping,” Calara protested, as she looked at John.

“I’ll be placing the booking for our vacation on Oceanus,” John grinned at them, “But I want it to be a surprise, so no peeking!” he added, throwing a stern glance at Alyssa.

“Alright, I promise I’ll stay out of your head for a few hours,” she said as she smiled at him affectionately. “But only two at the most!”

John laughed and nodded. “That should be fine, I’ll try and resist thinking about it after that.”

“Do you want one of us to stay with you afterwards, to keep you entertained?” Alyssa asked him playfully, and the other girls started to look torn about their decision to go on a shopping trip.

“No, it’s okay, I think I can last a few hours,” John said with a chuckle.

They got up and went for a shower, but Rachel paused when she passed the huge bath and looked at it longingly.

“Go ahead, have a long soak,” Alyssa said in a friendly tone. “We won’t need you for the repairs, and you already have an important job to do.”

“I do?” Rachel asked her puzzled.

“Of course!” Alyssa said, reaching out to caress the brunette’s cum packed belly. “Absorbing this lot, so you can join us properly,” she added warmly.

Rachel laughed at that, and then leaned over to give the blonde girl an affectionate peck on the cheek. “Thanks for being so lovely,” she said sincerely. “You’ve really gone out of your way to make me feel at home here.”

“You’re very welcome,” Alyssa replied, and gently stroked the other girl’s cheek. “John likes you a lot, and you’re joining our group. That means I care about you a great deal already.”

Rachel smiled happily at this, and then hugged the blonde enthusiastically. “This still feels like a dream,” she said with a wide grin. “But one I never want to wake up from!”

“Oh, don’t talk about dreams, please!” Alyssa groaned. “John and I just experienced a horrible shared nightmare last night, and I’m still a bit raw.”

“What do you mean?” Dana asked, poking her head out of the shower.

“Wait till they’ve run the bath, and joined us in the shower, then I’ll explain,” he said to the redhead,

Alyssa waved her hand over the panel set in the wall, activating the holographic controls, which sprang into being with a soft orange glow. The panel had various settings for the bath, including depth of water, temperature and just how bubbly to make it. She pressed a few buttons, and water began to pour into the tub, gurgling happily as steam began to rise above the rapidly filling bath.

When Alyssa and Rachel joined them in the shower, the blonde positioned the new girl in the middle, and she was soon being lovingly massaged and stroked by her female companions.

“Oh my God, that feels amazing!” Rachel groaned, closing her eyes in bliss.

“Jade is a gifted masseuse, and the girls are her willing students,” John chuckled, as he watched the young woman sigh rapturously.

He let Rachel luxuriate for a while as the other girls lavished attention on her, before the soft melody coming from the bath let them know that it was now full.

“I won’t keep you from your bath, so I’ll keep this brief. I never used to dream before, but I’ve recently been having some pretty scary ones over the last month or so,” he explained carefully.

“I somehow shared the most recent nightmare, and you shouldn’t undersell it. That was the most terrifying thing I’ve ever experienced,” Alyssa said with a shudder.

“Yes, well, Alyssa and I had a chat about it, and we think these nightmares are somehow linked to her getting more powerful, and might be some kind of psychic attack,” he explained, before turning to look at the blonde. “Although this is the first time you’ve been consciously aware of it, I think you might have been present in the other ones too.”

“What makes you say that?” Calara asked him curiously.

“In almost all of my dreams, there’s been a glowing white figure, or some kind of radiant white aura. Thinking about it now, that presence has felt distinctly feminine, especially the dreams I’ve had after I’ve been injured,” he said wistfully, as he recalled the feelings accompanying those dreams.

“You’ve been having these kind of nightmares when you’ve been hurt as well?” Alyssa asked him with concern.

“Oh no, not like the one you experienced at all. Those ones have been amazing; warm, caring, loving ... the contrast between them is colossal,” he said emphatically.

“How badly were you hurt?” Rachel asked him curiously, as she studied his body carefully. “I don’t see any scars on you.”

“The worst was when he got punched through the chest with a spike,” Jade said with a frown. “A Drakkar impaled him with a blade right through the torso below the ribs,” she added, moving around behind him, to place her hands on the entry and exit point.

“Thankfully you were there to save the day,” John said to the Nymph gratefully, as he looked at her over his shoulder, and she stood on tiptoe so that she could kiss him lovingly.

“There’s no kind of marks on you of any kind,” Rachel said in amazement, as she closely examined his chest below the ribs. “And a wound that severe would have been life threatening.”

“Yeah, Jade definitely saved my life that day,” John agreed, as the green skinned girl cuddled up behind him.

“No, I mean a wound that bad would have required immediate medical assistance. Does one of you have medical training?” she asked, as she looked around the assembled group, but was met by shakes of the head.

“I applied a trauma kit, if that counts?” Alyssa said helpfully.

Rachel smiled at her and gently shook her head. “That would have helped stop the bleeding, but he would have definitely required surgery,” she explained, before studying John again. “I can’t see a scratch on you, so how long did it take to completely heal?”