Ularean's image faded away, the Senior Councillor closing the call abruptly and leaving John and Calara exchanging frowns.
"Any idea what Ularean was referring to with his 'preparations'?" John asked, a pensive expression on his face. "He was doing that same slow blinking mannerism as Talari - I'd love to know what that means."
The Latina shook her head, turning to gaze at her listings of the Ashanath's fleet assets. "I hope they've got something significant planned because they're going to need all the help they can get. I'm just praying they've got orbital platforms or some kind of defensive structures." She met John's gaze and her expression was bleak. "Despite all the delaying tactics with the gravity wells and the minefield, the Drakkar will still get there just before we do."
He reached out to massage her shoulder and said firmly, "You've done an incredible job so far and at least you've given them a chance. That stunt with the minefield wiped out nearly half the Drakkar fleet!"
She looked at him with her big brown eyes, deep concern in those soulful orbs. "We might have evened out the numbers on both sides, but the Ashanath ships are severely outclassed compared to the Drakkar in sheer firepower and resilience. Any Drakkar vessels plated in their Steel/Onyxium armour will be practically invulnerable to Ashanath laser fire and the Ashanath favour Beam Lasers exclusively! I've been running battle simulations for the last ten hours..." her voice faltered and he could plainly see the worry in her tired eyes.
"That bad?" he asked, meeting her troubled gaze.
She nodded and stayed silent, before leaning into him for a hug and letting out a heavy sigh. "I'm not sure we'll be able to save them, John."
John rested his chin on her head, wrapping his arms around her in a comforting embrace. Staring out of the long window behind her, he watched the flashing stars go by, and not for the first time, he wondered if he was making a terrible mistake getting the girls involved in this fight. As much as he wanted to save the Ashanath, there was only so much he was willing to risk.
The door swished open behind them and Alyssa glided into the room, sashaying over to them and placing her slender hands on both their shoulders. She gave them both a radiant smile and turning to Calara, she said kindly, "You're just tired, gorgeous. You've been working too hard and you need perking up."
John raised an eyebrow when he realised what she was implying. "We'll be arriving at Ashana in about thirty minutes; we haven't got time for that!" he protested.
"Thirty-six minutes," she corrected him, winking as she continued, "which is plenty of time!"
Shaking his head, John replied, "I need to work on battle plans with Calara and brief the team for combat! Don't be ridiculous!"
Alyssa's eyes narrowed and her tone turned deadly serious. "I'm not. The girls aren't a regular crew and filling them up does them wonders. It's the equivalent of giving all of us a full night's rest before the eve of battle. What Commander wouldn't want his crew bright and alert before heated combat?"
John faltered as he met her probing blue eyes, surprised by her uncharacteristically blunt and serious tone. Studying the blonde for a moment, he could see the worry behind that unflinching gaze, with Alyssa well aware of both his and Calara's concerns about the upcoming battle.
When she continued her tone was firm as she reasoned, "Besides, if you preload us before combat you'll set up an active psychic connection and can heal us mid-battle. You want to keep the girls safe don't you?"
Unable to counter her logic, he blinked in surprise before looking at her quizzically. "So how are we going to do this?"
She grinned at him, now that he'd come around and replied, "I've got a surprise waiting for you in your Ready Room! You haven't got much time though, so hurry!"
John released Calara from his arms, then gave each of the girls a quick peck on the cheek before darting out the door. Faye watched him with big eyes as he jogged across the Bridge to the Ready Room door, her wings frozen stiff as she tracked his every movement. He gave her a self-conscious wave, but she didn't respond, staring intently at him instead.
Not having time to question her strange behaviour, he strolled into his Ready Room and had covered a half-dozen paces when he stared up at the lights in surprise. They hadn't activated automatically when he entered the room, leaving the room shrouded in faint starlight.
A sensual female voice spoke to him from the darkness. "It's okay, they aren't broken."
Recognising Jade's sultry tones, he glanced around the shadowy room and finally spotted her standing by his high-backed leather chair. "Jade? What's going on?" he asked, walking over to join her.
She moved the chair out from behind the desk, briefly kissing him before purring, "Take off your clothes, Master, and please take a seat. You'll enjoy this."
Wondering what she could possibly have in mind, John shrugged inwardly and decided to just go with it, quickly stripping as the Nymph had requested. The girls obviously had something elaborate planned and he was forced to admit that Alyssa was right - he felt tense and anxious as his quad had already refilled. It was at least six hours since he'd been enthusiastically drained dry by the Nymph and the trio of Terran teenagers in the Launch Bay.
When he was naked, he sat down in the chair and felt Jade's cool hand on his shoulder as she whispered, "Now, we'll just make it a little darker and we can begin."
Someone activated the armour plating over the windows to his Ready Room and as the panels slid down, he was plunged into complete blackness. He blinked for a moment, his senses trying to adjust to being deprived of sight and his sharp hearing picking up the soft throb of music as it gradually increased in volume. There were no vocals, only a sensual, rhythmic beat that sent a shiver down his spine. Just as his eyes had started to adjust to the darkness, there was a bright flare of purple light in front of him.
His eyes blinked rapidly as he was momentarily blinded by this radiant vision. When he was able to see again, his mouth hung open in shock as Faye suddenly appeared, but this wasn't the bright-eyed chirpy girl he'd grown used to. Her luminous eyes were hooded behind long lashes, her expression sultry as she tilted her head to one side and listened to the music. Although she was nude, her iridescent wings were wrapped tightly around her, forming a diaphanous dress that moulded to her curves. She ignored him completely as she started to move, losing herself in the throbbing music, her body undulating with its own sensual rhythm.
John had grown very fond of Faye and while he considered her to be a beautiful girl, he hadn't really thought about her in an overtly sexual way - at least not beyond the few chaste kisses they'd shared. If she'd been a flesh and blood girl, he would have approached the situation very differently, but the unfortunate physical limitations to any such relationship had prevented him from really thinking about her that way.
That wasn't the case any more.
He gaped at her in amazement as she raised her arms above her head, linking her hands together as she writhed in perfect time to the music. She was slimmer than the other girls, petite and slender, but still possessed enticing curves and a luscious bust, the pert shape of her breasts accentuated by her shimmering wings. Faye slowly turned as she danced, drawing his eyes to the hypnotic motion of her hips as they swayed alluringly.
When Faye started another turn, she seemed to notice him at last, glancing at him coyly over her shoulder before quickly looking away, her face obscured by her shroud of long purple hair. John found himself watching with eager anticipation for her to finish her turn and when she did so, he saw a teasing glimpse of her eyes as they met his. Gliding his way now, her steps followed the pulse of the beat, her wings sliding apart and revealing more of her smooth flesh.
Even though she'd been in a near-constant state of nakedness for weeks, he hungered for another glance at her dark nipples, the gentle curve of her breasts, or the toned oval of navel. He caught the hint of a surprised but delighted smile, before she managed to reassert her sultry expression - it was the look of an inexperienced girl who finally realised the full devastating power of her femininity to thoroughly bewitch her man. The wings parted fully, letting him gaze upon her unimpeded and it was like he was seeing her for the first time. He throbbed with arousal at the beautiful sight, taking in every square inch of the stunning girl as she posed before him.
She continued to sway and undulate to the music, staring intently at him as his eyes followed every motion of her body. Her wings moved too, following a languid, repetitive pattern that marked out the beat of the music. Faye sank lower and parted her thighs as she slowly sank to her haunches, giving him a glance at the snug lips of her pussy. He wanted to bury himself in her and claim this nubile girl, making her his own. The lustful expression on Faye's beautiful face told him she wanted the exact same thing.
"Move forward a little," she urged him, licking her lips in anticipation.
He watched her tongue glide over her cupid-bow lips, then did as she asked, shifting forward on the seat so his throbbing cock was inches from her face. She leaned forward, mouth parted in anticipation, her lips glistening with moisture. Faye's wings swept forward and partially obscured her from sight, but before he could object, he felt her lips brush over his cock, engulfing the broad head in her hot little mouth.
"Oh fuck!" he groaned in shock, staring in awe at Faye.
Her glowing eyes peered up at him through a gap in her shimmering wings, her gaze smouldering with lust as she inched down his shaft. With his hands clenched tightly to the armrests of his chair, he gasped at the delicious sensations, savouring the thrill of feeling a new girl worshipping his cock. Faye was a gifted fellatrix, with a technique all of her own, her tongue curling around his shaft and drawing him deeper. She easily took him down her wonderfully tight throat as she bobbed in his lap, sucking hungrily for his cum.
John gritted his teeth, desperate to make it last as long as possible.
*Give her what she wants! Claim her as your own!* Alyssa urged him, her lustful thoughts filling his mind, accompanied by an overwhelming rush of pleasure.
