John, Calara, and Nia took the Raptor in to dock with the Damocles. They opened the airlock to see Jack, Mateo, and Emily waiting with duffel bags. "Welcome aboard," John grinned.
Calara hugged her father, brother, and brother's girlfriend. Jack allowed the hug, returning it, so John guessed he'd calmed down from the shock of realizing Calara was a harem girl. John would have bet a lot of money that Maria had helped talk down her husband. The three Terran Federation officers entered the Raptor, and Nia ferried them back to the Invictus.
"That's the mech that took out half the Praetorian Guard, right?" Emily asked, looking up at the Valkyrie.
"Dana built her, and Sakura pilots her," John confirmed.
They took the grav-tubes up to Deck 4. "We picked up some new crew members recently. You're going to be having meals in the Lounge on Deck 2, but if you run into white-haired green women who look a lot like Irillith and Tashana, don't be surprised," John told them. He'd spent the morning and lunch loads having Jade feed the Larathyran Wards.
"Where'd you pick up alien women in Kirrix space?" Mateo asked in confusion.
"They were the crew of a rival Progenitor, the same one who had Lynton start the Kintark war. When I killed him, I claimed them as my own," John explained.
"The Progenitor's dead?" Jack had wide eyes.
"Him and the one who came to investigate his death. But there's still dozens out there," John warned his future father-in-law.
"Okay, I'm totally lost. What's a Progenitor?" Emily asked.
"Let's get you settled in your rooms, then we can have drinks in the Lounge. Believe me, you'll need them," John told his 3 guests.
They got Jack, Mateo, and Emily squared away and then went up to Deck 2. The whole crew had assembled in the Lounge. "Just give Obi your drink order," John said, accepting a whiskey rocks from Sept.
"Whiskey rocks," Jack told the purple android. He looked at the 20 other women in the room besides his daughter with the knowledge his daughter and her fiance were sexually involved with all of them. "Make it a double."
"Strawberry daiquiri if you have it," Emily asked.
"I'll have the same," Mateo said.
Obi mixed the drinks with robotic speed and precision. Faster than any human bartender, he had them poured and served. "Here you go."
"I've always wanted to ask a real AI this question: do you dream of electric sheep?" Emily asked after a sip.
"I don't sleep, therefore I don't dream. I could count sheep from now until the day I lose power if I wanted to, though," Obi shrugged.
Mateo looked at all the new girls. "You've expanded the crew some since those interviews around the award ceremony. Who is everyone?"
"I'm Helene, one of the Abandoned. I'm the crew's Counselor," Helene told the Latino.
"Not to sound immodest, but I don't think I need to introduce myself," Jehanna chuckled.
"I am Neysa, and my sisters Leylira, Betrixa, Marika, Ailita, and I are Nymphs John rescued," Neysa spoke up.
"I'm Kelli, and this is Perl. We're a couple gang whores that John rescued from Karron," Kelli said, an arm around Perl's shoulder.
"I am Ailanthia. I was Larn'kelnar's Matriarch before John claimed me," Ailanthia bowed, sipping her virgin drink.
"Call me Valeria. I was Gahl'kalgor's Matriarch up until John poached me," Valeria said, slugging her whiskey better than most men could.
"What's a Matriarch?" Jack asked.
"Let's just start from the beginning," John said, taking a seat. Jack, Mateo, and Emily sat down facing him. Calara took a place at John's side and the other Lionesses went to give them privacy. "Jack knows some of this, and we told Mateo most before Regulus, but I'll just give you all a course in Progenitors 101. A very long time ago, I'm talking millions of years, a mad scientist by the name of Xar'aziuth from the first interstellar civilization, the Kyth'faren, hunted his species to extinction. After that, he genetically engineered the Progenitors and the Thralls. Progenitors are the galaxy's most powerful psychics, they don't age once their powers activate, and they have technology that makes the Galactic League seem stuck in the Stone Age. Thralls are species designed to serve as a Progenitor's slaves."
"Throughout history, each Progenitor was born, claimed his Thrall empire, and waged war against every other Progenitor in a free-for-all for Xar'aziuth's amusement. 72 thousand years ago, a Progenitor named Mael'nerak came to what's now the Galactic League. He wiped out the native Achonin, leaving behind the Unclaimed Wastes, and then claimed the Maliri, the Thrall race in this corner of space. He expanded his empire to cover the Galactic League and beyond. He was a scientist and programmer in his spare time, and developed safe AI as well as genetically engineering the Ashanath, the Trankarans, the Drakkar, and the Terrans."
"10 thousand years ago, in what the Trankarans call the War of the Heavens, my father Rahn'hagon came to the Galactic League and waged war against Mael'nerak. To protect his pregnant queen, Mael'nerak launched a suicide attack at Zeta Pegasus. He overloaded his Wormhole Generator, unleashing an explosion that created the Niryean Rift. Rahn'hagon's ship was teleported to the planet Arcadia in Kirrix space, where he crash-landed."
"Fast forward to 41 years ago, my mother's ship landed on Arcadia. My father seduced her with mind control and got her pregnant before arranging for her crew to find her and take her back to Terran space. His bright idea was that I would claim the Maliri and wage the Progenitor War, killing every other Progenitor in the galaxy to end the threat they pose. I was raised and lived a Terran life, ignorant of my heritage. Then I met Alyssa and made her my Matriarch, activating my powers."
"A Progenitor's power is based on his psychic network, a series of women he can tap for energy when he needs it. When I accidentally added Alyssa to my network, I activated my powers as well as the ancestral memories available to each Progenitor. And ever since, I've been trying to get the Galactic League ready for an assault from another Progenitor. The problem was, one was already here."
"Larn'kelnar came to the Galactic League a couple months before I found Alyssa. Rather than just attack and conquer the Galactic League directly, he decided to play us like puppets. He snuck Drakkar into Ashanath space, started a Trankaran civil war, and used mind control on Admiral Lynton to have her start the Kintark war. I cleaned up all that, and he moved on to phase two. He gave advanced armor to half the Drakkar navy and had them all invade Ashanath space. We dealt with them at the Battle of Ashana. Then he brokered the trade of Brimorian Shields to the Kintark and encouraged Baledranax to lead the invasion. As you all know, that didn't turn out how Baledranax intended."
"A few days ago, Larn'kelnar went to Arcadia and kidnapped Rahn'hagon. We arrived the day after, and he tried to ambush us. We managed to turn it around on him. I claimed his Matriarch, Ailanthia. A Progenitor's Matriarch is like his second-in-command, she runs and maintains his psychic network. When I claimed Ailanthia, her whole network joined mine. Then, when Gahl'kalgor was sent to investigate Larn'kelnar's death, I did the same to him and his Matriarch Valeria. Any questions?" John finally finished.
Jack was frowning, Mateo had wide eyes, and Emily had gulped down her entire daiquiri over the course of the explanation. Mateo found his voice first. "So Callie, back on Jericho, when you said your psychic boyfriend rewrote your DNA…"
"Progenitors can put women through the Change. They get the bodies of world-class soldiers, genius IQs, psychic powers, and become eternally young. But there's side effects, and John would never allow a girl to join without informed consent." Calara glanced at Jack. "Plus, the Change is sexual. A woman has to ingest a Progenitor's semen to become his Thrall, or as John calls them, Ward. One of the side effects is imprinting on the first man that you're with."
"What are you saying?" Emily said faintly.
"I'm saying the Lionesses are a harem," Calara said plainly, unashamed. "We all agreed I'd be John's 'official' wife, the one who got the public wedding. But he's engaged to all of us, and we'll all retire to raise families with him after we win the Progenitor War."
Jack finished off the last of his whiskey. "Calara, is there any chance I can convince you to leave John and settle down with a nice Terran boy?"
"Not a chance in Hell," Calara shook her head. "John's the best man in the galaxy, no offense Dad or Mateo, and I'm very lucky to be a part of his life. I know you probably see it as we're all cattily fighting for just a sliver of his attention, but it doesn't work like that. Part of being John's Ward is a psychic imprint of his feelings for us. Every minute I'm awake, I know with absolute certainty that he's in love with me. And the Change makes you bisexual and polyamorous too. I'd marry Alyssa if John wasn't around, and I make love to all the other girls when they're up for it too."
Mateo sputtered. "There's, what, 20 other women on this crew? You're both fucking ALL of them?!"
"I'm a Progenitor. Xar'aziuth designed us to be sex machines, recruiting armies of women and putting them through the Change. I'm subverting the original purpose by choosing quality over quantity and falling in love with all my women, but I was made to be master of a harem," John said plainly.
"And I knew all this going in. I signed up for life as a harem girl. It was my decision, and I've never once regretted it," Calara told her father and brother firmly.
Jack sighed. "Maria knew, of course. She probably saw that you were all together way back during the reunion. She told me I had to respect your decision, that it was your life to live. I'm sorry I screamed at you, Callie. Can you forgive me?"
"Can you give me away to John at the wedding?" Calara countered.
"I'll get very, very drunk at the reception, but yes," Jack grinned wryly.
"Then you're forgiven, Dad." Calara went to give her father a hug.
"Rachel? I think your patients are ready for their check-up," John called.
"What do you mean? I'm perfectly healthy," Emily tilted her head in confusion.
"You're allergic to lobster and peanuts, and you have an incorrectly set break in your right pinky," Rachel corrected, her eyes glowing. She sent out a rejuvenating mist over Emily and the two Fernandez men. "There, all better."
"What the fuck? I feel awesome!" Mateo gasped.
"What did she just do?" Jack asked, eyes wide.
"I restored you all to peak health. You're currently in the optimum physical condition for your particular height, weight, and sex. Try not to get too dinged up, I'd hate to have to need to heal you a second time," Rachel grinned, before returning to talking to Dana.
"I feel half my age," Jack marveled.
"Rachel gave Mom a physical too. Expect quite the ride the next time you two can spend a night together," Calara winked.
Mateo made a sound of disgust. "Callie, that's our parents you're talking about!"
"How do you think we, Dylan, and Eduardo got here? Parents have sex, get over it," Calara rolled her eyes.
Emily cleared her throat. "Small point of concern. You said that the Maliri are one of these Thrall races. And Thrall races were made to follow a Progenitor. The Maliri Regency became the Maliri Kingdom around the time you were at Genthalas getting the Invictus refitted. You're not… are you?"
"My official title in Maliri space is King Baen'thelas," John nodded. "I have a second harem in the Kingdom, made of my Queen Edraele Valaden, her 3 bodyguards, and the 18 other Matriarchs of the Maliri Noble Houses. All but Edraele and her bodyguards are currently pregnant with my children."
Jack shook his head. "I'm going to need name tags at the family reunions, there's going to be a school's worth of grandchildren to keep track of."
"We might just need them. All of my girls want big families," John chuckled.
"Who are your Matriarchs?" Mateo asked.
"Alyssa is Matriarch of the Lionesses, Edraele of the Maliri, Jade of the Nymphs, Ailanthia of the Larathyrans, and Valeria of the Grakirans. I'm going to try and save as many Progenitors' networks as I can, but I'll consider myself lucky if I manage to get half the ones that remain," John explained.
"What do the Maliri look like?" Jack asked, curious.
"Just look at Irillith and Tashana. Though the Maliri who aren't John's Wards have short black hair instead of long white hair," Calara told him.
"How come a Progenitor doesn't recruit men?" Emily wondered.
"Because I'm terminally straight, I get nauseous even at the idea of a man drinking my cum out of a container. Plus the Change would rewire them to become a woman. I MIGHT be able to swing it for a transgender woman, but I've yet to run into any of those," John explained.
"What about a transgender man?" Emily asked, her scientific mind wanting all the answers.
"I honestly don't know," John admitted. "I think their brain would be remade to be female, but that would feel too much like unmaking them as a person. I wouldn't be able to go through with it."
They talked until late, then Jack, Mateo, and Emily went down to Deck 4. John and his crew went to bed in their quarters, Nia and Obi watching over them from the high-backed chairs next to the bed.
They spent the next 3 days doing their own thing, around keeping Jack, Mateo, and Emily entertained. They loved the Lagoon, John was sure Mateo and Emily snuck a quickie in the Observatory, and Calara let Jack fire the Invictus' fearsome guns at a dead asteroid field. John kept himself busy training with Valeria in the Training Room and bonding with Kelli, Perl, and Ailanthia as the newest women to join his crew. Valeria was a fearsome opponent, the hardest challenge he had had, including facing Luna, Ilyana, and Almari 3-on-1. John learned a ton from sparring with the Grakiran gladiatora.
They arrived at Epsilon Eridani, and they all took the Raptor down to the Fernandez townhouse. Maria came running out, rushing to kiss her husband, who met her embrace eagerly. Mateo made gagging noises until Calara elbowed him. Maria pulled back. "Is that a pistol in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?" Maria all but purred.
"Seriously, Mom, Dad, I don't care that Rachel gave you back your youth, keep it to yourselves!" Mateo begged.
"Fine, dear. I'll focus on your girlfriend and telling her all your embarrassing stories. I have your baby album all ready," Maria grinned evilly.
Mateo paled. "I mean, go work on making Fernandez #5! Go on, have at it right here in the backyard, I don't care!"
Emily chuckled. "Your mom's cool."
"And is that the younger Captain Fernandez hiding behind my future son-in-law?" Maria called to Calara.
"I'm hardly hiding," Calara rolled her eyes as she went to hug her mom.
"Oh, this is wonderful! All that's missing are Dylan and Eduardo. Now, let's go inside and I can try to learn the names of all my stepdaughters-in-law!" Maria led them indoors. The Pride, the Fernandezs, and Emily filled the family room and the kitchen. It felt like a party. "So, I think I know everyone who was in the interview before the Mikaboshi attack. Who are the girls who've joined the family since? And while you're introducing yourselves, how about you tell me what powers John gave you too?" Maria posed after everyone had a cup of coffee.
"I'm Helene, one of the Abandoned. I have Empathy, the power to feel and influence others' emotions. It serves me well as our Counselor," Helene answered, drawn to Maria's maternal aura.
"The Abandoned? I'm afraid I've never heard of that species, what a foreboding name," Maria frowned.
"The colonists at the Callopean Shoals were abandoned, not killed. The Brimorians spliced their DNA into the Terran women and raped them, breeding a slave race," Helene revealed.
"I never liked Brimorians," Maria frowned.
"I'm Jehanna Elani, it's very nice to meet you, Maria. I have the Shadow rune, which means I can make illusions, including making people invisible," Jehanna explained.
"I am Neysa. I'm a Nymph, and so can shapeshift," Neysa spoke up.
"Leylira. Turning into a dragon is a real rush!" Leylira grinned.
"I'm Betrixa. And the tentacles make sex super fun," Betrixa cackled.
"My name is Marika. We're also denser and stronger than Terrans thanks to John enhancing us," spoke up the silver catgirl.
"I'm Ailita. I'd still be the Khatris' slave if John hadn't rescued me," Ailita grinned.
"I'm Kelli. I was a whore on Karron, kept by the leader of the Diablo gang. John was super nice and gave me mind control!" Kelli told Maria.
"Perl, same as Kelli. I have the Water rune, which comes in a lot more useful than you'd think," Perl grinned.
"I am Ailanthia of the Larathyran Empire. As well as the Telepathy I already had as a Matriarch, John has gifted me Telekinesis," Ailanthia said. John had forbidden her from drinking coffee because she was pregnant.
"Valeria, the Grakiran Matriarch. I'm super strong, super fast, and I can make force fields," Valeria said, sipping her hot coffee like it was ice water. There was a similar beverage in the Grakiran Empire.
"So, if I'm counting right, there's 21 Lionesses, 18 Maliri Matriarchs, John's sleeping with the Maliri AND Trankaran Queen, and there's also Luna, Ilyana, and Almari. That's 44 wives total, right John? And I have no doubt you're going to keep finding wounded little birds to heal. You'll be up to your eyebrows in all the dirty diapers," Maria chuckled.
"I can't give John biological children… at least not until we grow me an organic body and find a way to transfer my consciousness into it," Nia spoke up.
"And I can't imagine a better way to spend my retirement," John grinned lovingly.
"Callie, tell me we can read Dylan and Eduardo into the secret. I can't keep this to myself," Mateo begged his sister.
"I'd rather tell them myself, in person. I'll tell them before the wedding, you can last that long," Calara said dismissively.
They talked until late, ordering pizza for everyone on John's dime. The alien girls all marveled at the exotic form of food. When it was bedtime, the Pride went back to the Raptor after Calara made her goodbyes. They got to the Invictus, and John had Jade feed everyone before they went to sleep.
The next day, they reported to Olympus. They pulled into Docking Bay 13, which Alyssa humorously informed them Lynette had officially reserved for the Invictus. Lynette met them personally with her security contingent. She led them to her suite on Olympus, where Charles, Lina, and Jayanti were waiting. "Am I missing something?" John asked.
Charles blushed vermillion, and Lina and Jayanti looked determined. "We want to join your network and imprint on Charles," Jayanti said clearly.
"Charlie still thinks we're pulling a prank on him," Lina chuckled.
"Okay. My cum will knock you out for 14 hours. I recommend you clear your schedules," John told them.
"Already done, I warned them," Lynette grinned.
"Well then, may Jade and I use your bedroom?" John asked.
"Feel free," Lynette waved.
John took his first Nymph to the bedroom and filled her up. Jade came out, her breasts each swollen with a quart of 'milk'. "I can feed both of you at once," she assured Jayanti and Lina.
The two Admirals each latched onto a nipple and began to suckle. When their bellies had visibly rounded and Jade was empty, she detached them. John picked them up with Telekinesis and took them to Lynette's bed to tuck them in. He came out and sat down in a chair facing Lynette. "So, I hear the Brimorians took back the Callopean Shoals while the border fleet was away."
"Yes, they did. They might have continued their invasion had I not conveniently remembered to alert Deep Lord Athgiloi to the fact that the Terran Federation just signed a treaty with the Maliri that included a mutual aid agreement of ships in the event of war," Lynette grinned harshly. "I might have left out that Queen Edraele generously provided us with Maliri Lasers once the treaty was signed."
"The Brimorians are about to become the least advanced navy in the Galactic League," Charles chuckled. "Now, what's this about them invading the Kintark?"
"The Brimorians, or at least Athgiloi, are opportunistic scavengers. They smell blood in the water, they attack," John frowned. "Tamolith called Edraele begging for help. I had her send in the Kintark border fleet, but if the Brimorians stop picking off the outer worlds and make straight for Kinta, they won't arrive in time."
"So what are you going to do?" Lynette asked.
"I just got a major power up, claiming Ailanthia and Valeria. I can shape Crystal Alyssium until it's comparable to Soulforged metal. We're reshaping all the armor plates, and then I'm making the frame for a Wormhole Generator. Dana's been making the components over the trip," John revealed.
"Wormhole Generator… so you'll just be able to teleport to anywhere in the galaxy willy-nilly?" Charles asked wide-eyed.
"It takes 12 hours to charge, but yes," John nodded.
"The laws of physics are about to become my bitch," Dana grinned smugly.
"Well, I won't keep you. Don't be a stranger, John," Lynette grinned.
"Wouldn't dream of it, Lynette," John grinned.
Rachel went with Sakura as a guard to visit her father and Abigail, while the rest of the Pride returned to Docking Bay 13. Alpha through Zeta had already detached and stacked all the armor plates. John thanked them for their proactive service and had Dana remove the enchantment on all the plates. John rolled up his Eldritch sleeves and melted them all into a sphere of Crystal Alyssium.
It strained his mental muscles, but he managed to push it from 24-shaped all the way to 50-shaped, the cost getting exponentially higher with each shaping. John used up all the Crystal Alyssium to make the armor plates, and Dana went to work enchanting each one. "Now, even if shields go down, we'll survive hits from a Progenitor Dreadnought! Though let's not test them against a Quantum Annihilator, shall we?" Dana said lightly.
"Let me study the frame again," John asked. Dana helpfully handed him a holo-reader while Gamma and Psi went to fetch a couple ore crates of Crystal Alyssium. John put the cubes through 49 shapings before twisting them into the shape for the Wormhole Generator frame. "And I'm done," he said, wiping sweat from his brow.
"Hardly. You have all the Armors to do, or did you forget?" Alyssa teased.
John seriously considered 'delegating' that task to Alyssa but knew he was the stronger psychic and he wanted his women as protected as possible. "Fine, you vixen."
John did a sweep of the ship, reshaping all the Armors to 50-shaped. Dana had left Jade with detailed instructions on how to install the components and enchanted each armor when John was done. She took extra care with John's Progenitor War Armor, covering every inch with runes spelling out protection and amplification of strength and power. Once John was done, it was nearly time for lunch. Dana went to check on how Jade was doing, and John went to the Lounge to grab an ice-cold beer. He knew that beer snobs insisted it should be drunk at room temperature, but John was fine with being uncultured.
Alyssa, Dana, and Jade were late to lunch, having been busy installing the Wormhole Generator in what used to be the Pharmacy, rendered obsolete between John's cum and Rachel's healing power. "And the countdown to our first trip through a wormhole is counting!" Dana announced before she started to eat.
"It's very hard on your stomach, don't be embarrassed if you vomit the first time," Ailanthia spoke up. Sakura had made everyone sushi, but Ailanthia couldn't have mercury and was eating some tempura shrimp and vegetables.
John trained with Calara, Sakura, and Valeria the rest of the day, and watching Sakura and Valeria clash was a sight to see. Valeria favored twin daggers of a Grakiran design, but she was trained in all manner of weapons. Sakura found it humbling to train with the blood-red Ward.
They had dinner and relaxed for the evening, everyone having drinks and just having fun bonding as a family. When midnight came around, Dana was almost vibrating out of her seat. "Nia, Obi, how's the diagnostic look?"
"Green across the board," Nia grinned.
They went up to the Bridge and Jade took them away from Olympus. "Dana? Wormhole to Kinta," John ordered.
Dana activated possibly the Kyth'faren's most advanced creation. The incredibly powerful forces were generated within the frame, contained by the strength of the Crystal Alyssium. A swirling nimbus of energy formed in front of the Invictus and seemed to swallow up the ship. When it closed behind them, they were in a different empire entirely.
"Okay, that was unpleasant," Helene groaned, a helpful Quatre and Neuf going to clean up the piles of vomit around the Bridge. John himself had succumbed to the incredibly nauseating sensation of traveling an Einstein-Rosen bridge.
Lirrash shook her head, and regarded her console. "We're being hailed by the Kintark homeworld defense fleet's flagship."
"Put him on," John said.
A crimson-scaled Kintark regarded John with carefully masked fear. "Admiral Blake. Have you come to finisssh what you ssstarted againssst my people?"
"I'm not here as Admiral Blake, but as King Baen'thelas of the Maliri. I'm here to help you with your Brimorian problem," John said with a friendly grin.
The Kintark looked like a feather could knock him over. "Why? You ssslaughtered Baledranax, killed thousssandsss of my people at Regulusss and Terra!"
"I did what I did in defense of the Terran Federation. I have nothing against the Kintark personally. In fact, I was going to offer you a treaty with my Kingdom. Among other things, I'm here to discuss the terms with Empress Tamolith," John explained. "What is your name, by the way?"
"I am Grand Prelate Zorlin. I lead the Kintark navy… sssuch asss it isss," Zorlin shrugged.
"Could you put me through to the imperial palace? I want to let Tamolith know I'm here," John said.
"Empresss Tamolith isss known to kill any courtier who disssturbsss her ressst. Can it not wait until morning?" Zorlin asked.
"And how do you think she'll react when she finds out it was your idea to let her sleep instead of letting her know I was here?" John pointed out.
"Good point," Zorlin nodded. "Pleassse wait, while I contact the palace." They were put on hold, the emblem of the Kintark Empire appearing on the vid-screen. Zorlin reappeared. "Tamalaz the Fortunate sssmilesss on usss. Ssshe was ssstill awake. Ssshe wissshesss to ssspeak to you," Zorlin hissed.
"Try to get some sleep, Zorlin. You'll need it," John warned. Then Zorlin transferred the call to Tamolith.
"John Blake, or should I call you King Baen'thelas? I was unaware you were Edraele's King," Tamolith grinned at John.
"Very few outside Maliri space are privy to that information. You asked the Maliri Kingdom for aid against the Brimorian invasion. The Invictus is here to help guard Kinta, and my Tactical Officer Calara is at your disposal to plan how to use your navy to wipe out the invaders," John said. "We also come bearing gifts. At the very least, EMP torpedoes that will knock out Brimorian shields. Agree to join the alliance I've formed with the Ashanath, Trankarans, and Terrans and you'll get much more."
"This seems too good to be true. There are those who curse you as more deadly than Tiemeth the Destroyer. You've heavily contributed to the Terran side of the last war, undoubtedly tipping the balance in the Federation's favor. Why be so generous after all you've done to my people?" Tamolith wondered.
"The Kintark Empire's recent fall from grace is the fault of Baledranax and Larn'kelnar. I'm hoping Tamolith and Baen'thelas can help lift it back to its former glory and beyond," John grinned. "And we haven't even touched on the personal offer I want to make to you."
"I am all ears," Tamolith said, eager to hear it.
"Progenitors can rewrite any female's DNA. I can make you stronger, smarter, healthier, and give you psychic powers. The catch is you'll have to become my mate. I'll let you rule the Kintark until Zulkayr is ready to take the throne, and then I'll change you into one of my women," John laid out.
"You're telling me you can transform me from all my majesty into one of your tiny females?" Tamolith asked with a raised brow ridge.
"Yes," John said simply.
"What psychic powers would you give me?" Tamolith asked, curious.
"Pyrokinesis and Aerokinesis, so you can fly and breathe fire like the dragons of Terran myth. Combined with your pheromones, you should be able to terrify anyone into doing your bidding," John said enticingly.
"Your offer is quite tempting, though I dread the thought of leaving my precious darlings to spend eternity at your side," Tamolith confessed.
"We have a Wormhole Generator, and if I have my way by the time Zulkayr takes the throne I'll have finished waging the Progenitor War and have retired. We'll be free to visit as often as you want," John promised.
"What is this Progenitor War you speak of?" Tamolith asked.
"Larn'kelnar was but one of dozens of Progenitors throughout the galaxy. We're extremely lucky he took to playing puppet master instead of directly assaulting us, because we wouldn't have stood half a chance. The next Progenitor to find the Galactic League will probably lead an outright invasion. I intend to go out and assassinate all the Progenitors to end the threat they pose to my family and those I hold dear. If you agree to join me, that will include the Kintark," John pointed out.
"In that case, I'll accept your proposal. When can you meet with me to enhance me?" Tamolith asked.
"The first dose of my DNA will knock you out for 14 hours. Would early tomorrow evening suit you?" John asked.
"Very well. I shall retire to my chambers, and dream of a future as your woman. I hope you're a better lover than Kindralax," Tamolith said with a throaty chuckle.
"You'll find that I leave ALL my women very satisfied," John grinned.
Tamolith winked and ended the call.
"Random thought, couldn't you use psychic growth and fuck her even when she's still all big and scaley?" Dana asked.
"Too close to beastiality for my taste," John said instantly. "Alright, time for bed. Nia, Obi, let us know when the Brimorians change course for Kinta."
"Sure thing," Nia nodded as she followed them all to the grav-tubes.
"Like we have nothing better to do," Obi rolled his eyes.