Given she was still digesting her second load, John decided to take Sparks on a tour of the Invictus after the rest of the crew got a quick breakfast and then went about their self-assigned tasks for the day. Calara was going to the Bridge to keep tracking down the pirate gang that had killed her old crew, Jonah went to the Gym to explore and train his psychic powers, and Alyssa decided to put in some more time in the Firing Range to improve her ballistics.
"So, I only know that you're apparently a very gifted engineer, you took Alyssa under your wing, and you used to work for the Diablo gang back on Karron. What's your story, Sparks?" John asked as he took Sparks through Deck 6. He didn't really care about all the computers and technical equipment, but Sparks seemed to be in seventh heaven. He thought she was about to faint when she saw the FTL Drive.
Sparks shrugged, one hand on her dwindling bump and another on her face, as if reassuring herself that her old scar was gone. "I was dumped at an orphanage as a newborn. No birth certificate, not even a name. I got 'Sparks' from the matron because I found a couple exposed wires and kept playing with them when I was, like, 2. I was always smarter than the other kids, seeing things and connections they couldn't. It scared some, others got jealous, and I hightailed it out of there by the time I was 7. I lived on the street for a year, getting credits by doing simple fixes for other people's machines. At 8, I tried to fix a malfunctioning generator and it exploded in my face. That's how I got the scar, from the scalding oil. Shortly after that, people didn't want me working for them because I was so ugly to look at. I realized I'd starve if I didn't do something to make myself useful or get credits. So I approached the Diablos and basically sold myself to them as their gunsmith and mechanic. My scar was a blessing in disguise, I never had to worry about getting violated and I was too useful to damage anyway. Other than finding Alyssa and making my first real friend, my life was spent in that little workshop you found me in."
John felt his heart break at the tragic story, and he pulled Sparks into a warm hug. "That part of your life is over now. You're one of us, now. We'll look after you, you'll never be alone again."
Sparks swallowed, her eyes getting suspiciously wet. "Thanks, John," she whispered, but her gratitude was loud as a siren to John's ears.
Once the moment ended, John continued the tour. When they got to Deck 7, he led Sparks to the Armory. Before being decommissioned, the room had held the guns and ammo for the 300 trained Marine commandos assigned to the Invictus. Now, since being bought by John and modified as a 'trading vessel', it was basically just a big empty room. Charles, his old CO and the man who sold him the ship, had taken back all the weapons and the ammunition had been moved to the Firing Range for ease of access.
"This will be your Engineering Bay," John said with a wave of his hand. "You have a little over 2 weeks to shop for all the equipment you want or need and have it shipped to Olympus Station in my name. I'm giving you a blank check, though you should know that the grand total should really be less than 94 million unless you set up a payment plan. We stand to make 500 million or more from the Tyrenium we bought from Mortimer, but that's all I have in the bank at the moment."
Sparks made a squeaking sound. "Half a billion?! In T-Fed credits?!"
"Tyrenium is very rare and very useful to the military. Mortimer had no idea how big a mistake he made selling the first batch to me so cheap, then agreeing to the same price per ton for the second batch," John shrugged. "So, yeah, shop for anything you want to make the workshop of your dreams."
Sparks jumped into his arms to kiss him, a bit necessary since she was only 5'3 and he was a solid 6'2. He supported her weight easily and enjoyed an enthusiastic makeout. When she pulled back, she was beaming. "What did I do to deserve you?" she asked in wonder.
"Helped one of the loves of my life and kept her safe until she was in a place where we could meet," John answered readily. "Seriously, if you hadn't been around to look out for Alyssa… she may have died before she had a chance to end up on my ship. I can't imagine life without her now, so I'd give you anything you wanted just for that. The fact you're my Chief Engineer and agreed to join the family are just hats on top of a hat as far as I'm concerned."
"I'm starting to see it now; why she's totally gaga for you. You're a good man, John," Sparks said, eyes bright with wonder and admiration.
John opened his mouth to deny it, before remembering he was trying to fix his negative self-esteem issue. So he decided to just take the compliment. "I hope I can stay one through the years. It's no less than you deserve in a man, Sparks," he replied.
Sparks leaned in for another kiss, and then slithered down his front to her knees. A rather prominent tent was in John's pants. "Fair warning, I've never consciously given one of these," Sparks said as she unzipped him and pulled down his briefs to have him swing free.
"No one's perfect the first try at something," John reassured her. "Just don't try to bite and do what feels natural."
Sparks took a preparatory breath, and then took John's Progenitor cock into her mouth. It looked a bit like a gerbil trying to eat a cucumber whole, given the sheer size of John's endowment, but it felt too good for John to see the humor. With slow but determined moves, Sparks began to move her head up and down his length. He felt a slight resistance when his head reached the entrance to her throat. He was just about to assure her she didn't have to deepthroat unless she wanted to, when she looked up at him and deliberately slid down until her nose brushed his groin. John almost went cross-eyed.
One hand resting on his strong thigh to balance, the other coming up to fondle his quad of balls, Sparks gave the blowjob of her life, sliding up and down in smooth movements with the briefest breaks to breathe. John lasted all of 5 minutes under her ministrations before he moaned long and free as the whiteout of his orgasm surged through his body and brain. When he stopped seeing stars, John looked down and saw Sparks smiling up at him, her stomach so convex it might just be touching the metal floor.
John tucked himself back in and then helped Sparks back to her feet. "You sure that was your first time?" John asked a bit breathlessly.
"Guess I'm a natural," she preened.
John chuckled, then focused. With deliberation, he focused on giving Sparks Telepathy as he'd gifted the power to every other member of his psychic network.
Sparks gave a shiver. "Whoo, that was tingly. The fuck was that?"
*I just gave you Telepathy,* John projected straight into her mind.
*For reals?* she thought back, blinking.
*Apparently, it only comes standard for a Matriarch. Since I'm evidently nothing like your average Progenitor, I have a Patriarch in Jonah and I've given Telepathy to Calara and now you as well, and probably every future member of the harem. If you think of any other psychic power you want as a gift, I'll try giving it to you too, all you have to do is ask,* John informed his newest Thrall.
*Right… let me crunch on that for a bit. I never thought magic or psionics or whatever you wanna call them was real. Having my own superpower… that's a mindfuck. I'm overwhelmed just with this whole mind-reading thing,* Sparks told him.
*Take your time, no rush,* John assured her.
They left the Engineering Bay, as it would henceforth be known, Sparks' thoughts racing as she imagined finally getting her hands on stuff straight out of the Engineers' Almanac catalog. John was amazed at her mind the more he tuned in. She thought faster than any of the other members of the crew, and she tossed around multisyllabic scientific terms like they were going out of style. If she was this intelligent before the Change upgraded her brain and mind… John suddenly felt very confident he'd have access to the most technically advanced ship and gear in the Galactic League with Sparks as his Chief Engineer.
They went to visit Alyssa in the Firing Range. John found her firing at a target a mere 10 yards from the firing line. The reason the target was so close when she could hit bullseyes at maximum range was clear after a second when he saw the wall of snow-white hexagons in the air in front of the target.
*Testing how bulletproof Psychic Shields are?* he checked with his Matriarch.
Alyssa stopped firing at full automatic, laying the XR75 Rifle down on the bench. She turned to grin at John and Sparks. *Yep!* she projected to both of them. Telepathy was the default communication for their crew at this point, it was faster and felt more intimate than using their physical voices. *Seems a single hexagon, no matter the size, can take 7 rounds before it shatters. And it takes me a solid 3 seconds to recreate a hexagon in that spot. So far, I've just been trying to race myself to see if I can break as many hexagons as I can hold simultaneously to get to the target. The perfect defense, I believe, would be a dome of teeny-tiny hexagons that rotated and reformed just as fast as it broke. I'm nowhere near that level yet, but good to have goals, right?*
*Considering I can only hold 3 hexagons in one spot at a time, let alone moving them, I definitely agree that sounds like the pinnacle of psychic defense,* John agreed.
Alyssa frowned and projected concern. *Remember what Michael warned us. If you die, we'll follow soon after. Your personal safety is ALL our safety, John. I don't care if it bores you to tears or you're utter pants at it, you need to become the best at Psychic Shields on the whole crew. You understand?*
*Yes, ma'am,* John thought, snapping into a salute. *No joke, I will obey to the best of my ability.* He kept a stoic mask for a second before his eyebrows wiggled. *You're sexy when you take charge. Maybe we should experiment with some role reversal sometime.*
*Don't tease me, John. Find me the right strap-on and I will peg you until you're a babbling mess,* Alyssa thought back with a smile of purest sin.
*Promises, promises,* John chuckled.
Sparks came forward, having just passively listened at that point. *Can I take a look at that?* she asked Alyssa eagerly, most of her attention having been on the XR75 since they entered the room.
*Here's your new toy. McCarran Arms XR75 Assault Rifle, takes standard .50 cal caseless ammunition, fires in single shot, 3-round burst, and full automatic,* Alyssa grinned as she handed the sleek weapon over to a practically drooling Sparks.
Before John's eyes, Sparks field stripped and reassembled the XR75 in under 5 minutes, her eyes racking over each individual component and her thoughts a near-unintelligible blur of calculations and analyses. When it was put back together, she took aim and fired a 3-round burst at the target Alyssa had been using. Even accounting for being so near, she still got all 3 shots dead center.
*Wow,* John was awed.
*This is the best gun I've ever seen… but I can do better,* Sparks thought confidently. *Any other toys you want to share, Alyssa?* she asked.
While the two Karronites started to chat about all the weapons in their arsenal, John left them to it, sure Alyssa would keep a good watch on their newest recruit. He left the Firing Range and went to check on Jonah in the Gym. He was struck dumb for a second at the sight that met him, then he was using Psychic Alacrity to rush across the room.
*Are you seriously bench-pressing 2 tons without a spotter?!* John demanded as he went to deactivate the gravity weights attached to the reinforced barbell.
Jonah rolled his eyes and set the bar as John rushed to turn off the artificial gravity machines. *My PR is actually 3, I was just cranking out reps for endurance. Thanks for breaking my rhythm, by the way, I was at a solid 37.*
*You could have hurt yourself!* John scolded.
Jonah met his panicked glare flatly. *Johnny boy, despite our appearances to the contrary, I am not younger than you. I'm over twice your age. I'm not a child. I safely explored my limits and found a safe range to do an extended workout at. I was never in any danger, and while I appreciate the sentiment behind your concern, it's also a bit demeaning.*
John stayed upset for a few more seconds before he deflated. *Sorry. Just… don't scare me like that. At least warn one of us when you decide to practice Psychic Strength like this. If you got hurt and I couldn't get to you in time to heal you…*
Jonah's lips quirked up and he went to give John a soothing kiss. *Fine, fine, I'll bring you or Alyssa as a spotter from now on. But seriously, that was just going for a good pump for me. I'm probably stronger than you by now. I only have to focus on Strength, Alacrity, and Shields while you've been trying to evenly practice every power you have the energy to pull off.*
John's competitive side reared its head. *Wanna bet? Who's the mighty Progenitor and who's the mere Thrall here?*
*I'm game if you are, Blake,* Jonah fired back with a cocky smirk.
*Ugh, men,* Calara sent through the mental chorus. *You two are as bad as my brothers.*
*Leave them to it, Callie, boys will be boys,* Alyssa chuckled.
*Arm wrestle? Loser bottoms?* John posed to Jonah, ignoring the womenfolk.
*You're on!* Jonah agreed easily.
Given the sheer forces they would exert using Psychic Strength, they decided to do the match lying prone on the titanium floor. John and Jonah shared a look with many kinds of heat and then mutually counted down the match. *3… 2… 1!*
John, even with the awkward position compared to traditional arm wrestling, put everything he had into the flex. Jonah's hand moved a couple degrees, and then just froze.
*That all you got? You need to hit the gym more, Johnny boy,* Jonah thought tauntingly.
John redoubled his efforts. An alarming sound of strained metal came from his elbow, but he ignored it. Yet for all his strength and psychic power, Jonah's arm did not so much as waver.
*Well, no point in drawing this out,* Jonah teased, and a second later John felt a heavy impact against the back of his hand as Jonah slammed his fist against the floor. It left a heavy dent, but he only felt the sting of defeat.
John got his breath back after Jonah released his grip, then grinned and leaned in to kiss his Patriarch. *Proud of you. And this just means you do all the work tonight, so no real loss.*
*You're awful mellow about a 'mere Thrall' exerting his dominance over his Progenitor 'master',* Jonah teased even as he added tongue to the kiss.
*I'm not your average Progenitor,* John thought back, focusing so all 4 of his crew could hear him. *And for the record, 'Thrall' is such an ugly word. Since I'm breaking the mold by being bi and not a selfish megalomaniac anyway, let's change the word for members of the network to something nicer.*
*Cumsluts? What, it's accurate!* Jonah suggested even as John gave an eye roll.
*Servant or vassal is a step up from 'slave' like Thrall means but still the same connotation. Troops or warriors carries the wrong message too,* Calara mused.
*Wards? It's not just a room in a hospital, it used to mean anyone under someone else's protection or guidance,* Sparks suggested.
*That's not bad,* John thought. *What about you, honey?* he aimed at Alyssa.
*I got it. Angels. John Blake's Angels. Since you're basically a demigod and all, both in bed and with the mind magic,* Alyssa thought in the chorus.
*My Angels… I love it,* John grinned.
John and Jonah kept kissing for a bit, but given John had fed Sparks not 20 minutes earlier he wasn't in the mood to take it any further. John left Jonah to get back to his training, then took the elevator up to the Command Deck to check on Calara.
Calara looked up and beamed as he came out the elevator. *Perfect timing! I just pinpointed the pirate base!*
*Walk me through it,* John prompted. Even with the Change turbocharging her brain, he was amazed she'd accomplished hunting down the pirate gang in less than 24 hours.
Calara zoomed out to show the Sector Map on her station's screen. She mapped out all the reported pirate attacks for the last 6 months and the black box data gathered from each encounter. She then launched into some complex algorithm that flew over John's head but he was confident that his Tactical Officer was spot on at whatever it was. Finally, Calara zoomed in on a system named Chendar. It was uninhabitable, but there was an abandoned gas mining station in orbit around one of the gas giants. Calara highlighted the construction. "This is where they're based. They can refuel, it's within a day of most major trading lanes in the Outer Rim, and the data supports the timeline. It's hard to be completely sure, but assuming they kept that Freighter that ambushed the Griffon and removing those 3 ships we took out 2 days ago, they have two dozen ships total in their fleet, give or take 2."
*Stellar work, Lieutenant Fernandez,* John grinned. He leaned down to give his Latina lover a hug. *A promise is a promise. We'll go to Chendar and wipe them out. We'll hunt down every last one if we have to. No one else will have to go through what you went through.*
*Knew there was a reason I loved you,* Calara thought with passion.
Alyssa came out the elevator, having been following along with their thoughts the whole time. She made the course alteration to take them straight to Chendar. *10 days, not too much of a detour, actually. Chendar is only 2 days from Port Heracles,* the stunning blonde told them as she programmed the new route into the Nav-computer.
John checked his smartwatch. *I'll get started on lunch, then I guess we should all train for the rest of the day. Sparks is apparently a crack shot already and has some growing to do, so she can spend the time taking apart all our guns or shopping for the Engineering Bay. Unless she just wants to hang out with one of us, of course. And Alyssa, I want you to check in with Michael at some point, see if he has any more knowledge on Progenitors he can share with us that didn't come up last night.*
*Yes, sir,* his crew, his family, his Angels all thought back to him.
The next 9 days fell into a steady rhythm for the crew of the Invictus. Sparks, when she wasn't getting fed by John, was at her Engineering console on the Bridge either familiarizing herself with the ship or sketching upgrade ideas for all the guns, armor, and the ship in general. She'd settled on her wishlist for the Engineering Bay, a whopping 17 million credits of equipment, which John signed off on without blinking and ordered sent to Olympus Station to await their arrival and installation in drydock. Calara, now that she'd tracked down the pirates, split her time between learning martial arts with John and Jonah or putting in hours in the Firing Range. She had been a decent shot in the Academy, but with her enhanced brain she could now get as good as physically possible. Jonah did much the same, either in the Firing Range playing with their weapons or training in the Gym in some form or another. Alyssa declared on the 3rd day she was as good as she could get in the Firing Range and switched full-time to training her psychic powers. She had the bright idea to practice both offense and defense by having 'duels' with John. They'd both make a wall of Psychic Shields then practice trying to break down the others with Telekinetic lances. They both soon developed novel, unique styles in how they approached psychic warfare. John, when he wasn't involved in training or helping any of the others, explored his Progenitor abilities or relaxed in the pool and hot tub.
Dinnertime was sacred to the crew, everyone meeting to cook and then enjoy a shared meal among loved ones. It was usually followed by either lounging with drinks or John coming up with a new way to feed Sparks with the help of the others. Sparks may have entered the ship a virgin, but by the time she completed the Change she was the farthest thing from virginal. She'd discovered a number of Sapphic delights with Alyssa and Calara, and was plundered by John and Jonah in almost every physically possible configuration and position.
By the day they were set to arrive at Chendar, Sparks was fully transformed into an Angel. Her ginger hair had changed shades to a rich auburn that fell like a waterfall of copper wire to her hips. Her skin was bronze in the way only spray-ons and those glowing with health could achieve, utterly free of blemish. Like all female Angels, she had a heartstopping hourglass figure with 32D breasts that drew focus away from the muscle tone of an Olympic gymnast. And her mind had only gotten stronger, to the point that when she had a brainwave none of the crew could keep up or understand her stream of consciousness, it was so quick and complex. She had Bonded with Alyssa alone, and that was largely due to years of friendship and established trust. But the others were assured she'd reach that level with them eventually and told her there was no rush.
John ordered everyone to go up to the Bridge after lunch. No point in wearing themselves out with training before a fight, even if it stayed purely ship-to-ship. Everyone went to their station, passing the time with lighthearted chatter. Barely an hour after they'd settled down, though, the distress beacon alarm went off like a klaxon.
*Analysis,* John ordered, going into combat mode instantly.
Alyssa zoomed in on the origin point, already altering their course. *4 ships with blocked transponders going after a Heavy Freighter, the Calypso. Less than 10 minutes until we're in the system.*
Jonah, anticipating John's next order, opened a comm link with the Calypso. A middle-aged woman appeared on screen after the connection took, the sounds of screams and panicking humanity in the background. "Help us! This is the Calypso, and we're being attacked by pirates! They've taken out our engines, we're sitting ducks!"
"This is Commander John Blake on the Invictus," John told her in a firm yet gentle tone. "We're on our way, should be less than 10 minutes. Gather your crew, grab any weapons you can find, and barricade yourselfs in the farthest, most defensible point from the airlock. We're coming to get you, just hold out as long as you can!"
The woman gave a shaky nod before the call unexpectedly cut out.
*Took out the comm relay so they can't call for help, smart,* Calara frowned. She cracked her knuckles and activated the weapons systems. A subtle hum went through the ship as the powerful Lasers and Mass Driver cannons warmed up.
It was a tense wait, and then they finally arrived in the system where the attack was taking place. Their sensors swept throughout the system, sending data back that Sparks fed into the Tactical Map above their heads and to their individual consoles.
Calara's jaw dropped when she spotted the ship docked with the Calypso. *Those bastard sons of bitches! That's the Calypso! They stole my old ship!*
*Can you be sure without the transponder code?* John checked, one Corvette looking the same as another to him.
*Positive, the rear stabilizers have been modified. That's why the Griffon stopped at Port Heracles and I got the chance to transfer out from under Grant. Oh, I am pissed,* the Fernandez growled mentally.
Jonah pulled up the pilot controls from his XO Chair. *I fly, you shoot,* he offered as he took them in, their 4 Engines flaring to life.
The other 3 pirate ships consisted of 2 more Corvettes and a Frigate, which happened to be the two smallest classifications of ships capable of hyperwarp. The Invictus was an Assault Cruiser, and had a gunner and pilot enhanced by a Progenitor at the helm. The pirates didn't stand a snowball's chance in hell. Alyssa, anticipating suiting up to save the Calypso and unneeded on the Bridge, went to the Commander's Quarters to suit up while Calara and Jonah worked their magic. John watched with pride as his two Angels worked as a perfect team to maximize the lethality of the Invictus and utterly destroy the 3 pirate ships.
*Shields at 87%,* Sparks reported when the last shot was fired and Jonah went to dock the Invictus with the Griffon.
*Sparks, Calara, stay up here in case reinforcements arrive. Jonah, Alyssa, and I will sweep through the Griffon and Calypso,* John ordered, already out of his Command Chair. With Psychic Alacrity, he and Jonah were in the elevator 2 seconds later. A wait that felt longer than it should, and then they were racing down Deck 2 to their room and the weapons locker in their closet. Alyssa was over halfway through the lengthy process of putting on her Phalanx armor suit. What it had in quality, it cost in equipping time. John and Jonah moved super-fast to catch up with her, then they all grabbed the 3 XR75 Rifles.
Another, even longer elevator ride, and they were at Deck 9 and the airlock. John held his palm to the DNA scanner, opening the inner airlock for the Invictus. Closing it behind them once they were in the chamber, John opened the outer airlock and had a moment of deja vu when saw the outer airlock of the Griffon. *Calara was right,* he noted before taking out his code-breaker and laying it on the keypad. His Commander-level clearance opened the airlock in seconds, and then he and his Matriarch/Patriarch team were in the commandeered Corvette.
Though it had been in the pirate's hands less than a month, the ship was definitely worse for wear. A quick sweep showed that, like rank amateurs, the pirate crew had not left anyone behind to man the Bridge when they raided the Calypso. The idiots were probably unaware the Invictus was even there and their fellow pirates were now so much space debris. John pulled up a map of a standard Heavy Freighter on his HUD and led Jonah and Alyssa into the besieged civilian ship.
Assuming the Calypso's crew had followed his instructions, John predicted they were holed up in the Galley. Still, he took a circuitous route in case the pirates had split up so they could pick them off piecemeal and not get surprised from behind. It was a good thing he did, for he heard harsh male voices and female sobs when he turned a certain corner.
"It just seems like such a waste," groaned one man.
"You heard Cyclops, he said we wait until we take them back to our ship afterwards," another man grumbled, though he sounded equally annoyed.
"Poor bastard's just angry he can't have any fun anymore until he can afford that cybernetic cock replacement," the first man snorted. "Come on, what's the harm in getting a quick turn before the others?"
"Well, it's not like they're going to tell anyone… If you know what's good for ya," the second man said with dripping menace.
The women's crying got louder and more desperate.
Having heard more than enough, John activated Psychic Alacrity and moved into the doorway of the room the voices originated from. Before the two pirates even knew he was there, he'd taken both down with headshots before returning to normal speed.
The female crew, 3 of them, screamed as their faces got splattered with blood and the two bodies collapsed to the ground. John stepped into the room, flanked by Jonah at his right and Alyssa at his left. The women looked up in fear, and John was aware that with their opaque helmet visors and angular Titanium armor, they looked rather intimidating. "You're safe now," he said, trying to reassure the women who were almost raped. "Gather their weapons and guard the door."
"Y-you can't just leave us!" one woman protested, eyes so wide John could count the veins at the edges.
"We need to handle the other pirates," Jonah said dismissively, already turning to scout ahead.
"Just hunker down. The next people through this door will be your crewmates," Alyssa said, injecting a smile into her tone, before stepping back with John and closing the door behind them.
They swept through the rest of the ship, finding no more pirates until they got near the Galley. Sounds of sporadic gunfire filled the hallway leading to the busted open double doors. Using Psychic Alacrity, Jonah rushed to the other side of the door too fast for anyone to see. John let Alyssa take the other side and peek around the corner quickly while he used his X-ray Vision to just peer through the wall.
"Surrender and your lives will be spared," shouted a cyborg, a rather familiar one. It was the same one from the original raid on the Griffon when Calara was captured and almost raped by the Largath. He and his men were behind two overturned tables, taking potshots at a similar barricade on the other side of the room. Much fewer shots came the pirate's direction, and John saw the majority of the Calypso's crew were huddled in fright in the pantry while a mere 4 defenders had guns. A couple bodies were bleeding out on both sides of the conflict.
"Fuck you, slaver!" shouted one brave man, sticking his head up from over the table to get a better shot. He took too long to aim, and his forehead got ventilated by one of the pirates for his trouble.
John frowned and made his plan at the speed of thought. *The only issue is the cyborg, we know he has subdermal armor. Jonah, Alyssa, work from either end towards the center. I'll twist his neck with Telekinesis. Sparks, honey, any interest in scavenging his implants?*
*If and when I want to dabble in cybernetics, we can afford to buy state-of-the-art parts for me to tinker with. I wouldn't touch that low-tier black market trash with a 10-foot pole,* his fiery redhead snorted across their telepathic link.
*Roger. Ready… NOW!* John commanded.
Jonah and Alyssa moved into position, firing with frightening accuracy to get headshots or heartshots on each pirate. John reached out with an eldritch grip and grabbed the cyborg captain's skull. With a simple twist of his wrist and a shriek of torn wires and metal, the cyborg's head twisted 180 degrees and his body collapsed to the ground.
In less than 10 seconds, the pirates were all down for the count.
"Cease fire! This is Commander Blake of the Invictus! You're safe, the pirates are dead!" John shouted into the sudden stillness.
The defenders hesitantly looked up and gawked at the 3 armored crew of the Invictus. The woman John had spoken to, probably the captain of the crew, came out of the pantry. John strode forward to meet her, taking off his helmet so they could see his face.
"Oh, Commander Blake! Thank Heavens you got here so fast! We would have been killed or worse if you didn't show up!" the woman said, a massive weight visibly lifting off her shoulders.
"Just in the right place at the right time," John grinned, before he frowned. "How many did you lose?"
"5 good men, and we have 3 women unaccounted for," she said grimly.
"Oh, those women are in a storage room back that way," Alyssa said, hooking a finger over her shoulder. "They seemed twitchy and they have a couple guns once we shot the pirates menacing them, so approach with caution."
"Oh, thank fuck! I'm going to go kiss my wife!" one of the defenders said before he ran out the room, followed by another man and a butch-looking woman, probably the lovers or spouses of the 3 potential rape victims.
"You said your engines were taken out. Do you need us to tow you to Port Heracles?" John checked. This would delay their arrival at Chendar, but the lives of civilians came first. Calara sent silent approval through the chorus at his thinking.
"We got a response to the beacon before you. A small fleet from Heracles, but they're at least 2 hours out. We never would have lasted that long! You saved our lives, Commander Blake!" the woman gushed.
"Just doing the job, ma'am," John shrugged with a smile. "We'll stay in the system to protect you with the Invictus until the fleet arrives. Is there anything else you need?"
"No, we can patch ourselves up well enough," she sighed. "Again, we owe you one, Commander Blake."
"You want to pay me back? Don't let this haunt you. You lived, so live. Get counseling if you need it, but don't let these bastards darken your minds any more than they already have," John said, thinking of Calara's PTSD before the Change had seemingly cured it. He didn't want these innocent people suffering the same way.
"That's mighty good advice, son," the woman said with a faint smile of her own.
John put his helmet back on and led Jonah and Alyssa back through the Calypso, Griffon, and finally the Invictus. They reached the Bridge, where Calara rushed to hug all three of them as soon as they were out the elevator. *That was probably the original gang that killed all my crewmates. You've avenged my old friends. Thank you,* she thought, simple and heartfelt.
*No problem, honey,* John thought tenderly. He looked over at Sparks, who seemed quite occupied with something on her console. Her hands were moving like lightning as she typed. *You with us, Sparks?* he projected.
*Hush, I'm busy hacking the Griffon's transponder and black box. It's military-grade encryption, but that's not as hard to crack as it would have been 2 weeks ago. Let me finish and we'll confirm if Chendar is their base and have a full list of remaining ships in their fleet. Plus the Tactical Map will give us their designations and tac data instead of us having to eyeball it with the sensors,* the supergenius engineer thought distractedly.
John blinked. *Um, sure. Keep up the good work.* Privately, he was amazed that Sparks was being so blase about being able to break through Terran Federation cybersecurity. Despite being one of the younger civilizations in the Galactic League, humanity was hailed as being one of the leaders in computer science in this corner of the galaxy. The only clear superiors were the Dauzakai, who were culturally obsessed with cybernetics and trying to achieve a technological singularity, and the Maliri, who seemed just plain better than any other member nation across the board in terms of scientific progress. For Sparks to be confident she could get into the Griffon's systems, when programming wasn't even her specialty… he was happy she was on his side, that's all he'd say.
Sparks remained hard at work while the rest of the crew passed the time, the relief force from Heracles slowly approaching on the long-range scanners. Finally, the lone Cruiser and 3 Destroyers arrived. John accepted a hail from the Cruiser and the vid-screen filled with a distinguished gentleman in T-Fed officer uniform. "This is Captain Flintlock on the Indomitable. Please identify, Assault Cruiser."
"Commander Blake on the Invictus," John answered, saluting on reflex. The Captain returned the gesture.
"We're here in response to a distress beacon regarding a pirate attack. Where are the pirates?" Flintlock asked.
"My ship was closer, we came and took out 2 Corvettes and a Frigate before boarding the last Corvette and saving the Calypso," John reported.
"Fine work, son. Only, the computer has you pinged as a civilian vessel?" Flintlock said, brows furrowed in confusion.
"I'm retired, I just happened to buy the Invictus when she was decommissioned," John shrugged.
"Hell of a retirement. Thank you for your sense of civic duty, son. We'll handle the tow job for the Calypso back to Port Heracles. Be on your way," Flintlock said with an approving nod.
John nodded back and ended the hail. Jonah turned them and sent them on a course for the Nav-Beacon.
Sparks finished her last keystroke when they were at the edge of the system and grinned. *Bingo, I'm in.* She speedread all the data, then sent it to the hologram over their heads. *Yep, definitely Chendar. And based on what I'm seeing, the rest of the fleet should be there right now. These 4 must have been sent out for one last raid. Since we're pretty sure they're slavers, they must be transferring or selling their 'cargo' within the next 24 hours.*
*Time's ticking, then,* John frowned. His eyes flickered through the list of ship contacts the black box had recorded. *Destroyer… Corvette… Frigate… another Destroyer… a Heavy Cruiser?! Bullshit, that's not possible!*
*20-odd decommissioned Navy vessels left, accounting for the 7 you've all taken out already,* Sparks nodded, her thoughts grim. *What's wrong with the Heavy Cruiser?*
*A Heavy Cruiser is an Assault Cruiser's bigger, badder brother,* Jonah thought darkly. *750 meters long, more Lasers, Heavy Cannons on the topdeck to go along with their own Mass Drivers. We're good, but going toe-to-toe with that thing isn't conducive to our continued survival.*
Sparks highlighted that particular ship and pulled up all the data on it. The Heavy Cruiser Stalingrad was indeed a frightening example of a warship. Alyssa, however, noticed an important detail. *Look at the pitch and yaw ratings! That thing turns like a brick, and the rear arc has the lightest weapons coverage. Jonah gets us in its blindspot and Calara can go to town on her!*
Calara had another thought. She went to her console and accessed the auction yard records at Port Heracles. She ran quick searches for the Stalingrad and the other ships on the list. *All of these ships were bought at price before officially going on auction. All bought by one Everitt Hitch… all sales authorized by Commander Rupert Grant! Jonah was right! I can't believe that piece of shit wanted in my pants!*
*How you want to play this, John?* Jonah asked their leader.
John debated even as they reached the edge of the gravity well. *... We go to Chendar. With the exception of the Stalingrad, we're more than a match for the rest of the fleet, provided we go in with stealth and strike at the right moment with the element of surprise. Still, I'm calling this in to Charles. If we bite off more than we can chew, I want him to know where what's left of these pirates are to finish off.* Part of John worried he was being overconfident and dooming himself and more importantly his lovers to a suicide mission. But he had confidence in the capability of his phenomenal crew, and as Sparks said the slaves only had so much time before they were lost forever.
*We got this,* Alyssa told him privately, before going to her Navigator station. With a surge of blue light, the Invictus went into hyperwarp on course for Chendar and the final battle with the pirates.