Chapter 107

***This article contains spoilers.***

## Highlights

* The Kirrix invade Karron. Diablos gang member Fat Tony escapes with Kelli and Perl, the prettiest members of the gang leader's's harem, into the deep mines, and then back out when they are overrun there.
* Tactical Officer Chen and Lieutenant Commander Tom Walker on the Janus notice odd behavior of the Brimorians on the other side of the border.
* Lynette sends undercover Internal Security Division to protect Maria, but Maria breaks their cover.
* Alyssa grows pointy ears!

## Notes

### Miscellaneous

* The images the Vulkat had taken of the salvaged thrall ship components unlock new schematics in Dana. *(See* ***Dana's Tech*** *section.)*
	+ When this happens, John suddenly realizes what they do. They're standard issue in all thrall vessels.
	+ The Tachyon Lance is built out of a similar kind of mystery metal as the stuff used in the Quantum Flux Cannon, which Dana still has no idea how to replicate. The black armour on Mael'nerak’s ship is similar, but far more refined. Dana saw references to something called a ‘Soul Forge’ in the construction notes on the schematics, but she has no idea what *the fuck* that is.
	+ It's possible a Soul Forge is used to build thrall ships, and Mael'nerak's Soul Forge is located on Kythshara, his throne world. If a Progenitor’s throne world is his power base, then it seems likely that the source of his thrall fleets would be located on that world. It would also explain why such a device has never been discovered, to Edraele's knowledge.
	+ The throne room where Mael'nerak freed the Nymphs was located on Kythshara. The control room in the videos likely was located on his throne world too. Mael'nerak was in that control room when he broke the bond to Valada before he left on his suicide mission to end the war. Since Valada survived, it is highly likely Kythshara did too.
	+ The team decides to dig for clues for Kythshara's location at old thrall sites when they return to Maliri space.
	+ Dana's going to create a hybrid version of the Tachyon Lances with crystal alyssium, and build 40 of them to replace all of the Photon Lasers and the Heavy Quantum Guns.
* The Kirrix invade Karron. During a fight against them, Fat Tony abandons his fellow Diablos, men he’d known for most of his life who were closer than brothers. He takes Kelli and Perl, the prettiest members of Pitbull's harem, with him through Pitbulls's escape tunnel into the deep mines.
* Tony and the girls arrive in a deep mining complex called Mortimer Mine and bunk up. Fat Tony isn't fat; he has a big penis. Apparently Pitbull was mad all the time because he had a small penis.
* Kelli is gang raped by four men when she goes to the restroom, and is going to be killed when they're done. Tony and Perl kill them all. They escape from the mine just as the Kirrix invade and overrun it, but were caught by a cave-in.
* Tom Walker is awoken by a call from Anna, his fiancée. She told him Archie has been supportive, and made her mom laugh. This irritates Tom, but Anna promises he's harmless, and she isn't interested.
* Tom Walker was hanging out in the Janus’ Officers’ Lounge with friends watching the TFNN interviews. He's worried about *Archie Fucking Davenport* trying to seduce his fiancée Anna. The bartender Beth insists she'd never cheat on him. She points out he may not be on Terra with Anna, but he has friends who is: Lieutenant Commander Kyle McDaniel, an old buddy of Tom's. He asks Kyle to watch over Anna.
* Tactical Officer Chen on the Janus notices some odd behavior of the Brimorians opposing them. Tom notes that it looks like they’re readying themselves for a fleet engagement, but they just pulled half their forces off the border. The consensus on the Momus is that it's just aggressive posturing, but Chen isn't sure he agrees with them.
* Captain Preston Bexley likes Ryan's tactical treatise. He said that Admiral Morgan wants to challenge him to a simulated fleet battle. If Ryan can beat him, he'll have earned a spot on his bridge crew aboard the Momus. Tom is promoted to Commander.
* Mason Newmont finally starts to smile again... until watching a TFNN interview with Lynette revealing his father's involvement in Tartarus makes him furious. He thinks she's lying to score political points, but Tom thinks she's sincere. Knowing Anna must have seen it by now too, he tries call to call her, but there's no answer.
* Ceraden suspects everything is too good to be true. Edraele tells him *everything*, relentlessly demolishing his every preconception about the Maliri and their place in the universe. He was furious John had sex with his daughters (though he technically didn't) but Edraele talks him down. She is planning on building a massive space fortress and trading base on the Terran border, and she wants him to help oversee the commercial element.
* Charles is stunned by the attractive brunette at the gym working out next to Jehanna Elani, who Jehanna later introduces as Marie, a relative of Lynette's.
* Henry Voss's patents that he put in Dana's name were accepted:
	+ super-lubricant
	+ radically advance robotic assembly line
	+ lightweight titanium alloy
	+ advanced energy-efficient modulators
* Meredith Voss gets served by Henry Voss's lawyers, with a call for an annulment on charges of fraud. His assistant, Abigail, tries to seduce him, giving him two days to think about it. Rachel gives him her blessing.
* Lynette and Lina compete for Charles's attention.
* The other lords of the Deep Pool are angry at Deep Lord Athgiloi for underestimating John Blake. Athgiloi suggests capitalizing on the aftermath of the Battle of Terra by betraying the Kintark, and invading the Terrans and Trankarans who are busy fighting off Kirrix invasions. They just have to wait for an opportunity.
	+ *“John Blake lurking in the Terran Federation makes them a poor choice of target, but we simply have to adapt to events as they present themselves.” Athgiloi glanced at Lord Paotegh and his lips peeled back over his needle-like teeth in a mocking smile. “When a hungry Megacaradon roams into your hunting grounds, only a fool ignores its fearsome presence, no matter how succulent the prey. The wise hunter simply looks elsewhere for his catch, returning to familiar territory only when the threat has passed.”*
* Athgiloi bristles when he sees the cowled Larn'kelnar sitting on Athgiloi's throne with Celphna offering a goblet on a platinum dish to him. Larn notes the Nymphs are still working as intended after all these years. Larn tells Athgiloi he has plans in motion to take John Blake out of the equation, and then Athgiloi will be able to pillage the Terran Federation at his leisure.
* Jehanna shows up to the TFNN headquarters to give Avery the footage of her interviews with the team and Lynette. The headquarters has bullet holes and debris everywhere due to the Terran Federation solders raiding it on orders from Buckingham, killing three friendly security guards.
* Jehanna's the new Terran Federation press liaison, and was given senior officer housing across from Lynette.
* John and Alyssa 15-shape 40 tachyon lances. John is finding psychic activity easier now after winning the skirmish against his guide, which reduced some of the heavy mental burden he's been carrying. Being in a constant state of war with his own subconscious might have beneficial side-effects.
* The team's mottos:
	1. Recruit the galaxy’s hottest girls.
	2. Forgive and forget (for reformed bad girls).
	3. Wipe out all bad guys.
	4. Loot all the best tech.
	5. That which does not kill us makes us stronger.
* Sakura trains Calara in kenjutsu.
* Helene has her first time with John, her on top but John in control.
* In "UWS-01 Strike Valkyrie Ultra," "UWS" is "Ultimate Weapon System."
* Maria has a recurring fantasy of Alyssa’s playful offer to have John heal her instead of Rachel. *The wrongness of bedding her daughter’s handsome fiancé ... and what the hell ... Alyssa too ... quickly tipped Maria over the edge.*
* After masturbating to John and Alyssa, Maria went next door to meet her new neighbors, Linda and Ed, a married couple, as movers were moving their stuff in. Maria brought the movers, Ed, and Linda all coffee. She then noticed they all had the grizzled look of veteran marines, and the ever-vigilant look of special forces. Also, Ed and Linda were too saccharine-sweet to be completely convincing they were a couple in love. Maria sent their photos to Faye who identifies them as Commander Joel Sharp and Lieutenant Commander Faith Marshall, both covert operatives from the Internal Security Division. They were sent there by Lynette to watch over Maria.
* Maria tells Joel and Faith she knows their real identities and mission, and befriends their real selves.
* Bhar Furum, Dun Gerluhr, Theg Haldrim, and Negbhaldum have fallen to the Kirrix. Dun Gerluhr has half a billion people. The Kirrix have penetrated deep enough to start hitting the Trankaran Republic's most populated worlds. The Yelneg are next, and they can't survive the sonic cannon treatment like Trankarans can, so Queen Niskera orders the Yelneg be prioritized for defense. Fortunately, they now have a full fleet of upgraded ships, including improved ATL drives and sensors, Ashanath power cores, and Kintark heatsinks.
* Forgelord Onahm finds it interesting that there have been no difficulties installing the Ashanath power cores, despite Ashanath vessels being so different than Trankaran vessels. It was as simple as removing one power core and simply replacing it with the upgraded version. That two such radically different species should develop technology along similar lines would have seemed extremely improbable, but for Niskera's explanation of their shared origins.
* Niskera addresses tens of thousands of Trankarans. The Great Maker didn't abandon them. His legacy to them was the gift of self-sacrifice. He laid down his own life to defeat Ranagon the Despoiler and ended the War of the Heavens, saving them from extinction. The Great Protector has arrived in the moment of greatest need and chosen her to act as his prophet. The Favoured Ones have rallied to the Great Protector’s cause and has sent the Maliri to their aid. She reserves her deepest respect and gratitude for her rock brethren. The crowd went wild. She thanks Forgelord Onahm for allowing her to speak there today. He says, “I have never been more proud of you, my daughter.”
* Rachel scans the Nymphs' crystal hearts at a microscopic level and finds another way Jade is different from her sisters: tiny glyphs interwoven throughout the crystalline structure. They aren't Progenitor runes. Dana recognizes them from computers in the Underworld—the Achonin facility. Mael’nerak annihilated their empire 72,000 years ago.
* Colonel Fiske from the Internal Security Division, tasked with protecting Lynette, complains to Charles about her request for absolute privacy. Apparently Lynette also has a jamming device in her quarters that's blocking the best scanning equipment they have.
* Charles notices Lynette had the same eyes as Marie. Lynette realizes it wasn't Lina he was pining over; it was Marie, Lynette's (now) real body. She tells him Marie wants to go on a date with him that night. She plans to tell him the truth then
* Madison Wessex outranks David Gibbons, she recommends he take command in private, to even the power imbalance in their relationship.
* Binary is leaving. Ryan hoped he'd take up a training position at the academy, but Binary would never be able to escape the guilt of how he failed his rookies. Binary is shipping out to Olympus Shipyard to be a test pilot for the next wave of strike craft they’re developing. He wants to work on getting the ship designers to improve pilot safety in the next generation of fighters.
* Gator puts Ryan Murphy in charge of developing and coordinating the training programs for the wing commanders of the 450 new Claymore pilot recruits.
* Enshunu Vizier Sag'kalyak and Excruciator Gal'mayda review the process of re-enabling the Achonin technology in the Underworld. When Gal'mayda watches the footage of John and the team at the Battle of Terra, he stood frozen in terror. Blake is one of the Old Masters. He has claimed the Maliri and they are now on the ascension. Events are unfolding exactly as warned by the Codex of Kal'hadeem. Sag'kalyak has followed the directives from the Cabal of Patriarchs and reclaimed the Sarkhon Refinery, but he urges Gal'mayda to consider a complete withdrawal from the Unclaimed Wastes. They must not draw Blake’s attention; the results would be catastrophic.
* Fleet Admiral Lynette Devereux awards Commodore Camilla Tovaskaya a Stellar Cluster for warning them of the invading Kintark.
* Outer Rim planets fallen so far:
	1. Menganus IV
	2. Karron
	3. Valia Gate
	4. Brecken's World
	5. Tasmaris Prime
	6. Carolus III
* The Ashanath settle the Drakkar on Clodonus. Warboss Nugrok calls Councillor Talari "Snacksize." Talari assumed the Drakkar would want Drakkar females, pod queens, if they wanted to make the settlement permanent. *“Nah, we’re good!” Nugrok exclaimed in a hurry, waving all four hands at him frantically.*
* Lynette tells Charles the truth about her being Marie. They kiss.
* Alyssa grows pointy ears: *With Alyssa’s hair drawn back, he was able to see her ears and his eyes widened in wonder when he saw the delicate, pointed tips ... the distinctive feature of a Progenitor.*

### Minor Characters

* Anthony Phoenix: Diablos ganger. Nicknamed Fat Tony.
* Emilio: Diablos ganger. Apparently religious.
* Bob: Nicknamed Choppy Bob.
* Pitbull: Diablos' leader.
* Kelli: Young brunette. Member of Pitbull's harem.
* Perl: Young blonde. Member of Pitbull's harem.
* Abner: Karon Miner.
* Tom Walker: ~~Lieutenant~~ Commander. Anna's fiancé and soulmate. Stationed on the Janus on the Brimorian border.
* Annabelle Newmont: Tom's fiancée and soulmate. Stationed on Terra.
* Archie Davenport: Commander. Comforted Anna and get mother, but Tom doesn't trust him as far as he could throw the sly bastard. He's stalked Anna for years.
* Kyle McDaniel: Lieutenant Commander. Old buddies with Tom. They went through the academy together.
* Preston Bexley: Captain.
* Chen: Tactical Officer on the Janus.
* Hamilton Garbert-Smythe: Admiral. Nicknamed Admiral G-S.
* Preston Bexley: Captain of the Janus.
* Alexander Morgan: Admiral. Captain of the Momus.
* Ivan Horvat: Lieutenant. Stationed on the Janus with Tom Walker.
* Alex Savic: Lieutenant. Stationed on the Janus with Tom Walker.
* Beth Andrews: Lieutenant. Bartender on the Janus.
* Frank: Bartender on the Janus.
* Ceraden: Maliri trader. John's friend.
* Myriana: Maliri engineer. Ceraden's girlfriend. Ceraden's baby momma.
* Syndra: Maliri engineer. Ceraden's baby momma.
* Thessalia: Maliri engineer. Ceraden's baby momma.
* Filaurel: Maliri engineer. Ceraden's baby momma.
* Ioelena: Maliri engineer. Ceraden's baby momma.
* Farryn: Maliri engineer. Ceraden's baby momma.
* Charles Harris: Admiral. John's old friend.
* Henry Voss: Business owner. Rachel's father.
* Abigail: Henry's assistant. Interested in Henry.
* Meredith Voss: Henry's (ex-)wife. Just got served with divorce papers.
* Athgiloi: Brimorian Deep Lord of the Deep Pool.
* Rilosash: Brimorian Lord of the Deep Pool.
* Paotegh: Brimorian Lord of the Deep Pool.
* Semord: Brimorian Lord of the Deep Pool.
* Celphna: Athgiloi's Nymph. A gift from Baledranax.
* Avery Gibson: TFNN Editor-in-chief. Acts tough on employees but is a softie when it comes to Jehanna.
* Bill Armstrong: TFNN reporter.
* Joel Sharp: Commander. A covert operative from the Internal Security Division, sent by Lynette to watch over Maria. His cover is Ed, a programmer for Dynalight Holo-Solutions. Ed is married to Linda, and they just moved across the street from Maria.
* Faith Marshall: Lieutenant Commander. A covert operative from the Internal Security Division, sent by Lynette to watch over Maria. Her cover is Linda, a fourth grade teacher who hasn't found a vacancy in the district yet. Linda is married to Ed, and they just moved across the street from Maria.
* Niskera: Trankaran Queen.
* Thandrun: Trankaran Fleet Warden.
* Bhaken: Trankaran Associate.
* Onahm: Forgelord. Niskera's father.
* Fiske: Colonel from the Internal Security Division tasked with protecting Lynette. Complains about her request for absolute privacy.
* David Gibbons: Sergeant Major.
* Madison Wessex: Colonel.
* Horton: General.
* Garcia: Brigadier. Deceased.
* Ryan Murphy: Commander. Nicknamed Leprechaun.
* Eugene: Nicknamed Binary.
* Lewis: Captain. Nicknamed Gator.
* Sag'kalyak: Enshunu Vizer. scarlet eyes
* Gal'mayda: Enshunu Excruciator.
* Ken Papados: Commodore. Valentina's fiancé.
* Valentina Kowalski: Commander. Ken's fiancée. Blonde. Ice-blue eyes.
* Camilla Tovaskaya: Commodore.
* Redhound: Karron mercenary. With the Clawhammer Company.
* Talari: Ashanath Councillor.
* Nugrok: Drakkar Warboss.

### Locations

* Kerhom's Anvil
* Vulkamduhr: It had been a broken ruin when her people had reclaimed it nine millennia ago, but with great sacrifices and dedication the facility had been lovingly restored to its former glory.
* Alamak
* The Underworld
* Clodonus

### Dana's Tech

Dana unlocks new standard thrall schematics.

* **Null-Inertia Gyroscope:** Highly-advanced inertial dampener.
* **Zero-Point Regulator:** Makes ship guns more energy efficient.
* **Solid-Phase Shield Matrix:** Allows for hard shields, meaning ***impenetrable to missiles and torpedoes***. This makes it likely that Progenitors do not use fighters in their thrall fleets.
* **Tachyon Lance:** Highly-advanced version of a Maliri Nova Lance, which is actually a devolved version of the Tachyon Lance. The principles are similar, but Tachyon Lances are far more sophisticated and much further along the same kind of tech path. For example, the charging capacitors are radically advanced and the weapon’s much smaller too, at only ten metres long instead of thirty. Made out of the same black metal as the Quantum Flux Cannon, but Dana can make a hybrid version using crystal alyssium.

While his Dana had been working to modify the original thrall blueprints, she’d suddenly had a brainwave, miraculously inventing the next generation of heat sink.

### Larn'kelnar and Athgiloi

Arriving at the ornate doorway, he reached for the handle set amongst pearl-encrusted scenes of Brimorians armed with tridents hunting ferocious aquatic predators. Pushing it open, his eyes darted around the dimly-lit room as he searched for Celphna. To his astonishment, he saw her kneeling before Athgiloi’s personal throne, offering a goblet on a platinum dish to the cowled figure that lounged there. He’d never seen Celphna so much as acknowledge another person without his permission, let alone behave this deferentially towards anyone.

Fighting down a white-hot surge of anger, he entered his quarters and closed the door behind him. “Lord Larn’kelnar, this is a pleasant surprise,” he muttered, trying not to make an indignant click in his throat.

His unsettling ally studied Celphna intently. “I was just admiring your pet, Deep Lord. She really is quite fascinating...”

“Celphna was a gift from Emperor Baledranax,” Athgiloi said cautiously as he walked across the room.

Pulling back his cowl, Larn’kelnar leaned forward and gestured towards the kneeling Brimorian female. “Come closer, pet.”

Athgiloi felt his tube-shaped heart convulse in his chest as the Progenitor reached out to place a hand on Celphna’s scaled forehead. Larn’kelnar’s eyes glowed with a faint grey light and he appeared to be staring at something only he could see.

“Such an innovative solution,” he murmured, the admiration quite apparent in his voice. He slowly withdrew his fingers, then turned to give the Brimorian leader a sly look. “Do you know what she is, Deep Lord?”

“The Terrans call them Nymphs; shapeshifters whose only desire is to please their master,” Athgiloi replied nonchalantly, determined to show his guest that he was not to be underestimated. “I had thought them to be extinct until she was presented to me.”

Larn’kelnar inclined his head, a smile on his face. “Still working as intended after all these years...”

He took the goblet from the platinum tray then rose gracefully from the throne. Celphna stood as well, turning to watch the Progenitor as he walked over to one of the curved windows that offered a spectacular view of Sequathis. Athgiloi felt a thrilling sense of elation as the Nymph’s blank expression turned to one of joy when she laid eyes on him.

“This one missed you, Master!” she gasped, her eyes as black as the darkest depths of Brimor’s oceans.

Athgiloi resisted the urge to embrace her and ordered imperiously, “Fetch me a glass of the same beverage, Celphna.”

She bowed to him respectfully, but he could see her lips curl into a smile at his authoritative tone.

“Were the Deep Pool as quarrelsome as we expected?” Larn’kelnar asked, paying no further interest to the Nymph. He sipped his drink and gazed out at the dazzling swirl of the city lights.

“They soon fell into line,” Athgiloi replied, although his tone wasn’t as confident as his bold words. “Thankfully they never asked, but ... are you certain that John Blake won’t seek retribution for the cut-off devices we concealed in the shield generators? The Kintark would have definitely attempted to deactivate them ... the fact they failed must mean Blake discovered and neutralised them.”

“I have plans in motion to take John Blake out of the equation,” the Progenitor replied, glancing his way and smiling. “Then you’ll be able to pillage the Terran Federation at your leisure...”

### Maria

“I’ll need it to stay awake, we’ve still got so much to do,” Linda said with a sigh.

Maria had already boiled the kettle, so she soon reappeared with steaming cups of coffee on a tray. “Yes, I can imagine,” she said sympathetically. “You’ll need to set up camera surveillance and stow away all that combat gear before bed tonight. Would you like sugar, Faith? How about you, Joel?”

They nodded in agreement, caught completely off-guard by the deceptively mild tone of her voice that hadn’t shifted from the earlier pleasantries. The two operatives suddenly froze, staring at each other in horror.

She gave them a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, I know you’re here to protect me. Executive order 8990421: Protect Maria Fernandez at all costs; agents must be willing to lay down their lives to ensure her safety.”

They gaped at her in mute astonishment as she recited their mission’s primary directive.