Chapter 108

***This article contains spoilers.***

## Highlights

* After Alyssa grew pointy ears, her soul united with John's as ancient Progenitor runes floated through the air. Now her third helix has additional similarities to John's.
* Lynette and Charles get engaged. Henry Voss and Abigail become lovers.
* They meet up with Terran Federation forces on the Porphyrion, using the opportunity to check out Admiral Zelig. He checks out, but isn't pleased with their methods.
* On the Damocles, Calara tells Jack *everything*.

## Notes

### Miscellaneous

* After she grew pointy ears, Alyssa and John have sex, as beams of light arced between them, a glowing aura bathing the room in light. They were oblivious to everyone else in the room as they gazed lovingly into each other’s eyes. A stream of glowing runes suddenly burst into existence, the undulating runic script flowing through the air as it orbited their entwined bodies.
	+ Dana could read some of the runes. John’s telling Alyssa that he’s pledged his heart to her for all eternity, that their souls are finally united as one. There are a lot more but she doesn't know all of those runes.
	+ Calara asks if they're Progenitor wedding vows. Dana says there’s something about the phrasing that feels different. He likely didn't come up with all that stuff; it doesn’t sound like him.
	+ As they built their way to a climax, the floating runes extended their orbit outwards, encompassing the rest of the girls on the bed. They’re saying how much they love all of them, how they make their life complete.
	+ John and Alyssa come out of their trance souls united.
	+ When the girls sucked part of John's load from Alyssa, runes, ethereal runes floated above their stomachs, a special message for each one. Dana's was, "Property of John Blake." Rachel's was, "Catherine's legacy." John inscribed runes on Faye that said, "The sweetest girl I know."
* Lynette and Charles get engaged.
* Tony, Kelli, and Perl survive the cave-in on Karron. Perl needs medical attention for her arm.
* Rachel analyzes Alyssa's DNA to find it's changed; it wasn't just cosmetic. Now her third helix has additional similarities to John's, but Rachel doesn't know what that means yet. But all Alyssa did was copy the shape of the twins' ears. John and Alyssa suspect Athena had something to do with it.
* John, Alyssa, and Calara visit the Battlecruiser Porphyrion so Alyssa can read Admiral Zelig's mind. They arrive to a huge crowd and rousing cheers, and Zelig with a strange air of almost grim resignation. He asks Alyssa for a display of her psychic powers. Zelig was relieved when he saw both his and his officers' hands surrounded in a nimbus of white light.
	+ When they meet Zelig in private he says he knew that testing him was why they were meeting in person. He asks if his life would be in danger if he hasn't passed the rest. He doesn't appreciate the threat. Alyssa informs him it was no threat; he'd already be dead. But he did and he's not. Zelig doesn't condone vigilantism, reminding them of the expression, "Absolute power corrupts absolutely." Alyssa showed him a tragic event of his past, and why his hands didn't glow red. Afterwards, they coordinate tactics for their Kirrix mission.
* Henry Voss's annulment with Meredith is confirmed. Abigail, his secretary, becomes his lover.
* Calara's strategy is to commit Nathan Zelig’s fleet against the Kirrix attacking Tasmaris Prime. However, it's a sizeable colony and the Kirrix might have a large force there.
* Alyssa tells Emily she's already taken by Calara and John, so she has nothing to fear regarding Mateo.
* Calara tells her father about Alyssa, but he'd already figured it out. However, he didn't know that she was sleeping with all of the girls, but was fine. However, he wasn't fine they were all sleeping with John. Calara showed him she could see the future to prove that their love literally makes them more powerful, and then told him *everything* about the upcoming war.
* Tom Walker is worried he still hasn't been able to contact his fiancée Anna. His parents call to congratulate him on making Commander, but have higher expectations as always. His father seems to know what Buckingham was involved in, because he avoids talking about Devereux's allegations. "Nobody's perfect." *Admiral Laurence Walker was looking towards the screen, but it was quite clear he was gazing off into the distance, his mind light years away...*
* John and Alyssa make Calara a Progenitor sandwich, glowing runes circling through the air. Alyssa envies John being able to get her pregnant. *“You’re so lucky being able to get her pregnant. I wish Calara could grow my baby in her womb ... we could take it in turns breeding her...”*
* They arrive at Carolus III, and split into teams.
	1. John and Alyssa: Ground
	2. Rachel and Dana: Ground
	3. Tashana and Irillith: Ground
	4. Sakura Honami: Valkyie
	5. Jade: Ground
		+ John originally assigned her as Invictus pilot, and when she asked if he's sure, it shocked him that she'd question his orders. Alyssa and Calara talked John into letting her be her own ground team, with Faye piloting the Invictus.
* When John was reaching for the Quantum rifle, Jade told him it's a thrall's weapon; he's grown beyond that. John instead picked up his sword and etched ancient Progenitor battle runes. Jade smiled in satisfaction.

### Minor Characters

* Nathan Zelig: Admiral.
* Henry Voss: Rachel's rich father.
* Meredith Voss: Henry's ex-wife.
* Abigail: Henry's secretary and now lover.
* Jack Fernandez: Captain. Calara's father.
* Mateo Fernandez Calara's older brother.
* Eduardo Fernandez: Calara's older brother.
* Emily Campbell Lieutenant Mateo's girlfriend. Jealous about him once flirting with Alyssa.
* Laurence Walker: Admiral. Tom Walker's father.
* Harriet Walker: Tom's mother, and Laurence's trophy wife.

### Ships

* Porphyrion: Battlecruiser.
* Damocles: Cruiser.

### Locations

* Pi Sagittarii
* Carolus III
* Tasmaris Prime

### Calara Likes Blondes

“Whatever you say, Captain,” Alyssa said with a gentle smile. “You know I’ll do whatever you want.”

Leaning closer, Calara gave her a tender kiss. “Thank you, my love.”

Mateo’s eyes were as round as saucers as he gaped at his sister.

She leaned over and tapped the button for the Command Deck. “Catching flies, Mateo?” she asked, trying not to laugh at his stunned expression.

He closed his mouth with a click of his teeth, his brown eyes darting from Calara to Alyssa and back again, a thousand questions on the tip of his tongue.

Calara gave him a playful smile. “You’re not the only one who likes blondes, Big Brother...”

### A Thrall's Weapon

He reached for a Quantum rifle, but then Jade was there, her green hand on his. Turning to look at her in confusion, he asked, “What’s the matter?”

**A thrall’s weapon, Master**, Jade replied, her voice soft but ringing with purpose. **You’ve grown beyond that**.