Chapter 90

***This article contains spoilers.***

## Highlights

* The Lion and his Lionesses show up to save the day. They start to evacuate the diplomats from minor empires out of their hiding place in Mulbharum, a city in Khalgron. Sakura destroys hive ships in the Valkyrie, and the Invictus crew destroys fleets of Kirrix carriers and capital ships.
* Dana invents a new gun that is strikingly similar to a thrall's.
* The other Progenitor has *somehow* been watching the team fight, and doing so has put him in an uncharacteristically good mood.

## Notes

### Miscellaneous

* For millennia, the other Progenitor has been dispassionate and aloof, and utterly disinterested in Ailanthia sexually for anything other than a perfunctory feeding. But in a matter of mere months, something had profoundly shifted in his bearing.
* Seeing the look of a Trankaran girl gave Sakura a flashback to an assassination where she killed the target's kids. Behind the daughter's look of raw terror was a look of dreadful clarity that the universe was, in fact, full of terrible monsters that preyed on the weak and helpless. Sakura starts destroying hive ships, endangering the crew.
* Dana can now read Trankaran, though she doesn't know why.
* The Paragon suits now have cameras attached.
* *"Just tapped out..." Alyssa replied with a heavy sigh. "Now I know how John must feel ... you girls sucked me dry!"*
* *"I bet when we’re done and she checks out this footage, Jehanna will be begging you to fuck her brains out!"*

### Dana's Tech

**Pulse Cannons Mk. II**

* The Pulse Cannons suddenly seemed wrong to Dana, like they were too big and cumbersome, so she refined the design to make a portable version
* Progenitor power core
* New heatsinks
* Anti-grav suspensors
* Improved focusing aperture
* Looks exactly like one Tashana has seen before in murals in the temple she found Valada's server.
* Seeing Irillith testing the gun resolated a feeling in John and Alyssa— a Maliri woman in that type of armour, carrying a weapon like that. She looked just like a Progenitor's thrall.
* Alyssa and John were weary of these revelations, but Irillith points out it means they're closing the tech gap. It's a perfect opportunity to learn more about the way thralls fight.

### Rachel's Research

**Kirrix Drone**

* Kirrix drone is a highly-evolved species of arthropod. Their natural habitat would be an arid planet, but they seem well adapted to survive in most other forms of eco-system. They have a tough exoskeleton, making them naturally far more resilient than a Terran soldier. They wear carapace body armour. The combination of the two would prevent harm from a hollow-point round fired from a standard rifle.
* The drone has a simple central nervous system, with its brain linked to the ganglia that runs through its thorax and abdomen. Pain receptors seem limited, so a Kirrix soldier would be able to continue fighting even after sustaining crippling injuries that would incapacitate a Terran.
* Vulnerable areas: Shots to the chest that destroy the nerve cluster located there will immobilise them. A headshot that destroys the brain will instantly kill them.
* While its brain was small and under-developed, the drone possessed a unique organ that is reminiscent of the amygdala in a Terran brain, but much larger and more complex. Drones like this must utilise a form of communication sophisticated enough that they can be trained to use equipment and operate spacecraft. Yet the Kirrix drone only has rudimentary vocal chords, so can’t communicate by speech. While they do possess antennae, which some insectoid species use to detect pheromones, those appendages aren’t refined enough to allow for complex communication. This allows the Kirrix to tap into a hive mind.
* It has some kind of innate psychic ability. They might not be able to manifest tangible powers in the way the team can, but this brain structure allows the higher-castes of Kirrix creatures to guide the actions of lower-caste creatures. It might be simple instructions, or as far reaching as being to directly control a drone like a puppet.
* It is unknown what happens higher-caste creatures are killed. At the very least, there’ll probably be some confusion as the drones suddenly lose the guidance from whatever creature’s controlling them.
* Despite having psychic capabilities, they have double helix DNA. The Kirrix definitely weren’t created by a Progenitor; they share none of the distinctive genetic markers in the species created by Mael'nerak. Any psychic talents the race possesses evolved naturally.

**Kirrix Juggernaut**

* Visual description: 20+ feet tall. Resembles a praying mantis, with a pair of hooked scythe-like claws. Has the armoured bulk of a stag beetle, with glossy black plates covering every inch of its heavily reinforced monstrous bulk.
* Rachel's quick analysis: This specimen has four rather primitive brains. The neural connectors show it must have a distributed nervous system too, with many backups and redundancies. Without being able to confirm that with a thorough autopsy, she can only assume that’s why they’re so hard to kill.

### Minor Empire Species

* Bract: beetle-like Bract, chitters, has antennae
* Slarmian: a curving eel, yellow eyes
* Bolon: gelatinous, surprisingly quick
* Yelneg: fungus-like, six stubby legs, talking sounds like squeaking in a shrill high-pitched warble
* Skerawk: brightly plumed
* Ornalith: rotund
* Elmurgh: undulating molluscs, moved in a rippling wave, raised up on a dozen protruding nodules.
* Elmoq: Fulmanax drone, although its spongy flesh was jet-black.

* Nethrilla: fungoid species that hovers in the air, a bulging gas-filled sack keeping it afloat, while a cluster of tendrils dangled below its body
* Ca'tagri: a broad-shouldered, fur covered mammal that sits back on its haunches, with its deep-set eyes watching every movement like a predator watching its prey. It raised a forepaw and tapped a padded digit on its fanged muzzle in a very thoughtful, Terran-like gesture
* Qiat: short-plumed, hook-billed avian
* Dauzakai: a small yellow-skinned reptile that only stood about five-feet-tall, its body covered in a glittering array of cybernetic implants

### Abilities

Dana uses her powers to **melt metal**.

* She stormed back down to the entrance of the tunnel, vortices of energy swirling around her arms. The strobing golden light banished the oppressive darkness of the tunnel, bathing them all in a warm glow. Dana crouched down by the entrance to the pillar-lined passage and slammed her armoured fists into the metal ground, sending rippling shockwaves across the floor.
* The metal plating that the Trankarans had laid as the floor to this tunnel appeared to be melting! The Kirrix soldiers were struggling through the morass of sludgy metal and insectoid corpses, while liquid metal rained down on their heads from the dripping ceiling. The walls, floor, pillars, everything ... seemed to be sliding down into a sticky grey mire that was slowly oozing off the edge of the platform into the ravine below. The scene reminded him of some kind of twisted, surrealist painting and the sight made his skin crawl.

Calara uses her psychic prescience to prevent the death of the crew.

* The Invictus swooping around to the right, just as Calara had asked Alyssa to. The battlecruiser’s port and starboard energy batteries blazing away, stripping the shields from two drone carriers as they flew between them. Their heavy guns opening up, pounding into the carrier on the right. The Kirrix firing back with scores of neutron beams and unleashing something else ... something far nastier...

Irillith uses **electrokinesis** to power a train.

* Suddenly light blazed out of the front of the dark-red train, the first three carriages all alive with power. There was a deep rumble as the train’s drive system came to life a few seconds later. Irillith stood with both hands placed on the engine, lightning dancing from her fingertips as she provided power to the train.

Tashana uses flame-infused ammo.

* The creature’s claw exploded, the internal fireball blowing the limb apart from the inside and leaving a charred ruin below its scorched black elbow.

Sakura uses cryokinesis to cool down her Photon Lasers.

* Taking a steadying breath, Sakura closed her eyes, focusing her will inwards and embracing that supernatural sense of glacial cold. She shivered with delight at the thrill it sent through her body, feeling an icy breeze swirl around her in the mech’s cockpit. There was a loud, splintering crack, like a glacier shearing in half. Ice began to form around the four Photon Laser barrels, triggering a sharp hiss of steam as the blazingly hot barrels melted the ice. The cold intensified, leeching heat from the guns and dropping the temperature to well below freezing. Sakura watched the heat indicators on the Photon Lasers drop like a stone, the guns flashing bright green in the weapon loadout as they were ready to fire.

### Ailanthia (Pre-Battle)

Ailanthia stretched like a cat on the soft black sheets, letting out a deeply contented sigh. She felt the wonderful heavy weight at her waist and one of her light-green hands slid down over her gloriously curved abdomen. She bit her flushed lower lip and let out a low moan, her skin feeling so sensitive where it had stretched taut to accommodate her cum-stuffed womb.

She let out a quiet, disbelieving laugh, awed by memories of the heated coupling with her Master this morning. He’d been absolutely magnificent and looked so heartbreakingly handsome ... Ailanthia had gazed at him in wonder as he’d taken her, wrapping herself around this interstellar titan and sobbing with ecstasy as he pumped his seed deep inside her.

For Ailanthia, who’d seen the passing of so many long lonely years, her master’s relationship with her had radically changed in what seemed like the blink of an eye. For millennia, he’d been dispassionate and aloof ... utterly disinterested in her sexually for anything other than a perfunctory feeding. After all, it had been vitally important that she remain aesthetically pleasing for him. But in a matter of mere months, something had profoundly shifted in his bearing, and Ailanthia’s heart sang with joy at the change.

Rolling carefully to one side, she ran her hand over the side of the bed he’d laid in, feeling the fading warmth and wishing he was still there. She inhaled deeply, a shiver running down her spine as she caught a hint of his scent. Closing her eyes, she relaxed in a state of bliss, happier than she ever thought possible.

A gentle touch to her swollen belly roused her from her doze and she gazed up at her master in surprise. He was looking down at her with an ambivalent expression on his face as he sat on the side of the bed, some unreadable emotion in his eyes that Ailanthia didn’t recognise. Realising that she was awake, he slowly withdrew his hand and studied her for a moment, the vaguest hint of a smile on his lips.

Abruptly he rose to his feet and strode towards the door of the darkened room. He paused before leaving, turning back to look at her, his stunning bronzed features lit by the blood-red glow from the corridor beyond. “Come, Ailanthia, prepare yourself for the day ahead. The entertainment should begin shortly.”

“Yes, My Lord,” she replied obediently, sitting up in bed. “I will be with you momentarily.”

His eyes had a wicked gleam of anticipation to them as he lifted the black cowl over his head and strode away.

### Ailanthia (Post-Battle)

Ailanthia grinned at her master, overjoyed to hear his laughter, even though it was filled with mocking scorn.

“Wonderful...” he chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. “The lengths he goes to save these disgusting monstrosities. As hilarious as it is mystifying...” Her master sat back in his chair, a broad smile on his face.

“My Lord... ?” Ailanthia asked hesitantly. “Would you mind if I asked a question?”

“Ask away, my dear,” her master replied, turning to focus his dazzlingly beautiful eyes on her. “I’m feeling particularly benevolent after this evening’s marvellous entertainment.”

Ailanthia darted a nervous glance at the glowing holo-images in the darkened room. “This John Blake seems to present no threat whatsoever. Why haven’t you simply eliminated him?”

He smiled at her fondly, her heart skipping a beat as she revelled in that affectionate glance. “Now where’s the fun in that, Ailanthia? Haven’t you ever yearned for a change after all these long years? Haven’t you ever grown ... bored ... of the same tedious routine?”

She bit her lower lip, unsure how to answer him. The recent changes to their relationship were all she’d ever dreamed of, so she nodded and replied breathily, “Yes, you’re quite correct, My Lord. Experiencing new things can be quite wonderful.”

“Quite so, my dear,” he replied, dazzling her with his smile once again.

“My Lord... ?” she asked again. She blushed and placed a hand on the gentle curve of her cum-filled belly. “Might I ask why you’ve stopped filling the vats?”

He eyed her rounded stomach, a gleam appearing in his eyes. “Do you object to my recent attentions?” he asked archly, but there was a dangerous undertone to his voice.

“Of course not, My Lord!” Ailanthia gasped, shaking her head frantically. “I-I just wondered ... are you not planning on returning home to expand your legions as soon as your conquest is complete?”

Her master sat back in his chair, looking away into the distance, an odd expression on his face. Ailanthia watched him in respectful silence, waiting for him to speak.

Finally, a faint smile crossing his lips. “I think that’s quite enough questions for today, Ailanthia.” He rose from his chair and gestured towards the door for her to proceed before him.

She bowed to him respectfully. “Of course, My Lord.”

He followed her from the room, his eyes riveted to the delightful sway of her hips and the firmness of her compact cheeks. “Let us retire to my chambers, Ailanthia,” he murmured, fascinated by the enchanting view. “I seem to have acquired a yearning to experience something new this evening...”

She glanced at him over her shoulder in shock, then nodded, lowering her eyes submissively. “Your wish is my command, My Lord,” she replied, a thrill of excitement coursing through her veins.