Three Square Meals Ch. 162
Added 2023-05-01 03:30:01 +0000 UTCHey everyone,
Here's the latest chapter. It's complete, unless you notice some vitally important scene I might have missed, in which case let me know!
I've proofread the first half pretty extensively, but not the second half as much. Please let me know if you spot any typos or continuity errors and I'll try to fix them immediately.
Best wishes,
Tefler
Comments
I think Rahn should get hushed going in the deep Astral. When he finds a new archive it's a trap. Then Jessica comes looking for John in valaden. The ship could be crewed by Amarillo. I think Rahn should die his services are no longer required
Green Seadragon
2023-07-31 01:51:08 +0000 UTCCloaked emp torpedoes followed by real ones
Don Garnett
2023-05-21 16:31:45 +0000 UTCThere is no doubt that Calara would have insisted on getting a full inventory of ships, weapons and other capabilities of the males. And it’s pretty clear Alyssa obtained that by reading minds. The readers didn’t get that inventory . Perhaps the few cloaked ships we do know about was the only interesting asset. But I suspect Tef’s loud silence on the matter is setting up a surprise or two about how the men can contribute to the defense. I think it will be a small but important contributing factor.
AzureReader
2023-05-19 18:54:06 +0000 UTC.55: hi 20 ton, That evil ole Xar'aziuth was likely a male based on all the terrible positions he puts females into, ... One of John's greatest strengths is the way he treats and supports his women, .... and that, along with the Kyth'feran, will allow for his victory over the evil Devourer, .... --- and I hope that when he defeats Gahl'kalgor, he can then absorb his empire, ships and thralls, .... to start a precedent for his growing stronger after each Progenitor victory, and eventually lead him to defeat Xar'aziuth, .... --- and those Maliri males have been preparing for a war/battle for centuries, ... might they have more surprises than just cloaking technology? possibly a cloaked battleship or two that fires stronger /better / faster Nova Lances? ;-) ttfn
Michael56Smith
2023-05-07 17:04:55 +0000 UTCIn X planned fleets the only cloaked vessel is the Dreadnought. X wants death and destruction to gain more power. If he survives, a depleted prog would return home constructing new fleets, more death / power, then return for more carnage. If you were planning for a Malari male fleet, you are the only one in the vicinity that can reproduce cloaking tech and you want to keep it a secret, you would likely think small and fast. Think PT boat to missile cruiser. They have torpedos and haven’t been concerned with hard shields until now. If John and the girls only had to strip shields while spider mines and cloaked males took out engines might be more effective and yet safer.
20 ton
2023-05-07 15:18:12 +0000 UTC.53: Oh yeah, our boy Tef has much left to reveal, hopefully a good bit of obscure tech will shake loose in the next few chapters, .... -- The male Maliri have stealth tech, and maybe they've developed some less powerful but still awesome copies of the Quantum Flux Cannons and the Tachyon Lances too? Maybe? and might they have a handful of cloaked Cruisers and Battleships with improved Nova Lances at a minimum, to assist John with, ... At least they'll have their Weapons Platform guns to help John and the girls fight off around 10 enemy fleets (hopefully less), ... Genwynn Station might just help to neutralize about half of Gahl'kalgor's current fleets, ... then when those requisitioned ships arrive back in the Loralar Nebula, good ole Kal might just crap his drawers, ... as by then he might well be out gunned, ... and then after stomping poor ole Kal, ... they'll bring back our Faye, ... yay! ;-) ttfn
Michael56Smith
2023-05-06 19:06:53 +0000 UTCAcquiring the first ships was chapter 158 with two days return to gate. My guess is it’s been about a day and a half since then. One question never discussed is do both gates need to be charged per trip or just the sending gate. Sending gate only would cut recharge time in half because they could send two fleets both ways while recharging simultaneously. If the first six fleets return to the gate together I would prioritize battleships then cruisers over destroyers. Gal doesn’t have fighters so heavy guns over mobility.
20 ton
2023-05-06 17:20:40 +0000 UTC.51: yeah, the Spyder mines have only been built using CA to far, ... because it is so easy for them to construct such gear with? I bet they could readily use Ashanth Etherium to make the Spyder mines with, if they had some, .... it would be cheaper than CA and would help to save the superior alloy for stuff that doesn't explode all over the place, ... so, Etherium or Crystaline tech, it seems that great minds do think alike, ... I do hope that Edraele and Makaela send some of one or the other, or better yet, both, ... ;-) ttfn
Michael56Smith
2023-05-06 13:04:45 +0000 UTC.50: Queen Edraele's solution to the Invictus resupply problem (chapter #161) was to repurpose Lilyana and her just returned 1st fleet (House Valaden #1 fleet) right after they finished transporting the rescued 95,000 Abandoned to a no longer used Valaden coastal city, Abandoned people to an Abandoned city, that's appropriate, right? ... then she had the fleet ships loaded with more torpedo warheads, ,,, lots of ore for making Crystal Alyssium, ... and to also load on thousands of Maliri Marines that were left behind from the fleets going to requisition the Laranthyran unmanned fleets, leaving their unnecessary troops behind them as this would save the Maliri both supplies and time in the personnel transfer to the powerful black fleet ships, ... all these Genthalas supplies onto the Maliri 1st fleet where they travel to Kythshara, a planet hidden in the Loralar Nebula, the planet that was once ole Mael's throne world, to unload all the troops (over 100,00 marines) and other stuff to aid John and the Invictus crew, before the Galkarin fleet and Gahl'kalgor get there, ... then John and the girls can make more CA, make more spyder mines, make (with the little Soul Forge) a Progenitor Sheild generator to protect Mael's invaluable Lab (and Faye), _ install Daphne in control of the Automated thrall solders and set them up with the Maliri marines to defend the capitol from Galkiran ground troops, (would Daphne control the Nebula's powerful defense gun batteries too?), ... lots to do before the Invictus has to rush off to continue the harassment, immobilizing and the force reduction of more of the approaching Galkarin fleets, .... and just how much longer will it be for those requestioned Laranthyran war craft to get there to help? ;-) ttfn
Michael56Smith
2023-05-06 04:16:56 +0000 UTCDo I remember correctly that Edraele worked out a solution to their supply problems a chapter of two ago? I thought they put a ton of supplies on ship and sent it far away from the Maliri home worlds somewhere. What happened to that?
AzureReader
2023-05-06 01:17:48 +0000 UTCMael
jdg45
2023-05-05 09:07:16 +0000 UTCThe spider mines have only been built with CA. I don’t know if Edraele couldn’t have a freighter full made with existing crystal tech, parked at Kys waiting to be deployed.
20 ton
2023-05-04 22:17:37 +0000 UTCThe hidden guns were built by Mal. The engineers said they couldn’t cut or replicate them. A scaled down version might be available. If you parked a dozen cloaked ships behind parked ships you might be able to do some damage. The torpedo warheads are working on the spider mines. Cloak the raptor and see if Dana can repeat her Kintark mine blast.
20 ton
2023-05-04 22:09:46 +0000 UTCRefresh my memory - who built the hidden guns on Genwynn
Bill
2023-05-04 21:37:24 +0000 UTCIt is possible that they have some form of armed ships, but probably nothing that could stand up to a Maliri warship, let alone anything a Progenitor would bring to the fight. The men had no real need to build dedicated warships, relying instead on the house fleets to defend the borders and their stealth tech to keep them hidden.
Jedi Khan
2023-05-04 21:34:03 +0000 UTC.43: yeah Bill, I too am left wondering that if they could reverse engineer the cloaking technology, then might they have come up with a few good weapons too, ... like an improved Nova lance or a less powerful, but rapid firing Quantum Flux Cannon, ... and perhaps a few battleships and patrol cruisers as well? I also wonder if they ever got their hands on any Brimorian Sheild tech and improved on it, ... maybe? ... ;-) ttfn
Michael56Smith
2023-05-04 19:21:51 +0000 UTCM56S - No snide remarks please.
Bill
2023-05-04 14:26:07 +0000 UTCI just read chpt 162 again. The men on Genwynn and the cloaked planet cities, and their cloaked fleet. Wonder if there are any warships in that cloaked fleet and maybe some new surprising weapons????
Bill
2023-05-04 14:22:40 +0000 UTCI don’t care, just bring more story!
Robar
2023-05-03 05:01:55 +0000 UTCshould be ....enthusiastic thumbs up. "That would be awesome, thanks!"
Fred Hunter
2023-05-02 19:55:19 +0000 UTC.36: Yeah Steve, I agree, and I too would love to see John and his parents resolve their issues and get together, ... with Jessica and John sharing recipes, and Rahn getting a few impossible questions answered, ... Like exactly who and what Alyssa is, how the Invictus can go so damn fast, and how John can be so strong, ... -- It is just that while the idea of Rahn'hagon riding to the rescue to save his son is a romantic and heartwarming ending for John's father, it is not exactly in line with the character that Tef has presented, so far, ... even with Jessica cracking her whip, ... -- I do wonder if Rahn is following and watching his son fight against impossible odds, an armada (29 fleets), of Progenitor warcrafts, and Progenitor Gahl'kalgor in his Dreadnought too, ... Rahn must be so confused as he sees the Invictus chew up fleet after fleet, smh, ... ;-) ttfn
Michael56Smith
2023-05-02 17:09:50 +0000 UTCHey, let them dream. Tef knows how he wants to tell the story. If he finds something to take in so be it. I am happy either way
Steve
2023-05-02 16:38:52 +0000 UTC.36: Bill, Jim, and Johnkr, .... this is Three Square Meals, and you mustn't try to straighten out the Author's Tefler story Twist, ... it is just not done, .... Tef will tell it his way, in his time, ... we can hope for things, like Faye's restoration, or wiping out some bad guy, and it might happen in the story in some form or another, but it is not your (a fan's) story, it is Tef's, and his characters do things the way he thinks they should, ... right? ;-) ttfn
Michael56Smith
2023-05-02 09:17:17 +0000 UTCIt's lonely out in space, in fact it's cold as hell, especially when Jessica no longer a thrall and you tried to kill her son. I am thinking the same thing. Pretty much every progenitor will come through his neck of the woods, I mean shroud. He had got to at least stop hiding. Maybe he is watching everything and will intervene when John is in trouble.
Johnkr
2023-05-02 03:16:22 +0000 UTCYes he’s got a dreadnought and has been way too quiet. I too think he’s about to grow a pair and help his son just for info and to get John mum off his back lol.
Jim lynch
2023-05-02 00:19:47 +0000 UTCM56S - don't want to kill the thralls - who knows - they may come in handy in the future.
Bill
2023-05-01 22:21:48 +0000 UTC...enthusiastic thumbs up. "That would awesome, thanks!"
Fred Hunter
2023-05-01 19:24:18 +0000 UTC.31: I am sorry Bill, Larn'kelnar's (now Rahn'hagon's) dreadnought was the only cloak capable ship in that fleet, .... -- and since what we found out in this chapter (#162), that the Males on the trade stations had reverse engineered the cloaking technology, from Mael's old weapons platforms, and in a way that can be made using Maliri tools (crystal tech), ... so if Queen Edraele asks nicely, then the Maliri at Genthalas could have the info to start cranking out some powerful camouflage devices for their ships and key facilities, ... --- and yeah, I agree that the next chapter (#163) should be an Awesome one, especially if Rahn and Jessica put in an appearance, ... 'and just destroy Kal's dreadnoughts' engines huh? ... has Rahn been spying on John to keep tabs on the Progenitor War, and how his son is doing impossible things? smh, ... ;-) ttfn
Michael56Smith
2023-05-01 18:01:34 +0000 UTCNext chapter would be a really really good place for John's father to show up cloaked and ambush Gahl’kalgor. Just destroy his engines so he's stranded. Enough time for the captured fleet to get thru the gate. Does the updated Malari fleet have cloak capability
Bill
2023-05-01 16:34:36 +0000 UTC.28: hey Cornbread, I do seem to recall a mention of the Requisitioned ships, by Edraele? but only vague timelines were given, Tef must be saving those Maliri controlled warships for a 'Calvery to the rescue' type of an entrance, ... and since this was only the 2nd chapter so far this year, and those ships had started back late last year, ... your faulty memory can be readily excused, ... ;-) ttfn
Michael56Smith
2023-05-01 15:48:39 +0000 UTCBest Monday wake up notification.
Silent Count
2023-05-01 15:47:54 +0000 UTC.27: Hey there Qahlz, your spelling for that far off and fictional Empire was very close, off by just a few letters early in your attempt, it really s/b Laranthyrans, ... but your memory on those requisitioned ships was spot on, ... toddles ya'll, ... ;-) ttfn
Michael56Smith
2023-05-01 15:40:09 +0000 UTCI am losing track of time. I thought that they were in the Sector by now.
Cornbread
2023-05-01 15:18:48 +0000 UTCThe captured ships of the Lanathyrans(sp?) is still en route to the gate and not yet in Maliri space. Genkiran ships were not captured, just disabled.
Qahlz
2023-05-01 15:11:23 +0000 UTCQuestion: What is going on with that fleet of ships they captured? John was deciding the fate of the planet and space station and no one mention using the fleet. I am sorry, but it is not rational to leave an asset off the table with millions of people at stake.
Cornbread
2023-05-01 13:03:01 +0000 UTCGood chapter!!
Bill
2023-05-01 11:50:03 +0000 UTCYeah, well spotted. It should be fixed now. :)
Tefler
2023-05-01 10:14:21 +0000 UTCNope, just an annoying typo! Thanks.
Tefler
2023-05-01 10:13:37 +0000 UTCFixed it now, thank you!
Tefler
2023-05-01 10:13:20 +0000 UTCwell spotted, thanks!
Tefler
2023-05-01 10:13:07 +0000 UTCAh, thanks! I've fixed it now.
Tefler
2023-05-01 10:12:33 +0000 UTC.17: found another oops, sorry: on page 41 of 50 in Word, "The enemy Progenitor has join those warships and they continue to advance towards Venkarys.”, .... I am sure you meant to write 'joined' ,... loving this chapter, thank you, ... ;-) ttfn
Michael56Smith
2023-05-01 09:30:34 +0000 UTCJust want to say how much I enjoy the story. I work night shift at a hotel so my shifts have often been time for me to download and read each chapter in MS Word. Think I've edited the last 20 or so chapters that way. Cant wait to dive into this chapter
James Dougherty
2023-05-01 08:49:31 +0000 UTCNo :). Typo.
jdg45
2023-05-01 05:15:01 +0000 UTCIs this a British spelling issue? she heared instead of she heard
Evan
2023-05-01 04:41:43 +0000 UTCAnd: will rue the day that decided S/B will rue the day that they decided
Evan
2023-05-01 04:37:18 +0000 UTCOne more: all the minefields will be dragging them through S/B all the minefields we’ll be dragging them through
Evan
2023-05-01 04:35:41 +0000 UTCTefler, I found an error: “How many?” Darthas asked, feeling as badly shaken as Aldorellan looked. “Maybe ten fleets so far?” Darthas said with a shrug. “I haven’t been keeping count.” —- Obviously, the second part shouldn’t be Darthas speaking. Is it John?
Evan
2023-05-01 04:26:23 +0000 UTCYay
Muledrvr
2023-05-01 04:22:10 +0000 UTCMuch appreciated. Been suffering from severe TSM withdrawals
Antoine Scrivener
2023-05-01 04:06:58 +0000 UTCThank you Tef
GDay (FMS)
2023-05-01 03:59:43 +0000 UTCThanks Tefler, get some sleep.
Cignal
2023-05-01 03:42:20 +0000 UTC
