Sa'ren Part II

A Vision of Troy

---

 

Hawaii - Pacific Rim Division HQ:

After Kirk had finished explaining the situation that the gang of returning boys had found themselves in, and after leaving John and Stephen to stay with their obviously concerned parents to answer questions, Joel, Kevin and the three triplets walked outside to find Juan.

The brief spurt of mind-talk the Double Js had sent at him after Kirk's rendition of events had been done was not that comforting. Juan had known almost as the events had taken place that Joel had gone and gotten himself into some trouble on the Enterprise, and he was now outside with Koth; raging.

"Deep deep joy," Kevin sighed as the five boys walked along the path to where both Kevin and Joel could sense their target's presence, due to the pendants they all wore. "An irate Juan. An irate Klingon Juan... even worse."

Seth was hugged close to Joel side, which wasn't surprising to either Kevin or Joel seeing as it had been Joel who had saved his life.

It was surprising to both Cain and Abel, however. They knew that their brother was normally as trusting as an offended Romulan. Abel smiled at Cain as they walked along beside Kevin hand in hand. 'Maybe, if Seth trusts them this much, we might be safe with them...' he sent to Cain.

With a nod, Cain agreed. 'If this Compound was an example of the type of place the Clan normally lives in,' he thought to himself, 'maybe my brothers are right.'

Joel stopped walking when he saw the two boys they had gone to find approaching from the other direction.

"Here we go," Kevin winced as he saw Juan take notice of them.

As soon as Juan saw Joel and Kevin walking towards them, the first thing he felt was anger.  Anger at Joel, but even more so anger at himself.  He had vowed to protect his lover, and yet he allowed himself to get talked into staying behind, because everyone said that Joel couldn't possibly get hurt while visiting the Enterprise.  The fact that once again Joel had a war without him didn't help matters.  

The thing that bothered Juan though was that as soon as the anger flashed up in him it went away.  At first, he thought someone was playing with him, until he put his mental shields up to full strength.  No one was messing with his head, so the new feelings, relief, pride, love, and something else he wasn't quite sure what it was filled him now.  

Quickly he made his way over to Joel, and, without even pausing to look at the others with Joel, quickly pulled Joel into a tight, but not too tight, hug.  In a voice that was not meant for others to hear, Juan spoke to the boy who had healed him, and the one who needed the most tender, loving protection he could give.

"You do realize that I will never let you out of my sight again... right?"  He pulled back after he said that, with a smirk on his face, and unshed tears that he would NOT allow to fall.

Joel half grinned as well, "Then I hope you don't mind watching others poop, T'hy'la."

"I have dealt with much worse... trust me," he said with a half way grin, then stepped back again and took in the three new boys with Joel. He stood there for a brief moment in shock before he could get his mouth to work. "Well hell... why not. Adam is going to freak... again,"  He said more to himself then to anyone else, but everyone heard him.

Kevin half grinned, "We expected that... what are you going to do, Juan? Can Adam be told now, or is he in the middle of something?"

Juan shook his head. "After what happened yesterday, well lets just say... if I didn't tell him he'd kick my ass."

Still clinging to Joel's side, Seth looked up at the slightly taller Juan. "This Adam can kick your ass? Figures," he grinned.

"Seth," Abel sighed. "Put your balls back in your pants and start thinking with your brain in gear, please; he seems better trained than you..."

"And I give the order to fight... I don't want a repeat of our escape with you looking for more to kill instead of just getting out of there!" Cain added, with a roll of the eyes that was so much like Adam Casey's expression when Juan went off and did something stupid that Juan had to fight to not laugh.

"Oh God... that one is JUST like Adam... that's all we fucking need!" Juan grinned, then looked to Joel. "He's not busy... so tell me when your ready."

Joel shrugged. "I'm ready, but are these three ready for meeting their big brother?" he wondered as he looked into Seth's eyes.

"Is he a good fighter, and does he like to wrestle?" Seth asked with a shrug of his own.

Cain muttered something unintelligible and narrowed his eyes. He was reserving judgement.

Abel smiled and nodded. "As long as we get to decide where to go and what to do, then yeah - let's meet the one General Shithead cloned us from."

Juan looked at the one that he knew was named Seth and grinned, "Oh yeah. He is a damned good fighter. There is only one of us that is a better fighter, and that's because the person who trained us cheated with him. His name is Chang, and you'll all meet him soon. But for now, lets introduce you to Adam. I am sure I won't need to introduce you when he shows up, but just so you know, the other older boy with him is his lover Logan, and three of Logan's clone brothers, Alvin, Simon, and Theodore." Juan waited for three nods before he called Adam and the only thing he told Adam was that Joel was back, and Adam needed to get to him ASAP.

While they waited, Seth tucked his face closer to Joel's shoulder and whispered, "Then it's this Chang I wanna wrestle with. Finally, a challenge."

"Still thinking with your balls, Seth," Abel pointed out as he poked the now sullen looking Cain in the ribs.

"Screw you, Abel," Seth grinned over.

"Let me guess," Juan grinned. "You're Bob?" he asked, pointing at Cain.

Cain didn't get a chance to reply as five figures appeared behind Juan. "Okay Juan... what did you do wrong this time... Oh fuck me..." Adam said as he caught sight of the three boys next to Joel.

"Adam!" Joel said brightly, a forced smile on his face, "meet Cain, Abel and Seth - your brothers..."

"He's a hippy!" Seth exclaimed as he took in his older brother's long, LONG hair. "We're cloned from a hippy? You didn't say anything about hippies, Joel!"

"SETH!" Abel exploded while trying not to laugh. "For the love of God, THINK before you speak, will you?"

Adam stared intently at Seth for a brief moment before speaking softly, "I am NOT a pacifist."

Seth grinned back. "Good! Do you wrestle? I like wrestling. Can we wrestle?"

Walking over to stand between his overly talkative brother and Adam, Cain said, "Ignore him. He gets us into more fights than I would like. So - you're Adam. I guess... I guess you're not bad, if Joel likes you. You look nice..."

Adam nodded and smiled down at Cain. "I am glad you're here now. We'll have time later on to tell you all that you guys want to know about us. For now why don't I give you the basics? I am the commanding officer of a large group of soldiers, over half of whom are genetically engineered like we are. At the moment, most of us are dealing with an uprising in Russia." He looked and saw that he had at least gotten Seth's attention.

"You winning?" the triplet in question asked. "Please say 'yes'; I don't wanna be related to someone who can't win fights!"

"Brain gear in forward, not reverse, bro," Abel hissed out of the side of his mouth.

Joel was nearly crying laughing as he held Seth closer to his side.

Kevin sighed with a smile. "Cain's the leader, Adam," he explained. "As you guessed. Abel... he's the thinker..."

Juan grinned up at his big brother, "But I think Seth takes after me! I like him already!"

"Well there goes the town," Adam grinned as he ruffled Juan's hair. He then looked over at Seth. "I think we have exactly what you want. After you get settled, if you wanna get into a war, I can do that. As long as you can follow orders... at least as well as Juan can..."

Cain raised an eyebrow as he looked up at Adam. Seth and Abel's faces took on hard, resolute expressions. Cain said softly, in a tone that mirrored Adam's earlier one exactly, "I give orders to my team. The last time we obeyed a superior officer we spent two years as prisoners having our nuts ripped off whenever they grew back. Respectfully, you can take your orders and shove them. That is the way it stands with us right now."

Abel, in a tone that matched his brother's, added, "We would like to get to know you and the rest of what Joel called 'the Unit'... but it'll take a while for you to earn that type of trust that Fath... damn, I hate it when I slip like that! You have to earn the trust that GENERAL SHITHEAD abused... Sorry, Adam."

"I'll not fight with you yet," Seth agreed, his eyes hard as agates. Then he added as an afterthought, "... but I'll still wrestle with you..."

Adam got an almost feral grin look on his face as he heard the words that his 'brothers' said. "Good. You've past the first test. Any soldier that would willingly follow someone they did not know nor trust is a fool. On a personal level, I can't wait to get to know you three; on a professional commander level, I eagerly await to see what you guys can do, and just how close to me they got you."

"To answer that last," Joel said now that he was no longer laughing, "I think I can help." He held out a tricorder to Logan. "Here is their full bio-profile. They seem to have been cloned after all your upgrades, but they are also natural triplets." He looked over at the Chipmunks, "Unlike you three and your brothers, they came from the same zygote. I'd rate them as a seven or eight on your new measurements. Like Juan, Jory and the others; or very close to at any rate."

"What's a seven or eight?" Abel asked curiously.

Logan was the one that took that question. "We developed a system to classify the Genesis kids. It's an average of three different areas: How much faster you are than a normal human of your age; how much stronger you are; and how must faster you heal as well as how much you can take. Adam here is the highest we have found so far at a level 10. That came from him being eleven times stronger than a normal fourteen-year-old, nine times faster, and ten times healing." Logan paused as he looked at the tricorder that Joel had given him. "Based on this, Joel's right. You guys are seven or eights."

"Kewl, so it'll take three of us wrestling Adam! I like this already! For the Pride!" Seth crowed as he leapt from Joel's side and ploughed into Adam's belly in a tackle.

Abel rolled his eyes as he leapt in as well.

"For the love of..." Cain sighed as he too jumped in.

Alvin looked at his brothers, "I like them."

Theodore and Simon grinned, then the three Chipmunks leapt on Logan...

... they couldn't be the ONLY triplet clones NOT wrestling their donor-big-brothers!

Kevin, Joel, Juan, Quint and Levi sighed and went back into Hawaii CIC to eat and leaving the playing group to it.

---

Adam, Logan and the Chipmunks had stayed for a while to allow Adam to bond with his newly discovered brothers. Then, after they had all promised to keep in touch as the Adam-clones settled in, Adam and the others went back to Russia.

Then, after smiling his way through the weddings his father had performed for Prez and Keith and the other couples, Joel and the now larger group returned to Orlando.

With a grin, Joel thought about what Cory would say when he saw the three new members of the Clan. With an even bigger one, he hoped that they would soon want to stay with both himself, Kevin and Levi. Cain and his brothers were an absolute riot once they started coming out of their shells, but even with all the hi-jinx they seemed to want to get themselves into, there was a definite undercurrent of hurt there that needed to be dealt with. Joel had already been shown all that Kevin had found: Juan would certainly be needed in the healing process. Koth too.

Levi took charge almost as soon as they had arrived. "Bed, guys," he said to Joel and Kevin's kids, as well as to Tumelo.

"But we're going to England soon!" Sue protested, not liking the idea of 'sleep', as any good kid shouldn't.

Brian nodded his agreement, "Not enough time to sleep!"

Rafe and Tumelo would have protested with them, but they were just too tired. Spock and Teri smiled at each other before heading into Kitchen to get a drink for those staying awake.

"Time doesn't mean anything," Levi giggled as he corralled them all to the Rec Room and got them to curl up in a pile. They all fell asleep instantly. He looked at the others and winked, "They'll have all the sleep they need and be up again in half an hour."

Seth glanced at Levi out of the corner of his eyes, "What about us? We're not sleeping?"

Levi shrugged, "I made sure you had enough when I made you N-Gens."

"And Kevin?" Abel asked as he poked the thin boy in the ribs, causing Kevin to shout and jump to the side.

Kevin poked his tongue out at the grinning boy. "I'm not tired, imp.. Levi topped me up too."

"And I'm Vulcan," Joel added before an equally grinning Cain could say anything. "We don't need sleep the same as humans." He glanced around the Rec Room then over at Levi, "How long until the others are up?"

The Mikyvis did not get a chance to answer, for a pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around Joel's shoulders. "I'm awake already," Cory chuckled into his ear before kissing his cheek.

Then Cory noticed that, rather than a red under shirt to Joel's Starfleet uniform, he was wearing a white one. He spun his smiling little brother around and saw the Commander rank insignia as well as three new medals on his chest: the Starfleet Distinguished Service Medal, the Starfleet Silver Lifesaving Medal and the Starfleet Medal of Valor.

He looked over at Kevin and saw that he was also a full ranked officer, Lieutenant Commander, and had the Starfleet Command Commendation for Conspicuous Gallantry, The Legion of Honor and the Starfleet Purple Heart on his chest. There was a fading scar on the brown haired boy's forehead as well.

"Why is it that I'm afraid to ask?" Cory asked with raised eyebrows.

Juan shook his head, "I don't think you could say anything I haven't already said..."

Joel glanced over at him.

"To Koth, Babe," Juan chuckled. "He got the ear full."

"To fucking right," Koth agreed with a quirk to his lips.

Joel looked back at Cory, saw Sean, Adam, Kyle and Tommy behind him. He reached out and pulled Kevin to his side before saying with clear pride in his voice, "We took the Enterprise for a short trip to Alpha Centauri, me and Kev in command. John and Stephen from Hawaii were with us. On the way back an unknown alien ship was attacking a Federation passenger transport, so I took the Enterprise in. After fighting them off with the help of another unknown ship, Kev, John, Stephen, me and the Cats went over to the transport with Security..."

"And me!" Kataui added from Joel's shoulder.

"And Tribble," Joel giggled, then continued. "We fought off the human invaders - alien ship, real weird, but humans were attacking - and Kev and Stephen took back the bridge. I took back Engineering and stopped a core breach. John saved the ship from an antimatter bomb carrying intruder, and he nearly got spaced doing so. We... well... you can see from the medals and our ranks..." he trailed off with a sunshine smile of pride as he puffed out his chest.

Cory smiled at his Lil'elf, carefully forming his words to keep up the upbeat attitude which Joel was displaying. "This proves that you're my little brother; you managed to keep the Short tradition of saving others!" He then looked at Kevin and said, "And you, Kev - I'm so very proud of you too. You've come further in the last week than in the month before, and what you achieved in that month was amazing on its own."

Kevin was once again reduced to letting happy tears flow from his eyes at Cory's words. He and Joel slammed into the blond teen's chest and commenced a massive cuddle time-out.

Tommy came over and tapped Joel on the shoulder. After a moment or so more of Cory-cuddles, Joel peeked up at his southern brother. Tommy smiled, "Y'alls gonna get the best down-home breakfast soon as were done pond-hoppin'! I'm gonna be a takin' the kitchen myself!"

---

Half an hour later:

"DAAAAADDDY! We're HUNGRY and Granma won't let us eeeeeaaaaattttt!!!!!" came a wail from a rather put out Timmy, who was standing at the door to the dining room.

"I'm gittin the vittles movin' over to Unc Jace's kitchens, munchkin," Tommy replied before Cory could say a word.

"But we're hungry nooooow, Unca Tommy!" Ricky chimed in pitifully. Behind him, most of the other Rugrats and Tribe members, who were going with the group, were casting their longing, starved eyes at the group of older boys and teens.

"Y'all needs to be raidin' them breakfast cookies I's been a'givin the Elf," Tommy giggled.

Joel, no longer wearing his crown, lifted his face in Tommy's direction. One of the 'breakfast cookies' was half way eaten and wedged firmly in his teeth, and his face had a shocked, worried look on it. Not because he did not wish to share his delicious stash with the little ones, but a group of 'starved' little ones would maul him worse than a pissed off Klingon targ!

The sudden stampede that headed in Joel's direction was led by Timmy, however, so Joel had little to fear. "Hold!" Timmy called as they all gathered like a pack of wolves around the nervous Vulcan teen. "Unca Joel?"

"Yes, TimTims?" Joel trembled.

"Can we share your cookies, please?" the little boy asked sweetly.

With a nod, Joel opened his dimension bag wide. He allowed Timmy and Ricky to organise the kids into a line so that they could help themselves to a few cookies without so much as a hair being mauled on the slightly less nervous looking Vulcan.

"Okay," Teri called out with a chuckle as she watched Timmy take great care of his beloved Vulcan uncle. "Is everyone here?" In one hand she held a datapad and her eyes roved around the room and all the kids, teens and adults therein.

The noise level abated and everyone looked around as well.

With a laugh, Cory said, "Might be better to make a roll-call, Mom!"

"I think you're right," Teri sighed. As she started listing the children's names, the kid in question raised their hand and called out "Here!" Grandma Anne, who had followed her into the room, was doing the same with the adults; much to the Clan's amusement.

While Joel listened to his mother and grandma read out the list, as well as feed the munchkins cookies, he felt a hand on his shoulder and smiled. "SamSam!" he crowed. "You made it?"

"Of course," Sammy Reynolds smiled. "Do you really think I'd not come to your wedding, Joel?"

Joel left his cookie bag with Timmy and spun around to hug his friend and brother. "I've got a big question - I couldn't decide on just one person, so... come here!" he crowed again as he grabbed Sammy's hand and pulled him over to where he could feel Cory and Sean sitting. "Cor? Teddy? I've got a question for you and Sammy!"

Smiling up at his little brother from his comfy position next to Sean on the sofa, Cory said, "Go ahead, bro - and glad you're coming, SamSam!"

Sammy grinned while Joel launched immediately into his burning question. "I need a best man for my weddings... Kev's got Xain, Jake and, of course, Kenny. Juan's asked his brother Adz and then his only 'Daddy'; Joe. Can... do you three think... maybe you could all be my best men?" he asked all three of them.

Cory and Sean did a quick link-sync, then spoke in perfect unison. "We would love to, Lil'elf!" they replied in stereo.

"Make that my statement as well!" Sammy giggled as he pulled Joel into his arms and squeezed him until he started squeaking.

"I believe we can now leave," Spock said once both Anne and Teri had finished with their lists. "Daileass, Draco - the honours are yours."

'Where in the Nest do you want to appear?' Draco asked. 'It is a lovely day, so I would recommend the drive leading to the Manor - will give them a chance at seeing the Nest at its best.'

Grinning, Cory nodded at his father. "That sounds cool," he told Spock.

Spock nodded in agreement, "Then take us there, please."

'By Your Command!' both AIs giggled in a passable imitation of a Cylon's voice.

The was a brief flicker, and the entire group left the early hours of the morning in Orlando and appeared outside in the dawn of South Wales. The sky above was clear, but a chill breeze was coming down the valley toward them. In front of them stood the Evans' Manor house, and to either side and behind were yet more buildings. Most were at most three stories high, and they lined the valley all the way up.

With his teeth chattering, Joel turned and aimed for the closest warm body that he could sense; Mont. Ducking under the lion-boy's robe, he scrambled up so that only his face was poking out of the neck of the robe alongside Mont's. "Cold! Reeaaaallly cold!" he giggled as Mont purred at him.

"Draco, jackets please?" Cory exclaimed, the chill sensed by him and the rest of the Orlando crew.

As jackets appeared in everyone's hands, Bryce shook his head. "At least I thought ahead; my boyfriend's all wrapped up nice and snug!" he giggled as he jerked his thumb at Xandor. There was little about the twelve year old Lo'Garn that was recognisable except for the lump on his back that showed where his wings were.

Xandor gave a gloved handed thumbs up and giggled as the rest pulled on their warm jackets.

"It's warm inside," came a voice from over their heads as Riti zoomed over and came to a hovering halt before them. "But I'm surprised, Cory - doesn't Des Moines get colder than this at times? It's only early November, after all. Won't really be cold until January, and still will be warmer than most of the northern States of America!"

"We're acclimated to Orlando!" Cory giggled.

"Bunch of sissies," Jason called out at he and Telez walked towards them from the Manor. Jason was in jeans, trainers and a tee-shirt only. Telez was buck naked and rubbing what looked like sunscreen on himself.

"Sorry, dudes," Telez grinned. "I wouldn't have invited you until the weather was better. I don't like these heat waves!"

"The IceMan Speaketh..." Sean quipped, causing giggles throughout the group.

"HUUUUUNGRRREEEEEYYYY!" Timmy, Ricky and Pauly wailed, cutting off further discussion and prompting every other eight and under - and a few older - kids to start protesting as well.

Allie thumping her tail on the ground impatiently seemed to get the point across more than the whining.

Sniggering, Jason half turned with a slight bow and gestured toward the waiting Manor, "Please, honoured hungry guests - enter in and feast on the breakfast prepared for you!"

In a less than orderly fashion, Timmy led the charge; and all the Tribe and various animals followed in his wake. Including I-Cheya and Blackie, much to Joel's amusement. The older guys took just a fraction less time following them, leaving all the adults to sigh and follow the expected trail of devastation that this marauding band of Mongolian copycats would leave.

Inside the greeting hall of the Manor, Cory and the older group came to a screeching halt. Off to the left, the Tribe were slamming through the doors to what could only be a massive dining room, judging by the smells coming from that direction. Not to mention the noise, Cory thought, but then all thought was driven from his mind. The reason for the sudden stop of the older group was something completely unexpected.

Unexpected for two reasons. The first was that they were all hungry and never before had anything less than an attack or a kid in danger stopped them from getting to food. The second was that the majority of the group were all gay; and what stopped them was a vision of such beauty descending the grand staircase toward them that that simple fact got washed away. Cory even felt his mouth go dry, and no girl had ever made that happen before.

The girl in question was a Vulcan, and Cory judged her to be about his age if not a bit older. Behind her came two older Vulcans and judging by their features they could only be this girl's brothers. Both of them were stunningly handsome, Cory thought, but nothing to compare to the 'Helen of Troy' like perfection of this girl.

Mont let Joel slip from his arms as he could barely tear his eyes from this vision of loveliness, and the poor blind boy thumped down the inside of his robe to tumble out of the bottom and roll across the floor toward the foot of the stairs.

Joel reached them, laughing and giggling and wondering what was going on just as this female Vulcan reached the bottom and reached to touch his shoulder.

"Greetings, Sa'ren of Family Sarek," she said.

With his skin prickling at her touch and a scent that made him nervous tickling his nose, Joel turned his sightless face up toward hers. "Hello?"

She lent down and helped the far smaller Joel to his feet and said, "I am Tera, daughter of T'Sel of the Family of Temrick. These are my brothers, Turek and Tarak, sons of Temrick. It is pleasing to meet you, Sa'ren."

"Uh... thanks. It is nice to meet you too, Tera... umm... you smell nice," he whispered as he felt his blood heat up slightly - and that unnerved him somewhat.

Tera raised an eyebrow, "Thank you. You smell of... cookies, I believe. It is a something not common for me to smell on one of our race."

"He has spent much time with our human brothers, sister," Turek said simply as he and Tarak reached the foot of the stairs. "It would be unlikely that he would smell as we are accustomed to."

"I understand that, brother," she stated as she looked up into Turek's face. "And my statement was not one of dislike. I find it strangely... attractive," the youngest sibling finished.

Joel blushed and then turned quickly to seek someone, anyone, that could hide the boner he had suddenly popped at those words. Sean was the lucky one selected to shield his embarrassment. "Cheers. Boy, warm here suddenly. Is that scrambled eggs I smell? Yes, I believe so! Quick, before these VSO guys eat it all!" he mumbled incoherently as he pushed Sean from behind in the general direction of the dining room.

Kevin and Levi were staring seriously at Tera as Joel managed to slap, poke and prod Sean out of the hallway while keeping his big brother between Tera's eye line and his pants. With a telling glance, Kevin said to Levi, "Are you thinking what I think you're thinking?"

"I think that you are thinking right about me thinking what you think I'm thinking," Levi answered.

Juan, standing a little off to one side, chuckled. "Go Joel," he sang softly, "it's your birthday!"

Tera seemed to not hear any of this, although Cory knew quite well that Vulcans had a superior sense of hearing than humans, and instead she turned in his direction and walked up to him. Once she was within hand-shaking distance her scent hit him square and he suddenly knew why Joel had panicked. He stared into her deep brown, almost black, eyes. "Greetings, Tera," he nodded formally after just managing to push his mind into Vulcan mode to compensate for the sheer presence of this girl. "I am Cory, son of Spock and Patriarch of Family Clan Short."

Tera nodded as well, "It is good to meet you, Cory. Tell me, is my distant cousin always that shy regarding the natural reactions of his pubescent body?"

"Uh... cousin?" Cory asked, tilting his head to the side.

"Sa'ren. His family and mine are both part of House Surak and we are therefore cousins, if distantly. Is Sa'ren always shy when he gains an erection?" she asked, curiosity in her eyes.

"Only with those which he has not bonded with," Cory replied carefully, his side thoughts concentrating on 90 year old grandmothers naked to prevent his own erection.

"I see," Tera nodded. "That is well." Then she turned and joined her brothers as they too walked into the dining room.

The collective sigh that resounded from the entire group of older Clan members was heard inside the dining room clearly.

"I... don't know what to say!" Dean spluttered as he adjusted his pants slightly. "I mean... my GOD, I've never been... had a girl... It's..."

"Completely expected," Justy laughed as he regarded the whole group. "I met Tera years ago on Vulcan. We were only nine and ten at the time, and she made me want to marry her even then!"

"So you're used to her?" JJ croaked as he fingered the collar of his shirt, still feeling slightly warm.

"Nope!" Justy replied easily. "She's hot and she knows it. Yet she doesn't do what Earth girls do and use it against boys. She's cool. You get used to her after a while, but when she comes up on you like that? It's tent time!"

"Interesting conversation you are having," Grandma Anne said from the suddenly opened front doors as she and the other adults finally made it inside. "What is this? You're all thinking about switching sides to what you've always called 'The Dark Side', Justin?"

"Nope, not drilling that well, Grandma!" Justy commented with an evil grin.

"Not unless Tera gets you alone in a room, Justy!" Kyle chortled from the door to the dining room where he and the other younger kids had vanished prior to Tera's appearance. His statement, however, showed clearly that he was still listening in on at least Cory's head. "Guys, you might want to get in here. She's terrorising Sean and Joel, now."

"Huh?" Juan spluttered, his eyes narrowing. "I thought Justy said..."

"Not deliberately, Juan," Kyle assured. "She's just asking if they want some plomek soup, and Joel's sunk so far under the table that I think he's trying to use his boner as another table-leg! Sean's having just as 'hard' of a time... hehehe..."

"Okay, let's go rescue them," Cory giggled as he gathered his 'courage' to 'face' the 'horror' of that stunningly beautiful Vulcan again.

"She is more than Vulcan," Nine stated to Austin as they followed in the middle of the pack.

Nodding, and adjusting his pants as most of the others were, Austin agreed. "Why aren't you affected?" he accused.

"I am Borg." No other answer was forthcoming, or needed really.

Inside the large well appointed dining room, Cory's eyebrows shot way up. He then turned and grinned to his mother, "See? Clothing IS optional for breakfast!"

All around were tables at which the relatively few Orlando kids were already mixing in with the Dragon Division group and those rescuees that lived there but did not work in the VSO. Timmy and most of the Tribe had already joined in with the prevailing dress code of the Rugrats - nudity. These even including Vulcan children up to about the age of nine or ten. Above that age and up to about fifteen or sixteen there were more who were dressed, seeing as the larger proportion of Division members were Vulcans and therefore dressed as per their traditions. Even so, some of them were nude.

By the side of the door next to Cory was a pile of hastily discarded clothing - all from his son and his friends. He continued to grin at his mother as Angela Evans came over to them. "Well, Mom?" he grinned again.

Teri's face was unreadable. She glanced at Spock, who shrugged, then she took her son's gaze again. "Well, when in Rome..."

"Have an orgy!" JJ exclaimed, earning him a slap from Adam.

Angela had reached them by this time. "No orgies before 10pm, and they are to be kept to bedrooms with only fully consenting participants and trust me - Draco will know, meaning Jason will know... then of course I will know if something is going on that shouldn't be," she said with a small smirk on her face as JJ blushed and rubbed the side of his head. "As for the dress-code, it's simple: whatever makes you comfortable. Some of the Vulcan teens have adapted to it, which they explain as attempting to fit in with human behaviour. I think it's an excuse, personally."

"It is," Spock agreed. At the glance from his soon-to-be-wife and all the kids he added, "I was a teen once too."

Adam was staring at Angela, "So are orgies common here?!"

Laughing, she shook her head. "No, unless you count Ollie's conquests - especially since Levi rescued him. He feels he has some catching up to do with Llewelyn."

Before Adam could raise another question, Cory yelped and jumped forward from the group. The reason was because the boy just named had snuck up behind them all and managed to start 'checking out' the Patriarch's butt. "Nice. My room, six pm," Ollie grinned. Then he looked Dylan and Thomas over, "You two, 7.30... bring some friends!"

Dylan giggled. "Who needs friends? You think you can handle a few aeons non-stop?"

Ollie never had a chance to answer, for Thomas slapped Dylan upside the head. Then, after laughing, Ollie said, "I've heard about your big brother and Joel... and about your big brother and Kevin... hey, Levi?"

With a rosy, glowing pink blush, Levi squeaked, "Yeah?"

"Did you get them both at once yet?"

"Working on it!" came the shy, giggled response.

Sighing with happiness, Ollie bounced off towards breakfast. "We'll make a Division member of you yet, Levi - you show great promise!"

"That boy needs help," Cory muttered as he looked around the room and spotted Joel and Sean sitting by Tera and her brothers. "Oh, I know what you mean now, Kyle. I'll go help."

"You might need help too, Cor," Kyle smirked as he pulled off his clothes. "You going to 'dress' the part?"

"Nope! Don't trust myself not to react. How the rest of these guys manage it I don't know!"

"They don't," Tyler answered as he bounced over. "But since most of them pop wood anyway - like YOU - they don't have to worry about her presence. Especially now that she seems fixated on Joel."

"Do you know why?" Juan asked. He had a half smirk on his face, but his eyes contained concern. He did not want anything to hurt Joel.

"Yes, but it's all going to be up to Joel and Tera," Tyler promised as he grabbed Tommy. "Come on, big bro! You gotta make Joel his breakfast, and the head cook here wants to learn a few of your home-cooked recipes! And teach you some of his, too!"

As Tyler dragged Tommy off towards the kitchen, Jason poked Cory in the side and then addressed them all. "Listen, guys: we have no dress code here unless it's a special occasion and then there's plenty of warning. If you want to go nude 24/7 you can if you're not expected to be doing anything important. Most kids just come in for food as they like. Normally we discourage people stripping off in public as that can be taken more sexually than it's intended, but this once won't be a problem. If you want to get comfy, do so. But know, there's a lot of girls here, they will likely be just as naked as you, and most boys pop boners when we mix like this; gay or not. You're seeing a lot of flesh, so expect a few red faces, but know that we're all in the same boat together."

"You didn't freak with Tera back there!" Kelly groused.

"I'm VSO," Jason shrugged, giving just as a succinct yet totally useless answer as Nine had done to Austin's same question. He looked at Cory, "I'd keep my clothes on if I were you, though: if you're going to be anywhere near her as you rescue your hubby and Elf, you'll need something to cover your soldier!"

"Or you can go nude and use it to 'needle' those in your way!" JJ added with a smirk.

Cory shot JJ a dirty look before asking Jason, "Nearest pool?"

"In the secondary basement beneath us, or five mins up the valley for the bigger one - or the rather cold yet refreshing small lake in the valley about half a mile from here," Jason suggested helpfully.

"Heyyyy Draco, you cute collection of semiconductors....." Cory said in a sickly sweet voice.

"No!" JJ wailed. "No no no no NO!"

'You have no need to ask, oh delicious blond Patriarch of Clan Short,' Draco responded in just as sickly sweet a tone.

JJ vanished.

'Should I let him swim out, or 'port him back? He is swearing, and the carp is looking rather shocked,' Draco giggled.

"It matters... are you learning any new words?" Cory replied with a grin.

Draco responded, 'Nope, but the carp is!'

"Bring him back then; poor carp!" Cory giggled as the rest of the group, even Adam, fell into laughter.

JJ reappeared sans clothes, which were dumped a few feet away from the main pile so as not to soak them. A warm, fluffy towel was then dumped onto his head by the ever present, always helpful Draco. 'The carp says that the next time you shock him, he'll eat your worm,' said the Vulcan AI before 'going off' to attend to his work.

"Wow, talk about shrinkage... you want to go talk to Tera to warm it back up?" Cory laughed.

JJ didn't respond, but he did yell loudly as a small, feminine hand closed around his 'john thomas'. He glanced down and saw Viccy next to him. "I'll help you," she giggled as she gave him another squeeze before bouncing past and winking at Adam. "Na, I think Adam might get jealous!"

"Why just the tee-shirt, Vic?" Kyle asked as he finished stripping off his socks and standing up.

She grinned. "'Cos I like ponies! See?" she answered as she showed them the front of her shirt. A ponies' head was pictured on the small tee-shirt that came only to her waist. Then she glanced back at Kyle, who was not looking at all shy at standing nude next to a mostly nude girl of the same age. "That's an improvement," she grinned, "better than the first time we met!"

"Didn't know you then, sis," Kyle answered with a sunny smile as he hugged her. "And we're both even now... more or less."

Giggling they both parted, then it was Kyle's turn to yelp as she tugged gently on his own 'soldier'. "I'd better keep you on your toes then," she said, winking at him to show she was just goofing around. Then she flounced off to get some food.

Adam grabbed JJ's hand. "Actually, I think it's time to test out Tera's brothers. C'mon hon, lets see if we can fix your turtle."

"Strip," JJ ordered as he stood his ground. "I'm not going to be the ONLY one in my birthday suit!"

Most of the rest giggled and joined him, but Cory just took off his tee-shirt and went over to see what Tera was up to with his husband and little brother. Kevin, Levi, Koth and Juan joined him, and only Levi was nude.

The others simply copied Cory for now, even though Koth would have liked to go the whole hog. It might be best, he reasoned to himself, around this odd girl-Vulcan.

Tera was the first to notice their approach. "Patriarch," she nodded at him, and he could swear that he could see amusement in her eyes.

"Tera," Cory smiled as he sat down next to Sean, who was now looking mightily relieved at gaining backup.

"I've kept you a seat," Joel whispered to Kevin as he kept his massively blushing face pointed at his bowl of plomek soup. He was pressed so tightly against the table that Kevin was slightly worried his little Vulcan hubby would bruise his chest.

Kevin squeezed in close to Joel's side as he sat down, "You okay?"

"Uh, yeah... My cousin's nice," Joel mumbled as he fumbled around for a spoon.

He felt a light touch of warm skin on his hand as one was handed to him. "Here, little cousin," Tera said, compassion clear in her voice.

Her touch sent a shock of fire up Joel's arm, and he wiggled in his seat as his pants-problem seemed to intensify. Levi just giggled as he plopped himself down on Kevin's other side and dove into some breakfast.

"At least you are in keeping with the prevailing dress code," Tera remarked as she studied the strange purple eyed boy.

Levi shrugged and nodded, "You don't affect me the same way as the others. They're scared of you seeing their stiffies."

"You're NOT helping, Levi!" Sean complained as he fought off Cory's hands trying to verify the statement.

"I do not believe he was intending to help," Tera stated simply. "Regardless, I would not be concerned should I see a room full of erections - which is obvious as this room is nearly half populated by males with that current bodily state."

"Because of you?" Joel asked as he turned his sightless face in her direction.

"Myself, my brothers and also the simple fact that a lot of us are what humans classify as 'teenagers with hormones'. I and my kin are not solely responsible, especially as most here are not looking at nor interacting with us."

"Nine said you weren't totally Vulcan," Juan stated as he heaped food onto his plate. "You look Vulcan."

"My great grandmother was Deltan," Tera explained.

Cory's eyes opened wide as an understanding expression came over his face.

Joel nodded, "And you've just left Pon Farr... I can... smell your pheromones..."

"As I can yours," Tera replied looking directly at the smaller Vulcan.

Cory was sure that he saw her eyes smouldering with something akin to lust as she did so; so sure he'd had bet all the money Clan Short had on it.

He was slightly concerned, for he believed his brother had more than enough to deal with without the added burden of Vulcan biological imperatives linking him in with a fertile and obviously willing female of his race. "So your Deltan blood is what overpowers the normal gay-straight attitudes of me and my brothers?" he asked, pulling both her attention to himself as well as Joel's.

"Correct," she answered. Unconsciously her hand was still near to Joel's and their fingers were automatically brushing against one another's gently. "My maternal grandmother looks Vulcan from the outside, but her affect on others is exactly like that of a Deltan. My mother has far less of an impact, but it has surfaced a lot with me. My brothers do not have so much of an affect; less so when I am around as I draw the attention."

With a small scowl on his face, Kevin pulled Joel's hand into his own, then opened his mouth to eat a spoonful of the soup Joel fed him automatically with his other free hand.

Tera noticed the movement, and the hard look from Kevin, but said nothing.

Levi noticed to, but just continued eating - he knew what was going through Kevin's mind and it had nothing to do with feeling threatened by this girl's interest in Joel.

Cory, as he started, eating asked, "And your hair? I suppose your grandmother doesn't have any, but your Vulcan traits are strong enough to grow some?"

"Incorrect," Tera replied. "My grandmother has hair. The Vulcan genome is stronger than that of Deltan. But in the weakness of our genetic make-up some surprising strengths seem to arise. Whilst she looks Vulcan, my grandmother is unable to achieve much in the way of emotional control and, for the sake of most off-worlders, she keeps herself surrounded by our own people who are generally immune to the Deltan sexuality."

"You know, you must have some Deltan in you, Cor, you always make ME hot!" Sean commented with a giggle, being secure in his relationship with his husband.

As Cory choked on his breakfast, Levi snapped his fingers, "I knew I was forgetting something." He looked down at the floor next to his chair and summoned a bag to appear.

Kevin looked over. "What've you got there, Leev?"

"Presents for two of the most special people I know," Levi grinned as he lifted the bag up onto his bare lap.

"Who're they?" Joel asked curiously as he started shovelling more soup into Kevin's mouth.

"You and Kev, of course, silly!" Levi sniggered. "Here, Kev... for you," he added as he handed over a boxed set of five books. "Me and Quint went universe hopping after our mission for the Guardian. I saw this and knew you'd like it."

"I've never heard of this author before," Kevin mumbled with extreme interest as he read the small write up on the back of the box. "'Percy Jackson'? Oh, WOW! The Olympians?!"

"Yep!" Levi bounced in his seat happily. "They've not been written in our universe yet... maybe never, but why should that stop us from having a good story?" he added with a laugh.

"Cheater!" Cory giggled with an approving smile, while poking Sean repeatedly in the ribs with one of his bony fingers.

Joel had stopped eating and was waiting patiently as he 'read' the first page of the first book through Kevin's eyes. "Looks interesting," he smiled as Kevin closed it to read later.

"Yeah," Kevin sighed happily. Then he reached over and pulled Levi into one serious lip-lock.

Once the kiss was over, and with his breath gone, Levi pushed a small CD case into Joel's hand.

"Oh! Watissit?" the small Vulcan rushed out, his words all mashing together.

"An album by a band that's real big in some of the other universes, and that CD won't be made for another six years," Levi explained. "They're called 'Treat'."

"Kewl!" Joel bounced before placing his present down and reaching past Kevin to pull Levi over for yet another large kiss.

Levi made a mental note to save the other present for later - if a set of books and a CD got him these butterfly-causing kisses, his next gift to them both would likely need a bedroom, a bed and some serious soundproofing.

With smiles on their faces, Sean and Cory watched as the three boys shared some kisses between them. Cory saw that Juan and Koth were also paying close attention to the trio and they too had gentle smiles and soft expressions on their faces.

As per normal, Joel and Kevin did not take long to finish the food before them, then they, Levi and surprisingly Tera all scampered off with the gifts Levi had brought for his boyfriends. Sighing and rolling his eyes, Juan shoved the last of his food into his mouth and ran out after them, but Koth had elected to remain - he was still eating and didn't fancy indigestion.

Cory decided to continue eating at a more leisurely pace. He felt what was almost a weight leave his shoulders as Tera left, and felt like spending some time regaining his equilibrium before catching up with his elven brother. His son, Timmy, and Tumelo, Koth and Juan's new son, noticed Joel's departure and grew curious. Their curiosity spread like wildfire through the Tribe and Rugrats. Soon, they all gathered as much food as their small arms could carry and charged off to investigate.

---

In the music room - or hall, judging by its size - the Tribe and Rugrats were all gathered with Joel and Kevin's kids. They were waiting for Joel to finish teasing them and put on the new CD. Tera was watching in restrained amusement as her slightly younger cousin kept asking them if they were sure that this futuristic music was going to be okay for them to listen to, and that maybe he should check it alone first just to make sure.

"Unca Joel! Don' be a meanie!" Timmy said loudly.

"Awww, TimTims! Now you've gone and spoilt my fun!" Joel whined back, hamming up a pout and causing Timmy to fight to not start laughing. "I worked soooo hard to get you all excited and you... you...."

Timmy couldn't help it, he started laughing. So did the rest.

"Is your t'hy'la always this... evil?" Tera asked Kevin.

Kevin glared up at her, sighed, then nodded. "Yeah..."

"If you want to talk, I will not be offended," Tera said quietly so that the others could not hear her. "I know you are having an issue with my presence."

"Later," Kevin sighed again as he watched Joel start to fumble blindly with the rather neat looking music centre he was next to. "Use your Crown, T'hy'la," he called over.

"And look! Look what you've done, TimTims! Now you've got my nice, dutiful husband ordering me about!"

Timmy giggled, "Unca Joel, you KNOW Unca Kev is just tryin to be helpful!"

So helpful, in fact, that Kevin, prompted by Joel's statement, walked over to his giggling husband and quickly gave him a wedgie.

Joel squealed, the CD started, and Tera laughed. She quickly stopped herself and due to the sudden burst of noise from the sound-system no-one heard her.

No-one except Joel, even above his own yells of pain. He tickled Kevin quickly into submission, readjusted his aching testicles and then sauntered over to her nonchalantly. She didn't buy it for a moment.

"You heard?"

"Yes," Joel nodded as he sat down near her. "Your Deltan side?"

"Yes. I can barely control my emotions. My mother can do so quite well, but I... cannot."

"There's no need to feel bad," Joel whispered as he reached out and patted her hand, causing a sensation of fire to ripple up his arm. He snatched his hand back quickly. "I can't either."

"But you could if you were trained," Tera put in softly. "There is nothing more that I can do other than struggle. But my situation does lend itself for what has currently been asked of me."

"And that is?"

She debated quickly. Was her cousin ready for this information? Would he make the right choice, or an emotive one? Would he panic? Was it too soon, considering that he has been through a major emotional upheaval recently? "I do not know if this is the right time, Sa're..."

"Call me Joel," Joel smiled. "I'm only Sa'ren sometimes."

Tera did not understand, but she nodded. "Yes, of course, Joel."

"Okay, tell me when... well, when you think I'm ready," the boy smiled. "But don't feel bad if this lot see you laugh or smile or something. They won't care and won't think any less of you."

"My brothers might not be pleased if I do so. Tarak especially. He is not in agreement with our father over this course of action, and he might not take it well that I emote around strangers - or you, specifically."

"Why? Doesn't he trust us?" the little Vulcan asked curiously.

Tera sighed then restrained her emotions. "He does not believe you are the Sa'ren of Legend. He is of the same opinion as those who have sided against Patriarch Surak and your Family."

Joel simply nodded his head, and for the next ten minutes he just sat there and listened to the music while all the little kids, Kevin, Juan and Levi danced and played around as the songs played.

Joel suddenly asked, "Are they nearby? Your brothers?"

"They are sitting over at the other side of the room. I am already getting certain looks from Tarak," Tera answered.

As the song that was currently playing started to wind down, Joel stood up. "Then let us change his mind," he said calmly. "Draco, is this hall large enough for a sparring practice?"

'Yes, if the little ones all move out of the way. Why?'

"I want my weapons. They are in my room in Cory's house in Orlando. Could you get them?"

A bat'leth, two mek'leth and Joel's trillpa'morov appeared next to him. 'Easy. Please make sure the children don't get hurt, or Jason will have my circuits!'

Joel selected his Vulcan short sword and moved to where he could sense the centre of the room was, all the while speaking down his link with Kevin.

The brown haired boy turned the music down briefly and called all the kids to the edge of the room. "Uncle Joel wants to blade-dance to the music," he explained, nervousness well hidden in his voice.

Timmy dropped to the floor with his legs crossed. "Kewl! This is Awesome when he does this!!"

"When did he show you?" Kevin asked curiously as he assembled the kids at the edge of the room.

Timmy giggled. "Unca Dilly took us into the past and into the Tardis to watch!"

Kevin rolled his eyes. "Figures..."

Once he was sure that he had room, Joel's next decision was on clothing. His current would do if he was caught out and had to fight unprepared, but he really didn't fancy his armour. So he stripped naked instead so that he would have nothing to hinder his movements. The knowledge that Tera was watching was slightly unnerving, but then if he could be naked in front of Kevin or Levi or Juan, being naked in front of a girl that he was now admitting to being attracted to would be no different.

Then, with his trillpa'morov in hand, he started the forms of Suus Mahna; very quickly.

Tera inhaled her breath sharply but quietly, for Joel's blade was passing so close to his flesh that she was sure he would strike himself and do serious injury. However, as none of the others there were worried she calmed somewhat. She just fixed her eyes on the small teen's graceful movements. This was doing nothing to lessen the remnants of her Blood Fever. Now a week since Pon Farr she was still as sexually heightened as the day Pon Farr had ended - understandably so as she had meditated her way out. Joel had made love, which is a faster, more sure way of dissipating the Fever.

She began to feel very warm indeed as Joel moved from form to form fluidly.

Tarak and his older brother had their eyes fixed on the son of Spock as well, and Tarak's eyes were hard. Turek himself, though, was calm and impressed. This was a Vulcan youth with exceptional training, abate some lacking in logic - he was blind and therefore should not be doing these exercise without protective clothing at the very least.

Then the eyebrows of both brothers shot up as Joel started to quickly and effectively mix all the forms of martial defence that he knew into one, underpinning them all with the all-adapting Suus Mahna.

Close to the walls as instructed, Timmy and the others were now on their feet in order to cheer and clap for their Uncle Joel.

"This is not logical," Tarak said to his older brother. "I saw him talking with our sister, and I gather that she has told him of my disbelief that he was Named correctly. This 'show' is intended to impress me to believe that he is in fact the Sa'ren of Legend, yet it proves nothing."

"Other than that he is an expert swordsman, I agree. He is blind and without his sight how can he fulfil the Legend," Turek nodded, "but you still know my feelings. His Naming is not in question, but his possession of both the Armour and Sword of Sa'ren is. How he got them from Seleya is still unknown, but the High Council does want them returned. Only the true Scion of Surak has the right to them."

"I must stop this," Tarak insisted as Joel performed a neat little back-flip involving a cutting motion with his trillpa'morov. "He will do himself or others an injury."

And so he walked over to Joel, calling out, "This is unwise. You are blind and will injure yourself. You must stop now." He stated this firmly and calmly, yet his body language was rather threatening.

Joel could sense the threatening pose even without his sight. "Are you trained in Suus'Mar?" he asked simply as he stopped his 'blade-dance'.

"Yes."

"As you could tell, so am I. I am a Master, trained by Chang and confirmed by my father."

"This is still unwise and I will not permit it to continue where you could harm others," Tarak insisted. 

Tera's oldest brother walked over to join the others in the centre of the room. "Calm yourself, brother. Sa'ren, I am in agreement. I do not know what your training has been, but you are blind. This could cause injury."

Joel half smiled. "Blind I may be, but I can still see, after a fashion. And I could beat you both in a match... together. Fancy testing your luck?" he added cheekily.

"We have no sparring clothes," Tarak said, "nor weapons."

"Draco can get you a sword, or whatever you choose. As for clothing, be the same as me," Joel answered simply.

"Unca Juan! I needta increase my allowance!" Timmy giggled.

"Just so everyone knows..." Juan called out, "I am not taking bets on who will win, since it's obvious. I am taking bets on how long Joel lets it take. Winner take all. I accept money, cookies, cupcakes, chocolate, and other goodies. Oh yeah.. ammo too," Juan said with a giggle as he started to make the rounds.

Turek raised his eyebrow at Joel before him. "I accept, but is your friend placing fair bets?"

Joel simply smiled.

Tarak scowled then controlled his features. "If you wish to do this, son of Spock, then so be it," Tarak grated. He glowered at Joel, "I will try not to hurt you too much."

Juan fought hard to not giggle, so much so that his face started to change colour. Kevin came over and whispered his own bet into the Unit boy's ear before depositing Joel's cookie bag as the bet. Juan shook his head before continuing to take the calls from the others present.

Kevin waited until all three were ready and holding the weapons of their choice before turning the music back up. Joel span the short sword in controlled arcs around himself as he allowed Turek to test the weight of the Vulcan lurpa he held. Tarak had requested and received two of the same type of swords as Joel now held.

When they all looked ready, Juan called out over the sound of the music, "Begin!"

Tarak lunged quickly, going for a quick disarm that would forever prove to himself that no blind kid could be the real Sa'ren - that no-one would ever be the real Sa'ren of Legend. He found only air, then felt a painful swat to his naked behind as Joel brought the flat of his blade sharply across it. In the same motion, Joel span around and kicked the lurpa out of Turek's hands before spinning back to Tarak. Tarak had turned, bringing both blade to bear, but they were quickly thrown out of his hands but three quick motions by a lightning fast Joel.

In all, it took eleven seconds: exactly the same figure as Kevin had bet upon. 'Well, Kevin... I would have said something about your cheating... but I waiting to place my bets 'til I knew what time you'd bet on.... so.. ummm... thanks!' Juan sent via telepathy to the grinning Kevin with an equally big shit eating grin of his own.

Timmy joined Juan and Kevin to receive their winnings. "Kewl! I want the chocolate cupcake note!"

Nursing a stinging hand, Turek asked Joel, "Are you really blind?"

From the doorway Spock spoke, "He is."

Turek turned to find most of the others who had stayed to eat entering along with Spock and Teri.

"What is the reason behind your animosity toward my son, Tarak," Spock asked the younger of the two brothers.

"I do not believe you truly Saw his name, Cousin," Tarak answered carefully. "As for the sparring, it was your son's idea."

Joel sighed. "Tarak, will this prove to you that not only did my father not lie about the Sight, but that I truly am Sa'ren?"

As Tarak turned to look at the younger boy, Joel jumped and span at the same time. His momentum took him full circle. At the top of the jump Joel thrust his hand into the air and it vanished as into water, then as he came back down facing Tarak, his arm reappeared from that liquid air holding a large broadsword. Shattered, yet whole and inscribed with the ancient script of the Vulcan people. As Joel's feet touched the ground they rippled and the effect started to run up his body. As it did so, from his feet on up, the Armour of Sa'ren appeared.

Before it even reached his head his right eye was glowing blue and trailing energy. His left eye socket was filled out and an ethereal eye looked at Tarak and his older brother. Then the Armour completed itself and there stood what the two Vulcans had only seen pictured in the Great Hall of the High Council - the armed and armoured figure of the Ruler of Red Sands. There were a few differences, but Tarak was now more than convinced that Joel was whom he claimed to be - whom Sarek said he was.

"I am Sa'ren of Vulcan, Joel of Earth - Blade and Scion of Surak," Joel said as he looked with his Crown-sight at the two older Vulcans. He then turned and looked at Tera, and gasped. Glad of the Armour he was now in, for what he saw in her soul was enough to cause a large problem between his legs.

Tera smiled at him. "I knew it," she said simply.

"BLADE-DANCE!" Timmy called out. "WE WANNA SEE ANOTHER BLADE-DANCE!" he chanted, and soon all the Tribe and Rugrats were chanting too.

Cory moved over to his armoured little brother. "I love it when you do that," he giggled as he hugged Joel tight.

"Do what?" Joel asked curiously.

"Make your armour and sword appear."

"Oh... okay," he grinned before sending his Armour and Sword back to wherever they came from. "Now outta the way, Blondie! Gotta give TimTims his Blade-Dance!"

---

A little later and the groups of kids had all split off somewhat within the music hall. Some were playing board games, others rough-housing. Joel was the focal point of a new game that Cory had just invented.

Toss-the-Elf.

JJ, Adam, Sean, Jason and Cory were the players. Joel was the 'elf', but unlike a ball Joel made things harder for them all by wiggling about in their arms before being tossed to the next person. And if you took too long...

Sean collapsed as Joel's thin fingers found his ribs and started tickling. "You lose again!" Joel giggled as he kissed Sean's nose, while still tickling.

"You .. are .. cheating!" Sean sputtered between laughs.

"Cory made the rules," Joel stated simply as he started bouncing on his seat: Sean's belly. "Come on! You gotta toss me again!"

"Well, tickle HIM then!" Sean giggled as he launched Joel at Cory from his prone position on the floor.

Hooting like a mad thing, Joel felt himself flow through the air towards where he could sense Cory waiting. As he landed he started wriggling to make it difficult for his blond brother to get a proper hold on him to be able to toss him on. After the required ten seconds Joel started with his fingers on where Kyle had told him was Cory's most sensitive tickle-spot.

"That belongs to Sean, Elf!" Cory laughed as he tried to escape. "No fair, Sean's been telling you my secrets!"

"Nope," giggled Joel as he moved to Cory's belly-button instead. "Kyle!"

"KYLE!!!" Cory yelled as Joel started blowing bubbles into Cory's navel.

Sean was still on the floor himself and laughing. Joel turned his face over slightly toward him then back at Cory. "I know it's not a normal spot brothers would tickle but... I couldn't help it..." he trailed off with a whisper.

He felt a weight land on his back, causing him to become squished between whatever or whoever it was and Cory's belly. "Don't be silly, big bro," Kyle chuckled. "You called, Cory?" he asked sweetly.

"No, I called Kyle .. now prepare to be tickle tortured, Leech!" Cory giggled as he spun Joel around and began attacking Kyle's armpits.

"GOOF!" Kyle squealed. Then he squealed more as, while Cory made sure his armpits and ribs were suitably tickled, Joel did to him what he'd first done to Cory as paybacks.

After causing Kyle to literally scream out 'UNCLE', Joel sat on his little brother's belly (knowing that he couldn't hurt Kyle even if he'd have wanted too) and caught his breath. This also allowed the five larger boys to go off and get something cool to drink before the game continued. Joel reached out and ran his fingers over Kyle's face in order to 'see' him and his expressions. "Why'd you say I was being silly?" he asked softly.

Kyle smiled. "When Jamie and Jacob first joined us after we rescued them we all went swimming. We found out that Jamie is cut and Jacob isn't and then played in the pool. Some of the others weren't cut either, but those that were outnumbered them. So we played a game of tag where you had to tag someone by grabbing their dick."

Joel snorted then laughed.

"That's how we explored those who weren't cut, and where I found that Cor's VERY ticklish there!" Kyle finished as he too started to laugh again.

"Still," Joel whispered as he calmed down, reaching out to sense if Cory or Sean were near. They weren't. "Still, I... I think I really did it this time as I love him."

"I know," Kyle said simply.

"But it's wrong when they don't want me to do that..."

"Shhh, silly," Kyle giggled. "Did you jerk him off?"

"Nuh huh," Joel shook his head.

"Just tickled?"

"Yeah..."

"Then it's normal... ish... with close brothers in the Clan anyway. Just because you ALSO love him enough to want to get into his pants doesn't matter..."

"... they're too big..." Joel put in quickly before Kyle tickled him, while groaning about bad jokes.

"I could shrink them... with him in them!" Ty giggled as he sauntered over. Then he yelped...

The five larger boys returned to find their 'ball' in the middle of a major, no holds barred, three way tickle-war with Kyle and Tyler.

Jason shrugged. "Okay," he said as he grabbed up the closest wriggling body. "Toss-the-Elf has become Toss-the-shrimp... hello Ty!" he giggled at the boy in his arms.

"Hey Bubbles!" Tyler giggled as soap bubbles began pouring out of Jason's shirt.

Jason shoved a handful of the soap bubbles into Tyler's mouth, then as the small boy spluttered he tossed him toward Adam, who was tossing Kyle at Sean, while Cory tossed Joel at JJ. Two of the 'balls' were yelling "WEEEEEE!" as they passed each other, while Ty gurgled his enthusiasm for the game before wiping his mouth on Adam's tee-shirt.

Then they continued for at least twenty more minutes.

Finally, after landing in Adam's arms, Joel called a time out on the excitement. After giving them all a big sloppy kiss, he trotted off in the general direction of Kevin.

"He can never keep still," JJ grinned as he wiped the slobber off of his face. "And he's just as bad with those kisses as the Tribe!"

"Guess who taught him!" Tyler chortled.

"Only the best!" Kyle added with a giggle.

Joel was blissfully ignorant of the critique of his kisses as he told Kevin, Juan and Levi that he was going outside for a walk. Koth volunteered to go with him, and stopped Juan's protests with, "This is the Dragon's Nest, teddy-bear! Apart from your mountain base there isn't anywhere safer on Earth for Joel. Besides, while here he's being watched 24/7 by Draco and most of the time OUTSIDE of the bedroom by at least five operatives. If you want to come and miss out on the rest of that fun game you're playing, feel free, though."

Juan glared at Koth, then at the curious expression on Joel's face. "What do you think, Elf?"

Joel smiled. "If you wanna come, come!"

Juan nodded his head. "At least YOU are not trying to stop me. Okay, Koth - but if he stubs his toe, you and me will have words!"

Koth blew a raspberry at his lover before waltzing off arm in arm with Joel, leaving Levi, Kevin and Juan to continue playing a three way game of Federation Monopoly.

Teri followed them at a distance, mainly to make sure that Joel would wrap up warmly. While it was not all that cold outside - the protests of the Orlando kids not withstanding - Joel would certainly feel it. She did not need to be concerned, though, for Koth was worse than a mother hen and Joel ended up looking like an Eskimo in short notice.

Not that Joel minded for the muted laughter from within the duffel coat he had on was quite plain. Rolling her eyes, Teri made her way back to the music room to make sure that her brood didn't get out of hand.

For the next half an hour, Koth gave Joel a mini tour of the near parts of the Valley 'Nest', all the while wolf howls and Sehlat huffs and growls could be heard coming from further up the valley. "Sounds like 'Cheya, Blackie and the rest are having fun," Joel giggled as he walked hand in hand with Koth.

"Yeah, he and Blackie found the resident Wolf Pack that my brother befriended and they and Blackie's other litter-mates went off to play. Shelley decided to say here, though," Koth answered.

"Who's Shelley?"

Koth rubbed Joel's cheek and said, "Blackie's mother. She's Jace and Viccy's boarder collie and sweet as you can ask for."

"So, where next?" Joel asked as he bounced up and down. "Will we get to see your ship land or take off?!"

"That's up to Wisdom or Voice," Koth gigged. "How about you play with your Kevvy and Levi... and you can borrow my Juan for a game too, if you'd like."

"Huh?" the blind Vulcan grunted curiously.

Koth turned Joel slightly, "There, direct line to the loves of your life... oh, even Tera has come with them, and Teri too. I know a good place for a large game - others should be there too."

"Sound kewl," purred the tiny Vulcan before he zoomed off to collide with Kevin. "See, Juan? No stubbed toes!"

"Well... I'm not so sure about that," Juan replied, straight faced at first. "How about you strip off everything, so I can check out EVERY inch of your cute little Vulcan body and make sure NOTHING has been injured?" The grin on Juan's face was so large it almost hurt.

"Motion seconded!" Levi put in instantly as Joel's face started to turn emerald - or at least as much of his face as could be seen under the bobble hat, scarf and hood from the coat.

"Motion carried!" Kevin crowed as he tightened his grip on the now squirming Vulcan.

Tera raised an eyebrow. "Whilst I saw enough of your flesh earlier during the 'sword-dances', I would not object to seeing more."

"See... we all agree. So.. hop to it!" Juan said laughing.

"Inside... too cold out here... and Mammy's here too, so... she don't like me showing my dickie off alla time," he replied, doing his best to think up an appropriate 'get-out-clause'.

"Well... you know the best cure for cold is shared body heat. So, who's with me? Naked Elf pile?!?!" Juan put forward.

Joel was shaking his head violently, more scared of the cold than of being naked - which he wasn't much scared of at the present time. Teri and Tera both noticed. "I think we shall forgo it while out here, Juan of the Unit," Tera said softly. "Unless you want to make sure I keep warm too, for I will join you if you insist on it happening right now."

"Oh God! Mama Janet never gave me the shot against GIRL GERMS!!! No thank you!" Juan said while laughing, making sure Tera knew he didn't mean anything offensive by it.

Teri looked at Tera. Tera looked at Teri. Both swooped down on Juan and buzzed his cheeks with sloppy kisses.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!! Joel!! HELP!!" Juan said while trying to brush the 'girl germs' from his face.

"What?!" Joel giggled, "and catch cooties too?! You off your rocker or something, cute-butt?"

"FINE!! I see how much you love me!" Juan said while still giggling up a storm.

Teri just rolled her eyes at the banter while Koth coughed slightly before walking over and wiping his boyfriend's cheeks to help him out, "I'm not scared of cooties."

"After making like a bunny with Viccy, I don't doubt it!" Kevin put in as he held his Joel close.

Juan went into feigned hysterics. "I knew I was forgetting something! You made love to me AFTER making love to Viccy! I have a MAJOR GIRL GERM INFECTION! ARGH!"

Sniggering, Joel played along, "That means you passed it to me and then I passed it to Kev AND Leev!"

Kevin mock used his communicator, "Kevin to Dr McCoy! We have a Girl Germ medical emergency!"

Teri started glaring around at all the now giggling kids and teens. "I will start assigning corners if this continues..."

"But MOOOOOOOMMMM!" Joel got out between giggles.

"But nothing, my wonderful little Vulcan," she said seriously, but with a smile in her voice. "Now. We came out here to have a look around and our Koth is the elected guide."

Koth blinked. "Who volunteered me for this job?"

"Jason," Tera, Teri and Levi said at once.

"Buggerit..." he pouted before pointing off up the valley. "Well, this way's kinda cool. Let's see if the haunted cave freaks you out."

They all started off following the little Klingon, except Juan who hesitated. "H...haunted?!" he blurted to no-one in particular. He glanced around himself quickly then scampered off to catch up with the group, the skin down his back prickling.

The walk to the cave was uneventful, and they passed many homes and buildings that ran along the floor and sides of the valley. They passed the small pond - where JJ had terrorised the local carp - and then headed up the north-western side of the valley towards a small opening that they could now see. While they walked, Koth regaled them with the stories that surrounded this valley, and with the experiences that most of the Dragon Division had had over the past year.

"Ghosts..." Joel muttered, shaking his head. "If ghosts stick around, why would they want to scare us?"

"Don't say things like that," Juan hissed as he pressed closer to Koth while trying to make it seem he wasn't pressing closer to Koth. "If they do want to stick around to scare us and you say that they might do worse!"

Joel turned slightly in Juan's direction and raised his eyebrows. "Are you scared, Juan?"

"No!" Juan insisted, but Teri and the rest could see different, and Joel could sense different. However, both Joel and Koth could also sense that while Juan was scared by these stories and the spookiness of the cave they were approaching, he was also excited by it as well.

Koth just shook his head and held his boyfriend close. He knew why Juan would secretly read horror stories and watch scary movies of a certain type: ghosts, demons and spirits were something he couldn't directly fight, so the fear they made was a true fear. He felt real, human... a little boy... when he read or watched them. If he heard others telling a scary story he'd sneak close to hear it, but not so close as to be seen by those telling it. He didn't want anyone to see that he WAS scared, after all. Bad for his image. But it was like candy - he couldn't get enough of spooky things as it was then, and only then, that he felt like a normal boy.

"So what's so 'haunted' about this cave?" Joel giggled as he stayed in the circle of Kevin's arms as they hiked up the side of the valley towards a boy-sized boulder that was marking the outside of the cave. Now that they were so close to it and coming from below the actual entrance was hidden behind the lip that they were approaching.

"Footprints that lead in and not out," Koth listed. "Other times footprints coming out when there was nothing in there to begin with. A crack that will sometimes be in the wall and sometimes not. When it's there there is nothing on a tricorder. They don't read the crack. Haunted," he finished.

"Riiiiight," Joel giggled, fully expecting this to be a big leg-pull.

Teri, however, was taking things just a bit more seriously. Cory and Sean had had some experiences with spirits, and although she had not, she was not going to discount this. This country, after all, was just a little older than the Americas, after all. If the US had ghosts, the UK should certainly have them.

Tera was the first to reach the boulder and look into the cave. It wasn't big, and she could just make out the back from the entrance. About fifteen feet in length, and as much across. The 'roof' was just over seven feet from the ground. "Small. Nothing strange about this that I can see," she said as she looked around. Then she saw the small footprints in the dust of the floor. Footprints leading in but not out. "Did one of the young ones come here with a telekinetic to aid in this deception?" she asked, turning to Koth.

He shook his head.

The look of disbelief was echoed not just in Teri and Tera's face, but in Joel's as well. Levi and Kevin were curious only, but Juan was bouncing from foot to foot. He seemed to believe, but the expression on his face was a conflict of emotions. Fear and excitement. "Come on, lessee!" he squeaked as he pushed his way in and right to the back of the cave. His shoulders seemed to sink when he found nothing there at all. "Footprints but nothing..." he said accusingly at Koth and the rest as they all came up behind him.

They all patted the wall, except Koth who was keeping a reasonable distance from it. After a moment or so, including enough time for Tera to use her Vulcan tricorder to find nothing, they all left. Except for Juan

After another minute of fruitless searching, he gave a disgusted sigh and turned to walk out.

The cracking noise behind him shocked him to his core and it was so loud that those outside ducked - except Koth who was expecting it. They all ran in to meet a Juan who was legging it a mile a minute out, crossing himself with his gun and repeating, "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee!"

In complete bemusement, they watched him dive behind the boulder and curse as he started rolling down the hill. Then a few seconds later they saw his hair and eyes peeked over the top of the rock to glare at them, and he now had two of his weapons out and trained on the cave entrance.

Joel, once again watching through Kevin's eyes, asked his Unit-lover, "Uh... Juan? You... feeling okay?"

"Great! Never better... You going back in?" replied the 'eyes' in a childlike, excited tone.

"Yeah..." Joel murmured.

"Good!" Juan yelled, then commando rolled from behind the rock and sped to the side of the cave and peeked in. "Go on! You're point!"

Kevin blinked and looked up at Tera. She shrugged as she stared curiously into Kevin's now blue eyes. This was the second time this had happened and she filed it away to discuss later.

Joel turned back to the cave and dragged Levi and Kevin with him. The rest followed.

They saw why Juan had fled. Koth expected part of it, but not the eyes.

There in the rear wall was a large crack running from the ground to the cave-top, and it was about a foot in width. Darkness was all that could be seen inside of it - except for a pair of silver eyes, staring at them.

Or more specifically, at Joel.

Tera's tricorder was out and scanning in an instant, while Kevin bravely reached his hand into the crack. But all he felt was rock face. Where their eyes were telling them was a foot wide hole in the wall, Kevin found only solid stone. "I can't reach into it," he whispered, not tearing his eyes away from the pair of eyes watching his husband.

"I feel the gap there," Joel whispered back. He was not touching the wall nor the crack, however. "I can sense the space; almost seeit."

"There is no opening," Tera put in as she continued to scan. "No space inside the rock face. Nothing. Just stone." She looked up and Teri could almost swear she saw the Vulcan girl shudder as she watched those disembodied, silver eyes.

Koth jumped out of his skin as Juan came up behind him and used him as a shield between himself and the 'ghostly eyes in the wall'. "Jeez, Juan! Scare the shit outta me why don't you?!" the Klingon yelled. "This is scary enough!"

Juan cuddled in close as if terrified, but Koth could feel the excitement in him. "You've never had this happen before?" Juan asked breathlessly.

Koth shook his head and then his eyes went distant as he started mind-talking with Jason.

"Our tricorders are as advanced as Starfleet's," Tera almost groused as she shook her tricorder slightly. "More so, even. Yet it is not 'seeing' that which I am! This is most frustrating!"

Joel tapped his communicator. "Joel to Nine. You free to come to help us out, or are you still dancing with Austin?"

A second later came, "I'm available to help. Where are you?"

"Up the side of the Valley at a haunted cave and we found something. Bring all of your Borg equipment with you - you'll need it."

"I will be with you in five minutes," Nine answered.

Nodding to himself, Joel reached forward to see if he could feel that 'wall' the same as Kevin. He overbalanced when the stone he was expecting never came. His hand entered the crack and the eyes blinked and looked down at it.

"Careful, son," Teri said cautiously.

"I'm okay, Mammy, it's jus... hey!" he yelled as something grabbed his hand.

They could all see it. A hand about as small as Joel's, yet silver and seemingly see-through. It pulled and Joel's other hand slammed into where he could sense the rock was at the side of the crack to push back and hold him in place. "Get. Off. Me!" he grated as he pulled with all his strength.

The others were trying to reach through the gap in the wall to unlock those strange fingers from around Joel's wrist, but they could only touch that invisible wall and not pass through as Joel could.

Juan was there in an instant. All thought of 'ghosts' and 'delicious scariness' was gone and he was pulling on Joel's body to get his hand back from the 'ghosts'. He was pulling hard, yet not so hard as to cause harm to Joel.

It wasn't helping.

The eyes blinked at Joel's face, then the hand let go and Joel found himself sitting on a grousing Juan's chest as both boys went flying backwards. Teri, who had been hammering at the 'crack' and yelling obscenities stopped and bent down to help them.

It was at this moment that both Nine and Jason appeared in a beam of transporter energy. The Welsh Patriarch ran over to help Teri with the two boys as Nine, his left 'eye' gone and replaced with is ocular device, tilted his head at the strangeness he was seeing with the 'crack' in the cave wall.

Once Joel and Juan were back on their feet, Joel summoned his Crown and plopped it on his head. His blue-energy eyes narrowed as soon as they appeared and he glared in Nine's direction. "Tell me what the fuck you see and quickly. I have some arseholes to beat into a god-damn bloody pulp!"

"Language, young man!" Teri said automatically in her most stern 'Mother tones'.

Joel blinked up at her, still furious, but said politely, "After the vileness that came from you, Mama, I'm shocked you'd be offended at what I said."

"Checkmate," Teri replied, figuring it best not to get into the age comparison.

With a brief grin that caused Teri to wish that the happy, carefree little boy she had last seen on Friday morning was back for good, Joel turned back to Nine. "What do you see, Nine?"

"I see the hole. Yet I do not 'read' the hole. It is there to my human eye but absent to my scanners," he answered as he marched up to the crack and raised his toolarm to allow it to scan better.

The eyes flicked down to look at the arm, then back to Nine's face, then back over to Joel.

With his Crown, Joel could now see more. There was a soul there, certainly. It was indigo, so Joel reasoned that this 'being' or whatever was what Levi had told him was an Intermediate Young Racer. Funnily enough there was no hint of malice that he could detect in this being's soul. Just mischief, curiosity and patience. A sense of childlikeness and age well beyond his own.

Nine pressed against the 'crack' with his right hand. "Forcefield, tightly controlled and shaped," he said, then lashed out at it with his nanoprobe injectors that came from the back of his hand. The whole wall flickered and shimmered, and the eyes narrowed with caution before disappearing.

At first they all thought that Nine was about to succeed and break through whatever forcefield was in place, but then it all shimmered again and returned to it's normal state: a rock face with a crack running from ground to cave top.

'Winglord of our Fathers, come to us. There is little time.'

Nine paused and looked around for the source of that voice, but found nothing. He lashed out again and this time a ripple of energy lashed back.

This made Nine mad.

"We are the Borg!" he thundered as he slammed his toolarm into the crack, causing the whole back of the cave to shimmer and shake. "Lower this shield and surrender yourselves. If you do not comply then we will adapt and add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your race will adapt to serve  us. Resistance is futile!"

The entire field seemed to fall and they found themselves looking down a long, dark passageway. Then, in the distance, rock was moving toward them. It stopped where the field had been and they were back to square one.

"Well," Kevin said after a long pause of silence from everyone. "You did it... then completely fucked it up. I don't think they liked being threatened, Nine."

"They will like it less when I get my injectors into them," Nine stamped in temper. "I will not be attacked. I refuse to let this pass."

Joel coughed. "Unless you plan on digging out a new hole, I think you'd better just leave it for now, bro."

Nine huffed through his nose then turned and stomped out of the cave. "I still fucked over their shield. Pricks."

Teri sighed. "I've got to have a word with Austin - he's been teaching his boyfriend some bad habits."

"Yeah, and I've no idea where he got his potty-mouth from, huh, Aunt Teri?" Koth asked innocently as they all turned to follow the mortally offended Borg out of the cave.

"I wonder how fast Klingon boys can run?" Teri mused as she reached out towards Koth.

Koth giggled as Teri's hand closed about his shoulders. "Quite fast, but I'm not scared of you! You're a great cuddler!"

Laughing, Teri pulled the boy to her side as she stepped out into the morning air.

It was then that Joel turned to Levi as if remembering something. "Levi, what did you see in there?"

Levi shrugged. "Same as you, Joe," he answered simply.

They all narrowed their eyes and Joel pressed, "But... didn't you feel or sense something more, or..."

Levi shook his head, and it was only then that they all saw the look of nervousness about him. "No. Nothing. Only what you guys saw. Only you saw and felt more, Joe."

"What can that mean?" Juan asked, still feeling his blood pumping from the 'attack' on Joel.

"That there's power going on that even a Mikyvis can't see around?" Koth supplied, looking uneasy.

Levi said nothing and simply turned to start walking back to the main part of the valley, trailing after Nine who was already well ahead of him. They all followed uneasily.

As they got to about half way back to the Manor, passing some residences, Joel addressed Juan. "What was with that Catholic prayer you yelled as you ran out of the cave?"

Juan blinked at him then grinned. "It's what they all say in those movies, so I thought I should!"

"From the write up on the Clan database," Tera put in as she walked alongside Teri, "I would not have imagined you to open up in the way you did around a relative stranger such as myself."

Juan stopped walking and looked at her. The gears were turning in his head as he tried to work out why, in fact, he had 'opened up' that way so easily. The others paused their walk back and waited for him. Except Nine, who was so far ahead and still bitching to thin air about what had happened that he didn't notice.

"It's Joel's fault," Juan decided before continuing down the path.

The others looked at each other, then down at Joel. "He's probably right," the tiny Vulcan giggled before he, too, started walking after Nine. Kevin was being dragged with him due to holding hands, and Joel was in no mood to not be holding hands with his favourite human right about now.

Tera looked at Teri. "Question answered, knowledge still absent."

Teri smiled, "Wait for them to get to know you some more, sweetheart. Then you'll probably find out."

"Acceptable," Tera replied with a ghostly smile.

"They gotta figure it out first!" Levi commented before running to catch up with Joel.

---

As they drew close to the back yard of the Manor, Juan moved over to Joel. "Elf, there's a few things I want to get from my room in the Base. Will you be okay if I pop away to grab them fast? I'll be right back as quick as I can, and..."

"Juan," Joel giggled. "There's loads of people here to look after me. You go and I'll be fine."

Juan nodded then felt someone watching him. He turned to see Tera staring at him and Joel. He felt his blood heat up slightly, but he had come to equate that feeling with her presence anyway so it didn't overly concern him. What did, however, was other feelings that hadn't been triggered by her before. He pushed them aside and gave Joel a quick hug. "See you soon," he grinned.

"Okay," Joel grinned before winking at his lover. "Don't be too long!"

"Haha," Juan chuckled.

Tera moved over and touched Juan's shoulder. When he looked up at her she asked, "Might it be acceptable for me to pay a visit with you to Utah? This is the first time I have been off-world and I would like to see as much of your planet as possible before I return to Vulcan."

"This oughta be fun!" Levi leaned over and giggled in Kevin's ear.

"Sure! I'll show you some of my favourite guns, then some of the best sniper nests in the country!" Juan replied with a giggle.

Tera nodded. "My thanks. I have not tested Terran weapons as yet. Tellarites also use ballistics for hunting game, but I have been told that Terrans have a more sophisticated ballistic industry."

"Oh you have NO idea!" Juan said with a grin. "I'll give you a few personal lessons on how to handle guns if you want."

Tera raised an eyebrow, the double meaning not lost on her. "I am ready when you are to depart, Juan."

"Don't forget to show her your special 'gun', cutie!" Joel giggled.

Juan blushed heavily as he mentally signalled Daileass, and then they both disappeared into a transporter beam.

"You're mean," Kevin stated simply to his husband before wandering off to get some cups of hot chocolate.

Joel raised his eyebrows. "Mean? Me?" he asked, looking up at his mother.

With a shake of her head, Teri moved off. Some things were better not answered.

---

Juan and Tera appeared deep with in the UNIT base, a few feet away from a large set of double doors. Juan looked over his shoulder, giving the Vulcan girl a lopsided grin. "We teleported out here, because my bedroom also doubles as the secondary armoury for the UNIT base. Because of that, security is VERY tight."

She simply gave him a nod, so Juan walked up to the door, and placed his hand on the small shiny plate that was next to it. After a few moments, there was a set of three beeps followed by a voice speaking in a language that Tera didn't understand. Juan responded similarly, to the voice, using the same guttural language. Finally the door clicked and opened a few inches.  

Tera in the meantime had been looking above the door at the engraved set of symbols that were scrolled above the door. "I do not recognize this language. Might I ask what language it is, and what it says?"

Juan looked up and grinned. "It's a language spoken in a series of books that Joel and I love. It's the language of the Dwarves. It says, 'Abandon hope, all ye who enter here." Juan was chuckling as he made his way into his bedroom, Tera following a small ways behind.

Tera first noticed the smell of dirty socks, and then saw the offending items lying on the floor just to the side of the door. "I would imagine this is a human custom?" she asked trying to breathe slowly.

Juan looked over to where she was looking and smiled while nodding. "It is actually part of the security system. With those being there, anyone who is not authorized would not go any further. Now, if someone was trying to get in here with out authorization, they might actually come alive and attack them."

Of course, the way Juan was speaking he could have been serious.

Tera picked up the socks and then threw them into Juan's face. "Yes. Lethal indeed," she said with a soft smile.

Juan batted the socks down then gave a mock glare at Tera. "I thought Vulcans didn't condone TORTURE!"

With another soft smile, Tera winked before looking around the room carefully.

Taking that as his cue, Juan started to walk through his room. "There's not much to see out here, just my bed and dressers and stuff. But I wanted to grab a few extra cloths since it looks like I might be hanging around awhile."

Juan went over and grabbed a large duffel bag, then went to his dresser and started throwing in thing like underwear, socks, shorts, jeans and the like. While he was doing that, Tera took the time to look at some of the various posters on the wall. Many of them showed some of Earth's most notorious dictators and mass murders, but they also had each one of them in the cross hairs of a sniper rifle's scope.

The next poster she saw was a picture of Juan and his brothers. Underneath the picture was a rather interesting saying: 'Outnumbered, yes. Outmanoeuvred, maybe. Outclassed, never!'

Juan was keeping a close eye on her while she looked around his bedroom, and he was happy to see a slight smile cross her face.

Next she saw a poster with many small arms and rifles depicted. Below the guns was another saying that caused her to raise her eyebrows. 'A world without war; a dream to some, a nightmare to the arms manufacturers.' However, what made her turn and look at Juan was the black marker that Juan had taken and added to the saying.

It now had a "AND ME!" at the end.

Juan had a grin on his face as he faced Tera with a T-shirt in his hands. "So, do you think someone would get offended by this?"

In his hands was a shirt that read 'The most dangerous thing in a combat zone is an officer with a map!'

"I've only worn it once. Adam wasn't amused," Juan said with a big grin.

"It would depend on the person," Tera answered the question. "Judging by your statement about your brother, he may need to learn to take some things less seriously."

Juan grinned then asked with an almost hopeful tone, "Wanna see some of my favourite T-shirts? I kinda collect them."

"Please do," came the response as she walked closer to him, looking down into his brown eyes.

Juan nodded, his grin getting bigger as he reached back into his dresser and pulled out another shirt. He opened it up for her to see what was written on it.

'The best defence is a strong offence, and I intend to start offending right now.'

She nodded, and Juan pulled out another one.

'Death or compliance--now that's not to much to ask for, is it?'

Then he grabbed another one, 'Don't start comparing yourself to me. It'll just make you crazy!'

Then another, 'Don't try to out-weird me--I get stranger things than you free with my breakfast cereal!'

"This next one is actually one my top five favourites list. Some day I hope to wear this shirt truthfully," he smiled as he opened it out.

'Few things are as ego-boosting as being kicked out of an anarchy convention for unruly behaviour!'

"Intriguing," Tera nodded with a subtle twinkle in her eyes. "I believe the best way to wear that particular 'number' is with a bandanna, a gun in a holster under your arm, socks, sandals and nothing else."

Juan blushed, for the tee-shirt didn't go much past his belly button. Juan took a deep breath, then another. He didn't really understand why he was getting these unfamiliar feelings. He took another breath and another. Just like sniper training he focussed his mind, and then began the mental exercises that Chang had taught him to supplement the ones he had already learned before his rescue. He let his lustful feelings go and stood with them, taking control by letting go. He centred himself and took another breath; and body, mind, and spirit were one again.

"Interesting," Tera nodded. "I am sorry for testing you," she continued as she stepped back again, "but I was curious as to know what abilities you had above what was stated in the files. My Deltan blood is hard to resist, yet you have used something close to Vulcan control. I commend you."

Juan smiled a bit sadly. "In my line of work, it's required that I can push down any personal feelings I might have, and get the job done, no matter what the cost. Don't ever tell anyone I said this, but it really isn't the easiest thing in the world to sight down on someone, and pull the trigger. If you don't have tight emotional control, you'll never be able to do it."

"As you humans say, 'my lips are sealed'," Tera said with a definite smile.

"Why don't I show you the armoury now?" Juan said with another slight grin, then walked around her towards a closed door in the room. Once again he put his hand on the plate, then answered the challenge question in Dwarvish, but this time there was also a retinal scan. When the door opened, Juan quickly pushed himself inside with a quick look over his shoulder and a wave for her to follow.

"This part is actually my personal weapons room. Everything in here is mine personally," he said as he stopped and turned around as she was about to enter the room. She came to a halt as well

"No one, other then my brothers, Koth and Joel have been in here. You might say this is my sanctuary... my temple. This is where I go to meditate, and to relax."

When she nodded her understanding, he stepped to the side to allow her to enter.

The first thing she noticed were the racks on the walls holding all sorts of gun and other heavy weapons; an impressive display, she thought. What got her attention the most, however, was what was sitting up against the fall wall.

As far as she could tell it was some sort of crystal that held fire inside of it. The crystal was shaped in such a way as to spell something out, although she couldn't understand what it said. It was almost hypnotizing to see the fire dance inside the crystal.

"What does it say?" she asked softly.

"It says," Juan answered, also very softly, but with reverence as well, "Talga Vassternich. Translated, it means 'Deserve Victory'. It is one of the codes I live by, and probably the most important one."

Tera nodded as she studied the crystal for a moment. Then she turned and moved to one of the racks. "I have read about these weapons but have never seen one. They are like Tellarite weaponry, certainly, but - impressive," she said as she pulled one down, moved to a table near, and casually field stripped it perfectly, "this is far more functional than anything they have made."

Juan, however, was having kittens; the weapon she had just stripped down was his second favourite weapon of all: the 50 cal. machine gun. Then, after making sure that his baby was really okay he relaxed.

Juan even grinned as he watched her re-assemble the rifle. When she went to put it back on the rack, Juan spoke up, "Don't. Keep it with you. We're going to the range."

He then walked over to another rack, and pulled down two rather large tubular weapons, both being just a bit taller then he was. He put them on the table, then went around and was picking up various other weapons, including his personal favourite. The Barrett lite 50.

"Oh, and we're not going to the normal firing range, we're going to the one I use." He paused then looked up towards the ceiling, "Hey Daileass... is anyone on the proving grounds right now?"

'Nope! And if you want, I was just told of an armoured personnel carrier that was decommissioned, the engine pulled out, and they were gonna scrap it. If you want, I can set it up for you to practice with.'

Juan's eyes lite up like a child at Christmas. "Really?!?! Cool Daileass... You're the greatest. When you can, could you take Tera and I, and the weapons on the table to Nest Delta 7-2?"

Sure thing! Daileass said with an audible grin.

Moments later, Juan and Tera found themselves high on top of a ridge looking down on a valley floor that seemed to be littered with destroyed vehicles. The large targets on the ground were meant for helicopters to practice with.

"I will follow your lead, young human," Tera smiled as Juan was busy setting up his guns.

Juan looked up at her with a grin, "Well you need to answer a question: What do you want first, a big boom, a bigger boom, or a REALLY Big boom?"

Tera narrowed her eyes, then addressed the seemingly ever present Daileass. "I need ear protection."

'Already thought of. It's in the pack just behind you,' the giggling, helpful AI answered.

"My thanks," she said, then as she picked up the pack she answered Juan, "Start with the lowest and work our way up."

"Okay," Juan said with a giggle as he took up a smaller rifle. "Come over here, and lie down on the mat."

Slowly she did, then Juan got down right next to her. "Take the rifle up, and put the stock against your shoulder," Juan whispered into her ear, and she did as he said. "Make sure to hold the rifle tight to your shoulder, and keep your finger away from the trigger for now. Look through the scope and find the target that's down there pinned to the side of the wrecked Jeep. Do you have it?"  

It was only a small nod that Tera gave, but it was enough for Juan. "Now, place your finger on the trigger, but don't pull yet. Good, now take a deep breath in, and let it out, now another, and another, but this time, when you breath out, I want you to stop halfway though, and slowly squeeze the trigger."

A few seconds later there was a loud 'CRACK' as the rifle fired off its round towards the target that was set up just over half a mile away.

Juan pulled up his binoculars, and looked through to see how she had done. He couldn't keep the grin off his face. "Just to the left of centre, not bad for your first shot. Go ahead and finish off the clip, but remember, there's a pretty stiff wind out here today, so you'll need to compensate for it."

Tera nodded, then squeezed off the rest of the 9 round clip, hitting the centre of the target on the last three shots. "Tellar does not have the same type of wind as you have hear," she said. "They have no mountains such as this. That was harder to aim than expected, but... enjoyable. What of the next level of... 'booms'?"

Juan grinned and he picked up the largest rifle there. "This is my baby. It's a Barrett lite 50 sniper rifle. This thing had an effective range of 1800 meters, although if you good enough, you can hit things at over 2200. It's classed as an 'Anti Material' Rifle because some idiots decided that shooting someone with a 50 cal is a bit.... extreme."

Juan handed her the rifle then helped her get it into position. "Make sure to let the weight rest of the tripod legs. When your ready go ahead and fire, but be prepared for a bit heavier kick back."

"My denser bone structure will be of aid, then. If you can fire it correctly without injury, then with your guidance I will be able to as well," she answered as she positioned herself as instructed.

"It's not you being injured I am talking about," Juan laughed, "I wouldn't even let you fire it if I thought it might hurt you. What I am talking about is that fact that, even laying prone, the kick will still push you back a bit."

Juan stood up and walked to behind Tera. There he placed both of his feet behind hers. "There, that should help some. Just be ready to reposition yourself after each shot."

Juan could not see her face as she lay there and followed his instructions. He did notice, however, that she had changed her posture slightly. She was no longer quite prone. He sighed internally; she was about to learn the hard way.

She fired. Juan felt no pressure on his feet at all. Tera had not moved backwards at all, but had rather acted as a spring.

"How the FUCK did you do that?!" he asked in complete astonishment.

"Logical use of available equipment, including my own body," she answered as she rolled over and sat up to look at him. "I do not know how much you know about Vulcans, but we are very supple and flexible..."

"Ooooh, yeah," Juan grinned as he started to instantly remember all the times he'd played games with, or made love to, Joel. "THAT I know..."

She grinned at him and continued, "We are supple, flexible and our skeletal frame is highly resistant to compound forces acting on us. Not immune, but resistant. With correct positioning and posture, and the correct leverage, I reasoned I should be able to maintain my position in order to be able to fire off again without delay - should the need ever arise in battle, such an ability would be useful. If I was wrong, I also reasoned that I am within easy distance of help, so it was a calculated risk. It paid off."

Juan grinned while nodding, "Kewl! Well, let's not keep the other waiting too long, but I got one more for you and this one you stand up for."

Juan grabbed one of the large tube like object as she got to her feet. He pulled the caps off of both ends and then extended both sides.

"Here... you fire this one by putting it on your shoulder. You sight it by using these two sights. When they line up on your target, you can fire. There isn't any kick, but it is rather loud. Oh, and if your ever with someone else firing one of these... don't stand behind them."

Juan said as he moved off to the side, "When ever your ready, go ahead."

She took aim, adjusted for the wind, and fired. Then, after watching the explosion she turned to grin at Juan. "What is this called?"

"A LAW Rocket Launcher."

She placed it down and then came right up to Juan. "Thank you," she said as she hugged him.

He blushed.

Then she looked at him curiously. "When you fire the sniper rifle, do you get pushed back?"

He nodded, "Yeah. I'm small."

"Size does not matter," she said as he gently pulled him over to the rifle that was still set up. "Get ready as you would normally do."

He did, feeling puzzled. Then he blushed harder as he felt her hands moving his body into a position he had never been in while firing. She murmured instructions all the while, but, even though he was listening intently he was also fighting major wood; her hands intensified her naturally affect upon him. "Now, fire the weapon, and remember what I told you. If your enhancements are what they claim, your skeletal structure should do the rest - but only if you keep the instructions of what to do with each muscle in your body. Any questions?"

He took a moment to focus and regain his centre, then nodded. When she stepped back, he sited, fired, and had to force himself not to laugh as he realized he hadn't moved. Quickly he finished of the magazine, never once moving from the spot he had set up in.

"Such has always been the case," Tera said as he looked up at her with laughter in his eyes. "When Vulcan and Terran have worked together, the impossible is made possible. It is for that reason that the most ancient name we have for your world is 'Brother-Vulcan'."

"Cool," Juan said as he stood. "We need to be heading back, but first: Daileass, can you take us back to my room?"

A few moments later, Juan was walking back into his armoury with Tera right beside him. He moved over to a shelf and pulled a VERY large case off of it. He laid it on the table then he went and fetched his bag. When he was back, he motioned her over to his work table and then pushed the case down to her.

"I think you've earned it," he said as she opened it up, revealing another Barrett Lite 50. "I don't know if you'll ever use it, but it's always good to have one around."

Her face fell noticeably. "If what I have been sent here to do does not happen, or happens a certain way, I will not be able to take this home with me."

"Why?" Juan asked, his concern for her sudden shift clear in his eyes.

"My father - he does not mind that I have an interest in weapons, but he is an Ambassador; a man of peace. He does not allow weapons in our home, not even ceremonial ones. It is his... peculiarity." She sighed. "However, if you will allow it, I will accept this on condition that if I cannot take it home to Vulcan I may be allowed to keep it here with your other weapons." She stared fully at him, "I am honoured. Thank you."

"Of course you can," Juan said with a grin. "Hey, has anyone told your father that peace is only possible through force?"

She raised her left eyebrow. "No, as that is not the whole truth. Peace is impossible without justice, and sometimes justice needs force. However, peace can be worked towards by discussion and common ground. He is aware of that and attempts to live his life as an example that violence is not the only way. Do not get me wrong - he does not allow weapons in our home but he has had us all trained to defend ourselves and to even protect others should the need arise. He can even fight himself, but chooses to try everything else possible first before resorting to that."

Juan shrugged and nodded, a grin on his face. He didn't agree, but she was so pleasant about her difference of opinion that he could relax about his own. He gazed into her eyes warmly. She'd make an excellent friend.

She looked him up and down, then smiled directly at him. "You are cute when you gain an erection without even knowing you have. It shows trust. Comfort. It is flattering."

Juan looked down quickly and saw the tent he had made in his pants.

He then giggled and pulled off his shirt so that he could put on the one that said, 'Few things are as ego-boosting as being kicked out of an anarchy convention for unruly behaviour!' When he was set, he picked up his bag while she picked up the case. "Daileass... whenever you're ready!"

A moment later, they both disappeared.

---

Meanwhile:

"DAAAAD!" Joel heard Timmy grousing as he and Kevin entered the music hall. "DAAAAADDDDDYY!! I'm hungry again!"

"But you just ate fifteen minutes ago!" Cory responded with a giggle.

Kevin stifled his own giggle at Timmy's response: "But that was THEN. I'm hungry NOW!"

Cory walked over and started poking at Timmy's belly and legs. "You've got to have an extra stomach here somewhere!" Cory quipped.

"Do not! Just hungry!"

Kevin sat down and pulled Joel down onto his lap. "Just feed him, Cor," Kevin giggled, "before he protests so loud even Granda Lizzie'll hear!"

"I've got an answer," Jason put in from his prone position on the floor where he was wrestling with Kevin and Joel's kids. "The kitchens make breakfasts up 'til eleven am. Just order a full Welsh Breakfast. That'll sort him out."

"If he eats like his Dad, I doubt it...." Sean giggled under his breath as he moved safely out of Cory's reach.

Cory turned to glare at his beloved, but as a retort hung on his lips his own belly rumbled. He smiled sheepishly before addressing Jason instead. "Can we all order one of those?"

"Sure," Jason giggled. "I've already asked Riti to do the honours. He's in the kitchens himself - he's peckish."

"He's a Lo'Garn," Koth waved dismissively, with a loving grin on his face, though. "He's always peckish!"

"What's included in a full Welsh breakfast?" Joel asked timidly.

Jason's eyes narrowed in concern but he answered normally. "Fried eggs, fried bread, bacon, sausage, cockles, laverbread, mushrooms."

"Sounds like a good little snack!" Kyle giggled.

Joel felt a hand touch the back of his neck. "Wassamatter, Sean?" he whispered.

"I was about to ask you the same," Sean replied as he squeezed in next to Kevin so they could both hold Joel. "What's up?"

"Jus' thinking," the little Vulcan blinked, his mist-eyes seemingly looking through Sean. "Some times I feel bad 'cos I'm remembering Saturday..."

"You were fine outside," Nine stated. He moved from the door where he had stayed on their return to scan Joel. "Why is it you are reliving those memories now?"

"I need to deal with them," came the timid response. "And what happened still freaks me out - it brought up... everything else."

Cory came over and got to his knees in front of Kevin. He reached and pulled his little Vulcan brother into his arms, and whispered, "What happened?"

"Ghosts," Joel managed to say before breaking down into tears. "It's freaking me out, Cor! Voices in my head and then ghosts with silver eyes saying the same as the voices! Make it stop!"

"Ummm ... why do I feel like I missed something?" Cory asked softly as he soothed the crying Joel.

Kyle moved over quickly from the group he was playing with and, with Timmy, cuddled in with Joel and Cory. He took a brief look in the minds of those who had gone with Joel - barring Joel as he had no access there - then dumped it all into Cory's mind. "Umm... yeah. Ghosts. You and Sean're our resident Ghost-experts, Cor. You deal!"

"Hey JJ, did you bring our 'Ghost Buster' uniforms?" Sean asked as he joined the growing group cuddle.

"Don't get Nine involved," Kevin said wryly as he remained seated looking at the mass cuddle right before him. "He got a little - borgish - when it happened."

"I won. I always win. Then they cheated!" Nine grated.

"I think I'm gonna want a picture of that!" Cory giggled softly. "You and Austin have a lot in common... including being stubborn!"

In the background of all this chatter, Joel could hear the CD that Levi had given him playing on a repeating loop, and the songs that Joel had found to be his favourite was starting back up. His tears stilled as he relaxed into all those loving arms, and he just listened.

'Hey! Dad! DAD! It's back on again! Listen!'

Joel raised his head and looked around. That wasn't a call from anyone he knew. Maybe a telepath was in training and wasn't good at sending yet. "Did you hear that telep..." he started to ask, but then choked as he heard another voice join the first.

'Rosh, what do you want? I do not have time...'

Joel knew that voice. The voice of the one calling him 'Winglord'.

"Cor! They're back, and..."

"I hear them..." Cory nodded, and everyone else went still too.

'But the song! It should be our National Anthem!' the first voice said, seemingly unaware that they were being overheard.

Joel was trembling, and everyone else was quiet in shock. A sense of power was in the room in concert with the voices, and it seemed to be coming from Joel.

There was a sigh and the second voice, the older sounding one, said, 'Rosh, you know that we do not need a...'

'What if the Winglord wants it?' came the cheeky question.

Another sigh. 'Then it will be our anthem, but I... mmm... it is rather good, isn't it?'

'Told you!'

Joel calmed himself with effort and listened closely to the words of the song. If this was something that these 'beings' thought was good and should represent their race, then it might offer clues.

When it ended they heard the younger of the two voices say, 'See? Good innit!'

'You, my son, need to speak as befits your rank. Prince of...'

'You are aware that I can hear all this?' Joel sent and said aloud, now completely fed up with being messed around with not to mention more than a little scared. First it was scary voices saying crap he didn't understand, then poems pointing to danger and his death, and then a ghost in a cave - all somehow connected to 'Winglord'.

Silence.

'Apologies, Winglord. My son has somehow started a connection with you. I shall attend to this. Do not concern yourself for now, Child of Destiny. Just walk your path. Rosh, come with me now!'

'But DAAAAAD! I wanna talk with him and play games and...'

The voice faded off and then cut out.

"... well, at least the kid has good taste," Kyle said slowly, watching Joel's face closely. His eyes hardened as he guessed what Joel was about to do, and quickly pulled Cory's arms from around the Vulcan.

"FUCKINGGODDAMNIT!" Joel raged as he sprang to his feet and started waving his arms around. He started cursing up a storm, lapsing into various languages at random and causing everyone there to blush. JJ and Teri included.

"We need to talk when he calms down ... I need to expand my vocabulary!" JJ chuckled.

"No," Teri said as she marched up to Joel. "You don't." She reached to pick up the fuming little Vulcan, causing Cory to tense - Joel could hurt her if he was actually out of control.

His fears were unfounded. Her mere touch was enough to wilt the anger from her eldest Vulcan son as she scooped him into her arms. She turned and marched to a quiet corner of the room - quiet in a less-people sense, for the music was still going - and sat with him, talking quietly.

With an explosive exhale, Cory got up from his knees and sat down next to Kevin. "If it isn't one thing, it's another," he said as he pulled his brother's husband close for a loose cuddle. He looked at Kyle, "Any idea on those voices?"

"Yeah," the Prince of the Mikyvis nodded. "The older one Joel and me's heard before, and the young one, Rosh... well, don't know about him. Sounds fun, though... I'm just as frustrated as Elf is to know what's going on."

"Wazza matter?" Quint asked with an over-abundance of enthusiasm as he flashed in.

"Those voices Joel keeps hearing and sometimes the rest of us hear... they're back," Levi explained to his friend.

Quint's face hardened.

"Come on, Quint!" Levi exploded, stamping his foot. "You did that last time I told you 'bout them, and you won't explain!"

"No... I won't," Quint growled. "Never mind... why is Joel over with Teri?"

"He needed some 'Mom Time'," Cory stated, a small smile crossing his face. "Mom's really good when you need her like that."

Quint nodded as he stared over at Teri and Joel. Cory's mother was speaking quietly and seriously to an equally seriously faced Joel, who was nodding slowly every so often. "Good... Well, you might as well do something else for a while while you wait," Quint put in as he clicked his fingers and a being just a little taller than himself appeared before them, dressed in a robe. "In fact I have just the thing. This lad hear needs a home. I picked you guys. Have fun!" Then Quint vanished in a blink of light, leaving the robe covered person standing there.

"H... hello," the being said as it waved a scaled and three-clawed hand at them all from within the long sleeves of its robe. "I'm Slaz-le Mik... do I get to be 'home' now?" it asked plaintively.

"Two adoptions in one microsecond... Mom adopted Quint, and the Clan's got a new son." Cory said with a grin. "Welcome home, Slaz-le Mik."

"Call me Lemic," Lemic said softly. "Don't like my full name."

Teri was moving over, still carrying Joel, and said, "Cory... when did I adopt Quint?"

"All of the Clan are your kids... Clan kids do rescues... Quint just did a Clan rescue... that makes Quint part of the Clan... which makes him your son!" Cory replied, stretching it out with a growing grin, and feeling safe because both of Teri's arms were occupied.

"Agreed!" Q's head said from two feet above Cory's head before adding, "Thank GOD someone'll take him off my hands for a short while - don't humans live to be 120 or so now? That'll be a welcomed break! He's all yours! Bye!" Then his head vanished.

Teri looked into Joel's eyes, and he shrugged. "Made sense to me, Mama," Joel said seriously. "Are you going to for-real adopt Lemic, or can I?"

Teri blinked, "Don't you need to talk that out with Kev...in... never mind," she said as she watched Kevin. He was not paying attention to the rest of what was going on. Instead he was helping Lemic out of his robe, whispering softly to him that he was now safe.

Lemic was just a little shorter than Kevin, more Kyle's height; but that wasn't what stood out. His three clawed hand had been a dead give-away to Cory already, but that was confirmed by the raptor-like face, cat-slit eyes, long sharp teeth and green scales that covered this boy. He had a leather belt around his waist, with a shoulder strap going from left hip over right shoulder. Attached was a knife and what looked like a ballistic hand-weapon designed for a two claw and one thumbed hand. He wore nothing else, for nothing else was needed, really. He was scaled from head to two clawed-toes, and no sign of any genitalia could be seen.

Kevin, being a very good diplomat and having done more than his fair share of research on near-by alien races, knew why - Lemic was a Gorn - or at least related to them - and Gorn males and females were practically indistinguishable from any distance, for the females did not have breasts and the males could retract their reproductive organs into what amounted to pouches in their groins. They customarily kept them there unless needing to relieve themselves or mating.

"Hey Sean, I think Joel and Kev are collecting more nephews for us again," Cory said with a grin while still keeping out of Teri's reach.

Sean nodded, "Yeah, Mom's gonna need her own country for family reunions pretty soon!"

The room went completely silent as they all looked at the newcomer. Tommy even turned the music off so that you could have heard a pin drop.

Joel moved to stand with Kevin and Lemic, and asked, "Are you a Gorn, or a Soleen, Lemic?"

"Gorn," Lemic whispered, "but I was called 'soleen' by my parents... it's an insult in Gorn... means 'thinker'... we're warriors... not thinkers..." Tears started to roll from Lemic's amber-golden eyes, "I was thrown out by my father... I'm not a worthy Gorn..."

"We don't believe in 'not worthy'."Cory stated, suddenly serious. "Everyone is worthy, no matter what someone tries to tell you."

"And that goes double for me." Teri stated. "Joel, I think your son needs his new parents to cuddle him and explain the Clan's values."

Kevin and Joel were already cuddling the sobbing Gorn, but everyone heard Lemic's answer to both Cory and Teri. "It doesn't matter what lesser peoples think; I'm not worthy because the Hegemony says so..." he managed, yet despite his words he still allowed two 'lesser people' to comfort him.

"The Hegemony can take their opinion, shove it up whatever serves as their rectal hole, and spin it until their intestines turn into spaghetti!" JJ sputtered, his eyes starting to darken in anger. "Give me five minutes with them and a warp core..."

The distraught Gorn raised his head and looked JJ over. "You'd really fight them over me?" he asked as Kevin and Joel started rubbing their hands in circles over his scaled back. "You'd be willing to die for me?"

"Trust me, I won't die," JJ said flatly. "You're family, and anyone who fucks with my family WILL die... painfully... and slowly, if needed."

Joel whispered, "Let it be for now, Lem. I'll explain what you mean to him later." He waited until Lemic looked back at him and nodded before continuing, "Now we have a question for you. A few, actually."

The Gorn drew himself up straighter. "I won't give secrets of the Gorn to outsiders - even if I had any. I..."

"Shhh," JJ said quickly. Lemic looked at him sharply. "We'd never ask that. Just wait 'til you hear the questions."

Lemic looked back at the grinning Joel. "What do you want to know?" he asked cautiously.

"How old are you?" Kevin and the Vulcan asked together.

Blinking, Lemic answered, "Seventeen seasons."

"Wow, he's OLD!" Timmy exclaimed.

"That's eight and a half Earth years, Timmy," Kevin giggled. Then he paused. "No, wait. Closer to eight," he finished, after working out the math difference between the Gorn home-world and Earth.

"KEWL!" Seltor exclaimed, along with Belar and Harley.

Lemic giggled, "I don't know if you're right. We don't learn this type of thing about lesser peoples... I don't even know what speciesyou all are!"

"We'll get to that," Cory giggled. "I'll ask the next question."

"Okay," Lemic sniggered as he covered his wide mouth with his claws to stifle his laughter.

"Do you like the two boys cuddling you?"

Lemic nodded. "Don't know where they learnt it from, but they've already greeted me as family. I like them," he replied. "They're also warm. It's real nice."

"Good. Next, do you want them as your two dads?"

Lemic's eyes widened. "You will do that too?!"

"Of course," Joel whispered. "If you want us to."

"Please! Do... can I call you 'Dad' as well? My father never allowed that..."

"We'd be honoured," Kevin grinned. "Oh, there's something else you might want to know - all our kids have Levi," he pointed at the purple eyed Mikyvis who was grinning at them, "as another 'dad', or 'pop'. He's our boyfriend. Also, Juan, someone really special to Joel, is another Pop to our kids, just like we're Pop to his son."

Lemic sat down, bringing Joel and Kevin down with him. "I have... FOUR DADS?! AND brothers? Sisters?"

"One sister, LOTS of brothers, MANY Uncles, a few Aunts, LOADS of Grandparents and even nephews and nieces!" Sean listed, running out of fingers, toes and other extremities to count on.

"Let's just say that we're renting a planet for the next major holiday!" Adam giggled.

Lemic didn't hear him. He was to busy happily hugging Joel and Kevin and sobbing. Cory smiled and, with a nod shared between himself and Teri, entered it into the Clan's logs that Lemic was now 'Lemic Short, son of Joel and Kevin'.

---

To Be Continued...

---

Editor's Notes: 

I love it. A Gorn, I think this is a first reptile species a clan member has adopted, although for anyone who has read some of Multimapper's stories, we certainly have already met several of the Gorn as well as quite a few Soleen, before.

I also sense that another young person has found Joel to be quite interesting; someone named Rosh.

Tera also seems quite interesting, too. She has some very interesting characteristics, as well.

I have the strangest feeling that she knows something which she is not sharing.

It seems that as of now, we have more questions than we have answers, as is, of course, befitting the end of another great chapter.

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher