As always, thank you for all your support. Vin Washig watched the Peenk Guard storm through the doors of the House Of Peenk, store #1. The eight women, all wearing their revealing pink uniforms, stood with their weapons at the ready. And in their midst was his employer, Corell Peenk Anna Montal. And standing next to her was a short, rather young looking Human male, clearly uncomfortable being there. The other employees who stood behind Vin whispered excitedly when they saw him. They'd all become entranced with him when they'd first seen him in the holo of Baby dancing for the cute little blonde man, Zell. But their excitement grew when the holo of him wrestling a Wookiee on Doroub found it's way onto the holonet. And when they saw the video of him defending the Runner against the slaver Dobo Vrick and his gang, they fell in love with him. He'd defended those three girls, and that was all they needed. Because those three were very popular at the store. Especially Melee. All the store's personel were heart broken when they found out that she was in the hospital. But last night Peenk snuck into the store just after closing, with the girls. Everyone fell all over themselves when they were reintroduced to Melee. And Xin just stole their hearts. But all went crazy for Baby and her future husband, Zell. But the young man, though, was even more uncomfortable being there than this Joshua Kirk. "Vin," Peenk said with a smile. "I've brought you someone. See what you can do with him." "Why thank you, Boss Lady," Vin replied with a grin. "But I didn't get you anything." "Oh no!" Peenk said, laughing. "This man is all mine. But as you can see, he is in desperate need of clothes. He has a few items, and all are ugly!" Joshua smiled tightly and nodded. "Well normally, I'd send a man like him down to Merzer's," Vin said. "But Nama's just finished the new designs based on those images you sent us from Ambassador Kirk's homeworld. You wouldn't believe what she's done! It's all so fabulous. I think we'll finally be able to sell to straight men." "Well, her work better be good," Peenk said sternly. "I didn't agree with you handing this project off to my least experienced designer." "Well, see for yourself," Vin told her in an almost defiant tone. "Half of them are ready for you in the presentation room." Everyone followed the short man into the store's cellar, and into the heavily guarded storage room. Along the walls were a dozen manequins. Six displayed men's clothing, the others wore women's. Peenk scanned the room quickly and nodded. "Nama my girl," Peenk said as she turned to the young woman standing beside Wasig. "You've done some of the best work I've seen in years. I'm sorry I doubted you! This all looks great!" The tall blond then turned to Kirk. "What do you think, Josh?" "I'm wearing that this afternoon." He told her, staring at one of the outfits, before turning to the other items. "I like all of them." "And I can't wait to get you out of it tonight," The tall blonde whispered in his ear. "After Leia's reception." "Then I look forward to it." Joshua and Peenk halted when Leia and Han stopped to stare at one of the X-Wings that were on display for the diplomatic inspection. The tall Corellian turned and grinned. "She's something, huh?" "Oh, that she is!" Kirk said, laughing. "Wait," Peenk eyed the others for a moment. "Is this the X-Wing you stole?" "I did not steal it!" Joshua exclaimed. "It was an emergency aquisition!" "What's the difference?" She asked. "When your life is in danger, it is not stealing," Han Solo told her. "Force knows we've had to do the same thing a few times, right Leia?" The vice president nodded in agreement. "Ah, but his life was not in danger," Peenk added. "No, but my freedom was. And I'll go to great lengths to protect that. And that included borrowing this fighter." "Which upset our friend Wedge Antilles to no end," Leia cut in. "He was there to test fly this thing when you took off with it. But he was happy to discover that you destroyed the Durga after they pulled you from hyperspace." "As are billions of Wookiees and Furenne," Han said, jerking his head in the direction of Chewbacca, who was talking to Zell and Baby. "The Durga had been killing them for too many years. No one knew where their base was, or who was supplying them." "Thanks to you, we were able to recover the Durga's computers and found all that out," Leia's assisstant Tel'mar said to Kirk. "That's our Joshua for you," Tel'meht, her sister said. "Always the hero!" Kirk rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to deny being a hero, but stopped when a loud commotion sounded further up the line. They all turned to see a dozen heavily armed agents from naval intelligence putting binders on three officers, two of whom were very loud in their displeasure at their treatment. Xin waved at the men as they were marched past the Vice President and her party. "That puts an end to this little problem, Madame Vice President," Admiral Ackbar told them as he stepped next to Leia. "I just received word that the two officers in Intelligence have been detained, as have the pair of Senators. The lab personel are already locked up, so all that's left is to talk to our deadly Marines." "I'll take you to the base, sir," Xin said as she presented herself. "My friends have all been wanting to meet you." "Well, let's go then." Mr Ambassador?" Leia smiled at Kirk. "The President will thank you tommorrow for your aid in shutting this clandestine operation down. You didn't have to." "Yes I did!" Kirk told her quickly. "For the same reason that I helped shut down the Empire's. When my people turn ten, we swear an oath that we will never allow this to be done again. So I was just fulfilling my oath." "Don't you want there to be more of your kind?" Han asked Joshua. Kirk chuckled far a moment. "Sir," He began. "The only major difference between how we make babies and how you normal Humans make babies are the supplements that our women have to take to make sure that our babies develop normally. "What other differences are there between our peoples?" Leia enquiered. The Ambassador stood in thought for a moment before replying. "Do you see that building there?" Joshua said as he pointed at the control tower. "Let's place about fifteen hundred people at it's base and set off an explosion. No one's killed of course," Kirk added with a grin. "The natural reaction of those people will be to run away. All except a few." "Now put my people in their place and set off the bomb. Their reaction would be for all to run to the explosion to render aid. We are ruled by our programming. We must protect others. We are not free to do otherwise." "You make it sound like your people are slaves," Leia said warily. "Basically we are. We are slaves to our programming. And that is why we will not allow this kind of thing to happen again." "Excuse me," Han cut in. "But that very tall blonde that came in with you. Why is she tormenting one of our pilots?" The group turned and watched Melee as she stooped next to Dekho Gradz, making kissy faces at him and whispering in his ear. "Yes, why is that blonde giant tormenting one of our pilots?" Vice President Leia Organa-Solo asked. "That giant is Melee Orinie. And her 'poor' victim is Lt Dekho Gradz, her boyfriend," Peenk said in a lowered voice. "Oh, so she's supposed to torment him then, huh?" Han cut in with a chuckle. Leia slapped him on the arm and gave him a stern look. "Exactly," Joshua added. Peenk slapped him on the back of the head. "You two watch it," She told the two men. Leia smiled and waved in the direction of Melee, nodding to the pilot. Gradz smiled and took the blonde's head in his hands and kissed her. After a few seconds he returned to attention. Melee, still stooped over, was frozen in shock. But slowly, a grin spread over her beautiful face. "That was not enough, Buster!" She said. With a rush, she snatched the pilot off his feet and kissed him. At first he was stunned, but Dekho soon went limp and let Melee have her way. The kiss was a chaste kiss...at first. But soon it became very passionate. Gradz's fellow pilots began to mutter their support for their comrade. Soon though, they were whistling and cheering. Finally, the girl put him back on his feet, to stumble to his place in line, grinning and slightly confused. "Madame Vice President, is this meeting being recorded for later broadcast?" Joshua asked, trying not to laugh at Dekho's reactions to what Melee's actions. "Yes. Do you want us to delete that?" "Are you kidding?" He exclaimed before turning to the Admiral. "Admiral Ackbar, that is the greatest recruiting ad of all time." "I think you are right Ambassador Kirk. I'll have to talk to those two about using it. But first, we must deal with the matter at hand. You see, we brought this fighter here for a reason," The Mon Calamar lifted his hand and a Wookiee and a Furrene strode from the entourage that accompanied them. "Joshua," Leia said, her husband's hand on her shoulder. "This is Loran, the representative for Kashyyyk to the Senate," The Wookiee bowed slightly. "And this is representative Karn Orn, of the Furrene Fleet. They have come to give you the thanks of their peoples for the destruction of the Durga." "Ambassador Kirk," Loran started in his native Shriiwook. "The peoples of Kashyyyk and the Furrene Fleet wish to extend to you our most heart felt thanks for ridding the galaxy of the Durga. For fifty years it had been a scourge to our two peoples, always avoiding capture." "But thanks to you," Orn continued. "We are now free of it's threat. No longer will it hang over our heads like an axe. We shall always thank you for this." "And you will always have my thanks, Joshua," Seesha said as she placed her hands on his shoulders. "You unknowingly avenged the deaths of my family. For that I will always be indebted to you." "To receive the gratitude of your peoples is indeed, a great honor, and means much to me," Joshua told them before bowing his head. "And as a token of their gratitude," Leia finished. "They have bought this X-Wing for you." "Minus the stealth gear of course," Ackbar cut in. Joshua Kirk stared at the fighter and grinned. "Most pilots like to give their craft a name," Han said. "Do you have one for her?" "Yes," The grin faded away. "Lady Sasha." "Well, what do you think?" Marko asked Joshua. "I like it!" The younger man then grinned and did a backflip. "It's very flexible, allowing for a large range of movement. I think they need to do a little more with this groin armor. It kind of leaves things open to attack from the sides. A shatter gun, or any kind of slug thrower, would make short work of your fun bits, if you know what I mean." "Yeah, those are some parts I'd miss," Marko joked, holding his hand over his crotch. "But the Cortosis bodysuit is a great idea. It's like having two suits of armor for the price of one." "That's going to be one of it's selling points. The body suit can be used for light security, then you add the plate for combat." "I love the helmet," Kirk said as he held the helmet up. "The ability to see electromagnetic fields is something we've always wanted for our eyes, but were never able to accomplish. We've been forced to use things like this. I also like the high intimidation factor of the helmet. Nothing like seeing a pair of glowing red eyes coming at you in the dark to spook you." "And the Jem Hadar learned to fear your glowing red eyes, right love slave?" Denise Williamson said as she stepped next to Joshua and slapped him on the butt. "Marko, meet Deni Williamson. She's the doctor staying here with Magenta. Deni, meet Marko Bessa. He's one of the many GAR troopers rescued by magenta." "Ah, why do you call him love slave?" Marko asked asked the heavily built woman. "Because I was one of the lucky doctors who got the assignment of keeping his addiction under control while he was in that cell on Excalibur. I'd generally help him in the mornings, followed by an afternoon session," Denise smiled at Marko. "And sometimes I'd have to do an evening session as well. Just to make sure he was ok." "Sessions, as in sex?" Marko was now grinning. "You bet," She said before she eyed the shaven headed man. "You seem to be in pretty bad shape yourself. Maybe I should check you out." "Well I'm going to be off for the next few days. Maybe I can schedule an appointment." "Be ready at any time tommorrow then," The doctor said as she grabbed Marko's ass. "And bring a friend if you want." "Oh, I like her!" The man said with a big grin. "Now as for you," Denice now turned to Kirk and grabbed him by the arm. "We have to get to the naval hospital. They have a victim of a brutal assault coming in. They say it looks bad, and they want one of us doctors to check him out." "Why do you need me? For my boyish good looks?" "No!" She said as she slapped him on the side of the head. "You will be there for the press conference afterward. You see, this man was attacked because he looked like you." "It's that damned CCS!" Marko fumed. "Accusing you of being a spy. Every other news outfit that's been following you has called to ask who you were. But not them!" "The only good thing about the Empire," The shaven headed man rumbled angrily. "Was their ability to put fear into the hearts of CCS. They once tried to run a negative story about Palpatine!" Bessa paused for a moment and held up a single finger. "Once. Well Vader showed up the next day with two crates. One contained the heads of the reporter who did the story and her producer. The other held their bodies. They never ran another story against the Emperor, ever."