As always, thank you for all your support. "Captain Jones," The officer at the Engineering Station spoke up. "Commander Wu says they are ready to hook up the hyperdrive. Then we can test it as soon as the repairs on the impulse drive are completed. She says we'll be ready to go in about eight hours." "Very good," She said with a nod. "I for one can't wait to get away from that damned black hole." "I'm going to find Karyn and Kaleena," Joshua added as he left the bridge. "It's time Miss Derush met her family." "Captain," Cabrerra stepped next to Jones. "We think we've completed the holonet hook up. All that's left is to test it." "I know what to do!" Melee cried out as she leapt over to the Comm Station and input a private comlink code. "Let's make a call!" She then returned to stand beside the Helmsman's position. After a few seconds Peenk appeared on the main viewer. "Melee!" Peenk blurted out, a concerned expression on her face. "Just who I wanted to see!" "What's up?" The tall platinum blond asked, instantly wary. "It's Zell! He got back eight days ago with Em and Ro. Later that day, Lele found a note on the bridge of the Runner. It was from your brother. It said he had something he had to to. That he would be back in three weeks. He also took MU-SO 2 with him." "Did he say where he was going?" Melee asked, the Force going off in her head like an alarm. "No. I told Merrik. So he's checking all the places he could be. Mulk and his wife are here as well, and they're helping too. I have a bad feeling about this," The blonde said. "I don't think his life is in danger. But I think he's doing something dangerous, none the less." "I get the same feeling." Melee said, fighting back panic. "Has anyone tried tracking MU-SO 2?" Gath Pok asked nervously. "I had tracking devices implanted in both units." "Yes. Marty found the tracker on the Runner's bridge. What ever he's up to, he doesn't want us stopping him." "Ah shit!" Pok began swearing silently "I know what the boy's up to. All that data from the Imperial project is stored in each of the droids," The Nirilese doctor turned to Melee. "He's going to have himself altered." "But it will kill him!" Catherine Kirk blurted out. Melee gasped in shock at that revelation. Cat turned to the woman. "Every attempt to alter a male resulted in the subject's death!" "No it will not." Pok said, trying to calm the two women. "I found a way to alter males. The Republic altered about ten thousand marines in a clandestine project. Half were males. I'm still trying to find out how they got the information." "What will he need to do this?" Peenk asked. Pok gave her a list of equipment that would be needed. "Ok. I'll have Xin search online for any recent purchaces of this equipment. And if there was, where it was delivered." "Is Xin still there?" Melee asked of her youngest sister. "I thought she was supposed to be one of Ackbar's new bodyguards?" "The admiral told her she can help find her brother." Peenk's eyes scanned the bridge. "Where's Josh?" "He's gone to introduce Karyn to her mother." "Well, when you see him," Peenk said with a grin. "Tell him Em said he fires nothing but live rounds. Both her and Ro are pregnant. Doctor Williamson is having the time of her life testing them and Pehn." "You should know that Josh does nothing half way," Mele then gave a half smile. "He's been acting kind of stupid the last couple of days, though." Peenk's jaw dropped. "The Runner left nine days ago!" "Yes, so?" Melee said with a shrug. "His addiction!" Peenk blurted out quickly. "He's getting ready to go through withdrawals. Tell him to find Kaleena. I'm sure she'll have no trouble helping him. She's been wanting to have sex with him again," The Enhanced Humans on the bridge shot surprised glances at one another. "I bet he was going to tough it out. These Kirk's all seem to be a hard headed bunch!" All heads turned to the woman standing next to Berring. "Melee?" Cat said as she stared at Peenk. "Is this the one my nephew Darush held up her hand, stopping Joshua at the door. "Let me do this alone. I really don't know how I'll take it, and I'd rather not break down in front of strangers." "Of course, I understand," Joshua watched as she entered her office and smiled. Time to have some fun. Karyn and Kaleena turned as the door opened, and a tall Vulcan with a patch over her left eye entered. She froze as she stared at the red dress Kaleena wore. "What?" The youngest of the three grimaced. "Too much skin?" "Not if you're looking to mate." "My daughter is always looking for sex," Karyn said with disapproval. "It's the curse of your people. You have to have it, or you go through withdrawals. I'm sure you know this already, Regina." "Is that my real name?" Karyn asked, overjoyed at learning her name. "Regina?" "Regina Kelly Sanders," Darush said with a nod. "Your father was an officer in Starfleet. Jason Sanders. He commanded the destroyer Khondo." "What happened to my father?" "The Ambassador says that he's retired, and living on Mars. It seems he never remarried after we disappeared. I'm going to have to have a talk with him about that when I get home. It was said that he was rather happy to hear that we were still alive. I can't wait to see my son, as well." "I have a brother?" Karyn's face lit up even brighter. "William. I was told that he commands a destroyer squadron. It seems the Ambassador went to the academy with him. Now tell me about your family." Karyn held her head high and smiled. "My husband was a commando in the Grand Army Of The Republic, and later the Stormtrooper Corps. He is now the head of Montal Security, and is personally responsible for the safety of the Montal family and it's employees." "Don't forget that he's from the largest family in the galaxy," Kaleena added with a grin. "I have several million living uncles." "That's quite a lot," Darush said as she glanced from one woman to the other. "I take it he's a clone?" "The Grand Army was a clone army. But don't call them clones. Most of them feel it makes them less Human." "I imagine so. But at least they didn't have to hide who they were like the Family. The Ambassador told me they no longer hide what they are," Darush said smiling. "They hated doing so." "You're not like Dr Sudak," Kaleena stared at her grandmother. "She says Vulcan's do not show emotion." "We don't show it in public," Darush corrected her. "And I'm not your average Vulcan. My parents taught at the University of Mars. So I grew up around the Family. And they tend to be rather emotional." The door opened and Melee stuck her head into the room. "We've been trying to get hold of you Kaleena. Did you turn your comlink off?" "Yes, I didn't want to be disturbed." "Well too bad. You need to come help us find Joshua. We think he's getting ready to go into withdrawals. We just got a call that he's running around scaring the crew. Ami's leading the hunt," Melee glanced at Darush. "So we'll need you to, ah, take care of him when we find him." "I can't," Kaleena said with a shrug. "Peenk has cut him off from all other women. Me in particular." "We've already talked to her. She said she wants you to take care of him," Melee grinned. "Xin's gonna kick herself for flying back with the Runner. She's been wanting to get her hands on Josh so very badly." "Melee!" Mark Berring's voice came over the ship's intercom. "He's just been spotted running around in engineering in a combat suit. And don't ask me where he got one," Kaleena and Melee ran out of the room. The two older women just shrugged and followed. "Now let me tell you about your father." Ensigns Alaya Rollins and Patty Hill were patrolling the outermost starboard passage on deck seven, watching for the missing Ambassador. Ten minutes ago, he'd been seen outside the shuttle bay. But he could now be anywhere on the ship. But because he was not a threat, the crew was making a game out of finding him. Both women were Soldier class, so they knew what to expect from a male going through the Stupid Stage. They just hoped they could find him before the pain of withdrawals began. They'd seen it happen before, and they knew how bad it could be. "And when we finally got to my brother's crippled shuttle," Patty was telling her companion. "He'd been in withdrawls for four days. So you're right, it is not a pretty sight." "And this Commander Wu said he was in the Need's grip for months," Alaya said turning to her friend. "This is a very tough boy. And very cute." "I know. I'm tempted to take him to our stateroom and help him with..." Both women abruptly stopped. Alaya's face screwed up, while Patty rolled her eyes. Both slowly turned and found themselves staring into Joshua Kirk's brown eyes as he knelt behind them. "Sir?" Alaya said pointing at the man as he crouched behind them. "We are going to let you run for it. And then we will chase you." "And when we catch you, we are going to fucking kick your ass," Patty added. Kirk jumped up and glanced from one to the other. "But you have to catch me first!" Like a rocket, he was jetting down the passage, the two women close behind. Just as Hill stretched her hand out to grab at his combat suit, Joshua accellerated to full speed and disappeared. The two women stopped and stared at the passage where it curved out of sight. "Wow!" Patty said as she took out her communicator. "He is damned fast! Bridge, this is Hill and Rollins on deck seven. We just had an encounter with the Ambassador. It seems he's taken to playing grab ass. But we've lost sight of him." "Affirmative," The Captain said, obviously amused. "Commander Wu and Lt Commander Berring are on their way." "Yes, Captain. Lot of good it'll do them. He's incredibly fast," They rounded the curve of the hull and found Kirk lying on the deck in convulsions. "Forget that! We've found him. It's too late, the pain has started." "Very well. Wu and Berring will be told. They should be there in a few seconds. Keep an eye on him Ensigns." "Yes Captain Jones, we will. Out," Patty watched Ayala where she knelt beside the man, pulling the hood from his head. "Oooo. He is so cute." "So the ladies say," Ami Wu said as she exited the turbolift. "You don't find him cute, Commander?" Ayala asked. "He's my cousin, Ensign." "Oh. Then I guess you're not interested in him that way then." "No," Ami muttered as she and Berring lifted Joshua. "I'm not Defective. Now let's get him to deck nine, Mark. Kaleena is waiting there." "Commander?" Patty asked. "The Ambassador is not Soldier Class, is he? Because he was moving incredibly fast when he ran from us." "No, he's Warrior Class. As am I," Joshua's eyes flickered open. He then glanced at Ami, then Berring. "Hey cuz! Hey Ugly! How the hell you two doing?" "Not as good as you're going to be in a few minutes." Berring said. "We're taking you to Kaleena." "Nope!" Joshua said, shaking his head drunkenly. "Peenk said she's a no go situation." "We've been in contact with Peenk, and she said Kaleena is to help you with this," Ami popped her cousin on the back of the head. "She is very pissed off that you would try to tough it out." "I would do anything for those two," Joshua rambled on. "Take a shot from a disruptor. Fight a Wookiee again. Hell, I'd run through hell with gasoline underwear on for them." "Them?" Berring asked curiously. "You telling me you're crazy enough to try and juggle more than one norm woman?" "Hey! They were a couple when I met them." "Well, hell, way to go Joshua Kirk!" The three women stared harshly at the grinning Berring. "Oh, please. This is every man's dream." "And I'm living that dream, Ugly," Ami popped him on the back of the head again. "Wait!" Ayala said as they entered the turbo lift. "How is it our ship's sensors couldn't locate him?" "It's something we learned from a race called the Angosians," Berring said as the doors shut. "Their commandos had a way of hiding their life signs from a ship's sensors. We call it masking. And it comes in real handy when your part of a boarding party."