As always, thank you for all your support. Chapter 10: The Return Karyn entered Moscow's transporter room behind her mother, Darush, a Vulcan scientist. The younger woman was shaking her head. "I'm just saying that it feels strange calling a woman who's two years younger than I am, mother. I'm beginning to get an idea what it must have been like for my husband when he was younger. He didn't have a mother. But instead, he had a father and tens of millions of brothers." "I imagine that would not seem strange to them. They wouldn't know any other way," Darush countered. "And I imagine their trainers also had a large influence on how they view the universe." "It had much to do with it," Karyn said. "Stefan was trained by one of the Mandalorians, Hekii Skala. His brother, Marko, was trained by a Corellian. And he's picked up many of their ways. Too many." "Do you have a problem with Corellians?" Darush asked. "Well, they can be a bit trying. They're rather arrogant in some things. Such as their culture and ships. Oh, they love their ships. Of course they have good reason to." "It looks like I have much to learn about this place. Such as this fear you have for the transporter. It is irrational." "It's not fear!" Karyn shot back. "It's just not natural. And don't you dare suggest I'm a coward because I refuse to use this thing. I've fought the best the Empire had. Hell, I killed two Trandoshan hunters with nothing but a knife. I am not a coward." "I didn't say you were," Darush said with a frown. "It's just your reaction to the transporter is rather odd. I've done it hundreds of times, and I have suffered no ill effects." "Like I said, it's not natural." "Well, anyway, I'll be beaming over to Excalibur, where I'll wait for you to take a shuttle back over," The Vulcan paused for a moment. "Just why are we sitting outside the Coruscant system?" "It seems Joshua has found out that the Empire has a Stardestroyer in orbit around Coruscant. So he met with Admiral Ackbar to give a demonstration of just how maneuverable Excalibur is." "Just how manueverable can a ship that big be?" Darush asked. "I take it they've made some major advances in drive technology?" "I wouldn't know," Karyn said with a shrug. "But after the demonstration, the three of us will be flying to this ship. My eldest daughter, Admilla, is on it. She's accompanying her husband, Moff Degro Serro as he brings a new negotiating team to Coruscant. Looks like the war is ending. We'll also be accompanied by Melee, Ano, and their youngest sibling, Xin. It seems that their grandfather is commanding the ship, Drakken." "Have they found their brother yet?" Darush asked. "No, not yet," Karyn said, shaking her head. "Doctor Pok is rather upset with the boy for doing something this dangerous." "I imagine he was feeling inadequate, weak," Karyn's mother explained. "I saw the video of what happened on this world, Doroub. You could see how the incident there affected him." "Typical male reaction," Karyn said, grinning. "Oh please!" Her mother said with a smile. "Typical Humanoid reaction! We females are just as bad as the males when it comes to our egos. Even we Vulcans." Karyn eyed Darush for a moment. "Mother, I've met a Vulcan at the hospital on Coruscant, as well as several on Excalibur. They never show emotion. Why do you?" "As I said, my parents taught at the University Of Mars. So I grew up around Soldiers and Generals. And you might not have noticed, but they tend to be a very emotional people. Even more than the Norms. So I've picked up on it. My parents were not pleased that I turned my back on their beliefs. But they know that I am free to choose my path through life." Darush then smiled. "But don't be fooled by the emotionless appearance. Vulcans are even more emotional than Humans. We've just learned to supress them." "Well, get ready to feel excitement," Karyn said. "As a scientist who studies other civilizations, you will love Coruscant." Admiral Rand Messet saluted Moff Degro Serro and his brother, Baron Murgo. With them was Imperial Intelligence analyst Admilla, the wife of Degro, and Murgo's wife Ivory. "Sirs, ladies," He began. "They say that the two Federation ships are leaving the edge of the system and laying in a course for Coruscant. They should be here in seconds if my advisor is correct." "Admiral?" A woman in a Starfleet uniform called over from the comm station. "Excalibur and Moscow have exited warp, and are assuming an orbit twenty kilometers away." "That was quick," Admilla said. Staring at an image on one of the screens she chuckled. "They are rather pretty ships. Which is all they seem to have going for them. Such weak vessels." "Not too weak, Major," The Admiral said. "It's warp drive is something we need. That is the secret behind the Republic's new torpedo." "It's a kinetic weapon, isn't it?" Murgo asked, happy to have something other than politics to talk about. "Yes sir, it is," Messet replied. "We figure it's a five hundred ton shaft of steel, afixed to one of the Warp drives. Normally, our Stardestroyer's shields can withstand a frigate ramming us. But when something is going a multiple of the speed of light, well, that's more energy than our shields can take. That's how the Republic took out a whole squadron with a single frigate." "Admiral, an X-Wing is exiting Excalibur," Ensign Sandra Deeling said from her station. "It's Ambassador Kirk's personal fighter." "The price one pays for being popular!" Murgo said with a smile. "People give you things like Starfighters." "He's accellerating, as is Excalibur," Deeling turned to the small group. "Admiral Messet, I think you are about to be given a demonstration in how agile our ships are." "How maneuverable can a ship that size be?" Ivory asked. She was answered when Kirk broke left sharply, swiftly followed by the much larger ship. For the next ten minutes they watched the two ships dog fight. Then both ships disappeared. "Did they just go into hyperspace?" Degro Serro asked. "Negative," Deeling told the Moff. "They entered warp." "If they have a warp capable fighter, then ending the war is the right thing," Messet told the others. "But we must get this tech. We must get it fast. Because you know our new 'Emperor Gith' has all his resources at work trying to get it." Admiral Ackbar stared at the X-Wing and it's much larger companion as they exited warp. "Madam Vice President, I think their little demonstration definitely got the attention of the Empire. Force knows it got mine. A warp capable fighter? These people have an amazing ability to adapt to new technology." "And scans show that Excalibur's shields have increased in power by almost two thousand percent." Captain Janice Mackie said over her shoulder. "Evidently, Joshua Kirk has been busy. I bet they're developing weapons similar to yours as well. Starfleet's capabilities are about to improve drastically. And I'm sure General Gond has done the same." "As would I if I were in their shoes." The Mon Calimar Admiral replied.