Chapter One

"What time do we hafta be at the shuttleport?" Allucia asked.

Ryoga was chugging down a quart of milk he'd gotten from the replicator. They were alone in his quad, his roommate having spent the night in his girlfriend's quad. Allucia of course, took advantage of this fact and spent the night with her fiancé. "Uhhh...six am." he said. They'd graduated from Starfleet Academy the previous day, after four years of hard work.

Allucia took the container from her beau and finished it off. The Saiyajin stared at her, amazed at her appetite, considering she had finished off an entire gallon by herself a few minutes ago, and thrown up before that. "What?" she said. She glanced at the chronometer, letting out a belch. "0530?!" she shrieked, dropping the container. "I have to grab my stuff from my quad!"

Ryoga face-faulted. "Lush-chan, you mean you didn't bring it with you?"

His lovely fiancée sweat-dropped. "Well... we were both slightly distracted last night, Ryo-kun."

Her fiancé blushed, one fang peeking out of his mouth. "Hai... Okay, get dressed, and we'll run over."

Allucia turned towards the replicator and quickly commanded the computer to replicate a fresh uniform. As she rushed to get dressed, she inadvertently tangled her feet in their discarded clothing strewn all over the floor, but Ryoga caught her as she began to fall.

He gazed into his fiancée's eyes, as he adjusted her in his arms to a more comfortable position. "Lusha, settle down. Everything will be fine."

She returned the gaze. "You've never seen my brother upset."

Ryoga sighed, and tightened his embrace as he effortlessly lifted her to her feet. "You know I'll be there for you, anata."

"I know." Allucia stood on her toes, and kissed her lover on the chin. She glanced at the chronometer, saw that they had fifteen minutes to get to their destination, and promptly returned to spaz mode. "Ack! We gotta go!" She yanked her full lieutenant pips off her dirty uniform before she shoved it in the recycler, firmly took Ryoga's hand and off they went with their duffels slung over their shoulders.

As they jogged through the Academy, her pride in herself was at odds with her anxiety. But at least she was an officially commissioned full lieutenant now. Unintentionally, she had graduated Starfleet Academy with just the same rank her brother Apollo had. Icheb would have graduated too…but he disappeared during their sophomore year, causing her, her former captain, and Annika (as Seven now went by) some concern. When Kathryn Janeway had attempted to investigate she was stonewalled by the brass in Starfleet Intelligence. Allucia had offered to hack through all the classified encryptions but had to be talked out of it lest she disappear herself; when Apollo had backed her up, she knew whatever Icheb had gotten himself into, he would have to fend for himself.

They were still a few hundred feet from the shuttleport when they saw one lift into the air. "Damn it!" Lusha cursed.

Ryoga merely glanced at her and squeezed her hand. "C'mon Lush-chan. Looks like we have to find a transporter station."

"I ain't getting on that transporter pad," Allucia stated, her arms crossed.

"Lush-chan..."

"I don't care if we did miss the shuttle flight, I am not letting my child be de-materialized! Something could go wrong!" Allucia had one hand protectively resting on her still-flat stomach. The transporter operator smirked, trying to stifle a slight chuckle... "Is there a problem, ensign?" Allucia asked, once she noticed.

"No sir," the woman with spots running down each side of her face responded. "If I may speak freely..." Allucia nodded her assent. "Sir, I'm a joined Trill. The transport will be harmless to your baby, do not worry. Trill symbionts are even more sensitive, and I've gone through countless transports unharmed." Truth was, symbionts weren't that sensitive to transporting, but if she could get this officer to her post, she didn't see the harm in a little fib.

Allucia thought about it for a moment, and seemed to calm down. "Thank you, Ensign." Ryoga looked relieved. At least now they could get going.

The ensign smiled back. "You're welcome."

"Can we go now, koibito?" Ryoga asked, having been standing on the pad for five minutes already.

Allucia nodded, and stepped up on the pad. "Energize."

The transporter room disappeared to be replaced with another. The pilot grinned, seeing a familiar blue glow. "Ensign Hibiki Ryoga and Lieutenant Allucia Banks reporting for duty, sir. Permission to come aboard?" Allucia asked, plastering a grin on her face.

"Permission granted, Lieutenant, Ensign," the ship's commander said, every bit the professional in his tone. "Welcome aboard."

Allucia then dropped her bag and walked over and hugged her brother. "Nice to see you again, Apollo."

"Nice to see you, too, Squirt." He reached behind his sister and extended a hand to Ryoga. Allucia moved to kick her brother in the shin, but decided against it as he and her fiancé shook hands.

Ryoga nodded in greeting. "Sir."

"You better not call me Squirt on the Bridge, Dork."

"Trust me, on the bridge we're all professionals. It'll be Lieutenant Squirt," he said, grinning.

"Then I get to call you Captain Dork," Allucia retorted, returning the grin.

Apollo shook his head. "Seriously, you'll probably want to get settled into your quarters right away. Then you'll need to report to Sickbay for your mandatory physical before we leave orbit."

"Bleah," the lieutenant said, smirking. "Okay, will do." :And thank you for arranging for Ryoga to come along too, Apollo.: she added mentally. It was the only thing she wanted her brother to pull strings for. Otherwise she'd threatened to leave Starfleet, four years of Academy be damned. With the technology that Yamato had, she could probably find something to pilot other than a Federation starship.

:Anytime, Sis. And look on the bright side... you get to deal with a real, live doctor on this ship.: he replied, adding a smile to his thoughts.

:Damn, can't turn them off!:

:No, and I think Dr. Kellara will likely kick you in the forehead if you try.:

Allucia shook her head, chuckling. "See you later, Apollo."

"Later, Lusha. Again, it's good to have the two of you on board." Allucia nodded again, a grin still on her face. Apollo stayed in the transporter room to greet more new crewmembers, while Allucia and Ryoga headed to Sickbay. The former lost her smile as soon as they left the room.

"See, I told you everything would be fine," Ryoga said, putting an arm around his fiancée's waist.

"Yeah, so far," she replied, still not convinced.

A few minutes later, the duo sat on biobeds in Sickbay, slightly surprised that there were two aliens who only looked vaguely humanoid were tending to patients. Dr. Kellara, who looked human enough aside from the fact that she looked like some kind of centaur except with the lower body of a deer, was tending to Allucia. The other being whose name they hadn't caught yet was currently scanning Ryoga; she sported wings and a head of an eagle-like creature though she had legs and a tail of a big cat. In all other aspects, she was definitely a female.

Kellara lifted an eyebrow. "Congratulations, lieutenant. Are you aware that you're two months pregnant?" she asked, smiling.

Allucia turned to Ryoga, who was just joining her at her biobed, and grinned, then back to the doctor. "Yes ma'am. Ap—Captain Racer doesn't know yet... I don't suppose you could surprise him for me?" The grin on her face belied the flip-flops her stomach was doing.

Kellara returned the grin. "Of course I could." She adjusted the tricorder to zero in on an anomaly that it was reporting. "Lieutenant Banks... are you also aware that you are carrying twins?"

"Twins?!" Allucia exclaimed, face-faulting; Ryoga's eyes dilated to pinpricks. Then doctor and lieutenant turned as they heard a thump, as the latter passed out and hit the deck.

The two women looked toward the spot where Ryoga lay prone. Kellara smiled. "Ummm... Tama?"

The bird-cat lady turned to look at the unconscious form. "I take it he's the father-to-be?" she said with a slight trill and a smile to match.

Allucia was looking a little pale. "Uh huh..." She looked at Ryoga. "Defeats powerful Saiyajins without fear, but..." She shook her head.

Ryoga opened his eyes a few minutes later, to find Allucia gazing at him, a slightly worried look on her face. "Lush-chan... I had the craziest dream... I dreamed that you were having twins..."

"Koibito... it wasn't a dream."

"Ohhhh..." was all he could get out before losing consciousness again.

Allucia looked at Tama. "I'll just have to leave him here. I have to be on duty soon...and make sure Captain Racer can't find him, after he gets the news."

"If you say so," Tama replied skeptically, nodding.

"Thank you, Lieutenant."

"Dr. Kellara to Captain Racer."

Up on the bridge, Apollo had just returned to his seat when he received the page. "Racer here. Go ahead, Doctor."

"You'll be happy to know that your sister is just fine, as is her fiancé. I'm sure you'll be proud to be the uncle-to-be to twins."

"I'm glad to hear it, Doctor. I take it she'll be fit to duty?"

"I see no reason to detain her."

Sam wondered if the news didn't faze him or he was just in a state of shock. She lifted a hand to her mouth to stifle a giggle.

"Thank you, Doctor. Racer out." He tabbed off the comm. Smiling to Sam in the first officer's chair, he left his seat to go into his Ready Room to finish some reports. The doors opened and he started to step through. Suddenly, halfway through the doors Apollo came to a dead stop. Sam could see the glow from his eyes brighten the Ready Room more, which told her his eyes grew as wide as saucers. No doubt his jaw was hanging down to his waist as well. He stood there for a full minute. Then he sharply turned and headed for the turbolift.

The doors opened, revealing a startled Allucia. "Uh... good morning, Captain," she said cordially. She braced herself, expecting him to blow a gasket.

Instead, he smiled. "Hello Lieutenant. May I have a word with you in my Ready Room before you start your shift?"

"Um, yes sir? Yes sir!"

As he turned and ushered Allucia into his office, she saw his grin; it was the grin akin to a tiger who had just spotted some choice prey. She turned to Sam, and mouthed the word "Help!" Sam could only shrug as the doors closed on them.

"Have a seat, Lieutenant," he said gesturing to the seat in front of his desk, while he took the one behind it. The pilot abruptly sat down, nearly missing the chair. He sat down looking perfectly relaxed, fingers steepled.

Allucia, on the other hand, did not like the look on his face. It reminded her of times just before he would lock her in the closet for messing with his computer, when they were younger. She also knew that if Admiral Janeway had Apollo's eyes, her Patented Death Glare would probably look like what he was giving her right now. This coupled with his otherwise calm demeanor made her increasingly anxious. She could never read her brother's feelings, not with the defenses he kept.

"I received a report from Dr. Kellara. She says your fit as a fiddle and ready for duty. This is a nice change, considering how I've heard you wound up in Voyager's Sickbay so often."

Her anxiety spiked a bit more. "Um... yes sir." Allucia had to grin, thinking about her quarrels with the EMH.

"So, have you piloted a Sovereign-class starship before?"

"Only on a holodeck, sir."

"Well," he said smiling, "you'll find that the holodeck doesn't do the ship justice. She's very sweet at the controls. I'll schedule some routine course plots for you to run through so you can get the hang of her."

Allucia scratched the back of her skull, which was beginning to tingle. "Good to hear, sir."

He paused for a moment. "Sis, I can't tell you how happy it makes me... to know that you'll be a part of my crew."

Allucia smiled. "Likewise, big brother."

He rose, signaling that he said pretty much all he was going to say. She rose, thinking she had escaped his wrath, and as she turned to leave, he dropped the bomb. "Oh, by the way..." She froze dead in her tracks and turned around. "When were you going to tell me that you're pregnant with twins?"

"Um, the same time... as... uh... well..." Allucia took a breath, then grinned sheepishly. "I chickened out, and asked Dr. Kellara to. And I didn't know until she told me, that—"

"But you did know you were pregnant."

"Well... yes. Um... you aren't going to lecture me, are you?" Allucia scratched the back of her skull again. Apollo was making her nervous.

He didn't glare, he didn't scowl, and his face didn't even twitch. "No, that will be all, Lieutenant. Take your post."

"Yes sir." Allucia quietly left the room, and sat at helm. She turned to Sam. "You know, he took that rather well."

Sam shook her head quite nervously. "No. He didn't." As the pilot stared forlornly at her sister-in-law, trying to get a hint, Sam said, "Take nails on a chalkboard. Intensify that a hundredfold. But if it means anything, I'm happy for you." Sam managed to smile despite what she was getting through the bond with her husband.

The lieutenant sat at her post, quite worried. She had no idea Apollo would get so upset. She had been afraid to tell him... since she wasn't married yet, and he had basically been a father to her since they were reunited, she had been afraid he would get as mad as he now was.

Allucia, you coward, she thought to herself. You'd think, after all you've been through, you'd have the courage to tell him. But no... you chickened out. Again. Just like you did on Voyager. The lieutenant sighed. She hoped he wouldn't be mad for too long, otherwise it was gonna be hell to be on the same Bridge, much less the same ship.

Then as a sudden wave of nausea passed over her for the second time that day, Allucia bolted to the restroom on the Bridge. When the pilot exited the facilities, still slightly queasy, Apollo was sitting in his chair. She avoided looking at him for fear of the death glare and sat at her post.

"Lieutenant, prepare to take the ship on your predetermined set of instructions," he said.

"Aye, sir." Allucia's hands flew over the controls. "Course laid in."

"Take us out of orbit."

Allucia took the Highlander out of orbit, the Sovereign-class vessel making a graceful arc away from the Earth. She effortlessly went through the exercises, quickly getting hang of all the nuances of the new ship. Her nausea and tension left her as she quickly became involved in her post, enjoying flying this new ship. Apollo was right. She was really nice to fly. Under three-quarters impulse, the starship quickly made it past the outer planets.

When her exercises completed, Apollo said, "Come about to a heading of 218 mark 34. Set course for Kennis V, warp factor four."

Chirps issued forth from the helm. "Course laid in, sir."

Apollo couldn't resist. He raised his hand and, mimicking Picard's gesture, gave a two-fingered salute. "Engage."

The ship jumped to warp. Voyager was so much slower, by comparison. Granted, this ship was younger, and more advanced. Allucia allowed herself to grin as she immersed herself in her post. She was really going to love flying this ship.