In the twenty years since I had been left in the city by my own choice? The city's population had grown by hundreds almost a thousand and with each new generation born? A new hope for the future of our people had been created and with the discovery of the Gaila computer program and the forgotten computer core during the failed occupation of the city, the computer was finally integrated into the city's mainframe and had been granted freedom of the city. Gaila had continued to remain with the form the program had chosen and as such, had even sat on the City Council as the representative of the City itself. It wasn't easy for me at first to be welcomed within the city, but over time I had finally become trusted by all of the inhabitants to the point where I had even taken an oath before the City Council, an oath which was broadcast across the city for all to witness, I had finally and formally become a citizen of the city in everyone's eyes and only then was I permitted to spend my life with Faith whom I had come to love.

Stepping through the city with Faith at my side along with my Ex-Husband and Jean-Luc Picard, the two males had seen the city as it truly was, an amazing and loving place where each person would die to protect another. Children playing in the streets, the numerous stores open for business and although many had never seen a male before? They where greeted with smiles and nods from the civilians and security alike. Stepping towards what had become my favourite café, a small business owned by a very good friend. Ordering yet another cup of my favourite coffee from the beautiful tall, blonde woman who smiled the instant that she saw Picard, although a slight confusion echoed over his face.

"Jean-Luc? it is very good to see you again"

"Do I know you Miss?"

"We met briefly when I was a child during your first visit" She said slowly.

"You probably wouldn't recognise her Jean-Luc. She was only a few days old when you first met her right here in the market place. I witnessed her birth as I once told you many years ago, as a sign of friendship? You gave her one of your Captain's rank pips" I said with a smile, as his eyes instantly searched her face for any sign of resemblance to the girl he once met.

"When I was a child? I never took off those two pips given to me by yourself and Mila, I had even taken her own name, although my parents where slightly angry as they had named me Alison? I am still known by Mila by all as a… nickname. I still have those pips my friend and plan to one day give them to my own child"

"You see sir, this city is thriving. Young Mila here is one of my former students and one of my oldest friends…" I replied as I stepped to my former Captain's side with a smile. "… and more than that? She is very becoming serious with my elder daughter. I love this city Jean-Luc and I love the people here. I doubt that even my Ex-Husband has seen me this happy?"

"Not even during the short time that we spent together…"

"Wait a minute, you're the idiot who let her go, why?" My namesake said with laughter.

"Different lives Miss?"

"Kirk, Alison Kirk. My friend here had released the historical database into the city with regards to our ancestor's families. My own family are distant cousins, when my parents saw how he is revered within the Federation? They asked permission to change our family name to Kirk. It is a badge of honour here in the City. You may not consider us to be Human by your standards? we are Lakarian, distant cousins"

The Federation Starship had remained in orbit of our world for three days with the permission of the City Council whilst under the ever watchful eye of our fleet which had maintained a safe distance, yet still within the weapons range of their ships. With the authority of the Council? Small groups had finally been permitted permission to beam down for a brief shore leave while Paul and Jean-Luc continued to negotiate with the Council. To me? It felt strange to step back onto the deck of a Federation Starship once again as the Council was granted a tour of the ship in orbit, the USS Sovereign. I hardly recognised what Starfleet had become in my absence, almost cold and sterile. But as I walked the corridors of that ship, my Betazoid abilities had picked up on several things that I had not expected. I was considered a traitor and words that I will not repeat, I was despised by many. Finally returning to my home of over twenty years, I had one last chance to speak with my Ex-Husband before he left for the Federation for the final time.

"Mila, you look as amazing as the first day we met, I still don't understand how this is possible, you are over 65 years old and don't look a single day over 25, why?"

"It's a medical fact that the virus which killed off the male population of the city over 400 years ago, but what is known to no one outside of this city? The virus had an unusual effect on the women who survived. Their fertility rate exploded, a sick joke by the universe I guess? But it had also had an unusual other effect. Not only had the virus rejuvenated their bodies to the point of living perpetually in their prime for the rest of their lives and aging had… ceased? Their lifespan had almost doubled, the average lifespan here is 170 earth years. Five years after I had remained on the planet? Faith had recognised that I had begun to show signs of the virus which had effected the first generation of women and for the… sake of our marriage? She took me away to a cabin that we had built together in the southern hemisphere years ago, our little personal and romantic retreat. For four days, my condition had began to degrade, although at first it was more than fun…"

"You became infected also?" Paul said with concern.

"On the fifth day? Even a simple touch would cause a painful ecstasy… I must have blacked out because when I awoke? I found myself submerged in a natural warm spring near our cabin. The mere rhythm of the water caused intensely painful… well basically? Orgasmic pleasure. I couldn't stand even the feel of clothing touching me and when Faith found me? A simple touch of her hand on my shoulder made me scream in agony. When she finally took me back to the city? I was burning up from the inside out, I had lost so much weight in just a few days that I looked like death. My body was fighting the virus, my Betazoid DNA was fighting the virus and it that side of my biology which was quickly and painfully killing me. The virus won out and I was altered at the genetic level and in-line with the women of this city. My aging has stopped and reversed to be in-line with those of the city and my body is now younger as a result and I have the physical age of 25. I have an amazing family Paul and an entire city of people who love and respect me and I have never felt that before, you better than anyone know the real problems I have had in my life Paul, and now I have finally found my true path in my life"

It was a more than emotional goodbye for me as I knew that I would never see Paul again, the only male I had ever truly loved, my first love. For a very long time since I had found my path within this city? I had always regretted not taking that one transfer that I was offered to the same ship as Paul, but I had such an amazing opportunity for a great career and I took it and I would never make that same mistake again.

The Current date on the old Earth Calendar is May 1st 2411 and I have been here for forty years. I have seen the fall of the Romulan Star Empire up close due to our proximity to the once Capital of the Empire, the rise of the People's Republic of New Romulus and the expansion of the Federation which now surrounds our little corner of the galaxy. Although we have still refused to sign a treaty of friendship with the Federation and her allies, our vessels still patrol our territory? The once deadly Virus was finally brought under control with centuries of research and the birth of the first male child within this city in over 400 years, a child which his parents and had named Adam. Rejoicing at the birth of a male, a week long party had exploded across the ever growing city.

But there is still one thing that no one knows beyond the limits of our territories, something which had almost destroyed my marriage to Faith. With the ability to choose which knowledge would be passed onto our children, I would not allow some of my Starfleet training to be passed on to my own children, nor my natural Betazoid Abilities which I knew would alter the delicate balance within this city. With the birth of our first child Eli, just two years after I had stayed within the city? That knowledge and abilities where engineered out of her DNA, but several years after the birth of our second daughter Alison? I discovered the truth when I had felt her Betazoid abilities began to surface at adolescence and she was stronger in her abilities than I could have imagined and even control. Isolating myself with my teenage daughter in the cabin that Faith and I had built for our family, I fought a seemingly endless fight to control Alison's abilities for three months in solitude before returning to the City. Upon our return, Alison had managed to control her abilities but, it was far to late as the Virus had mutated to infect everyone within the city and to activate a latent gene within the Human DNA, everyone within the city had some ability to hear the minds of others. But it wasn't all as terrible as it may seem, it was the mutated virus which had made it possible for the birth of the city's first human male child which had been named Adam in the years to come.

We had everything that we had ever wanted from that point onwards, training each other how to control and to hide our new abilities from the rest of the galaxy, perhaps someday there will be a pregnancy and natural birth within the city? I hope that I live long enough to see that day when it arrives but I can tell you one thing, I will never leave this city and I will stand at the front lines if anyone attempts to take this city from my people once again, I will fight to my very last breath. I will fight to keep this city safe from the galaxy and may the Gods of whatever world you come from, turn your eye away from this world and this City because if anyone attempts to take this world from my people? I will personally unleash the full capabilities of not only this city, but the entire star system onto those whom try to take away my children, my wife, my people, my City and my Star System.

In the past? Few have tried and we have not retaliated with the full capabilities, because it is simple… we have no true idea what this city is capable of doing and we are afraid to discover that, as should you be afraid.

The End?