Star Trek: Anachronisms, Chapter Five

STAR TREK: ANACRONISMS

By T'Layna MacMathain,

and Tigris Euphrates

This is a crossover story is based on the Star Trek universe created by Gene Roddenberry and the Gargoyles universe created by Greg Wiseman and Michael Reeves. All vessels and characters that have appeared in Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Star Trek Voyager and related movies are registered trademarks of Paramount Pictures. Gargoyles and related characters are registered trademarks of Buena Vista Pictures and Walt Disney Studios. The stories and characters not described above are original creations of T'Layna MacMathain, Tigris Euphrates, Sapph Blackstone and Poison Thorns Productions. Copyright (c) 2000 All rights reserved.

Chapter Five

Seeds of Alliance

He was grinning - and that was what infuriated Aria the most. Adam had warned her that he knew about her pregnancy, but did Admiral Falcone really have to be so cocky?

"Ah, glad to see you up and around, Ensign," he said, motioning for her to sit down.

Aria did not trust herself to speak. Some of the Borg implants remained - the doctor was somehow unable to remove them. Her voice still sounded annoyingly drone-like, which made Aria very unwilling to speak.

"There are some things you need to know. First of all, the doctor was able to determine that the remaining implants are still sending out a signal, trying to contact the Collective. You are hardly out of the woods yet."

Aria spoke. "I still see them sometimes in my mind - I don't feel completely human yet. They read my thoughts - they know everything I know."

"They also have a copy of your DNA." Falcone pointed out. "For the safety of your child, I think you should leave the front lines..."

"Never!" she cut him off.

"Wait a moment, let me finished. This won't be a backwater post or a desk job either. Section 113 has discovered something you BOTH are going to be very interested in."

She blinked. "What's that?"

"In a minute. First, I want you and Adam to report to sickbay. I'm having your sleep cycle devices modified in what I hope will be a final version. It has an internal chronometer synchronized with the sunrise and sunset of San Francisco. It will force your bodies to sleep should you be too far from a theta-band radiation source, and lastly it will totally shut down should you happen to be planetside, so you will use their sunrise and sunset pattern."

"Is that all?"

The Admiral shifted a little. "Ensign, I'm very disappointed in you. I should have been informed immediately about your pregnancy."

"What is the phrase they used to use in the military, Admiral? 'Don't ask - Don't tell'?"

"Not when you're trying to repopulate a species." he shook his head.

"I am a member of the Starfleet to be a Starfleet officer, not to repopulate a species. Besides, you're not presently my commanding officer anyway." The admiral sighed, this conversation was going nowhere. He was in too good of a mood to argue

"We have too many more important things to do without arguing this point. Get ready to leave - the USS Enterprise will arrive at 03:00 to take us to our destination."

"Where are we headed?"

"Rockingham's Planet," the Admiral replied with a grin that Aria could have sworn was the Devil's.

"The ROCK?!!!" Aria exploded. Her eyes looked as though they were on fire. The Admiral was not impressed. The glare in Admiral Falcone's eyes told her that the discussion was OVER. Aria left his office muttering a series of comments about Admiral Falcone's ancestry.

, , ,

Jana was amazed at what she saw in the mirror. She noticed that the changes in her involved more than the wings, joint spurs and the four fangs she felt in her mouth earlier in flight. She still appeared to still look like a joined Trill, but her features were now radically different. Her flaming red hair seemed to be more intense. She also noted her eyes now were red. Still, the most alarming change was the skin color. Prior to this weekend's misadventure, her skin was a reddish color. Now it was a bluish lavender color. The biggest change to her features was the horned ridge that formed over eyes that reminded her of a Klingon bat'telh sword. She also noticed her ears were now Vulcanoid, but much larger and longer. The overall look was demonic, yet very alluring to men and women alike. Jana always wanted to be the femme fatale, and now it looks like she got her wish, but in a Gargoyle sort of way. Lars is going to freak when he sees me. She smiled at the amusing imagery in her mind. The smile turned into a frown. Lars won't be the only one that I know whose going to freak. Unknown to Jana and her three new companions; wheels where already set in motion that would change all their lives forever.

, , ,

Jana was just starting to wake up when the door to her quarters slid open to reveal Commander Harrington and a squad of security guards. The guards were all armed with phaser rifles and hand phasers, and had their weapons at the ready. They started to flood into Deenax's quarters and taking up positions over the Gargoyles.

"Commander Harrington! What in the Hell do you think you are doing?" Jana demanded.

"Under the authority of Starfleet Command, I have been ordered to place the four of you into protective custody until the USS Enterprise gets here."

"Protective custody?" Jana exploded. Her eyes flared a malevolent red. The three remaining Gargoyles did the same and filled the small quarters with their eerie roars. "Commander, get this goon squad out of here before someone gets killed!"

"Are you threatening me, Lieutenant?" he roared back.

"Hardly, you don't know my friends very well. They will rip you to pieces if they feel you are a danger to me. Back off!", Jana growled. Harrington was determined to fix this upstart once and for all. Deenax had been a constant pain since she was stationed here. He drew his hand phaser and leveled it at Jana. Jana reacted instantly and instinctively. She whirled abruptly and smacked the weapon out of Harrington's hand with a swipe of her tail.

Titan reacted as well by grabbing the rifles from the two guards next to him and crushing both weapons into junk in his powerful paws. Selena roared and pounced on the guard nearest her and slamming him viciously into the wall. Greystone roared and struck a frightening pose as the remaining two security guards took in the tough old warrior's visage and wisely decided that they wanted nothing more to do with him.

Harrington was now trembling in fear. The four decimated a squad of armed guards in all of about five seconds. Deenax was enraged. She grabbed the trembling commander and held his face just centimeters from hers. All he could see was the blazing red eyes and feeling the spreading warmth in his pants as his bladder had had enough.

"Starfleet has no legal right or cause to arrest me or my friends. This violates the Articles of Federation and also that now I am a Trill, this also violates Trill law as well. I fully intend to lodge a complaint with the Trill consulate for this sector and your ass will be on a spit roasting from here to Cardassia Prime!" With that said, the four Gargoyles left the Dengali City Science Institute and disappeared into the day.

Jana went straight to a secure commport at a friend's home in Dengali City. She sent a message to the Trill homeworld and CCed a copy to Ezri Dax on Deep Space Nine. She didn't know much about Dax, but she did know that she was also a fellow Trill and she hoped that she would send the message if Starfleet managed to stop her in Dengali City. Little did anyone know this communication would change the course of Federation history and politics in the Alpha Quadrant forever.

The other three Gargoyles went back to the cave when night fell. Jana was enraged and also very deeply hurt by the recent turn of events. Harrington was an asshole, but he wouldn't have tried to detain me if Starfleet wasn't backing him up. He was too cowardly. She sure as hell attracted or pissed off someone high up. What was this business with the Enterprise? She had a sneaky feeling that her answers lay with the captain of the Enterprise, the near-legendary Jean-Luc Picard.

Jana was fuming. She decided to go for a walk. She borrowed a hooded cloak that was often worn by Orions. She wandered the streets of Dengali City finally settling on a small cantina nestled in one of the seedier parts of Dengali City. She felt like an outcast in a city of outcasts. She ordered a drink from a tough looking barkeep and settled down in a dimly lit corner and sipped her drink.

"Heard you had a bit of a row at the Institute. Maybe we can help you." The voice came from a slender man dressed in black leather pants and gray shirt and a black vest. He was just less than two meters tall and had dirty brown hair. He looked like a pirate or a smuggler.

"Who says I need help?" Jana replied acidly, "If you're looking for sex with me, I will rip your lungs out!"

"No sex, sweetie. My wife would kill me in ways a lot worse than having my lungs ripped out," he replied pleasantly, "My name is Kendar Dash. I don't exactly have a great deal of love for Starfleet. They let the Cardassians murder my family five years ago. If you come with me, I would like to introduce you to some of my friends." Jana finished her drink and followed the man out the door to a small flat about half a kilometer from the cantina. Dash escorted her in and two very powerful lights suddenly blinded her.

"Please don't be alarmed, Lieutenant Deenax. We mean you no harm, the light is merely a security precaution," the synthesized electronic voice said. "We are understanding of your predicament. Like you, we value our freedom. We believe in the Articles of Federation and sentient rights, but we have serious problems with Starfleet and some of the politicians that mollycoddled the Cardassians and allowed them to destroy our homes and families. We are the New Maquis."

"What do you want with me?"

"We heard about that scrap in the Institute with that asshole Harrington. We wouldn't mind a fighter like you in our ranks. However, that's your choice, but I will tell you this, your fight is with an Admiral Morris Falcone, he is part of Section 113, and he is after you and the other Gargoyles."

"What about the Enterprise? Do you know why they are coming here?" Jana asked, her curiosity piqued.

"They are transporting another pair of Gargoyles here. Admiral Falcone wants to repopulate your species."

"What? Of all the colossal arrogance! This is too scary."

"Falcone is thinking of making your species some kind of super soldier."

"Didn't that asshole study the Eugenics Wars? I'll be damned if he will do that to me or my friends!" Jana's eyes flared red.

"We don't believe in that sort of thing. We will protect you from Starfleet. We also have a contact on the Enterprise. Perhaps we can set up a meeting with Picard. He is an honorable man. Remember the Ba'ku incident? It was Picard who led the insurrection that protected the populace of Ba'ku from Starfleet and the Son'a."

, , ,

It was 1710, and Ezri Dax had just gotten off duty ten minutes ago. Being a Counselor on a large station like DS-9 is a challenging job to be sure. For someone like Ezri, she also had more than two centuries of memories and experiences of the Dax symbiont to draw from. Although Betazoids were considered the best counselors, Dax's knowledge and experiences helped her make up for the lack of empathic communication that comes naturally to Betazoids.

So much has changed around here since the end of the Dominion War. Miles and Keiko O'Brien moved back to Earth. Colonel Kira now ran the station. Odo had returned to his people, thus realizing a life-long quest. What hurt her the most was the fact that she lost her closest personal friend, Benjamin Sisko. He disappeared on Bajor in the Fire Caves a long time ago and no one has heard from him. Kai Winn and Gul Dukat also disappeared as well. She could accept Ben's death, but the fact he was missing is what drove her insane. She remembered the love that Jadzia had for Worf. Now Worf was an Ambassador representing the Klingon Empire. The only consolation was Julian. Get your mind off the sadness of the past!

Sighing, she ordered on her LCARS terminal and began scanning through the list of personal correspondence. She paused when she saw the name Jana Deenax on The Rock. Deenax? That's a Trill name for sure! It would be nice to talk to one of my people. Dax hadn't seen another Trill for years. Probably fresh out of the Academy and feeling a bit homesick for one of her own people. She opened up the correspondence, she was amazed to see Deenax's bluish-lavender skin and her face. She also noticed the wings. She looks more like a Shalka beast on Danganmar VII than a Trill. She noticed her spots. Now that's a Trill feature, and only occurs with Terran humans. Very odd. As she listened to the message, her weary expression began to change into anger, and finally pure rage. She copied the message to a PADD and decided to pay Colonel Kira a visit.

Colonel Kira was busy poring over a series of status reports and departure schedules for DS-9. At times, she missed the War. Seems like she spent all her life fighting injustice to become a bureaucrat. She often wondered if this was some kind of price that the Prophets exacted for victory. Still, she was glad the war was over. Her biggest regret was Odo. She was still very much in love with him, but she also knew he had to save his people. For her to deny him that was unconscionable.

She often stared at the dirty baseball sitting on her desk. Of all the people on Bajor, it was she who spent the most time with the Emissary. She often felt that she was undeserving of such an honor, but she was glad to have known the man none the less. Kira still had her reservations about the Federation, but she deeply admired Sisko. She had even considered naming a child after him, should she ever decide to become a mother, which was very unlikely she reflected. That thought brought a tear to her eye.

As Ezri was busy stomping her way to Kira's office, Julian Bashir came out of the Infirmary door and was almost run over by her. She didn't even say one word to him! He hurriedly followed her to Colonel Kira's office. Julian then looked at her and saw she was very upset about something.

"Ezri, may I ask what is going on?"

"Julian, I'm in no mood for sweet chit-chat!" she shot back. "Those assholes at Starfleet have gone too far this time!" Dr. Bashir was taken aback by her fiery language. Julian grabbed her and she spun around, her eyes blazing with anger.

"Darling, what is going on?" Dr Bashir spoke in a more commanding tone.

"Get out of my way, Julian, or you will be wearing my footprints! I need to see Colonel Kira." Julian silently followed his enraged girlfriend to Colonel Kira's office.

Colonel Kira read the report in disbelief. Now Dr. Bashir saw what his girlfriend was so enraged about. He also felt the fires of anger building in him as well. Before any discussion began, Colonel Kira reread the PADD. There seemed to be a fire igniting in those widely spaced eyes of Colonel Kira.

"What are you going to do, Ezri?" Kira inquired.

"I got a few markers and favors I can call in to see if this story is true." She said with a malicious grin. Give me 24 to 48 hours, Colonel. I can assure you I will know what this is all about.

"I smell a rat, specifically a rat named Section 31." Bashir dryly remarked. Ezri shot him a sharp glare. "I wish Miles didn't go back to Earth."

"If half of these charges are true," Colonel Kira declared, "the Bajoran government will have to rethink our association with the Federation." Ezri and Julian both nodded their heads in agreement.

"By the way, Colonel, I am also going to inform my government," Ezri Dax solemnly declared, "This is a violation of Trill law."

"Feel free to use my personal commlink, Counselor Dax," Colonel Kira smiled pleasantly and with a sweeping wave of her arm, pointed to her personal commlink. "I refuse to cover up sentient rights violations."

Thirty minutes later, a series of subspace signals reached more than a dozen destinations, and began to spread. One such signal landed on Q'onos, another on Trill, and one reached the Federation Council President. A week later later, all hell would break loose.

, , ,

The President of the Federation Council looked tired and haggard. Just when it looked like it would be smooth sailing after the victory against the Dominion, here was another problem that promised to make his life a living Hell. He already had a migraine that promised to be the great-granddad of all migraines. Why did I get into politics? I could have been a simple farmer back on Altair. He sighed and returned to the business at hand.

Sitting in his office was a number of key Federation ambassadors. One was Ambassador Bordex from the Trill Federation, Ambassador Lavek Tal from Bajor, Ambassador Worf from the Klingon Empire and Ambassador Deza from Betazed. What should have been a routine trade discussion now boiled over into a major sentient rights discussion in regards to the Deenax situation. Damn that incompetent Falcone!

"I am outraged! Deenax is a citizen of the Trill Federation and our laws protect her! We do not condone nor accept the concept of 'protective custody'," Ambassador Bordex complained, his bitterness barely held in check.

"I must concur with Ambassador Bordex," replied the deep, powerful voice of Ambassador Worf. "She has done no wrong."

"If Gargoyles are exempt from the Articles of Federation with two of them Federation citizens by birth, then what good are the Federation's principles?" Ambassador Deza sadly replied, "Unless the Gargoyles are granted full citizenship under the Articles, I will advise my government to withdraw from the Federation."

"Withdraw from the Federation? Do you realize what you are saying?" the President asked, clearly unnerved by the direction this conversation was going. "You're talking the break-up of the Federation." That will leave our defenses seriously weakened along the Romulan border!

"I must also point out that the government of Bajor is also outraged by this incident and Falcone's seedy schemes," dryly commented Ambassador Lavek. "I also have been instructed by the Kai to deliver the following message: Jana Deenax and all members of the species or peoples called Gargoyles must be granted full sentient rights. Failure to do so will result in the Kai ordering Colonel Kira Nerys to forbid further Federation trade through the Denorios wormhole until such time the Federation Council acquiesces on the Gargoyles/Deenax issue."

"A Federation without honor of its own laws is not worthy of support," Worf defiantly replied. "The Gargoyles are honorable warriors and deserve the protection and respect of law. I must also protest this disgrace to Deenax and the Gargoyles on behalf of Chancellor Martok and the Klingon Empire." With that said, Worf stormed his way out of the President's office.

The President knew the battle was lost. Without Worf's support and the wormhole trade, the Federation could crumble into civil war. The Romulans would have a field day.

, , ,

The Enterprise entered orbit of Rockingham's planet about a week later. Admiral Falcone was uneasy. Aria was off shift, and sitting in her quarters reading news reports. The President of the Federation had, in an open statement, announced that Gargoyles were the property of the Federation, not citizens. After this line was spoken by the Federation President, the Betazed ambassador had announced their government was seceding from the Federation. The Klingon delegation led by Ambassador Worf stood and roared their defiance to the Federation President during his speech in front of the Full Council, the walked out of the proceedings. Worf also said that the Klingon Empire was no longer honoring their treaty with the Federation and promised military assistance to Betazed should the Federation try to change the Betazed government's edict. On orders from the Kai of Bajor, Colonel Kira Nerys had ordered a complete suspension of all trade through the Denorios wormhole, and was re-mining the wormhole with self-replicating mines like during the Dominion war. The Trill Federation had also announced their plans to secede. It was all over someone named Jana Deenax. The name sounded Trill, but Aria had no idea who Jana Deenax was. Whatever it was, it was enough to piss off the entire planet!

Aria folded her wings, and slipped out the door, and down the hall to Adam's quarters. She had a PADD in her paw with the news reports, and Adam rang her in. "Hey Adam, have you read some of these news items?"

"Hello, Aria - come sit down." came the voice of Admiral Falcone. Surprised, she looked up to see the two men sitting in chairs, with drinks in their hands. "I have something for you."

Aria placed the PADD on the glass table. Oh, now what? Aria asked herself. Now the Admiral is fraternizing with his lovely subjects? Admiral Falcone held out his hand to give something to her. Aria accepted with a nod, and found herself holding a small open pip. "Congratulations, Lieutenant."

"Lieutenant j/g? For nearly getting myself assimilated by the Collective?" she asked, suspicious, trying to control her voice to sound less dronish and artificial, and more like her normal voice.

"For writing that ingenious little computer program that gave us an edge in that battle with our phaser frequency settings. How did you do that?"

Aria smiled, placing the pip on her collar. "Oh, that." she was almost grinning. Adam was smiling too, holding out a hand, inviting her to sit down. "It was based off Beethoven's ninth symphony."

"Beethoven?" the admiral asked, baffled and confused.

"The frequencies of the notes are translated into phaser frequencies distributed through every weapon running the program, as regulated by the central computer. Sometimes the weapons fire repeatedly on the same frequency, other times, it changes wildly. A computer cannot predict the course of a pattern of music, so the Borg cannot adapt. If they somehow adapt to one piece of music, it finds another symphony by any of hundreds of races from across the galaxy, and over and over again. It's programmed to stay ahead of the Borg's ability to adapt. It's like a huge orchestra - only with phasers. When we were assigned to the Enterprise, I started writing it in my spare time,"

Admiral Falcone began to laugh. "Excellent! I'll put that in my report - very ingenious!"

"What's this about the secession of the Trill from the Federation, Admiral?" Aria inquired.

He sighed. "A misunderstanding, that I'm hoping to get cleared up when we arrive at Rockingham's Planet."

Adam looked at the PADD, scanning the article there. The admiral ordered Aria a drink. "Any preference?"

"Chocolate Soldier?"

"Anything else?"

Aria blinked. "I don't know why, but I've been craving jalapeƱos."

The admiral chuckled. "Pregnancy. I'll never understand it." He replicated the drink, and set it next to Aria. It was on a glass plate with two green jalapeƱo peppers by it.

"You could always try it." Aria offered. "I'm sure they could work something out."

Adam gave the admiral a look, smiling. "She's got you there."

"I have enough to worry about with you two than having another one."

"My folks loved to cook with them, especially my Dad - Charley Maza." Aria explained, sipping her drink.

Adam went back to the report, and Aria took a sip out of her drink. "Who is this Jana Deenax, Admiral?" Adam inquired, not looking up from the report. "How does she know so much about Gargoyles?"

"Haven't either of you read the rest of the report?" Falcone asked.

Adam put the PADD down, listening.

"I've only skimmed it." Aria replied. "Why not you tell us?"

"I've got a better idea." he retorted. "Why not meet her?"

Aria and Adam glanced at one another. Falcone's commbadge began to beep, and he touched it online.

"Falcone here."

"Admiral, we're approaching Rockingham's planet. Please come to the bridge." Captain Picard's voice echoed back.

He stood up, going for the door, but stopped and looked back at the two Gargoyles. "Coming?"

Aria quickly polished off her drink, and placed the two peppers in her belt for later. Aria and Adam picked up their things for going on duty from Adam's table, and followed the Admiral.

While riding in the turbolift, the admiral started talking again. "I need you two to help me pacify Jana Deenax. I'm borrowing you two for the away mission to find her."

Aria smiled. "Yes sir." she nodded, turning to Adam. "How do I look? I've never met one of these political activists as a Gargoyle, before." she laughed, unfurling her wings for effect.

Adam smiled. "Pregnant." he said, pointing to her girth. Three months had gone by now after they had left Earth, during the tour planetside, and on the Enterprise, and she was starting to show.

The Admiral snickered a little. Aria gave him a nasty look, but wasn't about to be insubordinate by saying something.

"One month to go." Adam nodded.

"One month?" Aria asked, dumbfounded. "Don't you mean Six?"

Adam winced. This was not a great time to bring this up. "Gargoyles do not develop fully inside the mother."

"Between claws, horns, fetlocks, wings, and the works it'd rip up the placenta during delivery," Falcone put in.

"So... what - am I laying an egg?"

Adam nodded.

"Oh." Aria sighed. "Thanks for the advance warning."

Adam covered his eyes with a paw, frustrated. The Admiral gave him a look, but when Adam returned another steely expression that could have melted the deck plating, the admiral didn't say a thing.

The Gargoyles arrived on the bridge, just as the monitor image showed the ship arriving in orbit of a very brown-beige world, backed by a pink gaseous nebulae.

"Is the away team ready?" the admiral asked.

"The escort you requested will meet you in the transporter room." Commander Riker noted.

Captain Picard was looking at the monitor, and slowly turned to face the Admiral. "Just make sure this is a peaceful meeting. I don't want to have to mount a rescue operation."

"I'll do whatever it takes, Captain, to prevent this secession crisis from degenerating into civil war." he replied simply, turning and walking back into the turbolift. Once the two Gargoyles were inside as well, the doors of the turbolift closed and they were on their way to the transporter room.

"Escort?" Adam inquired, suspicious.

"A necessary precaution," Admiral Falcone smoothly assured the two Gargoyles, "Sad but necessary these days. There has been an increase of Maquis and Orion activity in this sector in recent weeks.."

Adam and Aria exchanged an uncomfortable look.

Adam's wings came up from around his shoulders as the doors of the turbolift opened, and A large group of five armed Federation security men stood, waiting, and immediately snapped to attention.

"Admiral!"

Aria scowled. Great - not only were they going someplace where they didn't know if the sun was up or not, but they had a group of armed thugs to watch them. This wasn't pretty.

Aria spoke up. "Is it daylight on the surface?"

"Yes, but don't worry." Falcone replied. "I've planned for that."

The others collected around the chamber, facing outward from the center. The two Gargoyles took up positions, back to back, on the center pad of the transport chamber. They roared, spreading their wings, claws and baring their fangs. Falcone stood on the center pad with his Gargoyles, and commanded. "Energize."

The chamber was immediately filled with a swirling wind of neutrinos, as their bodies were converted to signal. Blue light of the transport sequence faded, Aria caught a glimpse of sunlight before her body was suddenly filled with the stiff, warm sensation and heard the crackling sound of her skin turning to stone.

, , ,

Aria and Adam reawakened with a roar, casting stone pieces in every direction, their eyes ablaze, stretching their wings as high and as far as they could. Aria and Adam looked around. There were plants all around, and they heard the sound of running water.

"They're awake!" Someone announced.

Aria and Adam turned about, and was stunned to see four Gargoyles watching them!!!

"FRIENDS!" A peppered old green skinned warrior male Gargoyle with a Mohawk of red hair, exclaimed - holding his arms wide.

Aria and Adam approached them, smiling. Aria took a good look at all of them. They did not appear to have awoken just now as Aria and Adam had. Aria and Adam exchanged a surprised look. They offered their paws. The old warrior took Adam's wrist in his - the traditional greeting for Gargoyles. "Elder!" Adam nodded gratefully.

Aria's wrist was taken by another female Gargoyle, this one lavender colored with flaming red hair who was very striking, and very sexy. She was a older than Aria, but not by much, with Aria could have sworn were Trill spots running down the sides of her head and neck. She was dressed in Starfleet engineering colors, like Aria and Adam. Aria was stunned.

"I am Lieutenant j/g Jana Deenax, how do you do?"

"Lieutenant j/g Aria Maza, feeling good as new, thank you. You don't turn to stone?"

Another female spoke up, one with deep blue skin and dark black hair. "We have been altered in our awakening so that we regenerate all the time, and sleep little and without turning to stone, good mother." the third female implied, making a reference to her obvious girth which was probably more noticeable on her than it would have been on a human.

"It seems we've all been altered a little then, except for Adam." Aria noted with a raised eyebrow.

"I am Adam of the Clan Wyvern." Adam referred to Aria, introducing her to the others. "This is my mate."

"I am called Greystone, Adam of Wyvern." said the old warrior. "It does my old heart good to see our kind coming to life once more."

"I thought the Castle Wyvern was destroyed two hundred years before I was hatched?"

Adam shook his head. "Some of them survived, trapped in stone. The entire rookery survived as well. They were reawaken from stone in the late twentieth century, and I am their descendant. They were destroyed by the Eugenics Wars - I was the last of the survivors."

"As are we it seems, of the same sorcery." Greystone snarled.

"Except you." Jana said, turning to Aria.

"Pardon me?" she blinked.

"You're not from Scotland, I can tell by your accent - your from my hometown."

Aria smiled. "San Francisco."

"Call it instinct."

"How can you be from San Francisco?"

"I was born Jana Matheson - human. I was joined with Deenax not too long ago, when THIS happened." she explained, spreading her arms wide. "I can tell you used to be human by the way you talk. How did you get changed?"

"Long story."

"Suffice it to say it was sorcery, and accidentally I might add." Adam explained. Aria blushed a little.

"So now we are six. A Clan of the Stars." Selena observed. "With another on the way." she smiled, with a pointed look at Aria's belly.

"I'm very happy for all of you." came Admiral Falcone's voice. "But I need to stop a civil war."

Aria turned, to see the Admiral entering the room from another direction. "Where are we, Admiral?"

"On The Rock. These are the gardens outside of Dengali City." he explained.

"We agreed to meet here to discuss a few things with Admiral Falcone, and to meet his guests - which I presume are you two. We found you two first as stone, and waited for the sun to go down. Hello, Admiral." Jana Deenax explained, nodding to the Admiral, but regarding him with a defiant tone.

Aria folded her wings, turning back to Jana. "You're the Deenax that started this secession crisis?"

Jana's eyebrows narrowed, looking at Aria and folding her arms. "I simply protested when they tried to arrest me purely on the basis of being a Gargoyle."

Aria's eyes widened, and she spun to look at Falcone. "That's a violation of sentient rights! Is this true?"

"Well, yes. Believe me, both of you, ex-Commander Harrington is going to wish he hadn't."

"THAT is something I don't feel any heartburn about!" Jana replied dryly.

"Listen, I'm here to be your friends, not your enemy. My goal is to help Gargoyles get a good start again as a race. The Federation wants there to be Gargoyles again. That's my job."

Aria was about to say something, but Jana put out her hand. "Really? Then, Admiral - explain this?"

Jana produced a PADD and handed it to the Admiral. The Admiral looked through the text, and his expression visibly soured, then turned into anger. "Where did you get this?" he demanded.

"I'm an engineer and a computer specialist stuck in a science station full of Vulcan computer specialists. I have learned a few tricks." Jana smiled with the grin of a predatory cat. "I know how to get into computers. One day I decided to hack Harrington's LCARS, and found out all about you and your seedy operations." she turned to the Gargoyles, especially Adam and Aria. "It seems Section 113 is nothing more than an affiliate of Section 31 - a top secret group whose purpose is to eliminate possible alien threats to the Federation before they are allowed to escalate to war, even if it means using genocide."

"WHAT?!" Aria exclaimed, taking the PADD from the Admiral and reading it.

"Section 31 is a rogue organization," Jana continued, "The Maquis claim that one of Section 31's operatives, a human by the name of Sloan, was the devil who engineered the disease that nearly destroyed the Founders and their Great Link. It is also alleged that they infected one of our own people to pass the disease on to the Founders!" Jana explained, her eyes glowing a deep red that seemed to brighten."

"That is outrageous!" Titan exploded. He began to emit a series of low, rumbling sounds like a big lion or tiger. His eyes began to glow in an unearthly yellow-white light.

"One of my Maquis friends in Dengali City tells me that they're using the theta-band radiation that turns you to stone as the basis to design a weapon which emits theta band radiation to paralyze us, then uses a high-yield or even a fusion bomb to blow our stone forms to vapor while we are defenseless." Jana went on to explain.

Aria's eyes began to glow as she read through the PADD. Adam began to read over her shoulder. The guards behind Falcone were starting to get itchy, silently drawing their phasers out of their holsters. The tension was rising.

"At the end are some kind of plans for genetically re-engineering Gargoyles for use as some kind Federation super-soldiers." Jana concluded. "They are even using Anton Sevarius' own notes! Even Krell Moset had more ethics than Sevarius!

"It's a lie! A forgery!" Falcone protested.

"Then explain this, Admiral! It has your authorization number on the bottom! That's top secret - only Adam and I know that." Aria looked at him, eyes glowing. "Hasn't humanity learned ANYTHING from the Eugenics Wars?"

Falcone's eyes narrowed, drawing a phaser from his belt, pointing it at Aria and Jana. "I need to stop a civil war here. I am sworn to defend the Federation!"

"Even if it means participating in genocide or slavery?" Selena hissed, "Have ye no honor?"

"I'm not going to let the two of you stand in the way of my duty! I don't care if I have to kill one of you." Falcone defiantly spoke, waving his phaser for emphasis.

Aria and the others growled. "Falcone...!"

"I mean business here, people. Aria, I'm not going to put up with your stubbornness anymore - I'm drawing the line here."

Aria flared her wings, as if to strike. Falcone raised his phaser to fire at her. "NO!" Adam shouted, and leapt for Aria. Falcone's phaser fired. A brilliant orange beam of energy lanced out and caught Adam squarely in the chest. Adam roared and fell to the floor in an inert heap.

"ADAM!" Aria screamed, dropping to her knees. She began to cry. "Can you hear me? Adam?"

"Falcone!" Jana shouted in rage, leaping for the Admiral. Several more phaser shots were fired, but Jana knocked the Admiral to the ground.

"Restrain her!" he barked.

The security grunts began to pile on top of Jana, forcing her to the ground. Deenax growled fiercely with the blood-chilling sound of a enraged tiger, and threw her attackers backwards against the walls with superhuman strength that surprised even Titan.

On the floor, Aria had pulled out her tricorder, and was desperately trying to get a read on him. She propped his head up into her lap, and was touching his hair. "Adam! Please don't leave me!"

Adam crackled and turned to stone, at night, his wings spread wide across the floor, and his arms spread in an angelic fashion.

Jana spun around, whipping her tail through the legs her remaining human attackers, throwing most of them to the ground. She was rewarded by the sound of muffled cracks and the agonized moans of two security goons incapacitated by their freshly broken legs. Titan and Greystone began mopping up the remainder of the security team and throwing them backwards against the wall like limp dolls. Falcone backed off.

"ADAM!" Aria pleaded, looking up at the other Gargoyles. "What's wrong with him? Why is he asleep?"

The blue female touched Aria's shoulder. The flame in her eyes faded and vanished. "Good mother, he's dead."

Jana took Falcone by his collar, slapping the weapon from his grip. With a final desperate effort, Falcone slapped his commbadge and screamed "Falcone to Enterprise! Energize!"

"How many?" a voice on his commbadge replied.

"I don't care! Get me out of here!"

The transporter beam swirled, and all the Gargoyles and Falcone disappeared.

, , ,

Back aboard the Enterprise, the Gargoyles all surrounded Jana, holding Falcone, and the stone form of Adam.

"Get Dr. Crusher in here on the double!" Aria shouted in desperation.

"Med. Team and Doctor Crusher, medical emergency in transporter room two!" called out the transporter operator.

"Security! Security!" shouted Falcone.

"SHUT UP!" Jana said, smacking him across the back of the head, and then slamming him against the back of the transport chamber, where he slumped against the floor, unconscious. Now I have done it: I clobbered an Admiral now. So much for my Starfleet career. Jana's eyes finally returned to a somewhat red color rather than flaming red. She reached down, and pulled Aria off of Adam's statuary remains.

The doctor and two nurses appeared with a maglev stretcher, and as the others parted, Jana shook her head. "We've lost Adam. Take Falcone."

Dr. Crusher knelt by Adam, took some readings but shook her head, looking up at his mate. "I'm sorry, not even the energy matrix of his cycle is left." She then checked out the inert form of Admiral Falcone. "Broken ribs, punctured lung, broken jaw, and skull fracture. Emergency beam out to sickbay!" Three seconds later, Falcone was beamed directly to Sickbay.

Aria burst into a fit of hysterical bawling. "No..."

Dr. Crusher looked at the five assembled Gargoyles. All five had a sinister glow in their eyes. At that moment, eight security guards led by Commander Riker entered the already crowded transporter chamber.

"Will!" Dr. Crusher shouted, "Get those security people out of here! That's a Medical Order!" Riker frowned. Still, as the Enterprise's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Crusher had the authority to countermand his orders in a medical emergency. Reluctantly, he ordered away the guards.

"What happened here?" Riker demanded.

"Admiral Falcone is trying to make some kind of super soldier out of us!" Jana roared, "We are a free people! We only defended ourselves."

"What?" Dr. Crusher replied with alarm.

"Read this and weep," Deenax hissed as she flipped her a PADD.

"Doctor, I am receiving casualty reports form the surface. We have at least four broken legs and arms on the surface. Looks like there was one Hell of a brawl down there." The transporter operator reported.

The old warrior looked at the transporter operator. "Send the poor lad's body back to the surface in those fine gardens. We will take care of it in the Gargoyle way." The transporter operator glanced over to Riker, and he nodded in agreement. The transporter operator worked the transporter and sent Titan to the surface with the remains of Adam. Much to Greystone's surprise, he saw a tear in the eye of the transporter operator. There's still hope for the humans. At least some are still moved by outrage.

Jana wrapped her wings around the girl, and began to lead her out. "Come on, let's go to your quarters. You need to lay down."

"I will guarantee your safety and freedom on this ship as long as you don't maul any more of my crew." Riker smiled, hoping to defuse the tension. "Anyone who wants to cause you problems will have to deal with me!"

"Our fight is with Falcone, Commander Riker," Jana firmly said, "Not with you." Riker nodded in agreement. Deenax knew she was taking a risk, but Riker was Picard's first officer, and her new friends in the Maquis said Picard was an honorable man. The three Gargoyle women and Greystone were allowed to leave with Riker leading the way.

Aria was laid down on her sofa, her face and hair soaked with her tears. The others all looked at each other. "We should go."

"I want a word with Starfleet. We'll be back in a few, Aria." Jana put a hand on her shoulder before they left.

, , ,

The three Gargoyles stopped in Adam's quarters and pulled up his LCARS terminal. Jana sent out a few messages, while the others quickly gathered Adam's things.

"What are you sending Jana?" Selena inquired.

"An announcement about Adam's death, and I'm sending it to a secret Maquis communication array and to Ezri Dax at DS-9, and I'm covering my trail. She'll tell everyone."

"You know we could end up killing a lot of people," Selena pointed out. "If this thing breaks out into civil war."

"What choice have we, lass? Do we fight for our right to exist, or do we let them slaughter us like the young Wyvern lad?" Greystone remarked with the sadness of a warrior who has seen too many good people human and Gargoyle alike, die in combat.

Jana roared, her wings snapping taught and eyes aflame. She turned off the terminal, tore it from its mount, and threw it against the wall where it shattered into a mess of plastic and optical fibers. "NEVER!" Deenax roared defiantly. "We are sentient beings! Earth is our home, as much as it is theirs! What about Aria's child? It's a Gargoyle! One of our own kind! Who will raise the child if we are all dead? The likes of Falcone? Never! No Gargoyle will ever be a slave or prisoner!" The three Gargoyles nodded in solemn agreement.

, , ,

Inside her quarters, Aria stared up through the window of her quarters out into the stars. She still remembered the time she had looked down on earth for the first time from space when she had been five. Earth was still her home - the Federation was her home. She would never have believed her own people would have been capable of something like this. She had felt protective of them before, as a Gargoyle should - but it was quickly turning to hate.

Aria felt her paw stray to her belly. Is this the kind of world the Federation was making for her hatchling? Would Star Clan's first rookery find themselves being trained as some kind of Federation supersoldiers? Would they ever know what it's like to grow up? To laugh and be free? Or would the Federation really lock them away in some holographic prison for the rest of their lives? Adam had given his life to free the Gargoyles from the Federation's clutches, and now her child would never know its father. Aria was the only one left to carry on the great heritage of the historical figure known as Goliath. She was the only one left to carry on his quest for the mysterious Planet Wyvern. All of Aria's tears were gone now - she was through crying over Adam's death.

Aria snarled. She wanted revenge.

Aria had laid her paws on the edge a marble table, and was so enraged that her talons sank straight through a little bit the marble, and it crumbled in her paws. "NEVER!" she screamed aloud to no one. She reached up to her collar and yanked the two pips she had worked so hard for off her halter-top and laid them on the rest of the table. She tore off her commbadge, and crushed it in her paws, leaving the pieces with the two pips. She began to pack her possessions.

Aria growling at her was answered in a few minutes by a ring from her door. "ENTER!" she snarled. Jana stood there - her pips and commbadge were missing from her uniform's halter-top as well. Seeing Aria's on the table, Jana reached out and dropped a handful of items on the table next to them. Aria saw Jana's pips and commbadge lying next to the remains of her own.

"The others and I are leaving - and you better come with us. They killed Adam, who knows which of us they'll slaughter next. For the good of the baby, you'll come."

Aria picked up her case carrying as many of her things as she could pack. "I have to speak to Picard before we go."

"I'm coming with you!"

A few minutes later, the door to the ready room slid open, and two very angry female Gargoyles with their wings partially unfurled stormed through the door. Nobody on the bridge watch dared challenge them. They had heard about the damage these Gargoyles did to Falcone and his goons. Scuttlebutt always travels faster than Warp 10. The Captain's face was stern, but Aria and Jana had a look on their faces that wanted blood.

"I just read a report from the Federation Council, Lieutenant Deenax." he said. He threw down the PADD he had been holding, and it landed on his desk with a clatter. "You caused one Hell of an uproar back on Earth that threatens the very existence of the Federation. I certainly understand why you sent that communication. Harrington's stupidity will cost him the rest of his career. I cannot believe the President of the Federation Council could make such an outrageous declaration! Who the Hell is he to decide who is a Federation citizen or not?

"It seems the Trill Federation is considering you as one of their kind," Picard continued, "They're taking several other worlds with them. Ambassador Worf agreed with you too - the Klingon Empire is siding with you as well. The Betazoids, the Deltans, and this New Maquis - all are backing you up. To top it all off, Bajor has cut off further trade through the wormhole near DS-9. Colonel Kira has even been ordered to mine the wormhole! Ezri Dax is also pulling strings all over the Alpha Quadrant."

Aria crushed the mess she held in her paw - it sparkled and fizzed before it died. She dropped the pips and pieces of commbadges on her captain's desk. "We're leaving. But I have a message for Falcone - tell him he can fuck off!"

The captain nodded. "I'll deliver your message." he spun in his chair, stood and faced them. There was a weary sadness in his eyes at the tragic situation of the Gargoyles. "What's going on here is a violation on everything I believe in," Picard declared in a soft voice that reflected the barely controlled outrage of the man. "The Federation has become so desperate between the Cardassians, the Dominion, and the Borg, that they are willing to do anything to gain the advantage, even if that means enslaving all Gargoyles or even killing them. We're on the verge of a Federation civil war over the Gargoyles issue, and whole worlds are taking sides. I would go with you, but someone has to stay behind and fight the problem from the inside."

Jana and Aria's anger faded to a look of surprise - this was not the response they had anticipated.

The Captain looked at them both. "How can I help?"

, , ,

On the planet, several hours later, Selena and the other Scottish Gargoyles helped Aria and Jana move all the boxes they had beamed down with into the house. Aria paused, looking up at the night sky, as the silvery arrow that was the Enterprise sped up, flashed and vanished from view as they left orbit and went into warp. She sighed, feeling her eyes water, and a tear fall from her eyes.

Once inside, the Maquis woman - O'Connor (had that been her name?) reached up and hugged Aria and Jana individually. "I'm glad you're here. I'm sorry about Adam. I wish you didn't have to sacrifice your Starfleet careers."

Jana and Aria exchanged a look. Neither answered.

Narin - one of the Maquis men looked at all the chests and metal boxes. "What's all this stuff?"

Jana grinned maliciously. "Captain Picard gave us a few parting gifts." She opened a few boxes to demonstrate. They were filled with phaser rifles, phase compression rifles and tetrion pulse launchers, all sparkling new in the dim firelight.

, , ,

With their wings hung around their shoulders and their bodies wrapped in cloaks, Aria, Jana, and Selena sat at a small table in a bar sipping at raktajinos. They were making small commentary to one another, usually exchanging their barbs at their whole situation with Starfleet, or at their fellow male Gargoyles. The cloaks were designed to make them look a little less conspicuous - not only as Gargoyles, but also as three former Starfleet officers. Besides, it was a cold night - and they were not the only ones here in coats. A lot of the Maquis who frequented the bar were dressed similarly.

The bar was filled with the noisy voices of men drinking, the clanking of glasses, and the sound of footsteps on the hard floor. The lighting was low, and the air was thick in smoke and the smells of the drinks. The room's noise level got strangely low, however, as young man in Starfleet reds entered the doorway, followed by two other people who remained in the shadows. Most turned away from him, giving him the cold shoulder. The three Gargoyle women at their table looked up at him. The Starfleet man's eyes scanned the room, until they came to rest on the three Gargoyle women.

He walked up to the table and smiled. "Hi Aria, mind if I sit down?" After a cursory glance of approval from the other Starfleet women, he took an empty chair from an adjacent table and sat.

"Hi Jack. Mind telling me how you found us?" Aria said, with a warm voice and an ice-cold smile.

"I'd heard you turned in your badge." Jack explained. "I wanted to find out what happened."

"Section 113, Section 31, the trouble with Jana's symbiont - there's a whole bunch of reasons, Jack."

"I'll bet, if you decided to give up your Starfleet career. I know how much it meant to you."

"Who are they?" Selena inquired, referring to the other two figures in the shadows.

"I brought them to see you, Aria. They've been asking about you for months since your were changed." Jack replied.

"Who? If it's more Starfleet brass, I swear I'm gonna give you a shiner."

He smiled. "I'll bet you could too, I'd hate to get on your bad side. They're your parents, Aria."

Aria's gasped - eyes gone wide. Jack waved the two over and stood, letting Ms. Maza have the chair he had vacated. What Aria seen were the two faces of her parents, aged considerably. For the first time, Charley and Robyn Maza looked upon the changed form of their daughter in person.

"Hi... Mom... Dad." Aria breathed.

Robyn touched her temples and the sides of her face, feeling her skin, and concentrating on the remains her former Borg implants.

"Do these hurt you?" her father asked, indicating to the implants.

"Yes, but they can't get them out without piecing out my skull and parts of my brain." Aria replied with a sneer. "The Borg wanted me pretty badly. I've learned to live with these. Besides, it's more a mental pain than a physical one. Fortunately, nothing the Borg did hurt my baby."

"You have a child?" Robyn inquired, startled.

"Well, yes... I..."

"Boy or a girl?" Charles cut in with growing excitement.

"It's an egg, Daddy."

"A what?" Charles asked, baffled.

"You still have your grandmother's eyes." Robyn noted in a small voice. "If only this hadn't happened to you."

"I'm glad that the change happened." Aria pointed out.

"But you're not our family anymore." Charley observed. "Do you even call yourself a Maza anymore?"

"Yes I do, Dad! How can you say I'm not your family anymore? You're my mother and father!" Aria's voice rose considerably, defensively.

"Honey... what your father is trying to say..."

"Robyn, please. Aria, your mother and I want you to get whatever happened to you undone, and come home and live with us for a while."

Aria was stunned; her jaw fell open slightly. She was momentarily speechless. "How can you SAY that? I can't change this - Starfleet Medical has the some of the best medical people in the quadrant! If they couldn't change me back into a human, or remove the implants, how am I supposed to?"

Charley was unswayed. "Don't talk to me like that, young lady! You just haven't tried hard enough! I'm sure there are places you can go that will help you, but you've been too busy playing games with the Orions and the Maquis and neglecting your real responsibilities. We've made an appointment to get you fixed, with a cosmetic specialist who will be able to return most of your body to something resembling how you looked before."

Exasperated, Aria hung her head, and buried it in her paws. Jana's jaw worked, and she rose from her chair. "I think it's time you left, Mr. and Ms. Maza. Can't you see you are hurting her?"

"I'll talk to Aria however I please, young lady, so keep out of this." Charley spat at Jana.

"Charley!" Robyn protested.

"Keep quiet, Robyn!" Charley snapped back.

Aria began to sniffle and cry, from behind her paws.

Jana's eyes flared. She pulled at the string on her cloak, and it fell to the floor. With a whoosh, Jana spread her wings, folded her arms and glared at Charley Maza. Selena did the same, her wings opening with a snap. They were both still in their Starfleet halter-tops and shorts, but noticeably lacked any badge or insignia.

"Don't threaten me, you two! You're the ones that encouraged her to do this! Without you two encouraging her, our little girl would be home with us, or in the Captain's chair of a starship by now!" Charley raged, as he jumped up from his seat, knocking his chair backwards.

"I was also a human once!" Jana hissed, her eyes taking an ominous red glow, "Aria can no more change back than I can!"

"You disgusting freak! You killed my daughter by turning her into a monster!" Charley screamed. "I will cut your heart out!" He then reached behind him as though to draw a weapon. An unearthly howling screech like the howl of a feline banshee filled the air as Jana leaped for Charley Maza, and knocking him to the floor. She then crashed down on top of him, knocking the knife he drew out of his hand. Charley Maza screamed in terror as Jana raised her right paw as though to rip Charley Maza apart. Instead, she grabbed him by the collar and hissed in his face, her eyes aflame with red fire.

Jack Canmore quickly jumped over, trying to separate the two, but Jana barely shrugged him off, throwing him to one side. Jack hit the wall, which turned out to be very flimsy, and both he and parts of the wall came crashing down. Jana then turned her attentions back to Charley Maza and grabbed both sides of his clothing just below his neck and pulled him up to her face. All Charlie Maza could see was Jana's glowing red eyes and the four fangs that flashed when she spoke.

"It would be an easy thing for me to rip your bigoted heart out of your chest," Jana screeched, "but I will not stoop to your level. How can anyone who call themselves parents abandon their own flesh-and-blood? You sicken me!" Not to be outdone, Selena had also taken on a frightening visage as she came to back up her new sister.

"Ye call yourselves a family, eh? You nae know the meaning of the word!" Selena commented acidly.

Jana then roughly shoved him to the floor. Jana rose from the very frightened Charley Maza as he back-crabbed his way away from the angry Gargoyle. Jana crossed her arms, the contempt raging in her red eyes. "Is this the example you want to set for your daughter?" Jana spat angrily, and Robyn pulled Charley and Jack backward out of the bar.

"I'll cut you off! You won't get another bar of latinum from me!" Charley spat back at Aria as her was pulled from the room. Jana turned in frustration, and went to comfort Aria. Selena sighed, and reached into her belt pouch. She pulled out a bar of latinum and flicked it with her thumb at the barkeep like she would a brass Scottish penny. It landed with a heavy thunk on the bar, and the barkeep scooped it up.

"For your wall and your trouble, barkey. Keep de change."

Jack returned a moment later, and glared at Jana and Selena. He pointed a finger at Jana, his other hand hidden carefully behind his back. "They were just trying to have a conversation with their daughter and you attacked them! Don't you... things have any honor?"

Selena snarled at him. "We're not things, and we're nae monsters!"

"That man - HE was the monster!" Jana added, pointing at Charley Maza.

"Not even an ANIMAL would openly attack it's own parents, that's work of an INSECT!" Jack spat.

"Get out of here, Starfleet!" Selena shouted with a sneer, raising a fist. "Or we'll rip ya apart instead!"

From behind his back, Jack pulled out a long black older style hand phaser, and leveled it at the Gargoyles. Immediately the room was filled with clicks and whines as a dozen other weapons were powered up and leveled at Jack Canmore. Each of the bar patrons and even the barkeep himself all had weapons pointed back at him. Selena smiled at Jana. Jana walked slowly up to Jack with a smile, putting a little extra swing in her hips for effect. She walked right up to Jack without any fear of his weapon, grabbed its nose and twisted it right down the middle. Jack shouted in alarm, grabbed the young Starfleet boy around the middle and growled at him. "Next time you pull a phaser on me, I'll rip you in half!" Just to emphasize her point, she left three shallow scratches on his trembling cheek. With that, she slung by his arms into the walls once more and watched the bar walls collapse around him.

Aria was bawling as they left the bar. "Pull as many credits out of your account as you possibly can," Jana was saying. "Before your father completely cuts your throat."

"He's going to tell the media that he was innocent when we attacked him - we're going to become the enemy to eyes of the Federation."

Selena growled to herself. "This world is just as savage as the one we left."

"I can't believe this!" Aria cried, "My own parents!"

"Nay sister," Selena corrected her. "Those were nae your kin - WE are your true clan. All Charles Maza wants is to use ya as a trophy. That is not loving, sister. We are the ones who are there for ya - who are holding ya up now, when you're down. A true family accepts you no matter who ya are - Gargoyle or otherwise. That is what a true family does. That is what a clan does. We are your clan."