"Oh, she's beautiful, Andros!" Karone held her three month old niece in her arms, rocking her back in forth in the rocking chair. Andros and Ashley had arrived back home just a few hours ago.

"Yeah. Prettiest baby girl in the world." Andros stood over his sister's shoulder smiling down at his daughter, feeling like he was the happiest man in the world.

Zhane stood back a few feet watching closing, staring his young niece in the eyes.

Mora then began to fuss. Ashley got up from the couch. "Someone's hungry." Ashley carefully took her daughter from Karone and walked up stairs to the nursery.

"How does it feel being a dad?"

"It feels great. Better than I could ever imagine."

"Don't mean to be the one to break the mood, but haven't you noticed anything strange about her?"

"Zhane!" yelled Karone.

Andros became violently upset. "What do you mean, strange? That's your niece you're talking about." He couldn't believe that one of his oldest friends would say such a thing.

"I know!" Zhane was very direct and he kept his voice down, so Ashley couldn't hear from upstairs. "But Andros, Mora's half Koranian and half Earthling, she's different - and there's something else." Something didn't feel right to him, something felt off. He wasn't sure how to explain it.

"What's that supposed to mean? So what if she's half and half?" Andros couldn't believe what he was hearing. "I thought you would be happy that Ashley and I had a baby, but you're acting as if it was a big mistake."

"No. That's not it. I'm happy for you." Zhane sighed. He was thrilled for them, he truly was, but he couldn't just ignore his concerns either. "I'm just saying, there's something off."

"What? What is it? What's off?" Andros demanded to know.

"I don't know."

"You don't know? God, Zhane, why do you always have to be like this?" Andros became frustrated and angry. "For once can't you be happy for me?"

"Guys, please!" Karone had finally had about enough. "This isn't the time."

"What's going on, guys, it sounded like there was a fight?" announced Ashley, walking into the living room wanting to know what all the commontion was about.

Zhane and Andros glanced at one another. "It was nothing," stated Zhane.

"Just a misunderstanding," finished Andros.

Ashley looked to Karone for an answer, but she just shyly turned away her head. There was no reason to drag Ashley into this. "Okay," announced Ashley accepting that nothing was wrong, for now anyways.

In the nursery little Mora lay in her crib, with her stuffed yarn-made doll with long black hair and button eyes, a gift that had been given to her at the hospital on KO-35. Little Mora used the ability that she had gotten from her father of being able to move objects. The doll floated in the air above her, looking right at her, as if someone from far away was watching...

Hidden dark in the shadows... "Yes, it won't be long, soon my plans will come into order." He laughed darkly, watching as the innocent child fell into a deep sleep. "Sleep soundly, child, for soon you will be mine."

Over the next couple of months, Andros and the gang worked hard in NewTech City getting everything taken care of, things had moved along rather quickly than expected and they were already able to make visual contact with all allied planets.

Andros remained in contact with Wes, Eric and Mr. Collins. He had learned quite recently Wes and Lisa had gotten married and that Eric and Hayley would be expecting their first born within four months. But recently Andros had been getting several calls from Commander Cruger, saying that the attacks had been more frequent than they had been in the past, and they might soon need to send for reinforcements.

With which Andros would be glad to comply, but there was the matter of his now five month old daughter, and then the problem concerning Zhane, who still comvined that there was something wrong with Mora. Andros would have liked to send Zhane through a brick wall, but knew his sister wouldn't quite like the idea. Then again, Zhane's persistence concerned him; maybe there was something wrong and he was just too blind to see it, or maybe he was just being paranoid again. There couldn't possibly be anything wrong with his helpless innocent baby girl.

"Working hard again?" announced Ashley. "As usual." She walked up behind him carrying Mora and her doll.

Andros pulled away from the computer and turned around to have his wife place their daughter in his arms, along with their daughters favorite doll. "Still doesn't go anywhere without the doll?"

Ashley grinned. "She always makes a fuss if I don't bring it along."

Andros smiled. "Hate to think what she'd do if something ever happened to it."

Ashley laughed. "I know. We probably wouldn't get any sleep."

Andros chuckled. "Yeah. Do you remember who gave her the doll? I'd like to thank them," he said jokingly.

"No. I'm sure it was one of the nurses or doctors."

"Probably."

"So, have you and Zhane talked since your last fight?" she asked, full of concern. She'd hate for all of this to ruin their relationship, the two were almost brothers, had known each other for years. And to have it all come to an end over a fight about Mora would be heartbreaking.

"I-"

"Andros, this is Commander Cruger, do you read? This is an emergency."

Andros's heart skipped a beat; he swung his chair around, holding onto Mora tightly. She began to cry and Ashley quickly picked her up, assuring her that everything was all right.

"It's okay, honey."

"Commander Cruger, come in. I read you." A scratchy picture appeared on the screen, with Commander Cruger's face, full of distress.

"Good. I'm afraid I have bad news. Gruumm, General Bengaag and an army of their troops are headed straight towards Sirius. We need reinforcements. Can you come?"

"Of course. Should I contact Commanders Myers and Collins?"

"No. No time, just your team. Please hurry!" The connection went out.

"Commander Cruger?" But there was no answer. Andros' heart raced, this was it. The battle was near. He jumped from his seat. "Come on, we have to gather the others!" He rushed towards the break room. "We don't have much time."

"Andros, will you be reasonable for once," pleaded Zhane, as they loaded the megaship full of medical supplies and weapons. "She's just a few months old, traveling halfway across the universe is no place for a baby."

"He does have a point. You can leave her with us, Andros, she'll be fine," added Karone trying to assure her brother that it would be better to leave Mora here on earth with them. She would be safe here and out of harms way.

"No way. Out of the question!" Although Andros had no problem with placing his daughter in his sister's care, Zhane was a whole other story. "Mora's too young to be without her mother, and besides," He stared coldly at Zhane, "last I checked you didn't even like your niece."

"Oh boy, here we go again." TJ swatted Carlos on the back. "Come on Carlos, I think there's a few more boxes out front." The last thing T.J. wanted was to witness another argument between Zhane and Andros.

"Anything to get away from those two," sighed Carlos, who was starting to get annoyed with the two always arguing. "And to think I thought my cousins were bad."

"Hey, wait up for me," called Cassie, running after the two. "Last time they were at it, somehow I got involved in it."

"I never said I didn't like her. I love her to death, but something doesn't feel right about this. All of this. I think it's too dangerous, for you and the others." Something in his gut was telling him that all of this was a very bad idea.

"We have our orders, Zhane," Andros stated, being very serious. "In case you haven't forgotten, Commander Cruger is our commanding officer, so I and the others are going. And whether you like it our not, my daughter is coming with us." He looked him hard in the eyes. "Is that understood?"

Zhane got right into Andros' face. "You arrogant son of a-"

"Are you two at it again!" yelled Ashley, now entering into the garage with a baby harness attached around her waist. Mora held her doll in her hands. "Will you two grow up? This is starting to get old."

"That goes for both of us," joined in Karone. "You two need to stop this childish behavior!"

Zhane just shook his head, knowing Andros was way too stubborn to reason with. There was nothing he could say that would change Andros's mind. "Have a safe mission and don't blow yourself up!" Zhane stormed off and nearly ran right into Ashley.

Karone sighed heavily, knowing they were not getting off to a very good start of preparing for the mission and saying goodbye. "I'll go talk to him." She turned to her brother, gave him a quick hug and kissed him on the cheek. "Be careful."

Andros forced a smile. "Aren't I always?"

Karone smiled and made her way over to Ashley. "You be careful too, and don't let anything happen to my little niece."

"That's my job." Ashley smiled and hugged Karone goodbye, with Mora joining in on the hug. "I'll talk to Andros. Hopefully when we get back he and Zhane can work everything out."

"Good luck. You know how stubborn he can be, and Zhane too."

"Believe me, I know." Ashley grinned. She waved goodbye as Karone went after Zhane and to make her goodbyes to the others. She then turned towards her husband, just staring at him.

"What?"

"You know you need to drop this right now. Because what if something does happen in the future and you and Zhane never reconcile?" She glared at his unresponsive face. "Is that really how you want things to end between you and Zhane?"

Andros sighed and started towards the ship. "I'm going to check the systems, make sure everything's in order. See to it that the others are here in half an hour."

A half an hour later, everything was packed and it was time to go.

Karone waved goodbye, watching as they all loaded into the megaship. She had said her goodbyes, and made them each promise that they would be careful and be home as soon as they could. She watched as the hatch in the ceiling opened up, showing the night sky, and heard the ship's engines start and begin to lift off. In the pit of her stomach she began to feel what Zhane had been trying to tell Andros, that this just didn't feel right, but she assured herself it was probably nothing.

Karone turned around to find Zhane standing a few feet behind her, watching with an overwhelming fear in his eyes. In all the time she has known him, she has never seen him this scared before. She turned back and watched as the ship lifted out of the garage heading deep into space. She held her hands tightly together. "Come back to us."

Two month before, Wes and Lisa had gotten married. She had said yes the night he asked her and both wanted to get married rather quickly, fearing that Wes's frustrating job could delay it as time progressed. With all the big developments and changes happening, there was no telling when they would have been able to find the time. Luckily things had been slow and steady for the past few months and they were able to pull it off.

It was a fairly small wedding, but nice, only a few close friends and family. Eric had been his best man and Hayley, although five month pregnant, was the maid of honor and his son Sky was the ring boy, happy as ever. He finally had the family he always wanted and Sky had a mother again; although no one could ever replace Jen, Lisa seemed to be able to fill the void that had been missing for both of them.

The honeymoon had to be put off until next year, but that didn't seem to be a problem. Besides, there was the concern of Sky, and although Wes knew his father and Philips would have no problem looking after the little guy, he just couldn't bring himself to leave him, as young as he was.

"Yeah," Wes sat at his desk talking on the phone, when Eric walked into the office. "How long ago? Okay….I understand….Keep us updated….Bye." Wes hung up his phone.

"Who was that?"

"Zhane. Andros and his team left for Sirius a few hours ago. They had gotten a call from Commander Cruger, in need of reinforcements."

"And why didn't we get called up? I could have used some action," exclaimed Eric who had been feeling a bit board as of late and was ready for some action.

"Commander Cruger's message was urgent; they needed to leave right away." Wes's voice sounded like there was some distress hidden beneath it.

Eric could see right through Wes, something was wrong, very wrong. "Is something wrong?"

Wes sighed heavily. "Andros was supposed to make contact with Zhane and his sister an hour ago, but they haven't heard from them. And he hasn't answer any of their calls, or the others." It wasn't like Andros or his team not to check in on time. They had always been very good at that.

Eric felt a cold chill go down his back. They had been expecting this. The attacks on Sirius had become more frequent. He and Wes had already undergone training for space travel. And now the time had come when they may have to put that training into use. "What do we do?"

This was one of those parts that Wes hated about his job. "The only thing we can do. We wait." He felt so helpless and useless. Andros and the others could be in trouble and there was nothing he could do about it. And as the minutes began to pass, his heart began to race, fearing at any moment he would receive the call that would change everything.