Be Careful What You Ask For

Former Airbase Compound, North Syracuse, Monday AM

Up bright and early, Scott began researching how to pave the way for Stass to pursue the career he had dreamed of, back before his father's death. He was surprised to find how well what he had outlined off the top of his head the night before dovetailed into Mr. T's plans for expanding the Clan's educational programs as its membership rapidly grew. Whistling happily, if a bit off-key, he started making notes to share with the boy he loved.

Stass for his part had gone to the large dining hall and collected a supply of coffee, pastries, and fruits for his new family's breakfast. When Kurt emerged from the family area, he had a hot coffee brewed to Kurt's preferences and a plate of mixed fruit ready for him, which he accepted gladly. As the clouds lifted with the aroma of hot coffee, Kurt set to work on the accumulated paperwork, noting to himself that he definitely had to hire an administrative assistant to process all this stuff. A list of 205 arrivals from Camp Bam Bam gave him name, age, and sex, but was ponderously unhelpful in cluing him in toward who these people were as individuals, what their needs, wants, hopes, dreams, fears, and doubts might be. He sighed, and resolved to get to know at least a few of them personally, and to find people who could do the same for the rest. The job kept getting bigger on him!

His ruminations were shattered, however, by the abrupt slamming open of the door leading into the office from outdoors. Standing in it was a large, officious woman of about 40, dressed in a woman's business suit. "Who's in charge here?" she demanded.

"That would be me," Kurt said slowly. "And you are...?"

"I'm Beulah Cartwright, from County Social Services," she announced. "I've been given to understand that you are bringing some number of minor children who are not in the custody of their natural parents and who have not been processed by our department and brought before County Family Court for assignment of custody; is that true?"

Kurt played back in his mind what she had asked. "To the specific questions you ask, ma'am," he replied, "yes, that is true. But...."

"How many children are we talking about?" she interrupted him.

"We anticipate this facility accommodating between 500 and 1,000, depending on the specifics of family size we end up with," Kurt said.

"Do you have any idea how long it is going to take us to process that many children?" Beulah demanded.

Scott had stood up when Beulah first burst in. He had been listening to the exchange between her and Kurt. Now he spoke up. Gone was the meek young boy of the trip South; the responsibilities of a boyfriend he had led the rescue of, and of two younger brothers, combined with being his uncle-become-father-figure's right-hand man as he attempted to fast-track new Clan housing compounds, had forced him to grow up immensely in only a week's time. "It will take you no time at all," he said forcefully. "Those children and youths assigned here who are not entitled to adult status under Federation and Vulcan law are in the custody of Family Clan Short of Vulcan, as provided for under the Safe Haven Act of the United Federation of Planets. Onondaga County's courts and social services program have absolutely nothing to do with them."

"You should learn not to interrupt adult conversations, young man!" Beulah said to Scott. This was perhaps not her wisest move of the day, although she had already managed to upset enough people to make the question arguable. In any event, both Stass and Marky had keyed in the two digit code that summoned Security. Only a few seconds later Officer Napoli of the hired Security men burst through the door, followed closely by Ethan of Strike Team Charlie.

"She ran the gates, boss," Napoli said to Kurt apologetically, then, "Come on, you..." as he grabbed her arm.

"You can't do this!" Beulah exclaimed. "I'll get a court order to close you down!"

It was Marky's turn to speak up, and he did in full outraged eight-year-old style. "Yes we can, and no you can't, and besides, kids need help not court orders, so there!" He thought he'd lowered his voice sufficiently that it didn't carry when he added "...bitch!" but he hadn't lowered it quite enough. Scott giggled.

Beulah shrugged off Napoli's grip on her arm and advanced on Kurt. In a flash Ethan had drawn his phaser and stunned her lightly. She collapsed onto the floor.

Over in their bungalow Austin and Becky heard the alert. "You stay with Dani," he said. "I'll go deal with this." He went to their gun safe, removed handgun and phaser, and double-timed out the door. From next door Malinda joined him in fatigue slacks, pulling on blouse, weapons belt, and bandolier as she jogged out the door. Grant, in a bath kilt, looked out after her with wide eyes.

"You and your brother come on over; I'll explain," Becky called over to him. He glanced down; she added, "Don't worry about getting dressed; we're family."

Almost all of Strike Team Charlie converged on Kurt's office. Smelling salts brought Beulah to. "She blasted through the gate when I went to turn her away," Napoli reported.

"He punched the panic button," Ethan added.

"She was trying to take custody of the kids here for the local Social Services," Marky threw in hotly.

"May I take jurisdiction, sirs?" Austin asked Kurt and Scott with an air of formality. They gestured agreement.

Galen had been working on Reading her. Now he spoke up. "Austin, she was acting on the orders of her boss, orders she herself agreed with," he reported.

After reviewing Napoli's log of the incident, Austin said, "Beulah Cartwright, you have been found guilty in a Clan Short Tribunal of trespass on a Clan-operated diplomatic compound with intent to disrupt the rescue and rehabilitation efforts that are at the heart of the Clan's charter. You are sentenced to six months imprisonment in a Federation facility of the Clan's choice. Said sentence is suspended during good behavior. You are ordered not to seek entry to this or other Clan facilities for the same or similar purposes, and to convey to your employer that further actions of this sort will not be tolerated. Bryan, drive her car to the north gate. Malinda, assist Mr. Napoli in escorting her there, by frog-march if necessary."

"Yes sir!" they agreed, saluting. Gesturing Napoli to Beulah's other side, Malinda grasped her arm firmly and half-walked-half-dragged her to the door. Bryan ran on ahead.

"Sorry for the disturbance, sir," Vance said to Kurt as the security team left, a sentiment echoed in various ways by the other team members.

Kurt just looked at their departing forms, shocked by events.

---

Short Compound, Orlando

After all the excitement, Billy Joe and Jude were happy to spend most of the rest of Sunday just hanging out together, with Jude continuing to study the material Captain Rasch had given him. They spent some time filling each other in on their lives before coming to Clan Short. In the evening, they joined in the Orlando Compound's Hallowe'en party.

Monday was school again for Clan kids, but remember that their school was run by Chief Hawkeye Tecumseh of the Seminole and his son Mr. T. To ease them back into school activities after the past week's experiences, they had decided on conducting a Native American encampment for the Clan boys. As they gathered for a meal after early morning activities, Jude was just noticing how hot Billy Joe looked in buckskins, when Billy Joe's face developed a shocked look. "Holy crap!" he got out. "Look!"

Jude turned around in time to see a fiery red ball of energy lift the roof completely off the C.I.C. Building. As the walls began to collapse, they began jogging to see what had happened.

"What's going on?" Jude called out.

"Tyler blew his top," Roo replied.

"Tyler? That little blond kid?" Billy Joe asked incredulously.

"Yep. He just found out what happened to Joel," Roo said. "It's probably a good idea never to give a Mikyvis reason to lose his temper."

As they drew up to the group of Spock, Cory, Sean, Joel, and Kevin Joel was saying, "Can we really go over to the Academy early? I thought the Admiral wasn't expecting us for another two hours."

Spock answered, "Yes, it will be acceptable to go now. We can have our lunch there before a more extended tour."

"And we can also have a shuttle ride," Cory added.

"Can I get changed first? I don't think this is standard Starfleet garb," Jude giggled as he spun around to show off his Native American clothing.

Levi giggled. "I'll fix that!" he commented as all of the proper Starfleet insignia appeared in the proper places on the buckskin tunic that Jude was wearing. "There, now it's a uniform!"

Jude shook his head and giggled before asking, "So: transporters, or Insane Levi Taxi to get there?"

"Shuttle!" Joel yelled loudly as he adjusted Kataui on his shoulder. The little borgified tribble had woken with a start at Joel's excited shout.

"Is Sean going to pilot? Let me check to make sure my life insurance is paid up!" Jude commented as he quickly ensured that he was out of Sean's reach.

"No," Sean said with dignity, mentally take a note to dunk Jude after they return. "Joel is. I'm going to teach him."

The traditionally Clan-insane cross-country shuttle flight left Jude bemused. Not that he would ever mention it to Joel – the very comment would be too hurtful – but what was running through his mind was "Pinball Wizard" from "Tommy."

After a meal at Starfleet Headquarters, Spock led them through the main building of Starfleet Command towards Admiral Morrow's office. They were passing some high level briefing rooms when a door opened and a Starfleet Captain stepped out, his arm in a sling. He looked at Spock, nodded and said, "Admiral."

"Captain Spence," Spock nodded in return. "How are your injuries healing?"

"Very well, thank you. I'm... well..." Captain Spence trailed off as he saw the boys with the Vulcan Admiral. "These are the ones?" he asked, pointing to the smiling group gathered to the side and just slightly behind Spock.

Spock nodded, turned and gestured for the group to stand in front of him. "Let me introduce Captains Cory and Sean Short, and Cadet Ensigns Jude Lee, Kevin Thompson and Sa'ren Short. My sons," Spock said to him. Then he rested his hands on Cory's shoulders, "My children, this is Captain Spence of the Newton."

Cory reached out a hand to the Captain's. "Pleasure to meet you, sir."

"The pleasure is all mine, Captain," Captain Spence smiled as he shook Cory's outstretched hand. "Thank you all for what you did."

Cory blushed and said depreciatingly, "Thank Jude and Joel more than the rest of us. They were doing things we've never seen before - we just went along with what we were seeing them do."

Captain Spence shook his head, "No, son. I read the reports and I know that I couldn't have just followed what they were doing as easily as you and the others. You are just as much to be thanked." He then shook Sean's hand and Kevin's before looking down at Jude and Joel. Them, he hugged. "Thank you. My officers and crew thank you."

"You're welcome," Jude mumbled with an embarrassed grin. Joel just 'meeped' from the tight hold the man had him in.

While Joel meeped, Spock glanced through the still open door behind Captain Spence and said, "Those are the delegates from Betazed. I was not aware of a meeting today with them."

Captain Spence smiled. "It is in regards to the Tesnian Problem," he said. "In a way, I'm glad Captain Short is here to hear about it. The fleet has already been sent from Wolf 359. Most are on Yellow Alert and have gone out on patrol in the outer three sector rings around the Central Hub, but most of the Home Fleet have gone on to Tesnia. With the volume of likely rescuees, Terra Main and Moon Base are preparing room for visitors. But we have a problem of long-term logistics."

"They all need new homes," Cory stated simply, following the Captain's train of thought.

"Correct," Captain Spence nodded, "and so the Betazoids have offered their help in finding homes. They are all telepathic, and they can read most of the races in the Federation. They can help FYS filter those who come forward to offer homes to these orphaned kids. We might even have a large group of Under-Class families who want to come off world with us, so preparations are being made for them as well. Placement there will be easier as they will be family units. Still, the Betazoids and their personal fleet will be arriving here by Thursday ready to help."

"When will the Fleet return with the Tesnians?" Sean asked curiously.

Captain Spence rubbed his face as he answered, "Friday is the projection. The Enterprise is still in orbit, but it is one of the few with the new Drive system, so it will be able to get there within a few minutes. For the rest of the fleet, the distance is large but done in just over a day. A day or so for pick up and just over a day home. Friday is most likely."

"How many ships have been sent?" Spock asked.

"The Enterprise will eventually go there to join: the Excelsior; the Gallant, another Excelsior Class ship; five Constitution Class ships; six Miranda Class; six Oberth; ten Constellation and two Huron Troop Transporters. Also, the Vulcans are sending two Battleships, five destroyers and five frigates; and finally, the Andorians and Tellarites are sending fifteen ships between them, a mix of Destroyers and frigates."

"WOW!" Joel giggled, "Are we evacuating the entire planet?!"

"Not quite," Cory giggled, "but close enough!"

"This will work out to Betazed's advantage with their application to join the Federation," Spock stated simply.

"And they didn't have long to wait in any case," Captain Spence added. "Anyway, it was nice to meet you all, but I have duties. Again, thank you," he added to the Clan boys before nodding at them all and Spock and walking away.

---

Admiral Morrow was surprised at seeing them arrive so early, but was more than accommodating. The tour of Starfleet Academy was a highlight for all of them, especially for Joel and Jude. The Admiral even, as a joke, put the two boys through the Phaser Test, but the joke ended up on him when both aced it. After a few questions from the examiner, they were cleared for full phaser use, and their ranks were updated for Fleet Security to 'lieutenants'. They both, however, chose to keep their 'Cadet Ensign' ranks as their primary for the Fleet as they were going to push for their chosen paths: Jude with Engineering and Joel with Command.

The group of boys were split into two teams for the simulations. Cory and Jude, with Billy Joe as an observer, were sent to the Engineering Simulators for a bunch of tests while Joel, Sean and Kevin were sent to the Command Simulators. Levi obviously chose to observe Joel and Kevin. A fairly large group of second year cadets were also called to join in, and this was to be their first fully marked simulator drill.

Morrow and Spock watched from monitors as Kevin, Jude and Joel romped through the tests. Kevin was showing his true colors with all diplomatic aspects of the simulations, and the pride was clear on his face each time the examiner read out his results. As for Jude and Joel, each had cheeky grins and knowing looks on their faces as they raced through their respective tests and situational puzzles for their preferred roles in the Fleet. It was seemingly just too easy for them both.

The two simulation rooms in use were eventually linked up via the comms. After the previous range of tests, Jude almost instantly recognized it for what it was: the Kobayashi Maru scenario. Remembering a couple of conversations with Joel, Jude allowed himself a grin, which seemed to startle some of the others.

Joel too recognized it immediately, of course, and, like Jude, had been thinking through the possible variations they might be handed to deal with. As the comm beeped by Kevin, who was playing the Communications Officer's role for this scenario, Joel depressed the comm button on his chair and asked Jude, "Are you ready to do some fast modifications to the shield's, Chief Engineer?"

"Can't wait!" came Jude's excited answer. He had been looking forward to this scenario as much as Joel had. Jude and Cory, with Billy Joe, listened in from Engineering as the scenario played itself out on the Bridge.

"Captain," Kevin said from the Comm chair, "receiving a distress call from the USS Kobayashi Maru. They have been hit by a micro-singularity and their engines are dead. They have drifted into the neutral zone."

"Helm," Joel said with a grin, "distance to the Kobayashi Maru?"

"Two minutes, maximum impulse," Sean answered. "They are drifting further into the zone, but very slowly."

"Set course and engage at three quarter impulse," Joel ordered.

"Sir," Sean stated, going by the rule book as his role called for, "should we enter the zone we will be in violation of treaty ourselves and could become open to attack from the Klingons."

"Your objection is noted, Lieutenant," Joel answered, using the 'scenario' ranks they had all been given for the tests. "Follow my orders."

"Aye, sir," Sean replied as he keyed in the destination and got the ship moving.

"Keep all scanners at maximum. I want to know if any Klingon ships approach," Joel ordered.

A Starfleet cadet sitting next to Sean called out, "Three Klingon cruisers de-cloaking ahead!"

"Red Alert," Joel instructed, "and shields to full. Bridge to Engineering: Jude, begin modifications to the shields just like we did for the Newton rescue."

"Aye, Captain... if this slow-poke big brother of ours helps better this time, I should be able to hold the modifications for over an hour... Cory! We can't tickle now, goof!" The last line was ad-libbed to set Joel's mind at ease that he was ready for the surprise the two of them had cooked up for the Admiral.

Joel shook his head before ordering, "Sean – all stop. Then set in a course to 400 yards before the lead cruiser."

"All stop registered. They have also come to a stop," Sean answered as his hands flew over the controls.

Joel nodded at Kevin, who opened hailing frequencies, "This is Captain Short of the USS Enterprise. We are on a rescue mission of a distressed ship that has accidentally crossed into the neutral zone. Please allow us to help them back into Federation space and we shall be on our way."

Kevin looked up from his controls, "They have terminated the hail from their end, Captain. I don't even know if they heard us."

"Expected," Joel replied with a giggle. "Firing control: I want two photon torpedoes ready to launch on my command, the first when I say so, and the second is to launch the instant we leave warp. Both are to target the neck of the middle cruiser. Load the rear tubes as well, and target each of the two wing cruisers with a rear torpedo each."

The cadet at the Weapons Control console responded with an affirmative, and so Joel turned to Sean. "On my mark, I want you to engage into warp and stop at the co-ordinates you have computed. Then, when out of warp, evasion pattern delta-niner."

"You want me to do what?" Sean bellowed as he turned to stare at the little Vulcan.

"You heard. Trust me, this ship'll take it; she's more advanced than a Constellation Class, correct?" Joel never heard Sean's response because Sean's mouth had gone too dry to even think about speaking. Down in Engineering, Jude grinned, knowing what was coming.

In their observation room, Spock was looking genuinely impressed at the direction Joel was taking things, but he did not know what the two forward photons were going to achieve against even a single Klingon cruiser with its shields up, never mind three.

Morrow, however, was having kittens at the mere thought of a short-hop warp jump of this sort....

"They are arming weapons and their forward shields have increased to 200%," the cadet at Weapons Control called out. "Torpedoes armed, Captain," he added quickly.

Sean yelled, "Lead ship firing!"

"One!" Joel yelled and the screen showed a red photon torpedo lance out fast towards the lead ship. The disruptor torpedo from the lead ship was a lot slower than Federation photons, thankfully, so Joel simply sat there mentally counting down. "MARK!" he yelled.

Sean pressed the button to engage the warp engines and closed his eyes. Everything was pre-plotted, so that one button press was all it would take. This might be a simulation, but Sean was damned if he was going to watch a warp crash of this nature.

The screen shifted as the 'ship' they were in hammered to warp speed. The torpedo they had just fired they overtook in less time than the others could compute – but Joel had already computed it all.

Joel grinned as the second torpedo lanced out from the launcher just as the 'ship' came out of warp. They then banked sharply to the right to do a tight loop across the front of the lead ship and the wing man on its left.

While it was all a phantom play of electronics, it was all still based on the laws of physics. The first torpedo caught up with the second torpedo and due to the warp bubble effect that was dropping from the rapidly maneuvering starship, they overlapped each other in space-time. This caused them to shift and explode and implode all at once - yet still remain heading towards the lead Klingon cruiser as a white, high speed blob of energized fury.

The effect would be completely recognizable to any from a hundred years in the future: a Quantum Torpedo. It hammered into the shields of the lead cruiser at just under the speed of light.

The cruiser's shields shattered. The torpedo slammed into the ship itself and exploded fully. The lead ship vaporized and the shields were smashed away on the two wing ships by the shock-wave, leaving them wide open to two standard photon torpedoes that the departing 'Enterprise' shot out of its aft tubes at them.

Jude, the only person present other than Joel who was privy to the "Next Generation" solution to the problem, was grinning from ear to ear at how he and Joel had pre-planned the scenario they were expecting to be challenged by.

In the Observation Room, Spock whistled to himself. He gave himself that luxury as witnessing this innovative and highly destructive gambit by his young son had caused Admiral Morrow's bowels to require emptying. The Admiral was therefore currently in the rest room.

Five minutes later, the Admiral arrived back in room to find Spock talking to Kirk. "Finished reporting to the President, Admiral Kirk?" Morrow asked as he adjusted his uniform top slightly, and smiled over at Cory, who was entering the room.

"Yes sir, and he is now advising the rest of the Federation Council," Jim answered. "And now I've been shown what Joel just did to the unbeatable scenario. Interesting! I think I'm going to really like that little boy – he doesn't believe in no-wins either!" Then he moved slightly towards the controls for the comm channel and paused, making a ribald comment of the sort that had led one wit to remark, "Jim Kirk has not yet been declared the Father of the Federation, but it's not for lack of trying!"

The three Admirals were now looking at the most remarkable of sights; a blushing, blond, speechless Cory Short. As they watched and listened in on the sexual innuendoes being thrown back and forth by Joel, Kevin, Sean, Cory, and Jim Kirk, Jude was laughing hysterically, and Billy Joe was somewhere between shocked and turned on by it all, maybe a little of both.

"There will be another test." Spock's voice came across comms. to Engineering with his usual emotionless tonality, but Jude thought he caught a catch in the Vulcan admiral's voice. He wondered what they could top the Kobayashi Maru test with.

He didn't have long to wait, to find out. As the new test began, Cory re-entered the simulated 'Engineering Control Room' area, and stood by expressionlessly. Wirhin a minute, the sensors were displaying a plasma breach in Engineering, and he knew: Like Deanna Troi, Joel would be required to save the ship by sending a crew member to his death – his Chief Engineer and brother. Although a part of his mind was aware that he would survive the simulation test, Jude realized he would be called on to, in effect, give his life to save the ship. Recognizing that sooner or later he might be required to make that sacrifice for real, he tried to compose himself to accept his fate, and at the same time he worried about what it would do to his brother-and-sponsor's fragile sanity to have to send him to effective suicide.

'Warp Core Breach in 4 minutes,' the computer announced.

"Captain, I recommend a full evacuation," Jude called up to Joel, his voice also sounding more than a little sick as well.

"...no," he heard Joel whisper. Then the Vulcan boy repeated himself more firmly. "No. We don't have time to get the crew away from a grade 1 breach. How long would it take to repair the leak, Lieutenant Short?" he asked his blond brother over the comm.

"The Jeffreys tubes will get me close to where it is, and I can shut it down in about twenty seconds," Cory answered from 'Engineering'. "The leak itself will be the other side of the wall to me," he added softly.

"No, that's insane! The radiation you'll be exposed to will become lethal in twelve seconds, and..." Jude started to say, but at that point Cory closed comms with the Bridge.

"I am superseding you as Chief Engineer," he told Jude.

"But..." Jude began.

"Admiral Morrow ordered it," Cory said firmly. He noted Jude's stupefied expression, but seemed no more pleased by the situation than Jude was, i.e., not very much at all.

"I can do it, Captain," Cory said firmly and steadily.

"So can I," Jude put in quickly. "You need your chief engineer, so I'll..."

"It is the Captain's decision," Cory said, his voice filled with authority.

"Cory, do it in ten seconds," Joel ordered before releasing the comm button.

Then he started counting. When he got to 'ten' he started crying. The graph on his chair controls was still showing a building reactor breach. At seventeen seconds, the breach slowed and started to stabilize, but Joel didn't see that.

"Reactor stable," Jude said sickly after another thirty seconds had passed. "Emergency trauma unit to Main Engineering, I repeat..."

Sean had turned off the comm altogether and just stood before his little brother as the Vulcan cried in the command chair. The cadets in the room were watching in awe and compassion as their 'captain' broke his heart at having 'beaten' yet another test - probably the worst test Starfleet had ever designed: To send a friend and colleague to their death to save the ship or the crew.

"Why didn't he send me?" Jude raged to Cory as the entire group, including the cadets who had been with them, gathered in a large meeting room. The only one absent was Joel, who was currently with Spock. "I could have done it!"

"I know you could have," Cory answered, "but not as fast as me. Jude, you have all this knowledge that we don't, but I have experience. Scotty showed me this type of thing before on the Enterprise. I've done it, just not with radiation as a threat. You've never had to do it, so you might have taken too long. I was the most... logical choice. And Joel knew it."

"It's going to kill him," Kevin grated as his eyes bore into those of Admiral Morrow. "Why? Tell me why, sir. Hasn't he been through enough without having to 'send' his big brother off to die?!"

This led to Kevin erupting in a pon farr-induced rage, and on that scene we may well take our leave.

---

Meanwhile, at the North Syracuse Compound:

"Would you please come to the Main Gate, Kurt?" He recognized the voice of Alex Matlock, the de facto leader of the adults working Security, and there was an unspoken strain on the request that left Kurt wondering.

"Of course, Alex. Be right there," he replied. Marky announced he was coming along; after a second's concern for possible consequences, Kurt agreed.

At the gate he saw what was clearly an unmarked police vehicle, and an older gentleman standing with Alex near it. He strolled up to them.

"Kurt, I'd like you to make the acquaintance of Sherman Ferguson," Alex said. "Sherman, Kurt Farnsworth is in overall charge of this and the future residential compounds. Kurt, please hear him out before you react." He smiled.

"I think that includes you too, Marky," Kurt said to his eight-year-old youngest nephew-turned-adoptive-son, who giggled.

"Mr. Farnsworth, I am the Undersheriff of Onondaga County, and a longtime friend of Alex here," Ferguson said. "As our Sheriff's Department is set up, that means I'm second in command overall, and run the Civil Office, serving summonses, bench warrants, notices of complaint, and other legal papers as ordered by the county's courts." Kurt nodded to show he was following so far; the Undersheriff continued. "I have here a piece of legal paper that purports to be a Subpoena Tecum Duces requiring you to appear before the Onondaga County Family Court together with every child under the age of 18 who has been, is, or between now and then may be transferred to this base for residence, for purposes of assigning custody and evaluating proper placement." As Kurt tensed, the Undersheriff held up his hand palm forward in a placating gesture.

"What I need to say next," Ferguson went on, "is that the Sheriff and I know exactly how much legal validity this document has, that being, in effect, none whatsoever." He drew a breath. "As an officer of the courts, I am obliged to serve this paper. As an officer of the law, my best advice would be for you to immediately get in touch with a Federal or Federation court, and get a temporary injunction prohibiting you from complying with this subpoena. Then let the lawyers fight it out." He smiled thinly. "Unofficially, we're foursquare behind what you're trying to accomplish here. Officially – well, we can't go against the County Social Services bureaucracy. But you can expect police action to enforce the subpoena no sooner than the seventh Tuesday of next February." At that point he grinned, handed Kurt the legal papers, and said, "You're served."

The Undersheriff turned to Alex Matlock, said, "Thanks, Alex. See you at bowling tonight?" and got into his car.

Alex said. "I plan to be there, Sherm," closed the car door, and saw him off. Then he turned to Kurt and said, "I've known him for over twenty years, and you can rely on his word."

---

As they walked back from the gate to the office, Marky asked Kurt,"Can I see the s'poena you got?"

"I guess so; why?"

"I just wanna check some stuff out," the eight-year-old said sweetly. If his mind hadn't been elsewhere, Kurt might have been alerted by the tone of Marky's voice, but unfortunately he wasn't.

They walked into the office to find Stass in mid-spate of a string of obscenities in his fluent native Greek that would have caused veteran sailors on Greek freighters to blush and look shocked. Scott was folded up into himself in an office chair, weeping bitterly. Galen was standing listening to Stass and seemingly cheering him on.

"Slow down, Stass!" Marky said. "I'm tryin' to take notes!" And in fact he had a PADD out and was keying in terms feverishly. "What color is the phallus of a syphilitic chimera? Umm... what's a phallus?"

"Dick," Galen supplied helpfully.

"Hey, I may be a little kid and not know much, but I'm not a dick! Don't call me names!"

"I wasn't calling you names, Marky," Galen said patiently. "A phallus is a dick."

"Oh," Marky said. "Well, what color is a syphilitic chimera's dick?"

"Chartreuse, I think," Kurt said absently, then, "Would somebody mind telling me what the heck happened?" He had understood about two-thirds of what Stass had said, and most of it he didn't believe was physically possible, even for the mythological beings Stass had invoked to do them.

"We got another call from Beulah," Galen started to explain.

"She wished to see something she called my 'green card'," Stass stated, as calm as if he had not previously been vehemently and creatively cursing. "Scott told her that I did not need one, I gather because I am kouros – custodian? – of Clan Short. When I added that he had rescued me in order to make me his lover, she started insulting him in highly offensive ways." Having heard Stass's string of profanity, Kurt involuntarily chuckled. "They plan to send me back," Stass said seriously.

"She lit into Scott like Aunt Margie at her worst," Galen added.

Armed with his PADD and still carrying the subpoena, Marky had ensconced himself at a computer workstation. "We will discuss the proper use and misuse of your new vocabulary later, Marky," Kurt called over to him. He sent his uncle a thumbs-up gesture, intent on what he was typing.

"C'mon over here, guys," Kurt said, sitting in the middle of an office couch against one wall. "Galen, why'n't you wheel a desk chair over and sit across from me. I'll need your good feedback while I'm talking."

"Okay, Unk."

"Scott, get your nose out of your navel and come join me and Stass." Kurt pulled the Greek boy down on his right and wrapped an arm around him, pulling his eldest nephew in to the same position on his left as he finally unfolded and walked across the room.

"Okay, first things first. Stass, a 'green card' is an identification card issued by the United States government to citizens of other countries that they let into the U.S. legally, to work or study. You do not need such a card, because you are under the protection of the ambassador from Vulcan and his family. In fact, given your relationship to Scott, it would be accurate under Vulcan law to say you are one of his adoptive grandsons. In the first place, they have no legal right to say anything about you being on this base, or in any of the Clan compounds. But beyond that, you have diplomatic immunity from any of the immigration bureaucracy's red tape, as a ward and member of Clan Short."

"In addition to which, I need to tell you that the more I get to know you, the more impressed I am with your intelligence, your skills, your compassion, and your sheer dedication to this one." Kurt's final words were accompanied by jostling Scott's upper torso, by way of emphasizing whom he meant.

"Now, Scotty, you remember how things were. I saw what your mother was doing, belittling you and not giving you the room to grow into the young man you could be. She never realized what a pearl of a son she had in you. But I did, and while I couldn't go against her, I could and did say things to be supportive, to help you feel better about yourself."

"Nothing made me feel better than to see you coming out of your shell on the trip South, when you joined the Clan, and in particular when you stood up to me about Stass. For God's sake don't let that bitch drive you back into the shell your mother insisted on keeping you in. For one thing, I need you at my side to do this job way too much to let that happen, and that's not even taking into account how much I love you and want you to be happy."

"And finally, I've been a bit of an idiot right along, and you've been right and I've failed to let you know that I've come to see it. Stass is everything you've told me he is, and he complements you perfectly; you two fit together like hand and glove. I was wrong; you were right. And it's time for me to admit that to you." Scott had lifted his eyes and was looking at Kurt with surprise.

"Now, Stass," Kurt said, "give me a kiss." It was Stass's turn to look surprised. "Come on, I know the Greek custom." Stass leaned up, kissed Kurt on the forehead, then the right cheek, and finally on the lips. The kiss deepened.

"Whoof!" Kurt said, breaking it. "I need to find a boyfriend just like you, but my age!" He smiled at Stass, who grinned back, his pants tented. "Now take this melancholy nephew of mine back into the apartment, and make him happy."

Scott looked a question at Kurt. "Didn't I just get through making clear that I accept the love between you two, your relationship, fully? Go take your boyfriend to the moon, Scotty." Kurt pushed him up; Stass grabbed his hand and dragged him off towards the apartment.

"You didn't say anything," Kurt said to Galen.

"Didn't need to. You did good, Unk!"

From his workstation, Marky piped up, "Unk!"

"What, Marky?"

"I canned that s'poena an' sent it down to Unca John Martin in Orlando, 'n' he sez to ignore it, an' if they give ya any more of 'em, to send 'em down to him 'for proper...'disposal'."

Kurt grinned. "Thanks, Marky!"

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To be continued