Max dug in deep as he started running programs and traces from his computer. His fingers flickered over the controls like the professional he was. The claw tips threw him off a little bit but once he got used to the sound and feel of the clicking over the control interface, his speed picked back up and his eyes, although blurring on occasion, flicked back and forth across the scrolling code on his screen.

'Max! We have company coming!' Zyndil sent urgently.

Max managed to give the twins a warning they were about to receive company but never took his eyes from his screen as he fingers moved faster than they had ever moved before. Routes were traced and backtracked, portions of code were blocked or diverted to non-essential system processes. Shunts were put into play for misdirection and one by one Max regained control of the various systems. There was a booming banging on the door and shouting voices. The twins, glancing at Max completely absorbed in what he was doing, moved chairs and a few tables around for cover in the direct line of site of the door and hunkered down, their bodies shielding their friend.

Swytch's eyes were closed concentrating on what Max was doing, as Shylin watched on with bated breath. "He's in the system. He's tracing the source now. Shunting processes away from the primary control runs." Hys eyes flickered back and forth in hys mind, hy was never a computer person like Max, but their shared consciousness allowed hym to understand what was going on. "They are breaking through the door! Someone is cutting the locks..." hy panted. All hy could see now were lines of code. More and more lines of code flickered through hys mind then there was another sharp pain that made hym cry out.

"SIR!! We have control!" someone shouted.

"Release the gas, NOW!" Shylin ordered. "Security teams, GO!"

>>>

Max floated in a sea of darkness. It was warm and cozy here. There was no pain, there was no noise, just peace and quiet. As Max floated, he eventually found himself at home on Chakona. Strange, when had he started thinking of Chakona as home? He walked around the house, there was nobody else there.

He passed a mirror hanging on the wall and stopped. Looking back at him was a white-haired human, but the image kept flickering and changing places with a white-haired skunk morph. The images flicked back and forth growing faster and faster until both occupied the mirror's reflection at the same time as if both were the same person, two sides of the same coin. Then he heard someone call him. 'Max? Wake up Max, please?'

Max blinked his eyes and looked around blearily. It took him several minutes for his eyes to focus completely. He groaned as all of the little aches and pains came back to let him know they still existed. He looked around and felt something by his left arm and glancing down saw Swytch asleep on the edge of his bed, hys head nestled on hys arms. Max smiled fondly and gently ran his fingers through Swytch's hair as he looked to the other side and another head of hair, this one auburn. Jackie was sound asleep as well. Max looked around and noticed more beds with more people in them. On either side of him slept the Siamese twins; both were sound asleep and, other than a few bandages, looked well. Who had woken him? Finally, he spotted the source of what woke him. Zyndil stood at the foot of the bed watching him.

'Finally, I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to speak to you before I had to disconnect,' hy sent.

'What's up, Zyndil? I'm guessing we won?' Max sent with a touch of humor.

'Aye, Sir, you managed to get the pirate system locked out in enough time for dad to flood everything with anesthizine gas. It was close though. The twins took several hits before going down and you took a solid kinetic round to the shoulder. The suit managed to blunt most of the impact, but you lost a good bit of blood before anyone could get to you. About that same time, the Haversack tried to disengage and make a run with the loot they had but the Plainview as well as the Sector Commander showed up with reinforcements and stopped them. Dad is still digging through all of the information from the ship, but it looks like it was an organized hit by several of the LNAW factions. Dad was impressed with your performance and is trying to figure out ways to keep you. Don't let him bully you,' Zyndil sent with a smile. 'Although, you can't blame him, you do come with your own recon squad you know? Your warbeasts have been taking turns keeping guard over the pirates, and dad is arranging actual Federation training for them. Thing is, they won't do anything unless you give them leave to. Also, your wonder twins there refused to leave your side, even in the hospital as you can see. I wouldn't be surprised if at least one of them were playing at being asleep. One other thing. I'd like to volunteer to be your astral scout should you decide to join up. I enjoy anchoring to you and working with you,' hy said more formally.

Max smiled a bit lopsidedly at Zyndil. 'And I enjoyed working with you as well, Lieutenant. I'm not sure what I'm going to do, but when I am, I'll let you know. When we get back to Chakona, why don't you come visit and say hello in person, we'd be happy to have you,' Max sent.

Zyndil smiled happily. 'I'll do that, Sir. Take care of yourself and I'll see you when you get home.' And with a salute, Zyndil faded from view.

Max wasn't released right away. Doctor Geelaine fussed over him increasing his protein intake to help get him back into a decent weight range after his transformation and to his dismay, his tail got substantially bigger. It was explained to him that skunktaurs stored nutrients in their tails as a type of emergency fuel supply, since their bodies were made to adapt to any climate as needed. All of the extra food and protein had the added side effect of making his fur thicker and longer, more like a real skunktaurs and the luster came back, giving it a very nice shine. Swytch and Jackie both took great pleasure in brushing his fur and teaching him how to properly care for it.

Dr. Sands accompanied Swytch several times during hys visits and Swytch informed Max that hy wished to take Dr. Sands as a companion. Max could almost see a desperate hope in the doctor's eyes and whether his transformation was responsible or not, he felt absolutely no jealousy in the request and gave a very surprised Caitian a huge hug welcoming hir to the family. "Your lullaby helped to keep me sane during everything that happened Doctor. If it weren't for you, I probably wouldn't have been able to do what I did. Thank you for sharing it with me," he said solemnly.

Jackie announced during one of her visits that she was pregnant and that Max was the sire. This stunned everyone; especially Doctor Geelaine who ran several tests and determined the kit was healthy and then requested frequent updates on the kit's development. It also seemed that pregnancy agreed with Jackie who not only was extremely bouncy... get it? Bouncy? Rabbit? Fine, don't laugh, I was on pain meds and it was funny as hell to me. She was almost so over affectionate with Max in her excitement at bearing his child that Max gave serious thought to tranquilizers; although he wasn't sure who he'd use them on, her or himself.

The danger twins were released before Max was but they took turns guarding his room while the other one kept watch over the family. Max wasn't sure how long this was going to go on for, but he had a sneaking suspicion that getting rid of Teeshan and Neeshan wasn't going to be an option. The twins were fiercely loyal and had made THEIR decision and Max was just going to have to deal with it.

The morning Max was scheduled to be released from the hospital wing, he was woken by the sound of a scuffle and found Neeshan holding a pistol to Shylin's head with his arm held painfully behind hys back. Max raised an eyebrow watching the two. "Is there something I can help you with, Commander Shylin?" Max asked.

Shylin winced slightly as Neeshan put a bit of pressure on hys arm. "You could ask your body guard to let me go?" hy asked hopefully.

Grinning, Max nodded to Nee and she released the skunktaur making her pistol disappear as she took her spot by Max's bed again. "To what do I owe the early visit?" he asked.

Shylin scowled at the bodyguard and rubbed hys shoulder wincing as hy rotated the joint to loosen it up. "A couple of things, actually. I was curious how good your bodyguards were. Now I know." Nee didn't even bother looking at him. "Second, I wanted to talk to you about everything with some semblance of quiet. I don't think your mate trusts me very much."

Max smirked. "That's because hy's met you, Sir."

Shylin gave him a sour look before hys face cleared. "For a complete novice and a, how did you put it earlier, complete computer nerd? You did fairly well."

Max leaned back on his pillow and looked at the ceiling. "I got lucky," he said. "Everything happened so fast I didn't really have time to analyze everything that was going on. If I had, I probably would have had a complete breakdown. If it weren't for the milfurs and the terror twins, as well as your kit, I wouldn't have made it to the security office and would probably be on a ship bound for LNAW space and slavery, if not death," Max confessed.

Shylin nodded. "That may be so, BUT, even if things came at you too fast, you still analyzed and reacted the best way you could conceive of and, in the end, you got the mission done. Along the way you also took out several groups of pirates, freed the recaptured slaves and recovered Lt. Commander Dreamspirit. Not bad for a computer nerd," hy said seriously.

Max snorted and shrugged. "Pure unadulterated luck Shylin. I was too scared to think straight half the time and the other half I was being babysat by ten freed slaves with more ability bred into them than I will ever have. I'm no leader Shylin, and putting Lt. Commander pips on a uniform won't make me one either," he said tiredly.

A soft soprano voice purred out, "You're wrong about that Max. We chose to follow you because we believed you could lead us. The warbeasts, as your Federation calls them, won't follow someone they see as unfit, no matter how they were programmed. For them to pledge loyalty and allegiance to you says that they trust you to lead them of their own free will. A free will that you helped them, and us, keep. Teeshan and I have decided we wish to continue to follow you and keep you and yours safe because we trust you to lead, and take care of us just as we will protect yours. Do not sell yourself short, for in doing so, you insult those who choose to follow you," she finished, intense feline eyes watching him calmly.

Max felt incredibly humbled by her words and held out a hand toward her which she took. He squeezed her hand and nodded. "For as long as you wish, you and your brother will be family and have a place to belong with me and mine."

Teeshan purred in pleasure as she squeezed his hand back and nodded to him.

Max looked at Shylin. "They will be going with us when we go back to Chakona, can you make that happen?" he asked.

Shylin cocked an eyebrow. "I will on one condition; you give serious consideration to earning the rank I gave you. Go to the Federation training school on Chakona, talk to the instructors, walk the halls, meet the people. If you decide to continue with the path I have set for you, you will attend the Intel training academy there and learn the skills you will need to do what must be done to help put an end to not only the LNAW, but to H1 as well. Max, we need people like you or this silent war will never end and another Gene War will happen again. You have the unique perspective of having lived on both sides of the lines, both human and morph. Are we really all that different? Human? Morph? Is there really a difference between us? I know it might be a touch silly for someone like me, but I hope for the day when humans and morphs can live in peace and people like me will no longer be needed. Until that time though, I will do my best to help make it a reality. Won't you at least think about it?" hy asked earnestly.

Max was pretty sure that Shylin didn't give just anyone that deep a peek into hys heart and Max felt touched that he had witnessed it. "You have my word that I will give it serious consideration. I do want to spend a little time with my family and kit before I decide though."

Shylin nodded. "I would expect nothing less. Also, I need your help with one more thing." And with that he opened the door and motioned someone inside. Sergeant Sheppard came in and promptly went to attention in front of Max.

"At ease Sergeant," Max said with a slight smile. "Did all of your people make it out alright?" he asked worriedly.

Sheppard nodded going to parade rest. "Aye Sir, a few bumps and bruises and Jacob lost an inch of his tail but he'll survive."

Max wracked his brain for a minute. "Jacob is the... Lance Corporal? The Panther morph?" he asked.

Sheppard nodded with a smile, "Very good Sir, and yes Sir."

"I'm glad you all made it out safe, I would have checked on you but..." he made a vague motion towards himself.

Sheppard nodded. "We know you would have Sir, but we've been kept busy with the pirates and helping to keep order," he said proudly.

Max looked at Shylin. "What do you need my help with?" he asked.

"Well, we need you to assign me as one of their superior officers so I can get them into Federation Marine training. We want to put the group through together so we can keep them together as your team. Well, if you decide to continue on anyway," hy said lamely. "This will be your team. We are even going to arrange for the twins to go through training on Chakona as well," hy stated.

Max looked at Neeshan who just shrugged. "It'll keep Tee and I from getting bored," she said.

Shylin spoke up again. "Also, if you decide to continue, once you go through Command school and Intel training school, you and your team will be running cohesion drills for various scenarios. It won't be easy at all, I won't lie, but I have faith that you can handle it," hy said.

Max groaned slightly. "Shylin, I am 38 years old. Don't you think I may be a tad old to go through Federation boot camp? Not to mention all of this training? I never finished the life extension treatments most people in the larger cities get," he said bluntly.

"Max, you're not human anymore, remember? You are pretty much a skunktaur minus the taur part. According to your Doctor, your biology has effectively been reset to that of early twenties and you can probably expect to live as long as a chakat now," Shylin said matter-of-factly.

Max twitched violently in his bed sitting up. "What?!? Are you kidding me? I can expect to live another what? 100 plus years??" he asked not quite believing what he was hearing.

Shylin nodded. "That's correct, Doctor Geelaine even said if you really wanted she could push the transformation to finish the complete taur form. Actually, she seemed quite interested in the whole idea."

Max shook his head fervently. "I think I'll survive just like I am. I've gone through enough transformations for one lifetime, thank you very much." Max laid back on the bed again feeling the aches and pains of his new body as they worked to heal at an accelerated rate his mind racing along thoughts he had never had to ponder before.

"Remember, once you're back up to full strength, you'll be faster, stronger, and tougher than a normal human; not superhuman or anything, just skunktaur standards," the old spook said with a smirk.

Max looked up at Sheppard who had been watching the whole interaction with a slight smile, his tail betraying his enjoyment as it wagged slightly behind him. "Your enjoying this too, aren't you Sergeant?" he asked accusingly.

Sheppard cleared his face but a gleam remained in his eyes. "I wouldn't know what you're talking about, Sir."

"Riiiight... You're a horrible liar, you know that?" Max accused. "What are your thoughts on all of this, Sergeant?" he asked curiously.

Sheppard blinked once and then looked at Max. "You know, I think that is the first time I've ever been asked my opinion about the course of my life," he said thoughtfully. "Honestly though, me and my men look forward to it. Plus, we'd prefer you as our CO," he said with sincerity.

"Gee, thanks Sergeant, for making this decision so much easier," Max said sourly and was rewarded with a smirk from the German Shepherd morph. "Fine Shylin, I'll give it serious consideration, but AFTER I have a few weeks off home with my family. I'm feeling a nice mental break down coming on and I don't want to ruin it with Federation training," he groused.

"Fair enough," Shylin said with a smile. "I've put my efforts behind Lt. Commander Dreamspirit's and several avenues have opened for the freed slaves here on the station. We are going to see about allowing them to open their own services and shops in the section that people can visit and make use of. That should give them a sense of worth again and we are going to open an apprenticeship program for any of them wanting to look into new avenues of interest. Also, I'll have larger quarters set aside for you and your family, if you should choose to accept my job offer, here on the station. We also have headquarters set up on Chakona for various operations as well, so you wouldn't be just stuck here necessarily," he explained.

Max nodded then looked at Sheppard. "Are your men in the hallway, Sergeant?" he asked shrewdly. When Sheppard nodded an affirmative Max said, "Bring them in, please."

The milfurs made their way in and, following their Sergeant's example, fell in at parade rest. Max eyed them all for a minute before saying, "I have NO idea why you all would be crazy enough to want ME of all people as your CO, but I thank you all for having my back in what we accomplished on the station. I most certainly couldn't have done it without any of ya'll and I am proud to have served beside you. That being said, I am assigning Commander Shylin as my intermediary while I am away. You will follow hys orders as if they were mine. Get trained up. It looks like we have more work to do."