A Quiet Strength - Trial and Tribulation
by Anon Allsop

-Part Three-

-Four-

His hands stinging from the cold, Etu continued to smack it against the bole of the tree, its impact scarring the bark deeply. To have come so close to his beloved and to lose her in this snowstorm would seem almost unfathomable to the young warrior. Always before his eyes, the swirling snow blowing in his face, seemed merge everything into one ferocious gray fog.

Desperately wanting to strike out in search of Aponi, yet he knew that once he left Machk, he might not find him again. So, the young brave did the only thing he could and continued to strike the limb against the trunk of the tree.

After several agonizing moments had passed, the desperate warrior thought he had spied a gray object pass from left to right along a hill. Calling out for Aponi as he hesitated, his voice near horse from the constant shouting. Again he saw the grey ghost in the snow move back, right to left and fall.

In his heart he knew this was Aponi, and that she was not moving any further made the young warrior's heart leap into his throat. He knew the dangers of venturing out beyond shelter and what could happen if he left Machk alone...even for what would only seem like a moment. Yet to fail Aponi in her hour of need grew so strong, he could no longer ignore the gray figure sprawled out in the snow.

He carried the limb with him as he too fought his way out into the blizzard, each tree would pass, he struck several times until there was a very visible scar that he could see in its trunk. Again and again he would strike out, creating a trail to the ghost in the snow. After a great agonizing moments, he was standing beside the figure of Aponi, face down in the swirling snow, her long platinum hair fanning with the wind.

Etu bent down and scooped her lifeless form up and began to pick his way back through the trees, each one looking exactly as the one next to it. Only, his trained eyes were seeking each that bore the scar from where he struck it. It seemed as though it took him forever to pick his way back to the shelter, however it might only have been mere moments.

Pushing his way past the weighted pine boughs, heavily laden with snow, he carried her within the shelter and placed her near the fire. Tossing a few of the bigger branches he had found into the flames, he built it up in hopes to save his beloved.

He quickly pulled the pelt hide from around her and began to briskly rub her arms and hands. He could tell that she was breathing, so he continued to administer to her frozen limbs. As he tried to return heat to her body, he glanced over to Machk who was sleeping soundly with not a care in the world.

Etu again tossed a few more limbs and one large chunk of wood onto the fire, he had to build up the heat to save Aponi. He felt her face, it was quite cold, her lips were a ashen gray...it frightened him. Racing against time itself, the young warrior began removing Aponi's clothing, in moments she lay in naked splendor. Now was not the time to admire her though, he was on a mission to save her.

Scrambling, he began to remove his shirt and breech-cloth, he had to raise her core temprature quickly or he knew she may perish. The moment he had removed his clothing, he pulled his young love near to him, laying his body directly behind her own. Skin touching skin, one warm with fear and adrenaline, the other cool from recent exposure.

Pulling the great Bear's hide over them both, Etu drew Aponi as close as humanly possible, praying that she would warm enough to save her. He had always wondered what it would be like to be naked and this near to his love, although he had never imagined how much their contact would truly depend on a non-sexual moment.

He looked upward toward the shadows cast against the underside of the great pines, the snow creating a pocket with which they used as shelter, a sort of cocoon in the middle of this blizzard. It was holding in the warmth that the fire created, just outside the opening he could still hear the fierce wind.

After a great length of time laying with his love, he could feel the warmth returning to Aponi's skin; her lips were no longer that almost death-like hue of blue. He lowered the covering from her face and examined the surface of her cheeks. "The spirits were with us today." She didn't actually respond, the warrior knew it was still too early.

A stirring behind him alerted that Machk was awake, a recognizable whimper signaling to his foster-father that he wanted to eat. Etu knew that there was only one thing he could do in this situation, and that was to somehow place him where he could nurse from Aponi. After a careful bit of manuvering, he finally positioned the boy where he could suckle from his unconscious mother.

He allowed him to nurse for a time upon each of his mothers breast, then after a quick burping he cleaned him of his waste and bundled him and placed his tiny form beside his mother for warmth. Laying beside them both he let out a great emotional sigh. Tears danced in his eyes, the fear of how close she came to death.. how close he came to losing her welled in his mind. Rolling to his side with little Machk softly sleeping, he stared at her profile, the slight turn of her nose the length of her lashes.

With a trembling hand, he reached out and gently brushed her hair aside. He could feel tears rolling down his cheek from the corner of his eyes. He didn't care anymore, his love for this Aponi Spirit was all that he ever wanted.. all he would ever desire.

-Five-

It was the sort of sleep that you have where all of the sudden, your body jerks and causes you to awake. Etu had been in a deep sleep, Aponi was in the dream with him as they were walking along the edge of a great cliff. Aponi stumbled and Machk flew from his pappos, in horror Etu lunged to save him and the movement caused him to gasp in fear. He raised up on his elbows and glanced around the shelter to see if he was the only awake, thankfully he was. Carefully, he reached out and gathered a few more chunks of wood and tossed them onto the fire. The effort caused the fire to leap to life.

As he sat up, he could feel Aponi stirring beside him. He turned to look, she had opened her eyes and was watching him. She began to look around the shelter, "Am I really here?"

"I saw you fall, you were nearly frozen." He spoke as she was glancing beneath the great bear hide. "I removed your clothing to warm you.. I too am.. naked." He looked down in shame.

"Etu, you did what you had to do. I am not mad, you did it to save me." Her smile caused him to raise his head.

"Are you well, do you feel alright?" He asked with concern. "Your hands and feet were so cold, your lips were colored with death."

"I.. I feel just fine." Aponi wiggled her feet and flexed her fingers. "Nothing seems damaged."

"You were out in that storm for a long time, I grew afraid you would be consumed by the white death." His jaw flexed with emotion, yet he controlled himself.

She looked toward Machk, "I thought of him while I was out in that storm." She looked down and spoke even softer, "I was afraid that I would be lost to both of you."

Aponi sat up slowly, keeping herself covered. "I'd better feed Machk, he's probably as hungry as the creature he is named after."

"Machk did awake not long ago, maybe during the time it would take to start a good fire, I didn't know what to do so I.. I just held him to you. He suckled, I am sorry, I feel as though I have violated your trust."

She laughed as she scooted down and picked up Machk, his pale blue eyes focused directly on his mothers, She carefully lowered him to her exposed teat.

As he suckled she scooted closer to Etu, entwining her unoccupied fingers into his as she laid her head upon his shoulder. "Thank you Etu, that's the second time you have saved me."

"I would save you a thousand times over if I could." He looked at her and then at Machk, "I too feared for our son... Afraid that if we lost you, he would perish." He grew quiet, Aponi caressed his face and leaned in to kiss him. As their lips parted she glanced down.

"You are naked too?" She gave him a sideways glance and smirked as she removed a sleepy Machk from her breast, and placing him at the other.

"I am naked as well." He truthfully replied, trying to maintain his stature as he continued. "It was not without great effort."

In the quiet solitude of the shelter, she looked upon Etu with her crystalline blue eyes. Aponi felt as though she was about to step across a threshold that she never would have dreamed of a short time ago. Yet, she knew that deep down this was the right thing for her to do, she loved Etu and that was all that mattered to the female she had become.

Machk was not hungry, he kept spitting out her teat and yawning. "He seems sleepy, I should probably just bundle him and lay our son down." As she was positioning him at their feet, covering him with a heavy fur, Etu watched her intently. He caught his breath as he spied upon her from the back, the paleness of her skin, the gentle swell of her breast and hips.

Aponi fussed with her son until she was satisfied that he would remain warm and then settled back to be with Etu. He smiled at her, inwardly her heart melted. No words were said, in the quiet each felt as though a great something was about to happen. Slowly he leaned forward, she could feel her heart beat faster.

As Etu lowered his handsome face to hers, she became caught up in the moment, and as her eyes closed, their lips met. Over time, Aponi had grown to love the small child she carried, that did not change as it grew within her and was born. Such was the way with how she looked at Etu.

At first she saw Etu as a protector, then while she wasn't paying attention he became so much more. As he pulled his kiss away from her, Aponi felt as though her soul was being drawn out, creating an unbreakable link with this man. Slowly she reached behind his head and pulled him in once again. As they kissed, the two lovers lowered to the great bears hide, with Aponi laying along her love's side.

"So, are you still having trouble holding back?" She whispered softly, her lilting accent of his native tongue creating a stirring in his loin.

"Not any more, I've decided to let what happens... happen." His head touched the fur, long black hair lay off to the side. Slowly, Aponi lay half on, half off of him. Her feminine softness was just about all that Etu could handle. As they kissed, he felt her soft fingers gently caress his penis.

Aponi could tell without words that what she was doing was pleasuring her man, to her it would seem that it was her only goal in this world. She briefly thought about who she once had been but pushed it out of her mind, for now she was Aponi wife of Etu.

She loved this man, loved him with all of her very existence. The best way she could show him was to allow him to penetrate her with his maleness, and allow him to take her as a wife should be taken. She thought of what could possibly happen, and she realized that it could actually leave her with child again, and for the first time in her new life, she was accepting of it. In fact, something inside her made her realize that she actually wanted him to sire a child with her.. not necessarily for her, but for him.. for Etu.

The shadow upon the interior of the pine spoke volumes as she positioned herself on top of him and seductively brought him to rigidness. She began her slow roll of her hips, as though this was their first dance for the ages. She pushed past Parker that night, her former self forever falling to the background. Strong hands slowly and tenderly drifted upward upon the back of the female, the shadow on the wall gradually shifted until the warrior physically moved her beneath him and regained the top.

Aponi's knees parted, opening herself to this man who had become her husband. Together their dance sealing their union as man and woman.. husband and wife. Her mind was lost in the bliss, a rapture that claimed her in total. She lost track of time itself, only a tremendous surge of euphoria seemed to swell from within her soul and permeate outward like the great tendrils of of the sun's rays.

Her mouth opened, agape with a lover's cry caught between the desire of love and the lust of passion. As the tidal surge swept forward, she became caught in its current. The pleasured moan that came from her throat seemed otherworldly, as her husband continued to thrust into his Aponi Spirit.

Her mind momentarily pushed past the pleasure she was feeling, momentarily faltering, almost spiteful that she was betraying the person she used to be. Its haunting echo, reminding her that she shouldn't be enjoying what this man was doing to her. Yet, her feminine side easily forced Parker back, who she imagined was screaming and crying out in fear as she came down from the towering height of her orgasm.

A tremble coursed through the warrior, a raspy catch in his breathing that caught Aponi off guard. It was the secondary shutter that she felt which made her realize just how far she had descended into the role of woman, how this one act could propel her into a world of which there would never be a return.

From within her, she could feel the mocking pulse that her ghostly half could only remember. Somewhere deep inside her womb his seed was racing to locate the egg that her feminine body produced. If she had harbored a shadow of fear, at this very moment it was too late.

A reverberating shudder above her catapulted the woman Aponi had become over the edge. Her eyes rolling back, fluttering her into oblivion, her head grew heavy and fell into the hide from exhaustion. Aponi's knees fell to the side at the moment Etu climaxed, a long slow moan escaped from her lips. The sound was mournful to her ears, almost making her feel that it was the final cry of Parker.. yet, she knew it was her own voice.

Etu slowly moved to her side and forced her to turn slightly with him still imbedded deep within her, even in the frozen distance outside their shelter, there was sweat beading his lip. Aponi placed her slender hands upon each side of Etu's face and kissed him.

"Thank you." She whispered, "I love you."

Etu smiled shyly and pulled her closer, kissing her upturned face again. "I can die today, Aponi. You are everything to me."

She hugged his broad shoulders and lay her head upon his chest. Together they remained that way until sleep overcame them. Tomorrow is another day, but tonight they would enjoy each other as lovers do. As she slowly drifted off to sleep, her mind harkened back to Parker and wondered if she would ever feel his presence again, or had what just transpired effectively removed his existence.

Her long platinum hair splayed across Etu's bronze chest as the young mother cuddled under the great black hide. Beneath her ear beat the heart of her lover, each beat was meant for her, each beat was an echo of Aponi's own. His strong hand gently stroked her back as they lay in silence, relishing in their quiet moment. If this was a glimpse of the future, Aponi would easily accept this life every time.

A Quiet Strength - Trial and Tribulation
by Anon Allsop

-Part Three-

-Six-

As morning dawned, the storm and fierce wind had abated and a clear blue sky was overhead. Etu pushed through the drift that had sealed them inside the boughs, and stepped out into a strange but beautiful landscape. Aponi passed the papoose with little Machk through the opening to Etu, as she stepped through to the outside she was forced to shield her eyes from the brilliant sun.

She quickly glanced toward Machk, making sure that the covering over his face had remained. Her breath hung in front of her like a fog, within moments a negligible breeze seemed to push it away.

Etu wore the papoose and was aiding Aponi as they walked, both being very careful to avoid falling with little Machk. "The snow is very deep in spots, but showing ground in others." Aponi commented as they picked their way through the trees.

"Such is the way with the great white death. In one area may be a drift only knee high to a child, in another it could be well above a brave's head." He replied, assisting her to a clear area where no snow was lying.

Aponi cringed as snow dropped into the moccasins that Etu's mother provided, leaning against her husband she dug out the offending snow with her finger. "I am still amazed that I was able to survive being out in that storm."

He glanced toward her, she appeared so out of her element with the vast backdrop of snow. Gently giving her hand a tender squeeze he replied, "You came close to not surviving, too close. Had I not spied you within the blanket of that snowy fog, you surely would have perished."

Aponi could see the emotion that he was holding back, she knew right there and then that he loved her. Why? That answer still baffled her even after they had shared their love. They paused beside a stream and drank, Aponi took the time to quickly nurse Machk beneath the pelts that she wore to keep warm. Etu was leaning against the bole of a tree looking up. "It grows warmer."

"Perhaps for you." Aponi said with a sarcastic laugh.

"No, I'm serious. The snow is falling off the trees, it is melting." He observed.

"You sure it isn't just melting because of the sunlight? It sure doesn't feel any warmer." She quipped.

"You are a female, your blood runs cold most of the time. Being a man, I notice these things." He attempted to reason.

She scowled at him, remembering that not too long ago she was once in that fraternity of men. Her expression softened though as she realized that he was probably right, even Parker noticed the difference between how men and women perceived temperatures... and it was true that she was cold... but his comment still infuriated her.

Etu smiled as he realized that Aponi had grown quieter, gently teasing her would always be a part of who he was. As they worked under a thick canopy of brown and rustling leaves, a great rush of snow fell upon Etu's head. Aponi's laughter broke the quiet that had only moments before enveloped them.

Using his fingers, he dug out what had been caught between the papoose and his back. While he was fidgeting, Aponi concerned herself with Machk, making sure that he did not get any snow on him.

Etu smiled as he brushed the snow from his shoulder, "I guess I deserved that."

"You did." She chimed in as she assisted her husband. "You should know better when teasing an Aponi spirit." Her teasing reply was the first time she had ever used her 'status' in a conversation with Etu. She chuckled as she removed the papoose and brushed the snow that had been caught between from his back.

"Sometimes, I just need to be reminded." He quipped as he place the papoose back upon his broad shoulders. Her giggle caused him to laugh himself. Reaching out he pulled her nearer. "I imagine you enjoyed that, little one."

"Oh I did." Aponi laughed as she kissed Etu upon his cheek.

-Seven-

For three days the little family continued toward the Oneida village. Thankfully, the weather had straightened up and became closer to normal. As the sun rose on the melting landscape she saw that they were just outside the village.

Aponi had grown very quiet, apprehension was tearing at her stomach. Etu pulled up and stood at the beginning of the long trail that led into their village. "I see the fear in your eyes. It is misplaced, you have nothing to fear, Aponi."

She made a wry face, "Tell that to my stomach." Etu laughed his response as she kept thinking of reasons to stall. "I should probably nurse Machk before we go into town."

"Town?" He gave her a puzzled look, for she used one of her own words. "What does 'town' mean?"

"Village... I'm sorry, I forgot." She replied sheepishly.

"No, no, don't be embarrassed. Town is a good word, it sounds powerful." He made a fist and flexed his arm as he continued to repeat her pronunciation.

As she was seated upon a log, she began to administer to Machk's needs. As he suckled, Etu had been watching her. "I sense your fear. You are afraid of what my people think of you?"

"You are right but it is only of your mother and father that I fear rejection from. They are the only ones I care to please aside from you and our son." He sat beside her and placed his arm around her.

"You will be surprised at just how welcoming my mother and father will be." He leaned over and kissed her, then tousled Machk's wild hair. "And this little one will steal their hearts right away!"

"I hope you are right." Aponi sighed as she switched him to the other side, quickly covering herself from the cold. "I know I am." He replied confidently. "You will see."

She felt a little better but there was always that niggling sliver of doubt that would always be there. Aponi had come so far since being deposited upon this planet, almost losing her life in the process more than once. She thought back to the culprits who left her this way... left her to die alone and in a strange body.

She looked downward at her son as he nursed, and suddenly the bitterness she had once felt for the Captain and his daughter began to ebb away. She had a right to be mad at them... and she should be furious, but somewhere deep within her she felt that she had somehow... been blessed.

Glancing beside her, Etu was slicing off a thin piece of dried meat for her. He carefully held it out and when she leaned forward, placed it into her mouth. She kissed his fingers, causing him to smile.

Etu was right, they had been placed together at the right time and space that day so long ago. Was her arrival the result of a traitorous act, or mayhap a direct link to a chain of events destined from the day Parker had first been conceived?

What truly was destiny? Weren't they, Etu and Machk forever linked with her destiny? Her head swam with questions, Aponi only could faithfully answer one, she was here with them right now... whether it was destiny or chance, she would make the best of it.

As she felt the cool air envelope her teat, she realized that Machk had drifted to sleep and lost contact. Forgoing the normal routine of cleaning him of his soiled waste, she decided she would hold off until she was finally within the lodge of Etu's parents.

She readjusted her clothing and returned her slumbering son to his papoose, "Are you ready?" Etu asked softly, not wanting to pressure his beloved into leaving before she was ready.

Aponi nodded, "As ready as I will ever be." Slowly standing she lifted the Papoose to her shoulders. She knew that carrying the child was something that women of the Oneida did, she would not have Etu enter his village doing something that could embarrass him. He helped her adjust it upon her shoulders, giving her a knowing look which spoke volumes.

They began the long walk toward the village, at first no one paid attention to them. Then a child began to walk beside them and quietly studied the color of Aponi's long braid. It was when she took Aponi's hand and began to examine her paleness that Etu scowled.

He tried to chase off the child but Aponi shook her head, "It may as well be now for the commotion to begin." She announced softly. Soon a second child began to walk along, then a third and fourth. One young boy quickly raced away, as he ran, Aponi heard Etu sigh.

"My shadow." Was all he said as their little entourage grew and grew. Everyone was very quiet as they continued
toward the center of the village. All the while, Aponi showed no fear, head held high and confident.

-Eight-

As they rounded a lodge, they were met by a withered old man with a great hide wrapped around him, Etu slowed to a stop. Aponi also waited beside her warrior, the man traded his steady gaze between the two of them. A great hush came over the entire group. The elderly man's dark brown eyes looked with awe at the woman who stood before him.

"Grandfather?" Aponi whispered aloud softly, to which Etu nodded. The old man tipped his slightly, somewhat surprised that she knew and could speak the Oneida language.

He slowly reached forward and took her small hands in his, he lowered his face toward the ground reverently. Aponi gently touched his cheek, guiding his face upward. Her smile caused the old man to smile, offering a display of his nearly toothless grin.

He turned his head toward the stalwart warrior beside the beauty, "You did not mislead your Grandfather, when you said her beauty was beyond compare, Etu."

The handsome young warrior smiled, "She is everything to me and more, Grandfather."

"We must talk to the Great Father, there should be a feast tonight for you and the Aponi Spirit."

As he spoke, those who surrounded them realized that there was spiritual royalty in their midst. A slow murmur began to permeate outward until everyone knew that Etu had found the Aponi Spirit.

A commotion from behind caused the old man to look beyond them, "Your Father and Mother come."

Etu turned toward where he had been looking, and began to smile. "Mother, Father!" He called out.

His father slowed and stopped his hand gently touched his son's broad shoulder, beside him wearing the fur of a coyote his mother stood. Etu bent down and hugged her, "Aponi, my love.. this is my mother and father."

Aponi nodded respectfully and realized that his mother had noticed the papoose on her back. Slowly removing it, she placed it down and gently removed Machk. The older woman's eyes brightened as she saw the child lifted out.

"You saw in a vision, Mother." Etu spoke softly to the older woman.

"Is it a male child?" She asked as Aponi held him close from the cold.

Aponi nodded, "He is called, Machk."

The older woman noticed the great black hide, then realized how the boy came across the name. As she gently touched the cheek of the infant, she realized too that Aponi knew the Oneida language. "Etu taught you to speak the language of our people?"

"He did." She replied and then hid Machk within the hide she was wearing.

The old woman noticed and gently held Aponi by the arm, leading her away from the crowd and toward several of the lodges.

"You must be cold." She observed. "We will take your son inside where it is warm."

Aponi followed her toward the opening and hesitated, glancing back she watched Etu still talking to Grandfather and his father. "The child is also Etu's."

The old woman smiled and glanced at the infant in Aponi's arms. "You are one now? Good."

Aponi smiled slowly, following her mother-in-law into the interior. As they settled beside the fire, she studied the woman with her, there was a look a worry in her eyes.

"What is it?" Aponi asked.

"It is good that you and Etu are one..." She hesitated, "Will you be taking him to the land where your people dwell?" Her eyes lowered to Machk as he was being cleaned, "Are you going to take our son from us?"

Aponi leaned back on her heels, she had spent so much time worrying about whether his parents would like her, and all the while, they were worried that she would take him away. "No, mother. Where Etu lives, Machk and I will live."

The look of relief passed over Etu's mother. Tears welled in her eyes as she gently reached out and patted Aponi on her leg. She watched a young man leave on his quest, and when he returned, he brought a wife and child to stay. Mother closed her eyes and smiled. Once again their family could be together again.

A Quiet Strength - Trial and Tribulation
by Anon Allsop

-Part Three-

-Nine-

Max sat in the quiet solitude of his study sipping on a dark colored liquor from Ariellian IV, when a noise caused him to glance up. It was Elise, she was wrapped in her robe and holding a cup of tea, the string swinging just outside. Max smiled and sat his drink down, "Come in Elise, sit with me awhile."

She slipped inside the room, and settled into a chair opposite her fathers. "What brings you up on such an early hour?

She shrugged and quietly sipped her drink, the steam slowly rising past her face. Max could see that there was something troubling the girl, he had been noticing it for some time. He knew not to press the issue too much, feeling she would come around in due time.

Her eyes were locked on the hologram of a crackling fire within a nonexistent fireplace. She sleepily stared into the flames she saw, her father studying her profile for several long moments knew that there was something troubling her and within time she would talk.

Glancing toward the timepiece upon the wall, he sighed and leaned forward, sitting his drink upon a coaster. "Come on honey, we should be heading to bed." Standing he offered his hand to his daughter, "Morning will come soon enough."

"I..I'm okay papa." She replied without looking at him, "I can't sleep anyway."

"Do you want to talk about it, Punkin?" He hesitated until she shook her head. Shrugging his shoulders he began to walk away. As he was almost to the doorway he heard her lightly clear her throat.

"Daddy?" She called out in a soft voice, it had been a long time since he had been called that. Max paused and turned, Elise slowly stood and stepped toward her father. From years of experience, Max knew that whatever the problem she was holding, it was tearing her apart.

She sat her tea down and with tear filled eyes, took her father by his hand and walked him to the sofa. Max was concerned as he had never seen her so distraught. "What is it Elise?"

"It's about Parker." She begin then grew quiet.

"That bastard is in prison where he belongs!" Max growled, recalling what he had done to his little girl.

"Not that Parker...th..the real one." She faltered, her eyes dropping into her lap as she spoke.

"What do you mean- the real one?" Max's stomach suddenly lurched, he feared that Elise may have been involved in something criminal. He suddenly grew even more serious as what she said sank in, "Please tell me that you weren't involved in something stupid."

She wiped her tears and looked up, it tore Max's heart out to see his daughter so guilt ridden. Elise cleared her throat, "I've kept something from you.. I should have spoken up sooner."

"Out with it. If you have information that we should know, you have to speak up now!" He watched her squirm, then realized that in her condition, he needed to allow her time to tell him on her terms. "I'm sorry Elise, go on."

She sighed deeply, "Leslie told me once that she had gotten her hands on a Molecular Transmutation Device.. a MTD. Do you know what it can do?"

"I've heard of it. Those things are illegal, right?" He knew the answer to that question even before he asked her, he just wanted to know if she knew.

"I didn't know until recently.." She picked her cup up, Max noticed her hand was trembling.

"Okay, so you're saying that Leslie had found one of those MTD's...I'm sensing that there is more to this story." Max just wanted her to spit it out, it irked him to wait on her.

"Leslie was a lesbian." She began, "She and I...well, she wanted to be a man..and decided to steal Parker's body. Parker used to date her until he realized that Leslie wasn't into him, in that way." She glanced away momentarily then returned her gaze back to her dad. "Leslie and her father used it on the original Parker..." She watched her father's face flush, he leaned back into the sofa, his face spoke volumes.

"Good God, Elise!" He took his hand and nervously wiped it across his face, "That means that Leslie became Parker, and she is the one in prison!"

"Leslie deserved to be in prison for what she did to me!" Elise, balled her fist as she spoke.

"Honey, I know she should be in prison." He hugged her and kissed her cheek, "But, what she did to that poor man...did he deserve that?"

She sat quietly contemplating his question, then as his meaning settled into her mind, Elise knew he was right. "Oh Papa, the poor man."

"It will be alright Elise, we've got to think this through, though. There has to be some way of finding the real Parker. Did she say anything to you about what she did with him?"

"She never said anything.. but I think I know it happened around the time she was last visiting her father." She had a look of relief, as though letting go of the information she had, was like a great weight off her shoulders. "I think her father was a star ship captain." She grew quiet for several seconds, "Do you think you could help me locate the real Parker and put him back into his own body?"

Max sat quietly as what she told him sank in, "I'll talk to Mike in the morning...but we're sure going to try to do whatever we can to help the real Parker."

She slowly stood, "Thank you Papa, its been bothering me for awhile now." Max stood and kissed his daughter goodnight, watching her walk toward her bedroom he hardly noticed a limp anymore. She would be okay he felt, her only scars would be the ones left in her mind.

Max walked over to his drink and downed the last of it, he made a point to ping Mike in the morning. Hopefully he would be able to assist him on locating the real Parker. As he began to turn down the lighting, he contemplated what the poor fellow was going through, trapped in the body of his daughter's friend. He thought back to the few times he remembered seeing Leslie, she was a stunner... it was just too bad she was so warped that she would resort to steal a young man's identity like she had so she could live out her fantasy.

Setting his glass on the counter he turned down the kitchen lights, then made his way into the bedroom. As he settled into his bed, he thought of the daunting task before them. "This could be impossible..." He sighed as he closed his eyes and let sleep claim him.

-Ten-

Max played with the condensation that ran off his Laurillian Ale that he was drinking, waiting in the darkened end of the bar in his customary booth. Movement near the door caused him to glance up, Mike was entering and working his way back to where his friend was seated.

"Dispatch said you wanted to see me, they implied that you had some information." Mike sat down as the barmaid came to take his order.

"Just bring two more.." Max spoke low and deliberate, Mike could tell that his friend was troubled.

He waited for the woman to leave and get their drinks before speaking, "So what do I owe this pleasure Max?"

"I Had a 'heart to heart' with Elise last night. Seems that the Parker you tossed into prison wasn't 'Parker' at all." Max looked out from under furrowed brows, his jaw was flexing in anger.

Mike sat up straighter, "Go on..." He was unsure where Max intended this conversation to go.

"Seems that Elise's 'partner' wanted to see what life would be like on our side of the fence and used a Molecular Transformation Device to alter herself into Parker." He grew quiet as the barmaid returned with their drinks and sat one before each man. Max handed her a credit, "Keep it.", then waited for her to get out of earshot.

Mike leaned forward, "So what happened to the real Parker?"

Max's face reddened with anger, "Damn it Mike, Elise had a hand in stealing that poor guy's identity! She didn't actually do it, but she damn well knew about it!"

"Alright, alright hold on now Max. Elise was beat up pretty bad, that had to account for some of her delay with the information. Come on now, give the girl the benefit of a doubt... at least she came forward." Mike pulled out his writer and began to dictate notes softly into a microphone.

"I suppose you're right." He took a swig of his Ale and returned the three sided glass to the table. "What really is upsetting me is there is a guy out there somewhere imprisoned in the body of a girl and his only crime is that he knew the bitch who trapped him!" His voice grew louder as he spoke.

"You're going to have a stroke, Max... you need to calm down and take a couple of deep breaths." Mike paused his writer and lowered his microphone that he had been dictating into. "Okay, we need to get in touch with the prison and figure out who the hell has Parker's body so we can get it back for him."

"What if whoever has it, doesn't want to give it up?" Max sighed, thinking about the futility of their situation.

"I'm sure we can make a deal with whoever has his body right now.. maybe find them a better one. It'll be okay, so don't sweat it Max." Mike spoke as he set down his drink.

Let me do some checking around, we'll probably need to grease the palm of someone on the inside of the prison system to give us the information.. and maybe to arrange the transfer back." Mike began to count off on his fingers as he was speaking.

Max waived him off, "My baby got involved in this mess, the least I can do is fund our way out." He took another swallow, wincing as the liquid burned going down. "Whatever it costs, I'll pay it. I... we've got to make this right!"

Mike drummed his fingers against the table as he sat deep in thought, "Well, we know that the one guilty party here.. is where he.. she...oh shit, they belong. I frankly hope her life is hell after what she put your daughter and the real guy who's identity she stole through."

"We still have to start at the prison though, if only so we can track down the original Parker's body." Max added.

Mike took a drink from his glass and pushed the glass around on the condensation. "I'll make a couple of calls in the morning when I get into work, you and I can take a trip to the prison once I get the information."

"Do you want to meet here or back at my apartment? It's probably been awhile since you've had a good home cooked meal. Elise is a pretty good cook if she has a mind to it." Max downed the remainder of his drink and stood as Mike stepped out of the booth.

"I can meet you there, if she feels like making anything, it'll be alright to me." He returned his writer to his jacket pocket and began to turn. "Tell her not to go to too much effort on my account though."

Max followed Mike to the door and once outside on the sidewalk, the two friends shook hands. "Thanks Mike for all your help, I really appreciate it!"

"I know you do, Max." Mike smiled and began to head toward his craft.

Max sighed and turned toward his own craft, praying silently that everything would work out after the mess that Leslie had caused had implicated his own daughter.

-Eleven-

A tap on the door caused Max to quickly walk to it, opened it to allow his friend to enter. "Welcome Mike! Come on in. Would you like something to drink?

Max shook his head and followed him back toward his kitchen where Elise was busy stirring a steaming kettle. "Elise, you remember my friend Mike."

"Sure, I do. Hi Mike, has papa offered you a drink yet?" She laid down her spoon and moved toward where they kept the liquor.

"No thank you, Elise." Mike looked toward the floor, even his friend could tell that something was on his mind.

"You look troubled, my friend." Max observed.

Mike inhaled deeply and blew it out. "Checked with the prison today, you know the girl... the one who stole Parker's body."

"Leslie?" Offered Elise.

"Yeah. Well, I found out that her dad was Parker's Captain." He paused for effect, "Remember we arranged it for 'Parker' to have a bit of 'alone time' with the old man. That was when we figured that the real Parker had worked under him..."

Max smiled, "Nice choice of words, Mike."

"Not so nice..." He shook his head and folded his arms across his chest. "Apparently, the girl that Parker had been transformed into was so embarrassed she didn't tell the old man who she was. When he found out later on, he killed himself."

"Oh my God!" whispered Elise as she realized the gravity of what happened, and what of Leslie?"

Max looked at Mike and waited for him to answer, "She's a mess.. she won't eat and is basically starving herself." He looked away, ashamed that he had a part in the whole twisted affair.

Max waited in silence as Elise looked shocked, Max had kept her in the dark about what happened to Leslie. For
all she knew, Leslie was in prison.

"You transformed Leslie.. again?" She glared at her father, she would have rather died than be a woman again!"

"You sound like you still have feelings for her after all she did to you!" He snapped back at her, "Damn it Elise, make up your mind! That bitch beat the holy hell out of you and left you for dead!"

Max spoke quietly, "You probably would have died had we not found you when we did."

She lost her anger, it was as though it seeped onto the floor through her feet. In frustration she tossed the spoon she was stirring with onto the counter. "Okay, I guess I still have feelings for Leslie; but that was
before she became Parker!"

The two men watched her move to the table and take a seat, "Do you know what that MTD does to the transformed female? That means she is pregnant and is most likely carrying her former hosts child. Parker's genetic and biological child."

Max quickly looked at Mike who was nodding. "She is indeed pregnant with Parker's child."

Elise placed her forehead in her hands while she sat at the table, "Mike, if you say she's a mess, we have to get that baby away from her as soon as possible because she WILL kill it!"

"Oh honey, you can't be serious." Max chastised her for assuming the worse.

She lifted her head and stared out into the exterior room, "Long ago, I asked her what she would do if she ever found out she was pregnant, she told me that she would kill herself first before she carried it to term." She looked up at her father, "When I asked her, what she would do if someone forced her to have a baby... she flatly told me she'd choke the life out of it." She lifted her eyes to look at Mike, then glanced toward her own father. "I believed her too."

Max knew the seriousness of his daughters expression. "Okay Mike, what do we do?" The child she carries is
innocent and should be with Parker." He leaned against the counter and addressed his friend.

"Parker is dead." Added Mike. "That was the other thing I found out today." He pulled out a chair and took a seat, Max soon followed.

"You're shitting me. How the hell did that happen?" Max shook his head and frowned. "This keeps going from bad to worse!"

"Mike, you got to pull some strings and get that baby from her. Somehow, someway before she allows them to mine it for genetics." Max had poured himself a drink and walked back to the table, Elise's face washed with horror.

"No!" she gasped, when contemplating what happens to the unborn when they are mined for their genes. "Please Max, you got to intercede... don't allow her to carry that child!"

"No need to worry, I already arranged for a surrogate for the duration of the pregnancy. The child will be safe." He smiled, it seemed to place Elise at ease.

"Since this new information has come to light about her trustworthiness as a parent, I'm going to have her put on a 'watch' program. We legally can't sterilize her, because someday she may actually WANT to experience being a mother." Mike used his writer and jotted down a few notes of their conversation.

Max gave a short laugh, staring into his drink and the reflection of the lighting that rode upon its surface. "It's pretty funny that she hated being a woman, so much that she stole a man's identity. When 'he' ran afoul of the law, 'he' was transformed into a woman as punishment... all the while legal was thinking they were punishing the man, when they were really punishing the woman." He laughed and took a drink.

"Fitting punishment if you ask me." Concluded Mike.

Elise smiled and quickly went back to work on their supper, as she was stirring Mike stood against the counter watching her. "We do have one thing we need to discuss."

"Who? Elise or I?" Max asked.

"All of us." He paused and glanced between the two of them. If we pull the baby out of the system, someone will have to be responsible for it if 'Parker' doesn't want it."

"Speaking of 'Parker', has anyone thought of what he's going to say when he finds out that his former body is dead?" Elise wondered aloud.

"Hey, you never said... how did the host body die?" Max added.

Mike sadly shook his head, "The fool overdosed on some Uraiah 4, that crap is lethal in even the smallest amounts... stupid ass. Less than a week out of prison and he's dead."

"How long? If it isn't too long they can reanimate..." Max began.

Mike broke in before he could finish, "He's been dead almost three full weeks."

"Well, that rules out reanimation then." Max sighed.

"So what will we do if the female that Parker became, won't want the baby?" Mike again allowed his eyes to dart between the father and daughter.

"We'll keep it." Elise replied frankly. "I'm not ready to be a mother yet, but I think 'Parker' has every right to accept.. or refuse his own genetic child."

"You do realize that 'she' will most likely have one of her own since she was transformed too." Max reminded his daughter.

"I hadn't thought of that...oh well, I still want to give him/her the opportunity to make a decision about a genetic child." She began to spoon her concoction out onto plates while her father carried them to the table.

"You heard her Mike, let the chips fall where they may. If Parker doesn't want the child, we'll keep it." Max winked at his daughter as she took her seat at the table.

A Quiet Strength - Trial and Tribulation
by Anon Allsop

-Part Three-

-Twelve-

There was an earthy smell of Spring in the air, snow was melting and Aponi had noticed two birds of the like she had never seen before. There was a bird that she seemed enamored by, bright blue with a dusty orange upon its chest. Another was a bright yellow and had black feathers in its wings, a smattering of white downey feathers covering it's neck. Both birds were occupying upper and lower branches of the same tree, but each seemingly ignored the other.

She stood holding Machk, transfixed by their beauty when she felt someone come along beside her. "Those are the males, they sport great color to attract the female"

"They are gloriously beautiful." She sighed in awe.

"Unlike our people, their beauty is clearly with the males. Their female are dull and often ignored." Aponi glanced over to her mother-in-law, Machk was holding onto the older woman's finger.

Aponi chuckled at her comment about the males being so beautiful as the older woman continued. "It is good that it does not translate too much into our village that way."

"I'm not so sure that that assumption is correct." Aponi said with a laugh, "Etu still puffs out his chest when he sees me." The older woman shrugged her shoulder and laughed as Aponi continued. "His friend Kutkutuk often tries to make himself taller when I am around, and he already towers above Etu."

Etu's mother began nodding, "Yes, you know well, they all want to display for a pretty female...just like those birds." She giggled much like a younger woman and continued, "Although you, by far are their object of attention."

"There is only one that I want to attract, I believe you know who that is." Aponi gave her mother-in-law a knowing smile.

The two began to walk slowly down toward the lake where they carried on their conversation. As they spoke, Machk reached out to his grandmother who pulled him in. "You have given me a strong grandchild."

"He will be a very good man." Aponi smiled sweetly as she watched her son and his grandmother play. The older woman grew quiet and sat down upon a log that lay next to the lake, looking across the open water, there were areas of broken ice still floating. She sat Machk upon her knee and pulled her pelt covering around her shoulders.

"The boy's true father, was he a good man?" She squinted in the glare of the sun as she looked up at Aponi.

"He used to be, long before I was cast here." Aponi sat down and adjusted her fur cloak around the three of them. "He didn't become bad until the very end." She added the half-truth.

"What was he like, before he became bad?" She allowed Machk to suck upon her finger as she held him and kissed the top of his head.

Aponi grew quiet and stared out at the ice as it bobbed in the current, "Park was a kind man, he traveled among the stars, trying to create peace where there wasn't always any." Out of her peripheral she could see the older woman watching her.

"Sure he had a wandering eye, but what man doesn't?" Aponi glanced toward her mother-in-law to watch her expression, she saw none. "I always felt he was a very loyal man, loyal to his... chief and warriors." She put the men into words the older woman could relate to.

"How was he to you?" She asked without looking.

Aponi felt torn, she knew she wanted to defend the Parker she once had been. But that man was gone long ago, she replied the only way she could, and that was from the heart.

"He did not treat me as good as Etu has. Etu is everything to me, and more!" Her eyes drifted down to the ground below her feet, "The only good thing Parker gave to me was Machk."

Her eyes smiled as she looked upon her grandson, "He is a very handsome boy, was his father handsome?"

Aponi laughed, realizing that the line of conversation was making her embarrased. Especially when in essence, she was talking about her former self. "I always thought of him as handsome."

Aponi giggled as Machk tried to remove his grandmother's bottom lip. As she watched the older woman with her son,
she grew quiet and enjoyed their moment of play.

"Mother..." Aponi asked softly after a great lapse of silence.

"Yes child, what is it?" She turned toward the young blonde, recognizing a seriousness in her daughter-in-law's voice.

"I want to thank you for accepting Machk and I into your life so willingly." She smiled at Etu's mother. "Watching you play with Machk as you do, makes what I have to say much easier."

"You are with child, yes?" She interrupted Aponi as she was about to continue. The young mother nodded. "I thought as much, so how long have you suspected?"

"Not long after we had arrived, I realized I had skipped my cycle." Aponi confided, but realized that she had never really had a 'regular' cycle anyway. "I think I am in my second moon." Again she spoke using terms that her mother would understand.

The older woman smiled, "I have had a vision in a dream of this." She looked at Aponi, "You will have this
child when the fruit is ripe on the trees."

Aponi cradled her stomach, happy that finally she could confide in someone. "Did your vision tell you whether it would be a boy or a girl?"

The woman closed her eyes, as if trying to recall an old memory. "You will have a daughter, she will be most beautiful."

"A girl..." Aponi whispered gleefully. "Etu will be so happy."

"Her hair will be darker than yours, but still long and pale. Young braves will flock to woo her attention." She grew quiet and tipped her head slightly, and quickly opened her eyes.

"What is it?" Aponi noticed the reaction of her and naturally wondered aloud.

The older woman shrugged, and patted Aponi's leg. "It is nothing, just an old woman's attempt at trying to read a vision."

"What did you're vision tell you?" She watched her mother-in-law stand, still holding onto Machk. "Is it something I need to worry about?"

She held out her hand and assisted Aponi from the log, "Even I don't always understand my visions, child."

Seeing the worry cloud over Aponi she finally stopped along the trail and collected her thoughts. "There is another female. A daughter but not a daughter.. that I see."

"A niece perhaps?" Aponi offered.

"No. She is of your blood, but not of your blood... it is quite confusing for an old woman." She shook off the vision and again shrugged. "Sometimes it is not for us to know until we are ready... and we're not ready."

Aponi walked the path somewhat bewildered at what she had been told. She knew enough of their visions to trust them, but as a science, they were still unprovable. Her thoughts danced as she began to think of ways to tell Etu of her news, he would be so happy!

-Thirteen-

Max sat quietly in his living room and watched Elise play with the infant. She had her laying upon her back and was leaning forward, allowing her long hair to tickle the young one on her face. He smiled at the sound of the
youngster giggle.

"You are a natural." He said to her, "She has taken to you quite well."

"She's beautiful..." She lifted the infant's shirt and softly blew on her stomach. "Though I can see Parker in her, through her eyes and nose."

"And of the mother?" He asked without thinking.

Elise shrugged, I imagine the auburn hair could be hers, Parker's was more of a dark brown."

Max took a sip of his drink, leaned forward and gently stroked the child's hair, already longer since they had taken her in.

"Papa, Do you think we'll ever find the original Parker?" She began to change the child's soiled diaper as she spoke. "I mean, it'll be alright if we can't...I don't mind."

"Are you taking a shine to the little one?" He said with a knowing smile.

"I think so papa, I've never really wanted to have a child but...now that I have her..." She began.

"Honey, we have to try and find..." He interrupted.

"Why? The girl that the original Parker became, knows nothing of her!" Tears filled her eyes as she attempted to reason with her father. "She will be neither mother OR father to my little girl."

"Elise, it has only been a couple of months..." He sighed, "You knew all along that we were going to try to put her with her genetic father."

"But that's the thing papa, the only genetics that they share would be between a sister or brother!" She scooped the young girl in her arms and leaned against her fathers couch.

"Doesn't she have a right to make that decision? What if she doesn't want to know!" Elise cried into the child's shoulder as she hugged the young girl.

Max scooted closer to the edge of his chair and watched his daughter with the girl, it didn't take anything amazing to realize that she had already bonded with the youngster. Sighing he leaned against the arm of his chair, "I knew this would happen."

She looked up toward her father with sorrowful eyes, tears clinging to her bottom lashes. "Please papa, don't take her from me."

Max grew quiet, his heart torn from what he thought was right, and pleasing his own child. "Motherhood isn't going to be easy for an unmarried woman."

She smiled, "Papa, you know very well that women have been raising children by themselves since time began. Besides, her grandfather will be right there to help her."

"You going to ever give her a name then?" He asked, knowing that his battle with her was already a lost cause. "She can't live out the rest of her life as, 'girl'."

"Mama's name was Rebecca, wasn't it?" Her father nodded and she continued, "We can name her that and call her Becca for short."

Max smiled, gently reaching out to touch his daughters face lovingly. "Your mother would be honored."

At that time, his com began to buzz. Max stood and moved out into the hall. "Max speaking."

"Okay, I had a buddy trace when Leslie got on and off her father's star-ship while it was out on it's mission. Using those coordinates we can pinpoint exactly where they were on the star charts..."

Recognizing the voice as he spoke, "Mike..." Max attempted to interrupt his friend.

"Then the cool thing, I located a young officer that was on the ship...they noticed an anomaly as if someone was trying to transport off the ship..."

"Mike..." He again spoke, trying to break in on his friends excitement.

"I had them check into it and the signature was not of Parker, but of Leslie! Do you know what that means, man?"

"Mike. Elise want's to keep the baby." Max spoke softly.

"What? Do you realize what the hell you're saying?" Mike was exasperated. "All of the work I've done..."

"Won't be wasted, Mike. Keep it and seal it." Max began.

"I've burned up quite a bit of your money trying to find out this much..." His friend groused.

"It will be fine Mike. When Becca turns eighteen, we'll give her the information. If I'm still alive and she
wants to find her, I'll foot the bill." Max reasoned with his friend.

"Are you sure Max, that girl belongs with her true biological parent." Mike was beside himself with concern, "She's going to be asking questions, Max, are either of you prepared to answer them... truthfully?"

"Every single one of them, Mike." Max walked over to a window and looked out across the city, "She may not even question it when the times comes, but if she does, I won't lie."

-Fourteen-
-Epilogue-

Tula spoke softly, as though she feared spooking an animal. "Mother, there is a girl in the woods, near the lake." She gently tapped her mother upon the arm.

Aponi looked down at her youngest daughter, named for her mother-in-law. The correct pronunciation was closer to TOO-laa but to Aponi, she was Tula... like the beginnings of a flower. The name in Oneida meant strength.

"It is probably your big sister, Onawa. Now that she has turned eighteen seasons, she is sneaking out and meeting with Kutkutuk's eldest son, Acahi." She stood and looked down at her youngest, and stroked her long brown hair. Already Tula was quite lovely in her own right.

"No mother, it isn't Onawa.. the girl I saw has hair as red as 'oskana-tu' the deer. Her skin is nearly as pale as yours, mother."

Aponi straightened up and glanced toward where her daughter was pointing. "Take me to where you saw the girl."

Aponi reflected on her family, her children were the only ones in the village that had pale skin. Machk's though was a very dark copper color, more brown than his fathers.

What did puzzle her was the red hair... her own was very blonde, almost white. Machk's was a light brown, while the girls was a deep brown, almost matching their eyes.

Tula led her to a bend of the trail and stepped off, taking a seldom used one toward the water. "I saw her there, mother." Aponi followed her daughters finger.

As the sunlight broke through the trees, dappling the ground she stood on, Aponi caught her breath as a beautiful young woman stood silently amongst the trees. Long auburn hair gently blowing in the soft breeze, her green eyes searching out the noise that the mother and daughter made as they approached.

"Wait here, Tula." She commanded as she slowly began to pick her way through the weeds toward the lone girl.

"Mother?" The female asked in the strange 'long ago' tongue.

Aponi froze, the girl was speaking a language that she had not used in many years. "I am Aponi." She spoke moving slowly toward the very pretty girl, "You are lost?"

"I am not lost, Mother." She held up a strange device in her hand, "I have been tracking your genetic signature, you are my.. family."

"Child, I cannot be your mother. I would remember having you." Aponi said with a laugh. Tula looked at her mother in amazement, she was carrying on a conversation in a language that she had never heard before.

The girl discretely looked at Tula, then again toward Aponi, "I know of Parker, and what Leslie did to him."

Aponi suddenly took a step back, shielding Tula with her body, "Why are you here?" Fear showed in the beautiful woman's blue eyes as she began to slowly back away from the auburn female.

Slowly the girl placed the device she had been holding onto the ground, backing away from it. "I wanted to meet you, and be able to know one of my 'real' parents."

"Child..." Aponi began.

"Becca. My foster mother named me." She interrupted as Aponi continued.

"Becca, how can I be your mother if I did not carry you in my own womb?" Aponi began to step cautiously forward, the item on the ground looked like nothing she had ever seen before.

"You once had the genetics of Parker.. my father."

As she spoke, Aponi felt her knees buckle. She slowly moved toward a log upon the ground. "You carry Parker's genetics?"

"In essence, he was my father." She hesitated before continuing, "You were once him, and now are the only link with my true origin."

Aponi could feel Tula behind her, the girl's small hands upon her narrow shoulders. "But I did not sire you, Becca..."

Becca moved closer and paused, "May I?" She indicated the log with a sweep of her hand. Aponi scooted over, slightly to allow the girl room.

"My true mother died in prison about a year ago, I saw her shortly before her death." She was staring into the weeds as she spoke, then turned to look up at Aponi. "She wanted me to apologize for her... ruining your life the way she did."

"Leslie is dead?" Aponi whispered.

"She, as Parker had beaten my mother up so severely that she nearly died. Not knowing that she once had been a female, they turned her into a woman and as a result of the change, was impregnated with her former body's seed, Parker's during transformation. Fearful of her harming me, I was taken by my foster mother and raised as her own. When I became of age, I was given the information to find you."

"But dead?" Aponi whispered, still reeling from the news of a former love.

"She had been sick for a long time." Becca spoke without any sympathy. "My mother told me what Leslie had done to you, she and grandpa wanted me to come and seek you out, and see if you still lived." She nodded in the direction of the strange device, "That is what helped me locate you."

"I will not go back with you, Becca. My life is here with my family." Aponi's voice trembled as she spoke, so fearful that they were going to try and force her to leave.

Tula leaned near her mother's ear and spoke in the Oneida tongue, "What are you two talking about mother? I can't understand a word you are speaking!"

"Give us some time to talk, Tula. Go wait on the trail for us." Aponi whispered quickly to her daughter.

As she picked her way to the trail, Becca smiled, "She is a lovely girl."

"Her name is Tula, in our language it means Strength." She watched her daughter as she stopped on the trail.

"You have other children then?" Becca asked, her long reddish hair falling off her shoulder, cascading and spilling down across her chest. "One would be older than I am, the one that happened as a result of your initial transformation.

"You speak of Machk, my eldest. He is married now, expecting his first child."

Becca grinned, "You are soon to be a grandmother?" She raised her perfectly formed arches, "You don't appear old enough to be a grandmother."

"I would be fourty-eight... If I counted them." Aponi said with a laugh.

"You still look as though you are in your twenties, I hope I am as lovely as you when I reach your age." Becca observed. "So is Tula your only other child?"

"I have another, a daughter your age named Onawa. It means wide awake in your language. She is aptly named, she kept her father and I awake for long hours nearly every night."

Aponi sat in silence for several long moments, only the breeze blowing was the sound heard. "Becca, you came such a long way..why?"

Becca looked into her hands folded in her lap. "I came to find you... to ask..."

"Ask what?" Aponi asked, glancing back to watch Tula still on the trail.

"I want to learn.. to stay." She quickly looked up, trying to judge Aponi's reaction. "Forever."

"Forever is a long time, Becca." The blonde reminded the girl.

"My foster mother loved me, but as I grew older, she became more interested in... others." Becca frowned and looked away, tears were clinging to her lashes.

Aponi placed her hand upon Becca's shoulder, "The life we have here is hard. What of your grandfather?"

Becca nodded, turning slightly toward Aponi. "He saw that I was unhappy, he insisted that I try and find my one true family. Aponi, I want to belong.. I want a family too, I want to experience the love that a real family brings."

"The Oneida are a simple people, they war against their enemies... and men die. Do you want to put yourself in that sort of life? This life I live isn't a game, men love and love hard. Women must accept their role and embrace it."

"I am prepared. I never want to return to that world, I am here to stay." Becca stood and moved toward a small tree. High above her head was a fork in the branches, there she placed the strange device that she used to find Aponi and wedged it in tightly.

"Are you sure? Once you enter the village, you will be fair game to all the young braves." Aponi could not understand the youth, nor her conviction.

"My life was spiraling out of control out there, I need the guidance of family. I need you, Mother."

Aponi slowly stood, "You will have to learn the language.. everything."

"I will learn if you teach me." Becca sighed deeply, more certain that this decision was the right one.

Aponi nodded, "Come daughter. I will teach you Becca, come with your sister and I and meet your family."

******

The motorized saw bucked in the hand of the line man, "Jesus, that had to hit something!"

As they worked around the great limb, they watched it fall to the ground from the height of nearly ten feet. "Hey Cap? We hit something!"

He glanced at the center of the splintered log, "What the hell is that?"

"I'm not sure but it's trapped in the center of this tree. It'd have to be several hundred years old!" He began to pick at it with a screwdriver, as he did it started falling apart. "It won't come out unless its in pieces."

"The motorized saw tore it up considerably, that's too bad." He rolled it off and onto the ground, "It'd be interesting to know how it got inside that tree."

As the two linemen stood looking at the strange object trapped inside the log, their boss walked past. "You two going to marry this job... come on, get back to work and let's get it done!