Title: To the Future
Author: YS McCool
Rating: PG
Date: 9 June 1998
Series: Upgrade #17
Warnings: Declarations of love (agape and Eros) and family
throughout
Summary: Jim has an important question for Claudia.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Sentinel characters, nor do I
make a claim on them.  Established characters are the
property of Pet Fly Productions.  Original characters are
the sole property of the author.



                          Upgrade # 17
                         To The Future
                          By YS McCool


"Why did she only get ten years?" Joyce Vecchio asked Jim. 
"I mean, she tried to kill Simon.  A man that splendid must
be protected."

Ellison rolled his eyes.  "Tatum had some kind of mental
breakdown," he explained.  "After eighteen months in a
mental care facility, she has to spend the rest of her
sentence on a prison world."

"Then, if she's smart, she'll never 'recover'," Joyce said
sarcastically.

"I doubt she could fool the psychics."  The officer looked
around the small 'bridge' area of the ancient ship.  "I
can't believe that this ship is not in a museum," the
sentinel said as he steadied Joyce.  

Joyce struggled to remove the panel she needed.  "Space
ships have an amazingly long shelf life.  If properly
maintained, they can last centuries."  The engineer turned
slightly and allowed Ellison to lower her to the ground. 
"Thanks.  It's good to see all those muscles aren't just for
show."

Jim smiled down at the engineer.  When he had seen her list
of credentials, he thought that he would have been
intimidated by her, but from the moment he saw her sparkling
hazel eyes he knew he would like the woman.  "My ultimate
goal is to decorate the bedroom walls of countless preteen
girls."

Joyce pushed her straight shoulder-length dark brown hair
behind her ears and put on a pair of sight enhancing gold-
rimmed glasses.  "Sign me up for six autographed copies." 
Gingerly, she opened the panel.  "Better yet, why don't you
just come by my place every once in a while and pose for
me?"

"You would have to feed me," Jim warned, "and you might want
to ask Blair how expensive that can be."

The engineer extracted a lock of golden blonde hair from the
panel that held the ship's nameplate.  "Bingo."  She held
the lock aloft.  "I'm sure that a genetic scan will reveal
that this came from the head of one Frederick Martin
Ellison."  She placed the hair in a specimen bag and sealed
it.

Jim let out a whoop, grabbed Joyce, and twirled her around. 
"Thank you."  He placed the woman on her feet after he
kissed her lips.

Joyce's pale skin darkened to a deep red.  "You're *very*
welcome."

"What's all that noise?" Blair asked from the level above
them.  The doctor poked his head through the opening of the
drop tube, letting his long hair hang down like a curtain.

"Joyce found the lock of hair Frederick said he placed
behind the ship's nameplate," Jim announced.

Blair dropped down the tube, executed a perfect tuck and
roll, and landed neatly on the balls of his feet.  Someday,
Jim was going to find out where Sandburg had learned low-G
maneuvers like that.  

The doctor scanned the hair and waited.  "It's a match. 
This is from Frederick."

Brandy Hunter rose from the maintenance crawlspace with a
small metal box.  "Look what I found.  It's their sample
case."

Ellison lifted the ancient box and opened the lid.  The
value of the ores and gems inside were nothing compared to
the value of the simple plaque on the inside of the lid.  

"'To Damien, my dearest friend, my partner, and the other
half of my soul.  Love always, Frederick'," Jim read, with
tears in his eyes.

Blair pulled the larger man into his arms, and they hugged.  
"Okay, now we both have got to stop crying, or Briggs will
clean us out for a price."

Brandy filmed the two men supporting each other.  Joyce
walked over and leaned down.  "If I don't get a copy, I will
hunt you down," she threatened.

"It's just an archive, Joyce," Brandy insisted, innocently.

"And your point is?" Vecchio demanded.

Brandy sighed.  "You'll get a copy."  She smiled--a little
knowing smile.  "If you think that they're in a lovefest
now, wait until I show them the old navigation room."

Jim dashed over and bodily lifted Hunter up until they were
nose-to-nose.  "What's in the old navigation room?"

The grad student swallowed nervously.  "Damien decorated the
walls with a mural, the subject of which was mostly him and
Frederick."

Ellison whooped again, kissed the dangling young woman on
the mouth, set her down gently, and ran off.


Blair watched his friend scurry away.  "1, 2, 3."  He
pointed at the door just as Jim popped his head back in.

"Which way is the old navigation room?"  Ellison asked,
while Sandburg mouthed the words.

Brandy pointed to the maintenance shaft that she had been
occupying.  "Down two levels, then take the corridor to the
right.  It's the door at the end of the corridor, room B12."

Jim dropped down the shaft.  The three people left on the
bridge watched him descend, then they laughed.

                  ====<><><><>===<><><><>====


"So you spent one whole week alone with Blair and Jim,
and...?" Chuck prompted.

Brandy sighed.  It was her fifth interrogation in the last
hour.  "The ship was still in working order, we were able to
authenticate that it was indeed The Rock Hard, and Blair's
foundation purchased it.  End of story."

Chuck frowned.  "That's it?"

"They were perfect gentlemen," Brandy declared.  "Their
behavior was beyond reproach at all times."

The receptionist patted her hand.  "I'm sorry," he said very
sympathetically.

"Do you seriously think I stand a chance against one of the
most dangerous women to draw breath?" Brandy asked
seriously.

"Maxine wouldn't kill you," Chuck promised.

Brandy tapped her foot impatiently.  "I'm not talking about
Maxine."

"Jet would be a problem, but I have faith in your ability to
hide," Chuck said, grinning big.

Brandy rolled her eyes.  "I'm talking about Claudia," she
explained.

"Claudia?  You've got to be kidding," Chuck declared.  "The
woman is half your size."

Brandy shook her head sadly.  "Chuck, how could you have
worked for Blair Sandburg all this time and not understand
the might of the Sandburg brain?  Claudia would do me in
with my own home appliances.  A train would suddenly take
off with me as its only passenger and crash into the sea." 
Brandy leaned closer.  "She would never dirty her own
hands."

At that moment, Blair strolled in, pushing Maxine ahead of
him.  "Come on, kid.  A few pokes, a little prodding, a yelp
or two, and it's all over."

"Would whining save me?" the young officer inquired, batting
her lashes and attempting a pout.

"No, but it might get you spanked," the doctor said sternly,
as he gazed up at the much larger woman.

Chuck was the first one to laugh, but not by much.  He and
Brandy leaned on each other while gasping for air.

Tate quivered her lip.  "Please don't spank me, big
brother."

"That's better," Blair replied.  They walked into his
office.

"How does he do that?" Brandy asked.  "She looks like she
could snap him like a graham cracker.  Maxine doesn't strike
me as the kind of woman to cower before any kind of
intimidation."

"He's her big brother, she shows him respect in all things. 
End of story," Fraser explained.


Blair put on his white lab coat, popped on his sight-
enhancing glasses, and began the examination.  For a
marriage certificate, Maxine needed a full medical and
genetic work up.  The results of which *must* be given to
her intended husband.  

Tate had a distaste for examinations in general, and he'd
had to strong-arm her into his office.  He completed the
required examinations as quickly as possible.

"Well, you can get dressed now," he said as he placed his
reader into his upload slot.

"Don't keep me in suspense, doctor.  Will I live?" Maxine
asked.

"For a very long time," Sandburg responded immediately. 
"You are in incredible condition.  I see no problem with you
starting a family right away."

"Not you, too?" Maxine asked, her patience with the
Rosenberg Baby Watch obviously at an end.

"It's the Rosenberg in me, Maxine," Blair tried to explain. 
"You have to remember, until Daryl came along I was the baby
of the clan.  Robert will be the first one of our generation
to get married.  We could die out!"  He kissed her cheek. 
"No pressure."

"Riiiiiiiigggghhhhttt," she droned.  "You know, Jet has the
hips of a first-class baby maker."

"Something my mother, aunt, and grandmothers have taken
great pains to point out."  Blair bent over his datapad
after puffing a lock of hair out of his eyes.

Maxine dressed.  "How's my skull?"

"Not even a hint that it was once cracked, literally," Blair
replied happily.  "Damn, I'm good."  Sandburg watched the
readout of genetic compatibility between Robert and Maxine. 
"You're totally compatible with Robert," he announced.

Maxine smiled.  "I think so."

"I *meant* genetically speaking," Blair explained.  "I've
never seen such a high end chart in someone not from
Riverworld."

"Smile when you mention that place."  She twisted her braid
back into place.  "I still say we should load up and extract
a little more vengeance out of that bunch over what they did
to Jim."

"Let it go, Maxine.  The war is over, and we won."  Blair
was only listening with half an ear.  Maxine's gene chart
was off the scale for expected "normal" readings.  "Sweetie,
both your parents are from Camelot, right?"

"And all four grandparents," Maxine announced.

"Great-grandparents?" Blair inquired.

"Ah, let's see.  One was born on Earth, one was born on
Mars, and the rest were born on Camelot."  Maxine paused,
speculatively.  "Why do you ask?"

Blair kept looking at his readings.  "Your gene chart is
really special."

She knelt down beside Blair.  "Is there something wrong with
it?"

"No, it's just so... clean."  Blair ran a diagnostic on his
datapad.  "You don't have a single recognized gene sequence
for genetic disease, premature aging, or even hair loss."

"Is that bad?" she asked, sounding young and worried.

"No, Honey," Blair promised.  "It just has me curious.  Too
bad that you don't have any biological brothers and
sisters."

"I've always wanted siblings," Maxine responded, "but
according to Mom, they were lucky to have me."

"Oh?"

"She had a lot of trouble getting and staying pregnant.  She
lost one before she had me, and one after."  Maxine sounded
so sad as she reported the demise of these siblings she
would never get to know.  Most people thought Maxine was all
about the job, but those people didn't enjoy the privilege
of being Maxine's big brother.  He touched her cheek and
sent his love and support to her empathically.  Maxine
seemed to draw strength from it, or maybe it was just his
presence.  "The doctors advised her against trying again."

"Do you think she would mind me having her medical charts
looked at by an obstetrical expert?" Blair asked.  "That's
the kind of thing your doctors should know when you and
Robert try to start your family."

"No, she won't mind," Maxine assured him.  "She's just as
anxious for those grandchildren as Helaine is."

"I doubt *anyone* is as anxious as Helaine," Blair insisted. 
"Except Naomi."


                  ====<><><><>===<><><><>====


"Jim is here," Chuck announced scant seconds before Ellison
shot through Blair's door.  

"Ready to go?" Jim asked, anxiously.

Any thoughts of lingering over his coffee while reading the
editorial section of his cyber-newspaper were pushed aside--
his Sentinel needed him.  The doctor took a last sip, then
grabbed his backpack.  "Always, Buddy."  They headed to the
train station.

"I really appreciate your going with me for this," Jim said
enthusiastically.

"Hey, it's no problem," Blair responded, warmed by Jim's
enthusiasm.  They routed themselves to San Francisco and the
finest jewelry store on the planet.

Blair smiled as Jim nearly zoned on the literature about the
significance of stones, sizes, clarity, etc.  

"How are you supposed to choose?" Ellison asked.

Blair grinned.  "You know what you want, what you have to
spend, and Claudia's ring size."

"Oh, no!" Jim shrieked in a full-blown panic.

"She wears a four," Blair said soothingly.

Jim breathed a *huge* sigh of relief.  "I bet you know your
Great-Aunt Marie's hat size."

Blair had never been afraid of a challenge.  "She's a size
5, never wears white, and prefers a wide brim."

Jim gaped.  "How do you know that?"

"I like to retain things about the people I love," Blair
explained.

"What size hat do I wear?"  Ellison asked, softly.  If that
wasn't a 'do you love me?' then Blair had never heard one.

"You wear a size 14, love old-fashioned baseball caps,
prefer natural colors and defunct teams.  You will only wear
fully washable items, and they must be weather resistant,"
Blair ticked off.

"I'm impressed," Jim declared, which equated to as 'thanks
for telling me you love me'.  A good Guide understood these
signals from his Sentinel.

The ride to downtown San Francisco was busy, with lots of
people getting on and off the train.  Blair led the way to
Lorelei's Jewelry store.  The manager, a tall, dark woman
named Jackie wearing elaborate braids, greeted them.

"Well, gentlemen, what can I get for you?" she asked.

"We're looking for an engagement ring, in a size four," Jim
announced.

"I think the gentleman would wear at least an eight," Jackie
said, as she lifted up Blair's left hand.  "Possibly a
nine."

Sandburg started to laugh.  "I wear a nine, but I'm not the
intended."

"I apologize," the manager said, with a smile.

"It's all right," Jim said.  "If we were getting engaged, I
would insist that *he* pay for the rings because I would
want a supreme rock on this hand."  Ellison waved his left
hand.

"And you would get it," Blair assured his friend.

Jim grinned.  "You really do indulge me, Chief.  You're just
making life harder on Claudia when she has to break me of
all my bad habits."

"I just can't resist you, Jim.  You're just so darned cute." 
The two friends laughed.

"Well, what would you like to spend?" the manager asked.

Ellison named his figure, then he and Blair were seated and
shown several beautiful and individual rings.  After having
looked for almost an hour, he chose a diamond and bloodstone
set.

"I would like to see the gentlemen's solitaire earrings,"
Blair requested, once Jim had made his purchase.

"Is there anything in particular you would like to see?"
Jackie asked.

"Something to complement his eyes and coloring."  Blair
pointed to Jim.  "Price is not a consideration," the doctor
added.

Jackie, with the light of a big commission in her eyes, went
into the vault to bring back the finest solitaires the store
had to offer.

"Chief, have you lost your mind?" Jim hissed.

Blair put his arm around the taller man's shoulders.  "I
have been totally remiss in bestowing proper gifts upon my
Shield.  I intend to correct that."

"But, Blair--"

"Hush," Sandburg said softly.  "Let me do this because I
want to, and for no other reason."

Jackie returned with a tray of exquisite solitaire earrings. 
After having Jim model six of them, he narrowed his choices
down to two and bought them both.  

With his purchase secure in his pocket and one of his new
earrings in his ear, Jim was treated to an excellent meal at
one of the finest restaurants in the city, Silver Bells, and
that was saying something in this city of gourmands.

Jim gently squeezed his friend's left arm.  "Chief, I want
to thank you for holding my hand during this.  It means a
lot to me."

"You're my Shield, Jim.  There's nothing I wouldn't do for
you."  Blair ordered the wine.  "Let's get a room at the
Fairmont and head back in the morning."

"Sounds like a plan," Jim agreed.


The next morning, Jim and Blair had a great time riding the
cable cars, tormenting a couple of mimes in the park, and
stuffing themselves while hanging out at Fisherman's Wharf.

When they arrived back in Cascade, they locked Claudia's
ring in the vault, then headed to the tri-ball game to see
Janice Taggart, a young lady Jim had known since she was
barely in her teens, in action.

The woman was amazing, and they nearly yelled themselves
hoarse as she led the Cascade Otters to an 8 to 2 victory
over the World Champion Los Angeles Quakes.  This victory
led, in perfectly logical steps, to Blair and Jim hosting a
party at the Down and Out Sports Bar for the Otters, their
families, friends, and anyone else who could squeeze onto
the premises.

Blair kept his head by writing the words "fertility dance"
on his right hand so that he could see it every time he
lifted his glass.  

Jim, however, was in a jolly mood.  "Janice, you are
amazing.  Just amazing.  I can't believe you're the same
scrawny kid who used to come to HQ."

"I was never scrawny," the tri-ball player corrected.

"I could have picked my teeth with you," Jim insisted.

"Jim!" Janice protested.

Ellison put his arm around the athlete.  "We have got to
work out together.  Come over to our place.  Blair fixed me
up this great exercise room in the basement.  It has
everything you could want--resistance machines, a massage
table, ropes, walkers, rings, and a stationary bike."

"Sounds like a plan," Janice replied.

"Ready to work the old man into the dirt?" Jim asked.

"You're not old, Uncle Jim, just seasoned," she said softly.

"Ack, ack.  You cruel child."  Jim laughed and hugged the
young lady.  "Joel, you didn't raise her right.  She's
making me feel old."

Commander Taggart looked past the beautiful woman who was
chatting him up.  "Don't make him feel old, dear."

"Hey, Blair, Rafe's outside the doors," Foley called.

"Let him in!" Blair yelled back.  He hadn't seen Rafe since
just before the Olympics.  The gold medalists had been swept
off to do a four-planet tour.  RO was exceptionally proud to
have a medal winner from the ranks and had bent over
backwards to accommodate the tour.

Rafe was hugged and kissed as he made his way through the
crowd.  

"I love you, man," Jim announced as he fell on the slightly
smaller officer.

"Oof," Jason complained.  "Had a few, Jim?"

"I'm not flying," the lieutenant said defensively.

"And a good thing, too," Rafe replied while patting Jim's
back.

Blair greeted his medal-winning friend while keeping an eye
on Jim.  "Looks like I need to take him home."  Ellison was
clearly about a sheet and a half to the wind.

"Need any help?" Foley asked.

"No, I can handle him," Blair insisted.  "I'll probably have
my hair ruffled a few times, but it's nothing I haven't had
to deal with before."  He walked over to the pool table
where Jet was relieving her fellow officers and a few
members of the team of their hard earned money.  "Love, I
have to take Jim home.  He's reached level three of
silliness."

"Okay, love, I'll see you tomorrow."  They kissed.

"Breaking up the party?" Goldberg asked.

"Oh, no.  You guys have a good time," Blair insisted.  "I'll
take care of the bill."

"This was awful generous of you, Blair," Joel said,
admiringly.  "I really appreciate you doing this for
Janice."

"Joel, three games represents the longest winning streak the
Otters have had in four years.  That's worth a party." 
Blair went to the manager and paid the bill.  It was steep,
but more than worth it.

Jim was easily maneuvered to the car.  "Night, night," he
called to no one in particular.  Most of the crowd waved
back, all obviously amused by Blair having to handle Jim.

"Here we go, Buddy," Blair said softly.

Ellison swept the smaller man in his arms and kissed the top
of his head.  "I love you, man."

"Love you too, Jim."  Blair pried the larger man off and
placed him in the car.

Ellison indulged himself with another grab, kiss, squeeze,
and some nuzzling.  "You're the best thing that has ever
happened in my life, Blair.  You saved me, made me whole,
kept me sane, and introduced me to Claudia.  I don't think
I've told you how much your friendship and guidance have
meant to me."  

"Thanks, Jim.  Can you let go now?" Blair asked nicely.

Ellison ruffled the smaller man's hair and giggled at the
mess he made of it.  "Uh, oh, Mr. Tony will not be pleased
to see what has happened to your hairstyle."

"Mr. Tony is the least of my worries at the moment." 
Sandburg pried himself loose and landed on his butt in the
parking lot.  "Ow."  He got to his feet and came around to
the driver's side.

Jim grabbed the smaller man for another round of cuddles and
petting.  "You're the best, Blair.  The absolute best!  And
I don't care who knows it."

"Get a room," a passerby complained.  The stranger tried the
door, even though the words "private party" were clearly
displayed.  "What the hell?"

"Hey," Jim called to the man.  "If you hadn't been so rude,
we might have told them to let you in, but not now!" 
Ellison turned to Blair.  "Let's go home."

Sandburg took off before something happened.  Something
embarrassing and possibly violent.  "Jim, are you nervous
about tomorrow?"

"I'm scared spit-less," Jim admitted.

"That she'll say no, or that she'll say yes?" Blair,
confused.

"Both.  You represent the longest real relationship I've
ever had.  You're my first real partner.  I've had crew,
squads, colleagues, and friends, but I've never had a true
partner before you.  Now I want to ask the most wonderful
woman in the world to take a chance on forever with me.  If
she says no, I'll be heartbroken."   Jim pouted.  It was a
pathetic sight.

"And if she says yes?" Blair asked, hoping to get his friend
in a happier frame of mind.

"Then, I'll be worried that I will mess it up," Jim
admitted.  "She deserves better than me."

Blair decided not to grind his teeth.  "Jim, I don't think
there is anyone better than you for my cousin.  Claudia
loves you, man.  She wouldn't have gotten to this point with
you if she didn't.  I've known my cousin all her life.  You
are the perfect man for her."

"You mean that?" Jim asked, sounding surprised.

"I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it," Blair assured his
friend.

"Thanks, Chief."  He ruffled the smaller man's curls again;
further destroying any resemblance to the hairstyle Sandburg
had been sporting earlier.

Blair ran his hands through his hair, and every curl fell
back into place.  This seemed to fascinate Jim, because he
spent the rest of the flight messing up and smoothing back
Sandburg's hair.  He actually whined when Blair landed the
vehicle and exited, taking his locks out of Jim's range.

"Here we go," the doctor said, as he guided his much larger
friend up the stairs.  He got Jim to the bed and undressed
him while the wall held the man up.  "Nice boxers," Blair
said, when he saw the Ellison tartan-decorated garment.

"Claudia gave them to me."  He modeled.  "Aren't they
great?"  Jim fell onto the bed with all the grace of a
toddler just learning to walk.

"Lovely."  Blair tucked the heavier man into bed. 
"Goodnight."

"Don't go," Jim said softly.

"Are you feeling ill?" Blair asked, using his oldest medical
equipment, his hands, to check his friend for fever.

"No, I'm feeling human," Jim admitted while peering up at
Blair through his lashes.  Who knew the man had such a 'help
me' look in his arsenal?

Blair smiled.  When they had first met, he couldn't have
tortured such an admission or a look out of Jim.  He
undressed and climbed in with his friend.  "Then I'll be
right here."

Jim wrapped his arms around the smaller man and snuggled
against his back.  "Thanks, Blair."  He looked at the
doctor's hand that was holding his.  "Why do you have
'fertility dance' written on your hand?"

"It kept me out of trouble," Blair explained.  "Every time I
hoisted up my glass, I could read the words of warning quite
easily."

Blair intertwined their fingers and held the larger man's
hands gently.  Their study of Frederick and Damien had
confirmed something he had theorized--physical contact on a
regular basis strengthened their bond and made them a much
more effective team.

Jim snored softly against Blair's shoulder.

                  ====<><><><>===<><><><>====


Blair looked over the reports on his screen.  How was he
going to tell Maxine this?  But he had no choice.  Full
disclosure really meant *full* disclosure.

"Officer Tate is here," Chuck announced.  "Looking very
yummy, too," he added in a whisper.  Sometimes his
receptionist forgot that being out of uniform didn't mean an
RO's chip was shut down.  Maxine heard the aside but chose
to pretend she hadn't.  Those kinds of skills were hard for
some RO to learn.

"Send her right in," Blair called.

Maxine came into the office, looking very beautiful in the
dark blue cocktail dress that she was wearing to the family
tea.  Yummy didn't quite convey exactly how lovely his
little sister looked.

"Hi, Blair.  Why is Chuck here on a Sunday?" Maxine inquired
as she crossed the office.  Dresses were Maxine's friends. 
They emphasized her small waist, tight abs, and long legs. 
Too bad she spent so much time in a uniform.

"He's doing some personal research, and I told him that he
could use the clinic's facilities on the weekends."  Blair
pointed to the chair sitting in front of his desk.  "Have a
seat, my dear."

"Okay."  She sat down and crossed her long legs.  "What's
wrong?"

Sandburg took a deep breath.  "First, the reason your mother
had such a hard time getting and staying pregnant was the
results of an injury she had taken when she was a teenager. 
A tournament of some kind, as I understand it."

"She took a lance to the abdomen," Maxine recounted.  "It
was an illegal move, but that didn't lessen the damage she
took."

Blair nodded.  "When the surgeons repaired the injury, it
left a weakness in her uterus where the lining was not as
strong.  Nothing to worry about unless the embryo attached
in that area.  Which all of her pregnancies did, with the
exception of you."

"So I have no inherited abnormalities to worry about as far
as carrying a baby to term?" Maxine asked.

"Right," Blair agreed.

"Then what's that look on your face about?" Maxine asked
suspiciously.

"I know how you feel about Riverworld, so I *really* don't
want to tell you this..."

"What?" Maxine asked.  The tough officer facade was gone;
suddenly replaced with a young, vulnerable, and frightened
young woman Blair wanted to protect from the harsh realities
of the world.

Blair took Maxine's hand and held it firmly.  "Your great-
grandmother, Cora, wasn't from Earth.  She was born on
Riverworld, and when her family was wiped out during a clan
war, she was evacuated to Earth."

Maxine frowned.  "She never told me that, and Cora loves to
tell stories of harrowing escapes."

"She probably doesn't know, as she was only two-years-old at
the time," Blair replied, still refusing to release Maxine's
hand.  "But the upshot is that you have Riverworld genes."

Maxine sat there in shock.  She gazed down at the beautiful
sapphire and diamond engagement ring, which had been in the
Rosenberg family for over three hundred years, on her
finger.  She took it off.  "It's over."

"What?" Blair asked, astonished.  He expected Maxine to be
upset, but to suddenly refuse to marry Robert, that came out
of left field.

"There is no way the Rosenbergs will allow Robert to marry
me when they find out.   Who would want Riverworld Master
Race genes in their family?"  She started to cry.  "I'll
lose him."

Blair got up and came around the desk.  Doctor-patient time
was over, this was Big Brother-Little Sister time now. 
"Maxine, that's not going to happen."  He took the younger
woman into his arms.  "No one in the family will hold this
against you."

"No one would trust someone from Riverworld," Maxine said,
the word Riverworld sounding like the most vile of curses
coming from her mouth.  It was touching because Blair knew
all of the venom came strictly from Jim being injured by
someone from that planet while the rest of the citizens
allowed it to happen.  You could never fault the woman for
her loyalties.

"Maxine, you are *not* from Riverworld.  You are from
Camelot.  You were raised with their values, and it shows in
*everything* you do."  He lifted her chin.  "Do you think I
would have stood by and let my dear cousin fall in love with
you if I didn't think you were worthy?"  He gently wiped
away her tears with his handkerchief.  "Do you think I would
declare myself the big brother of someone I wouldn't lay
down my life for?"

Maxine shook her head no.  "Oh, Blair, I'm so scared.  I
don't know what I would do if he left me."

"Robert's not going anywhere, Sweetie.  It's just not going
to happen.  He is *devoted* to you.  I will bet you any
amount of money this will not mean a thing to the man."  He
dabbed at her face.  "Now go clean up, and we'll leave
together.  It's a good thing you don't wear cosmetic
enhancements; your face would be smeared."

"I've never needed any."  She rose from her chair.  "Thanks
for being here for me, Blair."

"Always, love, always," Blair soothed.  "Now run along.  We
need to get moving.  This is Helaine's first tea party in
her new home, and that can be very traumatic."

"What do you think she will say about this?" Maxine asked,
shifting her fear from Robert to Helaine.

"That being extra strong means she can expect *two*
grandchildren out of you," Blair answered.  "Helaine is very
practical."

                  ====<><><><>===<><><><>====


As Simon adjusted his hosting jacket over his silk shirt,
his son poked his head into the master bedroom.

"Dad, did you see this outfit Helaine laid out for me?"
Daryl asked, sounding worried.

Simon admired the smart looking jacket and trousers.  The
colors complemented his son's coloring; the cut was
fantastic, and the fit superb.  "What's wrong with it?"

"It makes me look high society," Daryl explained, still
leaving Simon very much in the dark.

"And this is bad because?" Simon prompted, hoping this
wouldn't turn into one of their long-winded discussions. 
The family was due any second and Jim would eat the
furniture if he wasn't fed on time.

"I'm entirely *not* high society," Daryl said hopelessly. 
He was mere seconds from fidgeting, and someone his size
should avoid fidgeting at all costs.  It made him look like
he was standing on an electrified grill.

Simon smiled.  "When in Rome and all."  He put his arm
around his child.  Lord, when did they become so close in
height?  It seemed like only yesterday that Simon could
carry his son on his shoulders and he had to check under the
bed for whatever monster the kid had invented.  "So why
don't you tell me the real reason the clothes make you
uncomfortable?"

"Are you sure that you're only ranked as a psi 4?" Daryl
asked suspiciously.

Simon smiled.  "That's better than most of the population,
Daryl.  But I don't need to be a psychic to know my son. 
What's wrong?"

Daryl waved at his clothes.  "In my own clothes, if I make a
social mistake, it's not so bad.  People aren't expecting me
to know everything, but in these clothes I look so much the
part, that every mistake really stands out."

Simon hugged his son.  "Daryl, the people coming to this
house are our friends and family.  Despite all their money,
education, traveling, etc, etc, etc, they have *never*
treated us with anything less than total respect and love. 
Putting on fancy new clothes will not make them think you've
suddenly swallowed some etiquette book.  Make your mistakes
and learn."

Helaine walked into the room from her bath.  She was dressed
in a light blue robe with matching slippers.  "You're not
completely dressed, Daryl."  Daryl was still sporting bare
feet and his face was unshaven.  "I need you downstairs to
keep Jim away from the buffet until we are ready to serve."

"I'm not that brave," Daryl confessed.

"And shave," she added in a very motherly tone.

"I was thinking about growing a beard," the young man said,
as he stroked his chin.

"And cover that gorgeous face?"  She squeezed Daryl's chin.
"I don't think so."

"Ah, Mom," Daryl complained.  "It would look great."

Helaine wrapped her arms around her son and sniffled. 
"Thanks."

"For what?" Daryl asked.

"It's the first time you've called me Mom."  She wiped her
eyes with the sleeve of her robe.

"It's the first time you sounded like one.  Until now,
you've been perfectly sane."  After a pause, Daryl dashed
away.

Simon covered his mouth.

"Don't you dare laugh," Helaine warned.

Simon tried, he really did, but he couldn't stop himself. 
He laughed.

                  ====<><><><>===<><><><>====


"Okay, here's the plan.  I leave, and you ask her.  Okay?" 
Blair looked at his nearly panic stricken friend.  Jim had
broken into a sweat and was going to need a shower, and
possibly a sedative.  "Jim?  Jim?  Are you okay?"

"Oh, God, she's here.  Hawthorne just let her in," Jim
reported as if a monster straight out of HP Lovecraft had
just been given free reign over the house.

"Okay, Jet, Maxine, and I will make ourselves scarce," Blair
announced, hoping it would spur his action-oriented friend
into making his stand.

"Don't leave me!"  Jim clutched Blair hard enough to make
the smaller man moan.

"Okay, okay, okay.  Just let me breathe," Blair begged.

Jim *slightly* relaxed his grip.  "Better?"

"A little."  Blair managed to extract himself from his
Shield's grasp.  "Calm down.  Listen to the sound of my
voice, Jim.  You are calm and centered.  All will be well. 
Take my hand, and we will go downstairs."

Jim patted the jeweler's box in his pocket, then took
Blair's hand.  The two men went downstairs and greeted
Claudia.

His cousin was dressed in a dark green cocktail dress that
flattered her figure.  Her dark brown, and recently
highlighted, hair was loose, the way Ellison preferred it,
and her blue eyes were sparkling.

"Hello, love," she said as she stood on tiptoe for a kiss.

Blair shooed Jet and Maxine across the street and deftly
ignored two signals from Claudia to beat it.  Finally, his
cousin reached into her purse and went down on one knee.

"James Michael Ellison, will you marry me?"  She opened the
small box and held it toward the Sentinel.

Blair nudged his friend, who was smiling, but not speaking. 
"Jim?  Jim?  Claudia asked you a very important question. 
Jim?"

Sandburg sighed and extracted the ring box from Jim the
Statue's pocket.  He opened the box and held it toward his
cousin.  "Claudia, Jim's lost his mind, and I apologize for
him.  He was about to ask you to marry him, but he's
currently without mental resources.  Would you marry my
Shield?"

"Yes," Claudia answered as she accepted the ring and placed
it on her finger.  

Blair took the ring that Claudia offered and placed it on
Jim's finger, the other man still had not moved.  "I speak
for Jim, and he accepts."

"Should I kiss you instead of him?" she asked.

"Over his dead body," Jim answered, before pushing Blair
aside and pulling Claudia into his arms to kiss her
thoroughly.

"Just a warning, dear cousin," Blair said.  "He is *very*
possessive of his Sandburgs."

                  ====<><><><>===<><><><>====


Blair greeted his family as he entered Simon and Helaine's
home.  

"Where's Jim?" Simon asked, as he accepted the lemon cake
that Blair had brought with him.

"He and Claudia will have an announcement when they arrive,"
Blair replied, but not as cryptically as he'd hoped.

The family cheered, and Helaine disappeared downstairs to
get some champagne to chill.

Frederick and Dorothy, Claudia's parents, were chattering
excitedly about the expected announcement, and they pretty
much ignored Blair as they started the wedding plans.  There
was *no* way Jim and Claudia were going to be allowed to
elope.  Plans would be made, and all the rituals would be
observed.

Since Jim was his Shield, Blair would have many duties to
perform for a wedding, including funding the honeymoon and
making the down payment on their first home.  Since they
were all going to be living together, he decided that he
would buy them a vacation home instead.  

He made his way to Maxine's side, where she was waiting for
Robert to end his phone conversation.  He stroked the young
woman's hand.

"Sorry about that," Robert said.  "It was a report from The
Nova."

"Where is your ship now?" Blair asked.

"The Adolphus Rim," Robert answered.

Blair was impressed.  They had made it to the Adolphus Rim,
a ten-year trip, in less than a year.  The best part was
that they were still in full communications with the
prototype ship.  The huge investment he had made in Robert's
design would really pay off in a few years.

"How long will they be staying there?" Maxine asked, showing
her keen interest in Robert's project.

"It depends on what is needed at the Madame Curie Research
Station," Robert answered.  "The Nova is carrying equipment
and supplies for them."

Blair nodded.  It would have been a sin to waste the ship's
ability to give support to the loneliest research station in
the Human Sphere.  "Rob, Maxine and I need to speak to you
privately."

Rosenberg raised his eyebrows but nodded.  The trio went
into the study and closed the door.  "Is something wrong?"

"During my genetic work up, Blair found something," Maxine
began.  There was no hesitation in her voice, but Blair
could feel her nervousness and noted that Robert obviously
felt it, too.

Robert pulled Maxine into his arms and kissed her soundly. 
"We'll adopt, baby.  Don't worry about that."  Robert only
knew that Maxine's report was being held up until her mother
had gone through an extensive obstetrical work up, not
Maxine's genetic heritage, in this case coming from her
father, was in question.

Blair smiled.  He knew it would be *damn* hard to take
Maxine away from Robert.  "That's not the problem, Rob.  You
and Maxine are totally compatible."

Robert pulled back.  "Are you ill?"

"No, no. I'm *beyond* healthy," Maxine assured Robert.

Robert paused while he tried to process what he was hearing
with the emotions so plainly written on Maxine's face. "Then
I don't understand."

Maxine took a deep breath.  "Blair found out that my great-
grandmother, Cora, was born on Riverworld and that I carry
that genetic inheritance."

"And?" Robert prompted, still not understanding.

"That was it," Maxine said in a worried tone.

Robert sighed.  "Lord, you had me terrified that something
was wrong."  He kissed his beloved and stroked the back of
her head.  "Despite all they want us to believe, people born
on Riverworld are still just people.  They are no more
phenomenal than thoroughbred horses that are faster because
of selective breeding.  You're much more special because of
who you are, not because of your genes."

Maxine clutched Robert.  "What did I ever do to deserve
someone as wonderful as you?"

Blair slipped out of the study after locking the door.

"Is everything all right?" Simon asked.

"Yeah, they're just taking care of the full disclosure
part," Blair reported.

Simon smiled.  "Is that what they told you?"

"What?" Blair asked suspiciously.

Banks led his nephew away.  "Let's just say that I hope they
at least made it to the couch."

"Ow," Blair said.  "Hardwood floors and one very thin rug."

                  ====<><><><>===<><><><>====


Jim showed off his ring, a nine-carat, square-cut, yellow
diamond surrounded by two carats of perfectly matched
marquis-cut blue-white diamonds set in platinum, to Shelly
Vinson and Merry Flynn.  "What do you think?"

"It's at least 200 years old," Merry reported, as she
admired the ring.

"I meant what do you think of the style?"  Ellison said, in
an exasperated tone.

"It's beautiful," Shelly announced.  "And since none of us
could catch you, we're glad that you're marrying someone we
all like."

"Do we like Claudia?" Merry asked, impishly.

"It was Kelly who we hated," Shelly explained.

"Oh yeah, Kelly.  Despised her."  Merry paused.  "What did
we think of Karen?"

"Hated her," Shelly replied.

"Jill?" Merry asked, showing off her ability to remember
facts.

Shelly scowled, a very dangerous look on such a pretty
woman.  "We made voodoo dolls of her."

Merry paused.  "What was that woman's name, the one with
multi-hair personality?"

"Rikki," Blair answered as he entered the bridge.

"Hi, Blair," Shelly called.  "This is a beautiful old ship."

"Thank you, Shelly.  Now, can you decrypt those private
logs?" Blair asked.

Shelly waved her fingers over the control board.  Then she
and Merry hummed together until they dissolved into
laughter.

"Come on, ladies," Jim begged.  "You're killing us."

"I'm sure we can do it, guys," Shelly said.  "Just give us a
bit to work on it."

"What dark family secrets do you think we'll find?" Merry
asked.

"From what we've read in the war journals," Jim said.  "It
could be scandalous."

"*Very* scandalous," Blair emphasized.

Merry and Shelly looked at each other.  "We'll skip lunch,"
Merry suggested.

"We'll get sleeping bags," Shelly added.

"We'll take vacation days from work," Merry threw in.

"We won't leave this bridge until their secrets are *ours*,"
Shelly declared.

"It will be our religion," Merry said in an awe-touched
voice.

"I enjoy seeing people enthused over their work," Blair
said, teasingly.


Two hours later Jim found himself staring at a head and
shoulders shot of Frederick.  His blonde hair must have
reached mid-back.  It looked that long or longer as Jim
watched Damien brush and braid it reverently.  

"Captain's log," Frederick began.

"Wait a minute, why are *you* captain?" Damien asked,
without breaking the rhythm of his braiding.

"Because I won the toss," Frederick replied, chin slightly
tilted up.

"I could toss you," Damien threatened in a half-hearted way. 
The two men laughed.

Blair grabbed Shelly and kissed the technician, hard.  He
laughed, then grabbed the unresisting Merry, and did the
same thing.  "You did it!  You said you could, and you did
it!"  He kissed both ladies again, then hugged them to his
chest.  "I'm doubling your fee.  Tripling it."

Merry looked over Blair's shoulder at Shelly.  "I think that
you can keep the extra money," she said.  

"We'll just take some more of this," Shelly added.

"How many hours of logs are there?" Jim asked.

"They had this ship seventy years, and we've been able to
reconstruct most of the logs for every year they had the
ship," Merry reported.

Jim snatched Merry out of Blair's arms and twirled her
around.  The Sentinel held her off the ground and hugged her
tight.  "Thank you, thank you."

"Jim, you're squishing her," Blair warned, without letting
go of Shelly.

"Hush," Merry admonished.  "I'm enjoying this."

"You can hug me a little harder, if you like," Shelly
suggested.

                  ====<><><><>===<><><><>====

"Why are we digging to China?" Daryl asked, as he wiped the
sweat out of his eyes.

"The root ball of the tree needs a deep hole," Blair
explained.  

"You know, Blair, they have professionals who do this kind
of thing all the time," Daryl reminded his cousin.

Sandburg looked offended.  "Daryl, when your grandchildren
are tearing around under this tree, and Aunt Helaine is
yelling at them to keep it down--"  Daryl laughed.  "You
will look up from where you are kissing your wife and say 'I
planted that tree with my cousin, Blair, for the future,'
not 'I hired Cascade Tree Services to put that there'."

"You're right, it doesn't have the right ring to it, unless
we plant it ourselves."  The young man went back to digging.

Claudia, Simon, Jet, Maxine, Robert, Helaine, and Jim
brought out more plants.  The family consulted the plan that
Simon had made and went about completing it.

"I never knew your dad had such a flair for garden
planning," Blair remarked as he and Daryl struggled the oak
tree into place.  They removed the burlap surrounding the
root ball.

"Neither did I."  He shoveled the soil back into the hole. 
"We've lived in apartments all my life, I guess it just
never came up before."  

"It's fun realizing that I don't know Simon as well as I
thought," Blair said as he made a moat to hold the water
around the root ball.

"We Banks's men are always full of surprises," Daryl
explained.  "It keeps the women mad for us."  The two
cousins finished by filling in the moat surrounding the
young tree with water.

"It's a beauty," Blair announced, before he began cleaning
their tools.

Hawthorne wheeled out the refreshments.  "Would you like
something to drink, sir?" he inquired.

"Hawthorne, have I mentioned that you're a saint?" Daryl
asked, as he lifted up a glass of lemonade.

"I don't believe you have, young sir," Hawthorne replied
dryly.  "But it's nice to hear."

Daryl waved his glass at the rest of the family, and they
gathered around the cart.  He was smiling around the
assembled, then paused when something seemed wrong.

Subconsciously, he had been touching each of his family
members and assessing their well-being.  Nothing intrusive,
just a little touch to assure himself that his family was
doing fine.

He went back around the circle.  Hawthorne was included in
this sweep, because he was Hawthorne--as close as an uncle
because of his loyalty to Blair.  The older man was robust
and in the picture of health.

Maxine, Jet, and his father gave off slightly funny spikes
because they were chip-implanted, but he had learned to
compensate for that a long time ago.  They were all healthy. 
Jim, Blair, Robert, and Claudia were also in excellent
shape.  He stopped at Helaine, suddenly afraid to probe any
deeper.  He had lost one mother, and he didn't want to lose
a second one, but if something were wrong, the sooner they
knew, the better it would be for her recovery.  He reached
out.

Helaine was in incredible condition.  She ran, swam, and
worked almost every day.  She was a master at yoga and ate
with an eye to her religious restrictions and her overall
good health.  So what was off?

In an instant, it came to him--she had a passenger.  Helaine
was pregnant, and her body was making adjustments for the
baby inside her.

Also Helaine had *no* idea that she was pregnant.  Neither
did his dad.  As he recalled, the subject of Helaine-Simon
children had been settled with "his name is Daryl".  So when
had they changed their minds?  Or had they?  And how was he
going to bring it up?

"Mom, Dad, can I have a word with you?" he asked.  In an
instant Blair, Claudia, and Robert's faces looked like they
were going to split apart from smiling.  Daryl ignored them. 
Helaine was his mother, and he could call her that *anytime*
he wanted.

"What's up, Daryl?" Simon asked once they were inside the
house.

"I don't know how to ease up on this, so I'll just spill
it," Daryl began.  "Helaine is pregnant."

There was silence from his parents.  Total silence.  He
decided not to probe.  What they wanted him to hear, they
would tell him.

"Are you sure?" Helaine asked, as she placed her hands
across her tummy.

Daryl nodded.  "I can sense it, but you'll want a doctor to
check you."

Helaine started to laugh.  "Three days vulnerable, and you
managed to catch me."

Simon feigned innocence.  "I was seduced," he declared
defensively.  "I offered to wait until my shots had taken
effect."  

"There was no way I could wait that long," she whispered.

The large man pulled his wife into his arms and kissed her
tenderly.  The kissing became more passionate, and Daryl
decided to leave.  You didn't need an 18 rating to know what
they were thinking.

The family surrounded him and demanded details.  "I think
that you might want them to tell you themselves."  He dashed
past them and put the refreshment cart between him and them.

Almost an hour later, his dad came out of the house,
slightly rumpled, and smiling.  Didn't he know that was how
they ended up like this in the first place?

His dad led Blair back into the house, and the family tried
to interpret this move.  Daryl's suggestion that they return
to their gardening nearly got him pummeled with work gloves.

Finally Blair, his dad, and mom emerged from the house.  His
dad handed out glasses of milk.  "Family, we have an
announcement.  Helaine and I are pregnant."  

The family erupted in excitement.

"You knew," Jim said threateningly.  

"Hey, big guy, I don't tell other people's secrets," Daryl
declared, hoping all of them understood that.  If he picked
up something, he wouldn't pass it around.  "Or mine,
either."

"I propose a toast," Blair said.  "To the future and the
good times ahead."

                                
                         -- The End --

--- End Chapter 17 ---