Melinoe Ch. 06-10

Agatha nodded, turned around at the communications desk smiling while studying a data pad of her own medical scans, "Great, I'll make lunch for two here."

Licking her lips, Joon looked up from between a panting Agatha's thighs who was on her back with legs spread eagled and her butt teetering on the edge of her bunk.

Max immediately wagged her finger at Joon, "Don't fill up on Agatha, you'll ruin your lunch."

Joon went crimson but giggled, as did all the Agathas.

Max addressed Agatha, visually paying attention to her, "Are you still okay with two?"

She smiled and nodded, "Oh yes, just fine."

"Let me know if it ever becomes otherwise, okay?" Max looked for confirmation.

"Absolutely Captain." Agatha gave a decent salute for being twisted around in a chair.

Max nodded with a crooked smile and turned to head back to the bridge, the Agatha with the data pad joined her on the short trek.

Max peered at her.

Agatha looked up, "I'm sorry, honey, I'm not ignoring you. I am just learning about... me."

"Anything I should know?" Max put an arm across her shoulders in a friendly manner.

Agatha smiled again, "I'm not really sure, I would love to get Dr. Smith's opinion."

Max assumed Mercedes would be at lunch, unless something came up at Pinehurst that warranted her personal attention.

"Soon, sweetheart, very soon." Max kissed Agatha and she smiled.

Max changed back into her civvies, denim pants, t-shirt and flannel top and wore her usual tac boots. Max, Joon, and two Agathas mounted up in the mid-sized, late-model, dark-green, utility hover car.

Agatha was piloting and in the front passenger's seat while Max and Joon were in the back seat cuddling and talking.

"How are you, my love?" Max whispered the question in Joon's ear.

Joon gazed into Max's soft-brown eyes, "I am so happy to have you home, I love our new little family.

Joon was still wearing her dark-green dress, her 'purse' matched quite well with it, she also had a data pad with her.

"I love our little family too." Max snuggled with Joon, as Agatha looked over the seat from the front and blew them both kisses.

The flight ended as Agatha brought the late-model hover car to the spot it was in the previous day at the Smith's residence.

Closing the gate behind them, Joon thumbed open the kitchen door DNA lock and their little family went inside.

Howard had found some extra chairs, and the breakfast nook table was pulled out from the wall. Mercedes greeted all her lovely daughters with hugs and kisses, as Howard was finishing with preparing lunch.

Everyone sat as Howard gave them a healthy portion of an amazing Hobbes salad. The Hobbes salad was a main-dish Jericho Garden salad made with chopped iceberg lettuce, watercress, endives and romaine lettuce, tomato, crisp bacon, roasted chicken breast, hard-boiled eggs, avocado, chives, Roquefort cheese, and red-wine vinaigrette.

Everyone ate slowly and savored the delicious food.

"So, I was delving into dark corners this morning." Max mentioned to the table. Howard raised an eyebrow but didn't comment.

"What did you find, darling?" Mercedes asked the question Howard was thinking.

"I ran into my NCOIC." Max started refilling her fork.

Mercedes took a sip of fruit juice, "Can you tell us who that is?"

"Sergeant Major Boggs." Max replied.

Howard's eyes narrowed, "Ira Boggs?"

"If Ira is short for Irasmus, yea..." Max looked uncomfortable.

Howard nodded.

"Small universe," Joon muttered.

"So, you know him?" Max looked intrigued.

Howard looked thoughtful, "Once upon a time... back during the Sutton years."

Mercedes cleared her throat. Howard glanced at her and nodded.

Max looked between the two, "What am I missing here?"

Howard kept eating.

Max looked at Mercedes.

Mercedes took another sip of fruit juice, then looked at Max, "Ira Boggs was married to my late aunt Penelope."

Max's jaw dropped.

Joon said quietly, "Damn... really fucking small universe."

Everyone finished eating and Howard and both Agatha's cleared the table. Max was still contemplating about Boggs being part of the extended family... sort of.

"When did your aunt pass away 'Des?" Max asked, hoping it wasn't a painful question.

"Oh Penny died about a year after Howard and I were married, She and Ira were at the wedding." Mercedes nodded her head.

Max found it hard to imagine Goat at a wedding. "I have so many questions... " Max confessed.

Mercedes tilted her head looking at Max. "I know he really changed after she passed."

Howard looked pained and stared off for a few seconds, then nodded at Mercedes as she laid a hand on his arm.

"Ira Boggs, made some unfortunate choices." Howard said softly. "He became involved with admirals who were more interested in power than service."

Mercedes pursed her lips, then said. "It's rumored he helped Buckingham, to eventually supplant Sutton."

Howard nodded, "After Buckingham became Fleet Admiral, we never spoke with Ira again."

Max lifted a knuckle to her chin in thought. "Well, he was just reassigned to TFNI and our division was scrubbed."

Mercedes looked to Howard, "Scrubbed?"

Howard replied, "Disbanded, perhaps more."

Howard looked at Max with worry, "Ira is not an evil man, but he did become colder when Penelope died, be wary my daughter."

Max nodded, definitely grabbing that advice with both hands.

Joon looked like she was going to say something but didn't. Everyone sitting at the table just looked at her, waiting patiently. Joon relented to the gaze of her family, "Does this mean I shouldn't call him 'Uncle Ira?'"

Max snorted, Howard groaned, and Mercedes just laughed out loud. Max gazed at her adorable wife, "It might be for the best, my love."

Howard stood again, and Max followed suit, along with both Agatha as they made their way slowly out from around the breakfast nook.

Mercedes grinned at the slow procession, knowing exactly where it would end up.

"Hey mum," Joon started, "How often do you perform the kata?"

Mercedes responded, "Just once a day to keep flexible."

"Yea, me too." Joon nodded, "were you ever interested in getting ranked?"

Mercedes shook her head, "No, darling, my drab little brown belt is good enough for me."

"I, um, ran a few tests this morning," Joon tried to look disinterested; Mercedes saw through the ruse immediately.

"I assume my darling new daughters are just as exceptional as I believe them to be?" Mercedes lips turned into her patented wry smile.

"Oh... I think you could say that." Joon placed the data pad in front of her mother then sat back to watch the show.

Dr. Mercedes Smith, chief of genetic medicine and genomic science at Pinehurst medical and teaching facility, tapped on the device, and her eyes grew huge.

0o0

Howard entered his own dojo and lifted his hand to the west wall where there were four Gi on four pegs.

Max blinked, "Oh wow, Sensei."

Howard shrugged, "if you need more, I will have them made, I happened to have four in her size."

Agatha's eyes began to tear up, feeling Howard's and Max's emotions in addition to her own.

Agatha bowed to Howard in unison.

The Gi hanging on the wall were embroidered with a rampant black winged panther, the icon Howard had chosen when he became 9th dan.

Max knew there were only three Gi with that iconography in the T-Fed., Howard's, Joon's and Max's.

Max raised an eyebrow glancing at Howard, "Happened to have four in her size, huh?"

Howard might have blushed just a little, Max was probably mistaken. Max turned and bowed to her Sensei.

Howard bowed in return.

Everyone removed clothing that would be restrictive or do damage, loose blouses, flannel shirts, boots and shoes. Howard directed Agatha to sit one on either side of the tatami.

He then began to explain and show, with Max's assistance, the balance, power and techniques of defensive and reactive strikes. Some of the strikes were so close Max could feel the air off Howard's hands and feet.

She had absolute trust in his ability, but it was still quite unnerving: Not unlike being narrowly missed by a speeding lorry a few dozen times. Tactical awareness was one of the tenets of this art and Howard was completely convinced Agatha would dominate in this aspect.

Max had to agree, so Agatha was finally called to the mat. Howard had Agatha face Agatha to go over the offensive and defensive rotation simultaneously. Then Howard and Max just stood back and watched her for ten solid minutes while Howard called the timing of offense and defense.

By the end it was impossible to tell them apart, they were a blur of concentration.

Howard called an end and bowed to them.

Agatha bowed to Howard, then beamed pure joy as they leapt into Max's waiting arms, giggling.

"So, Sensei..." Max began, "How would you rate Agatha now?"

Howard grimaced, "I would really hate to have to face two of her... four would be completely humiliating."

Agatha then hugged their Sensei father, Max joined them. So, after redressing with a stack of new Gi, the four of them returned to the house.

0o0

Mercedes could do nothing but lose herself in the information, she really wanted to ask her daughter some questions, but it was quite impossible to pull her focus away from the data.

The implications of such complex layering of radically different systems were nothing short of staggering.

A human child born with its own growth adapting, hostile environment encounter suit with full biometric enhancements would be an accurate attempt of analogy and still fall far short of what the data suggested.

Mercedes' very capable mind was having difficulty fully aligning the various parameters, seeing them in the data on an individual basis was easier to interpret. What the data was unable to explain, though, was how it all coalesced into the being known as Agatha.

After fifteen minutes she finally looked up from the data pad. Joon set a cup of tea in her hands.

"I don't understand half of it, but I was able to digest enough to know I was way out of my depth," Joon murmured.

Joon sat down and looked into Mercedes' vacant stare, seeing the massive gears of her mother's intellect at work.

Mercedes sipped her tea.

She blinked once and smiled at her daughter.

"You didn't mess about when you two got a girlfriend, did you?" Mercedes smiled at Joon.

Joon giggled softly and nodded in agreement, "No half measures for us."

Joon looked seriously at her mother, "Please, mum, give me a professional analysis?"

Mercedes shrugged and made an attempt, "To start: Agatha is a Polyextremaphile Multi-sapient with a highly flexible and adaptive morphology."

Mercedes continued, "The presence of a third helix suggests an additional volume of information."

"Examples of them are exceptionally rare and the very few examples we do have were classified as "evolutionary dead ends" to the short sighted, coasting, bureaucratic establishment. Honestly I cannot quite grasp the full ramifications of a third helix or to even how to quantify it without extensive research."

"I used her own definition multi-sapient, because I'm not sure I can describe her with any more accuracy." Mercedes smiled weakly.

Joon nodded then stated with a sad smile, "I hope, I didn't just ruin her for you."

Mercedes blinked, "Oh no, darling, not at all! I taught her some cosmetics yesterday; I think we're bonding quite nicely."

Both women smiled at each other.

Mercedes eyed her daughter, "I envy you... Max was a delightful development, but Agatha is quite beyond the pale for a companion."

Joon smiled softly, "Yea, I think I did pretty well, too."

"Do you remember my advice to you, when you married Max?" Mercedes asked, her grass-green eyes sparkling.

Joon peered at Mercedes, "Enjoy her?"

Mercedes nodded, "Yes, in my experience, it is the simple secret to so much of life." "Don't analyze, don't manipulate, don't predetermine. Love, trust, and enjoy."

Howard opened the door to the kitchen and walked inside, he was followed by two Agatha carrying neatly folded Gi and Max.

Mercedes eyed the Gi, "So that's why you borrowed my hovercar first thing."

Howard cleared his throat and checked the tea pot, set the kettle on, and started making more.

Joon peered at Mercedes incredulously, "Dad drove your hover car?"

"I was surprised as well, he said it was necessary." Mercedes nodded.

Howard didn't respond except to clear his throat again. Joon giggled. Agatha settled down into two chairs at the nook table.

Max sat down beside her diminutive wife kissing her cheek. "Were you two able to come to any new conclusions?"

Mercedes smiled affectionately at Agatha, "I think one could say I was profoundly moved by the epiphany."

Agatha beamed happily.

Mercedes focused her mind and began a long-detailed explanation of the data that Joon had collected; then she gave Agatha many possible theorized applications and possible outcomes.

She gave her honest assessment of Agatha and her future with humanity, staying with Max and Joon was easily the highest percentage of freedom as teachers, guides, and guardians.

Mercedes and Howard would do their best to sponsor and council Agatha with her best choices with humanity, otherwise, departing might be the only way she would remain alive and un-tortured.

"Darling Agatha, I would only ask you to stay as far away from any government research facility as you possibly can, including my own." Mercedes nodded sagely, handing the data pad to Joon.

Agatha spoke in a clear soft voice, "Thank you very much, Dr. Smith. I greatly value you for your wise advice and your brilliant explanations, you have given me a great deal to think about but also a much brighter horizon."

Mercedes eased her seat back, stood up, and walked between the Agathas, having them stand and pulling them both into a hug. "I want you to call me mum from now on." Mercedes softly spoke as both Agathas lay their heads on her shoulders.

Dry eyes were a rare commodity for a few minutes.

After that heartfelt display of affection, Mercedes returned to her seat just as Howard had finished pouring her fresh cup.

Joon looked at Agatha, "Did you have any fun in the dojo?"

"Oh yes, it was exhilarating, and I believe I am much better equipped to defend my family if needs be," Agatha responded.

Joon beamed, "Brilliant, you can be my new bodyguard!"

Max pouted, "I thought I was your bodyguard?"

Joon laid her hand over her wife's, "This frees you up to be my manager."

"Oh, nice... wait is that a promotion or a demotion?" Max inquired with a raised eyebrow.

Joon smirked mischievously, "Oh, I guess you could think of it as a promotion, sweetheart."

Everyone sitting at the nook laughed.

Max, Joon and Agatha hugged and kissed Howard and Mercedes farewell for now.

Max was piloting on the return trip in the afternoon sky. Agatha and Joon were snogging quietly in the back seat. Agatha in the front passenger seat looked at Max with need.

Max glanced at her, "What's up sweetheart?"

"Max, I owe you an apology," Agatha began, "I now believe, in fact I am quite sure I was in no danger of dying after I had assumed my initial imprint from you."

Max's eyebrows both raised, "Why do you feel you need to apologize for that?"

"I panicked, I was unaware my imprinted state was voluntary, I believe now I could have just absorbed the container," Agatha looked very concerned.

"Thank you for sharing your feelings with me Ags. For what it's worth, I am glad events unfolded as they did," Max smiled softly at her girlfriend.

Max leaned over and whispered in her ear, "If you're able to do half of what 'Des thinks you're capable of, you could have easily taken me out. I am very glad we became friends and more instead."

Agatha wrapped her arms around Max, "You're so kind and generous Max, I love you."

Max responded with a smooch, "I love you, too Agatha."

The unremarkable dark-green late-model mid-sized utility hover car made a slow lazy bank and descended between the trunks of the old forest growth; Eventually landing, it slowly moved adjacent to the charcoal unmarked grey TFN corvette.

Joon stepped out of her hover car and stretched with a smile on her face. Her family joined her as she thumbed the DNA lock.

Joon glanced at Max with a smirk, "you wanna make some noise?"

Max beamed a smile, "Oh wait... you mean shooting some firearms."

"Oh, sorry love, yea I meant firearms," Joon giggled.

Max and Joon went to the command cabin to change. Changing into her BDU's, Max knew Joon would put on her hiking boots. Joon recommended Agatha wear her chunky boots for stomping around in the woods.

Agatha commented that she had been wearing them on patrol and they seemed very practical. Max agreed and decided on getting Agatha some more practical clothing and a number of the thick, black, body sleeves worn by her unit in a size that actually fit her.

Two Agathas went with Max to the armory, "Max, would you like to take your personal weapon? I am still utilizing it on patrol."

"No, actually, you keep using it," Max nodded to Agatha, "I consider patrol more important than training at this point."

"Yes, Captain." Agatha saluted.

Max blushed, "I have like, no actual command experience, Ags."

"More than I do," Agatha replied.

Max nodded, thinking of a response. "Then for you, I'll have to learn how to do it well."

Agatha nodded and smiled.

Into the cargo area of the hovercar they loaded three XR75's, a YM10, the DL5-LMG, and a few each of the heavy and light pistols. As a treat for Joon, the wicked, dual barreled auto shotgun that was last used by a Quinton security guard was also loaded.

Agatha found it's specs on the holonet and identified it as a Mamba "Street Sweeper" riot gun that was manufactured by a Vitalis corp. subsidiary. Max was piloting and Joon and two Agathas soon found themselves just above the tree line again.

Spotting a shallow ravine Max dropped down to take a look, It looked like a creek bed that was dry. Max saw the five-meter clay ravine wall that ran along a length of the bed and felt this spot would do nicely.

After setting down, Max picked up a sharp stone and started carving humanoid outlines in the clay wall. It was rough; but having targets would help visualize aiming. Setting up was simple, just a walk to the opposite side of the creek bed from the four figures Max had carved out.

Joon was less interested in shooting as she was in watching while Agatha was eager to learn.

Max showed Agatha how to quickly switch out magazines or clips, her well-oiled skills were instantly absorbed by Agatha.

In twenty minutes, Agatha was shooting on her own with a ridiculous level of coordination and accuracy.

Joon did try the Mamba... even well braced its recoil managed to move her body substantially. She gladly proclaimed that she "Really liked it."

They returned to the corvette after only a couple hours; then spent the next hour or so in the armory cleaning and doing maintenance on the weapons. Agatha peered at Max for a moment, Max glanced at her, "What's on your mind sweetheart?"

"What am I?" Agatha asked, the simple question had a difficult answer.

"I thought that's what 'Des had answered." Max looked a little concerned.

"What would you call me?" Agatha clarified.

Max blinked, "Ags, I'm not going to name your species, that's all you, babe."

Agatha's mouth opened, then closed, then she said, "Oneiran."

Max nodded, "Pretty, I like it."

Joon looked up from her cleaning of her new favorite weapon. "What I miss?" she asked.

"Agatha is an 'Oneiran,'" Max announced.

Joon blinked, "Oh... like in Oneirology!"

"What's that again?" Max looked curious.

"The study of dreams, I think it's perfect!" Joon sauntered up to Agatha and waggled her eyebrows, "you can study my dreams any night."