Martin's green eyes danced in the pale, almost non-existent light of Terra's moon. The slits in his reptilian eyes adjusted to the absence of light, causing a similar reaction in his human-like eye sensors.

Through the heavy undergrowth of the wooded area, he could see two figures walking slowly. His sensitive alien hearing could hear their droning conversation, yet distance garbled the words. He turned away, leaning back against the tree trunk. He took a deep breath to steady his nervous stomach. He knew what he had to do, but the knowledge didn't make it any easier for him.

As the voices came closer, he could make out what was being said between them. He could hear the movement of Mike Donovan as opposed to those of the other, who moved with the caution of a trained warrior. Martin smiled as he listened to the noise the human made. He folded his arms across his chest as he thought to himself, 'Mike is noisier than a warrior out of practice with the revach is. Maybe I should tell him to learn the maneuver from Philip . . . or train him myself.'

His fingers brushed his sandy blonde hair as he exhaled. His brow furrowed and his thoughts turned serious. 'He is my identical twin brother, but how do I begin to explain my actions here on Earth to him? What arguments do I use to try and sway someone as devoted to the laws of our people as he is?"

Martin jerked out of his reverie as the two voices suddenly came close enough to his hiding place to allow him to hear what they were discussing. Their voices were as clear to him as if he were standing beside them.

"We've heard some rumors that Diana can create a clone of almost anyone from a single drop of blood! Philip, is it possible that she can do it?" Mike asked, his voice tinged with a very real concern.

Philip looked down at the leaf-strewn path that they walked. He sighed as he nodded, forgetting that Mike couldn't see the movement in the darkness. "I've read the report on her first attempt at cloning the Starchild. She is our best scientist, Mike and in the time I've been here, I've learned that the only sure fact about Diana is that nothing is impossible for her!" Philip rubbed the back of his neck, pondering a course of action in regards to it. "As her superior officer, I could forbid it. Lydia, as Security officer, would join me in blocking the idea due to the inherent danger of having another rogue with all the powers Elisabeth has and those that we don't know about. If something like that ever got loose on the Mothership, disaster would be a good word for the end results." A funny thought occurred to him. "Of course, Diana has never taken the word NO very gracefully." Mike watched as an ironic smile played at the edge of Philip's mouth. In many ways, he was so much like Martin.

"You're becoming more human, Philip." At the Inspector General's puzzled glance, Mike elaborated. "You're developing a sense of humor."

"I've been hanging around you too long," he deadpanned back at his friend. Donovan smiled in spite of himself. Despite the seriousness of their conversation, they could still take a moment to share a laugh between themselves.

Gathering up his courage, Martin stepped out of the shadowy foliage. Philip drew his blaster in a movement too swift to be human and Mike found his own hand reaching for the pistol in the holster under his left arm.

"Wait"!

"YOU!" Philip's tone was accusatory as his alien eyes allowed him to see better in the near-darkness than his human friend.

"Hello, brother. Mike," a familiar voice said to both of them. He met Philip's stern gaze without flinching or shying away.

"Oh my God, not again," Donovan moaned. He had no desire to go through what he did the first time he thought Martin had been killed. "I don't think I can go through that again."

The anger in Philip's voice rose as he reached out and grabbed the collar of the shirt Martin was wearing. Reptilian muscles rippled beneath the red uniform as he angrily shook him. Donovan actually thought, for a moment, that Philip would really kill his brother.

"Where have you been?! I thought you were dead and I nearly killed Donovan because of YOU!!" Philip shouted as he held his twin mere inches from his own nose.

Mike watched the two identical aliens, his head moving back and forth between them like a ping-pong ball.

"Philip, let me explain--" Martin stammered as the shock of Philip's anger started to wear off.

"I really should kill you myself. You'd deserve it for what you've put the two of us through."

"Philip, is this really Martin or your sister Mary?" the human asked, trying to figure out what was going on and how his friend could still be alive.

"It's Martin, all right," Philip said, releasing the alien in denim jeans and a blue tee shirt. He didn't trust himself to say anything else to either of them. Even though it had been some time since they had been together, he still could recognize the scent of his own brother. At times, it was the only way someone could tell them apart.

"It's good to see you too, Philip," Martin said as he smoothed out the wrinkles in his shirt. He then turned his eyes towards Mike Donovan. "I'm sorry for the masquerade, Mike. I couldn't tell you when I left and why, but I had another Fifth Columnist take my place with you before you jumped into the helicopter to go after Diana. I had to accomplish my mission in secrecy, since so many other lives depended on no one finding out where the new Fifth Column base was located. It was only on my way back that I found out what had happened and that Philip was here. I couldn't risk sending either of you a message."

"Granted that things aren't too safe for communications depending on middle men, but what was so important that you couldn't tell me? Didn't you trust me enough to let me in on it?" Donovan asked, the disappointment evident in his voice and possibly a hint of betrayal as well.

"The entire Earth-based Fifth Column network was in danger of being destroyed," the former aide to Diana said as he walked a few steps away from the two hardened faces that were staring at him. "Another base had to be set up in a safe zone where the dust wouldn't affect us. I had completed my duties there and was heading back to Los Angeles when a contact of mine in the city told me that "I" had been killed. A few days ago, she got word to me that she'd seen my exact double with you, and that's when I knew for certain that Philip was here," he finished as he turned to face them.

"Why have you remained in hiding all these months? Surely someone could have told me how to reach you? Didn't you even stop to think that I'd come to Earth seeking revenge if anything happened to you?!" Philip shouted at his brother.

Martin spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness. "Philip, I had no way of knowing whether or not Diana had ordered your quarters to be bugged. I couldn't risk her learning of my whereabouts! If she had taken me alive--" He ran his hand across his temple. "I could have given her enough data to wipe out the entire Fifth Column as well as the Earth Resistance. I couldn't choose the desires of my heart over the lives of innocent humans and many of our own people! You have no idea how I've wanted to see both of you!"

Philip's eyes softened. Twins though they were, there had been many times when they had fought with each other, especially when Martin's genteel approach clashed with Philip's choice as a warrior. They had had more than a few all-out verbal shouting matches over their beliefs in the Leader's policies and his decision to invade Earth. To their regret, however, they had not been given a chance to discuss Philip's career change before Martin had departed with the fleet for Earth.

"Please try to understand my position. The choice wasn't mine to make. If it had been, things would have been different," Martin said as he thrust his hand out to Philip in a typical Earth-style handshake.

Philip took the hand extended before him, and before he knew it, Martin found himself pulled into a fierce embrace. They clung tightly to each other, afraid that if they parted, they would never be together again.

"You are still too soft to be a true warrior," he finally said.

"And you are just as bloodthirsty, but it is good to be together again," Martin answered when he could finally breathe again. The two of them moved away from each other, smiling.

Mike moved from where he'd been standing the whole time, saying nothing. He put an arm around each of their shoulders.

"It is good to see you again, Donovan," Martin said as he turned to look into the face of the leader of the Los Angeles Resistance. It was then that Martin realised just how much he'd actually missed this human, the one who had taken him in and managed to get him a job after the failed attempt of the first invasion.

"It was tough enough to see Philip and thinking that you'd somehow managed to come back from the dead," Donovan said seriously. "Now that you're here, it doesn't seem real." He laughed at a very sudden and silly thought. "You two are full of suprises."

"I have often thought the same about you," Martin said, a soft smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

"As have I." Martin turned and looked at Philip, an amazed look on his face. For the first time in a long while, they had actually agreed on something.

Donovan glanced at his wristwatch. It was after four in the morning and he'd promised Juliet that he would be back by then. "I hate to break up this family reunion, but we still have Diana's cloning operation to discuss."

"You're right, Mike. I know that Elisabeth's powers are foretold in the prophecies of Xon." At Philip's curious glance, Martin clarified his statement. "Willie told me a little about the Worshippers of Xon, but I never got a chance to study the legends of the forbidden religion myself." Martin was still somewhat hesitant to tell his brother what he did know about them. The Worshippers of Xon value peace above all else. "He also taught me their belief, stated simply: 'Xon is the cause for which I would die. But there is no cause for which I would kill.' Unless there's no other choice, they will not needlessly kill, but when they do, it bothers them."

Philip looked at Martin, wondering why he'd mention them at a time like this. He then looked at Donovan. "It sounds like we need to make sure that the tests fail. I know a few Fifth Columnists on my ship who could take steps to ensure the failure of the first steps," he finally added.

"I think that it's something that needs to be handled, no matter the cost," Mike told them soberly. "Diana doesn't need a weapon with the potential of Elisabeth."

"Too true. She does very well relying on her own devices without help from any of us."

"I should have been back to the base fifteen minutes ago. We'll have to set up another meeting for later on this week."

"Of course, Mike. My own delay might arouse suspicion as well." He turned to go, then stopped and looked back over his shoulder at Martin. "And what about you, brother? Where will you go?"

Martin looked over at Donovan before he answered his brother's question. "If Mike will allow me to, I would like to return to Los Angeles with him. My work at the new base is finished."

Mike's smile was his only answer. He saw the look of relief on the faces of both Martin and Philip.

"Thank you, Mike. I was somewhat worried that after my abrupt departure, you would be . . . . reluctant at my rejoining you."

"You're always welcome wherever I am, you know that."

"Until we see each other again, brother." Philip took Martin's hand in a firm grip. "I am pleased that you didn't take the easy way out of the warrior ranks. We have much to discuss when time will permit us to do so."

"I'm proud that you're here and fighting on the right side."

"Mike. I'll be in touch if I hear anything else on Diana's project."

"Be careful, Philip."

The red-garbed alien Inspector General nodded his acknowledgment of the human's softly spoken words. "Martin and I have too much to risk by my not being careful."

The two of them watched as Philip disappeared into the darkness.

**** **** ****

As dawn clouded the sky, Mike and Martin entered the base of the Los Angeles Resistance. Climbing down the steps that led into the main hall of the facility, they met several of the sleepy-eyed early risers. Most of them hardly gave a second thought to the man with Mike Donovan. One person, however, did.

"Mike!" a voice called out to the journalist. both of them recognised it as they turned to face Juliet Parrish, the co-leader of the group. "You're late coming back. what went wrong?" Her dark blue eyes took in Martin standing beside Mike and she made the obvious, if erroneous, conclusion. "Why did Philip come back with you?"

"I'm late because of him," Mike said as he hooked a finger back over his shoulder towards Martin, "and he's not Philip."

Juliet's eyes darted between the two men. Martin's eyes swept the floor sheepishly.

"Not Philip? Then - -"

"Yes, Juliet. I'm Martin. How are you?"

"No wonder you were late, Mike," she said tensely. "Reviving the dead does take some time."

"Look, we can talk about this later. Right now, I would like to grab some breakfast, a hot shower and some sleep. All in that order," Donovan said, waving his hand in a dismissive gesture.

"Fine! No problem!" Juliet shouted "Martin comes back from the dead one night and you don't want to explain! I can only hope that he isn't one of Diana's henchmen in a Martin mask, or . . the real Martin after conversion!" Juliet whirled around and stormed off in the direction she'd just come.

"Mike?"

Donovan shrugged. "Don't worry about her. She'll get over it. You hungry?"

"Yes." Martin thought carefully about what he was going to say next. "Diana's conversion doesn't work on some of us. I was her first test subject, so she knew it wouldn't work on me. That's why when we were on the Mothership, I had to get us off the quickest way I could before she found us."

"The parachutes," Mike whispered. He still had nightmares about that dive. He then turned and looked over his shoulder at his alien friend. He hadn't known that Martin was immune to conversion and wondered if Philip might be as well. He'd have to ask his friend when they had a chance to rest from the night's events. It was one of the many things he'd never understand about his friend or the society he was raised in. "Come on. Willie keeps some mice on hand for -uh- friendly Visitors."

Donovan headed for the dining area with the sandy-haired ex-Visitor security officer following behind him.

**** **** ****

"Kyle, do you think Mother would like this?" Elisabeth Maxwell asked her dark-haired companion.

The handsome young man turned to face the smiling girl. "Yeah, why not?" he said as he glanced around the store nervously.

"I want something special for her. She's so far away and it's her birthday." She placed the china bell back on the shelf, letting her eyes scan the shelves. Seconds later, she looked at him. "Will you calm down, Kyle? You're so jumpy I can't concentrate."

"You know what Mike said. No trips for you outside the base until we get the all clear from Philip," he whispered urgently. "We can't risk Diana getting her hands on you for her sinister purposes."

"I know, but I can't let my Mother have a sad, lonely birthday, can I?"

Her lovely face and radiant smile lessened his stern countenance.

Kyle shrugged and slapped his leg. "Okay! Okay! Do your shopping, but hurry!"

"Thank you." She held up a basket of flowers made of beads and coloured glass. "Do you like this?"

"Yeah," he replied, his exasperated tone ignored by her. "I'll pay for it while you pick out a card to go with it."

The two of them walked over to the counter. The lady behind the register, who saw that they were ready to pay for the gift, met them.

"Will that be cash or credit card?" she asked him.

Even though he had credit cards on him, he knew that they couldn't risk using them. "Cash."

The string of bells on the door chimed as it opened. Kyle spun around to look at the figure outlined in the bright sunlight."

"Hey, babe. Closin' time," the longhaired man drawled.

"Soon as I ring this one up," she answered. She turned back to the two customers she had. "That'll be twenty eight dollars and thirteen cents."

Kyle handed her a twenty and a ten. He eyed the punk biker who sauntered casually around the shop.

"By the way, have you seen one of these? I got them in last week," she said as she picked up one of them and handed it to Elisabeth. "They're imported from France and not very many were made."

"How lovely." She turned the glass around in her hands. At a sharp stinging, she handed the glasswork back to the lady before looking at her thumb. She saw a tiny stream of blood welling from the cut.

"Let me help you," she said. "I didn't see that tiny chip in it." She grabbed a Kleenex from the tissue box sitting on the counter and dabbed Elisabeth's finger with it. Unseen by anyone else, she also had a tiny glass vial in her hand.

"I'm fine. Really."

"If you're sure. I'm very sorry." She handed them their purchase. "Do come again."

The two of them left the store as the girl behind the counter shut the door and turned the CLOSED sign in the window. The punk biker put his mirrored sunglasses into his vest pocket. The smile on the clerk's face was absolutely frightening as she turned over her hand and showed her partner the tiny vial of blood resting in it.

"Diana will be very pleased with your results," the man smiled back at her.

"Yes," the woman said as she held the vial level with her eyes. "You might just buy me that promotion I wanted."

**** **** ****

"How!? How did she get it?!" Donovan shouted as he stormed around the room. the others were sitting on wooden crates in the basement of a butcher shop whose owner was a staunch supporter of the Resistance. Only Mike Donovan nervously pace the floor and it made everyone else tense.

"Sit down, Mike. You're doing nothing to help," Martin advised.

"Don't you understand what Diana could do with a weapon as powerful as Elisabeth?"

Tiredly, Juliet sighed. "Everyone here knows the dangers of what's happened. But working ourselves into a frenzy isn't going to help much either." Her fingers combed through her blonde hair. "We can't afford to worry about the 'how' anymore. All we have to do is concentrate on getting that sample back."

"Can you or an operative get hold of the sample?" Martin asked his twin brother. "Or is there too much risk involved in getting access to it?"

"I was thinking about that on the way here. She has to do the work in stages. If the first stage is interrupted . . ." Philip said as he rubbed his chin in thought.

"How do we accomplish the feat without giving ourselves away in the process?"

"I am still working on that one," Philip replied.

"Great!" Mike slapped his forehead.

"We need to wrap up this meeting, gentlemen."

"Right. This is too public a place, but we really had no choice as to where to meet. Julie, go check the streets."

"Go with her, Mike," Martin said as he gestured to his brother. "I'd like a minute - -"

Mike nodded, understanding what his friend was asking. "Sure, Martin. Thanks, Philip."

Martin listened to the clang of their shoes on the metal steps above their heads. The two twin aliens remained seated. After a short, tense interval, Martin broke the silence.

"Whatever you must do, you'll have to do it cautiously. You don't know Diana like I do." He was concerned about his brother's safety. He knew Diana had killed Supreme Commanders John and Pamela, so what would stop her from adding an Inspector General to the list.

"Oh, I think I've come to know her pretty well in the past few months since my arrival here," Philip disagreed, rising to his feet.

"Don't make the mistake of getting in her way or you'll find out just what she's capable of."

"I know, Martin." Philip turned to look at him. He was curious to know what was going through his brother's mind. He didn't have to wait for too long to find out.

The ex-Visitor officer stared at his brother. "I am the reason for you being here. If anything should happen to you because of it - -" He frowned, wringing his hands in a futile gesture.

"I feel the same way, Martin. It does seem that the rift between us when we were younger," he began as he spread his palms outwards and then closed the space between them, "is not as great as it once seemed to be."

Martin touched his forehead and smiled. "No, it doesn't, does it?"

"I will leave first, then you can go join Kyle and the others in the van."

Martin nodded as they walked side by side up the stairs. With a simple handshake as Philip left the building, the twin brothers parted company.

**** **** ****

As Philip stepped out into the bright afternoon sunlight, he slipped his black radiation lenses out of his pocket and put them on with a deliberate slowness that allowed him to look up and down the street. Satisfied that no security shock troopers were around, he walked down the sidewalk to a waiting land vehicle and driver.

At the moment he started to climb into the vehicle, an old Chevrolet roared to life suddenly from where it had been parked. It was heading towards the very vehicle Philip was getting into.

"Death to the Visitors!" a young boy screamed, hanging out of the car window. He had a flaming bottle in his hands.

Inside the store, Martin looked up when he heard the voices and ran to the window when he saw the car.

Philip whirled around at the youth's shout in time to see a flaming liquor bottle being thrown at his vehicle. In an amazingly swift movement, the alien Inspector General leapt away from the vehicle, as did his driver.

The molotov cocktail crashed into the jeep with a tremendous concussive force. The driver screamed as his uniform caught on fire and the force of the blast caught Philip and threw him against the wall of the building he'd left just moments before the attack. He crumpled to the sidewalk, ominously still.

** ** **

Martin ran from the shop to where Philip was laying. Kneeling beside the still form of his brother, he gently turned him over and tried to determine if he was injured.

** ** **

In the rear of the building, the others had also heard the explosion. Kyle Bates bolted from his seat in the van while in the pick-up truck, Mike Donovan's hand froze over the ignition switch. His sole thoughts were of Martin and Philip. Had something happened to them?

Without a word between them, he and Juliet jumped out of the truck and ran back to the front of the store. They saw Martin kneeling beside his brother.

"Philip?" Martin's fingers brushed the areas where green, scaled skin was exposed.

"Martin, what happened?" Mike asked as he squatted beside him.

"A car full of youths - -"

"Molotov cocktail," Kyle explained.

"Get the van around here and we'll get him abroad." Mike and the others were used to transporting wounded personnel back to their hidden base.

"Right," Kyle called over his shoulder as he scrambled to the van.

As Julie checked for broken bones, Kyle backed the van as close to the curb as he could. Julie then turned to Martin to assure him that Philip would be okay.

"We'll have to get him back to base and have Howie take a look at him, but there's no broken bones as far as I can tell."

"What about his driver?" Mike asked, looking at the burning, smoking ruin of a vehicle.

"The last I saw of him - - he was on fire and ran off that way." Martin gestured off to his right without taking his eyes off of his brother.

Juliet gently touched the hand that clenched the chest of the bright red uniform Philip wore. "Martin, he'll be all right. We'll take care of him," she said. Her eyes were full of concern.

His eyes looked into Julie's face and she could see his anguish and pain. He was afraid of losing his brother. "Julie, for the first time . . . we are truly two halves of a whole. I cannot lose him now."

Julie smiled reassuringly. "And you won't if I have anything to say about it."

Mike and Kyle lifted the unconscious form into the van. Julie climbed inside with Philip in order to keep an eye out in case of trouble. Kyle then went around to the driver's side and climbed in.

"I'll bring the pick-up and Martin and I will meet you back at the base." He went around to the front of the van. "Make sure he has a good trip."

Kyle waved his answer to them and drove off in a rush.

**** **** ****

The young medical technician raised back from examining the still form in the bed. He pulled the sheets up around Philip's shoulders and then walked out into the waiting area where the others waited. Howie was away from the legation, so they had to have his assistant come check out their unexpected patient.

"Well, Anthony?" Julie asked the black doctor.

"The explosion caused quite a shock to his nervous system. It would be for the best if he could rest quietly for a few days." Julie showed the doctor the back way out of the building so no one would see him on the streets. She told him to come back in a couple of days to check on Philip again.

Martin's eyes closed for a moment. His shoulders sagged as the strain was released from him. Julie walked over to where he stood and put her hand on his shoulder.

"See? I told you not to worry."

Martin nodded his answer. He had an idea for stopping the cloning, but the success of it rested on the cooperation of Mike Donovan. His course of action was clear. He had done this very thing before, impersonate his brother, but never had so much been riding on his pulling it off successfully.

"This kind of screws up what little plan we had for stopping the cloning, doesn't it?" Mike said to no on in particular.

Martin moved towards the shelf where his brother's uniform was lying in a heap. His fingers trembled as he lifted it at the collar and his knuckles whitened as he clenched the material. As much as he loved his brother and would do almost anything to keep him out of danger, he had to do something to help his friends. He couldn't fail them now, not when they needed Philip the most. Only his brother could go anywhere on the Mothership without question.

"She won't get the chance to complete the experiments. Philip will find a way to prevent it," he said to the two of them.

"Martin, unless you've missed the last five minutes of our conversation, Philip's on the sidelines for the duration of this ballgame! We're on our own!" Mike said.

"I know that, Mike."

Julie looked over and saw that Martin was still holding Philip's uniform in front of him. She caught the actual meaning behind his words. "I don't think he means Philip here," she said as she pointed to the still figure on the bed. "I think he means Philip - - there!" She pointed at the Fifth Column leader.

Mike spun around to look at Martin, who still held Philip's red uniform before of him. Now that he'd just gotten him back, he wasn't about to let Martin go off on a suicide mission on the Mothership. He would not allow it!!

"NO, NO, NO and NO!"

"Mike, do you want to be the one to go up to Diana and ask her for the blood sample back?

"Of course not, but we can come up with an alternate plan that doesn't put your life at risk."

"And Philip's life wasn't in danger?" he countered. He wasn't about to play games with Donovan, not with so many lives at stake, including that of his own twin brother.

"Well, I don't know right now, but we'll think of something."

"Mike," Martin began as he walked across the floor, coming to stop before the reporter. "If she completes stage one of the process, she will have a living organism! Once she does that, the final stages are child's play for her. We have to stop her and we have to do it now!"

"Martin, we could be signing your death warrant!"

Martin knew the risks of what he planned to do, but he felt that the survival of the Resistance and the Fifth Column were worth more than his own life. "Mike, if she succeeds in cloning a Starchild to use against us, there might not be a Resistance on Earth! Since she thinks that I'm already dead, she will only see me as Phililp. With any . . . luck . . . I can be finished in a day or two."

"He's right. It's the only way to get the sample back. Who else can we depend on? Only Philip has the impunity to move about in every area of the Mothership."

Donovan turned away from them, running his fingers through his dark brown hair. He stopped at a nearby side table, leaning on it. His hands pummeled it as he agreed with them. "You're right, of course, but you'd better move fast."

"I know. It is the only way, Mike." Martin hurried into one of the small infirmary rooms to change from his Earth apparel to his brother's uniform.

Julie walked over to where Mike was leaning against the table and gently touched him on the shoulder.

"He'll be all right," she whispered, trying to encourage him.

"I know. That doesn't stop me from worrying, though."

She patted him on the back and turned to leave the room.

**** **** ****

Martin smoothed out the wrinkles in Philip's uniform as the elevator came to a gentle stop. The doors opened and he silently stepped out onto the bridge of the Mothership. He hadn't been on one since the final battle on Liberation Day.

"I want to know why Philip hasn't reported back yet, Diana!" he heard the voice he had learned to recognise as Lydia's say. "If you know something about it, I think you'd better tell me."

"Don't threaten me, Lydia. Perhaps he's become a traitor like that damned brother of his." Diana turned at Lydia's glance over her shoulder and her smile slid away as her eyes widened.

"So much concern for me?" Martin felt comfortable in his impersonation of his brother. They had always pulled this trick on others since they were kids and he did like the idea of tricking Diana. "I'm touched."

"It appears that you were touched, Philip," she said as she pointed at her forehead. "Your flesh is torn."

Martin touched the hanging false flesh Juliet had cut. "I was attacked by a vehicle of juveniles. The explosion destroyed my vehicle and killed my driver. I leapt away, but the concussion caught me." He touched the smudges and tears on the red uniform.

"How fortunate that you suffered no permanent injuries, Philip," Diana spoke without feeling. "You were gone for so long that we feared the human fighters had caught you."

"How unfortunate that you suffered such anguish over me," Martin said sarcastically. He was enjoying this far too much, but he couldn't help it. "No, I had some time between the attack of the humans and the arrival of my escort. I thought it best that I not walk the streets alone."

"I will speak to the adjutant about the laxness in his coming to your aid," Diana offered.

"That is my sphere of command, Diana. If anyone speaks to him, it will be me!" Lydia's eyes flashed angrily.

"Oh, how thoughtless of me, my dear," she said. Her smile would have made the Devil himself shiver.

"If you two ladies will excuse me, I think I'll get my face fixed, change into a fresh uniform and get something to eat."

"Of course, Philip. Your experience must have been tiring."

"I'll be in my quarters until I'm needed."

Lydia and Diana inclined their heads as Martin turned and walked to the elevator door. Exuding calm until he got inside the lift, Martin exhaled the breath he'd been holding as he sagged against the wall.

**** **** ****

As the tape ended for the third time, Martin walked over to the desk and turned off the playback unit. The disks he'd just listened to were the last few reports his brother had made prior to today. This way, at least, he'd be more convincing and better prepared in his masquerade of Philip.

Punching up the Security division, several plans as to how to get the sample ran through his mind. Unless he could shut down the monitors and the motion detectors on the doors, he could see no way of getting into or out of the room.

"Where is Diana now?" he asked the young technician on duty.

The young officer diverted his eyes to another screen for a moment, and then returned his attention to the one the Inspector General was on.

"She is currently working in the Artificial Life section of the Science division, sir."

"Thank you." He flicked off the screen. 'She is right where I don't want her to be, but perhaps it is for the best,' he thought to himself. 'At least this way, I can get a good look at the area before going for the sample.'

Getting up from the chair, he turned off the lights and left the room.

**** **** ****

Diana stood at a console, adjusting switches. A metal grid on the platform glowed with a white-blue light. As the sound of the opening and closing doors reached her, she turned to peer over her shoulder at him. It reminded Martin of the time she'd tried to seduce him.

"Ah, Philip. The testing is complete, and very successful," she said to him as she pulled off her dark goggles.

Martin crossed the floor with the confidence of Philip's rank. "I was under the impression that your cloning experiment would be halted until Lydia's security team can secure the product . . . and the area."

"Oh, Philip," the scientist pouted," you know that Lydia's so incompetent. She wouldn't be able to secure anything. I thought that you'd find the thought of having our own Starchild well worth any risks."

"Do you know the full extent of Elisabeth's powers?"

"Of course not. My testing is incomplete without her."

"Then, how do you know that the clone simply won't will us away?"

"Because, dear Philip, I intend to have her indoctrinated with the Leader's philosophies," she snapped, her attitude becoming haughty in defense.

"And if peace is an intrinsic part of her fibre?" he asked, pursuing the issue with her.

"I won't allow it to be!!" she screamed.

"I'd be careful if I were you, Diana. Your face might crack and you wouldn't want that now would you?" he said as he pivoted on his heels and left the room. Outside the doors, he cringed as he heard a screech and the goggles contacting the door. He wisely chose not to look back over his shoulder.

**** **** ****

Martin paced Philip's office, trying to think of some way to slip into the lab without activating the surveillance monitors. As the door opened, he whirled around to see who had entered the room. He didn't recognise the young Oriental-featured technician who stood there.

"Excuse me for interrupting you, Philip, but I had to get word to you as soon as it was set up."

"About what?"

**** **** ****

Philip's human eye sensors blinked rapidly against the brightness of the glare from the overhead fluorescent light. He moaned and rubbed his face.

"Welcome back to the land of the living, Inspector General." Philip turned his head towards a black man standing beside the bed. A face came into focus. "How does your head feel?"

"I have felt worse," he answered, closing his eyes in an effort to avoid the light.

"Yes, well, just rest. You've suffered a hard blow to the head and a shock to the body."

"You are one of us, aren't you?" he asked him as he opened his eyes again to look at him.

"Yes, I'm a Biological Sciences Engineer," he answered the Inspector General. "Or what the humans would tend to call a doctor. The name I was given was Anthony."

"Thank you," Philip said as his eyes closed again. This time, he went back to sleep.

**** **** ****

"I've finally gotten a security man who can give us a two-minute power loss in the Life Science section. It will temporarily take the security monitor off line!"

"You what?" Martin could scarcely believe his luck or what she was saying. "When?"

"During the night cycle - - in just under four hours."

"That's wonderful!"

"It's what you told me that you wanted to arrange," she said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Yes," Martin said sheepishly. "It's still an accomplishment all the same."

She smiled at his compliment. It was a shy, self-conscious act. "I'm glad that I was finally able to do something to help out the Fifth Column."

"Well, you've really come through for me - - for all of us. This scheme of Diana's is utter madness." Martin was proud that Philip had such colleagues working on his side.

"I'll meet you in the corridor, sir." She saluted him and ran back up the corridor.

"Thank you," he called to her as she left.

** ** **

Four hours later, Martin glanced behind him as he entered the corridor accessing the Life Science section of the ship. There was no one in sight and he began a cautious walk down the corridor, taking a left at the first junction. In front of the door to the Artificial Life Section, he saw the young technician he now knew was named Lian. She waved him towards her.

"Everything is ready," she told Martin quietly. She then lifted a small hand-held communicator. "All set, P."

Martin nervously tapped the grip of the pistol he wore. Suddenly, the lights dimmed and then reset themselves.

"That's our signal. We won't have a lot of time."

From his belt, Martin took a small devise given to him by Donovan. As Lian guided him down the corridor, he made several fine adjustments on it. Once inside the room, she gave him a quick nod and gestured towards the locked file cabinet.

"The sample is in there." Martin nodded. He had seen Diana put the sample in there earlier that afternoon.

Applying the opening device to the locked cabinet, it opened easily. Martin reached inside, his gloved fingers closing around a small vial. Withdrawing his hand, he paused for a moment to look at the tiny blood-filled vial. He then safely put it into a pocket. From another one, he took an identical vial and placed it into the niche where the first one had been.

He pushed the cabinet door flush and removed the unlocking device. "I'm done." He met her at the door. "Thank you, Lian. For everything."

"Anytime, sir. Be careful," she said as she ran down the hallway in an opposite direction.

Martin watched her for a moment, then left the way he'd came.

** ** **

"The monitor is functioning again, Diana," one of the young officers on duty told her. He was afraid to comment to his friend about the Commander's temper.

"I want to know how it happened and who let it through their incompetence!" screamed the dark-haired beauty.

"That falls into my jurisdiction, Diana, so draw in your claws." Lydia said from behind her with her arms drawn across her chest as she stood there.

"Then do your duty, you insufferable little child. I want whoever is responsible for this outrage."

Martin entered the bridge as Diana had spoke. "I'm afraid that the punishment of incompetent technicians is not part of your duties." He too now joined the two women, coming to stand behind Lydia.

Fuming, Diana left the command center.

"Isn't there some way that you could transfer her, Inspector General? She is so obnoxious these days."

"I'm afraid not. Well, you have the situation in control, Lydia. I'm going planetside to see if the Los Angeles director has any information on the identity of my attackers."

"We can only hope that the vermin have been exterminated!"

"Carry on." Martin casually strolled from the bridge.

**** **** ****

Philip sat up abruptly in the bed. He winced and then looked up at the people assembled in the room.

"You are crazy, brother!!" he shouted. He then turned on the human they both called friend. "And I thought you were his friend, Donovan! How could you let him do something as stupid as going aboard the Mothership? What would have happened if Diana had discovered your impersonation!? You could have been killed!!

"And you are just as unreasonable, Philip. It was the only way to stop Diana. You couldn't be gone for several days without an explanation and then suddenly appear!" Martin shook his head and sighed. "Don't worry about what you cannot change. Besides, everyone thought I was you, even Lydia and Diana."

Philip shook his head, moaning. "I wasn't even in any real pain, until you showed up looking -- like me!"

"That is your own fault." Martin reached into his pocket, removing the vial. He passed it to Donovan. "I believe this was what I was sent for. The blood of the Starchild -- the only Starchild!"

Mike Donovan looked at the tiny vial resting in his hand. It contained the only sample of Elisabeth's blood. "Good job! But what happens when Diana learns that it is missing?"

"She won't," Martin said, a smile playing at the corners of his human mouth. "I switched the vials. She won't be able to tell the difference until it is too late."

"What's in the other vial?" Juliet asked curiously.

"Rodent blood." Martin's eyes sheepishly swept the floor. He didn't want to see the look on Philip's face at his next words. "Diana will end up cloning a mouse."

Mike and Juliet looked at Martin, who smiled. Then at almost the same instant, all three of them broke into a fit of riotous laughter. Philip shook his head. He couldn't believe what his own brother had done to him. After a few minutes, he too was caught by the contagious humour of the situation as he pictured the scientist carefully growing a mouse clone. He began to laugh.

"And you," he said, as he pointed his finger at Martin, "you dump this back in my lap now!! If you weren't my brother, I'd kill you!"

"You have always said that I excelled at getting us into trouble while you always managed to get us out of it!"

**** **** ****

"Truly remarkable work, Diana," Philip intoned several days later over Lydia's laughter and the scientist's string of obscenities. "You've succeeded in cloning a . . . Starmouse. I'm sure the Leader will be very impressed with your scientific ability. Sometimes, you amaze me. If you'll excuse me, your demonstration reminded me that I skipped lunch in all the excitement."

As Philip and Lydia left the lab, Diana crushed the small white mouse, vowing through clenched teeth, "Whoever is responsible for this outrage will pay!"