DENEVA 3
DECEMBER 25, 2255

Three-week old Peter Kirk slept soundly, having been subjected to endless oohs, ahhs, kisses, hugs, cheek-pulls, and smiles. But one person was not impressed. She watched him sleep.

"You little monster. I know--oh yes, I know what you are. You're like him--only ten times worse. Those who threaten Three-Headed Purification must be eliminated. I killed you once. I'll do it again."

The Nyota Uhura who visited with Jim that particular holiday, and who washed dishes while chatting with Sam and Aurelan, who was so friendly with the Janusian Brianna would want to kill her if she knew the truth. That truth had Brianna essentially extorting Uhura's parents after Tarsus, compelling the very young woman by remote control to end her pregnancy by Jim. Brianna was in mortal terror of any woman Jim went with. For any son Jim had first would be the one.

In short, Nyota, not Aurelan, had been meant to be Peter's mother. On a spiritual level, she still was. But the infant's birth mother had been Aurelan. Not for Brianna's lack of trying. While playing the friendly but tough mother, she laced Aurelan's food with contraceptive medicine, attempting to make her coupling with Jim a failure. But Peter was stubborn, and insisted on being born.

A situation Brianna now intended to remedy. She opened the box, and something slithered out.

"Its a baby snake, honey--just like you. Heh. You'll be friends."

It was large, even though merely an infant. It was a deadly Aldeberan Serpent, notable for its constricting coils--and its three heads. It leaped into the cradle, and Brianna closed the door.

"Bye-bye, Baby. Grandma can rest easy now."

After five minutes of mingling, Brianna went to check her handiwork, and dispose of the evidence. Upon entering the room, she screamed. Aurelan and Sam pushed past her.

"Mom? What's wrong---OH MY GOD!!"

Jim and Nyota, having stepped outside for some air, came back in because of the commotion.

"Did somebody get hurt? Mom? Oh---"

It was visiting Cousin Jean who acted silently, pulling the strangulated snake out of Peter's tiny hands. Assured that Peter was all right, and having found no other snakes, after an hour, the adults all withdrew, except for Jean and Brianna. The Bright Lady, as Sam called her, was still silent as she placed a finger from Bri's shaking hand in Peter's tinier one.

One by one, Peter squeezed his grandma's fingers. When she emerged, her hand was swollen and achey. Later that night, an enraged Brianna read a note from Jean.

"It didn't work for Hera either, child. I should know. I advised her against that vendetta, after all. As I advise you now."

But she would never once heed this advice, becoming merely the sand in the shell of the oyster, which would help to forge not a pearl--but a Rock, destined to repeat this first victory on a much larger scale. Brianna's ruined evening was completed when her son Jim clasped both his hands around her sore one.

"Hi, MOM!"

The war had begun, and the war continued, with victory very far off indeed.