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Lounging in a soft leather armchair, body tingling in the warm afterglow of a little too much Pollen Clear, Jakob Romanov pondered the future. His brother Osip, having been Rejuved a few decades earlier, stood in the doorway with an amused grin on his face.

"You know that is illegal here, right?"

"That never stopped you." Jakob chuckled, handing the unmarked bottle to his brother, who downed the last remaining mouthful. "When is the next Kyyreni merchant due?"

"About a month from now, with that crate of ourl we ordered and the usual bonus tucked away inside. I've been told Icaran security is getting wise, so we have to make do with mudwater."

Jakob shrugged, smiling happily. "Mudwater still makes you tingly." He gave a giggle that was unsuited to his age and slid lower into the chair.

Tutting, Osip hauled his brother out of the chair. "You should know better, old man. You're booked into the Rejuve clinic in a few days, and the last thing you need is drug residue in your system."

Though he wanted to sneer, Jakob was unable to do so; high on Pollen, the best he could do was smile a little less than usual. "I guess we have legal drink around? Maybe... maybe some... pink stuff..."

Osip laughed. "Not tonight, brother! In the morning you can have your 'pink stuff', but now you are going to bed. Enjoy your hangover!"

The elder Romanov waved off the comment. His joints were stiff with age, but the cotton wool feeling behind his eyes took away any pain. He had worked long and hard to set himself up in the lap of luxury; a lifetime of backstabbing, blackmailing and dirty dealings had established enough funds to keep him comfortable for decades, and Osip was already arranging a trip back to the Kyyreni colonies to top up their significant funds. The Pollen Industry was eager to expand into Federation space, and the Romanov's were well placed to help them arrange smuggling routes.

He had dressed himself into a new pair of silk pyjamas when his stomach began to churn, resulting in a loud bout of flatulence. "Urgh... Osip! Do you have any of those tablets?"

"There's a glass waiting on your bedside!" the young man called back from elsewhere in the house. Jakob found and downed the murky liquid, smacking his lips to try and dissipate the lingering medicinal taste. "I swear, one day I'll invest money into medicine that's good to take."

He settled into bed, clearing his mind and blinking away the looming sobriety, thinking only of being young and strong again.

"Are you ready for your Rejuve, Mr Romanov?"

Jakob stared calmly at the row of projectors slowly swinging into place. "Let's just get it done, yes? I want to get home handy."

With a nod, the operator threw the switches, and the process began. The Delta Inductor kicked in, causing Jakob to drift into a deep sleep whilst his body began to change. The technicians worked as they had done many times before, though toward the end of the procedure they noticed something strange. Jakob's life signs became erratic and the man, now seventeen and getting younger fast, began to convulse violently on the Rejuve bed.

"What is going on?" The operator cried with eyes wide in panic as he stared at the screens in disbelief. One of his co-workers had the sense to trigger the internal alarms, which brought medical teams racing into the chamber.

"Shut it down! Shut it down now! We need to get him to an operating theatre now!"

The machine shut down as Jakob reached eleven. Medical personnel hurried him through the hospital, leaving a trail of blood behind them as Jakob leaked from every orifice. The blood was black and stank of toxins.

"We need a full transfusion here! We need five pints of synthi-blood! Tell me what the hell is happening to him!"

The medical teams worked endlessly and succeeded in flushing Jakobs system, but it was clear to all the damage was far too great; he was undergoing repeated heart attacks, his major organs shutting down and his body showing signs of devolution. He was beyond medicine's ability to save.

"Get an emergency Rejuve system! There's no way he'll survive being moved again! Begin emergency resuscitation at once! We've got to keep him stable!"

When Jakob opened his eyes, he found himself staring at a pale green medical curtain. His body spasms forced up thin, water vomit, which a male nurse wiped away for him and placed a soothing compress on his forehead.

"What... what happened?" he whimpered, struggling to focus on the young man. As the world stopped spinning, three more figures emerged; one wearing a doctor's coat, the other two Starfleet uniforms.

"Mr Romanov?" The human officer asked. The second, a Drakonian, stood quietly to one side.

"I... yes, I'm Jakob Romanov."

"I'm afraid there was an attempt on your life. It seems someone inserted a chrono-locked substance into your body. Do you have any idea how this may have happened?"

Jakob shook his head.

"Unfortunately..." the man paused, glancing to the doctor who, reluctantly, gave him a nod. "...your brother, Osip, was found dead earlier today. It appears that your home was burned down in the process, and given what has happened to you we are not treating it as accidental."

Jakob's mouth opened and closed silently. "My... I... I don't..." He broke down in tears, the orderly doing his best to comfort the child.

"I am very sorry. We will give you time to come to terms with... with everything."

As the officers left, the doctor knelt down to speak with Jakob on eye level. "Mr Romanov? Jakob? I'm afraid that, due to the severity of your injuries and the chronostatic radiation that caused them, we had to perform an emergency Rejuvenation. You are currently seven years old, more or less, and have been Rejuved female.

Jakob, still shaking, ran a hand through his hair, across his face and then, to prove the transformation beyond any doubt, beneath the sheets of his bed. "...Oh." he managed weakly.

"I know this is a lot to take in, but do try to get some rest. Everything will be alright. Once again, I am very sorry..."

It was a cold Christmas morning when Jakob was roused from her bed by the Starfleet officers again, flanked by a couple who were clearly intended as her new parents.

"Miss Romanov, this is Anthony and Alice Colbert. They are going to be your new parents."

"I worked that out myself." Jakob replied sharply, pouting as only a young girl could. "I want to know what happened, but nobody will tell me! I want to know what happened to my brother!"

The officer gave her hand a sympathetic pat. "I am sorry, Miss Romanov, but our investigation has taken a turn for the worse. We have reason to believe Osip may have been tortured, and it seems he was bound when the house was set alight."

"Was anything taken?" The Medicalos asked, trying her best to fight back the tears.

"I'm afraid so. It seems that around a month ago your brother authorised the transfer of most of your funds to off-world accounts. These accounts are now empty, and we have no way of determining who is responsible."

The young girl let a pair of silent tears roll down her cheeks. "Osip had a p-pocket watch. I-it was an antique. Do you k-know if it survived?"

"It is possible. We'll find out as soon as we can."

The officer left Jakob to her new parents, who gave the girl some privacy as she dressed herself. However, she quickly emerged dressed in nothing but her panties carrying a dress in hand, which she threw onto the hospital floor in a huff.

"I am NOT wearing a dress!" the girl screamed. "I want PROPER clothes!"

As patiently as they could, the Colberts arranged for alternative attire, a pale blue shirt and a pair of jeans, though that was by no means the end of the tantrum.

"We need to discuss a name as well." Anthony said. "How about Jackie?"

"Forget it!" Jakob snapped from behind the curtain. "I am not having a girl's name! My name is Jakob and it's STAYING Jakob!"

Her parents having no wish to argue, and believing it would do her no good to be forced through such decisions before she was ready to make them herself, Jakob was escorted out of the hospital and released into the care of her new parents. They helped her into the hover-car, making promises about the happy life they'd be leading together. They passed over Jakob's head without ever touching her ears. The only time the girl turned away from the window is when mention of where her home was.

"WHAT!? I have to live in a PENITATAS neighbourhood!?"

"It's for your protection, sweetie." Alison answered gently. "There were concerns that whoever tried to kill you might try again, and so by putting you on a high security neighbourhood it's easier for you to be kept safe."

Jakob huffed and turned back to the window, arms folded across her chest and tears forming in the corners of her eyes again. "This is the worst Christmas ever." She mumbled to the car door.

* * *

All things considered, it was turning out to be a good Christmas this year. Getting into trouble so quickly in his Soft Time cycle hadn't helped, and he woke up to find two lumps of coal in his stocking, with four switches to go with them. Still, the punishment was over and done with first thing and he found a second Christmas stocking waiting for him downstairs, containing a candy cane and a small parcel marked "Do Not Open Until Lunchtime." It turned out, in due course, to be nano lotion for his aching backside.

"Bet you've not had a candy cane in your stocking before have you, Vaahn?" Chloe said pleasantly as the boys turned their attention to what was under the tree. Jas had his own stocking held in one hand with a candy cane, a bag of sweets and a Slinky inside.

"Can't say I have," Vaahn answered, still sore and a little teary from the morning's unpleasantness.

"I was always conveniently passed up for that reward."

Matt ruffled the boy's head fur affectionately. "Well until the new years you can enjoy a little more free reign; you'll be treated like a Voluntaras, assuming you don't do anything REALLY bad, so I suggest the two of you start thinking about what you're going to do together for the week."

The boys gave very little thought to the week, or even to later in the day. Even a Penitatas, no matter how badly behaved, could expect presents at Christmas, and with two (mostly) well behaved boys in the house there were plenty of toys to be had. Amongst the gifts was a construction set for Jas, including parts and software to build a motorised, programmable vehicle. Vaahn received a selection of historical holo-disks detailing cultures of ancient Earth.

The day passed quickly, with the boys lost in play. The guests began to arrive shortly before dinner; friends and family members invited to join Chloe and Matt for Christmas. The two boys, dressed smartly, sat and stared at the array of food before them with hungry eyes, whilst making polite conversation with people they did not yet know. Turkey and pork was dished out, followed by potatoes (roasted and mashed), vegetables and thick gravy. With a cry of "Merry Christmas everyone!" and the clinking of the adult's wine glasses, the meal began. Conversation flowed back and forth across the table, although it was obvious Vaahn felt out of place. As soon as the meal was over, Vaahn asked to be excused from the table and retreated to his bedroom, with Jas volunteering to follow him.

"You okay?" Jas asked from the doorway, seeing Vaahn sat on his bed with his back pressed against the wall.

"I'm fine. I just don't feel very festive right now."

"I know." Jas replied sympathetically, sitting on the bed and shuffling next to the sulking Penny. "I feel the same way sometimes."

Vaahn sighed and let the back of his skull thump against the wall. "A long life is a terrible curse. The days I spent with friends and brothers, laughing and joking and thinking the good times would never end... they feel like an eternity ago. I can't even picture their faces anymore."

"At least I'm still here, right?"

"Yeah," Vaahn answered, resting his head on the Aspatrian's shoulder. "I guess you are."

* * *

The bright morning sunlight came, unwelcome and unbidden, through the curtains of Jakob's bedroom. The seven year old was already awake, sat in a pair of damp panties and crying quietly, too ashamed to seek out her parents. When Alison came knocking it did not take her long to discover what had happened, and though she was nothing but supportive and understanding, nothing she said improved Jakob's mood at all. Her father volunteered to help the Medicalos clean herself up, guessing correctly that the gender-conflicted child would prefer not to be stripped and bathed by her mother if at all possible.

Washed and dressed in a pair of blue jeans, blue socks and a Captain Lightning T-shirt, Jakob found, to her surprise, Christmas presents waiting downstairs. M-CARE, the Medicalos Care And Rehabilitation Enterprise, had come through with free gifts for the distressed child and, taking her attitudes into account, had express delivered a set of action figures, some toy cars, and a hand held gaming console, which was naturally blue in colour. With her mood improved, Jakob was given breakfast, which did even more to lift the storm clouds hovering above her head. Returning her new toys to the bedroom, Jakob paused and flung open the curtains, staring out at the public land that their home backed onto. Snow had fallen a few days before and most of it was still untouched, though with a small group of children being escorted to the field it was clear that would soon change.

"Momma! Pappa!" The Colberts came at their daughter's call. "I wanna play outside!"

This announcement was met with smiles all round, as both parents knew that some healthy, energetic play with other children would do wonders for their little girl. There was a minor hiccup in that the only coat Jakob's size was a fluffy pink invention, but with a huff she accepted it and soon, properly shielded from the cold, the Medicalos left the house with both parents in tow.

"Ant! Alison! Hello!" Jenny Walker cried, full of cheer as ever. Her timid Penny son, Simon, was building a snowman with a Penny girl named Rebecca. "And who is this young lady?"

"My name is Jakob!" Jakob replied sharply, sneering down at her coat as if blaming it for her being addressed as a girl.

"Jakob is our new Medicalos. He isn't very happy about the situation, as you might imagine."

The woman gave the young girl a sympathetic look. "Oh dear, I am sorry. If there's anything I can do for you dear, just let me know."

Jakob mumbled a few words of thanks, but her focus was elsewhere; with conflicting feelings of anger and embarrassment bubbling to the surface, she was regretting ever coming out at all.

Antony acted swiftly. "There's some boys there having a snowball fight! I bet that'd be fun!"

The Medicalos followed her father's pointing finger to where three boys, two of which were clearly not human, were stockpiling snowballs.

"Mind if I join in?"

"Sure." The Aspatrian answered, putting his snowball making on hold to give the girl a wave. "I've not seen you before."

Removing her gloves, the silver M's on the back of her hands were displayed to the gathering. "I'm new in town."

"Kadec Kyiyn!" The Kyyreni boy exclaimed. "You're Jakob Romanov, right? You made the Holo the other night!"

"That's my name, Gjolgniir."

The wolfish boy paused. "<You speak Ruljigcyyt?>"

"<A little bit. Lived on Ryyksaad for a while.> That accent... you're a Dawnsider right?

"Yup. The name's Vaahn." The Kyyreni boy offered a hand, which Jakob accepted.

"Vaahn? You sure you're not a Daysider?"

Vaahn laughed. "You'd be dead by now if I were."

Jakob broke away and turned to the next boy, whose eyes glinted mischievously. "Hi Jakob, I'm Danny. Whereabouts are you living?"

The Medicalos pointed out her home. Danny whistled, impressed. "Wow! I'm three doors down from a celebrity! Wait until I tell the class! Hey, Jakob, how come you're wearing a pink coat?"

"All my parents had." Jakob answered in his best 'drop it' tone of voice. Danny seemed not to take the hint.

"If you're a Medicalos, how come you're still called Jakob, Jakob?"

"I think you ought to drop it, Danny." Jas warned, seeing the look on Jakob's face.

Danny looked to the Aspatrian. "What? I just want to know if she's a girl or a cross-dresser!"

A sharp smack resounded across the field as Jakob's wildly flailing fist met the side of Danny's head. "Shut the fuck up!" She screamed, slapping the boy with a backhand swing before he could recover. Blinking, more shocked than hurt, Danny went to throw a counter-punch only to find Vaahn had his arm gripped tight.

"Let go of me!" Danny screamed.

"Not a chance." Vaahn answered, receiving a dig to the side of the head in return. Moments later the parents had broken up the fight, though not before Jakob had rushed in for one last attack; a fierce kick to Danny's crotch.

Dragging the children apart and demanding answers, Jakob finally burst into tears. "H-he was making f-fun of me-ee-ee!" she sobbed, pointing a damning finger at Danny.

"And Vaahn is in a fight again, what a surprise!" Rebecca's mother announced, scowling at the Kyyreni boy.

"N-no, he was trying t-to stop Danny h-hitting me!" The Medicalos sniffled.

The woman did not look convinced. "A likely story," she muttered, but she could not very well call a Medicalos a liar, especially when several adults had seen Vaahn trying to restrain Danny.

The troublemaker was swiftly grabbed by the ear and dragged away from the park, yelping and pleading as he went. "You are going home RIGHT NOW young man! You just count yourself lucky it's so cold out or I'd have your pants down here and now so that poor girl could watch your punishment!"

This time, it was Jakob who felt up to mischief. "Miss... you live a few doors away, right?"

"Why yes, that's right! Young... young Jakob, would you like to come and see this naughty Penny get what he deserves?"

She nodded eagerly. "Oh I really would!"

"Then it's settled! Ant, Alison, bring Jakob over as soon as you're ready. I'm going to have to tell Santa about this, and I suspect he'll be back with some more coal for little Danny! Fighting at Christmas is VERY NAUGHTY!"

"Nooo!" Danny howled, already crying as he vanished from sight. Jakob wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled triumphantly at the two remaining boys. "Thanks for sticking up for me guys."

"Anytime." Jas answered.

"You guys want to come and watch the spanking?"

Vaahn shrugged, glancing to Jas and answering, "What the heck; I've got no love for Danny. Besides, it'll be nice to see someone else having a miserable Christmas for a change."

"Oh I know that feeling." Jakob answered, taking her mother's hand and heading to their neighbour's house.