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How do a pair of triplet boys cope with becoming part of a family of identical sextuplet girls?

Enterprise

Chapter Three ~ Huntsville, We have a problem!

By Ariel Montine

Alana drew in a deep breath after the giggle fit that she and her sisters, who together were identical sextuplets, shared. Somehow being female felt right to her and was telepathically told her sister Andrina felt the same way. Alana's other sisters had been female all their lives so they had not been directly involved in the aftermath as she and Andrina had been. However, as the one who witnessed the whole event it fell to her to report her findings to everyone concerned.

"ISS, Enterprise, MCC Moscow, MCC Houston, MCC Huntsville from MS2 encoded on the big Loop, Earth is safe! Asteroid is no longer on collision course, in fact the asteroid is no longer in our solar system. No damage to Alpha. Event has concluded. Decompression Alert can be canceled and normal operation resume. "

"MS2 from MCC Huntsville encoded on the big loop. You've got a bunch of us in mission control breathing again, Thanks a lot! "MS2 from MCC Huntsville encoded on Space to Ground 3, Uhhh? MS2? You sound female?"

"MCC Huntsville from MS2 encoded on Space to Ground 3, Huntsville we have a problem! I and my brother are women now. The psionic elemental forces combined to form a stream of magical power that ported the asteroid out of the solar system. The aftermath when the magical energy sunk within my body changed both my brother and I into women. And not just any women. We are identical to the Akins quadruplets. What does it take to modify those ascent and decent shuttle space suits so a woman can wear them?"

"MS2 from MCC Huntsville encoded on Space to Ground 3, The suits are adjustable so we would recommend getting Peggy to readjust and fit you and your sister's suits. Please report your status when concluded. We need to compute an early return for your group for 2 reasons, 1 : You and your transport are top secret and 2. We have to get Harmony moved to its final assembly point before STS-122 arrives with the Columbus Lab. which we can't do while entertaining you as our guests. Please convey our appreciation to your team for a job well done and for them relax and let us do the rest of the work to bring you all home."

"MCC Huntsville from MS2 encoded on Space to Ground 3, Thank you Huntsville from our whole team. We will advise when our situation is resolved and the team is ready to disembark."

The shock of my transformation and the jarring back to reality stirred by my needing to report had excluded me from the celebration already underway in Harmony. Andrina had found herself at the center of a group hug surrounded by Aquata, Arista, Atina and Adella. Now that the duty was over, I dove into the mass of women and became part of the group hug. I enjoyed being part of the group as I noticed that the holographic projector was still projecting the pentagram and our group hug was dead in the center of it.

As I broke the group hug, Adella and Atina came with me. Together we turned off the projector, while Adella wiped out the holographic program from its memory and Atina found the case for it so it could be stowed. After that we still had to wait for the ISS crew to come get us since we had not been checked out on opening the doors. I suggested to Adella and Atina that we get comfy and chat and telepathically messaged Andrina with the same request to relay to Arista and Aquata. We all gathered together since my sister and I had assumed a bit and now we needed to get some concurrence from the Akins sisters.

I began, "Hi! my new sister and I have a request and we ask if we can come to a consensus. I was feeling that Alana would be a good name for the new me and my sister felt that Andrina might be a good name for her. We both would like to take your last name, Akins and become part of the family. My sister and I feel that if we all become part of the Akins Sextuplets then there would be less questions about us being identical to you all."

Andrina added," I hope you won't feel pressured to agree to this because as resourceful as we all are, we could work something else out. I also hope you will let us join your family. My sister and I are all that is left of our family and with what both of us are going thru, we are going to need all the sisterly love and understanding that we can get, and the answers to about a million questions."

Atina spoke first being the oldest of the quadruplets by ten minutes, "Welcome to the family, Andrina Akins and Alana Akins! The more the merrier!" And that was the end of the discussion because Atina started a group hug with Alana and Andrina and soon Arista, Aquata and Adella joined together.

I felt really warm inside knowing that even though the future was unclear, that I would have my sisters by my side, the entire Akins Sextuplets! We heard radio chatter from the ISS Crew and from the Colonel and Major as they released Alpha from her decompression alert by opening all the doors again as we waited for them to come get us.

"Peggy to All Misson Specialists, I'm about to open the door to Harmony. Congratulations to us all!"

I and my sisters cheered and engulfed Peggy in a big group hug to celebrate our success. The Colonel and Major brought two of the Orange ascent and descent shuttle space suits in with them . We broke the hug and Peggy asked, "Which ones of you lovely ladies need help with your space suits." She paused and studied us as none of us spoke up and a light glistened in her eyes and she said, "Andrina! Alana! I am so glad to meet you ladies. You are both as beautiful as all of your sisters, I believe you two need my help after you have some refreshments." As if on queue, the ISS Crew came with refreshments and they distributed them to each of us.

"Alpha, Enterprise, MCC Moscow, MCC Houston from MCC Huntsville encoded on the big Loop, Stand by for a special transmission from the Presidents of the United States and Russia in Thirty minutes . Alpha and Enterprise please gather in the Destiny Lab in 30 minutes for a KU Band transmission.

"Enterprise from MCC Huntsville encoded on Space to Ground 3, Enterprise, please supply new civilian designations for MS1 and MS2."

"MCC Huntsville from Enterprise encoded on Space to Ground 3, MS1 new civilian designation, Andrina Akins. MS2, new civilian designation, Alana Akins. Message acknowledged Huntsville."

With a nod from the Colonel, Peggy responded, "From Alpha, message acknowledged, Huntsville!" Peggy turned to Andrina and I, "Lets go down to the crew quarters and I will help fit the suits for you, ladies"

We followed Peggy to the crew quarters and she showed us just what needed to be adjusted to accommodate the female anatomy for the suit . Once adjusted each of us got into our suits to try them out and found that both fit wonderfully which was a tribute to the suit designers themselves. Soon we had changed back out of them and the Major showed up and collected the suits to bring them back to Enterprise.

Peggy asked us, "Is there anything else that I can do for you, ladies?"

Andrina asked her, "Would you mind telling us how to use the facilities? The rest of the girls got a copy of knowledge from Dr Shannon which is what we did in lieu of training since there was no time and we really need a woman's perspective. My psionic elemental ability changed to be electromagnetism when I changed gender so I can't copy and transfer memories anymore."

Peggy touched each one of us on the arm and looked into our eyes and smiled at us," Of course dears, we can't have 2 of the people who saved the earth wondering how to use the potty on the station and the shuttle!" She giggled and then became serious. She continued.by describing for each of us exactly how everything worked. Finally Peggy talked me thru a demonstration and both Andrina and I understood completely. The time was approaching for the transmission so the three of us made our way to the Destiny laboratory.

Dan greeted us and told Peggy, I have an incoming transmission holding on Space to Ground 3 encoded from Huntsville. The president wants a private word with MS1 and MS2 before the festivities. Peggy radioed," MCC Huntsville from Alpha encoded on Space to Ground 3, Enterprise MS1 and MS2 standing by with me for the President."

The image of the President with MCC Huntsville behind him was displayed on one monitor while the one we were transmitting showed Andrina and I snuggled close with Peggy floating nearby. The NASA radio jargon was dispensed with as we started a conversation with the President

"Andrina and Alana, we are overjoyed that you did the impossible! My God! What was it that did that to you both?" the President asked.

"What it was, was magic!" answered the pair of us, amused at ourselves and giggling.

"How would you and your sisters like to work as special agents attached to the White House?"

"With all due respect, Mr. President, while both of us took the lead in the past operation, that's in the past. We are now the youngest of sextuplet sisters and Atina, the oldest, speaks for us when we reach a consensus." Andrina answered for us.

"In that case I would like to invite all of the Akins sisters to meet with me in the Oval Room of the White House , so I can make my offer in person to all of you ladies at the same time and you all will be able to give me an answer. Each of you will receive an initiation with the details when you return to earth. Thank you Ladies!" concluded the President

"Alpha from MCC Huntsville encoded on Space to Ground 3, This concludes the event normal operational communication resumes."

Peggy smiled at us," You girls catch on fast in more ways than one! Good luck what ever you all together decide!"

We both thanked Peggy and waited for the rest of us to squeeze into the Destiny Lab. All 11 of us on station managed to get into the picture but it wasn't easy.

"Alpha, Enterprise, MCC Moscow, MCC Houston from MCC Huntsville encoded on the big Loop, Stand by for a special event. It will include a transmission from the Presidents of the United States from MCC Huntsville and the President of Russia from MCC Moscow. Event commences now."

"From MCC Huntsville, the President of the United States!" MCC Huntsville introduced .

"My fellow citizens of the world! We are gathered together to honor all of our brave men and women of our space program and the part they have all played in the salvation of this planet. If it were not for the cooperation that the Untied States, Russia, Europe, Japan and all of our partners in the International Space Station, this amazing achievement of a presence in low earth orbit would not be possible for our heroic sextuplets to use. I salute particularly the cooperation that brought them to Alpha in the midst of such a busy time in station construction. But most of all I salute the intrepid six sisters who were able by working together banish the asteroid which threatened Earth's destruction. It is only by our working together for the common good that our continual survival is assured. God bless Humanity!" spoke the President and following his address a round of applause was heard.

Slightly after being spoken to in Russian, The translation was heard in English from MCC Moscow, "From MCC Moscow, The President of Russia!"

"Courageous comrades of international cooperation, I congratulate you all for the supernatural effort that together we have made to save this planet. To MCC Moscow and all of the Russian Space Agency, Thank you as well as all of our partners in the International Space Station. To the 6 women who were able to do the impossible, I salute you. I wish that we could do more to show our gratitude but since the danger has been resolved, only a few will know that earth was ever in trouble and so must only a few know the effort to save the world. However, at your convenience, under a proper cover story, I urge you to allow me to demonstrate the gratitude of Russia thru me by visiting me in Moscow. I dare say that all of the rest of the heads of the nations of the world equally desire to show the gratitude on behalf of their nations. Thank you to all from the greatest to the least for without even the smallest effort this great undertaking might have failed. Success in all that you do and for the non residents of the ISS, safe journey home!" declared the Russian President, who was cheered following his speech from those witnessing it at MCC Moscow.

Peggy responded, "On behalf of the International Space Station and our many partners, I gratefully accept your thanks for our efforts!"

Atina responded, "On behalf of the Akins sextuplets, we thank you all for your warm welcome and outpouring of support. We hope that the people of the Earth continue to remain unthreatened from without so that our promise is realized. Blessing on you all!"

"Alpha, Enterprise, MCC Moscow, MCC Houston from MCC Huntsville encoded on the big Loop, This concludes the event normal operational communication resumes."

I got a little mischievous and curious. Now that it was settled what our new names were, I felt like it might be time for the NASA Uniform that both Andrina and I were wearing should fit better and have our new names on them. I was nervous about what Andrina's change in powers from memory patterns to electromagnetism might mean. My feelings changed to one of pure joy as I considered what I might have at my call from the magic that resided inside me now.

I intuitively began to chant words in a language that I had never known before but now seemed second nature to me in an incantation to perform the alterations to our clothing. That seemed to be the nature of my new magic because my enchantment had worked! Now our NASA uniforms fit just like our sisters' did and had our new names displayed on them as well. Andrina and the rest of my sisters admired my handiwork and appreciated even more that my magic appeared to be under my control.

I went over to the Major and asked," Are you disappointed that Enterprise wasn't mentioned in the festivities seeing as this might be the only celebration?" I had a feeling that the Major was getting a bit of a reward (looking down at my neckline) there and then, so I smiled at him.

He smiled at me, looking about 6 inches too low to look me in the eyes," As a military man, I'm used to it. It serves the best interest of the world's cooperation in space to act as if we are not there. It would be different if an actual military contingent from the Enterprise accomplished the task instead of you, heroines, only being ferried up on the Enterprise. We know that what we did in getting you there enabled you all to do what you did and we can take pride in that. However all the missions of the Enterprise are classified so we are used to living out of the limelight."

I sought out Atina to see if Andrina had passed on the President's invitation, yet. Before I could swim over to where she was we all stopped as the Colonel made an announcement. "I've been in touch with MCC Huntsville and we have been summoned home. Enterprise Pilot and Mission Specialists, please report to the Enterprise immediately!"

The Major received a handshake from the ISS crew and a hug from the ISS Commander as he was first to go thru to Enterprise. One by one my sisters and I took turns hugging everyone from the ISS and exiting thru to Enterprise. It finally came to my turn and I really hugged Peggy tight and thanked her for everything. I let go so the commander could get his hug and handshakes and for him to close the shuttle hatch behind us, as Peggy the Alpha Commander did with the hatch on the ISS side. I felt the commander's touch on my shoulder as he catapulted past me toward the flight deck. The Commander's gaze and smile told me that I had nothing to fear on the flight home.