We are about to make first Federation contact with the inhabitants of a planet called third-Earth, which is surprisingly like our own Earth in physical detail.  The leader of the group with which we made contact, Lion-O of the Thunder Cats, appears to be a person whom we can trust.  Leading the Away-Team is Acting Commander Wesley Crusher.

            July 9.

            Control Room, Cat's Lair, third-Earth.

"Why do we have to be the ones to stay up here?" demanded Wilykit.

            Lion-O said, "Because you do.  Please, Kits.  If these people should prove to be hostile, I wouldn't want all the Thunder Cats here caught in any attack."  Especially not you, he added in his head, knowing the other Thunder Cats would agree.  "Got it?"

            "Yes," said Wilykat.  Lion-O rubbed the top of Wilykat's head, then left.  Wilykat rubbed the disruptor that he had snatched off Liquidator, which Steelheart and Lion-O let him keep. . . mainly for protection.  Wilykit turned on the monitor to the field just beyond the bridge.

            "Okay," said Wilykit.  She altered the view angle so that, in a perspective of facing toward Cat's Lair, one could see the bridge from its left.  She scrolled the screen to the right.

            * * *

            Outside Cat's Lair.

            The four Thunder Cats saw that five members of the Enterprise had chosen or had been chosen to beam down.  Lion-O recalled seeing them on the viewscreen, though he had mostly noticed Picard.  Now, Lion-O mostly noticed the one in the mostly black uniform with a strip of red across the top.  This person stepped forward and shook hands with Lion-O, a custom that the Thunderians shared with the humans.  "Welcome to third-Earth," said Lion-O.

            "Thank you," said Wesley.  "I am Acting Commander Wesley Crusher, temporarily first officer of the Enterprise."  He turned to Will Riker.  "This is Commander William Riker, actual first officer of the Enterprise."  Riker respectfully inclined his head.  Wes turned to Data.  "This is Lieutenant Commander Data, science officer."  Data inclined his head respectfully.

            Wesley turned next to Troi and decided to use her rank.  "Lieutenant Commander Deanna Troi, ship's counsellor."  Troi, smiling pleasantly yet professionally, inclined her head.  Wesley turned to the Klingon.  "And this is Lieutenant Worf, chief of security."

            "How do you do?" said the Klingon with as good grace as he could muster.

            Lion-O said, "Very well.  And I would like you to meet my friends."  He indicated each one whose name he said.  "Tygra, Cheetara, and Panthro."  He looked at the device in Worf's right holster.  He knew what it was - a phaser - but he had to ask.  "Pardon me, but what is that, Lieutenant?"

            Worf turned to him and said, "This is a phaser pistol.  We only use them if necessary."

            "Well, I'm pleased to hear that," said Lion-O rather sarcastically but not too much so.  "You appear to be of another species."

            "Yes, I am," said Worf.  "I am a Klingon.  In fact, Commander Riker and Acting Commander Crusher are the only two in the group who belong to the same species."

            This guy's face could freeze time itself, mused Panthro.  Just the kind I like!

            "Well," Lion-O said, "I suggest that we go inside Cat's Lair.  At least we can sit down in there if we like."

            "Sounds . . . nice," said Wesley.  "You go on in. . . all but you, Data."  Data looked up from his tricorder.  "We two should contact the ship."

            "Very well," said Lion-O.  "Come on in when you're ready.  Just go all the way up the stairs to the left.  The rest of you may follow me, please."  Everyone but Wesley and Data went into Cat's Lair.

            "What do you think, Commander?" asked Wesley.

            Data thought.  "I am not certain.  It would seem that they are very nice, very polite."  He frowned.  "I think, sir, that I could describe them as being kind and honest."

            "Kindness and honesty," said Wesley.  "I felt that from them."  He tapped his communicator.  "Crusher to Enterprise."

            Picard replied, "Picard here, Crusher.  Report."

            "We have made an extremely smooth first-contact, sir," reported Crusher.  "I sense no malice from them whatsoever.  I can read them rather easily.  All in my group except Data and me have gone into their home structure, Cat's Lair."

            "Very well," said the captain.  "Obtain some data {da-tuh} - names and such - and have Data {dehy-tuh} bring them to the ship when you're ready."

            "Aye, sir," said Crusher.  "Crusher out."  He tapped his communicator.  They approached the doorway.  Data went in before Wesley, so he could not have seen at first that something had gotten into Wesley's mind.  "Data. . ." said Wesley softly.  Data went to Crusher's side.  "Data. . . I feel. . . I feel a beautiful mind."  He supported his head with his hand.  "Simply beautiful!"  He allowed Data to help him.

            "This mind," said Data.  "Can you determine where it is?"

            Wesley answered, "Yes.  Could you help me to go in that direction, please?"

            "Yes, Wesley."  It was no order, but Data wanted to help nonetheless.

            Wesley's communicator chirped.  Data tapped it.  "Crusher here," replied Wesley.

            "Sir," said Troi's voice, "it's Counsellor Troi.  Your mind's drifting."

            "I know.  Just let me stay long enough to find out who's making it drift," said Wesley.

            Troi answered, "-Sigh.-  All right.  I'm coming to you, nevertheless."

            "Certainly, Counsellor.  Crusher out."  Wesley tapped his communicator.

            Troi found Data helping Wesley go toward the control room.  Cheetara was right behind Troi.  Cheetara turned to Troi at a sudden sensation.  "Counsellor, you are an empath," said Cheetara.

            "Yes," said Troi.  "I. . . are you a telepath?"

            Cheetara answered, "Yes."

            "Counsellor. . ." called Wesley.

            "I'm here," said Troi.  "Do you see now why you need mental shields?  To keep stuff like this from happening."

            "Counsellor, where is this person?  Where is the person to whom this. . . this. . . this extremely beautiful mind belongs?"  Troi smiled.

            "I'll show you," said Troi.  "Cheetara. . ."

            "Certainly.  Go ahead," said Cheetara.  She could indeed sense to whom Wesley was being attracted.  "The control room.  I'll lead."  Cheetara led Troi, who helped Wesley to go, to the control room.

            "Yes!" said Wesley.  "I do feel it coming from in there."

            * * *

            Control Room.

            Wilykat had convinced Wilykit to let him take over for the moment.  Understandably so, as Wilykit had seemed almost shocked or thrilled or whatever by something; she just stared.  Wilykat was convinced it was one of the people on the viewscreen when those people appeared outside.  "Wilykat," asked Wilykit softly after a long while, "who was he?"

            "I don't know!" said Wilykat, turning to her.  "I didn't hear the names.  I just heard you gasp at something.  As far as I could tell, you were absolutely shocked by something."

            "It wasn't shock," she said.  "Yet, I don't know exactly what it was."  Regaining her normal composure, she firmly stated, "I can tell you that it wasn't shock."

            "Which person?" asked Wilykat.

            "The young guy in the black uniform with the strip of red going across the top," said Wilykit, losing herself again.  "Oh, my, I can't say what I thought of him."  Unconsciously, she found an empty chair and sat in it.  "All I can say is that. . . is that he seemed to me to be absolutely beautiful!"

            "Humans don't use that term in describing males," reminded Wilykat.  "They use 'handsome.' "

            She turned to Wilykat, her attention refocused on him.  He was the only thing that could distract her from the human; good.  "I think 'beautiful' is most appropriate.  And his voice is as beautiful as yours."

            "Whatever you say," said Wilykat nervously.  "What is with you?"

            "I don't know."  She got up and leaned over the back of his chair as he turned back to the controls.  "It feels extremely strange.  I don't know what. . ."  She turned at the sound of the door opening, and then she saw him behind Cheetara.

            The viewscreen had not done him justice.  With her own eyes, she could see the beautiful, subtle little details that pixels could never recreate.  She felt exhilarated by this person's beauty, and she felt she could see into his soul.

            Wesley experience the same thing the second he laid eyes on her.  She was, although in all appearances 15, extremely beautiful.  His heart rate escalated.  (Wesley never knew this would happen!)  Neither knew what they should say.  Wilykat was entirely confused.

            Finally, Wilykat broke the silence.  "What is going on?" he asked quietly.

            Troi moved up to Crusher.  "Sir," said Troi, "respectfully, I think we should go."

            Wesley turned to the half-Betazoid counsellor.  "Why, Counsellor?" he asked.

            "Well," said Troi, "I am concerned.  With your newly developed telepathic capabilities, trying to go a centimetre further now could be suicide.  Trust me.  This is not something to be taken lightly.  It could overload your mind telepathically."

            "Okay," said Wesley, facing the floor.  (Wesley did not want to do this.  Both the telepathy and the girl were unexpected and welcome.  But he had to in order to retain his sanity.)  Troi tapped her communicator.

            "Counsellor Troi to Enterprise," said Troi.  "Two to beam up."

            Ringing over the communicator, the transporter operator's voice said, "Ready for transport."

            Troi sighed.  She did not want to do this, but she knew she had to.  "Energise."  She and Wesley were beamed back to the Enterprise.

            * * *

            Sickbay, Deck 12, Enterprise.

            "But, Mom, I'm fine!" cried Wesley in the ceiling of his tenor voice.  He never knew he still possessed that kind of voice until now.

            "Listen, young man," said Beverly, "I know perfectly well that we need to get that heart rate under control."  Resigned, Wesley lay back on the bio-bed.  Beverly smiled.  "Thank you."  Deanna was there as Beverly ran a check on Wesley.

            "I hated to do it," said Troi.

            Beverly turned to her.  "Deanna, what are you talking about?"

            "Couldn't you see that look on his face when he came in?" asked Troi with a nice smile.  "Don't you know what that means?"

            "The first thing I am supposed to be concerned about," said Beverly, completing her scan, "is the health of everyone on board this ship.  Then, I'll worry about other things."  She read her tricorder readings.  "Simply elevated blood pressure," she said.  For the first time in the past few minutes, she smiled warmly at her son.  Yes, she understood.  "Who is it?"  Wesley snapped to a sitting position.

            "I don't know," he said rationally.  (All this, and he had not even read her name!  He felt stupid for that.)  "I just sensed her mind, and Data and Troi led me to the control room, where she was."  His mind was drifting off again.  "And, my gosh, she was beautiful."

            "So, is it a physical attraction, or something more?" asked Beverly.

            "Not just physically beautiful, but. . . but mentally beautiful.  I can't believe it."

            "They just stood there for a few moments, staring at each other," said Troi.  "The only other male in the area was absolutely oblivious as to what was going on."

            "Yes, he did, didn't he?" asked Wesley.

            Deanna was surprised.  "You noticed him?"

            "Who couldn't?" asked Wesley, facing the counsellor.  "Her thoughts were so complexly intertwined with his.  I felt so much interconnection between their minds."  (It was true.  He had felt so many thoughts of both the girl and the boy in the girl's mind.  He must be a brother or, more likely, the brother.)  The doors opened, and Data and Picard came in.

            "Hello, Wesley," said Picard, grinning like an idiot.  He could not control it.  "I am given to understand that you and this young lady are the newest victims of Cupid."

            Wesley was smiling.  "Sorry, sir."

            "Quite all right," said Picard.  "Riker's doing a pretty good job down there.  He sent Data back with a report and computer records."

            "I have already entered them into the ship's computer," added Data.  "Do you mind if I told you about this young lady to whom you are attracted?"  Wesley could hardly blame Data for his wording.

            "Thank you," said Wesley, "but I'd rather do it personally."

            "Suit yourself, Wesley," said the android officer.  "Her brother, out of misunderstanding of the situation, is - to use a human expression - watching her like a hawk.  That was the young man you saw with her, Wesley."

            "I understand," said Wesley.  "Counsellor Troi, how much shielding will I need just to talk to her?  I really want to talk with her."

            "It depends.  I think that just a little work will do it for now, though," said Troi.

            "Great.  We'd better start.  I can't wait to see her again."

            * * *

            Ten-Forward, Deck 10.

            "A Romulan Warbird," said Wesley.  Deanna really wasn't surprised that he had chosen this to represent his mind and the Warbird's cloak to represent his shielding.  Cloaking technology had long evaded the Federation.  The precise calculations to see 'through' the cloak were difficult to master.

            "Very good," said Deanna.  They touched hands.  She closed her eyes.  "Close your eyes," she said, and Wesley complied.  "Do not fight my entering your mind."  Her mind entered his.  At first, he unconsciously fought slightly, but it subsided.  The telepathic link was established.  Now, if you have experienced any past conflicts that may interfere with this process, interrupt it.  If not, don't.  Wesley made no interruption.  Very good.  We are ready to proceed.  The Warbird image.  Their minds saw a Romulan Warbird.  Very good.  Now, cloak it.  The raising of the cloak represents your raising your mental shielding.  The Warbird faded out of view, and there appeared to be no disruption in space.  Very good.  Deactivate the cloak.  The deactivation represents the lowering of your mental shielding.  The Warbird faded perfectly into view.  Excellent.  We shall need to go through this several times.

            * * *

            Observation Lounge, Deck 1.

            ". . .and their historical pattern indicates that they have followed their code quite well," said Data.  "Truth, honour, justice, and loyalty."

            Picard nodded.  "I like that," he said.  "What a terrible fate for a species. . . having one's homeworld blown up.  And only nine Thunderians are left.  They seem able to take care of themselves, but there are five males and only three females."

            "One of whom is attracted to my son, a human," added Dr. Crusher.  "And we do not know whether humans and Thunderians are biologically compatible, though they probably are."

            "Yes," said Picard.  A comm-signal chirped.  "This is Captain Picard," he called.

            "Troi here," replied the ship's counsellor.  "It took much shorter than anticipated, sir.  Wesley can now return to the planet without danger to his mind.  We even did more than I originally planned."  Beverly turned to Picard.

            "Thank you, Counsellor," said Picard.  "You and he meet me in Transporter Room 2."

            "Aye, sir," said Troi.  Picard turned to the android.

            "You have the Bridge, Mr. Data," said Picard.

            Data said, "Aye, sir."  Picard, Beverly, and Data went onto the bridge.  Data took the captain's chair as the captain and the doctor entered TurboLift 2 and told it to take them to Transporter Room 2 on Deck 6.

            "What do you think?" asked Picard.

            "I don't know what to think," said Beverly.  "My son falling in love with a person of a species we met only a few moments before?"

            "Nothing wrong with it, is there?" asked Picard.

            Beverly shook her head and said, "No, sir.  I'm just concerned.  Who knows what Thunderians in love do?"

            "A Thunderian in love," said Picard blandly, although Beverly was slightly amused.

            * * *

            Transporter Room 2, Deck 6.

            Beverly and Picard stepped into the transporter room, where Troi and Wesley already were.  "Ready for transport," announced the transporter operator.  Satisfied, the four stepped on the transporter pad.

            Data's voice came over the comm-circuit.  "They have acknowledged that you will be coming down, sir."

            "Thank you, Mr. Data.  Energise," Picard ordered.  The transporter operator activated the transporter, and the four on the pad were transported down to the planet's surface.

            * * *

            Outside Cat's Lair, third-Earth.

            There, Wesley, having his mental shields up, could no longer feel the mind of the person with whom he had fallen in love so rapidly.  Still, he could lower them just a little and feel her presence.

            The four entered Cat's Lair and found themselves in the entrance hall.  Beverly had her tricorder set so meticulously as to find the slightest little trace of foreign microscopic life forms.  Lion-O came to greet them.  "Welcome to Cat's Lair, Captain Picard," said Lion-O.

            Shaking hands with Lion-O, Picard said, "The pleasure is mine, Lion-O."  Picard turned to Beverly.  "This is Dr. Beverly Crusher, Wesley Crusher's mother and the chief medical officer of the Enterprise."  Lion-O shook hands with Beverly.

            "Where is Commander Data?" asked Lion-O.

            "He had to remain on the ship," said Picard.  "At least one senior officer must stay on the ship at most times."

            "Yes," said Lion-O.  "I am rather curious, you understand."

            "As am I, Lion-O."

            The five begin walking toward the congregation room.  "What exactly is your mission out here?"

            Picard stated, "Our mission is to explore this five-sixths of the galaxy which that blasted Q blocked off from us."  Lion-O turned to Picard.

            "Who is this Q?" asked Lion-O.

            "An omnipotent being," said Picard.  "He belongs to what he considers a much higher life form called the Q Continuum, and he seems to thrive off of giving others quite a bad time."

            "Okay," said Lion-O.  "What has he done to you?"  They entered the congregation room.  Cheetara, Panthro, and Tygra were there, as well as Riker and Worf.

            "Hello, sir!" said Riker.  "I like 'em already."

            "Uncannily like humans," said Worf.  "They prefer peace."

            "No," said Panthro.  "Our code and laws are what prefer peace.  Sometimes, I feel like ripping an enemy's head off his body and doing something to it, but I must refrain from doing that."  Hearing that made Worf at least a little happier.

            Cheetara said, "That's the way your race generally feels about it.  That of you is mostly one of warriors; that of Tygra and me is mainly one of thinkers."

            "Yes," said Panthro respectfully.  "And, when you really think about it, fighting doesn't get you anywhere, unless someone's lunging at you with a knife pointed at your throat."

            "I'm glad you see it that way," said Lion-O.  Everyone had a seat.

            "Nice to see you composed, Wesley," said Riker.  "From the way Data described you,. . ."

            "Please, Commander?" begged W. Crusher.  "At the moment, I'd rather not talk about it."

            "Okay," said the commander.  "Can you offer us any insight on that ship we encountered earlier, Lion-O?"

            "Yes, we can," said Lion-O.  "It is unfortunate that the very device of which you speak is the invention of this galaxy's most powerful villain himself, Prince Ludwig von(Bowser)Koopa, who is trying to make the galaxy his empire."

            "Yet," said Picard, "he couldn't get through the gate."

            "Right," said Lion-O.  "He's tried everything but the kitchen sink."

            "The kitchen sink?" asked Troi.  "Why would anyone try to use a kitchen sink to open up that gate?"

            "Pardon Counsellor Troi," said Picard.  "I believe he meant that von(Bowser)Koopa's tried practically every method of which he can think."  Picard turned to Lion-O.  "Any idea on how he constructed such a huge ship?"

            Lion-O explained, "He pooled resources from all over the galaxy.  His evil brother Larry, who is a genius with psychological manipulation, hypnotised Tygra and made him make architectural plans for the ship.  The ship is replete with super-powerful warp engines, strong shields, and a super-enhanced cloaking device, not to mention a molecular disassociator.  It is not to my knowledge as to whether he has weapons while cloaked.  However, a while ago, he was forced to decloak in order to attack something, so it is my guess that he cannot fire while cloaked."

            Picard nodded.  "Romulan limitations," he muttered.

            "Pardon me?" asked Lion-O.

            "Romulan limitations," said Picard.  "The Romulans, inhabiting a nation called the Romulan Star Empire, also have devices that can cloak their Warbirds, keeping them out of alien view totally.  But, other than their advantage of being able to sneak up on their enemy invisibly, they are totally defenceless while their ship is cloaked.  It used to be that their cloaking shields left a faint distortion that we could detect, but no longer.  It seems that they are back with a vengeance.  It was the Enterprise herself that made first contact after about two and a half score of years of radio silence."  Lion-O nodded.  "They even had the audacity to cross the Neutral Zone into the Federation to talk to us.  They could have just called us out into the middle of the Neutral Zone."

            "In that case," said Riker, "we would have had to be on our guard even more, because they could have fired on us more easily in neutral territory than Federation territory."

            "I'm curious," said Lion-O.  "You say the Federation and the Romulans had been separated for about fifty years.  Under what circumstances did they re-meet?"

            Picard said, "Well, in the Federation, there are bases which act as listening posts or outposts along the very border of the Neutral Zone.  It is the same with the Romulan Empire.  When we went to investigate, there was nothing left of any of the outposts.  They had just simply vanished into thin air."

            "As though some force just scooped it off the face of the planet," added Wesley.  "And, when we met up with the Romulans, they said that exactly the same thing had happened with their bases that bordered on the edge of the Neutral Zone.  Sometime after that, nice ol' Q showed up and, trying to tell us that we weren't ready for the dangers which lay ahead for us, finally knocked us several hundred light-years into the middle of another section of space.  We explored a bit, and we found one planet with exactly the same circumstances as what happened to the Federation and Romulan bases bordering the Neutral Zone.  Then, we met the cause of the destruction for that planet:. . ."

            ". . .the Borg," announced Wesley, Picard, and Riker together.

            "I am willing to stake my life on the premise that the Borg had something to do with the destruction of those bases along the Neutral Zone," said Picard.

            "Can they come out here?" asked Lion-O.

            "I don't know," said Picard.  "But you'll instantly be able to identify any ship of theirs.  They are shaped like cubicles.  But that von(Bowser)Koopa's ship dwarfs even the Borg's vessels."  Lion-O began to smile.

            "The Thunder Kittens - Wilykat and Wilykit - recently made Ludwig mad out of his evil skull," said Lion-O.  "When he was trying to do something on a planet, they boarded his ship; they knocked out the shields, the transporter, and the cloaking device; and they yanked out every last piece of a dilithium crystal in the dilithium crystal chamber.  Boy, must Ludwig have been angry!  I could just see him raving and raving."

            Wesley almost instantly knew those about whom Lion-O must have been talking.  Wilykit. . . I think I like it, he mused.  And they seem to have acquired some respect from their older companions.  He returned to what was happening.  He saw that no one was looking at him suspiciously except for Troi, and she not too much so; this was acceptable.  Everyone was thinking of something new to discuss.  This was his opportunity.  "Lion-O," said Wesley, "may I do something?"

            "Certainly.  What would you like to do?" asked Lion-O.

            * * *

            The Thunder Kittens' Room.

            She could not get that boy out of her mind.  She had seen him; she had. . . well, she was not sure.  She really, really, really liked something about him, though.  She felt it to be her fault that she had not seized the opportunity to speak with him.  Darn it, she did not even know his name!  She just knew she liked him.  This had made her brother suddenly very protective.  She could not explain it in a way that he could understand.  Heck, she could not explain it to him at all.  Daydreaming, she was just lying on her bed.

            Wilykat just could not get what the heck was going on.  It was all as foreign to him as Mandarin Chinese.  He just thought there was some threat to his sister, and he wanted to make perfectly certain that she was safe.  He could not understand that Wilykit was in love now.  It was because of some mental block.  He felt something was wrong with her, and he felt that, if he were alone with her for long enough, she would get over it.  They had been here for some time.  He just could not get the idea.  He had not even been told the slightest word that his sister was lovesick.  He could not fathom that one little fact, and that was why he had failed in trying to help her.

            He went over to her and put a supporting right hand on her left shoulder.  She snapped out of her reverie and saw Wilykat.  " 'Kit," he asked, "what the heck is wrong?"

            "I don't know," she said.

            "You look absolutely deprived of the one thing you need the most.  But I'm right here, Wilykit.  What does it feel like?"

            "I can't really describe it that well.  I felt my blood pressure elevating, sure enough.  But, beyond that, I can't really tell what happened.  My thoughts are swirling through my brain far too quickly for me to understand."  Wilykat shook his head.  He just could not figure out what was wrong.  It was driving him crazy.

            The beep sounded at the door.  Wilykit sat up, propped by her arms and hands behind her.  "Come in," said Wilykat.  The door opened, and Cheetara came in.  "Hi, Cheetara."

            "Hello, Wilykat," said Cheetara.  "I'd like to talk with your sister alone for a moment."

            "But you can share anything about her with me," said Wilykat.  He saw the look in Cheetara's eyes and added, "But I'll grant it to you, anyway.  Go ahead."  He stepped into the corridor.

            "What is it?" asked Wilykit.

            "You know the young man whom you saw earlier?" asked Cheetara.

            Wilykit's heart instantly began soaring.  "Yes!  What's his name?"

            "He is Wesley Crusher," said Cheetara.  "Do you know what is with you?"

            "No," said Wilykit, "and I'd like more than anything to find out what it is."  Cheetara smiled.

            "Well," said Cheetara, "I'll let you see if you can find out for yourself.  Wesley wants to see you."

            It was Wilykit's turn to smile.  It was from hope, surprise, and happiness.  "He. . . he does?"

            "Yes," said Cheetara.  "And I'll tell you this:  there is nothing wrong with either you or him.  It is just an intensely strong emotion that is fuelling the way you are behaving."

            "Emotion," she said aloud.  "I can't. . ."  But she could articulate it!  "Love," whispered the Thunder Kitten.  She had heard it before.  She should have known!  "That's it!!  You're right!!  Please, Cheetara!  Please send him in."

            "Yes, Wilykit," said Cheetara, patting Wilykit's hand.  "I won't have any problem talking him into coming.  Actually, he asked if he could come."  Cheetara left.  As soon as this had happened, Wilykat returned.

            "Well?" asked Wilykat eagerly.  "What's wrong?"

            "Absolutely nothing, my dear Wilykat!" she said, sliding of her bed and onto her feet.  She acted like herself again, only five times as happy as ever.  "Brother, why don't you join the Starfleet officers and the other Thunder Cats?"

            "Because of you," he said.

            "Oh, nonsense!" she told him.  "I can look out for myself, thank you very much.  And, besides, Wesley Crusher wants to see me."

            "Wes-. . .  Oh.  That young human."

            "Uh-huh."

            "Now, look, 'Kit.  I don't mean to interfere in your private affairs, - though I do consider it my business, most certainly, because of our relationship - but I don't want him to hurt you."

            "I won't let him," said Wilykit strongly.  Strongly enough, that is, to let him know she was not bluffing.  She could take care of herself; the super-strong muscle-power of the Wilykat Race had kicked in in her and her brother, and no known life-form could withstand an adult Wilykat's strength.

            "Okay," said Wilykat.  "If he even remotely tries to hurt you intentionally, though. . ."