In the kitchen, Dr. Anthony Zacharias stroked his moustache and waited for his call to go through. There were some notes and some printouts of the von Groven family tree laid out on the table in front of him. He found himself getting a little anxious for the search results.

Three nights previous, Cybersix and Data 7 had come for their usual visit with a very unusual topic to discuss. They had had an encounter with a creation which had left them at a total loss.

"I recognized her from another incident," Cybersix had explained to Dr. Zack over tea. "Lucas and I saw her during the day about a month ago. She was coming out of a store downtown with two Technoes who, for all intents and purposes, appeared to be her bodyguards. Jose's limo was waiting for her - whether he was in it I don't know - and as we watched the group drove off. It was the strangest thing. I was really bothered by it for a while." She took a ladylike sip of her tea. "Just when nothing more had seemed to come of it, there she was last night, on top of city hall with us. And Doctor - she looked like a Cyber!"

Dr. Zack nodded. "So she was loyal to von Reichter, but wasn't sent to attack you?"

"She didn't even know who I was! It was as if - as if she just wanted to chat!" Cybersix shrugged. "I'm afraid I might have been a little harsh on her, though...I don't know."

Dr. Zack was pensive. "I wonder if - no, that can't be it..."

"What is it?"

"Oh, I just had a thought about something that - no, no, it's silly..."

"Tell us, Dr. Zack, please? I'm sure it can't be that silly," Cybersix urged.

Dr. Zack conceded. "Well, there's something I've got a hunch about, but with your permission I'd like not to disclose it yet. Just a few days, until I can look into it and see whether it's at all well-founded. Like I said, it's a bit silly-sounding and I wouldn't want to make a fool of myself unecessarily." He grinned.

His guests decided to grant him his privacy. It was a little odd, but the doctor generally had good reasons behind his quirks.

"In a few days, then," Cybersix said as she, then Data 7, left through the open window.

So Dr. Zack began his investigation, and eventually arrived in his current situation at the kitchen table, waiting for a connection. It finally came.

"Hello, von Groven residence," said a female voice in German.

"Hello, Greta, it's Tony again!"

"Oh, hello dear! Eager to add to your family tree, eh?"

Dr. Zack chuckled in affirmation. Two days ago he had asked his cousin in Germany about any spouses or children of cousins and second cousins - to update his copy of the von Groven family tree, of course. "Yes, I suppose I am."

"Well, I'm afraid I haven't gotten much done. I became a bit sidetracked during my search," she said apologetically.

"Oh?" Her grandson tried to hide his disappointment.

"Yes, and I am sorry about that, dear. But one name turned out to have a bit of a story behind it, and I just had to look further."

"Which name was that?"

"Rather appropriately, our mysterious relation the Nazi war criminal."

Dr. Zack felt excitement and dread all at once. "The doctor?" He didn't dare say that name out loud. Not now.

"That's right. He was married in 1940 to a woman named Maria Schweitzer, a member of Berlin high society. No relationship to Albert, as far as I can tell. Now, I was actually able to find a picture of her, and I've had it sent to you by email. Very interesting."

"But what happened to her at the end of the war?" Dr. Zack pressed. "Didn't she disappear too?"

"Ah, here we come to the story. That may have been the plan, but no, she didn't." Greta's voice took on a more serious tone. "In March 1945, after not being heard from for a few days, Maria's body was found on the site of a train bombing at the Swiss and German border in the Alps. Someone had managed to pull her out of the wreckage, but it was too late. She had been travelling alone, it seems, so while she was killed, her husband was spared and as you know, was never heard from again."

"How awful," breathed Dr. Zack, imagining the pain of her family and friends. "What an unjust ending."

"Even more than you know, Tony. She was only twenty-five when she died. And nine months pregnant with her first child."

Dr. Zack was getting a depressing and distinctly eerie feeling. Eventually he finished the conversation and exchanged goodbyes with Greta, slowly replacing the receiver. He turned to look in the direction of his computer and sighed before rising from his chair to investigate his email.

Watching the image slide freshly inked out of the printer, the doctor smiled grimly. *Now to find out if I'm on to something.*

That evening Dr. Zack was in the library neatly folding the printout when he heard a familiar tapping. He left the paper where it was and commanded the window to open. Cybersix and Data 7 slipped in.

"I hope we're not taking too much of your time with this mystery of ours, Dr. Zack," apologized Cybersix. That day at lunch, he had mentioned ever so smoothly to Adrian that his 'side project' was ready ("the one you were asking about").

Dr. Zack smiled fondly. "Not at all, Cyber. I'm just as interested in it as you two." He put the kettle on and the three companions gathered together around the coffee table. The doctor prepared to dive in.

"All right. Well, I've done my research and I think I just might have something." He hesitated, even now hoping he wasn't simply jumping to conclusions."I think, perhaps, it would help for you to have a look at something first." Slowly he handed the paper to Cybersix.

Holding it where her brother could see, she unfolded the paper curiously. Upon revealing its bounty, a stereo noise of shock came from both, and Cybersix's hand flew to her mouth. She stared at Dr. Zack, almost frightened with astonishment. He was wearing a rather sad smile.

"I suppose my hunch was right."

Cybersix found her voice. "But how did you - it's her! How did you find this?"

Her friend sighed uncomfortably and began to recount Greta's story. "The woman you are looking at is Maria von Reichter of Berlin..."

By the time he was finished, the water had boiled and the tea bags were soaking.

"Married," Cybersix murmured, still amazed. "He was married..."

*And the Cybers must have been given some of her genetic material* mused Data.

"So it seems the creation you're dealing with is Maria's genetically enhanced clone. I suspect you've already made some other conclusions..." the doctor trailed off.

"Yes. This is as good a sign as any that von Reichter survived the explosion too," Cybersix finished for him unhappily. "No wonder you didn't want to say anything right away. And no wonder poor Genesis acted the way she did." She paused in thought. "But where do we go next?"

Dr. Zack mulled it over before offering a suggestion. "Well, I think we're all in concensus that telling Genesis about her origin would do more harm than good." His guests agreed emphatically. "Other than that, I'm all out."

*What about Mel?* Data 7 asked. *Do you think he knows anything more?*

"It's not very likely Mel would have much information for us," replied Cybersix, so that Dr. Zack would know what Data's question had been. "Secrecy was always pretty high at the compound. I doubt anyone other than Krumens or his son has been told anything. It might make things worse for Mel if we told him what we knew."

"I suppose we've got to work on our own," said Dr. Zack.

*But does anything really have to be done?* Data 7 asked. *Other than our usual precautions against Jose and the doctor, I mean.*

"Data's wondering if there's anything we really need to do at all."

"You do have a point, Data. We may not like the position von Reichter has put Genesis in, but interfering might just cause everyone more pain. I'm inclined to take the same stand," stated Dr. Zack.

Cybersix was reminded of something. "Wait. There is one thing - a truce."

"A truce?"

*Six, you don't mean with -*

"No no, let me explain. I mean a reconcilliation with Genesis. I know I can't make her change her alliances, but I can at least try to keep things between us friendly. I want to apologize for upsetting her. She's not an assassin or even much of an enemy - she's just curious."

Data 7 in his own unique way smiled.

"You have one of the greatest hearts in this world, Cyber," said Dr. Zack in admiration. "And you just keep proving it."