A friend wrote this and I am posting here for your reading enjoyment......
His hand was slow but steady. He carefully and meticulously directed his writing. He was determined that his penmanship remains flawless, even at his age. Paper and pencil were items that he had quickly gotten used to. He had spent the majority of his life keeping logs on a computer, but after he retired to his family’s home in LaBarre, France so many years ago, he did not even have so much as a personal computer anymore. He looked up at his calendar and saw the current date of September 3, 2442. He wrote that date down under the header “Captain’s Log.” After moving back home to France there was no need to keep a stardate any longer. That being so he switched back to the use of the Gregorian calendar, or, Earth standard. He thought about what he would say for several minutes but the only thing that seemed to fit on this particular day was “I believe that today is the day.”
He set his pencil down and closed the book’s cover. He stood up slowly, which in it self was a great task. He walked over to a small teacart sitting at the far end of his living room, which sat a bone china teapot and two fine matching cups. He poured himself a cup of steaming Earl Grey and slowly made his way to his large recliner next to the window that overlooked his families’ vineyard. He stared out the window for several minutes until a bright flash of light in the other end of the room caught his attention.
He turned to look in the direction that the light had come from and saw a familiar image standing next to the teacart.
“Have I come too late for tea, Jean-Luc?” the man asked.
Jean-Luc smiled at his guest. “I though that you might drop in for a visit.” He said.
The man poured himself a cup of tea and walked over to where his former “opponent” was sitting. He took a seat in a chair next to him. “Of course I was going to come see you, Mon Captain”. We’ve known each other now for what…seventy-five years?” he asked.
“Something like that!” Jean-Luc agreed.
His visitor leaned in close. “Well, today is the last chance I was going to get to visit you.” He said.
Jean-Luc smiled. “Why is that, Q? Are you going somewhere?” he asked.
Q shook his head solemnly. “Not I, Jean-Luc. Let’s just say that your journal entry for today was correct. I just wanted to say that it’s been a pleasure knowing you for all these years. You really were almost a friend, you know!”
Jean-Luc contemplated that for a minute. “Then answer a question for me if you would, Q.” he said.
“Of course, my dear, Captain. What is it.” Q asked.
“There was a statement that you made all those years ago on our way to Farpoint Station that I dismissed at the time, but I have begun to wonder about these last few years.”
Q looked puzzled at this. “And what is that, Jean-Luc?” he asked.
Jean-Luc began to direct his thoughts to events of long ago. “Do you remember when you first came on the bridge of the Enterprise?”
Q looked at him sardonically. “Captain, you’re the one who’s one hundred and thirty seven years old, I’m omnipotent! Of course I remember. Why do you ask?” he asked as he got up to get himself some tea.
Jean-Luc stared out the window, as if to collect his thoughts into a concise pattern. “When lieutenant Torres drew his phaser on you and you immobilized him. I pulled the phaser from his frozen fingers and showed you that it was on the stun setting. You made the comment, ‘Knowing humans as I do, should I be rendered helpless by them?’ I didn’t give it much thought at the time, but lately I’ve been wondering, if that was your first encounter with humans, how did you “Know us” as you did?”
Q crossed the room and sat back down with his tea. He crossed his legs and sipped from his cup. “Well, Mon Capitan. You still have a couple of minutes left. Let me tell you a story that happened almost two hundred and fifty of your years ago. I think it will answer that question nicely.”
“Captains Log, Stardate October 30 2152. The Enterprise has just brought some emergency relief supplies to a cargo vessel that was stranded in the Brannox system. We have been granted a week of shore leave and are headed back to Risa, where my chief engineer and weapons officer say they have some unfinished business.”
“I certainly hope that you take advantage of shore leave this time, Sub-Commander.” Archer said as he reached over and filled her water glass.
“Meditation is all the ‘shore leave’ I need, Captain.” She said.
Archer leaned back in his chair. “Well, far be it for me to say that meditation is not worthwhile, but I would imagine that even the Vulcan psyche needs to unwind occasionally.”
T’Pol looked up from across the table. “You have a very active imagination.” She told him.
Archer smiled and reached for his water glass. The door chime sounded. “Come in.” he called out.
The door slid open and Tucker walked in. “Sorry I’m late.” He began as soon as he entered the room.
“No problem, Trip. Sit down.” Archer said pointing to the empty chair.
Trip took the empty chair and pulled it away from the table. He slipped lightly into it and tucked himself under the table. “I sure am hungry! What’s on the menu for today?” He asked.
“Chef said that he had something special planned for…”
Archer was cut off in mid sentence as a white light enveloped T’Pol and Trip. Archer blinked in disbelief and they faded out of existence. He stood up and looked around the room. “Archer to Reed, we have a problem.”
There was no response. “Malcom, come in!” he called out.
Another bright flash of light filled the room and this time no one was taken away. This time someone was left behind. Archer stood in disbelief at the impossible figure standing in front of him. It was a human; at least he looked human to John. The stranger was tall, with short cut dark hair. Most impossible was what he was wearing. A Starfleet admirals uniform.
The stranger had a cocky smirk on his face. “Fleet Admiral Q here, Captain. I’ve come with a message for you from the top. Turn this little vessel around and go home!” He said.
Archer looked into his eyes and tried to make sense of what was happening around him. “I don’t know who or what you are, but you’re no Starfleet Admiral. What have you done to my shipmates?” he asked.
Q turned and looked around the room. “How did your puny race ever make a vessel capable of long range space travel without even designing a little elbow room.” He asked.
Archer’s temperature began to rise. He decidedly had to control himself. “I think I’ll ask the questions here.” He said firmly.
Q turned on him with an enraged look on his face. As quickly as it crossed his features it left. He too was keeping tight control of himself Archer noted to himself. ‘This is no time to back down now.’ He decided and figured that he would pursue the issue. “You say your name is Q. Is that your personal name, or you species?” he asked.
Q walked over to the chair that T’Pol had just been sitting in and plunked down into it. He waived his hand toward Archer. “Whichever will best describe it to your UN-evolved brain.” He said nonchalantly.
Archer took in a deep breath and let it out very slowly. “You still have not answered my question. Where are my ship mates?” he asked.
Q smirked again. He reached over and took a glass of water off of the table and took a long drink. “There not the ones you should be worried about, my dear Captain. It’s you that you should be concerned with.” He said.
Archer stood his ground, determined not to be intimidated. “Where, are, they!” he demanded.
“They are exactly where we are right now. I didn’t do anything to them. It’s you that I took to this plain.”
“This plain?” Archer asked.
Q sighed. “Yes, Captain. I took you to a different dimension, from your point of view.”
“So they are safe?” Archer asked.
“For the time being.” Q said. “Though, depending on the outcome of this little meeting we’re having right now, they may be in grave danger. Which takes me back to the reason why I am here. Go home!”
Archer walked over to Q and stood above the seated figure. “I don’t recognize your authority in this matter, ADMIRAL!” he said with as much sarcasm as he could muster.
Q stood up and faced him. “Then perhaps this will be more familiar to you.” He flashed into a ball of bright white light. When the light faded away, he was standing there, though this time the Starfleet uniform was gone, along with the human features. The same being Archer had been talking with was still in front of him, though he now appeared to be a Vulcan. Complete with pointed ears, upswept eyebrows and long flowing robes. Archer felt his heart race and his pulse quicken. Somehow this entity had noticed it as well. “Good! You’re beginning to understand who you are dealing with!” Q said.
“I still demand to know why you have taken me to this…plain of existence.” Archer said.
Q looked up at the ceiling and threw his hands into the air. “How limited human understanding is! The most simple of concepts are completely baffling him!” He looked back down and stared Archer in the eyes. “Maybe if I say it more slowly this time. Go…home!” he said again.
Archer’s despair was turning into frustration. “You have not said why.”
Q held his palms out in a gesture of compassion. “Because I am older and wiser than you. In fact, I’m older and wiser than humanity. Trust me, it’s better that you turn around now.”
Archer began to pace the room. “I’ll admit that you have shown a considerable amount of power and I don’t doubt that you could harm me and my crew, but I see no reason why I should turn around and go home now. Humanity has just begun to make our mark in the universe.”
“Trust me.” Q said. “It’s going to be a long and boring mark!”
“That may be so, but we have to make it non the less. We need to experience the wonders of the galaxy ourselves.”
Q perked up on that comment. “Experience the wonders of the galaxy! Is that all? What a fabulous idea!” He said and waived his hand.
Archer found himself surrounded by complete blackness. He squinted his eyes together tightly, then slowly released them. He looked around his surrounding area. He was not in complete blackness after all. There were several pinpricks of light around him as well. After a few seconds of processing, he realized that he was looking at stars. He looked down and saw the hull of his ship underneath his feet. He was standing on the Enterprise in the middle of open space. He immediately held his breath, but realized that in some impossible way he was able to breathe.
“Impressive, isn’t it?’ Q asked.
Archer turned to his left and saw Q standing along side him, back in the Starfleet uniform and human again.
“Are we…I mean, is this really…?” Archer began.
“Yes, it is.” Q said. “Hold on.”
Archer was swept away in an indescribable way through the vast universe. He seemed to be free floating through space, yet what happened before him seemed to be nothing more than a movie in the mess hall. Planets appeared before him. He would traverse their landmasses like an eagle flying high above. He would then shift out into open space. He plunged headfirst into a nebula and rode the gasses that lit it up with amazing colors. He found himself plunging into the oceans of uncharted planets and saw marine life that he could not begin to categorize, nor was he able to even explain them. He pulled up on a planet and saw a whole civilization develop before his eyes. The inhabitants went from mechanical transportation, to exploring the galaxy, to passing out of existence as a race altogether.
This went on for what seemed like months and Archer wound up back in his private dining room with Q standing in front of him. “So, now you’ve seen the wonders of the galaxy. Go home and write a report!” Q told him.
Archer sat down in his chair, overwhelmed by what he had just experienced. “No.” he said.
Q looked at him with agitation playing across his features. “What do you mean, no?” he asked sternly.
“The universe is not open just to me, nor just to humanity for that matter. Every sentient being has the right to experience the wonders of the universe. That is why we will continue our mission. That’s why we must continue it.”
Q sat down across from him. “I could wipe this ship and crew out of existence! I could send earth backwards two hundred years to a time that you though mechanical wrist watches and cellular communication devices were the top achievement. No one would remember you or even care.” He said.
“I don’t think so.” Archer told him and swung his right leg up, crossing it over his left.
“You don’t think, what?” Q asked him.
Archer shrugged. “I don’t think that any sentient being, no matter how powerful has the right to dominate another sentient being.”
“Again, this shows how little you know about the galaxy!” Q stressed. “Go home now, while you still have time!”
Archer stood up. “Thank you for your concern, Mr. Q. However if it’s all the same to you, I’m hungry and I plan to resume my dinner now.”
Q stood up; the visible presence of fury manifested itself in a fiery light display that cascaded around and down Q. He raised his hand and was ready to do untold acts against Archer when a low rumble sounded through the room. Q looked up to see a slowly swirling array of colors appear on the ceiling. He lowered his hand again and calmed himself. He re-addressed himself to Archer. “My dear Captain. Believe me that your leaving is in the best interest of humanity. Maybe in another two hundred years or so your race will be ready to explore the galaxy, but right now you simply are not ready for what you will come up against.”
Archer let a smirk cross his face. A bemused chuckle escaped from his pressed lips. “I’ve been having this same conversation with the Vulcans for the last twenty years, Q. Believe me, they could not keep my in spacedock and neither will you.”
Q put on his befriended mask. “You really should take my guidance.” He said.
Archer looked him square in the eye. “You never know, we just may surprise you.” He said.
Q’s face lit up like a supernova. “Surprise. Did you say surprise my good Captain? What an interesting challenge! I accept.”
“Accept what?” Archer asked.
“Why your challenge of course!” Q said. “I will give you the opportunity to surprise me!” he told him barely containing himself. “Oh this is a most impressive solution! If you can provide me with surprise, I will go away and never bother you again. If you can’t surprise me, I’ll wrap your little ship up in a nice bow and send you back to earth.”
Archer sat up straight. “That’s not what I suggested, Q!” he began.
Q cut him off with a wave of his hand. “Ah, yes you did. Go ahead! Surprise me!” he said.
“How am I supposed to accomplish that?’ Archer asked.
Q raised an eyebrow and cocked his head to the side. “Oh, yes, that will prove to be a challenge. How do you surprise an omnipotent being? Hmm, now. I know! Oh, this is excellent! I’ll allow you a combination of either three questions or commands. Not three of each mind you, but three total in any combination. If you ask me a question that I can’t answer, or give me a command that I can not accomplish, I’ll leave as I said, never to trouble you again!”
Archer sat back in his chair, suddenly wishing T’Pol was here with him right now. He saw no way out of this situation accept to play along. ‘This better be good!’ he thought to himself.
“Alright.” Archer began. “My first one is a question.”
“Oh goodie!” said Q. “I was hoping for a question! Go ahead, ask away.”
“Being omnipotent, is there any place in the galaxy or anyplace that lies beyond that you are unaware of or unfamiliar with?” Archer asked him.
Q’s eyes lit up. “Absolutely not! The Q are aware of everything and everyplace there could possibly by. Not to mention every being there is in everything and everyplace!” he answered.
Archer thought for a long minute, trying to make sure he chose his word carefully. “Being omnipotent. Is there anyplace that that you could go to that you would be unfamiliar with or could not return from?” he asked.
Q rolled his eyes. A bright flash of light exploded on the table in front of Archer. When the light faded a dictionary appeared on the table. “Here.” Said Q referring to the dictionary. “Look up the word omnipotent.” He said.
Archer stared at him.
Q waved toward the book which vanished again in the same wash of light. He leaned in toward Archer. “No!” he said simply.
Archer nodded and considered these last two answers.
Q waited for a few moments in silence, but could take it no longer. “Go ahead, ask your last and final question. Make it a good one now. I fully plan on being surprised!”
Archer stood up. “Not a question.” He said. “A command.”
Q stood up too. “How thrilling. What surprising task has that ninety percent inactive collection of gray matter inside your head assembled for me to do?” he asked with all the piety he could muster.
Archer walked in close to him. “Get lost!” he said.
Q’s face flushed. Raw fury played across his features.
“I believe its time for you to go now.” Archer told him.
Q stood his ground. “I am not finished with you.” He said.
The room began to rumble and the lights on the ceiling played again. Q took note of that and redirected himself to Archer. “I will honor my agreement with you, Sir. But know this! The Q are not finished with humanity. The day will come when you will be forced to deal with us again.”
Archer sat back down in his chair. “But not for a long time I would assume.” He said.
Q threw his arm into the air and the entire room washed in a white light.
“Chef said that he had something special planned for us tonight.” Archer told Trip.
“Well I hope so.” Trip said. “After the day I’ve had in engineering today, I need a good meal and a trip to Risa!”
Picard set his empty teacup back down on the table. “Thank you, Q. I am glad that I was able to have that question answered before my time was up.” He said.
Q sipped the last of his tea and set his cup down too. “I’m glad to answer it for you Jean-Luc. You know, what I told you so many decades ago now is still true.”
“Refresh my memory.” Picard told him.
“That in all the galaxy, you are the closest thing I have to a friend.”
A flash of light appeared in the room behind Q. Another Q being was in the room. A grown man, yet somehow younger than Q.
“Father.” The younger man said. “It is time for us to go now.”
Picard looked up at him quizzically. “Father?” he asked Q.
Q patted Picard on the arm. “That’s altogether another story.” He leaned in close so that only Picard would hear. “Don’t worry, Jean-Luc, you’ll be seeing me again, very shortly. When that time comes we’ll have all the time we want for questions and answers!”
I hope you enjoyed that! Now more New Horizons next week. I promise.
CadetThad
His hand was slow but steady. He carefully and meticulously directed his writing. He was determined that his penmanship remains flawless, even at his age. Paper and pencil were items that he had quickly gotten used to. He had spent the majority of his life keeping logs on a computer, but after he retired to his family’s home in LaBarre, France so many years ago, he did not even have so much as a personal computer anymore. He looked up at his calendar and saw the current date of September 3, 2442. He wrote that date down under the header “Captain’s Log.” After moving back home to France there was no need to keep a stardate any longer. That being so he switched back to the use of the Gregorian calendar, or, Earth standard. He thought about what he would say for several minutes but the only thing that seemed to fit on this particular day was “I believe that today is the day.”
He set his pencil down and closed the book’s cover. He stood up slowly, which in it self was a great task. He walked over to a small teacart sitting at the far end of his living room, which sat a bone china teapot and two fine matching cups. He poured himself a cup of steaming Earl Grey and slowly made his way to his large recliner next to the window that overlooked his families’ vineyard. He stared out the window for several minutes until a bright flash of light in the other end of the room caught his attention.
He turned to look in the direction that the light had come from and saw a familiar image standing next to the teacart.
“Have I come too late for tea, Jean-Luc?” the man asked.
Jean-Luc smiled at his guest. “I though that you might drop in for a visit.” He said.
The man poured himself a cup of tea and walked over to where his former “opponent” was sitting. He took a seat in a chair next to him. “Of course I was going to come see you, Mon Captain”. We’ve known each other now for what…seventy-five years?” he asked.
“Something like that!” Jean-Luc agreed.
His visitor leaned in close. “Well, today is the last chance I was going to get to visit you.” He said.
Jean-Luc smiled. “Why is that, Q? Are you going somewhere?” he asked.
Q shook his head solemnly. “Not I, Jean-Luc. Let’s just say that your journal entry for today was correct. I just wanted to say that it’s been a pleasure knowing you for all these years. You really were almost a friend, you know!”
Jean-Luc contemplated that for a minute. “Then answer a question for me if you would, Q.” he said.
“Of course, my dear, Captain. What is it.” Q asked.
“There was a statement that you made all those years ago on our way to Farpoint Station that I dismissed at the time, but I have begun to wonder about these last few years.”
Q looked puzzled at this. “And what is that, Jean-Luc?” he asked.
Jean-Luc began to direct his thoughts to events of long ago. “Do you remember when you first came on the bridge of the Enterprise?”
Q looked at him sardonically. “Captain, you’re the one who’s one hundred and thirty seven years old, I’m omnipotent! Of course I remember. Why do you ask?” he asked as he got up to get himself some tea.
Jean-Luc stared out the window, as if to collect his thoughts into a concise pattern. “When lieutenant Torres drew his phaser on you and you immobilized him. I pulled the phaser from his frozen fingers and showed you that it was on the stun setting. You made the comment, ‘Knowing humans as I do, should I be rendered helpless by them?’ I didn’t give it much thought at the time, but lately I’ve been wondering, if that was your first encounter with humans, how did you “Know us” as you did?”
Q crossed the room and sat back down with his tea. He crossed his legs and sipped from his cup. “Well, Mon Capitan. You still have a couple of minutes left. Let me tell you a story that happened almost two hundred and fifty of your years ago. I think it will answer that question nicely.”
“Captains Log, Stardate October 30 2152. The Enterprise has just brought some emergency relief supplies to a cargo vessel that was stranded in the Brannox system. We have been granted a week of shore leave and are headed back to Risa, where my chief engineer and weapons officer say they have some unfinished business.”
“I certainly hope that you take advantage of shore leave this time, Sub-Commander.” Archer said as he reached over and filled her water glass.
“Meditation is all the ‘shore leave’ I need, Captain.” She said.
Archer leaned back in his chair. “Well, far be it for me to say that meditation is not worthwhile, but I would imagine that even the Vulcan psyche needs to unwind occasionally.”
T’Pol looked up from across the table. “You have a very active imagination.” She told him.
Archer smiled and reached for his water glass. The door chime sounded. “Come in.” he called out.
The door slid open and Tucker walked in. “Sorry I’m late.” He began as soon as he entered the room.
“No problem, Trip. Sit down.” Archer said pointing to the empty chair.
Trip took the empty chair and pulled it away from the table. He slipped lightly into it and tucked himself under the table. “I sure am hungry! What’s on the menu for today?” He asked.
“Chef said that he had something special planned for…”
Archer was cut off in mid sentence as a white light enveloped T’Pol and Trip. Archer blinked in disbelief and they faded out of existence. He stood up and looked around the room. “Archer to Reed, we have a problem.”
There was no response. “Malcom, come in!” he called out.
Another bright flash of light filled the room and this time no one was taken away. This time someone was left behind. Archer stood in disbelief at the impossible figure standing in front of him. It was a human; at least he looked human to John. The stranger was tall, with short cut dark hair. Most impossible was what he was wearing. A Starfleet admirals uniform.
The stranger had a cocky smirk on his face. “Fleet Admiral Q here, Captain. I’ve come with a message for you from the top. Turn this little vessel around and go home!” He said.
Archer looked into his eyes and tried to make sense of what was happening around him. “I don’t know who or what you are, but you’re no Starfleet Admiral. What have you done to my shipmates?” he asked.
Q turned and looked around the room. “How did your puny race ever make a vessel capable of long range space travel without even designing a little elbow room.” He asked.
Archer’s temperature began to rise. He decidedly had to control himself. “I think I’ll ask the questions here.” He said firmly.
Q turned on him with an enraged look on his face. As quickly as it crossed his features it left. He too was keeping tight control of himself Archer noted to himself. ‘This is no time to back down now.’ He decided and figured that he would pursue the issue. “You say your name is Q. Is that your personal name, or you species?” he asked.
Q walked over to the chair that T’Pol had just been sitting in and plunked down into it. He waived his hand toward Archer. “Whichever will best describe it to your UN-evolved brain.” He said nonchalantly.
Archer took in a deep breath and let it out very slowly. “You still have not answered my question. Where are my ship mates?” he asked.
Q smirked again. He reached over and took a glass of water off of the table and took a long drink. “There not the ones you should be worried about, my dear Captain. It’s you that you should be concerned with.” He said.
Archer stood his ground, determined not to be intimidated. “Where, are, they!” he demanded.
“They are exactly where we are right now. I didn’t do anything to them. It’s you that I took to this plain.”
“This plain?” Archer asked.
Q sighed. “Yes, Captain. I took you to a different dimension, from your point of view.”
“So they are safe?” Archer asked.
“For the time being.” Q said. “Though, depending on the outcome of this little meeting we’re having right now, they may be in grave danger. Which takes me back to the reason why I am here. Go home!”
Archer walked over to Q and stood above the seated figure. “I don’t recognize your authority in this matter, ADMIRAL!” he said with as much sarcasm as he could muster.
Q stood up and faced him. “Then perhaps this will be more familiar to you.” He flashed into a ball of bright white light. When the light faded away, he was standing there, though this time the Starfleet uniform was gone, along with the human features. The same being Archer had been talking with was still in front of him, though he now appeared to be a Vulcan. Complete with pointed ears, upswept eyebrows and long flowing robes. Archer felt his heart race and his pulse quicken. Somehow this entity had noticed it as well. “Good! You’re beginning to understand who you are dealing with!” Q said.
“I still demand to know why you have taken me to this…plain of existence.” Archer said.
Q looked up at the ceiling and threw his hands into the air. “How limited human understanding is! The most simple of concepts are completely baffling him!” He looked back down and stared Archer in the eyes. “Maybe if I say it more slowly this time. Go…home!” he said again.
Archer’s despair was turning into frustration. “You have not said why.”
Q held his palms out in a gesture of compassion. “Because I am older and wiser than you. In fact, I’m older and wiser than humanity. Trust me, it’s better that you turn around now.”
Archer began to pace the room. “I’ll admit that you have shown a considerable amount of power and I don’t doubt that you could harm me and my crew, but I see no reason why I should turn around and go home now. Humanity has just begun to make our mark in the universe.”
“Trust me.” Q said. “It’s going to be a long and boring mark!”
“That may be so, but we have to make it non the less. We need to experience the wonders of the galaxy ourselves.”
Q perked up on that comment. “Experience the wonders of the galaxy! Is that all? What a fabulous idea!” He said and waived his hand.
Archer found himself surrounded by complete blackness. He squinted his eyes together tightly, then slowly released them. He looked around his surrounding area. He was not in complete blackness after all. There were several pinpricks of light around him as well. After a few seconds of processing, he realized that he was looking at stars. He looked down and saw the hull of his ship underneath his feet. He was standing on the Enterprise in the middle of open space. He immediately held his breath, but realized that in some impossible way he was able to breathe.
“Impressive, isn’t it?’ Q asked.
Archer turned to his left and saw Q standing along side him, back in the Starfleet uniform and human again.
“Are we…I mean, is this really…?” Archer began.
“Yes, it is.” Q said. “Hold on.”
Archer was swept away in an indescribable way through the vast universe. He seemed to be free floating through space, yet what happened before him seemed to be nothing more than a movie in the mess hall. Planets appeared before him. He would traverse their landmasses like an eagle flying high above. He would then shift out into open space. He plunged headfirst into a nebula and rode the gasses that lit it up with amazing colors. He found himself plunging into the oceans of uncharted planets and saw marine life that he could not begin to categorize, nor was he able to even explain them. He pulled up on a planet and saw a whole civilization develop before his eyes. The inhabitants went from mechanical transportation, to exploring the galaxy, to passing out of existence as a race altogether.
This went on for what seemed like months and Archer wound up back in his private dining room with Q standing in front of him. “So, now you’ve seen the wonders of the galaxy. Go home and write a report!” Q told him.
Archer sat down in his chair, overwhelmed by what he had just experienced. “No.” he said.
Q looked at him with agitation playing across his features. “What do you mean, no?” he asked sternly.
“The universe is not open just to me, nor just to humanity for that matter. Every sentient being has the right to experience the wonders of the universe. That is why we will continue our mission. That’s why we must continue it.”
Q sat down across from him. “I could wipe this ship and crew out of existence! I could send earth backwards two hundred years to a time that you though mechanical wrist watches and cellular communication devices were the top achievement. No one would remember you or even care.” He said.
“I don’t think so.” Archer told him and swung his right leg up, crossing it over his left.
“You don’t think, what?” Q asked him.
Archer shrugged. “I don’t think that any sentient being, no matter how powerful has the right to dominate another sentient being.”
“Again, this shows how little you know about the galaxy!” Q stressed. “Go home now, while you still have time!”
Archer stood up. “Thank you for your concern, Mr. Q. However if it’s all the same to you, I’m hungry and I plan to resume my dinner now.”
Q stood up; the visible presence of fury manifested itself in a fiery light display that cascaded around and down Q. He raised his hand and was ready to do untold acts against Archer when a low rumble sounded through the room. Q looked up to see a slowly swirling array of colors appear on the ceiling. He lowered his hand again and calmed himself. He re-addressed himself to Archer. “My dear Captain. Believe me that your leaving is in the best interest of humanity. Maybe in another two hundred years or so your race will be ready to explore the galaxy, but right now you simply are not ready for what you will come up against.”
Archer let a smirk cross his face. A bemused chuckle escaped from his pressed lips. “I’ve been having this same conversation with the Vulcans for the last twenty years, Q. Believe me, they could not keep my in spacedock and neither will you.”
Q put on his befriended mask. “You really should take my guidance.” He said.
Archer looked him square in the eye. “You never know, we just may surprise you.” He said.
Q’s face lit up like a supernova. “Surprise. Did you say surprise my good Captain? What an interesting challenge! I accept.”
“Accept what?” Archer asked.
“Why your challenge of course!” Q said. “I will give you the opportunity to surprise me!” he told him barely containing himself. “Oh this is a most impressive solution! If you can provide me with surprise, I will go away and never bother you again. If you can’t surprise me, I’ll wrap your little ship up in a nice bow and send you back to earth.”
Archer sat up straight. “That’s not what I suggested, Q!” he began.
Q cut him off with a wave of his hand. “Ah, yes you did. Go ahead! Surprise me!” he said.
“How am I supposed to accomplish that?’ Archer asked.
Q raised an eyebrow and cocked his head to the side. “Oh, yes, that will prove to be a challenge. How do you surprise an omnipotent being? Hmm, now. I know! Oh, this is excellent! I’ll allow you a combination of either three questions or commands. Not three of each mind you, but three total in any combination. If you ask me a question that I can’t answer, or give me a command that I can not accomplish, I’ll leave as I said, never to trouble you again!”
Archer sat back in his chair, suddenly wishing T’Pol was here with him right now. He saw no way out of this situation accept to play along. ‘This better be good!’ he thought to himself.
“Alright.” Archer began. “My first one is a question.”
“Oh goodie!” said Q. “I was hoping for a question! Go ahead, ask away.”
“Being omnipotent, is there any place in the galaxy or anyplace that lies beyond that you are unaware of or unfamiliar with?” Archer asked him.
Q’s eyes lit up. “Absolutely not! The Q are aware of everything and everyplace there could possibly by. Not to mention every being there is in everything and everyplace!” he answered.
Archer thought for a long minute, trying to make sure he chose his word carefully. “Being omnipotent. Is there anyplace that that you could go to that you would be unfamiliar with or could not return from?” he asked.
Q rolled his eyes. A bright flash of light exploded on the table in front of Archer. When the light faded a dictionary appeared on the table. “Here.” Said Q referring to the dictionary. “Look up the word omnipotent.” He said.
Archer stared at him.
Q waved toward the book which vanished again in the same wash of light. He leaned in toward Archer. “No!” he said simply.
Archer nodded and considered these last two answers.
Q waited for a few moments in silence, but could take it no longer. “Go ahead, ask your last and final question. Make it a good one now. I fully plan on being surprised!”
Archer stood up. “Not a question.” He said. “A command.”
Q stood up too. “How thrilling. What surprising task has that ninety percent inactive collection of gray matter inside your head assembled for me to do?” he asked with all the piety he could muster.
Archer walked in close to him. “Get lost!” he said.
Q’s face flushed. Raw fury played across his features.
“I believe its time for you to go now.” Archer told him.
Q stood his ground. “I am not finished with you.” He said.
The room began to rumble and the lights on the ceiling played again. Q took note of that and redirected himself to Archer. “I will honor my agreement with you, Sir. But know this! The Q are not finished with humanity. The day will come when you will be forced to deal with us again.”
Archer sat back down in his chair. “But not for a long time I would assume.” He said.
Q threw his arm into the air and the entire room washed in a white light.
“Chef said that he had something special planned for us tonight.” Archer told Trip.
“Well I hope so.” Trip said. “After the day I’ve had in engineering today, I need a good meal and a trip to Risa!”
Picard set his empty teacup back down on the table. “Thank you, Q. I am glad that I was able to have that question answered before my time was up.” He said.
Q sipped the last of his tea and set his cup down too. “I’m glad to answer it for you Jean-Luc. You know, what I told you so many decades ago now is still true.”
“Refresh my memory.” Picard told him.
“That in all the galaxy, you are the closest thing I have to a friend.”
A flash of light appeared in the room behind Q. Another Q being was in the room. A grown man, yet somehow younger than Q.
“Father.” The younger man said. “It is time for us to go now.”
Picard looked up at him quizzically. “Father?” he asked Q.
Q patted Picard on the arm. “That’s altogether another story.” He leaned in close so that only Picard would hear. “Don’t worry, Jean-Luc, you’ll be seeing me again, very shortly. When that time comes we’ll have all the time we want for questions and answers!”
I hope you enjoyed that! Now more New Horizons next week. I promise.
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