<<Stardate: 47307.16- 22:30>>

<<Mess Hall- Deck 10>>

Commander Epic Terrakian stood silent and alone in the farthest corner from the door. He was equally distant from the Federation Flag draped coffin of Captain Zebediah Cochran. Not all who were obligated to attend were yet present, but that was certainly understandable.

The first day of `real duty' aboard the USS Grail was anything but ordinary.

Epic was genuinely surprised at Yeoman Vincent Rogers exceptional results with the very non-specific orders he had issued to the man. Delicacies of the worlds and nations of the entire crew were represented, each distinguished by the flags of that world or nation. Also, despite the fact that the `guest of honor' was also in the room, it still appeared festive. A real `Irish funeral', he had overheard Lt. Maj. Brinn remarking to another Marine as she slammed down a `Pangalactic Gargleblaster'. It was one of Logan Castles favorites and smelled like fossil fuel.

And thanks to Yeoman Rogers efforts, the ambient mood of the place was surprisingly positive, despite the fact that most considered their mission doomed. And despite the fact that the deific Q had flung them a year ahead on their journey in the snap of a finger.

And no sooner had he thought of her, the almost angelic beauty that was Q appeared beside him. She wore a simple black gown with a high collar and long sleeves. Gloves covered her delicate hands and tall boots hid her legs. She wore a modest veil of gossamer mesh. In fact, only the pale skin of her chin and her subtly tainted lips, and of course, a gratuitous swell of her breasts through a diamond of provocatively absent material , showed that there was flesh and blood present there at all.

"I thought you had gone.", Epic said without inflection, sipping the champagne that François DeMontigny had insisted he try before chasing a physicians skirt into the crowd. It was quite good, if a little light.

"Not until I have paid my respects.", she replied civilly, with a hint of annoyance. "And I had some things I wanted to tell you before I did leave."

Epic waited for her to speak, but he refused to ask her what she wanted to say. It took a while. But, finally, she spoke.

"The reason I hurled this vessel all the way out here was, not only the anticipation of the arrival of the young Alterian, but I knew that Cochran would not survive the day."

Epic shrugged. What could he say to an omniscient and omnipotent being?

"I couldn't take the risk that Starfleet would cancel the mission. Or postpone it indefinitely."

"What makes you think I won't turn this thing around and head straight back to Earth?", Epic asked with equanimity.

Her lips pursed in a sneer of ridicule. "Please. The only quality you possess greater than your arrogance is your megalomania. You wouldn't give up this ship at disruptor-point."

Epic offered no argument. In fact, he nodded with a small smile. "Yes. I suppose you're right."

"Hmmm.", she offered as an `of course'. "And I was counting on that. You must understand, Captain...."

"I am still a Commander.", he corrected.

"Whatever.", she replied with irritation. "Your title is of little import next to the fact that whatever you are called, you call the shots now."

Epic shrugged agreeably as he emptied his glass.

"And because of that, I know I can count on you to act in certain predictable ways to insure..."

"Do you always `flatter' your pawns this way?", Epic interrupted.

"You may inspire me to behave uncharacteristically from here on out."

Q looked at him through her veil. "I don't think so, Betazoid. We both want the same thing."

"If you mean, we both want to find the Voyager, you might be mistaken.", Epic smiled at a passing Norvian waiter, raising his empty glass.

Q looked at him curiously. "What else is there for you, or anyone else for that matter, out there?"

Epic accepted the refill and emptied it quickly, then, he turned to face the Q directly. With a swift and sure wave, he brushed the veil from her eyes. They were almost as blue as his.

"Maybe I just want to see if I can do it. Maybe I just want to face the terrors your Continuum claims we are so ill-prepared for, and in so doing, wipe that smug expression off your faces."

Q's expression became shrewd. "I think you're only telling half the truth right now, Captain Dracula."

Epics eyes grew cautious. She was very close to the mark. She smiled. "I think you have simply tired of the flat and tasteless emotions of your finite Alpha Quadrant and you are ready to `drink the blood' of a bold new galaxy."

Bullseye! Q's smile became a beam of victory.

Epic smiled, turning away from her. "Am I supposed to be impressed with your insight? Aren't you supposed to be omniscient?"

"The Q are not omniscient, Betazoid.", she answered with growing anger that Epic felt like heat. "We can, however, predict the logical....."

She was silenced by Epics own victorious and somewhat lustful grin.

"And so I learn more about the Q than you might have been willing to divulge."

Q stood silently oscillating between leaving in a pyrotechnic explosion and turning this arrogant cur into a Belzoidian flea. Instead, she replaced her veil and handed him the glass she had held purely for appearances sake.

"I will pay my respects to the dead, then I will be gone.", she said, controlling her anger. "I will see you soon, Vampire."

Epic raised her own glass in a toast to her, then emptied it in a single draft. Water. Her glass had held simple water.

Epic scanned for Vincent Rogers in the crowd, but couldn't see him. He wanted to compliment him.

Even the water was good.

Corvette Hunt approached Epic through the crowd. His head broke the surface of the milling revealers like a sharks fin, coming straight for him.

"I have the traditional 21 gun salvo planned for the Main Holodeck at 23:30.", he said without emotion.

"I will follow those honors with a speech, then....", Epic let the sentence trail, but Hunt picked it up.

"Then, we get down to business."

Epic just nodded. There was nothing else that need be said.

<<All right, folks. Give me a little party dialogue and some personality. Wednesday, I will be starting a new Chapter titled, `Havoc'. Of course, if anyone has something to contribute after the `deadline', just make sure to use the stardate and time to avoid confusion. Give me something fun to read and I'll do the same for you. I promise.>>