Subject: Grail: "Unexplored Space"- `Q and Q'
<<Aboard the Shuttle Airwing>>
T'Nek slowly slipped into unconsciousness, his head sinking onto
the dead control panels. Then, his weight shifted and he slipped
sideways toward the floor. But a pair of delicate ivory hands caught him
and easily lifted him. The woman moved him to a small bunk and laid him
down gently. She sat on the bunk opposite him.
Her blue eyes scanned the small shuttle, looking for a conventional
and `normal' way to preserve his life until the Grail arrived. She
supposed that she could simply let him die. Kyp Firespray might be able
to convince the Torillion Empire to assist the Grail when they achieved
their space. The Gamma Alterians had been staunch collaborators with the
Torillions. But that was before the Borg decimated Gamma Alteries. And
the Torillions only responded to strength. And their own. And Gamma
Alteries had no more strength left.
She could find no way to save him. Soon, the shuttle would be as
cold as the space without, but the Torillion called T'Nek would
suffocate long before he froze to death. There was nothing she could do,
she would have to risk another `violation'. With a nod and a flexing of
her mind, the Airwing was restored to working order.
And no sooner had she accomplished the miracle, the occupants of
the shuttle went from two to three.
"Tsk, tsk, Q.", said Q as he materialised in a flash of light and
thought. "I could forgive you dislocating that starship by a few light
years, but this is a direct violation of destiny. This man is fated to
die here in the vacuum of space."
The Q once known as Amanda Rogers of Earth turned to face the
taller Q. There was some fear in her eyes. But not fear for herself.
Fear for the Torillion. Fear for the Grail.
"You would be the last one I would expect to condemn me, Q.", she
said. "How many violations have you committed for the sake of Picard and
the Enterprise?"
Q's expression became somewhat petulant. "Well who said I was
condemning you? I was merely pointing out a truth. Don't be so
sensitive.", he snapped snootily. "And besides, Jean Luc Picard and his
bunch were a much more noble and deserving bunch than these criminals
you've adopted. And you were warned about Terrakian."
Q looked down at the unconscious T'Nek. "Terrakian is no danger to
me.", she stated plainly.
"He's a danger to all of us, `Mandy'.", Q taunted with a sneer.
"They should have let Q destroy him in the Lerins Nebula. Q would have
succeeded if not for the limitations of that Earthling Bortak. Terrakian
had almost stolen his powers. If he had known what they were at the
time, he might have employed them instead of using them as a weapon."
Q said nothing. Q was right, of course. But still, she was not
concerned.
"And he is aware, you know. How could he not be? He had tasted the
power in great gulps the last time. What makes you think he didn't smell
it all over you?", Q widened his eyes in question. "Don't get too close
to him, Q. He is too altruistic to use your power wisely."
"He is NOT going to steal my power!", Q shouted suddenly.
Q was undeterred. "Yes. That was what Q thought when he tried to
procreate with that bizarre little Bajoran, Cardassian woman. Instead,
he got ejected forcibly for his troubles. And not only that, Terrakian
had somehow replaced that void with a piece of his own soul. How would
he know to do that, Q?"
"He didn't know what he was doing, Q.", she retorted. "He acted on
a subconscious level. He is a powerful empath. He responded to the
unborn childs emotional need."
Q put on an amused, but disproving face. "Oh yes. That's Terrakian,
all right. He's a real `giver'."
Q sighed in weariness. "Listen, Q. So, he's not the knight in
shining armor that your precious `Picard' is. But where these people are
going, the White Paladin could never hope to succeed. Only evil can
fight evil."
"Well, then..", he replied. "You've certainly made the right
choice."
There was silence between them for a long while. Finally, Q spoke.
"Are you going to punish me for the violations?" Her eyes were wide and
innocent and hopeful.
Q sighed in defeat. "Oh you know I could never refuse you, Q. You
remind me too much of me when I was young. Go. Have your `fun'. But
remember, he knows how to affect you."
And in a flash, Q was gone.
T'Nek of the Torillion Empire awoke suddenly. A flash of light in
the corner of his eyes brought him awake. But, all seemed normal. He was
alone.
The shuttle! The shuttle had power! He moved over to the controls
and brought the engines on-line. It was all working. Systems that had
been sacrificed for the sake of speed were also working. How could this
be? Was he dreaming?
After a short while, it didn't matter. He had to return home. He
just hoped, after all this time, he could navigate the Great Brightness.
Because, if he couldn't, this miracle would be wasted.