Those who knew what to look for, could find Q if they really wanted to. It also helped if you were the one he wasn't hiding from. Raven-Cloud really wanted to find Q, and because Q was more concentrated on Hiding from Virginia than others, Raven-Cloud found him easily. Stepping into the dimension where Q was Hiding while he watched the events on the Enterprise, Raven-Cloud cleared his throat as he came to a rest next to the other man.
"You're getting better at Hiding," Raven-Cloud said. "I almost didn't find you this time."
"I'm not Hiding from you," Q answered, sparing the ambassador a glance. "What brings you to this neighborhood?"
"Same as you, checking up on the princess." The ambassador took in the scene before him. "What is she doing?"
"Tinkering." Q sighed. "She's modifying the transporters."
"She always was happiest when she was fixing something. I'm surprised she didn't take up engineering in the Acadamy."
"Did she have a choice?"
Raven-Cloud ignored the anger in the other man's voice. "Probably not. Does her tinkering mean that she still plans to go through with the switch?"
"It does."
The ambassador sighed. "What does she plan to accomplish by this meaningless self-sacrifice?"
"To save the other half-breed from having to endure the trauma from being assimilated."
"Obviously. But why bother since she was given permission to pull the Troi woman out and restore her memory as though it had never happened?"
Q considered this, sensing that it was asked sincerely. "Because she's a woman of conscience. When she accessed Picard's memories at their first meeting, she was overwhelmed by his memories of assimilation, even though by his standards they are old memories. She can't in good conscience ask anyone to submit to that torture...and then take away their memories of it. Remember the culture in which she grew up in...there is honor in surviving torture."
"She has enough honor to choke a Klingon," Raven-Cloud said disgustedly.
"Don't tell her that," advised Q. "At least she lives up to her beliefs."
The ambassador was quiet a moment before saying, "That was uncalled for."
"I wasn't refering to that," Q said. "It's the truth though...Virginia will live up to her beliefs no matter what."
"Even if it kills her?"
"You know that answer to that as well as I."
Raven-Cloud nodded. "Sometimes it's like she wants to die."
"Not as much as she wants to be loved," Q said softly. "Will I be allowed to rescue her?"
The reason why he was here. "The Council is still out on that."
"Incredible! You came all the way here just to tell me that the Council is still out to lunch?!"
The other man actually chuckled. "Does it really matter? We both know that when the time comes, you'll rescue her no matter what they say."
"That's beside the point." Q sighed and watched as his heart's desire returned to her quarters. His heart quickened at the thought that she might go back to her bottle of alcohol. "It's be nice to be approved by the Council for a change. Now, either be quiet or leave because I want to watch."
"I'll leave. But I'll be back."
"Of that I have no doubt."
But the other was gone, leaving Q to watch in silence.
1 comment:
A fine look at Q here.
Post a Comment