Seven……Six

The count down to the release of the thalaron radiation continued as Data slapped on the emergency transport unit onto his Captain. His friend.

Picard had barely time to open his mouth in shock before the ETU activated and beamed the Captain off the Reman ship.

…. Five….Four

Data stared at the glowing particles caused by Picards beam out.

His thoughts were not for himself but his friends. Knowing that his death would cause them great pain. But his death would not be in vain. His friends would live because of him. It would also mean that he was mortal, another step towards humanity. My last step towards humanity thought Data. That was the only regret about his death, the fact that he still had many unanswered questions about humanity and what it was to be human. They would now never get answered.

…..Three…..

Data walked over to the thalaron generator and pointed his phaser directly at the thalaron matrix forming.

Data accessed all his memories at once. Reliving his life in a blink of an eye. Allowing himself to be with his friends one last time. Remembering all the important events that had happened in his life.

Farpoint…..Picard defending his rights to Maddox….Showing Lal his paintings…..Learning to dance…..Meeting his father then his mother……joining forces with Lore……His first emotion in ten-forward…..Being seduced by the Borg Queen….. Learning to play.

Two…….One

Data fired his weapon at the thalaron matrix. His mind calculating that it would take point seven two seconds for the Scimitar to explode and an extra point zero two seconds for him to be incinerated by the explosion.

But it never happened.

The phaser blast had hit the matrix, but the explosion had been stopped.

Data stared at the generator. The explosion had been frozen in time. Data only knew one being in the galaxy that could do something like this.

"Q? What are you doing?"

A loud laugh filled the air. "Why Data you guessed!"

With a bright burst of light Q appeared in front of Data. Wearing a Starfleet Captains uniform. Q smiled impishly at Data. "Well their goes my surprise."