Prologue
"Don't be ridiculous, you have no clue what reality is. You've never had to work for anything or wish for what you don't have. All you've ever had to do was snap your fingers to get what you want."
"Au contraire, mon amie I live in reality, every moment of every day. Actually, if you must know I invented "reality." The Q Continuum have embodied itself in every reality imaginable."
The omnipotent male entity pulled himself up to his full height and looked down at the dark-skinned woman standing aside him.
The two were perched on a dissolute mountaintop on an un-inhabitable planet arguing with each other. Toxic multihued winds whipped about them as they discussed the question of reality. Q was part of the Q Continuum – a race of extra-dimensional entities with unlimited powers.
Guinan, harrumphed, "Reality is living in the here and now. Dealing with all the ups and downs, joys and sorrows that life deals out without 'outside intervention'! It absolutely isn't what you think of as reality. You on the other hand snap your fingers and move people and mountains hither and thither across this universe. That isn't even close to any kind of reality I'm aware of."
"Good Lady, methinks you have been consorting with the enemy too long and their feeble weaknesses have rubbed off on you," Q responded in his most patronizing tone. These human companions of yours would love to be able to deal with reality by being able to change their situations in a whim. They are always bemoaning their luck or lack thereof. Given the chance anyone of your favorite humans would choose an alternate reality to what they have presently at any time of their miserable lives."
The strong willed woman stood alongside her male counter part and placed her hands on her ample hips and widened her stance, "That's just the point you stubborn mule. You make everything you do into your own Q reality. Rather than dealing with a situation, you change the outcome to suit yourself. That's what you do." She gazed evenly at Q.
"Pardon e moi, my little 'see good in everyone' dumpling. We don't involve ourselves in every situation – only the important ones like, creation, life, death and whatever matters in-between."
"That's exactly my point. How do you know that without your "so-called" help things wouldn't work out better?"
Q dropped his eyelids, emitted a sigh and answered in a quiet child-like voice, "Mon amie, its just that I have so darned much fun. Besides my interventions as you call them add flavor and excitement to the entities I choose to help. Their lives would be so boring without me. Take those pesky humans you love to hang around for instance, especially Jean-Luc and his little band of misfits. I have given them the most exciting times of their drab miserable lives. I've given them the opportunity to stand trials for the sins of humanity, I've helped them experience life in the times of their Robin Hood, and I've even given Jean-Luc the opportunity to change his miserable past. Each of these adventures has brought excitement to their lives."
Guinan harrumphed again, "Humans are more than adept at dealing with what life throws at them. They build on everything they learn. They know that reality affects more than what is right in front of themselves. I have found that the human race, probably more than any other species adapts to whatever reality is at the moment."
Q thought for a moment and then with a glint in his eyes, and a grin brightening his face he crossed his arms in front of him and slyly proposed, "Care to conduct a little experiment on that princess?"
Guinan skeptically asked, "What kind of experiment did you have in mind you self-important fool?"
"Well let's see, humans you say are so adaptable to changes in reality eh?"
"Mmm yes, I believe they are."
"Ok then my petite fleur… let's take three famous, brave humans and turn their lives upside down and see what shakes out!"
"Mmm… and…" Guinan prodded.
"And we'll see how fast they begin whining for their mommies to take them home."
"Not in your wildest dreams Q. Besides exactly which humans did you have in your demented mind?"
"Well for one Jean-Luc has always been a favorite playmate of mine."
Guinan simply narrowed her eyes, squared her shoulders, crossed her arms and countered… "Ok, who else?"
"Well how about a couple of other Starfleet captains? Starfleet always thinks that their captains are so superior and special. Wait, I've got a wondrously delicious idea. There was another captain I once had a little fun with. Actually his whole entourage made great playmates when I was a child. "
"When you were a child? The human race wasn't even around, you know that."
"Well I wasn't exactly a child… just a little inexperienced let's say. Captain James T. Kirk will be a wonderful subject in my experiment."
"Kirk!" You encountered James Kirk? Hmm… I'll bet you didn't have your way with him. He wouldn't have stood for your foolishness. Did he stop you dead in your tracks?"
Q began pacing back and forth. I may have become, shall we say a little foolhardy in my dealings with Captain Kirk. I was prevented from taking my game very far by my parental units… they thought I was being somewhat cruel to the humans."
"Hmm… if they thought you were cruel, you must have treated Kirk terribly. I'm surprised Kirk even let you get near him."
"Yes, well let's go on, Jean-Luc, Kirk and who else?" Q was so excited about his new venture, that he clapped his hands and turned a broad smile to his cohort. He was like a child who had a new toy.
Guinan thought for a few moments. "There was another Captain. The first Enterprise had a captain – Jonathan Archer. He was young, naive and full of wonder. He was around when humans began interstellar travel."
"Ok, that makes a neat little group of three. Sort of a ménage à trios, don't you think? How fun!" Q's eyes fairly shone with excitement. His mind went into overdrive scheming and planning what was going to be an exciting adventure. He was so sure of the outcome he turned and faced the dark female. "Want to make a wager on the outcome of our little experiment?"
Guinan once again narrowed her eyes in response, "What did you have in mind?"
Q thought for a second and then decided it would be an outcome best discussed later. "Let's just wait to make the wager. I promise you, my petite fleur, it will be something worthy of my reputation."
With a cascade of twinkling lights, Q faded into the dark and coldness of space. Guinan stood alone on the mountain top, her ethereal abilities allowing her to exist where no human could breath.