Disclaimer: I don't own either Star Wars or Star Trek, but I do lay claim to the original characters that I've developed for this story.

Hello all, this prologue is an updated version of the one that I posted back in May of 2014. Read and enjoy, let me know what you think!

Prologue

The entity known as Q drifted through space. If anyone could have seen the self-styled omnipotent being at that moment, they would've thought he looked quite odd. Once they had gotten past the sight of someone alive in hard vacuum without a suit. He was lazily reclined in a beach chair, wearing a colorful bathing suit, and sipping quite contentedly at a fizzy drink - complete with umbrella - in his hand. All in all, he seemed completely content with the universe; at least until a feminine voice rang out from behind him and he winced.

"Q! What are you meddling about now?"

A look of hurt formed upon his face, and he sat up and turned to face his accuser, his wife, who stood sternly with arms folded behind him. "My dear? Meddling? Really? I'm doing nothing of the sort, just enjoying the spatial scenery."

His tone begged the question of why in the multiverse would she ask him such a thing. As if he ever meddled. His machinations were far too superb to be labelled as merely meddling.

Lady Q ignored her husband and glanced at a growing object, rapidly approaching, from the direction that he'd been gazing. "Are those humans?"

Maintaining an air of innocence, Q made a show of focusing on the object and feigned shock. "Why, yes, they are! I hadn't even notice-"

"And I thought that we'd agreed, dear husband," the last word practically a hiss, "That you were to cease your tiresome dealings with those creatures?"

He raised a lazy finger, "Technically dearest, only you agreed to that, I merely nodded."

Her eyes slit dangerously, "Q..."

Q threw up his hands, a vain appeal against the approaching wrath. "My dear, relax, what's about to happen is practically a complete coincidence." He stuttered a bit as she raised her eyebrow, "T-t-there's been almost no interference in the slightest on my part!"

Her furious response was cut off abruptly as that object, now recognizable as a Federation Akira-Class starship, shot over them at high warp. They watched – Lady Q with a scow and Q with a triumphant smirk - as an explosion of blue light appeared and engulfed the small cruiser entirely.

The Lady glared back down at her husband, the object of their conversation now vanished. "Almost no interference?"

Before the entity could formulate a response, another being joined them, fading into existence. This one was an older human, his eyes bright and piercing, and his body translucent and glowing a soft shade of blue. Q openly winced as the man once known in the mortal realm as Qui-Gon Jinn spoke, "He's done much more than 'almost nothing.' He has greatly disturbed the balance of the Living Force, these two galaxies were not meant to come into contact for many more of their centuries."

Whatever fear that had moved Q when the former Jedi had first appeared vanished now. He snorted and stood up from his beach chair, "Upset the balance of the Force? As if forthcoming events on your end of things weren't going to do that anyway. I've done nothing of the sort, please, I've simply-"

A slap to the back of his head cut him off. Physical body or no, that hurt. Rubbing the back of his head, he incredulously spun to look at his assailant, only to find her with a sweet smile on her face.

"I do hope that you know what you've gotten yourself into this time, darling," she said, cocking her head, "I won't be rescuing you from banishment again." She snapped and vanished in a flash of light, leaving Q alone with the specter of the old Jedi Master.

The Lady gone, and Qui-Gon's stern countenance dropped and he smiled wanly. "She's actually gone, at least for the moment. We can speak freely."

Q was still slowly rubbing his head, "You owe me for that one, Jinn; I won't hear the end of it for centuries."

Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow and laughed, "Owe you? For letting you interfere where you've wanted to for eons?"

He put his hand down and grunted, "I suppose you have a point there."

"Besides," Qui-Gon continued, "This helps you as much as it does me. Those peoples that you have such an-"

"Tread carefully Jinn," Q's eyes narrowed but the Jedi smirked and continued.

"-affection for will benefit from this."

"As will the beknighted remnants of that Order of yours, I suppose."

Qui-Gon's smirk didn't break. "We come out even."

"Indeed," Q still seemed irritated, "Until next time Jinn." He snapped and a flash of light took the Q away as well.

Qui-Gon turned slowly to where the wormhole had appeared. He snorted to himself, as a long-ago memory surfaced. "Greed can be a powerful ally," he muttered. A smiling tow-headed boy flashed before his eyes, only to vanish and be replaced by harsh mechanical breathing and a lake of fire. He grimaced for a moment, in pain at the memory of infinite potential forsaken. New paths and futures danced before his eyes, and he allowed himself a small smile. 'The Force shifts,' he thought to himself. 'The shroud of the dark side is falling.' 'Perhaps now,' he thought wistfully, 'There will be a greater hope.'

And Qui-Gon Jinn faded away as well.